Jean Toomer Biography Essay

Jean Toomer was born as Nathan Eugene Pinchback Toomer on December 26, 1884 in Washington, D.C. His father was a wealthy farmer, who was originally born into slavery in Georgia. Nina Pinchback was also of mixed descent. Jean’s father abandoned his family when he son was an infant, so he and his mother lived with her parents. As a child in Washington, Toomer attended all-black schools. After his mother remarried, they moved to New Rochelle, New York, and he attended an all-white school. After his mother’s death, Jean returned to Washington to live with his grandparents. He graduated from an academic black high school. By his early adult years, he refused to be segregated and wanted to be identified only as an American. Between 1914 and 1917 Jean Toomer attended the University of Wisconsin, the Massachusetts College of Agriculture, the American College of Physical Training in Chicago, the University of Chicago, New York University, and the City College of New York. He majored in agriculture, fitness, biology, sociology, and history but he never completed a degree. After leaving college, Jean published some short stories and continued writing after World War I. In 1923, Toomer returned to New York where he became friends with Waldo Frank, who became his mentor and editor on his novel Cane. In 1923, he published the novel Cane, in which he used material inspired by his time in Georgia. Below is an excerpt from his novel, Cane. â€Å"whisper of yellow globes gleaming on lamp posts that sway like bootleg licker drinkers in the fog and let your breath be moist against me like bright beads on yellow globes telephone the power-house that the main wires are insulate (her words play up and down dewy corridors of billboards) then with your tongue remove the tape and press your lips to mine till they are incandescent† ReadingWoman.com states, â€Å"Cane is one of the works of fiction that announced the arrival of the Harlem Renaissance. Though a slim volume, this collection of sketches, stories and poems makes up a dense and powerful book. Through vivid imagery and authentic dialects, Jean Toomer realistically portrays the lives and experiences of African-Americans, from the Southern peasant to the urban black in the North. Neither glorified nor stereotyped, Toomer’s characters speak in their own voices and are completely themselves, their behavior reflecting the truth about who and what they are. Cane compels the reader to feel its power on a physical level. At the time the book was published, and still today, these full, rich characters and images lead us to a greater understanding of the human condition.† He stopped writing literary works in 1950. Jean Toomer died on March 30, 1967 in Doylestown, PA after years of poor health. Works Cited â€Å"Jean Toomer – ENotes.com Reference.† Enotes.com. Enotes.com. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. . â€Å"Writers of the Harlem Renaissance – Book Reviews.† Great Books for You to Read. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. . â€Å"Jean Toomer Biography.† Department of Mathematics, University at Buffalo. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. .

Introduction to Ethics & Social

Medicine at Tufts University, wrote a version of the oath that talks about how a doctor should care for the sick with compassion, humanely, and says nothing about working to get rich off of those who are suffering (Lasagna, 1964). In the United States, there should not be anyone who cannot see a doctor because they are poor; a doctor takes an oath to heal the sick wherever he can, not to heal the sick only if they are rich. If being alive is an inalienable right, as documented by the Declaration of Independence, would it not be common sense that healthcare would also be a right rather than a privilege?The United States is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not make sure that all of its citizens receive proper health coverage. In 2004 lack of coverage is estimated to have caused 18,000 deaths that have been considered unnecessary (loom. Due, 2004). It is common knowledge that if a parent has an extremely ill child, and refuses to take that child to the doctor, the paren t can be charged with neglect. If the child is the healthy one, and her single father is diagnosed with cancer, who will be charged with neglect when he dies for no other reason than he doesn't have insurance?Could you imagine being so desperate for health care that you were willing to commit a federal crime in the hopes of going to prison to get the care you need? Richard James Vernon handed a teller in an ROB Bank in Gaston, N. C. A note, claiming he had a gun but was unarmed (Mousse, 2011). Mr.. Vernon, who had a growth in his chest, two ruptured disks, and no Job said that he asked for only one dollar. He wanted to show that his motives were medical, and not about the money (Mousse, 2011). The charge he was booked on was Larceny and would not give him the prison stay he hoped to get in order to get the treatment he desperately wanted.In a country as wealthy as the United States, why should any citizen even be tempted