Repoliticalization of Accounting Standard Setting Assignment

Repoliticalization of Accounting Standard Setting - Assignment Example Some researchers have claimed that the drive behind financial systems is accounting policy-makers and the forces in the market. The affair has been much on the adoption or rejection of fair value principle. EU rejected IAS 39’s proposal of fair value principle. In addition, it put conditions on the extent to which the asset factor can be realized. It led to the amendment of the IAS 39 and IRFS 7. The EU and G20 have on more than one occasion discussed financial institutions and regulations on monetary policies. They have given guidance on securities valuation (BENGTSSON, Elias, 2011). Moreover, they proposed being a supervisory body or that the IASB should be constantly supervised in its activities. Opinion Political influence on financial in my view is not a bad agenda but their negative influence. The institution is no longer at ease to perform its functions with the profession required. On the other hand, the EU declined the adoption of IFRS 9 after the financial crisis, leaving the world amazed about the political forces behind financial institutions. IAS 39 was established under political pressure and went further to affect its operation when mistrust arose between the EU and US financial institutions. The political drive wheel should be to facilitate the growth of financial institutions and not curtail their operations.

History of the Japanese Samurai

History of the Japanese Samurai The Samurai: Warrior and Ruler of Ancient Japan Few countries have a warrior tradition as long and exciting as Japan. It is a tradition found in the Samurai, the loyal and self-sacrificing knight of ancient Japan. The Samurai is a valiant warrior who can both appreciate the beauty of nature in that of a rose blossom but will also kill or die for his master in an instant. This well-rounded warrior was the ruling class of Japan for almost seven hundred years. He fought for control of his country and to keep Japan free from outside influences. (Turnbull 1) This aristocratic warrior class arose during the 12th century wars between the Taira and Minamoto clans and was consolidated in the Tokugawa period. Samurai were privileged to wear two swords, and at one time had the right to cut down any commoner who offended them. They cultivated the martial virtues, indifference to pain or death, and unfailing loyalty to their overlords. Samurai were the dominant group in Japan. Under the Tokugawa shogunate, the samurai were removed from direct control of the villages, moved into the domain castle towns, and given government stipends. They were encouraged to take up bureaucratic posts. The Hagakure, has been dubbed the book of the samurai. It was written after a century of peace around 1716. It came to be the guide of samurai ethics until the end of the feudal period. Its short passages reflect and outline the qualities that make a samurai. Yamamoto Tsunetomo expresses in the hagakure the framework and mindset of being a samurai. â€Å"Although it stands to reason that a samurai should be mindful of the Way of the samurai, it would seem that we are all negligent. Consequently, if someone were to ask, ‘what is the true meaning of the Way of the Samurai?’ the person who should be able to answer promptly is rare. This is because it has not been established in one’s mind beforehand. From this, one’s unmindfulness of the Way can be known. Negligence is an extreme thing.† (Wilson, 17) â€Å"The Way of the Samurai is found in death. When it comes to either/or, there is only the quick choice of death. It is not particularly difficult. Be determined and advance. To say that dying without reaching one’s aim is to die a dog’s death is the frivolous way of sophisticates. When pressed with the choice of life or death, it is not necessary to gain one’s aim. We all want to live. And in large part we make our logic according to what we like. But not having attained our aim and continuing to live is cowardice. This is a thin dangerous line. To die without gaining one’s aim is a dog’s death and fanaticism. There is no shame to this. This is the substance of the Way of the Samurai. If by setting one’s heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were already dead, he gains freedom in the Way. His whole life will be without blame, and he will succeed in his calling. (Wilson, 17) The samurai had extreme religious ideals. One samurai in particular, Tsunetomo, he began to despair of ever gaining a position as a retainer, and her began to visit a man who was to have no small influence on his life. This was the Zen Buddhist priest Tannen (? – 1680), a man of unbending integrity and will, who had resigned his post as head priest at the major Nabeshima temple as a protest against the death sentence of another priest, and when recalled, refused to return. Zen Buddhism and the samurai had been closely related since the thirteenth century in Japan, when the Hojo regents had discovered that its vitality and rejection of life as an object of special craving had much to offer the warrior. Tannen had his own ideas concerning the relationship of Zen and the warriors. â€Å"He declares that religious matters are for old men, and if young samurai learn about Buddhism it will only bring them disaster, for they will begin to look at the world from two sets of values ra ther than one.† (Wilson, 13) The warriors of early Japan bore only a passing resemblance to the later samurai. Weaponry and armor were of a distinctly Chinese flavor, and the earliest warriors carried shields, a device evidently out of vogue even before the Heian period. Some of our knowledge of the weapons and protection the early Japanese warrior carried comes from artifacts excavated from the tombs constructed in the 4th and 5th centuries to house departed royalty. Another, just as valuable resource are the haniwa, which were clay statues evidently used as grave markers. A good number of these haniwa depict warriors, and these provide us some insight into the nature of ‘home-grown’ Japanese armor of the time. The horse was imported to Japan sometime in the 4th or 5th century, and quickly became a valuable commodity. Also brought over from the continent were Keiko, or suits of lamellar scaled armor. This type, which is traditionally associated with horsemen, provided the foundation from which the classic patterns of samurai armor construction would build. Just as important is the samurai’s weaponry is the code of ethics by which they lived by which is known as the code of Bushido. This term refers to the moral code principals that developed among the samurai class of Japan, on a basis of national tradition influenced by Zen and Confucianism. The first use of the term apparently occurred during the civil war period of the 16th century; its precise content varied historically as samurai standards evolved. Its one unchanging ideal was martial spirit, including athletic and military skills as well as fearless facing of the enemy in battle. Frugal living, kindness and honesty were also highly regarded. Like Confucianism, Bushido required filial piety; but, originating in the feudal system, it also held that supreme honor was to serve one’s lord unto death. If these obligations conflicted, the samurai was bound by loyalty to his lord despite the suffering he might cause to his parents. The final rationalization of Bushido thought occurred during the Tokugawa period, when Yamaga Soko equated the samurai with the Confucian â€Å"superior man† and taught that his essential function was to exemplify virtue to the lower classes. Without disregarding the basic Confucian virtue, benevolence, Soko emphasized the second virtue, righteousness, which he interpreted as â€Å"obligation† or â€Å"duty†. This strict code of honor, affecting matters of life and death, demanded conscious choice and so fostered individual initiative while yet reasserting the obligations of loyalty and filial piety. Obedience to authority was stressed, but duty came first even if it entailed violation of statue law. In such an instance, the true samurai would prove his sincerity and expiate his crime against the government by subsequently taking his own life. By mid-19th century, Bushido standards had become the general ideal, and the legal abolition of the samurai class in 1871 made Bushido even more the property of the entire nation. In the public education system, with the emperor replacing the feudal lord as the object of loyalty and sacrifice, Bushido became the foundation of ethical training. As such, it contributed both to the arise of Japanese nationalism and to the strengthening of wartime civilian morale up to 1945. The term â€Å"Samurai† means those who serve. These mystical knights served many functions in Japanese society. During time of war, they were the masters of the battlefield. In peace they were the administrators and the aristocrats. As statesmen, soldiers, and businessmen, former samurai took the lead in building modern Japan. The Japanese warrior, known as the samurai, has played a significant role in Japans history and culture throughout the centuries. Their ancestors can be traced back to as far as can be remembered. Some stories have become mysterious legends handed down over the centuries. In this report you will learn who the samurai were, their origins as we know them, how they lived and fought and their evolution to today. It will be clear why the samurai stand out as one of the most famous group of warriors of all times. Looking back in time, the first Japanese battles recorded are in the first few centuries AD. At this time Japanese warriors went across the sea to Korea to help one kingdom battling two rival kingdoms. Four hundred men set out and fought on foot carrying their bows, spears and swords. They were quickly beaten by warriors attacking on horseback. They probably had never seen an attack like that before, with horses being ridden. Even though there were horses in Japan they had not been used for riding or fighting, but to help in carrying and pulling goods. In the next century, however, there is evidence that horses were being ridden and used in warfare by warriors who would later be called samurai (History Channel). The term samurai was first used in the 10th century and means â€Å"those who serve†. In the beginning it stood for men who guarded the capital for the Emperor, some where used as tax collectors. Later the word grew to include any military man who served a powerful landlord, almost like a police force for that time. They would go around the countryside on horseback collecting taxes from the peasants, often this was in the form of rice. This money helped the Emperor pay for his lavish life style. The word, samurai, quickly spread and was respected (and maybe feared a little) for the men it represented. The noblemen depended on the strength of the samurai. Since their power and wealth was directly related to how much land they owned, the noblemen kept small armies of samurai to protect their property from thieves and invaders. Eventually many noble families joined together to form clans that became more powerful than the emperor, who was the traditional head of the Japanese government (How Samurai Work 11). In the 12th century the two most powerful clans were the Minomoto and the Taira. The two came to battle in 1160 with the Taira winning. Twenty years later in 1180 those Minomotos who had escaped death (they were children during the first attack) led a new attack that turned into a war that lasted five years and was called the Gempei War. The Minamotos won, and the emperor made Minamoto Yoritomo shogun, the head of the military. Yoritomo however wanted more and took all power away from the emperor and made himself dictator. At this time the samurai gained power, through land given to them by the new shogun. Their rise in status was beginning. The battles that were fought during The Gempei War were very important in the history of the samurai. They set a new and honorable standard for all samurai to live by. These standards would last throughout the existence of the samurai warrior. The Gempei War provided a role model for Japanese samurai’s courageous and noble behavior (Turnbull 14). Almost all the important characteristics attributed the samurai culture came out of the Gempei war; â€Å"Archery, hand-to-hand fighting, undying loyalty to one’s lord and the tremendous tradition of ritual suicide all have key passages and proof texts in the tales of the Gempi War†(Turnbull 15). The samurai had an unwritten code of honor called the bushido. Bushido means â€Å"way of the