Jury Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jury - Research Paper Example Justification of the reforms to a state legislature There have been various reforms initiated with the objective of promoting racial diversity in the composition of juries, so that effective decisions and proper, unbiased judgments can be made in the courtroom. However, the construction of the jurisdiction is also not without the criticism of racial diversity. In the American society, the minority class people are often allegedly ascertained to be treated in a bias manner, which further restrict justice on the basis of their rights and privileges as a US citizen. In this respect, the alleged discrimination amid minority and majority people has raised various ethical issues which include assaults and movements against the State (Minow, 1992). There are instances where the representatives of the juries have been witnessed to evolve their judgment with elusive goals. This raises significant concern with regard to the rationality of the judgment offered in the courtroom, where jurors bel onging to the same race as that of the defendant have been alleged to act with sympathy; while on the other hand, jurors belonging to other races tend to implement harsh treatments for punishing the convicts. Hence, it can be argued that the failures of appropriate jurisdiction processes are caused mainly due to lack of diversity in the configuration of jurors. Thus, maintaining a higher degree of racial diversity amid juries is most likely to contribute towards making effective and racially unbiased judgment in the courtroom. Subsequently, with the involvement of minorities and women as jurors, the judgment process may also obtain an enhanced efficiency in dealing with equality of rights and mitigating biasness to a substantial extent (SAGE Publications, 2013). An opponent’s response to the reform There is need for racial diversity in the jury system so that effective decisions can be made with equality and in an unbiased manner. However, from an opponent’s point of v iew, with majorities and minorities, as representatives of the jury, the defendants must not to be offered with the opportunity of selecting as well as composing juries in accordance with their races and communal backgrounds. As in the case of Swain v. Alabama - 380 U.S. 202 (1965) (Justia, 1965) and Batson v. Kentucky (No. 84-6263) (LII, 1985), the judiciary composed in the trials of these cases included majority of jurors belonging from the petitioners respective racial backgrounds and communities, which led to biasness in the process decision making. The defendants, with this facility of composing juries on the basis of their choices, will certainly lead to inappropriate legal decisions and procedures. In this concern, the provisions stipulated by the Supreme Court of the US should firmly prohibit defendants from allocating rights of selecting jury members for the execution of judgment with equality and appropriateness. Furthermore, it stresses that the juries should be selected on the basis of merit system amid majority and minority group of individuals, so that the decisions or judgment are

Memo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 13

Memo - Assignment Example 34). Generally, it is a set of hardware, software, people, policies and procedures essential in the creation, management, distribution, usage, storage and revocation of digital certificates as exchanged through unsecure channels such as the internet. The PKI provides an opportunity for a digital certificate, which makes it possible to identify an individual or an organization using the internet (Mjà ¸lsnes 104). Further, it is possible to store and at the same time revoke certificates given to individuals and organizations. There are still vendor services and approaches for the PKI, just as experts work on the internet standard for the same. The Wi-Fi Alliance (WPA), an intermediate measure meant to take place of WEP was implemented through upgraded firmware on wireless network interface cards, purposely designed for WEP (Doherty 137). However, because changes in the wireless access points (WPA) were more extensive compared to those needed on the network cards, it was impossible to upgrade most of the pre-2003 WAPs. The solution to this problem was the development of the WPA2. LoÃŒ pez, Javier, Pierangela Samarati, and Josep L. Ferrer.  Public Key Infrastructure: 4th European Pki Workshop : Theory and Practice, Europki 2007, Palma De Mallorca, Spain, June 28-30, 2007 : Proceedings. Berlin: Springer, 2007. Print. Mjà ¸lsnes, Stig F, S Mauw, and Sokratis K. Katsikas.  Public Key Infrastructure: 5th European Pki Workshop : Theory and Practice, Europki 2008, Trondheim, Norway, June 16-17, 2008 : Proceedings. Berlin: Springer, 2008.

