Proposition 13 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Proposition 13 - Essay Example Proposition 13 was the result of a taxpayer revolt against escalating and uncertain tax rates. Viewed as one of the first signs of the coming Reagan Revolution, the radical conservative approach rippled across the country as key provisions of the act were enacted in several other states (Menrow). The most immediate and severe impact of Prop 13 was felt by the school districts that lost over half their revenue creating a crisis in many of California's public schools. In response, California passed a number of bills that eased the pressure on school systems. Overall, tax revenues going to schools decreased between 9% and 15%, with the wealthier districts losing the higher amount ("The Special Challenge"). Prop 13 resulted in the school systems in California moving from local community control to control by the state. It further gave property owners the ability to calculate and plan for their tax rate, enabling low income and fixed income households to maintain possession of their prope rty and avoiding losing their homes due to unaffordable taxes. The focus of Prop 13 was to give the taxpayer a known and predictable property tax rate. It set a maximum tax rate at 1% and limited valuation increases to 2% per year. Upon selling a property, it would then be revalued at the market value. The 1% limit imposed by Prop 13 was about 1/3 of the rate prior to its passage. Prop 13 further limited local taxation by requiring a 2/3 majority in the legislature and 2/3 public vote to increases local taxes. These actions put the responsibility for funding the public school system on the state and in doing so, the state took control of the schools and away from local communities. Recent amendments have lowered the threshold for voter approval to 55%, which has allowed local governments to raise additional funding when necessary. Impact of Proposition 13 The impact of the loss of revenue was most clearly felt by local school districts. Schools, faced with fewer dollars, were forced to delay improvements and in some cases resulted in the cutting of programs. However, the long-term result has not led to the bankruptcy of California's schools. Bolstered by "bailout bills" that benefited education, the schools continued to operate under state control at or near the previous level of funding. In 2001-2002 California teachers were ranked at the top of the pay scale compared to other states (Bell). Faced with the loss of revenue, many cities increased fees on everything from traffic violations, to home inspections, and service taxes on hotels and restaurants (Wood). Along with innovative taxation, changes in Prop 13 over the years have made it easier for local communities to raise money for schools by reducing the 2/3 voter approval to 55%. Critics have pointed to the lower test scores in California schools since the inception of Prop 13 an d linked them to the reduced funding. Per pupil spending has been reduced and is currently about $650 below the national per pupil average. The falling test scores are due to several reasons and lower funding may be just one facet of the problem. Immigration, state educational policies, and an activist teachers union may have more impact on test scores than reduced funding. Relations between the state and local governments have been strained as local government officials, in need of funding, have become

Legalizing Prostitution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Legalizing Prostitution - Research Paper Example First of all, several individuals note that prostitution should remain illegal, so as preserve morality within a given community. Many people especially with families do not want their children growing up knowing that prostitution is acceptable and it is a moral practice within the society. Analysts argue that Christians are among the groups of people that look down upon prostitution and perceive it as immoral. The topic of whether prostitution should be legalized or not has become very contentious. This essay will undertake a study of the advantages and disadvantages of prostitution in an attempt to decode the best stand for the society at large. Legalized prostitution has been documented to promote safety in the neighborhoods. The police and the government authorities will not only put restriction measures in the brothels and prostitution institutions but also offer protection services. In situations where prostitutes rob clients, the client will be in a better position to report to the authorities for action and punishment. The prostitutes, on the other hand, will not fear reporting crimes committed to them. The legal measures put in place will deter prostitutes from committing crimes to their clients.Legalization of prostitution will reduce the rates of crime within the society. When a woman is accused of prostitution, she feels intimidated and will not seek for employment due to embarrassment. This makes them get involved in crime, the reason many women are jailed in this contemporary era. Unlike when prostitution is legalized, women will be free to conduct prostitution thus reducing the rate of unemployment and crime rates among women. With legalization most of the crimes committed to the prostitutes and clients will reduce because women will have specific protected areas to do their business. Legalization of prostitution will put law enforcement measures to better use. For instance, instead of the government using the law enforcement resources in curbing prostitution in the society, they can make use of the resource to fight other serious crimes committed against persons or property (Clark p.86). Lots of resources are more often than not put in place to curb prostitution but, all these efforts seem to go to waste because prostitution is still rampant. If prostitution is legalized, then the government would have an easier time dealing with prostitutes in the society. It m ay be said that the fight against prostitution is doomed to fail, since there are no well established ways of dealing with prostitutes, as well as clients. The authority may harass the prostitutes, but will not stop them from doing what they do best. A study conducted by the Rand Corporation in the city of Los Angeles found that the authorities have done nothing except push the prostitutes across the city's boundaries (Pheterson p.105). This shows that there is a immense predicament within the society in relation to the legalization process. There are those individuals who are not ready accept the process not considering that the vice affects their lives in one way or another. The governments around the world should protect other individual rights, like right to property rather than getting too concerned with issues of prostitution that are difficult to control. Studies indicate that prostitutes go through a very difficult time whilst conducting their day to day activities. Some pro stitutes are normally beaten, harassed and with no resources dedicated towards protection of their rights; they end up suffering a great mile. With legalization and free market for prostitution to take place, the prostitutes will have rights to police protection and to legal provision of resources.