warrior† (History of the Samurai 3). This provided them with a code to help show them how to live and conduct themselves at home and in battle. One of the most important duties of the samurai was their loyalty to their lord. The samurai would defend their lord until the death. Revenge was also central in the samurai’s life and if someone had killed their master or attacked their master’s honor revenge must be gotten. The same vengeance was given if they themselves or their family were disrespected or defeated. Not just anyone could become a samurai warrior. You had to be the child of a samurai, being born into this class was a privilege. The samurai were not all rich, in fact their wealth was judged on the amount of Koku (which is the amount of rice that the fields produced). Other things like the size of the samurai’s house were based upon the wealth and rank of the samurai. There were also strict traditions to be followed for a young samurai. When a samurai was born, he would be given a small sword charm to wear on his belt. When the boy is five he gets his first haircut and begins to learn martial arts. At age seven he receives his first wide trousers called hakama. When the young samurai is fifteen he goes through a ceremony called gembuku where the boy becomes a man. He then receives his adult name, his adult haircut, and his first real sword and armor. Most boys would be taught combat skills by their father and eventually as he got older he would be taught by a local sensei. Those boys from wealthier families were expected to be educated men and may be sent to an academy where they would study literature and the arts along with martial arts. The training of the samurai for battle was intensive. There was more than just physical training involved. Strong mental concentration and focus were necessary to channel their energies before battle. The samurai warrior would spend endless hours practicing a set of complex battle movements called kata. â€Å"This practice started slowly at first increasing speed, until they became effortless and perfect. The movements were based on strategies of attack, defense, and counterattack† (Gaskin Hawkins 73). However, the only way these young samurais would ever gain experience is to take part in actual battle. So the sons of the samurai would follow their fathers into battle to test their newly learned fighting techniques. The samurai were also known for having a psychic awareness of the world around them in addition to their great skill. This is something practiced from an early age as well. An example of this keen awareness is seen in the story of three brothers told by their father. The father decided to test the ability of his three sons. He placed a vase on top a door so that it would fall when someone entered. The youngest son entered the room and he cut the vase in half with his sword before it hit the ground. The father’s response was, â€Å"This son has a long way to go.† Then he called for his middle son, this son caught the vase right above his head. This time his father’s response was that, â€Å"he is strong and improving but still has much to learn.† Finally, the oldest was called into the room, when he reaches for the door he immediately feels the weight of the vase. He slides the door open a crack and catches the vase and walks in. His father replies, â€Å" This son is doing well.† (Gaskin Hawkins 75). Their goal for perfections and their training and dedication were endless. The samurai is famous for his sword and it is one his most prized possessions. There are two main swords, one called the katana and the other the wakizashi. The wakizashi is worn on his belt at all times and a shorter blade of the two that was used in battle. The katana is the longer curved sword that was the samurai’s main weapon. The sword is given to a samurai at birth and placed next to that samurai when he dies. The samurai would take the sword everywhere he went, even to bed. It was treated with great respect and most would have been passed down from generation to generation. The process for making each sword from iron and steel is long and tedious requiring many steps and much patience. When finished a decorative handle would be added. The sword makers were respected and treated with almost reverence for the job they performed. â€Å"Like an artist the master sword maker would often sign his work (Gaskins Hawkins 10). This sword would be the difference between life an d death for many samurai. The 1500s began as time known as the Period of Warring States. This term was borrowed from the Chinese even though Japan was battling between families and clans, and not states. The leader of the clan called himself an ashigaru. which means great names. Only the strongest clan could survive these battles and the daimyo would do anything to win. The powerful daimyos had large armies made up of foot soldiers called ashigaru. During this time there was also a big change in how the samurai fought. In addition to using the traditional bows they were introduced to guns for the first time. First the guns came from European traders and were made in China, but it didn’t take long for the Japanese to start manufacturing their own weapons. (Turnbull 19). The samurai’s armor was one of the most elaborate and unique creations of their time. Today they are seen as works of art. Their armor was made from lamellar armor which took small metal plates and fastened them together and covered with a lacquer to make them waterproof. The outside of the armor was very colorful and sewn and covered with silk and leather designs. There were two types of armor, one called yori, which was heavier and used for riding on horseback. The other was called do-maru this was lighter and more practical for the foot soldiers. Both allowed for the samurai to have flexibility to move able to use their weapons and move in battle. This armor covered the entire body from samurai’s helmet to his chest protector and panels protecting his hips, arms and legs. One interesting fact is the about the kote. It is an armored sleeve only worn on the left arm so that the right arm would be free for the samurai to shoot his bow. Even when the bow was no longer us ed for battles this type of armor was seen as honoring a sense of tradition (How Samurai Work 5). The samurai’s helmet was also very important. It provided heavy duty protection to the head and neck. They also wore an â€Å"iron face mask, which might represent demons, ghosts, or barbarians† (Gaskin Hawkins 71) to help intimidate the enemy. An older warrior might want to use the face of a younger warrior so no one would know his age. The heavy duty neck covering helped in battles, and also helped prevent beheadings. Another example of samurai pride and courage is the ritual of burning incense in his helmet before battle. This was done so if he was defeated and beheaded he would leave behind a pleasant scent. Another example of their legendary bravery was in 1281 when Genghis Khan (leader of the Mongols out of Asia) attempted to invade Japan. But, because of the brave samurai and a well timed storm called a kamikaze, they were destroyed along with their ships. The word kamikaze means â€Å"winds of the gods†, but after that day it took on another meaning to include, destroying an enemy. Even in 1945 the term kamikaze pilot was used for the Japanese pilots that attacked the American fleet at Pearl Harbor. This victory against the Mongols was another added to the list of samurai’s brave and notable victories (Gaskin Hawkins 28). To the samurai, their pride went hand in hand with their honor and heritage. One example of this is when one samurai would challenge another to battle. It was tradition at this time for each samurai to speak publicly the names of all his ancestors, along with their accomplishments in battle ( some stories became embellished over time). This showed the deep pride and respect they held for his ancestors. (Turnbull 47). By the 14th century a samurai’s lineage had gotten quite long and just reciting your ancestors was difficult. The family pedigree was so important it was written down to be kept safe at all cost. An example of this devotion is when a samurai’s house caught fire and one samurai volunteered to go in and get the family tree that was written on a banner. â€Å"After the fire they found the samurai laying dead on his stomach, when they turned him over they found he had cut his stomach open and put the family tree inside to protect it from the flames† (Tur nbull 53). This is another example of their devotion to their family and to duty. The ancestors of the samurai were very much involved in the present life of the samurai. Every year during the Bon Festival they would be welcomed back through religious ceremonies. These ceremonies showed a deep appreciation felt toward their ancestors. They felt great gratitude for who they were, this included their name and their status. There were even rituals held before battles to bring the ancestors to help (Turnbull 48). The death of the samurai was treated with the same respect and honor as was his life. Seppuku is the word used for suicide by cutting open the stomach (also known as hari kiri). Seppuku was performed with a dagger. To the samurai warrior seppuku was something to be honored and respected. It could also bring back honor to him and his family if he had been beaten in battle or disgraced. This took incredible bravely and was extremely painful. Often a friend of the samurai’s would to end his pain by cutting off his head. (History Channel). This could also be something planned out ahead of time or done quickly during battle. Nitta Yoshisada is one of the most famous stories of a samurai’s death in 1336. Going into battle one day he was worried, the battle was difficult and he had to lead his men through rice fields. Yoshida went charging in, despite a heavy attack of soldiers and arrows. His horse was hit and fell down pinning him underneath. He had no time or way to reach his stomach to perform seppuku so they say he cut off his own head. This is just one of many extreme acts of seppuku over the many years of the samurai. As clans all over Japan dispersed there became a large amount of samurai without a master these samurai were called ronin. These ronin were different from most samurai because they were not loyal to any lord. Many of them became personal body guards for farm owners, and some became senseis, and others took the time to master the technique of the sword. As time has passed the so did the importance of the samurai warrior. There were no more battles to be fought and peace was among the country. This with Japan becoming a more industrialized nation. After years of isolationism and their declining economy Japan was finally forced to open trade with western countries including the United States. This caused a split in Japan between the conventional samurai ideals and those who wanted to bring in the new ways of the west. In 1876 the emperor decided that there would be no wearing swords unless you were part of the imperial armed forces. This was another symbol of the samurai‘s power no longer needed. Over time the samurai could no longer support themselves and returned to farming or working in cites. The role of the samurai warrior was finished. The Japanese samurais have been extremely influential figures throughout Japan’s history. Their influence has been seen is all aspects of Japanese life from the education of young boys in body and mind, to governing of the Emperors, to the study of the martial arts. Their code of honor and loyalty are traditions that all Japanese respect and try to live up to even today. The self sacrifice of ones own life for a common cause was even seen in World War II when Japanese pilots deliberately crashed their planes into United States ships anchored at Pearl Harbor. This was a devastating attack and can show the horror caused by revenge and their belief in sacrifice and honor. They were even called kamikaze pilots after the famous samurai battle of long ago. The influence of the samurai continues to be seen in Japan today in a positive way with the stories and legends of heroic samurai and the bushido as their guide. Works Cited Gaskin, Carol. and Hawkins, Vince. The Ways of the Samurai. New York: Byron Preiss Visual Publications, 2003 â€Å"History of the Samurai.† http://home.online.no/~p-loeand/samurai/hist-eng.htm â€Å"How Samurai Work.† http://science.howstuffworks.com/samurai.htm The History Channel: The Samurai. Videocassette. AE Television Networks, 2003. 100 min. Turnbull, Stephen. Samurai, The World of the Warrior. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003

