Making Cigarrette Smoking Illegal Research Paper

Making Cigarrette Smoking Illegal - Research Paper Example This has been taken on by youngsters who are getting hooked on to this habit for all the wrong reasons. The legal aspects of cigarette smoking should therefore be understood before one can suggest that these need to be made illegal. This paper covers how smoking cigarettes is a bane all over the world, and how this problem seems to come up from different angles of the society which essentially disrupts the basis of optimism to cultivate within the different nations of the world. The manner in which youth is getting addicted to smoking is something that needs to be understood properly here. This is because cigarette smoking not only affects a young man or woman but also the ones who live with them (Lillard, 2005). The passive smoking element is therefore all the more significant to comprehend within the related thick of things. It would only be natural to understand where the problems come up from and how these will be resolved within the most apt way possible. It has been found out t hrough research that often times passive smoking of cigarettes is even more harmful than the ones who smoke regularly. When this research came about, many people did not believe it but with the passage of time, this has been proven with due research and evidence of study (Cook, 2007). The cigarette smoking domains in essence highlight the kind of issues that can come about and how these will mean problems for the people who smoke and the ones who take the brunt of such nuances. Cigarette smoking is not only a problem; it is indeed a serious anomaly within the society because the smokers are affecting it in more ways than one. They are not only creating concerns within their own health domains but also directly influencing the lives of others that surround them. Smoking essentially requires steps from different quarters and the need is to make sure that its legal status is looked upon. If the decision-makers can deem it as an illegal act, this will save the lives and health basis of a number of people around the world. How society views smoking is something that says a great deal about the society under question (Tong, 1987). This means that its different nuances are linked with its people who regularly smoke cigarettes. Their actions and undertakings depend largely on how much they smoke and what they make out of smoking in essence. This needs to be properly comprehended before one can outline the due role of the society within the shaping up of the smoking concerns. How media portrays the cigarette smokers needs to be given attention to as well. This means that the smokers are having a good time at the hands of the media in certain countries of the world. However, in other nations this is not the case. There are a few countries which have completely banned the sale and advertising of cigarettes, which indeed is a step in the right direction. But this does not end here as much needs to be achieved in the long run. The manner in which corporations are tackling this issue also needs to be understood (Raw, 1989). They are perhaps going overboard by highlighting aspects that work to their own advantage. This is a disservice to the society and should be comprehended as such. If the corporations and the media play their due role, then they can easily make smoking an illegal commodity for everyone, however this requires persistence by the media experts and the corporate giants. Similarly, the celebrities

The differences of entrepreneurship in China and Japan Research Paper

The differences of entrepreneurship in China and Japan - Research Paper Example es is China; consequently, many American firms have set up their manufacturing firm there in order to take advantage of not only the low taxes but also the comparatively cheap labor. Considering this, one can identify a significant difference between the costs of doing business in China verses Japan. The tax rates in China is at 25 percent, which is one of the lowest in Asia, with some parts of China such as the Taiwan province where taxes are as low as 16 percent. As such, entrepreneurs do not have to pay much in taxes, and this encourages more people to invest therein, whether they are locals, or foreigners. In sharp contrast, Japan has the highest tax rate among the countries in the region, standing at approximately 40 percent (EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation, 2011). This is almost as high as that the United States being the second highest in the OECD member states after the USA. This inevitably has made it more difficult for small business to take off in Japan unlike i n China, and the international firms are more likely to choose Japan over China in an effort to cut costs. A decisive way in which the difference between Chinese and Japanese entrepreneurship can be differentiated is in their corporate cultures, the Japanese leverage their corporate culture with the intention of producing high quality products and services, by patiently building their global reputations on diligence and quality. When a Japanese firm employs someone, it is done under the assumption that the person will stay with the firm indefinitely and they take loyalty extremely seriously as opposed to the bottom line. For instance, a firm in Japan is expected to make decisions that will allow the firm to avoid laying off workers even in times of crisis; however, a Chinese firm may take... Entrepreneurship can be defined in among other ways, as a process that causes changes in economic systems through the innovations facilitated by individuals as they respond or generate economic activities opportunities that add value to both themselves and society in which they live and do business. Ultimately, the roles of entrepreneurs who run the small and medium sized business enterprises cannot be overrated. Entrepreneurship, especially in the small and medium size enterprises is undoubtedly an integral part of the economies of both Japan and China. Despite the many differences that exist in the entrepreneurship, in the two countries, it noteworthy that the business cultures in both countries are closely related and unlike their western counterparts, business transactions are personalized and people oriented. Foreigners wishing to start a small business in either country have to be well versed in the business cultures of the respective countries, and failure to do this can resul t in frustration. Personal trust is valued in both countries and especially in Japan, contracts are not considered final and are open to be renegotiated, and one needs to be introduced to clients and customers by someone who knows them, as opposed to just approaching them as is characteristic of business interactions in the west. However, despite the cultural similarities, entrepreneurs wishing to start or run a successful business in any of these two countries will encounter a variety of different situations depending on the country in question.

How Do You See the World?

How Do You See the World? I was taught early on in life that God is the center of all creation and we should fear Him; for one day we must account for our life. I knew the bible existed, but I never read it. I was told stories out of the bible, but I did not understand the meaning of them. My parents were born, raised and educated through high school in the Catholic faith and neither parent continued on to higher education. My dad joined the Army and was sent to fight in the Vietnam War. My mom became pregnant with me after one year of college. Although neither parent will discuss this era of their life with me, I believe that my parents faced some terrifying events which pulled them away from their faith in God. I grew up in a world of emotional turmoil that would not be conquered until I was in my twenties. To this day, neither parent is close to God; however, I have experienced salvation through Christ. Moreover, my life is much better because of Him. As a survivor of unvarying mental and emotional abuse by my father and of consistent bullying I was subjected to during my teenage years in junior high and high school, currently, I have a tendency to be autonomous and not ask for help in fear that I will be rejected, ridiculed or pushed to the edge. Furthermore, the abuse I endured have long lasting effects such as lack of confidence, shy, withdrawn, confused, unfocused, and low self-esteem. After high school, I began drinking alcohol at parties and experimented with marijuana, not because I enjoyed the feeling, but because I fit in with a group of people I called my friends for the first time in my life. I met and dated my boyfriend for three years, lived in sin and became pregnant. I do not think I have ever admitted this before, but subconsciously, I believe I became pregnant on purpose. I grew up with the viewpoint that I would not bring a child into this cold, cruel, meaningless world with so much violence and disease. As it tu rned out, my daughter was a gift; a chance for me to make a life for me and her. Although I did not marry my daughters father, mostly out of fear that I would end up divorced like my parents, we remain very good friends. While he was studying for his Masters program in college, he developed a personal relationship with Jesus and introduced me to an entirely different world that I grew up knowing. I too, developed a personal relationship with Jesus but it would still be a few more years that I would completely understand what that meant and it would cost me dearly. I continued to live a very sinful life and found myself dating men that treated me just like my father and bullies. I would do anything to win their approval. I just wanted to feel loved. In the year 2000, I met this man who I fell deeply in love with. He was the furthest thing from a Godly man as you could get. In 2002, he would end up stealing everything I owned and leave me to pick up all the pieces once he moved on. I lost my money, car, my house, my job, my friends, and nearly my daughter. I soon realized it was God letting me know that he was not pleased with my choices so he got my attention dramatically. This time, I turned my life over to God completely and asked him to drive and He has not let me down since. Volunteering had always been an escape for me. I volunteered with a youth group in high school so I searched for something meaningful I could do as an adult. The Jaycees, a current volunteer group I have been with since August, 2000 has been one of the single most fulfilling journeys I have ever been on. This international organization has opened my eyes to an entire world of both wonderful and tragic ways. I have had the opportunity to be friends with people I would not have otherwise met. I have helped third world countries by providing food, water, shoes, books, toys and malaria nets. I have helped people in my own community by providing financial assistance, food needs, rides to the hospital for medical needs, etc. All the while helping others, I was actually changing my own worldview. I lost my It is all about me filter and saw the world had bigger problems than mine. I loved Jesus more than anything and questioned the reasons why God allowed such travesty to occur in His world. To do more, I joined a small group through my church and became committed friends with them. In June 2009, I affirmed my relation with Christ for a second time by being baptized, two years later, my daughter affirmed her relation with Christ. Today, I see the world with a completely different set of eyes. Instead of the why me questions with no answers, I pray what can I do to help someone today prayer. I have discovered that I am somebody with value, choices, talent, and that I have an enormous amount of love to give and there is an entire world out there that would graciously accept it. My latest prompt from God was to return to school and discover new talents, make new friends and become educated the proper way. The Lord wants me to explore His world through His eyes which is what led me to the Christian College I am at today. Lord is revealing his plan for me like if it was an onion: only peeling one layer off at a time and as long as my heart and mind are wide open, the future holds amazing things for me.

