Why Foreign Investors Need to Look at Political Risks in India Essay

Why Foreign Investors Need to Look at Political Risks in India - Essay Example Some of the emerging markets that have captured the attention of intellectuals around the world are China, India, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey. Among the above list, China and India are the markets with the greatest potential. These are the markets where companies enter for quick return on investments. â€Å"Even though emerging markets generally do not have the level of market efficiency and strict standards in accounting and securities regulation like advanced economies -- such as the United States, Europe and Japan -- they are most sought after by investors for the prospect of high returns, as they often experience faster economic growth as measured by GDP.† (Rediff Business, 2011) China’s economy is the fastest growing economy in the world at present. Similarly, India’s growth rate is expected to surpass even that of Japan. Studies by various organisations show that the emerging market economies are set to overtake all the G7 economies by 2020 . Such studies do have enough reasons to substantiate their views. This essay will deal with the strategic expansion of IKEA with its Greenfield operations in India. India had recently opened up its market for 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the retail sector. IKEA did not waste even a day after the decision, the company has started framing board room strategies for the Indian market. Company IKEA is undoubtedly the world’s largest furniture retailer. Though furniture is its flagship product, it is also one of the largest home furnishing retailers in the world. The Company which was established in 1943 is headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands. What make IKEA different from the competitors are its modern and unique furniture designs. Moreover, IKEA designs are also eco-friendly compared to the competitors. When it comes to managerial efficiency and vision, IKEA is a benchmark for any businesses. The company gives extreme focus to cost control and product development bec ause of which they are able conquer new markets without much effort. Cost control gives them an edge over the pricing. The continuous product development helps them to keep pace with the changing trends. IKEA has been on a continuous growth path ever since its inception. The story is no different in 2012 too. â€Å"Net profit at the privately-held Swedish firm, known the world over for low-price, self-assembly, flat-packed furniture, rose 10.3 percent to 2.97 billion euros ($3.8 billion) in the year to last August.† (Reuters, 2012) Russia, China and Poland were the countries that contributed more to the overall sales of the company. This huge increase in profit is despite of the hike in raw material prices. Even at a very high raw material cost the company did not pass it on to the customers. It continued supplying products at lower prices as it used to be. The company is planning for about 3 billion euros of investments worldwide in the coming years. IKEA has constituted its product portfolio in such a way that even during a slump in demand due to economic problems, there are products that are focussed on the cost conscious customers. Because of this, IKEA is able to maintain sales and market share even during a slump in the economy. IKEA is now focussed on its strategy for the emerging markets such as China, India and Russia. Investment Unlike many other companies, IKEA wants their business units to be under their sole ownership. They are not ready for partnering with a domestic player which is why they backed out from Indian market entry years before (India permitted only 51% FDI in retail then). They enter the market with a careful study and examination of the market from

Study of recruitment process outsourcing

Study of recruitment process outsourcing Is the process where an employer outsources or transfers all or part of its recruitment activities to expert services of a third party (generally professional consultants). The Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association defines RPO as follows: when a provider acts as a companys internal recruitment function for a portion or all of its jobs. RPO providers manage the entire recruitment/hiring process from job profiling through the  on-boarding  of the new hire, including staff, technology, method and reporting. RPO and other types of occasional recruitment support, contingency and executive search services differ majorly in the  Process. The service provider assumes ownership of the process in RPO, while in other types of staffing services the service provider is only a part of the process controlled by the organization buying their services. History of RPO Temporary, contingency and executive search firms have provided staffing services for many decades, but the concept of an employer outsourcing the management and ownership of part or whole of the recruitment process was first realized during the 1970s in the highly competitive high tech labour market of Silicon Valley. Being hard-pressed to find and hire technical specialists these companies had to pay large fees to specialized external recruiters for staffing their projects. In order to reduce the growing expenses of recruitment fees these companies began