Public Education Campaign on Water Conservation Research Paper

Public Education Campaign on Water Conservation - Research Paper Example Most of the efforts on water conservation have been conducted in the urban areas, particularly in the residential sector. According to Woodhouse (2009), the option of increasing the cost of water would not be viable in conserving water in these regions because the current cost is already considered high and demand for water tends to be inelastic. Hence, a voluntary approach has to be adopted through education. This paper analyzes some of the common practices of water conservation giving the benefits that result from these practices. Adopting the planning strategy suggested by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, UNESCAP (2002), this paper suggests the planning process for a campaign aimed at educating the public on water conservation supported by arguments from other scholarly journals and books. Introduction The security of freshwater continues to be a critical issue globally due to the increase in usage of limited resources by the increasing popul ation with subsequent decrease in availability. The unavailability of freshwater has been largely attributed to increase in pollution, deforestation and inadequate management (Zobeck & Schillinger, 2010). Therefore, to secure a sustainable future with water, there would be the need to improve the efficiency in water supply and usage. According to the UNESCAP (2002), water conservation describes the action taken to ensure efficient usage of water. It could be accomplished either by conserving water resources through efficient storage, transfer and management of raw water or by conserving water supply, which includes consumption without wastage and minimal losses in distribution. From ancient days, various methods for water conservation have been adopted. Canals were constructed so as to convey water to farm lands to improve crop production. This would mostly be accompanied by construction of reservoirs to retain water for future usage, be it agricultural or domestic use. Construction of terraces reduced runoffs while plowed fallowing, deep plowing and contouring ensured retention of moisture particularly in farm lands. Recognizing water capture as â€Å"the first step in water conservation,† Zobeck and Schillinger (2010, p. 3) argue that frequent plowing would, however, make the land devoid of moisture. Practices such as stubble-mulch tillage that emphasized the importance of covering the surface were adopted as water conservation mechanisms. Modern conservation measures include use of water saving appliances and devices such as showers and faucets, toilets, dishwashers, pressure reducing valves and insulated hot water pipes (Green, 2010). Behavioral practices of water conservation include turning off the water when brushing teeth and reducing the amount of water used per person when showering. Other approaches include operational methods where leakages would be detected in time and repaired; financial methods that include deterrent pricing of water tari ffs; and socio-political methods that include public education and legislation. The benefits to be gained from water conservation campaigns are unlimited, with Green (2010) noting that with increased budget allocation to such campaigns, there would be quantitative demand reduction which would lead to documentation of the benefit of the program. These campaigns would make the saved water available to the less privileged that do not have sustainable access to services of water supply. Zobeck and Schillinger (2010) note that adoption of water conservation measures play a critical role in promoting agriculture by curbing erosion and controlling weeds. Nonetheless, scholars concur on water conservati

How to Take Care a Dachshund Essay Example for Free

How to Take Care a Dachshund Essay 1. Learn how to hold your dachshund. You cant hold them like normal dogs because of their long backs. Hold their ends while supporting their back with your other hand. Although its an awkward position at first, after a while you will get used to it. Practice with something light first because you may hurt your dachshund. Make sure you never hold them by their paws or head. 2. Dont let them climb stairs or go down stairs. When dachshunds climb stairs, it puts pressure on their backs because of their height. Their backs bend the wrong way. When they go down stairs, a lot of pressure is placed on the discs with each step. Always carry them when youd like them to come upstairs or downstairs. a. Put a baby gate up to keep them off the stairs and from being their naturally-curious selves. 3. Get a light leash. If your dachshunds leash is too heavy, you will end up lugging the dog around the block instead of taking him for a walk. Make sure that your leash is made out of light material, and that the metal clips arent too big. A good choice of a leash is one specifically made for smaller dogs. 4. House train them. Start off with getting them to urinate on eco friendly puppy pads or newspaper. Then, gradually put less and less newspaper on the floor. Once all the paper is gone, take them for walks. Reward them if they do their business. Whenever they mark their territory outside, say, Good dog, good duty. Good Fito. Of course, replace Fito with your dogs name. b. Make sure that when you reward them, you say their name along with good dog. This makes them associate their name with good dog, so theyll consider themselves a good dog. c. If you punish your dog, dont say their name along with bad dog. This will make them believe their name means bad dog, which is not a good thing. 