Ratio and Financial Statement Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Ratio and Financial Statement Analysis - Essay Example Concepts that have been used include annuity which is a series of constant cash flows that occurs at the end of each period called a term, perpetuity which is a financial asset that does not have a maturity period but keep making payments indefinitely, compounding which is finding the future value of one or more cash flows, discounting which is determining the present value of one or more future cash flows. Financial decisions are made based on future value or present value. Future value is what one or more cash flows are worth at the end of the period while the present value measures the worth of one or more cash flows to be received in the future are worth today. The effective annual interest rate which is the annual growth rate that takes into account compounding. These concepts are fully covered in the paper while handing the questions. Financial management ratios are an area of expertise that every manager in any financial position should get acquainted with. They are useful in helping him to make sound financial decisions on the source of funds, the investment option to undertake and the financial prudence needed in the running of a business entity. What the time value of money is and why it is so important in the field of finance: The question that comes to mind is what the value of a future cash flow is today. The time value of money is the value of the stream of future cash flows today. Money has a time value since a dollar held today is worth more than a dollar to be received in the future. If you had the money today, you would have probably invested it and earned interest thus time value of money is the opportunity cost of foregoing todays consumption. Time value of money is important in the field of fiancà © because before investment decisions are made there is required that a comparison be made between the value funds invested today and the value of expected future cash inflows. The

Personal reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Personal reflection - Essay Example These will increase food production to a great extent that will satisfy a nation’s population. In my thought, a growth in the economy should provide sufficient wealth for the whole population. Mostly, this does not happen because the population the poor grows rapidly and they do not share in the increased industrial expansion. The tragedy of commons is a trap that involves the conflict between resources of individual interests and those of common good. The problem with arising from this measure in managing the human population is the assumption that commons need to be regulated both the international and national agencies. In my thought, it is not entirely possible to control the commons or convert them to private property. In most countries, there does exist a gap between the existing population and what is regarded as the optimal population. Reasons, why countries have sub-optimal population, vary both geographically and historically. Daly suggests that tradable permits are a measure that can be use to control the human population. The allusion to birth rights for income inequality is contrasted. In my opinion, the tradable rights to have children are the only means to manage the human population. Each girl should be given a license to allow her to have, say, two children. Tradable birth rights may be a better measure as couples who have more than two children will risk previous the economic

The Eve of Waterloo Essay Example for Free

The Eve of Waterloo Essay There was sound of revelry by night: A ball was given at Brussels on the evening before the battle of Quatre Bras, which occurred two days before the Battle of Waterloo; Belgium’s capital had then gathered her beauty and chivalry while her lamps shone brightly over fair women and brave men. The thousand hearts beat happily when the music arose with its voluptuous swell and all went out merry as though summoned to church by the wedding bells. Then suddenly a deep sound struck like a rising knell. It might be that no everyone heard it for the rest thought it to be the powerful movement of the wind or the rattling of a car over the stony street. Yet the patriots moved on with the dance and did not confine their joy nor did they sleep till morning. When the youth and their pleasure met to chase the glowing hours with flying feet, suddenly the heavy sound broke in once more and the clouds repeated its echo. The sound was felt coming nearer and deadlier than before. Finally it became all clear that it was the arm of the cannon’s opening roar. The fated chieftain of Brunswick; Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick; sate: sat; within a windowed niche of the great high hall. He first heard the sound in the midst of the festival and immediately understood its tone to be caught up with death’s prophetic ear. When his people smiled because he deemed the roaring sound near, his heart knew more truly that pealed too well which stretched his father’s honor on a bloody bier. He also knew that it was only by rousing the vengeance blood alone that could quell his desire for ultimate justice. He rushed into the battlefield and died fighting in the forefront of the battle and unfortunately for his men who had to hurry to and fro. All his people gathered tears in their eyes and felt the trembling of distress with their cheeks all pale. Perhaps an hour ago, they blushed at the praise of their own loveliness when they had to experience the sudden partings like pressing the life out of young hearts and choking their sighs which might never be repeated. No one could guess if