frequently asked questions on value added tax ( vat ) 1. what is vat? a. unlike the name suggest, vat is not a tax on the margin of the business. vat is a consumption tax, meaning, tax on consumption of goods by the consumers. vat is to be borne by the consumers. 2. what is the similarities and differences between sales tax and vat? a. both sales tax and vat are consumption tax. to take an example, if a consumer consumes a goods worth rs. 100 on which tax rate is 10 %, the objective of both the system is to collect rs 10 ( i. e. 10 % of rs 100 ) to the government. both are indirect tax, meaning the consumer does not pay the tax to directly the government, but to the business from whom he has purchased the goods. the business remits it to the government. in sales tax, the entire tax collected from the consumer by the dealer is paid by one of the dealer ( out of the chain through whom the goods have passed ). chain meaning chain of business comprising of manufacturer - wholeseller – intermediate – retailer etc. to take the above example, the said tax of rs. 10 would be collected from one of the person in the chain, it can be the manufacturer or wholeseller or the retailer ( depending on the type of sales tax system in the state ). in vat system, the same rs 10 would be collected in installments from every dealer in the chain. each dealer will contribute a portion of the tax in proportion to his margin of operation. 3. does vat system increase the incidence of tax on consumer? a. no. the tax incidence remains the same. 4. will vat system complicate the book of accounts to be maintained by the dealer? a. no. on the other hand, it will simplify it. a dealer is expected to maintain two registers. sales book and purchase book. in sales book, he would record chronologically sales made and tax collected from the purchaser. in purchase book, similarly, he will record purchases made and tax paid on such purchases. 5. how will the net tax payable be calculated? a. first, the ‘ output tax ’ is calculated from sales book by adding the tax collected from the consumer in respect of sales made in the quarter. then ‘ tax credit ’ is calculated by adding the tax paid on purchases made in the same quarter. the net tax payable is the output tax minus tax credit


book by adding the tax collected from the consumer in respect of sales made in the quarter. then ‘ tax credit ’ is calculated by adding the tax paid on purchases made in the same quarter. the net tax payable is the output tax minus tax credit. if this value is negative, dealer gets a refund from the department in that quarter. 6. what kind of purchases are eligible for tax credit? a. all business inputs, be it raw material, capital goods, computer, record books or anything which is used by the dealer to conduct his business. however there are two exceptions. tax credit can - not be availed in respect of purchase of items used for conducting business of exempt items. also there is a list of ‘ non - creditable purchases ’ specified in the seventh schedule of the a. p. goods tax bill. 7. what is the implication of reduction of cst to zero, as announced by the chief minister? a. it means that if a dealer in arunachal pradesh makes a sale to a dealer outside arunachal pradesh, no tax will be charged by the government of arunachal pradesh. in addition, if any tax is paid on inputs to produce or trading of the said item, it will be eligible for tax credit. 8. is any declaration form required for claiming zero cst for interstate sales? a. yes. sale can be made against any cst declaration form such as c - form, f - form, h - form etc. 9. what is entry tax? will it not make purchases of a dealer in arunachal more costly? a. entry tax is a tax levied on all imports into arunachal. it is levied on all importers, ( whether dealers or consumers ) so long as the value of goods imported is more than rs. 10, 000. this entry tax levied is fully vat - able, i. e., a dealer making resale of such goods or use of such goods in his business, can claim full tax credit of entry tax paid. thus entry tax will not be an additional levy on the business, but on the other hand will protect the arunachal business from the dealers of assam, who make direct sales to consumers in arunachal pradesh. it gives level playing field to honest tax complying dealers. 10. will entry tax not cause hindrance in movement of goods at the borders? a. mostly no. the importers will be expected to pre - pay the entry tax due at the starting locations itself ( such as guwahati )


. 10. will entry tax not cause hindrance in movement of goods at the borders? a. mostly no. the importers will be expected to pre - pay the entry tax due at the starting locations itself ( such as guwahati ) before commencement of movement of goods, and carry the proof of payment. if the goods are imported through ‘ approved road transporters ’, entry tax can be pain in arunachal before taking the delivery of the goods. such vehicles can pass across the borders without stopping. 11. i make purchases on inter - state basis. do i get credit of cst charged on such purchases? a. no. cst has been charged by the state of origin, and hence, arunachal government will not give any credit on account of tax charged by the other state governments. 12. is registration compulsory? a. no. registration is compulsory only to dealers whose turnover in the year exceeds rs 5 lakhs. for other dealers, it is optional. 13. can vat system work on items where mrp inclusive of tax is prescribed? a. yes. mrp can be inclusive of tax. tax component and tax exclusive price can be calculated by applying tax fraction [ r / ( r + 100 ) where r is the tax rate ] on the mrp. 14. will dealers be allowed to sell their goods without charging sales tax separately? a dealers can include tax on the sale price. 15. how will mrp mentioned on the goods be calculated in the vat system? a. mrp can be inclusive of tax and tax can be calculated by applying tax fraction. 16. will central sales tax be abolished? a. central sales tax act will not be abolished because it is required for documentation of inter - state sales. however, for inter - state sale made from arunachal, the cst rate ( against c form ) shall be zero. ( presently this rate is 4 % ) 17. will first point tax end? a. yes, the first point tax would end. 18. will the entry tax applicable be collected at the state borders? a. normally, entry tax will not be payable at borders. it is to be paid by the importer before he receives delivery of goods. we propose to install facilitation counters at rail, roads and airports to provide additional avenues for tax payment. 19. would entry tax have an negative impact on the imports to the state? a. no, entry tax just ensures levy of tax on all goods coming into arunachal. it does


rail, roads and airports to provide additional avenues for tax payment. 19. would entry tax have an negative impact on the imports to the state? a. no, entry tax just ensures levy of tax on all goods coming into arunachal. it does not make imports difficult ; on the other hand, it gives level playing field to honest tax complying traders. 20. would there be uniform tax rates across the states implementing vat? a. tax system should be such that no trade diversion takes place despite tax differentials. there may exist some differential tax rates for each state implementing vat. uniform tax rates takes away the leverage of states to optimize their revenues. 21. is the tax rate going to be the same all over india? a. yes with minor variations. 22. are the tax rates the same for all items? a. there would be two basic slabs of 4 percent 12. 5 percent in which most of the goods will get covered. apart from this a very few items shall have 1 % and 20 % tax rate. essential items like foodgrains etc. shall be exempt. 23. can dealers below the threshold register? a. yes, voluntary registration is available. 24. will rc no. of purchasing dealer be required to be recorded for each transaction? a. for retail / consumer sale, details of purchaser is not required. sale to registered dealers, which are to be covered under tax invoices, name and address of purchasing dealer has to be recorded. 25. what if the total sales in the quarter are less than the purchases ( and stocks are carried forward in the next quarter )? a. you can carry forward the net credit in your favour to the next quarter. 26. what if my total tax liability on outputs is less that the tax levied on purchases? a. you can claim refund after each return. 27. would dealers be permitted to adjust the tax credit in the next financial year? a. yes, dealers would be allowed to adjust the tax credit in the next year. 28. will refund be carried forward to the next year? a. yes, you will be allowed to carry forward refund to the next year. 29. would credit be given on the tax paid on the opening stock on the commencement of the act? a. yes, credit would be given on the tax paid on the opening stock on the commencement of the act. 30. with the implementation of vat, would dealers be required to keep more working capital? a. no. the tax


act? a. yes, credit would be given on the tax paid on the opening stock on the commencement of the act. 30. with the implementation of vat, would dealers be required to keep more working capital? a. no. the tax on the stock inventory is to be paid from the tax collected by you on your sales and not from your pocket. 31. what is the frequency of returns? a. the frequency of returns is quarterly for those dealers with annual turnover less than rs. 5 crore and monthly for those with annual dealers with annual turnover more than rs. 5 crore. however, you can choose to file monthly returns even if your turnover is below rs. 5 crore. 32. by how much time will refunds be paid? a. the refund will be paid within 30 days. in case of a delay, interest will be paid on the refund amount. 33. what is the rate of interest in case of delayed refunds? a. the rate of interest of late payment is 1 percent. this rate is as prescribed for delayed payment for income tax / excise laws. 34. what is the documentation required to be submitted with the return to get refunds? a. normally, proof of exports is required to be submitted with the return to get refunds. 35. which inputs can i claim set - off of? a. any business inputs which is used to produce a taxable output in arunachal is allowed for set - off. however, there is a list of items that if consumed even in business process are not allowed for input tax credit. 36. apart from input credit on raw material would dealers be allowed to claim credit on other costs like labor, overheads? a. vat paid on any business input would be allowed to be set off. since services are not a part of vat as of now, no tax is levied on it and no credit allowed. however, in future, when services will be included, full credit shall be given even for service inputs. 37. i am a manufacturer. goods manufactured by me are both taxable and exempt. how do i do the entries in the purchase book when the inputs are purchased? a. inputs ( raw material as well as finished goods ) that go in exclusively for manufacture of taxable goods are to be put in creditable purchases ( provided other conditions are also met ). similarly, inputs that go in exclusively for manufacture of exempt goods are to be put in non - creditable purchases. however, the inputs that go in partially


