The Critiquing Process in Developing Reliable and Valid Body of Essay

The Critiquing Process in Developing Reliable and Valid Body of Knowledge - Essay Example According to their first hypothesis, the coaches of different genders (male or female) would react upon the RLSS differently in leadership behaviors. On the other hand, the second hypothesis refers to the occurrence of differences on the RLSS among different coaching levels that include college, high-school and junior-high. Summary The data forming the sample was non-random, which comprise of 162 coaches being selected on the volunteer basis. There were 118 (73%) male coaches and 44 (27%) female coaches with in the sample. In relation to the level of coaching, the sample included 25 (15%) junior-high coaches, 99 (61%) high-school coaches and 38 (24%) college-level coaches. Although this makes a good sample however the issue is in the distribution of the sample, particularly, the sample number for the junior-high-level coaches is relatively low. Instead, a larger sample constituting all categories of coaches would have been helpful in the analysis of the data, especially in the case o f the potential interaction of gender with the level of coaching. The tool employed was the Revised Leadership for Sport Scale that was created by Zhang, Jensen and Mann (1997). The RLSS can be used to evaluate the 6 leadership behaviors that include training and instructional behavior, autocratic behavior, democratic behavior, social support behavior, situational consideration behavior and positive feedback behavior. Sixty statements were used in the scale, being preceded by the phrase, ‘In coaching, I’. Each one of these 60 statements were accompanied by a Likert scale that is: 1 for ‘never’, 2 for ‘seldom’, 3 for ‘occasionally’, 4 for ‘often’, and 5 for ‘always’. This constructed a data set of ordinal level of measurement. Scales were monitored according to various environmental settings such as the gymnasiums, the fields of practice, the classrooms and the offices. The internal consistency was estimate d for each type of leadership behavior, which corresponds to 84 % for training and instructional behavior, 70 % for autocratic behavior, 66 % for democratic behavior, 52 % for social support behavior, 69 % for situational consideration behavior and 78 % for positive feedback behavior. Nevertheless, there was no information provided in relation to the validity of RLSS. Evaluation & Review In order to analyze the data, a MANOVA was employed for the

Are equity markets efficient Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Are equity markets efficient - Assignment Example Therefore, the allocatively efficiency is determined by utilising a very complicated economic model2. Financial literatures have also eluded that, apart from other factors in global and local market, operational and informational efficiency have a very essential role in shaping market allocative efficiency. For instance, if some investors have realised that some dominant investors in the market have essential information on the market trend, then the possibility of demanding a higher rate of returns on asset is relatively high. The liquidity in assert prices have a considerable role in shaping allocative efficiency. Based on the available information, it is factual to state that the existing microstructures finance does not provide specific question on the nature and profitability in the market. Consequently, equity markets are in most cases inefficient. Moreover, the level of market efficiency depends on the degree of operational and information efficiency. The allocation of funds i n any project depends on the available information regarding the productivity and worth of the project or investment. Very few investors develop interest to invest on projects that have limited rewards on their investments. Moreover, dominant investors in modern market control and manage operation and productivity of specific market. The dominance of market by prominent investors, therefore, increases the rate of inequity in modern market. Moreover, in an inequitable market, most decision make formulated and implemented by individuals who have personal interest in the market3. Operational efficiency Operational efficiency is the evaluation of cost incurred in the transfer of funds from savers to investors. Therefore, operational efficiency is used to define the entire transaction cost in financial sector. In an ideal market, the transaction cost in the market should reflect the marginal cost of offering services to market participants4. Moreover, the management and execution of oper ational efficiency is in most cases based on the liquidity of a specific market. However, modern market has proved to be inefficient due inefficient mechanisms that can necessitate investors to transact their business in a reasonable size without paying huge transaction cost. Searchers and financial theorists have as well claimed that sophisticated investors and entrepreneurs invest in markets with many liquidity-based investors in order to hide their trades. This, therefore, means that the level of informational efficiency is associated with the level of operational efficiency. The amount of information available regarding to the prices in the market determines the level of liquidity in the market. The association of the amount of resources in the market with liquidity level in the market explain the level of inequity in modern market efficient5. Informational efficiency The assert market is presumed to be informational efficient if the prices of asset have totally incorporated the required information on fundamental values. The efficient of the markets is, therefore, defined by the price information that is available to market participants. However, the market informational efficient is to some extent weakened by inclusion of past prices in current prices. The incorporation of past prices in new prices rules out the employment of technical trading rules and regulations in making excess return6. A market is in â€Å"semi-strong form of efficient†

Reading strategy Essay Example for Free

Reading strategy Essay The SQ3R strategy which stands for survey, question, read, recite, and review. This five step strategy can be integrated into many areas. students can learn more effectively by engaging in the pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading steps of this strategy. There are five strategy of reading to better understand the material. The strategy contain survey, question, read,recite and review. In survey, it contains chapter titles, introductory paragraphs, bold face, italicized headings and summary paragraphs. Question includes turn section headings into questions; have questions for which answers are expected to be found in the passage. In read purpose is to answer the questions. In recite also allow to answer question without referring to the text or notes. In review includes reviewing the material by reading parts of the text or notes to verify answers.The SQ3R is great way to actively read difficult material. It does not promise to make it student love or even like the subject but it facilitate the student to reading and ultimately, teach learning. with time and practice find this approach great study skill to develop.These students can benefit from using the SQ3R because it requires them to activate their thinking and review their understanding throughout their reading. It also helps students from waiting and then cramming for tests since the five steps requires them to review information and create notes during their initial reading. Their notes from the initial reading become their study guides. The SQ3R strategy which stands for survey, question, read, recite, and review. This five step strategy can be integrated into many areas. students can learn more effectively by engaging in the pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading steps of this strategy. There are five strategy of reading to better understand the material. The strategy contain survey, question, read,recite and review. In survey, it contains chapter titles, introductory paragraphs, bold face, italicized headings and summary paragraphs. Question includes turn section headings into questions; have questions for which answers are expected to be found in the passage. In read purpose is to answer the questions. In recite also allow to answer question without referring to the text or notes. In review includes reviewing the material by reading parts of the text or notes to verify answers.The SQ3R is great way to actively read difficult material. It does not promise to make it student love or even like the subject but it facilitate the student to reading and ultimately, teach  learning. with time and practice find this approach great study skill to develop.These students can benefit from using the SQ3R because it requires them to activate their thinking and review their understanding throughout their reading. It also helps students from waiting and then cramming for tests since the five steps requires them to review information and create notes during their initial reading. Their notes from the initial reading become their study guides.

