Gambling Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gambling - Research Paper Example In the UK, more people are investing in gambling totaling to millions of Dollars and the returns on investment is good (Arnold, 2007). According to Stuart, the increased number of Casinos has exposed the young and vulnerable children to social problems like prostitution and drug trafficking. The economy of an area improves due to increased businesses from the people involved in gambling, and the taxes levied by the state are also significant (Arnold, 2007). Therefore, about 48% of the population will attempt to gamble if a casino is located within their locality because they will be attracted by it. Moreover, in New Hampshire, the total worth of casino investment total to about $180 million and the government takes about 30 to 40 percent of this in taxes. Most of the states in the USA have legalized gambling despite opposition from Non-Governmental Organizations over the social effects to the communities. Before 1989, only Nevada had legalized gambling and by 1995, eight states had l egalized gambling even though gambling was done in other states but illegally (Walker, 2009). Easy tax benefits have encouraged other states to legalize gambling so that they can enjoy the tax benefits and the leisure that comes with the game. Today, there are fifteen states that allow commercial casinos and private companies and private individuals operate them. The states according to yahoo data are Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, and Washington. According to California State library, most of the states are enjoying huge financial benefits from taxes levied from gambling and the associated activities. The following were the earnings in million dollars from different states form gambling according to California State Library Advantages of gambling The tax revenues for countries states that have legalized gambling are very significant to the development of the economy. Some states have been shown to earn as high as eight percent of their budget from gambling business, and the figure has continued to rise over time (Walker, 2009). According to walker, good results from casino gambling and rotaries are impressive that most states are considering legalizing other forms of gambling like horseracing. The tax gains from gambling facilities is higher (30%) compared to tax from the direct sales therefore, most states cannot risk losing the luxurious gambling practice due to its tax benefits. Casinos are always associated with crime, and since it has, been found that it is the perfect place where criminals make use of their money (Walker, 2009). Moreover, the presence of casinos is known to attract tourist who carry cash and therefore, criminals find it as a perfect place to make their strikes. According to Walker, there are high rates of crime in states where casinos are legalized as opposed to states where casinos are prohibited. Casino promotes crimes due to luxurious nature of the business. The presence of casinos also encourages laziness to the youths who most often find it as a perfect resting place instead of being creative in doing something constructive. The job opportunities

The Customer Prefrences In Hatchback Cars Marketing Essay

The Customer Prefrences In Hatchback Cars Marketing Essay The objective of the research study is to know, the Preferences of the customers in hatch back car market. This research covers all the preferences in car market that is that is regarding the design. The research will reveal that customers prefer in their car depending on their purchased car. The research will be carried out with sample size of 200 by questionnaire method. The samples were selected randomly. These samples were selected from all over Goa. Quantitative design: The raw data is acquired from the Net. Subsequently converted into questionnaire and then circulated to particular customers. After that the data was converted into graphical with findings. Qualitative Design: based on the quantitative data research opted for qualitative methodology based on the project purpose. A structured interview was conducted with the customers in order to obtain information. The interview permitted more direct comparability of responses, question variability had been eliminated and answer variability was assumed to be real. It has to be noted during the course of interview the interviews neutrally was maintained. During the course of interview behavioral observation study was also done on the interviewee (non verbal behavior, extra linguistic behavior). Pilot test: The qualitative research test was done with small sample of employees. The questions were then revised. Research Plan: Once the problem was identified, the next step I did was to prepare a plan for getting the information needed for the research. The present study was to adopt exploratory approach wherein there is need to gather data perform an analysis before making a conclusion. Maruti Swift Description : In the category of B-segment cars, Maruti Swift delivers new quality of power, response and fuel efficiency. Swift at present is available in three to five way door opening options. Swift is a car with great body graphics that offers the car a very aggressive and sporty look. The sporty look of the car has made it the most demanding car amongst the young crowd. Maruti Swift is sure to be said a head turner with mind blowing style, design, technology and power attached to it. Maruti Ritz is available in both Petrol and diesel version. The petrol version of the car is packed with 1.2 L, 1197 cc K -12 series engine. The K-12 series engine is packed with 5 Speed Manual Transmission Gearbox and BS IV emission. The highly powerful engine of Maruti Ritz offers a maximum power of 85 PS at 6000 rpm and a torque of 113 Nm at 4500 rpm. The diesel version of Maruti Ritz is packed with 1.3L, 1248 cc DDiS engine with 5 Manual Transmission Gearbox that offers greater mileage and acceleration to the car. This DDiS engine is very fuel efficiency and offers an impressive power of 75 PS at 4000 rpm and a torque of 190 Nm at 2000 rpm. Hyundai i20 Description : Overall In the hatchback category of cars Hyundai i20 is a new generation car with large headlamps and fog lamps. This new Hyundai i20 is even more spacious, stylish having amazing eye catching features. Equipped with standard safety features it has ABS, seat belts with pre-tensioner, dual air-bags for the driver and front passanger, auto-unlocking doors Hyundai i20 is one of the best car. Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) and suspension systems in the car are such that they provide maximum ease while driving the vehicle. This latest version of Hyundai i20 is best featured with many important special equipments that co-ordinates best with the activity of the driver. The hatchback segment has one more addition in their kitty with the launch of Hyundai i20 in place by non other than Hyundai Motor India Ltd. This premium hatchback car is fully enabled with breathtaking looks and yet not compromising on the quality features. Hyundai i20 is a very stylish and classy car with very elegant exteriors and interiors. The charisma of Hyundai i20 is outstanding with roomy and spacious interiors at place and the sleeky smart look of the car add wonder to the overall appearance. The sleeky and amazing look and technology of Hyundai i20 is by and larger inspired by its premium hatchback model Hyundai i30 which are already launched in Europe and Korea. Polo Trendline: Standard Features Exterior à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Body coloured bumpers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Green tinted heat absorbing glass à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Halogen headlights à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Galvanized body with 6 years anti-corrosion warranty à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Chrome strip in front grill à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 14 steel wheels with full wheel covers Interior à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Gear shift knob and interior door handles in chrome à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 3 Grab handles above doors, folding, with coat hooks à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Storage compartment in front doors including cup holders for 1 litre bottle à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sunglass storage inside glove box à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Single folding rear seat backrest Safety à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Front disc brakes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Height adjustable headrests front and 2 headrests rear à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Electronic anti-theft immobilizer à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Interior rear view mirror, manual day/night à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ High mounted third brake light Comfort à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Air conditioning à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Central locking with boot opener in company logo à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Digital clock, fuel gauge, warning lights for high coolant temperature and low oil pressure à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Front intermittent wipers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fuel lid with push style opening and central locking à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 14 steel spare wheel à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Instrument cluster with tachometer, speedometer, odometer, trip odometer à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Outside rear view mirror driver passenger side, manually adjustable from inside, convex à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Power steering à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Steering wheel tilt telescopic adjustable à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Power windows front à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Radio preparation includes roof antenna and partial pre wiring Colours Available à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Candy White à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Flash Red Upholstery Available à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cloth Type Metric Fiat Grande Punto Fiat Grande Punto Description : Overall Leading Italian auto manufacturer Fiat has launched its most awaited premium hatchback model Fiat Punto in the Indian market. Fiat Grande Punto has been launched in the Indian market as a joint venture between Italian passenger car manufacturer Fiat and Indian auto major Tata Motors. Fiat Grande Punto is consistently performing well internationally since its first debut at Frankfurt Motor Show in 2005 and has won many awards such as Car of the Year 2008 award in Brazil. Even on safety point of view, the Fiat Punto has received a 5-Star rating in the stringent Euro NCAP safety tests. Now with the launch of this car in the Indian market, the company plans to strengthen its position in hatchback segment. Fiat Punto is the second vehicle that has been launched by FIAL (Fiat India Automobiles Ltd.). Fiat Punto has launched in the Indian market with three engine options a 1.2L, 1172cc petrol engine, 1.4L, 1368cc, FIRE petrol engine and a 1.3L, 1248cc multijet turbo diesel engine. Nissan Micra Nissan India has started the bookings of the much awaited Micra a couple of days back. The booking amount is Rs. 50,000/- but we are sure before booking one, buyers would want to know more about the vehicle. So this post is to enlighten prospective buyers about the features and variants of the Micra. Deliveries of the micra Features : Intelligent Key System Push Button Ignition Request Switch Auto Climate Control SRS Airbags 4.65m Min. Turning Radius Nissan Micra XE Features : Exteriors Roof Antenna Interiors Drive Computer Manual AC Interior Colour Scheme-Black Comfort Convenience Electric Power Steering Steering Tilt Adjustment Safety Engine Immobilizer Driver Airbag Ford Figo Ford will manufacture Figo in its Chennai plant which will be both more eco-friendly and cost effective plant for Ford because of cheaper material and labor costs in India. The size and price segment will bring some more competition to Hyundai i10, Hyundai i20 , Maruti Ritz , Chevrolet Beat, Tata Indica   and Maruti Swift. Specifications Specification of Ford Figo Petrol includes: 1.2 Liter DuraTec MPFI Petrol Engine Max Power 70 BHP @6250 RPM Max Torque 104 Nm @ 4000 RPM Specification of Ford Figo Diesel includes: 1.4 Liter DuraTorq CRDI Diesel Engine Max Power 68 BHP @4000 RPM Max Torque 160 Nm @ 2000 RPM Other Specifications : 5 Speed Manual Transmission Huge luggage space Length : 3795mm,   Width 1680mm and   Height 1427mm Long Wheelbase of 2489mm 14 Inch Wheel Front Disk brakes Rear Disk Brakes Front Suspension McPherson Strut Rear Suspension Multiple Link Twist Beam 45 Liter Fuel Tank Ford Figo Features Ford Figo Features include: ABS Anti lock braking system EBD Electronic Brakeforce Distribution system Dashboard mounted boot opening button Programmable remote locking system Flip-fold down rear seat Modern instrument cluster Height adjustable driver seat Integrated MP3 player with Bluetooth connectivity AC with heater Ford Figo Price There is no official announcement about the price, but as per sources,the petrol version of Ford Figo will be priced between Rs. 3.5 Lakhs to Rs. 4.5 Lakhs and the Diesel version of Ford Figo will be priced between Rs. 4 lakhs to Rs. 5.5 lakhs Need for the study The cars in the hatch back segment of the cars are more or less the same. Customers of these cars choose their car according to their preferences. The prise factor plays only a small part in the decision. To reveal these factors it was decided to carry a survey on the preferences. Data analysis Cars owned by the customers Interpretation Most of the respondent own Swift. Followed by Volkswagen Polo. Factor influenced to buy car. Interpretation The main influencer for the all cars customers is TV advertisement, followed by friends and relatives. How did you hear about the car. Interpretation This question was related to the pervious question. The first source of information to the customers is the TV advertisement, followed by the Friends relatives. Reason behind buying car Interpretation The customers buy cars from this segment mainly because of the fuel efficiency. The selected cars were the upper models in the segment, thats why 30% respondents said that they have purchased the car as style statement. 22% respondents said that they have purchased the car for the basic need that is convenience to travel. Availability of in-house finance affected my buying decision. These cars are marketed for the middle class segment; availability of in-house finance affects the decision. Interpretation Majority of the respondents that is 39% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed to the point that the availability of in-house finance affected their decision. Whereas 36% respondents either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the point. Importance of the factors Looks Interpretation Majority of the customers that is 57% of the customers said that the looks of the car is very important. 25% of the respondents said that looks is some wat important. Safety ABS Airbags Interpretation Majority of the customers responded to the safety fetures as important. Engine power Majority of the customers responded engine power as important factor in the car. Mileage Interpretation Majority of the customers said that the milage is a important factor in the car. SPACE INERRETATION In this majority of the respondents said that the space is somewat important. Dealership INTERPRETATION This question was asked to find wether the distance from customers place to delership maters. In this 41% of the respondents said that it is unimportant And 24% said it is somewat important. Maintenance cost INTERPRETATION In this all above three factors are interrelated. Majority of the respondents responded that the above three factors are important. Size of car (parking) INTERPRETATION 52% of the respondents said that the size of the car is unimportant. Interiors Interpretation 44% of the respondents said that the interiors are very important in a car. Comfort Interpretation 44% of the respondent said that the confort id some wat important. Music system Interpretation 64% of the respondent said that music system in the car is un important. Handling Interpretation Majority of the respondents said that handling is unimportant. Ground clearance Interpretation Majority of the respondents said that the ground clearance is important. Overall preference of the customer Interpretation Majority of the customer prefer looks, followed by milage, airbags and then ABS. When asked about why they choosed it respondents said that the first attraction is on the looks. Findings It was found that when a family newly car then it becomes a statement of their prosper. The brand name Maruti has a unique trust link to it. Conclusion and learning The car customers prefer to buy cars that are in their financial reach. When a family purchases their first car it becomes a sign of their success, it doesnt matter which car they purchase. When a young person buys a he is for the style statement. ANNEXURES Objective: To find consumer preference for car in b segment of car market. Questionnaire I own _____ car. Maruti Suzuki Swift Maruti Suzuki Ritz Hyundai i20 Chevolet Beat Skoda Fabia Volkswagen Polo Fiat Punto Nissan Micra Ford Fabia What influenced me to purchase the above ticked car? TV advertisements Internet Magazines Friends Relatives (Child) Sales executives Personal liking for the car Need to purchase Style statement How did you first hear about the vehicle you own? TV advertisements Internet Magazines Friends Relatives (Child) Sales executives Reason behind buying car. Convince to travel Style statement Fuel efficiency 5. Availability of in-house finance affected my buying decision. Strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree Rate your importance to following features Extremely important Very important important Not important Not important at all Looks Safety I) ABS Ii) Airbags Engine power Mileage Space Dealership Maintenance cost Warranty period for parts After sales service Size of car (parking) Interiors Comfort Music system Handling Ground clearance Which was the main factor while making decision? Looks Safety I) ABS Airbags Engine power Mileage Space Dealership Maintenance cost Warranty period for parts After sales service Size of car (parking) Interiors Comfort Music system Handling Ground clearance Why? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Rate importance of following references according to you Extremely important Very important Important Not important Not important at all Friends and relatives Car and bike magazines TV advertisements Websites of company Sales executive Gender : †¢ male †¢female Age : †¢18-25 †¢25-35 †¢35- 55 †¢55 and above Occupation : †¢student †¢ Business man †¢Salaried †¢Professional Family size : †¢2 members †¢ 2- 4 members †¢4-6 members †¢More than 6 Monthly Income: †¢25,000/- †¢25,000 50,000 †¢50,000 1, 00,000 †¢1, 00,000 and above

