Shed Geometry Essay Example

Shed Geometry Essay Shed Geometry Different Possible Shed Geometries. ?Elements Of Shed Geometry. ?Shed Geometry Classification:- Shed Symmetricity Shed Vibration Shed Staggering Shed Clearance ?Its Characteristics, Effect Applications. ?On a weaving loom, warp yarn are divided into two half to make up a shed.This division makes up a specific geometry of divided warp yarns, called Shed Geometry. ?Shed Geometry plays vital roll in controlling warp yarns, Tension Elongation and Friction between them. ?Resultantly this helps in controlling, Weft Density of Fabric Warp and weft yarn breakages and loom stoppages, hence machine efficiency And also help to control/avoid fabric faults produced due to these. Different Possible Shed Geometries: Elements Of Shed Geometry: ?Components that may part of the Shed Geometry of may contribute to it are: Frame Height Frame Depth Cloth Support (front rest) Height Back Rest (and Deflecting Roller) Height and Depth Virtual Shed Dividing Line Dropper Box adjustment and drop pers movement. Frame Height:- ?It is the distance between two reference points, one is fixed and is on looms stationary structure and other is on heald frame, as advised by the loom manufacturer. ?It is usually measured when all the frames at same level i. e. at machine leveling position. Frame Depth (Lever Height): ?It is distance between the a frames maximum height position to its lowest height position. ?As it is adjusted by fixing lever joint on shedding system lifting levers, sometimes also said as Lever height. Cloth Support (Front Rest): ?It is the most forward part of loom frame structure that is closest to the reed when it beats up and it is exactly beneath the cloth fell. It supports the fabric stay above as just filling is inserted into warp shed. ?Its height directly and most intensively effects the Shed Shape and Shed Geometry. ? Back Rest (Deflecting Roller): ?It is the rear most roller from where warp yarns start making the warp shed. ?It is most frequently used eleme nt of the shed geometry to control and divide the warp tension, hence the pick density of the fabric being produced. Virtual Shed Dividing Line: ?It is a line that divides the shed made at frames equally and is parallel to the machine horizontal. Types of Symmetric Sheds: Symmetric Shed: Characteristics: ?Whip roller height almost zero. ?Cloth support and whip roller are at same height with respect to each other. Application: ?For Very light fabric such as voile, gauze i. e. fabric design in which longer float of warp and weft with almost 50% warp and 50% weft is apparent on both sides of the fabric with low fabric cover factor. ?Yarns with little or no elongation. ?Very weak yarns. ?Handkerchief fabrics. Effects: ?The threads in the upper and bottom shed have roughly the same tension, therefore the adjustment is very kind to warp ends. Note: ?With this setting there is no rocking action, consequently the fabric can take fewer picks. ?It looks flatter and appears less closed. ?Accor dingly this adjustment should be used only if the machine runs better with it. Slightly Asymmetric Shed: Characteristics: ?Cloth support is at normal height, back rest is slight above the zero position. Application: ?May be employed as proven basic setting for all light to medium weight fabrics. Effect: ?With slightly asymmetric shed the bottom shed is tensioned more while the upper shed is slacker. ?A slight rocking effect results. ?The fabric can take more picks, it has more closed look and its handle and appearance are improved.Strongly Asymmetric Shed: Characteristics: ?Cloth support is raised quite above normal, back rest is raised to a very high position. Application: For very heavy fabrics with high warp densities, such as denim, sailcloth (such as cotton canvas), awning fabrics, etc. also poplins on account of appearance. Effect: Due to the extremely height adjustment of the cloth supporting plate and whip roller the bottom shed is very strong rocking action results from thi s. At the beat up of the read the weft thread are pushed over each other somewhat very high weft densities can be attained in this way. With this extremely slack upper shed, more attention must be take warp breakage. Reverse Asymmetric Shed: Characteristics: ?Cloth supporting plate is at normal position while back rest is below than normal zero position.Application: ?Jacquard fabric. ?Satin weave. ?Dobby Weave. Effect: With this adjustment the upper shed is tensioned and the bottom shed relieved. ?Since with one sided fabric the heavy lift is always woven at the top, a more even distribution of the tension force results between the two halves of the shed. ?Moreover jacquard harness and rubber return motions are treated better. Shed with Staggered Timing: Characteristics: ?With staggered timing the shed closure of the individual shaft pairs is displaced in time, to avoid all shafts crossing at the same time. Application: ?Staggered Timing is purposeful only where Very high warp densi ties are used. Hairy yarn that separate badly are being woven. Fixed Height (Clear) Shed: Characteristics: ?An ideal shed the ends of the upper and bottom sheds each form an ideal, closed sheet. ?A slight staggering in height may be observed in the bottom shed, that can be tolerated. Application: ?For filament yarn fabrics, such as linings. ?For lightweight fabrics whose ends part well. ?For non-elastic fabrics like glass-fiber. ?For polyethylene and polypropylene ribbons. ?For twills woven from staple fabric. Effects: This adjustment is inadvisable for dense warp sheet, poor parting warp ends. There are chance of end cut in case of projectile loom.

