Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 44

Summary - Essay Example After reading about Avila and watching trailers of ‘Savages’, I realized that women are more deeply involved in drug trafficking than it is widely believed. The involvement of high-profile women from the world of fashion in dangerous, life-threatening and illegal activities also raises other important questions like the reasons and factors that contribute to their involvement and their manipulation on the basis of their gender in drug trafficking. A research article by Council on Hemispheric Affairs stated: Because a woman could use her appearance to bypass security officers, DTO affiliates began attending beauty pageants held in Latin America in order to approach contestants with the lures associated with drug trafficking... Colombian beauty queen and lingerie model, Angie Valencia, who was supposedly using other young, beautiful models to transport drugs in an international cocaine ring. (Mares, COHA) This research topic would not only explore the dual roles of women as victims and perpetrators but would also investigate about the ambiguous roles played by women in the complex web of the underworld. â€Å"According to the National Womens Institute (INMUJERES), the number of females convicted in connection to the drug trade rose 400 percent between 2007 and 2010.† (Ramsey, Insight) Such facts and figures about the involvement of women in drug trafficking are likely to attract students of women and gender studies, legal studies, criminal psychology etc. The data available at the official websites of law enforcement agencies, newspaper articles, human rights organizations, etc. shall prove to be the most authentic sources of acquiring information about this topic. Some sources from where official statistics can be obtained are: Almanac of Policy Issues (http://www.policyalmanac.org/); United States Drug Enforcement Administration

Global Geographical Features Essay Example for Free

Global Geographical Features Essay Throughout global history civilizations have been developed and destroyed. This is due to geographical features surrounding the nation or region. The geographical features can benefit a region, but it may also be the source of a catastrophic event. These geographical features include mountains, oceans, and volcanoes and so on. A geographical feature that has had both positive and negative effects on a nation or region would be ocean. An ocean like the Pacific Ocean can be able to provide a region with seafood to help a civilization developed with a surplus of food. An ocean could also allow a region to create a trade route between other regions, this can be proven true because the Atlantic Ocean was used throughout history as a major trade route from Europe to North America. A negative effect of an ocean would be that a nation can be more susceptible to tsunamis. For example eastern Asia could be more easily open to this because there are a lot of archipelagoes that are surrounded by a lot of water. This would destroy all of the land close to the ocean, which would leave you without shelter and crops. This would eventually lead to starvation which may cause people to migrate over to a safer place. Geographical features have been part of history, and have made the world what it is today. These features could even provide protection for a civilization that is trying to develop. This is way before a civilization actually settles they make sure of how they will use their new surroundings.

History of the Byzantine Era and Significance Today Essay -- World His

Like John of Damascus, Theodore the Studite was an important literary figure and one of the principal people involved with the writing of the Canons. Theodore the Studite lived from 759-826 CE, and served as the abbot of the monastery of Studius in Constantinople from 798 CE until his death. Like John, Theodore was a defender of icons and believed that Iconoclasm was heresy. Theodore's arguments against Iconoclasm can be found in his three formal tracts and in his letter that opposed Iconoclasm based on the human side of Christ's nature, and on Theodore's belief that symbolism was necessary in religious worship. Though Theodore did admit that God could not, and should not be depicted in art, he still believed that the denial of the legitimacy of Icons of Christ meant the denial of the Incarnation. He argued that it was false to hold the belief, as the Iconoclasts did, that the symbol was the same as the essence it symbolized. Had this been true, he believed that the defende rs of images would have agreed that the legitimate icon of Christ was the sacred elements of prayer and conscious. Along with his writings and stances against the Iconoclasm, Theodore also created two important funeral orations, one for his mother Theoctista, whom he painted as a pious yet practical Byzantine lady, and another for his uncle Plato, abbot of the Saccudion monastery, whose rules had provided Theodore with a pattern that would aid him in his own monastic reforms. These works, by Theodore, provide arguments from the Iconoclasm periods, and also, from his personal history that give scholars a view into that period of the Byzantine history. Another influential scholar was Maximus the Confessor. In his early years, he studied philosophy, g... ...s F.X. The Western Humanities Volume I: Beginnings Through the Renaissance. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2010. Newman, Garfield. Echoes from the Past World History to the 16th Century. Whitby, Ont: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, 2001. Nicol, Donald MacGillivray, Teall, John L. â€Å"Byzantine Empire.† Britannica Online Encyclopaedia Academic Edition. Accessed January 27, 2014. Retrieved From http://0-www.britannica.com.aupac.lib.athabascau.ca/EBchecked/topic/87186/Byzantine-Empire â€Å"St Maximus the Confessor.† Orthodox Church of America. Last Modified January 21, 2014. Accessed February 20, 2014. Retrieved From http://oca.org/saints/lives/2014/01/21/100249-st-maximus-the-confessor â€Å"Who is Saint Maximus?† St. Maximus the Confessor Orthodox Mission. Accessed February 20, 2014. Retrieved From http://www.stmaximus.org/who_is_st_maximus.html

Discussion Questions for Operational Management

Discussion Questions for OM 5016 Class 2 Ch 1 &2. Operations Management Introduction and Strategy 1. What is Operations Management? What are major OM decisions? 2. What are the key differences between goods and services? 3. What a role does productivity play? How to measure productivity and what challenges do we have in measuring and improving productivity? 4. What is mission and strategy? How important is it for an organization to develop a mission and strategy? 5. What is OM strategy? How can operations management help a company achieve competitive advantages? 6.What is SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity and threat) analysis? Under what circumstances do you think should we conduct SWOT analysis? Class 3 Southwest Airlines 1. Why has Southwest Airlines been so successful? 2. What recommendations would you make about the issues raised on pages 13 – 15 of the case? 3. What are the implications for Southwest of the actual or threatened bankruptcies of other major U. S. airlin e? Class 4 Ch 05. Product and Service Design 1. Why do companies need to continuously develop new products? How to generate new ideas? 2. What factors should be considered in product development?Describe the typical phases of product development and evaluate their relative importance. 3. What is the role of quality function deployment (QFD)? How is Quality of House working in product development? 4. Describe the main techniques used in designing products. Give some real world examples. What strategic advantages do techniques provide? 5. Describe the documents used to define and produce a product? How are they important and necessary? 6. Describe four organizational approaches to product development. What pros and cons do they have? 7. What are the key differences between product design and service design? 8.What an impact does environmental friendly design have on product development? How do you address conflicts between ethical design and company profitability? Class 6 Discussion q uestions for IDEO If you have interest, watch the video on Youtube: the Deep Dive Q1. How would you characterize IDEO’s design process, organization, culture and management? Q2. Should IDEO accept the Visor project as is (on a dramatically reduced schedule)? Should they try to persuade Handspring’s management to change its aggressive launch schedule? Or should they simply decline the project? Please consider both the IDEO and Handspring perspectives.Class 7 Process and Layout Strategy 1. What process strategies does an organization usually use? What key factors does a company consider in choosing its process strategy? What are the competitive advantages a firm (producing goods or service) has by using different process strategy? 2. What is mass customization? What major factors contribute to the success of mass customization? 3. How to analyze and design a process by using different tools? 4. What process strategies should be used for service? What are the key differen ces between a service process and a product process? How to improve the service process? . What layout strategies can a company use? What are the main characteristics and concerns of these strategies? 6. What are the relationships between process and layout? Class 8 Mass Gen Hospital Q1. What are primary challenges in improving operating processes in a health care environment such as that of MGH? Why choose CABG for care path? Q2. What implementation approach would you recommend for Bohmer and Torchiana? Be specific as to where you would start, what resources you would bring to bear, what performance you would expect, and what timeline you would hope to follow.What would you recommend MGH to do for its longer-term process improvement? Q3. How should MGH balance the tension between process standardization and process customization? What are the hazards of standardizing the process too rigorously? What are the dangers of allowing too much freedom to customize? Class 9 Capacity Plannin g and Location 1. What is capacity decision about? Why is it important? 2. Distinguish between design capacity and effective capacity, between utilization and efficiency. 3. What factors should be considered in determining the capacity? 4. What approaches are used and when to use them to expand the capacity? . Describe approaches used to determine the capacity. (You do not need to know how to calculate, but have to know the idea and assumptions of the approaches) 6. What are the goals, criteria and factors does a company consider in choosing a location? What are the trends of location decision? 7. Describe techniques used for location decision and identify the situations and assumptions under which these techniques should be applied. Class 10 Questions for Alden 1. Looking back, do you agree with the logic that led API in 1962 to consolidate its European production into a single facility? 2.What is your evaluation of the Uniplant’s performance during the 1980s? 3. What recomm endations would you make to Mr. Genet, API-Europe’s Executive VP, as regards the operations strategy his organization should follow in the future? Specifically, which option should it take, where should it be located, and how should it be managed? Class 12 Questions for Supply Chain Management (SCM) 1. What is a supply chain? What are the differences between SCM and OM? Describe the various stages in the supply chain and the different flows involved. 2. What is the goal and main decisions of supply chain? 3.What is your evaluation between single supplier and multiple suppliers? 4. What is push/pull view of a supply chain? What product characteristics influence the choice of push/pull SC 5. What is bullwhip effect? Why does it happen and how to reduce this effect? 6. What is an integrated supply chain? What are the key challenges and how to make it a success? Class 13 Discussion questions for Crocs 1. What are Croc’s core competencies? 2. How do they exploit these compe tencies in the future? Consider the following alternatives: a. Further vertical integration into materials. b. Growth by acquisition. c.Growth by product extension 3. To what degree do the alternatives in question 2 fit the company’s core competencies, and to what degree do they defocus the company away from its core competencies? Class 14 Inventory Management 1. What is inventory? What types of inventory are there? What are the major causes of inventory? 2. What is the purpose of ABC classification system and how is it working? 3. What types of costs associated with an inventory system? What are the objectives and key decisions of inventory management? 4. What are the assumptions and objective of EOQ model? Are these assumptions reasonable? . What are the major differences between EOQ and production order quantity (POQ) model? Why is the production inventory quantity larger than the economic order quantity, given other things equal? 6. What is â€Å"safety stock†? Wha t does safety stock provide safety against? How to calculate safety stock based on the required service level? 7. How to determine inventory size when there is uncertainty with demand/lead time? 8. What are the main challenges in inventory management, in your opinion? Class 15 Sport Obermeyer 1. What challenges does Sport Obermeyer have in production planning with uncertain demand? . What are your recommendations for production planning prior to and after observing the Las Vegas show? 3. What operational changes would you recommend to Wally to reduce markdown and stockout costs? 4. What are your views on sourcing from Hong Kong versus China? Class 16 Aggregate planning and ERP 1. What is aggregate planning and what aggregate means? 2. What are the strategic objectives of aggregate planning? Which one of these is most often addressed by the quantitative techniques of aggregate planning? 3. What strategies are used in developing a plan?What options are available for each strategy and what are the pros and cons of each option? 4. How does aggregate planning in service differ from aggregate planning in manufacturing? What is yield management and where are they implemented? 5. What is the relationship between the aggregate planning and the master production schedule (MPS)? What is the relationship between MPS and material requirements planning (MRP)? How to develop a MRP? 6. How does MRP, as an approach to inventory management, differ from the approach taken in the chapter Inventory Management, dealing with economic order quantities? 7.What is ERP and what benefits and disadvantages of ERP have? Class 17 Cisco Systems 1. At the end of the case, Pete Solvik has a number of questions. Please think about these questions, and be prepared to give your answers: What factors had contributed to the success of the ERP implementation? What obstacles did Cisco overcome for the ERP project? How? Where had the EPR team been â€Å"smart†? Where had the ERP team been just plain lucky? Do you think that the ERP project a complete success? Do you think that the Cisco team could do such a project again if they had to? Why? Why not? 2. How important is the ERP to the overall architecture?Do you see the ERP component as something that will be undertaken by some, most or all companies as they build their Information Age IT architectures? Class 18 Just-in-Time (JIT) 1. What is JIT, the Toyota Production System (TPS) and lean operations? What are the underlying philosophies? 2. Does JIT mean zero inventory? How to use EOQ and POQ models in inventory management to determine the lot size in a JIT system? 3. What are the differences between JIT and customization? 4. What are the characteristics of JIT partnerships with respect to suppliers? 5. How can layout help a company achieve JIT? How are JIT and quality related? . What is level scheduling? Discuss how the Japanese word for card has been applied in the study of JIT. 7. JIT attempts to remove delays that do not add value. How does JIT cope with weather and its impact on crop harvest and transportation times? 8. Does lean techniques work for service industry, such as a restaurant? If so, how? Class 19 Toyota Motor Manufacturing 1. What are the possible causes of the seat problem? What is the real problem facing Doug Friesen? 2. What are the key elements of TPS? Where, if at all, does the current routine for handling defective seats differ from the principles of TPS? . As Doug Friesen, what would you do to address the seat problem? Where would you focus your attention and solution efforts? Class 20 Quality and TQM 1. What is quality? What factors are used to determine quality for goods and services? 2. What are costs of quality? How can improving quality reduce costs? 3. What is Total Quality Management (TQM)? What concepts are used to implement an effective TQM program? Explain them. How are they related to Deming’s 14 points? 4. What are seven tools of TQM? What are their purpo ses and when to use them? 5. How does fear in the workplace inhibit learning? . Philip Crosby said that quality is free. What does it mean and why? 7. What roles do operations managers play in addressing the major aspects of service quality? 8. Good quality products last a long time, which in turn may reduce the sales of the product and thus the profit. How do you explain this? Class 21 Ritz-Carlton 1. What is the essence of the Ritz-Carlton experience? What is the Ritz-Carlton selling? 2. How does Ritz-Carlton create â€Å"Ladies and Gentlemen† in only 7 days? 3. Should McBride lengthen the 7 Day Countdown? Any other alternatives?

