Experiencing Work Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Experiencing Work - Research Paper Example Dedication to his career is one of his most admirable characteristics. He does not mind spending long hours in school. He values each minute spent tutoring students who are having a hard time understanding their lessons. He does not only teach them math, he is also considered by most students as their best friend. Most students come to him to ask for advice with regards to their other subjects or even about their personal problems. When asked why he chose the teaching profession, when it is a job which is not financially rewarding, he smiles and answers, â€Å"Money is not the most important thing in this world. What is more rewarding is being able to help other people.† He adds, â€Å"My reward is not in this world. Mine is in heaven.† He said that he was once offered by a large company to be part of its training department. It offered a very lucrative salary with several fringe benefits to go with it. He refused the job because he knew that he will not be happy working for that firm. He said that he will not find fulfillment in a job with a high salary if he does not enjoy doing it. While other employees hate waking up each morning because they will be doing the same boring job again, he always thanks God for another day where he can share his talents and skills with other people. He said that he is one of the lucky persons who have found his true vocation. It has brought meaning to his life. At night, when he feels so tired from a days’ work, he just thinks of the number of children whom he has taught that day and all the tired muscles seem to go away. The satisfaction that he gets from teaching is more than enough to relax him at night. He also said that another reason why he enjoys his profession is that he always feels young and energetic being with young people every day. His pupils serve as his inspiration

Combating Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Combating Terrorism - Essay Example It was necessary to make arrangements for refueling of aircrafts in Kenya (Taillon, 2002). It also had to coordinate with the French government in order to be able to acquire information from one of the released hostages who was a French national. This would not be possible without the agreement of the French in spite of the former hostage also being of Jewish decent (Taillon, 2002). The Israeli government also had to coordinate with the United States military that provided satellite images of the area. During the operation the Israeli government also had to work with the Kenyan government in order to allow Israeli planes to land safely in Nairobi and to have planes that carried reserve fuel to be land at Mombasa (Taillon, 2002). Coordination with the British was also necessary in to ensure that the rescue plane landed at Entebbe just after British cargo planes. After the successful operation it was still necessary for coordination in order for the rescued hostages to land in Nairobi and to be treated their. The Kenyan government provided medical services and food for the released hostages (Taillon, 2002). According to Shoran, the rescue mission proved that terrorism could be countered effectively and it was an endeavor worth cooperating for (BBC NEWS, 1976). The irately operation however had repercussions some of which were serious to those affected. One of the things that happened afterwards was, Iddi Amin, the then president of Uganda having suspected that Kenya colluded with Israel during the planning of the raid sort to hit back (BBC NEWS, 1976). The humiliated president ordered the massacre of hundreds of Kenyans who had been living in Uganda. Another quite obvious repercussion was the loss of lives of some of the Jewish people. First of all, some of the hostages died during the operation. Second, Netanyahu an army officer and other soldiers also lost their lives (Jewish Virtual Library, 2003a). Another repercussion of the operation was the breaking down of diplomatic ties with Uganda who felt that by having the Israeli army, a foreign force land in their country without authorization; it was an undermining of the sovereignty of the nation of Uganda. The Ugandans even expressed their displeasure by taking the matter to the United Nations Security Council (BBC NEWS, 1976). The operation also caused a reaction from Israeli enemies who vowed to attack Israel even with more zeal (BBC NEWS, 1976). The standards for counter terrorism operations do not apply in the same manner for Israel as they do for other nations. This is because of Israelis geographical location which puts it in constant danger of terrorist attack. Israel is surrounded by hostile Arab neighbors who are a threat to the existence of Israel. The Middle East war also makes the standards different as the frequency of attack in Israel is very high (Jewish Virtual Library, 2003b). Another factor that contributes to the difference is the history of the Jewish people who have experienced conflict throughout with such events as the holocaust. As the Jewish people have many enemies who are also very close to them, they have to be proactive in counter terrorism and have to act on many threats. The Israeli nation can easily be reached by rockets

Van Helsing Dramatic Monologue Essay Example for Free

Van Helsing Dramatic Monologue Essay From the very moment I entered into this dreadful business, I have never felt such a pure rush of despair and anguish as I feel now. Not when the poor dear Miss Lucy passed away and became one of his, Draculas, fiends, did I feel that all luck had deserted us. All that we have done so far in our efforts to protect Madam Mina has been but a useless attempt to save her soul. I shall never forget what has happened. It is as if the very image of that that vile creature bending over our dearest lady has scorched my eyes and left its repulsive mark. I cannot help but think we could have done more. I know the others are looking to me for an answer, a plan and I feel their hopes resting heavily on my shoulders. I must not crack or back down I am far too deep in this now. When we barged down the door together last night I think we all knew, in our heart of hearts, what we were about to behold. I fell into the dear Ladys room on my hands and knees, after bursting through the doorway. My heart failed once more when I saw the man no, the fiend! with poor Jonathons wife in his cold hands! How I felt the rage rise up inside of me at the sight of that monster holding Mrs. Harker, her night dress torn and bloody, her face and mouth dirtied with his unclean blood! The vile scar on his forehead sent shivers through all of us, for then we knew it was truly him, the count, and then he turned and gave us such a devilish glare, sharp white teeth stained by our dear Minas own blood! I can only thank the Lord that we were armed with our sacred emblems, or the damage done last night could have been far worse.

