Sunday, December 29, 2019

Gang Membership Risk Factors for Joining and Effects on...

Risk factors for gang membership have been identified at five major levels: individual, family, school, peers and community (Howell Egley, 2005). For example, at the individual level early onset of delinquency and antisocial behavior among pre-adolescents could be an indication of future criminality (Moffitt, 1993). Risk factors within peer association can have an effect on whether an adolescent becomes a member of a gang. These peers may provide antisocial views, aggressive influences and possibly induce delinquent behavior if not previously present. Lastly, community environment has an effect on adolescents, especially in high-crime areas where drugs, violence associated with weapons and disorganization are prominent (Howell Egley,†¦show more content†¦Coleman (1998) stated â€Å"social capital is productive, making possible the achievements of certain ends that in its absence would not be possible† (as cited in Laub Sampson, 1993, p. 310). This holds accurate wi th Laub and Sampson (1993) postulating that to become desistance from criminal activities as an adult, it would require knifing off from delinquency, antisocial behaviors and associations. Additionally, offenders would need to create social bonds during adulthood through marriage or employment. Furthermore, impediments social capital can induce premature transitions of trajectories according to Laub and Sampson (1993). Gang membership. When adolescents join a gang, the social bonds of conventional society are disrupted, thus potentially changing future trajectories. Gangs typically produce an increase in delinquent behavior during membership, as a result â€Å"delinquency is indirectly related to future offending because it leads to school failure, incarceration, and weak bonds, which likely lead to further adult crime (Piquero, 2011, p. 765). Additionally, human and social capital are not properly instilled within the adolescents because a lack of prosocial associations. Thus, future trajectories can be affected even after exiting the gang if he or she remains in similar social worlds. â€Å"Experiences learned and reinforced through gang membership may continue to affect social interactions after adolescents no longer consider themselves gang

Saturday, December 21, 2019

The Influence Of Age, Work Experience, Education Level,...

Chapter 3: Methodology The researcher conducted this quantitative research study to explore the influence of age, work experience, education level, and competence based standardized entrance exam scores on whether a job applicant will pass a pre-employment polygraph exam. While demand for qualified law enforcement applicants has increased significantly, the pool of participants qualified for these positions has diminished (Wilson et al., 2010). In order to address this developing issue, law enforcement employers need to understand how their hiring procedures affect employment outcomes. The polygraph is one hiring procedure commonly used in the law enforcement field. While there has been some research exploring non-physiological variable influences on integrity-type tests, there is a lack of research on non-physiological variable influences on the polygraph test. As such, the researcher plans to explore possible influences on pre-employment polygraph exams. This study will contribute to the existing literat ure on integrity tests, which in turn will provide researchers and Human Resource policy makers with additional data. These individuals may potentially use this data to streamline hiring processes for specialized law enforcement, security, and government positions. This chapter will outline the research design and methodology proposed to be followed. First, the overall research design will be justified. Next, the independent and dependent variables will beShow MoreRelatedOrganizational Behavior Theory Essay3878 Words   |  16 Pagespositive outcomes, such as getting a passing grade on an exam, to their own abilities.   A. True  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. False    5.  Debra hates veal, but at a party at her friends house, she is served veal for dinner. She hides her revulsion, does not let anyone realize that she hates veal, and eats the other items on the menu. Which of the following can be ascertained from Debras behavior at the party?   A.  She has low self-esteem. B.  She has openness to experience. C.  She has high self-confidence. D.  She has highRead MoreImportance of English Communication Proficiency7628 Words   |  31 Pagescommunication proficiency of the secondary students nowadays; those who can afford to enroll in college will be privileged to learn and be trained more with their communication skills, but what about those students who cannot afford to be upgraded in tertiary level? Of course they’ll apply for a job to make a living, but the problem is, even the few available jobs for high school graduates require good communication skills, and unfortunately, as the researchers have noticed, most high school students are notRead MoreThesis About English Proficiency Among Bshrm Students10781 Words   |  44 PagesLevel of English Proficiency and Communication Skills among BSHRM CSTA Students: an Assessment A Thesis Proposal Presented to the Faculty of the Colegio De Sta. Teresa De Avila Foundation Inc. In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of Degree Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management By: Wendell Galapate Mau Bryan Calimlim Alvin Pancito Robert Charles Magno Rodrigo Tinaja Jr. Heizel Bisnan Lea Sojor Jenelyn Soriano Aisha Valencia Clarisse Hipolito Ian VictoRead More_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 PagesBrooks/Cole are trademarks used herein under license. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution, information storage and retrieval systems, or in any other manner—without the written permission of the publisher. Thomson Higher Education 10 Davis Drive Belmont, CA 94002-3098 USA For more information about our productsRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesCoral Graphics Text Font: 10/12 Weidemann-Book Credits and acknowledgments borrowed from other sources and reproduced, with permission, in this textbook appear on appropriate page within text. Copyright  © 2011, 2007, 2005, 2002, 1998 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United States of America. This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisherRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pagestracking, and more manage time better study smarter save money From multiple study paths, to self-assessment, to a wealth of interactive visual and audio resources, WileyPLUS gives you everything you need to personalize the teaching and learning experience.  » F i n d o u t h ow t o M A K E I T YO U R S  » www.wileyplus.com ALL THE HELP, RESOURCES, AND PERSONAL SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS NEED! 2-Minute Tutorials and all of the resources you your students need to get started www.wileyplusRead MoreAccounting Information System Chapter 1137115 Words   |  549 PagesConstruction firms typically receive payments at regular intervals, based on the percentage of work completed. Thus, their revenue cycles must be designed to track carefully all work performed and the amount of work remaining to be done. Service companies (e.g., public accounting and law firms) do not sell physical goods and, therefore, do not need inventory control systems. They must develop and maintain detailed records of the work performed for each customer to provide backup for the amounts billedRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words   |  604 Pagesof whom are hourly workers. Making the transition in HR management required going from seven to three levels of management, greatly expanding the use of crossfunctional work teams, and significantly increasing training. To ease employee and managerial anxieties about the changes, GE Fanuc promised that no employees would lose their jobs. Managers and supervisors affected by the elimination of levels were offered promotions, transfers to other jobs in GE Fanuc, or early retirement buyouts. AdditionallyRead MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 Pages Leadership is a Process, Not a Position 51 51 70 1. Leadership is Everyone’s Business 2. Interaction between the Leader, the Followers the Situation Cohen †¢ Effective Behavior in Organizations, Seventh Edition 11. Leadership: Exerting Influence and Power 94 94 Text Palmer−Dunford−Akin †¢ Managing Organizational Change 2. Images of Managing Change 121 121 147 147 Text 3. Why Organizations Change Text Cohen †¢ Effective Behavior in Organizations, Seventh Edition 14. InitiatingRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 PagesOperations, Strategy: Competing in the 21st Century, First Edition Benton, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, Second Edition Bowersox, Closs, and Cooper, Supply Chain Logistics Management, Third Edition Brown and Hyer, Managing Projects: A Team-Based Approach, First Edition Burt, Petcavage, and Pinkerton, Supply Management, Eighth Edition Cachon and Terwiesch, Matching Supply with Demand: An Introduction to Operations Management, Second Edition Finch, Interactive Models for Operations and Supply