Israels Land, Culture, History, and Religion Essay examples -- Cultura

The record of human habitation in Israel is at least 100,000 years, old. Evidence of the domestication of plants and animals can be dated to about 10,000 BC. The State of Israel, an independent nation in southwest Asia, is located between the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of an arm of the Red Sea. "Israel is considered the Holy Land for Christians, Jews, and Muslims {1}". Which includes religious representation of most of the world's entire population. To reflect on all the different aspects of the cultural and historical geography of Israel would certainly be out of the scope of this tiny paper so, general information will then be discussed below. ITS LAND Israel is a small country (a small country as related to overall territory/mass). It is long and narrow and stretches just under 450 kms from North to South and on average is 60 kms from East to West. The majority of Israel's west is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean Coast consists of a narrow plain (The Sharon Plain) which is home to most of Israel's people. The Sharon Plain is where Israel's largest urban city, Tel Aviv, is located. Israel's Eastern border is dominated by the Jordan River Valley which drops down to the Dead Sea which is the lowest depression on Earth at 400 meters below sea level. Israel's southern region is managed by the rough and mountainous Negev Desert. At Israel's Southern apex Israel's port of Eilat dominates several kilometers of sparkling Red Sea coast. The primary region of the country is hilly, and at one of the highest points is the national capital, Jerusalem {3}. The northern quarter of Israel is dominated by the hilly and fertile Galilee region. Israel's largest body of fresh wate... ...re. Israel truly is the center of all historical and cultural geography to me now. "Oh, Israel, I will never forget you. (Isaiah 44:21)" Works Cited: 1. About Israel. "Israel tourism guide." 1996. http://www.algonet.se/%7Elj/ (April 10, 1997) 2. Focus Multimedia. "Your Key To Be Seen!" Israel. 1997. http://www.focusmm.com.au/israel/is_giamn.htm. (April 10, 1997) 3. Gold Stag Commun. "Odyssey." ISRAEL. 1996 http://www.emerald-empire.com/geography/israel/page00.htm (April 10, 1997) 4. Israeli Foreign Affairs. "Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs." 1996. http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il (April 10, 1997) 5. Kachar, Menachem. "Israel Visit." 1996. http://www.israelvisit.co.il (April 10, 1997) UT @austin. "JPEG Image." Israeli Maps. 1997. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map_collection/middle_east_and_asia/Israel GIF (April 10, 1997)

Expert Systems and Artificial Intelligence

Expert Systems are computer programs that are derived from a branch of computer science research called Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI's scientific goal is to understand intelligence by building computer programs that exhibit intelligent behavior. It is concerned with the concepts and methods of symbolic inference, or reasoning, by a computer, and how the knowledge used to make those inferences will be represented inside the machine. Of course, the term intelligence covers many cognitive skills, including the ability to solve problems, learn, and understand language; AI addresses all of those. But most progress to date in AI has been made in the area of problem solving — concepts and methods for building programs that reason about problems rather than calculate a solution. AI programs that achieve expert-level competence in solving problems in task areas by bringing to bear a body of knowledge about specific tasks are called knowledge-based or expert systems. Often, the term expert systems is reserved for programs whose knowledge base contains the knowledge used by human experts, in contrast to knowledge gathered from textbooks or non-experts. More often than not, the two terms, expert systems (ES) and knowledge-based systems (KBS), are used synonymously. Taken together, they represent the most widespread type of AI application. The area of human intellectual endeavor to be captured in an expert system is called the task domain. Task refers to some goal-oriented, problem-solving activity. Domain refers to the area within which the task is being performed. Typical tasks are diagnosis, planning, scheduling, configuration and design. An example of a task domain is aircraft crew scheduling, discussed in Chapter 2. Building an expert system is known as knowledge engineering and its practitioners are called knowledge engineers. The knowledge engineer must make sure that the computer has all the knowledge needed to solve a problem. The knowledge engineer must choose one or more forms in which to represent the required knowledge as symbol patterns in the memory of the computer — that is, he (or she) must choose a knowledge representation. He must also ensure that the computer can use the knowledge efficiently by selecting from a handful of reasoning methods. The practice of knowledge engineering is described later. We first describe the components of expert systems. The Building Blocks of Expert Systems Every expert system consists of two principal parts: the knowledge base; and the reasoning, or inference, engine. The knowledge base of expert systems contains both factual and heuristic knowledge. Factual knowledge is that knowledge of the task domain that is widely shared, typically found in textbooks or journals, and commonly agreed upon by those knowledgeable in the particular field. Heuristic knowledge is the less rigorous, more experiential, more judgmental knowledge of performance. In contrast to factual knowledge, heuristic knowledge is rarely discussed, and is largely individualistic. It is the knowledge of good practice, good judgment, and plausible reasoning in the field. It is the knowledge that underlies the â€Å"art of good guessing. † Knowledge representation formalizes and organizes the knowledge. One widely used representation is the production rule, or simply rule. A rule consists of an IF part and a THEN part (also called a condition and an action). The IF part lists a set of conditions in some logical combination. The piece of knowledge represented by the production rule is relevant to the line of reasoning being developed if the IF part of the rule is satisfied; consequently, the THEN part can be concluded, or its problem-solving action taken. Expert systems whose knowledge is represented in rule form are called rule-based systems. Another widely used representation, called the unit (also known as frame, schema, or list structure) is based upon a more passive view of knowledge. The unit is an assemblage of associated symbolic knowledge about an entity to be represented. Typically, a unit consists of a list of properties of the entity and associated values for those properties. Since every task domain consists of many entities that stand in various relations, the properties can also be used to specify relations, and the values of these properties are the names of other units that are linked according to the relations. One unit can also represent knowledge that is a â€Å"special case† of another unit, or some units can be â€Å"parts of† another unit. The problem-solving model, or paradigm, organizes and controls the steps taken to solve the problem. One common but powerful paradigm involves chaining of IF-THEN rules to form a line of reasoning. If the chaining starts from a set of conditions and moves toward some conclusion, the method is called forward chaining. If the conclusion is known (for example, a goal to be achieved) but the path to that conclusion is not known, then reasoning backwards is called for, and the method is backward chaining. These problem-solving methods are built into program modules called inference engines or inference procedures that manipulate and use knowledge in the knowledge base to form a line of reasoning. The knowledge base an expert uses is what he learned at school, from colleagues, and from years of experience. Presumably the more experience he has, the larger his store of knowledge. Knowledge allows him to interpret the information in his databases to advantage in diagnosis, design, and analysis. Though an expert system consists primarily of a knowledge base and an inference engine, a couple of other features are worth mentioning: reasoning with uncertainty, and explanation of the line of reasoning. Knowledge is almost always incomplete and uncertain. To deal with uncertain knowledge, a rule may have associated with it a confidence factor or a weight. The set of methods for using uncertain knowledge in combination with uncertain data in the reasoning process is called reasoning with uncertainty. An important subclass of methods for reasoning with uncertainty is called â€Å"fuzzy logic,† and the systems that use them are known as â€Å"fuzzy systems. † Because an expert system uses uncertain or heuristic knowledge (as we humans do) its credibility is often in question (as is the case with humans). When an answer to a problem is questionable, we tend to want to know the rationale. If the rationale seems plausible, we tend to believe the answer. So it is with expert systems. Most expert systems have the ability to answer questions of the form: â€Å"Why is the answer X? † Explanations can be generated by tracing the line of reasoning used by the inference engine (Feigenbaum, McCorduck et al. 1988). The most important ingredient in any expert system is knowledge. The power of expert systems resides in the specific, high-quality knowledge they contain about task domains. AI researchers will continue to explore and add to the current repertoire of knowledge representation and reasoning methods. But in knowledge resides the power. Because of the importance of knowledge in expert systems and because the current knowledge acquisition method is slow and tedious, much of the future of expert systems depends on breaking the knowledge acquisition bottleneck and in codifying and representing a large knowledge infrastructure.

