Are peace support operations under the auspices of the United Nations Essay

Are peace support operations under the auspices of the United Nations sufficiently accountable - Essay Example However, the United Nations certainly faces a lot of issues in bringing such violators to justice and making them accountable for their actions. To give a real answer to the problems of accountability of Peace Support Operations which is posed in the question, we must first examine the evidence which suggests that violations of international law and human rights have been made. After that we can take a look what has been done about those violations by the United Nations or other international bodies which will give us a measure of the level of accountability that has been adopted by the UN (Akbar, 2005). Finally we can discuss what ‘sufficient’ accountability is and discuss some of the recommendations made by experts on the idea of accountability for PSOs. The problem associated with the definition of peace support becomes multiplied when we consider the various terms that have been associated with different operations. For example while one operation may be undertaken on the basis of humanitarian intervention to bring peace to a country, another might be conducted to prevent a war from spilling into neighbouring regions (Akbar, 2005). Still others may be required for rebuilding and reconstruction of the civilian infrastructure after the ravages of war. In fact, the military forces can even be called in to keep the peace after a natural disaster has struck a region such as a Tsunami in coastal regions or an Earthquake in any part of the world. With the rising number of peace keeping operations, the diversity of a typical peace keeping unit has certainly increased. With that diversity we get different cultures that may bring different ideas of acceptable and unacceptable behaviour (Akhavi, 2003). In 1988, less than thirty countries had ever sent their forces to be a part of an alliance for peacekeeping, in 2000, there were more than 80 countries which had

Social networking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social networking - Essay Example On the other hand are those who use these websites in a negative manner to commit deviant acts. Due to different types of users, social networking websites have proven to be both advantageous as well as disadvantageous for the society. The two main benefits of using social networking websites that will be discussed in this paper include educational benefits and benefit of self expression and the downside of using social networking website is the concern for privacy. Body One of the major benefits obtained by the community from using social networking websites is the benefit of education (Derrick, 2008, p.45). Social networking websites have provided several benefits to the field of education and the stakeholders of this field. Students use these websites to connect with other school members and classmates to discuss different assignment and solve problems related to school work and they are involved in connecting with their team members to discuss team based projects. When social net working websites were not available, students had to stay late at libraries and had to wait for a long period of time in order to connect with their teachers. ... The article even stated that educational institutes can assist their students in using these avenues in the best possible manner and in the right way. He even discusses the various advantages that social networking websites offer to education. For example: art work can be published on these websites and then can be discussed in classrooms. Social networking websites are not short of any concerns; still the number of people joining these web based spaces is increasing on daily basis. These numbers have increased to the point that these social networks are being referred to as nations and states instead of online web pages. One of the main reasons of increase in popularity of these web pages is that these portals provide an avenue to individuals to express themselves in front of the public. The benefit of self expression obtained through these websites has especially been exploited by teenagers and even those who fall in the category of young adults (Derrick, 2008, p.45). These network s assist individuals in building new relationships, strengthen old ones and express one self. These networks assist individuals in developing and polishing various skills that are highly demanded by organizations of the 21st century, these skills include communicational and interpersonal skills. Before the existence of these web portals, people used to buy web spaces to express themselves and sell themselves to the public. Since the invention of social networking websites, people have been able to display themselves and their abilities without paying a penny for web space and these spaces do not require complex html codes that were required previously and only computer literates had the ability to write these codes. The main

