Greenhouse Gases

We know electricity is a form of energy and energy is the ability to perform work or make things happen, we also know there are several sources of energy and â€Å"wind† happens to be one of those sources. Since â€Å"wind† is simply air in motion, what then is â€Å"wind energy† and how can we generate electricity from it? Well, based on my research, wind energy is the result of the sun’s energy interacting with the earth’s surfaces. It is also an ideal renewable energy source that is infinitely sustainable; pollution free; doesn’t use fuel; and doesn’t produce greenhouse gases, toxic or radioactive waste.This type of energy is considered a green power technology because it has minor impacts on the environment. When using wind to generate electricity we use machines known as turbines and this turbines use blades that are connected to a drive shaft to collect the winds’ kinetic energy which creates a lift that causes them to tur n and then produces electricity using an electric generator. Okay now we know basics, how does this energy source reduce greenhouse gases? First of all, what are these â€Å"greenhouse gases†?Greenhouse gases are gases in an atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation within the thermal infrared range . The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide (the principal greenhouse gas), methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. From definition, we know that generating electricity for wind does not produce any of these GHG. Before analyzing how efficient wind energy is in reducing GHG, let us consider some other sources of energy. These other sources include: hydropower (water), solar (sun), geothermal (heat) and nuclear.

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Savvy by Ingrid Law. Cover Illustration by Terese Dikun. Dial Books, 2008. Ages 12 and up. Savvy is a story about an unusual family, the Beaumonts, whose family members awaken powers – coined savvy – at the age of 13. The Baumont’s sons, for example, can cause hurricanes and sparks with their savvies. The novel begins with Mibs, the youngest of the Beaumont clan, as she nears the eve of her 13th birthday and is excited to discover what her savvy would be. However, tragedy strikes a mere two days before her 13th birthday as Poppa, the Beaumont patriarch, figures in a terrible accident 90 miles away from home. What ensues is an extraordinary adventure fueled by Mibs’ unwavering belief that her savvy would be able to save Poppa. Riding a pink rickety bus and accompanied by her two brothers and the preacher’s kids, Mibs embarks on a journey to awaken her savvy and prove she can save the day. Ultimately, Savvy is a story about growing up and coming to know and accept oneself and others. It teaches about learning and seeing beyond appearances and appreciating what is skin deep. Savvy is a wondrous tale of hope, love, and redemption. The novel bridges the idea that each and every individual is very special, with unique gifts that make that person unique. Ingrid Law craftily manages to incorporate all of these into a concise yet elegantly written novel while still making the story and the characterization a priority, resulting in a book that leaves the reader filled with all sorts of wonderful emotions even after turning over that last page.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 15 PRESSURE

