Conformity Vs. Nonconformity Essay

Nonconformity is a force from one’s personal self to step outside of the norm and bring a sense of individuality to a world in which there is very little originality anymore. As a society, we are ruled by the media. They force their points of views down everyones throats without one’s consciousness even acknowledging so. We walk past billboards, view commercials, peek around all of our social media websites, and all the while our minds are being bred to be biased towards a certain fashion, a certain point of view, as far as even a music choice which is most preferable. To step outside of this commonality in today’s society to the eye doesn’t seem too difficult. In everyone’s minds they are â€Å"unique†, â€Å"original†, and â€Å"creative†. What we don’t notice is how this seems to be what everybody believes, yet the fashion, attitude, whatever is as a phase and a trend. To truly step outside is a great leap and itâ€⠄¢s not simply acknowledging just how original you are, it’s to live your life everyday in not simply the same consistency but in such a way that you aren’t driven to stand out or fit in. It’s a numbness to either side of the spectrum. Being able to cope and not be judged based upon an individual’s nonconformity today is not as hard as it was in the past, however it is still picked upon. It’s only natural to separate the one that does not belong, as seen in many animal species when an animal is bred with a genetic deformity causing it to not belong, thus being shunned by the rest of the basic of the species. Today, even, one of the main controversies is homosexuality. Despite all the recent movements and reformities of the law, gay male and females are still ridiculed. Sometimes to the point of suicide or even such bizarre, violent bullying leading to near fatal wounds and mental scars. So in a sense, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famous aphorism is correct. â€Å"For non-conformity the world whips you with displeasure.† From personal experience, I cannot recall a certain point in time when my nonconformity has been looked down upon, however I do believe that I fit in such a space between conformity and nonconformity. If you were to judge based upon pure physical factors, I would say that I do not choose to dress myself in a way to stand out, simply on p ersonal taste with a hint of outside influence. Mentally, I believe I do have an abstract method of thinking. I enjoy questioning things and learning, which is growing more  uncommon in today’s generation. Colleges tend to lean towards the unconventional way of thinking. After a professor has read so and so many papers from his hundreds to thousands of students, things can get a bit repetitive and uninteresting. A writing that stands out tends to create excitement with extra attention. This is how you show yourself, as a student, just the potential that you do harness. The ability to think outside of the box and express your thoughts and perspective in a way that invokes thought is a way to prove not only that you understand yourself, but it also is a way to even provoke questions that would allow somebody to learn something new. However abundant and appreciated nonconformity may be in today’s society in the novel â€Å"Brave New World† by Aldous Huxley, this approach to life is completely opposite. Within the â€Å"Brave New World† conformity is a method in which this society prospers and maintains control. From the time people are born in this society they are ta ught how to think, what to believe, and where they belong. This method forces people to grow just exactly how the government wants them to grow. This society is controlled using various methods. If you feel any sort of emotion, which would then create individuality, you just take a â€Å"Soma†. This drug eliminates every feeling. If you feel sad, take a Soma. If you are overly excited or ambitious, take a Soma. Another method is how it is a norm to sleep around with other people frequently. In today’s society if you practice â€Å"free love† or do not have emotionally attached sex then you are awfully judged and are pegged names that deem you somebody not to get close to. In â€Å"Brave New World† the opposite is so, and if you have sex with a person regularly you are then criticized. This operates control in order to detach love from sex, for love is a feeling which would separate you in this world. John the Savage is an excellent example for what happens when a nonconformist steps foot into this society. After his displeasing trip, he tries to change the way things are run. He spreads word of how he was raised. Even hearing the word â€Å"mother† gives people there an uncomfortable feeling because they were not raised, they were not nurtured, t hey were engineered. After all is said and done John is banished, but before he can reach that point he simply falls to depression causing his most unfortunate suicide at the end of the book. To conform is an easy task for the simple minded. It is a meager achievement to breeze through life without  questioning outside of what you are taught to accept. To go above and beyond displays a true thinker, someone worth remembering for what they believed- a nonconformist.

Monastic spirituality in the 21st Century Essay

In the 21st Century, it could be said that monastic spirituality in an outdated concept. In the contemporary world we live in today, it has become increasingly difficult to live obedient to the Churches teaching. Some people would argue that there should be no real set of moral codes, and that the Church should not have such high authority. This contrasts to the Celtic Monks belief that â€Å"Nothing must be refused in their obedience; to be Christ’s true disciple†¦it will not be pleasing to the Lord.† In society today, people don’t see a need for a moral code. They make their own subjective decisions about what is right and wrong from them, and don’t accept religious or government law. Grove argues â€Å"People do not see the Church as having a real relevance in their everyday lives, and therefore do not recognise its authority in everyday matters.† Some sociologists have said that it is this belief that has led to religious organizations â€Å"watering down† their beliefs to accommodate many beliefs, in the hope that this would make their religion more popular. However, in actual fact this can often lead to the religious organization becoming less popular, as they may lose the devoted members, who aren’t looking for a watered down religion. Pope Benedict said that â€Å"relativism†¦does not recognise anything as being certain†¦its highest goals are one’s own ego and desire.† Relativism is the belief that concepts such as right and wrong, goodness and badness, or truth and falsehood are not definite and that they alter in different cultures and situations. It could be described as the â€Å"cherry picking† for faith. An example of this would be ignoring the rule of no contraception, for promiscuous reasons. An other common example would be the issue of sex before marriage. The Celtic monks had a huge sense of Divine Will that had to be obeyed. Saint Columbanus reminded us of this by saying â€Å"by strict obedience shall the monk show his love of God.† Many of these traits, that the monks found so admirable, have been lost in today’s society. Monks believed that community was better than the individual, and that when we do something, it should be for the sake of the community, rather than for the sake of the individual themselves. The monks saw obedience as responding to God’s call. We can see a huge lack of obedience to God by looking at the large decline in vocations in recent years. In 2008, in Dublin, only three people were ordained into the priesthood. There are many reasons for this, a main possibility being the recent scandal the Church has been involved in in recent years. In 1968, 95% of Catholics went to mass. By 2004 this amount had dropped to a mere 50% (BBC Newsline). These figures support the view that as Christians, we no longer feel compelled to be obedient to God. This can relate back to what Pope Benedict described as â€Å"The Culture of Relativism.† Another debated issue is the importance of chastity and sexuality in our society today. Saint Columbanus said â€Å"a monk’s chastity is indeed judged by his thoughts.† He said that they were not only judged by sexual relations, but by the purity of the mind, and the sexual desires that they experienced. This view contrasts greatly to the view of society today. In our modern society, people are often sexually objectified. An estimated average of 75% of prime television shows include content of a sexual nature, and in soap operas it is estimated that extra-marital sex is referred to two out of three times every hour. This is because the television company’s know that in today’s society, sex sells. It is no longer thought of as a big deal, and there has been a massive increase in sexual promiscuity. This has led to a big increase in sexually transmitted diseases, which are becoming increasingly difficult to control. It also meant a big increase in the amount of unwanted pregnancies. Unlike monastic living which promoted the selfless giving of ones self to the community, we have adopted a hedonistic, narcissistic attitude. We have become our own lust. Michael Maher points out that the standards in Celtic monasteries are â€Å"severe, particularly in the area of sexual morality†. For many today, the idea of chastity is an outdated concept and is problematic for the future of the priesthood in the Catholic Church. This would lead me to believe that in regard to this aspect of monastic life, monastic spirituality could very easily be perceived as outdated in the 21st Century. Brigid of Kildare had a preferential option for the poor. She vowed to the king of Leinster, â€Å"If I had all your wealth, I would take it and give it away to the poor,† So Brigids monastery in Kildare, became known as the â€Å"City of the poor.† Aidan of Lindesfarm also expressed solidarity to the poor, when he gave away the kings’ gift of a horse to the first beggar he met saying â€Å"Surely this son of a mare is not more important to you than that son of man.† However, the Church didn’t always share the same view. Leondardo Boff argues that â€Å"the Church became an abstract speculation removed from the original spirit of the Gospel message, and out of touch with real life.† The Church has been criticised for siding with the vested interest, and in its history has even been involved in colonisation and the removal of land from the peasantry, in its commitment to obeying the laws of the land. Richard Woods reminds us that â€Å"justice and chastity were the main hinges of Celtic social action.† This is another way, in that it could be said that monastic spirituality is an outdated concept in the 21st Century. Views that should be had today have slowly died off, and have left places worse off. However, Bishop Casadaliga reminds us that â€Å"as long as there are poor people in the world, and as long as there is a God who cares for the poor, there will be a need for a theology of Liberation.† The spirit of Liberation Theology is very much evident in Celtic Monasticism in many ways, from the care of the poor and the sinner, to the welcoming of the stranger. Hospitality was always extremely generous in the monasteries, and any stranger who came was very well looked after. In 2004, 19% of asylum seekers were allowed to find refuge in Britain, while 78% were turned away. The Celtic monks in their openness to all, especially the weakest turned no one away. This shows another way that Monastic Spirituality could be considered an outdated concept in 21st Century life. In conclusion, it would appear that Monastic Spirituality is in fact an outdated concept in 21st Century living, with our lackadaisical views on chastity and sexuality, and our selfish views on poverty, it seems that Monastic Spirituality has been lost, and I believe it would be in the Catholic Churches interest to try and retrieve some of this monastic spirit.