Blaise Pascal :: essays research papers fc

The French mathematician, theologian, physicist and man-of-letters, Blaise Pascal is a mathematician who has a reputation that rests more on what he might have done rather than what he might have actually done. Pascal has devoted a considerable amount of his life towards the devotion of religious exercise. Blaise Pascal was born in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne. Which is now known as Clermont-Ferrand, on June 19, 1623. And he died in Paris on Aug. 19, 1662. Pascal was the son of the president of the Court of Exchequer. After Pascal's mother died in 1630 his father who also had a scientific reputation moved to Paris in 1631 to pursue his own scientific studies, and also to continue his children’s education. Pascal had displayed an exceptional amount of academic ability therefore he was kept at home to ensure his academic stability. Pascal had a natural desire for the science of constructing figures and determining the proportions between their different parts. He soon discovered that the sum of the angles of a triangle is equal to two right angles. By the age of fourteen he was admitted to the weekly meetings of Roberval, Mersenne, Mydorge, and other French geometricians; from which, ultimately, the French Academy sprung. At sixteen Pascal wrote an essay on conic sections. Blaise Pascal with Pierre de Fermat, they invented the calculus of probabilities, which laid foundation for Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz's calculus. In 1647 Pascal invented calculating machine, which made him one of the fathers of the Computer Age. Later he developed the barometer, the hydraulic press, and the syringe. In 1653 he had to administer his father's estate. Pascal's other important scientific contributions include the derivation of Pascal's law or principle, which states that fluids transmit pressures equally in all directions, and his investigations in the geometry of infinitesimals. Around this time he invented the arithmetical triangle, and in conjunction with Fermat created the calculus of probabilities. Pascal died at the age of 39 in intense pain after a malignant growth in his stomach spread to the brain. His most famous work is the Pensees (Thoughts); a set of deeply personal meditations in somewhat fragmented form on human suffering and faith in God. "Pascal's wager" expresses the conviction that belief in God is rational: if God does not exist, one stands to lose nothing by believing in him anyway, while if he does exist, one stands to lose everything by not believing.

Kathakali

Kathakali is a form of theatrical play that incorporates dance and drama in its presentation. It originated from the Kerala in the southern part of India. Kathakali combines five essentials of art, such as expressions (stressing the importance of facial expression), dance (rhythmical movements of the hands, legs, and body), enactment (giving emphasis to hand movements), song or vocal accompaniment, and finally instrument accompaniment. Most Kathakali plays utilize the local language which is Malayalam. (Wikipedia, 2007)Performances are based from the Mahabharata and Ramayana. The Kathakali is said to be the study of performance art as a combination of religion, philosophy, and psychology, and not of religion as a performance art because it assimilates elements from each aspect, that is religion, philosophy and psychology, and perform it in an artistic fashion. To illustrate, the most popular theme of Kathakali plays are based on stories of Krishna (such as Bhagavata Purana). (Ancient Worlds, 2005)Krishna, as we all know, is considered as a divine being, worshipped around the world by people who practice Hindu traditions, in particular, Hinduism (Wikipedia, 2007). The story of Krishna in Bhagavata Purana contains principles and beliefs that are the bases of religion, specifically Hinduism, and its philosophical foundation. The goal of performance art, in general, is to capture the mind of its audience. Read also  Arya Samaj at  https://essaysamurai.co.uk/arya-samaj/The success of each performance is based on the responses of the members of the audience. In the psychological aspect, Kathakali makes use of facial expressions to captivate the soul of the audience. Kathakali artists establish a connection with their audience through their theatrical methods and techniques. Another form of performance art, however, ancient in nature, is Kutiyattam. It is safe to say that the foundation of Kathakali in terms of religious, philosophical, and psychological aspect also applies to Kutiyattam because Kathakali is said to have originated from it.ReferencesAncient Worlds, (2005) Kathakali. Retrieved November 24, 2007, from Ancient Worlds LLC.Wikipedia. (2007) Kathakali. Retrieved November 24, 2007, from Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathakali

Discussed from Paperco, Inc. Essay

This case study is discussed from Paperco, Inc. point of view of whether they should avail the tax benefits and cost savings in replacing the mechanical drying equipment. Recommendation Based on the analysis below in this memo, Paperco should purchase new mechanical drying equipment now in advance in anticipation of the passage of new tax legislation. Purchasing the equipment now maintains a positive Net Present Value for the capital project if the legislation is not enacted, or if the new legislation is enacted and the capital project is contracted early enough so that it is grandfathered in. With tax legislation grandfathered, the project gets the benefit of the new lower corporate tax rate and the old ACRS depreciation method. Although when presented with this project one year ago in 1984, Paperco was able to be postponed this capital project since it was merely â€Å"moderately attractive†. The prospect of new tax legislation being enacted as rumored makes the Net Present Value of the project comparatively more positive if the tax law changes are enacted, so Paperco should act now before tax law changes make this project infeasible. Background In November 1985, Jane Rogers a marketing representative of Pressco, Inc. approached Paperco, Inc. to sell its mechanical drying equipment at a price of $2.9 million. This new equipment would replace less efficient facilities that had been placed in service late in December 1979. According to Roger, the total cost saving (exclusive of depreciation charges) from the proposed installation of new equipment amounted to $560,000 per year. Of this amount, $360,000 in savings was expected to come from more efficient fuel utilization. One year earlier, Rogers had been unsuccessful in interesting Paperco’s management in purchase of new equipment. Paperco felt that the investment in  new equipment as moderately attractive at that time. However, beginning 1986, new tax legislation had been rumored to: (1) eliminate the investment tax credit for new equipment; (2) extend depreciation lives for new equipment, and (3) reduce the corporate tax rate from 46% to 34%. Paperco’s senior management was concerned that the basic thrust in the firm’s sales of mechanical drying equipment. Paperco’s management suddenly expressed significant interest in moving forward with the purchase of new equipment and seemed anxious to sign a binding contract. Discussion and Analysis We need to analyze when is the best situation for Paperco, Inc. to replace the old facilities with new drying equipment that will enable the Company to avail greater tax benefits and cost savings. There are three alternative courses of action available to Paperco, Inc. to decide whether to buy the new drying equipment or not. I. Buy the new equipment yet no legislation is enacted Advantages Continue to use a 5 years ACRS depreciation model with higher depreciation expense Efficiency in operations due to new equipment Disadvantages Retain all tax credits due to using 5 year ACRS depreciation model in equipment with useful life of 7 years Tax rate continued at 46% II. Buy the new equipment when the new tax proposal is enacted and bind the contract soon enough to be grandfathered or before the enactment of the law Advantages Continue to use a 5 years ACRS depreciation model with higher depreciation expense Efficiency in operations due to new equipment Investment tax credit that will reduce Paperco’s taxes Tax rate reduced to 34% from 46% Disadvantages Depreciation life of the equipment will not be extended III. Buy the new equipment when the new proposed tax is enacted but do not bind the contract in time to be grandfathered or after the enactment of the law Advantages Efficiency in operations due to new equipment Tax rate reduced to 34% from 46% Depreciation life of the equipment will be extended by 2 years Disadvantages MACRS depreciation model will generate lower depreciation expenses than the ACRS depreciation model No investment tax credit due to binding the contract after the law was enacted Option I in which the rumored tax proposal is not enacted and that the new equipment replaces the old equipment in December 1986. Paperco would retain all tax credits due to the fact the machine has been in service for 84 months, and use a 5-year ACRS depreciation model for the new equipment. This option has a positive NPV of $2,619,745. Option II in which the new tax proposal is enacted. The new equipment is installed in December 1986. Paperco signs a binding contract soon enough to be â€Å"grandfathered†, this allows Paperco to receive the 8% tax credit and use ACRS depreciation. At the same time, their tax rate would fall to 34%. Paperco would benefit from this more favorable â€Å"grandfathered† tax approach. Option II has a positive NPV of $3,414,104. Option III in which the new tax proposal is enacted and Paperco installs the new equipment in December 1986, but they do not sign a binding contract in time to be â€Å"grandfathered† and receive the 8% invest ment tax credit and use ACRS depreciation. The company will use MACRS and a depreciation period of 7 years. The NPV of the project with this timing and structure is $3,228,044. Without the â€Å"grandfathered† tax allowance, the new tax legislation makes the project unattractive based on lower Net Present Value. Calculations Re-affirmation There are three options available to Paperco, Inc. with respect to this capital investment: Option I: New legislation is passed and Paperco qualifies for â€Å"grandfathering,† Option II: New legislation is passed and Paperco does not qualify for â€Å"grandfathering,† Option III: Buy the new equipment when the new proposed tax is enacted but do not bind the contract in time to be grandfathered or after the enactment of the law Last year (1984) investment in new drying equipment pursuant to Option I was not pursued despite its attractiveness as a viable capital project, perhaps because it was possible that a better alternative might arise. However, given the impending tax legislation, the possible alternatives are now known, and they are not good. Under the new tax legislation without grandfathering, the project is not viable. Paperco should invest in the new equipment (with binding contract) because not doing so soon enough, the project will not a viable alternative, while investing in the equipment is a viable alternative (i.e., the Net Present Value of the project in Option II is higher than other alternatives).