IT WAS SPRING BREAK IN FORKS AGAIN. WHEN I WOKE UP on Monday morning, I lay in bed for a few seconds absorbing that. Last spring break, I'd been hunted by a vampire, too. I hoped this wasn't some kind of tradition forming. Already I was falling into the pattern of things in La Push. I'd spent Sunday mostly on the beach, while Charlie hung out with Billy at the Blacks' house. I was supposed to be with Jacob, but Jacob had other things to do, so I wandered alone, keeping the secret from Charlie. When Jacob dropped in to check on me, he apologized for ditching me so much. He told me his schedule wasn't always this crazy, but until Victoria was stopped, the wolves were on red alert. When we walked along the beach now, he always held my hand. This made me brood over what Jared had said, about Jacob involving his â€Å"girlfriend.† I supposed that that was exactly what it looked like from the outside. As long as Jake and I knew how it really was, I shouldn't let those kinds of assumptions bother me. And maybe they wouldn't, if I hadn't known that Jacob would have loved for things to be what they appeared. But his hand felt nice as it warmed mine, and I didn't protest. I worked Tuesday afternoonJacob followed me on his bike to make sure I arrived safelyand Mike noticed. â€Å"Are you dating that kid from La Push? The sophomore?† He asked, poorly disguising the resentment in his tone. I shrugged. â€Å"Not in the technical sense of the word. I do spent most of my time with Jacob, though. He's my best friend.† Mike's eyes narrowed shrewdly. â€Å"Don't kid yourself, Bella. The guy's head over heels for you.† â€Å"I know,† I sighed. â€Å"Life is complicated.† â€Å"And girls are cruel,† Mike said under his breath. I supposed that was an easy assumption to make, too. That night, Sam and Emily joined Charlie and me for dessert at Billy's house. Emily brought a cake that would have won over a harder man than Charlie. I could see, as the conversation flowed naturally through a range of casual subjects, that any worries Charlie might have harbored about gangs in La Push were being dissolved. Jake and I skipped out early, to get some privacy. We went out to his garage and sat in the Rabbit. Jacob leaned his head back, his face drawn with exhaustion. â€Å"You need some sleep, Jake.† â€Å"I'll get around to it.† He reached over and took my hand. His skin was blazing on mine. â€Å"Is that one of those wolf things?† I asked him. â€Å"The heat, I mean.† â€Å"Yeah. We run a little warmer than the normal people. About one-oh-eight, one-oh-nine. I never get cold anymore. I could stand like this†he gestured to his bare torso†in a snowstorm and it wouldn't bother me. The flakes would turn to rain where I stood.† â€Å"And you all heal fastthat's a wolf thing, too?† â€Å"Yeah, wanna see? It's pretty cool.† His eyes flipped open and he grinned. He reached around me to the glove compartment and dug around for a minute. His hand came out with a pocketknife. â€Å"No, I do not want to see!† I shouted as soon as I realized what he was thinking. â€Å"Put that away!† Jacob chuckled, but shoved the knife back where it belonged. â€Å"Fine. It's a good thing we heal, though. You can't go see just any doctor when you're running a temperature that should mean you're dead.† â€Å"No, I guess not.† I thought about that for a minute. â€Å" And being so bigthat's part of it? Is that why you're all worried about Quil?† â€Å"That and the fact that Quil's grandfather says the kid could fry an egg on his forehead.† Jacob's face turned hopeless. â€Å"It won't be long now. There's no exact age it just builds and builds and then suddenly† He broke off, and it was a moment before he could speak again. â€Å"Sometimes, if you get really upset or something, that can trigger it early. But I wasn't upset about anythingI was happy.† He laughed bitterly. â€Å"Because of you, mostly. That's why it didn't happen to me sooner. Instead it just kept on building up inside meI was like a time bomb. You know what set me off? I got back from that movie and Billy said I looked weird. That was all, but I just snapped. And then II exploded. I almost ripped his face offmy own father!† He shuddered, and his face paled. â€Å"Is it really bad, Jake?† I asked anxiously, wishing I had some way to help him. â€Å"Are you miserable?† â€Å"No, I'm not miserable,† he told me. â€Å"Not anymore. Not now that you know. That was hard, before.† He leaned over so that his cheek was resting on top of my head. He was quiet for a moment, and I wondered what he was thinking about. Maybe I didn't want to know. â€Å"What's the hardest part?† I whispered, still wishing I could help. â€Å"The hardest part is feeling out of control,† he said slowly. â€Å"Feeling like I can't be sure of myselflike maybe you shouldn't be around me, like maybe nobody should. Like I'm a monster who might hurt somebody. You've seen Emily. Sam lost control of his temper for just one second and she was standing too close. And now there's nothing he can ever do to put it right again. I hear his thoughtsI know what that feels like â€Å"Who wants to be a nightmare, a monster? â€Å"And then, the way it comes so easily to me, the way I'm better at it than the rest of themdoes that make me even less human than Enbry or Sam? Sometimes I'm afraid that I'm losing myself.† â€Å"Is it hard? To find yourself again?† â€Å"At first,† he said. â€Å"It takes some practice to phase back and forth. But it's easier tor me.† â€Å"Why?† I wondered. â€Å"Because Ephraim Black was my father's grandfather, and Quil Ateara was my mother's grandfather.† â€Å"Quil?† I asked in confusion. â€Å"His great-grandfather,† Jacob clarified. â€Å"The Quil you know is my second cousin.† â€Å"But why does it matter who your great-grandfathers are?† â€Å"Because Ephraim and Quil were in the last pack. Levi Uley was the third. It's in my blood on both sides. I never had a chance. Like Quil doesn't have a chance.† His expression was bleak. â€Å"What's the very best part?† I asked, hoping to cheer him up. â€Å"The best part,† he said, suddenly smiling again, â€Å"is the speed.† â€Å"Better than the motorcycles?† He nodded, enthusiastic. â€Å"There's no comparison.† â€Å"How fast can you ?† â€Å"Run?† he finished my question. â€Å"Fast enough. What can I measure it by? We caught what was his name? Laurent? I imagine that means more to you than it would to someone else.† It did mean something to me. I couldn't imagine thatthe wolves running faster than a vampire. When the Cullens ran, they all but turned invisible with speed. â€Å"So, tell me something I don't know,† he said. â€Å"Something about vampires. How did you stand it, being around them? Didn't it creep you out?† â€Å"No,† I said curtly. My tone made him thoughtful for a moment. â€Å"Say, why'd your bloodsucker kill that James, anyway?† he asked suddenly. â€Å"James was trying to kill meit was like a game for him. He lost. Do you remember last spring when I was in the hospital down in Phoenix?† Jacob sucked in a breath. â€Å"He got that close?† â€Å"He got very, very close.† I stroked my scar. Jacob noticed, because he held the hand I moved. â€Å"What's that?† He traded hands, examining my right. â€Å"This is your funny scar, the cold one.† He looked at it closer, with new eyes, and gasped. â€Å"Yes, it's what you think it is,† I said. â€Å"James bit me.† His eyes bulged, and his face turned a strange, sallow color under the russet surface. He looked like he was about to be sick. â€Å"But if he bit you ? Shouldn't you be ?† He choked. â€Å"Edward saved me twice,† I whispered. â€Å"He sucked the venom outyou know, like with a rattlesnake.† I twitched as the pain lashed around the edges of the hole. But I wasn't the only one twitching. I could feel Jacob's whole body trembling next to mine. Even the car shook. â€Å"Careful, Jake. Easy. Ca in down.† â€Å"Yeah,† he panted. â€Å"Calm.† He shook his head back and forth quickly. After a moment, only his hands were shaking. â€Å"You okay?† â€Å"Yeah, almost. Tell me something else. Give me something else to think about.† â€Å"What do you want to know?† â€Å"I don't know.† He had his eyes closed, concentrating. â€Å"The extra stuff I guess. Did any of the other Cullens have extra talents? Like the mind reading?† I hesitated a second. This felt like a question he would ask of his spy, not his friend. But what was the point of hiding what I knew? It didn't matter now, and it would help him control himself. So I spoke quickly, the image of Emily's ruined face in my mind, and the hair rising on my arms. I couldn't imagine how the russet wolf would fit inside the RabbitJacob would tear the whole garage apart if he changed now. â€Å"Jasper could sort of control the emotions of the people around him. Not in a bad way, just to calm someone down, that kind of thing. It would probably help Paul a lot,† I added, teasing weakly. â€Å"And then Alice could see things that were going to happen. The future, you know, but not absolutely. The things she saw would change when someone changed the path they were on† Like how she'd seen me dying and she'd seen me becoming one of them. Two things that had not happened. And one that never would. My head started to spinI couldn't seem to pull in enough oxygen from the air. No lungs. Jacob was entirely in control now, very still beside me. â€Å"Why do you do that?† he asked. He tugged lightly at one of my arms, which was bound around my chest, and then gave up when it wouldn't come loose easily. I hadn't even realized I'd moved them. â€Å"You do that when you're upset. Why?† â€Å"It hurts to think about them,† I whispered. â€Å"It's like I can't breathe like I'm breaking into pieces†It was bizarre how much I could tell Jacob now. We had no more secrets. He smoothed my hair. â€Å"It's okay, Bella, it's okay. I won't bring it up again. I'm sorry.† â€Å"I'm fine.† I gasped. â€Å"Happens all the time. Not your fault.† â€Å"We're a pretty messed-up pair, aren't we?† Jacob said. â€Å"Neither one of us can hold our shape together right.† â€Å"Pathetic,† I agreed, still breathless. â€Å"At least we have each other,† he said, clearly comforted by the thought. I was comforted, too. â€Å"At least there's that,† I agreed. And when we were together, it was fine. But Jacob had a horrible, dangerous job he felt compelled to do, and so I was often alone, stuck in La Push for safety, with nothing to do to keep my mind off any of my worries. I felt awkward, always taking up space at Billy's. I did some studying for another Calculus test that was coming up next week, but I could only look at math for so long. When I didn't have something obvious to do in my hands, I felt like I ought to be making conversation with Billythe pressure of normal societal rules. But Billy wasn't one for filling up the long silences, and so the awkwardness continued. I tried hanging out at Emily's place Wednesday afternoon, for a change. At first it was kind of nice. Emily was a cheerful person who never sat still. I drifted behind her while she flitted around her little house and yard, scrubbing at the spotless floor, pulling a tiny weed, fixing a broken hinge, tugging a string of wool through an ancient loom, and always cooking, too. She complained lightly about the increase in the boys' appetites from all their extra running, but it was easy to see she didn't mind taking care of them. It wasn't hard to be with herafter all, we were both wolf girls now. But Sam checked in after I'd been there for a few hours. I only stayed long enough to ascertain that Jacob was fine and there was no news, and then I had to escape. The aura of love and contentment that surrounded them was harder to take in concentrated doses, with no one else around to dilute it. So that left me wandering the beach, pacing the length of the rocky crescent back and forth, again and again. Alone time wasn't good for me. Thanks to the new honesty with Jacob, I'd been talking and thinking about the Cullens way too much. No matter how I tried to distract myselfand I had plenty to think of: I was honestly and desperately worried about Jacob and his wolf-brothers, I was terrified for Charlie and the others who thought they were hunting animals, I was getting in deeper and deeper with Jacob without ever having consciously decided to progress in that direction and I didn't know what to do about itnone of these very real, very deserving of thought, very pressing concerns could take my mind off the pain in my chest for long. Eventually, I couldn't even walk anymore, because I couldn't breathe. I sat down on a patch of semidry rocks and curled up in a ball. Jacob found me like that, and I could tell from his expression that he understood. â€Å"Sorry,† he said right away. He pulled me up from the ground and wrapped both arms around my shoulders. I hadn't realized that I was cold until then. His warmth made me shudder, but at least I could breathe with him there. â€Å"I'm ruining your spring break,† Jacob accused himself as we walked back up the beach. â€Å"No, you're not. I didn't have any plans. I don't think I like spring breaks, anyway.† â€Å"I'll take tomorrow morning off. The others can run without me. We'll do something fun.† The word seemed out of place in my life right now, barely comprehensible, bizarre. â€Å"Fun?† â€Å"Fun is exactly what you need. Hmm† he gazed out across the heaving gray waves, deliberating. As his eyes scanned the horizon, he had a flash of inspiration. â€Å"Got it!† he crowed. â€Å"Another promise to keep.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† He let go of my hand and pointed toward the southern edge of the beach, where the flat, rocky half-moon dead-ended against the sheer sea cliffs. I stared, uncomprehending. â€Å"Didn't I promise to take you cliff diving?† I shivered. â€Å"Yeah, it'll be pretty coldnot as cold as it is today. Can you feel the weather changing? The pressure? It will be warmer tomorrow. You up for it?† The dark water did not look inviting, and, from this angle, the cliffs looked even higher than before. But it had been days since I'd heard Edward's voice. That was probably part of the problem. I was addicted to the sound of my delusions. It made things worse if I went too long without them. Jumping off a cliff was certain to remedy that situation. â€Å"Sure, I'm up for it. Fun.† â€Å"It's a date,† he said, and draped his arm around my shoulders. â€Å"Okaynow let's go get you some sleep.† I didn't like the way the circles under his eyes were beginning to look permanently etched onto his skin. I woke early the next morning and snuck a change of clothes out to the truck. I had a feeling that Charlie would approve of today's plan just about as much as he would approve of the motorcycle. The idea of a distraction from all my worries had me almost excited. Maybe it would be fun. A date with Jacob, a date with Edward I laughed darkly to myself. Jake could say what he wanted about us being a messed-up pairI was the one who was truly messed up. I made the werewolf seem downright normal. I expected Jacob to meet me out front, the way he usually did when my noisy truck announced my arrival. When he didn't, I guessed that he might still be sleeping. I would waitlet him get as much rest as he could. He needed his sleep, and that would give the day time to warm a bit more. Jake had been right about the weather, though; it had changed in the night. A thick layer of clouds pressed heavily on the atmosphere now, making it almost sultry; it was warm and close under the gray blanket. I left my sweater in the truck. I knocked quietly on the door. â€Å"C'mon in, Bella,† Billy said. He was at the kitchen table, eating cold cereal. â€Å"Jake sleeping?† â€Å"Er, no.† He set his spoon down, and his eyebrows pulled together. â€Å"What happened?† I demanded. I could tell from his expression that something had. â€Å"Embry, Jared, and Paul crossed a fresh trail early this morning. Sam and Jake took off to help. Sam was hopefulshe's hedged herself in beside the mountains. He thinks they have a good chance to finish this.† â€Å"Oh, no, Billy,† I whispered. â€Å"Oh, no.† He chuckled, deep and low. â€Å"Do you really like La Push so well that you want to extend your sentence here?† â€Å"Don't make jokes, Billy. This is too scary for that.† â€Å"You're right,† he agreed, still complacent. His ancient eyes were impossible to read. â€Å"This one's tricky.† I bit my lip. â€Å"It's not as dangerous for them as you think it is. Sam knows what he's doing. You're the one that you should worry about. The vampire doesn't want to fight them. She's just trying to find a way around them to you.† â€Å"How does Sam know what he's doing?† I demanded, brushing aside his concern for me. â€Å"They've only killed just the one vampirethat could have been luck.† â€Å"We take what we do very seriously, Bella. Nothing's been forgotten. Everything they need to know has been passed down from father to son for generations.† That didn't comfort me the way he probably intended it to. The memory of Victoria, wild, catlike, lethal, was too strong in my head. If she couldn't get around the wolves, she would eventually try to go through them. Billy went back to his breakfast; I sat down on the sofa and flipped aimlessly though the TV channels. That didn't last long. I started to feel closed in by the small room, claustrophobic, upset by the fact that I couldn't see out the curtained windows. â€Å"I'll be at the beach,† I told Billy abruptly, and hurried out the door. Being outside didn't help as much as I'd hoped. The clouds pushed down with an invisible weight that kept the claustrophobia from easing. The forest seemed strangely vacant as I walked toward the beach. I didn't see any animalsno birds, no squirrels. I couldn't hear any birds, either. The silence was eerie; there wasn't even the sound of wind in the trees. I knew it was all just a product of the weather, but it still made me edgy. The heavy, warm pressure of the atmosphere was perceptible even to my weak human senses, and it hinted at something major in the storm department. A glance at the sky backed this up; the clouds were churning sluggishly despite the lack of breeze on the ground. The closest clouds were a smoky gray, but between the cracks I could see another layer that was a gruesome purple color. The skies had a ferocious plan in store for today. The animals must be bunkering down. As soon as I reached the beach, I wished I hadn't comeI'd already had enough of this place. I'd been here almost every day, wandering alone. Was it so much different from my nightmares? But where else to go? I trudged down to the driftwood tree, and sat at the end so that I could lean against the tangled roots. I stared up at the angry sky broodingly, waiting for the first drops to break the stillness. I tried not to think about the danger Jacob and his friends were in. Because nothing could happen to Jacob. The thought was unendurable. I'd lost too much alreadywould fate take the last few shreds of peace left behind? That seemed unfair, out of balance. But maybe I'd violated some unknown rule, crossed some line that had condemned me. Maybe it was wrong to be so involved with myths and legends, to turn my back on the human world. Maybe No. Nothing would happen to Jacob. I had to believe that or I wouldn't be able to function. â€Å"Argh!† I groaned, and jumped off the log. I couldn't sit still; it was worse than pacing. I'd really been counting on hearing Edward this morning. It seemed like that was the one thing that might make it bearable to live through this day. The hole had been festering lately, like it was getting revenge for the times that Jacob's presence had tamed it. The edges burned. The waves picked up as I paced, beginning to crash against the rocks, but there was still no wind. I felt pinned down by the pressure of the storm. Everything swirled around me, but it was perfectly still where I stood. The air had a faint electric chargeI could feel the static in my hair. Farther out, the waves were angrier than they were along the shore. I could see them battering against the line of the cliffs, spraying big white clouds of sea foam into the sky. There was still no movement in the air, though the clouds roiled more quickly now. It was eerie lookinglike the clouds were moving by their own will. I shivered, though I knew it was just a trick of the pressure. The cliffs were a black knife edge against the livid sky. Staring at them, I remembered the day Jacob had told me about Sam and his â€Å"gang.† I thought of the boysthe werewolvesthrowing themselves into the empty air. The image of the falling, spiraling figures was still vivid in my mind. I imagined the utter freedom of the fall I imagined the way Edward's voice would have sounded in my headfurious, velvet, perfect The burning in my chest flared agonizingly. There had to be some way to quench it. The pain was growing more and more intolerable by the second. I glared at the cliffs and the crashing waves. Well, why not? Why not quench it right now? Jacob had promised me cliff diving, hadn't he? Just because he was unavailable, should I have to give up the distraction I needed so badlyneeded even worse because Jacob was out risking his life? Risking it, in essence, for me. If it weren't for me, Victoria would not be killing people here just somewhere else, far away. If anything happened to Jacob, it would be my fault. That realization stabbed deep and had me jogging back up to the road toward Billy's house, where my truck waited. I knew my way to the lane that passed closest to the cliffs, but I had to hunt for the little path that would take me out to the ledge. As I followed it, I looked for turns or forks, knowing that Jake had planned to take me off the lower outcropping rather than the top, but the path wound in a thin single line toward the brink with no options. I didn't have time to find another way downthe storm was moving in quickly now. The wind was finally beginning to touch me, the clouds pressing closer to the ground. Just as I reached the place where the dirt path fanned out into the stone precipice, the first drops broke through and splattered on my face. It was not hard to convince myself that I didn't have time to search for another wayI wanted to jump from the top. This was the image that had lingered in my head. I wanted the long fall that would feel like flying. I knew that this was the stupidest, most reckless thing I had done yet. The thought made me smile. The pain was already easing, as if my body knew that Edward's voice was just seconds away The ocean sounded very far away, somehow farther than before, when I was on the path in the trees. I grimaced when I thought of the probable temperature of the water. But I wasn't going to let that stop me. The wind blew stronger now, whipping the rain into eddies around me. I stepped out to the edge, keeping my eyes on the empty space in front of me. My toes felt ahead blindly, caressing the edge of the rock when they encountered it. I drew in a deep breath and held it . . waiting. â€Å"Bella.† I smiled and exhaled. Yes? I didn't answer out loud, for fear that the sound of my voice would shatter the beautiful illusion. He sounded so real, so close. It was only when lie was disapproving like this that I could hear the true memory of his voicethe velvet texture and the musical intonation that made up the most perfect of all voices. â€Å"Don't do this,† he pleaded. You wanted me to be human, I reminded him. Well, watch me. â€Å"Please. For me.† But you won't stay with me any other way. â€Å"Please.† It was just a whisper in the blowing rain that tossed my hair and drenched my clothesmaking me as wet as if this were my second jump of the day. I rolled up onto the balls of my feet. â€Å"No, Bella!† He was angry now, and the anger was so lovely. I smiled and raised my arms straight out, as if I were going to dive, lifting my face into the rain. But it was too ingrained from years of swimming at the public poolfeet first, first time. I leaned forward, crouching to get more spring And I flung myself off the cliff. I screamed as I dropped through the open air like a meteor, but it was a scream of exhilaration and not fear. The wind resisted, trying vainly to fight the unconquerable gravity, pushing against me and twirling me in spirals like a rocket crashing to the earth. Yes! The word echoed through my head as I sliced through the surface of the water. It was icy, colder than I'd feared, and yet the chill only added to the high. I was proud of myself as I plunged deeper into the freezing black water. I hadn't had one moment of terrorjust pure adrenaline. Really, the fall wasn't scary at all. Where was the challenge? That was when the current caught me. I'd been so preoccupied by the size of the cliffs, by the obvious danger of their high, sheer faces, that I hadn't worried at all about the dark water waiting. I never dreamed that the true menace was lurking far below me, under the heaving surf. It felt like the waves were fighting over me, jerking me back and forth between them as if determined to share by pulling me into halves. I knew the right way to avoid a riptide: swim parallel to the beach rather than struggling for the shore. But the knowledge did me little good when I didn't know which way the shore was. I couldn't even tell which way the surface was. The angry water was black in every direction; there was no brightness to direct me upward. Gravity was all-powerful when it competed with the air, but it had nothing on the wavesI couldn't feel a downward pull, a sinking in any direction. Just the battering of the current that flung me round and round like a rag doll. I fought to keep my breath in, to keep my lips locked around my last store of oxygen. It didn't surprise me that my delusion of Edward was there. He owed me that much, considering that I was dying. I was surprised by how sure that knowledge was. I was going to drown. I was drowning. â€Å"Keep swimming!† Edward begged urgently in my head. Where? There was nothing but the darkness. There was no place to swim to. â€Å"Stop that!† he ordered. â€Å"Don't you dare give up!† The cold of the water was numbing my arms and legs. I didn't feel the buffeting so much as before. It was more of just a dizziness now, a helpless spinning in the water. But I listened to him. I forced my arms to continue reaching, my legs to kick harder, though every second I was facing a new direction. It couldn't be doing any good. What was the point? â€Å"Fight!† he yelled. â€Å"Damn it, Bella, keep fighting.† Why? I didn't want to fight anymore. And it wasn't the light-headedness, or the cold, or the failure of my arms as the muscles gave out in exhaustion, that made me content to stay where I was. I was almost happy that it was over. This was an easier death than others I'd faced. Oddly peaceful. I thought briefly of the clichs, about how you were suppose to see your life flash before your eyes. I was so much luckier. Who wanted to see a rerun, anyway? I saw him, and I had no will to fight. It was so clear, so much more defined than any memory. My subconscious had stored Edward away in flawless detail, saving him for this final moment. I could see his perfect face as if he were really there; the exact shade of his icy skin, the shape of his lips, the line of his jaw, the gold glinting in his furious eyes. He was angry, naturally, that I was giving up. His teeth were clenched and his nostrils flared with rage. â€Å"No! Bella, no!† My ears were flooded with the freezing water, but his voice was clearer than ever. I ignored his words and concentrated on the sound of his voice. Why would I fight when I was so happy where I was? Even as my lungs burned for more air and my legs cramped in the icy cold, I was content. I'd forgotten what real happiness felt like. Happiness. It made the whole dying thing pretty bearable. The current won at that moment, shoving me abruptly against something hard, a rock invisible in the gloom. It hit me solidly across the chest, slamming into me like an iron bar, and the breath whooshed out of my lungs, escaping in a thick cloud of silver bubbles. Water flooded down my throat, choking and burning. The iron bar seemed to be dragging me, pulling me away from Edward, deeper into the dark, to the ocean floor. Goodbye, I love you, was my last thought.

