When to Use Palate, Palette, and Pallet

The nouns palate, palette, and pallet are homophones: they are pronounced similarly but have different meanings. The noun palate refers to the roof of the mouth or the sense of taste.The noun palette refers to an artists paint board or a range of colors.The noun pallet is a straw-filled mattress or a hard bed. Examples Egypts senior archaeologist recently discovered that King Tutankhamen was born with a cleft palate and a clubfoot.Walt Disneys Pinocchio paraded the studios early perfection of the cartoon form: subtle character delineation, a rich color palette, and an inside knowledge of boyhood traumas.In one of the more lurid fairy tales, ogres chop off the legs and arms of a woman to make her body fit a pallet.Percy Painter, a promising but penniless portraitist, might possibly profit were he to pick up, perhaps procure, (1) a plentiful patron with a palate for portraiture, (2) a palette with pigments properly primed, and (3) a pretty person pleasingly prepared to pose pleasantly on his paltry pallet. (Robert Oliver Shipman, A Pun My Word: A Humorously Enlightened Path to English Usage. Rowman Littlefield, 1991)

George Washington The First President Of The United States

George Washington, the First President of the United States, one of the most famous people in his time and in our time, was not always the President of the United States of America. He had an interesting life as Commander in Chief of the Colonial Army, a General in the Colonial Army, a father, and a husband from when he was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia on February 22, 1732, until he died on December 14th, 1799 at Mount Vernon where he had lived two years after he left the presidency. Most of Americans remember from when their American History teachers in the seventh grade painted an honorable picture of George Washington as the Commander in Chief of the Colonial Army and as the First President and the person that turned down the†¦show more content†¦After George’s half-brother died, he inherited part of Lawrence’s estate and took on his brother’s duties as Adjutant of the Colony. With his new job, which promoted him to Major, at the age of 20, he was given the duties to train the militia in his section he was given. George saw actions in wars and led his section of his militia to victory many times. His first show in his career was when he volunteered to deliver a letter from the Virginian Governor, Robert Dinwiddie, for the French troops moving into the Ohio County, to warn them to retreat and forfeit the territory, which was owned and claimed by the British. Whilst delivering the message from the Governor, he learned that the French were planning on making a bigger and further advance. He raced and hurried back to Virginia where he had been made Lieutenant Colonel by the governor and the governor gave Washington about 400 men to reinforce the line and posts that the governor had ordered to be made, at the junction of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. However, the French captured the line and post before the 400 troops under Washington’s command could reach it, and on learning that they were approaching in huge numbers, Washington hurried and retreated to the Great Meadows to build an entrenched camp, and named it Fort Necessity. Late May of 1753, he had won his first military battle as a Lieutenant Colonel and was made a Colonel when he surprised, with the help of the intelligence of his Native

Disaster and Emergency Management Free Essays

The Philosopher Aristotle said that â€Å"the greatest virtues are those which are most useful to other persons† and former US President John Adams also said that â€Å"if we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind whom should we serve? † I believe that I have lived up to the sayings of a great thinker and a leader and nothing is more rewarding than to give my life to safeguard the security of Canada and my countrymen. After my Bachelors degree in Criminology in York University, I worked as a Signal Operator in the Canadian Forces Army Reserve Toronto Communication Regiment for seven years. As a Signal Operator, I have installed and operated satellite communication systems and digitized high-frequency in order to facilitate effective emergency communications during domestic emergency operations. We will write a custom essay sample on Disaster and Emergency Management or any similar topic only for you Order Now The job also allowed me to manage local area networks (LANs) and local distribution networks, operate cryptographic equipment, generate key material, coordinate circuit restoration in communications and information networks, plan communications services, and perform in land operations. Due to my skills and abilities, I have managed three member mobile radio detachment units in various extreme weather conditions, taught new recruits on the use of communications equipment at the Canadian Forces School of Communication and Equipment and manage the safekeeping of top secret communications equipment. In the army, I am tasked to fight as infantry and use personal weapons, reconnaissance and section level tactics when the need arise. From November 5, 2007 to present, I have been working as a Border Service Officer to safeguard the security and protection of the Canadians from people who are entering the border. I have to assure my country that these people will not threaten their lives and no prohibited goods will pass through the border. All people and goods getting into Canada must comply with Canadian laws and regulations. In a fight against terrorism, I assist in combating money laundering activities, prohibit the entry of firearms and detain people who pose as threat to my country. To safeguard the health of our people, I have to be on guard against the introduction of human, animal and plant diseases as well as the flow of narcotics and other illegal and prohibited substances. In compliance with the child abuse and protection law, I prevent the practice of child trafficking and child pornography. In August 2006, I completed my BS Criminology degree with Honours and I was placed on the Dean’s Honour Roll List as well as the Sessional AcademicAchievement list at York University. With my academic achievement, knowledge and skills, I am confident that I would make an excellent addition to the graduate program in Disaster and Emergency Management at York University. My passion for public safety and security will be enhanced when I obtain a Masters degree as I will learn to design and implement effective policies related to emergency response and preventative techniques for the Canadian soldiers in order to increase the protection at our borders and airports. Upon completion of the program, I will be prepared to occupy the senior management level position and write new policies, procedures and regulations as well as updating existing ones. I will also be deployed to Afghanistan and several overseas missions throughout my career. The knowledge and skills that I will gain will be used to aid Canadian soldiers, NATO allies and UN personnel who are affected by natural disasters and acts of terrorism. The 911 incidence awakened my passion to be totally committed in safeguarding Canada and protecting the lives of my countrymen. The potential threat to our security has increased tremendously after 911. Something has to be done and I believe that I have a role and a mission in protecting the interest of the Canadians. The birth of the Masters in Disaster and Emergency Management program at York University is the tool that will help me become professional in this field. The battle cry for a secured and peaceful Canada can never be ignored and nothing can stop me from reaching my goals. References: HeartQuotes (2007).   â€Å"HeartQuotes: Quotes of the Heart†. Retrieved from http://www.heartquotes.net/Service.html on December 19, 2007. Thinkexist.com Quotation.   â€Å"John Adams quotes† Retrieved from http://thinkexist.com/quotes/john_adams/   on December 19, 2007. How to cite Disaster and Emergency Management, Essays

Asymmetric Information in Financial Markets

Question: What is the purpose and objectives of corporate governance, and the principles on which it is based.? An explanation of what is meant by rules-based and principles-based approaches to corporate governance, identifying the arguments for each approach.? What advantages might the company gain through the appointment of non executive directors? Explain the importance of board committees in corporate governance.? An Identification of three of the committees frequently established in organisations and explain their purpose.? Answer: Agency dilemma, in a better way is known as principal-agent problem (Malcomson Spinnewyn, 2004). It may be stated that, this is that particular situation that arise when an individual or the agent is able enough to take and make pronouncement on the behalf of and that which has an impact on the other person or the agent, who is the principal. Sometimes there arises a quandary, mainly because in certain cases the agent is induced to act in several ways that might suit his best interest, rather than adhering to the importance of the principal. Therefore, it is evidently stated that, this principal-agent relation is a very functional and constructive apparatus in not only political science and economics but also applicable to other areas. Source: [blog.design-squared.eu] On the way to get a detailing on this issue of principal-agent problem, very common examples that can be cited are of shareholders (principal) and corporate management (agent), voters (principal) and politicians (agent). The crisis crops up when the two existent parties, i.e, the principal and the agent, have asymmetric information and unlike interests (Thomas, 2004). Due to this asymmetric information, where the agent is supposedly believed to have more part of the information, the principal anyway feels that the agent is acting keeping in mind his or her own perspectives and interests. In this particular kind of scenario, some clash of interests and ethical hazard might arise, the reason being that the principal is in most of the cases at the risk and probability of getting exploited by the agent. As a result of this grave situation, the principal might try to avoid any kind of deal with the agent. But, actually the transaction would have also been a fruitful one, serving the inter ests of both the parties. As a matter of fact here lie the disadvantages of the Asymmetric information (Bebczuk, 2003). This obvious deviation from the interest of the principal on the part of the agent is termed as Agency costs Source: [www.wikispaces.com] Source: [wiki.wooster.edu] As such, there are several means that may be utilized in the alignment of the interests of the agents with that of the principal. For example, in employment, the employers who are the principal use tools like profit sharing, piece rates/commissions, efficiency wages, or even the threat of employment termination. The concept and theory of principal and agent came into being in the 1970s, as a result of combination of disciplines of the institutional theory and economics (Tihanyi, et.al, 2012). In the perspective of law, perhaps the principals are not aware of the fact that whether a contract has at all been satisfied or not, the result of which is that they finish up with the so called agency costs (Chernenko, et.al.,2010) Source: [www.slideplayer.com] The lack of information that leads to agency problem can also be depicted in a more relevant way as below. Source: [www.tutor2u.net] The issue of principal agent problem basically revolves around the central agenda of how to get more of the workers who are the principal in favor of the agents who are the employers. The discussions on the following points may help in getting a better understanding: Ownership and control In case of any private concern, the owners what they do is elect the board of directors, who in turn exercise control over the business resources available for them. But, there may arise situations, where the owner of the company has to sell some of the shares of the company or take out some bonds. It is at this juncture that, the authority might lose some of the allotted powers. The other stakeholders might exercise their right to votes where the loan providers very often have some authority over the business assets (Friedman Miles, 2006). A disagreement may be caused here due to the presence of several shareholders, who in turn have different targets (Claessens, 2011). Employee share ownership schemes A wide spectrum of strategies is present for dealing with the issue of principal-agent problem. One such strategy is the growth of employee share ownership plans (Chamberlain, et.al., 2009) But the usage and mishandling of share alternative has been a controversial topic over several years now. Designing of contract In order to reduce and manage the economic tussle, the principals and agents need to design and agree on a specified contract. This contract acts as a blueprint and guide in order to safeguard the best of interests of the parties, i.e, principal and the agent. The given equation is used to establish incentive compensation in a contract (Gomez-Mejia Werner, 2008): w= a+ b (e+ x+ gy), where, w= wage, a= constant, e= observed effort, x= unobserved exogenous result and its effects, y= observed exogenous effects, g and a stand for the weight given to y, and the income base. A contract related to business eventually creates an easy association between the performances of the agents and the net effectiveness. Overall, it is said that this relation is the parameter for judging the agent performance. Performance evaluation In any kind of business relationships, it is the principal who uses the evaluations based on performances to assure that the agent on his part is fulfilling the required responsibilities (John Eeckhout, 2006). Performance estimation can be of two types: Subjective performance evaluation- In this, it is the principal who directly evaluates the performance of the agent. The judgment in case of subjective performance evaluation is based on opinions (Prince, 2007). Objective performance evaluation- This particular evaluation is based on the comparison that is made with the performance of the agent with that of the work that has been finished by peers inside the business (Stufflebeam, 2001). Incentive structures The structure of incentives is a very crucial part of any business relationship. It is this that forms a viaduct between the interests of the agent and the principal (Moro, et.al., 2005). The principal propose various deals that in turn act as a motivating factor to the agents so that they work efficiently. Therefore, to conclude, it can be inferred from the above made discussions that, the principal-agent problem, that is also known as agency dilemma subsists in any business set up where there is a difference of interests between the agents and the principals. References Bebczuk, R. (2003). Asymmetric information in financial markets. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Chamberlain, C., Ife, M., Chamberlain, C. (2009). Employee share schemes. Haywards Heath: Tottel. Chernenko, S., Foley, C., Greenwood, R. (2010). Agency costs, mispricing, and ownership structure. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research. Claessens, S. (2011). Expropriation of minority shareholders (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: World Bank. Friedman, A., Miles, S. (2006). Stakeholders. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Gomez-Mejia, L., Werner, S. (2008). Global compensation. London: Routledge. John, L., Eeckhout, L. (2006). Performance evaluation and benchmarking. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. Malcomson, J., Spinnewyn, F. (2004). The multiperiod principal agent problem (3rd ed.). Southampton: University of Southampton. Moro, G., Sartori, C., P. Singh, M. (2005). Agents and Peer-to-Peer Computing. Berlin: Springer. Prince, M. (2007). A model for subjective evaluation of performance (2nd ed.). Windsor, Ont.: University of Windsor, Faculty of Business Administration. Stufflebeam, D. (2001). Evaluation models. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Thomas, J. (2004). Income fluctuation and asymmetric information (3rd ed.). Reading, Berks[hire], UK: Dept. of Economics, University of Reading. Tihanyi, L., Devinney, T., Pedersen, T. (2012). Institutional theory in international business and management. Bingley, U.K.: Emerald.