Lead Auditors Report on Iso 14001 and Ohsas 18001

Auditees : ____HO s and staff Department : IFC,FEM,HR,KESSB,SSHE,PBB,AH,PH/BS,CARGO ____Date of Audit : _____26TH Nov 2012 – 18th Dec 2012___ Procedure Involved : a) OSH Act 1994 & relevant Regulations b) F&M Act 1967 & relevant Regulations (including BOWEC Reg. 1986) c) OHSAS 18001 Standard d) ISAGO Standards Manual Effective May 2010 2nd Edition e) EMS ISO 14001 StandardAudit Team : 1. En. Meor Badrul Niza bin Ahmad Rafie – Dept :ILS 2. En Amir Syakib Yahya – Dept QAD 3, En. Abdul Razak Sauzi – Dept :QAD 4. En. Zainudin Zaini 5.Cik Nadiah Yahaya| SUMMARY OF AUDITBased on the observation made during this audit, it was noted that KLAS has made a good start-up at launching the OHSAS 18001 and EMS ISO 14001 campaign working towards certification of OHSAS 18001 in 2013 and EMS ISO 14001 in 2014 for example: 1) Workers on site are consistently wearing basic PPE such as Yellow/orange vest and Safety shoes. 2) Almost all workers on site have been SHE inducted. 3 ) Centralised Scheduled Waste store is provided at GSE workshop 4) Consistently and periodically carrying out SHE training such as ERT; Fire fighting and Chemical spill control.However, below are the key improvements that the KLAS team needs to address: 1) To ensure all and every machineries on site are registered before they are used and monthly inspected with upkeep and maintenance done to ensure they are fit to use . 2) Ensure the quality of the inspection carried out is in detail and not just for the sake of inspection. 3) Ensure Security personnel are trained on the Site SHE requirements and they assist by screening employees and give safety briefing to visitors entering the site . ) To ensure all chemical containers are labeled and each chemical shall have its own MSDS and each site shall have its own Chemical Register. The Chemical Register and MSDSs can be placed at the SHE Notice board for easy reference 5) To ensure the scheduled waste management and communication flow is refined and retuned between process owners and scheduled waste store keepers. 6) Accidents and incidents without forgetting near misses are given due attention and investigated thoroughly to prevent future accidents and incidents. ) Compliance to the legal and other requirement are addressed diligently and carefully to avoid unnecessary penalty or hefty summonses. AREA OF CONCERN 1. Ground handling equipments and machineries are in bad shape and require immediate upkeep and maintenance to prevent from accidents and incidents. 2. Manual work involving cargo manual lifting ,distribution and loading or unloading is rampant thus back support PPE is a must unless an engineering control tool is introduced to reduce manual labour. 3.BOMB threat emergency procedure has not been addressed and need to be included in the existing ERP procedure. NON CONFORMANCERefer to CAR listing. | RECOMMENDATIONAs an Auditor, I strongly believe that KLAS Team can excel better than what and where WE currently are and this can be further enhanced by a better and systematic SHE management. | Signature : †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Date : †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Signature : †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Date : †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. (Lead Auditor) (Quality Manager)|

Critical Incidents Response Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Critical Incidents Response - Assignment Example He is responsible for how, when, where and what functions are to be carried out. The civilian tactical operations are more controlled as the snipers, assault and breaching processes are involved. These operations help in determining the position of the subject and keep an eye on his activities via snipers. However, the risks associated are also high as these operations have zero tolerance for mistakes. A single and minor mistake may lead to great losses like a loss of the life of hostage/victim if the subject escapes the shot or attack. Military combats are uncontrolled and uncertain in the circumstances. Both groups have a definite aim to achieve and both have the power to carry out their missions. It becomes quite difficult to realize the hidden potentials of the opponent and hence, the circumstances may vary as the combat progresses. However, in military combats the opponents have definite aims to achieve and there is no interference of greed, new aims and new values after the combat starts. The aim is fixed and the efforts are made to dominate the opponents. Transportation disasters are not always emergencies as people may have knowledge of the disaster beforehand and they are sometimes preventable. For instance, a person living near a railway line knows the potential risks associated with living there and may take necessary steps to prevent himself and his family from those risks by shifting to a safer place or plan to eliminate the risks of being struck by the train; especially for children. 2. Why is it necessary for all facets of the community (individuals, businesses, non-governmental organizations, governmental organizations, etc.) to be involved in disaster management planning and response? There is no set disaster management plan as the emergencies are unexpected and uncertain. The disaster management plan requires government agencies, individuals, non-governmental

Scriabin write about his aesthetic and style for vers la flamme and Term Paper

Scriabin write about his aesthetic and style for vers la flamme and poem of fire - Term Paper Example Although he had small hands, Scriabin became a recognized pianist; he was so fascinated with piano and even ended up damaging his hands at one point because of practicing pieces, which were meant for greater hand spans than his. Scriabin was interested in both Nietzsche's ubermensch theory and theosophy and this played a great part not only in his musical thoughts but also in his music. He also gained interest in Delville's Theosophist movement when he lived in Brussels between 1909 and 1910. Scriabin is believed to be â€Å"the one great pioneer of the new music of a reborn Western civilization, the father of the future musician," (Garzia 277). Alexander Scriabin wrote his poem, Vers la flame (piece 71), towards the end of his life. The piece has very simple melody mainly made up of descending half steps. However an intense, fiery luminance is achieved by the use of remarkable harmonies and complex tremolos. For this reason the piece is considered a poem and not a sonata (Tatarkiew icz 13). Although the piece was meant to be Scriabin’s eleventh sonata, he was forced to publish it much earlier due to financial reasons. Impression when Performed with Accompaniments Scriabin’s compositions in "Vers La Flamme", like his other works, tend to be very unique owing to the artist’s special attention to accompaniments and instruments in the course of his composition. Many of the occasions, symphonists often reflect special emphasis and attention on the symphonic bit of the music as compared to the instrument, in order that it is not dominated by the instrument. On the other hand, Scriabin’s â€Å"Vers La Flamme" and "Poem of Fire† are largely influenced by the composer’s fascination with piano, reflecting more of his piano thinking and still leave a good sense of balance between the instrument and the symphony. According to Leonid Sabaneev (32), Scriabin had designed the symphonies such that they turned out to be so clear and im pressive when performed on the piano. He states: â€Å"The impression was unforgettable, and it sounded much better than with an orchestra."(Sabaneev 32). Thus, these symphonies have been described as having been written and best meant for a piano solo by Scriabin when he was doing the composition (Bowers 335). According to Vladimir Horowitz, a prominent pianist, Vers la flame was inspired by Scriabin’s unconventional belief that the world would be destroyed by accumulation of heat. The title itself, coupled with the emotional upsurge throughout the poem points to the sizzling destruction of the earth. As already pointed out, Scriabin was interested in both Nietzsche's ubermensch theory and theosophy and this played a great part not only in his musical thoughts but also in his music. Vers la flame therefore expresses and reflects Scriabin’s intensifying and deep philosophical convictions, particularly as at the time that the symphony was being composed. Macdonald thus comments that â€Å"†¦ he (Scriabin) later saw every composition as the expression of his mental world and attached much importance to the meaning, whether mystical, philosophical, or fantastic, of each piece† (33). The incorporation of philosophical aspects, intense, fiery luminance achieved by the use of remarkable harmonies and complex tremolos in the poem lends it a high degree of aesthetic appeal and makes the

Social and Behavioral Sciences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social and Behavioral Sciences - Essay Example In a phone interview with the CNN Turk news television the mayor of Manisa town, Cengiz Ergun, said that the blast had caused a fire that had blocked the exits of the mine trapping the workers within. The area has some of the largest coal reserves in the world. Since the tragedy occurred in the midafternoon as the workers were changing shifts it has been challenging for the officials in charge of the rescue efforts to determine the number of miners that were trapped underground. According to local authorities, the mine could have trapped more than 250 miners up to 2000 feet below the surface. According to the energy minister, out of the 787 miners registered at the site, only 363 of them had been rescued. Sixty rescue teams comprising more than 400 members had worked through the night in search of the trapped miners. More than 80 mineworkers were harmed in the tragedy according to Mr. Ergun. Families and friends flocked the Manisa State Hospital where the injured miners were taken. Many people questioned the safety conditions of the mine but the labor ministry in a written statement maintained that the mine had been subject to regular inspection and complied with occupational health and safety regulations. A federal appeals court in Huntsville, Texas on Tuesday halted the execution for a convicted murderer just hours before he was scheduled to be put to death. The court granted the stay to review a claim presented by the lawyers of the defendant saying he was mentally retarded and that state agencies had for a long time known and concealed this fact. Robert James Campbell, 41, had been set to be the first death row inmate to be executed in America after a botched execution in Oklahoma that drew attention to the methods and drugs used and the secrecy surrounding lethal injections. The U. S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans conceded the stay ask for by Campbells attorneys. The court was initially reluctant

