Friday, September 6, 2019

Mussolinis successful rise to power by 1922 Essay Example for Free

Mussolinis successful rise to power by 1922 Essay Analyze the claim that Mussolinis successful rise to power by 1922 was largely a consequence of the impact of the First World War. Without a doubt, the role of the First World War in Mussolinis spectacular rise to power between 1920 and 1922 was considerable, for it was surely a strong catalyst for change and Italys renewal, meaning it gave way to many problematic economical and political aspects, which in turn gave Mussolini the chance to strike at the precise moment in order to have a direct affect on people and ergo win their support. These were aspects such as the damage of the foundations of Liberal Italy, which had as a consequence the rise of frustration within nationalists and the decrease in wages and increase in the level of unemployment in the country, all of which were obviously disastrous. Therefore, Italian people started to doubt their government, which seemed weak, and initiated a search for a new, stronger leadership which would bring to cease the social unrest and economic problems; to this, Fascism seemed like the perfect alternative and solution. Nevertheless, the impact of the First World War was just to certain extent the reason for Mussolinis rise to power, for there were many other factors affecting the path of Italy into a Fascist dictatorship. These other factors were the already mentioned weak liberal regime, nationalist dissatisfaction and social and economic unrest, as well as Mussolinis opportunism, the Fascists actions and the Kings (Victor Emmanuel) doings. Dealing first with the impact of the war and the numerous consequences it had, it is necessary to point out that it was the war that brought the distress among soldiers and their families, who consequently turned to Fascism as a comfort, which implicates that the war provided a great number of employers for Fascism who were from the elite troops of the Italian army, (or Arditi); this gave Mussolinis movement a great deal of prestige. The war also brought discontent within the Italian political system; this had an effect on million of Italians who started believing that the time of liberalism was finally over; a fact which greatly accelerated the process of the formation of new political parties, such as the Socialist party, and the Popolari (formed by catholic radicals). The formation of these new parties meant a heavy burden for the Liberal government, because with a new opposition and challenge their regime was in danger, nevertheless the Liberal State found itself in a high level of vulnerability seeing that it was incapable of mobilizing the economy with the purpose of eliminating the countrys economic troubles, and finding a way around its limited economic resources; this only provided the masses with new restlessness concerning their government, and ergo made them consider what seemed a more decisive power: Fascism, which seemed to have the key property to put an end to the domestic situation, which after the war was only deteriorating further; causing lifestyles to worsen for the majority of the Italian population, which was the main reason for the sense of social breakdown that was spreading throughout the country. To this, Giolitti could either see no solution, or simply did nothing to stop it, for the Liberal regime could not get rid of the social unrest which gave way to strikes of over 40000 workers. On the other hand, communism seemed to be growing in the form of a political power: the Socialist party, which was in great scale believed to be an enormous threat and therefore any show of strength from this party was greatly feared for it was thought that it might bring revolution. This encouraged most of the social classes to believe in Fascism as it posed as the savoir to this menace and as the defender of law and order. The adoption of this heroic image by the fascists could also be regarded as a degree of opportunism from Mussolinis character, for the tension that was created by the fear of Socialism of the industrialists (who feared revolution was near), small land owners (who were deeply hit by inflation and therefore felt that their government was a weak one), Industrial workers (who were threatened by the seizure of their jobs by the socialist forces) and rentiers created the perfect atmosphere for Mussolini to put into practice his skills and tactics. Mussolini successfully abused the fears of a Socialist takeover from these classes to enable them to consider Fascism not only as an alternative, but as a perfect answer to the request of a powerful and decisive government. Mussolini, to great extent, persuaded people to believe the above by the use of his extraordinary speaking skills, to which he integrated the ideas of bringing order, stability, commitment, discipline and a strong government to Italy; (which were the exact properties of a government that the Italian masses were seeking at the moment), as well as convincing the middle classes that liberalism was finished, (as already mentioned). Moreover, his astuteness served him in convincing people that they (fascists) were violent because it [was] necessary to be so (a direct line from a speech he makes after the murder of a socialist leader), meaning that he was doing what was necessary to complete the correction of Italy. While he convinced the masses that the atrocities committed by fascists were perfectly reasonable by saying that blood alone moves the wheels of history, he was simultaneously using this violent authority to secure political power for his own later use; this meant that the black-shirted actions squads were taking law into their own hands, and by doing so, they were eliminating all those who dared to oppose this fascist movement. To some degree, this use of intimidation was very effective, for it meant that fascism would gain support by force which was obviously directed by fear within the supporters. An example of this successful intimidation was the violent general elections where Fascism gained a considerable amount of seats due to the brutality used to achieve control. But although violence was greatly used, and regardless of the fact that it put Mussolini in position to threaten the state, Mussolini was aware of all the possible consequences that his actions could bring, such as provoking the conservatives to make the authorities crush the fascists if their use of violence went too far; this measure of consciousness made him a great politician. Furthermore, in contrast to the slow Liberal reaction, Fascists were fast to accept their role as the alternative to Socialism and dealt with the Social General Strike with great speed; and by putting a stop to the socialist threat they won many votes in the parliament and had an effective result in the support of Italians; on the other hand, the lack of reaction from the Liberals only showed their incompetence to restore law, order and public confidence in their regime; which in turn continued encouraging the urban educated classes to keep thinking that they were in the path towards a civil war, meaning that the sense of crisis in the circumstances had not yet ceased to exist. In addition, Mussolini exploited to