5. Brush their teeth. Start off by rubbing their teeth with meat. (It sounds weird, of course!) This will make them comfortable with your hands in their mouth. Then use dog toothpaste. This must be done at a young age. 6. Give them toys. This is especially important while your dog is teething. Theyll want to chew on something, and if you dont supply them, theyll pick a nice Italian shoe out of your closet instead. 7. Let your dog run. Because of their short legs, they need to run around often. If they do not exercise, they will become overweight. This is especially bad for dachshunds because their stomachs weigh down their backs. If your dachshund becomes obese, they will most likely encounter back problems as well. 8. Dont let your dachshund jump. Even though it may look extremely cute, this is also bad for their backs. If they can stand up on their hind legs, this is okay. If they jump very high and fall back down, dont let them do it. d. Dont let them sit up on their hindquarters. Again, its very cute, but it puts a lot of pressure on the discs in the back. 9. Clip you dogs nails. Buy a special tool for this, since you dont want to hit the quick. If you dont think you can do this, leave it to the vet. 10. Wash your dog. Use special dog shampoo for this. Unless your dog has a skin problem, there is no need to wash him or her other than for your own enjoyment, although its probably also good for your dachs. Shoot to wash him or her every couple of months. 11. Brush your dog. Make sure you pay special attention to the stomach and ears. Make sure your dog doesnt get matted hair, as they are painful to your dog and hard to remove. 12. Do stuff with your dachshund! If you are interested in any dog sports, get your dachshund into them! Dachshunds can compete in conformation, agility, obedience, flyball, and much more! Dachshund Diet 1. Talk with your vet. Dachshunds need a special diet to maintain a healthy weight and a happy pup! The first week you get your dachshund, you should always go to the vet and get a checkup. While you are there, you should discuss what type of food your dachshund will be eating. * Make sure your commercial brand of dog food is not purchased at a grocery store! Most of the time, brands of dog food at grocery stores have a high fat content, high sodium content, and lots of preservatives and artificial flavors. You should purchase your dog food online from a trusted website or from your local pet supply and specialty store. * Which brand to choose is the hard question. Make sure your brand of food has no animal byproducts or artificial flavoring. You should try to steer clear of foods with corn and soy also. * Select a higher-quality brand. Better brands of dog food are usually more expensive, but that is not always the case. You may want to choose a brand of food that is formulated especially for dachshunds. Recommended brands of food are Fromm, Blue Buffalo, and Organix. There is also The Honest Kitchen and Dick Van Patterns Natural Balance. Last but not least, if you would like to purchase a food specially formulated for your dachshie, there is Eukanuba Dachshund Formula. * Look at the nutrition label, if the first and main ingredient isnt meat, it probably isnt the best food for any breed of dog. 2. Consider commercial brands. If you and your vet discuss it, and you decide to get a commercial brand of food, choose wisely. There are many brands of food out there, and some of them are very good, and others are very bad. 3. Never let your dachshund become overweight. This greatly increases the risk of IVDD (disc disease) and paralysis. If your dachs puts on weight, replace some of her food with canned pure pumpkin, which will help her to lose enough weight so that she has a nice, tucked waist. Tips * Discourage them from bad behaviors (nipping, barking, scratching, etc.) * Buy a comfortable harness or collar for your dog that is light. Make sure its not too tight. * Make sure to schedule regular vet appointments (two a year) to make sure your dog is up to date on exams and shots! * Give your dachshund lots of space if it is eating a bone. * Praise your dachshund if he or she does a very good job. And if it is working hard on something hard (like a treasure hunt) encourage your dachshund to do a good job. * Freeze Dried foods like Grandma Lucys are a great choice since they are high in protein, but low in fat and carbs. * Talk to your dachshund in a sing-song voice (if it is blind) Warnings * Only use special dog toothpaste when you brush your dachshunds teeth. * Take your dachshund to the vet every six months, even if there are no symptoms of disease. Dachshunds need their routine vaccinations, or just a checkup! * Dont let your dachshund get overweight, this can cause major back and health problems. * An unsocialized dachshund is not pleasant; get your dachshie socialized with other dogs and people! * Dachshunds nails are always dark, so be very careful when cutting them. Try not to hit the qwick (blood vessel in nail). * Consider buying health insurance for your pet. Dachshunds can be bold and daring a trait that can get them in trouble, often resulting in the two options: surgery or putting the dog down.

