Compare and contrast the poet’s attitude to and appreciation of the natural world in at least two poems you have studied

The simple beauty of nature is an aspect many of us take for granted in our everyday lives – the endearing sounds of birds welcoming another day and the powerful gush of a waterfall being some examples of these. But there are those individuals who have endeavoured to fully comprehend the marvellous complexity of the world around us. Such findings are present in the work of many poets – namely Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844 – 1889) and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1808 – 1882). Hopkins and Longfellow were two contemporary poets from the nineteenth century from different cultures, English and American respectively who relished in the gift of nature with all her attributes. Both of their work is characterised by a deep and personal sense of appreciation of the beauty of the natural world – work that when studied makes us truly delight in the wonder that is nature. The two poems that I feel effectively communicate Hopkins' and Longfellows' ideas are respectively â€Å"Pied Beauty† and â€Å"Snowflakes†. Although they are similar in their content concerning their love for the natural world, the poems do differ in the way in which each poet relates his ideas. Hopkins' poem â€Å"Pied Beauty† is one of the most famous, characteristic and linguistically accessible pieces combining the elements of nature and religion. In it the poet praises the creator for the infinite range and scope within creation. His appreciation of the natural world ranges in scale from a rainbow trout to an entire landscape. Even from its title alone we know that this curtal sonnet is effectively a song of praise for all things ‘pied' that is bi-coloured, streaked or patched. The poem â€Å"Snowflakes† by Longfellow is also an expression of the poet's attitude to and appreciation of the natural world. In it Longfellow describes in minute detail the subtle beauty of a single snowflake and makes us more aware not only of snow, but of the other small things surrounding us, making us realise their importance. Both poems acknowledge existence and power of a creator. In â€Å"Pied Beauty† a song of praise is presented in the first line of the poem's triumphant, alliterative opening stanza, as â€Å"Glory be to God†¦Ã¢â‚¬  immediately places Hopkins' appreciation of the beauty of the natural world in a religious context. Also as the poem concludes with the exhortation â€Å"Praise him† it is clear that the piece is deliberately framed as a Christian hymn of thanksgiving for the infinite variety in nature. The opening line also introduces the poem's theme: â€Å"dappled things† and this is the first of many adjectives describing parti-coloured natural elements. â€Å"Snowflakes† on the other hand opens with an altogether more maternal aspect of nature although the acknowledgement of a powerful creator is still present: â€Å"Out of the bosom of the Air Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken† This personification of the female form creates a ‘Mother Earth' type figure that I feel Longfellow used to successfully communicate his love and understanding of all things natural to a wide audience as a mother figure is something most of us could relate to. In this particular instance it is this ‘Mother Earth' entity that produces and generates the countless millions of snowflakes. We can directly contrast this to Hopkins' â€Å"Pied Beauty† where a masculine creator is presumed and praised â€Å"Praise him.† Both poems perceive and praise a religious dimension to the beauty of the supernatural world. The religious theme in â€Å"Pied Beauty† is continued as appropriately the poet's eyes seem to gaze up at heaven as he appreciates the beauty of â€Å"skies of couple – colour† implying that the sky's beauty was the work of God. This image also lends a sweeping panoramic aspect to his poetic attention as I imagine the vast immeasurable skies above. Then foreshadowing a technique used later in the poem, Hopkins immediately narrows his broader focus down to refer to the streaked markings on one â€Å"brinded cow†. In â€Å"Snowflakes† this religious theme is expressed in describing the shape of the snowflake as â€Å"some divine expression† indicating a superior eternal contribution to the formation of the snowflakes. As we know the two poems are about beauty that is all around us, but I noticed that both poems focus on tiny and large natural entities. In â€Å"Pied Beauty† Hopkins comments on â€Å"rose-moles† on trout and â€Å"finches-wings†. It seems that no aspect or detail of nature is too tiny or insignificant to escape the poets' attention. But on the contrary he also refers to â€Å"skies† and â€Å"landscape† showing the range in which nature is present. In â€Å"Snowflakes† Longfellow is concentrating more on the actual snowflake rather than an overview of all things ‘beautiful'. Yet in contrast he also comments on the â€Å"woodland† and â€Å"harvest fields† in which the seemingly harmless snowflake had somehow devoured. Both poems also use alliteration to achieve their impact in places. In â€Å"Snowflakes† he describes the woodland as being â€Å"brown and bare† and the movement of the snow as â€Å"Silent, and soft, and slow†. This repeated initial consonant sound is used to set the scene that the poet is trying to convey. This is also present in â€Å"Pied Beauty† when the sky is described as being of â€Å"couple-colour† to convey the varying shades and tones present in the sky above. Also by describing the chestnuts as â€Å"Fresh-firecoal† the poet is helping us to envisage fully the sight of the dual coloured chestnuts falling from a tree. In â€Å"Pied Beauty† Hopkins uses a wide range of vocabulary to describe the many parti-coloured aspects of nature, † dappled, couple-colour, and freckled† being examples of these. But it is the use of the word â€Å"fickle† that I found rather striking, as one would normally use the word to refer to a person with mood swings almost like personality changes. But here it is used to emphasise the speed and acceptance of change in the landscape and environment. I also noticed that the opening of â€Å"Snowflakes† featured many examples of ‘O' assonance: â€Å"Out†¦bosom†¦cloud-folds†¦Over†¦woodlands brown†¦soft†¦slow and snow.† It is almost as if the poet is purposely repeatedly using words that contain the letter ‘O' (physically circular in shape) to bombard the page, reminding us of a multitude of snowflakes as they completely cover the ground. The poet continues to acknowledge the over – powering nature that the snow possesses in † Over the woodlands brown and bare, Over the harvest fields forsaken† The use of the word ‘forsaken' reiterates Longfellow's notion that the snow can capture anything in its path. As well as imagery the poet also used such poetic devices as onomatopoeia and sibilance to relate the descent of snow to the ground, â€Å"Silent and soft and slow† which I feel he does and to great affect. Even from the title of Hopkins' poem we know his focus is on the infinite variety of all ‘dappled things', uniting in the single, uniform reality of God's creating power. â€Å"Snowflakes† on the other hand focuses on the one phenomenon of snow, something that blankets over and makes uniform the entire and varied landscape. I also noticed that in â€Å"Pied Beauty† the subject of the poem is introduced in the first line â€Å"Glory be to God for dappled things†. This plainly states that the poem shall be a song of thanks to God for everything in nature of a ‘pied' quality. â€Å"Snowflakes† on the other hand describes a journey made by the subject and where it originated from rather than stating plainly what it is. The actual subject of snow is not explicitly mentioned until the end of the first stanza (although it may be argued that the title of the poem is an obvious indication of the subject matter). From reading the poems it is easy to notice the different attitudes of the narrators of the poems. The tone in â€Å"Pied Beauty† is one of joyous exuberance by use of language such as â€Å"Glory be† and â€Å"Praise†. On the contrary â€Å"Snowflakes† takes a more mellow, introspective almost restless approach in describing its subject â€Å"troubled heart† and â€Å"secret of despair† are some examples of this. Also in â€Å"Pied |Beauty† the poem is celebratory and is about beauty. â€Å"Snowflakes† on the other hand is simple and complex and is beauty. After studying both poems in depth I feel that through the work of Longfellow I now would see and appreciate the complexity in the simplicity of snowflakes. But overall I prefer the work of Hopkins. His exploitation of the verbal subtleties and music of English, of the use of alliteration, repetition and a highly compressed syntax were all in the interest of projecting deep personal experiences, including his sense of God's mystery, grandeur and mercy in â€Å"all things counter†. He called the energising prosodic element of his verse ‘sprung rhythm' in which each foot may consist of one stressed syllable instead of the regular number of syllables used in traditional rhythm. The result is a muscular verse, intense and vibrant that combines accuracy of observation, daring imagination, deep feeling and intellectual depth. All in all a wonderful piece that for me as of yet shall remain one of the most touching I have read.

Declining Milk Sales Essay

According to a current study in Age and Aging, starting and continuing to drink milk at a young age can lead to improved physical ability and balance at an older age (â€Å"New study finds,† 2012). Because of milk’s inherent attributes of calcium, protein and vitamins A and B, milk has also been linked to bone strength, muscle strength and better eyesight, to name a few. So why have the US milk sales been slowly declining since the 1970s? A recent article on Forbes. com poses the same question. People are well aware of milk’s existence. The ‘Got Milk? ’ Advertising campaign was debuted in 1993 and won several awards for its ingenuity. It works wonders for getting people to think about milk, but that is only half the battle. The other half, and arguably more important, is getting them to drink it. Jonathan Baskin, the author of the Forbes. com article, believes this is what the dairy industry is failing to do by not compelling consumers to drink milk. â€Å"Memorable branding,† he states, â€Å"is not necessarily the same thing as compelling marketing†(Baskin, 2012). To illustrate this, Baskin offers a few ideas, including packaging innovation, partnering with companies and local sourcing. While I believe all three of his ideas are valid, local sourcing seems like it could be very beneficial, at least for the moment. Within the past few years, buying crops locally is becoming more relevant to many people. The thought of promoting local business growth and living a healthy lifestyle drives people to buy locally. So if a local distributor could deliver these local crops and bundle it with fresh local milk, consumers would be willing to pay for the convenience, healthy lifestyle and support of local businesses; at least that is the idea. Milk mustaches seem to be imprinted in our minds. We know milk is there, but we are not drinking it. In order to change this, the dairy industry needs to focus on giving consumers reasons to drink milk. Local sourcing and distribution of milk could be one solution to this. Proper research would need to be done to determine viability, and a new marketing strategy, possibly implementing the ‘Got Milk? ’ branding with a new local twist would need to be created; however, perhaps then we will finally be drinking more milk. Who knows, maybe cartwheels at 80 will be the new normal. References Baskin, J. (2012). Everyone ‘gets’ milk, so tell us why we should drink it. Forbes. com, Retrieved from http://www. forbes. com/sites/jonathansalembaskin/2012/12/17/everyone-gets-milk-so-tell-us-why-we-should-drink-it/ New study finds milk-drinking kids reap physical benefits later in life. (2012, November 15). Retrieved from http://www. prnewswire. com/news-releases/new-study-finds-milk-drinking-kids-reap-physical-benefits-later-in-life-179464301. html.

