Disaster Management Planning Norma Valdez Rosa - 1760 Words

Disaster Management Planning Norma Valdez-Rosa South University Online June 21, 2016 DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLANNING Mitigation is taking action to reduce potential disaster damages to the community before a disaster threatens. In Hidalgo County, located in South Texas; much of the land is dry, covered with grass and thorny brush and it is very humid and hot. Potential disasters to this area include: Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Floods, Heat, Wildfires and Armed or Terrorist Attacks. Disaster preparedness is a natural part of living in South Texas and everyone is responsible for preparing for such disasters. Before a disaster happens, an emergency plan should be prepared by all and should be practiced at least twice a year and updated accordingly with any new issues that may arise. Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage to coastlines and several hundred miles inland. Edinburg is a city in and the county seat of Hidalgo County, Texas; and it is located about 63 miles from the Gulf of Mexico by Brownsville, Texas. Hurricanes can create storm surges along the coast and c ause extensive damage from heavy rainfall, flash flooding can occur due to this intense rainfall. Floods are one of the most common hazards that occur and can be deadly. Very small streams, gullies, creeks, culverts, or low-lying ground that appears harmless in dry weather can flood. Average temperatures in Edinburg during the summer can reach 100 degrees; it has a warm humid temperate

Gay Marriage Should Be Legal - 909 Words

Gay marriage is a highly controversial topic in today’s society. Should same-sex marriage be legalized nationwide, or should it remain illegal? Thirty-five of our states have allowed equality, however sadly the rest are not progressing on the matter (CNN). This is a significant issue because of those involved in a homosexual relationship want the same rights and freedoms of marriage as those whom are convoluted in heterosexual relationships. Marriage equivalence is a constitutional right promised in the United States, however a dreadful quantity of citizens are still contending that granting same-sex marriage would be a detriment to the sanctity of marriage and would ultimately doom the United States. Others just simply argue that everyone deserves the right to marry the person they love regardless of gender. Marriage equality should be reasoned as a legal practice because same-sex couples should be able to live happy and, celebrate their love in the same way that heterosexual couples do. Though a vast majority of the American population wishes to keep the issue of same-sex marriage where they believe it belongs, in the back of the dark closet. Homosexual love is on the upswing in the United States today. Studies suggest that one out of every nine people are homosexual (Gates). Revoking same-sex couples the freedom to marry ultimately deems homosexuals as second-class citizens. This gives the rest of the population the thought that it is okay to ostracize homosexuals and,Show MoreRelatedGay Marriage Should Be Legal1159 Words   |  5 PagesAmendment, which puts a ban on gay marriage. This amendment entitles to equal rights to the gay community, ending toleration of discrimination in jobs, rights protecting gays from hate crimes,rights allowing advancement in government. However, the concept of gay marriage is still not considered a right the American people should extend to homosexuals. II. The vast majority of opponents believe marriage should be between one woman and one man, meaning marriage should be between members of the oppositeRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1205 Words   |  5 PagesHoward Sociology 1301-93431 Gay Marriage Getting married is something that most people do when they find love, which it is an important event in their life. The GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) community now get the legal right of same-sex marriage, which they have fought for throughout the years; on the other hand, some opponents of same-sex marriage have called for a constitutional change towards it. Although there were some countries that allowed gay marriage before the United StatesRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1574 Words   |  7 Pagesequal rights. Gays and lesbians are consistently denied rights that are typically taken for granted by the average American. Specifically, gay and lesbian couples are denied the right to marry even if they are ou tstanding citizens. They are held at an unfair disadvantage solely because of their sexual orientation. This discrimination must stop, because gay and lesbian couples are law-abiding citizens too, who should be afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples. Marriage is about love andRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1564 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is marriage? Recently, people argue with respect to the definition of marriage. What happened to marriage? To get married is a very important event for almost everyone. Especially for women, marriage and giving a birth could be the two biggest events of their lives. Many people believe that getting married to the one whom he or she loves is natural. However, what do you think if you cannot get married to him or her because it is socially unacceptable? 100 years ago different colored peopleRead MoreShould Gay Marriage Be Legal?778 Words   |  3 PagesShould Gay Marriage Be Legal? â€Å"†¦I now pronounce you husband and wife†¦Ã¢â‚¬  One would normally hear this when attending a wedding. In tradition marriage has been between one male and one female who love each other. But how would one feel if they heard â€Å"I now pronounce you groom and groom† or how about â€Å"†¦bride and bride...†? In the last 50 years the number of same-sex couples has increased. The on-going argument between the government and the people is â€Å"Should gay marriage be legal?† Although some sayRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1126 Words   |  5 PagesJune 26, 2015 for gay marriage to be legal in all fifty states, thirty seven out of the fifty and Washington D.C already legalized gay marriage. Many support gay marriage and many do not, with widespread values and reasons for and against it. Due to religion and rights people across the nation have differing views and opinions of it.In a five to four vote in the Supreme Court gay marriage becam e legalized in all fifty states. Shortly after that a few marriage officiators and marriage licenses peopleRead MoreThe Gay Marriage Should Be Legal947 Words   |  4 PagesDefending Gay Marriage During the last few years, homosexuality has become an important issue for debate. Moreover, homosexuals have taken their case further by claiming their right to marry. Same-sex marriage, usually known as â€Å"gay marriage†, is the marriage between two people from the same biological sex (Doskow1). Since 2000, eleven countries have approved the legalization of gay marriage worldwide: Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, ArgentinaRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1179 Words   |  5 PagesGAY MARRIAGES Some states such as Iowa legalized gay marriage through the action of judicial interpretation based on the state’s constitutional stipulations while other states such as Vermont legalized gay marriage through legislation initiatives. These cases demonstrate the government is the sole body that can dictate the validity of whatever is to be regarded as a marriage, and in this case gay marriage. The power to validate marriage is still observed among the private citizens, religious institutionsRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1480 Words   |  6 PagesNew World Dictionary defines the word married as being husband and wife, yet there are millions of gay activists who are fighting for a new meaning. They believe marriage is more than a piece of paper and a set of rings. The hope is that marriage could be defined as a â€Å"public recognition of a private commitment† or â€Å"emotional, financial, and psychological bond† between two people (Sullivan 53). Gay act ivists believe that taking away the ability to have a publicly recognized relationship or an acceptedRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1351 Words   |  6 Pageshappened for United States, gay marriage became legal in all 50 states. In most states it already was but the remaining 13 became legal this year. There are many concerns regarding gay marriage, and the effects of them involve many legislative, cultural, religious and family issues. Gay marriage is controversial because a lot of people do not approve of it, they think it is immoral, unnatural, and not what the traditional concept of â€Å"marriage† really means. Opponents of gay marriage say it is only meant

The best day of my life free essay sample

Irvine Welsh is a very famous Scottish author, He’s wrote books like Trainspotting, The Acid House and Marabou Stork Nightmares etc. Irvine Welsh Is probably most famous for his gritty depiction of a gang of Scottish heroin addicts, Trainspotting, Irvine focuses on the darker side of human nature and drug use. Irvine welsh is also known for writing in his native scot dialect, Making his prose challenging for the average reader unfamiliar with the style. His work is characterised by his brutal depiction of Edinburgh life. He has also written plays and screenplays, and directed several short films. Irvine welsh was born in Leith, The port area of the Scottish capital Edinburgh. His Family moved to Muirhouse, Edinburgh when he was four where the family stayed at local housing schemes. He left Edinburgh for the London punk scene in 1978, where he played the guitar and sang in the pubic lice and stairway 13. We will write a custom essay sample on The best day of my life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Like many of his characters, he supports Hibernian FC. â€Å"(Hibs)†. He explores the rise and fall of the council housing scheme, denial of opportunity, sectarianism, football, hooliganism, sex, suppressed homosexuality, dance clubs, low-paid work, freemasonry, Irish republicanism, sodomy, class divisions and emigration and, perhaps most of all, the humour, prejudices and axioms of the Scots. On BBC breakfast he advised he lives in Chicago with his wife, Elizabeth. Previously he lived in Dublin, Ireland. Welshs novels share characters, giving the feel of a shared universe within his writing. For example, characters from Trainspotting make cameo appearances in The Acid House, Marabou Stork Nightmares, Ecstasy, Filth, and slightly larger appearances in Glue. The Best Day of My Life free essay sample The clot buster caused me to have a large brain bleed (stroke)  in my right frontal lobe. I was literally on the verge of death for several weeks. I say it is the worst day of my life because the effects of the stroke  resulted in  me being paralyzed on my left side. I spent six months in a re-hab hospital learning how to walk, talk, eat and live one sided but that was the easy part. Learning how to live with disabilities has been more difficult than I ever could have imagined. I did learn to walk and am still learning to live with disabilities. Today I walk using a cane and everything I do is one handed including typing. I also lost my husband during this past year, not because of death, but because he felt that he could no longer deal with the demands of taking care of our business, our home, our yard and me. We will write a custom essay sample on The Best Day of My Life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He became very resentful during the last year that we spent together and  was an angry and depressed person to live with and he asked me for a divorce. Our divorce has been final now for about a year. I still struggle with the  sadness of losing my best friend and the love of my life but I am an overcomer and have adjusted well. When I said it was the best day of my life it is because had it not been for the stroke I might not have found my way back to God. I also feel that I am back on the path for which he intended me to be on, which is to help people who have had life changing events. I moved from Pennsylvania to Colorado a few months ago and have been able to spend more time with my family. I have two new beautiful grandsons (See pics) and I live in my own little apartment where I’ve set the thermostat on â€Å"high faith† and it is a very comfy, cozy place to be. Being here in Colorado is truly good for my soul as I lived in Pennsylvania for twelve years and that is too long to be 2000 miles away from family. Although I still feel some sadness I know that I am right where God wants me to be and I realize that I am much stronger than I thought I was. Ive been able to adapt and overcome the worst of circumstances. I am a survivor! Personally I believe the role of the American citizen is to research and know the candidates that eventually we put into office. It is so important that we vote and that we believe in who we are voting for.

Motivation free essay sample

Motivation and the Brain – The Desire to Exercise and Be Physically Fit Motivation and the Brain – The Desire to Exercise and Be Physically Fit The motivation that drives people to engage in physical activities like exercise can be analyzed as a result of many contributing factors. Theories exist regarding whether desire can be attributed to extrinsic or intrinsic factors. The brain structures and functions responsible for this type of motivation are complex and unique. Each individual will have his or her own reasons, but ultimately, some key factors can be noted. The role of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivators The motivational factors that drive people to engage in physical activities like working out at a fitness club, or running, appear to be mostly intrinsic. Heredity does not seem to be a prominent motivator; however, one’s environment will indeed have some effect. Children raised by athletes will obviously more inclined and motivated to participate in physical activities as an athlete would likely push his or her son or daughter to be athletic like them. We will write a custom essay sample on Motivation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Another increasingly popular source of motivation to work out is the desire to maintain good health, including keeping a healthy body weight. Another possible motivation is the desire one may have to prove to their own selves, the extent of their capacity. The term â€Å"self-efficacy† can be summarized with an individual asking himself or herself the following two questions: â€Å"Am I capable of doing this activity? † and â€Å"Will I be successful in achieving my goals if I engage in this behavior? † The internal question specific to this article would be â€Å"Am I capable of successfully participating in an ongoing diet and exercise program? Self-efficacy can also be described as situation-specific self-confidence (Grogan, Connor, Smithson,  2006). Another possible explanation for the motivation to diet and exercise is the Protection Motivation Theory, which suggests that people are motivated to protect themselves from harmful or stressful life events (D eci, 2004). In other words, an individual who maintains his or herself at peak physical condition can develop a sense that he or she is prepared for any disease or threat that may cross his or her path. Some may become paranoid and overly cautious in considering every possible harm that could fall upon them; this fear is drives them in the relentless pursuit of physical health. Perhaps the most gratifying benefit of exercising is the change it will bring to one’s physique. The tone and definition, weight loss and strength are obvious and can be noticed fairly quickly and easily. Along with these changes come the encouragement and positive feedback from one’s peers; this is a huge motivator. Research shows that Acknowledgment, Positive Feedback and Encouragement for self-initiation tend to increase intrinsic motivation (Deci, 2004). It does seem the motivation for maintaining physical health is largely intrinsic, previous family medical history, such as inherent life-threatening diabetes could be considered an extrinsic motivator. Pressure placed on individuals by family members and medical professionals regarding the risks of an unhealthy diet and lethargic behavior can be significant motivating factors that would drive one to take action to improve their health. Both intrinsic motivation and integrated extrinsic motivation are facilitated in situations that are interpersonally supportive, that is, here parents, teachers, managers, health care providers, and coaches understand and acknowledge the perspectives of their children, students, employees, patients, and athletes, respectively, and encourage them to experiment, allow them to try their own solutions to problems, provide them with choices, and respond to their initiations (Deci, 2004). Brain Structures and functions associated with the motivation to work out An important thing to note the brain structures and functions associated with this type of motivation. The feeling a person experiences in the aftermath of a long training session can be extremely euphoric. One hypothesis revolves around a set of opioid neurotransmitters of which endorphins are a special case. The term endorphin refers to internal morphine. Endorphins are primarily located in the pain pathways and are responsible for reducing the negative effects of pain stimuli and stressors (Deckers, 2010). Another argument that could be made would be that the gender aspect related to the concern about weight and appearance. It has been suggested that gay men and heterosexual women are under significantly more acute social pressure to attain the culturally valued slender body type (Grogan, Connor, Smithson,  2006).

