Inflation Rate in Russia Over 16 Years.

Inflation Rate in Russia Over 16 Years. Free Online Research Papers The purpose of this report is to show what has been happening to the rate of inflation of Russia for the past 18 to 20 years. After investigating looking at last year (2006) results, it can be stated with confidence that the countrys deepest economic recession of its transition to a market economy has been completely overcome. Inflation in 2005 was about 9%, its lowest level in 15 years. Moreover, from 2000 to 2005, consumer demand internally has grown by 12% each year, which is a good sign of a modern economy. Russia possesses ample supplies of many of the worlds most valued natural resources. However, most such resources are located in remote and climatically unfavorable areas that are difficult to develop and far from Russian ports. For nearly sixty years, the Russian economy and that of the rest of the Soviet Union operated on the basis of a centrally planned economy. Russias economy is difficult to be measured in comparison to other countries due to its high rate of inflation and price-fixing for certain utilities. Inflation refers to the general sustained rise in the level of prices of goods services. The rate of inflation is measured by calculating the percentage price increase in goods services, usually over a year. Economists agree that the main cause of inflation is ‘too much money chasing too few goods’. This means people are able to increase their spending on goods faster than producers can supply the goods they want to buy. The rise in spending causes an excess of aggregate demand for goods services their prices are forced upwards. * The costs of inflation to the economy  · Many pensioners are on fixed pensions so inflation reduces the real value of their income year on year.  · Inflation usually leads to higher nominal interest rates that should have a deflationary effect on GDP.  · Inflation can also cause a disruption of business planning – uncertainty about the future makes planning difficult and this may have an adverse effect on the level of planned capital investment.  · Some economists say that inflation causes unemployment. As prices rise, people can’t afford to buy so many goods services so demand falls. In addition, some people save more in times of high inflation to protect the real value of their savings. This again means less spending on goods services. As a result firms may cut their output make resources, including labour, unemployed. * Inflation in Russia Two fundamental and interdependent goals macroeconomic stabilization and economic restructuring - marked the transition from central planning to a market-based economy (In 1990). Opening domestic markets to foreign trade and investment, thus linking the economy with the rest of the world, was an important aid in reaching these goals. In 1992, the first year of economic reform, retail prices in Russia increased by 2,520%. A major cause of the increase was the decontrol of most prices in January 1992, a step that prompted an average price increase of 245% in that month alone. In October 1991, a program of radical economic reforms was established which laid out a number of macroeconomic policy measures to achieve stabilization. It called for sharp reductions in government spending, targeting outlays for public investment projects, defense, and producer and consumer subsidies. The program aimed at reducing the government budget deficit from its 1991 level of 20% of GDP to 9% of GDP by t he second half of 1992 and to 3% by 1993. In the monetary sphere, the economic program required the Russian Central Bank to cut subsidized credits to enterprises and to restrict money supply growth. The program called for the shrinkage of inflation from 12% per month in 1991 to 3% per month in mid-1993. By 1993 the annual rate had declined to 240%, still a very high figure. In 1994 the inflation rate had improved to 224%. Trends in annual inflation rates mask variations in monthly rates, however. In 1994, for example, the government managed to reduce monthly rates from 21% in January to 4% in August, but rates climbed once again, to 16.4% by December and 18% by January 1995. Instability in Russian monetary policy caused the variations. After tightening the flow of money early in 1994, the Government loosened its restrictions in response to demands for credits by agriculture, industries in the Far North, and some favored large enterprises. In 1995 the pattern was avoided more successfully by maintaining the tight monetary policy adopted early in the year and by passing a relatively stringent budget. Thus, the monthly inflation rate held virtually steady below 5% in the last quarter of the year. For the first half of 1996, the inflation rate was 16.5%. However, experts noted that control of inflation was aided substantially by the failure to pay wages to workers in state enterprises, a policy that kept prices low by depressing demand. During January-July 1998, the pace of inflation slowed more, with cumulative CPI growth over the period declining to only 4.2 percent, compared to 9.6 percent in the year-earlier period. The slowdown in inflation in the first half of 1998 was due to a strict monetary policy adopted as a result of the deepening financial crisis. In 2001, the reduction in inflation was mostly due to a seasonal decline in food prices. Higher inflation in 2005 than in 2004 was due in large part to increases in administered utilities prices early in the year. The primary source of inflationary pressures in Russia remains the huge balance of payments surplus. As oil prices grow, so do the potential pressures for inflation or nominal currency appreciation. Year Inflation % 1999 36.5 2000 20.2 2001 18.8 2002 15.1 2003 12.1 2004 11.7 20052006 10.94.1 Contribution of Key Factors to Inflation in 2003 2004 * Inflation in the future Therell be a considerable increase in inflation forecasts; the reason for this will be a substantial jump in tariffs of natural monopolies as of 2008 (their growth rate will be 50-100% higher). 2007 2008 2009 2010 Inflation CPI% 8.5 8 7.5 7 A strong expansion in internal demand continues to drive economic growth in Russia, although a slowdown in most manufacturing and tradable sectors is becoming increasingly visible. Higher-than-expected inflation in early 2006 has motivated discussions of a new package of anti-inflationary measures by the government and Central Bank. Russia currently has only limited instruments for reducing core inflation. Primary among these instruments are levels of government spending (as opposed to accumulation in the Stabilization Fund), exchange rate policy, and other limited means of the Central Bank for regulating liquidity. When a larger internal bond market finally develops, the hand of the Central Bank will be strengthened considerably for the conduct of anti inflationary monetary policy. Russias lasting economic growth has served as the foundation for achieving the level of inflation in 2006. The governments efforts to restrict the money supply and the Stabilization Funds efforts to sterilize it have also had a positive effect. However, there are still reserves left for curbing inflation in 2007. Russian commodity producers competitive potential has not been fully taken advantage of. Research Papers on Inflation Rate in Russia Over 16 Years.The Effects of Illegal ImmigrationDefinition of Export QuotasPETSTEL analysis of IndiaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Influences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesTwilight of the UAWIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalThe Project Managment Office SystemNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This Nice

