An American Family vs. Keeping Up with the Kardashians

An American Family vs. Keeping Up with the Kardashians Although these two shows depict different time periods, they can arguably be a model for American culture or possibly a gauge in the temperature of what American culture looks like. In American Family there is a scene where one of the young men is talking about California and how he feels about it. Just the use of his language or the words in which he chooses gives the audience an idea of the language that was used during that time period.Another example of this is when the family visits the art gallery. In the television show Keeping Up With the Kardashians although they are rich, they also give a gauge of American culture through the way in which they talk as well as the activities in which they go about on a daily basis. These two shows are very different but are somewhat based upon the same premise of being a reality show. An American Family was a 12 episode series that chronicled the lives of the Loud family of Santa Barbra, California (Ruoff, 1998).While Keeping Up with the Kardashians has run for 6 seasons so far since it began in 2007. This show is presented to viewers as reality TV but as mentioned in a prior class it is more or less a sitcom and not capturing the family in a documentary style the way in which An American Family is. An American Family challenged traditional forms of documentaries and violated viewers expectations of what a documentary was supposed to be about (Ruoff, 1998). The way in which this show is shot and edited also gives is more of a narrative feel than a documentary style.I would argue that the way the it is broken into different episodes especially the time period of the 1970’s would make it seem more of a narrative as during that time there weren’t many shows to compare its different, documentary style to. The show is centered on the upcoming divorce of the mother and father and this seems to drive the story line as well. Although again it is not a sitcom, the narrative of the story seems a bit tampered with, as it is known that the parents will be divorcing very soon.Capturing the moments that lead up to the divorce can be considered to surround a narrative structure. Keeping Up with the Kardashians being based about the life of the Kardashian family with ongoing events that take place is nothing like An American Family. Although many Americans in 1973 may have been able to identify with the characters in An American Family it did not have a crazed pop culture appeal the way in which Keeping Up with the Kardashians does. This show has become somewhat of a brand but its realness or reality is questionable.Most of the happenings of the family are devised plans to collect audiences and maintain the following that they have. They typical sitcom structure of the show also gives away the reality part of the show. There is no truth or cinema verite in this show it’s all just basically pre-planned by the producers. Their extravagant lifestyles and events don’t even compare to the simplistic structure of the Loud family about to split because of the divorce. These shows are very different but on the surface seem alike because essentially the viewer is following the lives of a family.

Investment and Market Risk Premium

Cost of Capital at Ameritrade Day 1 1. What factors should Ameritrade management consider when evaluating the proposed advertising program and technology upgrades? Why? -They should see how revenues have changed after adopting the new ad program and technology upgrades -They need to see ROI for their investments over time 2. How can the Capital Asset Pricing Model be used to estimate the cost of capital (required return) for calculating the net present value of a project's cash flows? it will help us determine the Cost of capital or discount rate which we can use to calculate NPV, in other terms the numerator will never change (FCF), only the denominator will based on the cost of capital3. What is the estimate of the risk-free rate that should be employed in calculating the cost of capiual for Ameritrade's proposed investment? – the risk free rate should be the T-bills rate or the average annualized total annual returns on US government securities = 3. %. In my opinion, we sho uld use the risk-free rate equal to yield of 20-year US government securities, because it is long-term capital investment. We may use 30-year rate, but we are investing in technology, and concerning the speed of technological enhancements, 20-year rate is optimal. So it is 6,69% 4. What is the estimate of the market risk premium that should be employed in calculating the cost of capital for Ameritrade's proposed investment? Market Risk PremiumThree distinct concepts are part of market risk premium: 1) Required market risk premium: the return of a portfolio over the risk-free rate (such as that of treasury bonds ) required by an investor; 2) Historical market risk premium: the historical differential return of the market over treasury bonds; and 3) Expected market risk premium: the expected differential return of the market over treasury bonds. Also called equity premium, market premium and risk premium.Market Risk Premium = Expected Return of the Market – Risk-Free Rate The e xpected return of the market can be based on the S;P 500, for example, while the risk-free rate is often based on the current returns of treasury bonds. First to find the Expected Return of the market, from Exhibit 6, We take the aggregate stock market and multiply by 12: = 15. 71% The Risk-free rate is 3. 8% =;gt; The market risk premium= 15. 7 – 3. 8 = 11. 9% (That is why we may use the difference between US Government Securities rate (6,69%)and historical Large Company Stocks annual returns.But we have 2 numbers: during1950-96 and 1929-96. The difference between them is 1,3%. I think that we should useâ€Å" younger† value of 14%, because the years 1930-1949, of course, were under market economy, but at the same time there were not so stable laws, a Second World War passed, many companies at that time worked for government orders, so this number may be a bit out of overall tendencies. ) 5. In principle, how would one go about determining beta for purposes of calcula ting the cost of capital for Ameritrade's proposed investment?TO calculate Beta for cost of capital, or asset beta: We need to find first the Equity Beta = by regressing stock returns over market returns and it will then be the slope. We also need to calculate the market value of the equity of the firm which is the price per share multiplied by the total number of shares outstanding (see attached notes) A cost of capital is a weighted average of the cost of debt and equity. Likewise, the asset beta is the weighted average betas of debt and equity. We use market value proportions of debt and equity (see CAPM, p. 476). Ba = (D/D+E)BetaD+ (E/D+E)BetaEIt is common to assume that debt has no relationship to market risk; that BetaD=0 Empirical studies of corporate debt returns suggest it would be better to assign some market-related risk to corporate debt; and use estimates ranging from 0. 20 to 0. 30. To get BetaE, the equity beta for Ameritrade, we would normally run a regression of equ ity returns on stock market returns. That is, we would estimate the slope of the line that best fits: Unfortunately, Ameritrade had their IPO (Initial Purchase Offer) in March of 1997, so there is not enough data at the time of the case to calculate a reliable beta estimate.So instead, we will look at comparable firms. Firms in the same industry pursuing the same types of projects will have the same sorts of risks, thus their asset betas will be approximately the same. The returns we calculate for these firms, based on stock price movement, dividends, and stock splits, are their equity betas. These are influenced by the degree of leverage each company is using (recall that higher leverage leads to higher ROE, EPS and DPS, but also leads to greater variability in earnings).Knowing the amount of debt in their capital structures (at market values), we can calculate the asset beta for each comparable firm. Then we will average these to use as a proxy for Ameritrade’s asset beta N ote: An agent that mediates sales and exchanges between securities buyers and sellers at even lower commission rates than those offered by a regular discount broker . As one might expect, deep discount brokers also provide fewer services to clients than standard brokers; such brokers typically provide little more than the fulfillment of stock and option trades, charging a flat fee for each.The problem that must be overcome in determining the implementation decision is the uncertainty of the cost of capital. Other Methods of Estimating Cost of Equity Capital: †¢The EP Method r = EPS / Stock Price †¢The Constant Growth (Gordon) Model r = DIV1 / P 0 + g compute g from earnings, dividend, or cash flow growth or use the sustainable growth estimate ? Equity Betas, the relationship of a given equity’s risk to that of the larger market, reflects two kinds of risk –The risk of the business itself –The risk that the debt a business has will prevent cash flow to equity ?We can de-lever these equity betas to strip out financial risk associated with leverage and find the implied beta for the business itself (asset beta) –Asset beta measures the business risk only and does not change with capital structure ? Often, the best way to estimate a forward looking asset beta for a company is to take a median of its industry peers asset betas (historically calculated) since one-time company events in the past will be averaged out ? We can then find the equity beta for the company by re-levering the industry asset beta to the target debt / cap ratio of the company ?Exhibit 4 provides various choices of comparable firms. Which firms do you recommend as the appropriate benchmarks for evaluating the risk of Ameritrade’s planned advertising and technology investments? Determine the betas for these firms. Let us agree that Charles Schwab is a comparable firm. Their price changes, dividends,and stock split information for 1992-1996 is in Exhibi t 5. If there were no stock split, thereturn, compared to the previous period, is given by: For example, if the price the previous period was $100, then wentup to $104, and in addition had a dividend of $8, the return would be +0. 12, or 12%.In ashort time period, the returns will be much closer to 0. If there is an X for y stock split, use the formula: Copy the Return values into Exhibit 6 alongside the appropriate dates, then regress theSchwab returns against the value-weighted NYSE returns for the same period. The slopeof the line is the equity beta. Do this for the other comparable firms. Calculate the asset betas using the formula inquestion 5 (twice, once with Beta D = 0 and once with 25. 0). Average the results. This should be a good estimate of Ameritrade’s asset beta. Finally, put these results back into the equation in #2 to estimate Ameritrade’s cost of capital