Friday, December 13, 2019

Strategic Benefits of Effective Diversity Management Free Essays

Abstract Diversity management acknowledges the reality that people are different with respect to factors such as gender, marital status, age, disability, social status, sexual orientation, personality, ethnicity, religion, and culture. If a company values diversity in its workforce, it can manage its employees in a way that creates harmony in all work practices and higher standards of collaboration and teamwork. Effective management of workplace diversity results in an innovative culture where creativity has no boundaries and ideas continue to flourish. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Benefits of Effective Diversity Management or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thus, it is of paramount importance for companies to integrate diversity in their daily operations. Introduction Diversity entails understanding, acknowledging, accepting, celebrating, and valuing differences among people based on their class, ethnicity, age, physical and mental ability, gender, race, language, religion, and sexual orientation (Hubbard 2004, p.27). In the contemporary world, effective management of diversity is essential because the work-environment is characterised by a wide range of employees from different cultural, social, and religious backgrounds. Moreover, the success of any organisation is highly dependent on how well the employees integrate and collaborative with each other at the workplace. In order to ensure teamwork and collaboration among employees, it is imperative to have effective management of diversity in the workforce (Combe 2013, p.273-277). In most cases, diversity management involves removing barriers and allowing job applicants and employees to have equal access to employment opportunities and promotion; hiring a workforce that reflects the communities wi thin which the organisation operates; empowering all workers to reach their full potential, and encouraging personal growth, as well as professional development among all employees (Paludi 2012, p.123). This paper aims at exploring the strategic benefits of effective diversity management, how diversity is handled at UKRD Group, and it provides some recommendations on how to enhance diversity at UKRD. Literature Review Benefits of effective diversity management Diversity confers various benefits to companies, and as a result, many scholars suggest that it should be a feature of every aspect of an organisation including employee development, succession planning, reviews, performance management, and rewards. To start with, employees from diverse social and cultural backgrounds bring unique skills, perceptions, and experiences to the table while working in teams. Pooling the diverse skills and knowledge from different cultural and social backgrounds increases employees’ productivity, and responsiveness to varying conditions (Buhler 2010, p.91). Furthermore, in a diverse workforce, each employee possesses distinct strengths and weaknesses, drawn from their diverse backgrounds and their individuality. If a company ensures effective diversity management is in place, it is possible to leverage the diverse strengths among employees, and compliment the weakness of each employee to make the productivity of the workforce more than the sum of it s parts (Griffin 2012, p.241). By bridging together employees from various backgrounds, businesses can market their products effectively to clients from different ethnic and racial backgrounds. This is because by ensuring the workforce reflects the region within which the business operates, it is usually easy to know the expectations, demands, tastes, and preferences of their consumers. As a result, the company will be able to produce goods/services, which conform to their client’s expectations and demands (Thiederman 2008, p.3). Moreover, effective diversity management strengthens the company’s relationship with a given category of customers by making communication efficient. This is achieved by pairing customers with customer-service representatives from their social or cultural background, making them feel comfortable and satisfied. For example, a company operating in the southwest of the U.S. can employ bi-lingual customer representatives in order to serve Spanish-speaking clients in their native language (Guffey Loewy 2010, p.99). Companies that fail to foster diversity in their workforce experience higher turnover rates than those that treasure diversity in the workplace. This is because they portray a hostile work environment, and consequently, make most of their employees to quit. Inability to retain most of the qualified personnel leads to high turnover-related costs, which a company can avoid by embracing diversity. Losing an employee is highly detrimental to the company’s success because it results to lowered productivity; overworked remaining staff; loss of knowledge and skills; and loss of company’s time while conducting interviews (Griffin 2012). In addition, when employees are working in groups, diversity enables them to generate more and better ideas. Since the group members come from a host of varying cultures, they often propose creative and unique solutions and recommendations, unlike when they come from same backgrounds (Paludi 2012, p.93). In other words, group diversity eliminates groupthink, which is often witnessed in companies that do not foster diversity in their workforce. Groupthink makes participants in a team to think that their ideas and actions are valid, and those objecting them are either sabotaging their efforts or are uninformed. However, multicultural teams are not affected by such problems since the participants have different perspectives (Aswathappa 2013, p.769). By having a positive approach toward diversity at workplace, a company signals an ethical stand. Consequently, it can build and maintain a positive corporate image. A positive corporate image enables a company to have stronger relationships with existing clients, as well as broaden the consumer base by attracting more customers. A strong consumer base is a direct incentive to a noteworthy competitive edge, and it enables companies to face various challenges in the market such as the recession (Mor-Barak 2011). Diversity is also a key aspect in the creation of effective global relationships. Employing international talent helps in enhancing the company’s reputation through outwardly encouraging cultural diversification to a broader consumer-base. If a company hires employees from different countries, it stands a greater chance of expanding and seizing global opportunities by establishing a network of languages and cultures (Guffey Loewy 2010). Additionally, by creating an environment of inclusion and by making commitment to valuing diversity, managers can boost employee morale and motivation. This is because acknowledging and accepting a person regardless of their social or cultural background makes them feel honoured, and as if they a part of the family ‘company.’ As a result, they will devote all their efforts toward realization of the organisation’s goals (Abiodun 2010, p.82-87). Managing diversity at UKRD Group UKRD Group is a multi-media company, based in the U.K. The company owns and operates a portfolio of websites, a software-licensing firm, and 16 local commercial radio stations. The company has been ranked number one for three years in a row on the U.K’s top 100 best employers (Toten 2013). Diversity management is central to the company’s human resource strategic goals, which include the development of an inclusive and integrated workforce. UKRD Group acknowledges the benefits of a diverse workforce, and it invests much in ensuring that the work-environment is free from discrimination. Moreover, the company endeavours to promote the principles of diversity in all its operations with employees, job applicants, suppliers, clients, recruitment agencies, contractors, and the public (UKRD Group Ltd, n.d.). According to the company’s CEO, William Rogers, one of the key goals of the company is to build a supportive culture, based on various fundamental standards of behaviour including honesty, fairness, openness, professionalism, and fun. For instance, employees have the liberty to express their disagreement with anything the group purposes to accomplish. However, they are expected to observe fairness and professionalism when presenting their views. Having such a splendid value-based culture portrays a good image of how the company is investing in diversity management. Furthermore, the company does not have a structured human resource department. All the HR functions are outsourced. It has adopted such as strategy in order to encourage the management to have a greater responsibility for their employees. By having a structured HR department, the company’s management believes that the relationship between managers and employees would weaken, since matters such as discipline m ay be shifted from one department to another, and as a result, they may not be handled effectively. This is a viable strategy toward strengthening of the manager-employee relationship, which is key to the effective management of diversity (Toten 2013). All employees as well as anyone who acts on behalf of the company is required to adhere to the company’s set principles of equality and diversity. Any sort of unlawful discrimination in the workplace is not condoned, and the company has put in place necessary measures to prevent its occurrence. Specifically, UKRD Group purposes to ensure that no job applicant or employee is subjected to unlawful discrimination based on gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, age, part-time status, or religion. This commitment is taken into account at all aspects of employment such as training, recruitment, promotion and career-development opportunities, grievance handling and the application of disciplinary procedures, and terms/conditions of employment. Because of the evolving nature of the job market and the legislation changes, the company often reviews its policies regarding diversity, and implements relevant changes (UKRD Group Ltd, n.d.). Recommendations In order for the UKRD Group to be at the forefront in ensuring diversity prevails in all its operations, it is necessary for its management to take into consideration the following suggestions. To start with, it should ensure it has a wide recruiting base. This can be achieved by adopting tools such as online job boards, where anyone with an access to the internet can view the job opportunities being advertised by the company. The company should also have a standard evaluation form. By having a standard evaluation form, instances of discrimination will be eliminated, and it allows the hiring team to use the same criteria for all candidates (Thiederman 2008). Moreover, managers of UKRD should explain the benefits of diversity to the employees, and familiarize the new hires with the company’s culture. For instance, they can clarify the roles the new hires are expected to execute, and explain to them the values treasured in the company (Hubbard 2004, p.85). Conclusion The above discussion has explored the strategic benefits of diversity management, and examined how diversity is handled at UKRD Company Ltd. Since the market is becoming increasingly global, it is necessary for businesses to understand, acknowledge, and embrace diversity in their day-to-day operations, and in their workforce. Effective management of diversity is the key to leveraging the benefits, and reducing the drawbacks associated with diversity in the workplace. Companies reap huge benefits through effective management of diversity. For instance, pooling the diverse skills and experiences from different cultural and social backgrounds increases employees’ productivity and responsiveness to varying conditions. In addition, when employees are working in groups, diversity enables them to generate more and better ideas unlike when they come from the same social or cultural background. Based on this discussion, it is worthwhile arguing that companies should ensure diversity is well managed in order to thrive successfully. Bibliography â€Å"Diversity Equal Opportunities Statement.† UKRD Group Ltd -. (n.d.). Available from . [14 August 2014]. Abiodun, R. A. (2010). Leadership behavior impact on employee’s loyalty, engagement and organizational performance:. [S.l.], Authorhouse. Aswathappa, K. (2013). Human resource management: text and cases. New Delhi, McGraw Hill Education. Buhler, P. (2010). Human Resources Management All the Information You Need to Manage Your Staff and Meet Your Business Objectives. Cincinnati, F+W Media. Combe, C. (2013). Introduction to management. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Griffin, R. W. (2012). Fundamentals of management. Mason, OH, South-Western Cengage Learning. Guffey, M. E., Loewy, D. (2010). Business communication: process and product. Mason, OH, South-Western/Cengage Learning. Hubbard, E. E. (2004). The manager’s pocket guide to diversity management. Amherst, MA, HRD Press. Mor-Barak, M. E. (2011). Managing diversity: toward a globally inclusive workplace. Los Angeles, SAGE. Paludi, M. A. (2012). Managing diversity in today’s workplace: strategies for employees and employers. Santa Barbara, Calif, ABC-CLIO. Thiederman, S. B. (2008). Making diversity work: 7 steps for defeating bias in the workplace. New York, Kaplan Pub. Toten, Mike. â€Å"Employee engagement case study: UK radio group.† Workplace Info -. Available from . [16 May 2013]. How to cite Strategic Benefits of Effective Diversity Management, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Wal-Mart free essay sample

Wal-mart Annual Report Analysis Matthew Walter Professor: Evelyn Hume Intermediate Accounting I 06/12/2011 Who are the firm’s auditors? Do they provide a clean opinion on the financial statements? Wal-Mart is audited by Ernst amp; Young LLP. Ernst amp; Young’s believe the financial position of Wal-Mart is clearly depicted in their financial statements and in tune with the U. S. generally accepted accounting principles. Have there been any subsequent events, errors and irregularities, illegal acts, or related-party transactions that have a material effect on the financial statements? Wal-Mart subsequent events on March 4, 2010 the company’s Board of Directors approved an increase in the annual dividend to 1. 21 a share. Describe the trend in total assets and total liabilities for the years presented. Wal-Mart’s total assets increased by 7,277 million from 2009 to 2010. Similarly, the total liabilities of Wal-Mart have increased 1,427 million from 2009 to 2010. What are the company’s three largest assets for the most recent year presented? Wal-Mart’s three largest assets for 2010 were inventories, buildings and improvements, and fixtures and equipment. We will write a custom essay sample on Wal-Mart or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page What are the company’s three largest liabilities for the most recent year presented? Wal-Mart’s three largest liabilities for 2010 were accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and long term debt. What types of stock does the company have? How many outstanding shares are there for each type of stock for the most recent year presented? Wal-Mart has preferred and common stock options. In 2010 there were no outstanding shares of preferred stock. Also, there were 378 million outstanding shares of common stock in 2010. Does the company use the single-step income statement, multiple-step income statement, or a variation of both? Wal-Mart uses the multiple-step income statement. Does the income statement contain any separately reported items, including discontinued operations or extraordinary items, in any year presented? If it does, describe the event that caused the item. (Hint: There should be a related footnote. ) Wal-Mart reported a loss of 79 million from discontinued operations. The event that caused this loss was because Wal-Mart had shares outstanding that were not included in the diluted net income per share. Describe the trend in net income over the years presented. Wal-Mart’s net income has increased over the last three years from 2008 to 2010. An increase of 19% from 2008 to 2009 and an increase of 14% from 2009 to 2010. Does the company have other comprehensive income? If yes, what is the nature of the transaction(s)? Wal-Mart does not have any other comprehensive income to report. Does the company use the indirect or direct method of the cash flow statement? Wal-Mart uses the direct method of the cash flow statement. What is the trend in cash from operations for the years presented? Wal-Mart has had an increase in cash from operations each year from 2008. From 2008 to 2009 there was about a 3,000 million increase and from 2009 to 2010 there was another increase of about 3,000 million. What are the two largest items included in cash from investing activities? Wal-Mart suffered a loss for cash from investing activities. Proceeds from disposal of property and equipment are the only positive figure at 1,002 million. For the year ended 2010 Wal-Mart reported a loss of 11,620 million from investing activities.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Ms. Myers Essays - Group Processes, Community Organizing, Conformity

