Course Syllabus Essay

Course Description This course examines the history and issues of federal- and state-level crime control initiatives and explores the development of effective anticrime policies. The analysis of contemporary crime control policies is included. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Course Materials Marion, N. E., & Oliver, W. M. (2006). The public policy of crime and criminal justice. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson/Prentice Hall. Dunn, W. N. (2008). Public policy analysis: An introduction (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson/Prentice Hall. All electronic materials are available on the student website. Week One: Public Policy Foundations and Views in Criminal Justice Details Due Points Objectives 1.1 Evaluate the role of the United States constitution in relationship to the development of contemporary criminal justice policy. 1.2 Differentiate between the roles of federal and state government in the development and implementation of criminal justice policy. 1.3 Distinguish between legislatively based policy and administrative regulatory policy as they relate to crime and criminal justice. 1.4 Compare and contrast the rights of the accused with the policy mission of protecting the public from criminal behavior. 1.5 Differentiate between factors that affect criminal justice policy making. Readings Read this week’s Read Me First. Read Ch. 1–3 of The Public Policy of Crime and Criminal Justice. Read Ch. 1 of Public Policy Analysis – An Introduction. Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. Read the following documents on the student web page. Learning Team Toolkit Toolkit Essentials Why Learning Teams? Team Basics Getting Started Getting to Results Project Planning Decisions/Conflict Resolution Team Learning Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. 5-13-14 Prior to 6pm Participation Participate in class discussion. 5-13-14 in class 4 Discussion Questions Respond to weekly discussion questions (Listed at the end of the syllabus). n/a n/a Learning Team Instructions Select Learning Team members who will work together throughout the course. Create a Learning Team Log and a Learning Team Charter. (these must be submitted to the learning team forum no later than 5-20-14 prior to Week 2 class). Review this week’s objectives and those for week two. Review the Learning Team Assignment for week two and begin to outline your first assignment. 5-13-14 in class LTL and LTC 5-20-14 by 6pm Individual Policy Analysis I Paper Choose a current federal, state, or local issue that directly affects public policy pertaining to the criminal justice system. For example: sentencing guidelines, prison overcrowding, medical marijuana, immigration, or police discretion. Prepare a 700-1050-word paper in which you analyze the issue and related policy. Be sure to address to following points in your analysis (see the rubric in the instructor policy document for point distribution and requirements). Be prepared to discuss you paper in class. Describe the issue. Is this policy a regulatory or legislative-initiated policy? Who initiated the issue or policy Is there a constitutional issue How will the issue or policy affect the community, the accused, and the victims Cite your references properly consistent with APA guidelines. A certificate of originality should be submitted with your paper. Please name the paper with your full last name followed by â€Å"week1†: 5-13-14 by 6pm 10 Week Two: Policy Differences in Approach for Policing, Judicial Action, and Correctional Practices Details Due Points Objectives 2 2.1 Differentiate between policy perspectives among the police, courts, and corrections at the federal and state level. 2.2 Analyze the historical evolution of criminal justice policy relating to policing, the courts, and corrections over the past 50 years. 2.3 Identify opportunities for cooperation between elements of the criminal justice system in the implementation of criminal justice policy. Readings Read this week’s Read Me First. Read Ch. 10–12 of The Public Policy of Crime and Criminal Justice. Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. 5-20-14 by 6pm Participation Participate in class discussion. 5-20-14 in class 4 Discussion Questions Respond to weekly discussion questions (Listed at the end of the syllabus). n/a n/a Nongraded Activities and Preparation Familiarize yourself with the following websites: http://www.crimelibrary.com/ http://www.crimetheory.com/ 5-20-14 by 6pm Learning Team Instructions Review this week’s objectives and discuss additional insights and questions that may have arisen. Submit the Learning Team Log and the Learning Team Charter. Prepare the Learning Team Log. Review the Learning Team Assignment: Historical Policy Comparison. 5-20-14 by 6pm Individual Federal vs. State Policy Comparison Prepare a 1,050-1,750 – word paper in which you compare and contrast the differences and similarities of federal and state government as it pertains to their role in the implementation of criminal justice policies. Be prepared to make a 3-5 minute presentation on your paper in class. You may take one of two approaches. You may identify a single policy/issue and discuss how the state vs. federal government addressed it, for example: states that have legalized marijuana vs. the federal law on marijuana, or Arizona’s immigration laws vs. federal immigration law, or state laws on drug trafficking vs. federal laws on drug trafficking. You must address all aspects of policy development and implementation. Or you may compare and contrast the policy development and implementation process in general, of the state government vs. the federal government. Be sure to address all aspects of policy development and implementation. (See the rubric in the instructor policy document for point distribution and requirements). Identify the criminal justice policy. Identify what roles the state and federal government play in this policy. Identify the similarities and differences. Be sure to address all aspects of policy development and implementation. Cite your references properly consistent with APA guidelines. A certificate of originality should be submitted with your paper. Please name the paper with your full last name followed by â€Å"week2 5-20-14 by 6pm 10 Learning Team Policy Analysis II Paper Prepare a 1,400-2,100-word paper in which you conduct secondary research on the policies of two components of the criminal justice system