Why I Was Qualified For The Position - 855 Words

Prior to this assignment I have always been preoccupied with concerns over what variety of technical questions I was going to asked. In my mind the entire purpose of the interview was to determine whether I was qualified for the position. I have come to understand that an interview is a two way discussion. When it comes time for the position and salary negotiations the steps I used to prepare are the same I would use to enter an agreement on the sale of a product or service; the difference here is that I am the product. To get started on my portion of the negotiation I listed out my best possible scenario was. For me I was looking to get $50,000, late starts, 3 weeks of vacation time, and the woman of my dreams. Understanding this was the least likely of all scenarios I then created a list of the worst possible outcome. While it may seem that the obvious worst outcome would be no offer in preparing I realized that this was not a good metric to use in my negotiation.To determine what I wanted I decided that experience was worth more than money, but that I requred vacation time, and insurance. Going into the negotiation I decided that any range between $27,000-$40,000 would be acceptable because experience at this point was the most valuable. Part of negotiation is trying to understand what the other party is looking for. In this case I can understand that the organization is looking for the highest quality candidate, at a fair wage, and to have them be up to speed in theShow MoreRelatedA Case Study 7.2 Karla, African American Salesperson And Case Study Study 7.3 Karla1097 Words   |  5 PagesIdentify surface problems, Step 2: Ask Why-Why to get root problem, Step 3: Generate solutions, and Step 4: Take action or make recommendations. Provide solid support for those recommendations. The Case Study 7.2 Karla, African American Salesperson Step 1: Identify surface problems The treatment of Karla by her coworkers is the main surface problem because she seemed to be avoided by her coworkers who do not invite her to social gatherings after work. I assume that she is not treated as a â€Å"socialRead MoreAffirmative Action On The Workplace1422 Words   |  6 Pagesemployees. Affirmative action was designed to eliminate any discrimination among qualified employees that were competing for a job. However, in recent years it has backfired and created an entirely new discrimination. This problem arises when companies are told to meet a certain quota for each different race and gender no matter what the circumstances. Now do we as future managers want to be hiring under qualified employees for the sake of meeting a quota? Most people I think would agree with me andRead MoreBusiness Ethics 301 Essay927 Words   |  4 Pagesbetter qualified candidates who are not disabled veterans? Course Number: Ethics 301 Normally, when I have written papers in the past I have read the question asked of the professor and roll around the question in my head. I usually respond to the question with a â€Å"short answer†, which would be â€Å"no† or â€Å"long answer† which is â€Å"yes†, and then research the question further. I have done so with this question as well. My short answer is â€Å"no†. Why would a companyRead MoreThe Human Resources Staff Should Be Legal902 Words   |  4 Pagesbe solely based on who is the best candidate for the job. The human resources staff should look for the most qualified person that will be the best fit for the organization. The human resources staff should not be seeking to fill roles based on the color of a person’s skin, their sex, or religious culture. Any job opening should be given to the person that is more deserving of the position. Hiring people to work within the federal government is a complicated process. The system is set up to makeRead MoreThe Impact Of Diversity On The Workplace886 Words   |  4 Pagescompany and hiring a position of power, however, I do not believe that diversity should be the main hiring factor. I believe the most qualified individual should get the job, regardless to if the company has met its diversity quota. I do believe that organizations and businesses should have quotas to meet in terms of how many women they employ. I think it is important that companies are not discriminatory in their hiring practices due to the gender of the applicant. Qualified applicants should beRead MoreWinn versus Trans World Airlines782 Words   |  3 Pagesinto the hiring process for businesses, but one factor should not be discrimination. I believe that if you are best qualified for the job then it should be yours. I know if it was my company I would want the most qualified person working for me. With me being in the military it makes it hard to argue these points because we need to be diverse. My friend was up for promotion to Sergeant First Class last year; it was his first time getting looked at for Sergeant First Class. He had done everythingRead MoreJohnson V. Transportation Agency, Santa Clara County Essay608 Words   |  3 PagesTransportation Agency, Santa Clara County 1. What was the legal issue in this case? What did the Supreme Court decide? Why? The issue being considered was if the Transportation Agency violated the Civil Rights of Johnson (a male employee) by selecting Joyce (a female employee) for a promotion when gender was a contributing factor in the selection process. The review board recommended Johnson for the position but Joyce was awarded the position by the selecting official as part of a documentedRead MoreAffirmative Action And Discrimination Against Women And Minority Groups1386 Words   |  6 Pagesemployment. Especially, in employment more qualified women applicants are hired solely in the fact that they are members of a minority group. The Women’s Movement has fought for the equality of women and I intend to show that affirmative action in today’s society. Affirmative action was first put into use during the 1960s under John F. Kennedy. The Civil Rights movement of 1964 emphasized the program. During that era discrimination among minorities and women was extremely high and there were many ba rriersRead MoreAn Interview Questions On Career Development859 Words   |  4 PagesResume I am seeking my Master’s degree in Management and for this assignment; I conducted the job search using Indeed Job Search (IJS) in CSU-Global (2015) Student Career Center; IJS job search required two information: â€Å"What† position and â€Å"Where†; the industrial key word I used is â€Å"Office Manager† and location â€Å"Denver Colorado.† I found an Office Manager Position with the National Assistance Corporation of America (NACA). I read the positions description and found I qualified for this position. NACARead MoreA reflection of Human Resource Management1366 Words   |  6 Pagesachieve and ensure the best fit between employees and position that needs to be filled while maintaining the sanctity of the organization. Human Resource planning process allows the achievement of an organization’s strategic objective by enhancing the ability of the organization by ensuring the company has the best qualified employees, and having those emp loyees equipped with all the necessary tools to fulfill their jobs accordingly. I know the company I work for, at the end of the yard when we sit down

Motivation in Hospitality Free Essays

E XECUTIVE WHITE PA P E R A new study on employee motivation and performance lays the groundwork for creation of the SITE Foundation Motivation Index . MOTIVATION In The Hospitality Industry Introduction About the Research The CANE Model Implications for Employers About the Researchers Where to Get the Study INTRODUCTION E mployee turnover within the U. S. We will write a custom essay sample on Motivation in Hospitality or any similar topic only for you Order Now fast-food and hotel industries costs those industries in the neighborhood of $140 billion annually. In more bite-sized terms, it will cost roughly 100% to 200% of an employee’s base salar y to recruit and train a replacement. Although the turnover rate for these ndustries hovers between 78. 3 percent and 95. 4 percent on a national basis, some fast-food restaurants and hotels experience much lower rates, and have significantly greater success retaining employees. Overall, higher levels of motivation and motivated performance translate into a 53 percent reduction in worker turnover. It is generally understood that employment in these industries is often considered to be temporar y, or stop-gap employment, with workers leaving eventually for what they will consider â€Å"greener pastures. † And certainly, different economics are at work depending on the region, the type of establishment, etc. However, turnover rates also vary within the same economies, the same chains, the same cities, and the same regions. All things being equal, then, what accounts for the differences in turnover rates? And more importantly, what can managers do to reduce turnover at their properties? The Site Foundation is seeking to answer those questions by studying employee motivation and performance in the fast- food and hotel industries. The study – Motivation in the Hospitality Industry – measures key indices of motivated behavior using the widely recognized CANE (Commitment And Necessary Effort) Model of Motivation. The following describes key findings from research to date and offers methods managers can use to reduce turnover in their fast-food or hotel operations. About The Research Hotel and fast-food employees from twenty-two job sites located in the Orlando, Florida area were surveyed in October Published by: T he SITE Foundation Copyright 2004. All Rights Reser ved. This paper is an edited version of a full report by the same name written by Steven J. Condly, Ph. D. , Educational Studies Dept. , College of Education, University of Central Florida, and Robin DiPietro, Ph. D. , Rosen School of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida. EXECUTIVE WHITE PA P E R Employment in these industries is often considered to be temporary, or stop-gap employment, with workers leaving eventually. 2003. All told, 545 responses were received. Mid-scale hotels contributed 14. 9 percent of the responses; fast-food restaurants contributed 85. 1 percent. A follow-up phase conducted in February 2004 surveyed the same job sites. The survey instrument was modeled after the CANE Model (Richard Clark, 1998). The CANE Model helps us to understand the various aspects of why people are motivated to perform a specific task. The CANE Model The following chart illustrates the dynamics at work in the CANE Model. It is followed by an explanation of the ten predictor variables and questions in which the employee might express the effect of the variable on his or her behavior. (Commitment And Necessary Effort) Perceptions of Capability Self-Efficacy Agency Self-Efficacy 2 Effort Affect x Emotion Mood Task Value x Goal Commitment Importance Interest Utility Choice Persistence IMPLICATIONS FOR EMPLOYERS Simply put, the study demonstrates that certain behaviors have various impacts on turnover in various ways, and these differences suggest strategies employers ight use to reduce turnover. These include: T urnover is less when employees have a high level of value for their work. These employees persist more than colleagues who report low levels of value. Employers can help employees value their work through consistent praise, recognition, and special incentives. T urnover is less at work sites where employees feel supported by the organization. Organizations can increase the level of support their employees feel by listening more, understanding employee issues, and taking action accordingly. Employees who feel better about their jobs persist more, exert more ffort, and are less likely to leave. EXECUTIVE WHITE PA P E R THE CANE MODEL Ten predictor variables identified by the CANE Model guided the investigation of the hospitality industry. These included: self-efficacy, agency, emotion, mood, importance, interest, utility, choice, persistence, and effort. Self-Efficacy The belief that one can organize and execute courses of action to obtain desired goals (Bandura, 1997). Can I Do This? Do I Have What It Takes? Agency The belief that you will be supported in doing a task or allowed to perform the task in accordance with your goals. W ill I Be Permitted To Do This and Be Supported? Can I Do This Under These Circumstances/Conditions? Emotion Negative emotions produce avoidance behaviors (tardiness, inattentiveness, job abandonment); positive emotions energize (choosing a task, staying longer on a task, etc. ) How Do I Feel About This Task Or Job? Mood Moods bias people’s thoughts, not their actions. How Am I Feeling In General? Importance People tend to commit to tasks when they identify with the task. Is This Task â€Å"Me†? Interest People can commit themselves to tasks even when the only thing they get out of it is pleasure from doing the task. Do I Like This? Utility Willingness to perform A to secure B. Task utility is often the most powerful motivator. If the answer to the question at the right is â€Å"nothing,† people are unlikely to commit to the task. What’s In It For Me? Choice Buy-in or the first step. This is that actual goal that people have selected; it differs from intention in that it involves some sort of action or response and not mere thought or words (Kuhl, 1986). Do I Agree With This? Persistence Continued choice in the face of obstacles. When people persist, they generally succeed. Can I Continue To Do This? Effort An energy-based behavior involving actual thinking rather than rote performance. When people exert effort, they increase the likelihood of succeeding in a task. Is It Worth The Effort? Older employees tend to be more motivated, persistent, exert a greater effort, and are less likely to leave in the face of difficulties. Salaried employees are more motivated than hourly employees. Women are more likely to say their work is more interesting, more important, and more useful; however, turnover for women is higher than men. When employees feel they cannot perform certain tasks, managers should reduce the size of complexity of the task into smaller â€Å"chunks. † This helps the employee to build self-efficacy. Employees who perceive their work conditions to be unfair and/or unreliable need evidence that the system is there to help them be effective. If negative perceptions are cor rect, management should rectify them. Conclusion: When tasks are being avoided or devalued, a carefully targeted incentive system can solve the problem in both the short- and long-terms. About the Researchers This summary of a SITE study is an edited version of a full report by the same name written by Steven J. Condly, Ph. D. , Educational Studies Dept. , College of Education, University of Central Florida, and Robin DiPietro, Ph. D. Rosen School of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida. WHERE TO GET THE STUDY For copies, contact The SITE Foundation: Frank J. Katusak, Executive Director 304 Park Avenue South 11th Floor New York, NY 10010 212-590-2518 f. katusak@sitefoundation. org; www. sitefoundation. org 3 WE’VE COME A LONG WAY SINCE THE CARROT Give Sales Force Motivation the Attention i t Deserves Improve sales representa- Improve team field force per- tive performance an average of formance by up to 45% with a 22% with a carefully designed, properly structured incentive implemented and monitored program incentive program Ninety-two percent of sales Q uota-based incentive pro- representatives surveyed indi- grams are proven to yield the cated they achieved their goals greatest results because of incentive programs Your Program Costs Can Be Based on Results and Payable Upon Success Research Shows Why Certain Incentive Programs Work While Others Don’t Get a free summary of the research, â€Å"Incentives, Motivation and Workplace Performance: Research Best Practices,† conducted by the International Society of Performance Improvement, 2002. Contact Frank Katusak at 212-590-2518 or f. katusak@sitefoundation. org. The complete study is available for $50. How to cite Motivation in Hospitality, Papers

