Apa/Aca Web Site Critique

Glenda Gale APA/ACA Web Site Critique PSY-460-O101 Course Fundamentals of Counseling and Guidance April 7, 2013 APA/ACA Web Site Critique I first chose to look at the ACA web site. I thought a lot of things were good there. They seemed To be open to everyone’s opinions and keeping things updated yearly according to feedback they had received. They had a very long and boring list of rules but they were clear at the same time. I feel someone who didn’t have a lot of patience or time would not be able to get through all of the rules.The rules covered everything you can think of, from privacy to sexual relationships not being legal Between a client and counselor. I didn’t think it was mapped out as good as the ACA web site though. The APA web site had options right from the beginning to choose your psychological issues. For example, I chose to click on autism and everything came up that I needed to know. It went down a list of what you need to know about autism, trea tment options for autism, news articles that was about autism, and even a book section where you could choose a book to read for self- help options.Now, as for me, who has an autistic son, I found a lot of clear and understanding information on the topic. I was also pleased to find that there were different books out there that could help me understand different issues I am having with my son. Everything was plain and clear for me to understand and I didn’t have to scroll through a bunch of options that didn’t have anything to do with me or what I was looking for. This site even had an option to tell me what kind of counselor would be best for our needs.The web site helped me to see that I was not alone and that others are facing the same issues. If I had to choose between the two web sites, by which one I preferred, I would choose The APA web site for sure. It was easier to navigate and easier to understand. I know rules and Such are important and the ACA web site had an area for rule as well, but it wasn’t just all thrown In there together. Someone upset and searching for help is going to feel better with options to click on.I felt better knowing that I was reading everything there was about autism and that I didn’t have to Scroll through a bunch of other things to find what I was looking for. When I was going through the APA web site, I felt overwhelmed and lost. I couldn’t find what I was looking for and I just wasn’t Interested in staying there very long. Why is someone going to use a site that doesn’t give you options to choose from and then tell you everything you want to know about that subject only?The APA web site even has options to click on about each ethics code and read about each one individually. In being a counselor, I would find this APA web site easier too. If a client had a question about a ethics code, I could quickly click on that specific link and have their question answered as fast as th ey asked it. If someone is confused, they aren’t going to want to be more confused by reading a bunch of topics all jumbled up together. If a client came to me about a certain topic, like autism, I could quickly give them all the information they needed.I would even have a list of self -help books and what they are about to offer them to read up on the issues they might be having. If you have that information right there and ready, it’s going to show them that you know what you are doing and that would give them confidence in you if they decided they needed a counselor too. Having confidence in you counselor is important. Finding the right information is important too. Getting it quickly is even better. References: http://www. counseling. org/ http://www. apa. org/

Classification of Computer Users

Steven Cespedes Egan College Writing January 9th, 2012 Classification of Computer Users The sound of the keyboard typing away and the clicking of the mouse throughout the night has become a normal occurrence in  every  American household. Staying up until two or three in the morning browsing the web has become a characteristic of many computer users today. Since the personal computer has been invented life, work, and pleasure have changed drastically. With the creation of the internet, the possibilities with computers are all but endless. People now have the ability to communicate with others from all over the world. With both of these technologies  working together, computers have become a necessity for homes and businesses everywhere. Although the majority of computers are similar in concept, different people use them in different ways. Some use their computers for work and others as a source of entertainment. As long as the world exists, there will be several different types of computer users. The hacker is one type of computer user, they spend most of  their  time electronically breaking into other computer’s. The word hacker is synonymous with internet crimes, however hackers are highly intelligent individuals with a vast knowledge of computers. They spend their time trying to break through security systems of various networks connected to the internet. Hackers are infamous for infiltrating CIA databases, credit card companies, or more recently the PlayStation Network and wreaking havoc. These people stay up for hours looking for codes and passwords for various systems on the internet in the hopes of obtaining some sort of valuable information. There are many websites and forums dedicated to this past time which educates the general public as well as new hackers to their game. They know how the computers operate and are usually very familiar with programming languages, so they can create their own programs to break passwords. Half of the time hackers are not hurting anybody by the activities they perform, they just do it for the experience and for bragging rights within the hacker community. [pic] The gamers are the people who spend their time playing games online. These are the people who stay up to till dawn raiding, shooting, and racing with other people on the internet. There are many games which incorporate the online play such as World of Warcraft and Call of Duty to name a couple. However there are many other games such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Half Life 2 that offer offline play that is just as popular. The first thing that gamers do when they get on the computer is to check if their friends are playing online. Most of these gamers even add special accessories to enhance their online gaming experience such as a microphone to talk to other players or a joystick that can be used instead of a keyboard. These types of computer users are easily identified, as they often wear licensed game t-shirts around town. The main purpose of the computer for a gamer is to play various games and learn everything they can about each game. These individuals are addicted to playing games online, and can be found staring at their computer screen until the sun comes up. The shoppers are the people who are constantly surfing the internet searching for the newest clothes or gadgets. These are the people who watch Ebay auctions for days, waiting until the last second to outbid everyone else. They will browse hundreds of websites looking for the best bargain. Instead of going to the malls and doing their shopping, they will sit in their chair for hours on end, visiting various websites on the internet. They use the internet to research the newest fashion rather than spending that time to work or study. Internet shoppers are addicted to purchasing goods online because of the ease of having it shipped straight to their door. This use of the computer usually serves to be the most expensive because of all of the money involved in purchases. Downloaders are the people who use the computer mainly for the purpose of downloading anything that is free. These are the people who leave their computers on all day and throughout the night downloading music, movies, and anything else that is available. Torrents are very popular due to the ease of access to the mass amounts of data made accessible to anyone with internet access. The legality of these acts is questionable, but torrent sites somehow manage to get around copyright infringements. Downloaders are constantly working under the radar to get their hands on the newest software for no charge. Downloaders are usually interested in computers with lots of hard drive space to store their data on. [pic] The workers are the people who use their computer for no other purpose than making money. These are the people who are constantly checking if a client has emailed them back, or making corrections to tomorrow's sales report. Workers usually prefer to use laptop computers for the ease of transporting their data from home to work. Many workers may actually own two computers, one for business and one for pleasure. They usually have the newest and fastest computers, since they can afford them. These people have no problem sitting in a chair typing for eight hours a day if they are paid well to do so. Workers may be the most proficient with a computer due to the fact that they are professionals. [pic] The Social Networkers are the people who spend most of their time socializing over the internet. These are the people who spend may spend more time on Facebook and Twitter than they do talking to real people. They are constantly updating their status and sharing links on their friend's walls. They spend hours typing away, meeting new people, and making new friends in this online community. Social Networkers enjoy posting about their everyday life, letting every one of their friends (or followers) know exactly what they're doing around the clock. They will â€Å"like† pages to notify others of their interests, and seek others with similar interests. Social Networks have turned into a competition of who can get the most friends or followers, which draws attention whores by the dozen. These are the people who you can see online Facebook chat half of the day even when they are at work or in school. Each type of user is similar in the way that they spend many hours in front of their computer screen typing away the day and into the night. Computers have made life much easier for some people and have opened numerous doors to many others. The computer has had a major impact on life as we know it, creating jobs everywhere, giving us entertainment when we are bored, and connecting everyone no matter their location in the world. No matter what lifestyle you live, the computer can cater to each one.

Cash Flow Statement of JB HI-FI Limited

In this report an adamantine study has been prepared on the cash flow statement of JB HI-FI limited. It is Australian company engaged in providing goods and services specialized in video games and other home appliance. Richard Murry is the CEO of the company who makes all the strategic decision. It is evaluated that annual report of company has been showing computation of cash inflow and outflow from all its activities by using direct method. A complete analysis has been made on operating, investment and financial activities of JB Hi-FI limited to evaluate liquidity position of company in effective manner. Evaluation of cash flow statement of JB HI-FI Ltd Cash flow statement of JB HI-FI provides liquidity position of company and determines how much cash inflows and outflow of company for a particular time period (Roth, 2017). Analysis of cash flow from operating activities It is evaluated that JB HI-FI since last five years has reduced its cash inflow from its operating activities.   In 2012, JB HI- FI was having 215.01 cash inflow from its operating activities which decreased to 185.14. This has shown company has reduced its cash flow from is operating activities. However, more deep analysis could be made by computing operating cash flow ratio (Google Finance, 2017). It is evaluated that in 2012, JB HI- FI was having .48 operating cash flow which has been reduced to .41 in 2016. It reflects that company has been inefficient to draw good amount of cash inflow from its current liabilities engaged in its value chain activities (Brigham, and Ehrhardt, 2016). This ratio measures the capital available for internal reinvestment and for payment on its existing debts. However, by evaluating this ratio it could be inferred that JB HI-FI do not have adequate cash flow CAPEX requirement. Nonetheless, cash inflow from capital expenditure would be found lower in growing company. Therefore, JB HI- FI could justify its lowers amount of cash inflow to its stakeholders (Nizam & Hoshino, 2016). Computation of cash flow statement from indirect method (ASX, 2016) Adjustment to Cash flow Statement of JB HI FI for fives years Fiscal year is July- June and all values in AUD Million Depreciation, Depletion, and amortization Deferred Taxes & Investment Tax Credit It is observed that company has positive cash inflow from its operating activities. In addition to this, financial and investing activities have been providing negative cash outflow. JB HI- FI need to increase its liquidity position otherwise it will result into jeopardize situation for the business functioning of company. Moreover, since 2012 to 2016 company has reduced its cash inflow from its operating activities from 215.01 to 185.14.   Nonetheless, cash outflow from its operating activities has increased by 16% in 2016 as compare to its 2012 cash outflow from its investing activities. Now in the end it would be inferred that company need to main its cash flow more than 1 for the smooth running of business (Thomson Reuters, 2016). Brigham, E.F. and Ehrhardt, M.C. 2016. Account Finance. Cengage Learning, PP 1-549. Google Finance, (2017).  ALL ORDINARIES: INDEXASX:XAO historical prices - Google Finance. [online] Google.com. Available at: https://www.google.com/finance/historical?cid=10584617&startdate=Jun%201%2C%202015&enddate=Jun%2030%2C%202016&num=30&ei=sTWoV9jrGNaAsgGMsouQDg&start=0 [Accessed 22 March 2017]. Nizam, N. Z., & Hoshino, Y. 2016. Corporate Characteristics of Retail Industry among 11 Asian and American Countries.  Journal of Management Research,  8(1), 224-247. Roth, M., 2017.  Top Stocks 2017: A Sharebuyer's Guide to Leading Australian Companies. John Wiley & Sons. ASX, (2016). ASX, [Online], Accessed on: 23 march 2017, Available at:  https://search.asx.com.au/s/search.html?query=jb+hi+fi+ltd&collection=asx-meta&profile=web Thomson Reuters, (2016).  JB HI FI Limited,JBHIFI:ASX historical prices - FT.com. [online]  Markets.ft.com. Available

