Gorbachev and His Policies †History Essay

Gorbachev and His Policies – History Essay Free Online Research Papers Gorbachev and His Policies History Essay Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (1931- ), was the leader of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1985 to 1991. He was the last leader of that country and the key figure in the liberalization and subsequent disintegration of Soviet and Eastern European Communism. Gorbachev set out to reinvigorate the Soviet system but inadvertently destroyed it. His policies aimed to calm tensions with the West, mainly the United States. Gorbachev made a crucial contribution to the end of the Cold War, which had divided the world since the late 1940s. In November 1978, Mikhail Gorbachev moved to Moscow to become Central Committee secretary responsible for Soviet agriculture. In 1979 he also became a candidate member of the CPSU’s Politburo, its top policy-making body. In October 1980, at the age of 49, Mikhail Gorbachev was made a full member of the Politburo, thus becoming the youngest member of the Communist Party’s inner circle. Gorbachev soon climbed to the top of the communist hierarchy at a time of political intrigue among the Soviet elite. The Soviet elite were concerned that the country’s economic problems as well as others were becoming more intense. Brezhnev, who died in November 1982, was briefly replaced by Yuri Andropov and then by Konstantin Chernenko. Andropov then made Gorbachev his second in command, and Gorbachev took on a more active role within the Politburo. Although Andropov saw Gorbachev as his heir, the Soviet leader was unable to move Chernenko out of the line of succession before his death in February 1984. Chernenko replaced Andropov as Soviet leader, but he also died not more than one year after taking office. After Chernenko’s death, Gorbachev quickly became a favorite of the Politburo and Central Committee and was appointed general secretary of the CPSU. This marked Gorbachev’s beginning as the new leader of the Soviet Union on March 11, 1985. After taking office, Gorbachev soon moved young, energetic politicians into key positions. Gorbachev also made numerous changes on lower levels of the power structure. Along with the personnel changes, he pushed to get rid of corruption and incompetence within Communist Party organization. Gorbachev also moved for a campaign against alcohol consumption, and undertook a review of the USSR’s declining economic situation. In 1986 Gorbachev’s policies took on a serious turn. He would be forced to recast his reform program as one of comprehensive rebuilding of society and economy and declared that openness had to be adopted in the media and in governmental party organizations. In January 1987 Gorbachev came out in favor of democratization of the Soviet regime. Nine months later Gorbachev had a dispute with Boris Yeltsin, CPSU leader for the city of Moscow, who wanted faster reform. Though this dispute had effected Gorbachev for months, in 1988 however he renewed his efforts. This initiated a reevaluation of Joseph Stalin’s totalitarian rule and pushing for further liberalization of other major Soviet institutions. These changes were soon approved at a conference in June and July of that year. In September of 1988 Gorbachev became chairman of the presidium of the Supreme Soviet, an equivalent to the head of state. Despite Gorbachev’s successes, he felt his reform efforts were being obstructed by the Communist Party organization. Under his leadership the first real competitive elections were held in March and April 1989, the first in the USSR since its founding in 1922. In March of 1990 Gorbachev again made serious political changes. Gorbachev persuaded the congress to pass a constitutional amendment that would separate the executive branch from the legislative, and to also elect him as president. This would make Mikhail Gorbachev the first and, as it would turn out, the only president of the USSR. Gorbachev’s economic reforms seriously lagged far behind his political. Back in 1987 the CPSU voted toward a market economy, but very little progress was ever really made. The most important change was the allowance of small businesses and cooperatives to either exist inside state enterprises or separate from them. But disagreements on the inside prevented the adoption of a realistic reform program for the economy as a whole. This deadlock, led to a severe economic crisis by 1990. The effects of this crisis included declining production, growing inflation, shortages of consumer goods, labor unrest and, most importantly, a widespread loss of confidence in Gorbachev’s ability to handle economic issues. It would be soon realized that this would lead to the breakup of the Soviet Union. By late 1990 Gorbachev was under pressure from two factions. In the face of these pressures, a weakening Soviet economy, and growing political instability, Gorbachev allied himself temporarily with party conservatives and security organs within the Soviet government. On August 24, 1991 Gorbachev resigned as general secretary of the Communist Party. Within several days, all party activities had been suspended. Over the next several months, Gorbachev struggled to uphold a weak federal union, a transitional central government, and a place for himself within it, but he was unable to accomplish any lasting agreements. By October, all republics except for Russia and Kazakhstan had declared their independence from the USSR. Then on December 8, the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus declared the USSR defunct and announced that they were forming a loose alliance called the Commonwealth of Independent States. Gorbachev resigned as Soviet president on December 25 in a solemn television address, and the USSR ceased to exist. Research Papers on Gorbachev and His Policies - History EssayAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Quebec and CanadaBringing Democracy to AfricaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeThe Fifth HorsemanTwilight of the UAWThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraDefinition of Export QuotasRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Bisect and Dissect

Bisect and Dissect Bisect and Dissect Bisect and Dissect By Simon Kewin Its tempting to think that dissect and bisect mean the same thing : to cut something in two. After all, the bi- and di- prefixes both convey the meaning of â€Å"two† or â€Å"twice†. So we have bicycle (with two wheels) and dioxide (with two oxygen atoms). In fact only bisect means to cut in two. A line cutting through a circle would be said to bisect it. A river might bisect a city. The prefix of dissect is not di-, however, but dis- meaning â€Å"apart†. Its the same prefix as in words such as disintegrate (to break up into small parts) and dismember (to cut the limbs from something). Dissect means to methodically cut something into pieces rather than to merely cut it in two. So, for example, organs might be dissected in order to find out how they work. Dissect has also acquired the more figurative meaning of studying something in great detail without any literal cutting taking place. Thus a statement or report might be â€Å"dissected† to see if it contains any inconsistencies or inaccuracies. When the two words are mixed up, generally it’s the case that dissect is used when bisect is meant. Sometimes dissect is misspelled â€Å"disect† to add to the confusion. Only bisect means to cut something into two parts. 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 Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What is the Difference Between "These" and "Those"?Social vs. SocietalComma After Introductory Phrases