Association Between PA And BMI On Teenagers †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Association Between PA And BMI On Teenagers. Answer: Introduction According to a study there has been an increase in obesity and overweight people in developed countries of the world (1). The increase in obesity is related to hypertension, diabetes, increase in depression, decrease in the quality of life as well as decrease in self-esteem of the people. Physical activity has been found to be an effective mechanism in weight control strategies. Besides decreasing the weight of the practitioner, physical activity has also been found to be effective in controlling type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some forms of cancer. Studies suggest that high BMI contributes to the majority of the diseases in Australia (2). Higher levels of BMI has been found to be related to numerous diseases. A higher or lower level of BMI reflects disproportionate use of energy intake and expenditure. Longitudinal studies have found that women who carry out regular physical activity have a healthy BMI. Besides there is also a decrease in obesity of the women who maintain regular physical activity. The study suggested that 150 to 300 minutes of regular moderate intensity physical activity to obtain most advantageous health benefits. Research Question Is there any association between Physical Activity and BMI of teenagers? Statement of the Problem The study is to explore the effect of varied physical activities like swim freestyle for 30 min and run outdoor for 1km on the BMI of a teenager. Objective of the study To determine the effect of Physical Activity on the BMI of a teenager. Operational Definition Teenage : of or relating to the time in a person's life between the ages of 13 and 19 inclusive. https://www.thefreedictionary.com/teenage Physical Activity : According to WHO the cardio respiratory fitness of a person depends on the level of physical activity of the person (3). A person can achieve a higher level of physical fitness with exercise. Moreover, the muscular strength of an individual increases with levels of physical activity. The benefits of physical activity are less adiposity and increased bone mineral density. Physical inactivity has been found to be fourth major cause for mortality. WHO recommends 300 minutes of moderate or 150 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise. Aerobic exercises have been found to be the best form of physical activity. Physical activity performed more than 3 times in a week strengthens muscles and bones. It has also been found that regular physical activity is helpful in the prevention of Non-communicable diseases. BMI : The BMI of a person is the ratio of weight in kilograms to the square of the height in meters (4). It is generally used as a measure of the obesity of a body. The higher the BMI the more obese a person is. Thus it can be assumed that a person with high BMI is physically inactive. Methods For the present study teenage adults were selected from the islands. Non random sampling procedure was selected for the study. Teenagers who regularly run for 1km or swim freestyle for 30 minutes regularly were selected as part of the study. Teenagers who were willing to participate in the study were approached to be a part of the study. The age group of interest were teenagers of the township. The residents of the town were reached through online surveys. A minimum sample of 40 was taken as ideal. The teenagers were divided into two groups. One of the groups had those teenagers who regularly run for 1km. The other group contained teenagers who regularly swim for 30 minutes. The height and weight of the teenagers were taken. Thus the BMI of the teenagers were calculated. The variables and their measure: Variable Name Type Role Level Codes Measure Name Nominal Explanatory Name Self-Report Age Continuous Explanatory Years Self-Report Gender Nominal Explanatory Male / Female Self-Report Height Continuous Explanatory Meters Self-Report Weight Continuous Explanatory Kg Self-Report Physical Activity Categorical Explanatory Categorical Self-Report BMI Continuous Explanatory Kg/ m2 Calculated Procedure For the present research 5-6 questions were used. The consent of the teenagers was taken to be part of the study. A pilot study was taken to check for the time to be consumed for the cost of the study as well as effectiveness of the study. The age and gender of the participants was taken into consideration. The participants were divided on the basis of the physical activity the teenagers participate in regularly. The height and weight of the teenagers was measured. The BMI of the teenagers was calculated. Sample Size A minimum sample size of 40 from the island was taken as ideal. The teenagers was grouped on the basis of the regular physical activity - Runs Outdoor 1Km or Swim Freestyle for 30mins the teenagers undertake. Hypothesis Null Hypothesis: There is no difference in BMI for teenagers taking different Physical Activity. Alternate Hypothesis: There is difference in BMI for teenagers taking different Physical Activity. Tools of Data A spreadsheet was used to collect the data. The data can be grouped into basically two broad divisions Socio demographic profile of the teenagers Name, Age, Gender and House Number of the participants. Variables Height, Weight and Physical Activity. Data Collection The data was collected from the island. Ethical considerations The teenagers were required to provide written consent for the participation in the research. Results: Descriptive Statistics For the present research two different physical activities was considered. The physical activities being considered were Runs Outdoor 1Km and Swim Freestyle for 30mins. Analysis of the data showed that there were 20 teenagers who run outdoor 1 km regularly while there were 29 teenagers who swim for 30 minutes regularly. The average BMI of Swimmers (22.22 kg/m2) was higher than those of runners (20.74kg/m2). The standard deviation in the BMI of swimmers (2.65 kg/m2) was found to be higher than those of swimmers (3.06 kg/m2). The minimum BMI was lower for swimmers (15.33 kg/m2) as compared to those of Runners (16.65 kg/m2). The maximum BMI was lower for runners (27.68 kg/m2) as compared to those of swimmers (27.79 kg/m2). Moreover, the BMI of 50% of those who run for 1km outdoor was less than 20.11 kg/m2. In addition, the BMI of 50% of swim freestyle for 30 mins was less than 22.42 kg/m2. Further the analysis of the data shows those who run for 1km outdoor their BMI are skewed right. On the other the teenagers who swim freestyle for 30 mins the BMI is normally distributed, although there are some teenagers whose BMI is either very high or very low. From the hypothesis it is seen that the t-value (47) = -1.800, p-value = 0.078. Since the p-value is more 0.05, level of significance, hence we do not reject the Null Hypothesis. Thus there is no difference in the average BMI of runners (20.74 kg/m2) and swimmers (22.22 kg/m2). Discussion The analysis of the data shows that there is no difference in the BMI of the teenagers doing different physical activity. The results of the study are in conjunction with previous studies done. Various types of Physical activities can be undertaken by teenagers to maintain a active healthy life and reduce BMI. The researched suffered from a number of limitations. The teenagers for the study were selected through the process of non-random sampling. Only those teenagers were selected who either regularly participated in running outdoors for 1Km or swim freestyle for 30mins. References Van Dyck D, Cerin E, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Hinckson E, Reis RS, Davey R, Sarmiento OL, Mitas J, Troelsen J, MacFarlane D, Salvo D. International study of objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time with body mass index and obesity: IPEN adult study. International journal of obesity. 2015 Feb 1;39(2):199-207. Pavey TG, Peeters GG, Gomersall SR, Brown WJ. Long-term effects of physical activity level on changes in healthy body mass index over 12 years in young adult women. InMayo Clinic Proceedings 2016 Jun 30 (Vol. 91, No. 6, pp. 735-744). Elsevier. World Health Organization. Global recommendations on physical activity for health. 2010. Patton KT, Thibodeau GA. Anatomy Physiology-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences; 2014.