Why has the New Christian Right been so successful in US politics Essay

Why has the New Christian Right been so successful in US politics since the early 1990s - Essay Example America was one of the most liberal democratic countries in the world until recent times. People from all over the world and from different cultures stayed in harmony in America because of the immense freedom and liberties supplied to them by the most civilized administrations in America. Even though America is a Christian dominant country, Hindus, Muslims, Jews and Sikhs faced no discrimination in America until recent times. In fact they were able to establish their own churches, mosques and temples and were able to spread their religion across America. However, 9/11 world trade centre attack by some of the terrorists forced America to rethink and redefine its policies towards people from other cultures and countries. America society is believed to be the most liberal society in the world. Same sex marriages, gayism, lesbianism and homosexuality are accepted life styles in America at present. Americans do not bother much to reveal their sexual orientation at present. Instead of marriage, the new concept of living together is getting popularity in America now. However, it should be noted that a substantial portion of American population still believe in traditions, customs and religions. They are not ready to accept the changes with both hands. Such people started the efforts to regain the lost values, customs and traditions in America society. As a result of that, concepts such as Christian Right and New Christian Right started to develop in America. Christian right is a term used to describe the right political groups in America. It is an informal coalition of various religious communities such as Catholics, Evangelists and Protestants. Right wing political groups in America are adamant in their beliefs and are not ready to dilute their religious beliefs for political gains. They are keen in developing a political system in accordance with the Christian doctrines. As Republican Party principles are

Porter Novelli Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Porter Novelli - Research Paper Example On the other hand, strategic leaders develop strategic visions and mission to guide performance management. Heckman (2011) argues that the leaders create ideas aligned with the imagination and energies of the employees. Ideally, the strategic leader understands the ultimate task of aligning human resources to the human vision. However, they usually attach the vision to the organizational values to enhance greater performance. Properly designed ideas move the enterprise, value the past and looks at improved future returns. Furthermore, the strategic leaders articulate a separate mission of the company to guide the behavior of the stakeholders of the organization. The mission is a valuable tool for an organization that is used to describe why the organization exists. According to Bourne, Melnyk, and Faull (2007), strategic leaders formulate good mission statements with a unique contribution to the attitudes of the employees and customers. Besides, strategic leaders set goals and objectives that drive performance. The strategic kicks usually begin with the leader setting strategic goals and achievable objectives. According to Venkateswara (2004), this is what drives good performance within the organization as well as enhancing commitments in executing the tasks. Mostly, strategic leaders set measurable goals then build attainment incentives to ensure the employees work hard towards achieving them. The incentives tend to motivate and realize the goal-attaining behavior to the employees. Subsequently, strategic leaders craft effective strategies that enhance performance management within the organization. According to Demartini (2013), crafting of strategies aligns the activities with the available resources of the organization. In fact, the essence of the strategy helps the leaders in choosing what to do and what not to do. Specifically, this directs the efforts on what should be done, and this enables the organization to operate at its

A critical examination of the Korean Dietary regimen Essay

A critical examination of the Korean Dietary regimen - Essay Example Due to the various disasters and flood in Korea the dietary regimen in the country has been affected and is becoming worse. The Korean government gave more importance to the guns for fighting than food for people, which has changed the dietary procedures of the people living there. The Korean people have a-lot of vegetables and meat, which in turn gives them protein which is very essential and often suggested by doctors for a healthy living. The Korean people make various types of granule alcohol, which is most commonly and particularly known as Soju. The Korean females are not allowed to imbibe alcohol however on the other hand alcoholism is not unidentified and most commonly used amongst the Korean men. A great proportion of the Korean males go through from various types of kidney or liver tribulations and stomach cancer as a result of too much utilization of intoxicating drinks or alcohol. The various types of Korean diet puts forward a hale and hearty assemblage of foodstuff, which is short in animal fat in addition to far above the ground in fiber, however a elevated usage of sodium is instituted in Korean dishes which has soy sauce, hot sauce, bean paste, and fish sauce but too much sodium utilization is considered to be the root to various physical conditions. Sodium usage has been a sign of the fact that using saline excess can increase the probability of elevated blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, diabetes, liver fat, fragile bones, asthma, premature deaths and stomach cancer. Usages of too much sugary stuff, which have a high rate of sugar, cause diabetics. Koreans have started using salt to conserve food, and the people with a high blood pressure problem or diabetes are over and over again told to decrease the sodium in their food. Different consumption examples become a sign of dissimilar dietary mores through out the world.