29 Memorable Quotes From Elf

29 Memorable Quotes From 'Elf' Since it was released in 2003, the movie Elf  has become a Christmas classic. Directed by Jon Favreau and written by  David Berenbaum, the film tells the story of Buddy (Will Ferrell), an orphan who is adopted and raised by elves at the North Pole. Believing himself to be an elf, Buddy begins to encounter trouble as he gets older and becomes too large to use the toy-making machines. He eventually learns that he is human and sets out for New York City in search of his birth father. Of course, hilarity ensues as Buddys childlike innocence meets the cynicism of the big city. Elf was a box-office hit, winning praise from critics and audiences for its quotable lines and Ferrells high-energy performance. Its refreshing take on innocence, goodness, and Christmas cheer still resonates with audiences. The quotes below include Buddys most famous lines. Swirly Twirly Gumdrops Buddys journey from the North Pole to Manhattan is one of the most famous scenes in Elf.  The sequence places live-action Ferrell within the stop-motion animated world of the classic  Rankin/Bass Christmas specials. Buddys description of his trip is one of the most famous quotes in the movie: I passed through the seven levels of the candy cane forest, through the sea of swirly-twirly gum drops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel. Encountering the Human World Much of the comedy  comes from the contrast between Buddys boundless cheer and the gritty realities of New York. Buddy has no experience in the human world. All he knows are ice skating and reindeer, candy canes and toys. Hes not prepared for the Big Apple. [On seeing a sign that says  Worlds Best Cup of Coffee]  You did it! Congratulations! Worlds best cup of coffee! Great job, everybody! Its great to be here. Good news! I saw a dog today! Im a  cotton-headed ninny-muggins. [To a doctor  performing  a paternity test] Can I listen to your necklace? [To a man on the elevator] Oh, I forgot to give you a hug. Its just nice to meet another human that shares my affinity for elf culture. Francisco! Thats fun to say! Francisco.  Frannncisco.  Franciscooo. [Answering the phone] Buddy the Elf! Whats your favorite color? Have you seen these toilets? Theyre GINORMOUS! [On cabs] Watch out, the yellow ones dont stop! [On the mail room] Its just like Santas workshop! Except it smells like mushrooms...and everyone looks like they wanna hurt me. [After chasing half-brother Michael] Wow, youre fast. Im glad I caught up to you. I waited five hours for you. Why is your coat so big? So, good news - I saw a dog today. Have you seen a dog? You probably have. How was school? Was it fun? Did you get a lot of homework? Huh? Do you have any friends? Do you have a best friend? Does he have a big coat, too? [From a note on an Etch A Sketch]  Im sorry  I ruined your  lives and crammed 11 cookies into the VCR. The best way to spread Christmas  cheer is singing loud for all to hear. We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy  corns, and syrup. Does somebody need a hug? I just like to smile! Smilings my favorite. Son of a nutcracker! Falling in Love Elf wouldnt be a Christmas classic if it didnt have a love story. After moving to Manhattan, Buddy begins hanging around the department store Gimbels, where he meets Jovie (Zooey Deschanel), one of the stores employees. At first, Jovie doesnt know what to make of Buddy, but she soon falls in love with his Christmas spirit. First, well make snow angels for two hours, then well go ice skating, then well eat a whole roll of Tollhouse cookie-dough as fast as we can, and then well snuggle. I think youre really beautiful and I feel really warm when Im around you and my tongue swells up. I thought maybe we could make gingerbread houses, and eat cookie dough, and go ice skating, and maybe even hold hands. Fake Santa at Gimbels Buddy is a kind, good-natured man. The only time we see him get angry in the movie is when a Santa comes to Gimbels and Buddy takes him to be an imposter, loudly insulting him. Buddy doesnt treat Santas elf much better. [Seeing a sign that Santa is coming to the toy store]  Santa! Oh my god! Santas coming! I know him! I know him! [To the fake Santa]  You stink. You smell like beef and cheese! You dont smell like Santa. What about Santas cookies? I suppose parents eat those, too? You sit on a throne of lies. Im in a store and Im singing! Hes an angry elf. [After getting beaten up by a little person, played by Peter Dinklage]  He must be a South Pole elf.

How did Kodak change its strategy to respond to the opportunities and threats in the photographic imaging market

How did Kodak change its strategy to respond to the opportunities and threats in the photographic imaging market 3. - How did Kodak change its strategy to respond to the opportunities and threats in the photographic imaging market?In the beginning the strategy followed by Kodak due to a new and a big market of the recording imaging in paper "the photography" was: mass production to lower production costs; maintaining the lead in technological development; extensive product advertising; and the development of a multinational business to exploit the world market.Along many years the company operated in monopoly, with a lot of investment to growth and to consolidate the position, but the high cost, a inflexible structure made it to adapt to a low cost policy and new products such as the simple to use 35mm camera or the instant photography, photographic laboratories and new products to recording images.Despite of the more aggressive environment the chief executive Colby Chandler changed the strategy of Kodak in order to increase the competitiveness and to take some opportunities of the market.Colby Chandler (All My Children)The company focused in 4 operating groups: imaging, information systems, health and chemical.In the imaging group the idea was to cover some necessities in the photographic market, create new and better products, and improve its position in the film processing market.So, the company had to reduce costs again and bought some companies (Texas-Based, Fox Photo Inc.) and formed ventures to create products with the name of Kodak (i.e. Matsushita or Chinon). Also it was needed to increase the amount in publicity to compete with other brands such as Fuji.The strategies of Kodak in the other operating groups were basically to acquire companies in order to diversificate the business. That was possible because Kodak has been the leader in the photography market for many years, this capability made that was able to pay s in 1985 for...

Last Minute SAT Prep Programs

Last Minute SAT Prep Programs SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Only have a couple days left before the SAT? There’s still time to improve your scores!A few hours of focused prep can make a big difference in your test performance, especially if you have obvious mistakes that you haven't noticed. Here are some guidelines that will help you design a last minute SAT study plan that works for you. I'll also give you a bunch of last minute SAT tips to raise your score. Time-Based Study Plans First, figure out how much time you can afford to devote to SAT prep in the short time you have before the test.Don’t forget to factor in other commitments and make sure you’re getting enough sleep so you can take full advantage of your review. The 5 Hour Plan If you have five hours to study and you haven’t studied at all before now, you should use your time to take an SAT practice test. This will help you get more comfortable with the format of the test and the types of questions to expect.You can improve your scores slightly just by taking a practice test! If you have already taken a few practice tests and don’t think it will be as helpful for you to take another one, use your five hours to take a closer look at missed questions.Focus on where you tend to make the most mistakes, and try to understand why they're happening.See the 15 hour plan below and this article to learn more about how to review your mistakes. You should also think about how much time you’re spending per question.For Math, it should be no more than a minute. For CriticalReading and Writing, it should be no more than 30-45 seconds. Familiarize yourself with how it feels to spend this much time on a question so you will know how to structure your time on the test. If you find yourself spending a longer amount of time on a question, you should skip it and move on to the next one so you will get to every question in the section and not miss easy points later! The 15 Hour Plan With this much time, there is potential for a substantial improvement in your scores. Let's break it down hour by hour. Hours 0-5: Take a Practice Test If you haven’t studied yet, this will help you get an idea of your weak spots and where you should focus the rest of your time.Be sure to take the test with realistic time constraints so that you can diagnose the problems you’re having accurately (often the main issue students have on the SAT is time). Hours 5-10: Review Your Mistakes For each question you answer incorrectly, make sure you know why your choice was incorrect and how to arrive at the correct answer. Also keep track of the questions where you had to guess. Even if you got some of them right, you still want to review anything that you didn't quite understand on the test. Usually mistakes fall into four categories: 1. Not Enough Time: You didn’t get to the question Study Strategy: Practice doing questions within the time constraints for the test so you get used to moving faster. Learn how to effectively skim reading passages, and make sure you know when to skip questions. Remember, you get a minute for math questions and 30-45 seconds for reading and writing questions. 2. Question Comprehension: You didn’t understand what the question was asking or got tricked by it Study Strategy: Slow down and read the questions more carefully! Sometimes it helps to write down the question in simpler form before answering. It also can't hurt to practice similar questions so your familiarity with the format will prevent confusion. 3. Unknown Material: You didn’t know the material covered in the question Study Strategy:Find a source for lesson material on the topic you don’t understand, and practice more questions that are similar.This is an area where a program like PrepScholar could really help you because it targets your weak content areas. 4. Careless Mistake: Your brain tapped out for a sec Study Strategy: Why did you make the mistake? Time pressure? Read the question too fast and missed an â€Å"except† or other critical word?Work on your time management so you can leave yourself a few minutes at the end of a section to go over your answers. On the flip side,be sure that you’re not going through questions faster than you should and making these mistakes as a result. Hours 10-15: Get Specific This is when you can really focus on the section or sections where you are making the most mistakes.Practice questions for that section and review any material that is unfamiliar to you. If you really want to make the most of your study time, you might consider signing up for PrepScholar.We’ve shown a 100 point improvement for 15 hours using our prep program. This is because we help you accurately determine your strengths and weaknesses across all sections of the test and will tailor your prep time to your needs so you get the most out of it. If you sign up now, you can also use PrepScholar to prepare for the next time you take the SAT. The faceless spectre of time will never tire from pursuing us all, especially on the SAT. General Tips for Last Minute Studying Here are a couple of additional pointers to help you get the most out of your last minute study time. Take a look at this article for even more tips. Spend more of your last minute study time on analyzing your mistakes than on practice testing You’re going to see the biggest difference in your scores if you take the time to understand your mistakes.As I mentioned earlier, you should be able to explain why your answer was incorrect as well as the rationale behind the correct answer. That way when you come across a similar question later, you'll know exactly how to answer it! Know the facts Take a look at these formulas you should know for the SAT.Also familiarize yourself with grammar rules for the writing section so you can feel more confident about your answers. You don't want to run into any big surprises on the test. Be time-conscious If you have a tendency to fall victim to time pressure, practice doing questions with the same time constraints you would have on the test.This will help you get used to the pacing and prevent you from accidentally lingering for too long on a question you should have skipped initially. Plan your essay Don’t go into the SAT essay without anything prepared!Come up with some versatile concrete examples that you will be able to use in your argument. Looking Ahead If you think you’ll take the SAT again, try not to procrastinate as much on studying for the next test date.Short cram sessions aren’t going to cut it if you’re looking to boost your score a few hundred points or more.It can take over a hundred hours of studying to achieve really big score improvements.See these estimates for score improvements vs. study time: 0-50 SAT Composite Point Improvement: 10 hours50-100 Point Improvement: 20 hours100-200 Point Improvement: 40 hours200-300 Point Improvement: 80 hours300-500 Point Improvement: 150 hours+ Figure out your target SAT score based on which schools you plan to apply to, and then decide how you’re going to get there. Also check out these study plans for ideas on how to structure your studying over a longer period of time.Remember, last minute studying can be helpful, but it shouldn’t be your only prep method! In conclusion... What's Next? If you're still looking for more last minute SAT tips, head on over to this article. It will give you some test-taking strategies and advice for how to prepare on the day of the test. For additional last minute SAT prep, you should consider reading these guides. Here's a link to eight SAT practice teststo kickstart your studying! Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Take home exam for law and ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Take home exam for law and ethics - Essay Example It is in this respect wherein the concept of the best practices in corporate governance emerged. An important element that constitutes best practices in corporate governance is transparency. This can be in the form of disclosure, which most capital markets require from its listed companies. What is recommended here is for such corporate policy to be codified as part of the organization’s rules and regulations. For example, Berghe wrote that majority of best practices in corporate governance in the area of transparency is the explicit rule in the code that financial performance, including the related interests of the members of the board should be reported in the annual report to shareholders.1 In addition to the disclosure of the financial reports, best practices mandate that other pertinent information should also be made available, including, but not limited to, instances of share ownership and voting rights. The names of the board members, managers (including their compensation) should not remain hidden as well. The significance of these variables variable has been demonstrated in the bankruptcy of Enron. It was only during the intense media and government scrutiny after the company announced its financial woes that the exorbitant compensation packages of its executives were revealed along with its â€Å"creative† accounting practices. Certainly, the importance of disclosure in corporate governance is particularly highlighted during crises. If full transparency is ensured, audit, performance evaluations, and other assessments and mechanisms can function properly in order to ensure that the organization is on track in achieving its objectives and compatible with sound corporate governance. Another component of best practices is the explicit rule in a corporate code of best practices to establish ethical and corporate governance standards. A number of stock

