Thursday, December 26, 2019

The Analyst Recommends Maintaining The Project Essay

The Analyst recommends maintaining the Project’s 4- rating. The assigned rating reflects cash flow stability and visibility from a long-term PPA with an investment grade off-taker, expectations that the Term Loan will fully amortize by the maturity date, and a slightly weak operating profile given higher than the normal equipment failure rate. Keenan is comparable to Grand Renewable Wind LP (â€Å"GRW†) (4-) and Gosfield Wind Financial Corporation (â€Å"Gosfield†) (4-). Like Keenan, GRW and Gosfield’s cash flows come from the long-dated PPAs with the investment grade off-takers. GRW’s risk profile reflects slightly worse assessment of one of the financial ratio (average DSCR) related risk factor. Gosfield’s risk profile reflects environmental risk, less than adequate PPA/Operating life Tail, and a very low equity in the capital structure. Keenan’s operating risk profile is weaker than the operating profile of the other two projects while its financial risk profile is slightly stronger than the financial risk profile of Gosfield and much stronger than the GRW’s financial risk profile. The Analyst notes that a Wind Project within the SFS EF AM’s portfolio that has a PPA with a strong investment- grade counterparty, no price or volume risk with the PPA tail extending beyond the term of the loan, and â€Å"Neutral/Standard† assessment of all other risk factors is rated 4+. The Project’s rating reflects a notch downgrade (4-) due to the operational issues with the equipment. The operatingShow MoreRelatedThe Hunger For Analyzing Data998 Words   |  4 Pagesand turn it into information that can change the business and function of the industry. Data warehouse Analysts are bridging the present business aspect with the future. Their role is critical to a company’s ability to make sound business decisions. A Data Warehouse Analyst is responsible for data design, database architecture, and metadata and repository creation. Experts in this recommend technology solutions related to data storage, reporting and other business concerns. They also define theRead MoreThe Requirements Engineering Phase Within A Software Project Essay1489 Words   |  6 PagesThe requirements engineering phase within a software project is a heavily knowledge-driven, collaborative process that typically involves the analysis and creation of a large number of textual artifacts. We know that requirements engineering has a large impact on the success of a project, semantic recommender support, especially for stakeholders during requirement elicitation is still lacking. This paper proposes an approach for recommendation systems that enable semantic interoperability with contentRead MoreProject Description And Operating Performance910 Words   |  4 PagesProject Description Operating Performance †¢ Project Description: Parque Eolico El Arrayan SpA (â€Å"El Arrayan† or the â€Å"Borrower†) is non-recourse, special-purpose entity formed to construct, own and operate a 115 MW wind farm located near Ovalla in the 4th region of Chile. El Arrayan is jointly-owned by Pattern Chile Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of Pattern Energy Group, LP (â€Å"Pattern†) (NR) (70%) and Antofagasta Minerals S.A. (â€Å"AMSA) (NR) (30%). The Project achieved COD on June 04, 2014 and has a 20-yearRead MoreA Study On Cpv Keenan II Renewable Energy Company Essay985 Words   |  4 PagesCPV Keenan II Renewable Energy Company, LLC (â€Å"Keenan† or the â€Å"Borrower†) is a non-recourse, special purpose entity that owns and operates a 151.8 MW (the â€Å"Project†) wind farm located in Woodward County, Oklahoma. The Borrower is owned by Competitive Power Ventures Holdings, LLC (â€Å"CPV†) and GE Energy Financial Services (â€Å"GE†) (NR) and Ty r Energy Inc. (â€Å"Tyr†) (NR) are tax equity investors. In February 2014, SFS EF AM committed to the Borrower’s $133.0 million Senior Secured Term Loan (the â€Å"TermRead MoreOperating Performance Assessment Of Owns Caithness Energy, Llc Essay861 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Borrower†) is a non-recourse, special purpose entity that owns Caithness Energy, LLC (â€Å"CEL†). CEL owns and operates a 350 MW combined-cycle duel fueled power generation facility in the Town of Brookhaven, Long Island, NY (the â€Å"Facility† or the â€Å"Project†). The Borrower is owned by Caithness Energy, LLC. In 2015, SFS EF AM committed $50.0 million to the Borrower’s $200.0 million seven-year Holding Company Term Loan (the â€Å"HoldCo Term Loan†). The HoldCo Term Loan is subordinated to the debt atRead MoreService Request Sr-Rm-022, Part 1 Essay1514 Words   |  7 PagesResources department. The expected results will define the business requirements for the development of an HR system to support the objective of this request. The objective is to create a detailed system design and a project implementation plan required to complete the project. The project should be completed in approximately six months, so the new system can be utilized in the second quarter of next year (Apollo Group, Inc. 2011). Smith Services Consulting Inc. has contracted my services as a systemsRead MoreHow Can Acme Home Improvement Boost Their Income Essay1405 Words   |  6 Pagestrying to increase their territory and jump into the global market. Acme Home Improvements opened a new store in Mexico City in Central America and offer the public their home improvement requirements for commercial builders to project builders. The Acme operations analysts have proposed a standard day job schedule for planners for Acme Mexico City (AMC). The plan for the schedule is accommodating with Mexico’s labor laws and company guidelines in scheduling the Part-Time (P/T) staff’s 50% of a day’sRead MoreCritical Infrastructure Protection ( Cip )898 Words   |  4 Pagescompliant with NERC CIP standards, working with functional area teams to ensure that they have the necessary information to ensure compliance. †¢ Lead project for Role based training with functional areas to develop content in support for CIP requirements. †¢ Support the development and roll out of Core CIP training requirements. †¢ Worked on project for self-certification for CIP requirements related to Vulnerability Assessments. †¢ Lead on 2014 RSAW documentation effort. †¢ Investigate corrective actionsRead MoreTarget Case1099 Words   |  5 Pagesall large capital project requests, is currently considering 5 projects to add value to the corporation. Their overall goal is to add 100 stores a year, while maintaining a positive brand image and watching budget constraints. If the CEC rejects a proposal there are large financial and emotional sunk costs, due to the long development process. Each project is evaluated in terms of its quantitative, qualitative, and strategic parameters. In calculating the NPV of these projects, Target uses twoRead MoreWhat Kind Of Information System Does The School Have?1730 Words   |  7 Pagessystems (DBMS) and shared by multiple applications. HUMAN RESOURCES Professional information systems personnel include development and maintenance managers, system analysts, programmers and operators often with highly specialized skills. PROCEDURES Procedures are policies and methods to be followed in using operating and maintaining operation systems. Information System and explanation Systems software is designed to operate and control the computer hardware and to provide the platform for running

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Volunteering At An Agency Where I May Interact With People

Gehlmann 1 Kathryn Gehlmann Professor Hardie SLR 105 December 07, 2015 For the fall semester, I wanted to volunteer at an agency where I could interact with people because I enjoy helping others. When I found out that I could volunteer at the library, I jumped on that chance right away. Volunteering at the Eva K. Bowlby Library allowed me to do those things. There are two current considerations regarding our society. First, should the federal, local, and state government allocate and spend tax dollars to fund professional social agencies that would, in turn, meet the needs of their communities? Secondly, the burden for social agencies would be placed on individual citizens and agencies that choose to serve those in need by giving of personal time, money, and skills. Those two considerations have major effects on my service site. Funding for social agenices has been a topic for many years where libraries are the focus point from what I have gathered. Should the federal, local, and state government allocate and spend tax dollars to fund professional social agencies that would, in turn, meet the needs of their communities? There are many positives and negatives about government funding for libraries. The Grants to States Program is one of the largest federal funding programs that support library services in the U.S. In fact, there are more than 150 million dollars distributed throughout the State Library Administrative Agenices (SLAA). Two thousand five hundred Grants toShow MoreRelatedMy Service Learning Hours At Harvest Hope Food Bank987 Words   |  4 PagesIn order to gain the necessary skills needed for social work, service learning is necessary due to the fact that it serves as an introduction to skills that may be utilized later in the field. Completing my service learning hours at Harvest Hope Food Bank provided me with the necessary experiences to ensure I am able to impact clients positively and in a more professional and ethical manner. Values and ethics, connections to generalist practice, and experienc es with the organization all shared importantRead MoreCareer Path For A Social Worker1903 Words   |  8 Pagesis good for one, is not always good for all. I have been contemplating many different options and I have finally chosen one. The career path I have chosen is to take the summer off and work at home doing day care. Then return to Argosy University in September, to start my bachelor’s degree in psychology with a concentration on child adolescents. During which, I will volunteer with a local organization called the Family Promise of Green County. Finally I will graduate with my bachelor’s degree in 2018Read MoreI Will Surround Myself With Positive Relationships Outside The Work Setting1398 Words   |  6 PagesI will surround myself with positive relationships outside the work setting. Due to the variety of significant, traumatic emotional events, I will be predisposed to within in the field, and exposure to subcultures, and cynical perspectives of fellow officers which exist. It is imperative to develop and preserve relationships outside of work hours. This is to prolong the susceptibility to cynical perceptions of the system, and society itself that usually start to develop within the first 5 to 7 yearsRead MoreI Yearn For Opportunities To Build Capacity Around Me To1567 Words   |  7 PagesI yearn for opportunities to build capacity around me to show society how to interact with people who are functionally different from the norm, whether that’s in subtle or disruptive differences. This desire has continued to bring me to opportunities of evolvement in leadership, to break the barriers that society has set in place for people with unique abilities. As the District Autism and Behavior Specialist for 7 years at Sumner School District this is the longest I have maintained the same titleRead MorePersonal Values In Social Work1133 Words   |  5 Pagespersonal values and how these values interact with the social work values. I deeply value family and believe that it is a bond where you love and protect one another. I also value respect for one and respect for others and integrity. I would have to be aware that there are many social work cases that consist/ involve some sort of abusive relationship/ situation whether it’s the parents or children. I value human relationships and a safe home and environment for children. 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She was such a natural presence, completely at ease in the moment, while I second guessed my career choice, fully aware of my anxiety issues. If my apprehension could strike me in such a soothing environment in the company of such a pleasant master of the counseling world, could I control these underlying tensionsRead MoreObesity And Its Effects On Obesity1513 Words   |  7 PagesThe program that I did was having different interventions that tackles health issue of obesity. In my interventions there are physical activities, nutrition, and knowledge about obesity that can help reduce or eliminate threats of obesity. My program’s goal aims to lower the risk of obesity and giving support. My interventions will be cooperated with community in Oakland and having schools, family, and the community to coming together for this event. There will be booths and stations that teachesRead MoreThe City Of San Diego1983 Words   |  8 Pagesoccurring all throughout our neighborhoods. With 8,692 sheltered and unsheltered people calling the streets their home, as of January 29,2016, homelessness is one of the largest and most well-known issue throughout the city (Black et al, 1). Likewise, depending on which studies you are looking at, San Diego is ranked number 3 or 4 with the highest homeless population in the country (McElroy,2016). In downtown, where a majority of the homele ss individuals reside, this problem not only effects theRead MoreA Reflection on Service Learning: Working at Easter Seals Child Care2401 Words   |  10 Pagesexperience, I did not understand this quote; however, now I understand this whole-heartedly. The first time I heard about service learning at Saint Anselm College was when I took a tour in my Junior year in high school. As the tour guide was explaining what service learning was, it immediately sparked my interest. As a student, I learn better in a more hands-on atmosphere, and this experience seemed perfect for me. After arriving at Saint Anselm College and being offered to participate in service, I definitely