those mutual eyes should ever meet again, since upon the night that is so sweet should such an awful morning rise. There was mounting on horsebacks in great haste. The steed in mustering squadron: gathering army; and the clattering car charged forward with impetuous speed and swiftly forming themselves into ranks of war. The deep thunder of canons peal on peal far and near while the beat of the alarming drums roused up the soldiers before the morning star came up. The citizens thronged and were dumb-struck with terror and whispering with white lips that the foe was coming. The wild and high note of the Cameron’s gathering: the war song of the Cameron clan; rose even on behalf of Lochiel: the Cameron clan is from Lochiel in Scotland; which was heard in the Albyn hills too; Albyn: a poetic name for Scotland; to have her Saxon foes: the English (since they belonged to Saxon stock while the Scots were mainly of Celtic origin). At mid-day and mid-night the Pibroch: a kind of Highland bagpipe; thrills with shrill and savage notes, whose breath fills their mountain pipes and the mountaineers too with the fierce native daring courage which instills the stirring memories of a thousand years and Evan, Donald: Evan Cameron and Donald Cameron, two Scottish chieftains who supported the Stuarts; fame rings in each clansman’s ears.

Meaning of Political Theory

Meaning of Political Theory Political theory is a subdivision of the study of politics. It is a contested expression in that political theorists have failed to reach a consensus on an all-encompassing definition as any such definition is bound to alienate someone. Theorists have tried to bring some exactness to the contested concepts so that one can provide convincing arguments for the particular social arrangements aimed. However, John Plamenatz defined political theory as the systematic thinking about the purposes of government (Farrelly, 2004). The expression Political Theory is composed of two words, ‘Politics’ and ‘Theory’. Politics literally means the study of politics and it is about conflict of interest and its resolution which occurs at every level of the society. Theory is anything from a plan to a piece of abstract knowledge. In academic discourse, however, a theory is an explanatory proposition, an idea or set of ideas that in some way seeks to impose order or meaning upon phenomena (Heywood, 2004). This paper therefore seeks to discuss what political theory is. The role of political theory is to analyze the political concepts, understand and criticize them through the use of the four tools: concepts, models, theories and paradigms. Concept is a general idea about something usually expressed in a single word or short phrase that draws out meaning from an otherwise infinitely complex reality, for example; equality, presidency, political party, power, social class, rights, law, etc. (Heywood, 2004). It helps to make sense of the world by serving as a tool for thinking, criticizing, arguing, explaining and analyzing political developments and to classify objects by recognizing that they have similar forms or properties, hence concepts serve as building blocks of human knowledge. Model is a representation of empirical data that aims to advance understanding by highlighting significant relationships and interactions among variables, for example; systems analysis, public choice, game theory, etc. Models are built around a number of concepts to apt ly resemble the original object without necessarily becoming its copy. A Theory is an explanation and prediction of relationships among specific variables, for example; pluralism, elitism, functionalism, etc. It is usually used interchangeably with model and may be explained by a series of models. A theory attempts to present a full explanation and prediction of future events while a model attempts to accurately reflect reality. Paradigm is an intellectual framework comprising interrelated values, theories and assumptions, within which search for knowledge is conducted. It consists of a set of principles that structure the process of intellectual inquiry, for example; liberalism, Marxism, feminism, etc. According to Heywood (2004), political theory was broadly defined to include normative theory and systematic theory. Normative theory contains the history of political ideas and the continuous generation of new ideas about what society ought to be. It is concerned with ethical or normative questions, such as why should I obey the state, how should rewards be distributed and what should be the limits of individual liberty. This traditional approach is primarily interested in examining how thinkers developed and justified their views, and the intellectual context in which they worked. Systematic theory includes the explanation and understanding of the existing society and enables one to make projections for the possible future transformations. Given this difference in the definition of political theory, it is not easy to reach a compromise on the definition. Political theory involves analytical study of ideas and doctrines that have been central to political thought unlike Political Ph ilosophy which is concerned with the critical evaluation of political beliefs, paying attention to both inductive and deductive forms of reasoning and to clarify and refine the concepts employed in political discourse. It has attempted to understand better the behavior of actors like voters, politicians, lobbyists and bureaucrats, and has spawned rational choice, public choice and social choice schools of thought (Heywood, 2004). Hoffman and Graham, in their book, Introduction to Political Theory, explain that political theory takes account of activity that focuses on the states