Sniffy the Virtual Rat

Sniffy the Virtual Rat Introduction Scholars dealing with human and animal behavior have come up with different theories to explain how behavior is acquired or how it becomes extinct. Such scholars include BF Skinner, who advanced operant conditioning theory and Ivan Pavlov, who advanced classical conditioning theory. In this paper, classical and operant conditioning experiments shall be designed. The significance of the experiments and how they relate to human behavior and thinking shall be explained.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Sniffy the Virtual Rat specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Classical conditioning This is a behavioral learning theory advanced by Ivan Pavlov. In classical conditioning, learning takes place as a result of pairing a natural stimulus together with an environmental stimulus (Hall, 1998). In order for learning to take place, a neutral stimulus is placed before a natural stimulus. According to Cherry (2012) , behavior is learnt through association of the two stimuli. A visit to the dentist experiment Miss Y has cavities on most of her teeth. It is not the first time for her to have such a problem. In the past, she has been to the dentist and had some of the teeth with cavities extracted. The first time, she found a female doctor who extracted the tooth but she felt no pain. The second time, she found a male dentist who extracted the decayed tooth. However, the experience was not the same as the one she had during her first extraction. The male dentist extracted the tooth in a way that caused her a lot of pain. During the second time when she felt a lot of pain, Miss Y noted some of the characteristics of the dentist who performed the operation. The male dentist was wearing a white apron, had spectacles on and was from a different racial group (race A). During her subsequent visit to the dentist to have another tooth extracted, Miss Y finds another dentist that she has never met. Howeve r, the dentist is a man, wearing a white apron, with spectacles on and from race A. Before even explaining her problem to this dentist, Miss Y starts shaking due to fear. She starts feeling a lot of pain on her tooth that has not been aching while she was coming to the dentist. Miss Y is behaving in this manner because she has learnt to associate pain during teeth extraction with male dentist of a certain race. Miss Y decides to check another dentist to extract the tooth. Her next stop lands her to a lady dentist. Miss Y is now relaxed and ready to go through the process of extraction. She associates the experience is expecting to have with the past painless procedure that she underwent when the extraction was done by a lady. For the rest of the times that she visits a dentist, Miss Y requests to have a lady dentist work on her. Consequently, she claims that the extraction is always painless.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More After Miss Y has had her dental problems dealt with, she does not feel the need to continue visiting the dentist as regularly as she did. However, whenever she goes to the hospital and finds a male doctor from race A, she is gripped by intense fear and starts feeling pain in her body. On the contrary, whenever she goes to the hospital and finds a lady doctor, she is more relaxed and less fearful. She says that she feels little or no pain at all when she is treated by a lady doctor. Miss Y is conditioned that all male doctors from race A inflict pain upon their patient during treatment. On the other hand, all female doctors treat their patients with less pain. Therefore, whenever Miss Y sees a male doctor from race A, even when she does not need his services, she is filled with fear. Baby and mother experiment Another example of classical conditioning can be illustrated through a mother’s relationship with her young child. When the child is with the mother, it is naturally quiet and at times jovial. However, when the mother carries her handbag and is about to leave for work, the baby starts to cry. Every time the baby sees the mother carry her handbag, it starts to cry because it is aware that the mother is about to leave. This happens after the mother repeatedly leaves for work whenever she carries her handbag. The baby therefore associates the handbag with being left behind by the mother. After continuously pairing the handbag with the mother’s departure, the baby starts to cry whenever she sees a handbag, even when the mother is not leaving. The mother in this case is the neutral stimulus, leaving the baby behind is the unconditioned stimulus, crying the unconditioned response, the mother the conditioned stimulus and crying the conditioned response. The baby’s association of the handbag with being left behind results to generalization. In this case, the baby cries whenever the mother carries anything else that looks like a bag, even when she is not leaving. Operant conditioning Operant conditioning was first proposed by Burrhus Frederic Skinner commonly known as BF Skinner (Mcleod, 2007). Skinner drew a lot from Thorndike’s work. The most important components of operant conditioning are reinforcement, rewards and punishment. If one reinforces a certain behavior, there is likelihood for the behavior to be exhibited again. However, if behavior is not reinforced, it will most probably be weakened and eventually become extinct. Reinforcement Positive reinforcement can be demonstrated through the use of a hungry dog placed in a special box. The box has a lever that is strategically placed at the side. The rat is able to move freely inside the box. However, during some of its movement, the rat accidentally steps on the lever at the side of the box. When this happens, the rat notices a food pellet near the lever it has stepped on. The rat learns that pres sing the lever is rewarded by provision of food.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Sniffy the Virtual Rat specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, the rat continues pressing the lever as many times as possible and the outcome is still the same. In this case, the behavior of pressing the lever is reinforced because it results to something desirable. Therefore, the rat continues to press the lever every time it needs something to eat. This is an example of positive reinforcement, which strengthens a given behavior and increases its chance of recurrence. Behavior is reinforced through rewarding one’s behavior with a desirable consequence. The behavior is likely to be repeated in future if a desirable consequence is provided. Negative reinforcement According to Mcleod (2007), another way of strengthening behavior is the use of negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement is applicable to the rat in th e box experiment that we used for positive reinforcement. To introduce negative reinforcement, one would expose the rat to something that is not pleasant, for example an electric current. The lever should be set such that the electric current switches off immediately it is pressed by the rat. Therefore, the rat would learn that pressing the lever provided a way of escape from the unpleasant electric current that it is subjected to. Every time the electric current is switched on in the box, the rat will have a tendency to move to where the lever is and press it in order to escape the unpleasant conditions in the box. The action is repeated over and over again because the rat has learnt how to escape the discomfort caused by the electric current. Punishment Punishment is meant to cause a response to be weak or to make it extinct as opposed to reinforcement that is meant to increase the probability of occurrence of a behavior. There are two ways that can be used to issue out punishment . The first involves application of an unpleasant stimulus after something wrong has been done. The other one is denial of a rewarding stimulus whenever an undesired behavior is exhibited. Punishment is very similar to negative reinforcement. This type of conditioning can be used to encourage positive behavior in both animals and human beings. It can also be used to discourage negative behavior in humans and animals. Behavior learnt through operant conditioning is easily stopped when the consequences that were encouraging its occurrence are withdrawn. This is what is called extinction. These experiments enhance the classical conditioning theory advanced by Ivan Pavlov and operant conditioning advanced by Burrhus Frederic Skinner. They show that some behavior that human beings exhibit have been acquired through association of a natural stimulus with the environment as in classical conditioning.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other behaviors are become permanent or extinct due to positive or negative reinforcement and punishment, as proposed by operant conditioning theory. The theories are applicable in day to day life in both humans and animals. Conclusion The experiments support the two theories of behavior acquisition namely: classical and operant conditioning. The animal experiments conducted by BF Skinner and Ivan Pavlov relate very closely to human thinking and behavior. Reference List Cherry, K. (2012). The Little Albert Experiment: A Closer Look at the Famous Case of Little Albert. New York: About.com. Web. Hall, R. (1998). Classical Conditioning. Web. Mcleod, S. (2007). Skinner Operant Conditioning. London: Psychology Press. Web.

Strategy for Siam Canadian Food Co Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategy for Siam Canadian Food Co - Case Study Example At present, Siam Canadian Co., Ltd. has inter-linked offices strategically located throughout Asia-including Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar (Burma), China and India. In 1997/98 the Thai economy was in a deep recession as a result of the severe financial problems facing many Thai firms, particularly banks and financial institutions.Siam Canadian, in an effort to expand its bases, had to determine if opening a branch in Burma would be feasible at that time. It was important for the company to explore the possible risks of such a move, and a study of the country of Burma was necessary. One risk that needed to be addressed was the United States decision in April 1997, to clamp sanctions on Burma. It quickly became evident, however, that the United States had less economic leverage in Burma than in many countries around the world. And it failed to persuade Burma's neighbors in the region-- its primary trading partners -- to join in any form of sanctions.   Effects of US economic sanctions also were offset by Burma’s admission into the Association of South-East Asian Nations in 1997. One Burmese official had already shrugged off the sanctions. "We have been surviving without any assistance from the US government for years, so I don't think these sanctions will have any effect on the Myanmar (Burmese) economy," he said. Another possible risk was the existence of a powerful military group, which is 1997 was renamed the Union Solidarity Development Association and was recognized as the military junta’s political wing. Nevertheless, Siam Canadian was not affected by these risks. Thailand has never expressed openly what sectors might be at risk from market access, but it has had experience in the agriculture and food sectors and the strategy has always been to conform to importing countries’ expectations.     