Child’s learning Essay

The observations you made were quite predictable. Those students whose parents supported the learning of English and participated in the home had more probability of learning the formal as well as conversational second language. Those students whose parents did not support the learning of English did not have as much success with their second language. Education of any content supports the same observations. Parental support and participation is key to student success. Another key factor is the concept of â€Å"total immersion† in a second language. People are totally immersed in their first language from birth. Therefore the spoken language becomes almost automatic. Many students even have difficulty learning the ins and outs of their first language grammar because of this immersion, making the learning of the written first language difficult. Add to that the study of a second language out of the context of living. Even the observations of the second student, the 7th grader who was â€Å"truly immersed† in both her first and second languages, supported the value of immersion. But even though the first student, the 5th grader, was totally immersed in her second language at school, it was the absence of the second language spoken at home that counteracted the learning she acquired during the school day. I also found it very interesting when the difference in the pronunciation of the word â€Å"way† was discussed. It was the sound specific to the ear that the observer could not distinguish. I had a similar experience in a class when discussing the words â€Å"ma† and â€Å"ma† in an Asian language. The Asian character was not only written differently, but both words were pronounced differently. I could barely notice the difference in writing (thus posing a literacy issue on my part), nor could I hear the difference. When explained to me, how the inflection of one word went up (like an English question), and the inflection of the other word went down (like an English declarative sentence), I still could not hear it. I could not make the distinction much like the Asian student could not hear the difference in our letters â€Å"L† and â€Å"R. † Even though I explained that the sound was made by different parts of our mouth and throat, she could not hear it. I was finally able to understand my deficit with â€Å"ma† and â€Å"ma†, I would be wise to learn the difference since one meant â€Å"mother† and one meant â€Å"horse. † I wouldn’t want to misuse them! Allison Hill Your discussion about autism was interesting. It is difficult to determine how much cognitive ability is there and how much language acquisition is there in an autistic child. Through the descriptions of the boy’s behaviors, abilities and habits, along with the theories presented, the severity of autism is not clear. As you stated, autism is â€Å"characterized by a lack of social skills and relationships, difficulty with communication, and rigid and repetitive behavior. † This child was described as having â€Å"relatively developed social and communication skills†. Thus it would be initially assumed that this child had mild autism. The descriptions and examples of the child’s behavior go on to note that he does form social relationships but uses language only when he wants something. While some use of language indicates he understands the words, meanings and uses, other uses of language suggest he does not. He certainly understands that verbal communication is a tool. So is autism a situation where one does not have the capacity to understand language, or where one makes the choice to use or not use language? It is an interesting question; one that is not easy to answer. Behavior of this subject supports either answer. Your observations also suggest that language acquisition may be based on individual need. Autistic children have different needs than other children. Autistic babies do not respond to faces and voices as other children do because they simply do not have the same need to do so. Autistic children do not use language like other children simply because they do not have the same need to do so. When one word can get the desired results, why use more? This particular child has learned the words he needs to get the results he wants in his world. You noted in these observations that this child does make errors when attempting to use language to get desired results. Mostly though, the errors seem to be made when he is attempting to please another person, or give another person their desired results. It seems autistic children are less concerned with pleasing others. You concluded by stating that this child’s language learning experience is typical of that of a more severe case on the autism spectrum. Again, it is difficult to determine since it is unclear whether it is cognitive ability or social need that affects the language acquisition. This discussion reminds me of an article I read about requiring a deaf person to interact in a hearing world based on the rules of a hearing world. Once the deaf person understood the rules of a language based on sound and hearing, she was able to communicate appropriately in the hearing situation. It was as if this deaf person was bilingual; she had to know her language (ASL) and the ins and outs of spoken English. It seems that an autistic child must learn the rules of two vastly different languages: one language based on a very social world, and one based on a less social world. Amy Lambert Your observation confirms the theory that total immersion in a foreign language produces a more fluent speaker of that language. Studying a foreign language in a school setting usually only focuses on the written aspects of that language; reading, writing, grammar. Without that constant hearing and speaking, the language acquisition is lost. It was interesting that you made a distinction between learning a foreign language and learning a second language. There is a difference between speaking a language based on learned rules, and speaking a language based on â€Å"feeling† the language. Motivation also seems to be a factor in learning a language. Whether it be learning a foreign language or learning a second language, one must have some important reason for the study. With this woman, her interest started first with the desire to do well in the subject and improve. For some, that is enough to learn a foreign language. For others, the motivation increases as the learner desires not only to know the language, but to become a part of the culture and speech community of that language and thus it becomes a second language. It was interesting that this woman’s heritage was connected to her second language of choice which may have initially contributed to her original motivation. Her father and grand parents were native speakers of Spanish but her mother did not know the language. Speaking Spanish in the home was not stressed. Therefore there was an added challenge in becoming immersed in her chosen second language. This further confirms the theory that parental involvement and support in a child’s learning is a major contributor to the success of that child’s learning. My own experience learning a foreign language was similar to the observed woman’s experience. I studied formal rules of the reading, writing and grammar of Spanish beginning in 10th grade. After three years of study in high school (which included a conversational Spanish course), I cannot say I am a fluent speaker of the language. I was never totally immersed in the language so I never truly HAD to learn to survive and communicate in that language. In addition, I never have many opportunities to use my knowledge and sharpen my skills. It just goes to show; if you don’t use it, you lose it.