Bibliography on Human Impact on Global Warming Annotated

On Human Impact on Global Warming - Annotated Bibliography Example By observing various communities in the ‘Land Down Under,’ the researchers came to draw the conclusion that the practices of the people are pro-environment, and in fact these people organize activities that aim to instill environmentalism in their neighborhoods. Bradshaw, C. J., Sodhi, N. S., & Brook, B. W. (2008). Tropical turmoil: a biodiversity tragedy in progress. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, (7) 2, 79-87. Retrieved from http://www.frontiersinecology.org/current_issue/bradshaw.pdf The review explained how the world has lost the battle of preserving its tropical forests. It further denoted the habitat loss and the potentiality of disaster it has on biodiversity and human health. The locales of the study were the rain forests, savannas and mangroves in select regions across the globe. It inferred that the loss and degradation of essential ecosystem functions (e.g. pollination, carbon sequestration, water cycling) and services (eg. flood mitigation, topsoil retention, non-timber forest products) are harming billions of people living in tropical countries, and that poor governance and corruption are some of the key socioeconomic threats to tropical biodiversity conservation Butler, R. A., & Laurance, W. F. (2008). New strategies for conserving tropical forests. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, (23) 9, 469-472. Retrieved from http://www.ecology.ethz.ch/ education/Resilience_Stuff/Butler_and_Laurance_2008.pdf The scholarly work focused on how to combat the rapid deforestation rates by setting as an example the practices of large transnational corporations. Utilizing the data provided by the United Nations Population Division, it noted the severe conditions of the tropical forests in Latin America, Africa and Asia and... This study elucidated how poor nations contribute to the worldwide degradation of the environment and pollution. It remarked that while wealthy nations have relatively large industries, some countries in the Third World also operate manufacturing sites that are hazardous to the environment and deplete finite resources, which can be considered as exemplifications of capitalism. The authors also included the everyday practices of the rural folks in destroying forests and polluting the rivers and other bodies of water. The collaborative venture of these environmentalists underscored how the population and wealth of nations positively correlated with the level of carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. They concluded that rich nations, where industrialization and urbanization are concentrated, have tremendous impacts to the natural environment than that of the poor ones. The output of the study was a stochastic version of the Impact = Population-Affluence-Technology (IPAT) model to accurately estimate the effects of population, affluence, and technology on national CO2 emissions.Their research surveyed a sample of more than one thousand people across the United States and found out that 75% of them considers themselves as ‘environmentalists.’ They purported the role of popular culture in the advent of Environmental America that has begun since the 1960’s. The book outlined the various human activities that gradually altered the face of the planet. It also implicated the society on its role in environmental degradation.

Larsen and Toubro Case Study Essay Example for Free

Larsen and Toubro Case Study Essay Organizational Development (OD) is a planned long term effort led and supported through the top management to improve an organization’s ability and to solve its own problems by continuously working together and on managing the culture using behavioural skills. Thus, there are some certain aspects worth discussing about which are- OD is a planned effort. It requires a lot of effort, patience, and faith and is time consuming. Secondly, OD usually uses outsiders. These ‘facilitators’ as they are called are process specialists and are involved in depth in this process. The pioneers of OD in India were Larsen and Toubro India (LT). OD at LT started by calling in 2 eminent professors- Dr Udai Pareek and Dr TV Rao to study the appraisal process at the company. The existing appraisal system had many faults and needed to be corrected. The difficult task started by the professors interviewing some bosses and subordinates from different departments (using Diagnosis or Action Research) and they got a very interesting feedback. Some of the aspects of the feedback were – juniors wanted to know how well they were doing on the job, but weren’t told; people wanted to know what the growth opportunities in the company were; the appraisal form was too lengthy; some bosses had too many subordinates to appraise, etc. After getting the feedback from the employees the professors gave a report to the top management about the actual problem. The appraisal system had to serve not just one but many purposes namely it should help people understand