Immigrants and Employment Discrimination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Immigrants and Employment Discrimination - Essay Example It becomes more prominent during economic and social uncertainty such as the Great Depression where people try to find somebody to blame much in the same way as we blame others for our failures. Who gets the blame There is human tendency for people to blame others and not themselves and because they fear blaming their 'own kind', the situation becomes bad for those of different color of the skin, different accent, different religious beliefs etc. To make the long story short, it is usually the immigrants where they lay their misfortune-ruined eyes. Immigrants have been the targets of many jokes, unfair labor practices, bias and prejudice. This especially goes true for the state of California where immigration is the highest. Discrimination is real and existent as shown, for example, by the media who uses videos of African Americans as criminals and White Americans as the life saver of the nation (in the coverage of war and implemented national health programs). Virtually every time we hear about immigrants in the news, it's not about celebrating their many contributions, sacrifice or heartwarming love and loyalty for this country, but rather about how they break the laws and drain the system. Immigrants are usually perceived as an uneducated person and a liability that must be eliminated. Such hatred for people is not confined in the USA alone but finds extreme scenarios in other countries such as what Hitler and Slobon Milosevic embarked upon. Discriminatory practices also vary among immigrants. Light skinned people would generally be more acceptable than dark and brown colored people. In any case, immigrants are seen as a stranger that should not be fairly treated in the household. Yet in truth and in fact, the United States is a country of immigrants that can be traced in history. The fact is that every American is either an immigrant or a descendent of an immigrant. In fact, immigrants are the true story of America . There are countless inspirational stories of immigrants who made a tremendous difference and contributed to the fabric of the American heritage. This paper aims to discuss the discriminatory practices regarding employment of immigrants in the United States. As such, it becomes necessary to deal with historical facts to make us aware of how America actually is a nation of immigrants. We will also discuss the differential degree of discrimination with regards to the white skinned rather than colored people such as the Native Americans and African Americans. It is aimed that even in such limited space, a worthy discussion on an issue (which have been the subject of many studies and articles) can be constructed in a way that is informative as it is enlightening. Foreigners in the Land of Promise Native Americans Colonists arrived to take advantage of the land resources and opportunities afforded by a virgin America. The entry of European and Christian values into a continent that was inhabited by American Indians (Native Americans) of a distinctly different culture made clashes inevitable. Operating with government assistance, the colonists subdued the original Native Americans and usurped their most fertile fields, prized resources, timber lands, and grazing areas. Now the Indians are found in reserves where most of them had been transplanted from their original

Legal Critique#1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Legal Critique#1 - Assignment Example aking into account federal funds, which the University received for educational necessities, the deaf student was supposed to use the services of sign-language interpreter provided by the University. However, the University refused to satisfy the student’s requirement and, therefore, displayed discriminatory attitude to a person with physical deviation (P#3, C#1, L#11-13). The plaintiff demanded the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas to provide declaratory relief and oblige the respondent to ensure the services of interpreter. The Federal Court granted preliminary injunction, which forced the University to satisfy the plaintiff’s complaint. This decision was made based on the assumption that Walter Camenisch would prevail on merits. Simultaneously, preliminary injunction took place along with the requirement for the plaintiff to post a security bond of $3,000.00 (1981 P#3, C#1, L#31-35). However, the case was forwarded to the Court of Appeals claiming for its mootness caused with the graduation of a student. The Court of Appeals confirmed the preliminary injunction. The University received certiorari (1981, P#3, C#2, L#8-12). But the Supreme Court raised the issue regarding not the question about who should pay for the interpreter, which the Court of Appeals correctly decided to be viewed in a trial on the merits, but whether the District Court exceeded the authority and violated its discretion by granting preliminary relief (1981 P#1, C#2, L#6-7). Considering the chance that the absence of injunction would harm Walter Camenisch, the District Court granted preliminary injunction based on a judgment on the merits. Preliminary evaluation of the merits showed prevalence of the student. In addition, the court ordered the complainant to ensure security bond for protecting the defendant. The University implemented the court’s decision and the student graduated meanwhile the Court of Appeals rejected the mootness of the case stating that

United parcel service and aviation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

United parcel service and aviation - Essay Example This paper presents the detailed summary of UPS marketing in aviation sector and other aspects like what are the services offered by the United Parcel Service for the customers of UPS. UPS business has seen a remarkable growth in the last fifteen to twenty years.The extent of competition between their competitors has also reached to a point of saturation which is making the UPS aviation sector to entice the customers with lucrative offers. Due to this competition the other parcel service operators are also providing out of the air port services to the customers.In the process to achieve the targets set by the UPS, employees try to provide the customers with the best discounts possible. In addition this paper classifies how many types of air busses are available with UPS and what are the techniques or services offered by the UPS to target the customers. The name of the competitors mentioned in the work is only used for the information purpose and not for circulation within the media.T he role of UPS in aviation sector is quit evident because the aviation sector uses some of the best servers and computers related with high end aeronautic equipment used for aviation which should help UPS to grow maximum extent possible and hence UPS support and substantiate the uninterrupted break thru in the work culture of the present day business requirements.United Parcel Service started in 1970 first as a messenger company in the United States. Now its stake is approximately $36 billion. It achieved this position by focusing on the goal of enabling commerce around the globe. Today UPS is the world's largest package delivery company and also a leading global provider of specialized transportation and logistics delivery. It operates in 200 countries worldwide. The growth of UPS in terms of economy is surprising, who would have imagined that a teenage boy borrowing one hundred dollars to start a package delivery business would create a company that is presently worth more than thirty billion dollars. Jim Casey, who was the founder, with the help of his brother and friends started The American Messenger Company in the year 1907. Their main task was to deliver packages, different sort of luggage and messages. At that the main transport for the company was bicycle. Though initially they faced many problems their business was a success. The only marketing techniques UPS uses to target customers to use UPS instead of DHL, FED-EX, USPS etc are the wide variety of services they provide to their customers and global clients. They not only provide wide variety of services but also make sure that the services provided are above the standards set by the company. According to business and commerce marketing is done for which there is no market. The service that UPS provides has a ready made global market. UPS sure knows how to tap the global market. To tap the global market UPS instead of using marketing techniques it believed in providing high-end customer service round the clock throughout the year The most important and primary services provided by the UPS are. 1. Shipping. 2. Tracking. 3. Support. 4. Business Solutions. Shipping: A customer can himself create a shipment to what ever the location he requires across 200 countries worldwide. A customer can calculate time and cost required for shipment to a specific location.

Comparison of African and Native American Responses to Europe Essay

Comparison of African and Native American Responses to Europe - Essay Example Through this paper, the writer will explore the similarity between the experiences of European colonialism, among the members of the two minority groups. For both the Native Americans and the black Americans, the phenomena of colonialism developed in a progressive way. For the Native Americans, the times before colonialism and during the early years of experience, they were often referred as noble savages. On their part, Native Americans described themselves in a similar manner, as the groups originating from the nations. Later on, the Indians were given more negative labels, including that they were heathens, wild, savages and those changed to modern labels like drunken Indians (Aguirre & Turner, 2009). In a similar manner, the experience of the Black Americans, their experience of colonialism also developed progressively. In their case, the people that later became the victims of colonialism started out as merchants, Arabic scholars, animal-tenders, arts people and peasants to the would-be colonizers. However, later on as their colonization progressed, they were viewed as niggers, uncivilized, childlike and to current labels, inclu ding criminals and rapists (Glaser, 2005). The experience of Native groups and blacks was similar in that, both groups suffered from the inhumane mistreatment projected by their colonizers. In the case of the Native Americans, the mistreatment experienced entailed the dispossession of their lands by their colonizers (Nash, 2014). In a similar, but different way, the blacks suffered from the mistreatment of their colonizers, which took the forms of forced labor and denial of their human rights. In similar ways, the mistreatment experienced by the Native and the black groups was practiced at both a personal level and also in institutionalized ways. In giving justifications and explanations about the mistreatment of the two groups, the colonizers relied on the idealized ideologies that were institutionalized using social

Think of your own Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Think of your own - Essay Example E-coins have significantly simplified the activities involved in the exchange of goods and services. There is a growth in the popularity of the e-coin usage. The growth of e-coin users presents Goldman Sachs with a viable opportunity that needs to be utilized (Meiklejohn et al. pp 1-10). For Goldman Sachs to acquire a strategic position in the future investment industry, it is crucial to introduce e-coin services to its portfolio. E-coins have numerous advantages that have contributed to their growing popularity (Meiklejohn et al, pp.20-25). The number of e-coin users has grown at a high rate in recent times. By April 2015, the number of e-coin users stood at over 3million. The number of e-coin transactions is also on the increase with over 120,000 transactions per day as at March 2015. The e-coin market value is also inclining. These trends provide Goldman Sachs an opportunity to utilize in its quest to maintain competitive advantage over its rivals. With such high rates of growth in various e-coin components, the investment industry is expected to react. Investment executives from different firms are examining the e-coin market to assess the feasibility of earning good returns from it. It will be appropriate for Goldman Sachs to act before its competitors since there is growing attention towards this opportunity from various investment companies. E-coin transactions are quick. A typical e-coin transaction only takes 5 minutes. Bank transactions across different borders take up to 5 days. E–coin transactions do not have charge transaction fees. The short time that e-coin transactions take will Ensure that Goldman Sachs handle more transactions that will in turn translate to increased revenues. Transaction costs will also decline since e-coin transactions do not charge transaction fees. The amount of cost minimized will contribute to increasing profits for Goldman Sachs. E-coins are not controlled or regulated by central

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost Essay Example for Free

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost Essay The act of choosing is one of the most basic, yet complex thought processes of the human mind. We humans encounter the action of choosing every single day, it can be as simple as picking out what shoes to wear, or as life altering as deciding to get an abortion. In modern western culture, citizens have the right of freedom, thus granted independence of choice. This in effect, generates unlimited amount of opportunities and choices to be made. The obvious dilemma here, being which choice is the correct one, and why we pursue to make this choice. After reading the poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken† by Robert Frost, the act of choosing strikes me as the main concept of the poem. The concept of choice is introduced and used throughout the entire poem, in a first person narrative style of writing. My interpretation of â€Å"The Road Not Taken† is that Robert Frost delivers a thoughtful way of expressing a first person choice process. He demonstrates just how important choices can be in our lives, done through writing about his decision to travel through a road over another, and later comes to the conclusion he should have taken the other road. Another important concept Robert Frost puts forward, is that one choice may perhaps lead to another choice by delivering the phrase â€Å"Yet knowing way leads to way† in the fourth sentence of the thirds stanza. I therefore believe that the poem can be compared to a gradual experience of a choice made in ones life. Demonstrating how usually one decides to follow a certain path in their life, as it seems the more suitable choice at the point in time. However it may not be the best choice or seem as good as it did in the beginning.