Monday, December 9, 2019

International Trade and Enterprise for Greenhouse - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theInternational Trade and Enterprise for Greenhouse. Answer: Introduction Noteworthy, theres a growing global concern over climatic changes and the emission of greenhouse gasses. Ironically ,China and the United States despite being the largest emitters of greenhouses gases ,their governments hasnt taken active steps to mitigate the effects of the greenhouses gases on the environment .However ,most Latin America, Africa ,Europe and Middle-Eastern economies have taken interest in regulating carbon emissions(Stokes, Wike and Carle,2015)Arguably ,wealthy and more developed countries are expected to take more responsibility in climate change mitigation and emission of greenhouse gases due to the high concentration percentage they are presumed responsible for. Further, the devastating effects of climate change due to emission of greenhouses such as high temperatures, rises in sea levels, drought and harsh weather are among the reasons for the concern for climatic change action. Further, climate forcing which is a consequence of climate change due to changes in earths energy balance causing excessively warm or cooling effect. Climatic change is likely to lead to natural disasters such as intense storms, hurricane which will destroy human lives and property thus the obsession with controlling greenhouse gases and climate change .The irreplaceable nature of life which could be destroyed by natural disasters due to global warming or climatic change has also created the need to mitigate climatic changes. The Garnaut Review Primarily, the Garnaut Review explores the implications of climatic changes on the Australian population. Australia must participate in the global arena to mitigate the effects of climate changes. According to Garnaut, climate change is due to human interference through activity .The Review is outlined into three parts acknowledging the concern for changing climatic conditions, the steps to be undertaken by the government of Australia and the adaptive transformations to be undertaken. Further,Garnaut focuses on quantity of greenhouse gas emissions, worldwide arrangements on emissions, carbon pricing, and political interests and adaptive measures. In addition, effects of carbon pricing upon agricultural and electricity in climate change efforts has been expounded. Also, temperature, the carbon cycle and other greenhouses gases, methane, nitrous oxide have been is outlined in the review. Solutions Presented by Garnaut Review Carbon pricing has been proposed to cut carbon emissions. Furthermore, theres need for stringent and prompt implementation of mitigation policies for greenhouse gasses emission. Carbon sequestration is also proposed to capture and store carbon based emissions from entering the atmosphere. Noteworthy, carbon sequestration would be an effective means were it affordable and available internationally. However due to the expensive technological equipment and maintenance costs ,its a small scale emission control mechanism .Expansion of renewable energy capacities by different countries will greatly reduce carbon emissions due to energy efficiency and environmental friendliness of these renewable sources. Overshooting and application of solar radiation deflectors is likely to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate effects of global warming respectively. Also, adoption of clean development and technological mechanisms has proven to reduce carbon emissions. Implementation of low emission technological developments has been advanced in energy and the transport sectors of various economies to reduce carbon emissions through fuel efficiency and incorporation of renewable sources of energy. The use of renewable sources of energy has greatly boosted carbon emissions. Further, theres encouraged use of organic farming methods and equipment in production in a bid to promote environment friendly practices and reduce environmental pollution. Alternative Approaches to Carbon Emission Cuts and their Effectiveness The implementation of greenhouse gas emission targets has helped reduce the concentration percentage of greenhouse gasses. Profoundly, member states of the European Union have committed to a 20percent emission cut for greenhouse gasses for the year 2020.Further, European Countries have subscribed to 20percent energy consumption of renewable energy in an effort to reduce carbon emission cuts. In addition, theres a 40percent target for the year 2030 according to the European Union (European Commission, n.d) Moreover, theres financial and regulatory framework for carbon emission cuts through the Emissions Trading scheme and a 20% budgetary allocation towards climate action. Profoundly, market-based approaches have been implemented to reduce the rate of carbon emissions .Primarily, carbon taxation systems have been introduced in various economies to cut emissions. Usually, higher taxation is likely to reduce the quantity demand and supply according to price elasticity and the law of demand (Kaufman, 2016) Through carbon taxation, the quantity of carbon emitted is low. The effect of taxation on carbon emissions is direct thus its efficiency is guaranteed. Additionally, cap and trade activities have been used to encourage reduction in carbon emissions through low costing system. Traders in carbon-based resources are encouraged to use low carbon-based technologies. Certainty and stability of carbon prices has made this two methods popular .However ,there's limited government intervention since most stakeholders are private investors(Kaufman,2016) Predominantly, market based approaches have been adopted to help cut carbon emissions through the establishment of carbon trading arrangements which also offers incentives for sequestration of carbon-based gases (Raymond and Shively, n .d) The idea of carbon trading was proposed by Richard coase who believed that in the event of property rights environment friendly milestones will be undertaken by private stakeholders. Through the financial incentives available for agriculture and electricity based carbon sequestration, the volume of carbon emissions goes down (Raymond and Shively, n. d) Private state holders will be motivated to cut carbon and other greenhouse gases emissions in the face of financial gain. Further, the expansion of renewable capacity is a notable move to cut carbon emissions. Primarily, theres overdependence in non-renewable forms of energy such as coal and fossil fuels. In addition, introduction of fuel efficiency and transportation standards will help reduce carbon emissions (Union of Concerned Scientists, n .d.)Furthermore, substantial investment into reforestation and limitation caps on carbon production and emissions will significantly reduce the level of carbon emissions in Australia and worldwide .Clean energy use is effective but expensive in terms of technology and equipment thus its inadequacy in completely reducing carbon emission cuts (Union of Concerned Scientists, n .d) Notably, New Zealand has incorporated the use of emission reduction targets and trading system to help reduce emission of carbon and other greenhouse gases into its atmosphere. Moreover, it has adopted the clean development technology in its key sector industry to reduce the volume of carbon-based emissions (Ministry for the Environment and Energy ,n .d.) Predominantly ,energy based conservation and efficiency techniques have been used to reduce carbon emissions .Primarily ,use of carbon-free and carbon reduced energy sources has substantially reduced carbon emissions through the use of renewable energy such as solar ,wind and geothermal. Also, carbon storage and sequestration has been implemented to reduce fast growing rates of carbon emissions (Tribal Energy and Environmental Information, n .d.) Regarding effectiveness, it is considered costly to sequestrarise hence it is less likely to cut emissions on a large scale. The United Nations Report recommends higher emission targets before 2020 to successfully help mitigate the challenges of global climate change. A target of forty giga tonnes of carbon emissions by the year 2025 and 22 gigatonne target for 2050(Milman, 2013) Australia mitigation efforts combined with other global economies carbon cuts emissions will go a long way in reducing overall concentration of greenhouse gasses .In the long run, Carbon emission cuts minimizes the effects of greenhouse gases on global climatic changes. Federal Government Climate Action Further, theres the use of emission control policies by the Australian government to control the remittance of carbon based gasses into the atmosphere. As proposed by the Garnaut Review, emission price and target have been implemented by the Australian government. Mandatory expansion of electricity produced by renewable energy sources, placement of emission offsets and use of energy efficiency buildings and appliances has been implemented to boost carbon emission cuts .In addition, emissions standards has been set for fuel emissions and incentives offered to public stakeholders for carbon emission cuts(Nielson ,n.d.)Despite the application of these emission control policies, they havent been able to adequately reduce or eradicate substantial concentration of carbon emissions. In addition, the Australian government has introduced and allocated funds towards reduction of greenhouse gases inclusive of carbon gases. Primarily, the Emission Reduction Fund has availed persuasive financial incentives for stakeholders for environment-friendly based practices inclusive of carbon emission cuts (Department of the Environment,2014)The fund aims to promote environmental interests to help mitigate the effects of climate change attributed to high emissions of greenhouse gases by private business stakeholders. In the presence of incentives and subsidies in business operations, most stakeholders are more inclined to cooperate with environment-friendly approaches to business as compared to the absence of incentives in the business world. The Australia government is committed to the 5percent least global reduction limit by the year 2020 thus an implementation of the Garnaut review recommendation(Fraser,2014)Moreover ,The Australian government is constantly reviewing climate change policies to suit current global changes .Noteworthy, Australia has made budgetary allocation towards climate change. However, theres need for more mitigation efforts by Australia and other global players in enforcing carbon emission cuts and overall emission cuts for all greenhouses gases such as methane, nitrous oxide to reduce the effects of these gases on the global climate. Greenhouse gases are a likely trigger for harsh weather, intense storms, hurricanes, abnormal rise in sea levels and other negative consequences on human life and property. References Department of Environment, Australia. (2014)Reducing Australia s Emissions.[Online]Available at https://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reduction-fund/publications/reducing-australias-emissions[Accessed 25 March 2017] European Commission.(n .d.)EU Climate Action .European Commission.[Online]Available at https://ec.europa.eu/clima/citizens/eu_en[Accessed 25 May 2017] Fraser, B.(2014)Reducing Australia s Greenhouse Gas Emissions-Targets and Progress Review .Final Report. Climate Authority.[Online]Available at https://www.climatechangeauthority.gov.au/files/files/Target-Progress-Review/Targets%20and%20Progress%20Review%20Final%20Report.pdf Garnaut, R. (2011) The Garnaut Review 2011.Garnaut Review.Org.[Online] Available at https://www.garnautreview.org.au/update-2011/garnaut-review-2011/garnaut-review-2011.pdf[Accessed 25 May 2017] Kaufman, N. (2016) Carbon Tax vs. Cap-and-Trade: Whats a Better Policy to Cut Emissions? World Resources Institute.[Online]Available at https://www.wri.org/blog/2016/03/carbon-tax-vs-cap-and-trade-what%E2%80%99s-better-policy-cut-emissions[Accessed 25 May 2017] Ministry for the Environment.(n .d)Reducing New Zealand s Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Ministry for the Environment.[Online]Available at https://www.mfe.govt.nz/climate-change/reducing-greenhouse-gas-emissions[Accessed 25 May 2017] Nielson, L.(n .d.)Emission Control Policies .Parliament of Australia.[Online]Available at https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook43p/emissioncontrol[Accessed 25 May 2017] Raymond, L and Shively, G.(2008)Market Based Approaches to CO2 Emissions .Choices Magazine.Org.[Online]Available at https://www.choicesmagazine.org/2008-1/articles/2008-101.htm[Accessed 25 May 2017] Stokes, Wike, R., and Carle, J. (2015) Global Concern About Climate Change, Broad Support for Limiting Emissions. Pew Global.Org. [Online]Available at https://www.pewglobal.org/2015/11/05/global-concern-about-climate-change-broad-support-for-limiting-emissions/[Accessed 25 May 2017] Tribal Energy and Environmental Information.(n .d)Ways to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions .Indian Affairs.Gov.[Online]Available at https://teeic.indianaffairs.gov/er/carbon/carboninfo/reduce/index.html[Accessed 25 May 2017] Oliver, M.(2013)Carbon Emissions Must Be Cut Significantly by 2020,Says UN Report. United Nations University.[Online]Available at https://ourworld.unu.edu/en/carbon-emissions-must-be-cut-significantly-by-2020-says-un-report Union of Concerned Scientists .Smart Solutions to Reduce Emissions. Union of Concerned Scientists.[Online]Available at https://www.ucsusa.org/our-work/global-warming/solutions/global-warming-solutions-reduce-emissions#.WSbZHZKGPMx[Accessed 25 May 2017]