Ms. Myers Soical Psychology Experiment 5-29-00 I was at this "rocking" party last night. I decided to use this party as my social psychology experiment. I decided to use this, because there were a lot of people interacting with one another. As I viewed the area I could see many different clicks spread around the room. It looked like they were only talking to the people among their groups. The groups consisted of five or more girls and guys. I observed the different interactions among the different groups. As I looked around I could see that some groups were huddled in a corner chatting as other were running around dancing and having fun. The groups that were dancing seem like they were much more outgoing as the groups that sat around talking. When I decided to walk outside the mood of the evening began to dim. People were gathered around the table speaking calmly. However, when I walked inside the mood changed quickly from the dim light to a out of control spotlight. People were dancing like there was no tomorrow. My first impression was that there was going to be some crazy people on the dance floor would have to be soon removed. Unfortunately my predictions were correct! I also figured that the different groups would not interact too much with each other. Some people were acting like fools just so other people would notice them, and maybe even accept them. I consider this as a type of conformity. As I stumbled upon many groups, I realized that the girls were much more in depth with their conversations as though the guys. Most of the guys were sitting there staring at all of the different girls "shaking it" on the dance floor. By observing this crowd I was able to conclude that girls have higher conversation level than guys. I also realized that conformity had to of taken place in order for these different groups to have formed

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Athenian Democracy Essay Cutrone Essays

Athenian Democracy Essay Cutrone Essays Athenian Democracy Essay Cutrone Essay Athenian Democracy Essay Cutrone Essay Before Perils came, the Athenian leaders Solon, (59459 3 BCC) Postscripts, (546 BCC) and Calisthenics (507 BCC) laid the groundwork that serve d as the foundation for Perils well known democracy. However, Postscripts does not truly deserve the title Father of Democracy due to some of his actions; or better yet, lack of AC actions as leader. (Couture) What qualifies one to be called the Father of Democracy? A father is usually considered the head of a family and the main leader, which in some cases, m sakes Perils the father. However, the entire reason that makes a man a father, is his family. Wi thou the family, a man wouldnt be deserving of the title Father. The family in this case, is the p revises Athenian adders Solon and Calisthenics. This is why all three leaders: Solon, Clementine s and Perils are deserving of the title Father of Democracy. Because without one another the re would have been no democracy. (Couture) First and foremost, the starting point of Athenian Democracy was Solon. During Eng his reign, Solon rewrote Dorado Law Code and turned it into the constitution. The constitution created set laws which any stable democracy needs. Solon also created four CLC asses based on wealth as opposed to heredity. This was fundamental to the creation Of demo Cray because it eave the Athenian citizens the opportunity to move up in society and create a better life. Even though classes arent technically considered democratic, it was one step in the e right direction. In addition, Solon created a Jury system, as well as the council of 400. Although t he council of 400 only gave the three highest classes the option to participate, it still provided sic tizzies with a voice in decision making which created more of a democratic environment, because e one main goal of a democracy is providing every citizen the power to express their opinions in a f IR, equal and just manor. (Couture) Next, Calisthenics built upon Solons earlier administration . Unlike Postscripts who just continued Solons policies, Calisthenics reformed them. One of Calisthenics grog tastes reforms was changing the Council of 400 to the Council of 500. He also tried to make it fair by selecting the Council randomly. Just by the sheer act of changing the number of people allow wed in the council, and random selection, opened the council to more citizens, therefore moving the community one step closer to a fair democracy. However, Calisthenics overlooked one flaw in is plan to make the Council more equal. Although it was chosen randomly, the wealthy citizen s wound up obtaining almost all of the spots. The less fortunate citizens could not afford t o quit their jobs in order to join a Council that offered no pay and required all their time. Despite this, Calisthenics did set a platform for an equal council that succeeding leaders could use as a foundation for later democracies. Calisthenics also made sure there was a representative from each h county that was elected by the people A representative selected by the people, for the people, gave even the sweet classes a sense of participation in the new democracy which was sup used to involve everyone. In addition, Calisthenics eventually came around to establishing a did erect democracy. The direct democracy allowed citizens to have hands on involvement in the go Vermont by voting and expressing opinions. The direct democracy was a pure form of De Majorca because it gave everyone the option to participate. Under his rule, Calisthenics initiated o ostracism. Even though ostracism is not considered fair nor democratic, Calisthenics made sure e that before anyone as banished, the citizens of the cityscape would vote on whether to banish the e accused or not. Which ironically, is actually democratic. Calisthenics also initiated the organize Zion of the previous cityscape into towns and counties. This was one way he made tat ens more organized and communal, which are traits of any well run democratic society. (Couture) Perils, was a fundamental aspect for uniting all accomplishments from past leaders, and creating what today is known as the Athenian democracy the first true democratic society. The main idea of a democracy involves giving equal power to he citizens. One crucial reform Perils made was lessening the power of all aristocrats, and by doing so, ma De the classes more proportional. He proceeded to do this by allowing all juries, assemblies, and c nuncio members positions to be open to all male citizens. He revised Calisthenics plans for the council by now paying everyone to be a member. As a result of this, it no longer made a coins durable difference if one was dirt poor or filthy rich. Now even the most traditional resident, had the right, and ability to make a change in their society. Thus by executing these changes, Per clues truly made Athens a democracy. (Couture) Furthermore, when a person is to look at any countries leader, whether past or present, there will always be flaws within their leadership. It is inevitable. Therefore who en one is to view a leader it is more important to view what the leader has accomplished to bet term his (or her) society. Which is why when looking at Postscripts, along with his accomplish nets, he does not qualify to be a Father of Democracy. Postscripts continued Solons previous policies. His one main economic change was reforming the economy. Instead of focusing on the e government and people, Postscripts spent his time and power to beautify the city and create nee w festivals. No well known atrocities occurred during his reign. Which is why it is surprising he did not accomplish more. Considering the fact that other leaders in history have had to deal with events such as war and an economic downfall, and still, monumentally improve their nation. (Cut Rene) Athens is known as the first true form of democracy. But like all great nations, it was not built in one day.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Marketing strategy for managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing strategy for managers - Essay Example Based on these factors a manager can decide how much to spend on advertisements, what values to promote and what kind of media to select for display of advertisements. Direct marketing which means non-existence of intermediaries between the manufacturer and the customer is another effective way of communicating value with the customers. Analyzing consumer markets Only by a thorough understanding of consumers can enable companies to ensure that â€Å"right products are marketed to the right consumers in the right way† (Kotler & Keller, 2012, p.151). The cultural and social background of consumers affects their buying patterns. The marketing manager needs to study the four major psychological processes like â€Å"motivation, perception, learning and memory† (Kotler & Keller, 2012, p.160) as these affect the behaviour of the consumers towards the market. Building strong brands A strong brand can be created by â€Å"careful planning and a deep long term commitment† ( Kotler & Keller, 2012, p.241). I feel a branded product or service creates a certain amount of trust among the consumers and in the modern day fast life brands enable consumers to easily identify a product thereby simplifying their decision making process. Brands can become successful only if consumers can get satisfaction from â€Å"past experiences with the product† (Kotler & Keller, 2012, p.242). This can happen only if a branded product can satisfy the needs of consumers and it maintains consistency with the messages provided through advertisements. I believe it is the job of the marketing manager to assess the likes and dislikes of the consumers regarding the brand and accordingly make improvements on the branded products or services. In... The essay demonstrates that the ability of a firm in establishing a profitable customer base and relationship highly depends upon the marketing manager. The contribution of the marketing manager in the success of the business in due course of time enhances the personal perspectives as well. Development of the buyer-seller relationship enhances dynamically and this takes place through the generation of linkages and relationships with entities of the external marketplace especially between the channels and that of the end users. Strategy enhancement is another dimension that develops as a personal perspective. The lifetime value of a customer can be said to be a driver that helps in the determination of the quantity of resources that a firm generally invests in a particular relationship. The mangers with their developed strategies attract the potential customers and maximize their investment in valuable resources along with the minimization in the non valuable investments. Individual c apabilities develop with time and the representation focuses towards a hardcore customer centric approach leading to the optimal fulfillment of their demands. The development of knowledge and that of the management of interaction is a kind of technology development and can be regarded as a key resource for the establishment of a long term and profitable customer relationship. A perfect blend of sales, marketing and that of service information system will act as a key variable in the development of robust paratnership with the customers.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Role of DHS to Enhance Special Operations Force Structure Essay