Why I Should Win The University Philosophy Club Essay Contest :: Writing Jacksonville University Essays

Why I Should Win The 1997 Jacksonville University Philosophy Club Essay Contest The Jacksonville University Philosophy Club is sponsoring its eighth annual undergraduate essay contest. The best argumentative essay, from any discipline, will receive the first place prize. I will demonstrate here why you will be compelled to award that prize to the essay that you are currently undertaking. We start this argument with the following premise, known as the Conservation of Energy. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. This is a basis of physics, and no evidence is brought against it that refutes its certainty. If we accept it, it follows that the energy in the cosmos must be finite. If we posited an infinite amount of energy, we could not speak of conserving it. Additionally, the stuff of the cosmos cannot be infinite or w e would face the contradiction that new energy would be coming into existence from nothing; ex nihilo. From this examination we must accept the entailed premise that the amount of energy must be finite. The second premise of the argument is that all becoming is of necessity. Perhaps, it is easier to frame this idea within a format of cause and effect. For the event, represented by the placeholder; Z, to be any different than it is, its cause (or causes), symbolized; Y must have necessarily been different in some manner. It follows logically that for Y to be different, then X must differ. This, like the energy in the cosmos, can not amount to an infinite set of possibilities. The possible outcomes of a pair of rolled standard die are a finite number of outcomes (six to the second power). The number of possible outcomes of any finite set of probabilities must be finite (albeit perhaps incomprehensibly large). If we extrapolate the number of outcomes from the huge number of finite possibilities we do not ever, arrive at an infinite amount. Although, one odd possibility does remain. We may come upon the case where (for the sake of simplicity) Z causes A. The chain of causes resumes wher e it once before began. Subsequently, time is infinite. It extends forever toward the past and forever into the future. We have now only to piece these premises together. Energy is a fixed quantum within the cosmos. Time proceeds through an unending series of becoming from necessity (with acknowledged shortcomings, I may interchange the terms; cause and effect).

