Greed-and fear A special report on the future of finance Essay

The report discusses the many flaws in organized financial markets but concludes that these markets should continue to operate on principles of initiative or creativity and with a reasonable amount of government regulation. While greed may be part of the cause of financial market instability, naivety and delusion contributed as well. Innovation in computer technology coupled with the work of Black and Scholes in options pricing gave rise to the modern derivatives markets. (Greed-and fear A special report on the future of finance) Natural selection happens in financial markets where companies are constantly changing to the latest product, i. e. retail banks began to focus on investment banking, and investment banks moved into the arena of hedge funds. The report calls into question the new form of financial market regulation. A major area of focus of the report is what factors lead to the boom and bust market cycles that lead to financial instability. The report describes three concepts, globalization, liberalization, and technological innovation as triggers of market booms, busts, and financial instability. (Greed-and fear A special report on the future of finance) This paper responds to each of these ideas as set forth in the report. Globalization According to the report globalization embraced by emerging markets along with low inflation in developed markets made credit grow more quickly and easily. (Greed-and fear A special report on the future of finance) However, as the markets are today, developed countries such as the U. S. and the U. K. are in near to full blown inflationary economies. Most global markets are exposed to the U. S. subprime crisis. (Caruana) However, many emerging markets can limit their exposure to the crisis by managing their levels of greed and fear. Greed is limited when these emerging markets do not invest in the derivative securities created by the subprime markets. Fear is managed when countries utilize resources such as the International Monetary Fund, the IMF, for lending facilities that will serve to shore up a country’s credit needs and support the county’s banking and financial institutions’ lending and business investment activities. Liberalization Liberalization in terms of relaxing or reducing banking and financial industry regulations in countries such as Japan and the U. S. has led to property value booms and bubbles which are followed by a bust cycle and finally financial instability. (Greed-and fear A special report on the future of finance) It can be argued that greed, particularly in the U. S. , led to a relaxation of banking and financial industry regulation in order to facilitate greater innovation, liquidity, and credit availability in the financial markets. Hedge funds are thought to provide great efficiency, liquidity, and returns in U. S. capital markets. Industry regulation, therefore, should have served to facilitate innovation in the hedge fund industry while protecting it from a financial crisis. (Bartiromo) This, however, was not the case. Widespread fears, both speculative and proven, about decline in assets values caused the federal government to step in with a new level of financial liberalization through bank ownership. Previously regulation was intended to provide a legal framework in which the financial markets could operate. The current level of fear has changed the goal of regulation and extended the methods of regulatory activity to include providing financing and operational assistance or mandate to the financial markets. Innovation New technology industries are thought to create the need for specialized types of financing. (Greed-and fear A special report on the future of finance) This concept may work in a normally functioning economy. However, one can look at the alternative energy market to see that this concept is not working in the current economy. Industries like energy technology are capital intensive. Newer, more capital intensive industries generally depend on financing from private equities and hedge funds. (Alt-Energy Firms Sink With Prices, Credit; New fuels) Prior to 2008 fear caused the hedge funds and private equities to invest less in capital intensive industries. More recently as many hedge funds disappeared due to insolvency, this designer type of financing is no longer available to new technology industries. The only existing sources of financing available to energy technology, particularly in the U. S. , is government investment or financing from financial institutions in which the U. S. government has a financing or operational interest. Conclusion – the results of Greed and Fear Greed and fear has led to current regulatory practices in which many governments are now owners of many financial institutions as opposed to simple regulatory agencies. The new trend in globalization will be that central banks in both developing and emerging market countries will manage their countries financial markets and systems in a way that will limit exposure to booms and busts in international markets. Once more governments develop controlling interests in banking and other financial institutions the original liberalization referred to in the report should return and these institutions will be able to re-create innovative financing. Governments will regulate these institutions on two fronts – as shareholders and as policymakers. As owners of banks and financial institutions, governments will also become investors in new technologies such as the clean energy industry. Where hedge funds and private equity firms no longer exist at previous levels, new technology firms will look to government equity as a viable alternative form of financing. Works Cited â€Å"Alt-Energy Firms Sink With Prices, Credit; New fuels, technology less competitive now, financing more scarce. (FRONT PAGE NEWS). † Investor’s Business Daily (Dec 2, 2008): A01. General OneFile. Gale. 19 Apr. 2009. Caruana, Jaime. â€Å"Viewpoint: A Significant Test Of Emerging Markets – Taking A Global Perspective Is Vital To Learn Lessons From Financial Market Turbulence And find The Right Approach To Move Forward In The Future, Says Jaime Caruana. (Viewpoint essay). † The Banker (Nov 1, 2007): NA. General OneFile. Gale. 19 Apr. 2009. â€Å"Greed-and fear A special report on the future of finance. † The Economist 24 January 2009: 1-15. Bartiromo, Maria. â€Å"Straight Talk from the Fed; New York Federal Reserve President Tim Geithner on housing prices, regulation, and the post-Greenspan era. † Business Week Online (May 4, 2006): NA. General OneFile. Gale. 19 Apr. 2009.

