Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The True Nature of the Private Sector in Nigeria

The True Nature of the Private Sector in Nigeria Free Online Research Papers The True Nature of the Private Sector in Nigeria By Ikechukwu A. Ogu. Generally, every free market economy is divided into two sectors, the public sector and the private sector. The former is â€Å"the portion of a nation’s affairs, especially economic affairs, that is controlled by government agencies†, while the latter is â€Å"the part †¦ that is made up of companies and organizations that are not owned or controlled by the government.† Despite this distinction, instances exist where the state invests in private sector concerns and becomes part-owner thereof, in addition to floating new companies or commercializing existing ones to compete with private sector organizations in economic activities. The above distinction between the two sectors is upheld in Nigeria on paper. But a scrutiny of the composition and modus operandi of most ‘private sector’ organisations and the intricate connection between them and ‘public sector’ institutions and officials in Nigeria reveals something quite contrary to the commonplace understanding of the two expressions. This distortion is rooted in the pervasive corruption and mal-administration which give every principle a different colouration and meaning in the country. As a result, we have the Nigerian version of almost every concept, such as the amusing Nigerian â€Å"home-grown democracy† which is nothing but a pervert of the generally accepted principles of democracy. As we shall soon see, many ‘private sector’ outfits in Nigeria are actually owned by public officers, their relations or fronts. This creates the impression that such organisations are extensions of the public sector and makes it difficult to know, in real terms, what constitutes the ‘public sector’ and ‘private sector’, respectively, in Nigeria. However, I will present my perception of the true nature of the Nigerian private sector, by looking at the actual structure and operations of the organisations which are passed off as such in Nigeria. This analysis does not pretend to be exhaustive. In the first group, we have corporations and institutions built and operated with public funds which are privatized and sold, under suspicious circumstances, to persons or companies fronting for high-ranking government officials, and thereafter presented as ‘private sector organisations’. Often, these government institutions are first run down by the officials who are bent on privatizing them, in order to justify their privatization. Then they are undervalued and sold at a discount, with no store set by the value of their assets and government’s investments therein. The funds used to purchase them, which were initially looted from public treasury, are further looted after their ‘remittance’ by the ‘buyers’ to government coffers. Till date, no one can point to any specific, genuine project to which the proceeds of the privatization of public institutions in Nigeria were channelled. The new owners may liquidate the company, merge or combine it with existing companies to form a monopoly or cartel for the exploitation of poor Nigerians. For instance, it was alleged that the ‘core investor’ who ‘bought’ the Ajaokuta Steel Company was busy cannibalizing and taking outside Nigeria the raw materials and products found within the complex. The next group is made up of companies incorporated by serving government officials, either using their names or (often) those of family members and friends as members/directors. What do these government officials do? They channel almost all juicy contracts in their organizations to such companies, while exploiting their links in other government institutions to secure more lucrative jobs for them. Such contracts are hardly ever executed according to specifications; most times, from the outset, the intention to do a shoddy job is shared by the parties, yet the company gets paid handsomely and continues to earn patronage from public institutions. Closely related to the above is another group consisting of companies owned by retired high-ranking government officials who corruptly enriched themselves while in service. These persons become contractors immediately upon leaving public office, use their ill-gotten wealth to establish blue chip corporate outfits and continue the looting of government funds in a private capacity. Where they have a good rapport with their successors-in-office, they easily secure very lucrative contract awards based on quid pro quo basis, and also exploit their connections in other government agencies to the same effect. The fourth group comprises private companies or organizations that depend solely on government patronage in order to remain afloat; they have no other customer(s) outside the government and its officials. These corporate outfits do everything – including bribing and blackmailing influential government officials – to secure contract awards from governments, its ministries and agencies. Thereafter, they supply substandard goods, render low-quality services, fail to execute jobs or execute same poorly, and then share the windfall with their benefactors. The companies here could be owned by politicians-cum-contractors, retired or serving public servants and their private fronts. From the proceeds of such corrupt contracts, some of these people make a public show of acts of philanthropy and arrogate to themselves the appellation ‘philanthropist’. The fifth class consists of companies owned by expatriates and their Nigerian collaborators. Here, we have the multi-national companies which have acquired the status of sovereign nations, being treated as extensions of their countries of origin. These outfits, whether owned solely by expatriates (which Nigerian law permits) or in association with their Nigerian fronts, create the impression of being in the country to do genuine business. The reality is that their mission is profit maximization, even at the loss and pain of their host nation. Aided by their local fronts and collaborators, they do everything to milk the country dry and contravene its laws. The recently unearthed bribery scandal involving the USA company Halliburton and some Nigerian officials is a case in point. In the sixth type are banks which depend heavily on deposits by the government and its agencies. Although they complement this with unwholesome, sharp banking practices against innocent depositors, most of these banks will soon collapse should state funds be withdrawn from them. Under the dubious ‘public private partnership’ (PPP) arrangements, these banks collude with public officials in a sham sponsorship of public projects by applying government funds in their custody thereto, which moneys are then presented as coming from the banks and to be repaid by the government with high interest charges. Also within this group are some private estate developers. Rumour has it that, based on underhand deals between them and some government officials, they easily get land allocations from the government and funds from public institutions like the National Housing Fund (NHF) with which they execute mass housing projects. These low-quality houses are then offered for sale to Nigerians at cut-throat prices, under the guise that the funds came from the private estate developers. This may explain why the NHF hardly ever gives housing loans to civil servants who are entitled to same, being legally bound to make monthly contributions to the Fund. At this juncture, I commend President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to give housing/land loans directly to public servants. In the seventh group are some prominent Nigerians who are granted oil blocs by the government or granted licences to lift crude oil or import refined petroleum products. These select few undeservedly feed fat on our common wealth and short-change Nigeria and Nigerians. In a country with more than 80% of its citizens in the throes of abject poverty, where successive governments ascribe their abysmal failure to ‘paucity of funds’, one is dumbfounded that few persons are given official licence to amass immense wealth from what belongs to all. Where is the sense in an oil-producing country, with four refineries, importing refined petroleum products? Some past rulers, after defrauding Nigeria, use their loot to build refineries in other countries to which our crude oil is now sent for refining! Again, allegations are rife that the licensed importers lift refined petroleum from Nigeria, move some nautical miles away, return to the country and make claims on government for impo rting same! This unchecked fraud accounts for the huge money successive regimes in Nigeria since the middle 1980s claim to be spending as ‘subsidy’ in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry! The eighth category is made up of companies which, apparently, may not depend much on government patronage in the real sense of it for their operations, but rely on the complicit indifference of regulatory agencies to their unwholesome business activities whereof they rip off poor Nigerians. The telecommunications and transport outfits are some very handy examples. These companies subject Nigerians to subhuman treatment and untold exploitation, while the authorities exhibit inertia. For instance, it is certain to the average Nigerian that the Nigerian Communications Commission, National Assembly and Ministry of Information and Communications are apathetic to the exploitation of Nigerians by the providers of mobile telephony. These companies impose whatever tariffs that suit their fancy, and arbitrarily review same upwards. The use of the expression ‘private sector organisations’ here includes the supposed non-profit oriented NGOs and companies limited by guarantee. A common characteristic of almost all these ‘private sector’ concerns is their penchant to do everything to frustrate any form of regulation in their relevant industries. The government agencies charged with their regulation easily become victims of regulatory capture, willingly or owing to blackmail, enabling the companies to feed fat on corrupt contract awards and profiteer at the expense of Nigeria and poor Nigerians. Without prejudice to the pervasiveness of this version of ‘private sector’ in Nigeria, one does not deny the existence of some private sector concerns in the real sense of the expression. Granted that some of the proprietors here may be fraudulent and predatory, others eke out an honest living in the midst of epileptic power supply, high expense on alternative power supply, bad roads, insecurity of lives and properties, high cost of transportation and other militating factors. Most of these people sold their family lands, buildings or other choice assets or even borrowed money from shylock-like money lenders to establish their businesses, and have no connection with public funds in terms of inflated, poorly executed or unexecuted contracts and corrupt deals through which public funds are embezzled in Nigeria. In my humble view, the foregoing is the true nature of the Nigerian private sector. It is this ‘private sector’ that successive Nigerian governments since the middle 1980s claim is duty-bound and best positioned to provide and manage basic amenities such as motorable roads, potable water, hospitals, schools, housing and electricity for the citizenry! But how organizations and proprietors that depend solely on government patronage, corrupt deals with public officers, shady contract awards from government agencies, the inertia of regulatory agencies, and who hardly deliver on such jobs are considered better placed to carry out this alien ‘duty’ remains a mind-boggling puzzle to me. Against this background, it is no wonder that despite huge annual budgetary allocations to capital projects and overheads, no appreciable progress has been made in Nigeria over the years. Almost the entire funds meant for capital projects and overheads end up in the pockets of serving or retired government officials, their fronts and private persons who are parasites on government funds. The much talked-about Public Procurement Act has not changed anything, for it is still business as usual in the award of government contracts. Government contracts are still awarded to the categories of ‘private sector’ organisations whose modus operandi we have seen above. Contrary to the accusing fingers the government points at the impoverished civil servant who earns less than N18,000 monthly, it is the incidence of corrupt contract awards, other corrupt deals, outrageous salaries and allowances of Federal legislators and political office holders, wastage of huge resources on white elephant projects, Nigeria’s sponsorship of several ventures which benefit foreign countries, etc, that deplete government funds. Within a space of four years, the salaries of political office holders have been reviewed upwards twice because same is no longer realistic under the prevailing economic conditions, while poorly paid civil servants are not considered equally entitled! It is not large workforce but misappropriated capital and overhead budgetary votes that greatly account for Nigeria’s stagnation. Is it the poor civil servant that awards contracts or disburses overhead votes? By induction from the foregoing, one can confidently say that Nigeria serves both the privileged public servant and the ‘private entrepreneur’ and nobody serves the country. If this ugly, unfortunate and dangerous trend is not checked, Nigeria will never move forward. In the midst of these corrupt practices, whatever lofty plans the government may have will certainly come to naught. May the merciful God salvage Nigeria and poor Nigerians from evil Nigerians in Jesus’ name, amen. Ikechukwu A. Ogu, a legal practitioner, writes from Central Business District, Abuja, Nigeria (ikechukwuogu@yahoo.com). Research Papers on The True Nature of the Private Sector in NigeriaPETSTEL analysis of IndiaTwilight of the UAWDefinition of Export QuotasThe Project Managment Office SystemUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductStandardized TestingIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalBringing Democracy to AfricaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Examples of Mixed Metaphors and Cliches