the full the situation of the General Strike and thought of it as the opportune moment to oppose the communist threat and hence use the socialists failure to appeal to the people as a man whose intentions were to save Italy from its inadequate Liberal government and propose a new regime which would be the salvation of Italy. All the while, Mussolini used his character and skills at discourse to reassure to the Liberal government that fascism, unlike Socialism, was not to be feared, this could be regarded as another opportunist strike from Mussolinis part for it served him into luring Giliotti into thinking that Fascism (Mussolinis PFN) could be controlled and absorbed into the existing political regime, meaning the official government list of coalition partners, to form an anti-socialist government coalition. This would come to be one of the biggest mistakes from the Liberals side, for; of course, Mussolini used absorption to his advantage for it gave him a level of respectability as a political party and therefore allowed the Fascists to win more seats, this was a great occasion for Mussolini for he wanted to come to power through parliamentary means. Then again, as expected, this invitation by Giolitti to enter the coalition was the result of a loss of liberal maintained seats in the parliament; seats that were lost to the Socialist party. This situation in which Giolitti was forced to look towards coalitions for support is linked to when he had formed a coalition with the Popolari, which was a political party formed by radical Catholics. This, again, clearly shows the fundamental weakness of the Liberal government for it was completely dependant on this coalition to survive within the parliament and to ad to its already mentioned problems; this was a very problematic relationship because the Popolari were rather suspicious of the Liberals anti-clericalism. The fact that it was once before also dependent on the making of coalitions, the weaknesses of the Liberal Parliamentary System are shown to have been evident long before 1922. Likewise, a further great weakness that the Liberals possessed was the lack of political will to use their own power of violence against the Squadrisimo fascist squads in order to restrain them; and by being deficient in having this determination, the fascist squads continued to perform acts of violence which ensured the fascist to induce fear and therefore eliminate opposition by intimidation. Yet in contrary to all these factors affecting Mussolinis rise to power; his vagueness and lack of any definite political beliefs gave Mussolini a unique sense of ambiguousness, and due to this Mussolini was able to influence and manipulate people so that they would perceive fascism in the way he wanted the to; this opened many paths to Mussolini throughout his career as a politician. The actions of King, Victor Emmanuel, were also crucial in the process of Mussolinis rapid rise to power. This is mainly because the King could have stopped the fascist forces if only he had not been afraid of being replaced by his cousin, Aosta. He was afraid of this because he believed that his cousin, being a fascist sympathizer, would want to replace him if he dared to oppose Mussolini in any aspect. On the other hand, it is believed that the King believed Mussolinis claims that the Monarchy and Fascism could coexist and therefore acceded to his demands, and actually appointed him head of coalition government. On the other hand, it is also said that it was weakness which made the King give into fascism as easily, for he did not believe that anything could be done against fascism; that is was too strong. Nevertheless, it is also greatly believed that Fascism could have been destroyed in 1922, in the March on Rome, of only the King had been strong enough as to oppose Mussolini, because there was a great deal of disorganization within the Fascists, meaning there was a lack of planning of this supposedly great movement, plus Mussolini was under a immense amount of pressure (from the RAS), and was going through a great depression which made him somehow weaker and easier to defeat; and therefore the army could have easily stopped it if only orders have been transmitted to it. A counter argument for this claim that it was weakness which stopped the king from acting is that he thought that Italy was walking into a full-scale civil war, and therefore, to prevent it, he took no measures against Fasc ism, and that, in addition, in that time he was under a great deal of pressure, and ergo did not make what could have been the best decision. Another vital decision that the King took was to appoint Mussolini as Prime minister, although this decision could also be blamed on the weakness of the Liberal regime, because if it had not been so indecisive, the King would not have been forced to take this step towards a dictatorship, thus if the Liberal government had been more able, and had not underestimated Mussolini then the King would not have been under so much pressure and would have probably made a better decision than to appoint Mussolini as Prime Minister. But as we can see, the March on Rome, instead of leading to a disastrous moment in Mussolinis life as it could have; it was the catalyst to the rise of power of Mussolini, for it provided the exact amount of pressure the King needed to make Mussolini the youngest Prime Minister of Italy. With the above historical debate we can say that the First World War provided the necessary conditions for Mussolinis rise to power, however, these were not sufficient and therefore other affecting factors were eventually needed to complete his successful rise to power, such as the terribly weak Liberal government which enabled the Italian people to look elsewhere for strong leadership and ergo turn to Fascism as an alternative and solution to the Socialist threat, and the brilliant tactics that Mussolini uses as well as his great deal of opportunism which made him capable to turn disastrous situations to his advantage. Such as the Matteoti crisis which forced him to use his ability to speak in front of the masses and convince them of the justification for violence; he also benefited from this crisis by abusing the fact that all other forces in the parliament left hi alone and in control of it. Having said the above, it can be understood that Mussolinis rise to power was, as Richard Parrish describes: a multi-causal phenomenon.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Side Effects of Nanoparticles on Health