UK Housing Shortage Strategies

UK Housing Shortage Strategies What Can the Government Do to Solve the Housing Shortage in the UK? Abstract The price of homes in the United Kingdom has doubled over the past ten years and house building is at the lowest level since 1924. It has been estimated that Britain is likely to be heading for a shortage of about a million homes by the year 2022. In a nation in which as many as 70 % of adult citizens have been accustomed to owning their own home, with amongst the highest rates of home ownership in Europe, the shortage of affordable homes is causing bitterness and frustration as wages and salary earners grapple with the dilemma of reconciling their earnings with their capacity for taking out a mortgage for a home. The record values that have been set in the property market have also had an influence on those who are renting or are otherwise disadvantaged. Although it has been predicted that the property market is likely to bust in a few years, the government has been blamed for having a cumbersome planning permission process, not releasing sufficient land for new housing and for doin g precious little to intervene in the market for affordable homes. Although attitudes have changed in Europe and the state is now considered to be the enabler rather then a provider, perhaps it is possible for the government, which must also protect the broader national interest, to do more to assist during such hard times. This dissertation presents a discussion about what the government in the United Kingdom can do to solve the housing shortage in the country. Contents (Jump to) Chapter 1 – Introduction Chapter 2 – Literature Review Chapter 3 – Methodology Chapter 4 – Results, Analysis and Discussion Chapter 5 – Conclusion and Recommendations Bibliography/References Chapter 1 – Introduction Although Britain has experienced housing shortages before, e.g. at the end of the Second Great War, the reasons for such shortages were rather obvious and easy to understand as compared to the reasons for the housing shortage today which is causing serious inconvenience to citizens (Bond, 1996, Pp. 49), (Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, 2003, Pp. 1) and (The Sunday Times, 2003, â€Å"Why arent our builders building?†). In a nation in which citizens are accustomed to owning their own homes, with home ownership rates of about 70 %, working people are baffled and frustrated with the hefty mortgages that make it impossible for them to even make a deposit for a modest flat (Stephens, 2006, Pp. 4) and (The Sunday Times, 2003, â€Å"Why arent our builders building?†). The government has been accused of slow planning and the prices of abodes have been soaring by as much as 68 % in one year alone. The housing shortage is not only making life very difficult for the disadvantaged in the community, but it is also becoming a problem for employers who cannot recruit key personnel because those who are found to be suitable find it difficult to relocate, as a result of the widening gaps between house prices and disposable incomes (Local Government Association, 2006, Pp. 1 – 5). Not only is the housing situation causing alarm today, but forecasts for the future indicate that the situation is unlikely to improve, with Britain heading for a shortage of a million homes by 2022 (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2006, â€Å"Shortage of homes over next 20 years threatens deepening housing crisis†). Even rural areas are facing a housing crisis (Best, 2006, Pp. 6 – 27). Figure 1, which is presented below illustrates the problem. Surveys indicate that citizens believe that affordability is the major problem and not the shortage of housing (Platt, 2004, Chapter 5). Although land has been considered to be a scarce and valuable resource which needs to be judiciously allocated for a variety of uses, it appears that the government has preferred to take a path that permits private investors, real estate agents and property developers to play with the market and create shortages, while making huge profits (The Sunday Times, 2003, â€Å"Why arent our builders building?†). It is possible that a zeal for the dismantling of the welfare state and let the market decide attitude may have permitted developers and investors to place themselves in a position to control the market. The role of the state in the housing markets of Europe has changed from one of being a provider to that of being an enabler and all governments in Western Europe now have a distinctly more â€Å"support the market† attitude with surren der of housing to the market (Doherty, 2005, Pp. 6). However, the real estate market of today is one in which information is readily and rapidly available to developers and real estate agents through the internet, making it possible for them to present a united front on home prices and buyers are being asked for huge amounts no matter where they look. Although it is not possible for a government to dictate to anyone what they should ask for a property that they own, it is possible that a desire to deregulate everything may have resulted in the government loosing control and disadvantaging the ordinary people, while those who are associated with the property and housing market enjoy record profits (Dixon, 1998, Pp. 1 – 10), (Dixon, 2005, Section 3) and (Bond, 1996, Chapter 2). The property market and the selling of real estate or homes is certainly not what it used to be and property websites now display property prices for the global market. Investment in the UK property orig inating from outside UK has certainly been greater then similar investment in any other European country as is evidenced from the statistics presented in figure 2 below and overseas investors do enjoy some preferential treatment over local investors (Callender, 2004, Pp. 75 – 83). However, it has been stated that investment from overseas is not the main threat facing the UK property market and problems lie within the domestic property market (Dixon, 2000, Pp. 119). The previous assertion obviously implies that the foreign investment that is made in the UK property market is also something which is needed for the benefit of the UK and its citizens. It is, therefore, likely to be easy for property developers as well as real estate agents to develop loose cartels to seek profits from the domestic buyer and to present a united front in regard to prices for homes. Keeping these prices high will certainly benefit property agents and developers, while playing havoc with the common m an. In view of the fact that the housing shortage is having a profound impact on the manner in which ordinary people live out their lives in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, it is worth investigating what, if anything, can the government do to alleviate the shortage of affordable housing in the United Kingdom. This dissertation presents a discussion about what the government in the United Kingdom can do to help resolve the housing crisis in the country. The next chapter presents a literature review for the topic of discussion. Chapter 2 – Literature Review Although it is possible for a government to encourage home buyers by trying to provide financial instruments that will provide special assistance with savings that are to be used for the purchase of a home, the rates at which home prices have increased will tend to indicate that it is important to release more land for housing and to do this in a manner that will make it impossible for property developers or estate agents not to exploit the situation for generating huge profits by market manipulation (Song, 2005, Pp. 2 – 18) and (Friends of the Earth, 2004, Pp. 4). A certain level of evidence exists about property developers and estate agents having tried to profit from housing markets in the United Kingdom as should be obvious from figure 2, which is presented below (Callender, 2004, Pp. 75 – 83). Although offering those who are saving to build a home special savings schemes that are tax free and which offer high interest rates or government contributions along with di fferent types of mortgage, home equity or rental insurance programs can assist, all these schemes are likely to be useless if market manipulation continues to increase home prices rapidly. However, the task of controlling real – estate markets in a country that accepts free markets and the right to trade in order to gain is not an easy one. Coupled with the release of more land for housing, it is important that better and cheaper designs based on rapid – build technologies or high rise construction should be developed and a coherent national housing policy be implemented (Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, 2003, Pp. 1 4). However, this will mean that the government has to be willing to intervene in the name of social welfare in an era when the Barker Report has been urging deregulation (Friends of the Earth, 2004, Pp. 1 10). Even if land is released to developers and the public at relatively low prices, it is entirely possible that the price of this newl y released land will increase dramatically as a result of market forces which are being manipulated by developers and investors, unless special care is taken to ensure that the land and the homes on the land are released to those who are in genuine need of an abode. In addition to asking the government to release more land, it has also been proposed that government be lobbied for additional funds for social housing, improved delivery through quick decision making and planning as well as for working closely with the construction sector (Tempany, 2004, Pp. 1 – 5). Quick decisions on planning permissions with government private partnership in developments, better licensing requirements for those associated with the real – estate markets and a more through scrutiny of those who are to be granted permission to develop land are measures that can have an impact (Mayor of London, 2006, Pp. 15 – 34). However, it has to be understood that the land which is released by the government for housing is a natural asset of the United Kingdom which may also be useful for feeding the nation, maintaining its environment and for many other useful purposes. Thus, it is also important that decisions about the release of more land for housing be ca refully considered. Researchers have suggested that the British Town and Country Planning System excludes every price signal or economic indicator in land – use planning and decision making (Cheshire, 2003, Pp. 1 – 5). It has been proposed that premium on land prices at zone borders should be taken into consideration when granting development permissions and if the land prices exceeded a certain threshold, then investors should be sure that planning permission will be granted. However, this approach alone will not prevent any market manipulation aimed at profiteering or increasing land prices and additional regulation is likely to be needed to encourage individuals or families to own homes for personal or family use only with an aim towards discouraging the use of residential property for speculation aimed at generating profits. Although the management pundits are calling for deregulation, it is likely to be appropriate for the government to take a more direct approach towards housing, as it did for employment, by having government owned real – estate dealers and property developers who compete with licensed private sector operators to try an maintain some standards and ethics in the property market. Encouraging high – rise developments and limiting the housing land area which can be owned by a single owner with details of land and owner statistics being maintained in a database will ensure that more judicious allocation of land and housing is possible (Kristensen, 2004, Pp. 5 – 10). Tax interventions can be designed to make the ownership of a large number of residential properties by a single legal entity unattractive and it is desirable to ensure that a market is created in which home ownership is recognised as a human need, but profiteering is discouraged. Although, the previously mentioned assertions go against the British character and appear to be more communist in nature, they serve to illustrate the difficulties associated with land marke ts and land – market regulation. It is desirable that the government encourage further research on the regulation of land and property markets in the United Kingdom (Cheshire, 2004, Pp. 2 – 22). Land for housing is a national resource which should be used for the benefit of a maximum number of citizens, with the government being responsible for its judicious distribution and utilisation. However, this will mean that a change in thinking may well be required. Analysts are already predicting that housing prices in the UK will fall in the next few years and the real – estate as well as the housing markets have exhibited a cyclical behaviour in response to economic activity (Money Week, 2007, â€Å"Are UK house prices about to fall?†) and (Baum, 1999, Pp. 1 – 11). Thus, it is possible for the government to adjust monitory policy in order to influence the housing market, but the problem with such adjustments is that the impact tends to be broader then that on housing. It has been said that a fall in the UK interest rates of 1.5 % has the capacity to turn the booming property market into a bust (Leach, 2000, Pp. 25). However, it has to be realised that the high prices that are being asked for property and housing in prime locations, such as those in the city of London will not be influenced much by what the government does, because it is not possible to construct more homes on real estate that is owned by the wealthy class es who reside in prime locations. The only way to expand in such prime locations is to go vertically upwards and this is what is being done in London and other cities (Baxter, 2005, Pp. 3 – 9). Everyone wants to live in a prime location, but those who are the new rich only end up making those who own property in prime locations to pay more for owning such property by increasing property values which are then taxed at higher rates. Thus, it is unlikely that the housing shortage in the UK will be solved by just releasing more land, because most people will still like to own an abode in a decent or preferably prime location. The decision to own a home at a place is not just influenced by the fact that a shelter is needed, but the amenities, facilities and the economic activity in the neighbourhood are also important considerations that influence the decision. Thus, it is important that government try to influence development in areas that have been neglected so that they become attractive and efforts should be made to provide for economic activity in such areas so that individuals will want to move into these areas. Hence, the development of new housing estates is something that cannot be considered in isolation and a complete development package is often required. Local authorities and government are willing to make more efforts to try and rejuvenate city areas that have been neglected and which offer some potential for housing development, but a lot of funds are often required. This means that innovative arrangements for financing such developments will have to be made (Tuffrey, 2004, Pp. 11 – 17). A discussion about market – oriented land – use planning has been presented in (Lind, 2002, Pp. 2 – 11). It has been found that the social dimensions associated with land – use planning is now increasingly being enforced by the global market. However, it is possible for the government to encourage increased financial innovation in the property markets and to empower the local governments. Britain has been lagging behind North America in financial innovation associated with property and the traditional model is still preferred (Lizieri, 2002, Pp. 1 – 10). It is possible that some relaxation in the rules which have been imposed by the United Kingdom Treasury can have an impact on the ability of the local governments to arrive at better arrangements with the developers. The nature of the planning permission process in the United Kingdom is encouraging the relatively large developers, with a better ability to manipulate the market, to remain in the mark et, while driving out the smaller operators (Coiacetto, 2006, Pp. 20). The larger developers are more able to control the supply of housing and thus home prices. Some problems also appear to present themselves with the methods that are being used for property valuation and brokers as well as borrowers do try to influence property valuation (Crosby, 2000, Pp. 5) and (McAllister, 2006, Pp. 5 – 6). Unfortunately, buyers, sellers and lenders as well as borrowers try to influence valuations, but the price of property is influenced by supply and demand along with the ability of a buyer to pay and the ability of a seller to hold on to the property. However, more thought needs to be given about how government can assist in the development of a truly efficient market and reduce the ability of cartels to squeeze supply and to manipulate the market. Thus better regulation and standards associated with the buying and selling of housing can be attempted to be developed along with more eff icient markets. It has been recognised that the current UK system of controlling development does give rise to some problems and the government has been deliberating and consulting in order to try and improve the processes (Allmendinger, 2006, Pp. 5 – 8). Table 1, which has been presented below provides a summary of the status quo about the current UK system. However, although the issue of rapidly improving the supply of land for new housing development is an important one, other approaches to improve the housing market and for the control of greed are also worthy of consideration when thinking about solutions to a complex situation. Thus, a multifaceted approach will have to be taken, with the forces in the market interacting in order to find a balance. A discussion about the evolution of land administration systems in Common Law countries has been presented in (Ting, 1999, Pp. 1 – 14). This paper suggests that the relationship between humankind and land has always been a dynamic one and the direction of such dynamism is dependant on the priorities that are established by a society. It has been asserted in the previously mentioned paper that the state has a duty to promote efficient land markets and the environmentally sustainable use of land through the development of legal framework that balances the need for construction with the needs for the environment, while minimizing risk and diversifying land use. It is also stated that state cannot abandon regulation and that regulation should be designed to fit the shifting demands of the economy as well as a nation’s institutional capacity. It is the parliament in the United Kingdom and the Sovereign who are more responsible then anyone else for â€Å"establishing the pri orities of a society†. While Britons are accustomed to living in relatively palatial homes, the Japanese or the Singaporeans have to make do with living in compact high rise flats because of a shortage of land. Plenty of land is available in the United Kingdom, but this does not mean that the government can continue to release land for housing without any regard for future generations, environment and the utility of land as well as the dangers of market manipulation once land has been released into the hands of self interested business people. Perhaps one of the reasons why the government is acting rather slowly is to give free markets a chance to work along with the property cycles so that optimal solutions do present themselves. After all, if excessively high prices are being asked for, then individuals will not be able to pay and market adjustments will be forced to occur. Alternatively, perhaps individuals can start to live in compact high rise buildings or other novel des igns. Decisions that are ultimately made by the parliament will determine the nature of land market in the UK, the type of housing that UK citizens will live in and type of property portfolio that can be afforded. However, when markets are in transition as a result of greed, it takes time for a balance to be achieved and it is necessary to consider a complex set of regulatory measures to maintain harmony. Thus, it is likely that the government will act in the most appropriate manner when those who are in a position to establish societal priorities have decided that the nation, as distinct from the profiteers, is likely to gain the most. The next chapter of this dissertation presents a discussion about the methodology of research for this dissertation. Chapter 3 – Methodology When researching a new topic or tackling a research problem, it is always necessary to benefit from the experiences of other scholars, researchers or investigators who may have pondered on similar issues, as their experience can certainly benefit the investigator in reaching appropriate conclusions and in gaining insights into the problem. The basic technique for the research that was undertaken for this dissertation involved finding suitable published literature through library database searches and internet searches to access journal articles, research papers, published books, research reports and project reports that were related to the subject of the dissertation. This literature was then reviewed in order to extract relevant themes which could possibly assist in the investigation that was being conducted for the dissertation. Research as a whole is a complex and sophisticated field which contributes to knowledge as a whole. The research process results in the generation of a theory, the testing of a hypothesis or theory or both. Currently, there are two traditions of research which have developed along with their terminology, methods and techniques and these traditions have been referred to by different researchers with different names such as qualitative or quantitative traditions in research, humanistic and scie ntific traditions or the positivist and phenomenological traditions of research. The differing names refer to the same distinctions in the processes of conducting research. On the one hand, the qualitative tradition consists of case study methods, ethnography and historical as well as action research and on the other hand we have the quantitative tradition that consists of methodologies such as survey research, experimental and quasi-experimental research as well as research after the occurrence of a factual event (Collins, 1999, Chapters 1 – 3) and (Marshall, 1999, Chapters 1 – 4). It is possible to express facts as objective reality which can be expressed as quantities. This forms the basis of the positivist tradition of research which is quantitative research and relies on numbers, measurements and experiments to derive numerical relationships under conditions of controlled behaviour that can be manipulated. The phenomenological tradition attempts to describe and understand reality which is set in perceptions with narratives and observations being used to focus on understanding and meaning to yield knowledge and understanding (Collins, 1999, Chapters 1 – 3) and (Marshall, 1999, Chapters 1 – 4). Generalization of situations and settings, understanding of events and why they occur as well as predictions are some of the results of the research process. There is a difference between explanation and understanding that develops as a result of seeing things happen, after reasons have been fitted into patterns and deductions can be made from other known truths. There is a requirement for elements being investigated to be related to other elements and the overall picture forms into a unified model with the unification forming the explanation. Thus, there is an explanation for something when it can be understood. Understanding requires the use of rich descriptions and formation of relationships between different parts. This fitting together of things is what is known as the pattern model and the understanding of patterns is the result of research of a qualitative tradition. This form of research is aided by review of literature. In the quantitative method of research, the more basic facts or laws are used to determine what is to be explained and a deductive model is constructed (Collins, 1999, Chapters 1 – 3) and (Marshall, 1999, Chapters 1 – 4). There is a distinction between prediction and generalization. It is possible to deduce an unknown part of a pattern from a known part and, therefore, the symmetry of prediction and deduction uses the deductive model. In some areas, generalizations tend to be complex with there being a great deal of conflict and scrutiny (Collins, 1999, Chapters 1 – 3) and (Marshall, 1999, Chapters 1 – 4). Qualitative research is, therefore, more appropriate for the development of complex interrelationships in the more natural or real life situations with a possibility of using this methodology of research to test theories which have already been developed. The qualitative and quantitative methods of research often work together and quantitative research can be used to further test theories which have been developed using qualitative research and qualitative research can be used to further explain the results of quantitative investigations. Qualitative methods are, therefore, useful for rich descriptions of issues being studied with hopes of achieving better understandings with predictions not being the main aim and generalisations taking the form of natural generalisation (Collins, 1999, Chapters 1 – 3) and (Marshall, 1999, Chapters 1 – 4). A case study may be described as an investigation of a singular nature emphasizing on the individual, group, event or culture. Case studies may involve both quantitative as well as qualitative elements but the studies result in a characteristic wholeness without any loose collection of facts and traits. Case studies build upon concepts, structures and promote understanding with the researchers looking for systematic connections, observable behaviours, causes and speculations. The case study deals with a full body of evidence and this methodology has been found to be of use when questions are being asked about situations or events over which the researchers do not have any control. Case studies are also guided by underlying theories, hypothesis and assumptions but construction of conceptual framework, theory building and conceptual structure are important aims of conducting case studies. Studies of specific issues in a number of settings are referred to as multi-site case studies and such studies can strengthen the ability to generalize while remaining on the more qualitative side and maintaining in-depth description and consideration (Collins, 1999, Chapters 1 – 3) and (Marshall, 1999, Chapters 1 – 4). In this dissertation, the challenges associated with the housing market in the United Kingdom in an era of free trade and globalisation are explored mostly through a process of literature review because this is the most appropriate approach for the subject matter that is being examined. Getting a feel for a market usually involves collecting data from the market, which can be very large, looking at statistics, government regulations, consumer opinion and also seeking the opinion of those who have already dealt with the market. However, because the market is so very large, it is difficult for a single researcher to try and attempt to gather raw data that can be processed to provide market information and thus, the task is likely to benefit from the i nformation gathering efforts of large institutions or corporate research offices that do publish reports about markets and market related information. It was felt that the qualitative research methodology is in fact the appropriate one for investigating the topic of dissertation because a reasonable amount of published research material is available on the topic of discussion. The qualitative research methodology consists of the literature review which has attempted to capture important themes from published literature related to the shortage of affordable housing in the United Kingdom. A quantitative approach involving collecting of new data about the housing situation in the UK is likely to be difficult because statistics related to housing, housing policy, land utilisation and allocation policy etc is likely to be difficult to collect for a single researcher. However, data and statistics that are available in published form can be of use in the research. Thus, the research methods that were used for this dissertation consisted of basically finding suitable literature related to the topic of research and then examining this liter ature through a process of literature review in order to present the salient points about the challenges involved with providing those who live in the UK with affordable housing. Suitable literature was selected through a process of library database search, internet search engine search and an examination of the articles as well as research papers which had been presented in journals related to housing, public policy and real estate management etc. Published material that was available from reputed universities and research institutes was also considered in an attempt to gather new ideas and insights related to the topic of discussion. A literature review for the topic of discussion has already been presented along with all the important themes that are to be found and the next two chapters of the dissertation present a discussion about what could be gathered about the topic of discussion and the conclusions that were able to be reached. Chapter 4 – Results, Analysis and Discussion From what has been previously presented, it is obvious that the supply of new homes in the United Kingdom is stagnant and prices are at an all time high. Although the supply of new land and the quick processing of planning permissions are likely to be important in alleviating the situation, the housing market is complex, with large developers and investors being able to take advantage of the situation to manipulate prices by presenting a united front on home prices. In some prime property locations it is no longer possible to provide more land for construction of new homes and in such places the only way to go when constructing is vertically upwards. Because of the fact that better facilities and employment or business opportunities are available at prime locations and owning property at such locations is considered to be prestigious, those who own property that is located in prime locations do not want to let go and the newly rich only make it more expensive for them to live there b y contributing to price increases, taxes and property values. Such price increases also encourage home price escalations at other locations. Thus, the government will not only be required to increase the supply of land for new homes, but also to have a bal

