What Is Minsburgs Most Important Monetary Centre

INTRODUCTION Frankfurt is Europe’s most important monetary centre. Home of the many of Germany’s most famous business companies, skyscrapers ris, earning Frankfurt on the Main the nickname Manhattan. At the bottom of the tall, glass structures, the fashionable thoroughfares, like the Zeil, area unit lined with boutiques and standard stores, and throughout the town cafes, bars and clubs offer ample recreation worth for the 650,000 inhabitants and guests. Throughout the year, the huge Messe Convention Centre hosts world category conventions, events and concerts, simply adding to the mmo boftourists , that swell the population at any time. Frankfurt suffered in warfare II .Sadly this reduced one in all Europe’s largest medieval†¦show more content†¦Here throughout the summer months crowds intercommunicate rows of out of doors seating to get pleasure from a night within the heat air. As an alternative, within the northeast corner of the town, the one-time village of Bornheim retains its ordered back atmosphere and caffee culture despite being absolutely incorporated into the massive town. HISTORY THE ROYAL CITY The citys royal connections continued throughout the center Ages. Frederick I, a Holy Emperor of Rome referred to as Barbarossa, was elective to be King of Federal Republic of Germany here. Frankfurt within the middle Ages was an active town. By the mid-13th century, the town had began to gain a name as a world trade centre. In 1372, Frankfurt on the Main had gained such a reputation for itself that it had been granted the title of Free Imperial City. As a member of the Reichstag, it had been basically an independent entity, answerable directly to the Emperor himself. In 1478, book merchants arrived within the town for their terribly 1st Frankfurt Fair. It had been to be the beginning of an official attachment between the town and the worlds business enterprise community that continues to the current day. within the fifteenth century. The creation of a bourse here in 1585 meant that the town currently had its own suggests that of dominant and exchanging cash. By this time ,

The Yellow Wallpaper And We Wear The Mask - 2050 Words

Both Paul Laurence Dunbar and Charlotte Perkins Gilman grew up during the Romantic Period, a time period in which helped derive their voices based on their own individual life experiences, leading to their distinctive works of literature. Both Dunbar and Gilman depict the struggles of repressed social groups due to societal inequities in the early nineteenth century through their works of literature. Around the time when both writers were published, during the Realistic Period (1860-1900), American life began to change. The tone of gloom and hope yet decline and progress were reflective of the â€Å"Gilded Age,† the age of â€Å"extremes† (technological revolution). The Yellow Wallpaper and â€Å"We Wear the Mask† both encompass various similarities and differences found through literacy elements such as form, tone, perspective and History’s elemental role in the overlying theme of the freedom of self-expression. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is a short work of fiction based on the authors own experience with an unequal marriage and hardships of unfulfilled desired of self-expression. In â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† we see various literacy elements used such as perspective, form, tone and history used to create a fictional piece about women’s roles in society and the passion the author has for this aspect of society. It is important to know the background of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† to better understand, Gilman and where the perspective of this piece of fiction is coming from. 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Wendy’s Case Analysis Paper Essay Sample free essay sample

