7 Websites to Save Up on College Textbooks

With textbooks getting more expensive every year, it might be hard for a student to keep up with the college requirements, especially for a freshman. Fortunately, going to a local bookstore is not the only way to buy your stack of books. There are websites which you can use to save some money, and some of them emphasize it specifically. For example, CampusBookRentals alone claims to have saved $113 million over the last 6 years. See where you can get your books at lower prices below. Amazon has become the biggest service for books and more. It allows you to compare prices and find the most suitable options in hardback or paperback, either new or used. Currently, Amazon has also a renting option, which makes it probably the right place to go, unless you are deliberately looking for other services. Rakuten.com is another website where you can get almost anything from books to computers. When you search for a book that you need, the site compares its price with the competitors’ price, so that you can see if the deal is worth it. The biggest advantage of Rakuten is its cheap shipping options. Moreover, you can use any payment method you like, even Bitcoin. On BookFinder, students can find old and new books in multiple stores and compare their prices. The website offers foreign editions in languages other than English, which makes it especially helpful. Their search engine claims to process 150 million books worldwide. GetTextbooks has the simplest interface that’s only possible. It finds you books by your query, offers a filter to sort out the appropriate results, and compares prices for buying new or old books, as well as renting them. BigWords is a website where one can compare the prices for books to buy, sell, or rent. Apart from books, the database covers other items, such as beauty products, musical instruments, and electronics. They also have a bot which searches for coupons and deals on a range of products. CampusBookRentals is a place to search for rented textbooks. Not only can you find books that you need, but also put your books out there for rent. The service offers free shipping both to you and back. Another advantage is allowance for highlighting text, which means that you will be able to abstain from spending extra time on notes. You can also buy a book there if you like. You can also use eBay for your book search. Designed as a people-to-people service, you can find many new and used items there. The main advantage of eBay is the auction system where you bid on the item. So, there is a chance that you’ll get a decent textbook in a great condition for a very attractive price. From eBay and Amazon to BookFinder and CampusBookRentals, there are good services where you can save money on your college textbooks. Most of them will filter the results for you, compare the available prices, and offer a possibility of book rental. If you know better ways to spend your money, you should definitely stick to these options.

Essay On Texas Public Policy - 1673 Words

Texas Inmates’ Health Care: Public Policy Effectiveness Research Is Texas public policy effective? The Texas government million-dollar question. This research paper will inform the readers on what public policy and effectiveness is in relation to Texas government. It will review five scholarly journals that all describe public policy and its effectiveness in Texas. It will also discuss one public policy specifically regarding the health care that Texas has imposed upon their prison inmates. The goal of this research paper is to conclude whether Texas public policy is effective or not. It will achieve this goal by concluding through a case study that the health care the government has implemented in Texas prisons for inmates is not†¦show more content†¦There are a number of ways the policy can make it on the agenda but usually the agenda is priority oriented. â€Å"Once a proposal has been added to agenda, policy adoption begins† (Jillson, n.d., p.1). The policy can be changed in various ways or adopted as is along the process. Afte r adoption the policy is implemented by government agencies and carried out by legislative acts, rules and regulations. Lastly, there will be an evaluation of the public policy to decide whether it was successful in achieving its designed purpose (Jillson, n.d.). Public policy is an important part of Texas government and in this section sources will be reviewed that apply to it. What about health care for prisoners, is it important, and if not why is it a public policy issue? Well, it is important because Texas spends nearly five-hundred million annually on prison health care systems (Gilroy Kenny, 2012), and that’s precisely why it’s a public policy issue. The theory is that the system set in place now is not adequate enough to actually provide the correct health care for the inmates to heal or rehabilitate; and that Texas is spending its money in the wrong places when it comes to health care in the prisons. Besides the enormous amount of money, the government spends on the prison health care systems why else do they care? By not providing adequate medical care to prisoners its violating their rights under the eighth amendment. According to Raimer, Murray,Show MoreRelatedInterest Groups in Texas Essay1457 Words   |  6 PagesIn this essay I will compare and contrast the different legislative agendas of various interest groups involved with the Texas Government. An interest group (also called an advocacy group, lobbying group, pressure group, or special interest) is a collection of members that are determined to encourage or prevent changes in public policy without trying to be elected. 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Teachers should make the students go home and change into school appropriate clothes. Public schools should give students a chance on what they want to wear.Read MoreThe United State Is Run By The Government Essay1239 Words   |  5 PagesThe United State is run by the government. Every single states have the representatives of civil in the Congress. Texas is not an exception. We have one representative in the House of the Representative who is Gene Green. We also have two Senators in the Senate who are John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. In this essay, we will discuss and assess of these individual’s representation. First, Gene Green, who is a member of the Democratic Party, is currently serving to represent for Texas’s 29th congressionalRead MoreTheu.s. And Texas Constitutions Essay1005 Words   |  5 Pagespeople of Texas have seen many changes to state government since receiving their independence from Mexico. The state has been governed by six different constitutions. The most recent was written during the Constitutional Convention of 1875, and adopted February 15, 1876 by popular vote. This constitution contains sixteen articles, and four hundred eighty-three amendments. Throughout thus essay, the role of the state constitution will be examined along with a comparison of the U.S. and Texas ConstitutionsRead MoreThe Devastating Impacts Of Illegal Immigration1368 Words   |  6 Pages Sheldon Jackson Argumentative Essay â€Å"The Devastating Impacts of Illegal Immigration† If ever there was a polarizing problem growing in the U.S., illegal immigration is definitely exploding to the top. This issue is at the center of the political arena and debate. It has the heart and minds of the nation stirring. President Obama wrote, We have to deal with the 11 million individuals who are here illegally. We all agree that these men and women should have to earn their way to citizenshipRead MoreEssay1093 Words   |  5 PagesTexas is one of the most populated regions within the United States only second to California. With such a large population, varying political ideologies convene within even the tiniest areas of the state. Because of this, Texas hosts a whopping number of 36 representatives to serve for each of its congressional districts. Here in Dallas, specifically the Lancaster area, we are represented by Texas U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, Texas State Senator Royce West, Texas State Representative

Hundreds Of Passengers Missed The Flight †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Hundreds Of Passengers Missed The Flight? Answer: Introduction Service failure occurs when the performance of a service organization fails to meet the customer expectation or a wide gap exists between the service promise and the service delivery. Service recovery are the remedial measures taken by a service organization in response to the service failure .In service industry the front line executives are in direct contact with the customers and play an important role in the service delivery process. Service encounters also known as moments of truth have a huge impact on customer perceived value of services. Service failures have multiple reasons like failure of the front desk employees to follow the proper code of conduct as mentioned in service delivery process or technological errors in the service delivery process which can lead to customer dissatisfaction (Zurich, 2017). Discussion People of a service organization who are in direct contact with customers can lead to service failure if they fail to control the tangibles like if they do not wear clean uniform or they fail to maintain a satisfactory service environment, for instance, an airport should be kept clean, layout, decor and design of the airport should be attractive failure of which can lead to service failure. Service failure can be due lack of assurance and empathy of employees of service organization. Front-line people may fail to strict to the code of conduct like failure to acknowledge the customers or failure to listen to the customer. When people working in a service organization are not reliable or responsive, for example, when people work slowly or incorrectly and there is a technological disruption in the service delivery process, customers can be dissatisfied resulting in a service failure. Service is co-produced between people of the service organization and the customers, so service failures can also be attributed to customer like his lack of service knowledge can also lead to service failure (Heidenreich et al., 2015). Case Evidence Stansted airport is the fourth largest airport of the United Kingdom. The airport serves more than 170 destinations and more than 60,000 passengers pass through the airport everyday. In May 2017, at 4: 30 AM there was a problem with security scanners at the airport that left hundreds of passengers stranded. There was a technical issue with many X-ray machines in the main security areas. The airport authority took a lot of time to process the customers security-checking which led to long queue at the airport and many customers missed their flight (service failure, 2017). Commentary Stage Service failure lead to customer dissatisfaction There are two types of customers, one who complains and the other who dont .The customers who do not complain can either stay with the service organization or switch. The customers who complain can either do so to the service provider, spread negative word-of-mouth or take third party action. These customers can either stay with the company or exit (Forrester Maute, 2013). Customers can be of four types: Passives: These customers are least likely to take any action. Voicers: These customers actively complain to service providers but do not spread negative word of mouth. Irates: They spread negative word of mouth and switch service providers. Activists: They complain at all levels, more likely to complain to third parties (Sengupta, Balaji Krishnan, 2015) The passengers who were stranded at the airport responded to the failure in-social media sites like Twitter. Customers took photos of the crowd inside the terminal building of the airport and posted these pictures online (Gu Ye, 2014). They complained that flights were not kept on hold due to the security glitch and staffs of the airport were not helpful. The problem was fixed around 8: 30 AM. Passengers used words like hell, shambles and zombie apocalypse to describe their situation at airport. Few passengers passed out and passengers who were on wheelchairs were unable to make their way through the crowd. There can be several approaches to service recovery which are as follows: Early intervention-Service organization fixes the problem before customer is affected. Systematic response Service organizations need to identify critical failure points of service and uses a protocol for service recovery Case-by-case Service organizations address customers problem individually Substitute service-Service organizations can lose customers in this process by allowing rival firms to serve the customers. Service firms should have complaint handling policy for service delivery. Service recovery strategies can be of two types: To fix the customer or to fix the problem. Finance can be pacified in case of service failure by the service organization when they respond quickly to service failure, provide appropriate communication, treat customers fairly and cultivate relationships with customers (Wilson et al., 2012). The problem can be fixed by tracking complains, learning from past recovery experience and learning from lost customers. The service gaps which lead to service failure can be of following types: Gap 1- Gap between expected service and managements perception of customers expectations. Gap 2- Gap between managements perception of expected service and transaction of perception into service quality specification Gap 3- Gap between service quality specification and service delivery. Gap 4- Gap between service delivery and external communication to customers. Gap 5- Gap between customers perception and customers expectations. Service recovery: The airport authority did not inform the passengers initially about the technical glitch, so passengers were clueless. Passengers were not served any refreshment and flights were not put on hold. The airport authority took active action and fixed the problem by 8: 15 AM .Later on the Airport authority issued an apology statement for the glitch in the security scanners which were scanning the boarding passes of passengers. They expressed their apology for the inconvenience caused to customers in Twitter and blamed the situation on an IT glitch at the airport (Zhou et al., 2013). Conclusion The Stansted Airport is one of the busiest Airports in the United Kingdom. A technical glitch can lead to chaos as hundreds of customers will miss the flight. The airport authority should take active action to co-ordinate with airlines and put the flights on hold if any situation like this occurs further. Also, customers should be provided with refreshments and special hospitality for the inconvenience. Technical glitch should be avoided and fixed promptly. Reference Lists: Forrester, W. R., Maute, M. F. (2013). The impact of relationship satisfaction on attributions, emotions, and behaviors following service failure.Journal of Applied Business Research (JABR),17(1). Gu, B., Ye, Q. (2014). First step in social media: Measuring the influence of online management responses on customer satisfaction.Production and Operations Management,23(4), 570-582. Heidenreich, S., Wittkowski, K., Handrich, M., Falk, T. (2015). The dark side of customer co-creation: exploring the consequences of failed co-created services.Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,43(3), 279-296. Sengupta, A. S., Balaji, M. S., Krishnan, B. C. (2015). How customers cope with service failure? A study of brand reputation and customer satisfaction.Journal of Business Research,68(3), 665-674. service failure. (2017).www.independent.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2017, from https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/stansted-airport-latest-updates-passengers-stranded-security-scanner-faults-london-flights-holidays-a7725826.html Wilson, A., Zeithaml, V. A., Bitner, M. J., Gremler, D. D. (2012).Services marketing: Integrating customer focus across the firm. McGraw Hill. Zhou, Y., Huang, M., SL Tsang, A., Zhou, N. (2013). Recovery strategy for group service failures: The interaction effects between recovery modes and recovery dimensions.European Journal of Marketing,47(8), 1133-1156. Zurich, L. B. (2017). Service Operations and Management.