examining the various stages in the recruitment process that could be outsourced. The initial RPO programs typically consisted of purchasing lists of potential candidates from RPO vendors. Over the years, the concept of outsourcing was accepted by businesses more and more. RPO too gained favour among Human Resource management. RPO reduced overhead costs from their budgets and also helped improve the companys competitive advantage in the labour market. With labour markets becoming more and more competitive, RPO became more of an acceptable option. In the early 2000s more companies began considering the outsourcing of recruitment for major portions of their recruiting need. The fundamental changes in the World labour market have reinforced the use of RPO. The labour market today is highly dynamic: workers are changing employers more often than in the previous generations. De-regulation of labour markets has created a shift towards contract and part-time labour and shorter work tenures. These trends have increased the recruitment activity and encouraged the use of RPO. Even in slower economic times or higher unemployment, RPO is considered by companies to assist in an increasing need to screen through a larger pool of candidates Benefits Recruitment  is seen as a cost incurring process in an organization.  RPO  has helped the HR professionals of an organisation to concentrate on the strategic functions and processes of human resource management instead of wasting their efforts, time and money on the routine work. Outsourcing of the  recruitment process helps cut the recruitment costs to around 20 % and provides economies of scale to a large sized organization. Outsourcing  has become beneficial for both the corporate organisations that use outsourcing services as well as the consultancies that provide the service. Apart from increasing their revenues,  outsourcing Process  also provides business opportunities to the service providers, enhances the skill set of the service providers and exposure to different corporate experiences thereby increasing their expertise. Time/Speed: Hiring of a recruitment company to do the recruitment process for a new project saves precious time. The recruitment agency already has the database of prospects classified according to their skills, knowledge and experience. Once the requirements are provided by the organisation and the service provider provides the organisation with a list of candidates that would be ready to be interviewed. Money/Costs: In traditional recruitment process the HR professionals have to stop their current work and concentrate on the recruitment process. This is a problem for the small and middle sized companies, the big corporations have their own recruitment departments. By outsourcing the whole of the recruitment process these companies save costs incurred in the recruitment process. The HR professionals can focus on their current work without worrying about recruitment process. These days even the big companies are outsourcing their recruitment processes to reduce costs. Quality: It is considered that the recruitment needs of a company are better realised by the owner or someone working for it. But while recruiting new personnel for a specific job or project this can be very challenging. Specialised recruitment agencies have an extensive database of resumes and the networking to source the right type of candidate. Risks Though RPO has benefits, it has its own sets of limitations/risks. RPO will be successful in the context of a well-defined corporate and staffing strategy. A company must manage its RPO activities, providing initial direction and continued monitoring to get the desired results. Loose Definition of RPO: As RPO is a commercial concept rather than a specific definition, there is little regulation to RPO providers. As such, a recruitment agency can brand their services as RPO without actually structuring them in a way that will provide the most benefit to their clients. Cost: Though RPO engagement is considered as cost saving method, the  cost  of engaging an RPO provider can be more than the cost of the internal recruitment department, as an RPO provider is likely to have higher  business overheads. Effectiveness: If an RPO provider does not understand or seek to understand the recruitment solution that they will be providing, it will lead to an improperly implemented RPO. This would reduce the effectiveness of recruitment. Failure to Deliver: When finding candidates in industry sectors where there are staff shortages, RPO service providers may fail to provide the quality or volume of staff required by their clients. Pre-Existing Issues: If the companys existing recruitment processes are not effective or if the service provider lacks appropriate recruitment processes/procedures to work with the client the RPO solution may not work. In such a situation, it is better for the company to undergo a recruitment  optimisation programme. Engagement: Many RPO organisations perform their staffing functions and service  offsite  or  offshore. This disconnects the provider from the client companys growth and recruiting strategy. Though this effect can be mitigated by strong relationship management, some of the momentum and energy associated with the rapid up scaling of a workforce through recruitment may dissipate. Social Media/Networking in