The eNotes Blog The Indie Bookstore Tour ofSeattle

The Indie Bookstore Tour ofSeattle Have you ever arrived in a new city and just wanted to see the bookstores? Whether youre a Seattleite or have never been to the rainy city, weve created a bookstore tour of Seattle! After scouting some of the best and most indie bookstores in the city, we visited each one to snap a few pics and really get a feel for the place. Our tour starts and ends at our Capitol Hill office, but you can jump in anywhere along the way and go for as long as you want! Depending on the time of day and how long you spend in each bookstore, this can be  a proper day trip. Download the full-resolution PDF of our Bookstore Tour of Seattle! 1. Twice Sold Tales 1833 Harvard Ave, 98122 Nested in Capitol Hill, Twice Sold Tales is a cozy bookstore that offers secondhand books at great prices. Through a maze of books stacked floor to ceiling, youll get to see books from every decade and every genre. Twice Sold Tales also has two little tails that roam the floors- youll probably make a new feline friend or two! 2. Adas Technical Books and Cafe 425 15th Avenue East, 98112 Adas Technical Books and Cafe will satiate  the cravings of a technical mind and give your inner geek something to snack on. With an assortment of scientific paraphernalia available in tandem with great books to accompany them, Adas offers a nice atmosphere to hang out, sip, and catch up with Halleys Comet. 3. Magus Books 1408 NE 42nd St, 98105 Magus Books is also a used bookstore but features rare and out-of-print books. Located just  a few  blocks from the University of Washington, Magus is a delightful smattering of shelves with books of all kinds. The store personnel are knowledgable about the books they have and enjoy talking to you. 4. Book Larder 4252 Fremont Ave N, 98103 Book Larder is every modern cooks dream. As a community cookbook store, it features every cookbook imaginable, as well as an in-store kitchen for demos and classes. The books here are new, so you can be sure that they wont share any marks from someone elses kitchen blunders. With its  bright and clean feeling, Book Larder is a wonderful place to peruse- just dont go there hungry! 5. Ophelias Books 3504 Fremont Ave N, 98103 Ophelias Books is one of the coolest bookstores just in architecture alone. One straight staircase beckons readers to attend the low-ceilinged upstairs reading area, while a narrow and mysterious spiral staircase calls visitors to the downstairs where its live-in cat may be found. A  quiet, soft, and inviting space, Ophelias is a good place to hunker down with a book you find. 6. Queen Anne Book Company 1811 Queen Anne Ave N, 98109 Queen Anne Book Company has new books and an smorgasbord of things that accompany books such as art supplies and funny socks. Both  sci-fi and kids books have great selections here.  With a reading room out back and a patio out front  with El Diablo Coffee, its  perfect for  a sunny day. 7. Mercer Street Books 7 Mercer St, 98109 Mercer Street books has an eclectic feel and a book selection to match. Carrying  a little bit of this and a little bit of that, Mercer comes together as a classic indie bookstore. The $0.50 books out front are a great deal, and so much fun to look through! 8. Lamplight Books 1514 Pike Pl # 14, 98101 Right at Pike Place,  Lamplight Books gives an intimate indie bookstore experience. Lit by the  soft lighting of  lamps throughout, its the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the market on any given day. 9. Left Bank Books Collective 92 Pike St # B, 98101 Left Bank Books Collective is owned by its workers and is a cry of radicalism. It features many radical works alongside many used titles, with some strongly worded buttons and stickers. Not for the faint of heart, Left Bank Books is definitely a place to go to experience a different kind of indie bookstore. 10. BLMF Literary Saloon 1501 Pike Pl #322, 98101 In the heart of Pike Place Market,  BLMF Literary Saloon is a remarkable secondhand books store. With books spilling out of every shelf and onto the floor, there is no lack of literature here. They encourage exploration and surely have  enough interesting titles to provide. 11. Lion Heart Book Store 1501 Pike Pl #432, 98101 Lion Heart Book Store is a mix of new and used books, all of which can be recommended and found by the very knowledgable owner. Many  little displays set up amongst the books make it  a fun place to explore even if you arent going to be buying any books. 12. Kinokuniya Bookstore 525 S Weller St., 98104 Kinokuniya Books is a larger bookstore* with a spacious feeling and  offers many new titles.  Entire walls hold their extensive collection of Japanese Manga and other Asian books.  Kinokuniya also has many art supplies, collectibles, and American books.  Its part of the Uwajimaya Asian Foods Store, so you can pair it with a great lunch! *This isnt technically an indie bookstore but we felt it unique enough to warrant inclusion in our tour. 🙂 13. Pegasus Book Exchange 4553 California Ave SW, 98116 Pegasus Book Exchange is  an awesome bookstore that is especially great for finding paperback fiction, kids books, and unique subjects. They have their popular $5 Surprise Book deal ongoing that doesnt allow you to see its cover until youve bought it! A really cool idea, and if that wasnt entertaining enough, the little quotes that sprinkle the bookcases will keep you wandering from shelf to shelf. 14. Elliott Bay Book Company 1521 10th Ave, 98122 Elliott Bay Book Company is just a huge selection of new books. In a beautiful wooden setting with  sunlight filtering down through the rafters, Elliot Bay is perfect for any bibliophile. Kids will be enamored with the play castle among their books, while adults can sit at any of the wooden tables and sit in the quiet of the store. If youre there for the long haul, be sure to stop at the Little Oddfellows cafe in the back! And thats it! Take this Indie Bookstore Tour of Seattle and have at it!

Make a Simple Weather Barometer

Make a Simple Weather Barometer People predicted the weather back in ye good olde days before Doppler radar and GOES satellites using simple instruments. One of the most useful instruments is a barometer, which measures air pressure or barometric pressure. You can make your own barometer using everyday materials and then try to forecast the weather yourself.   Barometer Materials glass, jar, or canplastic wrapa strawrubber bandindex card or lined notebook papertapescissors Construct the Barometer Cover the top of your container with plastic wrap. You want to create an airtight seal and a smooth surface.Secure the plastic wrap with a rubber band. The most important part of making the barometer is getting a good seal around the rim of the container.Lay the straw over the top of the wrapped container so that about two-thirds of the straw is over the opening.Secure the straw with a piece of tape.Either tape an index card to the back of the container or else set up your barometer with a sheet of notebook paper behind it.Record the location of the straw on your card or paper.Over time the straw will move up and down in response to changes in air pressure. Watch the movement of the straw and record the new readings. How the Barometer Works High atmospheric pressure pushes on the plastic wrap, causing it to cave in. The plastic and the taped section of straw sink, causing the end of the straw to tilt up. When atmospheric pressure is low, the pressure of the air inside the can is higher. The plastic wrap bulges out, raising the taped end of the straw. The edge of the straw falls until it comes to rest against the rim of the container. Temperature also affects atmospheric pressure so your barometer needs a constant temperature in order to be accurate. Keep it away from a window or other places that experience temperature changes. Predicting the Weather Now that you have a barometer you can use it to help predict the weather. Weather patterns are associated with regions of high and low atmospheric pressure. Rising pressure is associated with dry, cool, and calm weather. Dropping pressure forecasts rain, wind, and storms. Quickly-rising pressure that starts from average or high pressure during fair weather indicates a low-pressure cell is approaching. You can expect the pressure to start to fall as poor weather approaches.Quickly rising pressure (over a few hours or a couple of days) after a period of low pressure means you can expect a short period of good weather.Slowly rising barometric pressure (over a week or so) indicates good weather that will stick around a while.Slowly falling pressure indicates the presence of a nearby low-pressure system. Changes in your weather are unlikely at this time.If the pressure continues to drop slowly you can expect a long period of bad (as opposed to sunny and clear) weather.A sudden drop in pressure (over a few hours) indicates an approaching storm (usually arriving within 5-6 hours). The storm probably involves wind and precipitation, but wont last long.

Computers That Simulate And Reflect Human Behaviors Essay - 1

Computers That Simulate And Reflect Human Behaviors - Essay Example The development of relational artifacts has highly facilitated the manipulation of users into believing that computers have emotions and empathy thereby evoking feelings and intimate relationships within beings. The article, in conclusion, asserts that the resulting meaning of liveliness and authenticity attached to these computers are erroneous since robots are simply based on programmed codes. According to Turkle (2007), the modern generation of computer continues to distort the traditional meaning of human-computer relationship with regards to authenticity and liveliness. However, the key question should query the basis of the meanings being debated upon. To me, human perception of authenticity and liveliness with regards to relational artifacts has majorly been underlined by the nature of the feedback as interpreted by the observer but not on the inherent properties of the sources. Therefore, despite the wrongful contextualization of computer and human being relationship, users are rightfully guided by their behavioral desires and the subsequent feedback suitably marched by these  computers.

Management Accounting Control System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management Accounting Control System - Essay Example The needs of it vary for a different organization in accordance to business areas of their concerns. Its needs include: As stated, preparing management account periodically is recommended but not mandatory. But, for the sake of business, it is needed to maintain once in a month or quarterly in a year depending on company profile and size. It is very hard to run a business efficiently without them. In this era of information, an information system is not getting utilized as it was expected. In management account information needs to be applied properly and adequately. The best way is to break down so that the performance of different elements of the business can be measured. For example, for one integrated Circuit manufacturing company, different flows can be broken up and later on aggregated. Flows may include mask design, photolithography, oxidation and etching etc. Or, if a manufacturing industry has various processes such as moulding, embossing or welding then they can be segmented as per their sequence and finally need to be mapped together. If any financial institution is taken into consideration then, it might have more than one sales outlet and for this case, the separate report for each outlet is required. Management account specifically analyzes performances and includes sales, cash-flow and profit forecast which are treated as forward-looking elements. The analysis generally is carried out against forecast and budget that has been brought down during an initial period of the year.

E Commerce Homework Essay Example for Free

E Commerce Homework Essay 1Would you say that Google and Yahoo are direct or indirect competitors? What about McDonalds and Macaroni Grill? Explain why? Indeed Google and yahoo are both direct competitors because the both provide the same services such as : email , search ,chatting groups , blogs ,for McDonalds and Macaroni they are indirect since both provide food but of different types which make them compete for different products .   2 . Given the example of Atari and Nintendo games, which one was the first mover into the market and which was the fast follower? What advantages and disadvantages does each one have over the other? First mover: Atari Fast follower : Nintendo Advantages and disadvantages over each other: 1- Atari had the lead for a long period of time and was dominate in the marketplace 2-Nintendo learned from the failure of Atari and was able to take over the market only by doing stuff the Atari company missed out. 3 . Visit hamleys.com and describe its business model based on t he information you find there. Identify its customer value proposition, its revenue model, the marketspace it operates in, who its main competitors are, any comparative advantages you believe the company possesses and what its market strategy appears to be . Also try to locate information about the   company’s management team and organizational structure. (Check for a page labeled â€Å"the Company,† â€Å"About Us,† or something similar). Value proposition: facilitation of transaction ,law search cost ,low item discovery cost Revenue model: Sales revenue model The market space it operates in: toy selling Main competitors are: Toys-R-Us ,FAO schwarz Comparative advantages: provide party organizing services and gift warping services Market strategy: create a brand name, use the good reputation and long history as a proof of good service, and provide good and appealing offers . Company’s management team and organizational structure Buying and Planning, Retail Operations, Marketing, Human Resources (HR), IT, Finance, E-commerce Visual Merchandising and Design, Franchise .

