Deception Point Page 28

Should I consult Sexton? She quickly decided against it. He was in a meeting. Besides, if she told him about this e-mail, she'd have to tell him about the others. She decided her informant's offer to meet in public in broad daylight must be to make Gabrielle feel safe. After all, this person had done nothing but help her for the last two weeks. He or she was obviously a friend. Reading the e-mail one last time, Gabrielle checked the clock. She had an hour. 30 The NASA administrator was feeling less edgy now that the meteorite was successfully out of the ice. Everything is falling into place, he told himself as he headed across the dome to the work area of Michael Tolland. Nothing can stop us now. â€Å"How's it coming?† Ekstrom asked, striding up behind the television scientist. Tolland glanced up from his computer, looking tired but enthusiastic. â€Å"Editing is almost done. I'm just overlaying some of the extraction footage your people shot. Should be done momentarily.† â€Å"Good.† The President had asked Ekstrom to upload Tolland's documentary to the White House as soon as possible. Although Ekstrom had been cynical about the President's desire to use Michael Tolland on this project, seeing the rough cuts of Tolland's documentary had changed Ekstrom's mind. The television star's spirited narrative, combined with his interviews of the civilian scientists, had been brilliantly fused into a thrilling and comprehensible fifteen minutes of scientific programming. Tolland had achieved effortlessly what NASA so often failed to do-describe a scientific discovery at the level of the average American intellect without being patronizing. â€Å"When you're done editing,† Ekstrom said, â€Å"bring the finished product over to the press area. I'll have someone upload a digital copy to the White House.† â€Å"Yes, sir.† Tolland went back to work. Ekstrom moved on. When he arrived at the north wall, he was encouraged to find the habisphere's â€Å"press area† had come together nicely. A large blue carpet had been rolled out on the ice. Centered on the rug sat a long symposium table with several microphones, a NASA drape, and an enormous American flag as a backdrop. To complete the visual drama, the meteorite had been transported on a palette sled to its position of honor, directly in front of the symposium table. Ekstrom was pleased to see the mood in the press area was one of celebration. Much of his staff was now crowded around the meteorite, holding their hands out over its still-warm mass like campers around a campfire. Ekstrom decided that this was the moment. He walked over to several cardboard boxes sitting on the ice behind the press area. He'd had the boxes flown in from Greenland this morning. â€Å"Drinks are on me!† he yelled, handing out cans of beer to his cavorting staff. â€Å"Hey, boss!† someone yelled. â€Å"Thanks! It's even cold!† Ekstrom gave a rare smile. â€Å"I've been keeping it on ice.† Everyone laughed. â€Å"Wait a minute!† someone else yelled, scowling good-naturedly at his can. â€Å"This stuff's Canadian! Where's your patriotism?† â€Å"We're on a budget, here, folks. Cheapest stuff I could find.† More laughter. â€Å"Attention shoppers,† one of the NASA television crew yelled into a megaphone. â€Å"We're about to switch to media lighting. You may experience temporary blindness.† â€Å"And no kissing in the dark,† someone yelled. â€Å"This is a family program!† Ekstrom chuckled, enjoying the raillery as his crew made final adjustments to the spotlights and accent lighting. â€Å"Switching to media lighting in five, four, three, two†¦ â€Å" The dome's interior dimmed rapidly as the halogen lamps shut down. Within seconds, all the lights were off. An impenetrable darkness engulfed the dome. Someone let out a mock scream. â€Å"Who pinched my ass?† someone yelled, laughing. The blackness lasted only a moment before it was pierced by the intense glare of media spotlights. Everyone squinted. The transformation was now complete; the north quadrant of the NASA habisphere had become a television studio. The remainder of the dome now looked like a gaping barn at night. The only light in the other sections was the muted reflection of the media lights reflecting off the arched ceiling and throwing long shadows across the now deserted work stations. Ekstrom stepped back into the shadows, gratified to see his team carousing around the illuminated meteorite. He felt like a father at Christmas, watching his kids enjoy themselves around the tree. God knows they deserve it, Ekstrom thought, never suspecting what calamity lay ahead. 31 The weather was changing. Like a mournful harbinger of impending conflict, the katabatic wind let out a plaintive howl and gusted hard against the Delta Force's shelter. Delta-One finished battening down the storm coverings and went back inside to his two partners. They'd been through this before. It would soon pass. Delta-Two was staring at the live video feed from the microbot. â€Å"You better look at this,† he said. Delta-One came over. The inside of the habisphere was in total darkness except for the bright lighting on the north side of the dome near the stage. The remainder of the habisphere appeared only as a dim outline. â€Å"It's nothing,† he said. â€Å"They're just testing their television lighting for tonight.† â€Å"The lighting's not the problem.† Delta-Two pointed to the dark blob in the middle of the ice-the water-filled hole from which the meteorite had been extracted. â€Å"That's the problem.† Delta-One looked at the hole. It was still surrounded by pylons, and the surface of the water appeared calm. â€Å"I don't see anything.† â€Å"Look again.† He maneuvered the joystick, spiraling the microbot down toward the surface of the hole. As Delta-One studied the darkened pool of melted water more closely, he saw something that caused him to recoil in shock. â€Å"What the†¦?† Delta-Three came over and looked. He too looked stunned. â€Å"My God. Is that the extraction pit? Is the water supposed to be doing that?† â€Å"No,† Delta-One said. â€Å"It sure as hell isn't.† 32 Although Rachel Sexton was currently sitting inside a large metal box situated three thousand miles from Washington, D.C., she felt the same pressure as if she'd been summoned to the White House. The videophone monitor before her displayed a crystal clear image of President Zach Herney seated in the White House communications room before the presidential seal. The digital audio connection was flawless, and with the exception of an almost imperceptible delay, the man could have been in the next room. Their conversation was upbeat and direct. The President seemed pleased, though not at all surprised, by Rachel's favorable assessment of NASA's find and of his choice to use Michael Tolland's captivating persona as a spokesman. The President's mood was good-natured and jocular. â€Å"As I'm sure you will agree,† Herney said, his voice growing more serious now, â€Å"in a perfect world, the ramifications of this discovery would be purely scientific in nature.† He paused, leaning forward, his face filling the screen. â€Å"Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world, and this NASA triumph is going to be a political football the moment I announce it.† â€Å"Considering the conclusive proof and who you've recruited for endorsements, I can't imagine how the public or any of your opposition will be able to do anything other than accept this discovery as confirmed fact.† Herney gave an almost sad chuckle. â€Å"My political opponents will believe what they see, Rachel. My concerns are that they won't like what they see.†

Alternatives to Incarceration Essay

In today’s economy keeping people in prison is becoming an ugly, expensive mess. There are now so many alternatives to incarceration that we need to explore and start using. Johnny Cash wrote a song called â€Å"Folsom Prison Blues† describing the angst of inmates, permanently immortalizing them in the publics minds. However, now that prisons across the country are running out of resources and space, it is the prison officials who are feeling the blues. There are a number of alternatives that are used for offenders who have committed non-violent crimes. The options can range from probation all the way to public shaming. For those who have been convicted of drunk driving, public shaming might have the most impact. In some states, convicted offenders will be made to drive around with signs put on their cars stating that they have been convicted. No one convicted of this sort of crime runs around announcing what they have done because its embarrassing. In general most prefer to keep it a secret because it is humiliating. With signs pasted to their vehicles, there is no way to escape the public knowing what they have done. Another option used for drunk driving is the use of a breathalyzer. This device is installed into the offenders car and the car is actually programmed not to start if they are intoxicated. This could put a definite damper on party habits. Another alternative that has popped up is based out of Texas. Texas is one of the last few states that enforces the death penalty and also has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. Ironically, a state with such an â€Å"iron fist† reputation, has started to put offenders on probation and sentence them to read as opposed to prison time. This trend has slowly started to spread across the United States. Offenders and repeat offenders are ordered to attend a specific reading group where they get into discussions over classics like â€Å"Of Mice and Men† and â€Å"To Kill A Mockingbird.† A study was done from 1997 to 2008 and it was discovered that only 6% were either sent back to jail or had their probations revoked. Another perk of this program is that it only costs taxpayers $500 a year as opposed to the $30,000 a year it takes to keep an inmate imprisoned. This programs seems to work best for those who have been convicted of crimes involving robbery or drug abuse. It gives them a chance to have a voice and even a sense of identity and confidence. Another tough crime to address as far as sentencing goes, is when a person is arrested and that individual is mentally ill. For the longest time when someone was arrested for drug possession, trespassing or any other non-violent offense, they were automatically sent to jail or probation, regardless of their mental instability. Now it seems, there is a new option of an alternative court type setting where attorneys, mental health organizations, and the judge work together to coordinate a treatment option that will ensure the offender will stay on the right path. So many people are incarcerated who have mental illnesses, yet have never had the opportunity to be officially diagnosed and continue to go untreated. Providing treatment is the right thing to do, it is humane, and is even more cost effective then incarceration. Overall the criminal justice system needs to really start to change the way certain offenders are handled and then pretty much lost in the system. It effectively helps to create more and more offenders and even encourages repeat offenders. Financially for taxpayers it makes more sense. It is cheaper to provide outpatient options and treatments then to pay to keep an offender confined in prison. Aside from all of this, the criminal justice system needs to remember these low level offenders are still human beings. We all make mistakes and deserve to do the appropriate punishments, but a lot of these mistakes might just benefit more from appropriate treatment programs and interventions. Hard prison time is not always the best answer. References: 1) The Economist, July issue, 2010 2) Nolo.com 3) American Psychological Association 4) The Guardian, July, 2010

