Capstone Research Project (5) Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Capstone Project (5) - Research Paper Example GAAP rule works in connection with SEC rules for public companies. GAAP rule emphasizes on covering financial statements presented in balance sheet for at least three years. GAAP need to work closely with SEC regulations in order to measure performance of companies. In accordance to GAAP guideline interim periods must be viewed as essential part of financial year. This guideline helps accountants to allocate cost elements for different financial period. GAAP also focuses on examining unscrupulous transactions in order to identify financial frauds. Although GAAP rules differ on the basis of accounting standards of different countries. Financial fraud is multi dimensional event in terms of variety of impact and nature of fraud. In many cases financial analysts of companies intentionally forecast inflated market capitalization value in order to fulfill dubious objective. Companies practicing unethical business tend to violate GAAP rules in order to gain personal objectives. Financial fr aud can impact various issues such as trade and sales, stock market valuation and investment banking contracts significantly. Many companies use street earning method to calculate earnings per share (EPS) while the method excludes important elements of accounting such as unusual items, extraordinary charges, Charges from mergers and depreciation (Ponzio, 2010, p. 32). Fraudulent companies change GAAP rules in accordance to their requirement in order to satisfy personal objective. Following section will try to explore relationship between GAAP rules and situation mentioned in the Capstone Research Project. 2.0 Leases on Technology Assets Seem Inflated 2.1 Current Lease Accounting GAAP suggests that Current Lease Accounting standard needs to classify their contract as operating lease (all leases except capital lease) or capital lease (this type of lease transfer risks as well as rewards to lessee due to ownership). Amount of capital lease such as payment of rental can be identified fr om examining the balance sheet. GAAP rule suggests that auditor needs to check capital lease by applying depreciation on assets while such thing is not possible for operating lease. According to GAAP in operating lease the lessee does not realize the amount of leased asset from balance sheet but the person can recognize operating lease expenses. Auditors have criticized the shenanigan approach of GAAP to ignore operating lease. Current lease accounting standard has not identified any special measure in case excessive operating lease. Sometimes operating lease can give rise liabilities such as rental payment hence auditors try to capitalize leased assets. Accountants need to follow criteria specified in ASC 840 (SFAS 13) of GAAP to investigate capital lease. According to GAAP rules capital lease needs to follow (ASC 840-10-25-1) (SFAS 13.7) guideline. Accountants need to check proper valuation of leased property in order to identify financial fraud. According to GAAP rules leased tem should not be less than seventy five percent

History of Religon on Planet Earth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History of Religon on Planet Earth - Essay Example These different religions have played an important role in the history of human civilization. The history of religion is as old as the human civilization. The ancient human evolved on Earth between 400,000 and 250,000 year ago. It is still unknown that when humans became religious or when did the religion develop on Earth, but there are several evidences about religion being followed by the ancient human, around 300,000 to 50,000 year ago. Symbolic evidences of religion have been retrieved from Africa which belongs to the Middle Stone Age. These evidences symbolize the Lion man, the Venus figurines and the elaborate ritual burial. Urreligion- The term means â€Å"proto religion† or â€Å"primitive religion†. It represents the oldest form of religion. This word contrasts with the organized religion which is theocracies of the ancient urban culture of the current world religion. The Oeconomische Encyclopà ¤die of J. G. Krà ¼nitz (1773 - 1858) defines it as "the oldest natural religion of mankind, in particular the religion of Adam and Eve, which according to the dogmatists is supposed to have been reveald" . There are many other theories like â€Å"Animism† proposed by Edward burnett Tylor and Herbert Spencer, â€Å"Fetishism† by the very fomous biologyst John Lubbock and the theory of â€Å"naturalism†. Naturalism is also known as the â€Å"materialism†. This is a philosophical model which says that explanation of everything can be given through natural causes. As per this theory, physical matter is the only reality and it excludes the super natural agents or activities. The philosophers agree that God is the cause for universal moral conduct The early Stone Age Human lived in extended families called tribes. Their main activity was hunting to gather food and also fight with the fellow strange human to protect their food and family. There was no difference between the human and

The Benefits of Compulsory Education

The Benefits of Compulsory Education In Ireland all children of the state are obliged to attend school and receive an education. Compulsory education in Ireland is enforced by the school attendance act 1926 and the education welfare act 2000. The acts insure all children are provided with an equal opportunity to education. There are three levels of education available. Each student is required by law to attend up to the age of 16 or to Junior Certificate level. Prior to the existence of compulsory education many children had no access to basic education because their parents may have not been able to afford tuition. That problem has been eradicated due to the introduction of free public schooling. Basic education prepares a child intellegualy for mature adult life. Education shall prepare the child for an active adult life in a free society and foster respect for the childs parents his or her cultural identity, language and values and for the cultural back round and values for others (Article 29 of unconventional of the rights of a child) As a result of compulsory education, Ireland has one of the highest education rates in the world. 81% of Irish students complete second level and approximately 60% of these students proceed to higher education. Compulsory education follows a holistic approach. Although it is important to focus on the academic aspect of education it is also vital to point out the social aim of education. The main purpose of a holistic approach to education is to prepare individuals for a competent adult life emotionally, physically and spiritually. It aims to provide each child with the ability to seek out their own uniqness. Few schools are committed to holistic principles but many teachers try to use the ideas behind holistic education. By teachers using real life experience and events and not just delivering facts and notes, helps engage a student into a subject making learning fun and enjoyable. Self direction and resilience are major components of holistic principles. With the guidance and support for teachers, children can learn from their own experience and in turn can build on them. The highest function of education is to bring about an integrated individual who is capable of dealing with life as a whole (Jiddu Krishnaminti) Education provides a daily routine, responsibility and activities, which contributes to a healthy well rounded development. Compulsory education discourages child labour. Child labour is the exploitive employment of a child under the minimum legal age limit. The minimum age limit to work differs in each country. Irelands minimum age limit is age 15. Child labour occurs when there is limited access to education, no child labour laws and no employee rights. Working children are under paid. This in turn sees the high demand for low paid employees and leaves less employment available to adults. The cycle then continues. In 1919 the International Labour Organisation began to address the major issue of child labour. This contributed to the introduction of the School Attendance Act in Ireland in 1926. The act obliged children between the age of 5 and 16 to attend school. Previous to compulsory education the majority of families may have relied on children to leave education to help obtain basic necessities for the family. This undoubtedly denied children their right to education. The more education available to individuals can only benefit Irelands economic growth. Our progress of a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.(John F Kennedy) Presently in Ireland child labour is near to non existence. Child labour has decreased from 25% in 1960 to 10% in 2003 mainly due to the introduction of compulsory education Illiteracy levels continue to decline since the introduction of compulsory education. Illiteracy is the inability to read or write in any language. Prior to the existence of the compulsory education acts, reading and writing were seen as a skilled profession and only the rich and important had access to gain these skills. Illiterate people were unemployable even in the most basic working environment as many could not even fill out simple information details. Currently in Ireland illiteracy may not be attributed to poor attendance in school. Many individuals who experience literacy difficulties have physical or psychological issues. Illiterate people were often seen as carless, immature and unintelligent individuals. . Since physical and psychological issues are now often detected early on in school and addressed, ilitricy and discrimination are uncommon. There are five levels which literacy is assed at. Level one is classified as having very poor or no literacy skills. Level three is classed on having an adequate amount of skills to cope with life. Level five is seen as highest level of literacy which individuals can process difficult information. In Ireland 17% of 16 to 25 year olds are at level one compared to 44% of 55 to 65 year olds. This percentage is mainly due to enforced attendance in school. Although literacy levels are declining people who dont readily use there literacy skills daily can easily get out of practice. Compulsory education provides a skilful and qualified workforce. A qualified and skilful workforce is necessary for economic growth within a country. Education helps individuals become self sufficient therefore able to earn a living. Educated individuals create wealth for the country and these attract foreign investment. Foreign investment was up 10% since 2008. Even with Irelands economic down turn Ireland is still capable of attracting investment due to Irelands competent and highly skilful workforce. Presently in Ireland 81% of Irish students complete second level education. Approximately 60% of these students continue on to further or higher education. Compulsory education gives the individual the incentive to further their education. Being obliged to attend school to Junior certificate level gives the student a chance to make mature and sensible choices regarding their future. Education is the main component in the structure of adult life. Ethnic minorities in Ireland are socially accepted due to compulsory education. An ethnic minority are a group of people who have their own cultural values. These minorities hold different views on culture, religion and language. The travelling community are one of Irelands oddest ethnic minorities, accounting for 0.5% of the population. Approximately 7,769 traveller individuals are in education in Ireland toady. Prior to the compulsory education act the majority of travellers did not attend school. Traveller parents may have felt education was not necessary as they were traditional self employed. Traveller individuals were also less likely to obtain employment due to their life style and were often socially excluded and discriminated. Traveller children who attended school prior to the education act were thought in the same class room regardless of age. Presently in Ireland 100% of traveller children are in age appropriate classes. The traveller community have become integrated with society. People from a wider community have begun to understand their cultural differences and needs. Today the department of education and science employee 503 resource teachers for travellers (RTT). The resource teachers address their ethnic and cultural needs and help promote cultural awareness to other students. Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 26 (2) Compulsory education leads to equal opportunity for every individual regardless of back round. The traveller community are now employed in all sectors of the workforce. A number of travels now attend third level education.