Side Effects of Nanoparticles on Health Prakriti Gurung      Abstract What are the side effects of using Nanotechnology on healthcare?       Nanotechnology has revolutionised medicine with its innovative applications yet much is yet to be researched on its adverse effects. While nanoparticles are used for drug delivery and medical equipment, they pose health risks as they are shown to be toxic, causing haemolysis, inflammation as well as cancer[DS1]. This is due to properties specific to nanoparticles such as high surface area to mass ratio and its shape. The high surface area makes nanoparticles very reactive and could trigger unwanted reactions inside the body if they react with biomolecules while the shape determines how the nanoparticles interact with its surroundings. Solubility is another key factor which could potentiate harm as nanoparticles low solubility can form lumps inside the body as they accumilate in one specific region and damage vital organs. Therefore, Nanotechnology should be equally revered and feared for it uses in medicine. Introduction Nanotechnology is a branch of technology which involves manipulating structures and properties at the nanoscale range, from 1 to 100 nanometres. A particle which is 1 nanometre in size is 1 ÃÆ'- 10-9 metres small a billionth of a metre. With the concept introduced initially in 1959 by physicist Richard P Feynman during his Theres Plenty of Room at the Bottom talk where he expressed the ability to control and manipulate individual atoms and molecules, the study has today developed exponentially to revolutionise perspectives in cosmetics industry, agriculture and most recently, medicine. Medicine has thrived through the incorporation of nanotechnology in its discipline as the efficacy of drugs improved significantly due to its implementation in drug delivery, isolation of cancer cells in the body and reparations in clogged arteries. However, use of nanotechnology can be risky as particles behave differently at a nanoscale level. This unpredictability can pose hazards to human health if it is unable to be controlled in its application in medicine: Substances such as engineered fibrous nano-materials can cause inflammation on lungs while the small size of individual particles allows them to enter cells and form clumps. This report will explore the risks and hazards nanotechnology carries in its application in medicine on human health. Toxicity One of the major characteristics of nanoparticles is its toxicity and so far most of the research done around this area comes from inhaled nanoparticles in the air. What makes the nanoparticles toxic in particular is its individual chemical properties with Carbon Black nanoparticles causing more severe health effects compared to its other counterparts. However it is subjective to contamination caused by human activity such as pollution as well as to consider that nanoparticles in the ambient air have complex composition with organic and metal components such as metallic iron interacting which may cause the adverse health effects. Metallic iron was shown to potentiate the effect of Carbon Black nanoparticles through increased reactivity   (Wilson et al 2002). The toxicity of the nanoparticles are also dependent on its size as particles so small at the nanoscale level leads to an increase in surface area to mass ratio. This means more chemical molecules are present on the surface of the nanoparticles which enhances toxicity. During the study of low toxicity particles, TiO2 particles with higher surface area was shown to induce more severe lung inflammation and particle lymph node burden compared to BaSO4 particles with lower surface area (Tran et al 2000). Furthermore, their large surface area makes them highly reactive, which could lead to activate unknown chemical reactions or to bond with toxins, allowing for nanoparticles to enter cells other than the ones targeted. Shapes also play a key role in the characteristics such as the respirability and inflammatory potential of individual nanoparticles. A prime example of these are nanotubes. In addition to being carcinogenic, single wall carbon nanotubes where shown to induce Lung Granulomas, a type of inflammation, and thus demonstrated to be very toxic. However this could also be due to the high mass dose. To add, studies using human keratinocyte cell line also showed that carbon nanotube exposure resulted in cell toxicity and accelerated oxidative stress (Shvedova et al 2003) , which is an imbalance between the free radical production in the human body and the ability to neutralise its harmful effects. Solubility Different types of nanoparticles have varying solubility, and it is those nanoparticles with low solubility that could pose the most health risks. The risks are greater if the nanoparticles comprise of inorganic metal oxides and metal as they could react with bio-molecular structures within the body. Another factor to consider is if it is able to be broken down and be degraded: It would lead to the nanoparticles to accumulate within the body and damage organs. Furthermore due to its high reactivity and electrical charge, nanoparticles create conditions within the body where they come together to form larger particles, described as particle aggregation. This could potentiate the risks even further as this alters their physiochemical properties leading to unknown reactions inside cells. Nanofibres Nanofibres are fibers that have diameters of less than 1000 nm, and its medical applications range from wound dressings to artificial organ transplants.   nanofibres are created by an electrospinning process that ranges from 10nm to several hundred nanometres. The unique process through which it is made gives the nanofibres special properties due to its high surface area to mass ratio such as low density, high pore volume, and tight pore size. Researchers have also demonstrated new ways to make nanofibres out of proteins naturally occurring in blood, which makes it ideal for use in bandages as they eventually dissolve in the body (Hegde, Dahiya, and Kamath, 2005). This also makes it possible to add antibacterial material and drugs to the nanofibre structure, minimising infection rate, blood loss and more effective as it is absorbed by the body. Another field within medicine where nanofibres are used is tissue engineering, making them possible substrates for growing cells. Nano fibre substrates effectively support cell multiplication and enable tissue replacement prepared from a patients cells. The material it is made from also makes it is possible to incorporate different bioactive materials and drugs. Barrier textiles, when containing hydrophobic nanofibre layers work as effective barriers for microorganism penetration such as viruses and bacteria (Nanofiber applications, 2004). However, nanofibres can also pose significant health risks to humans. When silver nanofibres of different lengths were injected into lungs of mice, those larger than 5000 nm in size became lodged in lungs and caused inflammation while the smaller ones cleared away (BBC, 2012). Although it is questionable whether the same results are applicable on humans as the test was done on mice. Ken Donaldson, professor of respiratory toxicology at the University of Edinburgh, said: Concern has been expressed that new kinds of nanofibres being made by nanotechnology industries might pose a ri sk because they have a similar shape to asbestos. Asbestos fibres were shown to cause mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer. Drug Delivery Nanofibre membranes from bipolymers are used as drug carriers or bioactive compounds. The benefit of this is that the membranes are engineered to specifically target diseased cells, therefore reducing the damage done to healthy cells. The benefits of using nanoparticles in drug delivery is that it is possible to attach ethylene glycol molecules which enables the nanoparticles to circulate in the blood stream. This is due to the   ethylene glycol molecules which