The Mona Lisa is a opposed portrait of Mona Lisa Gioconda Essay Example For Students

The Mona Lisa is a opposed portrait of Mona Lisa Gioconda Essay Leonardo Da Vines painting The Mona Lisa is probably one of the most well known paintings in history, according to the ALLURE museum in Paris estimate that fully 80 percent of the museums 6. 6 million annual visitors come mainly to look at Leonardo Dad Vines 500-year-old 2010). Owe we have to wonder why, What captivates people to come every year and view The Mona Lisa, is it the way her eyes appear to look right through you, or is it to admire the work Of Dad Vinci, could it be a combination Of both? The Mona Lisa is a opposed portrait of Mona Lisa Giaconda also known as Lisa Grained the wife Of a wealthy Renaissance Florentine merchant, Francesco del Giaconda (Harris, 2010). This painting captivates you at first glance and has a mysterious nature to it. While examining the visual aspect of this painting you first notice that the painting itself is a half length portrait showcasing the head and torso of the subject Lisa Giaconda, she has her hands crossed over and is wearing a smile that is enigmatic, Aliass eyes appear to be looking back at you from the painting, ND the light play in them gives them a depth that appears to be more than a two dimensional painting should have, Lisa is placed in the center of the painting with an outside backdrop of water, trees, and mountains and she is larger in scale than her surroundings to ensure that she is the focus of the portrait not the scenery. Her dress is appropriate for the timeshare both modest but of better texture than most could afford, She also has on a veil over her hair which was common practice during that period, and does not mean she is in mourning

