Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Harry Potter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Harry Potter - Essay Example The present concept of psychology states that nature and nurture combine to influence our actions, thoughts, and feelings (p.316). In other words, if someone has the blood or the genes for such a personality to develop, he must be brought up or nurtured for that kind of personality, so there can be a combination of nature and nurture for the personality to effectively come out. According to the book, Harry Potter has roots in the Wizarding world that is composed of wizards and witches, both good and evil. This world also thinks that Harry will be a wizard someday. Or, to put it clearly, because of this blood that he inherited from his parents and from generations before, he is already a wizard (nature). But when the time comes, or when he's ripe of age, he has to be trained how to handle the traits to be a wizard (nurture), just like an ordinary human being, where one has to be trained and nurtured into what he or she wants to be. He has to be accustomed to the different techniques in the art of wizardry, learn magic and brew potions, etc. There have been mixed reviews on the Harry Potter fantasy series with respect to the main character of the boy Harry who has grown to be a young lad with a great following. He is a victim of circumstances, but in this situation he becomes a part of a whole plot to destroy evil. He inherited from his parents power - in the form of magic and wizardry - and prestige. How he is built up and how he uses this, are the subject for this paper. Introduction What forces cause Harry Potter to change as he passes through life What factors determine whether he grows up to be a wizard: nature or nurture The personality of Harry is clear in the minds of his millions of fans. But to a few skeptics and reviewers, Harry's personality is quite hidden and questionable. Harry Potter may be hiding behind a closet, as what is shown in the early part of the story - he was kept by his uncle in a closet under the stairs. Could this be the thing the author JK Rowling have in mind regarding the boy's sexuality Is Harry Potter a hero or heroine A sexual deviant or a bisexual Or is he just a normal boy who fought through the hard times and here becomes a hero seeking revenge against the evil that killed his parents These things have to be asked in the light of how Harry is being brought up in such a difficult and sacrificing environment. The situations that Harry is in are not ordinary situations. Day in and day out, he is in constant danger. The family that pretends to be a family is not supportive, and continues to push him to the limit. This essay will give an analysis on the many aspects surrounding the Harry Potter character, on how he became to be who he is in the story. Since this is a fictional character, we'll try to picture him as real or living - and not imaginary - as what the millions of Harry Potter fans regard of him. "The Harry Potter books are one of the only things I have not grown out of because they have grown with me, they have seen me through my different stages, my ups and downs and it is with a heavy heart that I am now forced to leave them behind," says Mimi Newman, 17, an avid Harry Potter fan (Telegraph.co.uk). Since he is supposed to be real in this essay, we'll try to delve on the

Monday, October 28, 2019

Judging Lines Between Imagination and Reality in Attonment Essay Example for Free

Judging Lines Between Imagination and Reality in Attonment Essay As I read Atonement, by Ian McEwan, on the beach in Long Beach Island I was confronted with a somewhat new style of writing that I did not recognize. The splitting of the novel into three main parts only made sense to me after I had finished it; the account of the crime that took place at the Tallis household, Robbie Turner’s adventures at war, and Briony’s tales as a nurse were all connected and ended up â€Å"coming together† much more smoothly than I had anticipated. The characters Briony, Robbie, Cecilia, and Lola are all faced with very different problems which all have the same fundamental root: the attacks on Lola and the â€Å"attack† on Cecilia. Briony is only 13 when the novel begins. She is desperate for attention and lives in her own, dramatic world through writing. â€Å"Nothing in her life was sufficiently interesting or shameful to merit hiding; no one knew about the squirrel’s skull beneath her bed, but no one wanted to know† (5). Briony’s need for attention is not helped by the fact that her mother is usually unavailable due to acute migraines. She does not have the constant love and attention of a mother and both her siblings are grown up and lead their own lives. This leaves Briony as somewhat of an only child and certainly fuels her love for writing and creating her own fantasy worlds. Briony is â€Å"one of those children possessed by a desire to have the world just so† (4). She is an innocent pre-adolescent which later creates a huge catastrophe in the lives of Robbie Turner, her long-time family friend, and Cecilia Tallis, her sister. I feel that Briony at times felt homesick, but not in the typical way a person would feel homesick. I thought that Briony feels homesick for her imaginative life when something real life happens. When a real life situation strikes she is forced to live in the real world away from her imagination and the world she created for herself. The accidental letter Robbie sends to Cecilia spawns the bulk of the problem of Briony, Robbie, and Cecilia’s characters. It is the culminated with their first intimate encounter, his return from jail and his first adventures as a soldier. Briony’s innocence as a child is first revealed in her take on the encounter between Robbie and Cecilia by the fountain. The rising tension between Robbie and Cecilia due to repressed feelings was taken as Robbie asserting authority over Cecilia. â€Å"It was extraordinary that [Cecilia] was unable to resist him. At his insistence she was removing her clothes, and at such speed. What strange power did he have over her? Blackmail? Threats? † (36). Briony recognizes that â€Å"she did not understand, and that she must simply watch. Unseen, from two stories up, with the benefit of unambiguous sunlight, she had privileged access across the years to adult behavior, to rites and conventions she knew nothing about, as yet† (37). McEwan then inserts a little passage that seemed to me to contain a bit of foreshadowing. Briony had her first, weak intimation that for her now it could no longer be fairy-tale castles and princesses, but the strangeness of the here and now, of what passed between people, the ordinary people that she knew, and what power one could have over the other, and how easy it was to get everything wrong, completely wrong. (37) This passage is foreshadowing the events that take place next and Briony’s misinterpretations of those events. This passage also demonstrates my point that at times Briony wishes that she could always be in her â€Å"fairy-tale† like world where everything was perfect. She finds that when she is confronted by reality she does not know what do with it and wishes she was living in her imagination. Briony is disgusted by what the letter contains. â€Å"With the letter, something elemental, brutal, perhaps even criminal had been introduced, some principle of darkness, and even in her excitement over the possibilities, she did not doubt that her sister was in some way threatened and would need her help† (106). Briony is clearly deeply affected by the contents of this letter. â€Å"That the word had been written by a man confessing to an image in his mind, confiding a lonely preoccupation, disgusted her profoundly† (107). Briony felt there was â€Å"danger contained by such crudity† and that it â€Å"threatened the order of their household† (107). This leap from crudity to evil that Briony makes in her head is a sign of her ignorance to adult feelings. After reading the letter, Briony speaks to Lola about it. Lola labels Robbie a â€Å"maniac. † â€Å"A maniac. The word had refinement, and the weight of a medical diagnosis† (112). Her ignorance is proved even further when she walks in on Robbie and Cecilia in the library. Her confusion, as a child, is understandable, however. She misinterprets the situation to be an attack rather than an encounter of lovers. â€Å"Though they were immobile, her immediate understanding was that she had interrupted an attack, a hand-to-hand fight† (116). Briony, of course, sees Robbie as a maniac rather than a lover. â€Å"He held her forearm which was raised in protest, or self-defense† (116). Briony became the self-proclaimed protector of Cecilia and when the twins Jackson and Pierrot go missing and everyone goes out looking for them in the night, Briony resolves to protect Cecilia from Robbie. She goes out alone, â€Å"conscious that she was sharing the night expanse with a maniac† (146). When Briony sees two figures in the distance and then is called out to by Lola, she immediately assumes it was Robbie attacking her. â€Å"She had no doubt. She could describe him. There was nothing she could not describe† (155). Briony asks Lola, â€Å"‘Who was it? ’ and before that could be answered, she added, with all the calm she was capable of, ‘I saw him. I saw him’† (155). Lola â€Å"couldn’t say for sure. † Briony replies with, â€Å"Well I can. And I will† (157). Briony’s conviction that it was Robbie who attacked Lola grew stronger by the minute. â€Å"Briony’s certainty rose whenever her cousin appeared to doubt herself† (157). Lola just went along with everything Briony was claiming. Briony’s â€Å"certainty† ultimately sends Robbie to jail. Briony went off of her first instinct of what she thought she had a quick glimpse of. This was a mistake, which demonstrates her immaturity and ignorance to the real world. She based her thoughts on Robbie over a misconstrued letter, and it led her to misjudge a situation. And at the end of the novel we discover that Briony was wrong in accusing Robbie for the attack of Lola. Briony is a very immature character. She failed to recognize that what she caught a quick glimpse of, may not actually have looked as it seemed. She used prejudgments she had on people to determine what she saw. I think this has to do with her strong imagination, because I feel at times throughout Atonement Briony was confused on the lines between reality and fiction. Sometimes she did not consider the outcomes to her actions and made mistakes because of them. Her strong imagination you could say persuaded her actions in reality. The events that occur in reality have much stronger repercussions then those in an imagination. As a 13 year old Briony had trouble understanding this, and mad many mistakes. Briony’s opinions as a young girl were very frustrating for me to read. As a whole, Atonement was frustrating to read. Its only redeeming characteristic was that Robbie and Cecilia ended up together. While reading I definitely lost sight of Briony’s predicament being real. I sometimes started thinking that she was purposely out to get Robbie, forgetting that, in her childish innocence, she really would find something wrong with him. Briony was a very confusing character because she had a tough time judging the difference between reality and imagination at her premature age. She was conniving towards Robbie and I felt as though she was trying to make her life dramatic in hopes of creating a better story. Most of the issues presented in this novel were not even solved by the end of the book. Robbie was not rid of blame, Briony could not undo her mistakes from the past, and Lola ended up marrying her rapist. That is probably one of the reasons that it was such a frustrating novel to me; everything was made just so that it could not be fixed. I felt at times that the title of, â€Å"Atonement,† was a poor choice because I did not think that this book ended up fixing a wrongdoing. However while writing this journal one thing proved me wrong, fixing something. Briony started the novel as a character that felt homesick at times when dealing with the real world, and found refuge in her imagination. This led her to sometimes lose the distinction between fantasy and reality. But by the end of Atonement Briony realized that there were strict lines between actuality and imagination, and that when that line is blurred the results can be disastrous.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Graeme Base and Animalia :: Artists and Artwork, art

