Week 2 - Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 2 - Leadership - Essay Example These are indeed some of the most admirable qualities of a leader (Musser, 2011). Qualities such as risk-taking, determination and self-awareness are necessary for all leaders. They are the core pillars that can propel them to making well-informed decisions for the entire organization. At the same time, if a leader puts the interests of his followers at heart, he can win their confidence (Avolio, Sosik, Jung & Berson, 2003). Thins, can in turn, be a better way of restoring the confidence of the followers and motivating them to dedicate their time for the service of the organization. In conclusion, the effective application of charismatic leadership style has enabled me to rank it as the most effective leadership style. It has made leaders to win a lot of support, respect and following. Such a support plays a very significant role in assisting the organization to prosper. Transformational leadership simply implies to a leadership style where the leader is given the responsibility of identifying the required change within the organization and coordinating and organizing his followers to execute it. As a matter of fact, change is a necessary thing for any organization. It is the best way through which improvements can be made as the organization seeks to accomplish its short and long-term goals (Gupta, 2004). For a leader to be transformative, they should be ready to understand themselves, their followers and the environment within which they operate. This can grant them an opportunity to come up with ideas that can positively transform the organization. Actually, transformational leadership has greatly contributed towards the success of Public Safety. As a profession, Public Safety is a sensitive area that requires team play and cooperation. With the application of transformational leadership style, leaders have managed to use their transformative traits to inspire workers, motivate them and challenge them to dedicate their time in

Employment responsibilities Essay Example for Free

Employment responsibilities Essay Understand employment responsibilities and rights in health, social care or children and young people’s settings. Outcome 1 know the statutory responsibilities and rights of employees and employers within own area of work 1 Health safety, minimum wage, working hours, equality 2 – Health Safety at Work Act 1974: An act put in place to look after the health, safety and welfare of people at work, for protecting others against risks to health or safety in connection with the activities of people at work. Equality Act 2010: This act legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace. Employment Rights Act 1996: This act explains what rights employees have in a place of work. For example, time off work, guaranteed wages, dismissal and redundancy. 3 – To protect employees against circumstances they may face in their working lives. Every person who works for an employer is protected from discrimination in the workplace, has the right to receive the national minimum wage, and to work no more than 48 hours per week unless they wish to. These employee rights apply regardless of whether the employee or worker is temporary, fixed-term or permanent, or how long they have worked for the employer. These laws provide rules and regulations that must be followed. 4 – Sources and types of information and advice available can be, speaking directly to managers, reading policies and procedures, looking on the internet (direct.gov.uk) , going to a citizen advice bureau or joining a union. Outcome 2 – understand agreed ways of working that protect own relationship with employer 1 – My contract of employment at Crown House covers the following : job title, probationary period, place of work, pay, deductions, hours of work,  overtime, time recording, short time working and lay off, annual holidays, public holidays, sick pay, alcohol and drug testing, pension, notice and garden leave. 2 – My payslip includes the following information: company name, department, payment method, payment period, payments, hours, rate, amount, deductions (PAYE tax, National Insurance, Pension), totals, week/month, date, department number, tax code, employee number, employee name and net total. 3 – If you have a grievance relating to your employment, you should in the first instance raise this with the manager. If the grievance cannot be settled informally, you must set out the grievance and the basis for it in writing and submit it to the Area Manager. 4- Personal information that must be kept up to date with own employer can include : change of name, marital status, change of address, any medical conditions that may affect work, any medication prescribed that may affect work and any altercations with the police must be admitted. 5 – Agreed ways of working includes policies and procedures, which may cover areas such as: Data protection – how confidential files relating to staff or service users are stored in cupboards where access is only given if needed. Conflict management – if there is any conflict between staff members this should be bought to the attention of the manager and he/she should try to resolve this professionally. Anti-discriminatory practise staff and service users will not be discriminated regardless of their age, gender, sexuality, religion, ethnic background or disability. Health and safety – staff should wear appropriate clothing, for example flat shoes and covered up. It is staffs responsibility to report any health and  safety issues they may come across, whether it be broken equipment or maintenance needed within the building. Equality and diversity – staff and service users must be treated equally but not all the same. Opportunities should not be missed just because somebody may need extra support to do something. For example, if a sensory room is upstairs and somebody cannot manage the stairs for whatever reason, help should be given (lift, stair lift) so that person can access the room. Outcome 3 – Understand how own role fits within the wider context of the sector 1 – My job description is to provide centred focused care to service users. To provide opportunities for service users to increase their knowledge and experience, to encourage them to maintain present skills and learn new ones, and to enable them to gain more control over their lives. To manage and minimise behaviours as best as possible. To ensure the four key principles of the ‘Valuing People’ document are adhered to at all times ‘Rights’ ‘Independence’ ‘Choice’ and ‘Inclusion’. General and administration duties. ** Important: this is not exhaustive and is subject to review in line with the changing needs of the unit and/or the needs of the service users. 2 Positive Negative Accessing community and participating in activities of enjoyment People may be at risk to themselves and others (staff, members of public) Gives the company a good name Service users not motivated, become lazy Improves service users development and remain stimulated Behaviours may be displayed often Keep service users safe Gives the company a bad reputation 3 – Other people in which staff need to communicate with will include, but  are not limited to, the following: Residential homes – to find out how the service user has been at home (behaviours, illness), let them of know of any lunch requirements (picnics, cooked lunch), ensure money is sent in for planned activities, make sure the service user is dressed appropriately for planned activities. Speech and Language Therapists – to assess, monitor and review a service users eating and swallowing if any problems have been noticed and reported, to offer help with communication aids and techniques. Mental health team – attend regular appointments with service users to see how they are, is medication working? Any new problems/obsessions? How mood has been? (agitated, confused, depressed) Any behaviour triggers? 4 – CQC are regulators for all health and social care services in Enlgand. A regulator is an organisation that checks services meet the government’s standards or rules about care. They also look after the rights of people who need extra support to stay safe. This includes people who are kept in care under a law called the Mental Health Act. The government’s standards cover all areas of care. These rules are about things like: respecting people and treating them in the way we all expect to be treated. making sure people receive the food and drink they need. giving people care in clean, safe buildings. managing services and having the right staff. CQC put care services on their register if they meet the standards, or act quickly if they do not. They continue to use different information to find out as much as they can about services. Information from the public about their experiences of care is very important to CQC. They also work with local groups and people who use services to find out what’s working well and what’s working badly in health and social care services in their area. Inspectors check services all over England to make sure they meet the rules for safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care. Care services, and other organisations like the NHS, also give CQC information about certain things that happen. For example, they will check a service if more people are dying there than usual. They act quickly to stop unsafe services or bad ways of working. They say what needs to change and go back to check things are better. CQC can also fine people or companies, give  services a public warning, stop the service caring for any new people, stop a service caring for people while they find out what is happening and even shut services down. Outcome 4 – Understand career pathways available within own related sectors 1 – To be a care home manager you would need the following qualifications * at least two years’ senior management or supervisory experience in a relevant care setting within the past five years * a qualification appropriate to the care you will be providing, such as NVQ Level 4 in Health and Social Care, a degree in social work or nursing (with live registration) * a management qualification, such as NVQ Level 4 in Leadership and Management for Care Services (which replaces the Registered Managers Award (RMA)) or equivalent like a Diploma in Management Studies, or a Management NVQ Level 4 . To be a nurse you would need the following qualifications – around 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) of Grade C and above including English Literature or Language, Mathematics and a science subject. to take a nursing degree courses you will normally need at least 2 A-Level s or equivalent. all nurse training is done by universities. They offer nursing diplomas or degrees which take three years to complete. The diplomas however are being phased out and most universities are moving to degree only in September 2011 – all universities must move to degree only by September 2013 to work as a nurse in the United Kingdom you must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The title Registered Nurse is only given to you when you have that registration. To be a social worker you would need the following qualifications – a three-year undergraduate degree or a two-year postgraduate degree in social work that is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Many university courses are full-time, although some work-based routes with part-time study may also be available. You will typically need the following qualifications in order to study for an undergraduate degree in social work: five GCSEs (A-C) including English and maths  at least two A levels, or an equivalent qualification such as a BTEC National  Diploma or NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care. You should check entry requirements, as colleges and universities may accept alternatives like an Access to Higher Education or substantial relevant work experience (paid or voluntary). If you already have a degree, you could do a two-year postgraduate Masters degree in social work. When you apply for social work training, you should ideally already have some paid or voluntary experience in a social work or care setting. You will also need to pass background checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Previous convictions or cautions may not automatically prevent you from this type of work. 2 – In order to become a Deputy Manager of a day service such as Crown House, I would speak to my current manager and find out all the information I needed to know. I could also get in contact with the companies head office and if need be any training providers. 3 – The next steps in my career pathway are as follows Any refresher training to update my knowledge and remind me what I learnt last time, this will include NAPPI training. Attend first aid course and SOVA course annually Complete NVQ level 3 by December 2015 Mental health training by June 2016 Outcome 5 – Understand how issues of public concern may affect the image and delivery of services in the sector 1 – The following are cases where the public have raised concerns regarding issues within the care sector: Winterbourne View Baby P Ash Court Fiona Chisholm Orme House 2 – Abuse took place at Winterbourne View, a hospital for patients with learning disabilities and challenging behaviours in Gloucestershire. A Panorama investigation broadcast on television in 2011, exposed the physical and psychological abuse suffered by people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour at the hospital. Local social services and the English national regulator (Care Quality Commission) had received various warnings but the mistreatment continued. One senior nurse reported his concerns to the management at Winterbourne View and to CQC, but his complaint was not taken up. The footage showed staff repeatedly assaulting and harshly restraining patients under chairs. Staff gave patients cold punishment showers, left one outside in near zero temperatures, and poured mouthwash into anothers eyes. They pulled patients hair and forced medication into patients mouths. Victims were shown screaming and shaking, and one patient was seen trying to jump out of a second floor window to escape the torment, and was then mocked by staff members. One patient was repeatedly poked in the eyes. A clinical psychologist who reviewed the footage described the abuse as torture. On 21 June 2011, 86 people and organisations wrote to the Prime Minister, David Cameron about the revelations, We are aware of the various actions currently being taken within and outside government – such as the DH review and CQC internal inquiry. We hope to make submissions to those both individually and collectively. However, on their own these will not be enough and a clear programme is needed to achieve change. The prime minister responded saying he was â€Å"appalled† at the â€Å"catalogue of abuses† Panorama uncovered. In June 2011 the Association of Supported Living issued a press statement, which was followed up in writing to every member of parliament in the United Kingdom, calling for community based supported living services to replace institutional services for people with learning disabilities. The Daily Mail said Without the investigation by the BBCs Panorama, given huge coverage in the Mail, the abuse of patients at Winterbourne View might be continuing to this day. As it is, the secure hospital and two other care  homes have been shut down, 11 guilty staff have been brought to justice – and a devastating report now exposes the serial failings of the local NHS, police and health watchdogs. For the past year, the Leveson Inquiry has focused relentlessly on the failings of the media. Never let it be forgotten how much this country owes, in the fight against cruelty and corruption, to its free Press. The Daily Telegraph said, It is impossible to read the details of what went on at Winterbourne View, a care home for the severely disabled in Gloucestershire, without feeling repelled. In the wake of an exposà © from the BBCs Panorama, 11 members of staff were convicted of almost 40 charges of neglect and ill treatment of those in their care. The national regulator, the CQC did a nationwide check on facilities owned by the same company, Castlebeck Care – as a result three more institutions have been closed. The CQC reported a systemic failure to protect people or to investigate allegations of abuse and said that Castlebeck Care had misled the health watchdog. The CQC also inspected 132 similar institutions and a Serious Case Review was commissioned. The head of the Care Quality Commission resigned ahead of a critical government report, a report in which Winterbourne View was cited. Mencap published a report warning that similar abuse could be going on elsewhere and calling for the closure of all large institutions far from peoples families. Eleven people pleaded guilty to criminal offences of neglect or abuse as a result of evidence from Undercover Care and six of them were jailed. Immediately after the eleventh person pleaded guilty, the Serious Case Review was published, revealing hundreds of previous incidents at the hospital and missed warnings. 3 The public seems to have lost faith in such regulators and companies as this has been reocurring for a number of years. The media have issued a lot of publicity stating how care companies, social services and regulators have let the victims down by simply not taking these cases seriously enough and ensuring the well-being and standards are being met. The public may feel  reluctant to use the care services to look after their family members. These issues also give the care sector a bad reputation. 4 – Recent changes in service delivery which have affected own area of work includes staff being supervised and appraised on a regular basis, changes to medication being administered, NAPPI training to prevent forceful restraining, ensuring incident/accident forms are completed correctly and signed by witnesses if needed and up to date training, policies and procedures.