Nancy Drew Books Author Carolyn Keene Biography

Nancy Drew Books Author Carolyn Keene Biography Teenage sleuth Nancy Drew and Mildred Wirt Benson had a great deal in common, including very long and active lives. Nancy Drew books, in one form or another, have been popular for more than 70 years. Mildred Wirt Benson, who wrote the text of 23 of the first 25 Nancy Drew books under the direction of Edward Stratemeyer, was still an active newspaper columnist  when she died in May of 2002 at the age of 96. Bensons Early Years Mildred A. Wirt Benson was a remarkable woman who knew from an early age that she wanted to be a writer. Mildred Augustine was born on July 10, 1905, in Ladora, Iowa. Her first story was published when she was only 14. While attending the University of Iowa, she wrote and sold short stories to help cover college costs. Mildred also worked on the student newspaper and as a reporter for the Clinton, Iowa Herald. In 1927, she became the first woman to receive a masters degree in journalism from the University of Iowa. In fact, it was while she was working for a masters degree that Benson submitted a manuscript for the Stratemeyer Syndicates Ruth Fielding series and was hired to write for the series. She was then offered the opportunity to work on a new series about teenage sleuth Nancy Drew. The Stratemeyer Syndicate The Stratemeyer Syndicate was established by author and entrepreneur Edward Stratemeyer for the purpose of developing childrens book series. Stratemeyer created the characters and developed outlines of the plots for a variety of childrens series and the Syndicate hired ghostwriters to turn them into books. The Hardy Boys, The Bobbsey Twins, Tom Swift, and Nancy Drew were among the series created through the Stratemeyer Syndicate. Benson received a flat fee of $125 from the Stratemeyer Syndicate for each book for which she was the writer. While Benson never hid the fact that she wrote the text for the Nancy Drew books, the Stratemeyer Syndicate made it a practice to require that its writers remain anonymous and listed Carolyn Keene as the author of the Nancy Drew series. Not until 1980, when she testified in a court case involving the Stratemeyer Syndicate and its publishers, did it begin to become commonly known that Benson wrote the text of the first Nancy Drew books, following the outlines provided by Edward Stratemeyer. Bensons Career Although Benson went on to write numerous other books for youth on her own, including the Penny Parker series, the bulk of her career was devoted to journalism. She was a reporter and columnist in Ohio, first for The Toledo Times and then, The Toledo Blade, for 58 years. While she retired as a reporter in January of 2002 due to her health, Benson continued to write a monthly column Millie Bensons Notebook. Benson was married and widowed twice and had one daughter, Ann. Like Nancy Drew, Benson was smart, independent, and adventurous. She traveled a good deal, particularly in Central and South America. In her sixties, she became a licensed commercial and private pilot. It seems fitting that Nancy Drew and Mildred Wirt Benson had so much in common. What Makes Nancy Drew Books So Popular? What is it that has made Nancy Drew such a popular character? When the books were first published, Nancy Drew represented a new kind of heroine: a bright, attractive, resourceful girl, capable of solving mysteries and taking care of herself. According to Mildred Wirt Benson, ...it seems to me that Nancy was popular, and remains so, primarily because she personifies the dream image which exists within most teenagers. The Nancy Drew books continue to be popular with  9-12-year-olds. Some of the boxed sets you might consider are: Nancy Drew Starter Set, which includes  The Secret of the Old Clock,  The Hidden Staircase,  The Bungalow Mystery,  The Mystery at Lilac Inn,  The Secret of Shadow Ranch, and  The Secret of Red Gate Farm  Nancy Drew Girl Detective Sleuth Set, which includes  Without a Trace,  A Race Against Time,  False Notes, and  High Risk. If you like audiobooks, try The Secret of the Old Clock  The Hidden Staircase Individual Nancy Drew books, such as  The Case of the Creative Crime  and  The Baby-Sitter Burglaries  are also available in hardbound and/or paperback editions.