A story with an epiphany and gothic sensibility like Southern Gothic Assignment

A story with an epiphany and gothic sensibility like Southern Gothic - Assignment Example He didn’t want his brat of a sister using them while he was gone. He was pretty sure he’d locked the video cabinet and he knew he’d secured the padlock just in case, but he couldn’t remember if he’d fully bolted his bedroom door. They drove all the way out to the house without a word. Uncle Jack was actually Stan’s great-uncle and they didn’t have much in common. Uncle Jack belonged to the old world before there was a color TV in every room and barely even knew what a computer was. He also almost never talked. As they pulled up to the crumbling old Colonial, Stan’s hazel eyes widened with shock at what he saw. Just from the outside, it looked like the place should be condemned, not fixed up in a bid for a historical marker. The drive was choked with weeds, the balconies sagged and the shutters, where present, sagged in frames of broken or missing glass. â€Å"Family helps itself,† Jack muttered, ambling over to the front door, fumbling with the large ring of keys he’d brought with him. Stan was impressed. Keys meant control and possession, two of his favorite things. Uncle Jack swung the blue painted wood door inward with a barely perceptible creak and Stan walked into a hallway filled with sunlight as it danced across the millions of dust motes the outer breeze was stirring. His first reaction was a giant sneeze. It was going to be worse than he thought. Jack pointed to doorways as they stomped down a frayed rug – â€Å"parlor, drawing room’s through that doorway there, library, den’s in the back, dining, storage, this here’s where we stay – servant room.† The door opened to a small cramped space that was just large enough for two twin beds, a nightstand each and a single dresser – no closet. But it was clean and he could smell the wholesome scent of fresh sheets. Stan explored the rest of the house, finding several more bedrooms on the second floor, none of which had a decent

How Corporate Tax Is Used by the United Kingdom Government to Support Essay

How Corporate Tax Is Used by the United Kingdom Government to Support Industry - Essay Example This report has looked at the way the UK is supporting the industry. This includes making the taxation system better by reducing corporate taxes, making the UK a better place to start and even grow a business by removing costs that would making businesses spend a lot. In addition, it encourages investment as a way of balancing the economy and finally, making the youth better in terms of education and giving them internship and apprenticeship programmes. This would help them to become more skilled on their areas of specialisation. This report makes a conclusion that these measures are just the start and the government is trying to streamline these ones and see if it can introduce others that will help in supporting the industry. It has been noted that, a better taxation system is through dropping the corporation tax system by one percent. This will help the investors and encourage other companies to increase their production. Another way is through changing the old rules of the Controlled Foreign Company with better and more attractive rules. The government is also removing the old taxation system and has put in a commission to create a newer, more effective and simplified ways of income tax. The reporter say that for the United Kingdom to be one of the best places to start and grow a business, the government should give start up loans at low interest rates and give the business people a longer time to repay the loans. This will help them work to make a profit and pay their loans on time.

Crime and persistence of drugs in American Society Essay

Crime and persistence of drugs in American Society - Essay Example Criminologists supporting the conflict tradition argue that the inevitable process of capitalism is the main cause of crime. That is to say, disputes emerge between those who embrace the society in a pluralistic view and those who do not. Pluralists believe that groups in the society exercise power with an objective of furthering their own influence and power within that society. These criminologists, or conservative conflict theorists, argue that difference in economic status, and culture or the struggle in ideology, morality, status, race, ethnicity, or religion are the sources of crime. These theorists believe that such groups that gain allegiance to the mainstream culture obtain control of the necessary resources that allow them to criminalize those conflicting individuals who do not observe the same cultural values and moral code. According to Siegel, therefore, crime has its root in the instrumental or symbolic conflicts that occur at different sites of a fragmented society. Cr itical theories concerning crime base their arguments on group difference on the larger social environment; some highlight class difference, others gender difference, and others societal difference. In this regard therefore, there are different critical arguments and theories on crime, but all focus on group difference in power. The theories include Marxist theory, institution anomie theory, and feminism theory. The capitalist class (those who have means of production like businesses and factories) advocate for laws that criminalize and prohibit low-class street crimes, but merely restrict or prohibit some harmful actions resulting from their factories and business. ... The theories include Marxist theory, institution anomie theory, and feminism theory. According to Marxist theory, the capitalist class (those who have means of production like businesses and factories) advocate for laws that criminalize and prohibit low-class street crimes, but merely restrict or prohibit some harmful actions resulting from their factories and business (Siegel 2011). These individuals use power to their advantage, and their main aim is to make profits. The theory on institutional anomie borrows from social learning and control theories to argue that the high rates of crime in the US result from the emphasis on the â€Å"American Dream†. People are encouraged to achieve success in monetary terms, but with no emphasis on the legitimate means of obtaining such success. Lastly, the feminist theories base its argument on crime because of gender difference in power. They try to explain why men engage in most forms of crime in comparison to women. Structural argument s on crime try to use a structural methodology in developing theoretical perspectives on delinquency and crime. Theorists supporting this approach focus on the study of social structures with emphasis of power relations between groups or individuals. The common approach in the study of these social structures is the concern of vertical, hierarchical relations among the members of the society (Siegel, 2011). The structural approach to criminology embraces the study of power relations as the centre of criminology research. In essence, the approach studies both power relations to criminal behavior and other people’s reactions to criminal behavior. The main theory in structural criminology arguments is the power-control theory. According to the

Explain how fate and Oedipus's own essential nnature combine to make Essay

Explain how fate and Oedipus's own essential nnature combine to make him a tragic hero - Essay Example   The search for the truth depicts Oedipus’ tragic nature.   The make-up of a classic tragic figure include characteristics such as a fatal flaw, noble background, and inevitable downfall.   This paper analyzes three specific instances of Oedipus’ search for the truth that suggest his qualities of a tragic hero:   his blind hubris, his remorse upon his epiphany and his self fulfilling prophecy indicting his downfall.   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oedipus was determined to find the murderer and asked Creon about the context surrounding the crime.   His relentless pursuit of the truth reveals his essential nature as a tragic hero. He was told that Laius was on pilgrimage when he was slain. The only witness fled the scene indicating that there was a group of robbers: I go, but first will tell thee why I came. Thy frown I dread not, for thou canst not harm me. Hear then: this man whom thou hast sought to arrest With threats and warrants this lo ng while, the wretch Who murdered Laius--that man is here. (5-6) This quotation indicates that Oedipus curiosity of the murder of his father. This is a unique quote in that it sets the stage for the search for the murderer of his father. This starts the path to self destruction. ... He has already lived up to the prophecy that was delivered to him, now he pursues the knowledge that will vindicate the verdict.   Oedipus’ search for the truth initiates his compounding hubris.   His blind sense of pride distorts his view of his objective and leads to his inevitable downfall.   In this manner, Oedipus’ pursuit of his prophecy marks his tragic flaw.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oedipus poses the assumption that he is being framed by Creon who seeks his position as king. This quotation represents Oedipus’ deployment of defense mechanism as a means of justifying why he could never be implicated in the murder of his father. While at the same time, he deploys the mechanism because he is coming to grips with the conclusion that he could indeed be the murderer (Dawe, 2006). Oedipus is attempting to escape the knowledge of his fulfillment of his preordained fate. While his search for the answer drives him further insane, he feels as if he will never returned to normality until he knows for sure. He escapes the bliss of ignorance out of pure curiosity.   The brink of his insanity represents the knowledge he must gain in order to undergo the tragic hero’s traditional epiphany.   Once Oedipus’ crosses this line and gains this great realization, he finds that it is essentially too little, too late.   Despite the immense remorse he feels internally, his fate as a tragic hero has already been sealed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oedipus realized that his self fulfilled prophecy could have been handed down to his daughters who will have no husbands. Hence he seeks their departure with him to a land where he will not be followed by his dreadful past. "He cries, 'Unbar the doors and let all Thebes Behold the slayer of his sire, his mother's--' That shameful word my lips