Vampire Academy Chapter 3

THREE SENDING US STRAIGHT TO CLASS after our meeting seemed beyond cruel, but that's exactly what Kirova did. Lissa was led away, and I watched her go, glad the bond would allow me to keep reading her emotional temperature. They actually sent me to one of the guidance counselors first. He was an ancient Moroi guy, one I remembered from before I'd left. I honestly couldn't believe he was still around. The guy was so freaking old, he should have retired. Or died. The visit took all of five minutes. He said nothing about my return and asked a few questions about what classes I'd taken in Chicago and Portland. He compared those against my old file and hastily scrawled out a new schedule. I took it sullenly and headed out to my first class. 1st Period Advanced Guardian Combat Techniques 2nd Period Bodyguard Theory and Personal Protection 3 3rd Period Weight Training and Conditioning 4th Period Senior Language Arts (Novices) -Lunch – 5th Period Animal Behavior and Physiology 6th Period Pre-calculus 7th Period Moroi Culture 4 8th Period Slavic Art Ugh. I'd forgotten how long the Academy's school day was. Novices and Moroi took separate classes during the first half of the day, which meant I wouldn't see Lissa until after lunch – if we had any afternoon classes together. Most of them were standard senior classes, so I felt my odds were pretty good. Slavic art struck me as the kind of elective no one signed up for, so hopefully they'd stuck her in there too. Dimitri and Alberta escorted me to the guardians' gym for first period, neither one acknowledging my existence. Walking behind them, I saw how Alberta wore her hair in a short, pixie cut that showed her promise mark and molnija marks. A lot of female guardians did this. It didn't matter so much for me now, since my neck had no tattoos yet, but I didn't want to ever cut my hair. She and Dimitri didn't say anything and walked along almost like it was any other day. When we arrived, the reactions of my peers indicated it was anything but. They were in the middle of setting up when we entered the gym, and just like in the commons, all eyes fell on me. I couldn't decide if I felt like a rock star or a circus freak. All right, then. If I was going to be stuck here for a while, I wasn't going to act afraid of them all anymore. Lissa and I had once held this school's respect, and it was time to remind everyone of that. Scanning the staring, openmouthed novices, I looked for a familiar face. Most of them were guys. One caught my eye, and I could barely hold back my grin. â€Å"Hey Mason, wipe the drool off your face. If you're going to think about me naked, do it on your own time.† A few snorts and snickers broke the awed silence, and Mason Ashford snapped out of his haze, giving me a lopsided smile. With red hair that stuck up everywhere and a smattering of freckles, he was nice-looking, though not exactly hot. He was also one of the funniest guys I knew. We'd been good friends back in the day. â€Å"This is my time, Hathaway. I'm leading today's session.† â€Å"Oh yeah?† I retorted. â€Å"Huh. Well, I guess this is a good time to think about me naked, then.† â€Å"It's always a good a time to think about you naked,† added someone nearby, breaking the tension further. Eddie Castile. Another friend of mine. Dimitri shook his head and walked off, muttering something in Russian that didn't sound complimentary. But as for me? ­well, just like that, I was one of the novices again. They were an easygoing bunch, less focused on pedigree and politics than the Moroi students. The class engulfed me, and I found myself laughing and seeing those I'd nearly forgotten about. Everyone wanted to know where we'd been; apparently Lissa and I had become legends. I couldn't tell them why we'd left, of course, so I offered up a lot of taunts and wouldn't-you-like-to-knows that served just as well. The happy reunion lasted a few more minutes before the adult guardian who oversaw the training came over and scolded Mason for neglecting his duties. Still grinning, he barked out orders to everyone, explaining what exercises to start with. Uneasily I realized I didn't know most of them. â€Å"Come on, Hathaway,† he said, taking my arm. â€Å"You can be my partner. Let's see what you've been doing all this time.† An hour later, he had his answer. â€Å"Not practicing, huh?† â€Å"Ow,† I groaned, momentarily incapable of normal speech. He extended a hand and helped me up from the mat he'd knocked me down on – about fifty times. â€Å"I hate you,† I told him, rubbing a spot on my thigh that was going to have a wicked bruise tomorrow. â€Å"You'd hate me more if I held back.† â€Å"Yeah, that's true,† I agreed, staggering along as the class put the equipment back. â€Å"You actually did okay.† â€Å"What? I just had my ass handed to me.† â€Å"Well, of course you did. It's been two years. But hey, you're still walking. That's something.† He grinned mockingly. â€Å"Did I mention I hate you?† He flashed me another smile, which quickly faded to something more serious. â€Å"Don't take this the wrong way? ­I mean, you really are a scrapper, but there's no way you'll be able to take your trials in the spring – â€Å" â€Å"They're making me take extra practice sessions,† I explained. Not that it mattered. I planned on getting Lissa and me out of here before these practices really became an issue. â€Å"I'll be ready.† â€Å"Extra sessions with who?† â€Å"That tall guy. Dimitri.† Mason stopped walking and stared at me. â€Å"You're putting in extra time with Belikov?† â€Å"Yeah, so what?† â€Å"So the man is a god.† â€Å"Exaggerate much?† I asked. â€Å"No, I'm serious. I mean, he's all quiet and antisocial usually, but when he fights? ­wow. If you think you're hurting now, you're going to be dead when he's done with you.† Great. Something else to improve my day. I elbowed him and went on to second period. That class covered the essentials of being a bodyguard and was required for all seniors. Actually, it was the third in a series that had started junior year. That meant I was behind in this class too, but I hoped protecting Lissa in the real world had given me some insight. Our instructor was Stan Alto, whom we referred to simply as â€Å"Stan† behind his back and â€Å"Guardian Alto† in formal settings. He was a little older than Dimitri, but not nearly as tall, and he always looked pissed off. Today, that look intensified when he walked into the classroom and saw me sitting there. His eyes widened in mock surprise as he circled the room and came to stand beside my desk. â€Å"What's this? No one told me we had a guest speaker here today. Rose Hathaway. What a privilege! How very generous of you to take time out of your busy schedule and share your knowledge with us.† I felt my cheeks burning, but in a great show of self-control, I stopped myself from telling him to fuck off. I'm pretty sure my face must have delivered that message, however, because his sneer increased. He gestured for me to stand up. â€Å"Well, come on, come on. Don't sit there! Come up to the front so you can help me lecture the class.† I sank into my seat. â€Å"You don't really mean – â€Å" The taunting smile dried up. â€Å"I mean exactly what I say, Hathaway. Go to the front of the class.† A thick silence enveloped the room. Stan was a scary instructor, and most of the class was too awed to laugh at my disgrace quite yet. Refusing to crack, I strode up to the front of the room and turned to face the class. I gave them a bold look and tossed my hair over my shoulders, earning a few sympathetic smiles from my friends. I then noticed I had a larger audience than expected. A few guardians – including Dimitri – lingered in the back of the room. Outside the Academy, guardians focused on one-on-one protection. Here, guardians had a lot more people to protect and they had to train the novices. So rather than follow any one person around, they worked shifts guarding the school as a whole and monitoring classes. â€Å"So, Hathaway,† said Stan cheerfully, strolling back up to the front with me. â€Å"Enlighten us about your protective techniques.† â€Å"My? ­techniques?† â€Å"Of course. Because presumably you must have had some sort of plan the rest of us couldn't understand when you took an underage Moroi royal out of the Academy and exposed her to constant Strigoi threats.† It was the Kirova lecture all over again, except with more witnesses. â€Å"We never ran into any Strigoi,† I replied stiffly. â€Å"Obviously,† he said with a snicker. â€Å"I already figured that out, seeing as how you're still alive.† I wanted to shout that maybe I could have defeated a Strigoi, but after getting beat up in the last class, I now suspected I couldn't have survived an attack by Mason, let alone an actual Strigoi. When I didn't say anything, Stan started pacing in front of the class. â€Å"So what'd you do? How'd you make sure she stayed safe? Did you avoid going out at night?† â€Å"Sometimes.† That was true – especially when we'd first run away. We'd relaxed a little after months went by with no attacks. â€Å"Sometimes,† he repeated in a high-pitched voice, making my answer sound incredibly stupid. â€Å"Well then, I suppose you slept during the day and stayed on guard at night.† â€Å"Er? ­no.† â€Å"No? But that's one of the first things mentioned in the chapter on solo guarding. Oh wait, you wouldn't know that because you weren't here.† I swallowed back more swear words. â€Å"I watched the area whenever we went out,† I said, needing to defend myself. â€Å"Oh? Well that's something. Did you use Carnegie's Quadrant Surveillance Method or the Rotational Survey?† I didn't say anything. â€Å"Ah. I'm guessing you used the Hathaway Glance-Around-When-You-Remember-To Method.† â€Å"No!† I exclaimed angrily. â€Å"That's not true. I watched her. She's still alive, isn't she?† He walked back up to me and leaned toward my face. â€Å"Because you got lucky.† â€Å"Strigoi aren't lurking around every corner out there,† I shot back. â€Å"It's not like what we've been taught. It's safer than you guys make it sound.† â€Å"Safer? Safer? We are at war with the Strigoi!† he yelled. I could smell coffee on his breath, he was so close. â€Å"One of them could walk right up to you and snap your pretty little neck before you even noticed him – and he'd barely break a sweat doing it. You might have more speed and strength than a Moroi or a human, but you are nothing, nothing, compared to a Strigoi. They are deadly, and they are powerful. And do you know what makes them more powerful?† No way was I going to let this jerk make me cry. Looking away from him, I tried to focus on something else. My eyes rested on Dimitri and the other guardians. They were watching my humiliation, stone-faced. â€Å"Moroi blood,† I whispered. â€Å"What was that?† asked Stan loudly. â€Å"I didn't catch it.† I spun back around to face him. â€Å"Moroi blood! Moroi blood makes them stronger.† He nodded in satisfaction and took a few steps back. â€Å"Yes. It does. It makes them stronger and harder to destroy. They'll kill and drink from a human or dhampir, but they want Moroi blood more than anything else. They seek it. They've turned to the dark side to gain immortality, and they want to do whatever they can to keep that immortality. Desperate Strigoi have attacked Moroi in public. Groups of Strigoi have raided academies exactly like this one. There are Strigoi who have lived for thousands of years and fed off generations of Moroi. They're almost impossible to kill. And that is why Moroi numbers are dropping. They aren't strong enough – even with guardians – to protect themselves. Some Moroi don't even see the point of running anymore and are simply turning Strigoi by choice. And as the Moroi disappear? ­Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"? ­so do the dhampirs,† I finished. â€Å"Well,† he said, licking sprayed spit off his lips. â€Å"It looks like you learned something after all. Now we'll have to see if you can learn enough to pass this class and qualify for your field experience next semester.† Ouch. I spent the rest of that horrible class – in my seat, thankfully – replaying those last words in my mind. The senior-year field experience was the best part of a novice's education. We'd have no classes for half a semester. Instead, we'd each be assigned a Moroi student to guard and follow around. The adult guardians would monitor us and test us with staged attacks and other threats. How a novice passed that field experience was almost as important as all the rest of her grades combined. It could influence which Moroi she got assigned to after graduation. And me? There was only one Moroi I wanted. Two classes later, I finally earned my lunch escape. As I stumbled across campus toward the commons, Dimitri fell into step beside me, not looking particularly godlike – unless you counted his godly good looks. â€Å"I suppose you saw what happened in Stan's class?† I asked, not bothering with titles. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And you don't think that was unfair?† â€Å"Was he right? Do you think you were fully prepared to protect Vasilisa?† I looked down at the ground. â€Å"I kept her alive,† I mumbled. â€Å"How did you do fighting against your classmates today?† The question was mean. I didn't answer and knew I didn't need to. I'd had another training class after Stan's, and no doubt Dimitri had watched me get beat up there too. â€Å"If you can't fight them – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, yeah, I know,† I snapped. He slowed his long stride to match my pain-filled one. â€Å"You're strong and fast by nature. You just need to keep yourself trained. Didn't you play any sports while you were gone?† â€Å"Sure,† I shrugged. â€Å"Now and then.† â€Å"You didn't join any teams?† â€Å"Too much work. If I'd wanted to practice that much, I'd have stayed here.† He gave me an exasperated look. â€Å"You'll never be able to really protect the princess if you don't hone your skills. You'll always be lacking.† â€Å"I'll be able to protect her,† I said fiercely. â€Å"You have no guarantees of being assigned to her, you know – for your field experience or after you graduate.† Dimitri's voice was low and unapologetic. They hadn't given me a warm and fuzzy mentor. â€Å"No one wants to waste the bond – but no one's going to give her an inadequate guardian either. If you want to be with her, then you need to work for it. You have your lessons. You have me. Use us or don't. You're an ideal choice to guard Vasilisa when you both graduate – if you can prove you're worthy. I hope you will.† â€Å"Lissa, call her Lissa,† I corrected. She hated her full name, much preferring the Americanized nickname. He walked away, and suddenly, I didn't feel like such a badass anymore. By now, I'd burned up a lot of time leaving class. Most everyone else had long since sprinted inside the commons for lunch, eager to maximize their social time. I'd almost made it back there myself when a voice under the door's overhang called to me. â€Å"Rose?† Peering in the voice's direction, I caught sight of Victor Dashkov, his kind face smiling at me as he leaned on a cane near the building's wall. His two guardians stood nearby at a polite distance. â€Å"Mr. Dash-er, Your Highness. Hi.† I caught myself just in time, having nearly forgotten Moroi royal terms. I hadn't used them while living among humans. The Moroi chose their rulers from among twelve royal families. The eldest in the family got the title of â€Å"prince† or â€Å"princess.† Lissa had gotten hers because she was the only one left in her line. â€Å"How was your first day?† he asked. â€Å"Not over yet.† I tried to think of something conversational. â€Å"Are you visiting here for a while?† â€Å"I'll be leaving this afternoon after I say hello to Natalie. When I heard Vasilisa – and you – had returned, I simply had to come see you.† I nodded, not sure what else to say. He was more Lissa's friend than mine. â€Å"I wanted to tell you? ­Ã¢â‚¬  He spoke hesitantly. â€Å"I understand the gravity of what you did, but I think Headmistress Kirova failed to acknowledge something. You did keep Vasilisa safe all this time. That is impressive.† â€Å"Well, it's not like I faced down Strigoi or anything,† I said. â€Å"But you faced down some things?† â€Å"Sure. The school sent psi-hounds once.† â€Å"Remarkable.† â€Å"Not really. Avoiding them was pretty easy.† He laughed. â€Å"I've hunted with them before. They aren't that easy to evade, not with their powers and intelligence.† It was true. Psi-hounds were one of many types of magical creatures that wandered the world, creatures that humans never knew about or else didn't believe they'd really seen. The hounds traveled in packs and shared a sort of psychic communication that made them particularly deadly to their prey – as did the fact that they resembled mutant wolves. â€Å"Did you face anything else?† I shrugged. â€Å"Little things here and there.† â€Å"Remarkable,† he repeated. â€Å"Lucky, I think. It turns out I'm really behind in all this guardian stuff.† I sounded just like Stan now. â€Å"You're a smart girl. You'll catch up. And you also have your bond.† I looked away. My ability to â€Å"feel† Lissa had been such a secret for so long, it felt weird to have others know about it. â€Å"The histories are full of stories of guardians who could feel when their charges were in danger,† Victor continued. â€Å"I've made a hobby of studying up on it and some of the ancient ways. I've heard it's a tremendous asset.† â€Å"I guess.† I shrugged. What a boring hobby, I thought, imagining him poring over prehistoric histories in some dank library covered in spiderwebs. Victor tilted his head, curiosity all over his face. Kirova and the others had had the same look when we'd mentioned our connection, like we were lab rats. â€Å"What is it like – if you don't mind me asking?† â€Å"It's? ­I don't know. I just sort of always have this hum of how she feels. Usually it's just emotions. We can't send messages or anything.† I didn't tell him about slipping into her head. That part of it was hard even for me to understand. â€Å"But it doesn't work the other way? She doesn't sense you?† I shook my head. His face shone with wonder. â€Å"How did it happen?† â€Å"I don't know,† I said, still glancing away. â€Å"Just started two years ago.† He frowned. â€Å"Near the time of the accident?† Hesitantly, I nodded. The accident was not something I wanted to talk about, that was for sure. Lissa's memories were bad enough without my own mixing into them. Twisted metal. A sensation of hot, then cold, then hot again. Lissa screaming over me, screaming for me to wake up, screaming for her parents and her brother to wake up. None of them had, only me. And the doctors said that was a miracle in itself. They said I shouldn't have survived. Apparently sensing my discomfort, Victor let the moment go and returned to his earlier excitement. â€Å"I can still barely believe this. It's been so long since this has happened. If it did happen more often? ­just think what it could do for the safety of all Moroi. If only others could experience this too. I'll have to do more research and see if we can replicate it with others.† â€Å"Yeah.† I was getting impatient, despite how much I liked him. Natalie rambled a lot, and it was pretty clear which parent she'd inherited that quality from. Lunch was ticking down, and although Moroi and novices shared afternoon classes, Lissa and I wouldn't have much time to talk. â€Å"Perhaps we could – † He started coughing, a great, seizing fit that made his whole body shake. His disease, Sandovsky's Syndrome, took the lungs down with it while dragging the body toward death. I cast an anxious look at his guardians, and one of them stepped forward. â€Å"Your Highness,† he said politely, â€Å"you need to go inside. It's too cold out here.† Victor nodded. â€Å"Yes, yes. And I'm sure Rose here wants to eat.† He turned to me. â€Å"Thank you for speaking to me. I can't emphasize how much it means to me that Vasilisa is safe – and that you helped with that. I'd promised her father I'd look after her if anything happened to him, and I felt like quite the failure when you left.† A sinking sensation filled my stomach as I imagined him wracked with guilt and worry over our disappearance. Until now, I hadn't really thought about how others might have felt about us leaving. We made our goodbyes, and I finally arrived inside the school. As I did, I felt Lissa's anxiety spike. Ignoring the pain in my legs, I picked up my pace into the commons. And nearly ran right into her. She didn't see me, though. Neither did the people standing with her: Aaron and that little doll girl. I stopped and listened, just catching the end of the conversation. The girl leaned toward Lissa, who seemed more stunned than anything else. â€Å"It looks to me like it came from a garage sale. I thought a precious Dragomir would have standards.† Scorn dripped off the word Dragomir. Grabbing Doll Girl by the shoulder, I jerked her away. She was so light, she stumbled three feet and nearly fell. â€Å"She does have standards,† I said, â€Å"which is why you're done talking to her.†

