Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Human Vomit essays

Human Vomit articles Durante este periodo de evaluacin la calidad de su trabajo se ha mejorado. Ud. ha manejado bien su presupuesto y recursos y ha evitado gastos innecesarios. Ud. ha estado al dã ­a con las plizas de la compan. Con respeto a sus relaciones con otros tengo que destacar el trato bueno de su individual y su facilidad para trabajar en equipo. Ud. trabaja atentamente con sus compan me han dicho que Ud. siempre cumple sus promesas y hace caso a su bienestar. Ud. proyecta una imagen de honradez y promueve confianza en nuestra compa Ud. es un comerciante muy competente y demuestra un potencial excelente y un afn de superacin fuerte. No obstante, hasta el presente, su trabajo aã ºn sufre por problemas en el manejo del tiempo y la productividad. Aunque no hemos recibido ninguna queja de sus clientes, nos hemos preocupado de la cantidad de trabajo que ha producido y sobre su habilidad de ponerse en un horario ms consistente(el à ºltimo mes, por ejemplo, a menudo lleg tarde y sali right now casi cada dã ­a y est acostumbrado a tener largas conversaciones telefnicas personales). Le pedimos que tenga presente que para ser lucrativa nuestra compan. Esperamos que pensar en su futuro con nosotros y destacar sã ­ mismo para mejorarse en este aspecto de su trabajo. Ud. tiene el derecho a responder por escrito an esta evaluacin. ... <!

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Global Elite Notes Free Essays

SOC 189 †#1 Exam 1. Is meritocracy reasonable? Talk about the upsides and downsides of our accomplishment arranged society. Does it offer ascent to a worthy tip top? Why or why not? This nation was established on the rule that one’s status in the public eye ought to be controlled by your individual accomplishments, not by your conditions during childbirth. We will compose a custom article test on Worldwide Elite Notes or on the other hand any comparable subject just for you Request Now The thought is that we are totally made equivalent, with equivalent chances, not results. The idea of meritocracy is fundamental to our thoughts regarding American exceptionalism. An advantage of utilizing meritocracy is that individuals are getting credit and accomplishment for their accomplishments †which is something everybody have authority over and can take care of. This additionally makes inspiration to buckle down among the individuals. At the point when the individuals are anxious to improve them selves, it builds the degree of insight in the general public. This will bring about great pioneers, which will ideally lead the general public to progress. As per this, meritocracy seems like a smart thought, yet it doesn't generally have an upbeat closure. Not every person is up for difficult work and rivalry, and the opposition can without much of a stretch discourage a few of us and make them surrender in the general public. The class definition can get greater with this sort of society, with the needy individuals at the base. It will make a champ †looser connection among individuals, and many won't be glad. Many may state that it is reasonable in light of the fact that you get what you merit, and what you have buckled down for. Be that as it may, there are additionally numerous â€Å"corrupt deals† going on here. School test should be thoroughly reasonable, when the most intelligent and the individuals who score most elevated is getting in to the best schools. The issue is that the children with more extravagant families are being set up for the test by costly coaches, when kids with less cash can't bear the cost of it. A few tests even cost cash, so not every person is finding the opportunity. The individuals at the top have discovered approaches to â€Å"cheat† their way up in the meritocracy society, where it should be the ones who merits it, the best of us who gets the chances. Presently there is less and less ranges of abilities that is viewed as helpful to the general public, so less and less individuals gets credit and award for your accomplishments On the off chance that you buckle down, you accomplish large. The idea is acceptable, in light of the fact that it allows individuals to make it on the planet by your abilities and accomplishment †things you have command over, rather than your attributed factors that you were naturally introduced to like race, sexual orientation, culture and family-class. Meritocracy was instituted by Michael Young, an english humanist, political dissident and social pundit. He presented the idea in 1958 in his book The ascent of the Meritocracy. The champs of this framework trusts it is reasonable! Cons: Ability is profoundly thought by the motor of instruction * Over time, schools have put their seal of endorsement on a smaller and smaller scope of individuals †and in a prior and prior stage * The top individuals of the chain of importance accept that their progression originates from their own legitimacy, and that they merit whatever they can get. * And the individuals who come up short, are consigned to the base of the social progression notwithstanding being less advantaged, the poor currently need to manage the disgrace of ailing in merit. Individuals at the financial first class have discovered approaches to swindle their way to the top, utilizing their cash to purchase their youngsters private mentors to accomplishment in schools endorsement tests †still reasonable? Professionals: * Gives everybody basically a reasonable possibility * Gives you acknowledgment for your aptitudes and accomplishment, not by your credited variables. * Don’t judge your experience * It reward/rebuff you by something you can control 2. For every one of the accompanying five researchers, if you don't mind depict their commitment to the investigation of elites: * Laura Nader There is currently a great deal of writing on poor people, the inconveniences, ladies, blacks and different racial/ethnic gatherings. There is next to no writing of the highest point of the class individuals. Laura Nadel urged anthropologists to †study up† in the mid 1970s by composing the book â€Å"Up the Anthropologist †Perspectives Gained From Studying Up† in 1969. This was an attempt to get anthropologists to ponder the investigation of the colonizes instead of the colonized, the way of life of intensity as opposed to the way of life of feeble. In any case, very few followed her recommendation, sociologists who do inquire about on elites can be relied on two hands. Nader thinks it’s essential to consider elites since it is a significant commitment to any investigation of imbalance †regardless of whether down, sideways, or through (1972). * Gaetano Mosca Elite principle is definitely not an ethical inquiry, yet a social certainty. Most social orders are managed by few people †and Mosca considered this minority the â€Å"ruling class†. Mosca was the first to make a methodical qualification among tip top and masses. He says that in each general public, it seems two classes of individuals: A class that decides and a class that is dominated. The rulers class is little in number, plays out every single political capacity, consumes power and appreciates the favorable circumstances that force brings. The governed class, the majority, is coordinated and constrained by the rulers †in a way that currently is pretty much lawful, subjective and rough. He accepts that this class was made unmistakable by their boss hierarchical abilities †they were composed. Elites prevalence was found out, not acquired. What's more, therefor he associated it to be more dissemination with elites, than generation * E. Digby Baltzell considered American agents of frontier stock. Baltzell accepted that the elites predecessors had come to America as poor migrants and they took advantage of whatever financial lucky breaks they could. They were the Robber Barons †transcending the remainder of the general public, living in enormous houses, utilized hirelings and associated in elite clubs. They instructed their youngsters in tuition based schools, entered the callings and ventured out to Europe while consistently separating themselves from common Americans. Snobbete mann, men dad rtoss av det kom han medications en god kritisk evaluering av eliten †grunnen until at de har holdt seg sa sterke er fordi de fuse new settlers into it positions Baltzell gave an effectively basic evaluation of American culture and the elites that managed it. He accepted that the Protestant Establishment was particularly ground-breaking, since it consolidated new migrants and less well off individuals into its positions: the more a decision class can acclimatize the most noticeable men of the prevailing classes, the more steady and perilous it becomes(Karl Marx). * Niccolo Machiavelli Was an Italian antiquarian, government official, negotiator, essayist and scholar. He composed The Prince in 1532, where he is certain to political world class hypothesis. He implies that astonishing pioneers can be hugely clever, ingenious and powerful. Ideological groups, masses and intrigue bunches are for the most part controllable: a pioneer who realizes how to utilize his assets admirably can be capably autonomous. In The Prince, he composes that the ruler (a pioneer) ought to be a vital man, ready to be heartless, be ground-breaking †a free head. * Pierre Bourdieu analyzed the way culture, social utilization and ways of life duplicate the advantaged places of the privileged in France, and not just reflect them. He considered how class structure could be duplicated across ages, when educational systems use meritocracy standards to remunerate individuals. He found that various classes have various methods of being on the planet †he called it Habitus (methods of being). Bourdieu considers Cultural To be as class-explicit social codes and practices. The Habitus of the family is passed onto youngsters in the social condition of the home. Kids who gets presented to tip top culture at home are advantaged in the educational system as instructors reward being familiar with the prevailing society †and that’s how the exclusive classes gets duplicated. Culture duplicates class positions. Individuals are searching for â€Å"the right culture background† in others, and prize individuals for this. 3. Some contend that a monetary theocracy is on the ascent in America today. What do you think? Utilize experimental proof to validate your cases. The financial world class are the 0. 1% †1% of the elites, and today financial first class power is on the ascent. The partition between the exceptionally well off and every other person is expanding on an overall scale, and it has done this since the 1980s. Elites are the motors of imbalance, and the level of influence is slanted intensely and progressively in support of them. This isn't the first run through in US history that we have stressed over an ascent of a government; The Gilded Age (1870s-1890s) denoted the rapid ascent of an affluent and progressively restrictive financial tip top in the US. They were driven by a desire for cash, and had riches in railways, fabricating, mining, oil and land. The elites were heartless, prideful and merciless. Numerous researchers presently discuss another overlaid age in America. We have again a major desire for riches, theory and exploitative business practices. In any case, there is additionally a few contrasts; 1. Todays elites are wealthier 2. They are progressively moved in the monetary segment 3. They are progressively differing and global 4. They are bound to act naturally made, not produced using acquired fortune Over time, a lot more prominent salary and riches went to the top percent of the individuals. The top show signs of improvement, get a greater bit of the pay cake. They are additionally showing improvement over all of us other bad habit; better wellbeing, progressively hopeful, better odds of sending youngsters to school, better life quality when all is said in done. They are opportunity hoarders, of chances that gives better life possibilities. This is additionally passed on in the family †if father is rich, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity

Thursday, August 20, 2020

PTSD and the Psychological Effects of Hurricane Katrina

PTSD and the Psychological Effects of Hurricane Katrina PTSD Causes Print PTSD and the Psychological Effects of Hurricane Katrina Natural Disasters and PTSD By Matthew Tull, PhD twitter Matthew Tull, PhD is a professor of psychology at the University of Toledo, specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder. Learn about our editorial policy Matthew Tull, PhD Updated on January 29, 2020 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes & Risk Factors Treatment Living With In Children ParkerDeen / Getty Images Near the end of August 2005, Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, and this event has led many to examine whether there is a relationship between PTSD and Hurricane Katrina. All across the United States, people watched as the citizens of the Gulf Coast attempted to cope with this natural disaster. Hurricane Katrina caused a tremendous amount of physical damage. Entire communities were destroyed. However, we are just beginning to truly understand the psychological impact of this hurricane. The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Mental Health Researchers at the University of New Orleans, the University of Southern Mississippi, Stanford University, and Arizona State University surveyed 386 people who lived in areas that were affected by Hurricane Katrina. They asked them a number of questions about how the hurricane affected them. What they found is alarming. Many people impacted by Hurricane Katrina experienced stressful and traumatic events during and as a result of the hurricane. In fact, people said they experienced, on average, about 2 traumatic events during the course of the storm. Many also said that they had the following experiences: Being separated from their children, friends, neighbors, and relativesHaving their home damaged or destroyedSeeing others who were hurt, sick, or had diedGetting hurt or sickSeeing crime or violence In addition, over 50% of people surveyed also reported that they had the following symptoms of PTSD and general distress: Upsetting memories and thoughts about the hurricaneFeeling upset after being reminded of the hurricaneTrying to avoid thoughts, feelings, and conversations about the eventIncreased irritability and angerWorries that the event could happen againFeeling on edge and tense Finally, they found that residents of Mississippi who were affected by the hurricane had a greater number of PTSD symptoms as compared to people in New Orleans; however, people in Mississippi also were found to have more social support than people in New Orleans. Getting Help It is clear that Hurricane Katrina had a major social and psychological impact on people in the Gulf Coast region of the United States. If you have been affected by Hurricane Katrina or any other natural disaster, there is help available. The National Center for PTSD provides a number of fact sheets on the effects of natural disasters and how to cope with them. They also provide links for people interested in sending help or for those who need help, such as finding loved ones or receiving support.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Andrew Jackson s Indian Removal Policy - 1379 Words

Andrew Jackson’s Indian Removal Policy Known as a highly regarded military general, Andrew Jackson was justified in his signing of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, because it allowed for the expansion of America by land acquisition and economic growth while at the same time protecting the culture of the American Indian tribes from total extinction. During the early 1800s, America, a newly born nation, was growing in a hurry. In order to compensate for this growth, America needed land and a large portion of it. Therefore, to accomplish this necessity the 21st Congress of the United States of America enforced the concepts endowed by The Jackson Administration. This action later led to the publication of The Indian Removal†¦show more content†¦This economic growth was achieved via the increased production of crops and livestock along with the ability to now successfully transport these products by water and land. Unlike the white man’s previously inhabited northern climate the warmer southern lands allowed for a longer growing season. This, in turn, resulted in an excessive abundance of food for the white man in not only their newly acquired land but other lands as well. Fortunately, with the acquisition of the southern land, the white man was now able to gain access to nonseasonal rivers in order expand the year-round transportation of settlers, livestock, and crops. The ability to use the rivers year round made the Gulf of Mexico more accessible, ultimately, allowing for goods to be exported to other parts of the United States or foreign countries throughout the entire year. Though Jackson’s presidency ended in 1837, the Indian Removal Act remained in effect, ultimately leading to the continued displacement of the five tribes up until circa 1840. Overall, President Jackson’s removal policy helped to expand the great nation of America which in return opened the door for future growth in the years to come. In addition to the am plification of American territory, The Indian Removal Act of 1830 aided in the protection ofShow MoreRelatedIndian Removal Act Essay848 Words   |  4 PagesThe Indian Removal Act signed by the president of the United States, Andrew Jackson, caused controversy and the brutal and merciless suffering of the Native Americans during The Trail of Tears. The beginning of the 1830’s was a time when the Native Americans occupied The Deep South. This, however, was problematic for the white farmers who were in need of farmland in order to increase their production of cotton. Nevertheless, Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, coerced theRead MoreAndrew Jackson s Controversial Policy1449 Words   |  6 PagesAndrew Jackson’s decision to remove the Cherokee Indians is still a controversial policy debated by historians today. This policy was important because it represented a significant turning point in United States history. The Jackson administration†™s decision to remove the Cherokee Indians to lands west of the Mississippi River in the 1830’s significantly changed the political policy pursued by the United States but continued the social and economic policies. The Jackson administration changed U.SRead More Jackson Should Be Removed From the Twenty Dollar Bill Essay944 Words   |  4 PagesJackson Should Be Removed From the Twenty Dollar Bill Awarded the prestigious honor to remain forever engraved on the twenty dollar bill, Andrew Jackson became a figure in American history never forgotten. Future generations of younger students will not need to know Andrew for them to assume he was a great man. Unfortunately, the ignorance of idolizing Jackson because he appears on American currency serves to blanket the realities of his administration. Jackson should be removed from the twentyRead MoreRemoval Act of 1830 Essay1481 Words   |  6 PagesRemoval Act of 1830 Two distinct cultures existed on this Earth with the migration of man many thousands of years ago from Eurasia to the American continent. The people from the migration to the Americas had absolutely no contact with the people in Europe and Asia after they migrated. In fact, the two civilizations evolved in totally different manners, and at different speeds. The people in the Americas, or Native Americans existed mainly as hunter-gatherers using tools of bone, wood, andRead More Andrew Jackson Essay981 Words   |  4 PagesAndrew Jackson No one can argue that as a president, Jackson made no mistakes; however, they in no way disqualify him from having a place on the U.S. twenty dollar bill. Jackson made every decision according to the will of the American people, even the more unsavory ones. He was a war hero that exemplified the strength and tenacity by which America has defined itself over the generations. He acted in all ways with concern for the growth of the American nation, both at home and overseas. Even hisRead More Jacksonian Era: The Removal Policy Essay1177 Words   |  5 PagesAndrew Jackson, who was the 7th President of the United States, signed the Indian Removal Act in May 28th, 1832 and this policy granted Andrew Jackson the right to forcibly move the Native Americans to land west of the Mississippi. Even though â€Å"it is presumed that any explanation of Jackson’s purposes is an attempt to justify the mass killing of innocent people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Remini, 45) some would say his childhood aff ected him; seeing and hearing Indians Attacking places near his home. Or how he was the secondRead MoreRelationship Between The Us And Indian Communities Of North America1590 Words   |  7 PagesThe US in the 1830s debated the relationship between the US and Indian communities of North America. The principles calling for equal rights and political democracy of the people in America were in contradiction with the principles the US was initially against. American colonists began to view the vast expanse of lands controlled by Indians as desirable and could now use Indians in a new way: to acquire land for development . As the rapidly growing United States began to move towards the South inRead MoreWhat Was Manifest Destiny And How Did The U.s.1036 Words   |  5 Pagesany means necessary. Some of those include land acquisitions, war, removal of Native Americans and treaties. After the war of 1812, the westward expansion began to take off, but hinged on a Federal policy of Indian removal. Florida was used as a template. Once florida was acquired, the hope of seizing American Indian lands, controlling slave populations, reducing available land for runaway slaves and killing or removing Indians west began. The valuable land motivated both state and federal governmentsRead MoreAmerican History: Native Americans 829 Words   |  3 Pagesevent in American history, was due to the Removal Act in the 1830s, the misguidance of President Andrew Jackson, the discovery of gold, and the false promises made to the Native Americans. In the beginning of the 1830s, about 150,000 Native Americans lived on the lands of Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama. By the end of the 1830s the Indians were moved out and the few left were workers for the Europeans. The Native Americans were sent to â€Å"Indian Territory.† The article informs that, â€Å"SomeRead MoreThe Election Of Andrew Jackson1576 Words   |  7 Pages With the election of Andrew Jackson, for the first time in American history, a common man built his way up to earn the title of President of the United States. Jackson being of â€Å"low birth† had particular significance because he went from rags to riches. During his presidency his affinity for the common people did not change, thus Jackson tended to favor the rights of the common people over what was constitutionally correct. Andrew Jackson from such actions can be called the â€Å"father† of American