Wendy’s ( Once branded as Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers ) is an international fast nutrient concatenation eating house founded by Dave Thomas on November 15. 1969. in Columbus. Ohio. United States. Wendy’s known as the Wendy’s/Arby’s Group is the 3rd speedy service eating house company. The amalgamation of the two companies in 2011 comprised of the two trade names Wendy’s and Arby’s. Wendy’s/Arby’s Group generated about $ 12 billion in system broad gross revenues and comprise over 10. 000 eating houses. The industry as whole is dominated by what is termed the â€Å"big four† which comprises McDonalds. Burger King. Wendy’s/Arby’s Group. and Yum Brands. Wendy’s/Arby’s Group completed the sale of Arby’s Restaurant Group in July of 2011to Atlanta-based private equity house Roark Capital Group. and dropped the joint beef sandwich concatenation from its name. The company will make co ncern as The Wendy’s Company effectual Tuesday and go on to merchandise under the heart â€Å"WEN† on the New York Stock Exchange. Olsen. S. ( 2011. 07/5 ) . Wend’ys eating houses sells arb’ys concatenation. alterations name. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //usatoday30. usatoday. com/money/industries/food/2011 Currently. McDonalds has gained the most attending among concerns within the speedy service industry. which is shown through their strong advantage in market incursion every bit good as entire gross. while the Wendy’s has been by and large recognized as the leader in quality and client service. Wendy’s started out as a individual shop in downtown Columbus. Ohio and from origin was born puting extreme importance on supplying quality. Dave Thomas believed quality was the foundation he put the phrase â€Å"quality is in our recipe† in the logo. There are about 6. 600 Wendy’s eating houses in operation in the United States and in 21 other states and districts. Wendy’s has seen slow but steady growing but financially and internationally. since their start in 1969 by making the mileposts of traveling public in September of 1976. traveling planetary in 1988. and making 5000 shops by March of 1997. As of March 2012. Wendy’s was the world’s 3rd largest beefburger fast nutrient concatenation with about six thousand six hundred and 50 locations. following McDonald’s thirty one 1000 plus locations and Burger King’s twenty two 1000 plus locations. Approximately 70 seven per centum of Wendy’s eating houses are franchised. the bulk of which are located in North America. Wendy’s and its affiliates employ more than 40 six thousand people in its planetary operations. Wendy’s bill of fare consists of beefburgers. poulet sandwiches. Gallic french friess. fish. salads. stuffed baked murphies. side dishes. and drinks. including the Frosty. a signifier of soft service ice pick mixed with frozen starches. The company does non hold a signature sandwich. such as the Big Mac or the Whopper. Alternatively. the square Burger cakes are their signature points. The square Burger cakes are fresh land beef instead than frozen Burger cakes. Wendy’s offers two different beefburger cakes. a â€Å"Junior† 2. 25 ounce ( 63. 8 gm ) cake and its â€Å"Single† 4 ounce ( 113. 4 gm ) cake. 4 ounce cakes are sold in individual. dual. and ternary sizes whereas the junior cakes sell in individual and dual cakes. The ol d size of two ounces per junior cake was altered to 1. 78 ounce size in 2007 to salvage on disbursals from lifting nutrient costs. They so raised the cake size up to 2. 25 ounces when Wendy’s Hot and Juicy beefburgers were introduced. In August 2011. the Junior Double Stack was discontinued and the new Cheesy Cheddarburger was introduced. Originally. Wendy’s had merely two sorts of poulet sandwiches. fried and grilled. The spicy poulet sandwich started out as a promotional sandwich. It was subsequently put on the bill of fare full-time in 1996 due to its popularity and the fact that compared to most promotional sandwiches. it was much simpler to do. The same condiments as the criterion breaded poulet sandwich were used for the sandwich. In 1988. Wendy’s was the first fast-food concatenation to make a individual price-point value bill of fare where all points listed on that bill of fare were priced entirely at 99? . The bill of fare was restructured in 2007 due to lifting costs as the Super Value Menu with monetary values runing from 99? to $ 2. 00. In 2010. Wendy’s introduced the Every Day Value Menu with nine points at $ 0. 99 ( eight points at $ 1. 89 in Canada ) . Wendy’s has been regarded as one of the best nutrient eating houses with exceeding client service. Wendy’s Mission Statement is. â€Å"Do the Right Thing! † By making the right thing. Wendy’s incorporates people excellence. clap their people. affect others. and grow leaders within its civilization. We at Wendy’s strive every twenty-four hours to continue and implement the criterions and ethical motives that our laminitis. Dave Thomas. instilled in the Wendy’s name: Making it â€Å"Dave’s Way! † â€Å"Here we neer cut corners! † We. along with Dave. genuinely believe we are the â€Å"Employer of Choice. † and you will. excessively. Our vision is to continuously turn stakeholder value by leveraging the strengths of vibrant. independent eating house trade names. As of September 2012 Emil J. Brolick will take over as the new CEO of Wendy’s. CEO Roland Smith stepped down from the place. Emil J. Brolick is a company veteran and former executive at Yum! Brands and will be Ronald Smith’s replacement. LaPrete. J. ( 2011. 10/18 ) . Wend’ys chief executive officer emil brolick ha s large programs to toss its ranking. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //usatoday30. usatoday. com/money/industries/food/story/2011-10-17/wendys-ceo-emil-brolick/50806918/1 Part II: Swot Analysis The industrial analysis of Wendy’s contains information and research relating to the Industry as a whole and how these factors affect non merely Wendy’s but their competition. We did an external audit of the industry to find mark markets of rivals. what our rivals do better and worse than us every bit good as buttocks Wendy’s international state of affairs compared to other companies. The Fast nutrient industry’s mark market as a whole is anyone who would wish to eat a hot repast while on the spell. in peculiar Burgers and french friess. However there are specific mark groups that McDonalds and Burger King focal point on through their advertisement. In peculiar. kids. adolescents. and minority groups such as African Americans and Hispanics are largely targeted through commercials. print ads. and internet streamers. Each of these groups is non merely exposed to more advertizements so normal but will besides be capable to content that caters and entreaties t o them specifically. Research shows that members of these mark groups will see at least one McDonald’s advertizement each and every twenty-four hours. Childs are targeted by utilizing kid friendly characters such as the buffoon â€Å"Ronald McDonald† which is used by McDonalds. film and telecasting show partnerships such as utilizing accredited characters for â€Å"Kid’s Meals† . and even companies like McDonalds even have web sites such as â€Å"Ronald. com† that has games for kids every bit immature as 3. These tactics are found to be successful because immature kids request eating houses that they’re familiar with when they get hungry and most parents will compel their kid. Adolescents are normally targeted by wit and/or popular entertainers such as instrumentalists or rapper. Our competition besides uses â€Å"snack† offerings at unusual eating times to provide to a adolescents â€Å"on the go† and â€Å"spontaneous† life style. In 2009 adolescents saw at least 5 advertizements of McDonalds or Burger King per twenty-four hours. These advertisement tactics are successful du e to teenager’s high Calories intake and 25 % of adolescent orders at fast nutrient eating houses order a big or extra-large soft drink and Fry. while 75 % order larger than normal Burgers. Minority groups are targeted by the choice of music played during an advertizement and the locations of the existent eating houses in urban vicinities. African American adolescents view 50 % more fast nutrient ads than Whites and 75 % more McDonalds ads than their Caucasic opposite numbers. McDonalds even have plans such as â€Å"365 Black† to provide and back up the African American community. Our competition is really successful utilizing these tactics with their mark markets across the board. Wendy’s mark market compared to our rivals is a higher age group that embraces the quality and made to order preciseness of Wendy’s over a faster merchandise that wasn’t made with the sum of attention. Our competitors’ exploit their mark markets with originative selling tactics whereas Wendy’s likes to depend on the merchandise and its humanism to construct a relationship with our clients that will last for old ages to come. Although we believe that our rivals such as McDonald’s and Burger King usage of advertisement and new gross revenues tactics are better than Wendy’s. particularly w ith young person and minorities we believe Wendy’s can still turn in this country without beliing our belief in quality. We besides believe that our meat choice which is â€Å"fresh. neer frozen† and newly sliced veggies. and alternate side dish choice keeps our existent merchandises and meal choice caput and shoulders above our competition if quality is the lone factor that mattered. Financial Ratio’s and Data Averages for Wendy’s: Tax return on Assets| -2. 3 % |Tax return on Invested Capital| -2. 9 % |Gross Profit Margin| 25. 1 % |Pre-Tax Net income Margin| -4. 4 % |Post-Tax Net income Margin| -3. 6 % |Net Net income Margin ( Entire Operations ) | -3. 6 % |R A ; D as a % of Sales| 0. 0 % |SG A ; A as a % of Sales| 13. 9 % |Debt/Equity Ratio| 0. 66|Entire Debt/Equity Ratio| 0. 68| Below is our EFE and IFE Matrixes:EFE of Wendy’sEFE MatrixThe EFE Matrix is used to find the external factors that can assist or ache the organisation. Opportunities and menaces are the factors that play functions in making this EFE Matrix. This shows what sort of response the company can do and if it is of import or non so of import. Menaces: 1. Vegetarian and Vegan Lifestyle are on the rise and has peaked in recent old ages. 5 % of America is Vegetarian ( 2. 5 % of that are wholly vegan ) 33 % of Americans eat â€Å"mostly veggies. † 2. 47 % of Americans eat at least 1 â€Å"vegetarian meal† per hebdomad. 3. Fleshiness causes over 325. 000 deceases in the United States every twelvemonth more than auto accidents. drugs. intoxicant. and guns combined. 4. – New York City Health Department became first metropolis in state to criminalize the sale of fountain drinks over 16 oz in eating houses. 5. Addition in Labor cost in US. 6. The really low temperatures in the Plains have been doing harm to farm animal. doing the unrecorded cows monetary values travel up. $ 89. 50- $ 95. 50 per hundred weight. Opportunities:7. Financially. fleshiness costs Americans 117 billion dollars every twelvemonth in health care disbursement and lost rewards. 8. Families are trusting on nutrient readying outside of the place as a beginning for at place and off from place ingestion. 9. Fast nutrient spread outing in big rural countries. 10. Food Service industry has grown 3. 6 % in the last twelvemonth. made 604 Billion in 2011. Howard Hoyle III 11. Brand reinvention to better visibleness. 12. Committedness to cut down the degrees of salt in the nutrients they serve. change overing to big additions for the population’s wellness. WeightRatingWeighted Mark1. . 031. 032. . 031. 033. . 091. 094. . 082. 165. . 062. 126. . 103. 307. . 091. 098. . 124. 489. . 123. 3610. . 112. 2211. . 093. 2712. . 082. 16Entire: 1. 005. 11Menaces:1. We weighed this as. 03 because we felt like it was non really of import and rated it a 1 because we are in a hapless place to halt people from desiring to go a vegetarian. 2. This was weighed as. 03 because we felt like it was non really of import and rated it a 1 because we are in a hapless place to forestall that sum of Americans to non eat a vegetarian repast. 3. It is weighed as. 09 because we felt like it was non as of import and rated it a 1 because we are in a hapless place to forestall the corpulent clients who wants and continues to purchase the merchandises. 4. We weighed this as. 09 because we felt like it was non as of import and rated it a 2 because we are non in a good adequate place to avoid this criminal. This criminal could get down something worldwide. 5. This was weig hed as. 03 because we felt like it was non really of import and rated it a 2 because labour costs could diminish the net incomes and cause layoffs. 6. We weighed this as. 11 because we felt like it was really of import and rated it a 1 because we are in a hapless place to forestall the farm animal in the fields from being excessively cold doing the cowss to decease. Opportunities: 7. This was weighed as. 09 because we felt like it was non really of import and rated it a 1 because we are in a hapless place to assist assistance because we can’t command what the clients eat. 8. It is weighed as. 12 because we felt like it was of import and rated it a 4 because we felt like we are in a great place to take advantage of the trusting on nutrient readying outside of the place. 9. This was weighed as. 12 because we felt like it was of import and rated it a 3 because we are in a high place to take advantage of expanded in rural countries. 10. We weighed this as. 11 because we felt like it was really of import and rated it a 2 because we are non in a good adequate place to take advantage of the full fast nutrient market. 11. It is weighed as. 09 because we felt like it was non as of import and rated it a 3 because we are in a high place to take advantage reinventing our trade name to better our visibleness. 12. We weighed this as. 09 because we felt like it was no n as of import and rated it a 2 because we are non in a good adequate place to take advantage of cut downing the salt degrees. IFE of Wendy’sIFE MatrixThe IFE Matrix is used to find the internal factors that affect the organisation. Internal factors would include the strengths and failings. which both go manus and manus with the advantages and disadvantages of the company. Ultimately. this chart shows what the company does better than their competition and what the company is missing on. Internal Factors Evaluation for Wendy’s| | Weight| Rating| Weighted Score|Strengths|Brand Name and Goodwill| 12 % | 4| . 48|Cost Efficiency and Operations| 10 % | 4| . 40|New Product Opportunities| 12 % | 3| . 36|Advertising A ; Marketing| 10 % | 3| . 30|Operation Hours ( Open Late ) | 6 % | 2| . 12|Customer Value on Products| 10 % | 4| . 40|Atmosphere ( inside of the shop ) | 4 % | 2| . 08|Weaknesses|Global Market Placement| 12 % | 1| . 12|Domestic Market Placement| 6 % | 2| . 12|Menu Diversity| 10 % | 2| . 20|Management Programs| 4 % | 2| . 08|Lack of countrywide Breakfast Menu| 4 % | 1| . 04|Total| 100 % | | 2. 70| Strengths:Brand Name and Goodwill- We weighed this. 12 because we thought that is was really of import since Wendy’s has created their egos to go one of the best fast nutrient eating houses. We rated it a 4 because we consider this a major strength since Wendy’s had maintained with its competition. Cost Efficiency and Operations- We weighed this. 10 because we thought that is was really of import and rated it a 4 because this major strength shows we are relevant and a menace to the competition. New Product Opportunities- We weighed this. 12 because we thought that is was really of import and rated it a 3 because it’s a minor strength since fast nutrient companies doesn’t come out with new merchandises really frequently. Advertising A ; Marketing- We weighed this. 10 because we thought that is was really of import and rated it a 3 because it’s a minor strength since advertisement and selling drama a large function in the growing of the company. Operation Hours ( Open Late ) This was weighed as. 06 because we felt like it wasn’t really of import and rated it as a minor strength because most of our rivals near at an latest clip 11 o’clock ; hence. our late hours gives us an advantage. Customer Value on Products- This was weighed as. 06 because we felt like it wasn’t really of import and rated it as a major strength because our clients love our merchandises. Atmosphere ( inside of the shop ) Weighed. 04 because it is non really of import and rated a 3 because the concern is being handled right. Failings: Global Market Placement- It is weighed as. 12 because we felt like it was of import and rated it a 1 because we are in a hapless place to command the arrangement in the planetary market. Domestic Market Placement- This was weighed as. 06 because we felt like it wasn’t really of import and rated it a 2 because we are non in a good adequate place to concentrate on one individual market. Menu Diversity- We weighed this. 10 because we thought that is was really of import and rated it a 2 because we are non in a good adequate place to be able to exchange up the bill of fare since you don’t cognize what every client likes. Management Programs- Weighed. 04 because it is non really of import and rated a 2 because we are non in a good adequate place to get down direction plans. particularly with the addition in labour costs. Lack of countrywide Breakfast Menu- It is weighed as. 04 because we felt it was non really of import and rated a 1 because we are in a hapless place to incr ease on the breakfast bill of fare since Wendy’s are known for their Burgers. Part III: RecommendationsBelow is our QSPM theoretical account which we used to do our recommendations. QSPM for Wendy’sStrategic OptionsImprove Management ProgramsExpand the Menu and presentVegetarian options ( such as Veggie Burgers ) Key FactorsWeightASTASASTASStrengthsBrand Name and Goodwill0. 124. 484. 48Cost Efficiency and Operations0. 102. 203. 30New Product Opportunities0. 123. 362. 24Advertising A ; Marketing0. 104. 403. 30Operation Hours ( Open Late ) 0. 06–Customer Value on Products0. 103. 302. 20Atmosphere ( inside of the shop ) 0. 0431. 2-FailingsGlobal Market Placement0. 124. 48-Domestic Market Placement0. 0621. 2-Menu Diversity0. 103. 302. 20Management Programs0. 04–Lack of countrywide Breakfast Menu0. 04–Total1. 004. 921. 72 Menaces:Vegetarian and Vegan Lifestyle are on the rise and has peaked in recent old ages. 5 % of America is Vegetarian ( 2. 5 % of that are wholly vegan ) 33 % of Americans eat â€Å"mostly veggies. † 47 % of Americans eat at least 1 â€Å"vegetarian meal† per hebdomad. Fleshiness causes over 325. 000 deceases in the United States every twelvemonth more than auto accidents. drugs. intoxicant. and guns combined. New York City Health Department became first metropolis in state to criminalize the sale of fountain drinks over 16 oz. in eating houses. Increase in Labor cost in US. The really low temperatures in the Plains have been doing harm to farm animal. doing the unrecorded cows monetary values travel up. $ 89. 50- $ 95. 50 per hundred weights Opportunities:Financially. fleshiness costs Americans 117 billion dollars every twelvemonth in health care disbursement and lost rewards. Families are trusting on nutrient readying outside of the place as a beginning for at place and off from place ingestion. Fast nutrient spread outing in big rural countries. Food Service industry has grown 3. 6 % in the last twelvemonth. made 604 Billion in 2011. Brand reinvention to better visibleness.Committedness to cut down the degrees of salt in the nutrients they serve. change overing to big additions for the population’s wellness. WeightASTASASTAS0. 0330. 941. 20. 03-30. 90. 09-32. 70. 08–0. 06–0. 1030. 3-0. 09–0. 121. 122. 240. 121. 12-0. 112. 22-0. 0943. 61. 90. 08 3. 2421. 6Entire 1. 005. 57. 54 The freshly revised mission statement is to be â€Å"Ahead of Schedule† . That means that we are endeavoring to be one measure in front of our rivals. We will make our best to continuously measuring our client demands in the bringing of merchandises and services. Maintain a staff of extremely qualified persons that enjoy working with the populace and who are knowing in all aspects of fast nutrient industry criterions and codifications. We will invariably dispute ourselves to better the quality of our work with the specific assistance of new engineerings. and perpetrating ourselves to project completions â€Å"Ahead of Schedule† . There were a twosome of recommendations for Wendy’s to take advantage of which is to better direction plans and expand the bill of fare and present vegetarian options. By bettering direction plans that means increased gross revenues means more net incomes. Even though labour costs have increased there are still schemes that can be used t o better our direction plans. In order for any organisation to be successful it starts from the top and works its manner down. Some schemes is better preparation. undertaking and squad facilitation. audience. and resources. Expanding the nutrient bill of fare can pull new potency clients which could turn into an addition in net incomes. By adding vegetarian points to your bill of fare that will add a dimension to the bill of fare no other fast nutrient eating house offers. It will provide to a market that no 1 else is marketing towards. Since the fleshiness rate in the United States is at an all-time high adding healthier menu points can better Wendy’s customers’ base and increase gross revenues. A vegetarian point that can be added to the bill of fare is the Veggie Burger. A veggie Burger is a cake that resembles a beefburger but is made from veggies. textured vegetable protein ( like soya beans ) . nuts. and mushrooms alternatively of meat. It tastes different than your usual beefburger but the nutritionary value doesn’t comparison. We think this would be a good add-on to the bill of fare to travel along with other healthy bill of fare points such as the assorted salads. chili. an d baked murphies.

Wuthering Heights Essays (2196 words) - British Films,

Wuthering Heights Emily Jane Bronte was born on July 30, 1818 in Thorton, Yorkshire, England. She was the daughter of Patrick, an Anglican clergyman, and Maria Bronte. Emily lived with her parents, sisters Charlotte and Anne, and brother Patrick Branwell. Two other sisters, Elizabeth and Maria, died while Emily was very young. Mrs. Bronte also died while Emily was young, in 1821. Mr. Bronte and an aunt, Elizabeth Branwell, raised the surviving children. They were educated at home and spent much of their time reading and writing. Charlotte and Emily spent a year at the Clergy Daughters' School in Lancashire. Charlotte received a job teaching at Miss Wooler's school in Roe Head in 1835 and Emily went with her as a student. However, Emily became homesick and returned to the moors of her hometown, Haworth, after only three months of schooling. In 1838 Emily taught in a school near Halifax but became exhausted after six months and resigned. Emily and Charlotte planned to open a girl's school in Haworth and went to Brussels to learn foreign language and school management in 1842. Emily's reserved personality seemed to fit into the style of city life but she yearned to return to the moors. Her quiet but passionate nature was more easily understood by the people of Brussels than her sister's somewhat restrained temperament. She finally returned to England when her aunt died. In 1845 Charlotte, Emily, and Anne jointly published a volume of poetry, Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. The poems by Emily, Ellis, received the best reviews. Emily had finished her only novel, Wuthering Heights, by the summer of 1847. It was published in December, after the release of Charlotte's hugely popular Jane Eyre. Emily's novel never received the attention that Jane Eyre received. It was considered hostile, savage, animal like, and poorly developed. Now Wuthering Heights is considered one of the greatest novels in the English language. Soon after the publication of the novel Emily became ill, and her health failed rapidly. She complained of difficulty of breathing. Emily Bronte died of tuberculosis in Haworth on December 19, 1848. Wuthering Heights is a powerful tale of passion, hatred, and revenge. It deals with two families, the Earnshaws and Lintons, living in the moorlands of England. Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw have a son, Hindley, and a daughter, Catherine. One day while in Liverpool Mr. Earnshaw picks up a homeless boy and brings him home with him, to Wuthering Heights. The abandoned boy is named Heathcliff. Heathcliff becomes a close friend of Catherine's but as he becomes Mr. Earnshaw's favorite Hindley becomes jealous and begins to abuse him. Hindley eventually goes to college, leaving Catherine and Heathcliff at Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff falls deeply in love with Catherine, and she develops feelings towards him as well. However, one day while the two were visiting the nearby Thrushcross Grange Catherine was bitten by a dog. Her ankle is injured so badly that she is forced to spend the next five weeks at the Grange with the Lintons. She spends most of her time with the Linton's children, Edgar and Isabella, and becomes more dignified and refined, much like the Lintons. She returns to Wuthering Heights shortly before Mr. Earnshaw's death. Hindley returns with a wife, Frances, and being the closest male relative, inherits the land. The other possessions are split between Hindley and Catherine. As Edgar becomes more a part of Catherine's life she forgets about the unrefined, uneducated Heathcliff. When Edgar proposes to her Heathcliff is heartbroken. He runs away and is not seen again for several years. Hindley and Frances have a son, Hareton, but she dies shortly after his birth. Edgar and Catherine are married and she moves in with the Lintons. Heathcliff unexpectedly returns and is surprisingly educated and refined. Isabella falls in love with the improved Heathcliff and they elope, later returning to live at Wuthering Heights. He marries her in a scheme to control the property of both the Lintons and the Earnshaws. Catherine dies giving birth to a daughter, also named Catherine. Her death affects both Edgar and Heathcliff, who both love her. Both of the men are haunted by thoughts and memories of her. Isabella can no longer stand Heathcliff's mourning and runs off to London, where she gives birth to their son, Linton Heathcliff. Hindley dies and all of his property is mortgaged to Heathcliff, instead of being passed down to Hareton. Heathcliff now controls the Earnshaw estate. When Isabella dies Edgar goes to London to bring