stops the white blood cells from attacking the nanoparticles. While the benefits of nanoparticles in drug delivery are immense, there are serious adverse effects which need to be researched further: Cationic nanoparticles, which are ligand coated nanoparticles used as agents for drug delivery, such as gold and polystyrene have been shown to cause haemolysis (rupture of red blood cells) and blood clotting (De Jong and Borm, 2008). Positive correlation is also observed between nanoparticle exposure and the amount of cardi ovascular diseases however there is no definitive explanation. Toxicological studies have demonstrated that certain nanoparticles can gain access to the blood following inhalation and can enhance experimental thrombosis (blood clotting in circulatory system) but it is not clear whether this was an effect of pulmonary inflammation or particles translocated to the blood. Another type of nanoparticle, DEP (Diesel exhaust particulate), were shown to cause altered heart rate in hypertensive rats whereas high concentrations of anionic nanoparticles and cationic nanoparticles were toxic for the BBB (blood and brain barrier) (De Jong and Borm, 2008). Conclusion[DS2] Nanoparticles hold great significance in the field of medicine due to its frequent emergence: they are everywhere from wound dressings to drug delivery. However much of the disadvantages in its application is yet to be researched as whatever little information is available only comes from inhaled nanoparticles. If not researched thoroughly, the risk of nanoparticles could increase significantly, as it has already been demonstrated in lab rats which resulted in lung inflammation and blood clotting. Furthermore, the high surface area of nanopartcles makes them particularly sensitive when it comes to reactivity, which inside the human body could trigger unwanted reactions in turn causing damage to cells and organs. Therefore the subject of nanoparticles should be treated with caution, especially when it comes to application on humans in order to allow for safer usage in medicine.   Ã‚   Bibliography[DS3] BBC (2012) Nanofibres may pose health risk. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19355196 (Accessed: 30 August 2016) Catherine Paddock PhD. 2012. Nanotechnology In Medicine: Huge Potential, But What Are The Risks?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/244972.php. [Accessed 27 August 2016]. De Jong, W.H. and Borm, P.J. (2008) Drug delivery and nanoparticles: Applications and hazards,Drug delivery and nanoparticles: Applications and hazards, 3(2) (Accessed: 4 September 2016). Hegde, R.R., Dahiya, A. and Kamath, M.G. (2005) NANOFIBERS. Available at: http://www.engr.utk.edu/mse/Textiles/Nanofiber%20Nonwovens.htm (Accessed: 30 August 2016). Nanofiber applications (2004) Available at: http://www.elmarco.com/application-areas/medicine/ (Accessed: 30 August 2016) Shvedova, A., Castranova, V., Kisin, E., Schwegler-Berry, D., Murray, A., Gandelsman, V., Maynard, A. and Baron, P., 2003. Exposure to carbon nanotube material: assessment of nanotube cytotoxicity using human keratinocyte cells. Journal of toxicology and environmental health Part A,66(20), pp.1909-1926. Tran, C.L., Buchanan, D., Cullen, R.T., Searl, A., Jones, A.D. and Donaldson, K., 2000. Inhalation of poorly soluble particles. II. Influence of particle surface area on inflammation and clearance. Inhalation toxicology,12(12), pp.1113-1126. Wilson, M.R., Lightbody, J.H., Donaldson, K., Sales, J. and Stone, V., 2002. Interactions between ultrafine particles and transition metals in vivo and in vitro. Toxicology and applied pharmacology, 184(3), pp.172-179. [DS1]Good point, but should be supported by a reference. [DS2]Good [DS3]Very good.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Lalbagh Fort Tourism

Lalbagh Fort Tourism Lalbagh Fort No trip to Dhaka city is fulfilled without a trip to the Lalbagh Fort or also known as the fort of Auranagabad which was built in 1678 AD by Prince Mohammad Azam who was the Viceroy back then. The fort represents the dream of the Mughal Prince which stayed unfinished. So the whole fort has a sense of history and mystery entwined in the very bricks of the foundation. The Lalbagh fort falls under the Dhaka Division/subdivison and Lalbagh thana. What to see there: The fort is structured in three levels with towers donning the south gate. The fort is filled with hidden passages and a massive mosque. It also has a fortified perimeter with a number of magnificent monuments. Among the notable monuments in the fort are the tomb of Pari Bibi and the audience room and bathing room of Nawab Shaista khan which is now being used as a museam. When can you visit the fort: Close Days: Sunday and all other listed government holidays. Visiting Hours: Monday from 1.30pm-5pm; Tuesday-Saturday, 9am-5pm during October-March; 10am-6pm during April-September; During Friday the place remain closed from 12.30pm-2.00pm due to prayer. Entry Fee: tk.10/ Bangladeshi Entrants and tk.50/ Foreign Entrants. Tel: 9673018 Video link of things you can see there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXkMZuKoS0s How to go there: Any rickshaw puller in Dhaka city will take you to the destination if you mention you want to go to Lalbagh fort or bus can be taken from local bus stands that will drop you off in either Shahbagh or Nilkhet and from there a rickshaw have to be taken to go to Lalbagh fort (30-40 taka fare from there by rickshaw) Google map link: https://maps.google.com/maps?t=mll=37.0625,-95.677068z=4output=classicdg=opt Tips: It is better to go there early in the morning as the light provides better viewing and a more pleasant experience due to bad lighting later in the day. Where to stay: Any of the following hotels should provide safe and tranquil environment with efficient service to match the needs of any tourists. They also provide car/taxi service and can guide the tourists to their destination. They also have an outstanding culinary service that should aim to please the stomach of any avid foodie. HOTEL PACIFIC 120/B, MOTIJHEEL COMMERCIAL AREA DHAKA 1000, BANGLADESH Telehone : 9587671 to 9587680 (10 lines) Fax : 9565162 Email : [emailprotected] website : www.hotelpacificdhaka.net WASHINGTON HOTEL 56 Gulshan Avenue, Road# 132 Gulshan -1, Dhaka -1212, Bangladesh Tel: 00 88 02 8851 467 72, 8850 091 94 Fax: 00 88 02 9894 915 Email: [emailprotected], [emailprotected] Web site: www.washingtonbd.com PAN PACIFIC SONARGAON 107 , Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue Dhaka, Bangladesh Tel: +880 2 811 1005 Fax: +880 2 811 3324 Web: http://www.panpacific.com/Dhaka/Overview.html RADISSON WATER GARDEN HOTEL DHAKA Airport Road, Dhaka Cantonment , Dhaka 1206 , Bangladesh Reservations: (800) 333-3333 (800) 616-1283 Telephone: 880 2 875 4555 Fax: 880 2 875 4504 / 875 4554 Email: [emailprotected] , [emailprotected] Web: http://www.radisson.com/dhakabn Lake Shore Hotel And Apartments Road No. 41, House No. 46 Gulshan-2, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh Telephone No. : +880-2-8861787-92, +88-02-8859991, +88-02-8861783-86, +88-02-8852939 Fax No. : +880-2- 8860534, +88-02-8860519 Email Address: [emailprotected] Web Address: www.lakeshorehotel.com.bd Curzon Hall: Situated in Dhaka city of