A Students Guide to Traveling Without Spending Money

A Students Guide to Traveling Without Spending Money If you belong to the group of students who want to go abroad, but don’t have enough money to achieve that, there’s an easy solution. Ask to  help with  essay  papers  or more, precisely, my personal statement for a scholarship.  You can enroll into various programs, scholarships, internships, and trainings that allow you to travel without actually spending money. This way,  you get to meet locals, make a significant academic progress, and travel without spending your money. Isn’t that amazing?! It’s needless to mention that participating in various student programs abroad will look amazing on your CV and let’s not forget networking. Just imagine how many connections you can make when doing what you love and traveling at the same time. Book Details File Size:  474 KB Print Length:  31  pages Publication Date:  Pending ISBN:  Pending Language:  English Price: FREE Edition by:  Amra Serdarevic and the   Team Book Contributors Hi, I am Amra.  I do English Language and Literature Lab here at . I host 6 lab session a month, each of them is dedicated to a specific problem student encounter on their courses. I analyze different examples of English Language essays and give best practices on essay writing. Want to send me a pitch or suggest the problem to discuss?  Drop me an email   or follow me at  Medium. Hi, I’m Gemma Cleaver!  Im a travel  blogger at Gemma Jane Adventures. My time traveling has been the most intense  time of my life. I could never have predicted all the adventures I’d have and  the stories I can tell. But one thing’s for sure, whatever happens travel is in my blood, I’ll always find ways to keep exploring! Hey! My name is Shereen Rayle. My goal is to show that you can travel and you can go further and do more, while spending less, than you probably thought possible.There never seem to be enough hours in the day for everything I want to do, but I find that is true no matter what you have going on and where you are. Hi, I’m Amanda Kendle. I’m Not a ballerina but a traveller and a thinker, and I love to write about my travel experiences in a way that is both fun and meaningful. Introduction World’s (Scholarship) Study Programs Description How to Apply? Deadlines + requirements CV Personal statement/motivation letter Resources Internships Description How to apply? Deadlines + requirements CV Personal statement (essay)/Motivation letter Resources Conferences/Trainings Description How to apply Deadlines + requirements CV Personal statement/Motivation letter Resources Volunteering Description How to apply Deadlines + requirements CV Personal statement (essay)/Motivation letter Useful Resources Tips for exploring the world on a low budget Germany (by A.Kendle) New Zeland (by G. Cleaver) USA (by S. Rayle)

Was Saxon justice harsh and superstitious Essays

Was Saxon justice harsh and superstitious Essays Was Saxon justice harsh and superstitious Essay Was Saxon justice harsh and superstitious Essay Essay Topic: Law Between AD500 and 1100 England changed form being a mass of small kingdoms into one united country. During these centuries, kings played a vital part in every aspect of government and especially in crime and punishment. A kings most important tasks were to defend his country from attacks and to make sure his laws were obeyed. Laws were made by kings after consulting nobles and bishops. At first, Laws had two main aims, to protect landowners property from damage or theft and to protect people from violence although freemen got more protection than slaves. Early Saxon kings allowed the victims of crimes to punish the criminal themselves. If someone was murdered, the family had the right to track down and kill the murderer. This right was known as the Blood Feud. There were two problems about this legal violence. Firstly, it often led to even more violence as families and their friends banded together to take revenge for an attack and then this led to another attack. Secondly, it did not protect people who did not want to use violence against those who had harmed them. Later kings abolished the Blood Feud and introduced money fines called wergilds for many crimes including some murders. The victims received compensation in money. The level of punishment was decided by the king, through his laws. This made further violence much less likely. Saxon laws were extremely detailed about fines that criminals had to pay. The wergild for killing a nobleman was 300 shillings. If the criminal could not afford to pay the fine, then he or she was sent into slavery. However, not all crimes were punished by fines. Some serious crimes carried the death penalty treason against the king, arson and betraying your lord. Reoffenders were also punished harshly if they were caught. Punishments for regular offenders included mutilation, for example, cutting off a hand, ear or nose or putting out the eyes. Any accused person who did not come to court was Outlawed. This meant he no longer had the protection of the law and could be killed by anyone as a punishment. Prisons were only used for holding accused people before trial. Imprisonment was rarely used as a punishment because it was expensive. Gaolers would have to be paid and criminals would have to be fed. This was impossible at a time when kings only collected taxes for wars or to pay for other out of the ordinary events. There was no police force in Saxon England. In the early Saxon kingdoms people relied on their families to help them catch thieves or other wrongdoers. By the tenth century, kings had set up a different kind of self-help system known as a tithing. A tithing was a group of ten people. All males over the age of twelve had to belong to a tithing. This meant that they were responsible for each others behaviour. If a member of the tithing broke the law, the others had to bring him to court or pay the compensation fine to the victim. In a modern trial there are lawyers to prosecute and defend, and jury members must have no prior knowledge of the accused. By contrast, at a Saxon trial there were no lawyers to prosecute or defend the accused person. The accuser was the person who claimed to be the victim of the crime. The jury was also different. It was made up of men from the area who probably knew the accuser and the accused. Both the accused and the accuser told their version of events to the jury. It was then up to the jury to decide who was telling the truth. If there was no clear evidence (such as a witness having seen the crime take place) they used their experience of people concerned. If the jury felt the accuser was more honest in general than the accused, they swore an oath that the accused was guilty. The jurys oath taking was called Compurgation. There were times when the jury members could not agree with each other. This was usually in cases of theft or murder when there was no witness. Trial by ordeal was the solution to this problem. A twelfth-century law said that the ordeal of hot iron is not to be permitted except where the naked truth cannot otherwise be explored. Then God was asked to decide whether the accused person was guilty and the accused had to undergo trial by ordeal. Human beings might not know the truth but God certainly would! There were different kinds of trial by ordeal but whichever one was used; a careful religious ritual was followed. The person taking the ordeal had to fast for three days beforehand and hear mass in the church. As the ordeal by hot iron began the priest said these words: If you are innocent of this charge you may confidently receive this iron in your hand and the Lord, the justice judge, will free you, just as he snatched the three children from the burning fire. Trial by hot iron was usually taken by women. The accused had to carry a piece of red-hot iron for three metres. Her hand was then bandaged and unwrapped three days later. If the wound was healing cleanly without festering everyone would know that god was saying she was innocent. But if the wound was not healing cleanly God was saying she was guilty. Trial by hot water was usually taken my men. The accused put his hand into boiling water to pick up an object and lift it out. This might not be so easy. One of the earliest accounts of this ordeal describes how the accused plunged his right hand into the cauldron. In the bubbling it was not easy for him to grasp the little ring but at last he drew it out. The arm was then bandaged. Three days later the bandage was taken off. Again, the person was innocent if the wound was healing cleanly. Trial by cold water was also usually taken by men. People believed that the water was pure and so would reveal the truth. The accused was lowered into the water (a river or pond as close to the church as possible) on the end of a rope. The rope was knotted above the waist. If the person sank and the knot went below the surface then he was innocent because the pure water had been willing to let this innocent beneath its surface. However, if he and the knot floated then they believed the water was rejecting him because he was guilty. Trial by consecrated bread was taken by priests. The priest first had to pray, asking that he be choked by the bread if he lied. Then he had to eat a piece of consecrated bread. If he choked then he was guilty because God would not let a sinner eat consecrated bread. This might seem a much more lenient ordeal but people believed that God was sure to punish a priest who lied and so it was seen as the most effective or all ordeals. I think that the Saxons used trial by ordeal as a means of finding out whether someone was guilty or not to deter other would be criminals from committing crime. In my opinion, Saxon trials were based on superstition rather than logic because the trials in order to ascertain whether the person was guilty were based on a chance result and were often biased of finding them guilty.

