Bel Air Chair

Bel Air Chair Peter Shire has many interesting works of art. The artwork that stuck out to me was the Bel Air Chair. Its interesting physic really caught my eye. The colors and shapes were so bright and different; it just jumped out at me. It was so unique and diverse from any of his other artwork; I had never seen anything like it before. With further research I discovered that this amazing work of art was created in 1982. This chair was one of the most important contributions to a design group called Memphis.The chair became a signature object for the Memphis Collection and was used on many book covers and posters. Shire got a lot of his inspiration from Los Angeles while creating this piece of post modern art. To me, the main part of the chair is obviously the colors. The vibrancy and brightness are the first things that catch the eyes of admirers. He didn’t stick to one color. He used a dark, maroon, red color for the back of the chair as well as a green, yellow color for the cylindrical arm which establishes a contrast. He used an orange for the sphere on the back part of the chair.My favorite color of the chair was the semi-pastel green on the bottom front of the chair. This color, along with the semi-pastel pink, makes it look classy and elegant. The materials used on this chair were wool and cotton. It brings the sense of warmth and comfort that makes you want to sit and curl up on the chair. Its inviting with the look of its bigness and comfort that makes it more attractive. Being an art teacher’s daughter, i’m drawn to this type of colorful extravagant art. It brings a spice and jazzy look to art. This chair was made of many different geometric shapes and materials.A sphere was used for the bottom back of the chair to add some diversity to the chair and make it Peter Shire’s own creation. A cylinder was used for the arm rest which is only on one side of the chair which creates a distinct look while the other side of the cha ir is half of a cylinder which helps to create a sense of uniqueness. A square was used as the seat of the artwork which exaggerates the look of it being a chair. The back of the chair is a different and difficult shape to explain. This shape makes you think and really admire the artwork.Trying to figure out what kind of creative mind could come up with such an extraordinary work of art puzzles me. Peter Shires inspirations came from many different objects. The sphere was inspired by a beach ball which he had used for the bottom back of the chair. The best part about the chair is the part where you lay your back when you sit. He got his inspiration from a beach wave or even a shark fin. An interesting part of this work of art is that it was named after a five-star luxury hotel in Beverly Hills California. The title that is on the Bel Air Chair was taken from the hotel and placed on his piece.At first glance, the work of art is not perceived as wood. It looked like shiny plastic glaz ed in bright colors. With a closer look it was clear that it was wood. This extravagant work of art looked difficult to carve yet so perfected. His use of the variety of colors was complimenting both to the objects and the other colors. His chair has been duplicated into a special limited edition which is shown at museums all around. His work of art would have not nearly gained the popularity it accomplished if it weren’t for the colors. The pop of the chair made it a hit.

Supply Chain Management Ups

SCM Transport| The Super Transport System| SCM Transport| The Super Transport System| Table of Contents Introduction * Transport * United Parcel Service Overview * Industry Impacts * Industry Overview 2009 & 2010 * Competition * Customers * Organisation of the System * Movement of freight * Conclusion * United Parcel Service To transport people or services in the twenty first century, the process can either be a long haul one or a short crisp and clean journey, of course depending on what exactly is being transported and where the point of origin is and the final destination.Supply Chain Management is the procedure by which this is done â€Å"†¦ moving from one location to another, safely, conveniently, and as economically as possible. Goods must be moved to a point of Distribution in order to be made available to the ultimate customer. † Lennon, SCM Transportation 2010 Transportation Transportation and logistics are crucial to our economy and society. As well as been res ponsible for the process of moving people and goods, the worlds transportation and logistics service is accountable for the creation of many concepts and inspiration for new technology.Transport is the means or process by which people and goods are moved from one location to customers, safely, conveniently and as economically as possible. – Logistics, The Stores, Inventory Control, Transport and Distribution Aspect. McInerney, 2000 From the invention of the first steam engine to the twenty first century fuel powered aircraft, express vessels and even transportation to outer space our economy has improved immensely with expertise and knowledge always improving in relation to transportation. Currently there is a great variation in the market for both domestic and industrial usage.Time is no longer a problem when it comes to moving from one continent to another. It only takes a matter of hours compared to the long process which once took months. Communication worldwide has benef ited from these improvements and this has a knock on effect on businesses. Different communities and societies now correspond with each other, transportation is always generating relations and theses relations have a major role in our society, in development, social, regional and economic consistency in the world. From every standpoint in a business operation a well organised and competent arrangement of transportation is vital.Manufacturers, customers and finally the consumer all need a reliable efficient system in place so that they can operate from. The manufacturer entails transport in both an inbound and outbound manner. A good system in this example will result in less capital engaged in stock because supplies can be acquired faster; therefore the manufactures company at large will have a better cash flow system. Also a cheaper rate of transportation will mean the company will have a higher profit margin and their chance of succeeding will increase. To the world at arge there are many advantages of an efficient transportation system including new markets, increased standard of living, etc as well as some weaknesses such as exploiting of inferior nations and the impact on nature along with many other predicaments. Elements of an idyllic transport arrangement are determined by expenses, safety, speed, convenience, flexibility and reliability, these elements come considered when choosing a mode of transport. On all sides of the globe there are many different means of transportation. They comprise of the well known road, rail, air, water and the lesser known pipeline, cable and space.The selection of the most appropriate style of transportation from the manufacture to the end customer or the movement of basically anything or anybody involves these elements of the transportation arrangement. In correspondence with the transport system at large and taking all the elements of an excellent operated system the author decided to base her report on a logistics serv icing company with an extensive assortment of transportation, e-commerce in addition to many business services. The company is identified as United Parcel Service (UPS) and is part of the world’s leading logistics operators.The author, in this report will focus on the corporation’s transportation system throughout the world. United Parcel Service Overview The company UPS is a well known reputable business which was established in 1907 by teenager named Jim Casey. The proposal for the company was recognised when the founder was employed by a private messaging company in Seattle, America. Whilst working there Casey recognised how the mailing services were inefficient. Little did he know that his initiative would launch the world’s largest small-package carrier company.From 1913, the business expanded and developed their potential. They no longer bound themselves to work with just mail but they introduced large packages, then motor vehicles, then deliveries for ven dors and merchandisers and then the shipping of parcels. Between the late seventies and early eighties, UPS began shipping parcels worldwide. To ignore dilemmas and jeopardise relations with their customers they avoided using commercial aircraft and set up their own airline business. Currently their position is the â€Å"9th largest airline in the world†. http://www. wikinvest. om/stock/United_Parcel_Service_(UPS) UPS was first established in the American state of Washington and found themselves operating in a company that was capitalized with $100 in debt. The company spread from eastern USA to the mid-west, from Los Angeles to New York the company soon spread to all parts of the States. Beginning with their first plane in 1952 to creating their iconic logos the company that is UPS always represented stability and is a highly regarded efficient operation. UPS constantly grows each year and is always at a bid to try and improve their services. Industry ImpactsThe author is wi thout doubt positive that this industry of transportation was sure to occur. Along with FedEx and some other competitors UPS commenced the operation of this industry. Constantly it is been pushed to higher grades, the next day delivery is a prime example. Previous to UPS AND FedEx the industry simply didn’t exist. The delivery of packages and documents was carried out by a haphazard system of carriers consisting of trucks, trains and aircraft that were often operated by independent entities. Neither speed nor reliability was a hallmark of this system. SRI International 2001, Global Impact of FedEx on the New EconomyIndustry Overview 2009 & 2010 Economic health is a key determinant of mail and package capacity. If the economy is not healthy, then the volume of domestic packages with in the U. S, to international packages, and onto freight and supply chain is reduced and UPS and others in their industry likewise. 2009: UPS and many other companies alike in their industry had a pessimistic outlook on their corporations mainly during the years 2008 and early 2009 because of the downturn in the world’s economy. Weaknesses lay all over the world, from Europe to Asia and American all suffered from this slowdown.It resulted in countless companies, from retailers to internet sources having a decrease in sales, and to the individuals that also availed of UPS’s services financially notable to pay for the services of USP. The demand for packages diminished. Some workplaces put up the shutters, whilst others put in place dramatic cutbacks as funds were not available for them and this directly affected UPS in 2008 and partly 2009. However because UPS had created a strong brand name, a good standing n the market and an excellent operations system in place they overcame the collapse of the worldwide market.Also the evacuation of some minor league competitors resulted in an overall enhancement for USP. From mid 2009 onwards the company reaped the rewards o f profits suffered earlier in the year, the volume of packages increased. Average daily volume for next day air increased 2. 8% over 2008 levels. Ground volume demonstrated an improving trend over the previous quarters despite a 2. 9% decline in the fourth quarter compared with 2008. -http://www. wikinvest. com/stock/United_Parcel_Service_(UPS) 2010: After an improvement in 2010, UPS has progressed even further in 2010.Profits are highly cyclical as they rely on a strong American, European and Asian Market and are growing even further into the undeveloped markets. For the first quarter of 2010, revenue increased by 7% to $11. 