Recruitment Social media recruitment is the next big thing on the cards. A lot of companies have started using Web 2.0 application for recruitment purposes. Web 2.0 is the second generation Internet-based services which is different from the first generation static Web sites with little interaction. Popular Web 2.0 applications include the social media/networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, LinkedIn, MySpace), blogs, podcasts (Podcast Alley, iTunes), video sharing sites (YouTube, FlickR), mobile apps, etc. Today LinkedIn and Facebook has become a powerful tool in recruitment. LinkedIn is a social networking website meant specifically for networking amongst working professionals. Social media recruitment widens reach and helps segmentation, targeting and positioning of potential jobseekers. They also increase the accuracy of profile searches.  Instead of simply recruiting the person with the best-looking CV, social media can ensure that that person is also the best fit for the company. Companies like Accenture, Cognizant, Mindtree, HP-Mphasis and Wipro are planning to hire workers from social networking sites such as LinkedIn. Linkedln is becoming a hot spot  for Companies looking out to hire workers. Recruitment done through the social networking site Linkedln comes with references and are cost effective as they are free. Companies go through the relevant profiles, and can take a look at the recommendations provided by acquaintances of potential candidates before hiring workers. Mphasis used Facebook along with LinkedIn to recruit new workers by creating a page on Facebook. Benefits Recruitment through Social media/networking websites has its own benefits which are not available in other methods of recruitment. Higher accuracy: As social media/networking websites have no physical boundaries job candidates can be searched geographically and found with higher accuracy than before, narrowing the number of candidates and adding to recruiting effectiveness. Fast: As more and more people today use these websites, the available jobs can get filled quicker, lowering vacancy rates because of social medias high usage rate and immediate response time. This helps in a companys ability to attract talent versus competitors. Cost: Social media recruitment has a low cost with high ROI. In most of the cases it is almost free as most websites are free to register and use. Attracting fresh talent: A large number of social media users are college students, and they are fresh talent for entry level positions. Using social media an organization can easily attract this talent pool. Brand visibility: Using social media/networking for recruitment Increases the employers brand visibility online and establishes a leading-edge image for the brand. Risks Social media/networking offers benefits vis-a-vis other methods of recruitment, but it also has its own share of risks. Effectiveness yet to be proven: While social networks are undoubtedly here to stay, whether they become a more central part to the hiring process or not is yet to proved. The amount of recruitment done through this mode is still very low as it is in initial stages. Demographics of representation: Social media as the labour pool does not fully represent the demographics of the general public. There could be more race and age claims over the coming years due to sourcing through social networking sites. Discrimination: There could be discrimination in recruitment due to a persons country of origin, religious preference, disability, age or sexual orientation etc. Lack of clear recruitment standards and process: Recruitment through social media does not involve clear standards of recruitment. Hence any rejections based on softer criteria can lead to discrimination lawsuits being filed by the rejected candidates.

candy Essay -- essays research papers

Candy Thesis: I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Introduction A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Opening Statement B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thesis II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Skittles A. B. I would like to think of myself as a healthy eater. I try not to eat much meat during the week and I always eat a variety vegetables. Nevertheless, I have this weakness that renders all my attempts at healthy eating D.O.A. Of course I am talking about candy. Even thought it is almost completely made of sugar, I cannot get enough. Everyone has their favorite candy; some may like sour or sweet while others stick to the classics; chocolate or camel. The only problem is I like them all so narrowing it down is not easy. I think the best way would be to pick through my long list of favorites and come up with the top three. My all time favorite candy’s are, in no particular order, laffy taffy, skittles, and pralines. Some people simply despise fruity candies. Somehow I always seem to find myself not only buying, but also enjoying them. It seems the sky is the limit when it comes to the colors and flavors availably to choose from. Even through the seemingly endless type, I stay true to skittles in particular. I simply cannot get enough of those delicious little candies. They are about the same size as an m&m, but much more colorful. I would say my favorite flavor would have to be the red ones. The colors coordinate to the flavors. Red skittles are strawberry. The purple ...