Australian Airline (Qantas) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Australian Airline (Qantas) - Essay Example Safety culture and excellence are the key components of the brand that could help in a smoother entry into other markets. Weakness Declining profits and the domestic passengers choosing to fly out of Australia on airlines other than Qantas has forced the airline to think of alternative routes. Significant differences in culture exist between the Asian countries and Australia, which could impact the marketing strategy. So far Qantas has been focusing on the western countries with similar cultures but entering the Asian countries would require alteration in the marketing approach, as the Asians are considered conservative (Articlebase, 2010). People skills would be necessary to compete in the Asian market. To expand in the Southeast, Qantas faces cultural challenges as Australia has low power distance while all Southeast Asian countries have high power distance (Hofstede, n.d.). Culture has a significant effect on problem-recognition, problem-solving and perception and cognition (Gilbe rt & Tsao, 2000). Such cultural differences can impact the satisfaction levels for the same product among global consumers. Opportunity The three most competitive travel markets in Southeast Asia include Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia (Chang & Cheng, 2005). In fact, the best performing airports in the ASEAN region are located in these three countries. Asia’s economic growth and the growing middle-class has helped fueled the growth of the airline industry. This segment continues to grow and provide expansion opportunities to the airlines. Asia is a highly dispersed continent and hence unlike UK and US, surface or rail transport across countries is not feasible. Air travel is the fastest mode of travel for business and leisure... This report approves that while Qantas enjoys its brand equity, it has been seeing profits fall over last several years. Expansion is the only solution and the target market should be the Southeast market, which it has ignored till recently. The opportunities in Southeast Asia are tremendous and Qantas should position itself as a full-service carrier and focus on product differentiation. It already operates a low-cost carrier, namely, Jetstar and hence should concentrate on FSC. Their image in Thailand was tarnished and hence they would need to project itself as a premium airline in all other Southeast Asian countries. Investments would have to be made in brand enhancement as well. Qantas intends using only narrow body aircrafts for the new carrier so that they do not have to fly to Europe. They also have decided to enter into partnership with Malaysian Airlines and they already have alignment with British Airways. This essay makes a conclusion that Qantas may have to apply flexible marketing strategies such as differential pricing, joint venture promotion campaign, multi-sales channel. Qantas has to use the hub as Singapore and focus on development new markets such as India and other nations, away from the Thailand, Hong Kong sectors. India is a promising destination and could also enhance the prospects of tourism for Australia. They could offer differential pricing and special offers for internet booking for developing new customers for added routes and even for their existing customers.

Explain how fate and Oedipus's own essential nnature combine to make Essay

Explain how fate and Oedipus's own essential nnature combine to make him a tragic hero - Essay Example   The search for the truth depicts Oedipus’ tragic nature.   The make-up of a classic tragic figure include characteristics such as a fatal flaw, noble background, and inevitable downfall.   This paper analyzes three specific instances of Oedipus’ search for the truth that suggest his qualities of a tragic hero:   his blind hubris, his remorse upon his epiphany and his self fulfilling prophecy indicting his downfall.   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oedipus was determined to find the murderer and asked Creon about the context surrounding the crime.   His relentless pursuit of the truth reveals his essential nature as a tragic hero. He was told that Laius was on pilgrimage when he was slain. The only witness fled the scene indicating that there was a group of robbers: I go, but first will tell thee why I came. Thy frown I dread not, for thou canst not harm me. Hear then: this man whom thou hast sought to arrest With threats and warrants this lo ng while, the wretch Who murdered Laius--that man is here. (5-6) This quotation indicates that Oedipus curiosity of the murder of his father. This is a unique quote in that it sets the stage for the search for the murderer of his father. This starts the path to self destruction. ... He has already lived up to the prophecy that was delivered to him, now he pursues the knowledge that will vindicate the verdict.   Oedipus’ search for the truth initiates his compounding hubris.   His blind sense of pride distorts his view of his objective and leads to his inevitable downfall.   In this manner, Oedipus’ pursuit of his prophecy marks his tragic flaw.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oedipus poses the assumption that he is being framed by Creon who seeks his position as king. This quotation represents Oedipus’ deployment of defense mechanism as a means of justifying why he could never be implicated in the murder of his father. While at the same time, he deploys the mechanism because he is coming to grips with the conclusion that he could indeed be the murderer (Dawe, 2006). Oedipus is attempting to escape the knowledge of his fulfillment of his preordained fate. While his search for the answer drives him further insane, he feels as if he will never returned to normality until he knows for sure. He escapes the bliss of ignorance out of pure curiosity.   The brink of his insanity represents the knowledge he must gain in order to undergo the tragic hero’s traditional epiphany.   Once Oedipus’ crosses this line and gains this great realization, he finds that it is essentially too little, too late.   Despite the immense remorse he feels internally, his fate as a tragic hero has already been sealed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oedipus realized that his self fulfilled prophecy could have been handed down to his daughters who will have no husbands. Hence he seeks their departure with him to a land where he will not be followed by his dreadful past. "He cries, 'Unbar the doors and let all Thebes Behold the slayer of his sire, his mother's--' That shameful word my lips

