Conduct of Monetary Policy in Kuwait Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Conduct of Monetary Policy in Kuwait - Essay Example In order to accomplish these broad goals, CBK has been adept in controlling the level of the domestic money supply and different interest rates. During the fiscal year 2005-2006, the broad definition of money supply or M2 amounts to KD14524.7 which represents a double digit increase of 17.2% from its previous level. This growth represents the ballooning of both quasi-money (18.6%) and narrow money (13.5%). The increase in money supply is attributed to the increase in both CBK's net foreign assets by 31.1% and the net foreign assets of local banks by 14.4% (Annual Report 2005-06 15). The strict monitoring of interest rates is primarily attributed to CBK's efforts in "ensuring their consistency with the domestic economic and monetary developments (Annual Report 2005-06 16)" and "their alignment with trends in major currencies (Annual Report 2005-06 16)." In general, this is to enhance the competitiveness and attractiveness of Kuwaiti dinar relative to foreign currencies.

Role of War in Society Essay Example for Free

Role of War in Society Essay Both The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli and Utopia by Thomas Moore examine the role and the importance of war to maintain a strong and successful society. More (via Hythloday) believes that war should be the last option and is not needed in a safe and happy government without the help of auxiliaries and mercenaries while on the other hand, Machiavelli believes that war plays a crucial war in a prosperous and thriving society using other troops and people to avoid war. Machiavelle uses his belief that war is the way to have a strong successful government to shape the society of Italy while More uses the belief of peace and forbearance of war to shape his utopian society. More and Machiavelli have opposing opinions on the values and how the way it can maintain a stability and prosperity in a society. Machiavelli believes that power is attained in a government through the conquering of war and that good law and government follows naturally from good military as we can see in Chapter 12. â€Å"The presence of sound military forces indicates the presence of sound law† (Machiavelli 37). This shows that he believes that a strong developing state directly involves the conquering of war. He believed that successful war is the very foundation upon which all states are built. Machiavelli praises Alexandar the Great, Cyrus, Scipio and Caesar as leaders who gained power through their conquering wars. â€Å"Anyone who reads Xenophon’s life of Cyrus must realize how close Scipio modeled himself on Cyrus, how much that imitation contributed to his glory, and how closely he conformed, in temperance, affability, humanity, and liberty to the thing that Xenophon wrote about Cyrus† (Machiavelli 42). In contrast, More shows his views on war through the Utopians. â€Å"Nothing more inglorious than that glory that is gained by war (More 64). The Utopians viewed war as the last resort and would avoid it at all costs. They hated war and found no glory in the practice of killing others. They would only engage in war to protect themselves and their people, to defend allies, and to relieve oppression. â€Å"No man is to be esteemed our enemy that has never injured us; and that the partnership of the human nature is instead of a league. And that kindness and good-nature unite men more effectually and with greater strength than any agreements whatsoever; since thereby the engagements of mens hearts become stronger than the bond and obligation of words† (More 64). This shows that agreement and unity was very important to the Utopians and they would do anything just to maintain it. They would also try their best to preserve good terms with the people or societies around them. In Machiavelle, all of the issues in the government are in a military point of view because the successfulness in war is crucial to the preservation of the government. â€Å"A prince must have no other objective, no other thought, nor take up any profession but that of war, its methods and its discipline, for that is the only art expected of a ruler. And it is of such great value that it not only keeps hereditary princes in power, but often raises men of lowly condition to that rank† (More 40). Military defense and the strategies required are primary to conquer in war and therefore sustain a happy society. Machiavelle uses the Prince to communicate the importance of war to the audience. â€Å"As for physical training, apart from keeping his troops well disciplined and exercised, he should do a great deal of hunting, and thus harden his body to strenuous exercise, meanwhile learning to read terrain.