Why People Choose a Life of Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why People Choose a Life of Crime - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that  the fewer the resources a community possesses to construct infrastructure, the more likely it is for vandalism to thrive in the vacant, burned out, and neglected   houses in that community. Suburbs have a large percentage of people living under the poverty level as indicated by a national census report in 2009. Unemployment is another issue that induces criminal activity in people. Many of the minority groups in the United States lack proper jobs, which explains why there is a large number of African-American and Latin-American youth incarcerated by the state and national governments. Poor and unemployed people resort to criminal lives because pilfering and theft offer a temporary solution to financial and economic difficulty.This study highlights that  strain theory is one of the most common psychological theory of crime. The ideology behind the Strain theory is that an individual covets something (like a material object or lifestyle) but they have no means of ever getting that object or living that lifestyle in the near future.  The rational choice theory is closely related to the strain theory because it involves a struggle to survive under the existing conditions. Consequently, an individual weighs up the marginal cost of committing crime, versus the marginal benefit of committing crime to save or achieve something.  If the marginal benefit is higher, they end up committing crimes such as dealing drugs, avoiding tram fare, misrepresentation of funds, shop-lifting and so forth.

Seeing and Knowing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Seeing and Knowing - Essay Example The blind are generally disabled implying that the lack of sight presents a great disability in them thereby impairing some of the essential human activities. Additionally, there is a working relationship between the human vision and their abilities to learn. The relativity of vision in humans therefore infers that different people with different visionary abilities possess different levels of learning abilities. Most of the learning material requires the use of sight for effective interpretation of the knowledge they convey. Such materials as books and other online sources rely on the use of vision to read and map out the information from them. However, owing to the relativity of human vision, different people possess varying abilities of interpreting the information is some of these materials (Dillard 12). Those with perfect eyesight see every aspect of the conveyed materials thereby having deeper understanding of the information. Others with poor eyesight mostly because of defecti ons fail to observe some aspects of the learning aids thereby missing some of the most important aspects of the information that the materials convey. The blind are the most disadvantaged since they have no visionary abilities. They therefore develop sharper touch sense, which still is no competition to the sense of sight. They therefore take longer to learn and cannot learn as effectively as those with eyesight learn (Ehrlich 31). Seeing is therefore an important aspect of earning that every teacher ensures in his or her pupils and student. Most of the learning aids especially in junior schools such as kindergarten and lower primary rely on the use of vision to impart knowledge in the students. Most of these compel the students to make visual observations and refer to the items thereby learning their names. This is the most basic mode of learning; it requires effective eyesight and an efficient coordination between the eyesight and the brain. The two most work concurrently since th e eyes capture the visionary aids and send the signals to the brain for interpretation. This way, the brain masters the names and the concepts explaining the visions thereby accumulating information. Teachers, especially at such early stages of human development, try to understand their pupils always monitoring their ability to see and referring to faster medical assistance so that to aid the students who possess visionary impairments. Different visionary theorists research and try to explain the manner of learning in children by using vision. This follows the understanding that vision is an important aspect of the learning process. One such theory is the looking and looking again logic. The theory asserts that for younger children to understand some of the concepts they not only in school, they should often look and look again to ensure that they imprint some of the most memorable aspects of the object in their brains. Looking for the first time makes the learner overview the objec t thereby killing the shock of first sight. The effects of such shocks prevent learners from noticing specific and memorable aspects of the object. However, by looking again they get to observe with recognition at their objects thereby noticing some of the most fundamental aspects of the object most of which the brain imprint thereby providing a more permanent reflection of the objects. The looking and looking again logic of seeing and knowing does not only apply to small children.

Memory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Memory - Research Paper Example The explicit format of memory is more accessible because conscious and unconscious working of our mind is strongly co-related with our experience of the object reality where some sort of learning is involved. Our conscious mind understands and interprets the sensations according to the partial or total recall of the events. It is a fact that the mind is capable of retrieving images from recess even if no conscious effort was made to commit them to memory. Hence, it can be safely stated that even during the process of intentional recall of an image in some specific format, the mind can generate and explore various other properties of the same image. This type of memory is highly interactive and promotes long term learning. Whenever I go to the school playground, I am always reminded of football match which my team had won with a bang. This is a long term memory that is intrinsically linked with the physical competencies of the persons and is also called muscle memory. Procedural memory is associated with some definite voluntary or involuntary actions in some predefined format. In other words, with or without conscious effort, our memories are linked with some definite actions that are designed to rearrange the physical aspects of our surrounding through the movements of our body parts which is caused by the directives of the mind. Driving a bicycle or a car is a life long ability and one is able to retrieve its usage even after long time. This type of memory retains the procedures of various activities and therefore, it becomes easier for persons to do more than one work simultaneously. Students riding cycles are also able to converse freely because the memory has adjusted or defined its pathways to suit the physical activities. Emotions significantly impact memory and therefore, this type of memory takes precedence

College of Business Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

College of Business - Personal Statement Example As what the College of Business website admonishes its visitors to do - "explore our programs, our people and our ideas. Be part of a brilliant future" (University of Illinois). The wholistic approach towards business education which the University offers to its students will definitely help me achieve this. The school does not only prepare its students theoretically but it also gives opportunity to practical applications through its internship program as well as the faculty members who had ample experience in the field. This brand of education from the University will be my invincible weapon to survive the battle ground. Accordingly, in several occasions I have seen how a well-grounded education as well as deep appreciation of one's culture can help a person succeed not only personally and professionally but for the whole country as well. Summer of 2006, I had a chance to visit Japan. Even though I stayed there for just a short time, I was impressed with how passionate the Japanese people are over their continuing search for the latest skill such as electronic gadgets, animation, and fashion without taking for granted their own culture and respecting other people's culture. The Japanese continuously study and train to improve in their field. They even get their education and training from abroad after which they go back to their country to bring their learning back home. I humbly say that all these professionals form part of their human capital. Through the education of College of Business, I will be able to understand how the universal economy works and may be able to bring these gigantic influences to my home country, Korea. During a high school career fair, I met a woman who is a proud and successful graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign with accounting degree. Her success brought her to South Korea to work for Samsung, one of the biggest companies in my home country. She shared her thoughts about Korean culture and doing business in my country. Importantly, she explained to me how Korean culture reflects the trend of Korea economy in subtle form. This short conversation with her led me to assure that I need to go into College of Business to study accounting and comprehend the business world of Asia. The woman's talk inspired me to follow her footsteps. In both instances (Japan and the woman from Samsung), I realized the huge potential of the Asian market in the world economy. Being an Asian myself who is studying in a Western country, I wish to explore this market more deeply and contribute further to transform Asia into an equally competitive market to the global world. Furthermore, I personally realized that the money really does control the world (comment: I though you didn't want to emphasize money, I suggest we delete this sentence). Through studying the accounting thoroughly, I wish to be part of the business world with fullness of experience and achieve the development of not only my own country but also the wholeness of Asia. Thus, getting a good education from an established school like the University of

Compare and contrast the writings of Lakoff and Turner Essay

Compare and contrast the writings of Lakoff and Turner - Essay Example This happened as a result of conceptual blending, which mainly take places in the subconscious and appears quiet simple at surface or conscious level. It is an intricate network of conceptual ideas producing cognitive ones. The process starts with a mental space where thought and consequent action take place. Different types of mental spaces, containing different type of thoughts, form a network. Different types of networks, then goes on to form a conceptual integration network. This integrated or blended mental space receives thoughts or inputs from other networks, inputs that aren't present within the network itself. However, this isn't a random process but take place under certain principles that control and supervise the entire process of connecting and receiving inputs from other networks. This theory applies to almost all fields of science and art. ( Turner and Faucoinner) George Lakoff is also a linguistic expert presently teaching at University of California at Berkeley. Though most of his work is linguistically in nature, he is famous for his work that focuses on metaphor and its importance to human thinking, political rhetoric and society at large. He has also introduced the idea of "embodied mind". According to him, m

