Alison Nieves Will Analyses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Alison Nieves Will Analyses - Essay Example The essay "Alison Nieve’s Will Analyses" presents the analyses of Alison Nieve’s Will. The first clause in Alison Nieve’s Will is a standard provision pursuant to Section 20 of the Wills Act 1837 as amended. Section 20 provides for the revocation of an existing will by the execution of another Will. The second clause of the Will provides for the appointment of Simon Landsford and Asif Khan as co-trustees and co-executors of the Neive’s Will and with those appointments, there are responsibilities and obligations which as explained in greater detail below.The gift to Sarah of 50,000 pounds doesn't impose upon Simon Landsford and Asif Khan the role of trustees. The power to transfer the sum of 50,000 pounds is founded on their respective capacities as executors of Nieve’s Will. It is clear that Neive does not intend that Sarah take the funds as an absolute gift. Neive’s sole intention was the creation of a purpose trust with Sarah acting as trus tee. In order for a trust to be fully constituted and capable of enforcement it must contain three certainties. Three certainties are certainty of intention, objects and subject matters. The trust property is commonly referred to as the subject, intention refers to the words and conduct that is capable of identifying the donor’s intention to create a trust and the objects refer to the intended beneficiaries. The difficulty with this trust is that Samuel, the object of the trust is not a human beneficiary.

Tv Gives Children Unrealistic Expectations Essay Example for Free

Tv Gives Children Unrealistic Expectations Essay A few months after my friend Angela, who lives in Santo Domingo, acquired access to premium channels such as HBO, Cinemax, etc. her eight years old daughter asked her one night: Mom, are there poor people in the United States? This could have been a Joke if it were not so revealing. My friend realized that the luxurious scenes shown on television were not only giving her daughter a false idea about life in the United States, but they could also be creating unrealistic expectations in the girls mind concerning life in general. The same situation is faced by children and eenagers all over the United Sates. To a childs eyes, television represents a parallel reality with its own rules and laws, a reality in which everything is not only possible and easy, but is obviously more appealing to his/her mind than the sometimes bleak or deprived household in which he or she lives. The problem is real and is not going away. On the contrary, it is only strengthened by the leading role played by television in the upbringing of children, as parents are forced to work long hours and depend more and more on the electronic nanny for the childrens entertainment. Unfortunately, the damage done to the children is serious and has unpredictable consequences in the long run. On the one hand, we have a powerful industry that feeds on audiences regardless of their age, sex or personal characteristics; an industry that harness the imagination of the viewers and, as such, has limitless resources and only one goal: production. On the other hand, we have a defenseless child who spends long hours in front of a TV set, sometimes in the privacy of his own room. Children do not have the ability to analyze or screen the information presented to them. All the images and messages rapped up in the movies, programs or commercials go straight through to the subconscious mind of a child and become the storeroom from which he will draw tomorrow in response to the demands of his environment. Studies performed at MIT have demonstrated that the brain is more active during our sleep than during the times we watch TV. It is precisely that passivity which entraps the child and renders him helpless. Watching TV is not a creative activity. The child does not have to do anything only sit there and absorb the images and the sounds, Just like a plant absorbs the sun. This characteristic makes TV and ideal way o escape reality and go into a world of our own making where everything is possible. Additionally, children can find that TV is a less demanding and more peaceful place to be than their homes, with parents quarreling all the time, when they are present It is in this way that superheroes, gangsters or the latest rock star form a solid bond with our children and it is here they learn to mimic them. We have all learned of cases where children have Jumped from high buildings, expecting to fly or have killed their little sibling Just as seen on their favorite movie. But these are only the most

My Great Expectations :: Personal Narrative Writing

My Great Expectations Everything that I have experienced so far in Flagstaff has been great. In the next four years there are many new thing that I will experience here that I never have by living in phoenix. Also I would like to leave here with a lot more knowledge about different things like business and the community of this city. In the outstanding city of Flagstaff I came with a lot of expectation, will experience many knew things in my college years, and also have two main goals before I leave this city. In Flagstaff I have and will experience a lot of new things that did not experience from living in Phoenix. The first thing is the small town surroundings, this is a lot different from living in phoenix most of my life. So far it seems that everyone around here is very friendly and everyone is a lot more laid back. Also the surroundings are a lot different from the desert of phoenix. No longer are there saguaro cactuses and dirt everywhere, now there are pine trees and green grass. The abundance of green makes flagstaff a lot prettier then the desert. I have never lived in an area where it snows in the winter, the Flagstaff winters will also be a new experience for me. These are the great new experiences I will have by living in Flagstaff for the next 4 years. The expectations that I have coming to Flagstaff is having a great education at Northern Arizona University, meet a lot of new people in my four years here, and the new cooler climate here. I expect this university to teach me the business marketing ways so when I get out of college if I work hard I can be a successful business man. I chose to come to Flagstaff for school because of the smaller campus and school size. At any huge university you are just another face in the crowd but here the class sizes are smaller and you can walk to any class on campus. Also by spending the next four years in flagstaff I will meet a lot of new people. I plan on joining a fraternity this semester I will definitely meet a lot of new people by that and also have a lot of new experiences.

A Futuristic Interview With Romeo of William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet :: William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet

A Futuristic Interview With Romeo SCENE I: Setting: On the set of ‘Time Voyager', a new television series. Characters: ANN - Announcer ROMEO - Romeo ANN: Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome again to this week's edition of Time Voyager. In case this is the first time you have tuned in and are unfamiliar with the concept, let me explain it to you. Modern technology today allows us to go back in time, as you probably know already. We do just that - go back and visit those times and places that had so much mystery, so much darkness, and so little knowledge. Our current model of time machine is the best that money can buy and has been completely tested for safety so we will not... as they say... leave someone ‘behind the times.' So sit back, relax, and watch as the past becomes the present. (Lights dim, machine hums, beam of light appears center stage. Through the beam, people are visible, walking seemingly unaware of the new presence.) ANN: The place is Verona, Italy, and the year is 1523. To be precise, the third of May. (Romeo cautiously peers into light beam. It seems he is the only one aware of it.) ANN: (To Romeo) Do not be afraid, come forward. (Beckons with hand) ROMEO: What is this? ANN: Sir, I apologize for this sudden interruption of your day. Perhaps you would like me to explain? ROMEO: (Steps onto stage out of light beam. Beam dies) What has happened to me? Have I died? Is this the other world? What do you want of me? ANN: No, you are not dead, rather transported to another time... ROMEO: You talk no sense! Your head must be full of bugs and insects! And, if you do not mind, what are those strange machines in the corner? (Points at video camera) ANN: Those are recorders - recording you as you are currently here speaking to us. They can put the images - moving images - so that we may view them later. Right now, they are sending the images through the air to millions of people... ROMEO: What year is this? You have many strange devices, for example, lights that have no candles behind them, screens that record my movements, and all these strange new materials, it is rather... mind-boggling... that is, if you are telling the truth... ANN: The year is 2174. Yes, I am telling the truth. We have machines that tell if you are telling the truth now. ROMEO: How do I know you are telling the truth about machines that tell if you tell the truth?