Nude Study of Thomas E. Mckeller by John Singer Sargent Essay

Nude Study of Thomas E. Mckeller by John Singer Sargent - Essay Example From that time, he grew up to be an accomplished in music, art, and literature. By seventeen, he was well accustomed to expansive masters of painting. He dealt majorly on portrait paintings, but he was also skilled in painting landscape and the use of watercolor (Joselit 65). He also went to study in Germany and Italy and later in Paris under Auguste Emile. Sargent also studied with Emile, whose influence changed his artistic life from 1874 to 1878. In 1879, his effort in painting the portrait of his teacher, Emile was met with approval by the public, and this gave him the future direction. He created more than two thousand watercolors, nine hundred oil paintings and countless charcoal drawings and sketches. In 1877, Sargent had a successful exhibition at the Paris salon. His travels to Holland and Spain to study fans Hals and Velazquez, visits to North Africa and Brittany inspired him in paintings. After the controversy of â€Å"Madame X,† painting Sargent moved to London whe re he had several commissions. In 1880, he tried to make up a client site in London and so experimented with landscaping and impressionism (Joselit 77). He incorporated the styles and elements of Monet and Manet in his work. By eighteen nineties, Sargent was the preferred portraitist of representation elites. As he entered sixties, he moved to landscaping turning away from trendy portraiture. Sargent never married and died in 1925. Exhibitions in recognition of his life were mounted the same year in London, Boston, and New York. The painting Thomas E. McKeller was an African American young muscular man when the image was done. He was a bellhop and Sargent considered his facial and muscular physique unique to pose for an oil painting. The acceptance of McKellar led to production of Thomas E. McKellar Nude Study. The painting exhibits Thomas kneeling on a cushion with his arms behind the body. The posture shows well-elaborated torso accompanied with a good amount of prominence and ten sion. Thomas head in the portrait has been tilted to the side and upward gazing maybe to the heavens. The success of Sargent portrait painting of the McKellar nude study depended on skilled use of visual elements and the mastery of them. In analyzing this portrait, he emphasized the physical element from the view of the portrait size and shape. The original size of the portrait is 125.73 x 84.45 cm (49 1/2 x 33 one/4 inch.) On the canvas. Considering the shape of the portrait, he painted it on distinct rectangular frame. He designed the portrait with an impressionable view of a three dimensional shape. Sargent was able to make this portrait descriptive object in that it physical characteristics are highly explicit with good visual capability. The physical depth of the â€Å"Nude study of McKellar† explores the hidden aesthetic means and value. He portrays the object clearly and openly where the physical analyses do not compromise the audience views and thoughts. The use of li nes as a main mean of painting style is well elaborated in this portrait. He makes good use of capricious lines on Thomas portrait hence his emotional intimacy can be deciphered in this work. The outer vertical lines of the frame give the portrait some calmness, nobleness, and sense of eternality. The horizontal use of line in the cushion part gives the painting indispensable visual element of calm and peace. There is also cross lines and irregular lines behind the body

Interactive media (critical reflection) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Interactive media (critical reflection) - Essay Example the audience has an opportunity of interacting with the actors and has a participative role whereby, they can offer their opinion on the theme of the work presented. Interactive theatre therefore has served to bring a paradigm shift in the traditional media landscape specifically in theatre. The interaction level in interactive theatre varies depending on the willingness of the audience to participate. This paper will offer a critical reflection on different aspects of interactive theatre and its relevance to culture and its pertinent effects on the media landscape. Interactive theatre offers the modern audience an opportunity to participate in emerging debates centred on material that is presented in theatres. Considering a theatre comprises of a large audience, the participation of the audience must be organized in a certain manner. The level of interaction varies on the decisions made by the actors and the contribution of the audience. In some cases, the audience is expected to complete the plot of a certain story while in others the audience is expected to offer a critical review of how the material was presented. The level of interaction is critical in making interactive theatre achieve its intended purpose. This form of theatre seeks to integrate the views of the audience with those of the producers and the actors. Passive spectators are transformed into active participants in interactive theatre (Evans 2013, p. 192). In a bid to understand the cultural relevance of interactive theatre, it is important to highlight the UNESCO definition of culture. According to this body, culture denoted, â€Å"A set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of a social group.† With such a definition of culture, if interactive theatre is to be culturally relevant, it must contribute to the spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of the society. Interactive theatre, exhibits a high level of cultural relevance (Jacobson & Hwang