Geddes Garden City Essay

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The American Political Economist who authored   the best read book titled Progress and Poverty (Lause) defined urbanization as â€Å"This life of great cities is not the natural life of man.   He must, under such conditions, deteriorate, physically, mentally, and morally â€Å".   To consider his point, the author view that life must be maintained in a serene atmosphere and not in a busy city just like those old good days that red beans or the cocoa is enough to send every household child to a good school.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Henry George began musing on this concept when the new railroad transport was developed in California that made an influence on high land values and influx of ordinary people to city life.   That development in one place brought about overcrowding and had wayward implications on the sustainability of the natural environment.   However, his idea provided economic reforms that made improvements of the life of the working classes possible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cities are indications of developments and of the visible civilizations of the history of man.   It takes a process of transformation that is unique and at the same time diverse.   This work is aimed at explaining the town concepts during the period of industrialization from the beginning of mass transportation and birth of new cities in particular on how Geddes observed and analyze these processes. Sustainability of the Man-built Environment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It was concluded by Henry George that the man-built environment is something that will not last. However, Patrick Geddes the Leonardo da Vinci of the 20th century teaches and reaffirms that our world environment could be sustained provided that man cooperates in the process.   It has to be sustained in order that the life cycle of the young generation’s continues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   His statement is not a contradiction to George’s philosophy but a possible solution to man’s current problems.   His reaffirmation brought to the world a new hope that even though life cycle is limited, this world is still something worthy to be cared for and it can endure. The positive attitude of George influences not only his neighbors but the human settlement at large during his time to the present.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are issues on industrialization which brings wealth but at the same time destroys the natural environment caused by pollutants. For this reason, Geddes made it clear that man do not live by the jingling of his coins.   There is always a chain effect if one resource is used in accordingly.   He provided a solution written in the Evergreen book that a sustainable world is as simple as making it comfortably green.   His conviction reminded even planners that if developments are unchecked it would create more disaster than improvements.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Globally, everyone breathe the same air that a poor or a developed nation breathes.   The current concern do not deals alone with affordability but also sustainability. With the pressing trend of modernization, comfortable living is expensive and value for money is usually a rare find. The problem of overcrowding in the cities and the lack of economic growth in the rural areas still remains to be a problem on poorly planned cities.   The increase of deteriorating cities will lead to the decline of the global sustainability.   The idea here is to provide developmental options that are definitely relevant to every cities of the world. His mottos â€Å"by creating we think and by living we learn was made to good use by educating people about their environment (Grewar).† The new housing design for workers, organizing his neighbors to renovate houses and build gardens made an indelible mark in his works which can still be seen in every postcard of the city’s Royal Mile that even Albert Einstein admired and has honored him (Grewar). The Garden City Movement Patrick Geddes three dimensional thinking (geography, economics and anthropology) places social sciences above math and logic, biology, chemistry and physics.   His belief that† the earth as a cooperative planet must teach people on how to treat properly their environment and is aimed specifically on educating children, improving the physical quality of life through biological knowledge by producing better medicines, and understanding human influence on ecology (Killiecrankie).† Geddes bridging social sciences with biology even influenced his biographer Lewis Mumford on the simple idea that man just like plants and animals thrived in healthy conditions which are expressed in one of the extracts of Geddes writings; â€Å"The world is mainly vast leaf-colony, growing on and forming a leafy soil, not a mere mineral mass, and we live not by the jingling of our coins, but by the fullness of our harvest. This is green world, with animals comparatively small, and all independent upon leaves.   By leaves we live (Grewar).†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mumford an architectural critic and is particularly noted for his study on urbanization of the environment regarded technology as the destroyer of environment even if he qualifies that electricity could lead to the improvements of the social spheres (University).   His works are indications that technology must be regulated. During the late 18th century Garden Cities began to evolve through the works of city and town planners particularly the works of Ebenezer Howard in UK influenced by the philosophy of Geddes new approach in urban planning called the garden city movement.   Howard began to build self-sustaining towns that combines convenience and industries located on agricultural sites (â€Å"Sir Ebenezer Howard†).† Howard realizes that no matter from what nation a man belongs, there is but one social issue which is difficult to solve and that is problems on housing and labor. This propelled many to advocate the new movement and increases the awareness on the concept of â€Å"decency of surroundings† and that includes, ample spaces, clean housing with gardens, and preservation of landscapes (Letchworth). The First Garden City   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Letchworth City is founded by Howard and is the first garden city of the world; in 1905 the garden city movement became involved in the exhibits of new housing called the workers cottage or housing for the working class in which some of it still stood today. Those cheap but strong and functional residences can be affordable to workers.   Some of these cottages made of wood or concrete can still be found in Letchworth streets and is now being conserved.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Some of the prototype housing called the workers cottages influences the human settlement design of this century.   This new housing designed sprawled even to the west for instance the workers cottages of Architect Maybeck of California and to the whole world at least giving man an accommodation that he humanly deserves. Mass Transportation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fast developments are due to improved transportation and communications.   The streets affect the life of all its inhabitants and this vision is very much encouraged in order to serve a huge population.   This is indeed very necessary but at the same time may lead to a city decline.   This entails thorough planning on how to maintain a good life in a cellular metropolis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Victor Gruen a planning practitioner, mentioned in his last publicized works that â€Å"auto sprawl would cripple the global ecosystem and brings about physical and psychological starvation of the urbanized man (Hill).†Ã‚   Today, some cities plants a good number of trees for every parking slots or spaces created.   Planning theories must be integrated to transit that is useful to automobile cities and providing more mass transit and more freeways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Automobile cities, needs more spaces unlike the old horse tracks during the colonial times.   Human settlement today cannot tolerate a waste of space in places where living condition is dense.   Somehow, these dense spaces are capable of providing the maximum comfort for man by means of mechanical equipments in buildings. In this cities life is fast and expensive.   Technology is a provision for man’s comfort and not a means to enslave but more often than not it is the other way around.   However, there are many fast developing cities that is capable of coping with the new technology because work is valued in congruent with the dignity of man.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gruen proposes a plan that could justify economic productivity of big cities and at the same time create sub cities that would adapt to what he calls â€Å"megalopolitan sprawl†.   However, globalization could also mean going beyond ones land area.   There is still vast area of lands wanting to be developed. There are many nations that are in need to cope with the present dynamics of the new world technology.   And while there are other places where overpopulation is a problem there are affluent cities in the second millennium that the inverted population growth also presupposes danger. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the abstract written by Dr. Mervyn Miller, he mentioned the book written by the founder of Letchworth, â€Å"Tomorrow a Peaceful Path to Real Reform† written in 1898 is very much true to our society of today. He recalls that the garden city is a potent concept in the emergence of the 20th century cities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Contemporary planners addressed the issue by following the course of people like Geddes.   However, due to the increase in the demand on the lease to life, those familiar workers cottages are considered mini-mansions of many career oriented people of today.   Ample spaces are defined as functional spaces due to the ever increasing cost per area of construction in square foot or in meters.   Coping with life that is becoming unsustainable is becoming a depressing problem even more than how George views it in his time. The internationalist who believes that nothing is gained by overcrowding still support the issue on the green environment that is very relevant today.   However, there are trends that are still needed to be discovered and be rediscovered especially within the new technology along on how this new ideas can be within the reach of everyone.   The key here is what kind of technology should be provided to sustain the ordinary man of the streets. The approach that Geddes concept has provided in his time is for the working class of the industrialized period.   That became the reason why today’s environmentalist regarded Geddes a steward in land use and its sustainability. Today, a number of men with the same aspirations of those Internationalist described is very much needed.   This fast growing old planet needs people who are a hundred percent human beings in the middle of the electro- mechanical world. Works Cited Grewar, Mindy. â€Å"Vivendo Discimus: Everything in the Garden Is Magnifique for the Anniversary Celebrations of a Great Scot.†Ã‚   (2004). 11 April 2008 . Hill, David R. † Sustainability, Victor Gruen, and the Cellular Metropolis.†Ã‚   (2008). 11 April 2008 . Killiecrankie. â€Å"Patrick Geddes 1854-1932.†Ã‚   (2008). 11 April 2008 . Lause, Mark. â€Å"Henry George.† 11 April 2008 . Letchworth. â€Å"Letchworth the First Garden City †   (2007). 11 April 2008 . â€Å"Sir Ebenezer Howard.†Ã‚   (2007). 11 April 2008 . University, Regent. â€Å"Lewis Mumford (1895-1988).†Ã‚   (2007). 11 April 2008 .   

