Monday, September 30, 2019

Jacob Marley Essay

A Christmas Carol’ is a Victorian tale that is loved by millions worldwide. It was written by Charles Dickens in 1843 and combines the harsh reality of poverty in Victorian times with the joy of Christmas and ghosts. The reason why we celebrate at Christmas is due to Charles Dickens himself, with food, parties and the festive spirit. The story also has a moral to it. It focuses around one man Ebenezer Scrooge and his greed for money, his hate for Christmas and a journey through past, present and future. Throughout the novel Charles Dickens uses a number of techniques to get across the message of poverty and differences in class and he aims to stimulate the reader’s social conscience and draw attention to the plight of the poor in Victorian London. One of the main techniques that Dickens uses is to set the story around Christmas. Christmas is a time of happiness and celebration and Dickens emphasizes the merriness of this festive time by describing it as a ‘joyous occasion’. Dickens goes into great detail when describing the feast that is had at Christmas using phrases like its ‘tenderness and flavor’ and ‘there never was such a goose’. But the main reason for the story to be set at Christmas is that Scrooge is the exact opposite of a festive person. He refers to Christmas as ‘a time for paying bills without money’ and whenever and wherever it’s mentioned the famous mutter of ‘Bah Humbug’ is stubbornly given as a reply. In the story Charles Dickens’ nephew plays a major part in trying to persuade his uncle Scrooge that Christmas time is a ‘kind, forgivable, charitable, and pleasant time’. The word ‘charitable’ though, has no meaning whatsoever to Scrooge as when he is approached by two charity collectors and asked whether he would donate some money, his immediate reply was to say ‘are there no prisons, are there no workhouses? ‘ and that judgment shows his utter lack of Christmas spirit, but I bet he wish he never said that as that line comes back to ‘haunt him’. ‘Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as a flint , from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire ; secret and self contained, and solitary as an oyster’. Another of Dickens techniques used is his detailed character exaggeration of Scrooge. The way in which Scrooge is described and the words used are so ‘Dickens like’, as sentence after sentence of in depth words and phrases are used. In his school days, he was very serious and was more interested in his education than Christmas. Later in his life he had a fianci e and he used to enjoy the festivities. Money then took over his life and he has rejected everyone ever since and because of this, even though he is financially richer, his life is much poorer. Scrooge’s house isn’t his; it is the late Marley’s. He just hasn’t changed the name. As described in the book; ‘he keeps the house quite neat’. He checks each room, and from his description he keeps the house in pristine condition. In a sense his house reflects his personality. The way Dickens conveys the message, the house is quite dull. Scrooge is an accountant and manages his own business. Accountancy can sometimes be seen as quite dull and boring; again the occupation could reflect the person within. He treats his employees in a mean way. He gives them small wages and when it is bitterly cold, he won’t let them have coal for the fire. The firm is a cold dark place at any time of the year. The whole business is cold and described using words of that nature. Scrooge really believes that his business is very successful and he is undoubtedly wealthy because of its success. Surely though he has neglected the social side of life and must not be very rich emotionally. One way to describe this portrayal is by use of the weather to reflect the character’s mood. At the beginning, cold words are used to Describe Scrooge, such as ‘froze’ and ‘foul weather’, giving the impression to the reader of his coldness as a character. At the end of the novella, in contrast, he is described with warm words, for example, ‘golden sunlight’ and ‘smoked’. This gives the impression to the reader that Scrooge has under gone and complete transformation from being a cold, stubborn character into a warm, caring, compassionate person. Everything he now does is in direct opposition to his actions at the beginning of the story. Another technique Dickens uses is his account of the ghosts and the metaphors he uses when describing them. The first supernatural being to visit Scrooge is the ghost of Jacob Marley – Scrooge’s deceased working partner. The appearance of this spirit is directly similar to what Marley wore in his first life when he was a slave to money – exactly like Scrooge. These same working clothes show how he is still chained down by the burden of money and that his afterlife has been made rather painful by being a slave to work. Marley’s ghost is warning Scrooge that if he doesn’t change his character, he will too be burdened in his afterlife. The spirit also foretells the appearance of three more ghosts. The chains ‘clasped about his middle’ and all the different items that are wrought to the chain all symbolize money and greed of the spirit. The cash-boxes and the keys all represent the hiding away of money and keeping the wealth to themselves and not sharing the abundance of money. The imagery of heavy objects such as the ‘padlocks’ and ‘steel purses’ show how laden the ghost is with the weight of the money. The ‘ledgers’ and ‘deeds’ show the detailed accounts of money and proper ownership and this is a symbol that everything has to be accounted for, no money can pass by the scrutiny of the accountant which is so true to Scrooge’s life. Apart from being immensely weighted down by his possessions of greed which held back his life, Marley was transparent. This was so obvious that Scrooge could see the two buttons on the back of his coat. This transparency conveys the sense that this person was never a normal human; he was a chilling figure who lacked some human qualities that most usual persons have. This is a ghost which freezes the presence around him with his ‘death cold eyes’ and his ‘chilling influence’, he is cold, like his life. He has no real substance and the only apparent clear images Scrooge can see of this spirit are the symbols of hoarding, selfishness and greed.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Current Issues

Wise For this assignment, you are to select a topic that is somewhat global in nature and inspired from your reading Dr. Seuss using one of the Dr. Seuss stories, analyze the plot of the story to identify and explain the subtext of the story†the author's theme or underlying lesson about something more than the literal story research some helpful background information that the author Dr. Seuss may have known or used to develop the story†many articles have been written develop a reasonable thesis statement that will make a laim about the stance that is taken by Dr.Seuss†is he right or wrong? think about what will you use to support both sides. Parts of the story along with researched information are to be included. complete your research and document all of your sources cited (used in the essay) make use of the rhetorical triangle: ethos, logos, and pathos avoid logical fallacies Objectives: use invention techniques such as brainstorming, listing, cubing, reporters' questions, free-writing, and clustering. organize ideas and supporting details in a clear and effective manner. xpress the main idea of an essay in a thesis statement. evelop effective paragraphs that exhibit unity, organization, and coherence. write correct and effective sentences. revise and edit essays to improve the original draft. gather information from a variety of sources, incorporate the information into a writing project, and properly document the sources in MLA style when outside sources are used. Requirements: MLA format 12 point font (New Times Roman) 5-8 pages of text, not including the Works Cited page.A minimum of 3-5 credible sources as specified by your instructor. Works Cited page. Turn in copies of all articles and materials of outside sources used. Submit all required materials: prewriting, preliminary drafts, copies of research materials, related Journals, an outline, workshopping, edited/final draft When completed, all materials will be placed in a pocket fold er, with a table of contents as the top page. Organization: Your paper should follow the classic argument pattern, or a variation of it, as l.Introduction: In the introduction, you slowly lead your audience into the topic by introducing it and connecting it to them. II. Narration: The narration is where you give all necessary background and context so your audience can understand the topic. Provide a brief summary of the plot for the specific Dr. Seuss story you're using as your basis. You might do any or all of the following: give historical background; define specialized terms; explain the extent of any problems presented within the topic; explain how the topic is controversial.Ill. Partition: The partition, in short, is your thesis, or claim. It should meet two criteria: it should be arguable, and it should be defendable. IV. Argument: If the partition is the claim, this is where you support that claim with topic sentences, or sub-claims, that bolster and prove the thesis. Rememb er to use outside sources to illustrate or support your ideas, and avoid fallacies at all costs. Solid argument, remember, is built upon solid reasoning, so after the quotations, you must provide follow-up explanation and/or analysis.V. Refutation: Here, you first acknowledge opposing viewpoints, and then show why your viewpoint is preferable to all others. The opposing viewpoints should also be illustrated from some research, so you will quote at least one or two sources from the opposite side. VI. Conclusion: As in previous essays, your conclusion should tie up all loose ends, eiterate the main idea, and then end on a thought-provoking note. Usually, an argument ends with a call to action.See pages 238-277 (Chapter 9) in your textbook for explanation of writing to convince and an example. After you have written the rough draft, workshopped it with classmates, and revised it, you will write the self-assessment on pages 278-279†we'll consider this a Journal entry, so you will have two Journals to turn in with the essay documents. The first journal is written at the beginning. For information related to logical fallacies, those flaws in reasoning, use pages 467-470 for descriptions.

Friday, September 27, 2019

MSc in Civil Engineering and Construction Management Assignment

MSc in Civil Engineering and Construction Management - Assignment Example Our client will have an accurate and appraised value for money (VfM). The second part deals on value engineering approach and processes which involve imaginative and creative efforts, and methods and means to provide substitute materials, tools and processes which can give a valuing ‘map’ for the project. SBE Innovations will have a chance to study and approve the recommendations through their representatives, the project manager, and project committee. The team will determine how the functions of the construction can be simplified without sacrificing quality. Value management is the first step and activity that should be applied at the early stage of the project. This is a step-by-step analysis, employing scientific methods, discussions, brainstorming, and all possible logical means to arrive at a low-cost with high value for the client’s project. Value management utilizes a workshop to study on the different functions of the project, the purpose of which is to maximize usage or functionality of the facilities, and to minimize unnecessary costs; in other words, a maximization and utilization of the different parts of the project at a minimum cost. The functions and the stages, including the brands or materials to be installed, will be examined thoroughly so that unnecessary costs can be minimized. If there are other brands available in the market which are cheaper but can provide the same quality, we will provide the recommendations. Our company provides services to clients through value management and value engineering initiatives such as functional analysis which seeks to provide a valuing process to an existing project. Our study will deal with the possible problems and barriers and the possible reduction of costs on the different functional stages of the project. We will provide a detailed scope study.