The Sound Of Hollyhocks :: essays research papers

The theme of Hugh Garner's 'The Sound of Hollyhocks'; concerns one of Canada's most serious social problems. The theme suggests how condescension and discrimination can have devastating effects on the people around us. The story is set in Pinehills Clinic where alcoholics and psychotics are placed to recover. Wilf Armstrong, an alcoholic at the clinic, ends up with 'Rock Hudson';, who is a psychotic at the hospital, as his roommate. 'Rock Hudson'; was the nickname given to William Cornish Ranson by some of the other alcoholics. Rock was forced into mental illness by his mother because his wife, Sarah, was from a different social class. Rock comes from a rich family and he met Sarah at one of his father's branch of banks. They got married secretly because Rock knew that his mother would object such a marriage since Sarah came from a poorer and less prestigious background. The first meeting between Sarah and Rock's mother proved to be a disaster. Due to Rock's mother's disapproval of S arah, Sarah and Rock's marriage starts to fall apart. One thing leads to another, and Sarah and Rock's marriage ends with Sarah's abrupt death. This pushes Rock into his present state of hearing flowers talk to him. This is a great example of how social problems such as condescension and discrimination can have devastating effects on those around us. If Rock's mother had not shown such hostility towards Sarah and Rock, they wouldn't have grown apart and Sarah would not have died and Rock would not have gone crazy. So Rock's mother, who originally just wanted the best for his son, becomes the person that pushes Rock into his mental illness, which ultimately lead to his death. Things like this happen every day in Canada and around the world. Awhile ago, several 'skinheads'; were tried for beating a Sikh man to death due to racial and religious differences.

Fashion: -a Person

Para -â€Å"Fashion† meaner the prevailing mode in such things as are subject to change in form or style, as in ornament and etiquette, and especially in dress in the dictionary. -It has spread in all the spheres of our life. -The craze for fashion is great among young people all over the world. Para -l agree with the girl on the right. -A person should be dressed in clothes that suit him or her. – A person should not lose his or her personality, deny the comfort and waste money on these well- designed products of one's imagination.Clothes are put on to help one look presentable. -People should not follow fashion blindly because it might not reflect our personality. -Moreover, the fashion designers created their clothes for certain people, so it cannot suit everyone. -Ones should choose the most comfortable clothing on their own, because only they know what is the most suitable and convenient for them. Para -Malaysia is a country without four seasons. -Malaysia's weathe r is always hot. -Thick and woolen clothes are not suitable for our climate.We must choose our clothing properly because certain clothes are against our culture or tradition. -Some people may misunderstood and feel that we did not respect them. -We should not wear clothes that are too sexy. Para -Certain clothes are not suitable for the ordinary person because they are special designed for celebrities. -Certain clothes will look exaggerate on us. -Sometimes,we will even being laugh by others . Para 5 – Economically, fashion trends valued by high price.A person that follow fashion has to spend a lot of money buying new clothes as fashion changed everyday. – It is reasonless because for the same amount of one can buy a tremendous lot of clothes which are likely to help to express his personality. – Hence,a person should not pay such a high price to follow the fashion. Para -As a conclusion,we should wear clothes that suit oneself because it risk a lot as we will l ost a lot of money and we will lose our own personality if we follow fashion blindly. Fashion: -a Person By Berries