Romero Surname Meaning and Origin

Romero Surname Meaning and Origin The Romero  surname originated as a nickname applied to travelers from the western (Roman) empire who had to pass through the eastern (Byzantine) empire on their way to the holy land, from the word  romero, meaning  a pilgrim, or one who visits a shrine.  According to the Instituto Genealà ³gico e Histà ³rico Latino-Americano, the Romero surname originated principally in the Spanish areas of Galicia, Aragà ³n, Valencia, Catalonia, Andalusia, and Castile. Romero is the  28th most common Hispanic surname.  Romarin is a French version of this surname, while Romer is the German variation. Surname origin:  Spanish, Italian Alternate surname spellings:  Romerro, Romarin, Romer Famous People With the Surname Romero George A. Romero: American film director, best known for Night of the Living DeadOscar Romero: Former  Archbishop of San SalvadorCà ©sar Romero: Cuban-American actor and dancer Where Do People With the Surname Live? The surname distribution data at  Forebears  ranks Romero as the 227th most common surname in the world, identifying it as most prevalent in Mexico and with the highest density in Honduras. The Romero surname is the 12th most common surname in Argentina, 13th in Venezuela, 15th in Ecuador, and 18th in Spain and Honduras. Within Europe, Vargas is most frequently found in Spain, according to  WorldNames PublicProfiler, especially in the southern provinces of the Andalucia region.  The surname is also common throughout the southwestern United States, especially in the state of New Mexico. Genealogy Resources Research Hispanic Heritage: Learn how to get started researching  your Hispanic ancestors, including the basics of family tree research and country-specific organizations, genealogical records, and resources for Spain, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean, and other Spanish speaking countries.Romero Family Crest - Its Not What You Think: Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Romero family crest or coat of arms for the Romero surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.  Romero Family Genealogy Forum: Search this popular genealogy forum for the Romero surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Romero query.FamilySearch - Romero Genealogy: Access over 2.6 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Romero surname and its va riations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. GeneaNet - Romero Records: GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Romero surname, with a concentration on records and families from France, Spain, and other European countries. Sources Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

How to Write an Abstract for an Undergraduate Dissertation

How to Write an Abstract for an Undergraduate Dissertation How to Write an Abstract for an Undergraduate Dissertation An abstract can be seen as a condensed version of your paper. It highlights all of the most important points that are covered. It should also include the scope and content. Think of it as an abridged version of your dissertation. The reader should be able to just read the abstract and get all of the information that they need from it without having to read the entire paper. If you are unsure how to write an abstract for your thesis or dissertation, we have compiled the best advice into one spot for you. Check out these tips and you will master your abstract in no time: Include a title that is identical to the thesis, the author’s name, the date of the thesis, where the thesis is published, the main topic, the purpose, the research methods used, any subsections included, and the conclusions, results, recommendations. Use paragraphs that are nicely developed and coherent, concise, and unified. You can put it all in one topic or in several. The purpose, results, recommendations, and conclusions should use an introduction, body, and conclusion structure. The abstract should follow the same chronology as the dissertation or thesis. It should provide logical connections between the information and the abstract. Summarize the information and be sure not to add any new information. Provide the content using passive verbs that tend to downplay the author. This can emphasize the content of the piece. Here are the steps to follow to write an effective abstract: Always wait until your dissertation is complete before starting your abstract. You will need a completed piece to get the abstract right. Be sure to express the aims, methods, and results of the study. Recap your conclusions and recommendations. Follow your table of contents to help your abstract match your paper. Always edit your final piece once the abstract is done so that it can be edited as well. Get a second opinion. Have a friend, or better yet, a professional read it over and make sure that it really captures the essence of your paper. Here is some advice to remember when you are developing your dissertation abstract: The abstract should be around 150 to 350 words in length. Be sure to check with the board to see if there are other directions that you will need to follow. You can use a single paragraph, or break it into three paragraphs following this structure: - First Paragraph: State what your dissertation is about by giving a simple statement that indicates the methods and aims of the study. - Second Paragraph: Explain how the dissertation is structured and state the content information that is vital. - Third Paragraph: Offer a concluding statement and a summary of the results. This part of your paper is important because it gives the reader an idea of what they will get out of the study without them having to read the entire paper. That is why it is important to make sure that you do it right the first time, so that it serves the proper purpose for your reader. If you are having any issues writing your abstract, you can get the help that you need right here. At you can get instant assistance from our Undergraduate dissertation writing service which works with PhD degree holding writers.

The Post-War Economic Boom After WWII

The Post-War Economic Boom After WWII Many Americans feared that the end of World War II and the subsequent drop in military spending might bring back the hard times of the Great Depression. But instead, pent-up consumer demand fueled exceptionally strong economic growth in the post-war period. The automobile industry successfully converted back to producing cars, and new industries such as aviation and electronics grew by leaps and bounds. A housing boom, stimulated in part by easily affordable mortgages for returning members of the military, added to the expansion. The nations gross national product rose from about $200,000 million in 1940 to $300,000 million in 1950 and to more than $500,000 million in 1960. At the same time, the jump in post-war births, known as the baby boom, increased the number of consumers. More and more Americans joined the middle class. The Military Industrial Complex The need to produce war supplies had given rise to a huge military-industrial complex (a term coined by Dwight D. Eisenhower, who served as the U.S. president from 1953 through 1961). It did not disappear with the wars end. As the Iron Curtain descended across Europe and the United States found itself embroiled in a ​Cold War with the Soviet Union, the government maintained substantial fighting capacity and invested in sophisticated weapons such as the hydrogen bomb. Economic aid flowed to war-ravaged European countries under the Marshall Plan, which also helped maintain markets for numerous U.S. goods. And the government itself recognized its central role in economic affairs. The Employment Act of 1946 stated as government policy to promote maximum employment, production, and purchasing power. The United States also recognized during the post-war period the need to restructure international monetary arrangements, spearheading the creation of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank - institutions designed to ensure an open, capitalist international economy. Business, meanwhile, entered a period marked by consolidation. Firms merged to create huge, diversified conglomerates. International Telephone and Telegraph, for instance, bought Sheraton Hotels, Continental Banking, Hartford Fire Insurance, Avis Rent-a-Car, and other companies. Changes in the American Workforce The American workforce also changed significantly. During the 1950s, the number of workers providing services grew until it equaled and then surpassed the number who produced goods. And by 1956, a majority of U.S. workers held white-collar rather than blue-collar jobs. At the same time, labor unions won long-term employment contracts and other benefits for their members. Farmers, on the other hand, faced tough times. Gains in productivity led to agricultural overproduction, as farming became a big business. Small family farms found it increasingly difficult to compete, and more and more farmers left the land. As a result, the number of people employed in the farm sector, which in 1947 stood at 7.9 million, began a continuing decline; by 1998, U.S. farms employed only 3.4 million people. Other Americans moved, too. Growing demand for single-family homes and the widespread ownership of cars led many Americans to migrate from central cities to suburbs. Coupled with technological innovations such as the invention of air conditioning, the migration spurred the development of Sun Belt cities such as Houston, Atlanta, Miami, and Phoenix in the southern and southwestern states. As new, federally-sponsored highways created better access to the suburbs, business patterns began to change as well. Shopping centers multiplied, rising from eight at the end of World War II to 3,840 in 1960. Many industries soon followed, leaving cities for less crowded sites. Source This article is adapted from the book Outline of the U.S. Economy by Conte and Carr and has been adapted with permission from the U.S. Department of State.

Writing an Argument Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Writing an Argument - Research Paper Example Rather than raising the standards of international manufacture and creating a most conducive international business market, the cheap products that flooded the market were of inferior quality and did nothing to help ease the high tariffs that was pegged onto U.S. goods by the other nations in the free trade zone. In effect, by opening up America to goods from other nations, most of which are imitation items that pass themselves off as Class A goods, the political and economic leaders of the country themselves helped crash the American economy. There are a number of reasons as to why the citizens of America may wish to buy foreign made goods. It could be that there is a demand for the item which is not manufactured in America. Or maybe the item cost is much lower if they purchase one that is not American made. Whatever the reason, a market exists for Americans who prefer to buy foreign made goods. Although there is a sound principle involved in people purchasing foreign made items, the only person who benefits from this set up is the domestic importer. Since he imported the goods, he makes the income on the sales of the items. Needless to say, for every business sector that benefits from a particular selling arrangement, there is a sector that will end up with the bum end of the stick. In this case, the domestic importer makes a killing while the domestic manufacturer ends up holding his bag of goods because nobody will buy it due to its higher selling price. (MacDonald, Brad â€Å"International Trade: Commerce Among Nations†) Even worse, by not purchasing American made products, the Americans themselves end up being the harbingers of economic hardship among themselves and their country. The reason that the American economy has managed to survive all the years prior to the advent of free trade was really quite simple. The money was spent within American shores and thus helped move the economy along through taxes collected and the salary of the people working

Tableau de bord Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Tableau de bord - Essay Example The study has selected Balance Score Card over other performance measurement due to its popularity. Detailed analysis of all the four perspectives of balance scorecard will be important part of the study. In the second part, the study will try to identify key performance driver for both the models and recommend â€Å"best practice† to organizations. The study will try to analyze usefulness of balance scorecard from the view point of supply chain management. Analyzing shortfalls of Tableau de Bord will be an important part of the study. The study will try to address strategic issues regarding the Tableau de Bord. In the last section, the study will try to recommend a neo classical model of balance scorecard for both profit and non profit organizations; the model will describe performance measurement in terms of corporate culture, managerial system, operational system, marketing activities and resource capabilities. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Main Findi ngs 4 Balanced Scorecard 4 Customers 5 Financial Perspective 5 Internal Business Process 7 Learning and Growth 8 Tableau de bord 8 Key Performance Criteria 10 Conclusion 12 Recommendation 12 Reference 13 Introduction It has been observed that companies planning to measure performance of the internal and external stakeholders opt for Balance Scorecard model proposed by Kaplan and Norton although there are plenty of performance measurement tools available such as Performance Prism, Key performance indicator and little known â€Å"Tableau de bord†. Othman (2008) has pointed out that Balance Scorecard is extended version of â€Å"Tableau de bord† while other research have nullified this assumption. â€Å"Tableau de bord† is widely used in countries like France as an effective performance measurement tool while the model has very little applicability in other countries. Flamholtz (2003) has pointed out that balance scorecard is the best performance measurement tool a vailable for managers. Various research scholars such as Epstein and Manzoni (2010) have tried to create a connecting bridge between Balance Scorecard and â€Å"Tableau de bord† while others have criticized the French model for its limitations. Main Findings Balanced Scorecard Research scholars have described balanced scorecard as a strategic option for organizations which helps them to assess performance of different non financial and financial elements. It provides the strategic framework to companies to measure performance variables. Survey conducted by fortune magazine states that more than half of top 500 companies in the globe are using balanced scorecard as a performance measurement technique. Moreover, Harvard business Review has identified balanced scorecard as the most important performance management tool developed in the last forty years. Balance scorecard is complemented with four elements such as Business Process Perspective, Learning & Growth Perspective, Finan cial Perspective and Customer Perspective. The model measures performance on the basis of above mentioned four perspectives and these performance criterions can be explained in the following manner. Customers The model measures performance gap in terms of customer profitability, customer retention rate, churn rate, customer satisfaction level. Organizations select market segment to offer products in order to achieve profitability and business growth hence mangers need to translate marketing strategy according to demand of particular segment. It has been observed that in many cases companies fail to maintain relationship with internal and external stakeholders. In such situation balance scorecard can be a useful tool for companies to adopt a customer relationship strategy. Balance scorecards use generic