MIS In The Construction Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MIS In The Construction Industry - Essay Example For this purpose organizations implement information systems. This paper is going to assess the implementation of management information systems in the construction companies and business. In this paper I will define the management information systems, its uses, implementation areas and main benefits taken from these new implementations in construction industry. Data are collection of unrefined facts representing events taking place in organizations or the physical setting prior to they have been formed and managed into a structure that people can recognize and utilize. On the other hand, information refers to data that have been shaped into a structure that is significant and helpful or functional to human beings (Norton 4) and (Laudon and Laudon 7). â€Å"The term information system can be described technically as a collection of interrelated components that bring together, process, store, and distribute information to carry decision making and control in an organization† Information systems keep and maintain information about important people, places, and things inside the corporation or in the set up surrounding it (Laudon and Laudon 7) and (Hoffer, Prescott and McFadden 429). According to (Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat 620), â€Å"an information system consists of hardware, software, data, workers, and methods that work in collab oration to turn out functional and valuable information†. An information system helps out in every day, short-range, temporary, and long range activities of users. Various examples of users consist of store clerks, sales representatives, accountants, supervisors, managers of construction projects, executives, and customers (Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat 620). Management information system (MIS) is an information system that produces correct, on time, and structured information, so managers (construction managers) and other users can make decisions, supervise

China in the 21st Century Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

China in the 21st Century - Thesis Example However, it should also be noted in this regard that the stated facets should not be distorted just for the reason of sustaining or for supporting a specific policy consequence1. The existence of intelligence activities in a particular democracy is learnt to exist since long. It is considered to necessary for a certain democracy for the reason of defending the particular state or country in opposition to every form of threats with respect to the national security. The services related to the security intelligence are considered to be facet related to the police force of the nation and so is considered to be a legal activity. It was long forecasted by various analysts of the West that China was competent enough to have a greater degree of control as well as influence with respect to the global scenario. China is considered to be the sole nation in order to value the annual assessments of the different military activities with regard to the United States Congress. ... with respect to China, the most potential and imperative aspect of the nation, which is measured to be its intelligence has been learnt to be usually ignored by the US. It needs to be mentioned in this regard that the intelligence activities conducted by China was viewed to be amongst the greatest risks posed to the US in the recent times2. Thesis Statement The study would intend to focus on the activities that are carried out by the intelligence agencies of China or rather the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Various attempts are found to be made by the PRC to obtain information regarding the programs related to the nuclear weapons. It also requires to be mentioned in this respect that China has already proved to be successful to a significant extent in getting hold of the desired kind of information. In relation to this particular context, the assortment of methods that are learnt to be made use of by the PRC in order to collect information from the US would also be concent rated on along with providing a detailed explanation for each. Based on the provided explanation, the most effective method engaged by the PRC which could be measured to be the greatest threat for the US would be ascertained. Human Intelligence Overseas The Chinese espionage is considered to be managed primarily by two different agencies, i.e. the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), particularly the Second Department of the General Staff Department of the PLA and the Ministry of State Security (MSS). While the facet of intelligence is perceived to be quite a recognizable complexity for any intelligence forecaster, the modus operandi of the Chinese intelligence is however known to offer some form of new realistic complicatedness with regard to the attempts put in by the western

Video Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Video Response - Essay Example Graphic Novels & Her Familys Influence† demonstrates that Satrapi’s family has numerous independent women as role models, especially her grandmother and mother. These women did not allow society to undervalue them, and instead, their vibrant personalities helped them become independent individuals in a conformist society. Satrapi had strong women role models as her inspiration for her freedom-loving spirit. Besides the new things I learned about Satrapi and her society, the videos are related to the reading, â€Å"The Social Construction of Gender† by Judith Lorber, because they provide examples of how gender is a social process, stratification, and structure, and how Satrapi coped with the social construction of gender in Iran. Lorber argues that gender is a â€Å"process† of socially conditioning girls on how to be women, stratification is a form of gender â€Å"ranking† where women are lower than men, and social structure is the organization of work and life according to gender (114-116). In these videos, Satrapi showed that she also went through the process of being socially taught on how to be a woman because of the pressure to be beautiful and to be noticed. In addition, she experienced gender stratification through people who told her where women’s place should be (i.e. as a wife, not an activist) and how they should act in society (i.e. get married a nd have a family). However, instead of being a woman in society’s terms, Satrapi emphasizes that she will do what is meaningful for her and what makes her happy. I agree with Satrapi that people should do what makes them happy because their happiness is more important than aligning their identities with gender norms and behaviors. Satrapi says in â€Å"Marjane Satrapi LinkTV† that she does things as she likes. She has an independent spirit and she does not work to please others. She says that a person who enjoys her own work produces work that will also be appreciated by others. I appreciate her work and

Fountain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fountain - Essay Example Additionally, the essay examines Marcel Duchamps fountain and Bruce Naumens fountain.† Finally, the essay meditates on the notion ‘aesthetic’. Art in the 19th century was greatly influenced by the surrounding cultural climate. While early in the century neo-classicism and romanticism were the dominant styles, but the 1860s realism had become the most prominent mode of artistic expression (Adams, p. 521). Realism attempted to capture the environment in its most realistic state. Realism defined art as working to capture reality in as accurate a way as possible. In this way artists implemented all the techniques at their disposal, including perspective and careful observation of the surrounding environment, to create works of art that directly reflected the world. Among the prominent realist painters include Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. Corot’s works included in-depth portraits, such as ‘Woman with a Pearl’ (Adams, p. 525). Rather than using artistic flourishes, these works explored themes of everyday existence. The 19th century realist movement was not merely restricted to painting, but would also expand into literature (Adams, p. 520). The realist movement can perhaps be regarded as the end of pre-modern art. After the realist movement modernism emerged and redefined the definition of art. Rather than viewing art as an expression of observable reality, modernism styles increasingly viewed the goal of art as capturing the changing nature of human perception. This is a significant development in art as it marked a willingness to break from traditional reflection of the world to a more experimental emphasis. Impressionism is perhaps the first modernist style. While today impressionism appears a highly traditional style, during the late 19th century it was regarded as avant-garde. Undoubtedly the artist that most prominent exemplified the

Management of Change and Innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Management of Change and Innovation - Essay Example Therefore any change taking place within the organisation directly affects its people, which in turn affect the running of the organisation. The management of change is now commonly viewed as a complex and difficult area worthy of special attention and study (Buchanan and Boddy, 1992). Therefore the concept of organisation change and subsequently the change management have been the areas of study in the latest efforts to come out with effective management techniques. Management has to see that the change if required must be effected in such a manner it works for the betterment of the organisation and its people. There's in fact a very thin dividing line between change and innovation. While on the one hand innovation at times calls for some radical changes in the functioning of the organisation, change too may be or may not be a result of the innovation in some processing/techniques for the company. There are in general three broad categories of change: Changes in people: Such a change involves changes in attitudes, expectations, Perceptions, Behavior etc. This type of change is also brought about when employees retire, quit, and/or are transferred, promoted, demoted or fired. The human element in an organisation is dynamic and it must always be considered as such. Human beings constantly keep changing in their characteristics depending upon the environmental factors. Also some personnel become obsolete primarily because the activity they perform becomes obsolete or the way of doing it changes drastically. Changes in the organizational structure: Such a change involves changes in authority relationships, coordinating mechanisms, Job redesign, Spans of control etc. A 'dynamic' manager is always on the lookout for the opportunity to improve the organisation. The developments in organisation theory and the possible benefits to be gained from better organisation help stimulate and keep alive the organisation dynamics. Following the collapse of the UK housing and construction market in 1989, McInerney underwent a major restructuring; following which, McInerney Holdings was formed. Changes in technology: If there are changes in work processes, work methods, equipment etc. This type of change generally results out of innovation. Change brings along a component of uncertainty with it, as nobody feels totally confident about the new things. Therefore, if implemented in haste, there's every chance that such a change will be resisted. Change should therefore be implemented in a 'controlled' manner to ensure that change is seen to be implemented in an orderly and consistent manner. Innovation on the other hand should be 'channeled' when decisions are made within a company. Innovation may be a precursor to change, but may equally be required for design, or problem solving of newer problems, newer projects or just for competing with the competitors. Change is generally brought about by external forces as well as some internal factors. The major external factors responsible for change are; Marketplace: If the market sees newer marketing techniques, marketing communication methods, competition, etc. then the company is required to take an appropriate step so that it remains in business and continues to grow. In today's competitive environment this is one of the potent reasons for change. For example, the construction major of Ireland McInerney Holdings Plc found the leisure market in the Iberian Peninsula attractive,

Finance Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Finance Analysis - Assignment Example The company’s debt to total assets and the debt to equity ratio clearly shows that the company has been keen towards loan finance and currently the company’s debt as a percentage to its total has exceeded over 50%. The company’s quick ratio portrays a falling trend. This reduction in the quick ratio suggests that the company may face problems in paying of its obligations as they fall due, this can be because of an increase in debt obligation and a reduction in the ability to convert stock into cash (as shown by the inventory turnover ratio). 2. Assuming that the share price for REC company is $30, the company’s P/E ratio in the year 2004 would be 15.3 (30/1.96 (Market price per share/ EPS)). This P/E ratio can be considered to be good with respect to the clothing industry, hence it can be deduced that a $30 price per share for the REC company is the best value for money for an investor (Yahoo Finance, 2011). 3. The days payable outstanding ratio for the REC company is 41 days. This collection period is higher than the industry average, hence it clearly suggests that the wholesaler would be paid in comparison to the industry trend. As a wholesaler, this would not be amusing and would result in selling shoes to other retailers rather than REC company, who would pay a bit earlier i.e. in line with the industry average of days payable outstanding ratio. 4. As a recent college graduate, I would definitely join the company as the company seems to be a good learning prospect. The company operates in two different industries i.e. recreational equipment and clothing hence it would provide good learning exposure for me. The company’s finance department seems to be operating efficiently, considering the financial statements and the ratios prepared by the finance department. The financial statements seem to prepared after considering the relevant accounting and financial standards hence it the seniors