Policy on Social and Affordable Housing in Ireland

Policy on Social and Affordable Housing in Ireland 1.0 What is Social and Affordable Housing? 1.1 Social Housing: Definition According to the Irish Council for Social Housing (2010), Social Housing can be broadly defined as accommodation provided by a local authority or approved non-profit housing body for persons who are unable to provide accommodation form their own resources. (www.icsh.ie) 1.2 Affordable Housing: Definition As defined by Dublin City Council (2010), Affordable Housing is a scheme whereby new homes are sold at a reduced price to people who cannot afford to buy a property on their own. (www.dublincity.ie) 1.3 History of Social Housing According to Redmond and Norris (2005), the first instances of social and affordable housing can be tracked back to the mid 1800s. During this time, Europe was witnessing widespread concern about housing conditions of the low income population. This unrest led to state subsidized rental housing to the disadvantaged and low income groups. This form of housing is now known as social housing. Social housing in Ireland has traditionally been provided through two means, these are: Local Authorities and Approved Voluntary Housing Associations. 1.3.1 Local Authority Social Housing In Ireland the Housing of the Working Classes Act (1890), was the first such Act to introduce the concept of the provision for social housing by the local authorities. This act introduced little change to the housing situation at the time. It was not until 1919 when a new housing Act was introduced. This Act was The Housing Act 1919. This Act obliged the local authorities to build and to provide subsidies in areas where there was a need for housing. From the time of introduction of this Act, Ireland saw a substantial period of social housing programmes and completions. This period continued well up until the 1950s. In 1966 a new Act was introduced to modernise the countries outdated legal framework in relation to housing. This Act was The 1966 Housing Act. To date Ireland has benefited from the introduction of 330,000 homes provided by local authorities under social housing initiatives. Currently local authorities manage 108,000 homes under the bracket of social housing. 1.3.2 Approved Voluntary Housing Association Social Housing As defined by the Irish Council for Social Housing (2010), Voluntary housing associations are non-profit organisations formed for the purpose of relieving housing need and the provision and management of housing. The largest of the voluntary housing associations in Ireland at present is the Iveagh Trust. The Iveagh Trust was set up in 1890 by Sir Edward Cecil Guinness, Earl of Iveagh. The purpose of this trust was to provide housing and other amenities to the working classes in Dublin. This was one of the first schemes of its kind to provide such assistance. The introduction of The Capital Assistance Scheme (1984) has provided much needed assistance to these housing associations. Due to the assistance provided by this scheme voluntary housing associations have been able to grow and provide effective assistance in the role of providing housing to those unable to provide housing for themselves. During the mid to late 1990s voluntary housing associations struggled to provide housing due to the increasing land and building costs. According to the National Economic and Social Council (2004), during the 1990s voluntary housing associations produced their lowest output of 285 units. At this time the numbers of people in need of housing was rapidly increasing. The Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, Mr Robert Molloy T.D., was then prompted to update and improve the schemes available to the voluntary housing agencies. This allowed them to again function effectively in their role to the communities. In 2003 the voluntary housing sector has a managed stock of over 16,000 dwellings. The National Economic Social Council (2004). The Irish Council for Social Housing has recognised the role that the voluntary housing agencies provide in Ireland and has ensured that they have been included in the following current government policy documents: National Development Plan 2007 2013 and Towards 2016. Icsh (2010). 1.4 History of Affordable Housing Affordable housing is a relatively recent initiative in Ireland with the Housing Act 1992 providing the first policies for affordable housing. This Act facilitated access to full ownership in two or more stages to those who cannot afford ownership by their own means. Under this Act the purchaser must initially purchase 40% of the property. The Affordable Housing Scheme 1999 brought forward proposals by the social partnership to provide additional affordable housing on land that is already in the possession of the State and local authorities. As defined by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (2009), the Affordable Housing Scheme 1999 comprises developments built on local authority land and in some cases purchased turnkey developments. It was not until the introduction of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 that affordable housing could be considered an effective form of providing housing to those who cannot afford to buy a property on their own. This Act provided an obligation for developers to transfer up to a maximum of 20% of land, units, sites, an equivalent financial contribution or other land or units off site to the local authority for the use to provide social and affordable housing. According to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (2009), in 2007 the provision set out in Part V for affordable housing, accounted for 60% of the country wide provision of affordable housing. Today it is through the three measures above that affordable housing is primarily being provided by the local authorities. Sustaining Progress 2003 2005 introduced the Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI). This initiative was responsible for providing 10,000 affordable homes on local authority and State lands. This target has been increased in the current social partnership agreement, Towards 2016, to 17,000 affordable homes. In 2005 the Irish Government decided to establish the Affordable Homes Partnership (AHP). The role of the AHP was to coordinate the delivery of affordable housing by the local authorities in the Greater Dublin Area. The role of AHP in 2007 was extended in to coordinate affordable housing at a national level. During the period of 2006 2008 the AHP actually provided affordable housing direct to the applicant. The AHP when it was created was to take the responsibility of the sites under the AHI. The AHP used this land to deliver affordable housing through land exchanges. According to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 2009, only two land exchanges have taken place to date through the AHP. REFERENCES: Social Partnership (2006), Towards 2016. Dublin, Social Partnership Agreement, The Stationary Office. Ireland, Planning and Development Act 2000, Part V. Dublin: Stationary Office Buckley, J. (11 May 2009). Water Services and Affordable Housing Delivery Report. Dublin, Comptroller and Auditor General Special Report, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Social Partnership (2003), Sustaining Progress 2003 2005. Dublin, Social Partnership Agreement, The Stationary Office. The Economic Social Council (2004) Housing in Ireland: Performance and Policy. Dublin, The National and Economic Council. The Irish Council for Social Housing (2010), Development of the Voluntary Housing Sector [online], available: http://www.icsh.ie/eng/housing_in_ireland/development_of_the_voluntary_housing_sec, [accessed 2 January 2010]. Redmond, D. and Norris, M.(2005)Setting the Scene: Recent transformations in Irish housinginHousing Contemporary Ireland: policy, society and shelter,ed(s)., Dublin,Institute of Public Administration. Irish Council for Social Housing (2010), History of Hosing Policy [online], available: http://www.icsh.ie/eng/housing_in_ireland/government_policy, [accessed 2 January 2010]. 2.0 Government Policy and Legislation 2.1 Introduction According to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (2009), the aim of the Irish Housing Policy is to enable every household to have available an affordable dwelling of good quality, suited to its needs, in a good environment and as far as possible at the tenure of its choice. The following review provides information on the legislative background of the social and affordable housing in Ireland. It examines the acts, initiatives and reports in relation to social and affordable housing and details the circumstances that gave rise to the implementation of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. It also examines the government policies that affect housing affordability and analyses Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the amendments made in 2002. 