Effect of Technology on Cognition

Effect of Technology on Cognition A variety of sources have expressed the view that newer technology and the Internet is having an effect on human cognition. Discuss this notion with reference to research in this area, clearly highlighting how the technology individuals are using on a daily basis could be affecting underlying cognitive processes. Modernisation in the last twenty years has led to broader and more efficient uses within the digital technological field. Developing away from radio usage and television, technology nowadays focuses on instant at hand concepts including smartphones, GPS and the Internet, using largely online methods to provide ease for individuals to function daily (Pettinger, 2012). The Internet, primarily used as a method just to share data, is now used as a method of keeping in contact, researching information, streaming media, playing games and much more (Joinson, 2003). The collaboration between humans and computers, as Rutkowska and Crook (1987) outline, is Human-Computer Interaction, where the technology being used acts as a remedial assistant, a teacher and a cognitive facilitator to advance and aid the individual. However, these technological aids that humans are so adapted to are seen to be affecting human cognition. Human cognition is used as an umbrella term for many mental workings and a ctive information processes, for example memory, perception, thinking and learning (Ashcraft, 2005). Neisser (1967) refers to human cognition as an acquisition of knowledge using perception, recall, retention and problem solving processes. Cognition can be conceptual or intuitive and it deals with the conscious and unconscious regulations of human processes to help humans interact within their daily lifestyles. Technology can provide ease to these demanding cognitive abilities but has also been debated to cause cognitive issues. This essay is therefore going to determine to what extent daily technological interactions are having on human cognition by exploring the cognitive improvements and limitations from using modern technology. Human contact with technology and the Internet today is more significant than ever, as immediate information is constantly at hand through smartphones and computers which are commonplace in part of western culture daily living (Nasi Koivusilta, 2013). As Wertsch and Rupert (1993) suggest, the tools used, such as the Internet, to mediate human cognition are culturally valued, important and impact modern life extensively. This technological impact on human cognition can be seen to be directly influencing memory, for example Sparrow, Liu and Wegner (2011) found that the use of search engines such as Google affected memory structures in individuals. People using search engines tended to forget information they felt would be externally available to them, and only retain information that wasn’t. They had used the search engine as an external memory store, which in turn created a more symbolic and connected relationship with the Internet. Wegner (1987) said this external memory plac ement takes the form of transactive memory, by which many people can access it, creating a social memory system that people rely on. However, research by Rahwan (2014) found that using Internet search engines as an external memory store did not extend or benefit memory, but instead only helped solve cognitive problems when using the search engines by facilitating spread of correct information. Furthermore, Nicholas et al. (2011) studied working memory in the Google generation, born after 1993, and those beforehand. Working memory was significantly weaker in the Google generation participants, suggesting that the use of Internet search engines as a method of external memory storage again did not benefit actual memory because memory was consequently being underused. The use of technology and specifically search engines that are readily available and used every day can therefore instead narrowing human working memory capabilities instead of extending them. The underuse of memory due to technological availabilities can be explained by the offloading effect. Cognitive offloading refers to displacement of cognitions onto technology that would otherwise take up room in the human brain (Dror, 2013). This concept is seen to increase brain capacity in terms of learning, where items can be placed into technology for extended use which frees up cognitive resources in the brain. But in the terms of memory, delegating information to cognitive tools leads to an underused working memory. Offloading is a simple method in which cognitive technology can supplement human cognition, and these cognitive tools are becoming cognitive partners (Dror Harnad, 2008). Online cognitive partners such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are used daily and show a prime example of how technology has replaced the simple human cognition of reading a map. There is little effort in punching in a postcode to get to a destination, whereas much more cognitive effort was u sed in planning out a trip using a map. It seems that in today’s modern world there is a greater use and reliance on cognitive technology than ever before. The dynamic function of human cognitive ability makes loosing that ability apparent if it is not used, for example the use of search engines are so heavily replied on that memory is not used as extensively and the effectiveness of working memory could therefore decrease. However operating with technology may also allow for improvements in cognition and in turn, benefit an easier lifestyle. Technology can been used to improve cognitive skills such as information processing and perception. Online gaming is vastly popular with the average gamer playing for around 8 hours a week and the impact it is having on cognition is apparent. Green and Bavelier (2012) observed that online computer game playing led to improvements in perceptual and cognitive tasks such as faster information processing. This is suggested to be due to the quick demanding nature of online games to help improve the speed at which game players must absorb information to make a decision. This type of testing during the playing of the game makes users employ their knowledge constructively, so it also benefits cognitive retention skills (Hagman, 1980). Furthermore, Schlickum, Hedman, Enochsson, Kjellin, and Fellà ¤nder-Tsai (2009) found that playing online computer games increased cognitive performance in medical students and Drew and Waters (1986) found increases in perceptual motor skills with older adults that played computer games. These studies suggest that the interaction with game playing positively affects human cognition because the physical engagement helps promote cognitive learning and maintenance, and sets a marker in which daily use with these items may in fact lead to further improvements in cognitive skills. However some research suggests otherwise. VanRavenzwaaij, Boekel, Forstmann, Ratcliff and Wagenmakers (2014) found that online game playing does not affect information processing and learning because perceptual learning is highly context-specific and transferring this knowledge to everyday life isn’t likely. This suggests that the abilities obtained from technology may not be able to be applied to human cognition in daily situations, which suggests that some daily technologies that are used may not be very useful. Nevertheless, in Van Ravenzwaaij et al. discussion they emphasise that research method disadvantages that may have enthused these findings. Interne t use has also been linked to improvements in certain cognitive skills. Johnson (2008) findings outlined a significant difference with frequent internet users and visual reasoning, compared to non-frequent internet users and verbal reasoning. This suggests that selective use of the internet is related to an enhanced cognitive capacity to manipulate visual imagery that could in turn benefit daily lifestyle by increasing visual awareness when finding new destinations and other visual manipulations. Internet users are more equipped to observing visual stimuli and can use this advantage in everyday life. Because newer technological advances create constant active engagement for users, daily communication is changing. Computers and the Internet now enrich people’s personal life because constant communication to friends and family is available, such as instant messaging, emails and phone calls. It is even possible to visually communicate with friends and family over the Internet. However, as Kirschner and Karpinski (2010) suggest, this constant daily distraction causes poor time management skills and a lack of concentration. Social networking service consumers (SNS) use these cognitive tools for procrastination that leads to a deficit in attention offline because attention is distributed across many different internet domains, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Junco (2012) found that students who multitask with SNS such as instant messaging and texting in classes generally had a lower grade point average than those who did not. This may be because the cognitive tools used t o remain in contact socially are distracting and a ‘withdrawal’ mechanism from the real world, which in turn affects attention and learning processes. However, Benway (1999) observed how attention can be manipulated when the individual is still online. Benway found that the numbers of signups for employees on a training programme online were low and this was because people couldn’t find the relevant link. It was in a colourful banner at the top of the page but the employees failed to notice it. This research demonstrates that even in the confines of the Internet, attention can still be affected and particular areas of the webpage can act as a distractor. However, the use of SNS, can be used as a progressive tool for human cognition. Alloway, Horton, Alloway and Dawson (2013) investigated adolescent use of social media by comparison against tests of working memory, verbal ability and academic achievement. Findings suggests that Facebook users had in fact increased levels of cognition in areas such as verbal ability and working memory, and this suggests that SNS have a positive effect on human cognition because experience with the process of writing and reading statuses and articles and recalling what was seen on socially constructed networks promotes cognitive function. This is not to say that there may not be an overuse of SNS tools in today society, as a lot of relationships and shared information takes place online, it is hard to distinguish to what point social media reliance is too much. Nevertheless, the overlapping use of different Internet domains that individuals use daily presents a wider spread of available individual concepts that can be connected to create cognitive schemas of knowledge, and relates to the idea of transactive memory. The promotion of cognitive function by using technological tools is seen to be increasing knowledge. Young (2005) suggests that the knowledge gained from the use of tools such as the Internet results from the complex interactions between the individual, the cognitive tool and society. She suggests a model called the Internet-Mediated learning model whereby relations between the daily use of technology and the individual are explained. The Internet is socially constructed to present collected social views on SNS such as Facebook and Google that an individual can either agree with and absorb to form new knowledge, or discredit. More importantly, the technology used in schools every day is also promoting the acquisition of knowledge in students. Kinzer and Leu (1997) found that the use of technology by using multimedia presentations helped students retain a better understanding of lessons, compared to learning from books on their own. Improvements in the student’s formations of c oncepts, ideas and comprehensive writing skills suggest that operating with technological tools can reiterate and reinforce information for learning. Martinez-Lage, (1997) suggests the reasons for the increased knowledge and memory retention the students portrayed was due to the enhancing efficiency of the multimedia demonstrations creating stronger memory links. Digital technologies can also be accessed again immediately through methods such as playbacks to provide the observer with an immediate renewal of the material that can refresh working memory. This research demonstrates the effective use of technological tools for learning and supports the increase of technology within educational settings. Nonetheless, there are issues that relate to the amount of reliance placed on using technology in such fields because a lot of learning is now conveyed through online methods instead of through books, considerations about where the line shall be drawn should be taken. Overall, new technology is increasing and it is having an increasing effective on cognition. Technology is serving as a tool for the promotion of cognitive abilities such as memory, learning and information processing. New technology such as Internet search engines can influence memory by playing the part of an external memory store that subsequently frees up room for cognitive processes and allows instant reviewing, termed offloading. However the underuse of the working memory has also led to worries over deterioration and loss of such a function if technology keeps increasing and allowing for such passing off of cognitive abilities. The cognitive functions could become lazy. However, technology such as Gaming has led to faster information processing due to quick decision making on the games which provides cognitive development and maintenance. Promoting knowledge using technology in classes and in educational settings also suggests that technology is encouraging cognitive developme nt. Finally, SNS do serve to a disadvantage to attention as they act as distractors on a daily basis within many settings. Nevertheless, the future of technology is clear in that it will keep increasing and occupying daily lifestyles and therefore, human cognition.

Science I-search Essay -- Cloning Genetics Genes Essays

Science I-search When the word scientist is mentioned, the public most commonly accepts this word in a positive sense. Scientists are known to find the cure for diseases and heal people through their research. Not until the genetic revolution have scientists been shunned and viewed as malevolent to the community. When the term genetic revolution is used, I am pertaining mainly to the issue of cloning. After the new discovery by Scottish researchers, who were responsible for creating the sheep that captured the attention of the world, the society's reproduction and moral issues have taken a different meaning in life. Since this new discovery of cloning scientists now have more power than ever and along with this power comes great consequences. Disturbing the genetic make up of someone can result in being so positive that all will prosper, or so negative that the effects may be catastrophic to mankind. What I know: The issue of cloning entered my life at the end of my tenth grade year. At such a young age, the topic of a person who was identical to another person was "cool" when I was first introduced to the idea. Then I realized how unbalanced our world could be if mass production of cloning was to occur. The issue of being responsible for someone's future is disturbing to a great deal of our society. The majority of people believe that God is the only one that should be responsible for creating and putting together the uniqueness of a human. In some forms, cloning can be positive because research can possibly explain on what exactly caused the death of an individual by cloning that person and testing for the exact cause of death. All that I have learned and come to comprehend about cloning has come from a Christian point o... ...ibly be disturbed for thousands and thousands of generations to come. That's why I take the opinion of Doctor Dixon when he states that, "the world must go under cohesive legislation backed by global agreement." If agreement is established in this sense then at least we can act as a true united society while traveling into the genetic revolution. Works Cited Page 1.) Dixon Patrick Dr. Multi-Media Lecture. www.digiweb.com/~pdixon/realvieo/sciencestop.html 2.) "Cloning issues in reproduction, Science, and Medicine". Issued January 1998. www.dti.gov.uk/hgac/papers/papers_c.htm 3.) Ken Olsen, Ph.D. "Cloning: Issues questions and answers". www.fb.com/views/com/cloning.html 4.) Dixon Patrick Dr. "Should we ban human cloning". www.globalchange.com/clonaid.htm 5.) Dixon Patrick Dr. "Frequent human cloning updates". www.globalchange.com/clonenews.htm