and describe how these policies affect the operations and decision-making process of the selected two components. Be sure to summarize the policies and analyze their implications for the criminal justice system, including potential effectiveness and limitations. For example, some prosecutor’s offices may have an unwritten policy of avoiding prosecution for possession of small amounts of drugs. How does this affect police operations, arrest rates, and public perceptions of the police? Prepare a 7-10 minute presentation of your paper for class. Properly cite your references consistent with APA guidelines. A certificate of originality should be submitted with your paper along with a learning team evaluation form from each team member. Also go to the learning team  forum and acknowledge your participation. Your assignment WILL NOT be considered complete without all team members finishing these details. Please name the paper with your Learning Group name followed by â€Å"week2†. 5-20-14 by 6pm 10 Week Three: Effective and Ineffective Policy Making in Response to Crime Details Due Points Objectives 3 3.1 Analyze effective and ineffective criminal justice initiatives at the local, state, and federal levels that have had historical significance. 3.2 Discuss goals in the criminal justice system that policy attempts to achieve. Readings Read this week’s Read Me First. Read Ch. 4, 5, 7, & 9 of The Public Policy of Crime and Criminal Justice. Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. 5-27-14 by 6pm Participation Participate in class discussion. 5-27-14 in class 4 Discussion Questions Respond to weekly discussion questions (Listed at the end of the syllabus). n/a n/a Learning Team Instructions Review this week’s objectives and discuss additional insights and questions that may have arisen. Submit the appropriate completed sections of your Learning Team Logs. Prepare your Learning Team Log. Review the Learning Team Assignment: Budget and Policy Paper. 5-27-14 by 6pm Individual Policy Analysis III—Compare and Contrast Paper Select a policy to analyze. Then, prepare a 1,050- to 1,750-word paper in which you summarize the policy to include how aspects of the conflict and crime control model AND the consensus and due process model impact the effectiveness and/or relevance of the policy. OR, you may compare/contrast two policies, one that illustrates the conflict and crime control model and the other impacted by the consensus and due process model. Be prepared to make a 3-5 minute presentation in class. Address the following questions: Describe the policy/s What role does law enforcement play in these policies? What roles do the prosecutor and courts play in these policies? What role does corrections play in these policies? Is there a difference between federal application and state and local application of policies? Identify elements of both models. What is your opinion of the various policies? Explain in detail How can we measure the effectiveness of these policies? Cite your references properly consistent with APA guidelines. A certificate of originality should be submitted with your paper. Please name the paper with your full last name followed by â€Å"week3†. 5-27-14 by 6pm 10 Learning Team Historical Policy Comparison Prepare a 1050-1400-word paper in which you conduct a comparative analysis of the evolution of criminal justice policy over the last 50 years for each of the three areas in criminal justice. In your comparative analysis address  the areas of policing, the courts, and corrections and identify the various opportunities for cooperation between elements of the criminal justice system in the implementation of criminal justice policy? Examples include the evolution of DUI enforcement, the evolution of the use of forensic evidence (trace evidence, DNA), the evolution of witness identification, or the evolution of sex crimes enforcement and punishment) Prepare a 7-10 minute team presentation to be given in class. Cite your references properly consistent with APA guidelines. A certificate of originality should be submitted with your paper along with a learning team evaluation form from each team member. Also go to the learning team forum and acknowledge your participation. Your assignment WILL NOT be considered complete without all team members finishing these details. Please name the paper with your Learning Group name followed by â€Å"week3†. 5-27-14 by 6pm 10 Week Four: Political Impacts upon Criminal Justice Policy Details Due Points Objectives 4 4.1 Determine the impact of politics on the budgetary process. 4 .2 Evaluate the relationship between fiscal resources and the development and implementation of criminal justice policy. Readings Read this week’s Read Me First. Read Ch. 6 of Public Policy Analysis – An Introduction. Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings Participation Participate in class discussion. 6-3-14 in class 4 Discussion Questions Respond to weekly discussion questions (Listed at the end of the syllabus). n/a n/a Learning Team Instructions Review this week’s objectives and discuss additional insights and questions that may have arisen. Submit the appropriate completed sections of your Learning Team Logs. Prepare your Learning Team Log. 6-3-14 by 6pm Learning Team Budget and Policy Paper Select a policy issue from the following list: DUI task forces Plea bargaining Offender reentry/integration Victim assistance Immigration War on drugs War on terrorism Prepare a 1,400-1,750-word paper in which you: Summarize the goals in the criminal justice system that your selected policy attempts to achieve. Analyze the effective and ineffective initiatives associated with your selected policy Identify any historical significance that may have impact. Cite your references properly consistent with APA guidelines. A certificate of originality should be submitted with your paper along with a learning team evaluation form from each team member. Also go to the learning team forum and acknowledge your participation. Your assignment WILL NOT be  considered complete without all team members finishing these details. Please name the paper with your Learning Group name followed by â€Å"week4†. 6-3-14 by 6pm 10 Week Five: Globalization of Criminal Justice Policy Details Due Points Objectives 5 5.1 Explain the globalization of criminal justice policy in relationship to contemporary issues. 5.2 Predict the effects of globalization on the development of criminal justice policy in the future. Readings Read this week’s Read Me First. Read Ch. 4 of Public Policy Analysis – An Introduction. Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. 6-10-14 by 6pm Participation Participate in class discussion. 6-10-14 in class 4 Discussion Questions Respond to weekly discussion questions (Listed at the end of the syllabus). 6-10-14 by 6pm n/a Learning Team Instructions Submit your Learning Team Log. Submit your Learning Team Evaluation. Each team member must submit a separate copy to the instructor. 6-10-14 by 6pm Individual Policy Development Paper Select one of the following topics for your paper in which you will develop your own policy to address your chosen issue: Community-Oriented Policing Terrorism–Security Policy for Large Events Leave Policy for officers to work with governments in foreign countries Domestic Violence Policy Elder Abuse Policy Human Trafficking Policy Sex Trafficking Organized Crime Policy Cyberspace/Technology Policy Educational and Training Policy for officers, mid-level managers and executives Reducing prison overcrowding Prepare a 2,100-2,800- word paper in which you research the relevant statistics, facts, resources, and public opinions to develop your own local, statewide, or federal policy recommendation related to the topic you selected. Be prepared to make a7-10 minute presentation on your paper, to include a PowerPoint, outlining your paper and its significant policy recommendation. (If you have a topic in mind that isn’t listed consult your instructor.) You must Include: Your specific identified policy recommendation/s and/or proposal – what is it, and is it city, state, federal? What is the rationale for the proposal or recommendation – why is it relevant and important? What is the impact on contemporary criminal justice issues? What will the impact be in the context of globalization? Your stakeholders and their positions and opinions (politicians judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys, correctional officers, law enforcement  officers/administrators, victims, advocates, and many others) Statistical, factual, public opinion and historical information, which supports your policy claim Obstacles and support for your policy Politics that may impact your policy and how you might address this Cite your references properly consistent with APA guidelines. A certificate of originality should be submitted with your paper. Please name the paper with your last name followed by â€Å"week5†. Note. In addition to the University Library, the National Criminal Justice Reference Service has many articles reflecting contemporary criminal justice policies. http://www.ncjrs.gov 6-10-14 by 6pm 20 14 points on the paper, 6 points on the PP presentation Optional Discussion Questions Week One Discussion Questions What are the steps of developing a policy within the criminal justice arena? How does the United States constitution impact the development of criminal justice policy? Is there a better way in which policy can be developed? Explain. What is the role of state government in criminal justice policy development and implementation? How does the role of the federal government differ from that of state government? What changes would you recommend that would improve the overall process of criminal justice policy development and implementation? What is a legislatively based policy? What is an administrative regulatory policy? How do these various policies impact the criminal justice system?  Compare and contrast the criteria for these two policy types and their impact within the criminal justice system. Explain your answer. What are the rights of the accused? How are these rights affected with regard to the policy mission of protecting the public? What would happen if these rights were not upheld? Explain. What items affect the development criminal justice policy? How are these items addressed and overcome during the development process? What changes to the process would you recommend to improve policy development. Week Two Discussion Questions What is an example of a policy within the courts, police, and corrections at the state level? What is the difference between policy among the courts, police, and corrections at the federal level? Is there a better solution to the way in which these groups approach policy development at a state and/or federal level? Explain. What is the historical evolution of policy within the criminal justice system? How has the approach to policy within the criminal justice system changed over the last 50 years? Compare and contrast the criteria of early criminal justice policy and current criminal justice policy. What is the definition of policy implementation? How can policy implementation improve for better cooperation within the various elements of the criminal justice system? What opportunities for improvement would you recommend for successful policy implementation? Week Three Discussion Questions What are effective criminal justice initiatives at the state level? What are effective criminal justice initiatives at the federal level? How have historical initiatives impacted the criminal justice system currently? Is there a better way to improve criminal justice initiatives at the local,  state, and federal levels? Explain? What are the goals of policy within the criminal justice system? How do these goals contribute to success? How can the goals of a policy be improved to be more effective? Explain. Week Four Discussion Questions What is an example of politics as it relates to budgetary initiatives in criminal justice? How do politics impact budgetary processes? What would happen if politics were more/less involved in the process? Explain. What resources are associated with criminal justice policy development? How do these resources impact the development of criminal justice policy development? How can we improve the relationship between fiscal resources and the development/implementation of criminal justice policy? What are your recommendations? Week Five Discussion Questions What is the impact of globalization on criminal justice policy? How does this affect the development of criminal justice policy? What changes to global criminal justice policy would you suggest/recommend? What are current/contemporary issues that affect criminal justice policy? How do these issues relate to the overall development/implementation of policy? What would happen if globalization wasn’t considered when developing/implementing criminal justice policy? Explain.