Business and The Law - Promisory Estoppel(case of Central London Essay

Business and The Law - Promisory Estoppel(case of Central London Property Trust Ltd v High Trees House Ltd - AND -Golfing Case - - Essay Example However, Lord Denning went on to state that the promise could nevertheless be enforced with respect to the war period because the: Promise to accept a smaller sum in discharge of a larger sum, if acted upon, is binding notwithstanding the absence of consideration: and if the fusion of law and equity leads to this result, so much the better. 5 Thus, the ruling in the High Trees case not only provided an exception to the Foakes v Beer case, but also to Pinnel’s Case which was affirmed by Foakes v Beer. ... Lord Denning then defined the parameters for the High Trees doctrine: The principle stated in the High Trees case...does not create a new cause of action where none existed before. It only prevents a party from insisting upon his strict legal rights, when it would be unjust to allow him to enforce them.7 What can be gleaned from the ruling in High Trees and Lord Denning’s explanation of the ruling in Combes, is that promissory estoppels permits a defence of detrimental reliance in the UK for the purpose of suspending a previous commitment. However, it will not be available as a defence in respect of a new action where consideration does not exist. Put another way, the High Trees significance is that it accommodates a detrimental reliance defence for suspending previous contractual commitments. The ruling in High Trees was adopted by the Supreme Court of South Australia in Je Maintiendrai Pty. Ltd. v Quaglia [1980] 26 SASR 101. In this case, the court held that in order for the doctrine of promissory estoppel to succeed it must be shown that the promise could or would â€Å"result in some detriment and therefore some injustice† to the complainant.8 Clearly, the High Trees case opened up a method by which the doctrine of promissory estoppel could be used to prevent unconscionable avoidance of commitments. In Waltons Stores (interstate) Ltd v Maher (1988), another Australian case, the court took the High Trees doctrine a step further. In this case, the limitations to the use of the doctrine of promissory estoppel established by the High Trees case were both removed on the grounds of injustice. High Trees established that in order for a promissory estoppel defence to be successful there must be a pre-existing legal relationship between