The Definitions and Arguments of Literacy :: Technology Literary Works Essays

The word â€Å"literacy† conveys different meanings to different people. Some people may accept a single definition, while others may develop complex, multi-faceted meanings of the word. This essay explores a broad range of literary definitions, arguments and statistics to convey a clearer picture of how people embrace literacy. Throughout this essay, we will focus on three sources: the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) recently published â€Å"Reading at Risk† report, and two pieces by Nancy Kaplan, Professor and Director of the University of Baltimore’s School of Information Arts and Technologies. The â€Å"Reading at Risk† report published in June 2004, proclaims the findings of a Census Bureau survey performed in 2002. Survey participants were asked questions over the telephone about their reading habits, participation in civic activities, TV watching and the like. The NEA holds that a gradual decline in reading over the past twenty years has occurred. Even more recently, they claim that a 10% decline has occurred within the past 14 years suggesting a more rapid decline in the years to come (NEA, 2004). According to this report, literacy is defined as the ability to read high quality works, which require increased intellectual capacity, dependent upon a reader’s education, culture and social skills. The report doesn’t mention that reading online, whether news or novels, is acceptable; therefore, it would seem that they are ignoring a large percentage of where and how people are doing reading today. In fact, it appears that the NEA supports the notion t hat with the rise of the Internet, literacy declined as people began â€Å"surfing† in favor of reading literary works, which supposedly require more detailed cognitive skills to absorb. One of the things â€Å"Reading at Risk† does well is offer statistics: People who read are 3 times more likely to go to a performance event and 4 times more likely to visit a museum; People who watch no TV are 1.475 times more likely to read 12+ books per year; 59.4% of people who make over $75k a year are literate (NEA, 2004). Yet it discounts modern mediums, such as the internet, other hypertexts and online publications, a bone of contention for people such as Kaplan. Kaplan holds that traditional society might harbor some ill will toward these online publications and consider them threats, but she goes on to further assert that these texts are growing up with the times—fast-paced, ubiquitous and evolving dynamically (for the better).

Reality Television Essay -- TV Television Reality Show Essays

Reality Television In today's society, Reality Television plays an important position in people's everyday lives. The reality television programs of today are popular because of the variety of film conventions (eg. audio, visual and symbolic codes) and the values and attitudes used to construct the viewer?s response. Two good examples of reality television programs are The Apprentice and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. In the episode of The Apprentice, 'The Price is Height', wealth is promoted through the values and attitudes of today's society to construct the viewer's response. This program promotes that wealth is acquired through success, and success comes with long-term hard work. Wealth is promoted throughout the episode in various forms. These include having the episode produced in the very successful big-business city of New York, USA, where much of what happens affects what happens throughout the US and around the world, the 'Trump World Tower', 'Trump Plaza Hotel', and 'Mar-a-Lago' resort located in Palm Beach, Florida. If different audiences viewed the episode of The Apprentice, each audience would interpret the values and attitudes of wealth differently. If a mature audience viewed the episode, they would interpret wealth as greed. If a younger audience viewed the episode, they would interpret wealth as a desire and an ambition to achieve. The suggested target audience for this episode w ould be young adults, as the values and attitudes of wealth, would liked to be gained by those who are beginning in the business field. In an episode of Queer Eye of the Straight Guy, ?Never too late to celebrate?, wealth is achieved through a person?s area of expertise, where the person is most likely to succeed highly in it. Wealth has been promoted throughout the episode in different ways. This includes the expensive suits and clothing from designer brands such as ?Prada? and ?Levis? and the episode was produced in New York City, USA. If different audiences were to view the episode, each would interpret the values and attitudes of wealth, in different ways. If an older mature audience were to view the episode, they would interpret wealth as a wonderful thing, as five gay men, are using their time, money and areas of expertise to makeover a straight (non-gay) person. If a younger audience were to view the episode, they would interpret wealth as a good... ...f The Apprentice, the footage is collated to make the female contestants appear as sexual objects by focusing on their legs, tight clothing, cleavage and body movements and projects the males as being more capable and successful in business. So even if the ?camera never lies?, the use of camera angles, particular shots and the way the footage is edited can play a huge part in influencing what the viewer thinks. It is all about ?how? it is shown to the viewers. The reality television shows of The Apprentice and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy are popular due to the values and attitudes promoted through wealth and through the filming conventions of audio, visual and symbolic codes. However, the impact on audiences depends on how they are presented. Promotion of one form of success and wealth included ?Trump World Tower?, expensive suits from ?Prada? and ?Hugo Boss?, ?Mar-a-Lago? luxury resort, etc. by The Apprentice and another form of success and wealth presented by Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was improvement of appearance, enrichment of personal life and lifestyle and the two reality television episodes were produced in New York City, the hub of business culture and trade.