Powerful Tactics That Will Increase Conversion Rates With Lance Jones

Powerful Tactics That Will Increase Conversion Rates With Lance Jones How are your conversion rates? Are you getting qualified leads? To drive value for your company, you need to convert audience members to customers. If you think you need help, you do. Today, we’re talking to Lance Jones, director of marketing at ReCharge, which helps its customers sell subscriptions on their Shopify stores. Lance shares powerful tactics to help you increase conversion rates. ReCharge’s biggest marketing challenges; from distractions to lack of patience Combining conversion rate optimization and audience language to communicate effectively Connecting with customers by using their words and phrases in your copywriting Formulas and techniques for successful conversion copywriting, including problem/agitation/solution (PAS) Building partnerships and relationships with niche businesses; knowing your target customer and their pain points to offer solutions Providing value back to partners by understanding their business and offering services/tools to solve problems Building trust by educating and teaching customers how to do something Focusing on a new niche; it’s difficult to commit to going narrow Links: ReCharge Joanna Wiebe and Copywriting Formulas Jesse Mecham YNAB MetaLab Flow AMP on iTunes leave a review and send screenshot to podcast@.com If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Lance: â€Å"The biggest challenge istrying to remain free of distractions.† â€Å"As marketers, we are too close to our products.† â€Å"Pretty much every aspect of marketing involves words.†

The Two Proposed General Education Plans †English Essay

The Two Proposed General Education Plans – English Essay Free Online Research Papers The Two Proposed General Education Plans English Essay It is said that education is the key to success. But do students get the most out of education? The school Addams States University is a about to adapt a new curriculum for all college students, for not only the students, but also the faculty staffs are hating the current system that the school is implementing. The two proposed general education plans are called the Ozawa Plan, which was developed by a committee of business and engineering under the supervision of Dr. Mason Ozawa. It consist of English Composition that has 6 units and 3-unit subjects such as Speech, Critical thinking, History, Literature and arts, and Science which totals to 21 units. Another proposed plan is the Williams Plan, which was designed by Dr. Randolph Williams of Asian-American Studies. This plan resembles the Ozawa Plan, but it has some added courses such as the American, European, and African/Asian History, Social Science, and a Senior seminar. Some subjects on the Williams Plan are expanded to more units which makes it a total of 48 units in all. As a college student, I am personally concern on what my fellows are going to have as they adapt one of the two suggested general education plans. Although the Ozawa plan calls for early graduation of college students, the Williams plan is more ideal in preparing for the â€Å"real† world and in being competitive in the job market. Time-keeping wise, the Ozawa Plan is much more brief and concise. Students are able to save their time and use it for their other activities and agendas. Considering it’s value for education, it has the subjects that are crucial to students’ education. With this plan, students are able to give more time in focusing on their chosen major. They are only given 21 units for general education courses, and the rest are reserved for their major. Also, a huge amount of money are can be saved for their other expenses. In the views of students of Sociology 220 captured from the Campus Outlook, 68% of randomly selected students favored the Ozawa Plan, which calls for minimal subjects of 21 units. But contrasting this poll, almost none of the students who took the poll knew what the two plans are all about, according to Joanne Silva, a representative of the students of Sociology 220. Students were randomly selected to vote. Not all students know about the plan. Some didn’t e ven care. Considering the points of the professors, Professor Donald Chan said, â€Å"We think that students should get an education here, not just get trained in a technical subject. We want students to graduate with an awareness of how rich this world is and how they can be a part of that richness.†(Integrations,110) Professor Chan expresses their desire for students to get rich in learning, that is, learning the other constructs of education. Professor Lilian Frost, on the other hand, argues, â€Å"Students can’t spend their lives here. They can’t take everything. And if they’re going to be competitive on the job market, they have to take the courses that will make them competitive.† (Integrations,110) Professor Frost contrastingly explains that students would go a long way when not taking the Ozawa Plan. She points that students should take courses that would make them competitive in landing a job, rather than taking courses beyond their field of study. The Williams Plan, on the other hand, calls for longer general education program. It consist of broader subject areas like world history (American, European, African/Asian) that helps students become aware of the world around them. With more time for study, students are thoroughly trained in preparing for the â€Å"real† world and in getting a job. Using a general education program similar to the Williams Plan at my school, I’ve conducted an interview on my English 92 classmates, asking their reactions and feelings in having such kind of G.E program. 7 out of 10 said that they feel much more educated, knowledgeable and most of all, confident. They feel they have high opportunities in getting a job, and they feel much more confident, knowing that they feel good about themselves, and that they have the guts to handle whatever complications and adversities the â€Å"real† world has to offer. While the remaining 3 people honestly think the current program our school is having is a complete waste of time. They said it only calls for longer and useless courses, which are unrelated to what major they’re interested in. They said that it will be the same in considering a job, as long as they’re focused with their major. Supporting this contrast statement, some subjects included in the Williams Plan has no apparent connection to the students’ chosen major. Also, this plan would make too much time and money of the students, but once students are able to feel the outside world after graduation, they will realize that their time spent and expenses in college is worth it. The chances for jobs and promotions are higher, better pay, and the school expenses are paid back much bigger. Justifying those statements on employment, I would like to point out the views on promotions and landing an entry level job. It is also very important for colleges and universities to consider the expectations, requirements, and qualifications of employers to graduated students who are looking for a job. According to the Campus Outlook, Sherman Grant of the Monolith Corporation says, â€Å"What we’re getting from schools is a bunch of trained seals who can’t read and write and think for themselves. The don’t know anything except accounting, or whatever they’ve majored in.† These statements clearly talks about how students graduate early but with limited knowledge and underdeveloped thinking and awareness. In the words of the director of recruitment for State Utilities, Marjorie Paderewski, â€Å"we’d really like to have it all people both well trained and well educated. The people with the training do get most of the entry level jobs. But the people with the education too get most of the promotions.† These lines emphasizes the desire of employers to get highly-educated students. Students who are not only expert on their field of study, but also on the other aspects of learning. Showing the pro’s and con’s of the two plans, Addams State should be really careful and sensitive in choosing the right curriculum for the whole student body. Adapting a new plan will surely take effect on what students will be and will have, once they start living the â€Å"real† world. They should not only decide on what is actually quick and easy, but on what they think is essential for students to become well-prepared, highly-educated, and well-motivated college graduates. Research Papers on The Two Proposed General Education Plans - English EssayStandardized TestingAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaHip-Hop is ArtBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfTwilight of the UAWAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Project Managment Office SystemResearch Process Part OnePETSTEL analysis of India

Electronic Laboratory Practise Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Electronic Laboratory Practise - Lab Report Example Therefore, the combined resistance is given by In this report, knowledge and experience in the use of essential laboratory equipment was acquired. The use of the oscilloscope, the signal generator, the power supply and digital multimeter were used to understand applications of various electronic circuits. The finite accuracy of the laboratory measuring instruments was equally demonstrated. The color coded resistors were read to establish the resistance of the resistors. After the resistance was measured using a digital meter and it was then confirmed whether the results depict similar resistance. The resistances measured are approximately equal with slight variation that is due to manufacturers errors that cannot be avoided in the manufacturing process (Purrington, 1997). The tolerances provided define the appropriate limit of acceptable resistance. For the 5 ohms resistor (5 Â ± 0.05) therefore 4.998 is within the range. Similarly, the lower boundary for 22 ohm resistor is (22Â ± 1.1) while the 20.9 ohms lower boundary lies within the range. The likely estimate of the voltages when 5 ohms and 22 ohms resistors were connected to 6.0 V supply to create a potential divider was determined theoretically. A digital multimeter was connected across each of the resistors and voltages obtained were compared. The results obtained were recorded as shown. From the results obtained, it is clear that the larger resistor receives the greatest share of the voltage in a voltage divider. Internal resistance of the multimeter adversely affects the measured voltage in cases where large current is drawn (Hector, Lein, & Scouten, 1943). In this case the amount of current drawn is relatively small hence there is no significant effect on the measured voltage. The current through the two resistors which were in parallel was determined theoretically and

Eleanor Roosevelt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Eleanor Roosevelt - Essay Example She was a strong advocate for civil rights before it was a popular approach and struggled to improve the conditions of working women. On an international scale, she helped to form Freedom House, an organization dedicated to research and study of democracy around the world. She was also an early supporter of the United Nations, including forming a national association in America to help support the effort. As a result of her efforts, Roosevelt was appointed as a delegate to the UN General Assembly from 1945 to 1952 by then President Harry S. Truman, a position that was confirmed by the US Senate. As a delegate, she introduced and won approval for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In her later years, Roosevelt helped start the second-wave feminism as chairman of President Kennedy’s Commission on the Status of Women. All of these things contributed to her reputation as one of the most admired women of the 20th century. To gain a full understanding of Eleanor Rooseveltâ⠂¬â„¢s impact on life in America and in the world as we know it today, it is necessary to first understand her biography as a means of understanding her character. This leads to an understanding of how and why she changed the position of First Lady from its traditional conception to have the effects she had on future politics. This will include an examination into some of her more important activities, such as those mentioned above. It may not be evident from a glimpse of her lifetime activities and works, but Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was actually raised in a very traditionally Victorian household in which women were held to a rigid standard of behavior and education. She was born on October 11, 1884 as the oldest child of very wealthy socialite parents. â€Å"Her parents lived in style and comfort on their ample inheritances. They owned a townhouse staffed with servants on a fashionable Manhattan street. Anna had her own horse and

The role of a school leader during an era of high stakes accountability Essay Example for Free

The role of a school leader during an era of high stakes accountability Essay No doubt, the definition of the role of a school leader is has over generated debate amongst educationalist in America. This has left principals with the same questions. What is expected of them from the parents, students and their teachers? In this era of result oriented age, visionary leadership is an undisputed ingredient in the effective running of any organization especially a educational establishment like the school. This is why the governments have demonstrated interest in the development of programs, trainings and empowerment seminars for educators. The significant roles played by these set of people in the development of the nation can be left alone in their hands because they are producing the leaders of tomorrow that will develop the nation. This is why high quality and qualitative pedigree is required in handling of schools and educational organizations. The person of a school leader must understand that leadership is not about the title but the responsibility and the achievement of their objectives. The failure of any ward has been linked to the leadership and leader of the school. Parents do not ask themselves the same questions but they demand answers from their child’s school leader. This signify the enormous task attached to the position of the school leader as a failure on his /her path will lead to the poor quality of the academic results which further leads to withdrawal of wards by parents and without mincing words it will lead to the closure of the school. On the other side of it, even in business leadership error leads to the collapse of such company while effective leadership will generate improvement of the company. An example is former Ceo, of GE, Jack Welch. The world is moving fast and responsibility are been shifted the to the leaders whom they believe should not fail in discharging their responsibility for effectiveness. One of the important roles of the leader in this era of high accountability is effective communication. The ability of the principal to communicate between the important personalities will increase his/her chances of productivity as a break down of communication will lead to the collapse of the school.   The leadership style employed will hence the accountability simply because it will be a transparent administration. This will give room for broad base participation in the administration. Without this the role of creating effectiveness will be grounded as leadership is all about influence and not the post you hold. Intellectual stimulation has an important role of principal during this period as they are to encourage and work on the intellectual development of their students whose parents will be busy and have no time for them at home. Performance expectation and achieving the expectation have won the heart of parents, educators and even the government as tends to put smiles on the faces of their parents. Every average American parent has less than 5 hours for their children making their educational success in the hands of their teachers in school. No doubt the role of school leaders are constantly changing as they are also to serve in the capacity of parents, advisors and counselors to their students who may have difficulty in their studies or emotional issues that are afraid to discuss with their parent at home. In America today, life has changed and school leaders have gradually taken the important role of foster parent to their students towards productivity as they are the only person to be held responsible for whatsoever happens to organization. In conclusion, leaders are men who are always held responsible for whatsoever happens to their organizations either good or bad. This is the reason why they accountable for every single that happens within their school. Some leaders have suffered as a result of this while others have been praised. Reference: Mulford Bill. Changing roles and impact on school effectiveness. oecd.org Linda lambath.   Leadership at all schools nsdc.org webpage By Larry Lashway.   Role of the School Leader Revised July 2003. College of Education University of Oregon. Colin Powell. The art of leadership Michael Fullan. The Moral Imperative of School Leadership