PESTEL and Porter Five Forces Analysis for the Metro Bank Essay

PESTEL and Porter Five Forces Analysis for the Metro Bank - Essay Example PESTEL and Porter Five Forces Analysis for the Metro Bank The topic of the present essay is Metro Bank PLC - a retail bank operating in the United Kingdom. It outlines the basic forces which are favorable to the banking industry in general and to Metro Bank specifically. Among such Legal, Technological, Socio-cultural, Economic and Political forces are discussed. The second part of the paper presents the PESTEL analysis of the bank in question. The threat of new entrants, power of customers, competition in the industry, power of suppliers and threat of substitutes are analyzed. The improved economic performance of the UK’s economy after the 2008 to 2010 economic recession has given businesses including banks a new lease of the life as the economic situation are favorable meaning that there is high likelihood of generating substantial amounts of profits. Yet, it must be understood that this recovery is limited and might take over a decade in order to come to a complete level of fruition. By much the same token, the nascent recovery itself could be called into question by even a simple market fluctuation in the very near future. Socio-cultural force According to Chrystal and Mizen (2006), UK is a host to some of the oldest and world-renowned banks, which means that the culture of banking pre-exists amongst the British people and therefore, Metro Bank is likely to perform well since this force favors its business. As has previously been specified, the level and extent to which trust is exhibited in the system has a profound level of sociocultural importance. Due to the impact of the lost trust associated with the bailouts that took place several years ago, a significantly reduced level of consumer confidence exist with regards to the banking industry and any further action that might seek to revive this lost trust can severely impair the manner through which such a service would be offered. Technological forces The UK as a country is largely driven by technology and the banking industry has greatly embraced information technology meaning that for Metro Bank to compete effectively it has to integrate IT within its business processes (Chrystal and Mizen, 2006). Technological forces that could be evidenced have to do with the fact of the rapid technological change that the sweeping each and every industry in the market. In such a way, the technological threat could be with respect to an entirely new platform or paradigm shift with regards to the banking industry and the inability of the entity in question to rapidly integrate with this paradigm shift and provide services to the consumer base accordingly. However, by the same token, if the service provider/bank is able to integrate with a new level of technology in an efficient manner prior to the competition, this could provide a noted benefit and exponentially increase the level of service provision that it could accomplish. Legal forces After the 2008 to 2010, Chrystal and Mizen (2006) stated that legal regulations in the UK’s banking industry have increased drastically but since Metro Bank was issued with a license it means that it was able to abide by the laid down legal requirements. Of all of the information that is thus far been engaged, the legal threats, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities that exist for a given banking entity are perhaps the most important. Due to the fact that a simple law for an enti re combination of laws in the form of parliamentary legislation could adversely impact the way in which profitability, this potential for change is the most impactful of all of the others which have been discussed. Analysis of

Cash and Stock Control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cash and Stock Control - Research Paper Example Product descriptions taken New Item Data entry form for entering New items taken in from suppliers Products table using VLOOKUP function Update Stock Update the stock levels of products procured in the "Product Table" Print Print preview of sheet Deliveries Data base of Main Page Return to Main Page Customers containing their names and addresses Add Customer Data form for entering customer data Sales invoice Table of up to 5 Main Page Return to Main Page products sold to a customer (using VLOOKUP function) Add item Data form for entering products sold (Product ID and Quantity), other data are given by the VLOOKUP function Update Stock Update the stock levels of products procured in the "Product Table" Print Print preview of sheet B. Print outs of various screens and tables 1. Main Page 2. Product Table 2.a. Sort by Product ID 2.b. Sort by Product Type 2.c. Re-Order List 2.d. Print preview of Product Table 2.e. Add new product 3. Order form 4. Goods In 5. Deliveries 6. Sales Invoice 6.a. Sales Invoice Screen before Updating Sock 6. b. Product Table before Updating Stock The second row of data (product ID 0002) is one of the stocks affected by the update from sales invoice table. Before the update its stock is at 23, 2 below the re-order level of 25, re-order stock is 2, invoice is 1, and Re-order value is 190. 6. c. Product Table after Update After the update, the stock volume is reduced by 1, re-order stock is 3 and its re-order value increased to 285. C. User Manual You should have at least MS Excel 2003 installed in your computer with the security level reduced to low level, or else the macros are disabled and cannot operate at higher security levels. You should also have an antivirus program installed in your... You should have at least MS Excel 2003 installed in your computer with the security level reduced to low level, or else the macros are disabled and cannot operate at higher security levels. You should also have an antivirus program installed in your computer. A print button is included in all sheets so you can preview or have hard copy of the transaction made. A VLookup function (vertical look-up function) is used on the product table to help "automate" the entry of product type and descriptions in the other sheets, so the user may not need to re-enter these information. Data can be entered directly on the spreadsheet or by using the data form entry button provided.

Benefits in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Benefits in Business - Essay Example As the research stresses there are a number of ways of measuring the public sector information (PSI) and approximating the probable benefits of accessing it. The following formula represents the relationship between the benefit and the cost.From this paper it is clear that after preparing a data sheet for the price transaction received at Land Registry for Lincolnshire, the average for the price   was 175102, the count was 1244 and the sum was 217827032. The data for the month of June 2015 was evenly distributed with the highest data being value of cost being 877,500 pounds while the lowest value being 29,000 pounds. The measure of the spread of data shows that the cost of data distribution varies depending on the quantity of data being distributed on the internet. According to Lincolnshire records, the quantity of data distributed in the month of June 2015 amounts to 11 MB.  The method used in getting the highest five and the lowest five prices is by arranging the data in an asc ending order from the highest value to the lowest value. This makes it easy to identify the first five values and the last five values. These are the values that were used in constructing the table below. Once rearranged in a chronological manner, the post codes will automatically be rearranged in the excel sheet. The South Kesteven town was the only town to have the highest values whiles other towns such as West Lindsey, Lincoln, West Lindsey and East Lindsey experienced lower values.

Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Research - Assignment Example The study involves a population of 656 care workers from 14 nursing homes in Korea (Ha et al., 2014, p. 426). The nursing homes have a capacity of more than 50 elderly residents where the administrators agree to participate in the study (Ha et al., 2014, p.426). The researchers requested the administrators to distribute the questionnaire to their care workers to ensure that the sampling process had the required authorization. The study involves a structured questionnaire survey on the identified population conducted for 14 days (Ha et al., 2014, p. 426). Clearly, the sampling process used in this context manifests simple random sampling method. There are controls on the timeframe, population characteristics, location of the sample, and capacity of the sample units. The nursing homes in Korea define the sampling frame while the 14 nursing homes in Korea with a capacity of more than 50 elderly residents defined the sampling unit (Ha et al., 2014, p. 426). Moreover, the study defines care workers from the 14 nursing homes in Korea as a sampling frame. Having established a list of population elements, the researchers selected a random sample of 504 care workers working at 14 nursing homes who agreed to participate in the study (Ha et al., 2014, p. 426). Apparently, the researchers examine the descriptive statistics of the participants. The researchers conduct the reliability and validity tests for all the structured questions. As required in simple random sampling, the researchers use a computer program, SPSS 12.0 for Windows to conduct statistical analysis on how to conduct random selection of the research subjects (Ha et al., 2014, p. 427). The research subjects include organisational support, high-performance work practices, turnover intention, and organisational commitment (Ha et al., 2014, p. 426). The sampling method used in the study is very effective.

Girlhood in19th Century American Art Research Paper - 1

Girlhood in19th Century American Art - Research Paper Example al backgrounds, ages, and other demographic variables who illustrate different features and aspects of girlhood that condenses the aspect of beauty in the context of the nineteenth century America. Beauty, culture, and history are presented in multiple dimensions that effectively portray the subtle aesthetics and meanings as understood within the specific context. A huge travelling exhibition, â€Å"Angels and Tomboys: Girlhood in 19th century American art† includes eighty prints, paintings, photographs, sculptures, and texts depicting the concepts of 19th century girlhood. The exhibitions interprets the countless ways that artists at this time delineated, artistically, the perception of people of how girls were and ought to be and how the artist aided in the modeling the social and artistic perception of being a female at that time. It also intended to show what adults hoped for the future of their daughters and what they feared most. Indeed, it includes the works of an era when females were just beginning to appear in art, featuring the works of Winslow Homer, Thomas Wakins, William Merritt Chase, Cecilia Beaux and much more. The artwork portrays economic and social class and race. It is apparent how the civil war affects the artwork which is shown later in the exhibition. It expresses how perceptions of women were changing along with the education and work conditions. Throughout the 19th century, when thinking about a young woman or girl, the first thoughts would be angelic, sweet, innocent and domestic. This exhibition at The Newark Museum had a different take on this issue. It displays significantly different views than the â€Å"norm† just previously describes of girlhood. The first text you would see entering the exhibit is a quote from James’s novella Daisy Miller (1878), where Daisy is portrayed as an †inscrutable combination of audacity and innocence†. This is evident in the name of the exhibit. It is evident how much our perceptions have changed