Assessment & Special Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Assessment & Special Education - Essay Example According to the report findings Special Education is a multi-faceted domain and consists of a highly diverse population of both teachers and pupils. Teaching in the area of special education requires appropriate qualifications and experience as it can often prove challenging to engage with people having disabilities. As such, teachers often specialize in any particular category of special education or may instead gain experience in multiple disciplines based on the provisions of local legislation.From this study it is clear that the validity and significance of assessment in special education cannot be underestimated. Teaching children with disabilities requires a multi-faceted approach and depends on collaboration among a number of professionals in an appropriate environment. A typical assessment is thus undertaken by a multi-disciplinary team that examines a student from many different perspectives to identify the existence of any special needs and disabilities. The role of the te am is extremely important during an assessment as it helps evaluate the extent and progress of any identifiable disability and develop a suitable special education curriculum that can help the individual. As such, an evaluator must possess comprehensive, accurate and real-time knowledge on the evaluation in order to offer the best support to the student. These skills can only come with experience and must be supplemented with regular on-the-job learning. There are, however, some issues associated with current assessment methodologies. Critics like Giuliani (2009) have alleged that students identified as being at-risk (i.e., those not having any disability) are often pooled together with students having special needs (p. 34). They argue that combining students in this manner inhibits the progress of the latter group as they may not be able to develop the required confidence and motivation in the presence of other students with better learning capabilities. Pierangelo (2007) also blames curriculum

Journal 1 and 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Journal 1 and 2 - Essay Example In my mind, the concept of human security was shaped by the ideas and concepts from presidents and the media. It is not only about military power and being protected from other nations, as we should not trust the authorities. After reading the first section, I began to view the concept of human security in a different way. Indeed, most security issues nowadays come from domestic groups rather than outsiders. In fact, it is groups of people who are being ignored by the government or not taken seriously that are causing chaos and conflict in the state. For example, the main cause of the Arab Spring revolution was because the people wanted a change to their system and regime. They wanted a change that would provide them with all their basic needs, such as safety and respect. When this change did not happen, or was not accepted by their leaders, people started to rebel against their leaders and this created conflict in the country. In addition, as I included in my QIP reflection of secti on 1 of the book, the author indicated that to achieve human security patriarchy should be replaced with gender equality. For example, this means allowing women to get involved in making security decisions. Also, the institutions of war must be destroyed (Reardon and Ash Hans 111). ... However, the discrimination against women is not about men and women but it is about the roots of each person's origin. In other words, people who don't have Arab roots might be involved but not as deeply as the local people, where they get the chance to be ambassadors and take higher positions in the political field. In fact, the reason why people who have Iranian roots are not involved in the political system is because of distrust and suspicion that those people may cause conflict in the state. This discrimination increased a lot after the involvement of Iran in the revolution in Bahrain between the Sunnis and Shias. This also caused tension between the Sunnis and Shias in the most of the Gulf countries as well. Not involving women in the political sphere is not only about the idea that men are more powerful than women, it is also about other concepts, such as religion and trust. Moreover, women can find jobs in any other field easier than they do trying to get a job in politics. The teaching notes, A Gendered Analysis of Women, Power, War and Peace, written by Professor Barbara Wien, presented five feminist schools of thoughts: eco-feminism, liberal feminism, post-modernism, radical feminism, and difference feminism. I always heard about feminist schools of thought but I did not know what each one was called and what each stood for. The teaching notes helped me to understand the different feminism schools clearly, and I was impressed by many of the concepts that the schools stand for. For example, when it comes to the liberal feminist school of thought, it supports the fact that women are neither peaceful nor softer than men, but it also says

Epicurus' and Epictetus' Teachings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Epicurus' and Epictetus' Teachings - Essay Example Epicurus, whose teachings are related to the philosophy of hedonism, saw pleasure as the primary goal in every human’s life. He taught that happiness can only be achieved by means of pleasure. The concept of pleasure is also related to the notion of psychic tranquility, which he calls ataraxia. Ataraxia refers to inner peace of a human being and his being free from fear. Moreover, pleasure is also explained as the â€Å"absence of pain†. Just as Epicurus distinguishes between active and passive pleasure, he defines the former as an active process aimed at satisfying people’s desires, and the latter as the absence of pain, the perfect pleasure. Similarly to Epicurus, Epictetus, who belonged to Stoics, developed his view of happiness and what can make humans happy. However, his views are different from Epicurus’ because he assumes that a person can achieve happiness only if he/she desires something which he/she is capable of achieving. Otherwise, this person will be unhappy. Hence, unlike Epicurus, Epictetus believes that controlling desires by means of self-discipline is the way to avoid unhappiness. Furthermore, Epicurus expressed the view that human beings did not need to be fearful of gods since gods do not interfere in human fates and lives. Unlike Epicurus, the representative of Stoics Epictetus believes that it is god that has control of everything. Hence, human beings are â€Å"fragments of god†. ... Broadly speaking, both say that people possess control of their own happiness. Next, both philosophers agree that god exists. However, they disagree about the way god influences people’s lives. Epicurus thinks that god never interferes in people’s fates and lives, while Epictetus believes that every human life is subject to god’s control. Epicurus also believes that people’s body is made of atoms and Epictetus believes that people’s body is part of god’s. Also, the philosophers explain fear of death in a different way. While Epicurus expresses the opinion that we should not fear death since human beings lose sensation at the time of dying (this happens due to atoms dispersal), Epictetus thinks that we just need to change our perception of death and views on it, which will liberate us from fearing death. As for me, Epictetus’ views are more superior since they reject self-indulgence and focus on a personality development. Epicurus views , it seems, lead to moral degradation of people since they risk turning into beasts preoccupied with desires and efforts to satisfy them. 2. Which of Epictetus’ rules do you find most appealing? Why? Which of Epictetus’s rules do you find most distasteful? Why? As I go over the rules of Epictetus, I find all of them appealing. Importantly, these ideas have much in common with what is thought the highest virtues in Christianity. It appears that he even advised not to engage in sexual relationship before marriage, which seems unbelievable if one imagines that society and men’s opportunities. I am literally impressed by how close to my views on life, Epictetus’ rules are. For instance, Epictetus advises not to judge

Helping Abused and Traumatized Children Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Helping Abused and Traumatized Children - Article Example Dr. Gil presents three models of hers; expressive, cognitive-behavioral, and family therapy The article is basically complementing the book written by Dr. Eliana Gil hence it provides specific material provided in the book to prove that the book written by Dr. Gil is a special piece of work that would help the people in the related field. The book is full of interesting and effective case studies that give a practical touch to the book. Though the book is a very detailed and informative resource on the subject but the reviewer does agree that books of this type that deal with complex issues such as traumatized and abused children have natural limitation and challenges. As this book contains qualitative theories and models but does not have the capacity to enable the reader to implement these models and theories in practical situation this proves to be a natural limitation because all books of this type have the same limitation. The book contains terms that are technical to the extent that a beginner would have difficulty in comprehending them. Although in depth case studies have been provided within the book but the book would have been better if more case studies would have been provided. The article tells us that Dr.

Epicurus' and Epictetus' Teachings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Epicurus' and Epictetus' Teachings - Essay Example Epicurus, whose teachings are related to the philosophy of hedonism, saw pleasure as the primary goal in every human’s life. He taught that happiness can only be achieved by means of pleasure. The concept of pleasure is also related to the notion of psychic tranquility, which he calls ataraxia. Ataraxia refers to inner peace of a human being and his being free from fear. Moreover, pleasure is also explained as the â€Å"absence of pain†. Just as Epicurus distinguishes between active and passive pleasure, he defines the former as an active process aimed at satisfying people’s desires, and the latter as the absence of pain, the perfect pleasure. Similarly to Epicurus, Epictetus, who belonged to Stoics, developed his view of happiness and what can make humans happy. However, his views are different from Epicurus’ because he assumes that a person can achieve happiness only if he/she desires something which he/she is capable of achieving. Otherwise, this person will be unhappy. Hence, unlike Epicurus, Epictetus believes that controlling desires by means of self-discipline is the way to avoid unhappiness. Furthermore, Epicurus expressed the view that human beings did not need to be fearful of gods since gods do not interfere in human fates and lives. Unlike Epicurus, the representative of Stoics Epictetus believes that it is god that has control of everything. Hence, human beings are â€Å"fragments of god†. ... Broadly speaking, both say that people possess control of their own happiness. Next, both philosophers agree that god exists. However, they disagree about the way god influences people’s lives. Epicurus thinks that god never interferes in people’s fates and lives, while Epictetus believes that every human life is subject to god’s control. Epicurus also believes that people’s body is made of atoms and Epictetus believes that people’s body is part of god’s. Also, the philosophers explain fear of death in a different way. While Epicurus expresses the opinion that we should not fear death since human beings lose sensation at the time of dying (this happens due to atoms dispersal), Epictetus thinks that we just need to change our perception of death and views on it, which will liberate us from fearing death. As for me, Epictetus’ views are more superior since they reject self-indulgence and focus on a personality development. Epicurus views , it seems, lead to moral degradation of people since they risk turning into beasts preoccupied with desires and efforts to satisfy them. 2. Which of Epictetus’ rules do you find most appealing? Why? Which of Epictetus’s rules do you find most distasteful? Why? As I go over the rules of Epictetus, I find all of them appealing. Importantly, these ideas have much in common with what is thought the highest virtues in Christianity. It appears that he even advised not to engage in sexual relationship before marriage, which seems unbelievable if one imagines that society and men’s opportunities. I am literally impressed by how close to my views on life, Epictetus’ rules are. For instance, Epictetus advises not to judge

Autism Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Autism Assignment - Essay Example It is believed that, when functioning normally, mirror neurons help people acquire skills, mimic or imitate others, and help with language formation. But autistics, it appears, according to research done by Dapretto et al (2006) among others, have improper or non-existent mirror neuron activity. Dapretto et al (2006) gave autistic and non-autistic students a task to do while using an fRMI. Children with autism were able to do the chosen task just as well but showed no mirror neuron activity. This might mean that autistics learn how to do things, model things from others, and so on in very different ways. Further, the researchers found that activity in the area predicted social skills: The less activity, the worse the patients' social skills. It may be that part of the difficulty that autistics have relating to others, understanding their emotions, understanding why they don't do â€Å"rational† things, and other difficulties is the lack or improper functioning of these mirror neurons. The brain is simply less capable of handling the tasks that normal people take for granted, like being able to learn how to do something by watching other people doing it.