The Effect of Gangs in There Are No Children Here Essay -- There are N

The Effect of Gangs in There Are No Children Here  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚   Throughout There Are No Children Here, a continuous, powerful tension always lurks in the background. The gangs that are rampant in the housing projects of Chicago cause this tension. In the Henry Horner Homes, according to Kotlowitz, one person is beaten, shot, or stabbed due to gangs every three days. In one week during the author's study of the projects, police confiscated 22 guns and 330 grams of cocaine in Horner alone (Kotlowitz 32).    For the children of the projects, the pressure to join a gang never waivers. Quick cash and protection are hard forces to resist in a world of poverty and violence. However, the children's role in these gangs is inferior to that of the leaders. At first, the concept of joining is quite attractive. According to Lafeyette, one of the two brothers profiled in the book, " 'When you first join you think it's good. They'll buy you what you want' " (31). However, " 'You have to do anything they tell you to do. If they tell you to kill somebody, you have to do that' " (31).    What Lafeyette refers to is frighteningly true. In the inner city, gangs often recruit young children to do their dirty work. Shortly after joining, a fourteen-year-old friend of Lafayette's allegedly shoots and kills an older man in an alley half a block north of Lafayette's building (31). Acording to Kotlowitz, life in the Henry Horner Homes is controlled to a great extent by gangs, particularly the Conservative Vice Lords. Residents so fear and respect the Vice Lords' control that they refuse to call 911 (34). Snitching can get a resident killed. Even though the Chicago Police Department installed a hot-line number and promise confidentia... ...rime, Social Forces, Vol. 75 No. 2 December 1996, pg. 619-645. Lo, Chun-Nui, A Social Model of Gang Related Violence, Free Inquiry In Creative Sociology, Vol 19 no. 1, May 1991, pg. 36-43. Osgood, Wayne et al., Routine Activities and Deviant Behavior, American Sociological Review, Vol. 61 no. 4, August 1996, pg 635-655. Brantley, Gangs, Vol.63, FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, May 1,1994, pp1-8 (Article) Kennedy, Leslie and Stephen Baron, Routine Activities And A Subculture Of Violence: A Study Of Violence On The Street, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 30 No. 1, Febuary 1993, pp. 88-112 (Journal) Lo, Chun-Nui (Celia), A Social Model Of Gang-Related Violence, Free Inquiry In Creative Sociology, Vol 19 No 1, May1991, pp. 36-43 (Journal) Shakur, Sanyika, Monster: The Autobiography Of An L.A. Gang Member,Penguin Book Ltd., 1993

Obama Victory Speech 2008

In Obama’s speech, he uses many inclusive pronouns such as ‘we’ and ‘our’. This shows that they are all the same; by doing this it creates a sense of unity among the audience. This is effective because it gets the audience on his side; if he used exclusive pronouns such as ‘you’, it would make the audience feel less united. He also says ‘America can change’, by doing this he personifies and metonymies ‘America’. This is effective as it makes the people think about what he means by ‘America’ in that context, he could have easily said the ‘people of America’ but that would be very dull.We also see here again that he uses ‘America’ in a united sense. This all links in with the semantic field of the speech, of ‘the American Dream’, which is all based on peace and unity among the people of America. Another technique Obama uses are exophoric references and anecdotes, such as â€Å"She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voices heard in this election except for one thing – Ann Nixon cooper is 106 years old. †This is effective in the speech as help explain the point Obama makes to the audience. It is also something the audience can relate to .He also waits until right at the end to say â€Å"Ann Nixon cooper is 106 years old,† this turns a sentence about someone ordinary into someone extraordinary. Apart from the general references he makes, there are also very famous ones, such as ‘A man touched down on the moon’ and ‘a preacher told a people ‘We shall overcome. ’† He uses these exophoric references effectively, to remind the audience about the situations they have overcome, which inspires them. Also, when he makes these references, he doesn’t clearly state the event but vaguely describes it.He does this to make the audience think about what h e is saying, but at the same time not to undermine them by being too clear. In the reference ‘A man touched down on the moon’, he uses the word ‘man’ which is much more inclusive than a person’s name, and it makes the audience feel united in that event and as if they were a part of it. Furthermore, when he gives the quotation of ‘we shall overcome’, everyone immediately recognises that famous quote, and relates to MLK. Obama also picks this quote out in particular, as it is about overcoming which is the main topic of his speech and in the way it is said, it sounds like a statement.This is effective as it reinforces and adds credibility to what he says, which means the audience are more likely to accept it. During the speech, Obama’s tone and body language varies. For example, when he is giving an anecdote, he talks in a calm manner with long sentences, few pauses and no hand gestures, ‘At a time when women’s voices we re silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up†¦ ’ Then when he starts to make a point his tempo rises and he uses sentences with many pauses with also strong hand gestures, ‘That while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt†¦ This is effective as it shows emphasis on the points that are very important and makes them easier to remember; also it shows a contrast between the main points of the speech and the anecdotes. In the Obama’s speech he uses few religious references, such as ‘Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America. ’ He says this because he himself is religious, but also America is a strongly Christian country and he targets those in audience who are religious. This effective as it gives impression that God is on their side and motivates people.Also the way Obama says that at the end of the speech is similar to how a priest would end his speech in a Ch urch, which again gives it a very holy and religious feeling. During the speech Obama shows advances in many things, such as technology. He shows this by saying â€Å"no cars on the road or planes in the sky† and â€Å"she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote,† by saying this he contrasts the past with the present, and it makes the audience think how far they have came, in terms of technology in a short space of time.Another advance he shows us is in equality, by saying â€Å"when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the colour of her skin,† he reminds the audience of the time when it use to happen. This effective because it shows change, by contrasting the past with present, and he shows this change to show the American people that if they did it then why can’t they do it again, which motivates them. Also when he says â€Å"couldn’t vote for two reasons – †¦ there is a slight pause, he does this as the audience know what’s coming next which makes them think. Throughout the speech, Obama’s main buzz phrase has been â€Å"Yes We can. † This phrase is good as it is only three letters long and is repeated through the speech several times, making it easy to remember. He uses these when making a point, such as â€Å"America can change. Yes we can† and â€Å"nation conquers fear itself with a New deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can,† this motivates the people and gets them on his side.Also Obama uses this phrases right at the end of point or paragraph, so the audience know its coming and after it’s said they can repeated the phrase, this is why he leaves a short pause after each point for the audience to react . This is effective as it makes the audience think and concentrate on the speech. The word â€Å"yes† in the phrase as adverb shows the agreement between him and the people. The word â€Å"we† as a first person plural pronoun denotes as collective force or unity and the word â€Å"can† as a modal auxiliary verb suggests the ability or possibility of someone doing something.

Economic Order Quantity and Significant Predictor.