Analysis of Strategic management and the position of Dialog Axiata PLC Research Paper

Analysis of Strategic management and the position of Dialog Axiata PLC - Sri Lanka - Research Paper Example Moreover the recruiting team of the company is always in the hunt for a pool of talented human resources that would help the company in setting new benchmarks (Dialog, 2011). The company reflects a huge financial growth during the first quarter of the 2011 period compared to that of the 2010 period which showed a huge growth by around 64 percent. Further in regards to the market for mobile phones and other telecommunication services the company reflects a growth by around 10 percent in a comparison drawn between the first quarter of the 2011 and 2010 period. However in close connection to the above facts the operating costs of the company along with other domestic and international installation charges grew in the first quarter of the 2011 period in sharp contrast to the 2010 period. (Dialog-a, 2011). Thus the paper in this connection focuses to understand the strategic moves taken by the company in restoring its competitive position while tending to reduce the current operational co st. Critical Analysis of the Strategic Position of Dialog Axiata PLC In the process of critically analyzing the strategic position of the business organization firstly the parameters upon which the company becomes able to sustain its leadership in the market is analyzed. The company must have a definite mission based on which it sets the strategies to successfully satisfy the same. Further the company must set some definite goals and objectives which must be adequately based on the mission statement of the company. Strategic business units of the company must be identified that would help in meeting the stated objectives. Moreover the hierarchal or the organizational structure of the concern must be evaluated in terms of the division of the total responsibility among employees thereby enhancing on the accountability parameters. Finally the company management is also required to set adequate monitoring systems to rightly monitor the activities taken to pursue the stated goals and the reby to set effective remedies to help reduce such gaps (Schein, 2010, p.74). In regards to the above discussion the vision, mission and value structure of the company would be analyzed. The company shares the organizational vision of being the leader in the Sri Lankan communication market through the innovation rendered in the field of communication technology. This strategy focused by the company would help in enriching the social image of the concern. Working on the above vision the company thereby focuses to set the organizational mission of helping to render potential activities in the sphere of sustaining better relationships with the customers. Further the company also desires its business processes to be highly flexible in meeting the changing demands of the market. This sets the organizational culture of the company which increases the parameters of accountability both in the internal and external sphere and also encourages the growth of team activities in the concern (Dial og-b, 2011). The above strategic analysis of the company

Lowering Drinking Age Essay Example for Free

Lowering Drinking Age Essay In the United States government, there are many politicians that have to make difficult decisions that affect its citizens in their everyday lives. One frequently asked question by the people in America today is why does the government believe 21 is the proper age to legally allow drinking of alcoholic beverages. Over 200 countries in the world do not have a legal drinking age. Many say if you are tall enough to stand at a bar, you are old enough to get a drink. In America, would lowering the drinking age to 18 decrease or increase the number of college students binge drinking? What if we gave our youth the proper education about alcohol? Then, if they did decide to drink, could they act as responsible adults having that knowledge? Another question frequently asked is would lowering the drinking age to 18, increase or decrease highway fatalities? We as a nation have tried prohibition twice trying to control irresponsible drinking problems in the past. So, should we take a risk and try to come up with a plan to lower the drinking age to 18? Or, alternatively, should we keep the legal drinking age at 21? When a person turns 18 years old in America, they are considered an adult in society. They now have the responsibility to fight in wars, to vote, to serve on a jury, to legally get married and so forth. A person who is 18 can do all these things. So, why is it that they do not have to right to choose if they want to drink a bottle of beer or a glass of wine? Do you really think drinking a beer is an act of greater responsibility and maturity than voting or going to war for your country? I feel that the youth in our nation is not getting the proper education on the facts behind alcohol. Thus, when a person does decide to drink, they do so irresponsibly. Most people who drink irresponsibly find themselves moving like zombies once intoxicated. One approach to this issue is requiring an individual who is 18 years old to attend an alcohol education class. This would be similar to the requirements for getting your drivers license. In the alcohol education class, they would teach you facts, have group meetings with people who have been alcoholics in the past (AA meetings), conduct tests throughout the course and a final at the end to ensure a thorough understanding of drinking responsibly and the consequences of not doing so. When completed, the person would receive a license allowing he or she to go into liquor stores, pubs, bars, etc. to purchase alcohol products that they want. However, if they choose to violate the license in any way, it will be taken away. If you are the kind of person who does not like to drink alcohol, good news! You do not have to take the class if you do not want. I do think this class would be good in helping our youth understand the harmful affects that alcohol can have on our bodies and how dangerous it can really be if you are not responsible with it. As students go to college, studies have shown that more and more students are â€Å"binge drinkers† today than ever before. A binge drinker is someone who consumes five or more alcoholic drinks in a given sitting. Dr. John McCardells is the founder of a group called the Amethyst initiative. They have a theory that by lowering the drinking age it will actually reduce the number of binge drinking on college campuses throughout the United States. Over 100 of our nations top colleges such as Duke, Ohio State, Dartmouth are all calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age to 18. This debate has been going on for quite some time now. Lets stop scratching our heads and come up with an approach to this situation. There have been deaths in the past when an underage person drank too much and died because his or her friends did not want to call the cops because they knew they would have been in trouble. A similar incident as this happened to a student named Gordy Bailey. Gordy was a freshman at Boulder College in Colorado. Boulder is a school known for its party scene. He planned to join a fraternity called Sigma Chi and in order to do so, he had to drink ten gallons of hard liquor or wine. They are not sure how much Gordy actually drank that night but estimated that he had 15 to 20 shots in under a half hour. After they were done drinking, they went back to the fraternity house and by the time they got there Gordy was to the point that he could not even walk. His fraternity friends did not dare to call the police in order to get help and risk getting in trouble for underage drinking. Unfortunately, the decision that they made was not the right one. They called the police the next morning but it was too late. Gordy Bailey died that night from alcohol poisoning. Had the drinking age been 18, Gordy’s fraternity friends could have called the police to get him medical attention. There are many situations that occur every year which are very similar to Gordy Bailey’s story. However, many do not think we should take a different approach to this problem. Mark Beckner, the Chief of Police in Boulder, Colorado, is one of the few Chief of Police in America who agrees with Dr. John McCardells theory and supports lowering the drinking age. In an interview with 60 Minutes he said, â€Å"We can’t enforce something that unenforceable and all we are doing is doing is pushing drinking more and more underground, essentially making it very dangerous. † People need to learn that prohibition does not work, we should know this already from the past already. Let us not let history repeat itself yet again. † A person’s life is no less precious off the road than it is on the road. There is an organization called MADD, which stands for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. MADD is an organization that opposes the idea of lowering the drinking age. One of the biggest issues they have regarding lowering the drinking age is highway fatalities that involve a drunk driver. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines a fatal crash as alcohol-related if a driver had a estimated blood alcohol level of 0. 01 or above. Alcohol-related traffic fatalities, better known as drunken driving fatalities, were the key factors behind the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984. Yes, over the years, statistics have shown that the number of alcohol-related fatalities have decreased and this is true for all ages, not just people who are under 21. Statistics show that approximately 1,000 people from the ages 18 to 24 die a year from alcohol-related accidents. However, the numbers are very similar with people who are dying behind closed doors. I believe the drinking age should be lowered to 18 because if someone can go to war and die for his or her country, he or she should be able to have the right to choose if he or she wants a beer or a glass of wine. Based on facts, the current prohibition laws are not working. We need to come up with an alternative approach. We have tried prohibition in the past and learned very quickly that it was not very productive. Let us learn from our mistakes and put an end to pushing our youth to drink further and further underground. In other countries, alcohol is not seen as a poison, there is little or no social pressure to drink, and irresponsible drinking is never tolerated. Parents and other family members teach their kids at home how to drink in a responsible manner. Since the 21 year old drinking law is not working, maybe we could approach this situation as people would in a different country.

Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults

Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults When working with children and vulnerable adults two of the most important considerations are the planning and supervision of their activities. To create a safe environment, both of these are significant factors in helping to protect them, and others from incidents and accidents. Any person under the age of 18 is defined by the word ‘children’, and ‘vulnerable adult’ would be any person over the age of 18 who may be, or actually is, in need of the community care services because of a disability, whether mental, or other illness and who may be or is, unable to fully take care of their self, or unable to protect their self against exploitation or harm. Safeguarding The definition of ‘safeguarding’ describes a wide approach to meeting the requirements of all children and vulnerable adults (including individuals who may be at risk from abuse). All people indirectly or directly involved in activities with leisure activities for children and vulnerable adults have a responsibility which includes: To review their practices in all situations and thus to ensure that they comply with recognised codes of conduct. To be able to identify the symptoms, indicators and signs of abuse and also the impact this has upon children and the vulnerable adults. To respond in appropriately and take relevant action if any concerns are raised. To provide opportunities to engage with children and vulnerable adults and to use the opportunities to keep the person(s) safe, healthy, enjoying their activities and achieving. The responsibilities and limitations of a fitness instructor As a mentor it is crucial to example your safeguarding behaviour at all times, this includes: Assume you are a role model Adhere to the procedures and policies Adhere to the code of behaviour and practice Always wear your uniform and / or your name/id, badge if it is provided Understand and act upon your responsibilities Recognise the need and also protect the rights of participation, for enjoyment, fun and achievement for all others Report any suspected abuse to a senior manager, superiors or a protection officer Respond to any case of abuse in a responsible fashion Conduct activities or work in an open environment At all times conduct activities or work in an open environment even if interacting one to one The types of abuse which an instructor may encounter Abuse can manifest itself in many different forms, but broadly it’s separated into five categories: Emotional Physical Bullying Sexual Neglect The possible signs of abuse Physical Abuse. The indicators are: fear of a parent or a carer being contacted angry or aggressive outbursts a fear of going home easily flinching evidence of depression habitually keeping their legs and arms covered more withdrawn behaviour unexplained body bruises or other injuries bruises which look like hand marks cigarette burns bite or teeth marks scalds, broken bones and very alarming injuries or behaviour Emotional abuse The indicators are: unable or unwilling to participate in an activity clearly neurotic behaviour sudden or recently developed speech disorders a fear of making any mistake fear of parents or carers being contacted self-harm withdrawn and closed in type of behaviour depression Sexual abuse The indicators are: sudden changes in behaviour becoming aggressive or conversely, withdrawn an apparent fear of one particular person self- harm or suicidal seen in children; knowledge sexually advanced, or behaviour that is beyond their age language or behaviour that is sexually explicit bruising, itching or pain in the genital area evidence of diseases that are sexually transmitted pains in the stomach discomfort when sitting, exercising, even walking Bullying The indicators are: Insecurity Seems ‘over’ sensitive Withdrawn behaviour Indications of emotional and or physical abuse Neglect The indicators are: In children; lateness and truancy unsupervised and regularly alone constantly hungry unkempt condition obesity or weight loss inappropriately dressed Policies Procedures for Safeguarding a Fitness Environment The central principles of a policy are: Proper personal behaviour and conduct by instructors must be maintained at all times Instructors must retain a high level of competency via a commitment to ongoing training which ensures a correct and safe practice. Volunteers and paid instructors and must possess a current Criminals Records Bureau Check Maintain confidentiality always. Follow these key principles of procedure which are: Refer any suspicions to a senior manager or supervisor and ensure a response. In an emergency, call emergency services. If a child or a vulnerable adult chooses you as their trusted adult while in the fitness environment, then follow these procedures: Do not make any promise to keep any secrets Be calm, reassure the individual, listen carefully and allow the individual to speak Refrain from asking leading questions or appearing to interrogate Do not confront or approach the suspected abuser, or the parents or the carer of the individual It is very important to record in writing the details of what has transpired and what was said, heard and seen To protect oneself from accusations of abuse, then follow the previously outlined guidelines while also remembering a procedure that it is preferable to follow: At all group times and also one to one, work in an open environment. Never take photographs of children and young people without permission of their guardian. Consider always your behaviour towards vulnerable adults and children Make your sessions enjoyable, achievable, safe and healthy for all the participants Take appropriate action if you have a concern about the behaviour of an adult or child towards another child or vulnerable adult Promote the welfare of your clients, even if this means letting another professional take over. As a trusted instructor, Do not engage in intimacy with a vulnerable person at any time nor spend time alone with a vulnerable person, e.g. offering a lift home to a child after the session For the respect of the rights of vulnerable people, key principles flow regarding their entitlement: Privacy To be treated with dignity and respect To lead an independent lifestyle and to be enabled to do so To be able to choose how to conduct their lives Protection of the law To have their rights upheld without condition To be able to realise full potential in all aspects of daily life while fulfilling personal aspirations Planning Supervision Preferably, all the activities involving vulnerable adults and children, irrespective of their nature or apparent risk level, should be planned. Planning involves considering the risk assessment of the difficulties and potential dangers that may arise and so to make plans that minimalize risks. If you are supervising or leading an activity where children are involved, then you have a legal, professional and a moral responsibility to safeguard their welfare. This means that you must strive to deliver a supportive and safe environment. Failure to prevent harm could result in abuse. Adequate supervision implies that you must: Consider the participant to supervisor ratio. This needs to consider the age of the children, any special educational or medical needs, even disabilities, and the degree of risk involved in the proposed activities. If the activity involves mixed gender participation, then attention must also be given to having both male and female supervisors in attendance or available. Some local Authorities and professional associations may set recommended supervision levels, to be followed where applicable. Can I learn more about protecting and safeguarding children? You may contact your county administration to find out about education or safeguarding workshops. If I work with children what are my child protection responsibilities? You have a duty of care for any children that you may work with, meaning you must take reasonable precautions to keep those children from harm. You must also ensure that any other adults involved in the activities are correctly vetted if recruited. If you work in a fitness environment, then it should be encouraged that the entity put in place those child protection measures necessary to support the activities taking place. How to improve the child protection measures and the safeguarding in my gym, club, facility? Make sure that a Child Protection Officer has helped to co-ordinate the planned strategy. Then put in place the child protection policy with a commitment that is visible and clear. Who needs to complete a CRB check? A criminal record check is just one of the methods by which it is possible to ensure that the right character of people in place when working with children and vulnerable adults. Moral Duty of Care There are specialized courses in all of the topics dealt with in this publication. The onus is on you to research and study further. Research and study and the practical implementation of all that is absorbed learnt and assimilated, is of course essential, therefore the best we can hope to do herein is inspire and guide you in the right direction regarding what may be in store, if you choose a career in the field and the level of professionalism you will have to employ, in order to instruct others to the best of your potential and abilities, and equally progress in your career. The Moral Duty of Care is an overarching principle that encompasses all of what has been outlined in this subject matter. One can only give a reasonable appreciation of this topic as space does not permit a full in-depth exploration of, nor indeed in any of the topics in this publication regarding the fitness work and career environment. Duty of Care, is your responsibility for the safety and welfare of those under your temporary guidance. In fitness and sports activities the staff member, instructor cum coach, has a duty of care for all those participating irrespective of age or position. Where children are included, those in responsibility have to act in ‘loco parentis’ which requires the adult to be as a reasonable parent. Within the fitness and sporting environment the duty of care begins by ensuring that the activity itself is authorized and that the instructors are so qualified for the activity; therefore the activity is managed in a safe manner throughout. Child Protection Policies For long child protection policies had been developed in haste and as responses to individual tragedies, the good intentions, though at times perhaps misguided, they assumed that every risk could be mitigated against and that every loophole could be plugged. The pressure was to prescribe and legislate more which led to the public’s confusion, or an often fearful workforce. Thus a dysfunctional culture grew which was of mistrust, between Children and Vulnerable Adults. We should prefer to begin with a presumption of confidence and trust in those people who will be working with children in a fitness environment, and also with the good sense and judgment of facility supervisors, managers and owners. If an instructor or teacher’s supervision may fall below the standard of a reasonably prudent parent, and a child gets hurt as a result, then that instructor or teacher may be held negligent. Anyone instructing, managing or supervising children and vulnerable adults in a setting of gym, club etc., must consider what steps they shall need to accomplish to demonstrate that a reasonable standard of care is being provided. Examples of this could include: Attendance registers kept updated Contact details and records kept updated Appropriate supervision ratios are maintained Specific medical conditions – allergies, asthma, epilepsy are updated and maintained Ensure that first aid is available at the venue Ensure that those who are supervising the children and vulnerable adults have undergone an appropriate selection and recruitment process.

How to Care for Aging Parents Essay -- sandwich generation, taking care

As a parent, you probably think about how to raise happy, well-adjusted children. Many books, articles, and journals describe ways to fulfill your child’s every need and want†¦but what about your parents? How much time do you spend thinking about the happiness of your aging parents and how much information have you seen about caring for aging parents? Are you Part of the Sandwich Generation? Are you a parent caring for your child while also caring for your own parent? Merriam Webster defines "Sandwich Generation" as a generation of people who are caring for their aging parents while supporting their own children.[1] Just how common is it for adults to be â€Å"sandwiched† between aging their parents and their kids? Chances are many people you know are or will be caring for an aging parent at some point in their lives. By 2030, there will be more than 72 million people over the age of 65 in the United States.[2] In 2012, 47% of adults aged 40 to 50s have a parent over 65 and they are either raising a young child or providing financial support to an adult child. One-in-seven middle-aged adults are financially supporting an aging parent and a child. Are you also providing another type of support? You're probably not alone. If you are caring for a parent, you most likely feel a tremendous duty to take care of and help make decisions about your aging parents’ health, finances, day-to-day functioning, and overall well-being. You are taking on a huge responsibility that you probably never imagined you would have. According to the Pew research center, â€Å"Adults who are part of the sandwich generation-that is, those who have a living parent age 65 or older and are either raising a child under age 18 or supporting a grown child- are pulled in... ...ell as grief & loss counseling. Her work with diverse populations has allowed her to understand and connect with people of all walks of life, which earned her the title of Life Transitions Specialist ® by her colleagues and patients. As part of her commitment to her community, Francine lectures and provides workshops throughout Los Angeles County on aging, caregiving, and other topics of interest to various organizations and clinics. Francine has also contributed to online publications including SheKnows.com, ABCNews.com, Forbes Woman, Next Avenue, Fox News, and AgingCare.com. When not wearing her clinical hat, Francine spends her free time with her husband and children. Click the image below to visit Francine’s site, L. A. Talk Therapy for information about individual counseling and consultations for families who need help navigating their parent's aging process.

