Friday, November 29, 2019

Post Soviet Russia Essays - Communism In Russia, Economic Ideologies

Post Soviet Russia In December of 1991, the Soviet Union disintegrated into fifteen separate countries. Its collapse was hailed by the west as a victory for freedom, a triumph of democracy over totalitarianism, and evidence of the superiority of capitalism over socialism. It was a relief for many to watch the Soviet Union brake down, finally bringing the cold world to an end. This day made history as the whole world reformulated its political, economic and military alliances. What where the causes of the break-up and who was to blame for it? By the time the Soviet Unions last leader came to power in 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev, the country was suffering severe economic and political problems. His plans for reform failed and the Soviet people criticized him. With the collapse of state socialism and transitions in the economy the Soviet people felt upset and lost as to where the future of their country was heading. Of course there were to people to blame, but it was not the political figures that received the most. Russian traditional ideology still lingered during communist transition, such as women belonged at home taking care of the children; that is why changes have been so demoralizing to women. The economic and political conditions combined with traditional ideology have had a particularly detrimental effect on women, causing them to be the poorest of the poor and most discriminated. Stalin, World War II and an immense rate of alcoholism have given Russia one of the highest numbers of widows of any nation. Many women work full time, cook, shop and take care of their children. Yet women earn, on average, only 40% as much as men and three times as likely to be unemployed. (Jones). In comparison to men, they are the first to be laid off, are hired on the basis if they are attractive or could perform sexual favors and of course are not taken seriously by political parties. (Buckley 4). Even thought the government implemented support mechanisms to help women, they are still unable to secure a stable job and as a result represent two-thirds of the unemployed in Russia. Women in Moscow, for example, represent 78% of the city's out-of-work residents. They also make up a large part of a new category to which Russians have only been recently introduced: the working poor. (Rhein 1). But women face discrimination not only in the public spheres; traditional female roles are also reemerging in the private sphere. Social and political messages suggest that women should return home, raise children and not participate in the public sphere. As a result, public and private social structures in Russia not only push women out of the employment market and into poverty, but also keep them out of legislation (which is a breach of international law). Political parties are made up of a majority of men leaving women with very small to no representation whatsoever. (Buckley 5). Social Issues Essays

Monday, November 25, 2019

Joe dirt essays

Joe dirt essays The Semiotics of Joe Dirt In the eyes of many, Joe Dirt is a classical laugh. A comedy produced by Columbia Pictures in 2001 about a boy whose parents abandoned him at the age of seven. When I happened to run across this adoption ad the other day it reminded me of this movie, but made me see it in a different way. Even though a hysterical movie, Joe Dirt can be dramatic if you look deep into the plot of the movie instead of all the comedy that surrounds it. When you compare this movie to an ad like the adoption one you wonder if they have feelings like Joe Dirt as well. Joe Dirt was seven years old when his parents left him all by his lonesome at the Grand Canyon. He searched for the all day and seen they were nowhere to be found. The next day he pondered and pondered on his parents disappearance and dedicated his life to finding them, knowing that they didnt leave him on purpose, did they? Joe was a little different than the average smoe. Always happy, he lived life one day at a time. He attended a boys home until the age of twelve because he couldnt survive on his own. He left that place a soon as he could after everyone started bullying him around in a desperate search for his parents. He would camp the forests and live secluded because he wasnt warmly welcomed in society. Early one morning he topped this hill he had been hiking for a while too see a place that would change his life forever, Silvertown. There he met Brandy, his life long love. She was a beautiful woman who appreciated Joes kind and harmless ways. Unable to see that Brandy had feelings for him he continued his search for his parents vowing never to give up. He found himself at radio station for a while working as a janitor. One day he bumped into a guy that had a radio show. The guy was so amazed at Joes appearance he brought him into his show to talk to him. At this time Joe was in his early twenties...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Research Paper On The Pearl by John Steinbeck Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

On The Pearl by John Steinbeck - Research Paper Example They even try to subdue and tread over the dreams of the poor so that the rich can become richer. Steinbeck has used greed and ambition as main themes of the book. The protagonist ‘Kino’ dreams of a bright future for his only son. He wants to educate him so that his son can have a better life. The author has profusely used the surreal elements to weave the magic in the ordinary life of the hero. The story revolves around the protagonist who goes in search of ‘the pearl’ because the village doctor refuses to treat his son who was bitten by a poisonous scorpion. The author dexterously maneuvers the plot and shows how the greed of man and unrealistic dreams ultimately deprive him of happiness and a peaceful life. Kino develops the illusionary desires and ambitions to overcome his poverty because he wants a more comfortable life for his son and family. Hence, when he finds the pearl, it becomes the most powerful symbol of riches through which he can make his dre ams come true. ‘The pearls were accidents, and the finding of one was luck’ becomes the powerful motive of the protagonist to dream (1:9). When Kino and his wife find the pearl, their life takes a dramatic turn because everyone is attracted to the pearl and want a share of the riches that it represents. The greed of people comes to fore and all the people who had earlier refused to help the couple, now try to impress them. The doctor, who had refused to treat Coyotito, Kino’s son, is now eager to treat the poisonous bite as he can now get a share of the pearl. The priest, who had earlier refused to marry Kino and Juana in the church because they were poor, is now ready to wed them in the hope of gaining some part of the fortune that the pearl represents. Steinbeck gradually unfolds the events to convey the changing attitude of the people. The evil nature of man is exposed as the greed for the acquiring the pearl gains momentum. The simple and uncomplicated life o f Kino is suddenly fraught with the treacherous consequences of extreme wantonness of the man’s greed for money. Indeed, while the protagonist just wants the pearl to provide a better life for his family, the world around him sees it as their first step to great wealth and prosperity. The story culminates in the death of the son. The protagonist realizes that not all the riches of the world can replace his son or can be greater than the love of the family. Kino and his wife throw the pearl back into the sea because it deprives them of only happiness that their son represented and nothing can bring him back. The theme of the book broadly focuses on what the pearl represents in the wider context of life. How the pearl is perceived by the people and consequently its role in the life of Kino becomes the highlight of the book. The author has used symbols, metaphors and imagery to stress the emotional needs that must be satisfied. The songs for different occasions are important ele ments that reflect the changing moods of the protagonists. ‘Song of the family’ signifies the contented life of Kino and Juana but ‘song of the evil’ comes in the mind of Kino, when his son is stung by the scorpion. ‘Music of the enemy’ forewarns Kino that the doctor would not be treating his son! Once the pearl is found and appears in the lives of the people, the vagaries of human nature also come to the fore. The greed, desires, jealousy