The Struggle of School Right-Brain, Wrong-Brain free essay sample

My name is Gabe, and I have struggled in school since the very beginning when I started. I am writing this because I know there is a way to fix this issue, maybe not by the time I graduate, but there is a way. Right now our school system only teaches in a way that 30% of students can learn effectively. The other 70% of the classroom will compromise, struggle, or fail. Is that really how our education should work? I do not think so; I believe everyone should be taught in a way that they can understand. No one should fail due to something they have no control over. 40% of people are right-brained, meaning they learn in a visual and auditory way. Another 40% are left-brained, they tend to be more logical with their thinking and learn with words and facts. The remaining 20% use both sides of their brain equally, so they can accommodate for both learning strategies. We will write a custom essay sample on The Struggle of School: Right-Brain, Wrong-Brain or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page So what if I told you that the struggling 70% could learn and succeed with just a few ideas, would you listen? Go here to find out what brain type you are: http://similarminds.com/brain.html You start off in preschool where you learn social skills and manners, then you go on to kindergarten to expand on those while also adding on basic skills, and adjusting to a school routine. After that, you continue onto elementary school which teaches you core lessons and gets you into a working habit. After elementary school you go forward to middle school, by this time you are expanding on the main subjects while preparing you for high school. High school determines your future, you do well, you get into a good college, you do poorly, your future might not be so bright. During all this time you are going through school learning in a specific teaching method. Most of the time, the teaching method doesnt even fit your type of thinking. People, who are too far from this method, are on a path that only leads to failure. Sadly, I am talking about mostly those who think in the right-brain fashion. I happen to be one of those kids on this very path, the path that has a hard future made up of the unsuccessful. It’s not my fault either, I am a good kid. I am a Boy Scout, I am part of a Christian youth group called Younglife and I have never touched drugs or alcohol in my life. I never asked to have my type of thinking pattern, but I can’t change it either. The United States education system leans more toward a left-brained way of thinking, meaning there are a lot of essays, note taking and reading. These are all great things to learn and know for the future and in certain areas, but not every class is an English class. Sometimes there are other ways to go about a topic, maybe not all but definitely some. My way of thinking is very visual, I require videos, pictures, hands-on projects and auditory things to learn. For instance, in History class I am given a text book to read and take notes to learn the subject, but in History class the same topic could be shown in a video with a speaker and visuals to explain the exact same things that were in the book. I would get more out of the video just by watching it once, rather than if I read that same topic in the book ten times over again while taking notes. It’s just how my brain works, it doesnt make me stupid compared to the average left-brained thinker and it doesnt make me smarter. In English class, yes taking notes, writing essays and reading books are great, but that is because that is how English is taught. Which I realize that most right-brained kids don’t even want to read this and might not read this just because of the massive word content, but that is just how we think. With our education, I am taught in a way that isnt compatible with my brain. Think of it like phones, where you are trying to get an iPhone to charge using a Galaxy’s charger. You’ll find that it will not charge the phone no matter how many times you stick the charger in the plug. Maybe you can buy an extra part to go on top of the charger that will be able to plug into the phone, but by doing that you lost money and it isnt as efficient as it could be if you just had the right charger in the first place. Different phones need different chargers, just as different people need different education plans, not some replacement help to get us through school and not give us our full potential of learning. To add onto my learning method and how it doesnt work with our school education, I have many, many learning problems. I have enough to fill a book! Yet the worst part about it is, I could have more and not even know it. I was just diagnosed with ADHD this summer! That is RE ALLY late to learn I have a learning issue, a problem that I could have gotten help to allow me to be more successful with school. Have you ever wondered how those kinds of issues are found? Some issues are found early on in life but only if the kid shows major symptoms and a teacher might tell the parents to get the kid tested. Sometimes a parent might just go get the kid tested at a young age to be on the safe side. Which for me, I was lucky to have a parent who noticed early on I struggled in school. My mom had me tested for a couple learning problems, such as memory, dyslexia and ADHD. My tests showed I had an awful working memory, along with short term and long term. Though my brain problems masked my ADHD at that time, so it wasn’t found until recently when my therapist asked me some questions and then I was tested. Most people only learn of their learning problems later in life or never at all. That is just not right for people to find out later in life about a problem that if it got the help it needed, that person could very well have been a better student, got better grades and then been more successful in life. Since the end of my sophomore year, Ive been going to a place called Learning Rx. It is like a second school that works solely to find as many of my brain issues as they can and then start doing â€Å"games† to help my brain fix them. But, it’s not only for kids like me who have mental problems. Anyone can go, it is used to tune and strengthen minds of all ages. Senior citizens can use it to help Alzheimer’s from having such a strong effect. Kids use it to help them in school, and adults use it to keep their mind on its toes. They described the activities as physical therapy for the brain; you train it to make it better. I can’t really describe the type of brain exercise I do there and put them into words, but I’ll do my best. I don’t like to call the work I do there, games, only because they are crazy hard and take a lot of brain power. For me, because my memory is bad I have an exercise where my trainer holds out a card with a certain amou nt of numbers on different areas of the card. There are nine spots on the card for a number to be, three across and three down. There are four numbers on the card each number in a different spot on the card. Let’s say this card has a â€Å"1† in the top row, middle column. An â€Å"8† is in the top row, right column. Then a â€Å"4† is in the middle row, middle column, it’s in the center of the card. Finally, a â€Å"7† is in the bottom, right corner of the card. My trainer will tell me a direction or a pattern to say the numbers; we’ll say an â€Å"S† pattern. I only get to see the card for four seconds, she then flips it over and I have to say the numbers in order on beat of a second per answer. But before I even try to answer the card, my trainer will distract my mind with a question like, â€Å"What did you eat for breakfast?† I would answer and then answer the card. You say the word â€Å"blank† whenever ther e is a spot without a number. So this is what I’d say, â€Å"blank,† then I’d wait one second. â€Å"One,† wait one second to answer again. â€Å"Eight†¦ Blank†¦ Four†¦ Blank†¦ Blank†¦ Blank†¦ Seven.† As easy as that sounds, you’d be wrong to think so. As you get better you are given more numbers, less time to look at the card, and more difficult patterns. When I first went to Learning Rx, I looked around and saw the tests and thought they looked easy and I could do them. I was so, so very wrong. Im lucky to have parents that will spend the money to help train my brain to be better even with my learning problems. Which got me thinking, what if kids were trained like I am at Learning Rx in their early years of school? Their problems would be found, they would be trained to be better even with their problems and they would find out how their learning process works, whether they are left or right-brained or maybe even both. I am going to go back to the phone analogy, imagine a phone that wasn’t made quite right, or developed a glitch. You probably would get it fixed. That way the problem would no longer be an issue and it would work a lot more efficiently compared to before. People are the same way, if your kid had an issue you’d want to find a way around or to fix it and watch them succeed. It doesn’t make your kid any less of a human if they have problems, this may come as a shock, but everyone has problems whether physical, mental or emotional. My mom was telling me how some parents are in denial of their kids having a mental issue because they are afraid their kid will be â€Å"labeled† or teased. They don’t want to put their kid through classed like Special Ed because of this. I hate to break it to those parents, but your kid will be labeled regardless. They will be â€Å"that kid who struggles in school† and will most likely end up in places like study hall or academic workshop. In reality, those are the same exact classes as Special Ed, trust me, I know. I’ve been in Special Ed, Academic Workshop, and Study Hall and they all have a teacher who works to try and help your kid’s needs. You don’t even need mental issues on your student file to get put in those classes. So, their kid is already labeled and in those types of Special Ed classes, whether they accepted the problems or not. Now, as I said, we could fix all of these problems and teach kids in a way they can actually learn , whether left or right-brained, mental issues or no issues. Preschool could work the same, teach social skills and manners. Kindergarten however, while adding onto what preschool taught there would be brain exercises to find the problems and how the kid learns. Even into Elementary school, those same exercises would be carried on. Not only that, but schools could be taught in three sections. For right-brained thinkers, visual learners, a teacher with the same type of thinking would teach the class. The same would go for the left-brained kids, only in a left-brained fashion of teaching. Then, the third group, the both sided brain thinkers would learn in the specific way to help them learn. More kids would succeed, more kids would understand, and more kids would be better prepared for life. Now not all classes would ONLY be for right-brained kids or ONLY be for left-brained, like Art or P.E. and â€Å"elective† classes could be ones they all share. Kind of like how in schools kids have different homeroom teachers, so it’s not like your kids are being separated like it’s a bad thing. Kids already get separated whether it’s different homerooms, or learning levels. Some kinds are in a higher reading class, some are in a less fast pace one, all because that’s the class they need. Right now, I’m not even sure if I am going to make it to college, because I was never taught in a way that could help me. No school treated my needs to help me succeed. I did so badly in my freshmen year of high school, that when I got frustrated and couldnt learn the topics I began to skip class. I mean, why go to class if you’re going to fail no matter what? My sophomore year, I failed English class with a 32% final grade. When I was tested on my reading skills, I averaged in the top 7% percent of my age group. For thirteen years I was well below my age group average, but now I am way beyond it. I had to fix my reading problems on my own, so one day I picked up a book and just began to read, then another, and another, until I was reading almost a book ever two to three days! I obviously am good at reading, I am pretty good at writing, but without the teaching resources, I am going to struggle and maybe even fail.. That scares me, I want to get to college, and I want to get a degree in graphic art to become a video or computer game designer. I want to be successful, but I can’t get there without the help I need. When I went to school I grew up hearing the word stupid as a common word being described for me and how I work. â€Å"Gabe, you’re so stupid,† or, â€Å"Gabe you’re such an idiot.† Both things I heard and still do hear many, many times from other students. The sad part is that because I fail my classes and because I hear things like this, I actually begin to believe it. It wasn’t until just now, as I began to put my thoughts down on the page is where I realized they are wrong, I was wrong. I am NOT stupid! What is stupid, is me failing school because I think a little differently or learn in a way that people can’t help me. My mom would tell me I am smart every time I would get frustrated with school or began to fail another class. My mom would say things like, â€Å"I know you’re smart, if you just did the work you would do better.† Well, that was the motherly advice right? So of course I blew it off. Only now, I realize she wa s right, but the work was also an issue. If I didn’t understand the work in class, I most certainly wouldn’t understand it when I got home. So I blew off the work, failed another class. We are so worried about how the United States is falling behind in education, we are currently ranked 54th in education right now. I see commercials during presidential elections of how they are going to improve education by putting more money into it. Yes, money would help to change it, but maybe we could start fixing it by fixing the education system’s structure more, while we fund it. But, throwing money into an education system that is broken will not fix the issue; you are only making the problem look a little nicer or the problem a little more expensive. So why not give my ideas a try? Help put kids on the paths they deserve to walk on. People are worried that it will cost too much money to fix these issues and to get the resources kids need to learn. When there is never too much money to put into education. The more money we put in, the more we profit in the long run. More people would be successful in life, bringing more money back that can only improve schools more a nd more. It is a circle of benefit, kids learn better, they succeed and then profit to restart the cycle over again. So is this issue going to be fixed? I have no idea. Will people read this and try to stand with me? I have no clue. But if you do, I want you to realize that this is what our education needs. This is what those kids like me, those kids who struggle and need help to put them toward a future of success. I know I’ve said that many times, but I’m tired of failing, watching other kids failing. I am tired of hearing kids call other stupid for things that they can’t control. I am tired of watching kids not being given the tools to help get them to their full potential in life. Maybe you noticed these issues while you were in school, or are noticing it now while you are in school. How do these issues get noticed and fixed? In all honesty, I do not know, but I’m going to start by showing this to parents, posting this online and sending it as a lette r to my city council.