Factors for Consideration when Starting a Business

Factors for Consideration when Starting a Business Below are some reasons why a person would like to set up his /her own business. Control If a person has its own business; it gives them more control over how much money they make and how much they will work to gain more. When a person starts his business it is solely dependent on the person how to start and maintain it in future. In short the control comes in the persons hand and there is no one elses control over him. Choice When a person starts his/her own business, it gives him/her freedom to whatever they want to do. For instance, it gives you a choice whether you want to do business and job together or deal in various products of your own choice. Moreover, being a freelancer or an independent contractor gives a person freedom regarding which jobs they choose to take. Business Decisions If a person has his own business the success or failure of the business solely depends on your business decisions. For example, having your own business means you make the choices instead of having them made for you by an employer and the choices made decides if u fail or succeed, which in turn tells whether your decision was worth for a business. It gives you motivation to improve yourself in future and makes you a better businessman. Satisfaction Some people start their own business for themselves because they have a skill or a product to offer. They enjoy being obsessive about what they do. Moreover, starting your own business gives a person satisfaction as whatever they do they do for themselves and they can work hard to earn as much money as they want and there is no fixed salary. Job loss When a person loses his job, he may take his work experience and professional contacts and start his own business to make him less vulnerable to risks. Get creative Starting up a new business, provides and entrepreneur to bring his creativity out. If a person has considered going it alone, he will have thought out how you would do things your way. Being an entrepreneur gives him the freedom to express himself and develop his concept in any way he chooses. Of course, there are always financial constraints, but the ability to be as creative as you like is far more appealing than a one-dimensional job. Very profitable If you think that its just large corporations that make big profits, you would be wrong. There are countless stories of entrepreneurs hitting on a great idea, exploiting it well and being well on their way to their first million by the end of the year. Although the start-up process can be tough, with long hours and little money not uncommon, if you run your business well, the rewards can be huge. And, from a purely selfish point of view, you will get most of the profits yourself. Unfortunately, many of the businesses are more likely to fail in its initial years because of the difficulties that commonly plague struggling companies suffer from. These difficulties occur in every business in its early years as the business is new to everyone even to the management itself. Some of these reasons are elucidated below. Insufficient Capital A common fatal mistake for many failed businesses is having insufficient operating funds. Business owners underestimate how much money is needed and they are forced to close before they even have had a fair chance to succeed. They also may have an unrealistic expectation of incoming revenues from sales. It is imperative to ascertain how much money your business will require; not only the costs of starting, but the costs of staying in business. It is important to take into consideration that many businesses take a year or two to get going. This means you will need enough funds to cover all costs until sales can eventually pay for these costs. Lack of planning Successful businesses just don not happen instead they need planning to make it happen. They are the outcome of deliberate and well-executed business plans. Many businessmen are so eager to get started that they neglect business planning and start a business with a dream and an idea. That might motivate you to get it started but not necessarily to succeed. If a person wants to setup his business it is necessary to have a business plan first and then start. Overspending Many startups spend their seed money before cash has begun to flow in at a positive rate. This often happens because of misconception about how business operates. If youre just starting out in business, seek out seasoned veterans you can bounce your ideas off of prior to making big financial commitments. Inadequate funding Another common reason for small business failure is a absence of adequate funding, especially during the critical start-up period. Inadequate funding severely limits the capacity and looms the ability to grow beyond the initial stage of life. One should resist himself from the urge to start until he have attained all of the funding which they know they need to do it right. Bad marketing Quite often a person creates a business that sells the best product at the best price but still fails because no one knows it exists. Marketing about the product is critical if the business is going to have any chance of becoming the flourishing venture. Unreliable suppliers The ability to maintain proper levels of inventory is directly relative to the quality of a persons relationships with reliable suppliers. Developing effective supply channels can take some time but it is quite necessary in a business as whatever you sell should be good enough to attract customers to buy it. Staffing imbalances Labour is the biggest expense for most businesses. Therefore, it only makes sense that its worth your time to make sure that your company employs the right amount of people. For example, employing too many employees will have a bad effect on the business capital and employing very few employees will result in performance will. Making the perfect balance is not easy, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Ineffective sales performance Sales are a key element in the success of any businesses. Poor sales, on the other hand, are an indication that your business might be in jeopardy. A person should maintain a close eye on sales patterns and