Effective Workplace Inspection Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Effective Workplace Inspection - Research Paper Example An inspection refers to the function of observation undertaken in any organization in order to identify and account for the potential and existing perils or hazards which can possibly lead to the occurrence of any accidents and mishaps at the workplace. The activity of workplace inspection is an important practice for maintaining health and safety and is undertaken on regular basis. It is referred to as the foundation stone to implementing a successful health and safety program at the workplace. The potential or actual hazards are detected, and the suggested remedial actions are implemented to remove the hazards form the working area (OSACH, 2003). There are identifiable and definable factors in every organization which become the reason of occupational illnesses and workplace accidents. A hazard is any circumstances or conditions which bear the probability of causing the negative effects or damages to the health of people. The risk level to the health inclines with the strength of hazards and the frequency and interval of the people’s contact with the hazard. All the functions and activities within the organization demand the requirement of strategic management of the occupational safety and health hazards. This demand is thus, fulfilled through the application of workplace inspection practices. The practices of workplace inspection are of vital importance in the organizations. The major significance of such practices lies in the fact that they provide a necessary support in preventing the illnesses and injuries to the employees. With the help of critical examination and observation of the workplace, the inspections tend to detect and keep track of hazards for the adoption of remedial actions. The planning, conducting, monitoring and reporting of the inspections are undertaken by the joint occupational health and safety committees. Regular undertaking of the

How can we see architecture as a form or median that merges humanity Thesis

How can we see architecture as a form or median that merges humanity and nature - Thesis Example 122). Since time immemorial, several societies of the world have been known to honor sculptures and other forms of architectural designs as their gods; the Chinese and ancient Japanese societies being the best point of reference. As a matter of fact, their places of worship had specific architectural designs. This was evidence enough of the close relationship that existed between architecture and humanity (Brebbia, 2012, p. 71). Before the World War I, architectural designs were not necessarily buildings. Monuments stood in large cities and significant laces like museums and attraction sites. They added to the beauty of sceneries and made nature admirable. That notwithstanding, these designs reminded people of the significance of nature and. They were also a direct reminder of the fact that nature ought to be protected by humanity. For this reason, people remained connected with nature courtesy of the architectural designs of the times. The warm relationship between nature and architecture began deteriorating after the Second World War and the cold war that came thereafter. The Great Depression of the United States of America also contributed to the degradation of the closeness that existed between nature and architecture. People were more oriented to business and improving their economic statuses as opposed to observing the importance of nature. Every architectural design began to take the direction of business. The architectural designs of this period and periods that followed were therefore no longer associated with neither nature nor humanity but how people would get money out of them. This then marked the beginning of the disconnection between nature, humanity and architecture. Humanity and nature have lost connection and this can be seen from the early periods of romanticism in which there was a protest against the impending scientific rationalization of nature. This was dated to the 18th century

Memo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Memo - Essay Example rts inadvertently, found out from the Academic Support office about her illness and since then kept on taunting her and publicly disgracing her in a class comprising approximately seventy (70) students. Meanie referred t her as â€Å"†¦a moron and the most brainless, dim witted person I’ve ever met. By the end of the fifth(5th) week Ms. Jones could take it no more and had no other option but to quit school. Unfortunately she had to leave her studies and let go of long cherished, childhood dream of becoming a lawyer because in the words of professor Meanie threatened to flunk her. In order to give full attention to her studies she left her a reasonably good paying job as a paralegal. After leaving her studies she again sought the old job but the positioned was filled up, so she had to work under another attorney Ms Bea Aach, a hard task master, and as inconsiderate if not more than her professor. These factors lead to further deterioration in her mental and physical health, so much so that she was hospitalized. Consequently Ms. Jones resigned from this job. As of present Ms. Jones, earns her meager income by writing abstracts. Because of her ill-treatment first at the hands of the Professor at LCLC and then while working under Ms. Bea Aach, her mental health has been badly affected. And a perfectly able young woman with a lot of potential because of the ignorance and mal-treatment of her professor and later the inconsiderate attitude of her employer is suffering as her malady has increased manifold. Initially when she gave up her studies and later had to give up her job as well, she had recurring nightmares and had sleeping problems. Now he does not suffer from nightmares but she has sleep disorder. And because of her bad experiences in the past she is reluctant to get treatment Previously she had a normal social life but now owing partly to her economic problems and the inconsiderate behavior of the people around her she is reduced to a wretch and a recluse.