Structural Frame Art Materials and techniques: Graeme Base uses air brushes, brushes, scalpels, pencils, water colours, transparent ink, technical drawing pens and some use of the computer. He mixes a lightness of text, sometimes with alliterative tongue-twisters and sophisticated language made up of stylized illustrations full of hilarity and details that challenge readers' point of view. The book, Animalia contains over 1,500 objects including things such as food, musical instruments, and characters as well as the featured animal for each letter. Base also includes an image of himself when he was young as an extra for the watchful eye on every page. Line, tone, shape, colour, texture and pattern: Graeme Base uses lines of different thicknesses to make the drawing look more realistic. He also uses different tones of colours. An example would be from ‘Six Slithering Snakes Sliding Silently Southward’, the main snake’s body and tail contains at least four different colours. He also repeats the way the books are place in the library. Symbolic Meanings: The Lion symbolises royalty, the books symbolise wisdom and the golden fur and mane of the lion symbolises power (because gold is usually worn by rich people). Cultural Frame Graeme Base was born in 1958 in Amersham, England, and moved to Australia in 1966 at the age of 8. he is now an Australian Citizen but when he came to Australia, he said that he felt like an outsider. He went to Swinburne Institute of Technology and studied the diploma of Art. At school, the only way to impress his friends was to study and learn visual arts. He grew fond of flora and fauna and loved the land (which is where he got his ideas from). He then enjoyed poetry and wrote his first picture book; My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch. Graeme Base says that much of what he uses in his illustrations is a result of his childhood. "Everyone is influenced by their childhood. The things I write about and illustrate come from a vast range of inputs, from the earliest impressions of a little child, others from things I saw yesterday and still others from completely out of the blue, though no doubt they owe their arrival to some stimulus, albeit unconscious. I have a great lo ve of wildlife, inherited from my parents, which show through in my subject matter, though always with a view to the humorous—not as a reflective device but as a reflection of my own fairly happy nature.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Designing and Managing Integrated Marketing Channels Essay

Most manufacturers of products use marketing intermediaries to sell their products to the consumers. The marketing intermediaries make up a marketing channel (distribution channel or a trade channel). The marketing channel overcomes the time, place, and possession gaps that separate gods and services from those who need or want them. A normal way of functioning for a company is to procure raw materials, use its expertise in creating the product and then distribute to the customer. Companies have to convert this supply chain into a value network as to develop and maintain partnership with different stakeholders. Core competency for a company lies in developing a product which satisfies a particular need of the market. A company if it decides to sell a product on its own than it is diverting from main line business resulting in operational difficulties. Marketing channel is ears and eyes of companies in the market. They provide companies with valuable information of customers, competitors and other players in the market. Dell’s computer exclusively uses direct marketing (the Internet and express mail service) in reaching customers are different of marketing channel depending upon the number intermediaries like retailer, wholesaler and distributor. Channels are also used by companies providing services; for example, hospital and fire station have to strategically locate for people to reach without considerable efforts. In designing marketing channel companies analyze customer needs and preference for a given product. Further marketing channel should fall in line with overall objectives of the company in cost and desired output level. Companies then need to explore various marketing channels like direct marketing, tele-marketing, direct mail, etc. to find the right fit to reach the customer. Each channel short listed has to be evaluated on operational, cost effective and flexibility criteria. Once the channel is designed, companies look forward to selecting partners with characteristics, which have a positive impact for the product. Channel members need to get the right amount of training as to full understand their role with respect to customer and product. Companies need to develop a mechanism as to monitor functioning of marketing channels on criteria based on total customer satisfaction. After reviewing marketing channel companies should modify them to improve functioning and productivity. Companies are looking forward to innovating business functioning as to stand up to the competition and changing market scenario. This has seen rise different types of marketing channel. In a vertical marketing channel, the traditional producer-wholesaler-retailer becomes one functional unit. This can be achieved through franchise or single ownership. In horizontal marketing channel two or more un-related agencies combine to exploit the market opportunities, for example, banks in super markets. In multi-channel marketing systems, companies use different marketing channels to reach different customer base or segment. In vertical channel conflicts are between members of same channel. In horizontal channel conflicts are between similar service providers in a different channel. In multi-channel conflict arise when a different channel serves the same market. The first step in conflict resolution is to identify the cause for the conflict. Next step is to manage the conflict. This can be done by setting up clear mandate for each member and their role in the overall objective of the company. Further, joint membership, diplomacy and exchange of team members are other ways in resolving conflicts. Companies need to design and manage marketing channels in such a way that they are always able to deliver value to customer.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

A critical analysis of porter’s five forces As applied to online financial service institutions

Porter’s Five Forces Theory is a relatively old theory, but one that has helped numerous businesses understand the market place and achieve competitive advantage.Some people have called it â€Å"Game Theory† because one either wins or loses, although it has been argued that â€Å"Business is not about winning and losing, nor is it about how well you play the game. Companies can succeed spectacularly without requiring others to fail. And they can fail miserably no matter how well they play if they make the mistake of playing the wrong game.†Ã‚  Ã‚   (Brandenburg 1995 p 57)Discussions, reviews and appraisals of this theory abound, with some expressing the view that this theory is found sadly lacking yet until now it remains a cornerstone of deliberations and studies on strategy.   This paper aims to evaluate the theory and show that there are truths and learning to be gleaned from using it as an analytical framework while also pointing out its limitations.In orde r to illustrate these points further, Porter’s five forces theory shall be applied to an analysis of online financial service institutions. The conclusion will discuss whether Porters five forces is still useful and appropriate to today’s ever changing business environment, or whether new workable theories should be adopted.I.   WHAT IS PORTER’S FIVE FORCES MODEL?Porter’s Five Forces Model is a theoretical framework that can be used by companies to analyse their competition and determine their competitive strategy by looking at five distinct forces that determine success and long-term profitability.The Rivalry Between Existing Sellers in the MarketUnless a company is a monopoly, there will be other companies in the same market offering a similar product or service.   Rivalries develop naturally as companies compete with one another.There are of course, a variety of actions that companies take in order to gain an advantage.   Such actions include adv ertising, changing prices even if only for the interim, improving product features, using new distribution channels or enhancing the customer’s buying experience, longer warranties and the like.In Competitive Strategy (1980), Porter explains that the intensity of this rivalry among the competitors is influenced by several factors.   One such factor is the number of firms in the market.A larger number of companies in the same industry increase this rivalry.   Ã‚  Another factor is slow market growth.   If markets are expanding rapidly, companies tend to expand in line with the increased demand and because firms are all increasing their revenues, the intensity of the rivalry is lessened; however, when there is slow growth, firms fight for their share of the market, thus intensifying this rivalry.High fixed costs also intensify rivalry. Since production must be kept at a high level in order to maximise these costs, there is increased pressure to also increase market share in order to dispose of these products.   Ã‚  High storage costs or producing highly perishable goods intensifies rivalry as well since producers want to unload as much of their products at the soonest possible time.Low switching costs further intensifies rivalry.   When customers can switch at ease, then the rivalry for these same customers are strengthened.   Low levels of product differentiation also produce intense rivalry in very much the same way.The diversity of the competitors whether it is background, philosophy or ideals produces a rather volatile rivalry. Other instances when rivalry is intensified includes when a firm is in danger of losing its market position and when there are high exit barriers because so much has been invested or fixed assets such as machinery and equipment cannot be readily adapted for other uses.A difficult situation where all competitors are threatened takes place when there are new entrants into the industry and the market demand does not ex pand, leading to excess capacity.   When inventory is high, there is a natural progression to resort to price wars, among other strategies, which in the end hurts all the sellers in the market.Threat of Substitute Products Becoming Available in the MarketSubstitute products are products found in other industries, but whose demand lessens the demand for the original product because it has the same function.   The presence of substitute products may result in lower profitability expectations and limit industry attractiveness.The determinants of this force includes the relative price performance of substitutes, switching costs and the buyer’s propensity to substitute as well as the perceived level of product differentiation.   With a greater number of substitutes, buyers now have a wider choice which is why adding the other level of product differentiation is a key step in keeping buyers from switching.This makes it difficult for firms to increase prices.   In fact, thes e determinants may gravitate towards a situation where there is intense price competition, driving them down.   More than that, however, it has been seen that there are situations wherein new developments in technology render certain products or even services obsolete.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Best (and Worst) Online AP Courses, Reviewed

