The Process Design Of Riordan Example

The Process Design Of Riordan Example The Process Design Of Riordan – Term Paper Example In the contemporary environment of global competition, firms need to continuously strive to improve their capabilities to promote efficient delivery of their goals and objectives. Riordan’s global leadership in plastic manufacturing highlights its effort to maintain its competitive advantage through judicious exploitation of its capabilities and capacity usage in its electric fan unit in Hangzhou, China. Lean production and strategic capacity planning therefore has become critical elements of success as it helps to identify best approach for optimal use of ‘capital intensive resources – facilities, equipment and over all labor force size’ (Chase, Jacob & Aquilano, 2005, chapter 11, 431). The lean production helps it to reduce wastage through flexible schedule that are designed to meet the changing requirements of the market. For current and new process design, Riordan has focused on its lean production processes and logistic effectiveness of its supply chai n management. Lean production emphasizes the role of management in encouraging streamlined processes in the productivity. It is based on the principle that ‘nothing will be produced until it is needed’ (ibid, chapter 12, 471). This results in higher productive outcome as un-utilized inventory is minimal. At the same time, effective logistics in supply chain ensure that products timely reach the desired market to meet the demands of the consumers. Shifting its manufacturing unit to Hangzhou would be cost effective. Improving its supply chain management would enhance its operational efficiency in customization as timely delivery of supply of essential stock like electric motors would eliminate shortages and also need for keeping safety stock. Thus continuous improvement initiatives in business processes, especially visvis lean production and supply chain would significantly contribute to the competitive advantage for Riordan manufacturing (ibid, chapter 10, 406). (words: 282)ReferenceChase, R. B., Jacobs, F. R., & Aquilano, N. J. (2006). Operations Management for Competitive Advantage (11th ed.). NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Pasaporte americano - Todo lo que hay que saber