Essay on Picture of Dorian Gray: The Character of Lord Henry Wotten

The Character of Lord Henry Wotten of The Picture of Dorian Gray  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The purpose of this essay is to explore the character of Lord Henry Wotten, from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Oscar Wilde once said: I only know that Dorian Gray is a classic and deservedly. With this in mind, this essay is aimed at looking at how Lord Henry Wotton manipulates various conversations and how he effects the story with his challenging speeches, which is the reason The Picture of Dorian Gray is a classic. Henry is such a memorable, cleverly developed character, that his influence on the text elevates the novel's value. In the conversations of Lord Henry Wotton and the behaviour of Dorian Gray [Wilde shows that] †¦. self-expression can be turned into an art. - Acroyd. Lord Henry's conversations are used to introduce humour and intelligence to a tragic story. Lord Henry has a cynical view of the opposite sex, and also to marriage or any form of relationship which involves both genders. Henry says: Men marry because they are tired, women, because they are curious: both are disappointed. Henry here is humorously analyzing marriage, and summing it up in one sentence, which is typical of his conversation. He says things quickly and sharply so the story can move on with humour arising from the conversation. In this example Henry is giving quite a bleak outlook on marriage. This theme is explored further when he says: Young men want to be faithful, and are not, old men want to be faithless, and cannot. In this example, Henry explores the driving force between the nature of old and young men, and how they relate to the opposite sex. He uses irony to demonstrate his knowledge of how males relate t... ... parallel, as Henry's influence on Dorian Gray is evident, but Dorian Gray doesn't affect Henry's character at all. The reader also gets a contrast with Basil's relationship to Henry. Basil appears to ignore the humorous speeches that Henry gives by dismissing them as being "not serious" in nature. Because of this, Henry doesn't effect Basil in a negative way, as he does Dorian. Dorian appears to hang on every word that Henry gives, whereas Basil practically ignores what Henry says. Lord Henry's influence in the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray is that is gives a meaningful, ethical story a further contextual layer. Dorian Gray is a superb story, but the character of Lord Henry Wotton is what elevates the novel to its classic status. Works Cited: Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray; For Love of the King. London: Routledge/Thoemmes Press, 1993.

Baring Bank Case Essay

The Fall of sanngs sank The story of Barings Bank shows how overconfidence, coupled with poor internal control, can even bring down an historic financial institution. Below we provide a few teaching points. Nick Leeson seemed to have all the characteristics of an overconfident trader. As described in the chapter, excessive trading, lack of diversification, and too much risk were obviously present. Self-attribution bias seemed to play a major role. One commentator notes that Leeson â€Å"got overconfident after initial trades were successful and] when he started to lose money, got way too aggressive trying to make it up. When Leeson was asked about his actions, he explained that â€Å"l was determined to win back the losses [†¦ ] I was well down, but increasingly sure that my doubling up and doubling up would pay off†¦ â€Å", thereby overestimating his abilities by thinking he could outperform the market even after severe losses. A case study into the affair concluded th at it was overconfidence that led Nick Leeson to bet his reputation. But, as Saul Hansell of The New York Times stated, â€Å"It isn’t Just rogue traders loose annons stretching internal rules on trading desks who have destroyed their investors’ wealth. Money managers who play by the rules can get caught up short, too, when they fall to overconfidence about their mastery of the markets. † He further wrote that, â€Å"It is no secret that traders, as a class, are a young, independent and cocky bunch. The sheer size of the money they are Juggling can lead toa master-of-the- universe attitude. The Fall of Barings sank Barings Bank was founded in 1762 as the â€Å"John and Francis Baring Company’ by Sir Francis Baring. This bank was the oldest merchant bank in London, financed the Napoleonic Wars, and was the Queen of England’s own bank. In 1996, one man, Nick Leeson, managed to bring down Barings Bank, one of the oldest and most conservative financial institutions in the world, through his illicit trading activity. In 1989, Leeson Joined Barings Bank. After being transferred to Jakarta, Indonesia to sort through a back-office mess involving EIOO million of share certificates, Leeson solidified his reputation within Barings when he successfully rectified the situation in 0 months. Lesson also knew how to account for derivatives, even if he did not fully understand the complexities of their pricing. Therefore, in 1992, when Barings opened a new office in Singapore to trade on the expanding Singapore Mercantile Exchange (SIMEX), Leeson became an obvious candidate to manage it. Senior management at Barings Bank assumed that Leeson would turn the Singapore office into a highly profitable endeavor and therefore gave him extensive responsibility. As eliminated the necessary checks and balances usually found within trading rganizations. Soon he was Barings Banks star Singapore trader, bringing in substantial profits from trading on the Singapore exchange. By 1993, Leeson had made more than Elo million, about 10% of Barings’s total profit for that year. In 1994, he delivered over half of the E52. 9 million in revenue for his division on his own, making many proclaim him as the â€Å"miracle worker. † In his autobiography Rogue Trader, Leeson said the culture at Barings was simple: â€Å"We were all driven to make profits, profits, and more profits I was the rising star. Aided by his lack of upervision, the 28-year-old Nick Lesson promptly started unauthorized speculation in futures on the Nikkei 225 stock index and Japanese government bonds. SIMEX regulators were aware of Leeson’s cross-trading activities, and his breach of their exchange regulations, but did not act decisively to stop him. Leeson’s large trading volumes were quickly becoming important for the exchange, and being a lightl y regulated market was central to SIMEX’s strategy to woo trade from neighboring Osaka. Using futures contracts, Leeson speculated that the Nikkei would rise.

Behavioral Problems with Budgeting and Beyond Budgeting Model

All organizational Managers have to do certain management functions such as planning, control, coordination, staffing, motivation, leading, communication and organizing.These functions differ from organization to organization due to different organizational cultures, nature of activities and its complexity, size, staff profile in terms of values and skills, internal political activity its intensity and is level external environment in which they exist in terms of social, political, legal and environmental issues they face and its nature in terms of stable or dynamic and the Management philosophy of the senior and executive level of management.The traditional Budgeting is a tool for planning and control activities such that it enable the organization direction as well to coordinate activities and compare actual performance with Budgets so that to identify variance and investigate the causes and determine whether they are controllable or uncontrollable and revise plans if the organizat ion cannot achieve the panned performance because of uncontrollable factors. The traditional budgetary process has many advantages.The advantages are that it forces managers to formulate detailed plans for achieving the targets for each department and operation, promotes coordination and communication, clearly defines the areas of responsibility for the achievement of the budgets, enables remedial action to be taken as variance emerge, motivates employees by participating in the budgetary process of setting or formulating the budgets, improves allocation of scarce resources. Economizes management time by using the principle of management by exception. However they have serious drawbacks, They are mostly of a behavioral type. Page: 2The drawbacks of the traditional Budgets are that budgets may be perceived by the lower level managers and employees as it is imposed by the senior management and thus affects labor relations as well it may also tend to have inaccurate record keeping, In addition budgets may increase conflict over the resource allocation or they may blame others if they don’t meet the targets as well in practice it is difficult to reconcile individual goals with corporate goals and the plans cannot be accurate in a dynamic environment and detailed planning consume considerable time and resources of managers and they mayPerceive it as a futile activity. The budgeting also may induce mangers to spend all what they get even though they can spend less because of the attitude â€Å" we better spend it or we will lose it†. In the traditional Budget as a plan and control tool managers can also over estimate expenditure because of the fear they will be blamed if expenditures are not within the budgets and sales budgets will be under estimated for the reason that the sales people may fear if they don’t meet the sales target and for the fear of losing performance pay if such a rewarding system exists.In a global economy in the current 20t h an 21st century the changes in technological economic social and political climate have become more rapid and dynamic as well unpredictable than ever before and the competition has increased mostly in all industries at least in advanced industrialized countries and in some parts of Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and in Middle East. In this context if organizations are not adaptive and responsive in a timely manner to meet customer needs compared to its competitors and Page: 3have products tailored to satisfy these needs organizations must react quickly and its planning and decision making mechanisms must be flexible and managers must be able to make decisions and must have the authority and responsibility to react quickly and organizations must devolve power to managers of profit centers and decentralize organizations and performance measured in general terms relatively measured comparing different profit centers and be customer focus culture at all levels in general terms an d allow managers to make decisions to make returns on equity more than its competitors by satisfying customer needs profitably and have an information system to assist such process rather than plan in detail which is traditionally done which may stifle innovation and flexibility of the organization in a dynamic environment. The Beyond Budgeting Model is a model to address the limitations and behavioral disadvantages of the traditional budgeting in organizations. As well it is not a new planning tool but it is a new management idea. That is to change the organizational structure and organizational culture from a hierarchical organization to a network organization and decentralize decision -making and to devise a management information system, which enables mangers to share knowledge and instill new ideas and empower managers to make decisions to respond to unexpected events and to create an entrepreneur culture.That is to make the organization to become more flexible and adaptable an d create systems processes and products, which satisfy customer needs profitable, compared to its competitors and monitor emerging needs and respond quickly Page: 4 to satisfy the emerging needs more effectively than its competitors and benchmarking its processes and products on a continuous basis. There fore the success or failure of Beyond budgeting depends on how the model is introduced in the organization and the phase of its introduction and how management has overcome resistance to change and how mangers are trained and the phase of overcoming competitive culture and become a more co-operative and team culture and the possibility of this happening in the organization.So in effect the success or failure of Beyond Budget Model itself depends on how it is implemented and whether the managers perceive this as another method imposed by the senior management and how senior management can overcome such behavioral constrain. If this can be done given the managers profiles in terms of their entrenched management practices and the senior managements effectiveness and their leadership qualities to change behavior Beyond Budget may become a more adaptive process and may overcome some grave disadvantages of the traditional budgeting system. That is in other words to be a workable model the Beyond Budget Model must have the appropriate culture and structure introduced effectively. In practice it is not an easy task and there is no silver bullet. However in practice it has been implemented in some organizations particularly in large, small and medium organizations.But the number of organizations adopting this model is very small even in large organizations. As well this model is mostly applicable to knowledge industries mostly than other organizations and the traditional model with good budgeting practices may work effectively than the Beyond Budget Model. For example Sevenska Handelsbanken a Swedish retail bank with Page: 5 branches all over Northern Europe and in Gre at Britain have had no Budget since 1970. (http://www. juergendaum. com/news/02_24_2003. htm). As well other examples of Beyond Budget model implemented successfully are Toyota an Automobile manufacturer, Aldi a German Retailer, South West Airlines, the American Airlines. (http://www. 12manage.com/methods_fraser_beyond_budgeting. html). In addition there are also other less well-known examples adopting Beyond Budget Model. They are Ahlshell, the Swedish materials wholesaler, ISS, the International Danish facilities service group, World Bank and small non-profit Sight savers International, a UK charity. (http://www. 12manage. com/methods_fraser_beyond_budgeting. html). As mentioned above in page 4 these examples demonstrates the Beyond Budget Model can be successful in any size however it is mostly applied by Knowledge Industries and the examples are very few this may be due to the fact this model is a recent model and it may increase in the future.However there are many organization s using the traditional budgeting model indicates the traditional model at least to be perceived by these organization to have some value to them as well it may be effective for many organizations or they adopt good budgeting processes. In summary it can be argued that the Beyond Budget Model certainly can overcome some behavioral problems in budgeting. However it has its own behavioral issues to be resolved to be more effective and in some circumstances it may not be effective and traditional budgeting process may work more effectively than Beyond Budget model as discussed Page: 6 Above. Its effectiveness is dependent on many factors as well as discussed above. Applying these behavioral issues as discussed above to the scenario one must assume about the organizational culture and organizational structure.If suppose one assumes the organization is a centralized organization and the top management believes in the beyond budgeting process and value the usefulness of budgeting and mana gers want to compete with other managers with resources and there exist considerable political activity then it can be argued it is very difficult to implement by top management the beyond budgeting model due to excessive conflict and empire building processes which may inhibit the successful implementation of the new Beyond Budget model. Any new model will have resistance due to changes in the status quo and managers may resist changes to protect their power and turf in the organization.There fore if the senior management does not have the leadership to influence and overcome resistance and change behavior and introduce the model in a phase which, is perceived by the managers and staff as imposition it may affect their performance and effective implementation, That is the top management must consider behavioral issues involved in introducing Beyond Budget model because it is a radical change from the traditional model and the culture may resist such change and it may be counter pro ductive and may not reap benefits theoretically expected by introducing this model. As well even if managers in this scenario do not like detailed budgets they may not have the skills and motivation and hindsight to plan and if the organization is a centralized organization not a decentralized organization the beyond budget model may not work in such circumstances. In effect management must consider Page: 7 the behavioral implications and behavioral issues of this model before considering this model and not considering good budgeting processes and use of technology and tools for budgeting as the traditional budgets have several advantages to organizations as well to its own behavioral limitations.As discussed above the Beyond Budget Model do not overcome all issues in Budgeting and even it addresses some issues it has its own behavioral issues to be resolved to be effective in all organizational circumstances and the behavioral issues may vary from one organization to another. It is also necessary to recognize to change a culture takes time and any culture cannot be changes in short time. This is a very important to consider because the Beyond Budget model is a radical change in culture and insists and based on considerable behavioral modification and change. This is a very important limitation of this model in practice and management must be aware of this before planning to introduce this in to organization without giving prior considerations of the complexity and the radical nature of its model in terms of behavioral implications, which is very difficult to predict.