A Night at the Opera

A Night at the Opera Analysis Paper A Night at the Opera is a 1935 American comedy film starring the Marx brothers. Groucho Marx, Chico Marx and Harpo Marx. The Marx brothers influence on comedy can still be seen in todays films. There is very few comedians that have ever had as long a lasting influence or been as well-known as they are. It is absolutely astonishing that after over seventy years, it still portrays the same amount of enjoyment and laughter in â€Å"modern† viewers as it did when the film was first distributed.The language of their comedy has not dulled over time, aspects of Marx brother humor can be found throughout sit-coms, movies, comedic acts and especially cartoons. I have been a huge fan of the show called I Love Lucy since I was about 7 years old, but I never knew that the Marx brothers had such an influence on the show and that they based a lot of there comedy scenes from the Marx brothers, and Harpo had actually starred in one of their episodes as well . In the film A Night at the Opera they have a singer names Ricardo Baroni, and in the set of I Love Lucy her husbans name is Ricky Ricardo.I feel as if since A Night at the Opera played such a big influence on their show that maybe they were trying to place that name in there as some type of contribute to them and their film. I also have seen many scenes in the cartoon Tom and Jerry that tie in together from the Marx brothers. This is just proof that from Groucho's wisecracking word play, Chico conning every person he can when he has the chance, to the way Harpo's doesn't speak and frankly comes off really dumb founded. There sense of humor is timeless and forever will be a true classic.

Medea can be forgiven for her rage but not her calculation

Medea’s rage is a result of Jason’s betrayal, and with both desire and passion, it prompts her calculation- causing her to commit unimaginable crimes. Her rage is forgivable, yet her actions that follow are contemptible. Jason’s betrayal is recurring throughout the novel, and as it progresses, Medea’s fury worsens also. When Jason claims â€Å"he has acted like a true friend† to Medea and his children, Medea reacts angrily, knowing that he has acted in contrast. Jason’s obliviousness to his actions and lies insults Medea, forming her resentment to develop. Although Medea’s calculation doesn’t add up to Jason’s betrayal, he is still to blame for being the cause of such frenzy. Medea’s rage, passion, and desire for Jason are the origin of her actions. For Medea to â€Å"suffer the mockery of her enemies† was something she wouldn’t tolerate. Her vindictive mind allowed her to believe that she would rather do wrong, than be ridiculed by Jason, Glauce and Creon. By killing her children, Glauce and Creon, Medea knew she would â€Å"have her claws† in Jason’s heart as he deserved. These children live no more; I say this to wound your heart†. Medea commits these actions to hurt Jason and get revenge, yet was unaware of the extent of which they would affect her. The audience is unable to distinguish Medea’s rage from her calculation as they are all a source of the same cause. â€Å"My passion is master of my reason, passion that causes the greatest suffering in the world†. Medea knows that in order for her to pursue with murdering her children, she will have to suffer tremendously. Her manipulation and vigilant arrangements allows her to accomplish results which reflect on her fury and â€Å"special knowledge†. Although Jason is to blame for Medea's rage, the results are solely Medea's fault. We are able to sympathise with Medea; to some extent, for the distress she undergoes through killing her children. Although Medea cannot be forgiven for her actions, the audience is able to understand the reasons for the revengeful way Medea retorted. Neither Jason nor Medea can be forgiven for their actions, but condemned.