Pasaporte americano - Todo lo que hay que saber El pasaporte sirve para demostrar que una persona es ciudadana  de los Estados Unidos. Tambià ©n se utiliza para viajar al extranjero con la proteccià ³n de Embajadas y Consulados y como documento que permite regresar al paà ­s. Asimismo se puede utilizar como forma de identificacià ³n. Por ejemplo, para sacar la licencia de manejar o para llenar el formulario I-9 para probar que se puede trabajar legalmente en los Estados Unidos o para registrarse para votar. En este artà ­culo se explica cà ³mo sacar el pasaporte americano, quà © hacer en caso de extravà ­o o robo, quà © otros documentos pueden utilizar los ciudadanos americanos para ingresar a los Estados Unidos y, finalmente, cà ³mo funciona la doble nacionalidad y cules son sus inconvenientes. Cà ³mo obtener el pasaporte americano Obviamente, sà ³lo pueden obtenerlo los ciudadanos americanos. A la hora de sacar el pasaporte  existe una diferencia en el proceso de solicitud segà ºn se trate de obtener el pasaporte americano por primera vez y cuando se trata de una renovacià ³n. Asimismo, deben respetarse unas reglas especiales cuando se trate de solicitar el pasaporte para un nià ±o. Estas normas estn encaminadas a evitar el secuestro de menores y es especial que uno de los progenitores saque del paà ­s a los hijos sin el conocimiento del otro, particularmente en los casos de separaciones o divorcios conflictivos. Obtener el pasaporte puede demorarse bastantes semanas, incluso meses. Es por ello que puede solicitarse su tramitacià ³n con carcter de urgencia tanto dentro de Estados Unidos como desde el extranjero. Eso sà ­, hay que pagar una cantidad de dinero a mayores por este servicio.   Robo o extravà ­o del pasaporte americano El extravà ­o del pasaporte debe notificase inmediatamente a las autoridades, siguià ©ndose distinto procedimiento si el hecho ocurre dentro de Estados Unidos o fuera. No notificarlo en tiempo puede dar lugar a importantes dolores de cabeza y a un robo de identidad. Tener en cuenta que si ocurre fuera de Estados Unidos  el proceso para obtener uno nuevo puede demorarse, ya que las oficinas consulares no cuenta con pasaportes en blanco y hay que esperar a que lleguen desde Estados Unidos. Otros documentos que se puede utilizar para ingresar a los Estados Unidos El pasaporte no es el à ºnico documento que permite a un estadounidense viajar al extranjero. La tarjeta de pasaporte  puede utilizarse en casos muy especà ­ficos y las tribus indà ­genas pueden tener reconocidos sus propios documentos de viaje para casos concretos. Este es un listado de todos los casos en los que se puede utilizar otras opciones distintas al pasaporte. Acelerar paso en el control migratorio Con los siguientes documentos es posible cruzar ms rpido por el control de Inmigracià ³n: Nexus: entre Canad y Estados UnidosSentri: cruce terrestre o marà ­timo entre Mà ©xico y Estados UnidosGlobal Entry y ACP para aeropuertos Cada una de estas opciones tiene sus propias reglas y sus ventajas e inconvenientes. Doble nacionalidad en los Estados Unidos Los Estados Unidos admiten las situaciones de doble nacionalidad, pero es siempre obligatorio utilizar el pasaporte americano para ingresar y salir del paà ­s y no se puede utilizar el otro pasaporte para este trmite. La doble nacionalidad indudablemente brinda importantes ventajas, pero tambià ©n tiene inconvenientes que conviene saber. Adems destacar que es muy difà ­cil, a dà ­a de hoy y con las leyes actuales, perder la nacionalidad americana, a menos que se realice una renuncia expresa. Este es un listado de 10 personas famosas que renunciaron a la nacionalidad americana por razones diversas. Hoy en dà ­a la mayorà ­a de las renuncias se hacen por cuestià ³n econà ³mica, para evitar tener que pagar impuestos en los Estados Unidos.   A tener en cuenta Los pasaportes alterados, mutilados o con hojas arrancadas no son vlidos. Tampoco se pueden hacer enmiendas, por ejemplo, cuando se cambia el nombre. En estos casos lo que hay que hacer se solicitar un nuevo pasaporte.   Todos los emitidos a partir del 1 de enero de 2007 contienen un chip de radiofrecuencia (RFID) en la parte posterior. Contiene informacià ³n de seguridad. Entre otros, datos sobre la fotografà ­a que permiten utilizar con mayor eficiencia las tecnologà ­as de reconocimiento facial de los puestos de control migratorio. Si por cualquier accidente el chip deja de funcionar, el pasaporte sigue siendo vlido hasta su fecha de expiracià ³n. Por à ºltimo, la manipulacià ³n de un pasaporte americano (tampering) puede ser castigada con una pena de prisià ³n de hasta 25 aà ±os. Curiosidad Aproximadamente sà ³lo el 46 por ciento de los ciudadanos estadounidenses tienen pasaporte. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Assignment 6.5 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

6.5 - Assignment Example He also turned down the red velvet cape that Benedict wore when he was presented to the world for the first time in 2005, choosing the simple white cassock of the papacy instead† (Winfield par. 11). Pope Francis’ radical leadership style has been assessed and it included the following perspectives: (1) actions speaking greater than words; (2) use words honestly and build bridges, especially to those one is in disagreement with; (3) focus on good management, in contrast to nice management; (4) use power to amplify good character (Asghar). The accomplishments of Pope Francis, to date include, considering just one year when he held the helm of the papacy are as follows: (1) emphasized modesty and became a model of frugality by replacing lavish traditional practices; (2) opined a radical view on homosexuality by asserting non-discrimination, not ridiculing or by not being judgmental; (3) â€Å"it has been discovered that Pope Francis regularly leaves the Vatican at night to feed the homeless. Dressed as an ordinary priest, he joins Archbishop Konrad Krajewski to feed the poor of Rome† (Why Pope Francis is the Person of the Year par. 8); (4) the Pope recently canonized two popes: John XXIII and John Paul II (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops); (5) acknowledged the way to reach the youths through social networking sites and by participating in activities that are popular to contemporary youths (selfies) (Why Pope Francis is the Person of the Year); to name a few. These accomplishments demonstrate leadership in te rms of exhibiting characteristics and traits of a true leader (humility, influencer, collaborative, and takes innate interests on the well-being of those he leads). This is consistent with the traits mentioned by Mandela, when he asserted that â€Å"the capacity to integrate, motivate, and mobilize others to bring a common