their strengths and weaknesses, their own progress on the job, how they can perform better, and how they could grow in the company. So the appraisal process had to address the issues of appraisal, potential, counselling, career development and training all in one! The top management after reviewing the report gave the go ahead and they did two main things which were the most important which were bifurcating the Personnel department into personnel department and HRD department. This bifurcation was the first sign of ‘structural’ change. Secondly, a team of 6 senior managers was formed which would be responsible for implementing the changes required. The story continues when the 6 task force and the professors decided that the appraisal process had to involve the line managers personally, the performance goals must be set jointly by boss and junior and the appraisals must also involve feedback and counselling to people. Thus, they prepared a Performance Appraisal Manual by involving the departmental heads and other senior managers to analyze what kind of objectives could be set and then added such guidelines in the manual. To address the issue of feedback and counselling, the team identified around 29 senior line managers and some senior staff with a flair for public speaking. These selected people were put through a workshop on how to be good ‘Givers’ and ‘Receivers’ of feedback and then later conducted the same workshop for other employees at HQ and regional offices. Thus, the first workshop was a ‘Train the trainer’ workshop which was cascaded to the other employees. After putting in so much of effort now the management at LT wanted to know whether the process was working for them or not. So again the professors interviewed some seniors and juniors about how the appraisals were going on. This time different views came into the picture – the goal setting was seen as time consuming, appraisal was becoming a numbers game, and was tending to become ritualistic. The HRD department was asked to conduct a survey (Participant Action Research). The survey also threw new light about the new appraisal process. The bosses now did involve their juniors in the goal setting and there was ‘healthy resolution’ of difficulties and there was a ‘high degree of trust’ between the seniors and juniors which led to ‘increased joint understanding about the job’. After receiving such a feedback, they again tried to simplify the appraisal form by adding the definitions of the attributes listed in the appraisal form. In addition, they held refresher courses in feedback skills for both ‘givers’ and ‘receivers’ of feedback. The facilitators felt that the appraisal system has stabilised when 80 to 85% of the appraisal forms were returned within six weeks of the target date. Also the HRD department started analyzing all the appraisal forms. The data from the analysis was used for listing high and low performers for a certain period; for finalising departmental developmental plans and for preparing the list of department wise employees and the training courses they needed. The above mentioned process took LT 8 years to complete and stabilise themselves. Thus, I can conclude that OD is a long term process which requires a lot of patience, support from the top management and a vision to a bright future.

Water Erosion Rates Essay Example for Free

Water Erosion Rates Essay A natural arch produced by the erosion of differentially weathered rock in Jebel Kharaz, Jordan Erosion is the process by which soil and rock are removed from the Earths surface by natural processes such as wind or water flow, and then transported and deposited in other locations. While erosion is a natural process, human activities have dramatically increased (by 10-40 times) the rate at which erosion is occurring globally. Excessive erosion causes problems such as desertification, decreases in agricultural productivity due to land degradation, sedimentation of waterways, and ecological collapse due to loss of the nutrient rich upper soil layers. Water and wind erosion are now the two primary causes of land degradation; combined, they are responsible for 84% of degraded acreage, making excessive erosion one of the most significant global environmental problems we face today.[1][2] Industrial agriculture, deforestation, roads, anthropogenic climate change and urban sprawl are amongst the most significant human activities in regards to their effect on stimulating erosion.