Computer Crimes Essay -- Security

Computer Crimes Computer crimes are a major issue in the world today. They are taken place in people’s home, office, and in lots of places. A person should be very cautious about the type of personal information that they enter on there someone else’s computer as well as there own. These things could come back to haunt you in the future. Criminal activity where a computer or network is the source, target, place or tool of a crime is what we call computer crime. Some other terms for computer crime are cybercime, e-crime, hi-tech crime, and electronic crime. None of these categories are exclusive and many activities can be characterized as falling in one or more category. Even though it states that the computer crime is when something takes place when the computer or network is a necessary part of the crime, there are some terms that are used to include traditional crimes. Some of the traditional crimes are fraud, theft, blackmail, forgery, and embezzlement when the computers or networks are used to facilitate the illicit activity. There are a lot of different criminal activities that can be considered computer crime. Some examples of these activities are misuse of devices, forgery (theft id), electronic fraud, illegal access (unauthorized access), Trojan horses, cyberterrorism, email abuse/harassment, and data interference (unauthorized damaging, deletion, deterioration, alteration or suppression of computer data) are just a few. Forgery is a computer crime that can be perpetrated using the hardware components of the computer without the usage of the internet. For example, using Microsoft Word to type my signature when I did not actually right it and neither did you but it is still a computer crime that you committed. A Trojan... ...laint center, dubbed IC3, compiles its figures by drawing on the flood of complaints pouring into U.S. law enforcement and regulatory agencies. Results show that the most reported crime was Internet auction fraud which ranked 45 percent of all complaings. Another big percentage of complaints was non delivery of merchandise or payment which had a big 19 percent. Computer crimes are definitely on the rise. They are something that everyone who owns or even works on a computer should be careful of. There are a lot of crooked people out here in this world and everyone should take caution. You should also take caution when entering personal information on any computer. References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_crime http://www.fsu.edu/~crimdo/TA/hao/computercrime2.htm http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/badguys/070416/top_10_internet_crimes_of_2006.htm

Antigone Essay -- English Literature

Antigone Essay In any story or piece of literature, there will always be the main characters to fill the pages with incessant adventure. The characters whose names appear on almost every page and the characters whose actions the story revolves around. However, a story will also always have its minor characters. These are the characters that contribute heavily to the plot, yet aren't mentioned quite as often and are underestimated regarding their importance in the story. In the Greek masterpiece, Antigone, the author Sophocles construed a myriad of minor characters that contributed to the story in numerous ways. Ismene, one of Oedipus' daughters, was created to foil the main character, Antigone. Haemon, the son of Creon, took the role of adding controversy and showing his father revenge for all the trouble he caused Thebes. And finally, Tiresias, an elderly blind prophet, was constructed to diminish Creon's hubris. Firstly, Ismene's character was created primarily to foil that of Antigone's. When Antigone initially discussed her plans to contest the King's orders, Ismene was against it and tried to argue with her sister, hoping to dispel the plan from her mind. In lines 71-74, Ismene states during her argument, "think what a death we'll die, the worst of all if we violate the laws and override the fixed decree of the throne, it's power- we must be sensible." During the entire story the two characters have obvious opposing views and personalities. Ismene is discerned as rational, cautious, and dutiful, while Antigone is conveyed as intractable, brave, and disobedient. Another example of the discrepancy between the characters is the way that they are physically represented. Sophocles generated Ismene w... ...ty fits together like a puzzle. For example, without those blank sky pieces that fit at the top of a puzzle, it can never be completed. Same rule applies to any story, without the minor characters to reveal hidden information or to simple add drama, then a story can never be completed. In the Greek tragedy, Antigone, the author, Sophocles, presents the minor characters in his story with important functions and responsibilities. Ismene, Antigone's sister, had the purpose of foiling Antigone in order to create undeclared confliction between the characters. Haemon, Antigone's fiancÃÆ'Â ©e, was meant to bring justification to the string of deaths at the end of the story. And lastly, Tiresias, the respected prophet, was carefully produced as the character who pushed Creon's conscious over the edge and influenced him the most to withdraw his punishment for Antigone.

Zoe’s Tale PART I Chapter Seven

Here's what I did when my dad took me down to Phoenix: I visited my own grave. Clearly, this needs an explanation. I was born and lived the first four years of my life on Phoenix. Near where I lived, there is a cemetery. In that cemetery is a headstone, and on that headstone are three names: Cheryl Boutin, Charles Boutin and Zoe Boutin. My mother's name is there because she is actually buried there; I remember being there for her funeral and seeing her shroud put into the ground. My father's name is there because for many years people believed his body was there. It's not. His body lies on a planet named Arist, where he and I lived for a time with the Obin. There is a body buried here, though, one that looks like my father and has the same genes as he does. How it got there is a really complicated story. My name is there because before my father and I lived on Arist, he thought for a time that I had been killed in the attack on Covell, the space station he and I had lived on. There was no body, obviously, because I was still alive; my father just didn't know it. He had my name and dates carved into the headstone before he was told I was still around. And so there you have it: three names, two bodies, one grave. The only place where my biological family exists, in any form, anywhere in the universe. In one sense, I'm an orphan, and profoundly so: My mother and father were only children, and their parents were dead before I was born. It's possible I have second cousins twice removed somewhere on Phoenix, but I've never met them and wouldn't know what to say to them even if they existed. Really, what do you say? â€Å"Hi, we share about four percent of our genetic makeup, let's be friends†? The fact is, I'm the last of my line, the last member of the Boutin family, unless and until I decide to start having babies. Now, there's a thought. I'm going to table it for now. In one sense I was an orphan. But in another sense†¦ Well. First, my dad was standing behind me, watching me as I was kneeling down to look at the headstone my name was on. I don't know how it is with other adoptees, but I can say that there never was a time with John and Jane that I didn't feel cherished and loved and theirs. Even when I was going through that early puberty phase where I think I said â€Å"I hate you† and â€Å"Just leave me alone† six times daily and ten times on Sunday. I would have abandoned me at the bus stop, that's for sure. John told me that back when he lived on Earth, he had a son, and his son had a boy, Adam, who would have been just about my age, which technically made me an aunt. I thought that was pretty neat. Going from having no family on the one hand to being someone's aunt on the other is a fun trick. I told that to Dad; he said â€Å"you contain multitudes,† and then walked around with a smile for hours. I finally got him to explain it to me. That Walt Whitman, he knew what he was talking about. Second, there were Hickory and Dickory to the side of me, twitching and trembling with emotional energy, because they were at the gravesite of my father, even if my father wasn't buried there, and never was. It didn't matter. They were worked up because of what it represented. Through my father, I guess you could say I was adopted by the Obin, too, although my relationship to them wasn't exactly like being someone's daughter, or their aunt. It was a little closer to being their goddess. A goddess for an entire race of people. Or, I don't know. Maybe something that sounds less egotistical: patron saint, or racial icon or mascot or something. It was hard to put into words; it was hard to even wrap my brain around most days. It's not like I was put on a throne; most goddesses I know about don't have homework and have to pick up dog poop. If this is what being an icon is all about, on a day-today basis it's not terribly exciting. But then I think about the fact that Hickory and Dickory live with me and have spent their lives with me because their government made it a demand of my government when the two of them signed a peace pact. I am actually a treaty condition between two intelligent races of creatures. What do you do with that sort of fact? Well, I tried to use it once: When I was younger I tried to argue with Jane that I should be able to stay up late one night because I had special status under treaty law. I thought that was pretty clever. Her response was to haul out the entire thousand-page treaty – I didn't even know we had a physical copy – and invite me to find the part of the treaty that said I always got to have my way. I stomped over to Hickory and Dickory and demanded they tell Mom to let me do what I wanted; Hickory told me they would have to file a request to their government for guidance, and it would take several days, by which time I would already have to be in bed. It was my first exposure to the tyranny of bureaucracy. What I do know that it means is that I belong to the Obin. Even at that moment in front of the grave, Hickory and Dickory were recording it into their consciousness machines, the machines my father made for them. They would be stored and sent to all the other Obin. Every other Obin would stand here with me, as I knelt at my grave and the grave of my parents, tracing their names and mine with my finger. I belong. I belong to John and Jane; I belong to Hickory and Dickory and every Obin. And yet for all that, for all the connection I feel – for all the connection I have – there are times when I feel alone, and I have the sensation of drifting and not connecting at all. Maybe that's just what you do when you're this age; you have your stretches of alienation. Maybe to find yourself you've got to feel like you're unplugged. Maybe everyone goes through this. What I knew, though, there at the grave, my grave, was that I was having one of those moments. I had been here before, to this grave. First when my mother was buried, and then, a few years later, when Jane brought me here to say good-bye to both my mother and father. All the people who know me have gone away, I said to her. All of my people are gone. And then she came over to me and asked me to live with her and John, in a new place. Asked me to let her and John be my new people. I touched the jade elephant at my neck and smiled, thinking of Jane. Who am I? Who are my people? Who do I belong to? Questions with easy answers and no answers. I belong to my family and to the Obin and sometimes to no one at all. I am a daughter and goddess and girl who sometimes just doesn't know who she is or what she wants. My brain rattles around my head with this stuff and gives me a headache. I wish I were alone here. I'm glad John's with me. I want to see my new friend Gretchen and make sarcastic comments until we burst out laughing. I want to go to my stateroom on the Magellan, turn off the light, hug my dog, and cry. I want to leave this stupid cemetery. I don't ever want to leave it because I know I'm never coming back to it. This is my last time with my people, the ones who are already gone. Sometimes I don't know if my life is complicated, or if it's that I just think too much about things. I knelt at the grave, thought some more, and tried to find a way to say a last good-bye to my mother and father and to keep them with me, to stay and to go, to be the daughter and goddess and girl who doesn't know what she wants, all at once, and to belong to everyone and keep myself. It took a while.

