My Teacher, My Hero Essay

When my friends asked me to write again, I decided to start my compilation with something meaningful, a themed essay for the My Teacher, My Hero theme, contrary to last year wherein I had a hard time choosing who to pay tribute to, this year is much different, it was easy and I believe, it is the most obvious choice. Everyone has someone to keep them on their own feet as they walk through life. Normally, it would be your parent or friend, but mine is different, I had kept myself intact with the help of a teacher. Teachers are usually there to impart knowledge and give you an opportunity to move on with life, I was blessed to have someone during my college days who takes time to make sure that I was okay and the strength to hold on to when everything else went astray, he was Engr. Elmerito D. Pineda. I first met Engr. Pineda as my professor back when I was in First Year (Advanced Programming Languages in C) , back then, things were just inside the classroom – lectures, quizzes, exercises which brought my confidence back after losing my scholarship during the previous term but things turned different when I was in my Third Year and he became our thesis mentor. He turned out to be the #1 Supporter to what we have wanted in the first place, the Alumni Tracer for FEU – East Asia College. Despite both parties having to adjust to the situation of having a part-time mentor last year, we both exerted effort to follow-up and communicate with each other. Since I was always doing the documentation portion of most our projects, I was the one responsible for making follow-ups with the mentor, which happened to be Mr. Pineda. I took it as my responsibility to stay late, meet him after classes for checking and even go straight to his FEU Main class just to finish the proposal for our thesis. Unfortunately, our second term was cut short after failing the proposal defense – but when things thought that it was the end of our mentorship with Engr. Pineda, we were wrong. He stayed with us until the very end. He had always made sure that I was okay. He had always made me feel secure especially by showing me how much he believes in the entire group. When we are back for the third term with a different project and mentor, he made sure he would ask us about our thesis and he was one of the few people who first congratulated us after a successful defense – indeed, he showed me that he was true to his words when we started communicating, â€Å"Dito lang ako for you, parang si Ms. Bong (Evelyn Ruth M. Manuel)†. He never left the group, he never left me during the good times and the bad times. Even if he is not physically present, his presence would always be felt wholeheartedly, and in the little ways he does it, I am extremely grateful. As time pass by, I looked up to him as one of the best friends and as my â€Å"dad† in school. I still see him from time to time. He has helped mold my character to be as strong as it is right now. He has his own way of teaching me things, he doesn’t get mad easily when you do something wrong, however, he has his own way to show you that you are wrong and it is proven effective to me, I managed to make amends and never do things again. For all the things he has done for me, all I can do to repay is to be there for him as well. I know I would be supporting him in whatever he would aspire to do in his life. I also look forward to see him finish Doctoral of Information Technology sometime next year for it would add weapons to his already impressive curriculum vitae. I hope he touch more lives and help direct it to a better place, just like how he helped me push my life back on track. My life would never be perfect. I would always experience the roller-coasters of being a human being but I would always remember one thing, that indeed, I was blessed. I was blessed to have people that would guide me. I was blessed to have people who would accept me for who I am. Furthermore, I am blessed to have Engr. Elmerito D. Pineda in my life, whatever you do call him, he would always have a special place in my life, a great mentor, friend and a dad. Engr. Elmerito D. Pineda, hats off†¦ my 2011 would not be complete without having the opportunity to thank you for everything that you have done for me.

Negative Economic Impacts of Tourism Essay

There are many hidden costs to tourism, which can have unfavorable economic effects on the host community. Often rich countries are better able to profit from tourism than poor ones. Whereas the least developed countries have the most urgent need for income, employment and general rise of the standard of living by means of tourism, they are least able to realize these benefits. Among the reasons for this are large-scale transfer of tourism revenues out of the host country and exclusion of local businesses and products. Leakage The direct income for an area is the amount of tourist expenditure that remains locally after taxes, profits, and wages are paid outside the area and after imports are purchased; these subtracted amounts are called leakage. In most all-inclusive package tours, about 80% of travelers’ expenditures go to the airlines, hotels and other international companies (who often have their headquarters in the travelers’ home countries), and not to local businesses or workers. In addition, significant amounts of income actually retained at destination level can leave again through leakage. A study of tourism ‘leakage’ in Thailand estimated that 70% of all money spent by tourists ended up leaving Thailand (via foreign-owned tour operators, airlines, hotels, imported drinks and food, etc.). Estimates for other Third World countries range from 80% in the Caribbean to 40% in India. Of each US$ 100 spent on a vacation tour by a tourist from a developed country, only around US$ 5 actually stays in a developing-country destination’s economy. The figure below shows how the leakage happens. There are two main ways that leakage occurs: Import leakage This commonly occurs when tourists demand standards of equipment, food, and other products that the host country cannot supply. Especially in less-developed countries, food and drinks must often be imported, since local products are not up to the hotel’s (i.e. tourist’s) standards or the country simply doesn’t have a supplying industry. Much of the income from tourism expenditures leaves the country again to pay for these imports. The  average import-related leakage for most developing countries today is between 40% and 50% of gross tourism earnings for small economies and between 10% and 20% for most advanced and diversified economies, according to UNCTAD. Export leakage Multinational corporations and large foreign businesses have a substantial share in the import leakage. Often, especially in poor developing destinations, they are the only ones that possess the necessary capital to invest in the construction of tourism infrastructure and facilities. As a consequence of this, an export leakage arises when overseas investors who finance the resorts and hotels take their profits back to their country of origin. A 1996 UN report evaluating the contribution of tourism to national income, gross levels of incomes or gross foreign exchange, found that net earnings of tourism, after deductions were made for all necessary foreign exchange expenditures, were much more significant for the industry. This report found significant leakage associated with: (a) imports of materials and equipment for construction; (b) imports of consumer goods, particularly food and drinks; (c) repatriation of profits earned by foreign investors; (d) overseas promotional expenditures and (e) amortization of external debt incurred in the development of hotels and resorts. The impact of the leakage varied greatly across countries, depending on the structure of the economy and the tourism industry. From the data presented in this study on the Caribbean, St. Lucia had a foreign exchange leakage rate of 56% from its gross tourism receipts, Aruba had 41%, Antigua and Barbuda 25% and Jamaica 40%. Source: Caribbean Voice Enclave tourism Local businesses often see their chances to earn income from tourists severely reduced by the creation of â€Å"all-inclusive† vacation packages. When tourists remain for their entire stay at the same cruise ship or resort, which provides everything they need and where they will make all their expenditures, not much opportunity is left for local people to profit from tourism. The Organization of American States (OAS) carried out a survey of Jamaica’s tourist industry that looked at the role of the all-inclusives  compared to other types of accommodation. It found that ‘All-inclusive hotels generate the largest amount of revenue but their impact on the economy is smaller per dollar of revenue than other accommodation subsectors.’ It also concluded that all-inclusives imported more, and employed fewer people per dollar of revenue than other hotels. This information confirms the concern of those who have argued that all-inclusives have a smaller trickle-down effect on local economies The cruise ship industry provides another example of economic enclave tourism. Non-river cruises carried some 8.7 million international passengers in 1999. On many ships, especially in the Caribbean (the world’s most popular cruise destination with 44.5% of cruise passengers), guests are encouraged to spend most of their time and money on board, and opportunities to spend in some ports are closely managed and restricted. Other negative impacts Infrastructure cost Tourism development can cost the local government and local taxpayers a great deal of money. Developers may want the government to improve the airport, roads and other infrastructure, and possibly to provide tax breaks and other financial advantages, which are costly activities for the government. Public resources spent on subsidized infrastructure or tax breaks may reduce government investment in other critical areas such as education and health. Increase in prices Increasing demand for basic services and goods from tourists will often cause price hikes that negatively affect local residents whose income does not increase proportionately. A San Francisco State University study of Belize found that, as a consequence of tourism development, the prices for locals increased by 8%. Tourism development and the related rise in real estate demand may dramatically increase building costs and land values. Not only does this make it more difficult for local people, especially in developing countries, to meet their basic daily needs, it can also result in a dominance by outsiders in land markets and in-migration that erodes economic opportunities for the locals, eventually disempowering residents. In Costa Rica, close to 65% of the hotels belong to foreigners. Long-term tourists living in second homes, and the so-called amenity migrants (wealthy  or retired people and liberal professionals moving to attractive destinations in order to enjoy the atmospher e and peaceful rhythms of life) cause price hikes in their new homes if their numbers attain a certain critical mass. Economic dependence of the local community on tourism Diversification in an economy is a sign of health, however if a country or region becomes dependent for its economic survival upon one industry, it can put major stress upon this industry as well as the people involved to perform well. Many countries, especially developing countries with little ability to explore other resources, have embraced tourism as a way to boost the economy. In The Gambia, for instance, 30% of the workforce depends directly or indirectly on tourism. In small island developing states, percentages can range from 83% in the Maldives to 21% in the Seychelles and 34% in Jamaica, according to the WTO. Over-reliance on tourism, especially mass tourism, carries significant risks to tourism-dependent economies. Economic recession and the impacts of natural disasters such as tropical storms and cyclones as well as changing tourism patterns can have a devastating effect on the local tourism sector. Seasonal character of jobs The seasonal character of the tourism industry creates economic problems for destinations that are heavily dependent on it. Problems that seasonal workers face include job (and therefore income) insecurity, usually with no guarantee of employment from one season to the next, difficulties in getting training, employment-related medical benefits, and recognition of their experience, and unsatisfactory housing and working conditions. Other industry impacts affecting tourism Economic crises, like the Asian crisis that hit Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia a few years ago, can be devastating to inbound tourism flows. The financial turmoil triggered a sharp fall in tourism flows to affected countries during 1997 and 1998. In the Philippines, the crisis and the temporary closure of Philippine Airlines affected inbound arrivals significantly as there was a decline of almost 3.3% in 1998. Economic Effects — Positive Tourism creates jobs, both through direct employment within the tourism industry and indirectly in sectors such as retail and transportation. When these people spend their wages on goods and services, it leads to what is known as the â€Å"multiplier effect,† creating more jobs. The tourism industry also provides opportunities for small-scale business enterprises, which is especially important in rural communities, and generates extra tax revenues, such as airport and hotel taxes, which can be used for schools, housing and hospitals. Economic Effects — Negative Successful tourism relies on establishing a basic infrastructure, such as roads, visitor centers and hotels. The cost of this usually falls on the government, so it has to come out of tax revenues. Jobs created by tourism are often seasonal and poorly paid, yet tourism can push up local property prices and the cost of goods and services. Money generated by tourism does not always benefit the local community, as some of it leaks out to huge international companies, such as hotel chains. Destinations dependent on tourism can be adversely affected by events such as terrorism, natural disasters and economic recession. Social Effects — Positive The improvements to infrastructure and new leisure amenities that result from tourism also benefit the local community. Tourism encourages the preservation of traditional customs, handicrafts and festivals that might otherwise have been allowed to wane, and it creates civic pride. Interchanges between hosts and guests create a better cultural understanding and can also help raise global awareness of issues such as poverty and human rights abuses. Social Effects — Negative Visitor behavior can have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of the host community. For example, crowding and congestion, drugs and alcohol problems, prostitution and increased crime levels can occur. Tourism can even infringe on human rights, with locals being displaced from their land to make way for new hotels or barred from beaches. Interaction with tourists can also lead to an erosion of traditional cultures and values. Environmental Effects — Positive Tourism — particularly nature and ecotourism — helps promote conservation of wildlife and natural resources such as rain forests, as these are now regarded as tourism assets. It also helps generate funding for maintaining animal preserves and marine parks through entrance charges and guide fees. By creating alternative sources of employment, tourism reduces problems such as over-fishing and deforestation in developing nations. Environmental Effects — Negative Tourism poses a threat to a region’s natural and cultural resources, such as water supply, beaches, coral reefs and heritage sites, through overuse. It also causes increased pollution through traffic emissions, littering, increased sewage production and noise. Tourism and Travel 1. Define the following terms: Hospitality Tourism Leisure Travel Attractions (20mks) 2. In your own opinion, what will make you choose to travel to Country A than to Country B during your holiday? (20mks) 3. What are the positive economic impacts of Tourism in Kenya? (20mks) 4. People do travel for a particular purpose; therefore what are the different types of tourism? (20mks) 5. The no. of tourist in a destination varies over time, what are the different reasons for that to happen? (20mks)