Puns in the Importance of Being Ernest

Wilde uses puns throughout this play, but the major pun is found within the title. In The Importance of Being Earnest, the pun, widely considered to be the lowest form of verbal wit, is rarely just a play on words. The title, -The Importance of Being Earnest,- insinuates the importance of being honest and truthful, while playing on the male name, Ernest. The pun in the title is a case in point. The earnest/Ernest joke strikes at the very heart of Victorian notions of respectability and duty. Gwendolen wants to marry a man called Ernest, and she doesn’t care whether the man actually possesses the qualities that comprise earnestness. She is, after all, quick to forgive Jack’s deception. In embodying a man who is initially neither â€Å"earnest† nor â€Å"Ernest,† and who, through forces beyond his control, subsequently becomes both â€Å"earnest† and â€Å"Ernest,† Jack is a walking, breathing paradox and a complex symbol of Victorian hypocrisy. -Earnest – means serious or non-frivolous. Many of the characters in the play spend their time trying to convince each other, and themselves, that they are high-minded people with strong morals and are admired in society. But Oscar Wilde presents them all in such a way that their interests and ethical ideas will seem ridiculous and trivial to most of the audience. -Ernest – is a man's name. Much of the action of the play turns on whether Jack Worthington's first name is Jack, or Ernest. Normally a man's first name is of no great importance in his life, but in the extremely silly world of this play – it is the most serious element of the plot. (Many people who know the play well never realise that we don't get a satisfactory answer to this crucial question). So the pun is that the title of the play appears to mean: The Importance of being a Serious Person; but when we watch the play we realise that the real title is: The Importance of having Ernest for a First name. ex: Algernon- You have always told me it was Ernest. I have introduced you to every one as Ernest. You answer to the name of Ernest. You look as if your name was Ernest. You are the most earnest-looking person I ever saw in my life. We can find puns on the names of the other characters in the play like in: -‘Miss Prism' – The name is a pun on ‘misprision', which has two definitions. The older is very dark, involving the concealment of official neglect, crime or possibly treason. The more modern meaning closely resembles the character's multiple misunderstandings. – Chasuble – The word chasuble is a vestment worn during services. This is, of course, appropriate given the nature of Chasuble’s profession. Chasuble’s name is also a pun because when said aloud can sound like chaseable. Regarding Miss Prism, he is in fact chase-able, which he had previously claimed he was not. Act I, scene 1, Algernon â€Å"Anyone can play (piano) accurately but I play with wonderful expression† – This is a good thumbnail of Wilde’s philosophy of art. Wilde was heavily influenced by Walter Pater and the other aesthetes of the Victorian age. They believed art should concern itself only with its aesthetic qualities that art should exist for art's sake alone. Therefore, art should not be a straightforward representation of reality–it should not be â€Å"accurate,† as Algernon would say–but rather it should be an extension of its creator's artistic styles. Hence, it should have â€Å"wonderful expression. Act I, scene 1, Algernon – â€Å"If the lower orders don't set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them? † – We have a humorous depiction of class tensions here, where Lane, the butler, is given his fair share of droll sayings, and even Algernon seems to recognize that the lower clas has more power than they seem to. Act I, scene 1 (Algernon to Jack) Algernon: â€Å"You don’t seem to realize that in married life; three is company and two is none. † And also in Act II, scene 1 (Lady Bracknell when she finds out about the proposal of Jack) L. Bracknell: â€Å"†¦An engagement should come on a young girl as a surprise, pleasant or unpleasant, as the case may be. † Oscar is again poking fun here at the institution of marriage, a practice surrounded by hypocrisy and absurdity. Aristocracy does not see marriage as an organ of love but rather as a tool for achieving a sustaining social stature. Act I, scene 1, Puns are also used during the conversation between Algernon and Jack in town. To accuse Algernon a liar just like dentists who lies about cavities, Jack has said, -â€Å"My dear Algy, you talk exactly as if you were a dentist. It is very vulgar to talk like a dentist when one isn’t a dentist. It produces a false impression†. This is very funny because we can see that Jack is also lying about his brother, but he is judging Algernon as if he is a very honest person. Later, when Jack reveals all his truth about the name Ernest, Algernon responds by saying: Algernon: â€Å"What you really are is a Bunburyist. You are one of the most advanced Bunburyist I know. †¦ â€Å"Besides now that I know you to be a confirmed Bunburyist, I naturally want to talk to you about Bunburying. I want to tell you the rules. This is very funny, because Algernon is trying to be honest to Jack about advising him of an action that in fact is itself dishonest and false. The pun is when Algernon thinks that Jack deserves to be advised and learn the rules, since he turned out to be a real Bunburyist, even the most advanced one. This is very ridiculous! As if Jack was discovered to be a man with high principles or qualities. Act I, scene 1 Algernon: â€Å"You must be serious about it. I hate people who are not serious about meals. It is do shallow of them. † This is also very ridiculous. What we expect is Algernon asking Jack to be serious with Gwendolen, about their first 10-minute meeting at Algernon’s. Actually, what surprises and makes us laugh is that Algernon immediately asks Jack to be serious about the food. They care about trivial things. But every instance food is mentioned – from the Algernon’ opening discussion of wine with his servant, Lane, to the girls’ insult over tea and the guys’ climatic fight over muffins-is fraught with conflict. The fight over something as basic as food-something that every human being has a carnal need for (like Algernon’s wolfing down of the cucumber sandwiches to Lady Bracknell distress, Jack’s settling for bread and butter, Algernon’s consumption of Jack’s wine and muffins)- we suspect that the food fights are all puns for mocking their repressed sexual life expression and frustration in the face of unusually domineering women. Algernon. [Picking up empty plate in horror. ] Good heavens! Lane! Why are there no cucumber sandwiches? I ordered them specially. Lane. [Gravely. ] There were no cucumbers in the market this morning, sir. I went down twice. Algernon. No cucumbers! †¦Algernon. I am greatly distressed, Aunt Augusta, about there being no cucumbers, not even for ready money. Act I, scene 1 (Lady Bracknell to Algernon) Lady Bracknell: â€Å"Well, I must say Algernon that I think it is high time that Mr. Bunbury made up his mind whether he was going to live or to die. This shilly-shallying with the questions is absurd. Nor do I in any way approve of the modern sympathy with invalids. I consider it morbid†¦I should be much obliged if you would ask Mr. Bunbury from me to be kind enough not to have a relapse on Saturday for I rely on you to arrange my music frame†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It is difficult for Victorian people to understand an interest in something that is so far removed from their daily pleasure, nor to sympathy. Also at the end when they both kill off their imaginary alter egos or friends without much to-do, shows Victorian society’s real values. The Victorian era did not value honesty, responsibility, or compassion for the under-privileged (neither Lady Bracknell nor Algernon exhibit much pity for â€Å"Bunbury† when he â€Å"dies†), but only style, money and aristocracy. It is appropriate that the pun in the sentence when L. B is talking about â€Å"Bunury† death as an appointment to be simply fixed or arranged, and the nonexistent character of â€Å"Bunbury† itself show how shallow are the Victorians’ real concerns. Act I, scene 2 Lady Bracknell starts her conversation by showing to be a very concerned and affectionate mother who wants his expectations meet her requires. The first question she asks is about smoking. Smoking is a harmful, money-consuming habit that needs to be killed, while we find a pun when L. Bracknell turns to be in favor of this habit of Jack. Besides, she considers it as an important occupation or a man. Lady Bracknell: †¦Do you smoke? Jack: Well,yes,I must admit I smoke. Lady Bracknell: I am glad to hear it. A man should always have an occupation of some kind. We face up with many ironic situations during L. Bracknell’s discuss with Jack in act 1, scene 2, making fun to the false, empty ideals of Victorian society, mocking the so-called virtue qualities of the upper class that pretends to be high-educated. The puns are when L. B gives an appreciation of Jack’s being ignorant. She is pleased with Jack’s ignorance, and the most absurd is that she pays high tributes to ignorance by comparing it to a delicate exotic fruit. †¦ Lady Bracknell. A very good age to be married at. I have always been of opinion that a man who desires to get married should know either everything or nothing. Which do you know? Jack. [After some hesitation. ] I know nothing, Lady Bracknell. Lady Bracknell. I am pleased to hear it. I do not approve of anything that tampers with natural ignorance. Ignorance is like a delicate exotic fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone. The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound. Fortunately in England, at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper classes, and probably lead to acts of violence in Grosvenor Square.

Five Ways to Look Up

Five Ways to Look Up Five Ways to Look Up Five Ways to Look Up By Maeve Maddox ESL learners have a tough row to hoe when they set themselves to learn English idioms. Note: â€Å"to have a tough row to hoe† = â€Å"to have a difficult task to carry out.† For example, each of the following sentences contains the verb look and the word up, but each conveys a different thought: 1. It’s a surprise! Keep your head down and don’t look up. In this sentence, up functions as an adverb modifying the verb look. In this context, â€Å"to look up,† means, â€Å"to direct one’s gaze upward.† 2. Before you use an unfamiliar word, be sure to look up the meaning. Here, â€Å"to look up† is a phrasal verb with the meaning â€Å"to search for an item of information, or seek information concerning (a person or thing), in a book or database, on the Internet, etc.† 3. Many youngsters look up to professional athletes. In this context, â€Å"to look up to† is a phrasal verb meaning, â€Å"to have a great deal of respect for, to admire, venerate.† 4. While I’m in Chicago, I intend to look up my old college roommate. This colloquial use of â€Å"to look up† means â€Å"to visit or contact a person, especially for the first time or after loss of contact. 5. My financial planner assures me that the economy is about to look up. This idiom is most commonly used in the progressive tense: â€Å"Things are looking up.† The meaning is â€Å"improving, getting better.† From the verb â€Å"look up† (to seek information) comes the noun lookup, a computer term meaning â€Å"the action or process of looking something up in a database.† Lookup is also used as a qualifier: I often  use the Passage Lookup to compare English translations from the NIV, ESV, NASB, and NKJV.   The  lookup feature  allows you to quickly search your contact manager or PIM (personal information manager) for phone numbers to dial. On my iPad, the  lookup feature  isnt working right for certain entries. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 1Is There a Reason â€Å"the Reason Why† Is Considered Wrong?Shore It Up