Aims And Objectives Of Primark Economics Essay

Aims And Objectives Of Primark Economics Essay In June 1969, the first Penney’s store opened in Mary Street, Dublin. Within a year, four more stores were added – all in the Greater Dublin area. In 1971, the first large store outside Dublin was opened in Cork and by the end of that year there were 11 more stores in Ireland and one in Northern Ireland. Move into Great Britain By 1973, the number of stores had reached 18 in Ireland and Primark began trading in Great Britain with four out-of-town stores. The following year saw the opening of the first UK High Street stores in Derby and Bristol. In the next ten years, 18 stores were added in the UK and nine in Ireland, bringing the number of stores in the UK and Ireland to 22 each. Also in 1984, the first multiple acquisition took place with the purchase in Ireland of five Woolworth stores. PRIMARK OBJECTIVES AND AIMS To provide good quality products for the public; we want the public to realize we are a good company and just because our products are cheap, it doesnâ₠¬â„¢t mean that they are rubbish. We will achieve this by having our products made by people that know what they are doing and test them to check that they are good quality. To sell goods at reasonable prices; We want the public to have a wide range of options to them, so we offer them good quality products at reasonable prices; This will be achieved by looking at other stores, selling similar products, and making our prices lower than other places. To be friendly and helpful towards customers and staff; The public need to think that we are a friendly company; this will make them want to come to our store if they feel welcome. We will achieve this by greeting customers as soon as possible and making them feel welcomed. To treat everybody the same; The public need to feel like we treat everybody the same. The people with less money will be treated the same as people that have lots of money. PRIMARK’s AGM is the most important opportunity this year to put pressure on PRIMARK. T his annual shareholder meeting is when important decisions get made regarding PRIMARK’s policies and procedures. It is PRIMARK’s shareholders who take home the lion’s share of PRIMARK’s profits and who have the power to make PRIMARK introduce policies and procedures that will ensure the lives of workers are put ahead of PRIMARK’s pursuit of profits. So join us on Friday 5 December from 10.30 onwards to make your voice heard. We have seen how fearful PRIMARK is of us publicly shaming them, so please help us make sure their shareholders deliver justice to the workers making PRIMARK clothes.It beggars belief that PRIMARK has been caught on the back foot again. Just five months on from the BBC exposà © that highlighted the appalling conditions faced by Indian workers producing clothes for the famous high street store and PRIMARK has yet again been caught out disrespecting these workers. Join us on 5 December to hammer the nail in PRIMARK’s ethi cal coffin.

Vietnam and the Antiwar Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Vietnam and the Antiwar Movement - Essay Example People of all classes and backgrounds were attracted to the antiwar movement, including people that were going to college, those in the middle-class, those in the upper-class, people that worked for government institutions, and many more individuals.   This movement was recognized in 1965 and by 1968 was at its highest acclaim (Bloom and Breines 69).   The groups, while many of them had the same concepts in mind, still all served and worked within their own ideals Therefore, the point of this essay will be to argue the fact that the â€Å"antiwar movement† was not just the work of one movement in general, but that of several groups, each that had their own agendas, and something in that agenda contributed to the antiwar movement. Faber also presents a similar reflection in his section reflecting on â€Å"Vietnam.†   There is a strong feeling that, through his analysis, there also were many groups active in this movement, not just one common group. The researcher a grees with the concept presented by Bloom and Breines as well as Faber that the antiwar movement was made up of several different groups with different agendas, and was not just one blanket movement moving toward one common goal, which is often a misinterpretation of what was really going on with the protest movements.  People of all classes and backgrounds were attracted to the antiwar movement, including people that were going to college, those in the middle-class, those in the upper-class, people that worked for government institutions, and many more individuals.

International Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Business - Assignment Example The agreements of WTO are lengthy and complex because the deal with legal issues covering a range of activities. WTO is known as the multilateral trading system (World Trade Organisation, 2011). Globalization Globalization is referred as unification of world into one entity. It captures the changes that take place in the world economy (Indabawa & Mpofu, 2006, p.136). Globalisation is also referred to as the growing interdependence of the countries resulting from finance, trade, people and ideas. Advantages and disadvantage of globalization Advantages Global outsourcing is the global phenomena. Countries like US send its employees overseas which helps it compete in the global environment. The rate of production increases when countries produces goods and services in areas which they have a comparative advantage. With the help of Global integration, poverty has been reduced. As the developing countries gets new employment and exports to. Research and development jobs are better done wh en the work are outsourced because work is completed at an early time as the scientist and engineers work 24/7. The domestic companies are forced to produce better quality of goods so that they do not face competition from the foreign markets. Taxes are usually lower for countries like Malaysia and Singapore, and the financial incentives are quite high in such countries. Disadvantages Many of the people have lost the jobs especially in America due to imports and as the production shifts abroad. Many of the employees got laid off. Most of the jobs that were sent overseas from US were the employees who lost their jobs permanently. Most of the workers still fear losing job, especially companies which are under competitive pressure. Many companies have reduced the wages in order to stay ahead in the global economy. The companies had also reduced health and retirements benefits and also eliminated few pension plans. Globalization of industries, finance, and trade is accomplished by globa lisation of terrorism and crime (Dubrin, 2011, p.57). International Business   International business is described as business activity that crosses the national boundaries. The entities can be private or government or in certain cases it can be both. International business is categorized into four types. Foreign trades, portfolio investment, trade in service and direct investment. In foreign trades, export and import takes place. Goods are physically moved between countries. Export consists of merchandise that leaves a country whereas imports are those which are bought into the country. Exporting and importing comprises the largest fundamental of international business. Countries also trade in services such as banking, insurance, hotels, travels and transportation. Portfolio investments are referred to as financial investments made in foreign countries. The investor purchase debt or equity with the expectation of getting a financial return on the investment made. Direct investmen ts are differentiated on the grounds of control. A firm can own a foreign subsidiary entirely or even partially, such as joint

Managing for Competative Advantage Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing for Competative Advantage - Assignment Example The review also includes an evaluation of the performance of both the management teams through financial and non-financial parameters, and finally gauges the true competitive position of M&S in the market. . Myners and Rose assumed control of the company's leadership by replacing the team of Vandevelde and Holmes. There seem to be significant distinction in the approaches of both the management teams in restoring the M&S competitive advantage. The main focus of the previous management had been on the enhancement of clothing market share and Roger Holmes (Annual Review 2003, p3) highlighted the three major domains of their efforts as furthering amelioration in the stronger clothing categories (women formal wear), following the growth chances in low share clothing categories (men's wear) and finally revolutionising the weak categories (children wear). However despite all these efforts, the previous management ended up in losing its significant market share in the clothing market, in particular womenswear which used to the core area of the company's business and profits (Annual Review 2003, p6). The entire focus of the new management team, however, seemed more strictly on the price and product innovation and improvement. They approached to regain the company's lost market share and competitive position through price benchmarking and product innovation to provide more value to the customers and consequently to win in the competitive environment (Annual Review 2005, p4). Marketing The previous management utilised marketing and advertisement in the course of various product campaigns (Annual Review 2004, p8). The company's marketing tactics also underwent change under the new management, which emphasised clearly on a unified M&S brand rather than focusing on a vast range of sub-brands. It focused on strengthening and bringing together the various M&S brands and reflected its traditional relationship with core customers in its marketing and advertisement campaigns (Annual Review 2005, p5). Human Resources Human resources and people management has been the core issue concerning both the management teams. The previous management was however less focused in its strategies to develop the M&S people. Furthermore, in the process of store refurbishment and improvement, the previous team (Annual Review 2004, p5) indicated an intention to lay off about 1000 workers in order to control costs. This could have led to a decline in employee morale and performance. The new management focused on a people amelioration approach, it further took care of its human resources in a much-enhanced manner through proper and evident training, rewarding, developing and listening strategies (Annual Review 2006, p17) to improve employee performance and motivation levels. . Operations The former management team posed great emphasis on opening new stores and carrying out renovation in the older ones making them look more contemporary and convenient so as to win more customers in the competitive marketplace (Annual Review 2004, p16). Furthermore, it also identified the need for ameliorating the supply chain management and sourcing of products to win a competitive edge in the market (Annual Review 2004, p9). The new management team came with a sharpened approach to revolutionising store

Discussion Essay (See Below) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Essay (See Below) - Assignment Example A teacher can also be a parent, spouse and member of the local church committee. A person’s social identity is complex and multifaceted with each person belonging to any number of broad groups with which they share general characteristics (race, gender, profession etc.) and a few small groups with which they share specific characteristics (local club members, PTA’s etc.) Accordingly a person identifying himself/herself with a particular group automatically assumes the prestige of that group. For example a black female will automatically assume that she is socially disadvantaged, or a white male may assume superiority above females etc. In order to belong to a group individuals assign certain values and traits to different groups. They then identify themselves with the group that has traits similar to their own this is known as the in group. Similarly individuals differentiate themselves from other groups which have different values and traits, these are the out groups. When a person is aware of difference in out group he/she tends to ‘stick together’ or favor the in