to do such a thing? It is terrible that a person who was law-a biding beforehand would have to become a criminal in order to save his life. Should health care be something that should only be available to the highest bidder? In 2005 the per-capita health care spending reached $6797, this is 40% higher than any other nation with health care outcomes ranking 37th according to the World Health Organization (Beebe, 2009).Between 2003 and 2007, the combined profits of the largest insurance impasses rose by over 170%, which left their approval rating lower that tobacco companies. This was the resulted as worker's out-of-pocket spending for health care shot into the atmosphere 87% since 2000 (Beebe, 2009). It is estimated that 47 million Americans lived without insurance before our economy fell apart and unemployment's rise did nothing but add to those numbers (Beebe, 2009).It is estimated that half of all personal bankruptcies stem from drowning in the expenses of medical care, and in 76% of those cases, it was the main income that had insurance cove rage for the family (Beebe, 2009). Could there really be a better example that something needs to be done than what Mr.. Vernon did Just to get healthcare? Ethnologists of ethics don't look at the consequences of actions before coming up with an idea. One way they might see the healthcare debate could be that healthcare should be a personal responsibility. It could be argued that healthcare is something is a personal responsibility.It is up to the individual or family to make sure that they have the coverage that they need. A Ethnologist might say that by the government ensuring that there is healthcare available for people, it s government interference into people's affairs. If people want health insurance, than they can but it, or become employed at a Job that provides healthcare. However, when healthcare costs are so high that they are choking on the gases in Supplier's atmosphere, those who may wish to have a family doctor so they can get regular checkups yet cannot afford it.Lo oking at it from a utilitarian point of view, the majority of the public would benefit from healthcare being available for all. For example, a hospital in Costa Mesa, California, dumped Steven Davis in skid row at the New Image Shelter in 2008. The thirty-two year old man was diagnosed as schizophrenic and was considered to be dangerously delusional and paranoid (LA times, 2009). Not only did Mr.. Davis need care and medication, the hospital dumping him on the street could have turned out to be dangerous for someone else. Sadly, his is not the only case in which a hospital negligently dumped a patient for not having insurance.James Booking, a veteran of this country, was dumped in the parking lot of a shelter in California by the Department of Veteran Affairs medical center after his toe was removed due to a bone infection. He was wearing hospital pants, carrying urine bottle, and screaming for help from the wheelchair he was sitting in (Winston According to the 2006 Human Developme nt Report, the life & saves, 2011). Expectancy of someone living in the United Kingdom is 78. 5, France is 79. 5, Canadians can expect 80. 2, with the American expecting around 77. 5 (Watkins, 2006).The only major difference between these countries is that all but one ensures that their citizens have healthcare. The only one would be America that doesn't. Common sense should indicate that if we as Americans had access to preventative care, we might be able to save some change in our pockets by avoiding costly ERE In 2004, retiring representative Billy Taught of Louisiana stepped down visits. Early with the intention of taking a Job as the new president and CEO of the drug industry top lobbying group, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (Welch, 2004).According to watchdog groups such as the Center fro Responsive Politics, prior to this event, Taught received $218,000 in campaign contributions from those in the pharmaceutical industry with contributions reaching $91 , 500 for 2002 which was the year he first became chairman of the committee with jurisdiction over the drug industry (Welch, 2004). There have been so many arguments over the separation of church and state, how about we start the argument over the separation of corporations and the state? In Cuba, 75% of the people are feeling positive regarding their education and healthcare systems (Worldpublicopinion. Rig, 2011). While many may not be so happy with their individual freedoms, they are happy with the fact that they can be seen by a doctor when they feel like it, considering their healthcare is universal. If a dictatorship which our government sees as an enemy will ensure that its citizens have healthcare, what goes that say about the government of a free country like ours? Should a woman be forced to choose between buying groceries and paying for her prescription medications in the United States? In a personal interview, Melissa Tearful shared her story about how she lost her health insurance, Just when she needed it the most.In 2006 she was diagnosed as having bipolar depression and post- traumatic