Definition Of Test Types Of Test Education Essay

Definition Of Test Types Of Test Education Essay This chapter provides an overview of the theories related to the study concerning with items test analysis. To be more specific, the review of related literature discusses about: definition of test, types of test, achievement test, summative test, English test of Tes Kendali Mutu, aspects in developing a test, validity in language testing, content validity, the school based curriculum, items test analysis, difficulty level, discrimination power, distractor function, and theoretical framework. Definition of Test A test supposed to be able to measure learning outcome which distinguish the every single students ability between students already mastered and not yet the learning material. Therefore, testing is one of the powerful tools to measure students abilities as well as enhance their attitudes towards learning. This notion is supported by Hughes (2003) stated that a test is a tool to measure language proficiency of students. Brown (2004:3) stated that a test is a method of measuring a persons ability knowledge, or performance in a given domain. In the same line, Anthony J Nitko (1983:6) defined test is systematic procedure for observing and describing one or more characteristics of person with the aid of either a numerical of category system. Based on Cronbach in Azwar (2005) defined a test is a systematic procedure for observing a persons behavior and describing it with the aid of a numerical scale or category system. In short, a test as an instrument of evaluation is a systematic procedure of description, collection and interpretation in order to measure the test takers achievement ability, knowledge, and performance what they have been learned in learning process and to get a value judgment. The purpose of a test is able to give the valid information on the students abilities and knowledge. Hence, the successfulness of the teaching and learning can be seen in the tests results. Types of Test A test can be classified based on the types of information they provide. Based on Wilmar Tinambunan in his book with the entitled Evaluation of Students Achievement (1998: 7-9), the four types of test are placement test, formative test, diagnostic test, and summative test. The language tests have different kinds of purposes. Baily (1998) hold that there are eight kinds of language assessment. They are aptitude test, language dominance test, proficiency test, admission test, placement test, diagnostic test, progress test, and achievement test. Based on different classification of several types of tests described from any experts of language testing depending on variable purposes in testing if related to this study that the types of tests that will be reviewed and used is achievement test and summative test. Achievement Test Achievement test are directly related to language courses, their purposes being to establish how successful individual students, groups of students, or the courses themselves have been achieving objectives. In the book of Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics that written by Jack C. Richard (1992:3), he said that an achievement test is a test which measures how much of a language someone has learned with reference to particular course of study or program of instruction. In the same line, Brown (2004) defined an achievement test is to see how far students achieve materials addressed in a curriculum within a particular time frame. It means that an achievement test is to measuring students achievement learning outcome which is administered at the end of course of study. The scope of test content must that represents the course they are concerned. Summative Test Summative test is an achievement test administrated at the end of a course or unit of instruction. Brown (2004) mentioned that final exam in a course is example of summative test. Summative test is intended to show the standard that the students have now reached in relation to other students at the same stage. Thus summative test is conducted to find out overall learning outcome after set of learning units program already done. Summative test is commonly designed based on subject matter that had been already taught for one semester. Consequences of a test that emphasize the overall learning outcomes is its substance of scope involve all of material have been delivered. The result of summative test is to determine successful in learning and teaching, whether or not the students are able to follow the higher level of next instruction program, and students progress. In the final, the level of success rate is stated with a score or value which written in the form of report card. English test of Tes Kendali Mutu Tes Kendali Mutu is a name of appliance evaluates administered at SMKN 26 Jakarta after teaching and learning process for measuring how far purpose of students learning and teachers teaching achievement reached. As in final semester examination, according to Regulation Minister of National Education No. 20/2007, it is carried out to measure students competency achievement at the end of the semester. It can be said that Tes Kendali Mutu is administrated at each final in learning and teaching process in the period one semester and its scope includes all the indicators that represent all the basic competence at that semester. All groups of subject are tested in order to evaluate learning outcome including an English subject. The format of English test of Tes Kendali Mutu of first grade school year 2011/2012 at SMKN 26 Jakarta is written test with objective multiple choice items. Total number English items test of Tes Kendali Mutu is 50 items test which including listening and reading sk ill. Listening skill consists of 15 items test number and reading skill consists of 35 items test number. In reading skill, there are three reading section which consists of first section was 15 incomplete short dialogue items; second section was 5 items error recognition; and third section was 15 questions of reading comprehension which divided into different 5 of reading texts. Aspects in Developing a Test In order to know criteria of a good test for measuring students ability has been reached in learning process, a test as an instrument of evaluation has to meet requirements the validity, reliability, and practicality. As stated by Brown (2004), there are three important aspects should reflect in a test, namely validity, reliability, and practicality. Gronlund (1998) pointed out that validity is the extent to which inferences made