Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Exchange Rate and Puchasing Power Parity Theory Essay

Exchange Rate and Puchasing Power Parity Theory - Essay Example Here, we will take a look at the concept that is the purchasing power parity and try to understand its implications on the currency exchange rates in the world. The best simplest way to describe Purchasing Power Parity, denoted by PPP, is by directly going into its application. So, PPP of the Gross Domestic Product for the countries around the world as of 2003, where we use the American economy as our base group and assign it a value of 100 would see the highest index value being appropriated to Bermuda i.e. 154. This basically means that goods that are sold in the Bermuda are 54% times more expensive as compared to those in United States. Now, the purchasing power parity theory makes use of the long term equilibrium exchange rate that exists between these two currencies in order to equalize the purchasing abilities of both the said currencies. This theory has been developed by the works of Gustav Cassel in 1920 and to put it in simplest terms, it is fundamentally the law of one price: the theory goes along the lines that in completely ideal and efficient markets, identical goods must have the same price regardless of the currency used in t he purchase of goods. By equalizing the purchasing power of different currencies in their home countries for a given basket of goods for different currencies, we can ascertain the purchasing power SEM rate. ... t are existent in a country as well as the similar rates of inflations from different countries as opposed to a generic nominal gross domestic product comparison. It is also a generally accepted notion that the most widely accepted and most often applied purchasing power parity exchange rate is the Geary-Khamis dollar; which is also known as the "international dollar". Changes in the PPP exchange rates: Purchasing power parity exchange rates; or what are known as 'real exchange rates' most often experience variability due to the exchange rate movements that taken place due to open market currency operations. Notwithstanding this type of value fluctuations, uniform variations of the market and the purchasing power parity exchange rates are observed. We have the example of the market exchange rates, which are usually priced for non-traded goods and services at a lower level than expected in the instances where the national incomes are also relatively low. This basically means that a U.S. dollar that is exchanged in Dubai for their local currency and then used to purchase body massages will buy a greater number of body massages as opposed to using the same U.S dollar in the United States to buy body massages. Purchasing Power Parity takes into account this lower cost of living in Dubai and makes specific adjustments in order to for it to appear as if the entire income was being consum ed in the local country. From another viewpoint purchasing power parity is the number of a certain set basket of basic goods that can be purchased in a given country with the money that is produced by the said country. PPP exchange rates and the market exchange rates: There can be immense differences between the purchasing power parities and the market exchange rates between any set of

Greek Mythology Essay Example for Free

Greek Mythology Essay Do you know any historical background on the word giant? Greek and Roman mythology is present all around us. Many new and interesting words were created from the Greeks. There are many types of myths that we hear about including; gods, goddesses, mythical heroes, other heroes, monsters, and villains. When looking up these myths, research will show that many of the words we say today come from these gods and goddesses. An example of this is the words gigantic and gigantism comes from giant. The word giant has a long, unique, and mysterious background. According to dictionary. com, â€Å"Giant is very large; abnormally great development in size. †(dictionary. com) Prior to my search, I predicted that a giant was a very large man that lived in the forest and had no connection with either gigantic nor gigantism. I inferred this because of movies and books. When I saw the word gigantic I remember hearing it and I thought it meant a large person, but I had no idea it was related to Greek or Roman mythology. Gigantism puzzled me because I’ve never heard it before. As I came across the definition of gigantic, I found out that it meant very large which connects to giant and gigantism. (dictionary. com) upon conducting research, I learned more about the root word giant, coming across information about its etymology and actual story behind it. Perrizo 2 Giant’s roots go all the way back before gods or even humans existed. The etymology relates back to Greek mythology the giants were the children of Uranus and Gaea. They were involved in a conflict with the Olympian gods called the Gigantomachy, which was eventually settled when the hero Heracles decided to help the Olympians. The Greeks believed some giants lay buried from that time under the earth and that they resulted in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Many stories have