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Description of policy currently under force Essay

Description of policy currently under force - Essay Example The United States National Guards are a part of the United States reserve military force.The primary main function of the National Guards is to aid the armed forces during emergency and support the state government during war.Used both by the United States air force and the armed forces, the United States National Guards are federally controlled units of the state authorities under title ten and thirty two of the United States code. Mobilized through the means of either the president order or the governor's consent, the National Guards require voluntary transfers or temporary duty assignments to get in action.According to the current policy, the National Guards are to act as a first line defense for the United States. The force is divided into small units which are spread across the length and breadth of each of the fifty states and are governed by their territorial governors. The current policy also states that in case of an emergency such as a hurricane, flood or an earth quake, th e National Guards may be pressed into active service after getting a nod from the territorial governors. National Guards can also be commissioned into active or inactive services in the federally recognized armed forces if the need rises.For this, it is imperative that the authorities get a nod from the state governors. Likewise, the National Guards may be called up to assist the Federal services to suppress invasions, rebellion or to repel a proposed armed invasion of a foreign country. Likewise, in the case of any danger against the Federal authority or the inability of the president to execute the laws of the United States with the aid of the current armed forces, the federal laws require added assistance through the means of the National Guards. At present, with special regards to the war with Iraq, wherein tens of thousands of National Guards are being dispatched to the war torn country, the country is facing acute shortage in terms of both manpower as well as recourses when it comes to dealing with natural disasters. Since the year 2003, the National Guards have left sixty four thousand pieces of equipment, which include trucks and communication equipment valued over $1.2 billion in Iraq. (Pear) (Millett and Maslowski) Environments Of The Policy Currently In Force National guards comprise one half of the US ground forces and one third of the support forces. Since September 2001, over 140,000 guard members have been mobilized; of which 113,000 are one active duty. Of these over forty percent are currently deployed in the war torn Iraq and fifty one percent are involved to aid the global war on terrorism. (United States Office of the Federal Register) The Physical Factors The main physical factors which affect the origin, development and implementation of the current policy are the physical factors. The biggest setback to the National Guard came when the organization was commissioned to active service. Here, it was a complete transition from a force which was rarely deployed to a force which was always on active duty. Likewise the sudden transition of a soldier, who was earlier deployed for a short period of time to one who had to be on active duty for at least a year, led to unprecedented stress and physical discomfort. In accordance to the present operational tempo, the unparallel physical demands led to severe health problems. The need for health promotion programs to prevent soldier injuries on and off the battle field, led to the induction of new health policies (Eaglen). The problems include- 1) Lack of medical readiness program projections based on current and future assessments 2) Conditions, which are potentially preventable but affect the mission include orthopedic (56%), internal medicine (16%) and neurological disorders (8%). 3) Lack of mobilized medical units 4) Lack of enhanced medical readiness to ensure healthy and fit medical personnel. 5) Absence of medical facilities which aid in the conservation and restoration of a soldier's health and medical