Civil Rights Movement Essay

The civil rights movement in the United States was a political, legal, and social struggle that was organized primarily by black Americans with some help from white America. The civil rights struggle was aimed at gaining full citizenship and racial equality for all Americans, particularly the most discriminated group, African Americans, and was first and foremost a challenge to segregation. Segregation was deeply embedded in the South and was used to control blacks since the reconstruction of the South following the American Civil War. During the civil rights movement, individuals and organizations challenged segregation and discrimination by using a number of methods that included protests, marches, boycotts, and refusing segregation laws. Most historians agree that the civil rights movement began with either the Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 or the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955 and ended with the Voting Rights Act of 1965; however, there is a lot of debate on when it began a nd ended. There were civil rights issues well into the 1980s. The main tool of discrimination against blacks in the United States was segregation, often called the Jim Crow system. Segregation became common in the South after the Reconstruction when the Democratic Party had gained control of the South and started to reverse black advances made during reconstruction. Jim Crow laws emerged and effectively segregated every aspect of life for blacks in the South. This segregation included, but was not limited to, separate schools, transportation, restaurants, and parks, many of which were inferior to white establishments. In theory, the black and white establishments were to be equal. The denial of voting rights, known as disfranchisement, is how the South controlled segregation. Between 1890 and 1910 virtually all the Southern states passed laws imposing requirements for voting that kept the black voter out. Some of these requirements included, the ability to read and write, property ownership, and paying poll taxes; all these tactics were in direct violation of the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Blacks were virtually powerless, because they could not vote there was nothing they could do to prevent the segregation of the South. Conditions in the North were slightly better, blacks could vote but there were so few blacks in the North before World War II that their votes barely counted, furthermore, even though segregated facilities in the North did not exist legally, most blacks were denied access to the more affluent facilities. There were civil rights movements prior to the 1960s. The National Afro-American League was formed in 1890 followed by the Niagara Movement in 1905, and then the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded in 1909, the NAACP was to have a great impact on the civil rights movement of the 1960s and still continues to exist today. The NAACP became one of the most important organizations that championed civil rights in the twentieth century and relied on a legal strategy that challenged segregation and discrimination against blacks by using the American legal system. There were many cases that the NAACP fought in court that set the precedence for the legal battles during the civil rights movement that would take place twenty to thirty years later. Although the legal battles fought by the NAACP in the 1920s and 1930s did little to change discrimination against blacks they did lay the foundation for a legal and social challenge to the system the South had built. After two world wars and a nationwide depression the civil rights movement that most Americans are familiar with began to emerge. The great depression which devastated the United States in the late 1920s caused a migration of black Americans from the South to other parts of the country, this migration exposed many of them to different views on segregation and discrimination, many of these blacks from the South became the civil rights activist of the 1960s. World War II also caused migrations of large number of blacks within the United States as many blacks found themselves moving up the social ladder as they took over war essential factory jobs. On the other hand, the return of black soldiers that had a new outlook on social and racial equality in the United States most likely was one of the biggest factors that caused the civil rights movements of the 1960s. Not just black Americans were affected by these events; there were many white Americans, even in the South that felt a change was needed. One such white southerner, Harold Fleming wrote: It wasn’t that I came to love Negroes; it was that I came to despise the system that did this. I mean, the nearest thing you could be in the army to being black was to be a company officer with black troops, because you lived and operated under the same circumstances they did, and they got crapped all over . . . You were sort of a second-class officer or a second-class white because of your assignment. Fleming was a conventional white southerner born in Atlanta, Georgia, after he became involved in civil rights issues and according to Fleming, many of his white southern contemporaries would say, â€Å"You ought to know better, being a native-born Georgia white.† With all these factors in place, the civil rights movement in America emerged around the mid 1950s. On 17 May 1954, after hearing arguments on five cases that challenged elementary and secondary school segregation, the United States Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education that stated racially segregated education was unconstitutional. Although this was an historic ruling that essentially voided the Plessy v. Ferguson ruling of 1896 that established the separate but equal doctrine which was so prevalent in the South. The fundamental problem with the Brown v. Education was that the U.S. Supreme Court did not have a plan to enforce this ruling. The ruling stated that the school cases were class actions and that left the states with the enforcement of this ruling, the court wrote, â€Å"because of the wide applicability of this decision, and because of the great variety of local conditions, the formulation of decrees in these cases presents problems of considerable complexity.† At first white Southerners received this ruling with shock, however, by 1955 white opposition had grown into a massive resistance with organizations like the White Citizens Council; this council called for the economic coercion of blacks and whites who favored integrated schools. Schools in the South remained desegregated; this desegregation became a national issue when the governor of Arkansas, Orval Faubus openly defied a federal court order to admit nine black students to a Little Rock high school on 2 September 1957. The media dramatized the seriousness of desegregation by showing the nation pictures of an American high school being patrolled by federal troops so that black students could be protected from angry white mobs. The civil rights movement quickly moved beyond school desegregation to challenge other unjust institutions in the South. It was Rosa Parks, a member of the Montgomery, Alabama NAACP, who refused to give up her seat to a white person on 1 December 1955; the Montgomery bus boycott that brought the city of Montgomery, Alabama to its knees had begun. Parks was arrested and the black community leaders rallied local blacks to protest segregated buses; this local protest evolved into a national boycott that involved support of over 50,000 blacks and lasted over a year and showed the American public the determination of the blacks to end segregation. During the Montgomery bus boycott the most influential civil rights leader emerged; Martin Luther King, Jr. of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) became, undeniably, the most important figure throughout the civil rights movement. It was King who seemed to have a master plan for the boycott, he emphasized keeping the struggle within the law and advocated nonviolence to achieve the goals of the civil rights movement. During the Montgomery bus boycott, King stated: We are not asking for an end to segregation, that’s a matter for the legislature and the courts. We feel that we have a plan within the law. All we are seeking is justice and fair treatment . . . We don’t like the idea of Negroes having to stand when there are vacant seats. We are demanding justice on that point. King’s and other black leaders along with the protestors of the Montgomery bus boycott hard work eventually paid off, in November 1956, a federal court ordered that Montgomery’s buses desegregate. The Montgomery bus boycott was one of the milestones of the civil rights movement because it established a national civil rights movement that recognized King as the leader and showed that nonviolent protest would work. Four black college students from North Carolina A & T University sat at a white only lunch counter on 1 February 1960 in Greensboro, North Carolina to protest racial segregation; within weeks, these student â€Å"sit-ins† had spread across the South to many cities as a form of protest. In April 1960, The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was founded to help organize and direct the student â€Å"sit-in† movement; SNCC would eventually move into other areas of the civil rights movement. Because SNCC focused on making changes at the local level rather than the national level, many of the accomplishments of this organization did not become nationally known. The â€Å"sit-ins† did make the national news media and it was the New York Times that brought it to a national level. The New York Times published an article that interviewed the store superintendent and the students, the article also told of how white teenagers and Ku Klux Klan (KKK) members tried to bar the way on the fifth day of the Greensboro â€Å"sit-in.† It was the well spoken black student Ezall Blair who told the newspaper on the second day that the students had been â€Å"complacent and fearful† the previous day and that they decided that morning that is was time for black students to â€Å"wake up and change the situation.† By November 1960, one hundred and fifty-five communities across the South had television crews that were filming the demonstrations and the injustice that the students faced, white America, through the use of the mass media was seeing the same scenes over and over and for the first time witnessed segregation in the South; the scenes shown were of students patiently waiting to get served, angry white hecklers, and carloads of students being taken to jail by police. White students joined in, and in the North, many students boycotted the larger stores in the North that had lunch counters in the South, such as Woolworths. The culmination of the â€Å"sit-ins† occurred in Nashville, Tennessee, when, surprisingly, an unlikely ally emerged for the â€Å"sit-ins.† The mayor of Nashville, Ben West, announced that lunch counters in Nashville would not be segregated. When asked why he made that decision, West replied, â€Å"I could not agree that it was morally right for someone to sell them merchandise and refuse them service . . . It was a moral question that a man has to answer, and not a politician.† The â€Å"sit-ins† clearly demonstrated to America that young blacks and whites were determined to reject segregation openly and together. After the â€Å"sit-ins† many of the SNCC members began to participate in freedom rides that started in the summer of 1961, these â€Å"Freedom Riders,† both black and white, traveled the south in buses to test a 1960 Supreme Court decision that stated segregation was illegal in bus stations that were open to interstate travel. These freedom rides were organized by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and started in Washington, D.C., as the buses moved south more violence was directed towards them. This violence peaked when in Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama, buses were burned and the riders beaten. As a result of the freedom rides, the Attorney General’s Office realized that the Supreme Court decision in the Boynton v. Virginia was not enough to end discrimination on the Interstates and bus stations. In November 1963, the Interstate Commerce Commission and the administration of President John Kennedy intervened and regulations were issued. By 1963, the Attorney General was able to say, â€Å"Systematic segregation of Negroes in interstate transportation has disappeared.† While the freedom rides and â€Å"sit-ins† were happening, SCLC leaders, under the guidance of King, were planning a series of protest campaigns that would happen throughout Southern cities, these campaigns were to be highly publicized and were to break the barriers of age, social status, and race. The demonstrations were to be against racial injustice and required the mobilization of thousands of peaceful demonstrators, both black and white, who were willing to participate in protest marches as long as necessary and who were also willing to be arrested and go to jail to achieve their goals. The first direct action protest took place in the spring of 1961 at Albany, Georgia. The presence of King and other SCLC leaders escalated the Albany protests by bringing national attention to Albany, however, after months of protests the police continued to jail protestors without a show of police violence and the protests ended in failure. The protests continued across the South with see mingly little success. In the spring of 1963, SCLC’s direct action protests finally saw success; sadly, this success was at the expense of many protesters of whom some were elementary age school children. After mass demonstrations had been conducted for several days in Birmingham, Alabama, SCLC begin to send children in to the protests, some of them as young as six. The Birmingham police chief, Eugene Connor, jailed thousands of them and provoked the outrage of parents and caused the media to give undivided attention to the Birmingham protest, this is what King needed to be successful. The next day more children marched and Connor reacted with violence; photographs of high pressure fire hoses and police dog attacks released on peaceful demonstrators appeared on national and international media, producing an international outcry. Eventually some protestors began to fight back and the state police were called in, King called for a twenty-four hour truce. The next day, On 9 May 1963, King announce an agreement with some white business leaders of Birmingham; they agreed to the desegregation of some public facilities within ninety days, progress in hiring and promotion, the release of arrested protestors, and a biracial committee. Birmingham mayor, Art Hanes called the white negotiators â€Å"a bunch of quisling, gutless traitors,† King stated that the settlement was â€Å"the most significant victory for justice we’ve ever seen in the Deep South.† The civil rights movement direct action marches, for the most part, ended with the march on Washington D.C. In August 1963, over 200,000 civil rights supporters conducted a peaceful march in Washington, D.C.; it was at this demonstration that King gave his famous â€Å"I Have a Dream Speech.† Because of this march, President Kennedy proposed a new civil rights law; after Kennedy was assassinated, President Lyndon B. Johnson pushed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through Congress as a tribute to Kennedy. The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP), SNCC, SCLC, CORE, and NAACP all joined forces in 1964 to work towards establishing voter’s rights for blacks, particularly in the South. Voting rights issues have always been an objective of the civil rights movement, in fact, after the â€Å"sit-ins† and freedom rides, SNCC focused most of their attention on establishing voter’s rights and educating blacks on how to vote. It was most likely the combination of a series of deaths of civil rights workers in the South, and the MFDPs arrival at the Democratic National Convention of 1964 that caused all the different civil rights organizations to work together towards voting rights; It may also have been that simply voter’s rights was the last major obstacle to overcome. It was on 22 August 1964, during the Democratic National Convention, that MFDP member Fannie Lou Hamer, who was from a Mississippi sharecropper family, addressed the nation on national television. Hamer’s sincere and articulate speech made supporters for black voting rights all over the nation. President Johnson, who did not support the MFDP, tried to detract attention from Hamer by conducted a last minute press conference on national television as Hamer was giving her testimony; his ploy did not work. President Johnson recognized the support Hamer was getting and was willing to compromise and recognized the predominately black MFDP. It was the Selma, Alabama march on 7 March 1965 that was the final event to cause the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to happen. SCLC employed direct action techniques in a voting rights protest initiated by SNCC in Selma, when these protest were unsuccessful the protesters began a march to Montgomery, Alabama. As the marchers were leaving Selma, mounted police used tear gas and batons to beat down marchers and others who were not part of the march, this became known as â€Å"Bloody Sunday.† Because the march was televised, the violence shocked many Americans and caused a much-needed national support for a law to protect the Southern blacks’ right to vote. On 15 March 1965, President Johnson announced that he would send a voting rights bill to Congress. In a televised address to a joint session, Johnson spoke on racial injustices and stated, â€Å"Their cause must be our cause, too. Because it’s not just Negroes, but really it’s all of us, who must overcome the crippling legacy of bigo! try and injustice,† then he shocked the nation by saying, â€Å"And we shall overcome.† Two days later a voting rights bill went to Congress. On 6 August 1965, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the civil rights movement, according to most historians, ended. Bibliography: Albert, Peter J. and Hoffman, Ronald, eds., We Shall Overcome: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Black Freedom Struggle. New York: Pantheon Books, 1990.

Significant Changes of Education in America

Education in America has seen many significant changes since the Modern Post-War Era. Children are allowed to attend classes with kids of various races, schools have equal opportunities for both males and females, and for children with disabilities or handicaps. These three events in the history of American Education helped set a basic framework that has standardized the minimum educational requirements for all schools throughout the country. Now each and every student can get an equal chance to be educated. Horace Mann†s contributions in 1868 to the common school movement, allowed elementary schools to become free and available to all in the state of Massachusetts. Mann wanted all school doors to be opened to any child of the state, no matter where that child was from or his background. As the Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education in 1837, this position allowed Mann to speak his ideas to improve the quality of schools. Soon after, he and Catherine Beecher established, The Normal School, a professional program that gave teachers the proper training with a higher level of education and skills than previous educators needed. Brown vs. Board of Education was another significant event that changed education in America. By the end of World War I, school segregation was in effect. This meant that all schools with â€Å"white† children were separated from all â€Å"black† children. Children in America were getting a limited education as well as the idea the racism is allowed and tolerated. In 1954, Chief Justice Earl Warren put an end to all segregated schools. While some schools were changed, others were reluctant and resistant to the new change. Not all schools agreed with this new law. Some districts, even a year after the law was in full effect, were so set in their racist ways, allowed school grounds to became battlefields with riots and obscene violence. In 1975, Congress passed the Education For All Handicapped Children Act. This new law enabled an even wider range of children to join an educational setting. It allows children with disabilities an equal opportunity to a greater education. For instance, students may have previously been forced into costly alternative institutions, home schooling, or simply lack of any formal education because of their unique needs. Without this law, students with disabilities would be segregated, just like African Americans were and deprived of the chance for a â€Å"normal,† everyday educational experience in a public school. This Act guarantees that by law, all children will receive a free education in an environment suited for their special needs if they so desire. These legal, moral, and social changes have fostered the need for educator†s instructional strategies to evolve. To deal with the diverse needs of the learning community, teaching mediums and methods must encompass not only the latest legal or school board changes, but embrace the latest technological changes available in the 21st century classroom.

