Monday, September 30, 2019

Phillosophy Teaching Essay

At daybreak on the morning of Friday, August 3 1492, an Italian adventurer named Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain to find a new way from Europe to Asia. His aim was to open up a sorter trade route between the two continents. In Asia, he intended to load his three small ships with silks, spices and gold, and sail back to Europe a rich man. Columbus first sailed south to the Canary Islands. Then he turned west across the unknown waters of the mid-Atlantic Ocean. Ten weeks after leaving Spain, on the morning of October 12, he stepped ashore on the beach of low Sandy Island. He named the island San Salvador – Holy Savior. Columbus believed that he had landed in the Indies, a group of Inlands close to the mainland of India. For this reason he called the friendly, brown-skind people who greeted him los Indios – Indians. In fact, Columbus was not near India. It was not the edge of Asia that he had reached, but islands off the shores of a new continent. Europeans would soon name the new continent America, but for many years they went on calling its inhabitants Indians. Only recently have these first Americans been described more accurately as Native Americans or Amerindians. There were many different groups of Amerindians. Those north of Mexico, in what is now the United States on Canada, were scattered across the grasslands and forests in separate groups called tribes. These tribes followed very different ways of life. Some were hunters, some were farmers. Some were peaceful, others warlike. They spoke over three hundred separate languages, some of which were as different from one another as English is from Chinese. Europeans called America the New World. But it was not new to the Amerindians. Their ancestors had already been living there for maybe 50000 years when Columbus stepped on to the beach in San Salvador. We say maybe because nobody is completely sure. Scientists believe that the distant ancestors of the Amerindians came to America from Asia. This happened, they say, during the earth’s last ice age, long before people began to make written records. At that time a bridge of ice joined Asia to America across what is now the Bering strait. Hunters from Siberia crossed this bridge into Alaska. From Alaska the hunters moved south and east across America, following herds of caribou and buffalo as the animals went from one feeding ground to the next. Maybe 12000 years ago, descendants of these first Americans were crossing the isthmus of Panama into south America. About 5000 years later their camp fires were burning on the frozen southern tip of the continent, now called Tierra del fuego – the Land of fire. For many centuries early Amerindians lived as wandering hunters and gatherers of food. Then a more settled way of life began. People living in highland areas of what is now Mexico found a wild grass with tiny seeds that were good to eat. These people became America’s first farmers. They cultivated the wild grass with great care to make its seeds larger. Eventually it became Indian corn, or maze. Other cultivated plant foods were developed. By 5000 BC Amerindians in Mexico were growing and eating beans, squash and peppers. The Pueblo people of present day Arizona and New Mexico were the best organized of the Amerindians farming people. They lived in groups of villages, or in towns which were built for safety on the sides and top of the cliffs. They shared terraced buildings made of adobe ( mud and straw ) bricks, dried in the sun. Some of these buildings contained as many as 800 rooms, crowded together on top of one another. The Pueblo made clothing and blankets from cotton which grew wild in the surrounding deserts. On their feet they wore boot-shaped leather moccasins to protect their legs against the sharp rocks and cactus plants of the desert. For food the grow crops of maize and beans. Irrigation made them successful as farmers. Long before Europeans came to America and Pueblo were building networks of canals across the deserts to bring water to their fields. In one desert valley modern archaeologists have traced canals and ditches which enable the Pueblo to irrigate 250000 acres of farmland. A people called the apache were the neighbors of the Pueblo. The apache never became settled farmers. They wandered the deserts and mountains in small bands, hunting deer and gathering wild plants, nuts and roots. They also obtained food by raiding their Pueblo neighbors and stealing it. The Apache were fierce and warlike, and they were much feared by the Pueblo. The Iroquois were a group of tribes – a nation- who lived far away from the Pueblo and the Apache in the thick woods of northeastern North America. Like the Pueblo, they were skilled farmers. In fields cleared from the forest they worked together growing beans, squash and twelve different varieties of maiz. They were also hunters and fishermen. They used birch bark canoes to carry them swiftly along the rivers and lakes of their forest homeland. The Iroquois lived in permanent villages, in long wooden huts with barrel-shaped roofs. These huts were made from a framework of saplings covered by sheets of elm bark. Each family had its own apartment on either side of a central hall. The Iroquois were fierce warriors. They were as feared by their neighbors as the Apache of the western deserts were feared by theirs. Around their huts they build strong wooden stockades to protect their villages from enemies. Eager to win a glory for their tribe and fame and honor for themselves, they often fought one another. From boyhood on, male Iroquois were taught to fear neither pain nor death. Bravery in battle was the surest way for a warrior to win respect and a high position in his tribe. Many miles to the west, on the vast plains of grass that stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains, there was another warrior nation. This group called themselves Dakota, which means allies. But they were better known by the name which other Amerindians gave to them – Sioux, which means enemies. Te Sioux grew no crops and built no houses. For food, for shelter and for clothing they depended upon the buffalo. Millions of these large, slow- moving animals wandered across the western grasslands in vast herds. When the buffalo moved, the Sioux moved.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Inigo Jones and the Classical Language of Architecture

Inigo Jones and the Classical Language of Architecture Classical architecture elements can be traced from early Greek and Roman styles. Classici refer to the highest rank of Roman social structure. Classical norms are based on a formal hierarchal system of clarity, symmetry, deceptive simplicity, harmonious proportion and completeness. (Curl, 12) There is a difference seen between the inside and the outside of a building. Classical architecture develops every part individually as these parts become a larger whole. Orders, or columns, play an important role in the development of classical architecture.The parts of the order include a pedestal, but not always, a column and some type of horizontal element above the column. Within the structure of orders a composition pattern and proportional system develop. Although Greek and Italian architecture used the name Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders there were distinct differences between the appearances of the columns. In classical architec ture a Doric order is slender, usually with a base and a smooth shaft. One can see an elegant molded base on Ionic orders. Ionic orders also have fluted shafts and some type of cornice ornamentation.The Corinthian order is the most elaborate and may have engaged columns that are partially attached to a wall. Many of the classical orders are straight lines meeting at right angles with an equal distance between orders creating a piece with equal parts. There is symmetry from left to right and right to left that is not seen when looking top to bottom and bottom to top. (Tzonis 9) Inigo Jones is regarded as the first significant English classical architect. Jones combined his personality and understanding of classical architecture in his designs.His admiration of Italian architects and architecture is evident as many of his designs look more like Italian villas than traditional English buildings. Jones pursued his building projects to further his own political and personal interests. (A nderson 41) One of Inigo Jones’ first projects was building a stable, brewhouse and doghouse for King James at his royal hunting site. The Queen’s House, Queen’s Chapel and the Banqueting House are some of Inigo Jones works that are still standing. Other Jones designs include Covent Garden and Wilton House.The Queen’s House, once named the House of Delight, was built in Greenwich. The house looks like two Italian palaces facing one another connected by a narrow passage lined with equally spaced orders on each side. The orders appear to be Doric because of the simple base and smooth shaft. The exterior sides of the building show the classical norm of being symmetrical left to right and right to left. Following classical lines there is no up and down symmetry having one arched window on the second story. The wall facing south also has a center second floor balcony with orders.Materials used on the outside vary from floor to floor. Brick and stone work were used for the first floor while the second story walls are plastered and limewashed. Inside the main halls are shaped like a cube with flat ceilings. Surrounding rooms are symmetrical with cornice work showing an Italian influence with very ornate chimney sculptures. Orazio Gentileschi’s canvases originally filled the ceilings of the house. The Duchess of Marlborough had them taken down and brought to Marlborough House. (Lees-Milne 70) The Banqueting House is regarded by many as Jones’ masterpiece.Jones was commissioned to re-build the structure after a fire destroyed the original building. Jones based his design on Venetian palaces so Banqueting House would stand apart. The outside gives the appearance of a multi-story building. Two cherubs support a large shield in the pediment which was intended to contain a coat of arms. (Anderson 157) Ionic and engaged Corinthian orders are used. The orders on the exterior side walls combine flat and rounded columns with a pair of coupled pilasters at the end of each facade. Exterior street facade show the classical element of symmetry matching left to right and right to left.One can view the differences from top to bottom and bottom to top. Lower window tops alternate rounded and pointed where upper windows are all flat topped. Each window and order section is a separate design but is also part of the complete building. The interior of the Banqueting House is not multi-storied but a single double cube room. The space has Ionic orders under and Corinthian orders over a cantilevered gallery. (Summerson 53) The flat ceiling is covered with Ruben panels. The Banqueting House is still in use today for concerts, government function and private parties.Inigo Jones was picked to design a new Chapel at St. James Palace. The Queen’s Chapel is a double cube hall with a coffered ceiling that has an adjoining Queen’s Closet. There is a triple window rising behind the altar. The center rounded window rises h igher than the two flanking windows and is topped with carved angels and falling garlands. The Queen’s Closet is a gallery separated from the chapel by Corinthian pilasters and festoons. The Closet chimney piece and over mantel portrays classical Italian interior decoration. Harris and Higgott 184) The front exterior of the building is done with Portland-stone masonry. Side to side symmetry is present but there are no orders in the design. Wilton House is another Inigo Jones design. The main front dimension ratio is almost identical to his design for the Prince’s Lodging but on a larger scale. Wilton’s south front has side to side symmetry. The grand portico is in keeping with the classical association of royalty. Ionic orders are in front of the portico’s central Serlian windows which are surrounded with carved figures. There are corner towers and balustrades.The main interior room is a double-cube. Very ornate moldings, carvings and ceilings are present . Wilton House is one case where symmetry is not followed. The fireplace is not central on the main wall but gives the illusion that symmetry is maintained. (Lees-Milne 102) There are matching king’s and queen’s apartments for royalty use. Wilton House seemed out of place surrounded by smaller houses. This building provided Jones a bridge between his smaller and grander royal works. (Worsley 82) The Covent Garden project by Inigo included a new church, houses and gates leading to the square.Simple and classical Tuscan design variations were used in the arcade surrounding the houses. The entrance to the square is a false doorway and the church is entered through an enclosed yard. Classical architecture was used to update homes. Jones’ drawings show the use of banded columns and smooth columns against a rusticated wall. (Anderson 206) Jones designed a Tuscan portico on the east end of St. Paul’s church comprised of two central columns flanked by piers attac hed to a sidewall with arched openings. The Tuscan order throughout Covent Garden brought bout simplicity for urban life. As an architect Inigo Jones gave England a classical, innovative style using his love of Italy and Italian design. His use of orders was based on the specific function of the building, the context in which it was to be built and his own interpretation. (Anderson 208) Jones wanted his identity as an architect to be defined by The Banqueting House and St. Paul’s Cathedral. (Anderson 25)Works Cited Anderson, Christy. Inigo Jones and the Classical Tradition. New York, Cambridge University Press, 2007. Curl, James. Classical Architecture. New York, Van Nostrand Reinhold,1992. Harris, John and Higgott, Gordon. Inigo Jones Complete Architectural Drawings. London, A. Zwemmer Ltd, 1989. Lees-Milne, James. The Age of Inigo Jones. London, B. T. Batsford Ltd. , 1953. Summerson, John. Inigo Jones. Middlesex, Penguin Books Ltd. , 1966. Tzonis, Alexander and Lefaivre, Li ane. Classical Architecture the Poetics of Order. Cambridge, MIT Press, 19986. Worsley, Giles. Inigo Jones and the European Classicist Tradtion. New Have, Yale University Press, 2007.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Lit Review Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Lit Review - Case Study Example The intent of this brief analysis will be to understand whether or not the way in which humanity currently interacts with the internet is on the whole helpful or harmful – or whether it exhibits key aspects of what can be understood to be an unhealthful and addictive relationship of dependence. The ultimate stakeholders that the research will be attempting to impact will be the parents of children in society that can have the ability and decision making power to constrain the amount of time that these young people spend online; thereby forming positive life habits that will doubtless be exhibited in their own future life. Through such an analysis, this student would like to engage the reader with information concerning how parents must engage in definitive forms of action in order to ensure that subsequent generations do not grow up to become zombie-like internet addicts with poor communication skills and poorly socialized. Even though the intended audience is aware of the fac t that social media addiction is of importance, the discussion will focus upon presenting a literature review that focuses specifically upon the ills of addiction as it relates to social media. Likewise, the psychology of addiction has long been of particular interest to psychologists and professionals from a variety of different fields. Traditionally, addiction has been understood in terms of well-known substances and behavior addiction of many varieties. However, regardless of whether or not an individual understands addiction as being genetically predisposed or environmentally conditioned, the fact of the matter is that addiction is a very real element of the human psyche. Moreover, addiction spans far beyond the relevance of understanding such a term in its traditional context (Sands 60). What is meant by this is that research into addiction has oftentimes been focused around discussing well-known addictive substances: such as tobacco, alcohol, street drugs