transfers? a. if you stock your goods ( intended for re - exports ) in a bonded warehouse, no entry tax is levied. hence there would be no set - offs either ( which means that you can bring goods in arunachal free of entry tax, store it an approved warehouse and subsequently branch transfer it again, free of tax ). otherwise also, if you purchase locally / pay entry tax on imports and subsequently branch transfer it, you will get input tax credits on branch transfers also. 49. should vat be implemented as long as cst and entry tax are in force? a. vat is a reform of local tax law, independent of cst, vat will make arunachal trade more competitive, irrespective of whether cst rate in assam and other states is reduced or not. entry tax is a part of vat implementation methodology. in fact, vat can ’ t work without entry tax. 50. should vat be implemented in all states simultaneously? a. vat is expected to make arunachal trade more competitive vis - a - vis other states and therefore it is not necessary for us to wait for other states to implement the same. 51. are services included in vat? a. services would be included in future. 52. will exemptions continue? a. yes exemptions would continue of few commodities. 53. are there any statutory declaration forms under vat? a. there are no statutory forms under vat. 54. would the product classification under each category be uniform? a. yes, we are trying to classify products using a uniform system of nomenclature. 55. is it possible to use old local sales tax number as new sales tax number for vat? a. yes, it is possible to do the same if your turnover exceeds the threshold value ( rs. 5 lakhs ). 56. will the new registrants have to give surely? a. no, only if you are below the threshold, surety is required. 57. what will be the frequency of filing returns? a. frequency of filing returns would be monthly / quarterly. 58. what is the rate of interest on late payment? a. the rate of interest of late payment is 2 per cent. this rate is as prescribed for delayed payment for income tax / excise laws. 59. would dealers be allowed to print their own stationery of statutory declaration forms? a. there are no statutory forms under vat system. dealers are allowed to print their own tax invoices. 60


for income tax / excise laws. 59. would dealers be allowed to print their own stationery of statutory declaration forms? a. there are no statutory forms under vat system. dealers are allowed to print their own tax invoices. 60. how will management of accounts be easier? a. since all sales would be taxable and all purchases be tax paid, the classification / bifurcation of various kinds of taxable / non taxable sales need not be maintained. 61. what is an invoice? a. invoices are crucial documents for administering vat because they record each supply of goods, whether taxable exempt. they are to be issued by all registered dealers for each of their sales. an invoice establishes both the tax liability of the supplier and the deduction ( credit ) to the registered purchaser. there are two kinds of invoices that can be issued under vat i. e. tax invoice & retail invoice. 62. what kinds of invoices are required for vat? why is the name and address of the printer mandatory? a. tax and retail invoices for a registered dealer / consumer sale respectively is a normal vat practice. name and address of the printer is not mandatory. 63. what is a tax invoice and when can i issue it? a. if you are making a local sale to another registered dealer of arunachal, a tax invoice can be issued. specially, tax invoice should always mention : · identity of the seller ( with pre - printed registration number, name & address ). · identity of buyer ( with name & address ) ; and · amount charged with the amount of tax charged in the transaction indicated separately. the purchaser, on the strength of the tax invoice, can claim the benefit of input tax credit of the vat paid on his purchases. ( provided his purchases are such that credit of the tax paid on them is allowable ) 64. what is a retail invoice and when can i issue it? a. in retail sales, which are much more numerous and of smaller amounts, simplified sale invoices or retail invoices can be issued. although retail invoice should always identify the seller, indication of buyer ’ s name is optional and tax charged can be included in the sale price. no tax credit can be availed by the purchaser on the strength of a retail invoice. 65. what kinds of books of accounts are required to


of buyer ’ s name is optional and tax charged can be included in the sale price. no tax credit can be availed by the purchaser on the strength of a retail invoice. 65. what kinds of books of accounts are required to be maintained under vat? a. the vat book - keeping is very simple and can be kept even by enterprises that do not maintain full books of accounts or do not use double entry accounting. taxpayers are essentially required to keep two books : · purchases book ; and · sales book. these books are a record purchases and sales respectively and are specifically designed for easy calculation of vat. simplicity of record keeping is the major objective in designing of these books. 66. describe the format of the purchase book. a. the purchase book is a record required to be maintained buy all registered dealers. if should be used to log those purchases against which credit is allowed and those against which credit is not allowed, separately. 67. on which purchases can i not take credit? a. credit is not allowable for any purchase used for consumption or producing non - taxable output. further, purchase of fuel for consumption, food, liquor etc. is also eligible for credit. 68. on which purchases can i take credit? a. you can take credit on all business inputs that are used to produce taxable output. 69. describe the format of the sales book. a. the sales book is a record to be maintained by all registered dealers, and is used to record the total volume of sale, and to distinguish between export, exempt, inter - state and taxable sale. 70. in case of original tax invoice being lost will credit be allowed on personal surety and not on duplicate invoices? a. no, this is normal vat practice. 71. how will the scrutiny be targeted? a. scrutiny would be targeted by using computerized selection. 72. will there be a compulsory scrutiny for returns filed late? a. no. continuous default in returns will lead to increased possibility of scrutiny. 73. will some of the self - assessed returns be scrutinized? a. yes a small percentage will be selected for audit assessment. 74. would assessment be conducted at the business premise of the dealers? a. yes, this is normal vat practice. 75. is there a provision for revision of assessment order in the arunachal goods tax bill? a. appeal provision is available. there is no need for a parallel alternate forum. 76. with the introduction of entry


this is normal vat practice. 75. is there a provision for revision of assessment order in the arunachal goods tax bill? a. appeal provision is available. there is no need for a parallel alternate forum. 76. with the introduction of entry tax, would transporters be also required to register for vat? a. the liability of entry tax is on importer. if the importer is a businessman, he gets full credit of the entry tax paid. transporters will have option to obtain an approval certificate from the tax department. 77. what will be the responsibility of the transporter? a. if you are an approved transporter, then before handing delivery you must ensure that the importer has fulfilled liability of entry tax. if you are not an approved transporter, then before entering arunachal, you have to ensure that the importer has fulfilled liability of entry tax. 78. what happens if i do not do this? a. you will be liable for penalty. 79. are railways and airlines also covered under the system? 80. are transporters required to file any returns? 81. will there be any assessment / audit of the transporters? a. yes, transporters, railways, airlines can be assessed / audited for levy of penalty, if any. 82. is input tax credit available to unregistered declares also? a. for dealers below the threshold and unregistered, there is no out put tax liability nor any input tax credits. however, if you cross the threshold, you are liable for output taxes, and can avail input tax credits. if you choose not to register ( even after the crossing the threshold ), you are liable for penalty and you don ’ t get any refunds. 83. can a registered dealer claim credits for a purchase from an unregistered dealer? a. no, you cannot claim credits for purchase from an unregistered dealer. however, there is a special “ deemed credit ” system for purchases of “ second hand ” goods from unregistered dealers, if you are in the business of sale / purchase of “ second hand ” goods.


australian women in politics carol porter, get elected, 1997, silkscreen print. courtesy of the state library of victoria : pi001700. in 1902 australia ' s new commonwealth parliament paved the way for a new form of democracy by granting women the vote and the right to be elected on a national basis. leading the world in rights and yet, the longest lag time for election edith cowan, mla. courtesy of a vote of her own while new zealand had granted women the right to vote in 1893, in 1902, australia granted women the right to vote and also to seek election. this reflected the rights of women to vote and seek election in south australia and to vote in western australia, rights granted in 1895 and 1899 respectively. a leading suffragette, edith cowan, was the first woman to be elected to an australian parliament when she won a seat in the western australian legislative assembly in 1921. the victory was indeed groundbreaking, but the next hurdle proved even more difficult as it took nearly 22 years for a woman to enter federal parliament. ironically, this ' time lag ' was the longest of any western country. the first nominations in 1903, for the first time in the british empire, australian women were candidates for election to a national parliament. in all, four women were nominated - three for the senate and one for the house of representatives. unknown photographer, portrait of vida goldstein, 190 -, photograph : gelatin silver. image courtesy of the national library of australia : nla. pic - an23371660 vida goldstein - an electoral pioneer vida goldstein ran for the senate on three occasions — in 1903, 1910 and 1917. she was also a house of representatives candidate in 1913 and 1914. however, she was never successful in her bids for election. apart from ' breaking the ice ' by running as a candidate, she was also a vocal campaigner for issues such as equal pay for equal work, the recognition of a basic wage, the abolition of child labour and equal property rights for spouses. a true activist, goldstein saw her nominations for parliament as an opportunity to express her views to a wider audience : i accepted nomination because i saw what a splendid educational value the campaign would have. i knew i would attract much larger audiences as a candidate than if i were advertised to give a lecture on women ' s part in the federal elections, or some such subject. the power of the women ' s vote - western australia between 1910 and 1920 the power of the women ' s vote began to have an increasingly noticeable effect on the law and on


on women ' s part in the federal elections, or some such subject. the power of the women ' s vote - western australia between 1910 and 1920 the power of the women ' s vote began to have an increasingly noticeable effect on the law and on society. divorce laws were made more equitable, king edward memorial hospital was established as a women ' s hospital, women justices were appointed to the children ' s court, and barmaids and female musicians were granted equal pay with men. edith cowan, 1921 – 1925 and may holman, 1925 – 1939 edith cowan - a pioneer for women ' s and children ' s rights at the turn of the century - became the first woman to enter any australian parliament when she was elected to the western australian legislative assembly in 1921. edith cowan was a suffragette and social activist. despite demeaning stereotyping, edith cowan was a forceful parliamentarian. she introduced and saw enacted the women ' s legal status act, which enabled women to practice law. this was a major milestone in the achievement of women ' s rights. the edith cowan university in perth was named after her. may holman, mla. courtesy of a vote of her own the next woman elected in western australia was may holman ( 1893 – 1939 ), first elected in 1925 and the first female labour parliamentarian in the world. may had grown up with a mother who was active in labor women ' s organisations and a father who was a labor member of the legislative assembly in 1901 – 21 and 1923 – 25. from 1918 she assisted her father at the timber workers ' union, spending nine months in the victorian arbitration court. after his death in 1925, may was briefly acting secretary of the union and won pre - selection for his blue - ribbon seat of forrest, a predominantly timber electorate. the timber industries regulation act, 1926, was largely her work. holman was to occupy the seat of forrest for the next fourteen years, at a time when western australia was at the forefront of the australian women ' s movement. at her instigation, in 1938, a royal commission to inquire into sanitation, slum clearance and health and housing regulations in perth was set up. florence cardell - oliver, 1936 – 1956 florence cardell - oliver, mla. courtesy of a vote of her own florence cardell - oliver ( 1876 – 1965 ), president of the western australian nationalist women ' s movement, won the state seat of subiaco in 1936, which she was to hold for 20 years. cardell - oliver