Dividend Policy at Fpl Group, Inc. Essay Example

Dividend Policy at Fpl Group, Inc. Essay Problem Kate Stark, the electric utilities analyst at First Equity Securities Corporation was faced with a decision involving FPL Group on May 5, 1994. Three weeks earlier, she had valued FPL with a â€Å"hold† recommendation due to the belief that FPL would either keep its dividend payout at $2. 48 or increase it slightly. Today however, she saw a report from Merrill Lynch stating that they were downgrading FPL stock due to management’s concern that the dividend payout was too high given the increasing risks facing the industry. This report caused Stark to reconsider his previous â€Å"hold† rating and she questioned if she would need to issue an updated report. Our problem was to determine if FPL is likely to change their current dividend policy and how such a dividend policy change would affect shareholders. From that analysis, we are to decide how Kate Stark should advise investors with regard to FPL stock. The Electric Utility Industry Evaluation The electric utilities industry consists of three stages: the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. In the past, states had government agencies that regulated the prices and returns of utility companies. Due to several government Acts, the electric utilities industry became one with a large number of undiversified, intrastate companies operating under high federal and state government regulations. During the 1970’s and 1980’s, there began a rise of deregulation in many monopoly service industries, including the electric utility industry. By 1978, regulatory changes had started to break down electric utilities franchises as competition was introduced to the generation and transmission states. We will write a custom essay sample on Dividend Policy at Fpl Group, Inc. specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Dividend Policy at Fpl Group, Inc. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Dividend Policy at Fpl Group, Inc. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Deregulation of distribution, the final segment of the industry, was also starting at the onset of 1994. The state of California had proposed the addition of competition to the distribution of electricity when the California Public Utilities commission released a proposal to phase in retail wheeling beginning in 1996. The addition of retail wheeling allows customers to purchase electricity from other utilities than the local monopolies. Over time, all users would be given the option to pick their electricity supplier from a range of competitive bids. The week after this proposal, the three largest utilities in California lost a combined $1. 8 billion of market value, an average 8% loss each. The recent deregulation and reshaping of the entire industry has forced FPL to consider the impact. Although Florida is not considering retail wheeling as of this point, utility commissions in 23 states are considering such proposals and the effect is expected to domino to the rest of the country, including Florida, in the near future. When retail wheeling becomes authorized in Florida, FPL will gain many potential competitors that previously didn’t supply to the South/East Florida area. Florida has 4 major investor-owned utilities, 20 municipal and rural cooperative generating systems, 19 independent power producers, and several large investor-owned utilities of neighboring states that would all be competing for customers in Florida. FPL needs to be concerned of similar implications as those that occurred in California. It is expected that deregulation will decrease market share and therefore reduce profits since FPL will no longer gain the benefit of being a monopoly. FPL needs to make certain that they will be able to handle competition from both in state as well as out of state utilities. As a result, it is possible that FPL may need to retain a larger amount of earnings than past years in order to prepare for the entry of competition into the industry. Cutting dividends would provide FPL with a significantly larger amount of retained earnings with which to adjust to the future industry challenges. Maintaining the high payout ratio may not be in FPL’s best interest if the challenges of reshaping the industry by retail wheeling are enacted in Florida. FPL Company Background FPL Group is the largest electric utility company in Florida and the fourth largest in the country. As the population of Florida grew, FPL began to experience growth as a company as well. FPL continued to experience growth through 1970 when the rising cost of fuel, operating problems, and construction cost overruns began to reduce profitability. In an attempt to increase profitability and growth, FPL diversified itself by four major acquisitions. In an attempt to better improve operating issues, FPL started a quality control program employing 1,700 teams to examine every area of the company for ways to improve operations. Management was successful in mproving the operations of FPL as scheduled downtime decreased by 12% and customer complaints fell by 60%. By 1989, FPL was named as one of the best-managed U. S. corporations and given the Deming Prize for quality. Despite this improvement, FPL still experienced problems with safety concerns, growing demand which could soon exceed capacity, and low employee morale all as a result of focusing too highly on the quality improvement progr am. James Broadhead, who succeeded Marshall McDonald after his retirement in 1989, started restructuring the business and operations of FPL. Broadhead’s long-term strategic plan was open to deregulation and full competition. He conducted an environmental scan that concluded FPL would need to have a commitment to quality and customer service, increase its focus on the utilities industry, expand capacity, and improve cost position. Broadhead scaled back the quality program and sold several of their non-utility businesses, as these areas were taking up too much time and effort of management, so that they could now focus on the core utility business. As a response to the expected increase in demand, FPL budgeted $6. billion dollars over the next 5 years for expansion. This included projects such as building new transmission lines, fixing up the oldest generating plant, improving the efficiency of all plants, and buying out a coal burning plant. By 1994, efficiency of operations and availability of resources had improved drastically. Broadhead also flattened the organization, reduced employees, and updated the budget in order improve profitability by cutting costs from 1. 82? to 1. 61? per kWh. By the beginning of 1994, Broadhead’s restructuring was looking like a success. 993 had been a record year for FPL and 1994 was expected to be even better as a result of decreasing costs (33% over the next five years) and increasing sales of 3. 4% each year, which exceeded the industry average of 2%. Financial Health of FPL When Broadhead took McDonald’s place as CEO of FPL in 1989 he made a lot of changes in FPL’s long-term plan. He sold many of FPL’s unprofitable subsidiaries and increased FPL’s capacity to fulfill the expected growth in demand. The effects of these changes in FPL are obvious in the ratio analysis. We will be comparing FPL’s ratios to the financial ratios of Oklahoma GE (OGE), another electric company. Liquidity Ratios The current ratio was used to observe the changes in FPL’s liquidity from 1989 to 1993 (page A-1). The current ratio started off strong in 1989 and 1990, however it decreased greatly in 1991, the year Broadhead sold some of FPL’s unprofitable subsidiaries. This is due to the fact that while its current assets decreased, FPL’s current liabilities increased by a greater margin due to a 697% increase in current maturities of long-term debt. FPL’s current ratio barely surpassed 1 in 1992 and it faced a major decrease in 1993. FPL’s current ratio is greater than OGE’s current ratio in 1991 and 1992, however OGE’s current ratio increased in 1993 surpassing FPL’s current ratio. Debt Ratios. FPL is financed by a large amount of debt. Its debt-to-equity ratio decreased from 2. 1 in 1989 to 1. 81 in 1993 (page A-1). The debt-to-total-assets ratio is also slowly decreasing from . 67 in 1989 to . 64 in 1993. (page A-2). FPL’s debt ratios are very similar to OGE’s. The largest difference occurs in 1991 with a difference of . 033, and this difference could be due to the extra amount of debt FPL generated that year. A quick analysis of these ratios proves that while FPL is financed by a large amount of debt, its debt is slowly decreasing. It may be, however, that FPL’s debt is decreasing at too slow of a rate to keep its dividends high. Coverage Ratios. A major problem facing FPL is its high interest expense. The interest coverage ratio shows how well FPL is able to pay its interest payments and FPL’s capacity to take on new debt. FPL’s interest coverage ratio from 1989 to 1993 fluctuates from year to year, and the ratio is the highest in 1992 at 1. 77 and the lowest in 1990 at -. 068 (page A-2). This shows that it is very difficult for FPL to make interest payments and that FPL would not be able to take on new debt in the near future. OGE’s interest coverage ratio is greater than FPL’s interest ratio for all three years. This could signify that FPL’s debt, while similar in comparison to OGE, could have higher interest rates. FPL’s financial ratios demonstrate that FPL has some problems that it needs to solve, the major problem being interest expense. Furthermore, while Broadhead’s plans are for the long-term, they are hurting FPL’s financial standing in the short-term. Cash Flow Analysis. FPL provides a statement of cash flows for the years 1989 to 1993 that shows the company’s cash inflows and outflows for each of the past five years (page A-3). The statement of cash flows is divided into three sections: operating, investing and financing activities. FPL has experienced a net decrease in cash flow three of the past five years. This is due largely in part to FPL’s large amount of cash used in investing activities. Regardless of FPL’s net cash flow, its cash balance is always positive at year-end. FPL’s average cash balance at year-end for the past five years has been $127,330,000. This is a large cash balance and could be a sign that FPL is receiving too much of its cash from debt and can therefore decrease its borrowing. This can also be a sign that FPL can use more cash in its investing activities to improve their return on investment. Future Outlook for FPL As the electric utility industry is experiencing reform, FPL’s competitive position and expected growth prospects in the future are important considerations. On the one hand, the industry would face an intense competitive environment as a result of the introduction of retail wheeling in Florida, which would require companies to invest more money into generating renewable and nontraditional energy, building new transmission systems, and building more plants to service customers. The addition of many competitors could be a threat to FPL’s current market share. On the other hand, companies would also face great opportunities to expand their businesses. FPL is the largest electric utility in Florida and the fourth largest in the country. FPLs service covers 27,650 square miles and contains a population of 6. 5 million people. The population in the area is expected to increase substantially in the following years, which will continue to improve FPL’s growth outlook. With the introduction of retail wheeling, FPL could gain the opportunity to provide power to a larger region of Florida and even into other states. These reforms could give successful companies like FPL the opportunity to gain an even larger market share. When James Broadhead became the CEO of FPL, he developed a long-range strategic plan to focus on improving the utilities business. By 1994, operating efficiency had improved dramatically as nuclear plant availability had risen to 83%, compared to the industry average 70%, and fossil fuel plant availability had risen to 89%, compared to industry average 70%. At the same time, Broadhead also reversed FPLs diversification program and reduced costs. Broadhead sold several of FPL’s non-utility businesses and lso focused on reducing administration costs by flatting the organization and reducing headcount by 30%. FPL had a good year in 1993 with a net income of $514, or $2. 75 per share. FPL was expected to have and even better year 1994 due to decreasing capital expenditures and increasing sales. FPL expenditures had totaled $5. 8 billion during the past five years, $800 milli on under budget. FPL was also expected to decline its expenditures by another 33% to $3. 9 billion over the next five years. FPLs sales growth had exceeded the national average over the past five years (3. 4% annual growth versus 2. % industry average) and was expected to exceed the national average over the next five years as well (2. 7% versus 1. 8%). FPL was expected to grow 50% faster than the national average. This high level of expected growth compared to decreasing expenditures will give FPL a great competitive position in an industry about to experience the challenge of increased competition. As a result of the recent changes facing the industry in October of 1993, Standard and Poor’s Rating Group decided to change the way they rate investor-owned electric utilities by including an evaluation of competitive position. They would consider factors such as prospects for customer and sales growth, revenue vulnerabilities and dependencies, rates by consumer class relative to competing utilities, adequacy of baseload and peaking capacity, fuel diversity, regulatory environment, and management’s financial goals. Based on an evaluation by SP of these criteria, it was determined that FPL’s current position was rated well above the industry and was in the top 10% of all investor-owned utilities. This supports our conclusion that FPL has a strong competitive and business position. Current Payout to FPL Shareholders As of late, the dividend payout ratio of FPL Group has been a primary focus of both investors and analysts. Historically, FPL had increased its dividend payout for the past 47 years, making it the longest running utility company and the third longest running publicly traded company to do so. Failure to increase the dividend payout ratio would end this streak. FPL has been increasing their dividends so greatly that they are growing even faster than earnings. The FPL Group’s current payout ratio is 91%, which was high or the industry with the average around 83. 65%. The fact that this payout ratio is at the high end of the industry, an industry already known for having high dividend payout ratios, is perceived as a sign of a healthy company. From a shareholder perspective, a dividend cut will most likely harm the value of FPL initially. It is possible that a number of FPL investors hold the stock because of the expectation of high dividend payo uts. A cut would likely be viewed as a sign of poor financial health and would therefore drop the market price of FPL stock. However, from an FPL perspective, this payout ratio is too high compared to the industry. FPL will need additional funds in order to be prepared for the changes facing the industry. The need to expand business operations and prepare for competition as a result of retail wheeling will make it very difficult to maintain the 91% payout ratio. By paying out a lower percentage, FPL could increase their potential growth opportunities and place the company ahead of the competition, which would ultimately improve the value of FPL for shareholders. Dividend Policy The purpose of dividend payouts is to return wealth back to the company shareholders instead of using it for operations. Dividends provide investors with regular income from their investments and act as an incentive to continue or start investing in the company. The company’s share price will drop in relation to the dividend payout, because a company’s value has not risen, they are just allocating money differently. All dividends must be declared by the board of directors and are taxable as income to the recipients. According to the Fundamentals of Financial Management textbook, a major aspect of a firm’s dividend policy is to determine the appropriate allocation of profits between dividend payments and additions to the firm’s retained earnings. There are arguments for and against paying dividends at all. Paying dividends leaves the company with less money to invest toward future growth and can therefore slow down expansion. Those in favor of not paying dividends say that the policy is irreverent because it does not technically matter how earnings are split between dividends and retained earnings. There is no ultimate affect on the wealth of the shareholders. Another argument against dividends is that investors are able to create â€Å"homemade† dividends by selling some shares of stock to keep a regular income or by buying additional shares using the money received. Arguments for dividend payouts are that certain investors may prefer them to capital gains. Receiving money on a regular basis psychologically lowers the risk of investing to some people. Although capital gains are taxed at a lower percent then dividends, there are exceptions such as retirement and pension funds where no taxes are paid on either. There is also a use for dividends as financial health signals. For example, if FPL Group, Inc has a steady dividend payout that suddenly increases, investors may think that there is a positive change in the expected profitability and will purchase additional shares, leading to an increase in its stock price. The opposite would be true if they cut a steadily paying dividend, resulting in a possible share price tumble due to nervous investors, even if FPL’s financial health remains strong. This information can be used to estimate the effect a cut to dividends would have on FPL shareholders. Considering FLP has had traditionally high payouts for the electric utility industry and have been increasing dividends for forty-seven consecutive years, a dividend cut would be a large change in direction. Cuts were not historically common for utility companies except when financial trouble was stirring. Two examples have been given in the case: Consolidated Edison Company of New York, and Sierra Pacific Resources whose stock dropped by 23% and its shareholders sued. Investors at FPL could quite possibly see a cut as an indication of an increased financial risk, even if that is not the case. If more investors leave or if they leave quicker than the new investors enter, this could lead to a temporarily depressed share price. In conclusion, from a shareholder point of view, continuing to increase dividends would be the best option, followed by holding them steady as next best. Alternatives The alternatives currently facing Kate Stark include: 1. Changing her recommendation to â€Å"sell†. 2. Changing her recommendation to â€Å"buy†. 3. Keeping her current recommendation of â€Å"hold†. Kate Stark may choose to lower her recommendation to sell because the stock price may continue to fall as talk of a dividend cut increases. Investors holding the stock primarily because of the high dividend payouts may want to sell now. Once the decision to cut dividends is announced, the market price per share will drop. Selling now while the price has only started to drop could be the most profitable for investors not wishing to hold the stock if high dividends are not paid out. However, by selling now, shareholders are giving up their share of probable future gains. Investors could also decide to sell their shares now and then buy them again when the stock price is even lower to increase their gains. This option would be very risky for shareholders however as it is unknown when or even if the stock price will fall to its lowest value. Stark may choose to change her recommendation to â€Å"buy†. The stock price has fallen by 6% during the past day already and it is not even a certainty that FPL will cut their dividends. As a result of positive future growth outlooks and a sound competitive position as discussed previously, we believe the stock price will increase again in the future so FPL stock offers many benefits to stockholders in the long run. Buying now will give investors the opportunity to take advantage of probable increases in long-term wealth for a lower price. Stark could also decide to keep her previous recommendation of â€Å"hold†. Although the stock price may drop with news of a dividend cut, it would be unprofitable in the long term to sell because of the good growth prospects. Investors would miss out on possible gains by deciding to sell now. If FPL is able to raise their earnings, they could even maintain the high payout ratio by keeping the current $2. 48 dividend payout. The financial strength and expected growth make this a possible situation despite the industry challenges that may occur. Holding the stock would allow investors to take advantage of these long-term gains. Conclusion and Recommendation Broadhead has greatly improved the efficiency of FPL’s operations, doing his best to cut costs and ensure growth prospects for the future. With competition at the core of his strategy, which is proving itself successful, Broadhead is developing FPL’s strong competitive position so they will be able to make the introduction of retail wheeling an opportunity instead of a threat. Despite the challenges facing the changing industry, we expect FPL will continue to experience economic success and remain a healthy company. If FPL does decide to cut their dividends, we believe it would be to create additional retained earning so that FPL can reduce their debt position, better prepare for competition, and bring their payout ratio more in line with the industry average so it can continue to grow in the future- all of which will positively impact the value of FPL for shareholders. A dividend cut would therefore be in the best interest of the future growth of FPL, not because of financial problems. However, dividend cuts are not common for utilities in sound financial health and shareholders usually respond negatively to a cut in dividends, so we do not think a dividend cut is at all a certainty. As a result of this analysis, we believe FPL could to be a good long-term investment. The problem is that we are unable to tell how much stock value would drop if dividends are cut, no matter what the reason for the cut. We would advise Kate Stark to keep her â€Å"hold† recommendation on FPL stock for these mentioned reasons. FPL shows strong promise that they will continue to be profitable in the future, so investors would miss out on those long-term gains by selling now. Investors owning stock for long-term profitability reasons should hold because FPL will continue to experience growth in the future, especially since they have started preparing for competition now before it is even introduced. If investors are holding the stock because of the high payout ratio however, we would advise a sell recommendation for them because they may no longer receive the high dividends and we expect the stock price to drop even lower on an announcement of a dividend cut. We would also recommend investors not yet owning shares of FPL to wait until FPL announces a dividend cut and then buy. This announcement would decrease FPL stock to its lowest price, which would be the best time to buy and therefore experience the greatest amount of gain. Bibliography Van Horne, James C. , and John M. Wachowicz Jr. Fundamentals of Financial Management. 10th edition. NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1998. OGE Annual Report 1993. OGE . N. p. , 03/29/1994. Web. 27 Nov 2010. .