7 billion since the previous year's first quarter. This was mainly due to increases in yield and operating leverage. The overall increases in operating leverage were due to overall growth in all business segments, most notably the growth in the international package and supply chain business. Higher revenues were also due to increases in base pricing and higher fuel surcharges.Higher prices were possible due to the recovery from the 2008-2010 recessions. In the overall, net income increased by 37% UPS expects these increases to continue throughout the year, producing substantial revenue growth from recessionary levels. Wiki Analysis -http://www. wikinvest. com/stock/United_Parcel_Service_(UPS) Competition The UPS Corporation is a multibillion dollar enterprise with over 200,000 employees. In their industry of transportation and logistics UPS has only three chief contenders, FedEx, DHL and United States Postal Service (USPS). Between the four companies they provide equal services, however their ifferences lies in the prices, which is an apparent point of competition, but is only an issue in undeveloped markets. Also the availability of the service provider in specific locations is another distinction. Competition is rigid, but because of the vast investment devoted by each of the companies there is only a few major competitors. FedEx curre ntly stands as UPS’s biggest competition. They are the only treat to UPS as they could manage to outsize them in this industry. They offer the exact same services, and both operate in the same league but the scale of operation between the two rivals is different.However FedEx has the reputation for being much more expensive in relation to their products. DHL is another key contender for UPS. This company mainly operates from their base country of Germany and is involved in the traditional postal services. As well as that they offer an array of services, whether you are shipping across town country or continent. They also hold with them the title of being the world’s largest logistics provider. As of now the European market for UPS is on a rise so warms up the competition for both companies even further.United States Postal Service (USPS) is a direct competitor of UPS, however they have come together to operate a win-win situation for both companies. UPS partnered with the US Postal Service to offer UPS Mail Innovations, a program that allows UPS to pick up mail and transfers it to a USPS center, or destination delivery point (DDU), for final distribution. http://www. sooperarticles. com/business-articles/fedex-express-competitors-19758. html As well as these main competitors, UPS also battles their market share out with operators such as Canada Post, Royal Mail, Japan Post, and many other postal, cargo and courier companies.Customers Many individuals and business use UPS to send or receive vital information. The overnight service which UPS provides is popular as some fundamental transactions for business may have to be prepared or concluded. Other companies utilize the service to send apparatus and mechanical equipment which may be required instantly to keep industrial units and technology in operation. Overall there is a demand for urgent mail, packages, and freight transportation worldwide.Any transportation company will have a wide variety of customers, and UPS’s include entertainment, banking, science, construction, insurance, gambling, telecommunications, housing, legal, data processing, education, manufacturing, retail, medical and even the steel industry. For ever customer, there is a specific need, UPS addresses these needs and examine the characteristics of the product and get an understanding of the best mode of transportation for the customer and their goods, destination is too considered and the customer can undertake the application process online and decide and choose for themselves the best option for them.As UPS falls into the service industry a key issue for them is to create and maintain good customer relations, this leads onto customer loyalty with the brand of UPS, the company then can observe a growth in profits, now they can avail of the opportunity to escalate and advance and as a service industry employees must understand the importance these good relations. Just of late September 2010, UPS la unched a fresh logistics television advertisement campaign.UPS wanted to show potential customers its passion for transportation and supply chains solutions, what it calls â€Å"New Logistics† and it especially wants to bring the message of growth opportunity to small business. www. social medianinfluence. com Skepys, 2010, The company wants to promote themselves even more to the world; they are ever increasing and want to work with almost everyone and every business, as in this television campaign they are reaching out to the small to medium sized businesses. Organisation of the System The author has reported extensively on the external factors which have shaped UPS accordingly.The author has now chosen to write on some of the internal aspects which form the operation of the corporation. As already shown earlier in the report UPS have numerous transportation modes which include air, surface, charter and hand carry. Many service options are available to all customers to meet their needs. The process that UPS must entail to do this naturally depends on factors about the goods. UPS has access to transport i. e. aircrafts, ships, railways and road transport all across our globe, but the consumers needs depends on which option the company feels best suits the situation at hand.As stated UPS’s website You get the benefits of our vast network of transport options, specialised equipment, proactive communication, advanced tracking and worldwide research. – www. ups. com If a customer wishes to send a package anywhere across the world with UPS, this is possible as there is no restrictions with them. Since UPS was first established over one hundred years ago technology has evolved so much that via the World Wide Web anybody can create shipments, imports, and returns.They can also calculate time and cost view charges, plan to have their shipments collected, view locations and history and all at the comfort of their own home or workplace. UPS basic pr inciples in relation to transporting goods are * Domestic parcels which are made up of post i. e. letters and packages. These can be transported anywhere throughout the USA. * UPS deliver to over 200 counties worldwide and they categorise this sector into International Packages, any type of package is suitable to be transported. UPS operate a supply chain and freight sector, it comprises of UPS’s logistics business providers in more than 175 countries throughout the globe. The author decided first to refer to the tracking service which UPS functions. Tracking a package allows the consumer to monitor the status and location of their item. The process is quite simple to use. The process is quite simple to use. Via the internet the customer can track by tracking number, by reference and email and they can even obtain signature evidence of delivery.The system of tracking has positive effects; it means the customer will be able to have an enhanced controlled time management struct ure in place. Movement of Freight Road: Following tracking the author decided to focus on UPS and their movement of freight. UPS moves goods using their transport methods from their point of origin to their final destination. Depending on where the freight is destined for is related to the type of transport used, also factors such as volume, weight and purpose of the goods conveys the mode of transport used.First the author chose to write about freight travelling via land, as globally this is the most common method used. Two methods for this type of transportation can be used; the first option involves using UPS services or other logistic firms. This method is basic and it involves the logistics firm, e. g. UPS picking up the goods, and delivering them via lorry’s or vans. Throughout America and vast parts of the world, UPS is well recognised by their famous Pullman brown coloured trucks and vans. Railway: The second method of land transportation is to avail of the railway se rvice.UPS provide this option to their customers as they believe it is lucrative and loyal preference. Railways transportation is generally used for long distance journeys for heavy goods, and it is by and large only effective for customers whom use it for them purposes. As using trains for transportation only suits a minority if the market this means more and more customers use the service of UPS road transportation as it involves less hassle, is an inexpensive method and overall is a much better approach as they are direct deliveries.However, as the author already stated the selection for which mode of transport to avail of depends on the goods themselves, e. g. iron ore would be best transported via railway in comparison to mail with more be more effective to be transported via road. Rail transportation is able to travel at higher speeds, carry a much larger capacity, have fewer delays as traffic is never an issue and they can deal with almost all weather conditions, as well as b eing safe and very secure. UPS provide climate controlled containers for specific goods which may be perishable e. g. ood, flowers, as well as their ordinary containers suitable for normal goods. Ships: As well as transporting via roads and railway, UPS also uses waterways and the sea to transport their customer’s goods. The mode of transportation used is ships. The goods are enclosed in containers, which are then placed safely and correctly onto ships and then moved to different locations. This method is viable for long distance journeys and has a reputation for being the cheapest form of transportation if there is a vast volume of goods been shipped. Rivers, lakes and oceans are used in this transportation.This system is logical for UPS to use as they have a wide customer base and the volume of goods to be transported is there. The only disadvantage of shipping is it is not adequate for fast movement of goods, nonetheless the movement of goods by means of waterways and the sea has many advantages and shipping is a highly competitive service industry. From the UPS website the company shows their customers how they organise this complex system: We are the experts at managing complex transportation networks, dedicated fleets, and multi-modal shipments.We can deliver orders anywhere through our global network. Our freight container shipping services can bring those parts together to make managing your supply chain simpler. * FCL Container Shipping (Full Container Load) – Our comprehensive NVOCC* services provide frequent departures at competitive rates for full container load (FCL) shipments from major ports around the world. * LCL Container Shipping (Less-Than-Container Load) – When you don't have enough cargo for a full container, we offer less-than-container load (LCL) service between major ports worldwide. ttp://www. ups. com/content/us/en/shipping/container-shipping. html As there are two options available to customers regarding shippin g this means that UPS understand their customer’s needs and have adjusted to these needs by providing both options. Airplanes: The final and successful freight transportation option that UPS offers to their customers is Air transport. This is a good method to use if time is of the essence and this system can be used within or between countries, basically air transportation can happen anywhere throughout the world.Air transport is known for its speed for both the movement of people and goods, but with this speed comes high costs. UPS runs all their own aircraft to all major cities worldwide and this is constantly improving as their geographic locations are expanding as well as their customer base. Air transport is limited to what type of goods it can carry. Generally its purpose is for unpreserved goods that are urgent to their final destination, e. g. edicine, documents, flowers or food rather than high capacitated and dangerous goods. Conclusion After accomplishing the task of evaluating a unique area of SCM transport with an aspect of logistics transport included the author concluded that the company United Parcel Service (UPS) is amongst one of the world’s largest and leading logistic operators. UPS is an admirable company which has excelled in over one hundred years of business and the author deems this company to glimmer in the future even more.As technology has evolved over the past, so has UPS as they constantly upgrade their services and work with their customers to meet their needs with the extensive assortment of services which they provide. In the report the author focused on some external features that influence the workings of UPS as a whole and the internal factors which shaped the company’s reputation as been the leaders of the pack in the logistics world. UPS adds much value to both domestic usage and businesses surrounding us. They make things possible for us and overall have perfected the express transportation network. T HE END! Word count= 3,438