The Best and Worst Trees for an Urban Forest

The Best and Worst Trees for an Urban Forest It has been determined by the United States Forest Service that nearly 80 percent of the U.S. population lives in urban areas that have developed a dependent  relationship with  the social, economic, and ecological  systems  near cities and suburbs.  Although quite  different from wildland forests, these urban forests have many challenges associated with healthy growth just as rural forests do. A large part of urban forest management includes planting the right tree for the appropriate site. The distribution of urban tree cover and the benefits of urban forests will  vary across the United States and requires addressing the challenges of sustaining this important resource with the best trees for every sites potential.   Top Trees to Plant in the Urban Landscape Overcup Oak or Quercus lyrata: Actually, most  oaks are great in urban settings, but many are very slow growers, Overcup oak is also slow but quickly reaches 40.  It is recommended to plant in all but the Northcentral states.  Red Maple or Acer rubrum: This maple is a ubiquitous, wide-ranging, native tree. It adapts well to most soils and sites and thrives under urban conditions. It also is an early harbinger  of fall as it turns color well in advance of most eastern deciduous tree species.  White Oak or Quercus alba: This is the other oak recommended and can be planted in nearly every state in the US. It is similar to lyrata and easy to find in most nurseries.  Green Ash or  Fraxinus pennsylvanica: This tree is native to eastern North America and common west to Wyoming and Colorado but will grow in every state in the U.S. The tree is fast growing on moist sites and hardy once established. It is best grown as a single tree with adequate room to grow but to be avoided wh ere the emerald ash borer is endemic. Crapemyrtle or Lagerstroemia: This small tree is the most common southern street and yard tree planted in a wide range that encircles the US from New Jersey through the deep South, Texas, Southern California and to the Pacific Northwest. There are cold hardy  varies like Northern Crapemyrtle,  Lagerstroemia  indica  that can be planted through zone 5.Dogwood or Cornus florida: This small showy all-season tree is possibly the favorite of yards and parks in all of the United States (with the exception of the middle upper western states).Japanese Maple or Acer palmatum: These trees have extraordinary shapes and are very popular in yards and open landscapes. As with dogwood, they are not hardy  in the middle upper western states.Baldcypress or Taxodium distichum: This tree is becoming the most popular tree in urban landscapes. It is hardy in all but the driest of states.  Others include the red oaks, a return of disease-resistant  American elm varieties and American linden (American basswood.) Urban and city forests are an essential component of America’s â€Å"green infrastructure† which makes the care and management of these city trees extremely important. Having the wrong trees (many of which are invasive), when added to natural (insects, diseases, wildfire, floods, ice and wind storms) and social problems (over development, air pollution, and inadequate management) makes for challenges as urban expansion continues. Top Trees NOT to Plant in the Urban Landscape Mimosa or Albizia julibrissin:  short-lived and very messy in any landscape.Silver maple or Acer sacharinum:  very messy, ornamentally dull, aggressive rootsLeyland Cypress or Cupressocyparis leylandii:   quickly outgrows space, short-lived.Lombardy Poplar or Populus nigra: canker-prone, with litter and short life.Popcorn tree or Sapium sibiferum: invasive tree species.Chinaberry or Melia azedarach: Invades disturbed areas to become thickets.Royal Paulownia or Paulownia tomentosa:  Invades disturbed areas to become thickets.Bradford Pear or Pyrus calleryana  Bradford:  Invades disturbed areas to become thickets.Siberian Elm or Ulmus pumila:  Invades pastures, roadsides, and prairiesTree of Heaven or Ailanthus  altissima:  Forms dense, clonal thickets, highly invasive.

Basics of Christianity and Hinduism

Christian fundamental Christianity is one of the most popular religions in the world. Two billion people worldwide are engaged in one-third of Christianity in the world. Christianity is faith in the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. The idea of ​​how a father, son, and the Holy Spirit will be one seems to be something you might have in a dynamic way or in some way. The fact that this may be impossible for most people is because the Trinity has never been mentioned explicitly in the text. Religion is not so important in today's world compared to hundreds of years ago. In the United States, the main religion is Christianity, no one is worried about other religions like Hinduism. Strangely, Hinduism was always in the world before Christianity, but many people do not know it. As I have seen before, when teaching religious beliefs, There is lack of complexity compared to Christian lessons (Glod). Some people think Christians are perfect to complete other religions, b ut everyone is perfect in their own way. As we all know, Christianity and Hinduism are different. There is a slight similarity between the two beliefs. Religion is a very important aspect of people's lives. Because Christianity only rules over the rules of people's lives, Hinduism is ahead of Christianity. Since Hinduism is a religion with many beliefs and practices, it is more challenging to offer Christianity and Hinduism. It uses Hinduism as an unfair habit, reducing its theology and philosophy to the extent it really provides for comparison with Christianity. But in Hinduism there are some common principles for all Hindus. The first difference between Hinduism and Christianity is that Hinduism considers Christianity as an effective religion, while the Bible does not. Hinduism is a religion that promotes tolerance. It teaches that all religions are different paths to goals and that all religions are different means. Hinduism is not exclusive and admits that all religions are effe ctive. But Christianity teaches that Christ is the only way to God. John 14: 6 replied, Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth, the life, nobody can come to the father except me.

Consumerism in china Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Consumerism in china - Essay Example It is estimated that in 2015, China will bring to the global arena a total of one hundred and fifty million consumers most of which will be spending close to forty thousand dollars in annual incomes. These staggering figures indicate that China will take centre stage to the world's biggest spender. (Davis, 2000) Experts assert that one of the major reasons behind this spending boom is that the Chinese posses characteristics similar to their American counterparts; they have a huge appetite for material things. Consequently, most of them are willing to embrace whichever products or commodities are presented to them. Consumerism is also determined by a country's overall population. Because of China's huge geographical size and their corresponding population sizes, China has a large internal market for purchasing items from the international arena and also from within their country. (Zhao, 1997) It should be noted that most people have assumed that the Chinese are too conservative with their money (this is true when compared to the US since China has a forty percent saving rate) but this may not necessarily have caused low expenditure in the nineteen nineties. At that time, most people were not interested in purchasing things because there was minimal competition in their product and service industries and this presented them with very few options to choose from. The latter issues have however changed over the past few years. This is largely manifested by the surge in the real estate or housing sector. Electronics goods available to the low end consumer can be found quite easily. The country's entertainment and sports arenas have grown by leaps and bounds and rising cities are found all over. These sectors all provide room for the Chinese buyer who is eager to spend his or her money. Problems brought by consumerism in China Most economists assert that China's rising consumerism will have an effect in almost all parts of the world. The United States will be particularly affected by this issue owing to the fact that different parts of the Stock market have to take these issues into account. For instance, treasury bonds sales are affected by China which currently accounts for a huge chunk of US debt (approximated at one hundred and eighty dollars) besides this, the US economy has to take into account some of the costs of goods and the interests rates that companies in the country have to tackle because of the goings on in China's market. (Edmund, 2006) Many experts assert that the growing consumerism within China is not a common trait in all parts of the country. Certain provinces such as Ningxia are subsistence based as most of them may not have the money or the ability to buy some of the luxury items that other provinces can afford. In fact, this pattern has been repeated in so many other areas in China. The urban areas are largely populated by many high income workers and this group is what makes up the consumer market. However, rural areas (which account for a large portion of China) are not in a similar position. Experts claim that the rising consumerism in China could lead to greater disparities between the rural poor and the urban rich. This may impede the overall development of the country. (Li, 2008) Many environmentalists also

Special needs in Forensic Mental Health-Women Essay

Special needs in Forensic Mental Health-Women - Essay Example It is interesting that the social worker sees her as "innocent" and that she feels that the drug and alcohol abuse has contributed to her being able to interact with her children. Although this may be true, there is another issue that should be addressed that include her fear of abandonment and anti-social behaviour. This behaviour, along with her ambivalence towards her children could be an indication of an attachment injury that she received during the sexual abuse. Sue would not have been able to attach well to her parents because her father was bipolar and her mother suffered from chronic depression. Her parents history of mental illness would also mean that her parents were unable to bond with her or take care of even her basic needs. From the case study, the counsellor cannot ascertain whether Sue is mentally ill or whether the drugs and alcohol are responsible for her behaviour. She may be mentally impaired since her IQ results are within "borderline range of intellectual functioning," She could have mental retardation either intellectually or environmentally. Sue was raised by a depressed mother and a bipolar father. This indicates that her needs probably were not met as a child and that her home life was very erratic, so attachment may have happened but not in a very positive way. According to Sorbello, Eccleston, Ward & Jones (2002), female offenders who have been abused or neglected have a "higher rate of psychological dysfunction than men" (p. 200). For Sue, this is shown through her need for alcohol and drugs. Although the case study does not specifically comment on whether Sue is bipolar or suffering from depression, her drug and alcohol problems could be triggered by episodes of depression. This would be something that the mental health practitioner should examine. Because Sue was sexually abused as a child, this issue must be

Church of Scientology History, about the church its views, conflicts, Research Paper

Church of Scientology History, about the church its views, conflicts, problems and issues, and present day - Research Paper Example Thor hitting his enemies with his hammer, they were no longer afraid of it. It is rather surprising that later in history another type of religion appeared that dealt with much more complex issues, such as Christianity. However, in the previous century, the world witnessed various religions that were different from everything that was known before. This paper will explore the major tenets of Scientology, including some criticism that is aimed at it. To begin, one should point out that it is rather difficult to find one specific word that would describe Scientology. In some countries, for example in the United States it is legally recognized as a religion and as such is exempt from paying taxes. This is particularly important since it reflects the full acknowledgement as a spiritual teaching that is equal to such world religions as Christianity and Islam. On another hand, in some countries Scientology is viewed as a commercial organization and is treated accordingly. The justification for such approach comes for the peculiarities of some of its practices when people are able to receive counseling or knowledge for a fixed fee. Finally, some countries, like France, see Scientology as nothing but a cult (Kent,1999). It must be noted that the origins of Scientology is in the works of L. Ron Hubbard. At first, this person developed Dianetics: a teaching according to which people were able to get rid of the past that was supposedly holding them back (Horwitz, 1997, p. 88). Such approach toward personal evolution reflects the widely accepted trends of the 1950s when emotions were rejected and rationality was thought to dominate the world. However, as this practice was developed, some people noted that they were able to get in touch with their previous lives and reincarnation became of the most discussed themes. Unlike other people who would quickly dismiss it, Hubbard saw the potential in this