Irish Prison System Essay

In 2012, the average cost of imprisonment per prisoner in Ireland was â‚ ¬65, 404. The current prison population is 4, 306. That’s an estimated 282, 000,000 of the tax payers money spent on prisons in Ireland per annum. Introduction This Irish prison system consists of 15 different institutions. This is made up of eleven traditional ‘closed’ prisons, two ‘open’ prisons, a training prison and a prison for young offenders. All of our prisons are termed medium-low security, apart from Portlaoise prison; a male only prison and our countries only high security prison. The purpose of a prison is to retain those legally committed of a crime as punishment or whilst they await trial. ‘The mission of the Irish prison service (as stated in their 2010 Annual Report) is to provide safe, secure and humane custody for people who are sent to prison. The Service is committed to managing custodial sentences in a way which encourages and supports prisoners in their endeavouring to live law abiding and purposeful lives as valued members of society.’ This essay will examine the capital which is currently spent on the Irish prison system and assess if the Irish prison system merits the money which it expends. Is â‚ ¬65,404 a reasonable amount to spend on the legal punishment of one individual, and are the systems in place effective in providing our prisoners with rehabilitation and social regeneration? Utilising these findings the discussion will attempt to offer alternative systems of punishment to imprisonment. Poor Conditions The European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) carried out an examination of Irish prison conditions in January- February 2010. The report described ‘degrading’ behaviour and ‘un-hygienic’ conditions. An examination of Portlaoise prison’s E-block discovered inadequate and unacceptable sanitary facilities. The cells were small (6m ²) and some of them were dilapidated with broken windows and dirty walls. None of the cells had in-cell sanitation and, at night, if a prisoner had to defecate he was likely thereafter to wrap up the faeces in a parcel and sometimes throw it out of the window. A typical day for a prisoner is made up of 16  ½ hours of ‘lock up’, those under severe confinement can endure 18 hours or more of being restricted to their cell. In extreme cases some prisoners may not even get to spend one hour a day outside of their cell. The CPT concluded that: ‘†¦ 23-hour lock-up should only be considered as a temporary respite, whereas in the Irish prison system it has developed into a general measure.’ The Prisoner’s Life Whilst research presents the inhumane conditions that exist in some of our prisons we also hear reports of recreationally facilities that some law abiding working class citizens do not even have access too. In 2009 journalist with the Evening Herald, Cormac Looney states that a sum of almost â‚ ¬200,000 was spent on sports equipment for prisoners in Ireland. He notes that Mountjoy Prison received â‚ ¬36,388 worth or sports, gym and recreational equipment, while inmates of the high-security Portlaoise prison which include former gang lord John Giligan received â‚ ¬28, 214 in sports equipment. Fiach Kelly of the Irish Independent informed us in 2010 that members of the Irish prison service had signed an additional â‚ ¬200,000 contract to upgrade our prisons for the subsequent three years. Kelly quotes Fine Gael’s then spokesman on public spending, Brian Hayes. â€Å"I fully accept the prisoners need proper gym facilities,† he said. â€Å"The question is why are they being kitted out again at this cost. I find it quite extraordinary the IPS (Irish Prisoners Service) signed off on this lavish expenditure item.† The IPS justified these expenses, claiming the equipment was of good value for the agreed price. An IPS spokesperson maintained that the provision of a gym would in the long run help prisoners to take control of other areas of their lives. Surely our prison systems main priority should be acting in accordance to their mission statement as stated in their three year strategic plan (2012-2015), adhering to the guidelines set for protecting basic human rights and meeting the prescribed health and safety standards. Our Mission: Providing safe and secure custody, dignity of care and rehabilitation to prisoners for safer communities. Our Vision: A safer community through excellence in a prison service built on respect for human dignity. A Case Study – Inside the Joy Little do Irishmen know the wretchedness of imprisonment. (John K. Casey, Fenian prisoner, Mountjoy Prison) Much ‘no-holds-barred’ writings exist on the inside stories of Mountjoy prison. They reveal what life is really like as an inmate; from desperation and depression, to bullying, beatings and the drugs network. The 2010 report by the CPT describes the ill-treatment of prisoners by staff members. An inmate of Mountjoy prison claims he was physically assaulted by a number of prison officers; A prisoner at Mountjoy Prison alleged that on 15 October 2009 he was physically assaulted in his cell by several prison officers, in the course of which he claimed he was thrown on the floor and repeatedly stamped and hit on the chest, arms and head. He also alleged that he was punched in the ribs while being escorted down the stairs to the