Overloading Trucks 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Overloading Trucks 2 - Essay Example In this similar concern, one of the current systems of overloading trucks control in Saudi Arabia can be viewed as the ‘Weigh Station Management’. The prime function of this control system is to check the weight of the trucks. All the heavy vehicles need to pass through the weigh station in order to obtain the idea about the weight limits. The purpose of utilising this system control is to impose legal load limits and therefore avoiding trucks from damaging highways and bridges (AlGadhi, 2001). In New Zealand, the facet of The Weigh-In-Motion System is normally used as one of the effective current systems of overloading trucks control. This system fundamentally comprises sensors, electronics and software. This particular system is installed to gather traffic data (Dornier Consulting, 2011). The system is typically used to identify over load, over height of the trucks running in the highway and also to minimise the static weight as directed by the traffic. Also the  "Kistler Lineas quartz† sensors can be apparently observed in both Saudi Arabia and New Zealand as the other overloading trucks control system. It is worth mentioning that the sensors act as a controlling measure which helps in minimising road damages and accidents in the form of transmitting certain valuable information (Traffic Tech Group, 2010). It can be affirmed that the

Personal Experience: A Caring Occurrence

Personal Experience: A Caring Occurrence The purpose of this reflective paper is to reflect on a personal experience in which you cared for someone. Using Johns model (Johns 2006), the reflection will explore how the personal experience reflected a caring occurrence. Reflection is the appearance of experiential knowledge and as nursing students; we should begin to use reflection as our experience in the nursing field accumulates. It is both justified and recommended that Carpers work be incorporated into reflective practice since it was a key figure in widening knowledge in nursing (Heath, 1998). Reflective practice incorporates Carpers (1978) ways of knowing personal, ethical, aesthetical and empirical knowing into an individuals reflection. Reflection is a personal understanding of self and in the development of self, reflecting on relationships and interactions between two or more people. As a nurse, the relationship is between the nurse and the client, and sometimes involves the clients family as well. The experience in which I cared for someone occurred in the fall of 2009. As part of my Gr. 12 Ethics and Morals Religion Class, it was required that for an eight week period, we spent a period of our time, once a week at a retirement home with our assigned adoptive grandparent. The purpose of this assignment was to spend time with an older adult, engage in communication, participation, and enjoy the time spent with the older generation and learn from them. So once a week, I made my way to the retirement home and spent an hour and a half with my adoptive grandparent Blanche. I planned ahead of time activities that she might like to take part in such as a puzzle, a walk, a craft, or baking. Once I got there, I would ask her what she would like to do and we would go from there. Each time I went there, she had a different story to tell me; her life as a young farm girl, her teenage years, and the love of her life, her career as a teacher, her family and journeys she had been on. Each st ory had its own personal meaning to her and I sat there attentively and listened, asked probing questions and comments. As her adopted grandchild, it was my duty to entertain her, keep her spirits up and encourage her. The one week when I went there, she had physiotherapy so I could not spend much time with her on a personal level, but more of a team of caring individuals to support her, and encourage her through her therapy. Although this situation does not exactly relate to a medical need for caring for someone, I still managed to care for an individual on a personal, face-to-face encounter. This experience also helped me to learn how important the elderly patients are. When I experienced this caring situation, I was feeling worried and nervous at first. I was unsure what to expect prior to meeting my adoptive grandparent. I was worried about the fact that my grandparent might not have liked me, or would be extremely quiet and held back. Since this was one of the first times I would be put in an experience like this, I just did not know what to expect. After the first two weeks, I became more comfortable in my surroundings and each week I would then look forward to my visits with Blanche. After I became comfortable, I was happy and opened up more towards Blanche. The purpose of this experience achieved a new found friendship with a member of the older generation. It gave me the opportunity to care for an individual at the retirement home who did not have many visitors, so I became her weekly visitor and spent quality time with her and card for her in a special way. This experience helped me achieve a better respect for the elderly and enhanced my ab ility to relate to them on a personal level. Knowledge that may have informed me would be the calling for a special person who cares for the spirituality of others. Nursing is a caring profession that is honoured as the spiritual, spirit-filled practice (Vance, 2003). A caring occasion becomes transpersonal when nurse and client together with their unique life histories and perception become a focal point, in which the moment is greater than the occasion itself (Watson, 2008). The experience shared between the two becomes a deeper pattern in life. The caring moment is being in the moment. Fully present, open to other people, compassion and connection. Reflection of practice allows the nurse to observe decisions made and bring to the open the knowledge that has formed from practicing skills. Nursing students can enhance multiple ways of knowing and their understanding of caring through the process of reflecting on caring encounters (Schaefer, 2002). The foundation of nurse care is the wisdom in knowing and understanding that les sons are learned by one another to become more human in learning the identity of ourselves with others. When I cared for Blanche on a weekly basis, I acted for the best with the values that I had at the time. Although I had not dealt with many elderly patients prior to this experience, I still knew the values I had and gave Blanche my utmost respect. I treated her with the same respect that I would have liked to be treated if the positions were opposite. Caring as a nurse means the innermost of nursing, without prejudice and aims at prioritizing the patients suffering and needs (Gustafsson et al., 2007). Nursing care is the process aimed at responding to patients needs without reasoning. Quality care is the element to caring. When a nurse is caring for someone, it is best that they are not bias towards the patient, nurses should treat all patients equally, meaning not giving certain patients more attention, unless their critical situation demands it of them. This situation connects with a previous experience in which I worked at a retirement home for a few weeks in the summer. This position mainly had me as house cleaning but in the evening when everything was done, it allowed me to interact with the residents. I talked to them, played games and took them for a stroll outside. The experience in which I cared for Blanche was more connected and personal in terms of the one-on-one time I was able to spend with her. The idea of reflection is caring science learning, learning and developing a personal knowledge of caring as an art (Gustafsson et al., 2007). This helps to establish the substance and quality of caring in regards to the patient. Factors that constrain my responding in new ways is my personal confidence level, with a variation of the knowledge of my experience, which I will hope to gain from working side-by-side with experience nurse practitioners. This also relates to my level of involvement, if I increase the questions I ask if I am in doubt, I will gain more knowledge of the situation. This will also offer clarification and a deeper level of thought in regards to the situation. When I was caring for Blanche, at first I was not very confident and a little hesitant to introducing myself to a complete stranger and spending time with her once a week. After participating in this learning of a life lesson, I gained so much from it. I have more confidence in my ability to communicate with strangers; I have stepped outside the box I built up around myself and have become a more confident, strong, communicative leader. Although I may still be a little hesitant about situations, that is normal. A fear of the unknown or hesitation is another constraint to responding in new ways. This unknowing is an awareness that as a nurse does not and cannot know or understand the client when they first meet (Heath, 1998). Knowing the clients information or background prior to meeting with the patient will help make the situation a little more comfortable. Mixed groups may possibly enhance the development of skills of reflection (Heath, 1998). Working together as a team will help form and ensure actions are for the best. As a team, all sides are valued and reflection is more in-depth and has different vantage points. As a student nurse, insights that I have gained from this reflection is that my experience will grow and I can begin to understand the details of what experienced nurses know. It may only be a small portion, but I can build an understanding for the knowledge expert nurses have and benefit from it. A powerful insight is recognizing the unknown, and as a nurse, I can learn to remain alert to the clients individual viewpoint of the situation. This can best be done by listening to the client and establishing a truthful, open, working relationship, without the state of unknowing. Nurses need to be aware of the lack of empirical knowledge (Heath, 1998). This will promote an awareness to learn, research and increase practical skills. Guided reflection is a journey of self-inquiry and transformation (Johns, 2006). Reflection helps one realize their ability to care, learn and gain experience on past situations, learn from mistakes so they do not happen again. Reflection is awakening of the se lf (Johns, 2006). Did I act or be the best I could be with Blanche? I personally feel that I did the best job I could with the knowledge I had at the time. After learning about nurse- client therapeutic communication, I feel that maybe now, if I were to go back and relive the experience, I would be have a better relationship with her and gain more knowledge and become an even better adopted grandchild. I would ensure that the relationship would be more purposeful and contain a position of trust and a unique responsibility to maintain a therapeutic relationship. What would I have done differently if I was able to relive this experience to improve and make the most of this experience for both myself and Blanche? If I were to relive this experience, I would change the direction of advancing the best outcome and interest for Blanche. I would give her more attention, make more time in my schedule to spend time with her and take pleasure in the time spent together. Just because I may understand something, d oes not mean that I could change the outcome, it just means I am on my way to changing and becoming a more determined nurse. Understanding something is the first step towards changing. As John (2006) states, usually negative feelings such as anger, guilt, frustration and sadness draw our attention to the experience. These negative feelings draw specific attention because they seem disturbed and usual taken-for-granted awareness for feelings. In my situation while I was caring for my adopted grandparent, this was not the case. If anything, it was the opposite. The feelings that drew my attention to this caring situation were happiness, thoughtfulness, joy, and understanding. The smile I saw every time I walked into Blanches room and glow in her eyes every time she saw us. Our weekly visits to her brightened her days and made her feel young again. I appreciated being with her, giving her my time, my attention and my skill as a person of todays generation. It takes practice first and then reflection (Johns, 2006). It is best to practice the skills needed first, make sure they are understood and demonstrated them properly and then reflect on the occasion and what went right and what went wrong and improve the situation for the next time.