Why has it been difficult to obtain peace in Northern Ireland?

There is a large variety of social, political and religious reasons why it has been hard to obtain peace in Northern Ireland; there have also been many events that occurred in Northern Ireland that seriously hindered peace progress talks. These are four events that seriously effect peace in Northern Ireland right up to the current day, the Civil Rights Movement, Bloody Sunday, Hunger Strikes and Peace Movements. All these events will be described in my piece of work, I will identify why they happened and who was involved. I will also explain how a power sharing agreement took so long to be put into place because of the impact these events had on the prejudice between Catholic Nationalists and Protestant Unionists. The Civil Rights Movement was a series of Nationalist Catholic marches held between 1967 and 1972 in Northern Ireland, these marches were organised to protest against the discrimination Catholics faced at that time. This discrimination came in many forms for example Catholics found it harder to get houses and some families were on the waiting list for years while single Protestants were placed in homes before them. They also found it hard to get their children good education, or even get themselves a job because many employers would only take on Protestants. It even effected voting as not every Catholic was aloud to take part in the election campaign. So the Nationalist Catholics organised many marches demanding equal rights and to stop prejudice against them. Though these marches were organised with peaceful intent they often turned into mass riots and conflict between Catholic and Protestant civilians. Sometimes it was suspected terrorists had infiltrated peaceful marches and caused violence that often escalated into riots and these caused innocent people to get seriously injured. One of the most famous riots was the Battle of Bogside; this riot took place in Derry and lasted from 12-14 August 1969. The riot saw over five hundred women and children evacuated out of the area and caused over 1000 casualties. It was clear the Irish police and the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) alone could not deal with mass violence on this scale so to try and stop the riots the British Government sent paratroopers in to try and obtain peace. The paratrooper's main objective was to try and destroy the IRA which was quickly reforming. But many Irish people saw the paratroopers as occupational forces and because of this they where largely hated by Catholics. This led to a lot of tension in and around the country and even led to a slight collapse in the Northern Irish government as they only half met the demands of the people involved with the Civil Rights Movement. This caused uproar as Nationalist Catholics still felt discriminated against so they continued to act out violently in public protests, this lead to one of the most tragic days in the history of Northern Ireland, Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday was the 30th of January 1972, it began as a march Londonderry organised by the Civil Rights Movement to protest against internment. Internment began in 1971, this was a law passed by the British Government allowing suspected terrorist in Northern Ireland to be arrested and imprisoned without charge. Catholic Nationalist was strongly against internment as most of the people arrested where Catholic, when there where almost equal amounts of terrorist on both sides. Some of the Catholics that were imprisoned became subject to torture like lack of sleep, this lead to national outrage. Pre-organised marches at this point by British Government 15,000 Catholics still congregated in the middle of the city on the 30th of January 1972 and began a protest march. But later that day violence began as Catholics began to throw rocks and other objects at British paratroopers who responded by opening fire on a crowd of unarmed civilians and killed thirteen of them, some of which were shot in the back. This did not help the peace process at all; the nation was again outraged, the little trust between Nationalist and paratroopers had now been totally destroyed and the deaths of those thirteen civilians were considered murders, the people that died were considered martyrs to the Nationalist cause. This strengthened the IRA's cause and they began to get funding and weaponry from other countries, such as the USA, they seemed to many to have proven their point that they needed to attack the Unionists and paratroopers and not just defend the Nationalist. It also affected power sharing talks between Nationalists and Unionists, Nationalist Catholics across the country saw the paratroopers as murders, and what added insult to injury was the fact that the paratroopers were not disciplined in any way for they had done, so hatred between Catholics and paratroopers and Catholics And Protestants (who by many were blamed for the deaths on Bloody Sunday) severely escalated. Catholics began to say there was no way they would ever share power with murderers, how could they ever trust the Government and Protestants to not make the same mistakes, how could they be sure there would not be a second event as catastrophic as Bloody Sunday, this meant any peace agreement between Nationalists and Unionists would be delayed. If one was put into place just after the Civil Rights Movement it would have lead to a national outrage as the hatred and violence between Nationalists and Protestants that many did not see peace as an option and many would refuse to stop the violence. The Civil Rights Movement and all its marches, including Bloody Sunday still have a big impact on peace today. Even though in 2007 a power sharing agreement was reached there is still a lot of prejudice and anger between the Nationalist and Unionist. Nationalists look back at events such as Bloody Sunday or the Battle of Bogside with hatred towards Unionists and Unionists will do likewise, it is very difficult for the people involved to forget the past and forgive their opponents. People still do not trust the British Government after the paratroopers murdered those thirteen men and this has made it difficult for the British Government to make any major decisions influencing Northern Ireland as they would widely be discredited and not accepted. Another factor that has made it difficult to obtain peace in Northern Ireland is the Hunger Strikes of 1980-1981. Members of the IRA that had been imprisoned were treated like everyday criminals, but they wanted to be recognised as prisoners of war. Prisoners of war were treated differently than normal prisoners, they got to wear there own clothes, aloud to organise their own activities in the prison, they would have freedom of association, they would serve less time for their crimes then a normal prisoner and they would not have to participate in prison work. The members of the IRA that were inside the prison believed they should be know as prisoners of war and get their privileges for a variety of reasons, for one they were jailed from a court without a jury, they felt the situation in Ireland was a war whether the Government would admit it or not and also members of the IRA that had been in the jail before them had these privileges but they were taken away as time progressed. But the British Government refused to grant them these privileges and did not allow them to be known as prisoners of war, this caused uproar with the IRA members that were imprisoned and other splinter groups. A while before the hunger strikes were put into place members of the IRA in the jail went on a thing known as the ‘Dirty Protest' this is were prisoners would cover the walls of there cell with their own excrement, though it caused extra work for the prison workers and made the jail generally filthy it did not have a large effect on the outside world. It did not bring much attention to the prisoner's situation and it was clear a larger demonstration would have to come to place to have a big enough impact to affect the outside world, the prisoners felt hunger strikes were the best way to achieve their goal. The leader of the very first hunger strikes was called Brendan Hughes, but he was not seen as a good leader at the time and made a vital mistake by calling the strike of when he thought the British Government would give in to their demands but they did not. So weeks after the first attempt at a hunger strike Bobby Sands took over as the leader and developed a plan were a new person would go on strike every week, this was so there would be roughly a death a week if the British Government did not give up to their demands, a death a week would have the ultimate shock factor on the public. Even when the hunger strikes began and Bobby Sands, who opted to be the first strikers, was about to die Margaret Thatcher refused to intervene, she did not want to admit to the situation in Northern Ireland as being a war and that meant not allowing the prisoners on strike to be know as prisoners of war, she also did consider there crimes any different as the crimes of the over prisoners, she famously declared ‘crime is crime is crime; it is not political. This sparked outrage across Northern Ireland as there was huge support for what Bobby Sands and the other hunger strikers were doing, such support that Bobby Sands was elected as an MP while he was starving in jail. When Booby Sands was announced dead May 5, 1981, he was aged 27 and was on strike 66 days, he was known as a martyr for the Nationalist cause and for the IRA. The national outcry that occurred after his death resulted in more people joining the IRA and a big increase in their activity. The British Government and Unionist were once again considered murderers by the majority of Nationalist people. Over 100,000 people attended Bobby Sands funeral, which was over one fifth the Catholics population in Northern Ireland at the time. The media coverage of Bobby Sands death sparked a wave of support and sympathy around the world for him, the other hunger strikers, and what the IRA were trying to achieve. There were huge protests on the street and violence around the country in support of what the strikers were doing. The Unionist and British response to the hunger strike was reactionary, they tried their best to stop the hunger strikes by trying to half meet the prisoners demands but they did not solve the root of the problem, the peoples pride and passion and their believe that they were correct. Eventually ten prisoners died as a result of the hunger strikes and the British Government proposed that prisoners from the IRA and other terrorist organisations were given many advantages that prisoners of war were given but they still had to participate in prison work and were not presented with the term prisoners of war. After the hunger strikes Margaret Thatcher boasted that that they had not cave in to the demands of the hunger strikers and it was a victory for the British Government. But the political effect of the hunger strikes was huge, the British government and what they stood for were resented hugely again by the Nationalist in Northern Ireland, people saw them as murders and lyres and with the events of Bloody Sunday still on peoples mind the British and Unionist were hated more then ever by Catholics. This effected peace in the long run as well power sharing was not accepted for so long because of events such as this and the passion behind them. Nationalist do not want to share power with the murders of one of there heroes Bobby Sands, and do not want to share power with people that they considered caused through there unfair democracy such violence and disorder in Northern Ireland for so many years, that caused so many lives to be lost. There have been many peace talks based around Northern Ireland over the years, most were to do with power sharing but many broke down because of events like the Civil Rights Movement and hunger strikes. The first major peace talk was the 1973-1974 power sharing executive; this was agreed between the major political parties and William Whitelaw the Northern Ireland secretary. The power sharing executive, known as the Sunningdale Agreement, suggested that a new power sharing assembly was elected to govern Northern Ireland and that a power sharing executive represented the main political parties and guaranteed to share power between the Republic and Northern Ireland. Although this agreement was well received by most parties, the DUP opposed the agreement and refused to join. A general strike was organised in May 1974 by the Unionist Ulster workers council brought Northern Ireland to a halt. This caused the power sharing executive to resign and as a result of this direct rule from Westminster returned, the Sunningdale Agreement had failed. The next attempted peace agreement was the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement; this was between Margaret Thatcher and the Irish Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald. They agreed to an intergovernmental conference that would be held regularly, they would keep cross border co-operation on political legal and security matters, the British Government accepted the possibility of a united Ireland in the future, but only if the majority of Northern Ireland consented and the Republic of Ireland accepted the existence of partition and the principle of consent. Nationalist across Northern Ireland were divided in their reactions, the SDLP saw it as a big chance for progress but Sinn Fein saw it as enforced partition and did not approve. Unionist resented this agreement and would not coincided with what it was saying, big strikes and demonstrations followed the release of the Anglo-Irish Agreement and the violence of the people and paramilitaries was worse then ever, the agreement had little effect and therefore failed. One of the most major peace talks was the 1998 Good Friday Agreement; also know as the Belfast Agreement. It was signed in Belfast in April 1998 by the British and Irish governments and was approved by most Northern Ireland parties, the only major party to disapprove of the agreement was the DUP. It was though approved by most of the voters of Northern and the Republic of Ireland. The final Agreement was posted to every household in Northern Ireland and put to a vote in May it included plans for a Northern Ireland assembly with a power sharing executive and new cross border structures involving the Republic of Ireland. There were also controversial plans on paramilitary's giving up their weapons and the early release of paramilitary prisoners. A vote was also held in the Irish Republic, the result was staggering with 71% of people in Northern Ireland and 94% in the Republic voted that the agreement should be accepted. Throughout the first three years of the agreement, Unionists said the Government and major Nationalist parties were failing to live back up the rule for decommissioning of arms, as many paramilitaries such as the IRA were simply not handing over their guns. Moreover, Sinn Fein said the British Government did not demilitarise quickly enough, they stated they could not force anyone to give up arms and that the agreement only stated that the parties should use all their power to make paramilitary's give up their guns, they had discovered a bit of a loophole and arguments quickly started. Eventually after much debating a power sharing agreement has been signed recently in 2007 that the Republic and Northern Ireland are both happy to consent to, it took so long to come to a power sharing agreement that all parties are happy with because of all the complications along the way, a lot of these from the ‘battles' Unionists and Nationalist have fort with one another down the years, this caused a lot of hate and prejudice between Catholics and Protestants which lead to events such as Bloody Sunday and the hunger strikes that represented what the Irish people stood for at the time and there pure passion for what they believed in. All these events left such an aftermath that people would not consent to any peace agreements or power sharing until the situation had cooled down, we can only hope that the 2007 agreement brings peace to a troubled Northern Ireland and the civilians that live there. But will the peace last, and will all the political parties and paramilitaries be able to keep peace and settle down, we can only wait and see what the future holds for Northern Ireland.

Competitive Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Competitive Analysis - Essay Example Its cost only includes market research, advertising and promotion hence enabling the company to minimize on the cost of production. On the other hand, bottlers are provided by syrup by the concentrators’ where they then they mix it with sugar, treat with local water and carbonate it. Finally, they bottle it and then deliver it to the retailer. All these activities make the bottling business capital intensive as it requires high technology in production. Returns received by concentrate producers greatly differ from those received by the bottlers due to various reasons. The main factors as indicated in the above paragraph are the financial cost incurred by both companies (Fleisher & Bensoussan, 2007). Bottlers for instance incurs low cost of production as it only concentrates mainly on advertising, market research and product development whereas bottlers activities involve investment of huge amount of capital as its main concern is to archive its main goal of improvement and mod ernization of the bottling lines which as a results requires high amount of capital (Fleisher & Bensoussan, 2007). Secondly, the other cause of variance in returns is the availability of raw materials. The concrete producers require fewer raw materials hence its major spending is on purchase of cheap inputs like citric acid, natural flavors and also caffeine; on the other hand bottlers require large number of production materials. They invest in purchase of inputs such as packaging materials like cans, bottles and also sweeteners such as aspartame which prove to be expensive hence reducing their profitability as they are unable to reduce on the outflow of money (Fleisher & Bensoussan, 2007). The returns received by bottlers are also less than those received by the concentrate producers due to the risk levels each of the company face. Concentrate producers are responsible for the brand promotion and also invest hugely on trademark to stimulate sales; on the other hand, bottlers have little risk in their operations as they already have an advantage i.e. have a famous name which is well known all over the world .This development provide them with stable returns and low risk (Bensoussan & Fleisher, 2008).