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Why Corporate Governance Is Important In Financial Industry Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2361 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Cause and effect essay Did you like this example? Corporate governance is most often viewed as both the structure and the relationships which determine corporate direction and performance. The board of directors is typically central to corporate governance. Its relationship to the other primary participants, typically shareholders and management, is critical. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Why Corporate Governance Is Important In Financial Industry Finance Essay" essay for you Create order Additional participants include employees, customers, suppliers, and creditors. The corporate governance framework also depends on the legal, regulatory, institutional and ethical environment of the community. Whereas the 20th century might be viewed as the age of management, the early 21st century is predicted to be more focused on governance. Both terms address control of corporations but governance has always required an examination of underlying purpose and legitimacy. (James McRitchie, 1999) Corporate governance is important for all organization not only today but has and will always be. However, it is specifically very important for the financial industry due to various reasons which will be discussed subsequently. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) suggests sound corporate governance of financial institutions need to be in place in order for banking and financial supervision to operate effectively. Consequently, banking supervisors have a st rong interest in ensuring that there is effective corporate governance at every bank. Supervisory experience underscores the necessity of having appropriate levels of accountability and managerial competence within each bank. Essentially, the effective supervision of the international banking system requires sound governance structures within each bank, especially with respect to multifunctional banks that operate on a transnational basis. A sound governance system can contribute to a collaborative working relationship between bank supervisors and management. The following are some of the factors that deem it necessary to have very good corporate governance in financial institutions: Financial firms are opaque in nature and gives rise to significant information asymmetries. This makes it difficult to assess management performance. Current deregulated nature of financial institutions have made the nature of the activities of employees and managers moved from traditional acti vities toward decision-making activities. This has created greater potential for risk and results not expected or desired by shareholders and other stakeholders. Governance is an activity in which communal benefits resultant from private supervisory in the finance industry plays a dominant role. Limitations such as on takeovers, ownership concentration, prudent supervision, etc. could weaken product market discipline. This could further lead to weakening of the private sectors undertaking other governance functions. Financial firms hold equity stakes, grant credit and, hence, examine performance, which facilitates them to make a strong impact on governance of other institutions. Financial innovations potentiality weakens traditional governance processes. The role of banks is integral in any economy. They provide financing for commercial enterprises, access to payment systems and a host of a variety of retail financial services for the economy as a whole. Some banks even have a broader impact on the macro sector of the economy by facilitating the transmission of monetary policy by making credit and liquidity available in different market conditions. The integral role that banks play in the national economy is demonstrated by the almost universal practices of states in regulating the banking industry and providing, in many cases, a government safety net to compensate depositors when banks fail. Financial regulation is necessary because of the multiplier effect that banking activities have on the rest of the economy. The large number of stakeholders, whose economic well-being depends on the health of the banking sector, further depends on the appropriate regulatory practices and supervision. Indeed, in a healthy banking system, the supervisors and regulators themselves are stakeholders acting on behalf of society at large. The primary function is to develop substantive and other risk management procedures for financial institutions in which regulat ory risk measures correspond to overall economic and operational risks faced by a bank. Accordingly, it is imperative that financial regulators ensure that banking and other financial institutions have strong governance structures, specially, in light of the pervasive changes in the nature and structure of both the banking industry and the regulation which governs them. In this respect, the role of legal issues is crucial for determining ways to improve corporate governance for financial institutions, such as, the enforceability of contracts, including those with service providers, clarifying governance roles of supervisors and senior management, ensuring that corporations operate in an environment that is free from corruption and bribery and laws/regulations, etc. aligning the interests of managers, employees and shareholders, all help to promote a strong business and legal environments that support corporate governance and related supervisory activities. Further, corporate g overnance is very important to financial institutions in the present context is post-crises situations. The financial crisis can be to an important extent attributed to failures and weaknesses in corporate governance arrangements. When they were put to a test, corporate governance routines did not serve their purpose to safeguard against excessive risk taking in a number of financial companies. A number of weaknesses have been apparent. The risk management systems have failed in many cases due to corporate governance procedures rather than the inadequacy of computer models alone: information about exposures in a number of cases did not reach the board and even senior levels of management, while risk management was often activity rather than enterprise-based. These are board responsibilities. In other cases, boards had approved strategy but then did not establish suitable metrics to monitor its implementation. Company disclosures about foreseeable risk factors and about the sys tems in place for monitoring and managing risk have also left a lot to be desired even though this is a key element of the Principles. Accounting standards and regulatory requirements have also proved insufficient in some areas leading the relevant standard setters to undertake a review. Last but not least, remuneration systems have in a number of cases not been closely related to the strategy and risk appetite of the company and its longer term interests. Question 02 Why do Islamic banks need to give special care to corporate governance and what advantages does it provide to them? Answer 02 Very little is written on governance structures in Islamic banking, despite the rapid growth of Islamic banks since the mid 1970s and their increasing presence on world financial markets. There are now over 180 financial institutions world-wide which adhere to Islamic banking and financing principles. These banks operate in 45 countries encompassing most of the Muslim world, along with Europe, North America and various offshore locations. Islamic financing increasingly is a market segment of interest of Western banks and the latest addition to the list of Islamic banks in October 1996 in the City Islamic Investment Bank, Bahrain a wholly owned subsidiary of Citicorp. Islamic banking represents a radical departure from conventional banking and from the viewpoint of corporate governance, it embodies a number of interesting features since equity participation, risk and profit-and-loss sharing arrangements from the basis of Islamic financing. Due to the bank dealing in Riba, an Isla mic bank cannot charge any fixed return in advance, but rather participates in the yield resulting from the use of funds. The depositors also share in the profits according to predetermined ratio, and are rewarded with profit returns for assuming risk. Unlike a conventional bank which is basically a borrower and lender of funds, an Islamic bank is essentially a partner with its depositors, on the one side, and also a partner with entrepreneurs, on the other side, when employing depositors funds in productive direct investment. These financial arrangements imply quite different stockholder relationships, and by corollary governance structures, from the conventional model since depositors have a direct financial stake in the banks investment and equity participations. In addition, the Islamic bank is subject to an additional layer of governance since the suitability of its investment and financing must be in strict conformity with Shariah and expectations of the Muslim community at large. Islamic financial institutions display key distinguishing features requiring special care when it comes to the corporate governance mechanisms. They are as follows: Stakeholders include large number of depositors and their deposits are not guaranteed. Islamic banks operate on the model of universal banking. This is very close to the deregulated banking system. Financial activities are spread over a large spectrum from the usual customary traditional finance. Islamic financial institutions holding equity would enable them to sit on various companies Board of Directors. Thereby they could influence corporate governance mechanisms of the latter. Corporate governance and ethical standards provides many an advantage to Islamic banks. If an Islamic financial institution practices very good corporate governance, it helps them to build a good and strong brand image. Through this good and strong brand image they are able to attract a higher customer base leading to hig her and greater customer loyalty. Once they have captured the customers loyalty, there is greater commitment towards the employees. Once the employees are given greater commitment they become passionate and drive with a lot of creativity. Having large amounts of creativity in a very competitive and volatile environment can drive an organization to have immense competitive advantage. Question 03 Why do banks need to be regulated and supervised? What are the key tasks facing regulators for creating a level playing field for Islamic banks within a countrys overall regulatory framework that includes the operations of conventional banks? Answer 03 A logical first reason is that a strong and adaptable banking system helps the monetary authorities to carry out monetary policy, that is, to implement decisions about money supply and interest rates. In this sense, regulation is a public good, because everyone benefits from an effective monetary policy. A second more practical reason relates to the unique nature of the business of a bank. The business of a bank can for arguments sake be reduced to, on the one hand, the taking of deposits from the public and, on the other hand, the lending of those same funds to others at a profit. The liabilities of banks, namely the deposits held on behalf of clients, are generally short term and certain in amount the bank must repay the full amount from its resources. The assets of a bank, namely the loans made, are generally longer term in nature, but actually uncertain in value the bank can never be sure that the debtor will repay the loan over the specified period. The nature of a banks business is therefore inherently highly risky, and poor decisions can easily lead to the demise of a bank and the loss of depositors funds. When this happens, often the confidence in the banking system is harmed, and, in order to avoid this, public funds are sometimes used to save an ailing bank. Either way, the cost of a bank failure to society as a whole is often higher than the private cost (that is, shareholder losses), which is a compelling reason for supervising banks to ensure that they are always prudently managed by competent, experienced and ethical individuals. Another reason why banks are usually regulated is the asymmetry of information that is, the unequal availability of information to all interested parties. Depositors do not have sufficient information about the true risks that a particular bank faces, and whether the risk they take in placing their money with the bank is commensurate with the interest to be earned on the deposit. A final reason for the regulati on and supervision of banks is to protect depositors against unscrupulous organizations that misrepresent themselves as banks and unlawfully collect deposits before absconding. All developed countries, and less developed countries, have a banking supervisory authority. Although the principles are largely the same, supervisory authorities may differ regarding their degree of autonomy, relationships with other financial regulators, and supervisory approaches or methods employed. Central Banks and Regulators could play a crucial role in the development of a framework for Shariah compliant monetary policy instruments to operate within a level-playing field. Supervisors are faced with a dual challenge. One hand, they promote financial diversification and consolidation to achieve market development and on the other side they have to position themselves to recognize new dimensions and new types of risks and encourage appropriate risk mitigation plans. Regulators need to practic e flexibility and work with Islamic banks such as to become well acquainted with needs of the industry and subsequently develop successful and acceptable regulatory frameworks. Further, regulatory authorities and market participants should be very well-versed with the nature and implications of the rules adopted in jurisdictions where there are heavy constraints on Islamic finance operations. This would facilitate greater market discipline and no undue burden on the Islamic financial institutions. Therefore, regulatory and supervisory authorities operating in dual banking systems, i.e. conventional as well as Islamic, should be mindful of setting up regulatory frameworks, since they should be pragmatic and flexible in internationally accepted prudential and supervisory requirements. According to Shariah principles, Islamic banks cannot guarantee repayment of full amount of deposits, in Western countries requiring that deposits have to be returned in full. In Muslim countries s eparate regulations have been developed to allow banks to share the risk of loss on investments with their clients. The final solution was to structure a Mudharabah agreement whereby savings and deposit/investment accounts in such a manner that FSA was satisfied that the risk of loss of amount deposited by the depositors was minimal. Key features included a bank setting aside reserves earned from investment in special reserve accounts before the distributing of profits to the depositors. This reserve was further to be used to cover any losses that arose from investments. Another feature was allowing depositors decide if they wanted capital losses to be made good. A depositor complying with Shariah principles would not require such losses to be made good. The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) was established with the aim to promote the development of a prudent and transparent Islamic financial services industry and provides guidance on the effective supervision and regulatio n of institutions offering Islamic financial products. The IFSB has produced international standards on capital adequacy and risk management for Islamic Financial Institutions, and has made progress in developing standards on corporate governance. These international standards are intended to assist regulators and supervisors in pursuing soundness, stability, and integrity in the world of Islamic finance.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Fake Myth Free Essays