Annotated Bibliography on The Peloponessian War

On The Peloponessian War - Annotated Bibliography Example Flory Stewart is professor in classical history having developed interest in Latin while at a tender age. He taught at private boarding school in Athens, before returning to Yale to undertake his PhD. In this book, Flory recounts Thucydide’s hypothesis of the Peloponnesian War. By referring to the wars Greeks fighting each other, Athenians against the Spartans, the author gives a radical analysis of the factors that led to the war basing on accounts already presented by Thucydides. Notable in his argument is that the war must have arisen from the progressive rise of a powerful Athenian empire. The radical nature in which Flory uses Thucydide’s hypothesis seems to exemplify his theory even amidst critical remarks from other scholars. Generally, the book is important for any reader who would like to understand the ancient work by Thucydides in details. The classical nature of the book and simple language used makes it appropriate for a modern researcher. This book was written by Donald Kagan, who is an American historian at Yale University having specialized in ancient Greece. The four volume book gives vivid account of destructive war of Greeks against each other, and Athenians against the Spartans. It is a distinguished historical account meant for general readers, providing a new dimension to the examination of Western civilization. The author spent a great deal of time or re-examine the factors that instigated the conflict by reviewing both the ancient texts and accounts of modern scholars. The entire book seems to be informed by the question: Was the war inevitable, or could it have been avoided? Something unique about the author is that he courageously confronted and argued either in favour or against some historical figures, hence giving his view a balanced argumentative structure. Kagan particularly takes an issue with Thucydides’ view

News in Australia and the Global South Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

News in Australia and the Global South - Essay Example The mentioned news sites have a slight difference with their target audiences. The Australian is more of international in scope (having correspondents from all over the globe) while The Lebanese Daily Star caters to Lebanon and the Middle East. Most of the stories of The Australian cover worldly issues while the other seems to focus more on the local news. One thing recognizable about the news content of Lebanese Daily is that they see to it that their international stories always have an effect or a connection with Lebanon or the rest of the Middle East countries. At one point, Wikipedia describes The Australian as very influential not because of the number of people who read it but because it is the business class and political elite who make up its market. The Australian's workforce consists of columnists with distinctive background. These include a political journalist, an aboriginal lawyer (with a cause to see the welfare of the Aboriginal Australians or indigenous residents of the country), an activist and some conservative writers. But as to their sources, The Australian would often just quote newspapers though first hand information is better. Also noticeable is that The Australian focuses on the media or gives importance on reports about their colleagues compared to The Lebanese Daily Star.