Free Essays on History Of The Black U.S. Soldier

Throughout American history, Afro-Americans have had to decide whether they belonged in the United States or if they should go elsewhere. Slavery no doubtfully had a great impact upon their decisions. However, despite their troubles African Americans have made a grand contribution and a great impact on our armed forces since the Revolutionary War. The Afro-American has fought against its country's wars, and they have also fought the war within their country to gain the right to fight and freedom. America's first war, its war for independence from Great Britain was a great accomplishment. This achievement could not have been performed if not for the black soldiers in the armies. "The first American to shed blood in the revolution that freed America from British rule was Crispus Attucks, a Black seaman." (Mullen 9) Attucks along with four white men were killed in the Boston Massacre of March 5, 1770. Even though Attucks was a fugitive slave running from his master, he was still willing to fight against England along with other whites and give the ultimate sacrifice, his life, for freedom. This wasn't the only incident of Blacks giving it all during the War for Independence. From the first battles of Concord and Lexington in 1775, Black soldiers "took up arms against the mother country." (Mullen 11) Of the many Black men who fought in those battles, the most famous are Peter Salem, Cato Stedman, Cuff Whittemore, Cato Wood, Prince Estabrook, Caesar Ferritt, Samuel Craft, Lemuel Haynes, and Pomp Blackman. One of the most distinguished heroes o the Battle of Bunker Hill was Peter Salem who, according to some sources, fired the shot that killed Major John Pitcairn of the Royal Marines. But Peter Salem wasn't the only Black hero during the Revolutionary War. Another Black man, Salem Poor, also made a hero of himself at Bunker Hill. Because of his bravery at the ... Free Essays on History Of The Black U.S. Soldier Free Essays on History Of The Black U.S. Soldier Throughout American history, Afro-Americans have had to decide whether they belonged in the United States or if they should go elsewhere. Slavery no doubtfully had a great impact upon their decisions. However, despite their troubles African Americans have made a grand contribution and a great impact on our armed forces since the Revolutionary War. The Afro-American has fought against its country's wars, and they have also fought the war within their country to gain the right to fight and freedom. America's first war, its war for independence from Great Britain was a great accomplishment. This achievement could not have been performed if not for the black soldiers in the armies. "The first American to shed blood in the revolution that freed America from British rule was Crispus Attucks, a Black seaman." (Mullen 9) Attucks along with four white men were killed in the Boston Massacre of March 5, 1770. Even though Attucks was a fugitive slave running from his master, he was still willing to fight against England along with other whites and give the ultimate sacrifice, his life, for freedom. This wasn't the only incident of Blacks giving it all during the War for Independence. From the first battles of Concord and Lexington in 1775, Black soldiers "took up arms against the mother country." (Mullen 11) Of the many Black men who fought in those battles, the most famous are Peter Salem, Cato Stedman, Cuff Whittemore, Cato Wood, Prince Estabrook, Caesar Ferritt, Samuel Craft, Lemuel Haynes, and Pomp Blackman. One of the most distinguished heroes o the Battle of Bunker Hill was Peter Salem who, according to some sources, fired the shot that killed Major John Pitcairn of the Royal Marines. But Peter Salem wasn't the only Black hero during the Revolutionary War. Another Black man, Salem Poor, also made a hero of himself at Bunker Hill. Because of his bravery at the ...

Essay Term Paper on Doing Business in China

Essay Term Paper on Doing Business in China Essay Term Paper on Doing Business in China Essay Term Paper on Doing Business in ChinaTo write an essay term paper on doing business in China means to explore how business people into contact with Chinese business people. As a business contact of people from different countries depends on culture, negotiation techniques, and business etiquette, you have to discuss all these aspects in your essay term paper on doing business in China. This article will help you do it properly and finally succeed. In addition, if you are writing a writing a reaction paper or argumentative term paper, you may confidently rely on our professional writing services and get your paper written from scratch!There are five main factors that should be taken into account when trying to get into contact with Chinese business people, and you should mention them in your essay term paper on doing business in China.1.Confucianism To cover this aspect in your essay term paper on doing business in China, say that it is necessary to see how Confucianism influe nces business practices in China. Actually, Confucianism is all about harmonious relationships, and if business partners take into consideration this concept, they will get on well. 2.FaceThere are also certain aspects of etiquette related to the expression of faces of business partners. In your essay term paper on doing business in China, explain the importance of saving face and showing it while conducting negotiations. You can also give examples of how this or that face expression might be regarded by Chinese people when writing your essay term paper on doing business in China.3.Meeting and greeting peopleBusiness usually involves meeting and greeting people. However, in China meeting and greeting people have some special peculiarities. For example, in your essay term paper on doing business in China, you may say that shaking hands may be interpreted as aggressive by Chinese. 4.Building relationshipsSome experts strongly recommend avoid humor when communicating with Chinese not b ecause they are humorless but rather jokes may be lost in translation and be interpreted in inappropriately. In your essay term paper on doing business in China, you may also explain why it is necessary to keep dealings at a professional level and avoid informal conversations.5.NegotiationsOne of the most well known strategies used by Chinese negotiators is to start negotiations showing humility and difference. In your essay term paper on doing business in China, explain how Europeans should interpret such a conduct. There are also more nuances about the peculiarities of contacting Chinese people that you may mention in your paper. The most important thing is to make sure that you are providing reliable and credit information in your essay term paper on doing business in China. You may find it helpful to review the following article on good term paper topics and learn how to write term paper 15 pages without any efforts!

The Five Porter Forces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Five Porter Forces - Essay Example This is thus applicable to the Coke and Pepsi industries who are major rivals in the production of carbonated soft drinks. The structure of the concentrated producers is such that a blend of the raw material ingredient  is produced, packaged in plastic canisters and taken to the bottlers. Concentrate producers add artificial sweeteners to carbonated drinks while the bottlers add sugar or high fructose is making the process of the former to be less capital intensive than the latter. Production cost is low under the concentrate producers with little capital being used on machinery, labor and overheads and still ensuring that production can serve the whole of the United States (Greenwald & Kahn 91). Innovation and sophistication is a key goal in the firm with high investments awarded to marketing, advertising, research, promotion and bottler support. However, key emphasis is given to the development of customer development agreements with other advanced companies to promote marketing strategies and employment of many people to meet the production demand Bottlers on the other hand add sugar, carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup to the concentrates and packed it ready for delivery to customers. The sales include maximization of space, positioning of brand, setting displays and points of sale and coming up with promotional activities. The process of the bottlers is capital intensive, involves high speed and high cost the o produce a package that is of similar type and size. Much of the system is capital intensive with major investments being accounted for trucks and distribution process. The industry structure of the concentrate producers is more attractive based on the model provided by Porter on industrial framework.  