Stylistic Analysis. Doctor in the House

â€Å"Doctor in the house† is written by Richard Gordon a real ship’s surgeon and an assistant editor of the British Medical Journal. The story deals with describing process of exams, difficulties provided by them and students’ feelings and thoughts before and after examinations. The general slant of the story is quite tense, gloomy and even a bit depressed. It makes the Reader feel anxious and it forces us to have a disagreeable sense of a heavy load because we worry about the narrator’s success at the exam. The author manages to create such an atmosphere by an abundant use of similes.He compares examinations with a serious contest, an eight-round fight, a final breathless sprint and even with death. All these devices leave a very vivid description of the students’ anticipating such an unpleasant inevitability as the exam. By means of the author’s language our imagination depicts a distinct and colorful picture proving the effectiveness of t he stylistic devices in Gordon’s description. It’s hard to believe but suspense is even growing from one paragraph to another turning just an investigation of a man’s knowledge into judgment day. Also read: The Man With The Scar AnalysisAnd to my mind this allusion is chosen nonrandom but to emphasize a meaning of the exam for candidates. And Gordon asserts that if an examinee loses his nerve he’s like a cow in a bog and soon he will be finished. But not all students act like this and knowing that the author focuses his attention on describing different psychological types of candidates. He pictures them with common understandable vocabulary which refers us to life and makes the portraits very convincing.At the same time Gordon adds some tiny but significant details like the Nonchalant lolling back on the chair, the Franky Worried tearing his invitation, the Crammer fondling his books, the Old Stager treating like a photographer at a wedding. Besides an attentive Reader could notice how skillfully the author names these types underlining their essences and expressing them shortly just in one word. Meanwhile despite of a psychological type everybody can find no peace af ter the exam not knowing anything about their results. And the author perfectly conveys students’ sense of futility and despair considering these days to be black.It helps the Reader to guess how difficult to cope with such a condition when you are numbed, unable to realize what has happened and everything you can is just hope for the better. This is precisely what the author says about pernicious aftereffect of exams. So as I said the suspense is still growing especially when the results are about to come out. Gordon gives us a very unusual and picturesque image of the speechless world where everything isn’t going to stir, not a leaf. The Reader has already got used to a high speed of the story and this sudden stop makes a great contrast in mood between the whole text and the last part.But this stillness is fake the narrator’s heart is on a point of leaping out of his chest. The description of the hero’s state is highly emotional. His wet palms, burning face, pulse in his ears keeps the Reader in so great tension which disappears at once after just one word ‘pass’. And a long-awaited relief covers the narrator and the reader because the author ideally coped with his main task – he hold our attention during the whole narration compelling us to feel we are inside of this story.

Pressure Groups Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pressure Groups - Term Paper Example The term ‘pressure group’ was coined after the post World War II era to put pressure among the higher authorities that has the power to make decisions. These pressure groups do not take part either in the elections nor do they have any interest in seeking power of the political office, their aim is just focused on implementing their opinions onto the powerful authorities (Baggott, 1995). Most of the time these pressure groups compete against the other pressure groups to make their demands fulfilled but when their aims are common, they often work together to achieve the shared interest. These pressure groups have increased rapidly in the 20th century duet to the increase in population around the world, advancement in the technology due to which many groups have started to raise their voices in the social media networking, the society is becoming more diverse and the increase in the welfare state has given rise to the pressure or interest groups (Walter & ZÃ ¼rn, 2005). The pressure groups are considered as a mouthpiece for the members operating the group, which are not elected through formal electoral processes nor are they a part of any political parties but however they sometimes assist the parties in achieving their goals. Their main function is to mobilize the public opinion and persuading the government through different means in adopting the policies outlined by these groups. They educate the general public about specific issues from which they are unaware and they represent the minorities who are unable to represent themselves (Key, 1978). The other most common function of a pressure group is to develop and recommend laws and policies and to ensure that these laws are implemented. These groups make the democracy healthy by indicating different issues to the government that have been overlooked. They are always scrutinizing the government policies and providing recommendations in

Comparative Approach in the Study of Politics Essay

Comparative Approach in the Study of Politics - Essay Example The linkage between constitutionalism and political culture is not always directed, fixed, or clear, however it depends upon which method of comparison is adopted. While studying comparative approach the unubiquitous issue present now a days is the political comparison of umpteen countries, which most closely approximates the experimental method of science. This comparison is particularly suited to quantitative analysis through measurement and analysis of aggregate data collected on many countries (Lijphart 1971). Although there are examples of qualitative comparisons of such countries, like Huntington's (1996) The Clash of Civilizations and Finer's (1997) History of Government, the majority of studies that compare many countries simultaneously use quantitative methods. This method of comparison requires a higher level of abstraction in its specification of concepts in order to include as many countries as possible. (Landman, 2003) Its main advantages include statistical control to r ule out rival explanations, extensive coverage of countries along with its political circumstances, the ability to make strong inferences, and the identification of 'deviant' countries or 'outliers'. Comparing many countries is referred to as 'variable-oriented', since its primary focus is on general dimensions of macro-social variation (Ragin, 1994) and the relationship between variables at a global level of analysis. The extensive coverage of countries allows for stronger inferences and theory building, since a given relationship can be demonstrated to exist with a greater degree of certainty. For example, Gurr (1968) demonstrates that levels of civil conflicts across 114 countries are positively related to the presence of economic, political, short-term, and long-term deprivation. His analysis also explains that this relationship holds for roughly 65 per cent of the countries. More recently, Helliwell (1994) has shown that for 125 countries from 1960-1985 there is a positive relationship between per capita levels of income and democracy. After controlling for the differences between OECD countries, Middle Eastern oil-producing countries, Africa, and Latin America, this relati onship is demonstrated to hold for about 60 per cent of the countries. A second advantage of comparing many countries lies in the ability to identify so-called 'deviant' countries. These are countries whose values on the dependent variable are different than expected, given the values on the independent variables (levels of deprivation or per capita income). In testing for the positive relationship between income inequality and political violence in sixty countries, Muller and Seligson (1987) use a simple scatter plot to identify which countries fit their theory and which do not. For example, Brazil, Panama, and Gabon were found to have a lower level of political violence than was expected for the relatively high level of income inequality. On the other hand, the UK was found to have a particularly high level of political violence given its relatively low level of income inequality. By identifying these 'outliers', scholars can look for other explanations that account for their deviance, and they can remove them from their analysis to make more accurat e predictions for the remaining countries. (Landman, 2003)

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

Strategic Management - Research Paper Example The human resource management plays a major role during mergers and acquisitions in conducting the following functional responsibilities. Recruitment and retention Change in an organization is normally accompanied by uncertainty. During this period, outside forces which includes recruiters and competitors can take advantage and take the best employees when the company needs them most. The human resources management will help the company come up with and implement recruitment and retention strategy. This will help in identifying and retaining employees with skills which are crucial to the company. Retention strategy will help the changing company to retain intellectual capital, fostered client relationships, and business focus, which enables the company to operate in an effective manner. When companies merge or restructure, some employees may have to be laid off. According to Page (2006), layoffs should be properly handled to prevent negative impact to the employees who remain. This i s because remaining employees may feel insecure, angry, lonely or less productive when right procedures are not followed. For example, if meritocracy is not included in the layoff process, best performing employees will feel insecure because they can be retrenched anytime no matter their contribution. Human resource department develops and implements specific actions, appropriate timing, and responsibilities on how to keep best employees. Training and development The human resource management ensures that all the employees in the organization are equipped with the appropriate training and development. This enables organizations’ employees to develop confidence; the required skills and behavior which will assist them adjust to their new roles. Through this, all the employees will have proper tools to conduct the required changes in the organization as well as deliver and maintain all the changes successfully. When conducting training and development, all those in various manag erial levels should be equipped with proper leadership skills. Through this, they will be able to properly manage and motivate the teams assigned to them. In addition, they will be able to provide proper communication and guidance to their subordinates during the mergers and acquisitions. With proper training, the organization’s managers will be in a position to help their subordinates to understand they are part of the brand new company and culture. Employee performance management According to Watkins and Leigh (2009), performance management is appropriate for an organization which is large enough as to necessitate an effective means of evaluating its own employees. The human resource management after the mergers and acquisitions in an organization uses employee performance management system to support the overall organizational integration of employee evaluation. Through this, the management will also be able to improve on the level and quality of employee communication and overall productivity. The uniqueness of performance management is that it focuses on an organization specific needs and is flexible to change. The human resource management and performance management experts try to find out evaluation needs of various employees and they come up with specific scalable processes. These processes are coordinated with employee’s effort in order to measure performance accurately and ensure motivation is created. All this is

New Venture Strategy - Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

New Venture Strategy - Entrepreneurship - Essay Example The biggest consumers of electricity in Pakistan for non-public use are domestic or household consumers, as specified by the Government of Pakistan Finance Division, with the industrial consumers ranking in at number two (Finance.gov.pk, 2011). 2- Marketing Plan Market segments: Individual Customers The targeted group of people for this product will be the upper and upper middle classes of Pakistan. Based on the information available by the Federal Bureau of Statistics Pakistan these people will make up the topmost percentile of the urban population. (Statpak.gov.pk, 2008) As a group, the customers of this Solar Energy project will: Own a house Have a monthly household income of more than Rs26,000, majority of which will be contributed by their salaries, residential property and non agriculture activities Will belong to major metropolitan cities of Pakistan Appreciate the necessity of having alternative sources of energy, especially for household use Upper Class: The upper class indi viduals of Pakistan have high incomes through business, land-ownership or profession; they have a very carefree lifestyle because they have the means and the money to live as they want. They live in highly modern, well-equipped houses. They are mostly self-employed or are top level management in big multinational companies. They also like to travel. Upper Middle Class: They have sufficient yearly income to sustain a decent standard of living. Well educated and hard working people, they live in self-owned houses and have good jobs at respectable places. Housing Projects Market Another target segment for the company is that group of builders, contractors and architects who are involved in the house building market. They are actively involved in creating houses and then selling them. They will be very interested in a company that can offer them to create solar power services for the entire house. Competition Energy is provided to the Pakistani consumer by the government through its ent ity called WAPDA (except in Karachi). However, increasing demand and limited supply – which shall be discussed in detail later – has rendered the government incapable to servicing all customers. There have been private companies which have identified this huge market opportunity and offer various solutions. In the solar energy field, there are many small companies that are importers of the solar equipment and offer various solutions to their clients. Some of the few key players in the industry are: 1. Trillium Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd: Located in Lahore, this company offers various solar energy products including Solar Modules of various capacities, rectifiers, charge Controllers, solar pumps and inverters (Trillium-pakistan.com, 2011) 2. Siemens Pakistan: They offer solar energy solutions, according to their website , in telecom solutions such as optical fibre and exchanges, water pumping, household use, lighting and highway communication. Most of their work seems for profe ssional and industrial use. (Siemens.com.pk, 2011) The alternative energy sector in Pakistan is very new and is undergoing constant change through new entrants and failing companies. While there are some companies in Pakistan which offer alternative solutions for energizing household products such as solar system for grill and solar system for water