from assessment results are appropriate, meaningful and useful in terms of the purpose of the assessment. Validity has to do with the information that the uses in class, it has to be appropriate for the students level, the purpose of the class, and if the meaning of the materials used in class are for the students. In term of achievement test, it can be valid if it is accurate, authentic or valid has been able to measure students learning outcomes achieved, after they achieved the learning process in a certain period. Reliability is consistent and dependable . A test is called reliable if the same test is given to the same students on two different occasions and its tests should yield similar results. Practicality means an effective test. A test should be efficient and easy to be implemented. Since the focus of analysis was merely on one aspect of language test, it did not require to be observed as in the other aspects as reliability and practicality Validity in Language Testing Validity is the most important characteristic of a test or assessment technique because it measures what it purports to measure. Without good validity, all else is lost. In the J.B. Heatons book, Writing English Language Test (1998:153), Heaton said that the validity of a test is the extent to which it measures what it is supposed to measure and nothing else. For example, if the teacher wants to measure the speaking skills, the test that is developed must be able to measure the ability to speak, not writing skills. Further, as insisted by Gronlund in Brown (2004: 22) the extent to which inferences made from assessment result are appropriate, meaningful, and useful in terms of the purpose of the assessment. There is no final absolute to measure the validity of a test established but several different kinds of evidence may be invoked in support. Arikunto (2006:65) mentioned two types of validity. They are empirical validity and logical validity. Empirical validity is as same as quantit ative analysis. It consists of concurrent validity and predictive validity whereas the logical validity consists of content validity and construct validity. However, the writer only focused its investigating on content validation because this study dealt with logical validity that is a way of reviewing in rational by using descriptive analysis method and thus got involved with qualitative inquiries. Beside, because of the limitation in time and the other aspects in validity need the expert judges. Content Validity A test has content validity that relates the evidence to the content of the test. The content is related to the goal of what has been taught. Fulcher Davidson (2007) defined content validity as any attempt to show that the content of the test is a representative sample from the domain that is to be tested. In the same line, Hughes (2003) said that a test is said to have content validity if its content constitutes a representative sample of language skills and structures, etc. with which meant to be concerned. For example, a grammar tests, it must be made up of items relating to the knowledge or control of grammar. In relation to tests content validity in this study, tests content should be tested in accordance with the target competencies which reflected on Standar Kompetensi-Kompetensi Dasar in view of the school based curriculum to be achieved. These Standar Kompetensi-Kompetensi Dasar broken down into skills or behaviors that can be measured called indicator. In short, content validity is arranged based on the content in subject that evaluated. Because those subjects are taught written in curriculum, it can be often called curricular validity. According to John A. Upshur (1996:63), content-related evidence of validity is assessed logically by carefully and systematically examining whether the method and content of the assessment procedure are representative of the kinds of language skill. It means that evidence of content-related validity requires the panel discussion as primary method to determine whether a test has content validity or not. In the panel discussion, the expert judges who considered having knowledgeable to do with the subjects tested. They asked to make judgments about the appropriateness of each item and overall coverage of the domain. The School Based Curriculum As cited in the National Education Standards (SNP) section 1 (15), School Based Curriculum is operational curriculum that developed and implemented by each educational unit. The developing of curriculum conducted by each educational unit has to follow based on the standard competence and the basic competence which is designed by Badan Standar Nasional Pendidikan (BSNP). It means that each educational unit is given the authorities in developing their curriculum. Its curriculum is designed as a reference in using the materials, teaching and learning techniques. Based on Regulation Minister of National Education no. 41/2007, The standard competence means minimum competency qualification for student which show mastery of knowledge, behavior, and skill of student which expected to be achieved in each level and/or each semester of certain subject whereas the basic competence means as a number of abilities that should be mastered by students in certain subject as a reference in developing i ndicator of competency. Based on the school based curriculum, the standard competences and the basic competences of English in Vocational High School is divided into three different level which are level novice, level elementary, and level intermediate. In relation to this study, there is one Standard Competence and eight Basic Competences of English in Vocational High School for Level Novice. The Standard Competence is Berkomunikasi dengan Bahasa Inggris setara Level Novice. Then, the eight Basic Competences of English in Vocational High School for Level Novice are 1.1 Memahami ungkapan-ungkapan dasar pada interaksi sosial untuk kepentingan kehidupan; 1.2 Menyebutkan benda-benda, orang, ciri-ciri, waktu, hari, bulan, dan tahun; 1.3 Mendeskripsikan benda-benda, orang, ciri-ciri, waktu, hari, bulan, dan tahun; 1.4 Menghasilkan tuturan sederhana yang cukup untuk fungsi-fungsi dasar; 1.5 Menjelaskan secara sederhana kegiatan yang sedang terjadi; 1.6 Memahami memo dan menu sederhana, jadwal perjalanan kendaraan umum, dan rambu-rambu lalu lintas; 1.7 Memahami kata-kata dan istilah asing serta kalimat sederhana berdasarkan rumus; and 1.8 Menuliskan undangan sederhana. The English subject itself put in the adaptive group that provides students the ability in the English communication