How Shadows Came To Be In the kingdom of Ridonicorn, there was a peculiar king named Shade. He claimed that he could stalk anyone without being seen. The Olympians knew him well, for his boasts were somewhat true. We will write a custom essay sample on Fake Myth or any similar topic only for you Order Now Often times, they bet on him to see if he tail people. Poseidon and Hermes almost always won the bets since they usually on the same side. If there was ever an argument, Artemis would settle it by choosing the right side of the bet. One day, Hermes and Poseidon didn’t place the same bet. Artemis was not there to settle the argument. This may seem trivial but it greatly upset the Olympians. They were so confused that no one else placed a bet. Poseidon thought Shade would not be able to follow the mysterious citizen and Hermes thought he would. Shade had already followed the citizen one mile into the enchanted forest near Ridonicorn when he heard a voice telling him to come into the bushes. He obeyed silently and went off his path. â€Å"What dost thou want? † said Shade to the voice. Then, right before his eyes, an old man with a cane came out of nowhere and said to him; â€Å"Only to help my king. † Shade was curious at his response In his weird manner of talking, he said; â€Å"What would thou doest to helpeth me in my quest from the gods? † â€Å"I have an enchanted necklace,† replied the old man. â€Å"that will make it so that no one can see hear you but the gods. † â€Å"Give it to me now! † ordered Shade. The old man gave it to him and Shade immediately put it on. â€Å"Did it work? † he asked the old man. Deceivingly, the old man replied; â€Å"Shade? Where did you go? † Shade was filled with happiness and continued his peculiar errand. He did not know that the old man was Hermes and could indeed see and hear him. Hermes was trying to â€Å"secure† his success of his bet with the necklace. However, no one knew that the person who Shade was stalking could see and hear him perfectly. She was Artemis. She had left Olympus to take a break and hunt since she was not a good mood. When she noticed that Hermes was trying to win a bet, she was filled with nger. She shot an arrow right past Shade’s head. Shade was surprised since he thought he could not be noticed. â€Å"You think I can’t see you, mortal? † Shade shuddered. The way she said â€Å"mortal† made it seem as if she wasn’t. He was too late to notice and Artemis placed a curse on him. He and his offspring were forced to follow everyone without secrecy. Poseidon won the bet, Hermes had t o do Poseidon’s chores for a millennium, and Shade (now Shadow) and his children had to follow everyone while always being seen for eternity. How to cite Fake Myth, Papers

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Literature Review Social Sciences and Humanities

Questions: 1.What role does Cultural Identity play in influencing modest fashion choices?2.What is the relationship between fashion and Muslim Identity?3.What is the role of social media in influencing Muslim females when it comes to fashion? Answers: Introduction According to Jesson (2011), A Literature Review refers to critically analysing the literature from different reliable sources like books, published journals which provides the assessment of the topic to be searched on. The motive of this literature review is to provide the researcher with the knowledge of literatures from different sources for the subject of the research (Jesson, 2011). In addition to this, the literature review also gives the researcher an outline to carry out the research with proper collection of data and its analysis. The current research will discuss the influence of the cultural identity in modest fashion choices, the relationship that exists between fashion and Muslim identity, the role of social media in influencing Muslim females for fashion and finally the whole summary of the research. 1. As per Larrain (2013), this can be imbibed that Culture refers to when a group of people share their views, ideas, beliefs, knowledge, morals and their other capabilities in common then, those people are said to be a part of same culture. In relation to culture, Cultural Identity refers to the feeling when people have a feeling of being a part of a common group. There common group can be in relation to their nationality, religion, age group, locality or any other social group (Larrain, 2013). Cultural Identity is made up of an individuals own characteristics as well as the cultural group to which they belong to. In the perception of Haslam, Reicher and Platow (2010), it has been reflected that an individuals cultural identity is a phenomenon which influences their modest fashion choices because it has been noticed that dressing culture of West has always been influencing the people of other parts of the world. Cultural Identities are different for different places. For example- Western culture, Arab culture, Tibetan culture, Islamic culture etc. All these cultures come from different parts of the world. In addition to this, cultures play a very significant role in influencing peoples choices of fashion as they will wear which suits to their personality rather the personality of the culture to which they belong (Haslam, Reicher and Platow, 2010). In the views of Kaiser (2012), it can be depicted that the culture to which an individual belong and the fashion choices goes hand in hand as, they are inseparable the reason being that the culture in which a person has grown up, the society to which one belongs they play a vital role in setting up a cultural identity for people (Kaiser, 2012). For example- if a person was brought up in a conservative environment where there has to be a sober way of dressing then, the person will never feel carried away by new emerging fashions that are different to theirs. The meaning of modest fashion choices refers to the fashion that is in the Islamic culture which says that the fashion should be in a way that is comfortable, covers all the parts of the body and support oversize clothing. As per the views of Othman (2017), it can be divulged that modest fashions are specifically related to the people of Islamic culture, their culture plays a very important role in influencing their fashion choices. They have been associated with people who have a strong belief in their religion and its cultural ethnicities therefore; their culture identity becomes an important part of choices. Muslims have always seen living in a conservative environment where they are not allowed to wear according to their preferences especially the females who are asked to cover their whole body properly moreover; they are not at all allowed to break the existing fashion choices of Burkha and Hijab that each person belonging to the Muslim culture is supposed to follow (Othman, 2017). According to Lewis (2013), it can be portrayed that the culture identity influences the modest fashion choices as the Muslim society at large follows all the similar kind of traditions, beliefs and morals which are taken forwarded by the people of that culture. The same is taught to the younger generations therefore; what they learn at their younger ages the same is followed by them when they grow old. In addition to this, the cultural identity enables in forming an individuals personality, behaviour, views, opinions etc. most importantly it includes the way people dress. The modest fashion choices are mostly related and motivated by the dressing style of Muslims which includes dresses which are full-sleeved, head covers basically, their motive is to cover their whole body because of their cultural beliefs (Lewis, 2013). 2. In the perception of McCracken (2008), Fashion refers to any style of dressing, make up or hairstyle which is in trend. In addition, it is a way of looking presentable while carrying oneself for parties, social gatherings, workplace etc. The meaning of fashion is different for different groups of people as fashion go hand in hand with the culture as discussed above. The relationship between fashion and Muslim identity is very critical as the people belonging to that community are not really allowed to wear what they feel like as the community is said to be very strict when it comes to dressing of people. In addition to this, the Muslims are set aside when it comes to their fashion sense because they are stereotyped for their clothing as the ones who are conservative and are not open to wear anything of their own choice but are compelled to wear which is decided since the ancient times (McCracken, 2008). In the opinion of Shimek (2012), it is observed that the relationship between fashion and Muslim identity is different than that of the other cultural identities as they are very specific and stringent about their group members dressing sense especially females. This is because of their believe that the females of their community are not allowed to let any other men see their skin and hair that is the reason behind why they are expected to wear Burkha or Hijab and then step out of their houses. Otherwise, it is considered as an offence to their community. The Islamic culture believes in the idea of following their fashion, tradition, values, rules, culture etc. even when people from their community are of a different opinion (Shimek, 2012). In the views of Deniz (2014), it can be observed that the Islamic culture is also very particular about the veil of females of their group as they believe that women of their community is supposed to be the traditional figure and is not allowed to go for fashion which is not in accordance with their culture (Deniz, 2014). The relationship between fashion and Muslim identity is very strict as this does not allow the group especially it focuses on females. In addition to this, it can also be said that women have to suffer as they do not get the freedom and choice of their own with respect to fashion or what they want to wear. 3. According to Mangold and Faulds (2009), it can be reflected that Social Media has come a long way in the past decade as; it has emerged as another effective and economical medium of marketing and advertising of anything and anytime. The coverage of social media is also huge as each day more and more users are getting access to it. The advantage of this is the increase in the customer base and people getting aware about the new trends coming in. The social media plays a very significant role in attracting people towards the new fashion trends and choices. In the big list of people getting attracted to fashion because of the influential posts, videos and pictures that are uploaded on social media and that too with best of the prices, offers, discounts etc. Social media is a very large medium which consists of different platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram etc. as these provide the knowledge of a single product to a large number of audience at a single point of time (Mangol d and Faulds, 2009). As per Hassim (2014), it is divulged that Social media plays the role of an influencer to attract people towards various fashion products. Muslim females are very much attracted by all the new trends coming in but on the same hand their cultural identity also compels them to take a step back. With the change in market the social media is also transforming the image of Muslim females by making changes into their veiling styles, their apparels which includes their head wraps and Burkhas by modifying them and making them presentable. After globalisation, the social media is constantly changing the presentations of the attire of Muslim women (Hassim, 2014). According to the matter given in The Telegraph (2016), it can be depicted that Social media has played a big role in transforming the image of women in Islamic countries who were never motivated for fashionista kind of products but with the increase in the usage of social media, it has encouraged women from the Muslim identity only to come forward and take the lead of bringing beautiful changes into the lives of women of their community. As in their opinion they also have the right to accept fashion. Social media has given a helping hand to those who have been working in favour of the Muslim women. The proper use of social media is taken for bringing out new fashion without disrespecting their communitys traditional and cultural values (The Telegraph, 2016). In the perception of Waninger (2015), it is portrayed that social platforms like Facebook and Instagram have given a helping hand to the entrepreneurs and designers who are coming up with new styles for Muslim women to cover them. The biggest advantage of social media is that it is an interactive medium of marketing products this will also get back the feedback or maybe suggestions from the Muslim women customers. It is a more communicative medium also because of the option of uploading photos and videos of the upcoming fashion trends like all new scarves with good and different prints and colours that can be used as a Hijab or head wrap (Waninger, 2015). According to Latiff Alam (2013), Social Media can also play the role of a tool in bringing the equal rights for Muslim women across the Islamic and non-Islamic countries by posting campaigns like fashion as right or fashion should be a choice which will support the freedom of choice to Muslim women to choose which kind of apparels they will wear and with what transformations in their veiling styles. Social Media can play a big part in attracting, developing interest and desire and finally making the prospects consumers take action of buying the transformed products which will set a unique and fashionable personality of women and also change their lifestyle (Latiff Alam, 2013). Women can also be persuaded by uploading attractive posts which consists of various titles of the day like Queen of the day or Personality of the day etc. to motivate them to participate and change the perception of themselves and people around them about the fashion without exposing. Summary The purpose of the above research was to get a wide perspective about the role of cultural identity in influencing modest fashion choices, the relationship between the Muslim industry and fashion and the role of social media in influencing Muslim females in context of fashion. On the basis of the above research it can be summarised culture identity and fashion choices are very closely related as people buy those products only which are permit able in their culture. Further there exists a strong relationship between fashion and Muslim identity as they are given less freedom when it comes to fashion. In addition to this, the role of social media is very important with respect to the evolution of fashion that is evolving for Muslim females through different social mediums which will be an effective way to persuade Muslim women to start with transforming their fashion sense of veil and clothing. References Deniz, E., 2014. Veiling fashion, consumption culture and identity: a Qualitative analysis for interpreting the veiled Turkish Womens changing clothing practices. - International Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities. Haslam, S.A., Reicher, S.D. and Platow, M.J., 2010. The new psychology of leadership: Identity, influence and power. Psychology Press. Hassim, N., 2014, Hijab and the Malay-Muslim Woman in Media. The International Conference on Communication and Media. pp. 428 433. Jesson, J. 2011. Doing Your Literature Review: Traditional and Systematic Techniques. London: SAGE. Kaiser, S.B., 2012. Fashion and cultural studies. AC Black. Larrain, J., 2013. Ideology and cultural identity: Modernity and the third world presence. John Wiley Sons. Latiff, Z, A and Alam, F, N, S., 2013. The Roles of Media in Influencing Women Wearing Hijab: An Analysis. Journal of Image and Graphics, Vol 1. Lewis, R. ed., 2013. Modest fashion: styling bodies, mediating faith. IB Tauris. Mangold, W.G. and Faulds, D.J., 2009. Social media: The new hybrid element of the promotion mix. Business horizons, 52(4), pp.357-365. McCracken, G.D., 2008. Transformations: Identity construction in contemporary culture. Indiana University Press. Othman, E.H., 2017. Muslim fashion: contemporary style cultures. Shimek, E, D., 2012. The Abaya: Fashion, Religion, and Identity in a Globalized World. Lawrence University Honors Projects. (12). The Telegraph, 2016. How the hijab went high-fashion and divided Muslim women. Viewed 12 February 2017. From https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/how-the-hijab-went-high-fashion-and-divided-muslim-women/. Waninger, K., 2015. The Veiled Identity: Hijabistas, Instagram and Branding In The Online Islamic Fashion Industry. Institute for Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Differences Between the Antifederalists and Federalists Essay Example