Cyber Security Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Cyber Security Research Paper Essay 1. Preface This security profile of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is based on two documents of public record. The first is the published VA Handbook 6500 (VAH 6500) which defined policy and procedures for systems within the purview of the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2007). The second document is the Federal Information Security Management Act Assessment for FY 20011 commissioned by the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) and performed by Ernst Young in accordance with Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) guidelines (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. i). 2. Identification of Controls This security profile presents one control function from three primary policy and procedure controls. These controls are â€Å"System/New Technology Development Life Cycle† from Management Controls, â€Å"Security Training, Education, and Awareness† from Operational Controls, and â€Å"Remote Access† from Technical Controls. These controls are selected based on the lack of resolution based on information provided fiscal year 2006, 2010 (VA Office of Inspector General, 2011) and 2011 (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012) FISMA audits. 3. Management Controls The protection of systems via risk mitigation techniques are referred to as management controls. Management controls are designed to minimize risk associated with development process and systems implementation. 4.1. VAH6500 Section 6.a.(7) System/New Technology Development Life Cycle VAH6500 requires that any new technology undergo a systems development life cycle (SDLC) specific to the VA. The cycle consists of Initiation, Development / Acquisition, Implementation, Operation / Maintenance and Disposal. Systems must be able to encrypt/decrypt data. Systems not capable of this must receive a waiver from the OIG. 4.2. Implementation Assessment The SDLC program provided does not provide the necessary information for an effective program. No supporting material or references to NIST SP 800-64 Rev2 Security Considerations in the System Development Life Cycle or VAH 6500.5 Incorporating Security and Privacy into the System Development Life Cycle is made. 4.3. Implementation Impact The OIG 2011 FISAM Assessment indicates that â€Å"FISMA Section 3544 requires establishing policies and procedures to ensure information security is addressed throughout the life cycle of each agency information system† (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 9). Based on the lack of consistency in use of SDLC and change control, major security risks may go unnoticed. 4. Operational Controls Operational controls focus on techniques and procedures put in place by Information Technology staff or systems managers. The purpose is to increase security and provide deterrence via system controls. 5.4. VAH6500 Section 6.b.(11) Security Training, Education, and Awareness VAH6500 provides a concise policy which states any individuals that access sensitive information or systems must complete annual security training. Key persons with â€Å"significant† roles must attend additional training. All training is monitored for completeness. Policy indicates before employees can use systems security training must be completed. 5.5. Implementation Assessment Policy indicates that fourteen key pieces of information must be covered before an individual is allowed to begin work. This training must also be refreshed annually. The tracking of this information is the responsibility of the local ISO (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2007, p. 57). 5.6. Implementation Impact The distributed manner of training management is not conducive to consistent security training. The OIG 2011 FISAM Assessment findings indicate a centrally managed training database be used to ensure personnel receive the proper training needed for their job function (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 15). 5. Technical Controls The technical control area focuses on minimizing and/or preventing access to a system(s) by unauthorized individuals via technical measures. The measures are designed to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of a system(s) (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 54). 6.7. VAH6500 Section 6.c.(3) Remote Access Control VAH6500 relies on nineteen policy requirements to enforce technical control. VA policy states that no sensitive information may be transmitted via internet or intranet without proper security mechanisms that meet NIST FIPS 140-2 criteria (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2007, p. 61). Each department within the Agency is responsible for monitoring remote access and privilege functions. Access can be revoked by a supervisor or superior at any time. The remaining requirements cover contractor access, PKI certificate distribution and termination of accounts. System protection is the responsibility of the ISO for each area of access. 6.8. Implementation Assessment VAH6500 does not utilize NIST SP 800-46 Guide to Enterprise Telework and Remote Access Security. The OIG 2011 FISAM Assessment also indicates some remote access systems do not provide Network Access Control (NAC) to block systems that do not meet predefined security requirements (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 6). 6.9. Implementation Impact The diversity of ISO management practices coupled with a lack of specific procedures for management, auditing and access creates opportunity for security breaches. 6. Summary The three controls outlined in this document show the disparity between written policy, procedure, and implementation. In order for the VA to be successful in meeting the standards of future FISMA assessments, a fundamental change in operations within the VA is required. 7. Comments The multifaceted nature of operations within the VA requires guidelines that meet the needs of multiple departments within the Agency. All three controls discussed in this document have very broad definitions to accommodate the extensive variety of services the VA provides. This flexibility coupled with a drop in training acceptance, legacy systems (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 7) and the lack of an â€Å"implemented components of its agency-wide information security risk management program† (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 3) will continue to limit future progress. These delay factors provide an understanding of why twelve recommendations from prior FISAM assessments remain open. Of the twelve recommendations listed in the VA FISMA FY 2011 report, only three have been closed, while three other recommendations have been superseded by new recommendations (VA Office of Inspector General, 2012, p. 19). The recent announcement of the Continuous, Readiness in Information Security Program (CRISP) seems to indicate a fundamental shift in the way the VA views security issues (United States Department of Veterans Affairs). In order for this program to be successful, this message must be understood and acted upon by all persons under the VA umbrella. 8.References Department of Veterans Affairs. (2007). VA Handbook 6500. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. Retrieved February 20, 2013, from http://www.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub_ID=56 Department of Veterans Affairs. (2010). Strategic Plan FY 2010-2014. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. Retrieved February 20, 2013, from http://www.va.gov/op3/Docs/StrategicPlanning/VA_2010_2014_Strategic_Plan.pdf National Institute of Standards and Technology. (2010). Guide for Assessing the Security Controls in Federal Information System (NIST 800-53a). Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office. http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-53-Rev3/sp800-53-rev3-final_updated-errata_05-01-2010.pdf United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). CRISP. Retrieved February 21, 2013, from United States Department of Veterans Affairs: http://www.saltlakecity.va.gov/features/CRISP.asp VA Office of Inspector General. (2011). Department of Veterans Affairs Federal Informati on Security Management Act Assessment for FY 2010 (10-01916-165). Washington, D.C.: US Government Publishing Office. Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/oig/52/reports/2011/VAOIG-10-01916-165.pdf VA Office of Inspector General. (2012). Department of Veterans Affairs Federal Information Security Management Act Assessment for FY 2011 (11-00320-138). Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office. Retrieved February 20, 2013,from http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-11-00320-138.pdf