Foreign exchange market Essay Example for Free

Foreign exchange market Essay Monetary policy is the process by which the monetary authority of a country controls the supply of money, often targeting a rate of interest for the purpose of promoting economic growth and stability. The official goals usually include relatively stable prices and low unemployment. Monetary theory provides insight into how to craft optimal monetary policy. It is referred to as either being expansionary or contractionary, where an expansionary policy increases the total supply of money in the economy more rapidly than usual, and contractionary policy expands the money supply more slowly than usual or even shrinks it. Expansionary policy is traditionally used to try to combat unemployment in a recession by loweringinterest rates in the hope that easy credit will entice businesses into expanding. Contractionary policy is intended to slow inflation in order to avoid the resulting distortions and deterioration of asset values. Monetary policy, to a great extent, is the management of expectations. Monetary policy rests on the relationship between the rates of interest in an economy, that is, the price at which money can be borrowed, and the total supply of money. Monetary policy uses a variety of tools to control one or both of these, to influence outcomes like economic growth, inflation, exchange rates with other currencies and unemployment. Where currency is under a monopoly of issuance, or where there is a regulated system of issuing currency through banks which are tied to a central bank, the monetary authority has the ability to alter the money supply and thus influence the interest rate (to achieve policy goals). The beginning of monetary policy as such comes from the late 19th century, where it was used to maintain the gold standard. General Monetary policy is the process by which the government, central bank, or monetary authority of a country controls (i) the supply of money, (ii) availability of money, and (iii) cost of money or rate of interest to attain a set of objectives oriented towards the growth and stability of the economy. Monetary theory provides insight into how to craft optimal monetary policy. Monetary policy rests on the relationship between the rates of interest in an economy, that is the price at which money can be borrowed, and the total supply of money. Monetary policy uses a variety of tools to control one or both of these, to influence outcomes like economic growth, inflation, exchange rates with other currencies and unemployment. Where currency is under a monopoly of issuance, or where there is a regulated system of issuing currency through banks which are tied to a central bank, the monetary authority has the ability to alter the money supply and thus influence the interest rate (to achieve policy goals). It is important for policymakers to make credible announcements. If private agents (consumers and firms) believe that policymakers are committed to lowering inflation, they will anticipate future prices to be lower than otherwise (how those expectations are formed is an entirely different matter; compare for instance rational expectations with adaptive expectations). If an employee expects prices to be high in the future, he or she will draw up a wage contract with a high wage to match these prices. Hence, the expectation of lower wages is reflected in wage-setting behavior between employees and employers (lower wages since prices are expected to be lower) and since wages are in fact lower there is no demand pull inflation because employees are receiving a smaller wage and there is no cost push inflation because employers are paying out less in wages. 2. What is a Central Bank? A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is an institution that manages a states currency, money supply, and interest rates. Central banks also usually oversee the commercial banking system of their respective countries. In contrast to a commercial bank, a central bank possesses a monopoly on increasing the amount of money in the nation, and usually also prints the national currency, which usually serves as the nations legal tender. Examples include the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Federal Reserve of the United States. The primary function of a central bank is to manage the nations money supply (monetary policy), through active duties such as managing interest rates, setting the reserve requirement, and acting as a lender of last resort to the banking sector during times of bank insolvency or financial crisis. Central banks usually also have supervisory powers, intended to prevent bank runs and to reduce the risk that commercial banks and other financial institutions engage in reckless or fraudulent behavior. Central banks in most developed nations are institutionally designed to be independent from political interference. THE BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (English: Central Bank of the Philippines; Spanish: Banco Central de Filipinas; commonly abbreviated as BSP in both Filipino and English), is the central bank of the Philippines. It was established on July 3, 1993, pursuant to the provision of Republic Act 7653 or the New Central Bank Act of 1993. History In 1900, the First Philippine Commission passed Act No. 52, which placed all banks under the Bureau of the Treasury and authorizing the Insular Treasurer to supervise and examine banks and all banking activity. In 1929, the Department of Finance, through the Bureau of Banking, took over bank supervision. By 1933, a group of Filipinos had conceptualized a central bank for the Philippine Islands. It came up with the rudiments of a bill for the establishment of a central bank after a careful study of the economic provisions of the Hare–Hawes–Cutting Act, which would grant Philippine independence after 12 years, but reserving military and naval bases for the United States and imposing tariffs and quotas on Philippine exports. However, the Hare–Hawes–Cutting Act would be rejected by the Senate of the Philippines at the urging of Manuel L. Quezon. This Senate then advocated a new bill that won President Franklin D. Roosevelts support; this would be the Tydings–McDuffie Act, which would grant Philippine independence on July 4, 1946. During the Commonwealth Period, discussions continued regarding the idea of a Philippine central bank that would promote price stability and economic growth. The countrys monetary system then was administered by the Department of Finance and the National Treasury, and the Philippine peso was on the exchange standard using the United States dollar, which was backed by 100 percent gold reserve, as the standard currency. As required by the Tydings–McDuffie Act, the National Assembly of the Philippines in 1939 passed a law establishing a central bank. As it was a monetary law, it required the approval of the President of the United States; Franklin D. Roosevelt did not give his. A second law was passed in 1944 under the Japanese-controlledSecond Republic, but the arrival of American liberation forces in 1945 aborted its implementation. Shortly after President Manuel Roxas assumed office in 1946, he instructed then-Finance Secretary Miguel Cuaderno, Sr. to draw up a charter for a central bank. The establishment of a monetary authority became imperative a year later as a result of the findings of the Joint Philippine-American Finance Commission chaired by Cuaderno. The Commission, which studied Philippine financial, monetary, and fiscal problems in 1947, recommended a shift from the dollar exchange standard to a managed currency system. A central bank was necessary to implement the proposed shift to the new system. Roxas then created the Central Bank Council to prepare the charter of a proposed monetary authority. It was submitted to Congress in February 1948. By June of the same year, the newly proclaimed President Elpidio Quirino, who succeeded President Roxas, affixed his signature on Republic Act (RA) No. 265, the Central Bank Act of 1948.On January 3, 1949, the Central Bank of the Philippines was formally inaugurated with Miguel Cuaderno, Sr. as the first governor. The main duties and responsibilities of the Central Bank were to promote economic development and maintain internal and external monetary stability. 3. What are the Types of Monetary Policy? In practice, to implement any type of monetary policy the main tool used is modifying the amount of base money in circulation. The monetary authority does this by buying or selling financial assets (usually government obligations). These open market operations change either the amount of money or its liquidity (if less liquid forms of money are bought or sold). The multiplier effect of fractional reserve banking amplifies the effects of these actions. Constant market transactions by the monetary authority modify the supply of currency and this impacts other market variables such as short term interest rates and the exchange rate. The distinction between the various types of monetary policy lies primarily with the set of instruments and target variables that are used by the monetary authority to achieve their goals. Monetary Policy: Target Market Variable: Long Term Objective: Inflation Targeting Interest rate on overnight debt A given rate of change in the CPI Price Level Targeting Interest rate on overnight debt A specific CPI number Monetary Aggregates The growth in money supply A given rate of change in the CPI Fixed Exchange Rate The spot price of the currency The spot price of the currency Gold Standard The spot price of gold Low inflation as measured by the gold price Mixed Policy Usually interest rates Usually unemployment + CPI change The different types of policy are also called monetary regimes, in parallel to exchange rate regimes. A fixed exchange rate is also an exchange rate regime; The Gold standard results in a relatively fixed regime towards the currency of other countries on the gold standard and a floating regime towards those that are not. Targeting inflation, the price level or other monetary aggregates implies floating exchange rate unless the management of the relevant foreign currencies is tracking exactly the same variables. In economics, an expansionary fiscal policy includes higher spending and tax cuts, that encourage economic growth. In turn, an expansionary monetary policy is one that seeks to increase the size of the money supply. Conversely, contractionary monetary policy seeks to reduce the size of the money supply. In most nations, monetary policy is controlled by either a central bank or a finance ministry. In most nations, monetary policy is controlled by either a central bank or a finance ministry. Neoclassical and Keynesian economics significantly differ on the effects and effectiveness of monetary policy on influencing the real economy; there is no clear consensus on how monetary policy affects real economic variables (aggregate output or income, employment). Both economic schools accept that monetary policy affects monetary variables (price levels, interest rates). Inflation targeting Under this policy approach the target is to keep inflation, under a particular definition such as Consumer Price Index, within a desired range. The inflation target is achieved through periodic adjustments to the Central Bank interest rate target. The interest rate used is generally the interbank rate at which banks lend to each other overnight for cash flow purposes. Depending on the country this particular interest rate might be called the cash rate or something similar. The interest rate target is maintained for a specific duration using open market operations. Typically the duration that the interest rate target is kept constant will vary between months and years. This interest rate target is usually reviewed on a monthly or quarterly basis by a policy committee. Changes to the interest rate target are made in response to various market indicators in an attempt to forecast economic trends and in so doing keep the market on track towards achieving the defined inflation target. For example, one simple method of inflation targeting called the Taylor rule adjusts the interest rate in response to changes in the inflation rate and the output gap. The rule was proposed  by John B. Taylor of Stanford University. The inflation targeting approach to monetary policy approach was pioneered in New Zealand. It has been used inAustralia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, New Zealand, Norway, Iceland, India,Philippines, Poland, Sweden, South Africa, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Price level targeting Price level targeting is a monetary policy that is similar to inflation targeting except that CPI growth in one year over or under the long term price level target is offset in subsequent years such that a targeted price-level is reached over time, e.g. five years, giving more certainty about future price increases to consumers. Under inflation targeting what happened in the immediate past years is not taken into account or adjusted for in the current and future years. Uncertainty in price levels can create uncertainty around price and wage setting activity for firms and workers, and undermines any information that can be gained from relative prices, as it is more difficult for firms to determine if a change in the price of a good or service is because of inflation or other factors, such as an increase in the efficiency of factors of production, if inflation is high and volatile. An increase in inflation also leads to a decrease in the demand for money, as it reduces the incentive to hold money and increases transaction and shoe leather costs. Monetary aggregates In the 1980s, several countries used an approach based on a constant growth in the money supply. This approach was refined to include different classes of money and credit (M0, M1 etc.). In the USA this approach to monetary policy was discontinued with the selection of Alan Greenspan as Fed Chairman. This approach is also sometimes called monetarism. While most monetary policy focuses on a price signal of one form or another, this approach is focused on monetary quantities. As these quantities could have a role on the economy and business cycles depending on the households risk aversion level, money is sometimes explicitly added in the central banks reaction function. Fixed exchange rate This policy is based on maintaining a fixed exchange rate with a foreign currency. There are varying degrees of fixed exchange rates, which can be ranked in relation to how rigid the fixed exchange rate is with the anchor nation. Under a system of fiat fixed rates, the local government or monetary authority declares a fixed exchange rate but does not actively buy or sell currency to maintain the rate. Instead, the rate is enforced by non-convertibility measures (e.g. capital controls, import/export licenses, etc.). In this case there is a black market exchange rate where the currency trades at its market/unofficial rate. Under a system of fixed-convertibility, currency is bought and sold by the central bank or monetary authority on a daily basis to achieve the target exchange rate. This target rate may be a fixed level or a fixed band within which the exchange rate may fluctuate until the monetary authority intervenes to buy or sell as necessary to maintain the exchange rate within the band. (In this case, the fixed exchange rate with a fixed level can be seen as a special case of the fixed exchange rate with bands where the bands are set to zero.) Under a system of fixed exchange rates maintained by a currency board every unit of local currency must be backed by a unit of foreign currency (correcting for the exchange rate). This ensures that the local monetary base does not inflate without being backed by hard currency and eliminates any worries about a run on the local currency by those wishing to convert the local currency to the hard (anchor) currency. Under dollarization, foreign currency (usually the US dollar, hence the term dollarization) is used freely as the medium of exchange either exclusively or in parallel with local currency. This outcome can come about because the local population has lost all faith in the local currency, or it may also be a policy of the government (usually to rein in inflation and import credible monetary policy). These policies often abdicate monetary policy to the foreign monetary authority or government as monetary policy in the pegging nation must align with monetary policy in the anchor nation to maintain the exchange rate. The degree to which local monetary policy becomes dependent on the anchor nation depends on factors such as capital mobility, openness, credit channels and other economic factors. Gold standard The gold standard is a system under which the price of the national currency is measured in units of gold bars and is kept constant by the governments promise to buy or sell gold at a fixed price in terms of the base currency. The gold standard might be regarded as a special case of fixed exchange rate policy, or as a special type of commodity price level targeting. Today this type of monetary policy is no longer used by any country, although the gold standard was widely used across the world between the mid-19th century through 1971. Its major advantages were simplicity and transparency. The gold standard was abandoned during the Great Depression, as countries sought to reinvigorate their economies by increasing their money supply. The Bretton Woods system, which was a modified gold standard, replaced it in the aftermath of World War II. However, this system too broke down during the Nixon shock of 1971. The gold standard induces deflation, as the economy usually grows faster than the supply of gold. When an economy grows faster than its money supply, the same amount of money is used to execute a larger number of transactions. The only way to make this possible is to lower the nominal cost of each transaction, which means that prices of goods and services fall, and each unit of money increases in value. Absent precautionary measures, deflation would tend to increase the ratio of the real value of nominal debts to physical assets over time. For example, during deflation, nominal debt and the monthly nominal cost of a fixed-rate home mortgage stays the same, even while the dollar value of the house falls, and the value of the dollars required to pay the mortgage goes up. Economists generally consider such deflation to be a major disadvantage of the gold standard. Unsustainable (i.e. excessive) deflation can cause problems during recessions and crisis lengthening the amount of time an economy spends in recession. William Jennings Bryan rose to national prominence when he built his historic (though unsuccessful) 1896 presidential campaign around the argument that deflation caused by the gold standard made it harder for everyday citizens to start new businesses, expand their farms, or build new homes. 4. What are the Monetary Policy tools? Monetary policy uses three main tactical approaches to maintain monetary stability: The first tactic manages the money supply. This mainly involves buying government bonds (expanding the money supply) or selling them (contracting the money supply). In the Federal Reserve System, these are known as open market operations, because the central bank buys and sells government bonds in public markets. Most of the government bonds bought and sold through open market operations are short-term government bondsbought and sold from Federal Reserve System member banks and from large financial institutions. When the central bank disburses or collects payment for these bonds, it alters the amount of money in the economy while simultaneously affecting the price (and thereby the yield) of short-term government bonds. The change in the amount of money in the economy in turn affects interbank interest rates. The second tactic manages money demand. Demand for money, like demand for most things, is sensitive to price. For money, the price is the interest rates charged to borrowers. Setting banking-system lending or interest rates (such as the US overnight bank lending rate, the federal funds discount Rate, and the London Interbank Offer Rate, or Libor) in order to manage money demand is a major tool used by central banks. Ordinarily, a central bank conducts monetary policy by raising or lowering its interest rate target for the interbank interest rate. If the nominal interest rate is at or very near zero, the central bank cannot lower it further. Such a situation, called a liquidity trap, can occur, for example, during deflation or when inflation is very low. The third tactic involves managing risk within the banking system. Banking systems use fractional reserve banking to encourage the use of money for investment and expanding economic activity. Banks must keep banking reserves on hand to handle actual cash needs, but they can lend an amount equal to several times their actual reserves. The money lent out by banks increases the money supply, and too much money (whether lent or printed) will lead to inflation. Central banks manage systemic risks by maintaining a balance between expansionary economic activity through bank lending and control of inflation through reserve requirements. 