been written about giants in lots of cultures. In Norse mythology, the giants are the origin of most of various monsters, and in the eventual battle of Ragnarok the giants will storm Asgard and defeat them in war. The gods themselves were related to the giants by many marriages, and there are giants such as ? gir, Loki, Mimir and Ska? i, who have little difference in status to them. In Bulgarian mythology, giants called ispolini inhabited the Earth before modern humans. They lived in the mountains, fed on raw meat and often fought against dragons. Ispolini were afraid of blackberries which posed a danger of tripping and dying, so they offered sacrifices to that plant. Giants stand for the Basque people not willing to convert to Christianity who decides to stick to the old life style and customs in the forest. Sometimes they hold the secret of ancient techniques and wisdom unknown to the Christians, like in the legend of San Martin Txiki, while their most outstanding feature is their strength. It follows that in many legends all over the Basque territory the giants are held accountable for the creation of many stone formations, hills and old structures, with similar explanations provided in different spots. There are many similarities and differences in the words giant, gigantic, and gigantism. Gigantic is big: very large, tall, or bulky. Giant is a very tall imaginary creature: in fairy tales and legends, an imaginary being who resembles a human but is much taller, larger, and stronger. Perrizo 3 Gigantism is the quality of being giant: the quality or condition of being much taller, larger, or stronger than is usual. These three definitions are similar to each other because all of them have to do with being large. Today these words are all used to describe how tall, strong, or big someone is. All of these words also share the same Greek, Roman, and other origins. These he creatures. This particular word has a very long and precise background, whereas gigantic and gigantism have a short and not informational background. Not only is the word giant relevant in today’s world, famous playwright William Shakespeare alludes to the word in one of his plays. In Shakespeare’s play much ado about nothing, Claudio uses the word giant in act 1 scene 3. â€Å"He is then a giant to an ape; but then is an ape a doctor to such a man. †(line 2276) Shakespeare uses the monsters name as an illusion to illustrate the comparison between a giant, an ape, and man. Perhaps Shakespeare wanted to show the difference between stupid and so-called smart. Giant is being used to illustrate that a giant and an ape are two unintelligent creatures. Aside from Shakespeare’s use of the word, giant is used in the following quote from measure for measure. â€Å"O, I do fear thee, Claudio; and I quake, lest thou a fevorous life shouldest entertain, and six or seven winters more respect than a perpetual honor. Darest thou die? The sense of death is most apprehension; and the poor beetle that we tread upon, in corpual sufferance finds a pang as great as when a giant dies. (isabell). The word giant is used in reference to emphasize the greatness of a giant dieing with Claudio dying. perrizo 4 Whether giant is used in Shakespeare or other forms of literature, the words etymology seems to be prevalent in today’s world. The word Is regularly used today, ranging from a gas company, to a disability center. The general meaning of giant hasn’t changed over time, but only people who are educated about the word know its true mythical meaning. For example gigantism organization is an organization for the tallest people in the world. I did not find a relevant industry on website on giant or gigantic. When writing this paper, I learned a plethora of information about the word giant, and its ethnic background. Not only did I learn about this interesting monster, I gained experience on learning how to evaluate reliable sources and search the web cautiously. This essay taught me that the majority of the words we use today have an origins that dates back to Roman and Greek times. Giant originated the words gigantic and gigantism, and I found a great deal of information that connected giant to both of the other words. Furthermore, locating the information necessary to complete the project was easy and fast, but then I began to write my report, I had to think about where to start and how to organize the information I had into a cohesive essay. Finally,, I learned that people can misconstrue the meanings of words easily if they do not understand or use the words correctly. All people need to develop their communication skills and look up unfamiliar words or inquire about the origin of words so they learn about the amazing history of our amazing language.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Analysis of Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo (Dee) in Everyday Use