The Luxury Food Service Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Luxury Food Service Industry - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that marketing concentrates on the most fundamental necessities of companies to identify customers, their needs, and preferences, and to analyse their attitudes to promotion and other factors that influence their purchasing decisions; it also focuses on what influence them to buy products and services from the firm rather than a competitor. The selected three different venues from the high-end foodservice industry based in London are Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Radisson Edwardian Hotel, and the Langham London. This assignment tends to analyze the marketing strategy for these three choices. Jumeirah Carlton Tower: The luxury, five-star Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel is located in the heart of Knightsbridge. The demographical advantage which makes the Jumeirah one of the most preferred hotels is its location within the walking distance of Harrods and Harvey Nichols department stores and the exclusive designer boutique of Sloane Street. Moreover, th e highlighting points that make Jumeirah Carlton Tower one among the most chosen is that it has been voted Europe’s leading Business Hotel 2011 at the World Travel Awards; top three best hotels for service in the UK in the Conde Nast Traveller Gold List 2011 and 4th place for Best UK Business Hotel in the 2010 Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards. Radisson Edwardian Hotel Radisson Edwardian Hotel is located in the very heart of London’s theatreland, a five-star hotel of a Leicester Square landmark. The hotel is with the accent on contemporary elegance that has the potential to drag the customers into it. The luxury fabrics and muted shades of the individually designed rooms are much liked for its calming and comfortable experience. Moreover, the hotel’s warmth and hospitability belie the red-carpet glamour of its location. In the same way, the Hampshire Bar and Restaurant buzzes suit well for al fresco dining on the square. Today, the hotel has bec ome a part of the Green Tourism business scheme and has received the Silver Award, which proves that it is working well with the high standards set by Green Tourism. The Langham London is a renowned luxury hotel situated in London with more than 140 years of history. Guests can discover its 380 luxurious guestrooms and suites, 15 function rooms and the dazzling Palm Court, a place known for the tradition of afternoon tea. The hotel remains high having enchanted royalty, dignitaries, and celebrities since 1865 when the first grand hotel was opened in Europe by the firm. The Langham Hotel London continues to impress the potential travelers with its legendary ‘service with poise’. The well-celebrated history and renowned reputation of the obviously fine company make it different from other everyday London hotels. Moreover, it offers impeccably luxurious surroundings on Regent Street, one of the city’s premier locations. The service marketing mix, also known as an ex tended marketing mix is an essential element of a service framework design, which comprises of 7 P’s as compared to the 4 Ps of a product marketing mix. In another word, the service marketing mix presumes the service as a product itself but adding 3 more P’s which are required for optimum service delivery. The product in service marketing mix is intangible in nature, which cannot be measured like the physical products such as soap or toothpaste. Tourism industry or the luxury food industry can be an excellent example.

Strategic Purpose and Industry Analysis in Tesco Company Essay

Strategic Purpose and Industry Analysis in Tesco Company - Essay Example After the recession of 2008, the revenue of this industry grew every year. This industry of UK helped many small and big retailers to solve their problems. One of the big players of UK supermarket industry is Tesco. It is a multinational company having it's headquartered in Cheshunt of UK. In1919 Tesco was founded by Jack Cohen. It opened its first store in 1929 and from that time the firm expanded its business rapidly. In the UK Tesco has 28% of market share in the supermarket industry. Tesco is experiencing success for a long time. The company has a strong focus on its business and strategies. The vision of the company is to remain constant but changing its business practices and strategies according to the changing world. The firm has major seven types of business strategies which help it to achieve its success. Its vision includes becoming the most valuable business by serving customers and communities with the help of committed and loyal staff and shareholders (Tesco Inc, 2014). It vision also describes that Tesco wants to expand all around the world by using all the opportunities. It believes in the innovation of modern ideas. The mission of Tesco is to become a full formed maintenance company from AMSS Company. The firm’s mission aims to be a wide ranged company providing tubular service. It has a mission of selling mechanized product along with different other products. The values of Tesco contribute a lot to its success and to hold its position in the competitive market. Its business value is to look after the benefit of the customers and treat every one of them equally. The company’s value is involved in every level of its business. Its values let the employees of Tesco know what type of business the company is into and helps its customers to build their expectations.   The strategies of Tesco help in utilizing the resources of the company and achieving its goal. Its short term  and long term growth are based on the company’s strategies (IBISWorld, 2014). Tesco’s strategy involves in building the company as a highly valued brand. For this propose the company develops its own label brands.

The Future of Wireless Technology Research Paper

The Future of Wireless Technology - Research Paper Example As wireless technology is going to bring about a major change in every aspect of life – from entertainment to carrying out global business transactions, it is necessary to understand the importance of wireless technology. Advent of Wireless Technology The development of wireless technology may seem to be a recent phenomenon, but the fact is that the first step towards any form of wireless communication was through the discovery of electromagnetic waves in the early 1800s by Hans Christian Oersted through a compass needle ( Dubendorf, 2003). Later works of Michael Faraday and Maxwell also contributed to electromagnetic. In late 1800s, Graham Bell developed a photophone, where communication was done through light beams which mere modulated (Dubendorf, 2003). The first radio waves were created by Heinrich Hertz in 1887 with the help of an oscillator and found out that these waves could be transmitted and revived with the help of appropriate devices. Such a device was developed by Jagadish Chandra Bose during the 1890s and he made an important contribution to the understanding of millimeter length of waves (Dubendorf, 2003). ... In the 1940s, the technology advanced as two-way radio systems came into existence. During World War II, wireless signals were used by the US Military for coordination in terms of sending plans and providing instructions (Brodsky, 2008). Post 1960s, the focus of the research was centered around making the telephone wireless, and the telecom giant AT&T worked on features such as elimination of push to talk and implementation of automatic dialing (Brodsky, 2008). The 1970s and 1980s were eras centered on mobile technology as it marked key events such as development of digital voice technologies such as GSM, CDMA, implementation of AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Services) in 1983 as the first cellular service and so on. By 1986, the public had adopted the wireless technology with open arms as the cellular subscription reached 2 million (Brodsky, 2008). The 2000s can be considered to be the era of mobile telephones, wireless data communication through wi-fi,bluetooth, cellular data and mobi le satellite communication and computer interface devices. Wireless Devices Today Wireless technology is an avenue that is witnessing rapid advancements with new inventions emerging one after the other. Wireless technology operates through various mediums such as radio technology, communication through microwaves through reception antennas, through infrared, with the help of ultrasonic communication as well as through electromagnetic waves (O'Brien & Marakas, 2008). On hearing the term wireless, most people associate it with cellular technology. However, the wireless devices today expand beyond just cellular communication. This section highlights some of the

Social Web Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Social Web - Research Paper Example Besides pros there are several cons of maintaining these connections as well. This is a very grave issue as these side effects are negatively shaping the human society and leading it into a dangerous future. The current report mentions what negative effects these advancements are having on the individuals of the society and thus on the society as a whole. Some future trends of the so called social web are also highlighted along with addressing some measures that should be looked up by governing authorities. This is essential for a safer and prosperous future. INTRODUCTION Social Web is the new terminology with which the visual social connections of each digital device are connected to each other via the internet. The platforms that support the evolution and maintenance of the social connections are various and limitless. Examples of platforms supporting social web profiles are Facebook, Twitter, Orkut LinkdIn etc. The globalization of today’s world sees it as such that virtual ly every human being is connected to the web in one way or the other. People connected to the internet have the privilege of accessing all other sorts of information on it. Via the Internet anyone connected to it can stay up-to-date with the very latest information, can telecommute, check stock prices, compare prices and shop online, communicate with others in chat rooms or on bulletin boards, take different online learning courses, learn how to cook food, train tickets and even earn an accredited degree.... BACKGROUND/HISTORY The roots of communications and information technology can roughly be dated back to the advent of ‘telephone’ by Graham Bell in the year 1875 (Saari, 2006). It is the tenure from the analog telephone to the most well equipped cell phones today that modified the lifestyles of their users’ en-route. Thus behavioral changes on the fronts of societies were also exhibited. American computer scientist Alan Kay said, "Technology is all that stuff that wasn't around when (you) were born   because the stuff that was around when you were born   was just part of the landscape. Like the pencil." Also, McLuhan (1960) said, "The new electronic interdependence recreates the world in the image of a global village"   Once, invented the technological changes went on at a very rapid rate, quick decisions were made regarding the changes in each decade. Presently, decisions need to be formulated that would cater to the long lasting consequences of the very adv anced changes on the society. The social and economic impacts of these technologies are the most important changes that should never be overlooked. As said by mathematician Konsbruck Lee Robert, (n.d.) â€Å"Today, innovations in information technology are having wide-ranging effects across numerous domains of society, and policy makers are acting on issues involving economic productivity, intellectual property rights, privacy protection, and affordability of and access to information. Choices made now will have long- lasting consequences, and attention must be paid to their social and economic impacts.† The social impacts of Information and technology advancements have turned the present human society upside down from what it used

According to Airbus the merger between BAE Systems and EADS was the Essay

According to Airbus the merger between BAE Systems and EADS was the last chance of creating a European aerospace and defence giant - Essay Example Production can be organized in three different ways (Craig and Campbell 114). Firms diversify in various means. They integrate vertically, horizontally or agglomerate. Vertical integration involves mergers of firms in the vertical; line of production. A firm can merge with other firms up or down the line of production. Mergers up the line of production are called forward vertical integration while mergers down the line of production, the backward vertical integration. Horizontal integration involves mergers between firms at the same level of production. Conglomerate integration involves the merging of companies in different line of production. The benefits of the above diversification methods are that firms are able to improve their performance hence growth and increase in capacity. They increase their market shares, synergies, and due to large-scale production, they realize economies of scope and economies of scope. Low production costs lead to maximized profits. This study examines the impact of mergers and acquisition on the performance of BAE systems. Diversification is the process through which an organization enters new processes of business in the market with the possibility of manufacturing new products. Mergers and acquisitions are a form of entry that a firm may use to enter a market. Many firms in the financial industry have utilized this means to enter new markets. Mergers and acquisitions can take the form of vertical integration, horizontal integration or conglomerates. Horizontal integration is a form of integration in which firms combine at the same stage of production. Ison and Griffiths (75) note that horizontal integration may help a certain company to increase their share value. Firms that undertake horizontal integration do benefit from economies of scale that result from capacity expansion, technical economies of scale,

