Reckless Lending as a Cause of the Current Economic Crisis

Free Essays on The End

The last days of Socrates, immediately before his execution was going to take place in Athens. In the dialogue, Socrates’’ friend, Crito, proposes that Socrates escape from prison. Socrates considers this proposal, trying to decide if escaping would be â€Å"â€Å"just†Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"â€Å"morally justified.†Ã¢â‚¬  Eventually, Socrates concludes that the act is considered â€Å"â€Å"unjust†Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"â€Å"morally unjustified.†Ã¢â‚¬  Socrates decides to accept his death penalty and execution. Socrates was a man who would obey truth in all matters. In his refusal to accept exile from Athens or silence as a penalty, he takes the penalty of death and is thrown into prison. While Socrates is awaiting his execution, many of his friends, including Crito, arrive with a foolproof plan for his escape from Athens to live in exile voluntarily. Socrates calmly debates with each friend over the moral value and justification of such an act. Crito believed that by helping Socrates to escape, he could go on to fulfill his personal obligations. Also, if Socrates does not follow the plan, many people would assume that his friends did not care about him enough to help him escape or that his friends are not willing to give their time or money in order to help him. Therefore, Crito goes on to argue that Socrates ought to escape from the prison. After listening to Crito’’s arguments, Socrates dismisses them as irrelevant to a decision about what action is truly right. In the arguments that Socrates makes, what other people think does not matter. The only opinions that should matter are the ones of the individuals that truly know. According to Socrates, the only opinion that he is willing to consider would be that of the state. The argument moves from one of a general moral decision to the morality of his specific case. He basically says avoiding the sentence handed down by the jury would be disobeying the state, Socrates decides not to es... Free Essays on The End Free Essays on The End The last days of Socrates, immediately before his execution was going to take place in Athens. In the dialogue, Socrates’’ friend, Crito, proposes that Socrates escape from prison. Socrates considers this proposal, trying to decide if escaping would be â€Å"â€Å"just†Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"â€Å"morally justified.†Ã¢â‚¬  Eventually, Socrates concludes that the act is considered â€Å"â€Å"unjust†Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"â€Å"morally unjustified.†Ã¢â‚¬  Socrates decides to accept his death penalty and execution. Socrates was a man who would obey truth in all matters. In his refusal to accept exile from Athens or silence as a penalty, he takes the penalty of death and is thrown into prison. While Socrates is awaiting his execution, many of his friends, including Crito, arrive with a foolproof plan for his escape from Athens to live in exile voluntarily. Socrates calmly debates with each friend over the moral value and justification of such an act. Crito believed that by helping Socrates to escape, he could go on to fulfill his personal obligations. Also, if Socrates does not follow the plan, many people would assume that his friends did not care about him enough to help him escape or that his friends are not willing to give their time or money in order to help him. Therefore, Crito goes on to argue that Socrates ought to escape from the prison. After listening to Crito’’s arguments, Socrates dismisses them as irrelevant to a decision about what action is truly right. In the arguments that Socrates makes, what other people think does not matter. The only opinions that should matter are the ones of the individuals that truly know. According to Socrates, the only opinion that he is willing to consider would be that of the state. The argument moves from one of a general moral decision to the morality of his specific case. He basically says avoiding the sentence handed down by the jury would be disobeying the state, Socrates decides not to es...

Unit Length Mix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Unit Length Mix - Essay Example Furthermore, more and more studies were conducted to find out the effectiveness of the :15s in comparison to the :30s. This situation resulted from the rumors in 1983 as an effect of the Burke Research report that said 15-seconder commercials are 91% as effective as the 30-seconder ads. (Pre-Testing Co., 2004) Industries are continuously considering the use of :15s for introducing new products. According to the ARS Group's integrated database, 18% of the top 50 new product ads of 2000 were :15s, and had risen to 24% in 2001. (Better Practices in Advertising, 2002) And recently, according to the Media IQ evaluation, :15s now account for more than 36% of all commercial inventory sold by the broadcast networks for which the range increases to nearly two-thirds of all units sold in some dayparts - particularly the daytime. (Bergantini-Grillo, 2005) However, 15-seconder advertisements are not yet the shortest of commercials aired over the television. Ten-seconder, as well as 5-seconder ads are at the same time attracting the attention of the advertisers and the industries, such that of the General Motors Corporation's Cadillac. But along with these changes in the pod length, pod position is also considered as it is found significant in attaining the goals of the advertisers - an increase in the product recall and especially an increase in the product sales. (Steinberg, 2005) Automotive indus... are becoming more involved in developing the most effective advertising techniques in increasing recall and revenue such that the products they sell are not as easily purchased as other products. Moreover, other industries follow suit which includes even the fast foods and restaurants, retail and wireless that were as well attracted to considering shorter pod length and the use of cable televisions as advertising medium in order to reach more of its target audience. (Bergantini-Grillo, 2005) Studies showed that there is an expected 60% of televiewers fast-forward commercials with DVRs. (Haugsted, 2005) Resulting from this technological shift among the viewers and attitudes toward pre-recorded programs, advertisers are becoming more interested in producing and sponsoring mini-movies and cable programs. (Stanley, 2004; Bergantini-Grillo, 2005 & "Media Firm") The rising prices for the traditional 30-second ads led companies in looking for other alternatives in producing equally effective TV commercials as the :30s. (Friedman, 2005) Thus, researches and studies are conducted concerning the effectiveness of pods - its length and its proper positioning. Results showed that the effectiveness of advertisements decreases as the number of commercials in the break increases. (Pre-Testing Co., Inc., 2004) The recent result of the CAB/Nielsen study that showed a recall of :15s having half that of :30s, with the same difference in price had set industries into an inclination in shorter ads considering the big difference in its expenditures in producing and airing of the commercial. (Ephron, n.d.) Moreover, as this trend continues to develop, ten-second commercials has become more attractive for the advertising agencies. But the hope is for a more long-lasting business. The current