[3] However, there are many available alternative land use practices that can curtail or limit erosion—such as terrace-building, no-till agriculture, and revegetation of denuded soils. Frost weathering From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Frost action) Aly by mechanical frost weathering or thermal stress Frost weathering is a collective term for several mechanical weathering processes induced by stresses created by the freezing of water into ice. The term serves as an umbrella term for a variety of processes such as frost shattering, frost wedging and cryofracturing. The process may act on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, from minutes to years and from dislodging mineral grains to fracturing boulders. Frost weathering is mainly driven by the frequency and intensity of freeze-thaw cycles and the properties of the materials subject to weathering. It is most pronounced in high altitude and latitude areas and is especially associated with alpine, periglacial, subpolar maritime and polar climates but occurs wherever freeze-thaw cycles are present. * | When water freezes to ice, its volume increases by nine percent. Under specific circumstances, this expansion is able to displace or fracture rock. At a temperature of -22 Â °C, ice growth is known to be able to generate pressures of up to 207MPa, more than enough to fracture any rock.[1][2] For frost weathering to occur by volumetric expansion, the rock must have almost no air that can be compressed to compensate for the expansion of ice, which means it has to be water-saturated and frozen quickly from all sides so that the water does not migrate away and the pressure is exerted on the rock.[1] These conditions are considered unusual,[1] restricting it to a process of importance within a few centimeters of a rocks surface and on larger existing water-filled joints in a process called ice wedging. Not all volumetric expansion is caused by the pressure of the freezing water; it can be caused by stresses in water that remains unfrozen. When ice growth induces stresses in the pore water that breaks the rock, the result is called hydrofracture. Hydrofracturing is favoured by large interconnected pores or large hydraulic gradients in the rock. If there are small pores, a very quick freezing of water in parts of the rock may expel water, and if the water is expelled faster than it can migrate, pressure may rise, fracturing the rock. Since research in physical weathering begun around 1900, volumetric expansion was, until the 1980s, held to be the predominant process behind frost weathering.[3] This view was challenged in 1985 and 1986 publications by Walder and Hallet.[1][3] Nowadays researchers such as Matsuoka and Murton consider the conditions necessary for Biological weathering A number of plants and animals may create chemical weathering through release of acidic compounds, i.e. moss on roofs is classed as weathering. Mineral weathering can also be initiated and/or accelerated by soil microorganisms. Lichens on rocks are thought to increase chemical weathering rates. For example, an experimental study on hornblende granite in New Jersey, USA, demonstrated a 3x 4x increase in weathering rate under lichen covered surfaces compared to recently exposed bare rock surfaces.[7] The most common forms of biological weathering are the release of chelating compounds (i.e. organic acids, siderophores) and of acidifying molecules (i.e. protons, organic acids) by plants so as to break down aluminium and iron containing compounds in the soils beneath them. Decaying remains of dead plants in soil may form organic acids which, when dissolved in water, cause chemical weathering.[citation needed] Extreme release of chelating compounds can easily affect surrounding rocks and soils, and may lead to podsolisation of soils. The symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi associated with tree root systems can release inorganic nutrients from minerals such as apatite or biotite and transfer these nutrients to the trees, thus contributing to tree nutrition.[8] It was also recently evidenced that bacterial communities can impact mineral stability leading to the release of inorganic nutrients.[9] To date a large range of bacterial strains or communities from diverse genera have been reported to be able to colonize mineral surfaces and/or to weather minerals, and for some of them a plant growth promoting effect was demonstrated.[10] The demonstrated or hypothesised mechanisms used by bacteria to weather minerals include several oxidoreduction and dissolution reactions as well as the production of weathering agents, such as protons, organic acids and chelating molecules. Oxidation Within the weathering environment chemical oxidation of a variety of metals occurs. The most commonly observed is the oxidation of Fe2+ (iron) and combination with oxygen and water to form Fe3+ hydroxides and oxides such as goethite, limonite, and hematite. This gives the affected rocks a reddish-brown coloration on the surface which crumbles easily and weakens the rock. This process is better known as rusting, though it is distinct from the rusting of metallic iron. Many other metallic ores and minerals oxidize and hydrate to produce colored deposits, such as chalcopyrites or CuFeS2 oxidizing to copper hydroxide and iron oxides. Dissolution and carbonation A pyrite cube has dissolved away from host rock, leaving gold behind Rainfall is acidic because atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolves in the rainwater producing weak carbonic acid. In unpolluted environments, the rainfall pH is around 5.6. Acid rain occurs when gases such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are