The Best (and Worst) Online AP Courses, Reviewed SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips There are hundreds, if not thousands, of online AP courses. So how are you supposed to find the best one for you? To help you sort through your options, I’ll quickly go over what makes a good online AP course. Then I’ll discuss the best-reviewed online AP courses, some popular online AP class providers, and wrap up with some classes that you should avoid. 7 FactorsThat Make a Good Online AP Course If you're searchingfor the best online AP courses, these are the qualities you should look for. #1: It's Accredited There’s no reason why you can’t self-study for an exam with non-accredited online resources- but if you are going to take an entire AP course online, it makes the most sense to take one that is accredited by the College Board. This means that they have looked over the syllabus and course requirements and approved it, and that it can be listed as an AP course if your high school agrees to list the online course on your transcript. #2: The Material Is Presented Well You want the material to be interesting, engaging, and presented clearly. The coursework may not be your first choice of activity, but if you’re bored out of your mind, you won’t want to study, and if you’re confused, you will be frustrated. #3: Teachers Are Accessible and Give Good Feedback Teachers should be easy to reach and give useful, timely feedback. If you are waiting for them to return assignments from months ago when you take the AP, that’s not particularly helpful. #4: The Workload Is Reasonable Many AP courses are demanding, which is to be expected. But you want to make sure that you have a good sense of how many hours per week you have available to spend on online coursework and how many hours a week the class will take. #5: There's an Easy-To-Use Interface and Tech Support A good course will be easy to navigate on your computer. You should also have easy access to tech support resources should something go wrong. #6: The Class Preps You for the AP Exam If you can get any information on how students tend to score on the exam after taking the course, that will be very useful in making a decision on a course. #7: It's Well-Reviewed A good online AP course is one other students have had good experiences in! Check forum sites like College Confidential for reviews of a given course. With those seven criteria in mind, we’re ready for a more in-depth look at some of the best-reviewed online AP courses out there! You can master the universe...of online AP courses! 8 GreatOnline AP Courses Below I’ve compiled a list of someof the bestonline AP courses. Ideally I would be able to provide an option for every AP, but unfortunately, some APs have very few online options (if any). That is why, as you may notice, there are some popular AP courses like Calculus and English Language that do not appear on the list below. AP US History AP US History From the UC System’s Scout Program Students like the material, the pace, and the focus on AP exam prep. Multimedia lessons are praised for being engaging, and assessments and assignments are full of variety, which keeps things interesting. Students appreciate the consistent pace of the assignments. A special bonus is that the end of the course involves an AP workshop with study strategies, practice AP exams, etc. This is also one of the cheaper online AP course providers, and it’s discounted for CA students. AP Art History AP Art History From the Florida Virtual School Students appreciate that the course spends so much time on non-European art. The interactive gallery format is engaging and helps you retain the material. Finally, the class content is not overly difficult, but students still feel prepared for the AP exam. AP Human Geography AP Human Geography From the Florida Virtual School Students recommend this class, finding it interesting without being frustrating. They also praise the teaching staff and like that teachers are accessible by text, e-mail, and phone. AP Psychology AP Psychology From the Florida Virtual School This course is interesting and fairly easy. Some assignments are fun, and the online textbook has helpful interactive video components and simulations. Overall, this course is straightforward and will prepare you well for the exam. With that said, students advise that some of the course material does require boring rote memorization. AP Biology AP Bio From Johns Hopkins CTY Students felt that this course overprepared them for the AP Bio exam, but in a good way. They also appreciated that the two lowest grades on tests were dropped, so you could dive into difficult material without fear that some struggling along the road would completely tank your grade. AP Biology From Apex Learning This class hasa combination virtual/in-person lab component,which ishelpful given that many online courses do not have labs at all. Students do mention that this course is reading-heavy. AP Chemistry AP Chemistry From ChemAdvantage The main selling point of this class is that students get mailed a small lab kit and do at-home labs; lab components are often missing from online science courses. The course is taught and managed by a husband and wife team. Students receive lots of instructor attention and feel that instructors are flexible when necessary. The course is demanding, as AP Chemistry usually is, but students feel well-prepared for the exam. Unfortunately, this class is primarily offered to homeschoolers, but their FAQ says that they may be able to accommodate students whose schools simply don’t offer AP Chem. AP Computer Science A AP CS A From the Florida Virtual School This is one of the most highly-praised online courses out there. According to students, the FLVS course imparts a strong coding foundation, good habits, and conceptual understanding. Students find that they easily retain the material for months and feel very prepared for the exam. They warn that you may spend 10 hours a week or more writing programs, but that you will enjoy yourself and it is time well-spent. There you have it- a selection of some of the most popular online AP classes available. Still at a loss? Keep reading for a brief list of three of the most well-regarded online AP providers. We briefly interrupt this broadcast to bring you this mesmerizing jellyfish. 3High-Quality Online AP Course Providers In addition to some specific courses being like by students, there are also some online providers that are particularly well-regarded.It’s still a good idea to look for reviews and making sure a course has what you are looking for before you sign up, but these are some online schools that have a reputation for high-quality coursework. Pennsylvania Homeschoolers For homeschooled students in any state, PA Homeschoolers AP Courses are well-reviewed, with excellent teachers being the number one benefit. AP History and English classes are particularly well-liked, and they appear to have the only online AP Environmental Science course that is praised and not widely disliked. However, you must be a homeschooled student to register. Florida Virtual School Though there are a couple courses that aren’t highly reviewed (see below), most students found AP offerings from FLVS to be comprehensive, cost-effective, worthwhile, and adequate preparation for the AP exam. They also have a wide variety of AP courses available. It's one of the cheaper online providers, has no admissions requirements, and is free in Florida! Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Johns Hopkins CTYis an online course provider for gifted students. To take courses, students need to get qualifying courses on the PSAT. In general, students found AP courses from this provider to be thorough and enjoyable. The material used is said to be top-notch. This is an expensive provider, though there is some financial aid available. Allow me to steer you away from AP online danger! 3BadOnline AP Classes Of course, not every online AP course is a great experience. There are some classes that are known throughout the world of high school distance learning as particularly terrible, and I’ll discuss why here. AP US History From Apex Learning There were two chief complaints here: logistical and technical issues with the course, and poor preparation for the AP. Students found that they lost points on quizzes due to technical errors when they had selected the correct answer. They were annoyed by all of the faxing they had to do, and that their faxed documents frequently got lost. Even more disconcertingly, students did not feel prepared to get 4-5 level scores on the exam, but only a 2-3. They found they learned more from prep books than the course! If you’re having better luck studying on your own, there’s no point in taking the class. AP Environmental Science From the Florida Virtual School This is probably the most widely disliked online course I saw. Students were frustrated by the workload, assessments, and lack of teacher accessibility. They found that lessons focused on information that was not relevant to the AP exam. They pointed to a high workload of busywork with low exam preparation payoff. Assessments were brutally long. Teachers took a long time to get back to students. The general consensus was that no one should take this course. AP Government From the Florida Virtual School This course, again, was disliked for its poor preparation value for the exam. Students found that assessments were frequently based on minor, unimportant details instead of major concepts. Even diligent students who carefully read the lessons and took notes felt that assessments were unfairly specific and did little to prepare them for the actual AP exam. As you can see, there are several running themes in what makes a course disliked: there are technical problems with the way the course is run, the material is presented in a way that is boring or overly specific, students do not feel prepared for the exam, and teaching staff is inaccessible or not helpful. If you see any of these issues cited in student reviews on College Confidential or elsewhere, these are major red flags. Keep this in mind to avoid any bad eggs! These eggs are good, so you don't need to avoid them. Choosing the Right Online AP Course: Final Thoughts There are high-quality AP online classes available out there, with excellent teaching, good exam prep, and engaging material. There are also less amazing online offerings, with frustrating technological meltdowns, vanishing instructors, and long assessments. I’ve listed some highly-praised options and some that aren't as well-liked, but this is by no means a comprehensive accounting of every course available. I’m sure you’ve noticed that some APs are easier to find online than others, and some have more options than others. This means a few well-known APs (World History, English Language) are conspicuously absent from this list of the best online AP courses. Keep in mind what’s available when you are planning your online AP coursework, and do research carefully! A smart investment in an online AP course can have a great payoff. What's Next? If you're not quite sure if online AP courses are for you, check out my pros and cons to online AP classes. Once you've selected your course of choice, you may need help registering for the AP exam. Want more information about the AP program before you decide? See our expert guide to AP classes and tests. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Monday, October 21, 2019

Mars and Venus united By Love essays

Mars and Venus united By Love essays Mars and Venus United by Love by Paolo Veronese is done in the Renaissance style of painting. This is done in this style, because Poalo Veroneses was a Renaissance painter as well as his teacher Titan. The painting takes place in Rome in the Mythological Era. It is not known who commissioned this work. Emperor Rudolf II in Prague owned this piece of artwork as well as four others of Veroneses paintings. Mars is the God of war; and Venus is the Goddess of love.(These are the Roman names for the Greek Gods; which in Greek Venus was called Aphrodite and Mars was actually called Aries.) The theme of this painting has to do with Roman mythology. Cupid is tying Mars and Venus together. There are many different explanations that people have came up with to explain this painting. There is always that tie between love and war, even the saying make love not war. The most common translation would be [Venus, the woman symbolizes chastity transformed by love into charity and that the horse held back by an armed cupid is an emblem of passion restrained](Metropolitan Museum of Art, pg.185) The painting clearly shows Mars and Venus being tied together by a cupid. So I can see why this is the most popular translation of this painting. My personal response was really strong after seeing the painting for the first time. As soon as I saw this painting I knew that it had a deeper meaning to it; and not just some people being tied together by a cupid. I knew right away that it had to do with Roman mythology just from the names. After looking at this painting for a while there is still something that the artist is trying to portray, that is really tough. It feels like there is more going on than what seems. The painting has such a calm tone to it but it gives a little hint of roughness with the sword and the horse, which I think, helps to balance this painting. There is sort of sneakiness to this paint...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Patriots Win

