Thursday, December 26, 2019

Labor Unions Today - 930 Words

Labor unions today Today most labor unions in the United States are members of one of two larger umbrella organizations: the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) or the Change to Win Federation, which split from the AFL-CIO in 2005. Both organizations advocate policies and legislation favorable to workers in the United States and Canada, and take an active role in Democratic party politics. The AFL-CIO is especially concerned with global trade issues. Private sector union members are tightly regulated by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), passed in 1935. The law is overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), part of the United States Department of Labor. Public sector unions are†¦show more content†¦It protects the right of workers to engage in any concerted activity for mutual aid or protection. Thus, no union connection is needed. Concerted activity in its inception involves only a speaker and a listener, for such activity is an indispensable preliminary step to employee self-organization.[4] Labor Education Programs in the United States In the US, labor education programs such as the Harvard Trade Union Program created in 1942 by Harvard University professor John T. Dunlop sought to educate union members to deal with important contemporary workplace and labor law issues of the day. The Harvard Trade Union Program is now currently part of a broader initiative at Harvard Law School called the Labor and Worklife Program that deals with a wide variety of labor and employment issues from union pension investment funds to the effects of nanotechnology on labor markets and the workplace. [edit] Jurisdiction of labor unions Labor unions use the term jurisdiction to refer to their claims to represent workers who perform a certain type of work and the right of their members to perform such work. For example, the work of unloading containerized cargo at United States ports, which both the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters have claimed rightfully should be assigned to workers they represent. A jurisdictional strike is a concerted refusal to work undertaken by a union to assert its members right to suchShow MoreRelatedDoes America Need Labor Unions Today?2811 Words   |  12 Pages English 102 Section 401 November 24, 2012 Does America Need Labor Unions Today? President John F. Kennedy once said, â€Å"The American Labor Movement has consistently demonstrated its devotion to the public interest. It is, and has been, good for all Americans.† Organized labor has a goal of helping workers get what they deserve in all aspects of their jobs such as salary, benefits, hours, working conditions, and so onRead More The Knights of Labor Essay1327 Words   |  6 PagesThe Knights of Labor represented the pinnacle of the up lift labor movement. They, at one time, had membership that numbered in the hundreds of thousands and nearly hit a million members. This organization was unique in its time because it espoused many of the ideals we hold today as statutory for an ethical and equitable society as well as employee and employer relationships. The Knights of Labor did not begrudge industry or capitalism, moreover they were less of a concern than the organization’sRead MoreKnights of Labor Essay1246 Words   |  5 Pages The Knights o f Labor represented the pinnacle of the up lift labor movement. They, at one time, had membership that numbered in the hundreds of thousands and nearly hit a million members. This organization was unique in its time because it espoused many of the ideals we hold today as statutory for an ethical and equitable society as well as employee employer relationship. The Knights of Labor did not begrudge industry or the capitalism, more over they were less of a concern than the organizationsRead MoreLabor And The Roots Of Progressivism1539 Words   |  7 PagesAnwar Khalid Professor Wegner HIST 124 11 November, 2014 Labor and the Roots of Progressivism The progressive era was an age of rapid advancement in social, economic, and societal values that shaped the United States into what it is today. The industrialization and subsequent labor reforms of the mid to late nineteenth century across the world helped to shape the United States and its entry into the modern world. Labor unions and the reforms they forced helped us to modernize and ethically improveRead MoreLabor Unions And The American Labor Relations Act Of Canada Essay1715 Words   |  7 Pages Before the 1930s, labor unions had little to no voice in the contracts of industrialized companies. Labor Unions â€Å"are organizations of workers whose primary objectives are to improve the pecuniary and nonpecuniary conditions or employment among their members† (Ehrenberg Smith, pg. 451). The Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) and the United Automobiles Workers (UAW) are different unions in Canada and the Unites States. Even though they have some similarities, the two groups have manyRead MoreLiterature Review : Wage Suppression / Bracero Program1424 Words   |  6 Pagesdriving mechanism for profit maximization, in turn such actions result in labor exploitation and suppressed wages as demonstrated by the Bracero program in the 1940’s. Rivoli touches on the short term economic effects, however, she fails to analyze the long term consequences of the temporary work program, which then wholistically undermines her argument. The bracero program was initially prompted by a demand for manual labor during World War II and began with the U.S. government bringing in experiencedRead More The Gilded Age Essay1094 Words   |  5 PagesThe Gilded Age Mark Twain collaborated with Charles Dudley Warner on The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today. Published in 1973, as Twain’s earliest work of extended fiction, The Gilded Age gives a name to the period of opulence and corruption at the end of the 19th century. Portraying the superficial luxury of Washington and high society, the authors describe â€Å"The general laxity of the time, and the absence of a sense of duty toward any part of the community but the individual himself† (Twain 203)Read MoreThe History and Formation of Labor Unions in the Unites States of America2389 Words   |  10 Pagesworst time during American labor history, the Industrial Revolution. During the Industrial Revolution, large numbers of people in the United States flocked to work in factories where they faced long hours, unsanitary and unsafe conditions and poor wages. Labor unions, or groups of organized workers, formed in the United States to ensure workers the right to a safe workplace and a fair wage in the face of capitalistic factory owners seeking wealth. In exchange, union members owe the responsibilityRead MoreEssay about Chapter 162321 Words   |  10 PagesIn order to achieve substantive change in the Gilded Age, farmers, workers, and local reformers sought to bring up protests and strikes; however, the government would respond with force in attempt to prevent further labor difficulties and keep the focus on local corporations. Unions were crushed by big industrialists with force rather than to seek compromise, which effected the efforts of farmers, workers, and local reformers to make a change in the era. 4. Describe the involvement of the AmericanRead MoreEssay about The Protection of Labor Unions1206 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Labor unions once represented a significant share of the U.S. labor force, peaking at almost 35 percent of workers in 1954. Today, less than 12 percent of the labor force is unionized (Vachon 239).† There are two different types of unions; the private sector and the public sector. The public sector unions consist of government jobs: teachers, postal workers, police officers, etc. The private sector is comprised of businesses owned by the individuals. The unions in the private sector were created

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Impact Of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - 1041 Words