Monday, December 2, 2019

Professional Development Plan free essay sample

This essay aims to develop a plan that will address the behavioral characteristics of Learning Team A including the designated manager of the team. The plan will be used to assess the teams skills, strengths, areas needing improvement, and the resources needed to help the team members reach their career goals. DISC Assessment The members of Learning Team A took the DISC Platinum Rule Behavioral Style Assessment to determine each person’s predominant characteristics and how each style relates to other team members. The DISC assessment consists of four primary behavioral styles: (1) the Dominance or D style, (2) the Interactive or I style, (3) the Steadiness or S style, and (3) the Cautious or C style. Learning Team A is comprised of four members. Two out of four members were rated Dominance. One member was rated Interactive while the other one was rated Cautious. Individuals with Dominance Style are goal-oriented and like to be in control of people and events. We will write a custom essay sample on Professional Development Plan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They strive to achieve multiple projects, and they put emphasis on bottom-line results. Styles are fast-paced, task-oriented individuals who prefer challenging tasks, and take charge in crisis situations. The Interactive Styles are out-going, â€Å"party animals† who like to be where the action is. The I Styles are more relationship-oriented than task-oriented. They have good people and communication skills which help them influence people to meet their goals. The Cautious Styles are detail-oriented, analytical, and systematic individuals who appreciate problem-solving. They are task-oriented people; perfectionist and tend to be over-critical which can lead to paralysis by analysis (Alessandra, 2014b). The primary behavioral styles are broken down into four substyles to further characterize the team members. Table 1 summarizes the predominant and substyles characteristics of Learning Team A. Table 1. Predominant and Substyles Behavioral Characteristics of Team A The individual member assessments were collated to create a DISC chart. Figure 1 illustrates where each member fall on the chart in relation to each other and behavior in terms of openness and directness. The chart indicates that 75 percent of the team members are direct, faster-paced, and task-oriented individuals. The Enthusiasts (Id) are less open but more direct individuals while the Producers (Ds) are less guarded and less direct. One team member was rated Cautious. Because her subtype rating was not given, she was placed in the center of Cautious quadrant yielding an average guarded and average indirect rating. Figure 1. Team A DISC Assessment Chart Legend: Tendencies Teamwork plays a vital role for a successful and conducive work environment. Productivity increases when teams work well together. A nurturing business setting also encourages innovative thinking as members bounce off ideas to one another. Collectively, Learning Team A has a lot of strengths. Majority of the members is determined and focused in completing the tasks. They express confidence in their ability to get the work done expeditiously because of their delegating skills. In addition, the members are capable of creating a plan of action and follow-through to ensure timely completion of the job. When making decisions, the team is able to analyze the conditions and take calculated risks. Furthermore, the team exudes a positive and enthusiastic outlook in life which prevents members from being distracted by failures and weaknesses. Growth Opportunities Most of the team members are dominant and task-oriented people. Opening to new perspectives and working outside their comfort zones would be beneficial for the team. Clarifying and being realistic in timelines will prevent misunderstanding and disappointments. Being flexible when making decisions will foster creativity in solving issues. Delegating more tasks is recommended to free-up time. This will make team members feel trusted and appreciated of the personality differences within the team. Additionally, tasks should be clearly defined such that members who only see the big picture will grasp the work involved especially for complex tasks. Empowerment Pointers According to Gavzer (2004), teamwork often breaks down or fails to develop even in the most well-intentioned practices. Applying the necessary skills, structure, patience, and practice is crucial to get it right. Consulting with mentors and colleagues prior to making decisions or implementing new initiatives will facilitate a smoother execution process. In addition, getting inputs or providing opportunities for team members to express themselves will ensure satisfaction of the lead person and members’ expectations. Moreover, improving interpersonal skills and being genuine to others could help the team members to gain a better understanding on how to relate to others, consequently helping the team attain their desired results. Conclusion The DISC assessment has provided a better understanding of the individual and team strengths, weaknesses, and behavioral characteristics. Additionally, the differences between people and what drives them is helpful in recognizing how to deal with others. The team consists of dominant, focused, critical thinker, and social members. Exploiting these strengths would be in the team’s best interest. Developing project plans, timelines, and delegating tasks should be assigned to the producers in the team. They possess the skills to get the tasks accomplished on time. The cautious member should be assigned to jobs that require attention to detail, risk analysis, and other tasks that require minimal group interaction to make this type of member comfortable.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

mp3s essays

mp3s essays As we are approaching the 21st century communications is becoming a vital key in business and home computing. As a result we are constantly inventing new ways in order to make communications easier for the user to access in our daily lives. Therefore the information superhighway has sparred awareness in home technology or lack of home technology. The abbreviation MP3 stands for MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) layer 3, which is a standard format for storing compressed music. An MP3 file is an audio file that has been compressed (anywhere from 1/5th to 1/17th of its original size) without any noticeable loss in sound quality. That means a great sounding file, in a package small enough that it can be downloaded and/or stored on your PC (MP3 files can be identified by their file extension, .mp3.). The basic idea is that music digitized at CD quality has information that can be suppressed with little or no quality loss, as perceived by most people. Thanks to this and some mathematics, it is possible to compress a digitized track to about 8 percent of its original size, or a compression ratio of 12:1. This means that, while a regular music CD can contain about one hour of music (74 minutes, actually), a similar CD used to store mp3 files can contain almost 12 hours of music. MP3 is used particularly for music distribution over the Internet, but is also used for other purposes such as real-time digital audio transmissions over ISDN (used by reporters). How is it possible to do this you ask? Well, I won't get into the technical details, but basically the MP3 encoder removes the parts of the sound not audible to the human ear. This means that MP3 is a 'loss' type of compression (comparable to JPEG in the graphics area). This means that what comes out from your CD or Wave file is NOT the same thing that comes out of the MP3 that has been created from the CD/Wav. The sound data that has been lost will not be returned if the MP3 is...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