Is knowledge management a fad? Essay

Abstract Knowledge management is a broad term that includes tools and theories from various fields. T.D. Wilson had been impeaching the need for knowledge management and he had come to the conclusion that knowledge management is just a fad started by consultancy companies and IT/ICT departments. This paper examines the righteousness of this proclamation and provides explanations and specifications of some conclusions that had T.D. Wilson provided in his work â€Å"The nonsense of ‘knowledge management’†. Is knowledge management a fad? 1 The need of KM in information society With the instantaneous global information sharing is arising the need of knowledge management. This is based on the evolution and transformation of society. Every year the amount of the whole human knowledge is doubled. The role of information in current organization has transferred from peripheral and incidental to central and fundamental. Management is no longer supervising their employees, but instead is prioritizing feedback from the employees and therefore the function of the manager has shifted from pure decision making to information processing (Brunet-Thorton, 2010). Information society is characterized by the interconnection of information sources, the ease of transferring categorizing and saving information with the help of applied use of data digitalization. In the definition of information society has the large importance the fact that inner telecommunication structures are more and more dependent on outer telecommunication systems. An example of this interconnectedness can be the internet, which is for our society nearly indispensable. And therefore is enabling the impressive growth of communicational and informational business organizations. With the beginning of the 21st century we can observe strong globalization tendencies – huge networks if users, which are able to communicate and share information without the presence of third persons. This way the volume and amount of knowledge information and data is astonishingly expanding. The communication infrastructure is slowly becoming the infrastructure used for knowledge sharing. The information society is indirectly enabling smaller companies and businesses to get involved in global trade market. For accomplishing their business objectives, these companies can get advantage in using new paths for trading such as on time production and delivery, online publishing, teleworking and network based virtual teams. The rapid evolution of information-globalized market is supporting the transformation to perfect market – from the economical perspective. New businesses opportunities are emerging form these technology shortcuts. Specific examples from the present can be Google or Facebook, which have so far used the information globalization most prospectively. Information society can bring new paths to advance the economy and contribute to increasing the number of highly skilled jobs, but at the expense of reducing the number of working positions with lower or no qualifications. A key factor is the role of education and retraining of unskilled workers, especially in government and public administration. This is closely related to other difficulties emerging from information society – safety and protection of information. You will need to modify the legislation together with the development and emergence of new information technologies. The fight against cyber-crimes, data protection, information privacy, i.e., to prevent fraud with the certification authorities and prevent the spread of malicious code should be a top priority in the developing information society. 2 Data, Information, Knowledge We can define data as a â€Å"crude facts relating to things and events that have not been processed or organised† (Thorton, 2010). An example can be database filled with numbers. Without knowing the context – what the abbreviations describing each column mean we cannot get any information from these data. Another example can be a text in a foreign language. Without knowing this language we are not able to transform data (characters) into any information (meaning of whole words and sentences) and consequently we are not able to obtain any knowledge from this text. Data become information, when they havebeen manipulated permitting its meaning to be understood. (Thorton, 2010) One of the tons of definitions of knowledge is: â€Å"Knowledge is directly related to understanding and is gained through the interpretation of information. Knowledge enables us to interpret information i.e. derive meaning from data. The interpretation of meaning is framed by the perceiver’s knowledge.â€Å" (Mark Sharratt & Abel Usoro, 2003, p.188). The definition of knowledge management becomes more interesting then definition of knowledge, because of the various views on this term as Wilson points out (Wilson, 2002, What is ‘knowledge management’?, para. 1). Despite the recent lack of agreement on what is meant by knowledge management, the definitions of knowledge management aim at three core components of knowledge management: knowledge/information repositories, communities and networks and experts and knowers. (Chatti & Jarke & Frosch-Wilke, 2007, page 406) 3 Tacit explicit and implicit knowledge Wilson has also raised the question about explicit knowledge. He is literally asking the reader â€Å"Does it make any difference to the argument if, in the diagram, we replace â€Å"tacit knowledge† with â€Å"knowledge† and â€Å"explicit knowledge† with â€Å"information†?† He is not answering his question, so it may seem unanswered, but while reading the whole paragraph, which is quite critical to the established distinction between explicit knowledge and information, I stopped looking for the answer, because it quite evident that this question is just rhetorical. Other authors are fairly more specific about the term of explicit knowledge. One of the views is offering Stenmark: The fact that routines, procedures, rules, manuals, books, blueprints, and all the other examples given above are useful does not make it knowledge. They all need knowledge to be decoded and are therefore not knowledge but information, albeit interwoven with the knowledge required to create it. Knowledge, which remains tacit, is also needed to interpret the information. Although some argue that â€Å"knowledge† may be embedded in a text (e.g., a balance sheet where columns and totals have predefined meanings), the reader cannot appreciate it without bringing the required personal knowledge (2002, page 6). As a conclusion I think a can say that the term explicit knowledge can be used synonymously with information. 4 Knowledge in VSE courses In order to show the importance and purport of knowledge management I am presenting here the syllabuses of few courses from The University of Economics, Prague that engaged with knowledge. 4IZ210 – Information and Knowledge Processing Aims of the course: To familiarize students with basic methods for both information storage and retrieval, as well as for acquisition and processing of formalized knowledge. Furthermore, the aim is to highlight the interrelationship of these areas and outline anticipated developments. Learning outcomes and competences: Find and process information about companies and present the processed information, especially for analysis of the competitive environment. The emphasis is put on working with electronic information resources. Apply the selected method for knowledge discovery in databases on a given data and publish acquired knowledge to an expert. The emphasis is put on working with association rules. Understand the basic methods selected for processing information and knowledge within presented subjects. Course contents: The method for storing and retrieving information, methods of obtaining and processing of formalized knowledge, solving practical problems. (4IZ210 syllabus, n.d.) This course is dealing with all free levels of intelligence produced by humans: data information and knowledge. Student should be able to distinguish between these three easily and they should also be capable of transforming one to another. 3MA661 – Management of Knowledge Workers Aims of the course:Introduce students to modern tools and methods of management convenient for management of knowledge workers. Demonstrate those tools and methods in real life corporate situations. Learning outcomes and competences: distinguish between tacit and explicit dimension of knowledge, use basic tools for work with explicit and tacit knowledge, identify knowledge workers in organization and classify them to groups in relation to their importance for organization and style of work, manage and develop knowledge workers in relation to their personality type, manage personal development of knowledge workers, initiate and manage process of knowledge sharing among knowledge workers, create visions and get the support of knowledge workers for them. Aims of the course:Explain importance of knowledge for business and management. Present key concepts and processes of knowledge management and demonstrate them on case studies. Explain the term tacit knowledge and teach students to work with it. (3MA661 syllabus, n.d.) This syllabus is quite unspecific about specifying knowledge management tools used for managing knowledge workers. It seems, just from the text of this syllabus that this course is overlapping with majority of the topics with the Knowledge management course. 4SA320 Information Management Basics Aims of the course: Course offers basic theoretical background as well as practical application of information management. It presents information management as multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary science, which integrates knowledge in three areas – modern management, system approach and informatics. The content of the course accents global overview of the information society, its development and presents main topics of managerial work in conditions of actual information society. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to know the legal frame of information society in conditions of the CR, work with components of Integrated Management System, actively know how to use basics of knowledge management in the area of enterprise informatics. (4SA320 syllabus, n.d.) I absolved this course last year. From the syllabus it seems that student will have to do lots of with knowledge. So thought I, and although I wasn’t really able to tell much difference between information and knowledge, my expectations were aimed on knowledge – from my today’s point of view. But this course is purely focused on Information management. It peeks more into technological and legal fields than in management of knowledge itself. And as the last I would like to present not a course of The University of Economics, Prague but a student’s site called vseborec.cz. It’s not primarily a knowledge management tool, but rather an information sharing site. But from simple sharing site for student’s notes to lectures it has developed to a ‘database of student knowledge’. It’s quite interesting that has expanded to today’s proportions thanks to the sharing and unselfish naturel of students on a school which aim is to teach its student to compete and not to share. You can find out what will be the professor and his lectures like even before enlisting in the course. 