Airbus Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Airbus Business Plan - Essay Example AS), it leases and finances about 1,680 owned and managed commercial aircrafts and serves over 230 customers in over 75 countries around the world (GE Capital Aviation Services). Results, analysis and discussion We think that a joint venture with GE is a mutually beneficial partnership today and into the future. Strategically each partner will be able to increase business volumes and serve more customers. The partnership has to be focussed on innovation in new cost-efficient aircrafts and lighter but able to do the same work or even higher. World economic crisis impacting the world did not spare the industry as revenue streams thinned, passenger numbers dwindled or stagnated growth making airlines use innovative ways to remain in operation. This is expected to be short-term, but passenger growth is expected to pick and grow at an average of 4.7% in the period under industry forecast. Growth is expected to double the passenger numbers in all routes (Airbus S.A.S. 2009). Competitors in the industry are applying the latest technology in aircraft manufacture to make lighter aircrafts consuming less fuel. Our venture will focus towards innovation to counter the stiff competition by making compatible engines towards this end. Research and development (R&D) are crucial in attaining this goal alongside partners such as GE. Airlines in the world buying planes from us have been finding problems in servicing and repairing planes. This forced them to fly in technicians from either our company or GE, or fly the plane to our factory to be repaired. GE has been investing in setting local repair and servicing centres in the countries where airlines have major operations. We believe this is the best strategy to be closer to clients offering them first-hand services and appropriate...Competitors in the industry are applying the latest technology in aircraft manufacture to make lighter aircrafts consuming less fuel. Our venture will focus towards innovation to counter the stiff c ompetition by making compatible engines towards this end. Research and development (R&D) are crucial in attaining this goal alongside partners such as GE. Airlines in the world buying planes from us have been finding problems in servicing and repairing planes. This forced them to fly in technicians from either our company or GE, or fly the plane to our factory to be repaired. GE has been investing in setting local repair and servicing centres in the countries where airlines have major operations. We believe this is the best strategy to be closer to clients offering them first-hand services and appropriate technical advice. This will enable the airlines to cut repair costs, downtime and turnaround time hence making more money. R&D at GE has enabled them this far, to produce another state-of-the-art advanced environmentally compatible technology GP7200 engine for Airbus A380. The engine is technically advanced fit for the world biggest wide-body planes (GE Aviation 2012). Continued research is imperative in the area of carbon emission and sound pollution to reduce green house gas emissions. The industry estimates that over the last forty years, carbon emission and aircraft fuel burn has been reduced by 70% while noise pollution has been reduced by about 75%

HRM human resources management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

HRM human resources management - Essay Example The introduction of the composite pay deal and performance bonus is the most important factor underlining BMW’s success. The performance bonus has been specifically linked to the generation of new ideas to harnass worker creativity. For instance workers are required to come up with three ideas to save 800 pounds each in order to qualify for an annual bonus of 260 pounds (Case). Vroom’s Expectancy Theory highlights the importance of rewards – including extrinsic rewards such as bonuses – in enhancing motivation of workers (Vroom, n.d). Linking increased pay and a bonus specifically geared to reward performance in terms of achieving production targets is conducive to improving employee performance. Moreover, harnassing worker creativity is also likely to provide the intrinsic rewards that help to achieve a high motivation and satisfaction quotient on the job according to Vroom’s theory. Workers will feel that they are making a useful contribution whic h helps to enhance motivation and interest on the job. The second most important feature of the HR package is the overhaul of the flexible working system. The HR practices in this aspect were such that they had to work their way around restrictive covenants and secure increased labor during peak production periods while paying salaries during off production periods. The rearrangement of the working schedule includes the following features: (a) scrapping of the contract in favor of a working time account (b) introducing a working time account (c) the facility to â€Å"bank† time during high production periods (d) overtime to be cashed later for extended holidays (Case). The system was started with every worker coming in with minus 200 hours each, however the reasons for the changes, as stated by Ernest Baumann, head of BMW’s Human resources Department is to â€Å"give associates a greater control over their time.†(O’Brien, 2002: Mar7). The flexible worker schedule and the facility to bank hours and control