basement of B Block 9. The photographic evidence of the injuries contained in the medical record is consistent with repeated injury to the chest wall; extensive bruising of the outer aspect of the left arm is not consistent with simply having been restrained. Former Governor of Mountjoy John Lonergan provides an insight into the prison. Even Lonergan maintains it was still a kip when he retired in June 2010. Paul Howards ‘tell-all’ account of a prisoner’s life in Mountjoy unveil stark revelations of the desperate conditions Irelands’ criminals endure. Prisoners are limited to one shower a week and one change of underwear per week. We learn of the littlest things that bring joy to the inmates such as a radio-show by Father Michael Cleary and the effects that using a privilege like the use of the library have on prisoners. Problems with Irish Prisons The Irish Prison System leaves a lot to be desired, outlined below are two of the major problems the system faces. * Overcrowding An over-reliance of the Irish criminal system on imprisonment as a form of punishment is just one explanation but forward in an attempt to explain the vast number (4,306) of criminals sentenced to imprisonment. The number of individuals sent to prison for not paying fines has increased by 10.5%, resulting in an estimated 18 non-fine payers occupying prison cells on any one day. Findings of the CPT report over-crowding in all the major prisons. The report questions the progress of Mountjoy’s Thornton Hall complex which the Irish authorities had originally optimistically stated would be complete and ready for occupancy in 2010, this date has now been pushed back to 2015. Besides building new cells and providing additional sleeping arrangements our only option is to reduce the number of individuals admitted to our prisons. Tackling the crime rate is another problem so for now we should look at providing petty criminals with punishment other than imprisonment. The Irish Prison Services Annual Reports for 2002 and 2003, noting the expense of keeping an individual in prison stress that ‘imprisonment must remain the sanction of last resort.’ * Staffing Issues In 2010 the Irish Examiner amongst other national publications alleged that Northern Ireland’s prisons had more staff than inmates. Particular reference was made to Maghaberry prison, a high security prison in Co. Antrim. Statistics presented showed that Northern Ireland’s 1,500 prisoner population was staffed by approximately 2,300 persons. A well-staffed prison is not sufficient if it can’t recognise its’ inmates basic human rights and provide facilities which satisfy these. â‚ ¬282,000,000 Worth of Expenses If overcrowding is common, and basic sanitary facilities are not being provided then why is the Irish Prison System expending an overwhelming amount of capital? While the figures are high expenditure has actually de-creased in recent years, this is not due to a fall in the number of prisoners but more to do with the issue of overcrowding which reduces the cost of bed space. Again we need to look at those responsible for the management of staffing and finance. It seems the Irish Prison System, like much of the State’s governing bodies need a lesson in financial management. What is the Alternative? There is no question that prisons are an integral part of any functioning society, but in order to provide basic facilities for criminals who require such punishment we need to look at the crimes that may not require punishment of that extent. We need to look at alternative means of punishment for the likes of non-fine payers and similar offenders. The Evening Herald tells us that just less than 200 individuals were punished with prison sentences for not paying court fines linked to TV licenses in 2011. The article shows that 25 people a day are now being sent to prison for failing to pay court fines. There were 1, 680 women sent to prison in 2011 and 1, 300 of those were due to their failure to pay court ordered fines. An obvious alternative punishment for non-fine payers and similar offenders is community service, no real threat to society as a whole and humiliation and inconvenience would be effective punishment for such crimes. Community service could be in their local area so as to increase the humiliation therefore deter individuals from re-offending and encourage others to pay such charges. Another suggestion is the introduction of manual labour into the prison system. The Irish Prison System outlined the need for exercise for prisoners, instead of spending capital on the provision of state-of-the-art fitness and training equipment serious offenders could be forced to participate in tasks such as the cleaning, up-keep and refurbishing of prisons. While a prisoner’s intrinsic rights and health must always be foremost in decision making a reduction in some more lavish recreational facilities may reduce the number of re-offenders when they have extremely negative experiences in prison. The number of prisoners committed to prison more than once in 2010 stood at 3,421. In More Streetwise: Stories from Irish Prisons editor and part-time prison teacher Neville Thompson suggests the provision of a back-up system for prisoners when they are released. He describes a touring theatre company which he hopes to set up; â€Å"What a Waste Productions.