that are formed by political parties through elections to govern a country. In everyday life, we are guided by notions of right and wrong, justice and injustice, so that everything we do is informed by concepts, just like politicians. Humans in general cannot work without ideas as it is a defining property of human activity that we can only act when we have ideas in our head as to what we should do (Hoffman et al., 2009). The objective of political theory is also to train citizens to think rationally about political questions and assess correctly the political events of their time. Human beings are unique in two respects: they possess reason and the ability to reflect on their actions. They communicate with each other in the language they know. Unlike other species, they can express their innermost thoughts and desires; they can share their ideas and discuss what they consider to be good and desirable. Political theory has its roots in these twin aspects of the human self. It analyzes certain basic questions such as how the society should be organized, why government is needed, what is the best form of government, what does the state owe its citizens and what do we owe each other as citizens (www.politics.as.nyu.edu). It examines questions of this kind and systematically deals with the origins, meanings and significance of political ideas that we are familiar with such as freedom, equality, democracy, citizenship, justice, development, nationalism, secularism, etc. It clarifies the existing definitions of these concepts by focusing on some major political thinkers of the past and present. It also examines the extent to which freedom or equality are actually present in the institutions that we participate in everyday such as schools, shops, buses, trains, government offices, etc. It looks at whether existing definitions are adequate and how existing institutions of government and policy practices must be modified to become more democratic in a systematic manner. It probes the significance of principles such as rule of law, separation of powers, judicial review, etc. This is done by examining the arguments advanced by different thinkers in defense of these concepts. Besides examining arguments, political theorists also reflect upon the current political experiences and point out trends and possibilities for the future. When we begin a debate or argument on any topic, we usually as k what does it mean and how does it matter (www.politics.as.nyu.edu). Conclusion Political theory means theorizing politics. It encourages people to examine their ideas and feelings about political things. It exposes them to systematic thinking on justice or equality so that they can polish their opinions and argue in an informed manner and for the sake of common interests. It analyzes and explains political ideas and concepts rather than advance any particular beliefs or interpretations like what political philosophy does. In this context, political theory will mean an explanatory proposition, an idea or set of ideas that seeks to explain matters about politics. Bibliography Farrelly, C. (2003), An Introduction to Contemporary Political Theory, A Reader: Sage Publications Ltd, London. Heywood, A. (2004), Political Theory: An Introduction, 3rd Edition: Palgrave MacMillan, New York. Hoffman, J. and Graham, P. (2009), Introduction to Political Theory, 2nd Edition: Pearson Education Limited. (www.politics.as.nyu.edu), Chapter 1; Political Theory: An Introduction.pdf 1 Meaning of Political Theory Meaning of Political Theory The term Political Theory is composed of two words ‘Politics’ and ‘Theory’. Politics means the study of politics whereby theory is anything from a plan to a piece of abstract knowledge. In academic discourse, however, a theory is an explanatory proposition, an idea or set of ideas that in some way seeks to impose order or meaning upon phenomena. Political theory involves analytical study of ideas and doctrines that have been central to political thought (Heywood, 2004). This paper seeks to discuss the meaning of political theory. Political Philosophy Political Philosophy is concerned with how the world ought to be rather than with how we see it now. In short this area of study is defined based on what is experienced rather than on theory. What political goals, is it reasonable and correct to follow? The meanig of this is to be leally employed to pursue such reasonable and main purpose. In short these are the impotant questions Political Philosophy tries to answer. Political philosophers have discussed them from antiquity to recent times, that is why the sound knowledge of the history of political thought isindispensable for political theorists. (Druwe ulrich) Political theory is concerned with ethical or normative questions, such as ‘Why should I obey the state?’, ‘How rewards should be distributed?’ and ‘What should be the limits of individual liberty?’ This traditional approach is primarily interested in examining views by great thinkers, justify them and find out their sources and the intellectual context in which they worked. Political theory has attempted to understand better the behavior of actors like voters, politicians, lobbyists and bureaucrats, and has spawned ‘rational choice,’ ‘public choice’ and ‘social choice’ schools of thought. Heywood, 2004 Political theory examines questions of this kind and systematically clarifies the meaning of concepts such as freedom, equality, democracy, secularism and justice. It explains the meanings and significance of these and other related concepts. It clarifies the existing definitions of these concepts by focusing on some major political thinkers of the past and present. It also examines the extent to which freedom or equality are actually present in the institutions that we participate in everyday such as schools, shops, buses or trains or government offices. It looks at whether existing definitions are adequate and how existing institutions (government, bureaucracy) and policy practices must be modified to become more democratic in a systematic manner. Political theory probes the significance of principles such as rule of law, separation of powers, judicial review, etc. This is done by examining the arguments advanced by different thinkers in defense of these concepts. Besides examining arguments, political theorists also reflect upon the current political experiences and point out trends and possibilities for the future. The role of Political theory is to analyze the political concepts, understand them and criticize them through the use of the four tools: concepts, models, theories and paradigms. Concept is a general idea or mental construct in which an attempt is made to draw out meaning from an otherwise infinitely complex reality, for example; equality, presidency, political party, etc. It helps to make sense of the world by serving as a tool through which political developments are explained, analyzed, disapproved, and classifying of objects by recognizing that they have similar forms or properties. For example we must attempt to understand the political parties in Malawi since the colonial period to date. What we have seen, heard and experienced has acted as a building block for our knowledge Dr. E B Muluzi introduced starter pack fertilizer to famers but hunger still continued but Prof. Bingu Wa Muthalika analyzed what was in the past and introduced fertilizer subsidy, it worked and it put Malawi on the world map as a food self-sufficient. Therefore Concepts serve as building blocks of human knowledge. Model is an analytical tool through which meaning can be imposed upon a massive disorganized collection of facts , simplification of reality and merely a device for drawing out understanding but not reliable knowledge in themselves ,following and explaining Easton’s systems model we see that people mean people who form political parties and their parties in estimate figures then inputs are manifestos which are made to convince voters to elect them into government and the gate keepers are mechanisms put in place to protect the government of the day like law enforcers. The government is the political party that has been elected into power by the people. Outputs are the developments that are unfold from their manifestos in order to fulfill their promises they made during campaign period. A model can also be defined as a representation of empirical data that aims to advance understanding by highlighting significant relationships and interactions among variables. Models are built around a number of concepts to aptly resemble the original object without necessarily becoming its copy. Theory is a reliable explanation, comprehensive, consistent and systematic prediction of relationships among specific variables. It is usually used interchangeably with model and may be explained by a series of models. A theory attempts to present a full explanation and prediction of future events while a model attempts to accurately reflect reality. The objective of political theory is to train citizens to think rationally about political questions and assess correctly the political events of our time. Human beings are unique in two respects: they possess reason and the ability to reflect on their activities. In addition to that they also have the ability to use language and communicate with each other. Unlike other species, they can express their innermost thoughts and desires; they can share their ideas and discuss what they consider to be good and desirable. Political theory has its roots in these twin aspects of the human self. It analyzes certain basic questions such as how the society should be governed. Is the government needed? What form of government is best for us? Is our freedom limited by the law? What social contract is there between the state and its citizens? What about citizen to citizen? Paradigm is an intellectual framework comprising interrelated values, theories and assumptions, within which search for knowledge is conducted. It consists of a set of principles that structure the process of intellectual inquiry. Conclusion Political theory helps us in critical thinking, evaluation and understanding of ideas. As a human being we are able to enlarge our knowledge because it is through the study of political theory where we get building blocks of our knowledge. It also helps us to understand and evaluate manifestos of political parties in order to make informed decision and make a good choice during any election, in addition to that politicians are able to make decisions for their parties so that they can be voted into power in any election and they can be able to make a good government. Political theory’s objective is to analyze and explain political ideas and concepts rather than advance any particular beliefs or interpretations like what political philosophy does. In this context, political theory will mean an explanatory proposition, an idea or set of ideas that seeks to explain matters in politics. In all political theory involves the analytical study of ideas and doctrines that have been cent ral to political thought (Heywood 2004). Bibliography Heywood, A.(2004) Political Ideologies: An introduction. 3rd ed. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Heywood, A.(2004) Political Theory: An Introduction. 3rd ed. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Druwe Ulrich (1995)politische 2nd ed Neuried https: ioenline. Microsoft.com./# ieslice.