1. Stock prices over a period of fifty (50) years would most likely exhibit no cyclical component. a. True b. False 2. On the plot labeled â€Å"a†, which of the following is correct? a. There is a trend present. b. There is a linear relationship. c. There is an obvious outlier. d. There is a negative relationship. 3. On the plot labeled â€Å"b†, there is an outlier present. a. True b. False 4. On the plot labeled â€Å"c†, which of the following models is most appropriate? a. single-parameter exponential smoothing b. regression c. regression with seasonality (classical time-series) . none of the above are appropriate 5. In a simple linear regression, we are using monthly advertising expenditures (in $000) to predict monthly profits (in $000). If the least squares equation is y = 21. 5 – . 1x and the coefficient of determination is . 49, the correlation coefficient = ______. a. 0. 70 b. -0. 70 c. unable to be determined from the data. 6. In a simple linea r regression, we are using monthly advertising expenditures (in $000) to predict monthly profits (in $000). If the least squares equation is y = 21. 5 – . x and the coefficient of determination is . 49. The predicted profit = __________ when advertising expenses are $0. a. 21. 5 b. -0. 1 c. $21,500 d. none of the above. 7. If the correlation coefficient is zero, there is no relationship between x and y. a. True b. False 8. Kelvin Shoe Stores carries a basic black dress shoe for men that sells at a rate of 500 each quarter. Their current policy is to order 500 per quarter, with a fixed cost of $30/order. The annual holding cost is 20% of the cost of items held. The following cost structure is applicable: Order Quantity |Price/pair | |0-99 |$36 | |100-199 |32 | |200-299 |30 | |300+ |28 | For a price of $36, the optimal order quantity is a. 129 b. infeasible for this cost structure. c. neither of the above. d. both a and b. 9. Kelvin Shoe Stores carries a basic black dress shoe for men that sells at a rate of 500 each quarter.Their current policy is to order 500 per quarter, with a fixed cost of $30/order. The annual holding cost is 20% of the cost of items held. The following cost structure is applicable: |Order Quantity |Price/pair | |0-99 |$36 | |100-199 |32 | |200-299 |30 | |300+ |28 | The optimal order quantity is a. 129 b. 141 c. 146 d. 300 10. Foster Inc. arries special holiday items, including Happy Angels (HAs). During the season, the demand for HAs is approximately normally distributed, with a mean of 320 and a standard deviation of 30. It costs Foster $5. 00 for each HA unless he orders at least 400, at which the price drops to $4. 50/HA. The HAs’ retail price is $10. Unsold items will be given to a local hospital, with a disposal cost of $0. 05/HA. Mr. Foster estimates that the goodwill cost of each item short is close to $0. 25. a. This is a single-period inventory problem. b. This is an EOQ problem. c. This is a periodic-review problem . d. None of the above 11.Foster Inc. carries special holiday items, including Happy Angels (HAs). During the season, the demand for HAs is approximately normally distributed, with a mean of 320 and a standard deviation of 30. It costs Foster $5. 00 for each HA unless he orders at least 400, at which the price drops to $4. 50/HA. The HAs’ retail price is $10. Unsold items will be given to a local hospital, with a disposal cost of $0. 05/HA. Mr. Foster estimates that the goodwill cost of each item short is close to $0. 25. A Christmas-tree model is appropriate. a. True b. False 12. A regular EOQ model is appropriate when demand is seasonal. a. True . False 13. See the attached â€Å"Regression Data I†. We are using the number of radios, TVs, and DVD players stocked to predict the profit, revenue, and cost for future periods. First, run a model to predict the profit. Select all which apply. a. Radios is a significant predictor. b. TVs is a significant predictor. c. DVDs is a significant predictor. d. The overall model is significant. e. The intercept is positive. f. Severe multicollinearity is present. 14. See the attached â€Å"Regression Data I†. We are using the number of radios, TVs, and DVD players stocked to predict the profit, revenue, and cost for future periods.Next, run a model to predict the cost. Select all which apply. a. Radios is a significant predictor. b. TVs is a significant predictor. c. DVDs is a significant predictor. d. The overall model is significant. e. The intercept is positive. f. Severe multicollinearity is present. 15. See the attached â€Å"Regression Data I†. We are using the number of radios, TVs, and DVD players stocked to predict the profit, revenue, and cost for future periods. Based on the output, which of the following recommendations would be most appropriate? a. We should stock more radios. b.We should stock fewer TVs. c. We should increase floor space, since it is probably constraining our sales ability. d. We should consider the time period. 16. What is the best answer given this information? (3) | |Model 1 |Model 2 |Model 3 | |X-variables |6 |4 |3 | |R2 |. 9344 |. 8857 |. 761 | |Adjusted R2 |. 9058 |. 8372 |. 8497 | |MSE |5667. 53 |6044. 05 |5844. 78 | a. Model 1 performs the best in all areas. b. Model 2 performs better than Model 3. c. We would most likely prefer Model 1. d. We would most likely prefer Model 2. e. We would most likely prefer Model 3. 17. The table below features three forecasting models used on the same set of data. Select all that apply. |Model 1 |Model 2 |Model 3 | |Type |Single-parameter Exponential |2-parameter Exponential smoothing |3-parameter Exponential smoothing| | |smoothing | | | |MSE |8755. 3 |4876. 2 |5945. 8 | a. There is likely a strong seasonal component present. b. There is likely a trend present. c. There is no random component present. d.There is a cyclical component present. e. A different smoothing constant could affect the MSE for Model 1. 18. If we increase the order (setup) cost, the order quantity will _____________ if we hold all other costs constant. a. increase b. decrease c. remain the same as long as there is no shortage cost d. become unstable 19. If demand is normally distributed, a. a basic EOQ is appropriate. b. a single-period model could not be appropriate. c. we should produce to fill demand, rather than filling it through orders. d. none of the above would be true. 20. Which of the following methods may be used to determine future order quantities? . forecasting b. regression c. inventory models d. all of the above 21. Refer to the inventory output for Betsy’s Blue Bonnet Bakery. Here, Betsy is trying to determine the optimal order policy for birthday kits. What is the safety stock? 114____________ 22. Refer to #21. What is Betsy’s service level if she uses this policy? 87%________________ 23. Refer to #21. If Betsy changes to a lost sales model, the order quantity would be expe cted to increase. a. True b. False c. It depends on the cost associated with a lost sale. 24. Refer to the forecasting output for Betsy’s. This model is appropriate for the type of data. . True b. False 25. Refer to #24. Look at the forecast errors. Which of the following best describes the situation? a. The errors are indicative of what we like to see. b. The errors are randomly distributed. c. The errors are indicative of a problem with the model. d. The errors are indicative of a poor choice of ?. 26. Refer to #24. What recommendation would you make? a. We should use the model as is. b. We should alter model parameters to improve the fit? c. We should use the model, but use extreme caution in doing so. d. We should eliminate some time periods for forecasting. Regression Data I Profit | | | | | |Revenue | | | | | |Radios | | | | | |TVs | | | | | |DVDs | | | | | | | | | | | |Quarter | | | | | |Errors | | | | | | | | | | | |6318. 96 | | | | | |8395. 1 | | | | | |36 | | | | | |65 | | | | | |48 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |4721. 57 | | | | | |6300. 28 | | | | | |26 | | | | | |48 | | | | |39 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |5049. 16 | | | | | |6747. 5 | | | | | |33 | | | | | |51 | | | | | |40 | | | | | | | | | | | |2000 – 3 | | | | | |32 | | | | | | | | | | | |5249. 44 | | | | | |7028. 6 | | | | | |29 | | | | | |53 | | | | | |45 | | | | | | | | | | | |4 | | | | | |46 | | | | | | | | | | | |5290. 08 | | | | | |7116. 1 | | | | | |32 | | | | | |52 | | | | | |49 | | | | | | | | | | | |2001 – 1 | | | | | |19 | | | | | | | | | | | |5924. 41 | | | | | |7951. 0 | | | | | |41 | | | | | |58 | | | | | |52 | | | | | | | | | | | |2 | | | | | |23 | | | | | | | | | | | |5251. 97 | | | | | |7031. 09 | | | | | |36 | | | | |52 | | | | | |44 | | | | | | | | | | | |3 | | | | | |34 | | | | | | | | | | | |4805. 72 | | | | | |6462. 8 | | | | | |31 | | | | | |47 | | | | | |44 | | | | | | | | | | | |4 | | | | | |49 | | | | | | | | | | | |5278. 60 | | | | | |7162. 2 | | | | | |46 | | | | | |49 | | | | | |51 | | | | | | | | | | | |2002 – 1 | | | | | |22 | | | | | | | | | | | |5301. 77 | | | | | |7136. 5 | | | | | |43 | | | | | |51 | | | | | |46 | | | | | | | | | | | |2 | | | | | |20 | | | | | | | | | | | |6121. 98 | | | | | |8249. 4 | | | | | |45 | | | | | |59 | | | | | |56 | | | | | | | | | | | |3 | | | | | |31 | | | | | | | | | | | |5416. 63 | | | | | |7244. 79 | | | | | |29 | | | | |55 | | | | | |46 | | | | | | | | | | | |4 | | | | | |51 | | | | | | | | | | | |6552. 89 | | | | | |8718. 1 | | | | | |43 | | | | | |67 | | | | | |48 | | | | | | | | | | | |2003 – 1 | | | | | |16 | | | | | | | | | | | |6352. 93 | | | | | |8494. 2 | | | | | |46 | | | | | |63 | | | | | |51 | | | | | | | | | | | |2 | | | | | |26 | | | | | | | | | | | |6693. 01 | | | | | |8881. 5 | | | | | |55 | | | | | |68 | | | | | |43 | | | | | | | | | | | |3 | | | | | |37 | | | | | | | | | | | |5761. 97 | | | | | |7669. 0 | | | | | |48 | | | | | |58 | | | | | |39 | | | | | | | | | | | |4 | | | | | |48 | | | | | | | | | | | |5419. 50 | | | | | |7265. 38 | | | | |33 | | | | | |54 | | | | | |47 | | | | | | | | | | | |2004 -1 | | | | | |22 | | | | | | | | | | | |5474. 64 | | | | | |7302. 7 | | | | | |35 | | | | | |55 | | | | | |44 | | | | | | | | | | | |2 | | | | | |24 | | | | | | | | | | | |4650. 87 | | | | | |6335. 9 | | | | | |41 | | | | | |42 | | | | | |49 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |4781. 91 | | | | | |6438. 3 | | | | | |48 | | | | | |45 | | | | | |39 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MULTI-PERIOD EOQ MODEL (Backordering) – NORMAL LEAD-TIME DEMAND | | | | | | | | | | |PROBLEM: |Betsy's Blue Bonnet Bakery | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Parameter Values: | | | | | | | |Mean of Demand Distribution: mu = | | | | | |1,000 | | | |Stand. Deviation of Demand Distribution: sigma = | | | | |100 | | | |Fixed Cost per Order: k = | | | | | | | |5,000 | | | |Annual Demand Rate: A = | | | | | | | |52,000 | | | |Unit Cost of Procuring an Item: c| |42. 00 | | | |= | | | | | |Annual Holding Cost per Dollar Value: h = |0. 20 | | | |Shortage Cost per Unit: pS = | |10. 0 | | | | | | | | | | |Optimal Values: | | | | | | | |Optimal Order Quantity: Q* = | 7,919 | | | | |Optimal Reorder Point: r* = | 1,114 | | | | |Expected Demand: mu = | 1,000 | | | | |Total Expected Cost: TEC(Q*) = | $ 67,471. 4 | | | | |Expected Shortages: B(r*) = |6. 47 | | | | |Probability of Shortage: P[D;r*] |0. 13 | | | | |= | | | |Betsy's Blue Bonnet Bakery | | | | | | |? = |0. 3 |? = |0. 5 |? = |0. | | | | | | | | | | | |   |   |Actual |Trend |Slope |Seasonal |Forecast |Error | |Quarter |t |Sales, Yt |Tt |bt |St |Ft | | |2003 W |1 | 36,500 |   |   |   |   | | |1988 S |2 | 43,750 | 36,500. 00 | 7,250. 00 |1. 20 |   | | |1988 S |3 | 59,920 | 48,601. 00 | 9,675. 50 |1. 23 |   | | |1988 F |4 | 87,440 | 67,025. 55 | 14, 050. 03 |1. 0 |   | | |2004 W |5 | 102,240 | 87,424. 90 | 17,224. 69 |1. 17 |   | | |1988 S |6 | 123,420 | 104,144. 98 | 16,972. 38 |1. 19 | 125,436. 15 | (2,016. 15) | |1988 S |7 | 139,610 | 118,753. 37 | 15,790. 39 |1. 19 | 149,325. 16 | (9,715. 16) | |1988 F |8 | 135,380 | 125,312. 56 | 11,174. 79 |1. 13 | 175,522. 72 | (40,142. 72) | |2005 W |9 | 129,470 | 128,753. 89 | 7,308. 06 |1. 04 | 159,616. 61 | (30,146. 1) | |1988 S |10 | 137,570 | 129,989. 43 | 4,271. 80 |1. 08 | 161,612. 88 | (24,042. 88) | |1988 S |11 | 156,630 | 133,566. 44 | 3,924. 41 |1. 18 | 159,379. 23 | (2,749. 23) | |1988 F |12 | 150,980 | 136,498. 26 | 3,428. 11 |1. 11 | 154,702. 82 | (3,722. 82) | |2006 W |13 | 143,340 | 139,362. 57 | 3,146. 21 |1. 03 | 145,291. 38 | (1,951. 38) | |1988 S |14 | 153,360 | 142,190. 68 | 2,987. 16 |1. 08 | 154,509. 63 | (1,149. 3) | |1988 S |15 | 169,730 | 144,939. 30 | 2,867. 89 |1. 17 | 170,664. 76 | (934. 76) | |1988 F |16 | 161,990 | 147,249. 54 | 2,589. 07 |1. 10 | 164, 053. 12 | (2,063. 12) | |2007 W |17 | 154,760 | 149,940. 86 | 2,640. 19 |1. 03 | 154,408. 75 |351. 25 | |1988 S |18 | 164,780 | 152,592. 38 | 2,645. 85 |1. 08 | 164,739. 26 |40. 74 | |1988 S |19 | 186,730 | 156,466. 79 | 3,260. 13 |1. 19 | 181,930. 65 | 4,799. 5 | |1988 F |20 | 177,880 | 160,230. 59 | 3,511. 97 |1. 11 | 176,029. 75 | 1,850. 25 | |2008 W |21 | 170,360 | 164,152. 06 | 3,716. 72 |1. 04 | 168,951. 59 | 1,408. 41 | |1988 S |22 | 178,830 | 167,190. 82 | 3,377. 74 |1. 07 | 181,270. 26 | (2,440. 26) | |1988 S |23 | 195,550 | 168,732. 72 | 2,459. 82 |1. 16 | 202,826. 81 | (7,276. 81) | |1988 F |24 | 187,220 | 170,501. 72 | 2,114. 41 |1. 10 | 189,772. 64 | (2,552. 4) | |2009 W |25 | 163,230 | 168,070. 53 | (158. 39) |0. 98 | 178,936. 82 | (15,706. 82) | |1988 S |26 | 162,890 | 163,137. 87 | (2,545. 53) |1. 01 | 179,944. 64 | (17,054. 64) | |1988 S |27 | 174,540 | 157,361. 67 | (4,160. 86) |1. 12 | 187,085. 45 | (12,545. 45) | |1988 F |28 | 163,130 | 151,724. 53 | (4,899. 00) |1. 08 | 168,543. 79 | (5,413. 79) | |2010 W |29 | |   | |   | 144,517. 6 | | |1988 S |30 | |   | |   | 143,788. 09 | | |1988 S |31 | |   | |   | 153,515. 48 | | |1988 F |32 |   |   |   |   | 142,720. 95 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |MSE = |175,943,211 | | | |