Friday, September 27, 2019

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 94

Journal - Essay Example Through the help of Anna, an assistant, we found her a dress during that time. Now she was back and saying that she needed a pantsuit for work as per her supervisors instructions. Since our agency did not allow for exchanges or refunds, I was not sure how to help her since she was a part of the red care program. She spoke to my ResCare supervisor in hopes of solving her problem. I believe they eventually came to a resolution because I was asked to assist her, but I could not find a dress in her size. I felt bad because I could not help her better. She left without clothes but a promise from my supervisor that she will order her size and call her when something arrives. We track all big size orders so that is something we could do to help her. I really felt bad at not having helped her but then decided to try and forget about it so that i could concentrate on my chores for the day. I had my first young client today and it was difficult to find clothes for her. She was an African- American who wore small sizes that I knew we did not carry. All I could come up with for her was a suit. For some reason, she refused to have me assist her no matter how I tried to help her. She took the suit without considering my opinion or allowing me to see her fitting. I was frustrated because she did not work with me to find the right outfit for her. However, she ended up getting what she wanted and was on her way. Maybe it was because I felt slighted by the way she treated me, so I had some sort of prejudice as I recalled working with her. I found myself wondering if we did not get along because of racial considerations and biases. After some pondering, I came to the conclusion that I was being discriminatory and I needed to just get over the experience. Having worked at the agency for 3 months already, Ihave realized that I need to learn how to understand and get along with th e various clients that

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Definition of Construction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Definition of Construction - Essay Example Construction is not restricted to new structures only; it encompasses even repairing and replacing worn out components for the already existing structures to resume their original functions. The distinction amid construction and maintenance is the extent and the area covered by either replacement. Construction entails renovation of large sections (more than 50%) contrary to maintenance whose action has small restriction and involves replacing small bits or components (OSHA, n.d). Chiefly, construction calls for appropriate and timely planning where activities have specified time set for them coupled with how they will be undertaken (OSHA, n.d). In addition, its activities usually affect large parts of the machine where it incorporates diverse changes that may emanate from the alteration of a single section. This has a core contribution in the working of the machine. Construction unlike maintenance requires competent specialists who will have ample knowledge to undertake the expected roles on the site meant to make everything to function normally. This will call for even contemplation of jobbing environment that will ensure workers undertake their responsibilities effectively. Maintenance due to its scope of operation entails just a restricted section meant to ensure that the whole system is in order and any further complications construction is implemented (OSHA, n.d). Occupational safety & health organization (OSHA). (n.d). Construction v maintenance. Retrieved on 12, Jan. 2012 from

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Physical Structure of a Neuron (Neuron-to-Neuron Communication) Essay

Physical Structure of a Neuron (Neuron-to-Neuron Communication) - Essay Example Examples of the ten different body systems are the circulatory system, the digestive system, the integumentary (skin), the skeletal, the muscular, the digestive, respiratory, the reproductive, the endocrine and the nervous system. All these systems work together in harmony that makes the human body a complex whole. Vitamins, nutrients and minerals are necessary for all the systems to work perfectly to attain and maintain good health. Regular exercise, proper diet and a healthy lifestyle all contribute and work together to make these systems function properly. Perhaps one of the most complex body system is the nervous system. This is the set of body system that is composed of very highly-specialized cells involved with the receiving and its transmission of information from both internal and external stimuli. In other words, this system is responsible for the receipt and relay of various communications within the human body. It is a complex system composed of the brain, the spinal colu mn and the nerves. The nervous system also includes the special sense organs of the eyes, the ears, nose, taste buds and skin. In effect, the nervous system is the control system of the human body. It is a sort of a command center made up of the central nervous system (brain and spinal column) and the peripheral nervous system (the spinal nerves and the twelve cranial nerves). ... It is also known by other terms like biopsychology, behavioural neuroscience and physiological psychology but the ultimate aim is the same, which is to better understand how a human nervous system and its components explain our behaviours as well as various ailments. In this regard it is very important to study and understand how biological processes affect not only behaviours and emotions but the entire cognitive process as well. For this purpose, it is crucial to explore how a person's actions are greatly influenced by the brain, neurotransmitters and the nervous system. It is therefore necessary to study the complex inter-relationship between anatomy and physiology in the complex human process of biological growth and development. This very fascinating field of study has already yielded some useful insights into how the nervous system affects and influences the entire body and indeed the whole person through a discovery of the role of chemical transmission by neurotransmitters wit hin this system in relay of information from various stimuli (Wickens, 2005, p. 11). It is in this connection that this paper is discussing the basic unit of the nervous system which is the neuron and how the neurons in turn transmit crucial information between them. An understanding of a neuron's physical structure is a necessary adjunct to the process of understanding in the entire chemical transmission process. An example of a neurotransmitter is dopamine; too little of it causes Parkinson's and Alzheimer's but too much of it is associated with psychological disorders like dyslexia and schizophrenia. Physical Structure of a Neuron – the neuron is a single cell which is the basic unit or building block of the entire nervous system.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

English 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

English 2 - Essay Example The essay will include a possible solution of bringing healthy restaurant that will encourage healthy eating to avoid obesity and overweight problems amongst students. In the last three decades, Sale of fast foods in University restaurants has increased dramatically. Fast foods from retailers such as McDonald and taco bell are served school restaurants in most colleges and universities. Junk food and sweetened drinks are what most students at University of Colorado depend on. Most of them do so due to lack of other options. Snacks such as fries and burgers are very popular amongst students. Lack of healthy alternatives in the school restaurants make most students turn to eating junk food without considering the side effects (â€Å"Havard University† Web). There are several risks associated with eating fast foods, which comprise of junks and snacks. The fast foods have high level of calories in addition to excess fat. The major risk is increase in cases of obesity and overweight. Overweight is associated with other problems such as low self-esteem amongst student, which can affect their academic performance. Additionally, being overweight exposes student to other disorders such as heart problems and high blood pressure. Studies have shown that food with high levels of fat slow down blood flow since they lead to accumulation of bad cholesterol in the body (â€Å"Harvard University† Web). There is need for introduction of restaurants that will offer healthier foods to curb cases of obesity and overweight amongst students at University of Colorado. Having an organic restaurant at University of Colorado would improve the food environment for the students. The best option would be opening of organic restaurant to offer foods with adequate nutritional value without risking the health of the students. Other than offering sweetened drinks, organic restaurants would