Modernizing Locke’s Natural Rights Essay -- Government

In Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall’s article, â€Å"An African American’s Perspective on the Constitution†, he concedes that the founding father’s Constitution contained numerous imperfections. Marshall feels it was a product of time and tremendous courage that brought forth the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees an individual’s Lockean rights to â€Å"life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness†. Marshall believed the achievements that secured these individuals rights â€Å"belongs to those who refused to acquiesce in outdated notions† of life, liberty, and property. Thus, Marshall points out that the progression of time necessitates the modernization of the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson even anticipated the future evolution of our society and substituted the words â€Å"pursuit of happiness† for â€Å"property† in the Declaration of Independence having realized that someday our values would reshape. As public support for federal involvement has increased overtime, the Constitution is amended to better represent our evolving society. Although current public opinion favors federal support to provide access to healthcare, the design of our government dramatically lengthens the time necessary to implement modernize the Constitution. As the importance in maintaining one’s health has increased in America, the public has demanded the government to provide healthcare, however, the Constitutional prose recognizes the right to health but not the right to healthcare. The current escalating debt the federal government is accumulating to provide funding for programs like Medicaid is increasing the probability the United States will one day default on it’s debt. America’s primitive system of health care, known for its outstanding... ... Society. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown Univ. Pr., 1994. Faunce B.Med., Ph.D., Thomas. Who Own's Your Health: Medical Professionalism and the Market State. Baltimore, Maryland: The John Hopkins University Press, 2007. Marshall, Thurgood. â€Å"An African American’s Perspective on the Constitution† in Shafritz, [edited by] Jay M., and Lee S. Weinberg. Classics in American Government. 3rd ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing, 2006. The Declaration of Independence in Wilson, James Q., John J. Dilulio, and Meena Bose. 2011 American Government: Institutions & Policies. Boston, Mass: Wadsworth Pub. Co. Ruger, Jennifer Prah. Health and Social Justice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, USA, 2010. Wilson, James Q., John J. DiIulio, Jr., and with Meena Bose. American Government: Institutions & Policies. 12th ed. Boston, MA.: Wadsworth Publishing, 2011.

Western and Eastern Architecture

Culture and traditions have been an important component in influencing the development and creation of both Chinese and Roman architecture. It is through these norms that standards and perceptions of beauty are created. Each facet is deeply rooted in its ability to showcase the variety of actions from the structural foundations towards internal arrangements. These ideas then constitute the relevant ideas that have transformed the way construction and design is manifested within the boundaries of each culture. In the end, these differences created similarities and differences in approaches that harnessed each one’s individuality and contribution to the world today. On one aspect, we see the Roman architecture which bases its definition and construction of structures and buildings under a prescribed standard and format. These prevailing concepts have evolved through time under the pioneering Roman thinkers during the time. Under this process, a system for construction was introduced with by using important tenets such as geometry and mathematics that denote synchronization and order of things. Through this, the Romans advocate the relevance of proportion, both in exterior and interior design. It is through this that they are able to create their own distinct mark such as the formation of tablinum, atrium and peristyle courtyards. Comparing this with Chinese architecture, it can be argued that the overall design and architecture is considered to be free flowing. The plan captures the relevance of aesthetics by capturing the elements of nature and blending them accordingly with the both in the interior and exterior of the structure. It is through these actions that the idea of harmonization and being one with the overall surroundings becomes important. In addition, incorporation of natural elements such as trees and plants are also some distinct facets practiced by the Chinese. Moreover, adopting relative natural elements to these structures also necessitates generating freedom and ability to garner wholeness. Seeing these relevant differences, there are also similarities between these distinct approaches in viewing architecture and design. One relevant parallelism that can be seen in this process is that both approaches denote a system and standard of measurement and design. Though the Chinese may not be too strict about this and often tries to cover this up, the two ideas exhibit relevant attention to such facet and helps them apply significant ideas that contribute the creation of magnificent structures. Another significant similarity between these two styles is their ability to dig deep within their cultural backgrounds and affiliations to come up with standards and processes of how to construct and design structures. Take for example, the Chinese model for Buddhism and its relevance with being one with nature (Zen) has been the core concepts that generate such buildings. On the other hand, for the Romans, it is their constant passion for architecture and magnificent design that has enabled them to come up with ideas such as Coliseums, arched domes, and public baths. These similarities in turn foster their individuality as each approach makes their distinct mark in the overall application and design process. It may be true that each one possesses similar building foundations however; each one targets a different path in its application. With their ability to fabricate unique sets of designs, both the Chinese and Romans were able to create a framework that is encompassing and facilitative towards the growth of their relative inventiveness and capture the essence of their cultural heritage and practice.

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Essay

This article has deeply looked into the importances of education. The different perspectives that the author of the article has used in explaining the significance of education has made me to understand the noble part of education which I though was increased economic power. However from the article, I have realized that there are other benefits accrued to education such as improved lifestyle, and also status quo of an individual though they have not been fully exhausted in the article. The completion of tertiary education has also increase in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) members have also learnt that there is inequality in economic earning in the OECD country members with Spain, Luxembourg and Belgium having the lowest level of gender inequality. This however does not conform in all countries especially the developing countries where the level of unemployment is high. There is high level of unemployed graduates in the developing countries which deprive education of its importance. The income rate in the developing countries do not match with education level due to high level of corruption in these countries. It is possible to find a Bachelor degree holder earning less than a college diploma holder. The education in different countries vary in significance and in the developed countries the people enjoy the benefits of education more than the people in the developing countries. The articles analysis on sciences and maths score has brought the clear image of performance across different countries. Just like many people, I could not have imagined that the United States could be led by any other country in the science and technology sector. Amazingly from the articles analysis on these subjects (Science and Maths), Asian countries take a lead including Singapore, China, South Korea and Japan. It have also been noted that different countries differ significantly on the level of education and education attainment. The gender inequality in earning is very prominent in the developing countries which the article should have focused. The article did not include African states in the analysis except in the science and math performance. I feel that the article needed more of comparison on education in Africa with the first world countries which could have brought about a clear view of education in the two disparities. The article could have discussed about the future prospect of education in the world. With the improved technology, different individuals from different countries are able to acquire universal education and hence chances of employment increase. The level of competition in education is also likely to go higher as children at a lower age are being exposed to technology such as the internet. The article need therefore to address the future of education in the globe. The benefits of education are broader than the article is stating. Education plays a major role in the conservation of the environment. The level of education determines the ones level of environmental consciousness. With the threat of global warming, education through creating awareness and providing solutions to the problem can make a difference.