Dhaka Division/subdivision the hall is part of the school of science of Dhaka University. The hall has been named after Lord Curzon who was the Viceroy of India. The hall was built in 1904. After Bengal was partitioned and Dhaka became the new capital of East Bengal and Assam it was used as the premise of Dhaka college but later after the establishment of University of Dhaka it became part of the Universitie’s science division. The place has significant historic value due to being the point of origin where the students of Dhaka University in 1948 first uttered their refusal to accept Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s declaration that Urdu alone would be the state language in the whole of Pakistan and sparked the Language Movement. What to see here: Curzon hall is one of the most intricately designed architecture structure of Dhaka combining a blend of European and Mughal style portraying a then popular design in the North which consisted of horse-shoe and cusped arches. This style also favored the Mughal’s as they were fond of arches and domes. The building is said to mimic that of the well known Diwan-i-khas in the palace fortress of Fatehpur Sikri, Emperor Akbar’s capital during 1570-1585. Built with red bricks, ornate brackets deep eaves and a domed terrace pavillion this place is a sight to behold and to seep in an aura of legend now only found in history books. How to go there: A rickshaw or cng can be taken from any of the hotels in Dhaka city by asking to go to Dhaka university campus, Curzon hall. Or a local bus can be taken which will drop you at shahbagh/nilkhet from where Curzon hall is a 25-30 taka rickshaw ride away. Google Map Link: https://maps.google.com/maps?t=mll=37.0625,-95.677068z=4output=classicdg=opt Tips: Since it’s the department of science its usually really crowded during 10 A.M. – 2 P.M. so if you want to avoid students rushing to and fro to classes going there is earlier or later in the day is advisable. Where to stay: Refer to Lalbagh section. Dhaka National Museum Location of the spot: Dhaka Division, Dhaka Metropolitan City. Brief/why should someone go there: The Museum established in 1913 is a four storied building with forty galleries under its 4 departments of natural history, History and Classical Art, Ethnography and decorative art and Contemporary art and World civilization. The museum has a vast and elaborate collection of old coins, books on art, ivory and silver filigree works, images made with metal, many textiles including the famed Muslin fabric and Nakshi Kantha, arms and ammunitions from the Mughal time, series of painting and sculptures dating back to the Buddhist and Muslim period, handicrafts and models of the village and city life and most importantly- priceless articles of the liberation war of Bangladesh which signifies the backbone of the history of Bangladesh can be found there. How to go get back/ mode of transportation: Bus can be taken from any of the Local bus stop directly to this spot in Shahbagh. The fare will be around 15-30 taka depending upon from where in Dhaka you are travelling from. CNG can also be easily taken and the fare should be 150-200 taka. Rickshaws can also be taken to Shahbagh and the average fare should be 50-70 taka. If you are travelling from Gulshan/banana area then CNG is advisable as rickshaws do not directly go there. Contact info: Phone : 88-02-8619396-9, 8619400 Fax : 88-02-8615585 E-mail: [emailprotected] [emailprotected] WEB: http://bangladeshmuseum.gov.bd Things to do: Taking Photographs is not allowed but you can take pictures from outside of the Museum. Going through 4 levels of the museum and all the artifacts of history it stores is quite a feat and should be more than enough to keep you busy for half a day. Where to stay: Refer to Lalbagh fort. Google Map: https://maps.google.com/maps?t=mll=37.0625,-95.677068z=4output=classicdg=opt. Video links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwAf4pph7DQ ATM Information: Dutch Bangla ATM booths can be found in Birdem, PG hospital or TSC all of which is 5 minutes distance from the Museum. Brac bank ATM can be found in Aziz Super market just opposite the Museum. Standard chartard ATM booths can be found Hotel Sheraton which is 15 minutes distance from the Museum. HSBC ATM booths can be found in Hotel Sonargaon. TIPS: The Museum is very extensive and it takes a lot of time to explore it completely so it’s advisable to go there after a good meal as food is not allowed inside the museum.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Hullabaloo within the Media of China and Tibet :: Government China Tibet Essays

Hullabaloo within the Media of China and Tibet Since the 19th century, relations between the Chinese government and the people of Tibet have continually been on the decline. While there are many issues which lie at the heart of this conflict, recent events have drawn more focus to the economic relationship between the two. In February 2001, China passed legislation giving the needed approval to begin construction on the controversial Qinghai-Tibet railway. Stretching from mainland China to Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan Autonomous region, completion of 'the world's tallest railway' would join together two regions previously only connected by air and treacherous roads (WTNN par1-2, 7). This development, while fully supported by the Chinese government, is receiving heavy scrutiny from the people and the government of Tibet. This controversy does not revolve around the railway itself, but rather the effect it will have. In the wake of this debate, the challenge lies with the media to present a clear, unbiased report of the argume nts, without taking up sides. Examination of the Chinese nationalist press and the news reports from the Tibetan nationalist groups, as well as a glance at third party news sources, proves there is little media coverage which does not carry with it some undertones of a political or social nature. These underlying connotations, uniquely created to reach each target audience, function to affect the message received by the average reader. An analysis of the target audience of each media source reveals not only the type of undertone presented, but also its predicted effectiveness. In China, there is one national English language newspaper: China Daily. Because it is written in English, and as a result of its online availability, one can reasonably assume the target audience for this newspaper is most notably people residing outside of mainland China. On March 9, 2001, China Daily published an article providing quotes and excerpts from speeches made by deputies of the National People's Congress (NPC) and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) during their annual session. Among the speakers on the topic of new railway development was Lobsang Gyaincain, an NPC deputy and the mayor of Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet. In his address, he highlights the benefits of building the Qinghai-Tibet railway, citing its ability to "enhance exchanges between ethnic groups, reinforce economic development in Western China, and modernize the concepts and styles of Tibet while not posing a threat on people's religious beliefs" (China Daily 4,6).