Social Promotion Essay -- essays research papers

Social Promotion: An Excuse for Not Educating a Child   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When it comes to students failing a grade level there has always been two options, either a student can be socially promoted or they can be retained. The choices for a failing child are limited and both situations have stigmas attached. Both options have positive and negative effects this I concur. While, presenting both sides of the argument I will note that retention is not always the solution to a failing child’s future, however, promoting a student without the skills or knowledge to proceed to the next grade level only paves a future of destruction. What is Social Promotion?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Social promotion is the practice of promoting students to the next grade when they have failed to master part or all of the grade-level curriculum.† Social promotion is considered to keep a student’s social and psychological well being intact by allowing them to stay with their peers (social promotion). Social promotion reinforces failure, ignores students’ problems, and sends a message to every student that achievement and effort do not matter. (#1 pg. 1) The Alternative†¦Retention   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Retention is often viewed as the only alternative to social promotion, it is a policy that holds back students who have failing grades at the end of a school year (#2 pg. 3). Retention allows students to have an additional year to repeat a grade and to master the core curriculum for that grade level. However, when a child repeats a grade level they are often taught the same skills in the exact same manner from the previous year, thus leading them through another unsuccessful year.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While most teachers know that educational research indicates that retention can be ineffective, if not harmful, they feel there are insufficient educational alternatives (#2 pg. 4). It is estimated that between 15 and 19 percent of students are retained each year and as many as 50 percent of students in large urban areas are usually retained at least once before they graduate or decide to drop out of school (Starr pg.1). The American Federation of Teachers reports that very few studies have ever documented any appreciable long-term academic gains with retention (Starr pg. 1). The AFT also notes that with retention come problems such as, student alien... ...ly intervention, and a determine and well prepared staff.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is so easy to pass a child off by just promoting them to the next level. One might think it is not my problem anymore. By socially promoting children by just one grade level can effect that student’s performance for a lifetime. Students are in school to learn not to be passed off. They have right to a proper education and they must master all skills before being promoted. There is no hope for a child who has not met the standards or mastered the skills to be constantly promoted from one grade to the next. A student with an immeasurable amount of unmet skills and standards will never be able to function on â€Å"normal† level within society. If school systems, teachers, and parents do not hold each child responsible for the set standards then they are depriving these students of an education and a chance to ever have a successful future. When the question asked what is to be done with a failing student the answer is not social promotion. Social pro motion is an excuse, a scapegoat, or a way out of taking the time, extra effort, and responsibility of educating a child.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Character and Conflict in “The Most Dangerous Game” Essay

Conflict and Character in â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game† There’s a popular worship song called â€Å"Love Knows No End† by Hillsong. Although it may be simply sung at church, I find it relative to General Zaroff, a hunting fanatic in â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game†. His ardent passion for the thrill of hunting led him to seek a greater challenge. Since he had already perfected the art of killing all of his quarry without exception, he decided to pursue a new creature; one that could reason and provide a more perplexing chase – humans. Unfortunately, Rainsford accidentally stumbled across Shiptrap Island, the location where General Zaroff hosted his malevolent game. Undoubtedly, conflicts have brought out the true character of everyone. As in the case of Rainsford and General Zaroff, from â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game†, by Richard Connell, it was seen that the dilemmas and obstacles either contributed to creating a dynamic or static character. Without conflict, there would be no brilliance or appeal to a story. It is a vital element in literature that presents the character a challenging struggle from an opposing force, whether it be nature, an antagonist, or the character himself. Such as, â€Å"‘Rainsford,’ called the general, ‘if you are within sound of my voice, as I suppose you are, let me congratulate you. Not many men know how to make a Malay mancatcher’† (Connell 13). This demonstrates a competition for General Zaroff, granted that he was a hunting prodigy. Very rarely, has someone been close to winning the game, Rainsford being one of them. General Zaroff recognized that possibility and perhaps have had glimpses of fear and uncertainty. On the other hand, â€Å"Rainsford knew he could do one of two things. He could stay where he was and wait. That was suicide. He could flee. That was postponing the inevitable† (Connell 14). This was the climatic struggle for Rainsford from the story because of his hopelessness. He could not dismiss the fact that at one point, he would die from the hounds. Rainsford perceived this tragic circumstance since his mind was weak from the mental battles, along with the physical hardships he faced throughout the whole game. Therefore, the conflicts from this story resulted in either a transforming or stagnant character. For instance, General Zaroff’s character development proved to be static, in  other words, not changing throughout the story. To illustrate this, â€Å"He could see the great hounds, and he called, ‘Better luck another time,’ to them† (Connell 15). Considering this quote, it was apparent that he would continue his monstrous game in the future. Even with General Zaroff’s predicament of possibly losing the game and his murdering secrets being revealed, he did not relinquish his passion for bloodshed. Another case is, â€Å"Two slight annoyances kept him from perfect enjoyment. One was the thought that it would be difficult to replace Ivan† (Connell 15). Rainsford constructed an ingenuous trap that killed Ivan and a few of the hounds. As a consequence, General Zaroff lost his loyal accomplice. Accordingly, he would be on the search for a new â€Å"Ivan†, confirming that he still needed a partner to help him with his games. Thus, General Zaroff remained the same character that he always was, a ruthless hunter, despite his struggles. In contrast, the dynamic character in the story was Rainsford, due to his change in his approach of sympathizing with his prey. For instance, â€Å"‘Who cares how a jaguar feels?’† (Connell 1). This was his remark to his associate, Whitney, who pitied the jaguar, along with the rest of the victims in every hunt. Rainsford shrugged off the idea of empathy, stating that he was a hunter, and not a huntee. Eventually, â€Å"At daybreak Rainsford, lying near the swamp, was awakened by a sound that made him know that he had new things to learn about fear† (Connell 14). Throughout the arduous days in the game, Rainsford finally understood the world of a huntee. The experience firsthand led him to a form of sympathy or at least respect for his prey. Although the author was not clear about Rainsford maintaining his hunting lifestyle after this encounter, it can be concluded that he portrayed a dynamic character through his conflicts in the jungle. General Zaroff’s love for hunting truly had no limits, which brought forth the slaughter of countless men, in addition to his own death. In many ways, love knows no end, as portrayed in the title of the praise song by Hillsong. However, Rainsford’s aspiration for hunting was altered by the challenging experience of living as a prey, therefore illustrating a dynamic character, as opposed to General Zaroff, who remained the static character undeterred by his conflicts.

Rosenbaum’s a Perversion of the Past (Mississippi Burning)

Oleh Jonathan Rosenbaum's critique of the 1988 film â€Å"Mississippi Burning† draws much of its intellectual adn emotional response to the film from Rosenbaum's personal experiences as a participant in the civil rights movement of the 1960's. The article — which casts the movie â€Å"Mississippi Burning† in a pretty much unfavorable light due to what Rosenbaum feels is a deliberate series of distortions of historical fact — recounts in equal portions, Rosenbaum's direct experiences of the era and the experience of the era as it is presented by the movie's director, Alan Parker, who Rosenbaum immediately identifies as a former advertising director. Rosenbaum also remarks that Parker's previous films: â€Å"all reek of advertising's overheated style† (Rosenbaum, 119). and Rosenbaum also makes it clear that he is not, himself, an impersonal interpretor of the era of the civil rights movement that Parker's movie attempts to cover. Rosenbaum's article appeared in a book-length collection of his essays entitled â€Å"Movies as Politics† published in 1997. The book contains numerous essays on Hollywood films and attempts to shed light on the political repercussions of the all-too-routine historical inaccuracies and poetic license which is deeply embedded in contemporary commercial films. Rosenbaum's thesis, relative to â€Å"Mississippi Burning† is that damage to American culture is, indeed, done by the making of a movie which focuses on superficial imagery: churches burning, people being beaten, etc — and in fact distorts the truth of factual occurrences — in order to fulfill the attributes of a successful commercial film. Rosenbaum claims that â€Å"Mississippi Burning† is a dangerous re-visioning of history for many reasons, foremost among them: the fact that the film features two white protagonists, both of whom are federal agents, plus the undeniable fact that Parker in shaping his protagonists as unambiguously moral agents with no trace of personal racism or fear of racists, completely distorts the historical truths behind the events of the film. For example, Rosenbaum remarks that in his personal experience, no agency or authoritative bureau seemed the least bit interested in helping civil rights activists: â€Å"the answer was no-one. Certainly not the local police or the FBI as I quickly learned† (Rosenbaum, 119) and his conclusion that Parker has not only re-envisioned, but wilfully perverted the historical facts behind the event of â€Å"Mississippi Burning† to create a more salable film are rational and just in my opinion. Within the format of the essay, which is more conversational in tone than scholarly, Rosenbaum relies primarily upon anecdotal remembrances and personal experiences than on solidly researched historical evidence or upon sociological references of any kind. His assertions are certainly emotionally convincing because it doesn't take much effort to persuade me, or probably many other people, that a big-money director of commercial films would distort or change whatever was necessary in order to make a successful film in economic terms. If it were not so, then said director would still be directing TV commercials. This seems to be the most onerous flaw in Rosenbaum's thesis, as I am not entirely convinced that Parker or anyone else associated with Hollywood movies ever intended to make anything other than a piece of entertainment posed as drama with a more or less obvious historical â€Å"hook. However, the use of serious cultural issues for the purpose of making money is usually referred to as exploitation and I think Rosenbaum does a quite convincing job of painting Parker as an exploitative director bent first on making money and success and only secondarily, if at all, interested in the issues of substantive historical record of the e vents the movie ostensibly was meant to cover.