Plato vs. Nietzsche

Johnny Lee Plato versus Nietzsche The central ideas that two great philosophers, Plato and Friedrich Nietzsche, talked about were the reality and appearance; and what they mainly focused on is where we as humans stand between these two. Of course, regarding the fact that Plato and Nietzsche lived in different time periods, they had their differences that conflict with each other’s theories. But they do have something to agree upon; they both argue that humans live in an illusory world of our own that we think is reality when we actually are not. One important idea they disagree on is their concepts on what is reality and what is truth.Plato’s theory is mostly based on his cave allegory where he explains human’s conditions. I will explain the similarities and differences between Plato and Nietzsche through the cave allegory. Starting from a base point, Plato and Nietzsche both state that there are deceptions and illusions in the world. First, according to the cave allegory by Plato, he believes the â€Å"shadows†(Plato 64) to be what’s keeping us from utilizing our knowledge to its fullest value. The â€Å"shadows† are metaphors that represent our acts of relying on our senses to identify objects in life.They are only the appearances of the actual objects, meaning that we are not getting the genuine concept that is concealed by the appearances. He explains that the objects humans see in the visible world are far from the truth and their true forms. On the contrary, Nietzsche does not believe that the â€Å"shadows† are actually what Plato says they are. Although Nietzsche does believe that there are illusions in the world that humans are commonly deceived by, he argues that what deceives us in the world is our language and not the appearances of objects.He explains that concepts are the main cause that deceives humans because â€Å"a concept is produced by overlooking what is individual and real†(Nietzsche 878). And this is where language part comes in. The language helps creating concepts to objects, making it harder for humans to comprehend the â€Å"original entities† (Nietzsche 877) of the objects. Words are only â€Å"metaphors of things† (Nietzsche 877) to identify them but nothing more. Words do not hold any meanings or the true essence of the objects. The only purpose of words is so that humans can agree on the same things and get things done; create consistency in our lives. In terms of ruth in objects, Plato believes that once humans are out the cave we will be able to see the truth in things and know logic and reasoning. He argues that the only way to grasp the real meanings of objects is to rationalize everything and not rely on our senses (Plato 66). If all humans use logic to define everything and not guess what they would represent, then we would all be in the intelligible realm. On the other hand, Nietzsche has a very different take on the subject matter of truth. In fact, he argues that there are nothing more real than things that visibly and physically exist in the world; things that are accessible.This is why he does not believe in the intelligible realm or the real reality. He believes that we are already in reality. His main case is that those things that exist in the world â€Å"know neither forms nor concepts. †(Nietzsche 878); and therefore there is no reality, meanings, concepts or even truth within these objects. Nietzsche believes that the only truth existing in our lives is the agreement through language. We have put labels and titles on objects so that we would be able to agree upon identifying those objects without any conflicts or disagreement. Steven Wallace delivers a similar point through his poem, â€Å"Metaphors of a Magnifico†.The basic summary of this poem is that there are â€Å"Twenty men crossing a bridge/ Into a village† (Stevens) and the speaker, Stevens or the Magnifico, is trying to find the meaning behind these twenty crossing the bridge. The problem that Stevens had was the words that were used by someone else to describe the twenty men. These twenty men could be perceived as twenty men crossing twenty bridges for each man could experience crossing the bridge very differently. It can also be seen as one man crossing the bridge if they all had the same purpose of why they are crossing the bridge. Ultimately, these men will look like one single man.Stevens could not find the true meaning of his own behind these other people’s descriptions of the twenty men. He starts using words like â€Å"white wall† and â€Å"fruit-trees† to grasp the real meaning of these men crossing the bridge but no matter how hard he tries â€Å"the meaning escapes†(Stevens). This poem perfectly supports Nietzsche’s theory in the sense that, words are only metaphors to describe objects. Words cannot hold concepts for objects do not have real meanings be hind them. After all, Stevens and even Nietzsche would say that it is simply â€Å"Twenty men crossing a bridge/ Into a village† with no concepts attached.Going back to the cave allegory, Plato says that humans think the â€Å"shadows† are the truth behind the objects when they are only appearances. Now if Nietzsche would critique the allegory he would find certain things accurate and other things to be false. One thing he would agree upon is the deception that humans are getting. One big idea on the allegory that Nietzsche would definitely disagree on is the outside world or the intelligible realm for he does not believe that we are not living in reality right now.He does not believe that we are in the cave. If Nietzsche would roughly create an allegory for his view on the world and human conditions he would first scrap the whole idea of being in the cave and the outside world. In Nietzsche’s allegory, there is a group of men freely standing outside in nature. And everything in nature is labeled with a card on them: â€Å"trees†, â€Å"flowers†, â€Å"grass† and so on. As each of the men looks at these objects, they will see the same objects but different distorted shadows.These men, thinking that there are more meanings and concepts beyond theses words on the cards, will have different shapes of the shadows in their heads, due to different perceptions. However in reality, the shadows of the objects will flawlessly match the shapes of the actual objects, meaning that what you see is what you get: there are no hidden concepts. Although Plato and Nietzsche may have differences on the matter of truth, they are able to find a common ground between their theories: it is that humans could not be living deeper in an illusory world right now.

Preschool Graduation Speech Essay

Thank you all for coming on this special day to celebrate the graduation of the Pre-K â€Å"Rockstars† class of 2011. This is a monumental occasion in the lives of our children. It is also a time to recognize the outstanding work and support of all the staff here, the parents, and most of all the students. Just looking around at the smiling faces says so much about the culture here at our school. Each morning, my heart just melts, when I see those smiling faces that are followed by their warm embraces which continually remind me of why I love teaching and how lucky I am to be a part of their lives. I am so impressed with their progress this year and they have grown to see learning as fun, exciting with a passion that will help them as they advance with their education. Looking ahead, our children are very well equipped to take on the next part of their personal and educational lives. They have formed have a strong foundation and I feel especially confident that we have given o ur children a great start in life with the knowledge of many priceless lessons. So, To the Class of 2011, Pre-K Rockstars, â€Å"My Chickadees†: †¢ challenge yourself †¢ have a kind heart †¢ enjoy learning †¢ give back to others †¢ laugh and love †¢ And be all you can be! In closing, I would like to dedicate this poem to my special chickadees†¦This one is for you†¦. â€Å"To My Special Chickadees† I want to let know, How much you mean to me And how fast the year did go! Please come back to visit me All through the years you grow, Try to learn and love all that you can There is so much for you to know I’m glad I am your teacher I’ve come to love you so. I can’t believe the end is here. It is so hard to see you go The one thing I tried to teach you to last your whole life through, Is to know that you always be â€Å"my special chickadees† And there’s is no one else like you! So it’s with all my heart I send you on your way, with great hope and expectations for years of happiness and bliss to stay.

Three Important Contents in Nonverbal Communication

The purpose of this essay is to evaluate the group oral presentation. This easy discussed three concepts related to nonverbal communication. Relevant theories inform our understanding of these concepts and each individual’s performance. The first concept aspects of nonverbal communication introduced the different aspects in nonverbal communication. The second concept barriers to nonverbal communication discussed how barriers occurred and two parts of barrier. The last one cultural difference in nonverbal communication explains the importance to effective deal with cultural difference in business today.The next part is reflection on group performance and individual performance. In this part some real examples have been discussed. This essay is for 2040 MGT Business Communication individual assignment. This essay is on the basic business area and interpersonal communication. 2. 0Definition of Nonverbal communication When people talk about successful organisations or individuals in the world of business, good communication is always listed as one of the most important characteristics.Nonverbal communications is made up of visual, tactile, and vocal signals, and the use of time, space, and image (Williams 2006). Nearly 75 per cents of all communication are nonverbal (Trompenaars, 1993). That means in every face-to-face interaction we are sending more information to the other person than we thought and no-one is fully in control about the transmission (Mead, 2005). Nonverbal communication embraces all body language communication but also includes clothing and tones of voice, even the manner in time using (Williams 2006).Drory and Zaidman (2007) suggest that use nonverbal communication in order to: replace verbal communication where it may impossible to talk; complement and modify verbal communication; contradict; regulate conversation by helping to mark speech turns; express emotions; negotiate relationships in respect of instance etc. For this way, Nonverbal communication can be very powerful tool in understanding ourselves and others. 3. 0Three concepts related to Nonverbal communication 3. 1Aspects of Nonverbal communication Are nonverbal communication and body language the same? No, they are not.Body language involves the physical behavior; nonverbal communication embraces all body language communication but also includes clothing and adornment, environmental factors and even the manner in time using (Williams 2006). Darn (2005) stated that nonverbal communication can be classified in four key elements. The first element is KINESICS means body movement and gestures. The second is HAPTICS, the touch behavior and the third is OCULESICS, the gaze behavior and eye contact. The fourth key element is PROXEMICS and stands for spatial behavior and interpersonal distance.Chaney and Martin (2000) added one further element to the key elements. They described OLFACTICS as a person’s smell. 3. 2Barriers to Nonverbal communication Many pro blems occurred in our business and personal lives result from miscommunication. Problems with any one of the stages of the communication model can become barriers to communication (Shannon, 2001). Nonverbal communication may fail for a variety of reasons: Nonverbal signal such as movement and eye contact can be read wrongly; a learner may not be able to understand what is being shown (Thorne, 2005).Maguire (2002) stated that barriers to effective communication between people and units of organizations are two parts: physical and Personal. Physical such as people talking in different ways and poor sight can be easily solved; personal barriers less obvious, is the differences in the personal and physical make up of people, these factors cause a physical barrier. Even so, these barriers suggest opportunities for improving communication (Maguire, 2002). 3. 3Cultural difference in Nonverbal communication Many businesses operate on a global scale today.It has been argued that (Crosling & Ward, 2002) effective oral and nonverbal communication plays an important role in successful cross-cultural business. Although much communication in international business is oral, the nonverbal level can be an important factor of correct understanding and interpreting oral communication. Culture is a shared system of beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations and norms of behavior (Chaney& Martin, 2000). From groups, culture differs extensively. For example, Touch is an important tool to convey warmth, support and comfort.However, in some cultural those norms of behavior may change because touching implies intimacy and familiarity, people have strict rules that who may touch whom and how (Larson & Kleiner, 2004). To learn deal with these differences and turn to your advantage can make the difference between a successful and unsuccessful international business (Larson & Kleiner, 2004). 4. 0Reflection on group performance and individual performance The most successful groups understand that good communication at all levels is essential (Houston, 2002). In groups there are aspects to nonverbal communication.We been use a lots nonverbal sign communicate to each other when we having meetings and presenting. Be able to read correctly and rapidly other people’s nonverbal signals and to able to consider and control one’s own nonverbal presentation is very important in group work. Here is a benefit you and your group can achieve from effective nonverbal communication: Stronger decision making and problem solving (Houston, 2002). Use nonverbal communication effectively can make every meeting efficient instead of wasting time. When two people are conversing, they usually make eye contact to show the interest or respect (Frisch 1993).When the group having a conversation, one member was talking and the rest of us body pointed at the speaker, doing eye contact and nodding, this can be certain that we were very interested in what is being said. However, if many of us across the body like folded arms or an arm up to the face, you are seeing indications that the listeners are not absorbed. For this way, nonverbal signs have become an important communicate tools when we working together. However, Problems with any one of the stages of the communication model can become barriers to communication (Shannon, 2001).Barriers to effective communications between people and units of organizations are of two types: Physical, environmental factors can reduce or prevent the sending and receiving of messages (Maguire, 2002). It happened because people may not be able to see or hear properly. When the group having difficulty to understand others, always try to be clear in speech and visual presentation. They are usually obvious barriers. The other barrier is personal barriers; they arise from the judgments, emotions and values (Maguire, 2002). It happened because group members may not be willing and eager to receive the message.However, some people are vig ilant monitors of other people; others are less likely to notice their subtle signals. To get nonverbal communication improved instead of having barriers, we were researched four outcomes: develop skills in nonverbal communication; interpret nonverbal communication in the context of the total situation; beware of the possibility of misinterpretation; practice becoming aware of and managing one’s own nonverbal communication (Shannon, 2001). Non-verbal communication is â€Å"silent† communication, including the use of eye contact, body moment, tones of voice etc (Williams 2006).If we don’t understand the non-verbal communication from different culture, we can make a mistake of reading other person’s message. Larson and Kleiner (2004) point out some forms of non-verbal signals are the same and universal some may totally different of each other. For this way, we did a bit of research to find out the differences in nonverbal communication between the AUD and C hina. I was asking four Chinese students and four Australian with equal number of male and female to answer two questions about the culture difference.The first part of the research analyzed the distance people keep in conversations and how they feel, if the person one is talking to comes closer. It showed that Australian are willing to get a bit closer in both situations with other students and lecturers/tutors. The research also presented that Australian feel more comfortable when the person they talk to comes a bit closer. In the other part of the research we analyzed the eye contact behavior. Asians avoid frequent eye contact, whereas Australian looks most time in the eyes and face especially when talking to a lecturer.However, both parties argued they feel the other person might not be interested in the topic, if the person does not show at least the same eye contact. 5. 0Conclusion and Recommendations This essay has discussed three important concepts related to nonverbal commu nication. The first concept aspects of nonverbal communication introduced the different aspects in nonverbal communication. The second concept barriers to nonverbal communication discussed how barriers occurred and two parts of barrier. The last one cultural difference in nonverbal communication explains the importance to effective deal with cultural difference in business today.In reflection on group performance and individual performance, some outcomes from group meeting for presentation have been discussed linked to theories. People should be familiar with the aspects of nonverbal communication. For this way, effective deal with nonverbal communication to achieve the right point. To get nonverbal communication improved instead of having barriers through the ways of: develop skills in nonverbal communication; interpret nonverbal communication in the context of the total situation; beware of the possibility of misinterpretation; practice becoming aware of and managing one’s own nonverbal communication.Lastly, to learn deal with cultural differences and turn to your advantage can make the difference between a successful and unsuccessful international business.References List Crosling, G. , & Ward, I. (2002). The workplace needs and uses of business graduate employees. English for Specific Purposes, 21(1), 41-57. Chaney, L. H. , & Martin, J. S. (2000). Intercultural Business Communication (2nd ed). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Darn, S. (2005). Aspects of nonverbal communication. The TESL Journal, 6(2), 2-7. Drory, A. , & Zaidman, N. 2007). Impression management behaviour: effects of the organizational system. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 22(3), 290-308. Frisch, D. (1993). The experience of workplace politics. Academy of management journal, 23(2), 237-51. Houston, H. (2002). Health care and the silent language of Vietnamese immigrant consumers. Business Communication Quarterly, 65(1), 37-47. Larson, J. , & Kleiner, B. (2004). How to read non verbal com munication in organizations. Management Research News, 27(4/5), 17-22. Mead, R. (2005). International Management. Malden: Blackwell. Maguire, T. (2002). Barriers to communication-how things go wrong. Pharmaceutical Journal, 268(7186), 246-250. Shannon, C. E. (2001). A mathematical theory of communication. Mobile Computing and Communications Review, 5(1), 3-55. Trompenaars, F. (1993). Riding the Waves of Culture. London: Nicholas Brealey. Thorne, P. (2005). The secret codes of the ‘silent language’. European Business Forum, 20, 74-76. Williams, F. (2006). Nonverbal communication. The new communication, 11(3), 34-37.