Haiti Earthquake 2010: Effects and Cost

Haiti Earthquake 2010: Effects and Cost Haiti Earthquake Introduction Earthquakes happen in different parts of the world and they lead to negative consequences including death, destruction of buildings and huge losses in economy. Before studying one of the most important and hazardous natural disasters which took place seven years ago, we have to take into consideration the meaning of earthquakes. As a matter of fact, earthquake is a natural disaster according to which the layers of the earth move or tremble when the crust is ruptured or slipped. In addition, during such rupture across the fault line at which earthquakes happen, a kind of energy provided with elasticity is emitted from between rocks that could be pressured. While these amounts of energy could be stocked throughout years and emitted in less than a second, pressure existed between rocks as well as strain lead to the storage of more quantities of elastic energy causing the increase in the possibility of occurrence of earthquakes. On the other side, when this energy is released, a particul ar type of sound waves named seismic provided with low rates of frequency are spread and distributed across the surface of the earth or among its layers. Surprisingly, more than three million earthquakes happen every year. Nevertheless, people do not feel or notice them. On the contrary, earthquakes which surpass five degrees on the Richter scale are considered as one of the most terrifying and disastrous natural disasters that humans witness their occurrence on the surface of the earth and that could lead to destructive outcomes. (Earthquakes: introduction) Haiti earthquake One of the massive earthquakes that took place in the United States in 2010 was Haiti earthquake. It is worth mentioning that such earthquake occurred along Hispaniola which is a West Indian island. In spite of the fact that such island includes the two states of Dominican Republic and Haiti, the latter country was the most damaged one and the state that struggled more after the negative consequences of the earthquake. While the death toll which was released was not able to determine the numbers of casualties resulted from such chaos, the government of the country mentioned that more than three hundred thousand people were dead. Nevertheless, other resources stated that the real number was smaller than what was announced. In addition, a lot of Haitians were asked to evacuate the area and leave their homes. At 4:53 pm, there was a huge and strong hit by the earthquake. Such hit extended about more than twenty five kilometers along the coast of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. Bes ides, the magnitude of the first shock was about seven degrees. Then another two shocks happened whose degrees reached five point nine and five point five. Later, a lot of shocks took place such as the shock that happened on the twenty of January at a small town called Petit Goave which is fifty five kilometers away from Port-au-Prince. As a matter of fact, Haiti did not witness the occurrence of any earthquakes comparing to Haiti earthquake when talking about strength, enormity and degree. (Pallardy, 2016) On the other hand, such natural catastrophe contributed in the death of more than two thousand hundred persons as well as the injuries and homelessness of more than six hundred thousand persons who were struggling in order to survive and in order to search for the primary resources of living so that they could be able to maintain their lives. In addition, the earthquake managed to convert the situations in Haiti upside down on a local, political, economic and environmental scale. As a matter of fact, such earthquake has led to the breakdown of the government there whose ruling of the state was very weak and fragile. As a result of the inability and failure in managing and controlling situations during the occurrence of catastrophes and disasters, the government resorted to the dependence on aids and humanitarian relief from other countries in order to be able to provide people with the resources required for their survival. What the government managed to do is offering those survivor s tents and camps where they could live their transitional life till the occurrence of something new. (The Shockwave That Changed A Nation, 2010) Based on what was mentioned by the Humanitarian Action Plan for the Haitian state three years ago, more than one hundred and seventy two thousand persons were obliged by governmental orders to leave their houses in order to live in more than three hundred camps in 2013. Moreover, services offered to displaced persons such as health and WASH services have witnessed a quick decline comparing to the course of the displacement event of those survivors. On the other hand, there was a high risk, which more than sixteen thousand families who used to live in about fifty camps, had to face. Such risk is represented in the fact that these families could be forced to evacuate the area. In addition to the previous information and data, other eight thousand persons who used to live in camps were subjected to the risk of suffering from floods. According to what was indicated by OCHA in 2014, about one hundred and for thousand persons were remained in the state. Nevertheless, they were obliged to l ive in camps. Furthermore, there was no intention of any kind of relocation programs offered to more than seventy thousand IDPs. Finally, IOM has stated in 2014 that more than eighty thousand Haitians had the ability to survive and live their transitional life in more than one hundred camps in September. (Haiti: Earthquakes Jan 2010) Effect of Haiti earthquake According the statistics, the damage resulted from this Haitian earthquake was ranged between seven and half and eight and half billion American dollars. In addition, there was a decline in the gross domestic product of the state estimated by five point one percent. It is worth mentioning that such earthquake has led to the destruction of the basic airport in Haiti along with a large number of roads and finally the majority of ports. Moreover, the earthquake has resulted in the damage of more than one hundred thousand houses and homes based on what was mentioned by the studies and researches conducted by the Inter-American Development Bank. On the other side, the capital of Haiti named Port-au-Prince was unfortunately hit by the Haitian earthquake. As a result, the government remained paralyzed and did not succeed in eliminating chaos and returning order to the state along with the inability to take in charge of the situation. Besides, almost one of each four servants who used to liv e in Port-au-Prince was found dead. In addition to the previously mentioned information, the earthquake contributed in the damage of more than half of schools and almost sixty percent of the main constructions and establishments in the state. No one can deny the fact that one of the least countries regarding wealth, fortune and economic prosperity in the entire western hemisphere was Haiti. In fact, the majority of public there is considered ultra-poor according to the international statistics and measurements. Furthermore, more than half of them used to live in despicable circumstances of living. On the other hand, a huge percentage of Haitians there work as farmers in order to become the breadwinners of their families. Finally, the earthquake managed to cause a lot of damage since the resistance of the Haitian state against natural catastrophes is weak due to deforestation.   (Amadeo, 2016) Humanitarian relief after the occurrence of Haiti earthquake One of the main international organizations, which had the ability to offer humanitarian aid and relief to the state of Haiti after the occurrence of such destructive earthquake along with attracting the attention of the whole world to the importance of providing people there with assistance so that they could be able to survive, was the United Nations. Thanks to the donations received from certain countries around the globe as well as collaboration between various elements including people, organizations and governmental authorities, the United Nations succeeded in achieving development and improvement in the process of getting Haiti back to life especially after this devastating earthquake happened. Furthermore, the United Nations managed to cooperate with other communities that had the chance to offer donations in order to offer Haitian populations aid and relief on the long term. In addition, the foundation of United Nations contributed in the collection of donations estimated by four million American dollars to help those people to survive and live in normal conditions. As a matter of fact, such donations provided the United Nations with the ability to do the following: First: giving more than one hundred thousand American dollars to projects of solar light. Second: offering the needed resources for life such as fresh water, healthy food and health care as well as shelters due to the donation delivered to the UN which reached three million dollars in order to be able to control and manage risks and hazards in the future. Third: taking part in the process of recycling about twenty percent of the debris resulted from the earthquake. Fourth: offering Haitian people about three hundred thousand job opportunities. Fifth: offering more than two thousand Haitian workers training in the field of development and life recovery. Sixth: supplying the United Nations Population Fund with more than seven hundred thousand American dollars to get resources regarding maternal health along with offering street lights which depend on solar energy in order to provide Haitians especially women and young girl protection, safety and security. Seventh: giving more than two hundred thousand American dollars to the development program related to the UN since such program is considered as a trial in order to help people there get jobs and work so that they could be able to remove debris resulted from the earthquake. (HAITI EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE, 2013) Conclusion In a nutshell, natural disasters are considered as one of the most destructive events that could be faced by any country around the world. In addition, one of these catastrophes that could lead to the total destruction and demolishment of states is earthquakes. Earthquakes happen due to the slippage between layers of the earth. As a result, a lot of damages occur leading to the huge percentage of casualties, demolishment of houses and constructions along with the displacement of many people out of their homes. Thats why countries have to be well prepared for these events in order to prevent their negative consequences as well as protecting people there from any danger or hazard that might threaten their lives. References The Shockwave That Changed A Nation. (2010). Retrieved March 21, 2017, from Haiti earthquake 2010: http://haitiearthquake.web.unc.edu/ HAITI EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE. (2013). Retrieved March 21, 2017, from United Nations Foundation: http://www.unfoundation.org/who-we-are/impact/our-impact/health-data-disaster-relief/haiti-earthquake-response.html?referrer=https://www.google.com.eg/ Amadeo, K. (2016). Haiti Earthquake: Facts, Damage, Effects on Economy. Retrieved March 21, 2017, from The balance: https://www.thebalance.com/haiti-earthquake-facts-damage-effects-on-economy-3305660 Earthquakes: introduction. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2017, from SMS Tsunami Warning: http://www.sms-tsunami-warning.com/pages/earthquakes-introduction Haiti: Earthquakes Jan 2010. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2017, from relief web: http://reliefweb.int/disaster/eq-2010-000009-hti Pallardy, R. (2016). Haiti earthquake of 2010. Retrieved March 21, 2017, from Encyclopaedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/event/Haiti-earthquake-of-2010

Absence of Evidence, or Evidence of Absence; A paper on Animal Consciou

Absence of Evidence, or Evidence of Absence? A paper on Animal Consciousness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Consciousness is a difficult term to grasp; so much so, that many scientists will not even attempt to define the term, much less search for it’s evidence. Most however, do agree that consciousness must include certain aspects; specifically cognition, self-awareness, memory, and abstract thought.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lesley J. Rogers describes consciousness as, â€Å"related to awareness, intelligence, and complex cognition, as well as language. Consciousness may be manifested in self-awareness, awareness of others, intentional behavior, including intentional communication, deception of others, and in the ability to make mental and symbolic representations (13).†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is no question that humans carry these attributes, but what about animals? Some philosophers, including Descartes, claimed that while humans are conscious, animals are like machines, with no thought process or sentience. Others claim that animals are very capable of consciousness, and that we just have not had the capabilities to test the aspects of it through the scientific method. As Donald R. Griffin expressed: Conscious thinking may well be a core function of central nervous systems. For conscious animals enjoy the advantage of being able to think about alternative actions and select behavior they believe will get them what they want or help them avoid what they dislike or fear. Of course human consciousness is astronomically more complex and versatile than any conceivable animal thinking, but the basic question addressed†¦is whether the difference is qualitative and absolute, or whether animals are conscious even though the content of their consciousness is undoubtedly limited and very likely quite different of ours. (3)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This paper will look at what evidence there is that may imply that some, if not all, vertebrate animals may have the capacity for conscious thinking. Cognition, for example is something that animals may require in order to adapt to their changing environments so quickly. Cognition is an animal’s ability to make a decision by evaluating or processing current information based on some representation of prior experience (Kamil in Pepperberg 127). Some animal studies, such as Franci... ...th other animals, because we do not share the same forms of communication. We can not ask what other animals are thinking, what they want or feel, or even determine if they have a sense of self. What is known right now is that we do not know, but that is no reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater and assume animal consciousness does not or can not exist. Until further observations or tests can be developed that will start to lead man to a closer understanding of the animal mind, it is important to remember that absence of evidence does not imply evidence of absence. Works Cited Griffin, Donald R. Animal Minds: Beyond Cognition to Consciousness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2001. Patterson, Francine, and Eugene Linden. The Education of Koko. New York,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NY: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1981. Pepperberg, Irene. The Alex Studies: Cognitive and Communicative Abilities   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  of Grey Parrots. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1999. Rogers, Lesley J. Minds of Their Own. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1998. Wynne, Clive D.L. Animal Cognition. New York, NY: Palgrave, 2001.

Internationalization Of Accounting Standards For Consolidation - Japan :: essays research papers fc

Internationalization of Accounting Standards for Consolidation - Japan: A Case Study The purpose of this paper will be to examine problems with internationalization of accounting standards for consolidations on methods from an international perspective - specifically, in the US and Japan. This is an especially timely topic as standardization of financial markets is a prerequisite to international free trade. Given the trends toward greater globalization, the motivations of companies for seeking a uniform accounting system are strong. If companies have to prepare their accounts according to several different sets of rules, in order to communicate with investors in the various capital markets in which they operate or for other national purposes, they incur a considerable cost penalty and feel that money is wasted. This significantly limits global opportunities for multinational businesses. Thus, it is important to understand what the differences are between accounting standards, why they exist, and what problems they pose. It is worth noting that no one nation has a set of accounting rules which appears to have such clear merits that they deserve adoption by the whole world. No one country can claim to have a uniquely correct set of rules. The United States has the longest history of standard setting. It has the largest standard setting organization which is characterized by high standards of professionalism. But, even the rules of the United States exhibit compromises between different interests of a kind which could have reasonably been decided otherwise. Furthermore, no unanimity exists among U.S. accountants about the merits of the precise details of the compromises that have been struck. For example, the recent discussion memorandum on consolidation outlines three different methods which are GAAP in the US (Beckman, 1995). No one nation has a clear right, on the basis of existing achievements, to be regarded as predominant in accounting. A great deal more work is needed by accountants from different countries before we can reach the point of having a well founded basis for uniformity. People who study differences among systems of accounting rules are inclined to group countries into two categories. On the one hand, there are countries where business finance is provided more by loans than by equity capital, where accounting rules are dominated by taxation considerations and where legal systems customarily incorporate codes with detailed rules for matters such as accounting. The effect of taxation systems can be particularly pervasive. Often, the taxation system effectively offers tax breaks for businesses by allowing generous measurement of expenses and modest measurement of revenues on condition that these measurements are used for general reporting purposes. Companies have strong incentives to take advantage of these taxation concessions as real cash