Monday, November 18, 2019

Womens Rights and Empowerment in Sula and A Room of Ones Own Essay

Womens Rights and Empowerment in Sula and A Room of Ones Own - Essay Example Room is Woolf's reflection on the state of women, and fiction by women from a historical perspective, concluding that "A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction" (1). For Woolf, fictional production necessitates both economic and intellectual freedom, both of which allows the (woman) writer to cultivate the mind required to produce "great fiction" (29). After being chased off the lawns and refused entry into the library at the chauvinist Oxbridge (2), she bemoans the jobs and careers withheld from women because of fixed gender roles (6) and wishes their mothers had "gone into business" to allow her contemporaries the same economic and intellectual freedoms as men, though she concedes that this "would necessitate suppression of families altogether" (6) as child-bearing and economic freedom are mutually exclusive. She also deplores the poverty of a female literary inheritance. Due to the phallogentric nature of English society and literature, evident from even the newspapers (9), many books were written about women before the 1800s but they were exclusively by men who take liberty to preach, analyze and deprecate women (8). While Shakespeare wrote of strong-willed women who "have burnt like beacons in all the works of the poets from the beginning of time", in reality they were "locked up, beaten and flung about the room [and] all but absent from history" (11). More importantly, the woman "never writes her own life and scarcely keeps a diary" (12). In anger at being "told that one is naturally the inferior of a little man" (9), Woolf calls for a female literary voice which she pioneers by subverting masculine traditions. Instead of the weaker sex, she suggests that women have been a mirror that elevates man to his current status of glorious superiority (10), and she re-imagines the lives of women who didn't have the opportunity to become Shakespeares, and "that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman" (14). Woolf is hungry for information on women from a woman's perspective and wants historians (men) to rewrite history to include the suppressed stories (13). She notes the change in women's literary production in the emergence of a female canon, with distinct styles and concerns. While early women writers failed miserably at imitating the male voice, and wrote under the veil of male pen names, others like Bronte and Austen managed to cull out a female space within the canon, to their credit, and have prepared a literary tradition for contemporary writers. Bronte and Austen "wrote as women write, not as men", fomenting their voices in the space of the communal sitting room as opposed to the male-dominated war fields (20). While the writers of previous centuries faced incredible constraints such as gender prejudice and emotional strain (14-15), with a legacy and the vote, contemporary women are free from patriarchy and can have "a view of the open sky" (11). In Sula, the African-American novelist Toni Morrison is not as concerned with self-assertion through literary production as is Woolf, but through sexual freedom. Set in a black community in Ohio in the 1920s to 60s, the novel is concerned with empowerment but this issue is further complicated by race. Woolf's

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Housing Industry In Malaysia Construction Essay