† This shows that he believed that having brute force would help his army in war to conquer the enemy. War is also what helps a prince to attain power and fortune therefore military and war should be his main priority while ruling. â€Å"..in times of peace he should think about it even more than in wartime. He can do this in two ways, by training the body and training the mind. As for physical training, apart from keeping his troops well and disciplined and exercised, he should do a great deal of hunting, and this harden his body to strenuous exercise..† (Machievelle 41) Princes should always and only think about war especially in times of peace. They need to always be prepared and be in a good state to go to war at any time. â€Å"As for exercising the mind, a prince should read history and reflect on the actions of great men.† Princes should examine the tactics that the past rulers used and put them into action. He should learn from them and learn from both their successes and loses and put them as an example for himself. More in his utopian society would rather use cunning to win rather than brute force because he considered strength to be trait belonging to animals. Unlike Machiavelle, when war is made, the utopians would try to use any technique just to stop war. First one is propaganda in which they would secretly post posters in the enemy territory offering big rewards to people that would assassinate the enemy leaders. The second technique they would use is to promise the throne to the enemy’s rulers brother if he helps the utopians. They would never let things debase to the point where a massacre would occur and would prevent it by not destroying too much of the enemy’s land. nothing more inglorious than that glory that is gained by war â€Å" (More 64). This shows how much the utopians are against war and how much they want to avoid it because they believe that it can ruin their utopian society. Machievelle also believed that one using one own army is best as seen through the example of Cesare Borgia. â€Å"I am never reluctant to cite Cesare Borgia and his deeds. The duke entered the Romagna with auxiliary troops, consisting entirely of Frenchmen; and with them he took Imola and Forli. But then when he found they were not to be trusted, he adopted mercenaries as less dangerous, and hired the Orsini and Vitelli. When he found they too were undependable, treacherous, and dangerous to his service, he got rid of them, and turned to the troops of his own.† (Machievelle 38) The danger with the auxiliaries was because they will always be loyal to their ruler in the end and will probably wait to attack you. Mercenaries on the other hand are better than the auxiliaries but still possess characteristics that are tricky and untrustworthy. Therefore, in the end, Machievelle states that using one’s own troops is the best as Cesare Borgia did in the end. In contrast, the Utopians use spies and bribery to try to stop war. They believe that mercenaries and auxiliaries are tricky but at the same time useful. â€Å"Their second preference is to make use of troops belonging to the nation they are trying to defend; and after them, they enlist as auxiliaries squadrons drawn from their other allies. Lastly they enroll their own citizens. But they always appoint one of their own men who has demonstrated his military capacity to be commander in chief of the whole army.† (More 140) The utopians would do anything to avoid war and they usually would use troops of other nations to fight in war and their troops could be the last resort. They would also avoid fighting on their own land and give the best care to their citizens. A counterargument would be that if ever an intruder invades the Utopian society, war would be initiated. â€Å"For you’ll never find yourself at wat except by your own choice, and peace, not war, ought always to be your first priority† (More 66) Yes if peace cannot be made, war would have to be initiated in the Utopian society but even so, peace is always their foremost choice before they initiate anytime of violence or way on another society. In conclusion, Machievelle’s and More’s contrasting views on war and the strategies and tactics used in war serve one purpose which is to create a stable and prosperous society. Machievelle believes that war using one’s own army is the most crucial factor in maintaining a happy society while More argues that avoiding war using bribery and mercenaries is what the government should be doing no matter what kind of tactics are needed to be used.