in the context of material related to the majors need either spoken or written. Also, English subject also directs students to be able in speaking in daily communication based on global requirement and developing communication at higher level. As stated in the curriculum that English subject aim for the learners to master basic knowledge and skills to support the achievement of English language competency skills program and apply skills and mastery of English language skills to communicate both verbally and written at the intermediate level. Items Test Analysis The activity aims at increasing quality of a test called item test analysis. Nitko (1996:308) stated that item analysis refers to the process of collecting, summarizing, and using information about individual test items especially information about pupils response to items. Item test analysis is used to identify quality of the test whether it is good, low or not good. As stated by Anastasi and Urbina (1997:184), the main aim of item analysis of the teacher made test is to identify its deficiencies. In conducting item test analysis, two methods are able to be used, namely qualitative and quantitative analysis. As stated by Suyata (2009:16), items test can be analyzed by quantitative or empirical and qualitative or theoretical. Item test analysis in terms of qualitative covers the content of a test while difficulty level, discrimination power and distractors function involved quantitative analysis. In the same line, Purwanto (1992) said that by making analysis, it can be known the impo rtant things of every single item obtained, the extent to which difficulty level, whether item has discrimination power, and whether all alternative answer (options) attract the answer. The more explanation about difficulty level, discrimination power, and distractors function are as below: Difficulty Level Aiken (1994: 66) said that Difficulty Level is the opportunity correct answer a question at a certain skill level. It is usually expressed in the form of an index which has proportion range 0,00 1,00. If the item test has 0,00 of Difficulty Level Index, it means that no students who answer correctly. While if the item test has 1,00 of Difficulty Level Index, it means that student can answer correctly. In short, the higher of Difficulty Level Index, the easier of item test is understood and vice versa. Based on Crocker Algina (1986) in calculating the item difficulty, divide the number of people answering the item correctly by the total number of people answering item. The proportion for the item is usually denoted as P and is called item difficulty. Arikunto (2006:207) explained that a good test is about not too easy or too difficult. The easy test is not able to stimulate students learning. Contrary, the difficult test is able to make students desperate because of out of their rea ch. As cited by Departemen Pendidikan Nasional, Direktorat Jendral Manajemen Pendidikan Dasar dan Menengah, Direktorat Pembinaan Sekolah Menengah Atas (2008) in Panduan Analisis Butir Soal, The prediction information about the easy item test is as follow: The distractor function doesnt work well, Most students answer those item tests correctly; it means most students have understood the content in question. The prediction information about the difficult item test is as follow: Item tests maybe have mistake a key answer, Item tests have two or more the correct answers, The content in question hasnt been taught yet or hasnt finished in its learning so that the minimum competency student have doesnt achieved yet, Unsuitable measured content using format given in the item test, Statement or item sentence is too complex and long. Discrimination Power Discrimination Power refers to measurement of the extent of the ability of items of achievement test to distinguish between students high answers and students low answers based on criteria. This notion is supported by Arikunto (2006:211), Discrimination Power is items ability to distinguish between students who are good and low capable. The proportion range of Discrimination Power Index is from -1,00 to +1,00. The higher of Discrimination Power Index, the more capable the item test distinguish between students who had already understood and hadnt already understood the content. An item test has negative Discrimination Power Index ( As cited by Departemen Pendidikan Nasional, Direktorat Jendral Manajemen Pendidikan Dasar dan Menengah, Direktorat Pembinaan Sekolah Menengah Atas (2008) in Panduan Analisis Butir Soal, The prediction information about disability item test to distinguish lower and upper student group is as follow: Inappropriate key answer of item Item tests have two or more the correct answers Unclear of measured competency The distractor function doesnt work well, The content in question is too difficult, so many students are guessing. Distractors Function Distractor function is meant to know work or not the answer of item. Arikunto (2006:220) stated a distractor function works well if it at least selected 5% by test taker. This analysis is only used to analyze multiple choice item tests. Theoretical Framework In order to answer the research questions of this study, English items test analysis of Tes Kendali Mutu of first grade school year 2011/2012 at SMKN 26 Jakarta is reviewed in terms of: (1) the relevance of English items tests content to the school based curriculum for level novice of Vocational High School; (2) validity; (3) difficulty level; (4) discrimination power; and (5) the distractor function. In relation to tests content validity in this study, qualitative analysis is used by analyzing items test in reference to the aspects of test validity. Measuring the validity of a test, the English items test of Tes Kendali Mutu must contain proper sample of relevant material in learning. The relevant material in learning can be found in the syllabus and curriculum for level novice of Vocational High School which is School-based Curriculum (KTSP). In order to answer whether English test of Tes Kendali Mutu has content validity, the writer needs Standar Kompetensi and Kompetensi Dasar in the school based curriculum to compare and match its items with the relevant syllabus and curriculum. Furthermore, in order to support in answering the research question of this study, quantitative was conducted by using classical items test analysis through multiple choice test involving Difficulty Level, Discrimination Power, Distractor Function, and Validity. They are also considered to fulfill requirement criteria of quality a good test.