Crime Analysis Why Does Detroit Have Such a High National Murder Rate Assignment

Crime Analysis Why Does Detroit Have Such a High National Murder Rate - Assignment Example In addition, the media placed Detroit as the 2nd city in terms of murder cases in the entire U.S (Fisher, 2013). However, in 2013 the city’s rate abridged significantly though this still equaled with New York statistics whose population is far beyond that of Detroit by 11 times (Crime statistics, 2013). Hence, has become Murder City having 333 homicides of all kinds in 2013 despite analysts contending that was the lowest figure compared to other studies (The Washington, 2014). Most murders occurred between acquaintances, with people involved either in criminal activities or in domestic violence as evidenced by statistics from previous years. Based on already compiled data, reports cite it is a common scenario for gang members to turn on each other. Drug deals going bad were another reason for murders between people who knew each other. For instance, two teenagers were shot and found dead lying on a field facedown after having purchased marijuana from their local supplier. There were reports of domestic violence whereby spouses killed each other, parents killing their children or children terminating lives of their parents. Logan, a police chief in Detroit, gave an example of a woman who stabbed her eight-year-old girl and cited it as a typical scenario experienced in 2012 (Fisher, 2013). Logan further contended America currently experiences increased cases related to gun shootings but Detroit is the epicenter. Gun violence is something very ordinary in Detroit as most people own guns either legally or illegally. According to FBI reports, gun assault increased tremendously over the past years whereby 532 armed crimes were reported for every 100, 000 residents in 2010. The city’s respective authority went ahead to devise a policy whereby people were to hand over their guns at a fee, no questions asked. Its purpose was to reduce the number of guns in Detroit. It was a great failure as gun-related crimes are still a big problem in the

China as an attractive market for Foreign Direct Investment Essay

China as an attractive market for Foreign Direct Investment - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that China is the fastest growing economy in the world and since 1980s has been consistently experiencing high economic growth rates. With the sheer size of the economy and the expansion of manufacturing base of the country has made it one of the largest and most lucrative markets to enter by the international firms. Initially China offered great advantage in terms of access to low cost labor as well as raw materials and manufacturing facilities. However, due to its domestic economy size and the rising income levels, China also presents itself as one of the largest market for the international firms to enter into. All major international brands including McDonalds, Apple, Next and all other better consumer brands have made their entry into China to tap into the local market. Foreign direct investment in China and the impact it had on the Chinese economy is considered as one of the most important economic success stories of the recent times. By the end of 1999, China was having $300 billion of foreign direct investment in the country which was merely $19 billion a decade ago. This figure has now increased manifolds and China is one of the largest attractors of foreign direct investment in the world. What is also important to note that most of the FDI in China was through the Greenfield projects with the collaboration of the local players in the market?   Why this has happened and why China becomes an attractive target for FDI will be discussed in this question. Chinese Economy Chinese economy is the second largest economy in the world overcoming Japan as the second largest economy in the world after USA. It is also the fastest growing economy in the world with growth rates of approximately 10% for last three decades. Such consistent economic performance indicates that the Chinese economy has been able to project itself as one of the most important target for foreign direct investment.  During 1950s and 1960s the ov erall focus of the government was on controlling inflation through tighter budgetary and monetary policy controls. Though China is still a communist country with government controlling most of the resources of the country but it still managed to make a transition to market based economic practices. Though It has the history of nationalizing the banks and other institutions however, it has been continue to attract foreign direct investment in the country. There can be different reasons as to why China became the attractive economy for the foreign direct investment. More important reasons are discussed below: Quality of the Government Though China is the leading centrally controlled economy after USSR with government controlling most of the resources however, it is still considered as the mmarket-friendlygovernment. It has been argue that despite constraints, China has been able to put in place an effective FDI governance mechanism in the country. The quality of the government, overal l policies and the environment presented in China serves as one of the biggest motivating factors for international investors to invest in China. It is also important to understand that greater control of the Chinese government on the management of overall affairs of the economy may be supportive too. Since the government is politically strong therefore foreign direct investment may have become easier.