All About Famous Memorials and Monuments of the U.S.

All About Famous Memorials and Monuments of the U.S. How do we remember important events? How can we best honor our dead? Should we pay tribute with realistic sculptures of our heroes? Or, will the monument be more meaningful and profound if we choose abstract forms? Sometimes the horror of events are too unreal to accurately represent. The design of a monument or memorial is often more symbolic than an accurate representation. Powerful Memorials in the U.S. National September 11 Memorial, New York, NYU.S.S. Arizona, Honolulu, HIVietnam Veterans Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and the National WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C.Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MOMount Rushmore National Memorial, SD Often the most powerful memorials - the monuments that stir strong emotion - are surrounded with controversy. The memorials and monuments listed here show various ways architects and designers have chosen to honor heroes, respond to tragedies, or commemorate important events. The memorial is there to provide an experience, Michael Arad has said. That experience, no doubt, involves memory. It is no surprise that the word memorial comes from the Latin word memoria, meaning memory. Architecture is memory. Memorials and monuments tell a story. To Honor and Remember People and Events How many buildings have you lived in? Where did you make your home when you were a child? when you first went to school? first fell in love? Our memories are inextricably tied with place. Events in our lives are permanently entangled with where they happened. Even when all the details may be fuzzy, the sense of place is forever with us. Architecture can be powerful markers of memories, so commanding that we sometimes consciously create memorials to honor and remember people and events. We may make a crude twig cross to commemorate a childhood pet. The carved stone on a family members burial site is built to stand for centuries. Bronze plaques remind a nation of bravery in face of adversity. Concrete tombs can visually present the scope of tragedies. How do we use architecture to express loss and hope for renewal? Does it make sense to spend millions of dollars building September 11 memorials? How we spend our money is an ongoing debate for families, nations, and institutions. The First Monuments and Memorials The earliest creations built by man for purposes other than shelter were spiritual in nature  - monuments to higher powers and memorials to honor the dead. One thinks of the prehistoric Stonehenge in Britain and the Grecian Parthenon built in 432 B.C. for the goddess Athena. The first memorials may have been the great pyramids in Egypt, the tombs of the great kings and pharaohs. Historically, human beings remember events related to war. As tribal conflicts became wars between nation states, the victors have built monuments to their victories. Monuments designed as arches can be traced back to the triumphal arches of Rome, such as the Arch of Titus (A.D. 82) and the  Arch of Constantine (A.D. 315). These Roman arches influenced 19th and 20th century war memorials around the world, including one of the most famous triumphal arches, the 1836 Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. American War Memorials and Monuments The 1842 Bunker Hill Memorial near Boston, Massachusetts memorializes the American Revolution and the battle that took place on this sacred ground. In the United States, battlegrounds themselves are often considered the memorial. Throughout American history, memorial architecture has been built both locally and nationally. American Civil War: Monuments to Civil War heroes continue to divide the nation. Communities and groups who had erected monuments to Confederate war heroes of the 19th century found these memorials being removed in the 21st century  - remembering a culture of slavery and white supremacy became untolerable to a society struggling with inclusion.  Architecture can stir emotions and controversy. Less controversial is the 1866 Civil War Unknowns Monument, the first Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery. It is a mass grave of over 2,000 soldiers, both Union and Confederate, whose bones and bodies were picked up after gruesome battles. The tomb is inscribed in stone: Beneath this stone repose the bones of two thousand one hundred and eleven unknown soldiers gathered after the war from the fields of Bull Run, and the route to the Rappahanock, their remains could not be identified. But their names and deaths are recorded in the archives of their country, and its grateful citizens honor them as of their noble army of martyrs. May they rest in peace! September. A. D. 1866. World War I: A National World War I Memorial called The Weight of Sacrifice officially marks the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI as it is dedicated on November 11, 2018. The memorial design competition was won by the Chicago-based architect Joseph Weishaar and New York City sculptor Sabin Howard. The memorial in Washington, DCs Pershing Park is the first national monument to this war event. The 1926 Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri had been considered a national memorial because of the number of soldiers who passed through the city on their way to war. The District of Columbia War Memorial in Washington, D.C. is considered a local monument. World War II:  Dedicated in 2004, the National World War II Memorial is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Friedrich St.Florian, the Austrian-born architect, won the competition with his highly symbolic design. Down the road from St.Florians memorial is the iconic Iwo Jima Memorial. Near Arlington National Cemetery, the statue replicates a dynamic photograph depicting an important event in WWII Pacific War history. The 1954 statue, however, is really called the United States Marine Corps War Memorial and is dedicated to all Marines who have given their lives in defense of the United States since 1775. Similarly, the nearby 2006 United States Air Force Memorial  and the 1987 United States Navy Memorial honor those military branches. The horrors of WWII may best be depicted at the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, a 1962 museum built over the hull of a sunken battleship. Keeping the ruins of war has been a popular way to impress memories of war on future generations. In Hiroshima, Japan the Atomic Bomb Dome, the remains of a building from the 1945 atomic bomb attack, is central to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Korean War: The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. was dedicated July 27, 1995, decades after the 1953 armistice. Unlike other memorials, the Korean War Veterans Memorial honors the nearly six million Americans who served during the three-year conflict and not just the men and women who gave their lives. Vietnam War: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall - the controversial design by architect Maya Lin - was dedicated in 1982 and remains one of the most visited sites in Washington, D.C. One of its most emotional appeals is the reflective nature of the engraved stone, where a viewers image can literally be reflected while reflecting on the names of the dead and missing. A bronze statue of three soldiers was added in 1964 and the  Vietnam Womens Memorial statue was added in 1993. Terrorism: A new type of war for the United States is undeclared, yet the horror of terrorism is everpresent. Michael Arads vision for a National September 11 Memorial in New York City reflects the absence of what once existed - both buildings and people are to be remembered. In Shanksville, Pennsylvania, a 90-foot wind chime called the Tower of Voices houses 40 tonal tubes that sing together as the voices of the 40 passengers and crew of United Flight 93. September 11 memorials often use symbolism to honor place and people. The Tower of Voices in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Jeff Swensen/Getty Images (cropped) Tomb of the Unknown Soldier The 1921 Tomb of the Unknowns, or the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, at Arlington National Cemetery is a simple white marble sarcophagus (coffin) that holds powerful symbolic meaning. Like the walls of the 1922 Lincoln Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknowns is constructed with bright white marble from the Yule Quarry in Colorado. Neoclassical pilasters, wreaths representing the major battles of World War I, and Grecian figures symbolizing Peace, Victory, and Valor decorate the marble panels. One panel is inscribed: HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO GOD. Although the Tomb of the Unknowns holds the remains of only a few individuals, the site honors the many unidentified men and women who gave their lives in armed conflict. The Tomb of the Unknowns also underscores Americas commitment to account for all service members who are missing - an idea that gained prominence after the Civil War. Both the Tomb of the Unknowns and the earlier Civil War Unknowns Monument have been the focus of remembrance since the first Decoration Day, now called Memorial Day, when spring flowers are used to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers. Holocaust Memorials Millions of people were killed between 1933 and 1945 in what is known as the Holocaust or Shoah. Remembering the horror of the slaughter is an attempt to never allow its repeat. Two of the best-known memorials are museums by two well-known architects. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, Germany, was designed by Peter Eisenman and the Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum in Jerusalem is by Moshe Safdie. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. opened inn 1993 as a living memorial to the Holocaust. In Europe, artist Gunter Demnig has created Stolpersteine or stumbling stones to memorialize the last known addresss of victims. Architect Daniel Libeskind has created a Jewish Museum in Berlin, Germany and the Ohio Holocaust and Liberators Memorial in Columbus, Ohio. For some Holocaust survivors, remembering the horrors has been neither easy nor desireable. The history of the Holocaust Memorial in Miami Beach, Florida has its own story of objection and disapproval - yet the resulting sculpture garden is profound and moving. Monuments and Memorials to Leaders, Groups, and Movements Until the 21st century, United States Presidents have been revered. One thinks of the great heads carved in stone at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument, and Lincoln Memorial are three of the most well-known architecture destinations created for the public in all of Washington, D.C. In 1997, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial was added to the presidential mix in the nations capital. The John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial by Pritzker Laureate Philip Johnson is located in Dallas, Texas - the site of the presidential assassination. Consensus is never unanimous for which U.S. Presidents deserve to be remembered. Agreement is even less harmonious for other leaders, groups, and movements. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. is a case in point - bickering before and after it was dedicated in 2011. The Civil Right Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama, designed by Maya Lin, was dedicated in 1989 to far less controversy. National memorials and monuments to the plight of disenfranchised Americans  - Native Americans, Black Americans, and LGBT Americans, for example - are few or nonexistant, except for museums. The design of monuments is often modelled after historic architecture of the past. For example, the iconic 1892 Washington Square Arch in New York Citys Greenwich Village looks strikingly similar to the triumphal stone arches built since the Roman Arch of Titus from the year 82. Likewise, the 1910 Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown, Massachusetts was designed specifically after the 14th century Torre Del Mangia in Siena, Italy. Design is not materials, however, as the tower rising on Cape Cod is not Italian brick but made of granite from Maine  - the tallest all-granite structure in the U.S. Monuments to Ideals The St. Louis Gateway Arch is an homage to Westward Expansion. The Statue of Liberty National Monument is a monument to the ideals of freedom and opportunity. Nearby on Roosevelt Island in New York City, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, designed by modernist architect Louis I. Kahn,  is a memorial not only to FDR, but also to his vision of basic human rights. Sometimes we build memorials to remind us of whats important. Why We Need Monuments and Memorials Monuments and memorials ultimately tell stories, the tales important to their human creators. Architecture, including memorials and monuments, is an expressive tool. Design can show prosperity, whimsy, solemnity, or a combination of qualities. But architecture doesnt need to be big and expensive to ensure memory. When we build things, sometimes the purpose is an obvious marker of a life or an event to be remembered. But anything we build can kindle the flames of memory. In the words of John Ruskin (1819-1900): Therefore, when we build, let us think that we build for ever. Let it not be for present delight, nor for present use alone; let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for, and let us think, as we lay stone on stone, that a time is to come when those stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that men will say as they look upon the labor and wrought substance of them, See! this our fathers did for us. - Section X, The Lamp of Memory, The Seven Lamps of Architecture, 1849 Sources Eva Hagberg, How Architecture Commemorates Tragedy, Metropolis, June 28, 2005, metropolismag.com/uncategorized/how-architecture-commemorates-tragedy/History of the Marine Corps War Memorial, National Park Service, https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/learn/historyculture/usmcwarmemorial.htm David A. Graham. The Stubborn Persistence of Confederate Monuments, The Atlantic, April 26, 2016, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/04/the-stubborn-persistence-of-confederate-monuments/479751/Civil War Unknown Monument, Arlington National Cemetery, arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Monuments-and-Memorials/Civil-War-Unknowns History of the Holocaust Memorial, Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach, https://holocaustmemorialmiamibeach.org/about/history/Quick Facts, Pilgrim Monument, https://www.pilgrim-monument.org/pilgrim-monument/Additional Photo Credits: USS Arizona National Memorial, MPI/Getty Images (cropped); Atomic Bomb Dome, Craig Pershouse/Getty Images; Pilgrim Monument, haveseen/Getty Images; Torr e del Mangia, Nadya85/Getty Images (cropped)