Analysis of Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo (Dee) in Everyday Use Where Must One Fit Analysis of Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo (Dee) in Everyday Use What made the Black Power movement of the 1960s and 70s such a powerful force, and why did it start in the first place? Author Russell Rickford explains in We Are an African People: Independent Education, Black Power, and the Radical Imagination, what Pan-Africanism means. The definition consists of rethinking African-American identity not in terms of being a minority or racial group, but as an African people. The movement was grounded in the importance of cultural rebirth to a people who were deemed unworthy of moral treatment, excluding them from the label of human. They did not know anything nor were aware about their African heritage. In Alice Walkers story Everyday Use she describes two sides of the same coin when it comes to heritage. Maggie, who stays at home with Mama and lives their heritage through traditions which are passed down. And Dee, who becomes enthralled with the concept of African-nationalism, practicing new habits which alter her psyche. This leads Dee to denounc e her recent heritage, excluding Mama and Maggie for being uneducated and categorizing the objects used every day as priceless folk-art. With the fight for desegregation of schools and the civil rights movement of the 1970s, African-nationalism was born. This is the time period when Dee, who was college educated, where the trend originated, had a new-found outlook on her African roots. So much so that she changed her outward appearance and name. When Mama inquired on why she changed it to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, Dee simply replied with Shes dead. I couldnt bare it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me.(27) Perplexed by the concept of the name change, Mama told her she was named after her aunt Dicie and that Dee was handed down through the generations. Wangero, getting tired of the conversation, jumped to the conclusion that somewhere down the line her ancestor was a slave to a white family and thus gave her a white name. Many outside sources such as The Nation of Islam encouraged Africans to abandon their slave names, their leader Elijah Muhammed writes You must remember that slave-names will keep you a slave in the eyes of the civilized world today. You have seen, and recently, that Africa and Asia will not honor you or give you any respect as long as you are called by the white mans name. Along with changing her name, Wangeros attire transformed as well. Straight hair, for Africans was a sign, another step towards assimilation into white society. Too more effectively exclude herself as an independent black woman Wangero grew out her afro. To Africans it was a symbol of defiance and repossession of her ancestral identity, embracing who they were naturally without being categorized as undesirable for their lack of straight fine hair.ÂÂ   She dressed herself in a long flowing bright dress that looked a lot like a traditional African garb and instead of saying hello she greeted Mama with the African term Wa-su-zo-Tean-o. The introduction to the new and improved Dee attests to the psychological process of morally separating herself from the past generations and reclaiming her Blackness. This includes wanting to take items from Mamas house in order to display them in a show and tell way further amplifying what she had to overcome. We are lead to question Dees sincerity when it comes to the acquisition of the items. Mama, our narrator, reminds us on how Dee hated the childhood house they used to live in and was joyful when it burnt down. Dee was embarrassed by Mama and the house, not wanting to bring friends over for introductions. She also tells us that when Dee was first going away to college, she offered her the very same quilts she now wanted to take and cherish. At the time, Dee abruptly refused them claiming they are old-fashioned, out of style. One can argue that the new-found appreciation for the family heirlooms is just part of the trend. That Dee can be seen as falsely affirming herself and becoming manipulated by the movement. Seeing that is it cool to have lived the struggle, that she came through by showing off her heritage through the art of hand stitched quilts made by her aunt. It seems as if she wants to gain respect from others following the movement by hanging and using these objects as art p ieces rather than the circumstances onto why they were made. Furthermore, at the beginning of the story, she snaps a picture of Mama and Maggie on the front porch. This is done after Mama describes herself as a large, big-boned women with rough, man working hands, one of the reasons why Dee never brought anybody over. This is done to further disrespect Dees own childhood, using it as a sort of show and tell, objectifying Mama and Maggie grouping them in the same category as the quilts, perhaps because she has missed out on the struggle of her heritage not learning the traditions of her ancestors. Dee, as Mama has lead us to believe, has never truly fit in. Always having her style even when she was young. Going away to college although has educated her academically, has left her out of learning the skills of her heritage like Maggie has. Quilting, field work, and all things Mama and Maggie have to deal with on a day to day bases is left untouched by Dee. This only solidifies Dees longing to be part of a culture and heritage she may feel left out of.