Mixed-Ligands Complexes of L-Amino Acid and Ascorbic Acid

Mixed-Ligands Complexes of L-Amino Acid and Ascorbic Acid Electrochemical Studies of Mixed-Ligands Complexes of L-Amino acid and Ascorbic acid by Voltammetric Technique Meena* and O.D. Gupta ABSTRACT Studies of Pb(II) with amino acid L-Serine and Ascorbic acid have been carried out polarographically at pH =7.30 ±0.01,  µ=1.0M KNO3 at 25 °C.Pb(II) formed 1:1:1, 1:1:2 and 1:2:1 complexes with L-Serine and used as primary ligands and L- Ascorbic acid used as secondary ligand.. The values of stability constants (log varied from 2.25 to 11.45 confirm amino acids in combination with L-Ascorbic acid, their complexes could be used against Pb(II) toxicity. The stability constants of mixed ligand complexes have been evaluated by the method of Schaap and McMasters. For the comparison of the simple and mixed-ligands complexes, the mixing constants (Km) and stabilization constants (Ks) have been measured. The positive values of the mixing constants and stabilization constants show that the ternary complexes are more stable than the binary complexes. Keyword: Polarography, Stability Constant, Amino acids, Ascorbic acid, Voltammetric Technique. INTRODUCTION The L-amino acids and their compounds are used in biology, pharmacy, industry and laboratory reagent1-3. They control transamination, decarboxylation and metabolism process in human body. Mixed-ligands complexes of copper glycine with picolinic acid, quinaldinic acid, picolinic acid N-oxide, quinaldinic acid-N-oxide and with o-nitrophenol, 2,4-dinitrophenol have been carried out by D Prakash and coworkers [4-5]. The study of ternary complexes of different metal ions with amino acids and bicarboxylic acids have been carried out by Chandel et al.[6-9] On the other hand Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is found naturally in a wide variety of plants and animals but not produced in human body and its only source is from diet10, L-Ascorbic acid is important drug used against cancer, scurvy and the risk of bronchitis or wheezing11-13. This drug helps the patient to strengthen the immune system. The person who suffered from AIDS has low concentration of Vitamin-C which is responsible for the form ation of various body components and organs but also keeps in order the immune system14-15. Its deficiency causes anemia, dental cavities and thyroid insufficiency. It forms chelate complexes with transition metal ions16 to produce a five membered ring with the enediol part of the molecule17. Pb(II) content is fixed in human body but whenever the concentration of Pb(II) increases, the human being suffers from severe diseases like cancer of the bladder, breast, intestine, leukemia system and sometimes death can also occur. Ascorbic acid is antioxidant alone and in combination with L-amino acids was found to be effective by increasing urinary elimination of lead. This beneficial role of Ascorbic acid was attributed to form complexes with lead18. Data suggest that some antioxidant can function as chelators and this dual benefit makes them strong candidates for treating lead poisioning19. The present study is related with the formation of binary and ternary complexes of Pb(II) with selected L-amino acids and Ascorbic acid by polarographic technique with the view that these drugs or metal complexes could be used against several severe diseases like cancer, AIDS and also metal toxicity. EXPERIMENTAL All polarograms were recorded on ELICO CL 375 DC Polarograph using a saturated calomel electrode (SCE) as the reference electrode and a platinum (Pt) electrode as counter electrode. The capillary had the following characteristics m=1.96 mg/s, t = 4.10 sec/drop and h = 40 cm. The reagents Vitamin C and amino acids were of AR grade and were used as complexing agents. KCl was used as supporting electrolyte to maintain the ionic strength at 1M. Triton X-100 of 0.001% in the final solution has been used as maximum suppressor. The temperature was maintained constant at 303 K. A glass cell is used as electrolytic cell in which all the three electrodes are immersed in test solution. N2 is used to remove the dissolved oxygen. Then increasing voltage was applied to record the current and with the help of the plot between current-voltage (polarogram) the value of E1/2 is calculated. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Simple complex systems Before the studies of mixed-ligand, complexes, the formation constants of the complexes of lead with Vitamin C and lead with amino acid L-Serine and were determined by the method of DeFord and Hume25. The results are in good agreement with the literature. The values of formation constants of simple systems are presented in Table 1. The conditions corresponded as closely as possible to those for the mixed system. The half-wave potential of Pb(II) for each series ranged between -0.389 and -0.391 volt v/s SCE. Table 1: Stability constants for simple system Systems log à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢1 log à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢2 log à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢3 Pb(II)-VitaminC 2.25 3.18 Pb(II)-L-Serine 4.59 7.88 10.99 Mixed-Ligands Complex System In all the systems, solution containing 2.5 x 10-3 M Pb(II), 1M KC1 and 0.001% Triton X-100 was used. The concentration of weaker ligand (Vitamin C) was kept constant (0.001M and 0.01M) while varying the concentration of strong ligand (amino acids) in each case. In each case, a single well-defined wave was obtained. The plots of Ede v/s log id-i were linear with a slope of 30 ±2mV, showing that the two electrons reduction was reversible. The direct proportionality of the diffusion current to the mercury column indicated that the reduction was entirely diffusion controlled. A shift in half-wave potential to more negative side with the increase in amino acid concentration was observed. This shift in half-wave potential is greater in the presence of the weaker ligand than its absence. It signified mixed-ligands complex formation. The extended Shaap and McMasters26 treatment was applied and Ledens27 graphical extrapolation method to calculate the values of A, B, C and D. Data of calculation are given in table 2. Table 2: Values of A, B, C and D for Pb(11)-Ascorbic acid- Amino acids systems (Ascorbic acid concentration = 0.01M(fixed) System A B C D Pb(II)-Vitamin C-L-Serine 1.32 5.11 9.56 11.22 Table 3: Values of A, B, C and D for Pb(II)-Ascorbic acid Amino acids systems (Ascorbic acid concentration = 0.001M(fixed) System A B C D Pb(II)-Vitamin C-L-Serine 1.30 4.61 9.56 11.22 The stability constants à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢11 and à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢12 were evaluated from the two values of B. From the values of C two values of à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢21 were obtained which are in good agreement with each other. à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢30 is almost equal to D. The results are recorded in table 4 and the results are summarized in the form of schemes 1 and 2 where the numerical values indicate the log of the equilibrium constants. Table 4: Formation Constants of Mixed-Ligands Systems Systems log ÃŽ ²11 log ÃŽ ²12 log ÃŽ ²21 Pb(II)-Vitamin C-L-Serine 6.23 8.88 11.56 It has been observed that as the size of amino acids increased the stability of its complexes decreased20. The stability of L-amino acids complex also depends upon the chelate ring formation and basicities of ligands21. In case of L-serine and L-threonine, the stability of the latter is less than the L-serine complex owing to the fact that electron withdrawing OH group is nearer to L-threoninate complex than L-serinate complex, causing greater repulsive forces between metal and Off group in L ­-threonine complexes than L-serine complexes22. The same is evident from Pka values of L-amino acids23. In case of Vitamin-C, oxygen of enediol group may take part in bond formation with Pb(II), formed a five membered ring24. It is clear from the values of stability constant of the complexes that Vitamin-C and L-amino acids alone or in combination could be used to reduce the toxicity of Pb(II) in-vivo. One also has to consider the quantity of drugs that should not complex to the other essenti al metals present in-vivo and the same could be excreted easily from the body. On the other hand, the person who suffers from AIDS has low concentration of Vitamin-C, therefore his resistance can be increased by ascorbic acid therapy. The mixed ligands complex formation may also be explained with the help of schemes 1. The tendency to add X (X= amino acids) to PbX and PbY (Y=Vitamin C) can be compared. The logarithm values of stability constants of the above complexes are 3.29 and 3.98 for Pb ­-VitaminC-L-Serine. The tendency to add Y to PbX and PbY can also be compared. The log K values are (1.64, 0.93) and (1.47, 0.93) for Pb(II)-Vitamin C-L-Serine. This indicates that the addition of Vitamin C is preferred to Pb(amino acids) as compared to Pb(Vitamin C). The log K values for the addition of X to Pb[XY] and Pb[Y]2 are (5.33, 5.70) and (5.47, 5.58). This indicates that the mixed ligand complexation is favoured. The log K values for the addition of Y to Pb[XY] and Pb[X]2 are (2.65, 3.68) and (2.78, 3.65) for Pb(II)-Vitamin C-L-Serine and. This indicates that addition of VitaminC is preferred to Pb[X]2 over Pb[XY]. For comparing the stabilities of simple and mixed ligand complexes, it is convenient to measure the mixing constants. Km = and the stabilization constants. log Ks = log Km log2 The log Km values are 0.7 and o.49 and log Ks values are 0.398 and 0.188 for Pb(II)-Vitamin C-L-Serine and Pb(II)-Vitamin C-L-Threonine systems respectively. The positive values of mixing and stabilization constants show that the ternary complexes are more stable than the binary complexes. The tendency to form mixed-lingds complexes in solution could be expressed quantitatively in other approach compares the difference in stability (à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K), which is the result from the substraction of two constants and must therefore, be a constant. This corresponds to: à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K = Since more coordination positions are available for the bonding of the ligand [A] to a given multivalent metal ion,than for the second ligand [B]. > Usually holds i.e. one expects to observe negative values for à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K. Another more satisfactory, manner is to determine statistical values for à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K. The statistical values for regular octahedron (oh) is 5/12 and à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾log Koh = -0.4. for a squar planer(sp), the value of à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K = -0.6 and for the distorted octahedron (oh), the statistical values i.e. à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K = lie between -0.9 to -0.3. The à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K values can be obtained using the following equations: à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K11=log à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢11-( log à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢10 +log à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢01 ) à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K12=log à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢12-( log à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢10 +log à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢02 ) à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K21=log à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢21-(log à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢20 +log à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢01 ) The observed values of à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K11, à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K12 and à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K21 are -0.61, 1.11 and 1.430 for Pb(II)-Vitamin C-L-Serine. The à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ log K values are higher than statistical values, which again prove that the ternary complexes are more stable than expected from statistical reason. ACTNOWLEDGEMENT The authors are thankful to the Head, Department of Chemistry, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur for providing facilities to carry out this research. REFERENCES + Chemistry Department, SKIT, Jagatpura, Jaipur, India-302025 Brosnan J, Nutr. J (2000) 130: 988S. Pisarewicz K, Mora D, Pflueger F, Fields G, Mari F, (2005) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127: 6207. Wu G, Fang Y, Yang S, Lupton J, Turner N (2004) Nutr. J 134: 489. Prakash D, Shafyat M, Jamal A, Gupta AK (2005) Oriental J Chem 21:2. Prakash D, Safayat M, Jamal A, Gupta A K (2005) Oriental J Chem 21:3. Malhotra V, Chandel C P S, (2006) J Ultra Scientist Phy-Sci 18(2): 203-214. Jangid R K, Chandel C P S (2006) Ultra Chemist 2(2): 113-126. Verma M K, Chandel C P S, (2005) Oriental J Chem 21(1): 9-20. Malhotra V and Chandel C P S, (2006) Bull Electrochem 22: 301. Davies M B, Partridge D A and Austine J , Vitamin C: Its Chemistry and Biochemistry, Royal Society of Chemistry, London. (1991) Levine M, Rumsey S C, Wang Y, Park J B, Daruala R (2000) Biochemical and Physiological Aspects of Human Nutrition, Philadelphia, W B Saunders, p.541. Roomi M W, Ivanov V, Kalinovsky T, Niedzwiecki A, Rath M (2004) J Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol 115. Martha H, Stipanuk W B (2000) Biochemical and physiological Aspects of Human Nutrition, Sounders Company. Fukuda S, (2005) J Curr Med Chem 12:2765. Harakeh S, Jariwalla R (1997)AIDS Res. Hum. Retroviruses 13:237. Davies M B (1992) Polyhedron 11:285-321. Hughes D L (1973) J Chem Soc Dalton Trans 2711. Dhawan M, Kachru D N, Tondon S K, (1998) Arch Toxicol 62: 301-304. Gurer H, Ercal N (2000) Free radical Biol Med 29: 927-945. Kapoor R C, Agarawal B S Principles of polarography (1991) Wiley Eastern Ltd New Delhi 71. Dodke R, Khan F (1993) J Indian Chem Soc 70: 15. Vajhallya S, Khan F (1999) J Indian Chem Soc 76:294. Mrudula Rao B V, Swamy S J, Lingaish P (1985) Indian J Chem 24 : 887. Allen R N, Shukla M K, Leszczynski J (2006) Int J Quant Chem 106:2366. DeFord D, Hume D N (1951) J Am Chem Soc 73:5812. Schaap W B, Mc Master D L (1961) J Am Chem Soc 83: 4699. Lenden I (1941) J Phys Chem 188:160.