Sythetic Weed Essay -- Drugs, Teenagers

Synthetic weed This is the best stuff ever you have to try it! This is what some kids would say to one another. They are talking about this drug named K2. It is becoming a trend in most teenagers. Teenagers are being admitted to the hospital more often now. They have found something that is legal and can buy around there home town or over the internet. Parents have never heard of this stuff before. It is scary to think that you cannot even tell if a child is taking K2 because there is no drug test to tell you. I think that K2 is worse than the real marijuana. There are symptoms that do come along with taking this drug as well as long term symptoms. Some people may feel that K2 is not as bad as marijuana. But here are the facts on marijuana. The most illegal drug in America is pot. Not always and not in everyone will pot effect people. When taken pot can trigger a mild euphoria and increased sensitivity to body sensations. Some people experience perceptual distortions and they are usually pleasant. The effects of pot usually climax within an hour or two and then tend to fade all at once in three to four hours. Pot isn’t a single molecule that is a drug like alcohol or cocaine. There is a mixture of about 400 different chemical elements. There are about 85 cannabinoids that are unique to pot. The main cannabinoid is THC that is the main chemical in marijuana that triggers the drugs actions and effects on the body. (A) Some people who smoke their brains have more receptors to the THC than other people and that will affect the experience the users will have with THC to get the high. (b) THC is the chemical that is like a bomb when it goes off but it makes you feel good, it breaks up into about 80 separate by... ...ad K2 is but K2 is the worst of the two. Even though marijuana has more chemicals and the high lasts long than K2, K2 has more symptoms that are more dangers. Such as the heart beating fast more than a minute like marijuana. Also K2 you are vomiting and kids are being taken to the hospital more often now. K2 also has the keys that lock into the receptors better than marijuana and that way you can get a better high. THC is weaker than the chemicals used in K2 also. All of this information shows that it is bad for you. Anything you put in your body that is a chemical has side effects and should be used with caution. The one thing that I wish they would do to stop kids from getting admitted to the hospitals is to inform the kids what they are getting themselves into. Kids think it is good because it is legal but they are not being informed on the dangers.

Needs Assessment Essay

Students desire more than paper and pencil lessons. According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), â€Å"Technology is driving change in the content of mathematics programs, in methods for mathematics instruction, and in the ways that mathematics is learned and assessed† (as cited in Van de Walle, 2004, p. 103). In this study, I want to investigate whether any differences occur in the overall effectiveness of student learning of fraction lessons when the information is presented using different types of visual media, in this case, computer versus overhead. The purpose of this study is to describe the impact of presenting fraction math lessons using computer based instruction versus overhead projection presentations. Eighth-grade math students will feel more engaged while receiving computer-based instruction versus eighth-grade students who receive overhead projection instruction. The participants are 12 math students at a Middle School. All of the students have basic computer skills. The twelve students are all eighth graders but their scores vary on the math section of the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) standardized test. However, the test scores in class show that students struggle with fraction problems. Twelve students will be randomly divided into groups; one group of six students will have computer-based instructions on solving problems involving fractions and percentages, compounded percentages and multiple discounts and the other group of six students will have lecture based instruction using the overhead and paper worksheets. â€Å"The logic of needs assessment can be summarized as a simple equation: desired status – actual status = need† (Dick, Carey, & Carey, 2005). Currently, the desired status is for the math students to score 80% on in-class fraction test. The actual status is that students are scoring between 69 – 70 %. The need is to improve the scores about ten points. Students become bored taking notes and looking at the overhead information. Students using the computer are forced to be actively engaged. Using student’s interest in present day technology gives both sides an advantage in obtaining educational success. The question that still remains is does it give students an edge over paper and pencil taught lessons? A high school in Texas, San Marcos High, put the questions to the test. Teachers were initially impressed with on-line lessons. However, during the assessment phase, it was hard to determine if