The Sixtieth Century and Beyond Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 12

The Sixtieth Century and Beyond - Essay Example In 1505, Martin Luther changed his career path to become a monk after a life-threatening experience that changed his perception of religion. He gained spiritual enlightenment through his profound religious studies. Martin Luther believed that the key to salvation was not enslavement to religious dogma, but the faith of an eternal life (Bainton 456). Due to his skepticism and open-mindedness, Martin Luther was later excommunicated from the Roman Catholic. John Calvin was also an influential figure in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. He was banished from Paris for his support of Martin Luther. He later settled in Geneva where he continued his religious teaching. In addition, Calvin was saddened by the immorality in the French Catholic church. Through his numerous scholarly works, Calvin provided a protestant response to the Catholicism. Modern Protestantism traces its roots to the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century that was perpetuated by both Calvin and Luther. The Presbyterians are a result of Calvinism. The Protestant denomination rejects most of the teachings and beliefs of the Roman church. However, some Protestant churches such as the Anglican have adopted most of the Catholic beliefs while others have little association with the Catholic Church. The adherence to biblical teachings is common in both denominations. The age of discovery is the period in the 15th century that featured the European global exploration. It entailed the discovery of Africa by the Portuguese as well as the Spain discovery of America in 1492 (Wallerstein 78). Historians refer to the period as a link between modern era and middle ages. European exploration overseas led to colonization and slave trade. As a result, this leads to culture transfers, relocation of human population, and spread of infectious diseases between the western and eastern hemisphere. The spice trade dominated the whole of Europe, Africa, and Asia where spices such as pepper, Cinnamon and ginger were traded.  

Christianity in the first three centuries Essay Example for Free

Christianity in the first three centuries Essay After the terror of September 11 the American people wanted to know what type of people would fly airplanes into buildings killing thousands of their good citizens. The left wing media and the Bush administration, which often patronizes left wing, political correctness, provided the most typical ‘spin’ for public consumption. This interpretation works within the typical left-wing paradigm, which deems all religions as essentially the same and politics as Ð ° separate category of life, removed from the private concerns of true religion. It is only when conservative religious-types attempt to impose their narrow minded beliefs upon the peaceable world of religious and political communities that problems arise. (Sherifa 2005 28) Therefore, it is not Islam that brought about September 11. ‘Islam is Ð ° religion of peace’. It is ‘fundamentalists’ who are most to blame for disturbing the peace. After all, the term Islam means ‘peace’. â€Å"Enhanced analysis is where â€Å"the rubber meets the road† Up to this point in the analytical process, personnel have primarily been cleaning data and analyzing information using broad approaches. Transforming the information into quality intelligence requires time and skill. Whether some forms of analysis are art or science is debatable. In the case of homeland security and terrorism analysis, it is both. Methods employed by an analyst can be replicated for use on many different fronts. In addition, there are numerous scientific models and tools available for analysts that can be utilized by anyone to prove or verify information. The data should yield the same results for whoever undertakes the process. (Paul 2002 31) Use of Ð ° checklist is encouraged due to the magnitude of events that can be faced by an analyst undertaking terrorism or organized hate group investigations. Too many steps are involved in the intelligence process, and information often arrives at intermittent times, making organization of the information difficult. Matrixes, link charts, time lines, and maps also play important roles in transforming information into enhanced intelligence. Whatever techniques are used to analyze the information, it is crucial to know ones criminal data and what information is available. In warfare, one needs to know the enemy, and in the analytical world one needs to know the enemy (subject or target) as well as the data. If you do not know what you have, how can you transform it into intelligence? (Michael 2004) Today the term is used by the media and intelligentsia as Ð ° form of hate speech an epithet to curse those who disagree with them. In the present context it is used as Ð ° means of casting aspersions upon conservative Christians in relating them to terrorist activity. Stephen Schwartz serves Ð ° good example of this type of rhetoric. In his work on the Saudis and Wahhabis, The Two Faces of Islam, he skews an otherwise outstanding work with Ð ° continual reference to ‘fundamentalist’ Muslims as perverting ‘true’ Islam. The term serves as Ð ° source of pure rhetoric throughout the work, disembodied from any specific reference to Ð ° movement, group or set of beliefs. There is only one section where he even bothers to relate it to Ð ° specific viewpoint. In this place he condemns Muslims who limit ‘all historical and cultural development in Islam after its first two generations’. However, this understanding of fundamentalism in terms of literal interpretation and living-in-the-past contradicts the overall thesis of Schwartz and his liberal constituency that would characterize the religion of Muhammad the ‘true’ and ‘authentic’ Islam as Ð ° religion of peace. If Muhammad was Ð ° man of peace, literal Islam would have produced the same sort of pacifism that we observe among early Christianity in the first three centuries. But the real truth is that it produced much the opposite. Islam does not exist in the world of ideas as Ð ° disembodied, un-interpreted spirit, subsisting above and beyond the communities who represent the faith. ‘True’ Islam exists only in the mind of those liberals who wish that Muslims would find in Islam what they want them to believe. No religion, philosophy or political ideology exists apart from those who interpret it in accordance with their own purposes. For example, one could find Nazism within the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche if one wishes to use his writings to deconstruct certain themes in certain ways. His writings contain that possibility, even if Nietzsche himself was not an anti-Semite. All works contain enough tensions within them to allow the interpreter to choose this or that reading as more indicative of the true essence of the text, It is all Ð ° matter of choice, If Ð ° reader wishes to find the good things of liberalism within the Qur’an feeding the poor and helping widows and orphans in their distress, there is much in the text that lends itself to this direction. (Paul 2002 56) However, Ð ° liberal cannot deny that there is more Ð ° pretext for deconstructing the Qur’an and proceeding in the horrid direction of September 11 than there is in the Bible or the sacred texts of most other religions. The Bible certainly contains imprecatory psalms and holy wars, but within its writings, especially those of the New Testament, there is much to counteract the more bellicose verses of the old Testament and marginate them or treat them as Ð ° product of Ð ° bygone dispensation. Within the Qur’an there are Ð ° number of disturbing sections that could lead in the direction of September 11 if so interpreted, and little else to counteract them. There is no concept of the historical progress of revelation, as the divine revelation did not take place over Ð ° period of time. According to most Muslims, the Qur’an is an eternal and uncreated book. Its Arabic is God’s Arabic its words God’s Words. Nevertheless, Islam does not exist as Ð ° simple monolith, which demands our acceptance or rejection. â€Å"Since the events of September 11, the American people may have been treated to more truth from their government than ever before. In the post Vietnam era, when the notorious Phoenix program of assassinations finally came to light, public indignation was sufficient to empower investigation by the Church Committee, and Ð ° subsequent ban on foreign assassinations. Over the past decade and increasingly under the Bush Jr. administration, however, open talk of intended foreign assassinations, efforts to overthrow the leaders of other sovereign states, or invasions of an unspecified array of nations can reach the daily papers through on-record remarks by elected officials. † (Amit 2003 127).

Themes in the Novel and Movie Adaptation of James Cain’s Mildred Pierce

Themes in the Novel and Movie Adaptation of James Cain’s Mildred Pierce In contemporary film making, â€Å"Hollywood-ization† generally refers to the re-creation of a classic work in a form more vulgar and sexually explicit than the original in an effort to boost movie attendance. After all, sex and violence sell. However, from the mid-1930’s to the 1950’s, â€Å"Hollywood-ization† referred to the opposite case where controversial books had to be purified to abide by the Production Code of 1934.[1] This occurred to many of James Cain’s novels as they moved from text to the genre of â€Å"film noir.† As has been said about Cain’s The Postman Always Rings Twice, â€Å"The property, bought several years ago, was kept in the studio’s archives until now because of [Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s] â€Å"inability to clean it up.†Ã¢â‚¬ [2] The sanitation of Cain’s novels greatly took from the strong themes of female emotional and financial independence that were rarely addressed at that t ime as they were adapted for the screen. James Cain’s Mildred Pierce, published in 1941, explored issues that plagued the domesticated woman amidst the social upheaval caused by the Great Depression of the 1930’s and suffered from the rule of the Production Code. As Mildred Pierce’s first marriage with Bert Pierce disintegrates, she is confronted with the responsibility of supporting her two children while creating opportunities for financial independence despite having no skills or education. She becomes a successful restaurateur through the careful manipulation of the men around her only to become the slave to the desires and whims of her eldest daughter, Veda. According to David Madden, the story of Mildred Pierce is â€Å"a powerful and suggestive study of social inequity and ... ...rs, again: The Postman Always Rings Twice,† Literature/Film Quarterly (2000): 41. [3] Madden, David, James M. Cain (Twayne: 1970) 68. [4] Oates, Joyce Carol, Tough Guy Writers of the Thirties (London: Southern Illinois University Press, 1968) 110 [5] Farrell, James, Literature and Morality (New York: The Vanguard Press, Inc, 1945) 89. [6] Madden 148 [7] Farrell, James, 88 Work Cited 1 Encyclopedia Britannica Online www.search.eb.com/bol/topic?eu=119926&sctn=6. 2 Biesen, Sheri Chinen, â€Å"Raising Cain with the censors, again: The Postman Always Rings Twice,† Literature/Film Quarterly (2000) 3 Madden, David, James M. Cain (Twayne: 1970) 4 Oates, Joyce Carol, Tough Guy Writers of the Thirties (London: Southern Illinois University Press, 1968) 5 Farrell, James, Literature and Morality (New York: The Vanguard Press. Inc, 1945)