5 Web searches analyse To support or refuse the formulation of Wilson that knowledge management is just a fad (2001, â€Å"Conclusion†, pa. 1) I made an analyse of web searches on Google in the period of the last six years. If the term ‘knowledge management’ is in the business world used just as a synonym for the term ‘information management’ the total amount of searches for the term’ knowledge management’ should be increasing to the prejudice of the term ‘information management’. The absolute amount of web searches for both, the information and knowledge management, has been obviously decreasing in the period of the years 2004 and 2007. The drop of searches is simultaneous for both of the terms, therefore we cannot say that knowledge management is replacing information management, at least in the sphere of web searching. Among the most popular places around the world for searching the term knowledge management in the period of last 12 months is leading South Africa followed by Kenya Malaysia and India. But in the year 2004 in the top ten places for web searching ‘Knowledge management’ we can find countries such as United Kingdom, Italy and Australia. The shift of popularity from western countries to African and Asian areas is evident. (Google Insights, 2010) Graph 1 Web search worldwide (Google Insights, 2010) This is the conclusion that has T.D. Wilson come up with: â€Å"The inescapable conclusion of this analysis of the ‘knowledge management’ idea is that it is, in large part, a management fad, promulgated mainly by certain consultancy companies, and the probability is that it will fade away like previous fads.†(Wilson, 2002, â€Å"Conclusion†, para. 1). And according to my web searches analysis it really looks like that knowledge management is just a fad. The interest in knowledge management has been decreasing for the last six years. But I think that this is only due to the acceptance of knowledge management as such in western cultures and the simultaneous inception of knowledge management awareness not just in business world but also at universities and in a public sector. And due to this conclusion I presume that the growth of interest in knowledge management in South Africa, Kenya, India, Malaysia and other south Asian and African countries is because of the lack of general awareness about knowledge management and not because of the late arrival of â€Å"fashionable knowledge management† to less developed countries. 6 Reasons of knowledge management popularity rocketing Wilson presented in his paper five arguments, why he thinks that knowledge management has been experiencing such a boom in the past decade. Here are they: First, and largely because of a fixation on internal organizational data, the term ‘information’ has become almost synonymous with data in the minds of organizational heads. For example, I’ve been told that the National Electronic Library for Health uses the term ‘Knowledge’ because in the NHS information=data and a different term was needed. We have to lay this, I think, at the feet of the information systems profession whose focus for years was data and data definitions, etc. In fact, they dealt not with information systems but with data systems. (Wilson, 2001, pa. 2) This is, of course, misinterpretation of data and information. If is somebody using this terms incorrectly in one organization, that doesn’t mean that everybody else should take these terms as synonyms. Information systems are by definition â€Å"computerized tools that assist people in transforming data into information† (DiBiase, 2008) but data systems are just groups of facts presented in a specific order (pixels forming a picture, radio waves broadcasted at one frequency). Secondly, and opportunely for the software houses and IT firms, ‘km’ came along just as they were being hit by the wave of scepticism over the possibility of IT ever delivering more than problems – and certainly never likely to deliver productivity and performance. ‘Whoops, we’ve cracked it!’ cried the IBMs and MSofts of this world – ‘We should have been dealing with ‘knowledge’ all along, and now we are – Lotus Notes is no l onger groupware and personal information management, it’s KnowledgeWare!’ So they are happily marketing the same product under a new name. (Wilson, 2001, pa. 3) As I mentioned earlier, the term knowledge management is on its raise, not because of marketing strategy of IT/ICT companies, but because of its popularity increasing with the needs for better entitlement of the information society. Thirdly, the organization and management boys finally began to realise that all this text that people were creating on word-processors, etc., needed to be managed effectively and, indeed, organized, shared and disseminated more effectively, but they couldn’t use ‘information management’ because that was ‘information systems’ and data, wasn’t it? So it must be ‘knowledge’, right? If we can only get people to share their ‘knowledge’ performance must improve because it is the communication barriers that are preventing the free flow of ‘knowledge’ (i.e., information). So, now, every aspect of organization and management theory has to have a ‘knowledge’ dimension, other wise you aren’t in the game. In the literature, of course, this amounts to the token use of the term ‘knowledge management’ and the use of ‘knowledge’ as a synonym for ‘information’. (Wilson, 2001, pa. 4) Knowledge shouldn’t be used synonymously with information and I hope that this is not happening, at least at academic level. Also Wilson is not differentiating between data and information system which definitions are noted above. Fourthly, at the forefront of all this were the management consultancies – why? Because BPR and Organizational Learning were running out of steam. Amusingly, all organizational learning work appears to come under the heading of ‘km’ – more search and replace marketing. So, the consultancies grabbed at km in order to have something to sell at the end of the 90s. (Wilson, 2001, pa. 5) The consultancies are always looking for the needs of business market and therefore they should be reflecting the needs of this market, at least to some point, so this point might be valid on a small extent of a scale. Finally, most (or at least many) departments of information management or information science, and departments of information systems in academia, are somewhat low on the totem pole in most of their institutions, and each needs to differentiate itself from the other in order to try to work its way up that greasy pole, so both have seized on km as an aid in the struggle. I foresee turf-wars over which department, where there is one of each, has the right to run degrees in km. Where only one of the kind exists, it will seek to make km all-embracing of management, computer science, information systems, etc., etc. – because the logic leads nowhere else 🙂 ‘If we deal with knowledge – then how can anyone else presume to do so?’ (Wilson, 2001, pa. 6) The logic of Wilson leads nowhere else, because that is exactly what knowledge management is about: people, culture, technology, processes. The knowledge management is closer with its aim to the management and organization and the departments of information management are rising from IT/ICT fields so the need to go up should be also emerging from management places and not from information management departments. 7 Conclusion With the development of new technologies in information and communication sector the new term ‘knowledge management’ has begun to be used in business sector. The term as such is not useless and meaning less as suggested by Wilson in his research. Wilson is asking the readers in the conclusion of his paper:†If getting promotion, or holding your job, or finding a new one is based on the knowledge you possess – what incentive is there to reveal that knowledge and share it?†(2002, â€Å"Conclusion†, pa. 2). And my answer to this probably rhetorical question is: Your working experience, your social and cultural background and most importantly your education. From all of these you can predict the amount of knowledge one possesses. Although it cannot be evaluated by any empirical measures, the existing society is surviving without these accurate measurements and surprisingly she is doing quite well. This is not to say that enabling people to contribute effectively to the management of organizations is impossible and that sharing knowledge and enabling people to use their creativity in innovative ways in organizations is impossible – simply that it is very difficult, and that it does not reduce to some simplistic concept of ‘knowledge management’! It demands a change in business culture, from the macho Harvard Business School model, to something more thoughtful and understanding of what motivates human beings. Organizations need to learn to think about problems, rather than grab at proffered ‘solutions’ – which often turn out to be expensive side-tracks away from the main issues (Wilson, 2002, â€Å"Conclusion†, pa. 3). And that’s why knowledge management isn’t just a simplistic concept. It includes tools from various fields such as and uses them for improvement of knowledge culture within the organization. The slight decrease in popularity of knowledge management in the last six years shows not the recess of knowledge management as a fad, but it rather shows the wide acceptance of knowledge management in the western society. The views presented by Wilson are shocking and very easy to understand and that’s why I find this view presented by Wilson too simplistic and demagogic to some extent. References 3MA661 – Management of Knowledge Workers FPH – WS 2010/2011 course syllabus, (n.d.), The University of Economics, Prague, Retrieved from: https://isis.vse.cz/auth/katalog/syllabus.pl?predmet=68577 4SA320 – Information Management – Basic FIS – WS 2010/2011 course syllabus, (n.d.), The University of Economics, Prague, Retrieved from: https://isis.vse.cz/auth/katalog/syllabus.pl?predmet=68886 4IZ210 – Information and Knowledge Processing FIS WS 2010/2011 course syllabus, (n.d.), The University of Economics, Prague, Retrieved from: https://isis.vse.cz/auth/katalog/syllabus.pl?predmet=69183 Brunet-Thorton, R. (2010) Knowledge management. Presented at The University of Economics, Prague 3MA624 Knowledge Mangement lecture. 11th November Chatti, M.A. and Jarke, M. and Frosch-Wilke, D (2007) The future of e-learning: a shift to knowledge networking and social software. Int. J. Knowledge and Learning, Vol. 3, Nos. 4/5, 2007 Retrieved from: http://cites eerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.141.3202&rep=rep1&type=pdf DiBiase, D. (2008) Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access Glossary. Retrieved from: http://www.pasda.psu.edu/tutorials%5Coutreachglossary.asp Google Insights (2010) Retrieved from: http://www.google.com/insights/search/#q=knowledge%20management%2Cinformation%20management&cmpt=q Sharratt, M and Usoro, A. (2003). Understanding Knowledge-Sharing in Online communities of Practice. Page 188. Retrieved from: http://www.thestep.gr/trainmor/dat/%7B7a8f15e0-b7eb-404e-864a-ef0eb1403751%7D/article.pdf Stenmark, D. (2002), Information vs. Knowledge: The Role of intranets in Knowledge Management, Proceedings of the 35th Hawaii