Short essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Short - Essay Example These countries portray in their films a lot about their festivals and ceremonies (Pickowicz 8). This tells us how festive these countries are. Chinese films also show the heroic struggle of the Chinese soldiers who reached their destination in the 1930s after the long march. An example of this is the Chinese movie named â€Å"The Long March†. The way Chinese films are made tells us that China has a strong film industry with talented actors. Russian films, like â€Å"Faust† by Alexander Sokurov, talk more about battles and wars, and portray the Russian history. Arabian films have their own special portrayal of beauty and culture. Arabian films, like â€Å"The Only Way Out† by director Haifaa Mainsour, talk about domestic problems of Arabian people. However, the way Arabian films are made shows that this country lacks a formal film industry, which is surely due to the conditions of Islam. Moreover, if we talk about German films, most of them portray the humorous n ature of the Germans which they are famous for. German comedy movies, like â€Å"Miss Congeniality 2 - Armed and Fabulous† and â€Å"The Edukators†, show the sense of humor Germans possess. Talking about Hollywood as another good example, films of USA show that a female is more like a sex symbol (Hollinger 281). Females are considered as the weaker and corrupt gender. Films like â€Å"Fatal Attraction† released in 1987 show that the real place of women is at home. Hollywood movies also talk about racism, which shows that the society of USA is affected by the harmful aspect of racism. Films, like â€Å"Crash† by Paul Haggis portray the issues of race and gender. Crash revolves around characters of different races falling into each other and realizing at the end that racial discrimination should be ended. Hollywood films are also famous for their action-adventure and catastrophe movies like â€Å"2012†. 2012 is a final action-adventure and a thrilled journey of human

Karl Marx about alienation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Karl Marx about alienation - Essay Example Karl Marx about alienation Alienation of labor occurs only in a capitalist society, where capitalist modes of production exist. Marx identifies four different types of alienation. They are a) the alienation of the laborer from the product, b) the alienation of the laborer from the labor process, c) the alienation of the laborer from his fellow human beings and d) alienation of human beings from human nature. In the capitalist mode of production, the ownership of the product produced by the labor-power of the laborers is not with them; rather, it is controlled by the capitalists. Before the upcoming of capitalism, labor was solely part of the laborer and was dependent on him. In such a situation, the laborer had full control over the production and use of anything he produced. In the new system, labor acquired the status of an object of external existence and thus it becomes autonomous. This autonomy gained by the product controls the worker and his labor. This is a form of alienation where the life given to the product by the laborer alienates its creator .As a result; the laborer becomes a commodity like any other product available in the market. The labor-process refers to the process of production. In the time prior to capitalism, the laborers had full control over the conditions in which he works. These conditions include how the work is organized, when to work, how the work affects the physical and psychological states of the laborer and so on. In the capitalist system, the worker lost control over these conditions.

Michel Foucault Panopticism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Michel Foucault Panopticism - Essay Example al authorities have chosen to control citizens through the appointment of a syndic which will have an ‘absolute’ power over the town’s population. The term ‘absolute’ means that people in this ‘imaginary’ town are not allowed going out of their homes apart from the hours and the places indicated by the syndic in advance. This structure resembles with a prison and in this way the argument of Foucault that prison could be considered to have the same ‘structure’ as a hospital or a school, could be justified. On the other hand, in order for the above scheme to operate successfully, there should be provisions for the participation of citizens in it. In this context, it is noticed by Foucault that ‘this surveillance is based on a system of permanent registration: reports from the syndics to the intendants, from the intendants to the magistrates or mayor; at the beginning of the lock up, the role of each of the inhabitants pre sent in the town is laid down, one by one’ (Foucault, 1995). In other words, the effectiveness of this scheme could be based on the existence of a specific plan of registration through which all people participated in the relevant ‘project’ would be registered. Under these terms, every event in the town would be precisely checked and every aspect of citizens’ life could be controlled. In real terms, the above scheme could be partially applied. In modern towns where a series of tools of surveillance has been implemented in order to control crime, the life of citizens is under the control of the state. The above situation even if justified because of the need for the protection of citizens’ life and property, it should be carefully reviewed as of the appropriateness of the machines used for the surveillance of human activities. In fact, the conditions of life in modern town resemble the description of Foucault’s imaginary town. In accordance with Foucault this town will be a place ‘in which the individuals are

The Presidency and the Constitution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Presidency and the Constitution - Assignment Example One of the few countries which have a two-party system that have the opportunity to control the government in the United States of America. Republicans were started in 1790 by the federalists and on the other hand, we have the Democrats. The two parties are the major political competing forces in America, the two parties have different ideological differences and thus all the partisan use  possible means to attract the attention of the residents and influence them so that they can get a chance to win the presidency as well as gubernatorial and Senate posts. The president has constitutional, institutional and political powers. The president powers are in the constitution under Article II of the constitution which starts by declaring the president as the chief executive. The constitution defines how the president should be chosen and all the powers are listed and thus the president is elected by the people for the purpose of powerful presidency and independence. In section 2 and 3 of united states of America constitution, the presidential powers and duties are outlined clearly, for example, the president has the power and duty to nominate judges, make treaties with other countries, nominate other public officials in the government and even grant pardons. When dealing with the constitution it should not be revoked by any member unless some of the amendments are made. The delegated powers given by the constitution should be followed to the letter since violation of the same will lead to a jail term and other stipulated measures. The president is the commander in chief of the National Military and another state National Guard Units, the power is given to the president is stipulated in the constitution and thus the Congress has the power to declare war to other countries which post threats to other nations. For example, in the case of chemical weapons that are manufactured by other countries or mass killings of civilians, the constitution states that through the Co ngress military can be deployed there to deal with the situation.