Categorical Definition Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Categorical Definition Argument - Essay Example Thus one, of the criterion for defining just war, is that its started for to keep the balance between the states. If the state sees no other means of resolving the situation when its analytics presuppose that the leaders of the opposing state will start a war sooner or later, than the intervention into the territory of that country is justified. It is done for not to let the potential aggressor to develop stronger military power. Thus we can state that one more criterion for saying that the war is just, is that there were no means except for the military intervention to prevent the breach of balance in future. Preventive wars are led for to preserve peace on the territory of the country which starts them. It sounds paradoxical, but gives us one more criterion for defining a just war, which is that a just war is to be led for re-establishing of peace. Walzer says, that "Humanitarian intervention is justified when it is a response (with reasonable expectations of success) to acts "that shock the moral conscience of mankind." After analyzing this statement we can deduce two more criterions. The first is that the war is just when it is fought with a reasonable chance of success, the second is that the war can be considered just only if it is began and led for to prevent something wrong, like slaughter of the civilians, or the introduction of the dictatorship of some political force or a group of people. Considering all of the criterions we can define just war as a war that is begun for to keep the balance between the states and restore peace. It should be fought with a reasonable chance of success for to prevent something wrong that is happening or will happen. The just war is begun when there are no other means of solving the problems. Thus we can conclude that a just war is a war that satisfies the set of moral

Business Law questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business Law questions - Essay Example Thirdly, it must examine whether the agency went outside its authority. Fourthly, it must examine whether the agency followed the required procedures in making the decision. Fifthly, it must determine whether the decision is so clearly wrong that it disserves to be abandoned. It is uncertain arguing that the agency always wins or loses because the final decision of the U.S District Court is determined by the validity of the dispute and the degree of correctness or wrongness that the agency’s decision was. In 2 (a) there are three procedures that are available for FDA in making new rules. First, it has to provide a Notice for Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) which is a proposal published in the Federal Register for members of public to review and comment on it. Secondly, it is should consider the comments received on the rule during the comment period. Thirdly, it should comply with the â€Å"Effective Date† Rule that determines when the proposed rule will become effective. In 2 (b), a business engaged in importing food could participate in these procedures through reviewing the proposed rule and criticizing it, taking note of the final rule and complying with the â€Å"Effective Date† rule. In 3 (a), there are three laws that affect the records of an administrative agency. First, the Freedom of Information Act renders agency records subject to disclosure and outlines the various procedures that ought to be followed. Secondly, the Administrative Procedure Act dictates the ways through which each agency should avail public information. Thirdly, the Public Records Act specifies that personal information maintained about an individual shall not be disclosed without the person’s consent except for various explicit exceptions (Browne, 6). In 3 (b), the Freedom of Information Act would help my business to obtain information about the activities of my competitors. On the other hand, the Administrative

Economic Development in Kenya Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economic Development in Kenya - Assignment Example It will also lead to the digitization of the Kenyan education system, where every pupil in Kenya will receive the same quality of education be it in private or public schools and finally Kenyans technological knowledge will increase immensely, and in the future Kenyans might produce one of the best IT innovative gurus, such as Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. Therefore, with this project in mind, the hypothesis that would be tested by the RCT is whether the laptop project will improve the education quality in pupils from rural Kenya and make it at par with that of students learning in urban private schools. The randomized control trials, in this case, will be identifying two schools one from rural Kenya, where there are minimal facilities and learning is a very cumbersome task for its pupils (treatment group). The other school will be from urban Kenya, where facilities are in plenty, and the learning institution has everything it needs to make learning a sweet and enjoyable experience for its students, (control group). The target population will be all pupils joining class one in both schools, where the students in the rural school, will be provided with laptops that have been loaded with adequate learning material and a well-defined syllabus. The same syllabus will be the one student from the urban school will be studying as well, the rural school will also have teachers that will help the students understand how to use and retrieve the information they want from the laptops. After the RCT is implemented, a series of tests will be administered to both the treatment group and the contro l group, where our intended outcome is that the treatment group will perform equally as the control group if not better. Our hypothesis is whether the laptop project will improve the education quality in pupils from rural Kenya and make it at par with that  of students learning in urban private schools.  

Comparing and Contrasting Hinduism and Bhuddism Essay Example for Free

Comparing and Contrasting Hinduism and Bhuddism Essay ​Being dedicated is what it takes for these two religions Hinduism and Buddhism. They are considered a way of life for some people. They are two of the most influential and practiced religions in the world today. Millions of people partake in these historical religions. Hinduism dates back to 1500 B.C. Buddhism developed a little while after Hinduism. They both derived in the very rooted country India. Hinduism and Bhuddism have many similarities and differences. ​Hinduism and Buddhism are very similar in many aspects. Both religions goal is to reach enlightenment. Enlightenment means wisdom. In Hinduism it is described as moksha. In Buddhism it is described as Nirvana. In both religions they try and reach this state of perfect understanding. In both religions reaching this state of perfect understanding involves reincarnation. Reincarnation is known as rebirth. It is when an individual soul is born again and again until enlightenment is achieved. These two religions may be similar when it comes to their goal but they do have many differences that make the two separate religions. ​Hinduism and Bhuddism have huge differences. Both religions’ founder and origins are different. In Hinduism is a collection of religious beliefs. It is the result of cultural diffusion. Because of that Hinduism has no founder. Non-Aryan and Aryan beliefs intertwined and developed into one religion. There are thousands of gods in this engaging religion. Unlike Hinduism in Buddhism there is a founder. Interestingly Bhuddism derived from the same period as Hinduism. Bhuddism is the result of religious questioning. Siddhartha Gautman aka Buddha is the founder of Bhuddism. He went on a quest to seek religious truth and an end to religious suffering. From then on he was called the enlightened one and Bhuddism was developed out of his discoveries and philosophy. ​In conclusion, Hinduism and Bhuddism have many things they make them different and alike. Hinduism and Bhuddism are what shaped people’s beliefs and understandings in that time period. These are the two religions that developed in the Vedic age. Currently almost 1/5th of the world today practiced these two religions. They are two very respected beliefs still being applied to lives today.

Legal System of Ireland

Legal System of Ireland According to Business Dictionary (2017), the legal system refers to a regime in the legal framework of a country. It consists of following five entities: An oral or/and written constitution. Primary legislation endorsed by lawmaking body which is established by the Constitution. Supplementary legislation prepared by organization or person who is authorized by primary legislation. Applications of customs by courts on the groundwork of traditional practices. Principles and application of Roman, common, civil or any other code of law. Dainow (1966) explains that every legal system, in its respective society, has the similar function, as any other legal system, of balancing and regulating its human movement and it is the same system which not only forms the cultural norms, civilization and history but also the life of people living in it. Nevertheless, there are many distinctions and similarities between different legal systems of territories and countries because of various events of various kinds in history (ibid). Generally, there are two main legal systems establishments in the world, which are basically often a central part of comparative law studies. These two systems are known as civil and common law legal systems. The practice of common law appeared and was acted upon from the middle era age and was subsequently spread and validated across British colonies all over the world (University of California n.d.). The civil law was developed in the main continent of Europe, during the same era of common law development as well, by European monarchs such as Spain and Portugal and was spread out to their colonies. Later on, during the 1800s and 1900s, countries with unique legal customs also embraced civil law as well in order to get economical and political power and be competitive to Western European nations and examples of such countries are Japan and Russia (ibid). This piece of writing will be discussing the legal system of Ireland and Spain. Furthermore, three aspects of law and their implication for international hospitality and tourism will be thoroughly explored and discussed. The Irish legal system belongs to, a family of legal systems, common law. Common law legal system gives significant importance to decisions made by courts on previous legal cases and decisions (Byrne McCutcheon 2001). This results in lawyers working in the jurisdiction of common law to have an extensive knowledge and work closely with case-law. Additionally, Irish courts are obliged to abide by the principal of stare-decisis, which means the previous court decisions (The bar of Ireland n.d.). As per (Nicell), there are four sources, in Ireland, which influence Irish Law: Constitution: The Constitution of Ireland was endorsed in the year 1937 which is actually an essential legal document, through a string of 50 articles, outlining how the country should be administered. In Ireland, the Constitution is titled as Bunreacht na hEireann (Citizen Information 2015). It is the Constitution, which sets out the branches of the government in Ireland and also narrates the basic rights of citizens of the country. Bunreacht na hEireann not only establishes the courts but also makes sure how these establishments should operate. An important article of Irish Constitution affirms that national parliament, Oireachtas, will not be able to endorse any law which is abhorrent to Constitution and that such law will be invalid. However, according to article 46, if the change or amendment in Constitution is necessary, the proposal for modification should be commenced by Irish National Assembly, Dà ¡il Éireann (The All-Party Oireachtas Committee On The Constitution 2005). Then, if the bill is passed by the Oireachtas, Constitution bestows the general public a veto through a referendum to approve or disapprove by majority to change the Constitution. The Irish President, if approved by majority of people, then signs the bill and it becomes the part of Constitution (ibid). Legislation: As per Byrne McCutcheon (2009), the wellspring of law known as Legislation comprises of measures which are sanctioned by an authoritative organ in a way which is endorsed by a Constitutional equation To be asked to summarize or to be discussed with teacher References Byrne, R. McCutcheon, J.P., 2009. The Irish Legal System 5th ed., Dublin: Bloomsbury Professional (Ireland). Byrne, R. McCutcheon, J.P., 2001. The Irish legal system 4th ed., Dublin: Butterworths (Ireland). Citizen Information, 2015. Constitution. www.citizensinformation.ie. Available at: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government_in_ireland/irish_constitution_1/constitution_introduction.html [Accessed March 19, 2017]. Dainow, J., 1966. The Civil Law and Common Lawà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯: Some Points of Comparison. The American Journal of Comparative Law, 15(3), p.419. University of California, n.d. The Common Law and Civil Law Traditions. www.law.berkeley.edu. Available at: https://www.law.berkeley.edu/library/robbins/CommonLawCivilLawTraditions.html [Accessed March 16, 2017]. The All-Party Oireachtas Committee On The Constitution, 2005. Amending The Constitution. Available at: http://archive.constitution.ie/amending-the-constitution/default.asp?UserLang=EN [Accessed March 20, 2017]. The bar of Ireland, n.d. The Courts System. www.lawlibrary.ie. Available at: https://www.lawlibrary.ie/Legal-Services/The-Courts-System.aspx [Accessed March 16, 2017].