My Personal Support Group (Cheerleading) :: essays research papers

My Personal Support Group Honors I am often sorry that my parents did not take it upon themselves to enroll me in any recreational activities in my preadolescent years. I believe that sports are an integral part of growing up. They provide an opportunity to meet and interact with peers. Numerous occasions I can recall feeling excluded from the group because of my lack of involvement. Although I have to admit, I am not a tough girl. Most likely I would not excel in any contact sport.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cheerleading tryouts proved to be a revelation. I knew it was the activity for me. Although I was not confident in my coordination, I vowed that it would improve with practice. I had regularly admired those spirited girls, being that my sister had once traveled that path. I faithfully attended all high school games, not to watch the players, but the cheerleaders. I was convinced that this was my calling.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The week of tryouts was non-stop practice. I lived, ate, and breathed cheerleading. My mother began to worry that I would not have the energy by the end of the week to try out. When te big day finally arrived I was a tight ball of nerves. I could hardly contain myself. I was brimming with 100 watts of nervous energy. The kind that gives one piercing pains throughout their body at the least expected moments. Waiting for the results my anxiety turned into burning tears. When my name was announced as a member of the squad I thought I would burst.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My freshman year of cheering was exceptional. I became fast friends with my entire squad. For the most part, we got along great. I imagine that we had more fun than the players, or fans. Faster than expected our season came to an end. It was time for tryouts once again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now that I knew the ropes, I was praying this tryout would be a breeze. I could not have been farther from the truth. I faithfully practiced every evening until the eagerly anticipated day. The same nervous energy overwhelmed my body as I walked onto the floor that afternoon. It seemed that within a second, the tryout was completed. Once again, I was forced to calmly wait for the crucial results. Finally the outcome was announced. â€Å"Varsity- Kristin Callaway, Jill Jackson, Katie Manley†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I had made the Varsity squad as a sophomore.

College Admissions Essay: Remembering Mom :: College Admissions Essays

Remembering Mom    The memory of that Christmas Eve years ago still lingers in my mind. Who would have known that a simple candle made of wax and wick would change my way of thinking forever...    Christmas Eve was a special time for Momma and Poppa. Even though there never was enough money to go down to the neighborhood stores to buy presents, Momma and Poppa always made sure I had one present on Christmas morning. In years past I had received a doll made from worn out clothing, with a painted face and hair of yarn. A box made of wood carved by Poppa with my name encircled with a heart. One gift to a young child may not be much, but Momma and Poppa always made sure there was something under our tiny Christmas tree.    But this year Momma was not home for Christmas. The Angels had come for her earlier the summer before. Poppa had grown weary working jobs that paid very little and kept him away for days on end. Leaving me to tend to the house and to keep up with my schooling. Momma always knew what the perfect gift would be that would make my Christmas complete. She was the one who made the doll and suggested the box that I still hold dear today. But now Momma was gone and Poppa was away, leaving me alone on Christmas Eve.    I sat alone reading by the dim light of the last candle that I found in Mommas nightstand. Momma made such beautiful candles, dipping each wick lovingly into the hot wax over and over until the candles took form. Before gently hanging them up to dry she would take a knife and carve a word on each one. Through the years, I had seen the words hope, love, giving, along with a multitude of others. I took the candle down from stand and this one had one word cut delicately in its side...remember.    How odd a word to put on one of her lovely candles. It seemed strange not to see a word of hope, love, charity or even family. Remember. Why would Momma put such a simple word on this last candle? Taking the candle down from the shelf, memories of Momma flooded into my mind. Her soft golden hair, the smell of her favorite perfume, even the memory of her voice seemed to echo in my ear.