Antigone Essay Example for Free (#3)

Antigone Essay Essay Topic: Oedipus Choose cite format: APA MLA Harvard Chicago ASA IEEE AMA company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints Evil not only fascinates people in general, but writers as well. In what ways and with what effect has â€Å"evil† been treated in Antigone? In the play of ‘Antigone’, evil appears in many forms. There is the soldier who is a traitor to his nation; the sister trying to prove her love for her family yet ends up breaking the law; the king who so eagerly tries to stop rule-breakers yet he himself neglects his flesh and blood. Here the difference of the two works is seen: The Earth of Mankind gives the impression that characters of power possess evil, whereas in Antigone, evil can be inside all of these opposing individuals. Polyneices, a soldier who fought against his own nation was to be punished as a traitor by not burying him after his death. When his sister, Antigone, goes against the King’s decree and burry Polyneices, she was also seen as a traitor to her country. However their other sibling, Ismene, who sits at home as Antigone fights for her brother’s right, is also said to have performed a crime of being a traitor to her family. Now something we can see from here is that each and every character involved in the story so far possesses evil. This message is summed up by Sophocles in page 204 of the book, in Ode 1, where it says, ‘O fate of man, working both good and evil! ’ What the writer is trying to convey here is more realistic than what is said in ‘The Earth of Mankind’; both evil and good is naturally inside everyone’s mind. It is one’s choice to do which, but performing a crime is inevitable. Everyone has his or her own ‘evil’ deeds, not only the powerful ones. As seen in my previous explanation on who performs evil deeds in the play of ‘Antigone’, we can see that one evil act leads to another, whereas the chain of good doings ends sooner. Eteocles, who was a soldier and a brother to Antigone, fought bravely for his nation and was buried with honor by the King. Although many respect him for his virtuosity, the play didn’t show that further kindness was done because of him. However, when Polyneices betrays his nation and fought against it, a number of people are forced to perform evil in his affect. Antigone had to break the law in order to give him his right of getting a burial. Ismene, who was too scared to go against the decree, was said to be a traitor to her family, as she didn’t come to assist Antigone in her mission. They then cause Creon to imprison the sisters, punish them, which then cause him to have a fight with his son. Creon then causes death of Haimon, and therefore leads to the suicide of the Queen. On page 243, the messenger says, ‘†¦and her last breath was a curse for their father, the murderer of her sons. ’ A number of misfortunes occur as being the result of one act of evil. The play now gives the effect that evil gives more negative outcomes in comparison to good giving positive results. Here, evil is powerful enough to make such a big impact on its surrounding; bigger than the good. Creon sees Antigone as a traitor to his rules, despite her reasons. Creon imprisoned both Antigone and Ismene for the burial of the nation’s traitor, Polyneices, who is their brother. It is true that Antigone has broken the law, but according to her logic, it is more important to follow the rules of the Gods than the King. She feels that the dead, no matter what they did in their lives, deserve respect and be buried, and that it was her duty to do so as Polyneices’ sister. She didn’t care that she is breaking the decree, and may be punished to die, as long as this task is done. Creon, being a non-believer of the Gods in the beginning, thinks that breaking the law is crime, no matter for what purpose. Polyneices was a traitor and he suffers because of himself, thus no one should help him. On page 211, Creon even said to Antigone, ‘An enemy is an enemy, even dead. ’ There is truth in both arguments, and no one can say what is right. Here, the play depicts that the existence of evil depends on how one views it. ‘Antigone’ treats evil as a subjective topic, where it may be seen as a crime from one point of view, but is actually a good deed from another. No evil deed is done without a reason, and the play shows that one should explore, not only what crime has been done, but also why it was done. Antigone. (2018, Nov 02).

Television and Effect on Children Research Paper

Television and Effect on Children - Research Paper Example Constant television viewing by children comes with physical, mental, and emotional ramifications that have been proven to have lasting effects on children if ongoing television viewing is not put to an end. The consequences will be revealed throughout this paper, as well as ways to prevent the consequences from taking place. Physical Ramifications Obesity has become one of the greatest health concerns among children in this day and age, and it has been directly connected to children spending more time in front of the television than outside being active. A massive lack of physical exercise and the need to be eating while watching television has caused children to weigh more now than they have in previous years. The longer that these two activities exist together, the more, and the quicker, that a child’s health is capable of failing. Television is not what it used to be. When the television was first introduced in homes, there were only a handful of television stations and a s imilar number of television shows, most of which were news channels. Nowadays, there are over one hundred easily accessed television channels and almost four times the amount of television shows, many of which are directed at the younger audiences (Liebert et al, 1988) and are usually available roughly around the time that most children are released from school. The television studios know exactly what they are doing when they air certain shows at certain time. As such, children have found it possible to sit in front of the television and watch show after show without even a hint of a break at times that are most convenient for them: when they are most likely to be at home. This ability to be constantly watching television has caused an increase in the amount of time that children spend in front of the television and, similarly, a decrease in the amount of time spent engaging in physical activities, such as sports or simply running around with their friends. This also causes childre n to begin to associate television with good activities and exercise as more of a chore. It is common for people to want to eat while they watch television and movies, and when children sit in front of the television as often as they do, they enjoy many unhealthy snacks and meals while enjoying their television shows. This holds especially true when they come home from school; they crave both something to eat and something to allow themselves to unwind after a long day of school. Excessive eating and a lack of physical activity can cause children to gain great amounts of weight over short amounts of time. The diets of children is another area of concern; most children are not being fed the proper types of food, so they often go for the greasy, fatty snacks while they are watching television. Again, after school snacks often consist of unhealthy snacks in large quantities. Even if their meals throughout the day are healthy, constant snacking of fattening foods can only build up in th e bodies of these children, and if they are not exercising, they are not getting rid of that unhealthy weight. In essence, the longer that children sit in front of the television, the more unhealthy food they are likely to eat. The consequence of the two aforementioned issues is that children gain

Berninis Visit to France - Outline Annotated Bibliography

Berninis Visit to France - Outline - Annotated Bibliography Example A painter and architect in his own right, Bernini’s greatest architectural achievement – according to the Encyclopedia Britannica – was â€Å"Bernini’s greatest architectural achievement is the colonnade enclosing the piazza before St. Peter’s Basilica† . His self portraits as a young and mature man number among some of the most famous paintings in the world. His fame prompted King Louis XIV of France to invite him to Paris, where he stayed from April 1655 to November of that year. He soon lost favor with the French court, however, when he praised the art and architecture of Italy over that of France. His output from his stay in Paris was thus negligible. There is of course, ample scope for scholars to impact and relevance of Bernini’s visit to France. Would a prolonged stay by Bernini have affected the movement of art in France? Did he usually flatter his hosts? Son of Pietro Bernini and Angelica Galante, Gianlorenzo Bernini was an exceptional sculptor, painter and architect. Born in Naples in 1598, his skill as a painter was recognized by Pope Paul V when he was only seven. His father lent him the teachings to turn him into a fine sculptor, and very soon the young boy earned himself the patronage of Pope Paul V. Thus, he began sculpting under the influence of the Vatican. His sculptures depicted his strong influence from the Greek and Roman sculptures in the Vatican; as a result, for a large part of his life, Bernini’s sculptures were influenced by the Hellenistic era. His earlier works attracted the patronage of the great Borghese family.