Impact of Fiscal Decentralization on Economic Growth

Impact of Fiscal Decentralization on Economic Growth CHAPTER-1 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Fiscal decentralization and its impact on economic growth have turned into an interesting subject until today since studies regarding fiscal decentralization are not only considered from the economic viewpoint, but also another perspective such as politics, graphic, and other subjects. The reason conduct of this study about fiscal decentralization and its impact on economic growth is that because sometimes the findings do not give the same conclusions among the researchers about the effect above topic. It is believed that Fiscal decentralization has positive impact on economic stability and growth because it supports in better and appropriate execution of public policies. In decentralized system the government is in great position to know about the essential requirements and problems of societies. It has no any issue in collecting the useful data for mapping out any results oriented policies for backward areas and societies. The â€Å"Decentralization Theorem† maintains that i f there are different preferences for public goods between jurisdictions of uniform provision of these goods by central government will generally achieve lower level of efficiency than one that can be attained by a decentralized provision that allows for differences across jurisdictions (Oates, 1972). Fiscal decentralization cab be handy in shaping out suitable policies, strategies and can get rid of needless activities of federal governments. In the words of Bird and Smart (2002), â€Å" for services to be effectively provided, those receiving transfers need a clear mandate, adequate resources and sufficient flexibility to make decisions†. Fiscal decentralization is a process through which the responsibilities as well as resources from national to provincial governments are devolved (Rondinelli, 1981). Thus decentralization, federal government empowers the provincial governments in such a manner that can help in better use of resources, improve public living standards and at the same time to share the work load (Gordin, 2004). Nevertheless from financial point of view, decentralization may pose danger if it is weakly design so that provinces are able to externalize their costs to others (Rodden et al, 2002; Von Hagen et al, 2000). Our country is federal country with centralized taxation procedure. The central authority collects the bulk of income and then redistributes it between the federal and provinces to correct both the vertical and horizontal differences. The financial resources allocation scheme in Pakistan is fortified with rule and an independent organization, National Finance Commission (NFC), subsequent to every five years, to make sure the fair and careful resource division. However, at times different issues perturb the method and existing economic resources sharing and that could not prove productive. Deadlocks were practiced time to time and therefore National Finance and horizontal resource sharing breaches. Further this study intention to discover the strengths and weaknesses of the present financial resource allocation structure in Pakistan, in the course of the compilation of its past trends. The accurate and suitable information about the existing resource sharing is supposed to result in improved strategy formulation and therefore would eventually assist the nation to grab the growth path faster. In this regard, it is very essential to check out the impact of present resources distribution on economic expansion of nation. So the present study assists in identifying the scale of financial sovereignty of the provincial governments and increase its long run returns. History of Resource allocation in Pakistan Pakistan is a country that has powerful central control system. Two levels of government are working in Pakistan .i.e. the national and sub national (provincial). The resources distribution system all the time remained under discussion due to the competence and sharing issues. -In the observation of Jaffery and Sadaqat (2006), the resource sharing system goes through the four levels. The first level the National Finance Commission (NFC) awards decides the revenue division among the central government and provincial governments. At the second level, Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) delegates funds from provincial to local levels. At the third stage transfers are made from central to local levels and lastly the vertical resources distribution takes place at local levels .i.e. from district government to Tehsil Municipal Administration. On the converse, the random transfers take the shape of particular grants, discretionary resources for administrative, the parliamentarian developmen t funds and the same. This fraction summarizes all the awards offered during the course of time after getting the independence. The overtime development is then discussed on the foundation of chronological investigation. 1.3 Niemeyer Award In the light of the 1935 Act of United India, the Niemeyer Award was followed for resource allocation between the federal and provinces. According to this award, a major tax i.e. sales tax was levied and collected by the provincial government. While the fifty percent of income tax of the total collection was redistributed to the provinces. When Pakistan came into being, the similar provisions were carried out up to March 1952, though a few adjustments were chart out in railway budget and distribution of earnings and sales tax (Government of Pakistan, 1991). 1.4 Raisman Award In December, 1947 the Raisman award was presented (Government of Pakistan, 1991). The particular provisions were made to cover up the fragile financial situation of the central government. The federal government was authorized of fifty percent of sales tax revenue as an ad hoc measure. The remaining fifty percent was given to provinces, out of which five percent was allocated to provinces, Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, Bhawalpur, Khairpur Mir’s, Balochistan states union and residual as 27,12,8,4,0.6,0.6 and 2.8 percent respectively and 45 was given to East Pakistan (Government of Pakistan, 1991). 1.5 Revenue Sharing Under One Unit In 1955, all the four provinces of West Pakistan were combined and stated as a one unit during the implementation phase of the Raisman Award. Consequently, later than 1955 the entire country was acknowledged two identities merely .i.e. West Pakistan and East Pakistan. In the period of One Unit, two awards were presented .i.e. of year 1961 and 1965. 1.5 (I).The First Award 1961 In the light of this first award the 70 percent of sales tax and other taxes from divisible pool were assigned to East Pakistan and West Pakistan. The share of East Pakistan and West Pakistan was 54% and 46% respectively. While the remaining 30 percent of sales tax was assigned to the provinces on the basis of collection in their respective areas. The remaining duties on agricultural land and capital value tax on immovable property were given to the units as per their collection (Pakistan 1991). 1.5 (II). The Second Award 1965 The 1965 National Finance Commission was designed under the article 144 of the 1962 constitution of Pakistan. The divisible pool comprised of collection from income tax, sales tax, excise duty and export duty. However 30% of sales tax was distributed in accordance with its collection in each province. The respective share out of divisible pool between Centre and Provinces were decided 35:65 percent respectively. The share of East Pakistan and West Pakistan remained untouched at 54% and 46%. However, on 1st July 1970 the West Pakistan was disband into four provinces Sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan and NWFP, thus its share 46 percent was distributed as 23.5, 56.5, 23.5, 4.5 and 15.5 percent respectively among the new provinces of West Pakistan. (Pakistan 1991). 1.6 National Finance Committee 1970 In April 1970, this was first time a committee was made to chart out acceptable resource allocation among the federating units under the supervision of federal finance minister. The committee gave a new resource division mechanism. The resources pool was vertically divided between federal and provincial government 20:80 percent respectively. The thirty percent of the allotted sales tax was redistributed among the provinces according to the collection from the respective areas. Table No: 01, Provincial Share under National Finance Committee 1970 Sindh Punjab Baluchistan NWFP 23.50%56.50% 4.50% 15.50% Source: Pakistan 1991 1.7 Financial Arrangements in 1973 Constitution The 1973 new constitution was accepted in the majority by National Assembly either government member or opposition members. The particular provisions were charted out for the revenue allocation mechanism smooth and suitable in the new constitution of 1973. The federal government was made obligatory to constitute the NFC following every five years in the 1973 constitution. The commission was authorized to propose and asses the resource allocation process in country. So with the new and strong position, efforts were made to make sure an undisputed revenue allocation 1.8 The FirstNational Finance Commission (NFC) Award 1974 In the light of new constitution the first National Finance Commission was constituted in 1974. The DP consisted of merely sales tax, income tax and export duty on cotton under this new commission. This commission made the population only decisive factor for horizontal income sharing among the federating units. The vertical division of resources remained unchanged. Because of population as the only standard for the resource division, the provincial share of Punjab