SUCCESS FACTORS IN DATA WAREHOUSE PROJECTS Essay

SUCCESS FACTORS IN DATA WAREHOUSE PROJECTS - Essay Example Why organizations need to bring data together from different working systems? Obviously, the answer is, to be more beneficial, to be more competitive, or to grow by adding value for customers. This can be achieved by mounting the pace and flexibility of decision making, developing business processes effectively, or gaining a clearer idea of customer activities. The data warehouse is a huge collection of the past and current business data that analyze the old business data for offering special discounts and trend assessment in the past business. These systems also facilitate decision makers to retrieve data as many times as they need without disturbing the performance of the core working systems. A data warehouse merges data that are scattered all over the different working systems and makes them readily accessible for decision support applications (Laudon & Laudon, 1999, p. 247; Inmon, 2002, p. 3; Hoffer, Prescott, & McFadden, 2007, p. 47). There are many factors that play a signific ant role in the implementation of a data warehouse. This essay presents a detailed analysis of the critical success factors in the implementation of data warehouse projects. Data Warehouse: An overview A data warehouse is a large size subject-oriented database that is designed and implemented with organization-wide access in mind. Additionally, a data warehouse collects and process a mountain of data from a number of sources and the basic purpose of this data collection and processing is to allow its users to be familiar with the data and information they want for decision making and get access to that information by making use of easy to use applications and tools. In addition, data warehouse encompasses a wide variety of tools and technologies such as multidimensional and relational databases, graphical user interfaces, client/server architecture and many more. In the context of a data warehouse system, all these components work with the purpose of combining raw data and facts fro m a variety of sources into a particular and reliable warehouse that provides an excellent support for decision making and analysis inside a particular domain of the business. In this scenario, the majority of large size business organizations develop data warehouse systems as a key element of their main information systems environment (Alshboul, 2012; Swalker, 2011). Data Warehouse Projects A few years ago, it was a serious challenge for the business organizations to actually make use of the covered data and information and facts stored in the functional systems for management and decision tasks. In this scenario, data management is seen in the sense of data as a significant asset belonging to the entire business organization for management and decision tasks, and not only as the belongings of specific tools and applications, personnel or business areas. Basically, this data collected from a variety of sources is supplied to a managerial part, which is responsible for transforming collected data into understandable and useful information for instance high-class subject orientated information will be accessible just in due course. In view of the fact that data can play a significant role in supporting functioning tasks very competently, hence it does not repeatedly make available information that can transform knowledge and improve the efficiency of business processes efficiency. In the past, these operational data were not accessible in a way that end users could straightforwardly recognize and utilize. In this scenario, in the form of a theoretical framework in the direction of contemporary information processing system a data warehouse was developed for a useful and well-organized practice of the

Environmental Management of Denbies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Environmental Management of Denbies - Essay Example The Black Death of 1348 also served as a setback as many wine estate workers were killed. In the revival of Cardiff castle in 1875, vineyards were re-established and production continued until 1920. Today, some 410 vineyards exists in Britain growing the German Muller Thurgau variety so that by 1995, a total of 7.7 hectolitres were sold equivalent to 4836 million of which English wine accounts to one percent. Denbies, with a vineyard of 265 acres produces about 400,000 bottles of English wine per year making it the largest vineyard in England (Denbies, 2007). Situated at South East England, Denbies is a part of the North Downs with a total land area of 635 acres collectively called as the Denbies estate. Following strict planning permission, the estate's historical landscape has been preserved including use of old name of plantations such as The Dell and maintenance of paths and tracks around and through the estate consisting of seven miles of vineyard trials accessible to the public (Denbies, 2007). This report shall deal with Denbies' environment management program as well as its current wine tourism industry. Culture, tourism and agriculture sectors are all involved in the wine tourism industry but it was emphasised that three sustainability pillars: environment, economy and society must be embodied (Poitras and Geiz, 2006). Likewise, in a broader concept, the four political, economic, sociocultural and ecological pillars are proposed in the context of competitive destinations (Ritchie and Crouch, 2003). Wine tourism has been defined as visits to vineyards, wineries, attending wine festivals, and wine shows for which grape wine tasting as well as experiencing wine production and other attributes of a grape wine region are the prime motivating factors for visitors (Hall and Macionis, 1998). In evaluating the environmental management of Denbies, all of the above shall be incorporated, but most specifically, the environment considerations as well as impact of Denbies' activities with regards to its environment and its surrounding area shall be pointed out in consideration of conserving the natural resource base in wine regions requiring collaboration and sound planning not only by management but by many partners that include the community (Williams and Dossa, 2003). Strengths: Denbies as an environmentally conscious organisation maintain programmes both for the vineyard and the visitor centre. Environmental strengths of Denbies amongst others include: Chemical use is taken into account (selective chemical use). Use of chemical spray is every 28 days cycle- enough to protect the wine against frost damage. No pollution problems around the area. Cork is 100% natural. Recycle its glass and uses virgin glass. Use of preservatives in wine is very minimal. The only waste is from yeast. Chemical store is far away from the vineyard to ensure safety. Does not need to irrigate. Has natural drainage. Offers training for its staff. Very good in health and safety. Does its own plant maintenance. Natural fertilization from pips and skins spread on the vineyard after pressing. Changing to natural gas from diesel. Cardboard recycling for its packaging. Composting grape skin. Using old oaks from barrels. Reuse spray from

Church of Scientology History, about the church its views, conflicts, Research Paper

Church of Scientology History, about the church its views, conflicts, problems and issues, and present day - Research Paper Example Thor hitting his enemies with his hammer, they were no longer afraid of it. It is rather surprising that later in history another type of religion appeared that dealt with much more complex issues, such as Christianity. However, in the previous century, the world witnessed various religions that were different from everything that was known before. This paper will explore the major tenets of Scientology, including some criticism that is aimed at it. To begin, one should point out that it is rather difficult to find one specific word that would describe Scientology. In some countries, for example in the United States it is legally recognized as a religion and as such is exempt from paying taxes. This is particularly important since it reflects the full acknowledgement as a spiritual teaching that is equal to such world religions as Christianity and Islam. On another hand, in some countries Scientology is viewed as a commercial organization and is treated accordingly. The justification for such approach comes for the peculiarities of some of its practices when people are able to receive counseling or knowledge for a fixed fee. Finally, some countries, like France, see Scientology as nothing but a cult (Kent,1999). It must be noted that the origins of Scientology is in the works of L. Ron Hubbard. At first, this person developed Dianetics: a teaching according to which people were able to get rid of the past that was supposedly holding them back (Horwitz, 1997, p. 88). Such approach toward personal evolution reflects the widely accepted trends of the 1950s when emotions were rejected and rationality was thought to dominate the world. However, as this practice was developed, some people noted that they were able to get in touch with their previous lives and reincarnation became of the most discussed themes. Unlike other people who would quickly dismiss it, Hubbard saw the potential in this

Environmental Management of Denbies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Environmental Management of Denbies - Essay Example The Black Death of 1348 also served as a setback as many wine estate workers were killed. In the revival of Cardiff castle in 1875, vineyards were re-established and production continued until 1920. Today, some 410 vineyards exists in Britain growing the German Muller Thurgau variety so that by 1995, a total of 7.7 hectolitres were sold equivalent to 4836 million of which English wine accounts to one percent. Denbies, with a vineyard of 265 acres produces about 400,000 bottles of English wine per year making it the largest vineyard in England (Denbies, 2007). Situated at South East England, Denbies is a part of the North Downs with a total land area of 635 acres collectively called as the Denbies estate. Following strict planning permission, the estate's historical landscape has been preserved including use of old name of plantations such as The Dell and maintenance of paths and tracks around and through the estate consisting of seven miles of vineyard trials accessible to the public (Denbies, 2007). This report shall deal with Denbies' environment management program as well as its current wine tourism industry. Culture, tourism and agriculture sectors are all involved in the wine tourism industry but it was emphasised that three sustainability pillars: environment, economy and society must be embodied (Poitras and Geiz, 2006). Likewise, in a broader concept, the four political, economic, sociocultural and ecological pillars are proposed in the context of competitive destinations (Ritchie and Crouch, 2003). Wine tourism has been defined as visits to vineyards, wineries, attending wine festivals, and wine shows for which grape wine tasting as well as experiencing wine production and other attributes of a grape wine region are the prime motivating factors for visitors (Hall and Macionis, 1998). In evaluating the environmental management of Denbies, all of the above shall be incorporated, but most specifically, the environment considerations as well as impact of Denbies' activities with regards to its environment and its surrounding area shall be pointed out in consideration of conserving the natural resource base in wine regions requiring collaboration and sound planning not only by management but by many partners that include the community (Williams and Dossa, 2003). Strengths: Denbies as an environmentally conscious organisation maintain programmes both for the vineyard and the visitor centre. Environmental strengths of Denbies amongst others include: Chemical use is taken into account (selective chemical use). Use of chemical spray is every 28 days cycle- enough to protect the wine against frost damage. No pollution problems around the area. Cork is 100% natural. Recycle its glass and uses virgin glass. Use of preservatives in wine is very minimal. The only waste is from yeast. Chemical store is far away from the vineyard to ensure safety. Does not need to irrigate. Has natural drainage. Offers training for its staff. Very good in health and safety. Does its own plant maintenance. Natural fertilization from pips and skins spread on the vineyard after pressing. Changing to natural gas from diesel. Cardboard recycling for its packaging. Composting grape skin. Using old oaks from barrels. Reuse spray from