Corporate Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Corporate Law - Assignment Example The minority shareholders are often acknowledged as institutional investors among different business entities who play a limited function in influencing the background of corporate governance construction. This is majorly due to the fact that the presence of the majority shareholders within a business firm owning the rights to partially control its decision making process often facilitates significant sources of conflicts affecting the interests of the minority shareholders. It is worth mentioning in this regard that the minority shareholders posses certain rights which may be accessible in accordance with any ‘state close corporation laws’. These rights generally include amending corporate by-laws, voting during the election of the directors and organizing as well as managing annual meetings related with the shareholders among others as mentioned in the articles of association and memorandum. It has often been observed that the minority shareholders or the institutional investors find it to be quite challenging to exercise the aforementioned rights in a smooth way witnessing minimum disruptions. This is simply because the majority shareholders tend to dominantly control the business operations as they bear large proportion or percentage of shares along with various decision-making rights concerning the corporate governance structure of the particular entity. As the majority shareholders possess a maximum quantity of shares, it has been viewed that the interests of minority shareholders are being oppressed by several means.

Analysis of Innovation at Panasonic Research Paper

Analysis of Innovation at Panasonic - Research Paper Example It promotes a very environmentally friendly image which is a positive and helpful point in promotional activities (Forbes, 2011; Panasonic Website, 2011). When discussing the company’s rich profile of successful products even in today’s competitive world with equally good competitors like Sony, Samsung, Toshiba and Canon, Panasonic has been a very technologically sound and growing firm with consistent improvement and innovation in its products. Panasonic owes much of its success to it Research and Development Centre which has helped it in creating technology oriented products that were a success. Some of these products include SD Memory cards and DVDs. Their Usability Centers established all over the world ensure that the products features and functionality is perfectly in line with the expectations of the company and the consumer. With the help of these, the products that are sold to the final user are competitive and successful in terms of their usage. Panasonic has b een successful at gauging consumer insight and boosting sales due to its impressive technological advancements, producing products that amaze consumers and competitors in the technological industry (Panasonic Annual Report, 2011; Panasonic Website, 2011). ... Panasonic wants to reduce wastage and increase efficiency in its processes. It wants to reduce its costs and believes that recycling products will bring an environmental protection to the world as a whole. Panasonic is showing its initiatives that it has taken for its â€Å"Green Business Innovation† for conservation of energy and efficiently utilizing resources available. Panasonic wants to convert most of this world into a 3D phenomenon which includes personal and professional lives of people. The company has set up a Panasonic Booth for showcasing its plans for becoming the best Green Business Innovator by 2018. The booth constitutes of an Eco Corner which emphasizes on the creation of solutions based on energy conservation usage and storage. The ultimate goal of the eco corner is to promote a lifestyle which is ‘greener’. The Panasonic booth also has a 3D HD presentation wall that airs the full line of products of Panasonic which are 3D solutions, and appear t o be a great experience for those who visit. There is also a Digital Imagery corner and Television Internet service providers followed by a Home theatre corner, AV Solutions and Energy Solutions Zone, all promoting Green Business Innovation. The company’s Annual Report 2011 has shown a steady increase in its Sales all over the world owing to the cutting edge technology usage and its effective promotion. The company was involved in aggressive selling throughout the year and made its way because of its latest digital AVC Networks that constitute of the latest technology products such as camcorders, digital cameras, DVDs, Blue ray technology and other recording/storage items.