The Value of Coffee Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

The Value of Coffee I didn’t always enjoy the stuff. I would eat coffee-flavored yogurt and coffee-flavored ice cream, but the actual beverage tasted bitter and crude, and it had incurred my discontent since my first encounter with it at the age of six. An aunt would offer the family coffee every time we went to visit, and she would ask me, â€Å"Do you drink coffee yet?† as if to press me forward, to instill a desire to proceed toward my inevitable destiny of favoring coffee. I ignored her. â€Å"It’s an acquired taste,† some people told me. I saw no reason to force myself to acquire it. It was a July morning in 1999. I was at the University of Bucharest, Romania, for the International Mathematical Olympiad. I waited in line for breakfast, picking up the toast, the pastries, the beverage. What was the drink? There were few possibilities. The previous week, the US and Romanian teams had been training together in the town of Sinaia, and we got some evidence of what comprised the typical meal: cold cuts and cheeses, bread and patà ©s, an entrà ©e of meat, potatoes, perhaps a corn mush, and some boiled vegetables, and assorted desserts; breakfast would be lighter fare. The usual drink was mineral water, the quantity of which suffered a deficiency wholly inappropriate to the heat (my requests of â€Å"mai apa, va rog† were diplomatically ignored —the waiter in Sinaia perhaps thought I was only practicing my language skills); at breakfast, there might be juice, hot chocolate, or strawberry-flavored tea. Thus, when I picked up the glass of dark li quid in Bucharest, I imagined it was tea, or perhaps a thin chocolate. After sitting down in the stifling cafeteria, I naturally approached the drink. It was a shock, a fee... ...per-week quota always gets filled — not because I necessarily crave the drink, but because I periodically feel like I â€Å"should† be buying coffee now — a tradition that has become seamlessly enshrined in my identity. I have nearly mastered the art of drinking coffee precisely twice per week. The value of coffee is mainly symbolic — it serves as a liaison to my vocational and cultural community. People claim to drink coffee because it keeps them awake. That never works for me. If I am drowsy, caffeine makes me drowsy with a headache, at best. It has less consciousness-raising effect for me than does a breath of fresh air. The effect of this substance is not neurochemical; it is psychological. With each long swallow of a steaming brew, I savor the pungent, rich first flavor, the appealingly bitter aftertaste, and the feeling of knowing who and where I am.

A Book Review on “Under a Cruel Star” Essay

A narrative memoir of the author Heda Margolius Kovaly given in her book Under a Cruel Star depicts the tragic history and stories of various chaoses including the Czechoslovakia turmoil and Soviet Union. In here, she tells how their lives moved through dilemma just to adapt in certain situations where her religious practice, gender, social and economic status are relevantly part in her way of living. Heda Kovaly’s narration is made up of her observations, lessons learned, experiences, ideas, and some of her justification towards her decisions made, in which we can conclude that some are without the presence of her willingness or should we say just an act of woman’s submissiveness to her husband. As a brief recapitulation of the book, Heda opened up telling that the three forces shaped in the past history also formed her life as a whole. She recounted every episode of their lives although not in details. It started up from Heda Kovaly’s experiences in 1941 before he got married to Rudolf Margolius during the turmoil in Prague, Czechoslovakia under post-Nazi regime. Her deportation from Prague to Lodz ghetto in Auschwitz opened up disruption of her supposedly peaceful life. She mentioned how she managed to escape from the marching prisoners of war heading to Reich, Germany. Right after Prague chaos, she met his childhood sweetheart Rudolf and got married to him. Rudolf was a survivor of Nazi government’s several concentration camps; however, unlike other Nazi victims who utterly opposed communism ideals, Rudolf embraced this thought and therefore got a life out of it. Heda became a follower of her husband’s beliefs and principles. It ended up when Rudolf got arrested in 1951 with the reason of advocating his ideology, and it followed his execution after the Stalinist trials in which Heda herself witnessed. Just imagine how painful and helpless it is on Heda’s part to see his husband dying in the prosecution, and this feeling of Heda has shared with her readers as it magically brought by her narration. Hardships and sufferings pushed Heda to live despite harassment of the society as a result of just being Rudolf’s wife and partner. Heda remembered how the society persecuted her and her son by means of forced evacuation from their rented house, hastily and rudely dismissal from the hospital amidst necessary medication, and religiously losing her job one after another. Such difficulties ran for five more years following Rudolf’s death. However, Heda’s willingness to live continued as she believes that their journey did not stop on Rudolf’s imprisonment and execution. Instead, it opened up another episode of her life where she survived really hard to be able to support and augment their child’s basic needs. More than a decade after that nightmare, Heda received an invitation from the Czech government as the latter said revocation of Rudolf’s name in the Stalinist show trial. Heda insisted total absolution of Rudolf’s name and a publicly retrial of the case. She also radically demanded that the Czech government has to admit solely the guilt that it has to make a public apology for the victims including Rudolf and his family. Thus began Heda’s open advocacy opposing Communism as well as Stalinism, and to encourage everyone to stop anti-Semitism views whether in Czechoslovakia, in Europe, or in the world as a whole. Heda wrote the book basically with the purpose of enlightening the readers about such experiences of a Jewish family, specifically a Jewish woman in Czechoslovakia under Nazi government and Communism though she mentioned dedicating the book for her son to Rudolf Marqolius. Her audience could be anyone who is interested in historical topics such as political and social evolution in Europe and their impacts on the world history in general. Though the book failed to follow proper formatting as it is only a narrative of Heda’s own story and experiences and that it is transcribed in an informal way, it also fails to meet historical analysis and proper illustration. However, the help and information it could bring to the students who are known being idealists are quite immeasurable. They will surely love reading this book again and again as it inspires their modern principles and ideals. Under the Cruel Star is not designed to be a university textbook but it helps in a way educating the students especially of History courses such as History 101 which tackles Themes in Modern History like ours. Surely, Heda Morgolius Kovaly’s story could be a glass of cold water poured on fire. It means that a communist believer who happens to read this book would change his belief reading this. It makes possible as the testimony entails drastic impact to the lives of innocent ones in the past. On my part, the book signifies peaceful victory over chaotic ambiance having Heda’s view of love over hate. Like Heda who happens to forgive the tragic past, and use it to advocate equality through her text irregardless of many difficulties including her religious beliefs being a Jew. To conclude, I should say that I have learned through this book that what really important is how a victim of a wary world remains peaceful at heart in the end. R E F E R E N C E Kovaly, Heda Margolius. Under A Cruel Star: A Life in Prague 1941-1968. Holmes and Meier Publishing Company, 1997.

Leadership Skills and Criminal Justice

Leadership Skills for Criminal Justice Professionals Leadership involves the commitment, dedication, and risk taking attitude of the individual, which also includes other skills to accomplish the tasks. â€Å"In a criminal justice organization, leadership is essential to the success of the goals of the organization† (McKinney, 2008). Criminal justice professionals should develop and maintain leadership skills in their professional and personal lives because they are role models, and their decision-making is suppose to be trusted by the public. The field of criminal justice is very broad, which includes professions like law enforcement, information security, and forensic science; however, there are many career choices in that field that require some of the same skills in leadership. Communication is a major skill in the success of careers in the criminal justice field. â€Å"Professionals in this field should possess excellent communication skills because they must be able to give suggestions to employees, give orders to people over whom they have authority, and explain clearly to the community what legal issues are involved† (â€Å"Qualities of Good Criminal Justice,† 2011). Professionals will need to be able to speak clearly, effectively, and with confidence and authority. In addition, a professional in the criminal justice field must be able to write in a manner that is understandably clear and relayed effectively. They will be writing anything from reports, press releases to parole orders from time to time; therefore, they also need to be comfortable with versatile writing styles and requirements. Good communication skills will help the justice professional to avoid conflicts and solve problems. Another vital leadership skill that a criminal justice professional should have or develop is the ability to think fast with a sound mind in order to make good judgment calls when faced with any issue. Meaning, in order to act in a way that is effective, a professional must possess the ability to evaluate a situation in order to determine what the next course of action that possibly needs to be taken. By applying analytics to forge an information-led strategy, criminal justice leaders can make decisions based on solid, robust data and allocate resources effectively to guide prevention, intervention and/or suppression tactics. Sometimes it is good to solicit opinions and obtain feedback from those that can be trusted or have had a similar situation to contend with. Finally, although most careers include some level of stress, some more than others, careers in the criminal justice field may be considered more stressful than any of the others. â€Å"In a career that deals with public safety, law enforcement, crime and punishment, and legal maneuvers, stress is inescapable† (Qualities of Good Criminal Justice,† 2011). A professional working in the field of criminal justice absolutely must be able to deal with the personal stress of the job with a competent state of mind at all times while performing their duties effectively and safely. Failure to properly cope with stress endangers criminal justice workers and can compromise public safety. It is important to stay in charge of emotions, but even more important to leave it at work and forget about it when you go home. The leadership skills mentioned above are only a few on a long list needed to be a strong leader, but being a professional in the field also means that one must possess a strong ethical sensibility. Why? Because they will be working to promote adherence to laws in order to prevent law-breaking, as well as determining consequences for those who do not follow the law. â€Å"Virtue ethics encourages people to act according to the best aspects of their personalities, assuming each has the capacity to act with prudence, honesty, courage and fairness† (Frenz, 2011). Without knowledge of ethics, criminal justice professionals may be naive about moral issues occurring within the criminal justice system. Many people think that acting lawfully is the same as acting ethically, but that’s not the case. Understanding ethics enables an appreciation of the complexities of acts that involve ethical issues and dilemmas There are so many leadership skills that a criminal justice professional should possess, and only a few was touched on in this essay. One important thing that a good leader can recognize is when to lead and when to follow. With criminal justice organizations constantly evolving and having to change, it is important to have a leader that is able to work with his subordinates and superiors to make effective decision that take the organization in the best directions† (McKinney, 2008 ¬). Ethics and morals encourage people to make beneficial, respectful and fair decisions. Ethical considerations are central to decisions involving d iscretion, force, and due process that require people to make good moral judgments. Therefore, it is imperative that the individuals put in any type of executive role to have formidable leadership skills. Reference Frenz, R. (2011). Importance of ethics and morals. eHow. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. com about_6718517_importance-ethics-morals. html Mckinney, C. (2008, April 3). Modern leadership theories in criminal justice. Yahoo Voices. Retrieved from http://voices. yahoo. com/modern-leadership-theories-criminal-justice- 1338251. html Qualities of good criminal justice professionals. (2011). Go Criminal Justice Schools. Retrieved from http://gocriminaljusticeschools. com/qualities-of-good-criminal-justice- professionals. html

gender and sexuality essays

gender and sexuality essays Gender and Sexuality in Arab and Western Society Gender s view in most of its related states is a conservative approach that is often implemented by force. The Arab s why these two regions should be discussed and compared in a sociological study. Sex that refers to the biological differences between men Sexual relations in Middle Eastern societies have historically articulated dominant and subordinate social positions, adult men on the higher social status, women, boys, and slaves on lower social positions. The distinction made by modern western sexuality between sexual and gender identity, between kinds of sexual degrees of masculinity and family, have until now had little affect on the Middle East. The Middle East as a whole doesnt recognize the complex realities of multiple and changing positions of sexuality and identity. A recent study of family politics in Cairo says that sound taboos and the silent neglection to sexual behavior show some space for discussion. People keep incidents of homosexuality and premarital sex or adultery hidden away from society in order to protect their social backgrounds and to sustain their so-called family values in addition they indulge in episodes of sexual violence such as honor c...