stress syndrome. She started going to therapy once a week and got on medication which she said greatly improved her situation. â€Å"It was unbelievable, the difference I felt after I got on the right medications. It was like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. For the first time in years I was able to think clearly' (M. Tearful, personal interview September 21, 2011). She was on state health insurance and was kicked off of it because of a political decision by former Governor Blunt.Previously, single mothers were allowed to get state health insurance until their child became 18, but a recent bill passed saying that after the child turned one, the mother would lose the insurance. This meant more money for the state of Missouri, but it also meant that single mothers like Melissa were left without healthcare. She stated that she tried to apply for disabilit y insurance so that she could continue with her therapy and medications, but was rejected. Because she was able to maintain a Job, she was not considered eligible for any assistance. L felt like I was being punished for actually trying to better myself. You hear all the time how people with the same condition I have are not able to hold down a Job, or care for their kids, but because I am trying and making it, I cannot get any help. † (M. Tearful, personal interview, September 21 , 2011). Soon after losing her healthcare, she had to abandon both the medications and the therapy. Melissa stated that it was very difficult going off of the medications â€Å"cold turkey. † She shared that it was a very emotion-filled time for her.According to Melissa, her moods fluctuated frequently and she experienced many panic attacks in the first months afterwards. She said that as time went on, it became easier for her to cope, but that there are times when it is extremely difficult. Me lissa stated that she â€Å"can handle herself when she is manic by keeping herself busy, but when I am depressed, I can't think straight. Right and wrong sometimes go out the window when I get really into that state. It's like what ever feels good at the time seems so logical† (M. Tearful, personal interview, September 21, 2011).We tell our children that money is not everything, but yet when it comes down to the choice of more money or the well-being of a human, more often than not it is the money that wins out. Melissa Tearful went on to share with me the story of her coworker of seven years, Bruce Patterson. According to Ms. Tearful, Mr.. Patterson has been on high-blood pressure medicine for quite sometime, but when his hours got cut at work, he had to make some drastic changes n his lifestyle to be able to stay on his pills. Just to stay on the medicine that he very much needs, he stopped paying his electric bill for months in his trailer.Melissa said that it was during the winter of this year when he lost power for his home and would do things like stay at his Job at Burger King for many hours after his shift, sometimes even napping at the store in order to sleep some place warm (M. Tearful, personal interview, September 2, 2011). Via electronic communication Ms. Patti Hollies shared her sister's story of how she was left in pain because of lack of healthcare overage. According to Ms. Hollies, her sister had been experiencing pain in her leg and hip so she went to the ERE in Gerard, Ohio.The doctors did a CAT scan, which revealed nothing that would cause her to be in so much pain. They gave her a shot and sent her home. Over the next days she her condition did not improve, even after going to the ERE three more times. Because she had no insurance, the doctors refused to continue to seek out the cause of her condition. Her sister then brought her to SST. Elizabeth Free Medical Clinic in a wheelchair because, by this time, her sister was not blew to walk. Here X-rays were conducted, which also revealed nothing, so her sister was told that there was nothing more that they would do.She asked if maybe and MR. would help, but the nurse practitioner refused to order that test. Seeing her sister crying in pain, and knowing they were running out of options, she placed a phone call her own doctor (P. Hollies, electronic communication, September 26, 2011). This doctor recommended her sister be taken to the ERE in SST. Elizabethan Clinic by ambulance. She followed her doctor's advice, and her sister was admitted into the hospital. After getting an MR., her sister learned she had a herniated disc and had to have surgery. They also learned that she was diabetic.Once the surgery was performed, the pain went away and was doing very well. However, even after diagnosing her with having diabetes and prescribing her insulin, at no point was she taught how to take the medicine. A phone call was placed to the director of the hospital about the po or treatment her sister received at SST. Elizabethan and she was assured that her sister would be taken care of. It is the firm belief of Ms. Hollies that her sister's suffering was totally unnecessary. Had her sister had health insurance, she believes that the doctors would have been much more inclined to order tests.