Leadership is About You Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leadership is About You - Article Example This research will begin with the statement that in â€Å"Leadership is About You,† Haycock described leadership theories, competencies, behaviors, and characteristics in the context of school library management. He defined leadership as a process of social influence that aims to achieve common goals. The author has rightly presented that Haycock argued that successful school librarians lead from the middle through collaborating with others in attaining shared vision and goals and exhibiting particular leadership competencies, functions, behaviors, and traits. According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that Haycock stressed that contingency, path-goal, situational, attribution, performance-maintenance, transactional, and transformational leadership theories are applicable to school librarians because they emphasize collaboration and inquiry-based approaches to leadership. It is evident from the study that he also explained four leadership competencies that manage attention, meaning, trust, and oneself. Furthermore, he highlighted that leadership involves functions of image management, a relationship develops, and resource utilization. The present research has identified that Haycock added that successful leaders have consideration for other stakeholders, demonstrate strong initiatives, know group facilitation, show confidence in guiding and motivating others, and are skilled in persuasion and negotiation.

Should Colleges have Child Care on Campus Essay

Should Colleges have Child Care on Campus - Essay Example The seemingly minute family concern is getting much attention from school administrations and law-makers because of the domino effect the situation can bring not only to the family but to the nation as a whole, affecting its economy and success. Looking at the situation, the individuals who have potentials which are supposed to be nurtured through higher education are forced to drop out in favor of taking the responsibility of being a full time parent. On another angle, when students are able to find child care centers for their children, the centers are usually underrated that the welfare of the children is sacrificed (McBride). For the aforementioned circumstances, it is essential that schools offer child care centers in the campus, enabling students to acquire affordable assistance with high quality performances that caters to the different schedules of students. Every parent wants to provide quality care to their children so that one of the basic considerations in choosing child care centers is the atmosphere the children are exposed to. Statistics shows that children who are given quality early childhood care are more likely to succeed in life (Anderson & Dektar). Therefore, high performance levels of child care centers need to be considered in establishing them inside the school campuses. To ensure this, having the child centers accredited should be a must. One of the accrediting bodies is the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) which aims to strengthen the operational aspects of early childhood systems for the benefit of the children. Such accreditation will provide peace of mind to the parents, knowing that the child care centers they are entrusting their children to are efficient because they are conforming to the requirements demanded by the accrediting body. Simply having one’s child in the care of people who are not able to provide the basic needs of a child would not be sought for as parents will always be parent s, valuing more the safety and care of the children rather than their own education. However, with the accreditation of child care centers in schools, parents would be sure that the staff are well qualified and have the necessary education and training (naeyc.org) to look after their children at affordable prices. Speaking of prices, it is also to be thought of because the people the center services usually come from low-income students who are at the brink of dropping out if they do not find affordable, quality based centers for their children. Affordable prices of course, do not mean they are to be very cheap wherein the child care center will not be able to fund itself and pay for its employees anymore but that the payment should be comparable to the services. This might bring the school child care center to have two or more categories where a cheaper plan would provide the most basic care to the children like feeding, changing diapers and the like. For growing up children who ne ed more attention like being taught how to speak, walk and others, they will be given higher fees. Probably, if there are parents who would like more services to be offered to their children like being taught how to write and read, such can avail of the services at a higher rate as well. In addition, wanting more use of facilities and materials like television, computer, and toys will have to demand additional fees for

E market paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

E market paper - Essay Example This paper focuses on the online fashion shoppers as the target market, and www.net-a-porter.com and http://www.shopstyle.com as the key websites that can meet the needs of the chosen target market. ShopStyle Website has a better communication strategy while Net-A-Porter website has a better structure and appeal to viewers. The Net-A-Porter Group Limited considers itself as the world’s premier online luxury fashion retailer. The market segment in this case is the luxury online fashion shoppers. The Net-A-Porter Group Limited was launched in 2000 and has successfully established itself in market using its luxury brand. The company prides itself in its exceptional pricing and highly effective customer care that has enabled them to remain strong and favoured in the highly competitive fashion market. Their website www.net-a-porter.com is an award winning website presented in a unique way – as a fashion magazine. The luxury fashion company targets online savvy luxury customers, and offers them what they want – customized fashion clothes designed to meet the specific needs of each customer. It focuses on bringing out the best looks of customer. The Net-A-Porter Group Limited provides cutting-edge labels and delivers its products through the worldwide express delivery. Customers find clothes of their choice from the company’s online store, and order whatever they want. The company then delivers them to wherever the customer prefers it to be delivered. The online luxury fashion market segment is a large market because most people who demand luxury products use the internet, and prefer their products to be delivered to their convenient places. The visitors of the company’s website per month are about 2.5 million. That shows that about 83,000 people frequent the website daily. This indicates that the online luxury market

How Shakespeare Presents Helena Essay Example for Free

How Shakespeare Presents Helena Essay Helena is clearly longing for something to make her like Hermia in hope that Demetrius would see some of Hermia in her. She is also jealous of Hermia’s beauty. It also shows us that she is insecure about her own appearance. The audience would’ve felt sorry towards her at this point as she is clearly devastated about Demetrius. A bit more into the play Helena expresses her confusion and betrayal towards Demetrius. â€Å"For ere Demetrius looked on Hermia’s eyne, / He hail’d down oaths that he was only mine. / And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt,/ So he dissolv’d, and showers of oaths did melt. In this metaphor Helena is saying that Demetrius had made so many promises to her like balls of ice (hail stones) but when Hermia came along he made broke them causing Demetrius’s promises to have melted. We feel sympathetic towards Hermia as Demetrius led Helena on, making all of these promises when only later he would break all of them. Desperation is shown when Helena tells Demetrius about Hermia and Lysander’s plan to run away, betraying Hermia in the process. She is so desperate that she betrayed her best friend, Hermia. It was a bit hypocritical of her to betray Hermia and endangering their friendship like that when later on she accuses Hermia of throwing away their friendship when actually Hermia was stating the truth. â€Å"But herein mean I enrich my pain, / To have his slight thither, and back again. † In this quote it shows that Helena has come to the conclusion that Demetrius would never love her. So she would betray her best friend to just be pleased with by Demetrius but this doesn’t seem the case when you read later on in the play that Demetrius gets even more irritated with Helena. Helena is basically saying that even though it would pain her to see Demetrius chasing after Hermia she would still do it. At this moment the audience would’ve felt annoyed and sympathetic. The audience annoyed at Helena because she had ruined her best friend’s plan just to help her in her love life. This would be considered as selfish. However we would be sympathetic towards her as she has completely given up on being loved by Demetrius. However when her wishes are finally granted she doesn’t believe it creating a huge argument: â€Å"Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born? When at your hands did I deserve this scorn? † At this point Helena lets out all the insecurities, anger and sadness she’s ever been feeling. Her life for the last couple of months has been an emotional rollercoaster. â€Å"Is’t not enough, is’t enough, young man, / That I did never, no, nor never can/ Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius’ eye/ But you mu st flout my insufficiency? † The repetition that she uses suggests that she is so angry at Demetrius that she repeats her words; she’s so angry that she cannot think straight. The whole reason she’s angry is that she thinks that they are mocking her as Helena cannot believe anyone could possibly love her as she is so used to being rejected. If Demetrius couldn’t love her, who would? Her low self esteem also appears into her passage and her words. Helena feels confused at how anyone could ever like her and most of all outraged that her friends would mock and make fun of her. The audience feel humoured at this situation as Helena is claiming that Lysander and Demetrius don’t love her when actually they are in love with her to the point of madness. We also feel sorry towards her as she sees herself as a reject. At the end, when the confusion is solved and Helena finally has Demetrius she says some final words. â€Å"So methinks; / And I have found Demetrius, like a jewel, / Mine own, and not mine own. † In this metaphor she compares Demetrius to a jewel like she had been digging for a diamond and had finally found it. It shows how much Helena values Demetrius. At this point she finally realises that Demetrius actually does love her. At this point the udience would be feeling happy for Helena as she’s finally cheerful. However they might think that Demetrius doesn’t actually deserve Helena. In conclusion, Helena is showed as a heartbroken and desperate girl at the beginning then at the end she seems happy. The audience experience a range of emotions towards her, including sympathy, irritation and happiness. At the end of the play, we are likely to feel happy and satisfied because she finally has what she wan ts. Also throughout the whole play she is always depressed, sad or scolding herself.