Trinidad and Tobago Electrical Regulations

Trinidad and Tobago Electrical Regulations The Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (TTEC) is responsible for the distribution and transmission of electrical energy around the country. The electrical power comes from three main power stations which are Port of Spain (308MW station, Point Lisas (634MW) station and Penal (236MW) station. It is through this system the commission provides electrical power to its customers and meters this energy in order to obtain revenue. However the system is also one of the most vulnerable parts of that companys infrastructure, as they are prone to damage in a myriad of different scenarios. These reasons have caused power companies such as TTEC to lay down some of the strict standards, which we will now be examined in detail. Since this report is concerned with industrial wiring systems, mainly three-phase AC voltage will be addressed. The energy that they supply is only single or three phase with frequency of 60 hertz. TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS Characteristic of Supply TTEC supplies energy with the following declared voltages and characteristics: Single phase, 2 wires, 115 volts used for installation with loads up to a maximum of 30 amperes (A). Single phase, 3 wire, and 115/230 volts for installation with loads up to a maximum of 200 amperes (A). Three phase, 4 wire, 115/230 volts from a delta-connected source for installations with combined lighting and power loads up to a maximum demand of 199KVA. Voltage of 230 across phase wires, 115 between either of two phase wires and earthed neutral, and 200 volts between this third phase wire and neutral. (This third 200V phase wire must be positively identified with the color blue throughout the installation or by whatever means of identification is required by the codes in force. Three phase, 4 wire, 230/400 volts from a star connected source for installation with combined lighting and power loads up to a maximum of 350KVA. One of the following high voltages depending on the maximum demand of the load, location of the installation and the voltage available at the location: Table : High voltage supply 3 phase 3 wire 6.6KV 3 phase 3 or 4 wire 12KV 3 phase 3 wire 33KV 3 phase 3 wire 66KV 3 phase 3 wire 132KV *Accordingly the Commission should be consulted before the consumer makes plans for an installation to be supplied at high voltage. Consumers requiring supplies with utilization voltages other than the Commissions standard voltages as discussed above from (a) to (e) will be supplied at one of the commissions high voltages declared in (e) and are required to provide their own transformers. The Electricity Supply rules made under Section 15 of the Electricity (Inspection) Act Chapter 54.72 provides for variation of 6 percent above or below the declared voltages. As a result a few guide lines are to be followed: 1. The point of supply must be near the face of a building and at the commissions distribution pole. 2. When the appropriate voltage supply is available, the point of supply for an installation supplied at 115/230 or 230/400 volts, must be at the Commissions distribution pole 3. If a transformer must be installed to supply the 115/230 or 230/400 volt then the transformer has to be the point of supply. 4. The point of supply for a consumers installation supplied which is at high voltage will either be the consumers terminals which is connects to the service line or the terminal of the commissions disconnecting means. Provided that the consumer has consulted the commission to determine the location of the point of supply (the point at which TTEC supplies energy) for the new installation, the commission shall provide only one service line to supply a building. The service lines are any electrical conductors through which energy may be supplied or is intended to be a supplied by the commission. These conductors are runs from the distribution main or directly from the premises of the Commission. See figure below. Fig. 1 Typical Overhead Service Line with Consumers Entrance cable on Consumers building Figure : typical overhead service line with consumers entrance cable on private pole POSITIONING OF SERVICE LINE The position of the weather- head or gland at the point of entrance must be placed at a minimum distance of 15cm away from the bash board and not in the direct path of water flow from rooftops and guttering. It must be note also that the Commission only provides one service line to supply a building. The customers point of entrance must not be located directly above a building extension or split roof. The minimum height to which the overhead service conductors are to be connected are 3.7 metres above the finished grade level, or for a greater height it is necessary to maintain it at a minimum height of 6.1 metres for clearance of the Commissions over head service line over roads. Every industrial installation shall be adequately controlled by a manually operable, physically and electrically separated fused main switch or circuit breaker. This disconnecting means shall be readily accessible to authorized or qualified personnel, properly identified and preferably located near to the service conductors as possible. Conductors and Cables Service Entrance Conductors are the portion of the installation between the point of entrance and the consumers main disconnecting device. This generally means it is the customer cable to which T TEC connects to give supply from the service line. The service line is connected to the Distribution main. TTEC service connects only to a single consumers entrance cable at the point of supply to a building. The overhead line service conductors must be connected at a minimum height of 3.7 meters above finished grade level. For height that is greater it is necessary maintain a minimum height of 6.1 meters for clearance of the service line over roads. The entrance cables to the point of supply shall be in either rigid metallic conduit treated against corrosion or other approved non-corrosive enclosures or shall be concentric or tamper-proof cable form the consumers terminals to the metering equipment and should preferably continue to the consumers main switch. If conduit is used, only standard conduit elbows and fittings to facilitate pulling of the cables should be allowed. An approve weather head is required at the consumers terminals at the point of supply and a minimum of 0.5 meters of cable must be left for connection to the Commissions overhead service line. Attachment to the commiss ions conductors shall be made a point no less than 0.3 meters form the weather head. The consumer must also provide and install terminating lugs for connecting to cables with conductor sizes larger than 95mm2. For underground entrance cables, it is preferred that for 115/230V and 230/400V installations, the Consumers terminals at the point of supply be located at a pole furnished and maintained by the consumer. Size of Conductors Conduits And Cables The size of an entrance cable for a building with two or more metered installations supplied at 115/230 or 230/400 volts shall not be less than 16 sq. mm. This cable size is for copper conductors with rubber, polythene or P.V.C. insulation. Other approved cables can be used with equivalent current carrying capacities. The size of every conductor shall be such that its current rating, is necessary, of rating factors appropriate to the type of cables and the conditions of installation, is not less than the maximum sustained current which will normally flow through it. Also the size of the conductor shall be that the voltage drop from the consumers terminals to any point in the installation does not exceed 2.5% of the declared nominal voltage when the conductors are carrying the maximum current under their normal conditions of service. Single core cables armoured with steel wire shall not be used for carrying alternating current MINIMUM INSTALLATION BENDING RADIUS During installation, PVC armored cables should not be bent to a smaller radius than six times the overall diameter for cables having circular conductors and eight times for other armored cables. Every cable termination shall be accessible for inspection and shall be mechanically and electrically sound. The insulation tape or braid shall be removed no further than is necessary. PROTECTION OF CABLES Conductors of cables shall be insulated with the correct class of insulation in accordance with the appropriate standard to withstand a voltage not less than the highest sustained voltage to which they are likely to be subjected. Any insulation damaged by soldering otherwise shall be cut away and replaced by suitable insulation at least as thick effective as the original installation. Termination of cables should not be in locations where flammable and/or explosive dust, liquid, vapor or gas is likely to be present. Otherwise the termination shall be enclosed in a flameproof fitting. For paper or varnished-cambric-insulated, metal-sheathed cable, a wiped metal sleeve or joint box, filled with insulating compound shall be provided. Laying of cables underground Cables underground must be 18 deep buried in red sand (sand bed) surrounded by concrete slabs then covered with red danger tape over the slabs. If the cable is passing under a roadway, the cable must be a concrete duct and must be inspected before being buried. Positioning of transformer and switchgear All service equipment which include transformers, panels, switch gear etc, must have a working space of 3 feet around them, they must be positioned where they are easily accessible to the authority, in an upfront foremost position away from pedestrian travel, if it is pedestrian travel place billards around them to prevent people from crashing into them. Metering Metering can be accomplished through socket type metering or three phase metering, the later being more expensive. Current Type 0 200 Single phase >200 Three phase wiring 200-500 Current transformer metering >500 High voltage metering Generally, a single meter is used to measures all electrical energy supplied at that single location. It records the number of units (kilowatt hours) of electricity you have used and is quite easy to read, and consumption records are simple to keep. The Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission uses the recorded electricity usage to accurately calculate the consumer electrical bill. The three types of meter normally use are the digital, the Dial and the AMI meters. The service entrance cable is connected to the meter. If a splitter box is to be used first splitter box then the meter .If no splitter box is used, then connect only to the meter. Splitter arrangements can also be used to split the load. In metering there are a few regulations that must be followed in connection, positioning and reading. They are as followed: For an indoor-type meter, the consumer shall provide a meter-board for mounting the meter. This board shall be of an approved size, and shall be made from 19mm hard-wood stock, free from knots set plumb, and level and securely fastened for substantial supports In order to make meters more accessible, the tops of the meters should not be greater than 1.8m or less than 1.5m above floor or finished grade level. A clear space of at least 0.9m in front of all meters must be available at all times. Meters should not be located over doorways, along stairways or directly under water pipes or drain pipes. They should also be mounted free from shock, vibrations and mechanical injury. Meter sockets should be installed on an outer wall of the building. In a building elevated more than 2.4m above ground, the meter should be located on one of the supporting columns of the building. Meters for a multi-level building shall be grouped in one location on either the basement or ground floor in an accessible location. Where there are greater than 6-metered installations, groups of at least 6 meters can be installed on the basement, ground floor, or an accessible upper floor. Outdoor socket-type meters shall be installed for single phase 115/230V installations up to a maximum of 200A; meter sockets of the ring less type can be used, but must be provided with an approved means for sealing the cover. Outdoor socket-type meters shall be installed for three-phase 115/230V and 230/400V. Installations with loads up to 200A per phase. Whole current or self-contained socket-type meters shall meter such installations For 201-500A loads per phase, current transformers shall be used. The commission shall install a current transformer cabinet, meter-board and meter cabinet where necessary. The meter cabinet shall have a minimum depth of 25.4cm. Between the current transformer cabinet and the meter board, a 20mm conduit containing three (3) 1.5mm2 red, white and blue, and four (4) 2.5mm2 red, white, blue and black 600V insulated conductors must be provided by the consumer. The conductors should be a maximum 15m in length. Lengths of at least 0.9m must be provided outside the two ends of the conduit to permit the external connections to the meter and current transformer. Three-phase, 115/230V and 230/400V installations requiring loads in excess of 500A per phase shall be supplied and metered at high voltage. The metering unit shall be installed on a Distribution Pole or in the consumers transformer substation subject to the conditions of the supply. Fig. 4 Typical Installation Single Metered Low Voltage Supply Figure : Single meter high voltage supply CIRCUIT BREAKERS A circuit breaker is a device for closing and interrupting a circuit between separable contacts under both normal and abnormal conditions, with selection based on the type of application being either alternating current (ac) or direct current (dc). The established voltage rating of a circuit breaker is based on its clearance or space, between electrical circuits and between electrical components and the ground. Circuit breaker voltage ratings indicate the maximum electrical system voltage on which they can be applied. Circuit breakers voltage must be equal to or greater than voltage of the electrical system on which they are used. Circuit breakers have two types of current ratings; continuous current rating and fault current-interrupting capacity. Low voltage (less than 1000 VAC) types are common in domestic, commercial and industrial application, include: MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker)-rated current not more than 100 A. Trip characteristics normally not adjustable. Thermal or thermal-magnetic operation. Breakers illustrated above are in this category. MCCB (Molded Case Circuit Breaker)-rated current up to 1000 A. Thermal or thermal-magnetic operation. Trip current may be adjustable in larger ratings. Low voltage power circuit breakers can be mounted in multi-tiers in LV switchboards or switchgear cabinets. Positioning of circuit breaker A circuit breaker in a wet location or outside a building must be enclosed in a weatherproof enclosure. This enclosure must be so equipped as to prevent moisture and water from entering and accumulating within the cabinet. Circuit breakers