Monday, September 23, 2019

2012 Chrysler 200, Dodge Journey, Dodge Avenger See Prices Drop Article

2012 Chrysler 200, Dodge Journey, Dodge Avenger See Prices Drop - Article Example In case of Dodge Journey, the sales price has been dropped significantly i.e. by $1,450. The primarily reason for such significant prince changes is due to compete with market leaders in midsize automobile manufactures like Suzuki, Ford, Kia etc. Chrysler has given more focus on its Dodge Journey as it is believed that with reduced price ($20,995), it has become one of the most affordable midsize vehicles in comparison to competitors’ products like â€Å"Kia Sorento ($21,250) and Mazda CX-7 ($21,990)† (Bird, 2011). This article mainly addresses Chrysler’s strategy pricing strategy for 2012 in order to combat the intensified the competition from the market leaders in midsize SUV segment. However, the prime focus of this article is on the new price ranges of midsize vehicles with value addition features offered by Chrysler. Chrysler has planned to compete with the key rivals with its three major models including Chrysler 200, Chrysler 200 Convertible, Dodge Avenger and Dodge Journey. Moreover, the article also indirectly addresses the key rivals of Chrysler and the market leaders in midsize vehicles. Considering the major area of this article, the prime objective is to offer the market signal by Chrysler to the market. Marketing signal by Chrysler may be an effective to generate the high demand for its automobile products for the coming year. The article has also offered brief descriptions of products that signify positive market indication for future. Moreover, through this article, competitors of Chrysler also get a market signal regarding the motives and intensions of Chrysler for beating its rivals (Porter, 1998, p.75). The automobile company has turned into a global industry where players from different industries are trying to in capture the prevailing market opportunities. The competition in automobile industry has been constantly changing with time. In the regard, thee major aspects are market structure,

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Women of Opposites Essay Example for Free

Women of Opposites Essay Two famous people that are alike but also very different would be Britney Jean Spears and Norma Jeane Mortenson also known as Marilyn Monroe. I chose Marilyn Monroe because she is a true inspiration to me and other young girls today; though she got a bad name for herself she explained life in a way that one could understand through her famous quotes. Britney Spears is also an inspiration on young girls because of being a pop fanatic, an actress, and also a sex symbol. These are two people that I loved when I was younger and inspired me to act, sing, and dance. Norma Jeane Mortenson started using the stage name of Marilyn Monroe in 1946. This name did not become legally her name until 1956. Marilyn Monroe was a beautiful woman who became an American actress, a singer, a model, and later on in her years known as a sex symbol. She was a wonderful person that was taken out of context and shaped into a person that she didn’t necessarily want to be. Although Marilyn became a huge success in the eyes of society and of her peers, she truly aspired to be known more for her acting and singing talents, rather than the sexy blonde in the white dress. Britney Spears was always very proactive when it came to anything dealing with music as a child. She started her career at a young age by the time she was eight years old she was taking her first steps towards stardom in auditioning to play a role on the television show â€Å"The All New Mickey Mouse Club† though she did not get the part she kept trying. By the time she was eleven years old her love for music and dance became real. This is when she auditioned again and received the role on â€Å"The All New Mickey Mouse Club† as the Mouseketeer the show was then canceled two years later after she received the role. She did not yet give up and was signed to a record label in late 90’s. Although there is a big contrast between Marilyn Monroe and the notorious Britney Spears most people from the start of Britney’s career have compared her to Monroe which creates a bigger contrast between the two. Britney Spears became a well-known celebrity a few generations after the Marilyn Monroe era but others still drastically compared her to Marilyn Monroe for being a hot blonde sex symbol. Marilyn and Britney are different in many ways besides the obvious facts that Marilyn became before Britney, the fact that they grew up in very different home environments and dealt with many personal conflicts and issues while growing up, also the way they became famous and well-known to the world are very different from each other. One huge example of the difference between these two celebrities was that In the 50s movie star’s careers were controlled by the film studios. Marilyn did not have much of a choice in the roles she played so she was always cast as the dumb blonde. The media loved her but like today they were very intrusive. Photographers hounded her but the publicity helped create her image that is why even today shes an icon. As for Britney she has had a choice in all aspects of her career and she makes the decisions to do what she wants to do and how she wants to do it. Although there is a similarity that they both share with the fact that they were both criticized and hounded by the media and the rumors that were created by it. There is still a small contrast in that similarity because Britney was able to survive all the rumors and speculations that she was surrounded by as from Marilyn who let the intrusion of the media and others take a toll on her life dramatically. Even though Britney spears and Marilyn Monroe have negatively impacted our generation they still have somewhat positive impacts on young women lives. Marilyn Monroe though she was a sex symbol she was still a very successful woman in her lifetime. She made her history though it may not have been the way she wanted to be known, but she is still remembered to this day. As far as Britney Spears she is known for her pop music for the most part, you do not hear about when she was an actor. Britney Spears and Marilyn Monroe still inspired me to become the young women I have become today.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

How the Other Half Lives Review Essay Example for Free

How the Other Half Lives Review Essay How the other Half Lives is an informative book disusing the 1900’s. The author, Jacob A. Riis, counts people for the census. He saw many different aspects of life in New York City during this time. He shares some of the hidden relations of tenement housing. He discusses the many different ethnic groups and how they form group characteristics in distinct neighborhoods. Riis’s personal opinions of the value and power of these ethnic groups comes through in his writing. His ideas reflect some of the national ideas during this time period. Blacks rank the lowest in society at this time. Riis credits this to natural selection. They are a race on the lowest level, defenseless against the woes of the landlords. Riis does not seem to hate the blacks, but accepts the fact that they are the lowest form of a person. Riis places the Chinese right above the blacks. He discredits the popular belief that, â€Å"the Chinaman being a thousand years behind the age on his own shore†, by stating that in America, â€Å"he is distinctly abreast of it in his successful scheming to ‘to make it pay.’† Riis thinks the Chinese are repugnant people. He starts off my discrediting their â€Å"grub-worshiping† religion. The fact that Chinese practice a different religion takes many people off guard, and they begin to insult the region, saying it is unworthy compared to Christianity. Along with these insults, the dreary neighborhood and past time of gambling are also pointed out. Chinese were the most hated group of this time period. Jews are the next group. Riis shares both positive and negative traits of the Jewish people. He notes the contrast in age groups behavior with a neutral perspective and even notes how they â€Å"honestly† stay home on holidays. Riis points out that they live in the most crowed houses that he has ever seen. Riis seems mostly neutral about this group as he discusses their desire for money. Riis thinks the highest of the Irish. This group comes up many times throughout his writing and there is never any excessively negative comments made about them, unlike when Riis discuses the Chinese. This ethnic group is often compared to other groups and is the topic of a lot of his writing. He notes their short falls, but always with positive rhetoric. I think he is the most considerate to the Irish because they had been in the country so long. It is expected that they are in the country, and some are even moving out of extreme poverty. They seem to have the most power in the tenements of New York. In addition to this, Riis is very familiar with the Irish. Some of his writing comes across as sympathetic, such as when he says the Irish, â€Å"falls most readily victim to tenement influences†. Riis does mention that Germans may have a better experience in America. He tells how Germans garden, and bring their flowers with them wherever they go, but quickly flows that by saying, â€Å"not that it represents any higher principle in the man; rather perhaps the capacity for it†. Riis favors the Irish the most out of all the ethnic groups. Riis mentions many other ethnic groups that are present in America such as the Bohemians and the Italians. However his opinions of the Blacks, Chinese, Jewish, and Irish come through with the most passion in his in his writing.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Consider How Changes In Political Ideology Impact Social Work Essay