Fcuk Swot

SWOT Analysis Prepared for: Prepared by: 2 September 2008 Introduction I have created this SWOT analysis on French Connection’s Regent St. branch. I have identified and discussed the strengths/weaknesses of the store, and examined the opportunities and threats it may face. Strengths French Connection targets a fashion-oriented customer typically aged 18 – 35 and produces fashion-forward, well made, on trend, accessible clothing. Positioning is in the upper end of the mass market so that pricing reflects the good quality and fashion element of the offer. It is a well-known brand that all young adults can identify. The brand holds a large share of the competitively priced clothing industry, with a large capital they are able to advertise and market the products on television, Internet and large billboards across the globe. During my visit in the Regent St. branch, I found a nice, clean and well presented store. The strong shop window invites for a quick browse. The good layout gives grate opportunities for positioning best sellers, new collection and add-ons. Most of current trends are presented in the new collection. Very good designs in women’s wear satisfying different tastes and needs. Effective merchandising in women’s area, good stock presentation is giving great ideas for matching items and for whole outfits. Good range from classy to casual. Staff has good a product knowledge. Management seems committed and confident. Comfortable shopping ambiance. Down stairs till area good selling point. The location offers a wide range of customers. (high footfall) Weaknesses Poor selection of men’s wear. Men’s Visual merchandising is not as strong as the women’s, although in the shop window they were presented better then the lady’s. Unfortunately I found the men’s area half as effective as the women’s. I know most of the company’s profit is coming from women’s wear but I think there are a lot of potential male customers out there and a little bit more focus on men’s wear would bring them in more often. Customer service: During my visit I was approached once after 15 minutes browsing in the store. The staff seemed demotivated and there was no interaction with customers on the shop floor nor by the till. After trying on an item wasn’t offered a different color in the same style, a different style in the same color or an add-on. Lack of selling techniques) Also I wasn’t informed about witch items are on sale or where can I find them and they are quite â€Å"hidden† so found it a bit difficult to identify them. (Lack of promoting sales in store) Staff left their sections unattended leaving no possibility for me asking for help. (Lack of attention to the shop fl oor) Store’s interior needs a refit with a trendier design. Changing room on the ground floor is tight and during peak hours just disappointment for customers. Kid’s section upstairs easy to miss out for customers who don’t even know there’s a selection for kids. Ground floor till area poor of add-ons, found just a small box of bangles. Opportunities More staff meetings and training on selling techniques, customer service, customer relations (keeping regular customers is one of the first priorities). Doing role plays during quiet times to build confidence. Customer service checklist twice a week monitoring staff performance with regular feedbacks. (constructive criticism. ) More team spirit. On the maping plan assign staff to sections so they’re responsible for it for the day. Great visual merchandising opportunities due to store layout. Monitoring sales week by week and merchandise accordingly. Staff (Men mostly) wearing latest trends this way giving examples for customers what to look for. Sales assistant who’s greeting customers by the entrance promoting sales or at least inform customers where to find items on sale and the new collection. Because of the location lot of tourists are visiting the store, they are a good amount of potential sales. (With the right atmosphere and service it’s easy to get them spending). Under the staircase in the men’s section is a good area for positioning better selling products because that is the only spot what you can see from the upper level when you’re looking down if there’s more to see downstairs. Ground floor changing room more organized and approachable. Local competitors have poor products. Can surprise competitors. Threats †¢ Customers leaving store without purchasing an item. †¢ Theft (Staff not paying attention), high stock loss. †¢ Loosing regular customers and potential regular customers. †¢ High staff turnover. †¢ Poor reputation among customers. ———————– fcuk fcuk