How can we see architecture as a form or median that merges humanity Thesis

How can we see architecture as a form or median that merges humanity and nature - Thesis Example 122). Since time immemorial, several societies of the world have been known to honor sculptures and other forms of architectural designs as their gods; the Chinese and ancient Japanese societies being the best point of reference. As a matter of fact, their places of worship had specific architectural designs. This was evidence enough of the close relationship that existed between architecture and humanity (Brebbia, 2012, p. 71). Before the World War I, architectural designs were not necessarily buildings. Monuments stood in large cities and significant laces like museums and attraction sites. They added to the beauty of sceneries and made nature admirable. That notwithstanding, these designs reminded people of the significance of nature and. They were also a direct reminder of the fact that nature ought to be protected by humanity. For this reason, people remained connected with nature courtesy of the architectural designs of the times. The warm relationship between nature and architecture began deteriorating after the Second World War and the cold war that came thereafter. The Great Depression of the United States of America also contributed to the degradation of the closeness that existed between nature and architecture. People were more oriented to business and improving their economic statuses as opposed to observing the importance of nature. Every architectural design began to take the direction of business. The architectural designs of this period and periods that followed were therefore no longer associated with neither nature nor humanity but how people would get money out of them. This then marked the beginning of the disconnection between nature, humanity and architecture. Humanity and nature have lost connection and this can be seen from the early periods of romanticism in which there was a protest against the impending scientific rationalization of nature. This was dated to the 18th century

Establishing the Academic Performance of Veterans in the Us Colleges Essay Example for Free

Establishing the Academic Performance of Veterans in the Us Colleges Essay The word veteran comes from Latin word, vetus which means old. It’s used to mean a person who has experience or has served for a long time in the armed forces. Though sometime it may be used to even include those still working in the armed forces (Howe 23). In some countries holidays dubbed Veterans Day have been celebrated to honor the veterans. After World War 2 veteran groups like the veterans of foreign wars and even the American legion pushed for the enactment of the GI bill which has ensured that veterans access free or subsidized education and health care (Howe 23). Objectives †¢ To determine the level of academic performance of veterans in the US colleges. †¢ To understand the reasons why veterans decide to go back to college. †¢ To comprehend the effect of being a veteran on academic performance. †¢ To classify the academic performance of the veterans i. e excellent, moderate e. t. c. Justification Frances claims that the Vietnam veterans, who were on duty between 1956 and 1975, were psychologically devastated and bitter (45) and addicted to drugs (46). They include the people who had an uphill task readjusting to the normal society life, in the US history context (47). Several movies e. g. Hi mom (1970), 1971’s hard ride and Marvel Comic’s movie The Punisher among others have constantly shown that the experience at the Vietnam war for example was so devastating (Jay 23). This warrants a study that probes to know if the government’s efforts to take the veterans back to college is the most appropriate measure. The results will boost the morale of the veterans. The researcher hypothesis will be a Null hypothesis-There is no relationship between high academic performance and being a veteran. It will be assumed that the respondents exam result will be a true reflection of their academic capability and that past exam marks achieved were not characterized by any irregularities. Literature review A number of recent studies keep pointing at the fact that those combat veterans who have PTSD have exhibited memory lapse. According to Nash (112) and Andrew (99), other psychological dimensions including intellectual capacity, veterans with PTSD have been ok just like other non-veterans. According to the newly signed GI bill by the USA president George W. Bush on 30th June 2008, all American young veterans are assured of a chance to obtain a college degree or university degree free of charge (Montreal Gazette). An example of the serious attention being given to this sector is Horatio Alger association’s commitment in 2005 to distribute 10 million dollars to those veterans who fought wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This bill was signed in recognition of the Jewish War Veterans. It was also signed in order to review the educational benefits attached to the military, navy or the air force from which a majority of the veterans emanate and which have been outpaced by the standards of living. The bill has been timely because it eliminates the stringent procedures and replaces them with a minimum of three years of active service to the nation in the military, navy, air force or any other troops like reservists or guardsmen. The veteran benefits are to those who have participated actively in long term state duties and have received an honorary discharge from duty e. g. the American Soldiers who went to fight the war in Iraq and made it back home (National