Housing Industry In Malaysia Construction Essay House is a basic need for human. This need must be fulfilling in order to make an individual live in good health and safety. Therefore, one of the social objectives in country development is to provide housing facilities to people not just to fulfil their basic need but also for economic growth of the country. To meet the increasing housing need, ministry of housing and local government always make a review of housing policy to draft more compressive national housing policy. The matters that government take into consideration in order to undertake the housing project is as follows: Need, demand and supply Land for housing Finance Human resources Technology, design of materials, standards Law Infrastructure, utilities and social services Socio-culture, socio-politic and socio-economic Research and development Maintenance of development and infrastructure Data centers and information of housing These policies implemented based on the Eighth Malaysia Plan (2001-2005) and continued during the Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010). In the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the development of housing sectors continues to be focused in order to provide adequate house to people. Population growth rapidly especially in urban areas due to demographic factors, rapidity of industry sector, increase of investment, financial system and technology encourage housing policy to be continued in Ninth Malaysia Plan. By 2020, the population of Malaysia is expected to increase to 32 million people or 65% of the resident in urban areas. Due to population growth, the need and demand for house is also expected to increase. Housing is the important strategic sector in economic, so is expected the housing investment will be concentrated in urban areas. In 1994, housing industry produces 7.3 billion outputs and contributes 12% to national income (Ali Azhar, 2000). 2.2 HOUSING INDUSTRY IN MALAYSIA In providing housing, government and the private sector has an important social responsibility. This responsibility includes the provision of social infrastructure and a healthy environment for residents. This responsibility is important in order to overcome the problems such as poverty and solidarity among the people. Housing industry in Malaysia involve public (Government) and private sector and also joint venture between the two sectors to meet the need of all community in Malaysia. Therefore, housing development in Malaysia is implemented by the public and private sector (National Housing Department). Housing provision for all community in Malaysia is carried out by public and private sector as follows: 2.2.1 Public Sector (Government sector) Integrated public housing program Project Perumahan Rakyat Bersepadu (PPR) Housing Loan Scheme Skim Pinjaman Perumahan (SPP) Housing under the Land and Regional Development Agencies. Perumahan Di Bawah Pembangunan Tanah dan Wilayah Housings Economic Development Agency Perumahan Kemajuan Ekonomi Government Quarters Perumahan Kakitangan Kerajaan PPR and SPP program in public sector is provide especially for lower income group to achieve the government aims which is to improve the quality of life and combat the poverty problem. This program was undertaken by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. For the Housing under the land and regional development agency such as FELDA, FELCRA, KEJORA, KETENGAH and so on is establish for the purpose to provide a home or house for people involved in land and regional planning and also include the local resident who moved due to the opening of new agricultural areas, while state economic development cooperation (PKEN) and urban development cooperation (UDA) are involved in the development of commercial, industrial and construction. For the government quarters, the aim is to provide the housing facilities to the government employees especially for low-income employees. 2.2.2 Private Sector Licensed Private Housing Developers Perumahan Pemaju Swasta Berlesen Cooperative Housing Perumahan Koperasi Special Low Cost Housing Perumahan Khas Perumahan Kos Rendah (PKPKR) Individual and Group Housing Perumahan Individu dan Kumpulan The housing that develops by private sector is like detached house, terrace, flat, apartments, shops and town house that consist of low, modest and high cost. Special low cost housing is a special program implemented during the period 1986 to 1989. This program is a partnership between public and private sector. Federal government and state government plays a role in providing incentives as well as the facilitator for the developer who participate in the program, while the private sector involved in construction activities. Individual and group housing include both formal and informal housing. Formal housing is housing that less than 4 units, and was develop with approval from local authorities, while not formal housing include the construction of residential houses without obtaining approval from relevant authorities such as traditional house, village house, squatters, labor camps and floating house (Elinawati, 2003). 2.3 LEGISLATIN IN THE MALAYSIA HOUSING INDUSTRY Currently there are about 700 federal acts in force in many fields and certain condition. In Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act 1996 is the key in controlling the activities of developers in order to protect the interest of home buyers. But there are other legislations that play an important role either directly or indirectly in the activities of housing industry. Therefore, all the weakness and imperfections of such laws will affect the housing industry. The following is a list of legislation that plays a role in the housing industry: Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act 1996 (act 118) Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (act 172) Roads, drains and building Act 1974 (act 133) Town Planning Act 1995 (act 538) Fire Service Act 1988 ( act 341) Bank and Financial Institutions Act 1989 (act 372) Contract Act 1950 (act 136) Government Contract Act 1949 (act 120) Environmental Quality Act 1974 (act 127) Regulations and Orders Land Acquisition Act 1960 (act 486) and the Rules Ordinances Acquisition of Land (compensation)(special provision)1948 [P.T.M.Ord.21/1948) Strata Titles Act 1948 (act 318) Licensed Land Surveyor Act 1958 (act 458) Quantity Surveyor Act 1967 ( act 487) National Land Code 1965 (act 56/1965) Additionally, by-law enacted according to Road, drains and building act is as follows: Uniform Building By Law 1984 Earthworks By Law 1985 While the by-law under the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) 1966 are: Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Regulations 1989 Housing Developers ( Housing Development Account) Regulations 1991 2.4 PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE MALAYSIA HOUSING INDUSTRY In the housing industry, there are several organizations that play an important role as the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) or local authorities, developers, contractors, professionals and home buyer (Leong Seng, 2001) 2.4.1 Ministry of Housing and Local Government Ministry of Housing and Local Government was establishing on May 24, 1964 under the name of the Local Government and Housing. On July 18, 1978 the ministry has changed the organizations and reorganize under the name of Ministry of Housing and Local government. This establishment is the result of a combination of the ministry of housing and rural development with the local government which previously located under the Ministry of Local Government and Federal Territories (www.kpkt.gov.my). Ministry of Housing and Local Government has a number of divisions and department that are closely related to the housing industry as below: National Landscape Department Solid Waste Management Corporation and Public Cleansing Town and Country Department Fire and Rescue Department Local Government National Housing Department Solid Waste Management Department Training Institute of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. The main role of KPKT is to ensure the development of housing industry is in clean and maintained to ensure the interest of house buyers. The licensing and advisory services in KPKT are entrusted to manage issuance of licenses, advertising permits and sales to developers. Developer who built a house more than 4 units to sell is required to obtain licenses, advertising permits and sales from KPKT. Only private developers are required to obtain the licenses, advertising permits and sales, cooperative and state cooperation are exempted from the licenses, advertising permits and sales. However, private developer also can be exemption from the licenses, advertising permits and sales, but in certain condition that was stated below: Build less than 4 unit house. Construct more than 4 unit house, but not making any sales. Construct the houses but sold after a certificate of fitness (CFO) is full. To ensure the guaranteed of buyers interest, all housing developer is compulsory to open an account in bank or financial institution specifically for each housing project. The account is to ensure that the housing developers use the housing buyers money in appropriate manner. Under the Housing Developers (Housing Development Account) Regulations 1991 all the money collected from purchasers and all loan obtain by the developer from bank or financial institution must be put into this account. All withdrawals from this account must be comply with the objectives set out in regulation 7 in Housing Developer (Housing Development Account) Regulations 1991 and controlled by the bank or financial institution and a certificate from registered architect or engineer who is responsible for that housing project. The monitoring and Enforcement department of KPKT will monitor the project and enforce the law. Enforcement officer will visit the construction site to ensure that the progressing of the project follows the schedule. Because of too many housing projects and the small number of enforcement officer, surveillance is done at random and selectively. 