Identify and analyse the aims, impact and outcomes of increasingly Essay

Identify and analyse the aims, impact and outcomes of increasingly integrated ways of working in childrens services on children and their families - Essay Example The need of the hour that could be truly beneficial to the child and the family is a consorted attempt coming from all the agencies involved in it to work together. In this paper I would like to analyse the process and objectives, impact and outcome of an integrated working style. A survey of the children and families in need of help is enough to be disillusioned about their pathetic condition. They want a little relief but on the contrary have to face more trouble. In some cases the constant intervention of numerous agencies and practitioners literally make it impossible to have some real breather as both the child and the family pass through repetitive processes, questions and tests. ‘There are times that having all different people in my life is too much. I spend a lot of my time up the hospitals. I wish there were less appointments and less doctors to see.’ (Child quoted in Turner, p.21) There are such instances where the family of the child is at a loss of whom to go to. And this has been detrimental to the mental and physical well-being of the child. Therefore it calls for an increasing demand of a coordinated way of working between the different agencies. (Stone & Rixon, ch3, p.88-89) It is important for the agencies to come together and decide upon the ruling ideology and the common goal towards which they would conjointly work. In this particular issue it is needless to say that the goal is the betterment of the child in all respects. Whatever mode of cooperation and coordination they might adopt all should be child-centric in approach. (Stone & Rixon, ch3, p.90) The practitioners or agency workers should first and foremost prepare themselves to enter into the life of a child needing help and partake of the child’s problems with the sole aim of finding a resolve to alleviate it. The agency representatives must make it a point to listen to their problems, demands and needs.

Government Debt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Government Debt - Essay Example External government debt refers to the aggregate funds collected from outside the country from foreign investors and governments. According to Gartner (2006, p. 68) the government will always sell its securities in the open market when it wants to raise funds from the investors. Key traded government securities in the open market include but not limited to treasury bills, notes and bonds (Snowdon & Vane (1997, p.103). Sovereign debt refers to government debt owed to investors mostly foreign in foreign currencies. Shone (1989, p. 119) states that Sovereign debts are normally used by the government when they are in need of large amount of money to carry out an expensive public project. Sovereign debt is considered risky owing to the fact that it is affected by fluctuation in currency and any default by the issuing company may translate to low credit rating and no further debt advancement as foreign investors will be scared away. Government bonds, which is the common form of raising rev enue from local investors in local currency is highly preferred by most government because it is not affected by the credit rating of the country (Miles & Scott 2005, p.19). It is unfortunate that the United Kingdom government debt has been growing at an alarming rate over the recent past. The global recession that began in 2008 has left several developed nation into huge debts. Carlin and Soskice (2006;101), asserts that the UK higher budget deficit can be attributed to the large government spending and low government revenue owing to loss of jobs and reduced spending. The UK society has been enjoying the deficit sending without a glimpse at its consequences. The United Kingdom debt which includes the aggregate amount of money owned by the central government in form of government bonds, sovereign bonds, Social Security trust fund, and accrued capital expenditure. Fiscal consolidation refers to the policies taken by the government to manage its debt and reduce its budget deficit. Fi scal consolidation policies vary from country to country depending on the financial objective of the government. Most countries are always caught up in dilemma when it comes to fiscal consolidation especially during recession. Most economies have been unstable since the beginning of recession as unemployment rate increases from time to time, key companies facing financial constraints and individuals losing mortgages and thus it becomes difficult for the government to decide whether to come up with economic stimulus or fiscal consolidation policies. For instance the UK government has been facing bulging public debt and budget deficit while the same time unemployment rate is escalating unprecedentedly. Tobin theory is a theory of investment behavior also renowned as Tonin’s Q Theory and denoted by letter â€Å"q†. This theory is used to determine the ratio of the companies issued shares (share capital) to the replacement cost associated with the assets of the company. Th ree significant situations are evident when relating the market value and the replacement cost and they include â€Å"q† being greater (q>1), lower (q

Recidivism Rates and Trends Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Recidivism Rates and Trends - Research Paper Example He/she is supposed to be convicted again. Another reason for re-imprisonment results from the violation of parole or supervision practices as set out in the policies. Recidivism rate can be reduced by a successful integration of inmates into the society after their release from prison. According to the president of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Jeremy Travis, reintegration entails the connection of released prisoners and the community and the families they are returning to. According to the Second Chance Act of 2007, the released prisoners have the same right as the general population with regard to accessibility of social and economic resources and the exercise of their civil rights like voting and should not be victimized or discriminated. Support of the re-entering inmates by the broader community enhances their integration into the community smoothly. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, (2000), it is estimated that about 1600 state and federal prisoners are released into the community in a day. Though the prisoners anticipate this day when they get their freedom back, most of them are faced with immense challenges of living in liberty in the streets after moving out of prison. Challenges faced by re-entering prisoners are caused by lack of proper integration mechanisms of the prisoners back in the society especially for those who have spent a lot of years in prison. Such prisoners have been detached from the community and are not prepared for their life back in the society. Stigmatization of ex-convicts poses problems of getting employment, housing and rejection from families and relative. Such people are more likely to engage in reoffending in substance abuse and inappropriate behaviors which affect the healthy life of the ex-convict and lead to rearrests. The cycles of removal and return of person in prison increase the costs of maintaining and running the correctional institutions which burden the public through tax (Beck, 2000).

The Game of Tennis Essay Example for Free

The Game of Tennis Essay The history of tennis is said to date back several of thousands of years. The game was created by European monks. It began as a game for â€Å"entertainment purposes during religious ceremonies. To begin the game of tennis one was too hit the ball with their hand, soon the leather glove came into existence. This now replaced ones hand with a more effective way to hit and serve the ball, and so the first â€Å"racquet† was created. With a new way to hit the tennis balls, then the ball went under reconstruction and redesign seeing as the first tennis ball was wooden. Soon the new ball was bouncier, it was made of leather filled with cellulose material. The game of tennis soon became very popular in Europe, then in france as it was adopted by the royal family. But in the beginning tennis was called â€Å"Jeu de paumme† – the game of the palm, and it was played by kings and noblemen. The French players began the game by yelling the word â€Å"tenez!† which meant â€Å"Play!† The name was then changed to royal or â€Å"real tennis.† In 1874 the first tennis courts came to be in the United States and Major Walter Wingfield had requested the patent rights for the equipment and rules of the game. The game spread like wild fire to different parts of the world like, Russia, Canada, India and China. Although Wingfield’s version of the tennis courts and rules of the game underwent a many changes until it gave way to the modern version of tennis we play today. The earliest of origins of tennis are said to be a matter of â€Å"some dispute.† Some believe that the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans were the first to play tennis, but no drawings or descriptions to prove this information has ever been discovered. One this we do know is a few Arabic words dating from ancient Egyptian times are cited as evidence. The name tennis comes from the Egyptian town, Tinnis and the word racquet is Arabic for palm of the hand. Aside from those two words, evidence to prove any form of the game tennis being played or created the year 1000 is lacking, and most people and historians credit the first origins to the French. As far as the rules of the game of Tennis I decided to get simplified version of them which I had found on another High School’s website. â€Å"The rules of tennis are quite simple. The game itself is complex. Rule 1. Opponents stand on opposite sides of the court. The player who delivers the ball to start the point is called the server. The player who stands opposite and cross-court from the server is the receiver. Rule 2. The right to serve, receive, choose your side, or give the opponent these choices is decided by a toss of a coin or racquet. If the choice of service or receiver is chosen, the opponent chooses which side to start. Rule 3. The server shall stand behind the baseline on the deuce court within the boundaries of the singles court when playing singles and within the doubles sideline when playing doubles. All even points are played from the deuce court and odd number points played from the advantage court. The server shall not serve until the receiver is ready. Serves are made from the deuce court to the opponents service box on the deuce court. Advantage court to advantage box. If the server misses his target twice, he loses the point. If the ball hits the net and goes in the correct service box, another serve is granted. If the server steps on the baseline before contact is made, the serve is deemed a fault. Rule 4. The receiver is deemed ready if an attempt is made to return the servers ball. The receiver can stand where he likes but must let the ball bounce in the service box. If the ball does not land in the service box, it is deemed a fault and a second serve is given. If the ball is hit by either opponent before the ball bounces, the server wins the point. Rule 5. The server always calls his score first. If the server wins the first point, he gets a score of 15. Scoring is done like a clock. See example below. Love means zero in tennis. The second point is called 30. The third point is called 45 (now-a-days known as 40) and game is won when the score goes back to love. If the score is 40-40, also known as deuce, one side must win by two points. Advantage-In means if the server wins the next point, he wins the game. Advantage-Out means the receiver has a chance to win the game on the next point. LOVE 15-30-40 Rule 5. After the game, the opponents serve. Games equal 1. The first to win 6 games, by two, wins the set. The first to win 2 sets wins the match. If the score is 6-6, a tie-breaker is played. This is scored by ones. The first team to score 7 points winning by two wins the set. The tiebreaker continues until one side wins by two. Hence, Game-Set-Match. Rule 6. If the ball goes into the net, or outside the boundaries of the court, the player who hit that ball loses the point. If the ball hits the net during the point and goes into the opponents court, the ball is in play. A player loses the point if he touches the net, drops his racquet while hitting the ball, bounces the ball over the net, hits a part of the surroundings such as the roof, or a tree, the ball touches him or his partner, he deliberately tries to distract the opponent. Rule 7. A let is called during the point if a ball rolls on the court or there is a distraction from someone besides the players on the court. Rule 8. A ball that lands on the line is good. Rule 9. If players serve out of turn or serve to the wrong person or court, the point or game will stand and order will be resumed following the point or game. Also while researching the game of tennis I came across a list of the tennis terminology that made the definitions easier to understand for a beginner in tennis as well as someone just looking into the sport. As I read the terminologies I decided to make a table list for all of them with the definitions that the website provided for me. TermsDefinitions Ad CourtThe advantage court is the left side of the court for each player AdvantageAfter the score has reached 40-all, the winner of the next point will have the advantage, requiring another point to win the game. If the player with advantage loses the next point, the score reverts to 40-all. AlleyThe area of court bounded by the singles and doubles sidelines, used in doubles games. Angle-gameStyle of play where the all is hot so as to force the opponent wide of the court BackhandThe tennis stroke in which the ball is struck on the opposite side of the body to the racquet hand. BallThe tennis ball is made rubber with a green/yellow fury coating BallboysAssistants whose job it is to collect the ball and return it to the serving player. BaselineTwo-inch wide mark at the rear of the court CrosscourtA crosscourt shot is played diagonally across the court Double FaultWhen a server faults twice in a row, and a point is lost. Deucea score of 40 all Deuce Courtthe right side of the court of each player Drop ShotA volley in which the ball drops just over the net ForecourtArea of court between the service line and the net FootfaultWhen a server places their foot over the service line in the process of serving the ball FaultDuring a serve, when the ball does not land inside the service area on the full. The player loses a point after two consecutive faults. LinesmanOfficial who sits in a chair along lines of the court to call whether balls are in or out. LobA ball hit high in the air attempting to land behind the opposition player NetThe barrier that separates the two halves of the court. Net cord judgeOfficial who determines if the serve hits the net. RallyA series of consecutive shots played by opponents before a winner ServeOverhead shot to start each point Stanceposition of the body prior to playing a shot SpinA method of stroke play which induces a pronounced rolling of the ball in the air either sideways, forwards or backwards depending on whether the racquet face moves respectively across, over or under the ball. TopspinA forwards rotation of the ball after a shot Umpireofficial who keeps score during the match UnderspinA backwards rotation of the ball after a shot WinnerA shot that beats an opponent Tennis is a game played between two players in singles or between two teams of two players each in doubles. Each player has a racquet to have the opportunity to hit the tennis ball across the court, over the net into your opponents half of the court. One person on a team or one opponent is the server the other(s) is the receiver. After the server does an overhead shot into the receivers court the opponent is required to hit the tennis ball back until either the ball is out of play or out of the lines on the court or the opponent misses a fair ball.