Dinosaurian Synapomorphies Found In Archaeopteryx Essays

Dinosaurian Synapomorphies Found In Archaeopteryx Essays Dinosaurian Synapomorphies Found In Archaeopteryx As promised, here are the derived characters with which Gauthier (in his 1986 paper) unites Archaeopteryx with modern birds, outside of all other theropods (with Gauthier's original clarifiers in parens) [and with my editorial comments in brackets]: Premaxillae elongate, narrow, and more pointed anteriorly, with longer nasal processes [similar condition in bullatosaurs, and in the nondinosaurian Megalancosaurus, but unique to Archie and later birds in Maniraptora]. Maxillary process of premaxilla reduced so that maxilla participates broadly in external naris (also in troodontids). Enlarged brain/basicranium (temporal musculature fails to extend origin onto frontal bones [to a certain degree in bullatosaurs and therizinosauroids, and perhaps in some of the newer, "brainier" dromaeosaurids]. Double-condyled quadrate displaced from distal position on opisthotic to more anteromedial position in contact with prootic (Currie, pers. comm. and Walker, pers. comm., disagree with Whetstone's interpretation of the quadrate: Currie notes the anterior displacement of the quadrate in troodontids [maybe Nino can comment on the condition in Pelecanimimus], and Walker does not consider the quadrate to be double-condyled in Archaeopteryx). Maxillary and dentary teeth reduced in size and number (or lost), with unserrated crowns and enlarged roots that completely enclose replacement teeth within them [many of the smallest theropod teeth are unserrated, which may be a developmental constraint. The pinched roots of bird teeth are similar to those of troodontids, basal ornithomimosaurs, and (in at least a couple of cases) dromaeosaurids]. Robust furcula for hypertrophied flight musculature [true to a certain extent, although oviraptorids and (perhaps) some dromaeosaurids have substantial furculae as well, and even the new Morrison ?allosaurid seems to have a primitive furcula!]. Scapula with more or less prominent acromion process for ligamentous connection to clavicle. Lenght/bredth ratio of scapula at midlength exceeds nine (not in penguins) and scapula tapers distally. Acrocoracoid tuberosity larger than in other coelurosaurs. Coracoid enlaged and inflected posteromedially more so than in other coelurosaurs. Very long forelimb and hands (e.g., in Archaeopteryx forelimb is 120-140% of hindlimb length, and more than twice as long as distance between glenoid and acetabulum), with forearm more than 87% of humerus length and mcII approaching or exceeding one-half of humerus length. Ischium compressed and dorsoventrally deep. Compared to other theropods, tibia, fibula, and metatarsals relatively more elongate with respect to femur, regardless of body size (mts short in penguins and some other birds) [Actually, as S. Gatsey and I have shown elsewhere, what actually is happening is a difference in the allometry of bird vs nonavian theropod hindlimbs. In nonavian theropods, the tibia/fibula and the metatarsus become relatively smaller as body size (and femur size) increases; in birds, the tibia/fibula and the metarsus become relatively longer as body size (and femur size) increases. Unfortunately, Archaeopteryx lies very close to the points at which the "bird" and "nonbird" allometric lines cross, so it is not possible to say at present to which of these curves the Urvogel belongs]. Fibula attenuate distally, and may not extend to end of tibia. Proximal tarsals fused to tibia/fibula and to one another in adults [also in some ceratosaurs]. Distal tarsals and metatarsals fused at least distally in fully adult individuals (convergent in some ceratosaurs, elmisaurids, and Hulsanpes) [future work may show why this is no surprise for Hulsanpes...; also found in Avimimus]. First pedal digit elongate and reversed (may be reversed in some extant birds) [the first "reversed" he uses is "reverted"; the second is "reversed" in the evolutinary sense]. Metatarsal I attached on the distal quarter of metatarsal II. Tail reduced to no more than 23 free caudal vertebrae. Feathers cover limbs and tail, feathers on lateral margin of tail and posterior margin of arms enlarged, curved, and asymmetrically vaned, indicating aerodynamic function [While it is true these features are currently only known in Archaeopteryx and later birds, there is only negative evidence with regards to this character in other theropods, as discussed in the paragraph immediately following his character list]. Thus, there are derived features linking Archaeopteryx to modern birds. In order to falsify this hypothesis, additional analyses must be conducted which: a) add new characters, or demonstrate that the above are not coded properly; and b) add new taxa, or demonstrate that the taxa previously

Invention of the Mirror

Invention of the Mirror Who invented the first mirror?   Humans and our ancestors probably used pools of still water as mirrors for hundreds of thousands or even millions of years. Later, mirrors of polished metal or obsidian (volcanic glass) gave wealthy preeners a more portable view of themselves.   Obsidian mirrors from 6,200 BCE were discovered at Catal Huyuk, the ancient city near modern-day Konya, Turkey.   People in Iran used polished copper mirrors at least as early as 4,000 BCE.   In what is now Iraq, one Sumerian noble-woman from about 2,000 BCE called the Lady of Uruk had a mirror made of pure gold, according to a cuneiform tablet discovered in the ruins of that city.   In the Bible, Isaiah scolds Israelite women who were haughty and walk[ed] with necks outstretched, ogling and mincing as they go...   He warns them that God will do away with all of their finery - and their brass mirrors!  Ã‚   A Chinese source from 673 BCE casually mentions that the queen wore a mirror at her girdle, indicating that this was a well-known technology there, as well.   The earliest mirrors in China were made from polished jade; later examples were made from iron or bronze.   Some scholars suggest that the Chinese acquired mirrors from the nomadic Scythians, who were in contact with Middle Eastern cultures as well, but it seems just as likely that the Chinese invented them independently. But what about the glass mirror we know today?   It also came about surprisingly early. Who was it, then, that made a sheet of glass, backed with metal, into a perfect reflecting surface? As far as we know, the first mirror-makers lived near the city of Sidon, Lebanon, some 2,400 years ago.   Since glass itself likely was invented in Lebanon, its not too surprising that it was the site of the earliest modern mirrors. Unfortunately, we do not know the name of the tinkerer who first came up with this invention. To make a mirror, pre-Christian Lebanese or Phoenicians blew a thin sphere of molten glass into a bubble, and then poured hot lead into the bulb of glass. The lead coated the inside of the glass. When the glass cooled, it was broken and cut into convex pieces of mirror. These early experiments in the art were not flat, so they must have been a bit like fun-house mirrors. (Users noses probably looked enormous!) In addition, early glass was generally somewhat bubbly and discolored. Nonetheless, the images would have been much clearer than those obtained by looking into a sheet of polished copper or bronze. The blown bubbles of glass used were thin, minimizing the impact of the flaws, so these early glass mirrors were a definite improvement over earlier technologies. The Phoenicians were masters of the Mediterranean trade routes, so its no surprise that this wonderful new trade object quickly spread throughout the Mediterranean world and the Middle East.   The Persian emperor Darius the Great, who ruled around 500 BCE, famously surrounded himself with mirrors in his throne room to reflect his glory.   Mirrors were used not only for self-admiration, but also for magical amulets.   After all, theres nothing like a clear glass mirror to repel the evil eye!   Mirrors were commonly thought to reveal an alternate world, in which everything was backward.   Many cultures also believed that mirrors could be portals into supernatural realms.   Historically, when a Jewish person died, his or her family would cover all of the mirrors in the household to prevent the deceased persons soul from being trapped in the mirror.   Mirrors, then, were very useful but also perilous items! For much more information on mirrors, as well as many other interesting topics, see Mark Pendergrasts book Mirror Mirror: A History of the Human Love Affair with Reflection, (Basic Books, 2004).

WRITING PLAN FOR THE SOCIAL EFFECTS OF HURRICANCE KATRINA IN THE GULF Essay

WRITING PLAN FOR THE SOCIAL EFFECTS OF HURRICANCE KATRINA IN THE GULF REGION - Essay Example Hurricane Katrina sped up the rate of wetland destruction in the Gulf region and along the coast of Louisiana. In various areas of the Mississippi River Delta Basin, there were losses of about half of the regional land mass due to the powerful storm surge witnessed in the advent of Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina affected people in many ways, socially and otherwise. A lot of lives were lost initially, and numerous people also had their lives and daily activities disrupted. Not only did Hurricane Katrina cause damage to the coastline, the hurricane also affected plants and wildlife and in the region, and damaged a lot of buildings, businesses, homes, power lines, schools , roads and bridges. The Hurricane left hundreds of thousands of people without any way to get their homes or go to work, and it separated many from their loved ones and relatives, as well as inflicting mental and physical distress on the people who witnessed this storm and the after-effects of the hurricane. One major cause of death as a result of Hurricane Katrina was drowning. Elderly people of 75 years of age and above were the ones mostly affected by the disaster. It is notable that disaster preparedness efforts for the future should place emphasis on the evacuation and care provision for the more vulnerable populations, including people who may be in hospitals or in long-term care facilities. â€Å"Improving mortality reporting timeliness will enable response teams to provide appropriate interventions to these populations and to prepare and implement preventive measures before subsequent disasters.† (Reed, J. & Theiss, M. 2005) During the days and weeks following Hurricane Katrina, there was rapid deterioration in conditions in the gulf region. For example, New Orleans hospitals and extreme difficulties in the evacuation of their existing patients, hospitals in the downtown New Orleans area were also reportedly not admitting new patients in the days following Hurricane Katrina. † (Nossiter, Adam. 2005) In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, disaster response may have limited precision of documenting all the victims, although this is not likely to be a large difference. â€Å"It is possible that some people who died during the storm were never found or documented. Second, classifying people who were evacuated and later died from Katrina-related causes is inherently difficult, especially as regards older people who had serious preexisting medical conditions.† (Brinkley, D. 2007). After hurricane Katrina, numerous evacuees from the gulf region, were faced with staying for extended periods of time with no income, and destroyed or severely damaged homes. This group also had little or no hope of recovering their possessions, and some started to express the desires to be resettled elsewhere permanently. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, â€Å"approximately 8,000 animals were rescued and brought to temporary shelters set up at the Lamar-Dixon Ex position Center in Gonzales, Louisiana, or the Parker Coliseum at Louisiana State University. (Press Release. "Reviewing Louisiana Animal Evacuation And Rescue." Federal Emergency Management Agency. 2005.) Hurricane Katrina also significantly affected the popularity of Katrina as a name for babies. According to the Social Security Administration, â€Å"Katrina, which had ranked as the 281st female baby name in 2004, dropped down to 382nd most popular name in 2006, 600th most popular name in 2007, and 815th most popular name in 2009.† (Social Security Administration) This was a surprising turn of events, because in the past, major hurricanes like Hurricane Camille which happened in 1969, usually made the names of such

Postgraduate International Marketing Coursework Assignment Essay

Postgraduate International Marketing Coursework Assignment - Essay Example The article identifies five key issues a company must take into consideration and adapt to in order to participate in the high demanding business field. These are (i) a core value strategy, (ii) development of a clear market strategy, (iii) integrating an Internet-based technology strategy, (iv) managing key organizational process strategy to achieve total integration among business functions (v) and manage change strategy programs in the form of internal marketing (Piercy, 2002). The aim of this paper is to evaluate how the former key issues reflect the constantly evolving changes of the marketplace and how much these contribute to the success of a high standards company. The critical evaluation is based on relevant articles and real-life examples. An estimation and personal viewpoint is supplied at the end of the paper. The key to success as far as value-based strategies are concerned is the constant evolvement and adaptation to offer the customer something new. Recycling of the same product or service over and over again is not competitive in the marketplace anymore. Customer needs call for innovative ideas which treat the customer as a market selling strategies aware person (Piercy, 2002). According to Piercy also, the customer retention relationship, first invented in 1990's, is based on profitability rather than a love level; in this case the customer is viewed as a stupid profit machine that requires little or no attention and is only valued for the profit they leave the company with. The example of Toyota selling cars with no interaction at all with the company stuff is a good example. In this era everything around the customer was about branding; the brand is the selling product and it sells good since customers seem to prefer famous brand which they equate to high performance. Customer need s and tastes however change and a high competing company has to evolve to in order to meet these needs of Relationship Marketing. According to a research value-based marketing for fed-beef cattle using real-time ultrasound and graded animal relations for the selection of animals to slaughter increased profit range of $10.61-27.26 per head from using relations data, $9.04-16.75 per head from using RTU measures and $11.27-27.93 per head from using both to selectively market beef animals. Building a relationship where the customer satisfaction is the core product sells pays off and is the main criterion to a successful company. Value Strategy Value strategy defines monitoring of the customer needs to provide the products a services of importance to them. Value strategy comes in to bring the customer in the focus of the firm selling strategy and off the competition among organizations. The main issues we confront as far as value strategy is concerned is that there is no standard way of estimating the value attached to the customer and even though past techniques are thought as obsolete there are still many companies that have a big with low price products and friendly customer approach. Put in other words, it is really difficult to find the trick that will work for customers. Customers buy on personal values basis: religious, spiritual, environmental, or

Work placement Module Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Work placement Module - Essay Example He then recommended me to this firmCheng Chan & Co to me., and fortunately At the material time, Cheng Chan & Co wasthe firm happened to be looking for a full time / part time clerk as because one of their employees just quit the jobhad recently left the firm. I posted sent them my CV to them and they were askingrequested for an interview. I had the interviewed with one of the firm's solicitors in the mid-dle of June., there was a solicitor who interviewed me. He asked me few some questions on pertaining to tort and criminal Law, such as which case to use or which statute to applies to a scenarioy. and they also require a presentation of me for 5 minutesI was also required to deliver a five minute presentation. Four days later, I received their phone call that I got the jobthey informed me of their decision to hire me. I was then appointed into this firm asworked as a clerk responsible for assistingant to solicitors, preparing legal documents, performing legal research, and for deali nghandling with clients. The fFirm is run managed by four solicitors and there are eight employees including clerks, an accountant and legal executives. The structure of the fFirm is very simple in that, each employee takesing orders directly from solicitors. Once a client placeds an order after consulting the solicitor, (e.g. a claim in a car accident), the solicitor will would then divide the work among the different personnel, such as including research, registration of the case with the court, communication with the other parties for the materials, and arrangement of conferences with clients or counsel. When we have completed ourUpon completion of an assigned task, we hand submitted itthe work back to the solicitor for approval and he will would return it to us if any corrections are were necessary. Then we will would finalize it and return it to him for further approval and signature. The work usually involveds documents, statements or letters. The documents or the statements w ill would usually be referred tofiled with the court or submitted to the other parties. LThe letters will