Research Paper on Empathy Essay

The purpose of this essay is to define empathy and discuss its use on how it is used on a daily basis and what makes people feel empathy for others. Empathy is being able to feel and understand what another person is going through or what they have experienced. Typically, it would be a happiness, sadness or anger that would immediately affect how we feel, we would generally feel the same emotion as the person we are in contact with, where as sympathy we would be in agreement on the emotion, really just respecting one another. Empathy is used as a noun, the dictionary meaning for empathy is the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another. The second dictionary meaning of empathy is, the imaginative ascribing to an object, as a natural object or work of art, feelings or attitudes present in oneself. Empathy is became apart of the English language in 1909 by E.B. Titchener, while try to translate the German word Einfà ¼hlungsvermà ¶gen. Later near the end of the 19th century it was changed to empathie and is now being used as that in Germany. The German meaning of empathy is, physical affection, passion, partiality and also passion† or â€Å"suffering. The word was founded by Hermann Lotze and Robert Vischer to be added to the German language as Einfà ¼hlung which means (feeling into) while later Edward B. Titchener translated to the English term Empathy. Empathy, in the 1900-05, was also used from the Greek word empà ¡theia which in turns means affection. Empathy is used in so many forms and has so many definitions and starts off being imaginative. Imagining how the other person feels, putting yourself in the other person shoes and being able to feel what the person is going to through. Empathy involves being able to understand the emotional state how people feel, empathy would be described as a bodily feeling. Bodily feelings include body language, facial expression, and tone of voice. Being able to relate to one of the following and immediately responding to it is what empathy is. Automatically knowing what the other person is thinking and in turn making you feel the way the other person feels. Scientifically, some scientist believe that empathy is linked to observing another person’s emotional state activates parts of the neuronal network involved in processing that same state in oneself. Certain objects are known to automatically activate neural representations, and activation automatically to prime or generate the associated autonomic and somatic responses, unless inhibited. This very example that scientist have worked on trying to prove, is compared to common coding theory between perception and action. Meaning empathy is determined by whatever activity is going on around the person and how the brain perceives it. This theory also means that some people may have beliefs that are different from one’s own, and is thought to involve the cognitive component of empathy. Empathy has been linked to be genetically inherited in our DNA its labeled as traditional science and used as alternative healing practioners. Empathy has been linked to being associated with mental disorders like, Psychopathy, Narcissistic personality disorder, Sadistic personality disorder, Anger and Distress. These kinds of disorders have been known to scientist to cause rapid activity of neurotransmitters that deal with emotion and personality. Like psychopathy, some are able to pick up on others theory of mind mimic others emotionally and convince others their feeling a certain way when they really are not. In some cases psychopaths may be able to sense what others are feeling but may not be able to put themselves in their position. This shows that empathy in the brain waves of psychopaths are dysfunctional. Another mental disorder would be Narcissist one feeling them own self and unable to feel for others. So with this being said they would lack empathy to protect and make them self feel secure for the sake of their own vulnerability. Now Sadistic disorder this is most likely shown in 16 to 18 year old boys with aggressive problems. This is a conduct disorder where the boys showed too much aggression. Performing violent behaviors and taking pleasure out of other peoples pain. Showing no sign of empathy for the victims of these violent crimes at all. Emotion like anger is another form linking to empathy. When people get angry over a certain situation somebody else that is close to them would immediately feel what their feeling also. Anger has a affect on certain people directly and indirectly its known to triggers states of empathetic angers. Empathy and anger linked together has been investigated as negative arousal. That was only if empathetic behavior triggered a response to anger. Distress is also another form of empathy, feeling pain for somebody else which in turn can immediately turn into empathetic anger for somebody else. This would include feelings such as guilt and injustice, etc. Some scientist say this can be seen as pro social and moral behavior. These are some example statements to define what empathy means. Jean Decety: â€Å"A sense of similarity in feelings experienced by the self and the other, without confusion between the two individuals.† Frans de Waal: â€Å"The capacity to (a) be affected by and share the emotional state of another, (b) assess the reasons for the other’s state, and (c) identify with the other, adopting his or her perspective. This deï ¬ nition extends beyond what exists in many animals, but the term â€Å"empathy† †¦ applies even if only criterion (a) is met.† Alvin Goldman: â€Å"The ability to put oneself into the mental shoes of another person to understand her emotions and feelings.† Heinz Kohut: â€Å"Empathy is the capacity to think and feel oneself into the inner life of another person.† Wynn Schwartz: â€Å"We recognize others as empathic when we feel that they have accurately acted on or somehow acknowledged in stated or unstated fashion our values or motivations, our knowledge, and our skills or competence, but especially as they appear to recognize the significance of our actions in a manner that we can tolerate their being recognized.† In conclusion, empathy is a strong emotion exerted from an emotional level to feel, think and understand what somebody else is feeling at the time of any emotion they may be experiencing. References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/empathy?s=t http://healing.about.com/cs/empathic/a/uc_empathtraits.htm

The Characteristics of Partnership

Partnership is one of the most popular types of enterprise in Vietnam. A partnership is an unincorporated association of two or more individuals to carry on a business for profit. Many small businesses including retail, service, and professional practitioners, are organized as partnerships. Like the other types, partnership contains its own features and characteristics which help to differentiate itself from the others. First of all, in terms of the number of partners, there are no less than two partners who are joint owners of the company and carry out business.In addition to general partner, there may also be limited partners. General partner is required to be individual and will be liable to all obligations of the partnership with his entire property, while limited partner will be liable to debts of the partnership only to the extent of their capital contributed to the partnership. It should be pointed out that there are restrictions on the rights of general partners. General part ner cannot be sole proprietor or general partner of another partnership, unless otherwise agreed by remaining general partners.Besides, general partner is not allowed to act on his own behalf or on behalf of other persons in implementing the same business activities of the partnership for the benefit of himself or other. Also, general partner is not permitted to transfer a part or whole of his capital contribution to others. It is necessary to mention that a partnership will be given legal status from the issuing date of the certificate of business registration and that partnership is not entitled to issue any type of securities. The next characteristic of partnership is limited life.The life of a partnership may be established as a certain number of years by the agreement. If no such agreement is made, the death, inability to carry out specific responsibilities, bankruptcy, or the desire of a partner to withdraw automatically terminates the partnership. Every time a partner withdra ws or is added, a new partnership agreement is required if the business will continue to operate as a partnership. With proper provisions, the partnership's business may continue and the termination or withdrawal of the partnership will be a documentation issue that does not impact ongoing operations of the partnership.Unlimited liability is another feature relating to partnership. This is the prominent feature of partnership that the liability of each partner is not limited to the amount invested but his private property is also liable to pay the business obligations. Partners may be called on to use their personal assets to satisfy partnership debts when the partnership cannot meet its obligations. If one partner does not have sufficient assets to meet his/her share of the partnership's debt, the other partners can be held individually liable by the creditor requiring payment.There must be agreement between the parties concerned. This is the most important characteristics of partn ership. Without agreement partnership cannot be formed. But only competent persons are entitled to make a contract. There are some provisions contained in the partnership agreement. These are determined clearly before the commencement of business. But it differs from business to business. These documents may be written or oral. But it must be written so that disputes may be settled according to the provisions of agreement.Moreover, in terms of capital contribution, it is stated that general partner and limited partner are required to make capital contribution fully and promptly as committed. General partner who does not make capital contribution so fully and promptly that cause losses to the company must compensate for those losses. If a limited partner does not contribute capital fully and promptly as committed, deficiency in the capital contribution will be considered as his/her debt to the company; in this case, such a limited partner may be expelled from the partnership by a dec ision of the partners’ council.By contrast, with a full capital contribution, partners will be granted a certificate of capital contribution. Another characteristic that belongs to partnership is the division of profits or losses. It is not essential that all the partners must share the losses also. There may be a provision in the partnership deed that a particular partner or partners shall not bear losses. The profit is arrived at after providing for salaries to the partners and interest on capital, if agreed and stated in the agreement.That last but not least feature of partnership is about the business management. Firstly, it is specified that all general partners are entitled to act as legal representative of the partnership in carrying out business activities. Any restriction applicable to general partners in relation to conducting day-to-day business activities of the partnership will be effective to the third party if this party is informed. Secondly, general partners will agree on division of their duties in relation to management and running of the company.If a business activity is carried out by several partners, the decision will be adopted on the principle of majority. Additionally, the partnership will not be liable to any activity that is conducted by general partner and outside the scope of business activities of the partnership, unless otherwise agreed by the partners. Thirdly, the partnership can open one or several accounts with a bank. The partners’ council will appoint one partner who is required to deposit and withdraw money from those accounts.Lastly, chairman of the partners’ council, director or general director of the partnership is obligated to: manage and run the day-to-day business operation as a general partner; convene and organize meetings of the partners’ council, sign decisions of the partners’ council; make arrangement of business activities and coordination between partners, sign decisions p romulgating internal rules and other working regulations of the partnership, retain fully and honestly all accounting books, invoices and other documents in pursuant to the laws, act on behalf of the partnership in working with state authority, play the part as a plaintiff or defendant in lawsuits or other commercial disputes as well as other duties as stipulate in the company charter.