European Business Environment Essay

Introduction This paper focuses on the enlargement of the European Union (EU) and its effects on external and internal relations. Taking into account the analysis and forecast presented before enlargement, it shows the real consequences of the development. The most essential consequences, as well as problems in part of decision-making and administration in the EU, social consequences of the enlargement, as well as the result of the possible economic enlargement of the on both existing member countries and new entrant countries. In taking into account the future of the European Union and the perception of regional European, the study specify that for the first time in many decades the EU has the opportunity to strengthen the global role of the society and reunify the continent supported by a common democratic standards and rules, a collapse in the process of European integration would mainly perhaps mean the gradual marginalization of Europe as a foremost actor of international associations. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the bipolar order greatly affected the development of European integration. One of the main basic challenges was the disappearance of the Eastern Bloc, as the threat of the Soviet hostility served for many years as a amalgamate aspect for the Western community (Baun, 2004). The next challenge was the unification of Germany, as it was obvious for most of European countries that the prospect role and position of the united German state would be stronger and further important than that of Cold War-era Western Germany. At the same illustration, the European Union, formally established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993, had to respond to broader problems about its international target and the future shape. It was apparent that the European Union possibly could not have opened its door to nation that was unwary or unable to prove the good organization of their democratic governance. Additionally, the setback for the EU was that planed to outlook for the relationship served as encouragement for the new democratic organization in East-Central Europe to carry on their complex and socially troublesome reforms, the flourishing results of which became significant for the strength of the whole continent. The solution was the Copenhagen condition, explained at the summit of the European Council in Copenhagen in 1993. The rules placed general necessities for starting effective democratic organizations, respect for individual and minority human rights, and suitable instruments for promised market economy (Lindner, 2003).Upon meeting the requirement, the first candidates was capable of open the accession talks in 1998. Ten new members that united the European Union on 1 May 2004 completed these consultations in 2002. Jointly with the growth in 2004, the EU-15 developed into EU-25; after Bulgarian and Romanian accession on 1 January 2007, the coming together became the EU-27. The growth from 15 to 27 member states was the biggest in the history of European incorporation process growing the number of the EU population from about 380 to 485 million. The new states members were medium-sized and small countries, though; each of the new associate has achieved the same rights as existing members of the EU. The enlargement of Eastern has been the major difficulties in the history of European integration, not simply because of the number of new states member joining the European Union at the same time, but mainly because of differences in the level of the gross national product (GNP) involving the old and the new members states of the EU. An evaluation of GNP per capita confirms that the richest new members state have not go beyond 40% of the standard EU-15 level and much bigger asymmetry is opened by the evaluation with the wealthiest states members of the old union (Miles, 2004). In reality, earlier enlargement rounds, like the one in 1973, to comprise the Ireland, Denmark and United Kingdom the one in 1995, to include Austria, Finland, and Sweden, was accessions of states similar in economic improvement and wealth. Merely the membership of Spain and Greece in 1981 and Portugal in 1986 caught up the enlargements of countries, which were much not as good as at the moment of their accession than the standard member of the society. This led to a question of harmony between the poorer members and the rich, and needed additional financial contribution of the wealthiest member states to sustain political and economic transformation in the new member countries. Although the old member countries reacted with hesitation, they finally agreed to such assistance, being aware that it would support democratic transformation on the Continent and support to eliminate intimidation of instability for the whole society, while contributing to formation of the common European marketplace. Nevertheless the Eastern enlargement twenty years later on was incomparable in its unevenness of economic potentials and the interns of GNP per capita involving the old and the new members still with the Southern growth of the European Community (EC) in the mid-1980s (Nugent, 2004). This irregularity of enlargement collectively with fears in Western Europe about social cost, problems of intra-union administration as well as the continuing crises of EU characteristics have compounded the face of the Eastern enlargement years after the enlargement, these concern continue to distress the integration development, consequently it is worth focusing on a few of them. Even ahead of agreement, it was obvious that the Eastern enlargement from 15 to 28 members would force management and decision-making processes in the European Union, as well as the possible to paralyze or at least make difficult the mechanisms formed in the EU-15. Predicting the enlargement, the old members attempted to organize the internal decision-making systems to incorporate the new members. The Amsterdam and Nice Treaties broaden the scope of verdict to be taken supported on Qualified Majority Voting (QMV), as an alternative of harmony, and the Nice Treaty formed a specific majority system (Schmitter, 2004). It established each of the 27 members an exact number of votes gleaming its demographical potential. The major members of the EU France, Germany, Italy and the UK, were awarded 29 votes each, and the smallest states: Luxembourg 3 and Malta 4 votes, correspondingly. Poland, as the largest new member, was given 27 votes, the equivalent to the number as Spain. However, the rule of the accord has remained at as the foundation of all decision-making in the EU, particularly when it comes to critical political decisions. Even so, the caution of Taylor remained applicable as the effectiveness of decision-making in the distended European Union needed further internal amendment. The response was Treaty making a Constitution for Europe signed in Rome on 29 October 2004. The new agreement went comparatively far in its application, yet Netherlands and the France rejected the European Constitution in referendums and the last effort to improve the internal utility of the EU was the Lisbon Treaty signed on 13 December 2007. The Lisbon Treaty is in actual fact a series of provisions originally presented in the European Constitution. It has make things easier for the   EU’s legal procedures and has established the European Union a legal personality, as well as helping harmonization of the EU’s policies establishing the posts of the EU President and Foreign Minister. It reflects the objections of some members who strained the principal independence of the member states, resultant in the cut of most references that could advocate for the character of the European Union as a (super-) state, counting the initial names of the new EU council. As an effect, the new EU Foreign Minister has lastly become the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. However, the prospect of the treaty had been vague for almost two years, as its implementation required confirmation in all member states. After the optimistic result of the second Irish referendum on 2 October 2009, the president of the Czech Republic, the Polish president, Vaclav Klaus and Lech Kaczynski, finally decided to sign the Treaty. This permitted the Lisbon Treaty to come in into force on 1 December 2009 (Nugent, 2004a). The approach of the citizens in the new member states towards European incorporation has generally been optimistic. For instance, the effects of the agreement referendum in Poland demonstrated support for the association at 77%. After enlargement, assistance in Poland is still at a high level of about 70% (Preston, 1997). The Office of the Committee for European Integration, Warsaw 2009 all together, still, enlargement provoked serious worries among Western EU member countries. The forecast of the enlargement were a basis of anxiety among the populace in the old, wealthier counties members of the EU, as well as the fears of joblessness and huge immigration of employees from the much poorer states of East-Central Europe. Piotr M. Kaczynski specified that the new states were better organized for enlargement as they projected changes and were required to plan for membership. The older members and their societies only experienced the test of the Eastern enlargement on the day of new members’ agreement (Nugent, 2004b). This resulted in the distribution of fears and slogans about the â€Å"Polish nurse† or â€Å"Polish plumber† frightening for employment chances for local Western Europeans. Few in Western Europe left devoid of the benefits of the Eastern enlargement for stabilization, democratization, and union of the continent. Yet the Westerners worried that Eastern enlargement would establish   the questions of decision-making, management, asymmetry in economic potentials and as well as raise the requirement for a broader process of structuring mutual consideration between the two share equally of Europe divided for almost 50 years by the â€Å"Iron Curtain.† (Hagemann, Sara/De, Julia 2007) Still, there were numerous forecasts concerning the migration prospective. Some of them projected that the immigration from the new states would differ from 6% to even 30% of their total populace (105 million), but those more practical showed that the migration would be approximately 3-5% or yet only 2% in the longer time, taking return migration into consideration (Nugent, 2004b). In actuality, the Eastern enlargement has only in part established the fears of Western European civilization and its social effects have been less serious than projected. At the same time, it has established most of the scholars’ forecasts. In agreement with the data obtainable by Euro stat for the end of 2008, the total digit of the immigrants from the new states members has been approximately 1.7 million (Guà ©rot, 2005).This does not comprise session seasonal personnel, the number of which could be expected as an additional few hundred thousand with a propensity to sluggish down for the reason that of the current world economic disaster. The most frequent immigrants were Poles (Poland being the most crowded new member state) and Romanians operating mostly in the Ireland, Spain, and United Kingdom. Polish specialist have projected that the actual number of Poles operating in the old member countries of the EU has been at the level of 1–1.12 million (out of entirety 38 million of populace) with a possible of additional 0.6 million of seasonal recruits (Stacey, and Berthold 2003). These numbers may seem considerable, but it would be difficult to treat them as a massive influx of workers from the East. All in all, the trouble of migration from the new state member cannot be overlooked and will go on to play an important role in the opinion of euro-skeptics, but it emerge to be much less grave than originally estimated. This is accurate mainly in the situation of the current world economic catastrophe and increasing social protests adjacent to the foreign employment force in the UK and other principal states of the European Union. It may perhaps also persuade the old members to formulate informal efforts at protectionism, although the regulations of the free movement of industry and capital within the European particular market. One of the areas of debate before enlargement was the cost of the process. Yet it seems that the Eastern enlargement of the European Union has not been overly expensive, especially in comparison to the benefits. Several authors have concluded that in the longer term the enlargement would have small but positive growth effects on the whole EU, although lower in the case of the old members and higher with regard to new member states, with forecasts of an additional overall EU growth by 0.5 to 0.7%. However, it is clear that the main benefits of the enlargement are political ones, namely the opportunity to reunify the Continent and in this context, the costs of the enlargement were indeed low (estimated for the financial framework 2004-2006 at 40.16 billion euro, or 1.08% of EU GNP) (Faber, 2009). Though, looking at the differences in economic prospective and wealth-level involving the old states and new states members, it seems not possible to expect that their convergence would be attained in the short or even medium time. This implies a tough need for aiding funds from the richest states of the European Union for the improvement of the new state members. Therefore, the dilemma of financial unity between the poorest and the richest in the EU will turn into much more grave for the future of the Union than whichever time before, still after the Southern enlargement in the 1980s (Falkner, 1996). The narrow financial wealth at the Union’s disposal has led to discussion in the EU about its financial point of view. The member states take up two differing positions. France and Germany, as the leading donors, have grown hesitant to increase their assistance to the common EU budget. The financial discussions for the period 2007-2013 incorporated the demand of the major net-contributors to edge the EU resources to 1% of the Community’s GNP. The ultimate resolution accepted a maximum of 1.045%, but the indecision of the richest members to wrap the additional expenditure of the enlarged EU was understandable. The new state members, conversely, joined the EU with the hope of financial support and harmony. Knowing that their active growth depend on the kindness of the richest states of the EU, the new state fear that, the imposing idea of harmony might crash with the exaction economic interests of the main EU members. Such a distribution of the EU members into the center of the most urbanized and wealthiest nations and East-Central Europe as an edge could intimidate European integration. Yet even though the limited economic resources exist in the EU budget, the supporting of the new members states has been reasonable so far. Poland, for instance, as the largest recipient, is getting a net-assistance of â‚ ¬60 billion in the episode of 2007-2013, mostly in the form of structural and solidity funds. However, the most important concern is to keep this level of the help in the next financial agenda (2014-2020). This will be the main issue of the future discussion. The wealthiest and strongest states of the EU have well thought-out reducing some forms of support to new member’s states and support spending that would center more on new technologies, competitiveness, and innovation of the EU in the global economy. Even if it is apparent that the EU requires being more successful on the global prospect, it is evident that the financial capital available in the upcoming EU budget for innovation and new technologies would most possibly help the wealthiest state of the Union. The new states with their much poorer economies and less innovative will not be capable to struggle for this money. The new East-Central European members projected full-fledged contribution in the decision-making method of the EU, as well as value for their opinion, despite their imperfect economic potentials. But the political discussion just after the Eastern extension, which led into the new suggestion of the European Constitution and the Lisbon Treaty, were challenging for the new members states and tackle them with the perception of the new form of the European Union only a few months following their agreement. These circumstances were most difficult for Poland the largest country in the group of new states, however a medium-size state members in the EU with its ambition of playing an active political task in the European Union. In the case of Poland, which was to lower some of its recognized position in the EU exacted in the number of votes in a number of Union institutions, it was hard to clarify to people why the regulations of the membership must be altered so quickly after the agreement. Examining the first epoch after the Eastern extension, Piotr M. Kaczynski sustains that the economic outcome of the growth have been clearly constructive. The new state members improved quickly and much earlier than expected. Though, he finds that the political aspect of the enlargement is harder to review. After a first period of compliance, the new state members, particularly Czech Republic and the Poland, became more self-confident in the EU, which resulted to some quarrel between the administration of these nations and EU system. Equally Czech Republic and the Poland mainly reacted to the thoughts coming from the Western part of the EU. Their political program, if any, were typically poorly set and cast off (Steunenberg, 2002a). Later, after the enlargement, Poland and all new members comprehend more visibly that it is not only the amount of votes that make a decision their place and ability to pressure decision-making procedures in the EU. They have attained convenient experience and become more familiar with the actual political device, including the regulations of effective alliance building and cooperation. Dirk Leuffen has explained it as a progression of â€Å"socialization† in which the new state members learn how to deal with the informal and formal rules and standards in the EU. From his perspective point of view, this socialization should be well thought-out as a medium-term development ( Dirk 2010). The skill gained; during the five years following the enlargement appear to back up that the time of socialization will be shorter relatively than longer. The current Polish-Swedish suggestion of Eastern Partnership (Steunenberg, 2002b), to reinforce collaboration with several Eastern neighbors of the inflamed European Union, helped by the other members of the EU, demonstrate that new states can efficiently take part to flourishing program, or at slightly be significant partners of doing well initiatives offered together with some old states members. As consequence, the succession of the new states from East-Central Europe has not been as â€Å"detrimental† to the EU administration as it was at times recommended in Western Europe earlier than the enlargement. In conclusions, the effects of the Eastern enlargement on external and internal relations of the European Union have not been as â€Å"tragic† as it was occasionally feared prior to enlargement. The addition from 15 to 28 member nations, as well as the significant economic unevenness between old state and new state member have shaped some administration problems for the EU, but they have not busted it. The European Union ought to now focus on amplification of its present instruments and institutions. The new states have rapidly learned the Union’s regulations and procedures and to place political conciliation before majority of votes. Thus, the agreement code has retained its center value in the EU. The significance of the incorporation process is the vision of a new regional individuality based on resolution among the European countries. The Eastern enlargement has opened the way to a real unification of the continent. After the occurrence of two World Wars on its region, it behooves Europe not to lose this opportunity. Thus, harmony between the old states and new members remains the subject to a flourishing future of the society. References Baun, Michael 2004: â€Å"Intergovernmental Politics†. In: Nugent, Neill (ed.) European Union Enlargement. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 132-145. Blockmans, Steven/Prechal, Sacha (eds.) 2008: Reconciling the Deepening and Widening of the European Union. The Hague: T.M.C Asser Press Dehousse, Renaud/Deloche-Gaudez, Florence/Duhamel, Olivier (eds.) 2006: Élargissement. Common l’Europes’adapte. Paris: Centre d’à ©tudes europà ©ennes, Presses Sciences Po. Dirk Leuffen 2010. â€Å"Breaking the Camel’s Back? Eastern Enlargement and EU Governance.† ECPR Paper Number 853, Center for Comparative and International Studies, ETH Zurich, p. 6 Faber, Anne 2009: â€Å"Eastern Enlargement in Perspective: A Comparative View on EC/EU Enlargements†. In: Loth, Wilfried (ed.): Experiencing Europe. 50 Years of European Construction 1957-2007. Baden-Baden: Nomos, pp. 305-325. Falkner, Gerda 1996: â€Å"Enlarging the European Union†. In: Richardson, Jeremy J. (ed.) European Union. Power and policy-making. London/New York: Routledge, pp. 233-246 Guà ©rot, Ulrike 2005: †Consequences and Strategic Impact of Enlargement on the (Old) EU†. In: Brimmer, Esther/ Frà ¶hlich, Stefan (eds.): The Strategic Implications of European Union Enlargement. Johns Hopkins University: Centre for Transatlantic Relations, pp. 53-72. Hagemann, Sara/De Clerck-Sachsse, Julia 2007: Decision-Making in the Council of Ministers: Evaluating the Facts. CEPS Policy brief No. 119, January 2007, available at http://www.ceps.be. Lindner, Johannes 2003: â€Å"Institutional stability and change: two sides of the same coin†. Journal of European Public Policy 10:6, December 2003, pp. 912-935. Miles, Lee 2004: â€Å"Theoretical Considerations†. In: Nugent, Neill (ed.) European Union Enlargement. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 253-265. Nugent, Neill (ed.) 2004: European Union Enlargement. Palgrave Macmillan. Nugent, Neill 2004a: â€Å"Previous Enlargement Rounds.† In: Nugent, Neill (ed.): European Union Enlargement. PalgraveMacmillan, pp. 22-33. Nugent, Neill 2004b: â€Å"Distinctive and Recurrent Features of Enlargement Rounds.† In: Nugent, Neill (ed.): European Union Enlargement. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 56-69. Preston, Christopher 1997: Enlargement and Integration in the European Union. London/New York: Routledg Schmitter 2004: â€Å"Neo-Neofunctionalism†. In: Wiener, Antje/Diez, Thomas (eds.): European Integration Theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 45-74. Stacey, Jeffrey/Rittberger, Berthold 2003: â€Å"Dynamics of formal and informal institutional change in the EU†. Journal of European Public Policy 10:6, December 2003, pp. 858-883. Steunenberg, Bernard (ed.) 2002: Widening the European Union. The politics of institutional change and reform. London/New York: Routledge. Steunenberg, Bernard 2002a: â€Å"Enlargement and reform in the European Union†. In: Steunenberg, Bernard (ed.): Widening the European Union. The politics of institutional change and reform. London/New York: Routledge, pp. 3-20. Steunenberg, Bernard 2002b: â€Å"An even wider Union. The effects of enlargement on EU decision-making†. In: Steunenberg, Bernard (ed.): Widening the European Union. The politics of institutional change and reform. London/ New York: Routledge, pp. 97-118.