Patriots Win #PatriotsWIN Exult Patriots Fans! Sorry Seattle Seahawks, our Turn to Win! In spite of the fact that some kept wondering why the Patriots even appeared on the Super Bowl with the deflating scandal behind, the players proved that Super Bowl was about football, not footballs. To their justice, the game was thrilling, heart-stopping and made us nervous! Forget about the last two seasons, even this game gave no certainty the New England Patriots can really win. We could not relax and be sure in victory almost until the end of the game. All we had is our deep belief. Luckily, it paid off; they won the Super Bowl this time! They did†¦ and we can’t be happier. Thank you, Malcolm Butler, for putting an end to all our doubts. You sealed this victory. I mean, did you see that? A reminder: it was Malcolm Butler who intercepted opponents pass in the end zone with just 26 seconds left until the end of the game. Malcolm Butler was not the only hero of this game. Tom Brady led his team to four touchdowns, breaking Joe Montana Super Bowl record. He completed all eight passes, including the one to Julian Edelman who later said: â€Å"Tom Brady came out here, he’s been to six Super Bowls, he’s won four with the salary cap. It’s hard to argue against that.† Butler shook the Seahawks defense claimed to be the strongest asset of their team and the best NFL has. His last catch had a nauseating effect the Seahawks and you could literally see! Tom Brady won his third Most Valuable Player. Eleven years have passed since he won his second one. This is the fourth victory after the Patriots lost three Super Bowls in a row. That was a real down for all of us, fans since they got us used to winning before. Reminder again: the Patriots won three Super Bowls in four years about a decade ago. Thank you for being back on track, guys! Was it only their talent and persistence that got them the trophy? Maybe the break in the team’s routine contributed too. As far as we know, Bill Belichick gave the whole day off for the team before the game instead of a usual walkthrough. That was something new. I guess that rest was crucial for the players. We must admit that Seattle did not quit. The Seahawks showed class. Kearse showed impressive 33-yard catch. Marshawn Lynch rushed for 4 yards, then backup cornerback Butler, who was victimized on Kearses reception, made the biggest play of his first NFL season with 20 seconds remaining. The Seahawks did their best to become the first repeat champions of NFL since New England a decade ago. However, it was not meant to happen this time. The game taught Seattle a lot of mental toughness, though. The game marked by emotions, records, thrill and awards. Therefore, that’s what we have: Super Bowl XLIX, Glendale, Arizona, University of Phoenix Stadium, February 1, 2015, New England Patriots – Seahawks 28-24.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 17

Management - Essay Example It is to this end that the vital aspect of external validation is crucial, allowing educators to examine the various courses and programs offered. This has been in light of globalization, recent trends and discipline demands, as well as socio-political implications Management education regards the effective administration, utility and coordination of available resources, be it in terms of capital (both human and resources), materials and affiliate auxiliaries. This is towards achieving the defined objectives as found within an institution of learning, with maximum efficiency. Accordingly, this definition of management looks at not only the human resources, but more so the entire arrays of pertinent resources vital towards following a set plan. Thus, it focuses more on efficiency, by way of choosing the best possible path to follow (PewResearchCenter, 2012). Management in education operates primarily within educational organizations, entities involved in one way or the other, in the provision of education services to existing student populations. Accordingly as Harvey (2013) presents, in both theory and practice, it pertains to both the administration and organization of existing systems and establishments of education. As management implies to the presence of an orderly way of thinking and subsequent acting, it hence is descriptive (in operator terms) of what must be done, how it is to be carried out and how to analyze if it has been accomplished. Through external validation, there is present an opportunity through which one is able to distinguish the existing curriculum of a given education setting; from that of other universities and colleges. Through interactive and comprehensive efforts in dealing with prevailing educational practices and standards, there is need for consideration of prevailing dynamics. This is due to the

Friday, October 18, 2019

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management - Essay Example Strategically, a firm that has a monopoly wants to keep any competitors from entering the market and can do so through force, lobbying, or collusion. A firm that owns a monopoly wants to keep other companies out of the market so they can set the price of the product in order to maximize profit. In monopolistic competition, the price that other firms set for the product is not as much of a concern for the firm strategically because there is product as well as brand differentiation. Therefore a firm can set its price without being influenced too much by competitors. In the long run, monopolistic competition becomes more and more like perfect competition. In an oligopoly, strategic decisions made by a firm are heavily influence by competitors because there are only a few sellers who control the market. A firm in this market structure often uses the same tactics as a firm who has a monopoly on the market to maintain or increase market share. Competition is fierce in this type of market w hich leads to lower prices and higher production. 2. Economic Factors If a firm believes that the benefits of entering or exiting a market outweigh the costs, their desire to do so will increase. Some economic factors that affect a firm’s desire to enter and exit a market are market growth, profit sustainability of that market over time, industry life cycle considerations, technological opportunities, barriers to market entry, and the number of competitors in the market. A growing market is more appealing to new entrants as is a market where growth does not appear to be slowing down any time soon. On the other hand, a declining market where there is no growth on the horizon is conducive to exiting. A market where product innovation is high also indicates that it is profitable to enter that market, whereas a market where product innovation has pretty much run its course is not a positive sign. Also, a â€Å"first-mover† has a better chance of making a substantial profit as opposed to someone who is trying to enter a market that has been around for a long time. Therefore, new markets are a good signal that entry will be profitable. Barriers to entry, such as the financial cost of entry, also discourage entry into a market. Conversely, the costs of exiting a market can discourage a firm from exit. As an example, Amazon.com entered the book selling market because they knew they could offer more books online than other bookstores could at brick and mortar stores. They entered the growing market of e-commerce and although it took them a while to turn a profit, they are now one of the most profitable e-commerce bookstores and also offer a wide variety of products now besides just books. As the e-commerce industry has grown, Amazon.com has grown as well. 3. Barring Entry In the internet marketing world, barriers to entry are relatively low. Basically anyone can learn about e-marketing and look for clients who need help with increasing their rank in searc h engines and so forth. However, it seems that larger companies in this industry have greater economies of scale. This is because they can generally produce more content, links, social media, and so on in order to generate more traffic than a very small internet marketing company with only a few people can. There are relatively low benefits in attempting to bar someone from entering this industry because it tends toward perfect competition where there are low barriers to entry and relatively low start-up costs. So the best way to

Serpico Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Serpico - Movie Review Example After this movie, I entrenched the actor, Al Pacino, as occupying the third leg of my great acting triumvirate, already filled up by Dustin Hoffman and Robert de Niro. Al Pacino convincingly moved viewers all over the world by portraying a crusading cop, disgusted with the endemic corruption among his colleagues. We watched with trepidation as he single-handedly exhausted all means to weed out the corruption that also tried, albeit, unsuccessful, to siphon him inside, like a maelstrom, to its putrid miasma. We commiserated with him as his frustrations sabotaged his relationships with his girlfriends and his best friend, leaving him alone to fight his battle and leaving him only with his martyrdom to cling to. We were riveted with anxiety as his life became an easy target by fellow rotten cops who were aggrieved by the presence of a traitor in their midst, a self-righteous crusader out to wrest their sources of easy money. We watched with horror as he was from all the looks of it, tra pped to be executed, getting a bullet right in the cheek. We sighed for the loss of a good man in the service, as he threw in the towel by leaving the police force and eventually immigrating to Switzerland. All the idealistic men and women with an all-consuming integrity should make Serpico's battle and inner torments as their own personal battle and turmoil. This movie should have been retitled as "The Police Beat: No Place For An Idealistic Man". The Issue of Police Corruption as Tackled In This Movie The movie is basically about systemic, institutionalized police corruption in New York City and about how one honest, virtuous cop with a high sense of morals and values refuses to go with the flow and adhere to his own honorable code of conduct as police officer and in return got despised by his own colleagues and got brutalized which almost cost him his life. He has always crowed that he is meant to be a policeman. He thus entered the service first as a greenhorn police on patrol. No sooner has he started his service as he first encountered corruption in the form a free meal in one restaurant. He ordered for a particular food but was instead given something else. His colleague companion admonished him "You have to take what Charlie gives. It is for free." Charlie, the owner, intently eyed the new policeman as if saying, "You're now one of my employees. It is your responsibility to protect this place and in return your