Literature Review of the Impact of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Marine Veterans who Served in Iraq One of the most vulnerable groups to post traumatic stress disorder are Marine veterans. This is because they often see the worst aspects of any conflict. The Iraq war, also known as Operation Iraqi Freedom was one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history. During the course of this conflict 4,411 American Soldiers lost their lives, including 1,023 Marines (Defense Casualty Analysis System, 2017). With such a high loss of life, it is easy to see why helping those who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom is so important. Learning more about the treatment effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for United States Marines, who have been†¦show more content†¦The National Institute of Mental Health (2016) defines PTSD as â€Å"a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event†. Both the United States department of Veterans A ffairs, and the National Institute of Mental health have similar definitions regarding what PTSD is and how to treat it. In most cases PTSD symptoms begin showing within three months of when the initial incident occurred. However, in some cases, they can begin years after the traumatizing event, often being triggered by an outside entity. For an individual to be diagnosed with PTSD they must meet a specific set of criteria. To be diagnosed with PTSD a person must suffer from symptoms such as re-experiencing the event, avoidance, arousal and reactivity (trigger re-experience event), and cognition and mood symptoms (National Institute of Mental Health, 2016). All of these symptoms must be present in a client for at least one month before being diagnosed with PTSD. PTSD can develop for a number of reasons. In the majority of PTSD cases are triggered through combat situations or sexual assaults. Individuals who suffer bodily harm, during a traumatic event, have a greater chance of developing PTSD symptoms than those who were uninjured (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2016).Show MoreRelatedCognitive Therapy And Mental Health Problems914 Words   |  4 Pagesindividual engages in (Beck, 1970). Lastly, cognitive errors focus on the faulty thinking that patients have developed due to the way that they experience the world around them. Cognitive therapy aims to shift this pattern of thinking teaching the patient how to reframe their thoughts to a more rational thought pattern. While this book was written specifically for work with depressed patients, Beck begins to notice within his practice that this therapy technique could be adapted to treat other disordersRead MorePsychodynamic Approach On Human Nature1108 Words   |  5 Pagespsychodynam ic, cognitive- behavioral, existential- humanistic, and postmodern approach. â€Å"Psychodynamic approach sees human functioning based upon the interaction of drives and forces within the person, particularly unconscious, and between the different structures of the personality.† (McLeod, 2007, para. 4). Psychodynamic approach uses conscious and unconscious forces to explain one s personality. Sigmund Freud is looked upon as one of the creators of this movement. â€Å"Cognitive- behavioral approach,Read MoreIntensive Individual And Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Essay906 Words   |  4 PagesLiterature Review Intensive Individual and Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder This article highlights the experience of a 46 year old woman with obsessive compulsive disorder, and how adding cognitive behavioral therapy to her treatment benefits her. Obsessive compulsive disorder is a disorder which affects approximately 2 to 3 percent of the population (Salkovskis, 2007) (Taylor Reeder, 2015). Cognitive behavioral therapy is a method of treatment recommended by theRead MoreCognitive Behavioral Therapy ( Cbt )1373 Words   |  6 PagesLiterature Review Cognitive behavioral therapy is a widely-used technique that is practiced in a variety of different fields across the spectrum. Cognitive behavioral therapy is derived from the cognitive behavioral theory. According to Dorflinger (2016), Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a therapy approach that addresses maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that can negatively impact mood and overall function (p. 1286). Cognitive behavioral therapy is a mix between cognitive therapy and behaviorRead MoreCognitive Behavioral Therapy1111 Words   |  5 PagesThe most cost effective interventions for adults with anxiety disorder appears to be individual forms of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The mean total societal costs were lower for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as compared to Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (Apeldoorn et al, 2014). In particular, self-help books are cost effective compared with other forms of treatment options. Drugs and group based psychologicalRead MoreTreatment Models Chosen For Comparison1241 Words   |  5 Pages Treatment Models Chosen for Comparison 1. Narrative Therapy the role of the therapist, views of people and their problems, and the approach for helping. Narrative therapy is a way to look at a person’s life story and their struggles from an outside looking in approach. The problems become separate from the individual. Narrative therapy helps the client examine their life story from a strengths perspective. Instead of focusing on the problems the worker helps the client identify their strengthsRead More1.Provide A Brief Overview Of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy1462 Words   |  6 Pages1. Provide a brief overview of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Your definition should include key concepts/assumptions of CBT as well as the therapeutic process (e.g., structure, therapist role, client role). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a mixture of both Cognitive Therapy (CT), which deals with a person’s thoughts and Behavioral Therapy (BT), which concentrates on an individual’s overt or outside personality. According to Barbara P. Early and Melissa D. Grady, CT specializes in theRead MoreDefinition And Intervention Mid Term Project Is Teen Dating Violence1156 Words   |  5 Pagesand effective communication skills. The three most important leader styles that will be identify in my group are directive leaders, participative leaders, and supportive leaders. I will be discussing interventions, such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, positive self-talk, psychoeducational group, and counseling group. Adolescent Dating Violence â€Å"Teen dating violence is a pattern of controlling behavior exhibited towards one teenager by another in a dating relationship†Read MoreEffects Of Depression On Mental Illness1383 Words   |  6 PagesDepression is a disabling condition that impacts a person’s relationships, life, and health (Nardi, Francesconi, Catena-Dell’Osso, Bellantuono, 2013). People develop depression from many life stressors, including loss of a loved one, low self-esteem, lack of social support, job loss, natural life stressors, and many more. Many types of therapy can alleviate the symptoms of depression for an individual. However, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been shown to have the most consistent enduring effectsRead MoreConventional Versus Traditional Methods Of Treatment On Psychotic Patients862 Words   |  4 PagesTreatment on Psychotic Patients Introduction The following reading will present the discussion about cognitive behavioral therapy and how if in any way, improves the quality of life of patients living with schizophrenia when compared to conventional pharmacological treatments. Schizophrenia is a debilitating disease that can impact all areas of an individual life. Even with the use of many therapies available there is room to investigate which forms of treatment improve the quality of their life.