Discussion question Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Discussion question - Coursework Example number of body parts pierced either as a declaration of their personal individualism, a recuperation of their bodies from emotional or physical trauma, as a way of sexual fulfilment or stimulation or for as a means of decoration. Art does not help in keeping the practice in balance since people indulge in body piercing for various reasons. This can be affirmed by claim of Rand that the foundations of capitalism tattered by an overflow of self-sacrifice, which is the source of the contemporary worlds decay (Rand, 1967). I believe Karl Max was correct in stating that capitalism is self-destructing. Capitalism has led to competitive capitalism that serves as both an instrument for attaining economic self-determination and a necessary state for political freedom. These are factors linked to the concept of individuality (self-destruction). According to Friedman, it costs funds to discriminate, and it is extremely hard, given the unfriendly nature of market conditions (Friedman 1982). This is a confirmation of Max declaration on

Composition Analysis. Handel, Messiah, Hallelujah Chorus Research Paper

Composition Analysis. Handel, Messiah, Hallelujah Chorus - Research Paper Example He spent the last forty-nine years of his life in England, which at that time was a prosperous nation and the environment was conducive to freewheeling genius as himself. He was a very successful composer. But by 1730s, both emotional and physical exhaustion took over Handel and he started concentrating on composing Sacred Oratorios. They were easier to deal with unlike Operas, which dealt with large, elaborate and expensive sets and extremely moody and unpredictable actors. The fact remains that Handel’s most famous compositions are his Oratorios. â€Å"Messiah† was composed at an astounding pace, between three and four weeks during August and September 1741. It was originally intended to be presented during the Easter of 1742. The libretto is by Charles Jennens and is drawn from King James’ Bible. It interprets the Christian doctrine of the Messiah or the Savior. Handel was disappointed with the cold reception of his previous work by the audience of London. Pro bably this is one reason behind premiering it in Dublin on 13th April, 1742. In fact he was skeptical about the reception of the Oratorio by the audience. His earlier pieces were always bonded by a strong plot and clear narrative. â€Å"Messiah† on the other hand was very loosely bound. ... He described them as: â€Å"Part One: The prophecy and realization of God’s plan to redeem mankind by the coming of the Messiah. Part Two: The accomplishment of redemption by the sacrifice of Jesus, mankind’s rejection of God’s offer, and mankind’s utter defeat when trying to oppose the power of the Almighty. Part Three: A Hymn of Thanksgiving for the final overthrow of Death.† The ‘Hallelujah’ chorus comes during the ending portion of the second part of the composition. It has a feeling of a man’s realization of coming of Christ and permeates an atmosphere of holiness when the whole chorus sings out together in magnificent homophony. The lyrics are: Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! The kingdom of t his world Is become the kingdom of our Lord, And of His Christ, and of His Christ; And He shall reign for ever and ever, For ever and ever, forever and ever, King of kings, and Lord of lords, King of kings, and Lord of lords, And Lord of lords, And He shall reign, And He shall reign forever and ever, King of kings, forever and ever, And Lord of lords, Hallelujah! Hallelujah! And He shall reign forever and ever, King of kings! and Lord of lords! And He shall reign forever and ever, King of kings! and Lord of lords! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! The composer has chosen this chorus to be a high point in his composition. Thus it is richly orchestrated. It contains a continuo, lower and upper strings, trumpet and percussion in addition to the constant use of soprano, alto, tenor and bass. The

Role of Parents Diminishes from Generation to Generation Essay

Role of Parents Diminishes from Generation to Generation - Essay Example Children no more need their parents for guidance and supervision. All they need to do is click on Google to know whether a decision is right or wrong, to know the consequences of bad career choice, and to know if they need to correct their diet. Parents’ role has diminished. No doubt, this is a tragedy. Nothing can substitute the ultimate love and care that parents can give to their child. Internet does not pray for us. Media does not feed us. Movies do not pick us up when we fall down. But getting ahead of this emotional debate, let’s ponder upon why parents’ role has diminished, and what the aftermath is. Helena Norberg-Hodge (632) writes that today, teenagers are ashamed of their traditional ways of living, and to be precise, they are ashamed of their parents. They do not admire their parents anymore; instead, they appreciate all those chic-clothed classy actors and actresses they see on television. Their parents have become old-fashioned for them. They do not like their parents asking them to choose a way of life that involves working in the fields and getting their hands dirty for little or no money, and certainly no glamour† (Norberg-Hodge 632, para.3). ... Apparently, we are connecting to the world through online social networks, like Facebook and Orkut, but what happens in real? We are disconnecting from real life. This disconnection diminishes the role of significant others in children’s lives, especially that of the parents. This has given rise to the big generation gap, accompanied with scary communication barriers. â€Å"We tried to make our conversation seem like more than an interview†, writes Rodriguez (201), telling about his experience when he talked to his mother on Christmas vacation. Why, today, parents and children need to put in effort to bring some life to their conversation? Why does it not come up naturally, with care and concern? This is because children are emotionally distant from their parents. Parents, themselves, are too busy nowadays, and they provide their children with expensive electronic gadgets, multichannel cables, LCD televisions, and computers, which children spend most of their time with. They have ready-made food available to them at McDonalds, Pizza Hut, and KFC. They do not need their mother’s good old recipe driven healthy food anymore. They absorb knowledge from what they see on media channels. They learn everything before parents even get the chance to tell them. Mothers wait for the right menstrual age of their daughters to tell them about it, and daughters already know it. Fathers wait for their boys to get big enough to be told about safe sex, and the boys already know it. It is all around them- the information, the knowledge, the statistics, the facts and figures, the good consequences and the bad ones. Then, why would they need their parents anymore? Today’s age has made them