Ikea Strategic Brand Management

When people talk about furnitures, the first brand which comes to mind is IKEA. Originating from Sweden, IKEA first open shop in 1958, then in Norway in 1963 and soon after, it spread throughout the whole of Europe and thus slowly making its way to the whole world. With their biggest market in Germany with 45 stores followed by United States with 35 stores, now IKEA have 313 stores in 30 countries. (Cult Branding, 2012). Known for its simplistic design which has maximum optimization, IKEA product ranges from not only furniture but also different furniture segments such as kitchen cabinets, build-in wardrobe and much other furniture.IKEA strategic brand management in making the brand such a craze among its customer and thus leading to a brand value which is important for IKEA’s entire product line making IKEA one of the most valuable brand in the furniture niche. A visit to IKEA for either shopping or leisure would reveal several factors on why customers come back over and over again for not only products from IKEA but also the shopping experience from IKEA. Comparing a visit to IKEA with any other furniture outlet is different as one gets the sense of belongingness as the layout of every IKEA store makes one feels homely.It is so that customers can visualize their homes when buying IKEA products. IKEA’s interior designing team designed the rooms or kitchens in a way that people could visualize how their homes will look like before purchasing the product from IKEA making a purchase from IKEA a worthwhile one. Adding to that, IKEA made things different as its furniture and home furnishing shopping is differentiated so well, consumers who wanted specific products from specific departments of the home. Another value added to IKEA’s brand is about the design of the products.Eventhough IKEA’s product design are minimalistic, the products presents itself in an innovative way in such that it does not take much space and yet still being able to function better or on par with what the particular product will do which still look pleasant to house owners or visitors instead of a sore eye. For instance, IKEA’s simple Lackside coffee table might look like a dull one in black and white, but throwing in the colours made it fun to look it although an old school design is used.In a sense, that the designs are modern and traditional with functionality. IKEA’s products always come with a set of instruction manuals that are not complicated and are straightforward making IKEA’s product being easily assemble without much of hassle which in turn keep their prices low and reasonable to the range of products being sold. Making products in such way added value to the brand IKEA as furnitures are often regarded as comes in one piece or do it yourselves which is very difficult to assemble.Having products in low and reasonable price range, it is no surprise that the brand IKEA appeals to most people, primarily to young urban couples or families which do not want to burn a deep hole in their pockets in their investment of their first house. However, this does not mean that people on the middle income or higher income do not buy products from IKEA. IKEA produces products in such it varies in prices depending on its differences. Therefore, the brand IKEA is made stronger by introducing a variety of product ranges with different product prices which caters and fulfill to any level of income consumer’s need in the market.Despite having products at such low prices, this does not show that products sold are not of quality as buyers are given a sense of value to their household items but satisfying the customers saying â€Å"less is more†. Not only that, every single year, IKEA’s product prices are cut down even further which made it favourable for consumers who could not afford to get it the following year, thus making the IKEA brand also a favourable one. Taking things a few steps b ack, most of IKEA’s product are made of wood which somehow does not go well with the word environment in various ways. Therefore, waste reduction is a crucial key in production.IKEA’s designers and engineers strive to reduce the amount of material used and wasted in production of its furnitures. Additionally, many waste products are then used to make new products, which in turn further reducing overall cost both to the pocketbook as well as to the environment. Adding on to this, the Recovery Department is responsible for sorting and recycling all recyclable materials, including packaging broken down in-sotre as well as materials collected from customers at recycling donation bins where available. In conclusion, IKEA’s strategic brand management involves its retail and alue to be seen by consumers all around the world. Using differentiation to its advantage, IKEA differentiates themselves with other big home furnishing and furnishing outlets available such as Big Brand, Darby and Vandrie through products which are innovative, quality and yet low in prices. And thus, living to its tagline â€Å"affordable solutions for better living† says it all. (IKEA 2012) References Cult Branding. (2012). The IKEA Cult Brand Profile. The Cult Branding Company. Retrieved from http://www. cult-branding. com/ikea-cult-brand-profile IKEA (2012). Welcome to IKEA. Retrieved from http://www. ikea. com/

The eNotes Blog Powering Up Social Media and the NewClassroom

Powering Up Social Media and the NewClassroom Just a few years ago, when kids began having their own phones in large numbers, schools freaked out. At my daughters junior high, phones had to be hidden away in backpacks or lockers. Any teacher who observed a student with a phone was required to seize it. The phone was then taken to the office, and there was a $15 fine to get it out of hock. Two years later, my son is now in the same junior high. Phones and other electronic devices are no longer  pariahs; in fact, students are  encouraged  to bring their personal phones or iPads. Teachers can request that their students use them during all kinds of lessons, from geography to science, even English, to look up quotes or biographical information. Students can also use their phones during passing periods and at lunch. (I suspect there will be a lot more fund raisers this year, seeing as how the cash cow of phone seizing is no longer being milked. ) Of course, it isnt just the fact that teachers and administrators are tired of fighting the ubiquitous phones and their larger cousins. Slowly, educators are realizing the benefits of social media. And, as those in charge learn more about the remarkable versatility of the internet, the applications are becoming an integral part of the students learning experience, arguably making them more engaged and interactive than ever before. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and even one of the relatively new social media sites, Pinterest, are giving education a much-needed boost. Here are a few of the ways educators are employing the power and persuasion of social media: Twitter:   Teachers have been setting up subject or class Twitter accounts that students can follow. The teacher then tweets information related to their class. Some even set homework via Twitter, reports  The Guardian,  in their article Social media for schools: A guide to Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. Twitter, as many have discovered, is also often the fastest way to find out about breaking news. Facebook:   I have often asked my own students to post a specific status and have their friends respond. Then, the following class period, we discuss those responses. For example, I recently had them read Hal Niedzvieckis New York Times  article, Facebook in a Crowd. Niedzviecki wonders what would happen if he invited many of his virtual friends to a real life cocktail party. Of the several hundred invitations, twenty people accepted; one actually showed up. I asked my students to post as their status, Is a virtual friend a real friend? We had a lively discussion that could not have happened otherwise. Pinterest:   Not just a place to pin your favorite recipes or cute cat photos. Many teachers have found great success, especially for their highly visual learners, using Pinterests Tutorials. Here, among other things, you can learn, step-by-step, how to create QR codes, or become more proficient in Photoshop, or learn how a touchscreen works. Tumblr:   Again, a great site for students and educators. More and more companies have begun to tumbl, as it is a great way to find archival materials as well as current news and discussions. Some of my favorites, which I often use to prepare lectures, are the tumblrs of The Paris Review, Life  Magazine, the  New York Public Library,   NPRs  Fresh Air,  and, of course, .   How do YOU use social media in the classroom? Whether you are a teacher or a student, wed love to know.