How to Approach Identifying Sentence Errors SAT Writing Strategies

How to Approach Identifying Sentence Errors SAT Writing Strategies SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Note:The current version of the SAT no longerincludes this type of question. For up-to-date SAT writing tips, check out our top guide here. Identifying Sentence Errors (ISE) questions, which ask you to pick the error in a sentence out of four underlined sections, seem like they should be the easiest part of the SAT Writing section. After all, you only have to find the error, you don't have to fix it. The test writers, however, are extremely adept at camouflagingthe mistake in each sentence- if you don't know what to look for, you can easily find yourselfassuming there's no error in as many ashalf of the sentences. As such, it's vital that you take a systematic approach to the Identifying Sentence Errors questions. If you count on spotting the error by simply glancingover the sentenceor by lookingfor sections that "sound" weird, you'll miss a lot of questions. In this post, I'm going to detail themost effectiveapproach to these questions and the common errorsyou need to look for: Step-by-step Identifying Sentence Errors strategy Full breakdown of errors to check for Walkthrough of real ACT questions Summary of key Identifying Sentence Errors tips General Strategy for ISE Questions As I mentioned above, you absolutely must have a standardized approach to these questions. Following the three steps below will help you efficiently and reliably determine the answer to ISE questions. #1: Read the Sentence All the Way Through The first step to answering an ISE question is always to read the entire sentence- even if you think the error is choice A make sure to read all the way to the end. This approach will help prevent you from falling into traps. Once you've read through the whole sentence, the error may jump out at you, especially on the earlier, easier questions.Before marking anything down, however, make sure you can articulate why the underlined word or phrase is wrong. Many answers may sound odd without being incorrect. It can also help to double check the other choices to ensure that they're all correct. If you don't find the error, then move onto step 2! #2: Check Each Underlined Portion If you don't find a verifiable error the first time through, then you need to check each underlined section individually. Look at each answer and consider what the possible errors are. For example, if you're looking at underlined verb, you'll want to check if there's an issue with tense or agreement. As you may havesurmised, this step requires a solid knowledge of what concepts these questions actually test. I've created a checklistof errors tolook for below, and you can take look at a full breakdown ofwhat the SAT Writing actually tests. Make sure to eliminate the answer that don't have an error. #3: Confirm Why the WordYou Picked is Wrong It's not enough to pick an answer because it sounds weird or because it's not the word you would use. In order to be the answer, it has to be wrong according to the rules of SAT Writing. (The one semi-exception to this rule isidiom questions,which revolve around common usage rules.) As such, you need to be able to explain what error the answer you picked contains. If you can't do so, it's probably not the right choice. What Errors to Look for in EachSection of the Sentence As I noted in step 2 of the general strategy, it's vital that you know what errors to check for. To help you think through the best way to look for these errors, I've created a full breakdown of the questions you'll want to ask yourself bywhat type of wordis underlined. This list is very long and probably seems overwhelming, but don't panic! You don't need to memorize the whole thing- instead it's meant as study aid. First, make sure you're familiar with all the concepts on the list: if anything looks unfamiliar, just click the link. Then, use this printable version to work through a few ISEsections, to help you get the hang of what errors to look for. When you first try this, it will probably take a really long time. With practice, you'll get much faster though. Finally, keep the list handy for when you review your answers- use the list to go back through the questions and find the error you missed. If nothing else, keep in mind these twokey points: Check each underlined section independently Start with verbs and pronouns Full Error Checklist This checklist outlines the questions you need to ask about each part of speechor common category of word. I've also marked when a specific issue is especially rare (though these topics do still appear). The word types are arranged in the order you should check them, though not every question will be relevant in a given sentence. Keep in mind that some underlined sections may contain more than one type of word: the most common such pairs are pronoun/verb, adverb/adjective, and verb/pronoun combos. When you see these, just check each part. #1: Verbs Is the verb in the correct form and tense? Does itagree with the subject? #2: Pronouns Does the pronounagree with the noun it's replacing? Is it in the correct case? #3: Gerunds (-ing verbs) Is the gerund replacing a main verb and creating a sentence fragment? Is it part of a list that isn't parallel? Has it been incorrectly switched with an infintive? #4: Prepositions Is the preposition idiomatically correct? Does it incorrectly complete a word pair? #5:Adjectives and Adverbs Is themodifier of the correct type? Are -er and -est used appropriately? (Rare) #6: Conjunctions Is the conjunction creating a sentence fragment? Does it logicallyconnectideas? #7:Nouns Is the noun part of a faulty comparison? Is the sentence consistent in its use of plural andsingular nouns? (Rare) #8:Relative pronouns (who, which, that, etc.) Is the correct pronoun used for the context? Does the pronoun have a clear noun antecedent? Other issues to watch out for "Any" underlined often indicates an illogical comparison The presence of comparison words like "than," "like," and "as" also tends to indicate illogical comparisons A sentence with a list often hasa parallelism issue Make sure to watch for redundancy: the use of different two words Concepts thatWon'tBe Tested on the Identifying Sentence Errors There are a number of grammar concepts that students are often concerned or uncertain about that aren't actually tested by the ISE questions. Let's go over these, so that you can have fewerthings to worry about as you prepare! Writing style One of the most challenging aspects of the ISE questions is that the sentences are often phrased in unusual ways that sounds like they could be wrong but usually aren't. Once again, remember that an choice is only correct if you can articulate the error it includes. I've collected some of the common words and phrases that often trip students up but are perfectly acceptable below: a means of long since alike that, whether, and what + a noun (e.g. "That book was boring" or "Whether he likes it or not isn't the question." Who vs. whom Although many students are concerned about the difference between "who" and "whom," the SAT doesn't test that concept: you will never see "who" where you need "whom" or vice versa.Instead of worrying about swapping one for the other, focus on whether the pronoun is correctly referring to a person. Pronoun order Because of the way pronouns are taught in school, it's very common for students to be concerned about the order of pronouns connected by "and" or "or" (e.g. "me and him" vs. "him and me"), but the SAT doesn't test this concept. As long as thepronouns are in the correct case and agree with the words they're replacing, it doesn't matter what order they're in. Reflexive Pronouns Reflexive pronouns, the weird words like "herself" and "myself," tend toseem wrong, since many students don't know much about them. However, on SAT Writing, these words are usually used correctly. If you see one that's underlined, just make sure that the pronoun agrees with the noun it's replacing (e.g. the sentence doesn't use "himself" when talking about a woman). Practice is the key to success on SAT Writing. SAT Examples: Putting the Strategies into Practice I've collected some Identifying Sentence Errors questions from real SATs. For each, I'll walk through the process one step at a time so you can get a sense of how best to approach these questions. Because there are so many different concepts involved in answering these questions, I don't go into very much depth with any of them. If you're uncertain about the details of a specific topic, check out the links above. Example 1 Step 1: Read the whole sentence When going through this sentence, you mightnotice that it'sactually a fragment.If so, the next step would beto determine which underlined part could be changed to fix that issue- that's the correct choice. (Hint: the sentence is currently missing a verb.) However, let's assume you're not sure what the problem is and move onto step two. Step 2: Check each answer choice As I noted above, it's quickest to go through the answers by starting with the types of words most likely to have an error. There aren't any verbs or nouns underlined, so we'll look at B, "containing," which is a gerund, first. The three main gerund issues are parallelism, idiomatic usage, and fragments. Let's go through them one at a time. Is the gerundpart of a list or comparison? No. Therefore, it can't have a parallelismerror. Would the sentence be clearer if you switched the gerund (-ing verb) for an infinitive(to + verb)? Let's check: Formed by volcanic eruptions over the last five million years, the Hawaiian Islandsto containan incredibly wide variety of species- many found nowhere else on Earth. That version doesn't seem obviously clearer, so it's probably not an idiom error. Does the gerund create a fragment?Let's look at just the main clauseof the sentence: the Hawaiian Islandscontainingan incredibly wide variety of species This is clearly a fragment. The gerund "containing" should be replaced with the conjugated verb "contain." As such, B is the correct answer choice. Step 3: Confirm what the error in your answer is Choice B is the answer because it creates a fragment rather than a complete sentence. Moreover, a quick look over the other answer choices confirms that none of them contain an error: A and D are idiomatically correct prepositions andC is an appropriately used adjective/adverb combo. Example 2 Step 1: Read the whole sentence Reading this sentence, I don't notice anything jump out, although D sounds kind of weird. Even if that answer seems tempting we can't pick it until we determine what the error is. Step 2: Check each answer choice First let's check B for errors, since it includes both a pronoun and verb. In general, if you see a pronoun/verb combo underlined, any errors will be with the pronoun (since the verb's conjugation is dependent on the subject pronoun), but make sure to confirm that the verb works. Let's go through the possible errorsfor choice B one at a time. Is the pronoun in the correct case? Yes. "It" is acting as subject for the verb "makes," which is perfectly acceptable. Does the pronoun agree with its antecedent? Yes. "It" is standing in for "the common cold," which is a singular non-gendered noun. Is the verb correctly conjugated?Yes. "It" is a singular pronoun and "makes" is a singular verb. Is the verb in the correct tense? Yes. It's in the present tense, which is consistent with the rest of the sentence and the fact that it is making a general true statement about the common cold. We can now officially declare choice B error free and rule it out. Written out in detail, that process was a complicated, time-consuming one, but with practice you'll be able to do it much more quickly. Let's move on to choice D, "you and me," which also includes pronouns. This section sounds a little weird, but remember that pronoun order doesn't matter- we only need to check agreement and case, like we did above. Do the pronouns agree with theirantecedents?There's no agreement issue, since the pronouns are referring to the person who is saying the sentence and the person he or she is peaking to (even though both of them are abstract). Are the pronouns in the correct case?This question is a bit trickier. It would sound just fine to replace "me" with "I"- "it makes no distinction between you and I"- but "between" is a preposition, so the object case "me" is correct. Although D sounds odd, it doesn't contain an error. We can eliminate it and move onto C, which includes a noun and preposition. We'll check the preposition first since it's more likely to include an error. Is the preposition idiomatically correct?Yes. "Distinction between" is a common expression. Does it incorrectly complete a word pair?No. "Between" is correctly followed by two prepositions connected by "and." Is the noun part of a faulty comparison? No. "Distinction" isn't being compared to anything. Is the sentence consistent in its use of plural andsingular nouns?Yes. There's no issue with agreement. Since we didn't find any issues with C, we'll move onto checking the last answer, A, "one of our most." Given the many different types of words in this phrase, it doesn't make sense to check them all individually (the pronoun, for example, is clearly correct), so we'll just consider some of the bigger potential issues. Is the phraseidiomatically correct?Yes. "One of our most indiscriminate diseases" is a clear and acceptable phrase. Is the superlative/comparative correct? Yes. The common cold is being compared toall of the other diseases, so "most" is the correct word choice. We can conclude that there is no error in A, so we've ruled out all the choices, leaving only E, "no error." Step 3: Confirm what the error in your answer is This sentence doesn't have an error, so the correct answer is E. Image: Allan Foster/Flickr Example 3 Step 1: Read the whole sentence The first time through, this sentence probably seems fine. Ideally, you wouldnoticethe "any" in choice D, since that word is often a clue for an illogical comparison, but it's perfectly fine if you don't. Step 2: Check each answer choice We'll start with A, which is a verb. Is the verb correctly conjugated?Yes. The subject "builders" is pluraland "construct" is a pluralverb. Is the verb in the correct tense?Yes. The present tense is consistent throughout the sentence. Next let's move on to the preposition/noun combo in choice B. Is the preposition idiomatically correct?Yes. "Houses of stone" is a completely acceptable construction. Does it incorrectly complete a word pair?"Of"isn't part of a pair here, so we can just skip this one and go straight to the noun. Is the noun part of a faulty comparison? No. "Stone" isn't being compared to anything. Is the sentence consistent in its use of plural andsingular nouns? No other noun in the sentence refers to the same thing, so there's no issue with agreement. There's no error in choice B, so we can rule it out and move onto choice C, which is the adverb "still." Is themodifier of the correct type? "Still" is describing when the builders use the hammer, so it's correct as an adverb. Are -er and -est used appropriately? There's no superlative or comparison used, so we can skip this question. Finally, let's check choice D. "Tool" is a noun and "any" often indicates a comparison error so let's start by checking for that. Is the noun part of a faulty comparison? The underlined phrase comes immediately after "than," which indicates a comparison. We need to determine what "any tool" is being compared to: it's "the hammer." That comparison seem fine, but it actually includes an error. A hammer is a tool, so it must be compared with anyother tool, rather than just "any tool." D is the answer. Step 3: Confirm what the error in your answer is Choice D is the answer because it creates an illogical comparison. We've also definitely ruled out the otherchoices (except no error). Example 4 Step 1: Read the whole sentence It's possible to spot the error in this sentence right away, but most students don't. Let's go straight to step 2. Step 2: Check each answer choice Once again we start with the verbs, which are in choices A and C. When there are two portions that seem equally likely to contain an error, I generallycheck them in order. Let's look at A, "are truly," first. Is the verb in the correct tense?Yes. The present tense is used consistently throughout the passage. Is the verb conjugated correctly?To determine whether the subject and verb agree, we need to figure out what the subject is. It's tempting to assume that it's "goby fish and striped shrimp" but the compound noun is actually part of the prepositional phrase "betweengoby fish and striped shrimp."(Besides, fishcan't be symbiotic.) Instead, the correct subject is "the relationship." This noun is singular, so the plural verb "are" doesn't agree. A has an error. Step 3: Confirm what the error in your answer is Choice A is the answer because the verb doesn't agree with its subject. A quick review of the other three choices shows that there are no errors in the other options: they sound slightly odd, but the verb is conjugated correctly and the prepositions make sense. Image: Anne Worner/Flickr Round-Up of Strategies and Tips for ISE Questions Now that we've gone through the best ISE approach in detail and put it into practice on some examples, let's review some of the mainpoints that you'll want to keep in mind for your SAT study. As complicated as the process may seem, it will get much easier with practice. But if you're really struggling, even just keeping a few of the simple rules in mind will boost your score. KeyIdentifying Sentence Errors Strategies Always read the entire sentence When looking for the error, examine each choice individually Check verbs and pronouns first, since they're the most likely to include errors When an answer choice contains more than one type of word, check both Don't be afraid to pick E, "no error," if you've ruled out all the other choices Always make sure you can explain what errorthe answer contains Even if you think you know the answer, quickly check the other choicesto confirm HelpfulIdentifying Sentence Errors Tips Watch for comparisons and lists as you readthe sentence; both oftencreate errors when they appear "Any" often indicates a faulty comparison Longer phrases are less likely to contain an error What's Next? Make sure you know how to approach the other types of SAT Writing questions- Improving Sentences and Improving Paragraphs- as well. Don't forget the essay!Here are some tips for boosting your score, a step-by-step guide, and strategies for getting a perfect 12. Finally, check out some key big-picture strategies, like these4secrets to acing SAT Writing and these tipsfrom a perfect scorer. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Learn About the Central Asian Country of Afghanistan