present in the atmosphere. These oxides react in the rain water to produce stronger acids and can lower the pH to 4.5 or even 3.0. Sulfur dioxide, SO2, comes from volcanic eruptions or from fossil fuels, can become sulfuric acid within rainwater, which can cause solution weathering to the rocks on which it falls. Some minerals, due to their natural solubility (e.g. evaporites), oxidation potential (iron-rich minerals, such as pyrite), or instability relative to surficial conditions (see Goldich dissolution series) will weather through dissolution naturally, even without acidic water. Exfoliation is a type of erosion that occurs when a rock is rapidly heated up by the sun. This results in the expansion of the rock. When the temperature decreases again, the rock contracts, causing pieces of the rock to break off. Exfoliation occurs mainly in deserts due to the high temperatures during the day and cold temperatures at night.[24] Hydration Mineral hydration is a form of chemical weathering that involves the rigid attachment of H+ and OH- ions to the atoms and molecules of a mineral. When rock minerals take up water, the increased volume creates physical stresses within the rock. For example iron oxides are converted to iron hydroxides and the hydration of anhydrite forms gypsum. A freshly broken rock shows differential chemical weathering (probably mostly oxidation) progressing inward. This piece of sandstone was found in glacial drift near Angelica, New York Hydrolysis on silicates and carbonates Hydrolysis is a chemical weathering process affecting silicate and carbonate minerals. In such reactions, pure water ionizes slightly and reacts with silicate minerals. An example reaction: This reaction theoretically results in complete dissolution of the original mineral, if enough water is available to drive the reaction. In reality, pure water rarely acts as a H+ donor. Carbon dioxide, though, dissolves readily in water forming a weak acid and H+ donor. This hydrolysis reaction is much more common. Carbonic acid is consumed by silicate weathering, resulting in more alkaline solutions because of the bicarbonate. This is an important reaction in controlling the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and can affect climate. Aluminosilicates when subjected to the hydrolysis reaction produce a secondary mineral rather than simply releasing cations. Rainfall There are three primary types of erosion that occur as a direct result of rainfall—sheet erosion, rill erosion, and gully erosion. Sheet erosion is generally seen as the first and least severe stage in the soil erosion process, which is followed by rill erosion, and finally gully erosion (the most severe of the three).[4][5] The impact of a falling raindrop creates a small crater in the soil, ejecting soil particles. The distance these soil particles travel (on level ground) can be as much as 2 feet vertically, and 5 feet horizontally. Once the rate of rain fall is faster than the rate of infiltration into the soil, surface runoff occurs and carries the loosened soil particles down slope.[6] Rill erosion refers to the development of small, ephemeral concentrated flow paths, which function as both sediment source and sediment delivery systems for erosion on hillslopes. Generally, where water erosion rates on disturbed upland areas are greatest, rills are active. Flow depths in rills are typically on the order of a few centimeters or less and slopes may be quite steep. This means that rills exhibit very different hydraulic physics than water flowing through the deeper, wider channels of streams and rivers.[ Gully erosion occurs when runoff water accumulates, and then rapidly flows in narrow channels during or immediately after heavy rains or melting snow, removing soil to a considerable depth. Factors affecting erosion rates Climatic factors include the amount and intensity of precipitation, the average temperature, as well as the typical temperature range, seasonality, wind speed, and storm frequency. In general, given similar vegetation and ecosystems, areas with high-intensity precipitation, more frequent rainfall, more wind, or more storms are expected to have more erosion.[citation needed] Rainfall intensity is the primary determinant of erosivity, with higher intensity rainfall generally resulting in more erosion. The size and velocity of rain drops is also an important factor. Larger and higher-velocity rain drops have greater kinetic energy, and thus their impact will displace soil particles by larger distances than smaller, slower-moving rain drops.[25] Erosional gully in unconsolidated Dead Sea (Israel) sediments along the southwestern shore. This gully was excavated by floods from the Judean Mountains in less than a year. The composition, moisture, and compaction of soil are all major factors in determining the erosivity of rainfall. Sediments containing more clay tend to be more resistant to erosion than those with sand or silt, because the clay helps bind soil particles together.