ENGL 100 20 Star Essays - Existence Of God, Philosophy Of Religion

ENGL 100 20 Star Essays - Existence Of God, Philosophy Of Religion The idea of science and religion are merging to lend a hand to mankind, who is seeking for universal knowledge was explore in "The Star" by Arthur C. Clarke. Religion has always been there to provide humanity a reason for its existence in this world, and science has developed into a way to test religious beliefs. The question if mankind can handle the truth when they attain the knowledge and it doesn't match their expectation is talked about in the story. On the search for proving God's existence, the narrator faces a predicament. He begins to question himself about his faith at the point where science and religion merge. Clarke demonstrates the narrator's trouble because of the significance of the nebula's scientific and religious. The narrator's uncertainty comes from his inability to acknowledge that humanity is not the center of religion or the universe. The name of the narrator and Phoenix Nebula have a huge significance impact on the story. The narrator is a Jesuit-astrophysicist who name is unknown. Even though we do not know his name, this suggests that the author wants to identify him as a whole with humanity rather than a specific person. The Phoenix Nebula, later known to be the Bethlehem star, became the symbol for the birth of Jesus and religion. The idea that Christianity rises from the death of the star and eventually another civilization is similar to the animal Phoenix. The narrator is forced to see the possible outcome that awaits him when he remembers the similarities in the other civilization, resembling human civilization. His search to prove God existence allows him to notice a wide range of possibilities. He believes in them but was unaware of how his fate will be determined by the hand of God just like how he was unaware of how the quest for knowledge could have an impact on him. The narrator couldn't rid of the image, because it reflected his own personal emotions toward the beginning and his inevitable downfall. A civilization, similar to human civilization was sacrificed in order for Christianity to be born shows how humanity will end up with the same fate because the glory of God surpasses the glory of humanity or any existence. The narrator finds himself admitting that his findings did not reject God's existence. In the end, the narrator does not question faith but rather on what it means for mankind in the universe. However, he still does not accept the fact that humanity is rest in the hands of God. Ultimately, the "The Star" by Arthur C. Clarke does not question the presence of God but the question of man's arrogance. It is neither justifying or falsifying that God made the narrator to question himself about faith, but him realizing that he is not at the center of everything including religion anymore. Mankind is left with the decision on choosing what to do with the newly inquire knowledge for humanity and its future.

20 surefire tips for using bullets like a pro - Emphasis

20 surefire tips for using bullets like a pro 20 surefire tips for using bullets like a pro Bullet points can bring clarity to an otherwise dense report, delivering quickfire information. But overuse them and you could shoot yourself in the foot – too many can make a document very hard to read. There are 20 bullet points in this article. Take each of them on board next time you draft a document and youll be formatting like a pro in no time. Why use bullets? Bullet points are great for communicating information and breaking up text. For example, they can: make lists clearer, as they are more visual use white space well grab attention by drawing the readers eye help readers scan information reduce word count. When to use bullets Bullet lists always need an introduction (like this one) and are good for: concise web content conveying key information breaking down complex lists summarising main points giving instructions. Bullets can be particularly useful in technical writing. In our experience, theyre popular with scientists and engineers, who sometimes even have a tendency to overuse them as a substitute for structured prose. Historians and policy makers, on the other hand, tend to prefer more connected text, and in some cases dont even use bullets at all. So, how do you strike a good balance? Just remember that they should be the exception, not the rule. They cant draw the readers eye if theyre everywhere, so reserve them for your hardest hitting, most concise points. When to dodge the bullets As a general rule, readers dont like bullet points when: there are too many or  the points are too long they are used for unimportant details the story is emotive or involved and so needs connected text (T)he punctuation is erratic and distracting(;) some of them are very much longer than others and it’s difficult to really see what the point of this particular type of bullet point is – in fact when the writer is just rambling on and simply wasting the reader’s time (annoying, isn’t it?). How to punctuate bullets There are various different styles of punctuating bullet points, and no hard-and-fast rules on the right way to do it. The most important thing is to have a consistent style across your organisation.  At Emphasis, for example, we use two different styles. When the bullet points are not full sentences (as in this article so far), we use: lower case no punctuation a full stop after the final bullet if it ends the sentence (as this one does). However, if were using bullet points for a list of complete sentences: We use a capital letter at the start of each one. And we end each one with a full stop. So there you have it, 20 bullets to help you hit your writing targets. Do you have a preferred style? Do you want to come clean as a bullet-point addict or phobic? Wed like to hear what you think – join the discussion below. How to use bullet points effectively is just one of the many topics we typically cover in our in-company courses and courses for individuals.

The Practice of Sustainability in the Big Cities of Europe Research Paper

The Practice of Sustainability in the Big Cities of Europe - Research Paper Example The idea of sustainable transport means that transport ought to be environmentally friendly. The transport system must have a minimal negative impact on the environment. This is with the aim of preserving the ecological system and further to promote good health within the country. The idea of having a well sustainable transport system is to protect the ecosystem and also to have a positive contribution to the ecological system (Beatley 9). There are a variety of means of transport in European countries like the air, road, rail, water, and intermodal among others. The transport system is in a variety of sectors like the passenger's freight. The transport means are found in the urban areas, the regional, rural and also in long-distance destinations (Beatley 32). The multimodal form of the transport system is essential because it helps in the strengthening of the country’s local economy and also in decreasing the ecological impacts. The chief aim of the multimodal transportation system is to enable movement of citizens from one destination to the other instead of moving the automobile from one point to the other. This is possible through designing multiple transport system, automobiles, public lanes, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes. Furthermore, the public means of transport like commuter rail, bus, high-speed rails, and streetcars will be used to serve the needs of the people around the city and regions around (Beatley 47). The development of multimodal transport has enabled European countries to develop in the economic sector.

Relying on Consumer Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Relying on Consumer Behavior - Essay Example Penny and Kahle (1996) points out that consumers, when interviewed, would state what they think they want but would behave in a different manner in 'real life'. This is especially true with the application of 'operant conditioning'. The term 'operant conditioning' as applied in marketing refers to the methods used by marketers to influence consumers to purchase or consume a product and make it look rewarding to the consumer. Coupons, repeated advertisements, free samples and other promotional gimmicks can and do influence consumer preference. Marketers can also employ different kind of appeals to endeavor a product to a consumer. Appeals include fear appeals, comparative appeals, emotional appeals, value expressive and utilitarian appeals all of which perform to make the customer want the product or service offered. The point is that there are many factors which can change what the consumer would want. Another risk in relying on what the consumers say they want is that it can change over time and the time span can be radical or sporadic. For example, Greenwald (2003) conducted a study on the behavioral shift of UK consumers belonging to the 16-24 age bracket and found that some preference or attitudes change as fast as 3 days or as long as 5 years. Relying on what c

Critical Approaches Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critical Approaches - Essay Example Realism assumes the state to be the paramount player in the economy, and the state is assumed to be unchanging monolithic entity. The problem with this assumption is the non-consideration of agency and internal factors that have an impact on state behaviours. Since most of the realism theory deals with power and the state, a misguided assumption of the state and power relation is the worst failing of the theory. I believe the weakest approach is the feminist approach because it emphasizes on the relation between power and gender instated of emphasizing on the unequal dissemination of resources and power. The best insight of the feminist approach is that women have been oppressed systematically with men historically being dominant. Despite this being the main insight of the theory it lacks a direct relation between the iniquity of power and resource distribution by emphasizing on power and gender relations. The need to cater for unequal power and resource distribution under feminism was not dealt with until recently with the advent of contemporary

Explication of a poem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Explication of a poem - Essay Example wen presents a poem which through its rich imagery, use of sounds and literary allusions, creates a picture of the soldier that is extremely different from the conventional portrait of the soldier. The most important contribution of this poem to one’s understanding of war is the fact that it breaks down the notion of war as an honorable occupation for men. Such accounts of war are almost always premised upon the masculine prowess of the people involved in the war. This poem, however, significantly, alters the view of the soldier as a masculine person. What the poem does is to introduce images of the soldier as a helpless weakling who is trapped in the hostilities between two nations. The sight of the soldier is that of a man â€Å"guttering, choking, drowning† and immersed in pain. The â€Å"desperate glory† (Owen) that he seeks turns out to be a mirage, something that is unattainable in modern warfare. What Owen seems to be indicating is the fact that the older forms of warfare that led to lesser numbers of casualties had given way to more dangerous and more impersonal forms of warfare that led to the numbing of the soldiers in question. One of the most important techniques that the poem uses in order to undercut the rhetoric of war and patriotism is the very rhyme pattern that it follows. The rhyme scheme is abab. This resembles the marching pattern of an army. The pattern, however, in the poem, only symbolizes death and decay. It represents the impossibility of progress and the boredom that accompanies a life as a soldier. Even instances of urgency and vigor are followed and accompanied by the clumsiness of wearing one’s â€Å"helmets just in time†. This is an example of a transferred epithet where the characteristics of one object are transferred to the other. The very basic act of marching is undercut and parodied in the poem, something that locates it in a canon of anti-war poetry. War is thus, something that stunts the growth of one human being and of the

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Research Paper Example Free radius is configured according to requirements based on functions. On the internet world, FreeRadius is most reliable solution for cyber crimes as it has multiple ways of solution against cyber crimes. Most significant use of Free Radius as a security program is for the specialized Wi Fi networks. FreeRadius users do not require any hardware or specific interface; instead they only need to have user name and password registered by the FreeRadious. In a company, employees use the certificates of given access for the company’s database and network. Time and cost are important constraints in securing the company’s network. Cost includes the purchase of hardware and other expenses of securing the network. FreeRadius is free software, which does not require an additional cost. It produces its own security certificates and compatible for all protocols used (Urpi, 13). Plenty of Linux flavor exist there and provide ways to take control of the PCs. Some of the Linux distributions are designed for easier of use of beginners. Distribution is fashioned around the Linux Kernel that varies in its functions and forms. Linux Kernel is portable that runs on the array of CPU and other devices including the Compaq iPAQ, IBM S390 and IBM Linux (Sterling, 67). Creation of Linux distribution is an intimidating task for a scratch product. Process of creation of Linux distribution involves a tool chain for a root file system and also a buildup of the Kernel. Building the proper tools requires the follow up of the simple steps (Sally). Most of IT professionals argue that Ubuntu is a top distribution in Linux. Even those who use other than Ubuntu call it a powerful distribution as things work correctly. Fedora is considered the alternative of the Ubuntu as Red Hat community always prioritized the server based features than desktop enhancements. Linux Mint shares many features of Debian and Ubuntu distributions. Linux Mint is another fine option for the Linux