Writing a Character Reference Full Template

Writing a Character Reference Full Template SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Thoreau once wrote, â€Å"The language of friendship is not words but meanings.† In the case of a character reference, the language of friendship involves both words and meanings. If you’re tasked with writing a character reference, then your mission is to write about your friend and all her amazing qualities. How exactly can you fulfill this mission of writing an outstanding character reference? This guide will help you through the writing process with a template for your letter. To begin, let’s go over the purpose of a character reference. What’s the Purpose of a Character Reference? You might have a friend, relative, or neighbor ask you to write a character reference. You usually base this reference on your personal, rather than professional, relationship with the subject. There are a few different reasons why someone might need you to write her a character reference. In the Professional World... Some people need a character reference for a job. Hiring managers could ask for one as a way to get to know the candidate on a more personal level. They might also want to make sure the candidate is trustworthy, particularly if the job calls for a high level of ethics. My friend, for instance, recently provided a referencefor his friend applying to the U.S. State Department. If the applicant didn’t provide at least three great character references, then there was no way he was gettinghigh level security clearance. Another reason that a job candidate might seek a character reference is to use it as a supplement to her application. If she’s young and hasn’t had many jobs before, then she may add a personal letter to support her cause. Outside the Professional World... Outside of job applications, there are other circumstances that call for a personal recommendation. Someone might be applying to a position in the community, like membership in a local club. Students could need a character reference as they apply to scholarships or awards. People looking to adopt or provide foster care for a child often need character references. They also seek them when trying to buy a house or condo. Finally, character references can also be used to support someone in court. The purpose of your letter will shape what you say to some extent. For this article, I’ll focus on a character reference that gives insight into someone’s personal attributes and could most realistically be used for a job or volunteer-type position. In a general sense, all character references share the same mission: to reveal the subject’s personal strengths and to show support. If you’ve taken on this mission, how can you produce a memorable character reference? This guide will lead you through the writing process, step by step. Whether your friend wants to get a job, buy a house, or go on the next mission to Mars, your character reference should explain why she's the best person for the role. Writing a Character Reference: 4 Steps While there are several ingredients that go into producing a strong letter, there are two in particular that stand out. The first is organizing your thoughts in a clear and meaningful way. The second is giving specific examples to paint a picture of the subject. These are two of the most important lessons in crafting a strong letter, but also two of the most challenging to carry out. To help you meet this challenge, I’ve broken down the writing process into four steps. The first, you might be happy to hear, doesn’t require you to do any writing yet! Step 1: Speak to theCandidate The responsibility for this first step of the letter writing process actually falls on the shoulders of the person asking for the letter. She should share details of the letter’s purpose, whether it’s for a job, community position, or house, for example. She might have ideas for qualities or stories you could share in your letter. If the position seeks someone with a strong code of ethics, then the candidate should let you know to highlight instances when she showed honesty and integrity. The subject of your letter might also share her resume or any other relevant materials. By getting all the important details, you can make sure your character reference is customized and relevant. You both might brainstorm ideas together, too, which brings us to the next stage of the reference writing process. Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas for Your Reference This second stage of your character reference writing process is all about preparation. Take a few moments to gather your thoughts and sort through your ideas for the letter. What qualities jump out when you think about the candidate? What anecdotes could you share to support your evaluation? Why does she deserve to get the position or move into the neighborhood? Some qualities that could jog your thinking include, Ethical, honest, trustworthyDetermined, goal-oriented, hard-workingFair, honestGenerous, giving, helpfulCreative, curiousConsiderate, empathetic, kindLoyal, committed, reliableResponsible, matureCharming, funny, lighthearted, charismaticEasygoing, lightheartedIntelligent, studiousOrganizedPatient, supportive, sensitiveGood listenerGood communicator, well-spokenIndependentResilient Once you’ve brainstormed qualities, pick out three or so to highlight. These should really capture the subject, as well as be relevant to the situation. If you’re writing a letter for a babysitting job, then you might want to zoom in on the candidate’s caring and responsible nature. If you’re supporting someone’s application to buy a house, then you might focus more on her reliability or neighborlyqualities. Once you’ve chosen your top three, think about specific anecdotes you could share when the candidate demonstrated those qualities. As you’ll see in the template below, you should share two to three specific examples to really illustrate the person and validate your description. Once you’ve thought of some ideas, you’re ready to start drafting! Ready to start drafting? Use the roadmap below to reach your destination! Step 3: Draft Your Character Reference with this Template Once you’ve arrived at the drafting stage, you should have some idea of what you want to say in your character reference. You know what the letter is for and have thought of some ways to describe your friend. Once you have yourideas, you can follow a pretty straightforward structure for producing your letter. The following template will go over this structure, piece by piece. To begin, let’s start with basic contact information. Insert Contact Information at the Top Ideally, you can address your reference to a specific person. Writing to a specific person is more personal than, â€Å"To Whom It May Concern.† If it’s not possible, though, then a more generalized greeting is fine. If you have official letterhead with your contact information at the top then you should go ahead and use it. If not, then you might write out your contact information on the top left margin, followed by the addressee’s contact information. Your contact information could look something like this: Joe SmithSchool DirectorFun Among Us Daycare5 Main St.Anytown, CA 90210 Below your contact information, insert the details for the person to whom you’re writing, like this: Stella McKayDirectorA+ Tutoring60 School St.Booktown, TX 73344 Below this contact information, start your letter with a salutation of, â€Å"Dear [name].† Once you have your contact information set, you can start in on the introduction. Paragraph 1: The Introduction Now you’re ready to start your letter. You should start out strong with a statement of support. Some positive phrases include, I am honored to support...I am pleased to provide a reference for...I am delighted to be called upon...I am happy to recommend...I have no hesitation in recommending...It’s my pleasure to recommend... Here are a couple examples for starting your letter: 1. It’s my pleasure to recommend Jackieto the position of Intelligence Operations Officer with the U.S. Secret Service. 2. I’m very happy to recommend Aaronfor membership in the Hometown Community Service Club. 3. I’m pleased to provide a reference for Alishaas she seeks a nannying position with your family. In addition to starting out strong, you should also explain who you are and how you know the candidate. Qualify the nature of your relationship so that the reader understands why your opinion is a valuable one. Here are a fewexamples for your next sentence. 1. I met Jackie, my assigned roommate, on the first day of college, and we continued to live together for the next four years. Despite living in different cities aftergraduation, we've remained close friends. 2. Aaron and I developed a strong friendship since he moved in next door four years ago. 3. As Alisha's aunt, I've watched her grow up into a mature and responsible young woman who's always her cousins' first pick for Saturday night babysitter. Once you’ve introduced yourself, you could give a brief summary of what qualities you’ll touch on in the rest of your letter. For example, these lines set up the content in the next couple of paragraphs: 1. Jackie inspiredme with her ethics, intelligence, and ambition throughout our college years and beyond. 2. Aaron's an exceptional neighbor and friend whoactively contributes to the well-being of our community. 3. Alisha's a reliable, warm, and creative person who's skilled atcaring for children of all ages. Overall, your introductory paragraph should consist ofthreeto five sentences. Show your support right off the bat, and make sure to explain who you and why your reference holds weight. Indicate the reason for the reference, and give a brief description of the candidate. Then you can flesh out this description in two to three body paragraphs. Body Paragraphs You couldinclude two to three body paragraphs, depending on what qualities you want to touch on. Each paragraph should have a specific focus; for instance, you could highlight one facet of the person’s character and pair it with an anecdote. You should order the body paragraphs starting with the most relevant point. Consider what qualities the reader of your letter is looking for. What will be most helpful and impressive? Put that quality first. Here are a couple examples for body paragraphs. 1. Jackie is a person of high moral character. Her strong sense of ethics came through in discussions in and out of our political science classes. A real-life ethical test came along junior year, when she found a wallet with hundreds of dollars of cash outside. Keeping any of the money didn’t seem to occur to Jackie for a second, and she tracked down its owner and mailed it back first-class. She’s always someone I can trust to do the right thing and is the first person I think to call when confronted with my own moral dilemmas. 2. Aaron is motivated by a strong sense of social responsibility. He makes a difference everyday in his position as physical education teacher at the middle school and volunteer coach of the soccer and wrestling teams. Last year, the district recognized his contributions with the Coach of the Year award. One of his soccer players, who’d been identified as an at-risk student, said a few touching words about how Aaron believed in him and helped him feel reconnected to school. Aaron's a much-lovedteacher and coach who’s committed to the well-being of his students. 3. Alisha is a creative person who’s able to keep even my energetic kids engaged and happy. She’s chock full of ideas for art projects, sports competitions, and make-believe games. Last time she watched her cousins, they ended up putting together and acting out their own production of Frozen. She’s great at devising activities that are fun, safe, and surprisingly effective at getting kids active and away from their iPads. Of course, your body paragraphs will be customized to the individual. The basic formula of â€Å"description + anecdote† is useful to keep in mind as you draft these. You’ll find a summary of a basic template for the body paragraphs of your character reference below. First, though, let’s consider the final paragraph of your letter, the conclusion. Conclusion and Signature After wrapping up the body paragraphs, you’ve reached the end of your character reference. Your conclusion can just be three to five sentences long, and its content is pretty straightforward. First, you can reiterate your support or high opinion of the candidate. Here are a couple examples of how to do this: 1. In closing, I'd like to reiterate my unequivocal support for Jackie as she seeks appointment to the Secret Service. 2. As you can tell, I think the world of Aaron and recommend him for membership in Hometown Community Service Club without hesitation. 3. Alisha has my highest recommendation as a childcare provider and all-around great human being. Then, you might summarize the points you’ve made or add a few more descriptive words. Remember that the conclusion is your final chance to communicate your recommendation, so you want to leave the reader with a lasting good impression. For instance, you might say something like this: 1. Jackie is not only brilliant,but also a highly ethical person and loyal friend. 2. Aaron's made countlesscontributions to our community and will be able to extend his reach as a club member. 3. Alisha is responsible, patient,and sensitive to the needs of children. Finally, invite the reader to contact you for any further information. Show that you’re happy to confirm your character reference or add anything else via email or phone. You can also thank the reader for her time. 1. Please don't hesitate to contact me for any further information. Thank you for your time. 2. Please feel free to get in touch with any questions. Thank you. At the end, sign your name and print it beneath, perhaps with your phone number and email if they're not at the top of your letter. Then, you’ve reached the end of your character reference! To review, let’s put all the pieces together into this final template. Use the template below to shape your letter from a rough ball of clay to a polished final product. Drafting your Character Reference: Final Template The personal recommendation letter template below reflects the above structure, including the contact information, introductory paragraph, body paragraphs, conclusion, and final signature. YourNamePosition [if relevant]Workplace [if relevant]Street AddressCity, State, Zip Code Addressee's NamePosition [if relevant]Company [if relevant]Street AddressCity, State, Zip Code Dear [Addressee'sName], It's my great pleasure to provide this character reference for[name] for [purpose of letter]. I've been close friends with[name] for the past [number of years]. [Name of candidate] is [two to three descriptors], and I have no doubt that he/she would make an outstanding addition to [company, club, etc]. Please allow me to give threeexamples of her personalstrengths. Body Paragraphs 1 - 3: [Name] stands out for his/her [quality]. Last year, for example, he/she [specific example]. He/she consistently [description of personal attributes]. [Name] is uniquefor his/her [specific qualities].* *Present 2-3 main characteristics of the candidate in the body paragraphs, each with a specific example if possible. Put them in order of importance andrelevance. Usestrongly positive language, but try not to soundover the top. In closing, I'd like to restate my wholeheartedsupport for [name's] as she seeks [purpose of letter]. He/she is [most important qualities]. I have no doubt that she will continue to have great success with [company, club, etc]. Please don't hesitate to contact me for any further information. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, [Signature] NamePosition [if relevant]EmailPhone Number Of course, the body paragraphs leave a lot of space for customization. This space allows you to make your personal recommendation letter unique to the candidate. Once you’ve drafted your letter, you just have one more important step in the writing process. Step 4: Edit for Clarity Before sending off your character reference, take a few minutes to edit and revise. First, make sure there are no spelling or grammar errors. Beyond fixing any mistakes, take a look at your writing and make sure it’s clear. Whoever’s reading your letter may not have a ton of time to look closely at every word. Your letter should leave a powerful impression without requiring a big time commitment from the reader. In other words, your goal isto be concise. If you can make the same impact with fewer words, do so. Eliminate unnecessary adverbs and adjectives that add bulk but not meaning.If a sentence feels cluttered, try your best to clean it up. Once you’ve tightened up your writing, your letter is ready to submit! You’ve produced a well-structured reference that compliments the candidate and gives specific examples that speak toher character. In closing, let’s review the key points to remember about drafting a character reference. This wary cat has no reason to worry. Her canine roommate just finished writing an excellent character reference. He didn't even mention her habit of clawing the couch or knocking over glasses of water. Key Points: Writing a Character Reference If you’re writing a character references, chances are you’re writing about a friend, neighbor, or relative. Your task is to write about this person’s favorable attributes and describe what makes him/her special. The content of your letter will largely be shaped by what it’s being used for. If you’re writing for a job, then you may want to shed light on the subject’s personality and relevant qualities, like ethics and trustworthiness. If you’re writing for membership in a community club, then you might talk about the subject’s community connections or leadership. Whatever your letter’s purpose, it should be strongly positive and use specific examples. Rather than turning into a list of adjectives, your letter should have anecdotes that reveal positive things about the subject. By telling stories and using a clear and concise structure, you can produce a stand-out character referenceandimpress yourreaders! What’s Next? Are you interested in professional letters of recommendation for jobs? This guide contains a recommendation letter template to help you through the writing process. Ready to read some referenceletter samples? This article has nine free samples of recommendation letters, including a character reference! Interested in recommendation letters for college? This guide has four amazing recommendation letter samples written by high school teachers.