Racial and Ethnic Discrimination in Canada Essay

â€Å"You know the world is off tilt when the best rapper is a white guy (Eminem), the best golfer is a black guy (Tiger Woods), the tallest basketball player is Chinese (Yao Ming, 7’6†³) and Germany doesn’t want to go to war (in Iraq)†. Charles Barkley stated in a 2003 interview, pointing out various misconceptions with stereotypes. A stereotype is defined by dictionary. com as: â€Å"something conforming to a fixed or general pattern; especially: an often oversimplified or biased mental picture held to characterize the typical individual of a group†. I have commonly heard stereotypes such as the French are good cooks, Italians are great lovers, and the Irish are lazy or comments made like dumb jock, lazy Cape Bretoner, or that women are not strong!! The list could go on endlessly as there appears to be stereotypes regarding people of all races, religions, sexes and ethnic groups, etcetera. Stereotypes can be either positive or negative. Most stereotypes tend to make us feel superior in some way to the person or group being stereotyped. Stereotypes ignore the uniqueness of individuals by painting all members of a group with the same brush. Throughout the course of this paper I plan to discuss some racial and ethnic issues in Canada. Where some of these issues originated from, what we can personally do to help eliminate discrimination in the workplace and what the government is doing to try to combat such discrimination. Let me first begin by defining discrimination, racism and ethnicity since these terms are all important terms to understand before going into further discussion. To discriminate is simply defined by yourdictionary. com as: â€Å"To make distinctions on the basis of class or category without regard to individual merit; show preference or prejudice. † Therefore, discrimination occurs when a person is not treated equally because of their gender, race, religion, ethnic origin, nationality, sexual orientation, or age. Yourdictionary. com defines racism as: â€Å"The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others. Discrimination or prejudice based on race. † In other words, when an individual or group is treated unfairly or abused because of their skin color or racial heritage they are victims of racism. Ethnic, as defined by yourdictionary. com is: â€Å"Of or relating to a sizable group of people sharing a common and distinctive racial, national, religious, linguistic, or cultural heritage. B. Being a member of a particular ethnic group, especially belonging to a national group by heritage or culture but residing outside its national boundaries. † With that being said, it is my belief that stereotypes and ignorance about others most often lead to discriminatory behavior both inside and outside the workplace. I have heard Canada described as a multicultural nation meaning that Canadians are not of any one cultural background, race or heritage. For all Canadians, including Aboriginal People, this multicultural diversity can be traced to an immigrant past. This does not mean that the majority of today’s Canadians are immigrants but rather that the majority of Canadians have in their past, perhaps many generations ago, a family member who migrated here from another country. That is why many of us have a mixed ancestry, for example; Irish, Scottish, Ukrainian, French and Aboriginal, and the list can go on. Canada’s Aboriginal People were the first to immigrate, and settle across the continent, tens of thousands of years before European settlers. After the European settlers came the French, followed by the English, Scots and Irish formulating Canada into the diverse country it is today. In the years before the American Civil War, thousands of black slaves escaped slavery in the United States by following the â€Å"Underground Railway† north to Canada. Then, at the turn of the century, American farmers moved northward into the Canadian prairies to develop farm lands. Although Canada originally consisted of a wide variety of immigrants, some people were not as welcome in the country as others and were therefore not treated equally. Those who were of different race, color, or religion then the majority of Canadians were labeled as â€Å"foreigners†. The use of the term â€Å"foreigner† held many connotations for example, different, strange or inferior and many at the time wanted to see the â€Å"foreigners† assimilate to fit into Canadian society. There are many events in Canada’s past that has contributed to the racism and discrimination in Canada today for example, the disregard and unfair treatment of Aboriginal Peoples by European’s who settled here. Even though a vast majority of African-Americans moved to Canada to avoid slavery, from early in the 1600’s until 1834 there was a recorded 4092 slaves throughout the country, mostly