Evolution of Skyscrapers Essay Example for Free

Evolution of Skyscrapers Essay 1.Historical Development In High-Rise Buildings Ancient Skyscrapers The Great Ziggurat of Babylon Perhaps the most impressive structure in the ancient Middle East, the Great Ziggurat of Babylon was built over a span of several decades in the Sixth Century BC. Its seven stories, built upon a square foundation, stretched 300 feet into the sky. Some think it was the inspiration for the infamous Tower of Babel in the Book of Genesis. In this illustration, King Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled Babylon from 604 to 561 BC, is seen overlooking his capital The towers of Bologna The towers of and were built in Europe, or together until Bologna are slender, as much as 60 meters (150 feet) tall, by the rich for defense and as status symbols. No other site perhaps the world, had so many tall structures crowded the coming of skyscrapers in the late 19th century. Fig. 1 The great Ziggurat of Babylon As many as 180 towers, of many different heights, are thought to have been built in Bologna during the 1100s and slightly later; now there are barely 20. The two most prominent (seen here) are the symbols of the city and have long been known together as the Two Towers. Fig. 2 The towers of Bologna The First Safety Elevators In this period illustration, shoppers ride the elevator in the new Lord Taylors department store on Broadway in New York City sometime during the 1870s. Around the same time, the first-ever elevator in an office building was also installed in New York. It was designed by Elisha Otis, whose company became synonymous with the new contraption. Elevators revolutionized office buildings, literally turning them upside down. Prior to their invention, the lower floors of a structure were the most valuable rental property because of the difficulty and inconvenience of climbing the stairs. But the elevator made it possible for elite tenants to enjoy the view from the upper floors and allow buildings to rise higher and higher. Fig. 3 The first Safety Elevators Great Chicago Fire In this illustration, Chicago residents flee the terror of the Chicago fire which devastated their city over a three-day period in October 1871. The fire caused nearly $200 million in damage, killed some 300 people and left another 100,000 homeless. Despite this toll, the destruction cleared the way for Chicago to build scores of modern steel-framed office towers and to become one of Americas most architecturally striking cities. Fig. 4 Great Chicago Fire The First skyscraper Chicagos 10-story Home Insurance Building, built in 1884 and designed by William Jenney, was arguably the first true modern office tower. It was the first building to use structural steel at least partially in its frame, and was the first tall building to be fireproofed both inside and outside. It was torn down in 1931 but its legacy lives on in thousands of steel-framed and fireproofed buildings around the world. Fig. 5 Home Insurance Building The Tribune Tower Pedestrians walk past the ornate entrance and lower floors of Tribune Tower, home of the Chicago Tribune newspaper, which was built in 1925. The 36-story Gothic Revival structure was designed by John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood, who won a contest held by the newspaper company to create the most beautiful and distinctive office building in the world. Fig. 6 The Tribune Tower The Chrysler Building With its majestic spire, New York Citys Chrysler Building is perhaps the most famous Art Deco structure in the world. Built in 1930, the 77-storey structure was briefly the tallest building in the world. The sculptures at the top and around the edges are actually inspired by Chrysler hubcaps and hood ornaments. The buildings tapering profile is perhaps the best example of form follows zoning by taking New York Citys setback requirements from 1916 zoning laws requiring new structures to leave more open space around them and turning them into an stunning archetype Fig. 7 The Chrysler Building The Empire State Building survives a hit This photo shows the spot where a B-25 bomber struck the Empire State Building in July 1945. The aircraft was ferrying servicemen from Massachusetts to New Yorks La Guardia Airport when pilot William Smith veered disastrously off course in heavy fog. Fourteen people including Smith were killed when the bomber hit the skyscraper. The buildings 79th floor caught fire, and New York City firefighters bravely rushed up into the building to rescue occupants and put out the blaze. The buildings structure and fireproofing both proved strong enough that the New York landmark reopened the following week. Fig. 8 The Empire State Building World Trade Centre The famous twin towers of the World Trade Center were built by the Port Authority in the 1960s as part of an effort to revitalize lower Manhattan. The structure was derided by critics as boring. One wag likened it to a giant pair of filing cabinets, but in time it became a popular New York landmark. The original WTC was the first to use sky lobbies where people would change from express to local elevators, a setup inspired by the New York subway system. It also had wide-open, column-free spaces that were ideal for Fig. 9 The World Trade Centre the cubicles then becoming popular in office design. The towers were destroyed in the 2001 terrorist attack that killed more than 2,700 people Sears Tower When the Sears Tower, later renamed the Willis Tower, opened in 1973, the 108-story structure became the tallest building in the world and held that title until Malaysias Petronas Towers claimed the distinction in 1998. This skyscraper was able to achieve that height through a spectacular engineering innovation that introduced the bundled tube structure the Sears Tower is really nine square towers bundled together. It was the start of a revolution in structural design that permitted higher and thinner towers than had ever been built before Fig. 10 The Sears Tower The Citicorp Building Skirts Disaster The 59-story Citigroup Center building, completed in 1977, had to undergo a costly strength upgrade the following year after it was discovered that the structure was dangerously vulnerable to strong diagonal winds hitting the buildings corners. This weakness was a consequence of the placement of the main support columns at the centre of the sides rather than on the corners because the building had to float over a church that owned the property. This bold design did win praise for the architect but he subsequently had to suffer the consequences largely in secret lest panic break out of experimenting with untested structural elements. If strong dangerous winds had actually toppled the Citicorp building, it is estimated that it might have taken 16 blocks of Manhattan with it. Fig. 11 The Citicorp Building The Petronas Tower Tourists have their picture taken outside the soaring spires of the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 88-story towers, which were completed in the mid-to-late 1990s, were for several years the worlds tallest buildings. The project was the harbinger of a global shift in skyscraper building in which Middle Eastern and Asian countries have been racing to erect the tallest and most majestic towers Fig. 12 The Petronas Tower The Gherkin, London One of the more unusual sights in the London skyline is 20 St. Mary Axe, a 41-story office tower opened in 2004, which is nicknamed The Gherkin because of its resemblance to a pickle. Though odd-looking, the structure is a prototype for a new generation of innovative, super energy-efficient buildings. Vertical gaps in the building create a natural ventilation system that allows warm air to rise out of the structure. These openings also allow the interior offices to use more Fig. 13 The 20 St. Mary Axe natural light to greatly reducing electrical consumption The Marina Bay Sands Singapores Marina Bay Sands, a casino and resort complex which opened in 2011, cost an astonishing $8 billion to build. Architect Moshie Safdies unorthodox design, with its trio of 55-story towers, reportedly was inspired by card decks on gaming tables. The three towers are connected by a giant terrace that supports the worlds longest elevated swimming pool. The steel for the pool weighs 191,416 kilos (422,000 pounds) and the water it can hold weighs an additional 1,424,098 kilos (3,139,600 pounds). The towers are constructed to allow movement in the wind up to 50 centimetres and longer-term settling in the soil. Fig. 14 The Marina Bay Sands Burj Khalifa Dubais 160-storey Burj Khalifa, which opened in 2010, is by far the worlds tallest building. Its startling, rocket ship-like appearance, seen in this photo, seems intended to get attention more than anything else. As architectural critic Paul Goldberger has written, You dont build this kind of skyscraper to house people you do it to make sure the world knows who you are. The tall, tapering design is reminiscent of skyscrapers like the Chrysler Fig. 15 The Burj Khalifa and Empire State buildings although you could put the two New York skyscrapers one on top of the other and they still would not be as tall. The New World Trade Centre One World Trade Center (also known as Tower One) rises over lower Manhattan on the site of where the twin towers destroyed in 2001. When completed in 2013, it will have a spire thats precisely 1,776 feet tall (541 meters), making it the third tallest building in the world and the highest in the Western Hemisphere. The new WTCs base is enclosed in thick concrete, steel panels and blast-resistant glass, making it one of the toughest skyscrapers ever built, but security concerns have caused the buildings cost to soar, reaching the vicinity of $4 billion. Fig. 16The New World Trade Centre Fig. 17 Height Comparison of Noticeable Tall Buildings 2. Classification of Tall Building Structure System In 1969 Fazlur Khan classified structural systems for tall buildings relating to their heights with considerations for efficiency in the form of â€Å"Heights for Structural Systems† diagrams Fig. 18 Classification of Tall Building Structure System by Fazlur Khan. Left : steel; Right: Concrete He developed these schemes for both steel and concrete. Khan argued that the rigid frame that had dominated tall building design and construction so long was not the only system fitting for tall buildings. Because of a better understanding of the mechanics of material and member behavior, he reasoned that the structure could be treated in a holistic manner, that is, the building could be analyzed in three dimensions, supported by computer simulations, rather than as a series of planar systems in each principal direction. Feasible structural systems, according to him, are rigid frames, shear walls, interactive frame-shear wall combinations, belt trusses, and the various other tubular systems. Structural systems of tall buildings can be divided into two broad categories: interior structures and exterior structures. This classification is based on the distribution of the components of the primary lateral load-resisting system over the building. A system is categorized as an interior structure when the major part of the lateral load resisting system is located within the interior of the building. Likewise, if the major part of the lateral load-resisting system is located at the building perimeter, a system is categorized as an exterior structure. It should be noted, however, that any interior structure is likely to have some minor components of the lateral load-resisting system at the building perimeter, and any exterior structure may have some minor components within the interior of the building. This classification of structural systems is presented more as a guideline and should be treated as such. It is imperative that each system has a wide range of height applications depending upon other design and service criteria related to building shape, aspect ratio, architectural functions, load cond itions, building stability and site constraints. For each condition, however, there is always an optimum structural system, although it may not necessarily match one of those in the system’s tables due to the predominant influence of other factors on the building form. The height limits shown are therefore presumptive based on experience and the authors’ prediction within an acceptable range of aspect ratios of the buildings, say about 6 to 8. On occasions, an exterior structure may be combined with an interior one, such as when a tubular frame is also braced or provided with core-supported outriggers and belt trusses, to enhance the building’s stiffness 2.1 Interior Structures The two basic types of lateral load-resisting systems in the category of interior structures are the moment-resisting frames and shear trusses/shear walls. These systems are usually arranged as planar assemblies in two principal orthogonal directions and may be employed together as a combined system in which they interact. Another very important system in this category is the core-supported outrigger structure, which is very widely used for super tall buildings at this writing. The moment-resisting frame (MRF) consists of horizontal (girder) and vertical (column) members rigidly connected together in a planar grid form. Such frames resist load primarily through the flexural stiffness of the members (Kowalczyk, Sinn, Kilmister, 1995). The size of the columns is mainly controlled by the gravity loads that accumulate towards the base of the building giving rise to progressively larger column sizes towards the base from the roof. The size of the girders, on the other hand, is controlled by stiffness of the frame in order to ensure acceptable lateral sway of the building. Although gravity load is more or less the same in all typical floors of a tall building, the girder sizes need to be increased to increase the frame stiffness. Likewise, columns already sized for gravity loads need to be slightly increased to increase the frame stiffness as well. MRFs can be located in or around the core, on the exterior, and throughout the interior of the building along grid lines. Table 1 Interior Structures Braced frames are laterally supported by vertical steel trusses, also called shear trusses, which resist lateral loads primarily through axial stiffness of the members. These act as vertical cantilever trusses where the columns act as chord members and the concentric K, V, or X braces act as web members. Such systems are called concentric braced frames (CBF). Eccentric braced frames (EBF) have, on the other hand, braces which are connected to the floor girders that form horizontal elements of the truss, with axial offsets to introduce flexure and shear into the frame (Popov, 1982). This lowers stiffness-to-weight ratio but increases ductility and therefore EBFs are used for seismic zones where ductility is an essential requirement of structural design. EBFs can also be used to accommodate wide doors and other openings, and have on occasions been used for non-seismic zones (Corrin Swensson, 1992). Braced frames are generally located in the service and elevator core areas of tall buildings. The frame diagonals are enclosed within the walls. Reinforced concrete planar solid or coupled shear walls have been one of the most popular systems used for high-rise construction to resist lateral forces caused by wind and earthquakes. They are treated as vertical cantilevers fixed at the base. When two or more shear walls in the same plane are interconnected by beams or slabs, as is the case with shear walls with door or window openings, the total stiffness of the system exceeds the sum of the individual wall stiffnesses. This is so because the connecting beam forces the walls to act as a single unit by restraining their individual cantilever actions. These are known as coupled shear walls. Shear walls used in tall office buildings are generally located around service and elevator cores, and stairwells. In fact, in many tall buildings, the vertical solid core walls that enclose the building services can be used to stabilize and stiffen the building against lateral loads. Many possibilities exist with single or multiple cores in a tall building with regard to their location, shape, number, and arrangement. The core walls are essentially shear walls that can be analyzed as planar elements in each principal direction or as three-dimensional elements using computer programs.