Sona Of Pnoy Essay Example for Free

Sona Of Pnoy Essay This is my sixth SONA. Once again, I face Congress and our countrymen to report on the state of our nation. More than five years have passed since we put a stop to the culture of wang-wang, not only in our streets, but in society at large; since we formally took an oath to fight corruption to eradicate poverty; and since the Filipino people, our bosses, learned how to hope once more. My bosses, this is the story of our journey along the Straight Path. Just last Friday, we inaugurated the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway. This is the first Public-Private Partnership project that we approved, and the first such PPP project opened to the public under our administration. Under the previous administrations: It was as if the government had to beg the private sector just to gain their participation. Now, companies are the ones seemingly courting the government-for MCX in particular, we were paid a premium of P925 million just so that our private partner could have the privilege of building the infrastructure we need. In fact, they are so confident that this project will earn them a profit, that they said the first month of toll operations at MCX is free. We have indeed come so far. And, in order for us to appreciate just how far we have travelled, let us recall where we started. When we came into office, we found a citizenry that had grown desensitized to the many allegations of lying, cheating, and stealing in government. Those in power boasted of the country having enough classrooms. In truth: classes had to be held in four shifts. Students went to school while it was still dark, and others would go home long after the dark of night had well and truly fallen. All of them were left in the dark because they were not accorded sufficient time in the classroom for learning. Our predecessor took pride in uninterrupted growth during her last SONA. Scrutinize what she said, however, and you would realize that a significant portion of this growth was fueled by remittances from Filipinos who had lost hope in our country. As they say: People were voting with their feet. If I were to imitate that style of governance, I would be loath to claim a success borne of forcing my countrymen to escape our shores. As the 2004 elections approached, more than 700 million pesos were allegedly used to buy fertilizer that was not suitable for crops; the endeavor was costly; and in many instances, the farmers who should have received the farming supplements never saw it. We ask: Who was nourished by such fertilizers? Definitely neither the farmers nor their crops. Perhaps  you also remember the NBN-ZTE scandal. We investigated this in the Senate; someone said there was an attempt to bribe him. When we undertook an inquiry, this person did not want to testify; he claimed executive privilege. Of course, we couldnt summon the sitting President-hence, the only one we could question was her henchman accused of bribery. Naturally, he denied the accusation. During those times, even children became familiar with the word scam. You might also remember Hello Garci, to which the answer was a mere I am sorry. The genuine bank accounts of the nonexistent Jose Pidal. The attempt to convene a Constitutional Assembly, so that they could stay in power for the rest of their lives. There was Executive Order 464, which tried to stifle the truth. The declaration of a State of Emergency, in order to do away with the checks and balances for Martial Law as enshrined in the 1987 Constitution. There were midnight appointments. The policy known as Calibrated Preemptive Response, which was used against protesters. Even on the level of grammar, this is wrong. How could a response come before anything else? Its like saying you replied to someone who never texted you. These were the headlines that greeted us every time we had breakfast in the years before we came into office. The moment we assumed the presidency, we began to unearth anomaly after anomaly. In my previous SONAs, I have already mentioned some of them: In the National Food Authority, they allowed the debt to bloat from P12.3 billion pesos in 2001, to P176.8 billion in June 2010. Even worse: they continued to import rice, only to have it rot in warehouses. In PAGCOR, a billion pesos went to coffee. In the MWSS: excessive bonuses, one on top of the other. For the Laguna Lake: an attempt to waste over P18 billion just to play with mud. Indeed: I could not comprehend how those behind such controversies could willingly benefit from the suffering of our countrymen. Every government official takes an oath to do right by our countrymen and to uphold the law. But it was clear: our predecessor did precisely the opposite. We were all witnesses to the most appalling example, when 58 Filipinos were massacred in Maguindanao in November 2009. To think about committing such a crime was already heinous. To do it, which they did, was even worse. The worst offense of all: Their belief that they could get away with it, because they were in power-which is why they carried out their plans in the first place. These are only a few examples; there are many others. With this kind of situation,  can we really blame our countrymen for losing sight of hope, and consequently, leaving our country? Like you, the thought of giving up had crossed my mind. When my mother died, my confidence diminished further; our familys leader and inspiration to pursue change was gone. At her wake, someone approached me and suggested that I run for the presidency. My immediate response: I am not a masochist. I was one of the people calling for an end to impunity and wrongdoing; I understood just how dire the situation was. I was also certain they had deliberately hidden details from us, and the real problems were bigger than what we knew. When you called me to serve, my question was: If I am unable to solve these problems quickly, how long will it take before my bosses lose their patience, and instead direct all their anger at me? One of those who convinced me to run was Alex Lacson. He said: To simply put an end to all the abuse would suffice. To stop the hemorrhaging would be enough. Let us listen to him: Translated transcript of Testimonial of Alex Lacson In 2008, our country was ranked by the World Bank as one of the most corrupt in the world. Our self-confidence and morale as a people was very low. At the time, many of my friends and I were looking for a good man, not just a good politician to be our president in 2010. Then, President Cory passed away, and Senator Noynoy spoke at her funeral. That is when we truly saw him. My friends encouraged me to lead the public call to urge Senator Noynoy to run for president. My friends and I went to the house of Senator Noynoy in Times Street. We brought a yellow drum and we encouraged the public to write letters. Within 24 hours there was an outpouring of public support for Senator Noynoy to run for public office. I did not expect him to be superman and solve all our problems in the country; we expected him only to begin reform. Mr. President, thank you for heeding the call of the people in 2010, and thank you, too, for respecting my beliefs, even as we disagreed on a number of issues. Mr. President, continue to lead our country on the right path. [Applause] From the start, we already knew that corruption was the root of all our peoples suffering. Thus, our battlecry: where there is no corruption, there will be no poverty. Tremendous perseverance, courage, political will, and  faith in God and in our fellowmen were needed in order to breathe life into this ideal. Of course, the masterminds of the old system were not meek lambs, willing to see the end of their opportunity to take advantage of others. They used, and continue to use, their influence and wealth to fight our agenda of change. They also used their power to prepare life preservers for when the time of judgment came. The Ombudsman who should have been appointed to guard against corruption allegedly played blind to all the scandals of the past administration. She was impeached in the House of Representatives, and resigned from her post before she could be tried in the Senate. The Chief Justice who seemed to have a bias for the one who appointed him, was proven to have hidden we alth and properties not disclosed in his SALN. He was impeached in the House and convicted in the Senate. To replace them, we appointed men and women with integrity and independent minds. The new Ombudsman: Conchita Carpio-Morales. The new Chief Justice: Ma. Lourdes Sereno. Now, she has sufficient time to implement reform in the Judiciary. [Applause] Even in other agencies, we appointed honest and fearless leaders. We immediately placed Chairperson Grace Pulido-Tan in the COA. In the Executive, we likewise appointed uncompromising persons: Commissioner Kim Henares in the BIR and Secretary Leila de Lima [applause] in the Department of Justice. They did not back down from any challenge in fulfilling their mandates. To all of you, I give my heartfelt thanks. Whether in the top, middle, or bottom of the bureaucracy, so many have been suspended, removed from their positions, made accountable through cases filed against them, or even imprisoned. If there is anyone who still doubts that justice is blind in the Philippines, it would be best if they turned their attention to the three senators currently detained, or to a former president still under hospital arrest. There are some who say we should move on. Personally, I believe in what George Santayana said: Those who forget the mistakes of the past are condemned to repeat it. Just take a look at the actions of those who have wronged us. They will first work to ensure we forget what they have done. After this, they will say, Have pity on us. They already took advantage of us; now they are trying to take advantage of the Filipinos innate penchant for forgiveness, in order to escape accountability. The next step: they will find a way to return to power. Isnt that their master plan-so that they can continue to take advantage of  us? I learned from my parents, from the church, and from the processes of our laws: Whatever reconciliation must come from the confession and repentance of those who have committed wrong. Can you remember an instance in which anyone said, Im sorry I stole from you and abused you; I am ready to change? For my part: We can only move on once justice has been attained. [Applause] We continued to reform our institutions, in order to refocus them towards their true mandates. For example: Government Owned and Controlled Corporations. Appointees to GOCCs swore to safeguard our peoples money. The sad fact is, even when the GOCCs were mired in debt, they showered themselves with benefits and incentives left and right. If we liken their institutions to cattle, theyd just as soon butcher the cow for meat, even as they milk it. This is why in the past administration, dividends collected over nine and a half years only amounted to P84.18 billion. Under our administration: the number of GOCCs has already been reduced by shutting down those deemed irrelevant, and yet because of improved management: the dividends we have collected in the five years we have been in office have now reached P131.86 billion. [Applause] It isnt unlikely that, before we step down from office, we will be able to double the dividends collected by our predecessor who had much more time to accumulate these funds. [Applause] This is the same commitment we have shown in the BIR, which is the biggest revenue-generating agency of the government. When we stepped in, the highest collection on record was in 2008, at P778.6 billion. We surpassed this by leaps and bounds. In 2012, the BIR collected P1.06 trillion-the first time in our history we have breached the 1 trillion mark for collections. [Applause] Last year, the number went up to P1.3 trillion; this 2015, we will collect up to P1.5 trillion. [Applause] We only needed five years to match, surpass, and almost double our predecessors record high-and we did this without imposing new taxes, as promised, apart from Sin Tax Reform. [Applause] How did we do this? It was simple. I believe that Commissioner Kim Henares is a kind person, but those against whom she filed cases might have a different opinion. Commissioner Kim Henares spared no tax evader. [Applause] 380 cases have already been filed against those who attempted to evade taxes. She also made the system for tax payment more efficient, and made clear to everyone their civic duty to contribute to the development of our country. For the National Budget: under the previous administration, the  budget was always reenacted, whether partially or fully. In 2007, for example, it was almost April when the General Appropriations Act (GAA) was approved. It was already worrying that projects that had been completed received funding once more. Even worse: Even the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses, including salaries, were included in this reenacted budget. What this means: funds were allotted again for salaries-even if all had already received what was due them for the first three months of 2007. I wonder: Where did the excess funds that were allotted and requested for go? What we have proven: if the Executive proposes a reasonable budget, the dialogue with the members of Congress will go smoothly. The faster the GAA is passed, the quicker services will reach our countrymen, and the sooner will we be able to alleviate their suffering. The message was clear: We are serious about change; the playing field is level. The result: Confidence in our economy. When we began, I did not think that we would immediately win back the global communitys confidence in the Philippines. I only thought of fixing the crooked system to prevent our people from sinking deeper into poverty. Let me ask you: Did it ever occur to you that we would continue rising in global competitiveness rankings, and that we would be recognized for the speed with which our economy has grown? In fact, the Philippines is now being called Asias Rising Tiger, Asias Rising Star, and Asias Bright Spot. [Applause] Now, for the first time in history, we are unanimously deemed investment grade by the most prominent credit rating agencies. This is a signal to businessmen that it is worthwhile to invest in the Philippines. The risks of doing business here have decreased. Now, with lower interest rates and more flexible debt payment schedules, more investors are finding it attractive to bet on the Philippines. Through the institution and expansion of businesses, commerce becomes more lively, competition strengthens, and even more opportunities are created. All this has been a direct result of reforms we made along the Straight Path. [Applause] Just look: back in 2010, net foreign direct investment i n our country was at $1.07 billion. In 2014, net foreign direct investments reached $6.2 billion. [Applause] This is the highest ever recorded in our entire history. The numbers for domestic investments are likewise impressive; now, Filipinos are betting on their fellow Filipinos. Let us compare: from the time this was first measured back in 2003 until 2010, the  amount of approved domestic investments totaled just P1.24 trillion. Under our watch, from the third quarter of 2010 until the end of 2014, the amount invested by our countrymen in the market reached P2.09 trillion. [Applause] In manufacturing: I admit, during my first year in office, one of the things furthest from my mind was the idea that we could reinvigorate this sector. The industry faced many challenges: electricity, for one, was both expensive and unreliable. It was also no small feat to establish facilities here, because of the large investment involved in buying machines and training employees. This is why, back then, we had to import even low-tech electric fans. Thanks to the reforms that have restored confidence in our nation, manufacturing growth has accelerated-from 3 percent annually between 2001 and 2009, to 8 percent from 2010 to 2014. [Applause] It is clear: The Filipino can compete. In the past, our only selling point was low wages. Now, investors are bringing to our country factories that produce hi-tech equipment: from aircraft components, electric tricycles, printers, and other digital media products, to high-quality medical devices like aortic catheters and devices for in vitro diagnostics and hemodialysis treatment. Let us listen to a businessman who will tell us of the new business climate in the Philippines: Translated transcript of Testimonial of Peter Perfecto, Makati Business Club One of the most