trends, and hire the best sales staff, which they can afford to keep the money regularly coming in. 1.3 The important factors which are necessary to start up a business are:- Knowledge/Expertise Any business needs some amount of basic knowledge and experience. It is very essential that the owner is aware about the business he plans to start. Knowledge and expertise about the product or service are keys to a successful business. Moreover, if a person has limited knowledge the owner may not be able to sustain the business and can be fooled by the vendors, suppliers and competitors. Expert knowledge is especially required if the field of business is a niche field. For instance, the construction or software industry would require more knowledge as against a retail business selling a particular brand of clothes or shoes. Location Deciding an ideal location for the business is a strategic and an important one. A good location goes a long way in making the business successful. The location needs to be carefully chosen. Some places have advantages over the others. A location should be explored on the basis where the raw materials can be easily sourced, the manpower would be easily available and it is easy to save on transportation costs. Moreover, choosing a location depends upon the nature of the business. For instance, a retail business should to be located in a well-populated area and one which is easily accessible. Competition Before entering new business, information about market competition needs to be found out. In case a product is a monopoly then the competition will not matter. Otherwise the success of the business will depend upon the demand and supply gap. Thus if there is a huge demand then you can enter the business in spite of the market competition. Otherwise you will need to be stronger than the competitors to gain an entry. Normally existing firms will always have an advantage due to the experience they have and because they may be well equipped. The question which needs to be answered is What is unique about the product / service which will be offered to survive the market competition? Information such as who are the competitors, what is their market strategy and what factors are required to compete with them are important. Financing/Capital After identifying the initial costs required for starting the business, it is necessary to look for the sources of funding like bank loan or sponsors. It is very essential to have adequate funds to start a business as lack of funds will have a bad impact on the business which may lead to the failure of it. Laws, Rules, Regulation Setting up a new business would require compliance with various laws regulations. Each country is governed by separate laws and regulations which require that any new business be registered with certain authorities and meets certain compliance. Thus registration of the name of the company may be required with Ministry of Commerce for instance. Further details need to be provided regarding the workforce and certain deductions may be required from the staff (such as tax) which would need to be deposited with the respected Government bodies. Awareness is required of such rules and regulations. It is always better to consult a lawyer before setting up a new business in an unknown environment. There are certain accounting / consultancy firms which would have a division giving advice on legal and statutory compliance. In case of lack of expertise it is better to approach a lawyer / accounting / consultancy firms. 1. 4 The heart of the issue with Human Resources is the skills-base of the business. What skills does the business already possess? Are they sufficient to meet the needs of the chosen strategy? Could the skills-base be flexed / stretched to meet the new requirements? An audit of human resources would include assessment of the following factors: Existing staffing resources Numbers of staff by function, location, grade, experience, qualification, remuneration Existing rate of staff loss (natural wastage) Overall standard of training and specific training standards in key roles Assessment of key intangibles e.g. morale, business culture Changes required to resources What changes to the organisation of the business are included in the strategy (e.g. change of location, new locations, new products)? What incremental human resources are required? How should they be sourced? (alternatives include employment, outsourcing, joint ventures etc.) 1.5 1.6 A business finance source is a way a business can obtain funding, either for start-up or operating expenses. There are many different types of sources like sales, loans, and investors. Each has different terms, benefits and disadvantages. Business owners tend to use two or more different sources in order to fund their business. Business finance sources fall into two main categories:- Internal funding Internal funding comes from the profits made by the business by sale of products or assets. These are the funds which the company has on its own like the income of the company, the money they have of their own etc. External funding External funding comes from lenders and investors. The most common external finance sources are loans. Short and long-term loans require borrowers to repay funds at an interest rate for a set period of time. Overdraft loans allow a borrower to spend a certain amount of money, and the lender charges interest on the overdraft amount. Before deciding which method is best for a company, business owners should consider a variety of factors. The cost of the business finance source usually is the most important factor considered. Owners look at the interest rates and payment plans to determine the profitability of obtaining a certain funding source. Businesses that have a history financial stability may want to consider an internal source of revenue before opting for an external source. Its also important to determine how long the business will need additional funding. A short-term loan would be best for projects that would only take a short time to complete. Business finance start-up generally refers to the cost to start a new business. It includes determining, calculating, and obtaining start-up costs, as well as managing those finances effectively to ensure the profitability of a new business. The first steps to business finance start-up are to determine and estimate the amount of funds needed to open a business. These start-up expenses may include one-time fees, such as permits and licenses needed to operate the business. Initial costs may also include on-going fees, such as rent and utility payments. Business owners usually only include the necessary expenses when determining the total cost to start-up. In order to estimate the amount of funds needed for the business, owners should set up worksheets that list each expense and how much it costs. 