My Media Uses and Gratification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

My Media Uses and Gratification - Essay Example In other words, people from all walks of life seek to gratify their needs in line with surveillance or information, personal identity, personal relationships or integration and social interaction, and diversion or entertainment (Marris and Thornham 258). All of these are integral parts of my media uses and gratification discussed in the following sections. Presented in this paper is the analysis of how my media use can illustrate the uses and gratifications theory with alternate perspective of magic bullet theory. Watching television Uses and gratifications theory There are many reasons why I need to watch television. I have personal desires that could be addressed if I watch the television. I could be entertained. It can relax me at some certain level and it is a form of recreation activity for me, and including the people around. In other words, television can address my affective needs which include emotions and pleasures. People have varying emotional needs and watching televisio n seems to gratify them. The very example is watching television that may substantially result to emotional release or sexual arousal. People can cry with sentimental soup opera or be sexually aroused with TV programs with depiction of highly erotic scenes. The above illustration shows that watching television is a form of activity that gratifies one’s specific needs as motivated by personal desire. This also shows that people have significant things to do with television based on gratifying their needs. There are different reasons or intentions why watching television is a must for some people. At some point, television could be a source of information like TV news report or weather forecast, current affairs and live events around the world including popular sports. As for me, watching television is also a source of information. I watch television in order to be also updated with the current economic, political and social status of the country and around the world. In other words, television also helps me gratify my cognitive needs. Magic bullet theory These are specific things I need from watching television, but along the way there are also other things that I encountered which are not integral parts of my needs. For example, commercial advertisements give me specific idea about the latest trend in fashion. Although I also have personal integrative needs, I am not expecting to find them out from watching television. Watching commercial advertisements from television increases my ideas on the latest fashion trends, diet techniques and many more. In other words, it is in this aspect that I am being influenced by the television because it was not my desire to find my needs for fashion trend or diet in there. This is the main point of the magic bullet theory, which states that the audience is substantially influenced by the media due to their being passive and communication has powerful effect on attitudes and behaviors (Kelly 352). It is therefore impor tant to point out that apart from my personal needs as what motivate me to watch television; there are other personal needs that could be addressed by it outside of my innermost desire or intention. It is at this point that television has substantially influenced me not because of my desire to find my needs fulfilled by it, but because it has specifically just informed me beyond my desire

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Definition of Surveillance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Definition of Surveillance - Assignment Example The device is ideal for longer ranges detection. The parabolic dish aids intelligent officers to increase the sound for 40 decibels. It comes with an amplifier with connected earphones to enhance the quality. Intelligence officer finds it ideal for amplification of sounds that the naked ear cannot hear. The voice changer aids intelligent officers for masked voices. The changer is battery powered and connected to the phone with 8 voice settings. The sound amplifier is a high-tech microphone ideal for sound amplification (Brakel & Hert, 2009). Implied surveillance plays an important role is providing controlled information growth. The advantage is in the process of ensuring security first identifies the critical information of the company that will be important to plan. The disadvantage is in executing the security measures during critical times. Overt surveillance process is the analysis of threats; the company should be able to assess its ability to collect, process and analyze information, this will ensure the company knows exactly to what extent it is likely to suffer from possible threats. Covert surveillance process is to ensure that vulnerabilities are also analyzed; this should involve ranging them in terms of high, medium and low to help identify the weaknesses that can easily be used to exploit the security system. The clandestine surveillance process should also be able to analyze the type of information that the company offers. The disadvantage lies in the analysis of risks; here the threats and vulnerabilities are put on the comparison and help determine the potential risk that is posted. Extraluminal surveillance plays a role in maintaining vigilance. The advantage is in the assessment if the assessment shows that the level of vulnerability is high and the threat is evident, then exploitation is expected and the risk is assessed to be high and protective measures are  put in place.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Visual Literacy in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Visual Literacy in Business - Essay Example When putting together a communication piece through the use of visuals, there are important steps to follow. The first step is organizing the data to present. There are two fundamental possibilities in the organization of data, and they are charts and tables. Neither of these possibilities is better than the other though each has its specific purposes and strengths. The most crucial point to consider before commencing the process of designing is the main point of the presentation. The second step is highlighting the data. When designing the charts, it is important to recall that the human brain intuitively recognizes the differences in size, shape, color, orientation, and hue and attach particular meanings to them (Apkon, 2013). The visual properties are known as pre-attentive variables since the process of perceiving them is immediate and automatic and does not need the involvement of conscious thought. The designer should use this knowledge for the purpose of intentionally highligh ting the most important information. The third and last step is showing the data. It is important to display only the content that is meaningful and leave the items that are extraneous. It is not advisable to decorate the data since it may hinder and distract the audience from perceiving what is irrelevant and what is important (Apkon, 2013). Failure to follow these steps will lead to distracting the audience who will not understand the main point of presenting the visual communication

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

PILOT STUDY PROTOCOL ON POLICY THAT PROMOTE OR FACILITATE OBESITY AND Coursework

PILOT STUDY PROTOCOL ON POLICY THAT PROMOTE OR FACILITATE OBESITY AND POVERTY WITH IT'S ASSOCIATED DISEASE DIABETES 2 - Coursework Example en poverty, obesity and diabetes 2; many of the people diagnosed with obesity and diabetes 2 are Native Americans, blacks and Hispanics, where rate of obesity reaches upto 70%, and this has been accredited to their deprived economic conditions. Obesity and diabetes are among the vigorously growing health problems faced by Americans. The prevalence in obesity rates has caused massive cases of diabetes 2 which in turn causes amputations, hypertension and blindness, and also increases chances of developing depression, cancer, heart disease, asthma, immobility and arthritis. Allowing the current rates of poverty and obesity to continue increasing implies that America will be trailing on a perilous track. Moreover, the obesity endemic, if left unimpeded, will contravene the substantial progress made in life expectancy and health in the recent decades (Klein et al., 2004). Certainly, if current and future generations are to live longer, healthy and exciting lives, this cosmic problem must be contained through effective policy formulation and implementation. Obesity costs the nation over $160 billion in direct therapeutic costs every year. Estimates indicate that yearly medical expenditures can be plummeted by between 7-12% if the government succeeds to eradicate obesity and diabetes 2 (Levine, 2011). Additionally, through Medicare and Medicaid, a substantial fraction of this cost is financed by assiduous taxpayers and this affects both federal and state budgets and significantly hinders meaningful economic development. It is too costly to overlook the skyrocketing premature deaths resulting from obesity and obesity-associated chronic diseases. Consequently, this pilot study seeks to explore the state government’s roles in regulating the two lethal epidemics. It will seek to explore whether the policies of developing EMR system that back diabetes prevention, guaranteeing parity of mental and physical health services, promoting active lifestyles, increasing Medicaid

Monday, September 23, 2019

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT - Case Study Example For example, Gupta et al. (2009) gave example of intellectual capital in research & development division of pharmaceutical companies as the core competency which can not only be copied easily by competitors but also being developed over the course of long period. In such context, core competencies of Microsoft Corp can also be understood in context to core competency model proposed by Prahalad and Hamel (1990). According to the Microsoft case presented by Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson (2012), from the foundation of the company in 1975, Microsoft Corp always strive for getting the â€Å"first mover† advantage by continuously innovating with product application and design. It is evident from the research works of Gupta and Dwivedi (2012) and Edgar and Lockwood (2012) that core competence is a customer driven approach and providing value to customers should be integrated with core competency models. Now, the question may arise that is it possible for all products of Microsoft Corp to have at least one core competency? For answering this question, study of the product portfolio performance of Microsoft Corp will be conducted. However, there is not much scope to do, the limitations being the lack of time and resource. To overcome such difficulties, the report will use case study of Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson (2012) in order to understand key core competencies of Microsoft. Product portfolio of Microsoft Corp can be segregated into seven segments such as Windows, Business Solutions, Xbox Game Console and Entertainment, Developer Tools, MSN, web browser and Servers, mobile solutions (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, 2012). For example, Windows and windows live segment accompanies by Windows Operating System (OS), Internet Explorer etc are highest revenue earner for the company. On the other hand, business division segments of Microsoft accompanied by Dynamics ERP, Microsoft Office, CRM, Office Web etc are second largest revenue earner for the company (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, 2012). Interesting fact is that, Microsoft has acquired more than 80% of market share in the field of operating system and business division which show that the company has successfully integrated its technological core competencies in order to achieve market leadership. Microsoft is even performing well in the field of Entertainment & Gaming Solution with the help of its product portfolios like Xbox, Zune digital music platform, Windows phone and successfully defending its market share (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, 2012). However, same cannot be said for online service division of Microsoft such as Bing search engines which has incurred consecutive operational profit loss due to unequal revenue distribution right agreement with Yahoo. Drejer (2002) and Clulow, Gerstman and Barry (2003) stated that core competencies can be achieved by deploying internal resources such strong intellectual capital, financial resources, technological capabilities, efficient human resourc e, marketing expertise, strong supplier relationship etc. In such context, Prahalad and Hamel (1990) stated that core competence gets enhanced with the use and sharing while other capabilities might get reduced with extensive use. Microsoft is still struggling to compete with Smartphone and technology companies like Samsung, Apple and existing competency of Microsoft is not helping them