The EMR Use by MS's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The EMR Use by MS's - Essay Example One can expect HIPAA to require this in the future, which also means that records need to be both accessible and private (Mandi, 2001). Although EMR’s have grown to become easier to adopt into a practice, and more flexible, there is nevertheless a significant learning curve for the medical staff and physicians, and a series of other issues which must be considered in (1) deciding to adopt an EMR system for an up-to-now written/paper-based practice, and (2) to adapt to the requirements of HIPAA and the competitive environment in order to make the changeover (Miller, 2004). The primary benefit of EMR’s is the ability to provide records quickly for a patient, which can speed up both a physician’s access to records (both in terms of time and completeness), and to communicate those records to stakeholders, such as patients and hospitals. (McDonald, 1997). A second key benefit is the ability, once on a digitized record, to enhance the speed and accuracy of billing. Billing carries two key considerations: is the billing accurate (i.e. does it capture the actual procedures performed), is it complete (i.e. are all billable procedures included—a big source of potential additional revenue for many practices), is it timely (i.e. how quickly does it get communicated from the physician’s practice to the third-party payer) and how much additional work will be required in order to complete the claim? The last of these four points can sometimes be the most difficult for a paper-based physician’s office practice, as all healthcare professionals know that they can get tied up on the phone and with back-and-forth traffic with the third party insurer on specific claims. In short, the more information available, the more likely that the claim will be accepted. Third-party coding has now become a big business. Those practices that are able to send digital files to onshore or offshore coding facilities generally find a better record of billing (i.e. more

Attention Deficit Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Attention Deficit Disorder - Essay Example The first step that most patients take that you may want to consider is that of pharmacological medication. By choosing this option you will be using a cost effective way of managing the disorder because this treatment has been proven to be the most successful. Your doctor my prescribe Ritalin, Adderall, Cylert with Ritalin being the most popular. Ritalin contains methylphenidate which is "Currently the focus of widespread and intensive study and is broadly considered by experts in the treatment of ADD to be the single most effective intervention for inattention and impulsivity" (Noral). Methylphenidate has demonstrated effectiveness in controlling undesirable symptoms such as "Inattentiveness and impulsivity for approximately seventy percent of the diagnosed with ADD for whom it was prescribed (Noral). While methylphenidate is the most effective in most patients, your doctor may go through the process of elimination and have you try several different drugs in order to find the one t hat works best for you. Typically you will be prescribed a once daily dose of this medication and the "Effects of this dose on predetermined behavioral and educational objectives such as focus, time on task, and impulse control are carefully monitored" (Noral). When you take these medications they will raise the level of your neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine which are all chemicals in your brain that control your motivation, concentration and alertness. In the beginning of your treatment you may suffer several side effects depending on the medication you are taking. This is why it may take some time and patience before you and your doctor find the medication and dosage that is best suited for you. "Nervousness and insomnia are the most common adverse reactions to methylphenidate and other medication side effects can include "Upset stomach, decreased appetite, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, allergic reactions, increased blood pressure and psychosis" (ADHDNews.com). Whil e you will find this pharmacological treatment to be the most effective it is also the most controversial due to the undesirable side affects that have been seen in certain patients. If these side effects are too detrimental you may want to then take a step back and explore other treatment options. Often behavior therapy and interventions are the second step patients take when they are not getting results from their medication or the side effects are too overwhelming. You may want to consider this second step in treating your ADD if you have exhausted all possible pharmacological medications. One type of behavioral therapy you may want to consider is psychoeducational input. "Psychoeducational input is a form of therapy in which patients and their relatives should be empowered to understand and accept the illness and cope with it in a successful manner" (Sherman). This method can often mean many sacrifices for yourself and your family, because you will need to make changes in your routine and daily life in order to work around your ADD. Another method you may consider is Interpersonal Psychotherapy. If you choose to pursue this method your therapist will work with you and help diagnosis the direct instances when your ADD symptoms appear and identify your problem areas. Once the se have been