5. What is Fiscal Policy? Fiscal policy is a type of economical intervention where the government injects its policies into an economy in order to either expand the economy’s growth or to contract it. By changing the levels of spending and taxation, a government can directly or indirectly affect the aggregate demand, which is the total amount of goods and services in an economy. One thing to remember concerning fiscal policy is that a recession is generally defined as a time period of at least two quarters of consecutive reduction in growth. It may take time to even recognize whether or not there is a recession. With fiscal policy, there will be certain levels of lag time in which conditions will deteriorate before being recognized. At the same time, fiscal policy takes time to implement due to legislative and administrative processes, and those same policies will take time to show results after implementation. Consumers can also react to these policies positively or negatively. Most consumers would have a positive reaction per say to a policy that lowers taxes, while some will have an issue with a government spending more which will increase the burden of debt on nations citizens. Nevertheless, fiscal policy is a type of intervention that can help to control the direction of an economy. Deciding if and when it should be used will certainly continue to be debated. In economics and political science, fiscal policy is the use of government revenue collection (taxation) and expenditure (spending) to influence the economy. The two main instruments of fiscal policy are changes in the level and composition of taxation and government spending in various sectors. These changes can affect the following macroeconomic variables in an economy: Aggregate demand and the level of economic activity; The distribution of income; The pattern of resource allocation within the sector and relative to the private sector. Fiscal policy refers to the use of the government budget to influence economic activity. 6. What are the Types of Fiscal Policy? Expansionary Fiscal Policy When an economy is in a recession, expansionary fiscal policy is in order. Typically this type of fiscal policy results in increased government spending and/or lower taxes. A recession results in a recessionary gap – meaning that aggregate demand (ie, GDP) is at a level lower than it would be in a full employment situation. In order to close this gap, a government will typically increase their spending which will directly increase the aggregate demand curve (since government spending creates demand for goods and services). At the same time, the government may choose to cut taxes, which will indirectly affect the aggregate demand curve by allowing for consumers to have more money at their disposal to consume and invest. The actions of this expansionary fiscal policy would result in a shift of the aggregate demand curve to the right, which would result closing the recessionary gap and helping an economy grow. Contractionary Fiscal Policy Contractionary fiscal policy is essentially the opposite of expansionary fiscal policy. When an economy is in a state where growth is at a rate that is getting out of control (causing inflation and asset bubbles), contractionary fiscal policy can be used to rein it in to a more sustainable level. If an economy is growing too fast or for example, if unemployment is too low, an inflationary gap will form. In order to eliminate this inflationary gap a government may reduce government spending and increase taxes. A decrease in spending by the government will directly decrease aggregate demand curve by reducing government demand for goods and services. Increases in tax levels will also slow growth, as consumers will have less money to consume and invest, thereby indirectly reducing the aggregate demand curve. Considerations Economic fluctuations independent of policy actions by government often affect the level of tax revenues, forcing elected officials to alter fiscal policy. For example, economic recessions reduce output and employment, resulting in reduced revenue for government coffers. This often forces policy makers to consider contractionary measures, such as increasing revenues by raising taxes or cutting government spending. 7. What are the Components/Instruments of Fiscal Policy? Taxation Taxation is one of the two primary instruments of fiscal policy. When the government increases or decreases taxes, it increases or decreases the amount of money consumers have to spend which can have a significant impact on the direction of the overall economy. A decrease in taxation tends to put more money into the hands of consumers, which can lead to increased spending. Increased spending tends to lead to higher revenues for businesses, which can allow them to expand and hire more workers. Cutting taxes is a common fiscal policy measure to encourage economic growth. Government Spending Government spending is the other main instrument of fiscal policy. The expenditures of the government can promote economic activity and create jobs. For example, if the government funds a project to build a high-speed train across the country, the funds that go into the project could go toward hiring workers which could reduce unemployment and inject money into the economy. Higher levels of government spending tend to promote employment and economic growth. Considerations The government uses fiscal policy to promote economic growth, low unemployment and to stabilize the economy. During period of low economic growth, the government tends to cut taxes and may increase spending in an attempt to spark growth. During periods of high economic growth, the government may increase taxes and cut spending to ensure that the economy doesnt grow too quickly which can result in undesirable effects like high inflation. 8. What are the Stances of Fiscal Policy? The three main stances of fiscal policy are: Neutral fiscal policy is usually undertaken when an economy is in equilibrium. Government spending is fully funded by tax revenue and overall the budget outcome has a neutral effect on the level of economic activity. Expansionary fiscal policy involves government spending exceeding tax revenue, and is usually undertaken during recessions. Contractionary fiscal policy occurs when government spending is lower than tax revenue, and is usually undertaken to pay down government debt. However, these definitions can be misleading because, even with no changes in spending or tax laws at all, cyclic fluctuations of the economy cause cyclic fluctuations of tax revenues and of some types of government spending, altering the deficit situation; these are not considered to be policy changes. Therefore, for purposes of the above definitions, government spending and tax revenue are normally replaced by cyclically adjusted government spending and cyclically adjusted tax revenue. Thus, for example, a government budget that is balanced over the course of the business cycle is considered to represent a neutral fiscal policy stance. 1. Methods of funding Governments spend money on a wide variety of things, from the military and police to services like education and healthcare, as well as transfer payments such as welfare benefits. This expenditure can be funded in a number of different ways: Taxation Seignior age, the benefit from printing money Borrowing money from the population or from abroad Consumption of fiscal reserves Sale of fixed assets (e.g., land) 2. Borrowing A fiscal deficit is often funded by issuing bonds, like treasury bills or consols and gilt-edged securities. These pay interest, either for a fixed period or indefinitely. If the interest and capital requirements are too large, a nation may default on its debts, usually to foreign creditors. Public debt or borrowing refers to the government borrowing from the public. 3. Consuming prior surpluses A fiscal surplus is often saved for future use, and may be invested in either local currency or any financial instrument that may be traded later once resources are needed; notice, additional debt is not needed. For this to happen, the marginal propensity to save needs to be strictly positive. Economic effects of fiscal policy Governments use fiscal policy to influence the level of aggregate demand in the economy, in an effort to achieve economic objectives of price stability, full employment, and economic growth. Keynesian economics suggests that increasing government spending and decreasing tax rates are the best ways to stimulate aggregate demand, and decreasing spending increasing taxes after the economic boom begins. Keynesians argue this method be used in times of recession or low economic activity as an essential tool for building the framework for strong economic growth and working towards full employment. In theory, the resulting deficits would be paid for by an expanded economy during the boom that would follow; this was the reasoning behind the New Deal. Governments can use a budget surplus to do two things: to slow the pace of strong economic growth, and to stabilize prices when inflation is too high. Keynesian theory posits that removing spending from the economy will reduce levels of aggregate demand and contract the economy, thus stabilizing prices. But economists still debate the effectiveness of fiscal stimulus. The argument mostly centers on crowding out: whether government borrowing leads to higher interest rates that may offset the simulative impact of spending. When the government runs a budget deficit, funds will need to come from public borrowing (the issue of government bonds), overseas borrowing, or monetizing the debt. When governments fund a deficit with the issuing of government bonds, interest rates can increase across the market, because government borrowing creates higher demand for credit in the financial markets. This causes a lower aggregate demand for goods and services, contrary to the objective of a fiscal stimulus. Neoclassical economists generally emphasize crowding out while Keynesians argue that fiscal policy can still be effective especially in a liquidity trap where, they argue, crowding out is minimal. 9. What are the Functions of Fiscal Policy? Allocation The first major function of fiscal policy is to determine exactly how funds will be allocated. This is closely related to the issues of taxation and spending, because the allocation of funds depends upon the collection of taxes and the government using that revenue for specific purposes. The national budget determines how funds are allocated. This means that a specific amount of funds is set aside for purposes specifically laid out by the government. This has a direct economic impact on the country. Distribution Whereas allocation determines how much will be set aside and for what purpose, the distribution function of fiscal policy is to determine more specifically how those funds will be distributed throughout each segment of the economy. For instance, the government might allocate $1 billion toward social welfare programs, but $100 million could be distributed to food stamp programs, while another $250 million is distributed among low-cost housing authority agencies. Distribution provides the specific explanation of what allocation was intended for in the first place. Stabilization Stabilization is another important function of fiscal policy in that the purpose of budgeting is to provide stable economic growth. Without some restraints on spending, the economic growth of the nation could become unstable, resulting in periods of unrestrained growth and contraction. While many might frown upon governmental restraint of growth, the stock market crash of 1929 made it clear that unfettered growth could have serious consequences. The cyclical nature of the market means that unrestrained growth cannot continue for an indefinite period. When growth periods end, they are followed by contraction in the form of recessions or prolonged recessions known as depressions. Fiscal policy is designed to anticipate and mitigate the effects of such economic lulls. Development The fourth major function of fiscal policy is that of development. Development seems to indicate economic growth, and that is, in fact, its overall purpose. However, fiscal policy is far more complicated than determining how much the government will tax citizens one year and then determining how that money will be spent. True economic growth occurs when various projects are financed and carried out using borrowed funds. This stems from the the belief that the private sector cannot grow the economy by itself. Instead, some government input and influence are needed. Borrowing funds for this economic growth is one way in which the government brings about development. This economic model developed by John Maynard Keynes has been adopted in various forms since the World War II era. 10. What is the Fiscal Policy in the Philippines? Fiscal policy refers to the measures employed by governments to stabilize the economy, specifically by manipulating the levels and allocations of taxes and government expenditures. Fiscal measures are frequently used in tandem with monetary policy to achieve certain goals. In the Philippines, this is characterized by continuous and increasing levels of debt and budget deficits, though there have been improvements in the last few years. The Philippine government’s main sources of revenue are taxes, with some non-tax revenue also being collected. To finance fiscal deficit and debt, the Philippines rely on both domestic and external sources. Fiscal policy during the Marcos administration was primarily focused on indirect tax collection and on government spending on economic services and infrastructure development. The administration inherited a large fiscal deficit from the previous administration, but managed to reduce fiscal imbalance and improve tax collection through the introduction of the 1986 Tax Reform Program and the value added tax. The Ramos experienced budget surpluses due to substantial gains from the massive sale of government assets and strong foreign investment in its early years. However, the implementation of the 1997 Comprehensive Tax Reform Program and the onset of the Asian financial crisis resulted to a deteriorating fiscal position in the succeeding years and administrations. The Estrada administration faced a large fiscal deficit due to the decrease in tax effort and the repayment of the Ramos administration’s debt to contractors and suppliers. During the Arroyo administration, the Expanded Value Added Tax Law was enacted, national debt-to-GDP ratio peaked, and under spending on public infrastructure and other capital expenditures was observed. History of Philippine Fiscal Policy Marcos Administration (1981-1985) The tax system under the Marcos administration was generally regressive as it was heavily dependent on indirect. Indirect taxes and international trade taxes accounted for about 35% of total tax revenue, while direct taxes only accounted for 25%. Government expenditure for economic services peaked during this period, focusing mainly on infrastructure development, with about 33% of the budget spent on capital outlays. In response to the higher global interest rates and to the depreciation of the peso, the government became increasingly reliant on domestic financing to finance fiscal deficit. The government also started liberalizing tariff policy during this period by enacting the initial Tariff Reform Program, which narrowed the tariff structure from a range of 100%-0% to 50%-10%, and the Import Liberalization Program, which aimed at reducing or eliminating tariffs and realigning indirect taxes. Aquino Administration (1986-1992) Faced with problems inherited from the previous administration, the most important of which being the large fiscal deficit heightened by the low tax effort due to a weak tax system, Aquino enacted the 1986 Tax Reform Program (TRP). The aim of the TRP was to â€Å"simplify the tax system, make revenues more responsive to economic activity, promote horizontal equity and promote growth by correcting existing taxes that impaired business incentives†. One of the major reforms enacted under the program was the introduction of the Value Added Tax (VAT), which was set at 10%. The 1986 tax reform program resulted in reduced fiscal imbalance and higher tax effort in the succeeding years, peaking in 1997, before the enactment of the 1997 Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP). The share of non-tax revenues during this period soared due to the sale of sequestered assets of President Marcos and his cronies (totalling to about â‚ ±20 billion), the initial efforts to deregulate the oil i ndustry and thrust towards the privatization of state enterprises. Public debt servicing and interest payments as a percent of the budget peaked during this period as government focused on making up for the debt incurred by the Marcos administration. Another important reform enacted during the Aquino administration was the passage of the 1991 Local Government Code which enabled fiscal decentralization. This increased the taxing and spending powers to local governments in effect increasing local government resources. Ramos Administration (1993-1998) The Ramos administration had budget surpluses for four of its six years in power. The government benefited from the massive sale of government assets (totalling to about â‚ ±70 billion, the biggest among the administrations) and continued to benefit from the 1986 TRP. The administration invested heavily on the power sector as the country was beset by power outages. The government utilized its emergency powers to fast-track the construction of power projects and established contracts with independent power plants. This period also experienced a real estate boom and strong foreign direct investment to the country during the early years of the administration, in effect overvaluing the peso. However, with the onset of the Asian financial crisis, the peso depreciated by almost 40%. The Ramos administration relied heavily on external borrowing to finance its fiscal deficit but quickly switched to domestic dependence on the onset of the Asian financial crisis. The administration has been accused of resorting to â€Å"budget trickery† during the crisis: balancing assets through the sales of assets, building up accounts payable and delaying payment of government premium to social security holders. In 1997, the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) was enacted. Republic Act (RA) 8184 and RA 8240, which were implemented under the program, were estimated to yield additional taxes of around â‚ ±7.4 billion; however, a decline in tax effort during the succeeding periods was observed after the CTRP was implemented. This was attributed to the unfavorable economic climate created by the Asian fiscal crisis and the poor implementation of the provisions of the reform. A sharp decrease in international trade tax contribution to GDP was also observed as a consequence of the trade liberalization and globalization efforts in the 1990s, more prominently, the establishment of the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) and membership to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and t he Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). The Ramos administration also provided additional incentives to export-oriented firms, the most prominent among these being RA 7227 which was instrumental to the success of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Estrada Administration (1999-2000) President Estrada, who assumed office at the height of the Asian financial crisis, faced a large fiscal deficit, which was mainly attributed to the sharp deterioration in the tax effort (as a result of the 1997 CTRP: increased tax incentives, narrowing of VAT base and lowering of tariff walls) and higher interest payments given the sharp depreciation of the peso during the crisis. The administration also had to pay P60 billion worth of accounts payables left unpaid by the Ramos administration to contractors and suppliers. Public spending focused on social services, with spending on basic education reaching its peak. To finance the fiscal deficit, Estrada created a balance between domestic and foreign borrowing. Arroyo Administration (2002-2009) The Arroyo administration’s poor fiscal position was attributed to weakening tax effort (still resulting from the 1997 CTRP) and rising debt servicing costs (due to peso depreciation). Large fiscal deficits and heavy losses for monitored government corporations were observed during this period. National debt-to-GDP ratio reached an all-time high during the Arroyo administration, averaging at 69.2%. Investment in public infrastructure (at only 1.9% of GDP), expenditure for economic services, health spending and education spending all hit an historic-low during the Arroyo administration. The government responded to its poor fiscal position by under-spending in public infrastructure and social overhead capital (education and health care), thus sacrificing the economy’s long-term growth. In 2005, RA 9337 was enacted, the most significant amendments of which were the removal of electricity and petroleum VAT exemptions and the increase in the VAT rate from 10% to 12%.