Guard). The financial Aid office and the department of veteran affairs in the US which is based at Ivy Tech in Southern Indiana have been very instrumental in promoting education for the veterans. According to a recent survey by Minnesota state colleges and universities (2007), 80% of National Guard soldiers from Minnesota completing their overseas deployment, said they were keen on beginning or returning to complete their higher education (Karmaz 345). These veterans returning from military duty abroad face numerous challenges i. e. personal, relationship, employment matters and education as they struggle to return their lives to normal civilians (Nash 116). As the president of Las Positas College DeRionne Pollard puts it in her welcome note, the veterans have made an astonishing difference in the lives of their countrymen and women. The peace and freedom that is enjoyed by the US for example as she puts it, is as a result of the tiresome work and a strong sense of duty exhibited by the veterans in their various state assigned duties (Andrews 34). This study will therefore be seeking to establish the general academic performance of veterans and the factors responsible for the standards In veterans elementary public school in Chula Vista that caters for approximately 542 students from grade k-6 in 2007 had an adequate yearly progress of 845 surpassing the 800 mark set by the state of California. Sounds impressive but, how about other schools/colleges? (Neubauer Diane 376) Methodology This study will utilize both quantitative and qualitative methods. In quantitative method, the academic records of the veteran students will be analyzed; their performance will then be compared to the other non-veteran students in the same setting. A test will also be set and administered to all respondents. The research will utilize several resources including stationery, analyzing computers where data is entered and comparison charts and graphs produced. Qualitative method will also be used be used to generate the opinions of the respondents. Unstructured questionnaires will be used to generate this information. All qualitative information of similar nature will be grouped together i. e. information coding. The coded information will then be organized in the form of matrix and then conclusions drawn from the data, E. g. Oral examinations on general topics can also be posed, the respondent’s answers will then be checked for content and their levels of understanding understood. Data analysis The quantitative data on the performance of the subjects will be compared with that of a control reference population of students with the same characteristic but who are not veterans. The qualitative information will also be translated into percentages of the subject who prefer to go back to college for several reasons. The qualitative information will then be used to explain the performance of the veterans quantitatively. For example, if a majority of veterans go back to college because they want to gain knowledge or because they want to develop new careers and assist their families, then we would rightly conclude that the high performance by the same people is purely because of self motivation and not because of the harsh conditions they faced in service for the nation. Results According to (Willenz 56), a case study done on 204 veterans in Michigan, it was found that 60% of the respondents performed well in college at the beginning but later their performance depreciated and they eventually underperformed, with approximately 20% of them dropping out. Of those who dropped out, 90% of them were not going for counseling sessions. The results clearly show that though many veterans want to go back to college, their past experiences plays a major role in what becomes of that decision. However there is a serious need for the veterans to be attached to counselors or psychologists whose therapies should make them fit to go back to college and stay on course to achieve desirable results. Veterans most of the time have suffered severe consequences of war and therefore as a show of appreciation for the sacrifices they made the government through a specifically set financial scheme offers to take them back to school or if they accidentally passed on in line of duty, their family members are given the benefits. These benefits have been characterized with a lot of procedural technicalities that have denied genuine candidates their dues. The most common scenario is that of veterans living in conditions of poverty and engaged in a lot of legal battles with the state in an attempt to prove that they are worth compensating. For the veterans to become normal civilians after participating in military wars there is need for a carefully structured educative system that re- integrates them into the society through counseling and other methods. Recommendations The veterans occupy an integral part of any society. Their contribution in safeguarding the interests of their nation calls for more than is currently being offered even by the US. Young veterans only should have the option of going back to college as compulsory especially if they had not gone to college. But aged ones should be given an opportunity to access the compensation in terms of finances and be able to do what they like with it. The Compensation for duties discharged should not only be education grants but should also include job placements. Because of their selfless actions it would be prudent for the concerned governments to increase the compensations given to those who have been disabled in the line of duty. The duration of service should be a determining factor for compensation.