Self-Evaluations and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour

Self-Evaluations and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Background and Rationale The current research is aimed at identifying whether there is a relationship between an individual’s core self-evaluations and their organisational citizenship behaviour. Core-self evaluations are defined as a personality trait that reflects how an individual views themselves. For example, people who have high core self-evaluations think positively of themselves and are confident in their own abilities. Organisational citizenship behaviour is a term that encompasses anything positive and constructive that employees do, of their own choice, which supports co-workers and benefits the company; such as ‘going the extra mile’. Overall, this research is aimed at finding out whether core self-evaluations directly affect organisational citizenship behaviours or whether core self-evaluations affect an individual’s level of job satisfaction and organisational commitment, which in turn affect their organisational citizenship behaviours. Being able to identify factors that affect organisational citizenship behaviour is beneficial to organisations, as they can use this information in both the selection and development of their employees. The literature relating to each concept will be discussed. Core self-evaluations The concept of core self-evaluations (CSE) was introduced by Judge, Locke Durham (1997). They describe it as â€Å"a broad concept representing the fundamental evaluations that people make about themselves and their functioning in their environment†.In other words, it is a personality trait that reflects the extent to which an individual views themselves. CSE combines four, traditionally separate and distinct, personality traits: self-esteem, general self-efficacy, emotional stability, and locus of control. This self-assessment reflects who the individual is and how the individual perceives themselves (Judge, Locke Durham, 1997). For example, individuals with a positive core self-evaluation perceive themselves in a positive way regardless of the situation. They would be likely to see themselves as capable, worthy, and in control of their lives. However, individuals with a negative core self-evaluation would see themselves as less worthy than others, dwell on their failures, an d see themselves as victims of their environment (Judge, Locke, Durham Kluger, 1998). Previous research on CSE have found that individuals with high levels of CSE have a variety of positive outcomes such as higher levels of: subjective well-being (Judge, Erez, Thoresen, Bono, 2002), job satisfaction (Judge Bono, 2001), job performance (Erez Judge, 2001), engagement (Rich, LePine, Crawford, 2010), and popularity (Scott Judge, 2009). They also report lower levels of stress and conflict, cope more effectively with setbacks, and better capitalise on advantages and opportunities (Erez Judge, 2001). Core self-evaluations and Job attitudes There is evidence to suggest that there is a relationship between core self-evaluations and job attitudes. In this case job attitudes incorporates both job satisfaction and organisational commitment. The relationship between core self-evaluations and job satisfaction has been researched by various authors in which a consistent and significant relationship has been found (Judge, Locke Durham, 1997;Judge, Locke, Durham, Kluger, 1998; Bono Judge, 2003; Dormann, Fay, Zapf Frese, 2006). Furthermore, Stumpp, Hà ¼lsheger, Muck Maier (2009) looked at the relationship between core self-evaluations and found that core self-evaluations were related to both job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Organisational Citizenship Behaviours Organisational citizenship behaviours (OCBs) are voluntary employee behaviours that are not formally rewarded by the organisation, but contribute to either the success of the whole organisation or to the well-being of other employees (Borman Motowidlo, 1993). Examples of OCBs include: assisting co-workers with their work, helping new members of the organisation, talking favourably about the organisation to outsiders, and attending non-mandatory functions that help the organisation’s image (Lee Allen, 2002). Research on OCB’s have shown that they are important as they contribute significantly to both individual level (Rotundo Sackett, 2002) and organisational-level performance outcomes (Podsakoff, Whiting, Podsakoff, Blume, 2009). Organisational Citizenship Behaviours and Job attitudes There has been a relatively large amount of research into the main effects of job attitudes on OCBs. Various meta-analyses have found that job satisfaction and organisational commitment are all positively related to OCBs (Dalal, 2005;LePine, Erez, Johnson, 2002;Organ Ryan, 1995). Furthermore, job attitudes have been conceptually linked with OCBs (Bowling, Wang Li, 2011). It is thought that that the principle of reciprocity (Cialdini, 2001;Gouldner, 1960) and social exchange theory (Cropanzano, Howes, Grandey, Toth, 1997) can predict a positive relationship between job attitudes and OCBs. For example, employees who have positive job attitudes, such as high job satisfaction, are expected to reward their organisations for giving them a good job environment, by engaging in OCBs (Dalal, 2005;LePine etal., 2002;Organ Ryan, 1995).The current study is interested in testing whether core self-evaluations moderates the effects of job attitudes on OCBs. As research has suggested that positi ve self-concept contributes to ones general level of initiative and self-confidence (Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, Vohs, 2003), job attitudes may therefore be more strongly related to OCBs for employees who have positive core self-evaluations (CSE). Core self-evaluations and Organisational Citizenship Behaviours Although scarcely examined in previous research, CSEs are expected to be positively related to OCBs. The rationale behind this is that positive self-concept contributes to an individual’s general level of initiative and beliefs about their general level of competence (Baumeister etal., 2003). Therefore, engaging in certain OCBs requires the individual to initiate social interaction and to be confident about their level of interpersonal competence (Bowling, Wang Li, 2011). For example, offering help to a struggling co-worker or volunteering to assist a new employee. Individuals with a positive CSE are more likely to engage in OCBs that incorporate high levels of social interaction for two reasons: they do not fear social rejection and they know that they are socially competent. Other types of OCB require the individual to be confident about their beliefs and have the drive to defend those beliefs (Bowling, Wang Li, 2011). These OCB’s may include: defending the organisa tion when others criticise it, communicating ideas to help improve the organisation, or showing loyalty to the organisation. Again, individuals with a positive CSE are more likely to engage in OCBs that require this form of initiative, because they are more likely to have a high level of self-confidence. Therefore, a certain level of initiative and self-confidence may be required to perform most OCBs. Reasons for Research The current study will expand on the existing CSE literature in two ways. Firstly, it will examine the relationship between CSE and OCBs. To date, few studies have identified whether CSE affects OCB’s. There is a clear conceptual basis to expect that CSE will be positively related to OCBs as many OCBs require personal initiative and self-confidence, both of which are enhanced by positive self-evaluations (Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, Vohs, 2003). Furthermore, the constituent traits of CSE have been linked with OCBs. For example, self-esteem (Bowling, Eschleman, Wang, Kirkendall, Alarcon, 2010), internal locus of control (O’Brien Allen, 2008) and emotional stability (Small Diefendorff, 2006) are all positively related to OCBs. It will also examine whether there is an interaction between CSE and overall job attitude (job satisfaction and organisational commitment) and test whether this moderates the CSE–OCB relationship. The current research seeks to examine whether individuals with high core self-evaluations perform more organisational citizenship behaviours or whether there are moderating effects of job satisfaction and organisational commitment

Plea Bargains: Currency of The Courts Essay -- Law

â€Å"Rahim Jaffer case heads for plea-bargain†; former Alberta MP Rahim Jaffer was being charged on cocaine possession and drunk-driving charges; his case was likely to be resolved with a plea-bargain agreement (Makin, 2010). This is but one case of many that are settled though a plea-bargain agreement. Plea-bargaining can take the form of a sentence reduction, a withdrawal or stay of other charges, or, a promise not proceed on other charges, in exchange for a guilty plea by an accused. During discussion of a potential plea bargain agreement, the Crown Attorney and defence lawyer will look at 4 distinct sections of a plea negotiation: charge discussions, sentence discussions, procedural discussions, and agreements as to the facts of the offence and the narrowing of issues in order to expedite the trial ("Plea bargaining," 2011). According to the Department of Justice, approximately 90% of criminal cases are resolved each year by use of plea-bargaining (â€Å"Findlaw,† 2012). Despite what appears on its face to be rampant use of the plea agreement, plea negotiations are incredibly helpful to our court system. First, plea agreements serve to diminish the overload of cases and avoid lengthy trials, thus avoiding appeals of trial decisions and allowing greater access to the justice system. In turn, a less burdened court system can focus its efforts on the most serious of criminal offences thereby ensuring that such cases are handled in the manner with the greatest likelihood of securing a conviction. Overall, this judicial efficiency results in a cost savings and better allocation of resources. This paper will explore these two main benefits and also discuss potential criticisms of the plea bargain system. Plea-Bargaining has become... ..., 2012, from http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/icg-gci/pb4-rpc4.html Plea bargaining. (2011, February 28). Retrieved from http://www.victimsofviolence.on.ca/rev2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=378&Itemid=197 Plea bargaining in canada. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/rs/rep-rap/2002/rr02_5/p3.html Romaniuk, T. (n.d.). Centre for Constitutional Studies - R. v. Askov.Faculty of Law Home - University of Alberta. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://www.law.ualberta.ca/centres/ccs/rulings/Ask Tappscott. (2012). street directory. Retrieved from http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/14026/legal_matters/plea_bargaining_pros_and_cons.html Young, R. (2011, November 16). Cutbacks have some courts dismissing criminal cases. Here & Noe. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://www.hereandnow.wbur.org/2011/11/16/budget-cuts-court

Mango Street and the Struggles to Achive the American Dream Essay

What is the american dream? Many people will answer that question by saying being successful in america. Others would say that having a nice house in a good neighboorhood, a good marriage, two kids and a golden retreiver is the american dream. Unlike these beliefs of what the american dream is for many latinos that come to this country the american dream is simply one word, survival. For esperanza her american dream is to get out of mango street. Something that she wishes for and is certain that when the time comes she will do. The house on mango street by sandra cisneros manifest all the stuggles and hardships latinos go through when they come to this country to try and achieve the american dream. Imagine going outside and not being able to read what the signs in the street say, or going to eat somewhere and not being able to get what you want because no one understands the language you speak. This is a huge struggle that all latinos face when they come here, the language barrier. Home is something that is far far away for latino immigrants. Home is family, friends, smells, food, familiar faces, the place you love. Something that most latinos don’t have when they come to america. Esperansa knows that mango street isn’t the home she wants. Longing for home is sometimes the biggest stuggle of being an immigrant. Something that esperanza has dealt with her entire life. In the story esperanza learns that achieving your dreams are very difficult speacially if you are a latino women. The first stuggle that latinos have to overcome when they come here is the language barrier. Something that mamacita in â€Å"No speak english† does not understand. Mamacita is a women who doesn’t want to change her lifestyle to the american way. She only knows a few words and like many latinos no speak english is the main thing she says. Esperanza believes that â€Å"she doesn’t comes out because she is afraid to speak english†. Many latino immigrants go through the same thing. If it’s not the financial situation, meaning that they cant afford to go to school to learn english. Or just plain embarrasment of people laughing at them if they try to speak, like when esperanza’s dad ate â€Å"hamandeggs† for his first three months of being in america because he did not know any other words. This is a barrier that holds a lot of people back. It is not easy trying to achieve the american dream without learning the language first. Esperanza associates the power of language as a way out of mango street. She views her ability to write as the freedom and ticket out of the â€Å"barrio†. Not having a place to call home is also a big struggle that latinos have to overcome in able achieve the american dream. â€Å"Home is where the heart is. † Cisneros develops this famous statement to depict what a â€Å"home† really represents. What is a home? Is it a house with four walls and a roof, the neighborhood of kids while growing up, or a unique Cleaver household where everything is perfect and no problems arise? According to Cisneros, we all have our own home with which we identify; however, we cannot always go back to the environment we once considered our dwelling place. The home, which is characterized by who we are, and determined by how we view ourselves, is what makes every individual unique. A home is a personality, a depiction of who we are inside and how we grow through our life experiences. Mamacita is an example of this. She sits home all day and reminisces, â€Å"she sings all the homesick songs about her country†, â€Å"home, home, home is a house on a photograph, a pink house†. Her husbands even goes and paints the walls of their apartment pink to ease her homesick a little but â€Å"it’s not the same you know†. â€Å"She stiils sighs for her pink house in mexico†. Or in â€Å"Geraldo no last name† a guy that no one knows. He died but no one cared because he was â€Å"just another brazer who didn’t speak english, just another wet back†. This is how alot of people think about immigrants in america. They are not good, they only come to steal real americans jobs†. People don’t understands that most latinos have family back home that they support with the little bit of money they make. â€Å"His name is geraldo, and his home is in another country, the one’s he left behind are far away will wonder, shrugh, remember, geraldo he went north and we never heard from him again†. Latino immigrants come here because this is â€Å"the land of opportnity†. Opportunities that alot of times their countries dont offer. This is why they try to make america there home as well. Something that sometimes is impossible but they have to do to live a better life. The american dream is what my parents came to this country to achieve. As latino immigrants they went through all these stuggles. The language barrier, the homesickness, and all the hardships that comes with coming to america. I still hear the stories about them living in a tiny basement apartment when they came here, and how they hardly had money to eat, how they did all these sacrifices to make my life better. For my parents the american dream was to offer their kids a better life than they had. To make it easier for me to get an education. Something that I could not do in my country. This was their american dream. Something that I am proud to say they achieved. Although mango street does show all the stuggles that latinos go through it also shows something else, esperanza, meaning hope in spanish. Hope is what many people hold on to when they come to america. Hope that they will live better lives, hope that someday they will own their own home, hope that their children will get the education they deserve. Hope, something that esperanza has and is going to utilize it and her writing gifts to make her american dream come true.