Maurice De Vlaminck - Artist Profile

Maurice De Vlaminck - Artist Profile Movement, Style, School or Type of Art: Fauvism is the movement with which Vlaminck will always be most closely associated. However, Fauvism was a very short movement and the artist had a very long career. His work briefly leaned towards Cubism (which he professed to loathe) prior to World War I; afterwards it settled into an Expressionistic style that Vlaminck maintained for the rest of his life. The important thing to remember is that, regardless of which labels we now assign to his work, he (a self-taught artist) operated instinctively. He didnt and wouldnt care what we call his approachhe was simply being true to his gut. Date and Place of Birth: April 4, 1876, Paris Maurice was born to two musicians: Edmond Julien de Vlaminck, his father, was a pianist, violinist and tenor. His mother, Josephine Grillet, who was from Lorraine, was also a pianist. Because the artist grew up in this household, music came as naturally to him as breathing. In the early years of his adult life, he was able to help support his young family by taking on violin students and getting the occasional paying gig. But, even though it was second-nature, music never lit the fires of passion in Vlaminck that visual art did. Early Life: Young Maurice didnt have the benefit of a top-drawer education, but he was intellectually curious, emotionally fearless and physically imposing. Vlaminck grew to be a tall, strong, red-haired man prone to wearing loud colors and a gaudy wooden necktie. He married for the first time in his teens and worked (in addition to giving music lessons) to support his wife and daughters as a wrestler, billiards shooter, mechanic, laborer and professional cyclist before a bout with typhus weakened him. He also discovered that he could write, and penned several risquà © novelsanything to pay the bills. How He Came to Art: Vlaminck had taken a smattering of drawing classes and tried his hand at painting, but it was a chance incident that reportedly led him to make art his career. While serving his mandatory 3-year military obligation, he met the painter Andrà © Derain in 1900, when the train on which both men were riding derailed. A lifelong friendship was struck, as well as a deal to share a studio in Chatou. It was in this picturesque Seine valley villagepreviously popular with the Impressioniststhat Vlaminck began painting in earnest. (Never a thought towards selling, mind you. He quite simply was overcome by the urge to paint.) When Art Noticed Him: Vlaminck attended a Parisian van Gogh exhibition in 1901 and was blown away by Vincents color choices. At this same show, Derain introduced his studio mate to Henri Matisseperhaps the most bold colorist to ever hold a brush. Vlaminck absorbed these options, and spent the next few years pouring riotously-hued landscapes back out onto canvas. Convinced by Derain and Matisse to show, Vlaminck began exhibiting with them in 1904. The 1905 Salon dAutomne exhibition was where the trio and a few other like minded artists received the (snarky) moniker fauves (wild beasts) from the art critic Louis Vauxcelle. Ironically, the indifferent-to-sales Vlaminck began to sell any- and everything he painted, so in demand were the canvases of this wild beast. After meeting Paul Cà ©zanne, Vlamincks work took a turn towards balancing color with more structured compositions. He is best known today for his Fauvism perioda span of no more than seven years. Vlamincks later work (the bulk of his career) continued to concentrate on color, sell well and be seen in exhibitions that he did not attend. In addition to painting, he produced some fine lithographs, etchings and woodcuts, and authored and illustrated a number of books. Important Works: Man Smoking a Pipe, 1900Portrait of Derain, 1905Potato Pickers, 1905-07Self Portrait, 1912The Red Tractor, 1956 Date and Place of Death: October 11, 1958, Rueil-la-Gadelià ¨re, Eure-et-Loir, France Vlaminck apparently expended most of the drama in his life on his paintings. He died peacefully of old age at La Tourillià ¨re, the farmhouse he bought in 1925. How To Pronounce Vlaminck: vlah ·mink This is the French pronunciation of the Belgian spelling of Vlaming, more commonly known as Fleming (person from Flanders) in the English-speaking world. Quotes From Maurice de Vlaminck: Good painting is like good cooking; it can be tasted, but not explained.I heightened all my tone values and transposed into an orchestration of pure color with every single thing I felt. I was a tender-hearted savage filled with violence. I translated what I saw instinctively, without any method, and conveyed truth, not so much artistically but humanely.I seem initially to have followed Fauvism, and then to have followed in Cà ©zannes footsteps. WhateverI do not mind ... as long as first of all I remained Vlaminck. Sources and Further Reading Derain, Andrà ©. Lettres Vlaminck.Paris : Flammarion, 1955. Rewald, John. Vlaminck (1876-1958) His Fauve Period (1903-1907).New York : Perls Galleries, 1968.Buy Direct Selz, Jean. Vlaminck.New York : Crown Publishers, 1963.Buy Direct Selz, Jean. Vlaminck, Maurice deGrove Art Online. Oxford University Press, 7 November 2008.Read a review of Grove Art Online. Vlaminck, Maurice de. Vlaminck, Master of Graphic Art: A RetrospectiveExhibition of Graphic Works, 1905-1926 (exh. cat.).Chicago : R. S. Johnson-International Gallery, 1975. Walterskirchen, Katalin De. Maurice De VlaminckCatalogue Raisonne De Loeuvre Grave.Paris : Flammarion, 1974.Buy Direct Go to Artist Profiles: Names beginning with V or Artist Profiles: Main Index

Mathematics Curriculum in the US Research Paper

Mathematics Curriculum in the US - Research Paper Example As people compete in the modern century, they stand on the main changes threshold in the United States curriculum of mathematics education. This paper seeks to identify some of the main changes in the mathematic curriculum in the US and highlight how teachers will make some adjustments in their teaching styles to accommodate these drastic changes. Discussion An increasing anxiety in the US concerning the mathematics education state is evident. The challenge is evident in the poor USlearners’ performance on different global evaluations. People have assumed that they only require one established mathematical skill body in preparation of the twenty first century careers. This assumption has led to increased anxiety. The reality is; diverse mathematics skills sets are crucial foundation for various careers. Therefore, the current mathematics skills must be altered and reshaped to reflect such fact. The fundamental premises of this discussion is that mathematic curriculum in the Un ited States is and has been undergoing drastic changes in the recent past and teachers must restructure the curriculum of mathematics in the United States - in terms of methods of teaching and the content of their teaching materials- to be competent and competitive in the modern world. Therefore, if students are to develop current mathematic knowledge and confidence in order to utilize that knowledge – and be individually and professionally competitive and competent in the 21st century - teachers and instructors have a crucial role to play in reshaping their tactic and techniques to fit and adjust to the constantly changing mathematic curriculum of the US. This restructuring entails a lot more than just inventing new teaching materials or retaining educators, (Russell, Corwin, Mokros, Friel & Stone, 1992). Similarly, changing some parts is insufficient, what is needed is a total reshaping or redesigning of the school content of mathematics curriculum, as well as the teaching methods. Some of the main changes in the US mathematic curriculum The crucial changes include first alterations in the mathematical operations requirements. As the US economy adapts to the current information era requirements, workforce in all sectors such as hotel secretaries and clerks, travel agents, mechanics of automobiles and many others should learn to explain and interpret competently modern IT controlled procedures. Various jobs presently need analytical and not peculiar mechanical knowledge and skills, therefore, all learners require increasingly mathematical intelligent in colleges as a preparation for such opportunities. In addition, the intensive utilization of financial, graphical, and statistical information in everyday magazines, and public media and debates demands increased quantitative literacy standards for efficient engagement in democratic community, (Russell, 1997). In the United States, there exists a shift towards the standards of common core, demanding an c ombined and an increasingly comprehensive mathematics curriculum. Even though, United States has witnessed a complete sample paper, it is clear that increasingly multi-dimensional queries will be extremely based on problem-solving standards, requiring the learners to utilize various skills to attain various solutions. Such a new move is increasingly encouraged, but from the perspective of teachers, such a change must be carefully introduced. To attain successful outcomes, the new questioning style must aid students realize where maths is applied in daily life. This is crucial chance to change the pseudocontext tradition of textbooks, whereby fake actual world samples contain a mathematical query. Common core evaluations and other functional knowledge present a crucial opportunity to indicate the mathematics

Impacts of black codes,Jim Crow Laws and segregation on african Essay

Impacts of black codes,Jim Crow Laws and segregation on african americans in the United States - Essay Example Racism was so much deep rooted in an American’s heart that the enactments of anti-slavery laws and the relevant amendments in the US Constitution were merely to redirect a racial mind to find alternatives of white superiority over the Black. Indeed the amended Constitution provided the legal safeguard to the Black, barring the practice of slavery at the state level as well as, to the extent the state could interfere into the public affairs. But it could do nothing to bring about the changes in the culture and the society that intrinsically nourished the racial hostility against their former slaves. Forced by the Constitution and laws, the Americans, especially the Southern States could not but embrace their former slaves, always whispering into their ears, â€Å"You are a black and you must feel it† (Haws 34). This act of reminding the Black that they were inferior to the White and subjects to the White Grace was being done perfectly by Black Codes, Segregation and the Jim Crow Laws. The â€Å"separate but equal† policy in the South is emblematic of the Whites’ failure to assimilate the minor black community into the mainstream of the society. Reconstruction: the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments The racial Segregation and the Jim Crow laws, in a single phrase the â€Å"separate policy† of the south was essentially the South’s reaction to the 13th, 14th and the 15th constitutional Amendments during the Reconstruction in the post Civil War Period. Reconstruction’s primary goals were to establish the Black rights by withering out Slavery and to reintegrate the South with the nation. But the Southerners took it as a Northern insult aggravating the injury of the Civil War. The Reconstruction started with President Lincoln’s affirmative actions for a race-blind, equal and reunited America. While Lincoln followed a more moderate course to establish black people’s right and to reunite the South, the Radical R epublicans â€Å"opposed it on the ground that Lincoln reconstruction plan had freed the slaves without paying much attention to establishing their socio-political, economic and other rights† (Stampp 78). What the North feared the most was that the Government should play a more active role in introducing the people of races to the newly imposed freedom through educational, economic and other sector developments. As a result, by passing the Wade-Davis Bill in 1864 Republican dominated Congress declare that Southern States should be run by military governors and, Secession and Slavery would be outlawed with the consent of the fifty percent of a state’s voters. Eventually the Congress also passed â€Å"the 13th Amendment and established the Freedmen’s Bureau in order to provide the formers slaves and black communities with the opportunities of education, employment, medical service, and economic facilities† (Carter 67). With the reelection of the Democrats i n 1968, the Oval Office under Johnson’s Presidency followed the same path that Lincoln started immediately after the Civil War. But President Johnson’s lack of foresight and wholeheartedness severely affected Reconstruction. Eventually, the Congress voted for the 14th Amendment of the US constitution to provide legal safeguard to Black people’s civil right in 1866 and the 15th Amendment to protect the black’s right to vote in 1870. But along the passage of time, the reconstruction zeal began to wane. Indeed the different political scandal, corruption of the reconstructed governments, economic aftermaths, etc aggravated the waning of Reconstruction. The South’s Response to the 13th Amendment: Black Codes To the North’s surprise, the South began to impose unofficial and legislative restrictions on the black’s rights. Both theoretically and legally by the 13th Amendment of the