Monday, December 9, 2019

The Risk Inherent in Project of Harriet-Free-Samples for Students

Questions: 1.Provides a thorough and detailed explanation of his/her reaction to Harriet's suggestion, evaluating Harriet's idea and providing a strong rationale for his/her position. 2.Provides a thorough and detailed evaluation analyzing whether or not capital projects should have their own unique cost of capital rates for budgeting purposes, including a strong rationale for conclusions drawn, evaluating the relatively high risk inherent in Harriet's project, and recommending whether or not it should be budgeted at higher risk. 3.Student provides a thorough and detailed explanation of how he/she would factor the notion of risk into the analysis so that all competing projects that have relatively lower or higher risks can be evaluated on a level playing field. Student provides strong rationale for his or her approach to factoring in risk for such purposes. Answers: 1.The issue put forward in the question is that if a particular project is financed with the help of retained earnings and bonds will that be useful for the firm or not. In order to justify this statement at first the meaning of retained earnings must be understood. Retained earnings refer to the earnings that are kept aside as a reserve of cash with the main purpose of growing further business in the future. In simple terms retained earnings are nothing but profits or revenues kept aside by the company for further expansion or emergency purposes. Retained earnings can also be used for financing the day to day operations of the business. Now the paradox lies in the fact that investment if done with the help of retained earnings then the case becomes such that revenue is used for incurring more revenue or loss. Thus undertaking risk on the basis of already earned revenue has certain advantages and disadvantages (Brigham Houston, 2016). The advantage of financing projects with retaine d earnings is that the owner or the core management of the company is in total control of the situation, that is no involvement from any kind of third party has to be tolerated by the management in the matter of utilizing the retained earnings in the business. Using the retained earnings does not really add to the profile of debt and also no extra interest payments have to be done on the profits. Businesses using capital other than retained earnings are burdened with decisions from creditors or new partners or investors in such a way that the entire decision making process become an issue in itself. But companies using retained earnings enable them to keep away the unnecessary judgments or decisions from hampering the entire process (Shim, 2013). However there are also certain disadvantages that are related with the utilization of retained earnings. The first disadvantage is that the entire process of financing becomes slow. This is because in the procedure of collecting or retaining enough funds the chances to grab new business opportunities might be missed. Retained earnings are also used in the course of daily operations thus too much usage of retained earnings for the purpose of further expansion may undermine the purpose related to daily operation funding. Contrary to the above presented opinion, inclusion of new partners or investors in business may open brand new ways to business that might be very helpful for the business to prosper and grow (Atherton, 2012). Harriet though is of the opinion that retained earnings must be used so that the projected return is more but the conditions required to execute such a proposal should be checked by the management and then the final decision should be taken (De Mooij, 2012). 2.The issue presented in the question is that whether capital projects should have unique cost of capital rates for budgeting purposes or not. Capital projects should have unique cost of capital rates for budgeting purposes because this helps in assessing the economic sense of a particular project. In more simple terms the discounted net present value should be more than the expected costs of financing, then only a project is undertaken(Brigham Houston, 2016). The risk related to a particular project must be assessed as because projects with high risk have to have a higher percentage of discount than the historical weighted average cost of capital of the company. A unique rate of cost of capital enables a company to calculate the cost of capital accurately so that the net present value can be assessed properly (Humphrey, 2014). The risk inherent in Harriets project is high and should be budgeted at higher risk because when the retained earnings are used, the after tax cost of debt is reduced to 7% and as a result the weighted average cost of capital would come down to 3.5% thus the 10% projected return would be great (Godley Lavoie, 2016). 3.The issue presented in this particular question is that how the projects with higher or lower risks can be evaluated on a level playing field. This can be done by finding out the net present value of the project that should be more than the cost of capital related to that particular project. The different accounting methods used for this purpose are internal rate of return, accounting rate of return and pay-back period (Brigham Houston, 2016) References Atherton, A. (2012). Cases of start-up financing: An analysis of new venture capitalisation structures and patterns. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior Research, 18(1), 28-47. Brigham, E. F., Houston, J. F. (2016). Fundamentals of financial management. Cengage Learning.( Chapter 10 pp. 340-360) De Mooij, R. A. (2012). Tax biases to debt finance: Assessing the problem, finding solutions. Fiscal Studies, 33(4), 489-512. Godley, W., Lavoie, M. (2016). Monetary economics: an integrated approach to credit, money, income, production and wealth. Springer. Humphrey, C. (2014). The politics of loan pricing in multilateral development banks. Review of International Political Economy, 21(3), 611-639. Shim, J. (2013). Bank capital buffer and portfolio risk: The influence of business cycle and revenue diversification. Journal of Banking Finance, 37(3), 761-772.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Reflection Paper About the Speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have a Dream Delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. Essay Example

Reflection Paper About the Speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have a Dream Delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. Paper Reflection Paper about the speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have a Dream delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D. C. I Have a Dream is extremely emotional, a hopeful vision of the future of race in this country. King recognized that the March, with an attending crowd of over 200,000 as well as a national television audience, would be the perfect opportunity to gain support for the civil rights movement. He intended to persuade his audience of the justice of the cause, encourage them to not abandon hope, and warn them that in the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of illegal deeds, declaring his belief that nothing positive is accomplished through violence King. He designed his speech with those goals in mind. Kings understanding of the size and composition of his audience determined the rhetorical choices he made while composing his speech. It is important to understand that while hoping to influence the attitudes of an entire nation, King was primarily addressing a black audience. He spoke of generations of injustice, and referring to the recent increase in violence, stressed the importance of remaining non-violent. He warned against an attitude of distrust toward our white brothers who have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom as evidenced by their presence here today. He is obviously speaking directly to black Americans. Because of this focus, King made rhetorical choices he knew would be familiar to a black audience with a shared cultural background. Those choices have proven powerful to people of all races, but they were selected with a black American audience in mind. The reasons for Kings rhetorical choices are frequently attributed to their special impact on black Americans, but it should be worried that the effectiveness of these choices crossed all racial boundaries. We will write a custom essay sample on Reflection Paper About the Speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have a Dream Delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Reflection Paper About the Speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have a Dream Delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Reflection Paper About the Speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have a Dream Delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer King knew an emotional speech would have greater impact upon a large, outdoor crowd. He presented a beautiful and compelling vision of equality that inspired the crowd, expanded his national audience and ensured their attention to future messages. He wanted to reach the masses and did so. To inspire the crowd, to instill his speech with an emotional and spiritual quality, King utilized the delivery style of the black folk pulpit of which he was master. King, a master stylist, used a variety of rhetorical techniques in his speech. I Have a Dream needed to touch a wide range of people: people from different geographical locations, with different education backgrounds, of different color. King anticipated the importance of the March, knew he had a real opportunity to be heard by millions. He recognized the difficult demographics of the situation. The audience would be enormous and distractions would be inevitable in the wide open outdoor location. He also understood that the patience of black Americans was too sorely tried: black Americans would no longer be pacified with mere promises. And while understanding their frustration, King passionately wanted to convince the crowd to pursue their cause without violence. Because he understood of all of this, King chose not to focus on detail, not to focus on strategy. He appealed to the crowds higher emotions of spirituality and patriotism. God was on their side, their struggle would be rewarded. Currently, â€Å"I Have a Dream† is still considered a deep work studied in both literature and speech classes. â€Å"I Have a Dream† is a masterpiece which describes, with wisdom and compassion, a peoples long struggle for equality.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Free Essays on World War II