CRITIQUE OF QUANTITATIVE ARTICLE Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CRITIQUE OF QUANTITATIVE ARTICLE - Research Paper Example The researchers conducted a qualitative study in order to evaluate inadvertent perioperative hypothermia knowledge among nurses. This means that the study applied normal quantitative techniques and research design. Quantitative designs are useful when a researcher intends to measure the relationship between two or more variables. In this case, the outcome needs to have experimental significance. The study considered is descriptive indicating that the researcher did not utilize an experimental approach. The research design fails to satisfy the requirements of a quantitative study. Choice of dependent and independent variables also fails to comply with quantitative requirements. This implies that the study would be effective if it was conducted from a quantitative approach. Indeed, the quantitative approach does not answer some critical questions that are of interest to the audience. For instance, the study does not explain lack of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia knowledge among practicing nurses. Successful descriptive studies, utilizes large the sample size (Evans & Kenkre, 2006). This indicates that the researcher required hundreds of subjects to minimize errors and biasness. However, the study received only 130 responses from the 168 participants selected for the study. This was a fair outcome since the respondent provided quality data. Participants for the study were selected from nurses attending the Irish Anesthetic and Recovery Nurses Association Annual Conference. The study seems to have attracted participants of the right caliber as required in the initial proposal. The study also followed an acceptable protocol to request consent and participation of the nurses. Voluntary participation and completion of question contained in the questionnaire indicates a high level of consent among the participants. Questionnaires were the main data collection tools for the study. The questionnaires had nine questions that were designed to

Definition Courage Essay Example for Free

Definition Courage Essay All of us trust the dictionary to give us the full understanding of a word we do not know. In this aspect, it is insufficient when it describes courage. While it defines physical courage, it omits inner courage which can be argued to be much more valuable to posses. Webster’s New World Dictionary describes courage as â€Å"an attitude of facing and dealing with anything recognized as dangerous, difficult or painful, instead of withdrawing from it†. Courage is not the ability to be brave or to laugh in the face of danger. Courage is not risking your life for justice. Courage is not a person who agrees to fight, but he who can stand up against it. Courage is not something you can define entirely, and therefore can vary between each person. It can be said that a little girl who ventures out on her bike for the first time displays as much courage as a man jumping into a lake to save a drowning woman, knowing he cannot swim. Courage is a state of mind that enables a person to overcome fear, pain, danger or hardship. Although different from one another, all aspects of courage involve taking risks. Physical courage is facing your fears of possible bodily harm. A fireman rushing into a burning building, a woman running across thin- ice to save a child that has just fallen through, an officer charging into a building to save a hostage. These are all examples of physical courage. Mental courage is standing up to your phobias. While some fear heights, I myself fear speaking in front of a large audience. A son who overcomes his fear of flying to be by his dying mothers side is mental courage that cannot be fully measured or explained. Mental courage is the ability to overcome tragedy and to move forward in the face of sheer defeat. Mental courage is a man finding out he has a brain tumor, and still cherishing and living life to the fullest. Mental courage is taking care of your brother and sister following the death of their parents. The word courage comes from the Latin word cor, meaning heart. It derives from the belief that all feelings begin in the heart. The definitions given to all of us do not suffice because they lack depth and clarity. Mental courage, while not mentioned, and not defined, is portrayed in all of us on a daily basis; and should be along-side physical courage in the references we rely on.