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Should Companies That Fire Shoot First Essay Example for Free

Should Companies That Fire Shoot First Essay Abstract Blogging and tweeting on social media websites have pros and cons for an organization. Companies utilize blogs in order to promote their products and services along with relaying information about the company to the general public. Employers often encourage their employees to participate in various forms of social media. However, management should be aware of the risks and impact to the company’s reputation should the employee publish something that puts the company is a negative light. Keywords: blogging, social media, reputation Tesla CEO Elon Musk was right when he blogged about impending layoffs just before announcing them to company employees Blogging and tweeting can have both positive and negative impacts on the image and reputation of a company. The use of social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, allow employers to encourage their employees to participate in blogs in an effort to promote their brand. Some companies even use these websites as a tool to publicize the operations of the organization. By establishing and maintaining their own company website and blog, businesses are able to control the messages, both positive and negative, that are posted. (Dealbook, 2008) In an effort to intercept negative posts from the media and disgruntled employees, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk announced on the company’s website blog that in order to maintain positive cash flow, the organization will layoff a significant amount of its workforce. The focus of the company will be developing and improving its product line while ensuring sufficient capital. Elon Musk stated that â€Å"we had to say something to prevent articles being written that were not accurate.† (All, 2008) Cake Financial, an investing advice company, published on their company blog immediately after reducing its workforce  that it was an â€Å"extremely sad day for all of us who have to say goodbye to a group of great people.† (Dealbook, 2008) The company’s CEO, Stephen Carpenter, had drafted the blog and waited until after personally speaking with the employees before publishing the post. Carpenter wanted to make sure that there were no discrepancies as to what and why the layoffs happened. In a statement to the New York Times, Carpenter stated that â€Å"our whole company is built on the idea of transparency in investing, so that was a reason why it was important for us to do it.† (Motivateandinspire, 2009) Employees responsibility when blogging about their company Employees have a responsibility to be careful about what they publish on social media websites about their company. Privacy laws and regulations related to internet use vary by state. Depending on the nature of the content, the employee could be possibly incriminating him/herself by disclosing private information. From an employer standpoint, employee blogging could negatively impact the reputation of the business if the appropriate policies and procedures are not in place. The employer may also be at risk if the employee publishes information relating to trade secrets, financial issues, or other business related matters. (Welch Shiff) Employees should be careful if they publish negative comments about their employer, its customers, and its vendors. Employers typically have zero tolerance with this type of behavior as it can be considered a form of harassment in which the company may subject to legal ramifications (Victor, 2013) The employee risks losing their job and tainting their reputation within the workplace, which may lead to difficulty in obtaining and retaining future employment. The entertainment industry has taken advantage of the posts made on social media blogs. For example, radio stations in the Boston area make prank phone calls on the air referencing previously posted, negative comments regarding clients. The radio personality will reference the content of the blog in an effort to scare or provoke the person being pranked. While these skits may seem comical to the station listener, the effects of the actual prank call may cause harm to a company or an individual. Employees who blog about their companies do not have an ethical  responsibility to disclose their identities Employees posting comments about their employer online do not need to display their name. When employees publish positive comments about their company and its culture, others may ignore the remarks as they may consider the opinions biased. If the employee publishes their name in association with the company, the prospective customer may feel overwhelmed and smothered by knowing the same person is using social media, in addition to traditional methods of advertising, to sell their product or service. On the contrary, when employees publish negative comments about their employer, it make spark a wave of unwanted publicity for the company. Developing a policy for handling communication of sensitive issues, inside and outside, the company Deleting or retracting online posts that have been published can be impossible. Therefore, companies should develop an internet policy for handling communication of sensitive issues both inside and outside the organization. While the company may want employees to express themselves, guidelines should be established. Some of the areas that need to be addressed in a formal, written policy include: (Guerin) a. Personal use and abuse of company property and resources b. Appropriate use of organizations name c. Applicability of existing company policies i. Harassment – inappropriate comments ii. Privacy – disclosing confidential information/trade secrets/financial information/falsifying data/using company logos/using company name to promote products Employers may want to consult with an attorney or human resource specialist in order to ensure that they develop an internet policy that will help to prevent any negative public relations regarding the company and its products and services. Conclusion Since social media is becoming an essential part of the business world, companies should invest in learning about the rewards and consequences of using this source. By obtaining an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages, the company will be more equipped in handling negative (as  well as positive) public relations and have a plan for damage control for repairing their tarnished reputation. References Blogging the Layoff. (n.d.). Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://www.itbusinessedge.com/cm/blogs/all/blogging-the-layoff/?cs=11727 Employee Posts on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and Blogs | Nolo.com. (n.d.). Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/employee-posts-facebook-myspace-twitter-32954.html The Layoffs Will Be Blogged. (n.d.). Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/in-era-of-blog-sniping-companies-shoot-first/?_php=true_type=blogs_r=0 Newest blog topic from CEOs: Layoffs | Article | Link Grabber | Leadership training, management skills, employee motivation: ManageBetter.biz. (n.d.). Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://www.motivateandinspire.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=04BF7B8C765E455DA06A7B6781ED0847nm=Link Grabbertype=Publishingmod=Publications::Articlemid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791tier=4id=7C0FA76B4F4A4E53B4D97C3A4B2487ECAudID=AA83ED248A3241A5AE080E2B6DED1F5F Off-the-clock Harassment Can be Costly: What Emplo yers Need to Know. (n.d.). Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://www.gshllp.com/60-second-memos/off-the-clock-harassment-can-be-costly-what-employers-need-to-know Tesla Motors replaces CEO, plans layoff CNET. (n.d.). Retrieved May 16, 2014, from http://www.cnet.com/news/tesla-motors-replaces-ceo-plans-layoff/ The rules of company blogging: Avoiding employee misuse and abuse. (n.d.). Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://www.thehrspecialist.com/11584/The_rules_of_company_blogging_Avoiding_employee_misuse_and_abuse.hr?cat=sub_cat=

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Process A Buying A House Essay Example for Free

Process A Buying A House Essay Your Journey to Home Ownership Buying a house is an exciting process; especially if it is your first home.   It may be a long or short process. But no matter how long it takes you will follow at least four steps throughout your journey to home ownership.   First, you will check your credit and examine your finances.   Next, you will shop for a mortgage loan.   Then you will shop for the right house!   Finally, you will move in.   Remember, you or other family members will probably live in your new house for the rest of your lives.    That is why it is important to understand the steps in the home buying process.   This brochure walks you through the process of buying a home. CREDIT AND FINANCES Know Your Credit It is not only important to know your credit scores, but to know your credit.   Know the basics about your credit before a mortgage lender pulls your credit scores.   It is helpful to write out a summary of your credit history as you know it.   What are your monthly payments?   If you have been late with payments, write down which ones, how often you have been late, the current status, and explain what led to the circumstances.   Also write down your loan and credit card balances.   And explain any collections, judgements, or other delinquencies that you think might affect your credit.   This way both you and the lender know what to expect when your credit report is pulled. Know Your Finances You must cover some part of a down payment (up to 20% of the purchase price) and some closing costs (at least 3% of the purchase price).   It is important to know that cash in the bank is not the only source of funds that are acceptable to a lender.   Will a relative give you part of your down payment as a gift?   If so, have them write a letter stating the amount they will give and include that amount as a cash asset on your loan application. Do you have an insurance policy with a cash value?   Do you have a retirement fund?   Include a most recent statement from those policies.   These cash assets help you to qualify even if the cash is not on hand.   If you need to use these sources, your lender will instruct you how to document the withdrawals or have the gift monies transferred when the time comes. SHOP FOR A MORTGAGE LOAN Shop for the Right Mortgage Company First, determine if you will use a commercial bank, a direct mortgage lender, or a mortgage broker.   The best thing to do is call each one and ask what programs and services they offer.   They can answer basic questions without taking a loan application or pulling your credit.   However, be careful about quoted rates.   Make sure that rates ore given for the type of loan you are interested in and qualify for.   In other words, if you are looking for a construction loan, don’t compare home improvement loan rates. Shop for the Right Mortgage Once you have decided what type of company to work with, they will help you determine the right mortgage program for you.   They will present you with scenarios for both fixed and adjustable rate mortgages; for 15-20-30 year loan periods.   They will also present loans for your specific financial and credit situation, for first time homebuyers, and for existing houses or new construction.   They will also tell you what loan amount you qualify for, what your down payment and closing cost cash contribution should be, and what your maximum purchase price can be. SHOP FOR YOUR HOUSE Location Location Location Take a drive around the communities that you are attracted to.   Determine how close they are to good schools, shopping locations, and other things that are important to you.   Be sure to note your commute to work from these areas noting accessibility to freeways and main roads.   Once you narrow the areas you like, write down what your home should look like and features it should have – how many bedrooms, bathrooms, 2-story or ranch style, older home or newer construction.   Once you decide these factors, you are ready to go shopping. Real Estate Agents Real estate agents can help you find what you are looking for.   The MLS allows the agent to plug in your parameters – price, style, location, size, amenities – and identify several houses for you to look at.   The agent will also present your offer to the seller, and help you negotiate contract items such as seller paid closing costs or repairs to be done prior to closing. MOVE IN Closing Once your loan is approved, the house is appraised and inspected, you will meet with a title company to sign the mortgage and title documents.   You will provide a copy of a homeowners insurance policy.   The seller will provide a transfer of title, a pest inspection, and general safety inspection or occupancy certificate, if required by your municipality.   The title company will provide you an insurance policy protecting against old liens against the property.   Once all documents are signed, the items are filed with the real estate department in your county, and YOU GET YOUR HOUSE KEYS! Moving In Remember to do things like submit a change of address at the post office.   And, if you are a renter, notify your landlord at least 30 days prior to moving.   Also, remember that you will now be responsible for paying property taxes and homeowners insurance.   If these items are not included with your mortgage payments, be sure to make billing and payment arrangements right away. RESOURCES Fannie Mae  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.fanniemae.com/homebuyers/index.jhtml;jsessionid=JNHAKUJNMMPBVJ2FQSHSFGI?p=Overview Freddie Mac  Ã‚   http://www.freddiemac.com/corporate/buying_and_owning.html FHA  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.fha.com/ VA  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.homeloans.va.gov/ HUD  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/index.cfm Bankrate  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.bankrate.com/brm/rate/mtg_home.asp?link=5