1.7 The advantages of setting up a business under private limited company as opposed to sole trader ship are:- Liability The principal benefit of trading via a limited company has always been the limited liability given to the companys officers and shareholders. As a sole trader or other non-limited business, personal assets can be at risk in the event of a failure of the business, but this is not the case for a limited company. As long as the business is operated legally and within the terms of the Companies Act, directors or shareholders personal assets are not at risk in the event of a winding up or receivership. And as often happens on occasion, such events are not always under our own control. There is no obligation for a limited company to commence trading within any set time period after its incorporation. The principal benefit of trading as a limited company has always been the limited liability of the companys officers and shareholders. As a sole trader or other non-limited business, personal assets can be at risk in the event of a failure of the business, but this is not the case for a limited company. Gives confidence- Operating as a limited company often gives suppliers and customers a sense of confidence in a business. Larger organisations in particular will prefer not to deal with non-limited businesses. Also, many of the costs associated with managing and operating a limited company are not much more than with a non-limited business. Tax advantages- If you trade as a sole trader, partner or partnership, your income will be taxed as proprietors income, regardless of how much profit is retained as working capital. Interest on loans to the business is also taxed as income. Furthermore, partners are personally and jointly liable for partnership tax and if a partner dies, the surviving partners are responsible for partnership tax. Creditors can claim all your property to satisfy debts, and if this is insufficient, you may be declared bankrupt. An undercharged bankrupt is forbidden to start another business or to become a director of a limited company. Separate Entity Due to its very nature, a limited company is deemed to be a separate legal entity from its owners. This has several advantages, including the fact that the company will exist beyond the life of its members. If they retire or die, the company will continue to exist and operate. This ensures security for employees and other members and also is an advantage which other legal forms of business are not subject to. Ownership and Control In the case of Private Limited Companies, the Directors are also usually the main shareholders of the Company. Thus both the ownership and control of the business remain in their hands. Decisions can be made quickly and easily, with little fuss, allowing for a more successful business management platform. Company Name Part of registering a Limited Company, includes the registration of a Company name. This name will help identify the business in the marketplace, separating it from other Companies and protecting it. 1.8 A sole trader is a business form that allows one person to be solely responsible for the financial transactions of the business. The benefits and disadvantages of this responsibility are numerous and should be weighed carefully. Another term for a sole trader is a sole proprietor. Precisely, it refers to the person responsible for the daily organization of the firm and for its profits and losses. Being a sole proprietor as it in legally known in the U.S.is a benefit to many people who are looking to start their own business. It is one of the most common types of businesses that can be formed and involves only one person as the responsible entity of the businessholding that person completely accountable for any debt or liability that the business might incur. Although sole traders have many advantages, they also have many significant disadvantages. Liability The main disadvantage to being a sole trader is the liability that the business owner yields. Being held responsible for any lawsuits or potential damages is not only dangerous to the sole traders business, but it can be detrimental to her personal life as well. Unlike modern business corporationssuch as LLCswhich allow the business to be a separate entity, preventing anyone from holding your personal assets responsible for your business, sole traders are personally responsible for their business. Responsibility One of the main disadvantages to many people for running a sole proprietorship is the complete responsibility that the sole trader has. Completely variant from business to business, since each business has its own type of operations, sharing responsibility takes a huge burden off of most business owners. That is one reason for the popularity of Limited Liability Corporations, Limited Liability Partnerships, and partnerships. These businesses each allow some owners to share or take less responsibility, leaving them to grow and improve their businesses more thoroughly than if they did not have complete responsibility. Lack of Investors When it comes to being a sole trader, the business owner can have a difficult time for growing. Not only because of the lack of time that she has because of her tremendous responsibility, but due to investors lack of interest in a sole proprietorship. Companies are more apt to invest in corporations that have the potential to expand. They also prefer the other benefits of corporations, such as their legal structure and lack of personal accountability. Lack of investors can mean lack of growth for many companieswhich can leave many sole traders running a stagnant business.