Understanding Organisational Behaviour And Leadership Management Essay

Understanding Organisational Behaviour And Leadership Management Essay Leadership is a vital and pivotal role in any organisation, regardless of size. It can be in the form of a single person in a small sole-trader like business, or in the complex structure of a multinational corporation. Leadership is essential for organisations to achieve their goals, and to manage their employees in the process. I will be looking into the theories of leadership and assessing how they affect the work performance of employees, in terms of motivation and efficiency. In particular, I will discuss the path-goal theory, and how it links into the different styles of management affecting employee work performance, as well as the benefits and criticisms of the model, and finishing with a conclusion as to what my stance is on the subject of leadership affecting work performance and to what extent performance is affected by leadership and theories such as this. From preliminary reading and understanding of this area in the subject of organisational behaviour, my viewpoint can come to assume that leadership does have an effect on an employees performance, and that the style and method of leadership does have a positive correlation on the mentioned relationship. The Path-Goal Theory The performance of employees in an organisation is much dependant on the leadership they have. Leadership has to be effective and tailored to the particular situation to ensure that the optimum efficiency is achieved. The path-goal theory of leadership effectiveness, developed by Robert House in 1976, is a transactional leadership theory that explains how leadership should be carried out in a manner that brings out the best in the employees abilities and is dependent on the efficiency, motivation and satisfaction of the employees in an organisation. The theory outlines how leadership behaviour and the employees abilities will lead to a particular path that will achieve the outcome, the goal (House, 1996). This goal would be a mutual goal of the worker and the organisation. Different leadership styles are needed, in terms of leadership behaviour, depending on the demands and circumstance of the particular state of affairs (House, 1971). Looking at the theory in more detail, this situational leadership theory explains how an individuals attitudes and their behaviour are in ­fluenced by the link between their effort and performance, the goal paths, and the attractiveness of the rewards, which is the goal attractiveness, being it the leaders job for this direction (Strebel, 1994). Therefore, these individuals would be productive, and their desires fulfilled when they see a strong connection between their effort and performance and when this results in highly appreciated rewards. House argues that the most successful leaders are those who assist their subordinates go down the path to receiving valued rewards (Indvik, 1986). The theory states that leader behaviour must be motivating and gratifying to the level that it clarifies the aims and the paths to the goals and as a result increases goal attainment, hence success, thus increasing the work performance of the employees (Evans, 1970). From this, we can gain the basic idea behind the path-goal theory as being the following shown in Figure 1.1 (Northouse, 2007): The path-goal theory is a very complex concept, as you look further into it. An array of factors and characteristics, such as leadership behaviour, subordinate characteristics and task characteristics are evident when looking at this concept of path-goal theory (Northouse, 2007). Even though there are potentially many different leadership styles, this theory approach has broken down these styles into four distinct leadership styles (House Mitchell, 1974). Directive Leadership: this style is where the leader would tell the workers what to do and what is expected and provide detailed guidance, standards of work, and schedules of work to assist performance Supportive Leadership: in this style, the leader treats its subordinates as an equal member of the organisation, and would go out of their way to ensure the well being, personal needs and status of the employees are maintained pleasantly. In addition to this, there would be interpersonal relationships developed as a result of this leadership style. Participative Leadership: this is a more democratic leadership style, whereby the subordinates are involved in the decision-making process of the organisation. The leader would consult the employees and take into account their opinions when making decision on how the group will tackle the task. Achievement-orientated Leadership: leaders set high targets and challenging goals for the subordinate to achieve, and therefore expects them to perform at their highest standard. However, achievement-orientated leaders show large amounts of confidence in their workers to achieve the goals set out. In comparison to Fiedlers Contingency Theory (Fiedler, 1967), which advocates that leadership style is resistant to change, the path-goal theory is one where the same manager can execute the four different styles of leadership behaviour during different situations at different times. However, it must be taken into consideration that although path-goal model fails to explain how to identify the most appropriate leadership style, the theory does give a series of situational factors that need to be taken into account when making the decision on the style of leadership. From this, we can see, in Figure 1.2, the major components of the path-goal theory, putting everything discussed so far into a visual model (Northouse, 2007). Strengths and Weaknesses of the Path-Goal Theory The path goal theory has both strengths and weaknesses. One key positive of this model is the fact that it is the first attempt to provide an expanded framework which brings together the previous works of contingent and situational leadership as well as the expectancy theory (Jermier, 1996). Furthermore, the path-goal theory is one where attempts have been made to incorporate motivation principles from the expectancy theory into the theory of leadership, and from my further reading, this seems to be a unique characteristic, as no other leadership theory has this relationship with the principles of motivation. In addition to all of this, the path-goal theory has a clear direction, and a path, so to speak. It definitive as to what the managers need to do with their subordinates and it defines very practical and clear roles for a leader. It ensures that questions are constantly being asked of improvements in work performance to reach the mutual objectives of all. On the other hand, there are also many criticisms that are to be addressed. This model is regarded to be a very complex theory since it considers many parameters and therefore requires extensive analysis of those parameters to effectively choose the correct leadership style for the situation at hand. Additionally, another limitation has come about from the relationships detailed by the path-goal model. These have been the subjects of a number of empirical studies to test the validity of the theory (Schriesheim Kerr, 1997; Schriesheim Schriesheim, 1980; Schriesheim Von Glinow, 1977; Stinson Johnson, 1975; Wofford Liska, 1993). In some of this research, it is apparent that leader direction is strongly related to the workers satisfaction when tasks are ambiguous, however other pieces of research fail to agree on this. Another factor to be noted as a criticism of this theory is element that not all aspects of the theory have been given the same amount of attention and detail in the creation of the model, as well as much of the research to date only involving partial aspects of the model (Faulk Wendler, 1982), it is evident that a good level of detail has gone into the aspects of directive and supportive leadership, unlike the other two styles, participated and achievement-orientated, have fewer studies addressing them. It is therefore that the claims of this model will remain tentative due to the lack of a full picture in the research findings and not being able to have consistent corollaries of path-goal theory (Evans, 1996; Jermier, 1996; Schriesheim Neider, 1996). This extent research has tested the theorys predictions regarding the moderators of lead ­ership effectiveness, and how to assess as to whether the situational variables interrelate with the leadership styles in the predicted approach. It can be verified that the model is successful in predicting how the situational variables and leadership styles come together to influence individual satisfaction. However, the model seems not be a good predictor of a group or even and individual performance. The final criticism that can be made of the path-goal theory concerns an indirect outcome as a result of implementing such a theory. The model greatly relies on leaders to give full direction, coaching and guidance to their subordinates and it is the leaders who define the goals and assist them in their path to success and achieving these objectives. This therefore means that there is an enormous reliance on the leaders from the workforce, disregarding independence. As a result subordinates are dependent and reliant on the leaders and managers to get through the obstacles during the path to the goal, and hence, this theory fails to recognise and utilise the full abilities and skills of the subordinates, asking questions of the subordinates in the firm rather than the leaders, and originally mentioned in the original theory (Green, 1979). In some ways we can see that the major disadvantage in trying to authenticate the model empirically, is the fact that the model contains too many variables and simply tries to explain too much, making it very complex. Therefore, conducting an experiment examining the full path-goal theory of leadership will be difficult because of the numerous variables. Nonetheless, the studies that are available tend to support the model, even though they suggest that it understates the intricacy of the situation. Adding to this, the research mentioned recommend that other variables, such as structure and conflict, also need to be integrated into it. Conclusion The path-goal theory was developed for leaders to help and assist them in motivating subordinates to be productive, efficient and increase job satisfaction. Due to it being a theory that is based upon the task, the behaviour of the leader as well as the contributions of the subordinates, it can be classed as a contingency theory, one of which has been derived and created from the expectancy theory. An expectancy theory is one about the mental processes regarding choosing or making a choice. It explains the processes that an individual undergoes to make choices. On the other hand a contingency theory can be defined as the theory that explains how different management styles will be more effective in different situations. Looking at the four different leadership styles, it gives the leader room for change and provides a more dynamic approach to this aspect of business. It is certain to say that leadership does affect and employees work performance. As to what extent by which it is affected, that is something that is subject to a matter of individual opinion. Referring back to my stance, it can be believed that there is a strong positive relation between a good leader and subsequently increased work performance by the subordinates. Theories and models such as this, the path-goal model, provide a great guidance to leaders and manager as to how they can be effective themselves, in order for this to be passed down the hierarchy in the firm. This model gives some structure an despite the fact that it does have many criticisms and drawbacks it is one that offers a large et of predictions and assumptions as to how leaders interact with their subordinates, and the idea of steering them down the right path in order to achieve this common goal and objective with a reward that motivates them, achieving goal attractiveness is a great one, and perfectly sums up this theory and its objectives. Being one of the first models to provide an expanded framework, which brings together the previous works of contingent and situational leadership, it is far more complex than what one would initially think. It proves that leadership is effective and useful, especially when tasks are unclear and/or the subordinates are autonomous, and choosing the right leadership style is essential in motivating employees and increasing their work performance. It is therefore that I believe that leadership does greatly affect and influence employee work per formance, looking at it through the analysis of the path-goal theory of leader effectiveness.

We see and understand things not as they are but as we are.

We see and understand things not as they are but as we are. Malav Manek XII-C Topic: We see and understand things not as they are but as we are. Discuss this claim in relation to at least two ways of knowing. Why do different people see the same things differently? The answer to this question could be the claim mentioned above. Knowledge is an extensive concept which has no precise definition since it has no end or limit. In TOK context, the acquisition and understanding of knowledge varies from person to person depending on how one has been brought up, his/her lifestyle and experiences and how widely he/she has been exposed to the great world. In other words, if you look at the above topic, what I would comprehend would be different from what anyone else would. In my view, not only is this claim applicable to the audience as a whole but also my mind and my upbringing agree with it; hence this statement can be assessed from a variety of perspective or to be precise, point of view. Several personal and universal examples can be used to verify or disprove this claim and the justifications may also depend on how knowledge is acquired: the ways of knowing. In view of the fact that knowledge is around us, there are several ways of acquiring it for the best of our intellect. Perception as one of the ways of knowing is simply the grasping of things and information through our five senses i.e. sight, taste, touch, smell and sound. Perception is an essential way in almost all areas of knowledge and many people including me depend on this source of knowledge. There are several components that affect a persons way of perceiving certain information. Sometimes, a person is likely to understand only what he expects or want to see or hear and neglects any other details that are not thought to be present. In my opinion, a mans amount of interest on a particular topic may also influence the way he would perceive it. At times, we tend to forget what we had fully seen or understood and hence I think this way of knowing is not completely reliable for all situations; though we can always confirm about something if more than one of our senses or any ot her sources support or confirm it. Every man is exposed to some form of literature in his life. This could either be in terms of childhood folktales or in poems studied at high school. Taking my own example, I used to be narrated several short stories just like any other kindergarten kid. These stories that had animals as the characters were meant to amuse all the children. On the other hand, these fables had a moral that taught a lesson about everyday life. As a child, I did not realize the importance of these morals but I was rather keen on the comic elements of the characters and the animated images. This was because I used to see things as I was and not as they were. As time passed, I got exposed to several principles of life and my knowledge got expanded. After a couple of years, my perception about the stories changed and I then understood from The Tortoise and the Hare, that the slow and steady always wins the race rather than just knowing that the slow tortoise won the race. As time passed by, even though the tale (thing) is as it was, my perception and understanding about it has completely changed since how I see and understand things now is entirely different from how I used to see and understand things earlier in my life. Emotions, on the other hand, include the sentiments, mood or passion either within us or outside us. Emotions differ in everyone at all times depending on the present circumstances a person encounters. This method of knowing usually gives rise to physical signs on a being other than the cerebral facet. Furthermore, emotions can also be altered by religious and ethical beliefs. A disciple of a certain religion would be disturbed and would not accept any claims against his practice especially if he intensely believed in it. Emotions are effective techniques of knowing since they help us in reducing down our choices in life. It is always easier to choose from a restricted short list rather than a collection of free options. Powerful emotions could either be a hurdle in acquiring knowledge or it could have a positive influence on our perception. Music is everywhere around us. This form of art is absolutely related to emotions since peoples moods get affected by perceiving, composing or playing it. Different types of music are categorized to represent various forms of emotions. The linking of music to a particular emotion differs from person to person. In a real life situation, one would use music to thrill, entertain, or relax oneself; everyone uses different types of music to deal with a particular state of mind. Regardless of the language portrayed by a particular song, preference for a type of music is the only reason to why anyones emotions would change to be upbeat from anxiety or sorrow; this concept is known as biased perception. Consequently, one would try to construct and describe fallacious reasons in order to support his choice and hence result into the powerful and changed emotions. When applying music in the medical field, doctors believe that it makes a patient feel better and fastens up the healing process. According to Dr. Michael DeBakey, In medicine, increasing published reports demonstrate that music has a healing effect on patients. [1] In my opinion, music tends to liven up the environment of the hospital which is usually very quiet and sorrowful. In a hospital, the atmosphere is normally such that the patient would always consider himself to be sick since his mind knows why he would have been admitted there. Use of music as a medium of entertainment would change the patients perception about the hospitals ambiance and hence his emotions would be modified accordingly. In this way, the person would overcome his psychological feeling of sickness and consider himself to be in a standard environment with no trouble. On the whole, music regulates our emotions which thus amend our perception about a specific thing; this allows us to see and understand things not as they are but as we are. Furthermore, one of the famous theories, Newtons second law of motion said that force was equal to mass times acceleration for all moving bodies. Isaac Newton constructed this theory on the basis of moving objects experienced by him and used by him in his daily life. It was his beliefs and expectations that affected the way he saw things. Accordingly, he concluded this generalized law which was believed by the world since everyone thought the way Newton did. This was, however, challenged by Albert Einstein who argued against the theory saying that it could not be applied to fast moving objects for example Light which is the fastest moving object on earth. He rectified the theory by introducing the relativity theory that was more accurate and suitable to calculate the force of any moving object at any speed. Einsteins thoughts and beliefs regarding this theory were different since he viewed the earth from a different perception when compared to those of Newton even though both were gr eat scientists. It can