Differences Between the Antifederalists and Federalists Paper The Articles of Confederation stirred up many problems between the states. The antifederalists, or people who opposed a strong federal government, came into quarrel with the federalists, who favored a strong federal government. The federalists differ from the anti-federalists in terms of social, economic, and political expression. Many differences arose between the federalists and the antifederalists concerning social issues. First of all, the antifederalists were from the poorer classes, while the federalists were from higher, more aristocratic classes. Antifederalists mainly consisted of uneducated people who made up the working class. Federalists, however, were aristocratic people who were cultured and well educated. Also, many popular figures were in conflict with one another, due to their antifederalist or federalist beliefs. Patrick Henry, a famous patriot and lawyer, provided support for the antifederalists. Being from Virginia, the largest and most populous of the states, Pa trick Henry was a powerful figure. On the other hand, George Washington, James Madison, and John Marshall were all in support of the federalist side. James Madison, along with John Jay and Alexander Hamilton, wrote The Federalist, a group of propaganda essays written for the New York newspapers. Besides social differences, economic differences also widened the gap between the antifederalists and the federalists. The poor antifederalists were in conflict with the rich federalists. Antifederalists, for instance, consisted of people who were in debt. The debtors feared a strong central government would make they pay off their debts. Also, antifederalists also did not want the states to establish laws regarding tariffs and navigation. Antifederalists were poor; therefore, they created worthless money to pay off their debts. On the other hand, the federalists were wealthy people who were of noble birth. They immensely disagreed with the antifederalist act

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Premarital Sex Essay Example

Premarital Sex Essay Example Premarital Sex Essay Premarital Sex Essay There is no social issue more difficult to address than premarital sex. Even in the 21st century, after decades of convincing the world that truth can be subjective, modern man still could not get rid off that uneasy feeling when confronted with the accusation that he or she is engaging in sex outside the bounds of marriage. This feeling is arguably more intense with teenagers than with adults but nevertheless most would rather hide the truth than openly acknowledge that they are practicing premarital sex. This paper will show the dangers of premarital sex. This can be done without having to resort to overly simplistic rhetoric. For instance when someone opposed to the idea of sex before marriage is interviewed about his opinion about premarital sex; the common reply is that such behavior is unacceptable without being able to fully explain rationally why it is forbidden. Background Before going into details it is important to get an overview of this social problem. Those who practice premarital sex can be broadly categorized into three major groups. The first one is composed of couples who were already engaged and set to marry soon. The emotional depth of their relationship is evident and the kind of premarital sex practiced can be also called engagement sex (Luker, p. 89). The second group is composed of adults who are not yet married, not engaged, no plans of marrying their current sexual partners, and yet engaging in sexual intercourse. Those belonging to this group can be strongly attracted to their sexual partner but there is no immediate desire to bring the relationship a notch higher by becoming engaged. Kung akin ang mundo, Ang lahat ng itoy iaalay ko sayo Kung ako ang hari ng puso Lagi kitang pababantay kay kupido, Hindi na luluha ang yong mga mata, Mananatiling may ngiti sa Yong lab, Para sayo, para sayo, REPEAT CHORUS Geode morgen iedereen Edgar Allan Poe He was born Edgar Poe in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 19, 1809, the second child of actress Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins Poe and actor David Poe, Jr. He had an elder brother, William Henry Leonard Poe, and a younger sister, Rosalie Poe. Edgar may have been named after a character in William Shakespeares King Lear, a play the ouple was performing in 1809. His father abandoned their family in 1810, and his mother died a year later from consumption (pulmonary tuberculosis). Poe was then taken into the home of John Allan, a successful Scottish merchant in Richmond, Virginia, who dealt in a variety of goods including tobacco, cloth, wheat, tombstones, and slaves. The Allans served as a foster family and gave him the name Edgar Allan Poe, though they never formally adopted him. l Said to Love By: Thomas Hardy I said to Love, It is not now as in old days When men adored thee and thy ways All else above; Named thee the Boy, the Bright, the One Who spread a heaven beneath the sun, I said to Love. I said to him, We now know more of thee than then; We were but weak in Judgment when, With hearts abrim, We clamoured thee that thou wouldst please Inflict on us thine agonies, I said to him. Thou art not young, thou art not fair, No faery darts, no cherub air, Nor swan, nor dove Are thine; but features pitiless, And iron daggers of distress, Depart then, Love! .. Mans race shall end, dost threaten thou? The age to come the man of now Know nothing of? We fear not such a threat from thee; We are too old in apathy! Mankind shall cease. So let it be, O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman . 0 CAPTAIN! my Captain, our fearful trip is done, The ship has weatherd every rack, the prize we sought is won, The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring; But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead. O Captain! my Captain! ise up and hear the bells; Rise upfor you the flag is flungfor you the bugle trills, For you bouquets and ibbond wreathsfor you the shores a-crowding, For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning; Here Captain! dear father! The arm beneath your head! It is some dream that on the deck, Youve fallen cold and dead. My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will, The ship is anchord safe and sound, its voyage closed and done, From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won; Exult O shores and ring O bells! But I with mournful tread, Walk the deck my Captain lies, Fallen Cold and Dead My name is Alyssa Marie P. Suarez. I am 14 years old. I was born on March 6,1999 in Bacolod City. I am currently living at Canlaon View Subd. Murcia, Negros Occidental. I am currently studying at Bacolod City National High School. I live with my mom, May; and my dad, Arthur. I have two siblings namely Alliah Nicole P. Suarez and Art Joseph P. Suarez. Life to me means friends and family who you can trust and who trusts you. I am pretty much on the happy side of life, but like all teens I do I have my days of. That means I do have some sad days or depressed days. I have a few friends here that sort of look out for me and when I am having a bad day, I have someone here at school to talk to. I make my school days go by thinking of either the next hour or what I will do when I get home or on the weekend. My hobbies are singing, dancing and playing badminton. I am good in dancing, quite in singing. Friends are l ike sisters to me. They are always there in good times and in bad times. They are always being there every step of the way. I can share my secrets to them and as well as my problems. I am lucky to have them.