Human Performance Technology Model Essay Example for Free

Human Performance Technology Model Essay The journal I had chosen is â€Å"Minding the gap , identifying performances issues using the Human Performances Technology model (HPT) . † The purpose of this journal is to main a useful model for identifying and addressing employee performance issues in academic libraries , specifically in a Learning Commons . As we know , assessing and improving employee performance , especially library services are always challenging . However , HPT provides methods for evaluating human performances , such as the performance of employees at a service point , and , and provides method in fixing problems that are identified . Most of the time , training is always assumed solution for many performances issues , but HPT suggests that the training is not always the answer and provides a variety of the other solutions referred to intervention . The HPT model created by the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI , 2010 a ) was used to evaluate employee performance at the service point in a newly created Learning Commons . Various interventions are also discussed the address performances issues in libraries. The HPT model may help librarians create measurable performance indicators which can be used to set standard of performances for employees. This model is useful for a combination of student workers, paraprofessionals and librarians. The HPT model comes from field of HPT , which is the combination of education , psychology and business . So , HPT is the process of identifying and analyzing the gap between current performances ( where one is ) and ideal performance ( where one wants to be ) using various tools such as models . Closing the gap can be done through a recommend solution called an intervention. â€Å"Intervention† in HPT refers to a course of action taken to improve performance . Each stage of the HPT process helps one understand the behaviors of people in an organization and of the organization as a whole . HPT aims to analyze observable behaviour both individually and collectively. HPT ensures a through of a variety of areas within an organization in order to understand the performance gap. An analysis of values, norms, culture, structure, performance, and environment is recommended . Through an organization analysis , environmental analysis , gap analysis , can cause those who using HPT analysis determine the performance problem or opportunity . Without careful analysis , inappropriate intervention could be implemented . Intervention should be long term , evolutionary and progressive. Learning Commons in Randall Library at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW ) was using HPT model to evaluate employee performance. The Learning Commons provides a variety of hardware and software, a centralized service point is included in the middle of the Learning Commons. This service point staffed by librarians who are full time faculty members at UNCW and university’s Technology Assistance Center (TAC) student assistant who are hired to work part time at multiple service points , including the Learning Commons service point , in Randall Library . The primary user group of the Learning Commons is UNCW students . The learning Commons applied HPT after three months opens . The performances issues identified after three months after opening . While some performance issues may ‘work themselves out ‘ overtime , if using the HPT model early in the operation can identify the problems immediately and prevents the problems . Application of the model can helps to identify the root of the causes and helps pinpoint appropriate solution for those issues. An assumption that training is always the appropriate solution for all performances problems can be corrected using HPT . As noted in the HPT model , there are several phases of analysis which are performance analysis , organizational analysis , environmental analysis , gap analysis and cause analysis . A â€Å"cause analysis† follows the performance analysis helps to identify a â€Å"lack of environmental support† or a â€Å"lack of repertory behaviour†. â€Å"Intervention selection ,design , and development† follow all analysis phases . That is because after identify all the gaps or problems , then only can select the appropriate intervention to fix the problem . Main Body and Discussion Human Performance Technology (HPT ) is a systematic approach to improving productivity and competence , it is a strategy for solving problems and for realizing opportunities related to the performance of people . It uses a wide range of intervention to improve individual and organizational performance . There are three fundamental processes to go through . There are performance analysis ,cause analysis and intervention selection . It can be applied to individuals , small groups ,and large organizations . Without identified the causes of the issues , the appropriate intervention impossible to created . Learning Commons in Randall Library at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) was using HPT model to evaluate employee performance at the service point . First stage of the HPT model calls performance analysis . The â€Å"performance analysis† is to determine if a performance problem exists . A performance analysis includes an organizational analysis , an environmental analysis ,and a gap analysis . The first step in the performance analysis , the organizational analysis , calls for an examination of an organization ‘s vision , mission , values ,goals and strategies . It is important to define the boundaries of the organization before performing this phase in the model . It is useful to examine all departments or offices that closely related to the specific area under examination. The next component of HPT model is environmental analysis . The environmental analysis examines four important factors which are organizational environment, work environment, work, and the worker. In the HPT model, the â€Å"Work Environment† refers to the â€Å"resources, tools, human resources, and policies† of an organization, or in this case, of the Learning Commons. â€Å"Work† is described as â€Å"work flow, procedure, responsibilities, and ergonomics†. â€Å"Worker† refers to the â€Å"knowledge , skill , motivation , expectation and capacity† of an individual . The â€Å"Gap analysis† requires an examination of the actual performance versus the optimal , or desired performance . The information collected through the organizational and environmental analysis . The HPT model shows that the gap falls between the â€Å"Desired workforce performance† and the â€Å"Actual state of workforce performance†. It is important to identify the gaps , then analyze the causes of those gap happens. In Learning Commons , there has a temporary service desk was constructed , new furniture was not yet installed and a formal staff training program was not yet implemented . The performances of Learning Commons service was not optimal and causes a â€Å"gap† between optimal and desired performances . Next is causes analysis . As the HPT model suggests , after the performances gap was identified ,the â€Å"cause analysis† should be completed . The cause analysis can determine why the performance gap exists . Once a cause is identified, one or more interventions can be selected that will be able to close the performance gap . There are some causes for the performances issues . First , data , information and feedback . Initial training and communication of clear roles , responsibilities and expectations were not provided when the Learning Commons initially opened . Second , environment support , resources and tools . Detailed in Learning Commons employee did not exist . The conflict among workers will be happened . Third , consequences , incentives , reward . There were no consequences , incentives or rewards related to performance at the Learning Commons service point . Forth , skill and knowledge . A deficiency in general knowledge of the library services and the role of the librarians at the service point existed among TAC student assistants . Fifth , motivation and expectations . It is unclear what motivates Learning Commons employees and what they expect from themselves . After knowing the causes of the issues , intervention selection , design and development is needed . Closing the performances gap can be done through recommended solutions called interventions. HPT suggests that training is not always the appropriate solution because training will not solve issues related to motivation and expectation . However , an incentives and rewards will address motivation . There are some interventions existed after knowing the causes . There are job description intervention , document and standards intervention , training intervention , performance appraisal intervention . A job description specifically for employment in the Learning Commons would define each position’s duties , responsibilities , working conditions , and job activities , which would help employees understand their own job and the role of the other employees at the Learning Commons services point . Besides that , to remedy problems related to lack of information for job duties and procedures , the recommendation is a documents and standards intervention . The standard operating procedures(SOP) manual would include the job description , expectations , policies , guidelines , and procedures for each position at the service desk . Training intervention is training librarians and TAC students . Training employees would provide expectations for each employee . Performance appraisal intervention show staff that there will be consequences for poor performance and rewards for good performance . On the other hand , feedback should be encouraged in Learning Commons . Positive feedback should be provided and given from all the employees . Negative feedback is also important to correct everyday issues . After implemented all the intervention that suggested, must evaluate their success based on further analysis of performance . In my opinion , HPT is a very good tool to evaluate the individual performance or organizational performance . As we see the problems in Learning Commons , HPT had given a good solution for it in fixing the problem . HPT begins with a comparison of the of the present and the desired levels of individual and organizational performance to identify the performance gap. Once the performance gap and the causes have been determined, the appropriate interventions are designed and developed. These may include measurement and feedback systems, new tools and equipment, compensation and reward systems, selection and placement of employees, and training and development. The interventions are then implemented and the change process managed. After implemented all the intervention , The employees in Learning Commons will clear about their roles , responsibilities . At the same time , The Learning Commons is already providing to be a great resource at UNCW . HPT model must be applied cyclically and systematically over time to evaluate employee performance . However , I do not agree that HPT is always the best tool in solving problem . This is because it might identify wrong data or information during performance analysis . If it is wrong in the beginning of the process , inappropriate intervention might created . This will make the decision maker make the wrong decision . While doing wrong analysis , there might insert a high cost and it’s will be a waste of time if the analysis is wrong . Moreover , HPT has mentioned a few intervention to fix the problems . It’s hard to implement all those intervention at the same time . If cannot implement successfully , the more problem might exists . But if whole process is running smoothly , nonetheless , HPT is a very tool in solving problem . I had compared two models which are HPT model and ADDIE model . The ADDIE model is a systematic instructional design model consisting of five phase which are analysis , design , development ,implementation and evaluation phase . There are a few similarities between HPT model and ADDIE model . They both use process of analysis to look the problem and seek for the solution as well . However , they have a key different between the model . The ADDIE model addresses the â€Å"gaps between desired outcomes or behaviours and the audience’s existing knowledge and skills†. The ADDIE models mainly focus on the individual needs and then design and develop objectives and processes help the individual . Evaluation and implementation do not just happened at the end of the design and development . They are ongoing to inform the designer . So if there any changes, the necessary solution can be made quickly . The HPT model is different because it more focus on the causes of â€Å"performance† gap . The success of the organization is depend on its employees . HPT will look what causes the employees unable to perform the job . HPT’s goal is to increase the bottom line of the company by increasing the individual’s ability to perform the job . In addition , it is important that the HPT is look â€Å" what caused the problem† ,while the ADDIE model looks at â€Å" solving the problem exists † . HPT model design seem to also behaviourist approach because the focus is more changing individual behaviour . The HPT model will look at evaluation of the problem and how it was addressed long after the process . The HPT model has its own advantages . In my view , because HPT model is focused on how the people perform on the job . In my opinion , the workers or the people of the organization is the assets for its organization . So , the performance of the individual affect overall success of the organization . This model takes many variables into the account , that there will affect performance . It humanizes the work place because the individuals are allowed to address their problems. At the same time , it may be necessary to provide training course if the individual unable to perform the work is because of lacking information or unknowledgeable . Beside that , HPT model never ignore the reward or motivation . If they have a good performance , incentive or reward will be given to motivate the employees . Every model has its own disadvantages as well , disadvantage I see is how the technologist ensures lifelong working and the successful using the collected information. Because they wait a while before evaluating. It would seem to me that the worker would want to know immediately if they are doing better so that changes can be made more quickly. Feedback is so important to workers feeling successful and competent. If there is too much focus on negative feedback, it may have a negative impact on the individual. Where as in the ADDIE model, the worker’s deficiencies or the causes problems are not the major focus, and you get feedback at various stages rather than only at the end of the process. If I were a human resource professional in any area , I would use HPT model . As I was also a worker before , I see that would be beneficial for all the subordinates or primary worker . If workers feel supported, they’ll do better than if they’re not supported. It provides a guide to helping individuals be successful in their work. I think someone who feels successful and competent in their work is more likely to suffer less burn out than those individuals who have no one in their corner to mentor or help them solve whatever issue is keeping them from doing their best on the job. I might also use HPT when talking to friends or children about getting jobs and being successful on the job. I can apply it to my own career and be my own trouble shooter as well as look for solutions. This puts a little more power over what I do in my hands because at least I would know that I can change me to help the organization do its job better too. On the other hand , as I mentioned employees are a part of assets of the organization . I think it is the responsibility of the human resource department to choose an appropriate system of performance appraisal . Effective appraisal system motivate the employees all the time rather than joining training . Conclusion In conclusion, HPT model has been described as the systematic and systemic identification and removal of barriers to individual and organizational performance. Nonetheless ,HPT model is an effective tool for uncovering performance issues . The model can be applied to any area in the library where employees must perform and is not limited to public service . In any new service , some performance issues may â€Å" work themselves out† overtime while some may not . In some cases , problems left unidentified or unsolved , it may be quite difficult to fix after an extended period of time . It is same like our daily habit or problems , if a parent identified that a child is beginning to pick up a bad habit , it is certainly easier to change the child’s behaviour when the parent first notices their child’s behaviour . If the parents did not take action to stop their child in the beginning , it is hard to stop their child after maintain a long bad habit . Similarity to any other service , if identify the problems early , then can find out the causes and fix it as fast as possible . The model does require extensive analysis . Without this analysis , a full picture cannot be taken , assumption will be made , and issues or problems cannot be identified . Optimal employee performance is critical in any organization . From the journal , Learning Commons in UNCW is using human performance technology (HPT ) . It is a library . With libraries needing to demonstrate their value and provide assessment data and administration . The HPT model serves as one more useful tool for libraries to accomplish this . I had read a journal , which is about ADDIE model and I had also compared both ADDIE and HPT model . I found that there have many similarities . But when I go deeper for the journal , I found that there is a big differences . ADDIE model focus more on training building program , while in HPT model , training is only one of the tool . HPT model is not only useful in organization , but also useful for every individual . If did not find out the causes properly , a appropriate solution is impossible to created .