Foundations of Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Foundations of Marketing - Essay Example Price - Product packaging plays an important role in per unit price of a chocolate brand. The availability of bite-sized, large-sized and a bag of chocolates packaging for world-known brands enables price flexibility and affordability. Using this packaging strategy, consumers can easily avail of the product depending on their consumption capacity and budget. Place - Chocolate and confectionery shops are the foremost selling venue of chocolates. World-known brands are available in retail shops, like supermarkets and convenience stores, for easy and mass consumption using the distribution channels in efficiently delivering their products to the end consumers. Customised chocolates are sold in chocolate shops. E-commerce also provides a virtual venue in chocolate shopping. While world-class chocolate manufacturers, because of its mass production and distribution method transact in business-to-business setup, majority of local chocolate shops conduct business to individual transaction on the web. Promotion - Global chocolate producers use the push strategy in promoting their products. It is by advertising via the mass media that they are able to promote their product. Local chocolate producers utilise more personalised approach, using promotional offers and the Internet. 2. Positioning Map With this position map, we can see how the each chocolate firm can effectively execute its marketing efforts. Upon knowing their current position in the business environment they are in, they can create ways to maximize their promotion to this defined segment and act efficiently to this. Let us take the above position map to expound on the benefits of positioning a company. Based on the map above both Cadbury and M&Ms should heavily rely on advertisement... Foundations of Marketing Let us take the above position map to expound on the benefits of positioning a company. Based on the map above both Cadbury and M&Ms should heavily rely on advertisement and other mass promotional schemes to market diversified products that will cater to the different segments in the global market. Their globally known brand names and extensive production capacity brought about by its global chocolate market dominance, they have the edge in doing business on a large scale. In spite of several advantages of marketing segmentation, there are still visible disadvantages of marketing segmentation. One of these is the possibility of inflexibility with regards to the variations in the market. Even a minimal shift in the number of population or preferences of customers can create marketing problems, which if not addressed immediately can immensely affect the company’s marketing campaign. Another problem of concentrating marketing activities in a single market segment is its difficulty in market expansion. There is a tendency for the firm to be stuck in a single consumer base, which can entail vulnerability to profit loss, especially in the currently dynamic business environment. In short, mass marketing minimises a company’s susceptibility to inflexibility to the ever-changing market. However, the present marketing campaigns of multinationals which are likely to perform this method because of its capitalization on the benefits of economies of sc ale, involve the localisation and segmentation of their marketing campaign in a particular country.

America's Involvement in WWI Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

America's Involvement in WWI - Research Paper Example Nevertheless, WWI became a focal point in American history because it gave an opportunity for America to assert its dominance as a foreign power and give rise to social reforms. America entered WWI for array of reasons. First and foremost, Americans wanted to abandon the policy of isolationism. The domestic issues that plagued American enticed Americans to take as a lead as a huge superpower. Secondly, the sinking of Lusitania was a huge focal point as it carried American soldiers and ammunition. It is crucial to understand that even prior to entering the war, the US was supplying aid to allies. Although it called itself neutral, it clearly was not. The icing was "discovery" of the Zimmerman Telegram, which threatened the USA> At this point, Germany’s conquest of winning the war was too easy to ignore. Thirdly, it was evident that the U.S. had huge economic investments with the British and French. If the Germans continued to impose their will, then they would not be able to pay the U.S. debt back. Another huge reason was the political scheme for the leaders of the US. It was clear that Woodrow Wilson did not want to go to war but also did not want to lose to his counterpart- Teddy Roosevelt. As usual, Roosevelt has been aggressive with the war of Spanish-American war and had no problem for Americans to enter a political issue that needed leadership. When Teddy Roosevelt decided to run for another term, Wilson felt that it was best for him to also enter the country into this war (Micahels 40). Hence, President Wilson wanted to make the world safe for democracy Without a doubt, WWI was turning point in American history because it gave an opportunity to America to display its awesome power. World War was a war that was indisputably fueled by American propaganda by portraying the Axis power as supreme evil. Unmistakably, this was heavy task since so many European descents resided in America. Europe’s condition at this point

Wal Mart Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Wal Mart Corporation - Case Study Example The first Wal-Mart store was opened in 1962, known as the Wal-Mart Discount City. Within five years twenty four more outlets were opened in the state of Arkansas touching $12.6 million in turnover. The company forayed outside the state of Arkansas for the first time in 1968 with the launch of its stores in Sikeston, Missouri and Clairemore in Oklahoma. By 1975, the company had established it's presence in most part of country, with 125 stores across different states, with a sales turnover of $340.3 million and 7500 employees. 1(Wikipedia) The company is now one of the world's top retailers. Mainly driving its growth were its diversification strategies(Wal-Mart Super centers and Neighborhood Markets),international operations and membership warehouse clubs(Sam's Club).As of June 30th 2007,the Company had a network of 1,039 Wal-Mart discount stores,2,337 Supercentres,585 Sam's Clubs and 121 Neighborhood Markets in the United States-a total of 4,082 outlets. The Company's global operations include-15 units in Argentinia,298 units in Brazil,290 units in Canada, a presence of 83 Wal-Mart units and101 Trust-Mart units in China.

The Strategic Management of Human Resource Assignment

The Strategic Management of Human Resource - Assignment Example As a variety of mounting competitive forces mount, organizations are recognizing that to thrive, they require leaders and managers who can keep the organization intact and maintain employee morale throughout phases of change. Furthermore, they need personnel at every level who are eager and lithe enough to adopt change rapidly, adapt, and cultivate their skills. Accordingly, the demand to provide effective and quick employee grow this at the fore. Learning as well as development undertakings can influence organizational performance. To achieve this, organizations have to shift from training to learning. High-performance functioning involves employing a range of human resource practices and strategies to involve and inspire employees to amplify their input and increase levels of output and performance throughout the company as a whole. Though a variety of human resource policies and practices are considered equally to high-performance working practices, most analysts would agree that litheness and constant learning stand at the core of the functioning efficiency of the good-performance work approach (Armstrong 2000). Given the rapid speed of change, workers must be stimulated and reinforced to constantly update their abilities and expand knowledge. Therefore, learning is fathomed as the procedure through which a person creates new skills, knowledge and capabilities, while training is among some of the responses a company can assume to stimulate learning. Learning is, therefore, an individual course – nobody but the apprentice can learn. However, it is conceivable to set up interventions, which encourage persons to learn as well as develop. During the move from training to  learning, many learning, as well as development interventions and undertakings, progressively focus on backing the learner. Individual accountability for learning (coupled with help from the company in backing up learners) is one way of promoting effective learning to bring about individual support and organizational change. Significant efforts must be made to encourage and support effective personal learning in the ev ent of a developmental activity in an organization (Armstrong 2000).