vote of her own florence cardell - oliver ( 1876 – 1965 ), president of the western australian nationalist women ' s movement, won the state seat of subiaco in 1936, which she was to hold for 20 years. cardell - oliver was especially concerned about the health of children from low income families. cardell - oliver was the first woman in australia to attain full cabinet rank when she became minister for health in october 1949. her efforts created the school milk scheme, which ensured that generations of children received a daily quota of free milk. ' woman ' s skirts rustle on the sacred benches ', 1925 - new south wales millicent preston - stanley ( nsw, 1925 ) was elected to the nsw legislative assembly as a nationalist party candidate for the eastern suburbs electorate. preston - stanley was a realist with regard to the immediate impact she would have : i ' m not fool enough to suppose my going into the house is going to make any sweeping alteration. the heavens won ' t fall because a woman ' s skirts rustle on the sacred benches, so long the sacrosanct seats of the lords of creation. e. f. smith, millicent preston - stanley : a feminist in politics, ba ( hons ) thesis, the university of sydney, 1977 hon linda burney, mla. courtesy of a vote of her own since preston - stanley, over eighty women have been elected to parliament, with nearly forty of them doing so now. overall, more than 700 women have stood for parliament in nsw. some of them were ' first in their field '. helen sham - ho, ( mlc 1988 – 2003 ) was the first chinese - born parliamentarian in australia. janice crosio, who served on the executive of all three levels of government, was the first woman new south wales government cabinet member. in 2003, linda burney became the first aboriginal person elected to the nsw parliament when she won the seat of canterbury. putting skirts on the sacred benches irene longman, 1929, queensland and the long dry until 1966 women inside the gate of the city polling station, voting for the first time in a queensland state election, may 1907 [ suffragette movement in queensland ]. courtesy of oxley library. queensland did not enfranchise women until 1905. however, it was the second state to allow the right for women to sit in parliament, in 1915. irene longman was the first to stand as a candidate, endorsed by the country – national party and the queensland women ' s electoral league. long


however, it was the second state to allow the right for women to sit in parliament, in 1915. irene longman was the first to stand as a candidate, endorsed by the country – national party and the queensland women ' s electoral league. longman was responsible for women being admitted to the queensland police force, something originally proposed by the suffragists in the nineteenth century. it was not until 1966 that a second woman, vi jordan, entered parliament — and she managed to get a women ' s toilet in the house. annabelle rankin was queensland ' s first female federal member when elected to the senate in 1947, and the first queensland woman in the house of representatives was elaine darling in 1980. when kathy martin ( sullivan ) was elected to the senate in 1974 she was the only queensland woman in federal parliament. flo bjelke - petersen and margaret reynolds were both elected to the senate in the 1980s. lady millicent peacock, 1933, and doris blackburn, 1946 - victoria doris blackburn. courtesy of the national library of australia : nla. pic - an23193553. women in victoria had to wait until 1908 before they were granted suffrage in victorian state elections and until 1923 before they were eligible to stand for the victorian parliament. lady millicent peacock ( 1870 – 1948 ) became the first female member of the parliament of victoria at a by - election for the legislative assembly seat of allandale, caused by the death of the sitting member, her husband. it was not until 1946 that victorian women entered federal parliament. doris blackburn ( 1889 – 1970 ) was elected as the independent member for bourke, her late husband ' s seat, although she had been campaign secretary for vida goldstein in the 1913 federal election. blackburn was involved in the free kindergarten movement and campaigns for better education, playgrounds and creches. in 1957, with doug nicholls, she was a co - founder of the aborigines advancement league and the federal council for aboriginal advancement. margaret mcintyre, 1948, tasmania margaret edgeworth mcintyre ( 1886 - 1948 ) was a member of the national council of women of tasmania, a commissioner ( 1940 - 48 ) of the girl guides ' association and established the g. v. brooks community school in 1948 before being appointed o. b. e. that year. in the same year, she stood as an independent to win the division of cornwall in the tasmanian legislative council : she was the first woman to be elected to the parliament. ' less than four months after her parliamentary career began, she was killed


payments for mothers and equal training allowances for women and men. she was made dame enid by the king in 1943 and dame enid of australia in 1980. post world war ii - first women political leaders, ministers, premiers and prime minister over the past 30 years women have increased their representation in australia ' s parliaments. while there has been a great deal of rhetoric from our political parties about the pre - selection of women candidates and issues such as ' quotas ', their representation in both federal and state politics is still disproportionately low. nevertheless, there have been some notable figures in the state and federal arenas. susan ryan, 1984, minister for education terry milligan, susan ryan. courtesy of terry milligan and the national library of australia : nla. pic - an20549079. dame margaret guilfoyle was the first australian woman to be appointed to a cabinet portfolio when, in 1976, she became minister for social security in the fraser government. she served in the governments of malcolm fraser between 1975 and 1983, as minister, successively, for education, social security, and finance. on 31 december 1979 margaret guilfoyle was appointed to the order of the british empire ( dames commander ) for her services to public and parliamentary service. susan ryan ( 1942 – ) was appointed the first labor senator for the australian capital territory, 1975. in the federal parliament she was the minister assisting the prime minister bob hawke on the status of women 1983 – 88 and the minister for education, 1984 – 87. she presided over the passage of the federal government ' s sex discrimination act 1984 and the affirmative action ( equal opportunities in employment ) act 1986. janine haines, 1986, south australia, leader of the australian democrats in 1986, janine haines became the first woman to lead an australian political party when she was elected leader of the australian democrats. under her leadership the democrats held the balance of power in the senate. she significantly increased democrat support, with the senate vote rising to 12. 6 per cent in 1990. since haines, the democrats have had other female parliamentary leaders - janet powell, cheryl kernot, meg lees, natasha stott despoja and lyn allison. joan kirner, 1990, deputy premier of victoria joan kirner served as deputy premier of victoria for a year in 1989 before serving as premier for two years to 1992. following the labor party ' s defeat in 1992 she became leader of the opposition. she resigned from parliament in 1994. she said


victoria joan kirner served as deputy premier of victoria for a year in 1989 before serving as premier for two years to 1992. following the labor party ' s defeat in 1992 she became leader of the opposition. she resigned from parliament in 1994. she said of her time in the ' top job ' : my being premier, whatever people thought of my government, showed that a woman, a feminist, can be premier and win the respect of business, unions and the community. carmen lawrence, 1990, premier of western australia hon carmen lawrence mla. courtesy of carmen lawrence in a leadership change on 12 february 1990, dr carmen lawrence made history by becoming premier of western australia and australia ' s first woman premier. following labor ' s narrow defeat at the 1993 state election, dr lawrence also became western australia ' s first woman opposition leader and held the positions of shadow treasurer and shadow minister for employment and federal affairs. dr lawrence entered federal politics by winning the federal seat of fremantle in a by - election on 12 march 1994. she was appointed minister for human services and health, and minister assisting the prime minister for the status of women in march 1994. amanda vanstone, 1996, minister for employment, education, training and youth affairs... senator amanda vanstone had a diverse range of portfolios. after the national 1996 election, senator vanstone served as the federal minister for employment, education, training and youth affairs, and in october 1997 became the minister for justice. following the 1998 election she was sworn in as the minister for justice and customs. from january 2001 until october 2003 she served as minister for family and community services, and minister assisting the prime minister for the status of women. anna bligh, 2007, premier of queensland hon anna bligh mla. courtesy of australian broadcasting corporation anna bligh ( 1960 – ) was elected to parliament in 1995 with a bachelor of arts and in 1998 became the minister for families, youth and community care and disability services. she was promoted to deputy premier in 2005 and then in 2007, with peter beattie ' s retirement, anna became the first female premier of queensland. a local newspaper has also managed to trace anna ' s family back to captain bligh. marion scrymgour, deputy chief minister of the northern territory hon marion scrymgour. courtesy of australian broadcasting corporation marion scrymgour was the first female aboriginal minister in any government in the history of australia. marion was born in darwin in 1960 and raised on the tiwi islands. marion was the member for arafura from