16 Inspiring Thanksgiving Quotes

16 Inspiring Thanksgiving Quotes These inspirational Thanksgiving quotes teach us to count our blessings. If we wish to express gratitude to our friends, family, and God for these blessings, then these Thanksgiving quotes  should be helpful there, too. Giving Thanks Here are some thoughts on being grateful: Johannes A. Gaertner: AuthorTo speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven. William Law: English clericWould you know who is the greatest saint in the world: It is not he who prays most or fasts most, it is not he who gives most alms or is most eminent for temperance, chastity or justice; but it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything that God wills, who receives everything as an instance of Gods goodness and has a heart always ready to praise God for it. Melody Beattie: American authorGratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. Frank A. Clark: Former English soccer playerIf a fellow isnt thankful for what hes got, he isnt likely to be thankful for what hes going to get. Fred De Witt Van Amburgh: Dutch cartographer and artistNone is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy. John Fitzgerald Kennedy: Late American presidentAs we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. Estonian ProverbWho does not thank for little will not thank for much. Ethel Watts Mumford: American authorGod gave us our relatives; thank God we can choose our friends. Meister Eckhart; German theologianIf the only prayer you said in your whole life was, Thank you, that would suffice. Galatians 6:9Do not get tired of doing what is good. Dont get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. Thomas Aquinas: Catholic priest, philosopherThanksgiving is a special virtue. But ingratitude is opposed to Thanksgiving. Therefore ingratitude is a special sin. Albert Barnes: American theologianWe can always find something to be thankful for, and there may be reasons why we ought to be thankful for even those dispensations which appear dark and frowning. Henry Ward Beecher: American clergymanThe unthankful heart ... discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings! William Faulkner: American novelistGratitude is a quality similar to electricity: It must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all. George Herbert: English poetThou that has given so much to me,Give one thing more- a grateful heart;Not thankful when it pleases me,As if Thy blessings had spare days;But such a heart, whose pulse may beThy praise.