increased to 60.25 percent of the total provincial share. As a result with the non-diversification of principle, the smaller provinces were badly affected. Table No: 02, Provincial Share under National Finance Commission 1974 Sindh Punjab Baluchistan NWFP 22.50%60.25% 3.86% 13.39% Source: Pakistan 1991 1.9 The Second National Finance Commission (NFC) Award 1979 In 1979 the government of President General Zia-ul-Haq set up the second national finance commission award. This commission gave the resource distribution formula between provinces as the following i.e. Punjab 57.97, Sindh 23.34, NWFP 13.39 and Baluchistan 5.30 respectively. Table No: 03, Provincial Share under National Finance Commission 1979 Sindh Punjab Baluchistan NWFP 23.34%57.97% 5.30% 13.39% Source: Pakistan 2000 1.10 The third National Finance Commission (NFC) Award 1985 The third National Finance Commission could not give any recommendation for resource distribution mechanism. The revenue was distributed in the light of the first NFC award with the amended provisional population. Table No: 04, Provincial Share under National Finance Committee 1970 Sindh Punjab Baluchistan NWFP 23.50%56.50% 4.50% 15.50% Source: Pakistan 1991 1.11 The Fourth National Finance Commission (NFC) Award 1991 Under the shelter of democratic government of Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif the Fourth National Finance Commission was shaped in 1990. This Fourth NFC achieved the success after the break of sixteen years so this award was considered a significant attainment. The numbers of constructive suggestions were the elements of this award. In the light of this fourth NFC award the horizontal resource share of the provinces registered the significant expansion of 17 percentage points which increases form 28% to 45% of federal tax revenue, (Ghaus and Phasha, 1994). The population was the only base for resource distribution among the provinces which is given below. Table No: 05, Provincial Share under National Finance Committee 1991 Sindh Punjab Baluchistan NWFP 23.28%57.88% 5.30% 13.54% Source: Pakistan 1991 1.12 The Fifth National Finance Commission (NFC) Award 1997 In this award the DP was extended with the addition of all duties and taxes. Capital value tax, wealth tax, income tax, sales tax, excise duties, export duties, custom duties (other than duty on gas that is charged at wellhead), and each and every other taxes that were collected or levied by central government. The net development surcharges on natural gas and the royalties on crude oil were extended to the provinces in the form of straight transfers. The each province was given the share from divisible pool as under. Table No: 06, Provincial Share under National Finance Committee 1997 Sindh Punjab Baluchistan NWFP 23.28%57.88% 5.30% 13.54% Source: Pakistan 1996 1.13 The sixth National Finance Commission (NFC) Award 2000 General Pervaiz Musharraf came into power and gave the Sixth NFC in which the federal government was insisting 45% out of DP but the provinces were demanding 50% of the share and this NFC completed its term without any achievement. 1.14 The Seventh National Finance Commission (NFC) Award 2010 The long standing problem of allocation of resources between provinces and federal has been set on by the momentous announcement of the 7th National Finance Commission Award on 18th March 2010. In this National Finance Commission Award the share of the provinces in vertical allocation has been enlarged from 49 percent to 56 percent for the period of the 2010-11 and 57.5 percent for the duration of the remaining years of the award. The multiple criteria formula for the horizontal resource distribution among the provinces has been applied instead of traditional population criteria which was the only base for resource distribution in Pakistan. In the light of this new multiple criterion for resource distribution among the provinces, 82 percent allocation was made on population, 10.3 percent on poverty and backwardness, 5 percent on revenue collection or generation and 2.7 percent on inverse population density (IPD). According to the 7th NFC award Federal Government had reduced its colle ction charges from 5 percent to 1 percent, which would mainly benefit to the provinces. Realizing the position of Province Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in the war on terror 1 percent of the net divisible pool was assigned to this province. According to this new formula of resource allocation Baluchistan would get 9.09 percent from divisible pool, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 14.62 percent, Sindh 24.55 percent and Punjab 51.74 percent. Table No: 07, Provincial Share under National Finance Committee 2010 Sindh Punjab Baluchistan Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 24.55%5174% 9.09% 14.62% Source: Pakistan 2006 Briefly, the record of National Finance Commission indicates the resource allocation in Pakistan generally has been ineffective. It has the both the shades of failure as well as certain achievements. On the positive side the NFC all the stake holders are kept on board and decides the resource allocation among them. Further, with the passage of time more financial resources autonomy has been delegated to the provinces and there is more realization of fiscal decentralization especially in past three NFC awards of 1997, 2006 and 2010. The resource share of provinces has been improved either due to inclusion of taxes in the DP or due to the higher provincial share in the comparison that of central since 1991 NFC award. Further the increased grants and straight transfers are channelized to the provinces. Similarly, the incentive of matching the grants motive the provinces, inviting them to enhance efficiency, have their own resource generation and obtain financial autonomy ( Ahmed et al, 2007). On the other hand, on its negative side, various deadlocks and long breaks were exercised very often due to non-harmony among the provinces and between the provinces and center. Every one of the provinces has contrary characteristics and offers different monetary opportunities to its citizens. Different importance of the provinces destabilized their bargaining authority. For instance, Punjab insisted for the agriculture yield and population as only criterion to share out the funds, while Sindh has emphasized on the revenue generation criterion, Baluchistan demanded for area and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa advocated for backwardness. Consequently, owing to the absence of consensus and failure in agreement, provinces retreat to the adoption of a single criterion, which is sub-most favorable. In last the institutional system of NFC has remained unsuccessful in amicably moving towards the progress, development and tackling the very crucial hitch of fiscal allocation and transference. The second part of this empirical work is the comparison between the local governments’ and non-local governments’ economic performance. The GDP growth rate has been compared. The first phase of local governments starts from the government of General Ayoub Khan and Yahya Khan from 1960 to 1971, second phase of the local government starts in the government of General Zia-ul-Haq from 1978 to 1987 and third phase of local government starts in the government of General Musharraff from 2001 to 2008. The total time period of local government remained 30 years so other remaining years of non-local government performance have been compared which starts form 1957 to 1959, 1972 to 1977, 1988 to 2000 and 2009 to 2012. GDP growth rate during the local and non-local government in Pakistan year wise is given bellow. Table No: 08, GDP growth rate during non-local governments in Pakistan for thirty years. Year GDP Growth Rate Year GDP Growth Rate 1954 10.2 1991 5.6 1955 2.0 1992 7.7 1956 3.5 1993 2.3 1957 3.0 1994 4.5 1958 2.5 1995 4.1 1959 5.5 1996 6.6 1972 2.3 1997 1.7 1973 6.8 1998 3.5 1974 7.5 1999 4.2 1975 3.9 2000 3.9 1976 3.3 2009 1.6 1977 2.8 2010 3.8 1988 6.4 2011 4.4 1989 4.8 2012 4.5 1990 4.6 2013 5.0 Source Economic Survey of Pakistan and Handbook of Statistics on Pakistan Economy Graph No: 01 GDP growth rate during non-local governments in Pakistan Table No: 09, GDP growth rate during local governments in Pakistan for thirty years. Year GDP Growth Rate Year GDP Growth Rate 1960 10.2 1981 5.6 1961 2.0 1982 7.7 1962 3.5 1983 2.3 1963 3.0 1984 4.5 1964 2.5 1985 4.1 1965 5.5 1986 6.6 1966 2.3 1987 1.7 1967 6.8 2001 3.5 1968 7.5 2002 4.2 1969 3.9 2003 3.9 1970 3.3 2004 1.6 1971 2.8 2005 3.8 1978 6.4 2006 4.4 1979 4.8 2007 4.5 1980 4.6 2008 5.0 Source Economic Survey of Pakistan and Handbook of Statistics on Pakistan Economy Graph No: 02, GDP growth rate during local governments in Pakistan. Graph No: 03, GDP growth rate during the local and non-local governments for the selected thirty years in Pakistan. In this graph of GDP growth rate during Local and Non-local Governments, the green colour bars show the GDP growth rate during Local Governments and while the purple colour bars show the GDP growth rate during the Non-local Governments in Pakistan for the selected years. The green colour bars which depict the growth rate during local governments are generally higher than others that represent the growth rate during Non-local Governments for nominated years in Pakistan. Further we have compared the Average GDP growth rate of both types of governments. First GDP growth rates of Non-local Governments of Pakistan for given time periods 30 years have been summed and divided by 30 thirty years and same for Local Governments. So the average GDP growth rate during Non-local Governments has remained 4.41% and while the GDP growth in the period of Local Governments has remained 6.11%, which is much higher than Non-local governments.