Friday, September 20, 2019

Issues With Energy Conservation And Sustainability Environmental Sciences Essay

Issues With Energy Conservation And Sustainability Environmental Sciences Essay Traditional sources of energy (coal, natural gas, and nuclear power) consumption present a plethora of issues related to conservation and sustainability. From a conservation standpoint, a reliable access to reasonably priced energy has long been the lifeblood of developed societies. Growing populations in impoverished nations strive for this reliable access at equally low or even more reasonably priced levels. These levels must factor in use, generation, future demand, cultural issues, growth, and a variety of other concerns. Beyond conservation, sustainability issues are also complex. The generation and use of these reliable energy sources bring about sustainability concerns for climate change, acid rain, air pollution, oil spills, strip mining, hazardous waste generation, occupational diseases, radioactivity, and a variety of other adverse environmental consequences. This section will explore the current prevalent uses of energy and the conservation and sustainability issues related to them. In terms of energy consumption, each American consumes (demands) 6.5 gallons of oil per day to heat homes and run our electrical equipment. One means by which Americans can consume less is to make the existing consumption more efficient. Recent estimates indicate that approximately 1/3 of the energy consumed per day is wasted. Turning to the supply side of the equation, coal provides 52%, nuclear energy 20%, and natural gas 16% of the conventional energy usage in the United States. There is a lot of room for energy conservation that would not necessarily require compromising lifestyles. Demand-side management involves promoting techniques that increase energy efficiency. For example, driving 55 miles an hour, turning down the thermostat from 68 to 65, and implementing equipment that is more efficient would certainly enhance energy conservation measures while generating a comparable quality of service by using less energy, thereby freeing up supply. Supply-side management involves seeking new methodologies to provide reliable low priced energy sources to consumers. Problems are involved with both sides of the equation. Social and cultural norms must be modified, a difficult proposition indeed, to manage the demand side of the equation. The supply side of the equation is equally demanding. Most notably, coal used for electric power generation provides a reliable, readily accessible, and low priced fuel source. Yet, hand-in-hand with this economic advantage is the often-unrecognized social problems of air pollution, ecosystem disturbance, and contribution to climate change. Nuclear power, initially thought to be a more environmentally palatable alternative to coal and natural gas, does provide a comparable source from the supply side of the equation. Further, if pervasively implemented, it was believed to also satisfy most of the demand side of the equation. However, there are only about 110 plants operating in the United States and no new plants have been constructed since the mid-20th century. With such promise from both the supply and demand side of the equation, why has nuclear power failed to live up to its lofty expectations? The answer lies in the potentially adverse health, safety, and environmental problems and perceptions associated with nuclear power generation and use. Three primary problems accompany the use of nuclear power generation. These three concerns must be addressed before nuclear power can achieve its real potential. These problems include meltdowns, waste management, and terrorism. Further, the heavy governmental subsidies that were initially invested in nuclear power are no longer available. Moreover, heavy governmental subsidies have been replaced with even heavier governmental controls and regulation. The use of nuclear power represents a social gamble. Estimates of cancer-induced fatalities from meltdowns have ranged from zero (Three Mile Island) to 500,000 for Chernobyl. However, people die from coal generation and pollution. On a lives-lost-per-kilowatt hour basis, nuclear power stacks up equally well to coal production. Yet it is the perception of a potential loss that stacks the deck against nuclear power. In addition, disposal of high-level waste and low-level waste from these facilities, in tandem with the NIMBY philosophy toward waste disposal siting exacerbate an already difficult problem. Finally, the public perception that nuclear reactors could somehow become terrorist weapons, in conjunction with public distrust of scientific risk assessments, has facilitated the widespread perception that nuclear energy sources are unsafe. Natural gas is also thought to be a replacement for coal. It is undeniably safer to produce electricity for both than coal and nuclear power. Moreover, it is the cleanest of the fossil fuels. It yields about 70% more energy for each unit then than coal. As you can expect, its share of the electric power generation market is likely to increase. Natural gas usage though does have its drawbacks. From a supply-side perspective, the available amount of natural gas is relatively small. Further, complicating this issue is the uneven geographic distribution. Further, if natural gas were to replace coal as the primary source of electrical production, the most recent estimates indicate that all sources would be depleted within 40 years. This would likely increase dependence on foreign suppliers. The implication here and is that the price of natural gas would become volatile and increase at a rate far exceeding that of coal or nuclear power. Not to be forgotten in this discussion of natural gas are the environmental factors related to its availability and consumption. The price of harnessing the natural gas is not inexpensive. Further, the cost of locating, capturing, storing, and distributing natural gas is also expensive. However, it stacks up favorably against both coal and is much less expensive than nuclear power. Let us also not forget that natural gas, composed primarily of methane, is a greenhouse gas. To avoid global warming, controls must be present to minimize the release of methane into the atmosphere. This too raises the price of natural gas. Governments have become increasingly involved in these most prevalent of energy options. Moreover, governments have become involved specifically in relation to the environmental aspects of energy production. In this, the government has taken a three-pronged approach. First, efficiency and environmental safety have risen to the fore as primary considerations for the future of energy policy. Governments have promoted and implemented policies to foster the use of cleaner burning, more efficient, and more environmentally safe energy sources. Often however these goals are in sharp contrast to the market forces of providing inexpensive and available energy sources. Second, policymakers have sought to equalize both the cost and demand side of the equation. This is most evident in the nuclear power supply and demand equation. The initial foray into nuclear power required governmental subsidies to assist in the construction of nuclear power plants. Further, governmental intervention demanded that societies use the sources. The current rate of federal energy subsidies is 59.8% for fossil fuels (coal and natural gas) and 28.7% for nuclear energy. The remaining paltry 11.5% is dispersed amongst the various other sources. This means government is still not inciting energy companies to research or implement new sources of energy. Finally, policymakers have begun to provide incentives for using alternative energy sources at the end-user (demand) point. This includes allowing the installation of small-scale energy efficient home heating units, hot water heaters, and hybrid and electric automobiles. Other options are available for large-scale technologies such as wind farms and solar panel arrays, but to a lesser extent. The practice of providing incentives presents particular problems. The most pressing problem is that the government or utility ratepayers still need to absorb some of the costs of capital. To counterbalance these problems, the promotion of more energy-efficient technologies and alternative energy sources must be specifically targeted and offer specific incentives to the end-user and producer alike. ___ ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY U2L1 Issues with Natural Resources Conservation Part 1 Human populations can be strained when subject to environmental stresses such as the inadequate availability of water, land, and agriculture, as natural resources. The availability of these resources is essential for the maintenance of human existence. Problems with these natural resources should be anticipated and prevented as much as possible. This section examines how economic institutions have allocated these resources in the past and how they might improve their allocation in the future. Water resources As we have discussed in previous course work, water is essential for human life to replace the continual loss of bodily fluids and to maintain the food sources upon which we depend. The problem with the existing sources of potable water is the allocation of supplies to sustain a variety of competing users. An efficient allocation of water must strike a balance between the competing users and sustaining the year-to-year availability. The concept of supply and demand is integral to this discussion. There are two problems to be address, maintaining an adequate supply of water and managing the demand for that water. This is especially relevant to groundwater resources where, when withdrawals exceed recharge from a particular aquifer, the resource will be mined over time until water supplies are exhausted. The problem is further complicated where groundwater and surface water supplies are not physically separated. For example, groundwater withdrawals from a specific region, in many areas of the United States, immediately affect the surface water flows. This is an especially tricky issue when cross-state, or cross national, boundaries are put into play. Therefore, the hydrologic nature of the water source must be taken to consideration when designing a water allocation scheme. From our previous coursework, we have discussed the concept of riparian rights. This is where the right to use water is allocated to the owner of the land adjacent to that water. Yet with population growth and the consequent rise in demand for water resources, this allocation system becomes less appropriate. This situation creates demand for a change in the property rights structure from riparian rights to one that was more transferable. A new structure developed by the government was known as usufructory rights. In this, users are accorded a right to use a common source of water. The current situation for allocating the use of water resources is embedded in the state and federal governments role in the problem. Many problems are associated with this point. The first is the restriction of free market availability of this natural resource. Diminished transferability of the use of this water resource puts market pressures on different parts of the market and in different portions of the