What does it mean to say of a piece of instrumental music that it has Essay

What does it mean to say of a piece of instrumental music that it has certain emotional qualities - Essay Example A musical instrument being an expression of emotion in a persona or number of characters, the listener is right to imagine, in accordance with the nature and development of the music, a persona undergoing an emotion or series of emotions, or a number of characters doing so. Hence, it can be said that the idea that the emotional qualities of music are such that they are liable to induce an emotional response in the listener. This liability in a musical instrument need not be thought of as a disposition of the emotional quality of a piece of music to arouse a corresponding emotion in listeners who perceive the quality. When it comes to the use of musical instruments, a very great deal depends on the correct conception of the emotions. A common view is the so-called cognitive theory of the emotions, which is adhered to by the principal of philosophical sceptic about music’s ability to arouse emotions of the garden variety. The cognitive theory exists in many forms, which differ in both the number and nature of the elements of which emotions are said to be composed. What is definitive of the theory is that it represents each type of emotion as being defined by a particular kind of proposition or thought plus some combinations of bodily sensations, he donic tones, and feelings. Therefore, when the emotion is experienced, prompted by something perceived, imagined, or thought about, it will have a real or imaginary object upon which it is directed, the emotion being about this intentional object (Lippman, 46). Scepticism about pure instrumental music’s ability to stimulate extra-musical emotions in a listener in an artistically relevant manner arises at once from the fact that music is a non-representational form of art, presenting no scenes or actions that the listener might respond to emotionally as the viewer of a film or the reader of a novel might. Although instrumental music is extremely limited in its imitative capacity, it may nevertheless produce all the effects of imitation. Instrumental music can excite different dispositions, but it cannot imitate them. Furthermore, instrumental music has certain instrumental intrinsic qualities of an emotional nature and that these qualities excite corresponding feelings in the listener. Instrumental music, it is claimed, operates at the emotional level by some systems of resemblances. Such psychological manifestations of emotional state are an extremely important stimulus in interpersonal interaction; sensitivity to them and interpretation of them are essential social skills. However, to explain emotional response to instrumental music as occurring solely in terms of iconic resemblances between features of the music and physical expressions of emotion, is under-representing the complexity of the response to this aspect of the music. Therefore, whatever the philosophical or semantic concerns, the implication of the much preceding evidence remains that we process emotion in musical sounds, whether vocal or instrumental, in the same way as vocalizations of affective state. The acoustic signals used in the production and perception of emotion in instrumental music appear to be the same as those used in vocal utterances, such as high intensity and harsh timbre for anger, low intensity and tempo and slow vibrato for sadness, whilst variation in timing and intensity typifies fear (Cochrane, Fantini & Scherer, 58) . The processing and production of instrumental music involves important social-emotional capabilities which can be evidenced by studies of performance of music by individuals with Williams syndrome, and autism. A well-known feature of

Business Cycle Properties and Marco Forecasting of the Australian Essay

Business Cycle Properties and Marco Forecasting of the Australian Economy - Essay Example Unemployment is a countercyclical variable but may also perform as a leading indicator of GDP. The prospects for Australia are encouraging. The country’s economy has sustained one of the longest, most progressive runs in the world as cited by the IMF, and despite the recent slump in housing prices, a slight rise in exports and relative weakness in the Australian dollar, the prospects appear encouraging for the country as its macroeconomic variables show stability even through the global economic crisis. Although interest rates had risen somewhat in the past, the government intends to continue lowering interest rates to encourage consumption spending, which according to this study will likely spur continued economic expansion. Introduction The health of the economy of any country is dependent upon the insightful and timely application of the appropriate economic policies by the governing authority. However, deciding on which policy to adopt and the manner in which it should be implemented are not easily discernible by mere intuition. Reliance on the measurement of certain macroeconomic variables is crucial to forecasting the possible directions the economy may take, whether the implemented policies are helpful in propelling the economy towards the desired goal, or whether they are detrimental to the economic welfare of the nation. This report provides a cursory examination of Australia’s macroeconomic variables and their behaviour, with the aim of determining their usefulness in providing insight into the future directions of the Australian economy, as well as their effectiveness as tools in discerning the appropriate economic policy to be adopted to ensure progress. Ten variables are specified consisting of productivity, investment, expenditure, and nominal variables, so as to determine their relationship to GDP as the measure of economic health and viability. During the course of the correlational studies, the nominal variables including broad mo ney supply, inflation, long-term and short-term interest rates, and currency exchange rates, were tested and found uncorrelated with GDP. As a modification of the original study by Fisher, Otto and Voss (1996), this study further sought to correlate the four aforementioned monetary variables with M3 in an attempt to determine whether or not they exerted any influence upon each other. It will be noted that interest rates and currency exchange rates were tools of monetary policy, while inflation rate is a vital price indicator, all of which are related in theory to money supply. The supporting graphs showing superimposed correlated variables are shown in the Appendices A to J, for both the quarter-to-quarter growth rates as well as the quarterly year-on-year (YOY) growth rates. Macroeconomic variables, their cyclicality and indicator properties Several macroeconomic and monetary variables exhibit cyclicalities as a result of their being correlated with the output. The following table shows the resulting correlational coefficients of each of the variables with their respective output. The first set of variables consists of monetary variables which are the subject of monetary policy employed by the government to control the money supply in the market, which in turn determines the inflation rate. Too much money chasing too few products usually results in accelerated