Global Rise Of Oil Prices Economics Essay

Global Rise Of Oil Prices Economics Essay Energy and Oil is a strategic commodity and very valuable to everyday life. Millions around the world are affected if there is a significant change in the price of oil, especially if the prices increases. The price is affected by two factors, supply and demand. If the supply is steady, stable and adequate to meet up with world demand there wouldnt be an issue. But this isnt the case, to say the least World prices of energy sources began to rise as early as 2005 and showed no sign of stopping, By march 2005 OPEC had admitted to losing control on prices and immediately sought to pump additional barrels but wasnt sufficient. In 2007 the price of oil nearly doubled and continued to rise into early 2008, leading on to the economic crisis. Gas, coal, nuclear energy and in particular oil reached soaring prices as high as $160 a barrel like someone had lost a grip on it somewhere. This price spike in oil prices is due to a combination of factors, first the Kyoto protocol that finally came into effect in 2007, the rising demand from India and china, the neglect from oil companies and investors as they search and research on other alternative source of energy. Political struggles, corruption and attacks on oil pipe lines in one of OPECs member country Nigeria. Where unrest in the African oil region has resulted to a lost in 175,000 barrels per day.  [1]  The fall in value of the US currency played a major role and is partly responsible, since the price for these commodities is typically quoted in US dollars. The financial crisis and recessions in the global economy also appears to have contributed to a substantial increase in speculative interest in energy future markets, helping to boost prices. World oil demand is expected to increase substantially until 2020 according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA , 2006) while in the IEO (Independent Evaluation Office) 2009 projections total world consumption of energy is projected to increase by 44 percent until 2030 with most of its demand from non-OECD economies. . Although the price of a barrel has gone down in recent times and settled, the question is what happens in the event of another decline in supply or demand continues to persist, with failing and short term policies by the institutes involved, policies that fail to come together, correlate and aline with each other, ignoring the fact that the issue at hand if neglected again or not carefully managed can cause devastating effect to the world economies. Today oil has proved to be a powerful economic tool it has also proved to be a capable political weapon. In other words, oil contributes directly and indirectly to the production of all goods and services. For example, in 2003 oil as a source of energy accounted for about 37% of total energy sources. There is compelling body of evidence that oil production is determined by the interplay of institutional and economic forces. The issue is the policies that the key players implement from the U.S. to the EU and OPEC itself. Statement of the Issue/Problem: What policies energy institutes and oil producing countries including government bodies have to stabilize and control the market? There is pressure on the industry and oil market, with concerns about CO2 emissions and global warming since the time of Kyoto and increasing environmental awareness but no adequate policies to resolve the issue or at least one that works in the competitive and challenging industry. Background (of the problem): Oil, coal and gas currently provide more than two-thirds of the worlds energy and electricity, but also produce the greenhouse gases largely responsible for global warming. A number of models suggest that implementation of the Protocol will affect energy markets and oil revenues. At the same time, world energy demand is expected to rise sharply in the coming years, presenting all societies worldwide with a real challenge see appendix (1). Several factors as mentioned earlier has caused the previous drastic rise in price and decline supply. Presently as the prices continues to remain low the demand from Asia for oil is increasing by more than two million barrels per day  [2]  if demands from Asia grow significantly at such a rapid rate when prices are at a stable range then there are no doubts that prices would not and cannot stay low for too long ( Merlin Flower 2010) . Another issue is that of pegging, many oil producing countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait peg their currency to stronger currencies like the U.S. dollar. When we experienced the decline of the