United States. Likewise, these regulations strongly discourage conservation. Moreover, the government established preferential use which brought about bureaucratic preferences for the use of the water. Further, damage caused by overuse is not addressed in this doctrine. Possible solutions to the allocation of water are as follows. Reduce the number of restrictions on water transfers between agriculture and other uses. The current use it or lose it component that a companys most preferential use discourages conservation. Implement the use of water markets and water banks. In this, water is allowed to move to its higher valued use and buyers and sellers are brought together to negotiate its value thereby encouraging conservation. Revising the value of water is a necessity for conservation. This recognizes the efficiency associated with subsidizing the consumption of a scarce resource. Further, revenues collected can be placed into a fund to mitigate environmental damages and to allow for construction of dams for storing water. Revising the value of water seasonally. This would allow for changes in severe drought conditions and to manage water usage during times of scarcity. This would require consumers to act differently during times of drought. Encouraging the use of desalinated water in areas where appropriate. Technological advances have reduced the price of desalinized water but growth in this market has not outpaced demand. There are a number of possible means of remedying the current water situation. These reforms would promote a more efficient use of water while affording more protection to the natural resource. It is clear that charging everyone the same rate irrespective of their consumption is a strategy that deserves more attention. Land Land is another natural resource that deserves specific attention. Land conservation has specific issues related to typography, location, and characteristics. Land is typically allocated based on its highest valued use. The problem is clear. Wilderness areas are subservient to agriculture, residential development, commercial use, etc. There are particular problems with our current use and allocation of land. Urban sprawl is when land use in a particular area is inefficiently dispersed. Another issue is leapfrogging where new development continues not on the very edge of current development but further out. Both bring particular problems with development. These include longer trips to work, home, or leisure activities. This brings about increased energy demand and increased opportunities for pollution. Incompatible land usage is another particular problem with our current use and allocation of land. As an example, the particular costs associated with land use may not accrue exclusively to the landowner. An example of this occurs to neighborhoods near landfills, toxic waste facilities, CAFOs, or large industrial complexes. Undervaluing environmental preservation is just another particular problem with our current use and allocation of land. As an example, if the owner of a large farm near a scenic preservation area, sells to a residential developer, the benefits of their large open space to wildlife, travelers, and leisure activities is not typically a basis for different decisions affecting its land use. A final issue is the confluence of taxes on land use relative to conservation. Typically, property taxes in the United States are imposed on land for its current market value. Environmental factors are not typically included in that valuation model. One way to deal with the many particular problems associated with the current use and allocation of land is to implement innovative market-based remedies. The first innovative remedy is the separation of property rights. A property rights system can mitigate or avoid the problems of overexploitation that can occur when land is merely allocated on a first-come, first-served basis or sold to the highest bidder. By establishing secure enforceable claims, the efficient transfer and maintenance of the valuable use of the property can be directly allocated. Another way is to establish transferable development rights (TDR). TDRs establish areas where development is prohibited and areas where development is encouraged. If done in the local level, communities will determine the best allocation and use of lands. Another way is the establishment of land banks. For example, wetlands banking is a means of promoting economic benefits of wetland preservation. These mitigation banks allow for the use of lands around wetlands, streams, or other aquatic resources to preserve, enhance, or replace sensitive wetland areas. A similar program is present for conservation banking. Safe harbor agreements are a new means of conserving endangered and threatened species on privately owned land. These provide for new restrictions of land based upon the threat to the endangered species. Grazing rights has also been away to deal with the problems associated for overgrazing on public lands. This too is a means of dealing with the particular problems associated with the use of grazing on federal lands, which has been allowed since 1934. Finally, conservation easements and land trusts are means by which legal agreements limit the use of land in order to protect its intrinsic value. This intrinsic value might be to preserve a surface water resource, scenic vistas, or to promote eco-tourism. Agriculture The efficient use of agricultural land is a requirement for sustenance around the globe. The problems associated with a lack of efficiency includes starvation, hunger, hunger related diseases, malnutrition, and a variety of ancillary adverse effects. As an example, cereal grain is the worlds cheapest supply of food and is a renewable resource if managed effectively. Further, this could be sustained as long as we receive energy from the sun. Yet the current agricultural practices are neither sustainable nor efficient. Further, the recent trend has been to increase the scale (size) of the average farm and a reduction in the overall number of farms thus raising questions of future sustainability. The problems intrinsic to this argument are as follows. While technological progress provides the main source of support for optimism, concerns are present regarding the ability of industrial nations to achieve productivity gains. This includes a declining share of land allocated to agricultural use, the rising cost of energy, and increased environmental costs (i.e.: overuse of fertilizer, deforestation, soil completion, soil erosion, etc.). An interesting twist in this argument is imbedded in the example of corn. While this is a relatively stable and useful food source, the expansion and the use of ethanol has decreased the amount of corn available for food. There are sources for optimism in this discussion. Technological advancements in genetics have produced food crops that are more resistant to diseases and pests, hardier crops capable of surviving in marginal soils, and increasing crop yields. In addition, the growth in organic food sources has minimized human disease after upta ke. The economic gains in past several decades have created depletion to our agricultural resources. The past role of government has been complicit in this debacle. Historically, governments have subsidized the use of fertilizers and pesticides, guaranteed prices for outputs, given marketing loans based on crop prices, and implemented trade barriers. Recently however, the role of government in implementing effective agricultural policies has been on the rise. Governments have begun to encourage sustainable agriculture. Further, they have required that farmers consider energy and environmental costs. Subsidies for some agriculture have been removed and replaced with subsidizing possible technological advancements. Conclusion As we have seen from the above, human populations can be strained when subject to environmental stresses such as the inadequate availability of water, land, and agriculture, as natural resources. The availability of these resources is essential for the maintenance of human existence. Problems with these natural resources must be managed. As regulators cope with the myriad of issues related to conservation, they must consider the advancement in technology and the maintenance of a sustainable supply of natural resources.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

To what extent did comprehensive schools enable working class :: Economics

To what extent did comprehensive schools enable working class pupils to succeed? Comprehensive schools enabled working class students to succeed because when there was the Tripartite System the majority of working class pupils would go to secondary modern schools as the 11+ test was favoured towards middle class experiences and language. Pupils attending secondary modern schools were seen as a student failing, this then affected the attention the students got at school, the opportunities open to the students and they also gained a low self-esteem. It also creates a â€Å"self believing prophecy† from low self esteem. In addition to that secondary modern schools only had a third of the funding with 80% of the population attending them. This meant that there were fewer qualifications to gain and less good qualified teachers, which in essences was preparing them for unskilled manual work. The tripartite system legitimated inequality through the ideology that ability is inborn rather than the products of the child’s upbringing and environment, and thus can be identified early on in life Because the 11+ test favoured middle class, it was mostly middle class students that went to grammar schools. This created a social class division when one of the reasons for having Free State education was more ‘equal’ opportunities. When comprehensive schools were introduced in 1965, it was designed to overcome the unfairness of the tripartite system by abolishing the 11+ exam and sending all pupils to the same type of secondary school (with the exception of private school students who continued to go to private schools). Since the schools joined, there were more qualifications on offer to students. Middle class and working class worked together. But never the less, the system continued to reproduce class inequality. Some secondary modern schools were placed where the majority of working class students lived, so in some schools it was still mainly working class. Whilst in others, mostly middle class. In addition to that, many comprehensives were streamed into ability groups, where middle-class pupils tend to dominate the higher streams. Even where ability groups were not present, Ball argued that teachers continued to label working class pupils negatively and to restrict their opportunities. More recently, both Ball and Whitty have examined how the policy of marketisation also reproduces and legitimates inequality. Marketisation is largely the result of the 1988 Education Reform Act, which reduced direct state control and introduced market forces into education so as to create competition between schools and increase parental choice. They state that marketisation reproduces inequality through exam league tables and the funding formula. Publishing each schools exam results in a league table ensures that schools that achieve good results are more in demand, because parents