Conflict Essay -- Character Analysis, Chuck, Li-Young Lee

Chuck and Li-Young Lee have no idea who the hell they are. Both are similar characters from two different books by two different authors; but they are looking for the same thing: identity and what space they occupy? Chuck identifies with the New York scene and type of people living there, but does not have a space or identity of his own just as Lee is confused about who he is and must dive into meta-poetics to find his space and identity. Both are lost in a haze of confusion, and must look very hard both within themselves, as well as friends, family, heritage, and the history surrounding their lives. This paper will examine the historical and ethnic conflicts of the characters and how they come to reconcile their space and identity in a foreign land dealing with these issues. Some of these issues stem from misrepresented information and initial prejudice while others rise from a lack of personal information, and building upon ones past and history and their personal perception of the mselves occupying a space. In the beginning of the text Chuck identifies with his New York â€Å"identity† as well as being a â€Å"renaissance man† rather than having a named identity (Naqvi, 1). He does notice forced identities that he is not part of or had been part of before; â€Å"We'd become Japs, Jews, Niggers. We weren't before† (Naqvi, 1). Chuck notices these identities and space being made; he feels something of forced inclusion into a space that had not been there before. Not apparent at first, Chuck has a severed connection with his heritage, when thinking of what food to eat, â€Å"eating home food, comfort food, alone made me shudder† (Naqvi, 32) He cannot even bring himself to eat the food he grew up on. This is further reinforced in that he does not cont... .... But he wants to accept the American identity as well, but â€Å"its sensual, salient nowness, punctuating the void from which such hunger springs and to which it proceeds† (Lee, 84). Through his acceptance of his East Asian identity his soul is â€Å"cleaved so that the soul might be restored.† His soul is split, but by his own doing, he must accept his hyphenated identity, embrace it, and accept it. Though both characters come to find their identity and space, historical and ethnic struggles haunt and follow them along the way. Neither characters are accepted in the American culture, and have to identify with others in their position. This causes much heartache and a sudden shock to the character. But with persistence, these characters find their identity; though not what they might have expected or originally wanted, they became part of something that would accept them.

Crime Data Comparison Essay

This week in class we were asked to choose two metropolitan areas with different data and write a paper comparing the occurrence of the offense in the selected areas. We were asked to identify the number of occurrences reported to the police for each area, and address the following questions which area had more reported incidents? What were the rates of the crime for each area? Did the rates change over time in either area? What factors might explain the differences in the rates? The information will be presented as it appears above. New York and New Jersey are two metropolitan areas that have had a lot of crime both high profile media grabbing attention and low profile everyday crime occurrences. Therefore these two metro areas can provide for very good demographical crime data as well as have a good base to study from due to the high crime rates in both areas. As such this paper will be comparing forcible rape crime data from both areas to see what is happening in this particular field. So with looking at the FBI.gov web site and looking for info on these two areas and the categories forcible rape it is very clear that this is a very big crime in both areas in new jersey the total for 2011 is 1,006 rape case which the year before in 2010 was at 981 cases which is a 2.5 % increase in this crime. In New York where this crime is a lot higher in totals 2,752 which is 1.6 % less than in 2010’s 2,797 cases. With this data we can see a few things happening here for one we can see that New York has a drop in rap e cases in one year and that New Jersey has increased in this crime, and this could be due to a number of reasons. We know that the two states are almost one in the same and that many people who work in New York live in New Jersey which could mean that these cases could involve residents from both areas and so both would have possibly been reported to. We could speculate that New Jersey has a less severe punishment than New York for rape crime and so the criminals would go to that area to commit the crime due to a less harsh punishment if caught. Another factor on this could be to release times of prisoners within the state that may go to metro areas and commit crimes; this could be a very real factor to consider due to the likely hood of violent criminals repeating their crimes. At any rate not just one factor is the most likely reason as to why we see a drop in New York and an increase in New Jersey. The probability that it has to do with most of if not all stated factors is very real, especially since rape is not a crime that can be predicted nor really deter able unfortunately. And with both metro areas having such high populations it is also possible that many cases were never reported, which is why New York and New Jersey both estimate a total as well as keep records for the actual total. In New York they had an estimate of 2,972 rape case that’s almost three hundred unreported rapes that may have happened. So with knowing that the actual rape cases reported versus the estimated total one could see that even though the statistics are going down and it may look like the crime rate in an area is going down you would still need to see the estimated totals and compare to see what could be unreported and unknown. With the info we have and the estimates on it as well it is clear that although I may appear that New York is getting a handle on its rape crime it may not be as well off as it appears and although New Jersey has had an increase in rape cases it also has lowered its estimate which could be a good sign or bad and unfortunately that is the way crime an statistics go ever changing and adapting. References Uniform Crime Report. (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/table-4

Free Essays on Psychology of a Serial Killer

Psychology of a Serial Killer The nineteen-seventies were an incredible decade. It was a decade of change, one of freedom, a time for great music. It was also an incredible decade for shock, fear and serial killers. John Wayne Gacy, an amateur clown, was a pedophiliac homosexual. He tortured and killed thirty three little boys and stored their remains under his house. David Berkowitz, a.k.a. the Son of Sam, stalked New York City from nineteen-sixty-seven to nineteen-seventy-seven. He claimed to have been following a voice from his dog that told him when and where to kill. Ted Bundy, who is believed to have killed at least thirty-four people, was charged for only three under his own defense- and in fact, he was commended by the judge for his own defense. He was put to death. With the combination of a very powerful media and a society fascinated with gruesome, sadistic crimes, modern serial killers have been put in the spotlight. We are enraptured with serial killers so much, that we pay seven dollars to go see a movie where everyone except the bad guys gets strangled, mutilated, or shot- and enjoy it in some sick way. The media goes out of its way to glamorize murder and terrify the public. We support killers like Charles Manson on Death Row with our tax dollars. In fact, we support them with more than that. About two months ago there was an art show in California entitled: The Death Row Art Show III. Pieces sold for thousands of dollars regardless of their aesthetic appeal, because of the identity of the artists. Serial killers are becoming as popular as rock stars. Serial killers are a development of the industrial world; they really didn't "come about" until the late eighteen-hundreds when society was becoming modernized and the threat of the new age sort of displaced some individuals so much they felt they had to kill to get their point across to society. Jack the Ripper is probably the most notorious killer in history becau... Free Essays on Psychology of a Serial Killer Free Essays on Psychology of a Serial Killer Psychology of a Serial Killer The nineteen-seventies were an incredible decade. It was a decade of change, one of freedom, a time for great music. It was also an incredible decade for shock, fear and serial killers. John Wayne Gacy, an amateur clown, was a pedophiliac homosexual. He tortured and killed thirty three little boys and stored their remains under his house. David Berkowitz, a.k.a. the Son of Sam, stalked New York City from nineteen-sixty-seven to nineteen-seventy-seven. He claimed to have been following a voice from his dog that told him when and where to kill. Ted Bundy, who is believed to have killed at least thirty-four people, was charged for only three under his own defense- and in fact, he was commended by the judge for his own defense. He was put to death. With the combination of a very powerful media and a society fascinated with gruesome, sadistic crimes, modern serial killers have been put in the spotlight. We are enraptured with serial killers so much, that we pay seven dollars to go see a movie where everyone except the bad guys gets strangled, mutilated, or shot- and enjoy it in some sick way. The media goes out of its way to glamorize murder and terrify the public. We support killers like Charles Manson on Death Row with our tax dollars. In fact, we support them with more than that. About two months ago there was an art show in California entitled: The Death Row Art Show III. Pieces sold for thousands of dollars regardless of their aesthetic appeal, because of the identity of the artists. Serial killers are becoming as popular as rock stars. Serial killers are a development of the industrial world; they really didn't "come about" until the late eighteen-hundreds when society was becoming modernized and the threat of the new age sort of displaced some individuals so much they felt they had to kill to get their point across to society. Jack the Ripper is probably the most notorious killer in history becau...