External and Internal Environments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

External and Internal Environments - Essay Example ..6 i. Competitive Rivalry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..6 ii. Power of Suppliers†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 Recommendations for the Forces of Competition†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 External Threats†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 Strengths and Weaknesses†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 Resources, capabilities and core competences†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.10 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..13 Background Information Waste Management incorporation is one of the largest waste disposal firms in the United States and the world. This company has many subsidiaries in different countries across the world. Arguably, this company serves more than 2.5 million organizations and 26 million residents in Canada and the United States. This company has segmented its geographic environment into five regions, which include the Southern, Eastern, Western and Midwestern United States and Canada. The company recycles the waste products and also uses it to generate energy (Waste Management, 2012). The company provides waste gathering, transportation, and reprocessing and disposal services. Waste Management incorporation carries on its activities as the world leader in waste man agement that range from medical and solid waste to extremely poisonous chemical waste. This organization has in the past been experiencing growth and increase in stock prices at healthy rates (Waste Management, 2012). The General Environment A firm’s environment consists of aspects that the firm can readily influence as well as aspects that are distant from its influence (Hitt et al, 2011). The general environment relies on the external environment of business. The general environment consists of factors that have dramatic effects on firm strategy. In essence, organizations have little capacity to forecast trends and events in the general environment and even less capacity to control them (Longenecker, 2005). The general environment consists of the demographic segment, technological segment, political and legal segment, environmental segment, and the social factors segment. Waste Management Incorporation operations have been profoundly influenced by the political and legal en vironment and the economic environment (Waste Management, 2012). i. Political and legal Environment The political environment of many nations directly influences the operations of Waste Management Incorporation. Since this company disposes waste that drift from normal consumer refuse to toxic industrial waste, drafting and implementation of new legislations concerning the industry can have a severe economic effect on the organization’s outcome. The United States government has implemented laws and regulations that influence this company (Waste Management, 2012). The United States government has enacted many public, occupational and environmental health and safety associated acts that have impacts on waste disposal industry in the nation. The Solid Waste Disposal Act together with Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 are acts which transformed the industry of Waste Management Incorporation to the present state. Many organizations had to change and adapt to the new gu idelines (Waste Management, 2012). In addition, the management of perilous waste was stipulated in Comprehensive

The Role of Federalism in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Role of Federalism in Education - Essay Example Civil rights leaders, such as Evers and King, publicized the unfair treatment of African Americans and other people of color, and the spotlight turned on education reform (Allen, 1996, p. 162). Since 1965 many further efforts have been made to update and improve the education system, but it's similar to plugging up leaks in a dam--eventually, the dam will fall apart through lack of structure and foundation. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, signed into law by George W. Bush, is the present administration's effort to rebuild the dam before it's too late, but will politics and business interests create invisible cracks during implementation Is this Act the ultimate answer and does it take into consideration the global issues that presently exist in the 21st century As America continues to evolve as a nation, the influence of the Internet on communication between countries makes it clear that education must include multicultural education, not specifically from the viewpoint of Americans with no knowledge of other cultures, but with input from those who can share their native language and their way of life with others. We live in a country of immigrants, but somewhere along the line we chose to establish a nation based on white, Anglo-Saxon, protestant tenets, ignoring the rich mix of cultures that make us who we are. According to Sonia Nieto, "Multicultural education cannot be understood in a vacuum but rather must be seen in its personal, social, historical, and political context" (1996, p. 1). Addressing Education Reform During the 1950s in the United States, the family unit seemed solid and pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock gave mothers credit for knowing instinctively how to raise their children. This was in contrast to behaviorist John Watson's method of rigid discipline, and Spock's book The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care (1946) was so popular it led to gradual erosion of the rules of behavior. In the meantime, a 1954 Supreme Court ruling that public schools must be integrated was virtually ignored until 1957 when nine black students were enrolled at a previously all-white school in Little Rock, Arkansas. This was the beginning of the public's introduction to cultural differences, and it was compounded by what was known as the "Red Threat," or communism. When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik first, it was decided that American children needed a better educational foundation, especially in math and science. This created what was called at the time an "informational flood" with children a nd their reading becoming the focus of big business. With this increased production, "children's books became less a branch of literature and more a gainful product" (Allen, p. 132). The increasing focus on children's education made its shortcomings more evident, and it was clearly necessary to address segregation and unequal educational opportunity due to poverty. The problems inherent in the education system as it existed in the 1960s called for drastic measures. Francis Keppel, dean of Harvard Graduate School of Education, was appointed U.S. Commissioner of Education and crafted the ESEA of 1965 in an effort to address the issues that extended

Chateau St. Michelle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chateau St. Michelle - Essay Example The above information is probably the only information known to wide audience about Chateau Ste. Michelle, however, under the closer examination some of the competitive strategies become obvious. Chateau Ste. Michelle has a specific effort to please customers, makes offensive and defensive moves to counter rival's actions and responses to market conditions, thus strengthening its market position. The goal of the competitive strategy is to do the better job in providing what buyers are looking for. It is possible to say that Chateau Ste. Michelle has the edge over rivals in attracting buyers and coping with competitive forces - being among the top preferred brands is an evidence of this. One of the distinct features of the Chateau Ste. Michelle is that the top management pays close attention to performing value chain activities differently than rivals - for example, growing the grape on its own rather than buying it from suppliers. It creates additional value in the eyes of the consumers. Out of the five competitive strategy approaches the broad differentiation strategy is the most applied in this specific company. For example, Chateau Ste. Michelle does not apply low cost provider or focused market niche strategy because its products are of higher price compared to the competitors. In return, the customers get more differentiated products at the cost that corresponds to the high quality.

Interview Settings Essay Example for Free

Interview Settings Essay Having a conversation with a potential employer or a doctor an individual unconsciously puts himself or herself below the level of his/her interlocutor due to the reason of their communication: applying for a job or sudden chickenpox. Therefore, it is important that the employer makes certain efforts with regard to the overall environment in the office or wherever the interview is carried out. To put theory into practice, I made a decision to call the faculty office and ask them whether they will be willing to answer some of my questions for my future report. Having accepted my offer, they asked me about the time. Eventually, the interview was appointed and I was supposed to come at 9am. Later it turned out that the period of time between 8am and 11am is the most productive one and the staff intentionally asked me to visit them in the morning. Immediately after I came in the faculty office, I was offered a coffee and a sit. The walls of the room were covered with pictures of relatives and friends of the faculty staff creating an atmosphere of warmth and friendliness. Cozy armchairs and quiet music contributed to the calmness of the overall environment. Regardless of the fact, that there were many staff members in the office, they were mostly reading and therefore nothing disturbed my interview with the professor who was extremely eager to help me. Unlike the faculty office, the atmosphere in my boss’s office was characterized by overwhelming noise of equipment (computers, laptops, scanners, etc). Additionally, I could see many people chatting, laughing, and going back and forth. Having notified my boss about my interview in advance, I found that the scheduling was inconvenient as he made an appointment at 7pm on Friday. Unfortunately, I had to cancel my date to visit the boss. When I came to the office, I asked the receptionist whether the previous meeting had already been finished so I could talk to the employer. Preliminarily, I had to wait until the receptionist finished talking on the phone with her friend about â€Å"that cute football player†. In a couple of minutes I was told that the boss could not talk to me right away as a part of our department was out of fix and needed some maintenance. It was not until 7. 40pm that he asked me to enter his room. Surprisingly enough, I noticed a group of people moving furniture a couple of feet away from us getting ready for the repairs. They did not keep silence and therefore my boss and me could not have a proper talk with potential valid evaluation of each other. According to the notes, it is a must for every employer to have in-depth knowledge in ethics. However, every now and then I saw his eyes moving towards the workers. The overall environment was distracting and he even yawned twice. As I found myself in a very uncomfortable situation from psychological point of view, I asked for a glass of water. However, it turned out that they had nothing to drink. The third place, doctor’s office, was similar to the first faculty office. The atmosphere was welcoming and peaceful. I suppose that the doctor’s office was the safest place among three places I have visited. Physicians were dressed in white with dry clean hands; the building was high with much light inside and office-cleaners taking care of the hygiene. The atmosphere was friendly and hospitable. During my conversation with the doctor he was examining me with various medical instruments. It worsened the situation and communication process in general as pulling up the t-shirt and breathing in and out made me feel as if the physician was not fully interested in my opinion. At this point, my boss’s office was much more convenient for the inte4rview and negotiations in general as I was sitting just in front of him. In conclusion it would be appropriate to note that interview settings include various significant aspects responsible for the outcome of the interview. REFERENCES †¢ Interview Questions And Answers Anticipating awkward interview questions. (2006). Accura Resumes. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from http://www. accuroresumes. com/articles-info/interview-articles/questions. html