How to beat distraction, the new writers block - Emphasis

How to beat distraction, the new writers block How to beat distraction, the new writers block Writers block used to mean sitting at your desk, staring into the empty void that was your screen and hoping for inspiration. Ah, those were the days. Now its not emptiness but a world crammed with tempting morsels thats the problem. Gone is the blank screen. In its place is an infinite variety of distractions, each way more enticing than not just writing but even thinking about writing. Half the problem is the very place where you write your documents – your computer. Because thats where most of the distractions are. Even the best ideas stand helpless against an onslaught of instant messages, notifications, Google searches and browser tabs (each of which can easily lead you to the other, forming a complex loop that quickly fills your head with a kind of digital fug). I never thought Id feel nostalgic for plain vanilla writers block. But in the era before the web got its spindly filaments into every part of our lives, at least you could identify and isolate the problem. Maybe it was fear of failure. Perhaps a lack of ideas. These days, concentrating for more than a few minutes is a challenge in itself. Trying to join two ideas together takes near super-human focus. Fortunately, I think I may have discovered the solution. And focus is at its core. Its an online course called Focused Every Day, from the author David Levin. (You can try a free version of the programme here.) Ive actually tried this course and it worked for me. In fact, Id say its one of the most effective programmes Ive followed in a long, long time. (To put the recommendation in context, this is the first time in our 15-year history that weve endorsed a course from someone else.) Its improved my own focus many-fold, with the result not only that ideas have begun to flow again but that Ive been able to capture and act on them. Its made distraction much, much easier to control and dramatically improved my own business-writing output. So, why does it work? I think its because Levin has taken some very simple yet powerful concepts and made them incredibly easy to apply. Its a deceptively straightforward course. This and the authors gentle, engaging delivery are its great strengths. Its such a refreshing change from, say, books that require you to memorise intricate concepts or change your entire approach to everyday life. I strongly urge you to give it a go. Sign up for the free training videos here.