Role of DHS to Enhance Special Operations Force Structure - Essay Example Deconfliction is an important aspect to be careful about especially in areas of overlapping responsibility to prevent law enforcing agencies from mistakably disrupting operations. Components of DHS also included joint operations as a means to integrate federal border security efforts. The 9/11 commission has extensively stressed on the intensive collaboration with international partners, also increasing enforcement though joint efforts in the state, local and federal affairs. DHS components developed joint operations for time related surge operations in air, maritime and land border security. In order to check vulnerabilities related to insufficient staff, the officials have issued a three year grant to tribal nations/states and also the local governments have also been included to augment Border patrolling personnel and resources to offer security which benefited all sectors. For example, the joint operation outlook for the purpose of border security has resulted in the better under standing of partner capabilities. In 2007, in the Blaine sector with the joint operation, eight illegal aliens attempting to enter the United States were detained. The partners involved in the operation were DHS components including Border Patroling and ICE, while others included DoD, state and local law enforcement entities (Stana, 2011, p 15-20). Similarities between force structure of Israel, Great Britain and the United States Counter-terrorism has been designated USSCOM’s primary core task which involves the reducing the probable features of a successful terrorist attack (Groover, 2004, p12; SOF Reference Manual, 1999).The influence of the diplomatic efforts of treaties and policies will be evaluated in the light of on how the ability of land forces has defined to fulfill the nation’s global challenges. Naval and air power have historically played an important role mainly in the defense policies of Great Britain in the past and the United States at present. Resear ch suggests that Great Britain’s experience have been used by the United States to quantify historical significance on this aspect of the study (Sevcik, 2001, p2). Israel Defense Forces (IDF) similarly demonstrates the conventional military capability, coupled with nuclear weapons that are likely to deter any state to launch conventional campaign against them. Therefore, the most striking similarity in the structural features of the military forces between Israel, Great Britain and the USA is the use of high-intensity war equipments. Predicting the mode of future warfare is incredibly a difficult task but the general themes from the past and the present can definitely contribute to its theoretical content on the aspect of warfare relevance in the future. The future for all the three nations, namely Britain, Israel and the United States encompasses conventional wars of high-intensity. Predictions for the future war will mean nothing at all if the force structure of the concern ed state is not able to deal with the specialized needs of conflict (Martson, n.d. pp.1-4). Unique characteristics of SOF and Counter terror forces as compared to conventional mili

Monday, November 18, 2019

Article question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Article question - Assignment Example One of the major disadvantages of structured programming is redundancy of code. Since the program code is divided into modules therefore, there is a high possibility that the same code can be repeated in different modules. The perceived preference of object oriented languages over the more structural programming languages in industry today is due to some chief attributes of the object oriented programming paradigm. These attributes are encapsulation, information hiding and inheritance. These characteristics make programming easier in this paradigm. The object oriented programming model better reflects the human way of thinking and conceptualizing. The reason is that several objects are made while coding a program. For instance, a class is made on â€Å"person†. Then from this class different objects can be made like student, teacher, employee etc. this is similar to the thinking of mankind. 1. Information Hiding: Through information hiding dependencies among modules is reduced. It means that if in a home two children are given separate rooms and they are restricted to enter in the other’s room then each of them are only concerned with their own room and they don’t know the things of the other. 2. Encapsulation: It is communication between different things. For example if a person goes to a restaurant and orders rice to waiter. Then there is no communication between the person and cooker but through rice they are linked to each other. 3. Inheritance: The technique of â€Å"inheritance† is analogous to the inheritance of biological traits from parent to child in that certain characteristics and physical structures carry from one generation to the next. 4. Polymorphism: It means implementation of same thing in different ways. For example a kid asks his mother for meal. One way to is that mother serves the meal on the table while the other way is

Friday, November 15, 2019

Comparing Parliamentary Systems with Presidential

Comparing Parliamentary Systems with Presidential The Parliamentary system vs. Presidential system is a frequently debated topic, and often the debate is based on which system brings about the most success. Unarguably, the success rate of a system is an adequate way of measuring its right to be implemented. However, success is broken down into many components, and one of the most vital elements of success is stability. The question here is: what makes a stable system? Stability consists of political security, how well public demand is met, the difficulty level of being overthrown, the economic state of the country, and as a source simply put it a stable political system is one that survives through crises without internal destruction  [1]  . These are just a few of the criteria points from a vast array of fundamentals which construct the definition of stable. In the case of the UK and the US governmental systems, comparing both democracies, it becomes obvious that they share the same values and virtues to a certain extent. Perhaps one of the most stand-out similarities shared amongst the two systems is the responsibility they have for the people. Similarly the citizens ruled under these two different democracies are provided with the same, laws, rules and rights. However, there are several crucial differences between these two liberal democracies which make them so distinct. The election process of the two diverse governmental systems is one of the key differences which make them incomparable to each other. While within a presidential system the voters vote directly for the president, within the parliamentary system such as in Britain, the prime minister is elected indirectly; constituents essentially vote for a representative, a member of parliament to represent them in parliament; the leader of the majority party which wins becomes the prime minister. This is seen to be undemocratic in comparison to the election process of presidential systems which is seen to be more direct as it is directly voicing the voters opinions on who they want to lead the country. However, there are many advantages to a parliamentary system in comparison to the presidential system. For example, with the parliamentary system of government, it is fairly easy and more rapid to pass legislation through. However, there are other factors which can play a role in the power of these systems, for example if a party has a majority in parliament it will become easier to pass legislation through. In the case of the UK, this was the situation with Labour in 1997 under Tony Blair, Tony Blairs New Labour had gained a staggering 179-seat overall majority in the Commons as the Conservatives were tossed aside by the voters.  [2]  The Sweet and Maxwell research shows that In total Tony Blairs administration was the most prolific, introducing a total of 26,849 new laws over his entire premiership. This argues that, majority leadership within parliament is a factor which leads to legislation passed through much faster. So, A government with a secure majority can ensure its leg islation passesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [3]  this supports the claim that there are other factors which play a role into guaranteeing that legislation passes through, such as the majority in parliament or other elements which include an emergency or unseen events such as an economic crisis. An example of this is the Northern Ireland Act 1972, which took only seven hours and eleven minutes to reverse the effects of a court decision that undermined the powers of the armed forces in Northern Ireland.  [4]  Additionally, within a parliamentary system, the public is being represented while passing laws; as the House of Commons is a body which consists of representatives elected by constituents. If it is the case that, the House of Commons defy their constituents and try to pass a law through which is not in the interest of their constituents, they will get hassled by the media and pressure groups that have an immense influence on parliament. This is another factor and a very important on e as it verifies that the parliamentary system is stable as it is a struggle to pass legislation through if it is not in the interest of their constituents. RSPA is an example of a pressure group which influenced legislation; The Animal Welfare Act 2006 came about as a result of campaigning by animal welfare groups such as the RSPCA  [5]  . Conversely, within a presidential system which has been adopted by countries such as USA, the elaborate system of checks and balances within the presidential system makes it very challenging to pass legislation through as it often leads to gridlock. This is due to different parties controlling different branches within the presidential system, as it could be the case that legislation is controlled by one party and the presidency is controlled by the other. The paper, Divided government and the Legislative productivity of Congress states that, Divided government is thought to lead to gridlock, paralysis, and legislative slumps.  [6]  This supports the claim that the presidential system is unstable as it leads to negative outcomes such as gridlock and paralysis where nothing gets solved making it an unstable system due to the fact that it is a struggle to pass legislation even if it is in the benefit of the people. On the other hand, the checks and balances within a presidential system also have its gains as, Each branch of the government can check, or control, some parts of what the other branches do. This creates a balance of power in which no one person or group can become too powerful.  [7]  However in the case of a parliamentary system, the easiness of passing legislation through can also mean that a government is unstable as, legislation made in haste can result in problems. For example, terrorists were able to avoid having their photographs and DNA taken because of faulty (hasty) drafting of legislation  [8]   Nevertheless, even though a presidential system proves to be stable as it prevents a single branch becoming excessively powerful, this can also have negative impacts as it is considered as a flaw, separation of power helps restrain the centralization and abuse of power, but with the loss of efficiency and the fragmentation of responsibility.  [9]  Going back to the initial question, this expresses that the presidential system is unreliable and unstable as there would be confusion to who would be held liable if anything does occur. Furthermore, within a parliamentary system it is very easy to get rid of an unsuitable prime minister as this can be easily done through a vote of no confidence. This argues that a parliamentary democracy is fairer and stable for the reason that it is very easy to get rid of a prime minister who is corrupt and does not rule a country as he or she promised to do. This is the case with the Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra as according to the Telegraph Newspaper, The no-confidence vote, due on Wednesday, has been called by the opposition Democrat Party. They accuse Ms Yingluck and her ruling Pheu Thai party of ongoing corruption and are questioning her links to her brother, exiled former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra.  [10]  So within the parliamentary system you can stop the ruling of an unsuitable prime minister, whereas with the presidential system it is very difficult to get rid of the president as he or she has a fixed term of office and the only way to get rid of him/ her is through impeachment however In almost all countries presidential impeachment is difficult  [11]  its a very tough process and it is much more difficult to get rid of an unsuitable president than it is to get rid of an unsuitable prime minister. Perhaps it is safe to say that semi-presidentialism is a more stable governmental system rather than the two discussed throughout this essay as it is a combination of both systems. Also, Semià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ presidentialism is an increasingly popular form of constitutional government.  [12]  If more and more countries are adjusting themselves to this particular system, it is fair to say that this might be a more stable system than the presidential or parliamentary systems. Though, in the book, Parliamentary versus Presidential Government the author quotes, Parliamentarism is the most widely adopted system of government  [13]  This supports the claim that, Parliamentarism must be very popular if it is the most widely adopted system of government, if it is that widespread it must have good features to it which make it so popular. So, when reaching a conclusion regarding which system is more stable, taking into account all the advantages and disadvantages, I believe it is justifiable to say that the parliamentary system can be considered as more stable than the presidential system. However, it all depends on what the country considers as a stable government. As some may argue that both of these systems have become unstable as sovereignty is lost. In the case with Britain and its parliamentary system, the European system overlaps the parliamentary system and can enforce its own laws onto Britain. However, in theory Britain could always withdraw from th e EU. Nonetheless, the UN and the power it has, undermines both systems. Therefore, it really depends on a country itself, and what it considers as a stable system.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Growth of Internet Business :: essays research papers