The most sinister and evil war in world history was fought from 1939 to 1945. This war came to be known as World War II (WWII). The entire world was at war. On one side there was the Allied Powers and on the other side there was the Axis Powers. The Allied Powers included the United States (didn’t join until 1941), France, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union (didn’t join until 1941). The Axis Powers included Germany, Italy, and Japan. The United States fought two wars, one in Europe and the other in the Pacific. When Japan bombed the U.S.’s Naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii the United States entered WWII the next day. Franklin Roosevelt called it â€Å"a ate which will live in infamy.† (Cybriwsky, Encarta) In 1853 Commodore Matthew Perry was sent to Japan on a peace mission. (Cybriwsky, Encarta) Japan was still in the feudal age where the Shogun was the head of the government and the Emperor was just the face of the government. They were still living in the medieval age. In the process Perry showed the Japanese all of his modern tools and weapons. This in fact triggered the industrialization of Japan. The war brought an economic boom to the small island nation. The Imperialism age soon came to Japan and they decided to do the same thing every other country started to do in the latter part of the 19th century. As of 1900 the Japanese spheres of influence had reached Korea, Russia, Taiwan (then known as Formosa), and parts of China. (Boorstin and Kelly, PG. 427) In WWI Japan joined the side of the Allies against Germany and the Austria-Hungarian Empire. (Boorstin and Kelly, PG. 455) In 1904 Japan attacked the largest country in the world at Port Arthur, Russia. Then the Russo-Japanese War followed. After one year of battle the Russians were ready to negotiate. Japan got possession a Russian island and the Liaodong Peninsula. (Cybriwsky, Encarta) Japan had defeated the largest country in the world. In 1906 Japan took over Kore... Free Essays on World War II Free Essays on World War II The most sinister and evil war in world history was fought from 1939 to 1945. This war came to be known as World War II (WWII). The entire world was at war. On one side there was the Allied Powers and on the other side there was the Axis Powers. The Allied Powers included the United States (didn’t join until 1941), France, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union (didn’t join until 1941). The Axis Powers included Germany, Italy, and Japan. The United States fought two wars, one in Europe and the other in the Pacific. When Japan bombed the U.S.’s Naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii the United States entered WWII the next day. Franklin Roosevelt called it â€Å"a ate which will live in infamy.† (Cybriwsky, Encarta) In 1853 Commodore Matthew Perry was sent to Japan on a peace mission. (Cybriwsky, Encarta) Japan was still in the feudal age where the Shogun was the head of the government and the Emperor was just the face of the government. They were still living in the medieval age. In the process Perry showed the Japanese all of his modern tools and weapons. This in fact triggered the industrialization of Japan. The war brought an economic boom to the small island nation. The Imperialism age soon came to Japan and they decided to do the same thing every other country started to do in the latter part of the 19th century. As of 1900 the Japanese spheres of influence had reached Korea, Russia, Taiwan (then known as Formosa), and parts of China. (Boorstin and Kelly, PG. 427) In WWI Japan joined the side of the Allies against Germany and the Austria-Hungarian Empire. (Boorstin and Kelly, PG. 455) In 1904 Japan attacked the largest country in the world at Port Arthur, Russia. Then the Russo-Japanese War followed. After one year of battle the Russians were ready to negotiate. Japan got possession a Russian island and the Liaodong Peninsula. (Cybriwsky, Encarta) Japan had defeated the largest country in the world. In 1906 Japan took over Kore... Free Essays on World War II World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O'Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to an aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific. One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship. His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet. As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned his blood cold. A squadron of Japanese bombers were speeding their way toward the American fleet. The American fighters were gone on a sortie and the fleet was all but defenseless. He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet. Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber's blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch weaved in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until finally all his ammunition was spent. Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to at least clip off a wing or tail, in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible and rendering them unfit to fly. He was desperate to do anything he could to keep them from reaching the American ships. Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction. Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier. Upon arrival he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the camera mounted on his plane told the tal...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

What Was the Umayyad Caliphate

What Was the Umayyad Caliphate The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of four Islamic caliphates and was founded in Arabia after the Prophet Muhammads death. The Umayyads ruled the Islamic world from 661 to 750 C.E. Their capital was in the city of Damascus; the founder of the caliphate, Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, had long been the governor of Syria. Originally from Mecca, Muawiya named his dynasty the Sons of Umayya after a common ancestor he shared with the Prophet Muhammad. The Umayyad family had been one of the major combatant clans in the Battle of Badr (624 CE), the decisive battle between Muhammad and his followers on the one hand, and the powerful clans of Mecca on the other. Muawiya triumphed over Ali, the fourth caliph, and Muhammads son-in-law, in 661, and officially founded the new caliphate. The Umayyad Caliphate became one of the major political, cultural, and scientific centers of the early medieval world.    The Umayyads also began the process of spreading Islam throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe. They moved into Persia and Central Asia, converting the rulers of key Silk Road oasis cities such as Merv and Sistan.   They also invaded what is now Pakistan, beginning the process of conversion in that area that would continue for centuries. Umayyad troops also crossed Egypt and brought Islam to the Mediterranean coast of Africa, from whence it would disperse south across the Sahara along caravan routes until much of West Africa became Muslim. Finally, the Umayyads waged a series of wars against the Byzantine Empire based in what is now Istanbul. They sought to overthrow this Christian empire in Anatolia and convert the region to Islam; Anatolia would eventually convert, but not for several centuries after the collapse of the Umayyad Dynasty in Asia. Between 685 and 705 CE, the Umayyad Caliphate reached its apex of power and prestige. Its armies conquered areas from Spain the west to Sindh in what is now India. One after another, additional Central Asian cities fell to the Muslim armies - Bukhara, Samarkand, Khwarezm, Tashkent, and Fergana. This rapidly expanding empire had a postal system, a form of banking based on credit, and some of the most beautiful architecture ever seen. Just when it seemed that the Umayyads truly were poised to rule the world, however, disaster struck. In 717 CE, the Byzantine emperor Leo III led his army to a crushing victory over the Umayyad forces, which had been besieging Constantinople. After 12 months trying to break through the citys defenses, the hungry and exhausted Umayyads had to retreat empty-handed back to Syria. A new caliph, Umar II, tried to reform the financial system of the caliphate by increasing the taxes on Arab Muslims to the same level as taxes on all other non-Arab Muslims. This caused a huge outcry among the Arab faithful, of course, and caused a financial crisis when they refused to pay any taxes at all. Finally, renewed feuding broke out among the various Arab tribes around this time, leaving the Umayyad system tottering. It managed to press on for a few more decades. Umayyad armies got as far into western Europe as France by 732, where they were turned back at the Battle of Tours. In 740, the Byzantines dealt the Umayyads another shattering blow, driving all Arabs from Anatolia. Five years later, the simmering feuds between the Qays and Kalb tribes of Arabs erupted into full-scale war in Syria and Iraq. In 749, religious leaders proclaimed a new caliph, Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah, who became the founder of the  Abbasid Caliphate. Under the new caliph, members of the old ruling family were hunted down and executed. One survivor, Abd-ar-Rahman, escaped to Al-Andalus (Spain), where he founded the Emirate (and later Caliphate) of Cordoba. The Umayyad caliphate in Spain survived until 1031.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Liquidity Ratios for GM and Ford Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Liquidity Ratios for GM and Ford - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that  the higher the ratio the better it is for the company in theory but this does not hold truth in the real world situation. Despite the current ratio being used extensively in financial reporting, the ratio can be very misleading. In the real world situation, a high ratio does not necessary imply good liquidity position and a low current ratio does not necessary imply a bad liquidity position. This norm is contrary to the common belief of the current ratio as an adequate indicator of an entity’s liquidity. The ratio conceptualizes liquidation as the ability of a company’s current assets to offset its current liabilities. In the real sense, this does not occur as the investors’ measure a company, s liquidity as the going concern of the entity.  This essay stresses that  the first company has longer accounts receivables days and a low inventory turnover. The second company has a short accounts receivables period and a higher in ventory turnover. The first company has a higher current ratio than the second company does but this does not imply that the company has a better liquidity position. This is because working capital but the cash do not pay the current obligations and since it does not converts its current easily into cash; the company is illiquid. The general concept and basis of the quick ratio is similar to that of the current ratio as it gives the users of the ratio an idia to determine the company's ability to offset its short-term obligations using its short-term assests.  Ã‚  