Abortion Essay -- essays research papers

Partial-Birth Abortion Act During the Clinton administration the Partial-Birth Abortion Act, a bill that would make it illegal in all of the United States for a partial-birth abortion to be performed, caused major debate throughout the House of Representatives and the Senate; recently different versions of the bill had been passed through the both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In prior years Clinton had vetoed similar bills to ban partial-birth abortions. The House and Senate have passed somewhat different versions of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act (S-1692), sponsored by Congressman Charles Canady (R-Fl.) and Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.). This bill would place a national ban on partial-birth abortions. President Clinton successfully vetoed similar bills in 1996 and 1998. When the Senate approved S.1692 last October, it was by a margin two votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto. The congressional bills are similar to a Nebraska law that was struck down by a five-justice majority of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 28 in the case of Stenberg v. carhart. After carefully examining that ruling, the leading sponsors of the bill decided that it would be more productive to focus on other pro-life bills for the remainder of this congressional session. (National Right to Life News, August 2000) Partial-Birth Abortion is used after twenty weeks of pregnancy. The doctor pulls the baby out of the mother with forceps feet first and stops when the only thing remaining inside the mother is the baby’s head. The doctor then takes a pair of scissors and inserts them into the back of the neck of the child, spreads them apart and then proceeds to suction the brain of the child out of it’s head. The child is now no longer living and can be disposed of. Under current legislation the only factor that separates partial-birth abortion from homicide is the fact that the child’s head remains inside the mother while the procedure is performed. The Partial-Birth Abortion Act is not a bill to make abortion illegal just partial-birth abortions. Those who support this bill in the Senate are pro-life, whil... ...ter, June 2001) The laws were overturned by the United States Court of Appeals in Illinois and Wisconsin following the Supreme Court’s lead. United States District Judge Arthur Tarnow overturned the ban in Michigan. Planned Parenthood had challenged the laws in all three states and was said to be gratified by the decisions. â€Å"We are pleased with these rulings because they protect women’s health from being sacrificed to a dishonest campaign to demonize a safe and medically necessary procedure.† Planned Parenthood continued," And we are reminded again, as all Americans should be, of the importance of a fair-minded and independent federal judiciary.† Another problem with the ban on partial-birth abortions is what to do in the case of a health threat involving the mother. If a pregnant women faces death through the birth of her child do we save the mother or the child? Another problematic example is if the mother already has children, and partial-birth abortions are illegal, the child could potentially be born and the mother could pass leaving all of her children to grow up without a mother.