How important is Book 11 to the overall meaning of The Odyssey? Essay

How important is Book 11 to the overall meaning of The Odyssey? The overall significance of Book 11 to the epic is that it shows how things change over time (Anticleia's death, the suitors at his home), which can be missed if someone is not around. It also shows us that the Ancient Greeks believe in destiny and intervention from the gods. The sacrifices and prayers from Odysseus and the attention he pays to Teiresias about returning to Ithaca show this. If he did not pay attention to Teiresias he may have done something to displease the gods (such as killing the 'Sun-gods' cattle and sheep). This could have lead to intervention from the gods to prevent Odysseus and his men from returning to their home. Book 11 also shows that they believed greatly in the afterlife, but unlike modern religions they believed that everyone went to Hades (Hell), with the exception of those souls who were left to wander the earth for all eternity. The afterlife was always thought to be a lot darker and bleaker than people now seem to think. It is Circe who tells Odysseus of the trip which he and his men must take. He then has to tell all of his men. All of them are very distraught when they first find out that they must travel to the ends of the earth. They know it is going to be a journey of many perils. This is why Homer describes the men as 'heart-broken' telling us 'They sat down where they were and wept and tore their hair. But their lamentations achieved nothing.' (Book 10, lines 566-568.) This shows that they are greatly disheartened by the news, having thought that their next voyage would take them back to their homeland. They know that there is nothing that they can do to avoid this risk filled journey, which makes it an even more arduous a task for them. It is probable that the men were aware that their end was fast approaching. Any journey to Hades made by a living mortal is going to be dangerous. It would only usually be made by the souls of the dead, who would not need to sail, as Odysseus and his men did. This would have most likely made the men think that they would not complete their trip to Hades or would not return from it. At this point of the voyage I don't think that anyone, with the probable exception of Odysseus, expects to see Ithaca or their family again. It is more likely that knowing they are heading for Hades, t... ...tors and cheats whom this dark world brings forth in such profusion to spin their lying yarns which nobody can test.' (Lines, 364-366.) This too is a possibility, as Odysseus has no proof of what he is saying, and that could be another reason he has offered to stay up to a year. Alcinous then asks Odysseus to continue, as he has 'the artistry of a bard.' (Line 369.), asking more of his friends, their expedition to Ilium and their deaths, saying 'We have endless time ahead of us tonight, it's early for us to go to our beds.' (Lines 373-374.) Odysseus agrees to continue the tale, but does imply he is tired, saying that there is also time for sleep. I think that Homer sees humankind as chess pieces, which the gods or destiny are playing with. From the prophecies made, and what we know to happen after them, it seems that occurrences in the poem have been pre-destined. I think in The Odyssey Homer sees humans as insignificant overall. The have little influence over their lives; the gods decide what will happen with them. The lives of mortals seem to be a game for the gods, where they all want their character to win. Athene wants Odysseus to win, but Poseidon does not.

Buddism Essay -- Religion Philosophy

Buddism Buddhism is probably the most tolerant religion of the world, as the teaching can coexist with any other religion. Other religions however, aim to be restricted and cannot accommodate Buddhism at the same time. The Buddhist teaching on God - in the sense of an ultimate Reality - is neither skeptic (as is sometimes claimed), nor vague, but clear and logical. That we can neither define, describe, nor usefully discuss the nature of that which is beyond the perception of our infinite consciousness. It may be indicated by negatives and described indirectly by analogy and symbols, but otherwise it must ever remain in its truest sense unknown and unexpressed, as being to us in our present state unknowable. In the same way, Buddhism denies the existence in man of an immortal soul. The Enlightenment which dwells in life does not belong to one form of life. All that is man's changing and mortal; the Immortal is not any man's. The Buddha pointed out how no thing is the same at this moment as it was a moment ago. Even the everlasting hills are slowly being worn away, and every particle of the human body, even the hardest, is replaced every seven years. There is no finality or rest within this universe, only a ceaseless becoming and a never-ending change. Buddhism is a natural religion; it does not violate either mind or body. Its ethics closely approximate the Natural Law. The Buddha became aware of how men are born and die according to their good and evil actions, according to their self-created Karma (or the consequence of worthy and deserving deeds). Buddhism is a teaching of the Buddha who was born a prince of Kapilavathu, at the part of the Himalaya mountains near the border of Nepal in 623 B.C. He married and ... ...nverted to schools, and other public use. Monks and nuns have been required to undertake employment in addition to their religious functions. In Tibet, the Chinese, after their takeover and the escape of the Dalai Lama and other Buddhist officials into India in 1959, attempted to undercut Buddhist influence. Only in Japan since World War II have truly new Buddhist movements grown. Growing interest in Asian culture and spiritual values in the West has led to the development of a number of societies devoted to the study and practice of Buddhism. As its influence in the West slowly grows, Buddhism is once again beginning to undergo a process of adaptation to its new environment. Although its influence in the U.S. is still small, apart from immigrant Japanese and Chinese communities, it seems that new, distinctively American forms of Buddhism may eventually develop.