dollar during the recession their economies are relatively affected there after they let their currency float. A classic example is in 2006 when other countries with Kuwait leading the way unpegged their currency from the dollar following suit was the expected rise in energy prices. Speculations and uncertainty affect businesses and stock value not to say the least oil field services companies (Giuseppe Marconi 2008). Many oil-exporting economies argue that they peg to the dollar because oil is priced in dollars. Pegging their currency to the dollar eliminates the apparent mismatch between the governments dollar-denominated oil revenues and its local currency spending. The IMF after undertaken research indicates that a significant increase in price of oil on average leads to real appreciation of the currencies of oil exporting economies therefore might have been another reasons for their actions. This logic, however, fails to accurately diagnose the real fiscal problem of oil-exporting economies. Appendix (2) shows a list of major exporting economies and those that peg or float their currency. There is a growing view that, if nothing is done to cut the growing demand on world consumption of oil , there is likely to be an oil supply crunch within the next 10 years, Because oil consumption is responsible for some 25% of greenhouse gas emissions, efforts to reduce emissions would seem likely to affect the market for oil According to the economist in 2004 global consumption of oil increased by 3.4% , with nearly a third from growing nations like china where its demand is predicted to be about 16%. Supporting that is a chart from the European Commission in Appendix (3). Upon that there is insufficient investment by the international and oil companies many multinational oil companies are or have spent time buying their own shares rather than developing the society they present.  [3]  Although with the exception of a few whom participate in the development of their local economies but how adequate is this? If this is to happen, there is no doubt it might trigger another econo mic crisis and causing a global impact. Oil export revenues account for between 9% and 40% of GDP in OPEC economies, so reduced oil revenues means reduced economic growth. For most of its members which are developing nations a decline in economic growth has implications for their relative economies most especially unemployment for those with high population growth rate. So far all parties involved with significant influence in the market have policies of their own different interest. Policies tried have been short term policies and have proved no effect so far. A typical example of short term policy was in 2001 the U.S under introductions from the president, the U.S. announced it would release 30m of barrels from the Strategic petroleum Reserve (SPR) rather than selling the oil. Between August and November the department of Energy (DOE) requested offers for oil to be replaced back. These efforts proved to have back fired increasing the cost of crude oil having been handled in a clumsy and old fashion way. The U.S policy whether short-term or long term can have the long term negative effect of increasing the cost of crude oil. This showed the importance of set policies and reform in the energy market especially oil which the world depends on. If there isnt no change in policies the by 2015, then there is likely to be a future crash in the energy oil market affecting individuals across the globe either in little ways from transportation or domestic energy consumption. Critique of Pre-existing Policies: When it comes to policies either set by OPEC or the U.S. Energy policymaking in the past 35 years has been neither decisive nor strategic. The world can no longer afford to forward oil policies which we fail to implement. (Thomas D. May 2006). Previously OPEC adopted the quota system to limit its oil supplies to keep oil prices at certain levels. According to this system each OPEC country is allocated a specific level of oil production to limit total OPEC oil supply and thereby influence oil prices in the international market. In the late 19s around 1986, this system did not help OPEC to avoid the oil price collapse because most OPEC countries did not respect their quotas, Angola, Venezuela, Iran and Nigeria named the biggest cheaters. Bearing in mind These OPEC short term policies affect international affairs. It is thought that implementing the Kyoto Protocol will require a carbon tax (or equivalent) in Annex B countries, and this will raise the price of oil to consumers and therefore reduce demand there. Because these Annex B countries account for