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Prophets of Zion and the Babylonian Exile :: essays research papers fc

Prophets of Zion and the Babylonian Exile   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In ancient Jewish culture, prophets were a part of every-day life. They proclaimed what they understood to be God’s word, and lived according to it. In times of crisis, prophets were even more present, to warn and give consolation to the people. One time period in which there were many prophets was the Babylonian Exile, where the people of Judah were taken and deported to live in Babylon. Of the books of the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, Isaiah 63:7-64:12 and Jeremiah 29:4-23 will be examined together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book of Isaiah can essentially be divided into three groups of authors, the first being an eight century prophet called Isaiah of Jerusalem. The second is an anonymous prophet who shares Isaiah of Jerusalem’s same ideal of the Davidic king. The third prophet is possibly the same person as the second, or his disciple or group of disciples (Meeks 1013). The third prophet or group lived in the land of Judah after the Babylonian exile and wrote the chapters which will be discussed, and thus will be referred to as Isaiah, rather than adding an indication of his place in the sequence of prophets under the book of Isaiah. Whereas Isaiah was firm in his belief of the Davidic king which stemmed from the southern land of Judah, the prophet Jeremiah was from a small tribe whose influences were the older traditions of Mosaic theology, which is closer to the ideals of the Northern Kingdom’s many Tribes of Israel (Meeks 1110). The excerpt that will be analyzed from the book of Jeremiah was written during the exile, and will automatically have a different viewpoint than that of Isaiah. The first difference to note between the two passages is who is speaking, and who is being addressed. â€Å"I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord†¦and the great favor to the house of Israel that he has shown them according to his mercy†¦Thus you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name† (Is 63:7,14b). Here, Isaiah is the speaker, who, aside from the initial referral to God in the third person during the first seven lines, is actually talking to God. Looking at the Jeremian passage, God is the speaker who speaks through Jeremiah to his people, as he writes â€Å"Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent from exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them†¦multiply there, and do not decrease† (Jer 29:4,5,6b).

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Project Time Management Essay

This essay on project management will briefly give a proper description of the project management and what it entails. It will further discuss all the tasks that are normally involved in proper time management. The major focus of this particular essay will be on the time constraint and how time can be properly managed and the general importance of managing time in IT projects. It will then be concluded by giving reasons as to why project managers should actually have their projects well managed especially in the time part of it if at all he would want to realize success at the end of the projects. Introduction Project management is that discipline that is concerned with planning, organization and resource management to bringing a specific project to a successful completion of its major objectives and goals (Baker, 2000). The major challenge of managing projects is to achieve its set objectives and goals while at the same time adhering to the constraints of project management which are normally scope, time, quality and budget. The secondary challenge is normally the optimization of the allocation and to integrate the necessary inputs in such a way that the pre-defined objectives may be met. A project may be well defined as set of different or even similar activities that make use of available resources such as money, materials, people, space and many others to achieve the set project goals and objectives. According to Conn, M (2007) the job of managing a project is quite often the major responsibility of an individual person who in this case is the project manager or the project management team. In most cases the project manager seldom takes part in a direct way in the various activities that will produce the final result, but rather he will strive to make sure that the general progress and the mutual interaction between his workers is well maintained so that the overall risk of the project failing is reduced or eradicated. The manager of a project is often an ambassador of his clients and therefore the needs of his clients are well determined and implemented by the project manager and this is usually based on the kind of enterprise they are representing. In any given field, the project manager should be able to envision the whole project that is from start to finish. He should also have the ability to ensure that the vision is realized by the project. This clearly tells someone that before you become a project manager, one should make sure that he is well informed and be ready to listen to the needs of clients which in most cases they are varied. Just like any other human undertaking, all projects have to be done and delivered through some well known constraints. Traditionally, the constraints are listed as time, scope and scope. These constraints are better known as the triangle of project management, where constraints are represented by each side of the triangle. This particular essay will have its major focus on the time constraint of project management (Cable, D. 2004). Project time management Project time management basically means the planning of the processes and organization of resources in a project to ensure its well-timed completion. The management of time is an important skill that is very critical and any project manager should have this vital skill. From surveys done by scholars on project management, the survey reports claim that most of the successful project managers have the history of completing their projects within their stipulated time and the project budget. Project failure from the past may have been caused by lack or absence of schedule management that is, defining, scheduling and implementing these tasks or activities that are to be undertaken by the steering team or manager. In the present world, there are so many softwares that project managers can use in time or schedule management within a project (Brooks, 2001). Tasks in a project The first task in a project time management is the activity definition. Here the main activities in the project are defined so that the management team knows what they are dealing within as the progress goes on. In preparation of the project schedule, the manager of the project should be fully aware of the content of each given tasks that are involved in the project, the length of time the task will require to be completed, the kind of resources that the tasks will need and the exact order the tasks should be done. The project manager should know that each of the said elements normally will have direct bearing on the time or schedule of the project. And if the project manager omits certain tasks then the project stands higher chances of not being completed. Once more, if a manager of a task does not take seriously the amount of required resources or the length of time required for a particular task then the project manager stands higher chances of missing the time schedule for his project. The time schedule can also be missed or rather be blown if the project manager makes a bad sequencing of the project tasks. While project schedule can be build by either listing, in a particular order, all the important tasks that have to be completed in some specific manner. This task is often referred to as activity sequencing. Assigning of order and specific duration in which it should occur in every given task will also help the project management team a great deal. After assigning of this sequence requirement project management team should now allocate all the required resources for that particular task. This should be followed by determining the tasks that should first be completed (predecessors) and determining the tasks should be completed last (successors) and this is normally a pretty simple exercise. Normally difficulties do arise in managing project schedule. In most cases the difficulty will arise when there is not enough time and resources for the proper completion of the tasks of a given project sequentially. It is therefore advised that the given tasks in a project be overlapped in such a way that more than one task is attended to at the same time (Cable, 2004). The softwares that are commonly used in managing projects normally simplify the tasks that are involved in the creation and management of project schedules by handling all sorts of iterations in the time logic for the project manager. When all the required tasks have been put in an ordered list, then they have been well resourced and put in a correct sequence, the manager of the project will be able to notice that some of the laid down tasks are flexible in terms of start and finish dates. Such flexibility in project management is well known as float. And other tasks do not have any kind of flexibility at all and therefore are zero floats. Therefore any line through all the given tasks that have zero floats is referred to as the critical path. All the tasks that are found on the critical path, and there is possibility that there can be multiple of them, paths that are parallel, they must come to a completion on the stated time if the entire project has also to be completed on time. The key task of a project manager is time management and the management of the critical path (Cavendish, 2003). The project manager should however be aware of any items can be removed or even added in the critical path, this may be due to changing of circumstances that may occur during the project execution. Regardless of how well a project manager manages his time schedule and the available resources then the project manager would only have budget management as the only critical element left. At this particular point, it is therefore advised that all managers of different projects be fully aware of all the tasks that are involved in the projects that they are managing. This will enable them to have full control of every progress in the tasks and it will ensure that the project in progress is completed within the specified time in the budget (Clough, 2005). Importance of project time management Project time management is an important aspect of project management. The following are some of the major importance of project time management. Proper project time management will ensure that project managers deliver their projects within the stated time on the project budget. That means that time and good schedule management will always work to the advantage of the project manager in that the project manager will always be delivering his projects without unnecessary delays that are normally brought about by poor time management (Baker, 2000). Another importance of time management in an IT project is that the project manager will be in a very good position to allocate resources and everything that will be needed in that particular project because when time is managed properly, the manager will be able to tell all that will required by specific tasks in the project. This will have a very positive impact on the IT project in that time will be well managed and resources well allocated and the end result will completion of the project in good time (Cohn, 2007). With time management in a project, the project manager will be able to plan everything that will have to take in every step. And this is one of the most vital things of time management that most managers of different projects agree upon. Effective management of time in projects often motivates the participating team members in such a way that they will always be willing to actively involved in planning the project. Involvement of the fellow members of the team in planning for the project will definitely increase the chances of the project realizing success. Time management will help the project manager to have his deadlines set. Normally projects should be done within a set period of time, but deadlines most of the times if not so well planned become unrealistic. With proper project time management skills together with skilled project manager, proper and realistic deadlines will be set which will ensure that a sense of urgency has been inducted into the team members. Again, the use of project time management skills in managing IT projects will ensure that the project manager keeps good track of the progress of the project and he will also be able to make priorities in his own work (Duane, 2007). Another important task in time project management is the scheduling of the project activities in the order that they should occur. This is very vital because it defines the activities to be prioritized and the trailing ones. This helps in determining the most important step from the less important step at any given time. Project time management is an important tool in project management in such a way that it helps the manager of the project to sift and sort out ideas concerning the progress of the project before the manager of the project commits himself in allocating resources. This is normally achieved by having objective criteria for his project selection and this will enable the manager to only approve those projects that are on priority (David, 2000). Conclusion Drawing from the essay, it can be said that it is very important for a project manager to be fully aware of what his project entails. Putting down all the activities in an ordered list or manner will help in time allocation of the various activities in the project. Using all the available tools of project management, a project manager will be able to deliver his projects on time since his work will be well planned. Meeting the deadlines in project management is the most important thing and using project time management is the only way towards achieving it.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Compare and Contrast Between Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars Essay