Marion Barry :: essays research papers fc

Marion Barry, good mayor but bad man. Marion Barry former Mayor of the United States capital. Most known in America for his "Bitch set me up", video taped, Ramada Inn arrest. Charged with possession of a controlled substance, he was still reelected in 1994. This proving Mayor Barry was respected by many Washington citizens and a good Mayor. Marion Barry was possibly a great man with great intentions but weaknesses to sex, drugs, racism and pressures of the position of taking care of a city. Marion Barry born in Mississippi 1936. Raised in a poor family with a yearly income of $250, Marion grew a hatred for the white ruled society around him. Wanting so much more than what he had Marion always struggled to earn as much money as he could. Marion had many jobs as a teenager and teachers often understood he was a very hardworking individual. Barry always stayed out of crime devoting himself to hard work at school and work. (Agronsky 79-85) Upon graduating from high school the same year of the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas Supreme Court case, Marion would be the first Barry to attend college (Agronsky 87). Growing up in the desegregation period of America shaped the racially focused person Marion Barry became. Marion Barry attended LeMoyne College in South-Memphis were he majored in Chemistry. Teachers and Students alike agree he studied Chemistry to be different from the rest of black students attending LeMoyne (Agronsky 87). Marion claims to have had very different values than others brought up in the same area as he and he was always an individual (Agronsky 88). Unlike many black students in the fifties Marion was very driven by a struggle for civil rights and racial equality. When LeMoyne trustee Walter Chandler made several anti-integration statements Marion took his first action against racism. He wrote a letter to the school newspaper demanding Chandler's resignation. The letter was eventuall y reprinted in several Memphis newspapers. Upon reading the letter the NAACP executive Roy Akins stepped in and Prendergast 2 heralded Marion as "one of the most righteous young men in Memphis!" (Agronsky 91). Even though the college was not very happy about Barry's remarks, the students and people of Memphis regarded him as a hero and a hope in the new civil rights movement "sweeping the south" (Agronsky 93). (Agronsky 90-93) While getting his Master's Degree in Chemistry at Fisk University in Nashville, Marion Barry would continue the struggle for integration.

Holy Spirit and Servant Evangelism Essay

In thinking of what I have learned through this course, I am forced to admit I have always known the importance of being an active witness. I was not raised in church and developed â€Å"unbelief† in God through my teenage years. When I was saved, I was radically saved. The Lord became real to me and I told everyone I knew what the Lord had done for me. So excited was I about my newfound salvation and faith in God, I believe that I may have turned off some of my friends. One friend in particular was under such conviction that his internal struggle was very plain outwardly on his face, and yet he would not take the final step of surrender; possibly because I had been too excited and frightened him off. Early Experiences Today I have certainly not lost my joy, but I have learned a few things on how to be patient and wait on the prodding of the Lord instead of always jumping into a situation with Gospel guns blazing. Of course there is no joy like the joy of leading someone to the Lord. The oldest and probably one of the most exciting encounters I have had with someone was a 67 year old man who had a reputation of drinking too much. He had visited our church on occasion and one Monday night, a deacon from our church and I went to this man’s house and visited with him. We talked about the weather and other unimportant things. When I felt the time was right, I asked him how he felt when he came to church. He admitted he felt that people stared at him and made him very uncomfortable. I felt in my spirit that it was nothing more than conviction he really felt. I asked him if he were to die tonight, would he go to heaven? He answered, â€Å"No†. I asked if I could share just a few verses with him and he agreed. I employed the Share Jesus without Fear method. I have used this method many times because I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit using the actual Word of God read out loud. We went through the verses. He agreed he was a sinner, he agreed he needed a Saviour, and he said he was ready to accept Him into his life. He prayed a heart-felt prayer and stood up born-again at 67 years old. Not all my experiences are exactly positive, however. The first time I tried to share the good news of salvation in Jesus with one of my closest friends, he laughed at me, told me I was crazy, and that it wouldn’t last. Initially it hurt, but I recalled the scripture from Acts 5:41 which says, And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. I left my friend with such an overwhelming feeling of joy that I was counted worthy to suffer a little shame for His name. Challenging My Thinking Obviously I am not a stranger to witnessing but I was blind-sided by one aspect of the evangelism class: Servant Evangelism. I have always been one to go out and go through the scriptures with someone. Almost a â€Å"street-witnessing† type of head-on evangelism. As I began to read and study about servant evangelism, I became convicted about the lack of it in my life. I can see where servant evangelism certainly has its place in a believer’s life. Servant evangelism is built upon love for fellow man and there is no greater calling on a believer than to love people, saved and lost. When asked in Matthew 22:37-39 what the greatest commandment is, the Lord Jesus responded, †¦Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Loving others is the very next commandment after loving God. Servant evangelism is God’s love in action. This is exactly why the word â€Å"charity† is used in many places in the King James Bible. Charity is not merely â€Å"love†, but rather â€Å"love in action†, which is the real meaning behind what God means for us to demonstrate to others. It is the â€Å"incarnational lifestyle† that I am working toward integrating more into my life on a daily basis. As stated by Dr. Wheeler and Dr. Earley in their book Evangelism Is: How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence, â€Å"the essence of this lifestyle is wrapping our faith in the flesh of daily living! Specifically, it is authentically living out our faith in every situation.