more than 60% of world oil consumption any significant reduction in demand there may well cause a decline in the producers price of oil on the global market. Further, if the principal mechanism by which Annex B countries reduce emissions is through a carbon tax, then this tax wedge may increase the rent that governments in energy importing countries have in the oil market, transferring wealth from oil producers to consumers (Mabey et al., 1997, p. 274). To put this in perspective, the G7 countries (US, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy, Britain and France) already earn some 70% more income from oil taxes than OPEC members earn from petroleum exports (OPEC, 2001). So, through reduced demand, reduced price and reduced market rent it is thought that implementation of the Kyoto Protocol will reduce oil export revenues. Other concerns expressed by OPEC countries include the potential increase in renewable subsides, which they perceive to be given at the expense of other energy forms (e.g. oil) and discriminatory in nature (WTO, 2002. Problem is that everyone seems to have or develop their own policies from the Arab council to the European Union, all different policies different directions and interests. In the last few years OPEC agreed on a range of oil prices (ie between $22-28/B) and used its quota system to keep its oil prices within these limits. However, OPEC did not give any scientific rationale for this range or explain whether or not it was based on any scientific study. Nor did it say such a study took certain factors into consideration. In other words this price range seems to be arbitrary. On October 2007 in London the EU proposed new energy policies to come into place in other to tackle the challenging industry . The EU has clearly recognised that the internal energy market is the policy line that ensures fair prices to citizens and industries. At the same time, it guarantees that even smaller companies, for instance those that invest in renewable energy, have access to the energy market. Absent from this section of the initiative are measures to directly address the current peaking of internal Natural Gas production. Although put forward as so, market liberalization wont secure the increasing Natural Gas imports needed in the following years to meet internal demand. Lines of action to substitute Natural Gas or to secure other foreign sources simply do not exist. The main energy problem in Europe is not mentioned even less dealt with. These policies have a unique flexibility in that they can be used as a cure or as a weapon, but commonly their primary purpose is to promote or protect economic interests. Policy options and recommendations: As regards to reform of the oil or energy sector, in order to meet the requirements concerning the opening up of the market, an appropriate legislative and regulatory framework is necessary, in particular as regards regulation, and implementation of energy policy. Apart from the formulation and implementation of an energy policy, work should be concentrated on two aspects: opening up production, distribution, pricing and restructure of economic development plans by adopting efficient policies and procedures. There are several policy measures and recommendation that might minimise any possible losses to OPEC countries. One, assistance from developing countries to exporting economies to diversify sources of income, as models results show that economies with a diverse pattern of production and exports will be least affected by the Kyoto Protocol (Polidano et al., 2000). Two, OPECs share of oil market and cartel power would increase if there are measures to discourage the production of fossil fuels within developed countries Third, measures to abandon nuclear power generation would also favour oil exporters as more primary energy needs would presumably be met by oil. Fourth creating a situation where by countries wouldnt be able to peg theirs with another and jumping off once the market changes rather look to creating fiscal policy and finally the issue to sell essential and vulnerable commodity in a more stable currency like the euro, as the U.S. is unpredictable the least to say. However, this does not mean that all policies are going to be successful; they need to be well managed within a sustainable balance of power from global institutes. Appendices Appendix (1) Table 1. World Marketed Energy Consumption by Country Grouping, 2006-2030 (Quadrillion Btu) Region 2006 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 Average Annual Percent Change, 2006-2030 OECD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241.7 242.8 252.4 261.3 269.5 278.2 0.6 North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121.3 121.1 125.9 130.3 135.6 141.7 0.6 Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81.6 82.2 84.8 87.9 90.0 91.8 0.5 Asia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.7 39.5 41.8 43.1 43.9 44.6 0.6 Non-OECD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230.8 265.4 299.1 334.4 367.8 400.1 2.3 Europe and Eurasia . . . . . . . . . . 