Free Essays on Immigration

Immigration Immigration is the foundation of this country’s greatness. It is made up of different cultures, ethnicities and races. I myself would not be able to enjoy life in the United States of America if immigration was limited when my parents arrived in this country. I feel making immigration illegal would deprive the rest of the world of being able to experience a land like no other. Immigration has largely increased over the last 100 years causing many problems such as immense population growth, heavy traffic, air pollution, water and energy shortages, overcrowded schools, declines in purchasing power and quality of life and tax increases. New York is known for being so culturally diverse. The culture brought by these immigrants gives us the positive aspects of there homeland without having to face the negatives of it. Some examples of culture being brought is the different parades we have here in the city celebrating different countries from around the world, also the diverse dinning capabilities. We get to experience this with out having to see the hardships that they face such as child labor and extreme poverty. Immigration has its problems but it is also the foundation in which America is built on. It always promised immigrants a future and a great life.... Free Essays on Immigration Free Essays on Immigration In education of immigrants, English as a second language teachers are often among the first people available to help refugees and other immigrants cope with a new cultural and linguistic environment. Although the identified role of the teacher is to teach English language skills, the teacher's role as a cultural broker is very important as well. One can focus on how teachers can help adult refugee and immigrant learners make significant progress in adjusting to a new life in an unfamiliar culture. It discusses the qualities of mental health, stresses faced by refugees, and three things that teachers can do to help their students Concepts of mental health are laden with cultural bias. For example, one of the most important ways that cultures differ is that the societies where many of the refugees and immigrants to the United States come from tend to be more collectivistic, whereas U.S. society is more individualistic. In the United States, parents are generally encouraged to rear their children to be independent and self-reliant, to leave home early, and to be responsible for their own happiness and well being. In collectivist societies, parents raise their children to be interdependent and to be responsible for others, within a system of relationships where others in turn care for them. Americans may see behavior of people coming from such cultures as overly dependent and dysfunctional. However, behaving in individualistic ways could be seen as dysfunctional within the context of these other societies. Because of these cultural differences, U.S. teachers of refugee adults must be cautious in passing j! udgment on behaviors they may not understand. Teachers of adult refugees can promote cultural adjustment and mental health by learning about the challenges facing refugees; by providing material and activities in the classroom that will address some of the individuals' particular needs; and by becoming an integral part of a larger ne... Free Essays on Immigration Immigration is one of the largest factors in making the United States of America the economic juggernaut it is today. The United States of America is a country of immigrants, and legal immigration is embraced and welcomed here. Starting in 1952 when the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 was passed, many major changes were made to the immigration policy of the United States by it. The USA needed to begin regulating immigration more heavily to prevent the country from being flooded with too many immigrants. Currently the United States are un-secure and the immigration policies in place are not enough to protect our country and its citizens. Immigration, by definition, is â€Å"to enter and settle in a country or region to which one is not native.† Immigration has a very large social and political significance in American society. Since the time the United States was formed as an independent country, many immigrants have been discriminated against. However, immigration was and still is needed to continue the growth and well being of our country. Immigrants provide diversity in the population, and gives great opportunities to make money and have a good living for people that would not have that in other countries. To some people, immigration means Mexicans illegally crossing the border and being hired for their cheap labor by dishonest American employers who know these people are illegal aliens. To others, immigration means opportunity; people coming from other countries to try to make it in our vast capitalistic economy. Immigration as a whole can stand for opportunity, freedom, civil and human rights, ill egality, terrorism, and many others. Personally I feel that immigration provides great options to people in countries that would not normally have the chance to succeed that would in the United States of America. Immigration is a great thing for this country, as long as it is done responsibly and in a secure fashion... Free Essays on Immigration Immigration Immigration is the foundation of this country’s greatness. It is made up of different cultures, ethnicities and races. I myself would not be able to enjoy life in the United States of America if immigration was limited when my parents arrived in this country. I feel making immigration illegal would deprive the rest of the world of being able to experience a land like no other. Immigration has largely increased over the last 100 years causing many problems such as immense population growth, heavy traffic, air pollution, water and energy shortages, overcrowded schools, declines in purchasing power and quality of life and tax increases. New York is known for being so culturally diverse. The culture brought by these immigrants gives us the positive aspects of there homeland without having to face the negatives of it. Some examples of culture being brought is the different parades we have here in the city celebrating different countries from around the world, also the diverse dinning capabilities. We get to experience this with out having to see the hardships that they face such as child labor and extreme poverty. Immigration has its problems but it is also the foundation in which America is built on. It always promised immigrants a future and a great life.... Free Essays on Immigration Immigration Immigration in the United States began partly because Europe didn’t have enough room, so people mainly started to come to the United States because the freedom from aristocratic state and Church. During 1840s and 1850’s immigrants tripled then quadrupled from 60,000. As immigrants moved in the Navitists flared up against the immigrants because they believe that they were over running the country. Navitists form the Order of the Star Spangled Banner or the Know-nothing party. They even went as far to burn down a Catholic convent. Today immigrants or people from immigrant descent are everywhere. They contributed not only to the economy but to the history of America. . The Irish were the largest group of immigrants to ever enter the United States. They came to America in search of freedom, jobs, and a new life free from religious persecution. In Ireland the British still ruled Ireland and persecuted Catholics because of their religion. Then a potato famine struck in the early 1840s that killed one forth of the population. Irish heard of better opportunities in America and came over. Irish stayed mainly in the North eastern cities such as Boston and New York. They took jobs in unskilled labor such as plucking chicken to help further their advancement. They retain the religion and it became the center of the life. They saved pennies to help their children become better in life and succeeded by many including John Kelly. Tammany hall was a political machine that helps also in the development of the Irish. The Irish contributed much to our society today. The German immigrants were one the most valuable immigrants to come to the United States. They came to the United States because of political asylum, uprooted farmers, and other difficulties. With that they could move farther west than the Irish because of the simple fact that they had the money. They consisted of mainly farmers, trader, teacher, and worker m... Free Essays on Immigration America is sometimes referred to as a â€Å"nation of immigrants† because of our largely open-door policy toward accepting foreigners pursuing their vision of the American Dream. Recently, there has been an effort by some politicians and citizens toward creating a predominantly closed-door policy on immigration, arguing that immigrants â€Å"threaten† American life by creating unemployment by taking jobs from American workers, using much needed social services, and encroaching on the â€Å"American way of life.† While these arguments may seem valid to a lot of people, they are false, and more likely confused with illegal immigration. In fact, immigrants actually enhance American life by creating, not taking jobs, improve social service funds through tax payments, and bring valuable technical knowledge and skills to our country. If we are to continue to excel as a nation, the traditionalists who fear an encroachment of foreign born Americans must learn to acce pt that we achieved our greatness as a result of being â€Å"a nation of immigrants.† A common argument among those opposing further immigration is that foreigners take U.S. jobs and cause unemployment among American workers. In an edition of Business Week, a poll states that sixty-two percent of non-blacks and sixty-three percent of blacks say that â€Å"new immigrants take jobs away from American workers.† This is a widely held belief among Americans. However, Julian L. Simon, author of The Economic Consequences of Immigration, says â€Å"immigration does not exacerbate unemployment...Immigrants not only take jobs, but also create them. Their purchases increase the demand for labor, leading to new hires roughly equal in number to the immigrant workers.† In the same Business Week poll, eighty-three percent of non-blacks and eighty-seven percent of blacks agree that â€Å"many new immigrants are very hard working.† However, in order to overcome their distrust of foreigners, A... Free Essays on Immigration Immigration Immigration is a worldwide phenomenon. Canada is an increasingly ethnically diverse country. Canada’s reflection of ethnic diversity is due to the increasing flow of immigration. The vast majority of Canadians are born in Canada, and most of them are from European descent. Close to, half of all immigrants that came to Canada between 1991 and 1996 reveal a first language other than French or English. During this time, many immigrants came from Asia and the Middle East. It’s been reported that 29 percent of Canadians have more than one ethnic origin. Native peoples make up about 3 percent and blacks about 2 percent of the population. Canada has an open immigration program that accepts newcomers approximately from every other country in the world. The estimated population in 2002 was 31,902,268. Immigration is important in maintaining Canada’s population. The current childbearing generation has smaller families than earlier generations: the fertility rate is 1.6, less than the population replacement rate of 2.1. At the same time, older people are living longer, so that the average age of the population is higher. In 2002, Canada’s rate of natural increase was 0.36 percent, resulting from a birth rate of 11.1 per 1,000 persons and a death rate of 7.5 per 1,000. There is a downward trend in the birth index- in 1981, it was 15.3- and the likely result will be zero growth or population loss. For this reason the Canadian government in the 1980’s decided to balance the low birth rate by allowing more immigration into the country. The way immigrants adjust to life in Canada has much to do with the reason why they came here. Most modern immigrants are motivated to relocate far from their homelands by the desire to improve their and their family’s lives. Such people are known as economic immigrants. They r...

Grab recruiters attention with your resume

Grab recruiters attention with your resume When you’re writing your resume, these days there are a number of different audiences to consider. There’s the hiring manager. There’s the robot resume scanner. And there’s another person altogether: the recruiter. The recruiter is a bit different because they’re focused on the bottom line from the start. Where a hiring manager wants to know how you’ll fit in as part of a team, the recruiter often just wants to make sure you meet the most important job description criteria, before passing you up to the next level or down to the reject pile. So how do you get (and keep) the attention of a recruiter? Let’s look at what they look at first on resumes, to figure out how to apply that to your own.The average recruiter spends six to ten seconds looking at a resume initially before deciding whether or not to move on to the next one. So you want to catch attention fast with strong keywords, placed strategically. If they don’t see what th ey’re looking for in their initial quick glance, you likely won’t stand a chance. According to James Hu, founder and CEO of Jobscan.co, the keyword technique that works for those automated Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) is also effective for human readers as well.As part of that initial scan, recruiters are not looking for long-winded bullets about your third-most important responsibilities and achievements at X Corp. They’re looking for elements that stand out: headlines, bolded phrases, years. That means that your resume formatting just became even more important.Your experience bullets are crucial for the deeper read, but when you’re hoping to grab attention right away, make sure you’re putting emphasis on the most important parts: company names, job titles, and the dates you were there. The recruiter is trying to put together an image of you as an applicant based on that quick skim, so the more you highlight the short, punchy, relevant detail s about your experience, the easier you make it for them to see how impressive your work history is.This also means that a killer headline is a great way to maximize your resume for a quick recruiter read. The one-liner that sets your professional narrative should be one of the first thing the recruiter sees, and it should be both succinct and clear. Specificity is your friend here.Good headline: â€Å"Innovative Problem Solver with More Than 5 Years’ Experience As a Window Washer†Bad headline: â€Å"Detail-Oriented Go Getter†The first headline tells the recruiter two crucial points about your resume: you solve problems, and you have a lot of work experience. The second headline is vague, and has no real substance. The recruiter’s eyes will glaze right over it.Remember: you’ll have time later to wow a reader with your work experience bullet points, or a list of skills that make you perfect for the job. First, though, you need to lean in to human na ture, and understand that short, powerful visual cues are the way to get a recruiter’s attention up front.