Lumpkin

Plumbing was formed and slowly grew for the first half of the sass's. Due to rapid business growth in the latter part of the decade, Mr.. Limpkin decided to expand on the company's existing building. This expansion was made possible by a $1 50,000 loan approved by Ms. Mae Elli from Central National Bank. For the past 5 years Limpkin Plumbing has been banking with this bank, yet this was its first loan. The company regularly provides reports regarding its progress and Mr.. Limpkin keeps In contact with Ms. Elli.This makes them highly applicable for additional loans with this bank. While the projections were underestimated, this Is a positive sign that making the loan payments should not be a concern. Limpkin Plumbing is a well-managed business with high potential for future growth and success as long as it keeps operations under control and improves projection accuracy. Marketing Analysis Limpkin Plumbing's demand is slightly seasonal, with an increase in sales during the spring and e arly summer. Based on the company's projections, even they were not expecting the high increase of sales.While the projected a sales growth was 20%, the actual growth rate was 63. 1%. This increase proves that there was higher demand for Limpkin Plumbing's business. Perhaps with the newly added display areas, retail sales will Increase the net sales even more. This could give the business a competitive advantage in the future. One of the biggest issues I have with this company is the inaccuracy of its projections; especially for the inventory and accounts payable. Inventory from 1 998 to 1999 increased by 18. %; however, the projection for 2000 is only for a 10. 5% increase. If they are expanding to accommodate growth then I think the growth rate for inventory should have been higher. Operations Analysis As a wholesale distributed, Limpkin Plumbing operates with a high level of inventory that should be turned over swiftly. The inventory turnover rate for 1999 was 3. 80% and 3. 35% f or 2000. This decrease Is most likely due to the underestimated amount of purchases and depreciation for 2000. This however Is not necessarily a negative sign.If the demand was there from customers then purchases must be made. With the building expansion, hopefully Limpkin Plumbing can improve the efficiency of orders which will lead to a high turnover rate. This high amount of inventory is also affecting its liquidity based on the quick ratio. Unfortunately, the quick ratio for Limpkin Plumbing has decreased from 1. 73 to 0. 56. Company should take a look at their credit terms to see if they could collect more from customers. In regards to the company's cash conversion cycle it has decreased from 106. In 1999 to 83. In 2000. While the average collection period decreased minimally; the main driver for this is the decrease of the payable period from 45. 1 to 12. 7. Therefore, while customers are paying the company sooner, it is taking longer to pay vendors. This could possibly cause problems in the future. When comparing the fixed asset turnover of 1999 to 2000, there is a decrease of 18. 2%. This main reason for this is due to net sales not increasing enough in relation to the increase of net property and equipment. Mr..Limpkin should focus some of his attention on making s fixed assets for efficient to generate higher revenues. Financial Analysis To avoid unnecessary costs by renting additional space Limpkin Plumbing decided to use debt for the first time which changed their business structure greatly in regards to leverage. One of the most noticeable changes in its financial is the ROE increase of 8. 41 ; which is great for investors. Another change that deserves attention is the debt to equity ratio changing from 0. 22 in 1999 to 0. 96 in 2000; however, the projected ratio for 2000 was only 0. 5. Not only is the new loan driving this ratio to increase but also the accounts payable balance increasing by 494%. For future financing purposes, it may want to pay off some of the vendor accounts in order to help lower the DIE ratio to seem more attractive. Summary Overall, Mr.. Limpkin made the right decision to expand Limpkin Plumbing's warehouse by borrowing debt from Central National Bank. Based on the increase in both net sales and net income the company should have no problem repaying the loan and are a good candidate for future loans.However, I think they might run into some problems with vendors in the future if they do not start paying their account payable balances a little more attention. It should also find someone to provide them with more accurate projections. By having more accurate projections, they will be in a better position for not only future loans, but also prospective investors. So far, Mr.. Limpkin has done a great Job keeping in contact with Ms. Elli and should continue to do so in order to keep a trustworthy relationship for future banking and financing needs.

European Year of Education through Sport 2004 Essay

Research, analyse and critically examine the (European Union’s) European Year of Education through Sport 2004, illustrating your answer with examples from European countries. Sport has been a major arena for the display of popular European values ever since the very first recorded Ancient Olympics were held at Olympia in 776 B.C. The Olympics of Ancient Greece and subsequently the modern Olympics gave rise to the ideology of Olympism, a way of life that embodies through sport these qualities and values. In the years that have passed, the changing face of sport has modelled and re-modelled itself in line with contemporary trends and technological advancements, but the core beliefs have remained the same. Whilst even then in its infancy, sport had to deal with bribery and corruption, with politics and commercialism; the same evils that have plagued the sporting world at the highest level ever since; sport has survived, and the ethos of sport and Olympism continue to be heralded as the archetype of health, vitality and virtue. In September 2003 a ‘Eurobarometer’ survey was carried out, in order to establish the general public feelings towards education through sport. The results it returned were unswerving in their support. Almost two-thirds of