Vocabulary About Work in German

Vocabulary About Work in German Here is some work-related German vocabulary to practice with.die Arbeit - jobder Beruf/ die Karriere - careerdie Stelle - the positiondie Aufgabe - the taskdie ÃÅ"berstunde - overtimedie Vollzeitarbeit - full-time workdie Teilzeitarbeit - part-time workselbststndig - independentder Werktag - workdayder Feiertag - holidaydie Schichtarbeit - shift workdie Nachtschicht - night shiftdie Schwarzarbeit - moonlightingbeschftigen- to be occupieddas Personal - staffder Geschftsfà ¼hrer/ der Manager - managerder Kollege/ der Mitarbeiter - colleagueder Angestellte - employeeder Arbeitgeber - employerunterbezahlen - to underpayder Arbeitnehmer - employeein Streik treten - to go on strikeanwerben - to recruitdie Arbeitslosigkeit - unemploymentder Arbeitslose - unemployeddie Anwerbung - recruitmentdie Personalkà ¼rzung - staff cutbackstariflich festgelegt - contractualdie Einstellung - employmentdie Bewerbung - (job) applicationder Bewerber - apllicantbefà ¶rdern - to promotedie Teamarbeit - teamworkauf Stellensuche sein - to be job-huntingdie Erfahrung - experienceder Interview/ der Vortstellungsgesprch - interviewder Kopfjger - headhunterder Lebenslauf - curriculum vitaeder Arbeitsvertrag - employment contractder Arbeitsunfall - accident at workdie Versicherung - insurancedie Karriereleiter hinaufsteigen/ beruflich aufsteigen - to climb up the ladderzustndig fà ¼r - responsible forder Urlaub - vacationsich pensionieren - to retire

A Writers Best Friend

A Writers Best Friend A Writer’s Best Friend A Writer’s Best Friend By Mark Nichol I was bemused recently to read in the acknowledgments section of a book the author’s expression of gratitude toward someone who had read the manuscript before publication. The writer thanked the other person for â€Å"doing great proofreading,† but he followed that comment with â€Å"Not copy editing [sic]; we were both cautious about that, as our strongly held opinions don’t often match.† My first impression was that the book’s author has or had at the time a fundamental misunderstanding of copyediting (since the book was published, the closed-compound version of that term has come to prevail), as he implied that such a process would interfere with his expression of his views. (The person who assisted him is an expert in the book’s subject matter.) That’s absurd, because no editing role certainly not copyediting involves revisions of writers’ expressions of their beliefs or judgments. A developmental editor for a book publisher, or an assigning editor of a periodical, might discuss this issue with a writer but generally does not impose on the author’s convictions; presumably, the opportunity for the author to express these ideas is the reason the content is being published in the first place. But then I considered that perhaps, by â€Å"strongly held opinions,† the writer meant his notions of what constitutes good writing. Perhaps he was referring to the fact that his ideas about how to construct prose conflicts with those of the person who reviewed the manuscript for him. This possibility led me to reflect on my long-held opinion, acquired through decades of painful experience, that there’s a strong correlation between good writers and good grace when it comes to responding to grammatical and syntactical revisions, concomitant with the disturbing degree to which many poor writers protest such improvements. For in this case, the book suffered greatly not only from the fact it, at least before it was submitted to the publisher, was proofread but not copyedited. It also was compromised by the apparent lack of copyediting (or any editing) during the production phase of publication. The writing is verbose, repetitive, poorly organized, and clumsy (barely) competent, but dull and tiring to read, and in dire need of attention from both a developmental editor and a copy editor. This mediocrity was all the more disappointing because of the anticipation with which I had approached the book, which covers a topic of great interest to me. I was especially puzzled about the writing quality because the book dates to the early 1980s, the last period in which a reader could count on well-edited books before, for many but fortunately not all publishing companies, the bottom line became more important than the line edit. Ultimately, though, that this book is an exception to the rule is not the writer’s fault; the publisher let him and me and other readers of this book down. But writers aren’t helpless in the face of this trend; if they lack a partner or other close associate qualified and willing to review a manuscript (or even if such an ally is put to work), they can resort to pre-editing. That’s the now-widespread practice of preempting a publishing company’s possible neglect or short-changing of the editing process, and/or improving the chance of the manuscript’s acceptance, by hiring a freelance developmental editor and/or a freelance copy editor to polish it before submitting it to publishers. It’s unfortunate that the assembly-line model that now prevails in the publishing industry necessitates this step for one or both reasons stated, but though it requires a financial investment by the writer, it’s a wise strategy that enhances the likelihood both that the manuscript will be published and that the book will succeed. Another wise strategy is to have a little humility about one’s writing ability and the value of one or more objective second opinions. I’m a good writer, though not a great one, but even if I did claim (and perhaps actually have) more talent, I would, as I do in reality, welcome both substantial and mechanical revisions that make me look even better. For me and many good and great writers it’s a no-brainer, but that indirect reference to my earlier comment about the correlation of writing talent to amenability to editing reminds me of another observation: Common sense isn’t as common as it should be. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comma After i.e. and e.g.3 Types of Headings8 Great Podcasts for Writers and Book Authors

Benefits of Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Benefits of Globalization - Essay Example If an organization has already planned how will they cope up with globalization then they can easily extract the benefits. In the same way organizations that do not plan from before are unable to take benefits from globalization. Organizations tend to get more active and competitive in result of globalization due to the fact that newer and better firms enter the market. At this situation an organization cannot relax with the idea of brand loyalty, as people tend to change brands. Qualities with price have become the major factor for buying decisions. In the next five years the international market will become more competitive, prices will go down and quality of products will increase this can be said seeing the present trend of the market. These changes will affect international marketing. Promoting a product would be more through the technical aspects of the product. Marketers would have to find newer and more innovative ideas to attract the customers. Any organization that is givin g a better quality in a matched price would be successful. The on-going process of globalization leads to the emergence of a 'global order' engendering new and pressing moral and ethical issues. In the hands of the powerful, notably global business, globalization has the reality to embed the full range of injustices and inequities that the global economy can deliver. For example those of you familiar with the debate about supply of cheap medicines to Africa have experienced this first hand. In some parts of the world, globalization has destroyed the fish resources of the Pacific by using bigger foreign fishing vessels. It also has the capacity to destroy the tropical forests in PNG and Indonesia because China and Europe want plywood. In both cases, communities are destroyed and livelihoods of future generations are removed. There are different ethical and social issues that an organization can face while doing business internationally. The first and major issue to any organization that is operating a business in the international market is to adopt the social and cultural norms of a country. Other issues include polluting the environment of the country, using ingredients in the product that the people of the country prohibit to use. Another problem can be the different style of the same product that is being used in the country. For example in United States hot dogs are made from ham but in Pakistan hot dogs are being made using meat. To handle these situations an organization needs to plan its actions before hand. This is the only option that's most suitable to for any organization. A study of the ethical issues before launching the product should be carried out and planning on how to solve these issues should be done as well. Ans. 3 As the marketing director the first thing that I will do is to check the demand of my product in the region and the countries that will host the product. The next step would be of studying the different cultures and norms that prevail in those countries or region. The third step would be a study about related products in the region or the countries and how they are handled. How successful they are and what type of marketing

Positive action in the judicial appointments process is essential to Essay

Positive action in the judicial appointments process is essential to address the lack of diversity in the judiciary of England and Wales - Essay Example Available from the website at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201012/ldselect/ldconst/272/27206.htm, It is important to carry out selection of candidates for the judicial positions in terms of merit which should be done based on just and open competition from the broad range of eligible contenders. I first agree with the notion that, we don not have any perfect judicial system and it is clear in the past recent years that some features of the appointment processes needed an urgent modernization. Delivering enhancements on the manner in which judges are appointed is a vital component of the selection program. I am therefore, among the many people who are dedicated to fighting for the element of diversity in judiciary to be incorporated through some range of critical measures. A judiciary that is visibly reflective of the society highly enhances the confidence of the public in the judicial system. Additionally, no one at any given moment should be foiled from his or her dream of becoming a judge, simply on the bases of sex, his race, the religion or any other protected trait as identified in equality act. The freedom from discrimination is a fundamental code of justice and equality that is preserved by law. It is also evident from http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201012/ldselect/ldconst/272/27206.htm that Judges who inhabit courtrooms in both Wales and England, are stereotypical white males from slim social grounds. Most of the concerns regarding to the Under-repres ented individuals tend to stem from the structures of legal vocations2. This is also worsened by the pool of the obtainable mid-career specialists who are eligible and fascinated in presenting themselves for the selection process. Hence, some obstacles arise due to the appointment processes which regards to the court arrangement and the various tribunals which judges operate in. I do not propose that the notion of merit should sparingly be focused on the

Flight to Mexico - General Aviation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Flight to Mexico - General Aviation - Essay Example The â€Å"pilot to be† must pass the FAA practice flight test. In addition, a private pilot must be able to speak, read and comprehend English. A medical examination for aviation is also vital and can only be administered by a medical official certified by the aviation department. It is critical that a private pilot has all the necessary documents. These documents consist of photo identification, a student pilot certificate with endorsements, a FAA Form 8710-1 Airman Certificate. Moreover, a private pilot needs to have a logbook with CFI endorsements along with along with an aircraft maintenance logbook. As a private pilot, tourist VISA is extremely essential along with FMM, which is a visitor permit that is provided by the airline. In addition, a customs declaration form is vital. Clearing immigration upon arrival is highly suggested for foreign pilots since clerks do check these documents. For further approval, the FMM permit gets stamped by the airport officials. As mentioned above, strict guidelines are placed in all aspects of transportation, which includes customs. Since Mexican customs deal with a lot of traveling and shipping options, they are strict in not permitting certain things to enter their soil. One of the main objectives of Mexican customs is to ensure the protection of their country. Hence, it is quite common for the Mexican government to reject goods that seems susipicious and is not labeled clearly. Everything must be cleared with US customs since both customers understand the gravity of security issues that emerged post September 11. Any monetary value over ten thousand dollars must be approved and declared with the customs. Mexico is a beautiful country that has the ability to spark excitement and awe amongst tourists. Mexico offers beautiful beaches along with historical cities that date all the way to Spanish colony. Mexico City itself offers many incentives such as great