Introduction The history of the Internet traces its roots to the United States government. The original use of the information system was to maintain communication during the cold war, with the Soviet Union in 1969, by the Department of Defense, incase of a nuclear attack or a major catastrophe. The National Science foundation created the Internet based on the ARPAnet. The first mass connection was between the University of California Santa Barbara, Stanford Research Institute, the University of Utah and the University of California Los Angeles.Ray Tomlinson develops E-mail in 1972.The ARPAnet became obsolete in 1982, but the basis for the program is still used at the present time. The Web began in 1989;it wasn’t released to the world till the early 90’s that’s when it became the World Wide Web. In 1993 Marc Andressen created software for the Internet to publish text, images and sound. Andressen also introduced the first graphical Web browser, called Mosaic, sti ll in use today. The United States runs most of the access to the Internet with 62% of all the routers, next closest is the United Kingdom with 5.2%. That is just an example of what America controls much on the Internet. 70% of the writing on the Internet is in English, next is Japanese. Statistics say 1 in 3 people use the Internet for E- Mail, 1 in 6 use it because they want to find out how it works, 1 in 8 want business information and 1 in 2 go to the Internet for education, hobbies, job listings, and entertainment. In 1993 less than 1% of users paid for use of the Internet. By 1995, it rose to over 200% due to the profits companies made from the providing this service. This became a common change that businesses have made since the beginning of the information highway. It was then clear that the Internet wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. This stared a trend, which is still being felt today and into the near future. Because of the demand for the Internet around the Worl d, and the amount of capital a business could make that provides this service, is astounding, a good example of this is Cisco, a once Silicon Valley based business, which is now a Internet technology provider, reaped in $10 billion in 1986 without an IPO (initial public offering), and this is 14 years before the Internet became what it is today.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

How it portrays the human condition Essay

   In the time it’s set of 1801, social classes were arife within the country. It was normality to marry someone within the same class, and was frowned upon to do anything different. The importance of class is evident when Cathy says: ‘if the wicked man had not brought Heathcliff so low, I shouldn’t have thought it [not to marry him]’. This signifies how in this piece of literature Heathcliff is opressed by the rigid class system, and becomes a victim in the way that class is the very thing that prevents Cathy & Heathcliff marrying. The fact Heathcliff is told every day how worthless he is and how lucky he is to be in ‘a decent house’ provokes his hate towards the separation of their society into classes. As of the way Hindley treated him like a servant and degrading him, Heathcliff shows pure hatred towards him. He also exposes this putrid manner towards the Linton’s, whom in time changed Catherine, in a way to believe she was much too good for Heathcliff. We are first made aware of how much class is going to affect Heathcliff’s and Cathy’s love for each other when Catherine is attacked by dogs, in which the blame lies upon Heathcliff. The Linton’s then describe him as: ‘a wicked boy†¦ quite unfit for a decent house. ‘ Although it is hardly frowned upon to marry someone from a different class in today’s society, this novel remains relevant on the human condition by the fact that it portrays how someone will do truly anything in their power to be with the person they love with, which is of course shown by Heathcliff. The fact he has been placed in a lower class differentiates how Cathy shows her love towards him, forcing Heathcliff to try and better himself. This even results in Heathcliff attempting to drive Cathy mad with jealousy, by marrying Isabella. In his pursuit of Cathy’s love, he manages to destroy all around him, affecting his own self. This means that Bronti could even be supporting the upholding of these conventional values. Initially the answer would seem to be no, as the reader sympathizes with Heathcliff; the gypsy oppressed by a rigid class system and constantly referred to as ‘imp’ or ‘fiend’. But as Heathcliff pursues his revenge and persecution of the innocent, the danger posed by him to the community becomes apparent. Like other novels of the 1830s and 40s, Wuthering Heights may really suggest the necessity of preserving traditional ways; to prevent danger to the world that is perhaps even unnecessary, because fighting for this cause still won’t get you what you want. This helps us understand even if we know that ultimately we cannot obtain what we want, we will still fight for it the best we can; part of the human condition. Cathy is so induced by this system of class, she thinks of class as part of the reason to marry someone or a reason to love. Cathy thinks of Edgar as a way of elevating her position in the community, which can be seen when she’s talking to Nelly (and I shall like to be the greatest woman of the neighbourhood). Because Cathy is so interested in society, it comes to a point where it corrupts her love for her own ‘family’. This is apparent to her relationship with Nelly; before Cathy was seduced by this idea of high-society, she regarded Nelly as just as important as her own mother. Though now, Cathy treats Nelly with disrespect, and even attacks her, much to Nelly’s anger: ‘O, Miss, that’s a nasty trick! You have no right to nip me, and I’m not going to bear it’. This is important on the grounds that this represents the human condition in a way that we can all be deeply influenced by something to hurt the ones we love. By a range of devices, Bronti shows how each character is motivated. Throughout the novel we see how human motivation encourages a huge change in Cathy. At the beginning of the novel Bronti portrays her as a content, free, family-orientated girl. For illustration, the novel says Cathy ‘was hardly six years old, but she could ride any horse in the stable’. This shows that Cathy was not yet influenced to be ladylike or prosperous, and was still a kindred spirit. She is still portrayed as this wild young girl, until the point where Heathcliff and she are spying on Thrushcross Grange, and are attacked by dogs. When they are found by the Lintons, Heathcliff is merely sent away deemed as ‘a wicked boy†¦ quite unfit for a decent house’. However, Cathy is invited into the house, and the Lintons show her a whole new way of life, judging by her new concept of class, and anew sense of etiquette. The reader is told that her remaining family have noticed her new self, especially Nelly: ‘there lighted from a handsome black pony a very dignified person’. The fact Nelly compares Cathy’s change to a horse links in with her love of riding horses, as shown earlier in the novel. Now this change has occurred, we now see how Cathy is not only motivated by love and fun as she was with Heathcliff, but by more shallow things perhaps, such as wealth and appearance. She is shown to be motivated by wealth when she discusses Edgar with Nelly (‘and he will be rich’). She in fact talks about Edgar in such a way that she deserves this wealth and life of upper class. You can see how she’s motivated in a shallow fashion when she says to Heathcliff: ‘if you wash your face, and brush your hair, it will be alright. But you are so dirty! ‘ This shows that now, after these new found motivations, Heathcliff has to change how he is to acquire to Cathy’s needs, and in order to be loved by Cathy. On the other hand, Heathcliff is driven by one thing only; his animalistic and pure love for Cathy. Although he is motivated by love, other things quash this motivation, such as cowardice. Heathcliff is jealous of what she sees in Edgar, and tries to tell Cathy he loves her, without success. He is close to declaring his love for her when they’re arguing, and he says: ‘the crosses are for the evenings you have spent with the Lintons, the dots for those spent with me†¦ to show that I do care’. Fuelled by his love for Cathy, and how is world is centred purely on her actions, Heathcliff does some very spiteful things, condemning him as a gothic character. For example, he marries Isabella purely to induce jealousy within Catherine. The novel shows how Heathcliff feels that if Cathy had not become a lady of etiquette with new motivations then they would never have been separated. This can be seen when he says: ‘Because misery, and degradation, and death, and nothing that God or Satan could inflict would have parted us’. With the human condition in question, this is important because it shows how humans can feel hatred not towards a person exactly, but towards the actions and changes that occur in that person. In the novel we are also shown by Bronti how certain circumstances like loss and jealousy can change someone, and their condition of humanity. After his wife dies, Hindley’s character changes dramatically. Before this loss, he loved his family dearly, and was content with his life. However, after her death, Hindley is subdued into a world of alcoholism and fury, to the point where he endangers the lives of his loved ones. This is shown when Hindley ‘carried him [his own son] upstairs and lifted him over the banister’ and actually drops him. Hindley is also affected by jealousy. Because his adoptive brother, Heathcliff, was favoured by his father, he had to endure being shadowed by Heathcliff all of his childhood, until his father died. Considering this, Hindley grew up to hate Heathcliff, and eventually destroyed Heathcliff, using him as a servant, placing him in a lower class. Therefore, Hindley indirectly ruined Heathcliff’s chances of obtaining Cathy’s hand in marriage. In conclusion, I feel that the novel by Emily Bronti helps us to understand the human condition in a way that no other novel does. Her unique way of showing love within the novel meant that she didn’t just show the initial attraction of love, but how it can corrupt one’s other feelings and thoughts. Bronti ‘s use of language within the novel displays the emotions and motivations of the characters successfully, and gives a great sense of the reality of the human condition to the novel. As a result of this, Bronti will remain one of the greatest writers to of lived, and her books will, and currently, remain as relevant and as important as they did in the 19th century.   Laura Pearson Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Understanding Antonomasia