Review of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Review of 'David Copperfield' by Charles Dickens David Copperfield is probably the most autobiographical novel by Charles Dickens. He uses many incidents of his childhood and early life to create a considerable fictional achievement. David Copperfield is also the novel that stands as a mid-point in Dickens oeuvresomewhat indicative of Dickens work. This novel contains complicated plot structures, a concentration on the moral and social worlds, and some of Dickens most wonderful comic creations. David Copperfield is a broad canvas on which the great master of Victorian fiction uses his entire palette. Unlike many of Dickens other novels, however, David Copperfield is written from the point of view of its titular character, seemingly looking back on the ups and downs of his long life. Overview of David Copperfield The story begins with Davids childhood, which is an unhappy one. His father dies before he was born and his mother re-marries the frightful Mr. Murdstone, whose sister moves into their house soon after. David is soon sent away to boarding school because he bit Murdstone when he was undergoing a beating. There, at the boarding school, he meets a couple of boys who become friends: James Steerforth and Tommy Traddles. David doesnt complete his education because his mother dies and hes sent to a factory. There, Copperfield meets Mr. Micawber, who is later sent to debtors prison. At the factory, he experiences the hardship of the industrial-urban pooruntil he escapes and walks to Dover to meet his aunt. She adopts him and brings him up (renaming him Trot). After finishing his schooling, he goes to London to seek a career and meets James Steerforth and introduces him to his adoptive family. At around this time, he also falls in love with a young girl, the daughter of a well-renowned solicitor. He also meets Tommy Traddles who is boarding with the Micawbers, bringing the delightful but economically useless character back into the story. In time, Doras father dies and she and David can be married. However, money is very short and David takes up various other jobs in order to make ends meet includinglike Dickens himselffiction writing. Things are not well with a friend from home – Mr. Wickfield. His business has been taken over by his evil clerk, Uriah Heep, who now has Micawber working for him as well. However, Micawber (along with his friend Tommy Traddles) determines to expose the bad dealings with which Heep has been taking part and finally, has him thrown out,  returning the business to its rightful owner. However, this triumph cannot be truly savored because Dora has become incredibly ill after losing a child. After a long illness, she finally dies, and David travels to Switzerland for a number of months. While hes traveling, he realizes that he is in love with his old friend, AgnesMr. Wickfields daughter. David returns home to marry her. A Coming of Age Story David Copperfield is a long, sprawling novel. In keeping with its autobiographical genesis, the book has a certain feel for the ungainliness and largeness of everyday life. In the earlier parts of David Copperfield, the novel has all of the power and resonance of Dickens social critique of a Victorian society that had very few safeguards against the mistreatment of the poor and, particularly in its industrial heartlands. In the later parts, we get Dickens most realistic and touching portrait of a young man growing up, coming to terms with the world and finding his literary gift. Although it certainly portrays Dickens comic touch to the full, it also has a  seriousness that is not always apparent in some of Dickens other books. The difficulty of being an adult, of marrying, of finding love and of getting on feel very real and shine from every page of this delightful book. Full of lively wit and Dickens characteristically finely tuned prose, David Copperfield is an excellent example of the Victorian novel at its height and Dickens master of it. Popular (like so many of Dickens works), it has deserved its sustained reputation through the twentieth and into the twenty-first century.

The legalization of marijuana for medical purposes Essay

The legalization of marijuana for medical purposes - Essay Example Several studies have revealed that persistent intake of marijuana accelerates the occurrence of the diseases that the proponents of its legalization assert that it cures. Another controversy entails the method of treatment used with marijuana. Smoking is not a very good method for taking medication since it accelerates and causes other conditions. This paper will analyze and discuss in detail the reasons why legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes should not occur. The paper will provide the premise that states should not legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. It will first provide a history of the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes as well as the nature of the debate surrounding this issue. There has been a vigorous debate about legalization of marijuana for the last 40 years. Some of the policies supporters argue that marijuana is a safe drug hence individuals should possess small quantities. They also assert that criminal sanctions against personal use and ownership characterize at worst extremely harsh and unnecessary penalties. On the other hand, the opposers of the policies claim that alleviating of present laws contradict that marijuana is not a benevolent drug, particularly according to new psychopharmacologic information shows that marijuana shares many characteristics with other illegal drugs. (Joffe & Yancy, 2004). Although researchers acknowledge the medicinal value of marijuana since time in memorial, there are other traditional drugs that cure the same conditions that marijuana can treat since monitoring the dose of marijuana is hard (Koger, 2006). There is unreliable evidence that marijuana may be useful in treating a number of medical conditions hence a v ital force behind efforts to change the legal position of marijuana (Joffe & Yancy, 2004). However, doctors have used the plant for arthritic pain, treatment of pus-forming infections and fever (Koger, 2006). In addition, marijuana may have benefits on these conditions: wasting related to AIDS, nausea after chemotherapy, spastic disorders, and relief of interocular pressure related with glaucoma. However, despite the benefits the dose of marijuana used could risk a patient a prison sentence (Conboy, 2000). The debate on legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes remains very controversial. While the health professionals are ethically required to offer the best possible treatment, they also have to follow the state and federal laws. Consequently, there has been extensive research to establish the mechanisms, potential uses, side effects, and alternative delivery methods of the contents of this drug (Yambura, 2008). Political buzzwords such as â€Å"War on Drugs† have del ayed the legalization of marijuana in the U.S. In addition, the role of states’ rights complicates the matter further since it is not directly involved in the ethics of the policy as much as the country’s federalist structure (Rabbani, n.d). History of the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes In the modern world, marijuana is one of the most well known and diversified of plants. It was native to central Asia but only recognized for its medicinal purposes five years ago during the reign of the Chinese Emperor Chen Nung. However, marijuana’s medicinal properties were evident much later in the West. In the United States, marijuana was widely used for

Christian (faith based) article for a newsletter Essay

Christian (faith based) article for a newsletter - Essay Example The centre has taken on social tasks that have impacted inner-city residents, many of whom have been affected in many ways by their crime ridden and socially backward neighborhoods. As Executive Director, my most important duty will be to join the dedicated team of volunteers, donors and staff in contributing to the restoration of the communities we serve and reaching affected persons. The work we do under the aegis of the Nehemiah Center is one defined and inspired by our collective Faith in God. I believe it is our social responsibility to emphasis the teachings of Christ through social programs that reach those who are in need of intervention. It is our duty to follow the examples of Jesus and show compassion to our neighbours. â€Å"Blessed are those that give†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jesus says and â€Å"Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called the [children] of God† Our roles should truly be those of peacemakers and givers. In our communities we must dedicate time, effort and resources to the most vulnerable; our children. Children will not flourish into model citizens within a society that is destroying their hopes of a bright future. It is these young people who will inherit the pains and sadly subsequently perpetuate them if the cycle of rot is not broken and we must not lose sight of these. We should continually ask for the peace of God to reign in our communities. Although the challenges look arduous, we should be encouraged that â€Å"†¦the peace of God which passes all understanding, will keep our hearts and minds†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Philippians 4:7). For it is only when we are at peace with Him, at peace with others, that we can truly be most effective instruments of change. The issues that we confront do not require myopic approaches that only propose band aid solutions. Instead a holistic approach that clearly identifies the short and long objectives must be adopted. These objectives

Compare and contrast how Marxist and foucauldian criminologist Essay

Compare and contrast how Marxist and foucauldian criminologist conceptualize power and their exercise of power in their analysis - Essay Example The modes of production in society consist of two elements: the means of production, which is constituted of technological, process and the relationship of various classes to the means of production whether they either own the means of production or work for those, who posses them. Since the ultimate economic source of surplus in society involves the amount of goods which is produced in excess of what the workers consume, there is a need to understand the difference between those who hold the means of production and those who work for them so as to be able to comprehensively understand who owns the surpluses in society. McLaughlin states that means of production in society can either be privately owned or not. In some societies, means of production are owned by state, for example in former soviet Union, in others they are controlled by small groups of workers for instance in Yugoslavia or collectively owned by units of workers, farmers, peasants and other classes in society for examp le in china This forms of production definitely produces different types of social relations and also lead to various forms of crimes an criminal law. McLaughlin et al notes that in capitalistic societies particularly where means of production concentrates on private individuals and there has been a development of divisions between the class that dominates, the owners of means of production and the class that is dominated, those working for the ruling class, the level of crime is very substantial and of high degree. This is because of the contradiction that is created by the capitalist system. (McLaughlin, 2003, p 250) To begin with, the first contradiction is that the capitalist enterprise tries to crate a desire among the class of workers to consume the products generated by their system. Many of this products don’t do not necessarily contribute to the improvement of peoples wellbeing and also have no value. For their system to be viable, they develop mechanisms to make the people utilise what they produce. In order for the capitalist to produce their goods, they make labour force to work diligently and over time. This helps the ruling class to accumulate more and more capital and maintain their position in society. Also to keep the workers at bay, the capitalist specialise in keeping a considerable proportion in society poor and miserable. This means that if the currently employed group of workers down their tools, and refuse to carry their duties as required by management, they are dismissed and the reserve work force waiting for the job takes over immediately. In the long run, the capitalist structures end up creating both a desire to consume and the inability for the large population of the people to earn the money required for buying necessaries need for life. The second contradiction about capitalism is that the categorization of society in two classes: one that owns means of production and a deprived group that inevitably works for wage so as t o survive leads to conflict between the two classes. These conflicts can be seen from rebellion and riots emanating from the proletariat. Also the state passes law to protect the interest of the ruling class, applies sanction to regulate the actions of proletarian which threatens the egoistic interests of the bourgeoisie .The proletarians who are caught jeopardising the interest of the ruling class are labelled to as criminal and their actions branded as crime. As capitalism