must be mounted so that there is at least 6.35mmm of airspace between the enclosure and the wall or the supporting surface, with exceptions being metallic cabinets and cut-out boxes which may be installed without the airspace on a concrete, masonry, tile or similar surface. All circuit breakers should be installed at least 2m above the floor or working platform. Fuse A fuse is placed in an electrical current circuit so that when current flow exceeds the rating of the fuse it blows or blows out. The elements in the fuse melt, opening the circuit and preventing other components of the circuit from being damaged by the over current. The size of the metal fuse element determines the rating. Once a fuse blows it must be replaced by a new one. Standards for the Use of Circuit Breakers and Fuses The minimum sizes of main switches or circuit breakers permitted on consumers installation are as follows: Characteristic of supply Minimum Current rating 115 volts, 2 wire, 1phase 30 amperes 115/230 volts, 3 wire, 1 phase 60 amperes 115/230 volts, 4 wire, 3 phase 60 amperes 115/400 volts, 4 wire, 3 phase 60 amperes Table : circuit breaker sizes The consumer shall furnish and install a high voltage circuit breaker at the primary disconnecting means for an installation with a maximum demand in excess of 800 KVA. In a building with more than one separately metered Consumers Installation a metal splitter box with a suitably sized Circuit Breaker for each Installation shall be installed between the Consumers Entrance Cable and the meter sockets by the Consumer/s or Landlord. Provision shall be mode on the splitter box for the Commission to apply its seals or locks. Each Circuit Breaker In the splitter box shall be suitably identified with the Consumers Installation connected to it. Where there are seven or more separately metered Consumers Installations in a building, a main disconnecting means or Circuit Breaker shall be installed between the Consumers Entrance Cables and the group of Circuit Breakers In the splitter box by the Consumers or Landlord. Provision shall be made for the sealing or locking of this switch or breaker by the Commission. Consumer shall furnish and install a high voltage Circuit Breaker as the primary disconnecting means for an Installation with a maximum demand in excess of 800 KVA. The Consumer should conform with the Commissions Specification with respect to the rating and rupturing capacity of the Circuit Breaker. The limits of the Consumers protection setting shall be stipulated by the Commission to ensure discrimination with the protection of the Commissions system. It is recommended that the Consumer maintain an adequate supply of spare parts for the normal maintenance of his circuit breaker and ancillary apparatus. The selection of the type of circuit breaker most suitable for protection of a DC installation depends mainly on the following criteria: The current, which determines the rating of the equipment; The rated voltage, which determines the number of poles in series necessary for breaking; The maximum short-circuit current at the point of installation, which determines the breaking capacity; The type of network. It is recommended that the consumer maintain an adequate supply of spare parts for the normal maintenance of his circuit breaker and ancillary apparatus BRANCH CIRCUITRY A branch circuit is defined as that part of an electric circuit extending beyond the last circuit breaker or fuse. The branch circuits start at the breaker box and extend to the electrical devices connected to the service. Branch circuits are the last part of the circuit supplying electrical devices. These circuits are classified in two different ways, according to the type of loads they serve or according to their current-carrying capacity. Motors The table below show the supplies required for motors with different power rating. Motor power rating /watts Supply 750 and below 115/230, single phase Between 750 and 5.6K 230, single or 3 phase 5.6K and over 230/400, 3 phase For single-phase motors rated between 3.75 Kilowatts and 5.6 Kilowatts it should be arranged for no load starting. Motors of over 5.6 kilowatts must be arranged for reduced voltage starting. The commission will be prepared to consider direct online starting of motors of these sizes where the supply to the consumers installation is at high voltage. Any apparatus having power rating larger than 2.5 KVA can be supplied at either 115/230, single phase. Apparatus greater than 2.5KVA up to and including 15 KVA in size can be supplied at 230 volts, single phase. Any rating larger than 15 KVA in size can only be supplied from a three-phase supply. Single-phase appliances and motors supplied from a 3 or 4 wire installations shall be so connected that the operating current unbalanced would be a minimum. Three phase motors should be protected against single phasing conditions. When the rotor of the motor is locked, the motor requires the highest current. Direct online starters can be used also, if current goes and comes. Plugs Plugs in most residential and commercial establishments do not exceed 150V between conductors on branch circuits. That is, they are usually rated at 15-20A with exception to a 240V circuits. Lighting Lighting circuits usually do not exceed 150 watts to ground. These circuits are usually rated at 15 amperes or less in most homes and commercial establishments due to the fact that at some time during the use of the device the consumer may see the need to replace the fixture. Qualify personnel only should service the lighting fixtures. When installing for industrial purposes the voltage to the ground on the lighting circuit could be as much as 330V. With these conditions incandescent fixtures must be mounted 8 feet or more above the floor or at the available height. Where conditions do not permit 8 feet, then the fixtures should not be readily accessible (i.e. they should be encased, etc). Such a supply would be provided by a 3-phase, 4-wire 277/480V wire system. For public and commercials areas the voltage should not exceed 300V to the ground. Trinidad and Tobago wiring code law states that no final circuit should provide more than 15 lighting fixtures. Type of receptacle Maximum Number of Outlets Maximum Branch Rating (Amps) Maximum Cable Cross-section (mm2) Remarks DOMESTIC Socket outlet other than kitchen or laundry 6 20 2.5 15 A Duplex Kitchen 2 20 2.5 15 A Duplex Laundry 1 20 2.5 20 A Duplex Air condition 1 20 2.5 15 A, 230V Duplex INDUSTRIAL Lighting 6 x 115V 8 x 115V 15 20 1.5 2.5 200VA per outlet Receptable outlets 3 4 5 15 20 30 1.5 2.5 4.0 500VA per outlet GROUNDING Grounding is one of the most important factors involving electrical wiring, it provides safety to personnel, equipment and safety. Standards for Grounding i) All wiring installations shall include a consumers earth terminal or the equivalent to which the following shall be connected by an earth-continuity conductor: All metal work associated with the wiring system including cable sheets, armor, conduits, ducts, and boxes. Exposed metal of apparatus Earth terminals of socket-outlets One point of the secondary winding and of the metal work of any transformer used in the installation, except where the transformer is contained in apparatus ii) The connection to the earth electrode or any other means of earthing shall be readily accessible and soundly made by use of soldered joints or substantial clamps of non-ferrous material and where connection is made to a metal pipe of external diameter not exceeding 100mm, clamps of an approval type shall be used. iii) The earthing lead shall be connected to the line side of the consumers main disconnecting means, to an effective earth electrode buried in the ground, for example a metal water pipe system having metal to metal joints or to a copper strip or rod. Connection to a water pipe shall be made as near as practicable to the point of entry onto the ground. Gas piping or non-metallic water piping shall not be used. Metal frames or portable, stationary and fixed electric appliances operating on circuits above 50 volts to ground shall be earthed in an approved manner. Metal fixtures and lighting equipment installed on outlets wired with grounded multicore cable, with metal raceway, grounded metal-clad cable, non-metallic sheathed cable on circuits operating at more than 50 volts to ground shall be earthed. iv) Socket-outlets and cord connectors equipped with grounding contacts shall have those contacts effectively earthed. The branch circuits or branch circuit wiring shall include or provide a grounding conductor to which the earthing contacts with the receptacle or cord connector shall be connected. The armour of the metal-clad cable or a metallic raceway is acceptable as a ground connector. Equipment shall be considered as grounded where mechanically connected in a permanent and effective manner to metal raceway, the armour of the meta-clad cable, the grounding conductor in a non-metallic or to a separate grounding conductor not smaller than 2.5mm2, provided that the raceway or grounding conductor is itself grounded in an approved manner. v) The earthing arrangements of the consumer installation shall be such that on the occurrence of a fault of negligible impedance from a phase or non-earthed conductor to adjacent exposed metal, a current corresponding to 3 times the rating of the fuse, or one and a half times the setting of the over-load circuit-breaker can flow, so that the faulty circuit can be made dead. Alternatively and in every instance where this requirement cannot be met, an earth-leakage circuit breaker shall be installed. A voltage-operated earth-leakage circuit breaker shall be connected between the consumer earth terminal and a suitable earth electrode. The connection between the earth terminal operating coil and earth electrode shall be insulated. Grounding of buildings and equipment It is standard for all wiring installations to have an earth terminal or grounding electrode. The earth terminal must be connected in the appropriate manner to the circuitry of the installation by means of the earth continuity conductor or the grounding electrode conductor. Where there is a transformer outside of the building there must also be an additional ground connection from the grounded service conductor to a grounding electrode, either at the transformer or elsewhere outside the building. A grounding connection must not be made however, at the load side of the service disconnecting means. Where an installation consists of multiple buildings, a grounding conductor must be made at each building. All the socket outlets and cord connectors in an installation equipped with grounding contacts must have them effectively earthed. The branch circuits or branch wiring must include a grounding conductor to which the earthing contacts shall be connected. As a standard all metal fixtures and lighting equipment installed on outlets wired with grounded multi-core cable, metal raceway, grounded multi-clad cable and non-metallic sheathed cable on circuits operating at more than 50 volts to ground must be earthed. In turn equipment are considered grounded if they are mechanically connected in a permanent and effective manner to a metal raceway (the armour of a metal-clad cable), the grounding conductor in a non-metallic sheath or to a separate grounding conductor not smaller than 2.5mm2, provided that the raceway is itself earthed in an appropriate manner. Switch plates, wiring boxes, conduit, cabinets, and lights Types of equipment that should be grounded All metal work associated with the wiring system including cable sheets, armour, conduit, ducts and boxes Exposed metal apparatus Earth terminals of socket-outlets One point of the secondary winding and of the metal work of any transformer used in the installation with the exception of transformers contained in apparatus. Electric motor frames Equipment needs to be grounded under any of these circumstances: The equipment is within 8 feet vertically and 5 feet horizontally of the floor or walking surface. The equipment is within 8 feet vertically and 5 feet horizontally of grounded metal objects you could touch. The equipment is located in a wet or damp area and is not isolated. The equipment is connected to a power supply by cord and plug and is not double-insulated. Types of earth electrodes Earth mats Earth mats typically resemble a wire mesh. They are used where there are high voltages, and several cables carrying those high voltages (such as in industrial areas). Each of the multiple cables is grounded to the earth mat rather than connecting all these cables to one grounding electrode. They are used mainly in substations and can be placed above or below ground. Earth plates are used to attain an effective earth in shallow soils with underlying rocks or in locations with large amounts of buried services. They can also provide protection at potentially dangerous places e.g. HV switching positions. Copper Earth Rods Copper rods of 20mm or 25mm diameter are used where there are high-resistance earth conditions. It is possible to obtain copper rods with end-on connections where a length may be driven in, the removable hard-steel tip unscrewed, and a further length of rod screwed on. Earth rods take advantage of lower resistivity soils at greater depths than normal excavation will allow. Quality earth rods are commonly made from either solid copper, stainless steel or copper bonded steel. http://tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:IODNxco1mtW8xM:http://www.rcoombs.co.uk/earthstake.jpg  [1]   LIGHTING Main types of lighting fixtures used in workshops Tubular Fluorescent Lamps: The high efficiency and relative luminous intensity of such types of lamps results in their extensive use in many workshops. However, fluorescent lamps are highly unsuitable for the lighting of areas containing moving or rotating machinery. The lamps can cause a strobe effect that makes it difficult to observe the movement of the machine and, in some cases, the machine may appear to be stationary. Color Corrected Mercury Lamps: These lamps, when used in conjunction with external reflectors are extensively used in industrial lighting, both inside the building and outside. Incandescent Filament Lamps: The small filament size allows close optical control for directional and local lighting. Glare Reduction- Glare occurs when a light source is seen directly, or by reflection, and is too bright when compared with the general brightness of the rest of the interior. The color of light used in a building should be chosen so as to prevent excessive glare. There are two types of glare, viz. disability glare (which impairs vision) and discomfort glare (which causes visual discomfort). Lamps of intermediate or warm colors should be used for general lighting in order to prevent or minimize glare. Reducing the luminance of the source causing the glare or changing the relative positions of the observer and the source can also reduce glare. Lamps should be shielded from direct sight by louvers or reflectors. Also, diffusing ceilings may be used in order to spread the light over a wider are