[26] Soil containing high levels of organic materials are often more resistant to erosion, because the organic materials coagulate soil colloids and create a stronger, more stable soil structure.[27] The amount of water present in the soil before the precipitation also plays an important role, because it sets limits on the amount of water that can be absorbed by the soil (and hence prevented from flowing on the surface as erosive runoff). Wet, saturated soils will not be able to absorb as much rain water, leading to higher levels of surface runoff and thus higher erosivity for a given volume of rainfall.[27][28] Soil compaction also affects the permeability of the soil to water, and hence the amount of water that flows away as runoff. More compacted soils will have a larger amount of surface runoff than less compacted soils.[27] Vegetative cover Vegetation acts as an interface between the atmosphere and the soil. It increases the permeability of the soil to rainwater, thus decreasing runoff. It shelters the soil from winds, which results in decreased wind erosion, as well as advantageous changes in microclimate. The roots of the plants bind the soil together, and interweave with other roots, forming a more solid mass that is less susceptible to both water and wind erosion. The removal of vegetation increases the rate of surface erosion.[29] Topography The topography of the land determines the velocity at which surface runoff will flow, which in turn determines the erosivity of the runoff. Longer, steeper slopes (especially those without adequate vegetative cover) are more susceptible to very high rates of erosion during heavy rains than shorter, less steep slopes. Steeper terrain is also more prone to mudslides, landslides, and other forms of gravitational erosion processes

Study on Phone Usage for Financial Services

Study on Phone Usage for Financial Services A STUDY ON USAGE OF MOBILE PHONE IN THE ACCESS OF FINANCIAL SERVICES AMONG RESIDENTS OF KANGUNDO CONSTITUENCY Background to the study The use of mobile has been taunted as the next big thing in the empowering of communities. ICT plays a big role in literally all spheres of life, and this explains why the government has supported laying of ICT infrastructure across the country. It is reported that Central Bank of Kenya’s enabling regulatory approach allows 23 million people (74% of adult population) to use mobile financial services via 90,000 agents (Alliance for Financial Inclusion, 2012, P.20). Expansion of the ICT sector has a direct contribution to a society’s access to information and subsequently empowerment. The use of mobile phone has revolutionized banking in the recent past, by netting the initially unbanked. Inventions in mobile phone have made tremendous contributions to financial services advancement. Banks have jostled to outsmart each other by launching varied mobile banking services, so are the mobile network operators. Such services by the banks are dependent on the platforms of existing mobile phone network operators. These services are accessed through USSD, WAP applications and internet banking. We have seen the emergence of mobile bank accounts such as M-benki (KCB), M-Shwari (CBA), M-Kesho (Equity Bank) and Pesa Mob (Family Bank). There have been partnership deals among these Banks and Mobile phone operators. Moreover, customers are able to access credit facilities through these mobile bank accounts as well as make loan payments. Other services in clude funds transfer, airtime top up, credit card payment, accessing mini-statements, balance enquiries and even stoppage of cheques. Agency Banking, which was meant to bring banking services closer to the customers equally relies heavily on the use of mobile phones. They include KCB Mtaani and Co-op Jirani. However, it is notable that there is a variation in usage of the mobile phone platform between urban and rural areas. We shall seek to know the trends in the usage of mobile phones to access financial services by residents of Kangundo Constituency. Statement of the problem This is a study to gauge whether residents of Kangundo constituency have embraced mobile phone technology to access financial services. Significance of study This study seeks to appreciate the use to technology to ease financial services accessibility. Traditional methods of visiting banks have long been overtaken by inventions in technology. Therefore this study will seek to explore whether the residents of this constituency have taken advantage of the more convenient financial services provision methods, as is now commonly known- paperless and Branchless banking. Access to banking services includes access to credit facilities which are a key catalyst for economic empowerment. The findings of this survey will prove useful to the constituents of Kangundo, financial services providers as well as mobile network operators. Purpose of the study This study seeks to: To establish the number of residents who own mobile phones To establish the number of residents who have registered for mobile phone services such as Mpesa, Airtel Money, Yu Cash and Orange Cash To establish the number of residents who