History of Security in the United States Essay Example for Free

History of Security in the United States Essay Abstract Security in America has evolved from the time of the first settlers to today’s well-trained forces. Factors leading to the significant growth of private security from pre-Civil War to post World War II consisted of a lack of public police and large monetary loss by private industry. Today, security is global and faces challenges and changes, with increases in terrorism and technology crimes. It must maintain a high level of professionalism and maintain technological innovation remain a respected industry. History of Security in the United States Nineteenth Century The nineteenth century saw the private security industry fill in many of the gaps left by public law enforcement in both manpower and ingenuity. The development of public police forces was slow in the infancy of the United States. In the latter half of the 1800’s, police departments were fragmented, decentralized and often corrupt, creating a need for private security. The American frontier saw an extreme shortage of law enforcement, as they had to resort to deputizing civilians and forming posses. Citizens often had to resort to vigilante justice due to a lack of law enforcement. In 1850, Henry Wells and William Fargo established American Express and Wells Fargo cargo companies and in 1851 Allen Pinkerton established the first national private security and investigations service (Ortmeirer, 2009, pg. 10). Pinkerton provided security and investigative service to the railroad, offered private detective services and was actually the intelligence arm of the Union Army during the first half of the Civil War. In 1853 August Perry patented the first burglar alarm followed by Edwin Holmes in 1858, who produced the first central station burglar alarm. That same year, Washington Perry Brinks introduced the armored carriage for the transportation of valuables and money (Ortmeirer, 2009, pg. 10). Twentieth Century The quelling of labor unrest brought about a poor reputation to private security leading up to the Great Depression. Decades earlier, industries such as manufacturing, transportation and mining turned to agencies like Pinkerton for not only asset protection, but also to combat labor violence and break strikes. There were numerous violent incidents involving strikes resulting in civilian injury, deaths and job losses. One incident in particular was the Homestead Strike of 1892 in Pennsylvania, which culminated in a gun battle between Pinkerton agents and the strikers (Lipson, 1988). Incidents such as this eventually led to private security being viewed as ‘Knights of Capitalism’ by the public. Security companies were banned from carrying weapons and crossing state lines to break strikes in some states (Joh, 2006). There was a decline in the employment of private security during the Great Depression. According to The HUB, â€Å"There seems to be some controversy as to whe n the first proprietary security forces arose, but many sources attribute Henry Ford as the man who refined ‘in house’ security to factory work. As the automobile gained popularity so the industries providing the necessary materials for the factories producing them across the nation needed and utilized private security personnel. With the high unemployment and possibility of crime due to the Great Depression, private security further embedded itself within industry† (Hub pages, http://dyonder.hubpages.com/hub/The-History-of-Private-Security). There was an expansion of private security leading up to and during World War II due to infrastructure, military and industrial security concerns. Post World War II saw an increase in the professionalism of private security, as returning veterans with military police experience began to seek employment in the security industry. Anti-espionage procedures established by the government during World War II carried over into the Cold War era, with the government insisting on a quality security force and plans, to protect defense contractors and government assets. The private security industry followed the government’s lead, thus entering the era of the security manager (Hub pages, http://dyonder.hubpages.com/hub/The-History-of-Private-Security). The security industry increased in size in the mid twentieth century, as did the crime rate and police were unable to protect private property. Many organizations realized the value of protecting their personnel and property during this time. In 1955, the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) was formed and today is the world’s largest organization of security professionals. ASIS continues to formulate security policy and direct security programs in a vast number of businesses, industries and government operations (Ortmeirer, 2009, pg. 11-12). In 1970, private security continued to grow and matched the number of police personnel at 500,000. In 1976, the Task Force Report on Private Security was published and it was addressed for the first time that private security was an essential element to public safety. The Task Force recommended that the private sector be encouraged to nurture and improve the quality of security services and work with law enforcement to fight crime. This created an environment that saw the security industry continue to grow due to concerns over increased crime and limited law enforcement resources. By 1991, the number of security personnel had nearly tripled that of law enforcement and by the year 2000, private security personnel numbers rose to two million, clearly showing private security is the primary protective service (Ortmeirer, 2009, pg. 6-7, 13). Future The private security industry has made giant steps since the nineteenth century. It is clear from history that the private security industry must continue to complement the public police forces by providing innovative and needed support to industry and government. It must maintain and constantly improve upon its procedures and training, to keep the respect of the public, which it currently commands. It must above all remain one step ahead in today’s technological world, as M. Lipson (1988) stated, â€Å"The history of the ancient craft of private security may be illustrative of opportunities for those of the industry with foresight† (Lipson, 1988). It is crucial private security continue with its current expertise in antiterrorism and computer security operations. It is also imperative private security continue to foster the close, post-911relationships that were developed with law enforcement, from federal to state to local police agencies, to successfully move into th e future. References Joh, E.E. (2006). The Forgotten Threat: Private Policing and the State. Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies, 13(2), 364. Lipson, M. (1988). Private Security: A Retrospective. Annals Of The American Academy Of Political Social Science, 49811-22. Ortmeirer, P.J. (2009). Introduction to Security. Prentice Hall. The Hub (2009). (Hub pages, http://dyonder.hubpages.com/hub/The-History-of-PrivateSecurity).