Oedipus the King and Maslows Pyramid :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

Oedipus the King and Maslow's Pyramid      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   People have long considered general theories of motivation, and the question regarding the specific motives that direct and energize our human behavior has undergone tremendous speculation. To this day the question still stands: what is it that humans seek most in life? In an effort to answer this question, Abraham Maslow proposed what he called the hierarchy of needs. Maslow theorizes that human beings are motivated to fulfill this hierarchy, which consists of needs ranging from those that are basic for survival up to those that promote growth and self-enhancement (Kassin 300).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the base of the hierarchy are the physiological needs of human beings. This level consists of a human's need for food, water, oxygen, sleep, and sex. Homeless people are at this level of the hierarchy because their concern is in obtaining those things necessary for survival. Once an individual has met these needs, they begin to seek steady work, financial security, stability at home, and a predictable environment. This level consists of overachievers and workaholics. People such as this are so concerned with their income that they do not feel that the amount of time they work is sufficient enough. If an individual meets all of these needs, then that person has obtained their general need for safety. Once human beings have obtained safety, they strive to fulfill their social needs. At this level humans concern themselves with affiliation, belongingness and love, affection, close relationships, family ties, and group membership. This is a particularly crucial lev el because if these needs are not met, then humans feel an overwhelming sense of loneliness and alienation. All the needs for love having been met, an individual seeks social status, respect, recognition, achievement, and power. All of these needs combine to fulfill an individual's need for esteem, and failing to satisfy this need, an individual endures a sense of inferiority and a lack of importance. All human beings are placed at one of these four levels, striving to satisfy the needs at that level. If there comes a time in which an individual has obtained all of the needs on the hierarchy, that person becomes ready, willing, and able to strive for self-actualization. According to Maslow, self-actualization is a distinctly human need to fulfill one's potential. As Maslow himself states, "A musician must make music, and artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is ultimately to be at peace with himself.

Importance of Child Friendly Education Essay

All this does not mean that you turn your class into a place of dreary learning. First of all, the activities you would use with adults can work, but make them shorter. For example, a role play may have to last five minutes instead of 10. Also make sure activities are varied: an activity that involves moving about and noise needs to be followed by a quiet task that allows kids to â€Å"cool down†. Remember also that children will not do a task because it is good for their English. Tasks need an end result rather than being open-ended. Building in a quiz or competitive element can work or ask learners to produce work that is displayed on the wall. It’s a great feeling when the children are busy, but their enjoyment of a task might manifest itself in terms of noise. Develop signals to get attention. This can be a raised hand or switching off the lights. Whatever you do, don’t try to out-shout a class because they will always win. Where groups of children are getting really loud it may be time to change the groups around. Adults like praise, but children really love praise. Avoid over-praising individuals and try to compliment whole groups. Use affirmative commands like, â€Å"Please speak English† rather than negative reprimands like, â€Å"Stop speaking Spanish!† You’ll also avoid problems if you set out rules at the beginning of the course. If possible, involve the children in preparing and writing out the class rules – it is especially good practice with modal verbs. A child that then breaks these rules will see greater justice than if you make up your own rules on the spot. More importantly, you will be punishing the inappropriate behaviour, not the child.