About the National Security Agency

About the National Security Agency The National Security Agency is a highly specialized and vital unit of the American intelligence community that works to create and break secret codes, a science known as cryptology. The National Security Agency, or NSA, reports to the U.S. Department of Defense. The work of the National Security Agency is done in secret and in the name of national security. The government did not even acknowledge the NSA existed for some time. The National Security Agencys nickname is No Such Agency. What the NSA Does The National Security Agency gathers intelligence by conducting surveillance on its adversaries through the collection of phone-call, email and Internet data. The intelligence agency has two primary missions: preventing foreign adversaries from stealing sensitive or classified national security information from the United States, and collecting, processing and disseminating information from foreign signals for counterintelligence purposes. History of the National Security Agency The National Security Agency was created on Nov. 4, 1952, by President Harry S. Truman. The intelligence agencys foundation has its genesis in the work U.S. forces conducted during World War II in breaking German and Japanese codes, which it describes as a crucial factor in the Allied success against German U-Boats in the North Atlantic and victory at the Battle of Midway in the Pacific. How the NSA is Difference From the FBI and CIA The Central Intelligence Agency deals mostly with gathering intelligence on Americas enemies and conducts covert operations overseas. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, on the other hand, operates within the U.S borders as a law-enforcement agency. The NSA is primarily a foreign intelligence agency, meaning that it is authorized to collect data to prevent threats from foreign countries. However, in 2013 it was revealed that the NSA and FBI had allegedly been collecting phone-call data from Verizon and other information from servers operated by none U.S. Internet companies including Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, AOL, Skype, YouTube, and Apple. Leadership of the NSA The head of the National Security Agency/Central Security Service is appointed by the secretary of the Department of Defense and approved by the president. The NSA/CSS director must be a commissioned military officer who has earned at least three stars. The current director of the intelligence agency is U.S. Army Gen. Keith B. Alexander. The NSA and Civil Liberties The surveillance activities of the NSA and every other intelligence agency often raise questions about civil liberties, and whether Americans are being subjected to unconstitutional invasions of privacy. In a statement published on the NSAs website, agency deputy director John C. Inglis wrote: Im often asked the question, Whats more important – civil liberties or national security? Its a false question; its a false choice. At the end of the day, we must do both, and they are not irreconcilable. We have to find a way to ensure that we support the entirety of the Constitution – that was the intention of the framers of the Constitution, and thats what we do on a daily basis at the National Security Agency. Still, the NSA has publicly acknowledged that it has inadvertently collected communications from some Americans without a warrant in the name of national security. It has not said how often that happens, though. Who Oversees the NSA Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Government surveillance agencies are also subject to review by the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, which was created by Congress in 2004.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Research Topics with Explanations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Topics with Explanations - Assignment Example Furthermore, the existence of various regulations regarding the use of cell phones especially while driving in the various states in the country is a major cause of confusion. As such, the research investigates the nature of the regulations in various states and analyzing the effects of such disparities. The audience for the research will include road users and legislators who make laws in the country. The research argues that standardizing the regulations will enhance uniformity thereby improving road safety (Sturnquist, 2006). The outbreak of measles in numerous states within the United States has been a major source of concern for both parents and legislators. The refusal by most parents to take their children for vaccination further heightens the safety concern especially in such public places as schools among any others (Link, 2005). The research investigates the most probable ways of encouraging and compelling parents to take their children for the vaccination (Wells, 1984). The audiences for the research are school administrators, parents and legislators among many other interested parties (Levine, 1997). The research argues that the government should adopt a radical measure such as banning unvaccinated pupils from attending public schools. The United States is the leading democracy and economy globally. Additionally, the country is a leading champion for the improvement of the treatment of such vulnerable groups as children, women and the LGBT community. As such, the country has a role to play in encouraging the adoption of fair labor laws globally (Jackson & Management Information Service, 1985). The adoption of fair labor laws is the surest way of enhancing the economic freedom of such communities. Such laws protect employees thereby creating a conducive environment for the employees to work and enhance their productivity. The research investigates the appropriate ways for the American

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Compare and contrast federalism in Canada during the Keynesian era and Essay

Compare and contrast federalism in Canada during the Keynesian era and federalism in the neoliberal era - Essay Example ion’s flexibility has been responsible for finding solutions to public policy along with assisting it to rise to the challenges faced (â€Å"Canadian Federalism†, 2007). To put it simply, the country’s federation has been a common strength in identifying divergences and overcoming them thereby constructing a stronger nation (â€Å"Canadian Federalism†, 2007). The two centers of focus of the Canadian federal experience signify cultural dualism, the desire and ability of French and English speaking Canadians to survive as such along with the use of institutions of the government which they respectively dominate, and the other is public action to satisfy the material aspirations of individuals and groups living within an economy in which burdens and benefits are ascertained by the economic policies of successive federal administrations (Smiley, 1965). Canadian federalism exhibits the trend of decentralization (Lecture 17, n.d.). In spite of facing huge challenges the Canadian federation has made it work towards this trend (Lecture 17, n.d.). Early judicial decisions showed an inclination towards provincial power in Canada after 1867 (Lecture 17, n.d.). The election victory of 1896 marked he reversal of Macdonald’s centralism by Laurier (Lecture 17, n.d.). Both World War I and World War II brought interruptions in the movement (Lecture 17, n.d.). However, it spite of some federal states opting to move more towards centralized over time, Canada has remained persistent in its trend of decentralization of authority (Lecture 17, n.d.). Due to the influence of Great Depression (1929-1939), the Rowell-Sirois Commission revealed inclination towards economic management and social welfare from provinces to federal level (Lecture 17, n.d.). Reorganization of taxing functions was advised to favor federal assumption of new spending priorities and to enhance redistributive measures to offer national standards from coast to coast (Lecture 17, n.d.). However, the orders of the

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The Asch Phenomenon and Consumer Behavior Essay Example for Free

The Asch Phenomenon and Consumer Behavior Essay Imagine yourself sitting in a room with seven of your peers. You are asked a question and given a choice of three different answers: A, B, or C. You know the answer is C, yet every single person before you confidently states that the answer is B. Do you stick with your answer, or eliminate the fear of being wrong and embarrassed in front of your peers and go along with the group? This is the exact dilemma faced by subjects in the famous Asch experiment. The Asch phenomenon can be defined as the effect of a reference group on individual decision making that occurs because of a perceived pressure to conform to the stated opinions of the group members. As consumers, we should recognize the great impact this phenomenon can have on our buying behaviors. While interacting in a group setting, we may make choices that are different from what we would do when alone. Marketers and salespeople may use this idea to their advantage when presenting a product to potential customers. If they can get a few people to voice a positive opinion toward their products, it is likely that others will follow. As consumers, we should be aware of when this idea may be used unethically in order to protect our individual interests. For example, a salesperson may try to sell a product to an audience of potential consumers. However, some people working for the salesperson may be planted in the audience posing as naive consumers in order to influence the purchase behaviors of the other members of the audience. Also, marketers may use individuals’ insecurities to pressure them to go along with the group, even when it is not in a person’s best interest. An ad showing a man being ridiculed for buying a less expensive television set may unethically lead a consumer to think he needs to buy something unaffordable to fit in with his friends. Explanation of the Topic The Asch phenomenon is a concept derived from the findings of a study conducted in 1951. Solomon Asch (1907 1996) originally conducted this experiment to explain conformity to majority-established norms (Moghaddam, 1998). The subjects involved in the study were brought into a room with seven other students (who were all working for Asch and were instructed on what to do) and seated second-to-last around a table. The subjects were told that the experiment was concerned with accuracy and visual perception, and that their task was to choose which of the three bars on the right matched the length of the bar on the left and to give their answers aloud. The confederates in the study were instructed to give incorrect answers 12 out of 18 times in order to see whether or not the subject would go along with the crowd after hearing their incorrect responses (â€Å"Conformity Experiments Asch: Social Pressure†). A Test of Perception [pic] Which line in Exhibit 2 is the same length as the line in Exhibit 1? A series of experiments by Solomon Asch, testing the effects of social pressure on individual perceptions, showed that some people in some situations will go against the evidence of their own senses if the people around them seem to perceive something different. Thirty-seven of the fifty subjects conformed to the majority at least once, and fourteen of them conformed on more than half of the significant trials (â€Å"Conformity†). Overall, 35 percent of the subjects’ responses conformed to the group’s incorrect judgments. This is surprising because the control group achieved near perfect accuracy, showing that the task was not inherently difficult. In addition, when the experiment was duplicated allowing the subjects to write down their own judgments privately after hearing the incorrect responses of the group, conformity was drastically reduced (Baxter). The reasons why subjects gave in to group influence hold important ideas for salespeople and marketers. People conform for two main reasons: because they want to be liked by the group and because they believe the group is better informed than they are (â€Å"Conformity†). In this study, Asch reported that most of the participants yielded to group pressure because they assumed the majority was right and they were wrong, rather than because they wanted to be accepted by the majority (Levine, 1999). This difference is what separates the Asch phenomenon from the concept of peer pressure. Peer pressure tends to operate more in primary groups in which normative and identification group influences are at work, rather than informational group influences. A brief example may explain the differences between these three types of influences. Informational influence is at work when a person thinks, â€Å"I should buy that brand of cereal because my health-conscious friends recommend it as part of a nutritious diet. † Normative influence is at work when a person thinks, â€Å"I should buy that brand of cereal so that my friends think that I am also health-conscious, or so they won’t make fun of me for eating badly. † Finally, a person reacting to identification influence would think, â€Å"I should buy that brand of cereal because I am a member of Weight Watchers, and all of us value that brand. Asch’s findings support more of an informational influence, particularly because the conforming subjects did not even know the other members of the group. They just assumed that the group must know something that they did not know, or decided it was easier and safer to go along with the group. The Asch phenomenon occurs even when there is only a perceived pressure to conform. That is, if members go against the group they will not experience any negative consequences. However, when dealing with peer pressure, often individuals who do not conform are ridiculed, humiliated, or excluded by his/her peers. Looking at the Asch study, you can see that while a significant proportion of people conformed, the majority did not. This suggests that some people may be more susceptible to the phenomenon than others, and that certain situations may create this pressure to conform more than others. There are five determinants of reference group influence. If there is visible usage, high relevance of a product to the group, low individual purchase confidence, strong individual commitment to the group, and it is a non-necessary item, people are much more likely to be influenced by the opinions of the group members (Hawkins, 2004). Imagine shopping by yourself as opposed to shopping with a group of your fashion-conscious friends. You notice a red shirt on the rack, but don’t really care for it. One of your friends later picks up the shirt and says, â€Å"This shirt is absolutely fabulous. † The other members of the group agree, and soon you find yourself agreeing that you also love the shirt. You do this not only because you want to be accepted by the group, but because you assume the others know more about fashion than you do. In addition, if the shirt is a reasonable price and you are looking for something to wear to a party where everyone will be dressed fashionably, the opinions of the group members will affect your purchase decision even more. The Asch phenomenon has been demonstrated in a variety of settings. In one study, 58 percent of college students were persuaded to agree to the statement that â€Å"the right of freedom of speech should be suspended when the Government feels threatened,† even though not one of these subjects held this view privately (Baxter). In another study, students’ perceptions of the nutritional value of a new diet food were influenced by the opinions of other members of a group. When the other students of the group were seen as â€Å"experts,† meaning they claimed to be majoring in and had work experience with nutrition, members changed their initial responses to conform to the group even more (Lascu, 1995). Clearly, this phenomenon should not be ignored when advertising a new product or designing a sales campaign, when potential consumers’ opinions are more likely to be swayed. The technique would be useful when potential consumers see others as having greater expertise about the product than they do. However, a great deal of risk in purchasing may cause a consumer to seek out information himself rather than go off of what others say. Therefore, the Asch phenomenon may work ideally in low-expertise and low-involvement situations. Examples Examples of the Asch phenomenon can be found throughout the media. When members of a group voice their positive opinions about a product, people are more willing to go along with this stated opinion. For example, Ford Motor Company uses the Asch phenomenon to build greater brand loyalty by providing a section on their website dedicated to personal stories with Ford vehicles. By reading all of the positive stories about Ford cars and trucks, consumers may also feel pressure to think the same way about Fords. Another example of the influence group members may have on individual purchasing decisions comes from the use of infomercials in which a product is displayed to a group of potential customers. At first, the consumers are skeptical that a product could be so easy to use, so convenient, or so inexpensive. However, a consumer is instructed to use a product, is impressed by the product, and says, â€Å"Wow, I really can feel my legs and abs getting stronger† or â€Å"Wow, this vegetable chopper really does make it easy. † Soon after, other members of the group are going along with the stated opinions of the original users, and people at home begin to agree with the group too, possibly to the point of purchasing the product. Specific companies using this technique include Ronco, Body by Jake, and Tae-bo. Pampered Chef kitchen shows work in a similar way, and depend on stated opinions of kitchen experts and groups of friends. As the host displays and uses a variety of kitchen products, showing how helpful, easy, and fun to use they are, other members of the group may try them out and voice similar opinions. A person who may not have otherwise been excited by a cooking stone or apple corer/peeler/slicer soon finds these products as amazing as the other members of the group, and has ordered them without giving a second thought as to when she will actually use them. People often find it very difficult to go against the positive opinions of movie critics and reviewers. When showing commercials for films, the previews include such statements as â€Å"The funniest movie of the year,† â€Å"Absolutely phenomenal† or â€Å"The best drama since (fill in the blank). † Claims such as these, especially from credible critics and publications, are difficult to disagree with and tend to sway people to go see the movie. For example, a person sees a movie on opening day before it is heavily advertised. This person thinks the movie is ok, but does not recommend it to any friends or family to see. However, after watching several ads on television in which positive claims are made about the movie, the person may change his/her opinion to go along with these claims. Suddenly, the movie seems better, and the individual finds him/herself agreeing with the critics and recommending the movie to others. This may be because he/she does not want to be the only one who thinks differently, or because the critics have greater expertise on movies.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Leadership In Ancient Civilizations Essay -- essays research papers