Examples of Mixed Metaphors and Cliches As defined in our glossary, a mixed metaphor is a succession of incongruous or ludicrous comparisons. When two or more metaphors (or cliches) are jumbled together, often illogically, we say that these comparisons are mixed. In Garners Modern American Usage, Bryan A. Garner offers this classic example of a mixed metaphor from a speech by Boyle Roche in the Irish Parliament: Mr. Speaker, I smell a rat. I see him floating in the air. But mark me, sir, I will nip him in the bud. This sort of mixed metaphor may occur when a speaker is so familiar with the figurative sense of a phrase (smell a rat, nip in the bud) that he fails to recognize the absurdity that results from a literal reading. Now and then a writer may deliberately introduce mixed metaphors as a way of exploring an idea. Consider this example from British journalist Lynne Truss: Well, if punctuation is the stitching of language, language comes apart, obviously, and all the buttons fall off. If punctuation provides the traffic signals, words bang into each other and everyone ends up in Minehead. If one can bear for a moment to think of punctuation marks as those invisibly beneficent fairies (Im sorry), our poor deprived language goes parched and pillowless to bed. And if you take the courtesy analogy, a sentence no longer holds the door open for you to walk in, but drops it in your face as you approach. Some readers may be amused by this sort of metaphorical mix; others may find it tiresomely twee. In most cases, mixed metaphors are accidental, and the haphazard juxtaposition of images is likely to be more comical or perplexing than revealing. So stick these examples in your pipe and chew them over. So now what we are dealing with is the rubber meeting the road, and instead of biting the bullet on these issues, we just want to punt.[T]he bill is mostly a stew of spending on existing programs, whatever their warts may be.A friend of mine, talking about the Democratic presidential candidates, tossed out a wonderful mixed metaphor: This is awfully weak tea to have to hang your hat on.The mayor has a heart as big as the Sahara for protecting his police officers, and that is commendable. Unfortunately, he also often strips his gears by failing to engage the clutch when shifting what emanates from his brain to his mouth. The bullets he fires too often land in his own feet.The walls had fallen down and the Windows had opened, making the world much flatter than it had ever been but the age of seamless global communication had not yet dawned.Ive spent a lot of time in the subways, said Shwa. Its a dank and dark experience. You feel morbid. The environment contributes to the fear that de velops in men and women. The moment that you walk into the bowels of the armpit of the cesspool of crime, you immediately cringe. Anyone who gets in the way of this cunning steamroller will find himself on a card-index file and then in hot very hot water.A Pentagon staffer, complaining that efforts to reform the military have been too timid: Its just ham-fisted salami-slicing by the bean counters.All at once, he was alone in this noisy hive with no place to roost.Top Bush hands are starting to get sweaty about where they left their fingerprints. Scapegoating the rotten apples at the bottom of the militarys barrel may not be a slam-dunk escape route from accountability anymore.It is easy to condemn Thurmond, Byrd and their fellow pork barons. Few of us would hail a career spent stewarding the federal gravy train as the vocation of a statesman.Rather than wallowing in tears, let this passionate community strike while the iron is hot. It probably won’t cost the National Park Service a single penny, will be no skin off its nose, will heal the community and it presents a golden opportunity for first-person interpretation. Federal Judge Susan Webber Wright stepped up to the plate and called a foul.[Robert D.] Kaplan keeps getting into scrapes at the keyboard. I wanted a visual sense of the socioeconomic stew in which Al Qaeda flourished. You smile in admiration, as at something rare, like a triple play; its a double mixed metaphor. Remember this: Keep an eye on your metaphors and an ear to the ground so that you dont end up with your foot in your mouth. Sources Lynne Truss,  Eats, Shoots Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, 2003 Chicago Tribune, cited by  The New Yorker, August 13, 2007 The New York Times, January 27, 2009 Montgomery Advertiser, Alabama, cited by  The New Yorker, November 16, 1987 Bob Herbert, Behind the Curtain,  The New York Times, November 27, 2007 Thomas L. Friedman,  The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century, 2005 Our Town, N.Y., cited by  The New Yorker, March 27, 2000 Len Deighton,  Winter: A Novel of a Berlin Family, 1988 The Wall Street Journal, May 9, 1997 Tom Wolfe,  The Bonfire of the Vanities Frank Rich,  The New York Times, July 18, 2008 Jonathan Freedland,  Bring Home The Revolution, 1998 Daily Astorian, cited by  The New Yorker, April 21, 2006 Catherine Crier,  The Case Against Lawyers, 2002 David Lipsky, Appropriating the Globe,  The New York Times, November 27, 2005 Garner, Bryan A. Garners Modern American Usage. 2nd Edition, Oxford University Press, October 30, 2003.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Women and Sexuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Women and Sexuality - Essay Example This will help in curbing the ever increasing number of victims STIs and other infections. In addition, the use of condoms and other preventive devices should be over emphasized in any adult films or movies. This will help in spreading the message of constant and correct use of protective devices during sexual intercourse. It is also beneficial to regulate the sex industry just like any business is regulated, because there are many advantages attached to it such as, preventing overcrowding in the same business, and unscrupulous trading or getting involved in dangerous business activities. Base on these, the victims of the sex industry or prostitution will always follow the laws to the letter, with those not abiding being liable for punishment. As per decriminalization, it is not necessary to develop a set of extra laws to regulate the sex industry as per the already in place regulatory approaches. This has been demonstrated by countries such Australia and New Zealand. By decriminalization, benefits have been realized in that there has been high compliance. This is because when businesses are treated without discrimination, barriers tend to reduce. There has also been increased transparency in that the model has been perceived as a whole governments approach to regulation (Brents, Barbara and Hausbeck, 2010). According to Bernstein and Elizabeth (2010), regulating this prevailing and escalating industry or commercial sex services premises (SSP) would call for developing consent with the historic location of SSP. Over the years, the legislation concerned with the law have also ensured that the building operating in the vicinity of mixed commercial areas, with no amenity impacts for quite some time and still unable to surrender a DA are not permitted to continue with the business. To allow for independent sex worker, especially those who might be found in