† The company would engage in writing, music, acting, set design and production. This idea could reduce the number of re-offenders. With too much time to think and very little space in which to do it prisoner’s very often resort to writing or poetry, involvement in something positive which helps them discuss and come to terms with their experiences in prison may discourage prisoners from returning to crime. Thompson envisages the production company eventually becoming self-supporting but justifies initial government financial input in these terms; It now costs â‚ ¬85,000 to keep a prisoner inside. God knows how many prisoners rob before they are caught again. However, we are looking to get â‚ ¬20,000 per prisoner for the projects we have in hand. At first instance, taking the projects we have in place it would cost us â‚ ¬200,000 to keep our project afloat for a year as opposed to â‚ ¬850,000 to keep them incarcerated. Conclusion While the idea that prisons’ are a complete waste of money is generally as result of ignorance the large amount of capital that the Irish Prison System expends is not justified when we look at the failure of Irish prisons to deliver basic facilities to inmates. We need to sentence those who need to be dealt with in such a way and look at an alternative means of punishment for those who don’t require such punishment. Much media coverage tells us of the lavish lifestyles which inmates such as Sean Quinn lead. This glamourises prison life and needs to be tackled in order to promote a less-appealing system and make the Irish prison system what it should be; a threat to discourage individuals from committing crimes. The suggestion that tackling media portrayal of life in prison would greatly reduce the number of offenders is highly idealistic but coupled with an effective program for criminals coming out of prison may at least reduce the number of re-offenders. References Books: * Carey, T. 2000. Mountjoy: The Story of a Prison. Cork: The Collins Press. * Howard, P.1996. The Joy. Dublin: The O’Brien Press. * Lonergan, J. 2010. The Governor. Dublin: Penguin Ireland. * O’Donnell, I. and O’Sullivan. E. 2001. Crime Control in Ireland: The politics of Intolerance. Cork: Cork University Press. * O’Mahony, P. 2000. Prison Policy in Ireland: Criminal Justice versus Social Justice. Cork: Cork University Press. * Thompson, N. 2007. More Streetwise: Stories from Irish Prisons. Mullingar: Killynon House Books Ltd. Government Publications: * Irish Prison Service 2012. Three Year Strategic Plan [Online] Available from: http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/17473/1/ips_three_year_strategic_plan.pdf [Last Accessed 09 May 2013] * The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 2010. Report to the Government of Ireland on the visit to Ireland carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment [Online]. Available from: http://www.cpt.coe.int/documents/irl/2011-03-inf-eng.pdf [Accessed 09 May 2013]. * The Irish Prison Service 2010. Irish Prison Service Annual Report [Online] Available from:http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Irish_Prison_Service_2010_Annual_Report.pdf/Files/Irish_Prison_Service_2010_Annual_Report.pdf [Accessed 09 May 2013] Newspaper Articles: * Kelly, F. 2010. Prisons to spend â‚ ¬200,000 on ‘lavish’ equipment for gyms. The Irish Independent: Ireland [Online], 13 October. Available from: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/prisons-to-spend-200000-on-lavish-equipment-for-gyms-26689415.html [Accessed 09 May 2013]. * Lavery, M. 2013. 121 women are sent to jail for failing to pay TV licence fines. The Evening Herald: Ireland [Online], 15 December. Available from: http://www.herald.ie/news/121-women-are-sent-to-jail-for-failing-to-pay-tv-licence-fines-28963049.html [Accessed 09 May 2013]. * Looney, C. 2009. â‚ ¬200k for prison gyms as garda budget slashed. The Evening Herald: Ireland [Online], 05 March. Available from: http://www.herald.ie/news/200k-for-prison-gyms-as-garda-budget-slashed-27903752.html [Accessed 09 May 2013]. * O’Keefe, C. 2013. Prison bosses urge to kick football spend to touch. The Irish Examiner Ireland [Online], 10 January. Available from: http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/pri son-bosses-urged-to-kick-football-spend-to-touch-219146.html [Accessed 09 May 2013]. * The Irish Examiner, 2010. North’s prisons ineffective ‘despite having more staff than prisoners’. 14 December. Available from: http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/norths-prisons-ineffective-despite-having-more-staff-than-prisoners-485592.html [Accessed 09 May 2013]. Websites: * The Irish Penal Reform Trust 2013. Facts and figures [Online]. Available from: http://www.iprt.ie/ [Last Accessed 09 May 2013]. * The Irish Prison Service 2013. Prisons [Online] Available from: http://www.irishprisons.ie/index.php/joomlaorg [Last Accessed 09 May 2013]. Other: * Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice 2012. The Irish Prison System Vision, Values, Reality. Dublin: Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice. * Matthews-Lynch, C. 2010. Are prisons a waste of money? [Online] BA, Dublin City University. Available: http://carlymatthews.me/writings/college/2nd-year/cm261-crime-the-media/ [Last Accessed 09 May 2013].

Discovery and Conquest of America was achieved through the heroic acts of great men, is this myth or reality?