Charles de Gaulle Airport Roof Collapse

Charles de Gaulle Airport Roof Collapse Table of Contents Title Page 1 Abstract 2 TOC 3 Introduction 4 Relevant sections 5 Conclusion 8 References ( Work Cited) 9 The Charles de Gaulle Airport collapse was one of the most expensive in repairs, the initial project was already a stunning 900 million dollars. The airport was located in Paris, France and was a hotspot for tourists and other visitors as many amusement parks, food places, etc were just minutes away. On May 23, 2004, disaster would strike on terminal 2E as the roof collapsed, killing 4 people and injuring 3 others. When investigated by law enforcement and other fellow engineers, faults in the design were found, because the project was rushed and safety measures were a bit ignored. Another reason for the collapse was found to be due to thermal expansion, the warm metal structure expanded and contracted as the temperature went from high 70s to the low 30s that same morning, loosening the grip and support as it suddenly cooled down and shrank, causing the collapse. Introduction In the early 2000s , a nine-hundred million dollar project was going to be introduced to the city of   Paris, France. The project designer was Paul Andreu, the one in charge of how smooth and crisp this project was going to turn out. This is known as the Charles de Gaulle Airport, an airport that at the time and still today is considered being one of the largest in the world, holding seventeen planes and had the capacity to hold 10,000,000 passengers a year, and on a daily basis transported roughly two-hundred thousand   passengers. This airport was a huge success, there were so many tourist attractions minutes away, which made the airport a hot spot for visitors, a very excellent place to locate this airport. The Charles de Gaulle Airport consisted of three layers of material, the outer layer consisted of plate glass, giving the structure a very modern look at the time. The middle layer was made up of metal supports, a very good choice for materials to hold and make this buildin g sturdy. And lastly the inner layer, or the inside was composed of concrete blocks that would help support the metal supports. Many who entered the airport were stunned at the scenery, a very modern yet futuristic look, that when waiting for a next flight, which would often be a couple of hours, would be an enjoyable place to wait, relax, and enjoy the scenery. A couple of months had passed since the construction of the airport, and people were calling it a jewel from France, as it showed off French engineering skill and in a way, a sense of style. Relevant Sections On the oddly cold morning of May 23, 2004, catastrophe would have a toll on the Charles de Gaulle Airport located near Paris, France. It was early in the morning, around 7 am, when a few tourists heard cracking like sounds and noticed small clouds of dust coming down from the ceiling, and then, it collapsed. Down came the roof, tons of concrete fell leaving a huge gap in the terminal. Each square foot weighed about 60 pounds, the width of the terminal was 100 and counting feet, so trying to imagine how much weight could have fallen on a person is something you do not want to think about. As the concrete roof gave out, it fell flat to the ground killing 4 people and injuring 3. Terminal 2E had crumbled to the ground! This took many people by surprise because it had not even been its anniversary yet, it had only been active for 11 months when the tragedy happened. For now, that is all people knew about the accident, nobody knew how this could have happened and what the cause was. Furth er investigation was still to take place, and people anxiously waited to see what the police and other investigators could dig out from this. Investigation During investigation and various interviews, local engineers and also the police came to the conclusion that the problems did not come from a freak accident, but they did lead back to the faulty designs in the terminal. It was found that cautionary measures were not taken in mind during the design. A stunning find was that the opening of the terminal was delayed a day after a  chandelier fell because of the moving in the ceiling. This made people want to learn more and the investigations were taken deeper into the case. Findings and Recommendations On May 23, 2004, a catastrophe that would leave many French stunned and those in neighboring countries occurred as terminal 2E of the Charles De Gaulle Airport fell to the ground, killing 4 and injuring 3. Faulty and rushed designs were to blame, and more research and causes were yet to be found. Deep into the investigation already, it was pointed out that the metal structures were inserted too deep into the concrete blocks, causing the cracking in the roof. At the same time , this cracking weakened the roof, causing it to collapse. However, something else was found to be a cause of the collapse. The metal structure was constantly hot, which made it expand, and as mentioned before, the temperature had drastically dropped from around 73 degrees fahrenheit all the way down to around 38 degrees. This meant that at one point the metal was flexible as it was warm , but as soon as the temperature dropped quickly, it made the metal shrink back as it tried to straighten out, loosening the gr ip on the already cracked concrete blocks and causing it   all to plunge to the ground. Impact on Engineering Practices Ever since engineers heard about the incident, many have really taken their time handling workers to do the jobs done and right. They have also insured that their plans and sketches are accurate and are always safe after the construction is done. Peoples safety and well being is now  a must while developing and constructing buildings that are enormous and cost so much money. People should feel safe when boarding a new state of the art plane or entering a brand new future like building. Someones life should never be at risk because an engineer or architect etc failed to see a safety hazard. In conclusion, the Charles de Gaulle Airport disaster was not so bad in the amount of victims suffered. However it was useful for many architects and engineers as they learned to analyze more carefully and ensure the safety of those who would be involved in their building or structure. To ensure that this wouldnt happen again, it was decided to rebuild the entire structure and this time , without using the heavy tons of concrete. They opted to use glass and metal sheeting and for the structures the metal was still the 1st option. Now the terminal and the rest of the airport has been rebuilt and is as successful as it had been before. Https://www.facebook.com/JackieCravenWrites. Why Did the Charles-de-Gaulle Airport Terminal Collapse? About.com Home. N.p., 24 Apr. 2016. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. Rubric rating submitted on: 12/21/2016, 12:47:19 PM by [emailprotected] 10 5 0 Title Page    Your score: 5 x Present not done Table of Contents    Your score: 5 x Present not done Abstract    Your score: 10 Present not done Introduction    Your score: 5 x Background    Your score: 10 Present not done Investigation    Your score: 7 Present not done Findings    Your score: 10 Present not done Impact    Your score: 10 Present not done Conclusion    Your score: 5 x not done References    Your score: 5 References included no references Notes    Your score: 0 Notes recorded no notes 6 Content Pages    Your score: 7 filled 6 pages 3 content pages no contents pages Comments: [1]should be after the table of contents and shorter see if you can get it down to 4-5 sentences