Screening journals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Screening journals - Essay Example The song itself has an overall feel of R&B mixed with hip-hop or electronic dance due to the low vocal ranges of the song, the use of a hook and repetitive melody and lyrics, which are not usually heard from songs by Beyoncà ©. However, despite the R&B shell of the song, it delivers a strong, feminist message based on the cultural background of people of color, namely Beyoncà © and featured artist Chimamanda Ngozi Adicihe and their cultural backgrounds as female African-Americans in modern US society. Such ideas are exemplified by the melodic lyrics â€Å"I took some time to live my life/ But don’t think I’m just his little wife† sung by Beyoncà © and a section of the spoken lines by Adicihe: â€Å"But why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage/ And we don’t teach boys the same?†(Knowles, 2013). Based on the context, the lyrics contain the message that female African-Americans are only taught of such things and not allowed to have and live their own aspirations, ideas that are strongly-questioned in the song and are subjects of criticism as well. The video may seem confusing for some due to the combination of new and old elements, with the beginning and endings showing an old talent show clip and the song itself showing a dance club where Beyoncà © dances along with other people, as well as the inclusion of lyrics within the music video itself. However, despite seemingly-contradictory elements of the song, the opening and ending parts of the video are able to convey the message of needs for equality and feminism clearly, as it was seen in the last part that the male Caucasian-American group won by a star over the African-American female group, suggesting the societal bias against races considered to be the minority. These components can be observed and understood fully by viewers if they viewed the video from start to finish, and as such all elements (lyrics, vocal, visuals) are needed to convey

Microsoft Analysis Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Microsoft Analysis - Term Paper Example The purpose of this paper is to analyze the operations of Microsoft using a variety of business analytic tools Mission, Vision, Stakeholders The mission statement of Microsoft Corporation is â€Å"Our mission and values are to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential† (Microsoft, 2011). As a public company the firm’s actions must comply with the best interest of a variety of stakeholder groups. Some of the stakeholders that Microsoft must respond too are the shareholders, employees, board of directors, executive management team, suppliers, lenders, community, and the government. The company has tremendous aspirations and visions for the future. â€Å"At Microsoft, we believe the most engaging digital experiences will grow out of the combination of four things: smart devices, cloud-based services, natural forms of interaction between people and technology, and finally, people’s imaginations† (Microsoft, 2011). Five forces of Competition The threat of new entrants in the software industry is high. There are thousands of software companies in the marketplace. It is possible that one of these companies might be able to develop a new operating system to compete directly with Microsoft. In the gaming segment it seems as if the industry operates as an oligopoly with Sony and Nintendo being the only competitors. It takes billions of dollars and years of research to develop a new gaming console. The bargaining power of suppliers is low. Microsoft can take advantage of economies of scale to get better prices from suppliers. The bargaining power of buyers is medium low. Buyers are willing to pay the market price for software despite its relative high prices. The buyer power increases during certain seasons such as Christmas. The threat of substitute is medium. In terms of operating system I would classify the buyer power as low due to the lack of real substitute despite the existence of Linux and Mac computer s. In the gaming industry substitute are medium since there are only two competitors. The rivalry among firms competing in the industry is high. Due to the intense competition companies have to spend a lot of money on marketing. SWOT One of the strengths of Microsoft is its strong economic position and history of outstanding financial performance. The company’s equity is considered a blue chip stock. The company generated in 2011 sales of $69.94 billion. During the past five years the sales of the company have increased by 36.81%. The net income of the firm in 2011 was $23,150 billion. In comparison of the previous year the net income of the company increased by an outstanding margin of 23.40%. The market capitalization of Microsoft is $216.19 billion. The net margin of the firm in 2011 was 33%. The average net margin in the software industry is a mere 1.9% (Dun & Bradstreet, 2011). The net margin of Microsoft was 17.36 times higher than the industry average in 2010. The divi dend yield of the company was 3.10%. A second strength of Microsoft is the brand value of the company. Microsoft has the leader software industry largely due to the superior design of its operating systems programs. The current version of the Operating system Microsoft is selling is Windows 7. The customers of computers visualize Microsoft as the top brand in the industry. Due to the preference of customers for Windows product the majority of new computers come equipped with Microsoft operating systems. Another strength

Screening journals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Screening journals - Essay Example The song itself has an overall feel of R&B mixed with hip-hop or electronic dance due to the low vocal ranges of the song, the use of a hook and repetitive melody and lyrics, which are not usually heard from songs by Beyoncà ©. However, despite the R&B shell of the song, it delivers a strong, feminist message based on the cultural background of people of color, namely Beyoncà © and featured artist Chimamanda Ngozi Adicihe and their cultural backgrounds as female African-Americans in modern US society. Such ideas are exemplified by the melodic lyrics â€Å"I took some time to live my life/ But don’t think I’m just his little wife† sung by Beyoncà © and a section of the spoken lines by Adicihe: â€Å"But why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage/ And we don’t teach boys the same?†(Knowles, 2013). Based on the context, the lyrics contain the message that female African-Americans are only taught of such things and not allowed to have and live their own aspirations, ideas that are strongly-questioned in the song and are subjects of criticism as well. The video may seem confusing for some due to the combination of new and old elements, with the beginning and endings showing an old talent show clip and the song itself showing a dance club where Beyoncà © dances along with other people, as well as the inclusion of lyrics within the music video itself. However, despite seemingly-contradictory elements of the song, the opening and ending parts of the video are able to convey the message of needs for equality and feminism clearly, as it was seen in the last part that the male Caucasian-American group won by a star over the African-American female group, suggesting the societal bias against races considered to be the minority. These components can be observed and understood fully by viewers if they viewed the video from start to finish, and as such all elements (lyrics, vocal, visuals) are needed to convey

Immigration Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Immigration Reform - Essay Example This paper is aimed at providing a critical thoughtful process of the immigration reform that has been conducted in the United States of America, mainly after the incident of the 9/11 attack on the country. Comparative and Analysis: The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) has implemented reformatory policies aimed at providing anti-immigrant movements in the country. The most important mission of these policies is to achieve the aim of zero level of immigration in the country. These reformatory policies have blamed immigrants as the main cause of economic as well as environmental problems of the country. Immigrants are also blamed in regard to these policies as putting greater amount of pressure on the population of the country. The first policy in the context of immigration reform was implemented in 1979 by the chairman of the FAIR, John Tanton, who was also known as the "father of the anti-immigration movement" in the country. During this time policies related to immi gration reform have been developed for the purpose of providing greater amount of economic and environmental supports to the country and also to reduce the growing level of population of the country (FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM, 1). Classical liberalism Classical liberalism has been playing an important role in the process of social, cultural as well as economic development in the country since a long time. The country has been highly liberal regarding migration of people from other countries into their country. Large number of people who came into this country from countries across the globe is living temporarily or permanently in this country. They have become an integral part of this country. Political, economic, social, cultural, educational – all these aspects did not (do not and will not) match with these immigrants. However, these people are increasingly becoming citizens of the United States of America. But the debate regarding increase in the amount of migrated people in the country occurred after the 9/11 attack of 2001 on the World Trade Center. After this attack, politicians and American people started to raise their voice against immigrations and the need for immigration reform has been realized during this time by politicians of the country (Fitz and Kelley, 4). Factions (Pluralism) Political leaders and people of the country have started to raise their voice against the immigration and different policies have started to be proposed during this time. These policies have been put forward by several groups of people who have argued that the level of safety of resources and lives of general people of the country to a great extent if these policies are implemented. In these reformatory policies mainly specifies groups or factions were targeted. These groups have been constructed including, mainly, immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and people of other middle-east countries. Mainly people who belong to the Muslim religion have been included in this group. â€Å"The House of Representatives preempted anticipated Senate action in late 2005 by passing an extreme enforcement measure (H.R. 4437) sponsored by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI). That bill, which would have felonized the undocumented population and many who interact with them, triggered an enormous backlash

The Impact of Postmodernism on Science Essay Example for Free

The Impact of Postmodernism on Science Essay Postmodernism has completely changed our vision of science. Against traditional beliefs, science is no longer based on rationality, but turns out to be a complex structure of subjective hypotheses, assumptions, and theses. Postmodernism has separated scientific beliefs from reason, and has significantly narrowed the scope of scientific ideas, which can only be used within limited cultural paradigms. The Impact of Postmodernism on Science Introduction With the rise of postmodern thought, science has ceased to be the source of rationality and reason in their traditional sense. Against our beliefs into the rationality and objectivity of science, postmodernism has changed this image, making science irrational, subjective, and almost mystic (Schick, 1999). The modern speed of technological advancement has created a completely new area of scientific discoveries, where ideas replace each other with the speed of light. However, while scientists are occupied with the need to cure humanity of cancer and AIDS, we are gradually losing the sense of rationality that was so characteristic of science in previous decades. Science has ceased to be rational, and this is the direct result of postmodernism’s impact on our scientific beliefs. From the viewpoint of postmodernism, we no longer believe in science as the source of universal and objective truths; rather, â€Å"science arrives at its truths in response to social forces both within and without the scientific community. Their periodic shifts in outlook come as a result of irrational conversions on the part of influential scientific leaders† (Grenz, 1996). Moreover, we no longer view science as rational: to be more exact, science is rational to the extent that is applicable within a given cultural paradigm (Appignanesi, 2002). Ultimately, postmodernism implies that scientific ideas and hypotheses cannot be objective, and vary from culture to culture; as a result, different cultural groups hold to different beliefs in regard to similar events and phenomena (e. g. we still lack unanimous agreement as for the origin of species and are torn between Christian beliefs and Darwin’s assumptions about the logic of evolution). Conclusion Postmodernism has completely changed our vision of science. Against traditional beliefs, science is no longer based on rationality, but turns out to be a complex structure of subjective hypotheses, assumptions, and theses. Postmodernism has separated scientific beliefs from reason, and has significantly narrowed the scope of scientific ideas, which can only be used within limited cultural paradigms. References Appignanesi, R. (2002). Postmodernism and big science. Totem Books. Grenz, S. J. (1996). A Primer on Postmodernism. Eerdman Publishing Company Schick, T. (1999). Readings in the philosophy of science: from positivism to postmodernism. McGraw-Hill Humanities.