Sorry for Disturbing You Essay Example for Free

Sorry for Disturbing You Essay Life is about many things. Some would say friendship is gold, others that money talks. But one main thing that many people isnt listing that high, is communication. We have the ability to talk and express what we feel. That can be the key to loving relationships and a happy life, if handled correctly. But if one is not able to express those feelings, and not able to obtain intimacy with someone else it will lead to loneliness. The short story â€Å"Sorry for Disturbing You† is written by Richard Knight and is dealing with the importance of communication. It is about a meeting between two men that seem different but really may not be that different after all. The story begins with the main character, Ian, reflecting and looking back upon his meeting with Michael Phelps. After that the story is chronologically built and is stretching across a couple of hours. The story is told by a third person narrator with a view inside of Ians head. There is no outer description of Ian and our portrait of Michael is painted by Ians view of him and how he appears to be through the dialogue. Ian sees Michael as a helpless and possibly an alcoholic person: â€Å"He seemed lost, hanging on to the doorframe for support† (l. 4) â€Å"He looked ill. Or very drunk. † (l. 11) Michael is also compared to â€Å"a sobbing child† (l. 55) and â€Å"a helpless foal† (l. 87) to emphasize the state he is in. There is something inside of Ian, reaching out for Michael. He really didnt want to let him in but still he did, because of his instincts telling him to. The same with starting a conversation with him. He still have some reluctance against Michael being in his house, so he finds him a chair that is â€Å"not too comfortable† (l. 6) It seems, through the dialogue, that Ian is not the best of communicators. For example: â€Å"What the hell am I supposed to talk about for ten minutes? † (l. 52) He dont know what to do about Michael and even less what to talk to him about. Michael is a mysterious man. There are hints that Michael may have an alcohol problem, since he seems drunk, he has a social worker and the fact that the taxi driver refuses to drive him home. He is rejected from society and he is not on good terms with his daughter. â€Å"Twenty-two years. The answer came immediately, like a time tables answer. (l. 73) The reason for his relationship to his daughter is suggested in this sentence. The reason might have been an event, something he was responsible of. Michael is a lonely man filled with so much regret it spills out in the form of tears. He is looking a lot at the photograph of Karen and Corinne, while hes probably thinking about his daughter and his family he no longer is in contact with. Karen and Corinne is not take up much space in the story but their absence are taking up a lot of space in Ians mind. When he think about Karen he gets a bit confused and ignorant. He is wondering how she would react to the whole thing but is not sure. He wants Karen to be there but he doesnt call her until the very end, as the very last way of getting Michael out of the house. In that way its because of Michael that Ian contacts his wife. What starts out as being a disturbance of Ians evening ends up being a help to him, because the communication between Ian and his wife was in a very bad condition. Suddenly the title of the short story has a different meaning than before. The meeting with Michael have definitely changed something inside Ian. When opening the door for Michael in the beginning of the story, the first thing he sees is the â€Å"icy rain running in beads down the mans face† (l. 1). But when he is looking back on the whole thing he is â€Å"no longer sure if it had been rain or tears† (l. 2) and the fact that he is now looking differently at the situation than he first did is showing that he have changed. When he met Michael it gave him a chance to reach out to Karen and to reflect on his own life. He realizes just how important family is and that he have to make an effort communicating with his wife and daughter. A physical example of Michaels great impact on Ian is when he grips Ians hand in the end, and holds it for a long time. The very last sentence of the short story: â€Å"He switched the television off, made two cups of tea and a glass of warm milk, and took the first careful steps up the stairs† (l. 171) shows that he is now quitting his former passiveness and is taking action so he wont lose the people he loves. Unfortunately, Michael is an example of many people across the world. It is sad, but you can only learn from this short story. It have a very strong morale: communicating is important.

Building Maintenance Management Systems

Building Maintenance Management Systems Building maintenance management just like the Cinderella of construction industry. This is because building maintenance management team has to do various job and bear the function of other parties, namely architects, surveyors, engineers, or facilities managers. Building maintenance management also has never been recognized in its own right (Allen, 1993). There are numerous definitions of building maintenance as it different to different people. According to the Chartered Institute of Building, building maintenance is defined as work conducted to keep, restore or improve every facility, that is every part of a premise, site and its service to an acceptable standard. The accceptable standard is determined by the balance between the need and available resources. While White suggest that maintenace also is similar with controlling the condition of the building so that its feature lies within specific regions (White, 1969). Other definition comes from Bushell and quoting from BS 3811, th at defines maintenance as a combination of any action carry out in order to perpetuate the things in or restore it to an agreed condition (Bushell, 1985). Another more practical definition mentioned by Allen is the combination of all technical and associated administrative actions to pertuate an item or restore it to a condition that it can perform its desired function. Hence, building maintenance is very crucial as it is required since the beginning of the construction period. However, its importance was not recognized (Allen, 1993). Maintenance is needed to ensure the building perform well and the best over its life cycle (Olanrewaju, 2009). A regular and good maintenance of a building may enhance the sustainability of any building either it a heritage or non-heritage building (Arazi, 2010). Lee (1984) has elaborate more that maintenance is also required in order to ensure that buildings are used effectively and economically as possible (Lee, 1984). Meanwhile, according to the inv estopedia, efficiency mean the degree of performance that reflects a process that uses the lowest amount of resources to create the greatest amount of outcomes. Efficiency is an important character as all resources such as time, money and raw materials are scarce. So, it is makes sense to conserve the resources while maintaining an acceptable level of outcomes or a general production level. Efficient also can be simply said as reducing the amount of wasted resources. Therefore, ensuring efficiency in building maintenance practices in this paper means the work undertaken in order to preserve and conserve a building to enhance the value of a building is done with the lowest amount of resources without wasting it. Nevertheless, there are five objectives of building maintenance that are mentioned by Alner and Fellows (1990). The objectives are to ensure that the buildings and their associated services are in a safe condition, to ensure the buildings are suited for use, to ensure that the state of the building fulfill all statutory requirements, to run the maintenance work necessary in order to maintain the value of the building stocks physical asset and also to run the work needed in order to maintain the quality of the building. THE WAYS TO ENSURE EFFICIENCY IN BUILDING MAINTENANCE PRACTICES In order to ensure a building is keep, preserve, restore and improve without wasting all resources, a number of efficient ways can be carried out by the property manager, building maintenance management or any related party. Firstly, the maintenance management team should involve in the design stage of the construction to draw some strategies in order to make sure the efficiency in building maintenance practices over the life cycle of buildings. A number of the design strategies mentioned by Nayanthara (2010) are design for adequate safety, design for maintenance needs, design for the environment, plan for easy maintenance and design for efficient access. Design for adequate safety is the most crucial design strategy for maintainability of buildings. A proper design for the load carrying, joint design and detailing, structures suitability and the piping are able to avoid many failures such as cracking and leaking of the building, therefore can provide the adequate safety againts thos e failures. Design for maintenance needs is also important strategy as it can reduce the maintainability cost in the future. For example in the design stage of the construction, the maintenance team has make the option to use the low-maintenance materials, components and elements in constructing the building. The selection of those materials, components and elements in design stage may lessen the maintenance cost in the future. While, there are two fragments of environment under the design for the environment, that are micro-environment and macro-environment. Micro-environment can be describe through the degree of exposure to the external climate, level and the nature of usage. While macro-environment can be evaluted as location of building and different zones such as industrial, coastal area, urban and rural. The environment aspect should be taken into account while designing the building as Malaysia has tropical climate which is high humidity, uniform temperature and has abundant rainfall throughout the year. Nayanthara also mentioned that in the design stage, the builders team should plan for easy maintenance in the future. This strategy is related to the design for the environment strategy. The builders team should choose the material that is durable in order to less maintenance work and cost, for example, the type of paint for external wall must be weather shield so that it is long last and no need to repaint the building frequently. In addition, design for easy access for maintenance work such as roof and basement can ensure the efficient maintenance work (Nayanthara, 2010). The second way that can be adopted to ensure the efficiency in building maintenance practices is by controlling the quality of construction or workmanship. It is very important to make an assurance of the quality during the construction stage to avoid failures such as cracks, spalling and leakage. Assurance of construction quality could be determined by the consistency of materials in the design stage and construction stage. The builders team must strictly follow the planning during design stage. In addition, the election of good contractors, consultants and efficient workers who have well experience are also essential to assure the quality of the building construction. Quality assurance in the construction stage may help in reducing the failures in the future and hence, the maintenance of buildings will be efficiently done (Nayanthara, 2010). Strategy for maintaining buildings can be split into three strategies namely corrective, preventive and condition-based strategies (R.M.W. Horner, 1997). In ensuring the efficient building maintenance practices, a good strategy for the maintenance work should be properly done by the building maintenance team or else, the cost for maintenance will rise. The most crucial is preventive maintenance schedule. The preventive maintenance schedule must be done after the completion of the building over its life cycles. Preventive maintenance schedule is to preserve the physical of the building and wipe out the corrective maintenance cost. An efficient preventive maintenance schedule includes daily maintenance, weekly maintenance, monthly maintenance, quarterly maintenance, bi-annually maintenance and annually maintenance. Daily maintenance for building such as cleaning the toilets, common areas, ground areas, vacuuming elevators must be done everyday, even more than once a day. Daily or routi ne maintenance is very important among others as it involve major operating expense. Cleaning and housekeeping work must be carefully scheduled and controlled because costs can be easily become excessive (Kyle, 1999). With the existence of preventive maintenance schedules, buildings and equipment in the building will last longer and run more efficiently. Building maintenance team also will be seen as a professional team as they work with the efficient preventive maintenance schedule. The forth way that can be adopted is by using computer-aided system in the building maintenance work. In maintaining buildings, computerized system is very necessary because a lot of information and data such as the completion date of buildings, the contractors and engineer that involved in construction, the financial statement, information of past maintenance work, and etc that need to be recorded, saved and remembered. In addition, property atributes such as basic property information like address, telephone number, person incharge for maintenance , area, number of floor and age; component information like type and model number of boilers and pump; and maintenance information like inspection cycles and painting cycles have to be recorded and saved. Computerized system is much more efficient as it is fast in recording the ample information, retrieving any data needed and capable in analysing the data (Pitt, 1986). If the building maintenance team work manually with the substantial d ata, all the works will be slower and not efficient. Maintenance schedule also can be done by using computerized system, indeed it is more effective and practical for maintenance team. Last but not least, the implemention of Malaysias Building and Common Property Act 2007 is necessary in ensuring the efficiency of building maintenance practices, especially for strata property such as condominium, apartments, gated community developments, flats, commercial buildings like offices, shopping complexes, mixed developments and industrial buildings. Malaysias government provide this act after realizing that there is a lack in Housing Developers Act and the Strata Title Act as well as existence of wide gaps between developers and purchasers, for appropriate maintenance and management of buildings and also common property (Isma, 2011). All this while, there are many problems arise between the developers, purchasers and management corporation (MC) of strata properties. Some of the problems are developers failed to apply for the Strata Title because the management corporation (MC) is unable to be formed. The management corporation (MC) could not be formed due to the committee s of the management corporation (MC) must be solely the owner of the unit and the management of the building is totally managed by them without interfered by the developer, but, the management corporation (MC) can only be formed after one-quarter of the aggregate share unit has been transferred to the owner. The management corporations power to practices their duty is also limited and not effective (Isma, 2011). Other than that, the problem also arise when there are defaulting developers and inefficiency property managers who take advantage and trying to make huge profits by providing lower quality services but charging a high fee to the purchasers (Tiun, 2009). So, to eliminate the problems that are arise before, Joint Management Body (JMB) and Commissioner of Building (COB) is formed under the Malaysias Building and Common Property Act 2007. The Commissioner of Building is created to ensure that all parties play their role effectively. The efficient building maintenance practices coukd be formed by the empowered of Commissioner of Building to issue warrant to those purchaser who does not pay the maintenance charges for six months and it is mandotary to all developers to submit the audited maintenance account yearly to the Commissioner of Building (COB) (Isma, 2011). With the provisions, building maintenance work for strata properties will be more transparent, efficient and no longer developer who take advantage towards purchasers.