The Changing Global Economy Essay Example for Free

The Changing Global Economy Essay The argument for globalisation is an argument for International trade. Classical liberal economists have always argued for the free movement of all factors of production. Adam Smith had declared that nations have absolute advantaged that they leverage to provide cheaper and more efficient production processes. David Ricardo argues in his theory of Comparative advantages that countries must utilize their relatively more abundant factors of production more intensively to produce higher levels of output. All this results in higher output and therefore the world stands to gain through increased trade. Factor mobility leads to stabilization of prices that result from goods and services moving from one place to another where the factor is scarce and fetches higher returns. Those who are against globalisation and trade base their debates on the infant industry argument which believes that small domestic players get adversely affected when large foreign firms compete. The other argument they make is that that imports cause shifts of production where firms locate to foreign lands and cause unemployment. It is also believed that globalisation leads to the dumping of poor quality or toxic goods across the border. Reliance on imports leads to dependence, and exports cause injury to locally available resources that get diverted to foreign markets. Globalisation is also seen as a phenomenon where the free flow of money and currency makes domestic economies extremely vulnerable to volatile foreign investments. This could lead countries to balance of payment difficulties and cause events such as the East Asian crisis in the mid nineties. What results is a situation where any minor turbulence in large economies like the US causes severe stress to developing and under developed economies. 2. Huntington and the clash of civilizations Huntington’s famous hypothesis states that in the modern world, the clash of ideologies will convert into a clash of cultures. He argues that the new world order will see greater examples of conflict between various cultures of the world. His thesis is seen as a justification of the US war against Islamic nations and its aggression against countries like China. These clashes would come from a conflict that emanates whenever differing cultural paradigms come into contact with each other and compete for global resources. The end of the cold war, according to Huntington, is the end of conflict based on ideology, where the capitalist and the communist bloc were engaged in war. This conflict ended with the collapse of the USSR and the coming down of the Berlin Wall. Today, the emerging economies of the world are growing fast and eroding the huge share in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the world that is now held by the western countries. These new and emerging economies are home to most of the cultures of the world that are all opposed to the dominant western thought. This opposition would give rise to global conflict. This is the conflict that Huntingdon terms as the Clash of civilizations that emerges in a world that is globalising at a fast pace. This globalisation is bringing together people from various cultures and this would manifest in a battle for domination. This then would cause conflicts among cultures. Huntington’s hypothesis has been debated endlessly and there are as many voices supporting the argument as there are that characterise Huntington’s theory as mischievous. 3. Institutional arrangements For a free economy, there are certain pre conditions that must be met. These are the protection of property rights, honoring of contracts, law and order and a competitive environment. These pre conditions are met when these are institutionalized. These institutions then enable markets in any state and cause efficiency in market transactions and therefore result in growth. Some of these institutions are put in place by the government by way of regulatory bodies and police forces. Some of these institutions are created simultaneously by a society as it evolves. Markets function best when free and perfect information is available to all players. Competition in an economy comes out of the lack of barriers to entry and exit from the market. Laws and policies that enable such an environment are all referred to as institutional arrangements. In most markets there is asymmetry of information and a differentiated access to factors of production. Such a situation prevents an economy from operating at full potential. Those states that ensure the existence of such institutions are the ones where economic growth takes place to its full extent. Weak institutional arrangements favor some players in a market and adversely affect the rest. Market based solutions to such problems are usually the most sustainable and efficient mechanisms. This gives rise to poor governance structures and cause imperfection. It is not always the state that brings about these institutions. Sometimes institutional arrangements evolve and take firm roots in markets. Such informal institutional arrangements provide players with an eco system that enables innovation and growth. 4. Shifts in the world economy The two factors that clearly set apart the last 25 years of economic growth in the world are the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fast paced changes in technology. Both these events have lead to a globalised world where trade has more than quadrupled. Technological changes, especially the strides made in communication technology and transportation have enabled the world to shrink and become a global village. Transactions are now possible at lightning speeds, at the click of a mouse, between two entities situated in different corners of the globe. What has also been seen is the spurt in trade in services, and such was not the case with the world earlier where all trade was for goods. Free trade has improved the chances of poor countries to enter new business internationally, and allow their firms to buy and sell various commodities and services. Domestic rules and standards become significant and issues such as restrictions on imports, exports, tariffs and duties become significant. (Ohmae, 1999). In all this the new entity that has emerged is that of the Multi National Corporation. MNCs today typically operate in several countries, where the source of raw material is one nation; production takes place in a second country, assembly and packaging in a third and sales in a fourth. This has enabled firms to grow in size and shape and allow economies of scale to reduce costs of production and therefore prices. Most nations in the last 25 years have made currencies convertible and have ensured that internationally agreeable norms and polices are put in place. A large credit for this goes to the World Trade Organisation that has put in place a multi lateral agreement that allows for free trade between members. The MNC has leveraged these changes to emerge as a significant player in world economics. References: 1. Clarke, G.and S. Wallsten, (2004), â€Å"Has the Internet Increased Trade? : Evidence from Industrial and Developing Countries†, World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 3215. 2. Edwards, S. (1989a), Openness, Trade Liberalization and Economic Performance in Developing Countries, Working Paper No. 2908, NBER, Cambridge Mass. 3. North, D. (1990), â€Å"Institutions Institutional Change and Economic Performance† Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 4. Ohmae, K. (1999) ‘The Borderless World: Power and Strategy in the Interlinked Economy’. New York: Harper Business.