Americans for Safe Access vs Dea Essay Example for Free

Americans for Safe Access vs Dea Essay Abstract This paper examined The American’s for Safe Access’s petition before a federal court to have the Drug Enforcement Administration reduce its current classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug. As this case goes before the court, there could be three possible outcomes: a judgment in favor of the plaintiff, the defendant, or a decision for the DEA to reexamine marijuana’s current classification. Of these three outcomes, I believed there would be sufficient evidence in my findings to support a decision by the justices to reexamine marijuana’s classification. One key component to this decision will be whether or not enough evidence exists to support marijuana’s medical use, as a drug that is used for medical treatment is typically not classified as Schedule I. Evidence for arguments from both sides was gathered from various sources, including medical publishings, the University of Washington’s School of Medicine archives, and online articles. After reviewing this information, the conclusion that enough evidence exists to reexamine marijuana’s current classification was reached. Introduction As more and more states petition to and effectively pass legislation to legalize medical marijuana, its current classification as a highly banned substance by the Federal Drug Administration continues to serve as a harsh stance against the desires of the public for the option of marijuana as a medical treatment. The escalation of this debate in the political and federal arena appears to be overtaking the medical industries ability to determine marijuana’s harms and benefits. Perhaps the heart of this debate lies in marijuana’s current classification by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Schedule 1 drug. Of all of the drugs on the current DEA Schedule I, list marijuana is the only one that has doctors supporting its medical uses. In light of this, does marijuana still deserve the same classification as heroin and LSD? As more states are passing this legislation and more states desire it, is it now time to reexamine marijuana’s current classification? Section 1: Case/Issue Summary Last year, the Drug Enforcement Administration rejected a petition by medical marijuana advocates to reduce its classification as a Schedule I drug, which kept marijuana in the same category as drugs such as heroin. The DEA concluded that there wasnt a consensus opinion among experts on using marijuana for medical purposes (Press, 2012). However, medical marijuana advocates have not given up in their pursuit to reduce the Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration’s classification of marijuana. In my chosen case, the plaintiff is Americans for Safe Access and the defendant is the Justice Department. Once again, the key issue at hand is the Drug Enforcement Administrations continued classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug. In order to be classified as a Schedule I drug, the drug must be officially determined to have no medical use and a high potential for abuse (McClathy, 2012). Justice Department attorneys site an absence of available evidence of acceptable and controlled studies, and a lack of agreement among experts as to marijuanas effectiveness as a medicine, as their basis for its current Schedule I classification. Those standing against the Justice Department claim that regulators are disregarding hundreds of peer-reviewed studies on the effectiveness of medical marijuana and the subsequent medical marijuana laws passed by 16 other states. The concerns for both the plaintiff and the defendant lie in the same key issue – is there enough acceptable medical evidence that marijuana does in fact have medicinal benefits? Studies and opinions as to which side has the most support to back its claim are widely varied, but both sides claim they have sufficient evidence to support their assertions. Take, for example, to very different statements, one from the medical book â€Å"Marijuana as Medicine?: The Science Beyond the Controversy† (Mack Joy, 2001), and the other from the medical book â€Å"Marijuana and Medicine, Assessing the Science Base† (Joy Stanley, 1999): â€Å"The cannabis plant (marijuana) . . . [has] therapeutic benefits and could ease the suffering of millions of persons with various illnesses such as AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, chronic pain, and other maladies.† – from the editor’s introduction to Cannabis in Medi cal Practice, by Mary Lynn Mathre, R.N. (Mack Joy, 2001). â€Å"Consequently, the rapid growth in basic research on cannabinoids contrasts with the paucity of substantial clinical studies on medical uses.† (Joy Stanley, 1999). These two statements help highlight just how much inconsistency on exists on this issue, inconsistency that could be a concern for both the plaintiff and the defendant. Section 2: Identification and Evaluation of all Main Possible Solutions Though the challenge filed by the plaintiff is directly asking for one solution, there are several solutions that could be reached. The first solution would be that the judges would dismiss the challenge without review. The result of this would be that the appeals court considers marijuana’s current classification to be proper and this would represent solid validation of the DEA’s authority to determine a drug’s status and classification. There would be evidence to back this decision. According to the doctors that authored â€Å"Marijuana and Medicine†, more extensive data exists on the harmful effects of marijuana than data on its medical benefits (Joy Stanley, 1999). It is the opinion of these doctors that clinical studies on marijuana’s positive and negative effects are difficult to conduct, due to both difficulty in procuring funding and the encumbrances of the many federal regulations involved with such testing (Joy Stanley, 1999). The court could also reach this decision due to the bioethical principle of Nonmaleficence. Under the standards of care, this is the principle that a healthcare provider should not bring harm to a patient (McCormick, 1998). Should the court determine that not enough evidence exists to support marijuana’s medical benefits, it would have to conclude that prescribing marijuana to a patient could lead to their harm. This decision by the court would serve as a strong deterrent to future challenges of the DEA’s classifications of drugs. The consequences would be a major setback for advocates of widespread legalization of prescription marijuana. Dismissing the challenge would, for the time being, lay to rest all claims made by American’s for Safe Access. Another solution would be for the district court to decide a reduction in marijuana’s drug classification to be justified. For the plaintiffs, reducing marijuana’s classification from a Schedule I drug to a lesser controlled substance would be a major step in their ultimate quest to see marijuana legalized for medical use in the remaining 34 states that don’t already allow for such use (Press, 2012). Should its classification be reduced to a Schedule II drug, it would then be legal for marijuana to be prescribed to patients in need. Along with the physical medical benefits, reducing marijuana’s classificati on would also lessen the penalties faced by those found in possession of it. Currently, possession of a Schedule I drug can carry a maximum sentence of up to 7 years in prison. Ruling in favor of the plaintiff could indicate that the judges felt the principle of beneficence – that a healthcare professional must act to provide medical benefit to a patient – is involved (McCormick, 1998). In this case, the benefit to the patient would be relief from pain and protection from harm. A recent petition by Governor and former senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, and Governor Christine Gregoire of Washington filed made the assertion that â€Å"patients with serious medical conditions who could benefit from medical use of cannabis do not have a safe and consistent source of the drug as a result of its current classification† (Madison, 2011). This ruling could also be a result of the justices deciding that enough trusted medical evidence does in fact exists to support the use of marijuana for medical purposes. According to the book â€Å"Marijuana Medical Handbook: Practical Guide to Therapeutic Uses of Marijuana†, some medical marijuana specialists have reported a significantly large amount of uses for medical marijuana, ranging from treatment for nausea and convulsions to an appetite stimulant for cancer patients (Gieringer, Rosenthal Carter, 2010) For the Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration, seeing marijuana’s classification reduced would be a major setback in its efforts to eradicate a drug that Justice Department lawyer Lena Watkins says is â€Å"the most widely abused drug in the United States, (Press, 2012). A decision against them by the federal court would essentially erase all of their efforts, along with damaging their ability to make similar determinations in the future. A third solution could be that the court could order the Drug Enforcement Administration to take a more in-depth look at the available evidence (McClathy, 2012). This would be a blow to the DEA, who claims they have spent a substantial amount of time and energy in executing due diligence to determine marijuana’s Schedule I classification. It would counter their stance that not enough acceptable evidence and proper studies can be found to support marijuana’s medical benefits. In turn, a decision by the court for the DEA to reexamine its evidence could ultimately lead to another challenge for its legalization. Consequently, this same decision would be very positive for American’s for Safe Access. They claim that the DEA has failed to consider notable support for medical marijuana from many respected institutions, all of whom support the reclassification of marijuana (McClathy, 2012). A request by the Court of Appeals for the DEA to reexamine its findings could be due to the principle of respect for autonomy. This principle protects the patient’s right to make their own informed decisions with regards to treatment (McCormick, 1998). Not having access to the best evidence as to marijuana’s medical benefits could act against this principle. The principle of justice could also play a part in this ruling. A patient in Missouri suffering the same amount of pain as a patient in California, but not having the opportunity to benefit from the same medicinal advancements as a patient in California, might be a constitute a breach of the principle of judgment in the eyes of the court. Section 3: Decision Statement and Defense Against Weaknesses After examining the facts of the case and all possible solutions, the solution to allow for the reduction of marijuana’s classification to a Schedule II drug seems the most prudent. This conclusion was reached for several reasons. Despite the DEA’s claims, there appears to be enough acceptable evidence on the ASA’s side to support its assertion that marijuana has applicable medical benefits. Cocaine is certainly proven to be a harmful substance when taken irresponsibly, yet its remote medical benefits have landed it on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Schedule II. For marijuana to remain on the Schedule I list while cocaine is on Schedule II hardly seems just considering there is even one state that has passed legal medical marijuana legislation. That there is even a small amount of substantial evidence from credible institutions supporting marijuana’s medical benefits makes the penalties involved with its possession seem severe. The recent petition sighted earlier by the two governors offers that they have support from many respected institutions, including The American Medical Association, The American College of Physicians, the Rhode Island Medical Society, the Washington State Medical Association the Washington State Pharmacy (Madison, 2011). All of these institutions are respected, making a decision to dismiss the challenge without even a reexamination seem imprudent. One also can’t help but wonder if the DEA’s current stance comes from a fear of its potential legalization for recreational use. This solution would also address another important issue in terms of marijuana use, and that would be to provide â€Å"safe, reliable, regulated use of marijuana for patients who are suffering,, as the governors have suggested (Press, 2012). In conclusion, certainly it seems that the current Schedule 1 classification of marijuana obstructs the medical principles of autonomy, beneficence, and justice . References Gieringer, D., Rosenthal, E., Carter, G. T. (2010). Marijuana medical handbook, practical guide to therapeutic uses of marijuana. Oakland: Quick American Archives. Joy, J. E., Stanley, J. W. (1999). Marijuana and medicine, assessing the science base. National Academies Press. (Joy Stanley, 1999) Mack, A., Joy, J. E. (2001). Marijuana as medicine?, the science beyond the controversy. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. (Mack Joy, 2001) Madison, L. (2011, November 30). Govs. chafee, gregoire lobby for reclassification of marijuana. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57334326-503544/govs-chafee-gregoire-lobby-for-reclassification-of-marijuana/?tag=contentMain;contentBody McClathy, N. (2012, October 12). Medical marijuana case going before court. Maine Sunday Telegram. Retrieved from http://www.pressherald.com/news/medical-marijuana-case-going-before-court_2012-10-13.html McCormick, T. R. (1998). Principles of bioethics. Ethics in edicine: University of Wa shinton School of Medicine, Retrieved from http://depts.washington.edu/bioethx/tools/princpl.html Press, A. (2012, October 16). Federal court considers marijuana classification. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57533647/federal-court-considers-marijuana-classification/