Triangular trade :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Slaves and slave trade has been an important part of history for a very long time. In the years of the British thirteen colonies in North America, slaves and slave trade was a very important part of its development. It even carried on to almost 200 years of the United States history. The slave trade of the thirteen colonies was an important part of the colonies as well as Europe and Africa. In order to supply the thirteen colonies efficiently through trade, Europe developed the method of triangular trade. It is referred to as triangular trade because it consists of trade with Africa, the thirteen colonies, and England. These three areas are commonly called the trades â€Å"three legs.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first leg of this trade was merchants from Europe bringing refined goods to Africa to trade for slaves. The merchants traded with chiefs and high authority leaders. The chiefs pretty much could and would trade whomever they pleased, there was no restriction regarding who the slaves were.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the second leg of this trade slaves were transported to the West Indies, this leg was called the middle passage. This part was horrible for the slaves. About 50% of all the slaves on one ship would not make it to the West Indies because of disease or brutal mistreatment. Hundreds of men, woman and children were cramped together for most of the journey, occasionally able move an almost decent amount.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the third leg of the journey slaves were traded for sugar, molasses and other products. Those products were shipped to Europe or other European colonies in the Americas. The slaves in the West Indies were then sold to whomever wanted to buy some.

The Day My Life Changed Essay -- essays papers

The Day My Life Changed I stepped through the door to my grandmother and grandfather's home without even a knock. My grandpa looked up from the television he was watching, from his cozy comer chair. He had a head of snowy white hair gleaming in the room. Over his broad body, hung a navy blue dress shirt and a fuzzy cardigan sweater. He wore slacks, held up awkwardly by a belt, allowing his small potbelly to hang over it. His face showed the years of worry and stress, and his white bushy eyebrows and growing second chin showed his old age. His smile greeted me. As I drew close to him, his aging arms reached out and wrapped around my body and pulled me into a warm loving hug. As he released me from the hug, I said, "Grandpa, I have some news I want you to hear" as I plopped down in the chair beside him. "I wanted to let you know that I am getting married," I told him. The room was left in a dead silence, frozen for a brief period of time, as we recovered from the intensity of the news I had brought him. Reaching for the remote to turn off the television, my grandfather looked at me. Before he could say a word, the excitement of an unseen grandmother came from the kitchen. Both our eyes looked toward the cheerful light and the sounds of my grandmother's excitement As the excitement faded away, his eyes turned toward mine. Awaiting his comments, my eyes were open wide. Excitement had filled my body, because of the news I had just brought him. "Wonderful, go ahead...

Theme of Power in Harold Pinters The Homecoming :: Harold Pinter Homecoming Essays

The Theme of Power in The Homecoming Author: Sarah Marchant In Harold Pinter's "The Homecoming" one of the important themes is power. Many of the characters try to exert power. Many of the characters try to exert power over others through various means such as sexuality and intelligence. The use of violence within the household is believed by the men to be the most important tool of power. However, when Ruth, the only woman in the play, enters, she appears to defeat the men's power, but not with violence. Her sexuality and apparent intelligence become part of the way in which she takes control of the house. Power itself is the ability to take control and exert authority over others. Violence is a physical form of this. It usually takes the form of a display of force and this could be an unjust or even unlawful action. There could be a use of violent language or an element of threatened violence. However, the degree of power this holds is determined by the reaction of those threatened, or whether or not anything comes of the threat. Teddy introduces his wife, Ruth, into his childhood home that is a scene of tense threats and reports of violence - both sexual and physical. As soon as the play begins there is conflict between Lenny and his father, Max. Having been insulted by Lenny, Max threatens him with his stick, saying "Don't you talk to me like that. I'm warning you". However, nothing comes of this threat. The only element of power that can be inferred comes from the way in which Lenny makes no response. Perhaps he has previous experience of Max's anger, or it could be that both parties know that there is no point in pursuing the matter. The power that is expected to come with a threat is non-existent in this household as the threats are well-worn and always empty. Max demands that Teddy and Ruth leave his house, yet by the end of the play, he is sobbing and yearning for attention from Ruth. The insults and derogatory terms used within the family are not so much an element of power as a way of life. As there is no real mother figure within the household, the men have lapsed into a way of life in which they can show no affection to each other. Instead they insult each other in ways usually reserved for women: "bitch" and "slag".