the survey sample cited team spirit as the most important sporting value, whilst 70% were in favour of a harder crackdown on doping in sport. Amongst other revelations of a similar trend it is notable that the 2 highest responses when asked if the EU should do more to promote education through sport were those of Greece (90% said yes) and Portugal (85%). These of course will be the 2 main focal points for sporting excellence in 2004; hosting the Olympic Games and the European Football Championships respectively. It is clear that the officials of the European Union share the belief that the prominent values and health benefits that can be garnered from education through sport are desirable. Following the conclusion of the Eurobarometer survey and further research, a budget totalling à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11.5 million was made available specifically for the initiative they dubbed ‘The European Year of Education through Sport’ (EYES). The allocation of the budget is divided, in simple terms, as described on the InfoBase Europe website, (www.ibeurope.com): ‘A budget of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11.5 million will be available to support meetings, campaigns and events designed to further the aims of the Year throughout the European Union.’ Whilst à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11.5 million may appear at first glance to be a substantial amount, further examination reveals otherwise. To be simplistic in analysis, let us say that the funds were equally divided amongst the European Union’s 15 member states; this would leave à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½766,667 (or à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½522,575 [source: www.xe.com]) per nation to distribute internally to cover the entire year. This would work out at around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½14,744 or à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,050 per week for the whole country, far less than the wage of some professional athletes. The UK branch of EYES has 3 ‘key objectives’: 1. Promote EYES in the UK and on a pan-European basis. 2. Give as many people as possible access to the work being undertaken during the EYES 2004 programme. 3. Engage more young people in physical activity and sport, enhancing other developments in the field in the UK. These objectives run parallel with those of the EU as a whole (see annexe 1). In terms of promotion, the initiative is being spearheaded by an ‘All-Star team’ of popular former and current stars of European sport; the most familiar of these perhaps being Jurgen Klinsmann, Clarence Seedorf, Amelie Mauresmo and Sir Steven Redgrave. Alongside these 5 are another 37 individuals (as well as the Latvian National Football Team), ranging from internationally famed to somewhat obscure, all of whom are committed to â€Å"actively supporting the campaign†. (http://www.eyes-2004.info/254.0.html) There seems to be a solid base from which to build a real Europe-wide success. In addition to the All-Star Team, EYES can boast partners from all over Europe, from a variety of different sports as well as many Governmental ministries and Educational Associations, 4 TV Channels and, perhaps most significantly, Sponsorship from VISA and the German travel company Vietentours. There will certainly be a significant amount of publicity surrounding EYES as the year goes on. The logo, accompanied by its slogan (â€Å"move your body, stretch your mind†) will be on display at nearly 200 events during 2004, including the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games and Euro 2004. It appears that from a promotional point of view, as well as the infrastructure, the EU has got it right. There will be plenty of opportunities for people to find out about and participate in EYES. But then what? Even if we were to blanket the entire continent with an awareness of EYES; even if every school in every nation participated; what next? 2005 will not be the ‘European Year of Education through Sport, II’. Surely the priority must be to lay down the foundations for future and continuing education through sport throughout the continent? Any ‘continuing legacy’ or suchlike goes unmentioned in the aims and objectives sections of EYES on both the official website and InfoBase. The focus seems to be on getting as many people interested in sport as possible, then assuming their enthusiasm will remain at a constant level without further promotion. It implies a level of naivety in terms of the EU’s awareness of the seemingly obvious expendable novelty value that can be associated with most short-term governmental and pan-European events of this ilk. There is no function in place to prevent the project from slipping into history without having made any real long-term difference to the education of the public through continuing participation in sport. The official UK website (www.eyes2004.org) contains information for schools on how to get involved, news updates on EYES projects and media releases, and online challenges for schools to take part in by inputting results from different activities into a database to create ‘live, ‘on-line’ competition between schools’ (http://www.eyes2004challenges.org/splash.htm) This attempts to address the ‘access’ aim of the website; whether or not it does this remains to be seen. In my personal experience, the efforts of the British arm of the project so far appear to have been poor, especially on the promotional side. Public awareness seems to be non-existent; I have mentioned EYES to many people, young and old, at every level of the education system; from my neighbours’ primary school children to my 16 year old brother, to my Mother, (a project manager at the local 6th form college). Neither any of them, nor any of the others I spoke to were previously aware of the EYES. Whilst I am aware that this casual sampling cannot be considered in any way to be indicative of the entire British population, they don’t exactly imply a resounding success of the project in my local area. However, it is important to note that in this, as in all cases, only 4 months of the year have passed and there is still time for awareness