Create a visual aid that illustrates a problem Assignment

Create a visual aid that illustrates a problem - Assignment Example The worst polluted cities Time Magazine has a listing of the world’s most polluted cities. Two are in China, two in India, two in Russia and a city each in Peru, Ukraine, Azerbaizan and Zambia. There are criteria set for categorizing the most polluted cities, and these are: the high volume of people, traffic congestion, trash and air pollution; mercury contaminated water and sewerage; danger to humans in contracting cancer by 50%, and danger to death by more than 50% compared with those not living in these cities. The most polluted cities show various types of pollutants, such as coal and particulates coming from automobiles and industrial plants. The city of Linfin in China, for example, is at the heart of China’s coal belt. Its air is filled with smog from burning coal; laundry on clotheslines turn black before it can dry under the sun. Sad to say, little is being done about the situation in these cities, especially as warnings on pollutants are muffled by talk on glo bal warming, the more dominant environmental topic today. But the problem of pollution in cities is most urgent since pollution is a direct threat to human health. Even the World Health Organization reports that water and air pollution cause GREENING THE CITIES 20% of global disease (Time). The greenest cities Fortunately solutions exist, and greening can start in cities where it is most critically needed. There are five cities recognized as the â€Å"Five Most Amazing Green Cities† by experts who used a combination of criteria including urban planning and environmental statistics (energy sources, consumption, emissions, transportation options, habits). Green cities show the availability of public parks, sustainable buildings, green jobs, and other ecological perspectives such as recycling (Howstuffworks). The first of the cities recognized for its green practices is Malmo, Sweden, with its canals, beaches, parks, and harbours looking as fresh as they were during the Middle A ges. Sweden itself leads in the green electricity revolution, while Malmo’s Western Harbour is run by 100% renewable energy sourced from the sun, wind, hydropower ad biofuels. Buildings and homes have green roofing, and are designed to be energy efficient. Streets are pedestrian and cycle friendly with 70% commuters and other travellers going on bike. The other four leading eco-cities are: (a) Copenhagen, Denmark, which has reduced cars for green transportation using bikes and a metro system. Its 56.000 windmills supply 10% of Denmark’s electricity comprising the world’s largest offshore windmill park. (b) Portland, Oregon, has 92,000 acres of green space and 74 miles of biking, hiking and running trails. Its ambitious goal is the use of 100% renewable energy by 2010. (c) Vancouver, Canada, was GREENING THE CITIES named â€Å"The World’s Most liveable City† by the Economist Magazine. It has a 100-year plan for clean and green living, and it leads t he world in the use of hydroelectric energy, while reducing wind, solar, wave and tidal energy. (d) Reykiovik, Ireland, is described as the smallest amazing green community with its 115,000 population, which is almost half of the 300,00 total population of Iceland. It uses hydrogen energy in addition to heat, geothermal and electricity energy sources. Turning the tide through greening is illustrated by a planned proposal for the capital city of Manila with its urban pollutants caused by heavy congestion of crude fuel-run motor vehicles, buildings without