Essay on the Image of Lady Macbeth -- Macbeth essays

The Image of Lady Macbeth      Macbeth, one of the greatest tragedies written by William Shakespeare, tells a story about uncontrollable ambition, which destroys Macbeth and his wife. Interpreting the play using the mythological approach, Lady Macbeth exhibits a profound image as the terrible mother,   more so than the â€Å"weird sisters.† Her evil intention foreshadows the awful fate and destiny of her family. The force that drives Lady Macbeth is her insatiable thirst for power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth does not have clear ambition to kill King Duncan till Lady Macbeth suggests him to do so. In Act I, Scene III, Macbeth finally encounters the witches and acknowledges their predictions although these temptations are extremely powerful for him. However, he responses:   So foul and fair a day I have not seen. (Act I, Scene iii, line 39) It implies that Macbeth rebuffs the witches’ prophecy in the beginning. When he listens to their predictions, it brings Macbeth into a dilemma, whether to slay the King or not. Perhaps Macbeth means no more than that the weather is mixed  ¡V that nature, like mankind, is to be know only by its ceaseless conflict of good and bad, and that a crisis in this conflict is now at hand.1 Whereas, the point is that the weird sisters never tell or encourage him to replace the monarch by murdering the King. All they express are only predictions rather than orders, and Macbeth absolutely owns the free agency to make a proper decision. Macbeth’s tragedy is not that he decides to kill Duncan but that he cannot become independent.2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The turning point of Macbeth’s ... ... archetype woman of the  ¡Ã‚ §Terrible Mother ¡Ã‚ ¨ or the  ¡Ã‚ §Fatal Female. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Although, Macbeth is a brave and experienced warrior, and he seems to be perfect and upright, he still has he tragic flaw. He is not able to resist the teasing and temptation from his wife. Moreover, he is merely a puppet controlled by Lady Macbeth. In short, Lady Macbeth is a bourgeois individualist, for whom traditional ties of rank and kinship are less constitutive of personal identity than mere obstacles to be surmounted in the pursuit of one’s private ends.8 In the beginning, they have paved the way of the death for themselves. In the final part of the tragedy, the couple deserve a destructive outcome. As the result, the poetic justice is revealed. To sum up, if compare the weird sister’s prophecy to Pandora’s box, Lady Macbeth is the person who opens it.    Essay on the Image of Lady Macbeth -- Macbeth essays The Image of Lady Macbeth      Macbeth, one of the greatest tragedies written by William Shakespeare, tells a story about uncontrollable ambition, which destroys Macbeth and his wife. Interpreting the play using the mythological approach, Lady Macbeth exhibits a profound image as the terrible mother,   more so than the â€Å"weird sisters.† Her evil intention foreshadows the awful fate and destiny of her family. The force that drives Lady Macbeth is her insatiable thirst for power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth does not have clear ambition to kill King Duncan till Lady Macbeth suggests him to do so. In Act I, Scene III, Macbeth finally encounters the witches and acknowledges their predictions although these temptations are extremely powerful for him. However, he responses:   So foul and fair a day I have not seen. (Act I, Scene iii, line 39) It implies that Macbeth rebuffs the witches’ prophecy in the beginning. When he listens to their predictions, it brings Macbeth into a dilemma, whether to slay the King or not. Perhaps Macbeth means no more than that the weather is mixed  ¡V that nature, like mankind, is to be know only by its ceaseless conflict of good and bad, and that a crisis in this conflict is now at hand.1 Whereas, the point is that the weird sisters never tell or encourage him to replace the monarch by murdering the King. All they express are only predictions rather than orders, and Macbeth absolutely owns the free agency to make a proper decision. Macbeth’s tragedy is not that he decides to kill Duncan but that he cannot become independent.2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The turning point of Macbeth’s ... ... archetype woman of the  ¡Ã‚ §Terrible Mother ¡Ã‚ ¨ or the  ¡Ã‚ §Fatal Female. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Although, Macbeth is a brave and experienced warrior, and he seems to be perfect and upright, he still has he tragic flaw. He is not able to resist the teasing and temptation from his wife. Moreover, he is merely a puppet controlled by Lady Macbeth. In short, Lady Macbeth is a bourgeois individualist, for whom traditional ties of rank and kinship are less constitutive of personal identity than mere obstacles to be surmounted in the pursuit of one’s private ends.8 In the beginning, they have paved the way of the death for themselves. In the final part of the tragedy, the couple deserve a destructive outcome. As the result, the poetic justice is revealed. To sum up, if compare the weird sister’s prophecy to Pandora’s box, Lady Macbeth is the person who opens it.   