History of Gaming Essay

Gaming has been around since the late 1960’s far later than I had thought, for me I had always thought that the Atari 2600 was the first gaming system known to mankind, and after starting my research I found out how wrong I was. In this part of the teams paper I will discuss the different types of this technology thought it history. In 1967 the first gaming console ever was created and was named the â€Å"Brown Box.† A German born television engineer Ralph Baer and his colleagues created the Brown Box which worked on your basic standard television set. Working with a firm called Sanders Associates, Baer along with co-workers drew up schematics for a game which was called the chase game, and they built a vacuum tube circuit that connected to the television. Two players controlled two squares that basically chased each other on the screen, at that point in time gaming was born. Baer and his associates later added a light fun and developed a total of 12 games for the Brown Box. Fast forward five years after Baer and his associates created the Brown Box, Magnavox began production of the Magnavox Odyssey. The Odyssey was called the first commercial video-game console and was marketed in Magnavox TV dealerships. The Odyssey used six cartridges to play up to twelve games. The Odyssey downfall is that many TV dealers didn’t see any potential in it and along with the false rumor that it only worked in Magnavox televisions hurt the popularity of the gaming systems. In 1972 Nolan Bushnell founded Atari and three years later in 1975, they had their first smash hit with an arcade game called Pong. Atari sold a home version of the game Pong through Sears under the Sears Tele-games label. What made Pong unique was that it produced an on-screen score and sound all by single chip. With his first system Nolan Bushnell and Atari shot to the top of household gaming. Knowing that some of not anything last forever especially a single game system popularity, Nolan Bushnell and Atari started working on a cartridge based system, one that could play multiple games. In 1976 Bushnell Sold Atari to Warner Communications, and Warner immediately backed the Atari project, and the Atari VCS later renamed the Atari 2600 was introduced. The Atari was a big hit and had multiple game hits to go along with it, hits like the ever popular Spaced Invaders, Breakout, Missile Command, and Combat just to name a few. Atari was the first ever massed produced home video gaming system, selling 400,000 systems and hitting sales figures of $120 million dollars during the first Christmas season in 1977. In 1980 Mattel released Intellivision, and was the first to take a run at Atari’s gamming thrown. This sparked what some would like to call a console war between Atari and Mattel. Intellivision featured better game graphics and synthesized voices in video games. Both systems brought on other game developers like Coleco and Activision, but with so many of the games being unlicensed games and no household system lead to gaming industry crash in 1983-84 cause in many companies to file bankruptcy. Nintendo, a Japanese based company became part of the gaming industry in 1985 with its release of the Nintendo Entertainment System. With some of the most popular titles ever like Super Mario Brothers, Metroid, and Legend of Zelda and that of third party games like Tecmo Bowl and RBI baseball, the NES turned the non-believers that didn’t think it was a good idea to get into gaming after a crash, into believers. In 1987 Sega released its gaming system which dwarfed the capabilities that its predecessor, the NES, had offered. It was called the MasterSystem but it didn’t make the splash that many in the Sega camp had thought it would make, due to its lack of third-party games and other things it was the demise of the MasterSystem and the first failing of Sega. Sega went directly back to the drawing board and soon after released its first hit the Sega Genesis in 1989. Backed by many game developers like Electronic Arts, the Sega Genesis opened the door for the first ever battle for supremacy for gaming dominance. Four years after the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo released its second smash hit, with the Gameboy. Gameboy was dubbed the as the first ever handheld gaming console and had a black and white screen. Tetris one of the most popular Gameboy games ran the Gameboy sales through the roof. With many make-overs throughout the course of history Gameboy continued to stay relevant in gaming. 1990 was the release of SNK’s Neo-Geo a 24 bit home gaming system that was said to be many years ahead of its competitors and its time. The Neo-Geo had one problem, it wasn’t 2-D graphics those were great, it wasn’t its arcade level quality that was what everyone wanted, it was neither of those two things that helped the Neo-Geo fail it was its $650.00 price tag and its $200.00 games that took the Neo-Geo from great innovation to under achiever. In 1991 Nintendo releases the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Beaten to the punch by Sega with its gaming system the Sega Genesis, the 16 bit SNES had some catching up to do. It wasn’t long before the SNES thanks to its technological superiority, had overtaken the Sega Genesis thanks to its big name games like Super Mario Brothers, Metroid, and Zelda. By the end of the 90’s Sega Genesis was no more than an afterthought for SNES who had taken over the 16 bit era and the gaming industry. It wasn’t till the year 1995 that Nintendo again was challenged for its gaming dominance. Sony introduced the Sony PlayStation a 32 bit CD-ROM based technology and has been said to be the most popular gaming system ever. The games had three dimensional gameplay much better than the 2-D of the past. What was the most attraction to any gamer was the price of the games which dramatically dropped compared to those of cartridge based games. It was also in 1995 the second day of September that the Sega franchise basically started its demise. This day marked the release of the Sega Saturn, which was dubbed the best worst system, according to many. Because it was pushed up to get out ahead of the newly announced PlayStation 2, it gave the Sony corporation time to sit back and polish the upcoming PlayStation 2 and learn from the mistakes that the Sega Saturn was making. In 1996 the Nintendo franchise countered the PlayStation with the Nintendo64, the last cartridge based system. Although the cartridges loaded faster than the CD-ROMS of PlayStation the Nintendo64 couldn’t even keep up with the amount of games that were released for the PlayStation, leaving the PlayStation on top of the gaming for the time being. It was in 1998 when Sega made its final push as a contender in the world of gaming with its release of the CD-based system Dreamcast, which incorporated a 128-bit processing system. The Dreamcast was the first system that had a modem which allowed for internet connectivity that brought on the ability to play online, download extra content and updated to the system itself. This would be the last time that anyone would here from the Sega franchise in the console industry. In 2001 Sega discontinued the Dreamcast and announced that it would be leaving the console market for good and taking its Sonic franchise with them. Four years after the release of the Nintendo64 and five years after the first initial PlayStation, Sony releases its second version of the PlayStation 2. The first 128 bit system featured backwards compatibility allowing the PS2 to play the older PlayStations games, and also could be used as a DVD player. Not only was the PS2 named most popular 128 bit system but with its release it marked the rise of console popularity played over the internet. 2001 was the introduction of the old guy with a new system and the new kid on the block in gaming. Nintendo hit the gaming market again going away from its usual cartridge based systems and introducing its first ever CD based system. The GameCube was marketed more for the younger demographics and is said to be what made the system flop and sell short. Along with the inability to connect to the internet it was called a one trick pony and was behind in the gaming world and home entertainment systems. The now new kid on the block Microsoft introduced its own gaming system the X-box. The PC giant used PC technology when building the X-Box which allowed for greater performance. Although the X-Box’s technology proved greater performance when compared to that of the 128 bit PS2 it still remained behind the number of sales that the PS2 had leaving Sony alone at that top of the gaming world. In 2002 Nintendo stepped back in with the Gameboy Advance and again in 2004 with the Nintendo DS. Some would argue and go as far as to say that all Nintendo did was step on its on toes with how they released the two versions so closely together. By doing so experts say that they made the Gameboy obsolete by releasing the DS so soon. Playstation soon joined Nintendo in the hand held gaming evolution, challenging Nintendo’s dominance. The PlayStation Portable like the Gameboy and DS featured wireless capability, high graphics and non-gaming functions mimicking PC-based devices. 2005 also marked the release of the Microsoft X-Box 360. The processing power of the X-Box 360 was said to be unrivaled, and all came with an internal hard drive, played DVDs and had the ability to connect four controllers at one time wirelessly, as well as connecting to the internet. The Nintendo Wii was released in 2006 and featured a built in WiFi for online game play, wireless controllers and Bluetooth. The wireless controllers weren’t new to gaming but what Nintendo did bring to the table with their wireless controllers was the motion sensor technology, allowing the game to mimic the performance of the actual player. 2006 is also when the Sony franchise again exerted its dominance and rivaled back against Microsoft X-Box 360 with the PlayStation 3. The PS3 came with an internal hard drive as well and the ability not only to play DVD’s but also Blue Ray DVD, along with its ability to connect to the internet wirelessly and connect multiple controllers wirelessly, it is said to be still atop the gaming industry, but again that’s all in who you ask. These two systems, PlayStation 3 and X-Box 360, along with the Nintendo Wii brings us to where we are now with gaming in what is called the 8th Generation of gaming. Every year the three gaming giants Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo continue to wow us with different and greater gaming innovation that keeps the rivalry for gaming dominance going on and going strong. In the last few years the X-Box 360 stepped up the gaming war and has released technology that gets rid of the hand held controllers all together! The Kinect from Microsoft has really stepped up its technology and has gotten rid of the controller period. The Kinect set the Guinness Book of World Record for the fastest gaming system ever and comes highly recommended by many consumers and game developers. Recently it was reported that Microsoft X-Box 360 is looking to compete with cable television providers announcing that its consoles will allow the gamer to watch television through it. All of the consoles allow you to watch things like Net Flicks and get on the internet and surf the net, but rivaling cable providers that’s a big step. I look for Sony and Nintendo to sit back and wait to see where this goes before they follow in the footsteps of Microsoft, as they have previously done, but I don’t think they will jump right on board with this because of fear of failure and losing money. If you are a gamer a hardcore gamer you have to be excited for the future of gaming, from a standpoint it looks bright and exciting. With rumors of Sony releasing the Playstation 4 and the system having touch screen technology; it has all the gamers grinning from ear to ear about what the future of gaming actually may be. Gaming has already developed full 3D gaming technology and 3D moti on sensors and powerful graphics and they look to continue to improve upon these technologies. Many have argued that consoles in the future will eventually fall by the wayside making way for hand held portable gaming to be the dominate gaming systems in the future. Of course this upsets many hardcore gamers because they don’t see that as being a plus since many like to play their games on a larger scaled screen. With that being said many say the IPhone 8 will probably be the future of gaming and going as far as to say it although it is a hand held device it will be able to plug into a television set or even connect wirelessly to continue to give that big game experience. Many say that the future of gaming is mobile, digital, and cloud gaming. The better gaming system is said to be one that you can take anywhere and everywhere. Most of the time even of if home many gamers are even using mobile gaming at home, some experts say up to 47% of gamers are mobile gaming even at home. Mobile gaming is not just the casual gaming it used to be and has changed the way all gamers vi ew games. Spending approximately 16 hours a week compared to that of the 18 hours of traditional gaming some say digital is the way of the future and hardware doesn’t matter anymore. The type of hardware you use never really ever did matter, it has always been about the software. Hardware will be less and less relevant in the future and it will be more about the software. With cloud gaming it is becoming more and more of a reality and with two client services already launched it is coming along full circle. The angle of cloud gaming is to offer high definition gaming on any television or device that can receive a broadband signal with even high-end games that can be played on devices that get low power. In a CNNTech report back in September of 2008 had reported that a future release of the Emotiv EPOC headset. The Emotiv EPOC headset is said to be the first Brain Computer Interface and would be able to pick up on over 30 different expressions all by processing real time brain activity. With this technology many enthusiast say that this type of technology makes movies like The Matrix and the Star Trek Holodeck more of a reality in the future. Me personally I am kind of skeptical about that type of technology, and even though experts say that being able to control a computer with your mind is the ultimate quest of human to machine interaction, I still don’t feel any better. In those movies, well all except Star Trek, the machine had a way to take over. So all I see is me playing the video game and the machine taking over my mind and it controlling me and then the earth being run by machines. Well that is how it works in the movies hopefully this won’t be the case. The goal of this though is for the interactions of machines to mimic the way interaction with humans and they say it will ultimately bring communities closer together, so I guess that is one thing we will have to wait to see in the future. So with that being said there is no clear cut way to know which way the future of gaming is actually going, but seeing how far it has come since the Brown Box it is very interesting to sit back and see what the technology produces. At one point in time it was all about transistors and diodes and now it’s about multiple processors, internal memory, and real life graphics. What’s more gaming consoles are no longer just gaming consoles they are now the full true definition of Home Entertainment, with internet connection, streaming music and video and HDD, it is truly a new age for gaming. Social media and social networks has become a big part of many of our lives, well I really should say all of our lives. With that gaming has also being a part of that as it is being input into the Social Medias like Facebook. Many game makers look to theses Social Medias to see exactly what the gamers are taking to and what they are not taking to. World of Warcraft is one of those who uses social media to help them develop more of what they think users want to see and how they want the game to operate and it is actually one of the largest virtual game worlds due to just that along with Second Life which heralds itself as a virtual social world. Social Medias focus on building blocks, identity, conversation, sharing, presence, relationships, reputation, and groups, and many gaming systems that can connect to the World Wide Web can do just that. These gaming technologies give you the opportunity to engage with others from around the world no matter where they may be. Facebook has gaming that lets you connect with others and build a farm or a city and share with each other and allows you to help keep up someone else’s farm, building relationships with people anywhere anytime. No matter what you think about gaming and the gaming technology it has come a long way from where it started and there is no telling where it will go. It is a mainstay in the lives of many of people and I am sure that the technology will only get better or more interesting from here into the future. I do myself wonder what is next will the whole computer to brain interaction ever come full circle or is it just a past thought. Will Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo continue to stay on top or will a unknown company come along and knock all of them off the throne. I guess all we can do is sit back watch wait and see what that next big technology is and who will be the first to come out with it. Right now it’s more or less of a waiting game, the Kinect was a big jump and gaming technology and, I love to sit and watch my kids play on it, I have even been known to play on it myself, gaming technology is what keeps many of us known and connected so there is nothing wrong with that. Works Cited Admin. (2012). The History of Video Game Consoles. computergameoffer.com. Bellis, M. (n.d.). Computer and Video Game History. About.com. Edwards, B. (2009). 30 Years of Handheld Game Systems. PC World. Johnson, J. (2008). From Atari Joy Board to Wii fit. BBG. Melanson, D. (2006). A Brief History of Handheld Video games. engadget.