. courtesy of australian broadcasting corporation marion scrymgour was the first female aboriginal minister in any government in the history of australia. marion was born in darwin in 1960 and raised on the tiwi islands. marion was the member for arafura from 2001 to 2012 and a minister between 2002 and 2009. she has held the roles of deputy chief minister, minister for employment, education and training, minister for family and community services, minister for child protection, minister for indigenous policy, minister for arts and museums and minister for women ' s policy. in 2009, she resigned from cabinet and as deputy chief minister, citing health reasons. julia gillard, 2010, australia ' s first female prime minister julia gillard was born in barry, wales in 1961. her family migrated to australia in 1966 and she grew up in adelaide. ms gillard was elected as the federal representative for lalor as a member of the australian labor party in 1998 and continues to represent the electorate of lalor. following the australian labor party ' s victory at the 2007 federal election, ms gillard was sworn in as deputy prime minister and minister for education, employment and workplace relations and social inclusion. on 24 june 2010 she was sworn in as the 27th prime minister of australia, making her australia ’ s first female prime minister. she was re - sworn in as prime minister on 14 september 2010 following the 2010 federal election. early suffragettes and politicians - edith cowan - reserve bank of australia - vida goldstein - australian womem ' s register - vida goldstein - australian dictionary of biography - vida goldstein - forging the nation, australian war memorial - dorothy margaret tangney - australian womem ' s register - senator dorothy tangney - dame enid lyons - enid lyons - national archives of australia - dame enid lyons ( pdf, 208kb ) - national archives of australia - enid lyons - australian women ' s history forum - dame margaret guilfoyle - australian womem ' s register - dr carmen lawrence - member for fremantle 1994 - 2007 online collections of women in politics - a vote of her own - the constitutional centre of western australia - representative women : victorian women parliamentarians since 1923 - carrying on the fight : women candidates in victorian parliamentary elections - putting skirts on the sacred benches : women candidates for the new south wales parliament - women and politics in south australia - state library of south australia - women ' s right to sit in parliament - university of queensland - women in the senate - parliament of australia - women in political arena - australian electoral commission look,


claudio monteverdi ( 1567 – 1643 ) : a student of marc ’ antonio ingegneri in cremona, claudio monteverdi quickly established himself as one of the most significant composers of his time. in 1592 he was appointed suonatore di vivuola ( viol and / or violin player ) to duke vincenzo i of mantua ; his third book of madrigals, published in 1592, shows the strong influence of giaches de wert, the maestro di cappella in mantua. although the several journeys monteverdi made with the duke in the 1590s seem to suggest that his importance at court was growing, benedetto pallavicino was offered de wert ’ s post upon its vacancy in 1596. increasingly dissatisfied with the his situation in mantua, monteverdi left the court after the duke ’ s death, accepting the position of maestro di cappella of st. mark ’ s in venice in 1613. monteverdi wrote some of the most influential compositions of the early baroque, including the famous 1610 vespro della beate vergine ( vespers of the blessed virgin ) and nine books of secular madrigals published between 1587 and 1651. monteverdi also composed the earliest operas still performed today, including orfeo ( 1607 ) and l ' incoronazione di poppea. in addition to writing some of the most important music of his day, monteverdi unwittingly elucidated perhaps the most critical tenet of the baroque era during the so - called “ monteverdi - artusi controversy. ” in 1600, giovanni maria artusi published his l ' artusi, ovvero, delle imperfezioni della moderna musica, which attacked the “ crudities ” and “ license ” of some of monteverdi ’ s then - unpublished madrigals ( including the well known “ cruda amarilli ” ). monteverdi responded to artusi in the preface to his fifth book of madrigals ( 1605 ), dividing musical practice into prima prattica ( first practice ), in which rules of harmony and counterpoint took precedence over the text, and seconda prattica ( second practice ), in which the meaning of the words drove the harmony. girolamo frescobaldi ( 1583 – 1643 ) : born in ferrara, girolamo frescobaldi was a student of the organist and madrigalist luzzasco


second practice ), in which the meaning of the words drove the harmony. girolamo frescobaldi ( 1583 – 1643 ) : born in ferrara, girolamo frescobaldi was a student of the organist and madrigalist luzzasco luzzaschi ; he was also likely influenced by the maverick composer carlo gesualdo, who was also in ferrara at the time. frescobaldi was a famous keyboardist, and served as the organist at the church of santa maria in trastevere in rome before assuming the same post at st peter ' s in 1608, which he held until his death. during this time he also held several other influential positions, including that of organist at the medici court in florence from 1628 to 1634. frescobaldi composed a small amount of vocal music, but it was his compositions for the keyboard — which included a number of toccatas, canzonas, ricercars and capriccios — that influenced composers well into the 18th century — particularly j. s. bach, who owned his collection of organ works for performance during mass entitled fiori musicali ( 1635 ). arcangelo corelli ( 1653 – 1713 ) : born in fusignano, arcangelo corelli studied composition and violin in nearby bologna. after 1675 corelli worked for some of the most important musical patrons in rome, including queen christina of sweden, for whom he directed concerts. he also formed a close bond not typical between patron and composer with cardinal pietro ottoboni ( later pope alexander viii ), at whose palace he lived for some time. corelli enjoyed a stellar reputation both in rome, where he was accepted in the highest aristocratic circles, and in much of europe. his six published collections of concertos, sonatas and other works for violin were extremely popular, and made him the first composer to gain an international reputation solely on the basis of his instrumental music. because his music uses many of the harmonic progressions that came to form the basis of modern tonality, his works are sometimes used as early examples of this newly emergent tonal system. along with his stature as a composer, corelli was considered to be one of the preeminent violin virtuosos of his day. as one of his contemporaries rhapsodized after hearing him play, “ i never met with any man that suffered his passions to hurry him away so much whilst he was playing on the violin as the famous arcangelo corelli, whose eyes will sometimes turn as red as fire ; his count


after hearing him play, “ i never met with any man that suffered his passions to hurry him away so much whilst he was playing on the violin as the famous arcangelo corelli, whose eyes will sometimes turn as red as fire ; his countenance will be distorted, his eyeballs roll as in an agony, and he gives in so much to what he is doing that he doth not look like the same man. ” corelli ’ s style of playing influenced violin technique for centuries, and he instructed many of the leading violinist - composers of the 18th century, including the italian francesco geminiani. antonio vivaldi ( 1678 – 1741 ) : born in venice, antonio vivaldi was trained in music as a child, but was ordained as a priest in 1703. although his vocation and striking red hair earned him the moniker “ il prete rosso ” ( the red priest ), his picturesque nickname soon became the only vestige of his priestly duties. within a year of his ordination, vivaldi stated that he no longer wished to celebrate the mass because of “ tightness of the chest, ” a condition some have attributed to angina pectoris, asthmatic bronchitis — or simply to the fact that music was the red priest ’ s true calling. around 1704, vivaldi began his association with the ospedale della pieta, an institution with which he was connected for most of his life. although the ospedale was usually called an orphanage, it was in reality a home for the illegitimate daughters of venetian noblemen, and was well financed by its “ anonymous ” benefactors. in addition to room, board, and an excellent education in music, the pieta offered a creative outlet for women at a time when professional opportunities for female musicians were uncertain. the students of the pieta played many different instruments ( as one eighteenth - century writer observed, “ [ they ] play the violin, the recorder, the organ, the oboe, the cello, the bassoon ; in fact, there is no instrument large enough to frighten them ” ) and were considered to be among the most accomplished performers of their time. because they were constantly in need of new music, the bulk of vivaldi ’ s output — including almost 500 concertos, 46 sinfonias, 73 sonatas, chamber music and a small number of sacred compositions – was likely intended for these talented performers. alessandro scarlatti ( 1660 – 1725 ) : a student of giacomo carissimi in rome


concertos, 46 sinfonias, 73 sonatas, chamber music and a small number of sacred compositions – was likely intended for these talented performers. alessandro scarlatti ( 1660 – 1725 ) : a student of giacomo carissimi in rome, alessandro scarlatti became the maestro di cappella of the viceroy of naples in 1684 perhaps by way of his sister, an opera singer and the mistress of an influential neapolitan noble. scarlatti wrote over 100 operas, and his works are thought to represent the change in approach to the genre — including the standardization of forms, embellishment of arias and minimization of recitatives — that took place at the end of the 17th century, ultimately leading to the subgenre opera seria. in addition to opera, scarlatti composed more than 600 cantatas and a number of oratorios. his fame today rests primarily on his vocal music, but scarlatti received frequent commissions for instrumental music during his career as well. domenico scarlatti ( 1685 – 1757 ) : the sixth son of alessandro scarlatti, domenico scarlatti likely received the best musical education naples had to offer. around 1708, the elder scarlatti took his son to venice to study with francesco gasparini ( 1668 – 1727 ), who had been a pupil of corelli. from venice the younger scarlatti journeyed to rome — reportedly with handel — where the two men performed before cardinal pietro ottoboni. about 1720 scarlatti moved to lisbon, and some ten years later to madrid. he is known today primarily for his keyboard sonatas, in which his frequent borrowings from hispanic folk tunes and rhythms create a unique sound that is sometimes called “ iberian baroque. ” giovanni battista pergolesi ( 1710 – 1736 ) : born in jesi in 1710, pergolesi studied under francesco sartini. he moved to naples in 1725, where he spent his brief career working in the neapolitan courts. while in naples, pergolesi joined alessandro scarlatti in pioneering the changes underway in the genre of opera, particularly in the new opera buffa ( comic opera ). in 1733, he included within his opera il prigioner superbo the two act buffa intermezzo la serva padrona ( the landlady servant ), which immediately became popular in its own right. its premiere in paris in 1752 sparked the so - called querelle des bouffons ( quarrel of the comedians ),


cantatas and sonatas, and his interest in the juxtaposition of french and italian styles continued throughout his lifetime. his publications in his final decade offer striking illustrations of this preoccupation, including the concert instrumental a la memoire de monsieur de lully ( 1725 ) in which lully and corelli are received by apollo on mount parnassus and together compose “ la paix du parnasse ” in the form of a trio sonata. an even more direct fusing of the two styles occurs in les nations ( 1726 ) and in his suites for bass viols ( 1728 ), of which the first is a french ordre and the second an italian sonata da chiesa. couperin remained somewhat controversial for much of his career. while some critics dismissed him as a “ dedicated servant of italy, ” others viewed the quality of his playing and compositions as the epitome of the french classical tradition. jean - baptiste lully ( 1632 – 1687 ) : one of the most dominant figures of the french baroque, giovanni battista lulli ( later jean - baptiste lully ) was actually an italian of noble birth who arrived in paris in 1646. in 1653, he began work at the court of louis xiv as an instrumental composer and dancer. upon securing the position of superintendent of music in 1661, lully started writing comedies - ballets with the playwright moliere, fusing the tradition of italian pastoral opera with the french ballet du cour. in 1672 he acquired the license for the academie de musique, and a series of highly restrictive patents gave him a total monopoly on the use of music on the french stage. lully even persuaded the king to limit the number of singers and instrumentalists that could perform with other parisian theater troupes. the apotheosis of lully ’ s style was the tragedie - lyrique, a french opera in five acts incorporating ballet, chorus and lavish sets. the magnificence of these productions reflected the way of life in louis xiv ’ s court perfectly. machines that made angels fly and ships tackle the stormy seas transformed the performances unparalleled spectacles, and philippe quinault ’ s librettos disseminated the latest currents in royal thought and praise for the french nation. marc - antoine charpentier ( 1645 – 1704 ) : believed to be from a family of royal painters, charpentier studied with carissimi in rome in the 1660s before returning to paris around 1670. in addition to his position as maitre de musique at the