Accuracy of Home Glucose Monitoring Devices

Accuracy of Home Glucose Monitoring Devices The Accuracy of Home Glucose Monitoring Devices during Hypo and Hyperglycaemia Self – monitoring of blood glucose at home is useful for the management of diabetes as it helps to monitor symptoms of hyper and hypoglycaemia (Diabetes UK). Testing of blood glucose also helps patients to adjust dosages of medication such as insulin and sulphonylureas, monitor the effects of exercise on blood glucose levels, and plan meals (Diabetes UK and Nipro Diagnostics, 2011). The FDA (US- Food and Drug Administration) (2014) refers to a trial in 1993 for control and complications of diabetes which stated â€Å"that good glucose control using home monitors led to fewer disease complications†. For these reasons blood glucose meters that aid self- monitoring most be accurate. Nipro Diagnostics (2011) in the â€Å"Accuracy Study of Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems† states that the â€Å"use of blood glucose meters and test strips are effective in controlling blood glucose values†. There are currently different brands of meters on the market ranging from expensive to less expensive. The accuracy of meters has been questioned by patients and consumer blog groups such as the† American Association of Retired Persons† and therefore the FDA and MHRA (UK-Medicines Healthcare Products and Regulatory Agency) monitor medical devices to ensure they work safely and provide accurate results. At a worldwide level the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) provide standards and regulations which manufactures must meet when producing self-monitoring glucose meters. All brands of glucose meters are subject to the ISO standards (Nipro Diagnostics, 2011) Incorrect blood glucose readings may occur with blood glucose meters due to software issues but may also occur due to operator errors, effects of oxidized uric acid and abnormal haematocrit levels (ADDE, 2013, Bode, 2007, and FDA, 2014). Inaccuracies due to operator error or short cuts, maybe due to poor technique, use of expired test strips, the use of un – calibrated meters, or meters calibrated with expired control solutions, unwashed hands before testing, applying too much or too little blood to the test strip, testing from sites damp with alcohol and from meters and testing strips not stored and handled according to manufacturer’s instructions (ADDE, 2013 Bode, 2007, and FDA, 2014). Oxidised uric acid may lead to falsely low glucose levels by the home glucose meter (Bode, 2007). Dehydration causes haematocrit levels to be elevated resulting in low glucose reading, whereas, high levels caused by anemia, for example, cause low levels of haematocrit resulting in high glucose readings (Bode, 2007). In 2013 the ISO updated the ISO 15197:2003 standards for the â€Å"self – testing glucose monitoring Systems† (ISO 15197:2013). The improved standards will enhance even greater accuracy for glucose meters for patient use (ISO, 2013). In 2013 a meeting of the Diabetes Technology Society researchers, presented evidence from studies done in the USA and Germany concerning accuracy of blood glucose meters using the ISO 15197:2003 standards (ADDE, 2013). The evidence presented showed that many meters did not meet the ISO standard that requires 95% of results to be within range of +/- 20% of the true value (ADDE, 2013). The new international standards ISO 15197:2013 require meters have increased accuracy especially with glucose reading over 4.2mmol/l, and 99% of all results to be within  ±15% of true value (ISO, 2013). The FDA (2010) report as cited on Diabetesnet.com says that a potential inaccuracy with glucose meters between 1992 to 2009 were associated with 100 deaths and 12,672 injuries from 2004 to 2008. American Diabetes Association reported that up to 50% of home glucose meters did not meet the  ±20% of the true values (Alto et al, 2002). The MHRA in April 2013 issued a Medical Device Alert (MDA/2013/022) about â€Å"Home Use Blood Glucose Meters†. These meters were recalled due to a software fault. At very high glucose concentration patients were given a â€Å"falsely low reading with One Touch Verio Pro and no results were recorded with One Touch Verio IQ†. A recent alert (MDA/2014/009) was issued from the MHRA March 2014 about â€Å"FreeStyle Mini ® and FreeStyle ® blood glucose meters†. The meters were recalled because they may be â€Å"reporting incorrect low blood glucose reading† (MHRA). Alto et al (2002) in a study of 111 patients using 21 different brands of meters found that 84% were within the  ±20% of the true value even though patients took short cuts. The study highlighted that patients were not always calibrating meters due to the price of strips and the use of expired control solutions (Alto et al, 2002). Overall, the blood glucose values obtained in this study were clinically useful (Alto et al, 2002). On the other hand, another study â€Å"The accuracy of home glucose meters in hypoglycemia† concluded that some meters were inaccurate in reporting hypoglycaemia (Aydoqdu et al, 2010). There is evidence that home glucose meters are associated with inaccuracies. These inaccuracies maybe due to software problems associated with the meters or due to the operator. The operator plays a very important role in the accuracy of home glucose monitoring. The operator should follow the manufacturer advice about use, technique, storage and calibration of meters to achieve optimum results. Diabetes UK (2014) and the FDA (2014) encourage patients to check accuracy of home glucose meters by comparing to results of blood processed in a laboratory (Collazo – Clavell, 2012). ISO has tightened requirements in 2013 for home glucose meters to ensure higher accuracy for all new meters. References Diabetes UK (2014)– â€Å"Blood Glucose Meter Guide† [Online]. Available at: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/ (Accessed 23 March 2014) FDA (2014) US Food and Drug Administration, ‘Medical Devices’, Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices’. [Online]. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/ (Accessed 23 March 2014) Nipro Diagnostics (2011) â€Å"Accuracy Study of Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems† http://www.niprodiagnostics.com/ (Accessed 23 March 2014) Bode, B.W, (2007) â€Å"The Accuracy and Interferences in Self-monitoring of Blood Glucose†, Blood Glucose monitoring, US Endocrine Disease, pp. 46 -48. [Online]. Available at: http://www.touchendocrinology.com/ (Accessed 30 March 2014) MHRA (2013) ‘Medical Devices Alert’ Home use blood glucose meters: Lifescan OneTouch Verio Pro; Lifescan OneTouch Verio IQ (MDA/2013/022 [online]. Available at: http://www.mhra.gov.uk/ (Accessed 23 March 2014) MHRA(2014) ‘Medical Device Alert’ FreeStyle Mini ® and FreeStyle ® blood glucose monitoring systems manufactured by Abbott Diabetes Care (MDA/2014/009)[Online].Available at: http://www.mhra.gov.uk/ (Accessed 24 March 2014) ISO (2013) â€Å"More accurate self-testing results for diabetes patients with new ISO standard† [Online]. Available at: http://www.iso.org/ (Accessed 23 March 2014) AADE (2013) ‘American Association of Diabetes Educators’ Practice Advisory Blood Glucose Meter Accuracy [Online. Available at: http://www.diabeteseducator.org/ (Accessed 24 March 2014) Alto, W.A., Bryson, P, Kindig, J, Meyer, D, and Schneid. J (2002) ‘Assuring the Accuracy of Home Glucose Monitoring’, Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine 15(1). [Online]. Available at: http://www.medscape.com/ (Accessed 30 March 2014) Aydoqdu, A, Erbil, M.K, Kilic, S, Kutlin, M, Serdar, M, Sonmez, A, Tapan, S, Taslipinar, A, Uckaya, S, Yazici, M, Yilmaz, M.I, and Yilmaz, Z (2010) ‘The accuracy of home glucose meters in hypoglycemia’ Diabetes Technol Ther 12(8), pp. 619-26. PubMed. [Online]. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ (Accessed 30 March 2014) Collazo – Clavell, M (2012) ‘Diseases and Conditions’, Sometimes my blood glucose monitor seems to give incorrect readings. What can I do to make sure the measurement is accurate? Mayo Clinic [Online]. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/ (Accessed 30 March 2014)