Caesar essays

Caesar essays Caesar was often overlooked by many as a possible threat or future conqueror. Even as a mere boy he presented himself to the people as a possible candidate for priesthood. Sulla not blinded with Caesars age, discussed the question of whether or not to have him put to death. The advisors of the time found it absurd and felt there was no point in killing a boy like him. Sulla replied, That they must be lacking in intelligence if they did not see that in this boy there were many Mariuses. This was an opportunity that would not be abundant in nature but would linger on to haunt those not favoring Caesars views or actions. From a very young age Caesar demonstrated immeasurable courage and lack of fear of death. He was captured near the island of Pharmacusa by some of the pirates who controlled the sea. His actions and emotions were filled with disregard, and only took control of his situation as a prisoner and turned himself into their leader. As soon as he was set free, he manned some ships, captured and imprisoned the pirates, then took the pirates out of prison and crucified them. This was just an example of the characteristic and capabilities that Caesar would be inclined to pursue. In Rome Caesar won an astounding reputation and great popularity with his eloquence, easy manners, and friendly way in which he merged with people. With those persuasions he was able to be elected to priesthood and simultaneously made the senate and the nobles afraid that he would go on to lead the people forward on a course of violent extremism. As Plutarch quoted Caesar, Today, mother you will see your son either as high priest or as an exile, further demonstrating the uneasiness and scorn the senate had towards Caesar. Caesars intentions were divulged when he was reading on Alexander and his conquests and Plutarch described him as bursting into tears. Dont you think that I have something wo...

Definition and Examples of Americanisms

Definition and Examples of Americanisms An Americanism is a word or phrase  (or, less commonly,  a feature of grammar, spelling, or pronunciation)  that (supposedly) originated in the United States or is used primarily by Americans. Americanism is often used as a term of disapproval, especially by non-American language mavens with little knowledge of historical linguistics. Many so-called Americanisms come from the English, Mark Twain accurately observed more than a century ago. [M]ost people suppose that everyone who guesses is a Yankee; the people who guess do so  because their ancestors guessed in Yorkshire.   The term Americanism was introduced by the Reverend John Witherspoon in the late-18th century. Examples and Observations [F]ew of the grammatical differences between British and American are great enough to produce confusion, and most are not stable because the two varieties are constantly influencing each other, with borrowing both ways across the Atlantic and nowadays via the Internet.(John Algeo, British or American English? Cambridge University Press, 2006)As pioneers, the first Americans had to make up many new words, some of which now seem absurdly commonplace. Lengthy, which dates back to 1689, is an early Americanism. So are calculate, seaboard, bookstore and presidential. . . . Antagonize and placate were both hated by British Victorians. As members of a multiracial society, the first Americans also adopted words like wigwam, pretzel, spook, depot and canyon, borrowing from the Indians, Germans, Dutch, French and Spanish.(Robert McCrum et al., The Story of English. Viking, 1986)Americanisms in British English- Most Americanisms coined [during the 19th century] havent stood the test of time. Wh en a woman disposes of an unwanted admirer we no longer say that she has given him the mitten. We still call experienced travellers globetrotters, but tend to say theyve bought the T-shirt rather than seen the elephant. We prefer more elegant metaphors for a cemetery than a bone-pit. Our dentists might object if we called them tooth carpenters. And if a teenager today told you theyd been shot in the neck you might ring for an ambulance rather than ask what theyd had to drink the previous night.Lots, however, have become part of our everyday speech. I guess, I reckon, keep your eyes peeled, it was a real eye-opener, easy as falling off a log, to go the whole hog, to get the hang of, struck oil, lame duck, face the music, high falutin, cocktail, and to pull the wool over ones eyes―all made the leap into British usage during the Victorian period. And theyve stayed there ever since.(Bob Nicholson, Racy Yankee Slang Has Long Invaded Our Language. The Guardian  [UK], Oct. 18, 201 0)- A list of fully assimilated English words and expressions that started life as American coinages or revivals would include antagonise, anyway, back-number (adjectival phrase), back yard (as in nimby), bath-robe, bumper (car), editorial (noun), fix up, just (quite, very, exactly), nervous (timid), peanut, placate, realise (see, understand), reckon, soft drink, transpire, washstand.In some cases, Americanisms have driven out a native equivalent or are in the process of doing so. For instance, in no particular order, ad has pretty well replaced advert as an abbreviation for advertisement, a press clipping is driving out cutting as a piece taken from a newspaper, a whole new ballgame, that is a metaphorical game of baseball, is what meets the harried circumspect eye where once a different kettle of fish or a horse of another color furnished the challenge, and someone quit his job where not so long ago he quitted it.Such matters probably indicate nothing more than minor, harmless lin guistic interchange, with a bias towards American modes of expression as likely to seem the livelier and (to adopt an Americanism) smarter alternative.(Kingsley Amis, The Kings English: A Guide to Modern Usage. HarperCollins, 1997) American and British CompoundsIn American English, the first noun [in a compound] is generally in the singular, as in drug problem, trade union, road policy, chemical plant. In British English, the first element is sometimes a plural noun, as in drugs problem, trades union, roads policy, chemicals plant. Some noun-noun compounds that entered American English at a very early stage are words for indigenous animals, like bullfrog a large American frog, groundhog a small rodent (also called woodchuck); for trees and plants, e.g. cottonwood (an American poplar tree); and for phenomena like log cabin, the kind of simple structure many early immigrants lived in. Sunup is also an early American coinage, parallel to the Americanism sundown, which is a synonym for the universal sunset.(Gunnel Tottie, An Introduction to American English. Wiley-Blackwell, 2002)Prejudice Against AmericanismsDocumenting the sustained prejudice  against American English over the past century and a half is not dif ficult since the only alteration in the complaint involves  the particular expressions that have come to the attention of the reviewers. So we will leap ahead to 21st century examples parallel to most of the complaints of the past.In 2010, the expressions targeted  for criticism included ahead of for before, face up confront, and fess up for confess (Kahn 2010). A counterargument has often been that these expressions are historically English, but the truths of historical linguistics are seldom persuasive or even seen as germane to the dispute. Americanisms are simply bad English in one way or another: slovenly, careless, or sloppy. . . . Reports like these seethe with disapproval.The same metaphors are used elsewhere in the English-speaking world. In Australia, new forms of language believed to derive from America are seen as a contagion: suffering the creeping American disease is a way to describe a situation the critic deplores (Money 2010). . . .The expressions that give rise to such complaints  are not such ordinary Americanisms as blood type, laser, or minibus. And some are not Americanisms at all.  They share the quality of being racy, informal, and perhaps a little subversive. They are usages that poke fun at pretense and gibe at gentility.(Richard W. Bailey, American English.  English Historical Linguistics, ed. by  Alexander Bergs. Walter de Gruyter, 2012) Passing PrejudicesThe playwright Mark Ravenhill recently tweeted irritably: Dear Guardian sub please dont allow passing. Here in Europe we die. Keep the horrible euphemism over the Atlantic. . . .Ravenhills . . . complaint about passing is that it is an Americanism, one that should be kept over the Atlantic by the verbal equivalent of a ballistic-missile shield, so as to preserve the saintly purity of our island tongue. The trouble with this is that its not actually an Americanism. In  Chaucers Squires Tale, the falcon says to the princess: Myn harm I wol confessen er I pace, meaning before it dies. In Shakespeares Henry VI Part 2, Salisbury says of the dying Cardinal: Disturbe him not, let him passe peaceably. In other words, the origin of this use of passing is firmly on this side of the Atlantic. Its as English as the word soccer―at first spelled socca or socker, as an abbreviation of association football.A lot of other supposed Americanisms arent Americanisms either. Its sometimes thought that transportation instead of the good old transport is an example of that annoying US habit of bolting on needless extra syllables to perfectly good words, but transportation is used in British English from 1540. Gotten as the past tense of got? English from 1380. Oftentimes? Its in the King James Bible.(Steven Poole, Americanisms Are Often Closer to Home Than We Imagine. The Guardian [UK], May 13, 2013) Americanisms in The Telegraph [U.K.]Some Americanisms keep slipping in, usually when we are given agency copy to re-write and do an inadequate job on it. There is no such verb as impacted, and other American-style usages of nouns as verbs should be avoided (authored, gifted etc). Maneuver is not spelt that way in Britain. We do not have lawmakers: we might just about have legislators, but better still we have parliament. People do not live in their hometown; they live in their home town, or even better the place where they were born.(Simon Heffer, Style Notes. The Telegraph, Aug. 2, 2010)

The Catcher in the Rye - Journal

The Catcher in the Rye - Journal The Catcher in the Rye shows many displays of themes in which J.D. Salinger stays true to, from start to finish. On page 5, Holden is on his way to Spencer's house and he says "terrifically cold...you felt like you were disappearing every time you crossed a road." Similar words appear later in the book on pages 197 and 198 when Holden says, "I had this feeling that I'd never get to the other side of the street...Allie don't let me disappear." Holden's words here open a door to a great portion of the motifs expressed throughout the novel. Holden mentioning that he is cold along with him disappearing once he crosses demonstrates loneliness. His cry for help or comfort from Allie proves his inability to trust or connect with the people surrounding him, let alone people that are alive. Holden's feelings of never reaching the other side or disappearing while crossing the road, the street being symbolic of not just a physical, tar road but of a passageway in life, illustrates his fears of progressing.Jerry Kirkhart's Montaà ±a de Oro Hazard Tidepool D...In the novel, numerous times Holden refers his knowledge of something/someone to a book. For example on page 76 Holden claims he knows Jane (Gallagher) like a book. Normally, one would compare having such knowledge to the back of her hand, or some bodily feature. Reading is a solo activity that occurs in the mind, not involving anyone else or revealing anything to others; includes alienation, thus Holden being fond of it.During the entire book, Holden constantly does things; he never lounges alone without movement. He always makes conversation with strangers, or smokes, etc. For instance, on page 88 Holden talks about elevators and then says, "All of a sudden you have to walk." Holden's need to walk is the same as Holden's...