Impact of Greek and Roman Civilization

Impact of Greek and Roman Civilization INTRODUCTION There is no ancient history without the mention of Greek and Roman civilizations. Ancient civilization was part of the history that formed the basis of the world we know today. Many people would ask why Greek and Roman civilizations became so popular in the world. In Western culture and identity, Greeks occupy a very prominent place in conception. The Greeks have made generations of influential writers and scholars especially due to their Hellenic culture. Roman civilization on the other hand was founded in 800BC on an Italian peninsular (Spielvogel, 2008). Roman civilization, which is a mighty empire, started as a monarchy and then shifted to a republic before becoming an empire. Much of ancient Rome culture got inspiration from ancient Greece (Mahaffy, 2009). Collins Randal in the book The sociology of philosophies: a global theory of intellectual change points out that culture begets itself. He points out that culture is autonomous and that culture explains its changes, terms and forms (pg 9). Collins points out that, culture beliefs such as religion, ethnic consciousness and political ideologies are not correlated with social variables such as class. Collins says that intellectual activity is basis of intellectual communities. The various aspects that make up intellectual activities include religion, social knowledge and intellectual networks. RELIGION IN GREEK AND ROMAN CIVILIZATION Greeks and Roman are intellectual communities that believed in religion. Greeks believed that religion was important because it made their lives better. They believed in many gods and goddesses (polytheistic).They believed that gods would take care of them both when they were living and when they died. The Greeks believed that their gods and goddesses were very powerful that they controlled everything from the winner of a race to waves in the ocean (Mahaffy, 2009). Each god or goddess had one or two specific roles they performed and controlled in life. The Greeks built beautiful temples for their gods where they used to go pray, worship and offer sacrifices in form of animals. The Greeks prepared festivals in honor of the gods whereby they sacrificed animals as gifts to their gods. The Greeks made large festivals that included a feast with music, plays and dancing after which they paraded and made sacrifices. An example of a Greek goddess is Athena (goddess of wisdom and war). A temp le known as Parthenon, built for the goddess stands to date. The Greeks believed that Mount Olympus was where all their gods and goddesses lived. Examples of some of the gods the Greeks worshipped and their specific roles include Zeus-supreme leader of the Gods, Hermes-messenger of the gods and Poseidon- god of the sea. Collins stated that one of the intellectual activities relating to religion is giving intellectual rituals (pg 28).Greeks showed their solidarity through religious ritual of animal sacrifices and festivities. The Romans later worshipped the same gods as Greeks but under different names (Guaitoli, 2006). The Greeks could not worship at the temple only but there were holy sites referred to as oracles. The Greeks believed their gods used signs in nature to answer their questions. They used their priests to ask their question and listen to the answers through signs. Romans just like Greeks believed in religion and attached great importance to it. Just like the Greeks, they were polytheistic, they believed that their gods were responsible for their creation and controlled their lives. Romans classified religion in to state religion and household religion (Spielvogel, 2008).Household religion involved worshipping the gods that protected the family and house. Roman houses contained a sacred place regarded as altar where every family prayed to the gods each morning. Just like the Greeks, The Romans believed in gods and goddess that they believed controlled everything in life from killing for food to falling in love. Just like the Greeks, Romans honored their gods and goddesses by building grand temples. They also offered animal sacrifices to the gods and gave them gifts that they thought would please them. They believed that if the gods were happy with them, they would in return receive good luck but if they were angry with them, something would go wrong. Political institutions in Greek and Roman Civilization City-states divided Ancient Greece with Athens as the largest city-state (Liberati Bourbon2002). City-states were many small areas sub-dividing the state. The mountainous ecology of Ancient Greece separated the city-states making it very difficult to travel from one city-state to another. Everyone believed that their city-state was better than the other was although they all worshipped the same gods and had similar traditions. Initially a few wealthy men ruled the city-states before a government system was introduced. Each city-state had its own government who ruled through democracy. The democratic government allowed people to rule and to vote for their leaders. Athens subdivided their people in to three classes; the upper class that consisted of male citizens born in Athens, middle class consisted of male citizens not born in Athens while the lower class consisted of slaves. Voting in ancient Greece took place in public assemblies and only males born in Athens voted. The upper class group discussed the laws that benefited ancient Greece but not the middle class or lower class. Ancient Rome was an empire that had emperors as the leaders. Just like Greece, a government headed by an emperor ruled Rome. The power of the government in Rome was balanced between three branches; the executive, the legislative and the judicial (Guaitoli, 2006).The executive branch consisted of two leaders (consuls), elected by the upper class to serve for one year. Their role was to order Roman army during wars and supervise the senate. Mayors, tax collectors, city police among other superior person in cities formed part of executive branch. The senate consisting 300 male citizens who owned the land formed the legislative branch. The men appointed by the consuls controlled the consuls by telling them how much to spend and on what activities. The judicial branch consisted of six judges that decided on the punishments the criminals would receive. The judges elections occurred after every two years (Guaitoli, 2006).In Rome only adults had permission to vote and just like the Greek system, males who owned the land could only do amendment or criticize law. Role of Men and women in Greek and Roman Civilization Men, women and children had different roles and responsibilities in Greek and Roman culture. In Greek culture, men wore special clothes known as chitons. Chitons showed the man status in the society specifically through the decoration. The men mostly worked as farmers or businesspersons during the day and demanded great respect while at home. Men were the ones in charge of the house and the family. Women and children in Greek culture did not eat in the same room as men. The slaves fed and entertained men during dinner as they lay on couches. Women on the other hand were not given much responsibility, they were not allowed to go to Olympics, visit the city or even eat or sleep in the same room as men. Their work was to run the household, have children and manage the slaves if they were wealthy and if not work the fields. In the Roman culture, men wore clothes known as togas. The patterns and color of a mans togas showed what his status was in the society. Men in Roman culture were the masters of the family and the house. They worked during the day and socialize with other men in the afternoon and evenings. Men in Roman culture had different roles depending on whether you were rich or poor. The man main role was to provide for his family. Women on the other hand took care of the household and children. Women in Roman culture were not too restricted as some could hold jobs such as teaching. Comparing Religion and Political Institutions in Greece and Rome Greeks and Romans portrayed many similarities in their religion beliefs and rituals. Both cultures were polytheistic, believing in many gods and goddesses. Both cultures also believed that the gods and goddesses controlled everything in life from creation, their lives and everything that goes on. Greeks and Romans believed their goods were very powerful and that they gods took care of them both when they were living and when they died. Both Greeks and Romans believed in intellectual activity of religious rituals. Both cultures honored their gods and goddesses by offering animal sacrifices. Both Greeks and Romans built beautiful temples where they used to pray and offer sacrifices to their gods and goddesses. Both cultures believed that the gods answered their prayers through natures signs. Roman believed that gods would show a sign if they were happy and they were unhappy something bad would happen. Both cultures had many gods and goddesses with each god or goddess having a specific role to play or a specific place to control. Despite having so much similarity in the religion, Greeks and Romans also have some differences in their religious beliefs. Although both cultures believed in gods and goddesses, they had named them differently. Greeks believed that their gods and goddesses live on Mount Olives (Sansone, 2004) whereas Romans did not have a specific place where all their gods and goddesses lived. Greeks religion was not classified while Roman classified their religion as either state region or household religion. Greeks had set-up holy sites known as oracles where they used to pray in, while Roman has set places in their houses known as altars where they used to pray at as a family. Greeks and Roman civilizations were similar in the way their political institutions were made. They both believed in a government system of ruling. Both Greeks and Romans voted for their leader who was the head of the government. Both cultures regarded the upper class males citizens by birth as the only significant people in law making and amendment. In both cultures, women were not allowed to vote and only adults who had attained the legal age (18 years) could vote. The differences in political institutions included issues such as the Greeks believed in democracy while the Romans it depended on the political leaders chosen. The Roman government consisted of three branches, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary while the Greek government all people ruled. Greece had subdivision called city-states with each city-state having its own government while Rome there was only one government with three branches that rules the land. CONCLUSION Roman and Greek civilization form a part of ancient history of the world. They both greatly influenced the Western culture as some of the beliefs and culture followed today got inspiration from them. When we compare the two cultures to the Collins theories of intellectual activity, it is evident that the two cultures were rich in culture intelligence. They had deep respect in religion and rituals that brought them together socially (Collins, 2000 pg 28). The social problems the two cultures exhibit is division in to classes only males who are citizens by birth are allowed to vote. Women are not mentioned anywhere in any political decisions showing gender biasness. Just as most historians suggest, Greek culture highly influenced Roman culture. In terms of religion and political institutions, the two cultures can be classified as socially intelligent despite of social division and gender inequality.

The Fairness Doctrine Essay -- Federal Communications Commission

The United States Federal Communications Commission, also known as the FCC, introduced the Fairness Doctrine to make broadcasters report controversial issues of public importance in a manner that was equally balanced, honest, and fair. Broadcasting companies were required to provide a certain amount of airtime reporting accurate and fair information both for and against public issues. Broadcasters were not required to provide equal time for opposing views, but were required to present opposing viewpoints. Broadcasters were received broader boundaries as how to how they were to provide those opposing views. Because under the constitutional right of free speech, the government wanted to insure that broadcasting companies provided both accurate and fair information from both sides of the viewpoint. In August 1987, the FCC abolished the doctrine by a 4-0 vote, in the Syracuse Peace Council decision, which was upheld by a different panel of the Appeals Court for the D.C. Circuit in February, 1989.(AuBuchon) They suggested that because of the large amount of voices in the media marketplace, the doctrine was to be considered unconstitutional; stating that, â€Å"The intrusion by government into the content of programming occasioned by the enforcement of The Fairness Doctrine restricts the journalistic freedom of broadcasters and actually inhibits the presentation of controversial issues of public importance to the detriment of the public and the degradation of the editorial prerogative of broadcast journalists.† (Fairness) The government was trying to keep any broadcasting networks for personally attaching someone or some issue without giving that person or organization the opportunity to express their point of views and reasons. If ... ...of nations, countries, cities, towns, and individuals can be severely harmed and damaged if there is no control on the information being disbursed through the vast communication devices available. While everyone cites the right to freedom of speech, it is sometimes forgotten about the part that states as long as it doesn’t harm another person is often overlooked. Works Cited AuBuchon, D. (2009, April 5). Freedom of Speech and the Fairness Doctrine by:Dennis AuBuchon | American Conservative Daily (c) 2010. American Conservative Daily (C) 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2011, from http://www.americanconservativedaily.com/2009/04/freedom-of-speech-and-the-fairness-doctrine-2/ Fairness Doctrine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2011, January 15). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved February 4, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairness_Doctrine

Nothingness :: Creative Writing Short Stories

Nothingness The wall appears to be chiseled from one large block of marble. As if the Gods themselves found a piece of black marble large enough to cover an area apparently the size of Kansas. In fact the Gods themselves did, for this is the wall of Asgaard, realm of the Gods. Seated amidst mountains of mist and covering fully half of existence, the city of the Norse dead is surrounded by this towering wall of rough black marble. From the mountains, a stone paved path winds down to the foot of the wall. On the path a group of figures are descending its flagstones, working their way to the foot of an immense silver gate, that stands ajar, opening the way for any travelers. The gate is a delicate appearing mesh of shining sliver; if closed, even Thor could not force it open. He has tried. It must be that strong, it guards the only path between the land of the living and the land of the dead. Approximately forty souls are approaching the gate; one leads. She is a large woman, with long blonde hair braided down her back. Her white robes flow around her, giving the appearance of reality and solidity, an odd sight in the spirit world. Turning to those who follow her she focuses her gaze on each in turn,  ³No matter what happens, do not go through the gate. Only the Seekers may go through. You are not prepared for what will be on the other side. ² Her followers do not react, those whose eyes are open are more interested in the terrain. The majority of the people appear to be sleeping, their faces are relaxed and their eyes are closed. Of those whose eyes are open, only a few are awake and alert. Two are especially noteworthy. One is a tall youth with shoulder length blonde hair, the other is sightly shorter, with long curly dark brown hair. He is wearing a kilt and a short, ceremonial sword at his belt. The blonde lad is standing still, absorbing his surroundings with a passion. He seems to be looking for something.