Sustainable Tourism Development Essay Example

Sustainable Tourism Development Essay Example Sustainable Tourism Development Essay Sustainable Tourism Development Essay 1993). Faced with the dramatic growth in international tourism from the 25 million trips of 1950 (WTO, 1993) to the 531 million of 1994 (WTO, 1995a) and its continued predicted growth (WTO, l995b), the replacement of mass tourism with the sustainable tourism promoted by the two positions was illogical. Being small scale, sustainable tourism lacked the capability (Butler, A Framework of Approaches to Sustainable Tourism 227 Downloaded by [113. 210. 1. 106] at 07:28 22 March 2013 1990; Cohen, 1987; Cooper et al. , 1993; Fennell Smale, 1992; Pearce, 1992). Sustainable tourism could neither manage the number of arrivals nor replace the economic benefits accrued (Butler, 1992; Cohen, 1987). For Wheeller (1990, l991a, l991b), the idea was a ‘micro solution’ struggling with a ‘macro problem’. Furthermore, this understanding was inward-looking, failing to recognise the importance of other industry sectors and the wider perspective of sustainable development (Hunter, 1995). Indeed, the second pair of positions better demonstrate the influence of the sustainable development landmarks that shaped the concept (for example, IUCN, 1980, 1991; The World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987; the GLOBE ’90 and ’92 conferences; The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development with Agenda 21). Other criticisms concerned issues such as elitism (Cazes, 1989; Richter, 1987), the problems of ensuring local ownership and control (Cater, 1992), and inbalances in power (Wheeller, 1990, l991a, l991b). Butler (1990) argued that the approach to sustainable tourism portrayed a static picture of impacts. The revision of features related to time and process produced a less flattering scenario (Butler, 1990). For example, the more intense contact between host and guest over a longer duration resulted in greater damage to the fragile host culture than was readily apparent in the ‘good’ versus ‘bad’ tables. The emergence of these tables was partly a response to an over-simplistic interpretation of Krippendorf’s work (1982, 1987). Krippendorf (1987) was not opposed to mass tourism as long as it progressed towards ‘harmonious’ tourism. In fact, he urged that: only if we succeed in living with tourism as a mass phenomenon, ? , can we claim to have made a decisive step forward, (Krippendorf, 1982: 111, author’s emphasis) an assertion often overlooked by proponents of a polar opposite or continuum approach. The third position of movement Criticisms of the earlier understandings of sustainable tourism, coupled with a closer alignment to sustainable development, resulted in the demand to change mass tourism to more sustainable forms (see, for example, Bramwell, 1991; Butler, 1990, 1991; Cohen, 1987; De Kadt, 1990; GLOBE, 1990; EIU, 1992). If the main problem of modern tourism is that of its huge number, (Krippendorf, 1987: 42, author’s emphasis) then mass tourism was the most visible and sensible candidate for initial reform. The sustainable tourism as understood under movement differed from the earlier definitions of sustainable tourism on three key dimensions: Â · The issue of scale became more objective and less emotive. Mass tourism became the subject for improvement, rather than the derided villain. Â · Sustainable tourism became the goal for attainment, rather than the possession of an existing scale of tourism. Operationalising current knowledge to move towards the goal became the 228 Journal of Sustainable Tourism (’mass tourism’) Large scale tourism Sustainable Tourism Goal Downloaded by [113. 210. 1. 106] at 07:28 22 March 2013 Figure 3 Position 3: movement practical focus of effort, rather than the ‘is it or isn’t it sustainable tourism’ debate of previous years. F igure 3 illustrates the understanding of sustainable tourism by movement advocates. As a label, large scale tourism is preferred to mass tourism, for it sheds the negative connotations. Viewed objectively, large scale tourism possesses strengths which could be used to advantage: Â · The environment is attacked by other industries, such as mining and manufacturing (EIU, 1992; McKercher, 1993), and tourism is dependent on environmental quality. The tourism industry must protect its assets; size is important, as large players exert pressure through lobbying power. Â · Large scale operators have the marketing and communication skills, plus contact opportunities in bulk, to actively foster interest in sustainable tourism amongst the millions of consumers who purchase their products. Large size confers influence over suppliers and distributors, which could be used as a persuasive force for the introduction of sustainable policies along the supply chain. Of course, there are less altruistic reasons for large scale tourism to instigate movement towards the sustainable tourism goal. The imposition of environmental regulatory control by governments grappling with world prob lems of acid rain, ozone layer depletion and global warming require a minimum response of compliance. From the demand side, the rise of consumer interest in green issues (see ETB, 1992a, 1992b; Green, 1990) provides the classic incentive of consumer needs. The interest expressed by consumers through financial institutions in environmental practices is a further motive. There are over thirty an ag em en im ts pa ct ys -e as nv ses tem iro nm s s re ent men use t al Guid , re au eline cyc di s for le, red t susta uce inab le to urism Equity Company/organisation focus ta lm s pac im cts al pa lob G im al sic y ph al/ gic olo Ec (’sustainable tourism’) Small scale tourism iro nm en En v -e nv iro nm e nt al A Framework of Approaches to Sustainable Tourism 229 Downloaded by [113. 210. 1. 106] at 07:28 22 March 2013 environmental or ethical funds in the United Kingdom, representing approximately ? 750 million of investment; according to independent financial advisors Holden Meehan (1994), the idea of ‘profit with principle’ has moved from the fringe to the mains tream. Investors are stakeholders requiring satisfaction. There are many examples of large scale tourism proactively moving towards the goal of sustainable tourism (see Middleton Hawkins, 1993, 1994; WTTERC, 1991–1994). British Airways was one of the first tourism companies to publish an environmental report (British Airways, 1991), the International Hotels Environment Initiative was a sector-specific project (Van Praag, 1992), whilst the ‘Green Globe’ programme was targeted across the tourism sectors (WTTERC, 1994). The World Travel Tourism Council, a coalition of Chief Executive Officers from international tourism companies, established the World Travel Tourism Environment Research Centre (WTTERC) to monitor, assess and communicate objectives, strategies and action programmes in respect of environmental management (WTTERC, 1992). Over one hundred guidelines and codes of practice relating to tourism were identified (WTTERC, 1993); the environmental guidelines of the WTTERC itself provide a useful synopsis of the large scale understanding of sustainable tourism (WTTERC, 1992). As Figure 3 demonstrates, the focus of this approach is on the physical/ecological environment, with an emphasis on environmental management systems, incorporating techniques such as environmental audits of products, processes and issues, and environmental impact assessments. The fourth position of convergence The framework culminates in a position of convergence (see Figure 4). This position represents the latest understanding of sustainable tourism as a goal that all tourism, regardless of scale, must strive to achieve (see, for example, Inskeep, 1991). Accepting that the concept of sustainable tourism is still evolving, the absence of a precise goal definition is less important than general movement in the correct direction. Appreciating the wider role of sustainable development, this final position recognises two interpretations of sustainable tourism. The large scale interpretation of sustainable tourism (as portrayed in position three) has a dominantly physical/ecological perspective expressed as a business orientation. The small scale interpretation of sustainable tourism offers a social slant from a local or destination platform. It is akin to the understanding of sustainable tourism as alternative tourism under position one, except for the crucial recognition of the concept as a goal rather than a possession. Both interpretations: Â · focus on the implementation of their current knowledge of sustainable tourism to move towards the ultimate goal of sustainability; Â · seek future progress towards the desired goal through the twin processes of further development of ideas inherent in their own interpretation and by adaptation of ideas found in the other. Together, this results in convergence towards the goal of sustainable tourism. For example, in this quest, large scale tourism is experimenting with techniques for inducing shifts in tourist behaviour compatible with environmentallyfriendly travel, an educational component instigated by the small scale enterprises. Thomsons now provide environmental guidelines for guests; TUI 230 Journal of Sustainable Tourism Downloaded by [113. 210. 1. 106] at 07:28 22 March 2013 Large scale tourism al nm vi ro En Figure 4 Position 4: convergence ave produced an environment ranking for products featured in all their mainstream Euro-brochures. In turn, small scale enterprises are learning about the development of effective environmental management systems, originally the territory of large scale organisations. In the UK, the environmental audit was promoted for small scale concerns by the West Country Tourist Board’s (1993) ‘Green Audit Kit’; the project was then taken nationwide . In addition, by embracing sustainable development, both interpretations are receptive to further ideas generated from outside the tourism sector. Like large scale tourism (see position three), the small scale interpretation of sustainable tourism has produced guidelines and codes of good practice (see, for example, ETB, 1991; Countryside Commission, 1991; Green, 1990), established destination-based projects (for example, the Devon-based Tarka Project) and offered and disseminated advice to interested parties (ETB, 1992a, 1992b, 1993). -e nv iro nm en ta l en t im g olo Ec m an ag em y ph al/ ic al sic en ts pa ct ys -e as nv s e s te m ir o nm sm s re en use tal ent Guid , re au eline cyc s for le, r dit sust edu aina ce ble t ouri sm Equity Company/organisation focus ba Gl p l im s act p im Sustainable Tourism Goal ts ac Local area identity focus Equity Guid e Loc lines for al c sust ont aina Ed rol ble t uc ouri ati To sm on u of Au ris hos tc th t/to e n ha r uri tic act st ity eri s ti cs s act ts mp pac y al i rit ultur l im a c teg loc In o cial/ tion/ a S stin De Small scale tourism A Framework of Approaches to Sustain able Tourism 231 The completed framework Taken as a whole, the framework both structures and partially explains some of the conflicts and debates that have occurred in sustainable tourism. Although due regard should be given to the limitations of a framework based purely on a literature review and purporting to be complementary in nature rather than encompassing, it does present insights to past development whilst taking a view as to the direction of future advances. References Beioley, S. (1995) Green tourism: Soft or sustainable? English Tourist Board Insights, B75–B89. Boo, E. (1990) Ecotourism: The Potentials and Pitfalls. Washington, DC: World Wide Fund for Nature. Brackenbury, M. (1992) Ecotourism: Introduction to ecotourism - A sustainable option? The Bulletin of the Tourism Society 76, 10–12. Bramwell, B. 1991) Tourism environments and management. Tourism Management 12 (4), 363–4. British Airways (1991) British Airways Environmental Review: Heathrow and Worldwide Flying Operations. London: British Airways and Tecnica. Brown, F. (1991) Alternative tourism. English Tourist Board Insights, D27–D29. Buckley, R. (1993) International Cent re for Ecotourism Research. Research Report 1993. Australia: Griffith University. Butler, R. W. (1990) Alternative tourism: Pious hope or Trojan Horse? Journal of Travel Research (3), 40–5. Butler, R. W. (1991) Tourism, environment, and sustainable development. Environmental Conservation 18 (3), 201–9. Butler, R. W. (1992) Alternative tourism: The thin edge of the wedge. In V. L. Smith, and W. R. Eadington (eds) Tourism Alternatives: Potentials and Pitfalls in the Development of Tourism. Philadephia: University of Pennsylvania Press and the International Academy for the Study of Tourism. Cater, E. (1992) Profits from paradise. Geographical 64 (3), 16–21. Cazes, G. H. (1989) Alternative tourism: Reflections on an ambiguous concept. In T. V. Singh et al. (eds) Towards Appropriate Tourism: The Case of Developing Countries. Frankfurt: Peter Lang. Cohen, E. (1972) Toward a sociology of international tourism. Social Research 39 (1), 164–82. Cohen, E. (1987) Alternative tourism: A critique. Tourism Recreation Research 12 (2), 13–18. Cohen, E. (1989) Primitive and remote: Hill tribe trekking in Thailand. Annals of Tourism Research 16 (1), 30–61. Cooper, C. et al. (1993) Tourism: Principles and Practice. London: Pitman Publishing. Countryside Commission (1991) Visitors to the Countryside: A Consultation Paper. Cheltenham: Countryside Commission. Davidson, R. (1992) Tourism in Europe. London: Pitman Publishing. De Kadt, E. (1990) Making the Alternative Sustainable: Lessons from Development for Tourism. Sussex: Institute of Development Studies (DP 272). De Kadt, E. (1992) Making the alternative sustainable: Lessons from the development of tourism. In V. L. Smith and W. R. Eadington (eds) Tourism Alternatives: Potentials and Pitfalls in the Development of Tourism. Philadephia: University of Pennsylvania Press and the International Academy for the Study of Tourism. Dernoi, L. A. (1988) Alternative or community-based tourism. In L. J. D’Amore and J. Jafari (eds) Tourism, a Vital Force for Peace. Vancouver, Canada: Color Art Inc. Economic Intelligence Unit (1992) The Tourism Industry and the Environment (special report no. 2453). London: EIU. English Tourist Board (1991) Tourism and the Environment: Maintaining the Balance. Report by the government task force. London: ETB and Employment Department Group. Downloaded by [113. 210. 1. 106] at 07:28 22 March 2013 232 Journal of Sustainable Tourism English Tourist Board (1992a) The Green Light: A Guide to Sustainable Tourism. London: ETB et al. English Tourist Board (1992b) Tourism in National Parks: A Guide to Good Practice. London: ETB et al. English Tourist Board (1993) Local Tourism Heritage Trust Guidelines. A Guide for Businesses and Associations Interested in Raising Money to Conserve the Environment. London: ETB et al. Farrell, B. H. and Runyan, D. (1991) Ecology and tourism. Annals of Tourism Research 18, 26–40. Fennell, D. A. and Smale, B. J. A. (1992) Ecotourism and natural resource protection: Implications of an alternative form of tourism for host nations. Tourism Recreation Research 17 (1), 21–32. Global Opportunities for Business and the Environment (1990) An Action Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Development. Vancouver: GLOBE. Green, S. (1990) The future for green tourism. English Tourist Board Insights, D5–D8. Heath, E. and Wall, G. (1992) Marketing Tourism Destinations: A Strategic Planning Approach. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons. Holden Meehan (1994) An Independent Guide to Ethical and Green Investment Funds (5th edn). London: Holden Meehan. Hunter, C. (1995) On the need to reconceptualise sustainable tourism development. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 3 (3), 155–65. Inskeep, E. (1991) Tourism Planning. An Integrated and Sustainable Development Approach. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (1980) World Conservation Strategy. Geneva: IUCN. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (1991) Caring for the Earth: A Strategy for Sustainable Living. Geneva: IUCN. Krippendorf, J. (1982) Towards new tourism policies: The importance of environmental and sociocultural factors. Tourism Management 3, 135–48. Krippendorf, J. (1987) The Holiday Makers: Understanding the Impact of Leisure and Travel. London: Heinemann. Lane, B. (1989) Will rural tourism succeed? In S. Hardy, T. Hart and T. Shaw (eds) The Role of Tourism in the Urban and Regional Economy (pp. 34–9). London: Regional Studies Association. Lane, B. (1990) Sustaining host areas, holiday makers and operators alike. In F. Howie (ed. ) The Proceedings of the Sustainable Tourism Development Conference. Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh. Lanfant, M. and Graburn, N. H. H. (1992) International tourism reconsidered: The principle of the alternative. In V. L. Smith and W. R. Eadington (eds) Tourism Alternatives: Potentials and Problems in the Development of Tourism. Philadelphia: University of Pennslyvania Press and the International Academy for the Study of Tourism. McKercher, B. (1993) The unrecognised threat to tourism: Can tourism survive sustainability? Tourism Management 14 (2), 131. Middleton, V. T. C. and Hawkins, R. (1993) Practical environmental policies in travel and tourism - Part 1: The hotel sector. Travel and Tourism Analyst 6, 63–76. Middleton, V. T. C. and Hawkins, R. (1994) Practical environmental policies in travel and tourism - Part 2: Airlines, tour operators and destinations. Travel and Tourism Analyst 1, 83–97. Murphy, P. E. (1994) Tourism and sustainable development. In W. Theobald (ed. ) Global Tourism the Next Decade. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Nash, D. (1992) Epilogue: A research agenda on the variability of tourism. In V. L. Smith and W. R. Eadington (eds) Tourism alternatives: Potentials and Problems in the Development of Tourism. Philadelphia: University of Pennslyvania Press and the International Academy for the Study of Tourism. Pearce, D. G. (1992) Alternative tourism: concepts, classifications, and questions. In V. L. Smith and W. R. Eadington (eds) Tourism Alternatives: Potentials and Problems in the Downloaded by [113. 210. 1. 106] at 07:28 22 March 2013 A Framework of Approaches to Sustainable Tourism 233 Development of Tourism. Philadelphia: University of Pennslyvania Press and the International Academy for the Study of Tourism. Przeclawski, K. (1993) Tourism as the subject of interdisciplinary research. In D. G. Pearce and R. W. Butler (eds) Tourism research: Critiques and Challenges. London: Routledge and the International Academy for the Study of Tourism. Richter, L. K. (1987) The search for appropriate tourism. Tourism Recreation Research 12 (2), 5–7. Tourism Concern (1992) Beyond the Green Horizon. London: Tourism Concern and World Wide Fund for Nature. Travis, A. S. (1988) Alternative tourism. Naturopa 59, 25–7. Valentine, P. S. (1993) Ecotourism and nature conservation. Tourism Management 14 (2), 107–15. Van Praag, H. J. (1992) Industrial leadership: A practical example in the hotel industry. Tourism and the Environment: Challenges and Choices for the 90s, November, 62–66. West Country Tourist Board (1993) Green Audit Kit. Exeter: WCTB. Wheeller, B. (1990) Is sustainable tourism appropriate? In F. Howie (ed. ) The Proceedings of the Sustainable Tourism Development Conference. Edinburgh, Queen Margaret College, November. Wheeller, B. (199la) Is progressive tourism appropriate? Tourism and Hospitality Management: Established Disciplines or Ten Year Wonders? Guildford: University of Surrey. Wheeller, B. (199lb) Tourism’s troubled times: Responsible tourism is not the answer. Tourism Management 12 (2), 91–6. Wight, P. (1995) Sustainable ecotourism: Balancing economic, environmental and social goals within an ethical framework. Tourism Recreation Research 20 (1), 5–13. 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The 29 Colleges With the Best Financial Aid