How and Where to Sell Your Clothes for Cash Complete Guide

How and Where to Sell Your Clothes for Cash Complete Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you looking for ways to make some extra money? One of your best assets for fast cash could be sitting in your closet. Rather than letting your old clothes collect dust, try selling them online or at a local secondhand store. This comprehensive guide has all of the places to sell clothes for cash online or in person. First, consider these general principles of selling your clothing and accessories secondhand. Selling Your Clothes: What You Need to Know There are two main options for selling your clothes: online or at a secondhand store. If you sell your clothes online, you can use a general e-commerce site, like eBay, or go through a clothing marketplace, like thredUP. Either way, you'll be able to reach buyers all across the globe. If you prefer to make the sale in person, then you can do so at numerous secondhand clothing stores across the country. How does pricing work when you post your used clothes for sale? When you sell online, you can often set your own price. Usually, pre-worn clothes are set somewhere between one-third and one-half of the original retail price. You probably won’t be able to sell your $300 leather jacket for its original price, but rather should aim for somewhere between $100 and $150. Most second hand stores sell your clothing for one-third of the original retail price. Then, they give you one-third of that. As you can tell, you can potentially make more cash for clothes when you sell online. However, you'll also likely be investing more of your time. You can set your own prices, but you have to input more labor. When choosing how to sell your clothes, you should think about your return on investment in terms of both profits and time. However you choose to sell your clothes, you should present them in the best light. Your clothes should be freshly laundered and wrinkle-free. Ideally, they’re stylish and in good condition. If you’re selling online, then you may be responsible for presenting your items with high-quality photographs and realistic descriptions. If you’re selling clothes to a brick-and-mortar second hand shop, then the vendor will sort through your items and decide which ones to accept. Read on for the best ways to sell your clothes online and in person, along with some tips for successfully selling your old clothes for cash. Let's take a closer look at the best places to sell your clothes for cash! Best Places to Sell Clothes Online Selling your clothes online is a great way to reach an unlimited number of buyers across many locations. You can interact directly with shoppers by setting up an eBay account, posting on Craigslist, or advertising on your own social media channels. Alternatively, you can use a third party marketplace that specializes in certain kinds of clothes and helps you with payments, shipping, and advertising. Read on for the top websites to get cash for clothes online, whether you’re selling directly to shoppers or using a third party to sell women’s, children’s, men’s, or designer clothing. For Selling Clothes Directly If you use any of the following websites to sell used clothes for cash, then you’ll be responsible for posting images, setting a price, choosing a buyer, and shipping your goods. While the process may take some time at first to set up, it will get faster and easier with practice. There are some fees to watch out for, but you’ll be keeping most, if not all, of the profits. Here are the top sites to sell your clothes directly to shoppers, no strings attached. eBay If you want to reach a wide audience to sell old clothes, eBay is the way to go. To become an eBay seller, you first have to set up an account. Anyone who buys from you will give feedback. As long as you accurately describe your items and ship them on time, you should get a high rating. With a high rating, shoppers will see you as a reliable seller. Once you have your account, you’ll upload images of your clothing and write descriptions. Make sure to provide accurate descriptions of each item, with the brand name, color, and size, so that it will come up in a keyword search. You can let users bid on your item or set a â€Å"Buy It Now† price. You also choose shipping options, which the buyer selects and pays for. The transactions are conducted via PayPal. Once someone buys your item, you should ship it on time to ensure a good review. Pros: Set your own price Can build up a good reputation as a seller Sell anything you want Cons: Process can be time consuming Responsible for all aspects of transaction and shipping Unclear how popular eBay is for clothes shopping If you're willing to handle the transactions yourself, then eBay is a good option for selling your clothing. VarageSale VarageSale started in 2012 and now has millions of users across the USA and globe. Like Craigslist, it connects people within a community and allows them to sell and buy any type of clothing they want. You create an account, upload photos of your items, and set a price. When you approve a buyer, then you’ll set a meeting location to exchange the item. Because you’ll sell old clothes to people in your community, you typically won’t have to ship anything. You'll meet up and get money for clothes. Pros: Safe, increasingly popular platform Free to use Unlimited listings Easy to use interface Cons: Buyers limited by location and to users of VarageSale Craigslist You can sell just about anything you want on Craigslist. Like VarageSale, your audience will mainly be limited to people in your community who can pick up the items in person. You set the price, decide how you want the buyer to contact you, and choose a meeting location. Unless you set up an alternative payment system, the buyer will likely give you cash. Pros: Easy to use Keep 100% of profits Cons: Site not specific to clothes shopping Limited by geographic location When you sell through VarageSale or Craigslist, you set a meeting spot, like your house or a public place, to finish the transaction. Fam Fam is a members-only app where you can sell your clothes via your phone or another mobile device. You’ll upload pictures and descriptions and categorize your items by brand and size. Buyers shop by community, which might be a clothing brand or size. You need a Paypal account to use Fam. When someone buys an item, you’re responsible for shipping it and sending the buyer the tracking number. Pros: App gives you constant updates about buying and selling Specific to buying and selling clothing Cons: Only on mobile device Mostly limited to high-quality, fashionable contemporary or vintage items Your Own Social Media - Facebook, Instagram, etc. Finally, you could test out your entrepreneurial skills by advertising clothing on your own social media channels. You could invite friends to your Facebook page or Instagram feed, where you post photos of clothes. It’s not technically against the rules to let people bid in the comments. Since these sites are not geared toward e-commerce, you’ll have to figure out your own payment system, whether through Paypal or something else. You’ll also have to do all of your own advertising. Pros: No fees Can establish your own online clothing store Cons: Limited audience Success depends on your own social media and marketing skills Now let’s take a look at online marketplaces that specifically buy and sell secondhand clothing. Apps like Fam allow you to sell clothes right from your phone! For Selling Through an Online Secondhand Clothing Store These online vendors look at your clothes - either photos or the clothes themselves - and decide which ones meet their standards. Then, they’ll post and advertise whatever pieces they accept. Some stores, like thredUP, pay you based on what items they accept. Others, like Tradesy, are consignment stores that pay you a percentage of the profits once an item sells. All the stores take a commission fee of anywhere from 6% to 40%. Let’s look at the top vendors for women’s clothing, designer labels, and menswear. For Women’s Clothing The following two online marketplaces will advertise your clothes and help you through the shipping process. They prefer brand name clothes from stores like Zara, American Eagle, or J. Crew, or designer labels, like Burberry and Gucci. Both Tradesy and thredUP sell women’s clothing, while thredUP also accepts children’s clothing. Tradesy Tradesy is a consignment store that pays you when an item sells. It accepts all kinds of clothing, accessories, designer goods, and even wedding and bridesmaid dresses. To sell your clothes with Tradesy, you create an account and upload high-quality images of your items. Tradesy chooses which items to accept, and then it enhances your images to make them look professional. You can set your own prices. When an item sells, Tradesy will send you a pre-paid, pre-addressed shipping kit. The company deducts a 9% commission for any sales. In the case the buyer decides to return an item, you’ll typically get to keep your earnings, unless you misrepresented the item to begin with. Pros: Easy to use Set your own price Helps with shipping Cons: 9% commission fee Items could be rejected If you're using Tradesy, you'll make money once your item sells. thredUP thredUP is a good option if you have children’s clothes to sell, as well as any women’s clothing. Unlike some other online stores, you actually ship your clothes to thredUP as a first step, rather than just uploading images. To sell with thredUP, you first order one of its signature â€Å"clean-out bags.† You fill the bag with your clothes, and then send it to thredUP. The company will then evaluate your items and decide which ones to accept. It takes about three weeks for thredUP to process a clean-out bag. You’ll get paid based on what thredUP accepts and the selling price it assigns to each of your items. Any unaccepted clothes are donated to charity, or you can pay $9.99 to have the unaccepted items returned to you. Before sending your clean-out bag, make sure to check thredUP’s list of accepted clothing brands. Pros: Get paid based on what thredUP accepts, rather than what sells Can sell women’s and children’s clothes Cons: Must pay extra if you want unaccepted items returned to you Don’t know how much you’ll make for several weeks For Designer Labels and Vintage Finds Do you have any designer items or exceptional vintage finds that you’re looking to sell? These online shops connect buyers and sellers look to exchange high-end clothing and accessories. These high-end marketplaces are looking for designer labels. Poshmark As its name implies, Poshmark is looking for high-end brands and designer labels. They accept women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing. When you sell with Poshmark, you set your prices, plus you leave wiggle room for negotiation. Poshmark suggests you discount your item by at least 30% to 40% of the original retail price. For any sale under $15, Poshmark takes a flat commission of $2.95, and you keep the rest. For pricier sales, Poshmark takes 20%, and you keep 80%. You can spend your money at Poshmark or withdraw it as cash within three days of the delivery of your item. Poshmark helps you with shipping by sending a pre-paid, pre-addressed USPS shipping label when an item sells. You’re responsible for shipping any sold clothing within two days of purchase. If the package is over five pounds, then you’ll have to pay a little more for shipping. Pros: Accepts women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing Helps you with shipping Reputable site with safe transactions Cons: Limited to high-end labels Relatively large commission of 20% Poshmark helps you send your clothes to buyers with prepaid, pre-addressed shipping labels. Snobswap Snobswap is an online marketplace that also has several boutiques in New York, LA, Miami, Washington, DC, and other cities. It sells designer goods and helps you set prices based on the item’s brand, category, and condition. You can list your items for free, but Snobswap must approve each listing, a process that takes up to 72 hours. You’re responsible for the description, pictures, pricing, and shipping, which you should do within one to three days of purchase. Snobswap will deliver your earnings into a bank account or Paypal account. The company takes a 15% commission fee. Pros: Unlimited listings You have control over description and selling price Cons: Limited to certain designer brands Not a lot of reviews currently, so perhaps not a lot of users The RealReal The RealReal is another site for pre-worn designer items, both women’s and men’s. If you have 10 items or less, then you request a pre-paid Fedex shipping label and send off your clothes. The RealReal will evaluate, photograph, and price your items over the next 10 to 15 days. Any unaccepted items are returned to you. If you have more than 10 items, then you may qualify for the company’s White Glove Service. The RealReal will send a Luxury Manager to your home to pick up the clothing free of charge. You’ll get 60% of sales under $9,999 and 70% of sales totaling $10,000 or more. Sellers get paid on the 15th of every month for items that were sold during the previous month. Pros: Can submit items for free White Glove Service for qualifying sellers Accepts both women’s and men’s clothing Cons: Limited to designer labels High commission fee of 30-40% If you're selling more than 10 designer items, then you'll qualify for The RealReal's fancy White Glove Service. For Men’s Clothing As you read above, some online used clothing stores, like VarageSale and Poshmark, accept men’s clothing. Most of the other sites, though, cater exclusively to women. This next site is one of the rare stops online for pre-worn men’s clothes. Grailed Grailed is a community marketplace for men’s clothing. You’re responsible for listing your items and providing descriptions and images. You can communicate with buyers and decide whether or not to accept their offers. To hedge your bets, you can accept several offers. Whoever pays first gets the item. Grailed has three clothing categories: Grailed, Hype, and Basics. The Grailed marketplace is, according to the site, â€Å"reserved from high quality, coveted items...typically from well-known designers and in wearable condition.† Items in the Hype section should be new releases or streetwear. The Basics section contains â€Å"well-known mass market brands† and vintage clothes. Grailed takes a relatively low commission fee of only 6%, and it discounts this fee for popular sellers. You'll make money on an item once it sells. You’ll use Paypal and be responsible for shipping and providing tracking information to buyers. Pros: One of the few sites that only sells men’s clothing Accepts a range of clothes and brands Low commission fee Cons: No help with shipping Audience limited to Grail shoppers Grailed is one of the rare online marketplaces that caters exclusively to men's pre-worn clothing. Tips for Selling Clothes Online To be successful selling clothes online, you should become close friends with your camera. Unless the site photographs your clothes for you, you’ll be responsible for uploading pictures and writing descriptions. You want to present your items in the best light, literally. You should try to take your picture in natural light from several angles - perhaps five per item. Make sure the background is simple, plain, and clean. Try to give as realistic a representation of each item as possible, in terms of both the images and descriptions, which should discuss the item’s brand, size, and condition. Besides presenting your items well, you may also have to navigate your way around a PayPal account. You’ll simply need to set up an account and link your credit card or bank account information. PayPal charges 2.9% + 30 cents for transactions made with a debit card or credit card. If you’d prefer to bring your clothes to a store in person rather than sell them online, then you’ll likely find several options in your area. Read on for the best used clothing stores throughout the country. To successfully sell your clothes online, you have to be comfortable using the website and, for most stores, uploading high-quality images and descriptions. Best Brick-and-Mortar Stores for Selling Your Clothes There are several franchised used clothing stores with locations throughout the country. You might also have an independent store in your area, something you can locate with a quick Google search. The following five stores have numerous branches throughout the U.S. Read on for the best places to sell clothes for cash. Buffalo Exchange Buffalo Exchange sells men and women’s clothing in Arizona, California, Colorado, DC, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. Some stores are more crowded than others, but all accept walk-ins and will evaluate your clothing on the spot. You’ll get cash for clothes they accept based on the selling price of the item. Most stores price items at around 30% of the original retail price. Then, they’ll usually give you 30% back in cash. If you choose store credit over cash, then you may get a higher percentage of the selling price, like 50%. According to its website, Buffalo Exchange is â€Å"always buying the best of all seasons, including current trends, denim, designer, everyday basics, leather, vintage, and one-of-a-kind items.† Your clothes should be freshly laundered, ironed, and in good condition. If you don’t have a store nearby, you can also use Buffalo Exchange’s â€Å"sell by mail† program. To use this program, you would send about 20 to 40 pieces of clothing in a prepaid shipping bag. Buffalo Exchange will process your items in four to six weeks. Pros: Popular store Many locations Accepts walk-ins Cons: May make less money than you would selling online Swedish-born Kerstin and Spencer Block founded Buffalo Exchange in 1974. The successful store got its name because the founders "thought the word 'buffalo' sounded very American." Clothes Mentor Clothes Mentor is another popular secondhand store with 138 stores across 29 states, plus 50 more stores opening soon. Their process and pricing are similar to those of Buffalo Exchange. They accept walk-ins, pay cash on the spot, and pay about one-third of the selling price, which is set at about one-third of the original retail price. The whole evaluation process takes just 20 to 30 minutes. Pros: Many locations Accepts walk-ins Get cash on the spot Cons: May make less money than you would selling online Uptown Cheapskate Uptown Cheapskate is another option for selling your clothes if you live close to one of its 40 locations in 17 states. You walk in with your clothes and get cash back on the spot. If you like, Uptown Cheapskate will donate any leftover items to charity. They accept women’s clothing from sizes 0 to 18 or XS to 2XL. They also accept men’s clothing from XS to 2XL. Pros: No appointment required No required brands Cons: Not as many locations as some other stores Plato’s Closet Plato’s Closet is geared toward gently used children’s and young adult clothing and accessories. They accept brands like Aeropostale, American Eagle, Billabong, Lululemon, and Steve Madden at over 450 locations across the U.S. and Canada. Plato’s Closet doesn’t require appointments, so you can walk in with your or your kids’ clothes and get cash back on the spot. The store doesn’t have a set fee or cash back policy, instead stating that they determine pricing based on style, condition, and brand. Pros: Specifically geared toward children’s and young adult clothing Many locations Cons: Reviews suggest that the store is picky and doesn’t give much cash back Plato himself held the first clothing swap, where philosophers and scholars tried on each other's togas while discussing the meaning of life. 2nd Time Around 2nd Time Around is a consignment store with locations in Connecticut, Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, DC. You’ll need to make an appointment with your local store to present your items. For the items it accepts, 2nd Time Around prices clothing at 30% to 40% of the original retail value and high-end handbags at 50% to 65% of retail price. As for new items with tags, it will price them at 50% of retail price. For any items that sell, you’ll receive 50% to 70% of the final selling price. If you like, 2nd Time Around will donate any unaccepted items to the Joyful Heart Association. Pros: Get higher percentage of selling price than some other stores Accessible if you live on the east coast Cons: No walk-ins Limited brands High commission fee Local Secondhand Clothing Stores Finally, you might have an independent secondhand clothing store in your area that buys used clothing. Boston, for instance, has The Garment District, and NYC has Beacon’s Closet. If you want to go local, check out the website or call to see what clothes they accept and whether they take walk-ins or require an appointment. If you decide to sell your clothes in person at a used clothing store, what steps should you take? Look locally to find even more options for secondhand clothing stores. Tips for Selling Clothes to Secondhand Clothing Stores Secondhand clothing stores tend to be selective about what they accept. To be successful, you should wash and iron all your clothes to present them in the neatest condition possible. You might also call the store beforehand to get a sense of what it’s looking for in terms of season and style. Often, the best time to sell clothes is in the few months preceding their season. For instance, stores are more likely to buy summer clothing between February and June. Much later, and they’ll be more interested in fall and winter clothing. Finally, you could ask the company about the best time to come in to avoid a long wait. If no other sellers are in front of you, then you might be able to get in and out of the store within 20 minutes with cash for clothes in hand. Beside these numerous options for selling your clothes in person or online, there’s one more traditional way worth mentioning - holding a yard sale yourself. Sell Clothes the Old-Fashioned Way A final way to sell your clothes is to hold a yard sale. You could put up signs on the street or advertise to friends and family through social media. You probably can’t set as high prices at a yard sale as you would online, but you may get some buyers if you live in an area with lots of people traffic. What about those clothes that don’t sell, but you still want to get rid of? Is there any financial benefit to be had for items that are no longer in style? If none of these other options appeal to you, you could always try having a yard sale to sell your clothes. Donate Your Leftover Clothing For any clothes that don’t sell, you can donate them to a charity, like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Not only will you be helping people in need, but your donations will be tax deductible. Indirectly, you’ll still be getting some cash back for your old clothes. Now that you know where to sell your old clothes (so many options!), how do you start? How can you sort through your wardrobe and effectively clear out the outfits that you no longer wear? How to Sort Through Your Clothes Effectively Do you ever feel like your drawers of full of clothes yet you have nothing to wear? Do you wish you could minimize but aren’t sure how to start? If you’re suffering from having too much stuff, you’re not alone. Consider the following statistics: One of out every 10 Americans rents offsite storage for their possessions (New York Magazine). The home organization industry has more than doubled in size since the 2000s (Uppercase). The average American woman owns over 30 outfits (Forbes). Most of us could benefit from cutting through the clutter, but minimizing is easier said than done. While it’s easy to think you might like an outfit again someday, it’s more likely that you won’t circle back to it. One of the best ways to sort through your clothing is to take everything out of your drawers and closets. Consider each item individually, deciding whether it makes you happy. Would you enjoy wearing this item today (weather permitting)? If you find yourself hemming and hawing, then you’re probably better off without it. Put back the pieces that you know you love and want to wear, and sell or donate the rest. Not only will you make some cash back, but you’ll feel the benefits of a more organized and decluttered life. Clean out your cluttered closet and make some cash by selling your old clothes to a secondhand store. Selling Clothes for Cash: Final Thoughts Whether you’re looking to clean out your closet, make some fast cash, start an online boutique for all of your amazing vintage finds, or all of the above, you can easily sell your old clothes for cash. According to Racked, reselling clothing has exploded into a $16 billion industry, and is continuing to grow at a rate of 6% each year. Online marketplaces and retailers connect you with a wide array of buyers across the country and world. Used clothing stores, like Buffalo Exchange and Plato’s Closet, also let you walk in and sell your clothes for cash in one quick stop. Since there are so many options, you have to think about which selling technique makes most sense for you. Selling online usually means you can make more money, but you'll also have to invest more of your time into the transaction. Selling at a local store may mean less profit, but it could be more efficient overall. Whichever method you choose, you'll want to find a balance among your time, energy, and money you make back on clothing you no longer wear. By selling your clothes, you can make money, clear out your closet, and reduce waste as part of the recycled clothing movement. Win-win-win.