Essay --

Gasoline and diesel fuels form the back bone of the present road transport. The internal combustion engine is being used in vehicles for the past 100 years approximately. But the problem with the engines is the limitation of fossil fuel reserves and the emissions of greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. These fossil fuels generate emissions of pollutants such as PM, Nox and CO which are hazardous to the human being. It is the need of the hour to vouch for other renewable energy sources to overcome the energy crisis and to achieve decarburisation, energy security and cleaner air to breathe. Fuel cells are the devices that convert chemical energy to electrical energy without the emissions of harmful exhaust gases.. This paper summarizes the configuration of the fuel cell hybrid vehicle. It briefly describes the function of each component and the losses occuring in each component. Fuel cells are the most quiet and reliable as they have no moving parts. The efficiency is about twice that of the internal combustion engine. [2]. There is no Carnot limitation as in case of IC engine. The most commonly used fuel cell is hydrogen fuel cell in the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Hydrogen is a clean burning fuel. The exhaust is pure water. The combination of a fuel cell with a battery is studied in this paper. The hybridization of the fuel cell helps in reducing the size of the fuel cell and its initial cost but it increases the vehicle complexity, weight and the battery cost. At higher loads and greater acceleration, the battery provides surplus power and increases the fuel cell efficiency. At low loads the fuel cell is used to provide the required power. The battery is also used for the start up of the vehicle ... ...es by 2030. The cost of FCHEVs and BEVs are not largely affected by the changes in electricity costs, but the ICE and FCEV costs are greatly affected by the fuel cost. This occurs partially due to the different powertrain efficiencies. Comparing the overall lifecycle costs, it can be observed that FCHEVs and BEVs are cheaper as compared to FCEVs and ICEs. But the FCHEVs and BEVs are sensitive to the overall capital and running costs. For instance, the BEVs in particular are sensitive to battery size. The lifecycle costs of ICEs and BEVs are about 1.75 times higher than that of the FCHEVs and the BEVs. There are several challenges that are to be met in the near future for the FCHEVs to achieve commercialization, reliability, cost effectiveness and performance. Fuel cell hybrid vehicles can definitely be the clean technology used in the future of automotive engines.

How does television cause violent behavior? Essay

How does television cause violent behavior? Good question. All people watch TV but only some of them use violent behavior. Television is an idol of the modern days. Watching television is an experience shared by the vast majority of children and adults, men and women, wealthy and poor people. It is convenient, inexpensive, available and attractive. Television can entertain us and can teach us some useful or useless things. Too frequently it is used even as a substitute for other activities. Activities like violence. For the most the violence is ugly, unattractive and †¦ forbidden thing. We can see it in the streets, back alleys, school, and even at home. But the main source of violence in our life is television. Children are the most vulnerable group for influence of the television violence. Seeing a lot of violence on television can lead them to behave aggressively. I read story about a 16-year-old boy who broke into a cellar in the city of New York. When the police caught him and asked him why he was wearing gloves he replied that he had learned to do so to not leave fingerprints and that he discovered this on television. But television violence does not affect only child’s youth; it can also affect his or her adulthood. This can force the child into a kind of premature maturity. As the child matures into an adult, he can become bewildered; have a greater distrust towards others, a superficial approach to adult problems, and even an unwillingness to become an adult. In Alabama, a nine-year-old boy received a bad report card from his teacher. He suggested sending the teacher poisoned candy as revenge as he had seen on television the night before. This young Borja probable will have problems with conflict management in the future. It will be easier for him to think about poisonous candy or another Kunststueck than to face the conflict and find wise solution (e.g. learn subject better). I am wondered why people find the violence that they can see on television more attractive than the violence on the streets. Probably when we sit near the television screen, in safety and comfort, our curiosity make us to look to the unattractive features of human relationship? We know that those lakes of blood, explosions, masculine domination or brutal words are far from our sweat home. But children don’t always realize that this is not the way thing are handled in real life. They come to expect it, and when they don’t see it the world becomes bland and in need of violence. The children then can create the violence that their mind craves. A seven-year-old Californian boy sprinkled ground-up glass into the lamb stew the family was to eat for dinner. When asked why he did it he replied that he wanted to see if the results would be the same in real life as they were on television.Television sends not only messages about exciting world of adventures and violence. It offers role model which child can try to put on. Children find the violent characters on television fun to imitate. This could be a problem for children in the big cities, where aggressive behavior is more acceptable. I do not feel sure that there are no gender peculiarities of television violence impact on the youth. Probably, boys are more sensitive to this impact. They see heroes who become their role models. They accept that it is cool to carry an automatic weapon and use it to knock off the bad guys. I never had Kalashnikov or M-16 automatic rifle but I saw awesome movie – Bowling for Colombine†¦Fortunately, there were developed programs for parents’ and children education to prevent unfavorable effects of watching violence television. We advise to limit television viewing time to 1 to 2 hours each day, to control content of TV shows and movies watching by children, to discuss with children issues of violent behavior and ways how to solve problems without violence. I propose not palliative but more radical preventive measure – do not watch TV at all. Today American children spend near television more time than they spend in school. They watch cartoons, movies and shows with the violence. Children should stop it and read more books. Without violence, of course.