Understanding Antonomasia Antonomasia is a rhetorical term for the substitution of a title, epithet, or descriptive phrase for a proper name (or of a personal name for a common name) to designate a member of a group or class. It is a type of synecdoche. Roger Hornberry characterizes the figure as basically a nickname with knobs on (Sounds Good on Paper, 2010). Etymology From the Greek, instead of plus name (to name differently). Examples and Observations The character of James Sawyer Ford in the ABC television program Lost (2004-1010) regularly used antonomasia to annoy his companions. His nicknames for Hurley included Lardo, Kong, Pork Pie, Stay Puft, Rerun, Barbar, Pillsbury, Muttonchops, Mongo, Jabba, Deep Dish, Hoss, Jethro, Jumbotron, and International House of Pancakes.Calling a lover Casanova, an office worker Dilbert, Elvis Presley the King, Bill Clinton the Comeback Kid, or Horace Rumpoles wife She Who Must Be ObeyedWhen I eventually met Mr. Right I had no idea that his first name was Always.(Rita Rudner)If the waiter has a mortal enemy, it is the Primper. I hate the Primper. HATE THE PRIMPER! If theres a horrifying sound a waiter never wants to hear, its the THUMP of a purse on the counter. Then the digging sound of the Primpers claws trying to find makeup, hairbrushes, and perfume.(Laurie Notaro, The Idiot Girls Action-Adventure Club, 2002)Jerry: The guy who runs the place is a little temperamental, especially about the or dering procedure. Hes secretly referred to as the Soup Nazi.Elaine: Why? What happens if you dont order right?Jerry: He yells and you dont get your soup.(The Soup Nazi, Seinfeld, November 1995) I told you we could count on Mr. Old-Time Rock and Roll!(Murray referring to Arthur in Velvet Goldmine)Im a myth. Im Beowulf. Im Grendel.(Karl Rove) Metonymy This trope is of the same nature as metonymy, although it can not be said to exhibit the idea more vividly. It consists in putting in place of a proper name, another notion which may be either in apposition to it or predicated of it. Its principal use is to avoid the repetition of the same name, and the too frequent use of the pronoun. The most frequent forms of it are, naming a person from his parentage or country; as, Achilles is called Pelides; Napoleon Bonaparte, the Corsican: or naming him from some of his deeds; as, instead of Scipio, the destroyer of Carthage; instead of Wellington, the hero of Waterloo. In making use of this trope such designations should be selected as are well known, or can be easily understood from the connection, and free from ambiguitythat is, are not equally applicable to other well-known persons.(Andrew D. Hepburn, Manual of English Rhetoric, 1875)

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Essay Sample on Humor in the Operating Room A Creative Short Story

Essay Sample on Humor in the Operating Room A Creative Short Story Creative Short Story/Essay: Humor in the Operating Room: It is often believed that the OPERATING ROOM (OP) is one place that is enveloped with an aura of seriousness, so much so that even surgeons cannot have a hearty laugh while attending to a serious life saving procedure such as CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFTING. Unfortunately, no! In fact, humor is an ingredient that is more than cherished. I have been an operating room nurse for the past five years. Even though we deal with tons of stress, it’s a rewarding profession filled with fun. Just before I celebrated my thirtieth birthday, I was working with a CARDIOLOGIST surgeon. He was always dapper, in and out of the hospital. There is a day he slipped and had to land with his hand off the ground just to make sure that his HOEMOSTATIC Kelly forceps remained STERILE, only to get on his feet and ask the whole room, â€Å"Am I still sterile?† I could barely catch my breath, everybody laughed. Luckily, the patient remained stable despite the loss of precious seconds and the INTRAVENOUS injection of APROTININ and DESMOPRESSIN helped in lowering HYPERTENSION and preventing ANGINA. As for his free fall, we got him a prescription of DEMEROL to wish the pain away. The OP is always closed during operation and therefore it is equipped with all necessary PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. No need to say, the forceps; now infested with PATHOGENS found its way to our modern front-loading AUTOCLAVE. Just a few weeks ago in the UROLOGY room, an ANAESTHESIA provider; who has a tight schedule so much so that you’d think he never lives the hospital, asked a new OP nurse to go get some TAMPONS and GAUZE and the nurse looked up rather quizzically wondering why the anesthetist wanted a ‘tampon’. She never knew that what the provider wanted was an adsorbent plug of cotton to help in absorbing blood from the wound. On a more serious note, most of you have heard about the negative effects of too much dietary CHOLESTEROL and its role in ATHEROSCLEROSIS, CARDIAC ARREST and a host of other CARDIOVASCULAR diseases. The effects of unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical exercise are what we have to deal with in the operating theatre everyday. It is better to be wise and adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Fables and Fairytales Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fables and Fairytales - Essay Example So the third fish decided to stay. The eldest of the fish decided to leave that pond with his whole family that same evening. Early in the morning the second fish saw the fishermen from a distance and decided to leave with his family. Even with the evident threat of danger, the third fish refused to leave that pond. The fishermen came and caught all the fish in that pond including the third fish and they were killed. This story shows the ignorance that the third fish shows even despite the fact that the first fish warned them about the fishermen. This three fish resemble the character of us human beings. There are those people who hear of danger and quickly react to it by looking for a safe place or get out of the area that is believed to be dangerous. The second set of people are those that have to see danger in order for the to get out of the area that is believed to be dangerous. The third set of people are those that hear and see of danger but do not want to get out of the area that is dangerous. The third set of people usually end up being killed or get hurt in the process. Therefore, it is important that we listen to the advice that older people offer since they have a lot of experience and are able to protect us. It is very important to listen to advice as this will help us a great deal. The third fish was ignorant of the advice that the first fish gave it and ended up being killed. The f irst and the second fish took precaution and continued to live. So the moral of the story is to follow the advice offers by other people and not to be

Friday, November 1, 2019

Importance of Ethical Behavior Among Employees. Why Do Good People Do Research Paper

Importance of Ethical Behavior Among Employees. Why Do Good People Do Bad Things at Work - Research Paper Example It is the responsibility of the decision makers to take proper moral perspective of the ethical manner in which they should be behaving that will be favorable for the company at large. To choose the right kind of ethical approach in conducting business activities, it may sometimes be necessary to shift from the path of short term profits. The idea is to maintain balance between what is right and what is profitable which may apparently seem difficult. In order to ensure a sustainable business in the long run, the need is to integrate the ethical principles with the company’s strategy. Lack of ethical behavior and social responsibilities can reduce motivation among employees resulting in poor performance and lower profit. Business ethics and social responsibility can have significant positive impacts on the company. A business conducted in an ethical manner can gain the trust of customers which can result in increased sales and profit. Employees will enjoy favorable working cond itions thus encouraging them to remain an integral part of the company which will reduce employee turnover. Aspiring employees will want to work with the company and this can reduce recruitment cost, and also the company will be able to attract the most talented people to join the company. More investors will want to buy shares of the company leading to increase in the price of shares, and this can protect the company from takeover. This paper explores the importance of ethics in employees’ behavior and what motivates them to behave in an ethical manner. Over the last few decades, the growing importance of ethical behavior in business organizations is becoming evident with more and more companies implementing ethics systems in their management. The subject is increasingly being emphasized in course studies of business management. However, there are still organizations that do not recognize the need of ethical behavior, and are still treading the traditional belief that busine ss activities should be focused only on profit maximization. However, general analysis on this subject has concluded that a business organization shoulders the responsibility of ethical behavior, and it does not only entail satisfying the shareholders, but also others who are associated with the business like employees and customers. Implementation of proper ethical management system can lead to an ethical culture among employees thereby improving the overall moral quality of the company. Nevertheless, many organizations still do not consider ethics as important enough to be considered in management systems. These organizations regard ethics as an external factor that has nothing to do with the activities of a business. The fact that business is conducted by human beings and so ethics need to be considered in decision making processes is largely ignored by many organizations (Palomino et al., 2010, pp.16-17). Since business is essentially conducted for making profits, therefore its activities will most naturally focus on profit maximization. Moreover, since business is conducted by human beings, and they are a part of larger society, it is necessary that behaviors of employees have both social and ethical values. In modern times, business is not solely considered as exclusive property of shareholders, but is also considered as a part of society at large. Therefore, the need to project an organization as having ethical values has become very important (Palomino et al., 2010, pp.19). Arguments concerned with business ethics should not be concentrated only on its requirement for competitive advantages, but also should be based on the fact that business is conducted by human beings. If ethics is ignored, then that will inevitably create a de-motivating ambiance

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

International Financial Management final Assignment

International Financial Management final - Assignment Example The Swiss franc’s value and euro’s value are expected to be $0.83 and $1.29 respectively, at the end this year. What are the expected dollar cash flows of Live Co? 6. Assuming the bid rate of a New Zealand dollar is $.36 while the ask rate is $.365 at Bank X. Assume the bid rate of the New Zealand dollar is $.33 while the ask rate is $.34 at Bank Y. Given this information, what would be your gain if you use $1,000,000 and execute locational arbitrage? That is, how much will you end up with over and above the $1,000,000 you started with? 7. Briefly explain the theory of interest rate parity. If interest rate parity holds what type of arbitrage is not feasible? You may wish to utilize a chart to explain when arbitrage opportunities exist and who can take advantage of the arbitrage. The theory of interest rate parity entails a situation where the difference of interest rates between two given countries is equal to the difference of spot exchange rate and the forward exchange rate. Thus, if the theory of interest rate parity holds, an arbitrage will not be feasible if the spot exchange rate and forward exchange rate markets are in state of equilibrium. In contrast, if the spot exchange rate and forward exchange rate markets are in state of equilibrium, the arbitrage will be feasible. 8. Assume that Mexico’s inflation rate is lower than the U.S. inflation rate. This will cause U.S. consumers to increase their imports from Mexico and Mexican consumers to reduce their imports from the U.S. According to purchasing power parity (PPP), this will result in a depreciation of the Mexico Peso. 9. The interest rate in the U.K. is 4%, while the interest rate in the U.S. is 5%. The spot rate for the British pound is $1.50. According to the international Fisher effect (IFE), the British pound should adjust to a new level of: The British