The Effect Of Third Party Candidates In Presidental Elections Essay exa

The Effect of Third Party Candidates in Presidental Elections Although citizens of the United States have the opportunity to vote for many different offices at the national, state, and local levels, the election of the president of the United States every four years is the focal point of the American political process. The American political system has maintained a two- party system since its inception. Political scientists argue that a two-party system is the most stable and efficient means of running a democratic nation as a mono-party system leads toward tyranny, and a multi-party system creates over- diversification and gridlock (Mazmanian 6). The Constitution of the United States does not in any way limit the structure of the political system to two parties. In fact, there has been no presidential election where there were only two candidates; however, third-party candidates are rarely represented in a majority of the states, and those that were on the ballot in a majority of states have never been successful. However, on a few occasions, third party candidates have been able to make a significant impact on the presidential election process such as George Wallace in 1968 and H. Ross Perot in 1992. Through nineteenth century there was little deviation from the traditional two-party system. Until then, political candidates were utterly dependant upon the political infrastructure of an established party for their campaigns. Until the development of mass media technologies, including radio and television, political candidates had no direct means of communicating with the public and were thus dependant on the communications systems of the major parties. Thus, third party movements lacked the capabilities to run an effective campaign against the major parties. However, mass media has changed the scope of the election process and brought about the demise of the major political parties (Robinson 147). Candidates who run a television dominated campaign have hurt their parties in a number of ways. The media specialists who manage such campaigns tend to be loyal to a candidate rather than to the candidate's party; as a result, the campaign supports a single candidate and not the entire ticket of the party. In addition, the heavy reliance on television allows a candidate to reach voters directly, thereby weakening the traditional function of the party as an info... ...eed, Ross Perot and George Wallace had a profound effect on the outcome of the elections they participated in, but Perot had a more lasting effect. Ross Perot proved to the world that it is quite plausible for a completely independent candidate to "walk into center stage and steal the show" (Robinson 141). With the decline of the political parties and their role in the campaign process, the possibilities for more successful independent candidates can only increase. Eventually an independent will go farther than swaying the outcome. One day an independent will win. Works Cited Brown, Gene. H. Ross Perot: Texas Billionaire. Vero Beach: Rourke Enterprises, Inc, 1993. Goldman, Peter and Tom Mathews. "The Manhattan Project". Newsweek (Special Election Issue) November/December, 1992. pp.40-57 Jackson, David. "3rd party chances gauged" Dallas Morning News. November 5, 1992. Mazmanian, Daniel A. Third Parties in Presidential Elections. New York: Franklin Watts, 1974. Murr, Andrew. "Superhero". Newsweek (Special Election Issue) November/December, 1992. pp.70-77. Robinson, James W., ed. Ross Perot Speaks Out. Rocklin: Prima Publishing, 1992. .