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Sociology (death and Dying) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sociology (death and Dying) - Essay Example However, there are also some Chinese buried in other parts of the cemetery. 2. Graves of the Filipinos are mostly flat headstones. I observed that white headstones are dominant in the cemetery. But as I walked around, I have seen also some that are black in color. These black headstones are made of granite. There are also some maroon headstones that I saw but these are very rare. In the area where most of the population is Chinese, I noticed that mausoleum is a more popular choice than flat headstones. 3. Based on my observation, I think half of the graves in Eternal Gardens are more sentimental than the other half. Some of the graves just show the name of the person who died his/her birth date, and the date of death. But those that are sentimental have some quotes like "In loving memory of" There are also some inscriptions that show the nicknames of the dead or how they were called when they were still alive followed by the phrase "is now in the loving arms of the Lord". The inscription pattern that I noticed in the cemetery is that children's graves are often engraved with images of angels. For women, the most common inscription that I saw is "A loving mother". Also, I noticed that most headstones are engraved with images of rosary and crucifix. There is no distinct pattern for men. I think inscriptions and designs of children's graves are more sentimental than others. When I passed by the mausoleums of Chinese, of cou... Maybe it is also because All Souls' Day was approaching. Some sites already have flowers that were starting to wither, but there were also some that have fresh flowers and with candles. These are the only indications that gave me the idea that the grave sites had been recently visited. Chinese mausoleums also have indications that they have been visited. The things that I saw in there were the incense sticks, some flowers, gold paper with Chinese characters, and red candles that are engraved with gold dragons. The weirdest things that I noticed in mausoleums were the food left by the relatives for the dead. It was like they are leaving the dead some food to eat, as if he/she is still alive. 5. The inscriptions and the images engraved in the headstones gave me the idea that the clients of Eternal Gardens are Catholics. As it was said in the earlier part of this paper, the headstones are often engraved with images of rosary and crucifix. The headstones of deceased children have angels on them. Also, I saw an image of Blessed Virgin Mary within the cemetery. This is why I thought that Filipinos and other clients of the cemetery are devoted Catholics. The inscription, like "A loving mother", also reveals the social status of the dead during her life on earth. I also saw an inscription like this: "A devoted husband, a loving father, and a caring brother". This inscription tells all the important roles that the dead had played when he was still alive. The Chinese characters printed on the mausoleums prove that the body lying there is a Chinese. Also, it gave the idea that those with mausoleums are richer than those with just flat headstones. 6. When I will be dead, I can see myself lying inside an urn. I