Professional Articles Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Professional Articles Review - Essay Example In my discussion, I also provide a connection to today’s educational practice provided in each of these articles. The first article talks about adoption of an appropriate ELL program that would promote English learning among the students who do not have English as their first language. This article talks about the five-program models, which are English-language monolingual program, English-monolingual-plus ESL program, Transitional bilingual educational program, Maintenance bilingual education program, and structured immersion program (Hanigsfeld, 2009). The article also talks about how these programs were used in promoting English language learning among ELL students and also gives the situations in which each of the programs was applicable. This article also introduces another set of four programs that can be used with students who have ELL status. According to Hanigsfeld (2009), these programs are structured English immersion program, English as a second language program, b ilingual education program and dual language program. The programs have been more applicable and practiced in our today’s educational practices compared to the previously mentioned programs. ... The second article talks about some of the strategies adopted by different state to overcome challenges encountered in giving instructions to ELL students. The article starts by talking about the challenge of equitable education for ELLs and how it result due to practices that privilege some groups. According to this article, equitable education for ELLs should incorporate understandable language and curriculum that offers a variety of cultural perspectives as well as offering opportunities for parents to participate in the learning process of their children (Smith, 2008). It continues to talk about the instructional considerations for ELLs that can promote English language proficiency among ELL students. The article continues to talk about a case of the state of Massachusetts in which it talks about how diversity among ELLs in this state has made the task of instituting policies and practices to be rather more complex. In terms of instruction delivery to ELLs, the article talks abou t the use of Sheltered English instruction as a major way of promoting English language proficiency among ELL students. According Smith (2008), this kind of instructions are given in three main ways which include â€Å"sheltered† content instruction, English as a Second Language instruction, and bilingual (native language) instruction. The lesson created using these sets of instructions are always tailored towards the specific needs of English Language Learners’ needs. The article also talks about various training that has been done to the teachers in various stated to give them the capacity to give these kind of instructions to ELL students and also the kind of training that is yet to be done. The article shows that this kind of approach has been very applicable in today’s

Critical analysis of a rhetorical message, which is, A Raisen Bran Essay

Critical analysis of a rhetorical message, which is, A Raisen Bran cereal box - Essay Example Raisin Bran Cereal is a popular cereal mostly for middle class and upper class households in the United States. This article analyzes the relationship between the features of the box and the popularity of the cereal in middle class and upper class households, in the United States. The sun-like graphic on the box imply that the Raisin bran cereal is a morning cereal that gives a person energy to start a bright new day. The purple color dominant on the box associates the serial with royalty. In that, one feels royal and wears confidence throughout the day after having Raisin Bran Cereals for breakfast. A Raisin Bran Cereal box has a sun like graphic, which signifies that when one takes the cereal as a morning meal, it gives one the energy to start a new day. The purple color, which is so dominant the box, brings out royalty. Hence, it shows that one will wear the feeling of loyalty after taking the cereal hence giving one confidence to face a new day. The Raisin Bran Cereal boxes, according to my visits to different stores, are attractively displayed on the shelves. The stickers on the shelves are put in a manner that one cannot pass without noticing the cereals. The cereals also have different offers and gifts attached on them hence making it have a considerable sale. The Kellogg’s company is well known for its nutritious products, which are juice, the cereals, toaster pastries etc. Apart from that, the company has contradicted itself by diverting from its nutritious popularity, by also producing non-healthy fruit flavored snacks, which have chemicals in the name of fruit flavors. This has made the company has a tainted image. The colorful Raisin Bran has been strategically made to catch the eye of the customer. It has an image of a happy face (a happy sun) to brighten it up more. It also shows how the cereals in the box look like (Biddle 59). The sides of the box also instruct one on how to mix the cereal, what to mix it with and make it

Examine the Concept of the State and Election Essay Example for Free

Examine the Concept of the State and Election Essay Robert Rosen wrote: I will begin by stepping back a bit, by supposing that we do not yet have a notion of state at our disposal. In effect, I will retreat to the level of percepts and perceptions and treat the self as a pure observer. The idea of state, being a concept and not a percept, thus does not yet enter the picture at all. Thus, all we have is the self looking out at its ambience. What does it see? All the self can see is a sequence of percepts, ordered by its subjective sense of time. We suppose that the self can choose which percepts it will look at (in more sophisticated language, which variables it will measure) and whether it will look continuously or sample at discrete intervals. (Subjective) time is itself a complicated concept (see AS), but it is a primitive that we can take for granted at this level. Thus, the result of the self looking at its ambience is only a tabulation; a list of what is seen, indexed by when it is seen. Such a list we shall call a chronicle. Chronicles can thus be completely arbitrary things, at least insofar as what is tabulated in them is concerned. Weather bureaus, stock exchanges, census takers, and a host of other familiar institutions provide endless streams of them. In the scientific realm, they are data. To the historian, entirely concerned with what happened when, they are the very stuff of existence.