Introduction to Nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Introduction to Nursing research - Essay Example The purpose of this study as explained by the authors was to assess whether self-monitoring of blood glucose was effective in treating the glycemic control of the patient and in helping them deal with the psychological effects of being newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. There were no specific research questions in this study but one could assume that the research questions were: Will patients who are newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes show improvement in glycemic control because of their self-management? Also, will immediate feedback insure compliance with medication requirements and determine patient attitude toward their disease? These questions can be inferred by the two-fold purpose of the study(O’Kane et al., 2008). The basic concept is that the researchers wanted to understand how self-monitoring effected the attitudes and the self-monitoring of newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes. The phenomena studied was type 2 diabetes in adult males, aged 70 or older (O’Kane et al., 2008). This was a quantitative study that used a â€Å"a randomised controlled trial† (O’Kane et al., 2008, para. 11) that used two groups. One group was asked to self-monitor their glucose concentrations regularly, ( the intervention group) and the second group was asked not to monitor their glucose concentrations (the control group). The patients were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and they were recruited from several diabetes services in several cities in Ireland. The age of the patients was 70 and above, and the study was done between 2002 and 2005. Some doctors referred specific participants. The exclusion criteria for the participants was patients that were in secondary stages of diabetes, those who used insulin or who were already self-monitoring, those who had major diseases within the last six months, those with chronic kidney or liver disease, and those who were abusing alcohol (O’Kane

Culture and Leadership in Microsoft Research Paper

Culture and Leadership in Microsoft - Research Paper Example Culture and leadership are the two main and basic features of the organizations involved in any kind of business or service provision. These elements enable a company to flourish and achieve its aims and objectives in a much clearer way than those workplaces which lack proper formulation and translation of the values and norms. When we see the success stories of the leading, global firms around us, it gives a good realization of the fact that a good leadership and a sophisticated organizational culture form a good organization. This paper discusses the concept of organizational culture and leadership in a detailed context. It also gives a comprehensive overview of these concepts with reference to Microsoft. Organizational Culture The concept of organizational culture plays an important role in the life and functioning of any organization. Defining the term in its specific context, the culture of an organization pertains to an idea referring to the aspect of organizational studies and management which explains the attitudes, experiences, psychology, beliefs and values related to an organization. According to many management experts the concept of organizational culture is described as the explicit compilation of norms and values which are commonly shared by groups and people in an organization. These values, beliefs and norms also influence the way the people in an organization communicate and network with one another and with the external parties and stakeholders outside the organization. To extend it further, these ideas and beliefs explain the nature of goals that the members in an organization normally follow. The culture also translates the suitable standards of behaviors, attitudes and the environment w hich are used by the members of the organization. Leadership Leadership is one of the main elements of the organizational management. According to many management experts and gurus, the term is described as the process of influencing the society and the workforce in which one member acts as the leaders and lists the support and assistance for other people and the subordinate in order to achieve the completion of a tasks which is being worked on as a mutual goal. The act of leading refers to the creation of a way through which the people in an organization put in their efforts and contributions in order to contribute something unusual to happen. Talking specifically about the implementation and influence if leadership in the organization, the effectiveness of this act pertains to the capability of the /leader to execute a successful maximization and instability to successfully integrate and maximize available resources within the internal and external environment for the attainment o f organizational or societal goals 1 Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is the leading organization in the field of the provision of computer hardware and software products. The company is a public multinational based in America and is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA. The company is basically involved in the development, manufacturing, licensing and supporting a diverse variety of services and products which are chiefly connected to the computer-related technology thorough the divisions of many of its product divisions2. The history of Microsoft Corporation briefly dates back to April 4, 1975 and this was the time when BASIC interpreters was developed and sold to Altair 8800. The company also rose to control the computer operating system in the home market in mid-1980s with MS-DOS, which was later followed by the introduction of the modern Microsoft Windows line of operating systems. The Microsoft Corpora

International Business in the Globalization Environment Dissertation

International Business in the Globalization Environment - Dissertation Example Managers tend to see the international market as societies in microcosm with their own specific cultures and ways of transmitting these cultures to their members. Samiee et al (2005) and Verlegh (2007) examine the impact on a home country and unique brand image of the product on perception and buying patterns in targeted markets. They find that national stereotypes and buyer attitudes toward countries of origin influence the buying process and profitability of the company. Another layer of literature is based on theoretical materials and concepts aimed to discuss and evaluate business strategies and international marketing trends around the world. ... They examine the impact of culture on the formulation and the application of an international marketing strategy. The home country and the host country environment constitute an open interaction system. The strategies of the firm play the primary role in the interaction; secondary roles are played by a number of other players. Special attention should be given to such countries as Malaysia, Thailand and Philippine affected by strong national culture and traditions. The results of the interaction may be more or less successful from the point of view of the firm, the host country, or other institutions or organizations involved (Balabanis et al 157). The host country environment presents another set of macro factors. On the macro environmental level, cultural forces need to be evaluated. On the microenvironmental level, the factors become more specific; they include (1) buyer-seller relationships, (2) nature of supply and demand, (3) market price mechanism, (4) nature of competition, (5) barriers to market entry, and (6) nature of the distribution. At the operational level, factors such as (1) sof t versus hard currency, (2) exchange rate fluctuations, (3) inflation, (4) tariffs and quotas, and (5) invisible barriers become extremely important (Doole and Lowe 82). Research suggests that "cultural distance" also presents a major challenge to an entrepreneur assessing the potential of the host market.

Culture and Leadership in Microsoft Research Paper

Culture and Leadership in Microsoft - Research Paper Example Culture and leadership are the two main and basic features of the organizations involved in any kind of business or service provision. These elements enable a company to flourish and achieve its aims and objectives in a much clearer way than those workplaces which lack proper formulation and translation of the values and norms. When we see the success stories of the leading, global firms around us, it gives a good realization of the fact that a good leadership and a sophisticated organizational culture form a good organization. This paper discusses the concept of organizational culture and leadership in a detailed context. It also gives a comprehensive overview of these concepts with reference to Microsoft. Organizational Culture The concept of organizational culture plays an important role in the life and functioning of any organization. Defining the term in its specific context, the culture of an organization pertains to an idea referring to the aspect of organizational studies and management which explains the attitudes, experiences, psychology, beliefs and values related to an organization. According to many management experts the concept of organizational culture is described as the explicit compilation of norms and values which are commonly shared by groups and people in an organization. These values, beliefs and norms also influence the way the people in an organization communicate and network with one another and with the external parties and stakeholders outside the organization. To extend it further, these ideas and beliefs explain the nature of goals that the members in an organization normally follow. The culture also translates the suitable standards of behaviors, attitudes and the environment w hich are used by the members of the organization. Leadership Leadership is one of the main elements of the organizational management. According to many management experts and gurus, the term is described as the process of influencing the society and the workforce in which one member acts as the leaders and lists the support and assistance for other people and the subordinate in order to achieve the completion of a tasks which is being worked on as a mutual goal. The act of leading refers to the creation of a way through which the people in an organization put in their efforts and contributions in order to contribute something unusual to happen. Talking specifically about the implementation and influence if leadership in the organization, the effectiveness of this act pertains to the capability of the /leader to execute a successful maximization and instability to successfully integrate and maximize available resources within the internal and external environment for the attainment o f organizational or societal goals 1 Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is the leading organization in the field of the provision of computer hardware and software products. The company is a public multinational based in America and is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA. The company is basically involved in the development, manufacturing, licensing and supporting a diverse variety of services and products which are chiefly connected to the computer-related technology thorough the divisions of many of its product divisions2. The history of Microsoft Corporation briefly dates back to April 4, 1975 and this was the time when BASIC interpreters was developed and sold to Altair 8800. The company also rose to control the computer operating system in the home market in mid-1980s with MS-DOS, which was later followed by the introduction of the modern Microsoft Windows line of operating systems. The Microsoft Corpora

Thermography detection on the fatigue damage of the specimen alloy Essay

Thermography detection on the fatigue damage of the specimen alloy - Essay Example Fatigue occurs when a material is subjected to periodic stress which is below its tensile breaking or yield stress but which is enough to cause permanent damage. The formal definition of fatigue as given by Wikipedia (n.d.1) is: [F]atigue is the progressive, localized, and permanent structural damage that occurs when a material is subjected to cyclic or fluctuating strains at nominal stresses that have maximum values less than (often much less than) the static yield strength of the material. It is because fatigue happens so quietly and insidiously that makes it very dangerous even resulting in loss of life. Sadananda et al (2003) assert that "Fatigue is the principal cause of premature failure of engineering components". Many structures such as aeroplanes, oil rigs and bridges, to name just a few, are exposed to fluctuating stresses. The engineering approach falls into two broad categories of dealing with stress induced fatigue. The first part is prediction of the lifetime of a material under stress. This model will provide recommendations on how frequently materials have to be replaced. The second approach is to predict how far a crack can grow before failure happens. Detection and prediction of failure of cracks can mean the difference between life and death of users of these facilities. "The basic method o S-N Curves "The basic method of presenting engineering fatigue data is by means of the S-N curve, a plot of stress S against the number of cycles to failure N." ( Key to Steel, n.d.) The S-N curves enable prediction of how long a material will last in terms of cycles of loading. Figure 1. A S-N Plot for an aluminum alloy (Kelly, 1997) Kelly (1997) explains that cracks go through three stages of formation, propagation and failure. Stress Intensity factor K "Stress Intensity, K, is a parameter that amplifies the magnitude of the applied stress that includes the geometrical parameter Y (load type)" (Wikepedia, n.d.2). This factor measures the degree to which stress is magnified around a crack. The loading around a crack falls into three modes I, II and III. Figure 2. Three loading modes (Key to Steel, n.d.) The three modes are: Mode 1: opening or tensile mode (the crack faces are pulled apart) Mode 2: sliding or in-plane shear (the crack surfaces slide over each other) Mode 3: tearing or anti-plane shear (the crack surfaces move parallel to the leading edge of the crack and relative to each other) (Key to Steel, n.d.) The most common mode is mode I and this is what is used in most calculations. The intensity factor, K, determines the rate at which a crack will propagate and hence the lifetime of the material. The mathematical relationship is defined by Callister (1994, cited by Kelly(1997)) as: This equation relates the rate of growth of a crack to the change in intensity factor K. In this equation A and m are dependent on the materials and da is the change in crack length while dN is the change in number of stress cycles. The change in K is defined by: Where Kmax and Kmin are the maximum and minimum intensity factors respectively, Y is a constant dependent geometry of the material and is the applied stress on the material. When this equation is re-arranged and integrated it becomes: This equation gives Nf, the estimated number of cycles before