Industry Trends in Charter Schools

Industry Trends A charter schools is a new or converted public schools that are started by parents seeking another alternative to other existing schools in the area. Charter schools have been developed to serve a particular mission such as on art, or with a particular ethnic emphasis. Charter schools are still public schools. However, there is strict accountability to maintain high standards and charter schools are given freedom from many of the regulations that apply to other public schools, which allows for greater flexibility and innovation in the classroom (INCS).Charter schools are helping in closing the achievement gap that often happen in traditional public schools. They are raising the bar of what is possible and what should be expected in public education. Charter schools are effective for lower income and lower achieving students and aide in shattering low expectations and breaking through long-standing barriers that have prevented large numbers of students from underserved communities from achieving educational success. Studies have been shown some show charters outperforming traditional public schools.Compared to students in the matched public school, charter students are 5. 2 percent more likely to be proficient in reading and 3. 2 percent more likely to be proficient in math on their state's exams (Hoxby, p. 1). One of the many benefits of transforming to a charter schools is to be provide educational alternatives to families that would otherwise have no ability to choose a school. Middle-income families in the United States typically choose a school by choosing their residence and they often enjoy substantially freedom of choice.High-income families can choose a school by choosing residence in affluent neighborhoods whose property taxes also aide in financing schools in addition to state funds or they can afford to pay private school tuition. Thus, they can often choose over a variety of public and private schools. Low income families typically h ave little ability to choose a school and the property taxes which are usually low fund the school. Meaning limits on choice are few (Hoxby p. 18).Charter schools which are held to the same standards as public schools must take the same tests that are yielded to students in traditional public schools. However, accountability is different, tougher and parents are held accountable as well due to mandatory parental involvement. Parents that are vigorously involved in their child’s education will do better academically. Charter Schools offer parents in addition to board members and superintendent the chance to create schools that reflect their visions for their child’s education. Current IssuesSome educators feel that charter schools are not effective and have not been around long enough to prove if they are actually efficient. Cohen feels that they are performing worse than most traditional public schools even with all the funding they receive. The reasoning behind this i s due to inconsistency in staff because of the high turnover which can be equivalent to some traditional schools in poverty stricken neighborhoods. As she said, â€Å"all schools have their deficiencies, additional monies that charter schools receive could go to improve traditional public school educational reform† (Cohen).There are many educators who are for charter schools as stated by Jefferson Morales who claims â€Å"charter schools have the greatest chance to thrive when working collectively with administrators, teachers, students and parents which are all stakeholders in making sure that academic success is obtained. He also expresses that charters adhere to safe and systematic environment that is conducive to learning. It also allows for individualized instruction because the class sizes are smaller than traditional public schools, charters value quality teaching from great teachers of all walks of life.The curriculum is content-rich that is proven by research based instructional practices, teachers attend effective professional development seminars and charter schools have higher parental involvement† (Morales). Competiveness Those who back charter schools believe that charters create competition in the educational market, requiring traditional public schools to improve. Critics do not believe that competition encourages positive results and are concerned that the flowing of funds to charter schools will lessen the performance of traditional public schools and in so doing hurt students in traditional school settings.Zimmer and Gill, et al. , (2009) states studies that have examined systemic effects have used school level measures of competition, such as the distance from the charter school to nearby public schools or the proportion of the district’s students who are enrolled in charter schools. Hoxby (2002) and Bettinger (2005) used school-level outcomes to estimate competitive effects, while Holmes, DeSimone, and Rupp (2003); Bif ulco and Ladd (2006); Sass (2006); and Booker, Gilpatric, et al. (2005) used student-level data for more-refined analyses of competition in, North Carolina, Florida, and Texas.Generally, these studies found small, positive competitive effects or no effects on students in nearby traditional public schools (p. 77). Although studies have provided for understanding of the competiveness of charters and traditional schools the effects may differ across states and laws for two reasons. Zimmer (2010) First, there is considerable variation across the country in the extent to which school-district enrollments are growing or shrinking. In rapidly growing districts charter schools may act more like a release valve than a source of competitive pressure.Second, the specific details of charter laws and policies may determine the extent to which school districts feel competitive pressure. For example, states may have laws, in which districts do not lose the money when a student transfers to a chart er school, which in turn traditional schools do not have to compete for funding incentives for students (p. 79). For, instance there can only be 75 charter schools created in Chicago and 45 outside of Chicago. Laws governing charter schools in a state may require only so many schools which can restrict the competiveness between traditional and charter schools.Budgeting/Financing According to Illinois Network of Charter Schools, charters can seek and receive funding from several sources including individuals, businesses, fundraising and foundations. In addition, the U. S. Department of Education and the Walton Family Foundation each offers grants for starting charters. The Walton Family Foundation funding helps with the startup and planning of charter school. WFF currently offers three types of Startup Grants (INCS). †¢Pre-Authorization:$30,000 Maximum †¢Post-Authorization:$220,000 Maximum †¢Combination Startup: $250,000 MaximumThe Charter School Program which is a fed eral program provides up to 36 months of funding to charter schools from the time they submit a complete charter application through their second year of operations. CSP offers two ways that a charter can receive funds (INCS). †¢Through State Education Agencies †¢Directly to Charter Schools These funds will serve to assist new charter schools during the critical detailed planning stages and initial start-up of operations through pre-charter planning, program design, and initial start-up of operations through pre-charter planning, program design, and implementation grants (ISBE).In addition to the other options mentioned in funding the converted charter the district spent 9,517 per student. Converting to a charter will allow for more funds to be spent per child as compared to other districts that spend $12,000-$15,000 per student. This will greatly influence resources and training need to assist in the school meeting AYP. Under the No Child Left Behind law, schools are meas ured by how well students are doing. If students continue not to meet expectations it can result in teachers being replaced or the school closes. Operating Expenses Students (Traditional)The following charts show funding sources that District currently receives. Converting to a charter school would provide additional funding for improving districts Obtained from ISBE Recommendations Charter Schools are product of educational reform; Jordan Middle School is public school located in Chicago, IL this educational institution services African American and Hispanic children in grades 6th-8th. The school has been not made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in four years. Yes, scores have been increasing yearly but has not meet state requirements as of today.If requirements are not meet in the fifth year Illinois State Board of Education will come in and take over the school. As shown in the chart below only 70. 9% of students out of 534 are meeting the Illinois Standardized Assessment Test. Th e ISAT score for the state is 82. 0% (ISBE). Teachers and parents are requesting that the School District convert the middle school to a charter school. Under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law, all schools are encouraged to have very high participation rates on their state’s exam in order to make Adequate Yearly Progress.Transforming the middle school from a public school to charter school will provide an opportunity to implement school-level reform and support new innovations which will improve student learning and assist in meeting AYP. The Superintendent and Board Members can work with charter school requesters to suggest mechanisms that will line up the petition and the district’s goals and vision for student learning. This chart was obtained by Illinois Interactive Report Card shows ISAT score for 2011 which indicates that the middle school did not meet AYP. References http://iirc. niu. edu/District. aspx? istrictid=07016143502011) http://incschools. org/start_a _charter/startupfunding/ Hoxby, M. Caroline. (December, 2004). Achievement in charter schools and regular public schools in the united states understanding the differences (pg. , 1 & 18). Retrieved on January 1, 2012 from http://www. vanderbilt. edu/schoolchoice/downloads/papers/hoxby2004. pdf J. Cohen (personal communication, December 16, 2011 J. Morales (personal communication, November 20, 2011) Zimmer, R. , Gill, B. , Lavertu S. , Sass, T. , & White, B. (2009) Charter schools in eight states: effects on achievement, attainment, integration and competition. RAND Corporation, 77.

Guns and Gun Control

Gun control has been one of the biggest topics facing our nation aside from abortion and homosexual marriages. There are so many different angles and arguments that surround it, its no wonder a definite decision can not be made. Violent crimes remain one of the most serious problems in the United States, in many of the violent crimes committed guns are used but an actual link between the two remains pretty unclear. Studies generally find no relationship at the ecological level between gun availability and nonfatal violent crime rates, but do find a small relationship between gun availability and homicides†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ‘Perhaps the most important question in the gun control debate is whether handgun ownership by law-abiding citizens raises or lowers their risk of becoming violent crime victims. ’ (Barkan, 2007, p. 93) For those opposing gun control, they believe taking away the right to carry a gun would leave them more vulnerable to become victims of crime however thos e supporting gun control believe that if gun use was effectively controlled, there would be less crime. Media does not help in this constant debate since many feel as though outlets such as TV shows, movies and games promote violence especially in youth. However in studies where children were observed before and after viewing violent shows on TV, they did become more aggressive meaning there is a correlation between watching TV and acts of aggression but that connection doesn’t necessarily mean watching that particular show caused it to happen. Meaning a child acting out in violence could have been acting out on his aggression but not because he saw it happen. A conservative conclusion is that mass media violence has a small effect on real-life violence that is eclipsed by other influences†¦ we should remain skeptical of mass media effects until the empirical evidence becomes compelling†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Barkan, 2007, pp. 290-291) In 1999 Martin O’Malley was elected as mayor of Baltimore, MD. At this time I also resided in Maryland as a sophomore in High School. Mayor O’Malley changed the focus of how public safety would be handled since crime was so high in the urban communities especially in the downtown are as of Baltimore. It was during this time he stressed the importance of neighborhoods and authorities pulling together to reduce crime and violence which turned out a 40% reduction in violent crime. (Maryland, 2009) The fact that he was able to get such a tough community to work together with officials to take charge of an ever growing crime rate is something that should be admired and mirrored throughout other states. To cut back on the types of firearms used in today’s streets I believe would start from the source, gun shows and or shops. My suggestion to control the types used every applicant must go through a very thorough background search as well as an interview with a law enforcement official to see if they are competent enough to own a firearm. From there I think a class should be offered to all individuals as well as a mandatory waiting period of at least a month. Heavy artillery weapons should not be issued to anyone other than those with certain clearances, military or otherwise since they are not needed unless they are being fired at by insurgents. As far as where I stand on the issue of gun control, I believe everyone has the right to bear arms as it’s stated in the 2nd amendment of the U. S. Constitution. I also fully believe in the slogan ‘guns don’t kill people; people kill people’ however those that are supportive of gun control possess a very strong argument when they state that if handguns were controlled effectively, it could possibly reduce the number or homicides and violent crimes. An example of this would be ‘†¦in 1975 Washington D. C. , banned the sale and possession of handguns. Gun crimes there decreased, especially for homicides resulting from family and acquaintance disputes. More generally, gun homicides and gun suicides decreased†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Barkan, 2007, p. 295) In addition in a study that was conducted one scholar noted ‘†¦guns are more likely to be used when you’re drinking and you have a fight with someone you know. It indicates that people tend to use guns not for the reason they brought them into the house, but in fights with family members and friends. ’ (Barkan, 2007, p. 294) Had a gun not been present in the first place it probably would have kept this situation from becoming yet another statistic. References Barkan, S. A. (2007). Criminology (3rd Edition ed.). Upper Saddle River , NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Maryland, S. o. (2009, January 16). Martin J. O'Malley, Governor of Maryland. Retrieved January 18, 2009, from MD Manual: http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/08conoff/html/msa13090.html

Money Brings Happiness?