Consider How Changes In Political Ideology Impact Social Work Essay Social policy is about social well-being and its policies are designed to promote this, social well-being is for everyone and its to ensure that everyone gets treated impartially and according to their needs. This may include areas such as housing, education and social care. According to the HM Treasurys spending review 2010-11 the vast majority of money was spent on Welfare and Health this illustrates that these two sectors especially welfare are major factors within our society and are a priority. However some political ideology can have impact on social policy in regards to how money is spent and in what ways. Social welfare and policy is provided by the government and social policies are developed for the public and certain groups who need them. Social welfare on the other hand is given to people who are seen to be in need and may be seen as people who need a public service. Welfare services and healthcare are the key services in social policy. Social services and the healthcare system are in place and are provided to give a service to help aid with peoples well-being. For example these include people who are going through a crisis or serious personal issues to do with their health or personal lives. Social policy is incorporated with social welfare provision; social welfare provision is about the needs of the people. The government plays a big part in social welfare because they decide on what to spend on such as housing and education. Social Policy is made by the government which are made up of partys politicians and parties that deliberate and decide on how to manage the country and it s political needs. Politically speaking Social policies work together with employees of social welfare such as social workers as well as healthcare and the law. All these organisations help to make up social policy and work on and for the state. Local Government are councillors which have been locally elected for example a local MP and also local authorities, these may include people such as school governors and members of the community health councils, these selected people work together to govern and implement what key policies are needed locally, and these are tailored policies specifically for their local communities. The local government may make decisions on housing and other local factors such as developments that may be needed and transport. The private sector is made up of businesses individuals, local and central government who purchase welfare services such as private care homes and employ carers privately to care for service users. Social workers as well as the healthcar e workers are involved in social policy for the reason that they will be putting whatever is decided in social policy in practice. Central government is the political party who is elected nationally in the UK. At the last national election the conservative party were voted in with this came their own political ideology in running the country and many changes were made. Political Ideology is a range of ideas and thoughts which can range from social wellbeing to laws being made it is also beliefs on society and social welfare. This can come from a right left wing approach of thinking politically. This affects social policy and how social policy is approached because the decisions that is made effects peoples lives. For example when new labour was elected in 1997 its approach to social policy was a mix and right and left wing perspectives. The new right perspectives to social policy consist of views such as distinguishing between the deserving and underserving poor. What is known as the deserving poor are those who are thought to deserve to receive welfare, an example of this is someone being poor through no fault of their own, while an undeserving poor is someone who may be poor due to their laziness such as not wanting to work. The title of deserving and undeserving varies from one individual to another, this is because everyones circumstances are d ifferent therefore it is harder to determine who is deserves to receive benefits from who does not. The new right approach suggests that the welfare system was making people depend on benefits and making them lazy. This was also referred to as the nanny state, however those who are welfare such as single parent families struggle and what is given is actually only enough to live on because benefits are accessed on what the government believes is enough for individuals to live off. David Cameron the current Prime minister stated that he wanted to end the culture of entitlement and a bigger debate into welfare would be needed as the wrong signals were being sent out to unmarried and single parent families. This suggests even more cuts for those who are dependent on benefits as a way to get people off benefits and back into employment. Political ideology affects social work because these values affect practice. Ideas of political ideology shape practice and action, these actions can als o influence ideas of ideologues which respond to the environmental pressures which surround them. (Marquand 1996,6.) Marxist had the view that the welfare state was biased and favours the working class to prevent a revolution. For the modern day welfare state this couldnt be any truer as we have seen with the conservatives party that the biggest spending cuts have hit the poor the worst.it seems as though especially to those who are worse off, for example families who receive benefits such as tax credits etc. These are the people who are feeling the cuts the most while the rich have had far fewer cuts being made. Last year we saw that most of the changes being made were affecting the poor and working class the most, while the rich had their tax reduced. This is indeed an unfair change in regards to welfare because the changes seem to favour the rich more. The Guardian newspaper online reported that the poorest households would be hit the worst by benefits cuts, in reported government plans and the Department of Work and Pensions. It also stated that in a bid to save 3.1 billion working benefits wou ld rise to 1% hitting the poor hardest. The guardian online featured a letter by MP Michael Meacher who pointed out that the recent welfare benefits reports bill and its percentages on cuts leaving the rich richer by paying less percentages in tax while the unemployed receiving benefits such as the job seekers allowance were being cut. It also argued ministers had failed to realise that the 20% cut that was going to be imposed would work out as less money for people to live on. The cut was argued to be applied because it was seen to be unfair that those unemployed had had a 20% rise while the lowest paid only had a 10% pay rise. Even so those who are in less paid jobs are still financially better off than those on JSA, so again why are cuts being made to the poorest people in need. It was also pointed out that the richest that are on over  £3000 a year had their income tax cut to almost 3bn a year, also the very richest increased their income and wealth over the last year according to the Sunday Times Rich List. With cut s being made and bills rising how is people going to afford to eat and live? There is a struggle for the currently unemployed to get back in employment due to the lack of jobs. People are being pressured into either living a very poor life financially or working for wage which they may again struggle to live on and then being given a very low pension when they retire. This affects social work practice because more people will be in crisis and in a vulnerable state which may lead to intervention by professionals such as social workers being needed for well-being and support. The cuts to social care have seen only the ones who can afford to pay for care being able to receive care. The reason for this is budgets being cut for social care leaving those without financial security in need of support. According to ADASS in their budget survey (2011) councils were reducing their budgets by 991 million. They were also reducing their spending by 169 million for support for people. The implications and consequences of these cuts are that some council will have to make cutbacks to services in order to balance out their budgets. For those who cannot afford services this can serious implications as well as on impact on social work practice because of the intervention that may be needed. It also affects social work in the sense of how it is implicated as well as using the best methods for service users. According to this survey it increases more gaps within Social Care funding. The care and Support Bill 2012 abolished the local authorities right to remove a person in need from their homes. The reason for this could do with the cuts being made with in social care and as a way to save money have abolished this to save funding which would otherwise be spent on giving care to service users. The Just umbrella gives an insight into austerity the coalition and policy. The just umbrella pinpoints many actions the government at the moment and the way in which society is handled in regards to spending welfare etc. It also talks about the London riots and how they may have been an underlying factor as to why the riots took place. The riots stemmed from a man of ethnic minority who was shot and killed by the police, as a result the family wanted answers as to what happened and as to why their family member was shot. There was many speculation as to if the victim was armed or not or whether it was to do with racism. A peaceful march began by the family demanding answers which soon escalated to the riots. The riots were blamed on gang culture and people taking advantage of an unfortunate situation. However nothing of unfair treatments of people and tension between the youths and the police were addressed. The riots may have been a cry for help and that may have been the chance fo r many more deprived members of society to have their say. Also the riots may have been due to frustrations built up as well as other underlying social factors which were not addressed. Such as most of the people who were involved were part of less privileged communities who were worse off in terms of employment and housing. The finding s of the riot research found that over half 59% of rioters were from the 20% most deprived areas in the UK. The riots seem to have had much more of meaning than just that of the shooting of Mark Duggan. According to the Reading the riots report (2011) its findings were very interesting in regards to its contents. The study was to find out what have driven individuals in the riots and who were responsible of which came these findings of the analysis. 87% of the people who were interviewed out of 270 said that policing and tensions between the police and public were to blame because of the treatments they had from officers. This shows that policing and public frustrations were indeed key contributing factors as to why the riots happened. This combined with anger and frustrations in regards with the relationship between the police also added more fuel to the riots. The Blackwell companion to social work, social work and politics focuses on social work and ideology and the role in which social workers have. It argues that social workers have a power struggle with family and service users and these are due to political ideology and that social service and workers are political activists. Both the Just Umbrella the Backwell companion discuss changes and the state moving away from the neo-liberal economics in regards to Labour and Margaret Thatchers approach to politics. Both stated that the new right approach to social policy was focused on making the welfare state in particular better in regards for what works. However Blackwell argues that this gives room for politicians to pass difficult subjects to professionals to suggest solutions. The just umbrella also comments on what is known as the Big Society and that of the effects it has on society as well as the coalition policy. According to the Cabinet Office the big society is about giving more p ower to the people to help improve their lives, Transferring power from Whitehills to Local Communities. While the just umbrella recognises failings in the big Society and its local ideas, Blackwell points out ideology behind this and how it affects social work practice. It aims to put the point across that social work is heavily driven by politics and ideology. The social worker who claims to be above or beyond politics is one who has denied him or herself access to a set of conceptual tools which are directly necessary to a properly informed conduct in todays complex world of practice. What is exactly meant by this statement is that social workers cannot fulfil their full potential of practice without accepting they are a part of politics. Accepting this gives social workers the knowledge and power to practice effective service. This is a matter of opinion however because it takes away from the social workers individual core beliefs. If a social worker does not agree with some asp ects of political ideology this does not mean they do not have the tools to properly practice social work.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

student :: essays research papers

The earliest known measurement from the earth to sun was in 200 B.C. Aristarchus of Samos, a man of astronomy and Mathematics, made this discovery. He believed the Earth revolved around the Sun. Aristarchus of Samos used what is known today as right-angle trigonometry. By connecting Earth to Moon, Moon to Sun, and Sun to Earth, one forms a right triangle as shown below. The measure of angle â€Å"a† is 90 °; an observer on Earth can then measure the angle measure of â€Å"b†. Then for one to find the distance between Earth and Sun simply find the sine of angle â€Å"c.† Aritarchus of Samos would have expressed this a little differently for the sole fact of modern Trigonometry had not yet been discovered. Although this is strong in theory, it had its downfalls. This method in was proven to be very inaccurate. The Earth to Moon ratio is very small compared to the Earth to Sun ratio, which leads one to infer that angle â€Å"a† would measure close to 90 °. With the measure of angle â€Å"b† is close to 90 °; which would leave angle â€Å"c† very small. If a small human error occurs in measuring angle â€Å"b,† one is left with an emasculate error in the ratio of Earth to Moon over Earth to Sun. In modern trigonometry, it is describe as 1/(sin c)2 , which is very large when â€Å"c† is small. Aristarchus measured angle â€Å"b† as 87 °, but in fact was 89 ° 50 minutes. Although this error seems small, it leads to a 95% error. Aristarchus believes the Earth to Moon over Earth to Sun measured 19, but in all reality is measured as 397. But all in all Aristarchus of Samos was the first to mathematically set the spatial scale of cosmos. During the time of Kepler, most people still believed the Earth was the center of the Universe. Copernicus, in 1543, published his book, De Revolutionibus, states the Sun is the center of the Universe, and the planets orbit around, yet he didn’t know how the planets did so. In 1601, Kepler became the proud owner of Tycho Brache’s, an astronomer whom Kepler was an assistant for, meticulous measurements of planets, stars and sun that Brache had gathered in his last 38 years.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Unlocking the Secrets of the Universe Essay -- essays research papers

Unlocking the Secrets of the Universe Increasing our knowledge of Physics, using the scientific method to make observations and test hypotheses is essential to unlocking the secrets of the universe. Energy is one of the most fundamental elements of the universe. Throughout history, man has endeavored to expose, understand, and explain how and why things work. This drive to expand our understanding eventually led to the development of the scientific method and what is commonly considered to be the king of the sciences, Physics. The effects of energy on the physical world are of great interest to Physicists. The scientific method was developed during the seventeenth century. It is based on collaborative efforts of the great scientists and mathematicians who lived during that period such as Francis Bacon, Galileo Galilee, Johannes Kepler, and Rene’ Descartes. These men realized that true knowledge must be based on empirical observation and verified by experimentation. Recently, physicists have been searching for a un ifying theory to bring all of the fields of Physics together under a single umbrella theory expressed as a short equation. This so called unifying field theory will usher in a new era in physics and greatly increase our understanding of the workings of the universe Physics is the king of science, and Sir Issac Newton is the king of Physics. Physics deals with matter, motion, force, and energy. In order to understand motion, one needs to look no further the Sir Issac Newton. Newton’s studies eventually led to the development of three distinct, but related theories dealing with velocity, acceleration, inertia, friction and momentum, these theories are so widely accepted that they are commonly called â€Å"Newton’s Three Laws of Motion.† These laws, after almost three hundred years of testing and scrutiny, remain as fundamental principles governing the world we live in. By increasing our understanding of energy and the laws governing it, Newton’s laws have dramatically changed our world and promise to continue to change it in the years to come. Newton’s first law states that if the vector sum of the forces acting on an object is zero, then the object will remain at rest or remain moving at constant velocity. This means that an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by a net force. It also means that an object in motion will rem ain in moti... ... http://www.safetyline.wa.gov.au/institute/level2/course15/lecture92/l92_01.asp â€Å"OVERVIEW† This site is basically just a lecture that explains the structure and naming of aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds in a basic manner. The site has some information on organic chemistry, which are synthetic carbon chemicals which are grouped with the natural ones. The site also has information about which organic compounds are used in our everyday life. (5) http://www.chemguide.co.uk/basicorg/bonding/benzene2.html â€Å"BONDING IN BENZENE† Jim Clark maintains this site. In order to have a good understanding of this site, it is a good idea if you have knowledge about the bonding in methane, and the bonding in ethene. This site has real good information on how benzene is built and the benzene ring. (6) http://members.aol.com/profchm/con_isom.html â€Å"How do you go about determining Constitutional Isomers of a Molecular Formula?† R.H.Logan maintains this site. This site lets you know that Isomers are compounds that have the same molecular formula. The site also shows you how to you can find out if you have equivalent isomers and what an isopropyl branch is. This is a dull site, but pretty informative.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