Can Calcium Help with Weight Loss and Maintenance?

Can Calcium Help with Weight Loss and Maintenance? As we all know, calcium plays an important role in the protection and production of the bodys teeth and bones. An important question, we as nutritionists are wondering is, can calcium help with weight maintenance, weight loss, and obesity? We looked at several studies based on this question. The first study looked at the effects of weight, loss of a high-calcium energy, reduced diet on the biomarkers of inflammatory stress, fibrinolysis, and endothelial function in obese subjects. There were 35 subjects who lost at least 3% of initial body weight involved in this study. The study lasted a total of 16 weeks. The subjects were split up into two groups. One group was the high-calcium diet (HCD) group and the other was the low-calcium diet (LCD) group (Torres, M. R. S. G., and Sanjuliani, A. F., 2013). The HCD group was measured in a calcium intake of 1,200 1,300 mg/day, whereas the LCD group was measured in a calcium intake of less than 500 mg/day. Both on the diets followed the same intake for protein (22%), fat (28%), carbohydrates (50%), and 19 grams of fiber. The only difference in the diets was the HCD group received 60 grams/day of a non-fat powdered milk. The results indicated that those on the HCD had a greater reduction in the waist to hip ratio and waist circumfe rence. Both groups had similar reductions in the biomarkers. Therefore, an HCD helped to reduce waist circumference, but had no benefit in the biomarkers of inflammation, fibrinolysis, and endothelial function. According to this study, there seems to be a need for further research on the effectiveness of increased calcium in the diet and its correlation to weight loss and weight management (Torres, M. R. S. G., and Sanjuliani, A. F., 2013). Calcium plays a major role in accelerating fat and weight loss, especially in overweight and obese adults with calcium deficiency (Zhu et al., 2013). The authors of this second study looked at calcium and vitamin D supplements among overweight and obese college students to prevent fat storage and improve metabolic functions. In their randomized control study, 53 adults participated in the study and they were assigned 600 milligrams of calcium with 125 IU of vitamin D. The study was 12 weeks long to determine the effectiveness of supplementation in weight management, and involved a control group. The results showed that the calcium and vitamin D group had a decreased body fat and visceral fat level, but no changes in weight when compared to the control group. These findings suggest that the weight loss program can motivate adults to lose body fat along with further restrictions. It seems that further research is needed to address the dosage of calcium and vitamin D supplements in prom oting weight management among adults (Zhu et al., 2013). A systematic review conducted by Onakpoya, Perry, Zhang and Ernst (2011) looked at calcium supplementation as it relates to weight loss. Calcium carbonate and calcium citrate are commonly used dietary supplements and may influence weight loss. The investigators electronically searched for randomized, double-blind, placebo control studies in their review. A total of 729 participants could be included in this review. A forest plot of the seven main randomized control trials used in this review demonstrated that a small, significantly greater reduction in body fat was associated with calcium as it was compared with a placebo (Onakpoya, Perry, Zhang, Ernst, 2011). The researchers determined that the effect of calcium supplementation is small and not clinically relevant because less than 5% of total body weight at baseline was lost with calcium supplementation (Onakpoya Perry, Zhang, Ernst, 2011). This review shows that calcium supplementation for at least six months can have a small effe ct on weight loss, however, the researchers warn that the information obtained from the studies may not be completely accurate. The good news is, no adverse effects from calcium supplementation were reported in any of the randomized control trials (Onakpoya, Perry, Zhang, Ernst, 2011). It appears supplementing with calcium at recommended dietary intakes may help in weight loss but it is not a miracle drug. According to the three articles mentioned above, calcium does not seem to be a significant factor in weight loss and management. In the studies, there was often less than a 5% reduction in body weight, leading to the insignificance of a higher calcium diet. Further research needs to be conducted in order to better understand if a higher calcium diet is important in weight management. References Onakpoya, I.J., Perry, R., Zhang, J., Ernst, E. (2011). Efficacy of calcium supplementation for management of overweight and obesity: systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Nutrition Reviews. 69, 335-343. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21631515 Torres, M. R. S. G., and Sanjuliani, A. F., 2013. Effects of weight loss from a high-calcium energy reduced diet on biomarkers of inflammatory stress, fibrinolysis, and endothelial function in obese subjects. Nutrition Journal. 29. 143-151. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23010419 Zhu, W., Cai, D., Wang, Y., Lin, N., Hu, Q., Qi, Y., †¦ Amarasekara, S. (2013). Calcium plus vitamin D3 supplementation facilitated Fat loss in overweight and obese college students with very- low calcium consumption: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrition Journal, 12, 8. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3599592/