have opened mobile bank accounts To establish applications used to access mobile banking services: USSD, WAP, Internet banking To establish the usage of bank agents in access of financial services To establish demographic trends in access of Banking services (Age, sex, education, employment status) Definition of concepts USSD- Unstructured Supplementary Service Data WAP Wireless Application Protocol Unbanked By definition, unbanked customers have no checking, savings, credit, or insurance account with a traditional, regulated depository institution (Delloitte, 2012, p.2) Literature Review The government recognizes ICT as a foundation for economic development, and as such, Kenya’s vision of knowledge based economy aims at shifting the current industrial development path towards innovation where creation, adoption, adaptation and use of knowledge remain the key source of economic growth as this is a critical tool for expanding human skills and rests largely on a system of producing, distributing and utilizing information and knowledge that in turn plays a great role in driving productivity and economic prosperity (Government of Kenya, 2013, p.21). One of such ICT tools is the mobile phones which continue to offer a myriad of opportunities, specifically on the financial sphere. To leverage on the above, the Government bets on the increase in communication to spur economic growth in tandem with the vision 2030 blueprint. As Watts, 2001 observes, ‘’some clients may prefer to access services at a distance. Increasingly, in all fields, consumers want a service to be available when they identify a need for it, with minimum delay and minimum effort: they want it here, and they want it now’’ (p6). The urge to access services with urgency and at a minimum cost is making more people gravitate towards technologically based products that are available through the mobile phone. The use of this gadget has simplified life and as such transactions can comfortably be initiated and terminated at one’s convenience. Further, it is notable that the settlement of these transactions is instant. ICT increase efficiency, productivity, and access to goods, services, information, and markets. Demand for these benefits is high. If the right compliments- such as power, connectivity, content, skills and support systems, functional markets and supportive policy frameworks- can be put in place, demand for ICT will be correspondingly high (William J. Kramer, Beth Jenkins, Robert s. Katz, 2007, p.9). With Kangundo being a rural area, we shall then be interested in knowing how the use of mobile phone has impacted on its residents, and whether they have taken full advantage of this revolutionary tool that continue to transform lives across the globe. Mobile phones have characterized the everyday life of Kenyans. Cheap Chinese phones have found their way in the market and this has eased the affordability of this ICT tool. Mobile ownership at the household level is almost as high as access. Approximately 75% of the households have at least a member who owns a mobile phone. In rural areas, ownership is 67% while in urban areas ownership reaches 90% (CCK, 2011, p.13). It is essential for banks to sensitize on mobile banking and ensure that customers maximize its use bearing in mind the capital invested (Korir, 2012, p.43). Information is power and banks have a role to play if they are to penetrate and crack open the mobile banking market. Banks will rely much on studies to inform their decisions on the best way to tap in to this market. The government has indeed been on the forefront by championing for ease of access of banking services to all citizens. Branchless banking through retail agents is made possible through the information and communication technologies that customers, retail agents and mobile network operators use to record and communicate transaction details quickly, reliably and cheaply over great distances. Among the first mobile network operators in the world to offer branchless banking were Globe Telecom and SMART in the Philippines. They launched their SmartMoney service in 2000 (in conjunction with Banco de Oro) followed by the G-Cash1 service in 2000. Customers can store cash, send funds from person to person, pay bills, make loan repayments and purchase goods at shops. They primarily use G-cash to buy airtime and to send money to friends and family (Financial Sector Deepening, 2009a, p1) Mobile banking represents a more cost efficient channel for the banks, allowing them to charge less for transactions, and permitting the consumer to have immediate access to information related to their bank accounts.P.3. Worldwide, more people now own a mobile phone than a bank account. A revolution in mobile phone payments is taking place. The way mobile devices are evolving makes it difficult for banks to find the right solution to manage complex technologies and provide a consistent service to customers. http://www.cr2.com/solutions/mobile-banking/mobile-banking-solution.html Alliance for financial inclusion. A High Level Conference on Kenya’s Economic Successes, Prospects and Challenges Making Inclusive Growth a Reality September 2013 Central Bank of Kenya’s enabling regulatory approach allows 23 million people (74% of adult population) to use mobile financial services via 90,000 agents. Pg 20 References Alliance for Financial Inclusion. 2013. A High Level Conference on Kenya’s Economic Successes, Prospects and Challenges Making Inclusive Growth a Reality. Retrieved on February 22, 2014 from Delloitte. (2012). Banking the Unbanked: Prepaid Cards, Mobile payments, and Global opportunities in Mobile Banking. Retrieved February 22, 2014, from https://www.deloitte.com/assets/DcomunitedStates/Local%20Assets /Documents /FSI/US_FSI_Bankingtheunbanked_043012.pdf