Banking services in saudi arabia research proposal The WritePass Journal

Banking services in saudi arabia research proposal Literature Review Banking services in saudi arabia research proposal Literature ReviewI.  IntroductionII.  Lending Institutions in Saudi Arabia  III. Regulatory Framework of Banking System in Saudi ArabiaIV. Improvement of Banking ServicesVI. Service Quality in Saudi Arabian BanksVII.  Technology Use in Banking Service ProvisionRecommendationsReferencesRelated Literature Review I.  Introduction The beginning of the modern banking system began in October 1952 with the creation of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) the principle agency responsible for management of monetary matters. Paper money was first introduced in the early years of the 1950s decade. Banking problems in the late 1950s decade resulted in regulatory framework being strengthened in Saudi Arabia during the middle 1960s decade in which broad supervisory capacity was given to SAMA in a legal environment that upheld the concept of a Universal Banking Model allowing banks to make provision of a wide range of financial services â€Å"including banking, investments, securities, etc. through their branches.† (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, 2004, p.3) There were 12 operating banks by 1979 only three of which, were non-Saudi banks and branches had doubled by that year to 140. II.  Lending Institutions in Saudi Arabia Five major lending institutions were introduced in the decade of the 1970s: (1) Saudi Credit Bank; (2) Saudi Agricultural Bank; (3) Public Investment Fund; (4) Saudi Development Fund; and (5) the Real Estate Fund. (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, 2004,  Ã‚  Ã‚   p.3) Restructuring was accomplished arising from encouragement by the Saudi Government and by 1975 there was a reported â€Å"10 international bank†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦including â€Å"29 branches present.† (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, 2004, p.3) There was a rise and fall in the economy and SAMA faced a critical challenge for supervision in 1982 â€Å"when irregularities appeared in Saudi Cairo Bank’s operations. Two senior managers were involved in unauthorized trading in bullion during the 1979-81 period, and had concealed accumulated losses that exceeded the Bank’s share capital.† (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, 2004, p.3)   It is reported that SAMA required the Bank to issue new shares and doubl e its capital in 1986. SAMA arranged this increase to be taken up entirely by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). The Bank also benefited from â€Å"low-cost† deposits from the Public Investment Fund. These measures helped the Bank with liquidity and rescued it back to a healthy position.† (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, 2004, p. 4-5   III. Regulatory Framework of Banking System in Saudi Arabia SAMA in collaboration with Saudi Arabia Ministry of Finance ensured the financial system’s stability and assisted banks in clearing the hurdles of economic downturn. Included in this collaborative initiative were the following actions: (1) Banks were required to seek SAMA’s approval prior to announcing their dividends. The Banking Control Law required all banks to build their statutory reserves equal to their share capital. SAMA further encouraged Saudi banks to build additional reserves to strengthen their capital base. (2) Most foreign shareholders in Saudi banks enjoyed a tax holiday for the first five years of their ownership. To encourage retention of profits, the tax holiday was extended in most cases by another 5 years after which a deferred tax scheme was permitted; (3) In 1986, SAMA obtained a ruling from the Tax Department that permitted the tax deduction of loan loss provisions on   an accrual basis. This encouraged banks to increase their loan loss provisi ons for doubtful accounts; (4) To encourage Saudi banks to increase their inter-bank dealings and to support the development of a riyal inter-bank market, a tax ruling was obtained which exempted foreign banks from withholding taxes when carrying out inter-bank transactions with Saudi banks; (5) Corporate Governance.   SAMA recognized the need to encourage banks to take strong steps to improve their risk management and control procedures. Consequently, it took major initiatives in the area of corporate governance. Firstly, it required all banks to develop and strengthen their internal audit departments, and secondly it issued minimum internal control guidelines.   In addition, SAMA issued accounting standards for Commercial Banks in Saudi Arabia which were in line with International Accounting Standards; (6) Creation of Banking Disputes Committee. In 1987, Saudi authorities established a Banking Dispute Committee by the order of the Council of Ministers.   The creation of this Committee as the only relevant quasicourt to handle dispute between banks and their customers significantly strengthened the legal system.   By law, all banking disputes had to be referred to this Committee and the rulings of this Committee were given the same enforcement support as decisions from any other court; (7) Exchange of Information on Large Borrowers and on Delinquent Loans. In the early 1980’s, SAMA established a credit information service that provided information to Saudi banks on all large exposures of the Banking System.   This enabled banks to better assess the credit position and risk of big borrowers.   Also in 1986, SAMA permitted banks to exchange information on delinquent borrowers as a means of applying collective pressure on them. These measures have proved quite effective in resolving problems of delinquent loans.† (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, 2004, p. 5-6) IV. Improvement of Banking Services Banking and financial services were improved during the early decade of the 1980s by technological advances and SAMA had acknowledged a decade earlier that there was not only a potential but as well as need to â€Å"enhance and strengthen the Saudi financial markets through greater investment in modern technology. It is reported that the primary objectives of this strategy were: (1) elimination of duplication of efforts and waste; and (2) development of a national infrastructure. (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, 2004, p. 7) Technology enhanced business services introduced included: (1) automated Cheque Clearing System (1986); (2) linking of Saudi Arabia with the SWIFT payment network; (3) introduction of a national Automated Teller Machine System enabling customers to access accounts from any machine in Saudi Arabia and from the major financial markets; (4) introduction of debit, credit and charge cards; and (5) introduction of Point-of-Sale terminals that link customers, traders and banks. (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, 2004, p.7) International Islamic Financial Institutions It is reported that International Islamic Financial Institutions are reported in the work of Memon (2007) entitled â€Å"Islamic Banking: Present and Future Challenges† to be making provision of â€Å"a wide range of services in accordance with the basic principles of Shariah. The products are reported to include: (1) Mudaraba; (2) Murabaha; (3) Musharaka; (4) Ijarah; (5) Isstina; and (6) Salam. (Memon, 2007, p.4)   Conventional banks are reported to operate under the concept â€Å"of lender-borrower relationship where interest is considered as the rental income on capital. The depositors are assumed to be capital providers.† (Memon, 2007, p.4) Bank customers are reported to be divided into three broad categories as follows: (1) religiously motivated customers; (2) high profit customers; and (3) customers who are religiously motivated but also expect returns at least similar to conventional banks. (Memon, 2007, p.6) It is reported as follows in regards to the Islamic economic system: â€Å"Islamic economics is a system, which not only fulfils our moral, ethical, and religious obligations but also demonstrates to be economically feasible and financially rewarding. Islamic banking is based on asset-based transactions for the purpose of income generation, and prohibits financing in all forms of economic activities, which are normally and/or socially injurious to the society.† (Memon, 2007, p.6) Additionally stated is that the Islamic field of Banking operations â€Å"is unlimited. It is under continuous process of evolving and Islamic financial modes instruments have been developed to cover nearly all kinds of businesses including consumer financing, project financing, house financing, working capital financing, import and export financing, venture capital, etc.† (Memon, 2007, p.6) A survey conducted in the United States indicates that U.S. banker perception of Islamic Banking includes that 10 out of 20 Islamic Banking practices are viewed as acceptable. Those ten include: (1) investment accounts; (2) transfer of funds; (3) cost plus finance; (4) profit and loss; (5) sharing, (6) trust financing, (7) leasing, (8) lease purchase, (9) letters of guarantee, and (10) flexible investment of deposit and role as trustees. (Memon, 2007, p.8) VI. Service Quality in Saudi Arabian Banks The work of Al-Fawzan (2005) entitled â€Å"Assessing Service Quality in a Saudi Bank† states that service quality is defined as â€Å"the degree of alignment between customers’ expectations and their perceptions of the service received.† (Al-Fawzan, 2005, p.1) Al-Fawzan (2005) states that the move to â€Å"†¦managed service has increased demands for outcome-based accountability, cost containment, and attention to customer-focused quality in order to remain competitive in a rapidly changing environment. This dual focus on driving down costs while increasing quality has intensified pressures to understand, measure, and manage quality from a customer perspective.