Unit 6 Human Services Discussion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit 6 Human Services Discussion - Research Paper Example These are called â€Å"medigaps† in U.S. healthcare system which does not pay for custodial nursing home care, most dental care (including dentures), private-duty nursing, eyeglasses and eye examinations, most routine physician examinations, hearing tests and hearing devices, very long hospital stays, and prescription drug costs (DiNitto, 2011, 282). In Maryland, 12.92% out of 5, 534, 528 residents are uninsured – 1,464,677 are enrolled in a health maintenance organization (HMO) while $964 is the average annual employee premium in MD employer-sponsored plan and $2,113 is the average MD hospital cost per inpatient day (eHealthInsurance, 2013, n.p.). One can gleaned on the data that there is a significant number of individual who are uninsured but it is the cost of medical care which has the most astounding effect! Social justice in healthcare financing system is needed to broaden the healthcare insurance coverage and reducing the costs of healthcare. Equality and accessibility of healthcare could not be achieved without the help of different stakeholders such as policymakers, medical professionals, and payers. According to the study of Fisher et al. (2009), physicians possess the leadership to reduce healthcare costs by helping the patient: understand a more conservative treatment that is as safe as intensive, higher-cost care; argue against the need for further growth to oversupplied regions; and support changes in the healthcare system to achieve best possible care at lowest possible cost (850). In the week’s video, Johnnie Hamilton-Mason (2013) talked about why it is important to advocate for social justice and emphasized that individuals should never feel being humiliated and that social workers must be empathic, supportive, and avoid labels (n.p.). She also said that it is essential to inform the individual

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Case Study Example Operating managers in SYSCO have benefited from the market-driven HR approach through developing strategies as per the information retrieved from the surveys conducted by the Virtual Resource Center (VRC). This in turn, facilitated the administration and operations in the regional branches. HR drew information from the VRC. SYSCO made use of the strategies devised by the HR. The strategies resulted in an increase in safety that in turn, lowered accident rates and hence, the number of claims of workers’ compensation. Such HR changes could be purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and development and implementation of safety programs. Added safety on the site reduces number of accidents and accordingly, the workers’ compensation claims. Employee turnover rate could be increased by increasing the compensation for night work, provision of PPE, food and transport, and sufficient rest in the day time. HR could have devised a quality improvement and management program that would increase customer satisfaction because of good quality of

Impact of sexual abuse on children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Impact of sexual abuse on children - Essay Example It also establishes the effect of gender of the abused on the perpetration of sexual abuse (151). This study is important in psychology because it contributed to the expansion of the knowledge in the field and strengthened the theories on previous researches on the psychological effects sexual abuse has upon children and adolescents. The children have low regard on themselves or hostile and aggressive. Their behaviors manifest on both extremes. They are also afflicted with â€Å"negative developmental outcomes† such as depression, low self-esteem, anger, promiscuity, etc. (152). Sexual abuse affects the mental outlook of the abused towards themselves, other people, the institutions and society in general, especially for those who experienced it regularly or for a longer duration (152-153). Interview is a qualitative approach used in social sciences, but it is the primary research method utilized in gathering data for this study. However, the data gathered from the subjects wer e analyzed using quantitative parameters. Thus, it can be said that the research design used both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The quantitative approach is used to quantify the information gathered from the subjects (e.g. frequency of commission). Through interview, the trained interviewers asked the subjects the frequency of experiencing certain acts such as the number of times an adult has touched or kissed him or her sexually (162).

Researches shows that the average Americans watches as much as 6 hours Essay

Researches shows that the average Americans watches as much as 6 hours of television each day, do you think this is too much Wr - Essay Example Since many people especially the youth prefer watching episodes that have violence, this source of entertainment has a negative effect on how they view violence in society. According to Sheppard, an American child sees up to eight thousand murders before completing elementary school, which translates to about 200,000 violent acts by the time that child, is eighteen. There is also a scientific connection between watching violent movies and violence in real life where scientists have confirmed that there is a relation between watching aggressive acts and performing such acts in real life. Therefore, although television is an entertainment source, watching it for a long time has becomes bad when one begins imitating what they have seen on television. Those who argue that television is a good source of relieving stress claim that it enables them to forget the problems they have in life and be able to enjoy themselves. Those with this view clam that television does not only entertain, but it also offers them a chance to find something to laugh about after they have encountered a stressful day in their regular activities. However, this cannot be true since instead of relieving the stress one has, television creates a distraction where you are transferred from the realities of life to a world of fantasy and imaginations. What is presented to the viewer is mere acting that makes you forget the problems for a while but they are still there. According to Blesi, Wise, and Kelley-Arney (74) watching television is part of withdrawal behavior where an individual avoids dealing with an issue that is related to a painful or difficult situation. This implies that those who watch television for a long period are escapists who do not want to deal with the realities that come with their real life and instead choose to watch programs on television some of which presents ideal situations where everything is okay and people are happy. Such individuals will not give themselves a chanc e to go past the issue that is stressing them since they sped the time for self-reflections on television instead of spending such time analyzing the situation as it is and proactively coming up with possible solutions. Although those who watch television for long hours claim that it’s a leisure activity or among their hobbies, watching television wastes time as a person stays for a long time glued to the television set. Long hours of television viewing prevent an individual from engaging in other processes that will add more benefits. According to Sheppard (106), an average of six hours and forty-seven minutes are spent watching television daily in USA which translate to those of age sixty five having spent up to nine years watching television. Nine years can be spent doing many important things in life. One can earn a lot of money if engaged in economic activities. The time could also be spent undertaking an educational or vocational training that will be more beneficial to the individual as opposed to spending that time watching television. Although it true that watching television is a leisure activity, spending many hours on the sofa set can cause weight gain. Edelstein and Sharlin (91) notes television contributes to weight gain since it reduces physical activities, increases calories as one consumes more and the level of resting metabolism is low for such individuals. According to Nonas and Foster

Water Use Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Water Use - Essay Example In this paper, the physical planning arrangements for traditional use of water in the world will be discussed so that new ideas can emerge in order to show improvement. Water generally gets to our homes in one of two ways. Either it is delivered by a city/county water department (or maybe from a private company), or people supply their own water, normally from a well. Water delivered to homes is called "public supplied" and water that people supply themselves is called "self supplied." People who supply their own water almost always use ground. The vast majority of America's population gets their water delivered from a public-supply system. This makes sense, as America's population now largely live in urban centers" (Domestic water use). Therefore, by having physical planning arrangements for water usage could mean economic development will help rural areas to be stronger, which contributes to their survival.With physical planning for use of water, it is very important to have cluste ring in the early stages of development because it helps with survival strategies. From there, this cannot happen until social capital is involved because it will drawn in clustered enterprises.For 2000, withdrawals were an estimated 3,720 Mgal/d or 4,170 thousand acre-feet per year. Self-supplied domestic withdrawals were about 1 percent of total freshwater withdrawals and about 2 percent of total freshwater withdrawals for all categories excluding thermoelectric power.... In order to overcome the issues, we need to consider group thinking and conformity so that everyone can work together. Working on a team can be very rewarding and exciting, but also frustrating if some of the team member are not committed to the team. Building a high performance team requires time, collaboration and most importantly communication. According to Katzenbach and Smith (2004), a team is described as a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. Group thinking and conformity focuses on the interpersonal transaction between managers and employee. Leaders are seen as engaging in behaviors that maintain a quality interaction between themselves and followers. The company is lacking group thinking and conformity because no one is willing to work together. In order to be an effective company, they have to conform as one so that productivity can be increased to make high p rofits. This effective form of communication and teamwork allowed people in the park with no problems because the team was organized and knew the proper procedure. A successful team also requires active listening, empathy, and being truly committed. With the approach of marketing rural areas, where consumers have the time to pay attention to details and want a small cozy shop, marketers can benefit from it due to the fact it will be in more customers because it adds to convenience, which is what everybody wants. From that, they will make the past relationships with customers stronger since they will feel like they can rely on the company for future development. This will cause the industry to make more long term profits, which is a great benefit. 3. Conclusion

MySelf Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MySelf - Essay Example Possessing such positive moral values would help to mold an individual into a true human being. These values have taught me to be more responsible both in my personal and professional life and to the society at large. And it is with the help of these qualities that I hope to achieve my career goals in the near future. Right from the start of my educational journey, I have always believed that the purpose of education should not be merely attributed to gaining degrees and work; rather it should contribute to the overall development of the individual. It should enable the individual to distinguish between right and wrong and also stick to what they believe. While some of these skills and capabilities can be gained from an institution, an individual can also derive such learning and thinking experiences during his contact with his family or the outside world either in his work or other related activities. The manner in which an individual presents himself to the world with or without the qualities and attributes presented above will help to determine the true nature of his education. Both my educational and work experiences have been vital learning and enriching experiences in my life. The experience gained from the summer jobs that I undertook following completion of high school have made me become more efficient and resourceful. They have also helped me learn the importance of team work and the need to build strong interpersonal relationships with working partners both in the internal and external work environments. It is my long-cherished dream to pursue my education and excel in the chosen field. Both me and my family have faced several setbacks in life but the moral values and principles that we have believed in have us the strength and courage to face them with a positive spirit and overcome them with right reasoning and tact. Despite the various challenges that I have encountered in life, I have always been keen on having a career and

HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

HRM - Essay Example Recruitment is the process of attracting, evaluating and hiring employees and includes job analysis, sourcing, employee screening and selection and induction process. Job analysis aims at determining the different roles in the job and includes specifying the job requirements through outlining the job description and job specification (Torrington, 2011). The job description identifies the functions of the job within the organization, employment terms and reporting relationships of the job holder while the job specification sets out the education, skills, attributes and experience that successful candidates for the job should posses (McKenna & Beech, 2008). Google is constantly looking for graduate-level job entrants to join their teams and uses both online and off-line advertisement media to attract suitable job candidates for the position. Google uses various sources in its recruitment and some include Google recruitment events such as Google Games, Google Code Jam competition, Campu s recruitment and Google Ambassador Program. The job adverts are placed in notice boards, company magazines, newspapers and company website. The company shortlists suitable candidates who meet the minimum criteria and invites them for a series of interviews that aim at assessing the candidate’s job knowledge, skills, and behaviors (Redman & Wilkinson, 2009). According to the company website, the hiring process is simple and involves first conversation with the ‘recruiter, a phone interview and onsite interview at the company offices’. The hiring process aims at increasing communication with the prospective candidates. The panel interview aims at discovering the leadership skills, role-related knowledge, conceptual and analytic skills and ‘Googleyness’ (Sutherland, 2012). According to the company website, they are looking to hire the ‘next