Name: Nguy? n Th? Thu Hi? n Class: Lu? t anh 2 Homework: Many pepple think that money brings happiness. Do you agree with them. Why or why not? Essay: â€Å"Does money bring happiness? † This is the question that everyone has the different answers. I agree with many people about money brings happiness. Money helps we have material comforts and spiritual joy. In fact, if we have no money, we can’t buy goods, clothes, and other necessaries which we need. If we have a lot of money, we can improve our spiritual activities easily.We can go to the movies every weekend, and we can buy any expensive gifts for the people who we love. Money helps the poor have a will-fed life. For the rich, money helps them have pure happiness because they can help the poor and the victims of the disasters. It is said that: â€Å" Money is the root of all evil. † No, it is not true. Money is normally the fruit of labour. The question is how one spends that money. There is nothing good or e vil about money. The same money which can help bring relief to the suffering millions, can be used to build up armaments.The power decides how to spend the money. ————————————————- In summary, the money brings happiness only when we use it properly. The right use of money may bring us a comfortable life and a cheerful heart. Ng? c Tho? i Nguy? n Being poor can certainly bring unhappiness, but having money does not guarantee happiness. Some people assume that because extreme poverty brings extreme unhappiness that the opposite must be true. It is not. There are a lot of very unhappy very rich people.Acquiring money can too easily become the center of life's focus and that can become an obsession. Like most obsessions, it's not a good thing. The Bible says that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. That seems to be a universal truth. When you love money more than anything else in life you will find that you can never get enough of it. When life only revolves around getting money you start to obsess over what it can bring you and then you lose any chance of happiness. ————————————————- The happiest people I know are not the richest.They are the people who have learned to be happy with what they have and make the most of life. I have seen people made deeply miserable by poverty, but at the same time I have seen relatively poor people who are happy because they have a positive and thankful attitude about life. Nguyen Khac Hoang: We are living in the 21th century, when many new inventions have discovered. As far as I know, one of them, which has big influence over the world is internet. So do you wonder: â€Å" Why do they like to use the Internet? † The internet always brings a better life.In fact, without internet people are alive and still exist but nobody can deny the benefits of the it. Firstly, it’s a source of information. People can get the latest information about weather forecast, daily events all around the world†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. at any time as well. Before the Internet was invented, people can’t get the information as fast as now, they must watch TV programs, buy newspapers or magazines. Thanks to Internet, we can widen our knowledge in an inexpensive and convenient way. Secondly, Internet is a source of entertainment. If y feel tired of bored, y can listen to music or watch any films y like.Moreover, many people like to play games on the Internet because they are very interesting, wonderful and this doesn’t cost as much. You can also communicate with friends or ralatives by means of e-mail or chatting. Thirdly, Internet is a good mean of education. Teachers can teach on the Internet. Students can find various kinds of tests to do. In addition, they now can use the Internet as a time – saving decide by online schools or online lessons. In conclusion, almost every aspect of our life is concerned with the Internet. It’s a wonderful invention of our modern life. It makes our world a small village.

Materials of Logistics in Management Essay

The efficiency of any manufacturing organisation depends on the availability of component parts and materials in the proper quantity, quality, price, range and time. Failure in any of these areas increases costs and decreases profit as certainly as outmoded production methods or ineffective selling techniques. This simple but obvious point has only recently come to be properly understood. This book presents the principles, methods and strategies that represent the modern approach to materials management in all sectors of the economy. In analysing business operations, the phrase â€Å"Value-added concept1†² is often used to characterise the difference between the cost of component materials and the selling price of the finished product. This difference in value represents the unique contribution of each organisation to the production process. Many companies produce component parts and materials for other firms manufacturing specialised products Remanded by the customers. On an average, a manufacturing firm buys slightly more than half of the rupee value of its sales. In other words, the value added is typically less than 50 per cent of its sales. Conversely, the average company purchases materials valued at more than half of what it sells. Therefore, a firm’s profit is to a large extent determined by how effectively it procures and manages these materials. The organisational approach known as materials management has gained validity in recent years. Production and operations managers found it necessary to develop an organised body of knowledge related to planning, acquisition and utilisation of materials in the process of production and it has resulted in the discipline known as â€Å"mate-rials management†. All activities involved in bringing materials into and through the plant are combined under one head known as â€Å"materials manager†. By giving the materials manager overall authority, responsibility is centralised to assure that the overall cost of materials is kept at the low’est possible level. The basic rationale for this organisational change is to overcome the problems of conflicting objectives. For cample, purchase department’s concern to ensure continuous supply of component materials may conflict with he inventory control department’s objective to minimise inventory levels or the objective of shipping in full car load lots. Today organisations view procurement as a professional activity including activities involved in obtaining materials at minimum cost, transporting them and providing storage and moving toward the production process. It also includes economic analysis of supply (i. e. , purchase economics), demand and prices and the assessment of international events that affect materials. * evolution of materials management Historically, the five ‘M’s of manufacturing firms viz. Men, Materials, Machines, Money and Methods have shifted their positions from time to time in their relative importance. In the early days of industrialization, the focus was on men (labour) as they were the main source of productive power. Over a period of time, the emphasis shifted towards machines, which became the main source of industrial power after the Industrial Revolution. As the methods of production became more and more complex due to the increased customer demand for sophisticated products of high quality, there was greater need of efficient management to manage the complex production systems. In the early 1920s, purchasing and maintaining stock of materials was the responsibility of purchasing managers or â€Å"chief controllers of purchasing and stores† in many industries. During and immediately after World War II the focus shifted on various functions associated with materials such as purchasing, receiving, inspecting, storing, preserving, handling, issuing, accounting, transporting and disposing surplus and obsolete materials. These functions grouped under one common head known as materials manager and the department responsible for all these activities came to be known as â€Å"materials management department†. But the head of materials management department performed a staff function to support the production department and had to report to the production head (director of production) in the organizational hierarchy. The oil crisis of the 1970’s changed the priorities of industries all over the world. The exorbitant hike in oil prices and the heavy budget allocations on oil made the industries to control their expenditure on the inputs, mainly materials of all kinds because of the large scope to reduce the expenses on materials. Since the beginning of 20th century, materials have been getting more and more attention and will continue to do so in the future also. Now a days material has* become an important and inevitable input of a production system since the cost of materials and cost on materials (cost incurred in purchasing and storing the materials) put together account for 50 to 85% of the production cost depending on the nature of the product and the type of the production system. Modern manufacturing organisations adopted systems approach to management, which resulted in the integrated materials management concept. All functions related to materials such as materials planning, purchasing, storing and inventory control were integrated under materials management function. The position of the head of the integrated materials management department was elevated to be on par with heads of other functional areas viz. production, finance and human resources. * importance of materials in manufacturing organisations Materials are any commodities used directly or indirectly in producing a product or service such as raw materials, component parts, assemblies and supplies. In the manufacturing organisations, the important inputs are referred to as 5 Ms viz. Men (Labour), Machines, Money, Materials and Methods. The relative importance among these five Ms have shifted from time to time. In the beginning of industrialisation the focus was on machines, men (labour) and methods, but from around 1970 onwards the emphasis is on materials. Material is an important and inevitable input gi J production system since the cost of materials and cost on materials (cost incurred in purchasing and storing the materials) put together account for 50 to 85’* of the production cost depending on the nature of the product and the type of the production system * importance of materials management Management of materials in most organisations is crucial to their success because the cost of purchasing, storing, moving and shipping materials account for over half of the product’s cost. Improving productivity is a crucial factor in facing the challenge of competition and this involves driving down the cost of all aspects of business activities. Since there is maximum scope of cost reduction in the area of materials, doing the job of efficient and effective management of materials is seen as the key to higher productivity.

Labor Unions and Their Impact on the Economy Essay - 1

Labor Unions and Their Impact on the Economy - Essay Example As the report declares the state employees are not happy with the proposal of the governor that they would have to make a contribution of 5.8 % of their salary towards schemes of pension along with the payment of 12.6 % of their insurance premiums for health. In this report of the research paper, various arguments in support of the union’s protest will be presented.This paper highlights that on  February 15, 2011, the public employees, community supporters and union activists in a number of more than 15,000 jammed at the Capitol Square in Madison for protesting the governor’s plan to band the rights of the workers and demolish jobs of middle class community of the society. The governor denied making any changes in his plans and has mentioned that if the bill is not passed by the state legislature, he would compel massive layoffs along with hampering of state services and thus would cost several jobs.  The move of the governor has been demonstrated as a way of politi cal business that is interested in taking the rights away from the people. The appeal of a few protestors is such that they are in complete support to the governor’s activities for balancing the budget but not at the sake of the worker’s rights, as evident from the views of a retired Communications Workers of America member.  The protestors mentioned that the governor was imparting the bad effects of a budget bill by setting up such a policy that would take away the general rights of the people.

Biotechnology Genetically Engineered Soybeans Essay

Biotechnology Genetically Engineered Soybeans - Essay Example This alleviates the need for same species to induce the genetic changes which can be transmitted in the subsequent progenies. The other specific feature of this technology is possibility of ignoring reproductive compatibility within the species with an accelerated generation of new progenies with the induced phenotypic and genotypic characters. It is to be considered that genetic engineering enables scientists to introduce the DNA fragments of a foreign organism into a plan through an entirely artificial way, which could be naturally imprecise and has all probability of being unpredictable, despite being unique (Stacey et al., 2004). The soybean is considered a major source of protein in human and animal nutrition, and it is also a source of vegetable oil. Soybean is also considered to be an economically important legume, However, naturally there are many variations in the phenotype of the seed, and this is prominent in seed weight. The bean in soybean is unique since it accumulates high levels of protein and oil, and a typical soybean seed has been reported to contain 40% of protein and 20% of oil by weight. Therefore the propensity of a larger size of seed and weight would ensure that protein and oil per seed can be considerably increased if the weight of the seed could be increased by any means (Clemente and Cahoon, 2009). To start with genetic modification of soybean was accomplished to achieve herbicide tolerant soybeans since these led to improved yields and reduced use of pesticides. Specifically, the advantages of herbicide tolerant soybeans were improved weed control, significant reduction of soil erosi on the crop fields, reduction in injury to the crop, and reduced cost on fuels. Therefore, the intention of this genetic modification was to lead to improved crops. Historically, crop varieties that resist diseases have been preferred by cultivators due mainly to their improved quality characteristics. One such example is genetically engineered soybeans that are tolerant to nonselective herbicides such as glyphosphate. Foliar administration of herbicide glyphosphate can kill soy plants, and as a result genetically engineered glyphosphate tolerant soybeans was a choice immediately since during growing season, glyphosphate may considerably reduce the yield (Qin and Lynne, 2007). This specific breed would allow the farmers to use glyphosphate to control weeds yet not lose on the crop yield. Specific Alteration The specific alteration involves introduction of a single gene in the commercial soybeans. This resulted in high level of glyphosphate tolerance to the soybean plants. A single gene encoding the glyphosphate tolerant 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase was introduced in the soybean genome. This was derived from Agrobacterium Sp. Strain CP4. 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase is known to be present in plants and bacteria as a component of shikimate pathway to synthesize aromatic amino acids. Glyphosphate tolerance locus could be identified in the glyphosphate tolerant locus in GTS 40-3-2, which had been studied to be a stable and simple dominant trait that can be transferred across generations through