Surrogacy :: social issues

Surrogacy In today's society, couples with breeding problems and homosexual couples have been increasing. There are a lot of reason which causes them not to be able to breed any child. There can by body problems, or other problems. Those couples will feel lonely and isolated, it will make them envy other parents who have a group of children. There are many alternatives that would allow these couples to have a child. There is Adoption, Fostering, etc. But the main particular method this essay is chosen to discuss is Surrogacy. Surrogacy, is known as a act of substitution and replacement in the dictionary. But, people define surrogacy as a egg donation to a surrogate mother, a surrogate mother may carry a child for someone whom she may not have never previously known. She agrees to become artificially inseminated or undergo IVF treatment to carry a child and then after the birth give the child to the intended parents. Therefore, in our terms of reference surrogate motherhood is defined as an arrangement under which a woman agrees to breed a child for another couple. While there are two main types of surrogacy, gestational surrogacy and traditional, there are also different types of arrangements, agency arranged and independently arranged. Also surrogacy may be done between strangers who never meet, persons who meet only a few times, persons who meet and become quite close over the course and often after the surrogacy, and those who are friends before ever entering a surrogacy arrangement or are family membe rs. The procedures of surrogacy the couple have to follow are firstly, to interview intended parents or surrogate mothers and egg donors, then they will have to choose a match and complete all medical and psychological screening, lastly, they will begin medicated cycles and attempt pregnancy. It would take around a minimum of 12 months to complete any surrogacy program. The cost of surrogacy programs are surely expensive, but to the couples it may not be an important issue. The cost of a first time surrogate mother is around $30,000, and with a second time surrogate mother would cost around $40,000. Altogether, the cost is approximately $75,000 for a singleton birth plus medical expenses. This includes the surrogate's expenses fee, IVF transfer fee, cycling allowance, pregnancy allowance, surrogate's attorney fee, maternity clothing allowance, multiple fetus expense, retainer fee, the intended parent's attorney fees, court filing fees, maternity costs and the costs of delivery and hospital, maternity costs of OB/GYN, the stepparent adoption/parentage establishment fee, and finally, the surrogate's fee.

Hennes and Mauritz (H&M) Strategy Essay

Question 1 Hennes and Mauritz (H&M) is a fast-fashion global leader in the fashion industry. Hence, to have a holistic sustainable development point of view, we will examine and address the Marco-environment by looking at PESTEL analysis framework. The competitive forces within the fashion industry will also be revealed throughout the Porter Five Forces Model. PESTEL ANALYSISCase EvidencePositive (Opportunities)NeutralNegative (Threats) POLITICAL factors:Critical observation faced from the public on H&M’s overseas suppliers’ welfare and working conditions.The company is under critical observation on their supplier’s welfare and working conditions that has raised issue on upholding its branding (Yildiz, 2014,pg 580)This endangered H&M reputation as high-profile global leader in the fast-fashion industry. If the workers/suppliers are underpaid or given poor working conditions by such well known company, public will start to criticize on the company’s image. Hence, H&M would face strong political pressure from the concerned media, labor rights and health campaigners which will adversely affect their operation margins. ECONOMIC factors: H&M is concerned with the increased of Cotton and production cost in Asia Lower profit margin of the company due to increased of costs in Asia. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg 575)This implies that they would need to fork out more money to get the same quality and/or lesser quantity of raw materials in their production. H&M faced inflation in 2011The business of H&M is facing more competitors due to the poor economic downturn and has affected how the customer spent (Johnson et al., 2014, pg 575)As economic is not doing well, customer who is more prone to price sensitive would purchase them and boost the company’s revenue. Since economic is bad, there is a tenancy that customers will not spend so much on apparel. Hence, they will choose to minimize their spending on changing their fashion apparel so frequently and would affect the profit margin. SOCIOCULTURAL factors: Customers are more cost consciousCustomers are looking for more low-priced and fashionable apparel in the fast-fashion industry.(Johnson et al., 2014, pg 576)When customer is more price sensitive, they would most likely to patron from H&M since is cheap. This increases revenue of the company. Customer’s preferences on fashion trend changes.Customers have a wide range of garment to choose from and they tend to attract to new fashion trend easily. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg 576) Fashion trend is unpredictable in nature and offers a wide range of garments for customer to choose from. Moreover, it can be based on seasonal. Thus, it is difficult to manage customer expectations and H&M may not be the solely apparel shop that customers want to patron. Hence, revenue will be affected. TECHNOLOGICAL factors: H&M established strong social media presence internationally.H&M communicate with their customers through a wide range of social media platform. Eg: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Chinese social networks. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg 579)With a well established social media platform, customers will be more expose to H&M brand. This allows customers to keep coming back and increase the revenue.It is a good method of advertising the company’s branding. However, it allows competitors to imitate easily. Eg: the design of the H&M apparel could be easily copied and resell it by their competitors at a much affordable price and affect the revenue. ECOLOGICAL factors: H&M has adopted â€Å"Going Green† business idea with the use of natural materials in their apparel. H&M came up with a Conscious Collection concept of using sustainable materials. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg 580)This creates a positive brand image of H&M and recognition from the public of being ECO- friendly leading to increases the company’s profitability. Cost of using  natural materials is high and may result in rising of manufacturing cost leading to reduce the profit margins. LEGAL factors: Free trading among suppliers and manufacturers due to the international trade liberalized.The pact increases the number of supplier that allows H&M to work with them at a much lower price. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg 576)It allows H&M to source their suppliers easily at a lower cost. In return, save some operational costs and improve its revenue. Summary Based on the PESTEL Analysis, the external environment of H&M is hostile as there are more threats than opportunities. This is mainly due to the high unpredictable of Socio-Culture factor where customer’s trend preferences and expectations on apparel are difficult to gauge and manage. Furthermore, Economic factor further intensifies the competition as it tends to control customer’s willingness to spend. Porter’s Five Forces Model Threat of new entrants (High) This is due to the low capital required for entrepreneurs to establish an independent retail which can be easily done through other channels. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg 576) For instance, blogshops, Qoo10 or Taobao to sell apparel. Power of Buyers (High) The power of buyer is high as there is an overabundance of retailers in the market. For instance, Zara, Gap and Uniqlo. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg 576) This implied that customers have a wide variety of stores to shop around for bargainable apparel at the best prices. This leads the buyers to switch from one brand to another effortlessly. Power of Suppliers (Low) The power of supplier is low as H&M has 140 in-house designers who come up with their own designs. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg 577) This implied that they have greater buying power when negotiating with suppliers as they are heavily dependent on H&M for manufacturing their designs. Intensity of Rivalry (High) This is mainly due to slow growth rate margin of 3.7% in the year of 2007-2011. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg 576) It increases the competition intensiveness when Zara and Uniqlo are expanding aggressively. This endangered H&M profit in 2011 and loss of $599 revenue is recorded in year 2011 (Johnson et al., 2014, pg 577) Threat of Substitute Products (Low) The threat of substitute products is low as apparel is a basic necessity for us. Summary Based on the Porter’s Five Factors Model, H&M is portrayed as the most unattractive industry as there are more high results achieved. However, they may continue to stay in the fashion industry as they are able to provide low cost value to their cost conscious customers. Question 2a In this section, we will be identifying and examining the strategic capabilities of how H&M’s resources and competencies are contributed in sustaining its competitive advantage in its long-terms survival. Strategic Capability Resources: What H&M has:Competences: What H&M do wellCase Evidence OutletsPhysicalAbility to open stores at attractive location Leasing of stores allow H&M to establish a winning business location easily as they are able to shift and adapt quickly to the changing demand patterns in the fast-fashion industry. This creates more traffic flow of customer and in return increase business revenues since the stores are opened in hotspot shopping area. Through leasing of space, it allows H&M to shift their business locations easily to meet the changing demands patterns in the predominant market. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg579) H&M always opened their stores at the prime locations such as shopping centre or in city. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg579) Well-build integrated IT infrastructure Ability to integrated all functions at all organization level Information on stock taking is disseminated efficiently and effectively among the suppliers and the retailers. For example: Integrated Communication Technology (ICT) system. This increases the company‘s efficiency and productivity to respond to customer needs in a fast-fashion market.H&M had the most updated and developed IT system to support their stock taking process. It aids to provide information efficiently and effectively between the stores and their production team. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg579) Well-established Brand Image Ability to create brand awareness Most of H&M adverting campaigns make use of top-notch celebrities. H&M has a brand value of $16.5 mil and was ranked 21st in 2011 as the top most valuable global brand in the Interbrand. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg579) Healthy Financial Position(Eg: Balance sheet, income statement) FinancialStrong conservative Fund Management (high liquidity status) Profit margin of H&M among the competitors is recorded the highest at 19.04% as compared to (Zara) 18.53%, (Gap) 13.52% and (Uniqlo) 16.52% respectively. This indicates that H&M is more profitable and is in better control of its cost as compared to the rest. Solvency ratio of H&M is reported at the highest of 73.28% as compared to (Zara) 64.99%, (Gap) 57.75% and (Uniqlo) 32.29% respectively. This indicates that H&M has more ability to service its long term and interest debts. Similarly, they are less risky to fall into bankruptcy situation as compared to the rest since they are more cash wise. (Investopedia, 2014) Gearing ratio of H&M is reported at the lowest of 3.01% as compared to (Zara) 12.02%, (Gap) 21.89% and (Uniqlo) 10.55% respectively. This represents that H&M debt level is at 3.01% of its equity which is use for it’s continue  operation. This means debts are easily recovered from their creditors and is unlikely to face bankruptcy in economic downturn due to conservative financial management. (Accounting Tools, 2014)Figures are extracted from the comparative financial data. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg 578) Designers,HumanAbility of Executing Marketing strategy Prestigious designers were hired in strengthening their brand value and image which leads to attract more business and increase in profitability. Ability to keep up with latest fashion trend Regular research was conducted to predict the latest trend that suit customer preferences. This aid in retaining customer’s loyalty leading to more profitability. Famous designers like Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf, Madonna are used as their marketing strategy to relate to  brand value and image of H&M. (Johnson et al., 2014, pg 579) They work with customers to find out their preferences and trend through focus group discussion, surveys and having the White Room to find out the new trends, materials and colours. As mentioned in the preceding analysis above, we can conclude that H&M has adopted a cost leadership business strategy. Mainly because of the core business model, â€Å"high fashion/ low cost†. Similarly, manufacturing are being outsourced to low labor cost countries in Asia, Far East and Africa. This let H&M to remain economic of scale that meets needs of the customer who is more prone to price sensitive. Hence, we would recommend H&M to continue to adopt the cost leadership business strategy. This is because by keeping their cost low, they attract more price-sensitive customers and bring up their profit margin further. With this strategy, it enables H&M to grow further by entering into the new markets and products/service opportunities by incorporating the four core competencies of the ability to create brand awareness, ability to integrate all functions at all organization level with the use of IT system, a strong conservative fund management and the ability to enhance the employee’s performance which is implied by the Ansoff product/market growth matrix diagram as shown below. With that said, H&M could look into new markets area by looking at other modes of channels to increase their revenue. This can be done by setting up online platform such as website or mobile apps which leverage on their strong IT system. The advantage is lowering operation cost and improves revenue. However, the down side of setting up online platform is that competitors are able to produce the same designs at a lower price. Next,  H&M could look into acquisition of potential and worthy brand (be it local or overseas market) as mean to achieve expansion growth. H&M strong financial position permits this move. Moreover, H&M could leverage on its expertise on logistics and brand value to new acquisition to improve its business and revenue. The advantage is to achieve synergies between brands in form of spill-over effect and open up new market and products at the same time. The disadvantage would be the risk of the investment but that can be alleviated through careful market research. Similarly, H&M could work closely with their suppliers to achieve low production cost. This enables them to produce good quality of apparel at the best price by leveraging on its ability of their employee’s performance. This strengthens the relationship, resulting in cost savings and improve profit margin. The disadvantage is political risk would arise if the suppliers working condition and wages are not met up to the expectation of the public. However, it can mitigate by reducing the pressure on company image through social media to uphold its brand value. Also, H&M might look at other materials asides from cotton to achieve Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR). This leverages on improving the brand image as they are seen to be ECO-friendly. However, the price will be high due to materials cost is expensive and resulted in loss of revenue. This might not have great impact in the future sustainability if customer is prone to be environment conscious and don’t mind paying more for that comfortability. Alternatively, H&M could expand their strategy by offering new product and services such as fashionable maternity wears and undergarments for men. This helps to increase another streams of revenue for the company as more customers are targeted. Hence, H&M shall remain in the textile industry as they are able to leverage on their core competencies to out-win their competitors with the above mentioned recommendations. References Accounting Tools. (2014). Gering Ratio. Retrieved Aug 29, 2014, from http://www.accountingtools.com/gearing-ratio Investopedia. (2014). Solvency Ratio. Retrieved Aug 29, 2014, from http://www.investopedia.com/video/play/solvency-ratio/ Johnson et al., G. (2014). H&M in fast fashion: continued success? In G. Johnson, R. Whittington, K. Scholes, D. Angwin, & P. Regner, Exploring Strategy Text and Cases Tenth Edition. Pearson Education Limited. Yildiz, P. R. (2014). H&M in fast fashion: Continued Success? In Gerry, R. Whittington, K. Scholes, D. Angwin, & P. Regner, Exploring Strategy Text and Cases Tenth Edition (p. 575 -582). Pearson Education Limited.