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Personally I have sympathy Essay Example for Free

Personally I have sympathy Essay He also states I had deprived myself of rest and health, meaning that he had worked so hard and long it had effected his health. When Victor looks for the monster on the frozen ocean he still tries to gain sympathy using language such as despair and I myself was about to sink under accumulation of distress. Here he is speaking metaphorically; hes talking about sinking in the sea, as well as sinking emotionally. With so much talk of self pity, the reader could easily forget that this journey is one of vengeance. Victor sees the monster as his enemy and says his soul is as hellish as his form, full of treachery, and fiend like malice. He also tells Walton to thrust your sword into his heart, I will hover near, and direct the steel alright. His hate for the monster is so intense; he thinks that he can help in killing the monster, even in supernatural life. Even though Victor is seen as an arrogant, self righteous character, we have sympathy for him because he starts a series of events that he eventually has no control over. He creates a monster that kills his family and feels compelled to seek him out and end his life. His desire is burning within my heart, and he is powerless not to obey it. Whereas Victors downfall could be seen as of his own making, the creature seems to be a victim of circumstance and outside influences. The creature says, The completion of my demoniacal design became an insatiable passion. He considers himself to have no control over his actions as they are a result of how he was made. He also claims I had no choice but to adapt my nature to an element which I had willingly chosen, and that evil thenceforth became my good. The monster is looking for understanding for his terrible actions when he says I was the slave, not the master. He is trying to portray himself as a victim rather than the villain. In this passage the creature speaks descriptively to try and make the reader feel sympathy. He says that in the beginning it was the love of virtue, he feelings of happiness and affection with which my whole being overflowed. This turned into bitter loathing and despair and it speaks of how its crimes had degraded itself. It compares itself to a fallen angel who becomes a malignant devil. It considers itself to be more sinned against than the sinner when it says all humankind sinned against me. The feeling of self pity continues with I desired love and fellowship and I was still spurned and your abhorrence cannot equal that with which I regard myself. It feels totally injustice towards itself with everyone despising it and having sympathy only for Victor. This would make the reader feel very sympathetic towards the monster he has only turned out to be the despised and hated creature that he now is due to the actions of others. Both characters make convincing cases in an attempt to gain sympathy from the reader. Both are sinned against, (Victor has his family killed by his own creation and his creation itself is abandoned and despised) and it is a matter of opinion who the victim actually is. The reasons behind Victor deciding to create life in the first place could be seen as an important factor. Was he trying to be the first person to create life in this way to satisfy his ego or was he doing it for the good of human kind? Personally I have sympathy for both Victor and the monster. But if I had to choose one it would be the monster, because it was born an adult and never got chance to learn right from wrong and it had no parents to teach it anything nor no friends. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Ethics of Spam Prevention Essay -- Internet Computers Technology E

The Ethics of Spam Prevention The user base of the Internet and World Wide Web grows by millions of users each year. In recent years this has created an explosion in the number of Internet email accounts and addresses. Companies such as Microsoft, Yahoo and Netscape have made free email accounts available for the world to use. Many people have multiple email accounts on the web, in addition to those that they may have for business purposes. This increase in the number of users around the world surfing the Internet and using email has created a new problem and a very disturbing trend. Spam or unsolicited email messages, has become such a problem for people that it is common for users to spend a large portion of their time online just sifting through and deleting unwanted email. Spam has become an effective form of advertisement for any company or individual that uses the internet. Practically any type of product or service imaginable is being promoted through the use of spam. Many of these products that are being promoted are pornographic and can be offensive or harmful to people, especially to children. These spam messages however, are sent out indiscriminately to any email address that the spammer or source of the spam can find. Part of the reason that Internet users have more than one free web based email account is to avoid spam. People create new accounts for themselves because the spammers have found the old addresses and filled the inboxes with unwanted email. The progress of spamming technologies has created a whole new set of security products and features that companies and email providers must give users to make them competitive among email providers. Individual citizens and businesses have the ... ... enforce it. This type of a policy would certainly cause a drop in the billions of unsolicited messages sent each day, which are costing individuals time, money and productivity. Bibliography Google .com, 23 May 2004, http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%E2%80%9C@msn.com%E2%80%9D John Leyden, 10 Mar. 2004, The Register, 22 May 2004 , http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/03/10/big_us_isps_set_legal/ Spam Statistics 2004, 2004, Spam Filter Review, http://www.spamfilterreview.com/spam-statistics.html David E. Sorkin, 16 Dec. 2003, Spam Laws, 22 May 2004 , http://www.spamlaws.com/federal/108s877.html Paul Roberts, 19 May 2004, IDG News Service (PCWorld.com), 22 May 2004, http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,116178,00.asp John Leyden, 27 Apr. 2004, The Register, 22 May 2004 , http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/04/27/spam_law_review/