to be created. There are 5 projects currently running here in the UK: The use of sport and education for the social inclusion of asylum seekers and refugees. (Loughborough University) Basic Skills and Education through Sport (Hull City Council) Clean Start programme (UK Sport) Learning Through Football: Euro 2004 (Football Association) Leeds Education Activity Partnership (Leeds City Council) http://www.eyes2004.org/projectnews.htm The first project on the list highlights the poor promotional aspect perfectly. Whilst it is being run here at Loughborough University; the level of awareness of the project itself and of EYES as a whole has been minimal. Continental Europe, however, may prove to be a different story. Whilst the British Physical Education system is comparatively relaxed in its decentralisation, possibly leading to the aforementioned ineffectiveness in the dissemination of the EYES message, the French political infrastructure, for example, may prove a far more effective and efficient vehicle for the promotion of EYES due to its highly centralised nature. Another aspect is to promote the value of voluntary work for the young and the benefits it can provide for informal education. An example of this is in Portugal where by The Portuguese Youth Institute supported by the European Voluntary Service are giving children under the age of 16 the opportunity to help out in European Football Championships 2004 as ball boys and holding flags and banners before games. The aim of the scheme is to bring young people from different communities and racial backgrounds together through voluntary participation in sport. It may also be argued that, whilst 2004 may have initially appeared to be the ideal year for EYES, with 2 internationally prestigious sporting events being hosted in Europe; the reality may be somewhat different in that EYES could well be overshadowed to the point of insignificance by both Euro 2004 and the Athens Olympics. To make a conclusive statement about the success of EYES at this early stage in the year would I feel be somewhat naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve. It can be said however, that the right building blocks have been put into place in order to make it a success. The infrastructure and the organisational aspect is far-reaching enough to be of use to the whole continent; whilst remaining centralised enough in key areas to focus on the same goals. The promotional side is again set up right, with representatives from many sports and many countries being involved from the high-profile to the less glamorous. Whilst the signs of implementation of EYES in schools are encouraging; LEAPS (Learning and education through activity and participation in sports) in Dublin; Basic skills and Education through Sport (Hull); Together in Sport for growing up (Italy); the true results of EYES’ success in schools may take some time due to the enormous amount of feedback required to get a realistic overview of all events and projects. The apparent lack of continuation in terms of the aims and objectives of the initiative can be put down to one of two things. One is that the EU are banking on the continuing success of a one-off push into sport, ignoring the possibility of a speedy return to the low participation rates of recent years. The more likely explanation is that, whilst the EU realise that the effects of EYES may wear off as the future years go by, it will be more effective, given the comparatively small budget available, to concentrate on getting the message out there to as many people as possible this year than to try to implement long-running programmes with less public awareness. Ultimately the deciding factor on the success or failure of EYES, as with most things, will be the budget. Even if, as suggested, the money is directed in the correct manner with minimal amounts of wastage, it is still a relatively insignificant sum on an international scale. I would predict that for there to be any lasting impression left by EYES on the future education through sport in this continent, the amount of funding behind the initiative would have to be substantially larger. Bibliography http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/Olympics/olympicorigins.shtml (Accessed 15/03/04) http://www.ecdel.org.au/whatsnew/2003/sports.htm (Accessed 15/03/04) http://www.ibeurope.com/Database/Factsheets/F050eyes.htm (Accessed 15/03/04) http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/sport/key_files/annee_eur/a_2004_en.html (Accessed 15/03/04) http://www.xe.com/ucc/ (Accessed 15/03/04) http://www.eyes2004.org/splash.htm (Accessed 17/03/04) http://www.eyes2004.org/projectnews.htm (Accessed 18/03/04) http://www.eyes-2004.info/254.0.html (Accessed 18/03/04) http://www.eyes-2004.info/4138.0.html (Accessed 18/03/04) Annexe 1 The Aims of EYES (http://www.ibeurope.com/Database/Factsheets/F050eyes.htm) The aims of the European Year are: (a) to make educational institutions and sports organisations aware of the need for cooperation in order to develop education through sport and its European dimension, given the very great interest that young people take in all kinds of sport; (b) to take advantage of the values conveyed through sport to develop knowledge and skills whereby young people in particular can develop their physical prowess and readiness for personal effort and also social abilities such as teamwork, solidarity, tolerance and fair play in a multicultural framework; (c) to promote awareness of the positive contribution that voluntary activities make to non-formal education, especially of young people; (d) to promote the educational value of pupil mobility and exchanges particularly in a multicultural environment through the organisation of sporting and cultural contacts as part of school activity; (e) to encourage the exchange of good practice concerning the role sport can play in education systems to promote the social inclusion of disadvantaged groups; (f) to create a better balance between intellectual and physical activity in school life by encouraging sport in school activities; (g) to consider the problems relating to the education of young sportsmen and sportswomen taking part in competitive sports.