John Proctor †the fair and noble character Essay

The novel The Crucible by Arthur Miller is about witchcraft and the accusations of witches in Salem, Massachusetts. One of the main characters in the story, which happens in the spring of 1692, is John Proctor, a farmer in his middle thirties. He is married to Elizabeth Proctor. It is not directly said, but they have at least two sons and a servant named Marry Warren. Because Proctor seems to be very religious, he really loves his wife and he confesses his affair with Abigail Williams to Elizabeth; furthermore he later refuses to be with Abigail, this makes him a very fair man. First of all, the protagonist John Proctor seems to be religious, in view of the fact that when he is taken to jail he does not defend himself at all; he simply accepts that he did something wrong and he can live with that. This makes him religious, because he does not want to harm the Ten Commandments. He writes a confession that he has seen the devil and that he was the only one. He even signs this paper, but as soon as Deputy Governor Danforth asks Proctor to give the confession to him, Elizabeth’s husband refuses and tears it up. On the one hand he does that, because he thinks that his name cannot be taken away from him; on the other hand he knows that the paper does not tell the truth. He rather wants to be hanged than to live with the thought that he has lied to the church. This is a very strong and self-confident consideration. Another proof that John Proctor is fair can be seen in his former affair with Abigail Williams, the servant to the Perris-household. She was once in love with him, but they broke up because Proctor realized that he really could not afford to be in love with a girl while being married and having children; this makes him being fair to his wife as he does not want to hurt  her. Later when Abigail threatened to tell Elizabeth about their affair he wisely chose to tell the truth to his wife. He refused not to tell her earlier, because he did not want to hurt her. It is discovered in the last act that their relationship is so strong that she forgives him. Telling her about his affair so late is probably not the best solution, but it is certainly better than saying nothing, so that Elizabeth finds our on her own. A further indication that John Proctor is fair would be that he remains strictly faithful to his wife once he realized that having affairs while being in love with someone else is a bad conception. So when Abigail later comes to Proctor to ask him for continuing their relationship the protagonist refuses. He cannot do this to himself or to his wife. Otherwise he would commit adultery once more. Again, this makes him being fair to his wife. In conclusion one can say that the character John Proctor is a quite fair person. After he realizes some things–for example, having an affair is not the best while being married–he tries to do the best for himself and the people around him. This includes no voluntarily contact with Abigail. They only talk when he tells her that he cannot or does not want her anymore. Finally he pays with his life for committing adultery. This action is one of the most expressive acts in the whole play. John Proctor is a good and noble man and because of this he believes that he can’t be hanged and die a martyr when he has this sin blooming over him every waking moment.

Reconfiguration of Invoices and Payment Methods Essay

This proposal lays out the benefits and impact of applying technology in order to reconfigure invoicing and payment method acceptance at Sunny’s Landscaping. The company suffers from low collection rates and long collection times. Its traditional method of work and invoicing is both ineffective and costly. Additional staff is required just to attempt to collect past due bills which are oftentimes erroneous and outdated. Moreover, the company would further benefit from a customer database that would compile all work orders and reduce or eliminate redundancy. The lack of technology use has put the company at a disadvantage in the industry. Problem The issues to be addressed are to lessen collection time of payments while simultaneously reduce overhead costs, create a customer database that can be accessed through marketing, finance, and customer service departments, and greatly improve upon operational processes. Approach Establish if implementing a handheld credit card acceptance method at the point-of-sale will effectively reduce payment collection time and give the company a competitive advantage. Further determine if electronic invoicing and database creation will eliminate redundancy and reduce costs. Methodology Meet with appropriate department heads—finance, customer service, operations, marketing—to determine how each will benefit by the reconfiguration and how to maximize profits from those benefits. Decide which database program would be most compatible for meeting the needs of the organization. Additionally, establish the costs and time associated with educating and training staff on the products and software being introduced. Allocate the time and expense and determine the best quarter to implement the changes. Company expenses, due to lack of payment collection and overhead, severely cut into profits. Immediate payment by way of a mobile credit card processing adapter at time of service will help increase company profitability and efficiency. Each program will tie into the next. The credit card processor will automatically generate electronic invoices to be emailed to the customer. These invoices will be housed in a database that will collect and store releva nt customer information. The impact on the company as a whole will be positive as departments will have the ability to share information and collaborate for optimal efficiency. Milestone 1 Problem The issues to be addressed are to lessen collection time of payments while simultaneously reduce overhead costs, create a customer database that can be accessed through marketing, finance, and customer service departments, and greatly improve upon operational processes. Company Background Sunny’s Landscaping was formed in 1976 by one man in Pennsylvania and started operations with only two additional employees. Sunny’s provides construction of ponds & rock walls, irrigation, lawn maintenance, flowerbed design, and all landscaping needs to its customers. It has grown to employ as many as seventy-five people and has net revenues of almost one million dollars per year. Sunny’s (The Company) services both residential and commercial properties with commercial generating nearly 75% of its annual revenues. In the early 1990’s the Company began providing additional services, such as snow removal and ice buildup prevention that would allow it to stay operational year-round. With these additional services came an increase in new accounts; most of which have been residential. The profit increase with respect to the new accounts has been mediocre at best. The Company’s inability to collect payment on the new residential accoun ts has begun to severely decrease profits and it has been proposed to reduce services. In an effort to continue all service and grow, the Company has begun to seek solutions. Approach Internal financial research has shown that decreased profits are due to a multitude of issues including the high number of delinquent or late accounts, excessive staffing expenses, and a general lack of sufficient and effective use of technology. Determine if introducing a new method of point-of-sale payment collection will reduce expenses related to residential accounts. Further determine if an electronic invoicing process will enable the Company reduce staffing costs while simultaneously creating a customer database. Methodology Convene with all the appropriate departments—finance, customer service, operations, & marketing—to determine how a database should be constructed so it is cross functional for each department. The company currently uses Microsoft Access for its customer list. Information pulled from this list is oftentimes outdated and erroneous. It is inappropriate software to use in order to transfer customer information to an invoice. This process increases work hours and is redundant. As work orders are issued and workers are dispatched, each should be provided with the ability to adjust the invoice electronically onsite for immediate customer payment. The method used now is to issue the order, perform the work, adjust the invoice if necessary, and then mail it out in the traditional fashion. The increase in new residential customers has also caused an increase in non-payment. The use of a mobile credit card processor could help reduce this payment delinquency. Options/Solutions Sunny’s Landscaping has very little collaboration amongst its departments and few tools to work with. Each department is independently operated from the others and has not yet adapted to the influx of residential accounts. Whereas, the larger commercial accounts are well known and recognized, the smaller residential accounts are given very little customer service. The Company must find a solution that will reconcile both the residential and commercial accounts with company’s overall needs and each department’s ability to operate. One centralized system would allow the Company to function as a whole. The Company has a need for a system that can accomplish three goals: 1. Generate invoices 2. Allow for point-of-sale credit card processing 3. Create a database that is cross functional All three systems must work in tandem and allow information to flow from one process to the next. For example, as work is completed a foreman requires the ability to generate an invoice on the spot. Then they must also have the ability to accept payment from the customer. Lastly, the customer’s information and work performed must be electronically transferred into the database where other departments will be able to access it for a follow-up service. Marketing could use the information for promotional mailers, customer service could use it to obtain feedback, finance would use it for records, and operations could use it to find out the type of service performed. If one system can be constructed that will support all three functions, it will reduce costs company wide, allow for customer informat ion to be used effectively throughout all departments, and increase profits while reducing delinquent accounts. Milestone 2 Sunny’s Landscaping will need to research further to determine if and what additional resources will be required to reconfigure its invoicing and payment methods. It must also determine how much training will be required for frontline workers and supporting staff. Sunny’s Landscaping should consider the following questions prior to making a decision about which software and hardware to use: 1. What point-of-sale device will allow for data to be stored in a database and extracted for invoicing? a. Is there one device that is superior over the other in price and performance? b. Will this device need any additional in-house hardware to function? c. Will customer’s financial and personal information be stored and processed securely; how can we ensure customers that it is? 2. How long, if at all, will funds be held for before deposit? 3. Will one database be able to support all the functions that each department requires? 4. Can prior customer’s information be easily entered into the new database? 5. Will a lack of mobile or internet connection affect point-of-sale processing; and if so, how are payments accepted otherwise? Point-of Sale Device The two most compatible devices with Sunny’s Landscaping needs are SquareUp and Intuit GoPayment. Each device works similar to one another. Research has shown the greatest differences are in payment deposit time and customer service. SquareUp appears to have a longer slower deposit time of funds, especially with new accounts. Moreover, the first few months of service do not allow new customers to withdraw entire deposit amounts. According to the SquareUp website, this payment hold is to reduce fraud. GoPayment by Intuit seems to have the greatest customer satisfaction. GoPayments device hardware also seems to be of a better, more secure design as can be seen in the figure below.