†. (p 214) A Deeper Desire Since beginning this class, personal evangelism and certainly servant evangelism has taken on a whole new meaning in my life. I have a renewed desire to be a witness for the Lord and I have been praying toward that goal. In those prayers I have become aware of my need for a measure of God’s wisdom and an awareness of what people are saying to me and how they are saying it, so that I may know what to say to those I encounter. I want to truly surrender to the Holy Spirit Who, I believe, will give me the necessary wisdom regarding what I need to say, how to say it, and when I need it if I will trust in Him. As far as being aware of what people are saying and how they are saying it, this depends largely on my willingness to listen. Dr. Wheeler spoke in one of his videos about listening in today’s world and how rare it really is. In our fast-paced society today, being distracted, distant, and impersonal is almost the norm. Therefore, having the ability to spend some precious time with a person and really listen to them is a valuable witnessing tool.(p 229). If the Lord Jesus is our ultimate example, we must take into account His listening skills. The story of the woman at the well is a perfect example. The reason the Lord connected with this woman is not because He talked to her, but because He listened to her. If I want to reach that goal of being a more effective servant evangelist and witness, then I realize that to listen like Jesus, is a must-have skill.(p 229) Learning to Listen I have always heard that a good listener is born, not made. I believe this statement is in error. If a person has a desire to learn to listen, particularly out of their love for God and a love for His people, the skill of listening can be acquired. First, one must understand the various levels of listening. These levels are from worst to best, as follows: Ignoring Unfortunately, this seems to be the most common level in our society today. We live in a world of almost constant distraction. Cell phones, internet, television, MP3 players, and more are vying for our attention. Because of this, it is very easy to become unaware of the needs of people, even those directly around us. It is a lie from the devil that tells us we are too busy to get involved or that we have too many of our own problems too worry about someone else’s. Pretend Listening Again, with all the distractions listed above, many people try to multi-task, texting, typing, or reading, and thereby reduce the importance and uniqueness of another person to just another distraction. Selective Listening This type of listening goes hand-in-hand with pretend listening. This type hears only what really interests the hearer, while dispensing the rest. One must remember what is not important to one may be vitally important to the other. Attentive Listening This level of listening involves complete attention, involving both eye contact and body language with a singular focus on the speaker. Real evangelism requires this kind of attention. Empathetic Listening As one might assume, â€Å"empathetic† involves an empathic attitude in listening; to really care about what the speaker is saying and how they feel. This is the highest level of listening and the highest level of connection with the speaker. (P 230) Needed Changes It goes without saying that if one is not growing and moving forward, one is stagnant or moving backward. I have recognized through this course the need to add some things to my faith. According to 2 Peter 1:5-8, it is not enough to just be saved and stop there, we must add certain qualities like temperance, patience, and charity to our faith, that we may grow spiritually. The result of this is given in verse 8, For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is indeed fruitfulness in evangelism that has been at the forefront of my mind throughout this class. I have prayed on occasion for the lost when they happen to be on my mind. A change I realize I must incorporate into my regular prayer life is to have a list of lost people I know from my sphere of influence that I may pray for daily. Not only for the lost, but for myself and how I approach them also, praying for things like the wisdom of God I mentioned before. I also realize I need to pray for God’s compassion for the lost that I may pray for them and approach them with a genuine heart and not just as a Gospel soul-winning project. I want to have a better understanding of the needs people have in their lives and how they feel. I have learned that most men feel trapped in the rat race, they are under challenged in today’s society or have lost touch with their masculinity.(p217-218 art of evan) Women have completely different feelings such as the need to be wanted and for companionship, they need emotional support and support from their parents. (p219 art of personal evan) I have heard many people say that they pray for opportunities to witness. I understand what they are saying and I believe that their hearts are in the right place, however I look around me and I see the opportunities are everywhere. I just need love and boldness to share. In my quest to incorporate daily prayer for the lost into my life, I found a prayer outline by Doctors Wheeler and Earley to be very helpful in giving direction.

“Ocean Carriers” Case Essay

Assume that Ocean Carriers uses a 9% discount rate. 1) Do you expect daily spot hire rates to increase or decrease next year? (5 points) 2) What factors drive daily hire rates? (5 points) 3) How would you characterize the long-term prospects of the capesize dry bulk industry? (10 points) 4) Should Ms Linn purchase the $39M capsize? Make 2 different assumptions. First, assume that Ocean Carriers is a US firm subject to 35% taxation. Second, assume that Ocean Carriers is located in Hong Kong, where owners of Hong Kong ships are not required to pay any tax on profits made overseas and are also exempted from paying any tax on profit made on cargo uplifted from Hong Kong. (75 points) 5) What do you think of the company’s policy of not operating ships over 15 years old? (5 points) Solutions: 1) Daily spot hire rates should be determined by supply and demand. Supply: The number of ships available equaled the number of vessels in service the previous year plus any new ships delivered minus any scrappings and sinkings. Demand: The demand for dry bulk capesizes was determined by the world economy, especially its basic industries. As shown in Exhibit 5, since over 85% of the cargo carried by capesizes was iron ore and coal, the amount of iron ore vessel shipments approximately reflects the demand for dry bulk capesizes. The amount of fleet size reflects the supply of capesizes. As shown in Exhibit 3, the number of new ships delivered in 2001 is 63. Since there had been very few scrappings in recent years, and most of the capacity of the worldwide fleet of capesizes was fairly young, we can assume that the change of fleet size during 2001 mainly comes from these new ships.  