Ethics and Accounting :: Finance Business Accountant Accountancy

Ethics and Accounting What's ethics got to do with accounting? Everything! Believe me, everything. When the word ethics is mentioned, what readily comes to mind is the question of deciding between doing what is right and doing what is wrong. But doing what is right versus doing what is wrong within what context? The idealist will say that decisions of ethics should not be conditional. But it is not as simple as it sounds, for what constitutes "right" to one person, may be "wrong" to another person. What bridges the gap, guides, and clearly distinguishes the line between right and wrong in political, economic and social systems are traditions, culture, laws and regulations. Even then, what is unethical may not necessarily be illegal, even though there exists a close relationship between the two. These dynamics apply to almost every legal profession, accounting not exempted. This paper examines the issues of ethics in accounting. It also looks at the differences and similarities between financial accounting to managerial accounting. Introduction According to Marshall et al, (What the numbers mean, 2003) accounting involves "identifying, measuring, and communicating economic information about an organization for the purpose of making decisions and informed judgments." This definition clearly shows that there are stakeholders in the information generated by accountants. These include managers, shareholders, oversight and law enforcement agencies, and the general public. Since these entities rely on the reports generated by accountants for critical decision making, it is important that the information be reliable, objective, and presented in an easy to understand format. Ignoring or circumventing these values renders the information generated unreliable. It can lead to devastating consequences as evidenced by events which led to recent legislation such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act which seeks to make top management of organizations accountable for the financial statement produced by their organizations through the internal controls they develop and enhance, and to oversee auditors who hitherto could have business interests other than auditing in the organizations they were responsible for auditing. Financial versus Managerial accounting Managerial accounting refers to the management of company resources while applying management accounting principles in decision making. One important characteristic of management accounting is that, it is internal to the organization even though external information such as financial accounting reports will have some amount of influence. Financial accounting refers to the identification, recording, computation, and reporting of financial information to users who may have a stake in the information reported. An important characteristic of this information is that it is geared towards users external to the company. A financial accountant generates information for external consumption. These products include the income statement, the balance sheet, the statement

Monday, September 2, 2019

Pd help

Outline TWO indicators of morbidity. Include examples in your answer. Morbidity is the incidence or level of illness, disease or injury in a given population. Two indicators of morbidity include: Hospital use, by the cause and number of admissions. It provides a measure of the rates of illness and accidents to the community, major reasons for ill health and information on serious diseases.Yet, it is not descriptive of less serious illnesses and ill health. For example, hospitalisation statistics have limitations as an indicator of morbidity because they treat each episode as a new case rather than having re- admissions of the same condition. Disability and handicap, which is lead to by the incidence of disease or injury. An example of handicap could be an individual injured in an accident which has become impaired, resulting in an abnormal function or loss of physical or mental capacities.This could cause disability by disturbing the individual's normal activity or performance. An ex ample of disability can be loss of ability in verbal communication. . What should consumers consider before choosing complementary and/or alternative health care approaches? (4 Marks) Prior to choosing complementary and/or alternative health care approaches, consumers should investigate the service offered and the credibility of the practitioner.Making informed choices should be completed by gathering information specific to the nature of the alternative medicine, credibility as an effective type of treatment, questioning friends and the community about experiences and recommendations and also the qualifications and experience of practitioners. Alternative medicines have endeavoured the highest quality of treatment by providing courses within the technique. For example, the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia offers an introductory course followed by a 6 month practitioner course to obtain accreditation. 3. Why is it important to prioritise health issues in Australia?

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Strategy Essay

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is one of the largest car rental companies in North America. It specializes in providing customers temporary or a replacement vehicle. Jack Taylor founded the company in 1957 where he started Enterprise Rent-A-Car as an Executive Leasing Company with only seven cars. The company began leasing cars for longer periods. Later on executive leasing launched itself as a short-term rental operation with 17 cars plus a car sales division. That’s when the company changed its name from Executive Leasing to Enterprise Leasing. Established in St. Louis, Missouri, their number of rental units began rising and by the mid 70’s the number of rentals hit 5,000. Enterprise also started offering fuel, maintenance and insurance products. In the 90’s, Enterprise expanded its operations into the UK and Canada. In 2004, Enterprise started its Month or More service to both business and retail consumers with rental vehicles. Then in 2007, Enterprise expanded into Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. In addition, Enterprise purchased Vanguard Car Rental; National Car Rental and Alamo Rent a Car businesses from Cereberus Capital Management. In 2008, Enterprise and the St. Louis Car Sharing Cooperative launched WeCar which is an environmentally friendly car sharing program. Enterprise now operates more than 713,000 vehicles including more than 120 different makes and models. It also has more than 8,000 rental offices and operates 230 on-site airport locations throughout the United States, Canada, UK, Germany and Ireland. http://aboutus.enterprise.com/ 1. The strategy Enterprise is using and its components Business Strategy Enterprise’s strategy is to achieve and fulfill its mission by Jack Taylor’s  philosophy: â€Å"Take care of your customers and employees first, and profits will follow† Key elements of Enterprise’s strategy involve long-term loyalty, motivation & promotion. Enterprise employees try to build long-term relationships with customers by over delivering on their promise. Motivation acts as a key component of Enterprise’s strategy. Enterprise motivates its employees to provide exceptional customer service by developing, providing opportunities for growth and giving incentives for their achievements. Enterprise promotes managers from within, which creates a hardworking & motivated work force. Their business motto is to hire smart, motivated individuals and give them the tools to run a business by delivering customer service. Delivering exceptional customer service results in repeat customers, which results in growth at each of the local branches. Followi ng business growth, Enterprise’s strategy is to open more branches and create new opportunities for its current employees. Overall, Enterprise’s strategy is to satisfy its customers and motivate its employees to achieve long-term profitability Product and Market Strategies Enterprise has a management plan that separates them from others providing them with a significant competitive advantage. Enterprise made a decision to sustain a decentralized, professional, and entrepreneurial approach to management. Decision powers are given at the branch level where the employees are also offered unique training programs. Management trainees and interns start at the bottom learning the different aspects of the business and also experiencing different management styles. After working as a management trainee or intern, an individual has the opportunity to be promoted. Promotions are based off of performance and not on seniority. Process is Management Assistant > Assistant Manager (Begin to train, supervise and mentor employees) >Branch mangers >Area manager International Involvement Enterprise international operations are located in: Canada, UK, Ireland,  