important things this administration has accomplished was reversing the corruption trends of the previous administration. Without the rule of law, the advantage went to corporations that were complicit with the systemic bribery and a faulty tax system. President Aquino has walked the talk. He has delivered on his promises. They arrested the former president, the three senators, and ousted a Chief Justice who were all once thought to be untouchable. The strong message has been sent. Because of the rule of law and the commitment to good governance this administration has made, our foreign direct investments rose from P2 billion to P6.2 billion. We have made a huge leap forward: jumping 33 places in the rankings set by the world Economic Forum; and according to them, this is a result of this administrations anti-corruption agenda-all because of the changes that this government has enacted. It is the responsibility of each Filipino to learn from these recent achievements and ensure that we continue moving forward with the coming administration. [Applause] We all know that the primary measure of economic improvement for the common Filipino is the creation of jobs. Let us look at what weve achieved in this area. Every year, around 80,000 new entrants join our labor force. Now, consider the fact that there are reports of overseas Filipinos returning home. In 2011, our Department of Foreign Affairs reported that there were around 9.51 million overseas Filipinos. Based on the latest estimates in December 2014, that number went down to 9.07 million. It is reasonable to say that a good number of the estimated 400,000 Filipinos represented by that decrease came home and were able to find work. [Applause] Despite the fact that there are new entrants, returnees, and previously unemployed Filipinos, our unemployment rate still dropped to 6.8 percent last year. This is the lowest recorded in a decade. [Applause] Let me be clear: We created permanent jobs; we did not hire an abundance of street sweepers during the period the labor survey was condu cted, just to boost results. Together with creating real jobs, we are also fostering a good relationship between labor and management throughout the country. Let us compare. In the nine and a half years of the previous administration, the number of strikes that occurred were 199, or roughly 21 strikes for each year. In our five years in office, the total strikes were only 15. [Applause] In fact, in 2013, there was only a single strike recorded in the country. This is the lowest recorded in the history of DOLE. [Applause] It is because of this that we are truly impressed with Secretary Linda Baldoz and our labor and management sector. [Applause] To Sec. Linda: you are not only efficient; you are also very positive which makes you the type of colleague who is a pleasure to work with. That is why you are considered the Pastor of the Cabinet. Thank you, very much, for all your efforts, Linda. [Applause] The transformation has indeed been vast. Before, the signs we would always see proclaimed, No Vacancy, didnt they? Today, announcements that say, For Immediate Hiring are scattered everywhere; you need only open a newspaper to see classified ads from many companies who are hiring. Some of them have even been getting creative with incentives. Theres this one company that says: just come in for an interview and your breakfast is on them. Once youre hired, theyll cover your treat to friends and family to celebrate your new job. Some businessmen have even mentioned to me that they are  finding it difficult to hire accountants. I remember when I was younger, a lot of people were taking up BS Commerce, Major in Accountancy. When I visited Bicol University, I mentioned this to their president. I had to ask: Am I correct in the knowledge that your university has an accountancy program? Their reply: Yes, but even we are having trouble filling our accounting department. Why? Their president said that their students, even in their t hird year of college, are already being recruited by accounting and auditing firms. [Applause] This is happening precisely because we have worked to address what is called the job-skills mismatch. In the past, so many of our countrymen were saying that they had no jobs, even when there were so many unfilled positions listed in the PhilJob-Net website. The simple reason: the skillset of our countrymen did not match what the market needed. The solution to this was also simple: Talk to prospective employers and ask them what skills are demanded by the positions they are opening. Now, it is in these skills that we train Filipinos, so that they can maximize opportunities. The principle behind our strategy of governance: instead of giving our countrymen fish, we will teach them how to fish. We are ensuring that the progress we have made and the opportunities that have been created can be maximized by our fellowmen. We cannot wait for the benefits of growth to trickle down to the poorest Filipinos; we cannot leave it to chance, or hope for the best. Our commitment: Inclusive growth. The agenda: assistance, knowledge, skills training, and health, to ensure that no one is left behind. One of our mechanisms: the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. We have vastly expanded the scope of this program. Now, more than 4.4 million households are feeling the benefits of this program. [Applause] This is extremely far from the 786,523 households covered by the program when we entered office. This year, 333,673 graduated from high school; they are part of the first batch of beneficiaries under the expanded Pantawid Pamilya. 13,469 of these youth graduated with honors and a variety of awards. [Applause] In fact, the two beneficiaries I met were accepted into Civil Engineering, a quota course in the University of the Philippines. All of these beneficiaries will gain important knowledge; instead of entering menial jobs once they graduate, it is almost certain that they will find jobs that will pay them a decent salary. Their income tax alone will repay the states investment, and we will be able to continue the cycle of  empowering those in need. The brighter future that awaits the honor students the program assisted is just an added bonus. Let us listen to one of those assisted by Pantawid Pamilya. Translated transcript of Testimonial of Alyannah, CCT beneficiary I work much harder now. I knew the trials my family faced because of poverty. When we were enrolled in the Conditional Cash Transfer program, I saw that people wanted to help us. I knew they wanted nothing in return-but, for me, the only way I could repay their kindness was through my studies. The money we get from the government was never wasted. We were able to finance all of my school expenses. I was so happy when I got into my dream school, the University of the Philippines. The CCT program gave me a chance to get a good education, which helped me finish high school; and now Im on my way to college. I know this program is on the receiving end of a lot of criticism, but I want to tell President Benigno Aquino that they need only to look at me-at us. We are proof that the money set aside by the government for this program is not a dole-out. The money goes towards a worthy pursuit, which I know one day will help uplif t the entire country. [Applause] Under Pantawid Pamilya, in exchange for assistance, the primary focus of beneficiaries must be the education of their children. This has already borne early fruit: according to studies conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, in 2008, there were 2.9 million out-of-school children in the country. The years passed and our population grew, but in 2013, only 1.2 million out-of-school children remained. Let me emphasize the difference: 1.7 million. [Applause] Its as if we filled around 42,500 empty classrooms with students. Of course, apart from the Pantawid Pamilya, the Alternative Learning System also helped to ensure that even indigenous peoples and street children are not left behind. And yet, there are still some who ask: Where are the results of Pantawid Pamilya? Our answer: Oh come on. They seem to think that Pantawid Pamilya is like a magic tablet that, once taken by a child in kindergarten, turns that child into a college graduate after only a few hours. [La ughter and applause] Perhaps, they did not have enough time to study during their time; let us help them count: K to 12 lasts 13 years, while my term only lasts for six. Now we see  whos trying to deceive us. There are even some who had the guts to raise an outcry and shout: There are leakages in Pantawid Pamilya. Then we discovered they used data from 2009, just to have something to criticize. Let me remind them: I became President halfway through 2010; perhaps you should be asking another president to explain the alleged leakage. [Applause] I guarantee that, when the time comes that the beneficiaries of this program are contributing to the economy, those who are criticizing it today will be falling over themselves to proclaim that they are the father or mother of the expanded Pantawid Pamilya. Now, in the sector of education: we are making sure that the deficits of the past are erased and the needs of the present are addressed, even as we prepare for the future. In just our first two years in office, we were able to close the backlogs we inherited of 61.7 million textbooks and 2.5 million school chairs. In 2013, the backlog of 66,800 classrooms was finally eliminated and the backlog of 145,827 teachers was likewise addressed, with the help of our LGU partners. [Applause] According to the estimates of DepEd, from 2010 up to 2017, the total amount of new students: 4.7 million. This is because of the increase of enrollees and the implementation of the K to 12 program. In order to meet this vast increase, we need to add an estimated 118,000 classrooms to what we already have. 33,608 of these have already been constructed. This year, we are slated to construct more than 41,000 more. Funds for the remaining 43,000 classrooms have already been included in the proposed 2016 budget that we will pass tomorrow, which we hope you will approve. [Applause] The number of teachers we will need are estimated at 130,000. In 2014, we have already hired 29,444. This year, the total number of teachers we target to hire: 39,000. The remaining 60,000 positions will be covered in the proposed 2016 budget, which we hope you will approve as well. [Applause] According to Bro. Armin, the sum total of the classrooms our administration has constructed and the teachers we have hired exceeds the cumulative total of classrooms built and teachers hired in the past twenty years before we came into office. We have already turned over 73.9 million textbooks that will be followed by an addition 88.7 million this year. In 2015 as well, 1.6 million school seats were delivered to schools, and we will add another 1.6 million before the en d of the year. After eliminating the existing backlog in classrooms, we constructed or continue to construct 33,621 classrooms, while  allotting funds for the construction of 41,728 more. For teachers: 39,000 are already being hired by DepEd for this school year alone. Tomorrow, we will submit the budget for 2016; included in it are funds for an additional 103.2 million textbooks, 4.4 million school seats, 43,000 classrooms, and 60,000 new teaching positions. Everyone can see: we will not leave further sources of headaches for those who will succeed us. [Applause] Let me be clear: We implemented K to 12 because it is not practical to cram learning in a 10-year basic education cycle. May I remind you, that we are one of the three countries left in the world with a 10-year basic education cycle. The credentials of our countrymen working overseas are already being questioned; there are also some who have been demoted because our diplomas are supposedly not proof of sufficient knowledge. If the past educational system can be likened to a mango induced to ripen under artificial circumstances; now, we are ensuring that the abilities of our students are fully developed, so that they can take hold of their futures. Let us listen to a story that is proof of this: Translated transcript of Testimonial of Rezia Joy Jianoran My father has been a jeepney driver all my life. When I was in my second year of high school, my mom suffered a stroke. I didnt ask, but I knew that they couldnt afford to send me to college. Instead of dropping out of school, I decided to continue my studies under the K to 12 program. My chosen track of specialization was the Drafting Technology course. Part of the K to 12 program is the career immersion. I was assigned to CLP Metal, a metal fabrication company. I was tasked to design machines. This machine was designed to de-hair pigs. Once a pig is processed, after several seconds, it comes out without any hair. A machine like this can only be bought abroad. Because of the design by CLP, were able to adjust to the budget restrictions of our customers. Im extremely proud because when you think about it: how many 19-year olds can say they have designed a machine? Im proud that Im a K to 12 graduate because I can now support my family. And Im learning while Im earning. [Applause] Should these graduates choose to go into tech-voc, the programs we enhanced are already waiting for them. 7.8 million have already graduated from the  different courses of the Technical Vocational Education and Training overseen by TESDA. Under the Training for Work Scholarship Program alone, the number of graduates have already reached 821,962. Perhaps you are wondering: what is their situation today? According to studies, 71.9 percent of graduates were able to find employment right away, compared to the 28.5 percent recorded before. There are even some industries breaking records: for example, the employment rate for the entire semiconductors and electronics industry has already reached 91.26 percent-just a little more, and well be at 100 percent. [Applause] Secretary Joel Villanueva told us before of an OFW forced to return home; she thought there was no hope to improve her lot in life. Then, she studied hilot wellness massage in TESDA; now, her spa already has 4 branches. In my last SONA, I also told you of a PWD who was once a barker; he is now an escalation supervisor in a BPO. [Applause] A success story from the Sari-sari Store Training and Access to Resources Program, or STAR: there was a sari-sari store owner who used to earn 800 pesos a day; now, her daily earnings have reached 4,000 pesos. If you sum everything up, her earnings are more or less equivalent to my salary, even if we do not experience the same type of stress. [Laughter] How did this happen? She was trained in bookkeeping, inventory management, accounting, and other disciplines. Whats extremely impressive: the STAR program even teaches students how to ensure that their profits are maximized. Let us listen to one of those who benefited from TESDAs program: Translated transcript of Testimonial of Ma. Theresa Tomaro, TESDA Star Program trainee My husband and I were both unemployed when we started training with the STAR program. We were taught how to manage and grow a business. When we started our sari-sari store, it was made out of bamboo. Now, its walls are made of concrete. This not only helps us, but also our children. We are able to give them good lives. Ive been able to sell a lot of things. My income has doubled since then. Id like to thank Secretary Joel Villanueva because of their program, I was able to have the opportunity to show my ability to run my own business. [Applause] Now, on the sector of health. To many Filipinos, falling ill poses a serious challenge to the fulfillment of their dreams. Families climbing the ladder of progress, return back to zero once they are struck by illness. Not only  are their savings emptied, they also fall deep into debt. When we came into office, only 47 million Filipinos were beneficiaries of PhilHealth. We have almost doubled this number: just this past June, PhilHealth coverage has reached 89.4 million Filipinos. [Applause] The transformation we wrought: Before, during elections, new PhilHealth beneficiaries seemed to sprout up like mushrooms. Instead of the basis for membership being the interest of Filipinos, it became manipulated to serve the electoral candidates interest. Now, we have corrected that system. There is more good news in the sector of health. In 2012, we announced: If your family is part of the lowest quintile, or the poorest 20 percent of our population, and you are seeking treatment in public hospitals, then we guarantee that you will not