Biography of Julián Castro, 2020 Presidential Candidate

Biography of Julin Castro, 2020 Presidential Candidate Julin Castro is a Democratic politician who has served as city councilman and mayor of San Antonio, Texas. Under President Barack Obama’s administration, he served as U.S. Secretary for Housing and Urban Development. In 2019, he announced his decision to run for president of the United States. Fast Facts: Julin Castro Occupation: Attorney and politicianBorn: September 16, 1974, in San Antonio, TexasParents: Rosie Castro and Jesse GuzmanEducation: Stanford University, Harvard UniversityKey Accomplishments: San Antonio mayor, San Antonio City Council, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, 2020 presidential candidateSpouse: Erica Lira CastroChildren: Cristin Julin Castro and Carina Castro.Famous Quote: â€Å"Texas may be the one place where people actually still have bootstraps, and we expect folks to pull themselves up by them. But we also recognize there are some things we can’t do alone.† Early Years Julin Castro grew up in San Antonio, Texas, with his identical twin brother Joaquà ­n Castro, who is younger than him by just a minute. His parents never married but remained together several years after Castro and his brother were born. The couple took part in the Chicano Movement; Castro’s father, Jesse Guzman, was an activist and math teacher, and his mother, Rosie Castro, was a political activist involved in the political party La Raza Unida. She served as Bexar County chairwoman for the group, helping register people to vote and organizing political campaigns. She eventually launched her own failed bid for the San Antonio City Council in 1971. In an interview, Rosie Castro told the Texas Observer that as Julin and Joaquà ­n grew up, she spent most of her time trying to make enough money to raise them as a single mother. But she remained politically active. Aware of their mother’s sacrifices, both Julin and Joaquà ­n Castro excelled in school. Julin Castro played football, tennis, and basketball at Thomas Jefferson High School, where he graduated in 1992. He and his brother won admission to Stanford University and, later, Harvard Law School, graduating in 1996 and 2000, respectively. Julin Castro has credited affirmative action with helping him get into Stanford, pointing out that his SAT scores were not competitive. Political Career After Julin Castro completed his studies, he and his brother worked for the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer Feld, and later left to start their own firm. Both brothers also pursued political careers, making Rosie Castro’s influence on them evident. Julin Castro won election to the San Antonio City Council in 2001, when he was just 26 years old, making him the youngest councilman to ever serve the city. Later he set his sights on a mayoral campaign, but lost his initial bid. Joaquà ­n Castro won a seat in the Texas House of Representatives in 2003. In 2007, Julin married Erica Lira, an elementary school teacher. The couple had their first child, a daughter named Carina, in 2009. That same year Castro was finally elected San Antonio mayor, serving until 2014, the year his son, Cristin Julin Castro, was born. During his tenure as mayor, Castro gave an inspiring keynote address at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, that earned him comparisons to the speech Barack Obama, then a U.S. senator, had made at the convention eight years earlier. In his keynote, Castro discussed the American dream and the sacrifices his family had made to help him achieve it. â€Å"The American dream is not a sprint, or even a marathon, but a relay,† he said. â€Å"Our families don’t always cross the finish line in the span of one generation. But each generation passes on to the next the fruits of their labor. My grandmother never owned a house. She cleaned other people’s houses so she could afford to rent her own. But she saw her daughter become the first in her family to graduate from college. And my mother fought hard for civil rights so that instead of a mop, I could hold this microphone.† The speech helped draw national attention to Castro that grew when President Obama named him the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in 2014. The then 39-year-old was the youngest member of Obama’s cabinet. Serving as HUD secretary did not just thrust him into the national spotlight, though, it also landed him in the middle of a controversy. The HUD Controversy During his tenure at HUD, the department sparked concerns about its handling of mortgage loans. Specifically, HUD was accused of selling mortgages to Wall Street banks, causing lawmakers like U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren to call out the agency. Warren criticized HUD for selling off delinquent mortgages without first giving borrowers the opportunity to modify their loan terms. Rather than financial firms, Warren wanted nonprofit organizations to manage these mortgages and help struggling borrowers. Although Castro took the heat for HUD’s management of mortgage loans, the agency’s practices in this area predate his appointment as secretary. A 2015 Bloomberg analysis found that since 2010, HUD had sold 95 percent of such loans to investment firms. That’s four years before Castro came on board. Still, critics of Castro continue to hold him accountable for the problem, some arguing that it should disqualify him from serving as vice president or president. HUD’s stipulations for selling delinquent loans was subsequently changed. Presidential Run Since his keynote address at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, speculation that Castro would one day run for president has followed him. The speculation intensified when Castro’s memoir,  An Unlikely Journey: Waking Up From My American Dream, debuted in 2018. Many politicians write books to personalize themselves to the public and broadcast their political views. On Jan. 12, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas, Castro officially announced his presidential candidacy. During his speech, he provided an overview of the issues that have been important to him throughout his career, including early childhood education, criminal justice reform, universal healthcare, and immigration reform. â€Å"We say no to building a wall and say yes to building community,† Castro said. â€Å"We say no to scapegoating immigrants, and yes to Dreamers, yes to keeping families together, and yes to finally passing comprehensive immigration reform, Castro said to applause. Castro has also been a longtime supporter of LGBT rights and of Black Lives Matter. If Castro wins the Democratic nomination, he would be the first Latino to earn that distinction.   Sources Baugh, Josh.â€Å"From Political Matriarch Rosie Castro, the Sons Also Rise.† San Antonio Express-News, Sept. 30, 2012.Cirilli, Kevin. â€Å"Julian Castros 5 Notable Lines.† Politico.com, Sept. 4, 2012.Cranley, Ellen. â€Å"Heres how Julin Castro came to be a 2020 presidential contender and what might be next.† Business Insider, Jan. 13, 2019.Garcia-Ditta, Alexa. â€Å"The Interview: Rosie Castro.† Texas Observer. Merica, Dan. â€Å"Julin Castro Officially Announces 2020 Presidential Bid.† CNN, Jan. 12, 2019.â€Å"Elizabeth Warren Protests Sales of Distressed Home Loans to Wall Street.† Al-Jazeera America, Sept. 30, 2015.