living in Quebec . The Asiatic Exclusion League, which originated in California in 1905 as an anti-Oriental movement, moved north into Vancouver in 1907. The league was the main instigator in anti-Asian riots in the city since their main goal was to have all Chinese and Japanese immigrants removed from North America out of fear that they were taking jobs away from Whites . It also appears that throughout history the acceptance of immigrants in Canada greatly depended upon the economic state of the country at that time. During the Great Depression of the 1930’s immigrants seeking jobs were unwelcome and overlooked for employment. Although the Government of Canada has made many advances in breaking the barriers that Aboriginal People, immigrants and minorities face in the country; immigrants today still face a number of problems when trying to enter the labor market, for example: ? Non-recognition of international credentials and work experience ? Lack of Canadian work experience ?Inability to communicate in English or French ?Insufficient labor market information prior to immigrating to Canada I have traveled to some of the major cities in Canada and was a little surprised by the degree of segregation that is apparent in these cities. By this, I mean that these larger cities, like Toronto and Vancouver, have communities which are almost completely independent from the rest of the country. These independent communities that I saw, of Chinese or Italian people, seemed to have everything they needed to survive within the community including their own schools. I could not help but wonder what effect this type of segregation has on the country. I respect the fact that all people are trying to protect their identity. At the same time, by choosing to live in Canada, shouldn’t they try to integrate into the country a little more while still preserving their identities? Shouldn’t they try to assimilate? How can Canada thrive as a country with so much segregation? We need to become a unified country. Not such a historical thought pattern, I guess!! It is people who have attitudes like mine that are causing problems in the country or do all people have these thoughts and choose not to admit it. I have similar negative feelings about scholarships being available only to certain people or government funding for certain people to attend university because they are a minority. I understand that differential treatment is required in order for equality to become a possibility. However, I still feel a degree of resentment about these programs being offered when I have to borrow money in an effort to obtain my university degree. Will this resentment evolve? When I hold a management position in the future, will I discriminate against a person because he or she doesn’t have a huge student loan to pay and another does? It is cases like mine that causes racism to continue in society and the workplace today? With the announcement of Nova Scotia’s plan to increase immigration into the province came an increase in the racist comments I have heard. Since I work in bars I hear, and partake in, a great deal of conversation. When people are drinking they tend to be even more likely to say things they normally wouldn’t. That is why I have heard, at times, some very racist remarks. People have said that the government should be trying to retain people in the province that are born here before they bring â€Å"foreigners† here. They need to take care of their own first!! It is because of these comments and feelings that I am doubtful that discrimination against people, because of their race or color, will ever be completely eliminated in the country. How do we achieve equality with so much differentiation? How do we check or personal opinions at the door when we go to work? Since it is impossible to eliminate racism and discrimination entirely in society, we need to do as much as possible to eliminate it in the workplace. We need to make changes similar to the changes companies have made in an effort to combat discrimination against people because of their religion. For example, adapting zero tolerance rules, providing more education for employees, human resource departments need to provide more opportunities for people of minorities, immigrants, and Aboriginal Peoples and barriers have to be removed for all these people who are trying to enter our labor market. March 21, 2005 is International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination a day to remember the struggles and challenges that Aboriginal peoples and people of color have endured. It is also a time to recognize and applaud the fact that members of these two communities have made anti-racism struggles a significant part of labor’s agenda. Lets’ respect this day and try to make some positive changes at home, school, or work toward eliminating racism.