Free Essays on Raves

What is a rave? A rave usually refers to an all night party, open to the general public, where loud â€Å"techno† music is mostly played and many people can partake in a number of different chemicals (Official). Raves are fairly decent and you don’t hear much about them on the streets. Yet some people who go to the raves try to sell their drugs to ravers and that’s what makes the word rave so bad. Because of those people Mayor Daley has planned crack down on jailing building owners and managers who let their properties be used for raves where drugs are peddled. They approved of this Thursday, April 19, 2001. The range for jail term runs from two weeks to six months (Rave). But why are raves getting the reputation they are? Raves are getting bad reputations because of the drug peddlers that go to the raves to sell their ecstasy and stamina enhancing drugs. According to a website called Dancesafe.com ecstasy is a safe drug if you stay away from the listed kinds of ecstasy. The parents of the kids going to these raves are not saying a word about the drug situation there. They still let their kids go because they know it is safer than being out on the street or at some drinking party getting drunk and then having the risk of them driving home. If you ask me raves aren’t so bad, I’ve been to several of them and out of all of the ones I have gone I have only seen two peddlers selling X. They were all-night raves and tons of people and everyone was all wired and dancing and moving around like mad. â€Å"It’s a love circle, It’s like a 1960’s scene – all the races together, dancing, having a communal experience.† says Laze (Gracia). At raves there are dif ferent rooms. One room is the main room where the dancing goes on and all the music is spun and where most of the people are. Some of the music that is played there is House, Techno (most common), breakbeat, Trance, Tribal, and Progressive. The visual effects an... Free Essays on Raves Free Essays on Raves What is a rave? A rave usually refers to an all night party, open to the general public, where loud â€Å"techno† music is mostly played and many people can partake in a number of different chemicals (Official). Raves are fairly decent and you don’t hear much about them on the streets. Yet some people who go to the raves try to sell their drugs to ravers and that’s what makes the word rave so bad. Because of those people Mayor Daley has planned crack down on jailing building owners and managers who let their properties be used for raves where drugs are peddled. They approved of this Thursday, April 19, 2001. The range for jail term runs from two weeks to six months (Rave). But why are raves getting the reputation they are? Raves are getting bad reputations because of the drug peddlers that go to the raves to sell their ecstasy and stamina enhancing drugs. According to a website called Dancesafe.com ecstasy is a safe drug if you stay away from the listed kinds of ecstasy. The parents of the kids going to these raves are not saying a word about the drug situation there. They still let their kids go because they know it is safer than being out on the street or at some drinking party getting drunk and then having the risk of them driving home. If you ask me raves aren’t so bad, I’ve been to several of them and out of all of the ones I have gone I have only seen two peddlers selling X. They were all-night raves and tons of people and everyone was all wired and dancing and moving around like mad. â€Å"It’s a love circle, It’s like a 1960’s scene – all the races together, dancing, having a communal experience.† says Laze (Gracia). At raves there are dif ferent rooms. One room is the main room where the dancing goes on and all the music is spun and where most of the people are. Some of the music that is played there is House, Techno (most common), breakbeat, Trance, Tribal, and Progressive. The visual effects an...

Bill French Case

1. What are the assumptions implicit in Bill French’s determination of his company’s break-even point? He has assumed that there is only one break-even point for the firm’s three products by taking the average. Labor Union will not affect the product prices no effect on the break-even analysis. Constant dividends were given to stockholders. Production of product â€Å"A† will be decreased and the other hand product â€Å"C† capacity will be increased. Sales price will be constant. 2. On the basis of French’s revised information, what does next year look-like: a. What is the break-even point? Break-even point for product â€Å"C† is 354,545. 45 and overall is 1,035,688. 31. b. What level of operations must be achieved to pay the extra dividend, ignoring union demands? In order to pay the 50% extra dividend and to retain $150,000 profit the firm needs $600,000 profit after taxes and because half of the profit goes through the government the firm needs profit before taxes of ,200,000. c. What level of operations must be achieved to meet the union demands, ignoring break-even points? FC + Union Demands/Unit Contribution to Sales Union Demands = (6,750,000 x10%) = 675,000 2,970,000 + 675,000/. 375 $9,720,000 d. What level of operations must be achieved to meet both dividends and expected union requirements? FC + Target Dividend + Union Demands/Unit Contribution to Sales 2,970,000 + 450,000= (300,000(300,00050%) +675,000/. 375 $10,920,000 3. Can the break-even analysis help the company decide whether to alter the existing product emphasis? What can the company afford to invest for additional â€Å"c† capacity? Considering per unit dollar contribution of product â€Å"C† to â€Å"A† is higher, the other factor is sales. And variable income to sales price is higher than C compensated by its lower sales. Increase in production of product â€Å"c† must not incur $300,000 of cost. 4. Calculate each of the three products’ break-even points using the data in exhibit 3. Why is the sum of these three volumes not equal to the 1,100,000 units’ aggregate break-even volume? It’s different because each of the products has different contribution margins, fixed cost, and volume sales. 5. Is this type of analysis of any value? For what it can be used? It allows differentiation of profits especially if the business is not engaged only on a single product. It helps business to identify how much still they have to sell/hurdle to earn profit. A tool that may help an entity set its sales or production target.

Analysis Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Analysis - Dissertation Example As of January 31, 2012, the 10-K report of the company states that the revenue of the company was calculated in terms of â€Å"282,180,170 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value outstanding.† Clearly, this is a representation of stiff market performance that is accounts for reasons why the company continues to have a very wide market position. Presently, the company’s strategy for growth is focused on merger with emerging competitors in developing economies. Pepco Holdings Inc. (POM) Reviewers have for long judged Pepco Holdings Inc (POM) as a major competitor for Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company (OGE) mainly because of the closeness in market strategy held by the two companies. It would for instance be seen that both companies focus on have a business strategy that â€Å"remains focused on being a top-performing, regulated transmission and distribution company† (10-K of POM, 2011). In terms of market size and capacity, the company controls a total of 4.60 billio n dollars (Yahoo Finance, 2012). Fortunately for the company, it continues to experience an upload rise in its market stock value. This is represented on almost all major stock markets in the world including the New York Stock Exchange. Such a performance has contributed to the increase in total operating revenue of the company from $ 5,920M in 2010 to $ 7,039M in 2011 (10-K of POM, 2011). Wisconsin Energy Corp. ... With an impressive market capacity of 9.4 billion dollars as of 2012, the company has positioned itself in the market at such a strategic standing that its main focus has been to deal with corporate groups and entities instead of individual customers. With this group related strategy, the company keeps recording a rising trend in its annual revenue with a revenue rise from $ 7,420M in 2010 to $ 9,139M in 2011. South Carolina Electric and Gas Company (SCG) The major area of business dealing where South Carolina Electric and Gas Company (SCG) poses as the strongly competitor of Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company (OGE) is in the area of market margin. This is so said because the two companies have an unusual competition for the same customers in a manner that is not very common with other major competitors. More to this, the company can boost of a very formidable market performance on different stock exchange markets. NASDAQ (2012) for instance quotes the market value of South Carolina Ele ctric and Gas Company (SCG) as $ 6,493,822,800 with a current market yield of 4%. This is clearly a huge market struggle for Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company (OGE) that keeps its market strength along similar margin. According to the 10-K Report of the company for 2011, much of the company’s success is attributed to its current strategy, which focuses on employees as the major pillar for organizational transformation. Value Chain Analysis NI is one of the main comparative firms of OGE in the U.S. Diversified Electricity Generator Industry. The significant parts in the value chain that add value for OGE are marketing and sales, services, firm infrastructure, human resource

Compare and Contrast Meiosis vs Mitosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Compare and Contrast Meiosis vs Mitosis - Essay Example The chromosomes that are created in the meiotic process contain dual copies of chromosomes that come from mother parent cell as well as father parent cell. In the end, in place of two cells, four cells are created having different chromosomes. The cells are not identical to the parent cells. The division in mitosis results in two pair of cells that are same as the parent cells while the four pair of cells created in meiotic process are not similar to the parent cells2. In mitotic process of cell division, the number of chromosomes produced in daughter cells is also similar to the number of chromosomes of parent cells. Mitotic cell division comes under the category of asexual reproduction while meiotic cell division comes under the category of sexual category. The mitotic asexual reproduction permits an organism to have duplicated versions of the original cell. Because of similarity of the offspring, the result of asexual reproduction is not diversified in asexual reproduction. Sexual reproduction through meiosis results in gametes or spores found in animals and plants on earth3. The process of meiosis results in created of two copies of chromosomes, one from each father cell and mother cell resulting in four cells with one chromosomal copy of the parent cells. The results are diverse as the parental DNA get mixed and result in variety of cells. The offspring are diversified as compared to the parent cells through which, dissimilarity and variety can be found within the inhabitants4. The process of mitosis is responsible for cellular reproduction. It also enables general development and restoration of the body and cells. On the other hand, the process of meiosis is responsible for sexual reproduction5. The cell division in all organisms occurs through the process of mitosis while cell division in human beings, animals, plants and fungi occurs through the process of meiosis. Mitosis occurs in the somatic cells of the body that are accountable for constructing the body while meiosis occurs in the sex cells of the body responsible for reproduction. Mitosis cell division has one round of cell development while meiotic cell division has two rounds of cell development called Meiosis I and Meiosis II. The phases that occur stepwise in cell division are prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase in mitosis while in meiosis, the phases are double, following the same sequence as in Mitosis. The mitosis cell division produces two similar daughter cells identical to the parent cells while the meiosis cell division produces four diverse daughter cells dissimilar to the parent cells6. The daughter cells in meiosis are called haploid gametes. In mitosis cell division, the chromosomes are not able to get muddled up while in meiosis cell division, the chromosomes get combined resulting in diverse cells. The number of chromosomes in the mitotic cell division is the same as in parent cells while the number of chromosomes in the meiotic cell division is chan ged and is half as compared to parental cells. The parental cell that is able to divide in mitosis can be haploid or diploid while the parental cell that is able to divide in meiosis can be diploid only. The events known as crossing over and synapsis occur in meiosis I while these events do not happen in mitosis. There is genetic identity in mitotic division while genetic variation can be seen in meiotic division7. Vegetative