Both books have themes of growing up and death, more specifically, unexpected death at a young age, which I know is obvious, but I might as well say it. Another thing they have in common is smoking. But, the view on smoking in Looking for Alaska is much different from The Fault in Our Stars. In Looking for Alaska, smoking is viewed as â€Å"normal† and a way to â€Å"fit in†. But in The Fault in Our Stars, it was discouraged and simply used as a metaphor both by the characters and the author. For example, Hazel got upset when she thought Augustus smoked. Both books involve at least some discussion of religion; Looking for Alaska when Pudge has to write a paper about religion, and The Fault in Our Stars when Augustus asks Hazel if she believes in an afterlife and when Hazel’s dad talks about the universe enjoying being observed. Also the support group meets in a church, so there’s that as well. In Looking for Alaska, Pudge seems to base his life off of Alaska’s death (modeled by the chapters: 100 days before, the last day, 7 days after, etc.). Pudge seems to be unable to separate his own life from her death, while in The Fault in Our Stars, Hazel deals with the death of Augustus quite differently. She tells her story building up to his death (focusing on his life), and after she tells of his death and a few important events after, she skips to present day (hence the last sentence being in the present tense) to say that even though Gus is gone, she still loves him. She is able to separate her life from his death in a way Pudge wasn’t able to with Alaska, while still indicating that their love survived even his death. Another key difference between the two books is that while Looking for Alaska deals with finding your place in life, The Fault in Our Stars deals with finding your place in death. In Looking for Alaska, Pudge and all of his friends are trying to gr ow up. In The Fault in Our Stars, Hazel is trying to find a way to cope with the imminence of her own death; and rather than growing up (as she should be), she is having to deal with the process of dying.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Cognitive component Essay

The cognitive component of SWB involves making judgments of one’s life: either satisfaction with life as a whole, or satisfaction with life domains such as work, family, leisure, health, and finances (Prince, & Prince 2001; Diener et al. , 1999). It can be viewed as how you think about your life (in contrast to the affective component: how you feel about your life). In this study, the cognitive component means the way the elderly perceive, think and assess their life and their beliefs and attitude toward life, world and God. Campbell (1976) suggested that individuals judge their objective situation in each of various life domains according to standards of comparison based on aspiration, expectations, feelings of what would be just, reference group comparisons, personal needs, and personal values. Domain-satisfaction provides useful information about with which aspects of life an individual may be happy or unhappy, but cannot be summed to give an overall impression of life satisfaction. This would mean that it is necessary to assess overall satisfaction with life, as well as life domains (Susan Hird, 2003). An idea that has long captivated writers is that how we perceive and think about the world determines our SWB. In the area of SWB, researchers find that one can dampen or amplify one’s emotions by what one thinks, and thereby experience more or less intense emotions (Larsen, Diener, & Croponzano, 1987). This approach relies on the standards of the individual to determine what is the good life and the personal choices the person make at the moment (Diener, 1984). People might increase their SWB by control of their thoughts. For example, perhaps SWB can be increased by believing in a larger meaning or force in the universe. Support for this proposition comes from findings showing that on average religious people are happier than nonreligious people (e. g. , Ellison, 1983; Myers, 1992, cited in Diener et al. , 1997). The study explored how the elderly think about their life or what thought processes, beliefs and attitudes predominantly helped the elderly to experience a sense of well-being at this point of their lives. Affective Components (Affect Balance) It is the second component or construct of SWB, which corresponds to what we generally understand as happiness. According to (Prince, & Prince 2001) affect is thought of as how happy or unhappy you are. It results from a balance between positive affect and negative affect (Christopher, 1999). As it has been already indicated, when we appraise how much we appreciate the life we live, we estimate our typical affective experience to assess how well we feel generally, which is referred to here in the study as affective component. In summary, the affective component can be thought of as how you feel about your life (Susan Hird, 2003). Suh & Diener (1997) observed that feeling pleasant emotions most of the time and infrequently experiencing unpleasant emotions, even if the pleasant emotions are only mild, is sufficient for high reports of happiness. Although people report being above neutral in mood the majority of the time (Diener & Diener, 1995), intense positive moments are rare even among the happiest individuals. Instead happy people report mild-to-moderate pleasant emotions most of the time when alone or with others and when working or at leisure. One thing is clear, that people need to understand that intense experiences are not the corer stone of a happy life (Diener, 2000). Mood and emotions are called ‘affect’, and there is contradictory evidence as to whether ‘pleasant affect’ and ‘unpleasant affect’ form two independent factors and should be measured separately, or whether they are interdependent (Diener et al. , 1999). The amount of difference between momentary pleasant and unpleasant affect is still debated, but the separability of long-term affective dimensions is less controversial. Diener and Emmons (1984) found that unpleasant and pleasant affect become increasingly separate as the time frame is increased (Diener et al. , 1999). In the case of the institutionalized elderly, the study examined the affective component in general, mainly how they felt generally about their lives that helped them experiencing a sense of well-being in their lives. As indicated by Christopher (1999), it is this second aspect of SWB that corresponds to what we generally understand as happiness and it results from a balance between positive affect and negative affect.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Diaspora and Health?

Traditional Medicine and Culture in a Mexican Migrant Community in 2008. â€Å"As members of the Mexican Diaspora acculturate/ assimilate to life in the united States they gain skills that help them improve their socioeconomic status† (Walden, 2008), but their health deteriorates as their culture is lost. The importance of cultural competence in nursing includes recognition of how the deterioration occurs and practice the principles of healthcare ethics through autonomy, beneficence, malefaction, and justice while practicing healthcare for this population (Demonic, 2015). Summary of ArticleThe journal article being reviewed for this paper is a doctoral dissertation that studies the changes in overall health of the Mexican Diaspora after migrating to the United States. The writer presents a specific study group of migrant Mexican women in Georgia, as well as some general Mexican immigrant information from other sources, including California. The objective seems to be to educate the healthcare providers on the overall health of the migrants related to their choices of lifestyles. The two choices being to remain in a low- income but migrant population, or to assimilate and acculturate into theAmerican populations. The primary research site for this study is in Athens, Georgia and takes place in a Spanish-speaking low-income neighborhood named â€Å"Los Duplex† and it focuses on women. The economy in Athens depends on the University students and much of the employment is with the service industry. The neighborhoods, or barrios, are small and isolated on the outskirts of town. Los Duplex has a community center that is nick named La Cellulite or Little School. The community center offers classes in English, parenting, nutrition, as well as after-school activities and homework help for kids.The community center has â€Å"†¦ Eloped cultivate a sense of community among the residents, who come from many different parts of Mexico† (Wieldiest, 200 8). After describing how the study group was chosen and what all the details of the study were, Wieldiest continues on with the explanation of the difference in health the Mexican migrants face by either staying true to their culture or assimilating to their host culture. So many migrants come to America with the intention to work and return to their country and family, but when they start working and acculturating many of them choose to stay.Wieldiest explains that Mexican women are well-educated as part of their up- ringing, about the natural medicines. The native plants are used for all purposes of health. The two most popular medicinal plants are chamomile and peppermint. Not only the indigenous plants, but the whole foods that the Mexican woman prepare are fresh and have more protein, vitamin A, C, folic acid, and calcium than what the American born Mexican women and the women of European descent prepare. Wieldiest explains that this is because Mexican women's definition of a g ood diet includes fruits, vegetables, and plenty of water.The women pointed out that mindful eating is important, only eating what the body needs, and eating outside of the home, â€Å"especially in the street' leads to poor habits and sickness. Mexican women that were used in this study pointed out that staying calm, avoiding anger, staying active, caring for oneself and others, and getting enough sleep were also important, along with healthy eating. The migrants that came to America, but sought out their one culture to live amongst stayed active physically and socially.The types of employment available were manual labor jobs, agriculture, factory, restaurant work; all of which are active jobs where the errors had less chance to become sedentary and obese. By sticking to their own neighborhoods and social groups they stayed happy and active. Medicine and medical care is taken care of in the homes by the Mexican woman using natural remedies and herbs. Wieldiest learned that Mexican families expect the women to learn about the medicine and how to use them.The fresh herbs are preferred over the dry herbs that are purchased in the stores in America, but the plants don't grow well in the America due to the weather changes. A most popular herb is chamomile to be used as a tea infusion. This is useful for Castro-intestinal problems because it has anti- spasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties. The women shared 42 different herbal remedies during the interviews. Two popular over-the-counter products the women used were Ethylene for headaches and Vic's Vapor Rub for congestion.The most common prescription medications include anti- fungal, high blood pressure, diabetes, and antibiotic medications. Application to Practice The Mexican Diaspora who remain the healthiest tend to stick to their own culture when they migrate, however the women of this study recognize the deed for professional medical treatment. Going to the doctor is reserved for the most serious sickness es that do not respond to home remedies. For this reason the migrants interviewed for this study told about the free clinics, women's clinics, and public hospitals in Los Duplex area.Some Of the immigrants have insurance and some participate in low-income assistance programs. The hospitals in Athens have a well-funded low-income assistance program that even covers UN-documented immigrants. The hospitals and clinics used for this study had interpreters and bi-lingual healthcare revisers. The hospitals employ social workers to help enroll the children in programs like Medicaid, Women Infants and Children (WICK), and a local program in Georgia called â€Å"Peachier. † Healthcare barriers cited by Wieldiest that were reported by the Mexican women of Los Duplex include those that most healthcare workers.High cost of healthcare, no health insurance, poor English skills, and lack of transportation are the main barriers. In chapter 25 of Advanced Practice Nursing there is a definitio n for Principles of Healthcare Ethics: Ethical principles are universal rules of induct that identify which kinds of actions, intentions and motives are valued (peg 554). This is only a fraction of the definition, yet it is so profound. The women of this study value community, love, family, and healthy living. They are raised and taught as children to take care, nurture, grow, and heal themselves and their families and friends.Mexican women are autonomous, they choose for themselves how to live healthy. They are beneficent by demonstrating kindness and helping others. The health care system in place in the Los Duplex area should stay maleficent, avoid causing patients arm. If the women have exhausted the home remedies prior to taking their friends or family to the hospital they expect to be cared for, not harmed. â€Å"Justice is the obligation to be fair†¦ † And this is another expectation when people go to a healthcare facility (Barker, 2013. Peg 554-556). Nursing inte rventions should be in put in place for each barrier presented by a patient.An example of a nursing intervention for a family in the Los Duplex would be to have all forms in Spanish and English along with some type of interpreter offered. While admitting a Mexican migrant patient into a hospital r clinic, attention should be given to the culturally common home remedies. Fifth intake nurse is educated in the culture and now the patient has hypertension, then what other natural herbs or fruits and vegetables is the patient taking in that could be contra-indicated with a medication, and therefore rendering the high blood pressure medication that was previously prescribed, as useless.Nurses hold the power when it comes to connecting with patients, they are the driving force of the care continuum. The more the nurses know about the community culture and the patient culture, the better are can be offered and healthy outcomes achieved. Conclusion The study that was used for this dissertati on touched on key concepts of cultural sensitivity in communicating with Mexican Diaspora, especially the women who care for their families and friends.As a migrant culture, the Mexicans are healthier if left to take care of themselves with their home remedies of healthy herbs, healthy diets, healthy mental status, and healthy social groups. As health care providers, it is important to maintain an ethical health care environment and respect the autonomy of the Mexican women ascribed in this paper. They treat their families and friends with beneficence and the health care providers need to remain maleficent when assisting the patients with their illnesses.Meanwhile, the organization of healthcare systems need to treat every patient justly, address the language barriers, the financial barriers, and insurance barriers with fairness and equality. The study of Los Duplex was a small group of Mexican migrants, and like other world cultures, there are many more cultural differences. The mo st important point is to respect the patient, listen and do the best job possible to et the needs of the mother or father or child sitting in the chair in need of medical attention, no matter what culture they are from.