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

The purpose of this (SBA) School based Assessment

AimWhat are the factors responsible for land pollution in the community of East Dry River Port of Spain, Trinidad?Method of Data CollectionHow was the data collected?Attempts were made to walk around the street with bags in search of rubbish within #50 Argyle Street East Dry River, Port of Spain. Where no rubbish were found after a few numbers of visits, no further attempt was made to go back in search of more.Where was data collected?The study area was at #50 Argyle Street East Dry River, Port of Spain, which is shown in the location map, Map #2. Activities were conducted and plenty of rubbish was collected and stored in plastic bags.When was data collected?Rubbish activities were completed on (Monday 15th of October to Tuesday 21st of November) between (10.00 am to 3.00pm).PRESENTATION OF STUDYAccording to the Caribbean Environment for CXC Geography, Pollution is a substance which causes an undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological environment. Although there are s ome natural pollutants such as volcanoes, pollution generally occurs because of human activity. Pollution occurs in three ways:Land Water Air.Pollution may affect: the atmosphere. This is Air Pollution, rivers, seas, lakes and groundwater. This is Water Pollution, rocks and the soil.This is Land Pollution.No part of the world is free from air pollution. In the Arctic and Antarctic, the air appears clear; but traces of industrial chemicals can be found in the atmosphere and in falling snow. In most of the Caribbean, the air also appears clean. The trade winds blow from the east, across several thousand kilometers at Open Ocean. However, both worldwide and locally generated air pollution affects the region.Production of excess carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases is a form of air pollution, which has worldwide effects I have also found that pollution is a substance which causes an undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological environment. Although there are some natural po llutants such as volcanoes, pollution generally occurs because of human activity, and in that 35% of bottles, 40% of rappers and 25% of paper were found.A divided circle diagram showing the percentage of rubbish that was collected during rubbish activities. Of the 100 % of rubbish that was collected 35% was Bottles, 40% was Rappers and 25% was PaperTally Sheet Showing the Number of Rubbish That Were Collected During the Activities Bottles 35% Rappers 40% Papers 25%Bar Graph Showing The Number of Rubbish That were Collected During the Activities

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Americans Are Wasteful People

Americans are wasteful people How much do Americans waste? What a good question. Americans generate 30% of the world’s garbage. Americans waste many different things over 10 years. However, the government is taking measures to fix the problem, and Americans are contributing to reduce this problem. The wastefulness of the population is a major problem in USA. A wasteful person is one who is inclined to waste. Thus, recycling is not part of their daily routine. A wasteful person is characterized by useless consumption.Americans have become increasingly wasteful since mid-1990s. In the 1990s, the American population was wasting significantly high amounts of several goods, and no one was recycling. In 1990, less than 2% of America total waste was recycled. Americans were annually wasting 130 million dollars of energy and 165 million dollars of food. In addition, each American wasted an average of 2. 3 million liters of water per year. The most dangerous items wasted by America are : water, paper, energy, glass, food and plastic.For example, by not turning off the water while showering, Americans wasted 130 million dollars of energy and over 2 million liters of water. Americans often left their lights on when not needed. Trees were being unnecessarily destroyed to produce paper because only about one third of the paper produced was being recycled, and only to 37% of glass and 7% of plastic were recycled. Thus, resources were wasted unnecessarily. America started facing this big problem. Of course, the government wanted to reverse the problem and implemented measures.These measures were implemented to promote everyone to recycle. Recyclable trash receptacles were put all over the cities. TV and posters advertisements were made to encourage everyone to recycle. Investments in the recycle industry increased. Resources that were not recyclable were used to produce final goods and were replaced with recyclable goods. For instance, pickles used to be sold in jars; h owever, now there are sold in plastic jars. Other measures are going to be implemented; however, the ones already implemented are solving the problem.As Americans started to see these measures being implemented, they were really encouraged. Americans started to be less wasteful. Home-recycling increased, and energy consumption decreased. For instance, those unnecessary lights were turned off. Useless water consumption decreased, so Americans had water running only when needed. Although many actions are needed, 77% of all Americans are now recycling. The government measures were successful, and certainly waste will decrease as time goes by. The environment is clearly better. Americans are wasteful people, however they are wasting less.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Medical Misdiagnosis Essay Example