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the greatest fourteenth century text. It was written by an unknown author between 1375 and 1400. The story begins at Christmas time, and there are many symbolic elements. The Green Knight is a color which symbolizes Christmas. Also, changing seasons and the coming of winter symbolize the passing of life and reminds us that Death is unavoidable. The author also skillfully illustrates human weaknesses in the descriptions of Gawain's temptations. The story tells about adventures of Sir Gawain, who takes the Green Knight's challenge. One year after cutting Green Knight's head off, which did not kill him, Gawain has to travel to find the Green Knight and take his blow in return. He finds a strange castle, and while he awaits there for the final day, his knight's ethical code is put to a test by the host and his wife. In this part, Green Knight, in an unmannerly way, enters the hall where King Arthur and his Knights feast and cleverly gets them committed to take his game without revealing what it is he wants to play. The story In this passage from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Green Knight enters the hall on his horse. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are having their feast. They are astounded to see a green knight on a green horse. They don't take any action; instead they stare at the stranger. The Green Knight challenges the king and his companions to take his game. He is arrogant, and he uses their pride to get them committed to his game. He is successful, as the king promises to take the game, although he does not know what it is yet. The Green Knight comes into the hall where King Arthur and his knights feast on a horse, and does not greet anyone. He carries a huge axe with "The Spike of green steel" (Norton 207) and with green engravings. He carries no armor and no other weapons. When he enters, not only he does not greet the people present, but he looks down rudely at them and asks: "Where is the captain of this crowd? Keenly I wish to see that sire with sight, and to himself say my say." The knights of the Green Table are so surprised, they fail to protect their king. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the greatest fourteenth century text. It was written by an unknown author between 1375 and 1400. The story begins at Christmas time, and there are many symbolic elements. The Green Knight is a color which symbolizes Christmas. Also, changing seasons and the coming of winter symbolize the passing of life and reminds us that Death is unavoidable. The author also skillfully illustrates human weaknesses in the descriptions of Gawain's temptations. The story tells about adventures of Sir Gawain, who takes the Green Knight's challenge. One year after cutting Green Knight's head off, which did not kill him, Gawain has to travel to find the Green Knight and take his blow in return. He finds a strange castle, and while he awaits there for the final day, his knight's ethical code is put to a test by the host and his wife. In this part, Green Knight, in an unmannerly way, enters the hall where King Arthur and his Knights feast and cleverly gets them committed to take his game without revealing what it is he wants to play. The story In this passage from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Green Knight enters the hall on his horse. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are having their feast. They are astounded to see a green knight on a green horse. They don't take any action; instead they stare at the stranger. The Green Knight challenges the king and his companions to take his game. He is arrogant, and he uses their pride to get them committed to his game. He is successful, as the king promises to take the game, although he does not know what it is yet. The Green Knight comes into the hall where King Arthur and his knights feast on a horse, and does not greet anyone. He carries a huge axe with "The Spike of green steel" (Norton 207) and with green engravings. He carries no armor and no other weapons. When he enters, not only he does not greet the people present, but he looks down rudely at them and asks: "Where is the captain of this crowd? Keenly I wish to see that sire with sight, and to himself say my say." The knights of the Green Table are so surprised, they fail to protect their king.