Monday, October 28, 2019

College degree Essay Example for Free

College degree Essay The quest for college degree has brought us to here HCC, because there was no real fulfillment in our various jobs. The benefits from having a college education are manifold and range from jobs satisfaction, higher earning potential, and healthier life style choices. With the advances in technology, many of todays jobs now require more than a high school education or trade skills. Success in the workforce is increasingly defined by the ability to think critically, manipulate a computer, and to work collaboratively in a teaming environment. Todays college education develops these abilities, providing individuals with invaluable business and personal skills and knowledge, as well as opening the door to better career opportunities and increased earning power. Having a college degree is linked to higher pay. People with a higher level of education are more satisfied in their jobs than people who only have a high school diploma. For example, in 2012 the median of earnings for young adults with a bachelors degree was $46,900, while the median was $22,900 for those without a high school credential and $30,000 for those with a high school credential. In other words, young adults with a bachelors degree earned more than twice as much as those without a high school credential (105 percent more) and 57 percent more than young adult high school completers. (National Center for Education Statistics website). One of the biggest arguments against a college education is not being able to go work when you turn eighteen. Many people believe that this will cause them to fall behind and not be able save up enough money. A college education will let you skip the line and start working with better jobs, in better places, with better conditions, and on top of that, the unemployment rates for high school graduates have increased to 8. 1% in the last year (Value of a Degree). The bottom line is that better jobs come from a better education. College education will help in making good choice and have a healthier life style. Apparently those with a college education are more likely to live healthier lifestyles, with fewer incidences of smoking and obesity. The gap between smoking rates of those with high school diplomas and those with four-year degrees has risen from 2 percentage points in 1962 to 17 points in 2012. College-educated adults of all ages, and their children, are also less likely to be obese. In addition, mothers with higher levels of education spend more time with their children, regardless of whether they are employed or not (Top Universities). Also in the other hand, according to Malcom X Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. The Luck of education is a serious problem today. Some effects include illiteracy and increased drop rate, this is also leads to have a trouble finding work. It is difficult to see the exact value of your education in the beginning. However, finishing high school is an asset that everyone with the opportunity should take full advantage of. Just finishing high school opens up some doors, but not many. On the contrary, not going to school can result in higher unemployment and therefore a means for extra burden on the society. You can see from the chart that there is a dramatic difference between what a person will be paid with a diploma and as a college graduate. According to the chart a college graduate can bring home nearly fifty-percent more than a person with a high school diploma. Higher education opens up opportunities for people. It gives student the experience and the confidence that they will be able to use in many life situations. Attending college gives students opportunities to express themselves and to learn about other people and their ideas. Although college isnt for everyone, everyone should at least give it a try. By going to college you learn to become independent, you go into the race for bigger, safer, better jobs, and you make more money on the other side. If you are given the opportunity to go to college, you should take advantage of it. You might even find out that you like it. The college experience is both academic and practical. College gives us a great opportunity to grow intellectually and gives us a chance to mature.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Stolen Generation of Aboriginal Decent Essay -- Australian Aborigi

The Stolen Generation has left devastating impacts upon the Aboriginal culture and heritage, Australian history and the presence of equality experienced today. The ‘Stolen Generation’ refers to the children of Aboriginal descent being forcefully abducted by government officials of Australia and placed within institutions and catholic orphanages, being forced to assimilate into ‘white society’. These dehumanising acts placed these stolen children to experience desecration of culture, loss of identity and the extinction of their race. The destructive consequences that followed were effects of corruption including attempted suicide, depression and drug and alcohol abuse. The indigenous peoples affected by this have endured solitude for many years, this has only been expressed to the public recently and a proper apology has been issued, for the years of ignorance to the implementation of destruction of culture. The Stolen Generation has dramatically shaped Austr alian history and culture. Within Australia, beginning from approximately the time of European settlement to late 1969, the Aboriginal population of Australia experienced the detrimental effects of the stolen generation. A majority of the abducted children were ’half-castes’, in which they had one white parent and the other of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. Following the government policies, the European police and government continued the assimilation of Aboriginal children into ‘white’ society. Oblivious to the destruction and devastation they were causing, the British had believed that they were doing this for â€Å"their [Aborigines] own good†, that they were â€Å"protecting† them as their families and culture were deemed unfit to raise them. These beliefs caused ... ... respect and appreciation of the Aboriginal population and the entire Australian public. The Stolen Generation has had a profound impact on every aspect of the lives of Indigenous communities. It has jeopardised their very survival. It has impoverished their capacity to control and direct their future development. The Stolen Generation has corrupted, devastated and destroyed the souls, hopes and beliefs of many Australian lives through damaging assimilation policies established in an attempt to make a ‘White Australia’ possible. Discrimination, racism and prejudice are some of the many permanent scars upon Indigenous life that will never be repaired. However, recently Rudd and the Australian public have sincerely apologised for the detrimental effects the Stolen Generation had caused. The Stolen Generation has dramatically shaped Australian history and culture.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

History Of Islam Essay -- essays research papers fc

When Charles Martel defeated the Muslims in Spain and stopped their advance into greater Europe (Ahmed 67)0, he most likely did not know just how much of an effect his victory had on the history of not only Europe, but of the known world. The fact that Islam may have overtaken the rest of the world had it not been for that crucial battle attests to the strength of this relatively new religion. If the strength of the religion is dependent upon those who start it, then it is important to analyze the life of the one key character in history who began it all. That key character is Muhammad, the man that is known as the first and last true prophet of Islam. Muhammad, the great prophet and founder of Islam, was born in 570 AD, and was soon an orphan without parents. He was raised by a family of modest means and was forced to work to support himself at an early age. He worked with a travelling caravan as a driver and at the age of twenty-five, married his employer, a woman by the name of Khadija, by which he had four daughters and no sons. In Mecca, the Ka'ba had long been a pagan pilgrimage site. A black stone, which had fallen to the earth, was kept in the cube that also held 360 idols representing different gods and prophets, one for each degree of the earth. The environment in which Muhammad was raised was a polytheistic society that had a strong emphasis on religion but not religious purity. This clear lack of religious dedication upset Muhammad greatly, and he began to speak out against the practice of idolatry. By this time Muhammad had gained a large following. By the age of forty, Muhammad began to receive visits from the angel Gabriel, who recited God's word to him at irregular intervals. These recitations, known as the Qur'an, were compiled by Muhammad's followers around 650 or 651. The basic message Muhammad received was that of submission. The very word Islam means "surrender" or "submission". The submission is to the will of Allah, the one and only true God. Muslims are those who have submitted themselves. The basic theme of Islam is very simple and clear: There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah (Denny 67-70). Islam teaches that there is one God, the creator and sustainer of the universe. Muhammad taught his followers that this God, Allah, is compassionate and just. Further, he taught them that becaus... ...lly ignored by Christians for many years. The fact that these prophets had very little success was repeated in many of Muhammad's own experiences, while he preached the oneness of God to the Arabs in Mecca. The main point of his message was that he was the last in the series of prophets, the last person that would reveal the divine truth. Muhammad changed the religious world a great deal with a his only twenty-two years of leadership and service. He is considered the last and greatest prophet of God by more than a few Muslim believers, and it has been predicted that by the year 2000, one-fourth of the world's by then six billion people will call themselves Muslims (Braswell 207). Works Cited Ahmed, Akbar S. From Samarkand to Stornoway Living Islam. Great Britain: BBC Books, 1994 Braswell, George W., Jr, Islam: Its Prophet, Peoples, Politics and Power. United States of America: Broadman & Holman, 1996 Denny, Frederick Mathewson. An Introduction to Islam. New Jersey: Macmillan, 1985 Esposito, John L. Islam: The Straight Path. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998 Mayer, Ann Elizabeth. Islam Tradition and Politics Human Rights. Colorado: Westview Press, 1995 History Of Islam Essay -- essays research papers fc When Charles Martel defeated the Muslims in Spain and stopped their advance into greater Europe (Ahmed 67)0, he most likely did not know just how much of an effect his victory had on the history of not only Europe, but of the known world. The fact that Islam may have overtaken the rest of the world had it not been for that crucial battle attests to the strength of this relatively new religion. If the strength of the religion is dependent upon those who start it, then it is important to analyze the life of the one key character in history who began it all. That key character is Muhammad, the man that is known as the first and last true prophet of Islam. Muhammad, the great prophet and founder of Islam, was born in 570 AD, and was soon an orphan without parents. He was raised by a family of modest means and was forced to work to support himself at an early age. He worked with a travelling caravan as a driver and at the age of twenty-five, married his employer, a woman by the name of Khadija, by which he had four daughters and no sons. In Mecca, the Ka'ba had long been a pagan pilgrimage site. A black stone, which had fallen to the earth, was kept in the cube that also held 360 idols representing different gods and prophets, one for each degree of the earth. The environment in which Muhammad was raised was a polytheistic society that had a strong emphasis on religion but not religious purity. This clear lack of religious dedication upset Muhammad greatly, and he began to speak out against the practice of idolatry. By this time Muhammad had gained a large following. By the age of forty, Muhammad began to receive visits from the angel Gabriel, who recited God's word to him at irregular intervals. These recitations, known as the Qur'an, were compiled by Muhammad's followers around 650 or 651. The basic message Muhammad received was that of submission. The very word Islam means "surrender" or "submission". The submission is to the will of Allah, the one and only true God. Muslims are those who have submitted themselves. The basic theme of Islam is very simple and clear: There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah (Denny 67-70). Islam teaches that there is one God, the creator and sustainer of the universe. Muhammad taught his followers that this God, Allah, is compassionate and just. Further, he taught them that becaus... ...lly ignored by Christians for many years. The fact that these prophets had very little success was repeated in many of Muhammad's own experiences, while he preached the oneness of God to the Arabs in Mecca. The main point of his message was that he was the last in the series of prophets, the last person that would reveal the divine truth. Muhammad changed the religious world a great deal with a his only twenty-two years of leadership and service. He is considered the last and greatest prophet of God by more than a few Muslim believers, and it has been predicted that by the year 2000, one-fourth of the world's by then six billion people will call themselves Muslims (Braswell 207). Works Cited Ahmed, Akbar S. From Samarkand to Stornoway Living Islam. Great Britain: BBC Books, 1994 Braswell, George W., Jr, Islam: Its Prophet, Peoples, Politics and Power. United States of America: Broadman & Holman, 1996 Denny, Frederick Mathewson. An Introduction to Islam. New Jersey: Macmillan, 1985 Esposito, John L. Islam: The Straight Path. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998 Mayer, Ann Elizabeth. Islam Tradition and Politics Human Rights. Colorado: Westview Press, 1995