Online hotel reservation system Essay Example for Free

Online hotel reservation system Essay 1.0 INTRODUCTION The main purpose that banks have been serving since their inception iskeeping our money safe for us. While keeping our money safe, they also letus earn a certain amount of interest on the money deposited with them. Traditional banks have been doing this, and internet banks continue thesame function. The only difference is in the way the transactions are made.We all know about internet banking and most of us use it quite often as well,but few of us actually understand about the history of internet banking andhow it all came out. Knowing the history of internet banking can be incrediblyuseful, especially since it will allow us to have more respect for the littlethings that we take for granted.Computers themselves have really come an enormous way since their initialestablishment, as the earliest electronic computers were so large that theywould take up the entire area of a room, while today some are so small thatthey can hardly be seen at all.In todays world, computers play an incredibly large role in the way the worldexists in general, and the majority of tasks could actually not be completed if not for the use of computers. Although there are certainly some areas and jobs that cannot yet be completed solely by computers and which thus stillrequire actual manpower, for the most part, computers have helped to makelife significantly easier, productive, and more convenient for us all.Internet banking has been around for quite a few years now, but has reallyonly become prominent over the past year or so in particular. Internetbanking offers an array of different advantages to the user, including: account balances and history including year-to-date information, the abilityto transfer money from one account to another and to payees for billpayments, check history, reorders, and stop payments, check credit cardbalances and statements, complete online loan applications, secureinteractive messaging with staff, and much more.Internet banking basically allows you to be able to do everything that youcan in your regular banking institution, only with the benefit that you can doit all right from the convenience of you r own home. Not only is this greatbecause you can be comfortable and have peace of mind knowing that youcan keep track yourself of all your banking  issues, but as well it allows formore ease because you never have to worry about rushing out and making itto the bank. 1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM With the problems and limitations associated with manual bankingprocedures as witnessed in most parastatals today, complied with theproblems associated with the existing application programs even much morein the presence of serious technological advances aimed at improvinginformation system. This is activities aimed at shedding light upon the needfor improvement in accounting activities and the means of achieving itsefficiency, effectiveness, reliability and success promising future throughcomputer intervention.Internet banking identifies a particular set of technological solutions for thedevelopment and the distribution of financial services, which rely upon theopen architecture of the Internet. With the implementation of an Internetbanking system, the banks maintain a direct relationship with the end usersvia the web and are able to provide a personal characterization to theinterface, by offering additional customised services. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The aim of this project is to develop a secured online banking system withthe following objectives: Create a banking system that is easily accessible by customers fromthe comfort of their homes, offices etc. Reduce the flow of human traffic and long queues at banks Reduce the time wasted in going to banks to stay on queues. Promote efficient and effective banking for the banks by focusing onthose services that still require physical presence at the banking hall. 1.3 IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY This will cover the benefits derived in using internet banking and it’sfundamental. 1.3.1 ONLINE BANKING – HOW IS IT DIFFERENT? Many consumers today are turning to the ease and convenience of Internetbanking to take care of their financial needs. With the new levels of accessmade possible by the Internet, people can now check the status of theirfinances with the click of a button. The history of Internet banking has evolved from simply allowing  customersto check balances online, to now being able to trade stocks and bonds fromthe comfort of their own home 1.3.2 WHY USE ONLINE BANKING? Online banking services have grown from simply allowing customers to checkbalances, to trading assets. Today, banks like ING Direct are functioningentirely online, with no brick and mortar building. With the costs saved byrequiring fewer employees and the lack of facility expenses, these virtualbanks can often offer higher interest rates than their traditional counterparts.Internet banking gives you the power to control your finances completely. You are no longer tied down to managing your money during the hours thebank is open. If you want to transfer a balance after business hours, you can!If you have access to the Internet and have a number of recurring monthlybills, then you should use Internet banking to make your life easier. 1.3.3 FEATURES OF ONLINE BANKING Today, online banking services are quite varied. One of the best features of online banking is putting the user in control. The user controls all bill paying,transfers, and investments from home. There are other features, though of online banking. One of these is increasedaccessibility to your account information. Users of online banking servicescan access their account information from anywhere in the world! This isparticularly helpful for businesses. Internet business banking is becomingincreasingly popular, as businesses are becoming more global in their reach.Now business people can access their accounts, even when on overseasbusiness trips. Business Internet banking is extremely popular for thisreason.A particularly popular aspect of online banking services is the ability to makebill payments electronically. With a minimum degree of set-up, customerscan enter the amounts of their paper bills (or opt to receive electronic bills)and process all their payments at one time, from one screen 1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY The scope of this project is limited to the activities of the operations unit of the banking system which include opening of Account, Deposit of funds,Withdrawal of funds and transfer. 1.5 METHODOLOGY This project employs the object oriented approach of software engineeringusing appropriate (UML TOOLS) an object oriented approach. Some of thesteps to be taken are: Feasibility study – understanding and identifying of existing system andassociated study. Analysis – proper analysis and suggested solution to tackle suchproblems will be considered. Design – designing the new system will be achieved through an objectoriented software tools (UML). Coding – this is implemented as a 3tier architecture model using javalanguage. The 3 layers of the application are as follows.1, Java server pages / html pages – front end2, Java server pages / servlets – middle end3, SQL server as the back-end 1.6 MODE OF OPERATION WEBTRUST will contain self explanatory hyperlinks that customers can clickto make any request or perform a task. If a customer clicks on account opening links, he is taken to page where hefills a form and clicks the submit button if he is through. A successful filling of the form gives a response that confirms the customer account is open andactivated. Thus such a customer can receive money into such an accountthrough funds transfer. Account details are sent by the bank to thecustomer’s email box.Registered customers or Account holders of the bank can now login using theaccount details posted to their email box to login before they can performfinancial transactions. The system is secured such you cannot operateanother mans account even if you knew his account details because a newtransaction number is always sent to a customer for each login. Thistransaction number is what will be used to authenticate any transaction pertime CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW The emergence of electronic commerce over the past decade has radicallytransformed the economic landscape. For developing countries, the digitalrevolution offers unprecedented opportunities for economic growth anddevelopment, a case study of Pakistan. 2.1 DEFINING E-BANKING / ONLINE BANKING â€Å"In the 21st century there will be a lot of banking, but there will be no banks.â€Å"Says Bill Gates. The term online banking or internet banking  covers both computer andtelephone banking. Using computer banking, a customer either uses hiscomputer to dials directly into its banks computer or gains access to thebank’s computer over the internet. Using telephone banking, the customercan controls its bank accounts by giving the bank instructions over thetelephone. Both computer and telephone banking involve the use of passwords which give access to the customer’s accounts.Using these methods, banking transactions can be actioned 24 hours a day. Online banking allows the person, for instance, to view recent transactions,print out statements and transfer funds between accounts and makepayments.Many banks also have the facility for someone to set up, amend or cancelstanding orders. Internet banking also allows payments to be made to thecustomer, i.e. acceptance of credit card donations. Most people that usenternet banking will also continue to use some of the elements of moretraditional methods of banking, such as a cheque book.. 2.2 E-BANKING IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES Just like Internet infrastructure, E-Banking in developing countries is at earlystages; however there are some exceptions where countries like: Brazil have 75% of enterprises, excluding micro-enterprises using theInternet for banking in 2005. Morocco (34.9%). (United Nations Conference on Trade andDevelopment, 2006), There is an increasing growth of online banking, indicating a promisingfuture for online banking in these countries. In China, while banks issue credit cards and while many use debitcards to draw directly from their respective bank accounts, very fewpeople use their credit cards for online payment. Cash-on-delivery isstill the most popular mode of e-commerce payment. Nonetheless,online payment is gaining popularity because of the emergence of China pay and Cyber Beijing, which offer a city-wide online paymentsystem. (Zorayda Ruth B. Andam, 2003).