the identity of “ french opera. ” in addition to serving as the maitre de musique at the home of the financier la poupliniere from about 1735 until 1753, rameau began work at court as the king ’ s compositeur de la musique in 1745 and collaborated on several projects with voltaire. in the final decade of his life, rameau focused more on theory than on actual composition, corresponding with other important music theorists including johann mattheson. his ideas about harmony, particularly the notion that every chord has a basse fondamentale ( root note ) that preserves the identity of the chord even when its notes are reordered, form the basis of modern theories of tonality. upon rameau ’ s death in 1764, over 1500 people attended his memorial service, which featured over 180 musicians performing excerpts from his operas. michael praetorius ( 1571 – 1621 ) : a student of martin luther, praetorius was theorganist at the marienkirche in frankfurt before he became the organist ( 1603 ) and kapellmeister ( 1604 ) at the court in wolfenbuttel. his post necessitated a great deal of travel, which allowed him to advertise his talents as a conductor, organist and knowledgeable expert on practical music and on musical instruments. an extremely prolific composer of lutheran church music, praetorius ’ s magnum opus is the 9 - volume musae sioniae, which contains over a thousand chorale and song settings. his only surviving secular work is terpsichore, a set of 312 dances. in addition to his music, praetorius provided an invaluable reference for researchers in the form of his three volume syntagma musicum ( 1619 ), a detailed compendium of observations on contemporary german music, musical instruments and performance. johann hermann schein ( 1586 – 1630 ) : after studies in music and in law, schein held positions as house music director at schloss weissenfels and kapellmeister to duke johann ernst the younger at weimar before succeeding calvisius in 1616 as music director and cantor at the thomaskirche in leipzig, a position j. s. bach was to hold over a century later. schein was one of the major figures in the development of the sacred concerto, one of the genres that fueled bach ’ s lutheran cantatas, and also composed many spiritual madrigals, motets, songs, dance suites and chorale harmonizations. although


one of the major figures in the development of the sacred concerto, one of the genres that fueled bach ’ s lutheran cantatas, and also composed many spiritual madrigals, motets, songs, dance suites and chorale harmonizations. although his early compositions favor the complex polyphony of the sixteenth century, he quickly abandoned this style in favor of the more modern trend toward emotional declamation and dramatic contrast, using them to great advantage in many of his sacred works. schein is also known for his friendships with scheidt and schutz. samuel scheidt ( 1587 – 1653 ) : born in halle, scheidt studied music in amsterdam with the famous composer sweelinck. upon returning to halle, he became court organist and them kapellmeister to the margrave of brandenburg. unlike many other composers including schutz, scheidt stayed in halle during the thirty years ’ war, taking a series of smaller posts until the situation permitted him to return to his position as kapellmeister. scheidt worked with a number of other famous composers throughout his career, such as praetorius and schutz, and composed many volumes of sacred music that include sacred concertos and madrigals. he was also well known among his contemporaries for his instrumental music, particularly his chorale preludes and fantasias for keyboard. heinrich schutz ( 1585 – 1672 ) : born in kostritz, schutz first studied music with his father, who was an innkeeper. in 1598, a guest at the inn — the landgrave moritz von hessen - kassel — heard the young boy sing, and was so taken with his talent that he asked schutz ’ s father if he could be in charge of his music education. in addition to his studies with the landgrave ’ s kapellmeister, schutz studied law at the university of marburg, graduating with honors in 1608. in 1609, the landgrave gave schutz a grant to travel to venice, where he studied composition with giovanni gabrieli until 1613. after a short stint as the landgrave ’ s organist, schutz became the court composer for the elector of saxony in dresden in 1615, where praetorius was also occasionally employed. schutz held this position for the rest of his career. during the thirty years ’ war, however, he studied briefly with claudio monteverdi in venice and served as kapellmeis


, where praetorius was also occasionally employed. schutz held this position for the rest of his career. during the thirty years ’ war, however, he studied briefly with claudio monteverdi in venice and served as kapellmeister to king christian iv of denmark for several years. perhaps as a result of his studies in italy, schutz is sometimes credited with bringing the italianate style to germany. like monteverdi, schutz often made use of pungent dissonances to express the meaning of the text, and even employed special technical figures in analogy to or taken from classical rhetoric. his two trips to italy yielded collections of music that show his assimilation of the italian style, especially his il primo libro de madrigali ( 1611 ), dedicated to the landgrave and displaying the results of his studies with gabrieli, and the symphoniae sacrae ( 1629 ), which were published at the end of his time in venice. in 1627 schutz also produced the first german opera, dafne, the music of which no longer exists. he is best known for his sacred vocal music, however, particularly his three books of symphoniae sacrae, the psalms of david, the sieben worte jesu christi am kreuz ( the seven last words on the cross ) and his three passion settings, which were composed shortly before the end of his life. georg philipp telemann ( 1681 – 1767 ) : born in magdeburg in 1681, telemann came from a family long connected with the lutheran church : his father was a clergyman, his mother the daughter of a clergyman and his elder brother also followed in the family ’ s footsteps. telemann ’ s destiny lay elsewhere, however. by the age of 10, he was proficient on the violin, flute, keyboard and zither, and even wrote an opera, sigismundus, at twelve. her son ’ s ever - increasing interest in music worried his mother, who confiscated his instruments and forced him to take up the study of jurisprudence. according to telemann, however, on the way to leipzig university he met none other than “ herr georg friedrich handel, who was already of some importance even in those days. ” this encounter was the start of a long friendship between the two men, who exchanged letters throughout their lifetimes. ( on several occasions, handel even sent telemann, an amateur botanist, “ botanical curiosities ” from london ). telemann tried to keep his


the start of a long friendship between the two men, who exchanged letters throughout their lifetimes. ( on several occasions, handel even sent telemann, an amateur botanist, “ botanical curiosities ” from london ). telemann tried to keep his passion for music a secret, but he was sorely tempted “ to drink music ’ s philtre, ” as he put it — and drink he finally did. one day, his roommate “ accidentally ” came across the score of telemann ' s setting of the sixth psalm and arranged for a performance in st. thomas ' s church the following sunday. the work was so successful that the burgomaster of leipzig commissioned him to write a new piece for the choir of st. thomas every fortnight. telemann the composer was born. in 1702, telemann took his first official job in music as the director of leipzig ’ s opera house and one of its churches. his growing reputation in leipzig angered kuhnau, the city ’ s music director and bach ’ s predecessor, who was particularly unhappy that student musicians seemed more interested in working with telemann on opera productions than in participating in church music. in 1705, telemann left leipzig to become kapellmeister to the cosmopolitan court of count erdmann ii of promnitz at sorau ), where the vogue for the french and italian style broadened telemann ’ s musical horizons. he became well acquainted with the music of lully and campra, composing close to 200 ouvertures and suites during his sixteen years in the position. after briefly overlapping with bach in eisenach and working in several other cities, telemann was offered the hamburg johanneum in 1721, a post that entailed the directorship of the city ’ s five principal churches as well as teaching responsibilities. he remained at hamburg for the rest of his life, and was succeeded in the post by his godson, carl phillipp emmanuel bach. during his lifetime, telemann enjoyed a fame that far surpassed that of his contemporary, j. s. bach. not only was he considered to be the better musician — and was compensated accordingly with a salary in hamburg at least three times larger than bach ’ s in leipzig – but by all accounts he was well liked, admired for his driving ambition, impressive talent and excellent sense of humor. often called the most prolific composer in history, telemann ’ s surviving repertoire is massive, including 1043 church cantatas, 46 passions and many operas. he also composed a large amount of instrumental music ; in


impressive talent and excellent sense of humor. often called the most prolific composer in history, telemann ’ s surviving repertoire is massive, including 1043 church cantatas, 46 passions and many operas. he also composed a large amount of instrumental music ; in an autobiographical article from 1740, telemann estimated that he had written 600 suites, about a quarter of which are extant today. one of his most ambitious was the three - installment tafelmusik ( table music ), on whose list of subscribers was “ mr. hendel, docteur en musique, londres. ” george frideric handel ( 1685 – 1759 ) : like his friend telemann, george frideric handel showed a great deal of musical promise during his childhood in halle, but was initially encouraged to study law instead. although he entered the university of halle in 1702, he left a year later to become a violinist in the opera house at hamburg. it was in this city that his first two operas, almira and nero, were produced in 1705, followed by daphne and florindo in 1708. handel then traveled to italy, premiering rodrigo ( 1707 ) in florence and agrippina ( 1708 ) in venice, where he may also have met vivaldi. in rome he studied with corelli, and performed la resurrezione ( 1709 ) and il trionfo del tempo ( 1710 ). early in 1710, handel left italy to become kapellmeister to the elector of hanover, george louis, who became king george i of england in 1714. handel moved to london in 1712, where he remained for the rest of his life. handel arrived in london as a famous opera composer, but english audiences proved resistant to the genre ’ s charms. by the early 1730s, the assaults of critics and the notoriously lascivious lifestyles of the singers had worn down london audiences, and handel needed to find a new medium for his art. the oratorio was the perfect solution. english oratorios were similar to opera in their use of recitative and aria, but were rarely staged, and were based on stories from the bible in the vernacular. handel ’ s addition of the chorus also resonated with london audiences, who were steeped in the english tradition of anthem - singing. ultimately, the english oratorio cemented handel ’ s reputation forever — and works such as messiah, judas maccabeus and israel in egypt are still tremendously popular today. in addition to his operas, oratorios