Optimizing School Climate Through Leadership

Optimizing School Climate through Leadership Barry Joel Desaine, B. Sc. Management Studies, M. Sc. Organizational Leadership A school’s climate is influenced by its administrators’ leadership style—by the way they motivate personnel, gather and use information, make decisions, manage change initiatives, and handle crises. It is an essential factor for success as a poor environment can account for as much as a third of all deficiencies. Unfortunately, many administrators fail to appreciate how deeply the climate of their school can affect the performance of both staff and students.This paper explains what is meant by climate and how emotional intelligence and its influences on leadership styles can impact on the climate of a school. What is School Climate? School climate has been defined in many ways. One author wrote that school climate refers to â€Å"the feelings and attitudes that are elicited by a school’s environment† (Loukas, 2007). Another ad ds that it is â€Å"based on patterns of students', parents' and school personnel's experience of school life and reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational structures† (Center for Social and Emotional Education).Researchers also list a variety of factors that influence school climate such as: students’ and teachers’ perception of their school environment, or the school’s personality (Johnson, Johnson, & Zimmerman, 1996); the frequency and quality of teacher-student interactions (Kuperminc, Leadbeater and Blatt, 2001); feelings of safeness and school size (Freiberg, 1998); or feelings of trust and respect for students and teachers (Manning & Saddlemire, 1996). The late Harvard psychologist, David McClelland, postulated that there are six key factors which influence an organization’s working environment: flexibility i. e. ow free workers feel they can be innovative; workers' sense of responsibility; the level of standards set; the sense of accuracy about performance feedback and aptness of rewards; how clear the mission and values are to the workers; and the level of commitment to a common purpose. Regardless of how school climate is defined, there is common agreement that organizational climate is affected by the administrators’ style of leadership and that this is based on their emotional intelligence. Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence is â€Å"the ability to accurately identify and understand one's own emotional reactions and those of others.It also involves the ability to regulate one's emotions, to use them to make good decisions and to act effectively† (Cherniss & Adler, 2000). It involves four fundamental capabilities: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and social skill. Each of these four areas is made up of specific sets of competencies and corresponding traits as follows: 1. Self-Awareness i. e. the ability to: interpret one’s emotions and recognize their impact; possess a realistic evaluation of one's strengths and limitations; and nurture self-confidence. 2.Self-Management i. e. the ability to: keep disruptive impulses or emotions in check; be honest and demonstrate integrity; manage self and responsibilities; adjust to changing conditions and overcoming hindrances; meet an internal standard of excellence; and seize opportunities. 3. Social Awareness i. e. the ability to: sense another's emotion, understand their perspective, and take an active interest in their concerns; navigate politics, build decision networks and gain insight into the life of the organization; and recognize and meet the needs of others. . Social Skills i. e. the ability to: take charge and inspire with a compelling vision; influence others; strengthen another's abilities through feedback and guidance; listen and send clear, convincing, and well-tuned messages; initiate new ideas and lead people in a new d irection; defuse disagreements and orchestrate resolutions; cultivate and maintain a web of relationships; and promote cooperation and team building. Decades of research has shown that emotional intelligence has a direct impact n a leader’s potential to succeed. This is simply because emotional intelligence determines the styles of leadership one is able to master, which subsequently affects one’s ability to positively affect the climate of an organization. â€Å"Leaders with strengths in a critical mass of six or more emotional intelligence competencies are far more effective than peers who lacked such strengths† (Goldman, 2000). The Six Leadership Styles Six basic leadership styles were identified from the research on emotional intelligence.Each of these styles works best in specific situations and affects school climate in different ways. The six styles of leadership and the appropriate situation for their use are as follows: 1. Coercive: Coercive leaders dem and immediate compliance using a â€Å"do what I say† approach based on their drive to achieve, use initiative, and be in control. This style can be very effective in: reorientation situations; after a natural disaster; or when working with difficult personnel. However, in most situations coercive leadership inhibits creativity and dampens teachers’ motivation. . Authoritative: Authoritative leaders mobilizes their staff around a vision using a â€Å"come with me† approach based on their self-confidence, empathy, and the desire to be a change catalyst. They state overall goals and give workers the freedom to choose their own means of achieving them. This style is especially suited for organizations that are adrift or needing clear directions or a new vision. It is less effective when working with a team of professionals, especially if they are more experienced or more educated than the leader. 3.Affiliative: Affiliative leaders have a â€Å"people come firstâ⠂¬  attitude that is particularly useful for: healing rifts among staff; building harmony; or increasing morale and motivation. The style is based on the leadership competencies in empathy, relationship building and communication. However, excessive praise may allow poor performance to go unchecked if individuals are inadequately skilled. Additionally, some affiliative leaders rarely offer advice and often leave staff in a quandary. 4. Democratic: Democratic leaders ask â€Å"what do you think? to forge consensus and participation based on their competencies in collaboration, team leadership, and communication. By giving individuals a voice in decision-making, these leaders build flexibility and responsibility and help generate new ideas. However, the style does not always positively impact climate as some advocate as at times it can lead to endless meetings and a confused staff that feel leaderless! 5. Pacesetting: Pacesetting leaders use a â€Å"do as I do, now† approach based on their sense of conscientiousness, drive to achieve, and initiative.By setting high performance standards and exemplifying them, they positively impact those individuals who are self-motivated and highly competent. The style is best suited for situations that require quick results from a highly motivated and competent staff. However, some individuals tend to feel overwhelmed by the immediate demand for excellence and resent the tendency for some administrators to micro-manage or take charge over situations. 6. Coaching: Coaching leaders use a â€Å"try this† approach to encourage the personal development of staff based on their sense of empathy and self-awareness.This works well when individuals are already aware of their weaknesses and want to improve performance or develop long-term strengths, but not when they are resistant to changing their ways. Multiple Leadership Styles Research on the impact of leadership style on organizational climate revealed that the autho ritative, affiliative, democratic, and coaching styles each have an overall positive impact on climate while the coercive and pacesetting styles were negatively correlated.It was also found that the most effective administrators do not rely on only one leadership style but use most of them, seamlessly and in different measures, according to the needs of the situation. Subsequently, the more styles a school administrator masters, the better prepared he will be to positively affect the school's climate. Being able to switch among authoritative, affiliative, democratic, and coaching styles as conditions dictate creates the best school climate for optimizing school performance.In summary, school climate is a critically important, but much overlooked, factor that affects the performance of both teachers and students. An organization’s climate can be positively or negatively affected through the leadership styles of administrators which depend on their emotional intelligence. In or der to optimize the climate of a school, administrators must be able to master and effectively use the various styles of leadership according to the situation that arises. This paper was inspired by: â€Å"Leadership that gets results† – Daniel Goldman, Harvard Business Review, 1st March, 2000.