ÂÂ   She feels obligated to present herself as part of the movement with the objects she wants to display. An African-American woman taking back her black identity. Trying so hard to claim the ranks on the social ladder leaves Dee unfeeling towards Mama and Maggie. This is especially seen when Mama refuses to give Wangero the quilts. Dee storms out to the car saying you dont understand your heritage. Understanding the character of Dee is complex. Because of the time period, Dee seems to be manipulated into a movement. While it is just, Dee resents her childhood forgetting where she came from. This in turn, leads her to denounce her recent heritage, demeaning Mama and Maggie and trying to fit within this movement by displaying folk-art. It is sad to see Dee pitying them as she gets into the car saying to Maggie Its really a new day for us. But with the way you and Mama live youd never know it just for one last verbal stab in defiance of her not getting her way. However, I end up feeling sorry for Dee, for within this new world she is living in, one must have asked the question where do I fit in? Work Cited Christian, Barbara T. Everyday Use and the Black Power Movement. 11th ser. (1944): n.pag. An Introduction to Fction. Web. Baker, Houston A. Stylish Vs. Sacred in Everyday Use.' 11th ser. (1985): 466-468. An Introduction to Fiction. Web. In search of African America: One collectors experience. An exhibit at the Herbert Hoover presidential museum. 21 Mar. 2004. Web. 1 Mar. 2017. B. Glaser, Linda, and AS Communications. The Black Power Movement and Its Schools. N.p., 2 Feb. 2016. Web. 1 Mar. 2017. Franchi, Elena. What is Cultural Heritage? Khan Academy, 2014. Web. 1 Mar. 2017. Makalani, Minkah. Pan-Africanism. African Age. Rutgers University, 2011. Web. 1 Mar. 2017.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

School Districts Essay -- Education, Teachers

Every school district aims for high achievement; some consistently exceed expectations while others fail. With close to 3.2 million teachers employed nationwide (Fast Facts, 2011), school districts are often categorized into three groups: urban, suburban and rural. Within these categories, lower socioeconomic status is prevalent in the rural and urban areas. However, the students in urban districts are the most culturally diverse. Many people would assume a teacher in a rural school would use similar to identical teaching strategies as one in an urban school. However, this assumption is incorrect for several reasons. Students in urban schools endure many hardships unique to its location and the social issues that exist. This research expository will serve as a guideline for success for administrators and teachers in urban schools and teachers. In this unique environment, it’s critical that teachers build off the most important resource they have: the student body. Urban distr icts have many disadvantages and face my tribulations in its quest to become a successful school (meeting standards). The teachers in urban districts have typically been very unhappy compared to those who teach in rural and suburban districts. Many teachers claim they are dissatisfied because they feel their role is minimal in deciding important educational decisions such as curriculum. In these urban districts, a top-down approach is commonly used and teachers have claimed to feel as though the wrong people are making the most important decisions. Many administrators feel it is necessary in today’s urban educational environment because of the amount of first year teachers hired every year. Another reason district administrators create curriculum is b... ...tion needed to succeed in the school. In experimental studies, urban schools that use service learning as a curriculum guideline have seen attendance and test scores rise while behavior issues subside. Laws, such as No Child Left Behind, that threaten failing schools with punitive penalties if test scores do not meet a standard are fueling the growing pandemic that is the failing urban schools of the United States. It must be understood that education in the public school system cannot be solved with an old fashioned cookie cutter approach; not all schools should be treated the same. The fact is all schools are unique because they are filled with individuals stemming from their own unique cultural background. Motivation and personalization is key; by tapping into their interests and lifestyle, teachers can bridge the gap between success and repeated failure.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

perfectly Imperfect: The Shakespeare Story :: essays research papers fc