Summary of Reconfigurable Antennas for Wireless and Space Applications

Satellite and Mobile Communication Course Course Number: 361-2-5931 Lecturer: Professor Arnon Shlomi Article Summary Assignment â€Å"Reconfigurable Antennas for Wireless and Space Applications† By Christos G. Christodoulou, Fellow IEEE, Youssef Tawk, Steven A. Lane, and Scott R. Erwin, Senior Member IEEE Proceedings of the IEEE 100, no. 7 (2012): 2250-2261 Assignment by: 1. Introduction A reconfigurable antenna (RCA) is an antenna that is able to be formed, or bent. From this definition one can deduce the significance of such antenna to wireless communication. RCA will allow adaptation, additional functionality and more versatility.Therefore, RCAs, with the ability to radiate more than one pattern at different frequencies and polarizations, are necessary in modern telecommunication systems. The article discusses the different reconfigurable components that can be used in an antenna to modify its structure and function. These reconfiguration techniques are either based on the integration of radio-frequency micro-electromechanical systems (RF-MEMS), PIN diodes, varactors, photoconductive elements, or on the physical alteration of the antenna radiating structure, or on the use of smart materials such as ferrites and liquid crystals.All of the above techniques redistribute the antenna currents and thus alter the electromagnetic fields of the antenna’s effective aperture. Therefore, enabling the antenna to enhance its bandwidth, change it operating frequency, polarization, and radiation pattern. 2. Reconfiguring Techniques Six major types of reconfiguration techniques are used to implement reconfigurable antennas, as indicated in Fig. 1. Here I shell focus on two, electrical and optical RCAs. RCAs can be classified into four different categories. a) frequency RCA; (b) radiation pattern RCA, for this category, the antenna radiation pattern changes in terms of shape, direction, or gain; (c) polarization RCA; and (d) combination of the previous categorie s. There are several advantages in using reconfigurable antennas. (a) Ability to support more than one wireless standard. Hence, it minimizes cost and volume requirements, simplifies integration and offers good isolation between different wireless standards; (b) lower front-end processing.Therefore, there is no need for front-end filtering and there is a good out-of-band rejection; (c) best candidate for software-defined radio. Thus, has the capability to adapt and learn and can be automated via a microcontroller or a field programmable gate array (FPGA); and (d) multifunctional capabilities. Consequently, can change functionality as the mission changes, can act as a single element or as an array and can provide narrow- or wide-band operation. However, there are disadvantages for adding tunability to the antenna behavior. a) the design of the biasing network for activation/deactivation of the switching elements which add complexity to the antenna structure; (b) increase in the requi red power consumption due to the incorporation of active components which augments the system cost; (c) generation of harmonics and inter modulation products; and (d) need for fast tuning in the antenna radiation characteristics to assure a correct functioning of the system. Figure 1: Techniques to achieve RCAs 2. 1.Electrically RCAs The ease of integration of such switching elements into the antenna structure has attracted antenna researchers to this type of RCAs despite the numerous issues surrounding such reconfiguration techniques. These issues include the nonlinearity effects of switches, and the interference, losses, and negative effect of the biasing lines used to control the state of the switching components on the antenna radiation pattern. RF-MEMS: The antenna shown in Fig. 2 is a reconfigurable rectangular spiral antenna with a set of RF-MEMs switches, which are monolithically integrated and packaged onto the same substrate.The antenna is printed on a PCB substrate and fe d through a coaxial cable at its center point. The structure consists of five sections that are connected with four RF-MEMS switches. The spiral arm is increased by discrete steps as integer multiplications of the length of the first segment of the rectangular spiral. It is increased following the right-hand direction to provide right-hand circular polarization for the radiated field. The location of switches is determined such that the axial ratio and gain of the antenna are optimum at the frequency of interest.Based on the status of the integrated RF-MEMS, the antenna can change its radiation beam direction [2]. Figure 2: (Left) a radiation pattern RCA. (Right) fabricated prototype with the biasing line 2. 2. Optically RCAs An optical switch is formed when laser light is incident on a semiconductor material. This results in exciting electrons from the valence to the conduction band and thus creating a conductive connection. The linear behavior of optical switches, in addition to t he absence of biasing lines, compensates for their lossy aspect and the need for laser light to activate them.Integrated Laser Diode: Optically RCAs can be implemented by integrating laser diodes directly into the antenna substrate. A copper piece is attached to the back of the antenna ground, as shown in Fig. 3. This piece has a minimal effect on the antenna radiation pattern since it has a small depth and a smaller width and height as the antenna ground plane. The laser diodes are activated via a current driver to generate the required output optical power. An example of this type of reconfigurable antenna is shown in Fig. 3a. The antenna top layer is the radiating patch while the bottom layer represents the antenna ground plane.Two silicon switches (S1 and S2) are included to allow the antenna to tune its resonant frequency. To activate the silicon switches, laser diodes are integrated within the antenna substrate by attaching a small copper piece to the ground of the antenna, as shown in Fig. 3b. Two holes are drilled throughout the substrate in order to allow the light from the laser diode to be delivered to the silicon switches. These copper pieces are also used as a heat sink for the laser diodes [3]. Figure 3: (a) optically RCA. (b) Laser diode integration with copper fixture, back layer. (c) Prototype, to layer . 3. Smart Materials RCAs Antennas are also made reconfigurable through a change in the substrate characteristics by using materials such as liquid crystals or ferrites. The change in the material is achieved by a change in the relative electric permittivity or magnetic permeability. In fact, a liquid crystal is a nonlinear material whose dielectric constant can be changed under different voltage levels, by altering the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules. As for a ferrite material, a static applied electric/magnetic field can change the relative material permittivity/permeability. . Satellite Applications The need for dynamic space app lications has led to the realization of RCAs for satellite communication. In such systems, it is necessary to reconfigure the antenna radiation pattern to serve a new coverage zone, limit fading in rainy areas, and maintain high data rate at all possible frequency bands of operation. E. g. an antenna structure for satellite applications generates an elliptical beam ranging from 10. 95 to 14. 5 GHz using an 85-cm aperture. Using a rotational and zooming mechanism, the antenna can tune its radiated beam from a â€Å"small ellipse† of 2. 3 °X3.  ° to a â€Å"large ellipse† of 6 °X9 ° [4]. Reconfiguration in space has also been achieved through the use of deployable antennas. These antennas change their shape from compact, small structures to large blooming antennas in space. The objectives are to realize high gain and high directivity, which are primarily determined by the size of an antenna aperture. The antenna itself can be reconfigurable to cover several frequ ency bands as the mission of the satellite changes. 4. Summary Reconfigurable antennas were divided into electrically, optically, physically, and smart-material-based tunable structures.Christodoulou et-al expect future smart reconfigurable antennas to be completely multifunctional and software controlled with machine learning capabilities that can detect changes in their RF environment and react accordingly. Moreover, the merging of deployable and reconfigurable antennas will open new frontiers in the design of antennas for space communications. 5. References 1. Christodoulou, Christos G. , Youssef Tawk, Steven A. Lane, and Scott R. Erwin. â€Å"Reconfigurable Antennas for Wireless and Space Applications. † Proceedings of the IEEE 100, no. 7 (2012): 2250-2261. 2. won Jung, Chang, Ming-jer Lee, G. P.Li, and Franco De Flaviis. â€Å"Reconfigurable scan-beam single-arm spiral antenna integrated with RF-MEMS switches. † Antennas and Propagation, IEEE Transactions on 54, n o. 2 (2006): 455-463. 3. Tawk, Y. , J. Costantine, S. E. Barbin, and C. G. Christodoulou. â€Å"Integrating laser diodes in a reconfigurable antenna system. † In Microwave & Optoelectronics Conference (IMOC), 2011 SBMO/IEEE MTT-S International, pp. 794-796. IEEE, 2011. 4. Roederer, Antoine G. â€Å"Antennas for Space: Some Recent European Developments and Trends. † In Applied Electromagnetics and Communications, 2005. ICECom 2005. 18th International Conference on, pp. 1-8. IEEE, 2005.