Nutrition for Health and Social Care Essay

In this assignment, I will be making realistic recommendations for decreasing negative impacts on the health of one individual. The individual I will be making recommendations for and talking about in more depth is James. As it states in the case study, and James has a BMI above average, therefore, in this assignment, I will clarify in full detail what he could do in order to live a healthier lifestyle and lose some weight as James is 54 years old overweight. In addition, I will also be stating the advantages of acting upon and following the recommendations I have made as well as the disadvantages if he did not follow them and continued with his normal diet. â€Å"Food is essential for life but what we eat is subject to a wide range of influences. Recognising these and taking account of them when planning menus and preparing food can make the difference between and individual eating sufficiently for their needs or not†. James is 54 years old Chief Executive of an international company. He is single with no children, and admits to not paying much attention to his diet. Due to working long hours, he often skips meals, and ends up snacking. He sometimes grabs a takeaway on the way home because he’s not good at cooking, and hardly does food shopping and he lives miles away from the nearest supermarket, and so there’s usually nothing indoors to eat. At 6’1, he weighs 212 pounds and has a BMI of 28. He admits to feeling a little tired, recently. James dietary habits are impacting him negatively because he at an age where he is at risk of contracting some type of serious cardiovascular diseases, for instance problems with his heart or his arteries being clogged with fat because of consuming a lot of unhealthy foods, which could be fatal. James health factors are already beginning to have negative impacts on him because as it states â€Å"he admits to feeling a little tired, recently†. If James does not alter his behaviour towards his health for example taking more care and paying attention to his health, not only will he continue to gain a lot of weight but he will also have a hard time losing the weight as he will have a great amount to lose. I recommend that James goes on a diet and makes lifestyle changes. However prior to beginning his diet, I think it’s highly important that James visits his GP and research about dieting and losing weight the right way rather than doing it the wrong way to see faster results and be at risk of other health problems. After he has done his research, He should start off his diet slowly, for instance he could start by cutting out fizzy drinks and alcohol because they both contain great amounts of calories and fizzy drinks have a lot of sugar which is not good to constantly have, and replacing them with water. Water is extremely beneficial to the body because it refreshes your body and keeps you hydrated, and also drinking the recommended amount of water daily combined with a healthy diet, will contribute in weight loss and a healthier body. James should then begin to make food choice changes and portion control, for example cutting out fatty foods and consuming large portions of food. It states in the case study that he does not pay attention to his diet and because he works long hours, he often skips meals and that he is not good at cooking. James will have to now pay a lot of attention to his diet because it is putting him at risk of serious health problems and the first thing he should do is look on the internet for food recipes. If James does not want to cook at all, he should order his food from shops such as Marks and Spencer’s which have a variety of different healthy meals and also have home delivery so he could have the food delivered to him. Although he works long hours, it is vital that he does not skip any meals during the day, he should prepare a healthy meal at home and pack some to take to work and eat during his break, and he should also incorporate fruits for snacks and a bottle of water to take to work every day. This way he will not have to buy unhealthy take away meals to eat. In addition, James should attempt not to eat heavy meals before bed, he should have a light dinner and if he feels hungry late hours of the night, he should eat fruits and drink water to fill him up. After James has become accustomed to his new diet choices, he should now incorporate exercise to his diet. However it states in the case study that James works long hours which could be problem if he is trying to incorporate some exercise to his new lifestyle. The way to overcome this problem would be for James to have a plan. He should plan out his life for instance what ime he departs for work, what time he’s back home and the amount of hours he has free after work. Due to the fact that James works long hours, I think that he would benefit highly from buying aerobic DVDS and exercising in the comfort of his own home rather than going to the gym after a tiring day at work. He should start off by buying beginners DVD and gradually progressing to the more intense work out. However the DVDs must be suitable for his age and also he should consult his doctor prior to starting the exercising routine. The advantages of these strategies I have implemented above for James is that he will lose weight, he’ll be living a healthier lifestyle, he’ll become accustomed to not eating unhealthy foods and he would have the skills and knowledge about health and how poor diet contributes highly to health problems. The disadvantage would be if James decided not to act upon the recommendation and continued his bad habits of constantly eating take-away, skipping meals during the day and not exercising. The fact that he is 54 and is overweight is highly worrying because he is now at risk of getting diabetes, clogging up his arteries, suffering from a heart attack and other life threatening health problems. If he does not change his diet he is most likely to endure one of the health problems I have just mentioned and in worst cases it could lead to instant death. James lifestyle also has a huge negative effect on his health. This is because he has no wife or kids, whom could’ve helped James more, by for instance having a healthy cooked meal for him when he returns home from work. This way he would not need to always pick up takeaways on his way home as he would have a healthy cooked meal at home. Also the fact that James works long hours has also affected his health, the reason I believe this is because this could be the reason as to why he skips meals due to not having time to eat during work times which is also now making James feels often tired. James health is at risk, the fact that his working hours are so long may also be the reason to why James has not enrolled in gym, as I mentioned above he may feel extremely tired when he returns home from work and does not have the energy to exercise. Also the fact that he often skips meals does not help the situation because he is not receiving enough nutrients to give him energy he requires. I recommend that James starts off by possibly making slight alterations in his working hours and replace them with time for himself. The reasons for this is because James is clearly on a route to becoming obese and he needs to make some time for himself to exercise and better his health. As well as exercising, as I mentioned in the previous paragraphs, he has to change his eating habits as this is the main reason for his weight issues. I believe that a plan would be very beneficial for James to implement in his life because due to the fact that he’s a chief executive of an international company, means that he possibly has a lot of daily responsibilities at work and if he had a plan of what to eat and what time he has free to exercise, he will not become stressed and confused because it will all be written down. In this plan he should write down all the hours he works during the week and the breaks he has in between, he should also implement his new healthy diet in this plan and write the times he eats meals and snacks in between. I believe that after doing this and following through with the plan, he will adjust to the plan and begin to lose some weight and become healthier. Also more importantly James must always carry a packed lunch and fruits to work so he does not skip lunch and after lunch if he begins to get hungry again, he can snack on some fruits instead of buying unhealthy snacks. In conclusion, I believe that the recommendations I have made for James will only be advantages to him. This is because he will begin to lose the weight he has to lose in order to be healthy; his BMI will drop to average weight and also most importantly he will be living a healthier lifestyle and decrease the risk of having serious health problems. In addition, he will begin to have more energy throughout the day to cope with his every day routine without feeling as tired as he did when he did not pay attention to his diet and weight.