The 29 Colleges With the Best Financial Aid SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips College in the US is expensive- too expensive, in fact, for the average student to afford on their own. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 86% of first-year students at 4-year colleges were receiving some financial aid as of a couple of years ago. Financial aid is good in all its forms, right? If it helps college students afford their educations, what could be the problem? Unfortunately, not all financial aid is created equal, and not all schools can afford to give out â€Å"good† student aid. Here, I’ll briefly talk about the types of financial aid available (the â€Å"good† kinds and the â€Å"bad† kinds) before laying out the collegeswith the best financial aid programs in the country. Financial Aid Basics: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Financial aid comes from a variety of sources and in a variety of forms. Ultimately, all of this money is meant to cover your college expenses- these costs include tuition, room, board, fees, transportation, and personal expenses. Your total, or Cost of Attendance, will vary depending on where you’re planning on going to school. You can get more detailed information on all of these costs in our guide to college expenses. So what counts as financial aid? There are three main types of aid that you should be aware of: Grants are sums of money that you don't have to pay back. They're usually awarded based on financial need. Grants can come from the federal government or from your school. Loans are sums of money that you borrow to fund your education. You pay back the sum after graduation, in addition to paying back interest charges. Ultimately, you pay back more than you borrow. Loans can come from the federal government (like Direct loans and Perkins loans) or from a private lender like a bank. Like, grants, scholarships are sums of money that you don't have to pay back. They can come from private sources (like corporations) or from your school. They can be awarded based on merit only or based on a combination of merit and financial need. Athletic scholarships and academic merit scholarships are sometimes awarded by schools to extremely competitive applicants. These awards are given to entice students to accept an offer admission; financial need isn't necessarily considered in these cases. Now that you know about the different forms of financial aid, we can talk about what aid types are more helpful than others. "Bad" Aid These types of aid won't always be wrong for everyone, but they shouldn't be your first resort. I define bad financial aid asaidthat's agood short-term solution, but a burdensome in the long term.Financial aid packages are less appealing when they offer the majority of their financial aid in the form of loans.What this means is that you’re still responsible for those college expenses, only you’ll have to pay them after you graduate instead of right now. You’re also responsible for interest charges, which are especially high when loans have high rates and/or are unsubsidized. Private Loans Private loans are not included on schools’ financial aid packages because the loan lenders are banks, not the schools. If your out-of-pocket cost is too high (i.e. if grants/scholarships don’t cover enough of your college expenses), you may consider turning to student loans to cover the difference. Private loans may be viable financial options for some students. I'm not saying that private loans are eviland that no one should ever take out student loans from banks. They should, however, be the last option you consider after grants, scholarships, and low-interest/subsidized loans. A "Bad" Financial Aid Package Less desirable financial aid packages will comprise mostly of loans, particularly high-interest loans. In these cases, a school can't or won't cover a student's unmet need, so the onus to find funding is put on the student. What this usually means is that the student has to take out loans to cover the cost of his or her education. The average student debt for graduates of 4-year BA programs in the US is about $24,000. For some students, even this average debt amount may seem unmanageable. "Good" Aid These aid options tend to be better options; they're more sustainable in the long run. I define good financial aid as aid that's a helpful and sustainable financial solution for both the short and long term. Basically, good financial aidenables you to afford the education you need without hindering you professionally, financially, or personally after you graduate. Here are examples of aid that fit this definition: Grants Any free money is good money. Because you don't have to pay back any money that you receive from grants, this award type won't hinder you in any way after you graduate. Like I mentioned earlier, they can come from both public and private sources. Check out our Pell Grant guide to learn more about federal grant options. Scholarships Scholarships are similar to grants- because it's essentially free money, you won't have to worry about repayment at any point. The major difference between grants and scholarships is that scholarship applicants are almost always evaluated on merit, even if the scholarship is need-based. To get started with your scholarship search, check out our guides to top awards for high school juniors and high school seniors. Low-Interest Loans The bad news: loans aren't as fun as grants or scholarships. You have to pay back the money + interest. The good news: loans can still be viable and manageable solutions for students who can't afford a school's net price after any grants or scholarships. What makes a loan a good financial option? Low-interest rates, primarily. Many federal loan programs have low-interest rates, including Direct loans and Perkins loans.You may be able to get private loans with low-interest rates if you have good credit - generally, though, federal loans are better financial options. Start learning about federalDirect Subsidized, and Direct Unsubsidized loans. Subsidized Loans Subsidized loans can save you some serious money in the long run because they don't accrue interest while you're in school and for 6-10 months after you graduate. See exactly how much money you'll save with a subsidized versus an unsubsidized loan. The Perkins loan is one special example of a subsidized loan - not only do youforgo interest charges while you're in school, but you could also be eligible for loan cancellation. A "Good" Financial Aid Package Ultimately, good financial aid packages are made up of a healthy percentage of grants and/or scholarships. If loans are included, they’ll be low interest (5% or lower) and may even be subsidized. They'llcover some of your financial need and maybe throw a scholarship or grant your way. The best financial aid packages will cover all of your financial need. What this means is that the school itself funds your education after any federal grants without making you take out loans. In the next section, you'll get a list of schools that claim to meet all of its students’ financial need - the best kind of financial aid. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Colleges With Best Financial Aid The following is a list of schools that claim to meet all of its students’ financial need without having them take out any loans. What that means is that your family will only be asked to pay what they can afford, and the school will cover the rest of the costs with their institutional financial aid funding. (Note that there are other schools that are need-blind that offer small loan amounts as part of their aid package.) You don’t necessarily need to be low-income to have all of your financial need met. For example, Harvard doesn’t ask families for any contribution if family income is less than 65k, and families will only need to contribute up to10% of their income if they make between 65k and 150k. Aid amounts operate on a sliding scale for families that make more than 150k. Students with the most financial need tend to get the most aidbecause many of these schools’ financial aid initiatives are based on removing barriers to college access based on finances. If you're interested in any of the schools listed, just click the link to get information on admissions requirements: Amherst College Bowdoin College Brown University Colby College Columbia University Dartmouth College (No loans for family income less than $100,000) Davidson College Duke University (No loans for family income less than $40,000; sliding scale after that) Harvard University Haverford College(No loans for family income under $60,000) Lehigh University (No loans for family income under $75,000; sliding scale after that) MIT (No loans for family income under $90,000) Northwestern University (All first-year aid packages are loan-free) Pomona College Princeton University Rice University (No loans for family income below $80,000; small loans above that) Stanford University Swarthmore College University of Chicago University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (low-income North Carolina students may qualify for aid without loans through the Carolina Covenant) University of Pennsylvania University of Richmond Vanderbilt University Vassar College (No or limited loans for low-income families) Washington and Lee University Washington University in St Louis (no loans for family income below $75,000) Wellesley College(no loans for family income below $60,000; sliding scale after that) Williams College (no loans for family income below $75,000) Yale University Why Do These Schools Offer the Best Financial Aid? You might have noticed that the schools on the list above are all pretty competitive private institutions. These private schools tend to be pretty elite, with strong alumni networks. Successful alumni tend to donate more to their alma maters, leading to more financial aid funding and better financial aid programs. They may have higher sticker prices than many public schools, but they tend to be less expensive than public schools for many students due to their financial aid programs. Many of the above schools only offer need-based aid. They don’t offer merit-based scholarships because, like I mentioned earlier, their financial aid initiatives focus on removing barriers to education access. They don’t have to offer merit-based scholarships to entice applicants because their applicant pool is already so strong. What If You're Not Eligible for Need-Based Aid? Some students may want to seek out financial aid even if they aren'teligible for many need-based programs. If you're one of these students, there's one important thing you need to know: if financial aid isn't need-based, then it's merit-based. There are a couple of ways you can earn money for college regardless of financial need. 1. Apply for merit-based scholarships. Many scholarship programs don't consider applicants' financial need at all when giving out awards. Start your scholarship search with our guide to awards for high school seniors - just read over eligibility requirements carefully to make sure financial need isn't taken into account. 2. Apply to schools where merit-based aid is common. Few public universities or top private schools offer large amounts of merit-based aid- public universities can’t afford to, and top private schools don’t have to. That being said, there are schools where merit aid is much more common. These schools use merit-based aid to stay competitive by attracting strong applicants. The following schools tend to award merit aidto a high percentage of students: Rhode College Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering New England Conservatory of Music John Brown University University of Puget Sound Samford University University of Mary Trinity University The New School Denison University Hillsdale College Furman University Gonzaga University Birmingham - Southern College University of Tulsa UT-Permian Basin Centre College Oberlin College San Francisco Art Institute Savannah College of Art and Design DePauw University What's Next? Now that you know where to send in your college applications, you can start putting together a strategy for your financial aid applications. To get an overview of the financial aid process, check out our simple guide to applying for financial aid. If you already have a financial aid strategy, check out our detailed info on submitting your FAFSA. Looking for other ways to go to college without taking out loans? Check out these 13 amazing full-ride scholarships you could get. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Safety management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Safety management - Essay Example s systems, ground operations and effectiveness of safety process in an organization is compliant with OSHA standards, compliance audit will be conducted. The audit plan will include essentials of good management like planning, remedial actions and records of all processes. Furthermore, an emergency preparedness system will be developed. This will help the employer and employees to curb emergent issues like discharge of harmful chemicals during production. In preventing future accidents and risks in an organization in compliance with OSHA, an investigative process of how earlier accidents occurred in the institution will be formulated. This will enable employees to learn from such experience and be cautious in to avoid repetition in future. Training organization employees on the investigative processes will be a necessity. Since the world is dynamic, employees need to be updated on newer safety management skills. This training program will ensure careful management of perilous chemicals and production process in an organization. Emphasize on the aim of such training to employees and the organization is important. a) The application of appropriate techniques like health, psychology and educational skills and methods by certified safety professionals in avoidance of damage to the society, possessions and the surrounding. b) Employs skills scientific, engineering and management knowledge in preventing the society from diseases, poverty, lack of knowledge and environmental hazards and also improving their health through inventions of drugs that cure certain illnesses. c) Chemical industries, Hospitals, medical research centers, food industries, quality assurance firms and environmental organization and all organizations and companies that subject to possible perilous happenings that threatens safety. d) With competent skills and knowledge, safety professionals have brighter future. As the technology advances, so is the increase in safety profession to provide

Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Criminal Justice - Essay Example As a result, the needs of the female prisoners are often disregarded thus negatively affecting their mental and physical health in the process. It has also been observed that the failure to meet the needs of the female prisoners deprives them of their right to basic dignity and leads to the violation of their fundamental human rights (Law and Whitehorn, 2012). Some of the key issues commonly faced by female prisoners include custodial sexual misconduct; caring for their children; lack of availability of adequate healthcare facilities suited for their needs; lack of accessible services; vulnerability to abuse; etc among others. The needs and concerns of female prisoners are starkly different as compared to their male counterparts, a fact which has been largely ignored so far. Unlike men, the female prisoners are solely responsible for caring for their young children. In such a situation, isolation due to confinement inevitably takes a toll on their mental health. Furthermore they are relatively more vulnerable to abuse and neglect in prison due to the differences in the sexual and reproductive health as compared to males. Issues such as these are hence likely to aggravate the mental and health problems faced by them (UN Office of Drugs and Crime, 2008). Women are also found to be highly vulnerable to prison abuse (Clear, Reisig, and Cole, 2012). Their mental health in particular is far more likely to deteriorate while in confinement due to factors such as overcrowding, lack of proper assessment procedures, discomfort on account of being supervised by male staff, etc (McElreath, Keena, Elter and Stuart, 2011; Stohr, Hemmens, and Walsh, 2008). Furthermore it has also been observed by various researchers that women are more prone to attempt suicide while in confinement due to mental stress and trauma, and lack of availability of appropriate healthcare facilities to address their specific healthcare needs (Petersilia and Reitz, 2012). Critical evaluation: There has been a significant rise in the number of female prisoners in the United States during the past two decades. This sudden increase of female offenders can largely be contributed to stricter punishment and longer incarceration for drug offenders, as a part of the war on drugs campaign. Thus, the policies introduced by the administration to eliminate and / or reduce the disparities in sentencing, ultimately led to the rise of female inmates behind bars (Stange, Oyster, and Sloan, 2011; Miller, 2009). According to the American Civil Liberties Union, women comprise of the fastest growing segment of the incarcerated population, increasing at nearly double the rate of men, in the United States (ACLU, 2007). There is substantial evidence indicating the substantial over-representation of women of color in the American prisons as well as the criminal justice system, with Blacks and Hispanics comprising of the largest female population behind bars (Law and Whitehorn, 2012; Oberman and Meyer, 20 08). Some of the key reasons behind the increased incarceration rates of females belonging to the minority population include poverty, and unemployment which significantly hampers their ability to provide and care for their families. Their demographic and socio-economic background makes them highly prone to commit economically driven crimes such as property crimes, prostitution and at times drug

Sample Cyber Security Profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sample Cyber Security Profile - Essay Example According to many publications, NIST is very proactive in this element as one of the main is attacks on User Domain. There are several types of attacks on the User Domain that are prevalent, as they can be quite successful against an uninformed or untrained employee. By implementing good company policies and ensuring that best practices against these attacks are used, an organization should be able to mitigate the risks found in the User Domain. Within the realm of User Domain, NIST is also very comprehensive in its understanding spoofing and DDoS. One of the worst vulnerabilities for user domains is insider attacks. Insider attacks occur. For instance, denial of service and spoofing are one the most common themes that occur. The problem is the fact that intercepting authentication or other sensitive information can be executed with the current WAN technology since it utilizes the traditional TCP/IP in user domains. (Best Practices for the Security 2013)Moreover, spoofing can also be conducted since an intruder can deceive the network that it recognizes a possible unauthorized access. The problem with installing firewalls in a user domain is the fact that they are fully feasible. Insider attacks occur when one user domain gains more privilege than the other user and shares that information. Tipton (2005) This becomes extremely dangerous because it allows the hacker to have one central location to exploit information. (Best P ractices for the Security 2013) Inside attacks can be vast and potent depending on the type of attack. For instance, an executing script can copy sensitive information and can make one central machine a master. This can be detrimental to a data breach. This master to slave configuration can be used with full throttle for malicious attacks.  