Development of Early Child Narratology

Development of Early Child Narratology Aims: I aim to evaluate how the structure and composition of early child narratology develops and evolves with age. To conduct this evaluation I will approach local primary schools for examples of short narrative texts written by Key stage 1 pupils (4-7), to serve as empirical data. I will assess these texts by employing the six part Labovian narrative model and analysing the presence and frequency of narrative components, evaluative temporal indicators and markers. Background: This study builds on many other works as the Labovian model is now frequently used to assess narratology in children, (see Kernan, 1977; Eaton, Collis and Lewis, 1999). The idea of linguistic and narrative development in children is also a popular issue. One study that specifically charts the evolution of child narrative with age is â€Å"Telling stories of experiences: Narrative development of young Chinese children† a study by Chien-JuChang in which young Chinese children were visited in their homes at age 3 years and 6 months and then at 3 month intervals for the next 9 months. Their individual development in three key areas (narrative structure, evaluation, and temporality) was evaluated with the conclusion that â€Å"Chinese children, generally speaking, include more narrative components, evaluative information, and temporal markers in their narratives over time. However, the growth patterns and rates of change for each child on each narrative measure vary.† Hypothesis: My hypothesis is that as a child is introduced to more narrative texts, and comes to identify narrative components, that he or she will employ them more frequently and more readily in their own narratives. Thus, I hypothesise that there will be a marked increase both in the inclusion of these features in individual narratives and in the cohesion between the narratives of the evaluated children (their similarity to each other) in the older age ranges, as they adapt and adhere to literary and narrative norms. I believe that there will be a greater proliferation of linguistic devices and conventions, as well as more narrative components, in the older childrens narratives. Although I will not specifically be studying the effects of ethnicity or socio-economic background I believe that these factors will skew the data slightly as my hypothesis centres on the fact that the children will have been exposed to similar volumes and types of narrative material. This may well not be the case for pupils from a different cultural background or a less affluent family environment. Data: The data I will use for this investigation will be collected from local and, hopefully, schools which are more widely distributed throughout the country, to give a representative sample of empirical data. I will approach the schools to provide short texts from every early years age group so that I have approximately 50-100 short texts from pupils aged from 4 to 7 with a similar number for each age group. I will specify that I would like work from a cross section of abilities, genders, ethnicities, and socio-economic and cultural backgrounds so as to have a representative sample of narratives for an age range. I will also request that the gender, ethnicity and socio-economic group be specified for each child included in the study as, although I am not directly studying the consequences of these factors on the narratives, it would be informative and useful to see if they affect the cohesion of the data in any way. All texts will be included as an appendix to the final extended essay and the appropriate permissions will be obtained from the schools and, if necessary, from the parents of the children whose work is used. Methodology: As previously defined I will employ the Labovian 6 part narrative model to assess the texts. This will be both a quantitative and qualitative analysis as it will deal not only with the evolution in the number of narrative components in each text but also their function and type. The results of the analyses will be presented in tabulated form. Initially I will fill in a table to give the main characteristics of each narrative and then tabulate the overall results. An example of a narrative text and a simplified table are given as an appendix. My work so far: I have investigated a number of studies covering similar subject areas and approached schools in my local area to see if they would be willing to provide samples of work The response so far is encouraging. I have also obtained some examples of writing from neighbourhood children and analysis of these texts seems to back my hypothesis thus far. Naturally I will be unsure until I study the larger volumes of empirical data foreseen by my study. Timescale: Owing to the complexity of obtaining the data and analysing it, this project will be quite time consuming. I believe I will require one month to obtain the work and the various permissions and a further month to analyse the texts and tabulate the results. I will then need a further two weeks to present my conclusions, draft and check the final copy. Annotated Bibliography Applebee, Arthur 1978. â€Å"The Childs Concept Of Story: Ages Two To Seventeen†. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. This book defines the â€Å"interaction of children and stories†. Various chapters discuss the stories told by primary school children, their organisation and motivation as well as children’s responses to stories and story telling. It also contains a number of appendices giving information about the methods for data collection and analysis employed by Applebee throughout his investigations. Chang, Chien-Ju 2004: â€Å"Telling stories of experiences: Narrative development of young Chinese children† Applied Psycholinguistics, 25: 83-104 Cambridge University Press This presents a study in which young Chinese children were visited in their homes at age 3 years and 6 months and then at 3 month intervals for the next 9 months and their individual development in three key areas (narrative structure, evaluation, and temporality) assessed. Gutierrez Clellen, V. F., Quinn, R. (1993). Assessing narratives of children from diverse cultural/linguistic groups. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 24, 2-9. This article discusses the issues surrounding cultural and ethnic background and the impact on a child’s narrative development. This supports my claim that linguistic and narration conventions are learnt and states â€Å"narrative contextualization processes are culture-specific† Kernan, K. T. (1977). Semantic and expressive elaboration in childrens narratives. C. Mitchell-Kernan and S.Ervin-Tripp (Eds.), Child Discourse. New York: Academic Press, 91-102. This paper was presented at the Child Discourse Symposium at the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association (Mexico City, Mexico, November 1974) and presents a theoretical and ground breaking discussion of children’s narrative discourse and the acquisition of discourse competencies. Labov, William., and Waletzky, Joshua. 1967. â€Å"Narrative analysis: oral versions of personal experience.† Essays on the Verbal and Visual Arts, ed. June Helm, 12-44. Seattle: University of Washington Press. Seminal and scholarly text discussing the basics of narrative analysis detailing the six point model, etc. Pena E. D., Gillam R. B., Malek M., Ruiz-Felter R., Resendiz M., Fiestas C., and Sabel T. : Dynamic Assessment of School-Age Childrens Narrative Ability: An Experimental Investigation of Classification Accuracy J Speech Lang Hear Res, October1,2006; 49(5): 1037 1057. This article provides useful and information about analysing the â€Å"macrostructural and microstructural aspects of language form and content† (in this case in narratives given by first and second grade students describing a picture book.) Appendix one – example narrative (direct transcript) On Saturday, Daddy, Mummy, Jamie and me went to the park to go on the swings. It was really cold so Daddy bought me and Jamie a hot chocolate to warm us up. It was really funny because Jamie dropped his down his jumper and had to wear Daddy’s jumper. It was to(sic) big for him and he looked really funny. I went on the swings and the roundabout and the slide and then Jamie and me sat on one side of the sea(sic) saw while Daddy sat on the other. Mummy took pictures of us. Then we went to the sweet shop and bought some jelly babies. They are my Mummys favourite and I like them to(sic). Then we went home and watched ice age 2 and then we had tea. Then we went to bed. We all had a lovely day and Daddy said it was nice that me and Jamie didn’t shout at each other. Jenny, age 6 Example tabulation Table 1 – Labovian concepts Table 2 Common markers Used by the child in her narrative