Facts and History of Kuwait

Facts and History of Kuwait Kuwaits government is a constitutional monarchy headed by the hereditary leader, the emir.  The Kuwaiti emir is a member of the Al Sabah family, which has ruled the country since 1938; the current monarch is Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The capital of Kuwait is Kuwait City, with a population 151,000 and with a metro area population of 2.38 million.   Population According to the US Central Intelligence Agency, the total population of Kuwait is about 2.695 million, which includes 1.3 million non-nationals.  Kuwaits government, however, maintains that there are 3.9 million people in Kuwait, of whom 1.2 million are Kuwaiti.   Among the actual Kuwaiti citizens, approximately 90% are Arabs and 8% are of Persian (Iranian) descent.  There are also a small number of Kuwaiti citizens whose ancestors came from India. Within the guest worker and expatriate communities, Indians make up the largest group at nearly 600,000.  There are an estimated 260,000 workers from Egypt, and 250,000 from Pakistan.  Other foreign nationals in Kuwait include Syrians, Iranians, Palestinians, Turks, and smaller numbers of Americans and Europeans. Languages Kuwaits official language is Arabic.  Many Kuwaitis speak the local dialect of Arabic, which is an amalgam of Mesopotamian Arabic of the southern Euphrates branch, and Peninsular Arabic, which is the variant most common on the Arabian Peninsula.  Kuwaiti Arabic also includes many loan words from Indian languages and from English.  English is the most commonly used foreign language for business and commerce. Religion Islam is the official religion of Kuwait.  Approximately 85% of Kuwaitis are Muslim; of that number, 70% are Sunni and 30% are Shia, mostly of the Twelver school.  Kuwait has tiny minorities of other religions among its citizens, as well.  There are about 400 Christian Kuwaitis, and about 20 Kuwaiti Bahais.   Among the guest workers and ex-pats, approximately 600,000 are Hindu, 450,000 are Christian, 100,000 are Buddhist, and about 10,000 are Sikhs.  The remainder are Muslim.  Because they are People of the Book, Christians in Kuwait are allowed to build churches and keep a certain number of clergy, but proselytizing is forbidden.  Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists are not allowed to build temples or gurdwaras. Geography Kuwait is a small country, with an area of 17,818 sq km (6,880 sq miles); in comparative terms, it is slightly smaller than the island nation of Fiji.  Kuwait has about 500 kilometers (310 miles) of coastline along the Persian Gulf.  It borders on Iraq to the north and west, and Saudi Arabia to the south. The Kuwaiti landscape is a flat desert plain.  Only 0.28% of the land is planted in permanent crops, in this case, date palms.  The country has a total of 86 square miles of irrigated cropland. Kuwaits highest point doesnt have any particular name, but it stands 306 meters (1,004 feet) above sea level.   Climate Kuwaits climate is a desert one, characterized by hot summer temperatures, a short, cool winter, and minimal rainfall.  Annual rainfall averages between 75 and 150 mm (2.95 to 5.9 inches).  Average high temperatures in the summer are a toasty 42 to 48 °C (107.6 to 118.4 °F).  The all-time high, recorded on July 31, 2012, was 53.8 °C (128.8 °F), measured at Sulaibya.  This is also the record high for the entire Middle East. March and April often witness large dust storms, which sweep in on the northwesterly winds from Iraq.  Thunderstorms also accompany the winter rains in November and December. Economy Kuwait is the fifth richest country on Earth, with a GDP of $165.8 billion US, or $42,100 US per capita.  Its economy is based primarily on petroleum exports, with the major recipients being Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, and China.  Kuwait also produces fertilizers and other petrochemicals, engages in financial services, and maintains an ancient tradition of pearl diving in the Persian Gulf.  Kuwait imports almost all of its food, as well as most products from clothing to machinery.   Kuwaits economy is quite free, compared with its Middle Eastern neighbors.  