Xenophobia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Xenophobia - Essay Example However, unlike the Holocaust which built up gradually from Fascist ideas developed by Hitler and his followers in the years after the First World War, and what was seen as the humiliation of the German people, ( The Israeli- American Co-operative 2011) it could be argued that one incident sparked the Rwandan atrocities. The Hutu uprising against their countrymen was triggered when Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, and at that time the Rwandan president, was killed when he was in a plane which was shot down during a rocket attack near Kigali airport on 6th April 1994. The blame was placed firmly on the shoulders of Tutsi leader Paul Kagame, who is now the current Rwandan President, but then leader of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), (BBC News and Le Monde 2004). This was denied by Kagame who blamed the attack on Hutu extremists. Nevertheless, within a few hours of the attack, violence broke out all over the country; and such violence would not wane until three months after the assassination of Habyarimana. By then nearly a million Rwandans would lose their lives. The persecution of the Jews began in the early 1930’s. when Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany in 1933. The persecution he engendered continued and built up into and through World War II., finally ceasing in 1945 when war in Europe finally ended. .It is believed that some 6 million Jews died , as well as members of other minorities such as Gypsies. Others were tortured or suffered in other ways and some 5000 Jewish communities were totally destroyed. ( Nazi Germany 1933-1941) The deaths did not begin as soon as the Fascists came to power. Time was spent first in spreading propaganda across Germany against those seen by the government as the enemies of the Aryan race, a the same time making life very difficult for the minority group. The aim was to encourage Jews to leave the country and to some extent this succeeded, but Hitler could not wait and in 1938 came Kristallnacht - state

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Research Paper Example Free radius is configured according to requirements based on functions. On the internet world, FreeRadius is most reliable solution for cyber crimes as it has multiple ways of solution against cyber crimes. Most significant use of Free Radius as a security program is for the specialized Wi Fi networks. FreeRadius users do not require any hardware or specific interface; instead they only need to have user name and password registered by the FreeRadious. In a company, employees use the certificates of given access for the company’s database and network. Time and cost are important constraints in securing the company’s network. Cost includes the purchase of hardware and other expenses of securing the network. FreeRadius is free software, which does not require an additional cost. It produces its own security certificates and compatible for all protocols used (Urpi, 13). Plenty of Linux flavor exist there and provide ways to take control of the PCs. Some of the Linux distributions are designed for easier of use of beginners. Distribution is fashioned around the Linux Kernel that varies in its functions and forms. Linux Kernel is portable that runs on the array of CPU and other devices including the Compaq iPAQ, IBM S390 and IBM Linux (Sterling, 67). Creation of Linux distribution is an intimidating task for a scratch product. Process of creation of Linux distribution involves a tool chain for a root file system and also a buildup of the Kernel. Building the proper tools requires the follow up of the simple steps (Sally). Most of IT professionals argue that Ubuntu is a top distribution in Linux. Even those who use other than Ubuntu call it a powerful distribution as things work correctly. Fedora is considered the alternative of the Ubuntu as Red Hat community always prioritized the server based features than desktop enhancements. Linux Mint shares many features of Debian and Ubuntu distributions. Linux Mint is another fine option for the Linux

What determines the distrbution of income between wages and profits Essay

What determines the distrbution of income between wages and profits - Essay Example Consequently, the wages paid to the workers in the cinema theatre would reduce. An opposite scenario in this context would be that if the public transport is privatized, the wages paid to the bus conductors would possibly increase. 2. The bargaining power of the workers is another significant factor that plays a role in the determination of distribution of income between wages and profits. The point to be noted here is that bargaining power of the work force can be more important than their productivity. 3. Profits not only depend on the macro factors such as the country’s economy but they also depend on the cost of production which can be company/industry specific. For instance, some companies who believe in excellence would spend a lot on innovation, resulting into low cost of production and high profits. This could also result into high wages. 4. The wages paid would also depend on the size of the company and industry. If the company is growing in size, the wages paid would be high; similarly wages are of growing nature in sunrise industries. Companies who have maintained oligopoly in the market can also afford to pay high wages. 5. Fields such as Information technology and Finance are of revolutionary and innovative nature, so we find wages to be very high in these fields. Similarly companies in any industry such as biotechnology, weapons manufacturing and aerospace that are of innovative nature can afford to pay high wages to the workers. 6. Another important factor is the distinction between skilled and unskilled workers. Skilled workers certainly get paid more than unskilled workers. The point to be noted here is that skilled workers enable the company to make more profits. 7. Referring to the above point again, we can also conclude that skilled/unskilled workers working in the specialty and niche areas will be paid more than

Explosion Of The Digital Era Public Relations

Explosion Of The Digital Era Public Relations Public Engagement is a modern paradigm in the PR context and sets out how professionals should be listening and engaging with their key stakeholders in the 21st Century. Marshall Manson, Director of digital strategy at Edelman UK, describes the terminology as advancing shared interest moving from an influence pyramid to a world of cross-influence (pg 5). According to Edelman there are four attributes of Public Engagement; it aims to be democratic and decentralized, inform the conversation, call for engagement with stakeholders and finally make it clear how reputation is important. Public Engagement has to work in all four areas (Richard Edelman, 2008). Trust building both internally and externally, reputation management and transparency are the hallmarks of successful PR initiatives besides positioning the CEO. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Stuart Mill and G D H Cole (1968) came up with the term Participatory Democracy, which was the forerunner of Public Engagement. Mills supported a representative government with some form of public participation but on a limited scale. Wholesale participation could endanger political decision making and hence democracy. (Pateman1970) Engagement in politics had been regarded as reactive but it is now perceived as proactive. Dialogue and engagement with all parties is important to prevent loss of public trust (Edward Andersson, Simon Burall Emily Fennell, Involve 2010). The Big Society introduced by David Cameron 19 July 2010 sought public dialogue and involvement in decision making. Business and government rely on PR to establish trust and dialogue. Public engagement, like any conversation, is all about listening. Our world can be likened to a conversation and in order to be successful we need to listen ( Richard Edelman 2008). New technology has presented the public with effective tools for engaging in these conversations at a level never experienced before. A white paper published by Arthur W Page Society (2007) is a good example of how Public Relations practitioners and company leaders must change their strategies and business goals to be more authentic in the 21st century. The study looked at how CEOs saw their roles change with the culture of the environment. Environment is changing because of the emergence of all things digital, a global economy and a new breed of stakeholders. However, what it fails to do is to provide a way that can be used to enhance the role of the communication department in the future. According to the paper it believes that communication departments have lost control. In order to move forward they must adapt to new technologies, audiences and engagement models. Transparency is a key part of performing well in the 21st century, it encourages trust on behalf of employees and the public and is in demand more than ever (Michael Smith, Richard Hunter, Ken McGee, Gartner 2010). Public opinion surveys have confirmed the need for transparency in business and managing trust (Grunig, J.E 2009). For organisations to succeed in Public Engagement, they need to be informed, transparent, prospective and adaptive to their key stakeholders (Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, 2008). Prior to current publications on Public Engagement, the term was mainly connected to the science world. A report written by Demos (2009) stated that the UK was now seen as a leader in public engagement within the science world. Public Engagement, it argued would only work when interest groups were included. Matthew C. Nisbet Dietram A. Scheufele (2007) argued that communication must be accessible to all sections of society. Advocacy, a term used by PR company Weber Shandwick, is defined as Public relations caught the first wave, the adoption of new technology to spread information But that first wave, sharing information with more segmented audiences, is cresting. A new one, a fundamental transformation of communication from information to advocacy, is rising (Jack Leslie, Chairman, Weber Shandwick Worldwide). It argues that personnel engagement is needed in order to be able to communicate with their audiences. It is evident that universities are becoming involved with the term Public Engagement. The National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) is part of the Beacon for Public Engagement project. Their aim is to encourage a change in how universities engage with the public and their stakeholders. ___________________________________________________________________________ Social Media Traditional PR skills are still helpful in bringing transparency to communications with stakeholders (Schlesinger 2010) but the introduction of Web 2.0 technologies has changed the world of communications for PR (Pavlik 2008) and Philips and Young (2009). Grunig, J.E (2009) noted that digital media has the potential to make the profession more global, strategic, two-way, interactive and socially responsible (pg 1 Paradigms of Global Public Relations in an Age of Digitalisation). However, he comments that this new media is being used ineffectively by practitioners. Some are using it, as they did with the old media, as a place to write messages rather than using it to interact with the public strategically. Grunig (2009) concludes that it can only be used effectively if social media is used to its full capacity. Public engagement has created new networks of influences and special online forums leading to a world of communication through Blog, Twitter and Facebook among many, impacting all walks of life (Edelman, 2009.) In 2009, 625 million people worldwide had access to the internet (McCann 2009). Sharing of social networking sites has created huge paradigms for PR. It has increased challenges for organisations for the crucial role played by transparency, quickness and clarity in response (Pavlik 2008). The rise in digital interaction and the surge in social media present the practitioners with enormous opportunities. According to McCanns Wave 4 report (2009), social media platforms are becoming the norm to create and share. In his study he noted how they presented unique opportunities to listen and observe. One way messaging is now outdated and anyone understanding this new communication world will succeed (Weber Shandwick). It is important to recognize that social media is also important within organizations, encouraging employee engagement. Enterprise 2.0 is a form of web 2.0 which is used for businesses only. They provide services such as Yammer, a corporate version of Twitter, and Chatter- a social-networking service (Economist 2010). According to Mashable (2010) the top five engaged brands in social media are Starbucks, Coca- Cola, Oreo, Skittles and Redbull. Starbucks have created a digital platform for the participation of public through My Starbucks Idea for communicating with customers by just listening to customers suggestions. Companies are benefitting from listening and improving their services for all stakeholders including customers. Richard Sambrook (the former head of BBC news) believes that every company should be a media company he says. Big companies are going directly to the consumer to engage them now, rather than through display or spot ads and the traditional means of trying to reach consumers. You cant just be out there shouting at people about your brand, youve got to engage with them quite carefully PR is there to help organisations to be honest and engaged with the Public in this new age of media and should not spin stories to the press (Independent 2010) A Stakeholder can be defined as anyone who is affected by the actions arising from any organisation, whether a public or private entity. When engaged, stakeholders can provide organisations with valuable feedback on society expectations leading to the generation of creative solutions and earning the organisation valuable stakeholder support (Lawrence Weber 2008). With the advent of technologically enabled tools there has been a democratisation and socialisation of the media leading to a greater involvement by all participants. Breaking news is today likely to be captured first on Twitter, or the like, rather than a news agency (WrightHinson 2009). This in turn has necessitated greater transparency and in turn enhanced the role of PR professional teams in the management of organisations day to day operations. The status of employees and customers has now been placed on an equal footing with shareholders and other governing participants. (Authentic Enterprise 2007). Evolving through p ublic engagement, the corporate communication function is set to play the role of catalyst in this new environment and the PR practitioner can help empower corporate culture and stakeholder confidence (Miller 2010). At a local level internal communication has become more significant in shaping the management and image of organisations (Authentic Enterprise 2007). Trust is a valuable commodity which needs to be nurtured; in times of crisis the trust relationship will play a significant role in shaping the outcome of adverse events. Encouraging a listening culture within management will enhance the perception of trust (Mazzei and Ravazzani 2010). This is a function that PR needs to develop to accommodate changing communication platforms and models. Strategies need to consider the social and behavioural changes brought about by the internet. There have been many communication models put forward over the past 60 years the principal ones being the Shannon and Weaver model 1949, Shramms Interactive Model 1954 and Grunigs and Hunts 4 Models (1984). It is important to look at communication models to see whether Public engagement is a new paradigm or simply an extension of these. Shannon and Wavers (1949) Mathematical theory of Communication is accepted as one of the most important models from which communication studies has grown ( Johnson and Klare 1961), albeit biased towards the technical aspects of communication research (John Fiske 1982). In contrast to the above models Schramm went on to create his model which emphasised two-way communication (1954) and introduced the concept of feedback. In problem solving scenarios open ended questions need to be asked in order to gain feedback and results. The two-way symmetric model, Grunig and Hunt (1984) is probably the most popular and widely used in todays PR industry. This model is described as being one that can build relationships and resolve conflicts. It is where the stakeholders have a say in what an organisation does and can have some power over policies. This model employs research, listening, and dialogue as tools to cultivate relationships with both internal and external strategic parties. Pieczka (1996) criticised the model as she felt that the study was biased to the two way symmetrical model and questioned the validity of his model. According to Phillips and Young( 2009),social media is causing a new communication paradigm. They believe that communication is shifting from the traditional hierarchical arrangement to an audience model encouraging horizontal discourse. This is confirmed by Edelman (2009). A further study by Grunig developed a model for excellent public relations ( Grunig 2002 ,Grunig Dozier ) It was found that the most successful PR departments took part or contributed to the strategic decisions of the company. Once stakeholders had been identified the study showed that successful PR departments developed programmes to communicate with them. According to Grunig (2002.) Excellence is seen as the balance between an organisation and the public. It was seen as the management of communications on a level that aided the strategic management role whilst maintaining the attention and cooperation of the public. As such the PR role was enhanced and perceived in commercial terms whereby long term relationships could be forged between strategic parties. Philip and Young (2009 ) argued that the new PR challenges the Excellence model. LEtang (2006) was also critical stating that the power imbalance between organisation and public was a flaw in the theory of two-way communication. However Grunig insisted that the model was revised over the years. There appears to be a gap in communication models in regards to Public Engagement although Grunigs fourth model is possibly the closest to it. It is evident that a new model of PR is needed. Whether it is to be called Public Engagement is something which has to be decided.