students were guessing the answers to the multiple choice questions or answering the questions correctly. When questioned why the school chose to use the on-line based lessons, Mr. Darnall, the math department head, states â€Å"Both of us really thought it was a way to capture the students’ attention† (Trotter, 2007). According to Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction, â€Å"in order for any learning to take place, you must first capture the attention of the student† (Kruse, n. d. ). Computer based lessons will satisfy this event. The students will be studied in their own groups. Data collection method included pre-test and posttest, interviewing, and observing students. Data will be collected in the form of daily worksheets and graded test. Also, students will completed a questionnaire about how involved they felt in each lesson. Answers from the questionnaire provided insight into the level of comfort student’s felt in using visual media to learn fractions. Students were observed during each presentation to look for a degree of understanding or misunderstanding. Triangulation is essential to cross-check information and presents an accurate view of the results. Three types of data to allow for triangulation are observing, interviewing, and examining records. These instruments were appropriate because these factors support the action of ensuring that the students have the prerequisite knowledge to begin instruction and supports informing the students what they will learn ( Dick, et al, 2005). Data will be analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics for measures of central tendency (mean, mode, median) and variability (standard deviation) (Gay, Mills, & Airasian, 2006). Interviews will be analyzed by grouping similar responses into clusters that address the same issue and develop total scores across an item cluster (Gay et al, 2006). References Dick, W. , Carey, L. , & Carey, J. O. (2005). The systematic design of instruction (6th ed). Allyn & Bacon. Gay, L. R. , Mills, G. E. , & Airasian, P.(2006). Educational research: Competencies for Analysis and applications (8th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Kruse, K. (n. d. ). Gagne’s nine events of instruction: An introduction. Retrieved February 23, 2008, from http://www. e-learningguru. com/articles/art3_3. htm Trotter, A. (May 9, 2007). School subtracts math text to add e-lessons, test. Education Week. 26(36), 10-11. Van De Walle, J. A. (2004). Elementary and middle school mathematics: Teaching Developmentally. MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Deception Point Page 11

Now Rachel was impressed. The President had protected himself with typical Herney aplomb. By hiring the ultimate team of skeptics – outsiders who had nothing to gain by confirming the NASA discovery – Herney had immunized himself against suspicions that this might be a desperate NASA ploy to justify its budget, reelect their NASA-friendly President, and ward off Senator Sexton's attacks. â€Å"Tonight at eight P.M.,† Herney said, â€Å"I will be calling a press conference at the White House to announce this discovery to the world.† Rachel felt frustrated. Herney had essentially told her nothing. â€Å"And this discovery is what, precisely?† The President smiled. â€Å"You will find patience a virtue today. This discovery is something you need to see for yourself. I need you to understand this situation fully before we proceed. The administrator of NASA is waiting to brief you. He will tell you everything you need to know. Afterward, you and I will further discuss your role.† Rachel sensed an impending drama in the President's eyes and recalled Pickering's hunch that the White House had something up its sleeve. Pickering, it appeared, was right, as usual. Herney motioned to a nearby airplane hangar. â€Å"Follow me,† he said, walking toward it. Rachel followed, confused. The building before them had no windows, and its towering bay doors were sealed. The only access seemed to be a small entryway on the side. The door was ajar. The President guided Rachel to within a few feet of the door and stopped. â€Å"End of the line for me,† he said, motioning to the door. â€Å"You go through there.† Rachel hesitated. â€Å"You're not coming?† â€Å"I need to return to the White House. I'll speak to you shortly. Do you have a cellphone?† â€Å"Of course, sir.† â€Å"Give it to me.† Rachel produced her phone and handed it to him, assuming he intended to program a private contact number into it. Instead, he slipped her phone into his pocket. â€Å"You're now off-the-grid,† the President said. â€Å"All your responsibilities at work have been covered. You will not speak to anyone else today without express permission from myself or the NASA administrator. Do you understand?† Rachel stared. Did the President just steal my cell-phone? â€Å"After the administrator briefs you on the discovery, he will put you in contact with me via secure channels. I'll talk to you soon. Good luck.† Rachel looked at the hangar door and felt a growing uneasiness. President Herney put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and nodded toward the door. â€Å"I assure you, Rachel, you will not regret assisting me in this matter.