The Philosophy of Rationality in Economics

The Philosophy of Rationality in Economics Nikita Kohli The ways of being human are bound but infinite. -Larry Niven An Introduction There exists no single definition of Rationality, yet it forms the cornerstone of basal assumptions of standard models of economics. A sweeping glance of the concept however, elucidates one fact. Rationality deals in human behaviour, it aims to understand its motivations and predict future outcomes based on choices. Rife with contradictions and limitations analogous to the innate complexity of human nature, this theory has been repeated altered and manifests itself in different ways with the progression of time. Objectives: The primary objective of this paper is to qualitatively analyze economic literature and draw conclusions pertaining to the concept of rationality and its relevance in the world today. Literature Review This paper, as the title suggests, aims to examine the concept of rationality, its use both philosophically in the study of broad humanity as well as in its more specific application to economics and standard models of human behaviour. In order to gain an understanding of early texts exploring concepts of rationality, such as the works of Aristotle and, the author relied on interpretative papers such as those of Fred Miller (1984). Various original works of authors have been studied chronologically to enable a historic overview of the concept, eventually yielding to contemporary work, implications and applications to various phenomena. Notable repositories of information such as the Palgrave Dictionary of Economics and critical essays on the subject of Rationality (a collection edited by Bill Gerrard) have been accessed. The papers with their extensive reference lists gave the author insight into the vast literature focused on this specific subject. Reviews and critiques, and studies in retrospect of concepts have been perused to help put an idea from another time into contemporary perspective. PART 1 Rationality: A historical Analysis If one devalues rationality, the world tends to fall apart – Lars Von Trier The first mention of the concept of Rationality is seen in the work of Aristotle; who states that the human being has a rational principle and the ability to carry out rationally formulated projects. (Miller, 1984). ‘Homo Economicus’ or the ‘Economic Man’ was a term that first appeared in the work of J.S Mill who described man as ‘solely as a being who desires to possess wealth, and who is capable of judging the comparative efficacy of means for obtaining that end’. (Mill, 1844). This is the base of the most widespread assumption in economics – that man strives to only maximize his utility and satisfaction, and this trait, intrinsic to all men, is termed ‘rationality’. Jevons, the forbearer of mathematical economics propounded a quantitative measure of the utility function. In stressing on the concept of marginal utility, he put forth some basic tenets of the utility consumption theory, namely that economic agents derive utility by consumption of goods, and that they are rational, calculating maximisers. In attempting to ‘treat the economy as a  calculus  of pleasure and pain’, Jevons (1871) set the foundations for a paradigm of Economics, which was deeply rooted in individualistic theories of motivation and decisions. Von Mises (1949), in his seminal work on human nature and decision making, asserted that human action is ‘necessarily always rational’. His understanding of rationality, however, differed from that of his successors in the field of Economics. He believed that every human being acted in a way that furthered their self-interest and was to achieve some end goal. When viewed in pure subjectivity, no action can be termed irrational as every human being acts out of some motivation, thus making the action ‘rational’. Concepts of Rationality: A contemporary analysis All human behavior is scheduled and programmed through rationality.   Michael Foucault In the early 1960s, mathematical economist John Muth (considered the Father of the Rational Expectations Revolution in Economics) put forth a body of work that would leave on indelible mark on the rationality discourse. For the first time, a significant difference in economic analysis was made, that between ‘adaptive’ and ‘rational’ expectations. Muth’s work and the theory of Rational Expectations was considered iconoclastic at the time as it proposed a shift in knowledge processing, analysis and decision making. Neo-classical economics, as propounded by Friedman, Keynes and others dealt with systems and analysis using historical data. This was termed ‘adaptive’. Adaptive neo-classical theory forms the basis for many policy decisions, be in pump-priming investment or monetary contraction. Policy is created in keeping with past results and some common assumptions in economics – people will demand more when the government invests in the economy etc. In contrast, Rational Expectations take into view the whole economy, in its real-time functionality, and uses imbibes current information in its analysis. It propounds that ‘rational agents’ continuously update their information and take into account the whole system. As Muth (1961) asserts, ‘the economy does not waste information, and that expectations depend specifically on the structure of the entire system. In addition to this fundamental tenet, this school of thought also states that markets will always clear; prices will adjust to fluctuations in supply almost immediately. When this concept is extrapolated to encompass the macro economy, it is often stated that no government policy or exogenous shock can shake up the system. This is because of the existence of rational agents, who, using their knowledge of existing phenomenon, expect certain outcomes and adjust their course of action accordingly. For instance, in a recessionary period, sellers will not let their prices fall. They behave in this manner because they are aware of the current scenario and preempt government investment intervention to attenuate falling demand. Thus they expect their demand to rise in the near future. As Greg Egan would put it, ‘It all adds up to normality’. While implicit in the Rational Expectations theory is the existence of perfect knowledge, transmuting into rational decisions, there emerged a field of study which emphasized the shortcomings of knowledge and information acquisition. The term ‘Bounded Rationality’ was introduced by Herbert Simon in his book Models of Man (1957). While in spirit adhering to the belief that human beings are rational, Simon’s theory observed a critical failing; that of the assumption of complete information. In this structure, human behaviour is viewed not in terms of rational, utility maximizing behaviour. Instead, it is seen as a series of actions, often not compatible with each other, decisions taken in situations of partial information and based on limited reflection. This accounts for the limitations to both knowledge and cognitive capacity. Taking this idea further, simmering in the field of human behaviour vis a vis economic processes, is the belief that human beings can sometimes be ‘Irrational’. Carrying out specific studies in this area, economist Dan Ariely finds surprising results. In a given situation, a person may make a choice which will not benefit them in the future, may not help them immediately, and the decision is made in the light of these two eventualities. Ariely explains that this is because human behaviour is not always controlled by rational motives, it is highly impulse driven and impacted heavily by exogenous factors. In the early 1960s, Gary Becker put forth the same idea; only that he believed even irrational agents can work ‘smoothly as a single unit’. Human irrationality, he states, was in fact rational. PART 2 – NUANCES OF RATIONALITY Amartya Sen anchors a clear distinction in the approaches to Rationality in literature. He divides them into two broad categories – Instrumental Rationality and Substantive Rationality. Substantive rationality is when one acts out of objectively, independently defined self interest. This lends itself to the General Equilibrium theory, the starting point of individual behaviour is a predefined utility function, and choice arises from this within the constraints imposed. Instrumental rationality dons a more humane approach wherein it allows for objectives that are not restricted to solely self-interest. This methodology acknowledges the influence of other factors on rationality. Sociologist Max Weber states a similar idea; that of Wertrationalor value/belief-oriented rationality, wherein the motives for action are often driven by reasons intrinsic to a particular actor, such as specific emotions, societal or spiritual aspects. Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky have made important contributions to the understanding of rationality and reactions to choice. The Prospect theory attempts to describe decisions under uncertainty. It empirically proves that a decision making process is often not rational; people are risk-averse when they stand to incur losses and risk-taking when they stand to gain. Another obstacle to ‘rational’ thinking is the problems posed by ‘heuristics’ (Kahneman Tversky, 1974). Heuristics are mental short-cuts, which usually involve focusing on one part of a complex problem and often ignoring the larger, more complete set of information. This limited perception of the issue at hand is used to make a decision. In any sphere of study, the influence of external social factors cannot be denied, on a superficial level, this impact could manifest itself in the way of the ‘Demonstration’ or ‘Bandwagon’ effect. On deeper examination, we see that these exogenous factors often define an individual’s sense of Rationality, which leads us to realize that Rationality can never be completely objective or homogenously innate to all. Adopting a pragmatic approach to the limitations posed by imperfect knowledge, Herbert Simon proposes the term ‘satisficing’. He pointed out that human beings lack the cognitive resources tooptimize: the relevant probabilities of outcomes are usually, thus the evaluation of all outcomes with sufficient precision is rare, if not impossible. A more realistic approach to rationality takes into account these limitations. An important application of the rationality principle in neo-classical economic theory is in the analyses of perfect competition. Competitive equilibrium is said to have been reached when each person maximizes their utility, given a certain set of assumptions (no externalities). This state of equilibrium will tend towards Pareto Optimality as it is assumed that the Pareto Optimal state is one where there is perfectly competitive equilibrium at a given set of prices and some initial distribution of resources. Every rational utility maximizer is in equilibrium, wherein no one can be made better off without hurting another’s well-being and current status. This basal assumption of rational behaviour establishes the relationship between the aforementioned concepts. PART 3: CONCLUSION In everything, one thing is impossible: rationality – Nietshchze This paper has attempted to shed light upon the various dimensions of rationality, as depicted in economic phenomenon. Problems arise however, with the implicit assumption of rationality in models involving human behaviour in varied situations. Rationality implies comprehensive knowledge of the current economic system, which is then factored into the decision making process. In keeping with the ‘Efficient Market Hypothesis’, markets will always correct themselves and clear as people are able to adapt and adjust to fluctuations almost immediately, due to their information. It has also been argued that natural processes of elimination ensure that rationality perpetuates itself, where those who act ‘rationally’ work optimally. This can be seen in nature, in the principle of ‘survival of the fittest’. Milton Friedman also draws this parallel to markets, where non-profit maximizing firms are driven to a wall so that only the ‘rational’, profit maximizing firms may survive. (Friedman, 1953). These applications and assumptions are rife with shortfalls. The first limitation is that of ‘knowledge’. Acquisition of this perfect knowledge to facilitate rationality is expensive, consumes resources, and in many cases proves impossible to obtain. To assume that perfect knowledge is a prerequisite for rational behaviour limits its scope. While looking at markets and macro-structures, one can see rational expectations as the underlying force in stock markets. These markets are extremely sensitive to minor fluctuations and react almost instantaneously to restore equilibrium. The same cannot be said of the economy. It is impossible to expect policy to change, or its impact to be as versatile as is seen in the stock markets. The case of the rupee depreciation illustrates this point, wherein the stock markets adjust to the disturbance, but the economy is left flagging. Chamberlin points out, that for Perfectly Competitive equilibrium to exist, there at first must exist a certain measure of disequilibrium. He states that not merely pure, but perfect competition is requisite for the rationality hypotheses can have their full power. The existence of the initial disequilibrium, in conditions of complete rationality, proves to be contradictory. Another limitation of the rationality assumption is that it makes for models that are normative, rather positive. Formally and explicitly, these provide frameworks to understand how agents should act in order to maximize their self interest. This fails in its predictive capacity, to see how one will behave in the future. We’re all mad here – Cheshire Cat, Alice in Wonderland Rationality is assumed to be highly centered on the individual. But as Kenneth Arrow 1986) points out, rationality gathers not only its force, but very meaning from the social context in which it is embedded. It holds only under ideal conditions, the nature of which is not seen in the world today. Adam Smith in the Theory of Moral Sentiments attributes actions to not only self-interest, but more humane factors like love, benevolence and community feeling. A science taking into account human behaviour must closely study its major drivers. Exposure to various social factors and upbringing influences the way people think. Defining rationality becomes problematic, what is rational to one may be deemed irrational to another. For instance, faith, religious belief, personal opinions and ideology are not universal in their impact and acceptance. Rationality then becomes extremely contextual; one person’s rationality is bound to not hold in another person’s situation. Rationality can also be temporal, due to the lack of accurate information about the future; what holds true today or in the immediate foreseeable future, may not hold in the long-run. The limits and bounds to rational thinking are not clear and universal, they’re morphed and moulded and coloured by personal experiences and biases. A crucial distinction needs to be made about what kind of behaviour is rational and what is not, and what models of behaviour may be useful in predicting actual behaviour. Taking into account various individualities poses a great challenge, but to attribute motivation and action to perfect rationality, especially in the context of subjective human behaviour, is problematic. Anomalies will be patent to the process of fitting human nature and motives into an objective framework. The author concludes that an assumption about human beings, especially one as pervasive as assumed rationality, is dangerous. At the same time, accounting for individual drivers is nearly impossible. Policy, and core economic theory must be able to account for, at the very least acknowledge, these discrepancies. This is the only way to create frameworks which may work with greater precision. REFERENCES Arrow, K. J. (1986). Rationality of self and others in an economic system.  Journal of Business, S385-S399. Friedman, M. (1953). The methodology of positive economics.  The Philosophy of economics: an anthology,2, 180-213. Heap, H.S (1993) Post Modernity and New Conceptions of Rationality in Economics. In The Economics of Rationality. (pp. 48-60). Routledge Jevons, W. S. (1871).  The Theory of Political Economy. Macmillan and Company. Kahneman, D. (1994). New challenges to the rationality assumption.  Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE)/Zeitschrift fà ¼r die gesamte Staatswissenschaft, 18-36. Kahneman, D. (2003). Maps of bounded rationality: Psychology for behavioral economics.  The American economic review,  93(5), 1449-1475. List, J. A. (2004). Neoclassical theory versus prospect theory: Evidence from the marketplace.  Econometrica,  72(2), 615-625. Mill, J. S., Backhouse, R. E. (1997).  On the Definition of Political Economy; and of the Method of Investigation Proper to it: Essays on Some Unsettled Questions of Political Economy (1844); On the Logic of the Moral Sciences: A System of Logic (1856)(Vol. 1). Routledge. Miller, F. D. (1984). Aristotle on Rationality in Action. The Review of Metaphysics, 499-520.s Muth, J. F. (1961). Rational expectations and the theory of price movements.Econometrica: Journal of the Econometric Society, 315-335. Sen, A. (2000). Reason before identity.  Romanes Lecture. Sen, A. K. (1977). Rational fools: A critique of the behavioral foundations of economic theory.  Philosophy Public Affairs,  6(4), 317-344. Stewart, S. A. (2005). Can behavioral economics save us from ourselves?.  University of Chicago magazine, 97(3). Swidler, A. (1973). The concept of rationality in the work of Max Weber.  Sociological Inquiry, 43(1), 35-42. Tetlock, P. E., Mellers, B. A. (2002). The great rationality debate.  Psychological Science, 13(1), 94-99. Tversky, A., Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases.  science,  185(4157), 1124-1131. Tversky, A., Kahneman, D. (1986). Rational choice and the framing of decisions. Journal of business, S251-S278. Von Mises, L., Greaves, B. B. (1949). Human action (pp. 59-62). Liberty Fund. Webliography Future Prospects. (2013, Aug, 5). retrieved September 1 2013, from The Economist Web Site: http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2013/08/prospect-theory-and-economics Rethinking Thinking. (1999, Dec, 16). retrieved September 1 2013, from The Economist Web Site: http://www.economist.com/node/268946