Germany and Puerto Rico. In addition, the company has more than 900 international car rental branches. The Canadian operation of the company operates a fleet of more than 55,000 vehicles in 500 locations (80 airport locations). European operations for the company are located in the UK, Germany and Ireland. Analyzing the above strategies, Enterprise appears to be adopting a growth strategy. Their strategy entails introducing new locations, adding new features to existing products. Analyzing the Industry Porters Competitive Forces There are many factors that drive competition within the car rental industry. Price competition may not be the only factor; as companies are focused on implementing a value system and long term profitability. In addition, most companies are gradually lessening their focus on their airline operations and focusing on leisure rentals. Threat of potential entrants is low since the established car rental companies have continued to increase their market share. Plus, their competition is fierce within the car rental industry. Alternatives to Business Car Rental include video conferencing, virtual teams, collaborative software, personal cars and public transport. Supplier power within the rental car industry is low. Suppliers do not have a significant influence in supplying cars as there are many. SWOT Analysis STRENGTHS Industry Recognition leading to a strong brand image Large fleet of vehicles Large scale of operations Robust financial performance within the company Top performer in Customer Service WEAKNESSES Concentration of assets Maintenance and cost of repairs No one-way rentals Very capital intensive operations OPPORTUNITIES Recent initiatives Growing global car rental market Increasing use of the internet Bigger presence at airports THREATS Intense competition High labor costs Rising Interest rates Increasing fuel prices Factor Analysis Assessment Political Legislation Environment Company Cars Competition Taxes & Duty Subsidies Keen competition, political issues with specific corporations and high taxes due to the state Economic Excess Capacity Economies of Scale Diversification Mergers and strategic alliances Environmentally safe cars Diversification between competitors Social Car Culture Fashions and Taste Redundancies Consumer taste differentiation Technology E-Commerce Safety Plant Efficiency Online Car Rental Reservation Systems Overall Market Attractiveness The overall market attractiveness for the car rental industry is fairly attractive Consumers will continue to travel and need rental vehicles for insurance replacement rentals and car sharing With low air travel numbers in recent years, the car rental industry has had a slight decline. Consumers will start to travel as the economy begins to recover from recession. On the flip side, non-airport locations are continuing to grow in revenue from people taking local vacations and insurance customers (Appendix 1 indicates revenue for Enterprise went up during recession). Small car rental companies would need to focus on niche markets or risk bankruptcy. As shown in the analysis above, there are multiple political issues including legislation, taxes and duty and company cars. Some consumers would get frustrated with the high taxes E.g. Fuel Tax, Environment Tax and Airport Tax. Economic factors shown above include: Excess capacity, economies of scale, diversification and mergers and strategic alliances. Social factors are when consumers tend to have different tastes on vehicles which will cause them to prefer different makes and models. Technological factors such as E-Commerce, safety and plant efficiency plan is an important part as well. The overall market attractiveness is high as consumers will continue to travel in out of the country and would need to rent vehicles. Consumer Analysis There are four main types of consumers: leisure, business, sharing and leasing. These consumers all have a different perspective on the business and what they went to purchase. Leisure consumers may be interested in purchasing an affordable, economical car whereas a business traveler would opt for the luxury model. 2. The actions management has taken to implement strategy, including key policies and procedures, support systems and management approaches The management of Enterprise Rent-a-Car has taken many actions to implement  their strategy. From hiring educated, competitive, social employees, giving them sense of ownership, encouraging them to be entrepreneurial, and giving its managers autonomy in operating their locations. To supporting corporate innovation in order to identify best practices and apply this knowledge throughout the company, as they did with their world famous slogan†We’ll pick you up†. Development of things such as the Enterprise Rent-a-Car Cultural Compass, to help guide their service oriented employees in interacting with the customer, each other, and the local community. Employees who followed the values of the cultural compass were recognized for their work and encouraged with the Jack Taylor Founding Values Award and a grant for a local non-profit cause. Enterprise Rent-a-Car developed the Enterprise Service Quality Index (ESQi), which provides a score for each branch based on their customer service satisfaction, in order to increase customer satisfaction, and managers were held publicly accountable for their scores. Enterprise used compensation and career advancement incentives along with the ESQi to encourage and promote employees, only if their location’s ESQi score was at or above the corporate average would they be eligible for promotion. Enterprise Rent-a-Car, also used the Automated Rental Management System (ARMS), a system which linked all of Enterprises locations together in order to automatically update and also send vehicle status reports to insurance companies, and in 2006 partnered with FIX AUTO Network to provide more efficient ways of sending collision repair and rental status reports to be monitored by insurance companies. Although Enterprise Rent-a-Car encouraged autonomy amongst its manager, and its employees to be entrepreneurial, it still administered some corporate control over individual locations to ensure consistency and to implement and accomplish its goals. Enterprises actions in all 6 of its market segments: 1. Off-Airport Market- Provided great customer service with great prices, which appealed to leisure travelers and value minded business travelers. 2. On-Airport Market- Offered prices at airports that were on average 20% below the industry average. 3. After-Market/ Used Auto Sales- Established a haggle free buying policy, selling cars below the Kelley Blue Book listed retail value. Also all of Enterprise’s used cars passed a 109-point inspection by an ASE-certified technician and had a 7-day repurchase agreement. 4.  California Vanpool Services- Prices varied according to van size, round-trip distance, and equipment included. 5. Rent-a-Truck- Provided great customer service, customized billing, and 24-hour roadside assistance. 6. International Operations-Enterprise hired locally, bought cars locally, and focused on off airport markets such as providing corporate travel cars, replacement cars, and fleet management. Our assessment of culture and the role it plays in the success of Enterprise Enterprise Rent-a-car culture is based on their core values and what the company lives by. Jack Taylor did not talk about founding values when he started up his business back in 1957 — he and his team just lived by them. They set the example through a personal commitment to the company and its customers. Those values have served as the foundation for their growth and success for more than five decades. And today, this simple, yet powerful set of beliefs is more critical than ever to their continued success; its how they hold themselves accountable everyday. When Jack Taylor founded Enterprise, he clearly articulated his business philosophy. â€Å"Take care of your customers and your employees, and profit will take care of itself.† â€Å"Treat customers the way you would want to be treated as a customer.† â€Å"Repeat customers are the quickest way to build a solid base of business.† â€Å"Never promise what you can’t deliver; deliver more than you promise.† â€Å"After dealing with us, we want customers to say, ‘This is the best place I’ve ever done business.’