Beowulf: A Christian and Pagan Poem Essay -- Epic of Beowulf Essay

Beowulf – a Christian-Pagan Poem  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Beowulf the pagan aspect is revealed through many passages and many heathen rites or customs in which the form of expression or the thought suggests pagan usage or beliefs. The Christian aspect is revealed through 68 passages in which the form of expression or the thought suggests Christian usage or doctrine (Blackburn 3). The Christian element seems to be too deeply imbedded in the text of Beowulf for us to conclude that it is due to additions made by scribes at a time when the poem had come to be written down. The Christian element had to be included by the original poet or by minstrels who recited it in later times. The extent to which the Christian element is present varies from about ten percent in the first part to much less than that throughout the rest of the poem.    In Christianizing the local culture which produced Beowulf, Catholic missionaries to Britain in the early centuries took many words belonging to heathen beliefs and practices and adopted them into the church (Blackburn 3). For example, Hel was at one time the goddess of the world of the dead; Catholic missionaries used Hell to indicate the place of the dead, later of the damned. Likewise with words such as Yule, Easter, God, haelend, nergend, drihten, metod, frea; the latter ones have fallen from usage. We see these words used in Beowulf as well as other Anglo-Saxon poetry.    The theology which appears in the Christian allusions in the poem is very vague and indefinete: there is no mention of Christ, the saints, miracles, Mary His Mother, specific doctrines of the church, martyrs of the church, the New Testament (there may be one possible brief exception), rites or ceremonies of the church... ...l Interpretations: Beowulf, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.    Chadwick, H. Munro. â€Å"The Heroic Age.† In An Anthology of Beowulf Criticism, edited by Lewis E. Nicholson. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1963.    Chickering, Howell D.. Beowulf A dual-Language Edition. New York: Anchor Books, 1977.    Frank, Roberta. â€Å"The Beowulf Poet’s Sense of History.† In Beowulf – Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. Robinson, Fred C. â€Å"Apposed Word Meanings and Religious Perspectives.† In Beowulf – Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. Ward & Trent, et al. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1907–21; New York: Bartleby.com, 2000   

Australia :: History

Australia  ¡Ã‚ §The Portuguese were the first to discover the East Coast of Australia ¡Ã‚ ¨ In Australian history books, it has been thought for hundreds of years that Captain Cook from England was the first to discover the east coast of Australia on 28th April 1770. However latest evidence shows that this historic event is inaccurate. A number of relics and remains have been found which indicate the Portuguese arrival at Australia in the early to mid 1500 ¡Ã‚ ¦s, 200 years before Cook. These clues include the Mahogany Ship, a Portuguese caravel that was shipwrecked six miles west of Warrnambool; a stone house at Bittangabee Bay; the Dieppe map, a secret map drawn by the Portuguese; a cannon and five keys found in Geelong. The shipwreck of Mahogany Ship remains Warrnambool ¡Ã‚ ¦s first shipping disaster. The Mahogany Ship is believed to be a Portuguese caravel lost in 1522 in Warrnambool under the command of Cristovao de Mendonca. Prince Henry, the ruler of Portugal at that time, had sent Mendonca and his crew to Australia in order to discover unfound land on the other side of the world that he had located on the French Map, the Dieppe Map that the Portuguese had stolen and copied. Many people believed that the world was a flat saucer but Prince Henry believed that the world was a sphere. Prince Henry wanted to find out if there was in fact such land over the other side of the world as Australia, if it was inhabited and if there was any treasure or valuable things there. This journey had to be kept a secret because the Portuguese were breaking an agreement that they had made with the Spanish. The agreement stated that the Spanish and Portuguese had half of the world each to explore but they could not explore past their boundaries. Mendonca and his crew set out from Portugal in the 1500 ¡Ã‚ ¦s to find out about this new territory. Unfortunately the Mahogany ship was shipwrecked at Warrnambool in Victoria, Australia. Twenty-seven people reported that they saw the Mahogany Ship sink however no one ever found the remains of the caravel. It has been believed that a great storm last century had buried the ship in sand, under sand dunes, but also the last timbers might have been burnt by whalers and locals who were in need of firewood. In July 1999, Mr. Des Williams discovered some wood buried three metres underneath the sand dunes between Warrnambool and Port Fairy.