A Portrait of a Young Man Essay -- essays papers

A Portrait of a Young Man. Portrait of a Young Man was painted by Angolo Bronzino between the years of 1503-1572. The portrait is 37 5/8 by 29 Â ½ inches and is an oil on wood( Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1999). I picked this painting because of the self assurance, at first glance, of the young man that is depicted. This appealed to me because it reflected my own attitude. After studying the portrait for a considerable amount of time I began to see possible sadness or self-doubt in the young mans face that betrays his powerful stance. I felt a connection to the young man, knowing all too well what it was like to present a powerful outside image while knowing there was a self conscious and scared person inside. The main image of the portrait is the young man. He is wearing a long black jacket, in the style of the sixteenth century, with part of a white ruffled collar and cuffs peeking out of his jacket. He is also wearing a black and what appears to be a beaded beret. He has a light complexion. His oval shaped face contains an oval shaped dark eyes with light, rounded eyebrows. He has an elongated nose with an indentation underneath it. He has peach colored lips and a clefted chin. He is slightly turned towards the viewer. His left hand is resting on his waist, the fingers are spread apart except for his middle and ring fingers, they're close together and his right hand is holding a poetry book ( Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1999 ) with ...

media Essay -- essays research papers

The ‘media’ as a whole plays a major part in one’s life. Media messages can be presented in many ways from reading newspapers to watching news on television from the comfort of your own home. However, the most important factors are how the news is retrieved and portrayed by an individual or a group of individuals as each individual has the right to accept what they believe not what they are manipulated to believe or to accept. There are various issues that can be looked at to conclude whether or not there is such thing as free, unbiased media, to define this topic it is too broad to study itself so it will be broken down and researched in small parts. Bias in different context will be analysed and shown how it is interpreted. Theorists will be researched such as: Rupert Murdoch and Noam Chomsky taking his views into consideration as well as elaborating on them. The approach taken to tackle this area of study will show clear evidence of where the information has b een taken from as this will enable the reader to make their own judgment as to whether there is such thing as free, unbiased media. Can it be argued that there is such thing as a free, unbiased media? Bias is based around media organisations made up of journalists and news producers presenting particular stories and the selection of which stories to cover with an uneven viewpoint, these particular stories may refer to accusations of either censorship or propagandism. Individuals perceiving various media messages can receive these in different contexts such as socially, ethically, economically and politically. There are different categories of bias that can be looked upon when presenting media messages to individuals such as: ethnic bias which includes nationalism and regionalism, corporate bias involving advertising and political campaigns, social bias that contains overall bias of reporting to favour the status class, political bias regarding the split in political slant and sensationalism about manufacturing or distort news as a purely commercial product. Temporal bias is known when media are biased toward the immediate, when media organisations decide to take up a story that is happening immediately. News has to be new and fresh, this news has to be ever changing even when there is a small amount of news to cover. There are other forms of bias such as status quo bias, narrative bias, fairnes... ...close look at the records shows Murdoch has imparted his far right agenda throughout his media empire† (Center for American Progress). An example of being bias would be that Murdoch is blamed for presenting partisan media coverage for political groups that publicise policies and conclusions to draw attention to his commercial benefit showing that media bias is involved from the beginning, middle or end and is often encouraged by politicians to persuade him favourably to cover their campaigns. An additional example of the contradiction of the theory of unbiased media would be that of Venezuela and Chavez. In this instance a democratically elected president was over thrown from his position by the media industry (the Venezuela army and influences from the U.S). The effect Rupert Murdoch has had on the media industry is substantial, setting up an empire that is forever growing. This clearly shows who the media is owned by and how much power they posses, this can determine on what is presented to the public from a single point rather than all angles of a specific story and through not one source of media but several forms of media even though some maybe bias and contain propaganda.

American Pastoral :: essays research papers

The Failure to Develop   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many people stutter; however people usually outgrow stuttering. But it is not something that people just do for a short while to attract attention. People who do stutter are actually really embarrassed by it and the attention they receive from stuttering and fear the next time that it will happen. They will often avoid situations in which stuttering will be a problem. Stutterers have no control over when they stutter or don’t. Contrary to the therapist in the novel American Pastoral, stuttering is not an idea conjured up in ones head to gain attention. It is not a psychological problem that comes and goes as one needs it, or when it would be beneficial to a person. Because the truth is, a stutterer never finds it beneficial to have.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Research has shown that stuttering is one hundred percent physiological, and not at all psychological. The psychiatrist â€Å"got Merry thinking that the stutter was a choice she made, a way of being special that she had chosen and then locked into when she had realized how well it worked†(95). The belief that you will not stutter has no effect on your speech. The anticipation of stuttering does not cause stuttering (5). Stuttering is a developmental disorder that starts in the early childhood and nothing Merry did could change that. It develops at the same time as children learn â€Å"grammar, accents, and other fundamentals of speech and language†(1). When children fail to learn â€Å"speech breathing, vocal fold control, and how to articulate sounds†(1) that is when they develop disfluencies, which can turn into stuttering or stammering. If children do not learn these fundamentals at the right critical time, it is difficult or impossible to learn later. Children will develop these problems between the ages of two and six, when development is most crucial. Which is around the age that Merry developed the stutter in the novel. Usually people will not develop speech problems past the age of eleven. More boys than girls develop speech disorders. Which is why it was even more rare for Merry to have the stutter because it’s not as common in girls. Even then, the girls tend to outgrow their problems, up until their forties. . It is difficult to determine who will outgrow and who will not (4). Merry did eventually outgrow her stutter though. The first time her dad saw her again after the long absence, he couldn’t believe â€Å"she had attained control, mental and physical, over every sound she uttered†(246).