The Impacts of Economics Crisis in Indonesia

The economic crisis, which hit Indonesia, began in Thailand in June 1997. It rapidly spread, causing stocks to tumble and many Asian currencies to fall, the worst of all the Indonesian Rupiah. Indonesia†s worsening economic situation is mainly due to the sharp depreciation of Rupiah against the US dollar. Being out of our government†s control, the Rupiah keeps on sliding further and at its lowest point touched a level of Rp. 17,000 against the US dollar. Realizing that the economy will not recover overnight, it takes time and serious effort to bring back the economy on the right track. In order to cover the budget deficit, the Indonesian government asked the assistance from the International Monetary Fund. As for the revival of the economic crisis, Indonesia needs massive aid. The crisis has caused the banking sector to collapse dramatically. The large number of banks in my country might be one of the main problems as there are more than 265 units. The recent economic crisis has put more burdens on the banking sector so the government decided to close down 16 ailing private banks without a full guarantee on the return of their deposit funds. This has forced depositors to draw their savings and moved to foreign and government banks which resulted in a big rush for several private banks. Due to this, The Central Bank has to print new money for injection and bailing out the insolvent banks caused by the rush. By printing money, the government unintentionally prompted the outbreak of hyperinflation. Panicked by this, the Central Bank decided to raise interest rates. As a result, companies that were highly dependent on loans are forced to close down. Many Indonesian factories are facing financial difficulties due to the huge and extensive overseas debts and a tremendous dependence on importing raw material and supplies. We know that most factories have been too dependent on imports and their owners much too attracted to foreign capital without hedging. They are facing problems with loan repayment due to the drastic depreciation of the Rupiah. Even medium and small enterprises are facing the same problem. They have difficulty in running their businesses since they could not afford to pay the high interest rate. Meanwhile, the economy continues to deteriorate with the annual inflation rate once rising more than 100%. A lot of factories are closing down and the number of unemployed people increase. The increasing numbers of companies that went bankrupt and the factories, which are closing down, have intensified the quantity of jobless people and unemployment. To anticipate the long crisis, most companies have to restructure their management systems. It is important in the crisis era for companies to achieve efficiency and stick to market oriented operation. For efficiency, companies cannot avoid but reducing the operation cost and working hours. This resulted in the huge number of lay-off and cutting down number of employees. According to prediction, this crisis has caused at least 20 million people to become jobless, 20% of the school children are at serious risk of dropping out of school as a result of shrinking family incomes, soaring unemployment, and hyperinflation. Along with the severe drought, which threatened to push as many as 50 million people into poverty, increasing unemployment, hunger and poverty has also been created. This serious problem has incited crime, chaos, and social unrest. Poor people can no longer afford to buy staple food and basic essential commodities. Even subsidies could no longer assist with the people becoming more easily tempted and incited to commit crime. Stealing, robbing, looting, destroying, and burning could no longer be avoided. The tragedy was on May 14, 1998, when the mass riots started in Jakarta. The angry mobs started to loot, destroy and burn down shops, supermarkets, cars, housing complexes and even the Chinese minority became the target by being physically assaulted and abused. The reason is because most Chinese dominate the business factor. Direct losses are approximately US$ 909 million. This resulted in a stagnation of the business, transportation and distribution sector since most Chinese have fled the country. This mid-May riot has left a traumatic effect on me. I am deeply grieved that these things should happen to my own country and people. Motivated by this tragedy, I promise that I will contribute with my knowledge to help my country in difficult time like now. My strong commitment is to try to minimize the impact of the economic crisis.