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Do you agree with Dave Eggers that community service should be Essay

Do you agree with Dave Eggers that community service should be required for college students Why or why not - Essay Example As the saying goes, "get the leader and the masses will follow". I personally agree with Dave Eggers community development strategy, as it will not only benefit the community and the students but the nation as a whole. Students are like droplets of water and when gathered together to perform useful community activities they can be compared to enriching the ocean that surrounds them. These droplets should be used to enrich the community, for example even with a modest 9 hours a year requirement (the equivalent of less than two mornings a year), America would gain 54 million volunteer hours to invigorate the nation's nonprofit organizations such as churches, environment protection groups and college outreach programs; if the community service requirement is made compulsory for all private colleges. In other words, American is wasting 54 million precious volunteer hours a year. The next question to be answered is; would if the college students would like serve the community That is said to be the million dollar question, as they say, "you can take the horse to the water, but can't make it drink". I agree with this quote, but this statement is only true when the horse isn't thirsty. Using the "carrot and stick" method proposed by Dave Eggers, where the students are awarded up to three credits for community service, would get the majority of the students motivated. There are many advantages for the college students to become involved in community service, such as: Community service also helps enhance learning by allowing students to integrate course material with actual issues in a community setting. Community service also takes out the "curiosity" which many students have about the "real world" and would help the students gain valuable practical life experiences or even valuable history lessons, like meeting a World War II veteran. Another valuable ingredient for the idea of community service to be a long-term success that is needed is instilling patriotism amongst the students. Community service should be showcased as something to be proud of like when you high grades in the exam. This would remove the temptation to quit halfway through, which was the case for Dave Eggers. Prevention is better than cure; thus community service can prove to be the answer to many problems like drug addition, gangs, etc. Doing something constructive, like community services will stop the students from getting into destructive activities like drugs. Community service plays an important role in personality development. Volunteering will him the student be balanced and indulge in activities that will be to help others. Community service will also help the students develop and hone, "soft skills" that are very much in demand in today's job market. Community service can also act as an anti-depressant by being of service to others. At the same time, it is also important for the student to volunteer in that activity or activities that he or she likes, for example if a person is religious he or she should rather volunteer to help out at a church than at a conservation group. Programs such as the, President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, launched in 2006, recognizes institutions of higher education that support exemplary student community service and service-learning programs,

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Information Technology - Questions to be answered Essay

Information Technology - Questions to be answered - Essay Example Expert systems (in general all symbolic systems) and neural networks are two "rival" approaches to Artificial Intelligence, both having different application areas within this scope. expert system design may take months of gathering information and testing. On the other hand, a neural network may be designed and trained in a few days after most examples related with the domain are gathered. A good rule of thumb is if the rules are not well defined and there is a lot of training data then use neural network approach. If there are no examples available then a classical expert system approach may be taken. Apart from this, there are of course other criteria for deciding which approach to follow: Expert system technology is a mature and well expressed technology which is currently available. it can be stated that the desire for increased knowledge has brought expert systems out of the research laboratories into the office. Expert systems are good at procedural types of problems such as strategy, scheduling, and teaching. They are better than manuals because they ask the user only relevant information, they incorporate past experience into solving the problem, and they answer questions about their reasoning process [17]. Data warehousing can ensure that a company remains profitable as... 2. Summarize how a data warehouse might become a survival issue for a company Data warehousing can ensure that a company remains profitable as it can help businesses and consumers cut through the chase and provide a more meaningful service to both consumer and business, or they can be used in such a way as to harm the business, the consumer or both. With this potentially tremendous power comes tremendous responsibility. Companies that choose to engage in data warehousing activities should have in place not only a technical team for implementation, but also a sound data security policy as well as an ethical use policy. These policies should be made available to the consumers whose information is stored within the warehouse. The following table summarizes the seven myths and counter-myths discussed in this paper, organized by value to the consumer, business and society as a whole. Source: (Joseph Cazier and Ryan LaBrie, 7 Myths of Common Data Warehousing Practices: An examination of consumer, business and societal value. 2003) 3. ERP, CRM and other behemoth conceptual information systems represent behemoth physical systems. Compare and contrast whether or not such behemoth conceptual systems inhibit an organization's physical system and its ability to be agile The phrase "agile organization" refers to an organization that can respond in a real-time enough fashion to situations that impact the health and well-being of the organizations and its stakeholders. Becoming "agile" typically involves a combination of process re-engineering as well as the deployment of application, infrastructure and management capabilities with the goal of taking time and cost out of business processes, while improving the quality of these