Benefits of holistic food and alternative medicines

In order to maintain our total health (physical, emotional, spiritual), we need to become flexible at tall times and adapt to the various changes around us. Each day has its particularly rhythms in terms of sunrise and sunset. Assuming responsibility for the food we put into our bodies is a primary concern—where it is grown, whether it has been sprayed with pesticides, as well as preparation and combination with other foods. Each of us requires particular nutrients at different times.To follow any one diet, such as a Raw Food Diet or Macrobiotic Diet, is to shift responsibility to another human being—the responsibility for tuning in to our own physical vehicles and determining our individual needs, regardless of what is in vogue at the time. Introduction More and more Americans are looking to alternative health care for their own health problems. This is also known as holistic or unconventional medicine. (Complementary and Alternative Medicine). There is a great differe nce between needs and desires when it comes to food. What we desire may not always be best for our bodies.If we can distinguish between the two, we can balance ourselves accordingly. There are several ways of determining an individual’s nutrition needs. Laboratory blood tests and hair analysis may or may not be helpful in determining vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The taking of the pulses in Oriental and Ayurvedic medicine, along with facial diagnosis, studying the tongue, and the iris of the eyes, are all excellent ways of diagnosing what is happening in the body. , More moderate diets than simply raw foods or Macrobiotics work for most people.Whole grains are very grounding and contain most of the B-complex vitamins and other nutrients. Most people do well eating a whole-grain cereal or the whole grains themselves in the morning. This is because the grain is a complex carbohydrate and takes about eight hours to break down in the body. This process of breaking down helps keep the blood sugar up. Whole-grain breads are okay but do not have as many nutrients as the grains themselves. Vegetable maybe added to the grain; proteins like eggs, tofu or fish may also be eaten with the grain for a more substantial meal.Those with low blood sugar do well it they have some protein in the morning. As was mentioned previously, certain metabolic types that tend to accumulate mucus function better on a very light breakfast of vegetable juices or cooked vegetables or fruit (Kulvinskas 1975). The midday meal should be the largest meal, but this is not always possible for many people who work and bring their food to the office or have to eat at a restaurant. Midday meals should include some vegetables, whether in the form of soups, steamed, or raw in salads. Certain metabolic types and those with low blood sugar benefit from good protein at their midday meal.This may be eggs or fish (if they are eaten) or a soy product like tofu. (Dairy products like cheese tend to fo rm a lot of mucus and are responsible for many allergic conditions. They should be used primarily in the form of soured-milk products like yogurts, kefir, buttermilk, acidophilus cottage cheese, or a small amount of goat milk cheese). Some people need heavier food at midday – a grain or bread, or root vegetables like potatoes or squash. Dinner depends on what one has eaten for the midday meal. Ideally, dinner should be the lightest meal since one goes to sleep several hours afterwards.Digestive enzymes work best at midday; that is when our fire is at its greatest (the internal fire creates the enzymes that break down food). (Kulvinskas 1975). Steamed or raw vegetables should be included at dinner with some protein, grain or root vegetable. Heavy carbohydrates such as pasta, beans, and breads should be avoided, as well as heavy proteins and fatty foods like meats and dairy products. Fruits should be eaten separately as snacks in between meals unless it is an all-fruit meal. Fr uits can be very acid and are difficult to digest with other foods.Beverages are best after a meal as well, except for vegetable juices which may be drunk before a meal. Herbal teas and grain beverages should be served a short while after eating since the liquids wash away the digestive enzymes. Alcoholic beverage drunk with meals also have an acidic effect and may interfere with the digestive process. Alcoholic beverages in general are not particularly good for the liver and may interfere with bile production. Certain foods like vinegar, nutritional yeast, cranberries, raw spinach, raw green pepper, and tomatoes are very acidic and should be avoided.(Tomatoes may be used on occasion in a cooked sauce. ) Wheat products form a lot of mucus, and many people are allergic to them. Rye bread, corn bread, and other wheat less breads such as millet bread may be substitute. Rye flour, rice flour, buck wheat flour, and soy flour may be used in baking instead of whole wheat flour. A balanced diet includes whole grains at least once a day; vegetables, raw or cooked, twice a day; protein, once or twice a day; and fruit as a snack. If sweets are used, they should be made with honey, barley malt syrup, or rice syrup.Those with low blood sugar do best with the syrups made form grains because they have more complex carbohydrates. There are many cookies and candy bars where these syrups are used; many are also fruit-juice sweetened (Trum Hunter, 1971). For those who have certain food addictions and cravings, there are ways to balance the today and substitute healthier foods. Many people are used to drinking coffee in the morning and at other times of the day to wake them up. The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant to the nervous system, but it can make one very wired without really increasing vitality or energy.Herbs as gotu-kola or fo-ti which do, in fact, increase adrenal energy, can be used instead. If one likes the taste of coffee, there are grain beverages, such as Roma, Ca fix, or Pero, which are coffee substitutes; some of these even come in a package similar to coffee and can be used in drip coffeepots for a comparable taste. (Trum Hunter, 1971). Many people crave sugar, especially mid-afternoon when their energy drops. Usually if they eat as substantial breakfast with a cooked whole-grain product, blood sugar remains higher. Also, a pancreas glandular supplement after meal can help to stabilize the blood sugar.However, it is a good idea to have a mid-afternoon snack like a piece of fresh or some raw vegetables, nuts or seeds. If one wants something sweet, cookies or a candy bar with natural sweetening may be used. (Kulvinskas 1975). Variety in foods is a good principle to abide by in order to obtain nutrients and to avoid allergies. Eating a different grain every morning is a way to vary breakfasts. Using different vegetables for lunch and dinner and alternating the type of protein is another way to seek variety. The way foods are served may also a dd nutrition.Foods in combination with certain proteins produce essential amino acids; for example, adding seeds or tofu to a grain dish. Diet includes much more than the food itself. Diet includes the type of food we buy. Is it organic, or does it have chemical additives? Where was it grown? What kind of store was it bought in? all these factors affect the vibrational quality of the food we eat. How we prepare the food also affects it; if we are feeling angry or upset, it might be better to have a snack and wait until we feel more balanced. In fact, we will take in those angry vibrations with our food; this often is why people get indigestion.It is better to eat meals slowly in a relaxed atmosphere than at one’s desk of white driving to and from places. Food eaten in a relaxed atmosphere will be much more healing to our bodies than food, no matter how high the quality, eaten on the run. (Kulvinskas 1975). We are what we eat has been a much – overused statement. As spi ritual beings, we know we are more than our food intake. Perhaps we could change the statement to â€Å"We are how we eat. † How we eat reflects how we nurture ourselves and each other, and ultimately, how we treat our environment. Chemical Drama in the Cells What is a free radical?It is a molecule that has lots a vital piece of itself – one of its electrically charged electrons that orbit in pairs. To restore balance, the radical frantically steals an electron from nearby molecules or gives away the unpaired one. In so doing, it creates molecular mayhem, careening into the protein, fats and genetic DNA of cells, disfiguring and corroding them. If the target is fat, the radical can set off wildly destructive chain reactions that break down membranes, leaving cells to disintegrate. Upon meeting protein, the radical may shave off bits, destroying its ability to function.Hits on DNA, especially in the cells’ tiny power factories called mitochondria, cause mutations that incite cells to aberrant behavior: Over time, the free radical damage takes its toll by leaving the body aged and diseased (Kushi, 1977). Enter the saviors – antioxidants. Simply, an antioxidants is a chemical that can donate a sought-after electron to a free radical without becoming dangerous itself. Thus an antioxidant, meeting a radical, puts an end to its rampage of cellular and bodily destruction – the slow degeneration known as aging. (Kushi, 1977).How do scientists know that antioxidants can stop aging? The proof is not total because the theory has not been, and probably never can be, tested on generations of human. That many experiments with human cells and other species show the theory has biologically validity. Consider, for example, a recent thrilling experiment on fruit flies that, some say, offer absolute proof of the free radical theory of aging. If it can happen to fruit flies, it can happen to man. Experiments were done where scientists geneticall y altered a living creature so that it produced antioxidant enzymes to mop up free radicals.They presupposed such creatures lived longer and remain younger than identical creatures not treated to the antioxidant – bolstering gene. According to Earl Stastman, â€Å"chief of the laboratory of biochemistry at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and an authority on aging †It would be pretty good proof that free radicals foster aging and that stronger antioxidant defenses slow down aging. † That’s exactly happened to fruit flies in ground breaking experiments in 1994 by geneticists William Orr and Rajindar Sohal at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.Fruit flies is genetically engineered to have souped up antioxidant system exceeded there normal life spans by one third! Some even lived an unprecedented ninety-three days, setting a life span for fruit flies. (Complementary and Alternative Medicine). More exciting also was their youthful vigor into old age. Scientists watching the tiny flies under magnifying glasses instantly spot which had received the antioxidant-producing genes because they were â€Å"so much more vigorous. † They walked 10 to 20 percent faster than normal flies their age.Halfway through life most could walk one centimeter per second- a brisk pace for a young fruit fly. † In other words, the quality of life of the flies was better. They were stronger physiologically,† said Dr. Sohal (Complementary and Alternative Medicine). This is not to suggest that it’s time to insert such genes in humans but the experiment does dramatically prove the principle that an oversupply of an oxidants defenses in the body stretches life and vigor. For now, you must get antioxidants through your diet. But however they get into the cells of your body, they are apt to deter aging and prolong life.All life, after all, works on the same basic principles, says Dr. Harman. (Rohe, 1983). Conclusions Variety in foods is a good principle to abide by in order to obtain nutrients and to avoid allergies. Eating a different grain every morning is a way to vary breakfasts. Using different vegetables for lunch and dinner and alternating the type of protein is another way to seek variety. The way foods are served may also add nutrition. Foods in combination with certain proteins produce essential amino acids; for example, adding seeds or tofu to a grain dish.Holistic foods include much more than the food itself. Diet includes the type of food we buy. Is it organic, or does it have chemical additives? Where was it grown? What kind of store was it bought in? All these factors affect the vibrational quality of the food we eat. How we prepare the food also affects it; if we are feeling angry or upset, it might be better to have a snack and wait until we feel more balanced. In fact, we will take in those angry vibrations with our food; this often is why people get indigestion.It is better to eat meals slowly in a relaxed atmosphere than at one’s desk or while driving to and from places. Food eaten in a relaxed atmosphere will be much more healing to our bodies than food, no matter how high the quality, eaten on the run. We are what we eat has been a much-overused statement. We know we are more than our food intake. Perhaps, we could change the statement to â€Å"We are how we eat. † How we eat reflects how we nurture ourselves and each other, and ultimately, how we treat our environment. REFERENCES Complementary and Alternative Medicine.Retrieved April 16, 2007 at: http://www. aarp. org/health/staying_healthy/prevention/complementary_and_alternative_medicine. html Kulvinskas. V. (1975). Survival into the 21st Century (Woodstock Valley, CT: O’Mawgo D Press. p. 41. Kushi, M. (1977). The Book of Macrobiotics: The Universal Way of Health and Happiness (Tokyo: Japan Publications, Inc. p. 78 Rohe, F. (1983). The Complete Book of Natural Foods (Boulder, CO: Shambha la Pubns. P. 31 Trum Hunter, B. (1971). Consumer Beware. New York: Simon and Schuster, Inc. p. 114.