Archangel Uriel: The Wisdom Of God

Archangel Uriel: The Wisdom Of God The Archangel Uriel is one of the four archangels that rule over the four corners of the Earth. The other three are Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Uriel is the least mentioned of these four archangels, if he is mentioned at all. According to some traditions, there are seven archangels. But even in these accounts, these four are the most prominent. There are scant references to Uriel in scripture. Jewish scripture does not mention the archangels by name. In Christianity, Uriel appears in the Gnostic version of the Bible where we learn his name means The Light Of God. Uriel is also known as the angel of Wisdom. His realm is in the mental plane where thoughts, ideas, and creativity reside. As The Light of God, the Archangel Uriel shines the light of truth and wisdom where there is darkness, deception, and confusion. Uriel also helps people to control their emotions, guiding them to release anger and overcome anxiety, both of which are obstacles to gaining wisdom. The archangel provides guidance in recognizing and avoiding dangerous situations. The Archangel of Salvation, Uriel shows people how to heal and brings forgiveness t those who ask. Tradition teaches that Uriel stands before the gates of Heaven and denies entrance to all who have failed to love God. Uriel also offers unconditional forgiveness and holds the keys that unlock the gates. Uriel is mentioned often in apocryphal scripture and other early religious writings that did not make it into what we now know as The Bible. The archangel is credited with rescuing John the Baptist from the Massacre of the Innocents the king ordered upon hearing about the birth of Jesus. Jewish tradition holds that Uriel checked the doors for lambs blood during the Egyptian plagues. Uriel is also one of the select few angels who are allowed to enter the immediate presence of God. During medieval times, Uriel was considered the holy source of heat in the winter. In Catholic tradition, Uriel is the patron saint of the arts. He is also the patron saint of science, because of the archangels association with wisdom, and of those seeking the sacrament of Confirmation. The Coptic Christians venerate Uriel. To many other Christians, however, Uriel remains unknown. There is no mention of Uriel in canonical scripture. In 745 AD, Pope St Zachary condemned the churchs obsession with angels, saying that it bordered on angel worship which is forbidden by the Ten Commandments. He did, however, approve the reverence of certain named angels. Uriel was one of many angels that were left off of this list. Despite the efforts of Pope St. Zachary, many people still venerate Uriel, especially among Kabbalists and Eastern Orthodox Christians. Uriels Feast Day is July 28th as the archangels influence is deemed to peak in the middle of the summer. Uriel stands guard over the summer, guiding the ripening of the grain harvest and the blossoming of a multitude of flowers. Making A Connection With Uriel Connecting with Uriel is becoming increasingly common among people in the New Age movement and Christians exploring their own deeper spirituality. There is no one correct way to make a connection with the Archangel Uriel. What is important is that you find a method that is comfortable for you. Prayer is obviously the most common method for connecting with Uriel. However, the influence of New Age mysticism has caused a growth in the popularity of meditation as a means of venerating the archangels. Because archangels are ever-present spiritual beings, you can connect with them whenever and wherever you are. Archangels have a historic tendency to appear to humanity in dreams and visions. This is particularly true of Uriel, who operates primarily in the realm between the physical and the spiritual. Through Prayer People most often pray to Uriel to grant them wisdom. Unsolicited contact with Uriel is rare and is generally associated with someone becoming a scholar or a prophet of God. Uriel also guides us on our spiritual journey as we transform from our mere physical and carnal nature to one that is more holy and of God. The archangel teaches is the path of wisdom and righteousness, leading us to our destiny of being united with God in Heaven after our death. Uriel is also the angel of music, the arts, science, and prophecy. People who are actively interested in each or all of these areas are encouraged to reach out to Uriel to intercede on their behalf with God. The archangel helps us to overcome stress in our life, soothing our minds and allowing us to find inner peace. Whenever life becomes seemingly unbearable, Uriel is the archangel who keeps us grounded in our faith and leads us through troubling and turbulent times The primary method people use to reach out to Uriel is through prayer. The act of praying allows us to communicate openly with God and His angels. Prayer is usually a one-way communication from us to the divine as we seek to have our voices heard. Occasionally, people will receive a directly communicated answer during their prayers. Most often, however, the answers to our prayer occur over time. As one of the angel who is allowed to be present with God, Uriel is a powerful ally in your prayer life. God listens to His angels and grants them leeway to act on His behalf. Uriels assignment is to give people wisdom in all things. The archangel guides our decision making and relieves our anxiety. He allows us to think and perceive the world with a clear mind and stable emotions so that we can make the right choices that ultimately bring us closer to God. As such, Uriel helps us navigate the spiritual realm and makes our entry into Heaven possible. For those who are new to the act of prayer, formal prayers are extremely useful. God and His angels know what we are thinking and what we are going to say before we say it. Still, God wants us to reach out to Him so that we can use our own freewill to choose to follow and love Him, thus growing in His spirit. If you have not prayed before, formal traditional prayers can help to loosen your tongue and open your heart to a prayerful life. Here is an example of prayer you can use as you begin your quest to crate a connection with Uriel, the Angel of Wisdom. A Prayer For Wisdom St. Uriel the Archangel You are the Light of God The Angel of Wisdom Please pray for me Grant me wisdom So that I might understand the will of God Release me from anxiety Soothe my soul Open my heart And guide me along the path of righteousness So that I might join you In the presence of the Lord Amen A Prayer Of Thanksgiving St. Uriel, I thank God for the gift of your guidance And I thank you for the gift of your wisdom Archangel Uriel, you guide my decisions and keep me on the righteous path You soothe my mind and bring harmony to my soul You ease my troubled heart and release me from anxiety For all of these things I thank you and give you praise In the holy name of God our Father Archangels often answer prayers in ways that are not immediately clear to. Praying everyday helps to prepare you to understand the answers. Through experience, you will gain the ability to discern the answers to your prayers from mere happenstance. God and His angels are ever present which means they see your life in its entirety while you experience it one moment at a time. Answers to prayer come in Gods time, not mans. Through faith you will understand the answers to your prayers and how they affect your life. Prayer can take place wherever you happen to be. Sacred places like shrines and churches offer quiet and holy places where we can connect with the divine, but you do not have to go to those places in order to pray. All you need is your soul, and open heart, and humility. The words will come when you are ready. There are two basic forms of prayer formal and informal. Formal prayers are the prayers that are passed down through church tradition or newer prayers that follow the same form. They generally start by acknowledging who is being prayed to and honoring or venerating them, The person praying then humbles themselves and makes their prayer request. Informal prayers do not follow a traditional form. While their tone is more reverent than casual speaking, the words themselves are generally improvised on the spot or are words that are personally relevant to the one who is praying. Connecting With Archangel Uriel Through Traditional Formal Prayer Formal prayer helps us to speak with God and his angels when our own words fail us. When the crowd asked Jesus Christ how they should pray to God, he gave them The Lords Prayer. Clearly, any form of prayer will work if it is humble and honest. The use of traditional formal prayers makes the act easier. During stressful situations, we can struggle to find the right words to say. Formal prayer gives us those words as a starting point from which we can add our own words later is we wish. Using a formal prayer also teaches us how to pray on our own. Traditional prayers follow classical structures that, once learned, can be used to craft something more personal. For centuries, people were persecuted and sometimes executed for reciting these prayers. Knowing this makes reciting these prayers today a powerful and humbling experience. Saying The Rosary The Rosary is probably the most well known type of formal prayer. Using a chain of beads, a person recites a series of traditional prayers venerating the Virgin Mare or reflecting on either moments in their life, lost loved ones, or the Passion of Christ. Rosaries can be used in other ways as well. They can be used for connecting with the archangels by substituting prayers of veneration for the archangel for the Hail Mary prayer used to venerate the Mother of God. A prayer for the veneration of the Archangel Uriel would go like this: Hail Archangel Uriel, Angel of Wisdom You are ever present with the Father And are Blessed in the eyes of the Lord Bring me comfort, for I am troubled So that I might become closer to God Holy Uriel, the Light of God Guide me on the path of righteousness Protect me from evil And pray for me, a sinner To the Lord our God Saying the rosary is a prayerful and meditative discipline. Making the rosary a habit will comfort your soul. Chaplets Chaplets are similar to rosaries, but smaller and quicker to use. They are also available specifically for different saints and the archangels. The Chaplet of The Archangel Uriel consists of the Medal of Uriel, three beads representing the Holy Trinity, and nine beads that represent the nine choirs of angels. The chaplet can be used in the following manner. The medal Holding the medal between your finger and thumb, recite the Hail Archangel Uriel from above. The first three beads Begin each bead with the words Archangel Uriel, intercede for me so that might become closer to God With the first bead, follow this with the Lords Prayer. Using the next beads, follow the words with the Hail Mary and then the Glory Be. The nine beads Say these beads in honor of the nine Angelic Choirs, or just use them as a novena. Say the following prayer with each bead. Holy Lord, God of power and might Heaven and Earth are filled with your Glory Hosanna in the highest Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest. Closing prayer Upon completion, say the following formal prayer to Uriel Archangel Uriel, Fire of God With your fiery sword of God Protect me from evil Bring me to the throne of God On the day of my reckoning Show mercy on my soul And intercede with me To the Lord God Almighty Chaplets are more convenient that rosaries as they are easier to carry with you and can be said relatively quickly. Novenas A novena is a series of prayers said for nine days in a row. They can be the same prayer, or a different one each day. The nine days of prayer remind us of the nine days the apostles spent in prayer between the Ascension and Pentecost. The days between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday are the most popular time for saying novenas, but they can be used at any time. Saying a novena to Uriel is often done around the archangels Feast Day of July 25th or the Feast Day shared with the other archangels, September 29th. Novenas can be said with prayers from prayer books, with chaplets, or y praying the rosary. They can also be used in conjunction with meditative rituals. The Archangel is traditionally associated with the number 9, making novenas a particularly appropriate way to seek your connection with him. Connecting Through Meditation Meditating is different from praying and is an important addition to your spiritual growth. During prayer you are seeking an audience with the divine. You want to be heard, whether you are offering praise, asking forgiveness, or seeking guidance. Prayer is essentially an act of active communication with God and His angels. During meditation, you are seeking to listen more than to hear. There is a place for communicating while meditation, but the act is more importantly an opportunity to be still in body and mind so that you can receive messages from heaven. Through meditation, you enter a trance-like state where you are better able to listen to communication from the angels of the Lord. Mediation can be accomplished anywhere. Using a meditative ritual can be a wonderfully holy and cathartic experience. The process of the meditative ritual brings the body, mind, and soul in to a restful and peaceful state. This opens your awareness to the presence of the divine. To begin meditating, you first need to find a quiet and secluded place. The church is an excellent place for meditative purposes. Most churches are open between services, allowing people to enter and meditate on the word of God. In Catholic churches, the inner room where the Eucharist is displayed is the quietest area is perfect for reaching a meditative state. Meditating in the presence of the Body of Christ is a deeply religious experience. Secluded gardens that are off the beaten path are also wonderful places for meditation. If you do not have access to a place like this, however, you can easily create a meditative space within your own home by setting up a shrine using little more than a table, table cloth, candles, and incense. Once you have found a proper place to meditate, make yourself comfortable and close your eyes. Make yourself become aware of every breath you take, breathing in and out slowly and deeply. As you inhale, feel yourself breathing in the spirit of the Archangel Uriel. As you exhale, allow yourself to release you anxiety and fear. By releasing your anxiety, you make room in your mind and soul for the wisdom which Uriel wants to bestow on you. Meditating is also an excellent way to start your day with energy and focus, or to end your day in a peaceful and reflective state. Visualization during meditation keeps you focused on your objective and helps you to avoid becoming distracted. This is where icons, statues, and images of the Archangel Uriel can be used effectively. These items do nothing of themselves other than to help you remain focused. Do not mistake the images fr the actual presence of the Archangel Uriel, as that would amount to idol worship. Merely let the images help you to create a vision in your own mind that the archangel can fill with his own presence. As you go deeper into your meditation with Uriel, you will see a ray of light. The light will either be white, yellow, or gold, as these are the colors associated with Uriel. Uriel is known as The Fire Of God, so do not be surprised if you see flames in your vision. The visions of fire or light will join with your actual vision of the Archangel Uriel. This way, you will understand with whom you are present. While meditating, you must remain passive. Do not try to manipulate or actively understand the messages you are receiving. This can lead to your ego altering the messages in a way that is easier for you to handle. But, this will result in you losing the message from the archangel. You ego is a powerful tool of Satan. To meditate on the message of the archangel, you need to subjugate you ego completely so that you can fully receive the Uriels message. There will be ample time to make sense of that message once the meditation is complete. Connecting With Uriel Through Simply Speaking Informal conversations with God are becoming common place. Humanity is developing in its collective relationship with God. Where once we could only speak with the Lord in a formal manner, we have learned to converse with God and His angels whenever we feel the need