Similarly, we can expect the fleet size in 2002 will be: 612+(612-552)*(33/63) ≈ 643 From Exhibit 6, according to the forecast of the consulting group, iron ore vessel shipments will be 445 millions of tons in 2002. We can compute the growth rates of supply and demand in 2002. We can see from the table above that the supply will grow faster than the demand, so I expect daily spot hire rate to decrease next year. This can also be explained according to the Linn’s analysis. With Australian production in iron ore expected to be strong and Indian iron ore exports expected to take off in the next few years, Linn took an optimistic view of the long-term market demand for capesizes. However, she also considered that imports of iron ore and coal would probably remain stagnant over the next two years while supply increases. We can reasonably anticipate that spot rates would fall in 2001 and 2002. 2) As mentioned in 1), daily spot hire rates are determined by supply and demand. Demand: As illustrated in the case, the demand for dry bulk capesizes was determined by the world economy, especially its basic industries. Over 85% of the cargo carried by capesizes was iron ore and coal. Production and demand for these products increased in a strong economy. Changes in trade patterns also affected the demand for capesizes. Supply: The number of ships available equaled the number of vessels in service the previous year plus any new ships delivered minus any scrappings and sinkings. Ocean carriers decided to deliver new ships or scrap old ships mainly based on the demand. Supply was also affected by the increases in size and efficiency the newer ships offered. Moreover, ages of ships affected the company’s scrap decisions and older ships receiver lower daily hire rates. In summary, the world economy, changes in trade patterns, the increases in size and efficiency of new ships (technology) and ages of  ships drive daily hire rates. 3) As illustrated in the case, with Australian production in iron ore expected to be strong and Indian iron ore exports expected to take off in the next few years, Linn took an optimistic view of the long-term market demand for capesizes. Linn expected that Australian and Indian ore exports would begin in 2003, and that new supplies would significantly increase trading volumes. Demand for capesizes would likely increase with these higher trading volumes, possibly boosting prices. From the table above, we can find that worldwide iron ore vessel shipments and charter rates had been very strongly associated historically. Iron ore vessel shipments and daily hire rate changed in the same direction. Moreover, 3-yr charter rates changed much more than iron ore vessel shipments, while spot rates tended to fluctuate more widely than 3-yr charter rates. As mentioned above, Australian production in iron ore expected to be strong and Indian iron ore exports expected to take off in the next few years. I expect worldwide iron ore vessel shipments to increase stably in the long run, which would have a positive effect on daily hire rates. In terms of supply, the number of ships available equaled the number of vessels in service the previous year plus any new ships delivered minus any scrappings and sinkings. As shown in Exhibit 2, most of the capacity of the worldwide fleet of capesizes was fairly young, there would be very few scrappings in next years. As shown in Exhibit 3, numbers of new ships delivered experienced a downward trend, which means the supply would  increase more slowly in the long run. As a result, daily hire rates would be expected to rise in the long run. I take an optimistic view of the long-term prospects of the capesize dry bulk industry. 4) According to the information in the case, we can get the following table: Operating days: Initially, 8 days a year were scheduled for maintenance and repairs. The time allotted to maintenance and repairs increased to 12 days per year after five years of operation, and to 16 days a year for ships older than ten years. Daily operating costs: For a new ship coming on line in early 2003, operating costs were expected to initially average $4,000 per day, and to increase annually at a rate of 1% above inflation. The expected rate of inflation was 3%. Expenditures for special surveys: Capital expenditures anticipated in preparation for the special surveys would each be depreciated on a straight-line basis over a 5-year period. Depreciation: The ship would cost $39 million, and the value would be depreciated on a straight-line basis over 25 years. Moreover, the ship would cost $39 million, with 10% of the purchase price payable immediately and 10% due in a year’s time. The balance would be due on delivery. In addition, Linn expected to make a $500,000 initial investment in net working capital, which she anticipated would grow with inflation. Capital expenditures for special surveys would occur in 2007 and 2012. The company estimated the scrap value to be $5M at the end of the fifteenth year. We have to consider tax loss when the ship is sold since the ship has a book value of 15,600,000. Tax loss =(15,600,000-5,000,000)*35%=3,710,000. We can calculate total cash flows as follows: Assume that Ocean Carriers uses a 9% discount rate, NPV is negative. So Ms Linn should not purchase the $39M capsize. b) Assume Ocean Carriers is located in Hong Kong, we can calculate total cash flows as follows: Assume that Ocean Carriers uses a 9% discount rate, NPV is positive. So Ms Linn should purchase the $39M capsize. 5) I think it is a good policy to sell the vessel into the secondhand market, or â€Å"scrap† the vessel just before the third special survey. By carrying out this policy, the company could avoid heavy capital expenditures of the third, fourth and fifth surveys. At the same time, the company could benefit from the scrap value of $5M. In addition, the company could charge higher daily hire rates because vessels are comparatively younger. So I think the company’s policy of not operating ships over 15 years old is good.