anthem - singing. ultimately, the english oratorio cemented handel ’ s reputation forever — and works such as messiah, judas maccabeus and israel in egypt are still tremendously popular today. in addition to his operas, oratorios and well known coronation anthems, written for the coronation of george ii, handel composed a great deal of instrumental music still performed today. some of the most famous were composed for royal occasions, including water music, written for concerts on the thames, and music for royal fireworks. others were published for purchase by subscription, like the op. 6 concerti grossi, based on the op. 6 collection of corelli. after becoming blind in 1751, handel died eight years later in london. he is buried in westminster abbey. johann sebastian bach ( 1685 – 1750 ) : like many composers born into a musical family, johann sebastian bach received his earliest instruction from his father in eisenach. after his father ’ s death in 1695, bach studied in ohrdruf with his brother, johann christoph, and also attended schools in eisenach, ohrdruf, and luneburg. in 1703, bach attained his first post as organist in arnstadt, where he stayed until 1707, followed by a year as organist in muhlhausen. from 1708 to 1717 bach worked for duke wilhelm ernst of weimar, first as court organist, and after 1714, as kapellmeister. many of his organ compositions were written during this period, including the orgelbuchlein, as well as some of his cantatas. while in weimar, bach also came into contact with a great deal of italian music, and was particularly influenced by vivaldi ’ s concertos. bach embarked on the next phase of his career in 1717, when he became the music director for the prince leopold of cothen ( 1717 – 1723 ). since the court chapel was calvinist ( a religion that did not use elaborate music in its services ), bach composed a great deal of instrumental music during this time, including the brandenburg concertos, the suites for solo cello, the sonatas and partitas for solo violin, the first volume of das wohltemperirte clavier ( the well - tempered clavier ) and the orchestral suites. while there was no need for sacred vocal music, bach also composed a few cantatas to commemorate special events at court. in 1723, bach was appointed music director and cantor at the thomaskirche in leipzig, a position he was to hold for the


while there was no need for sacred vocal music, bach also composed a few cantatas to commemorate special events at court. in 1723, bach was appointed music director and cantor at the thomaskirche in leipzig, a position he was to hold for the rest of his career. ( bach was actually the second choice for the position, as the more famous telemann had already refused the job ). his official duties were immense, requiring him to oversee the music in the city ’ s four main churches, teach and provide music for municipal occasions. during his first six years in leipzig, bach composed four cycles of cantatas and the st. john and st. matthew passions. by 1729, bach had amassed a large repertoire of music for services in leipzig, and was able to turn his attentions elsewhere. from 1729 to 1737 ( and again from 1739 to 1741 ), bach served as the director of the leipzig collegium musicum, a group of professional musicians and university students founded by telemann in 1704. in addition to reviving many compositions from cothen for the collegium ’ s weekly concerts, many of bach ’ s secular cantatas from this time were probably composed for the group. bach also published a number of more abstract, erudite works for publication, particuarly the four volumes entitled clavier - ubung ( keyboard practice ), which hold the six partitas for keyboard ( vol. i ), the italian concerto, the french overture ( vol. ii ) and the goldberg variations ( vol. iv ) ; another late work along similar lines is the unfinished die kunst der fuge ( the art of fugue ). although he was famous during his lifetime, bach ’ s contemporaries had all but dismissed him as old - fashioned by the time of his death in 1750. according to anecdotal evidence, his music was still respected ; mozart and beethoven both reportedly studied his compositions. the true revival of bach ’ s works began in 1829, however, when felix mendelssohn conducted a famous performance of the st. matthew passion in berlin. after hearing the performance, hegel called bach a “ grand, truly protestant, robust and, so to speak, erudite genius which we have only recently learned again to appreciate at its full value. ” mendelssohn ’ s efforts to promote bach ’ s music continued, and eventually led to the founding of the bach gesellschaft ( bach society ), an organization devoted exclusively to promoting his works. henry purcell ( 1659 – 1695 ) : as the son


mendelssohn ’ s efforts to promote bach ’ s music continued, and eventually led to the founding of the bach gesellschaft ( bach society ), an organization devoted exclusively to promoting his works. henry purcell ( 1659 – 1695 ) : as the son of a musician at court, a chorister at the chapel royal and a composer for three different kings, henry purcell spent his entire life in westminster. after showing a proclivity for music at a young age, purcell may have studied with john blow in the chapel royal. 18th century historian charles burney questioned the extent of the tutelage, however, writing that “ … he had a few lessons from dr. blow, which were sufficient to cancel all the instructions he had received from other masters, and to occasion the boast inscribed on the tomb - stone of blow, that he had been ‘ master to the famous mr. henry purcell ’. ” as part of his royal duties, purcell was expected to write music to celebrate special occasions, such as the birthday ode for queen mary entitled “ come ye sons of art, away. ” although italian opera had not yet caught on in england, purcell composed a number of “ semi - operas, ” such as king arthur ( 1691 ) and the fairy queen ( 1692 ), and the only through - sung english opera of the seventeenth century, dido and aeneas ( 1689 ). purcell also wrote a large amount of incidental music for the theater, which his widow published posthumously as a collection of ayres, compos ' d for the theatre, and upon other occasions ( 1697 ). in addition to his activities at court and in the theater, purcell was also involved with the advent of public concerts in london, and composed harpsichord suites and trio sonatas for performance at these events. in 1683, a group of amateur and professional musicians started a “ musical society ” to celebrate the festival of st. cecilia, “ a great patroness of music, ” on november 22. purcell composed three odes for the society. upon his premature passing in 1695, “ the english orpheus ” was buried adjacent to the organ in westminster abbey.


the french and american revolutions were followed by a period of counter - revolution, during which also the conservative and dogmatic western european protestant and reformed state churches tried to restrict the freedom of speech in the areas that were under their control. on the other hand the economic development had by then already gained all new kind of momentum from the intellectual opening up of that happened in the 17th and 18th centuries. economic progress did slowly create a new kind of wealthy middle class that had the interest and but most importantly the means to educate themselves and their children. the age of enlightenment brought to the forefront the ancient greek ideas of democracy and the freedom of the individual. the books containing these revolutionary ideas were now translated and published widely in the western europe. these ideas got a warm reception from the emerging new middle class, who were searching for a way for making themselves heard in the feudally ruled world. the ensuing emergence of modern science pushed the economic development to new heights in the western europe. the increasingly wealthy and more and more educated middle class was soon growing steadily. this development was intensified in the northern parts of europe by the fact that in the end also many of the leaders of the protestant state churches were soon convinced of the growing importance of science. accordingly they did not mostly even try interfere with its rise, even if the catholic church still tried to do it in the countries that were still under its sway. the practical implications of science and the economic growth that followed from its use to solve more and more practical and technical problems did eventually spread even to the catholic world. also there the intellectual supremacy of the church was eroded little by little by the slow but inevitable strengthening of the secular parts of the society. so, the secular power of the christian churches was diminishing on all fronts of life. it was the more so, as the new findings of science did show clearly the true allegorical and fantastic nature of a increasing number of biblical “ truths ”. uncomfortable co - existence was, however, possible as long as science did not confront religion straight on. it was charles darwin who finally really challenged the christian religion and its central teachings head - on with his revolutionary idea of evolution. evolution is simply in no way compatible with the teachings of the christian faith and the story of creation presented in the bible. this was finally a situation that could not be bypassed easily. however, the world had by this stage been changed up to a point where it was impossible to put the genie back to the bottle. members of the society could with their own eyes easily see the concrete benefits that the advent


could not be bypassed easily. however, the world had by this stage been changed up to a point where it was impossible to put the genie back to the bottle. members of the society could with their own eyes easily see the concrete benefits that the advent of science was giving them. the church simply could not challenge science anymore in western europe with any kind hope of lasting success, at least. the western christian churches did of course condemn darwin and his dangerous ideas with strong words and there is still a widespread resistance among truly believing christian against his findings for a very good reason. charles darwin did solve one of the greatest unsolved scientific mystery there was left at that time ; where did humanity come from. not having a clear answer to this difficult and important question did for example lead to a situation where many of the founding fathers of the united stated were deists or believers in divine explanation of the existence of universe, but where there is no personal god that has any interest in matters of human beings. after darwin up to that point common deism did disappear and was largely replaced by free - thinking and later atheism and agnosticism. science now could finally provide most of the really important answers which had up to this time been explained with religious myths. after darwin the western christian protestant churches started their involuntary trek to their modern form, where they, in fact, do not try to impose their religious ideas to the whole of society anymore. these religious organizations do not claim to be originators and carriers of all human wisdom anymore. they are mere givers of comfort and givers of a haven to those people who do not dare to face the real world as it is, which can of course be only a good thing. ( this little essay was refurbished on 22th of april, 2012 )


| new international version ( © 2011 ) | but abishai son of zeruiah came to david ' s rescue ; he struck the philistine down and killed him. then david ' s men swore to him, saying, " never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of israel will not be extinguished. " king james bible but abishai the son of zeruiah succoured him, and smote the philistine, and killed him. then the men of david sware unto him, saying, thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of israel. american standard version but abishai the son of zeruiah succored him, and smote the philistine, and killed him. then the men of david sware unto him, saying, thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the lamp of israel. young ' s literal translation and abishai son of zeruiah giveth help to him, and smiteth the philistine, and putteth him to death ; then swear the men of david to him, saying, ' thou dost not go out again with us to battle, nor quench the lamp of israel. ' 2 samuel 21 : 17 additional translationsclarke ' s commentary on the bible that thou quench not the light of israel - david is here considered as the lamp by which all israel was guided, and without whom all the nation must be involved in darkness. the lamp is the emblem of direction and support. light is used in this sense by homer : - ουδε τι πατροκλω γενομην φαος, αυδ ' εταροισι τοις αλλοις, οι δη πολεες δαμεν εκτορι διω. iliad, lib. xviii. ver. 102. " i have neither been a light to patroclus nor to his companions, who have been slain by the noble hector. " treasury of scripture knowledge 2 samuel 20 : 6 - 10 and david said to abishai, now shall sheba the son of bichri do us more harm than did absalom : take you your lord ' s servants... 2 samuel 22 : 19 they prevented me