2.2 Government Policies that Influence Home Ownership and Prices During the last two decades house prices have been increasing largely due to the demand by the young growing population that were looking to get into the property market. During this period interest rates on property and tax rates on property were particularly suited to home ownership. April 1997 saw the abolishment of the taxation of residential property. After April 1997 stamp duty was the sole tax that one had to pay when dealing with the sale or purchase of a residential property. The Government introduced mortgage interest relief as an incentive to encourage home ownership. Mortgage interest relief is available from the lender to the purchaser, once the owner can prove that the money has been solely applied for the purpose to purchase a property. The reduction in mortgage repayments is catered for by the reduction of tax that the applicant is entitled to. 2.4 Circumstances That Gave Rise to Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 The following sections of this dissertation are a review of the contributing factors that gave rise to Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. The following sections include a review of the Bacon Reports and other important factors. 2.4.1 Bacon Report 1: An Economic Assessment of Recent House Price Developments During the lead up to the publishing of the first Bacon report, Ireland was experiencing rapid increase in house prices. During this period investors began to flex their muscles in the property market. As a result the first time buyers suffered and began to find it increasingly difficult to enter the housing market. Traditionally first time buyers bought properties towards the lower end of the property ladder. It was these properties that the investors were driven to secure with the aim to rent. The demand for these rental properties was fuelled by the increase in numbers of immigrants entering the country that were not looking to buy properties but to rent properties. This increase in demand for property led to a number of housing agencies to issue warnings that demand for housing would continue to increase and continue to inflate housing prices in the market in Ireland. The first Bacon report proposed interventions by the government to help first time buyers who were at this stage, struggling to get into the inflated property market. The report recommended that the government should strive for a more acceptable rate of house price development and suggested four main areas to focus on for a policy response. These areas are as follows; Achieve better balance between demand and supply in the short term, improve the potential supply of the housing, engage in infrastructure developments and to improve medium and long term planning of the development of the east region. The Bacon report goes on to suggest a rebalancing of existing incentives in favour of the provision of housing at the lower end of the property market. The report highlights that the revenue has overlooked the provision of incentives for providing affordable housing. The report suggests revenue incentives, as a method to increase availability and choice to first time buyers who were struggling to enter the property market. The removal of what was defined as Section 23 incentives for investors and the removal of mortgage interest relief against properties were suggested. A reduction of stamp duty on second hand homes was proposed to increase the scope of available affordable homes in the second hand market. The report suggested a review of residential densities and investment in infrastructure as necessary to help maximise housing supply. The report went on to suggest the idea of introducing an administrative control on housing prices. This idea was later discarded as it was thought that the control of house prices would have the potential to distort the property market. 2.4.2 Government Response to Bacon 1 The government responded to Bacon 1 by decreasing stamp duty rates on second hand houses and also by investing in the improvement of the infrastructure to help realise the potential of development land. The government imposed stamp duty on new houses bought by non owner occupiers. Tax relief for property investors on Section 23 properties was reviewed and the suitability of each property for relief is to be individually assessed subject to the Local Area Plan. Deductibility of interest on borrowings undertaken for investment in property was removed after April 23rd 1998. Action was also taken in the effort to bring down income limits for the shared ownership scheme to a level that was more relevant to the incomes at the time. 2.4.3 Bacon Report 2: The Housing Market, an Economic Review and Assessment The Bacon Report 2 was published after the Government responded to the first Bacon report. This report centres largely on the period directly after the first Bacon Report and observes the impact of the report by assessing the property market during this time. The Report finds that house inflation had slowed since the Governments actions following the first Bacon Report. This slow down was particularly apparent in the market for new housing. Following the first report, the Government removed the deductibility of interest on borrowings for investors while promoting liquidity in the second hand market by changing the structure of the stamp duty system. This Report found that the reduction in interest rates at the time and the easing house price inflation should have made housing more affordable, but in fact affordability remained a serious problem. The Report did warn that a reduction in housing prices may solve the issue of affordability but negative equity would be serious bye-product. The Report made it clear to the Government that they had to centre on filling the void between the price of new houses and the price that was affordable for those who could not afford to buy a new house at the normal asking price. The Report suggested again as it did in the first Bacon Report, that the issue of housing densities should be reviewed, with the possible integration of terraced housing in new developments as a method of providing housing at a lower cost to the developer. The Report did raise the issue of social isolation due to this form of housing. The Bacon Report 2 introduced a concept to develop a scheme for the provision of affordable housing by local authorities and developers. This was the first instance that laid the foundations of the affordable homes scheme. The need to strengthen the existing Planning Acts was highlighted with the objective of modernising the Governments housing policy. The concept of making housing more affordable and improving accessibility to mortgage funding would further increase demand for housing and therefore increase housing prices. As a result the Report suggested to the Minister for the Environment and Local Government to invite proposals from agencies within the voluntary sector as how they could be helped to develop and also how their resources could be applied in a more effective manner with the aim of providing extra housing for the sectors of the community most in need. 2.4.4 Government Response to Bacon 2 On the 9th of March 1999 issued a report titled, Action on the Housing Market. This report contained the Governments response to the 2nd Bacon Report. This report contained initiatives which aimed to maximise and expedite housing supply, secure house price stabilisation, address affordability issues and ensure balanced growth of the property market in the future, (Action on the Housing Market, 1999). Their actions included placing temporary sewerage facilities on land in Dublin to enable the early release of 16000 housing sites. Arrangements were made to identify infrastructural constraints in areas of growth which would reduce delay in housing provision. Draft guidelines for new housing densities were published. These included action on increasing the mix of affordable housing in new developments. An affordable housing scheme was launched shortly before the release of the government response. Through this scheme Local Authorities would provide additional new houses on land available to them which would help lower income households to purchase their own homes. It was stated that the Department of the Environment and Local Government would invite proposals from the voluntary housing sector as to how to expand on the voluntary housing programme. 