Daniel X: Demons and Druids

Daniel X: Demons and Druids Over two hundred thirty million copies of the Daniel X series have been sold worldwide. The author James Patterson wrote Daniel X: Demons and Druids in collaboration with Adam Sadler. The publishing date is July 2010. In the book, Daniel X is an alien hunter who is looking for number three on his alien list of outlaws, Phosphorius Beta. â€Å"Think of a million or so angry wolves-on fire, that’s a pretty good approximation of number three†, well that’s how Patterson puts it. The epic battle between alien hunter and fire has begun.I enjoyed Daniel X because of the author’s action and how he weaves myths and fiction into the story, but I disliked Patterson’s writing style and several other points of the book. James Patterson’s novels are known for full on action, and adrenalin. An example of action and adrenalin is when Daniel X is caught by alien number forty-three on the alien list of outlaws; he turns back time an d explodes number forty-three with a bomb. This is pure action because Daniel puts his life on the line to fulfill his mission to kill aliens.Another example of action and adrenalin is when Daniel X and his friends are get caught by vampirus sapiens. In the example of action and adrenalin, the action takes place when he transforms, but the adrenalin kicks in when the vampirus sapien loosened his grip on Daniel X’s hands. James Patterson excels at making abnormal events seem normal or regular. I liked how James Patterson placed Merlin the sorcerer and Arthur Pendragon in the story, and how he made Stonehenge, merely a monument a big part in his story. It is ironic that Patterson weaved Stonehenge, merlin, and druids together.When I think of druids I think of aliens or demons. Stories, Myths, and books say that druids built Stonehenge, but there isn’t any evidence that proves that they did. Druids are actually high priests of the Celts. The only reason why people believe that they built it is because they were alive during that time. Yet legend has it that merlin built Stonehenge. Merlin brought the stones to Salisbury Plain from Ireland. Sometime later there was a massacre of three hundred noble men and a memorial was needed. Merlin then moved Stonehenge to Britain to bury them.However in the book Merlin and his mentor help a group of people build Stonehenge. Even though James Patterson is a genius when it comes to Science fiction he still needs to work on writing his books. Even through James Patterson is a great author, I don’t always enjoy his books. Two things I didn’t like about the book, was that Patterson didn’t introduce well in the beginning and that he made the chapters too small. I expected him to explain Daniel X‘s history in the prologue so that the readers could understand things about his background and understand what he’s been through.Since, Patterson made the chapters in his book so small it real ly takes time to make or figure out what’s going to happen. If Patterson had made the chapters longer he would have had wasted less time trying to make a point, but the only difference would be that the book would be smaller. Patterson introduces Daniel X’s history in chapter nine; all the chapters in the book are small and even the epilogue has a small chapter. I loved the book because of all the action and adrenalin that James Patterson put in it, and the abnormal or irregular events that occurs , but I disliked the introduction and Patterson’s idea of short chapters.I enjoyed Daniel X because of the author’s action and how he weaves myths and fiction into the story, but I disliked Patterson’s writing style and several other points of the book. I’d recommend this book to preteens, I would give this book a three out of five, but if you are not satisfied, there are several other series that James Patterson has made. For example Maximum Ride, Witch and Wizard, Alex Cross and the Women’s murder club, and the rest of the Daniel X series.