Learn About the Central Asian Country of Afghanistan Population: 28,395,716 (July 2009 estimate)Capital: KabulArea: 251,827 square miles (652,230 sq km)Bordering Countries: China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and UzbekistanHighest Point: Noshak at 24,557 feet (7,485 m)Lowest Point: Amu Darya at 846 feet (258 m) Afghanistan, officially called the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a large landlocked country located in Central Asia. About two-thirds of its land is rugged and mountainous and much of the country is sparsely populated. Afghanistans people are very poor and the country has recently been working to achieve political and economic stability despite the reemergence of the Taliban, following its fall in 2001. Afghanistans History Afghanistan was once a part of the ancient Persian Empire but was conquered by Alexander the Great in 328 B.C.E. In the 7th century, Islam arrived in Afghanistan after Arab peoples invaded the area. Several different groups then tried to run Afghanistans lands until the 13th century when Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire invaded the area. The Mongols controlled the area until 1747 when Ahmad Shah Durrani founded what is present-day Afghanistan. By the 19th century, Europeans began entering Afghanistan when the British Empire expanded into the Asian subcontinent and in 1839 and 1878, there were two Anglo-Afghan wars. At the end of the second war, Amir Abdur Rahman took control of Afghanistan but the British still played a role in foreign affairs. In 1919, Abdur Rahmans grandson, Amanullah, took control of Afghanistan and began a third Anglo-Afghan war after invading India. Shortly after the war began however, the British and Afghans signed the Treaty of Rawalpindi on August 19, 1919 and Afghanistan officially became independent. Following its independence, Amanullah attempted to modernize and incorporate Afghanistan into world affairs. Beginning in 1953, Afghanistan again closely aligned itself with the former Soviet Union. In 1979, though, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and installed communist group in the country and occupied the area with its military occupation until 1989. In 1992, Afghanistan was able to overthrow Soviet rule with its mujahideen guerrilla fighters and established an Islamic Jihad Council that same year to take over Kabul. Shortly thereafter, the mujahideen began having ethnic conflicts. In 1996, the Taliban then began rising in power in an attempt to bring stability to Afghanistan. However, the Taliban imposed strict Islamic rule on the country which lasted until 2001. During its growth in Afghanistan, the Taliban took many rights from its people and caused tensions throughout the world after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 because it allowed Osama bin Laden and other Al-Qaida members to remain in the country. In November 2001, after United States military occupation of Afghanistan, the Taliban fell and its official control of Afghanistan ended. In 2004, Afghanistan had its first democratic elections and Hamid Karzai became Afghanistans first president via election. Government of Afghanistan Afghanistan is an Islamic Republic that is divided into 34 provinces. It has executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. Afghanistans executive branch consists of a head of government and chief of state, while its legislative branch is a bicameral National Assembly made up of the House of Elders and the House of People. The judicial branch is comprised of a nine member Supreme Court and High Courts and Appeals Courts. Afghanistans most recent Constitution was ratified on January 26, 2004. Economics and Land Use in Afghanistan Afghanistans economy is currently recovering from years of instability but it is considered one of the poorest nations in the world. Most of the economy is based on agriculture and industry. Afghanistans top agricultural products are opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins and lambskins; while its industrial products include textiles, fertilizer, natural gas, coal and copper. Geography and Climate of Afghanistan Two-thirds of Afghanistans terrain consists of rugged mountains. It also has plains and valleys in the northern and southwestern regions. The valleys of Afghanistan are its most populated areas and much of the countrys agriculture takes place either here or on the high plains. Afghanistans climate is arid to semiarid and has very hot summers and very cold winters. More Facts about Afghanistan Afghanistans official languages are Dari and Pashto Life expectancy in Afghanistan is 42.9 years Only ten percent of Afghanistan is below 2,000 feet (600 m) Afghanistans literacy rate is 36% References Central Intelligence Agency. (2010, March 4). CIA - the World Factbook - Afghanistan. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html Geographica World Atlas Encyclopedia. 1999. Random House Australia: Milsons Point NSW Australia. Infoplease. (n.d.). Afghanistan: History, Geography, Government, Culture -Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0107264.html United States Department of State. (2008, November). Afghanistan (11/08). Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5380.htm

Compound Modifiers

Compound Modifiers Compound Modifiers Compound Modifiers By Daniel Scocco The compound modifier is my very favorite piece of the English language. It’s a hobby of mine to go around hyphenating word groupings that are modifying unbeknownst to them. Once you learn what it’s all about, you’ll do the same. But, what is a compound modifier, you ask. Well, let me tell you†¦ The rule Which would you rather read? She looked up at the green sky and shrunk away from the white lightning or She looked up at the eerie-green sky and shrunk away from the white-hot lightning. A compound modifier refers to two or more words expressing a single concept. Regular adjectives modify nouns all the time, but a compound modifier goes much further. His yellow-green teeth were visible beneath a salt-and-pepper mustache. The words yellow and green, and salt and pepper are adjectives modifying the nouns teeth and mustache. Since they appear before the noun, they are hyphenated. If they followed the noun, they would no longer be hyphenated. From underneath his mustache, which looked like salt and pepper, you could see his teeth of yellow and green. Exceptions The only time the compound modifier is not hyphenated ahead of the noun is if the word very or an adverb ending in ly is used. For instance: The very dark sky hovered over us versus The raven-black sky hovered over us. Sometimes the compound modifier does keep the hyphenation after the noun – when it follows a form of the verb to be. For example: The soup was water-thin, but delicious all the same. More examples The shelves were buckling under the weight of dust-covered books. Books covered in dust filled the buckling shelves. Books, which were dust-covered, filled the sprawling shelves. We followed the man through a poorly lit corridor. The room we entered was well-lit. We entered a well-lit room. We followed him into a room, well lit with candles and a fire. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Types of Narrative Conflict50 Idioms About Meat and Dairy ProductsPunctuation Is Powerful

What is Democracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

What is Democracy - Essay Example This paper will examine the role of democracy in fostering equality, creating the concept of ‘the greater good’, its values of sovereignty and fostering good interpersonal relationships as well as its values of liberty. Democracy is all about representation and giving the people a voice (Brodie et al., 2014 pg 31-45). This was evident in the direct democracy system that was used in ancient Greece, where all people had a voice and participated in the decision-making process, which became the principle within democracy (Brodie et al., 2014 pg 31-45). In practice, all citizens had the ability to influence the direction of policies adopted by the state via the voting process (Brodie et al., 2014 pg 31-45). However, the huge population in contemporary times means that such as model would not be reasonable because the process would be too lengthy to respond to urgent matters. Instead, an indirect model has been adopted, one where a select group of people make the decisions for the rest of the population (Brodie et al., 2014, 2-15). Therefore, the role of the policy-making bodies in contemporary times, in accordance with the existing democratic principles, is to make policies that benefit the people who v oted for those in government (Brodie et al., 2014, 2-15). From this assumption, it follows that policies should be evaluated by their ability to reflect the needs of the citizens in the country (Brodie et al., 2014, 2-15). For example, in present day America, Americans put pressure on the government to recall troops from war-torn areas if the presence of these troops in battles is not in the best interests of citizens. Therefore, the best democratic practices have to allow citizens to make changes while also simplifying life as much as possible. The concept of the greater good, as a democratic principle, examines the role of elected leaders to fulfill the wish of their voters (Brodie et al., 2014, pg

Best Performing Director - William Craig Fugate Assignment

Best Performing Director - William Craig Fugate - Assignment Example In 2004, for instance, he staged the largest federal disaster response when the country encountered at least three hurricanes including the Wilma, Dennis and Katrina. Because of the impact of the hurricanes, most of the coastal stages were under the aid of Emergency Management Assistance Compact. This was the time Fugate showed his stewardship. After the Katrina crisis, Fugate took the information from the casualties to determine their eligibility for any compensation. Those whose information was vague were not immediately compensated. He tapped the historical information from those who were employed to verify their credentials and ensure that there was a real home there. Although they were dealing with several people, Fugate mobilized his team with the help of technology. By the time Fugate was nominated to head FEMA in 2009, the agency had already been battered by the previous leaders. Michael Brown had driven the agency into a punch-line due to his decision that depicted his incompetence during the hurricane Katrina of 2005 (U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency , 2006). With his outstanding performance of over ten years as an emergency manager, Fugate was promoted as a director having shown high competence. He was exposed to emergency services at his tender age after his parents died. Having garnered the best experience, he excelled very well in his career. He faced a lot of challenges that prepared him to lead FEMA. Initially, the agency had lost it reputation when Mr. Brown failed in his leadership leading to loss of property and lives during the 2005 hurricanes of Katrina. His appointment was therefore to restore the lost ‘glory’. This was his designed role for his appointment by President Obam a. As the director, Fugate promulgated the ‘entire community’ strategy towards emergency management by emphasizing and enhancing cooperation with all the government levels, including state, federal, local and tribal.     