The Alternate Ending to the Monkeys Paw

The monkeys paw The old delusional lady snatched the paw away from his grasp, mumbling excitedly to herself she held the paw tight and said fiercely ‘I wish my son alive again. ’ She frequently repeated it over and over until it became a jumbled chant; when suddenly a slow but insistent knock rang through the desolate house. Mrs White leapt up at the first sluggish rap, ‘My boy, my boy is finally here! ’ she cried repeatedly fixing her dishevelled hair combing her hands through the straggle and fixing an almost hysterical smile upon her withered face ‘Oh do come meet our boy darling, I forgot that the cemetery is two miles from here†¦ and her chatter continued to herself, making imaginary plans, hauling on her best gloves and fur lined coat, she strode down the stairs with an air of excitement and bliss. Mr White stood at the space where his wife had been standing, and absent minded picked up the withered paw that had been discarded onto the floor , he gasped and remembered the face in the fire that he had seen on the night the major had been to visit him, the day that he had greedily wished for two hundred pounds; and unfortunately got it.Coming back to his senses he rushed down the stairs after his wife to find her struggling with the large ebony bolt secrured firmly in place. ‘Help me with the bolt; it’s too heavy. ’ She said. Instead of helping the old woman, he tried tug her away from the vast bolt but she nudged me with such power that Mr White was hurled to the other side of the parler, causing him to knock his head on the mantle piece and observe his abberant wife throw open the door,turn pale with shock and recoil in disgust and trying to close the door on the hidious monster that was once their son but was thrown against the wall as the monster barged in.The old man’s vision grew dark and he slipped away to unconsciousness. When Mr White awoke he sat up stiffly and stood up slowly, walking towards the now severed door, and bent down and picked up a delicate glove it was almost unidentifiable; he dropped the glove in disgust and walked over to what once was the parlour, Mr White sat down in his large mahogany chair and began to silently weep, clutching the wretched paw in his wrinkled hand and wished his third wish ‘I wish I was dead. ’ And with that he fell into a deep eternal sleep that someday we must all face.

Monday, September 16, 2019

A Technology of Life

The rising rate of technological development brings significant contribution to today’s ongoing fast pace of life. It has significantly impacted people’s lives that their ways of doing things as well as their means of doing things have already changed to conform to technological trends.Its powerful effect on almost every person’s life is remarkably manifested in the people’s enthusiastic acceptance and immersion to change brought about by technology. Indeed, technology influences people’s mode of thinking, behaving, and doing things. It has also directly and indirectly shapes certain behavior patterns and values among people especially the young generation. It has even become a guide for social interaction and thus, has already become part of everybody’s every day life.The rapid technological change brings both desirable and undesirable changes in our culture. Technology development can only be viewed as a cultural progression if its desirabl e impact to the culture and society is capitalized.Further, technology is considered a cultural progression if changes brought about redound to the highest interest of an organization and to the society as a whole. It should not only create convenience but should facilitate optimum outcome and productivity of anything where technology is used or applied. Some of the considerable beneficial effect of technology is it works to decrease business cost in the industry sector while, technology, particularly communication bridges the distance between individuals. Also, it must be noted that technology now promoted and encouraged continuous invention and innovation.However, one should always be reminded of the fact that too much of anything is dangerous, thus too much dependence to technology might also demean natural creativity and intelligence of people and foster a technology-dependent society.Technology has undeniably successfully change people’s values, beliefs, and ways of beha ving which are aspects that reflect the culture of the new society.The unstoppable development in technology and its affordability has triggered a domino effect that has changed how people and society behaves. It has created a cultural change as people in today’s environment has no option to keep abreast with the modern world but to embrace technology and its resulting change, and learn to use and live with it.Technology provides people with the tool to deal and live with the demands of the changing environment especially the industrial world. It creates competitive advantage that in the corporate world â€Å"technology now is power† (Coon).It is a fact that this rapid technological change creates convenience among people even in industrial organizations.   According to Hannagan (1998), â€Å"the introduction of technology has speeded up global communication and made possible for information to be transmitted immediately†   (p. 602) facilitating immediate tr ansaction.These developments have served to facilitate global business developments as well as individual relationship. In fact one of the most concrete examples of the beneficial use of technology to communication is well articulated in the statements of Davis and Meyer (1999) that â€Å"the development of mobile technologies have made connection available to anyone, anytime, and any place† (p. 9). Technology serves to speed up business and personal transactions maximizing productivity and usability of time.The communication revolution has a profound effect on the lives of people. This effect makes the new communication technology essential to people lives. To concretize this is to relate my experience with that of my mother when communication technology was not yet developed. During their time, distance can really create so much challenge as immediate communication was not available.However, in my time now, owning mobile phone is not a luxury but already a necessity. It hel ps one to receive important information immediately, facilitate immediate deals and decision making, communicate and â€Å"stay close† with the family and significant people, and socialize with friends. Its added attributes like calculator, calendar, camera and others can also help the owner or user in various ways making life easier and less complicated. Indeed, technology has really provided practicality and convenience to its user and to the modern society.Reference ListCoon, D. Technology’s positive effect on culture, class, and gender. Retrieved March 14, 2007from http://www.leon.leon.k12.fl.us/lion/dept/science/coon/Vita/techclass.htmlDavis, S. & Meyer, C. (1999). Blur: The speed of change in the connected economy. USA:Perseus Publishing.Hannagan, T. (1998). Management: Concepts and practices (2nd ed). Great Britain: PearsonEducation Limited.  