"Perfectly Imperfect: The Shakespeare Story" Few authors today write with such universal understanding that their works will be popular with all types of people, and so successfully that their work survives centuries. These authors posses qualities we can seldom identify in their lifetimes. Yet we do know this -- William Shakespeare was one of them. William Shakespeare's parents were John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. John Shakespeare was born in 1529. His father was a small tenant farmer in Snitterfield, near Stratford-upon-Avon. He became a successful glover and trader, and owned civic office in Stratford. He was not born to the nobility, but he did have some authority in the town. In 1596 he was given by the College of Arms the right to a coat of arms and a crest. Doing that advanced his status to that of a country gentleman. He would belong to the upper class of rural society. That was the class just under the knights and the nobility to which the country gentleman could be promoted if he made money in trade or the law and had influence at court. His rise in authority began the year after he was married. He became constable of Stratford, in charge of keeping the town safe. From 1561 to 1565, he was Chamberlain, responsible for the oversight and maintenance of Corporation of Stratford property. In 1564, his name appeared on the list of Capital Burgesses. He was likely a member for a number of years, just without his name on the list. Capital Burgesses were the main English parliament representatives for towns or boroughs. Later on, he was bailiff of the town, and held many important positions throughout his life. William Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden, was born to nobility, a wealthy family. She was the youngest daughter of Robert Arden, also a country gentleman, of Wilmcote. He left in his will to Mary the estate of Asbies in Wilmcote and six pounds, thirteen shillings, and sixpence. Within a year of her father's death, in 1557, Mary married John Shakespeare. William Shakespeare was the third child, born after Joan and Margaret Shakespeare. Margaret died before William was born, and Joan died sometime before 1569. William was born in 1564. His exact birth date is not known, though it is known that he was baptized on April 26 in the Holy Trinity Church of Stratford. His birthday could have been any of the four or five days before that day. Traditionally, it has been said that he was born on the 23 of April, the same day of his death and St.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Mother to Son by Langston Hughes Essay

â€Å"Mother to Son†, published in 1922 by Langston Hughes, was one of the most famous poems he had written. Hughes was African-American and was born in 1902. While living in the 1900’s Hughes and his family experienced the hardships of racism, discrimination, and slavery. Therefore, this poem is not only words of encouragement from a mother to a son, but also words of encouragement to the entire African American community. This poem of inspiration let the community know that the difficulties that they all had to endure at the time were felt by all and that they were not alone in the struggle. Hughes wrote this from the standpoint of a mother encouraging her son to keep going no matter what hardships he may experience. She explained that life is hard and he is not the only one who has had to endure the experience of life’s hard lessons. The poem passes on a message from a mother to her son instructing him that he must remain optimistic despite the obstacles that life can bring. The mother compares her life to a set of old broken down wooden stairs. Using the metaphor that â€Å"life for me has not been any set of crystal stairs† (2, 20), she implies to her son that her life has not been easy or pleasant either. The mother continues to tell her son of the obstacles that she has overcome by describing the old wooden stairs. She says â€Å"it has had tacks in it and splinters and boards torn up and places with no carpet on the floor – bare.† (3-7) The tacks on the stairs were placed there by another person representing the wrong doings to her by another person and the splinters may have been the result of her actions. These tacks and splinters symbolize the cruel reality of life, as opposed to the ideal fantasy life, such as having a set of â€Å"crystal stairs†. Through the voice of the mother, Hughes uses the set of stairs as a metaphor for life and the hardships that they can bring. In spite of these obstacles the mother has moved up the stairs and has overcome them. She tells him she has â€Å"been a climbin’ on, and reachin’ landin’s, and turnin’ corners, and sometimes going in the dark when there ain’t been no light† (9-13). She means here that sometimes she was blind to where the  stairs or her life was leading her and the direction was unknown, but she still continued. The mother continues to encourage her son by telling him â€Å"not to turn back or set down on the steps ’cause you finds it’s kinder hard† (14-16). She is telling her him not to give up regardless of how hard things may seem at the time and if he continues on he will eventually overcome these obstacles that are causing him such despair. She believes that once you stop it is harder to get started again and she encourages him by telling him how she’s â€Å"still goin, honey and I’se sill climin’ and that life for me ain’t been no crystal stair† (18-20). She also tells him that she has made it and still has to encounter these obstacles even in her golden years and she did not give up and has not given up and if she is strong enough to make it then so can he. Through a mother’s voice Hughes uses metaphors, symbolism, and imagery. He also conveys a message of encouragement. Durring the time this he wrote this poem the message may have been directed towards the African American community; however, today the message is directed to all who feel like giving into the hard times that life can and will bring. Hughes also reminds us that we are not alone in these hard times and that everyone experiences the same hard times in some form or another. Langston Hughes’ died in 1967; I hope he knew that this poem spoke words of encouragement not only to the African American race but also to the rest of us needing some inspiration. His poem reminds up to be hopeful and to not give up on ourselves.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Poverty and Deprivation Essay