50.7 54.0 57.6 60.3 62.0 63.3 0.9 Asia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117.6 139.2 163.2 190.3 215.4 239.6 3.0 Middle East . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.8 27.7 30.3 32.2 34.6 37.7 1.9 Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14.5 16.2 17.7 19.1 20.6 21.8 1.7 Central and South America . . . . 24.2 28.3 30.3 32.5 35.2 37.7 1.9 Total World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472.4 508.3 551.5 595.7 637.3 678.3 1.5 Note: Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding. Sources: 2006: Energy Information Administration (EIA), International Energy Annual 2006 (June-December 2008). Summary data on major oil-exporting economies Appendix (2) Country Oil and gas export revenues, 2006 (billions of dollars) Average oil exports, 2006 (millions of barrels a day) Population (millions) Exchange rate regime Change in REER, end 2001 to end 2006 (percent) Saudi Arabia 195.6 8.8 21.4 Fixed (to dollar) -22.2 Russia 190.8 7.4 142.9 Managed float (euro-dollar basket) 39.6 Norway 75.7 2.3 4.6 Floating 6.2 United Arab Emirates 70.2 2.2 2.6 Fixed (to dollar) -18.9 Venezuela 60.3 2.4 25.7 Fixed -25.6 Iran 60.1 2.4 68.7 Managed float 22.3 Kuwait 55.9 2.3 2.4 Fixed (to basket) n.a. Algeria 53.3 1.7 32.9 Managed float (to dollar) -22.0 Nigeria 48.5 1.9 131.9 Managed float (plans to float 2009) 12.8 Libya 38.3 1.3 5.7 Fixed (to special drawing rights) n.a. Kazakhstan 24.6 1.5 15.2 Managed float n.a. Qatar 21.9 1.0 0.9 Fixed (to dollar) n.a. Oman 16.4 0.7 3.1 Fixed (to dollar) -18.4 Bahrain 9.4 0.0 0.7 Fixed (to dollar) -25.4 n.a. = not available Note: Oman and UAE real effective exchange rate (REER) estimates are based on International Monetary Fund annual data, which end with 2005. For Nigeria, it reflects revenues of net oil and gas exports. Irans exports reflect its fiscal year 2005-06. Sources: IMF, International Financial Statistics ; IMF Country Reports; BP Global (for energy data); national central banks; CIA, World Factbook (for population). Appendix (3)

The Metamorphosis :: essays papers

The Metamorphosis The introduction gets the readers attention because of its plot movement and extreme details. This particular introduction, unlike most other works contains the climax to the story. This paper will show the importance of these introductory lines. â€Å"When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed into a monstrous vermin.† This line greatly moves the plot, more so than any other line. It is the climax of the novel, and everything following it helps build the conclusion of the story. The juxtaposition of â€Å"unsettling† and â€Å"dreams† is ironic, as dreams are peaceful and never unsettling, only nightmares are unsettling. Gregor has transformed into a â€Å"monstrous vermin.† The remainder of the first paragraph gives details of exactly what the monstrous vermin is. His back is as â€Å"hard as an armor plate†. This metaphor shows the rigidity of his body. Gregor’s body has â€Å"arch shaped, a vaulted brown belly, and many legs.† As a result of this, he does not even know who or what he is. â€Å"What’s happened to me?† He knew it was not a dream. Kafka blends a short sentence about the realization that it is no longer a dream into a paragraph of long sentences to show how the idea of being a dream is chimerical. His room is still a â€Å"regular human room.† In his room are lines of fabric samples, because he is a traveling salesman. Gregor had a picture hanging on his desk. It â€Å"showed a lady done up in a fur hat and a fur boa.† This picture, and the mention of him being a traveling salesman, show the extravagance of his family, while he is a common worker. The weather is overcast, a symbol of Gregor’s despair. He looks out the window, in search of answers to his unanswered questions. He could hear the raindrops and was completely depressed. His depression portrays his feeling that he has no control over the future. He even has no control over himself. â€Å"In his present state, he could not get into that position. No matter how hard he threw himself onto his right side, he always rocked onto his back again.† Kafka beautifully incorporates the climax into the introduction of his story in order to deeply involve the reader in the story.