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty-Three

I DIDN'T NEED THE BOND to find Lissa. The crowd tipped me off to where she–and Dimitri–were. My first thought was that some kind of stoning or medieval mobbing was going on. Then I realized that the people standing around were simply watching something. I pushed through them, heedless of the dirty looks I got, until I stood in the front row of the onlookers. What I found brought me to a halt. Lissa and Dimitri sat side by side on a bench while three Moroi and–yikes–Hans sat opposite them. Guardians stood scattered around them, tense and ready to jump in if things went bad, apparently. Before I even heard a word, I knew exactly what was going on. This was an interrogation, an investigation to determine what Dimitri was exactly. Under most circumstances, this would be a weird place for a formal investigation. It was, ironically, one of the courtyards Eddie and I had worked on, the one that stood in the shadow of the statue of the young queen. The Court's church stood nearby. This grassy area wasn't exactly holy ground, but it was close enough to the church that people could run to it in an emergency. Crucifixes didn't hurt Strigoi, but they couldn't cross over into a church, mosque, or any other sacred place. Between that and the morning sun, this was probably as safe a location and time as officials could muster up to question Dimitri. I recognized one of the Moroi questioners, Reece Tarus. He was related to Adrian on his mom's side but had also spoken in favor of the age decree. So I took an instant dislike to him, particularly considering the haughty tone he used toward Dimitri. â€Å"Do you find the sun blinding?† asked Reece. He had a clipboard in front of him and appeared to be going down a checklist. â€Å"No,† said Dimitri, voice smooth and controlled. His attention was totally on his questioners. He had no clue I was there, and I kind of liked it that way. I wanted to just gaze at him for a moment and admire his features. â€Å"What if you stare into the sun?† Dimitri hesitated, and I'm not sure anyone but me caught the sudden glint in his eyes–or knew what it meant. The question was stupid, and I think Dimitri–maybe, just maybe–wanted to laugh. With his normal skill, he maintained his composure. â€Å"Anyone would go blind staring into the sun long enough,† he replied. â€Å"I'd go through what anyone else here would.† Reece didn't seem to like the answer, but there was no fault in the logic. He pursed his lips together and moved on to the next question. â€Å"Does it scald your skin?† â€Å"Not at the moment.† Lissa glanced over at the crowd and noticed me. She couldn't feel me the way I could through our bond, but sometimes it seemed she had an uncanny sense of when I was around. I think she sensed my aura if I was close enough, since all spirit users claimed the field of light around shadow-kissed people was very distinct. She gave me a small smile before turning back to the questioning. Dimitri, ever vigilant, noticed her tiny movement. He looked over to see what had distracted her, caught sight of me, and faltered a little on Reece's next question, which was, â€Å"Have you noticed whether your eyes occasionally turn red?† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dimitri stared at me for several moments and then jerked his head back toward Reece. â€Å"I haven't been around many mirrors. But I think my guards would have noticed, and none of them have said anything.† Nearby, one of the guardians made a small noise. He barely managed to keep a straight face, but I think he too had wanted to snicker at the ridiculous line of questioning. I couldn't recall his name, but when I'd been at Court long ago, he and Dimitri had chatted and laughed quite a bit when together. If an old friend was starting to believe Dimitri was a dhampir again, then that had to be a good sign. The Moroi next to Reece glared around, trying to figure out where the noise had come from, but discovered nothing. The questioning continued, this time having to do with whether Dimitri would step into the church if they asked him to. â€Å"I can go right now,† he told them. â€Å"I'll go to services tomorrow if you want.† Reece made another note, no doubt wondering if he could get the priest to douse Dimitri in holy water. â€Å"This is all a distraction,† a familiar voice said in my ear. â€Å"Smoke and mirrors. That's what Aunt Tasha says.† Christian now stood beside me. â€Å"It needs to be done,† I murmured back. â€Å"They have to see that he isn't Strigoi anymore.† â€Å"Yeah, but they've barely signed the age law. The queen gave the go-ahead for this as soon as the Council's session let out because it's sensational and will make people pay attention to something new. It was how they finally got the hall cleared. ‘Hey, go look at the sideshow!'† I could almost hear Tasha saying that word for word. Regardless, there was truth to it. I felt conflicted. I wanted Dimitri to be free. I wanted him to be the way he used to be. Yet I didn't appreciate Tatiana doing this for her own political gain and not because she actually cared about what was right. This was possibly the most monumental thing to happen in our history. It needed to be treated as such. Dimitri's fate shouldn't be a convenient â€Å"sideshow† to distract everyone from an unfair law. Reece was now asking both Lissa and Dimitri to describe exactly what they'd experienced the night of the raid. I had a feeling this was something they'd recounted quite a bit. Although Dimitri had been the picture of nonthreatening composure so far, I still sensed that gray feel to him, the guilt and torment he felt over what he had done as a Strigoi. Yet, when he turned to listen to Lissa tell her version of the story, his face lit up with wonder. Awe. Worship. Jealousy flashed through me. His feelings weren't romantic, but it didn't matter. What mattered was that he had rejected me but regarded her as the greatest thing in the world. He'd told me never to talk to him again and sworn he'd do anything for her. Again I felt that petulant sense of being wronged. I refused to believe that he couldn't love me anymore. It wasn't possible, not after all he and I had been through together. Not after everything we'd felt for each other. â€Å"They sure seem close,† Christian noted, a suspicious note in his voice. I had no time to tell him his worries were unfounded because I wanted to hear what Dimitri had to say. The story of his change was hard for others to follow, largely because spirit was still so misunderstood. Reece got as much out of it as he could and then turned the questioning over to Hans. Hans, ever practical, had no need for extensive interrogation. He was a man of action, not words. Gripping a stake in his hand, he asked Dimitri to touch it. The standing guardians tensed, probably in case Dimitri tried to grab the stake and go on a rampage. Instead, Dimitri calmly reached out and held the top of the stake for a few moments. There was a collective intake of breath as everyone waited for him to scream in pain since Strigoi couldn't touch charmed silver. Instead, Dimitri looked bored. Then he astonished them all. Drawing his hand back, he held out the bottom of his muscled forearm toward Hans. With the sunny weather, Dimitri was wearing a T-shirt, leaving the skin there bare. â€Å"Cut me with it,† he told Hans. Hans arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Cutting you with this will hurt no matter what you are.† â€Å"It would be unbearable if I were a Strigoi,† Dimitri pointed out. His face was hard and determined. He was the Dimitri I'd seen in battle, the Dimitri who never backed down. â€Å"Do it. Don't go easy on me.† Hans didn't react at first. Clearly, this was an unexpected course of action. Decision finally flashed across his features, and he struck out, swiping the stake's point against Dimitri's skin. As Dimitri had requested, Hans didn't hold back. The point dug deep, and blood welled up. Several Moroi, not used to seeing blood (unless they were drinking it), gasped at the violence. As one, we all leaned forward. Dimitri's face showed he definitely felt pain, but charmed silver on a Strigoi wouldn't just hurt–it would burn. I'd cut a lot of Strigoi with stakes and heard them scream in agony. Dimitri grimaced and bit his lip as the blood flowed over his arm. I swear, there was pride in his eyes at his ability to stay strong through that. When it became obvious he wouldn't start flailing, Lissa reached toward him. I sensed her intentions; she wanted to heal him. â€Å"Wait,† said Hans. â€Å"A Strigoi would heal from this in minutes.† I had to give Hans credit. He'd worked two tests into one. Dimitri shot him a grateful look, and Hans gave a small nod of acknowledgment. Hans believed, I realized. Whatever his faults, Hans truly thought Dimitri was a dhampir again. I would love him forever for that, no matter how much filing he made me do. So, we all stood there watching poor Dimitri bleed. It was kind of sick, really, but the test worked. It was obvious to everyone that the cut wasn't going anywhere. Lissa was finally given leave to heal it, and that caused a bigger reaction among the crowd. Murmurs of wonder surrounded me, and those enraptured goddess-worshipping looks showed on people's faces. Reece glanced at the crowd. â€Å"Does anyone have any questions to add to ours?† No one spoke. They were all dumbfounded by the sights before them. Well, someone had to step forward. Literally. â€Å"I do,† I said, striding toward them. No, Rose, begged Lissa. Dimitri wore an equally displeased look. Actually, so did almost everyone sitting near him. When Reece's gaze fell on me, I had a feeling he was seeing me in the Council room all over again, calling Tatiana a sanctimonious bitch. I put my hands on my hips, not caring what they thought. This was my chance to force Dimitri to acknowledge me. â€Å"When you used to be Strigoi,† I began, making it clear that I believed that was in the past, â€Å"you were very well connected. You knew about the whereabouts of lots of Strigoi in Russia and the U.S., right?† Dimitri eyed me carefully, trying to figure out where I was going. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Do you still know them?† Lissa frowned. She thought I was going to inadvertently implicate Dimitri as still being in contact with other Strigoi. â€Å"Yes,† he said. â€Å"So long as none of them have moved.† The answer came more swiftly this time. I wasn't sure if he'd guessed my tactic or if he just trusted that my Rose-logic would go somewhere useful. â€Å"Would you share that information with the guardians?† I asked. â€Å"Would you tell us all the Strigoi hideouts so that we could strike out against them?† That got a reaction. Proactively seeking Strigoi was as hotly debated as the other issues going around right now, with strong opinions on all sides. I heard those opinions reiterated behind me in the crowd, some people saying I was suggesting suicide while others acknowledged we had a valuable tool. Dimitri's eyes lit up. It wasn't the adoring look he often gave Lissa, but I didn't care. It was similar to the ones we used to share, in those moments where we understood each other so perfectly, we didn't even need to vocalize what we were thinking. That connection flashed between us, as did his approval–and gratitude. â€Å"Yes,† he replied, voice strong and loud. â€Å"I can tell you everything I know about Strigoi plans and locations. I'd face them with you or stay behind–whichever you wanted.† Hans leaned forward in his chair, expression eager. â€Å"That could be invaluable.† More points for Hans. He was on the side of hitting out at Strigoi before they came to us. Reece flushed–or maybe he was just feeling the sun. In their efforts to see if Dimitri would burn up in the light, the Moroi were exposing themselves to discomfort. â€Å"Now hold on,† Reece exclaimed over the increasing noise. â€Å"That has never been a tactic we endorse. Besides, he could always lie–â€Å" His protests were cut off by a feminine scream. A small Moroi boy, no more than six, had suddenly broken from the crowd and run toward us. It was his mother who had screamed. I moved in to stop him, grabbing his arm. I wasn't afraid that Dimitri would hurt him, only that the boy's mother would have a heart attack. She came forward, face grateful. â€Å"I have questions,† the boy, obviously trying to be brave, said in a small voice. His mother reached for him, but I held up my hand. â€Å"Hang on a sec.