Assess the contribution made by the Jesuits Essay Example for Free

Assess the contribution made by the Jesuits Essay The Jesuits are not only indicative of the developments in Catholic faith and theology but they also made a significant contribution in the Counter Reformation movement. On a theological level, the Jesuits helped the Catholics to express their faith- a critical ingredient to Catholic revival. The Jesuits made the Church infinitely stronger and better equipped to face the future in 1600 than it had been half a century earlier. Spain, Italy and Portugal remained firmly Catholic while ground was recovered all over southern Germany and the Habsburg lands and eventually Poland and Rome were won back to Rome. Seeing as the Reformation was on a theological plane, the Catholic response also existed along a theological plane. The Jesuits were part of a wide movement in the Church that had existed since the fifteenth century where a high level of interest was place in meditative prayer and charitable works. When these two concepts overlapped, the notion emerged whereby spiritual satisfaction could be expressed in a methodical way of life. The Jesuits were a vehicle through which this could happen. After the Council of Trent the Catholic Church, armed with its Tridentine decrees, placed renewed emphasis on continuous prayer, self-control and improvement, and particularly charity. The Church was looking for a more practical religion where people could be actively involved, as argued by John Bossy. An organisation that was a manifestation of these developments were the Jesuits. By joining the Jesuits ones sense of spirituality was enhanced and such theological challenges that were desired would be provided. Norvegus was one such Jesuit who undertook the spiritual challenge were he did the challenging task successfully of persuading Scandinavian theology students in the 1580s to be Catholic. The Jesuits had great security in their faith, shown, for instance, by their willingness at one point to do charitable works in Hamburg only to be lynched. The Jesuits had such devout members for their methods of the four main stages of training, or weeks as they were knows, were totally unique. The Jesuit would take the individual and train them up to moral standard whereby they could be presented to the church at the end of the process as someone who was spiritually and ethically strong. The members of the Jesuits were thus indifferent to the world and its pleasures yet were equipped to work within it. The Church, to its great advantage, was thus equipped with members who were certain of their faith and in their knowledge of God. The Jesuits were important in a spiritual sense for through their spiritual exercises they emphasised the important theological issue derived from an Aristotelian idea where the mind is employed to contemplate suffering of Christ and God. Loyola takes this a stage further when he proposes that the mind can be used to motivate us into good and charitable apostolic action. From Loyolas contemplation for achieving love he outlines how you can meditate to understand, as suggested when he said, Take my freedom, my memory, my understanding and use me as you wish. The ultimate outcome is that individuals had increased understanding of God that it was possible to become totally servile. With such members, it was inevitable that the Catholic faith strengthened. The Jesuit theology was important in justifying Papal dominance. A great manifestation of the developments towards a more practical faith was the spiritual exercises. In theological terms, the spiritual exercises placed a great emphasis on Papal hierarchy. Hierarchy within the Church could now be justified by theology and this validation of this much disputed factor to Catholicism enabled the Church to produce a strong front. Such comments of Loyola as I will believe that the white object I see is black if that be the will of the hierarchal Church suggests the importance of obedience and hierarchy which the Jesuits so promoted. The Jesuits were part of the move towards Catholic revival not only through realising the importance of the Churchs abuses and poor administration but also through challenging the Lutherans. An essential role of the Jesuits to aiding the Catholic faith was the recovering of lost souls in Lutheran territory as well as persuading people out of Europe to convert to Catholicism. A fine example was set by Francis Xavier who became the best know Christian missionary of modern time. He tried to educate the people of the East, particularly in Japan and India on the values of Christianity. The conversion of non-Christians was Loyolas initial motivation in founding his Society and he realised its importance right back in the 1540s when the Jesuits were established. The Papacy also viewed the order as one where their principle function was converting individuals to Catholicism, but particularly those who were Lutheran. As shown by the title given by the Papacy, Regimi militantis ecclesiae, when the order was founded in 1542, they were viewed as an almost militant organisation who could counter the Lutherans with their total obedience to the Pope. The Jesuits would not have received the Papal Bull and this particular title if the Catholics did not realise there would be a spiritual armed struggle between the Jesuits and Luther.

The Most Dangerous Game :: Essays Papers

The Most Dangerous Game The short story The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell is about the hunter and the hunted but later in the story it becomes ironic because it turns into a game were the hunter becomes the hunted. It turns into a chase of competition and of survival. Two sailors Rainsford and his partner Whitney sailed in to the darkness of the of sea. Their purpose was to hunt, they called it the " greatest sport". They were hunters and headed to the Amazon to hunt vicious animals such as Jaguars, and tigers. They sailed to an island called "Ship-Trap Island". Sailors feared this island and had curious dread of such a scarry place. The sky was filled with darkness when suddently he heard Three gun shots that were fired, and heard them again and again. Then he heard a scream while smoking a pipe when suddently the pipe fell and as he tried to reach for it he whent down into the sea were the waves swallowed his screams. Nobody could have heard him as the ocean swallowed his screams and the only cha nce of survival was to swim. Rainsford swam towards the screams and ended up in the Island. He walked on the shoreline and later found a place that looked like a mansion. There he met General Zaroff who bought the island to hunt. He was indeed a sporstman who invented a new sensation of the hunting game. His game was to train those men who's ships were wrecked and ended up in that island, and then provide them with food and a knife for three days. Once they were trained they were led out into the island as a head start while Zaroff chase after them and tried to hunt them down. If They survived during those three days they had won the game and they were let free but in the other case if they were found they were killed. Zaroff never lost the game so if one of the men being hunted was about to survive he would release the hounds to chased after them. Rainsford rested and the next morning had a dispute with Zaroff and told him that this hunting style was to brutal. In this argument Zaroff got mad and at this point in the story Raisford became the hunted. He was let loose into the island were he was to prepare himself for the

Standing Alone Against the World in Ayn Rands The Fountainhead Essay

Standing Alone Against the World in Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead Conformity is a basic human characteristic that man spends a life time either fighting or accepting, but few can escape.   Parents, churches, schools, and communities teach that the path Peter Keating follows is the assured road to security and happiness.   Humans crave companionship and are willing to sacrifice their values, beliefs, and very souls for the satisfaction of superficial love.   Howard Roark demonstrates that true happiness comes from within, at the end of a wearisome road.   He confirms this ideal through exhaustible determination struggling from burdensome beginnings to almost unattainable goals without relenting to pressures from society.   This concept of non-conformity is exemplified throughout the novel.   It is most clearly defined in Howard's resolution to work for Henry Cameron, his rejection of the A.G.A., and the Cortlandt Housing project.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Howard Roark elucidates from the very beginning that he is going to work for Henry Cameron, a revolution considering Cameron's present state, or lack thereof.   Roark is laughed at for having such a fatuous goal but hardly notices the acrimonious criticism that follows him. Even Henry Cameron himself rebukes Howard Roarks efforts to study under him, and only relents to Howard's wishes after he feels that he can no longer bear to reject such talent.   The demonstration of drive and determination as well as defiance of basic rules of social structure make it difficult to not admire this aspiring architect.   It is clear at this point that Howard Roark is going to get what he wants, and he has no concern for what anyone else thinks of it. Roark establishes his own practice and has a conversatio... ...y and non-conformity is highlighted in the exchange between Peter Keating and Howard Roark on the A.G.A, as Howard has no intent of entertaining any such invitation and Peter can think of nothing sweeter.   Finally, Howard Roark reaches a pinnacle of non-conformity as he destroys the only hold society ever had on him, the Cortlandt Housing Project.   Howard Roark is a standard that one can strive towards, realistically, however, it would be almost impossible to follow in his footsteps.   Even in striving to reach his level one conforms to a set of idea, in a sense one conforms to non-conformity.   This novel illustrates in an effective manner that happiness must be reached through holding fast to one's own values.   Perhaps defying society is not the path many would choose, but Ayn Rand certainly presents a challenge to all in her message of   misery and happiness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

“Death of a Soldier” by Louisa May Alcott Essay

The excerpt â€Å"Death of a Soldier,† taken from Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott features various rhetorical strategies to create an appeal to emotion. She exhibits the compassion of the nurse for John, even in the face of inevitable death; she displays the altruistic mindset of John, and adds depth to her words by using analogies. She uses these tools in order to inflict a deep emotional feeling and an understanding of how awful the situation actually was. One of the rhetorical strategies of this piece is her compassion, even when seemingly futile, for the wounded soldier. The way Alcott describes John’s situation as being completely helpless and doomed. The doctor’s words, not having â€Å"the slightest hope† for recovery, illustrate his condition. Given this information prior to her attempt to ease his pain, Alcott shows her sheer pity for the â€Å"poor lad†. â€Å"I bathed his face, brushed his bonny brown hair, set all things smooth about him.† This quote shows how much effort she put into even the slightest difference in his comfort, in hopes of inflicting a â€Å"satisfied expression† on a dying face. She â€Å"stirred the air about him with a slow wave of air and waited for him to die†. She stood by him until his breath helping him bear the agony of his inevitable and anticipated death. These examples of her charity instill feelings of understanding and pity for John. The other side of Alcott’s appeal to emotion is John’s mentality. John questions the nurse in reference to the battle: â€Å"†¦do they think it will be my last?† He is seemingly eager to return to his position and fulfill his duty. He feels loyal to his cause and indifferent to his own well-being. On his deathbed he is only momentarily worried for himself when introduced to his fate. After that brief moment he seems to feel guilty for his â€Å"cowardly† cause of death, and justifies it as he â€Å"obeyed orders†. With his last â€Å"live† breath he asks of the people present that they tell the others he did his best, as he wanted so desperately to make his friends and family proud. He sees the tragedy of his death not in death itself, but in the incapability of action, thereby preventing further altruism. His noble mentality draws the reader away from the image of a boorish, stoic, combatant, towards a kind, caring, â€Å"Virginia blac ksmith†. To strengthen the appeal of emotion, Alcott integrates analogies into her writing. She embodies a look of helplessness forced by the inevitability of his death, crossing John’s face in her words, â€Å"†¦over his face I saw a gray veil falling that no human can lift.† She shows the reader how close to death he was, and appeals to the reader with her parallel inability to help him. After he has â€Å"died†, she compares his lifeless breathing to â€Å"†¦the waves of an ebbing tide that bear unfelt against the wreck.† This pallid vision shows how although he was not physically dead, he was not really alive. With such proficient use of these rhetorical strategies, Alcott reaches the emotions of the reader. She shows the compassion of the nurse, to provide the reader with understanding of the atmosphere; she provides insight to the frame of mind of John, to show him as a person who is more than a tool of war; and she intensifies her emotional appeal with analogies, to deepen understanding for the events of the story. Ultimately Alcott amalgamates all these elements in an overwhelming effort to capture the reader’s heart.