Ethical considerations and regulatory requirements in the development Essay

Ethical considerations and regulatory requirements in the development of NAS - Essay Example It encompasses the ethical and scientific aspects to be considered when planning, performing, documenting and reporting all phases of the clinical trial. The regulations and guidelines in conducting these trials are set forth in order to safeguard the rights, safety and overall well-being of trial subjects. In the process of obtaining human subjects for the clinical trial, it is necessary to procure a written informed consent from the persons involved. The Nuremberg Code of 1947 states that, "voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential. This means that the person involved should have legal capacity to give consent; should be so situated as to be able to exercise free power of choice, without the intervention of any element of force, fraud, deceit, duress, overreaching, or other ulterior form of constraint or coercion; and should have sufficient knowledge and comprehension of the elements of the subject matter involved as to enable him to make an understanding and enlightened decision. This latter element requires that before the acceptance of an affirmative decision by the experimental subject there should be made known to him the nature, duration, and purpose of the experiment; the method and means by which it is to be conducted; all inconveniences and hazards reason ably to be expected; and the effects upon his health or person which may possibly come from his participation in the experiment.† " (Mitscherlich et. al., par. 2) In cases where an individual is considered unable to give informed consent, such as in the case of unconscious patients, children, and/or mentally ill patients, another person is generally authorized to give consent on their behalf. This is permissible only if the necessity of having this particular set of subject has been established and that there are no other alternatives otherwise. Also, the subject should be duly informed of his right to terminate his participation in the experiment at any given time, provided that he informs the investigator of his intentions to withdraw from the study and his reason for doing so. The ICH GCP guideline on informed consent maintains that, "The written informed consent form and any other written information to be provided to subjects should be revised whenever important new information becomes available that may be relevant to the subject's consent. Any revised written informed consent form, and written information should receive the IRB/IEC's approval/favourable opinion in advance of use. The subject or the subject's legally acceptable representative should be informed in a timely manner if new information becomes available that may be relevant to the subject's willingness to continue participation in the trial. The communication of this information should be documented." (ICH GCP 4.8.2, page 20) The written approval or favorable opinion of the written consent form and other written information to be given to the subjects should be obtained from the IRB/IEC before starting the clinical trial. (ICH GCP 4.8.1, page 20) Question #2: Can the testing of medicines in healthy volunteers be justified according to the

Individual Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Individual Project - Essay Example concerned in the given circumstances is entitled to similar protection against unreasonable searches. It must, however, be established whether the search was "unreasonable" within the meaning of law. Under the United States Constitution's Fourth Amendment: "... except in certain carefully defined classes of cases, a search of private property without proper consent is "unreasonable" unless it has been authorized by a valid search-warrant."4 Courts in the US have upheld searches without a search warrant under the following situations: the person searched consents; or the search is limited and is incident to a lawful arrest; or there is "probable cause" to justify a search but the exigent circumstances make it necessary or reasonable to proceed with the search without first obtaining a warrant; or the police are in hot pursuit chasing a suspect who attempts to hide from them; or the police merely stop and "frisk" the person, based on a reasonable belief that the person is armed and presently dangerous. The burden of justifying a search without a warrant lies on the government (Coolidge v. New Hampshire5). In the above situation, the search falls within the ambit of carefully defined classes. First, the person complies with the police officer's move to search. Next, since the locality was a high crime neighborhood, it is reasonable for the police to search the person based on his suspicious movements. Finally, the search was limited and led to a lawful arrest as the person was found possessing illegal substance. Under the US constitutional law, the police cannot justify a search by what it produces nor can an arrest be justified by the fruit of an illegal search. The legality of the search is based of...The officer reached into the car and touched a bugle in the passenger's pocket. He felt a large, hard object, which he believed to be rocks of crack cocaine. He then removed a plastic bag from the pocket. It contained several rocks of crack cocaine that, together with another rock found in the passenger's clothing, totaled almost 100 grams. The passenger was arrested, but the driver and women standing outside it were not. On a routine patrol, and officer noticed a parked car. Two people were inside, and they were in a high crime area a bar that was known for gang activity. In the past, the officer had responded to calls from the bar for everything from murder to public intoxication. The officer testified that he stopped to see if the individuals were committing a crime, lived in the area, or had some other concern. When the officer pulled behind the car and illuminated the car with his spotlight, he observed the passenger's fumbling with something on the floorboard. As the officer was checking for indication, he noticed a bullet on top of the console of the car. The officer had the individual step out of the car to ensure that they did not have any weapons after frisking them for weapons, the officer looked in the area where he observed the passenger fumbling with something to see if he was hiding a gun.

History Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

History Questions - Assignment Example S. and Soviet Union. A rapprochement would have worked better by using confidence-building measures like better communications but instead he started new proxy wars in Laos and Vietnam (Freedman 285). An optimism engendered by liberalism produced a backlash in terms of conservative anger in the form of McCarthyism in which there was a massive witch hunt of the suspected communists and their supposed sympathizers. People saw the excesses of liberalism and had wanted to go back to conservative values like family relationships. People thought America was infiltrated by communists everywhere: in government, academe and Hollywood. The culture wars produced the so-called â€Å"generation gap† between the youth and the older generations, especially their parents and elders (ONeill 5). Focal point in society where the youth were molded shifted from the high schools to colleges and universities. The country was engulfed in the youth repudiating their status and value systems while an older generation saw these trends as a threat to their lives. A few critics of the counter-culture resorted to using censorship and other controls to re-impose cherished values and social norms. Music became a medium for political messages (jazz, rap, slam poetry,); politicians now faced

Selective Laser Melting of Iron Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Selective Laser Melting of Iron - Essay Example It is imperative to note that the carbon content of steel plays a critical role in determining processability of SLM. High carbon content also has adverse effect on high speed steel and SLM produced steel, since they portray a limited densification response. Wright et al. [2], in his research, found out that with increase in carbon contents, there is increase in the thickness of the carbon layer sifted on the melt surface. Just like the oxide layer, the carbon layer has a critical influence mostly on diminishing wettability and causing the melt to spheroidise rather than flow across the underlying surface. In addition to this, the brittleness of SLM manufactured high carbon content steel is increased by the formation of complex interfacial carbides at grain boundaries. Childs et al. [4], through his research, concluded that the dissolution of carbides is favored by increasing the heat flow in the treated powder. On the same breath, increasing heat flow homogenizes distribution of all oying elements. Thus, a thin powder layer thickness, which is less than 100mm, is more recommendable for laser melting. This is besides the optimization of laser types and parameters. Due to this reason, high volumetric energy density for both elemental homogeneity and powder consolidation is achieved [5-7]. In this process, heat generated from a CO2 laser is used to sinter systematic powder layers from 3D objects arranged layer by layer [8]. Due to this, the time required for tool making is considerably reduced. The basis of the sintering is the â€Å"liquid phase sintering mechanism.† The technique involves melting the powder partially. This is also termed as semisolid consolidation mechanism [9-10]. In this form of sintering, a minute amount of liquid phase (comprising between 1 - 10% by volume), with solubility for the solid considered to be at sintering temperature, is employed. When cooled, the liquid crystallize at

History Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

History Questions - Assignment Example S. and Soviet Union. A rapprochement would have worked better by using confidence-building measures like better communications but instead he started new proxy wars in Laos and Vietnam (Freedman 285). An optimism engendered by liberalism produced a backlash in terms of conservative anger in the form of McCarthyism in which there was a massive witch hunt of the suspected communists and their supposed sympathizers. People saw the excesses of liberalism and had wanted to go back to conservative values like family relationships. People thought America was infiltrated by communists everywhere: in government, academe and Hollywood. The culture wars produced the so-called â€Å"generation gap† between the youth and the older generations, especially their parents and elders (ONeill 5). Focal point in society where the youth were molded shifted from the high schools to colleges and universities. The country was engulfed in the youth repudiating their status and value systems while an older generation saw these trends as a threat to their lives. A few critics of the counter-culture resorted to using censorship and other controls to re-impose cherished values and social norms. Music became a medium for political messages (jazz, rap, slam poetry,); politicians now faced