The Ecological and Evolutionary impact of cane toads in Australia Coursework

The Ecological and Evolutionary impact of cane toads in Australia - Coursework Example The females are illustrated to be larger in term of size compared to their male counterparts (MobileReferences, 2009). However, there have been records to indicate the presence of outsized toads with the latest dubbed ‘toadzilla’ as it weighed 1.9 pounds and was 20.5 cm long. The male and female cane toads can be distinguished by their appearance since females have a smooth skin especially during the mating season whereas the males have a rough skin. Similarly, cane toads can be differentiated other native Australian frogs with their characteristic activity during the day in their clusters and the ability to sit upright. Adapted from http://www.feralscan.org.au/docs/Is%20it%20a%20cane%20toad%20Identifying%20toads.pdf Cane toads are found in abundant in areas defined by grasslands, woodlands, sand dune, rain forests and mangroves. The diet and feeding trends is vastly flexible since they feed on anything that they can swallow including beetles, bees, ants, termites, crick ets, pet food and household scraps. In addition, smaller toads, marine snails, native frogs and small snakes form part of the cane toads’ occasional diet depending on their availability. The cane toad was first presented in Australia’s Queensland from South America in the year 1935 in an effort to regulate beetle pests of sugarcane (Langford, 2011). However, studies have indicated that cane toads failed to control the cane beetles and relied on other prey (Lindenmayer and Burgman 2005, p.180). Although about 102 can toads were first introduced in Australia, the number has grown enormously to an approximate of 1.5 billion, and it is estimated that the toads occupy over 1 million square kilometres of Australian territory (Hanson, 2013). As such, cane toads are regarded as pests in Australia owing to the nuisance associated with the species. This creates negative economic as well as social impacts to the country, which seek immediate address to control the menace. Cane to ad invasion speed (km/year) in areas of suitable habitat Adapted from http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/urban/MS.pdfs/2008(5)/Urbanetal.2008AmNat.pdf Cane toads are known for their capacity to poison humans and their pets. All the lifecycle stages of the toad are poisonous as the paratoid glands produce the poison (Cameron 2012). The toad responds to threats by turning the paratoid glands towards the intruder and spraying over a short distance a fine squirt of the poison. The poison is absorbed through the mucus membranes such as the eyes; mouth and the nose to cause immerse pain and irritation. Although no humans are reported to have died in Australia, other parts of the world have received casualties after consuming cane toad delicacies (Badger and Netherton2004, p.96). Poisoning is indicated by profuse salivation, vomiting, and shallow breathe. The poison is illustrated to act principally on the heart and death may occur due to cardiac arrest. The toads have been demonstra ted to inhabit residential areas around swimming pools. This creates a disturbing scene to residents seeking to spend a warm afternoon by the pool. Moreover, the toads play host numerous parasites including roundworms and salmonella due to ingestion faeces, and can easily transmit infections in the society. Similarly, the toads are capable of transmitting diseases to native frogs and fishes (CSIRO 2003, p.2). Rotting carcases of cane toads

Democracy And The Development In Uganda Politics Essay

Democracy And The Development In Uganda Politics Essay The topic of Presentation, is solicited and linked by the presenter, to a variety of suggested development topics, which bear profound concern and relevance to the concept of holistic human development, based on un diluted Democratic Governance. Holistic Development in general, as duly embracing the social and economic growth, in relation to developing countries, such as Uganda, bears a significant brotherhood, as well impacting relationship to undiluted democracy, where it is taken and emphasized as an inevitable basis and root of holistic human development. The selected topic of Democracy and Development significantly connote as well imply that democracy, in an un diluted form is an inevitable basis of holistic human corporate development and that such development should be rooted in the attributes of good, accountable, transparent, as well selfless positive democratic governance of a people. It is, therefore, to be noted that the functional practice and presence of democracy, or the profound lack of it, or presence of the same, in diluted unconventional forms and content, in a developing country, such as Uganda, in the defined aspects of human corporate, political, social and even cultural endeavors, does also connote, as well imply a negative reversal of that development, whatever it may be. It is to be noted further, that holistic development denotes as well as implies the physical and spiritual growth of holistic human endeavors and efforts, in the inevitable context of good democratic corporate governance of a people. This means that human beings, duly struggle and work for holistic development, as well as ensuing growth, in both the physical and spiritual worlds, as the governance and leadership structures, the implementation of such structures, their functional lay outs, practices and operations, as well as leadership styles, are democratic and rooted in undiluted democracy for democratic institutions, of democratic orientation and setting. Note the rationalization as duly enunciated and amplified above, is quite perceivable in Uganda, as an African country, within the prescribed scenario of a developing world, (call it underdeveloped for some relative emphasis). The researcher and writer of the concept paper, is a Ugandan, working and coming from Uganda, for which the full paper of presentation, shall demonstrate and amplify, for international consumption, understanding, analysis, appraisal, evaluation, in addition to taking cognizance of the inherent concepts of diluted democracy, as impacting human holistic development, in a particular emphasis to Uganda. 2.0 THE BACKGROUND 2.1 The Recent Historical Perspective: Since 1986, Uganda (located in the East African interland), has made acclaimed substantial progress, in promoting good governance, at the political, economic, social and even cultural fronts of Uganda. The country, has been officially and widely acknowledged, as sustaining a positive economic development and growth, which, in the statistical opinion and assessment of the view perpetuators, averages 6%, over the recent one and half decades, the country having progressively, moved from mere economic recovery stage and reconstruction status, towards a substantial sustainable economic development and progressive growth, targeting a massive poverty reduction from among the grassroots population. It is being further stated that Ugandas Macro economic stability much as it is progressively and positively improving, remains a major area of the countrys grassroot focused reforms and development efforts, for the express purposes of wider resource allocation. Indeed, Ugandas fiscal and monetary restraints, as coupled with the attributes of prudent and fugal monetary management and administration, has appropriately and inevitably, supported the countrys robust economic development and systematic growth, and has, consequently, forestalled, over and above contained the hyper inflation, to a single digit level, over most of the one and half decades of the prospective periodic review. Nevertheless, according to the official statistics, the proportion of Ugandans, as defined and prescribed, as living in absolute poverty, did over the period of economic review, accordingly decline from 56% to 35%. It has been officially further highlighted that, the per capita income gains, between the years 1992 2005/6 were quite modest, allegedly because of the countrys high population growth rate at 3.4 per 1000 people. The same has remained so. It has been further stated, that significant challenges are poised, for the economic attainments, as stated and highlighted, in the acknowledgement reports of international nature for Ugandas economic and even political appraisal. These, among others, include: The setting up of sustainable fight and impactive mitigations of abject poverty, at grassroot levels. Putting up impacting measures if mitigating high level economically retrogressive corruption which is endemic in the countrys top and middle level leaders. Resolving the political and military conflict in the Northern Region of the country, which has persisted, for over two (2) decades. Addressing others, but not duly specified subterranean forces which hamper, as well as derail the countrys democratization process and positive economic development of sustainable growth, as already highlighted. All in all, Ugandas political, social and economic development, is duly linked up with improvement in democracy and democratic governance, of the country, if all things, and the political will associated thereto, and the systems and practices established for the due installation of an undiluted democratic dispensation, were not merely cosmetic and inherently, distracted by the countrys leadership. 2.2 The Instruments and Measures to Address the Development Dimension, but Rife with Diluted Democracy. This is to be properly demonstrated and amplified in the paper as follows: 2.2 (1) Diluted Democracy and Misguided Political Governance One has to note inter alia that Uganda, as an independent country and nation of colonial creation has became of diluted democracy and misguided political governance; went through a tumultuous checkered political history, since the attainment of independence and standing, as a new country in the year 1962. The country has gone full circle from assumed parliamentary form of diluted democracy, to the years of full vetted and sporadic concealed military benevolent dictatorship of quasi civilian rule, of tactic political cajoling, to the present day. The short lived burst of apparent prospective political enthusiasm; to independence, and soon after it, was soon replaced by a long, almost unremitting period of near despair and disappointment, up to 1986, when Yoweri K. Museveni, of presumed liberator NRM and an accomplished disciple of diluted democracy syndicate took over state power by force of arms. In the minds of many democratic foresighted Ugandans, this was in essence, not different from the 1966 Crisis, where the consensus ridden, and generally accepted independence constitution of the country, was violently overthrown and abrogated by similar force of arms by benevolent dictatorship of the Late Milton Obote. He did this, in his capacity as second Executive Prime Minister of the Country, after Uganda had become internally self governing in March 1961. However, the distinguishing political feature between the Museveni and NRM Military take over, of power in 1986, and the Obotes UPC take over of power, after abrogating the 1962 Constitution, was that in 1980 a Uganda grassroot peoples mandate, to govern the country, had been violently infringed and violated by a massively rigged general elections, which brought back Obote, to power, for yet another time, after his first violent overthrow from power by General Idd Amin in 1971. The inherent advocacy and justification of the Musevenis NRMs take over of Government by force of arms, was, therefore, made on the commensurate pretext, that there had been massive rigging of national elections by Obote, and his UPC party, in December, 1980, and that there had been fragrant dictatorial misrule of the country, by Obote and his party, which provided Museveni, with a blank Cheque of governance, in Uganda, after the military take over of power, in January, 1986.. It is, therefore, to be noted here, that since the year 1966, to the present day, despite the positive and inherently appreciable Museveni and NRM cosmetic democratic innovations, as well as plausible features, of due reliance to the military, rather than the established democratic institutions, to govern, has over the time, persisted in Uganda. Hence the assertion that the army, has to be represented, as an organ of state, in the Parliament of Uganda, a prerogative of civilian rule and governance, in well oriented democratic states of the world. Therefore, with diluted democracy in Uganda, at the centre stage, the country, has been characterized by civil wars; repressive governance policies, as well as statute laws of mere political expedience; a war monger governance style; a persistent refugee influx; and to big extent, a reversal and retrogression of would be attained social and economic gains, as presumably having been acquired, in the positive wake of the rather cosmetic democratic systems; which unfortunately have duly and inadvertently, persuaded committed and uncommitted political observers both locally and internationally. The negative impact of the political, social, economic and even cultural instability and overlapping political confusion, brought about as a result, is destined to leave a lot of deep scars in the general fabric of the country, for many years to come, across the countrys political and social spectrum. Nevertheless, there are, as it were, undeniable overt development, since Museveni and NRM captured state power in Uganda in year 1986. It is also to be noted that the progressively concealed military regime change in 1986 was incidentally hailed locally, most especially in the countrys central region of Buganda and even across the globe. The regime brought relative peace and security in those areas, of the country, where it was not resisted, for obvious reasons. While one part of the country, was at war with the regime, for now over 20 years, the part not at war, got the economy of Uganda, partially and somewhat rejuvenated as well as resuscitated, under the mistaken guise that the whole country was not at war. The regime, has to some debatable extent, safeguarded the conventionally accepted principles of human liberties, through selected and guided promotions of relative press freedom, allowing some form of multiparty political dispensation, while limiting the fundamental freedoms of assembly and also did selectively, put an end to the fragrant open human rights abuses, as exercising appreciable controls over the army, from being an arm of repressive tact political abuses, and to progressively make the same an apparently friendly organ of the civilian population, which was not the case before, for any of the past Government regimes of post independent Uganda. However, amidst these fairly positive attributes and apparent overt achievements, Uganda faces a momental task, as well a challenge for establishing and nursing, as well as fostering visible and feasible functioning democratic institutions, which shall be beyond the whims and outright undemocratic dictates of incumbent Executive Presidents of the country. 3.0 WHAT HAS DODGED THE CURRENT UGANDAN GOVERNMENT IN INSTITUTING DURABLE DEMOCRACY FOR DEVELOPMENT IN UGANDA This is to be the major subject of address and presentation by a fully indented paper on Democracy and Development in Uganda. 3.1 The Paper Objectives The Key Objectives for the paper therefore shall be: 3.1.1 Objective One: To outline the brief events of thwarted democracy in Uganda, which has resulted in the checkered post independence history of the country, which has bred overt and covert military dictatorships. 3.1.2 Objective Two To state and demonstrate the profound failings, as well as shortcomings of Ugandas post independence dictatorial Government regimes including the NRM, in entrenching undiluted democracy which is the root and sound sanctuary of holistic genuine corporate development of the country. Objective Three To show why despite the apparently commendable progress in putting in place a plethora of regulatory institutions, policies, a constitution and statutory laws for building and establishing a democratic state of Uganda, there is unfortunately a looming and impending political catastrophe which might reverse and retrogress all apparent economic, political and even social gains, if nothing is done to forestall the same genuinely. 3.1.4 Objective Four To illustrate a lack of genuine commitment and political patriotic will to mitigate and fight the rate of high level corruption, which duly impacts democracy and holistic development, in Uganda. 3.1.5 Objective Five To demonstrate, as well as show that Museveni and the NRM duly displayed undiluted democratic tendencies and practices from the beginning, up to the 12th year of his rule in Uganda. It is in these years, that the country did genuinely develop and built the impetus that has pushed the NRM regime, to live up to the present day, albeit the diminishing fortunes, arising out of the incessant repressiveness overtime. 4.0 CONCLUSION By the end of the paper presentation, it is hereby envisaged and anticipated that the presentation, as envisioned, by this concept note, shall lead to an international understanding, appraisal and evaluation of the democratic and developmental overtures, in Uganda, to lead to an appreciation of functions, innovations of fitting approaches and their due rationalization, in a Ugandan African context of congenial democratic development.