Critical Analysis of the India Sri Lanka Fta

INDIA – SRI LANKA BILATERAL FREE TRADE AGREEMENT: Critical Analysis INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW PROJECT REPORT LLB 404 Submitted to: Asst. Professor MANISH SHARMA Submitted by: ADITYA VASHISTH 13510303809 (VIII Semester) May, 2013 Amity Law School, New Delhi TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 2. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 3. CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE ISFTA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 4. CHARACHTERESTICS OF THE ISFTA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 10 5. ASSESSMENT OF TRADE UNDER THE ISFTA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦13 6. LOOKING BEYOND FTA: CEPA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 17 7. CONCLUSION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦19 8.BIBLIOGRAPHY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦20 INTRODUCTION The growth of regional trade blocs has been one of the major developments in international relations in recent years. During the 1990s, regionalism was conceived as a developmental option in itself that would promote competitiveness of trade bloc members and help their fast integration into the international economy. As per the World Bank report on Global Economic Prospects (2005) the number of the Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs ) has more than quadrupled since 1990 rising to around 230 by late 2004 and the trade between RTA partners now constitutes nearly 40% of total global trade.Quoting, World Trade Organisation (WTO) this report estimates another 60 agreements at various stages of negotiations. The World Bank report points out that the boom in Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) reflects changes in certain countries trade policy objectives, the changing perceptions of the multilateral liberalization process, and the reintegration into the global economy of countries in transition from socialism. Regional agreements vary widely, but all have the objective of reducing barriers to trade between member countries which implies discrimination against trade with other countries.At their simplest, these agreements merely remove tariffs on intra bloc trade in goods, but many go beyond that to cover non-tariff barriers and to extend liberalization to investment and other policies. At their deepest, they have the goa l of economic union and involve the construction of shared executive, judicial, and legislative institutions. [1] Among the seven member countries of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC), India and Sri Lanka accounts for the largest bilateral trade flow in the region.Thanks to the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA) that was signed between the two countries in December 1998 and operationalized in March 2000. However, almost at the same time in 1993 the agreement on South Asian Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) was signed among the seven member countries of SAARC. The objective was to promote and sustain trade and economic cooperation within the SAARC region through the exchange of concessions. This pushed the agenda for promoting bilateral trade between India and Sri Lanka to the background.However, the negotiations under SAPTA progressed at a very slow pace and became a time consuming process. The failure of SAPTA brought about the desire for a free trade agreement with India to the forefront from the Sri Lankan side. It was felt that such an agreement would give the much needed market access to the exporters from Sri Lanka. India was also keen to acquire the South Asian markets and expressed its willingness to consider bilateral free trade agreements with its South Asian neighbours.Accordingly, the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA) was signed between the two countries on 28 December, 1998 in New Delhi, India and came into operation on 1 March, 2000. India and Sri Lanka look upon regional/bilateral FTAs as a complement to the multilateral trading system by ensuring the compatibility of the FTAs with the rules laid down by the WTO. Also, both countries are members of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) which envisaged the formation of a South Asian Free Trading Arrangement (SAFTA) through successive rounds of tariff concessions between member countries.However, the efforts of member co untries have not yielded the expected results. [2] A Joint Study Group with representatives from both countries was set up which submitted its report in October 2003 that paved the way for negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). In the present context of Indo-Sri Lanka trade, the services agreement aims to remove/reduce market access and national treatment barriers, and promote co-operation between the services sectors of the two countries. [3] HISTORICAL OVERVIEW Trade relations between Sri Lanka and India date back to pre-colonial times.Under British rule, trade between the two countries was geared to fulfill the needs of the colonial power in the occupying territory, and was dominated by imports and exports in food-related items. After independence in 1947 and 1948 for India and Sri Lanka respectively, both national governments adopted inward-looking policies centered on the concepts of â€Å"self-reliance† and import substitution industria lization. Consequentially, a very modest level of trading took place between what became two virtually closed economies. In 1977, Sri Lanka became the first South Asian country to liberalize its economy, opening it up to the rest of the world.However, substandard products from India – the result of excessive inward-looking policies were not competitive against the goods from East Asia that flooded the Sri Lankan market. With partial liberalization of the Indian economy during the 1980s and further liberalization in 1991, trade began to pick up, particularly in favour of India. Between 1993 and 1996, there was a doubling of two-way trade, and between 1990 and 1996 imports of Indian goods to Sri Lanka grew by 556 per cent. In 1995, India replaced Japan as the largest source of imports to Sri Lanka, accounting for 8-9 per cent of total imports.For Sri Lanka, it became evident that trade with the SAARC region ultimately amounted to trade with India owing to the sheer size of the latter’s rapidly emerging economy and expanding middle-class population. Hence, the perceived mutual benefits of free trade between the two countries became increasingly clear. Sri Lanka’s private sector – frustrated by the slow progress of the SAPTA[4] to boost regional trade – pressurized the government to enter into a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Indian government that would increase market access for Sri Lankan exporters. [5]Birth of the ISFTA (India – Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement)[6] Politics was ultimately the major player in the move towards free trade. Sri Lanka entertained the hope of clearing away the political tensions of the 1980s and engaging India’s assistance once more in solving the North/East conflict of the country. India was propelled by an immediate need to acquire South Asian markets following economic sanctions imposed on the country for the nuclear tests conducted in May 1998. Among other factors, these politi cal forces led to the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka Bilateral Free Trade Agreement (ILBFTA) on December 28, 1998.The Commerce Secretary of India and Finance Secretary of Sri Lanka exchanged letters that operationalise the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA) between India and Sri Lanka signed in New Delhi on 28 December 1998 by H. E. the President of Sri Lanka and the Honorable Prime Minister of India with effect from 1st March 2000. [7] The economic objectives of Sri Lanka were to increase Trade ties with South Asia’s dominant economic power, to induce the transformation of Sri Lanka’s exports from low-value added goods to high value-added goods aimed at niche markets, and to provide low-income groups with cheap consumer imports from India.Moreover, Sri Lanka hoped to attract more export-oriented foreign direct investment (FDI) from third countries by promoting itself as an effective entry point into the Indian market. With the Board of Investment (BOI) being made a â€Å"one stop shop† in the early 1990s, Sri Lanka has long been a relatively appealing location for foreign investors compared to its more bureaucratized South Asian neighbours. [8] Thus, the agreement with effect from 1st March 2000, aimed to provide duty free as well as duty preference access for the goods manufactured in the two countries.Both the countries had listed products for immediate duty free entry into each other's territories. India having agreed to phase out its tariffs on a large number of items within a period of three years. Sri Lanka, likewise to do so in eight years. Both the countries had drawn up ‘Negative Lists’ in respect of which no duty concessions will apply. These Lists would include items on which protection to local industry had been considered essential. Both the countries intended to reduce the items in the Negative List through periodic consultations. [9] The Agreement sets out the ‘Rules of Origin’ criteria fo r eligibility for preferential access.Products having domestic value addition of 35% will qualify for preferential market access. Sri Lanka’s exports with a domestic value addition content of 25% will also qualify for entry to the Indian market if they have a minimum of 10% Indian content. [10] CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE ISFTA The conceptualization phase of the ISFTA occurred between December 1998 and March 2000, and was based on several previous studies and recommendations. [11] The agreement was intended to supersede the existing economic partnership under the SAARC, viz. , SAPTA. Bilateral free trade greements are traditionally formulated using the â€Å"positive list† approach, whereby each participating country catalogues the individual commodities for which it would grant preferences to the other. Nonetheless, owing to the time-consuming nature of such a method, the ISFTA was formulated on the â€Å"negative list† approach; each country extending concessions / preferences to all commodities except those indicated in its â€Å"negative† list, namely items of a sensitive nature with regard to protecting national interests. The two countries agreed for preferential treatment on 5112 tariff lines (by 6-digit HS Code).An 8-year time table was devised for phasing out tariffs. Non-tariff barriers, such as Indian State taxes and customs- level procedures (e. g. , landing tax), were to be gradually removed as well. [12] Taking into account the asymmetry between the two countries, Sri Lanka was accorded special and differential treatment; the immediate duty- free list (319 items) and 50 per cent preferential duty list (889 items) were considerably smaller than those offered by India (1,351 items and 2,799 items, respectively), while the Sri Lankan negative list (1,180 items) was considerably larger than India’s (196 items).Among others, the agricultural sector of Sri Lanka was not subject to liberalization and was included in the ne gative list. The majority of Indian exports were initially granted only a 35 per cent duty concession with an 8-year tariff reduction period, while Sri Lankan exports were granted a 50 per cent concession with a 3-year tariff reduction period. Moreover, Sri Lanka was granted the freedom to reduce its negative list at her comfort level, instead of a pre-determined formula. Rules of origin (ROO) criteria were also relaxed in Sri Lanka’s favour.Preferential treatment requires a minimum of 35 per cent domestic value addition, or 25 per cent when Indian inputs comprise 10 per cent. In addition, although the agreement does not feature revenue compensation, Sri Lanka maintained that tariff concessions would not be granted for high-duty imports such as automobiles; import duties are an important source of government revenue and comprise 2 per cent of Sri Lankan GDP. Some aspects of the agreement were deferred for subsequent negotiation; these include the number of entry ports, Indian state-level taxes, customs procedures, and the specifics of phasing out non-tariff barriers. 13] The agreement included mechanisms for review and consultation, as well as settlement of disputes above and beyond the protection afforded to both countries under the safeguards clause. CHARACHTERESTICS OF THE ISFTA The ILFTA between India and Sri Lanka is a landmark in the bilateral relations between the two countries. It is expected to bring about enhanced trade between the two countries as well as to expanded and diversified cooperation in a range of economic spheres, including investments. This is the first such Agreement in the South Asian region which could serve as a model for similar bilateral Agreements in the region.It has an institutional framework in the form of the Indo-Lanka Joint Commission, a dispute settlement mechanism, and so forth. Its significance further lies in that it can be implemented more expeditiously and also more flexibly, unlike the protracted nature of neg otiations generally associated with multilateral arrangements. [14] These following features characterize Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement: Elimination of Tariffs: 1. By India †¢ Zero duty on items upon entering into force of the Agreement – the list is to be finalized within 60 days of signing of the Agreement. E): 1351 products. †¢ Concessions on Textile items restricted to 25% on Chapters 51-56, 58-60, & 63. Four Chapters under the Textile sector retained in the negative list (Chapters 50, 57, 61 and 62) (TEX): 528 products. †¢ Garments covering Chapters 61&62 while remaining in the negative list, will be given 50% tariff concessions on a fixed basis, subject to an annual restriction of eight million pieces, of which six million shall be extended the concession only if made of Indian fabric, provided that no category of garments shall exceed one and half million ieces per annum (GAM). †¢ 50% tariff preference on five tea items, subject to a quota of 15 million Kg. Per year (TEA): 5 products. †¢ 50% margin of preference upon coming into force of this Agreement on all items, except for those on the negative list. To be phased out to zero duty in three years (IR): 2799 products. †¢ A negative list of 429 items to be retained (D I): 429 products 2. By Sri Lanka †¢ Zero duty on about 319 items upon entering into force of the Agreement (F I): 319 products. Phasing out of tariffs on items with 50% margin of preference on 889 products upon coming into force of the Agreement, with up to 70% at the end of the 1st year, up to 90% at the end of the 2nd year and 100% at the end of 3rd year (F II): 889 products. †¢ For the remaining items, (except for those on the negative list), which is the Residual List, preference would be not less than 35% before the expiry of three years, 70% before the expiry of six years and 100% before the expiry of eighth year. (SLR): 2724 products. A negative list of 1180 items (DII): 1180 prod ucts. OBJECTIVES: The Objectives adopted are: †¢ Analyze how much of the bilateral trade – both imports and exports are covered under different categories of concessions offered and received by India and Sri Lanka over the past five years, viz. 1996-97 to 2000-01. †¢ To analyze, in terms of 21 HS Sections, the distribution of trade under each category. †¢ To analyze the top products in terms of 8-digit HS Classification for India and 6-digit classification for Sri Lanka under each category to identify the success stories. To ascertain the trade potential between the two countries and assess the same in terms of products offered concessions under different categories. This exercise is based on the last year of data availability. The concessions offered by the Contracting States have been at 6-digit HS classification. In order to attain the aforementioned objectives, the bilateral trade data[15] is analyzed at the highest level of desegregation for India, viz. 8- digit HS classification by disaggregating all concessions at 6-digit classification to 8-digit levels. ASSESSMENT OF TRADE UNDER THE ISFTAThe India Sri Lanka FTA was signed in 1998 and became operational in March 2000. Mutual phased tariff concessions on different products on 6 digit Harmonized Classification (HS Code) basis have been granted by both the partners. Each side is having its negative lists[16] (no concessions), positive list (immediate full concessions) and a residual list5 (phased tariff reductions) as per the framework of ISLFTA. The preferential trade under the FTA is governed by Rules of Origin, which specify the criteria for a product to qualify for tariff concessions from the importing member.After signing of ISFTA, trade between India and Sri Lanka has increased manifold. India‘s import from Sri Lanka was US$ 45 million (0. 