Supremacy of the US Dollar

Supremacy of the US Dollar ABSTRACT This assignment briefly discusses the supremacy of US Dollar. It includes suggestions and recommendations to its near future position, internationally. The proponents of the assignment are divided into the history of the US Dollar and its role as the dominating currency in the world. Ever since other currencies began to take part actively in the foreign exchange markets, they began to challenge the role of US Dollar. Arguments were put forward that the US Dollar would have to compete with the various emerging currencies to maintain its position as the most influential money dominator. The paper intends to discuss the currency contenders, which are the Euro, Japanese Yen Chinese Renminbi and the Russian Rouble and why are they the nearest competitors to challenge the US Dollar. Chapter 1 HISTORY The United States emerged from World War II not only as military victor but as an economic victor as well. It was by far the strongest economic power in the world. Under the Dollar standard, the Dollar standard, agreed to make the Dollar â€Å" as good as gold† redeemable on demand by any central bank at the rate of $35 an ounce in 1933. This meant that the dollar became the accepted medium of exchange for international transactions. This seemingly routine event was to have far reaching implications for the international financial system, certainly beyond what anyone would have imagined. According to James Grant the US dollar is the greatest monetary achievement in the history of the world. In year 1792 the first US dollar issued by the United States Mint which same in size and composition to the Spanish dollar. The US dollar was created and defined by the Coinage Act of 1972. The Coinage Act 1792 set the value of at 10 dollars, and the dollar at 1/10th eagle. It also called for 90% silver alloy coins in denominations of 1,  ½,  ¼, and 1/10. The timeline of US dollar currency will be discussed which as follows: I. Colonial Bills 1690 The Massachusetts Bay Colony, one of the Thirteen Original Colonies, issued the first paper money to cover costs of military expeditions. The practice of issuing paper bills spread to the other Colonies. II. Franklins Unique Counterfeit Deterrent 1739 Benjamin Franklins printing firm in Philadelphia printed colonial bills with nature printsunique raised impressions of patterns cast from actual leaves. This process added an innovative and effective counterfeit deterrent to bills, not completely understood until centuries later. III. British Ban 1764 Following years of restrictions on colonial paper currency, Britain finally ordered a complete ban on the issuance of paper money by the Colonies. IV. Continental Currency 1775 The Continental Congress issued paper currency to finance the Revolutionary War. Continental currency was denominated in Spanish milled dollars. Without solid backing and easily counterfeited, the bills quickly lost their value, giving rise to the phrase not worth a Continental. V. The Bank of North America 1781 Congress chartered the Bank of North America in Philadelphia as the first national bank, creating it to support the financial operations of the fledgling government. VI. The Dollar 1785 Congress adopted the dollar as the money unit of the United States. VII. First Central Bank 1791 Congress chartered the Bank of the United States for a 20-year period to serve as the U.S. Treasurys fiscal agent. The bank was the first to perform central bank functions for the government and operated until 1811, when Congress declined to renew the banks charter. Recognizing that a central banking system was still necessary to meet the nations financial needs, Congress chartered a second Bank of the United States in 1816 for another 20-year period. VIII. Monetary System 1792 The Coinage Act of 1792 created the U.S. Mint and established a federal monetary system, set denominations for coins, and specified the value of each coin in gold, silver, or copper. IX. Greenbacks 1861 The first general circulation of paper money by the federal government occurred in 1861.Pressed to finance the Civil War, Congress authorized the U.S. Treasury to issue non-interest-bearing Demand Bills. These bills acquired the nickname greenback because of their color. Today all U.S currency issued since 1861 remains valid and redeemable at full face value. X. First $10 Bills 1861 The first $10 bills were Demand Bills, issued in 1861 by the Treasury Department. A portrait of President Abraham Lincoln appeared on the face of the bills. XI. The Design 1862 By 1862, the design of U.S. currency incorporated fine-line engraving, intricate geometric lathe work patterns, a Treasury seal, and engraved signatures to aid in counterfeit deterrence. Since that time, the U.S. Treasury has continued to add features to thwart counterfeiting. XII. National Banking System 1863 Congress established a national banking system and authorized the U.S. Treasury to oversee the issuance of National Banknotes. This system established Federal guidelines for chartering and regulating national banks and authorized those banks to issue national currency secured by the purchase of United States bonds. XIII. Secret Service 1865 The United States Secret Service was established as a bureau of the Treasury for the purpose of controlling the counterfeiters whose activities were destroying the publics confidence in the nations currency. XIV. Bureau of Engraving and Printing 1877 The Department of the Treasurys Bureau of Engraving and Printing began printing all United States currency. XV. Paper Currency with Background Color 1905 The last United States paper money printed with background color was the $20 Gold Certificate, Series 1905, which had a golden tint and a red seal and serial number. XVI. Federal Reserve Act 1913 The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 created the Federal Reserve as the nations central bank and provided for a national banking system that was more responsive to the fluctuating financial needs of the country. The Federal Reserve Board issued new currency called Federal Reserve Notes. XVII. The first $10 Federal Reserve Notes 1914 The first $10 Federal Reserve notes were issued. These bills were larger than todays bills and featured a portrait of President Andrew Jackson on the face. XVIII. Standardized Design 1929 The first sweeping change to affect the appearance of all paper money occurred in 1929. In an effort to lower manufacturing costs, all currency was reduced in size by about 30 percent. In addition, standardized designs were instituted for each denomination across all classes of currency, decreasing the number of different designs in circulation. This standardization made it easier for the public to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit bills. XIX. In God We Trust 1957 The use of the National Motto In God We Trust on all currency has been required by law since 1955. It first appeared on paper money with the issuance of the $1 Silver Certificates, Series 1957, and began appearing on Federal Reserve Notes with the 1963 Series. Chapter 2 Characteristic of US Dollar Currency Introduction The U.S. dollar is the currency most used in international transactions. It is also used as the standard unit of currency in international markets for commodities such as gold and petroleum. There are also some Non-U.S. companies dealing in globalized markets, such as Airbus, list their prices in dollars cause of the international acceptance and the value of the dollar. At the present time, the U.S dollar remains the worlds foremost reserve currency. In addition to holdings by central banks and other institutions there are many private holdings which are believed to be mostly in $100 denominations. The majority of U.S. notes are actually held outside the United States. All holdings of US dollar bank deposits held by non-residents of the US are known as Eurodollars (not to be confused with the euro) regardless of the location of the bank holding the deposit (which may be inside or outside the US). Economist opinion said that demand for dollars allows the United States to maintain pers istent trade deficits without causing the value of the currency to depreciate and the flow of trade to readjust. Strong arguments do exist for why the dollar remains strong and still remain for world currency. There are (at least) three sources of demand for dollars that exert an exogenous force on normal balance of trade dynamics: * A demand for dollar liquidity for transaction needs; * A foreign desire for asset security found in the dollars role as a reserve currency; and * Developing country attempts to accelerate economic growth through an export dominated economy. To date all three factors have increased the incentive for foreigners to collect dollars (by selling goods and services in exchange for dollars) and decreased the incentive to dishoard dollars (by buying goods and services with the dollars). If these dynamics were to reverse, they would exert pressure to devalue the dollar above and beyond pressures exerted by the balance of trade dynamics. Before discuss further about the characteristics of US Dollar that makes it the worlds foremost reserve currency, a better understanding regarding the basic function of money is crucial. The main basic functions of money are: a) Medium of exchange When money is used to intermediate the exchange of goods and services, it is performing a function as a medium of exchange. It thereby avoids the inefficiencies of a barter system, such as the double coincidence of wants problem. b) Unit of account A unit of account is a standard numerical unit of measurement of the market value of goods, services, and other transactions. Also known as a measure or standard of relative worth and deferred payment, a unit of account is a necessary prerequisite for the formulation of commercial agreements that involve debt. c) Store of value To act as a store of value, money must be able to be reliably saved, stored, and retrieved. The value of the money must also remain stable over time. In that sense, inflation by reducing the value of money diminishes the ability of the money to function as a store of value. d) Standard of deferred payment Standard of deferred payment is distinguished as an accepted way to settle a debt a unit in which debts are denominated, and the status of money as legal tender, in those jurisdictions which have this concept, states that it may function for the discharge of debts. When debts are denominated in money, the real value of debts may change due to inflation and deflation, and for sovereign and international debts via debasement and devaluation. Based on the explanation above, there are some main characteristic of the currency shall have to be the main player. In this paper, we will discuss from the various aspects. a) Currency and asset substitution Currency and asset substitution are typically induced by past inflations, devaluations, currency confiscations and the growth of underground economies. The effective money supply is much larger than the domestic money supply and is, moreover, less easily controlled by the monetary authority because of the publics propensity to substitute foreign for domestic currency. To peg the exchange rate to the US dollar, authorities have to intervene and purchase foreign exchange, hence the accumulation of holdings of US foreign exchange reserves, US currency has many desirable properties. It has a reputation as a stable currency, and is therefore a reliable store of value. It is available in many countries, is widely accepted as a medium of exchange, and protects foreign users against the threat of domestic bank failures, devaluation and inflation. Cash usage preserves anonymity because it leaves no paper trail of the transaction for which it serves as the means of payment and is therefore the preferred medium of exchange in underground transactions. Indeed the very characteristics that make the US dollar a popular medium of exchange also makes it difficult to determine the exact amount and location of US notes circulating abroad. Nevertheless, there is a direct source of information that can be used to determine the approximate amounts of US cash in circulation in different countries. Currency substitution also has fiscal consequences that are particularly salient for transition countries. Foreign cash transactions reduce the costs of tax evasion and facilitate participation in the unreported or â€Å"underground† economy. This weakens the governments ability to command real resources from the private sector and deepens fiscal deficits. The shifting of economic activity toward the underground economy distorts macroeconomic information systems (Feige, 1990, 1997), thereby adding to the difficulty of formulating macroeconomic policy. b) International Reserve Currency Furthermore, another characteristic of US dollar as world currency is because of the international reserve currency. Over the past three decades, academic and financial analysis that argued the US would suffer dollar devaluation due to national consumption exceeding national production has been largely wrong. That such an intuitive argument has been so consistently wrong is the source of much frustration and consternation. What has become clear is that when discussing exchange rates and determinants of exchange rates, there is a necessary delineation between the dollar and the rest of the world currencies. Because the dollar is the world reserve currency, special dynamics exist for it in addition to the normal trade and monetary dynamics one would expect. The euro inherited this status from the German mark, and since its introduction, has increased its standing considerably, mostly at the expense of the dollar. Despite the dollars recent losses to the Euro, it is still by far the major international reserve currency; with an accumulation more than double that of the euro. In August 2007, two scholars affiliated with the government of the Peoples Republic of China threatened to sell its substantial reserves in American dollars in response to American legislative discussion of trade sanctions designed to revalue the Chinese yuan. The Chinese government denied that selling dollar-denominated assets would be an official policy in the foreseeable future. c) Usage of the US Dollar Other characteristic of US Dollar as a main currency is when there are a few nations besides the United States use the US Dollar as their official currency. For example, Ecuador, El Salvador and East Timor all adopted the currency independently; former members of the US-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (namely Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands) decided that, despite their independence, they wanted to keep the U.S. dollar as their official currency. Additionally, local currencies of several states such as Bermuda, the Bahamas, Panama and a few other states can be freely exchanged at a 1:1 ratio for the U.S. dollar. d) Secure the Safety Trade As the so-called â€Å"safety trade† turn into dollars that occurred in the second half of 2008, made ironic event in two ways. The dollar represents security to foreign entities is partly due to historical good behaviour and partly due to wishful thinking on the part of foreign entities. Certainly through 1960, the US had a virtually unblemished record in paying its debts and honouring its obligations. This historical precedent combined with geopolitical considerations and force of habit has created the foreign perception that exists to this day that the US dollar is â€Å"as good as gold.