Suicide: My Thoughts :: Free Essays

I have known many adolescents who have thought about suicide. People’s reasons for suicide just cannot be legit in most cases. Some reasons are: â€Å"my girlfriend broke up with me† or â€Å"people make fun of me† or how about â€Å"I don’t have any friends?† Whatever the reason for the thought of suicide, there isn’t a valid one, unless we are dealing in euthanasia. People usually think suicide is the best and only solution to an insignificant problem. They do not think about the consequences or the people they may hurt in the process. So what if you total your car, or if some people don’t like you and you aren’t the most beautiful and popular person there is. It all matters on what you think about yourself. One might think: well how would he know how these people feel? I know because I too thought about suicide at one point in my life. But after evaluating the situation and putting some thought into how I not only would be creating the biggest sin there is, but how I will hurt my family and the ones who love me. I came to grips with reality and realized there are much better things in life than to sit and sulk about stupid, insignificant problems that occurred in my day. So what? That’s life. Suicide is not a solution to any problem. It only makes things worse and more complicated. Depressed people are not the only ones to commit suicide. A person who could seem to be the happiest, most outgoing person you know could kill themselves and you would never be able to figure out why. People just sporadically think that suicide is the best alternative and that it is the end all be all solution to all their problems. But what they don’t think about is that they won’t have anymore problems because they will be dead.