Friday, September 13, 2019

What Does it Cost to Attend the University of California-Davis?

Located in the college town of Davis in sunny California, UC Davis is a public research university a part of the University of California system. With four colleges and seven graduate and professional schools, UC Davis is known for its cutting-edge research as well as interdisciplinary approach to learning. If you’re considering applying to or attending UC Davis, read on to learn more about how you might navigate the tuition prices, and get more help in paying for an education at UC Davis. You’ll probably see many different numbers from many sources regarding college costs, but some can be misleading. A good place to start for estimating how much a four-year education at any institution is to go to the institution’s page for tuition and financial aid . However, know that the tuition you see listed on the university’s website—what we call the list price– only a good place to start, for most students will not end up paying that price. The costs of college are highly variable. What you will actually pay is based on many different factors from family income to on-campus employment. This is what we call the net cost , the amount families actually pay out of their pockets. In general, the amount of aid you receive comes down to three parts: We’re going to look at each of these in how they can lower net cost. Tuition for colleges generally rise each year. That being said, for the 2016-2017, the list price for UC Davis was $34,967 for in-state students and $61,649 for out-of-state students. This number includes tuition, room and board, and other student necessities such as a student activities fee. Remember that the families who pay the full list price are those whose annual household income is greater than $175,000. The good news is that many students receive financial aid. For the 2016-2017 school year, the average net cost of attendance with financial aid at UC Davis was $30,198 for in-state students and $56,880 for out-of-state students. When it comes to financial aid awarded, the greater your family’s financial need, the more need-based aid your student will qualify for. In the table below, we have the average net costs for Davis students after receiving financial aid based on family income: Merit aid, different from need-based aid, is awarded based on exceptional performance and potential in regards to academics and/or extracurriculars, and does not factor in a family’s financial need. Merit aid often comes in the form of a scholarship. At Uc Davis, 211.4% of students without financial need receive merit aid . In 2016, the average amount awarded was $395. The average net price for students who didn’t qualify for financial aid was $34,572 for in-state students, and $61,254 for out-of-state students . Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. If you think your student might still need additional help financing their college education, this is the time to look at federal student loans. Remember that loans need to be paid back, often with interest. Taking out loans is often for Davis students. In 2016, 68% of students took out loans, with an average amount of $2,801 per student. It’s important to understand past-student outcomes at a school to get a sense of your student’s â€Å"return† on their â€Å"college investment†. At UC Davis, 79% of students graduate within 6 years, and the average salary ten years after graduation is $58,200. Aside from tuition, room and board, health insurance, and student fees, college students will inevitably have other expenses, so it’s useful to look at local area living costs. Of course, if your student plans on living off-campus, this is even more important. Davis, California has an overall cost of living index of 153 ; it’s 1.5 times more expensive to live in Davis than in the rest of the U.S. in general. Housing costs contribute the most to Davis’ relatively high cost of living; with a housing index of 255, Davis’ rentals go for 2.5 times higher than the national average. Students looking to find off-campus housing can expect to pay around $1,353 in rent for a 1-bedroom apartment, and $2,478 for a 3-bedroom . While the UC Davis campus offers many student job opportunities, students looking to find off-campus jobs will be glad to know that the California minimum wage is now $12 per hour. Private, merit-based scholarships are an excellent way to help reduce your net cost further for college. To begin, you can take a look at UC Davis’ page for external scholarships . You can also take a look at our guide to the National Merit Scholarship program , for which anyone who takes the PSAT is considered for qualification. Another way to help finance an education at UC Davis is right here at , with our College Applications Program . In addition to helping students get into their dream schools, we also help them earn more aid to pay for college and make the right financial decisions.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Positive benefits from cloning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Positive benefits from cloning - Essay Example Reproductive cloning means the creation of a newborn human or other animal that is an exact duplication of an existing person or animal. This involves removing the DNA from an embryo and replacing it with the DNA from a cell removed from an individual. Then the embryo would be implanted in the uterus of a woman with the intent of it developing into a fetus and eventually a newborn whose DNA is identical to that of the original individual. This method has been used to clone a sheep. This method is also known as adult DNA cloning. Therapeutic cloning is also called biomedical cloning, research cloning or somatic cell nuclear transfer. It means the creation of pre-embryos in order to extract their stem cells and create a human organ. It involves the process of somatic cell nuclear transfer in which the nucleus of a cell from a human patient's body is injected into a human ovum which has had its nucleus removed. The goal of therapeutic cloning is to obtain stem cells which can be developed into organs for transplant that have an identical DNA structure to the organ recipient. It does not involve the attempt to create a newborn. (Terminology. First two Paras). As the two terms are causing confusion among the general public, some people have been suggesting that the term 'therapeutic cloning' should be addressed as somatic cell nuclear transfer. The positive benefits Though the issue of stem cell research and cloning are highly controversial, present and further research will only benefit the humanity. Protagonists of cloning argue that there is a great scope for the social, physical and economical progress of the humanity through research in therapeutic cloning. Organ cloning can terminate deadly illnesses and save precious human lives. Its utilities in medical field are immense and innumerable. Some of them are as follows. 1. Progress in this field can help infertile couples have children through cloning. With treatment the infertile couples can develop the ability to conceive. 2. Cloning research in the field can be utilized for replicating skin and nerve cells to repair damaged ones or replace non-existent ones. 3 3. If therapeutic cloning using embryos is successful, then perfectly matched replacement organs could become freely available to sick and dying people. (What are its possible benefits First Para). And that would save countless numbers of lives, and increase the quality of life of countless others. Three possible medical examples of therapeutic cloning are: 1.The use of insulin-secreting cells for diabetes.2. The use of nerve cells in stroke or Parkinson's disease.3. The use of liver cells to repair a damaged organ. Organ development and plantation through therapeutic cloning would have some more benefits when compared to regular organ transplant donated by someone. For any organ transplantation, no other person would have to lose his/her organ. Patients would not have to wait for long for some organ to arrive but at the same time they would have the advantage of having a new