Discuss the contention that the House of Lords is irrelevant

The House of Lords was, until the early 20th century the senior of the two houses in the British political system. Its members enjoyed greater powers than the members of the House of Commons, but as the 1911 and 1949 acts were introduced the powers of the Lords were greatly reduced. The abilities of the upper house became an issue as society became more democratic and concerned about the unrepresentative nature of the House; after all it was at one point hereditary peers only. It is now argued the House of Lords have become irrelevant because of its great reduction in powers and abilities to hold the lower house to account; it's still unrepresentative nature and lack of legitimacy. Beginning at the start of the reforms, under the Liberal government Lloyd George purpose the introduction of a land tax which would affect rich wealthy land owners. This bill was challenged by the conservatives, as many of them where wealthy land owners and wanted to raise import taxes instead. The bill went ahead and passed through the House of Commons, however when the Bill reached the upper house it was struck down by the Conservative lords. The Prime Minister Henry Asquith requested the king make sufficient Liberal Lords to pass the bill if the conservative lords reject it again. Edward VII refused which led to the reduction of power in the House of Lords being a priority issue in the 1910 General election. Once the Liberals were in government a mandate was used to make the necessary constitutional changes. The Parliament Act removed the House of Lords right to veto legislation and restricted the amount of time it could prevent a bill passing through the house to 2 years. This first act did much to cripple the upper house and restrict its powers over the government; however it cannot be seen as irrelevant because the house still had substantial powers that could hold up legislation. The House of Lords were particularly effective of this shortly after the act had been introduced to the house. In 1912 a bill was passed through the house of commons regarding Irish home rule, however the House of Lords were able to hold off passing the bill until world war one. At this point the bill was dropped because the threat of Germany was seen as a more important issue. After the Second World War the Labour government, under Clement Attlee, decided to amend the 1911 parliament act further. This was because they thought the House of Lords would interfere in their rapid nationalisation program and stop them from achieving their party goals before the next general election. The new proposals meant the House of Lords could only hold up new bills for up to a year. It was argued that the time the House of Lords had become irrelevant for a times they held very little powers to hold the government to account or stop legislation. The act was used as a threat; however in 1991 the House of Lords used their remaining powers to slow the War crimes act that would extend the jurisdiction of UK courts to acts committed on behalf of Nazi Germany. The parliament act was used (for the first time since 1914), but it showed the Lords were becoming more involved. Before the House of Lords would be forced to accept legislation through the parliament act once more, Labour in 1997, with the support of the Lib-Dems purposed to end the ‘right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords’ and committed it to their manifesto. This meant at all but 92 of the Hereditary peers would be removed from the House and replaced by appointed life peers; a right given to the Prime Minister through the Life Peerages act 1958. This new act meant as a consequence the lords obtained greater authority through the fact the government wanted them there and are seen as less undemocratic because of this reform. This in turn had a great affect on the activities and use of power by the Lords, which made less irrelevant that they were previously. In the next 7 years the House of Lords opposed 3 acts; the European Parliamentary Elections Act in 1999; the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act in 2000 and the Hunting act in 2004, showing greater use of their authority and fulfilling some of the necessary tasks the Lords need to carry out in order to retain some relevancy. One role of the House of Lords performs is acting as a second opposition for the Governing executive, which has been especially effective during times when the Government has a large majority in the commons because of the first past the post (FPTP) voting system. A good illustration of this role was when the Thatcher government enjoyed majorities of over 100 following the elections of 1983. This meant the House of Lords were improving parliamentary opposition, effectively holding government to account and making up for the opposition’s weakness. This scrutiny of the executive is made clear through the huge amount of time (around 80%) the Lords spend scrutinising and revising legislation. Their regular attendance and increasing numbers means the House is adopting this role very seriously ensuring their relevancy in the British political system. Arguably the House of Lords have become even more effective at performing this role after The House of Lords Act in 1998 because party leaderships have been selecting more professional politicians to become Lords, who are, arguably, better at scrutinising the executive. As we have seen before, the House of Lords is heavily involved in the Legislative process and although they can no longer stop bills that can (and commonly do) make amendments. A recent example of this was on the 3rd of November 2011, when the House of Lords made 6 amendments to the Armed Forces Bill. This is an important function of the House because it oversees the work of the executive and ensures the elected Government is remaining representative, ensuing accountability. Some criticize this oversight of the executive as irrelevant because the house is not elected, and is a very unrepresentative elitist group. However there is defence for keeping an unelected second chamber as it is came when Labour was in power under the Blair government there were plans to change the House into a wholly elected House, Bob Marshall-Andrews importantly pointed out that â€Å"replacing a second chamber that was rotten because of inherited patronage with a second chamber which is rotten with contemporary patronage. Suggesting that having an elected chamber would not be an improvement, or any chamber in his opinion, however there are some strong arguments against having a wholly elected chamber. A key point is an appointed second chamber means there are specialists from a broad range of subjects present in the house meaning the quality of debate in the House of Lords is generally better than the quality of debate in the House of Commons, which is dominated by the execut ive. The Lords are free to vote as they wish because they have no party whip and can generally be more opinionated and do not have to tow the party line. There is also the argument that if both chambers were elected then there wouldn’t be much difference between the chambers and there may be a demand for power off the commons as they are the higher house, Lord Wakeham, a Tory peer who used to head the Royal commission said the house of commons â€Å"would not give the upper chamber the authority to play an effective role† even if both houses were elected. The House of Lords could be seen as been as relevant and as effective as they possibly can be in the situation they are in, besides the House has managed to effectively defy the will of the government on key issues such as the Anti-terrorism legislation purposed by Blair’s government. The House defeated the government on this issue and managed to make several key amendments on this bill. Although there are some strong arguments for keeping the House of Lords, many believe it is out dated and out of place in a modern democratic society; therefore it should not be in a position to judge or pass legislation. Thomas Bingham, a writer for the Guardian suggested the House should ‘not exist' because it ‘obstruct the will of the commons', he like many other critics of the house believe it is unnecessary and is open to abuse. In 2007 the House came under attack from the press and the Daily Telegraph published the article ‘Cash for Peerage' which suggested that Tony Blair had been accepting money in return for appointing members to the House of Lords. Although this was never proved to be true, there was still substantial evidence that suggested it had gone on. This completely destroys the argument that the House of Lords is appointed because of their experience and could make it completely irrelevant. Some believe having a fully elected house would mean the House of Lords would not be open to critic's claiming it was elitist and undemocratic. Many are in support of giving the House democratic legitimacy, such as the Electoral Reform Society, who support an 100% elected House using STV, with election tied into the European Parliament cycle; Preventing the house from holding up the Government; Members of second chamber banned from standing for commons for 4 years; No reserved religious seats and thresholds to ensure candidate diversity. This clearly shows that many political elites see the House as irrelevant in its current state, and would be become more relevant, up to date and perhaps even more effective if these reforms were to go ahead. The Electoral Reform Society see it as ‘removing the burden from parliament'. The House of Lords is seen by some as a irrelevant institute that is out of touch with modern society. However I think the second chamber is crucial as it acts as a political safeguard that effectively holds the government to account in the event of poor opposition in the House of Commons. Although the House faces criticism for its undemocratic nature, it is this that allows it to remain a relevant part of society that does no unnecessarily damage the House of Commons. If the House were to be elected by a proportional representation system, such as STV suggested by the Electoral Reform Society, it would become a danger as it would be more representative of the people than the commons and could cause for a demand of power off the lower House. Overall I do not think the House of Lords is irrelevant in modern politics as it performs many important roles effectively, and although at first glance it seems out of place in a democratic society, it would be an executive dictatorship without it.