Financial And Accounting Challenges Faced By Businesses From Emerging Research Proposal

Financial And Accounting Challenges Faced By Businesses From Emerging Markets In Meeting International Accounting Standards. Companies In Azerbaijan - Research Proposal Example Countries like South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand etc were among the first to adopt IFRS. The countries of The European Union (EU) are now required to follow IFRS. Emerging economies like China, Azerbaijan etc. adopted IFRS. China had given January 2007 as deadline for implementing IFRS. Gradually all the countries in the world will adopt the financial reporting standard. USA and Canada are also getting prepared for the adoption (Barry and Jermakowicz, 2010, pp.1-2). Many businesses which are not required to adopt IFRS and are not publicly held are still implementing IFRS in their accounting. This is because a common standard of accounting followed all over the world will facilitate free flow of capital. If an investor of UAS, for example, wants to invest in a company in China he will need to examine the financial statement of the company. If the company prepares its financial statement using same methods as that is followed in the investor’s country it will be easier fo r the investor to understand the financial position of the company. Therefore using an international standard like IFRS for preparing financial statements will win investors confidence (Barry and Jermakowicz, 2010, pp. 2). However adoption of IFRS is not totally hassle free. Companies going through the transition from old methods to IFRS specified methods face many challenges. It will be seen later in this work that there are many challenges which an entity face in adopting a new standard of accounting and financial report preparation. Emerging economies like China nd Azerbaijan have also implemented IFRS partially of wholly. But companies of these countries have faced or still facing problems caused by the transition from old system to the new system. The government of Azerbaijan had given a deadline of January 2008 to its Public Interest Entities for implementing IFRS in their accounting. The small enterprises of the country required to implement National Accounting Standard, whic h is formulated based on the principles of IFRS, before January 2006 (Republic of Azerbaijan Accounting Law, 2004 Article 8,9,10 and 17). Therefore, to find out the challenges faced by businesses in emerging economies, studies on companies in Azerbaijan will be helpful. There are many companies in Azerbaijan which already have converted to new system, but there are still some companies which are yet to implement the new standard. This makes the country an interesting place for this study. Preliminary Review of the Literature: In the conversion process from old accounting system to the new accounting system in Azerbaijan, different parties related to accounting, auditing and reporting face some problems. A report prepared by Yev (2009) has discussed these problems in details. The cost involved in adopting IFRS or IAS or the NAS in accounting is considerable one. Companies must bear the cost of training of their accounting personnel. The introduction of the IFRS in the accounting syst em could result in change in the financial position of the company. The financial position of a company determined by following the previous accounting system and the financial position determined by the new accounting system might differ as a result of change in procedures, roles and obligations. This will result in volatility and difficulties in decision making. The complex nature of IFRS standard could be a problem too. Another problem that accounting personnel face is: the new standard demand change in thinking. The new reporting is not just about bookkeeping and reporting; it involves thinking and judgments of the accountants. Companies have to do a separate accounting for tax accounting because IFRS or IAS and tax rule follow

Service Operations Management - Talent Drycleaners Case Study Essay

Service Operations Management - Talent Drycleaners Case Study - Essay Example The company has an adequate capacity utilization amount, a standard turnaround time, and a profitable return inherent in its added collection store located in Oshodi. Additionally, the paper will conduct an analysis that seeks to illustrate why Talent Dry-cleaner’s current operational state is limited as far as potential growth while also setting up the stage for making recommendations. The recommendations will be aimed at suggesting that the company hires extra staff, and extend the time of work with the objective of realizing an increased number of average drop-offs handled every day. SERVICE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT- TALENT DRYCLEANERS CASE STUDY Introduction Eze owns a dry-cleaning business, Talent drycleaners and Stain Clinic, which has been operational for two years after he branched off from his former employer to start his own business. The major reason for starting a new business laid, in the opportunity, to open a dry-cleaning operation in a heavily populated area, Anth ony Village, which had no dry-cleaning facility. Talent Dry-cleaners relied heavily on client referrals during and after its inception, as well as an awareness campaign complete with customized caps and t-shirts. When funding hampered any further campaigns, he turned to handbill distribution, although this approach was not satisfactory in pulling in large volumes of customers. Recently, he became aware that quite a number of his clients were moving to the outskirts of Lagos, especially the Lekki-Epe axis. Additionally, Eze also began to feel the effect of proliferating dry-cleaning outfits stationed in Anthony Village. This forced him to slash billing charges thrice within one month. Within this competitor base, the key competitive variables included a variety of service, high response levels, delivery time, quality of service, and price. Some outfits had also adopted business differentiation by instituting cloth delivery and amendment in an effort to improve responsiveness. At the moment, Eze has to develop new strategies that will enhance profitability via moving to new markets, improve throughput and turnaround time, as well as efficient capacity utilization. Problem Statement Talent Dry-cleaners finds itself in a position where it has the best service quality available, but potential growth is hampered by severe limitations, especially the lack of funding. Analysis One of the reasons why Talent Dry-cleaners is facing limitations in its growth has to do with capacity utilization. Capacity can be defined as the ceiling or upper limit on the load, which can be controlled by an operating unit that is the upper limit on the output rate (Schneider, 2010). The basic questions that Eze should ask when considering this angle include the kind of capacity needed, the amount of capacity needed, and when the capacity is needed. While there are several definitions for capacity, none of them is applicable universally. Design capacity is defined as service capacity or max imum output rate that a facility operation or process is designed for. Effective capacity is the design capacity fewer allowances such as maintenance and personal time while actual output is the actual output rate achieved, which cannot be more than effective capacity (Schneider, 2010).