Junior High School Essay

It was during my 7th grade year that I decided upon my answer to the age-old question: â€Å"What do you want to be when you grow up? † Being that it was my first year at a junior high school, I was a little intimidated. I wasn’t fond of making new friends, so I stuck with the people I already knew from the year before. Jonathan, one of my closer friends, was as introverted as I was. He wasn’t looking for a whole lot of attention, but he did want to involve himself in school. Jonathan asked me to join the school’s drama club with him, so he wouldn’t have to do it alone. I decided to humor him and attend the first meeting one day before school. When I walked in the doors, I saw kids laughing and joking around. It was such a comfortable atmosphere; I barely even felt as if I was still at school. Drama club wasn’t just some club, it was a place for me to be comfortable with myself. It was an escape from the humdrum school days which seemed to get longer as time passed. The drama club was filled with people who weren’t afraid to make fools of themselves and wouldn’t judge me when I did the same. I could let myself be silly and not feel ashamed. I played games like ‘Understudy’ where a skit is started with a few students, the leader interrupts, and the students are replaced with new ones. The new actors then carry on the same general plot of the skit. It was the most fun I had experienced in such a long time. I caught myself going every Tuesday and Friday morning before school. We even planned to do a play one day after lunch. For once I was hoping to get some attention. I wanted to be seen. I had never wanted something like that before. I always laid low and kept to myself, but now I was on stage reading lines. The funny thing about all of this was that I wanted to do it. It was my decision, and I was happy with it. I enjoyed myself so much that I wanted to experience it more often, but with no theater in town, it was easier for me to watch movies. I watched more and more, and before I knew it, I started paying more attention to the actors instead of the storyline. I would watch a couple of movies that all featured one actor to see how his or her style would change. One in particular changed my amateur views of acting altogether, Primal Fear featuring Edward Norton who portrayed an older teen with multi personality disorder. His ability to make 180 ° turns in a single scene fascinated me. I could compare this to Sally Field’s role in the movie Sybil. I tried to find more movies with Edward that were as mind-blowing as the last. I watched Fight Club and noted that he again played a character with a split personality. Leaves of Grass was next on the list. Edward acted as his own twin brother, one who was a college professor while the other was a drug dealer. It seemed to me that his strategy was to unveil the pencil-thin line dividing good and evil or moral/immoral. It was amazing to me that I could learn so much about one person by watching him or her portray others. I fell in love with this theory, so I decided to try my hand at them by joining the Teche Theater of Performing Arts. I auditioned for a play named Gypsy based on the life of Gypsy Rose Lee. The role I was given was not very substantial, but it was a role nonetheless. Rehearsals lasted all summer, and I dedicated myself. I showed up early, and I stayed late. I sang and danced after I told myself I would never do that on stage. I realized my motivation was in the applause. I was looking for a thrill, and I found it in the crowd. I found it in making people laugh. I found it in making friends. Now THAT was different. Now, I was different. I was happy. I used this motivation to better myself. I did more shows at the theater, and I met new people. One of which was Mrs. Diane Wiltz, the main director at the Teche Theater. She would tell me how impressed she was by my versatility on stage, but she wasn’t ever afraid to point out when I was doing something wrong. She taught me to improvise when appropriate, push my character onto the audience, be loud, and overact. â€Å"Don’t hold back,† she would say, â€Å"when you think it’s too much, it is just right. † She also taught me to act comfortable in situations that might not be comfortable. Her advice was not bound to theater. I found that I could incorporate the lessons she taught me into everyday life. I took heed to the advice that she gave me. I did a few experiments to see how I could use these lessons offstage. I started pushing myself to be more extroverted at school by talking to more people, even the teachers. I became comfortable joking with complete strangers. I noticed that my overall attitude towards life changed somewhere along the way. I wanted to make people feel good. It felt good hearing laughter or applause, so I looked for it everywhere I went. I further involved myself in school and the theater. I took on roles in several more productions at Teche, becoming a regular there. The Teche Theater was like a second home to me by then, and I wanted so badly to do this for the rest of my life. I then decided to make plans to act professionally. I looked into finding a school that would help me get a foot into an acting career. I stumbled upon a film organization associated with the University of New Orleans. How could I make my way into an organization that I knew nothing about? It would be way over my head considering I knew little to nothing about film, and I wasn’t a student of UNO. I needed to get a little experience at another college before jumping into being a full-time student in New Orleans, so I decided to enroll at Nicholls State University. As of now, I plan on finishing my freshman year at Nicholls before transferring to the University of New Orleans. When I enroll at UNO, I will major in film arts and production. I will work with fellow students on projects as well as doing a few projects of my own. I will also work to serve as an intern on any major motion picture sets that is offered. Students at the University of New Orleans have helped work on the set of movies like Ray, Runaway Jury, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. These opportunities will hopefully open more doors for me, helping me start a career in this field. I look forward to seeing how I fare in a career that is so difficult to jumpstart, and I can’t help but to think of the people that inspired me and pushed me to be on the path that I am on today.

How Serious Were The Problems Facing Nicholas I at the Start of His Reign? Essay

Nicholas I faced a series of problems ranging in severity at the start of his reign as Tsar, including the Decembrists conspiracy, the Polish revolt and the Russian economy. However the first problem of Nicholas’ reign was in fact the problem of who would become Tsar, himself of his brother Constantine. Since the previous Tsar, Alexander I, had had no children, the rightful heir was his brother Constantine, and next in line was his younger brother Nicholas. With news that Constantine had married and Polish Catholic and renounced his claim to the throne, Nicholas’ was to publish a manifesto declaring himself Tsar. But Milaroadovich, the Governor General of St Petersburg, reminded Nicholas of the custom of proclaiming the eldest living heir Tsar. With this advice given, Nicholas decided to take it, as he knew that the Guards had previously played a part in the succession of many a Tsar. Therefore Nicholas proclaimed Constantine Tsar only for Constantine to do the same to Nicholas. In the end, Constantine refused to travel to St Petersburg from Warsaw, and renounced his claim to the throne and thus proclaimed Nicholas I Tsar. The problem of the succession itself was not too serious but the fact that the Tsar and its administration were in a state of flux had some serious repercussions. This gave more breathing space for the Decembrists to plan their assassination attempt on Nicholas. On 14th December 1825, Nicholas was ready for the Oath of Allegiance ceremony. On that day Nicholas had been informed of both the Northern Society and the Southern Society by General Miloradovich. The general informed Nicholas that the Northern Society’s activities were being monitored, which was true, and that they posed no real threat, which was more debatable. There was definitely unease in the way Nicholas felt he should deal with the problem, he decided to go with Miloradovich’s plans of accepting that he was safe from the Northern Society as he had been reassured that they did not pose a significant threat. Nicholas was worried that if direct action had been used against the conspirators, it might provoke the revolt he sought to avoid. The problem of the Northern and Southern Society was made worse when a Tsar adviser Rostovstev chose to inform the Northern Society of his meeting with the Tsar of the society itself. The leak of information was a serious problem for the new Tsar, although Nicholas probably remained ignorant in the case of Rostovstev. However Rostovstev caused panic the Northern Society, which caused some officers to withdraw quietly but other others decided to go ahead with plan. Nearing the time of the allegiance ceremony, Miloradovich was shot by gathering rebels after trying to negotiate with them. Nicholas then took decisive action and crushed the Decembrist revolt with artillery fire. It was the conjuncture of the attempt on his life; the assassination of his general and leak of information that made the Decembrist revolt a problem of the utmost severity to Nicholas. The revolution so early on in his reign made Nicholas I more reactionary and more suspicious of liberal ideas. Another problem, that faced the majority of Tsar, but was of more prominence in the reign of Nicholas, was the problem of the Russian economy. Nicholas was keen on the idea of a railway system in Russia whereas his chief economic Minister Kankrin was more conservative and felt that it would only encourage the spreading of western ideas and encourage people to travel around more. Another problem was the fact that Russian had fallen seriously behind Western Europe in terms of production, with England far more progressed than Russia could even think. This economic problem brought up the issue of the social system of Russia, and whether or not it was possible to flourish economically without the abolition of Serfdom which was seen as a huge hindrance to Russia trade and it development. This problem was a very serious one, as it needed incredible intellect to find a solution that protected the Tsar’s autocracy and serfdom and that still developed the Russian economy. Another problem at the start of Nicholas I’s reign as the Polish Revolt of 1830 and 1831, a revolt that took place due to the spreading of revolutionary ideas from the like of France and Belgium. It was in November 1830 when the revolutionary ideas hit Poland and the Poles rose in revolt against their Russian overlords. Constantine, Nicholas’ brother, had failed to contain the situation and the revolutionaries had the support of the Polish army. It was nine months until the revolution was suppressed, and the uprising cost many Russian lives, including Constantine’s who died of cholera. Nicholas thought it best to revoke the constitution and replace it with a much more restrictive statute. Universities at Warsaw and Vilna were closed and from then on until the death of Nicholas, Poland was ruled under martial law and the administration was place under greater Russian control. Nicholas aimed to â€Å"russify† Poland, and to impose Russian ways, institutions and beliefs and eradicate the local customs, institutions and beliefs. All in all, Nicholas I faced some very serious problems at the start of his reign in 1825, right from the day he was proclaimed Tsar. It was these incidents at the beginning of his reign such as the Decembrist Revolution and the Polish Revolt that made Nicholas a very reactionary Monarch in the later years of his reign.

Automatic Clothesline

Bulacan State University Sarmiento Campus â€Å"Automatic Clothesline† In partial fulfilment in research methodology Submitted by: Mark Cyrill R. Manzon BSIT-3B Submitted to: Mr. Pedro Abanador Instructor Submitted by: Mark Cyrill R. Manzon BSIT-3B Submitted to: Mr. Pedro Abanador Instructor CHAPTER I PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND Introduction In today’s present era of the technology was evolved more household choirs was converted to a modern ways. It was a long time ago that the people use a lot of efforts and dedication for their works even there’s a way to lessen their task every day.Automated Clothesline gives more opportunities the client or the user to give a convenience on their daily tasks. In this case study, I intend to conduct an intensive research that would help the people and let them in modern technology. In today’s present era of technology, the mobile sector has seen some of the biggest and most amazing breakthroughs in the technology industr y in the last few decades. It was not long ago that the notion of having a handheld device to communicate with others and access data on the go was the whim of sci-fi fans. Not so anymore.The arrival of smartphones ushered in a new era of intelligent innovation and unparalleled connectivity. Mobile  code division multiple access  (CDMA) technology has evolved rapidly over the past few years. Since the start of this millennium, a standard mobile device has gone from being no more than a simple two-way  pager  to being a  mobile phone,  GPS navigation device, an embedded  web browser  and  instant messaging  client, and a  handheld game console. Many experts argue that the future of computer technology rests in  mobile computing  with  wireless networking (3G and 4G Networking).In this case study, I intend to conduct an intensive research that would hint the advantages of 3G and 4G networking in terms of mobile technology issue so that I would immensely stu dy about â€Å"Mobile technology†Ã‚  is the technology used for cellular communication. Mobile computing by way of tablet computers, cell phone is becoming more popular. Mobile technology is available on the 3G and 4G networks. Statement of the Problem General Problem: How does the mobile technology dominant and useful to operate the 3G and 4G Networks. Specific Problem: . How may mobile technology effectiveness be identified as: 2. 1 Portability to use in different places. 2. 2 Computer like abilities to store and retrieve files. 2. 3 Capability to access in internet. 2. 4 Price flexibility. 2. 5 Very useful apps for day to day routine. 2. What gigantic features 3G and 4G networks can provide to be dominant as: 3. 6 Wide variety of voice and data services. 3. 7 Operate on a core IP (Internet Protocol) network 3. 8 Ability to  support mobile rates of 100 Mbps, and fixed rates of 1Gbps. . 9   High-speed  packet  transmissions or burst traffic in the channels. 3. 10 Adv ancement of communication devices such (voice, text and video messaging). 3. 11 peer-to-peer  (P2P)  file sharing  applications Significance of the Study The importance of studying the 3G and 4G networking in mobile technology is how it promises to change the way users interact with resources and applications, moving services away from desktop and laptop computers and how would it be more suitable for the user in the coming year. Scope and LimitationThe purpose of the study is essentially in the development of the mobile technology and its 3G and 4G Networks. The same codes used in the  2G-3G  networks will be applied to future 4G mobile or wireless networks, the detection of very short bursts will be a serious problem due to their very poor partial correlation properties. Recent study has indicated that traditional multi-layer network architecture based on the  Open Systems Interconnection  (OSI) model may not be well suited for 4G mobile network, where transactions o f short packets will be the major part of the traffic in the channels.As the packets from different mobiles carry completely different channel characteristics, the receiver should execute all necessary  algorithms, such as channel estimation, interactions with all upper layers and so on, within a very short time to make the detections of each packet flawless and even to reduce the clutter of traffic. Method of the Study The respondent of the study will include programmer, developer, market analyst, mobile store owner, and mobile users. The study will be conducted from January to march 2013.