Essay --

The American College of Sports Medicine’s fitness trend survey for 2011 consisted of information from the health and fitness industry as well as the opinions of professionals who currently worked in the field. The survey encouraged its respondents to make the important distinction between a â€Å"fad† and a â€Å"trend† (Thompson, 2010). This survey consists of trends rather than fads a trend is a long term change in the way people behave. A fad on the other hand is a short term fashion that is taken up with strong feeling of active interest but only for a brief period. Trying out new exercise techniques and fitness programs can encourage and motivate people to engage in physical activity. The ACSM conducted its first fitness survey in 2006 for the predicted trends of 2007 this was the earliest effort in developing a systematic way to predict the future of the health and fitness industry (Thompson, 2010). There were three consecutive surveys conducted to identify fitness trends for the year 2008, 2009 and 2010. The surveys measured health and fitness trends in various sectors of the industry which consisted of commercial (for-profit), clinical (medical fitness), community (not-for-profit) and corporate sectors (Thompson, 2010). The 2011 survey consisted of 31 feasible trends which was six lesser than the previous 2010 survey. The number was fewer because the respondents complained about the length of the survey. The 31 items were designed using a Likert-type scale ranging from 1-10 the low score of 1 (less likely to be a trend) and 10 (most likely to be a trend) (Thompson, 2010). The initial step in this analysis was to gather all of the responses and place them in order from the most crowd-pleasing trend to the least popular trend. The r... ...ed due to cost. Programs that were considered costly such as Pilates and indoor cycling are no longer in the top 20. The results of the 2014 survey predicts that more people will be engaging in high-intensity interval training (HIT) this was the trend’s debut year. This was offered as a potential trend in previous surveys but never made it to the top 20. This trend is more appealing to consumers because it takes less time allowing people to engage in other daily responsibilities. Another cost-effective trend also making its debut in the survey is body weight training which uses very little equipment which helps to keep cost down. Consumers are also engaging in group personal training which consists of two or more people being trained by one person trainer in order save money. Based on these predictions the new trend for fitness consumers is to save time and money.

Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports Essay -- Doping in Sports

The use of performance enhancing drugs in sports (doping) is done to improve athletic performance. Doping in sports has become a highly controversial topic among professional sporting venues and in the media. With the increased pressure to perform, high priced contracts, increased competition, and advanced training methods today’s athletes will try to gain an edge by any means necessary. Performance enhancing drugs used by athletes today include Human Growth Hormone (HGH), anabolic steroids, peptide hormones, amphetamines, insulin and stimulants. The reason athletes use performance enhancing drugs is to increase the amount of testosterone produced in the body. The increased testosterone in the body increases muscle strength by enabling new muscle growth. Although there are laws passed with the intention of ridding sports of the use of performance enhancing drugs, it is still a highly debated topic. Supporters argue it is beneficial for the sport. The opposition argues against it. A syndicated political columnist argues â€Å"Drugs that make sport exotic drain it of its exemplary power by making it a display of chemistry rather than character—actually, a display of chemistry and bad character† (Will). In light of the overwhelming evidence, one must agree with the 2004 Anabolic Steroids Act, which attempts to ban the use of anabolic steroids in U.S sporting events. The use of performance enhancing drugs in sports is dangerous, unethical and ruins the integrity of the specific sport, by giving an unfair advantage to the user over their competitors. No one can deny that the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports makes it much more entertaining for fans. Watching home run records get shattered, and new world record times being set,... ...iego: Greenhaven Press, 2006. At Issue. Rpt. from "testimony before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs, Foreign Commerce, and Tourism." 2002. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. "We Should Accept Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Competitive Sports." Writ. Radley Balko. Intelligence Squared US debate. Intelligence2 debates. 15 Jan. 2008. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. West, Doug. "Steroids Are Harmful." Steroids. Ed. Laura K. Egendorf. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006. At Issue. Rpt. from "Steroid Abuse—Getting Bigger." Youthcultureï ¼  today. 2002. 20-24. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. Will, George F. "Steroids Are Destroying Baseball." Steroids. Ed. Laura K. Egendorf. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006. At Issue. Rpt. from "Steroids Scandal Is Damaging to Baseball." Conservative Chronicle (15 Dec. 2004): 25. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web.

Movie review Saw III Essay -- essays research papers

One of the best horror series recent is the Saw Franchise. 'Saw III' is 2006's superlative horror film and the best in the Saw trilogy. Everyone in 'Saw III' deserves an eminent collaborative achievement award, the actors Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Bahar Soomekh, and Angus Macfadyen. The director, Darren Lynn Bousman, and producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules, made the Saw franchise magnificent. Darren Lynn Bousman is the first horror director to ever have his first two major Hollywood films open up at number one, which was Saw II and Saw III. He is one of the most successful horror directors of all time. He is coming back to direct Saw IV. All the actors did an astonishing job. Tobin Bell has a loathsome attitude that is right for this character Jigsaw, a creepy serial killer who plays with his victims lives. Shawnee Smith?s performance was unpredictable, it kept you on the edge of your seat. A role women rarely have the opportunity to play. She plays an insecure, emotional woman with a self-destructive personality. Angus MacFadyen is a phenomenal underrated actor who has yet had...

Academic Streaming Debate

Good evening chairman, ladies and gentlemen. The topic for our debate is that we should ban academic streaming in schools. We the negative team believe that this should NOT happen. Before I get into the topic at hand I would just like to rebut some of the opposition’s points: Our first speaker Nevin has already stated the academic benefits of streaming, and now I would like to focus on the social benefits. Today I will be talking to you about how streaming can positively affect students self-esteem and also their motivation.Now to my first point: A student’s low self-esteem has a significant impact on almost everything he or she does, it effects the way they interact with others, the way they engage in activities, and as Dr. Ken Shore’s, Classroom Problem Solver states, even has a marked effect on academic performance. Even as the affirmative team may say, that streaming labels students, causing them to have low self-esteem, this is not the case.Even in mixed abi lity classes students know where they stand, if they are excelling or even if they are struggling they will know how they are doing if it’s from test grades or just from observing the classroom. In comparison to streamed classes where Professor Liu Woon Chia has proved through examinations that streaming is beneficial as it has a ‘big fish in a little pond’ effect. Secondly streaming helps motivate students as it increases the level of competition between the students.In a class, which has a mixed group of students, the smart student always comes first in the class. He does not have enough motivation to improve himself. He has to have self-motivation, which is sometimes hard to find. However, if he is in a class of smart students, he works hard because of the competition other students give him. This has the same effect to all students no matter of what academic ability.This effect keeps all the students academically improving, in contrast to a mixed-ability clas s where the students could stay stagnant, as there is very little or too much competition. So chairperson, ladies and gentlemen, I conclude that academic streaming should not be banned as assigning students to classes according to academic performance helps motivate students to achieve there very best as well as the fact that streaming is good for a students self-esteem as it will not make them feel as they are struggling and will push them to achieve their personal best. Thank-You.