Average SAT Scores Over Time 1972 - 2018

Average SAT Scores Over Time 1972 - 2018 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips SAT scores for the past few years have shown a marked decline, particularly since 2006, which can be attributed to various causes. In this article, we provide you with some charts showing the average SAT trends from 1972 to 2018 as well as the variation in SAT scores by ethnicity. Average SAT Scores for Past Years: 1972-2018 First off, here is a chart of the SAT averagesfrom 1972 to 2018 so that you can see the overall trends in SAT scores throughout the years. All data is taken from the 2016 College Board Total Group Profile Report, the 2017 report, and the 2018 report. Year Math Critical Reading Writing Year Math Critical Reading Writing 1972 509 530 - 1996 508 505 - 1973 506 523 - 1997 5 505 - 1974 505 521 - 1998 512 505 - 1975 498 512 - 1999 5 505 - 1976 497 509 - 2000 514 505 - 1977 496 507 - 2001 514 506 - 1978 494 507 - 2002 516 504 - 1979 493 505 - 2003 519 507 - 1980 492 502 - 2004 518 508 - 1981 492 502 - 2005 520 508 - 1982 493 504 - 2006 518 503 497 1983 494 503 - 2007 514 501 493 1984 497 504 - 2008 514 500 493 1985 500 509 - 2009 514 499 492 1986 500 509 - 2010 515 500 491 1987 501 507 - 20 514 497 489 1988 501 505 - 2012 514 496 488 1989 502 504 - 2013 514 496 488 1990 501 500 - 2014 513 497 487 1991 500 499 - 2015 5 495 484 1992 501 500 - 2016 508 494 482 1993 503 500 - 2017* 527 533 1994 504 499 - 2018* 531 536 1995 506 504 - - - - *The old SAT had three main sections: Math, Critical Reading, and Writing. Since theSAT's massive redesign in spring 2016, there are now two main sections on the test: Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW), the latter of which is a combination of the Reading and Writing sections. Now, here's historical SAT test data for different ethnicities. The scores below are the combined mean scores for the Critical Reading and Math sections (for 2017 and 2018, scores shown are the means for the EBRW and Math sections combined). Demographic of Test Takers 2007 Scores 20 Scores 2015 Scores 2016 Scores* 2017 Scores* 2018 Scores* American Indian or Alaskan Native 981 972 963 939 963 914 Asian, Asian American, or Pacific Islander 1092 12 23 31 (Asian American) 870 (Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander) 81 (Asian) 986 (Native Hawaiian/ Other Pacific Islander) 52 (Asian) 948 (Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander) Black or African American 862 855 859 855 941 919 Mexican or Mexican American 921 917 905 - - - Puerto Rican 913 904 905 - - - Other Hispanic, Latino, or Latin American 922 913 906 901 (All Hispanic, Latino, and Latin American) 990 (Hispanic/ Latino) 1005 (Hispanic/Latino) White 1061 1063 1063 1061 18 1077 Other 1009 1010 1009 1015 03 (Two or More Races) 1044 (Two or More Races) No Response 977 944 926 952 961 875 Sources: 2007 Report,20 Report, 2015 Report, 2016 Report, 2017 Report, 2018 Report *Note the changes in ethnic categories for the 2016-2018 reports. SAT Score Trends: Discussing the Numbers What the SAT charts above show us is that the scores vary greatly depending on how the College Board structures the test and organizes its scoring. The years of study thata student engages in matter. The more years of secondary education someone has completed, the better her average score on the SAT will be. Higher GPA also correlates with higher SAT scores. Generally, Critical Reading (now called Reading on theredesignedSAT) has taken an overall decline, whereas the Math score has risen slightly over time. There are of course small fluctuations throughout the years, but the overall trend is clear. There are also notable gaps in the performances of students from different socioeconomic and ethnic groups that show no signs of closing. ACT scores, unlike SAT scores, have remained relatively more stable over the past several years. Though they, too, have shown similar variations in numbers, it hasn’t been as bad as the SAT numbers. On the other hand, they do show differences based on the ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds of the test takers. Due to the nature of the test or due to different demographic profiles among test takers, from 2006 to 2016 overall average SAT scores fell a total of 34 points, down in each of the three sections tested. (You'll notice a sharp increase in section scores in 2017, but this is partly due to the SAT's massive redesign; thus, we won't be able to use these scores for our comparison until more years use the redesigned SAT format.) According to the demographics table, from 2007 to 2015 the average scores for white students stayed about the same. Similarly, mostother groups witnessed no change or decreases from 2007 to 2015. Asian Americans experiencedthe biggest positive change of all groups during this time frame: a staggering 31-point increase in mean Critical Reading/Math scores. (Note, though, that before 2016, Asian Americans were combined with Pacific Islanders.) Access to quality education, not ethnicity, might explain a significant portion of the racial gap. This can includevariations based on whether the student completed a core curriculum or not, and whether they had access to SAT prep. In 2014-2017, more students took the ACT than the SAT; this trend reversed in 2018, with over 2.1 million students taking the SAT (compared to 1.9 million who took the ACT during that same time period). Many students believe that the SAT doesn't accurately reflect what is taught in schools today. The decision to institute changes to the SAT in 2016 may have beendue to this disparity between what is taught and what is tested; it could also have beendue to the loss of market shares to the ACT. Critics say that the SAT measures a student's background and access to resources (including test prep) more than it predicts a student's likelihood of success at the college level. Actually, those two points might correlate because the students that receive this sort of help are also more likely to receive the support they need in college from their families. While it’s true there is variation in scores with respect to race and income, it is still something that can be overcome by the student with both dedication and practice. What’s Next? Struggling with a low SAT score? Check out our series of articles on the how to improve your scores on the SATMath, Reading, and Writingsections. Shooting high on the SAT? Check out our series on how to get perfect scores on the SAT Math, Reading, and Writingsections,written by a perfect scorer. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Tips to Give Your Texts a Perfect Polishing!

Tips to Give Your Texts a Perfect Polishing! Fifteen Great Tips for Proofreading When it comes to proofreading, the fifteen tips below have proven effective in all sorts of discipline from arts subjects through to medicine and science papers. As well as devising your own techniques, why not try these and choose the ones that work well for you? NB:If a tutor or publisher gives specific instructions on proofreading, adhere to them.Be mentally prepared: Proofreading is an art that requires you to be patient, focused, and willing to give a sufficient amount of your time. Make sure, therefore, that you are not distracted, in a hurry, or over-tired. Gather up all the tools you will need: Firstly, this means printing out proofs. Even if you have chosen to or are required to electronically mark a document, work first with a printed version. Mistakes that are sometimes not obvious on screen can often be evident on a paper version. As well as an original or edited copy of the document and their publishers or tutors instructions (e.g. a guide to editing marks), proofreaders usually need spare paper, a ruler, and some colored pens. Look at the bigger picture: Begin by comparing your printed proof to the first or original text, or to an edited copy where applicable. Make sure every element is present. Think about every detail: The next step is proofreading every part of the text, including any illustrations, tables and reference lists. Look for any spelling and/or punctuation errors, as well as any errors in illustrations and tables. Additionally, depending on your instructions, check for errors in notations, symbols, numbers and generally any type of error. Leave nothing to trust or chance: Every word, sentence and paragraph should be read thoroughly and slowly. Nothing should be assumed. Put your ruler beneath each line as you read or cover all text except the sentence you are reading with a piece of paper. Concentrate on small details: Highlight or mark symbols and punctuation marks so that you can concentrate on them. Look for mistakes in smaller words e.g. in articles, conjunctions, and so on. Look hard at illustrations and tables: Are these in the right place and right order? Are there any errors in captions and titles? Is all cross-referenced text accurate? All numbers, scientific symbols and notations should be double-checked: Be extra careful when examining notations and numbers, in both text and tables. Is everything numbered in sequential order and shown correctly on printed proofs? Corrections should be noted with two proofreading marks: Use in-text marks (e.g. carets, lines, and so on) as well as the associated margin marks (e.g., notations or symbols). Thoroughly check that all marks are in the correct place. NB: Refer to a guide or manual on Proofreading Marks if necessary. Margin marks should be separated: A slash mark / should be used for separating marginal marks on the one line. For example, to note similar corrections on one line, a slash should be added for each individual correction (e.g., the word caps and three slashes (/ / /) indicates three instances where capital letters are needed). Instructions should be circled: Place a circle around any margin mark that is an instruction, even short forms e.g. caps for capital letters, ital for italics, and lc for lower case letters. Distinguishing instructions from words that should be entered into a text eliminates confusion. Make sure margin marks correspond correctly: It is essential to work from the left margin to the right, making sure that all margin marks are an exact match with the in-text marks. One proofreading is not sufficient: A lot of mistakes are often found in the second or even third reading. Be clear about what you are looking for each time. For instance, look for spelling mistakes first time, then mistakes in symbols and numbers and next something else. Use different techniques: Use a variety of tips, techniques and methods when proofreading. Read aloud, get another person to read your text aloud, or swap proofreading projects with other people. Look for a method that works well for you. Have frequent rests/breaks: Work out break times in advance, but take a break earlier if you feel tired or start rushing. After one full proofreading, break for longer one day if you can before embarking on the next round.