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

A Street Car Named Desire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Street Car Named Desire - Essay Example This aspect comes out clearly in streetcar named desire whereby all the characters involved in the play have a need or desire that makes them stay in the relationship. The paper will explore how drama surrounds the individual and not the relationship by use of examples from the streetcar named desire. In the play, there are different characters that have been named according to their roles. There is Blanche Dubois, who is a classy woman that comes from an affluent part of the Mississippi (Williams 1-87). The other character is Stella Kalowaski who is a woman under constant duress most of which comes from the husband Stanley Kowalski. The other prominent character is Mitchel Hartford. He is a friend and a poker playmate of Stanley. All the characters named above are seen as the main character in that the theme of the play revolves around them. However, other minor characters support the role of the main characters such as the deceased husband of Blanche, the post boy, the man that was found with Blanche’s husband. An analysis of Blanche indicates that in all the relationships that she formed her inherent approach to the narrations of her past are fallacies (Williams 1-87). She is a character that lacks a stand such that the information that she provides about the loss of her house is not real. She does not want to accept the disgrace that came with the death of her young husband. This makes her selfish gains to have a central role in the decision-making process. She is so unstable in her relations such that she has earned the attention of the soldiers. At the beginning of the play, the character is unwilling to stay with Stella and her husband since she does not approve of their living standards (Williams 1-87). However, he lacks and wants makes her accept to stay since this is a last resort measure. In fact, she established the relationships in order for her to attain her individual goals.  

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Annie’s Advice Quotes Essay Example for Free

Annie’s Advice Quotes Essay Dear Annie, The other day, I got Chinese take-out and the lady at the till offered me a cookie and told me that the fortunes actually come true. The cookie told me I was gonna be king! I immediately knew it was referring to homecoming king at the dance next Saturday, but the surprising thing was that it seemed like everyone was already voting for one of my friends, the captain of the football team. He IS the most popular guy in school. But I really wanna be king too! My girlfriend thinks I should embarrass my friend so that he loses some popularity votes, but if people find out it was me, it could really hurt my reputation. I don’t know what to do-please help! -Wannabe King Dear Wannabe, I have two things to say to you. Firstly, I don’t believe in fortune cookiesespecially ones that say you’ll become king, secondly, get a new girlfriend! The cookie merely states what might happen, you shouldn’t take it too seriously and definitely don’t take matters into your own hands. If it is saying the truth then you’ll become homecoming king and if the â€Å"Chinese prophecies† are wrong, you won’t. As someone once said, Theres no use trying to rush fate, because the best things in life are worth the wait. You’ll live both ways so I don’t know why your girlfriend is guiding you to the wrong path especially when it would hurt a friend. If you possess the qualities of a king you might eventually become one! -Annie Dear Annie, My friend and I love playing soccer, he was really enthusiastic and always thought of the better of the team, therefore he was voted captain of our school’s soccer team. He was super thrilled, and so was Iat first. As I watched him at practice he began to act differently. He started bossing us around and would get really frustrated when we messed up. As captain he decided he had the authority to put people down, including his friends. I am really worried for him because he’s losing his friends and if he keeps going at this rate he might even be kicked off the team. I really want to help him but I don’t know how. I have a feeling his hubris is getting to him. Do you have any suggestions on how I could help? -Worried friend Dear Worried, WhoaHUBRIS? I have to admit, I looked that up. But I agree; that is a great way to describe your friend’s situation. Read the quote of the day above. Things like this are bound to happen when you get power. Mr. â€Å"Captain† over there has some overflowing pride in him which is making him act like a jerk. Have a talk with him, tell him how you feel the team is breaking apart and bring forward the consequences he might have to face in case things go out of hand. I am sure he will understand and kudos to you for looking out for him! -Annie Dear Annie, The girl I have a crush on forgot to do her homework, so to impress her, I gave her mine. But then I didn’t have my own work and the teacher would get really mad at me so I stole Kevin’s (a classmate). I’m really afraid that he will find out and snitch on me. Whenever he walks up to me I get really nervous and make sure nothing gives it away. I really can’t get it off my mind. I know I shouldn’t have done it in the first place and I’m really disappointed that I tried to impress my crush like that, I didn’t know the consequences! How should I deal with it? I feel like I will never be forgiven. I don’t usually do things like this. Should I fess up? Should I just deal with the fear? Help me! -P.I.M.P. (Pissing In My Pants) Dear P.I.M.P., Creative name there, is the irony intended? I’m guessing you’re still young, you don’t need to sacrifice something to earn a girls respect. She should like you for who you are. It was your fault and your decision that led to the cost. Make sure you think before you act in life and apologize to your classmate and teacher, they will understand, people make mistakes. Some detention is better than dealing with the guilt and paranoia. Next time think about, if what you gain is worth the consequences. -Annie Dear Annie, I was recently offered a job to be a director at a large multinational company, but I am hesitating to accept it. My fiancà ©e thinks it is a really good opportunity and is pushing me towards it. The company already has a director but they requested me to join as I have higher qualifications. Accepting the offer would get the current director fired. I agree that it’s a good opportunity but I’d hate to do that to someone for my own purposes when I already have a decent job. My fiancà ©e keeps threatening our wedding and whether I am capable of supporting her and her future children. She has basically dictated that if I do not take the offer she will no longer have respect for me. I really love her and want to see her happy, should I be agreeing with her? -Future Groom? Dear Future Groom, You’re a groom not a broom! Talk it out with your fiancà ©e and make her understand that your current job will keep her and YOUR children secure. If it will really hurt your morals to take the job away from somebody then you should tell her this and hopefully if she loves you as much she will see your point. If she doesn’t and still threatens your marriage hkgold your stand and don’t let her control your actions, be a man! -Annie 998 words Rationale For this assignment, I chose to do an advice column where people write to â€Å"Annie† about their problems, seeking guidance. The advice seekers’ circumstances represent those of Macbeth and Annie brings to notice the lessons that can be learnt from them. She gives positive guidance whereas in the play the opposite happens. The reason behind Annie answering the questions in this way is to emphasize on the morals of the play. Annie also has a funny edge to her in a way that displays her persona. I believe she is a cheerful young lady who speaks the truth and uses humour so that people feel comfortable talking to her. The questions show my understanding of how power corrupts in Macbeth and some of the lenses whereas the answers portray my understanding of the themes. I thought an advice column was a creative way to show the message that people should take out of reading or watching Macbeth. The reason I didn’t just use actual Macbeth situations was because I was aiming it at a younger, contemporary audience so that they can understand it thoroughly and also it shows that the similar situations to the ones Shakespeare used in the past can occur in the present. The fact that the situations are realistic also gives reason to why the morals are important because they can be easily applied to daily life to make you a better, wiser person unlike Macbeth. Most advice columns have some sort of heading, mines a quote. The quote at the top of the page explains to the readers the main message of the pieces following and is the topic for that week’s advice. I did this so I could organise my writing better as well as I thought it was an imaginative start to the task.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