Case 93,Electro Technology Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

93,Electro Technology - Case Study Example The present value of the cash flows could then be calculated. Benefits of using this method are that it takes into account the growth potential of the business. The assessment obtained is also based on timing and size of cash flows and risks involved. They directly relate to the debt servicing ability of the firm and hence the amount that should be lent by the bank. The shortcoming of using this method is that it is grounded on expectations on productivity, threats and market circumstances. The extreme hypothesis is that the workshop test could be altered to a mass plant engineering process. From the data offered, there is no material on how statistics on the balance sheet or the discount rate were arrived at or rules behind the figures. A liquidation value could be obtained from these assets and used in deciding the amount of the loan. This curtails the risk for the bank as very few assumptions are made. It also avoids the difficulty and risks in including a value for intangibles (Brigham and Daves, 2010). The drawback of using this method is that it disregards the growth potential of the firm. The key value of Electro-Technology Corporations is the potential of capitalisation of its patented rights. The tactic here involves adjusting the book values for market values for all assets and liabilities on the balance sheet. Intangible assets not included in the balance sheet are added onto the net market value to obtain the adjusted tangible book value (Brigham and Daves, 2010). This may give a fairer value of the companys worth. In addition, it includes intangibles such as patent, which is a significant component of Electro-Technology Corporation assets. The drawback of this process is that intangibles are hard to value. The value of the patent that Electro-Technology Corporation owns lies in its contribution to the firms growth potential. However, there is great subjectivity involved in valuing the patent. The adjusted tangible

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POLLOCK the film - Essay Example There are a variety of sacrifices made by Pollock’s friends, family, and colleagues. For instance, Pollock’s girlfriend and eventual wife, Lee Krasner, sacrifices her own well being and success in order to support Pollock’s painting. In addition to becoming his manager, Lee also takes care of Pollock when he is diagnosed as neurotic and continually tries to help him with his alcoholism. She essentially supports Pollock financially as well because he is not able to sell any paintings due to his inability to change his paintings for potential clients. Lee even appears to sacrifice motherhood because she knows that she must be there to care for Pollock and his mental health problems, in addition to pushing him to continue his art. Later on, she has to sacrifice her own happiness as she puts up with the affair between Pollock and Ruth Kilgman. Pollock also must make some sacrifices for his art. In the film, the audience sees Pollock struggle to sell his paintings. This is mostly due to the fact that Pollock does not appear to want to modify his paintings according to the tastes of others. Because he refuses to do this, art buyers are not purchasing his paintings. He seems to believe that his art is not as pure, or that he loses some of his artistic integrity if he gives in to the buyer’s desires. He is forced to sacrifice this type of mindset when Life magazine decides to write about him which appears to bother Pollock as he does not seem to want this added attention and seems to believe that he is a phony or a sell out for allowing Life magazine to cover him. Ultimately, he sacrifices his own career and life due to his alcoholism which ends up causing a deadly car cash. Due to the fact that so much pain and struggle surrounded Pollock’s life and career, the question of whether or not it was all worth it floats to the forefront of the discussion. Without the controversy and early death, it is likely that Pollock would not have been as

Did the board act ethically Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Did the board act ethically - Research Paper Example Patients demand for services of the machines are more than the hospitals capacity. As a result, decision is to be made on the patients that are to be offered services from the facilities. Some hospitals have formed boards consisting of medical personnel and members of their communities to help in deciding on the people to be offered the limited services. Though the medical condition of the patients are taken into consideration, other factors such as personal and social characteristics such as age, job, number of dependants, status of the patient’s job among others are prioritized by the boards whose common aim is to maximize the utility of the limited machinery. The boards should have an ethical decision making process. This would begin by collecting necessary information about the problem followed by definition of the problem, selecting patients for care. All the relevant stakeholders in the case would then be considered before identification of available alternatives. The board would have then weighed the merits and disadvantages of each alternative before making a decision. A suitable ethical decision would however be based on consideration of ethical principles as discussed bellow (Potts and Mandleco, p. 40). One of the ethical principles that are applicable to the case is the principle of autonomy. Autonomy refers to a person’s authority over factors around him. The ethical principle induces the concept that every individual has the power to make decisions on matters affecting him or her (Brunner et al., p. 40). Another ethical principle that is applicable to the case, the doctrine of beneficence, is defined as a person’s responsibility to do good to other members of the society. It is base on actions of individual that are expected not to cause harm to others in the society. Professional fidelity is another principle that is directly applicable

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Entrepreneurship - Essay Example Once the business has grown enough to be making a substantial profit, entrepreneurs can sell their idea for a profit and move onto the next project. 2. Jobs that are created in the healthcare industry are useful no matter where they came from. Allied industries have their own reasons for getting involved with a healthcare organization, but the benefits can be mutual because each party can make some gains. Alliances like this should be encouraged because job creation can benefit the healthcare in so many ways. Not only does it provide jobs, but it also goes a long way to saving more lives. The healthcare industry is one of the mostly hotly debated topics in American politics, but even all political sides would agree that allied industries do provide many benefits to the healthcare industry that wouldn’t otherwise be provided. For healthcare organizations, trying to reduce costs is one of the primary goals, and if that can be done by working with allied industries, then this can only be thought of as a good

Disney Cohesion Case write up Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Disney Cohesion Case write up - Assignment Example is a large multinational corporation with about one hundred and seventy thousand employees spread all over the world with yearly revenue pegged at about $45 billion. The company has faced problems both internally and externally thus the need to strategically change its management and structure its organizational development (David, 29). The mission of Walt Disney Company is to become the foremost producer and provider of entertainment and information through the use of their variety of brands to have distinct content, services and products for the consumers which must also be pioneering and imaginative. This company operates through organizational structure that has strategic business units, each dealing with its core purposes, which includes the media networks, the parks and resorts, the Walt Disney Studios, Disney Consumer Products and Disney Interactive. The goals of the company are to reach children as well as adult audience through the Disney products, which may include television programs, magazines, books, movies and musical recordings. It also aims at providing the Radio Disney channel through satellite radio, mobile applications and the web while its Disney Consumer Products provides the licenses for those who may wish to provide products based on the products of Walt Disney. Financially, Walt Disney has assets amounting to about US $ 80.5 billion of assets while its revenue has been on an upward trend since the year 2008 running to 2013 with most of the revenue coming from advertising and affiliate fees amongst other sources. It generates the affiliate fees due to its popular ESPN channel, film syndication, merchandising and its ability to produce movies that are a hit in the film market. Walt Disney manages its affairs through the domestic and global integration of its corporate management strategies, which has helped it acquire other film corporations through its massive financial power. Due to its diversified nature of business, it is managed

Aristotle vs Platonist Essay Example for Free

Aristotle vs Platonist Essay Aristotle and Plato were two men with different theories. Although they had some aspects in common, each had their understandings and meanings. Here I will explain what were their beliefs and how these philosophers interpreted each word with its true value. Also with the information, I will try to undercover the meaning of why people used to say people were born either as a Platonist or as a Aristotelian. Between these two philosophers their were differences of character, temperament, background, and mental attitude. Their philosophic belief on the other hand was similar in words but not in action. Let us see why and what am I referring to (Grube). Also, let us choose if we are a Aristotelian or a Platonist and why they say people were born this or that. Virtue is a word that both used to use in their philosophic belief, but, as I said before, the actions were different. To begin with, Aristotles used to describe this word to a action that they have might not even have had the opportunity to chose themselves when they were young. In the norms, help by teachers, parents, and even the government; the development of proper habits was to be made from each persons childhood. This would eventually lead to a better community and for that, better and educated environment. Not only would an adult with this sense of virtue like this be wise to use courage, friendship, justice and other characteristics developed during childhood in a proper way but that is what is required to be good and act when adults. The help is what makes you better when educated young in childhood (Wiki). As mentioned before, Aristotle has different theories than Plato. He suggests that the forms can be discovered through a examination of the world being natural. Now, Plato believes that forms are farther than what humans can understand, it is way beyond. What Platonist ethics is all about is the Form of the Good. For him, virtue is knowledge. The soul, being divided in three parts, which are spirit, reason, and appetite have their share. Then, we have three virtues which are wisdom, moderation, and courage. What makes all of those be together and united is the virtue of justice. This makes the function be the perfection by each part of the soul is performed. Platonism is identified by the persons soul and describes idea prior to matter unlike Aristotelianism (Wiki). To my conclusion, looking at both Aristotelian and Platonist I agree with Platonist belief. While Aristotelian believes that virtue comes through this world as we see it, Plato goes beyond and knows that it is way beyond the eyes of the humans. I think that each person is up-brought differently and for that I believe that all humans have different point of views. My view is Platonist. I am a person that believes and does not have to see it with my own eyes. I do think its important to be educated from childhood but I believe in second chances. Everyone can change and it does not matter if it will be only when you are an adult. Virtue is something that can be used in all phases o life. That is my conclusion on why I was born as a Platonist and not as a Aritotelian. Work Cited: Aristotelian Ethics. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Inc, 2 Nov. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. . Grube, G. M. A. Platonist and Aristotelian. Pheonix. Classical Association of Canada, 1947. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. . Platonism. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Inc. , 12 Nov. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. .