How to Become a National Merit Semifinalist

How to Become a National Merit Semifinalist SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Every October, about 1.6 million juniors across the country take the PSAT. Those who score in the top 1% achieve the distinction of National Merit Semifinalist. Most of these students move on to become National Merit Finalists, with some winning scholarship money for college. Being named a National Merit Semifinalist is a huge achievement along the path to college. Let’s take a look at what you need to do to become a National Merit Semifinalist. Basic Entry Requirements forNational Merit Semifinalists To become a Semifinalist and be eligible for a National Merit Scholarship, you must meet the following four requirements set by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC): Be enrolled as a high school student, progressing normally toward graduation.This just means that you’re taking and passing a normal number of classes and expect to graduate on time. Plan to enroll full-time in college starting the fall following high school graduation. In other words, you can’t postpone college to spend a year abroad, work full-time, and so on. Be a U.S. citizen or lawful U.S. permanent resident planning to become a U.S. citizen. Earn a top PSAT score.The definition of a "top" score varies by state, but generally you'll need to score in the top 1% of juniors to qualify. But what PSAT score do you need exactly? Keep reading because in the next section we explain exactly how high your PSAT score needs to be to qualify you for Semifinalist status. To be eligible for National Merit, you must plan to start college in the fall after your high school graduation. National Merit SemifinalistQualifying Scores The NMSCuses its own Selection Index to determine which students qualify as Commended Students and Semifinalists. In general, students who score in thetop 3-4%are named Commended Scholars, while students who score in the top 1% are deemed Semifinalists. Students are compared on astate-by-state basis.The NMSC's Selection Index ranges from 48 to 228 and is based on PSAT section scores. There are three PSAT section scores (one each for Math, Reading, and Writing and Language). Each section score ranges from 8 to 38. To calculate your Selection Index, you simplyadd your three PSAT section scores together and then multiply the sum by 2. Let's say you got 28 on Reading, 32 on Writing and Language, and 34 on Math. To find your Selection Index score, first add your section scores together: 28 + 32 + 34 = 94. Then, multiply the sum by 2 (94 * 2 = 188). This gives you a Selection Index score of 188. As you'll see in the chart below, a 188 Selection Index score isn't high enough toqualify for National Merit Semifinalist status. Instead, you'll need a Selection Index of 212 or higher, depending on where you take the test. Based on reports from individuals around the country, we've put together a comprehensive list of qualifying PSAT Selection Index scores. Check out the most recent state cutoffs for National Merit Semifinalist in the chart below. These were used to pick out Semifinalists from the October 2017 administration of the PSAT. State Selection Index Alabama 216 Alaska 215 Arizona 220 Arkansas 214 California 223 Colorado 221 Connecticut 222 Delaware 222 DC 223 Florida 219 Georgia 220 Hawaii 220 Idaho 214 Illinois 221 Indiana 219 Iowa 216 Kansas 218 Kentucky 218 Louisiana 217 Maine 217 Maryland 223 Massachusetts 223 Michigan 219 Minnesota 220 Mississippi 215 Missouri 217 Montana 214 Nebraska 216 Nevada 218 New Hampshire 219 New Jersey 223 New Mexico 215 New York 221 North Carolina 220 North Dakota 212 Ohio 219 Oklahoma 215 Oregon 221 Pennsylvania 220 Rhode Island 220 South Carolina 216 South Dakota 215 Tennessee 219 Texas 221 Utah 215 Vermont 216 Virginia 222 Washington 222 West Virginia 212 Wisconsin 216 Wyoming 212 Average Score 218 As you can see, scores vary depending on where you take the test. Cutoffsregularly vary a few points between years, so if you haven't taken the PSAT yet and are aiming for National Merit, set your target Selection Index about2-5 points higher than the predicted cutoff for your state. After you take the PSAT, there's nothing more you can do to be named Semifinalist until the results are announced. The NMSC notifies eligible students in September the following school year. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: What Are the Steps to Becoming a National Merit Semifinalist? You now know the requirements for becoming a National Merit Semifinalist, and you have a plan to get a top PSAT score. But what are the actual steps to becoming a Semifinalist?The process begins early in your junior year and can last all the way until the end of your senior year. Below is an outline of the key steps you'll need to take to become a Semifinalist. Junior Year October: Take the PSAT You’ll take the PSAT on a Wednesday or Saturday in October of your junior year. Because you'll be competing with about 1.6 million juniors, it's important to study diligently for the PSAT (as you would for the SAT or ACT) by taking official PSAT practice tests andtargeting your weaknesses in your prep.(We give you more PSAT prep tips in the next section.) Remember, only the top 1% of juniors qualify for Semifinalist status, so you'll need to be at the top of your game on test day! Aiming for a National Merit Scholarship but worried your score won't qualify? If you're not sure you can self-study your way to a qualifying PSAT score, you'll love our PSAT prep program, PrepScholar. We designed our program to learn your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics and customize your prep to be as effective as possible for you. When you start with PrepScholar, you’ll take a diagnostic that will determine your weaknesses in over forty PSAT skills. PrepScholar then creates a study program specifically customized for you. To improve each skill, you’ll take focused lessons dedicated to each skill, with over 20 practice questions per skill. This will train you for your specific area weaknesses, so your time is always spent most effectively to raise your score. We also force you to focus on understanding your mistakes and learning from them. If you make the same mistake over and over again, we'll call you out on it. There’s no other prep system out there that does it this way, which is why we get better score results than any other program on the market. Check it out today with a 5-day free trial: December: Receive PSAT Scores You’ll typically get your PSAT scores in early December,about six weeks after you take the test. While you'll be able to see how well you scored and whether you meet your state's most recent National Merit Semifinalist cutoff, remember thatthese cutoffs can change slightly each year, so you won’t know for sure whether you're a Semifinalist until the beginning of your senior year. Winter/Spring: NMSC Determines High Scorers During this time, the NMSC determines the 50,000 high scorers who quality for the National Merit program. Senior Year September: Semifinalists Announced In early Septemberof your senior year, you’ll finally learn whether you’re officially a National Merit Semifinalist or not. Of the 50,000 high scorers determined, 16,000 will become Semifinalists, and the remaining 34,000 will be recognized as Commended Students (but won’t move forward with the National Merit Program). Fall: Apply to Be a Finalist After you’ve been recognized as a Semifinalist, you’ll begin the Finalist application process. To apply, you’ll need to submit the following materials: High school transcript SAT scores (must be received by December 31) Information about your activities and leadership roles A personal essay A recommendation from your high school principal, or someone the principal designates as a school official Information about your school’s curricula and grading system There’s no official cutoff for SAT scores or GPA, but the NMSC is looking for strong grades and test scores to prove that your PSAT scores weren’t just a fluke. February: Finalists Announced In February, 15,000 of the 16,000 Semifinalists are named Finalists and can apply for National Merit Scholarships. March: Scholarship Winners Announced Finally, 7,500 of the finalists learn that they are National Merit Scholarship winners. Each winner receives a $2,500-a-year National Merit Scholarship, a corporate-sponsored scholarship, and/or a college-sponsored scholarship. How Do You Get the PSAT Score You Need to Become a National Merit Semifinalist? Alright, so you’re going to need an amazing score on the PSAT in order to meet the National Merit Semifinalist cutoff. Getting that score can be tough, but follow these three tips as you prepare in order to get your best PSAT score. #1: Take Practice Tests Doing well on the PSAT is all about preparation. Studying the content and format of the test is the best way to bring your score up. Some people are natural test takers, while others stress under pressure. Regardless of how you react to timed tests, preparing with high quality, relevant materials is the best way to position yourself toward top scores. Since the College Board makes the PSAT, its online practice questions are a great place to start. Below are two official practice PSATs you can use for free.You can also find more free and official PSAT practice tests in our guide. Official PSAT Practice Test 1 - Score Your Test - Answer Explanations Official PSAT Practice Test 2 - Score Your Test - Answer Explanations Take these practice tests under typical test conditions:work in a quiet area with few distractions and time yourself in accordance with official PSAT time limits. Taking timed tests is a skill, and practicing this skill will help you get better and better at the PSAT. Understanding the format of the test will also help you eliminate the potential for careless errors. #2: Identify and Strengthen Your Weak Areas It’s not enough, however, to take just one practice test and then immediately move on to the next one.As you’re studying and answering practice problems, try to identify your weaknesses.Are there any patterns in your mistakes? Do you need more practice with Reading questions? Grammar? Vocabulary? Algebra? Probability? Figure out where you need to focus your attention to really strengthen your overall PSAT score. At the same, you might also be able to push up your overall score by playing to your strengths. The NMSC considers your composite score rather than your individual section scores. For example, if you scored 650 on the Math section of a practice test, it might be easy for you to push that up to 750+. Or if you’re stronger at Reading and Writing, you might be able to add more points to your composite score by focusing your energies on those two sections. Just remember that, ultimately, you can’t have any low section scores on the PSAT if you want to become a National Merit Finalist. So try to staystrong across all areas of the test! #3: Set Goals and Track Your Progress Becoming a National Merit Semifinalist is a lofty goal, and in order to make sure you’re on track to meet it, you need to know early on what PSAT to aim for and how much progress you should be making. First, use the above chart to figure out what the cutoff is for your state. You might want to add a point or two just to be safe and take into account any potential increases in the cutoff score. Once you have your overall PSAT goal score, set smaller goals to accomplish throughout your studying. These can be monthly or weekly goals depending on what works best for your schedule. Some ideas could beto try to develop a better understanding of algebra questions by the end of the week, or to try to raise your total PSAT score 20 points by the end of the month. No matter your goals, regularly check to see that you’re (on your way to) meeting them. If not, figure out what you can do to improve, such as studying more often or changing up your study methods. Setting regular goals will not only help you stay motivated but will also ensure that you’re making the progress you need to be making to get the score you want on test day. How to Stay Motivated for the PSAT In addition to planning how you'll prep for the PSAT, you should ask yourself another important question: how will you stay motivated?Staying motivated is key to sustaining your studying. Why do you want to do well on the PSAT? What drives you? Some reasons students strive to become National Merit Semifinalists are academic recognition, scholarship money,and getting into college.What are your own personal reasons? Write down your ideas, and look back at this list for inspiration whenever you feel your motivation lagging. Since the PSAT is closely linked to the SAT, any studying you do now will definitely pay off when you take the SAT. Plus, it’s probably easier for you to find free time now than when you’re immersed in college applications senior year. Achieving a qualifying score or higher takes a lot of hard work. The benefits of this hard work don’t end when you get a certificate in the mail from the NMSC recognizing you as a semifinalist in September of your senior year. You can prove to yourself and to others the depth of your commitment and drive by putting your hopes into action and your dreams into determination. After all, this focused, purposeful effort is the key to achieving success in anything you do! What's Next? Being named Semifinalist is just the first step. Learn what it takes to become a National Merit Finalist and how to increase your chances of winning a scholarship. Did you know there are four kinds of National Merit Scholarshipsand more than 8,000 are awarded each year? Read all about the various scholarshipshere. Want to score a perfect SAT score?Check out our easy-to-read guide on how to do just that, written by an expert 1600 scorer. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Rebecca Safier About the Author Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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Startups in Publishing †IPR License