and in whichever way is most expedient and effective. Developing a habit of casually speaking with the divine is more convenient than making time for formal or ritualized prayer, and makes it easier to stay connected with the divine throughout the day. Formal and informal prayers serve the purpose of teaching us how to pray. From these prayers, we learn to offer praise, remain humble, seek forgiveness of our sins, and accept the will of God. Of these things, remaining humble is vital. To receive the blessing of the Archangel Uriel, we must acknowledge that we are not deserving and ask for these blessings along with his mercy. Pride is another tool of Satan. Thus, we must eliminate our pride to ensure out connection with the archangel. Simply speaking to Archangel Uriel is particularly appropriate during emergencies. When we are suffering, God doesnt expect us to just stop what we are doing, grab our rosary, and find a church. He wants to hear from us immediately, just as Christ called out to Him on the cross. Jesus Christ showed us that we can speak to God just as effectively whether we are in a peaceful garden or under extreme physical and spiritual anguish. Having a chaplet, medal, or charm handy can give you something to hold on to and focus on, and also serves to help you to relax. However, they do nothing more than that. The items are not magical on their own. The Use Of Writing To Connect With Uriel Communicating with Archangel Uriel through writing is very effective. Not only does it help those who write better than they speak to make a connection, it creates a journal of that communication that can be referenced later. Sometimes the messages we receive from angels are difficult to decipher immediately but become more clear with the passage of time. Creating a written journal of these messages allows you to review them as time goes by. The journal can also help you to give advice to others who are in your same circumstance, or can persuade people to write to angels on their own. Angelic writing takes two forms automatic dictation and automatic writing. They are similar in that you need to put yourself into a meditative state to begin, as you will be allowing Uriel to use your hands to deliver his message. With both forms, you also need to receive the message without judgment, allowing it to flow directly from the angel to the paper. Modern technology can be used as well by simply replacing your writing instrument with a keyboard. When using automatic dictation to connect with Uriel, you will listening to the message the archangel gives you and writing it down. You will start the process yourself through prayer and meditation so that you can become aware of the presence of Uriel. Nest, write down you question or request for the archangel on a piece of paper. Now, stay ready to write and listen for the archangels response. It is vital that you write down whatever message you receive, even if it doesnt seem to make sense. The process of interpreting the communication while writing puts the ego in the way of the communication, rendering it invalid. Continue to write whatever you receive until the message stops. Once the communication is over you can then go back and try to understand what you received. Understand also that the answer you receive might not be the answer you want. The Archangel Uriel is wise and knows what is best for us. Often, what is best for us seems confusing or comfortable at first. You must trust these messages through your faith. Also, if the message is confusing, dont try to force meaning into it. Allow time to pass and revisit the message from time to time. Eventually, life experiences and the passage of time will help you to understand what the archangel was telling you. Automatic writing is a little bit different. After asking your question of the archangel, sit completely still and let your pen hover over the paper. When you start to receive the message, the pen will start to move over the paper on its own. Do not try to influence the motion of the pen. Keeping your eyes closed is a good idea, because you might be tempted to finish a word that you think you recognize when the angel is trying to communicate something else. Keep in mind that the communication might be a picture instead of words. Trying to influence the outcome will result in a communication that is inaccurate and makes no sense. Both forms of angelic writing require you to free your mind completely of all preconceptions and allow the communication to flow freely. Do not allow yourself to edit, correct, or judge the communication. Simply accept what is given to you. If it doesnt make sense, save it and come back to it later. Angelic messages come to us with an understanding of a future that we have yet to experience. Given time, the message and guidance you receive will make perfect sense to you. Connecting With Uriel In Your Dreams Archangels are quite fond of communicating with us through our dreams. When Uriel appears in dreams and visions, the encounter is very intense and intimidating. Archangels are no-nonsense, straight to the point communicators. There is no small talk, they are strictly about their business. Unsolicited interactions with Uriel are extremely rare because so few people can handle the gifts of wisdom and prophecy that Uriel bestows. Should you be visited by Uriel in your dreams, count yourself most fortunate. Uriel only visits those who the archangel believes can handle the intensity of the connection. And, the gift of prophecy he endows people with comes with great responsibility. Uriel is a teacher, and the lessons can be difficult ones. Always remember that, no matter how uncomfortable the message or lesson is, it is being bestowed upon you with love and grace. Reaching out to Uriel in your dreams is not dangerous, nor is it for the faint of heart. You must prepare yourself for the encounter by praying to Uriel to deliver you from fear. The powerful presence of the archangel is known to cause immense fear. This is due to the archangels God-like power, and not from any intent from the archangel to cause you to feel afraid. Believe that the archangel will not allow harm to come to you, and you should be able to relax and allow yourself to receive his presence. If you want Uriel to appear to you in your dreams, set yourself up before going to bed. Start with several prayers to the archangel. Rosaries and chaplets are perfect for this purpose. Then, as you drift of to sleep, repeat the words Archangel Uriel, allow me into your presence. As you fall asleep, your resting souls will enter the spiritual realm where the archangels reside. There, you will meet Uriel and receive your message. Recognizing The Presence Of The Archangel Uriel Making a connection with an archangel is a deeply religious and overwhelmingly emotional experience. These are the angels who will defeat Satan during the end times, who announced the birth of Jesus Christ to the world, and who deliver Gods messages to humanity. But just because a spiritual experience is immensely powerful does not necessarily mean that an archangel is present. Here are some clues to help you recognize when the Archangel Uriel is present. 1) You gain new insights and wisdom The Archangel Uriel is assigned to give people divine wisdom. If after your attempts to connect with the archangel you find yourself with a new understanding of your situation, you have likely been in contact with Uriel. Connecting with Uriel will cause your focus to move off of your worldly problems and on to God. You will become conscious of the everlasting presence of God and His angels. You might also find that you have received the gift prophecy. With this gift, you will not necessarily be able to foresee the future, but you will clearly see the consequences of your actions as well as the actions of others, and you will be able to guide people along the path of righteousness. 2) You suddenly grow in confidence Your new found wisdom will boost your confidence. You will feel empowered as you set wisely set yourself on the path to Gods glory. This confidence will not resemble cockiness. Rather, you will hold yourself and act in a way that reveals your understanding of Gods will in your life and the life of others. Many will be drawn to you for this, while others will shun you due to their lack of faith in God. 3) You will be motivated to help and serve others God and His angels grant these gifts to humanity not to be hidden but to be used to help others. A true connection with Uriel will be a life change in experience. You will feel obligated to use your new wisdom for the good of others, not for your own selfish gain. Interactions with the archangels spur us into action for the glory of God. This motivation to help others will also come with the ability to make positive changes in the lives of others. You will have the Archangel Uriel with you always to help you help others. 4) You will see or feel light, fire, and/or electricity Uriel is the Fire of God, and is associates with brightness, heat, and energy. People who have connected with Uriel report feeling an electric charge flow through their body. Some have also seen a flame or fire that burns hot and bright yet destroys nothing. Although nothing seems to be destroyed by the fire, it burns so hot and bright that you can smell the heat 5) The sights, smells, and sounds of Uriel Besides light and fire, Uriel is associated with the colors white, gold, red, yellow, and orange. When the archangel is present, you will smell the pungent and spicy aromas of sandalwood, cinnamon, and nutmeg. You might even have a vision of a beautiful angel dressed in leather and armor and holding a sword of fire, or riding in a chariot holding a bow and arrow. For more casual encounters, Uriel will appear dressed in a red tunic with leather sandals or boots. Uriel is also the Angel of Music and the Angel of Poetry. The patron saint of artists and musicians, Uriels presence is always accompanied by the beautiful and poetic music of the Angelic Choir. When you receive a message from Uriel, you will no it to be authentic if you are compelled to act on the message right away. Your new wisdom will excite you and guide you in the right direction. Archangel encounters are highly motivating and life changing. One cannot help but change they way they see and approach the world after such an encounter. Connections with archangels can also be terrifying. These are powerful spiritual beings that are closely related to God the Father. The Bible states that no one can set eyes on the Lord and survive. While the same is not true of the archangels, the encounter is indeed similar. Feeling afraid during an encounter with an archangel is entirely natural. If you ask the archangel to remove your fear, you will immediately be out at peace. Asking Uriels Help With Lifes Struggles The Archangel Uriel is adept at helping us with our daily struggles. From Uriel we can the wisdom and insight we need to make the right choices on a daily basis. God has assigned Uriel the ask of granting us wisdom in order to bring us closer to Him. This is his greatest gift. Uriel will clear your mind of anxiety and dread, and fill it with holy wisdom. When Uriel presents you with his wisdom, he will change the way you perceive the world, the spiritual realm, and your place in each. You will no longer wee yourself as a mere mortal being. You will understand you place in God eternal plan for the universe. This wisdom will rule your every though and action. You will no longer feel lost. Rather, the way of the righteous will become clear to you and you will follow that path with a content and sacred heart. Also known as the Archangel of Salvation, Uriel helps us with every aspect of our lives. He grants us the power of unconditional forgiveness. He shows us how to turn disappointment and failure into victory for the glory of God. And, he will be waiting for us at the end of our days here on Earth to grant us access to the Kingdom of Heaven. Archangel Uriel will intercede with God on the behalf of anyone who asks with a humble heart. Our mortal experience is rough, but necessary to prepare our souls for the paradise that awaits us in Heaven. The wisdom Uriel grants us gives us the ability to navigate our way through out most troubling times without straying from our path or losing our faith in the Almighty. Anytime you feel overwhelmed in your life, you should seek guidance from the Archangel Uriel. As the Angel of Music, Uriel can bring all aspects of our life into harmony. If you are not getting along with coworkers, Uriel can bring peace. If you are struggling with problems that you have caused for yourself, Uriel will help you to forgive yourself and find your way out of you self-imposed predicament in ways you did not see before making your connection. Asking Uriel For Help With Health Problems The Angel of Music wants our entire life to be in harmony. This includes our spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health. The archangel understands that our physical well-being takes a toll on our spiritual health and can erode our faith in God. Along with spiritual wisdom, Archangel Uriel gives us the wisdom to make the right choices in regards to our health so that we can take better care of our bodies and treat them as a temple to God. Uriel is also ever-present with God, which makes him a great intercessor whenever we need healing. Asking Uriel to intercede on your behalf when you are ill or injured will bring a multitude of blessings. First, it will open your heart and soul to receive the healing power of God. Second, it strengthens your mind and spirit, which in turn helps you to endure the healing process. Also, Uriel will give you wisdom so that you will be able to take the proper steps to let our body heal. He will bring all the systems of your body in to harmony, so that they can work as one to heal your body on the inside. Uriel is also a worthy ally to have when we find ourselves to be terminally ill. All of us end our lives in the same way. We all must die. When your God appointed time has come, Uriel will be there to protect you and to welcome you at the Aptitude Influences: Second Language Acquisition Aptitude Influences: Second Language Acquisition Second language learning aptitude is featured as strengths which individual learners have in the cognitive abilities information processing during L2 learning and accomplishment in various stages and within different contexts. Aptitude has conventionally been observed as a key factor in the domain of L2 learning in which Ehrman and Oxford (1995) propose that its measures are most strongly correlated with L2 proficiency among all the individual differences (ID) variables. Therefore, emphasizing on the way it is measured, its role in the second language acquisition (SLA) process, and most importantly, the extent to which its factors may affect L2, aptitude can be confirmed as a strong predictor of academic success in SLA. In this paper, after discussing the nature of aptitude in general, a few important aptitude factors which contribute to SLA will be focused. DEFINITION OF LANGUAGE APTITUDE In an early review paper on aptitude research, Carroll (1981) defines general aptitude as an ability of learning a task, which involves a special inclination towards learning L2 and depends on some combination of persistent characteristics of the learner. In Carrolls specific view, aptitude is separated from achievement and motivation. Also, aptitude must be seen as a stable factor, perhaps even innate. Notably, it is not a prerequisite for L2 acquisition and should be distinct from general intelligence. CARROLLS INITIAL WORK It is appropriate to start the discussion of aptitude with a review of the work of the American psychologist J. B. Carroll who dominated the area by researched foreign language aptitude and established the parameters within which the sub-field still operates. It is important to report that till date, there has been large-scale work in making use of the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) produced by Carroll and Sapon (1959). Carrolls four factors of aptitude Carroll (1965, 1991) reports that aptitude contains four sub-components, namely, phonemic coding ability, grammatical sensitivity, inductive language analytic ability, and memory. Their descriptions can be expanded and their perspectives can be processed to SLA by using the four factors as described below. Phonemic coding ability This is not simply the ability to make sound discrimination, but the ability to