Barack Obama

Barack Obama, made history when he became the first African-American President of the most powerful country in the world at the young age of 47. He overcame powerful competition from extremely popular political heavyweights of the likes of Hillary Clinton and John McCain and enumerable obstacles to win convincingly. A brief background : Obama was born as Barack Hussein Obama on Aug. 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii to Barack Obama, Sr. , a Kenyan and Ann Dunham, a native of Chicago. They were both students at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.However, by the time he became two years old, they had separated and later divorced. His mother got married to a fellow student, Lolo Soetoro. As Seatoro was from Indonesia, the family shifted to Jakarta later. After four years of schooling in Indonesian schools, Obama returned to live with his maternal grand parents in Hawaii and joined Punahou Academy from which he graduated with honors in 1979. His first experience with racism happened in this pe riod because he was one of just three African American students. Obama completed his degree in political science from Columbia University in New York, 1983.After gaining a few years of work experience he moved to Chicago in 1985 where he worked as a community organizer. (A&E Television Networks, 2008, p. 1) Opting for a career in law, he joined Harvard Law School in 1988. There he created history by becoming the first African American to be elected as the editor of Harvard Law Review. With the law degree in hand, Obama returned to Chicago and worked in a law firm while teaching at the Chicago Law school simultaneously. Meanwhile in 1992, Obama married Michelle Robinson, also a law graduate. 1992 was an important year in Obama’s career as a politician also.He was an active member in Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign organizing a hugely successful voter registration drive. He wrote an autobiographical book called â€Å"Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inher itance† in 1995. (p. 2) Obama was instrumental in drafting several legislation in ethics, income-tax credit for the poor, health care, education and law enforcement in this period. In 1996, People of Hyde Park elected Obama into the Illinois State Senate. He was also elected the chairman of the Public Health and Welfare Committee. Post 9/11, Obama was noted as one of the first prominent opponent of President George W.Bush’s strategy to go to war with Iraq. He warned about the costs involved in such a war in terms of lives, hardships and impact on economy. His predictions came true as it turned out to be a very messy affair in the end. In 2004, Obama got in the fray for the U. S. Senate seat held by Sen. Peter Fitzgerald. Voters soon took a liking to Obama and he was able to defeat the multimillionaire businessman Blair Hull and Illinois Comptroller Daniel Hynes. Obama entered the national politics when he gave a stunning performance as the keynote speaker at the 2004 De mocratic National Convention in Boston.In the general election, Obama defeated the republican candidate Alan Keyes, who was also an African-American, in a record landslide victory in Illinois. Obama was very active as a senator with several successful campaigns on wide variety of matters such as transparency on federal spending, elimination of weapons of mass destructions in Europe and Russia, threat of avian flu, rehabilitation of Hurrican Katrina victims, alternative energy initiatives and so on. (p. 3) Obama published his second book, â€Å" The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream† in 2006.In February 2007, he decided to run for American Presidency and became the democratic nominee against a tough competition from the former first lady Hillary Clinton. After running a very systematic and well- organized campaign lasting more than 2 years, Obama became 44th president of the United States by beating republican presidential nominee John McCain. Obama i s blessed with two daughters, Malia and Sasha. Obstacles Obama had to face in his run upto the presidency : 1) His African American origin- The biggest obstacle in his path to presidency was that people of his origin has always found it difficult to get ahead in national politics.Obama was only the fifth African American Senator in U. S. history and just the third to have been popularly elected. 2) His seemingly apparent lack of experience as a leader or executive – The opponents and the media alleged that Obama was not experienced enough to lead the country. But he was successful in establishing that his years of experience as community organizer is as valuable as any other leadership stint. 3) Tough Competition – When Obama announced his campaign in February 2007, it seemed that Sen.Hillary Clinton was the favorite for the Democratic nomination and was touted as the most anticipated presidential candidate in a generation. But in a systematic manner Obama went about h is campaign and step by step his charisma took his popularity ahead and in front of the competition. 4) White Voters, the overwhelming influence on the outcome of the US presidential elections, were not expected to support Obama as several studies and history suggested. 5) Even among the African American community, Obama had trouble with his perceived strongest base.It was only after his victory in Iowa that the black sentiment turned in his favour. There was also Obama’s perceived lack a shared background with the minority population that suffered centuries of social abuse. 6) Obama also had to carefully handle the allegation on his backgrounds, past life, friends or any glitch on his biography that the opposition could use against him. (Sheng, 2008) 8. Exit polls reported from several areas pointed to the fact that one in five white voters would prefer to vote for a white candidate, which meant that Obama’s opponent would get these votes no matter what other consider ations were.9. Obama also had to handle the seemingly ludicrous but highly influencing allegations on his muslim background. A Pew Research Center survey found that 13 percent of registered voters stated that Sen. Obama was a Muslim, which was proof that ignorance of voters could be a big factor that Obama had to deal with. 10. Obama also had to deal with a concerted effort to paint Obama as an outsider that did not belong in the US scheme of things. His mixed family background and alleged muslim connections added to these campaigns. (Bryjak, 2008) Obama’s Leadership QualitiesBarack Obama’s leadership qualities that leaves the people around him to emulate are the qualities that every efficient leader should posses. Intelligence, Good Communition Skills, a wide range of experience, a multicultural background, and an affinity for change. Intelligence -. Obama has shown tremendous intelligence difficulties to find logical solutions to tough problems. His views and thought s of multiple ways to improve the American life shows his application of intelligence. Good communication skills – Obama has been successful in expressing his feelings in their entirety to his audience.His speeches are highly affective and he takes the crowd in his hands. He also used the emerging media such as social networking sites on the internet to fundraise and communicate messages. Experience – 7 years of work in Illinois Senate and his work as a community organizer gives Obama the professional experience to fight through the problems. And his multicultural faceted and varied experience on a personal level gives him the edge over others. Change – Obama has already taken several key decisions with far reaching consequences to affect the change that he has promised so much and so far.( Fu, 2008) As Madore in his article puts it â€Å"Obama’s ideas are fresh with relevant information. He supplies us competent Organization, with well-executed plans. H is Word Choice is measured, precise and powerful. His Voice is honest, inspiring, and credible. His Fluency rings rhythmic and fine-tuned. And finally, his Conventions are clean and polished, showing evidence of following the rules† (Madore, 2008) A study conducted by NextNationalCEO. com. reports that Insightful judgment, vision and trustworthiness top the list of important leadership characteristics for the U. S. presidential candidates.The following leadership traits were given for ranking to the visitors to NextNationalCEO. com with respect to each of presidential candidates, it was found that Obama was placed ahead of the other candidates almost all of these characteristics. They are, â€Å" — #1: Insightful Judgment — #2: Visionary — #3: Trustworthy — #4: Gets Things Done — #5: Inspires Others — #6: Good Judge of People — #7: Influences Others — #8: Courageous — #9: Confident — #10: Energetic† ( Reutors, 2008) Barack Obama’s leadership characteristics could be summed up as follows,Obama is ambitious, strong, bold and determined to achieve his goals. He uses the resources available to him and innovates new ways to do things. For example, the way he used the social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and MySpace to raise funds and to build a strong influence among the youth. Obama promises a fresh look at everything without pre-conceived notions. His consensus building approach is likely to win friends off enemies. Obama believes in leading by example which was showcased when his stand that high salary levels need to be checked and revised was immediately put into action among the white house staff.Obama has shown tremendous judgment and conviction to take action when he took seemingly complex and controversial decisions such as the closure of Guantanamo prison, withdrawal of American troops from Iraq, getting Congress to pass an $800 billion-plus stimulus package to revive the economy etc. No matter what the occasion, Obama has shown tremendous ability to remain calm and collected. He hardly looses his cool and is not afraid to admit his mistakes. ( Khan, 2009) References Khan, S. (2009, February 15). Obama Leadership – 8 Ways to Lead in the 21st Century.Retrieved May 8, 2009, from http://ezinearticles. com/? Obama-Leadership—8-Ways-to-Lead-in-the-21st-Century&id=1997850 Reuters, (2008,Apr 9). Which Leadership Traits are Most Important to Public in Presidential Candidates? , Retrieved May 8, 2009, from http://www. reuters. com/article/pressRelease/idUS133960+09-Apr-2008+PRN20080409 Madore, R. (2008, Mar 7). Six winning traits of Barack Obama's leadership style! , Retrieved May 8, 2009, http://my. barackobama. com/page/community/post/rolandmadore/gGB3Gs Fu, Bow ( 2008, Mar 22) Barack Obama and Leadership, Retrieved May 8, 2009, http://newsflavor.com/opinions/barack-obama-and-leadership/ Bryjak, J. G. ( 2008, Oct 19), Ob ama's obstacles, Retrieved May 8, 2009, http://www. copleynews. com/uniontrib/20081019/news_lz1e19bryjak. html Sheng, R. ( 2008, Nov 5), Obama overcomes obstacles to become first black president, Retrieved May 8, 2009, http://www. dailytargum. com/news/obama-overcomes-obstacles-to-become-first-black-president-1. 895980 A&E Television Networks, ( 2008) Barack Obama, ( pp 1-3) Retrieved May 8, 2009 http://www. biography. com/featured-biography/barack-obama/bio3. jsp