Albert Bandura Theory Essay

Albert Bandura’s theory (The Bobo Doll Experiment) states that children learn aggressive behavior through the media, and by observing others and the environment. He stated that many individuals believed that aggression will produce reinforcements. â€Å"These reinforcements can formulate into reduction of tension, gaining financial rewards, or gaining the praise of others, or building self-esteem† (Siegel, 1992, p. 171). Bandura believes that this aggressive like behavior is stemmed from a process called aggressive modeling. I disagree with this theory because there are too many people in the world to base his theory on something that is not even factual. There are many factors when considering a child’s behavior. Does that child have a violent nature? Is that child a natural introvert? These variables play a huge part when considering if a child will respond to violence. An introvert child is a child who is better off being alone (Dictionary.com). They shelter within themselves. They draw energy and confidence from being alone and staying to themselves. A child like this tends to shy away from groups and group activities. Often times, violent crimes and aggressive behavior are spawned by a group or gang of likeminded people. Introverted children will more than likely not be involved with such gathering of behavior. According to an article, Children and TV Violence, Sarah Davis (2010) indicated that â€Å"While some children emulate the violence they see on the TV, more introverted children get scared instead† (www.livestrong.com). Sometimes, children just take a natural attraction to violent behavior. It does not necessarily have anything to do with the upbringing or environmental state. In some cases, the best parents have the worst children. No one is responsible for the outcome of that child’s behavior but the child itself. The child is the only beholder of what they decide to become in the future. For example, I know a set of twin boys who were both brought up in the same household. They attended the same school and were exposed to the same environment. Yet, the younger twin led a life of aggressive behavior and made a career of being out of being a criminal. However, the older twin chose a path of positivity. He graduated from high school and went to college. He also recently got engaged and is now working on a career in Business. However, his brother is currently serving a sentence for burglary and aggravated assault with the intent to do bodily harm. This simple comparison with these twin boys is called the Classical Choice Theory. The Classical Choice Theory has evolved into modern rational choice theory, which argues that criminals are rational decision makers: before choosing to commit crimes, criminals evaluate the benefits and costs of the contemplate criminal act; their choice is structured by the fear of punishment (Siegel, 2011, p. 13). This theory states that criminals or children who commit crimes have the rational choice to commit crimes without any influence of their environment, other people or the media. Others might not agree with me on the Albert Bandura Theory, stating that the media, other people and the environment are some reasons for negative behavior of a child. Parenting a child is not a science; it cannot be put into a scientific method and used to rear and develop a child. However, each child is different; therefore, each technique has to be executed accordingly to a child’s behavior. Unfortunately, some children live in low income societies and are exposed to violence. Nevertheless, if you rear a child with the proper guidance, that child still withholds his future in his hands. Each child has the ultimate say-so of what they will or will not do when it is time for them to make that dangerous choice. References (N/A) (N/D) Introvert Retrieved on July 31, 2012 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/introvert?s=t Davis, S.(2010). Children and tv violence. Retrieved August 6,2012, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/75671-children-tv-violence/#ixzz22mr0G2ui Rathus A. Spencer (2012). Psych. 51. Mason, Ohio: Wadsworth. Cengage Learning. Siegal, L. J. (2011). Criminology: The core (4th ed.). Florence, KY: Wadsworth Publishing.

How To Use Suffixes in Spanish

How To Use Suffixes in Spanish One sure-fire way to boost your Spanish vocabulary is to take the words you already know and learn how to apply suffixes to them. What Are Suffixes? Suffixes are simply word endings that can be used to modify a words meaning. We use suffixes  in English all the time, and nearly all of them that we use in English have a Spanish equivalent. But Spanish has an even wider variety, and their usage isnt always as obvious as it would be in English. Take a common word like manteca, for example. Thats the word for lard, a much-used cooking ingredient in some Spanish-speaking countries. Add the ending -illa, a common ending, and it becomes mantequilla, or butter. Add the ending -ero, and it becomes mantequero, which can mean either a dairyman or a butter dish. Add the ending -ada, and it becomes mantecada, or buttered toast. Add -ado, and it becomes mantecado, or french ice cream. Unfortunately, it isnt always possible to figure out what a word means simply by knowing the root word and the suffixes. But the suffixes may give enough clues that in context you can make an educated guess. For the Spanish student, suffixes can roughly be classified as diminutives, augmentatives, pejoratives, English cognates, and miscellaneous. And one, the adverbial suffix, is in a class of its own. The Adverbial Suffix Probably the most common Spanish suffix is -mente, which is usually added to the feminine singular form of adjectives to turn them into adverbs, just as we add -ly in English. Thus simplemente is simply, carià ±osamente is lovingly, rpidamente is quickly, and so on. Diminutives These suffixes are extremely common and are used to make a word refer to something smaller, either literally or figuratively as in a form of endearment. Thus, un gato is a cat, but un gatito is a kitten. In English we sometimes do the same thing by adding -y. The most common diminutive is -ito (or its feminine equivalent, -ita), sometimes expanded to -cito or, less commonly, -illo or even -zuelo. You can add one of these endings to many nouns and adjectives to arrive at a diminutive form. Examples: perrito (doggy)hermanito (little brother)papelito (slip of paper) Augmentatives Augmentatives are the opposite of diminutives and arent used as much. Augmentative endings include -ote, -ota, -à ³n, -ona, -azo, and -aza. For examples, un arbolote is a large tree, and un hombrà ³n is a big or tough dude. Just as the diminutives sometimes are used to denote an endearing quality, the augmentatives can be used to convey a negative connotation. Whereas un perrito may be a cute puppy, un perrazo could be a big scary dog. One augmentative, -à ­simo, and its feminine and plural forms are used with adjectives to form a superlative. Bill Gates isnt just rich, hes riquà ­simo. Pejoratives Pejoratives are added to words to indicate contempt or some form of undesirability. They include s include casucha, a house thats falling apart, and ricacho, referring to a person who is rich in some undesirable way, such as arrogant. English Cognates These suffixes are ones that are similar to suffixes in English and have a similar meaning. Nearly all of them have come to both languages by way of Greek or Latin. Most have an abstract meaning, or are used to change one part of speech into another. Here are some of the more commonly used cognates along with an example of each: -aje - -age - kilometraje (like mileage, but in kilometers)-ancia - -ancy - discrepancia (discrepancy)-arquà ­a - -archy - monarquà ­a (monarchy)-tico - -atic - luntico (lunatic)-ble - -ble - manejable (manageable)-cida, cidio - -cide - insecticida (insecticide)-cià ³n - -tion - agravacià ³n (aggravation)-cracia - -cracy - democracia (democracy)-crata - -crat - burà ³crata (bureaucrat)-dad - -ity - pomposidad (pomposity)-esa, -iz, -isa - -ess - actriz (actress)-fico, -fica - -fic - horrà ­fico (horrific)-filo, -filia - -file - biblià ³filo (bibliophile)-fobia - -phobia - claustrofobia (claustrophobia)-fono - -phone - telà ©fono (telephone)-icio, -icia - -ice - avaricia (avarice)-ificar - -ify - dignificar (to dignify)-ismo - -ism - budismo (Buddhism)-dad - -ity - pomposidad (pomposity)-ista - -ist - dentista (dentist)-itis - -itis - flebitis (phlebitis)-izo - -ish - rojizo (reddish)-or, -ora - -er - pintor (painter)-osa, -oso - - ous - maravilloso (marvelous)-tud - -tude - latitud (latitude) Miscellaneous Suffixes Finally, there are suffixes that dont have a clear English equivalent. Here are some of the common ones along with an explanation of their meanings and an example of each: -ada - similar to English suffix -ful or -load - cucharada, spoonful (from cuchara, spoon)-ado, -ido - can indicate similarity to root word - dolorido, painful-al - indicates a tree or grove - manzanal, apple tree-anza - makes noun forms of some verbs - enseà ±anza, education-ario - indicates profession or place - bibliotecario, librarian-azo - a blow of the object of the root word - estacazo, a hit with a stick (from estaca, stake)-dero - indicates instrument, means, or capacity - lavandero, laundry (from lavar, to clean)-dor, -dora - indicates agent, machine or place; sometimes similar to -er - jugador, player; comedor, diner; calculadora, calculator-dura - indicates the effect of an action - picadura, puncture (from picar, to pick)-ear - common verb ending, often used with coined words - emailear, to email-ense - indicates place of origin - estadounidense, of or from the United States, American-erà ­a - place where items are made or sold - zapaterà ­a, s hoe store-ero - variety of meanings relating to root word - sombrero, hat (from sombra, shade); vaquero, cowboy (from vaca, cow) -à ©s - indicates place of origin - holandà ©s, Dutch-eza - makes abstract nouns from adjectives - pureza, purity