As I Walked Out One Evening Essay -- Literary Analysis, W.H. Auden

W.H. Auden’s poem â€Å"As I Walked Out One Evening† belongs to the long tradition of poems chronicling the struggle between love and time. Like others, Auden’s lover uses images of â€Å"The Flower† (l. 19) and grandiose claims of love â€Å"Till China and Africa meet† (l. 10) to impress or coax the unseen lover to comply with his wishes. However, Auden deviates from this tradition in other ways. For example, these other works are mainly seduction poems. In Andrew Marvell’s â€Å"To His Coy Mistress†, time is (by association) a third party to a seduction, invoked to create fear and put pressure on the seducà ©e by reminding her of her mortality- as well as the seducer’s own vulnerability, and thus goad her towards his own ends. â€Å"As I Walked Out One Evening† is a narrative poem, and essentially a dialogue between a lover speaking to the unseen love and time responding to counter his claims. Auden argues that people are unaware of the world they live in and do not truly understand what it means to love and live by usage of apocalyptic images and a running motive of both time and water. â€Å"As I Walked Out One Evening† was written in 1937, a time of turmoil throughout the world and especially in Europe: the world was in hiatus between â€Å"the war to end all wars† and the second â€Å"war to end all wars† and Hitler was at this time gradually rising in power. Auden was very aware of the political climate, and this is reflected in his diction in the latter part of the poem. The fact that there are three distinct parts to this poem, the lover’s speech and the two halves of time’s speech, is indicative of the contemporary political clime: because the first World War was so horrifying many people could not believe and did not want to believe that it could happen aga... ... the poem: the observer who is a part of the scene and yet apart from it, who has a more distant perspective. In the first stanza, the exposition or setting, Auden uses the metaphor of â€Å"The crowds upon the pavement/Were fields of harvest wheat† (ll. 3-4) as observed by the narrator to first foreshadow the immediacy of time. â€Å"Harvest wheat† is both something living and something that is about to scythed and gathered en masse. The observer already has the knowledge that comes so painfully in stanza 14 for the lover, and in the end not only has â€Å"the deep river ran on† (l. 60) but so has the narrator. They are still here, â€Å"late in the evening† (l. 57) to observe the river of life that is still running, even after â€Å"the clocks had ceased their chiming† (l. 59) and â€Å"the lovers they were gone† (l. 58), symbolizing that life will endure the ravages of both death and time.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Blood Sports (Debate) Essay

Blood sports should not be banned; whatever problems there are with the sport can be fixed with reforms. The World Health Organization has called for tighter regulation, including â€Å"Simple rules, such as requiring medical clearance, national passports to prevent players from fighting under more than one name, restricting fights for fixed periods after knockouts, requiring that ringside physicians be paid by the state and not the promoter, and making sure that the players are aware of the potential long-term consequence of blood sports, may help protect them to some degree. †The Australian Medical Association additionally â€Å"recommends that media coverage should be subject to control codes similar to those which apply to television screening of violence. †Finally, the World Medical Association suggests that all matches should have a ring physician authorized to stop the fight at any time. It has been reported that no safety regulations would be effective if head blows remain – however such authors incorrectly apportion blame on boxing for a group of diseases known as Parkinson’s syndrome. Blood sports can result in chronic traumatic neurological conditions if fighters are not well matched, and fight without regulations in regard to their exposure. Boxing cannot cause Parkinson’s disease or other conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease as those are genetic conditions – so to include them together as one set of conditions is incorrect and misleading. About 80% of deaths are caused by head, brain, and neck injuries, so the removal of the head as a scoring region may make a huge difference to the injury outcomes for this sport. However it would also change the very nature of the sport; and may mean people won’t participate in it. Ultimately, governments should do what they can to make blood sports as safe as possible, without losing the essence of the sport or banning it entirely. ————————————————- (Banning blood sports would force people to channel their aggression into more harmful, violent activities) There is no conclusive scientific evidence linking increased contact sport participation with being more violent in social settings. Such statements make it sound as thought we would have not violence in society if all contact sport was removed – and we all know that is untrue. Blood sports isn’t about violent aggression, it is about controlled aggression – this is very different to violent behaviors. In a report on â€Å"violent† sports in schools, conducted by the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a martial-arts instructor explained, â€Å"Contact and combat sports allow students to deal with their aggression in a safe environment, rather than in the context of the classroom or school hallway. †This type of outlet is not only important for youth, but for adults as well. Jason Brick said, â€Å"Positive Views on Violence In Sports,† Live strong, January 7, 2011, accessed July 13, 2011, With /proposition (The Effect of blood sports on the viewers) Blood Sports have been around for decades. Viewing violence generally triggers or serves in the increase of aggression of an individual. Sports such as wrestling (smack down) and Ultimate Fighter Competition (UFC) are bloody sports and have mostly negative effects on those who watch them. The objective of these two sports is to beat an individual into unconsciousness, make them tap out by inflicting pain, if none of these is accomplished within a time frame, the match is to be stopped and the judges decide who wins. Many children, teenagers, and even adults tend to try and imitate a knock out or combos that were seen performed at one of these fights onto an individual in an uncontrolled environment whether it is their sibling, friend, coworker, or a stranger for different reasons that includes but is not limited to a misunderstanding or horse playing. Watching this sport leaves the viewer psychologically aggressive. For example, if someone watches a match and gets into a fight with another person later on, that person is more likely to use a technique he saw during the fight, and since there is no referee to stop the fight in case of suffocation or tap-out, the victim is more likely to bleed, pass out or even dies. During the 1980’s, two men were in a bar discussing the Marvin Haggler and Sugar Ray Leonard fight that had occurred several days before, and in the process on trying to show exactly how one of the punch landed, both men went outside, drawing a crowd with them. The demonstration turned tragic when one of the men landed a punch to the jaw of the other, and such was the power of the blow, that the victim fell, hit his head on the pavement and started to bleed, and had to be buried a few weeks later. Seeing and permitting violence to be seen makes it seem normal and legal when in fact it is not normal and it is horrible, but here is where lies another problem which is called desensitization. Many years ago when a horrible scene was about to be portrayed on your television set, there would first appear a window saying ‘the images that you are about to see might injure the sensibility of certain people’ or words to that effect. Well, have you noticed that now they no longer even bother showing that little window? It’s as if the media know that human kind are used to everything by now. That nothing is going to affect them that much. So what does this show? It shows that us human beings are getting desensitized to everything and when that happens it also means that we don’t get so emotional about anything anymore and so consequently don’t fight any more either in order to strive for a change. We have all come to a point where nothing moves us that much anymore. (Pain and Injury as the Price of blood sports) Many people think about sports in a paradoxical way: They accept violence in sports, but the injuries caused by that violence make them uneasy. They seem to want violence without consequences— like the ?ctionalized violence they see in the media and video games in which characters engage in brutality without being seriously or permanently injured. However, blood sports are real, and it causes real pain, injury, disability, and even death (Dater, 2005; Farber, 2004; Leahy, 2008; Rice, 2005; Smith, 2005b; Young, 2004a). Ron Rice, an NFL player whose career ended when he tackled an opponent, discusses the real consequences of blood sports. The brutal body contact of the tackle left him temporarily paralyzed and permanently disabled. He remembers that â€Å"before I hit the ground, I knew my career was over. . . . My body froze. I was like a tree that had been cut down, teetering, then crashing, unable to break my fall. † Research on pain and injury among athletes helps us understand that blood sports have real consequences. Studies indicate that professional sports involving brutal body contact and borderline violence are among the most dangerous workplaces in the occupational world. The same could be said about high-pro? le power and performance intercollegiate sports in which 80 percent of male and female athletes sustain at least one serious injury while playing their sports and nearly 70 percent are disabled for two or more weeks. Research shows a close connection between dominant ideas about masculinity and the high rate of injuries in many sports. Ironically, some power and performance sports are organized so that players feel that their manhood is up for grabs. Men who de? ne masculinity in terms of physically dominating others often use violence in sports as an expression of this code of manhood. Until they critically examine issues related to gender and the organization of their sports, they will mistakenly de? ne violence as a source of rewards rather than a source of chronic pain and disabilities that constrain and threaten their lives.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Cybercrime Law