Economic Value Added And Shareholder Value Added Accounting Essay

Economic Value Added And Shareholder Value Added Accounting Essay Agrawal (2007) defines shareholder value added (SVA) as the term used for the difference between the wealth held by the shareholders at the end of a given year and the wealth they held the previous year. In other words, SVA is the estimated future cash flows that are discounted to present value to calculate the value of the firm continuously. Measuring the current performance is based on comparing these cash flow estimates and periods real cash flow (Rappaport, 1986). Therefore, SVA represents the economic profits generated by a business above the minimum return required by all providers of capital. Value term is added when the overall net economic cash flow of the business exceeds the economic cost of all the capital employed to produce the operating profit. Hence, SVA integrates financial statements of the business (profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow) into one meaningful measure. Economic Value Added (EVA) is best explained by Drucker (1998) as, EVA is based upon something we have known for a long time: What we call profits, the money left to service equity, is usually not profit at all. Until a business returns a profit that is greater than its cost of capital, it operates at a loss. In other words, EVA is a measure that tells what has happened to the wealth of shareholders. Accordingly, earning a return greater than the cost of capital increases value of a company, and earning less destroys the value. EVA is calculated as the excess of net operating profit over the cost of capital including cost of equity. EVA is the mostly encountered index of measuring economic profit. It is an index of measuring internal and external performance of companies being introduced by Stern Steward American consulting firm. EVA index is relevant in quantifying the capacity of a company of creating value for capital suppliers; capital cost represents the index of the average efficiency expected by investors under similar risk circumstances. Return on Capital Employed There are many definitions for the return on capital employed (ROCE), but the widely-used definition, as evidenced by the fact that it is the standard measure produced by DATASTREAM and Standard Poors Compustat Service is ROCE equals to EBIT over capital employed. It is measured by comparing the profits made by the firm with the capital used in making the profit and set as a percentage or fraction. Hence, ROCE measures the efficiency of management in the application or use of the organizations funds or resources in a given financial period Value Based Management According to Coca-Colas A Guide to Implementing Value-Based Management, 1997, VBM is defined as a set of principles that allows us to manage value at all levels of our business. Value creation becomes not just our companys mission, it becomes the philosophy we work with daily. It becomes the framework for everything we do. VBM measures are generally based on comparison between (a) corporate market value corporate accounting book value and/or (b) on the residual income measure. VBM provides an integrated management strategy and financial control system designed to mitigate agency conflicts and increase shareholder value. VBM systems attempt to accomplish this goal by providing managers with a set of decision-making tools (metrics) that can identify which alternatives create or destroy value, and often by linking compensation and promotions to shareholder value. VBM provide a mechanism for linking managers decisions to firm performance outcomes that create shareholder value and provide a means to further align shareholder and managerial interests. Blue Ocean Strategy Blue ocean strategy (BOS) is a set of ideas encompassing tools and methodologies to help companies gain a competitive edge by creating uncontested market space or Blue Oceans. It is based on the view that market boundaries and industry structure are not given and can be reconstructed by the actions and beliefs of industry players. W. Chan Kim and Rene Mauborgne, called this as the reconstructionist view. Blue ocean strategies reconstruct market boundaries, thereby freeing companies from head-to-head competition and instead opening new market space to achieve a leap in value for both buyers and for themselves. Identifying a potentially successful strategic move does not require any special capacities, vision or foresight about the future. All new insights come through looking at familiar data from a new perspective. Blue ocean strategy integrates the range of a firms functional and operational activities. In this sense, blue ocean strategy is more than innovation. It is about strategy that embraces the entire system of a companys activities. METHODOLOGIES Shareholder Value Added The SVA methodology is an approach to assist management in the decision making process. Its applications include performance monitoring, capital budgeting, output pricing and market valuation of the entity. SVA = (Present value of cash flow from operations during the forecast period + residual value + marketable securities) Debt. The net of the present value of cash flow and the opportunity cost associated with the firms capital is a measure of the surplus or additional value provided to the shareholders as a result of the firms activities. This formula is expressed in dollar terms for a period Economic Value Added The EVA methodology can be applied to create wealth for the owners of businesses from all levels or size of the firms. It is a performance measurement which directly links strategy to value and is therefore the key to wealth creation. EVA = Net Operating Profit after Taxes (NOPAT) (Capital*WACC) NOPAT is an operating performance measure after taking account of taxation, but before any financing costs. Interest is totally excluded from NOPAT as it appears implicitly in the capital charge. Capital costs include both the cost of debt finance and the cost of equity finance. The cost of these sources of finance is reflected by the return required by the funds provider. This capital cost is referred to as the Weighted Average Cost of Capital Economic Value Added will increase if: New capital is invested and it earns more than the cost of capital. Capital is divested from the business if it does not cover the cost of capital. NOPAT increases without increasing the capital employed. Return on Capital Employed The ROCE methodology indicates how well the management has used the investment made by owners and creditors into the business. It is commonly used as a basis for various managerial decisions. ROCE = EBIT/ (Total Assets Current Liabilities) The ROCE ratio can be found for a number of years so as to find a trend as to whether the profitability of the company is improving or otherwise. Value Based Management VBM methodology provides an integrated framework for making strategic and operating decisions. By aligning internal business processes, strategies, and corporate governance and investor communications, VBM provide a common discipline, a consistent culture, and a singular focus on value for all business activities. There are many ways to measure and implement VBM in the business. Four approaches have been widely used in practice. One is fundamental value analysis (FVA). Two is returns to shareholder (RTS). Three is economic profit. Four is the relationship between the market value of the firms financial instruments and the book value of the firms operating assets (MVA, the q- ratio, and the market-to-book ratio). Planning and control analyses of the structure of income, costs, and investments are also employed in implementing the four approaches. In implementation, each approach to value based management (VBM) starts with strategic planning processes, ties performance to incentive compensation, requires top management involvement, as well as information and training programs for employees. The four approaches to VBM also take into account other stakeholders such as employees, consumers and community. VBM must also evaluate changing economic, cultural, and political environments. The strategic planning process analyzes long term trends, cyclical economic changes, competitive forces, and effective development of managerial capabilities and other resources. Blue Ocean Strategy To create a blue ocean market, there are several frameworks and tools to be applied in the business. First approach is the strategy canvas which is both a diagnostic and an action framework for building a compelling blue ocean strategy. It serves two purposes. First, it captures the current state of play in the known market space. This allows managers to understand where the competition is currently investing; the factors the industry currently competes on in products, service, and delivery; and what customers receive from the existing competitive offerings on the market. Second approach is the Four Actions Framework which is the value innovation analysis. This approach asks four key questions to challenge an industrys strategic logic and business model. The first question forces a company to consider eliminating factors that company in an industry have long competed on. The second question forces a company to determine whether products or services have been over-designed in the race to match and beat the competition. The third question pushes a company to uncover and eliminate the compromises an industry forces customer to make. The fourth question helps a company to discover entirely new sources of value for buyers and to create new demand and shift the strategic pricing of the industry. All the four questions allow a company to systematically explore how it can reconstruct buyer value elements across alternative industries to offer buyers an entirely new experience, while simultaneously keeping its cost structure low. Third approach is the Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create Grid. The grid pushes companies not only to ask all four questions in the four actions framework but also to act on all four to create a new value curve. By driving companies to fill in the grid with the actions of eliminating and reducing as well as raising and creating, the grid gives companies four immediate benefits; it pushes them to simultaneously pursue differentiation and low costs to break the value/cost trade-off, immediately flags companies that are focused only on raising and creating and thereby lifting their cost structure and often over-engineering products and service, is easily understood by managers at any level, creating a high level of engagement in its application and because completing the grid is a challenging task, it drives companies to robustly scrutinize every factor the industry competes on, making them discover the range of implicit assumptions they make unconsciously in competing. APPLICATIONS AND PRACTICES BY CORPORATE ENTITIES Shareholder Value Added The use of SVA gives an insight into the investment performance of the business by clearly identifying the opportunity cost of the investment, being the cost of capital, and comparing this to the return generated from the business. SVA can be applied to all the segments within a firm. Accordingly, it is primarily used by managers to evaluate the performance of divisions or branches. Practices AFS Consulting (2004) did a research on SVA performance with the Malaysian Banking Industry. The result shows that Maybank Berhad (MBB) and Hong Leong Bank Berhad (HLBB) emerge as banking institutions that create the best shareholder wealth or value among the local banks. While MBB and HLBB have enormous potential to be the leading domestic bank competing with foreign banks, both banks are still lagging behind in shareholder value creation compared to the incumbent foreign banks, which operate in a highly restrictive and controlled environment. Economic Value Added EVA can be used for the purposes like setting the organizational goals, performance measurement, determining bonuses, communication with shareholders and investors, motivation of managers, capital budgeting, corporate valuation and analyzing equity securities. Practices The study done by Issham Ismail on the performance of GLCs (Government-Linked Companies) and non-GLCs in Malaysia using EVA found that the outcomes of the study indicate a negative relationship between the size of the companies and the EVA values. The larger companies tend to have lower EVA values. In Malaysia, the GLCs are generally larger in size as compared to non-GLCS. Therefore, companies with government as their stakeholders tend to exhibit lower EVA scores than the companies without government stakeholders. It is believed that the Malaysian government prefers investing in public amenities companies to protect public interest, evidenced by their active role in Telekom, POS and TNB. These types of companies do not have higher value than their competitors, where the competitors are usually profit-oriented organization. This outcome further emphasizes that companies that have both the characteristics, large sized and government-linked, tend to have lower EVA values. It also leads to findings that an expansion of size government holding companies tends to increase the cost of capital in greater proportion to the any returns it generates. Return on Capital Employed ROCE is used to prove the value the business gains from its assets and liabilities, a business which owns lots of land but has little profit will have a smaller ROCE to a business which owns little land but makes the same profit. It basically can be used to show how much a business is gaining for its assets, or how much it is losing for its liabilities. Practices Norman Kahl and Jawad Shaikh (2003) analyzed ROCE trends over time for twelve major telecommunication service providers. The sample size represents nearly two-thirds of the US and nearly three-quarters of the Western European telecom services market. The result shows a significant regional difference exist, with ROCE at around 9% in the US and -8% in Europe. The negative European ROCE can only partially be explained by the enormous write-offs made in 2001 and 2002. Other finding is that past and present initiatives of the industry have mainly focused on revenue generation and operational efficiency; but less focus on asset utilization. This shows that by consistently leveraging all three drivers of ROCE (revenue generation, operational efficiency, and asset management), companies are able to get back on track and may even gain a sustainable leap versus their competitors. Value Based Management VBM emphasizes long-term cash flows analysis and risk analysis in all aspects of managerial decision making, such as evaluating individual projects and determining the economic value of the overall strategy of the business. The VBM approach is ultimately aimed at the goal of structuring and managing a company in a way that will create more value for its owners. Bromwich (1998) observes the need for measuring tools, applicable to different organizational levels, such as corporate and business unit level, while Ottoson and Weissenrieder (1996) emphasize the need for measurement systems that can be used for internal and external communication. Practices Harley E. Ryan, Jr. and Emery A. Trahan (2007) examine the performance of 84 firms that adopt value-based management (VBM) systems during the period 1984-1997. The result shows that the typical firm significantly improves residual income after adopting VBM. This improvement persists for the five post adoption years studied. They also found a negative relation between tying compensation to VBM and post-adoption performance. Furthermore, firms reduce capital expenditures following VBM adoption, but that the reductions in spending do not differ based on the firms growth opportunities. Overall, the evidence suggests that VBM improves economic performance and the efficient use of capital. Blue Ocean Strategy The frameworks and tools introduced by Kim and Renee (2006) are essential analytics that can be applied to allow companies to break from the competition and open up blue oceans of uncontested market space. Practices According to The Star Online dated July 16, 2007 titled Blue Ocean Strategy for Corporate Malaysia, Harvard Business School Professor D. Quinn Mills, states that there were many companies worldwide that are adopting BOS either knowingly or unknowingly. In addition, companies that know how to apply BOS to access a bigger market would reap significant benefits in terms of earnings. On questions regarding the Malaysian companies adopting BOS, he said: We believe the strategy is still fairly new to local companies. However, it is likely that many CEOs are aware of BOS but have yet to fully understand and apply the strategy to their companies. He also cited Air Asia as an example of a successful company that had identified a Blue Ocean and created a business model to capture and untapped and un-served market in the travel industry. Mills also said BOS was especially important for a country like Malaysia with a small population and market.