A Swot Analysis Of Barclays Bank Finance Essay

A Swot Analysis Of Barclays Bank Finance Essay The global landscape of business had always been faced with inevitable and unpredictable circumstances which has always been challenging for them once they are confronted. Financial institutions, for instance, have been rattled by the global economic downturn which has affected businesses in the recent years. To be bale to alleviate the effect of such circumstances, it is a common practice among businesses to execute measures and practices which are directed towards improving their performance amidst the tragedies in the economic status. One of the many ways in which they can do so is through a SWOT analysis which speaks of evaluation of the organizations strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This analysis enables businesses to capitalize on the aspects in which they are strong at and to improve on aspect in which they deem as needing improvement. Barclays Bank is one of the numerous financial or banking institutions in the United Kingdom, which over the years, through their unwavering strategies and efforts, has also conquered the global landscape through its business expansion. In their recent year of operation, the bank is regarded as a global financial services provider, engaging in businesses which deals with retail and commercial banking, credit cards, investment banking, wealth management, and investment management services which extends its operation not only in the United Kingdom but all over the world as well. This international expansion can be traced as early as after the First World War in which the bank has expanded its operation to cater to the needs of other regions such as Africa, The Caribbean, the Near East, and the Mediterranean. The regions which were originally selected for expansion of the financial institution were countries with political links to the United Kingdom (Coulbeck, 1984). In the present, ho wever, the business has continued its expansion on its quest to serve more markets and to establish a global presence. At present, rattled by the various economic troubles and the unpredictable future, Barclays is in continued operation with much focus and attention dedicated towards better serving the public and towards the sustainability of their business through responsible financing and business operation (Barclays, 2010). In this study the researcher will be formulating a SWOT strategy analysis for Barclays Bank to provide a more intensive analysis and evaluation of the banks operation. The analysis of a companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, is the starting point of strategy formulation as it provides a thorough evaluation and analysis of the business strengths and weaknesses which are actually internal to their operation and the opportunities and threats which can be further analyzed by looking at the external environment. The results of this analysis can be used at the maximum by exploiting the strengths and opportunities of the organization while neutralizing the threats and deliberately avoiding the weaknesses (Griffin, 2008). STRENGHTS OF BARCLAYS The strength of a company gives the business it competitive edge over other players in the same industry of even among indirect players which can still be classified as participants in the competition. These strengths could include their special capability, resources, or skills which set them apart of the competition like their market dominance and a pleasant financial performance which is set to make them perform better in the following years of operation (Stapleton Thomas, 1998). One of the strengths which can be attributed to the operation of Barclays Bank is its worldwide presence. The international expansion of this financial institution has enabled the business to tap more market and more territories which gave them the advantages of enjoying the economies of scale and it let them enjoyed the benefit of allowing risks to be spread among its numerous bank locations. Their presence in different locations among different countries increases the potential of the business as they become more known in the field of finance and banking industry. The bank has a huge global presence across regions like Europe, South America, North America, Africa and Asia serving almost 50 million clients (BankAdvisor, n.d.) 2007 2008 2009 2007 2008 2009 The two charts which were presented above show another strengths reaped by the bank in the past year. The first chart shows a comparative three year analysis of economic profit which is deemed as one essential key performance indicator of the business. This refers to the firms profit after tax and other non-controlling interests less capital charges. The higher economic profit of Barclays this year as compared to the previous year is indicative of its good performance as such reflects a growth in the banks profit and reflects their efficient use of capital. This strength of Barclays necessitates that the company is doing good in terms of being able to generate economic revenue which is also reflective of good financial performance in the previous year. This goes to show that the company is performing well amidst economic difficulties. Furthermore, the second graph shows the profit before tax of the bank. The chart shows that their profit this year is significantly higher compared to the previous year, another indicator if the companys strength despite the major challenges in the global economic situation particularly affecting international financial institutions. The total profit before tax is one of the most essential profitability measures which can be used to assess and evaluate the performance of a particular company in a given year. It is used as a key indicator of the financial performance which most investors gauge in order to determine how successful a business performed in the past year. The financial data of Barclays, based on their Annual Company Report, reflects an almost doubled profit before tax compared to the previous year. This is another strength which can be considered for the company and such can be able to attract more investments because of the relatively good business in the past year. WEAKNESSES OF BARCLAYS Aside from the strengths of Barclays Bank which were enumerated above, it is also important that we take a look at its corresponding weaknesses. The weaknesses of a business the weaknesses of a business illustrates the areas in which they have not shown exemplary performance and the areas in which they did not show desired or anticipated results. These weaknesses can refere to the traits in which they need improvement. Once carefully identified and stipulated, their weaknesses can help them formulate better strategies and practices so that they can be assured of a better performance. One of the weaknesses of Barclays is its control systems. Because of their deemed defective and inefficient control systems, they were fined in September of last year. This can be classified as their weakness because this tarnished the name in the industry of financial institutions and caused them to have a bad reputation in the eyes of the public. They were fined because of their failure to provide daily data regarding bank transactions which will be used by the government to be able to track and investigate suspected abuse in the trading and also cases of manipulation in the market. This tougher banking regulation has also affected some of the major banks in Europe. Unfortunately, it costs Barclays a lot as they paid a fine amounting to 2.45 million pounds because of this violation on the government laws. The fine would have been bigger if in case they did not cooperate earlier to be able to settle the case (Olson, 2009). 2008 2009 The chart which was illustrated above shows another weakness of the performance of Barclays based on its performance in the previous year. The chart shows the comparative analysis on the number of Barclayard users or customers for the past two years. Barclayard is an international credit card that is multi branded. It is one of the leading credit card businesses in Europe with a relatively growing market in America and other parts of the world as well. The number of customers handling the aforementioned credit card was brought to an entire almost two million customers low this year. This can be attributed to the fact that because of the financial and global economic crisis which hit the world in the previous years, fewer customers are interested on credit purchases because of the uncertainty of their respective financial situations. This can be regarded as a weakness for Barclays because this only illustrates that although other parts of the business is earning, this particular secto r of the business is beginning to lose its customer base which might actually worsen in the next years and can inevitably result into decreased profits. Aside from what has been mentioned, another factor which can be regarded as the weakness of Barclays is that it gives out large amount of bonuses to the members of the Board of Directors. Such practice has gained numerous comments and criticisms from different groups in the past. If such practice will continue, it will haunt them in their operation and will cause more eyes to be focused on them and can even reveal further problems and weaknesses which are inherent in the operation of the business. OPPORTUNITIES FOR BARCLAYS The opportunities which confront the operation of international businesses is another factor which should be evaluated when analyzing the performance of a specific company. These opportunities can open new door for the business, can be basis for expansion or extension of operation, and can give way to opening of new businesses and catering to more markets which were not served before. One of the opportunities for Barclays is the increasing importance of the role which is played by the banks in the society nowadays (Varley, 2009). Despite the numerous disadvantages which were brought about by the financial and global economic crisis, the role of the banks in the society did not weaken; rather it experienced increased importance especially in its ability to provide reliable and efficient payment systems, safe storage for savings and deposit, maturity transformation, management of asset and other investments. This increasing importance of banks amidst financial turmoil provides the indu stry greater opportunities to open its doors into new businesses and ventures which can bring them generous amount of profit and will let them enjoy sustainable competitive advantage in the long run. 2007 2008 2009 2007 2008 2009 The two charts which were presented above also shows areas of opportunity for Barclays Bank. The first one shows the levels of customer satisfaction. in the past years, the level of satisfaction was only 67% versus this years 72%. It is shown that there is a significant increase which means that there is a relatively larger number of customers this year who felt that there is an improvement in the quality of service provided by the bank. This can be classified as an opportunity because this can lead to more strategies focused on the customers and services which could better satisfy their needs. This can also serve as an indicator of more expansion in the line of services they provide since more people are happier with the output and quality of their service provision. The heightened percentage in the level of customer satisfaction can help the business realize more opportunities which are people-related and it can also provide them with the opportunity to develop only better services to be assured of higher satisfaction ratings in the years to come. Furthermore, the second chart shows the amount of income generated internationally. This reflects revenue which was generated from their banks and other forms of businesses outside the United Kingdom. For the year 2008, their international income reached a percentage of 47, and it increased to 57% this year, this goes to show that there is more profit this year generated from international operation as compared to the previous year. This international diversification of the organizations income will provide them with an opportunity to lower the occurrence of risk as they are displaced on a number of locations. The increase in the percentage of income generated from international operation can also provide them with the opportunity to put up more locations in other countries and opportunity to improve service in other countries since these branches are bringing them more revenue year after year. THREATS FOR BARCLAYS The threats which confront any business are as timeless and inevitable as what have been previously discussed. These threats can extend from internal to external and from mild to complex. Companies must be ready once they are confronted with these threats to be bale to sustain and survive in the ever competitive world of business. Threat should be managed carefully to be able to outplay the competition and overcome the struggles which were brought about by such challenges. 2007 2008 2009 The chart which was presented above shows one of the threats confronting the operation of Barclays. It must be noted that in the opportunities section, the rseracher included the increase in income generated from international expansion as a remarkable opportunity because there is a significant increase in the income from the said section of the business. However, needles to say, the increase in income does not always equate to satisfactory international performance. The chart above shows that almost 100 branches outside the United Kingdom closed as compared to the number of branches in the previous year. The closure of these branches is attributed to the fact that they can be bypassed in terms pof performance of some banking transactions which does not need an actual banking operation to take effect. However, the closure of such branches also poses a serious threat to the business because it only means that there is a reduction in the number of locations in which people can transact actual and physically. Because they have reduced the number of their merchant locations, clients may then be prompted to explore the options they are confronted and might actually opt for other banking service provider. Another threat to the operation of Barclays bank would be the increased competition among financial institutions not only in the United Kingdom, but in the international market as well. Although the world has been confronted with financial and economic crunches, the role of banks in the society and in the lives of the people has continued to increase overtime as its function also increased significantly. With that, if there is a relatively low rate of new entrants, it cannot be denied that those who jhave already been in the top are perpetually increasing their efforts to tap more markets globally. Their efforts and strategies are unwavering towards provision of better public service which in turn can give the customers a sense of satisfaction. Because of these efforts and strategies, competition has been more stringent as they utilize more marketing tools which are helping them in their operations. This increased and tightened competition can prove to be unhealthy especially if the efforts of Barclays are not directed towards strategies to survive the competitive playground. Another threat to the operation of Barclays could be the fact that the company has been reputed for closing too many branches in the past, specifically in the year 2000. Such act can lower their competitive position and can create and imagery without credibility and assurance in terms of their operation. The closure of these branches could actually mean weak financial performance thereby threatening both the investors and its array of potential clients. CONCLUSION The global financial and banking industry is not exempted from the economic and financial turmoil which confronts international businesses. In fact, these financial institutions can even feel the greater effect of the predicament as they are concerned with how the world turns around financially. However, a careful analysis of the financial institutions strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats can be of help to be able to formulate better strategies and in order to eliminate practices which are not showing efficiency in their global operations. A careful analysis of such could be able to help them determine and improve their position with regards to competition. The analysis on Barclays shows that they are still in a stable competitive position despite the predicaments which confront their operation. They have a stable financial and management base which enables them to manage the adversaries which are perpetually striking the global businesses.