† Without another word, the President strode toward the PaveHawk that had brought Rachel in. He climbed aboard, and took off. He never once looked back. 12 Rachel Sexton stood alone on the threshold of the isolated Wallops hangar and peered into the blackness beyond. She felt like she was on the cusp of another world. A cool and musty breeze flowed outward from the cavernous interior, as if the building were breathing. â€Å"Hello?† she called out, her voice wavering slightly. Silence. With rising trepidation, she stepped over the threshold. Her vision went blank for an instant as her eyes became accustomed to the dimness. â€Å"Ms. Sexton, I presume?† a man's voice said, only yards away. Rachel jumped, wheeling toward the sound. â€Å"Yes, sir.† The hazy shape of a man approached. As Rachel's vision cleared, she found herself standing face to face with a young, stone-jawed buck in a NASA flight suit. His body was fit and muscle-bound, his chest bedecked with patches. â€Å"Commander Wayne Loosigian,† the man said. â€Å"Sorry if I startled you, ma'am. It's pretty dark in here. I haven't had a chance to open the bay doors yet.† Before Rachel could respond, the man added, â€Å"It will be my honor to be your pilot this morning.† â€Å"Pilot?† Rachel stared at the man. I just had a pilot. â€Å"I'm here to see the administrator.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am. My orders are to transport you to him immediately.† It took a moment for the statement to sink in. When it hit her, she felt a stab of deceit. Apparently, her travels were not over. â€Å"Where is the administrator?† Rachel demanded, wary now. â€Å"I do not have that information,† the pilot replied. â€Å"I will receive his coordinates after we are airborne.† Rachel sensed that the man was telling the truth. Apparently she and Director Pickering were not the only two people being kept in the dark this morning. The President was taking the issue of security very seriously, and Rachel felt embarrassed by how quickly and effortlessly the President had taken her â€Å"off-the-grid.† Half an hour in the field, and I'm already stripped of all communication, and my director has no idea where I am. Standing now before her stiff-backed NASA pilot, Rachel had little doubt her morning plans were cast in stone. This carnival ride was leaving with Rachel onboard whether she liked it or not. The only question was where it was headed. The pilot strode over to the wall and pressed a button. The far side of the hangar began sliding loudly to one side. Light poured in from the outside, silhouetting a large object in the center of the hangar. Rachel's mouth fell open. God help me. There in the middle of the hangar stood a ferocious-looking black fighter jet. It was the most streamlined aircraft Rachel had ever seen. â€Å"You are joking,† she said. â€Å"Common first reaction, ma'am, but the F-14 Tomcat Split-tail is a highly proven craft.† It's a missile with wings. The pilot led Rachel toward his craft. He motioned to the dual cockpit. â€Å"You'll be riding in back.† â€Å"Really?† She gave him a tight smile. â€Å"And here I thought you wanted me to drive.† After donning a thermal flight suit over her clothes, Rachel found herself climbing into the cockpit. Awkwardly, she wedged her hips into the narrow seat. â€Å"NASA obviously has no fat-assed pilots,† she said. The pilot gave a grin as he helped Rachel buckle herself in. Then he slid a helmet over her head. â€Å"We'll be flying pretty high,† he said. â€Å"You'll want oxygen.† He pulled an oxygen mask from the side dash and began snapping it onto her helmet. â€Å"I can manage,† Rachel said, reaching up and taking over. â€Å"Of course, ma'am.† Rachel fumbled with the molded mouthpiece and then finally snapped it onto her helmet. The mask's fit was surprisingly awkward and uncomfortable. The commander stared at her for a long moment, looking vaguely amused. â€Å"Is something wrong?† she demanded. â€Å"Not at all, ma'am.† He seemed to be hiding a smirk. â€Å"Hack sacks are under your seat. Most people get sick their first time in a split-tail.† â€Å"I should be fine,† Rachel assured him, her voice muffled by the smothering fit of the mask. â€Å"I'm not prone to motion sickness.† The pilot shrugged. â€Å"A lot of Navy Seals say the same thing, and I've cleaned plenty of Seal puke out of my cockpit.† She nodded weakly. Lovely. â€Å"Any questions before we go?† Rachel hesitated a moment and then tapped on the mouthpiece cutting into her chin. â€Å"It's cutting off my circulation. How do you wear these things on long flights?† The pilot smiled patiently. â€Å"Well, ma'am, we don't usually wear them upside down.† Poised at the end of the runway, engines throbbing beneath her, Rachel felt like a bullet in a gun waiting for someone to pull the trigger. When the pilot pushed the throttle forward, the Tomcat's twin Lockheed 345 engines roared to life, and the entire world shook. The brakes released, and Rachel slammed backward in her seat. The jet tore down the runway and lifted off within a matter of seconds. Outside, the earth dropped away at a dizzying rate.