† (p.101) While banking systems are stated to provide services that are the same they are differentiated by the quality of services provided. In addition, today’s customers are â€Å"†¦more aware of the alternatives and their expectations of service have increased. Service quality c an, therefore, be used as a strategic tool to build a distinctive advantage over competitors. Banks are striving for zero defection and retaining every customer that the company can profitably serve in order to achieve service excellence.† (Al-Fawzan, 2005) Zero defections makes a requirement of ongoing efforts for improving service quality. It is reported that while quality â€Å"can not be improved unless it is measured, it can be defined from several perspectives, e.g., the ability to satisfy the needs and expectations of the customer, or the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bears on its ability to satisfy given needs.† (Al-Fawzan, 2005) There is a growing acknowledgement of quality importance in banking services although â€Å"its conceptualization and empirical assessment have remained limited.† (Al-Fawzan, 2005) Al-Fawzan (2005) reports that the â€Å"central tenet of the quality paradigm is the importance of understand ing and utilizing customer data to drive operational and strategic decisions, defining quality from the outside-in based on customer information is critical. This shift in defining quality often necessitates a fundamental change in the way professionals, managers, staff, and policy makers think about and identify those who buy or use products and service.† (Al-Fawzan, 2005) Those who use banking services are not generally refers to as ‘customers’ but instead are referred to as ‘client† suggesting â€Å"†¦a passive voice in the service delivery process, which is reflected by professionals in the field who question the credibility of client evaluation of services. On the other hand, customer carries an image of an active participant with more input in determining choices and decisions. Clients of human service organizations who follow directions from professionals and make few demands on the system are labeled as cooperative. In contrast, customers in the business sector who are loyal to the service, interact with the staff, and are willing to show their preferences are viewed as desirable customer.† (Al-Fawzan, 2005) Al-Fawzan states that customers have difficulty in the articulation of â€Å"banking service quality† therefore â€Å"the recipient of the service can only really assess it, thereby making its mea surement more subjective than exact. Hence, the measurement of banking service quality has to be based on perceived quality rather than objective quality because services are intangible, heterogeneous and their consumption and production occur simultaneously.† (2005) It is reported that service quality   â€Å"†¦ is a measure of how well the service level matches customers’ expectations.† (Al-Fawzan, 2005) It is reported that Parasuraman et al. â€Å"†¦defined service quality as perceived by customers and items from a comparison on their expectations of the services they will receive with their   perceptions of the performance of the service provider.† (Al-Fawzan, 2005) The study reported by Al-Fawzan (2005) summarizes the results stated the following findings: (1) the most important dimension determined by Saudi Bank customers is that of ‘assurance dimension’; (2) a service gap exists in service quality provided by Saudi Banks w ith the most notable gap being the accessibility dimension; (3) Saudi Bank customers, on average, rated Saudi Banks service quality to be overall good; (4) the expectations of Saudi Banks by customers are â€Å"highest in reliability dimension; (5) 67.8% of SB customers rated the overall service quality as good and very good; (5) SB employees dress nicely and they are polite when talking to customers; (6) SB has exceeded customers’ expectations in performing the service right from the beginning and in instilling the confidence in customers that their transactions are complete and safe.† (Al-Fawzan, 2005) The work of Sohail and Shaikh (2008) entitled â€Å"Internet Banking and Quality of Service: Perspectives from a Developing Nation in the Middle East† reports a study that had as its objective the measurement of the quality of service from the perspective of the customer on internet banking in Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted via a questionnaire survey and an extensive review of literature. Findings in the study report that upon the basis of a factor analysis three factors were found to influence the evaluation of quality of internet banking services by users. Those three factors identified are stated to include: (1) efficiency and security; (2) fulfillment; and (3) responsiveness. (Sohail and Shaikh, 2008) In 2010 Jasimuddin reported in the work entitled â€Å"Saudi Arabian Banks on the Web† reports that commercial transactions via the Internet began in 1995 and that online banking is an application with much promise. However, while many banks in developed countri es have made provision of banking services via the Internet, Saudi Arabia is â€Å"lagging behind.† (Jasimuddin, 2010, p.1) The environment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s environment is very conducive to Internet banking service provision. Jasimuddin reports that as of 2000 there were 11 banks and 1201 branches operating in Saudi Arabia. As of the middle of 2000, there are 11 banks with 1201 branches operating across Saudi Arabia. Eight banks are reported to have established a web site presence which is a rate of 73% of banks with a web site presence although only two of these offer Internet Banking Services. When the Saudi banks web sites are compared there is not major difference noted in the content of the bank web sites. The contents of the websites are stated to be inclusive of information about the bank, the addresses of branches and ATMs, phone and fax numbers, press releases, newsletters, news about the site and welcome letters, hot links, job opportunities, publications, contact and email, feedback, sitemap, site search, online forms and so forth. (Jasimuddin, 2010, paraphrased) Practically all of the banks provide information relating to customer services that â€Å"incorporate financial market, retail and corporate banking, investment treasury service, telephone and PC banking.† (Jasimuddin, 2010) I t is reported that online banking in Saudi Arabia is still a â€Å"very marginal activity† and that internet is presently being used by Saudi banks primarily for â€Å"brand awareness and promotion.† (Jasimuddin, 2010) Saudi banks will be driven by â€Å"the dynamic and imperatives of e-finance†¦to build web site and to start Internet banking.† (Jasimuddin, 2010) In other words, since this is a banking service that is increasingly familiar customers will be requesting these services from banks in the future in Saudi Arabia. VII.  Technology Use in Banking Service Provision It was reported in 2007 that the National Commercial Bank of Saudi Arabia was established in Saudi Arabia prior to any other banks being established. This bank has 300 branches throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with some branches stated to be â€Å"dedicated exclusively to Islamic Banking Services. The National Commercial bank reports having implemented use of a digital signage system which is reported to make provision of a â€Å"better platform for NCB to better communicate with its employees, educating them about the banks products and services and enhancing the service they provide to their customers.† (Jasimuddin, 2010) Summary of Literature Reviewed It is clear that banks in Saudi Arabia are faced with a diverse customer-base and this makes a requirement of diversification of banking services offered by banks in the Kingdom. While internet banking services provision is somewhat behind the development in the rest of the world, it is certain that Saudi Arabian banking customers will clearly see the benefits to Internet banking and that the push will soon be on for provision of this banking service by Saudi Arabian banks. Internet banking as well as other technological advanced service possibilities are presently being explored by Saudi Arabian banks including such technologies as a digital signage system among others. While the banking sector is quite developed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia there does appear to be a general mistrust of Internet banking technology and not just on the part of customers but in the view of the banking industry in Saudi Arabia as well. Recommendations Arising from this study is a recommendation for research to be conducted examining the quality of banking service provision by banks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a focus on technology use.    References Memon, N.A. (2007) Islamic Banking: Present and Future Challenges. Journal of Management and Social Sciences. Vol. 3, No. 1, (Spring 2007) 01-10. Institute of Business and Technology (BIZTEK). Retrieved from: biztek.edu.pk/downloads/research/jmss_v3_n1/1-islamic%20banking.pdf A Case Study On Globalization and the Role of Institution Building in the Financial Sector Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. February 2004. Retrieved from: sama.gov.sa/sites/samaen/OtherReportsLib/SK521-04(CaseStudyonGlobalization-RoleofInstitutionBuildinginSaudiArabia-Final)Dr.Shaukat.pdf Al-Fawzan, MA (2005) Assessing   Service Quality in a Saudi Bank. J. King Saud Univ., Vol. 18, Eng. Sci. (1), pp. 101-115, Riyadh (1426H./2005). Sohail, M.S. and Shaikh, N.M. (2008) Internet banking and quality of service: Perspectives from a developing nation in the Middle East. , Online Information Review, Vol. 32 Iss: 1, pp.58 72 Jasimuddin, Sajjad M. (2010) Saudi Arabianu Banks on the Web. Array Development. Retrieved from: tenso.fr/emarketing/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Aper%C3%A7u-de-%C2%AB%C2%A0Saudi-Arabian-Banks-on-the-Web%C2%A0%C2%BB.pdf