The government is hoping to encourage the tourism and regional trade sectors to reduce the countrys dependence on oil exports for income.  Kuwait has known oil reserves of about 102 billion barrels. The unemployment rate is 3.4% (2011 estimate).  The government does not release figures for percent of the population living in poverty. The countrys currency is the Kuwaiti dinar.  As of March 2014, 1 Kuwaiti dinar $3.55 US. History During ancient history, the area that is now Kuwait was often a hinterland of more powerful neighboring areas.  It was linked with Mesopotamia as early as the Ubaid era, beginning roughly 6,500 BCE, and with Sumer around 2,000 BCE.   In the interim, between about 4,000 and 2,000 BCE, a local empire called the Dilmun Civilization controlled the bay of Kuwait, from which it directed trade between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley civilization in what is now Pakistan.  After Dilmun collapsed, Kuwait became part of the Babylonian Empire around 600 BCE.  Four hundred years later, the Greeks under Alexander the Great colonized the area. The Sassanid Empire of Persia conquered Kuwait in 224 CE.  In 636 CE, the Sassanids fought and lost the Battle of Chains in Kuwait, against the armies of a new faith that had arisen on the Arabian Peninsula.  It was the first move in Islams rapid expansion in Asia.  Under the caliphs rule, Kuwait once again became a major trading port connected to the Indian Ocean trade routes. When the Portuguese muscled their way into the Indian Ocean in the fifteenth century, they seized a number of trading ports including the bay of Kuwait.  Meanwhile, the Bani Khalid clan founded what is now Kuwait City in 1613, as a series of small fishing villages.  Soon Kuwait was not only a major trade hub but also a legendary fishing and pearl diving site.  It traded with various parts of the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century and became a shipbuilding center. In 1775, the Zand Dynasty of Persia laid siege to Basra (in coastal southern Iraq) and occupied the city.  This lasted until 1779 and greatly benefited Kuwait, as all of Basras trade got diverted to Kuwait instead.  Once the Persians withdrew, the Ottomans appointed a governor for Basra, who also administered Kuwait.  In 1896, tensions between Basra and Kuwait reached a peak, when the sheik of Kuwait accused his brother, the emir of Iraq, of seeking to annex Kuwait. In January 1899, the Kuwaiti sheik, Mubarak the Great, made an agreement with the British under which Kuwait became an informal British protectorate, with Britain controlling its foreign policy.  In exchange, Britain held off both the Ottomans and the Germans from interfering in Kuwait.  However, in 1913, Britain signed the Anglo-Ottoman Convention just before the outbreak of World War I, which defined Kuwait as an autonomous region within the Ottoman Empire, and the Kuwaiti sheiks as Ottoman sub-governors.   Kuwaits economy went into a tailspin in the 1920s and 1930s.  However, oil was discovered in 1938, with its promise of future petrol-riches.  First, however, Britain took direct control of Kuwait and Iraq on June 22, 1941, as World War II erupted in its full fury.  Kuwait would not gain full independence from the British until June 19, 1961. During the Iran/Iraq War of 1980-88, Kuwait supplied Iraq with massive amounts of aid, fearful of Irans influence after the Islamic Revolution of 1979.  In retaliation, Iran attacked Kuwaiti oil tankers, until the US Navy intervened.  Despite this earlier support for Iraq, on August 2, 1990, Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion and annexation of Kuwait.  Iraq claimed that Kuwait was actually a rogue Iraqi province; in response, a US-led coalition launched the First Gulf War and ousted Iraq.   Retreating Iraqi troops took revenge by setting fire to Kuwaits oil wells, creating enormous environmental problems.  The emir and the Kuwaiti government returned to Kuwait City in March of 1991 and instituted unprecedented political reforms, including parliamentary elections in 1992.  Kuwait also served as the launchpad for the US-led invasion of Iraq in March of 2003, at the start of the Second Gulf War.