During the period of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, different leaders exhibited different styles of leadership and employed different political strategies. In addition, these leaders came to power and maintained their control in their own unique ways. Each leader seemed to have his own agenda, which set the tone for that era. Five prominent leaders of this time period were Agricola, Augustus, Julius Caesar, and the brothers Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus. The point to be made with respect to these particular men is related to the obvious correlation between the nature of a leader’s agenda and the impact of his reign. In the end, a ruler’s fate was dependent not on his agenda, but on style and strategy with which he pushed his agenda. Those leaders whose methods were completely altruistic were heralded as great leaders, while those with devious and/or unethical methods of pushing their agendas were hastily assassinated. First consider Tiberius Gracchus. It is imperative to analyze his style of leadership and his political strategies. During his term as tribune, Tiberius’ major goal was to pass a land reform bill. This bill was biased toward the masses. Tiberius tried fairly and squarely to gain the support of the Roman senate, but this effort was to no avail. Tiberius then resorted to unfavorable tactics when he impeached another tribune, Octavius, the major opponent of Tiberius’ bill. Thus Tiberius willingly destroyed the long-held and quite favored notion of an immune tribune. However, this is what the common people wanted. Tiberius’ big mistake was blatantly opposing, thus disrespecting the Roman senate. As a result, the senate assassinated Tiberius. The lesson to be learned here is not that Tiberius’ agenda was constructed out of self-interest or greed. Tiberius simply wanted to help the common people. However, Tiberius’ methods were not proper for that time in that place. And it is probable that Tiberius could easily have been persuaded to compromise. Thus, Tiberius’ downfall was not his agenda, but his style and political strategy. A different example of the same principle is summed up with the story of Tiberius’ younger brother, Gaius Gracchus. Gaius worked not to appease the senate, but to appease the people. Although this seems quite noble of him, it was still a mistake to oppose the senate. Granted, this notion is counter-intuitive. One wo... ...in accordance with the main point we have been discussing, he did so with a particular style and political strategy, so as not to offset social order. He ruled very subtly. He saw to it that he got what he wanted, yet he did so with such caution that it was disguised as interest in providing for the good of the citizens. Therefore, Augustus’ reign supports the theory that a ruler can drive a selfish agenda, yet as long as the style and political strategy of the leader in question is favored by the people, then the leader can still be considered a good ruler.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Therefore, upon considering the lives of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, Julius Caesar, Agricola, and Augustus Caesar, it is clear that people in the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire considered a leader’s particular actions more that his agenda when deciding whether or not a leader is worthy of being called â€Å"great† or being assassinated. Obviously, a leader’s agenda and accomplishments are important factors, but we have seen with these five particular leaders that sometimes accomplishments do not matter. What matters greatly are the steps taken by a leader to obtain goals or satisfy certain needs.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Full Faith and Credit Clause

I think the most predominant subject that comes to mind involving the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the U. S. Constitution centers around â€Å"same-sex marriages. † The argument in this issue centers around whether a gay couple who gets married in Massachusetts would/should be recognized as legally married in any other state they move to. I am sure the framers of the Constitution could never have imagined that some 200+ years later, that the original intent of Article IV Section 1 of the Constitution, the â€Å"Full Faith and Credit Clause,† could possibly undergo the scrutiny it has had to endure in recent years. The word â€Å"marriage† means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word â€Å"spouse† refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife. The Constitution specifically delineates that no State shall be required to give effect to any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other State respecting a relationship between persons of the same sex that is treated as a marriage under the laws of any other State, or any right or claim arising from such relationship. If â€Å"same-sex marriages† have become legally acceptable in some states, then those couples should enjoy those benefits in the states in which they are considered to be legal. States are granted the right to determine those laws that have effect on their own citizens, and, should a gay married couple wish to reside in a state where same-sex marriages are not legal by law in that state, then they must accept the law in that state as binding on them. Any state that chooses to not recognize same-sex marriages within their own constitution certainly has that right under the Full Faith and Credit Clause. Until at such time someone finds a way to challenge the constitutionality of the Clause, gay couples will have to resign themselves being able to practice their chosen lifestyle, but without the benefits of such union in states where it is deemed illegal. In further support of this issue, I believe that the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) (1996) is unconstitutional on its face. DOMA violates principles of equal protection and due process. A strong case can also be made that DOMA abuses the Full Faith and Credit Clause and contravenes fundamental principles of federalism. Since there are relatively similar laws enacted in all 50 states, with only small differences between most of them, I see no reason that the Full Faith and Credit Clause should be held applicable to the issue of same-sex marriages. I find it difficult to imagine how the Court could find excluding same-sex couples from the definition of marriage unconstitutional without creating a constitutional requirement that same-sex couples be allowed to marry. Therefore, I believe that the Constitution guarantees each and every one of us the right to choose to marry the one we love. The fact that they are of the same sex should not deprive those individuals of the same rights and privileges of other citizens merely because it violates some individuals morals or beliefs. Since the Constitution itself does not actually delineate the definition of marriage, I believe that all attempts that deprive gay people certain rights not otherwise deprived of other individuals violates the spirit of the Constitution, and abuses the Full Faith and Credit Clause therein.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Performance Measurement Paper Essay