Estray statutes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Estray statutes - Essay Example The statute defines lost property and abandoned property, and provides procedures and remedies which prescribe the powers and duties of finders and owners of the property, and of relevant government employees. It provides for the disposition of lost property that remains unclaimed by the owner and by the finder. The statute exempts from its application limited types of property. Defined by these laws and regulations, a person taking up an estray has a qualified ownership in it, which becomes absolute if the owner fails to claim the animal within the statutory period. If the owner reclaims the estray, he is liable for reasonable costs of its upkeep. The use of an estray during the period of qualified ownership, other than for its own preservation or for the benefit of the owner, is not authorized. Some statutes limit the right to take up estrays to certain classes of persons, to certain seasons or places, or to animals requiring care. Like registering title, estray statutes discourage the theft of property. Like adverse-possession rules, estray statutes tend to clear the clouds from title and transfer property to productive use. Like adverse-possession rules, estray statutes also provide an incentive for owners to monitor their property. Estray statutes induce the dissemination of information and thus reduce the search costs of owners who lose their property (Wen, 2004). Statutory time limit is usually within one year (Baumer, 2003) as practiced in South Dakota. In Colorado however, this limit is good for five days only by animal control officer, unless claimed by the owner, the state board of stock inspection commissioners will keep the animal (Ord. 196, 1973). In Idaho, upon notice to the County Clerk within ten days, publish notification in a newspaper within twenty days and still unclaimed, the statutory limit will end within three months and the finder will become the owner. These notifications are necessary for the finder who fails to make a reasonable effort to return the property to its owner will be considered theft (Idaho Code 55-405). In Nebraska (Nebraska Brand Committee, 2006), Oklahoma (University of Vermont. 2001), and Minnesota (Office of Revisor of Statutes, 2006) the notification is only within seven days. In Minnesota, notification is also within ten days. If the finder failed to post the notice hence ignored the property rights o f the owner, he shall be charged double the amount of damages sustained by the owner thereby. In New Jersey, if the owner failed to reclaim it within 120 days "a. the owner of the premises where the property was found may claim title to buried or hidden lost property or to lost property which a trespasser found; b. the finder of the property may claim title to lost property in other cases." (New Jersey Law Revision Commission, n.d.) If the owner of the premises or the finder does not claim the lost property, marketable property shall be sold in which the net proceeds shall be deposited with the administrator of the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act (46:30B-1 to -109) in the Unclaimed Personal Property Trust Fund

Markets Segmentation And Market Mix Of Easyjet Marketing Essay

Markets Segmentation And Market Mix Of Easyjet Marketing Essay Introduction Easyjet is a successful example of a European no-frills airline. Founded by the Cypriot Stelios Haji-Iaonnou in 1995, Eayjet gained a dominant market position over time thanks to its excellent marketing strategies. How Easyjet has segmented its market for its major product and what is the marketing mix? Which parts of the marketing mix are done efficiently and which parts need some improvements Markets segmentation and marketing mix of Easyjet Easyjets market segmentation Low-cost airlines like Easyjet, have picked up some customers from their traditional competitors like BA (British Airways) or Air France, but have specially created a large traffic of induction (creating a new market). Easyjet operates in a different way to Ryan Air its direct competitor in the market, which is targeting the leisure traveller for whom the ticket price is important. Easyjet has the same type of clientele for whom the ticket price was slightly less important and also business customers whose companies seek to save on transportation costs, but care about the travels conditions. So Easyjet has two different kind of customers who are leisure customers and the business customers. 1.2 Easyjets marketing mix Any business that does not have a concerted marketed strategy is setting itself up to fail. So what is the Easyjets marketing mix in term of product, place, price and promotion? Product Product is the most important component in an organization. Without a product there is no place, no price, no promotion, and no business. Product is anything that can be offered to a market to satisfy a want or a need. It is the core ingredient of the marketing mix and is everything favourable and unfavourable, tangible and intangible received in the exchange of an idea, service or good (Kotler 11th edition, 2003). Easyjet is a business offering service products, flights across destinations, in the transportation industry. Easyjet operates over 500 routes and has 182 aircrafts in 28 countries (www.easyjet.com). Easy-Jet positions itself as low-cost airlines or better as cutting costs airlines. Its product strategy stops to the actual product without concern about the augmented product. They dont offer service at all but just the ticket. For example Easy-Jets product strategy ends at the expected level of five-product levels. There is no augmented product. There is no business seat on flights (Easyjet offer a mono class of seat but does not offer last minute deals), no executive lounge at airports, no free food and drinks on flights, no entertainment on flights, and in most cases Easy-Jet flies from major airports. Place Easyjet targets customers looking to minimise their transportation costs, or any type of customer looking for a low price. In general Easyjets customer is a customer who started to prefer the plane to land transportation to browse for short distances between different cities served. So Easyjet is competing as well with the airlines as the land transports price Price is the value placed on what is exchanged during the marketing process. The customer exchanges his/her money or donation in return for a satisfaction or utility (S. Dibb and L. Simkin 2001). Easyjet has always had a one-way ticketing policy. The airline has only one price in the market for any one flight at any one time. The lowest fare is offered into the market first and then prices rise as the departure draws closer and the seats are sold. This ticketing philosophy is transparent to consumers. There is a value for money offering, which is easily understood by consumers. By offering only one price in the market, the consumer is confident that shopping around using other channels or making greater ticketing restrictions will not reap the reward of lower fares. As the airline educates their consumers that the cheapest fares are sold first, consumers checking prices are more likely to purchase straightaway as they will have confidence that lower prices are not likely to appear later. The airline only sells tickets on a one-way basis and therefore if a passenger wants a return ticket they must buy two one-way tickets. The advantage of this for passengers is that they can b ook short stay trips without having to pay flexible return ticket prices. For business travellers the availability of flexible tickets is usually considered important. If a business meeting runs over the traveller needs to be able to change their ticket and take a later flight. This depends on two things. Firstly the ability to change the ticket, and secondly the availability of a later flight to change on to. Easyjet has been targeting business travellers and therefore they have addressed these issues by increasing the number of daily flights to key business destinations and by introducing a method of changing tickets. For a fee of  £10 Easyjet passengers can change their ticket to a different flight as long as there is an available seat on the desired flight To reflect the current market price, the traveller will have to pay the difference between the price they originally paid for the ticket and the current price for a seat on the required flight. The airline can then release t he seat no longer required on the original flight and sell this seat again. promotion The distribution policy of Easyjet shows a high use of direct sales from call centre and internet outside traditional distribution channels. 95% of the seats are sold online (www.easyjet.com). They use electronic ticket, reducing cost of ticketing procedures and remove two Kinds of costs: -commission for travel agencies -transaction related to reservation systems What part of the marketing need to be improved? Easyjet is one of the most successful of the new economy carriers in Europe. So they have a strong marketing strategies and it is going to be a little bite difficult to change this strategy but it can always been improved. Product Easyjet could benefit from randomly offering last-minute deal under its single pricing strategy. By occasionally lowering ticket prices to bump up revenue on some unbooked-flights, Easyjet could create the expectation that such bargains would be available on a predictable basis. Easyjet could create another brand having different mission and different market target and offering an augmented product such a better quality at a low price as Delta Airlines did with Song. Promotion The use of the internet ticketing is dangerous in case of dysfunction of the server because of infection by viruses or any other kind of software problem. It is undeniable that this system reduces cost but it can cause problem if the general is touched by problem. Conclusion If the other marketing strategies enable the company to evaluate everything about the business, only the marketing mix

Graduation Speech :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

As we sit here this evening, knowing not what lies ahead, but feeling satisfied that we have completed this challenge, we start to wonder. What have we gained from these last 13 years of school? How often have we asked ourselves: Why do we attend school? What do we expect to accomplish? And what do we gain? Questions, whose importance we may not fully understand today, but which have drastically molded our futures. Sure, this path hasn't been the easiest to follow, but we navigated through the complications and tribulations to the point we are at now, and I ask once again, what have we gained? Education has supplied us with a commonality, a basic foundation on which we may establish our ideas. These ideas are the essential elements that dominate our lives. Each is unique and special. But just like it is perplexing to communicate without understanding the other person, it is difficult to express ideas without an education. Today, let us give thanks to all those who have helped us along the way: our parents for their love and support, our teachers for their dedication and encouragement, and to our fellow classmates for their friendship and compassion. In this stage of life we are still discovering ourselves and the world around us. Our experiences are lacking and our world varies tremendously from our parents' and grandparents' generations. We are still struggling for meaning and purpose. As we continue to grow and develop, our understanding will blossom and our convictions will strengthen. Because of our technology, our generation can communicate world-wide. As we continue to strive for greater opportunities and a better life, we must resist being consumed by our own inventions and instead aspire to personally interact with the outside world. The Internet and other modes of communication can only provide a window, a seat in the theater of life. The world is a stage and we are the actors -- the performers that touch the lives of our children -- the innovators of this conventional realm. Technology can only perform the tasks we program into it; accomplishment requires a human being. Striving for knowledge and perfection is admirabl e, but have the courage to maintain your personal identity. Put your emphasis on the qualities that define our individual personalities and contribute to our diversity. So, what have we gained? These last 13 years of school have prepared us for the journey we are about to embark upon.