Medical Misdiagnosis Essay Example Medical Misdiagnosis Paper Medical Misdiagnosis Paper Lies covering up medical misdiagnosis can never be morally justified. One who is found responsible for medical misdiagnosis should never be allowed to flee without compensating the aggrieved party for any injury done or being accountable for his/her mistake. Such accountability would be lost if one is allowed to nullify his mistakes through lying. On the other hand, any aggrieved party must not be complacent in any given instance of medical misdiagnosis because the injury caused may have been insubstantial or it is believed that it is not something worth pursuing. Medical misdiagnosis consists of serious mistakes that should be dealt with in accordance with what morality dictates. Two leading ethical theories will support the opinion that serious sanctions should be imposed on practitioners or doctors who are found guilty of medical misdiagnosis, and that lying to cover up these medical malpractices are not morally right. (The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Medical misdiagnosis occurs when doctors, nurses, or surgeons give wrong information to their patients regarding their actual illness or medical condition. It presupposes that they were guilty of negligence in the performance of their duties and they have fallen short of the standard quality of care that they are duty bound to provide to their patients. Medical misdiagnosis is very harmful, as it may result in very dire medical consequences to patients, ranging from severe complications to death. (â€Å"Facts about Medical Malpractice†). Because of the dire consequences involved in medical misdiagnosis, it is tempting for anyone guilty thereof to lie about their mistakes and thus deny responsibility. Such act is reprehensible and can never be justified by any moral theory. One ethical philosophy that can be explored in the search for moral justification of lying about medical misdiagnosis is Kantian moral philosophy. Kantian philosophy was formulated by a rationalist philosopher named Immanuel Kant. (â€Å"Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)†). Kant’s ethical theory was called the categorical imperative. It means that moral law is in the form of an unconditional command. For him, the test of morality is universalizability. Moral law must be of such nature that everyone who will be placed in the same position shall be bound to obey it in the future. (Catholic Encyclopedia). Applying this theory, it cannot be said that lying about medical misdiagnosis can pass the universalizability test. Patients deserve to know the truth in order to enable them to take the appropriate course of action, notwithstanding the danger of facing sanctions on the part of the doctor or nurse. The other ethical theory to be considered is utilitarianism, a tradition that was put forward by English philosophers Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. According to this theory, â€Å"an action is right if it tends to promote happiness and wrong if it tends to produce the reverse of happiness. † (Encyclop? dia Britannica). Otherwise stated, it means that the thing which will promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number is good. Lying to cover up medical misdiagnosis can never be morally justified in the viewpoint of utilitarianism. As stated above, medical misdiagnosis tends to produce more harm than good. Wrong treatment and medication of a patient can lead to worse sickness or even death. Lying to cover up mistakes will not solve these problems but rather make them more complicated, by preventing concerned persons from taking appropriate actions designed to mitigate the damage done. This cannot be claimed to promote happiness, much less to the greatest number. The only possible objection to this position is the defense that lying can be justified where telling the truth would only cause emotional pain to the patient and his/her family. Moreover, medical misdiagnosis may not be consciously or maliciously committed by the doctor or nurse concerned and therefore, any punishment that may be imposed on that account would be unfair and unnecessary. Such an argument is morally wrong, because it denies the responsibility of doctors and nurses with regard to the very critical position they occupy with respect to the life and health of their patients. Doctors and nurses should be extremely careful in all their actions. They would not be encouraged to exercise the required degree of diligence when they know that they can always get away with malpractice through lying about it. Catholic Encyclopedia. â€Å"Philosophy of Immanuel Kant. † 10 Feb. 2007. newadvent. org/cathen/08603a. htm. Encyclop? dia Britannica. â€Å"Utilitarianism. † 11 Feb. 2007. utilitarianism. com/utilitarianism. html. â€Å"Facts about Medical Malpractice. † 2007. 11 Feb. 2007. medicalmisdiagnosis. com/. â€Å"Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). † 10 Feb. 2007. friesian. com/kant. htm. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Ethics. 11 Feb. 2007. iep. utm. edu/e/ethics. htm.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