2.4.5 Bacon Report 3: The Housing Market in Ireland: An Economic Evaluation of Trends Prospects The third Bacon Report was released on the 6th of June 2000. The first point of Bacon 3s executive summary stated that the rate of increase in housing prices, since the release of the first Bacon Report in 1998 had slowed down significantly. The strengthening economy at the time was blamed for the increased difficulty in securing stability in the housing market. House price completions had increased in each successive quarter in 1999. The average price of new houses was still beyond the reach of many average workers. The rate of economic growth at the time meant potential demand for additional 8.000 to 10,000 residential units per annum. The requirement for increased supply in Dublin and the Middle East regions was stressed as increasingly important to control house prices due to the predicted increase in demand in that area. 2.4.6 Government Response to Bacon3 The Government released a report detailing measures which it would take to address housing needs and requirements, as outlined in the third Bacon Report. With regard to Social and Affordable housing, the Government stated that they would increase output of local authority housing that would start at 1,000 units per annum between 2001 and 2006. The Government also proposed measures that would aim to facilitate Local Authorities and Voluntary Bodies to acquire sufficient land that they could provide social and affordable housing. 2.5 Demands for Irish Housing According to Norris and Redmond (2005), there have been significant increases in the demand for housing in Ireland during the economic boom, caused by a combination of economic, demographic and social factors. As mentioned in 2.4.1, the Governments taxation policy was favourable to property investors, particularly during the period following the 1986 Urban Renewal Act which initiated Section 23 Tax Relief. The annual housing inflation rate in 1998 was at 22.5%. At the time this rate of inflation showed no signs of slowing down. The First Bacon Report summarised in 2.4.1, estimated high levels of future demand for Irish housing. The Second Bacon Report pointed to rising rents in the private rented sector. Social rented housing output was not increasing and in 1999 the local authority assessment of housing need showed that 39,716 households were registered on local authority waiting lists, this was an increase of 43% on the previous assessment of housing need which was complied in 1996 , Brooke (2006). The first affordable housing scheme was introduced in March 1999. This scheme provided only 40 affordable houses that year. Part V of the Planning and Development Bill 1999 was structured to address these issues. The Minister for the Environment, Mr Noel Dempsey stated that Part V addressed two major issues in the Irish Housing Policy that allowed people to purchase their own homes and also of the provision of social rented housing. According Mr Noel Dempsey (2000), Part V of the Bill, introduces a major new dimension to planning legislation and contains the most radical and probably the most contentious provisions of the Bill. 2.6 Most Notable Legislation in Relation to Irish Housing Provision The following is an account of some of the Legislation that is considered most important in relation to Social and Affordable Housing. 2.6.1 Housing Act 1966 This Act modernised the legal framework for social housing in Ireland. Is also included the provision for the tenant purchase scheme which allowed local authority tenants to purchase their houses form the local authority. Section 55 of this act relates to a house building programme which each local authority must adhere to in relation to the provision of housing. 2.6.2 Housing Act 1988 This act defined how homelessness would be interpreted in relation to the provision of housing. It allowed the provision of a subsidy to eligible persons against the loans which they had obtained for the purchase or construction of their house. It required local authorities to make an estimation of housing requirements within their functional area both at the present time and over a designated period of time. 2.6.3 Housing Act 1992 This act introduced the Shared Ownership Scheme which allowed a housing authority to grant a shared ownership lease for a term of more than 20 years but not less than 100 years. 2.6.4 The Planning and Development Bill 1999 According to the House of the Oireachtas, the Planning and Development Bill 1999 is to revise and consolidate the law relating to planning and development by repealing and re-enacting with amendments the local government (planning and development) acts, 1963 to 1999; to provide, in the interests of the common good, for proper planning and sustainable development including the provision of housing. 2.6.5 Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 dealt with housing supply and it came into effect on 1 November 2000. The primary objective behind the introduction of Part V was to obtain land for housing purposes, however the legislation also aimed to improve integration between different social groups by introducing social and affordable housing into private housing estates. The legislation has been the subject of controversy since its inception. Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 was resisted by the Construction Industry Federation and the Home Builders Association. These two groups were the primary objectors of the legislation and claimed that Part V would result in a reduction in supply of new private housing, that will increase second hand prices and the buyers of new houses will subsidise the affordable and social housing being expropriated from the industry Norris, M (1999). Part V of the Act did have supporters that described the Act as a landmark step that woul d modernise the planning system in Ireland, improve housing delivery and help reduce undue social segregation in new housing developments. It represents a community and planning gain or return against the windfall profits arising from the development of land Brooke (2006). Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 requires that housing strategies be drawn up by planning authorities and integrated into their development plans. Each housing strategy should have regard to the proper planning and sustainable development of an area and should be concerned with the overall supply of housing within the planning authority. In addition, the Act makes communities needs for social and affordable housing a material planning consideration which must be taken account of in formulating development plan policies, preparing a housing strategy and deciding on planning applications or appeals. The Act places a statutory obligation on planning authorities to ensure that sufficient land is zoned for housing in their development plans to meet the projected housing requirements over the plan period and to ensure that an undue shortage will not arise, The Planning and Development Act (2000 p.1.). Most importantly the Act empowers a local authority to attach a condition on a planning permission on land zoned as residential, a requirement for developers to supply up to 20% of the land for social and affordable housing. This requirement was set down in the act with the objective to create all new residential developments that will have a proportion of social and affordable housing contained in within it. The provision of social and affordable housing under Part V only applied to developments that were over 0.1 Hectares in size and contained more than 5 units. Part V only applied to planning applications for permission on land zoned as residential use. This requirement was considered a major flaw as it allowed developers to avail of a loop hole of which they could use to avoid the social and affordable housing requirements set out in Part V. This was particularly apparent on Co. Leithrim, where the town of Carrick-On-Shannon was the only area in the county where zoning provisions where present. Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 was commenced on the 1st of November 2000. By the 31st of July 2001 all of the local authorities had amended their development plans and had completed new housing strategies that allowed for the new requirements contained in the Act. 2.6.6 The Planning and Development Amendment Act 2002 This Act allowed developers a greater choice with the provision of social and affordable housing. The Act enabled developers to provide land, sites or housing as an alternative to providing social and affordable housing in each development. The alternatives did however have to be contained within the remit of that planning authority. The developer was allowed another alternative to this requirement under the Act, the developer is allowed to pay the local authority a sum of money equivalent in value to the transfer of the land. This amendment of the Planning and Development Act 2000 is considered by many as a weakening or a cop out to the developers. One of the primary aims of the original Act was to counteract social segregation but now this responsibility is effectively left in the hands of the developer. 2.7 Government Intervention in Irish Housing Provision The following are the most important examples of Government interventions in relation to the Irish housing market. 2.7.1 Local Authority House Building Scheme The 1966 Housing Act places an obligation on local authorities to provide housing for those who cannot afford appropriate housing for themselves. Redmond, D. and Norris, M.(2005)state that 300,000 housing units have been provided to date, since the introduction of the Local Authority House Building Scheme. 2.7.2 House Purchase Loan Scheme The House Purchase Loan Scheme was introduced for those who have had an unsuccessful loan application with a building society, bank or any other lending institution to build or to buy a residential property. This scheme gave a person an alternative option as to avail of a local authority loan. To receive this loan the applicant must not exceed an income of  £40,000 as a single income household or  £100,000 as a dual income household and must have been refused a loan by a bank or building society. 2.7.3 Tenant Purchase Scheme The Tenant Purchase Scheme was introduced under Section 90 of the 1966 Housing Act. Section 90 allowed a local authority to sell on a social house to the tenant. The Act also allowed a local authority to sell a vacant house to whomever they deemed suitable, once the prospective purchaser is in need of housing. 2.7.4 1999 Affordable Housing Scheme The affordable housing scheme was introduce in March 1999. Under this scheme a person can purchase a house from a local authority at a reduced rate to the normal market price. The price of the house is subsidised by the Department of the Environment at  £50,000 per house in the Dublin local authorities and all city councils and at  £31800 for all other local authorities. 2.7.5 Affordable Housing Provided Under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 As summarised in detail above in section 2.6.5, Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 empowers a local authority to obtain up to 20% of land zoned for residential use at a reduced rate from a developer to provide social and affordable housing. 2.7.6 Capital Assistance Scheme According to the Department of the Environment (2010), the Capital Assistance Scheme enables voluntary housing bodies to provide accommodation to meet housing needs in special areas, such as of people with disabilities, elderly, homelessness, emigrants or small families. 2.7.7 Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme The Capital Loan and Subsidy Schemes enable voluntary bodies with the means to provide rental housing for low income families. 2.8 Conclusion Government policy has led to both a high owner occupier rate of housing in Ireland and also high house prices. The aims of the Irish Housing Policy has been greatly affected by government polices. Housing had become less affordable due to previous incentives which encouraged investment and speculation in the market. It was not until the 1990s when the issue of housing affordability arose. This led to the commission of the Bacon Reports on housing in Ireland. The issue of Social and Affordable housing provision in Ireland became more important during the property boom due to rising prices. This looked to have been on its way to rectification in the Planning and Development Act 2000 which brought about a sense of coordination in housing provision. However the potential of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as a mechanism for ensuring sustainable provision of Social and Affordable Housing without social segregation was greatly depleted with the introduction of the Amendment Act in 2002, which provided too many options for compliance by developers. In the current market downturn, affordable housing in its current guise has arguably lost importance in comparison to social housing due to values of all property falling. Therefore updated legislation in relation to Part V is necessary to rectify the current weakening housing policy. REFERENCES: Norris, M. (1999) Mixed-Tenure Housing Estates: Development, Design, Management and Outcomes. Dublin, The Housing Unit. Dempsey, N. (2000) Planning and Development Bill 2000, second stage, 2nd February, Dà ¡il Éireann, available: http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0513/D.0513.200002020018.html [accessed 23 February 2010]. Brooke, S. (2006) Building for inclusion? : Housing output and part V of the Irish Planning and Development system. Dublin. Focus Ireland. Bacon, P and Mac Cabe, F. (1998) Bacon Report 1: An Economic Assessment of Recent House Price Developments. Dublin, Stationary Office, Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal. Bacon, P and Mac Cabe, F. (1999) Bacon Report 2: The Housing Market an Economic Review and Assessment. Dublin, Stationary Office, Minister fo

Of Revenge: Francis Bacon’s Optimistic Tale? Essay -- Of Revenge Essay

Of Revenge: Francis Bacon’s Optimistic Tale? Revenge and vengeance are basic tools of human instinct. Whether society chooses to accept or blind itself to this fact, it is an indisputable truth. Francis Bacon examines this truth in "Of Revenge", a view of society and literary characters that reflects the strive for vengeance. However, "Of Revenge" deeply underestimates the corruption of the human spirit and soul. It completely disregards the presence of the basic human instinct which thrives on the manipulation and destruction of others, for the sake of satisfaction. Though Bacon’s inferences to the book of Job or Solomon are perfectly viable to a character that chooses to take revenge after they have been wronged, to believe that "no man does evil just for the sake of evil" annihilates any complete sense of credibility that Bacon’s thoughts imply. The author’s aspirations of the seeking of revenge solely as a means of retribution for oneself, and not to satisfy the evil within the human soul, is a beautifu l and idealistic hope which belongs in some earthen utopia. Unfortunately, it has no bearing on the modern world. Though the beliefs of Bacon expressed in "On Revenge" fulfill the traits of characters such as Medea, they neglect the human thrive for meaningless vengeance in characters such as Shakespeare’s Iago. Euripides’s Medea uses the theme of the search for revenge in order to instigate the downfalls and deaths of many characters. This theme is expressed through the character of Medea, who fits directly into the mold laid out in the guidelines of "Of Revenge". Medea’s search for revenge commences after her husband, the famous Greek hero Jason, leaves her for... ...nge" Francis Bacon considers the good and evil sides of man, and thus draws conclusions given the relationship between the good and evil in a character is equal. Therefore, a character such as Medea, who possessed many virtuous qualities, as well as detestable ones, fits the mold of Bacon’s beliefs of the justification of revenge. However, Bacon disregards the fact that in some men, their is more evil than their is good, and the strength and tenacity of that man override moral views. It is this imbalance that leads characters like Iago to do "evil for the sake of evil" and though they are not justified in their search for revenge, they endlessly endeavor to disrupt the natural flow of good to satisfy their evil cravings. Bacon discounts this amoral view of the human race which irrevocably overshadows the conclusions he draws as to the justification of human vengeance.