Cybercrime Law: Is Now the Right Time for It? Issues about a certain bill, which was passed by our President Aquino, have grown since before the its implementation. This became a mainstream issue on the cyberworld and other media. Some were happy about the law’s provisions, but others, mostly, disagreed with its rules. The law’s called the Cybercrime Prevention Law which was proposed by Senator Tito Sotto, who was accused of plagiarism in two of his recent speeches. This law has a bright side, but it’s not enough to cover its ugly side. We have a right to freely say what we want, but with limitations. Freedom is not absolute.We must still be conscious on what we’re saying, or even posting on our Facebook walls. In the cyberworld, freedom is welcomed– playing, watching, reading, commenting, liking, sharing and even buying, what we want. Internet has been a jar of our hidden personalities. An individual’s attitude is changing when entering the cyberworld. And because of that, many became abusive of that freedom and use it to harm other people. This led the government to pass a law concerning the said emerging cyberproblem. The cybercrime law has many obvious disadvantages for netizens– almost all Filipinos are netizens. This law envisions a safe internet world.In line with that, the law contains very heavy punishments for the â€Å"abusive† netizens. The problem with that is the way the law considers an internet action abusive. Even liking a libelous content is counted as an abusive action? That’s ridiculous! Many would say that it’s for the safety of the Filipino people, but didn’t they think that it’s a way of depriving a democratic country of its freedom to express thoughts. That’s totally ironic. I’m not saying that that the deprives Filipinos of the freedom of speech totally, but mostly. That’s because Filipinos usually became more brave to express their thoughts on the internet.The law is a threat to proper justice. The law says that you can be imprisoned for almost 12 years if you are caught red handed on doing something in the internet that is abusive, but if you raped an innocent person, you’ll just be jailed for 3 years! That’s not right. Another thing , the law will be using 50 million pesos a year to successfully implement it, but don’t they know that more hungry stomachs need that amount? Surely, this will be an issue on the proper allocation of our national budget. Lastly, the Philippines has more alarming problems that should be thought first than the cybercrime.Shortage of food and water, poor shelter programs, overpopulation, growing unemployment and underemployment rate, and global warming are just some them. Why don’t they focus on those things? Cybercrime is a very controversial issue with the government this time, but they haven’t solved yet non-cyber crimes in the Philippines which are more life damaging. It’s funny that the government is keeping on acting that they can handle complex and new issues, even though they can’t manage to solve the common ones. The government and our country need to grow more before we go to that â€Å"cyber† matter.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Questions to Ask During an Academic Job Interview

Questions to Ask During an Academic Job Interview Every year graduate students, recent graduates, and postdocs to make the rounds on the academic job interview circuit. When youre looking for a faculty position at a college or university in this difficult academic job market, its easy to forget that your job is to evaluate how well the position matches your needs. In other words, you should ask questions during your academic job interview. Why? First, it shows that youre interested and attentive. Second, it shows that youre discriminating and wont just take any job that comes along. Most importantly, its only by asking questions that youll obtain the information that you need to decide if the job is really for you. Questions to Consider The following are various questions that you can examine and custom fit for your specific interview: How is the university organized? What are the major units and administrators of the school and what are their responsibilities? What does the organizational flow chart look like? (Note that you should do your homework beforehand and be somewhat familiar with the university; ask additional questions to clarify your understanding.)How are departmental decisions made?How often are departmental meetings held? Are decisions made in departmental meetings? Who is eligible to vote on departmental decisions (e.g., all faculty or only tenured faculty)?May I have a copy of the departmental annual report?Whats the relative importance of teaching, research, and service for promotion and tenure?What is the average time that faculty members spend in each academic rank? How long is it before assistant professors are reviewed for promotion and tenure?What is the nature of the tenure review process?About what percent of faculty receive tenure?Can grants be used to supplement salary?What type of retire ment program is there? What percentage of the salary goes to retirement? What does the school contribute? What type of health program exists? What are the costs and benefits?How many undergraduate and graduate students are presently in the department? How are their numbers changing?Tell me about your student population.Where do the undergraduate students go after graduation?What kinds of technology are available in the classroom?How well does the library meet departmental needs? Are the reserves adequate?What courses are you looking to fill?How do the department and university support the improvement of teaching?What are the departments research strengths and weaknesses?What are the departments plans for growth and hiring?What resources for research are available within the department (e.g., computer facilities, equipment)Is there a research office on campus to help faculty write grants?How important is research in determining tenure and promotion?Is outside grant support essential for promotion and tenure?How are graduate students supported?How do graduate students select research advis ors? What kinds of financial support are available for research and supplies?Is this a new position? If not, why did the faculty member leave? Final Advice One final caveat is that your questions should be informed by your research on the department and school. That is, dont ask questions about basic information that can be gleaned off of the department website. Instead ask a followup, in-depth questions that show that youve done your homework and that you are interested in knowing more.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