† Thus, historically when a country suffered from a balance of payment crisis, the most common alternative to the home currency was the dollar. The list of countries whose private citizens hoard dollars as an alternative to the home currency is long. The reason for this hoarding is fairly easy to understand. If a country pegs its currency to the dollar and the peg is kept too high, citizens of the country will consume more than they produce and the country will run a current account deficit. Mirroring this current account deficit, a country will run a financial account surplus which decreases its supply of dollars. As the supply of dollars approaches a critical point, citizens will speculate that the peg cannot be maintained and will â€Å"make a run† on the currency, trading all of their domestic currency for dollars in anticipation of the devaluation. This is referred to as a balance of payments crisis, and results in a devaluation of the national currency. Examples of recent balance of payment crises include the Argentine economic crisis (2001-2002) and the Asian financial crisis (1997). Citizens in countries who have suffered balance of payment crises will often hold a portion or even a majority of their wealth in dollars in anticipation of currency devaluation. As an additional demand, it is commonly considered good practice for a developing country to carry reserves in excess of what is necessary for transactions as a preventative measure against balance of payments crises. Thus, there is actually an incentive to peg a currency too low, as a method for accumulating a protective supply of dollars to prevent balance of payment crises. e) Exchange Rate Dynamics While all other countries have two primary mechanisms that determine their exchange rate, the US dollar has five. The two mechanisms present for all currencies are: the relative supply of the currency (determined by the central bank); and the terms and attractiveness to foreigners of domestically produced goods and services. All else equal, the greater the supply of currency the higher the exchange rate (depreciated), and the more attractive the terms of domestically produced goods the lower the exchange rate (appreciated). Both of these mechanisms are reflected in the current account: if a country devalues its currency through an increase in money supply, it will have higher interest payments on foreign denominated assets. In this circumstance, a net debtor will generally see a deterioration in the current account, and a net creditor will see an improvement. If a country increases the attractiveness of terms on its production to foreigners, it will improve the current account. f) US Role As Most Develop Country In The World Financial and currency news are not just the only stories of news but interests to all. As for example, Foreign exchange (Forex) traders also have a lot of interest in political news that may have an impact on different countries currencies. Political events, such as the U.S. presidential election cycle has substantial consequences on the valuation of currency. The essence of money is purchasing power and power is at the heart of politics. Power goes to those who create money, those who receive it, those who spend it, and most of all, those who control it. Money, in other words, is anything but neutral. Money can be controlled or governed in very different ways; these systems of governance are described as monetary regimes. Chapter 3 BENCHMARKING THE US DOLLAR In order to understand the current international monetary system and its problems, one must realize that, for practical purposes, all international financial transactions are inextricably linked to the US Dollar. As the dollar goes, so goes the international financial system. Recently, as been mentioned earlier, the US Dollar remains the worlds foremost reserve currency. The US Dollar has been referred as the standard unit of currency in international markets for commodities such as gold and oil. Some non-U.S. companies dealing in globalized markets, such as Airbus, list their prices in US dollars. US Dollar has a value based on supply and demand of the market. As demand of US Dollar increase and more people willing to pay more to buy the US Dollar, then US Dollar will increase the value. We can also know the performance/value of US Dollar by using the benchmark in US Dollar. Benchmarking of the US Dollar means that we measure or evaluate the performance/value of US Dollar with another similar item in an impartial scientific manner. The US Dollar Index (US Dollar X) is type of index used as a benchmark in US Dollar. US Dollar Index is an index (or measure) of the value of the United States Dollar relative to a basket of foreign currencies. It is a weighted geometric mean of the dollars value compared only with Euro (EUR), 57.6% weight Japanese yen (JPY), 13.6% weight Pound sterling (GBP), 11.9% weight Canadian dollar (CAD), 9.1% weight Swedish krona (SEK), 4.2% weight and Swiss franc (CHF), 3.6% weight. (Source: Wikipedia) Like declining real estate or stock prices, the diminishing dollar is neither uniformly beneficial nor harmful. In an article written by Karen (2008), the author provided an example of Accor North America, Inc., a division of Paris-based Accor, a global hotel operator. She added that when the company needs extra funds, perhaps to make an acquisition, the declining dollar comes in handy. Taking advantage of the dollar devaluation means that its cheaper to borrow from our parent than a bank, says Stephen Manthey, senior vice president and treasurer with the Carrollton, Texas-based firm. This is because the parent companys Euros now are more valuable than they were a year or two ago (Karen, 2008). Animesh Ghoshal, a Professor of Economics at DePaul University, Chicago, once mentioned that exporters typically do well when their currency drops, as their products become more competitive outside their home markets. Conversely, importers take a hit, as the costs of their goods or materials rise. Karen (2008) also quoted a statement from Dean Baker, a co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Reseach, an independent research group in Washington, D.C. Dean mentioned that people think of a strong dollar like a strong body, but, theres no particular virtue in having a strong dollar. In November 2007, prices for imports from the European Union rose for the seventh consecutive month, increasing 0.2 percent, while prices for goods coming from Canada jumped 4.7 percent. For the year ending in November, the prices of imports from Canada were up 12.9 percent, while imports from the EU were up 3.3 percent. The rises can be attributed to higher fuel prices and the declining dollar, rep orts the Bureau of Labor Statistics. From 4 below, we can see that the US Dollars relative strength compared to Euro had been declining over the 2007. The declining US Dollar may bring more harm than benefits to the US importers. Chapter 4 Factors Affecting US Dollar Currency a) Trade Deficit A trade deficit occurs when a country imports more than the exports. This leads to a net outflow of a countrys currency. Countries on the other side of the transaction will typically sell the importing countrys currency on the open market. As supply of the countrys currency increases in the global market the currency depreciates. As a net importer, the US has seen its trade deficit grow rapidly over the last decade. In last year (2008), the United States had a record of trade deficit of $816 billion dollars. This trade deficit weakens the US dollar relative to other currencies since foreign goods are denominated in foreign currency. Thus raising of demand for foreign goods increases the demand for foreign currency and decreases the demand for US dollars. This causes the US dollar to depreciate. b) Budget Deficit Chart below show that US Public debt has grown substantially over time. When a countrys government spends more than it earns from taxes or other sources of revenues, it is forced to borrow from its citizens and/or from foreign entities. As a countrys debt load increases, the value of its currency may decrease as result of fears within the international community over its ability to repay the debt. In addition, by borrowing money from foreign countries, the US increases the demand for foreign currency in exchange for US Bonds. The US is the worlds largest debtor with approximately $12 trillion dollars in debt in total debt. Over half of this debt is owned by foreign countries and lenders. (Source: Wikipedia) c) China, Japan, and India may stop holding large US Dollar Reserves Japan ($349B) and China ($643B) are two of the largest purchasers of US debt. China in particular has exhibited a voracious appetite for US debt. Its rapidly growing economy is heavily dependent on exports, and the US is one of its largest trading partners. In any given year, the US imports much more from China than it exports to China. As a result there is a net flow of dollars to China. Normally, one might expect China to sell these dollars on the global market, causing the dollar to weaken. Instead China reinvests its dollars in US debt. In doing so, China strengthens the US dollar and limits the appreciation of its own currency. Chinese exports remain cheap to American consumers. However, due to large deficits many countries, China and India in particular, have begun to reconsider diversifying their reserves to protect themselves from a devaluation of the US Dollar. In November 2009, the Indian Central Bank announced that it would purchase $6.7B worth of Gold to diversify its reserves. China, which is the single largest purchaser of US Securities, has similarly increased its reserves of gold by 76% since 2003 and has hinted at further purchases. The decision of these large countries to shift increasingly towards Gold as a reserve currency greatly decreases the demand for US Dollars and weakens the US Dollar. d) Monetary Policy Inflation Demand for a countrys currency is highly dependent on the relative value of holding it, ie. the real, relative return of U.S. government bonds. Fear over higher inflation erodes the real value of bonds, which in turn decreases demand for US dollars. Similarly, tighter monetary policy raises the real interest rate on U.S. Gov. bonds, at which demand for US dollars increases until the relative, risk adjusted return on those bonds is equivalent to the return on bonds for another country. e) The Federal Reserve Rate The Federal Open Market Committee, comprising of the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and three other members, along with the chiefs of the regional branches of the Federal Reserve System, come together regularly to determine the Federal Funds Rate, which is the rate at which financial institutions with deposits at the Federal Reserve lend to each other. The release of the decision is usually accompanied by much media fanfare, analysis and commentary, and with good reason. Lending at the federal funds rate is the normal channel for banks with financing needs, and it represents the wholesale market for large financial institutions. The Federal Reserve Rate also determines the Dollar Libor rate which is the basis of many different types of financial transactions from complex derivative contracts, to credit card and mortgage interest rates. Libor is the cost of short-term unsecured interbank lending (where theres no collateral exchanged between counterparties). As such, it is one of the building blocks of the modern financial system. Although most transaction in the unsecured market are limited to a single month at most, the benchmarks themselves are regularly quoted and taken as a basis for contracts and agreements. f) Equity Market The equity market can impact the currency market in many different ways. For example, if a strong stock market rally happens in the U.S., with the Dow Jone and the Nasdaq registering impressive gains, we are likely to see a large influx of foreign money into the U.S., as international investors rush in to join the party. This influx of money would be very positive for the US DOLLAR, because in order to participate in the equity market rally, foreign investors would have to sell their own domestic currency and purchase U.S. dollars. The opposite also holds true: if the stock market in the U.S. is doing poorly, foreign investors will most likely rush to sell their U.S. Equity holdings and then reconvert the U.S. dollars into their domestic currency which would have a substantially negative impact on the greenback. Chapter 5 The impact of US Dollar a) Dollar Hegemony (Domination of the Dollar) The Bretton Woods negotiations at the end of the Second World War paved the way for establishing the dominance of the dollar as international money. This role was sustained by the confidence that the United States with its vast reserves of gold would honor the commitment to provide gold to foreign central banks in exchange for dollars at a fixed rate of $35 per ounce. By the end of the sixties, the growing trade deficit and the burdens of its military interventions in Vietnam created a huge dollar overhang abroad. In the face of increased demands for gold in exchange for dollars the United States unilaterally abandoned gold convertibility. This, however, did not lead to the dismantling of dollar hegemony. Instead, the refashioning of the international monetary system into a â€Å"floating dollar standard† in the post-Bretton Woods period was associated with the aggressive pursuit of liberalized financial markets in order to encourage private international capital flows denomin ated in dollars. In the 1970s the Eurodollar markets served as the principal means of recycling oil surpluses from the oil exporters to developing economies, particularly in Latin America. This process became a tool of resurgent U.S. political dominance. The 1970s military dictatorships in Chile, Indonesia, and Argentina, and the â€Å"Chicago School† free market regimes that followed, were bolstered by repression and supported by the readily available loans from U.S. banks flush with oil funds. Once this cheap bonanza of credit came to an end with the debt crisis in 1982, a new wave of neoliberal reforms and financial liberalization was imposed through the IMF-World Bank rescue packages. The crisis was deployed to further entrench the dominance of the dollar and U.S. imperialist agenda. In country after country the IMF and World Bank imposed â€Å"structural adjustment† policies during the crisis phase that destroyed all attempts at independent economic development while engulfing thei r financial systems in the ambit of dollar hegemony. This set in motion another surge of dollar denominated private capital flows to emerging markets and a fresh round of crisis in the 1990s when capital flowed back to the United States From 1973, up until about 2003 (the run-up to the present crisis) the periods when flows to emerging markets surged were also periods with a net efflux from the United States. As the surge comes to an end in the wake of capital flight and crisis, as in the Latin American debt crisis in 1982-83 and the Asian crisis in 1997-98, private capital flows are sucked back into the United States (see chart 2). The privileged role of the dollar provided the United States with an international line of credit that helped fuel a consumption binge. Cheap imports allowed consumption to be sustained despite stagnant or declining real wages. The export-led economies of Asia (first Japan, later East Asia and China) in turn depended on mass consumption in the United States to drive their economies. But the dependence on cheap imports precipitated growing trade de