Conservation of Natural Resources

We should be proud of our country’s natural bounty and unique bio-diversity. India is amongst the rare countries where major biomes of the world are represented. India is one among the twelve countries where 60-70% of the world’s total biodiversity exists. India has two out of the 18 biodiversity hot spots in the world. India has rich traditional knowledge and wisdom in the conservation of nature and natural resources. Religious beliefs, culture and folklore have together treated nature and environment with sanctity. Conservation and protection of environment and love for nature have always been part and parcel of Indian ethos and culture. Independent India has traveled a long way on the path of progress and industrialization in order to achieve better quality of life. We have accelerated the process of development without considering the adverse impact on nature and environment. The development without care for environment has posed threats to the very existence of life itself. Now the realization that mere progress and economic development cannot solve all our problems has increased. Development and environment should go hand in hand. Sustainable development is the new paradigm. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has drawn many programmes and policies to combat these problems. Steps are being taken to preserve the pristine eco-systems through establishment of Wildlife Sanctuaries, National Parks and Biosphere Reserves. More and newer areas are being brought into-the protected areas status. At the same time, steps have been †¢taken for welfare of the forest people, particularly the tribals, who have lived in the forests for centuries and who are also repository of traditional knowledge on conservation and sustainable utilization. The National Museum of Natural History is an important institutional tool for spreading awareness on the evolution of our Universe and life on it. It has played a strong and active role in creating environmental awareness. I am happy to say that the Museum has been active in creating such awareness hrough a number of educational programmes, exhibitions, nature camps etc. for more than two-and-a-half decades. Today, the Museum and its Regional Centres are recognized as the centres for non-formal environmental education. It is indeed a pleasure for all of us to be celebrating the 25th Year of the Foundation of the Museum. I am happy to see that a number of children have participated in various activities of the Museum. These activities will help all of you in developing a sense of environmental responsibility, which is so essential in our every day life. It is the absence of this responsibility which is causing problems on our streets, residential areas, market places and other public places. This leaves you all – responsible citizens of tomorrow, with a great burden to shoulder. But I am confident that you have the capacity not merely of shouldering this burden but also influencing people much older to you in following environmental discipline. I wish the officers and staff of National Museum of Natural History the very best in their future endeavour. I would like to thank and congratulate Prof. Yash Pal who has delivered his Key-note on the relevant theme. We need such scientists who could contribute to spread scientific temper among masses which will eventually lead to betterment of their lives and better understanding of the delicate web of life that exists on this only planet known to sustain life. I congratulate the winners of Awards for Prevention of Pollution, Rajiv Gandhi Award for Clean Technology and Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar. The awardees for the best original writings in Hindi on environmental issues also deserve my special appreciation for their efforts in popularization of environmental issues in the official languages. There is dearth of such literature in the regional languages. The Ministry will encourage other regional languages also which will help to take the environmental message to the grass root levels, across the country. I am personally grateful to our Hon’ble Vice President, Thiru. Shekhawatji to have accepted the invitation to grace the occasion. I know that he is keenly interested in the issues related to environment. His own State of Rajasthan is an example of all climate adversities, yet you can see maximum vibrancy of all forms of life that exist there including those of fellow citizens.

How Technology Has Changed Our Lives.

{draw:rect} MODERN AGE (1950-1985) After the Second World War Americans began to prosper, millions of people were changing. The troops that were returning from war some 12 million served during the war years were going back in the workforce. Most of these men were mere children when they signed on, some from rural America that never returned to work the earth. Farming technology was being made to counter act this problem. So much so that at the turn of the twentieth century 50 percent of the workforce was on farms that provided the nation’s food. By the end of the 1950’s only 7 percent of the workforce was working the nation’s farms. Hourly wages for selected industries, United States, 1950 1901 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. $ 0. 23 1918 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. .53 1935 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. .58 1950 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1. 59 SOURCE: U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey Manufacturing. (Bureau of Labor Statistics) Yale Brozen writes â€Å"Fear of automation can be traced to four sources. † One is based on the assumption that there is a fixed amount of goods. The second source of fear springs from the idea that automation or cybernation is something more than the latest stage in the long evolution of technology. The third source of fear lies in the fact that we are much more aware of the people displaced by automation and concerned about them than we are of the other unemployed. Even while we reduce the amount of manpower needed to do a fixed amount of work does that fixed amount of work remain the same? As we all know this is not the case. As we free up manpower from one aspect we find new and productive uses for that manpower. His words speak the truth then as they do today. It saves lives through the aid it gives doctors. By controlling traffic signals in response to traffic flows and reducing traffic congestion, it adds hours to the free time of commuters every week. It helps scientists, with the aid of high speed data processing; to develop new knowledge that otherwise would not be available in our lifetimes. We are increasing the sc ale of educational activities because mechanization, automation, cybernation, or whatever we choose to call our new technology, makes it possible to do more than we could formerly. With the coming of automation, men are able to do more and have more. Both sublime and mundane activities are being enlarged and the number of jobs has grown as a consequence, not declined. † (Brozen) The second source of fear that the latest idea of automation or technology will become something more then what it was intended to be. People were so obsessed with what the future would hold books and movies were made to cast this fear. Science fiction was used to depict future events that could occur. Films such as one that was released in 1968 2001: A Space Odyssey where an artificially intelligent supercomputer, HAL takes over a space mission. Today some super computers are in use, are they anyway near being HAL? Some say we are getting close to true artificial intelligence, but we are far from HAL. The forth source of fear of automation is that it reduces the demand for unskilled workers. This may be true in some instances but at the same time the demand for skilled workers will increase. As stated previously companies do their best to keep their employees. When possible they are retraining these employees to fill new jobs that become available because of the new technology. If this were true then the unemployment rate would raise proportionately. If automation is added to a process and did the work of five people then five people would be unemployed. We know that this does not make sense. It has increased productivity to the process not that it reduced people from the process. NEW WAVE (1985-Present) The year 1985 saw more technological changes, Windows 1. 0 is introduced here you can do more than just one DOS application at a time. Made by this little upstart IBM partner company called Microsoft, it even comes with a calculator program. Some other wonders of 1985 is the first compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM) of none other than a Grolier Encyclopedia. Apple was the big name in computers at the time and most businesses had one. To be up to date in the office the new Apple LaserWriter printer was the best and it only cost around $7000. The main reason we call 1985 the New Wave era is this, the first . Com domain name, symbolics. com, is registered by the Symbolics Corporation. (The People History) According to David Huether, chief economist of the National Association of Manufacturers, U. S. manufacturers are producing and exporting more goods than ever before. While manufacturing output easily outpaces the larger U. S. economy, manufacturing employment, at 14. million, is at its lowest level in more than 50 years. (Williams) Another place that has felt the effects of technology is in the office, or white collar jobs. Michael J. Handel writes in a brief for SRI International: â€Å"Analyses of national data indicate that increased use of computers in the 1980s and 1990s was associated with greater use of more-educated workers withi n industries. However, the direction of causality is unclear. It may be that both educational upgrading and greater computer use simply reflect an independent increase in the number of white collar workers within industries, who are the most frequent computer users. It may be that the hiring of more-educated workers, usually office workers, stimulates demand for computers rather than vice versa. In addition, the industries upgrading their educational levels coincident with adoption of computers in the 1980s and 1990s also appear to have been upgrading educational levels before the widespread diffusion of computers. † (Handel) There are many ways to make a job better, faster, and safer. Every dayI see improvements to the work floor. There are many facets of the business that help with these improvements. Some of which are our Product Development Teams (PDT) that will follow the work to see if anything can be changed. They work closely with our Research and Development (RD) operations. These two areas have grown by 1000% in the last twenty years. Another area that has greatly grown is our engineering staff and related personal. In 1996 the skilled trades had two engineers to take all our requests to. We now have engineers for facilities, electricians, repairmen, mobile equipment, power house, and toolmakers. In all we have become more effective and more efficient in how we do our business of repairing the machinery in the factory. Everyone can be affected by technology no job is completely that same as it was in years past. Studies have been made to classify a job for automation. They are based on three dimensions, Receptiveness Stability Structuredness Some jobs are changing constantly, I have seen toll booth operations change here in Illinois just over the last two years. The new faster E-Z pass lanes going into Chicago for one. I asked one of the booth operators how they liked them, one told me that it was all good. Their day is less stressful and they have hired more people in the toll way system. More people to monitor and maintain the equipment and make sure those that did not pay get those little notices in the mail. WORKS CITED Baughman, James L. â€Å"Television Comes to America, 1947-57. † Editorial. Illinois Periodicals Online (IPO) Project. N. p. , Mar. 1993. Web. 29 Nov. 2009. http://www. lib. niu. edu/1993/ ihy930341. html. Bland Jr. , Gordon R. â€Å"The Effects of Job Automation on the Economy. † Scribd. N. p. , 4 Mar. 2009. Web. 29 Nov. 2009. http://www. scribd. com/doc/12965589/The-Effects-of-Job-Automation-on-the-Economy. Bureau of Labor Statistics. â€Å"100 Years of U. S. Consumer Spending: Data for the Nation, New York City, and Boston. † United States Department of Labor. N. p. , 3 Aug. 2006. Web. 29 Nov. 2009. http://www. bls. gov/opub/uscs/1950. pdf. Brozen, Yale. â€Å"Automation: The Retreating Catastrophe. † Ludwig von Mises Institute. N. p. , n. d. http://mises. org/journals/lar/pdfs/2_3/2_3_5. pdf. Rpt. in Automation: The Retreating Catastrophe. N. p. : n. p. , n. d. N. pag. Ludwig von Mises Institute. Web. 29 Nov. 2009. http://mises. org/. Handel, Michael J. SRI Project Number P10168. SRI International, July 2003. Web. 29 Nov. 2009. http://www. sri. om/policy/csted/reports/sandt/it/Handel_IT_Employment_InfoBrief. pdf>. Huether, David. â€Å"The Case of The Missing Jobs. † BusinessWeek. N. p. , 3 Apr. 2006. http://www. businessweek. com/magazine/content/06_14/b3978116. htm. Rpt. Web. 29 Nov. 2009. http://www. businessweek. com/magazine/content/06_14/b3978116. htm. The People History . † 1985. N. p. , 2009. Web. 29 No v. 2009. http://www. thepeoplehistory. com/ 1985. html. U. S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Reducing Launch Operations Costs: New Technologies and Practices, OTA-TM-ISC-28 (Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office, September 1988).