Small and medium enterprises

Small and medium enterprises Abstract: Chapter 1: Introduction: Small and medium enterprises have different definitions in different countries. In India, it is known as the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) which is defined in terms of investment required. The MSMEs include all the enterprises in which the total investment does not exceed more than Rs. 50 million. The European Commission defines SMEs on the basis of the work force employed, total turnover of the business and the balance sheet total. In the US, the criteria for recognition is based on the work force employed. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are one of the principal driving forces in economic development. This sector has been recognised as growth engine around the globe. A healthy and vibrant SME sector contributes in a high and sustainable economic growth. They encourage private ownership and entrepreneurial skills, they are flexible and can adapt quickly to changing market demand and supply situations. They provide employment opportunities to the masses, help diversify economic activity and make a significant contribution to exports thereby increasing foreign trade. Many economies have acknowledged the need for growth and development of SMEs for industrial restructuring and have formulated national SME policies, programmes and enterprise development policies. Enterprise helps boost productivity, increased competition and innovation, thereby creating employment and prosperity, and revitalizing the communities. SMEs contribution to the foreign trade has been ever increasing. During the last decade, there has been a considerable increase in the foreign trade arising from the products of these SMEs. The open trade policy has been a great success. The policy makers in developing countries like India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and many other South Asian countries have been continuously reviewing their policies to help the functioning of these SME units. Finance is a subject of major concern to the SMEs. The financial institutions like banks and other money lending firms have come forward with plans of funding these units at very competitive rates. Subsequently, there has been an increase in the lending by such financial institutions to the SMEs. This has increased the efficiency of the SMEs to a great extent. Chapter 2: SMEs: An Overview Contribution of SMEs: SMEs are the backbone or the key drivers of the industrial economy. They can also be described as the engines of growth of the industrial sector. Although they are individually small, collectively they play a multiplayer role in the development of an economy. They have a multiplayer impact in developed as well as developing economies. The main USP of SMEs is low cost production i.e. the ability to manufacture low volumes profitably, meet niche requirements, capitalize on local skills and resources, provide outsourcing opportunities and most importantly create jobs. The below mentioned table indicates the contribution of SMEs across diverse economies. (Table-1) Table 1: Contribution of SMEs across diverse economies The sector has been consolidating over the years. What is new is the articulation and recognition of this process and its pump priming role. Therefore national SME policies, programmes and enterprise development policies have been formulated to support smooth working of SMEs and to overcome major obstacles such as lack of legislation, promotion and infrastructure. This can be done in the form of promotion programmes, positive discrimination hand holding and advocacy. Policy initiatives seek to highlight basic SME skills in low cost production. SMEs have an impressive presence in service industry ranging from the simple and traditional organisations to the most modern and hi-tech ones. SMEs contribute not only in terms of quantitative factors such as output, employment, income, investment or exports but also in terms of qualitative factors viz the synergies they promote with large industry, their contribution towards balanced regional growth, their contribution in nurturing entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and in providing a nationwide pool of skilled and trained manpower. While the comparative advantage of SMEs are well acknowledged, SMEs also have their share of pros and cons which prevent them from realising their full potential. They have to face some problems such as lack of proper guidance in the initial stages, lack of funds in the times of crisis, lack of proper marketing strategies, stiff competition from big players, lack of access to latest technology, no proper infrastructure etc. Therefore, although new SMEs are emerging very rapidly worldwide, the number of SMEs closing down every year is also very high. Also because of the twin forces of globalization and free trade policy of WTO, there is a serious threat to the SMEs sector. It will have to reorient and reinvent itself to overcome these challenges. This can be done by restructuring the small scale organisations, and if nothing works, they have to be closed down. Closures are undesirable but sometimes they are advisable from the resource allocation point of view. Thus the high rate of entries and exits reflect the dynamic nature of this sector and also explains why it is seen as an industrial incubator. As mentioned earlier, SMEs play a very important role in the development of an economy, especially from the employment point of view. They are very effective for the generation of employment for both skilled as well as unskilled workers. Therefore labour extensive countries should opt for SMEs. Even the underdeveloped or developing countries which are capital intensive and labour extensive, SMEs can be a great help. There has been increasing growth of SMEs worldwide in the recent past. The government of the developed and developing economies have been formulating policies which promote smooth working of the SMEs. SMEs have contributed significantly in the developed as well as developing countries. In the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland there are more than 16 million enterprises; of which less than 1% comprise large companies while the rest are SMEs. Two thirds of the job opportunities are provided by SMEs in this region and the remaining one third of the job opportunities are by large companies. SMEs are considered the backbone of Asia Pacific region as they account for 90% of enterprises. They provide around 32% 48% of employment and their contribution to Gross Domestic Product is around 60% 80% in individual Asia Pacific economies. Even in the United States, SMEs contribute greatly. It contributed at around 43% of the net employment opportunities from 1990 1994.SMEs are considered the engine of economic growth in both developed and developing countries not only because of low cost production but also because of low unit cost of persons employed as compared to large scale enterprises. Thus they provide a significant share of overall employment. Also SMEs assist in local and regional development by regional dispersion of economic activities, thus helps achieving fair and equitable distribution of wealth. SMEs not only contribute towards the GDP but also towards the export revenues. Although SMEs are at a disadvantage in terms of finance, technology, human resource development and networking; SMEs involved in foreign trade are very dynamic. This may be due to its low-cost labour intensive nature of its products; and since these units generally use indigenous raw-materials; they have a positive effect on the trade balance. For example, SMEs in OECD member states produce about 26% of OECD countries exports, and about 35% of Asian exports. Also SMEs increase flexibility in the provision of services and the manufacture of a variety of consumer goods and competitiveness of the market place and thereby curb monopoly of large enterprises. All this leads to fostering of self-help and entrepreneurial culture by bringing together skills and capital through various lending and skill enhancement schemes. Thus SMEs not only enables an economy to maintain a reasonable growth rate but also imparts resilience to withstand economic upheavals. Chapter 3: Indias SME scenario: The Indian Small and Medium enterprises sector formally known as the Small Scale Industries (SSI) has had a notable importance since the period of Mahatma Gandhi. SSIs were set up in the rural parts of India with a view to inculcate the habit of self reliance amongst the people. Later on, after independence, the SSI units were an important source of income to the people of India. Indian policy makers had noticed the importance of this self reliant industry and had always been striving hard for their progress. After achieving independence in 1947, India drafted and adopted the Industrial Policy of 1948 which meant that the government would act as both an entrepreneur and also as a governing body. With the beginning of the planning of a free India in 1951, the role of SMEs has been earmarked specially. In its industrial policy, the government started announcing special schemes for the growth of the SMEs in India. It was in 1956, during the Second Five Year Plan that the government announced the Second Industrial Policy, clearly stating the importance of the SME sector. This gave an impetus to the development of SMEs in a manner that made it possible for them to achieve the objectives of: Ø High contribution to domestic production. Ø Significant export earnings. Ø Low investment requirements. Ø Operational flexibility. Ø Low intensive imports. Ø Capacity to develop appropriate indigenous technology. Ø Import substitution. Ø Technology-oriented industries. Ø Competitiveness in domestic and export markets Today, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the ladder of progress for a nations economy, especially in case of developing countries. They contribute handsomely to the exports, the industrial base, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the Gross National Product (GNP) of the nation. Small and medium enterprises help provide employment and various facilities to the society. In 2006, the Government of India passed an Act known as the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Act (MSMEDA), 2006 to define SME sector of India. This Act defines micro, small and medium enterprises in India on the basis type of sector namely manufacturing and the service sector. In case of manufacturing sector, the size of the enterprise is decided on the basis of investment in plant and machinery. In case of service sector enterprise, the size is decided on the basis of investment in equipment required to set up the industry. Table 2: Definition of SME in India. Strategic Importance of Indian SMEs: In Indian economy, the SMEs occupy a place of strategic importance due to its contribution to the overall output, exports and employment. The total number of SMEs has been increasing rapidly. The total number of registered enterprises has been around 3million and has been increasing at an even faster speed. They contribute about 50% of the total industrial output and constitute 42% of total exports. These units produce approximately 8000 units which range from very basic to highly sophisticated products. By providing employment opportunities to nearly 29.4 million people, this sector takes the credit for employment to the largest number of workforce. Chart 1: Growth rate of SSI sector vis-à  -vis Total Industrial Sector. Chart 2: Growth Rate of Employment in the SSI sector. Link: http://www.smebank.org/SME%20Sector.htm#2 Role of Indian SMEs: The role of SMEs in the overall economic growth of the country has been fundamental and has been achieving steady progress over the last couple of years. With a view from the industrial development of India and the overall economic growth, SMEs have to play a vital role since their labour intensiveness helps to generate employment opportunities. In a developing country like India, the SME sector is of utmost importance in order to eradicate poverty and hence to drive sustainable growth. In case of countries where the capital resources are scarce, and an abundant supply of labour, SMEs help in the efficient allocation of resources by implantation of labour intensive production process. Performance of Indian SMEs: In the late 1940s, there were around 80,000 units. Today, the total number of units has increased tremendously and the total number of units is approximately 13 million units in 2006-07. Of the total 13million units, around 55% are in the rural India and the rest in cities and urban regions. Table 3: Number of Small and Medium Enterprises. The contribution of the SSI sector to the GDP was approximately 13% in 2000-01; this has grown to a 15.5% in 2007-08. The performance of the SSI sector in terms of economic parameters such as number of units, production, employment and export during the last decade is indicated in the table below: Table 4: Performance of Small Sector in India The SME has not only been successful in increasing its contribution to the GDP, but it has also outperformed the organized sector to a great extent in terms of production and also in employment creation. Table 5: Share of SME output to Indias GDP Employment: The employment opportunities created by the SMEs is considerable. It is evident from the table below that for every 10 million rupees invested by the SMEs, more than 4 times of employment opportunities are created; more than any other sector in India. It is clearly seen that in the year 2006, for every 10 million rupees invested in SMEs, generated employment opportunities for around 151.4 persons, whereas, the same amount invested in the other sectors would create employment opportunities for around 37.4 persons only. Table 6: Investment to employment ratio Exports: The SME sector is a major contributor to the total exports of India. Of the total exports by India, approximately 50% exports are contributed by this sector. SMEs are responsible for 35% of the total direct exports and 15% are contributed by its allied activities. The indirect exports may be in the form of export orders of other large units or in the form of production of various parts and components for the making of the finished product. The major trading houses, merchant exporters and the export houses play a vital role in the export development. The non traditional products account for more than 95% of the exports. The exports from the SME sector have increased tremendously during the last decade. The growth of the garments, leather, gems and jewellery units in the recent past is the reason for the increase in the exports by the SME sector. The SME sector dominates the sports goods, readymade garments, woollen garments and knitwear, plastic products, processed food and leather products industry. The table below indicates these segments and the corresponding SME contribution. (Table 7) Table 7: % of SSI in total Export SME exports growing in tandem with total exports: SMEs constitute an important segment of Indias industrial production with a contribution to 33% of its exports. During FY03-06, Indias total merchandise exports in US dollar terms witnessed a CAGR growth of 25%, while in the same period SME exports grew at a CAGR of 24%. The remarkable contribution of SMEs in generating employment in the country has been instrumental in addressing issues pertaining to poverty and inequality of income. As per the Third All India Census on Small Scale Industries-2001-02, highly populated states such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Jharkhand