† Enterprise has remained true to these basic principles. Taylor’s philosophy is also reflected in a tool called the Enterprise Cultural Compass, shown below: The company developed the compass to guide service-oriented employees in conducting business and in interactions with each customer, each other, and their local communities. The compass was also intended to aid employees in focusing on key areas through the organization. To help promote the values depicted in the compass, Enterprise developed an award named the Jack Taylor Founding Values Award, which provided winners with a grant from the  Enterprise Rent-a-car Foundation that could be used for qualified non-profit causes in the winners’ local communities. Employees were expected to adhere to these principles in all of their business dealings. A failure to do so could result in disciplinary action or dismissal. Enterprise Rent-a-car’s Cultural Compass Priorities Operations – Enterprise evaluate the performance of their operating groups based in large part on how their operations maintain a balance between customer satisfaction, employee development, fleet growth and profitability. They know that keeping a healthy equilibrium among these critical factors is essential to steady, long-term growth. Diversity – Enterprise takes pride in understanding and embracing their differences in ways that drive innovation, connect them completely to their communities and make their company a place that is welcoming to all. A diverse supply chain allows their company to foster growth and opportunities for historically underutilized suppliers, while also mirroring the communities in which they operate. Work/Life Balance – Enterprise is providing an atmosphere that challenges all employees to do their best work helps them achieve successful careers and supports them in their efforts to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Sustaining their strong workplace reputation is critical to their ability to attract and retain the best people. Helping their employees achieve higher satisfaction and engagement can drive lower absenteeism, higher productivity, better retention and other outcomes that contribute to their overall success. Business Practices – Enterprise takes pride in exemplifying the highest moral standards. They know that they are held accountable by their actions and their reputation, they adhere to the strictest accounting rules and the highest ethical standards, and those standards apply to every single individual. Enterprise takes pride in holding themselves accountable for such high standards because they know that they are only as strong as their reputation that each of them maintains in the minds of customers, potential customers and employees. Community Relations and Philanthropy – Enterprise is a local company that just happens to have a presence in thousands of neighbourhoods across five countries. They actively support thousands of organizations and donate millions of dollars each year to a variety of causes. They know that business can’t be a one-way street; good  will makes good sense. Government Relations – Enterprise acknowledges that it is only with the support of key community stakeholders that they can continue to grow their business and strengthen their reputation as a responsible corporate citizen and valued member of the community. They must build and strengthen these invaluable strategic partnerships on a national, regional, and local scale. Enterprise values high standards and regard for customers and employees, one can clearly see why they have been winning so many awards for customer satisfaction as well as setting themselves as one of the best employers to work for in Canada. Their culture is based on the their mission, values and high standards for customer satisfaction and employee relations. They base their company on how their founder lived by and they believe their actions are what set them apart from other companies. All of these combined are what play a key role in the success of their company. Having such immaculate standards for themselves is what is helping them be this successful with so much competition. Their customers know that they â€Å"will not promise more than they can deliver and they will always deliver more than they promise.† 4. Our recommendations for the management 1. Enterprise can potentially decide to analyze the need of a strategic alliance or potential merge with one of its competitors. A potential alliance will allow Enterprise to continue to conduct business as usual but will allow them to have a bigger competitive advantage among its main competitors. A merge between Enterprise, a medium to large company in the industry will allow Enterprise to meet its current challenges. This will allow them to match up with its current competition which has recently acquired companies in the auto rental industry and has become the second and third largest auto rental company in the industry. Such a merge will stop the recent increase of the Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group and Budget Rental Group. As well, a merge will allow enterprise to increase its market share with its main competitor in the airport segment of the industry, Hertz. The previously discussed merge will allow Enterprise to grow substantially as a company, it has huge market shares in the off-airport market, however,  lately they have focused on developing their on-airport market, which has lead Enterprise to gain some market share in that segment, Hertz has begun to take notice and challenged Enterprise in the off-airport market. Since Enterprise already has a huge lead in the off-airport market it might be hard for Hertz to catch up to Enterprise but they can surely bother Enterprise. By merging with a company it will allow Enterprise to meet those challenges head on, they can have enough off-airport outlets to crush the potential growth of Hertz as well gain on-airport outlets, which can lead to gaining and taking away market share from Hertz. 2. Enterprise should strengthen relationship with insurance companies it deals with. They can strengthen that relationship by offering those companies special deals for their customers. They can offer cheaper pricing for the rental of their cars in case of an accident. By cutting down their profit margin, Enterprise can increase the loyalty of the current insurance company they have partnered with. As well such attractive pricing can pursued with current insurance companies that have decided to go with Hertz to reconsider and analyze the potential of Enterprise as a c ompany who they will use for their customers that are in need of a car. By doing this they will defeat the potential growth of Hertz in the insurance segment of the markets. 3. Enterprise should invest some money in their technology department. Investing money in the development of technology, Enterprise can have a head start in the need for their customers and develop an app to make it easier for them to either rent a car, find a retail location or book an appointment for an Enterprise employee to pick them up for a car rental delivery or a rental return. By developing an app they will be getting ahead of its main competitors and will increase their customer service. Customer satisfaction will increase since it is the company’s core culture and business model. Entering the app market will increase the positive perception currently and new customers have of the customer service that is offered by Enterprise. Enterprise will have entered a market, which had not yet been tapped into. They will increase their presence in the hospitality part of the market by delivering an easier way for its consumers to gain access to their services. 4. Enterprise should develop or adopt a rewards system that other companies  are using in order to stay competitive. Their competitors, such as National and Budget are currently using rewards program like air miles. Enterprise should adopt this reward system as well; it will be beneficial for the company to do so. First of all, as previously discussed, it will allow them to stay competitive, it will allow Enterprise to tape into a specific niche in the market where it targets customers who are in that air miles program already or are attracted by the fact that they want to be part of a reward program, where they receive things in return for using a product. By taping into this specific niche there could be substantial profit growth since not many companies are offering such programs. Enterprise already has a huge off-airport market share. A program, such as air miles will only strengthen their position in the off-airport market; as well it can increase their growth in the on-airpor t market. Enterprise should also continue emphasizing growth within the company and focus on implementing one of the following strategies: Market Penetration Although Enterprise already has advertisements on television they could focus on a different approach instead of just using the motto, â€Å"We’ll pick you up† such as focusing the commercials on the weekend special deals. Product Development Enterprise could introduce newer models and expand on their luxury car selection. Market Development- Enterprise could continue their global expansion and increase airport locations. Diversification Enterprise could establish a service called â€Å"Rent-A-Bike† We think that Enterprise should step outside of their comfort zone and implement a diversification strategy. We believe creating â€Å"Enterprise Rent-A-Bike† will gain interest in consumers and also expand on annual revenue for the company.