† I smiled down at him. â€Å"What do you want to ask? Go ahead.† Behind him, fear flashed over his mother's face, and she cast an anxious look at Dimitri. â€Å"I won't let anything happen to him,† I whispered, though she had no way of knowing I could back that up. Nonetheless, she stayed where she was. Reece rolled his eyes. â€Å"This is ridic–â€Å" â€Å"If you're Strigoi,† the boy interrupted loudly, â€Å"then why don't you have horns? My friend Jeffrey said Strigoi have horns.† Dimitri's eyes fell not on the boy but on me for a moment. Again, that spark of knowing shot between us. Then, face smooth and serious, Dimitri turned to the boy and answered, â€Å"Strigoi don't have horns. And even if they did, it wouldn't matter because I'm not Strigoi.† â€Å"Strigoi have red eyes,† I explained. â€Å"Do his eyes look red?† The boy leaned forward. â€Å"No. They're brown.† â€Å"What else do you know about Strigoi?† I asked. â€Å"They have fangs like us,† the boy replied. â€Å"Do you have fangs?† I asked Dimitri in a singsong voice. I had a feeling this was already-covered territory, but it took on a new feel when asked from a child's perspective. Dimitri smiled–a full, wonderful smile that caught me off guard. Those kinds of smiles were so rare from him. Even when happy or amused, he usually only gave half smiles. This was genuine, showing all his teeth, which were as flat as those of any human or dhampir. No fangs. The boy looked impressed. â€Å"Okay, Jonathan,† said his mother anxiously. â€Å"You asked. Let's go now.† â€Å"Strigoi are super strong,† continued Jonathan, who possibly aspired to be a future lawyer. â€Å"Nothing can hurt them.† I didn't bother correcting him, for fear he'd want to see a stake shoved through Dimitri's heart. In fact, it was kind of amazing that Reece hadn't already requested that. Jonathan fixed Dimitri with a piercing gaze. â€Å"Are you super strong? Can you be hurt?† â€Å"Of course I can,† replied Dimitri. â€Å"I'm strong, but all sorts of things can still hurt me.† And then, being Rose Hathaway, I said something I really shouldn't have to the boy. â€Å"You should go punch him and find out.† Jonathan's mother screamed again, but he was a fast little bastard, eluding her grasp. He ran up to Dimitri before anyone could stop him–well, I could have–and pounded his tiny fist against Dimitri's knee. Then, with the same reflexes that allowed him to dodge enemy attacks, Dimitri immediately feinted falling backward, as though Jonathan had knocked him over. Clutching his knee, Dimitri groaned as though he were in terrible pain. Several people laughed, and by then, one of the other guardians had caught hold of Jonathan and returned him to his near-hysterical mother. As he was being dragged away, Jonathan glanced over his shoulder at Dimitri. â€Å"He doesn't seem very strong to me. I don't think he's a Strigoi.† This caused more laughter, and the third Moroi interrogator, who'd been quiet, snorted and rose from his seat. â€Å"I've seen all I need to. I don't think he should walk around unguarded, but he's no Strigoi. Give him a real place to stay and just keep guards on him until further decisions are made.† Reece shot up. â€Å"But–â€Å" The other man waved him off. â€Å"Don't waste any more time. It's hot, and I want to go to bed. I'm not saying I understand what happened, but this is the least of our problems right now, not with half the Council wanting to rip the other half's heads off over the age decree. If anything, what we've seen today is a good thing–miraculous, even. It could alter the way we've lived. I'll report back to Her Majesty.† And like that, the group began dispersing, but there was wonder on some of their faces. They too were beginning to realize that if what had happened to Dimitri was real, then everything we'd ever known about Strigoi was about to change. The guardians stayed with Dimitri, of course, as he and Lissa rose. I immediately moved toward them, eager to bask in our victory. When he'd been â€Å"knocked over† by Jonathan's tiny punch, Dimitri had given me a small smile, and my heart had leapt. I'd known then that I'd been right. He did still have feelings for me. But now, in the blink of an eye, that rapport was gone. Seeing me walk toward them, Dimitri's face grew cold and guarded again. Rose, said Lissa through the bond. Go away now. Leave him alone. â€Å"The hell I will,† I said, both answering her aloud and addressing him. â€Å"I just furthered your case.† â€Å"We were doing fine without you,† said Dimitri stiffly. â€Å"Oh yeah?† I couldn't believe what I was hearing. â€Å"You seemed pretty grateful a couple minutes ago when I thought up the idea of you helping us against Strigoi.† Dimitri turned to Lissa. His voice was low, but it carried to me. â€Å"I don't want to see her.† â€Å"You have to!† I exclaimed. A few of the departing people paused to see what the racket was about. â€Å"You can't ignore me.† â€Å"Make her go away,† Dimitri growled. â€Å"I'm not–â€Å" ROSE! Lissa shouted in my head, shutting me up. Those piercing jade eyes stared me down. Do you want to help him or not? Standing here and yelling at him is going to make him even more upset! Is that what you want? Do you want people to see that? See him get mad and yell back at you just so you don't feel invisible? They need to see him calm. They need to see him†¦ normal. It's true–you did just help. But if you don't walk away right now, you could ruin everything. I stared at them both aghast, my heart pounding. Her words had all been in my mind, but Lissa might as well have strode up to me and chewed me out aloud. My temper shot up even more. I wanted to go rant at both of them, but the truth of her words penetrated through my anger. Starting a scene would not help Dimitri. Was it fair that they were sending me away? Was it fair that the two of them were teaming up and ignoring what I'd just done? No. But I wasn't going to let my hurt pride screw up what I'd just achieved. People had to accept Dimitri. I shot them both looks that made my feelings clear and then stormed away. Lissa's feelings immediately changed to sympathy through the bond, but I blocked them out. I didn't want to hear it. I'd barely cleared the church's grounds when I ran into Daniella Ivashkov. Sweat was starting to smudge her beautifully applied makeup, making me think she'd been out here for a while watching the Dimitri-spectacle too. She appeared to have a couple friends with her, but they kept their distance and chatted amongst themselves when she stopped in front of me. Swallowing my anger, I reminded myself she'd done nothing to piss me off. I forced a smile. â€Å"Hi, Lady Ivashkov.† â€Å"Daniella,† she said kindly. â€Å"No titles.† â€Å"Sorry. It's still a weird thing.† She nodded toward where Dimitri and Lissa were departing with his guards. â€Å"I saw you there, just now. You helped his case, I think. Poor Reece was pretty flustered.† I recalled that Reece was related to her. â€Å"Oh†¦ I'm sorry. I didn't mean to–â€Å" â€Å"Don't apologize. Reece is my uncle, but in this case, I believe in what Vasilisa and Mr. Belikov are saying.† Despite how angry Dimitri had just made me, my gut instinct resented the dropping of his â€Å"guardian† title. Yet I could forgive her, considering her attitude. â€Å"You†¦ you believe Lissa healed him? That Strigoi can be restored?† I was realizing there were lots of people who believed. The crowd had just demonstrated as much, and Lissa was still building her following of devotees. Somehow, my line of thinking always tended to assume all royals were against me. Daniella's smile turned wry. â€Å"My own son is a spirit user. Since accepting that, I've had to accept a lot of other things I didn't believe were possible.† â€Å"I suppose you would,† I admitted. Beyond her, I noticed a Moroi man standing near some trees. His eyes occasionally fell on us, and I could have sworn I'd seen him before. Daniella's next words turned my attention back to her. â€Å"Speaking of Adrian†¦ he was looking for you earlier. It's short notice now, but some of Nathan's relatives are having a late cocktail party in about an hour, and Adrian wanted you to go.† Another party. Was that all anyone ever did here at Court? Massacres, miracles†¦ it didn't matter. Everything was cause for a party, I thought bitterly. I'd probably been with Ambrose and Rhonda when Adrian went searching. It was interesting. In passing on the invitation, Daniella was also saying that she wanted me to go. Unfortunately, I had a hard time being as open to it. Nathan's family meant the Ivashkovs, and they wouldn't be so friendly. â€Å"Will the queen be there?† I asked suspiciously. â€Å"No, she has other engagements.† â€Å"Are you sure? No unexpected visits?† She laughed. â€Å"No, I'm certain of it. Rumor has it that you two being in the same room together†¦ isn't such a good idea.† I could only imagine the stories going around about my Council performance, particularly since Adrian's father had been there to witness it. â€Å"No, not after that ruling. What she did†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The anger I'd felt earlier began to blaze again. â€Å"It was unforgivable.† That weird guy by the tree was still waiting around. Why? Daniella didn't confirm or deny my statement, and I wondered where she stood on the issue. â€Å"She's still quite fond of you.† I scoffed. â€Å"I have a hard time believing that.† Usually, people who yelled at you in public weren't too â€Å"fond† of you, and even Tatiana's cool composure had cracked near the end of our spat. â€Å"It's true. This will blow over, and there might even be a chance for you to be assigned to Vasilisa.† â€Å"You can't be serious,† I exclaimed. I should have known better. Daniella Ivashkov didn't really seem like the joking type, but I really did believe I'd crossed the line with Tatiana. â€Å"After everything that's happened, they don't want to waste good guardians. Besides, she doesn't want there to be animosity between you.† â€Å"Yeah? Well, I don't want her bribery! If she thinks putting Dimitri out there and dangling a royal job is going to change my mind, she's wrong. She's a lying, scheming–â€Å" I stopped abruptly. My voice had gone loud enough that Daniella's nearby friends were now staring. And I really didn't want to say the names I thought Tatiana deserved in front of Daniella. â€Å"Sorry,† I said. I attempted civility. â€Å"Tell Adrian I'll come to the party†¦ but do you really want me to go? After I crashed the ceremony the other night? And after, um, other things I've done?† She shook her head. â€Å"What happened at the ceremony is as much Adrian's fault as it is yours. It's done, and Tatiana let it go. This party's a much more lighthearted event, and if he wants you there, then I want him to be happy.† â€Å"I'll go shower and change now and meet him at your place in an hour.† She was tactful enough to ignore my earlier outburst. â€Å"Wonderful. I know he'll be happy to hear that.† I declined to tell her that I was actually happy about the thought of flaunting myself in front of some Ivashkovs in the hopes that it would get back to Tatiana. I no longer believed for an instant that she accepted what was going on with Adrian and me or that she would let my outburst blow over. And truthfully, I did want to see him. We hadn't had much time to talk recently. After Daniella and her friends left, I figured it was time to get to the bottom of things. I headed straight over to the Moroi who'd been lurking around, hands on my hips. â€Å"Okay,† I demanded. â€Å"Who are you, and what do you want?† He was only a few years older than me and didn't seem at all fazed by my tough-girl attitude. He crooked me a smile, and I again pondered where I'd seen him. â€Å"I've got a message for you,† he said. â€Å"And some gifts.† He handed over a tote bag. I looked inside and found a laptop, some cords, and several pieces of paper. I stared up at him in disbelief. â€Å"What's this?† â€Å"Something you need to get a move on–and not let anyone else know about. The note will explain everything.† â€Å"Don't play spy movie with me! I'm not doing anything until you–† His face clicked. I'd seen him back at St. Vladimir's, around the time of my graduation–always hovering in the background. I groaned, suddenly understanding the secretive nature–and cocky attitude. â€Å"You work for Abe.†