International Trade and Finance Speech Research Paper

International Trade and Finance Speech - Research Paper Example macro economy. 1. What happens when there is a surplus of imports brought into the U.S.? Cite a specific example of a product with an import surplus, and the impact that has on the U.S. businesses and consumers involved. There are two common things that happened when there are surplus imports in the US economy namely: The domestic producers tend to experience low sales volume and lower incomes (Sherman & Hunt, 2008). This is because imported goods tend to be sold at lower price in the domestic market than locally manufactured goods (Sherman & Hunt, 2008). On the other hand, locals consumers tend to enjoy low prices charges as imported goods are sold at reduced prices relative to locally manufactured products (Sherman & Hunt, 2008). In above connection, when imports are higher than exports then an economy is said to be experiencing unfavorable balance of trade (Lasher, 2010). Examples of products that have a surplus import include: oil product, clothes and electronic items (Sherman & Hunt, 2008). It was reported that the US economy imported several barrels of petroleum oil and gases from countries like; China Iraq, Japan to name just but a few. This has made the prices of oil to escalate causing suffrage to the locals (Sherman & Hunt, 2008). ... For example in 2007, exports were 12% while imports were 16% this led to a decrease in GDP growth rate (Economy Watch, 2010). Therefore, International trade affects domestic markets into two major ways namely; it help to broaden domestic market as more business venture are being established (Economy Watch, 2010).Secondly, it has led to closure of local markets because they sell their products cheaply than domestic markets (Van & Lewer, 2007). University students like me have been adversely affected by international trade in the sense that there has been a lot of cultural and technological exchange with the foreign students. This has led to positive trade balance (Van & Lewer, 2007). 3Â · How do government choices in regards to tariffs and quotas affect international relations and trade? The application of tariffs and quotas involves placing trade restrictions to the foreign countries on the quantity of imports (Lake & Powell, 1999). Normally, tariffs’ and quotas are employed by countries in attempt to protect domestic industries, consumers and infant industries (Lake & Powell, 1999). This means that application of quotas and tariffs creates trade barriers between the countries, and therefore, preventing free and fair trade among countries (Lake & Powell, 1999). This may further affect international relationship by creating enemity as trading countries retaliate against each other by placing the same barriers in return (Lake & Powell, 1999). 4Â · what are foreign exchange rates? How are they determined? Exchange rates refer to the rate at which local currencies are exchanges with foreign countries (Rosenberg, 2003). The rates may determined by the market forces commonly known as; demand and supply market forces. Whereby, when there is

Marks and spencers as an international retailer

Marks and spencers as an international retailer Marks and Spencer, known as M S, is one of the biggest retailers in the world. It has around 150 stores in 30 countries, including 130 franchises operating across the globe. Though it is very popular for its clothing chains in the United Kingdom, M S is also known for its multi-million pound food industry. M S also sell home furnishings, footwear and gifts other than clothing and food. In the United Kingdom alone it has 450 stores and under the trademark St. Michael, it has a chain of 294 stores. Almost all the companys overseas branches are locally franchised. M S owns the United States of Americas Brooks Brothers and King Super Markets. To meet the demands of the customers the company gets facilitated by Direct Mail. The companys core objectives of meeting the customer expectation and giving consumers easier and better access to a wide list of products. The financial services for the customers are provided by the groups financial services which comprise of the unit trust manage ment, life insurances etc. M S in recent years suffered a succession of adversities, both at home and abroad. The sales of the company have dropped. The market capitalization and stock prices reduced substantially and the overseas profits have tremendously declined. As a result the company was forced to form a marketing department in January 1999 and become more proactive and market driven. M S followed a very simple marketing philosophy for a very long time. That is to produce high quality products under a recognised brand and advertise through the word-of-mouth. But in the recent past, this advertising strategy has come under criticism as the company started losing its competitive touch. The challenge now is to develop a good marketing strategy and emerge from the slump to reposition M S as a fierce global competitor in the international arena. Internationalization Strategy of M S The internationalization of the M S began in the early 1940s. It is because the company started to feel that the domestic market has been saturated and the expansion has to come from abroad. Unlike most of the firms, M S began to export its products on the brand name St. Michael as a way to test the waters. It has been successful and the company was exporting about $1,146,000 worth of products by 1955. Externally, the members of a local labour party were suggesting nationalizing the leading domestic retailers. Sooner as a tool of diversification, some international franchising relationships were formed. This franchising allowed the company to achieve global presence with minimum political and economic risks. As the relations of the company grew with other global countries, MS choose to invest directly (FDI). MS uses various types of foreign entry around the world. But mostly the company believes in opening its own stores in major economies. It has its own stores in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Spain and Netherlands; and franchises in Cyprus, Israel, Bermuda, etc. when forming international alliances; it often prefers an experienced retailer in that particular country. Its first joint venture was established in Spain as it felt the cultural distance and market power of its co company will help to mitigate the political climate and behaviour of the company. Its international strategies in Spain yielded successful results which helped it to gain popularity in the global markets. Through franchising, its approach was mostly top-down. That is it has a centralised management which could not be better off in various marketing situations. Hence it was forced to change its internationalization strategies through foreign direct investment. Due to this there is a forced change in its technolog y, cultural behaviouring and regional promoting aspects. MS started to open stores in America, Far East and Europe. In different parts it has slightly different operational strategies depending upon the host countries values. In America it used acquisitions with Brook Brothers (clothing company), in Europe it has its direct stores running and in Far East, some stores were run with franchise and others through direct investment. Following a wide range of strategy reviews of its business, board of MS announced in 2001 significant changes to its strategies. The important decisions in its strategy are: Expansion in growth of profitable products. Acceleration of store renewal program Being close to the customer More intensive use of space Release value from half the property portfolio Cost cutting. MS has a wide range of returns on food products and has earned customer trust. So it decided to invest its major investment in food, home and beauty products. Its other plan was to accelerate the renewal of store renewal. Under this, it planned to refurbish more stores faster at the lower cost. It also reallocated to higher growth product areas to maximise returns per sqft. Apart from these strategic changes, it uses direct investment in global sectors which gained them a competitive advantage. Factors affecting MS strategy There are various factors which has a certain impact on the MS internationalization strategy. Of them, technology has been one of the factor in which the company was forced to change its strategy in various countries. But broadly speaking, in this fast developing technological world, technology used by Ms is been available where ever it opened its stores. A small adjustment to the technical functioning of a store is enough for the company to have its strategy working. The most important factor that has its resemblance in the formulation of internationalization strategy is geography and distance. As the marketing strategy of MS is universal, however it does not mean that it uses similar strategies in all parts of the world. There is a large effect of globalisation to the formulation of internationalization strategies. Consumers from various countries are different due to varying culture, economic development, and income level and so on. So in certain cases MS does not use its centralised operating strategies instead it combines with some other company through mergers but has its own standards running. This initial phenomenon of outsourcing and then after some recognition opening its own store had a significant upward success in MS organization. As marks and spencer is generally known for its clothing and food products, the locality of the company is very important. As MS runs its stores in different countries, transportation of the products has to be done in a prà ©cised manner such that there is no shortage. So in order to overcome this transportation and time differences, MS has its own outlets in specific countries. These outlets have immediate access to the supply of products whenever required. There are certain situations where it cannot have its own outlets due to some government policies and other factors. In these cases, marks and spencer uses its internationalization strategy of franchising. So that it has its own functionality running by other company. All these have significant impacts in the brand distribution globally. Apart from these, government trade policies also play a part in the strategy formulation. Given the growing links among nations, it is very difficult to consider domestic policy without considering international repercussions. In the case of formulating its strategy in US, bilateral negotiations are carried out covering wide range of products, services and investments. Such a policy should pursue the government to facilitate competitiveness and encourage collaboration among companies in the areas of goods and process technologies. MS is an UK company where the marketing conditions have to be emphasized by the government and the product is socially accepted. Also great emphasis is placed on efficiency by government policies. Where as in US and Far East countries, they regard individualism and the promotional appeals should be relevant to the individual to incorporate lower power distance within the market. Also the main advantage of Marks and Spencer government policy is that it had an opportunity of taking advantage of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) in US. It takes advantage of tax under this agreement and is outsourcing its products to Mexico and Canada. It also has an advantage of making economic sense in terms of logistics. The important policy priorities for the tax Policy Action Group (PAG) in the future include: The Tax Framework for Business The Value Added Tax The National Insurance Contributions M S will be benefitted over the above made policies by the government. The idea is to focus on the oversight and the management of the policy implications in indirect tax, company tax, personnel tax and customs duty. Conclusion The conventional wisdom on development of the developed companies like MS has focused on learning from mistakes. The leading MS Company showed that their high risk strategy of acquisition and direct investment can yield successful results backed up with technology, and cultural values. The insights from the study on MS suggest that overseas expansion is related to the need to improve global competitiveness in order to boost their outsourcing capabilities. No matter the distance and differences between the countries, MS has been the successful organization to open its companies in different countries and make them profitable ones. The only important aspect for it is to make a minimum number of changes to the functioning and marketing aspects depending upon the country in which it is operating in. thus from the above analysis it can be understood that the globalization strategy of MS created a new marketing paradigm in its success and also gained superior advantage and reputation irres pective of the host country policies and other factors. Hence it is clear from the strategies of an MS company that we live in a truly globalised economy where differences across countries are given little importance in development.