Child Observation Study Essay

1.) Describe the child’s physical appearance. Short and chunky, about 2 feet tall, around 25 pounds, stubby arms and legs, and soft, short curly hair and a small beautiful smile 2.) Give examples of gross motor skills that you observe. Are they age-typical? She walks, runs, and crawls fine. She doesn’t grasp objects very well and she likes shaking them. She needs help climbing and she likes hanging on things. 3.) Give example of fine motor that you observe. Are they age-typical? She plays and grasps almost anything she can get her hands on. The mother then feeds her bread and the child attempts to feed herself but the bread had crumbled in her hand. Then the mother gives her a twist top bottle of Gatorade and the child was able to twist it open and drink from it without spilling. 4.) How does the child move? Does he/she appear comfortable with his/her physical abilities? Give examples. She tugs on her clothes a lot and the pigtails on her head. She seems to pick at her sandals as if their a bit too rough to walk in. the sandals are so uncomfortable that she runs like a robot. 5.) Does the child demonstrate preference of â€Å"handedness†? (left/right) She scribbles and reaches best with her right hand 6.) Would you evaluate the child to be with in average range for physical/motor development in his age group? Why or why not? According to â€Å"The gross and fine motor development in the first 2 years† she is accurately in average range of her motor skills. She is capable of performing all actions on the chart. Her abilities show that she is a good visualizer. Social/ Emotional Development 1.) How does the child relate to other people? Give example if interactions with family, friends, teacher, ect. The child reacts to the grandmothers call more responsive then the mothers call. With other people the child id indifferent. She smiles and approaches other children with curiosity. 2.) How does the child express his/her emotions? Give examples. The child expresses an alerted face when she knows something is wrong, for example, her mother spilled juice on her pants and the child stared at the mess with concern. When she is not allowed to explore she become sad and cries but does not fuss. 3.) How did the child communicate his/her wants/or needs? She stretches out her hands or points towards the object she wants or she will touch her bottom indicating her needs a diaper change. 4.) In what stage is the child according to Erikson? How do you know? Quote your text. According to Erikson’s chart the child is in the Autonomy vs Shame and doubt. From my observation the child is accurately developing within that stage. Cognitive Development 1.) In what stage is the child according to Piaget? How do you know? Give examples of the behaviors that reflect the child’s cognitive growth. According to Piagets chart the child is developing within the sensorimotor stage. Accurately enough the child shows the curiosity of feeling and tasting things 2.) How does the child use language? Give examples of the language used. Indicate such characteristics such as vocabulary, sentence structure, body language, and Pronunciations. Etc. The child words are not yet clear but she estimately knows about 6 words correctly. She can say mama and aba (grandmother). She says â€Å" tata â€Å" when she wants the sippy cup. She also says â€Å"amm† for when she wants food. 3.) How did those around the child respond to the child’s use of language? Was the child understood? Other children don’t understand her but go along by smiling and giggling. They will fight with her if she is taking away something that they had first. 4.) Describe in a short sentence of the child’s play, describing what you observed. In what way is he/she getting information about the world? When something comes up she looks at the mother or grandmother for a response. If one of them isn’t present the child will respond her own way or just leave and find her mother or grandmother. Resources: Eisner Pediatric and family medical center