The area a child grows up in has an effect, for example if a child is brought up on a council estate in poor housing they are more likely to have health problems. If parents are not working or have low income jobs they are likely to buy cheaper food and usually this means lower quality which can lead to health problems. Children and their families may have lower expectations. They might settle for the life that id mapped out. If a child lives in high rise flats or appartments they have less oppportunities to play. In poor quality housing there may not be a garden or safe playing area. This is reducing the childs opportunities to develop their physical gross motor skills. This of course is not always the case and there are many ways that we can tackle these issues and help to improve the chances and opportunities children have who live in poverty. However, if a lack of nourishing food is a problem due to severe poverty, this can severly damage a childs physical and mental well being. This can have a knock on effect in the sense that they become listless and withdrawn from having no energy, meaning they find it hard to take part in learning activities and won’t have the benefit of developing their learning further. If there is a strained parental relationship due to money worries a child will undoubtedly be affect by this also. Poverty can affect children adversley in many ways and it’s important that they get what they are missing at home when they go to pre-school/nursery. History of abuse and neglect – Family environment and background – Behaviour of mother during pregnancy – †¢ During pregnancy, if a mother smokes, takes drugs, becomes ill or suffers from stress or anxiety this can result in premature birth and health problems for the baby such as -: low birth weight, undeveloped organs, problems with sight and hearing. These are all problems that could delay their development. Some children are born with conditions that could affect  their development such as a blood disorder. Personal choices – †¢If a child or young person as decided for what ever reason they do not want to be educated or leave school before they finish their education, this is their choice and we cannot always show them alternative choices for staying at school. Looked after/care status – †¢This again could have a huge influence as a lot of looked after children are moved around regularly. This will effect their education enormously. Separation and attachment issues are quite often the cause of many reasons not to want to be in school. This is constantly worked on by schools to find the best way to include these children in school and to be able to give them a good standard of education. Education – †¢If for example a child has not attended a nursery or play group in their early years this can often set them back from what development stage they should be at when attending school. This could be the lack of nursery places, not good enough teachers to the child having a learning disability that has not been identified yet. 2.3 Explain how theories of development and frameworks to support development influence current practice. Albert Bandura – imitating/copying other.  Burrhus Skinner – learning is affected by awars and punishments. Jean Piaget – children actively involved in their learning. Shabhna Jerome – active in own learning, develop different ways of thinking at different stages. Lev Vygotsky- Zone of Proximal Development/scaffolding, children actively learning through social interaction. How current theorist views influence practice today. Skinner – reward charts and other positive reinforcement techniques.  Vygotsky – developed a concept called proximal development which centres on the idea that adults help children to learn and that children help each other . Guiding children to look for answers by imitating what they see in others, listening to instructions and working as part of a group all provide opportunities for them to expand their current base of knowledge. Bruner- developed spiral curriculum which makes us believe that children learn through discovery with direct assistance by adults to encourage them to return to activities time and time again which would develop and extend their learning. His theory is used today as children have plenty of opportunity for free play and child initiated activities which form the majority of the day under the Foundation Phase Curriculum. Bandura – developed the social learning theory which is basically learning through watching others. By setting a good example and modelling good behaviour children will learn how to behave appropriately.