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The future of Cloud Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The future of Cloud Security - Essay Example Resolving the security factor is top priority and this paper looks into the future outlook of the cloud computing and associated security level attainable. Key words: API, security, virtualization, malware Introduction: The cloud computing allows for large number of benefits ranging from space to ease of work, however the security threat makes it one of the most vulnerable medium in this regard (Mather, et al. 2009). On demand delivery is one of the core functions of cloud computing, making use of the resources only when required. They can be operated on various scales in private environments, hybrid or community as a whole. Safety with regard to the data contained in the networks, the structuring of the data with regard to ease of flow of information. The fact that the potential provider of data may stand helpless with the safety of data and this happens due to the fact that the overall interface is a virtual one and does not have any fixed physical existence as was the case in prev ious storage patterns and methods that were commonly in use. Future prospect: Considering its effective performance and the potential advantages it possesses, it is certainly the technology that would dominate the future trends of technological world, however factors like security of interface, the password cracking, minimizing the challenges posed by the bots, and eliminating their role, allowing for safer operations from within the network, all these are few of the steps and actions that must be taken into account in order to make cloud computing a more secure one for the future operations and future dominance. Present day situation: At present the concept of cloud computing is prone to number of direct and indirect threats; these threats raise serious concerns regarding the future and their potential productivity in this regard. These challenges come in form of inappropriate usage of the network from within, ease of access to outside intruders, and most prominently the lack of in frastructure that would be required for an established network that facilitates the usage and services with due consideration of the security concerns of the users and the service providers in form of the servers, business enterprises and numerous other related entities. I.P address stealing, intellectual property related content stealing, these are few of the potential loopholes that define the present day standing of cloud computing technologies. Handling of the data bases (Fiore & Aloisio, 2011), ensuring their safety with regard to all the information that is being stored in them, transactions that are being performed through the integrated network, scheduling procedures for the resources that are being allocated and parallel processing without any infringement of the data and information are few of the steps and considerations that ought to be resolved to make the cloud computing networks a safer technological option. Shared technology consideration: The sharing of the interfac e and architecture is a concern that allows for vulnerability with regard to the safe existence and performance of cloud computing networks. The function of isolation is a vital concept in the domain of cloud computing

Marketing Report for the Library of Birmingham (E- Marketing) Essay

Marketing Report for the Library of Birmingham (E- Marketing) - Essay Example 7). The institution has a good reputation within the industry, which aids it in matters of competition. Besides, the institution runs under the framework of strategic mission and vision, which identifies with the local government, which places it in a position to participate actively in matters of development and growth of the city and region at large. Besides, the institution enjoys sound leadership by the board who champion the vision and objectives of the institution. Sound governance structures aid in ensuring the resources of the institution are effectively utilized. The existence of active marketing department has been very instrumental in revolutionizing the operations of the institution through the transition from the traditional methods of service delivery to the modernized digital systems of service delivery (Department for culture, media and arts, nd, para 1-2). Introduction The education and research sector in the modern day living has evolved greatly with high competitio n being noted in such services as the library services, teaching techniques as well as learning modes. Library services in particular have faced much revolution within the technological age. Changes are noted in shift in use of electronic materials for learning as compared to print materials/modern day era (Sridhar, 1989, p. 1; Balasubramanian et al, 2012, p. 1). Competition in the institutional or public library services has been notable in matters relating to the facilities in use, the building structuresthemselves as well as the learning materials available. Moreover, security, ease of access, the cost implications in utilizing the library services as well as the level of modernization in terms of adopting technology in offering the services. Digitization of learning materials such as books as well as other publications has shaped the direction of the modern day library services. The use of technology to search and retrieve the study materials from physical as well as online libr aries have greatly revolutionized the research and learning in the modern times. This therefore implies that competition within library services has concentrated more on standing out in terms of offering more modernized services. People have adopted digitallearning where unlike in the past where people carried print material while learning from the library services, the modern day learners and researchers are using digital media suchascomputer systems, and other digital gadgets to access and read from a library. Online hosting of library services has helped increase the ease of accessibility of library learning materials overcoming the limitations of physical location, the time barrier where a person can now easily access specific library materials at the convenience of one’s location and at whatever time (24 hours). Other dimensions notable in the evolution in library services has been in marketing strategies within libraries. New dimensions in marketing the services of libr aries have been revolutionized where modern day advertizing strategies such as through websites and through digital modes in social media platforms have been greatly acknowledged and adopted. Subscription to personalized alerts of services

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The future of Cloud Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The future of Cloud Security - Essay Example Resolving the security factor is top priority and this paper looks into the future outlook of the cloud computing and associated security level attainable. Key words: API, security, virtualization, malware Introduction: The cloud computing allows for large number of benefits ranging from space to ease of work, however the security threat makes it one of the most vulnerable medium in this regard (Mather, et al. 2009). On demand delivery is one of the core functions of cloud computing, making use of the resources only when required. They can be operated on various scales in private environments, hybrid or community as a whole. Safety with regard to the data contained in the networks, the structuring of the data with regard to ease of flow of information. The fact that the potential provider of data may stand helpless with the safety of data and this happens due to the fact that the overall interface is a virtual one and does not have any fixed physical existence as was the case in prev ious storage patterns and methods that were commonly in use. Future prospect: Considering its effective performance and the potential advantages it possesses, it is certainly the technology that would dominate the future trends of technological world, however factors like security of interface, the password cracking, minimizing the challenges posed by the bots, and eliminating their role, allowing for safer operations from within the network, all these are few of the steps and actions that must be taken into account in order to make cloud computing a more secure one for the future operations and future dominance. Present day situation: At present the concept of cloud computing is prone to number of direct and indirect threats; these threats raise serious concerns regarding the future and their potential productivity in this regard. These challenges come in form of inappropriate usage of the network from within, ease of access to outside intruders, and most prominently the lack of in frastructure that would be required for an established network that facilitates the usage and services with due consideration of the security concerns of the users and the service providers in form of the servers, business enterprises and numerous other related entities. I.P address stealing, intellectual property related content stealing, these are few of the potential loopholes that define the present day standing of cloud computing technologies. Handling of the data bases (Fiore & Aloisio, 2011), ensuring their safety with regard to all the information that is being stored in them, transactions that are being performed through the integrated network, scheduling procedures for the resources that are being allocated and parallel processing without any infringement of the data and information are few of the steps and considerations that ought to be resolved to make the cloud computing networks a safer technological option. Shared technology consideration: The sharing of the interfac e and architecture is a concern that allows for vulnerability with regard to the safe existence and performance of cloud computing networks. The function of isolation is a vital concept in the domain of cloud computing

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Right to Die persuasuve speech for Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Right to Die persuasuve speech for - Essay Example Imagine April dying in less than a year in a most horrible way, on a hospital bed while her baby is crying to be held by her and only her. Maybe she won’t even die. Maybe she will be living on life support. Imagine the trouble her husband will have in moving on if she’s just there and just how critical it will be, at a time like this, to move on, for the baby’s sake. I’d like to talk about the reasonable acceptability of ‘rational suicide’, ‘euthanasia’, ‘mercy killing’ or ‘dying with dignity’. Each of these gives every person the right to die with dignity and gives them the authority to choose the time of their death and how and with whose help it should happen (Sokol, 2007). My main points throughout this debate will be focused around two major arguments – â€Å"Those two arguments are the mercy argument -- the notion of sparing someone unnecessary suffering -- and the self-determination argument, the right to determine ones own fate or level of care while dying.† (Newman, 1992). First of all, many patients on respirators or life support systems are not conscious and so do not have the power to decide whether they want to live or die (Fisher, 2006). In such cases, families or doctors have to decide and do their best to relieve the patients and family members of pain. In such cases, mercy killing seems to be a great option for the patients, and a decision that they themselves must probably have made. Even when some patients are made aware of their life expectancy, they should be allowed to choose death as right of self-determination and choosing one’s own fate. Secondly, there is a risk in everything but when the benefits outweigh these risks, a counter approach which is risky is still taken. For example, every time we travel in our cars, we risk the threat of accidents or being killed on the road. Despite the many deaths that take place because of road accidents, this risk is ignored, keeping in mind the