To Kill a Mockingbird Overview

To Kill a Mockingbird Overview To Kill a Mockingbird is a searing portrayal of racial prejudice, justice, and innocence lost into a complex mixture of childish naivete and mature observation, while simultaneously being a sort of love letter to small town Southern life. The end result is a novel that is both a brilliant rendering of a specific time and place as well as a study in the meaning of justice, the loss of innocence, and the realization that a place can be both a beloved childhood memory and where you first realized there was evil in the world. Plot Summary Scout Finch lives with her father, a lawyer and widower by the name of Atticus, and her brother, a young boy named Jem. The first part of the To Kill a Mockingbird tells of one summer. Jem and Scout play, make new friends, and first come to know of a shadowy figure by the name of Boo Radley, who lives in a neighboring house and yet is never seen. A young black man named Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman. Atticus takes on the case, despite the vitriol this arouses in the largely white, racist townsfolk. When the time of the trial comes around, Atticus proves that the girl that Tom Robinson is accused of raping actually seduced him, and that the injuries to her face were caused by her father, angry that she had tried to sleep with a black man. The all-white jury nevertheless convicts Robinson and he is later killed by while trying to escape from jail. The girls father, who holds a grudge against Atticus because of some of the things he said in court, waylays Scout and Jem as they walk home one night. They are saved by the mysterious Boo, who disarms their attacker and kills him. Major Characters Scout Finch. Jean Louise ‛Scout’ Finch is the narrator and main character of the novel. Scout is a ‛tomboy’ who rejects traditional feminine roles and trappings. Scout initially believes that there is always a clear right and wrong in every situation; as Scout grows older, she begins to understand more about the world around her and begins to value reading and education more. Atticus Finch. Scout’s widower father is an attorney. Atticus is a bit of an iconoclast. He values education and indulges his children, trusting their judgment despite their young age. He is an intelligent, moral man who believes strongly in the rule of law and the necessity of blind justice. Jem Finch. Jeremy Atticus ‛Jem’ Finch is Scout’s older brother. He is protective of his status and often uses his superior age to force Scout to do things his way. He has a rich imagination and an energetic approach to life, but displays difficulty dealing with other people who do not rise to his standard. Boo Radley. A troubled recluse who lives next door to the Finches (but never leaves the house), Boo Radley is the subject of many rumors. Boo naturally fascinates the Finch children, and displays affection and kindness towards them, ultimately rescuing them from danger. Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is a black man who supports his family by working as a field hand despite having a crippled left arm. He is charged with the rape of a white woman, and Atticus defends him. Major Themes Maturation. Scout and Jem are frequently confused about the motivations and reasoning of the adults around them. Lee explores the way that growing up and maturing into adults makes the world clearer while also less magical and more difficult, ultimately connecting racism with childish fears that adults ought not to experience. Prejudice. Lee explores the effects of prejudice of all kinds- racism, classism, and sexism. Lee makes it clear that racism is inextricably linked to economics, politics, and self-image. Sexism is explored in the novel through Scout and her constant battle to engage in behaviors she finds interesting instead of ‛appropriate’ behaviors for a girl. Justice and Morality. In the earlier parts of the novel Scout believes that morality and justice are the same thing. Tom Robinson’s trial and her observation of her father’s experiences teach her that there is often a stark difference between what is right and what is legal. Literary Style The novel utilizes subtly layered narration; it can be easy to forget that the story is actually being told by a grown-up, adult Jenna Louise and not the 6-year old Scout. Lee also restricts the point-of-view to Scout and what she directly observes, creating an air of mystery for the reader that mimics the childish sense of not quite understanding what all the adults are up to. About the Author Harper Lee was born in 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama. She published To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960 to instant acclaim, winning the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. She then worked with her friend Truman Capote on what would become Capote’s ‛nonfiction novel,’ In Cold Blood. Lee retreated from public life afterwards, granting few interviews and making almost no public appearances- and publishing almost no new material. She passed away in 2016 at the age of 89. Fast Facts Literature Study Guide Title: To Kill a MockingbirdAuthor: Harper LeePublisher: J.B. Lippincott Co.Year Published: 1960Genre: FictionType of Work: NovelOriginal language: EnglishThemes: Prejudice, justice, growing upCharacters: Scout Finch, Atticus Finch, Jem Finch, Tom Robinson, CalpurniaNotable adaptations: A 1962 film adaptation starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. Peck won a Best Actor Oscar for the role, and Harper Lee expressed satisfaction with the adaptation.Fun Fact: The ‛sequel’ novel Lee published in 2015 just a year before her death is actually first draft of To Kill a Mockingbird that was rejected by publishers. Lee took what were flashback scenes to Scout’s childhood and built on those to revise the novel into what became To Kill a Mockingbird.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

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

Summary 1 - Essay Example At the moment, the restaurant has 9 employees perceived as being loyal. The restaurant has adopted a simple design and purpose. The buffet set-up comprises of numerous dining tables in addition to a big steam table. A family style of service is adopted where customers serve from bowls and plates. In the kitchen, meat would be flame grilled and deep fryers would be used for fried foods. The restaurant seeks to offer quality food at reasonable prices to its clients, combined with exemplary service, so as to make its profits. Looking at the physical structure, the restaurant, measuring 3,000 ft2 and constructed on an acre of land, is built of vinyl siding. The window trim is made of wooden shingle. The location is in proximity to a mega shopping area which has stores like Wal-Mart, McDonalds, Kroger and the ancient Eugene Mall. This area is under frequent patrol by policemen thus making it a low-crime area with no criminal activity having been reported from any store. Even more, the interesting lighting in the area boosts security. The ceiling has small lighting fixtures and back-up lighting which operates independent of generators. Street lights erected between shrubbery hedging surround the parking lot of the building with a spotlight which remains switched on throughout, shining on the front of the building. The store has several exit and entry doors; there is one exit/entry on the side, another at the front and yet another in the kitchen area. An alarm has been installed and it goes off when the back door, reserved for employees, opens. A concrete brick wall surrounds the courtyard accessed through the side exit. A counter blocks off a drive-up window and a door, these having been present since the building was bought, creating a room for serving supplies. In the same area, a cash register will be found. This location secures the cash register and supplements security from indoor surveillance. The store has three surveillance cameras which capture