History of the Hula Hoop - Trivia and More

History of the Hula Hoop - Trivia and More The hula hoop is an ancient invention - no modern company and no single inventor can claim that they invented the first hula hoop. In fact, the Ancient Greeks often used hooping as a form of exercise. Older hoops have been made from metal, bamboo, wood, grasses, and even vines. However, modern companies re-invented their own versions of the hula hoop using unusual materials, for example; plastic hula hoops with added bits of glitter and noisemakers, and hoops that are collapsible. Origins of the Name Hula Hoop Around 1300, hooping came to Great Britain, homemade versions of the toy became very popular. In the early 1800s, British sailors first witnessed hula dancing in the Hawaiian Islands. Hula dancing and hooping look somewhat similar and the name hula hoop came together. Wham-O Trademarks and Patents the Hula Hoop Richard Knerr and Arthur Spud Melin founded the Wham-O company, which helped popularize another ancient toy, the frisbee. Knerr and Melin started the Wham-O company from their Los Angeles garage in 1948. The men were marketing a slingshot originally invented for training pet falcons and hawks (it slung meat at the birds). This slingshot was named Wham-O because of the sound it made when it hit the target. Wham-O also became the companys name. Wham-O has become the most successful manufacturer of hula hoops in modern times. They trademarked the name Hula Hoop ® and started manufacturing the toy out of the new plastic Marlex in 1958. On May 13, 1959, Arthur Melin applied for a patent for his version of the hula hoop. He received U.S. Patent Number 3,079,728 on March 5, 1963, for a Hoop Toy. Twenty million Wham-O hula hoops sold for $1.98 in the first six months. Hula Hoop Trivia Japan once banned the hula hoop because the rotating hip action seems indecent.On June 4, 2005, Australian Kareena Oates set a Guinness world record for hula hooping - with 100 hoops for three full revolutions.101 hoops were spun by Alesya Goulevich of Belarus on June 11, 2006105 hoops were spun by Jin Linlin of China on October 28, 2007.The world record for the largest Hula Hoop (by circumference) spun was set by American Ashrita Furman at 51.5 feet on June 1, 2007.