Revising an Essay

Revising an Essay Revising an Essay Revising an Essay: It Is of Critical Importance They say that to write any essay is a very complicated and brainstorming task. Well, there is a bit of sense about that. However, revising an essay is as hard assignment as essay writing. Without revising essay, it is impossible to receive the highest grade for your essay writing, as even the most professional and experienced academic writers make some definite mistakes. Machines are even mistaken, and we are only people with our problems and thoughts; that is why there is nothing weird about the presence of mistakes. Nevertheless, there is a special way to get rid of those mistakes which are called revising essays. With the help of proofreading, you receive your revision essay and the proper grade, as a result. A Couple of Findings for Your Consideration According to the latest researches of psychologists, it was stated, that as a rule, a person, who makes the revision essays written by his or her own does not notice 37 percent of the made mistakes. However, it does not mean that it is useless to accomplish revising an essay. It only means that if you really want to get rid of the existing mistakes, you have to read your essay out loudly for several times. When you make revising essay for the first time, you just correct the spelling, syntax, and grammar mistakes. When you revising essays for the second and the third times, you start to pay attention to the content and correct lexical mistakes and all the other slips of the tongue. That is why it is just but natural to maintain revising essays. Ways to Revise Your Essay However, there is one more way to receive revision essay. With the help, for example, of our custom essay writing services you can order the service of revision essays. Revising an essay is a rather often used service by the students, as some of them like to write their essays by themselves. However, if they want to be sure that their essays are free of different weaknesses they order revising an essay within the services of our site. Our professional proofreaders do not give any chance to the existing mistakes. That is why revising essay is the perfect option for you to choose in order to receive the high grade for your essay. Revising An Essay is A Key To Success To sum up, it is necessary to emphasize one more time that without revising essay it is impossible to present a good work free of mistakes, as all of us make mistakes. Revising an essay is your key to success and high grade. It does not matter whether you are going to proofread your essay on your own or you are gong to run to the services of revision essay. The only thing, which matters, is the positive result after having revision essays: Interesting posts: Thesis Ideas PhD Thesis Master Thesis How to Make a Thesis Get Dissertation Help

Insurance Need for Workers and Citizens within the Drilling Zone Term Paper

Insurance Need for Workers and Citizens within the Drilling Zone - Term Paper Example This paper illustrates that the Texas Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the death of oil workers increased by 3.2 percent for the period between 2008-2012, to a total of 545. The Houston Chronicle reported that Texas had the highest deaths at 216. The oil and natural gas industry in Texas faces challenges where insurance partners and energy companies will be forced to adapt for them to benefit from emerging opportunities, as well as the changing landscape. Recently, changing relationships, technological advances and global demand have turned natural gas and oil resources that were previously inaccessible into lucrative opportunities. However, it is evident that opportunities bring about risks that have to be prevented or accounted for by the companies. The companies exploiting these new opportunities increase the potential risks of incurring heavy losses. The subsequent strategic, reputational and financial consequences for the companies involved can be significant. As a result, natural gas and oil companies should focus on the price as well as the quality of their insurance cover. Insurance is an efficient tool for mitigating loss and transferring risk. There are various risks that Texas oil exploration industries face which should be covered with insurances. According to Amirbekyan & Stylianos, oil and natural gas fracking activities pose risks to human health. During the fracking process, approximately 600 chemicals are used to drill out natural gas including known carcinogens and toxicants such as radium, methanol, lead, uranium, mercury, formaldehyde and hydrochloric acid. Natural gas producers engage in activities that have a negative effect on the health of the people and drinking water. The extraction and production of natural gas contaminates water and releases poisonous gases into the atmosphere.