International trade and Investments

International trade and Investments Introduction The following discussion focuses on IMF’s ECLAC’s effects on international trade and investments regarding the stages of economic development. These stages of economic growth are best analyzed using Rostow’s model that is characterized by five stages namely: traditional society, transitional stage, take off, drive to maturity, and high mass consumption. The stages of economic growth are affected by fiscal policy that is aimed at achieving macroeconomic stability, and possibly making some long term economic growth.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on International trade and Investments specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Discussion International Monetary Fund (IMF) has some effects on international trade and investments regarding the stages of economic development in the sense that it supports fiscal deficits that are caused by monetary expansion in the increased government expen diture leading to balance-of –payment problems. The IMF through its structural adjustment programme reduces the balance-of-payment problems by eliminating both the balance of payment (BOP) and fiscal deficits, thus making the economy to remain stable (Anupam Krishna, 2002). In addition, the IMF structural adjustment programme promotes economic growth and reduces unemployment levels. Moreover, the IMF provides financial assistance to governments, and this promotes international trade, investments, economic growth and development (Anupam Krishna, 2002). The study of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) effects on international trade and investments regarding the stages of economic development I are also important for this discussion. The ECLAC often takes important decisions and implements viable policies that greatly affect both the economic and social developments (ECLAC, 2002). Through ECLAC’s efforts, significant international trade, investments and economic developments have been realized across the globe, transforming the traditional society stage of economic development to a more advanced manufacturing sector that is characterized by high mass consumption. In fact, ECLAC’s policies make it possible to realize significant growth in both income and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) coupled with increase in international trade and investment portfolios. This sound macroeconomic management stabilizes exchange rate regimes and exchange rates (ECLAC, 2002).Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More ECLAC provides strong economic platforms and structures for investing in human and financial resources at both the local and international levels. These well supported economic structures promote sustainable development. ECLAC in its position of leadership is capable of identifying emerging global tr ends in the economy that affect international trade and investments such as international economic and political issues (ECLAC, 2002). For instance, ECLAC links one different trading region with one another using its International Trade and Integration Division (ITID). And, through this linkage programme, it provides the trading partners with important information on opportunities and some challenges that affect international trade and investment. Importantly, ECLAC’s effects on international trade and investments regarding the stages of economic development can be seen in its effort to develop some joint strategies that aim at promoting trade and investments. In addition, ECLAC works together with other development partners on infrastructure, creativity and innovation. Finally, it provides sound policy frameworks on international dialogues and cooperation (ECLAC, 2002). Conclusion In summary, IMF’s ECLAC’s effects on international trade and investments regardi ng the stages of economic development are geared towards economic stability by eliminating balance-of-payment deficits, and this can be best achieved through the application of sound fiscal macroeconomic policies. The IMF has structural adjustment programme that makes it possible for governments to borrow funds for infrastructural developments and economic projects. On the other hand, ECLAC’s effects can be seen in its joint strategy formulation for promoting international trade and investments that encourage different stages of economic development. References Anupam, B. Krishna, S. (2002). Foreign direct investment in Africa. Washington, D.C: International Monetary Fund.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on International trade and Investments specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More ECLAC (2002). Globalization and Development, Report for bi-annual session period, of ECLAC Brazilia. Retrieved from www.eclac.o rg/publicaciones/xml/5/10035/summaryINGLES.pdf