10% of total imports) in 1999, which increased to US$ 499 million (0. 29%) in 2006; India‘s export to Sri Lanka was US$ 482 milli on (1. 4% of total exports), which became US$ 2110 (1. 74%) in 2006. Similarly, Sri Lanka‘s import form India in 1998 was 538 million (9. 49%), which increased to US$ 1804 million (18. 46% rank 1) in 2006. Sri Lanka‘s exports to India has grown from US$ 35 million (0. 5%) in 1998 to US$ 490 million (7. 26%, rank 3) in the year 2006. In this way India became the major trading partner for Sri Lanka after the signing of the Agreement. The number of Sri Lanka‘s export items to India increased from 505 in 1996 to 1,062 in 2006 items on 6 digits of HS classification. There is a visible shift in Sri Lanka‘s exports from agricultural products to manufacturing goods The major products exported by Sri Lanka to India in 2006 included – Fats and Oils (22. 3%), Copper and Articles of Copper (8. 6%), Electrical Machinery (8. %) and Spices, Coffee, Tea (6. 2%). Similarly, India exported Mineral Fuel, Oil (22. 44%), Vehicles (18. 08%), Iron and Steel (4. 54%), Machine ry, Reactors, Boilers (4. 22%) and Pharmaceutical Products (4. 13%) to Sri Lanka. There has been an increase in total share of import of Sri Lankan goods from 0. 10% in 1999 to 0. 29% in 2006. The import from Sri Lanka has also increased in the items on the residual list from 0. 2% in 1996 to 0. 47% in 2006. It is noteworthy that there has been an increase in the imports even in the negative list items from 0. % in 2001 to 1. 19 % in 2006. This could be mainly due to the increased awareness to partners market, smoothening of customs issues and improved access to ports of entry due to the increased engagement of partner countries on products having preferential tariffs on residual list, the so called border effects. By 2008, the ISFTA entered into full force. Both governments were pleased with the results achieved through the Free Trade Agreement and proclaim that it had facilitated the expansion of two-way trade between India and Sri Lanka.India, which was once the second largest ex porter to Sri Lanka pre-ISLFTA, has now become the island‘s largest source of imports. Meanwhile India has become the third largest export destination for Sri Lankan products (after the United States of America and the European Union). The argument is that, given the asymmetrical proportions of the economies of the two countries, if not for the ISLFTA, Sri Lankan exports would not have been able to achieve their current level of market penetration. The bilateral import-export ratio that had been 10. :1 in 2000 had improved in Sri Lanka‘s favour to 5. 3:1 by 2007. According to the then Indian High Commissioner to Colombo, the ratio may have been as skewed as 40:1 (in India‘s advantage, of course) had the ISLFTA not been in operation. [17] Over the ten years in which the ISLFTA has been in operation, Indian foreign direct investment in Sri Lanka has also expanded exponentially, most recently in telecommunications (Bharti Airtel) and glass-manufacturing (Piramal Glass ), and biscuits and sweets (Britannia).In 2009, India was the island‘s third largest foreign investor (after China and the United Kingdom) with inflows of US$78 million and largely attracted to the telecommunications, energy and power sectors (Central Bank of Sri Lanka 2010: 114). The Institute of Policy Studies (2008: 47-48) has estimated that Indian foreign direct investment has expanded from a cumulative total of LKR165 million in 1998 (1. 3 percent of total FDI) to LKR19. 5 billion in 2005 (8. 3 percent of total FDI). However, the causal connection between the commencement of the ISLFTA and the spiral in inward foreign direct nvestment from India is asserted rather than demonstrated, and may have more to do with aggressive Indian investment strategies since that country‘s economic boom, than the existence of the Free Trade Agreement. [18] IMPACT OF THE FTA Despite its importance in the South Asian region, not many empirical studies have been conducted to access the i mpact of ISFTA. One study that attempted to analyze the impact of this FTA was conducted by Kelegema and Mukherjee in February 2007[19]. Their study is based on the bilateral trade flows under different categories of products.Sector wise imports and exports figures are compared before and after the FTA. They have concluded that the two countries have displayed political will to forge ahead towards economic integration and the considerable size disparity between the two economies does not hinder bilateral free trade when appropriate special and differential treatment is accorded to the smaller country. Some new goods from Sri Lanka have found entry into the Indian market following the exchange of preferences.Finally, they have concluded that the economic benefits of free trade can and do override political problems. [20] Another report on evaluating economic performance of the FTA is ? Joint Study Group on India –Sri Lanka Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement constitut ed by the partner Governments (JSG report, 2003)[21]. JSG (2003) has concluded that ISLFTA promoted a 48% increase in bilateral trade between 2001 and 2002, and at present India is the largest source of imports into Sri Lanka, accounting for 14% of Sri Lanka‘s global imports.India is the fifth largest export destination for Sri Lankan goods accounting for 3. 6% of Sri Lanka‘s global exports. [22] Based on the success of ISFTA, the JSG has recommended that the two countries enter into a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) covering trade in services and investment and to build upon the ISLFTA by deepening and widening the coverage and binding of trade in goods. LOOKING BEYOND FTA: CEPA The decision to work towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was taken in June 2002.During the visit of the Sri Lankan Prime Minister to India in June 2002, the Prime Ministers of India and Sri Lanka discussed the profound changes in the international ec onomic and political arena that have been generated by the process of globalization, on the one hand, and emergence of closer regional economic associations, on the other. They agreed on the need to widen the ambit of the ISLFTA to go beyond trade in goods to include services and to facilitate greater investment flow between the two countries.Accordingly, a Joint Study Group (JSG) was set up to make recommendations on how to take the two economies beyond trade towards greater integration and to impart renewed impetus and synergy to the bilateral economic interaction, through the conclusion of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). [23] Both sides have committed to an agreement consistent with the rules of the WTO. While the numerous shortcomings of the existing FTA must be remedied, its evident achievements can be built upon with relative ease to formulate the new agreement.The required institutional support is already in place with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Ceylon Chamber Commerce, which function as the focal points for economic cooperation, as well as the Indo-Lanka Joint Commission and the FTA’s Working Group on Customs. The first round of technical-level negotiations (TLNs) on the CEPA commenced in February 2005, somewhat delayed after changes in government in both countries. Seven rounds of negotiations have been completed by 2006. The CEPA is to cover trade in goods and services, investment liberalization, and economic cooperation.The negotiations on goods focus primarily on reducing the ISFTA’s negative lists, relaxing ROO criteria, signing mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) on product standards and certification procedures, and concluding the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on consumer protection and legal metrology. Particular attention will be given to developing the supply side of the Sri Lankan economy. The CEPA will be notified under the GATT’s Article XXIV[2 4], which covers substantial trade instead of under the â€Å"Enabling Clause† which provides more flexibility to etermine the trade coverage between developing countries. In a nutshell, the main objectives of the CEPA are to: 1. Deepen existing preferential trade between the two countries 2. Reduce the negative lists of the ILBFTA 3. Relax ROO criteria 4. Liberalize the services sector beyond the coverage of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) 5. Liberalize investment 6. Facilitate economic cooperation as an impetus for liberalization of the services and investment sectors, with the Indian Line of Credit to play a crucial role. [25] CONCLUSIONThe operationalisation of the ISFTA in 2000 was an important step taken by the two countries to harness the economic complementarities between them. As expected, post  ­ISFTA bilateral trade performance between India and Sri Lanka indicates that exports and imports have grown considerably, accompanied by significant prod uct diversification. Despite the fact that the ISFTA was confined to trade in goods, increases in trade links between India and Sri Lanka have been further triggered by large investment flows as well as services integration between two countries over time.Nevertheless, investment flows have been mostly one sided as would be expected, flowing from India to Sri Lanka, where the bulk of Indian investment in manufacturing in the post  ­ ISFTA phase has come from Indian investors keen to take advantage of preferential duty access to the Indian market in key sectors such as Vanaspathi and copper. Nevertheless, the potential for greater linkages in investment and services has been fairly obvious based on recent performance, and in part has encouraged both countries to further deepen integration in these areas under the CEPA framework.It is evident from detailed analysis of post ­ISFTA trade flows that Sri Lanka’s exports to India have expanded significantly. However, it is also clear that the overwhelming share of the increase has originated in a few commodities, raising concerns about the sustainability of the growth momentum in the long term. The bulk of the exports have been concentrated in two items, namely the vegetable fats and oils and copper and articles of copper, which are not considered to be sustainable in the long run.It is by resolving these issues that the movement towards CEPA could be put on fast track to make it a reality. CEPA has the potential to break new ground in South Asia’s forward movement towards economic prosperity. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Mukherjee, I. N. , T. Jayawardena and S. Kelegama (2002), ‘India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement: An Assessment of Potential and Impact’, SANEI completed study (www. saneinetwork. net ). 2. The Graduate Institute Geneva, HEID Working Paper No: 04/2010: An Econometric Analysis of the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. 3. Kelegama, S. nd Mukherji I. N. (2007), India-Sri Lanka Bilat eral Free Trade Agreement: Six Years Performance and Beyond, RIS DP# 119, February 2007, Research and Information System for Developing Countries, New Delhi. 4. JSG (2003), India-Sri Lanka Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, Joint Study Group, October 2003, http://www. ips. lk/publications/etc/cepa_reprot/islcepa. pdf 5. Jayawardena, L. et al. (1993), Indo-Sri Lanka Economic Cooperation: Facilitating Trade Expansion through a Reciprocal Preference Scheme, The United Nations University, WIDER, Helsinki. 6. An Act of Faith? † ten years of the India-Sri Lanka FTA, Law & Society Trust, Sri Lanka, March 2010 (PDF File) 7. â€Å"India – Sri Lanka FTA: Lessons for SAFTA†, CUTS International, Dushni Weerakoon, Jayanthi Thennakoon. (PDF File) 8. Panchamukhi, V. R. et al. (1992), Indo-Sri Lanka Economic Cooperation: An Operational Programme, the United Nations University, WIDER, Helsinki. 9. Taneja, N. , A. Mukherjee, S. Jayanetti, and T. Jayawardena (2004), â₠¬ËœIndo-Sri Lanka Trade in Services: FTA II and Beyond’, SANEI completed study (www. saneinetwork. net ). ———————– 1] An Econometric Analysis of India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement, HEID Working Paper No: 04/2010 [2] See Shome (2001); Harilal and Joseph (1999); Taneja (2001). [3] Several Free Trade Agreements related to goods trade are more of Preferential Trade Agreements rather than Free Trade Agreements. In the case of Indo-Sri Lanka, the terms CEPA and FTA are interchangeable. [4] The SAARC Preferential Trading Agreement (SAPTA) was signed in April 1993 and came into operation in December 1995. [5] RIS-DP # 119: India-Sri Lanka Bilateral Free trade Agreement, Saman Kelegama & Indra Nath Mukherjee. 6] Available on the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka website, http://www. boi. lk [7] Supra, note 5. [8] Supra note 5. [9] Indo-Sri Lanka FTA: An Assessment of Potential and Impact, Saman Kelegama & Indra Nath Mukherjee. [ 10] Supra note 9. [11] See Jayawardena, L. et al. (1993) and Panchamukhi, V. R. et al. (1992). [12] Supra note 5. [13] India had committed to the WTO that it would remove non-tariff barriers by 2004. [14] Supra note 9. [15] The data has been obtained from the Ministry of Commerce (India) electronic database over the period of 1996-97 to 2000-01. 16] Items, which are considered sensitive to the domestic industry by each partner to FTA, are included in the respective negative list. The items in negative list of Sri Lanka are not entitled for any duty concessions for imports from India. The same rule applies in case of India‘s negative list for Sri Lan kan products. [17] â€Å"An Act of Faith? † ten years of the India-Sri Lanka FTA, Law & Society Trust, Sri Lanka, March 2010. [18] Supra note 17. [19] Supra note 9. [20] Supra note 1. [21] Joint Study Group Report on India-Sri Lanka Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (JSG, 2003), can be found at : http://www. ps. l k/news/newsarchive/2003/20102003_islcepa_final/islcepa. pdf#search='India%20Sri%20Lanka%20Trade%20Study' [22] Supra note 1. [23] Supra note 21. [24] GATT– General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. [25] The Indian Line of Credit is a credit facility granted by India to other developing countries to purchase goods and services from India, usually with a long re-payment period. Since January 2001, Sri Lanka has borrowed a total of US $281 million for the purchase of food, petroleum, buses, roofing sheets, and consulting services.