2.4.2 National Housing Development (JPN) National housing development also plays a role in the housing industry in develop a progressive and integrated community. JPN has high commitment in assisting the state government to provide the affordable and comfortable house through the planning, provision, and implementation of low-cost public housing such as integrated public housing program (PPR). The functions of JPN are: Providing the basis of planning and policy related to the development of housing construction to help KPKT draft the policy, strategies and housing development plans for the country. Carry out research on building technology, construction and design with local universities as well as undertaking socio-economic studies and the effectiveness of the housing projects of public and private sectors. Help government and private developer in planning and coordination of their housing projects and the building. Provide technical consultancy service such as land surveying, architectural, civil and structural engineering, mechanical engineering, contract management, management in the public housing project. Providing loans to those who are not able to get loans to build or buy a house. 2.4.3 Housing Developer Public developer is consisting of government agency or the corporations that control by the state or federal government. Their responsibility is to implement policies, guideline and national housing policy to protect the welfare of the poor people. All of the activities that undertaken by the government agency or corporations are not subject to the Housing Developer (control and licensing) Act 1996 and its regulations as bound by their respective government. To achieve the national housing policy, government has planned a number of housing programs like the following below in order to meet the demand of low-income group. Integrated public housing program Housing Lon Scheme Housing under Land and Regional Development Agencies Economic Housing Development Agency Government Quarters For private developers companies, if they want to develop a housing project they should get the housing licenses from KPKT as stated in section 5 of the Housing Developers (Control and Licensing) act 1996. Private sector involvement is important in order to achieve the policy objective because without the private sector, government is not able to provide housing to meet community needs. In the private sector, the program implemented are diverse and in demand from time to time. The housing development by private sector involved various categories and type of housing especially a medium and high price. Housing program can be categorized as follows: Private Licensed Housing Developers Special Low cost Housing Program (PKPKR) Individual and Group Housing 2.4.4 The Contractor In a housing scheme, the contractor is the second most important after a housing developer because they would involve themselves directly in the construction process and implementation of the project. If contractor have problem, so indirectly it also bring the problem to the developer and thus affect the housing industry. This is because the Housing Developers (Control and Licensing) act 1996 and regulations stipulated that the licensed developer need to complete the construction project within 2 years and if cannot be completed, developer must apply to extend the period of the development by giving the specific reasons. When developers get an approval for planning permission, they will appoint certain contractors to begin work on construction site. Normally the developer will appoint a main contractor who has a good record and demonstrated their ability to implement the project. After that, the main contractor will appoint contractors to carry out minor works in accordance with their respective areas of expertise. For the certain big developer company they not need to appoint a contractor to perform the construction work because they have their own contractors and expert team. The contractors involved in the construction industry need to get a license from the Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia or CIBD according to certain procedures. They will be given specific training in their respective field so that the quality of the construction industry can be enhanced from time to time. Contractors who wish to commence operations need to be registered in the Construction Service Centre (PKK), according to the ability of the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and their respective classes. 2.4.5 Professionals In housing scheme, developers is the first one who plan and identify the location that housing project want to be carried out. From the beginning of the implementation process until complete, developer need a expertise from various of field such as Real Estate Valuer, Architect, Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Land Surveyor, financial institution and lawyer to provide all the conditions required by the government department. Developer needs the Property Valuers expertise to ensure that the proposed site is suitable to be developed. The valuers will examine factors such as the value of surrounding real estate market around, the distance from the city center to the site, the facilities in the surrounding, the ability and taste the local population, the types and the prices of house that suitable to develop in that site, so report can be prepared to the developer. If the Feasibility study report show that the site is potentially to be developed, the developer will get the site either by the way of purchasing the land or through Land Acquisition Act 1960 (Act 486). When the developer gets the land, he will appoint consultant to undertake the project. For a large development company, they usually have their own consultant and set it up as subsidiary. At this stage, consultant should prepare a site plan, layout plan, and drainage to the local authority for approval. If the land is developed to be bound by any condition or restriction of interest and need to apply for subdivision, partition, or amalgamation so the land surveyor will play a role in these process until the approval from the State Authority (PBN). Architect and Engineers play a role in providing design plans and building involved in the project implementation stage. Architect need to design the type of housing that will be developed based on the taste of buyers and accordance with current developments. According to Razali Agus, designing a house is important factor to attract house purchasers. Before the construction process begins, engineers need to require the quantity surveyor to identify the materials needed and the cost required in providing these materials. Engineer is responsible to ensuring that all construction work is follows the Building plan prepared by the architect and follow the development schedule. While for the lawyer, they involved in Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) of the Housing Developers (Control and Licensing) Act 1966 requires the attorney to provide the letter of the agreement. He lawyer also responsible for ensuring that all content is understood by the buyer before signing the SPA. The role of financial institutions is financing the activities of housing development. The developer must obtain loan from financial institutions to finance the cost of housing project undertaken. Money that borrowed from financial institutions to the developer and the money paid by the purchaser should be put in housing development account and controlled by the institution. 2.4.6 House Purchaser House purchaser is the most important group in housing industry because the success of failure the industry will determine by them, whether in term of financial capability, taste, and desire to own a house. The main factor influencing the decision of the house buyers is the ability to buy a house. 2.5 GOVERNMENT HOUSING LOAN 2.5.1 Basic Condition for Government Housing Loan The basic condition for government housing loan is: Government employees with fixed position Malaysian Application form submitted 6 month before retirement or termination of service Have served at least 1 year The position have been confirm Not a bankrupt person or a debtor person or not capable or being disciplinary action 2.5.2 Qualification Rate of Housing Loan Qualification rate of the loan is applied for the judges, the civil officer and members of general forces in Malaysia. The eligible amount of loan is as follow table 2.1: NUM MONTHLY WAGE LOAN ELIGIBLITY 1. RM 3500 and above RM 300,000 2. RM 3000 to RM 3499 RM 250,000 3. RM 2500 to RM 2999 RM 220,000 4. RM 2000 to RM 2499 RM 200,000 5. RM 1500 to RM 1999 RM 160,000 6. RM 1200 to RM 1499 RM 130,000 7. RM 1000 to RM 1199 RM 100,000 8. RM 800 to RM 999 RM 80,000 9. RM 600 to RM 799 RM 60,000 10. RM 599 and below RM 40,000 Table 2.1: Wages and Eligibility Amount of Loan (Sources: http://www.treasury.gov.my) 2.6 FACTORS OF SURPLUS SUPPLY IN HOUSING INDUSTRY The factors that affect oversupply of housing is: 2.6.1 The Weak of Purchasers Income Growth According to the Malaysia Sixth and Eighth Plan, the weak of the purchaser income growth is the major factor lead to oversupply in housing sector. 2.6.2 Difficulty in Getting a Loan Malaysia sixth Plan also stated that difficulty in getting the government loan is also the factor of housing oversupply. The special loan scheme that introduced by Bank Negara Malaysia in 1982 and new condition imposed by the housing loan scheme reduced the demand for house. 2.6.3 Higher Interest Rate Higher interest rate is also a factor why the surplus in housing supplies. 2.6.4 Higher House Price Higher house prices are also among one of the factors that cause oversupply. Housing prices offered by the developer has reduced the high demand for housing units since most of them are not able to buy the house. 2.6.5 Location Location is also a factor in the oversupply of housing. If a house is locate far from the city center, from work place and from the public facilities is the factor why the purchaser not interested in that house. 2.6.6 Design Usually the design of the house that offers by the developer is simple and the spaces are limited. 2.7 CONCLUSION From the discussion of chapter 2, we can understand in general about the housing industry in Malaysia. In Malaysia, housing industry not just only run by the government but, also run by private parties. The government is also responsible to outlining and reviewing housing policies for the formulation of more comprehensive national housing policy. This policy is necessary to meet a proposed project to be implemented in the Malaysia Eighth Plan. Many people are involved in order to stabilize the housing industry in Malaysia. They play a vital role in helping the government to increase the housing industry. With the cooperation of all sectors or parties, the Malaysia housing industry sectors is expected to be more advanced and competitive in providing housing to meet requirement of the government and people, especially in Kelantan.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