In the world of business there are many cliche’s about how performance measurements are implemented and what they actually do such as â€Å"if your company doesn’t measure results then you can’t tell success from failure. † http://www. balancedscorecard. org/Home/tabid/36/Default. aspx The key focus on strategic objectives should always articulate precisely what the organization wants to accomplish which is the key to finding accurate, true, strategic measurements. The strategic performance measures will allow the organization to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the operational efficiency. The best performance measures will provide a way to monitor and see if that strategy is actually working. Focusing on the importance of the employee’s contribution to the success of the organization is another important measure that can be added along with providing a common language for the communication of everyone. Performance measurement is so vital in the structure of an organization because it is an ongoing and constant reporting and monitoring of accomplishments. Typically the program is implemented by agency management. The different program activities are measured by this system as well. A program may be considered any project, activity, or function that has a set of objectives. The three types in which will be compared and contrasted begins with the output type of performance measures which indicates a specific workload that is processed throughout a period of time. The next type of performance type of selection is the efficiency type, which indicates the different ratio’s of the resources to work the product. The resources of this particular type are primarily considered budget dollars. The final performance measurement type that will be under contrast is the outcome type which tells the results over a period of time from work which was performed by the organization in order to benefit the people receiving the service. (EOM) or enterprise output management is a practice used in information technology dealing with the organization of data that is created for banking systems, insurance database systems, customer relationship management, as well as many others. Output distributed management is defined as middle ware that threatens to drive out the process originally supported in order to implement an auto mated one. EOM output managment could potentially reduce the cost of traditional printing because it uses digital output channel such as fax and email. The potential of this is depends on how the concept is adopted by the targeted customer group. Management information systems allow organizations to get right people the correct information at a timely and efficient manner. The efficiency type of performance management works by pulling together information. Therefore improving the products and expanding the customer base at the same time. A manger with a good management information system can eliminate redundant miscues that waste time and may instead focus on what actually works for the betterment of the organization. If an MIS is added into the equation then the amount of time saving that will benefit the organization will be tremendous because there is more time being focused on the specific task at hand. The computer program can collect data from employees much faster than the alternative time consuming method of not taking advantage of the technology. The over-all term performance management is defined as the output of employees and groups individually. The employees may be divided into groups and departments within the organization as a whole. Therefore the performances can be evaluated much more effectively by knowing what everyone’s production levels are and by gathering this information will definitely help to improve the quality of production in the organization which will lead to good things for everyone. In order for the performance management procedures to be put in place and do the job that they are needed to do there should be a performance definition done as soon as humanly possible because this knowledge will help drive the rest of the tasking in sequence for what needs to be done for the organization.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

THE AGE OF EXPLORATION essays

THE AGE OF EXPLORATION essays THE AGE OF EXPLORATION HAD LASTING EFFECTS ON EUROPE AND THE NEW WORLD. THREE EFFECTS WERE, ECONOMIC CHANGES, SOCIAL CHANGES AND CULTURAL CHANGES. THE ECONOMIC CHANGES HAD TO DO WITH TRADE. COUNTRIES TRADED AMONGST EACH OTHER FOR THINGS THEY WERE LACKING IN EXCHANGE FOR THINGS THEY HAD SURPLUSES OF. EUROPE, AFRICA AND AMERICA ALL TRADED WITH EACH OTHER AS WELL AS OTHER COUNTRIES. WHEN COUNTRIES TRADED THEY WOULD GET THINGS SUCH AS POTATOES AND SPICES. THEY COULD PLANT THE POTATOES AND GROW MORE ON THEIR OWN. TRADING ADDED TO PEOPLES ECONOMY, A FOOD CHAIN IS AN EXAMPLE. PEOPLE ALSO ADVANCED SOCIALLY. SOCIAL CHANGES WERE ALSO EFFECTS OF EXPLORATION. AS PEOPLE STARTED COMING IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER WHILE TRADING THEY GOT MANY NEW IDEAS FROM OTHER PEOPLE AND COUNTRIES. MANY PEOPLE BEGAN TO BEFRIEND PEOPLE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES WHICH WOULD GREATLY INCREASE TRADE. THIS LEAD TO CULTURAL CHANGES. CULTRAL CHANGES ALSO EFFECTED EUROPE DURING THE AGE OF EXPLORATION. WHEN PEOPLE CAME IN CONTACT WITH OTHER CULTURES AND COUNTRIES IT LEAD TO CULTURAL DIFFUSION. PEOPLE GOT NEW IDEAS FROM OTHERS AND ADOPTED THEM INTO THEIR OWN SOCIETY. WHEN EXPLORERS SUCH AS CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS OR VASCO DE GAMA FOUNDED NEW COUNTRIES THEY NEVER KNEW BEFORE EXISTED, THEY BROUGHT THEIR IDEAS AND WAYS OF LIVING TO THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE NEW COUNTRIES. THIS HAPPENED CONTINUOSLY. IN CONCLUSION SOCIAL CHANGES, ECONOMIC CHANGES AND CULTURAL CHANGES IN AFRICA, AND AMERICA BOTH HAD A SPECIFIC EFFECT ON EUROPE DURING THE AGE OF EXPLORATION WHICH ADDED AND INCREASED THE PRODUCT OF THE GOLDEN AGE AS WELL. ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Martin Van Buren - Eighth US President - Fast Facts

Martin Van Buren - Eighth US President - Fast Facts Martin Van Buren (1782-1862) served one term as president. During his time in office, no major events occurred. However, he was criticized for his handling of the Second Seminole War.   Here is a quick list of fast facts for Martin Van Buren.For more in depth information, you can also read the: Martin Van Buren Biography Birth: December 5, 1782 Death: July 24, 1862 Term of Office: March 4, 1837-March 3, 1841 Number of Terms Elected: 1 Term First Lady: Widower. His wife, Hannah Hoes, died in 1819. Nickname: Little Magician; Martin Van Ruin Martin Van Buren Quote: As to the Presidency, the two happiest days of my life were those of my entrance upon the office and my surrender of it. Additional Martin Van Buren Quotes Major Events While in Office: Panic of 1837 (1837)Caroline Affair (1837)Second Seminole War (1835-1842) Van Buren is considered by many historians to be an average president. No major events occurred during his term of office. However the Panic of 1837 did eventually lead to an Independent Treasury. In addition, Van Burens position about the Caroline Affair allowed the US to avoid open warfare with Canada. The Caroline Affair occurred in 1837 when a US steamship called the Caroline travelled to a site on Niagara River. Men and supplies were being sent to Upper Canada to help William Lyon Mackenzie who was leading a rebellion. There were a number of American sympathizers who wanted to help him and his followers. However, in December of that year, Canadians came into US territory and sent the Caroline adrift over Niagara Falls, killing one US citizen. Many Americans were upset over the incident. The Robert Peel, a British steamship, was attacked and burned. In addition, a number of Americans began raiding over the border. Van Buren sent General Winfield Scott to help stop Americans from retaliating.  President Van Buren was responsible for delaying the admission of Texas to the Union in order to help maintain sectional balance.   However, Van Burens administration was criticized for their handling of the Second Seminole War. The Seminole Indians resisted the removal from their lands, even after Chief Osceola was killed in 1838. The continued fighting led to the death of thousands of Native Americans. The Whig Party was able to use the inhumane campaign in their fight against Van Buren. Related Martin Van Buren Resources: These additional resources on Martin Van Buren can provide you with further information about the president and his times. Martin Van Buren BiographyTake a more in depth look at the Eighth president of the United States through this biography. Youll learn about his childhood, family, early career, and the major events of his administration. Chart of Presidents and Vice PresidentsThis informative chart gives quick reference information on the Presidents, Vice-Presidents, their terms of office, and their political parties. Other Presidential Fast Facts: Andrew JacksonWilliam Henry HarrisonList of American Presidents

Sunday, November 3, 2019

1st and 2nd amendments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

1st and 2nd amendments - Essay Example 1st and 2nd amendments The first amendment is very important because it demonstrates the framers intention of making America a truly democratic state by providing several individual rights to its citizens. It first clause makes religion a subject of individual preference and thus coercion to follow the doctrines one particular religion is a state offence. The second clause endorses free speech and makes freedom of speech a legal right of its citizens. The third clause ensures constitutional right to citizens of the states to present a petition to the government to redress their grievances. It also gives them the right to make their protest in group demonstrations, held peacefully. The first amendment thus advocates strongly for freedom of religion and freedom of expression thereby not only making free religion and freedom of speech a legal right but also legitimizing peaceful mass demonstration against any injustice. Watergate Scandal has been one the most famous case where freedom of speech and expression was used by the press to expose President Nixon which resulted in his impeachment. In the famous case Edwards v Aguillard, 1986, the religious doctrines and ideas, called creation-science, were taught in the name of science and scientific facts under the act ‘The Louisiana Balanced Treatment for Creation-Science and Evolution-Science Act’ in complete violation of the amendment. It was challenged by a group of scientists and became one of the landmark cases in the history of Louisiana.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Health sysytems and government response to AIDS in America Essay

Health sysytems and government response to AIDS in America - Essay Example There is a common saying regarding AIDS that â€Å"you are either infected or affected†. This is because when one is infected with AIDS, faces the pain associated with the illness and emotional torture as one feels that unmet goals and objectives in life are no longer attainable; one also feels socially unfit to carry the normal life used to live before the infection. Someone who is free of the virus is affected since has to commit his time and resources in supporting the infected one. More precisely, the individual suffering, household, families, and the economy experience the effects of HIV/AIDS. Ones contributes to the growth of the economy is likely to decline and eventually stop as the stages of the illness progress. This is because the individual is dependent on others and the government on daily bases for food and treatment. The government and health systems have put a lot of emphasis on controlling the disease by establishing Voluntary Centers for testing. Currently there is a huge network of testing centers all over America to provide citizens with free services where they can get to know their status, get guidelines on how to stay free from the virus and if affected, the control and management practices. Although this is a positive initiative, the government does not provide enough well trained nurses to deliver the services; this is a drawback. More so, people have fear for stigma from those who offer the services, therefore the government is working to provide testing kits whereby one can perform the test within his privacy and convenient time. (Augustus 43). The government has identified that most youths are at high risk to contract (Chris 490) AIDS due to idleness and lack of employment. With the high rates of inflation and unemployment, many people lack employment hence in order to sustain their daily lives, they indulge in irresponsible sexual activities. This increases the rate of AIDS infections. The government has stepped in to offer technical trainings and job opportunities to encourage the youths not involve themselves in such risky behaviors. The government has also established rehabilitation centers for sex addicts where they get support and guidance on reformation. Commercial sex workers have higher chances of contracting AIDS due to the sexual association with many people. Such centers offer them information on how to change their behaviors and how get finances from moral activities. The government and other health systems have responded to the AIDS epidemic by establishing children homes for both HIV positive children and orphaned children due to AIDS. These children are offered free education and home care. Although this is a very essential