Begin the New Year in Thanks Write a Gratitude List

Begin the New Year in Thanks Write a Gratitude List Begin the New Year in Thanks: Write a Gratitude List How many times have you told yourself, This year Im going to lose weight, or This year Im gonna start a business, or pursued some other grand idea that never quite panned out? Weve all been there. This year, forgo the back-breaking resolutions that make you feel like a failure. Start the year fresh with a gratitude list. What’s a â€Å"Gratitude List?† A gratitude list is a simple exercise that can pull you out of sticky bad feelings. Take out a piece of paper (or your phone or laptop), and start writing things that are good in your life. It may seem hard at first, but starting out with a small list of five things and adding to it throughout the week can lift your spirits and create a happier and healthier you. It might be a foreign concept, but it works. Why Do a List? When you’re not feeling content or well, it’s great to look at your gratitude list. When nervous, angry, or scared, take a deep breath and reflect upon the things for which you’re grateful. It’s been proven that people who live in a spirit of gratitude do better at school and in work. A good mood can affect your life tremendously, and help you during difficult times. Making up a gratitude list may sound cheesy, but it helps de-clutter your head and allow you to focus on the positive. For more helpful tips to better yourself and your future, call 1-800-573-0840. will help you write well, achieve academically, and more.

Political Speeches and Press Releases Assignment

Political Speeches and Press Releases - Assignment Example The President did not talk of the need or goal of creating a world without boundaries; in fact, he vehemently recognized and accepted the differences between the people, their cultures, and their faiths (Obama). Instead, he stressed on the need to view one populace as alien or enemies if the other; in essence, he denounced the concept of â€Å"othering† as regards the political and social environment (Obama). He stressed that it was imperative for the global development of the world for countries to exist in peace and to understand that diversity can be used to unify the communities instead of breaking them apart (Obama). He maintained that it was very important for the Oriental countries to decide their leadership themselves and to own their freedom through the process of democracy (Obama), since it was in the vested interest of the American government to bring harmony in the Eastern society so that new market could open up for the American trade, and business could flourish, which would result in the progress and development of the countries

Quantitative Finance 203 Speech or Presentation

Quantitative Finance 203 - Speech or Presentation Example urtosis is given as 4.496>3, this implies that we have a Leptokurtic distribution, sharper than a normal distribution, with values concentrated around the mean and thicker tails. This means high probability for extreme values. In the case of Return on AUD per USD, the kurtosis is given as 8.277>3, this implies that we have a Leptokurtic distribution, sharper than a normal distribution, with values concentrated around the mean and thicker tails. This means high probability for extreme values. In the case of Rateturn onTB Rate, the kurtosis is given as 156.85>3, this implies that we have a Leptokurtic distribution, sharper than a normal distribution, with values concentrated around the mean and thicker tails. This means high probability for extreme values. 5. Under the assumption that the returns of each asset are drawn from an independently and identically distributed normal distribution, are the expected returns statistically different from zero for each asset? State clearly the null and alternative hypothesis in each case. Based on the correlation matrix table given in question 6 above, we can conclude that the assumption of independence is not realistic. There is a positive relationship between Return on AUD per Yen and Return on AUD per UKP; Return on AUD per Yen and Return on AUD per USD and Return on AUD per UKP and Return on AUD per