Monday, October 14, 2019

Discrimination of Micronesians in Hawaii Essay Example for Free

Discrimination of Micronesians in Hawaii Essay Since the COFA (Compact of Free Association) Act was formalized between the Pacific Island nations of Micronesia and the United States in 1986, there have been rising influxes of Micronesian citizens that have the privilege of entering the U. S. without the need for a visa or time limit. These FAS (Freely Associated States) include the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. While there is no obligation to immigrate to a specific state within the U. S. , many choose to settle on Hawai’i. Due to its proximity to their home islands and tropical environment, the Micronesian population in Hawai’i has been steadily increasing during recent years. It is estimated that around 15,000 COFA migrants are currently residing in Hawai’i, where they subsequently face many barriers as new immigrants, including language, social and cultural barriers. Specifically, there is an ever-growing presence of Micronesian stereotyping and marginalization that is frequently exhibited by other ethnic populations in Hawai’i. Because they are seen as the â€Å"newest† population to arrive on the islands and the fastest growing, Micronesians are subject to many forms of discrimination. In recent years, our local community has been ill-equipped and misinformed about the Micronesian population. Consequently, our unfamiliarity has contributed to their isolation and discrimination within the Hawai’ian Islands. It is important for us as residents of Hawai’i to bridge the gap that exists between Micronesians and what we perceive as our own â€Å"local society†. Due to our society being misinformed and social control factors at work, we perceive Micronesians as being inept, destitute and imprudent. There are several barriers that hinder Micronesian assimilation within the islands. One such barrier is within the health care system. In Dr. Yamada’s article titled, â€Å"Discrimination in Hawaii and the Health of Micronesians†, he says Micronesians are often victims of â€Å"inferior care or denial of services†. There are instances of Micronesian patients that are denied services and being referred to another clinic, or being discriminated against due to their perceived lack of adherence to treatment plans. Personally, I believe that there is a kind of â€Å"ignorance† that health care providers bestow upon Micronesian patients. In 2006, I began working as a volunteer for the Kaka’ako homeless shelter and clinic started by Dr. Jill Omori that included inhabitants comprised mostly of Micronesian ethnicity. Many of them were unable to find a job and help themselves financially. Those individuals who lacked the means to support their family also sought refuge at the shelter. I observed that a lot of the older Micronesian shelter inhabitants could not speak English, and those who did only had limited basic knowledge and phrases that they used. What was surprising, however, was that most of the doctors and medical students who treated these patients did not having a working knowledge of the Chuukese language, which is spoken by the majority of the Micronesians. Many of these patients used the help of their children who were fortunate to attend public schools. Thus, a language barrier had existed, and still to this day, is continually a major factor in the fair treatment of health care delivery among Micronesians. In the health care system, it can be challenging to relay medical information from English into Chuukese. Pobutsky et. al. uggests having health education materials translated and readily available for Micronesian patients. Pobutsky also notes that having interpreters fluent in Chuukese is essential. Regarding denial of health services, Yamada talks about how COFA migrants were denied MED-QUEST (a Medicaid program) benefits in July 2010 by the Hawai’i State Administration. It was reinstated 4 months later because the denial was in direct violation of the Equal Protection clause of the 14th Amendment of the U. S. Constitution. Such discrimination is not only seen in our health care system, but also within the confines of social and economic settings. Yamada suggests that examining and countering â€Å"prevailing social forces† will help eliminate discrimination. By my personal interpretation, he is saying we must realize that social forces – such as the criminal justice system and the government – are shared by all of us as one single community in Hawai’i. By being responsible and looking out for one another regardless of race or ethnicity, we can close the social bridge that divide us. In other words, we must be proactive and bring to light the issues that face Micronesian immigrants who are treated unfairly. Another brief policy report from the Hawai’i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice (HACLEJ) provides accounts of stigmatization by governmental leaders towards COFA migrants. The report further goes on to explain how there is an absence of interpreters available to help COFA migrants within labor, housing and court disputes. Within the context of the court system, it can be a challenge for someone convicted who does not have a working knowledge of the English language. HACLEJ emphasizes the need to â€Å"stimulate awareness, advocacy and action† in order to better address Micronesians living in Hawai’i. Several paths can be taken to address discrimination issues against Micronesians. Already, there are many advocates and groups that support Micronesians and other at-risk migrants. Some of these groups do not receive funding from the state of Hawai’i, and must rely on private funds to continue their work. There are also few research projects that involve Micronesians living in Hawai’i and thus there is little information in regards to ethnographic and qualitative studies. Additionally, surveys measuring Micronesians’ health needs and risk factors should be included within the context of how to better deliver health care. Within the political system, our lawmakers should be better informed and take more consideration into immigration affairs. Pobutsky et. al. gives several examples of health service programs that are currently in the process of addressing the language barriers and health concerns of Micronesians, but there is much more work to be done in order to achieve long-term success. Allocation of state and government funds should be directed towards creating more educational and social programs that can help better address disparities quite often seen with newly arrived immigrants. Based in part by my own personal experiences and also through research, many Micronesians are illiterate and lack a good work ethic to succeed in future endeavors. Because Micronesians are discriminated both in the job market and in school, they may perceive themselves as being unable to achieve success that is often seen with other ethnicities. Consequently many of them, especially Micronesian youths, engage in criminal behavior and illicit activities. My worry is that this cycle will manifest itself unchecked among these youths well into adulthood and create more harm than good within the criminal justice system of Hawai’i. As citizens of a diverse society in Hawai’i, we need to be more proactive and open-minded on issues that deal with the Micronesian population as a whole. Local perspectives that Micronesians are a kind of â€Å"deviance† on the islands and a â€Å"burden† to our society are obstructive to our continuous theme of the â€Å"Aloha spirit†. We must come together as a society and be more considerate and helpful to those who we might think less highly of. As long as institutions of power continue to ignore the problem of discrimination and disparity, then recent immigrants who include Micronesians will continue to face hardship. In our study of social control theory, there is the idea of â€Å"strain† that is frequently seen in societies that stress hard work and having a good education. More research efforts and studies must be done in order to better assess disparities present within the Micronesian population in Hawai’i, as well as having adequate funding by the state to support programs that meet the needs of the Micronesian community.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Relationship between top management and human resource management