Jay Mcinerneys Bright Lights, Big City: You Are The Coma Baby :: essays research papers

Jay McInerney's Bright Lights, Big City: You are the Coma Baby The novel Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney relates the tale of a young man working for a prominent newspaper in Manhattan by day, while visiting many bars and nightclubs during the night. He manages to accomplish this through the help of his use of cocaine, to which he is powerfully addicted. Throughout the novel McInerney employs the use of the Coma Baby, a current story in the New York Post, a local tabloid, as a symbolic representation of the main character. The Coma Baby has been residing in its mother's womb after the mother suffered a car accident and entered a coma. The debate is to whether the Coma Baby will see the "light of the delivery room". In this passage the main character is experiencing a dream where he interacts with the Coma Baby in his workplace. This passage, through the words and phrases employed by McInerney as both dialogue and narration, is strong support for the concept that like the Coma Baby, the main character wants to avoid facing the harsh realities of life and continue living isolated in his world of narcotic-induced pleasure. The author uses the interaction of the main character and the Coma Baby as proof that the main character will not realize the fallacies of his ways until he has hit rock-bottom. The Coma Baby is shown to be the symbolic representation of the main character through his actions and philosophy toward life, a philosophy wholly irresponsible and unmotivated. As the main character approaches he asks the Baby if he's going to come out. The Baby responds with "No way Josà ©. I like it in here. Everything I need is pumped in."(line 11) This remark illustrates the main character's attitude toward life. With the condition that the Baby gets what he needs, he has no motivation to improve his situation. This parallels with the main character, who , provided he has his cocaine, does little to improve his situation. For example, he continually shows up late to work, and then after completely botching a project is fired from his job. The drugs have completely stolen his motivation towards life. After this, when the main character tries to reason with the Coma Baby about improving his situation, the Coma Baby plays a deaf-and -dumb routine(line14), highly symbolic of the main character's actions toward those that have been trying to help him. For example, the main character continues to avoid Clara Tillinghast, his boss, in her attempts to bring him to work on time.