KAL 801 :: essays research papers

Flight Synopsis Flight KAL 801 was scheduled to fly from Kimpo Airport in Seoul, Korea to A.B. Won Guam International Airport in Agana, Guam. The flight crew had met earlier to discuss the flight release, weather conditions and fill out all necessary paperwork. And on August 6th, 1997 at 9:27 PM the Boeing 747-300 departed Kimpo Airport for a three hour and fifty minute trip to Guam. The flight crew consisted of a captain, first officer and a flight engineer. The captain had several flight hours as a pilot in the Korea Air Force until Korean Air hired him in 1987. Not only did he have many hours flying a 747, he received a flight safety award from the company president, three months prior to the crash. He also earned two excellent evaluations in the simulator proficiency checks and passed the company’s mandatory Level three English test. In addition, the captain along with his first officer watched a video presentation based on the familiarization of the Guam Airport and studied approach charts several hours before the accident. (Krause, 2003) The first officer had also served in the Korean Air Force before joining the ranks with Korean Air in 1994. Although he was only two years younger than the captain, he had a high number of flight hours as a 747 first officer. However, his performances in the simulator evaluations were slightly above average. One instructor noted that his â€Å"altitude management on nonprecision approach was somewhat less than desirable† and adding that he was â€Å"somewhat slow to carry out directions† (Krause, 2003) The flight engineer was also a very distinguished pilot and was hired by KAL in 1979. Similar to the captain, he earned excellent ratings in his evaluations of crew management and simulator tests, and also passed the English proficiency exams. (Krause, 2003) â€Å"†¦a weak low pressure trough is moving slowly [through] the Mariana Islands†¦resulting in gentle to moderate easterly winds and scattered showers. The effects of the upper level low far to the northeast have diminished during the past 12 hours or so. Light to moderate showers should be expected except for isolated afternoon thunderstorms due to solar heating†, this was the weather report provided by the Guam Weather Station. However, at around 0122, the crew received a message via the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS), â€Å"†¦wind calm, visibility seven [clouds] one thousand six hundred scattered, two thousand five hundred scattered, temperature two seven [Celsius], dew point two four, altimeter niner eight six, runway six in use.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Down these mean streets by Thomas Piri Essay