Is Genetic Engineering the Answer to World Hunger Research Paper

Is Genetic Engineering the Answer to World Hunger - Research Paper Example Some have termed the genetically manipulated crops ‘frankenfoods’ and have questioned the potential harm to people and the environment that could come from their production. This discussion will answer these questions regarding the safety of these foods and present an overview of bioengineered foods. Bioengineering food involves â€Å"splicing a gene from one organism, such as a bacterium, into a plant or animal to confer certain traits† (Muth et al, 2002). These traits, developed for agricultural crops such as corn, soybeans, canola and cotton include increasing nutrients, tolerance to herbicides and drought, resistance to fungus and insects and reduced spoilage. Bioengineered corn and soybeans have become increasingly widespread among farmers during the last decade and the products can be commonly found in most grocery stores. Companies that engineer and produce bioengineered foods as well as manufacturers that choose to use these foods in their ingredients are faced with a stringent and ever-developing regulatory oversight by three government agencies; the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture), the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Which agency regulates a particular product is determined by the intended use of the crop. The EPA has the responsibility of regulating the sale, use, distribution and testing of all pesticides, even those genetically produced in a crop such as a type of corn which produces toxins that repels insects but is harmless to humans. The EPA also establishes tolerances for pesticide in crops meant for both animal and human ingestion. It does not designate between the two however, either a genetically produced crop is safe for both or neither. The FDA bases its policy concerning bioengineered foods on the conception of ‘substantial equivalence.’ Those bioengineered foods not

Impact Of Financial Crisis On The Capital Structure Decision Making Of Essay

Impact Of Financial Crisis On The Capital Structure Decision Making Of The Firm - Essay Example The underlying discussion has developed the reference from the literature related to the capital structure theories and the brief about the financial crisis of late 2000s. The discussion also addresses the firms’ response to the financial crisis by adjusting mix of the capital structure. Therefore, for clear assessment along with overall global assessment, capital structure adjustments of Tesco and Dell have been discussed in the report. The report also has presented alignment of the responses of the capital structures with theories. FINANCIAL CRISIS Financial crisis have always been the dominant factor for determining trends and practices in the economic scenario. A financial crisis traces the reasoning from the excessive loans such as sub-prime mortgages as well as financial instrument of debt derived from such loans (Mizen 2008). Crisis originated from US in late 2000s spread across Europe and then to world owing to the benefit of diversification that businesses attempted t o gain from spreading risk across local and international markets (Fosberg, 2010). First strong hit from financial crisis and its intensity was revealed in late 2007 upon the Bear Stearns’ declaration about evaporation of the value of major assets held by Bear Stearns’s hedge funds. ... ct of financial crisis then resulted in continuity as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac declared bankruptcy in third quarter beginning of 2008 followed by government takeover. Similar month also witnessed another major shock from financial crisis as Lehman Brothers declared bankrupt and immediately next day another giant AIG ended up receiving $85 billion credit facility from NY Fed to sustain. Efforts to sustain the steep fall of the financial stability of bank and institutions Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) was launched (Fosberg, 2010). TARP performance has also been bringing losses to treasury as TARP invested US $25 million in the bank while managed to fetch only US $13.5 million on sale of preferred stock of invested in financial institutions. TARP is also actively making efforts in closing down its program for banks though it still held the share for 199 banks (Sparshott, 2013). Being international firms, all these apart from impact on local financial market had detrimental impa ct on the international financial markets and hence international firms locally. Estimation of the reasons of the financial crisis, other than the core reason of subprime loans backed by subprime mortgages, has been found many. Such as among various factors discussed for fact has been the claim to the performance of respective roles of asymmetric information etc (Miglo, 2010). Further, another core factor along with dominant role of agency problem mounted the issue. Agency problems’ role was initially ignored to be addressed for the level of attention required (Miglo, 2010). In addition to these, role of already stressed factors such as taxes and bankruptcy cost in capital structure theories were receiving less attention in operational practices and hence contributed to the financial

In considering the time period of 1865 to the present, is the American Essay

In considering the time period of 1865 to the present, is the American story one of oppression or success Victory on the par - Essay Example The rich have thrived for long while the poor have remained in abject poverty. For instance, during the gilded age, the large corporations, which were owned by the elite, influenced the market. Moreover, the industries manufacturing various commodities were regulated by influential politicians and rich businessmen and women (Unger and Debi 41).1 This led to great disparities in the social realm. In this regard, the poor were exploited because of lack of financial power. Democracy was not practice because the majority were poor hence they could not manage to marshal required numbers to oppose the rich. Even the labor unions could not protect the rights of the vulnerable workforce because the industrial leaders were corrupt. However, the oppression of the wealthy became unbearable culminating in reprisals from the workforce, women and the Black people. They capitalized on politics in their advances. For instance, they used the People’s party in order to present their grievances to the Authorities. These groups faced oppression of different forms like prejudice and social segregation and racial discrimination. The emphasis of a class society was also a means of oppression and exploitation especially at their workplaces (Â  Burnley 29). ... The understanding of the oppressors was that competition was warranted in order for the social and financially fit people to survive while the poor forever remained in anguish and agony. In this regard, any support for the poor from the government side was highly criticized by the high social class people. This implied that it was the wish of the poor to remain in their low social status. However, the farmers who were also oppressed were supported by some white in their fight for their rights (Burnley 34). This group of the white people had formed their own group called the populist movement, which advocated for the rights of all farmers regardless of color or race. Since many blacks never owned parcels of land, it became difficulty for them to engage their oppressors in a formidable battle. The black farmers formed their own movement called the colored farmers Alliance. This alliance was used by the black to specifically orchestrate strikes for the workforce who picked cotton. This contributed in the fight for the freedom of Blacks in America. This did not succeed because the politicians warned of the resurfacing of Negro supremacy. There discrimination against the black workforce continued. This resulted in high levels of unemployment for the black American community .Moreover, the blacks were excluded from voting. This was conducted through deliberate subjection of the blacks into literacy tests and understanding of the US constitution. ( Finkelman 23).34 This was intended to eliminate the black people from taking part in the voting process and deny them citizenship of the US, which was manifest of a high level of oppression. The worst case of oppression was the loss of Plessey’s case whereby he complained against

Analyze the Capital Cycle (healthcare related) Assignment

Analyze the Capital Cycle (healthcare related) - Assignment Example There are two components of a capital structure. The first comprises of strategic planning and implementation, while the second comprises of the development of supporting infrastructure which include financial planning, capital structure and capital allocation. The importance of a financial plan to an organization is that it places the organization in financial equilibrium position, which defines its organizational capabilities. The financial infrastructure plays an important role in giving integrity and momentum to the capital cycle. Capital structure on its part looks at the questions relating to the financing of the organization, which is best described as a combination of debt and equity that seeks to finance the strategic plan. Capital allocation should be done in consideration with the best practices that relate to financial objectives and policies, review of the project and the approval of the capital expenditures of the organization. ... Poplin (2011) observes that capital capacity has significantly reduced the hospital capacity, and defined the amount of capital available to the organization for funding both the routine capital requirements and the strategic plan of moving forward. Feasibility and impact of improved operating performance shows that organizations geographically located in markets that do not expect to experience organic growth have difficulties in closing the gap between projected sources and the application of finances over that time horizon. Strategic position and viability of strategic plans cautions executives to look closely at the strategic plans in line with the current financial plan. Some strategies may have to be extended to a later date while others may require some urgency in implementation. According to Coss (2009), labour efficiency in a healthcare institution is an important factor in the capital cycle. However, it is difficult to access individual worker’s productivity of the o rganization. In case it has to be done, a desired understanding of what defines a desired output is put into consideration. Healthcare investments that are aimed at improving the efficiency are increasing being considered by organizations. The various processes that are put into more focus include the workflow analysis, workplace architecture, product design, and information technology. The major difference is vested on the persons involved in the purchase of equipment and the actual users of the equipment. Different sets of purchasing and marketing motivators affect the purchasing decisions of high ranking decision making officials in a different way than those who regularly put the equipment to

Marketing Plan Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing Plan - Coursework Example At the same time, one can enjoy the great taste of a carbonated drink with perfect nutritional intake. VegShot is being launched by Unilever. The name ‘Unilever’ is familiar to everyone. The name itself represents reliability and ensures quality. Unilever is a British-Dutch multi-national corporation, established in 1890s, which is operating in nearly 180 countries, possessing more than 400 brands. It has 167000 employees, as of 2010, belonging to 22 different nationalities. It is a global market leader in all Food categories including Savory, Spreads, Dressings, Tea and Ice Cream as well as in Mass Skin Care and Deodorants and has very strong positions in different Home and Personal Care categories. Its portfolio ranges from nutritionally balanced foods to indulgent ice creams, affordable soaps, luxurious shampoos and everyday household care products. The vision of Unilever is based upon the four pillars: To create a better future every day. To help people feel good, lo ok good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others. To inspire people to take small everyday actions that can add up to a big difference for the world.