Student Action Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Student Action Plan - Essay Example Personal Use of Natural Resources With respect to the maintenance of natural resources, one of the important factors is the use and maintenance of natural resources. There are three main classes of natural resources, and the classes that I have direct contact with are exhaustible and renewable resources. In my opinion, the best way to sustain the resources that we come into contact with is by ensuring that they are put to the best use possible and recycled as much as possible to avoid wastage or harm to the environment. In as much as I do not provide a very big impact, I try to conserve natural resources like water and ensure that it is used correctly. For example, I ensure that the water in my nearest environment is reused as much as possible and that the environment around me is not affected too much by the in which I engage. Personal Impact on the Environment From an analysis of all my activities, I would say that my impact on the environment is positive. This is because I help in the conservation of the environment and involve myself in activities that help in the promotion of the environment. ... Despite the fact that I lack too much knowledge on recycling and other complexities, I try to reuse the resources that I use and avoid dumping used products in ways that would harm the environment. Impact of Personal Use of Resources As already stated, the environment and its conservation are based on collective effort and the involvement of the whole community. In my use of resources and raising awareness, I would say that my use of resources affects other people in the society positively. I try to raise awareness about the resources in my local society and how their use can help raise the ecological integrity of the region. Therefore, I can say that my use of resources in the way that I use them helps in encouraging the conservation of the environment in the society in which I live. Sustainability Goals With respect to ecological integrity, environmental maintenance and sustainability, my sustainability goal is to ensure that all people in my local community are made aware of the p art that they play in the sustainability of the environment. This is a goal that I try to achieve by simple passing of messages and information about the role of each individual in the environment and the parts that they can play in ensuring that the environment is conserved. This is something I can do by ensuring communicating with the community about the aspects mentioned above and ensuring that the community understands the importance of the environment. After reading the aims of the millennium development goals, I think that every individual can make a difference in the environment by ensuring that the small environment in which they live in is well catered form. For example, every individual effort to reduce the use of non-bio degradable products

Information management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Information management - Coursework Example Management of information in the organization has involved both electronic and physical information. The management has also been able to manage the information throughout the cycle of the organization regardless of source or format of the information (Chaffey and White, 2011). Information management is a managerial decision tool used in the processes and decisions that are made by companies. Information management in organizations is done through recording and documenting all the facts that involve the methods and procedures that it uses. The main function of this is to enable controlling employees and materials of the company. Using information management in an organization is able to establish the hierarchical structure and work-flow of a company. Every employee in the organization through the information has the authority to who is responsible for work. The work then is able to continue without disturbance. The operation and procedures of the company are listed through information management making preparation of audits in a company easy. Information management has the role of satisfying variety of system that the management is exposed. Information management aids clerical personnel in a company to process transactions and answer questions that occur on the data of the organization regarding transactions, the status of particular records, and with reference on a variety of documents. Information management in organizations has the role of controlling the creation and growth of records. The information system is that that ensures there is addressing the limits of generation of records or copies that are not required to operate the business and retention of records. Information management in all organizations is responsible for generation of information, communication problems and helps in the process of decision making. Information management is important in all organization in implementing the goals