: 6 - 10 and david said to abishai, now shall sheba the son of bichri do us more harm than did absalom : take you your lord ' s servants... 2 samuel 22 : 19 they prevented me in the day of my calamity : but the lord was my stay. psalm 46 : 1 god is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. psalm 144 : 10 it is he that gives salvation to kings : who delivers david his servant from the hurtful sword. 2 samuel 18 : 3 but the people answered, you shall not go forth : for if we flee away, they will not care for us ; neither if half of us die... 2 samuel 14 : 7 and, behold, the whole family is risen against your handmaid, and they said, deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him... 1 kings 11 : 36 and to his son will i give one tribe, that david my servant may have a light always before me in jerusalem... 1 kings 15 : 4 nevertheless for david ' s sake did the lord his god give him a lamp in jerusalem, to set up his son after him... psalm 132 : 17 there will i make the horn of david to bud : i have ordained a lamp for my anointed. john 1 : 8, 9 he was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light... john 5 : 35 he was a burning and a shining light : and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. light [ heb ] candle, or lamp 2 samuel 21 : 17 parallel commentariesabishai battle david extinguish helped israel killed lamp mayest philistine quench smote struck succored succoured sware swore zeruiahabishai battle david extinguish helped israel killed lamp mayest philistine quench smote struck succored succoured sware swore zeruiahthe holy bible, new international version®, niv® copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by biblica®. 2 samuel 21 : 17 mobile bible 2 samuel 21 : 17 bible suite 2 samuel 21 : 17 biblia paralela 2 samuel 21 : 17 chinese bible john 5 : 35 john was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. 2 samuel 18 : 3 but the men said, " you must not go


paralela 2 samuel 21 : 17 chinese bible john 5 : 35 john was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. 2 samuel 18 : 3 but the men said, " you must not go out ; if we are forced to flee, they won ' t care about us. even if half of us die, they won ' t care ; but you are worth ten thousand of us. it would be better now for you to give us support from the city. " 2 samuel 20 : 6 david said to abishai, " now sheba son of bikri will do us more harm than absalom did. take your master ' s men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us. " 2 samuel 22 : 29 you, lord, are my lamp ; the lord turns my darkness into light. 1 kings 15 : 4 nevertheless, for david ' s sake the lord his god gave him a lamp in jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making jerusalem strong. jeremiah 40 : 15 then johanan son of kareah said privately to gedaliah in mizpah, " let me go and kill ishmael son of nethaniah, and no one will know it. why should he take your life and cause all the jews who are gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant of judah to perish? "


this setting prices in a retail store guide is a checklist for the owner - manager of a retail business. these 51 questions probe the consideration - from markup to pricing strategy to adjustments - that lead to correct set prices decisions. you can use this checklist to establish setting prices in your new store, or you can use it to periodically review your established pricing policy. a retailer ' s set prices influence the quantities of various items that consumers will buy, which in turn affects total revenue and profit. hence, correct setting prices decisions are a key to successful retail management. with this in mind, the following checklist of 52 questions has been developed to assist retailers in making systematic, informed decisions regarding pricing strategies and tactics. this checklist should be especially useful to a new retailer who is making pricing decisions for the first time. however, established retailers, including successful ones, can also benefit from this guide. they may use it as a reminder of all the individual pricing decisions they should review periodically. and, it may also be used in training new employees who will have pricing authority. the central concept of setting prices a major step toward making a profit in retailing is selling merchandise for more than it cost you. this difference between cost of merchandise and retail price is called markup ( or occasionally markon ). from an arithmetic standpoint, markup is calculated as follows : dollar markup = retail price - cost of the merchandise. percentage markup = if an item cost $ 6. 50 and you feel consumers will buy it at $ 10. 00, the dollar markup is $ 3. 50 ( which is $ 10. 00 - $ 6. 59 ). going one step further, the percentage markup is 35 percent ( which is $ 3. 50 divided by $ 10. 00 ). anyone involved in retail pricing should be as knowledgeable about formulas as about the name and preferences of his or her best customer! two other key points about markup should be mentioned. first, the cost of merchandise used in calculating markup consists of the base invoice for the merchandise plus any transportation charges minus any quantity and cash discounts given by the seller. second, retail price, rather than cost, is ordinarily used in calculating percentage markup. the reason for this is that when other operating figures such as wages, advertising expenses, and profits are expressed as a percentage, all are being based on retail price rather than cost of the merchandise being sold. target consumers and the retailing mix in this section, your attention is directed to


other operating figures such as wages, advertising expenses, and profits are expressed as a percentage, all are being based on retail price rather than cost of the merchandise being sold. target consumers and the retailing mix in this section, your attention is directed to price as it relates to your potential customers. these questions examine your merchandise, location, promotion, and customer services that will be combined with price in attempting to satisfy customers and make a profit. after some questions, brief commentary is provided. 1. is the relative price of this item very important to your target consumers? the importance of setting prices depends on the specific product and on the specific individual. some shoppers are very price conscious. others want convenience and knowledgeable sales personnel. because of these variations, you need to learn about your customers ' desires in relation to different products. having sales personnel seek feedback from shoppers is a good starting point. 2. are set prices based on estimates of the number of units that consumers will demand at various price levels? demand - orientated pricing such as this is superior to cost - orientated pricing. in the cost approach, a predetermined amount is added to the cost of the merchandise, whereas the demand approach considers what consumers are willing to pay. 3. have you established a price range for the product? the cost of merchandise will be at one end of the price range and the level above which consumers will not buy the product at the other end. 4. have you considered what price strategies would be compatible with your store ' s total retailing mix that includes merchandise, location, promotion, and services 5. will trade - ins be accepted as part of the purchase price on items such as appliances and television sets? this set of questions looks outside your firm to two factors that you cannot directly control - suppliers and competitors. 6. do you have final pricing authority? with the repeal of fair trade laws, " yes " answers will be more common than in previous years. still, a supplier can control retail prices by refusing to deal with non - conforming stores ( a tactic which may be illegal ) or by selling to you on consignment. 7. do you know what direct competitors are doing price - wise? 8. do you regularly review competitor ' s ads to obtain information on their prices? 9. is your store large enough to employ either a full - time or a part - time comparison shopper? these three questions emphasize the point that you must watch competitors ' prices so that your prices will not be far out of line -


prices? 9. is your store large enough to employ either a full - time or a part - time comparison shopper? these three questions emphasize the point that you must watch competitors ' prices so that your prices will not be far out of line - too high or too low - without good reason. of, course, there may be a good reason for the out - of - the - ordinary prices, such as seeking a special price image. a price level strategy selecting a general level of prices in relation to competition is a key strategic decision, perhaps the most important. 10. should your overall strategy be to sell at prevailing market price levels? the other alternatives are an above - the - market strategy or a below - the - market strategy. 11. should competitor ' s temporary price reductions ever be matched? 12. could private - brand merchandise be obtained in order to avoid direct price competition? calculating planned initial markup in setting prices in this section you will have to look inside your business, taking into account sales, expenses, and profits before setting prices. the point is that your initial markup must be large enough to cover anticipated expenses and reductions and still produce a satisfactory profit. 13. have you estimated sales, operating expenses, and reductions for the next selling season? 14. have you established a profit objective for the next selling season 15. given estimated sales, expenses, and reductions, have you planned initial markup? this figure is calculated with the following formula : initial markup percentage = operating expenses + reductions + profit net sales + reductions reductions consist of markdowns, stock shortages, and employee and customer discounts. the following example uses dollar amounts, but the estimates can also be percentages, and if the retailer desires a $ 4, 000 profit, initial markup percentage can be calculated : initial markup percentage = $ 34, 000 + $ 6, 000 + $ 4, 000 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ = 44 % $ 94, 000 + $ 6, 000 the resulting figure, 44 percent in this example, indicates what size markup is needed on the average in order to make the desired profits. 16 would it be appropriate to have different initial markup figures for various lines of merchandise or service? you would seriously consider this when some lines have much different characteristics than others. for instance, a clothing retailer might logically have different initial markup figures for suits, shirts, and pants, and accessories. ( various merchandise characteristics