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Sustainable tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sustainable tourism - Essay Example This paper aims to find links of term of sustainable tourism with sustainable development. Moreover, this paper will try to highlight their influence on each other. It was around mid 20th century when experts (Gruder, pp. 81-88, 2007) all around the world increasingly felt that no development witnessed over the time was free from the cost of environmental deterioration. They realized that human species has been developing at an accelerating pace, and this growth has benefited many people as well. However, this development has been happening at the expense of sustainability of this planet. Quite understandably, as responsible citizens of this planet, and keeping in mind the long-term existence of humans on this planet, some steps were essential. In the year 1972, at the Stockholm Conference on Humans and the Environment (Meadows, pp. 1-14, 1972), it was the first time when under flag of United Nations, this topic was brought under consideration. Despite the fact that it was after mid 19th century when the concept of sustainable development came up on the screen in its current form; however, in some form or the other, the concern of balancing human growth with other environmental and external factors has been there since centuries. In context of tourism, one of the earliest examples of tourism were found in Mesopotamia, where the administration made sincere efforts in development of recreational areas, preservation of animals and plants and balancing their reproduction growth with the hunting activity (Butler, pp. 40-45, 1990). Many other great rulers like Alexander the Great and Asoka followed these ideas and tried to implement concept of sustainable development in the field of tourism within their capacity and constraints and research of that time (UBC, pp. 11-27, 2008). One of the most important developments in the field of sustainable developments was presentation of the romantic vision by Hall (pp. 13-34, 1998) in the 19th

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Advances In Biomedical Science And Technology Science Essay

Advances In Biomedical Science And Technology Science Essay Due to the advances in biomedical science and technology, mammalian cloning has, in the last 13 years, become feasible. This first came to the publics attention with the publicity surrounding the creation of Dolly the sheep in 1997. Through the process of HSCNT(Human Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer), hundreds of mammalian organisms have been cloned and carried to term. However, the process is by no means perfect as not only do numerous embryos fail, but many of those born have significant birth defects, some of which only come to light later in development. To this date, no successful human reproductive cloning has occurred. None the less, rapid advances in technology suggest that human cloning will be reliable in the foreseeable future. This realization has led to an unprecedented debate about ethical and human rights issues which must be balanced against the more broadly beneficial aspects of scientific advancement. An immense amount of people believe that cloning completely interferes with ethical and human rights. This is somewhat due to the fact that cloning in animals has not been 100% effective. Animals have been cloned before but many of them have had birth defects and short life spans. Dolly the sheep became a scientific sensation when her birth was announced in 1997. Her relatively early death in February 2003 fuels the debate about the ethics of cloning research and the long-term health of clones. [Science Museum.org; no name reference] Although Dolly lived to be an adult, she was one of 227 attempts to survive this long. This showed the inefficiency and complications of cloning. Hundreds, if not thousands, of attempts are necessary to produce just one viable clone. On average, just 3% of attempts succeed. (Vergoff:2001) The fact that many of the clones (produced in an attempt to produce just one clone) do not live reflects the reason that people believe cloning is cruel. Antoher reason that they might think cloning is innapropriate is because when comparing nuclear generated embryos and embryos produced during sexual reproduction, a significant number of the cloned embryos fail where as not so many natural embryos do. Because of this fact, mainstream scientists agree that due to the very low success rates of reproductive cloning in animals, this technology is not appropriate for application to humans. The side of the public that feels human cloning is wrong is also against it for reasons other than the clones not being reliably functional. According to them, cloning humans is unethical, inhumane and immoral.'[Students for students: 2010] The process is seen as just copying the identical genes, which means it will decrease the diversity of genes. To put it simply, as a human one is meant to see the differences in others and cloning would eliminate this. People would not be completely unique. These people also question the opinion of some parents. They understand that if a parent has a child whose kidneys fail, that they would be willing to clone their child as to donate one of their newly cloned childs kidneys to their own child. However, one could then question whether it would not be strange to suddenly have two identical children. This is where personality is brought to attention. Although human cloning is the process by which an exact genetic replica is made of an individual, this does not, necessarily, mean the same personality, or person, would develop.(Cadena:2007) The question that stands is whether the clone is inferior and different to the general public or not. Most do not like the idea of cloning as it will separate us into two different groups: humans and clones. Aldous Huxley reflects his point of view in his book, Brave New World in a satirical sense. He shows his view of the future with human cloning in a negative way. The novel is set in London in the years that Huxley calls A.F. which stands for after Ford. Henry Ford is the developer of the assembly line technique of mass production and the mass production implies cloning in this sense. At the beginning of the novel, the director of a centre called Hatcheries and Conditioning is taking a group of young students on a tour around one of the labs. He shows them how human beings are custom made and placed into different social castes which were almost like different cultural groups(minus the culture). He then leads them to a special room where the humans are brain-washed. A common phrase that the brain-washed characters say throughout the novel is Put your arms around meHug me till you drug me, honeyKiss me till Im in a coma. Hug me honey, snuggly [Lenina, Chapter 13, pg. 194] His novel relates to the debate of cloning as it reflects his idea of a future with human cloning. Although it is satirical and far-fetched, it makes one question cloning as it displays cloning in a negative way (all humans being the same and put into categories). The anti-human cloning groups see the future of cloning in a similar manner: dark and once again, inhumane. Taking the above concerns into consideration, many people still believe that human cloning is entirely beneficial. This is because there are an incredible number of positive outcomes of human reproductive cloning. On the lighter, appreance side: Dr. Richard Seed, one of the leading proponents of human cloning technology, suggests that it may someday be possible to reverse the aging process because of what is learnt from cloning. Plus, cloning could better cosmetic procedures such a breast implants. This is because with the new technolog, doctors will be able to produce things such as fat, bone and cartialage that matches the patients exactly. On the more serious side, scientists may one day be able to treat people that have had heart attacks by cloning their normal heart cells and placing them in the damaged areas of their heart, give victims of accidents which cause any parts of their body to become deformed their original face features back through cloning(limbs for amputees may be regernerated) and even give women looking for breast augumentations implants the same as their normal tissues in order to prevent them ferom becoming ill. On average, one carries 8 defective genes inside of them which cause them to become sick when they would otherwise remain healthy. With human cloning and its technology it may be possible to ensure that we no longer suffer because of our defective genes. [Smith, S] Many life threatening illnesses such as cancer, leukimea, kidney failure and liver failure could be taken away due to cloning. Ont op of this, cloning technology can test for and possibly even cure genetic diseases. Propnents of cloning also suggest it may serve as a treatment for infertility, allowing those who cannot/can no longer reproduce to pass on genes to future generations. [Kolehmainen,Sophie] A lot of parents think of human reproductive cloning as a way of saving childrens lives. There are plenty of examples of what could happen in the future after human reproductive cloning begins: If a couple becomes infertile after having one child, they would be able to clone their child to have a second one. Parents also state that they would find human cloning benefficial as if they lost their child in an accident, they could get their perfect baby back.(Smith, S) The general attitude of this group of people is why not? If a person can be saved from leukemia, why would anyone feel the need to stop this from happening? Despite this question there is still a debate in which many other factors contribute. An example of one of these is religion. Many in the Western nations wonder whether clones would have a soul. They also question whether it is playing God or not if humans create rather than naturally conceive. Many groups have publicly disapproved of human reproductive and human therapeutic cloning. These include religious organisations, such as the Catholic Church, who disapprove of these technologies. [Werts, D, C: 2002] Go on about regulation.(cant be extended globally) Many groups have publicly disapproved of human reproductive and human therapeutic cloning. Ask dad Although there are many negatives to do with human reproductive cloning, it is expected that it will occur in the future. This is because there are so many bennifits of this cloning surrounding medical purposes. Personally, I worry about what a future with human reproductive cloning will hold. In my opinion, I think it would be ideal if, in the future, cell cloning could be used for medical purposes only and not human reproductive cloning for reasons such as infertility as this would be immoral. However, there is a chance that cloning will not happen in the future and this would probably be best. We are humans and we cannot change the fact that some of us cannot have children or predict the day we are going to die. This is the way of life and to me, cloning humans in this way does not seem right. All in all, the topic holds a debate that will continue for a long period of time before any decisions are made. etc

Friday, October 25, 2019

The War Against Terror and Chinas Treatment of the Uigher Ethnic Minor

The War Against Terror and China's Treatment of the Uigher Ethnic Minority In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, President George W. Bush reached out to the world to back the U.S. in a war to eradicate terrorism. One of the more surprising participants in this coalition, China, had until that point been at odds with U.S. policy but seemed to find sufficient common ground with the U.S. to support the war. In recent months however, China has not been lauded for unprecedented cooperation with its â€Å"strategic competitor† but has instead been criticized for using the war on terror as carte blanche to step up its â€Å"Strike Hard† campaign in the Uigher Xinjiang Autonomous Region in the northwest, resulting in unprecedented numbers of executions of political prisoners, a suspension of free religious worship, and a general decline in respect for human rights. The western media has claimed that Beijing had been waiting for a chance to crack down on Uigher separatists and is now behaving as an opportunist to pu rsue these goals while the U.S. is in no position to decry its behavior. However, this opportunism argument only explains some of the recent actions in Xinjiang; in this paper I will seek to show that Beijing’s increased policing of Xinjiang serves primarily to demonstrate to the international community that it will not be excluded from Central Asia. The Roots of Today’s Conflicts in Xinjiang An overview of the history of this volatile region is vital to understanding the present struggle for control. The movement for self-rule of Xinjiang dates back to the beginnings of China’s last dynasty, the Qing (1644-1911) when ethnic Chinese sought to settle the region and incorporate it into the ... ... with the reports of separatist bombings, verifiable data from the Chinese government is virtually impossible to come by; more recent reports, particularly those from after September 11, are from reliable à ©migrà © sources and anecdotal evidence presented in reputable publications. [17] Dillon, Michael, p. 25. [18] Smith, Craig S. â€Å"China, in Harsh Crackdown, Executes Muslim Separatists.† New York Times, Dec. 16, 2001, p. A1. [19] Smith, Craig S., p. A1. [20] Rosenthal, Elisabeth. â€Å"U.N. Official Fears China Uses Terror War as Front for Abuses.† New York Times, Nov. 10, 2001, p.A7. [21] Smith, Dianne L., p. 163. [22] Donnelly, Tom. â€Å"China’s Persecution Complex.† The Weekly Standard. Feb. 4, 2002, p. 21. [23] Eckholm, Eric. â€Å"U.S. Official Praises China for Its Cooperation in Rooting Out bin Laden’s Terror Network.† New York Times. Dec. 7, 2001, p.B5