250 Million Years of Turtle Evolution

250 Million Years of Turtle Evolution In a way, turtle evolution is an easy story to follow: the basic turtle body plan arose very early in the history of life (during the late Triassic period), and has persisted pretty much unchanged down to the present day, with the usual variations in size, habitat, and ornamentation. As with most other types of animals, though, the turtle evolutionary tree includes its share of missing links (some identified, some not), false starts, and short-lived episodes of gigantism. Turtles That Werent: Placodonts of the Triassic Period Before discussing the evolution of genuine turtles, its important to say a few words about convergent evolution: the tendency of creatures that inhabit roughly the same ecosystems to develop roughly the same body plans. As you probably already know, the theme of squat, stubby-legged, slow-moving animal with a big, hard shell to defend itself against predators has been repeated numerous times throughout history: witness dinosaurs like Ankylosaurus and Euoplocephalus and giant Pleistocene mammals like Glyptodon and Doedicurus. This brings us to the placodonts, an obscure family of Triassic reptiles closely related to the plesiosaurs and pliosaurs of the Mesozoic Era. The poster genus for this group, Placodus, was an unremarkable-looking creature that spent most of its time on land, but some of its marine relativesincluding Henodus, Placochelys, and Psephodermalooked uncannily like genuine turtles, with their stubby heads and legs, hard shells, and tough, sometimes toothless beaks. These marine reptiles were as close as you could get to turtles without actually being turtles; sadly, they went extinct as a group about 200 million years ago. The First Turtles Paleontologists still havent identified the exact family of prehistoric reptiles that spawned modern turtles and tortoises, but they do know one thing: it wasnt the placodonts. Lately, the bulk of the evidence points to an ancestral role for Eunotosaurus, a late Permian reptile whose wide, elongated ribs curved over its back (a striking adumbration of the hard shells of later turtles). Eunotosaurus itself seems to have been a pareiasaur, an obscure family of ancient reptiles the most notable member of which was the (completely unshelled) Scutosaurus. Until recently, fossil evidence linking the land-dwelling Eunotosaurus and the giant, marine turtles of the late Cretaceous period was sorely lacking. That all changed in 2008 with two major discoveries: first up was the late Jurassic, western European Eileanchelys, touted by researchers as the earliest marine turtle yet identified. Unfortunately, only a few weeks later, Chinese paleontologists announced the discovery of Odontochelys, which lived a whopping 50 million years earlier. Crucially, this soft-shelled marine turtle possessed a full set of teeth, which subsequent turtles gradually shed over tens of millions of years of evolution. (A new development as of June 2015: researchers have identified a late Triassic proto-turtle, Pappochelys, that was intermediate in form between Eunotosaurus and Odontochelys and thus fills an important gap in the fossil record!) Odontochelys prowled the shallow waters of eastern Asia about 220 million years ago; another important prehistoric turtle, Proganochelys, pops up in the western European fossil record about 10 million years later. This much bigger turtle had fewer teeth than Odontochelys, and the prominent spikes on its neck meant that it couldnt fully retract its head under its shell (it also possessed  an ankylosaur-like clubbed tail). Most important, the carapace of Proganochelys was fully baked: hard, snug and pretty much impervious to hungry predators. The Giant Turtles of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras By the early Jurassic period, about 200 million years ago, prehistoric turtles and tortoises were pretty much locked into their modern body plans, though there was still room for innovation. The most notable turtles of the Cretaceous period were a pair of marine giants, Archelon and Protostega, both measuring about 10 feet long from head to tail and weighing about two tons. As you might expect, these giant turtles were equipped with broad, powerful front flippers, the better to propel their bulk through the water; their closest living relative is the much smaller (less than one ton) Leatherback. You have to fast-forward about 60 million years, to the Pleistocene epoch, to find prehistoric turtles that approached the size of this duo (this doesnt mean that  giant turtles werent around in the intervening years, just that we havent found much evidence). The one-ton, southern Asian Colossochelys (formerly classified as a species of Testudo) can pretty much be described as a plus-sized Galapagos tortoise, while the slightly smaller Meiolania from Australia improved on the basic turtle body plan with a spiked tail and a huge, weirdly armored head. (By the way, Meiolania received its nameGreek for little wandererin reference to the contemporary Megalania, a two-ton monitor lizard.) The turtles mentioned above all belong to the cryptodire family, which accounts for the vast majority of marine and terrestrial species. But no discussion about prehistoric turtles would be complete without a mention of the aptly named Stupendemys, a two-ton pleurodire turtle of Pleistocene South America (what distinguishes pleurodire from cryptodire turtles is that they pull their heads into their shells with a sideways, rather than a front-to-back, motion). Stupendemys was far and away the largest freshwater turtle that ever lived; most modern side-necks weigh about 20 pounds, max! And while were on the subject, lets not forget the comparably ginormous Carbonemys, which may have done battle with the giant prehistoric snake Titanoboa 60 million years ago in the swamps of South America.

Forming at corporate University Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Forming at corporate University - Article Example In my opinion, I believe that the development of the corporate university will help solve a junk of the human resource issues. At the same time as the university keeps developing and capturing the needs of the staff members, there will be increased development in talent of the employees. The university provides opportunities to employees by developing the needed curriculum that soothes its employees (Hewitt-Dundas, 2013). Funds to put up the university and get it running are a big challenge to any institution. However from the study conducted on the feasibility of the project, it indicates that the whole project is viable and affordable. Therefore, there is a need to develop an institution for the development of the employees professionally and increased job satisfaction at the workplace. Employing the workers from within in the leadership posts, plays aggregate deal in seeing the organization grow. The growth can be attributed to the fact the employees have more experience on the operations of the institution. With additional leadership knowledge, there is double fold reproductively of the employee. At the same time, this acts a motivation to the organization employees which increases the productivity by working towards getting that chance to be trained and lead a particular department. Azagra-Caro, J. M., Archontakis, F., Gutià ©rrez-Gracia, A., & Fernà ¡ndez-de-Lucio, I. (2006). Faculty support for the objectives of university-industry relations versus degree of R&D cooperation: The importance of regional absorptive capacity. Research Policy, 35,