Harriet Tubman Essay -- essays research papers

Freedom Harriet Tubman was a brave woman, she managed to take eleven slaves to Canada, with no one noticing anything. She also did something that was surprising, she took the gun that she had with her to make a slave stay or to die, "We got to go free or die." She didn't allowed a slave to go back while they were traveling because someone might figured that he/she were returning from the running slaves and might have to answer questions. She traveled to differents places to stay like Thomas Garret's house in Wilmington, Delaware. She wanted to get to Canada to have a chance to feel what it would be like to be free. She painted pictures of what she thought Canada would be like, that shows she wanted to be free. In the couples of houses she stopped to get food and to get warm, I believe the persons that owned the houses agreed that they should be free, but they were too afraid to make a move. At the start of the story they were searching for Moses who they thought it was a ma n, which it was not it was Harriet Tubman, who wanted to run off slaves. The slaves at the story were patience. Harriet had promised them food, and shelter, when they got to the first stop in the farmhouse the man said they were a lot of slaves and that it was not safe, because the farmhouse had been searched a week ago before they arrived there, so they didn't had what she had promised them. The slaves didn't screamed at her or complained. When they arrived to Canada I think that even though th...

The Two-Fold Thought of Deleuze and Guattari: Intersections and Animati

The Two-Fold Thought of Deleuze and Guattari: Intersections and Animations    Charles J. Stivale, a scholar in French literary and cultural studies, tries to articulate Deleuze and Guattari's philosophical concepts with practical studies on culture, analyzing films, cyberspace, and Cajun dance.   Although he says that the goal of the book is to provide "an initial orientation" to Deleuze and Guattari's collaborative works, it is not a simple job at all for those innocent of Deleuzean concepts to follow the flow of his thought (ix).   He provides short explications of the concepts and quotations from Deleuze and Guattari's books before his application, but only the readers, who are familiar with Delezean concepts, seem to be able to articulate the whole idea.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the title implies, Stivale considers Deleuze and Guattari's works as "expressing 'thought' that arises from two individual, fluctuating subjectivities"(xi).   He attempts to grasp and animate this two-foldedness, both sorting out two different voices of Deleuze and Guattari and presenting the intersection between them.   This two-fold thought, as Stivale stresses, should be understood not only as an overlap of two particular sensibilities and modes of knowing but also as "one of action and opening outward, of formulations, unheard-of juxtapositions of concepts, monstrous couplings," that is, rhizomatics of n-1 dimensions (24).   In his introductory chapter, he differentiates Deleuze as a philosopher from Guattari as a psychotherapist and political activist: first, he explicates Deleuze's passion of the concept, examining Deleuze's relation with Nietzsche and Foucault and several concepts including "body without organ," "image of thought," and "rhizome"; seco nd, h... ...o his attempt to bridge over the conceptual gap between the "local" and the "global" within cultural studies with Deleuze-Guattarian concepts.   His point-of-view of cultural studies, especially, is valuable in terms that he recognizes the danger within its becoming-discipline: "These geopolitical negotiations of 'forms and feelings' [in Cajun dance] are precisely the proper focus of a 'cultural studies' understood not in a limited, 'territorialized' sense of dueling disciplines between adjoining theoretical and conceptual articulations and strategies" (186-7).   If one can keep his/her own distance in reading this book, it will serve as a great source book for further research on cultural studies. Work Cited The Two-Fold Thought of Deleuze and Guattari: Intersections and Animations.   By Charles J. Stivale.   New York: The Guildford Press, 1998.   Pp. xxii, 361.