The Glaze Storms of 1998

Ice storms, also referred to as glaze storms, cause considerable damage every year to trees in urban and natural areas. They vary considerably in their severity and frequency. Ice storms are result of the ice formation process, which is influenced by general weather patterns. Ice accumulates when super cooled rain freezes on contact with surfaces, such as tree branches, that are at or below the freezing point (0'C). This generally occurs when a winter warm front passes through an area after the ground-level temperature reaches or falls below freezing. Rain falls through layers of cooler air without freezing, becoming super cooled. Periodically, other climatic events, including stationary, occluded, and cold fronts, also result in ice storms. The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding of the1998 ice storm. This paper features three main section: An introduction, the main body (damage to woodland), and finally, a conclusion. In the main body of this paper, the effect of fire and pest/disease is discussed in detail. In the conclusion, comparison is made between fire and pests/disease versus ice storm. By the end of this paper, one should gain a better understanding of the severity of the 1998 ice storm as well as other damaging agents that affect the woodland in eastern North America Ice storms are often winter's worst hazard. More slippery than snow, freezing rain or glaze is tough and tenacious, clinging to every object it touches. A little can be dangerous, a lot can be catastrophic. Ice storm in Northeastern America has been common but the 1998 ice storm was exceptional. Ice storms are a major hazard in all parts of Canada except the North, but are especially common from Ontario to Newfoundland. The severity of ice storms depends largely on the accumulation of ice, the duration of the event, and the location and extent of the area affected. Based on these criteria, Ice Storm'98 was the worst ever to hit Canada in recent memory. From January 5-10, 1998 the total water equivalent of precipitation, comprising mostly freezing rain and ice pellets and a bit of snow, exceeded 85 mm in Ottawa, 73 mm in Kingston, 108 in Cornwall and 100 mm in Montreal (Environmental Canada, Jan 12/1998). Previous major ice storms in the region, notably December 1986 in Ottawa and February 1961 in Montreal, deposited between 30 and 40 mm of ice – about half the thickness from the 1998 storm event! (Environmental Canada, Jan 12/1998). The extent of the area affected by the ice was enormous. Freezing precipitation is often described as â€Å"a line of† or â€Å"spotty occurrences of†. At the peak of the storm, the area of freezing precipitation extended from Muskoka and Kitchener in Ontario through eastern Ontario, western Quebec and the Eastern Townships to the Fundy coasts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. What made the ice storm so unusual, though, was that it went on for so long. On average, Ottawa and Montreal receive freezing precipitation on 12 to 17 days a year. Each episode generally lasts for only a few hours at a time, for an annual average total between 45 to 65 hours. During Ice Storm'98, it did not rain continuously, however, the number of hours of freezing rain and drizzle was in excess of 80 – again nearly double the normal annual total. One of the most appealing features of Eastern Ontario is the extensive forest cover. This is made up of woodlands of varying structure. These woodlands, as well as natural fencerows, windbreaks, and plantations of pine and poplar, dominate the landscape. Icing impacts may best be understood by treating spatially larger scales, starting with individual trees, proceeding to stands, and finally to forest landscapes. Ice damage to trees can range from mere breakage of a few twigs, to bending stems to the ground, to moderate crown loss, to outright breakage of the trunk. In the 1998 Northeastern ice storm, icing lasted long enough that many trees which were bent over had their crowns glued to the snow surface by the ice in many instances for as long as 3 weeks. Some of those trees actually erect posture after release from the snow, while many others remain bent over after 2 years. The severity of damage is generally believed to be closely related to the severity of winds following the heaviest ice accumulations. Damage varies across a range of severity and subtlety: minor branch breakage; major branch loss; bending over of crowns; root damages; breakage of trunks and in some hardwoods, trunks can be split. Depending on the stand composition, the amount of ice accumulation, and the stand history, damage to stands can range from light and patchy to the total breakage of all mature stems. Complete flattening of stands occurred locally in the Northeaster 1998 storm. In response to more moderate damage, effects on stands could include: shifts in over story composition in favor of the most resistant trees; loss of stand growth until leaf area is restored; and loss of value of the growth due to staining or damage to stem form. The term landscape refers to a ‘group† or a ‘family† of trees. I use the term vaguely because the size and composition of landscapes differ from region to region. The degree of damage is typically highly skewed by area. For example, in the January 1998 Northeaster storm, 1,800,000 ha of damage in Quebec was assessed by the Ministry of Natural Resource: very severe 4.2%, severe 32.0%, moderate 29.9%, and slight/trace 33.9% (The Science of the Total Environment, Volume: 262, Issue: 3, November 15, 2000, pp. 231-242 ). The effects on entire forest landscapes are highly patchy and variable. They also depend significantly on how landowners respond to the damage. Disturbance caused by diseases, by themselves or in conjunction with disturbance by insects, abiotic factors such as drought, fire and wind, and, increasingly, human activities, has played a critical role in the dynamics of many forest ecosystems in North America. In the predominantly coniferous forests in western North America there are considerable areas undisturbed directly by human activities. In these areas, diseases kill trees or predispose them to other agents of disturbance, resulting in gradual change in stand composition and structure. In areas disturbed by forest management practices of harvesting or exclusion of fire, increased disease incidence and severity has increased the damage caused by disease, and consequently, the rate of change. In the absence of introduced diseases in the predominantly deciduous forests of the Appalachian region of eastern North America, forests are relatively healthy. Here, forests are disturbed significantly by disease only after they are disturbed or stressed by other agents, predominantly defoliating insects and drought. In the eastern montane coniferous forest, chronic wind damage is a major predisposing factor to disease. Past harvesting practices, introduced diseases and insects, and fire exclusion have in some instances resulted in large areas of similar species and relatively similar ages that exacerbate the magnitude and severity of disturbance by disease. Fire is predominantly a natural phenomenon that burns the forest vegetation, polluting the ozone and wiping out the biodiversity. One major distinction between ice storm and forest fire is the way disaster are caused. The majority of forest fire could arguably be a result of human action and ice storm as an ‘act of god,† an act that is out of human control. Foresters usually distinguish three types of forest fires: ground fires, which burn the humus layer of the forest floor but do not burn appreciably above the surface; surface fires, which burn forest undergrowth and surface litter; and crown fires, which advance through the tops of trees or shrubs. It is not uncommon for two or three types of fires to occur simultaneously. Forest management has been able to reduce the occurrence of this event but many forest fires are out of arm†s length. Humans cause the majority of forest fires. Campers that do not put out their bond fire or campers littering lit cigarette bud are responsible for such an action. Natural occurrence such as lightning could spark a forest fire but the probability is small compared to human action. The convention way of putting out or reducing the spread of forest fire has been airliners. These airliners are filled with gallons and galloons of water. With limited capacity, these airliners fly above the flame and deposit galloons of water. For the purpose of this paper, deforestation simply means the lost of trees where the lost of trees exceeds the level of sustainable development. One of the major effects of forest fire is the burning of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. This eventually creates a greenhouse affect and global warming. The effect damages our ecosystem as well as reduces one of Canada†s precious natural resource. Many projects, both from government funding and corporate sponsors, have done a good job increasing the awareness and risk related to deforestation. Pests directly affect the quantity and quality of forest nursery seedlings and can indirectly cause losses by disrupting reforestation plans or reducing survival of out planted stock. The movement of infested stock can disseminate pests to new areas. Since control of nursery pests may be based on pesticide usage, pest outbreaks may lead to environmental contamination. Woodland damage caused by livestock is a well-documented, yet persistent, forest health problem. Soil compaction, root disturbance and trunk/root collar damage caused by livestock reduce the vigor of trees. This paves the way for armillaria root rot, borers and other opportunistic organisms. Livestock also destroy the forest under story (reproduction), which hastens soil erosion and limits the future productivity of the site. The resulting forest decline reduces the quality, value and longevity of current and future trees on the site. Eliminating livestock from woodlands is the first step toward a healthier, more productive forest. As mentioned earlier in this paper, ice storm is a natural phenomenon caused by nature whereas forest fire are a result of human actions and preventable. One of the major differences between fire and ice storm is the rate of damage. Forest fire has a direct impact on the woodlands by changing the diversity of the landscape. Forest fire wipes out an entire landscape of trees causing a release of carbon dioxide. This ‘in lieu† effect results in global warming as well as greenhouse effect. The release of carbon dioxide has a long-term effect to our ecosystem. Carbon dioxide is trapped in our ozone layer making airways less preamble. This trapping effect eventually radiates heat causing global warming. The long-term effect is hazardous and changes our biodiversity. Ice storm has very little affect to our ozone layer. Damage to woodlands as a result of ice storm is concentrated within that area. Ice storm does not spread like fire does so areas that have been hit by an ice sto rm affect woodlands Pests and disease slowly eroded the quantity as well as quality of woodland. Infected woodland slows the development of growth by eroding the soil limiting the production of trees. Pest control and good forest management could improve the quality and well as productivity in these areas. Pests and diseases cause a slow change in biodiversity. As the woodland become infested, animals feeding from leafs and branch find it less desirable, eventually leaving the area in search of more suitable woodland. Similarly, forest fire, pests and disease spread but at a much slower rate. These agents infect the trees, eventually penetrating the roots and moving on to the next host. As mentioned previous, ice storm does not spread, rather the effect stays within the area. To conclude, fire and pests/disease are similar in the way these agents spread and infect their host. The preceding sentence can be best thought of as a virus infected it†s host as an analogy. Fire spreads at a much faster rate than pests/disease and the impact are instant. Both of these agents have long-term effect, which does not work in our favor. Ice storm affects the area it hits and will not spread. Furthermore, ice storms are predictable whereas fire is not since the cause of fire is human mistake and is hard to predict. Ice storms are not preventable but human actions can be prevented. The potential of damage from fire is far more severe than that of ice storm. We must increase the awareness to ensure that our woodland remains healthy and protect our ecosystem.

How are Cultural Differences a Barriers to Educati Essays

How are Cultural Differences a Barriers to Educati Essays How are Cultural Differences a Barriers to Education of Children of Migrants? A large wave of immigrants from Southern Central and Eastern Europe entered the United States between 1890 and 1971. The Europeans who already lived in the United States during this period were from Northern and Western Europe. Because of their cultural differences a "nativist" movement called for halting immigration of new migrants. Nationalism spread widely and influenced national institutions including schools. Schools tried to make immigrants 100% Americans. Schools devoted little attention to needs and problems of Colour. However scholarly attempts were made to recognize needs of native Americans, African American and Mexican Americans and soon thereafter an inter group education movement grew up. Since 1968 the United States experienced a major wave of migration from Latin America and Asia. They exerted a tremendous influence calling for multilateral education to respond to unique needs problems and aspiration of ethnic minorities. The interest of nation states settled on implementing educational policies and programmes that promoted integration of structurally ethnic groups into mainstream society. It was expected "that a curriculum that reflect the culture ethos and experiences of diverse groups within a nation will reduce ethnic polarization and weaken ethnic revival movements". (Multi ethnic Education - James A. Bank- Allyn and Bacon 1994) Children of migrants often face the reality of cultural differences which are unique to them. Unless schools recognize these differences and develop measures that accommodate these differences it is likely that children of migrants may not find school experience worthwhile. Studies have shown that most migrant children face bilingual difficulties. Cultural differences do pose a barrier to education of children of migrants. Historically this has been so. However new concepts like multicultural education seek to remedy this situation. Parents of children who barely survive on low incomes may find that their child's school attendance a heavy load economically and children are preferred to work in the field. A study of Tom Dillow and Erica Rinehart based on interviews with key actors revealed that "when migrants children" enter school they are often educationally behind other children in the school "their parents have had a little education often unable to help their children in learning English while at home." (Tom Dillon and Erica Rinehart interview with Joan Heasly 11/2/98, http://alpha.dickinson.edu/departments.amos/mosaic98/rinehart1.htm) Even today whenever expatriates migrate to another country and when allowed to be accompanied by their family members including children Education of such children raises several issues. Children of professionals who accompany their parents who are familiar with English and a culture not tied down to native customs may have some ease in relating to social context of the host country. Education of children within school system may not pose insurmountable barriers in such situations. However where expatriates are from a different strata of society and have moved into low income or low status jobs, earnings may not be adequate to bear any extra educational expenses of children. This is particularly evident when an expatriate migrates from a country where English is not in use to a country like the United Kingdom where English is the principal medium of instruction. Parents may not be in a position to help or give extra help if their knowledge of English is poor. There is an added conflict when children learn in English at school and speak a native language at home. Bilingualism may expose children of migrants to special disabilities and may cause early school drop outs. The National Commission on Migrant Education in the United States found that migrant children form less than one percent of children enrolled in public schools across the country. Yet it was observed that some school districts have a high concentration of migrant children enrolled in their schools. Parental involvement with schools is a major issue as parents normally seek successful outcomes in education of their children. Parental involvement is beneficial and may assist in achievement based outcomes through school systems that prepare students for rewarding careers and schools are expected to provide these outcomes. Research findings report that minority or low income parents are often under represented among ranks of parents involved with schools. It may be lack of energy or embarrassment or shyness of parents educational levels or linguistic abilities or ignorance of structure of schools, it may be perceived lack of welcome by Teachers and the administration or fears that restrain parents to support children schooling. Whenever parents are educated and support children they make a distinctive contribution to children's achievement in school. (School improvement research series. Parents involvement in education K. Cohon Wikeluma -http//www.nwerl.org/scpd/ siri/3cn6.html) In an attempt to explain cultural differences in communities one