Wall Street Crash of October 1929

Wall Street Crash of October 1929 In the 1920s, many people felt they could make a fortune from the stock market. Forgetting the volatility of the stock market, they  invested their entire life savings. Others bought stocks on credit (margin). When the stock market took a dive on Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929, the country was unprepared. The economic devastation caused by the Stock Market Crash of 1929 was a key factor in beginning the Great Depression. A Time of Optimism The end of World War I in 1919 heralded a new era in the United States. It was an era of enthusiasm, confidence, and optimism, a time when inventions such as the airplane and the radio made anything seem possible. Morals from the nineteenth century were set aside. Flappers became the model of the new woman, and Prohibition renewed confidence in the productivity of the common man. It is in such times of optimism that people take their savings out from under their mattresses and out of banks and invest it. In the 1920s, many invested in the stock market. The Stock Market Boom Although the stock market has the reputation of being a risky investment, it did not appear that way in the 1920s. With the mood of the country exuberant, the stock market seemed an infallible investment in the future. As more people invested in the stock market, stock prices began to rise. This was first noticeable in 1925. Stock prices then bobbed up and down throughout 1925 and 1926, followed by a strong upward trend in 1927. The strong bull market (when prices are rising in the stock market) enticed even more people to invest. By 1928, a stock market boom had begun. The stock market boom changed the way investors viewed the stock market. No longer was the stock market only for long-term investment. Rather, in 1928, the stock market had become a place where everyday people truly believed that they could become rich. Interest in the stock market reached a fevered pitch. Stocks had become the talk of every town. Discussions about stocks could be heard everywhere, from parties to barber shops. As newspapers reported stories of ordinary people, like chauffeurs, maids, and teachers, making millions off the stock market, the fervor to buy stocks grew exponentially. Buying on Margin An increasing number of people wanted to buy stocks, but not everyone had the money to do so. When someone did not have the money to pay the full price of stocks, they could buy stocks on margin. Buying stocks on margin means that the buyer would put down some of his own money, but the rest he would borrow from a broker. In the 1920s, the buyer only had to put down 10 to 20 percent of his own money and thus borrowed 80 to 90 percent of the cost of the stock. Buying on margin could be very risky. If the price of stock fell lower than the loan amount, the broker would likely issue a margin call, which means the buyer must come up with the cash to pay back his loan immediately. In the 1920s, many speculators (people who hoped to make a lot of money on the stock market) bought stocks on margin. Confident in what seemed a never-ending rise in prices, many of these speculators neglected to seriously consider the risk they were taking. Signs of Trouble By early 1929, people across the United States were scrambling to get into the stock market. The profits seemed so assured that even many companies placed money in the stock market. Even more problematic, some banks placed customers money in the stock market without their knowledge. With the stock market prices upward bound, everything seemed wonderful. When the great crash hit in October, people were taken by surprise. However, there had been warning signs. On March 25, 1929, the stock market suffered a mini-crash. It was a prelude of what was to come. As prices began to drop, panic struck across the country as margin calls were issued. When banker Charles Mitchell made an announcement that his bank would keep lending, his reassurance stopped the panic. Although Mitchell and others tried the tactic of reassurance again in October, it did not stop the big crash. By the spring of 1929, there were additional signs that the economy might be headed for a serious setback. Steel production went down; house construction slowed, and car sales waned. At this time, there were also a few reputable people warning of an impending, major crash. However, when months went by without one, those that advised caution were labeled pessimists and ignored. Summer Boom Both the mini-crash and the naysayers were nearly forgotten when the market surged ahead during the summer of 1929. From June through August, stock market prices reached their highest levels to date. To many, the continual increase in stocks seemed inevitable. When economist Irving Fisher stated, Stock prices have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau, he was stating what many speculators wanted to believe. On September 3, 1929, the stock market reached its peak with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing at 381.17. Two days later, the market started dropping. At first, there was no massive drop. Stock prices fluctuated throughout September and into October until the massive drop on Black Thursday. Black Thursday, October 24, 1929 On the morning of Thursday, October 24, 1929, stock prices plummeted. Vast numbers of people were selling their stocks. Margin calls were sent out. People across the country watched the ticker as the numbers it spit out spelled their doom. The ticker was so overwhelmed that it quickly fell behind. A crowd gathered outside of the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street, stunned at the downturn. Rumors circulated of people dying by suicide. To the great relief of many, the panic subsided in the afternoon. When a group of bankers pooled their money and invested a large sum back into the stock market, their willingness to invest their own money in the stock market convinced others to stop selling. The morning had been shocking, but the recovery was amazing. By the end of the day, many people were again buying stocks at what they thought were bargain prices. On Black Thursday, 12.9 million shares were sold, which was double the previous record. Four days later, the stock market fell again. Black Monday, October 28, 1929 Although the market had closed on an upswing on Black Thursday, the low numbers of the ticker that day had shocked many speculators. Hoping to get out of the stock market before they lost everything (as they thought they had on Thursday morning), they decided to sell. This time, as the stock prices plummeted, no one came in to save it. Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929 October 29, 1929, became known as the worst day in stock market history and was called, Black Tuesday. There were so many orders to sell that the ticker quickly fell behind. By the end of close, it had lagged to 2 1/2 hours behind. People were in a panic, and they couldnt get rid of their stocks fast enough. Since everyone was selling, and nearly no one was buying, stock prices collapsed. Rather than the bankers rallying investors by buying more stocks, rumors circulated that they were selling. Panic hit the country. Over 16.4 million shares of stock were sold, a new record. The Drop Continues Not sure how to stem the panic, the decision was made to close the stock market on Friday, November 1 for a few days. When it reopened on Monday, November 4 for limited hours, stocks dropped again. The slump continued until November 23, 1929, when prices seemed to stabilize. However, this was not the end. Over the next two years, the stock market continued to drop. It reached its low point on July 8, 1932, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 41.22. Aftermath To say that the  Stock Market Crash of 1929  devastated the economy is an understatement. Although reports of mass suicides in the aftermath of the crash were most likely exaggerations, many people lost their entire savings. Numerous companies were ruined. Faith in banks was destroyed. The Stock Market Crash of 1929 occurred at the beginning of the Great Depression. Whether it was a symptom of the impending depression or a direct cause of it is still hotly debated. Historians, economists, and others continue to study the Stock Market Crash of 1929 in the hopes of discovering the secret to what started the boom and what instigated the panic. As of yet, there has been little agreement as to the causes. In the years after the crash, regulations covering buying stocks on margin and the roles of banks have added protections in the hopes that another severe crash could never happen again.