together contributed to around 55.4% of the total exporting units in India. In terms of distribution of value of exports from the SME sector, states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra together contributed 64.75% of total exports. Chart 3: Share of SME export to total exports The composition of export basket of SMEs in India, it has both traditional and non-tradition commodities in nature. There are few commodity groups which are exclusively exported by SMEs such as sports goods, cashew, Lac etc. In the commodity group of engineering goods, SMEs constitute around 40% of the total exports of this commodity group. Similarly, SMEs in basic chemicals pharmaceuticals finished leather and leather products and marine products account for around 44%, 69% and 50% of the export share in their respective commodity groups. In view of the Government of Indias ambitious target of average GDP growth rate of 9% during the 11th Five Year Plan, SMEs have to play a vital role in achieving this target. It is imperative for the government to address the major issues plaguing the sector and take further inclusive growth oriented policy initiatives to boost the sector. This includes measures addressing concerns of credit, fiscal support, cluster-based development, infrastructu re, technology, and marketing among others. As mentioned earlier, SMEs constitute 34% of Indias merchandise exports and in order to increase Indias export share to the global trade, SMEs are expected to enlarge their scope manifold. Problems Faced by Indian SMEs: The SMEs in India have been facing lot of issues that hinder the performance and the survival of this sector. The government has been striving hard to provide with policies that would help the smooth functioning of the SMEs. The main problems that have been faced by the SMEs are: Finance: Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, especially the micro enterprises have been facing the problem of inadequate access to finance. This is mainly due to the lack of information on financing activities and also due to the traditional business style. In India, there is also a lack of private equity, venture capitalists and business angels entering the MSME sector which would provide easy financing options to businesses which have unique ideas. The availability of finance has been a major problem for the SME sector. The SMEs have not been able to have easy access to the loan offered by the various commercial banks and other financial institutions. This is despite the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Ministry of Finance having laid down instructions to the banks and financial institutions to encourage easy financing options to the SMEs. According to Morris et al., 2001:11; â€Å"there are strong structural underpinnings to the inadequate flow: the organisational structures of banks, and processes within them, have taken them far from task orientation and have created a specific bias against small loan portfolios.† The government has been constantly seeking new ways to make access to loan funds an easy process for the SMEs. The small industries sector has been worst hit by the problem of financing. These units have not been able to understand their financial situation and also they havent been able to maintain transparency in their financials. The banks and financial institutions have been hesitant with regards to providing financing solutions by means of loans to these small units. This is because in the recent past, the loans that have been offered to some of these units have been transformed in to non-performing assets and hence, the banks have been trying to avoid this high level of risk. The banks and other financial institutions have been in fact extending more of their loans to the medium industries sectors in order to comply with the RBI regulation of financing for the ‘priority sector. Infrastructure: After finance, availing good infrastructural facilities has been a topic of concern for the MSME sector. The infrastructural facilities that are available in the rural parts of India differ substantially with those available in the cities and the urban parts of India. There has been growing concern towards the supply of power at affordable rates to these units. In the rural parts where the rates are comparatively lower than the urban parts, the adequate supply of electricity has been an issue. The lack of newer technological knowhow has been growing. There has been a huge difference in the technique used in the towns to those used in the villages. Those in the urban areas have now been able to make use of computers and other computer operated machines whereas in the villages, the traditional methods of production are still being used. The transport facilities have not been developed very well. In spite of so many highways being constructed, there has not been ease of transporting facilities for the SMEs at affordable rates. This hinders the rural and semi-urban markets to access new and larger markets in the other parts of India. Lack of skilled labourer: Lack of skilled labour hampers the productivity of the SME unit. The skilled labour can make better use of resourced and could also be able to handle computers. Skilled labourers can be of great help with means of management and marketing. Product Reservation: For the purpose of good productivity, there has been product reservation which means around 800 products are being reserved to be produced only by the SMEs. The list is being revised on a regular basis but under political influence. The main purpose of product reservation was to create local employment by means of using locally available resources. But due to increased political influence, the main purpose of the reservation has been lost. The SMEs are at times not informed that they produce the reserved product. Role of Government for SME development in India: The Government of India has recognised the role of MSMEs in the overall development of the countrys economic situation. The MSMEs are of utmost importance in terms of employment generation, share to the GDP, share to the industrial output, foreign exchange generation, etc. The Government of India has implemented various policies in conjunction with the state government, the RBI and various NGOs for the betterment of the MSMEs in India. As a stepping stone towards MSME development, the Ministry of Small Scale Industries (SSIs) was combined with the Ministry of Agro and Rural Industries to form the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). This helped to formulate policies on a national basis bringing all the enterprises whether rural or urban under one cabinet. The main purpose of the Ministry of MSMEs was of drafting policies, programmes, development projects and schemes and also to keep a check on the implementation of these policies. The Government of Indias has launched a landmark initiative by the introduction of the MSEMD Act, on 2nd October, 2006. It is due to the enactment of this Act that there has been an increase in the SME competitive strength. The issues related to the growth of SMEs had been surfaced and thus, the SME had been able to accept challenges and reap the benefits of large scale economies. The co-ordination of policies at both the state and the national level has helped strengthen the role of SMEs not only at the lower but also at the higher level. A recent policy introduction by the Tamil Nadu government to encourage the agro-based industries by means of providing a wide range of incentives, support for infrastructure development, subsidies for investing in industrially backward areas, capital investment and technology development with an aim to sustain a growth rate of over 10% in the food and agro based sector. The Government of India has set up various institutions at both national and state level which are both a governing as well as a support body for the SMEs in India. The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Small Scale Industries Board, Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO), National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) Limited, The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and Coir Board work in co-ordination with the various institutes and assist the SMEs at both national and state level. Today, the working of the Ministry has lead to the existence of various SME governing bodies which help the smooth functioning of the SMEs. The Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), the SME Rating Agency of India (SMERA), etc. all play a convincing part in the development and smooth functioning of the SMEs in India. Policies implemented by the Government: The Government of India has been reviewing its policies for the SMEs. The various organisations set up in coordination with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises look after the formulation and implementation of the various policies for the SMEs. Finance: The Government of India in co-ordination with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the countries apex bank has been striving hard in order to create policies for making available easy financing options to the SMEs. The RBI has been issuing directives for every bank and financial institution to maintain a quota of funds to be made available to the Micro, Small and Medium enterprises. The Government of India has set up special financing institutions that provide easy finance options to the SMEs at very nominal interest rates. The Government has taken many initiatives to make finance readily available to the SMEs: Industrial Development Bank of India: Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) was instituted in 1964 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the RBI as the top institution for providing finance to the SME sector. The Government of India in 1975 passed a law for de-linking IDBI from RBI and making it the principal financial institution for (i) co-ordination of the working of institutions engaged in financing, promoting or developing industry; (ii) assisting the development of such institutions; and (iii) Providing credit and other facilities for development of industry and for matters connected therewith. IDBI has brought about a revolution in industrial growth by means of providing finance for medium and long term projects in co-ordination with the national policies. The range of products offered by IDBI has been increasing in every field of industrial need be it manufacturing or services sector. IDBI has been empowered to provide financial assistance to all types of small enterprises. Small Industries Development Bank of India: The Government, in April 1990, established the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) as a fully owned subsidiary of the Industrial Development Bank of India in order to promote financing activities for the Small and Medium Enterprises on a nationwide basis. In March 2000, the government amended the SIDBI Act and de-merged it from IDBI. The amendment led to the change in the capital structure, shareholding pattern, business and borrowing provisions. The SIBDI has two subsidiaries namely SIDBI Venture Capital Fund and SIDBI Trustee Company Limited. The Credit Guarantee Fund for the Small Industries and Technology Bureau for Small Enterprises are the two associate organizations that work in co-ordination with SIDBI. Since the foundation of SIDBI, it has been assisting the micro, small and medium sector (MSMEs) providing those with suitable schemes which are tailor made to suit the need of individual organizations. It assists in the setting up of new projects, expansion, diversification, modernization and rehabilitation of existing units. After the de-merger of SIDBI from IDBI, it has introduced several new schemes and products in order to meet the need of both new and existing SME units. It has been maintaining its policies and revising them from time to time keeping them in line with the policy plans of the Government and RBI. Competitiveness: The Government has been striving hard in order to provide a competitive edge to the units in the global environment. In order to increase the productivity of the MSME sector so as to overcome the competition that these units can face in the global markets and also to face the competition from the multi-national companies in the local Indian markets, the Government of India has introduced the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme (NMCP) in the year 2005-06. The NMCP programme was implemented to shift the focus of the SMEs from the production to the competitive side of business. There was a need for the SMEs to introduce some structural changes and therefore this programme was introduced. The programme was initiated to increase the competitiveness at the individual firm level and not at industry or sector level. The need of the hour was to address issues such as technology up gradation, cost reduction, in time delivery, total quality management (TQM) and to enhance the customer service. The NMCP worked in co-ordination with the SMEs and helped attain an environment for the accomplishment of these issues. National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector: The National Commission for the Enterprise in the Unorganised Sector has been set up to improve the productivity of the unorganised sector. It acts as an advisory board and a supervisory body for the informal sector for generation of large scale employment opportunities on a sustainable basis, particularly in rural areas. Reservation: The policy of product reservation had been started in the year 1967 with the governments objective of attaining socio-economic development by reserving the manufacturing of products solely by the SME sector. The Government introduce this policy with a view to improve the productivity of the SMEs especially in the rural areas which would in turn help to increase employment opportunities and also initiate the people to take up self employing business opportunities. The Government of India had reserved some products to be manufactured only by the SSI sector. In 1984, the list contained as many as 843 products to be manufactured only by the SME sector. But in the recent years, due to the lack of technological up gradation and competitiveness on the part of SMEs, the has been reduced to as low as 21 products. The de- reserving of the products has been progressive for the re introduction of the SMEs in the main stream. Simple Process: The registration of the SMEs was earlier a very painful and lengthy process. This system has now been replaced with the much simpler Entrepreneurs Memorandum (EM). The introduction of the EM has been the most valuable achievements of the MSMED Act, 2006. The Need of Credit as a Lifeline of Business: Finance or credit is of crucial importance for any business to grow and survive. If adequate finance is not available, even the best plans need to be put to halt. In case of MSMEs, credit is needed at every stage be it start up, diversification, technological up gradation, survival and expansion. If finance is not readily available, there is every possibility that the best performing unit can fall sick thus leading to the closing down of the unit. Thus, the need for a focused credit policy for the MSMEs was recognised by the Government of India. Hence, a credit policy with the following terms was laid down: Priority Sector Lending: Providing of credit to the MSME sector has been made compulsory by the government under the Priority Sector Lending Scheme. The priority sector includes agriculture, small enterprises and businesses, retail trade, etc. Under this scheme,