Monday, January 27, 2020

A Study On Banking Ombudsman Scheme Commerce Essay

A Study On Banking Ombudsman Scheme Commerce Essay The Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 1995 was notified by RBI on June 14, 1995 in terms of the powers conferred on the Bank by Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 to provide for a system of redressal of grievances against banks. The Scheme sought to establish a system of expeditious and inexpensive resolution of customer complaints. The Scheme is in operation since 1995 and was revised during the year 2002. The Scheme is being executed by Banking Ombudsmen appointed by RBI at 15 centres covering the entire country. The word ‘Ombudsman in general means a ‘grievance man, a public official who is appointed to investigate complaints against the administration. He is to intervene for theordinarycitizen in his dealings with the complex machinery of the establishment. Objective The objective behind this scheme is to make available an expeditious and cost effective grievance redressal mechanism to bank customers. Vision and Goals of the Banking Ombudsman Offices Vision Statement To be a visible and credible system of dispute resolution mechanism for common persons utilizing the banking services. Goals To ensure redressal of grievances of users of banking services in an inexpensive, expeditious, fair and reasonable manner that will provide impetus to improved customer services in the banking sector on a continuous basis. To provide valuable feedback suggestions to Reserve Bank of India towards framing appropriate and timely guidelines to banks to improve the level of customer service and to strengthen their internal grievance redressal systems. To enhance the awareness of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme. To facilitate quick and fair (non-discriminatory) redressal of grievances through use of IT systems, comprehensive and easily accessible database and enhanced capabilities of staff through training. SCOPE OF THE SCHEME The Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2002 covers all the Regional Rural Banks in addition to all Commercial Banks and Scheduled Primary Co-operative Banks, which were already covered by earlier Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 1995. The grounds of complaints that can be entertained by the Banking Ombudsmen have been enumerated in Clause 12 of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme 2002. What are complaints Ombudsman may receive? The Banking Ombudsman can receive and consider any complaint relating to the following deficiency in banking services (including internet banking): * non-payment or inordinate delay in the payment or collection of cheques, drafts or bills * non-acceptance of small denomination notes * non-acceptance of coins tendered * non-payment or delay in payment of inward remittances * failure to issue or delay in issue of drafts * non-adherence to prescribed working hours * failure to provide or delay in providing a banking facility * complaints from Non-Resident Indians having accounts in India * refusal to open deposit accounts without any valid reason for refusal * levying of charges without adequate prior notice to the customer * non-disbursement or delay in disbursement of pension * refusal to accept or delay in accepting payment towards taxes * forced closure of deposit accounts without due notice * refusal to close or delay in closing the accounts * non-adherence to the fair practices code as adopted by the bank * any other matter relating to the violation of the directives When a person may file the complaint? One can file a complaint before the Banking Ombudsman if the reply is not received from the bank within a period of one month after the bank concerned has received one s representation, or the bank rejects the complaint, or if the complainant is not satisfied with the reply given by the bank. Rules for filing complaint Any person may himself or through his authorized representative make a complaint to the bank. If the bank rejects the complaint or the complainant does not receive any reply within a month or the complainant is not satisfied with the reply even by the bank, the complainant may approach the Banking Ombudsman for redress of the grievance subject to the following:  · The complaint should be made within one year after the cause of action has arisen.  · The complaint is not in respect of the same subject matter that was settled through the Office of the Banking Ombudsman in any previous proceedings.  · The complaint does not pertain to the same subject matter for which any proceedings before any court, tribunal or arbitrator or any other forum is pending or a decree or award or a final order has already been passed.  · The complaint is not frivolous or vexatious in natur When will one s complaint not be considered by the Ombudsman ? a. One has not approached his bank for redressal of his grievance first. b. One has not made the complaint within one year from the date one has received the reply of the bank or if no reply is received if it is more than one year and one month from the date of representation to the bank. c. The subject matter of the complaint is pending for disposal / has already been dealt with at any other forum like court of law, consumer court etc. d. Frivolous or vexatious. e. The institution complained against is not covered under the scheme. f. The subject matter of the complaint is not within the ambit of the Banking Ombudsman. g. If the complaint is for the same subject matter that was settled through the office of the Banking Ombudsman in any previous proceedings. How Where can one lodge his/her complaint? One can file a complaint with the Banking Ombudsman simply by writing on a plain paper. One can also file it online or by sending an email to the Banking Ombudsman. One may lodge his/ her complaint at the office of the Banking Ombudsman under whose jurisdiction, the bank branch complained against is situated. For complaints relating to credit cards and other types of services with centralized operations, complaints may be filed before the Banking Ombudsman within whose territorial jurisdiction the billing address of the customer is located. PERFORMANCE OF THE BANKING OMBUDSMEN The performance of the Banking Ombudsmen has been analysed on the aspects such as: the quantum of complaints handled by them, the timeliness in handling the issues, and appropriateness of the decisions of the Banking Ombudsmen. More than 5000 complaints are received by the Banking Ombudsmen every year. The number of complaints received by the BO offices has been steadily increasing since 1999-2000. The number of complaints received during 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03 stood at 5803, 5907 and 5399 respectively while there was a sharp rise during the year 2003-04 at 8246. Details are as given below: Number of complaints received by the Banking Ombudsmen Period No. of Offices of Banking Ombudsman No. of complaints received during the year Average No. of complaints per office 99-00 15 4994 333 00-01 15 5803 387 01-02 15 5907 394 02-03 15 5399 360 03-04 15 8246 550 Role of Arbitrator Any dispute between a bank and its constituents or between a bank and another bank may be referred to a Banking Ombudsman for arbitration, if both the parties agree for such a reference provided that the value of the claim in such dispute does not exceed Rs.10 lacs. Reporting The Banking Ombudsman shall report to the Reserve Bank, the non-compliance by any bank of an award and the Review Authority shall pass the necessary order. If a bank fails to implement the award within the prescribed time limit, the complainant may approach the Review Authority with a prayer to pass an appropriate direction to the bank for immediate compliance of the award. The Review Authority shall not receive any such additional or new material from any party which was not produced before the Banking Ombudsman. The Review Authority may call for the comments of the Banking Ombudsman in a review application filed before him, provided he is satisfied that such comments of the Banking Ombudsman are necessary in the exigencies of the case. The object behind the Banking Ombudsman Scheme is to make available an expeditious and cost effective grievance redressal mechanism to bank customers. Hence Banking ombudsman will endeavor to promote a settlement through conciliation or mediation and he will not be bound by any legal rule of evidence.With effect from January 1, 2006, RBI has further modified the scheme. Now complaints relating to credit cards can also be preferred by aggrieved customers. Earlier, retired bank officers or retired bureaucrats were being appointed as ombudsmen. With effect from Jan.2006, RBI officers are appointed as ombudsmen. Centres And Their Operational Areas Ahmedabad Gujarat, Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu Bangalore Karnataka Bhopal Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh Bhubanes-war Orissa Chandigarh Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Union Territory of Chandigarh Chennai Tamil Nadu, Union Territories of Pondicherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Guwahati Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura Hyderabad Andhra Pradesh Jaipur Rajasthan Kanpur Uttar Pradesh (excluding District of Ghaziabad) and Uttaranchal Kolkata West Bengal and Sikkim Mumbai Maharashtra and Goa New Delhi Delhi, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh Patna Bihar and Jharkhand Thiruvanan-thapuram Kerala and Union Territory of Lakshadweep Some Important Developments during the year 2008-09 Meeting of the Committee on Subordinate Legislation, Rajya Sabha on functioning of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme in the private sector banks and foreign banks: Deputy Governor represented the Bank during the deliberations of the Committee on Subordinate Legislation on functioning of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme in the private sector banks and foreign banks. The Committee was headed by Dr Najma Heptulla, MP and the banks called for discussion were HDFC, Citibank, Standard Chartered Bank, Deutsche Bank and HSBC Ltd. Advertisement under series Jago Grahak Jago: An advertisement campaign on the Banking Ombudsman Scheme has been released by the Bank in collaboration with Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food Public Distribution, Government of India as a joint campaign under the Jago Grahak Jago series. A massive advertising visual publicity campaign on the Banking Ombudsman scheme had been carried out in both print and electronic media. This publicity will help in elevating awareness about the BO Scheme among the common people. In addition, banks were instructed to display details of the BO Scheme in all bank branches for the benefit of their customers. Up gradation of Complain Tracking Software (CTS) The upgraded version of CTS package went live from July 1, 2009. The upgraded CTS package has provision to enter the complaints, acknowledge the complaints, edit the complaints to update it, upload/ down load supporting of citizens. The System is to record and receive the grievances online and redress them indicating action at different levels. The Government of India is monitoring the System. All the Public Sector banks, Offices of the Banking Ombudsman, RBI, SIDBI, IDBI Bank, NABARD etc., have been listed by Government of India as subordinate offices and given username and password to access the DARPG portal to enable them to dispose of the grievances against banks online. The Government of India intends to discontinue with the disposal of grievances in paper form in a phased manner. Reform Banking Ombudsman Latest Law Commission onCheque Bounce J. Venkatesan reports that the Law Commission of India has recommended setting up of fast track courts to dispose over 3.8 million cases pending cheque bounce cases and has suggested that an amendment to the Instruments Act to compel the drawer of a cheque to pay 50 per cent of the amount of the receipt of summons. The head of Commission, Justice A. R. Lakshmanan has noted that because of the huge pendency of the cases the credibility of the business within and outside the country suffered a serious setback. â€Å"Dishonour of a cheque by a bank causes incalculable loss, injury and inconvenience to the payee, and the credibility of issuance of cheque is also being eroded to a large extent†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Banking Ombudsmanon cheque Bounce The practical experience at Banking Ombudsman reveal that officials of Banking Ombudsman of RBI have soft corner for the largest public sector bank of India- State Bank of India. Despite the fact that they observed â€Å"the bank had erroneously returned the cheque† Banking Ombudsman noted that by refund of actual expenses in pursing complaint (Rs. 2000) and apology, â€Å"complaint has been reasonably addressed and no further compensation for any loss or damage on account of the deficiency in Banks service could be allowed†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This is in contrast to its decision, a year ago, against Corporation Bank which too had wrongly bounced cheque of the same senior citizen â€Å"..It is therefore advised that the complainant may be compensated with Rs, 1500/- towards harassment caused†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Why so soft on SBI? Further Banking Ombudsman did not issue any directions to SBI nor to Corporation Bank, on account of serious deficiency of service. Coming back, SBI did no t render any sincere apology to the senior citizen. What to talk of promising efficient customer service or responding to query under RTI, sent through post office. More on the working of Banking Ombudsman. The Banking Ombudsman passed an Award against the erring SBI, the passbook of complaint also mentioned-†As per orders passes by banking Ombudsman..†. However, the official letter from Banking Ombudsman maintained that that complaint was resolved amicably between the bank and the complainant. No award was passed, how to contest? When it was asked under RTI Act that- â€Å"were terms of settlement signed by both complainant and the bank before the Banking Ombudsman as a mark of settlement/agreement? Please list the number of complainants disposed by settlement where terms of settlement was signed by the bank and complainant in 2007-08? The response of RBI-†No such practice is envisaged under the provisions of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006†. Not surprising, on record, ,majority of complainants Banking Ombudsman are amicably resolved. What option does the common man have when the normal grievance redressal mechanism fails? To sit at home and accept the helplessness or to approach the Courts, aleady overflowing with cheque bounce cases? In the light of public interest Justice A. R. Lakshmanans observation, SARCAJC appeals to Reserve Bank of India to Amend the present Banking Ombudsman Scheme so that compensation can be awarded to common man (taking account the loss of the complainants time and harassment and mental anguish), whose cheque is wrongly bounced by any Bank. Further, apart from officials of Reserve Bank of India, two active representatives of general public should be included in Banking Ombudsman structure so that Banking Ombudsman Scheme effectively works in the public interest and eases the pressure of cheque bounce cases in the Indian courts. Review Of Literature Awareness Fridays: A Guide to the Indian Banking Ombudsman Scheme Vinaya HS on January 2, 2009 The Reserve Bank of India also governs the Banking Ombudsman Scheme which provides an â€Å"expeditious and inexpensive forum to bank customers for resolution of their complaints relating to banking services.† The objective of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme is to be a visible and reliable system of dispute resolution mechanism for bank customers. Though the Ombudsman was launched way back in 1995, how many among us are really aware of when and how to approach the Banking Ombudsman? Thankfully, as always, the Reserve Bank of India has recently released a guide on this very topic. RBI amends Banking Ombudsman Scheme Mumbai, May 24: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) brought about crucial amendments to the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006 which will now enable aggrieved customers to not only appeal against any Ombudsmans decision but also to appeal in case of complaints being rejected. The appeal could be made to the deputy governors office of the RBI. The Ombudsman, however, has the right to reject complaints if they are ; not on the grounds of complaint referred to in clause 8; beyond the pecuniary jurisdiction of Banking Ombudsman prescribed; frivolous, vexatious, malafide; without any sufficient cause; that it is not pursued by the complainant with reasonable diligence; in the opinion of the Banking Ombudsman there is no loss or damage or inconvenience caused to the complainant; or requiring consideration of elaborate documentary and oral evidence and the proceedings before the Banking Ombudsman. In case of a complainant being aggrieved by the award under clause 12 or by rejection of a complaint, he may exercise the option of an appeal within 30 days, the RBI said in its notification. Title:THE BANKING OMBUDSMAN SCHEME Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance Year:1994 Abstract: This paper examines the role of the Banking Ombudsman in dealing with complaints about banking services. It describes the procedures for investigating eligible complaints and considers the overlap with other Ombudsman schemes, in particular those of the Building Societies and Insurance Ombudsmen. Exemplary Cases dealt with by BO offices where customers were right Case 1 : The complainant was maintaining a current account and approached the bank to convert his current account to cash credit account. For the said purpose he had pledged NSC amounting to Rs.1,20,000/-. Subsequently the bank neither sanctioned him a cash credit limit nor returned the certificates. In the meantime the certificates were matured for payment and he requested the bank to return the certificates. The bank failed to return the certificates stating that the certificates had been misplaced. The complainant approached us with a request to redress his grievances. On taking up the matter with the bank, the bank assured to take up the matter with the post office for issue of duplicate NSCs. On receipt of the duplicate NSCs from the concerned post office, the complainant was compensated for the loss of the original certificates. The complainant submitted a letter of satisfaction to the BO. Case 2 : A complaint relating to non-credit of cheque amount into the account of the complainant was received. The complainant had reportedly taken up the matter with the bank several times but there was no response by the bank towards credit of the cheque amount. The complainant approached the BO for resolution of his grievances. On receipt of the complaint, BO questioned the bank as to what action had been taken on the complaint by them. The bank reported that the cheque in question was lost in transit resulting in non-credit of the cheque amount to the complainants account. At the instance of BO, the bank took up the matter with UTI Mutual Fund, Patna by submitting letter of undertaking and death certificate. The Mutual Fund issued a duplicate cheque and the amount was credited to the complainants account. The complainant submitted a letter of satisfaction. Case 3 : BO received a complaint where the complainant alleged that on her husbands death, she approached the concerned bank on November 27, 2008 for payment of family pension and all the formalities were completed as required by the bank. The Treasury Officer had converted the pension into family pension and advised the bank on October 18, 2008 to make payment to the widow. Though she had been approaching the bank there was no response from the bank. BO questioned the bank as to what action had been taken by them on the complaint. On persuasion, the bank redressed the grievances and paid the family pension to the complainant . Case 4 : A cheque drawn by the EPF Department on the ABC Banks Nasik branch for Rs.21.36 lakh was sent to XYZ Bank, New Delhi for credit to the account of the complainant. The amount was not credited to the complainants account advising that it had not received the cheque. The complainant, however, obtained the Proof of Delivery from Post Office in support of the claim that it was delivered to the XYZ bank.. It transpired that the XYZ bank had actually misplaced the cheque before sending it for collection to ABC Bank and it had already furnished an affidavit to the EPF Department reporting the misplacement of the cheque and requesting for a duplicate cheque. With the intervention of BO, the bank credited an amount of Rs.18,894/- as interest on the delayed payment since date of deposit of the cheque. RECOMMENDATIONS : 1. If a complaint is not settled by agreement within a period of one month from the date of receipt of the complaint or such further period as he may consider necessary, the Banking Ombudsman may make a recommendation by reference to what is, in his opinion, fair in all the circumstances. Copies of the recommendation shall be sent to the complainant and the bank concerned. 2. The recommendation by the Banking Ombudsman shall be open to acceptance by the complainant only if he accepts all terms of the recommendation in full and final settlement of his claim against the bank and he shall, if he accepts the recommendation, within two weeks from the date of receipt of the recommendation send his acceptance in writing stating clearly that he is prepared to accept a settlement in terms of the recommendation is full and final settlement of his complaint. 3. The Banking Ombudsman shall cause a copy of the letter of acceptance, received from the complainant to be forwarded to the bank. The bank shall, if the recommendation is acceptable to it, comply with the terms of the recommendation immediately on receipt of acceptance of the terms by the complainant and inform the Banking Ombudsman of the settlement in terms of his recommendation. If the recommendation is not acceptable to the bank, it shall inform the Banking Ombudsman within a period of two weeks. sReferences : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ombudsman http://www.rbi.org.in/SCRIPTs/bs_viewcontent.aspx?Id=164 http://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/FAQView.aspx?Id=24 http://www.consumercourt.netfirms.com/consumercourtbankingombudsman.htm http://www.apnaloan.com/credit-card-india/Banking-ombudsman-area.html http://www.icrpc.org/icrpc.org.bankingombudsman.htm