Electrical and electroinc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Electrical and electroinc - Essay Example It provides high gain in signal process. Despite this, positive feedback is prone to oscillations, poor frequency response, prone to more distortion and prone to more drift. This is where the feedback signal is 1800 out of phase with the input signal. In this scenario, the feedback is in such a way that it opposes the input signal. In negative feedback circuit, the feedback signal is connected in such a way that it is out of phase with the input signal. As a result, the feedback signal subtracts from the input resulting in lower amplitude output signal as compared to what could have been in the absence of the amplifier. 1. Gain stability. This is because the general gain of feedback amplifier is independent of internal gain and only is dependent on the feedback ratio. Also, the feedback ratio solely depends on passive elements which include resistors and amplifiers. Oscillation occurs when the feedback system is unable to find a stable steady state since the transfer function can’t be satisfied considering this scenario, the system becomes unstable when 1+AÃŽ ² = 0. Crystal oscillators are advantageous over other type of oscillators. This is because in case excitement, they oscillate at precise frequency because of the mechanical make associated with it. When compare to an electronic oscillator, its frequency can be made to shift with

Cultural Competency in Health Promotion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cultural Competency in Health Promotion - Essay Example In this way, communication during health care is limited because the patient has no obligation to communicate his/her feelings. Lack of health education in our culture has led to poor medical care hence the inadequacy in the knowledge about the health services being offered. Some cultural groups have a poor decision leader who must be available for a decision to be arrived at. To overcome the above problems, there must be a development of culturally competent practices that involve self analysis and change of attitude in various cultures. Health care providers should expand their knowledge and not only focus on culture differences while striving to understand the cultural dynamics affecting medical practice and healthcare in general. They should learn about cultures they sever through, they ought to know patients assessment techniques, readings and community activities. Medical practitioners should improve on the cross-cultural communication by being aware of the difference in social norms and knowledge of different languages and lifestyles. The use of assessing health literacy, interpreters and the bilingual patient education materials in educating the community on health matters (Spector, 2009) can play an important role especially from the training period of the medics. Involvement of the community in health matters through health fairs, ethnic festival participation and constant communication with cultural decision makers. These leaders help in providing cultural competent care by strengthening communication ties. It is important for nursing practitioners to work towards cultural competency through provision of culturally competent patient care. Nurses should therefore, be sensitive and open-minded to avoid being compromised by the cultural differences in perception of illness. While communication skills should be used in the best interest of the patient, limits must be set to ensure that the patient does not manipulate the treatment required. Nurses can de velop cultural competency by understanding individual and organizational views of different cultures. Acquisition of background knowledge about a patient on the cultural views can help in decision making. Having collective communication skills will then enable one to get the real meaning of words even if the patient is from a different culture. There should be strong ties between the nurse and the community. However, nurses must be aware of national and professional priorities for caring of cross culturally populations. Responses from 3 families from different cultures The three families interviewed were from middle-class status of life. The families interviewed were an African family, a Latino family, and a white American family. The interviews were contacted at the community hospital. It was to understand their take on cultural differences in medication and modern treatment. Health maintenance The African family did not have better ways to maintain their health compared to other f amilies. They only look for health services when they are sick. It was the responsibility of the family to take the sick person to the hospital when other alternatives have failed. Latinos families have an average medical attention towards maintaining their health. They rely very much on health centers for the services. The white American fa

Chinese stock bouble 2007 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Chinese stock bouble 2007 - Research Paper Example This led to the skyrocketing of trading volume, as retail investors sought to reap the benefits of the record-making rise. According to a 2008 report by Yao and Luo, the SSE had hit 6124.04 by October 2007 (10).   That this was a stock bubble, was not lost on analysts - vice chairman of the National People’s Congress in China, Cheng Siwei, was among one of the many analysts to point out that, following a year of volatility, the Chinese stock market was overheating (qtd. in Tucker & Dyer). Even though the government took steps to tackle the dramatic situation, it could not succeed in heading the bubble off. By the end of 2007, the stock bubble had ‘burst’ - the SSE Composite Index began to see a fall right after October 2007 and, by the middle of 2008, had plunged to a shocking 2651.6 1 - less than half of what the index had been at its peak (Yao and Luo 7). This paper looks at this stock market crash - also known as the Chinese Stock Bubble 2007 - in detail, out lining what it was, the reasons because of which it occurred, and its effects on economic conditions within and outside of China. In addition to this, this paper also uses its review of the Chinese Stock Bubble to provide recommendations for avoiding such market crashes, in the future. THE CHINESE STOCK BUBBLE It has been seen that the Chinese stock market was, preceding the crash, characterized by volatility. This is demonstrated in How We Explain the Chinese Stock Market Bubble?, a report that graphs the rise and fall of the SSE Composite Index, from 2005 to 2008 as follows (1). As apparent from the graph, the Chinese stock market saw a boom at the beginning of 2007. This picked up momentum, until the market crashed at the end of the year. According to Yao and Luo (2), prices of stocks shot up after the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China became listed on several Chinese stock exchanges. The authors point out that, by the time the market had begun to heat, the combined market value of the 1500 odd companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges exceeded a massive 32 trillion RMB (2). Following the American economic recession of 2007 and a realization in investors that large Chinese companies had been moving to milk cash from â€Å"ignorant, prudent savers,† the bubble began to fizzle off - and fast (Yao and Luo 2). Within months, the market value of listed companies had begun to plummet; by June 2008, the combined market value of listed companies had fallen to less than half of what it had been during the bubble (Yao and Luo 2). Individually, the Shanghai Composite Index fell down by over 60%, while the Shehzen Composite Index saw a 60% plunge (Xinhui). Reasons for the Chinese Stock Market Crash American Sub-Prime Lending. While the official explanation for the Chinese stock market crash centred on the influence of American sub-prime lending on the Chinese economy, analysts have argued that this is a superficial justification that do es not delve into the actual reasons underlying the crash (Xinhui). Xinhui points out one valid argument for such criticism - the sub-prime loan crisis resulted in an 11% drop in the S&P Index, whereas the Chinese stock market crash was much more massive. Critically analyzing this chain of thought gives one food for thought - it is hard to believe

Cultural Competency in Health Promotion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cultural Competency in Health Promotion - Essay Example In this way, communication during health care is limited because the patient has no obligation to communicate his/her feelings. Lack of health education in our culture has led to poor medical care hence the inadequacy in the knowledge about the health services being offered. Some cultural groups have a poor decision leader who must be available for a decision to be arrived at. To overcome the above problems, there must be a development of culturally competent practices that involve self analysis and change of attitude in various cultures. Health care providers should expand their knowledge and not only focus on culture differences while striving to understand the cultural dynamics affecting medical practice and healthcare in general. They should learn about cultures they sever through, they ought to know patients assessment techniques, readings and community activities. Medical practitioners should improve on the cross-cultural communication by being aware of the difference in social norms and knowledge of different languages and lifestyles. The use of assessing health literacy, interpreters and the bilingual patient education materials in educating the community on health matters (Spector, 2009) can play an important role especially from the training period of the medics. Involvement of the community in health matters through health fairs, ethnic festival participation and constant communication with cultural decision makers. These leaders help in providing cultural competent care by strengthening communication ties. It is important for nursing practitioners to work towards cultural competency through provision of culturally competent patient care. Nurses should therefore, be sensitive and open-minded to avoid being compromised by the cultural differences in perception of illness. While communication skills should be used in the best interest of the patient, limits must be set to ensure that the patient does not manipulate the treatment required. Nurses can de velop cultural competency by understanding individual and organizational views of different cultures. Acquisition of background knowledge about a patient on the cultural views can help in decision making. Having collective communication skills will then enable one to get the real meaning of words even if the patient is from a different culture. There should be strong ties between the nurse and the community. However, nurses must be aware of national and professional priorities for caring of cross culturally populations. Responses from 3 families from different cultures The three families interviewed were from middle-class status of life. The families interviewed were an African family, a Latino family, and a white American family. The interviews were contacted at the community hospital. It was to understand their take on cultural differences in medication and modern treatment. Health maintenance The African family did not have better ways to maintain their health compared to other f amilies. They only look for health services when they are sick. It was the responsibility of the family to take the sick person to the hospital when other alternatives have failed. Latinos families have an average medical attention towards maintaining their health. They rely very much on health centers for the services. The white American fa