code foreign sounds in such a way that they can be recalled later. Sound discrimination can be different from one to another; however, there is no correlation between this variation and language learning success. What really correlates is the ability to analyze sound so that it can be done quicker and can be recalled more readily without the need of having immediate rehearsal (Skehan, 1998). Associative memory This involves the ability to make connections between stimuli and responses, for instance, foreign language words or equivalents, and to develop such links strength. At the time of the MLAT production, its interpretation reflected the focus on psychology, described it as relatively simple stimulus-response connections, without mentioning more complex memory organization or representation. Skehan, (1980) has expanded in the recent aptitude research to the conceptualization of memory significantly, to seeing memory as only one part of aptitude but not the most important aspect. Instead, the ability to memorize more auditorily complex material are now viewed as more powerful predictors of L2 learning. Grammatical sensitivity The ability to understand the contribution that words make in sentences is the main focus in this area. The passive aspect to this ability is to emphasize recognition of function other than explicit representation (Skehan, 1998). Inductive language analytic ability This involves the ability to analyze a corpus of language material and then pay attention and discover patterns of correspondence and relationships including meaning and syntactic form. No matter it involves implicit or explicit rule representation, this fundamental attribute represents an ability to identify pattern, especially in verbal material. In addition, it is a productive ability in which the identification of pattern can be viewed as the beginning of inferring from input material for producing language based on the pattern which has been identified (Skehan, 1998). POST CARROL RESEARCH Since Carrolls influential work, the story of aptitude has not changed very much. However, it is useful to briefly review the studies which have appeared. Working during the 1960s, Pimsleur (1966) produces the only alternative battery, the Pimsleur Language Aptitude Battery (PLAB), targeted at high school students. This set of sub-tests is broadly similar to Carrolls MLAT, but places greater emphasis on auditory factors, and less on memory. Since then, there has been marginalizing influence related to the putative link between aptitude and learning context. Many researchers believe that foreign language aptitude with the methodologies that prevailed at the time of Carrolls research no longer survives in SLA field. In particular, Krashen (1981) links foreign language aptitude to learning, in which it involves teacher-led activities and occurs in classrooms. In other words, aptitude is explicit rule-focus, non-communicative practice, and learners awareness of language items. As a matter of fact, however, Reves (1983) points out the existing evidence between aptitude scores and naturalistic learning as well as de Graaff (1997a, 1997b) and Robinson (1995) mention the connections between aptitude scores and acquisitional measures that move towards the center of aptitude related to L2 acquisition processes. Post Carrolls five factors of aptitude Inspirations from SLA and foreign language aptitude will have led to be given an understanding of aptitude factors, namely, capacity to process input, implicit and explicit learning, output, attention and Focus on Form (FonF) Techniques and age, as highlighted in the following paragraphs. Capacity to process input SLA in earlier days mainly mentions input, and Krashen (1985) even comments that learners are required to process comprehensible input for meaning, which certainly engages the mechanism of language acquisition. Further developments have shown limitations by using this approach (Swain, 1985, 1995). VanPatten (1990, 1996) finds how input can be processed more effectively through carrying out a key research tradition in this aspect. A researcher later proves that if learners are placed under any level of information processing pressure, they can make use of their limited processing resources to reach the meaning (Van Patten, 1990). Furthermore, learners can only involve in forming an input if their processing capacity is available. Schmidt (1995, 2001) has pointed out the importance of noticing which includes the necessity to direct attention to some aspects of the input. On the one hand, Krashen provides the processing of comprehensible input and argues that such processing will turn out to develop an implicit system without awareness of learner in general. On the other hand, Schmidt claims that development involves noticing as a precondition in which it is necessary to have aspects of form before noticing consciously in the input. Definitely, this does not mean that complexity and ramifications of the aspect of form has to be thoroughly understood but to be in focal attention. Afterwards, additional processes, whether it is implicit or explicit, can be brought out. Noticing, therefore, becomes a pre-requisite condition, instead of a full explanation on the process of teaching and learning. Implicit and Explicit Learning The earlier research discusses the relationship of cognitive abilities to learning under instructional exposure in different conditions. Some recent researchers try to identify relationships between the information processing demands of different instructional sets and the L2 learner, and in addition, how influential these instructional sets are on learning (Robinson Ha, 1993; Williams, 1999). These instructional sets contain the symbols: +/- awareness of targets, +/- intention to learn targets, and +/- explicit metalinguistic information in relation to the form of targets. It is discovered that that L2 learning in explicit conditions, with certain level of metalinguistic awareness and instruction, were as effective and efficient as learning in implicit conditions under the condition that the stimulus domain was complex rather than having a simple L2 stimulus domain (Robinson, 1996a and de Graaff, 1997b). In addition, as measured by subtests of traditional tests like Carrolls MLAT, Robinson (1997a) and Williams (1999) claim that ID in aptitude and memory ability affect learning in both implicit and explicit conditions. Hence, it is suggested that adult L2 learning under all conditions of exposure is basically more or less the same (Robinson, 1996b, 2001) since the ID in the conscious information processing abilities are the underlying differences in the extent of learning which can be observed through the measurement of aptitude and memory tests. There are findings proving that L2 learning is facilitated when strengths in patterns of abilities or aptitudes are compatible with the processing demands of certain instructional sets. On the contrary, Krashens (1982) supports that implicit learning is basically different from explicit learning as the former focuses on unconscious processes and is insensitive to ID in the abilities in the traditional aptitude tests measurement such as MLAT which forms contrast to the concept of the latter. Output The output study is important in SLA in which the emphasis of most research activity has been on competence-oriented analyses of structural change. Therefore, output can be observed either as the immediate and extensive results of structural change, or the consequence of automatisation process. New analysis of output has recently formed a more central role. It is argued that the use of communication strategies can be influential to language development. Although it is at the expense of pressure for structural change, such strategies enable the effective communication of meanings. The necessity to communicate may induce more difficulties in basic form changes in some L2 learners (Schmidt, 1983; Skehan, 1992, 1998). Moreover, the nature of fluency should be understood or viewed as an interesting problem in SLA learners. Bygate (1988) clarifies that learners make noticeable dependence on time-creating devices to ease off real-time processing pressure. At the same time, Foster (2001) points out that learners lexically depend on chunks of language which function as wholes and therefore ease off processing demands as they can be retrieved without internal analysis. Since language in this view depends on lexicalized chunks, a different analysis on the role of memory in language processing is required. Instead of using a conservative slot-and-filler approach which involves syntactic rules and lexical elements, language as memory reliant can be used with the need of a capacious, redundantly-stored memory system. This is the only way to ensure speakers to have the pressures of real-time processing. Attention and Focus on Form (FonF) Techniques Many earlier research studies conducted classroom research under the influence of different kinds of intervention aiming to direct learner attention to L2 form through activities, which have a primary focus on meaning and the accomplishment of communicative goals (Doughty, 2004; Doughty Williams, 1998). The degree of attention to form in classroom L2 processing is being controlled by using various FonF techniques, for instance, input flooding which is a technique for drawing attention to form in input processing (White, 1998), input enhancement (Fridman, Doughty, 1995; Robinson, 1997b), structured input processing independent of rule explanation (Benati, 2004; Farley, 2004;); and recasting (Lyster, 2004; Philp, 2003). Research findings of less communicative FonF techniques generate mixed results recently, with some research proving input enhancement and recasting, but not others, do affect subsequent L2 learning. One reason behind is that in the studied population, the aptitudes or abilities of some L2 learners, are more suitable to learn from one FonF technique while others are not. Two recent studies show this may be due to recasting. Mackey, Philp, Egi, Fujii, and Tatsumi (2002), in collaboration with various levels of students who join foreign language EFL program, discover obvious positive relationships between phonological working memory capacity measurement and recasts of noticing of information in communicative L2 interaction within three consecutive days. Yet, lower educational levels learners indicate this relationship more significantly than that of higher educational levels learners. Likewise, Robinson (1999) and Robinson Yamaguchi (1999) report obvious positive correlations between phonetic sensitivity measurement and rote memory, in which learning from recasts by university level and non-language majors over a five week of task-based interaction. Pre- and post-test scores on relative clause production are used to measure learning as a whole, with the targeted form in the research. Age Cooper (2002) shows evidence that intelligence measures in middle childhood can be used to predict intelligence in later life. The other side of the coin, yet, is that age is a central factor to an individuals language learning capacity as proved by a huge body of literature on the critical period hypothesis mentioning age-related changes in SLA. Therefore, it is practical to assume that aptitude changes occurred over time is in relation to some age-related variation. Researcher proves that foreign language aptitude shown to be relatively fixed over long period of ones life span (Carroll, 1981). Bristol-linked research of Skehan also claims aptitude is stable because of the obvious correlations between related measures taken more than 10 years apart. Therefore, Skehan (1989) comments that abilities during some language learning arise by the age of three and a half. Nonetheless, he highlights that it is not too clear if these abilities are innate or are affected by the early environment where the children are exposed to in the first three years of age. Harley and Hart (1997), however, have recently indicated that the story is not so straightforward. By investigating Grade 7 and Grade 11 L2 learners, the extent of different aptitude factors predictive qualities which changed with age can be analyzed. They conclude that different factors of aptitude were involved in the different age groups. The younger the children, the stronger the correlations were found with the memory factors, while the older the learners, the highest explanatory power showed in the language analysis subtests. DISCUSSION Foreign language aptitude studies and the related research decline notably from the 1970s with the following suggested reasons behind (Skehan, 2002). Firstly, aptitude is considered as anti-egalitarian in which testing aptitude of someone and assigning them a score really contain a forbidding quality. According to the assumption of the possible fixed talent and shaped level of achievement, language learning capacity would be measured in a rigid manner and may hence lead to the consequent that aptitude which is originally taken to be the value of individual effort is vanished. Instead of struggling against the nature of aptitude and its measurement as mentioned above, many researchers disagree with this strict perspective and choose other options in their research field for an effective pedagogy. Secondly, the study of aptitude accompanies with old-fashioned audiolingual methodologies. Consequently, with these methodologies, aptitude was considered to be particularly suit the prediction under such situations (Skehan, 2002). Two developments highlighted the disadvantages of these methodologies. Firstly, when the communicative approach becomes more effective, researchers start to question the relevance of aptitude. Although it can be used to predict the structured input and practice oriented activities, it is not a meaningful approach applied to communicative language teaching. Secondly, the growth of SLA research after 1970 has led to the naturalistic engagement of the processes of acquisition and at the same time, the handling of learners input from communicative contexts. Again, aptitude is viewed as an irrelevant item which actually meets the requirement of an outmode class teaching and learning. In addition, Krashen (1981), who insists that aptitude is only for the purpose of learning rather than acquisition, comments that the marginality of learning is a very destructive assessment of the role of aptitude. Thirdly, it is an obvious that English Language teachers are not interested in the individual differences that exist among learners (Skehan, 2002). This may due to the fact that there is a huge growth of importance in the material of language teaching and learning. The forward movement of such materials means textbooks should be published in a way that can suit the largest markets for the teachers and learners. Those textbook series are sold in a large number which reflects the growing importance of English as a global language, with more international and general in nature. In other words, it is not an attractive commercial option for having the ideas of catering for individual learning preferences, styles, or aptitudes. Therefore, it is more a general theory to predict that all learners are exactly the same with the over-riding issue of these textbooks. Teachers and textbook writers find that the individual learner differences are based on a generalized aptitude score and are hence no longer attractive, especially under the situation of having mixed-ability classes. CONCLUSION Defined as the capacity of language learning, aptitude is one of the key areas in individual learner differences in SLA. Its strong correlation with the language proficiency makes it a predictor of academic success in learners acquisition of language. Both Carrolls initial work and post Carroll research contain factors contributing to the aptitude which in turn influencing SLA. It is worth to discuss those factors widely across the timeline because they dominate the area of research in foreign language aptitude and involve lots of pedagogical activities in classrooms. However, for many years, aptitude has been isolated from the wider contexts of foreign language learning and acquisition as discussed. Perhaps, aptitude may well be a central theory if there is a focus on form in SLA. Also, under the condition that critical period for second language learning is accepted generally, and the real acquisition is undertaking, aptitude may then well represent ID which is responsible for the effectiveness of language learning.