Startups in Publishing – IPR License Startups in Publishing – IPR License What’s the â€Å"publishing industry†, really? It’s a mixture of a lot of companies, big and small, that all revolve around authors, books and readers. The big ones have been shaken by the digital disruption and are only now realizing the truth of â€Å"adapt or die†. And because they’re big, this will now obviously take time, as Hugh Howey recently pointed out (quite accurately).That’s where the smaller cogs in the wheel come in–and I’m going to say â€Å"we†, as Reedsy is a part of the machine, and I’m a part of Reedsy. Since the digital disruption, the landscape of publishing has become a fabulous playing ground for many startups. So many, in fact, that I hear this question a lot when presenting Reedsy: â€Å"Do you really think we need yet another self-publishing/digital publishing company?†My answer is usually a version of: â€Å"Are you satisfied by the current state of this industry? Do you think ind ependent publishing has now been made a simple process? Do you think we’ve all finally, fully embraced the digital disruption?† I dare you to say yes.Here at Reedsy, we’re big fans of all the little ships that enter the vast ocean of book publishing with the certainty that they will make a difference. We believe they will be the ones fashioning the future of the industry and turning it into something coherent and adapted to these modern, digital times.To celebrate them, we have decided to create a serial on startups that we will be publishing every Monday on this blog. These are all startups actually providing fantastic value to authors, and which we believe will play an important role in the future of publishing. For this reason, they are all startups that Reedsy is or will be partnering with in the near future.Today, we start with IPR License, the first and only online platform on which to acquire subsidiary book rights and permissions on a global scale. It was founded by Tom Chalmers back in 2012 and has greatly grown since. Read our interview with Tom below.RF: Why did you start IPR? What’s the founder’s story?Tom Chalmers: I founded my first publishing company in 2005, Legend Press, and with only a borrowed computer and no experience or contacts I licensed the second novel into seven editions and four languages. Five further companies were started between then and 2012, when the idea of licensing potential that had stayed with me since 2005 came to the fore. That led to my seventh company, IPR LIcense, the global rights licensing platform.RF: That’s great! I actually was at Frankfurt Book Fair, and felt it was more mess than â€Å"Messe†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ So I can understand the need for an online platform for trading rights, but how quick do you think big publishers can be to switch from a meeting-at-book-fairs model to an online one? Is your ambition to replace big international fairs or to complement them?TC: Itâ₠¬â„¢s not a case of switching from face-to-face meetings–publishing will always be a subjective and personable industry–but complementing them. Book fairs are now hubs of business and not the only place to do business, which does mean a smaller but more focused footfall.Technology not only means business can be completed 24 hours a day seven days a week, all year round, but at the book fair as well. We see a time shortly where meetings can be held and interested parties can then complete the deals immediately rather than waiting for the two-weeks-later follow-up.RF: What rights are most acquired by publishers on IPR License (digital, print, foreign, Film/TV, etc.)?TC: It is hard say as we have over 13 million titles on the platform, not only books but journals, manuscripts and screenplays too. The obvious focus is on print and in particular translations where there is huge potential, but we also see lots of for instance audio, large print and production materials deals being completed as well. The book is a single entity of intellectual property, one of many that can potentially be licensed.RF: How active are you in the negotiations and contracting that follow after a publisher has singled out a book whose rights they are interested in?TC: As much as the member would like us to be. In general we are a technology solution to allow the seller and buyer to directly complete deals. But we also have a team to help facilitate the transactions, so if a seller says they want a bit of help in the negotiation or contract and so on, we will provide that for them.RF: I think that’s great. It’s important to keep this individual approach to every single client even if you have a scalable model. Now over to the revenue stream; what’s your business model?TC: We charge a flat annual fee of  £99 for authors and a fee for publishers dependent on company turnover. We then take 15% commission from deals completed via the platform.When you join IPR License, you don’t only have access to market-leading technology but account management, licensing and marketing support. We usually say the annual fee is the equivalent to the fee from a single deal completed, a lot less for authors, so the risk is not unreasonable.RF: Now here’s something I’ve always been curious about: Some say indie authors start out self-publishing specifically in the hope of getting discovered by a traditional publisher. But on the other hand, you get the numerous stories of traditionally published authors switching to self-publishing as soon as their contracts end (or even sooner). From what you’ve seen at IPR, which wave is bigger: indie to trad or trad to indie? Or do you see a hybrid model becoming the norm?TC: We’ve seen a self-published author, Mary Wood, received a seven-book deal from Pan Macmillan and we have many authors who have reverted the rights from publishers and are looking to license them directly. Weâ⠂¬â„¢re not really focused on or interested in the trend, which I imagine is changeable anyway; we’re solely focused on helping the rights owner, whether an author, publisher or agent, license their valuable IP to third parties around the world.RF: What would be your top advice to self-publishing authors looking to sell their print or foreign rights? In other words, what do publishers look for on IPR License?TC: Get the basics rights: how the book is listed, what categories to use, what content to use to support the potential purchase of the rights, ensuring the correct sales and rights information is listed and so on. Also, making sure the key books are listed as key books as they are then prioritised in the search engine.RF: How should indie authors be using IPR? Should they be listing a particular kind of title? Or is the benefit of an open directory like IPR that even niche works can find an audience, and so all works ought to be listed?TC: We try to be as open as possibl e and we see licensing deals being completed for works completely across the spectrum. As well as getting the basics rights, as per above, I would also say to take a back step and think honestly about where the work may appeal and to tailor the listing details accordingly. A lot of authors say â€Å"perfect for film† or â€Å"should be big in the US† etc., but the most successful ones have a basic understanding of the markets and a realistic view of where the work will appeal.RF: You launched Rights Magazine last year to coincide with the five biggest international book fairs in 2014. What’s its content and who is it distributed to? Why a magazine?TC: It contains editorial, company news, publisher and author profiles and highlighted titles, etc. We have a market-leading technology platform but we also want to provide as much visibility and marketing for our members as possible and the magazine has been a very successful way of achieving that. It is distributed i n different ways at each book fair and is part of a wider promotional plan at each event.RF: From founder to founder, how do you see IPR License and Reedsy working together? What value would Reedsy add to IPR License (and its authors)?TC: I think two ambitious start-ups looking to be at the forefront of the market should have natural synergies, whether that means providing joint services, education or other forms of partnership, so I look forward to a long period of working together and discovering what can be offered to each other’s customers to improve their experience.RF: Easy one to finish: How do you envision IPR License in 5 years? Do you have any major milestones you plan to hit on the way?TC: Our plan is to be the industry standard tool for finding and transacting rights business. We are confident that will happen over the next 12 months, so saying where we’ll be in five years would sound far too grand.RF: Thank you for your time, Tom!Post edited by our lovely editor Becca!Find us on Twitter: Reedsy, IPR License, Tom Chalmers and Ricardo