Prevalence of HIV in United States Research Paper

Prevalence of HIV in United States - Research Paper Example I was curious about this issue because U.S is one of the most developed countries that I know about. I wanted to find out if the rate of HIV infections in the U.S are rising or declining. Every day I come across so many brochures on HIV and this creates some interest in me to find out the rates of HIV infection and if they are rising or declining. Since the epidemic was discovered, so many people have died in the entire world. With the discovery of ARVs, that can help the affected individuals in surviving for long, the rates of death have drastically reduced in most countries. I was curious to find out if the same case applies to the United States and by what percentage the decline has taken place. I was curious to find out the methods that the United States uses to prevent the spread and infections of HIV. The U.S is known to have all types of people inclusive of the bisexual and homosexuals. HIV prevalence is known to be higher amongst the gay and lesbian groups and thus I am curious to know if these groups are adversely affected by the spread of HIV. I was curious to see the data on HIV prevalence in the U.s and compare it to data from other places in the world. I already know that U.S has taken several steps in mitigating the spread of HIV. There are different organizations that have come in fighting against spread of HIV. I would like to find out how effective the steps that have been taken have been.

Storm Drainage Design Project, Flood Hydrographs Essay

Storm Drainage Design Project, Flood Hydrographs - Essay Example In addition hydrograph also carries information of base flow, which is the initial flow condition of the river existing in river prior to any storm. The base lag refers to the time repose of the river with respect to a rainfall which signifies the drainage potential of the catchments. The time interval between the peak rainfall the time of occurrence of peak discharge is reported as the basin lag. The rivers with short basin lag are more prone to floods as the respond very quickly to rainfall and hence the discharge in the river increases tremendously sooner the catchment receives a rainfall. The two major component of the runoff from the catchment that contributes to the volume of water in the river are the surface flow, which includes all the flows through the surface of the river and sub surface flow component which incorporates all the ground water flow discharges into the river after the onset of a storm. The slow rise is the level of river flow depth signified the majority of v olume reaching the river as ground water flow. The properly constructed hydrograph would be able to considerable amount of information of the behaviour of drainage basin with respect to a rainfall. ... The flood hydrograph for river Cynon is prepared by plotting he discharge through the river along the Y-axis and the time along x-axis. In order to plot the rainfall distribution, the depth of rainfall is plotted along a secondary y axis with time along the x - axis. The hydrograph hence plotted is shown in figure 1 and provides the detailed information on the drainage characteristics of the basin. The reports available have said that the subsurface conditions of the river Cynon basin is low permeability soil that could result in low infiltration rates. Thus these conditions would result in high surface runoff rates to the river and as a result the depth of flow rapidly rises. Thus the hydrograph obtained have steep rising limb followed by early peak discharge levels. Further, the receding limb is less steep than the rising limb justifies the discussions presented earlier. Also, the lag time is estimated from the hydrological observations as 20 hours. The flood volume of the river is computed from the total volume of the water in river during the period of runoff, by multiplying the depth of flow in the river with the mean river width given as 15 m and the average river velocity given as 4 m/s. The discharge computation from the hydrograph is as given below Particulars of computation Equation Calculation Discharge computed for the rising limb Velocity Depth of flow in river (for the rising limb) width of flow 4 m/s 0.48 m 15 m = 29.1 m3/sec Peak discharge Velocity Depth of flow in river (for peak discharge) width of flow 4 m/s 0.658 m 15 m = 39.48 m3/sec Discharge computed for receding limb Velocity Depth of flow in river (for the rising limb) width of flow 4 m/s 0.34 m 15 m = 20.4 m3/sec Total area of the catchment for the river Cynon From records

The role of Botanical gardens in climate change Essay

The role of Botanical gardens in climate change - Essay Example The most important role of botanical gardens is the unique presence of perfect conditions for most plants from different geographical locations. As a result, it has been scientifically proven that some of the plants which are grown in botanic gardens have since been extinct where they initially existed. This is because the Botanical gardens provide the required environment for specific important plants. Global warming has made extinct such important plants which are recognized to positively affect climate change. Secondly, the botanical gardens have various species of the same plant which are collected from various geographical positions in the world. The botanical gardens provide comparative studies on various species of the same plant. As a result, the gardens offer a taxonomically diverse flora; with a diverse representation from particular families (Richard B. Primack, 2009). The botanists study them to determine their reaction to the climate in the garden. If all species adapt to the climate in the botanical gardens, they are kept together, but if some don’t, the staff study the plants individually to determine their impact on climate change. Botanical gardens also helped in creating Phenological gardens. These are gardens with the same collection of species grown in a large area. The species present in the Phenological gardens consists of plants with intense positive impact in climate change. As a result, they are grown in specific areas that require a positive climate change in order to improve the climate. Another role of Botanical gardens is to create awareness of flowering or plants. Botanical gardens have long stored records. The extensive knowledge of the phonological events allows the staffs to create awareness to the visitors when certain species will flower. Some species like the daffodils, apple trees and cherry trees which are immensely popular and

Mythological Archetypal Criticism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mythological Archetypal Criticism - Essay Example In â€Å"The Horse-Dealer’s Daughter†, the use of the third-person point of view is generally predicated on the author’s sense of detachment; Lawrence seems to have decided that it is far better to allow the readers themselves to interpret the vicissitudes of the storyline, rather than pass some judgments or at least to provide a characters’ background. This in itself makes the narration rather complicated, yet, at the same time enables the reader to better understand the motivations and aspirations of the characters in question. Mabel’s brothers are depicted in the way that might be familiar to the readers of Lawrence’s â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Scarlet Letter†. They are superficially strong and confident, looking disdainfully upon their apparently uncomely and awkward sister. Nonetheless, in the course of further narration it is revealed that they are indeed weak and, in the words of the author himself, ‘ineffectual’. Despite their boisterous appearance and haughtiness, they are in fact insecure and cannot even conceive how their situation may be ameliorated. Their supposed association with ‘regal horses’ is a false one, as they are in fact closer to the dogs that try to snatch the food out of their table. The animal imagery, in general, plays a great role in the narrative. Just in the beginning of the story, the appearance of great draught-horses, with their servile readiness to follow their masters’ orders, is a direct parallel to the characters’ meek acceptance of their fate. The image of the dog (a ‘bull-dog’, in Mabel’s case) may, in its turn, be construed as a symbol for fear before the unknown fate. It is characteristic that it is no longer associated with Mabel, as she is depicted to be more resolute in the late parts of the story. Nevertheless, it is the rebirth/resurrection mythological archetype that is most significant here. Mabel and Ferguson are

The role of Botanical gardens in climate change Essay

The role of Botanical gardens in climate change - Essay Example The most important role of botanical gardens is the unique presence of perfect conditions for most plants from different geographical locations. As a result, it has been scientifically proven that some of the plants which are grown in botanic gardens have since been extinct where they initially existed. This is because the Botanical gardens provide the required environment for specific important plants. Global warming has made extinct such important plants which are recognized to positively affect climate change. Secondly, the botanical gardens have various species of the same plant which are collected from various geographical positions in the world. The botanical gardens provide comparative studies on various species of the same plant. As a result, the gardens offer a taxonomically diverse flora; with a diverse representation from particular families (Richard B. Primack, 2009). The botanists study them to determine their reaction to the climate in the garden. If all species adapt to the climate in the botanical gardens, they are kept together, but if some don’t, the staff study the plants individually to determine their impact on climate change. Botanical gardens also helped in creating Phenological gardens. These are gardens with the same collection of species grown in a large area. The species present in the Phenological gardens consists of plants with intense positive impact in climate change. As a result, they are grown in specific areas that require a positive climate change in order to improve the climate. Another role of Botanical gardens is to create awareness of flowering or plants. Botanical gardens have long stored records. The extensive knowledge of the phonological events allows the staffs to create awareness to the visitors when certain species will flower. Some species like the daffodils, apple trees and cherry trees which are immensely popular and