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Interdiscuplinary Study in Consumer Behaviour Essay

With the development of a consumer society, increasing consumer power in the market place, the growth in marketing, advertising, sophisticated consumers, ethical consumption etc, consumption is recognized as central to modern life. Thus it entails to go into a depth of the different approaches to consumer behaviour. Many human sciences give a variety of reasons to explain why a consumer behaves in a particular way in a given situation. Studies of consumption investigate how and why society and individuals consume goods and services, and how this affects society and human relationships. These are found in many social sciences such as economics, psychology, sociology, etc. The present study tries to investigate these theories based on consumption and consumer behaviour and how far these are interlinked as well as different from one another. It is also aimed at studying the relevance of these theories with the help of primary data and research. The purpose of this study is to find out whether there is some interlink between the various theories and approaches given by different economists, psychologists and sociologists. The hypothesis framed for the research is that Consumption is greatly influenced by the income factor. The data used in the study was mostly secondary in nature from the internet and reference to several books. The theories of consumption studied for this purpose are the demand theory, indifference curve analysis, revealed preference theory, Keynes’ consumption theory, permanent income hypothesis, relative income hypothesis, life-cycle hypothesis, Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, the sociological theories of consumption given by G. Katona, Ruby Turner Norris and the theory of Conspicuous consumption given by Veblen. An attempt has been made to study consumer behaviour with the help of primary data collected from a sample of 40 people from 4 categories namely, students, housewives, employees and businessmen. They were asked to rank the different factors that influence their buying behaviour. The influential factors given in the questionnaire were taken from the consumption theories given in economics, sociology as well as psychology as given above. From the analysis of both primary as well as secondary data, it was found that majority of people give importance to their income level. However, it is also found that, besides income factor, people also think about sociological and psychological factors while purchasing a commodity such as security, safety, fashion, advertising, comforts and prestige issues. As given in the Sociological theories of G. Katona and Norris, it was seen after the primary data analysis that the economic theory of consumption lacks such social structural variables. Thus it is concluded that in the construction of any consumption function or theory – for a particular product, for a particular class of products, or for consumption in general – not either economic or sociological or psychological variable is to be regarded as the key determinant. Different combinations of all these three enter into different statements of consumption functions at different situations and time periods according to the necessity or urgency of the wants.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Having good manners is important to everyone Essay

The subject of my presentation is Having good manners is important to everyone especially in today’s society. It should not matter whether a person is at home, work, or just hanging out with friends; manners are always important in all that a person does. Your manners are important all of the time. It is possible to manners in the way a person walks, talks. However sometimes good manners are regarded as old-fashioned, something that are now out of date and unnecessary. It is true that opening doors for each other, waiting our turn to be served, often seems to be a thing of the past. Good manners provide a moment in time where someone stops and considers our needs, offers us a seat, asks us politely for something with a ‘please’ and says ‘thank you’ afterwards. These niceties may only take a second, but they are an important second in our busy world of rushing around, solely thinking of ourselves and what we need to do. Those moments can make us stop and consider the importance of noticing the other person, the waitress, the sales person. Do we really need to bark out our orders, demands? How much more pleasant would it be for all concerned if we asked for something politely, with a ‘please’ at the end of the request. And acknowledged receipt of it with a smile and a ‘thank you’. Road rage is evidence of extreme bad manners, which usually involves one person driving inconsiderately. Good manners are about appreciating that life is not all about us and what we want. Our needs have to be negotiated along with everyone else’. Now I would like to tell you the examples of the importance of good manners. First, Thank you letters are important. Whether someone has sent a gift or entertained you at their home, it is important to acknowledge their effort and thoughtfulness. They have done something special for you and a handwritten note or letter shows that you are prepared to respond and take the time to value what they have done and thank them for it. Writing a thank you letter is an important skill to learn. Constructing an effective letter, with good grammar and an important message is a valuable skill to have, and one that is rarely taught in these days of rapid texting and instant messaging. Next, saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to the people we deal  with when we want or need something is basic good manners. And ‘excuse me’ if we sneeze or cough, covering our mouth with a tissue. Holding the door open for someone else, offering an elderly person or a pregnant lady a seat are good manners but they are also demonstrating respect, empathy and consideration for the other person. A simple gesture like that can improve the mood and quality of someones’ day. But it is important to be respectful back and return the compliment with a simple thank you or a smile. Good manners are a two-way exchange. Even if we do not respect the person sometimes good manners are about respecting their position or status and what that represents. We may respect the fact that someone is a manager or a school teacher or highly educated and when they are in that role we moderate our behavior towards them and give them respect out of deference for their position.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Peak, Peek, and Pique. How to Use these Homophones Correctly.

Peak, Peek, and Pique. How to Use these Homophones Correctly. Homophones are words that sound the same when spoken but have different meanings and spellings. Peak, peek, and pique are examples of homophones. These three words are often used in business so let's clarify each one. A peak is a topmost point, such as a mountain peak, or to reach that point: We're at peak demand right now. We need more staff assigned. A peek is a glance or a quick look. It has a fun, furtive innuendo. It can also mean to glance or to peer at. It's frequently paired with sneak - I took a sneak peek at next quarter's sales projections. The similar spelling of sneak and peak can lead you to use the incorrect peak. Correct use of peek: Accountants peeked at the new software at the annual meeting. Fashion week offers a sneak peek at pink running shoes. Pique means to bring interest or excitement. You will sometimes see peek one's interest for pique one's interest, but don't be fooled. If you're piquing someone's interest, you are exciting their interest not taking a quick look at it: The training proposal piqued my interest. Decisions will be more accurate if field staff can write shorter, more accurate reports on drilling productivity. Dictionary.com offers spelling tips to help you remember the correct use of peak, peek, and pique. You have to reach to gain the peak. If you peer at something, you are peeking. And if you're piqued about something, there's usually a question in your mind about it.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Guide to Writing a Dialogue in an Essay

Guide to Writing a Dialogue in an Essay Composing a dialogue is one of the most intricate parts of essay writing. Many students instantly realize that crafting a good dialogue within the context of a story takes a lot of time and requires more work that simply describing the events. And thats not surprising as a dialogue should not simply present the direct quotations from different characters but bring the story to life. If you are unsure about how to use dialogue in your essay, read on. Lets figure out the main rules and standards together! Moving the Story Forward The main role of a dialogue is to help the story move forward by presenting conversations and thoughts. You can use a dialogue to speed up the pace of your essay if you feel that the narration slows it down or you can use it as a break between the long and overwhelming paragraphs. When writing conversations, you need to remember a few important things: Dialogues move the action, set the scene, explain the descriptions and predict the reactions and activities. They can do all these things at once, so dont use the conversations to just convey the information. Remind yourself of the characters voice to write a dialogue that sounds like a real speech. You may even use some grammatical mistakes to show the realistic conversation but make sure that you keep the balance between the actual talk and readability. Always use the speech as a characterization tool. From your words, a reader should understand a lot about the character: morality, background, appearance, etc. To advance the story, your dialogues should sound natural, not forced, and clear. At the same time, the conversations have to convey the characters emotions and show the reader how they interact with each other. Using Thoughts in Dialogue Using thoughts and memories in the conversation can also show the important details of your story. This indirect dialogue is another way to change ideas without the quotations. You may also use a combination of direct and indirect dialogue for emphasis. It looks like this: Billy and I moved on to the next painting.â€Å"That’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen.† He curled his lip in disgust. Well, I thought he was the ugliest thing I’d ever seen, and told him so.â€Å"And also, you stink. But most of all, your taste in art stinks.† To reveal emotions and thoughts, you need to use the sensory details: tasting, smelling, hearing, seeing. Try to show what is going on, dont tell. Thus, your essay will be more realistic and engaging for your reader. Formatting Your Dialogue The right format and style are key to the successful dialogue. Correct punctuation, tags and paragraphs are even more significant than the quotations themselves. Without following the main rules, it would be hopelessly confusing to understand who is speaking. Therefore, make sure that you format your dialogue accordingly. Rule 1: Punctuation goes inside quotations. â€Å"Ill call you tomorrow!† Anna screamed. Make sure to use two quotation marks for speech and one mark for speech within the speech. Even such a small thing as using the quotation marks can poorly reflect on your essay. Rule 2: A new speaker – a new line. If you have several characters in your essay, its important to know who is speaking. With the line break, your reader wont be confused. â€Å"I wish I could fly,† John said longingly.â€Å"Why don’t you grow wings, then?† Sarah snapped back. If there is the action connected with a character, describe it in the same paragraph, then start a new line. Rule 3: Break up dialogue in two parts. Its annoying to wait until the end of a speech to put a dialogue tag because it is unclear for a long time who is speaking. Thats why is it better to write the first thought, place a comma and tag, and then continue the dialogue. â€Å"I can’t believe I failed the exam,† said Ben. â€Å"I studied and studied, but somehow I choked and left most of it blank.† As you see, all dialogues follow a simple guideline. Keep the main rules in mind and start writing a dialogue to convey your message!