Bite Me: A Love Story Chapter 25

25. Being the Chronicles of Abby Normal, Failed Nosferatu, Heartbroken Day Dweller, and Deposed Backup Mistress of the Greater Bay Area Darkness My heady powers of the night are gone, my manga-haired love monkey with a most fly ride is gone, even my tail is gone-worst of all, the Countess is gone. We watched her sail off just before dawn, the Rastafarian imbecile piloting the Raven out past Alcatraz as we stood there on the dock. Then Rivera and Cavuto came blazing up in their shit-brown cop-mobile and jumped out of the car, all â€Å"We have totally watched a number of cop shows and now know how to look urgent.† And Cavuto is all, â€Å"Don't even move, missy.† And he's holding a Super Soaker again. This time, a yellow one. And Rivera is all creeping up the other side of the dock, as if we don't see him, even though the dock is only like fifteen feet wide and there's no cover and it's almost dawn. And Tommy's like, â€Å"You guys, I should probably explain.† But before he can say anything else, I jump up and I'm all, â€Å"Rawr,† at them, coming down with total monster claw hands and scary face. And they fire up their sun jackets and totally open up on Tommy and me with the Super Soakers, until we are wet and laughing so hard that we're falling down on each other. And Marvin jumps out of the car window and runs over to us all doggie â€Å"whaaaa?† face, because he doesn't see a lot of laughing in the cadaver dog business. And Rivera looks at Cavuto, then turns off his sun jacket, and Cavuto turns off his, then holds his squirt gun like it's just turned into a giant yellow turd. And he's all, â€Å"Well, fuck.† And I'm all, â€Å"Oh ass bear, you make me wet,† which totally made us giggle some more, and Marvin ran over and started licking my face, which made me laugh even more, until finally Rivera pulled out his handcuffs and we stopped laughing. So we explained about the old vamps being dead and how they had gotten rid of all the kitty vamps and Chet, and how everyone else had been changed back like us, and it was all good so they just needed to chill the fuck out. And Rivera's all, â€Å"What about the black ship?† And we're like, â€Å"It was owned by this eccentric bazil-lionaire, and the vamps had taken it over, but now that they were dead he was going home.† And Rivera was all, â€Å"But the Emperor said-â€Å" And I'm all, â€Å"Bitch, please. The Emperor of San Francisco, protector of Alcatraz, Sausalito, and Treasure Island, you mean?† Snarking hard. And Rivera is all, â€Å"Okay, good point.† And then the Animals all pull up in two cars, and they jump out all loaded up with squirt guns and garden sprayers, and the Emperor and his dogs jump out, and they are all ready to kick ass, when Rivera stopped them and ‘splained and they went off to get high and the Emperor walked off down the waterfront, watching the Raven sail out to the Golden Gate. ‘Kayso, now the sun is up and Rivera and Cavuto realize that we are totally not vamps, so they take Marvin and climb in their shit-brown mobile and drive off. So Tommy and I are just standing there, at the edge of the dock, and we can just barely see the Raven out by the Golden Gate Bridge, her sails up now, all silver in the sun. And I'm like, â€Å"We should probably go get that money the Countess hid on the roof. It's like three hundred thousand dollars.† The Countess told us where it was before she left. She said she wouldn't need it. And he's like, â€Å"Yeah. It might be a little harder to get up there now that we don't have super powers.† And I'm like, â€Å"She said there's a fire escape most of the way.† And he's all, â€Å"‘Kay.† And he's just staring at the ship. So I'm like, â€Å"So I know you're not nosferatu anymore, but I could still be your minion, if you needed one.† And he's like, â€Å"I'm kind of broken-hearted over here.† And I'm like, â€Å"Me, too.† And he's all, â€Å"Besides, I think you've sort of advanced beyond the level of minion.† So I'm like, â€Å"I could be your girlfriend.† And he's all, â€Å"I thought you loved Foo.† And I'm like, â€Å"I kind of do.† So then he's like, â€Å"I thought you loved Jody.† And I'm all, â€Å"I do. I'm polyamorous.† And he's like, â€Å"Now you want to fuck parrots?!† And I was about to go off on him, but I saw he was grinning, so I just elbowed him in the ribs, like, you dick, as we watched the ship disappear into the fog outside the bridge. And he's like, â€Å"When do you think the Raven will be back?† And I go, all scary voice, â€Å"Nevermore.† Then he looks at me, with a big smile, and he takes my hand. And I totally wanted to kiss him, with plenty of despair and tongue and whatnot. But then I would have had to slap him, so he didn't think that I was a slut, since I'd only been dumped like hours before. But then I thought, he might slap me for the same reason, so instead of a kiss I decided to do a small celebratory booty dance of forbidden passion, which made him grin like a big doof. So we sort of stood there, holding hands, looking at where the ship used to be, realizing that the future was fucking ginormously huge. Like the abyss, only, you know, with better lighting. And I'm all, â€Å"So what now, cornflakes?† Then he's all, â€Å"I think I'll write a book.†

Internship Report Onroyal Cement Limited Essay

I would like to thank my Faculty Advisor Roushan Ara Sultana for giving me the opportunity to work with her during my period of internship. I have been able to compile and complete this report in a comprehensive manner due to the guidance, support and counseling that he has provided me with during this period. I have tried my best to implement her constructive suggestions while doing my report. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the help provided to me by some. My sincere gratitude goes to Mr. Forman Uddin Chowdhury; Director of personals of the company Operations and to Mr. Md Moonsur Ali; Assistant General Manager; Marketing, Sales & Distribution for giving me time from their busy schedule, providing me with information that was required to complete the report, and for guiding me properly throughout the period of my internship. I would also like to thank all the employees of Royal Cement Limited who has supported me and co-operated with me during my internship period. Finally, my sincere thanks go to each and everyone who has helped and supported me significantly in different stages during the period of my internship. Page | 2 University of Science and Technology Chittagong Executive Summary Royal Cement Limited, one of the leading & largest cement industries in Bangladesh emerged in 2001. The company is well known for producing quality cement at a low price. The head office and the commercial building of Royal Cement Limited are located in Kabir Manzil, Sheikh Mujib road, Agrabad, Chittagong-4100. The other office of Royal Cement Limited is located in Dhaka and their production house in Joramtal, Barakumira, Sitakunda in Chittagong. The team consists of two leading companies of Bangladesh, which are Kabir Steel Group & BSA Group.