Before I discuss my stand about this matter, let me first tackle myth. As the definition, Myth (mythos) is a sacred story concerning the origins of the world or how the world and the creatures in it came to have their present form. The active beings in myths are generally gods and heroes. Myths often are said to take place before recorded history begins. In saying that a myth is a sacred narrative, what is meant is that a myth is believed to be true by people who attach religious or spiritual significance to it. Use of the term by scholars does not imply that the narrative is either true or false.A Myth in popular use is something that is widely believed to be false. This usage, which is often pejorative, arose from labeling the religious myths and beliefs of other cultures as being incorrect, but it has spread to cover non-religious beliefs as well. Because of this usage, many people take offense when the religious narratives they believe to be true are called myths. This usage is f requently confused with fiction, legend, fairy tale, folklore, fable, and urban legend, each of which has a distinct meaning in academia.If we will discuss myth further, and if we will elaborate this into details, as stated, it takes place before recorded history begins. So most likely, there is no basis or proof that it really happened in the past. And it is much easier to make a certain claim or story because nobody have experienced or witnessed such event. And the creative mind of writers/people is indeed very useful. Writers or story makers can give some scenario, a make-believe story that eventually, readers or listeners will claim as a real thing that occurs or took place somewhere else in the world somewhere back in time.How many myths and stories like this have roamed around the globe? Some where even taught in most schools and universities. And we are all quite interested in hearing or listening to such stories, because our imagination is at work. Then we begin to wonder, t o share it to others and eventually, hold to it as the truth. Now, let’s define reality. In everyday usage, it means â€Å"the state of things as they actually exist. † Reality is something that really happened or is happening. Most of the important or significant happenings are documented so it will be preserved and nobody will and can question its existence and or occurrence.Most of it nowadays are being broadcast, televised, exposed and presented to the world using communication mediums. Now, let me have my stand. Heroic acts of great men cannot be claimed as myth. It is a reality. It is in the history. How would we ever named some of them and make a story about their battles and their respective lives and contributions in the entire country if we really don’t have any basis or something to claim as their â€Å"walks† during their time? Where did historians get their stories behind the past events?How writers of different ages, races derived their resp ective write-ups and claims if they don’t have any research or basis in writing such things? We cannot say that it was merely frictional or due to their abundant and wild imaginations, though we know that human beings are highly intellectual. And a lot of discoveries around the world are eminent to all races, that would enlighten and give people the hint or idea of what happened in the past or what people in the early years have or experienced before they vanished in the surface of earth.Heroic acts are not merely the act of giving someone’s life for the sake of something bigger. It is not always the act of doing something great, it is not always visible in the naked eyes. Sometimes or there are times that silence is indeed the act itself of heroism, of course it depends on the situation. And heroism is not measured on how small or big it is, so long that action was done with love and dedication for something worthwhile. Let’s have the Philippines as a clear exa mple for this matter. We all know that there was a lot of invasion in the above mentioned country.But there were those great man who stand out and fight to get the freedom of their beloved country. To name a few, there is Jose Rizal who used his brilliant mind in writing to awaken the heart of his fellow Filipinos to fight against Spaniards, Andres Bonifacio, Lapu-Lapu, GOMBURZA (Gomez, Burgos and Zamora) and a lot more. Their acts of heroism are of different forms and ways. But still, they made a difference. In America, there are as well great heroes. To name some, there is John Ordroneauxre who fought the British in 1812; Haym Salomon who was the financier of the revolutionary war; Col.Leon Dyer who served the country in the three wars; Major Leopold Blumenberg who was a hero of the civil war and a lot more, in different fields, of different ways of showing their heroic acts for the country with arms wide-open. Furthermore, let’s have the exploration of Christopher Columbus , if he and his men do not have any single heroic acts in their lives during their time, they will never discover land for territorial expansion. We all know that exploration took place not just for days but of years.And those men spent their lives for such thing even if they don’t know if they will be successful or not. And yes they made it. October 12, 1492 is indeed a time they will never forget, the date they discovered America. From there on and up to the present, we all know that a lot of men devoted their lives for the love of country. Ups and downs come and go but still, America stands still. Now going back to the main issue of the discovery and conquest of America that was achieved through the heroic acts of men as a reality and not as a myth, let’s have the existence of Thanksgiving.If there is no single heroic act in the past, if there is no reason to be thankful, so why is that so that America have this Thanksgiving which usually celebrated on the second to the last week of November? It is not merely for thanking the Almighty God for all His blessings and guidance for the whole year round but as well as for commemorating the whole heroic acts of all individuals who in one way or another make America a successful and abundant country in most aspect, in all aspect. Nowadays, what is America? In the world, America is the powerful and strong nation. Great leaders ruled America.Even having some unexpected issues and battles, America remains standing. Untouched and undivided. How come? Merely because, there is those men with open arms who are very much willing to give their lives for the country without asking or waiting for anything in return. There is still and always those man who are very much willing to give something, small or big, special or not that would make a difference. I guess that’s all that matters. And that heroic act will always be there, until the end of time. We can never question that. It is something that sometim es heart could only understand.As to scholars of our times that question the issue of heroic act of some great men, maybe they have their own point of view. Maybe they have unsatisfied curiosity, maybe some of their questions were not clearly answered. We cannot please everybody nor to persuade them to believe in something that they really don’t believe. Maybe they need some proof. Or maybe, they just wanted historians/writers to prove their respective work a reality and not just mere a story to tell or something that will catch the whole world’s attention. People are entitled to hold on to their own opinion. Let’s just respect each other’s point of view.