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Gay Judgement

People are often mislead by word judgement. Judgement is the process of forming an opinion or evaluation by discerning and comparing. Many people in the world today judge for no apparent reason. They judge because they do not know what to say about a person. Judgement can be passed when one criticizes people based on their clothes,car , and even their sexuality. Judgment on sexuality is the worst type of judgement the saying â€Å" Do not judge a book by it’s cover† can be definitely applied to sexuality bias.People should not be judged based on their sexuality because homosexual have come a long way since the 1950, freedom,acts as the catalyst to unnecessary suicides every year and unfortunately this judgement. Homosexual rights have came a long way since the 1050’s. Homosexual have been fighting the government since the 1950’s starting with the gay right movement. Until 2004 when everything changed. Massachusett declared that banning same-sex marriage wa s unconstitutional and legalized marriage for same-sex couples.Becoming the first state in the U. S. to do so. Connecticut ,Iowa, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire all legalized same-sex marriage. Then the California Legislature Approved Gay Marriage,and granted same-sex couples most of the benefits of married couples such as the right to jointly file income tax returns, the right to bring a foreign partner into the United States and right to pass Social Security benefits on to a spouse.So far, more than 30,000 same-sex couples are registered in California as domestic partners. In the beginning the government was unwilling to recognize the rights of homosexual and look at them now they are giving the gays pride and glory while making everyone equal. Freedom was what the world wanted, but not everyone is free. Most homosexual people fight for their freedom because they want to be treated like everyone else.The 14th amendment states in section 1 â€Å"All persons born or naturalized i n the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. This states that everyone in the U. S is free. It does not state that gay people cannot be free. Everyone in the United State have their own freedom. Harsh and unfair judgement on homosexuals can lead to suicide. Tyler Clementi, 18, who was studying at Rutgers University, jumped from the George Washington Bridge, after a video of him with another man was posted online. Tyler was a young man who was really talented. People did not have to bully him or post video of him.Tyler was probably a quite guy who did not tell many people about his life. Many people ju st judge without knowing a person and that is not good. People should not judge a person if he/she does not know the person. Judgement may cause people to go insane. â€Å"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves. † Everyone should refer to with this quote and when they decide to judge a person remember that they are judging themselves.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

CapitalPpunishment essays

CapitalPpunishment essays Capital Punishment: A needless waste. The death penalty was originally brought to America from Europeans in the 1600s (Laurence, 23). Some states have abolished implement of the pathetic eye for an eye attempt of resolving and decreasing criminal activity, however most still enforce the 100 year-old petty form of torture. When most argue against capital punishment one usually considers the coldness of killing people and the poor treatment of a criminal it creates. Few view if continuing to use capital punishment profits the society. Capital punishment is not beneficial to the society that enforces it. When a civilization to acknowledges murder by the government, it reduces the civilizations value for human life. Retribution for a wrongly accused criminal is impossible, and the death penalty does not reduce crime. To expose a civilization to acknowledged murders by the government reduces the societys value for human life. Watching executions desensitizes these civilizations regard for human life. The society will start to believe that murder is acceptable under the circumstance that the inflicted are criminals. Criminals feel one of their side have been taken and wants to even the ratio (Deacons, 52). This would enhance criminal activity creating a more hostile environment, lowering their respect for human life. The increase in the death rate and exposure to the cold hands of a society composes more deaths for the society to perceive. Capital punishment preaches revenge on the enforced society. Civilians feel if the government can seek and perform revenge then why can its people not. The state uses violence but asks its citizens to embrace nonviolence 0(Father John, 2). This causes tension between ruler and society. The expectation of this is impossible for a mind to comprehend. Yes , they have thinned the gruesomeness from the criminal being hung before the town, ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Parvanas Journey Essay Example

Parvanas Journey Essay Example Parvanas Journey Paper Parvanas Journey Paper Parvana’s Journey Book Report Don’t you just hate school uniforms? Well, imagine living in a country where all women had to follow a very strict dress code. The system consisted of covering your face and body so that you were not seen; this covering was called a burqa. The Taliban were a militia that took control of the small, landlocked country called Afghanistan. They enforced very severe conducts upon women and girls, including not allowing them to work, attend school, or even go outside. The paperback ‘Parvana’s Journey’ by Deborah Ellis deals with these issues. Most of this book is set in the afghan wilderness, where there is no food in sight, except for the occasional animal or stream that may trickle by. Mine fields also littler no man’s land. A land mine is a bomb planted in the ground, which explodes if stepped on. The main characters in this tale consist of Parvana, Asif, Leila and Hassan. Parvana is a young girl, at the age of thirteen years. She never gives up hope and is courageous. She steals eggs from a man’s chickens for food, even though she knows that it is wrong. She grabs a baby boy and names him Hassan, even though he is not her responsibility and she could barely take care of herself. Asif is a young boy about ten years old. Toward Parvana, he is stubborn and annoying. He does not listen to Parvana, and criticizes many things she does. For example, while changing baby Hassan’s diaper; he remarks that she is doing it wrong because he was being fussy. Then, silently and patiently, he takes Hassan and does it the right way. This is what makes him stubborn, because he thinks he knows everything, even though sometimes he does not. Parvana also stumbles upon a young girl named Leila, who is eight years old. Leila is very smart and helpful. She sticks with Parvana and provides her with assistance. The conflict in this story is man versus nature because they’re living and wandering throughout the Afghanistan wilderness. They need shelter, food and water. Discovering items to suit their needs is not easy at times. Parvana’s mother, her sister Nooria and Maryam, and her brother Ali were supposed to go to Mazar-e-Sharif before the Taliban took control of the city. Parvana and her father go on a journey to find them. Even after her father dies, she does not hope. She encounters days, sometimes even a week or two without food or water. She takes a baby boy under her wing because his mother had perished in the bombings of the village they inhabited. Soon after she meets Hassan, the baby boy, Parvana reaches a cave where she meets Asif. They had a typical sibling relationship, even though they were not genetically related. The three children struggled to find food and take care of each other. Then they reach Green Valley were they meet Leila. In comparison to the wilderness, Green Valley is a paradise. There was food everyday and a canyon close by. However, all good things end. Green Valley was bombed and the four children returned to wander unknown territory. Hassan, along with the rest, suffer from dehydration and malnutrition. Then they come to a Red Crescent station an internal refugee camp. Red Crescent is the Muslim equivalent to Red Cross. There, Hassan stays in a nursery until he is once again well. When planes drop parcels of food over the camp, people broke out into fights. Leila spotted many more peppered in the mine fields. She’d say that the land mines ‘liked her’ because she’d never gotten hurt before. Despite the past, this time she got hurt. Leila died because of the explosion of one of the bombs. An outraged woman came to Parvana’s side. Amazingly, Parvana knew this woman. It was her mother, whom lived on the other side of the camp. This is where the story ends. I enjoyed reading Parvana’s Journey’. I found it entertaining, a book I did not wish to lie down. Where would she get food? Will she continue her journey without her father? Will she abandon Hassan, Asif and Leila because they are not her responsibility? Finally, will she ever find her family? These questions popped up in my head while reading this novel. Respectfully, my uncertainties were acknowledged throughout the novel. From previous readings, I know that the Taliban were a very horrible group. Other novels were much more graphic. For instance, ‘The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini. ‘Parvana’s Journey’ deals with the social conditions of Afghanistan. In my opinion, this book is for mature children. Themes in this novel include death and hope. Younger children may not understand this novel the way it needs to be understood. They may also interpret the events in this book in a juvenile fashion. Therefore, it would be a waste of curriculum time. I could not empathize with Parvana at many times during her tale. Much of what she experienced in Afghanistan would not be experienced in a first-world country like Canada. From this novel, I learned to never give up hope even in the darkest hours of your life because there is always a shed of light at the end of the tunnel. In conclusion, ‘Parvana’s Journey’ is a very insightful and interesting novel.