Recessions and Depressions Essay -- Economy, The Great Depression

America has experienced several recessions and depressions in the past. Most recently, the housing crisis sparked a recession which has led to rising unemployment. The largest recession so far has been the Great Depression of the 1930s. A stock market crash in 1929 caused loss of savings which led to unemployment, lower wages, and a distrust of the banking system. The affects of it lasted into the 1940s. Franklin Roosevelt was elected president during this period; legislation he passed tried to alleviate the suffering of the public. As a result of the Great Depression, Franklin Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps to employ jobless young men and improve government land. The decade directly preceding the Great Depression was prosperous and lucrative. Many factors led to this era, often called the roaring twenties. The use of labor-saving machinery affected several industries. Henry Ford’s Model T suddenly was much cheaper, which enabled more families to purchase one. Less than seven million cars were on US highways in 1919. That number leaped to 23 million in 1929. This increase of cars and travel led to the expansion of gas stations, roadside restaurants, and service and repair stations. The use of machinery decreased the amount of labor needed on farms while increasing the yield per acre. Prohibition was still being enforced so the need for moonshine created an economic niche for those entrepreneurs not afraid of the law. Radio sales also increased rapidly. Total radio sales in 1922 were at $60 million while 1929 had radio sales totaling $850 million. This increase of radios also enabled more commercials to reach the ears of consu mers. For the first time, marketing messages were being sent direct... ... always conservation. As the depression slowly lessened and the program drew to a close, critics began to wonder if the Corps was conserving public lands, or over-developing it (â€Å"New Deal for Parks† 8). The looming threat of World War II redirected the efforts of the CCC. While the Corps still worked on government land, it was mainly on military bases to build or refurbish airfields and artillery ranges. When the United States officially joined World War II, funding for the Corps was cut. Even if funding had been continued, the program would’ve shrunk drastically as many of the enlistees joined the Army and were sent overseas to fight the war. The Civilian Conservation Corps is widely viewed as one of the more successful programs of the New Deal. It employed half a million young men while improving thousands of acres of public land (New Deal for Parks 8).

A Modern Day Liberal Arts Program

If there is one major lesson that we can learn living in this world, it is the fact of impermanence of everything. The world is constantly in a flux, forever fluid, as well as the reality that humanity must face in his day to day battle to live a decent, comfortable life. Everything is changing. If we would borrow a cliche to describe it, the appropriate one is time is achanging. And during this time when a lot of changes are taking place, there is the importance and need that the programs in our colleges to keep abreast with these changes.Failure to do so will only lead to another failure which is a shortcoming in educating our students to prepare then to face the realities of the outside world. In the case of Liberal Arts Programs, the issue stated above is more than appropriate. Lest we forget, Liberal Arts was founded by scholars whose aim is to maximize and develop the intellectual capacity of its students. The word Liberal in latin means libera which means free. The goal of lib eral arts then is to free its student from the bondage of ignorance.This is the reason why in the basic curriculum in any liberal arts program subjects like language, literature, philosophy and mathematics are included. The reason for this is to enhance the higher faculty of its students and nurture their ability to be well-verse with the outside world and at the same time of the possibilities of what role they will play in society. The role of Liberal Arts program in general under a setting of a democratic system is the fulfillment of every man’s intellectual potential for growth and development.Understanding that the democratic system bestows on man his rights for equality, liberty and freedom, the part played by Liberal Arts colleges towards these goals is to empower the individual to exercise these innate rights given to him by the form of this political setup. Through the programs offered by Liberal Arts, an individual is given the right tools to have the capacity to thi nk and express his ideas that is beneficial in his pursuit of personal development and progress.The result of the process then is that it uplifts the spirit of the person as an individual and simultaneously shapes him to be a productive participant in the society that he will be a part of. At the same time the effect of this on the society at large is the encouragement on the whole organization to advance in its ability to think. Advancement in the way the society think will bring an outcome where the society can find resolution to the challenges it faces in the fast changing world.Nevertheless, the question that lingers in the face of an ever-changing world is: Is the curriculum offered by Liberal Arts programs enough to keep students prepared to realize their potential once they leave the confine of campus life? The answer to this is very obvious. Though the basic curriculum that is included in the program gives the student the basic skills in cerebral endeavor and basic knowledge to participate effectively in society, there is still the need for it to be flexible and open to other disciplines to make it relevant to the changing world.In today’s changing terrain of realities, there are two points that students of this Liberal Arts Program will have to deal with in order to grow and be equipped with the right tools for them to function and participate in the outside world. One is communication and the other one is technology. Why communication and technology. On a cursory look the two seems wide apart. The first one is almost intangible while the latter is concrete and definite. One may even conclude that technology is far from the aim and mission of any liberal arts curriculum.Yet, on a closer look the two complement with each other. There is a need to master the basics of communication thorough which technology will be used as the tool to convey it. What then are the benefits of program for the student and to the society at large? One, the vision whi ch the program has set for each student is for him to be an all-around person who can participate in the outside world with right tools to keep at pace with the changing world, especially in this age of Information Revolution.As for the society at large, the benefit it can derive from this program is the actualization of everything that was taught in liberal arts classroom to be performed by its student in the outside world. Society can sow the fruits of labor of every student of the program. In a gist, this Liberal Arts Program will aim on what Knoblauch says about the uses of literacy, that it never stands alone, that it is always used for something – â€Å"for professional competence in the technological world, for civic responsibility and the preservation of heritage, for personal growth and self fulfillment, for social and political change† (220).Communication The main goal as to the focus of the program towards communication is obviously the intent of propagating literacy among young people. If we follow what Hirsch said in his study, the literacy rate in United States is only around 66% (2). It is therefore right to conclude that that there are basically one third of the population of the country who are illiterate. The program then will aim at equipping the students with skills