GDP and the Business Cycle Economic Health Memo Term Paper

GDP and the Business Cycle Economic Health Memo - Term Paper Example The business cycle, predictive statistics and government policy are obviously all intertwined. GDP and the business cycle are closely tied together. But how much? Is GDP actually good at predicting the future of the market? And what do the commensurate fiscal policies do to the economy? GDP is different from GNP. GDP is the domestic product: It is all the things and services that were produced domestically, no matter who owned them, even if it was foreign buyers. GNP, meanwhile, is the amount held by the nation, including the value of its overseas investment. GDP is about the borders of the nation, GNP about the national ownership. But both are used to predict the business cycle. GDP is designed to help firms manage uncertainty (Roubini). By getting a feeling for how the whole economy is doing, business managers can decide whether or not to pursue risky policies or batten the hatches and wait for things to get better. In general, markets go through boom-bust cycles about every twenty years (Mead, 1992). Knowing how GDP is doing now helps to predict if we're in a boom or a bust, which is important to the business cycle. However, GDP's value as an economic indicator, and therefore a predictor of the business cycle, is coming under attack now. Roubini, for example, points out that, â€Å"The best advice I can give you is to realize that there is an unavoidable amount of uncertainty in the economy. This is even more true of firms and their financial statements. So what do we do? My choice is to get out of this game altogether, but not everyone has this option---a firm, for example, has to forge ahead the best it can. The first thing you should know is that there's a lot of uncertainty out there, and no amount of commercial forecasting is going to change that†. Roubini is saying that GDP isn't ever for certain: It can be determined one year then the same year can be revised a whole percentage point later! It's hard to predict things like wars or terrorist att acks. In fact, GDP is very easy to â€Å"game† (Ritholtz, 2010). â€Å"[Y]ou simply under-report inflation, and GDP appears to be better than it is†. Since inflation depends on counting the value of a good last year, and doing so across many goods to make sure that it's not just one or two goods that grew in price for other reasons, there's a lot of subjectivity and uncertainty in making it. GDP is also not as helpful as it could be because it positively counts negative externalities (Ritholtz, 2010). That means that pollution, which is a bad thing, is counted as a good thing because it makes people spend money to go to the doctor or buy new houses to move. â€Å"If you buy a car, the GDP goes up. If you cut a tree, the GDP goes up. But if you preserve the tree, the GDP does not grow. Now you have to decide whether you need the tree or the GDP† (Sharma, 2010). Thus, it is hard to use the GDP to predict the business cycle, and economists are looking for a better indicator of economic health. Fiscal policies are guided by economic facts and by measures like the GDP: As we've seen already, the GDP's inadequacies can cause lawmakers concerned only with increasing the GDP to increase externalities such as injured workers, ecological damage and health costs as a byproduct, and not reap the consequences or even be aware of them. But what about fiscal policy and unemployment? The jury is out as to whether reducing or increasing taxes, reducing or increasing spending, etc. is better for production and employment. A major Heritage Foundation study finds that â€Å"a large and growing government is not conducive to better economic performance. Indeed, reducing the size of government would lead to higher incomes and improve America's competitiveness† (Mitchell, 2005). Mitchell cites a Rahn curve, which says that there's a curve in tax revenue between 0 and 100%. The theory is simple: If you tax 100% of income, no one produces anything; but if y ou tax 0%, the government

Create your own christian demonology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Create your own christian demonology - Essay Example The purpose of this paper is to create a new Christian demonology within a particular period and context. The Christian demonology discussed in this paper belongs to the Medieval Period between the 5th to 15th century around the European region, where the belief in the power of demons and grimoires were widely existent during that era. This demonology evolved from the old Christian tradition, on basis of the scriptures, mentioning that the demons were the rebel angels that were cast down from the heaven by God. Though they are spiritual, immortal and immutable, like the good angels, these demons are not omniscient or omnipotent. As per the Christian demonology, the demons were intended to induce sin into the world by possessing and tormenting people in the world. The ultimate mission of the demons was to abandon the faith of God from the people and turn them into adversaries of God. The demonology of the Medieval Period identified demons as evil supernatural beings, who take control over the departed souls of men or their bodies for executing their evil schemes on earth. According to the biblical notion, they are the inhabitants of the Hell and whoever is possessed by these evil spirits are destined to do whatsoever the demons wish to. The demons were considered as the ‘elements of the world’ as supernatural being living in the air and ruling the entire universe. Paul writes in Galatians 4:3, we were in bondage under the elements of the world, which means that both the physical and spiritual cosmos comes under the power of these demons. What distinguishes this demonology is that the medieval demonology held a demonic plurality comprising not only the fallen angels as demons but also the evil spirits and souls of dead humans, in general. This is far from this demonology, as it takes the stand that the entire demonic world comprises of the fallen rebel angels, taking control over the whole world and the universe, for their evil possessions, after bei ng cast away from the Heaven to Hell. The demons exercised power over the world including the wind, water, air, sand as well as the stars and the entire universe. The peasant communities in this medieval period were particularly concerned of these demons as they hindered the nature. They comprised of various occults, witchcrafts, ritual magic and more for either abolishing or inducing the evil acts of the demons for various purposes. These demons also hold influences over the passions of mind, sexual, mania and melancholy by inflicting pain and pleasure. The witches and occultists make use of these demonic powers to perform their actions, choosing the demon with power of Hell that well suits their operations like seeing the future, seducing the object of lust, finding hidden treasure, etc. As the demons have control over the world, it possesses the humans and takes various physical forms for deceiving the world. In this Medieval Period the demons were believed to be the reason for t he pagan cults and other religious practices. It was thought that these rituals would help to expel the demons, by diminishing their evil acts and possession in the lives of humans. According to them, these cultic practices and rituals were the cause for their worshiping of demons which was indeed viewed as rebellious among the Church and Christian beliefs. Â  However, demonic administration used for handling magic, astrology, and mantic arts