Honey and mumford Essay

Peter Honey and Alan Mumford developed their learning based on the work of Kolb. Their preferred learning styles are Activist, Pragmatist, Theorist and Reflector. These are the learning approaches that individuals naturally prefer and they recommend that in order to maximise one’s own personal learning each learner ought to: Understand their learning style Seek out opportunities to learn using that style  For people to understand their particular learning style Honey and Mumford have developed a Learning Style questionnaire. By knowing your result it means you are able to learn better because you get a better fit between learning opportunities and the way you learn best. This also makes your learning easier, more effective and more enjoyable. You can become an all-round learner, increases your versatility and helps you learn from a wide variety of different experiences. You can improve your learning skills and processes, increased awareness of how you learn and opens up the whole process to self-scrutiny and improvement. Learning styles Activists are people who learn by doing. They need to get their hands dirty, dive in with both feet first. They have an open-minded approach to learning, involving themselves fully and without bias in new experiences.The activities they tend to use for learning are: Brainstorming Problem Solving Group Discussion Puzzles Competitions Role-play Theorist learners like to understand the theory behind the actions. They need models, concepts and facts in order to engage in the learning process. They prefer to analyse and synthesise, drawing new information into a systematic and logical ‘theory’. The activities they tend to use for learning are: Models Statistics Stories Quotes Background Information Applying Theories Pragmatist learners need to be able to see how to put the learning into practice in the real world. Abstract concepts and games are of limited use unless they can see a way to put the ideas into action in their lives. They experiment, trying out new ideas, theories and techniques to see if they work. The activities they tend to use for learning are: Time to think about how to apply learning in reality Case Studies Problem Solving Discussion Reflectors learn by observing and thinking about what happened. They avoid leaping in and prefer to watch from the side-lines. They prefer to stand back and view experiences from a number of different perspectives, collecting data and taking the time to work towards an appropriate conclusion. The activities they tend to use for learning are: Paired Discussions Self-analysis Questionnaires Personality Questionnaires Time Out Observing Activities Feedback from others Coaching Interviews Learning style Honey and Mumford definition Activist â€Å"Activists involve themselves fully and without bias in new experiences. They enjoy the here and now, and are happy to be dominated by immediate experiences. They are open-minded, not sceptical, and this tends to make them enthusiastic about anything new. Their philosophy is: â€Å"I’ll try anything once†. They tend to act first and consider the consequences afterwards. Their days are filled with activity. They tackle problems by brainstorming. As soon as the excitement from one activity has died down they are busy looking for the next. They tend to thrive on the challenge of new experiences but are bored with implementation and longer term consolidation. They are gregarious people constantly involving themselves with others but, in doing so; they seek to centre all activities around themselves.† Theorist â€Å"Theorists adapt and integrate observations into complex but logically sound theories. They think problems through in a vertical, step-by-step logical way. They assimilate disparate facts into coherent theories. They tend to be perfectionists who won’t rest easy until things are tidy and fit into a rational scheme. They like to analyse and synthesize. They are keen on basic assumptions, principles, theories models and systems thinking. Their philosophy prizes rationality and logic. â€Å"If it’s logical it’s good.† Questions they frequently ask are: â€Å"Does it make sense?† â€Å"How does this fit with that?† â€Å"What are the basic assumptions?† They tend to be detached, analytical and dedicated to rational objectivity rather than anything subjective or ambiguous. Their approach to problems is consistently logical. This is their ‘mental set’ and they rigidly reject anything that doesn’t fit with it. They prefer to maximise certainty and feel uncomfortable with subjective judgements, lateral thinking and anything flippant.† Pragmatist â€Å"Pragmatists are keen on trying out ideas, theories and techniques to see if they work in practice. They positively search out new ideas and take the first opportunity to experiment with applications. They are the sort of people who return from courses brimming with new ideas that they want to try out in practice. They like to get on with things and act quickly and confidently on ideas that attract them. They tend to be impatient with  ruminating and open-ended discussions. They are essentially practical, down to earth people who like making practical decisions and solving problems. They respond to problems and opportunities ‘as a challenge’. Their philosophy is â€Å"There is always a better way† and â€Å"If it works its good†.† Reflector â€Å"Reflectors like to stand back to ponder experiences and observe them from many different perspectives. They collect data, both first hand and from others, and prefer to think about it thoroughly before coming to a conclusion. The thorough collection and analysis of data about experiences and events is what counts so they tend to postpone reaching definitive conclusions for as long as possible. Their philosophy is to be cautious. They are thoughtful people who like to consider all possible angles and implications before making a move. They prefer to take a back seat in meetings and discussions. They enjoy observing other people in action. They listen to others and get the drift of the discussion before making their own points. They tend to adopt a low profile and have a slightly distant, tolerant unruffled air about them. When they act it is part of a wide picture which includes the past as well as the present and others’ observations as well as their own.† http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/gradschool/training/eresources/teaching/theories/honey-mumford Kolb Kolb’s learning theory has four distinct learning styles which are based on a four stage learning cycle. The four learning styles are: Concrete Experience – A new experience of situation is encountered, or a reinterpretation of existing experience. Reflective Observation – Of the new experience. Of particular importance are any inconsistencies between experience and understanding. Abstract Conceptualization – Reflection gives rise to a new idea, or a modification of an existing abstract concept. Active Experimentation – The learner applies them to the world around them to see what results. In this respect Kolb’s theory is particularly elegant, since it offers both a way to understand individual people’s different learning styles, and also an explanation of a cycle of experiential learning that applies to us all. Kolb explains that different people prefer different learning styles. Various factors influence a person’s preferred style, in Kolb’s experiential learning theory Kolb defined three stages of someone’s development and suggests that our propensity to reconcile and successfully integrate the four different learning styles improves as we mature through our development stages. The development stages that Kolb identified are: Acquisition – birth to adolescence – development of basic abilities and ‘cognitive structures’ Specialization – schooling, early work and personal experiences of adulthood – the development of a particular ‘specialized learning style’ shaped by ‘social, educational, and organizational socialization’ Integration – mid-career through to later life – expression of non-dominant learning style in work and personal life. Kolb believes that effective learning is seen when a person progresses through a cycle of four stages: of having a concrete experience followed by observation of and reflection on that experience which leads to the formation of abstract analysis and conclusions which are then used to test hypothesis in future situations, resulting in new experiences. Kolb sees learning as an integrated process with each stage being mutually supportive of and feeding into the next. It is possible to enter the cycle at any stage and follow it through its logical sequence. The process of learning is influenced by a variety of personal factors. A thorough knowledge of these factors will help teachers and parents to understand and guide their child’s learning. Some important factors that can have an influence on a person’s learning are: Fatigue and Boredom – It is more boredom than fatigue that affects students more. The difference between the two is that fatigue is mental and physical tiredness which decrease in efficiency and competency to work. Boredom on the other hand is lack of desire to work. Age and maturation – Learning is dependent upon age and maturation. Learning doesn’t take place unless the individual is matured enough to learn. Some children can learn better at an earlier age while others take more to learn the same content. Interests – Various types of interests of the students can be exploited to facilitate their learning. Their interests during early infancy are mostly limited. As  a child grows their interests diversify and stabilize. Motivation – Motivation is the heart if the learning process. It generates the will in an individual to do something. There are two types of motivation that are commonly recognized. These are – Intrinsic; this type of motivation arises when the resolution of the tension is to be found in mastering the learning task itself. -Extrinsic; this type of motivation occurs when a student pursues a learning task for reasons that are external. For example, if a student engages in construction of a model aero planes because they think it would please their father, who is an ex-pilot, rather than because of intrinsic motivation. Intelligence – Intelligence is expressed by an IQ score on an intelligence test is positively related to learning. Generally students with a higher IQ learn rapidly however this is not always the case. Aptitude – A student who possesses appropriate aptitude for a particular subject of study or skill will learn better and retain it for longer. On the other hand they will require relatively longer time to study a subject for which they lack natural aptitude. Attitude – The learning process is also influenced considerably by the attitude of the student. If they are alert, attentive and interested in the material to be learnt. They are also bound to have a favourable attitude towards it. An attitude like that will enable them to tackle the learning situation economically, pleasantly and effectively. Environmental factors – Surroundings; students may easily get distracted and lose interest in the lesson if they are sat around friends as they are more likely to socialise instead of learn. Relationships with teachers, parents and peers; Relationships are important as bad ones can lead to stress and other problems for example if the student has a bad relationship with their teacher they might act out and may lose interest in doing work so they fall behind and don’t learn the correct stuff. Media; Media can be such a bad influence on most teenage students because of media such as social networking which can be easily accessed through their phone. This means they may be more tempted to use their phones during their lessons to use social networks such as Facebook or twitter. For example if that student is starting to lose interest in their lesson then they may be tempted to use their phones for that reason. I think that there are a few of these factors that influence my own learning process. For me these factors are Fatigue and Boredom Age and maturation Motivation Attitude Environmental factors I always find that my surroundings and social networking have a massive influence on my learning as I tend to get distracted by people around me, my phone, internet and TV. I am more likely to let these distract me if I am bored or don’t have any motivation to do the work. Because of this I often find that I am behind and sometimes struggle with the work I am doing. It’s important for people to learn the correct skills for learning so that our ability to understand and to help you gain the knowledge to increase your abilities to work to your full potential. There are different ways of learning which are: Observation Questioning Use of internet Supervisors Classroom Work experience Having these skills are important as they can make a person better because there is a range of skills that they can use to improve their overall knowledge. These skills impact my learning because of these I am able to improve on what I am taught by teachers by watching it in practice, asking questions to learn more about the subject of work, using the internet to research information about that subject of work, ask for help from teachers, learning supports and other students by asking other students it helps them as well as they get to go over what you are asking so it would tend to stick more. And by work experience so you get to learn while putting information to practice and this gives you opportunities to ask questions.

Case Study - Federal Deposit Insurance Corp Essay

Case Study - Federal Deposit Insurance Corp - Essay Example For example, Toyland the owner of a departmental store in Houston, contracts with Pantaloon, a manufacturer of children toys in New York, for $15,000 worth toys. In the absence of negotiable instruments, Toyland would have to remit or take across the country the said amount which is risky and inconvenient. If the money is stolen in transit, it will create additional botheration for the company besides the financial loss. Check facilitates transfer of the funds through the designated bank. The transaction through the check is convenient to both the parties. Some types of negotiable instruments are promissory notes, certificates of deposit, drafts and checks. The legal requirements for an instrument to be negotiable: That it should be in writing and signed by the issuer and it should contain an unconditional promise to pay a fixed amount of money, as per terms and conditions described in the promise or order. It may be with or without interest. It is a bearer instrument or payable to order, either on demand or at prescribed future date. It should â€Å"not state any other undertaking or instruction by the person promising or ordering to do any act in addition to the payment of money. However, it may contain (a) an undertaking or promise relative to collateral to secure payment, (b) an authorization for confession of judgment, or (c) a waiver of benefit of any law intended for the advantage or protection of an obligor.† (p.780) A holder in course of a negotiable instrument has special rights. â€Å"Normally, the transferee of an instrument—like the assignee of a contract—gets only those rights in the instruments that are held by the person from whom he got the instrument. But a holder in due course can get better rights. A holder in due course takes a negotiable instrument free of all personal defenses, claims to the instrument, and claims in recoupment either of the obligor or of a third party.† (p.797)The advantage

A person or a show that had an influence on the mass media Essay

A person or a show that had an influence on the mass media - Essay Example Other types of print media include magazines, journals and books. Through evolution, a wide range of newspapers is available for people to choose from in the market. Traditionally, different kinds of newspapers include the tabloids and the broadsheets, each covering different kinds of news. The broadsheet however is the most intellectual of and most informative of the two, as it focuses of the real issues. Contrary to this, the tabloid majors on gossips, entertainment and celebrity as well as sports news. Even as people enjoy their daily reading from their favourite newspapers, may it be news, politics or advertisements, they are little knowledgeable of the evolutionary process that the newspapers have gone through. Some think that they just appeared, while others remain clueless. However, newspapers have an interesting history of their origin and evolution. In this paper, I trace the origin of the brilliant brain behind one of the worlds’ leading forms of mass media communica tion, Johannes Gutenberg. Historical arguments point out that the earliest form of a printed book known as the â€Å"Diamond Sutra† was printed in China in 868 CE. Some historians however argue that this book was printed earlier than this. The truth is not verifiable. However, the man behind this great invention was Johannes Gutenberg, a goldsmith and a businessman from the mining town of Mainz in southern Germany. Research reveals that Johannes Gutenberg  borrowed money, which he invested in his invention. Luckily, his success drastically changed the world of printing. His earliest form of printing machine, the printing press, was made of replaceable or movable letters that were either wooden or metallic. According to Childress (2008), after a long struggle of trial and error, Gutenberg  completed the machine in 1440. There is an amusing story about how the idea occurred to Johannes. One day, as Johannes sat by the window reading a book chained to the reading table, he c ould not help from smiling at the wonderful ideas that the book contained. Outside, rain was pouring heavily, banging on the window. Suddenly, he felt angered by the precious nature of books then. Disgustingly, he shook his head, and vowed to look for a way that would reduce the value of books and enable people handle them in a different way. This incidence was the beginning of a research that led to the birth of the printing press, subsequently marking the start of mass reproduction of books. However, what benefited the most from this invention was the mass production of newspapers as a form of mass communication. Hundreds of years ago, the only means in which people could write books was by way of handwriting. There was no form of printing or publishing presses available for interested parties to exploit. Due to the rareness of the books, it prompted their chaining to the reading tables as a measure to prevent people from taking them away. Estimated cost of a book then was the cos t of a town house (Childress, 2008). Johannes was born in the year 1398 in Mainz Germany, but later moved to Strasbourg in 1428, escaping the rivalry that existed between the rich and the townspeople. He came from a very rich and powerful family as his father was a jeweller and a goldsmith working at the Mainz Mint. Starting his life as a goldsmith himself, Johannes learnt tips that would latter help him in his invention. Although he fell in love and went ahead to propose to Ennelin zu der Iserin Thure, he changed his mind along the way and broke