Years after its original publication, Piri Thomas’s Down These Mean Streets remains as powerful, immediate, and shocking as it was when it first stunned readers. In this classic confessional autobiography, firmly in the tradition of Eldridge Cleaver’s Soul on Ice and The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Piri Thomas describes the experience of growing up in the barrio of Spanish Harlem, a labyrinth of lawlessness, drugs, gangs, and crime. The teenaged Piri seeks a place for himself in barrio society by becoming a gang leader, and as he grows up his life spirals into a self-destructive cycle of drug addiction and violence, the same cycle that he sees all around him and hardly knows how to break. Piri is also troubled by a very personal problem: much darker than his brothers and sisters, he decides that he, unlike his siblings, is black, and that he must come to terms with life as a black American. Eventually arrested for shooting two men in an armed robbery, Piri spends six years in Sing and Comstock prisons. With insight and poetry he describes his time in prison, the dreams and emotions that prompted him finally to start life again as a writer, street poet, and performer, and how he became an activist with a passionate commitment to reaching and helping today’s youth. One of the most striking features of Down These Mean Streets is its language. â€Å"It is a linguistic event,† said The New York Times Book Review. â€Å"Gutter language, Spanish imagery and personal poetics†¦mingle into a kind of individual statement that has very much its own sound. † Piri Thomas’s brilliant way with words, his ability to make language come alive on the page, should prove attractive to young people and inspire them to look at writing and literature in fresh new ways. Thirty years ago Piri Thomas made literary history with this lacerating, lyrical memoir of his coming of age on the streets of Spanish Harlem. Here was the testament of a born outsider: a Puerto Rican in English-speaking America; a dark-skinned morenito in a family that refused to acknowledge its African blood. Here was an unsparing document of Thomas’s plunge into the deadly consolations of drugs, street fighting, and armed robbery–a descent that ended when the twenty-two-year-old Piri was sent to prison for shooting a cop. As he recounts the journey that took him from adolescence in El Barrio to a lock-up in Sing to the freedom that comes of self-acceptance, faith, and inner confidence, Piri Thomas gives us a book that is as exultant as it is harrowing and whose every page bears the irrepressible rhythm of its author’s voice. Thirty years after its first appearance, this classic of manhood, marginalisation, survival, and transcendence is available in an anniversary edition with a new Introduction by the author. The questions, assignments, and discussion topics that follow are designed to guide your students as they approach the many issues raised in Down These Mean Streets. The questions of race and culture, of drugs, and of crime and punishment are all treated in the book, and should provide jumping-off points for many fruitful discussions. Another important element of the book is its vivid description of the youth culture of the barrio. Ask your students not only to pay special attention to that culture, but also to compare it with their own, and to look for similarities even when similarities might not be immediately evident. Piri Thomas gained the distance and objectivity to observe his world without prejudice or self-deception; your students should try to do the same. Finally, the students should be encouraged to look at the book not only as a cultural document, but also as a work of literature. Ask them to examine the language Thomas uses, his choice of words, the â€Å"flow† of the story. How does he create his informal tone, his sense of immediacy? This work might help change your students’ ideas about the â€Å"right† way to write, and inspire them to try to find their own individual voices. To what extent is Harlem’s communal code of pride, masculinity, and â€Å"rep† re-created in prison life? How does life inside prison resemble life outside? â€Å"The reasoning that my punishment was deserved was absent. As prison blocks off your body, so it suffocates your mind.† [pp. 255–56] Does this indicate to you an essential fault in the prison system? Do you think that the advice Piri gives Tico about how to deal with Rube is good? Is prison a purely negative experience for Piri, or are there good things about it? Which of the people he meets while in prison enrich and improve his life? Does Piri decide not to join the rioters, or is the decision essentially made for him by the hacks? Why does Chaplin/Muhammed believe that Christianity is the white man’s religion, Islam the black man’s? Do outside or societal factors play a role in Chaplin/ Muhammad’s choice of religions? As he leaves prison, Piri says, â€Å"I am not ever going to be the same. I’m changed all right. † [p. 306] In what ways has Piri changed, and what has changed him? Which of his ideas have been altered by his time in prison? Piri presents himself as a product of his race, culture, and community, but many of his traits are purely his own. How would you describe Piri’s personality? Poppa: What kind of a person is Poppa? What makes him proud, what makes him ashamed? Is he a good or bad father, a good or bad husband? Do you find him sympathetic? Trina: Piri sees Trina as nearly perfect. How would you describe her? Do you think that she behaves passively toward Piri, or does she demonstrate spirit of her own? What do you think of her response to Dulcien’s baby? Brew: How would you describe Brew’s character? What has given him his outlook on life, and how does it differ from Alayce’s? How does he perceive Piri? Why does he agree to go south with Piri? Chaplin/Muhammed: What has made Muhammed hate Christianity? What does Islam mean to him? Piri Thomas uses a number of pungent expressions, both in Spanish and English. How does the language he uses express his character and his world? Write a two-page essay describing one day in your life. Use your own style of talking, and try to be as colloquial as possible. What might your essay tell the reader about you, your friends, and your world? The youth culture in Spanish Harlem to which Piri and his friends belong has certain firm, if unwritten, rules. Would you say the same is true of your own school or neighborhood? What are the rules that govern the behavior of young people you know? What do you feel you have to do to be â€Å"cool,† to be accepted, to belong? Write a short essay describing the social rules your own friend’s follow. Piri is describing a specific period in time: the 1940s. Do you find that the life a family like the Thomas’s lived has changed much since that time? Make a list of the things that have changed for teenagers like Piri, and of the things that have stayed the same. Reference †¢ Down these mean streets by Thomas Piri

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Matriarchy In Cuckoos Nest essays

Matriarchy In Cuckoo's Nest essays Until modern times, society advocated that a man's role was at work, while a woman was required to stay home and assume the role of the main caregiver. Men were given power and authority, and women, conversely, were expected to be meek and subservient. These roles extended beyond the family and out into society, and materialized in areas such as education, politics, and occupations. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey uses the reversal of these stereotypical gender roles to demonstrate the chaotic and sometimes tragically comic world of a mental institution. In the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, the women are the power figures and are able to significantly manipulate the patients on the ward, as shown by the characters of Nurse Ratched, Mrs. Bibbit, and Vera Harding. Nurse Ratched, whose power is expressed in bluntly sexual terms despite her attempts to deny her sexuality, maintains her position as the sloe voice of authority on the ward by suppressing the patients' laughter. The men under her jurisdiction use sexual references when talking about her, and after the first group therapy session the new admission R.P. McMurphy calls her a "ball-cutter." The nurse attempts to hide her sexuality, and the schizophrenic Chief Bromden first brings the reader's attention to this denial in saying, "A mistake was made somehow in manufacturing, putting those big, womanly breasts on what otherwise would have been a perfect work, and you can see how bitter she is about it." (Kesey 11) Nurse Ratched's ultimate authority on the ward stems from the fact that she controls people who would normally be her superiors, namely Dr. Spivey, who Dale Harding says is, "'exactly like the rest of us. . .completely conscious of his inadequacy. He's a frightened, desperate, ineffectual little rabbit, totally incapable of running this ward without our Miss Ratched's help and he knows it. And, worse, she knows he knows it and reminds...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Elizabeth I and Religion essays