Compare and Contarst Essay

Egypt and Mesopotamia have both similarities and differences, throughout both of these civilizations from back to 3,500 B.C. The political and social structures in these civilizations were different and the same in their own way. The political differences between Egypt and Mesopotamia included hierarchy power, land control, and centralized government. The similarities between both civilizations are social class, male patriarchy, and kings. Egypt and Mesopotamia both had differences of their political and social structures. Egypt had more of authorial government, where one head person was in charge which in this case was the pharaoh, which was the head on Egypt social class, as well as leader of his society. The Pharaoh was basically a king ruling for his people, while Mesopotamia, had city states, which was controlled by priest kings. Another difference is that in Egypt the Pharaoh had complete control over the land, while in Mesopotamia the kings were not so powerful, and the land w as split with others such as priest kings. Lastly, Egypt had a centralized government, while Mesopotamia did not have this. Egypt was ruled under one leader and was together as a unity. Egypt had an overall leader such as the Pharaoh, which helped Egypt stay united as one government and civilization. Mesopotamia didn’t have this they were lacking this, they had a lack of barriers and a constant competition for power led to continuous warfare between the two societies. This made Mesopotamia not united at all and made them weak and an unstable society. Egypt and Mesopotamia both had their similarities of political and social structures in their societies. One similarity of the social structure of both civilizations is that at the bottom of their social class were slaves and peasants. Both societies had this in their social class. Another similarity is both civilizations had male dominance, which turned to the agriculture revolution, which degraded women because of decreased dependency and their lack of labor skills. This revolution happens in both civilizations, which caused for male dominance to occur because women became house wives and were stuck to be inside. Lastly Kings were in both civilizations social class, both civilizations consisted of a king, even though each civilization king had their own power and ruling, each society had a suited king. This king ruled over the land for the people. Both Mesopotamia and Egypt consisted of this. In conclusion, Egypt and  Mesopotamia had their own similarities as well, as their differences from 3,500 B.C. Each society had similar traits, from kings ruling the land, male dominance in both Egypt and Mesopotamia, from the Neolithic era. As well, as the social class, of slaves and peasants being the lower or bottom class on the social class. Differences ranged from the power of government leaders, such as pharaohs and kings, who had what control of which land in the civilization, and lastly the government itself, and how it was kept and was it stable and strong, or weak and falling. Both Mesopotamia and Egypt came across both these similarities and differences. Egypt and Mesopotamia have both similarities and differences, throughout both of these civilizations from back to 3,500 B.C. The political and social structures in these civilizations were different and the same in their own way. The political differences between Egypt and Mesopotamia included hierarchy power, land control, and centralized government. The similarities between both civilizations are social class, male patriarchy, and kings. Egypt and Mesopotamia both had differences of their political and social structures. Egypt had more of authorial government, where one head person was in charge which in this case was the pharaoh, which was the head on Egypt social class, as well as leader of his society. The Pharaoh was basically a king ruling for his people, while Mesopotamia, had city states, which was controlled by priest kings. Another difference is that in Egypt the Pharaoh had complete control over the land, while in Mesopotamia the kings were not so powerful, and the land was split with others such as priest kings. Lastly, Egypt had a centralized government, while Mesopotamia did not have this. Egypt was ruled under one leader and was together as a unity. Egypt had an overall leader such as the Pharaoh, which helped Egypt stay united as one government and civilization. Mesopotamia didn’t have this they were lacking this, they had a lack of barriers and a constant competition for power led to continuous warfare between the two societies. This made Mesopotamia not united at all and made them weak and an unstable society. Egypt and Mesopotamia both had their similarities of political and social structures in their societies. One similarity of the social structure of both civilizations is that at the bottom of their social class were slaves and peasants. Both societies had this in their social class. Another  similarity is both civilizations had male dominance, which turned to the agriculture revolution, which degraded women because of decreased dependency and their lack of labor skills. This revolution happens in both civilizations, which caused for male dominance to occur because women became house wives and were stuck to be inside. Lastly Kings were in both civilizations social class, both civilizations consisted of a king, even though each civilization king had their own power and ruling, each society had a suited king. This king ruled over the land for the people. Both Mesopotamia and Egypt consisted of this. In conclusion, Egypt and Mesopotamia had their own similarities as well, as their differences from 3,500 B.C. Each society had similar traits, from kings ruling the land, male dominance in both Egypt and Mesopotamia, from the Neolithic era. As well, as the social class, of slaves and peasants being the lower or bottom class on the social class. Differences ranged from the power of government leaders, such as pharaohs and kings, who had what control of which land in the civilization, and lastly the government itself, and how it was kept and was it stable and strong, or weak and falling. Both Mesopotamia and Egypt came across both these similarities and differences. Egypt and Mesopotamia have both similarities and differences, throughout both of these civilizations from back to 3,500 B.C. The political and social structures in these civilizations were different and the same in their own way. The political differences between Egypt and Mesopotamia included hierarchy power, land control, and centralized government. The similarities between both civilizations are social class, male patriarchy, and kings. Egypt and Mesopotamia both had differences of their political and social structures. Egypt had more of authorial government, where one head person was in charge which in this case was the pharaoh, which was the head on Egypt social class, as well as leader of his society. The Pharaoh was basically a king ruling for his people, while Mesopotamia, had city states, which was controlled by priest kings. Another difference is that in Egypt the Pharaoh had complete control over the land, while in Mesopotamia the kings were not so powerful, and the land was split with others such as priest kings. Lastly, Egypt had a centralized government, while Mesopotamia did not have this. Egypt was ruled under one leader and was together as a  unity. Egypt had an overall leader such as the Pharaoh, which helped Egypt stay united as one government and civilization. Mesopotamia didn’t have this they were lacking this, they had a lack of barriers and a constant competition for power led to continuous warfare between the two societies. This made Mesopotamia not united at all and made them weak and an unstable society. Egypt and Mesopotamia both had their similarities of political and social structures in their societies. One similarity of the social structure of bot h civilizations is that at the bottom of their social class were slaves and peasants. Both societies had this in their social class. Another similarity is both civilizations had male dominance, which turned to the agriculture revolution, which degraded women because of decreased dependency and their lack of labor skills. This revolution happens in both civilizations, which caused for male dominance to occur because women became house wives and were stuck to be inside. Lastly Kings were in both civilizations social class, both civilizations consisted of a king, even though each civilization king had their own power and ruling, each society had a suited king. This king ruled over the land for the people. Both Mesopotamia and Egypt consisted of this. In conclusion, Egypt and Mesopotamia had their own similarities as well, as their differences from 3,500 B.C. Each society had similar traits, from kings ruling the land, male dominance in both Egypt and Mesopotamia, from the Neolithic era. As well, as the social class, of slaves and peasants being the lower or bottom class on the social class. Differences ranged from the power of government leaders, such as pharaohs and kings, who had what control of which land in the civilization, and lastly the government itself, and how it was kept and was it stable and strong, or weak and falling. Both Mesopotamia and Egypt came across both these similarities and differences.

Comparing Two Computer Advertisements Two Computer advertisements Essay

Whether you like it or not, the media, to a large extent, defines your life and the way you think. It includes television, cinema, radio, video, magazines, books , the internet and newspapers. In this essay I will be taking an analytical look at two computer advertisements that caught my attention in two different newspapers, namely The Guardian, and The Sun. What is amazing is the amount of space taken up by both advertisements. Both adverts can be categorized as advertorials as the companies they represent are describing and promoting their respective products. As the Guardian is a broadsheet and The Sun a tabloid, it goes without saying that each will target a different audience. The content in text A features a computer and tells the reader about the software and hardware that they are trying to sell. The article is written in quite a persuasive style. The Macintosh Performa in text A is advertised in The Sun and makes use of an attention-grabbing heading that is also ambiguous: â€Å"Difficult. Temperamental. Hard to understand.† On a quick glance at the text and looking at the picture of a sullen-looking boy, one is ready to make the association about a boy who is possibly throwing a tantrum. And it is in the ambiguity where the punch-line lies. Unlike the boy who will be tantrumming from time to time, â€Å"with the Macintosh Performa, there’s no frustrating, baffling patience-trying set-up procedures†. The layout is really spectacular. The article takes up an entire page. The main text is set out in three columns, relatively densely printed with early paragraphs playing on the implication that both computers and children can be â€Å"Difficult. Temperamental. Hard to understand.† The rest of the text stresses that the Performa is a â€Å"well-behaved† and versatile computer. The text is broken up by the use of two line drawings of the computer and the software. The tone of the text is reassuring, helpful, and stresses accessibility of the Performa’s functions. The price of the computer is tactically delayed until the third column: † The price of the computer start at just à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1,099.† The reader or prospective buyer will at this point feel that it is worth every penny with all its functions. There is also a constitutional reference to the model featured and appears in very small print at the foot of the page. And a list of dealers is also in very small print at the foot of the page. Advertisement B shows a weak distant view of the front of an Aptiva computer. The company that promotes this product is IBM and their logo is located in the right hand corner at the bottom of the page. The complete system is there for the reader to see. I also think that they are trying to tempt the reader as they use a cluster of adjectives: † Loud, colourful, fast-moving, enjoyable, stuff† The immediate contrast between the two texts is the layout. Unlike text A, that has three columns, text B has no columns, only paragraphs with sub-headings. And this makes the advert appear dull and unattractive to the readers. But then again, the audience in this case is different to that of text A. As this advertisement appears in the broadsheet newspaper, its readers are usually keen business people and the emphasis is not so much on entertainment but on efficiency and cutting edge technology. Therefore, when the price â€Å"1,799† is quoted the reader will not be surprised at all. However, a touch of humor is added when â€Å"OK, maybe not for dogs.† appears in very small print next to the price. This humorous note may have been included to discourage readers from dwelling on the price. Reference to the model featured appears in a very small print at the foot of the page. The heading is fairly conventional, using bold, white lettering against a black background. The main text is set out in paragraphs and the word â€Å"Stuff† is repeated in the large 5 sub-headings. The tone of the text is light-hearted, whimsical, with a joke in each of the first two sections. You can also see the TOYS â€Å"R† US logo under the photo of the computer which tells you they are the outlets for the new Aptiva. Both advertisements use persuasive techniques for example, repetition in text B – the word â€Å"stuff.† The word â€Å"stuff† gives it a more colloquial style. Of the two advertisements I liked the Performa more as it appears to be very user friendly: â€Å"As soon as you plug it in, the Performa can run,†¦Ã¢â‚¬  However, it needs to be said, that when you buy an Aptiva, you buy into a new lifestyle.

Career and College Goals Essay

College and Career Goal It was the first year that psychology was being offered at my high school and I was eager to be a part of the learning experience. I knew instantly that psychology was my calling. I could see so many opportunities to make a difference in life, both big and small. I have never felt a stronger pull towards a goal and a career. Unfortunately, after high school I allowed procrastination and discouraging words from others stand in my way. Then as the years passed, I started a family and the excuses to not go back to school and get my psychology degree seemed more easily justifiable. I continued to let time pass me by but the urge I felt to commit to my goal remained. The desire was there, the goal was there, everything was there except motivation. I couldn’t motivate myself because I couldn’t justify giving up more of my time to something that wasn’t my family or my current career. Life was already so hectic. Then as my kids got older, I realized that I wasn’t setting a very good example for them by putting my dreams on hold. I knew that I would continue to keep telling myself â€Å"one day† and that day was never going to come unless I made it happen. I guess it finally hit me that my life is always going to be hectic. I have five kids for God’s sake! That day of realization was the day I decided to go back to school and earn my degree. I want my kids to follow their dreams, achieve their goals, and never give up. I can honestly thank my kids and my husband for my motivation and making me realize that getting my degree was a positive change of pace and that it would benefit us greatly. It is one of the best decisions I have made and I don’t have to take time away from my family. I am currently pursuing my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Columbia Southern. After I graduate I am committed to continuing my education and pursuing my Master’s degre e. One day I hope to have my own psychology practice. I have a deep passion to help people and I look forward to making a positive impact in people’s lives.