that can make them speak well, write well and understand how to convey and relay their thoughts and ideas to others and to the society they are part of. How can these ends be met through the program?In the program under the light of communication, a curriculum which will include subjects on right speech and writing will be designed. These issues can be addressed by the inclusion of speech subjects with the objective of training the students in the right manner of being an effective communicator. Speech. There are already in some Liberal Arts programs that include this subject of speech in their curriculum. In this program the same will be applied but with a new phi losophy in treating the subject so that the maximum potential of the student can be reached as soon as possible in the course of the program.The approach would be the utilization of 95% of the class hours in the honing and speech practices to be given to the students. The pattern of teaching then would be breathing exercises during the start of the class. After this and throughout the long duration of the semester, the students will be called to present a prepared speech in front of the class, a speech with the duration of five minutes. This will happen throughout the course. Applying this method of teaching how to speak properly in front of an audience will develop at the same time the confidence of the student to fight stage fright.Meanwhile, the final examination for the course will be an extemporaneous speech by which each student, gaining already the confidence to stand in front of an audience, will be taught the experience of speaking their minds out in a comprehensible and st ructured format. The grading for this course will be unlike in any other speech subject. Since the usual gauge of the instructor in this case is lumping the whole class into one and giving the highest grade to the one who stand out among the rest, this will not be the system for this subject.Since the instructor is observing and sitting at the back of the classroom most of the time, he will grade each student according to his progress in the curriculum. Since a semester is long enough for a student to take several times to stand in front of the class to speak, the basis whether the student passes the subject is whether he has improved in his speaking skills. Writing. It is well known that in every Liberal Arts program there entails an intensive training for writing.It is even said that without focus on this aspect of such a program is a sure doom for the whole curriculum altogether. Writing is the most difficult form of communication since it takes a lot of practice and discipline i n order to put what one has in mind into written words. Many have tried to design different approaches on how to address this and how to imbue it as a college experience for students. There are a hundred methods applied to teach writing in school and so far there are only a handful or a small percentage of those who are taught who came out as good writer.In this program concerning writing, there will only be two types of writing skills that will be given priority and importance. One is essay writing and the second one is creative writing. Essay Writing. As I have said there are many approaches tried on this subject to attain the goal that the students gain the skill of writing well. There are many colleges which tried to start-up the writing development of student by applying the formula of instructing their students to put their ideas into writing. But in this program, the approach will be different.Part of the syllabus will be for each student to write different kinds of essays. T hese are assignments that will be scheduled for the students to submit to the professor during the course of the semester. This scheme is only the tip of the iceberg in teaching the students how to write. First, to let the student feel the words and see how his ideas are transformed into written texts, part of the daily activity of the students in this subject is the creation of what you called a â€Å"morning page† paper.This paper will be written continuously for half an hour with the instruction to the student to write everything he thinks or sees or smells or anything that comes to his mind during that session. Grammar, systax, punctuation and sentences structure in this activity are not considered. There are no right tenses here or correct English. The point of the exercise is to make the student flex his writing muscles. Another part of the activity that will be included in this course is the creation of a journal by every student.It must be clear to the student that to learn how to write one must practice it as regular as possible. And there is no regular activity that will force to the student to write by keeping a journal. Creative Writing. As part of the growth of the student a creative writing class will be designed to encourage him to use his creativity in expressing himself. They say the most difficult kind of writing is the creative one. So why then torture these students of the program to undergo a rigorous writing training that would make their nose bleed?The answer to this question is the simple learning process that the brain adjusts to the difficulty of the task and keeps at par with it. The analogy that I will use for this case is the simple game of playing chess against a computer. If the player would start at the most difficult and professional level of the chess game, it is of course expected that the a notice player will lose hundreds of times. Yet, at the same time this failure to beat the computer in a chess game will give the player hints and samples of how to play the game decisively.Sooner or later the player will adapt to the playing style of the computer and will experience his first win. Used to playing with the highest level the computer can offer, the player then will find it easy to play the lower level skill of the computer. Applied in the case of writing and considering that creative writing is the most difficult style of writing, if the student learns to use his language to write a creative piece, it is conclusive to say that any form of writing then will be easy on his part since he has already mastered the most difficult one.It is like sparring out with a heavyweight then fighting a featherweight will then be easy. This course will take two semesters to complete, during the Fall and Spring semester. Part of the activities here will be on the sport story writing exercises, several sessions of rewriting a previous written assignment. And for the final examination of the students, a short story that runs in 15 pages will be submitted to the professor for evaluation on the progress of the student. Also, as part of the curriculum, the students will be given reading list for the two semesters.This reading list will be novels of classic and contemporary writers of fiction. The genre for the novels does not matter. It may be a pulp fiction, speculative fiction, modernist novels or any other types. From this list the students will choose which they wanted to read for their development in writing a short story. There are three objectives by which this course is chosen and included in the curriculum. First is for the student to learn how to handle his language, second is for him to express himself creatively and the third is for him to write better.Technology Since one of the changes that are fast shaping the terrain of reality and the human society at large is the advent of the Information Revolution, it is appropriate that the curriculum being offered by Liberal Arts includes c ourses that will enhance the ability of the students to keep abreast with this innovation in technology. Right now, the role played by information technology has encroached on almost every aspect of everyday lives of the modern man.Since the core objective of any Liberal Arts program is to free the students from the bondage of ignorance and prepare him with the