Elizabeth I and Religion essays The development of nation states was essential to the Early Modern Period. The ability of countries to unify their populations around a central capital proved critical to their long-term strength. The Protestant Reformation brought this state building into question, for it raised the issue of permanent religious division. No state was more significant during this period than England, and no reign in England was more important for the building of the English nation state than that of Elizabeth I. Elizabeth negotiated a confusing obstacle course between Catholicism and radical Protestantism. In the process, Anglicanism, the English protestant creed, proved not a means to divide the country, but on the contrary, to unify the country. The following essay will explain how and why. Elizabeth ascended the throne at age twenty-five, immediately identifying herself as a Protestant sympathizer. She made slight religious adjustments under her Protestant brother, Edward VI, and then under her Catholic sister, Mary I, but Elizabeth was always more receptive to the Protestants. Elizabeth solidified this position by walking out on the bishop of Carlisle when he refused her request not to elevate the Host on Christmas Day and again at her coronation three weeks later. Although the Catholics initially hoped, albeit somewhat optimistically, that Elizabeth would be sympathetic to their cause, they now knew decisively that she would not support them. Many Catholic bishops also refused to crown Elizabeth queen, further fostering her support for the Protestants who stood firmly behind her. Elizabeth was also keenly aware that she could not cede too much ground to the Protestants. Based on the foreign alliances in Europe at the time, she knew a fervent rejection of Catholicism would encourage Spain to make an alliance with France against England. She had not forgotten the bloody executions carried out under Mary and the strong mobilizing effec...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Cognitive development Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cognitive development - Research Paper Example Teachers can plan lessons effectively and create positive learning environments for their students if they are more cognizant of how people process, learn, and remember information (Blake & Pope, 2008). Piaget perceives learning process from a constructivism perspective, where people get to know through gradual stages by adapting to the environment, while Vygotsky believes that learning occurs through social interaction. As a teacher prepares to teach, there is need to balance the approaches of Piaget and Vygotsky given that learning is both a constructive process and a product of social interaction. Piaget holds the view that cognitive development happens through a series of schemes, which are basic building blocks of thinking. To Piaget, people make sense of the world and create knowledge from direct experiences with people, objects, and ideas. Additionally, the development of the thinking process is influenced by maturation, social transmission, activity and need for social equilibrium. These influences make thinking processes and knowledge develop via alterations in thought organization (schemes), adaptation, assimilation, and accommodation (Woolfolk, 2013, p. 57). It is the duty of the teacher to know what the learners can assimilate, meaning placing the environment in existing cognitive structures, and what they can accommodate, which means changing the cognitive structures to accept something in the environment (Blake & Pope, 2008, p. 61). The teacher must know the state of existing cognitive structures of the learners and their capability to change to be effective. On his part, Vygotsky holds that people’s mental structures and processes are attributable to social interactions with others. Vygotsky upholds the notion that scaffolding, which is the idea that children utilize the help of adults and peers to create a firm foundation that eventually allows them to deal with problems on their

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Case study on reducing customer churn fir T-Mobile Essay

Case study on reducing customer churn fir T-Mobile - Essay Example The rule was further enhanced by Sherden as 20-80-30 expressing the idea that the top 20 percent of customers generate 80 percent of the companys profits, half of which is lost serving the bottom 30 percent of the unprofitable customers (Sherden, 1994). Customer retention has become harder with the propagation of internet and increased bandwidth. Provision of several options has made the switching barriers ineffective. In order to keep the customer base in the safety net it is important for the company to fill all the loops and holes to avoid customer leakages. It is always important for the Telecommunication companies to find new and innovative ways of finding about the factors, which lead to the customer defection. It is also imperative for the company to create a connection with the customers being at high risk of defection and reduce the overall churn rate. It is important to tie the above mentioned segments in the loyalty string of the company. An automated survey query can be sent to the customers through email or the survey can be directly undertaken by sending an automated call to the specific numbers of the target audiences in order to get instant response from the customers on daily basis form both the segments of Pay Monthly and Pay as You Go customers. The survey then can be reviewed by the customer care staff so that call centre representatives can purposefully undertake conversation with the customer providing negative feedback. On the next level the customer should be provided with the opportunity to again fill a brief survey form. If again the feedback is negative the customer should be asked if they would like to speak with a manager regarding their issue(s). Managers should be notified of the customer call-back requests on urgent basis. The data regarding the customer’s survey responses should also be provided to t he manager in order to undertake useful follow up with the customers. The loss of the customers can be