Managing finance of the two companies the Tesco and the Sainsbury Coursework

Managing finance of the two companies the Tesco and the Sainsbury - Coursework Example The intention of this study is financial statement analysis as one of the fundamental practices for investment and analysis of performance in order to present a fast method of evaluating the financial growth of the organization. The analysis and the evaluation of the financial ratios minimize the complications within the financial data in a simple and an arranged manner. The ratio analysis is much informative as it provides information’s, suggestions and recommendations to the shareholders. The study in this context deals with the analysis of the performance of the reputed companies namely the Tesco and Sainsbury. The study is aimed at evaluating the ratios of two firms over the past year financial data of the annual report. It gives the investment suggestions and recommendations to the investors and the shareholders by including and considering the following: †¢ Profitability, †¢ Liquidity level, †¢ Efficiency level †¢ The stage of fund dependency †¢ Earning per share. The Tesco brand first appeared five years later in 1924 when he bought a shipment of tea from a Mr T. E Stockwell and in 1932 Tesco became a private limited company. In 1995 Tesco took up Sainsbury’s as the UK’s largest supermarket. Bearing in mind how determined and competitive the 'supermarket' concept is this is fairly a success brand. Tesco’s favored evaluation of growth is 'like for like' development – sales development on shop floor room, which rejected increase from additional shop floor space in extended or latest stores. Even by this limited measure sales grew 8.3% in every year, improving Tesco’s profits every year. In April 2009, Tesco declared profits of ?1.6bn for the fiscal year concluding on 28 February; ?4.4m profit per day which is 17.6% higher than the earlier year. As an evaluation Tesco made as much income as Sainsbury, Next and WH Smith jointly. Forecasters are at present forecasting that Tesco’s pre-tax profits for coming years will be exceeding by ?2bn mark, quadruple times that of Sainsbury. Comparisons between both the companies are much difficult as they both are good players in the supermarket trade in the state. â€Å"So, rather than doing the usual comparison of  the stores by their top food  deals and booze bargains  (which we do every week in our Frugal Food blog), today, I'm going to take a more original look at which store offers the best financial  deals. I'll also compare their loyalty schemes, so you can see where your  spend at the supermarket will earn you  the most bang for your buck† (Wait 2010). Financial Analysis of Tesco and Sainsbury: The intention of this paper is to financially investigate and state a report of the two firms Tesco and Sainsbury. These two firms have the same industrial background and are both leading supermarkets among whom there are a very healthy and tough competition in order to capture the giant market share. â€Å"Sainsbury's v Tesco: the rumble in the supermarket aisles† (Hall 2009). Both financial as well as non financial factors have played a very vital role in the market fluctuations which have affected both the firms. In order to present a financially investigative report, it is very important to present a report on the financial ratios of the firms. For that purpose some of the most popular ratios investigated are profitability, liquidity, efficiency, gearing and the