of merchandise or service? you would seriously consider this when some lines have much different characteristics than others. for instance, a clothing retailer might logically have different initial markup figures for suits, shirts, and pants, and accessories. ( various merchandise characteristics are covered in an upcoming section. ) you may want those items with the highest turnover rates to carry the lowest initial markup. set prices store policies having calculated an initial markup figure, you could proceed to set prices on your merchandise. but an important decision such as this should not be rushed. instead, you should consider additional factors which suggest what would be the best price. policies are written guidelines indicating appropriate methods or actions in different methods or actions in different situations. if established with care, they can save you time in decision making and provide for consistent treatment of shoppers. specific policy areas that you should consider are as follows : 18. will a one - price system, under which the same price is charged every purchaser of a particular item, be used on all items? the alternative is to negotiate price with consumers 19. will odd - ending prices such as $ 1. 98 and $ 44. 95, be more appealing to your customers than never - ending price 20. will consumers buy more if multiple pricing, such as 2 for $ 8. 50, is used? 21. should any leader offerings ( selected products with quite, low less profitable prices ) be used? 22. have the characteristics of an effective leader offering been considered? ordinarily, a leader offering needs the following characteristics to accomplish its purpose of generating much shopper traffic : used by most people, bought frequently, very familiar regular price, and not a large expenditure for consumers. 23. will price lining, the practice of setting up distinct points ( such as $ 5. 00, $ 7. 50 and $ 10. 00 ) and then marking all related merchandise at these points, be used? 24 would price lining by means of zones ( such as $ 5. 00 - $ 7. 50 and $ 12. 50 - $ 15. 00 ) be more appropriate than price points? 25. will cent - off coupons be used in newspaper ads or mailed to selected consumers on any occasion? 26. would periodic special sales, combining reduced prices and heavier advertising, be consistent with the store image you are seeking? 27. do certain items have greater appeal than others when they are part of a special sale? 28 has the impact of various sale items on profit been considered? sales prices may mean little or no profit


be consistent with the store image you are seeking? 27. do certain items have greater appeal than others when they are part of a special sale? 28 has the impact of various sale items on profit been considered? sales prices may mean little or no profit on these items. still, the special sales may contribute to total profits by bringing in shoppers who may also buy some regular - price ( and profitable ) merchandise and by attracting new customers. also, you should avoid featuring items that require a large amount of labor, which in turn would reduce or erase profits. for instance, according to this criterion, shirts would be a better special sales item than men ' s suits that often require free alterations. 29. will " rain checks " be issued to consumers who come in for special - sale merchandise that is temporarily out of stock? you should give particular attention to this decision since rain checks are required in some situations. your lawyer or the regional federal trade commission office should be consulted for specific advice regarding whether rain checks are needed in the special sales you plan. nature of the merchandise in this section you will be considering how selected characteristics of particular merchandise affect planned initial markup. 30. did you get a " good deal " on the wholesale price of this merchandise? 31. is this item at the peak of its popularity? 32. are handling and selling costs relatively great due to the product being bulky, having a low turnover rate, and requiring much personal selling, installation, or alterations? 33. are relatively large levels of reductions expected due to markdowns, spoilage, breakage, or theft? with respect to the preceding four questions, " yes " answers suggest the possibility of or need for larger - than - normal initial markups. for example, very fashionable clothing often will carry a higher markup than basic clothing such as underwear because the particular fashion may suddenly lose its appeal to consumers. 34. will customer services such as delivery, alterations, gift wrapping, and installation be free of charge to customers? the alternative is to charge for some or all of these services the questions in this section focus your attention on three factors outside your business, namely economic conditions, laws, and consumerism. 35. are economic conditions in your trading area abnormal? consumers tend to be price - conscious when the economy is depressed, suggesting that lower - than - normal markups may be needed to be competitive. on the other hand, shoppers are less price - conscious when the economy is booming, which would permit larger markups on a selective basis. 36. are the


, suggesting that lower - than - normal markups may be needed to be competitive. on the other hand, shoppers are less price - conscious when the economy is booming, which would permit larger markups on a selective basis. 36. are the ways in which prices are displayed and promoted compatible with consumerism, one part of which has been a call for more straightforward price information? 37. if yours is a grocery store, it is feasible to use unit pricing in which the item ' s cost per some standard measure is indicated? having asked ( and hopefully answered ) more than three dozen questions, you are indeed ready to establish retail prices. when you have decided on an appropriate percentage markup, 35 percent on a garden hose, for example, the next step is to determine what percentage of the still unknown retail price is represented by the cost figure. the basic markup formula is simply rearranged to do this : cost = retail price - markup cost = 100 % - 35 % = 65 % then the dollar cost, say $ 3. 25 for the garden hose, is plugged in to the following formula to arrive at the retail price : retail price = 65 % ( or. 65 ) one other consideration is necessary : 38. is the retail price consistent with your planned initial markups? set prices adjustments it would be ideal if all items sold at their original retail prices. but we know that things are not always ideal. therefore, a section on price adjustments is necessary. 39. are additional markups called for because wholesale prices have increased or because an item ' s low price causes consumers to question its quality? 40. should employees be given purchase discounts? 41. should any groups of customers, such as students or senior citizens, be given purchase discounts? 42. when markdowns appear necessary, have you first considered other alternatives such as retaining price but changing another element of the retailing mix or storing the merchandise until the next selling season? 43. has an attempt been made to identify causes of markdown so that steps can be taken to minimize the number of avoidable buying, selling, and pricing errors that cause markdowns? 44. has the relationship between timing and size of markdowns been taken into account? in general, markdowns taken early in the selling season or shortly after sales slow down can be smaller than late markdowns. whether an early or late markdown would be more appropriate in a particular situation depends on how many consumers might still be interested in the product, the size of the


the selling season or shortly after sales slow down can be smaller than late markdowns. whether an early or late markdown would be more appropriate in a particular situation depends on how many consumers might still be interested in the product, the size of the initial markup and the amount remaining in stock. 45. would a schedule or automatic markdowns after merchandise has been in stock for specified intervals be appropriate? 46. is the size of the markdown " just enough " to stimulate purchases? this question stresses the point that you have to observe the effects of markdowns so that you can know what size markdowns are " just enough " for different kinds of merchandise. 47. has a procedure been worked out for markdowns on price - lined merchandise? 48. is the markdown price calculated from the off - retail percentage? this question gets you into the arithmetic of markdowns. usually, you first tentatively decide on the percentage amount price must be marked down to excite consumers. for example, if you think a 25 percent markdown will be necessary to sell a lavender sofa, the dollar amount of the markdown is calculated as follows : dollar markdown = off - retail percentage x previous retail price dollar markdown = 25 % ( or. 25 ) x $ 500 = $ 125 then the markdown price is obtained by subtracting the dollar markdown from the previous retail price. hence, the sofa would be $ 375. 00 after taking the markdown. 49. has cost of the merchandise been considered before setting the markdown price? this is not to say that a markdown price should never be lower than cost, on the contrary, a price that low may be your only hope of generating some revenue from the item. but cost should be considered to make sure that below - cost markdown prices are the exception in your store rather than being so common that your total profits are really hurt. 50. have procedures for recording the dollar amounts, percentages, and probable causes of markdowns been set up? markdown analysis can provide information for assist in calculating planned initial markup, in decreasing errors that cause markdowns, and in evaluating suppliers. 51. have you marked the calendar for a periodic review of your pricing decisions? rather than making careless pricing decisions, this checklist should help you lay a solid foundation of effective prices as you try to build retail profits. copyright © by bizmove. all rights reserved.


a prisoner ’ s length of stay is driven by a complicated mix of crime, conviction rates, policies and practices within the legislative, executive and judicial segments of government. there are four primary factors that influence prison length of stay : criminal penalty statues ; legislature funding for prisons and alternatives to incarceration ; court policies and decisions ; and release policies by corrections departments, parole boards and the executive branch. criminal statutes : at a basic level, a prisoner ’ s average length of stay is determined by the type of crime for which that individual is convicted. if a state focuses on cracking down on drug activity and the overall prison population tilts toward more drug offenders, it is likely the length of stay will be shorter than if a state focused on convicting violent offenders. legislative priorities : states ’ approaches to shaping sentencing varies, but another baseline for determining average length of stay is how the legislature defines sentences, including minimum and maximum terms in prison. more rigid guidelines for courts and agencies to follow will often translate to longer lengths of stay. courts and prosecutors : how prosecutors charge or offer plea bargains to defendants will also affect lengths of stay. national estimates suggest more than nine out of 10 cases involve plea bargains. when this discretion is limited, length of stay in prison goes up. agency release decisions : using factors such as conduct while in custody, criminal history or offense type, parole boards often have a fair amount of discretion in referring inmates to parole supervision. some parole boards like to know electronic monitoring, treatment or training programs are in place prior to recommending parole. programs such as a geo care / bi day reporting center or residential reentry center offers good examples of programs that support parole in facilitating successful community reintegration. with states focused on driving costs down, average length of stay is an important variable many leaders are eyeing closely. a recent report by the pew center on the states, “ time served, ” reviews prison lengths of stay in depth, including a state - by - state review of prison statistics.


on thursday, april 19, 2012 did you know that eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children in the united states? most of these eye injuries are sports related. in fact, most eye injuries among kids ages 11 - 14 occur while playing sports. of these eye injuries, almost 90 % of them could have been prevented with the use of protective eyewear. first, an eye exam before enrolling a child in any sport is important. an eye exam done by an eye care professional can help detect preexisting eye conditions in athletes. after an eye exam, an eyecare professional can recommend the best protective eyewear for that patient. protective eyewear includes safety glasses and goggles, safety shields, and eye guards designed for a particular sport. while protective eyewear does not include contact lenses, protective eyewear can easily be worn over them. in fact, all active children are encouraged to wear protective eyewear ; not just children who need vision correction. here is a breakdown of sports according to eye injury risks : the national eye institute provides a list of recommended protective eyewear for specific sports here. you can talk to an eyecare professional about the right type of protective eyewear for your child and to ensure proper fit. remember, protecting eyes during sports can help prevent blindness and permanent eye damage. make sure to talk about eye safety and sports with an eyecare professional for more information.