Relationship between top management and human resource management Human Resource is used to describe individuals in the workforce of an organization, even if it is also applied in labor economics, for instance, industries and even entire nations. Human resources is also the name of the function in a body with overall responsibility for implementing strategies and policies on people management Human resource management involves the development of a perfect blend between tradition and administrative functions well-being of all employees in an organization. Retention of employees is directly proportional to how employees are treated, in exchange for their know-how and experience. The reason top manager care little about human resource department Top managers care little about human resource compared to production, marketing, finance, and engineering. There are some reasons. Marketing department is the process by which companies create customer interest in goods or services. It generates the strategy behind the sales techniques, business communication and business developments. It is an integrated process by which organizations build strong customer relationships and create value for their customers and themselves. Marketing is used to identify the customer, to satisfy the customer, and to keep the customer. With the customer at the center of its activities, it can be concluded that marketing management is a key component of business management. The adoption of marketing strategies requires companies to shift their focus from production to the perceived needs and desires of their customers how to stay profitable. However human resource is not relative customer. It is relation between manager and workforce or worker, which clearly shows that human resource, has got to care much of the companys employees as well as its employees attitude towards the customers, which means that the employees have to be well trained. The finance department of a business takes responsibility for organizing the financial and accounting affairs including the preparation and presentation of appropriate accounts, and the provision of financial information for managers. The main areas covered by the financial department include book keeping procedure, creating a balance sheet and profit and loss account, providing management information, management of wages and raising of finance. The foundation of every production department is to create goods or services. Basically, production included the physical assembly of goods, however, production can also include data-based goods such as websites, analysis services and order processing services. The main function of the production department is to produce a product or service that creates profit and revenue for the company. Every production and operations department must function as self-evaluating entity that monitors the quality, quantity, and cost of goods produced. Forecasting, scheduling, purchasing, design, maintenance, people management, flow analysis, reporting, assembly and testing are the common task functions in a production and operation department. Production and operations departments typically function as a fulfillment entity that ensures the timely delivery of the output from production to customers. Critical path analysis, stock control analysis, utilization analysis, capacity analysis, just-in-time a nalysis of inputs, quality metrics analysis and break-even analysis are included in standard analysis functions in a production department. Most probably it is because human resource is harder to manage since it involves managing people in the company. Other departments like marketing, finance, production and engineering are aimed to increase the profit whereas for human resource, it is to manage the employees, to hire, to train or even to fire. Main difficulties would be things like turnover or quitting without informing and etc, since when such things occur, it is not something that manager can solve in a day. For example, when the employees just quit without informing earlier, it is not that simple to get another employees to replace. Even if employees are found to replace, it takes time to train them. Therefore, human resource is more troublesome to manage compared other department, thats why top managers care little about human resource. And also, human resource department, in order to achieve the organizational objectives of the organization for talent acquisition, development cooperation, while maintaining their a bility to establish a system to unleash it as a process can be, which means that it is less productive compared to other departments. Solution to change top manager perception in human resource department There are some ways to change top managers perception in the human resource department Human resource department can help the production department recruitment the labors Human resource department is not a significant revenue generating department but it can help the production department with the recruitment of labors, especially the technicians. When it comes to hiring workers, they should consider about workers abilities and skills that they are capable of. Human resource department can help company save cost Human resource department does not control and manage the cash flow of the firm, but human resource department can help company to save cost. Human resource department helps the company to reduce the cost. For example, through lay off unnecessary people in the company or reduce the number of employees, providing multi-tasks for the employees, reducing reward such as annual leave and bonus of year, save cost in stationary by sharing with colleagues, save training cost of employees by providing job training. If the costs are saved in such a way in Human resource department, the company will have more money liquid to run the business. Payroll can manage by technology Payroll can be managed by technology however; the experience cannot be substituted by technology. Normally human resource is a challenging department in the company, with the facts that the department carries the responsibilities for interview, promotion to employee, labor law knowledge, and psychological knowledge to take care the employees problem such as what employees need and want, which has to be coached by the human resource department. If one of the employees in the company is not satisfy with the company, employee will eventually resign and this will affect the turnover, especially the marketing employees. The employees working under marketing are more likely to be pressured compared to employees working under other departments. It is because if there is a decrease in the company sales, they might face layoff from the company, and this is why technology cannot substitute in the human resource line. Human resource department is not a payroll department only The top human resource department is not a payroll department; many special jobs which can only be handled by human resource department cannot be substituted by other departments. Training, interviewing, recruiting the right person and so on and so forth is very important. It is because if human resource department recruit the wrong person and place him or her in the wrong position can make be an issue in the company. And if human resource department cannot train the employees well, they wouldnt be able to feel or really not able to improve any longer in the company. Planning a mentoring program One of the best ways to overcome human resources issues is to launch a mentoring program for diversity. This could entail involving different departmental managers in a mentoring program to coach and provide feedback to employees who are different from themselves. For the program to run successfully, it is wise to provide practical training for these managers or seek help from consultants and experts in this field. Usually, such a program will encourage members of the organization to make their views known and to learn to resolve conflicts because of their diversity. More importantly, the purpose of a Diversity Mentoring Program seeks to encourage members to go beyond their own cultural frame of reference to recognize and fully exploit the productivity potential inherent in a diverse population. Human resources managers can conveniently employee relations between ministries and the scope has for the lower-rung of communication with employees at different levels. The field is a derivative of system theory and organizational psychology. Human resources have won a number of interpretations related in time, she continues to defend the need to ensure the well-being of employees. Every organization now has an exclusive human resources department to interact with representatives of all factors of production. The department is responsible for the development and application of current research on advanced strategic while engaging end and staff training. Question 2 1.0 Introduction In this assignment we went to get the application form from other company, and we have using the Focus Point Holding Berhad to explain about their job discretion and some of the information which they have in their application form. Furthermore we have used the application form to analyze all the application form data and their company job description. After we analyzed all the reliable data obtained from Focus Point Holding Berhads application form and we have think of better way to improve the job description for their company, at the same time we have used other competitor companys job description for comparison. We used it to compare with Focus Point Holding Berhad and adopt the strength of other companies to overcome the problem of insufficient information in the job description of Focus Point. Besides we also used internet sources to gain more ideas on how to improve the job description of Focus Point Holding Berhad. Moreover, from the application form that we get, it enable us to know what are the basic elements that application form should have and easily detect the defects and the weaknesses of the form. We have improved and overcome all these weaknesses for the application form obtain from Focus Point Holding Berhad. At the end after we analyzed the application form we knew that there are reasons for the company to list down the element such as previous job references, salary needs, family background and etc. 2.0 Body of Contents 2.1 Types of Information The job application form of Focus Point Holding Berhad contained position applied for, personal particulars, family particulars, education background, employment history, reference and others. 2.2 The Mistakes and the Ways of Improve 2.2.1 Personal Particulars In this section, there are two elements that needed to improve. There is no emergency call available in the form. Focus Point has left out this important section. Every company should demands the extra call which able to directly contact with their family members or relatives. This is to prevent when the company encounter the employee accident occurrence or emergency situation and then doesnt know do a contact with who. As for the health status showed at the form is difficult to measure, because they might not understand about the meaning of poor, average and good of the health status. Therefore, Focus Point should put in specific choices or just put a column over there to let them fill up what disease that they have. 2.2.2 Education Background For this section, there is containing one of the columns like Name of School/ College/ University, but never mentioned that the applicant should write down the result of the applicant as well because it can save the time for Focus Point to check out the result of the applicant and also they have to add one more subtitle, which is Other Education, because some of the applicants might have some training on the other place. Other than that, in the column of Specialization, Focus Point did not indicate what it is because there is already has a column called Course Taking and it able to show what the applicants specialized on. Furthermore, the column of the Years, the applicant might not know that is the first year that they began their study life or the year of graduation. 2.2.3 Employment History In the column of Total Salary, those applicants might do not know whether the salary is based on day, week or month because different job has different way to pays salary. Thus they have to indicate clearly. In additional, the space Reason of Leaving is too small, there is not enough for those applicants. Therefore, they should expand it. 2.2.4 Reference For this section, Focus Point provided only two columns and state that the applicant has to provide at least two references. If the applicant wants to provide three references, then there is no space for them. Hence, Focus Point should state the sentence provide two references instead of at least two, or else they should give one more blank. 2.2.5 Others In the question of asking applicant does he or her needs hostel? Focus Point should put the location of the hostel as well. 2.2.6 Extra Requirements Just because of Focus Point has provided part time job, then they be supposed to add the info of Days and Hours Available, in order to arrange well for the employees. Furthermore, they should ask a question, which is Why you want to apply this job? in order to further understand what the applicants think, thus this is one of the ways able to get closer with employee. 2.3 Job Description of Focus Point Holding Berhad This is the job description of the Focus Point Holding Berhad and the position is Branch Manager. Branch Manager Responsibilities: To lead the team to achieve the sales target To be responsible and run the outlet business operations To do daily and monthly planning and management work To monitor and liaise with the supplier or HQ(headquarters) in ordering stocks To handle and solve complaints from the customer Requirement: Minimum SPM/STPM qualification and above Excellent selling skills, customer oriented, dynamic and proactive Good Communication Skills in English and Bahasa Malaysia. Chinese dialects is an added advantage Minimum 5 years of experience in retail management, preferably in optical business or optical retail chain stores Computer literate Applicants should be Malaysian citizens 2.4 The Insufficient of the Focus Point Holding Berhads Job Description The explanation of the particular which provided by Focus Point Holding Berhad actually is not sufficient, therefore they should have a further advance. 2.4.1 Responsibilities For the section of responsibilities, Focus Point has lacking of some points. As a branch manager, he or she is supposed to have need of do the interview, selection and then recruitment. Other than that, branch manager also must provide the training and development for their employees in order to maintain the reputation of Focus Point and also able to respond the market quickly. Besides that, branch manager must concern about the safety of their employees because no safety guaranty, the loyalty of employees will reduced. Not only the employees, the shop security also required to paid close attention in order to avoid external factors such as robbery, disturbance created by people and so forth, these would cause properties loss. In addition, branch manager needs has capability on allocating resources as well. This is because to assign the right employee to the right position and controlling the capital flowing are important in order to ensure the business operations run smoothly. Furth ermore, branch manager must possess great communicate skill with employees and customers because these able to prevent high turnover rate and low loyalty of customers and also can for the long term achievement. 2.4.2 Requirements For the requirements section, Focus Point stated that they need minimum SPM/STPM qualification, but as a branch manager, he or she should has minimum requirement of Bachelors Degree because though the experiences able to cover it but they might lack of some extra knowledge. Experience can be gained but knowledge is difficult to build if without learning. Other than that, Focus Point only stated that the branch manager have to good in communication skills with three languages, but actually good in writing skill is important as well, this is because they would required to writing out the accurately report to the headquarters (HQ) in order to let HQ to do further decisions or changes. Besides that, they didnt mention about own transport that the branch manager supposes to has it, because it would cause inconvenience for the meeting with HQ, sudden case occurred in supplier and need to go over there by own to check it out, if without own transport. 3.0 Conclusion In the Focus Point Holding Berhad, the job description and job application form of the company have some weaknesses; therefore we were looking for some new ways to improving it. We have come out with some solutions to improve some of the weaknesses in the job application form and job description as well. At first we analyzed the job description before we think about the solution to overcome the weaknesses. Other than that, we also used internet resources to search for other companies job description for comparison and we have generated some data to improve for the Focus Point Holding Berhad.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

A Guide to the Internet for First Year Female Penn State Altoona Students :: Internet Process Essays

A Guide to the Internet for First Year Female Penn State Altoona Students Logging onto the Internet for the first time can be overwhelming. Moving away to college as a freshman, male or female, can also be extremely overwhelming. Although most of us have had experience with using the Internet before entering college, for some young women both of these experiences come along all at once. The purpose of this booklet is to help first year college women at Penn State Altoona have a better understanding of a few concepts regarding the Internet. SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERNET USE Use gender-neutral screen names and user identification names as an easy way to avoid unwanted interactions. For example, use your user id that Penn State assigns to you. Mine is aes215, which, as you can see, does not indicate whether aes is male or female. This allows you to complete work undistracted by messages and information unrelated to your sex. Don’t use, hotchick85 for a user id. This apparently attracts unwanted advances from the opposite sex. Display only necessary information on online profiles that can be seen by the public. For example, use only a first initial with your last name. Don’t have your telephone number and address readily available to anyone who can view your profile. This is asking for advances from men who are searching for that specific criterion. Take some courses, either privately or from Penn State, to expand your knowledge of how the Internet works. If you are unfamiliar with the way Penn State’s network operates, ask for help to learn the basics. After you learn the basics everything else will come much easier to you. It will take some work, but you will know how to navigate the necessary applications that all Penn State students must use at one point or another. Try to limit your time on the Internet and computer as well, especially when you are first learning how to navigate the programs. Take frequent breaks to stand up and walk around. Stretch and get a drink of water. The longer you sit in front of a computer screen the easier it is to become frustrated. Your eyes become tired and your body will become sore. As time consuming as it may seem, taking ten minute breaks every so often during your Internet use will actually allow you to get your project done faster. These breaks will prevent boredom and frustration in the long run.