have to pay a single centavo. Beginning in 2014, this has expanded to cover the next quintile of our society. This means that for the poorest 40 percent of the population, treatment in public hospitals is free. This is the care that some have called inefficient and uncaring. The only thing I have to say to them, as Aiza Seguerra said back in the day: I thank you, bow. [Applause] Now, let us hear some of the results of the improved PhilHealth program: Translated transcript of Testimonial of Danilo Espiritu, PhilHealth beneficiary I was diagnosed with quadruple clogs in the coronary area. We didnt know how we could afford the operation. The first hospital we went to said the operation would cost 300,000 pesos. At [the Philippine General Hospital], it would cost 700,000 pesos. At UST hospital, they said it was 800,000 pesos. But when one of the doctors learned that my wife was covered by PhilHealth, he said our case qualified under the Z-Package, and we could push through with the operation. We just stood up then and went to fix the paperwork, and I was provided the opportunity to extend my life. The service I got at the hospital was comparable to that received by a private hospital patient. I wasnt considered a charity case. I was a full-fledged paying patient, and PhilHealth paid for my operation. To be honest, I didnt pay for anything. The little money that we did save, we were able to use for the post-operation expenses. Im thankful for PhilHealth and our government for implementing these kinds of projects, which genuinely help people in need. ____________________ Translated transcript of Testimonial of Governor Lilia Pineda Sin Tax should have been implemented earlier; its the answer to our goal of providing universal healthcare. It was a big help to the province of Pampanga: in the past, the Capitol spent over 400 million pesos a year in health aid. But when the Sin Tax Law was implemented, those who needed healthcare were covered by PhilHealth. We are truly grateful to President Aquino because the project provided a huge relief for Pampanga. The money saved was used to fund other important projects. The proceeds of the Sin Tax also went towards the construction of a birthing station, hospital renovations, and the construction of health centers. Were so thankful to the President for caring for the poor who suffer sickness. [Applause] Let us again return to the story of the past five years. We went after the corrupt and we cleaned the systems, which redounded to confidence in our markets. Businesses came into the country, opportunities expanded, all while we empowered Filipinos to gain decent employment. They patronized these businesses, which, having recognized that the playing field is level, know they can profit without having to resort to illegal activities. They then expand their operations, and employ even more people. This is a cycle: justice, trust, economic growth, the creation of opportunities, progress. Boss, this is the very spirit of, Where there is no corruption, there is no poverty. [Applause] And we did not just achieve change. The transformation we are experiencing today has already exceeded the expectations we had in the beginning. The Cadastral Survey, which was started in 1913, has been completed by us. It took almost a century for those who came before us to complete 46 percent of this survey. The more than half left to be done, we finished in just five years in government. This Cadastral Survey identifies the boundaries of the land covered by each city, municipality, and province in the Philippines. In ARMM, for example, it was as if the land gave birth to more land: according to the maps, there are only 1.2 million hectares belonging to the region, but if we were to add up all the lands being claimed, they would reach a total of 3.7 million hectares. Now, because we have fixed the land record system through the Cadastral Survey, no new land will be birthed in ARMM. In 2011, we conducted an inventory of sitios, and we identified those that were still without electricity. Through the Sitio  Electrification Program, we were able to bring light to 25,257 communities identified through this inventory. On top of this, because of the use of solar energy and other technology, even far-flung and isolated areas that would be difficult to connect to the grid already have electricity. Now, around 93 percent of sitios in the Philippines have already been energized; the DOE has guaranteed that, before we step down from office, all the rest of the sitios from the 2011 tally will have electricity. [Applause] Now, let us watch a farmer who has benefited from our Sitio Electrification Program. Translated transcript It was difficult when we didnt have electricity; you just had to bear with it. We could only power our homes with fuel sources. We first got electricity this July, and we were so happy when switched on the lights here at home for the very first time. We can now watch movie tapes or listen to good music. The children are now able to study at night. Im even able to work at night because now I can charge my spotlight during the day, and because Im more productive, I earn more. Our lives have changed for the better now that we finally have access to electricity. Were able to be more efficient-an example would be our weaving. With sewing machines, we can create more beautiful designs, which we can sell at a better price. Food processing needs equipment, which runs on electricity. Students can use the Internet for research. Electricity has brought good things to Bauko. Congratulations to our President for making Bauko a better place to live in. [Applause] In the sector of aviation, there has also been a steady stream of good news: in 2013, the International Civil Aviation Organization lifted the significant safety concerns it had imposed on our country back in 2009. In the same year, the European Union allowed our flag carrier to resume its flights to Europe. The following year saw another local carrier receiving approval from the European Union, while the US Federal Aviation Administration upgraded us to Category 1, from the Category 2 downgrade we had received in 2008. Because of these developments, incoming and outgoing flights are increasing, and it is also becoming easier for tourists to fly around the Philippines. Even better news: just this June, the EU Air Safety  Committee removed its ban on all our air carriers-the first time that it has lifted its ban on the entire civil aviation sector of a country. Now, all our airlines will be able to fly directly to the United Kingdom, Italy, and other countries part of the EU. In seafaring: in 2006, the European Maritime Safety Agency or EMSA was already questioning our compliance to the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers. Because of this, there was a threat that the EU would no longer recognize our maritime education certificates. If we did not act, there would have been the chance that an estimated 80,000 Filipino seafarers working on European boats would be out of jobs. MARINA and the DOTC went to work quickly in order to match our maritime education certificates to global standards. To this day, the EU continues to recognize our certifications. Come EMSAs next audit, which will begin in October, MARINA guarantees: We will definitely pass. [Applause] To Sec. Jun Abaya: May you not waver in your resolve, even when it seems that some have forgotten all that you have done for our sailors, ICAOs lifting of the significant safety concerns it had imposed on our sector, the European Unions lifting of the ban on our airplanes, and the Federal Aviation [Administration] upgrading us to Category 1. It was also you who banned boats from setting out to see during typhoons, which helped to keep passengers away from danger. It is now rare for us to receive news about ships sinking during typhoons. All of these achievements have seemingly been cast aside, because of the complicated challenges in the public transport sector. The biggest example of this is the MRT. Few mention that we have partners from the private sector in this endeavor, who remember their entitlements, but seem to have forgotten their obligations. This partner of ours is supposed to be in charge of maintenance. In 2008, there should have been a general overhaul of the MRT, but upon DOTCs inspection, only token cosmetic changes were undertaken. This lack of care practically guaranteed the breakdown of our trains. Is it not in the interest of all companies to make sure that they get their moneys worth from their investment? Yet, they allowed the situation to deteriorate, to the point where, at very short notice, they just passed the job of improving the MRT onto us. When we made moves to undertake improvements, suddenly, they wanted to take back the responsibility of maintenance. However, their proposal was significantly more expensive than  hours. This would, of course, translate to added expense and aggravation for our people. We did not agree to this, and began the process of obtaining new train coaches. But because the MRTC was adamant, they were able to obtain a TRO on the procurement. That is why the MRT situation has come to this. Sec. Jun: You, I, and the entire population of Metro Manila are not pleased with what is happening. The private sector relegated their responsibility to us; when we made moves to provide a solution, they blocked us. It is clear that our agenda and that of the MRTC will never meet. Now, we are taking steps to buy out the corporation. Once this is fixed, the state will be the sole decisionmaker. While we are undertaking this process, we are already implementing immediate maintenance work. Bigger, more long-term solutions are also set to arrive. Next month, we can expect the delivery of the prototype for new coaches; once this passes scrutiny, beginning in January, three coaches will be delivered every month until our order of 48 coaches has been completed. The process to obtain new rails is underway, together with the upgrading of the signaling and automatic fare collecting systems; all this, we expect to be completed before we step down from office. The power supply of our trains will be upgraded before the end of 2016. There are 12 escalators that will be fixed before the end of the year, while the procurement for the rehabilitation of 34 more escalators and 32 elevators is ongoing. Let me remind everyone: When it comes to these matters, we cannot take shortcuts in the processes; we do not want our measures to be hampered by lawsuits left and right. There are some who say that I wear blinders, when it comes to those who have long been my companions on the Straight Path. Me? I see the good things, but I also see the bad. Am I the one with blinders? Or is it those who insist on seeing only the bad things? On our Armed Forces: Back in November 2010, tensions arose once more between North and South Korea; there were fears that war would break out in the peninsula. We needed a plan to evacuate the 46,000 Filipinos in South Korea, as well as the eight Filipinos in North Korea. When I asked the AFP about the assets we could use in an evacuation, they said that the Air Force has a lone C-130. The shortest duration for a round trip? 10 hours. The capacity: around 100 people. I made some calculations: We needed to move 46,000 Filipinos away from conflict, which meant that, under the most ideal conditions, we would need 460 round trips, which would take 4,600 hours each. This is equivalent  to 200 days of travel. No one can count on an old C-130 to cope with such heavy usage. If we deployed ships, each could carry 1,000 people at a time, but we would be lucky if each round trip could be completed within 10 days. Should further conflict break out, there was the chance that the entire situation would have been over by the time we evacuated of our people. We took immediate action to address these limitations. Now, from one functional C-130, we now have three at our disposal, and we are planning to acquire two more. There are others to accompany them: The first of three C-295 medium lift transports has arrived, with the other two arriving within the year. We also expect the delivery of two more light lift transports before the end of 2015. [Applause] If we ever encounter another spate of problems like what happened in 2013, we are going to need more assets. When Yolanda struck, our docks were destroyed, and our ability to deliver aid was hampered. In s uch situations, landing craft utilities are invaluable because of their ability to dock on any shore. Now, we have increased the number of our landing craft utilities from four to ten. There is the BRP Tagbanua. By next week, two Landing Craft Heavy will arrive from Australia; the turnover of these vessels was very generous: they even came with spare parts and generators. We plan on buying three more; once all the paperwork has been put in order, the processes to procure them will begin. These vessels will reduce our dependence on the kindness of other nations; we will be able to accelerate delivery to different parts of the Philippines, and more promptly send aid, supplies, and other heavy equipment such as bulldozers, which are needed for clearing and relief operations. [Applause] To better watch over our territory, we have also acquired 12 FA-50 fighters to replace our F5 fighter jets that were retired in 2005. The first two units will arrive in December, and the rest of the deliveries will be completed by 2017. We have also acquired war ships such as the BRP Gregorio del Pilar and the Ramon Alcaraz, seven of 13 AW-109 helicopters, six of eight Bell-412 helicopters, 617 troop carrier trucks, and 50,629 assault rifles. Our target is to obtain two more frigates, six Close Air Support Aircrafts, 142 armored personnel carriers, and other new items such as 49,135 units of force protection equipment, 2,884 grenade launchers, and an additional 23,622 assault rifles. [Applause] In total, we have completed 56 projects for modernization, and I have approved 30 more. Compare this to the 45 projects completed by the three  administrations that came before us combined. Let us listen to one of our servicemen from the Air Force: Translated transcript of Testimonial of Jun Perry, member of the Philippine Air Force For the record, Sir, our Air Force now has actual force. There was a joke or stigma back then that the Air Force was all air and no force. Ive only recently joined the Philippine Air Force, but I spent four years in the Philippine Military Academy, where we learned of the value of air power and air defense. During those four years, we found that the Philippine Air Force was losing its strength. But luckily the long wait is over. In December of 2012, President Aquino signed RA 10349. Now, the Philippine Air Force is receiving adequate advancement. It boosts morale. Ive heard confirmation from our Army classmates themselves. One of them even said: Mistah, when I heard the sound of the chopper taking flight, I was so inspired. This is a dream that has slowly, but surely turned into a reality. [Applause] As for our police, for the first time in our history, each of our policemen has his or her own firearm. Furthermore, to improve the capacity of our police force to shoot, scoot, and communicate, we have distributed 302 patrol jeeps, which are only part of the 2,523 that we have procured. We have also distributed 179 of 577 new utility vehicles, as well as 12,399 handheld radios. We are likewise procuring 30,136 long firearms, 3,328 investigative kits, and another 16,867 radios. Let us listen to some of our policemen, who talk about how these efforts have helped them in their work: Translated transcript of Testimonial of Melvin Velasquez When I entered the police service in 2003, I was issued a .38 revolver. Sometimes some of the criminals we encountered were equipped with high-powered weapons. The .38 revolver paled in comparison to the ones used by criminals. In fact, I had to buy my own gun. It is difficult for us law enforcers when we encounter situations where we really have to risk our lives. It was a big change when all policemen were finally given their own guns. We know that we can depend on the firearms issued by the government to us. Those of us in the service dream of owning our own house and lot; it was only during this administration that such a dream was realized. As a  low-ranking law enforcer, I really feel the reforms instituted by our President-one of which is the value accorded to the national police. The only way we can possibly repay all these good things is by fulfilling our duties in the correct and right way-even if it means sacrificing my life.