Evaluation of personl learning Essay Example for Free

Evaluation of personl learning Essay An evaluation of my personal learning plan along with comments on how I plan to update my subject specialist knowledge, generic knowledge of teaching and learning, using examples from my practice and discussing the part my mentor played in my development. Introduction The aim of this assignment is to show how my key learning points from my personal learning plan have been put into practice and to evaluate these, examples from my practice will also be used. I will explain how I plan to update not only my subject specialist knowledge but also my generic knowledge of teaching and learning. I plan to also explain and discuss the part my mentor has played in my development over the two years of cert Ed qualification. Having a personal learning plan is a great way of setting out your future objective, aims and goals. Having goals to head for gives you motivation and direction and also builds on confidence and self esteem. However it is a good idea to plan your own personal learning plan, when you plan your own programme, it is more likely to be relevant to your needs and be able to be applied, and be related to, your teaching. This, then, is more likely to give you motivation for your learning (Reece Walker 2003 pg 400). I plan to review and update my own personal learning plan every six months. However my personal learning is also discussed in my supervisions at work which I have every three months, this enables me to discuss any knowledge I myself wish to update and also any training my manager feels I would benefit from. I feel this is good support to involve my personal learning plan within my supervision, it also shows management that I am committed and taking control of my own learning. My personal learning plan consists of three main areas these are. Subject specialist development This is the subject that I teach this includes my practical and theory work. Generic teaching development This is schemes of work and lesson plans how I use differentiation and assessment, along with assignments and research etc. Skills development This is my literacy, numeracy and ICT skills. My subject specialist area has a variety of subject sessions these are induction, food hygiene awareness, health and safety, individual service planning (ISP), swallowing disorders, manual handling, infection control and first aid I do continuous refreshers on all sessions within the organisation how ever I do also carry out independent reading and research of individual subjects to keep my self updated. Especially on change that relate to any regulations that have an impact on my training sessions. There have been two key personal learning development areas in my subject specialist area the first being ISP training. This training session has had a complete overhaul to how it is to be delivered which has involved a lot of changes to the ISP itself, example how these are set up and completed. For me to deliver this training to my learners I needed to attend a two day training session myself. The sessions involved theory and practical learning giving me the knowledge and the skills to enable me to deliver a practical session to my learners. Example when doing this session my learners will not be just listening and getting involved in group discussions they will be involved in an ongoing practical, At their best, practical’s are an enjoyable and active hands on experience. At their worst they are frustrating episodes where not even the teacher knows what is supposed to be happening (Petty 2004 pg 204). So any practical should be well planned. My learners will be put into pairs one will be the service user and the other the key worker. They will then be given a number of activities to follow. Using this method they will build and complete an ISP, learners are able to swap roles through out so each learner gets to play each role. I have delivered this training session this way on many occasions now and it is working well, learners are enjoying and putting into practice what they have learnt well, this is evident when looking at ISP, s that they have completed. My second key learning point in my subject specialist area is first aid training. I was unable to deliver this session as I did not have the knowledge and qualification to do this. I  attended a two day emergency first aid course down Lincoln through NUCO training, having attended this training I now have the confidence and subject knowledge to be able to deliver this to my learners. The training consisted of two presentations showing the teacher my understanding of the subject and showing I was able to present, I was also assessed on practical exercises through out the two days, example resuscitation procedure, choking procedure, and the procedure in the event of an emergency situation example car accident. This training was very challenging and intense however it has given me the skills to develop an effective training session for my learners. I have two sessions planned to deliver in July. Having being successful in this training I am also able to go and assess other first aid trainers. I plan to update my subject specialist knowledge continuously I will do this by attending refresher training sessions. I am also a member of the Institute for learning where you have to prove you have so many hours of continuous professional development. I also plan to use E-learning within the organisation for any relevant training sessions, along with my independent learning through reading and research on the internet. My generic knowledge of teaching and learning has developed well through out my two years on cert Ed, my skills in lesson planning have developed immensely and I put these into practice on a regular basis. My delivery methods have progressed and become a lot more interactive for my learners, by bringing in differentiation and inclusive learning example hand washing exercise I use a power point slide to show a picture of hands with bacteria on, we have a discussion on hands, show learners how to wash hands correctly, we then do a hands washing exercise covering visual, audio and kinaesthetic learning styles. My assignments now have structure and flow throughout, my spelling and punctuation has also improved, this has been managed through hard work and practice of proof reading which is a skill in its self, a skill that can always be developed further through practice and gathering information from books and the internet. I plan to update my generic knowledge of teaching and learning through independent learning by using the internet and reading books, also the E-learning that the organisation encourage us to use have some useful courses on punctuation, organisation skills, planning skills, assessing and evaluation etc which I  plan to look at using in the future. I am also attending mentoring training at the end of May which I feel will be beneficial to myself and my learners. My skills development have improved over my two years in cert end, in the first year of cert ed my personal learning plan identified my need to achieve level two in both English and maths. I have now achieved both qualifications and in particular benefited greatly from the English this has helped me with my assignments, writing letters, creating handouts for my training sessions and knowing and understanding where a sentence begins and ends along with why we have and need to use punctuation. I did have the basic knowledge of English language but did require further development and knowledge. By attending key skills level two has developed this knowledge which has enabled me to progress in this area of my personal learning. However I do believe I will benefit from further development in this area and plan to progress onto key skills level three English once I have completed my cert ed year two. My ict skills have improved this is through daily use of a laptop and also attending a two day training course through the organisation. The course consisted of two modules first module was an introduction to IT file management, this module developed my personal learning in areas such as using windows XP, explain the use of options within my computer, being aware of the principals of using my documents, be able to create, change, delete and move files and folders and identify how and when to back data up. Module two outlook internet/intranet this module has developed my personal learning in areas such as accessing E-learning and being aware of its potential, organising and accessing personal files and to become more familiar with the intranet within the organisation and how to use it effectively. I have also had a small session on the use of power point which has been beneficial to me as within my job role, as at times I am required to put a power point presentation together. I plan to update my ict skills by attending a further two modules which will be organised through the organisation hopefully in the coming year. I also believe everyday use will enhance my skills. I also plan to do a more intense session on power point in the near future. Through my two years of cert Ed I have had a mentor. Mentoring is a  relationship between mentor and mentee that encourages growth and development in a respectful and collegial environment (Morton-Cooper Palmer, 2000). The mentoring relationship may be an informal arrangement that happens naturally, or a formal relationship that is organised within the work organisation (Rose, 2005). My job role as training and development officer was a new post for me in 2007 and it was my manager who suggested that I enrol onto the cert Ed course rather than training and development NVQ4. She felt that I would gain more from this course and it would equip me with the knowledge and confidence to carry my duties out competently. As my manager is an experienced trainer herself it made sense for her to also be my mentor as she had faith in me from the very beginning of my training. A mentoring relationship tends to be long term that can be entered into at any stage of one’s career (Northcott, 2000). This statement has been true in my case. The relationship I have with my mentor is a good one she has been supportive through out especially when it has come to bringing in new ideas for training sessions in fact she has used some of the ideas herself. The process has always been a two way process. My mentor has not been their to tell me what to do, she has guided, encouraged, supported, provided information and most of all always listened, especially in moments when I have thought this whole thing is too much for me. Through out my observations my mentor has been encouraging and made feel at ease as she knew how nervous I was on these occasions, feed back from observations were always positive and any development points were always taken on board. My mentor has recognised some skills in me that I never realised I had along with helping me developing these skills. Example a year ago my mentor asked me if I would like to do a course that would enable me to deliver first aid training to my learners, so I would not need to sen d them out externally for this training. I explained to my mentor that I was not keen on doing this and felt that this was a course that qualified nurses should do. My mentor did not try to push or persuade me into doing this even though it would save the organisation money. I have just done this course last month and it was me who approached my manager/mentor, I really enjoyed it and I am looking forward to delivering it to my learners. It is amazing what a year can do to some ones confidence and self esteem. If my manager/mentor had made me do this when she wanted me to do it I would not have developed in that area or  enjoyed it. My mentor has always allowed me to do things at my own pace and has a great understanding of how we as individuals learn at different levels and pace. I feel this is a good quality to have when being a mentor. Looking back it was a excellent suggestion from my manager/mentor for me to enrol onto the cert ed, over the two years I feel I have grown not only in confidence but in both the theory and the practical side of my teaching and learning. It has been a privilege to have had a mentor who has guided, supported, encouraged and listened through out the two year process. How ever it does not end there as she is also my manager she will be there for the future too. Conclusion For us to further ourselves I feel it is essential to have objectives, aims and goals. I feel if we do not things do not get done so our goals do not get met. We may have goals in our heads but if they are not planned they tend not to be achieved. For me a personal learning plan is the way forward we can then tick of the goals we have achieved and plan for new goals in the future. Looking back two years ago I would never have dreamt that I would have achieved what I have achieved today, I believe this has been achieved through good planning, good support and hard work by myself. Learning is an ongoing process and I look forward to many more years of teaching and learning. http://sarah-stewart.blogspot.com/2009/02/what-is-mentoring.html retrieved 09/05/2009 Petty,G 2004, A practical guide teaching today, 3rd edn, Nelson Thornes, United Kingdom. Reece, I Walker, S 2003, Teaching, Training and learning a practical guide, 5th edn, Business Education Publishers Limited, Great Briton. http://sarah-stewart.blogspot.com/2009/02/what-is-mentoring.html retrieved 09/05/2009 Petty,G 2004, A practical guide teaching today, 3rd edn, Nelson Thornes, United Kingdom. Reece, I Walker, S 2003, Teaching, Training and learning a practical guide, 5th edn, Business Education Publishers Limited, Great Briton.