Freshwater Mussels Essay -- Marine Life Mollusks Conservation Essays

Freshwater Mussels Mussels are a species of marine life that inhabits many of the bodies of water in the United States. They serve as an important aspect of the ecological system of the water in which they occupy. However, the number of mussels have been declining such that many are now considered as endangered species. There are a few reasons for the decline in population, including domination by a single species of mussels called the zebra mussel. Conservation has begun on mussels because of their strong environmental influence. The two groups interested in mussels involve parties that use the lakes for recreation and consider mussels as a threat to their gaming as well as ecologists that understand the domination of zebra mussels and attempt to protect the native mussels from the zebra mussels. Mussels are in a group of invertebrate animals called mollusks. Freshwater mussels are also referred to as clams, naiads, and unionids. Mussels spend its life anchored in rivers or lake bottom sediments. The vast majority of them are found in streams. Their movement is through either muscular feet or powerful flood currents. A mussel captures oxygen and microscopic food particles in flowing water through filtration (Vermont's Freshwater WWW). Mussels continuously pump water through their bodies. Water enters through the incurrent or branchial siphon and exits via the excurrent or anal siphon (Mussel Biology WWW). This pumping process allows the mussel to filter food from the water. The food consists of detritus, organic matter found on the stream, and plankton which are microscopic plants and animals suspended in water (Mussel Biology WWW). Mussels are long lived species with some living more than 10 years. Others have been record... ...reissena polymorpha. NAS. Prepared by the Florida Caribbean Science Center of the Biological Resources Division: http://www.nfrcg.gov/zebra.mussel/docs/sp_account.html#HDR2. Mussel Biology. http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cwe/wwwtest/mussel/Pages/introduction.html Vermont's Freshwater Mussels Uniqueness and Diversity, Now Under Siege. The Nature Conservancy of Vermont. http://tnc.org/searchtnc.html (second listing under search for mollusk). West Coast Mollusc Culture: A present and future perspective proceedings of a California Sea Grant Workshop in cooperation with the Pacific Sea Grant College Program. edited by Rosemary Amidei. La Jolla, CA California Sea Grant College Program, Institute of Maine Resources, University of California 1988: 87 pages. Zebra Mussel: Dreissena polymorpha. http://tnc.org/searchtnc.html (first listing under search for mollusk).

For Your World :: essays research papers

For Your World A story consists of many small parts. When these parts are put together they create a piece of literature that conveys a message. This message can be about almost anything. Literature can tell a story about happiness or an experience of love. It all depends on what pieces and how they are placed together which makes a story. Anton Chekhov has written a wonderfully pieced together short story titled â€Å"Misery†. The elements which allow me to understand â€Å"Misery† are narrator point of view, setting, character, and theme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Setting is the only other device, besides the title, which can set a mood for the story before any characters are introduced. When you place any character in a setting, that setting reflects onto the character. â€Å"Iona Potapov, the sledge driver, is all white like a ghost†¦ His little mare is white and motionless too†¦She is probably lost in thought. Anyone who has been torn away from the plough, from the familiar gray landscapes and cast into this slough, full of monstrous lights, of unceasing uproar and hurrying people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (69); this quote allows for the reader to build a picture of the scenery. No one would want to have to sit on a sledge for many hours and be covered in snow waiting for someone to come by. The words used to describe Iona’s setting are very carefully picked to create this powerful imagery at the beginning of the story. The city is described as a slough. Slough is defined as a state of deep despair or moral degrada tion. With this deep pit of despair called a town, â€Å"monstrous lights† and â€Å"unceasing uproar† continue all round these two characters. With this as the opening paragraph the story has already started an emotion or feeling inside the readers mind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How a story is told can alter the meaning of the story. Finding the right combination of who tells the story if very difficult. When the right order of voices are found it makes the story come alive. It allows for the imagery of the person’s actions and the characters thoughts to be read at the same time. â€Å"Misery† has found this great combination.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Narrators are used show or place a given mood in the story. â€Å"It is a long time since Iona has budged. They came out of the yard before dinner-time and not a single fare yet.† (69) At the start of the story the narrator has started the emotion of sympathy for the main character.

Being a teenager Essay

Being a teenager is one of the toughest and most memorial things that one goes through in life. A teenager goes through many happy times and many depressing times. Stress, depression, and peer pressure, are some negative things that a teenager goes through in life. Friends and dating are joyful times that teenagers face in the adolescent years in today’s time. Tension, stress and depression affects everyone at one time or another in their life. A death in the family, arguing with and losing a friend, being bullied or teased, peer pressure to wear certain types of clothing or hairs, try tobacco, alcohol or drugs, are all factors that can create stress, and may cause uncertainty and depression. There are many causes of stress such as lack of affection and tension from parents, loneliness and low self esteem. Low self-esteem can be a major problem for teens because of the importance placed on looks and achievement in our society today. According to Patricia Shapiro in A Parents’ Guide to Childhood and Adolescent Depression (1994) â€Å"three to six million children under the age of 18 may suffer from clinical depression. Thousands of others probably experience less serious bouts of stress and depression although most such cases go untreated and unreported.   â€Å"Large amounts of homework or overdue assignments can be overwhelming. School can be very stressful because you may feel rejected by peers or criticized and embarrassed by teachers.   A healthy part of every child’s development is involvement with their peers. This is especially true during adolescence as teenagers develop a sense of independence from their parents. Members of the peer group often dress alike. They talk about similar things, like the same music, laugh at the same jokes and share secrets. Adolescents spend much of their time away from home, whether at school, social events, or the homes of their friends.