Aspergers Syndrome Essay -- Health, Diseases

In 2009, twenty-six year old, Zev Glassenber, with Asperger’s Syndrome, was a contestant on the Amazing Race. As you learn more about Asperger’s Syndrome ask yourself, â€Å"How did Zev deal with the social stress, physical challenges and constant changes as his raced around the world with his best friend Justin Kanew?† (Bruckheimer, Amazing Race 15, 2009) While Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) has probably been around since the beginning of time, the earliest known research was done by an Austrian Pediatrician, Hans Asperger in 1994. Hans noticed that some of the children that had been referred to his clinic had similar personality and behavioral traits (Attwood, 2007). They were socially awkward, lacked empathy and were physically clumsy. He also noticed they had an intense interest and knowledge of one or few particular subjects. Hans’s work was not well known or used because it was written during World War II, in German and the Journal it had been published in was discontinued. Hans did not live to see his research become an official diagnosis let alone be named after him. Lorna Wing, a British Child Psychiatrist, was the first to use the phrase â€Å"Asperger’s Syndrome† in an article she wrote in 1981. In 1991 his work was translated into English and in 1992 Asperger’s Syndrome was added to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (tenth revision, ICD-10), published by the World Health Organization (Slaughter, 2009). Some experts argue whether AS is really a different disorder or just a milder form of autism (Slaughter, 2009). Many of the traits are the same but the distinct differences are, those with Asperger’s have normal language and intellectual development and make more of an eff... ...to win, and never gave up. He and his partner Justin had a great relationship and worked well together. Many thought Zev would be the cause of their eventual elimination and many admired Justin for his loyalty, support and trust in his friend with AS. Justin was the one that ended up losing their passports in Asia causing them to be sent home. Zev and Justin took 9th place (Bruckheimer, Amazing Race 15, 2009). They were so well liked by viewers that they were given a second chance and participated in season 18’s Unfinished Business. They took first in more legs of the race than any other team and placed fourth overall. They were eliminated after Zev took over an hour to learn a few steps of the Samba in Brazil. But he learned them. (Those darn motor skills) Zev did the race to prove to himself that he could do anything and to inspire others. And he did!

Skeptics and True Believers :: Free Essay Writer

Skeptics and True Believers In the first chapter, Raymo, opens with talk of his childhood. He brings to the surface the fact that children will believe just about anything they are told. In this chapter Raymo explains how people grow frm children into grown sdluts, peolpe somehow retain some of a child’s ability to believe in the unbelievable. It is the True Believer that retains â€Å"an absolute in some forms of empirically unverifiable make-belive...† (13), wheras the Skeptic always â€Å"keeps a wary eye even on firmly established facts.†(14) For an example, Raymo uses the Shroud of Turin, which simplly a linen cloth that has the likeness of a man on it ( some belive this man to be Christ). He tells of a time when the Roman Catholic authorities allowed scientists to radiocarbon date the Shroud. Small samples of the Shroud where sent with three samples controls of known age, to three independant labs. All three properly dated the controls and dated the Shroud to medieval time. Raymo conclueded that a Skeptic would have taken the evidence and belived it, while the True Beliver would find no truth in what was found. In fact, he said that the True Beliver would come up with explainations as to why the Shroud seems younger than it really is. In the next chapter, Raymo explains the main difference between Skeptics and True Believers is the opposite of what most people would think. He explains how â€Å"scientific concepts can be extraordinarily bizarre...† (27), wheras the True Believer believe what may seem much more sensible and somewhat down to earth. The example Raymo uses for this is DNA and its ability to reproduce itself. This tiny double-helix somehow manages to spilt and make a copy of its self from chemical components from whatever is surrounding it. It may seem easier for one to believe in a Shroud with a man’s face in it, or the picture of God in the Sistine Chapel, but it is the Skeptics who believe in the hard to concieve DNA. It is this DNA that contains the blueprints of what we are to look, talk, and act like. In chapter four, Raymo again brings up his childhood. He tells how he was forced into religion. The Church would not allow doubts to be spoken. For if it where to be questioned the whole religious system may fall apart. The only sources of information were the nuns, priest, and all other authorities that were ‘chosen’ by God.

Final Corporate Enterprise

Enterprise architecture is a strategic planning model of an organization. It is an important foundation that has grown from the impact of globalization and modern market dynamics. It facilitates an organization streamline technological and Information Technology (IT) strategies achieve tangible synergies and value addition in its business. There are key steps, and milestones involved in the designing and implementation of this model from the corporate current state to a final corporate Enterprise Architecture (EA).The steps, standards and guidelines involved in the enterprise architecture process are discussed below. However every enterprise has its own unique characteristics meaning that there can be no particular model of enterprise architecture that suits all enterprises. The person responsible for the development of the enterprise architecture is the enterprise architect (Feurer, 2007). Step 1: Initiate the EA Program The involvement and approval of the management of the corporat ion bears a pivotal role in this process.Therefore the initial step would be to win the goodwill and commitment of the management team (Feurer, 2007). Step 2: Establish EA governance Effective governance demands a competent decision-making process that elaborately defines the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved in the process as well as the desired standards to be attained. Enterprise architecture governance has five fundamental viewpoints namely: organization and roles, processes, standards and templates, tools, and key performance indicators (KPIs).The responsibility of the enterprise architect will be to; define governance principles, integrating governance into the EA and identifying the relevant governance bodies to ensure the process complies with the defined EA principles (Feurer, 2007). Step 3: Define the Architectural Approach In this step the EA team defines the bridging strategy to close the gap between the current-state and the final-state.There are six ma jor tasks in this step; to understand and utilize the enterprises operating model, draw a basic core graphic representation of the organization’s operating model that depicts the desired state of the enterprise architecture (this may require a particular template ), definition of the utilization and scope of the EA-this should be in tandem with the organization’s strategic plan, collaborate with the various stakeholders of the organization by educating the stakeholders on the benefits of the EA, the identification of the most appropriate EA framework is done at this point and lastly, the implementation of the EA is bound to demand skills that may not be currently in the organization, therefore elaborate educational and skill enhancement programs are developed at this stage (Feurer, 2007). Step 4: Develop the EA In developing the final-state EA, the basic viewpoints will have to be clearly elaborated for the purpose of accomplishing the following; collecting information and developing an information resource base on enterprise architecture in order to develop appropriate EA products as well as carry out a gap analysis and design the way forward to the final-state, defining the final-state as it would be desired (the â€Å"to-be state), document the current-state. The current-state assessment document is meant to provide the necessary information to guide the strategy to the final-state (Cashman, 2005.p 8) (See a graphic representation of current-state assessment in appendix A). Also in this step the EA products should be reviewed and updated to comply with the desired state. This is jointly done with the subject matter experts (SMEs) (Feurer, 2007). The gaps between the current-state and final-state are analyzed with the help of a gap analysis. The way forward referred to as the â€Å"migration path† is planned. It will include a step by step process of movement from the current-state to the final-state with a focus on the resources requir ed. Finally the approval and publishing of the EA is done. Step 5: Use the EA The Enterprise architecture is used as a strategic planning model of an organization.It will provide a collaboration platform for the EA team and the people who will implement it. In this step there is the promotion of the use of EA, the utilization of EA in procurement of the appropriate technological infrastructure, and lastly the implementation of the Corporation’s projects by the use of EA. Step 6: Maintain the EA The EA should be assimilated in the dynamics of the corporation’s business. It should be periodically reviewed with the view to adapt the necessary changes. Conclusion The evolving of enterprise architecture is a major step in the growing opportunities for innovation in any organization that seeks to comply with the global standards.As much as EA enhances the corporate image of an organization it is paramount that the corporation shares the lessons learnt with other organization s (Feurer, 2007). Appendix A The graphic representation above shows the current state of ICT in an organization’s department under five separate but interrelated topics (Cashman,2005. p 3). References Cashman, T. (2005). Current State Assessment: ICT Strategy Project. Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. Retrieved February 21, 2009 from http://www. dcenr. gov. ie/NR/rdonlyres/C7917512-C6D9-43AB-8FAF-75525AC353B0/0/ICTStrategyCurrentStateAssessment. pdf Feurer, S. , (2007). Putting the Enterprise Architect in Enterprise Architecture.SAP NetWeaver Magazine. Retrieved February 21, 2009 from http://www. netweavermagazine. com/archive/Volume_04_(2008)/Issue_01_(Winter)/v4i1a09. cfm? session Feurer, S. , (2009). Building an Agile Enterprise Architecture. SAP NetWeaver Magazine. Retrieved February 21, 2009 from http://www. sapnetweavermagazine. com/archive/Volume_03_(2007)/Issue_04_(Fall)/v3i4a12. cfm? session Kreizman, G. , & Robertson, B. , (2006). Incorpora ting security into the Enterprise Architecture Process. Retrieved February 21,2009 from http://egovstandards. gov. in/egs/eswg5/enterprise-architecture-working-group-folder/gartners-reports/incorporating_security_into__137028. pdf/download