Conflict in the Outsider essays

Conflict in the Outsider essays Conflict in the Outsider A Man in Revolt The major source of conflict in the text, The Outsider written by Albert Camus, is ultimately Meursaults rebellion against the expectations of society. This conflict, caused be rebellion, controls the plot line of the text from the time of Meursaults mothers death and eventually leads him to his own death. Like Camus himself, Meursault was in love with the sun and the sea. His life was devoted to appreciating physical sensations. He is devoid of any emotion, so much so as to appear traumatised or child-like. Meursault can be portrayed as Camus metaphysical rebel, a man who says by his actions, I will go this far, but no further. In order to understand Meursaults rebellion one must first understand the nature of his personality as portrayed by Camus. The novel begins with the laconic assertion Mother died today. Or, maybe, yesterday; I cant be sure. Meursaults lack of emotion of his mothers death eventually leads to his own. The conflict here is Meursaults refusal to fake sentimentality since he does not feel anything. His mothers death briefly interrupts the pleasant flow of Meursaults life; a life devoted to appreciating sensation. He loves the feel of a crisp towel in the washroom. He enjoys eating, drinking and smoking cigarettes. He loves to watch the sea and the sky. Swimming and making love to beautiful women like Marie are his favourite pastimes, so much so that an offer of a job promotion in Paris does not in the least appeal to him. He loves the feel of a crisp towel in the washroom. He enjoys eating, drinking, and smoking cigarettes. When something bores him or distresses him he simply goes to sl eep, as he does on the bus to his mother's funeral and even in jail. He is a detached observer of life. Symbolic of this quality is the Sunday he spends watching the ebb and flow of life in hi...

How to Calculate the Density of a Gas

How to Calculate the Density of a Gas If the  molecular mass  of a gas  is known, the ideal gas law can be manipulated to find the density of the gas. Its just a matter of plugging in the right variables and performing a few calculations. How to Calculate Gas Density What is the density of a gas with molar mass 100 g/mol at 0.5 atm and 27 degrees Celsius? Before you begin, keep in mind what youre looking for as an answer in terms of units. Density is defined as mass per unit volume, which can be expressed in terms of grams per liter or grams per milliliter. You may need to do unit conversions. Keep on the lookout for unit mismatches when you plug values into equations. First, start with the ideal gas law: PV nRT where P pressure,  V volume,  n number of moles of gas,  R gas constant 0.0821 L ·atm/mol ·K, and  T absolute temperature  (in Kelvin). Examine the units of R carefully. This is where many people get into trouble. Youll get an incorrect answer if you enter a temperature in Celsius or pressure in Pascals, etc. Always use atmosphere for pressure, liters for volume, and Kelvin for temperature. To find the density of the gas, you  need to know the mass of the gas and the volume. First, find the volume. Here is the ideal gas law equation rearranged to solve for V: V nRT/P After you have found the volume, you must find the mass. The number of moles is the place to start. The number of moles is the mass (m) of the gas divided by its molecular mass (MM): n m/MM Substitute this mass value into the volume equation in place of n: V mRT/MM ·P Density (Ï ) is mass per volume. Divide both sides by m: V/m RT/MM ·P Then invert the equation: m/V MM ·P/RTÏ  MM ·P/RT Now you have the ideal gas law rewritten in a form you can use with the information you were given. To find the density of the gas, just plug in the values of the known variables. Remember to use absolute temperature for T: 27 degrees Celsius   273 300 KelvinÏ  (100 g/mol)(0.5 atm)/(0.0821 L ·atm/mol ·K)(300 K) Ï  2.03 g/L The density of the gas is 2.03 g/L at 0.5 atm and 27 degrees Celsius. How to Decide If You Have a Real Gas The ideal gas law is written for ideal or perfect gases. You can use values for real gases so long as they act like ideal gases. To use the formula for a real gas, it must be at low pressure and low temperature. Increasing pressure or temperature raises the kinetic energy of the gas  and forces the molecules to interact. While the ideal gas law can still offer an approximation under these conditions, it becomes less accurate when molecules are close together and excited.