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Mat540: Statistics Concepts for Research Paper

Childhood Obesity Mat540: Statistical Concepts for Research I Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 12. 5 million children and teens are obese. There are many things that contribute to this epidemic like poor diet and lack of physical activities to name a few. In this paper I will figure out if there is a correlation between childhood obesity and school cafeteria food. Many people feel that school cafeteria food is partly to blame for childhood obesity. I believe this is an example of correlation and causation.Data analysts often jump to unjustified conclusions by mistaking an observed correlation for a cause-and-effect relationship. A high sample correlation coefficient does not necessarily signify a causal relation between two variables (Johnson, (2010). Though I believe schools play a particularly critical role by establishing a safe and supportive environment with policies and practices tha t support healthy behaviors. Schools also provide opportunities for students to learn about and practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. But they should not be blamed schools for childhood obesity.Studies regarding childhood obesity need to consider: socio-economic background, genetics, what is tough at home, and if parents are obese; before schools can be blamed. Obesity is a problem that affects Americans at an alarming rate across all age, race, and gender categories. No single group is immune to the causes, occurrences, and the recent increases in the rate of obesity. However, what may be of greatest concern for researchers is the fact that while Americans enjoys an increasingly higher standard of living; obesity among children continues to grow.Nevertheless, there is to date no cure, or even universal treatment for the problem of childhood obesity. This is partly due to an inability to precisely pinpoint the cause, or causes, of the increases. Thus, we are left with a debate over which causes play the greatest role in childhood obesity and a plethora of prevention and treatment theories. Yet at the same time, it is clear that the occurrence of childhood obesity places those afflicted at increased risk of health problems now and in the future.Overweight and poor nutrition of children in the United States are becoming issues of increasing concern for public health. Dietary patterns of U. S. children indicate that they are consuming too little fruits and vegetables and too many foods high in fat and sugar. Contributed to this pattern of food consumption is snacking, which is reported to be on the increase amongst adults and children alike. One place where snacking is under increased scrutiny, where it is being increasingly criticized, is in U. S. chools, where snack foods are often to sold to supplement inadequate budgets (Crooks, (2003). â€Å"Essentially overweight and obesity result from energy imbalance. The body needs a certain amount o f energy (calories) from food to sustain basic life functions. Body weight is maintained when calories eaten equals the number of calories the body expends, or â€Å"burns. † When more calories are consumed than burned, energy balance is tipped toward weight gain, overweight, and obesity. Genetic, environmental, behavioral, and socioeconomic factors can all lead to overweight and obesity† (Butte, (2007).Although some school cafeterias get a failing grade in nutrition, others are working hard to serve healthy meals for breakfast and lunch and to banish junk food from the premises. According to a new survey (Alliance for a Healthier Generation, 2009), most parents want schools to limit students’ access to high-calorie, low-nutrient chips, sodas, and candy and to provide more opportunities for physical activity throughout the day. I remember my days in school when lunch consisted of fries, pizza and burgers. Today schools are trying to give their students some healt hier options.However teachers cannot force children to eat healthy food and exercise on a regular basis. They can provide children with a good idea of what foods that they should and should not eat. However this information is rendered useless if parents do not follow up on it at home. Ideally parents should take the time to teach their child what they should eat so that they grow up strong and healthy. They can do this by teaching their children about good nutrition and backing it up with healthy breakfasts, lunches and dinners.Parents should lead by example as children look to their parents for tips on how they should behave. This is evidenced by the fact that most obese children have obese parents. Parents can teach their kids to lead a healthier lifestyle by educating them on the importance of good food, regular exercise and how calories work. By doing this they will be able to take charge of their weight by making educated choices on their food and exercise routines. Whether in matters of social development or physical health, parents are typically considered the primary agents of children’s socialization and well-being.Also suggested to help curb childhood obesity parents need to improve their knowledge of child nutrition and decrease television viewing (Gable and Lutz, (2000). In conclusion the childhood obesity problem cannot be placed solely in the hands of schools. Childhood obesity is a global health challenge with no single cause and no single solution. This challenge demands more than individual efforts. It demands changes in public health policies and in the built environment at the local, state, and federal levels to prevent obesity beginning in early childhood and to make treatment available to overweight and obese children and adolescents.Without a concerted, cohesive effort to reverse the obesity epidemic, today’s children will have shortened lives filled with chronic illness. After all, schools seem to be natural places in whic h to enact cost-effective interventions on children. But schools do not seem to be good at drastically changing a student’s weight, and the elimination of junk food sales in schools is unlikely to upend the child obesity epidemic. The challenge is to develop interventions that reach into the home and community.Perhaps those interventions can start with schools, but they must reach beyond them to be effective. References Butte, Nancy F. ; Christiansen, Edmund and Sorensen, Thorkild I. A. (2007)  Energy ImbalanceUnderlying the Development of Childhood Obesity,http://www. nature. com/oby/journal/v15/n12/full/oby2007364a. html Crooks, Deborah L. (2003) Trading Nutrition for Education: Nutritional Status and the Sale ofSnack Foods in an Eastern Kentucky School Medical Anthropology Quarterly, NewSeries, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Jun. , 2003), pp. 82-199; Blackwell Publishing on behalf of theAmerican Anthropological Association Gable, Sara; Lutz, Susan (2000) Household, Parent, and Child Co ntributions to ChildhoodObesity Family Relations, Vol. 49, No. 3 (Jul. , 2000), pp. 293-300, National Council onFamily Relations Johnson, R. A. , & Bhattacharyya, G. K. (2010). Statistics: Principles & methods. –   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sixth Edition. John Wiley & Sons Inc. Tamsin McMahon. (2011, June 11). Out to lunch? ; Policing snacks and BMI grades are no wayfor schools to fight flab: critics. National Post,A. 6. Retrieved March 13, 2012, fromBanking Information Source. (Document ID: 2373557331).

Friday, September 13, 2019

Being A Good Manager Because Of People Skills Management Essay

Being A Good Manager Because Of People Skills Management Essay Being a good manager has less to do with knowledge of a companys main field of activity and more with displaying a range of so-called â€Å"people skills†. While this detail is common knowledge in todays business world, what exactly are the main skills in a managers arsenal remains a rather grey area. This situation stems from the fact that considering the management needs in the 21st century, the field of management as a whole has become increasingly divided and fragmented. If not long ago management was split into clear areas (such as HR management, financial management, operational management and others), today specific management positions may require processes from multiple areas thus blurring the borders. Therefore, correctly identifying a manager’s toolkit of skills can prove to be a challenge in itself. The Professional Development Module attempts to settle this grey area using a study by the Association of Graduate Recruiters. This study conducted among a larg e number of employers tries to identify the main management skills considered to be in short supply in today’s market. The study names â€Å"commercial awareness† and â€Å"communication skills† as the very top shortages identified by employers. With each harnessing the attention of 60% of the respondents, they stand well ahead of the next identified shortages: â€Å"leadership†, â€Å"teamwork† and â€Å"problem-solving abilities†. â€Å"Conceptual ability†, â€Å"Subject knowledge and competence†, â€Å"Numeracy† and â€Å"Foreign languages† follow, but each being named by less than 20% of the respondents. â€Å"Good general education† is the last of the skills considered in this study. The results confirm the initial premise that the aforementioned â€Å"people skills† are considered much more relevant in the field of management, while at the same time being severely scarce. Thus, the Professional Development Module places emphasis on these skills, while aggregating them into more focused categories. The Module accurately describes the manager’s toolkit as containing: communication skills, presentation skills, negotiation skills, and cross-cultural awareness, networking skills, team skills as well as conflict management skills. Having a head start given by an accurate identification of the market’s needs, the Professional Development Module proceeds to train these skills in an effective manner. It is notable that the module is divided into sections covering each of the identified skill categories. Each of these sections takes the time to properly define its area of emphasis, underlining its relevance and importance within the toolkit before proceeding to develop the subject and use real-life examples and exercises to help develop the skill. Facilitation is certainly one of the most important skills in the set described above. Sometimes presented as mediation or negotiation, in fact facilitation is a broader term that describes the activity of creating the proper environment so that participants in a meeting or discussion can reach a satisfactory agreement. The Professional Development Module segment dedicated to facilitation does a great job at describing the issues that fall under a facilitator’s jurisdiction. While meetings are part of any core process of any corporate activity, they can also be the very Achilles’s heels of the process they are used in. Since meetings bring together different people with different goals, different hopes, different expectations, different personalities and different view of the world altogether, conflicts appear very easily. Conflicts can result in disagreement, aggression or frustration, which lead the meeting away from its intended purpose and alienate the participants. While conflicts are the most common choke point in a meeting, there are many other pitfalls that can turn a meeting into a counterproductive activity. Having an individual or small group dominate the discussion is one such pitfall just as letting an otherwise productive discussion fall into running around in circles when conclusions are called for.

See instructions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

See instructions - Essay Example This essay will focus on the need and importance of analysing and incorporating the interests of different groups in development projects; an exercise that is commonly regarded as stakeholder analysis. The scope of this essay will focus on two essential aspects. Firstly, the essay will present a comprehensive meaning of the term stakeholder. Once that has been done, the essay will focus on defining the term stakeholder analysis. This definition will concentrate on highlighting the objectives and importance of carrying out stakeholder analysis in development projects. Secondly, the essay will draw attention to the use of stakeholder analysis in development projects. Essentially, this part of the essay will aim to answer the question of when, how and why stakeholder analysis should be carried out. The ultimate objective of this sector of the essay is to establish the utility of stakeholder analysis in development projects. Finally, the essay will conclude with a summary of the important factors that form the stakeholder analysis process. The identification of a wide range of stakeholders is an essential process in development projects. Any institution, group or individual that has a clear or potential vested interest in the development project can be regarded as a stakeholder. The effective accommodation of the different needs of each stakeholder presents a challenge to the effective implementation of development projects. Essentially therefore, a stakeholder consists of all parties that need to be taken into consideration in insuring the successful achievements of development project goals. The support and participation of stakeholders is often key in the smooth implementation of a project and in the long run, the overall sustainability of the development project. There are essentially two categories of stakeholders. These are namely internal stakeholders and external stakeholders. Internal stakeholders consist of