Friday, October 11, 2019

How to Communicate with Stakeholders Essay

Discuss each image crisis for Barclays. – Image crisis no. 1: ‘A world needs a big bank’ campaign vs. closing 170 branches in the UK. In 2000 Barclays launched a ‘Big’ campaign with the slogan: ‘a big world needs a big bank’. Barclays wanted to be seen as an ‘big’ bank by its important stakeholder groups. The adverts were slick and had received good pre-publicity, but it turned into a communication disaster. Because Barclays was spreading the word that is was a big bank, while closing 170 branches in the UK. Barclays started to lose more reputation when it was revealed that the new Chief Executive had been paid  £1.3 million for just 3 months’ work. The situation was further aggravated by the arrogance with which Barclays announced and justified the decision of closing all the branches in the rural areas. – Image crisis no. 2: ‘‘Children; do not pile up debts on your credit cards.’’ A nother image crisis occurred in 2003 when the CEO of Barclays, Matthew Barret, said that he did not borrow on credit cards because they were too expensive and that he has advised his four children not to pile up debts on their credit cards. Since Barclays is the biggest credit card company of the UK, the CEO stunned his customers with what appeared to be a similar vote of no confidence in his own product. – Image crisis no. 3: ‘‘Excessive risk taking’’ In 2008, at the height of the global financial crisis, a third image occurred. Many banks turned to the government for cash injections. Barclays, however, raised billions from investors in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. The reason for this was that it would allow the bank to retain ‘complete control’ over running their business, like paying the bonuses to its top executives and investment bankers. Although some financial analysts thought it was a good move, Barclays was heavily criticised in the med ia for its excessive risk taking and for the remuneration packages given to its top executives and investment bankers. 2. What was the exact cause or event that led to each of these crises? Barclays did not succeed in integrated communication. The bank did not coordinate and align all communications so that the organisation speaks consistently across different audiences and media. For example: the corporate identity did not match with the things Matthew Barret told the public. Besides that, Barclays has the following value stated on their website: ‘‘Build trust with the colleagues and partners we work with’’, this value is in contrast with closing 170 branches without any dialogue with their stakeholder. Besides that the company did not show regret for closing all those branches, instead they played a very defensive role. By showing such an arrogant attitude and lack of remorse Barclays created anger within the public. The timing of the campaign was very unfortunate. If the campaign and the announcement of the closing of the branches did not happen at or around the same time, the campaign could have been very successful. Since it received very good pre-publicity. Matthew Barret did not realise that the media is a big stakeholder of the organisation. Anything that a corporate executive says in public can be held against him and can have a huge impact on the reputation of the company. The decision not to ask the government for cash injections became an image crisis because not only did they take an excessive risk, they wanted to continue with the enormous bonuses. The public probably felt Barclays had the best interest for their shareholders, not for their stakeholders. 3. What could Barclays have done to avoid these crises, or to anticipate the potential fallout? Barclays clearly did not manage very well with their communication under crisis. Because crises have the potential to Barclays Bank: how (not) to communicate with stakeholders damage an organisation’s reputation it is important that organisations anticipate and plan for probable crisis scenarios and prepare crisis communication plans. Instead of getting in the defensive mode as Barclays did with image crisis no. 1, they should have started an acceptance strategy. A tactic of apologising for the crisis and accepting the blame. Instead of being arrogant, they could have said that they are sorry for closing 170 branches and give an explanation. Barclays also should have started a dialogue. They should have announced what they were going to do and why and then let the public react on their announcement. And to create less anger within the public they could have announced some form of compensation or help to the employees who were going to be harmed by the closing of the branches. The CEO of Barclays should have had a media training. In media trainings is thought how to work with journalists by creating simulations. If he would have known how to behave and what to say around media, the second crisis would not have happened. A third image crisis would have happened anyway, because if they had chosen to get a cash injection of the government the public would also have been angry. Because they pay such excessive bonuses, it is not fair to ask they government and thus the taxpayers for an cash injection because they are short on money. They could have limited the image crisis by explaining the public the positive aspects of the fact they chose investors for money and not the government. Overall, Barclays should have an more ope n attitude to the public with room for dialogue. And not such an arrogant attitude.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Continuing academic success Essay

Continuing academic success may seem like a distant dream that will never come true. In reality, it is possible to achieve academic success with hard work and persistence. The mind is a very powerful thing, if you set your mind to being successful you can be successful, that is one of the reasons why it is important to set goals and act with integrity in every aspect of your life. There are many factors that contribute to academic success such as knowing your learning style, learning the writing process, and taking advantage of the resources available. One of the things I have learned to use to help me learn and comprehend information is my personal learning style. â€Å"Learning styles are referred to as the characteristic ways in which a person gathers, identify, and process information.† (Alec, 2011 P. 1096) I believe that in life you cannot guess the outcome. So I use my learning style as a guide to further my education and knowledge in my everyday life. My learning style is doing; I like to try things out for myself and see if I get my desired results, I like to be involved in my own experiments. When being taught with a different learning style I make activities that I know will help me process the information in a way that I understand. Another aspect is my educational goals I want to get my bachelors in psychology. During school my target is to become more experienced, I would love to graduate with at least a 3.5 GPA. My career goal is to become a Suboxone counselor. Life has so much more to offer if you are mentally and physically present in your life to enjoy it. Writing was never my best subject in school; I went through many exams confused, after two failed reviews I decided to invest in my future. I asked a few professors, and I took a short course online. Soon I was able to past almost all my essays with flying colors. During 10th grade I begin losing interest, so I decided to do something about it. I joined a poetry club a few of the other students were putting together voluntary. I became more and more familiar with the writing technique I begin using it as an outlet, a personal sounding board to get my point across. Being successful whether in college or your career depends upon your writing and thinking skills. â€Å"The writing process is a chain of steps to follow as you take an idea and create a completed piece of writing.† (Anonymous, 2008, p. 18) The writing process is a guide that leads you through the different writing stages. First you  must choose your topic, recognizing the audience, references, and word count. Then it goes into making an outline, your thesis statement and writing a rough draft, and finally polishing it into the finished paper. It breaks your paper into smaller more manageable pieces that are easier to accomplish. I believe the writing process will help me in college a lot, because it not only helps you write papers, but it also gives you a guide to go by with any assignment. The writing process is a learning tool, it teaches you to set timelines, know what is being asked of you, and to gather correct and reliable information whether in college or on the job. I believe it will help me to reach my dream of becoming a Suboxone counselor. The writing process is one way I can improve my critical thinking skills. Critical thinking is when you look at every side of a problem or situation and come up with the best solution. The writing process is already helping me with that because it makes me look and find reliable sources which are one way I can improve my critical thinking. The ethical lens is another way that I can improve my critical thinking. My lens is reputation lens which means I look for the best solution that fits the community. By knowing my lens I can explore other lenses which will help me develop better critical thinking skills. By looking at everyone that your problem and solution will effect, it makes you think from each person’s perspective to see how each solution will affect them, which in the end improves your critical thinking skills. By learning to look at everyone involved, and how your decision can affect them you learn to make better decisions that will help the majority of the people involved. There are a lot of resources available to help college students succeed and reach their career goals. My main personal goal is to become a Suboxone counselor so that I can help people better their lives and families reunite. The university of phoenix is a resource in itself that I plan on using to further my education and learn the necessary learning materials I need to learn to be a counselor. Another resource is the phoenix career services which helps me know what education I need to reach my career goal, as well as aiding in resumes and job searches to get me started in my desired career. The university has so many resources to help students be successful inside or outside of the classroom such as the syllabus which puts your  learning activities and assignments for the current week and upcoming weeks on one page; so you always know what assignments and learning activities you need to complete and by when. I have started implementing this in my life so I always know when to do h omework, my work schedule, upcoming appointments, and free time that I can spend with my children. Another source is the life resource center. It teaches you how to balance life, work, and college. They have an assortment of online and telephone counselors, life coaches, and career coaches that are there to support you anytime you need them. One of my fears was balancing work, school, and my children, but this resource has articles, tips, and counselors that help me find a schedule that works for me. Another resource is the university library. The library has so many tools available whenever we need them. All of these resources are a great setup that I believe will help me be successful because I know that no matter what course I am in, there is an assortment of resources available, such as spelling and grammar checks, plagiarism checkers, math reviews and tutors. I feel like no matter what I will always have the help I need. Another big part of academic success is writing in almost every class there are essays involved, and a majority of the time you are required to have references. A big part of research is finding credible sources. Outside sources can be a lot of help; the internet has so much information from the present to the old days. You can find information on just about any topic you could ever want. However, the challenge of outside sources is digging into the information and making sure the information are facts and not a biased opinion. You have to make sure not only that the site you are on is credible but that the author and their information are reliable. In life and college it is important to have academic integrity. â€Å"Academic integrity is the set of core values and principles that underwrites the very mission of the university itself: integrity, honesty, hard work, and the determination to translate personal and professional principles into behaviors† (What is Academic Integrity-office of student Rights and Responsibilities, â€Å"2013). Integrity is a big part of college and writing papers, whenever you use sources you have to give credit where credit is due. Finally in all reality anyone can continue academic success. By setting goals and using your learning styles to learn and figure out how you comprehend information. You will be able to  learn any material given to you. Learning the writing process and your ethical lens to succeed in life, college, and your career while improving your critical thinking skills to help you balance and improve your life to make your dreams come true. Dreams can become reality with the right mindset and determination to reach them. Reference page Alecu, Irena. (2011, march)., Management, and Financial Markets, 6 (1), 1096-1103 Personality and Learning Styles. Economics. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/869529857?accountid=458 Anonymous. (2008, October 16). Go Get a Book in your Hands: The writing process and some great New York stories. New York Amsterdam News. Office of Student Rights and Responsibility. (2013). Retrieved from http://osrr.Missouri.edu/facutly/