Pepsi or Coke From Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pepsi or Coke From - Research Paper Example The current ratio for Pepsi is 1.09. Current ratio measures the ability of the firm to pay its current liability using the current asset. Current asset is the most liquid form of asset that a firm can easily turn into cash. Current liabilities are short term payable in a period less than a year for example short term loan. From the ratios, Coca-Cola has a lower current ratio compared to Pepsi. The lower current ratio for coca-cola is an indication that the firm is not doing well in its current liability management compared to Pepsi. When the current ratio is low, it means Coca-Cola may not be able to meet its current liability obligation using the current asset. As a result, Coca-Cola may resolve to use other sources of financing to cover its current liabilities. Lower current ratio is an indication of inefficiency in managing assets of the firm. On the other hand, Pepsi has a higher current ratio than coca cola. A comparison of the two reveals that Pepsi is doing better than her rival coca-cola in managing its current ratio. A higher current ratio is an indication that Pepsi can meet its current liabilities more comfortably using its current asset. The current creditors can be more confident with on their payment. The creditors are assured of timely payment due to enough current assets to meet the firm’s current obligation. Also, in case of dissolution, current asset can be used to pay current debtors with more ease. Further, a high current ratio increases the credit worthiness of the firm and in this case Pepsi has higher credit worthiness than coca-cola. This is attributed to the firms not having most of its assets tied in fixed asset thus quicker to liquidate the current asset to meet current obligation. The profitability ratios calculated in the appendix are the return on asset and return on equity. Return on asset is the ratio of net income to average total asset. It measures how much revenue is earned from application of the

Psychology assignment-Work for Pay and Work at Home Essay

Psychology assignment-Work for Pay and Work at Home - Essay Example on, feeding child, etc†¦): I am the one who has gotten our son into after school daycare, and I take the lead when it comes to our son and his school and childcare. Who is responsible for keeping track of social responsibilities and engagements (birthdays, anniversaries, etc†¦): I keep track of all the important dates, like anniversaries and birthdays. John has trouble remembering dates. Do you rely on hired help for any of the household chores mentioned (nanny, housekeeper, etc†¦): If we could afford it, I’d love to hire a housekeeper, but since we can’t, we don’t rely on anyone else. As I said, I do most of the chores in the household. What adjustments, if any, did you make regarding these tasks when you became parents: I have taken on the caretaker role, so my workload doubled when I became a mother. Not only do I feel responsible for the chores, but also when our son was born, I became the primary caregiver for him. What seems to work best about this arrangement and does it work well: This arrangement works only because I keep everything in order. I think if I didn’t, the family would fall apart with disorganization and couldn’t function properly. On a scale from 1 to 10, 1 being very dissatisfied and 10 being very satisfied, how would you rate your level of satisfaction with these arrangements: I would rate this arrangement as a 4 because I feel overworked and stressed. What arrangements have you and your partner made for household repairs (plumbing, painting, etc†¦): I do all the household repairs. I can fix just about anything and I’m not going to pay a plumber or someone else to do the work when I can do it just as well as they can. What arrangements have you and your partner made for childcare (supervision, feeding child, etc†¦): Our son is school aged, and then goes to a community daycare after school. Jane takes care of all of that kind of thing. If your child is sick and unable to attend daycare or school, who

Media and Cultural Landscapes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Media and Cultural Landscapes - Essay Example Most of my medium consumption happened using telecommunication gadgets such as mobile phones. Other activities that are part of media consumption entail playing online games, reading newspapers and charting over the social network sites. Lastly, I read posters and other forms of public advertisement. This paper discusses on the effects that media consumption has on the â€Å"Corporations, Social & Environmental Responsibility† and theories of the consumer to the society. 1. Corporations, social & environmental responsibility and reading magazines This involves the communities’ activities towards promoting their general welfare. It is evident that reading magazines promotes CRS among population globally through encouraging enlightenment in populations. Using media organizations and individuals can initiate development projects while being guided by information from magazines (Aggarwal, & Gupta 2001). In addition, persons make ethically accepted choices in terms of behavi our within communities through reading about moral practices. However, reading magazines has not influenced peoples habits compared to watching television. Through reading magazines, I get information on the current happenings in both political and fiscal events within the country. Straubhaar, Larose & Davenport (2012) asserts that newspapers apart from educating the masses, they are a massive literature source for entertainment to the public. The foremost part of this study will discuss reading magazines as the first act of consumption thereafter, reading magazines by different audiences. Magazine in this case applies to informative written materials such as newspapers and trade journals (Sparks 2012). Through reading publications, I was able to get an insight on the happenings that promoted CSR within the country. Media enhanced my knowledge for understanding the use of technology and other forms of improvements such as the innovation of electronic commerce activities. It happened after reading manuals and other writings about the use of electronic equipments. According to Aggarwal, & Gupta, (2001), media acts as a source of revenue for practitioners in the reporting field such as journalists. Media can act as a tool for promoting nationalism among populations. Through media, institutions have been able to conduct research in various fields of practice such as science and art. Media use is for the public good like promoting ethics within populations (Sparks 2012). Ideas from magazine articles help in creating awareness for urgent CSR issues requiring critical attention. Likewise, authorities use media to develop nationalism by encouraging citizens to read. It increases literacy levels of individuals, and it is the best mode communicating at speed within communities. Public relations are an integral part of mass media, which greatly contribute towards effective communication by individuals. In the current technologically advanced era, organizations strongly f ocus towards providing superior cooperate assistance to various communities (Straubhaar, & Larose 2006). Ideally, journalists have the requisite capacity to investigate communal needs and expectations regarding specific projects that would improve their social and environmental setting. CSR is vital for institutions to give back realized fortunes to locals through identified projects to strengthen the existing bond between the corporation and community members. According

Tti Case Study Essay Example for Free

Tti Case Study Essay TTI is located in Fort Worth, Texas and operates as a specialty distributor of passive, interconnect, and discrete components. â€Å"TTI’s mission is to be the most preferred electronics distributor for their customers and suppliers, deliver the right parts exactly on time, and to exceed their internal and external customer requirements through continuous improvement, while providing a home for hardworking, dedicated, knowledgeable, and ethical people who believe in this Company and this philosophy. † (TTI, Website, 2011) Within this case study we are reviewing the potential effects that TTI would be faced with if they decided to place a Distribution Center (DC) in Asia. From the case study we learn that TTI saw two separate marketing trends on the horizon. The two trends Craig Conrad, Vice President of Sales for TTI, toiled with were that of globalization and customer demand for local inventory to just-in-time objectives. Paul Andrews, founder and president of TTI, and Conrad both were aware that some customers believed TTI needed a foreign presence. Globalization within TTI’s customer base was rapidly growing as was the expectation from the customers for TTI to become global distributor. Andrew’s main concern with placing a DC in Asia was that TTI would stretch their resources to thin leading to damaged customer service. In the 1990’s TTI had opened sales branches in Europe, Canada, and Latin America. A DC was opened in Munich, but did not share the same success as the Fort Worth DC. This caused management to rethink the potential of opening other international DC’s. During this time the auto replenishment process was on the rise, but TTI management feared that this process could not service customers overseas. The case study specifically sites these three concerns management had: 1. How much would the new facility and personnel cost? 2. Would TTI’s culture of excellence be maintainable in the foreign market? 3. Would the local market support the cost of the new facility? In particular, how much business required a local presence (VMI) as opposed to how much could be done form Fort Worth or Munich? TTI was seeing Asia quickly become the fastest growing electronics market during the 1990’s and customers wanted to carry their operations overseas while maintaining the VMI and auto replenishment process that TTI had developed in this US. Because of the limited success TTTI had experienced in the previously mentioned ventures this caused great concern. However, as stated in the case, VMI and Auto replenishment made up 50% of TTI’s business and it was critical that they weight their options carefully. TTI knew that customers were moving toward globalization and that Asia was a hot spot for this move. This forced TTI to evaluate the possibility of creating a DC in Asia which had the potential to eventually generate 20% of TTI’s overall sales. Some strategic suppliers TTI had long standing relationships with had already moved to China and the Philippines. If TTI did not set up a local DC in Asia this meant the company was looking at accruing an additional 10% shipping charge per product and that was just for a one way shipment. The challenge for Conrad was to make sure that the overall expense of opening the new DC would not cost more than overseas shipping charges. The other concern Paul Andrews had was whether or not the locals in Asia could operate under the same cooperate structure that was established in the US. If the same cooperate culture could not be met then Andrews would not consider opening the DC in Asia. The three locations TTI considered for establishing this DC were Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. Each location had different benefits. Hong Kong was most favorable due to its logistical location. Singapore also had a very favorable location and English was the primary language for the locals. Malaysia was the least expensive of the three, but had the worst logistical position. Selecting the right location was critical to the future success of TTI. In an article written by Karl Heil, he explains the importance of proper location selection. â€Å"If a company selects the wrong location, it may have adequate access to customers, workers, transportation, materials, and so on. Consequently, location often plays a significant role in a companys profit and overall success. A location strategy is a plan for obtaining the optimal location for a company by identifying company needs and objectives, and searching for locations with offerings that are compatible with these needs and objectives. Generally, this means the firm will attempt to maximize opportunity while minimizing costs and risks. † (Heil, 2011) Based off of the comparison chart provided in the case study the location that best maximized the opportunity as well has minimized the cost was the Singapore location. The comparison chart clearly showed Singapore to have the most cost effective location. Hong Kong was competitive, but what really set the two apart was the overall facilities cost. Malaysia’s facility cost was half that of Singapore, however the logistical costs were extremely high. The other benefit that I felt set Singapore apart was the native language. Creating a new DC location was going to be enough of a challenge without having to overcome a language barrier. The fact that English was the native tongue is invaluable for this process. With Singapore being the selected location the next logical step would be to implement a road map on how to set up the new DC. Gross Associates is a firm that specifically helps companies through this process. On the web-site of Gross Associates define the following five steps to assist with the process. â€Å"Determine the requirements the new facility must satisfy. Determine the feasible alternatives to satisfy the projected business requirements. Analyze the viable alternatives, including both quantitative and qualitative aspects. Make and document the rationale for decisions and finally implementation. † (Donald J. Derewecki, 2033) With the rapid growth of globalization I would absolutely have to consider opening a DC in Asia. With suppliers making the move over seas as well as customers it is a natural fit for distribution companies to also make the move. Competitors of TTI were making the jump and if TTI did not follow they were poised to lose a lot of business. Going back to TTI’s mission statement at the beginning of this case study the term â€Å"continuous improvement† was stated. For TTI to continually improve they needed to open the Asian DC. Bibliography Donald J. Derewecki, C. (2033, Unknown Unknown). GRAND OPENINGS: PLANNING A NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTER. Retrieved November 14, 2011, from Gross and Associates: http://www. grossassociates. com/articles/design. htm Heil, K. (2011, unknown unknown). Location Strategy. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from Reference for BusinessEncyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed. : http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/management/Int-Loc/Location-Strategy. html