realities of the outside world, inclusion of technology in the curriculum is not at all unexpected. Instead, it is totally anticipated to be the course of action of every program. One of the subjects that will fall under this category of technology in the curriculum of this specific Liberal Arts Program is the basic introduction on computer technology. Most colleges have incorporated in their curriculum the use of computer to their students, like how to use word processor, spreadsheets and slide presentation.But this approach under the light of the fast integration of information technology in the lives of the modern man is a lready passe if not outdated altogether. Teaching a student how to use the computer right now is like teaching him how to operate his television set. It is already given that young people who are going into colleges are well adept with the use of computer. The role that the Liberal Arts Program will take is to push the knowledge of the student beyond from what is already known about information technology.The program then will include in its curriculum basic knowledge on computer hardware like repair and troubleshooting. Included also in the curriculum is the study of how to use the most popular software as of the present time. I said present time since this subject in computer software should be flexible to change at any given time to adjust to the fast pace innovations in information technology. Applying the popular Moore’s Law that the rate of progress of technology is rapid (ebrary Inc, 28) in this equation is appropriate.Computers are expected to perform calculations tha t doubles every two years, it must be anticipated that what is useful now will be passe and outdate in a couple of years. Grading System There have been many debates regarding the best grading system that ought to be applied in gauging the intellectual progress of every student. In this program, the grading system that will be followed by the instructors and the professors will sit on the foundation that the best gauge of intellectual capacity and development of the student is the progress he shows in the class and in the array of activities designed in the curriculum.It must be understood that the maturity of learning capacity of each student varies from each other considering students are different in their intellectual levels. The role that instructors and professors in the program then will be demanding and laborious since the process and discernment of what grade should get will be on their total evaluation of the student’s progress in their subjects. This grading system will be applied principally in the two major concerns of this program: communication and technology. This kind of grading system is specifically appropriate to be applied in the speech and writing classes.Since these skills take time to be developed, it will be proper if the grading system is according to the progress that the student is making in the course. Take as an example the subject of writing essays. Though everybody in the class is taking the subject for the first time, some may have already an experience in writing that can give them an edge in earning a higher grade. To give each student the chance to get a good grade on the subject, each will be graded according to the development and how fast the student has instilled in himself the craft of writing.Moreover, grading each student according to his progress will put the focus of on imbuing the skill rather than merely getting a high mark for the course. The advantage of this grading scheme is the fact that the priority o f the student is how to improve his skills in the art of writing. When the goal of the course is focused on the improvement of the student in learning the craft rather than merely getting a good grade, the effect or result of this is the continuance of learning experience even if the course is already over.Since the student is oriented towards the goal of improving his skills and not just on the temporary and limited goal of earning a good mark, the writing experience is expected to continue until the student is already out of the campus. Knowing for a fact that writing better and effectively per se cannot be taught in a single or couple of semester, one of the main goal then of the course is for the student to continue putting effort to hone his skills in the endeavor of writing until his older and professional years.Though this scheme somewhat will be applied sparingly in the course of subjects concerning technology. Since the subjects are more concrete and mechanic in nature, the progress alone of the student in the curriculum will not suffice to gauge his effort in trying to learn the course. Conclusion The objective of any Liberal Arts program is to bring to freedom from ignorance each student that will take the course. At the same time, the program is designed with the primary goal of giving the student tools with which to face and participate in the outside world of the campus.These tools take the forms of skills like effective speech and deftness in writing craft and knowledge in the new technology abundant in the present age of ours. These skills will help the student be a better player and participant in the society once he is already outside the campus. The good about the program is that it complements the setup in a democratic society where each individual is given his right to pursue equality, liberty and freedom from ignorance. The curriculum that this program will focus on will be communication and technology since these two disciplines also com plement each other.Skills in speech and writing will be given the great emphasis while technology through the instruction of how computer works will also be given an importance. The grading system also by which the student will be evaluated will sit on the foundation of looking on the progress of the student rather than meeting the expectation of the instructor or professor. The advantage of this grading scheme is the re-alignment of priority for the student to look at the curriculum as a means to enhance his skills rather than merely getting high marks.Another point of this is the fact that the skills and discipline that the student may imbue on the whole program will be continued to be practiced even if he is already outside the boundary of the campus. Work Cited ebrary, Inc. Computer Science: Reflections on the Field, Reflections from the Field. Washington, DC, National Academies Press, 2004 Knoblauch, C. H. â€Å"Literacy and the Politics of Education†. Composing Knowledg e. Ed:Rolf Norgaard. Boston, New York. Bedford/St. Martin, 2007. pp. (198-209). Hirsch, E. D. â€Å"Cultural Literacy†. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1987 Annotated Bibliographyebrary, Inc. Computer Science: Reflections on the Field, Reflections from the Field. Washington, DC, National Academies Press, 2004 This book basically tackled the progress in information technology. In the paper, there is a need for it to be cited since the discussion is the fast pace development in this modern technology. The importance of the idea is to present that the reasoning of the writer in saying that there should be flexibility in the creation of curriculum concerning computer literacy. Knoblauch, C. H. â€Å"Literacy and the Politics of Education†. Composing Knowledge. Ed:Rolf Norgaard.Boston, New York. Bedford/St. Martin, 2007. pp. (198-209). The underlying argument for the reason of the use of what Knoblauch said is to present the fact that literacy has its used in society. Sin ce literacy is one of the objectives of Liberal Arts, it is important to cite his text to show what will be the function of being a literate in society. Hirsch, E. D. â€Å"Cultural Literacy†. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1987 The function of the information given by Hirsh in his book is to present the problem that is besetting the American population. There is a need for what the author said