ICT - The Way I do Things at Home and at School Essay Example for Free

ICT The Way I do Things at Home and at School Essay I use ICT a lot at home and at school and in this report I will show how, where, when and why I use these appliances. At home there are many appliances which use ICT, for example; Microwaves, Mobile Phones etc. But there are also some appliances which I also use at school for example; PCs. And I will also show how I use these things in different ways. I use my mobile phone a lot at home, it is just one of the few ways I keep in touch with people who I dont often see and live quite a way away. There are only two ways people can contact me on my mobile phone The phone I own is a Samsung A300e which also has WAP. WAP is Wireless Application Protocol which is a standard way to connect to the internet using wireless devices; it also allows you to access information like text and images. I can use my mobile phone anywhere in the home except where I cant get a signal; the only place in the home is usually the basement. With different networks you can different signals for example I am on Virgin which does not have many satellites in space and therefore does not have as much coverage as Vodafone who have many more satellites and can cover a larger amount of land. The good things about having a mobile phone is that if there is no other way to contact friends in an emergency then it is very easy to contact them using a mobile, although there are some downsides to having a mobile phone and there are that people may contact you and you may not want them to, or you could be somewhere important like a meeting and someone could contact you either by ringing you or sending a SMS, I use digital television quite often and it is transmitted through a satellite dish which is placed on the side of the house and transmits in signals which allow more channels to be viewed than normal, the channels range from 101 to 999 but obviously there are not channels on every number some channels are skipped e.g. 666 there is just a message that says channel unavailable. With digital TV you can shop and even play games. There is also lots of information that can be found out like, cinema listings or even the latest live shows. There is always a TV guide available sorted into sections like, comedy, music or sport which is easier if you are looking for something in particular. I use a microwave at home to heat food or defrost something frozen. I use it to heat things because it is a lot more efficient than the stove. It also knocks down the time of defrosting because I can just set it to defrost and put it on for several minutes rather than leaving it out over night. I play a lot of the time on computer consoles because it is a form of entertainment for me. I play many games like football manager games and platform games such as CROC which are more like adventure games. I have a playstation 2 which can also play playstation 1 games and use the same joypads. I have many other games like Mind hunters which take hours to complete and when I usually finish them I have usually being playing for about 100 hours all together. I also use an X-BOX which is one of the best consoles of all time in my opinion, although it is slightly expensive therefore I have few games, the pads can range from small to large which I think are a bit big for my liking. I use a PC a lot at school because I do Applied ICT and I also use them to type up course work in many of my lessons e.g. English. I also use them for entertainment I go on the internet quite a lot, after I finished my work. I use sites like, mousebreaker.com and uwizone.com which is my email. When Im on email I come into contact with people from all around the world like India and the USA. This is an advantage because if there were no PCs I would be required to do all work by hand and probably wouldnt be doing ICT GCSE. When using the computer I have to abide by several laws like the computer misuse act and the copyright act. The software I use is: Word- to word process Excel- to create spreadsheets Access- to create databases Power Point- to create presentations

Traffic Lights Microprocessor

Traffic Lights Microprocessor Microprocessor: A microprocessor is defined as the digital electronic component embedded with transistors on a single semiconductor integrated circuit. One or more than one microprocessors typically serve as a central processing unit in a computer system. Microprocessor Components: Basic Components: The following are the basic components of the microprocessor: Registers: A register is a storage element which is composed of an array of flip-flops. A 1-bit register can store 1 bit and a 32-bit register can hold 32 bits and so on. A register has two inputs: Data input Clock input. Multiplexers: A multiplexer is used as an input selector. A multiplexer has 1 output, a control input and other data inputs. If the control signal is 0, the 0th input is moved to the output. If the control signal is 7 then the 7th input is moved to the output. A multiplexer with N control signal bits can support 2N inputs. For example, a multiplexer with 3 control signals can support 2pow(3) = 8 inputs. A 4 input Multiplexer with 2 control signal wires An 8 input Multiplexer with 3 control signal wires A 16 input Multiplexer with 4 control wires Program Counter The Program Counter is a register structure which contains the address pointer value of the current instruction. For each cycle the value at the pointer is read into the instruction decoder and the program counter is updated to point to the next instruction. Instruction Decoder: The Instruction Decoder performs the function that it reads the next instruction in from memory and sends the component pieces of that instruction to the necessary destinations. They are of two types: RISC Instruction Decoder The RISC instruction decoder is a simple device because RISC instruction words areof fixed length and the positions of the fields are fixed. We can decode an instruction, therefore, by simply separating the machine word into small parts using wire slices. CISC Instruction Decoder A CISC decoder is set up as a state machine. The machine reads the opcode field to determine the type of instruction and address of the other data values. The instruction word is read in part by part and decisions are made at each stage to determine how the remainder of the instruction word will be read. Register File A register file is a set of registers and a decoder. The register file requires an address and a data input. The other components required are memory unit, ALU, FPU stands for floating point unit and control unit. Microcontroller: A microcontroller (also microcomputer, MCU or  µC) is a small computer on a single integrated circuit consisting internally of a relatively simple CPU, clock, timers, I/O ports and memory. Program memory in the form of NOR flash or OTP ROM is also often included on chip, as well as a typically small amount of RAM. Microcontrollers are designed for small or dedicated applications. Differences Between Microprocessor And Microcontroller: Microprocessor = CPU Microcontroller = CPU+ peripherals + memory Peripherals = ports + clock + timers + ADC converters +LCD drivers Memory = SRAM +EEPROM+ EPROM + flash A microcontroller has a combination of all the above explained attributes whereas a microprocessor is only a CPU. Examples of microprocessors are 8085 and 8086. The following is the pin diagram of 8086 microprocessor: Examples of microcontrollers are 8254, 8279, 8255, 8259. Microprocessor Based Control Of Traffic Lights INTRODUCTION Now almost all the traffic light systems operate on a timing mechanism that changes the lights after a given time interval. An automated traffic light system senses the presence or absence of vehicles and reacts accordingly. An automated or intelligent traffic system detects traffic in many different ways. Current traffic systems react to motion to trigger the light changes. When the infrared object detector picks up the presence of a vehicle, a switch causes the lights to change. In order to accomplish this, algorithms are used to govern the actions of the traffic system. The traffic signal system consists of three important parts. The first part is the controller, which represents the brain of the traffic system. It consists of a computer that controls the selection and timing of traffic movements in accordance to the varying demands of traffic signal as registered to the controller unit by sensors. The second part is the signal visualization or in simple words is signal face. Sign al faces are part of a signal head provided for controlling traffic in a single direction and consist of one or more signal sections. These usually comprise of solid red, yellow and green lights. The third part is the detector or sensor. The sensor or detector is a device to indicate the presence of vehicles. One of the technologies, which are used today, consists of wire loops placed in the pavement at intersections. They are activated by the change of electrical inductance caused by a vehicle passing over or standing over the wire loop. Experimental Arrangement: In order to implement the Intelligent Traffic Signal Simulator, one needs to setup and assemble the hardware components and write a program to control the intelligent traffic signal simulator. The layout of the Intelligent Traffic Signal Simulator is displayed in Figure 1. The blocks, which are labeled N1, N2, N3, E1, E2, E3, S1 and W1 are the infrared object detectors. Hardware components: The traffic light system consists of four important components: the controller which is taken as brain to the system, the sensors which detect the presence of vehicles, the light emitting diodes (LED) which act as the actuator and the countdown timers which is displayed in Lab VIEW. BASIC STAMP 2 (BS2) is used as the microcontroller of the traffic signal. The BS2, which needs to be plugged to the Board of Education (BoE), is directly attached to the computer in order to program it. The wiring for the output and input signals is done from this board. Figure 2 shows the Board of Education to which a 9V DC power is supplied. There is also a DB9 connector, that is connected to the COM port of computer using RS-232 serial cable, for BS2 programming and serial communication during run-time. Next to the BS2, there is a breadboard. The breadboard has many strips of copper, which run underneath the board in a horizontal fashion. These strips connect the sockets to each other. As for the infra red object detector, SHARP GP2D15 is used. The sensor task is to detect the presence of vehicles. It is functioning continuously by giving a logic 0 when there are no vehicles and logic 1 when there are vehicles present. Therefore, they can detect the length of the queue depending on where they are placed. Each detector has a JST connector housing slot and three crimped wires to use in the JST connector. The connectors are plugged into the appropriate housing slot and into the detector. The light emitting diodes are used in order to show the traffic light changing according to the program. The LED light will change according to output by the microcontroller. In each lane, there are three LEDs according to traffic lights colors which consist of red, yellow and green. Moreover, two inverters were used in order to connect the output of green and red LEDs together. Therefore, when the green LED is ON then the red LED will be OFF and vice-versa. Figure 3 shows the connection of the input and output ports to sensors and LEDs. The BS2 microcontroller has 16 Input and Output ports. The ports were divided into 8 input and 8 output ports. The output ports, which are from P0 to P7, give either logic 0 or 1 to the LEDs. The input ports, which are from P8 to P15, receive input signal from the sensors. Software simulation: After the hardware had been setup, a program written in the BASIC programming language in the BASIC STAMP editor is downloaded into the microcontroller. The simulation of the algorithm of the traffic signal system was done using MATLAB software. The countdown timer interfacing according to the traffic system using Lab VIEW software is created using the BNC Adapter and the Data Acquisition Card (DAQ) device. The Lab VIEW programming is done in the diagram using graphical source code. In the block diagram the program runs from left to right. If the green light in the traffic model does not illuminate, the system goes into default since there is no input into the system. The signal from the sensor is acquired through the DAQ, which is connected, to the computer. Using 8085 to Design: The hardware of the system consists of two parts. The first part is Microprocessor based system with 8085. Microprocessor as CPU and the peripheral devices like EPROM, RAM, Keyboard Display Controller 8279, Programmable as Peripheral Interface 8255, 26 pin parallel port connector, 21 keys Hexa key pad and six number of seven segment LEDs. The second part is the traffic light controller interface board, which consist of 36 LEDs in which 20 LEDs are used for vehicle traffic and they are connected to 20 port lines of 8255 through Buffer. Remaining LEDs are used for pedestrian traffic. The traffic light interface board is connected to Main board using 26 core flat cables to 26-pin Port connector. The LEDs can be switched ON/OFF in the specified sequence by the Microprocessor. Result and Conclusion: The traffic signal operation will start by the traffic lights illuminating in red for 1 second in all directions. Then the traffic signals will start illuminating in the clockwise direction of the magnet compass. This means that it will start operating in the North lane, then East lane, then South lane, then West lane and goes back to North lane.