Sunday, January 19, 2020

The European Union and a Divided Cyprus Essay -- Politics Turkey Greec

The Implications for the European Union of Cyprus being divided between Turkey and Greece The island of Cyprus is the third largest in the Mediterranean with the 2002 population around 705,5000. Its main economic activities include banking, craft exports, merchant shipping, and tourism, which accounts for twenty percent of business (europa.eu.int). For almost thirty years it has been split between Turkish-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots. The ongoing feud between the two groups and the split of the island in 1974 has lead to much political tension in Europe, especially with the European Union expanding its membership and adding, as of now, only half of the island of Cyprus in May 2004. History Cyprus has always been a center of international trade because of its key location in the Mediterranean between Europe and the Middle East. Greeks settled here in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, bringing the Greek language with them. Because of its close proximity to Turkey, Turks also moved to the island (europa.eu.int). In 1960 the island gained independence from British rule (eubusiness.com 11/4/03). The two groups of occupants had a bi-communal structure with each group speaking their own language and holding to their own traditions until 1963 when violence broke out between the two groups. The United Nations sent peacekeeping forces, which are still there to this day. In August of 1974 the Greek Cypriots tried to join Greece and the Turk Cypriots called for forces from Turkey; this act split the island. The capitol of the island, Nicosia, still has a wall splitting the two sides, much like the Berlin wall (europa.eu.int). The two sides are separated by barbed wire, pill boxes, and soldiers carrying guns (The Economis... ....c6wke3w4>. European Stand on the Cyprus Problem. 19 Dec. 2003 <http://www.kypros.org/cyprus_problem/eudocs/intro.html>. ?Loosening Up? Is there still a chance for settlement in Cyprus??The Economist 17-23 May 2003. ?The Magic of Membership: The lure of the EU may yet settle Cyprus.? The Economist 18-24 Jan. 2003. Relationship with Cyprus.16 Dec. 2003 <http://europa.eu/int/comm/enlargement/cyprus/index.htm Turkey makes EU bid a top priority. 8 Dec. 2003. EU Business Ltd. 8 Dec. 2003 http://eubusiness.com/afp/031208173514.w3fxycbr>. Turkish Cypriots vote in elections crucial for EU, Turkey. 14 Dec. 2003. EU Business Ltd. . 16 Dec.2003 <http://eubusiness.com/afp/031214103303.88diym19>. Vassiliou,George. EU Enlargement and Cyprus Political and Economic Implications. 16 Dec. 2003 "What A Waste." The Economist 15-21 Mar. 2003. The European Union and a Divided Cyprus Essay -- Politics Turkey Greec The Implications for the European Union of Cyprus being divided between Turkey and Greece The island of Cyprus is the third largest in the Mediterranean with the 2002 population around 705,5000. Its main economic activities include banking, craft exports, merchant shipping, and tourism, which accounts for twenty percent of business (europa.eu.int). For almost thirty years it has been split between Turkish-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots. The ongoing feud between the two groups and the split of the island in 1974 has lead to much political tension in Europe, especially with the European Union expanding its membership and adding, as of now, only half of the island of Cyprus in May 2004. History Cyprus has always been a center of international trade because of its key location in the Mediterranean between Europe and the Middle East. Greeks settled here in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, bringing the Greek language with them. Because of its close proximity to Turkey, Turks also moved to the island (europa.eu.int). In 1960 the island gained independence from British rule (eubusiness.com 11/4/03). The two groups of occupants had a bi-communal structure with each group speaking their own language and holding to their own traditions until 1963 when violence broke out between the two groups. The United Nations sent peacekeeping forces, which are still there to this day. In August of 1974 the Greek Cypriots tried to join Greece and the Turk Cypriots called for forces from Turkey; this act split the island. The capitol of the island, Nicosia, still has a wall splitting the two sides, much like the Berlin wall (europa.eu.int). The two sides are separated by barbed wire, pill boxes, and soldiers carrying guns (The Economis... ....c6wke3w4>. European Stand on the Cyprus Problem. 19 Dec. 2003 <http://www.kypros.org/cyprus_problem/eudocs/intro.html>. ?Loosening Up? Is there still a chance for settlement in Cyprus??The Economist 17-23 May 2003. ?The Magic of Membership: The lure of the EU may yet settle Cyprus.? The Economist 18-24 Jan. 2003. Relationship with Cyprus.16 Dec. 2003 <http://europa.eu/int/comm/enlargement/cyprus/index.htm Turkey makes EU bid a top priority. 8 Dec. 2003. EU Business Ltd. 8 Dec. 2003 http://eubusiness.com/afp/031208173514.w3fxycbr>. Turkish Cypriots vote in elections crucial for EU, Turkey. 14 Dec. 2003. EU Business Ltd. . 16 Dec.2003 <http://eubusiness.com/afp/031214103303.88diym19>. Vassiliou,George. EU Enlargement and Cyprus Political and Economic Implications. 16 Dec. 2003 "What A Waste." The Economist 15-21 Mar. 2003.