Reflective Essay On Learning Skills And Employment Education Essay

Reflective Essay On Learning Skills And Employment Education Essay Introduction After a long summer of fun and unemployment, it was finally time to get back to the real world. No more endless free time, it was time to get my brain working for something productive. I enrolled in a bachelor in software development, I was always fascinated by computers and being able to modifying it was always a dream for me. And what a surprise it was for me when I saw in my time table that I had a course called Academic Skills for Business, what is it? Im going to be software developer, why do I need it? After attending two lectures, I began taking interest in it, it made me see thing that I never thought of before. And then the assignment dropped. 2Â  500 Word, I dont even know if I carry that much vocabulary, but I saw it as a challenge. It will help me develop my writing skills and language, and its a great ways to analyze my progress through this course, maybe if I have some free time I will do it for my other courses. First chapter of the course, that describes the skills that employers look for In General and what skills we gain as a student. From what I understood there are five skills that are needed to be employed in a high level of responsibility job: Communication, human relations, work survival, leadership and research and planning. A good manager needs to acquire good relations with his subordinate, in order to motivate them; he should be able to take good initiative after analysing all the resource available and fight for his ideas to survive in the organisation. I already had a general idea of what employer where looking for but I was neglecting the human relation aspect, however it turns out to be the most important one. In order to get to the top ladder of an organisation, I need to work out my communication skill, which means getting the appropriate feedback, negotiating, perceiving nonverbal messages, interviewing. And to enforce my work survival by initiating new ideas, meeting goals and accepting responsibility. In order to fulfil my desire of success, I need to make changes in my life, and thats what distinguishes an adult form a teenager, the ability to make changes in your behaviours to adapt to the requirement of the society. The road to rich cant be made without compromises, if it isnt then the success wont be as tasty as if I had put effort and made sacrifice for it. Thankfully some of these skills will be developed thanks to high school. High school allow student to reinforce some technical skills that can be transferred to work. The most important one is the ability to meet deadlines, and i know what Im talking about, been one of the laziest person in the word, I had to catch up or I will be left alone, and planning was the solution to my laziness and lack of organisation ( I will go more in depth in the according section). It allows to develop writing skills with assignments like this one or the communication aspect, answer are more structured and feedback more centred to the subject. It also allow to work in a team, get a touch of the dynamic of a group, get of feel of group brainstorming and its draw backs. Time Management Here comes my black beast, hell for a lazy person like me. I always tried to manage my time but without success, I tried post-it, dairy, phone application but I always fail. Never used a method more than three consecutive day, I always give up so quickly, always postponing what I had to the day before for the next day, its just a mean cycle. But now things are more serious, the British system gives away to students a lot of time away from class but they assume that we are responsible enough to manage ours time wisely. But the draw backs for lazy students like me are huge, its an automatic fail if there is no adaptation to the system. So here is my challenge for this year: managing my time as wisely as possible. And thanks to this assignment, I realize that I have failed again, here I am 3 days before the dead line and I only wrote 1/3 of the essay earlier this day, counting each word and realizing how I could have done this work before with a simple planning. I was there when the sli des of this chapter were projected; I can still remember all advises that our teachers gave to us like setting goals, prioritizing assignments, make a weekly planning. Great ideas, I was even advising other students with the same strategies but I didnt apply it for myself, which is completely useless. Now here I am, facing my responsibility once again. This time I have to make BIG changes in my behavior, this nonchalance cant be supported anymore or It will automatically lead me to failure and thats not an option I was planning for my future. Starting from today, I will not use only one method for managing my time, but I will use all of them, I will try by any mean to keep a daily list of what have to do and plan for what I should do all the week that follow. Actions are the seed of fate deeds grow into destiny. Â  Harry S Truman. Its time to man up, all successful people achieved their dream by setting goal and fighting as much as possible to achieve them and even to go beyond , they put all their energy into it, and they are human being just like us. Mea culpa but here come the power of the human being, the ability to learn from their mistake and to adapt accordingly. When I first read the assignment I thought it was just another paper work but it reveal that I had more writing skill as I thought I had and looking back at what I did from the beginning of the semester made me realize that I evolved somehow , gain some maturity and with an anger of success and motivation. Creativity skills brainstorming Next lesson was creativity skills brainstorming, before attending this class I already had a good idea about it. But after couple of slides, I realized that my definition of brainstorming was vague compared to the one projected on the screen. This new definition distinguished brainstorming in too types: Individual Brainstorming and Group brainstorming. I always thought that brainstorming was a group activity, but I actually disagree in this statement -When you brainstorm on your own you will tend to produce a wider range of ideas than with group brainstorming (slides from chapter 3)-, when brainstorming is done lonely, it create a tighter range. First not having an external point of view narrow the ideas that could have emerged during a session, an external analysis create a judgment of an idea and opens the door to new opportunity that couldnt be founded lonely; however by brainstorming individually you can get more specific detail and draw a good image of the situation. Creative thinking is not a talent; it is a skill that can be learnt. It empowers people by adding strength to their natural abilities which improves teamwork, productivity and where appropriate profits.(Edward de Bono) Brainstorming reinforce team work, dealing whit other schoolmates, we worked on a presentation about internet security and privacy for this course. It was an amazing experience; we applied the Simplex process after finding our subject. We began our first brainstorming session by finding the problem using trigger question like: what informational resources are we going to use? On what should we focus our research? How are we going to divide the tasks? How can we do a good presentation? The next meeting, after gathering as much relevant information as possible, we shared our result to let everyone aware of the content of the presentation, the main idea was to make a team work and not to just let everyone work on his own or it will create an heterogenic presentation. And we arise more questions about the planning and preparing the framework of our slides. The next time we met, we finalized the slides of our presentation and started preparing to face the audience. Hopefully no problem oc curred between the group and a nice atmosphere was created, I allowed us to get more familiar with each other and a better understanding of others point of view and way of thinking. Finally when the day of the presentation came, it was time for action, some of us were a little bit frighten and anxious but it all collapsed when the show began. It all went smoothly, we were mastering our research and audience, most of them werent aware of the content we were exposing, so we kept their attention for the whole hour. I really enjoyed this experience and Im ready to do as much possible team work using a structured method like the simplex process. Decision tree and Statistics A decision tree is a tree in which each branch node represents a choice between a number of alternatives, and each leaf node represents a classification or decision. In decision analysis, a decision tree can be used to visually and explicitly represent decisions and decision making. In data mining, a decision tree describes data but not decisions; rather the resulting classification tree can be an input for decision making. This page deals with decision trees in data mining. Data mining approaches to my course name database analysis and design, I read a book about it and found it really interesting because it deals with economic situation and that rimes with money. I was planning on continuing my studies threw the database analysis area and I will be dealing with decision tree a lot, so having a first look of it in my first years of college get me a quick touch to it.For example, we might have a decision tree to help a financial institution decide whether a person should be offered a loan: http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/%7Ebillw/cs9414/notes/ml/06prop/id3/dtree.gif Expected monetary value is a value based on probability that factors in all possible monetary outcomes of a given situation. The value is reached by multiplying the percentage of each possibility occurring by the monetary loss or gain associated with that outcome. At that point all of those values, positive and negative, are combined to reach the expected monetary value. This calculation is a valuable tool for those tasked with making a decision involving several possible outcomes, as it represents the most statistically accurate estimation of the eventual result. In order to calculate the EMV of a situation you should follow these steps: Define the alternative actions you are choosing from. These are labeled a1-ai. Define the states of nature which the is variable that will affect the various outcomes of a. These are labeled s1-sj. Set up a payoff table. List a1-ai as the columns and s1-sj as the rows. Fill in the values for each a and s option. Each value is the expected payoff for that occurrence (hence the name payoff table). Determine the probability for each s value. Find the EMV for each a value. Use the formula EMV(ai) = (s1 X ai) + + (sj X ai) Another notion was introduced: descriptive statistics. Basically it was some new math calculation like the average, the mean, the mode, the median, the range and the interange. Most of these feature have been familiar with me because I did some applied math to economy, however I had a blur vision of the bias until I start overdoing exercises about it at home. Then we continued on measure of variation, introducing the variance, the standard of deviation and variance of uncertainty. Conclusion Here we are, after 2 months of courses , I learn a lot threw these course and enjoyed myself attending it, writing this reflective essay really help me put thing into retrospective. My technical ability for the course is more than average and I intend to keep practicing to survival in this jungle called university. I found some energy to fight back and overcome this nonchalance that that keep me avoiding important thing and not managing my time wisely. Its time to act now. Finally, I still have hard time to believe I finally did it, just few words before the gargantuan milestone of 2Â  500 words, never thought I would have finish it in time and having fun doing it. It reveals writing skills that I never tough existed and learning so much about myself during the process. Putting everything on the paper helps you to draw a perfect picture of a period of time which helps you modifying your weakness and evaluating your evolution. Thank you for the reading; it was a pleasure to write it.