Situational Analysis Report about Toyota in Australia Essay

Situational Analysis Report about Toyota in Australia - Essay Example This paper will focus on present information about the market situation, Toyota share in Australia market, target market, trends that bear on the company’s product line in future, and identify the (SWOT) strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing the company. Introduction In Australia, the head office for Toyota Motors Corporation is located in Melbourne where all the manufacturing activities are conducted. However, the marketing and sales are done in Sydney. The Australian branch deals with manufacture of vehicles such as Camry and Aurion. However, Toyota Australia is also concerned with importing other models, which include Corolla, Toraga, Kluger, HiAce, HiLux, LandCruser, Yaris, Torago, RAV4, and Prius. Additionally, Toyota Australia is concerned with selling of other brands such as Lexus. Toyota Australia is performing considerably well. It was the best vehicle exporter in 2008 when it exported 101,668 cars. Toyota Australia markets its vehicle to more than 20 countries located in different parts of the world. Market Situation Toyota Australia leads the automobile industry in Australia in manufacture of environmentally friendly vehicles. One of the greatest successes was success of hybrid technology, which was used in Prius. Currently, Toyota Prius, the most advanced hybrid system in the world is the most selling product for Toyota Australia. After the 2008 economic crisis, has been experiencing decreased sales in vehicle sales resulting in reduction in profits. However, Toyota Australia remains the best performing Automobile manufacturer in Australia. It has a market share of about 23.7%. However, the sales are expected to grow as the global economy recovers from the recession. After the recession, the Australian dollar weakened resulting in increased prices for all imported cars (Deloitte, 2012). Toyota Australia is the largest automobile exporter in Australia and mainly exports its vehicles to Middle East, Pacific Islands, and New Z ealand. However, Toyota Australia is facing grave competition in Middle East due to entry of automobile companies from China into this region. Although the market condition continues to become tougher, Toyota Australia is performing considerably well. The best performing car model include Corolla, Yaris, Corolla, and HiLux (IBM, 2011). Increase in the demand for car over the recent past has resulted in growth in market for Toyota Australia. Target market is the people working in the cities. The Toyota automobiles are affordable to people in middle and lower classes. However, Prius is quite expensive but being efficient in fuel use makes it favorable for different groups (IBM, 2011; Deloitte, 2012). Macro Environmental Situation Macro environment is the economic external market environment and the broad trends that may bear on product line (Woof, 2011). Increase in completion has obligated Toyota Australia to create more fuel-efficient cars, which emit fewer wastes hence environmenta lly friendly. This led to manufacture of Toyota Prius, which is considered the greenest car since it has reduced pollution and greenhouse effect. However, this model is facing competition from Honda Civic Hybrid and Ford Fusion Hybrid Car. The major competitors of Toyota Australia include Ford, GM, Mercedes, Volkswagen, BMW, and Honda (Mullins, Walker, & Harper, 2009; Silva, 2006), Politically, Australia is a democratic country. Australia is

Contract Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Contract Law - Assignment Example The question that needs to be determined in the sale transaction between Tom representing the Buyer and Max representing the Seller is whether Tom, in making the payment of 28,000 pounds has paid up in full according to the contractual terms, or whether Buyer will be liable to pay the additional amount of 2800 pounds that is being claimed by Seller, as a function of a small price rise that is sanctioned under the terms of its standard sale/purchase agreement that Tom has filled up when placing the order for the equipment. Contractual validity: In order for a contract to be valid, â€Å"there must be a definite offer mirrored by a definite acceptance.†1 In the case of Harvey v Facey2 a telegram sent by Facey confirming price was deemed not to be an offer3, however in the instant case, the Buyer (Tom) has made a definite offer to purchase the hydraulic jack system for the price listed (28,000 pounds) in the brochure while the Seller (Max) has orally agreed to supply the goods at the agreed list price of 28,000 pounds. Therefore, a contract has come into being and Max’s acceptance of the contract may be seen by his action in going ahead with the manufacture of the Hercules equipment.

Young Offenders and Youth Justice Research Paper

Young Offenders and Youth Justice - Research Paper Example There has been a concern of how the society views and deals with young people. Some people believe that juvenile engage in antisocial behaviors because of lack of good rearing by the parents, while others believe that the whole society has failed to instill morals to its young people. However, studies have documented that due to increase in poverty and technology, young people are involved in different crimes (Barnickol 430). Conversely, studies have also documented that culture dictates the parenting style, which in turn has a lot to do with the child’s development. In light with his, it has been argued that bad parenting style has effects on the behavior of a child. Although measures exist, it is apparent that they have not elucidated on how best strategies they use can comprehensively address the problem. What is currently evident is that these measures lessen the situation with little empirical approach being adopted in order to address the causes of anti-social behavior a mong young people (Hancock 142). In this regard, more emphasis has been on the correctional perspective, but this problem requires a comprehensive approach, which incorporates both correctional and preventive approaches. With such deliberations, the current research would be of help in utilizing theoretical frameworks in order to ascertain the best approaches to use in order to both correct and mitigate causes of anti-social behavior among young people. ... Another major concern involves poor parenting. It is believed that poor parenting can slowly develop a culture of unruly behavior. Parents who use permissive parenting style tend to unknowingly encourage their children to engage in unruly behaviors (Harr 64). However, some studies have noted that when parents are unable to provide basic necessities to their children, they have little control over their lives. To some parents, they become too busy to have quality time with their children. This way, children tend to imitate other people without any control of their actions (Gottfredson 94). In fact, when this continues and they realize their parents cannot control their lives, most of them indulge in drugs – something that highly contributes to delinquent behavior. An Introduction of Key Research Questions In regard to the above-mentioned issues, it is apparent that there is a need to have the issue of anti-social behaviors among young people addressed comprehensively (Gaines 28 ). The current research aims at presenting theoretical and comparative measures to not only reform the already existing youth justice system but also to provide a framework that can help reduce and prevent cases of anti-social behaviors among young people. In this scope, the hypothesis of the research argues that if community based programs that deal with child rearing can be introduced, the rate of juvenile anti-social behaviors can be reduced (Hodge 103). In this regard, the research aims to find solutions to the following questions, which will give an overview of causes of anti-social behavior among young people. 1. What causes of anti-social behavior among young people. 2. How effective are the programs designed to

Small Business Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Small Business Management - Assignment Example Keeping the objective in mind the study looks to analyze the cafe and restaurant market of Sydney, Australia. In order to conduct the feasibility study, methodical analysis of the market condition is required. Market conditions tend to have significant effect on the viability of a business. While conducting market analysis certain strategic tools are required. Keeping the objective in mind PEST analysis of Australia has been conducted. Special emphasis has been to the city of Sydney while conducting a PEST analysis. A part from this the 4 P’s of marketing has also been used to provide a future action plan. The in-depth analysis has been punctuated with a brief market audit of the Australian Restaurant and cafe market to analyze the present and future market scenario as well as growth opportunities.However the preference of gourmet coffee among of the coffee has been quite evidently visible. This is largely due to the fact that the Aussies view quality coffee like a luxury prod uct at an affordable price. If numbers are to be believed more than one billion cups of coffee have been sold in Australia. The percentage of out of home consumption of coffee has seen a steady rise. According to analysts as the economic conditions are set for improvements, steady growth of the cafe and restaurant business is expected over the course of next five years and so. Such growth is applicable as there is likely to be presence of both international players as well as other franchises. This discussion outlines that competitive Landscape The cafe and restaurant industry of Australia can be tagged as highly competitive. The main reasons can be presumed as very low barriers to entry. Add to that the industry is believed to be highly fragmented. According to reports the major players hold less than ten percent of the total market share. The small players enjoy a fair share of success as the 91% of the food chain businesses have less than fifty employees. There exists strong pres ence of franchisee model or any equivalent business strategy. Companies like McCafe, Coffee club, Hudsons Coffee, out back Jacks, etc. have set up strong and successful franchisee models in Australia. The companies mainly compete on the merit of quality, price and customer service. Growth Opportunities The key to the success in Aussie restaurant and Cafe business is to understand the customers and providing the customers something unique.