The effect of Facebook on student performace

The effect of Facebook on student performace Facebook is a social networking site and website launched in February 2004 and was founded by Mark Zuckerberg. The popularity of online social network is growing at a rapid rate, such as Facebook. By end of 2008, Facebook became the most popular social network with 140 million active users Rayport, (2009). Today students use Facebook, because it is the other way to communicate with friends and family all over the world other than Twitter, my space and other social networks. Facebook offers many different options for social networking and entertainment, whereas it is free and the cheapest way to communicate with others. As far as communication goes, Facebook offers a chat option in which students can send messages instantly to one another regarding their work. They can also talk to numerous people at the same time. It is another way of communicating is using a private message option to write messages to another person. Facebook also offers the option to write on another persons profile where other people may view the message. However, these are not the only things can be found in Facebook. There are many applications and games can also be found on this site. There are ways to post items in other peoples profiles. A person can play interactive games that involve playing with other people on the site. Whereas, there are many choices of games and applications that people can choose. Examples of the games are Farmville, Pet Society, Poker, Sims and many more. These games can be interacted with friends and family. Games that this website provides continue to grow and in turn it continues to keep people intrigued and keeps them coming back. Facebook has become common among college students, Facebook games and applications and are one of the reason students are on Facebook. They spend many hours on games and applications till late at night, rather than studying or revising. This could affect the students marks and concentration during class. This is mainly because Facebook entertains them with variety of games and applications. Another reason could be because students too stress while studying, they need break, one of the option they log on to Facebook, on their phones, tabs, personal computer or laptops. When it is time to get back to their books, they spent more time on Facebook, and time just passes away without them knowing. This shows students can spend more time on Facebook rather than studying. The applications that most students spent their time on Facebook, that are uploading photos, posting links on their wall and also sending links on their wall friends wall. Whereas famous games on Facebook such as Pet Society, Texas Holdem Poker, The Sims Social and Farmville. Pet Society allows users to raise their pet in a self-decorated pet house. Users are able to play games, bring their pet to play with neighbours, as well as having the responsibility to feed their pets on time and clean them every day. Whereas, Texas Hold ´em Poker is a casino game that allows users to play poker as in real casinos, but with in-game currency. The game is nearly identical to other real cash poker games, fold, having a standard interface of check, and raise, and can sit down at any seat at the table. The game Sims Social is a unique computer game that allows players to create and control their own virtual household of people, known as Sims. Players control everything from their Sims career choic es to their eating habits, dreams, relationships, Thaddeus (2006). Farmville is an aspect of farm management such as growing and harvesting crops, planting, ploughing land, and harvesting trees and bushes, and generally run a basic farm. Some exploratory studies by Canales et al, (2009); Karpinski Duberstein, (2009) shown that the extended presence of students on Facebook has harmful effect on their task performance. While Facebook games are often said to be developed for people to spend their leisure time, it is proven that the games are addictive, causing people to spend a lot of time visiting the games. These two studies demonstrated that long hours spent on Facebook seem to decrease students academic performance and thus, their achievement grades. Students spend an average of 30 to 35 minutes a day surfing Facebook from The Learning Network blog, Schulten (2009). Many college students note that they actually spend only 3 to 4 minutes during each visit to check updates, making several visit a day; other spend up to 8 hours a day on the website. Students also acknowledge that they find the website totally distracting and the time consuming, but they also noted that they cannot quit visiting the website because they like it and can use it to keep in contact with all their family and friends, whether they meet them every day or not (Facebook, 2010). Some students are likely to spend more time than others on Facebook; they would be more immersed in related tasked as they spend long hours surfing on the websites thereby promoting their distraction from any tasks as they spend long hours surfing the website, thus promoting their distraction from any tasks performed in parallel. For example, users become interested in sharing information with friends and participating in discussion as well as uploading or watching videos and pictures. Students and other active user engage in long discussions about daily issues, checking their Facebook profiles from homes and from their cell phones. Students also check updates while preparing their assignments, which interferes with their assignments preparation. They are distracted from main occupation and their working memory load allocated to these tasks makes it difficult for them to focused and prepare their homework effectively. This would lead to instable results and likely decreased in their global achievement due to participation with Facebook. There have been many studies about using Facebook as a learning tool. One study showed that most students joined Facebook because Facebook was associated with university-level education by Madge et. al., (2009). This same study also found that Facebook is mainly used to keep up with social aspects of college life and it is a part of most students daily routine by Madge, et. al., (2009). However, students also did not seem to agree that Facebook helped their academic life cited by Madge et. al., (2009). Other studies have found that when students are asked why they did not put more effort into schoolwork that Facebook distraction was a regular explanation. Therefore, it is obvious that Facebook has become a very important feature of college life. There were no differences in Facebook use between different members of racial and ethnic groups that were part of the study, or between women and men. Younger and full-time students were more likely to be Facebook users. This study is to find out, does the time spent on games and application on Facebook affect the academic performance of students in SEGi University, Kota Damansara. Therefore the purpose of this study is to know whether Facebook games and application affects the grade point average (GPA) of students and the amount of time spent on Facebook games and application affects their studies. Grade point average (GPA) is a commonly used indicator of academic performance. Thus, the relationship among time spent on Facebook games and application and academic performance will be surveyed. In present study, Mass Communication students have been selected to conduct this study in SEGi University, Kota Damansara. The Facebook games that will be focusing on are Farmville, Pet Society, The Sims Social and Poker. While, Facebook application are pictures and videos that students spent time posting. 1.1.2 Statement of the research problem The main problem which is being addressed in this research is, how far does the time spent on games and applications on Facebook affect the academic performance of college students? The fact that excessive gaming will lead to a fall in academic performance is being illustrated on a report by Vivek Anand, (2007). It mentions that time management is the cause of the negative correlation of time spent on gaming and students academic performance. This also applies on Facebook gaming as they have the same nature and interrupts students time management in the same way. Many students in University already have laptops, smartphones; that supports the gaming in Facebook and tabs will bring it to the University. Therefore when they get notifications on their electronic devices, they will concentrate more on Facebook rather than the lecturer. Due to the lack of concentration towards the subject, students will tend to play games, chat with friends, post pictures and many more activities that capture their attention. This is not the fault of the lecturer, when students do not do well in their exams, is because they did not want to focus during the lecture. Karpinski focused on the relationship between time spent on Facebook and the academic performance of students San Miguel, (2009). He added the overall finding indicated more time on Facebook equals slightly lower grades. In Karpinskis study the regular Facebook user had a GPA of 3.0 to 3.5, while the rare Facebook user had a GPA of 3.5-4.0. Also, the regular Facebook user studied for 1-5 hours per week, while the rare Facebook user would student 11-15 hours per week. Many researchers are aware that Facebook is not the only thing that could possibly be taking away study time. However, 55 percent of those surveyed access their pages several times a day or at least once a day for a long period of time stated by San Miguel, (2009). 1.1.3 Research questions To find out does time spent on Facebook games affect academic performance? To find out does time spent on Facebook application affect academic performance? 1.1.4 Research objectives To determine the relationship between games and applications on Facebook and time spent. To find out the relationship between time spent and academic performance. 1.1.5 Significance of the study The effect of this study is to know whether Facebook games and applications affect students academic performance. This study is to find out does time spent on Facebook games and applications affect students grades. In this present study to find out does Facebook games and applications affect students academic performance, then hours students spent on Facebook games and applications affect their grades. In this study student agrees that the more time spent on Facebook games affect their academic performance, they spent hours on games rather than studying. Whereas Facebook application consume time and it does not affect their academic performance. This study will be beneficial to SEGi University students who want to know the factor, does the time spent on Facebook games and applications lower their academic performance, and does it affect their GPA. Therefore, the study is significant in this regard. It attempts to combine Facebook games and applications and the time consume does it affect the grades and academic performance. It will provide valuable information about Facebook games, applications, time spent, and academic performance. In this study will be shown the results of students when Facebook excessively. It also will serve as resource materials for others who want to carry out research in related field. 1.1.6 Scope/Limitation of the study A limitation of this project that is the participants are sampled from only one University, focusing at SEGi University on Mass Communication students, Kota Damansara. Therefore, the findings cannot be generalized to all colleges and universities. The researcher chooses the institution because of size, familiarity, cost-effectiveness, and diversity of students. Another limitation this study is that, the researcher cannot control whether the participants fill out the survey correctly and accurately. Nor can the researcher make the participants be truthful with their responses. Students may also underestimate or overestimate the time they spent on the activities listed on the survey. Students might also have trouble of distinguishing between being logged on and actively using their Facebook site. In addition, students may also under-report or over-report their GPA score. It attempts to combine Facebook application and games and the time consume does it affect the grades. The major limitation of this study is that it is cross-sectional and correlational in nature, and therefore it is impossible to determine the causal mechanisms between Facebook academic performance and time spent. While the data show that engagement and Facebook use are related, the direction of the effect is dif ¬Ã‚ cult to determine. For instance, students who spend more time on Facebook games and application also score higher on the engagement scale and also the grades are higher however it could be that students who are more engaged to begin with spend more time on Facebook games and application. It will provide valuable information about Facebook, does it affect the students grades and to manage their time. It also will serve as resource materials for others who want to carry out research in related field. CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Background of the literature The present study conducted a comprehensive examination of the pertinent literature to understand better on the time spent on games and application on Facebook and how it affects academic performance. This chapter is organized into two main categories of research literature that shape the problem. The first section focuses on the definition and historical context games and applications on Facebook. The second section focuses on the time spent on academic performance and the students GPA on University students. The literature review revealed significant information about Facebook, games and application on Facebook, the time spent on the games and application, academic performance, and students grades. 2.2 Facebook Games and Application Facebook games are originated from the development of Facebook Platform, which allow 3rd party developers to develop applications that can be deeply integrated into Facebook, and have mass distribution through the social graph. Facebook Platform has proven to be extremely popular immediately after its launch. According to Facebook Platform Statistics, (2010). More than 70% of Facebook users engage with Platform applications, and there are 550,000 active applications currently on Facebook Platform. Considering there are more than 500 million active Facebook users worldwide, the number of people engaged in the platform is huge. The applications on Facebook Platform often incorporate Flash technologies to enhance interaction with users, which quickly develop into the form of games. Facebook is one of the social network, students spend most of the time because of the application that have many choices for them to check, view and post. As mention by Block, (2010). Games are often said to be developed for people to spend their leisure time, it is proven that games are fairly addictive, causing people to spend a lot of time visiting the games. Games such as Pet Society are developed by Playfish in the year 2007. Pet Society is a pet raising game that allows users to raise their pet in a self-decorated pet house. Users are able to play games, bring their pet to play with neighbours, as well as having the responsibility to feed their pets on time and clean them every day, Block (2010). It functions are to design their pets by choosing genders, names, colours, and physical appearance features. There are a variety of activities with which the user can interact with the pet, including washing, brushing, petting and feeding the pet. There are also activities whereby pets can interact with the pets of those in the friends network. A pet can visit the pets of their friends and perform the same activities to these pets, such as washing, grooming, feeding and many more. A pet can visit other pets as many times per day as it is inclined. Pets will receive coins on the first visit to each friend of the day and Paw Points on this and each subsequent visit. Ways to earn coins in Pet Society include the Daily Lottery, visiting friends, and winning awards, cleaning or playing with pets, winning hurdle races or betting on the outcome of hurdle races. By earning a certain number of paw points makes the pet level up. Students will spend most of their time visiting their friends pets and also to make sure they play till the next level. This causes them to spend a lot of time visiting the g ame. Next game would be, Farmville. This is an application where you can create and manage your own virtual farm. Buying animals and regularly growing and tending to crops is daily routine for those addicted to Farmville and once you have gathered enough money, you can spend it on farm extensions and other big items that allow you to make your farm that extra little bit more personal. After few hours you have to come back to harvest the crop, if not your crop will die and for this time are wasted. Students spend more of their time waiting for their crops to harvest and because of that they will be thinking of the game rather than focusing on the book. Another game that students would be addicted is The Sims Social is a Facebook videogames developed by Playfish. It lets the user to create their own customizable character. In this version, the player uses their character to interact with those of their Facebook friends. The character can develop like or dislike for other Sims, creating relationship that can publicized on the users Facebook page. In this game Sims are able to develop skills, such as art, cooking, music, writing, athletic, driving, and various project skill items which are tied with specific themed collections. The Sims Social is also able to select their careers and traits. It also has needs such as social, fun, hunger, hygiene, bladder, and sleep. The Sims cannot die, therefore all mood meters cycle from deep green (good) to lighter green, yellow, orange, red, and finally gray. The Sims Social uses the socializing features of Facebook to allow players to send and receive gifts in order to finish certain quests or ob jects. For example, when a Sims levels up to a skill, they must have certain items to unlock the next level. Most of these items are obtained by sending requests to other friends or by interacting with friends Sims. Lastly is Texas Holdem Poker. It is developed by Zynga in the year of 2007, Block (2010). According to Texas Holdem is a poker variation of seven card stud poker where poker players share common cards called the board. Due to the fact that the starting two card poker hand is comprised entirely of face-down poker cards, the obligation to open the betting is rotated clockwise after each poker hand. This is accomplished with the use of a dealer button and blinds. A dealer button is a round disk with the word dealer written on it. Blinds are mandatory bets made by the first two players clockwise from the dealer button. The blinds posted in all limit games are in the amounts of 1/2 of the lower limit for the first player (small blind) and the lower limit for the second player (big blind). The blinds in a $10-$20 game would, therefore, be $5 and $10. Poker is a type of card game in which poker players bet on the value of the poker card combination (hand) in their possession, by placing a b et into a central poker game pot. The poker winner is the one who holds the poker hand with the highest value according to an established poker rankings hierarchy, or otherwise the poker player who remains in the poker hand after all others have folded. Students are addicted to this game because they want to raise the amount of money, called chips. They can play and bet with their friends. If one of them loses the game, they will play even more and this consumes time. Students are able to compete and interact with your their friends that they really know who they are in the Facebook Platform. Every time one log onto the game, they can see the progress of their friends in the game fairly easily. People can keep in touch with friends with minimal time and financial costs, which is an important factor of game addiction. Their friends that are playing the game are automatically added to the player list of them, bringing much convenience. This will encourage people to keep on playing the games, and invite more people to join the community. This we can see that, students will spend more time playing games, because they have to pass to the new level and beat their friends. 2.3 Facebook and Academic Performance Over the past few years, the use of social software tools like Friendster, MySpace, and Facebook has been increasing. Facebook, in particular, has become hugely popular among college and university students since its inception in 2004. While participation in sites like Facebook raises some concerns about privacy, there are potential benefits from participation, such as meeting new people through the site, or learning more about people in ones offline community. A lot of students prefer to use Facebook, because it offers multiple functions. For example they are able to post link with picture, therefore people spend most time on Facebook just by reading those links, going through the pictures and also chatting with friends and commenting on it. According to Hargittai,( 2008); Jones Fox,( 2009); Matney Borland, (2009). Facebook has become, the most popular social media website for college, and research shows that anywhere between 85 and 99 percent of college students use Facebook. Whereas, there are few researcher, Cooper Weaver, (2003); DiMaggio, Hargittai, Celeste, Shafer, (2004); Hargittai, (2008); Junco, Merson, Salter, (2010); Kaiser Family Foundation, (2004) agreed that Facebook has become the use of social media in the world. There are persistent differences along gender, socioeconomic, and racial lines in technology adoption and the usage, often referred to as the digital divide. Further, Subrahmanyam, Smahel, Greenfield, (2006); Valkenburg Peter, (2007); Wolak, Mitchell, Finkelhor, (2003) shows that adolescents consider the Internet a highly important medium in their everyday social life and use it to form and maintain social relationships. In this survey we can say that students use Facebook to interact with their family and friends, to keep in touch and to maintain their friendship and relationship between each other. A researcher in the education department at Ohio State University, Aryn Karpinski (2009), stated that students who spending much time on Facebook regularly surf Facebook does not do well in their academic performance. The American research found that Facebook rituals, including adding many friends, adding applications, poking other users and joining groups, can swallow up hours of study time. Some students were spending as little as an hour a week on academic work as they were too busy surfing Facebook. This study shows people who spend more time on Facebook spend less time studying. Kubey, Lavin, and Barrows (2001) found that students who spent five times more hours online reported schoolwork problems. Ten to fifteen per cent of the student participants felt their Internet visits were out of control. Although this study did not mention Facebook specifically, the researchers did mention that the captive social opportunities of the Internet appeared to be the culprit of the schoolwork problems (Kubey et. al, 2001). In addition, Vanden Boogart (2006) discovered that excessive 35 Facebook use was found among students with lower GPAs. Conversely, Pasek, More, Hargittai (2009) and Kolek and Saunders (2008) found no correlation between Facebook use and GPA in their studies. Bauerlein (2008) claimed that social networking sites (i.e. Facebook) raise vocabulary problems, which can lead to weaker reading and writing skills. Students who write and read messages on social network sites often use new lingo (i.e. short-hand versions of words), incomplete sentences, misspelled words, and incorrect grammar. Online social network etiquette allows for students to write poorly because it is a very lax environment for writing and sending messages. Unfortunately, when students consistently practice poor writing skills when participating in online activities, they start to develop bad writing habits that could also hinder their academic performance. Some exploratory studies by Canales et al, (2009); Karpinski Duberstein, (2009) have shown that the extended presence of students on Facebook has harmful effect on their task performance. These two studies revealed that long hours spent on Facebook seem to decrease students academic performance and thus, their achievement grades. Students spend an average of 30 to 35 minutes a day surfing Facebook from The Learning Network blog, Schulten (2009). Many students noted that they actually spend only 3 to 4 minutes during each visit to check updates, making several visit a day; other spend up to 8 hours a day on the website. From this study we will know that students prefer using Facebook rather than studying and they prefer spending time on Facebook. Students who are logged on to Facebook while studying get significantly lower grades than those who did not use Facebook, according to psychologists. A study has found that the exam results of those who used the social networking site while homework, were 20 percent lower than rare users. According to researchers, the findings put a dent in the theory that young peoples brains are better at multitasking on digital gadgets. The problem is that most people have Facebook or other social networking sites, their emails and maybe instant messaging constantly running in the background while they are carrying out other tasks, the Daily Mail quoted study author Professor Paul Kirschner as saying. Our study, and other previous work, suggests that while people may think constant task-switching allows them to get more done in less time, the reality is it extends the amount of time needed to carry out tasks and leads to more mistakes, (pg 1237-1245) His team studied 219 students aged between 19 and 54 at an American university. It was observed that the Facebook users had a typical grade point average score from zero up to four of 3.06. Non-users had an average GPA of 3.82. Those who did not use the site also said they devoted more time to studying, spending an average of 88 per cent longer working outside class. Three fourth of the Facebook users claimed they didnt believe spending time on the site affected their academic performance. The study by Open University in the Netherlands will be published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior. According to Professor Paul Kirschner: The problem is that most people have Facebook or other social networking sites, their emails and maybe instant messaging constantly running in the background while they are carrying out other tasks. The Facebook users among them had a typical grade point average a score from zero up to four of 3.06. Non-users had an average GPA of 3.82 (pg 1237-1245) According to the researcher, students are always with their laptops, hand phone, and tabs. Therefore they will get the notifications while studying, students will tend to concentrate more on Facebook rather than their subject. Therefore, whenever the lecturer explains in the class, their concentration will be on Facebook. When comes to exam the students who did not use Facebook while concentrating in class will score more in exams rather than the students, that are more on Facebook. Yamamichi, (2011). Stated that the Facebook Statistics also mentions, that there are more than 250 million active users accessing Facebook through their mobile devices and people that use Facebook on their mobile devices are twice as active on Facebook than rare mobile users. This shows many of students not only use laptops and tabs, but they use Facebook on their mobile device to connect to Facebook. Canales, Wilbanks, and Yeoman (2007). Conducted their survey on sixty-one college students, they found that students who use Facebook more often generally have lower GPAs and tend more towards extraversion and neurosis (associated with anxiety, anger, depression, and impulsivity) than those students who use Facebook less. Referring to Choney, ( 2010) statement Users of Facebook have an average GPA of 3.06, while non-users have an average GPA of 3.82. It shows Facebook does affect their academic performance, to be included that students not using Facebook getting higher GPA then users in their exam. Another statement by Fodeman and Monroe, (2009). Students have an irresistible need to connect with their peers because of the development of these 24/7 accessible technologies. Therefore, the usage of Facebook can become a habit that may affect the academic performance of students as well as their quality of life. 2.4 Theory The theory of this study is the Uses and Gratification (UG). Uses and gratifications is a psychological communication perspective that examines how individuals use mass media. An audience based theoretical framework, it is grounded on the assumption that individuals select media and content to fulfill felt needs or wants. These needs are expressed as motives for adopting particular medium use and are connected to social and physical makeup of individual. Based on perceived needs, social and psychological characteristics, and media attributes, individuals use media and experience related gratifications. The perspective can be used to understand a variety of media uses and consequences. It assumes a relatively active audience, which consciously selects content and media to satisfy specific needs or desires. For example students do come to Facebook to fulfill their needs for self-expression. Some may post on statues to express their needs and also chat or message their friends. In this study, have to understanding the thoughts and behaviours of the students in using Facebook games and applications. The media uses and gratifications theory looks at understanding what people do with media outlets. This approach focuses on why people use particular media rather than on content. In contrast to the concern of the media effects tradition with what media do to people. Uses and Gratification can be seen as part of a broader trend amongst media researchers which is more concerned with what people do with media, allowing for a variety of responses and interpretations. Katz, Blumler, and Gurevitch (1974) describe the concept as one that is concerned with the social and psychological origins of needs, which generate expectations of the mass media or other sources, which lead to differential patterns of media exposure. This means many people use media to satisfy their needs, for example students use media such as Facebook to past their time, for a learning tool, play games and many more. Uses and Gratifications Approach offers another way of explaining why people expose themselves to some communications. Katz, Blumler, and Gurevitchs Uses and Gratification Theory suggest that media users play an active role in choosing and using media. Users take an active part in the communication process and are goal-oriented in their media usage. Theorists say that media users seek out source that best fulfills their needs. Uses and Gratifications Theory assumes that users have alternate choices to satisfy their needs (Griffin, 2000). Focus of this theory is that viewers attend, perceive and remember information that is pleasurable or that will in some way help satisfy their needs