Company Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Company Law - Essay Example Limited liability possessed by companies shield shareholders and directors from any costs related to the company’s failure. Genuine failure of business, which occurs even after a diligent management of a business, followed by a subsequent change of corporate entity, can be viewed as a legitimate utilization of the corporate form. Fraudulent phoenix activity, in its basic form, involves an entity carrying out its business via accumulation of debt with no intention of re-servicing the debt for wealth creation and giving a boost to the business’ cash flow (Hannigan, 2012). The corporate entity then liquidates in order to avoid being made to repay their debts. However, the business exists under a different name but is controlled by the same group of individuals. However, most fraudulent phoenix arrangements are more sophisticated than this. A typical arrangement of this nature is structured as follows: a closely held group is put up, consisting of various entities such as o ne, which plays the role of human resource management. The entity charged with hiring labor normally has one director who does not serve as the group’s ultimate controller. The entity has very few assets and minimal share capital. When the labor hire entity cannot fulfill its liabilities, it is put into liquidation or administration by the ATO. Another labor hire entity is put up, with the labor moved to work under the new entity, with the process being repeated with limited or no disruptions to daily operations. The financial benefits reaped from unpaid liabilities are then shared out among the whole group. An example of this involves a labor hire business with an annual turnover of thirty million dollars and negligible assets, which is made up of fragmented operations through fifty-three related companies. These companies lodged accurate BA statements but did not remit the amounts required under the PAYG system. The director of the single company then proceeded to liquidate all of the other companies in a matter of one week, moving his two thousand seven hundred strong work force into eight newly created entities and went on trading. The director then proceeded to flee the country with over eight million dollars in unpaid taxes. The labor hire firm continues its trade activities without complying with the set down obligations. Rule Australia’s regime of corporate law is based on the Corporations Act 2001, which provides for the separation of control and ownership and imposes specific duties on directors, aimed at ensuring that they stay loyal to the company (Macmillan, 2012). The duties that are expected from the director are, in addition to those they have, under general law. If a director gets involved in phoenix activities, then he or she breaches several director duties such as duties that concern proper information use, duty not to allow a company to keep accumulating debt during insolvency, and the duty of good faith. Fraudulent phoenix a ctivity could also involve contraventions of part 5.8A provisions of the corporations ACT that aim to protect the entitlement of employees, as well as voidable transactions. During these circumstances, civil recovery mechanisms, coupled with other general law features, which seek to protect company members and creditors against operators with unscrupulous intentions, may be started (Pennington, 2011). However, the Act required several amendments as

Current Climate Changes Essay Example for Free

Current Climate Changes Essay This paper entitled, â€Å"Current Climate Changes† intends to reintroduce the definition of Climate Change. Furthermore, it plans to state the human contributions to climate change. Moreover, it also aims to reiterate that cattle produce too much methane, which in turn plays a large role in the current climate changes that occur. In addition, it also intends to state the effects of climate changes. Last but not least, it provides the solutions that may possibly address this serious dilemma. Climate Change Defined â€Å"Climate change† is an alteration in our climate which, ninety to ninety five percent of it, are brought about by the unethical, ill-mannered acts of human beings (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). â€Å"The United Nation Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is explicitly endorsed by the national science academies of the eight most industrialized nations, says that the scientific opinion on climate change is that the average global temperature has increased 0. 6  ± 0. 2? C since the late 19th century and that most of the warming that has been observed over the last fifty years is caused by human activities† (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). These human activities include the emission of greenhouse gases, for instance, carbon dioxide and methane (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Temperatures or heat may go up by â€Å"1. 4 to 5. 8? C between 1990 and 2100† according to the â€Å"Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change† (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Rises in sea level, changes in pattern, as well as, alteration in the amount of precipitation will go along with the aforementioned as well (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Then the aforementioned occurrences are expected to yield the following as well: a) extreme water events like floods and b) droughts, as well as, c) heat waves, and d) hurricanes (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). In addition to that, it may also contribute to â€Å"biological extinctions† and may affect â€Å"agricultural yields† (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Human Contributions to Climate Change Some experts accept as true that the earth experienced climate change from two hundred ten million years to one hundred forty million years ago or during the Jurassic Period with standard temperatures increasing by 9? F (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). It is said that this caused the rate of â€Å"rock weathering† to increase by 400% which actually, resulted in â€Å"carbon dioxide† level dropping back to normal for the succeeding 150,000 years (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Moreover, a greenhouse gas, technically referred to as, â€Å"methane clathrate† has been believed to have caused â€Å"climate change† back then (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). They thought it was related to the â€Å"Permian-Triassic extinction event† and the â€Å"Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum† (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Furthermore, â€Å"William Ruddiman†, a â€Å"paleoclimatologist† states that the influence of human on the â€Å"climate changes† may have began along with the development of agriculture eight hundred decades ago (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). This hampered/prevented â€Å"carbon dioxide and methane levels to drop† as quickly as they would have done otherwise (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). In addition, there is a decades-old difference of opinion about the consequences of humans on the climate change (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Most of â€Å"scientific opinion† on this issue is that â€Å"recent warming is caused largely by humans†, although this has not been settled (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). The discussion usually focuses on the effect of emissions of â€Å"carbon dioxide† which is linked to human activities like that of â€Å"burning fossil fuels and industrial activities† (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Also, climate change theory supporters assert that: 1) The recent rise in â€Å"carbon dioxide† and other â€Å"greenhouse gases† is human-caused (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). 2) The climate change of the last five decades is most likely caused by human activity as well (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). 3) Geophysical experiments by humankind may turn out bad and may bring about something humans cannot undo like climate change and its effects (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Methane Production by Cattle According to researchers, â€Å"cows are one of the top greenhouse gas producers† (Hunter 657). Explaining further, cows produce too much methane, which is one of the leading â€Å"causes of the climate change† (Hunter 657). It is believed that cows contribute about 29% of the total volume of methane emitted through internal fermentation in the digestive process or via defecation (Hunter 657). Aside from this, cattle are also associated with the burning of the forests, which is also a source of â€Å"greenhouse gas emission† (Hunter 657). However, other experts believe that the problem of â€Å"fossil fuels† is that the released â€Å"carbon dioxide† that has been trapped is â€Å"taken out of circulation and collected then burned all at once† (Hunter 657). This means that the issue on cow flatulence is that the â€Å"carbon dioxide† is recently absorbed by the plant matter that the cow ate and that the â€Å"carbon dioxide† it released will again be absorbed by new grass grown (Hunter 657). In addition, much of the â€Å"carbon† absorbed by the cow is condensed in to the meat and defecation thus, taking more â€Å"carbon dioxide† out of the environment (Hunter 657). Effects of Climate Changes The current controversy over whether â€Å"climate change† should be of concern must be addressed immediately (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Controversies like: 1) whether or not the climate is changing beyond â€Å"natural variations†; 2) â€Å"whether or not human/industrial activity is responsible for the change†; 3) how large future changes will be, etc.. should not be the focus of experts, as well as politicians, instead, they should look deeper into the consequences or effects of â€Å"climate change† and do something about it (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). There are various predicted effects of â€Å"climate change† and these include: 1) sea level rise; 2) temperature rise; 3) acidification; 4) shutdown of thermobaline circulation; 5) extreme weather; 6) destabilization of local climates; 7) reduced ozone layer; 8) methane release; 9) forest fires; 10) decline of agriculture; 11) flood; l2) migration; 13) water scarcity; 14) skin cancer and other related diseases etc (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Solutions The world’s principal international agreement on combating â€Å"climate change† is technically referred to as the â€Å"Kyoto protocol† (Oberthur et. al. 2). There are other strategies though, and some include the following: 1) Improving â€Å"energy efficiency† since more efficient cars, appliances, and industrial systems use less energy meaning less fuel is burned and less carbon dioxide is emitted (Springer 102). 2) Developing and using energy sources which emits little or no carbon dioxide, for instance, hydro power, solar power and windmills, as well as other â€Å"renewable energy sources† (Springer 102). 3) Improving forest and â€Å"agricultural management practices† like: planting more trees since trees remove â€Å"carbon dioxide† from the atmosphere, and reduction of cattle since â€Å"methane† is produced by such agricultural activity (Springer 102). 4) Reduction of the impacts of â€Å"climate change† for instance through the following: new varieties of crops can be developed to grow in changed climates; building of aqueducts since they can carry water to regions affected by drought; and building of dikes and sea walls to protect coastal settlements (Springer 102). 5) â€Å"Government regulation†, for instance forcing auto companies to design more efficient cars (Springer 102). 6) Encouraging people to save energy by promoting energy efficient devices (Springer 102). 7) â€Å"Informing educating people in improving efficiency /reducing emissions† (Springer 102). 8) â€Å"Government spending† for more, in terms of â€Å"research and development† for instance, in developing new technologies that use less energy or emit no â€Å"carbon dioxide† (Springer 102). 9) â€Å"Greenhouse mitigation† which may be carried out through: elimination of the utilization of fossil fuels so that emission of greenhouse gases may be avoided eventually; and making sure that â€Å"carbon dioxide† is absent in the atmosphere (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). 10) Injection of â€Å"carbon dioxide† into â€Å"depleted oil wells to force more oil out of the ground or seafloor† so that it may be possible to â€Å"store carbon dioxide released by a power plant, factory, or any large stationary source† (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Conclusion â€Å"Climate change† is an alteration in our climate which, ninety to ninety five percent of it, are brought about by the unethical, ill-mannered acts of human beings (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). Its effects include: 1) sea level rise; 2) temperature rise; 3) acidification; 4) shutdown of thermobaline circulation; 5) extreme weather; 6) destabilization of local climates; 7) reduced ozone layer; 8) methane release; 9) forest fires; 10) decline of agriculture; 11) flood; l2) migration; 13) water scarcity; 14) skin cancer and other related diseases etc (Encarta Encyclopedia n. p. ). On a final note, this problem may be addressed through the following: â€Å"1) injection of carbon dioxide; 2) greenhouse mitigation; 3) informing and educating people; 4) promoting energy-efficient devices; 5) Improving forest and â€Å"agricultural management practices; 6) building of aqueducts; 7) development of new varieties of crops; 8) government spending on research and development etc. † (Springer 102). References Encarta Encyclopedia. Climate Change. 2007. Microsoft. 03 October 2007 http://encarta. msn. com/encnet/refpages/search. aspx? q=climate+change Hunter, R. A. â€Å"Methane Production by Cattle†. British Journal of Nutrition. 98 (2007): 657. Oberthur, Sebastian Ott, Hermann E. The Kyoto Protocol: International Climate Policy for the 21st Century. NY: Springer, 1999.