Greek Mythology and Athena Essay

1. True myth is primarily concerned with: a. the gods b. wars c. heroes d. animals 2. What does Athena offer to Athens in her contest with Poseidon? a. the knowledge of weaving b. the olive tree c. victory in battle d. wisdom 3. What goddess does Iris usually serve? a. Athena b. Aphrodite c. Artemis d. Hera 4. With what goddess is Hephaestus often associated through practical wisdom, arts and crafts, and the advance of civilization? a. Hera b. Artemis c. Athena d. Aphrodite 5. Which goddess is not one of the three goddesses that Aphrodite was unable to overpower? a. Demeter b. Artemis c. Athena d. Hestia 6. Why did Gaia punish Uranus? a. He killed their children as soon as they were born. b. He refused to lie with Gaia when she came to him. c. He refused to allow their children to leave the womb of earth. d. He wanted Themis to take her mother’s place. 7. What animal is Athena most closely identified with? a. the owl b. the dolphin c. the spider d. the lion 8. Aphrodite Pandemos means which of the following? a. Celestial Aphrodite b. Common Aphrodite c. Genital Aphrodite d. Lustful Aphrodite 9. What Trojan youth did Zeus carry off to become cupbearer of the gods? a. Hebe b. Ganymede c. Hector d. Paris 10. What does the word chthonic or cthonian mean? a. pertaining to the sea b. having to do with the earth c. related to the sky d. characteristic of the citadel 11. Who wrote the Theogony? a. Homer b. Hesiod c. Vergil d. Ovid 12. Whom did Poseidon mate with in the form of a stallion? a. Demeter b. Medusa c. Amphitrite d. Scylla 13. Who wrote the Prometheus Bound? a. Ovid b. Euripides c. Aeschylus d. Plato 14. Which of the following is not an epithet of Athena? a. Pallas b. Glaukopis c. Metis d. Tritogeneia 15. Who is the consort of Poseidon? a. Galatea b. Scylla c. Amphitrite d. Thetis 16. Who is the hunter that caught Artemis bathing? a. Orion b. Arcas c. Actaeon d. Tityos 17. Which best describes an etiological interpretation of myth? a. It attempts to see myth as a metaphor. b. It attempts to understand myth in terms of an underlying ritual. c. It attempts to see myth as a pre-scientific mode of explanation. d. It attempts to uncover the historical kernel behind all myth. 18. In some versions of her birth, who is the mother of Aphrodite? a. Ge b. Hera c. Cybele d. Dione 19. Who will eventually rescue Prometheus from his sufferings? a. Heracles b. Perseus c. Zeus d. Achilles 20. What god gave Theseus three curses? a. Zeus b. Apollo c. Proteus d. Poseidon 21. What is the name of the guardian that was set over Io? a. Charon b. Cerberus c. Hermes d. Argus 22. Who wrote the Hippolytus? a. Sophocles b. Euripides c. Aeschylus d. Seneca 23. Who at times appears as the particular servant of Hera? a. Hermes b. Hestia c. Iris d. Diana 24. What is the name of the Graces, who attend Aphrodite? a. the Horae b. the Moirae c. the Charites d. the Graeae 25. What did Artemis promise Hippolytus as he lay dying? a. She will raise him from the dead. b. She will grant him a place in Elysium. c. She will punish a favorite of Aphrodite. d. She will punish Theseus for his curse. 26. What goddesses does Hesiod invoke at the beginning of the Theogony? a. the Fates b. the Graces c. the Muses d. the Sirens 27. With whom does Athena share her function as a deity of war? a. Apollo b. Hephaestus c. Ares d. Mercury 28. What is the hallmark of the Greek conception of the Olympians? a. animism b. theriomorphism c. anthropomorphism d. monotheism 29. Who is the mother of Zeus? a. Ge b. Rhea c. Gaea d. Cybele 30. What is the most distinguishing feature of the Greek gods? a. omniscience b. omnipotence c. immortality d. physical stature Part II – Short Answer (2 points each) 31. What is the Roman name of Poseidon? 32. What is the Greek term that means a â€Å"sacred marriage†? 33. Who is Theseus’ father in the Hippolytus? 34. Who was the sculptor who created a statue that came to life? 35. What is the Roman name for Athena? 36. What does the Greek word mythos mean? 37. Together with what creature is Scylla usually mentioned? 38. What does Pandora’s name mean? 39. To what force may Zeus himself be subject? 40. Who is the mother of the Muses? Part III – Essay (20 points) Write an essay on one of the questions listed below. Be sure to make direct reference to primary sources (i.e. passages [included in the textbook] of ancient authors) to support your statements; with the exception of the textbook, do not base your discussion on any other secondary sources. The essay must be 200-250 words in length. When referring to primary sources, include the following: (1) page number of textbook on which passage occurs, (2) name of the ancient author, (3)title of ancient work from which passage is taken, (4) location within ancient work in which passage occurs. (a) Discuss Zeus . Include within your discussion an identification of his attributes and the myths associated with him. What do the myths communicate about his character and qualities? or  (b) Discuss Athena . Include within your discussion an identification of her attributes and the myths associated with her. What do the myths communicate about her character and qualities?

The Caucasus, Madagascar and Caribbean Islands: Biodiversity Hotspots

Biodiversity Hotspots The Caucasus: The Caucasus hotspot, historically interpreted as the area of land between the Black and Caspian seas, covers a total area of 580,000 km. Located at a biological crossroads, species from Central and Northern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa mingles here with endemics found nowhere else. One of the most biologically rich regions on Earth, the Caucasus is among the planet’s 25 most diverse and endangered hotspots. The Caucasus is one of WWF’s Global 200 ‘ecoregions’ identified as globally outstanding for biodiversity.The Caucasus has also been named a large herbivore hotspot by WWF’s Large Herbivore Initiative. Eleven species of large herbivores, as well as five large carnivores, are found over a relatively small area to be endemic. The 2002 IUCN Red List identifies 50 species of globally threatened animals and one plant in the Caucasus. Among the IUCN species, 18 have restricted ranges or are e ndemics. The Caucasus Mountains harbor a wealth of highly sought after medical and decorative plants, as well as a vast endemism of plant communities. [pic]Spanning the borders of six countries, the Caucasus hotspot is a globally significant center of cultural diversity, where a multitude of ethnic groups, languages and religions intermingle over a relatively small area. Close cooperation across borders will be required for conservation of unique and threatened ecosystems, while helping to foster peace and understanding in an ethnically diverse region with a history of contrasting political and religious views. The Caucasus is a hotspot of plant and animal species diversity and endemism important for the conservation of biodiversity on a global scale.High levels of landscape diversity in the Caucasus are largely the result of altitude variability in the region. The unique geology and terrain, consisting of three major mountain chains separated by valleys and plains, permit a variety of different microclimate, soil and vegetative conditions. Climatic conditions are very diverse, with precipitation ranging from more than 4,000 mm per year in the southwestern Caucasus to less than 200 mm a year in deserts in the eastern Caucasus. These wide ranges of climatic conditions are a key factor that makes this area such a biologically important area.The Caribbean islands: [pic] The Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot is exceptionally important for global biodiversity conservation, due to high levels of species endemism and threat. The Caribbean is home to approximately 11,000 plants species, of which 72% are endemic to the region. The vertebrates are also characterized by extremely high levels of endemism: 100% of 189 amphibian species, 95% of 520 reptile species, 74% of 69 mammal species and 26% of 564 species birds are unique to the Caribbean Islands.In terms of endemism at the genus (biological classification of living organisms) ranking level, it ranks third among the world’s 34 Biodiversity Hotspots with 205 plants and 65 vertebrate genera endemic to the islands. Species restricted to the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot represent 2. 6% of the world’s 300,000 plants species and 3. 5% of the world’s 27,298 vertebrate species). The high level of biological diversity in the Caribbean is due to several factors. During the early Cretaceous (120 to 140 million years b. ), a chain of volcanic islands (called Proto-Antilles) began to emerge along the eastern edge of the Caribbean Plate in the Pacific Ocean. The plate drifted eastward serving as a stepping-stone route exchange of terrestrial organisms between two previously separated regions. By the Eocene era (58 million years a. c), the core of the Greater Antilles achieved their present positions. The Lesser Antilles are the active remnants of an ancient volcanic chain, and are younger than the Greater Antilles.Several islands have particularly rugged and mountainous la ndscapes separated by large stretches of sea, which resulted in the isolation of populations. The Caribbean has suffered from high levels of habitat loss since the arrival of Europeans in the 1490s. This destruction has reduced the hotspot’s original estimated 229,549km2 of natural vegetation to just 22,955km2(or just 10%). The loss of native habitat combined with other threat factors, such as introduced (alien invasive) species, has resulted in severe and widespread degradation of the Caribbean’s unique biodiversity.Currently, 755 plants and vertebrate species are at risk of extinction, making the region one of the biodiversity hotspots holding the most globally threatened species. Madagascar: [pic] Madagascar is an island off the coast of Africa which is known to have some of the world's most interesting animals. It has a land area of 600,461 km?. About 80 percent of the species found in Madagascar live nowhere else on the planet. Madagascar is the forth largest isla nd in the world and broke away from the mainland about 160 million years ago. Therefore, the hotspot is a living example of species evolution in isolation.Despite close proximity to Africa, the islands do not share any of the typical animal groups of nearby Africa, making Madagascar home to a vast variety of endemic species. The island contains 5% of animal and plant species on Earth, with 80% endemic to the island. Madagascar is thought to have 11,600 endemic species of plant, 57 threatened endemic birds and 51 threatened endemic mammals. 18,482km of the island is protected land. Western areas of the island consist of dry savannah with deserts found in central regions. The eastern side of Madagascar facing the Indian Ocean is tropical rainforest with a high level of rainfall.The island is also host to several high mountain ecosystems. These biomes each support contrasting species, portraying the contrasting ecoregions in Madagascar. Madagascar and the surrounding islands have a tot al of eight plant families, four bird families, and five primate families that live nowhere else on Earth. Madagascar has more than 50 lemur species which are commonly associated with the island and are the focal point for conservation. The carnivorous fossa is another example of an endemic species as well as six Baobab species (huge trees with wide stumps).There are so many species endemic to Madagascar that some ecologists have called it â€Å"the eighth continent†. Many of these species, such as the fossa, are now considered to be an endangered species, with only about 2,500 mature fossa individuals in existence. Tenrecs, a family of small omnivorous mammals, primarily find their home on Madagascar, with 30 species found only there, and just 3 on the African mainland. There are numerous other species endemic to Madagascar, including 14 unique rodents, 15 species of bat, various chameleons and geckos, over a hundred birds, and hundreds of beetles and other insects.Conservat ion efforts must proceed aggressively to preserve this unique Madagascar fauna. Specific locations in Madagascar which are renowned for high biodiversity are situated on the eastern coast which is mainly tropical rainforest. These areas have year-round warmth and receive a lot of rainfall. Interestingly, the soils in the rainforest are poor because most of the biomes nutrients are locked up in the vegetation. In terms of flagship species in Madagascar, Baobabs are considered to be flagship trees for landscape conservation in western Madagascar, unique and individual features to the island landscape.Madagascar has seven of the world's eight Baobab tree species, six of them endemic to the island. Another endemic flagship plant to the island is the traveler's tree or palm, pollinated by the island's flagship vertebrate species, the lemurs. The tomato frog is a flagship amphibian of Madagascar, found only in a small corner of northeastern Madagascar. Threats to biodiversity Of the 10,00 0 plants native to Madagascar, 90% are found nowhere else in the world. Madagascar's varied fauna and flora are endangered by human activity, as a third of its native vegetation has disappeared since the 1970s, and only 18% remains intact.However, there are several national parks which have been established to help protect many of the endemic species. Extensive deforestation has taken place in parts of the country, reducing certain forest habitat and applying pressure to some endangered species. Madagascar has a population growth rate of approximately 3%, therefore, with a growing population, more of the islands endemic species become at risk due to the increase in human activity and development.