How to write a business plan - Emphasis

How to write a business plan How to write a business plan Theres a memorable conversation in Alices Adventures in Wonderland, where Alice asks the Cheshire cat for directions. Unfortunately, Alice doesnt know where she wants to go, stating that it doesnt matter where she gets to, as long as she gets somewhere. This leads the cat to respond that it doesnt matter which way she turns. If you dont have a crystal-clear vision of where you want your business to go, youll be as confused as Alice when you hit a crossroads. Your business plan is your road-map. But in order to write it, you have to decide what you really want to achieve. This means youll have to spend time immersed in the strengths and weaknesses of your business, a process which, in itself, has numerous pay-offs. Studying and researching your company helps you to take a critical look at what you have to offer and who your competitors are. This enables you to better navigate the industry minefields and gives you a benchmark against which to measure success. Many people think of business plans as a necessary evil, written only to gain external funding. Instead, look at them as an essential planning tool, whatever your financial situation. Remember, if you dont plan where to go, youre inadvertently planning on going nowhere. Crafting your business plan Heres a seven-step guide to writing a winning business plan. Work through each section and youll have an ordered, content-rich document that gets you to where you want to go. Step one: Description of the business After the executive summary (see step seven), the first thing youll need is to describe your business. Get started by asking the following questions: What do I sell or offer? And why? Who do I sell to? What is the history of the business? What is my vision for the future? What is different about the services I offer? What is the legal structure of the company? Think about your audience carefully before you write the description. Ask yourself what words and phrases they will understand and be careful not to include too much jargon. Step two: Market research Think about your industry and what you think the future trends will be. Then analyse your competitors. Determine what size of the market they hold and then clearly define where you fit into the mix. Step three: Marketing and sales strategy Ask yourself why companies buy what you offer and how you plan to sell it. Think about how you are going to reach the organisations that need facilities management support and what pricing plans youll offer. Whether youre an in-house department, specialist contractor or a large multi-service company, therell be a variety of ways to reach prospects. Step four: Management and personnel team Many facilities management companies claim that people are their best asset. Think carefully about your management team and outline the background, experience and qualifications of each individual. The people on your team will often make or break your success. Fully evaluate their credentials and look out for any weak skill sets that could be improved with training. Step five: Operations Analyse the location of your business in terms of advantages and disadvantages. Your own premises, production facilities and IT systems must be excellent. Make sure you address any weaknesses in your plan with recommendations for improvement. Step six: Financial forecast This section requires you to translate the contents of your plan into numbers. Include cash flow statements, profit and loss forecasts and a sales forecast. Dont forget that if youre looking for funding, you need to spell out how much you need and how youll repay the loan. Step seven: The executive summary Leave this until last, even though it goes right at the beginning. Once youve followed all the other steps, youre in a position to write this stand-alone document, which outlines the key points in your entire plan. Keep it to a maximum of two pages. And remember, some people will only read this section, so make it shine. Tip: rather than trying to distil the full document, follow your original document plan. Just write less in each section this time (a couple of sentences or a paragraph, rather than several pages). Finally, the ink may be dry, but your business and the facilities management industry is constantly changing. Your business plan is a dynamic document, so you need to update it regularly.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Advancements in IS hardware and software Research Paper

Advancements in IS hardware and software - Research Paper Example on sector has experienced a number of changes in the last five years and that forms the basis of discussion in the text with a focus on IS hardware and software (Baltzan & Phillips, 2009). Over the past five years, information system hardware has tremendously transformed in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. To begin with, the computer processors have been enhanced to the extent that they have increased speed and performance. Computer processors have the capabilities of processing large bulk of information by responding to the instructions as appropriate. Moreover, the hardware memories are able to store large data before they are processed (Baltzan & Phillips, 2009). In the past, the memory was restricted to a certain capacity to the extent that once the limited space was occupied, no data or information could be stored. The IS hardware have been transformed with enhanced capabilities, making them compatible with other components. It has become possible to integrate hardware and software components for effective communication of the various elements of an information system (Baltzan & Phillips, 2009). Information system software has had an impressive run in the business world in the last five years due to a number of changes. Most of the IS software has been developed to meet specific needs in the market. Case in point is that a number of the components are today developed for financial purposes, data evaluation and analysis. The specifications have simplified the use of the softwares. Consequently, IS software is compatible with most of the hardware components and this has made it possible to employ any information system material without any restrictions (Cockburn, 2008). The communication between the various components of a software have been simplified due to enhanced performance and effectiveness. Software designs have changed, making them more user friendly and easy to adapt (Cockburn, 2008). Moreover, the quality of the IS software has changed

Friday, November 1, 2019

Learner's profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Learner's profile - Essay Example to Min for improving his language proficiency shall include verb and subject agreement, verb tenses, correct pronunciation of words, and a wider vocabulary. This can be done by reading activities which will enable him to learn new words, correct his pronunciation and intonation, and check his comprehension. I believe that Min’s English skills can be further improved by exposing him to other English native speakers. Thus, activities should be complemented with daily interaction with other Australians. On the basis of the tests carried out on him covering various aspects of his language learning efficiency it could safely be ascertained that the learner possesses satisfactory skills of elementary level which includes reading, writing, speaking as well as listening skills. Some words still required to be repeated over and over again. Often times, choosing simpler and more familiar words aid him to understand and respond more quickly during interviews. However he does understand the overall meaning of the conversation. (I do not have any source to find out how Min fared in the other tests. I only have his reading and writing test samples, but writing on something that I do not know is apparently difficult. I haven’t even heard how he speaks nor have any idea about his listening skills. However I have tried to incorporate some of the findings in the task.) For non English speakers, listening is a relatively tough job, which is mainly because of the variation in intonations and word stress which is quite different compared to other languages. Also the individual skill levels count, like a good vocabulary, and frequent contacts with the native English speakers. Such factors help in adapting to the sounds, intonations, stress and pronunciations of the English language. Some English words are pronounced differently in Korean language which sometimes makes it difficult for the non native speakers, like Min, to grasp specific information from conversations, often

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Is the UK Airline Industry Competitive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Is the UK Airline Industry Competitive - Essay Example As the paper declares taxation is always a painful and complex issue with reverberations on all elements of the industry. However considering the relatively under-taxed nature of the UK airline industry it is possible that it will not be too badly hurt by the new tax although it might result in a decline in passengers. This essay stresses that this is a significant issue facing the airline industry at the moment. British Airways is recently involved in a struggle to resolve with union officials after it has declared a strike because of BA’s refusal to meet it demands. BA’s after failing to come to an agreement with union over its cost-cutting program now appears to be focusing on wearing down its employees. The company has done whatever it can from out-sourcing to using volunteers and claims that it has managed to keep a lot of its flights running. The impact of regulation on competitiveness is a complicated one. It is also hard to assess whether the regulatory environment will change anytime in the near future specially considering the havoc that lack of regulation played on the financial markets. What is essential however that changes in regulation will definitely impact competitiveness but may impact different players and stake-holders in a different way. If we take a look at finan cial indicators as a measure of the performance of the industry we can see that many firms have reported serious losses indicating troubled times for the industry. British Airways for example been in dire financial straits indicating losses far worse then what many had predicted and with no respite anytime soon.