When You Want Your Home Made Just for You, Customize

When You Want Your Home Made Just for You, Customize A custom home is one that is specially designed to meet the specifications of the person who commissioned it. A custom home is constructed from architectural plans drawn up to meet the needs and stipulations of the owner - the first owner. Plans can be extravagant, drawn from a Pritzker Laureate, or modest from the local architect in your town. Custom plans are different from stock building plans, where the same plan may be sold to many different people. Frequently a builder will customize stock plans by changing details. The builder may change the type of siding, move a doorway, or even add a dormer. However, the house is not truly a custom home unless a designer (usually an architect) has closely studied the land and interviewed the clients to create a one-of-a-kind home that is tailor-made for the people who will live there. Basically, if you dont have it built, a custom home will not be built. Custom Home or Production Home? To build a custom home, you will need a building site and an architect or a professional home designer. A builder who specializes in custom homes may also offer design services. A custom home builder may be a production home builder, but the process and results are different. Because the process is a personal relationship, custom homes cannot be advertised. If the house was already built and ready to be sold, it wouldnt be customized to the buyer. Sometimes developers will leave parts of the interior unfinished to customize for prospective buyers (e.g., custom kitchens), but this is not really a custom home- its more of a customized production home. Know the difference, and dont be fooled by marketing and sales pitches. Examples of Custom Homes: Many architects begin their careers designing homes for specific people. For example, architect William Rawn designed a house for a couple in Massachusetts and author Tracy Kidder told the whole story in his book House- a good exploration of the conflicts that arise in the scope of a custom home project. The commissioned plans of a custom home are tailor-made for the client and location, but also often reflect the design style of the architect. Here are some examples: The Vanna Venturi House by Robert Venturi was built for his motherXanadu 2.0, home of Bill and Melinda GatesGraceland, well-known home of Elvis Presley, was built in 1939 for Ruth Brown Moore and her familyThe Robie House, Frank Lloyd Wrights most famous house, was built for Frederick C. RobieMaison Bordeaux by Rem Koolhaas was built for Jean-Franà §ois Lemoine and his familyMendocino County Wooden Cottage as a get-away designed by architect Cathy Schwabe What Is a Custom Home Builder? A Custom Home Builder constructs a one-of-a-kind home that is designed for a specific client and for a particular location. They may use plans created by an architect or by a professional home designer, so the Custom Home Builder knows how to read and interpret architectural renderings- a skill we assume all builders to have, but youll find degrees of abilities in the construction industry. Some Custom Home Builders also offer professional design services. Because each house is unique, Custom Home Builders generally construct only a few (less than twenty-five) homes a year. In most cases, Custom Home Builders construct on land the home buyer already owns. However, some Custom Builders will provide the building lot. If you own your own land or have plans for a particular home you want to build, you will need the services of a Custom Home Builder.

Tanglewood Stores - Measurement and Validation Essay

Tanglewood Stores - Measurement and Validation - Essay Example The  table gives a clear analysis of various variables. It shows an estimate of the correlation between some of the common predictors like education, managerial interviews, job experience and the measures /variables of performance, citizenship, absence along with other correlations between the proposed predictors like biodata, applicant exams, extraversion, consciousness and retail knowledge. Content validity of the methods of selection is one of the key questions that have to be addressed.There are quite a number of scales that Tanglewood proposed which perfectly match the content that they are intended to measure.And they also correspond properly with the specific work of store associates.  First, we have the retail market knowledge exam which comprises of questions that pertain to the industry and the uniqueness of Tanglewood in the industry. This is properly done and very relevant in the sense that it is related to the basic knowledge of some of the vital marketing principles.Marshfield applicant exam which aims at helping individuals to get some problem-solving abilities, accuracy and fluency in numerical concepts.The personality exam is aimed at identifying the various personality types of those intending to work with Tanglewood.This is necessary for it assists the management to understand the kind of employees to put in various departments. If Tanglewood is interested in getting some of the best people to work for them, there a quite a number of things that they must do. They should focus more on aspects like education of the individual, his or her competencies, the experience he or she has in that particular are to avoid hiring people who lack the know-how and ensure that they give them more training pertaining the kind of duties that the organisation offers. For instance, those in the human resource have to be assisted on how to hire the best people for particular jobs within the stores. The above names predictors are some of the best because they will  ensure that the organisation has people who are competent and know what they are required of by their employers.  

Future Threats of Terrorism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Future Threats of Terrorism - Assignment Example The article uses the words non-traditional violence for terrorism as per his analysis, traditional violence is different. The article lacks clear description of violence and also the writer is unable to define traditional and non-traditional violence in an elaborative manner. The article brings migration as a problem to increase violence in many countries and negates other factors that add to the changing nature of violence other than migration. The whole article seems to explain that in future, we are going to see many non-traditional and disastrous kinds of violence, however, what can be these kinds of violence, the article gives no idea. Article 2: This article elaborates the idea that Al Qaeda as a group that regards itself intelligent strategist and mindful planner is in fact becoming threat for itself because it is defeating itself. The writer informs that Al Qaeda being a strong group as it claims to be, is unable to accomplish its set mission that was to take Muslims with them because many innocent Muslims were killed and harmed by Al Qaeda itself due to which, Muslims regard them as their enemies. However, the article seems restricted and an explanatory account of Al Qaeda’s doings and real life examples are not given in the article. In addition, the writer thinks that killing of Osama Bin Laden will make the group fighting for a leaderless Jihad; however, one man’s killing will give rise to other leaders to come in the forefront and become new leaders. According to the writer, Al Qaeda is endangering itself by attacking people disregarding their creed. Article 3: Picarelli describes the theories of Hoffman and Sageman in this article describing the future of terrorism in the world. As per Hoffman, Al Qaida is the sole threat to the world, however as per Sageman’s analysis, the threat has shifted from Al Qaida to new groups operative in Europe and United States. According to the writer, the reason for

Special education Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Special education - Coursework Example All children are being handled in the inclusion class to help them interact and socialize with other students. The syllabus learnt by students with special needs is the same as those learnt by others. The inclusion of all children in the same class has necessitated the use of learning aids to help children with special needs in the learning process. Training of teachers has also been intensified to enable teachers in regular classes handle both students with special needs and those without special needs at the same time. (Friend, 2011) The three, IDEA, section 504 and ADA are legislations aimed at protecting the people with disabilities in various aspects. Thus, they are similar in that they all advocate for the rights of those with disabilities. The application of each of the law is what makes them different. IDEA is a federally funded law that provides financial assistance to the state and local education agencies to aid in the provision of special education to the disabled children and other services that these children require. IDEA added autism and traumatic brain injury to the Education of Handicapped Act to enable those suffering from these disabilities to access special education like other special needs children. Section 504, unlike IDEA, is not federally funded. The 504 law is against discrimination of the handicapped persons in programs and activities funded by the federal government whether in the private or public sector. The ADA on the other hand, unlike IDEA and section 504, caters for both the righ ts of the handicapped in the private and public sector. The ADA law prohibits discrimination of the disabled in employment, public service and accommodation. While IDEA covers only children of between 3-21 years of age with disabilities, ADA and section 504 protects all persons who qualify as being disabled through having a physical or mental impairment. Groups not eligible for IDEA and have special needs are students

Compare the Industrial Age with the Era of Modernism Essay

Compare the Industrial Age with the Era of Modernism - Essay Example During that era, revolution begun by the mechanization of the textile industry and the iron-making techniques that were developed that increased the use of refined coal (Shamkhal 2011). The revolution was also characterized by the introduction of steam power that was primarily fuelled by coal. There was also the introduction of canals, improved railways and roads that also played a part in expanding trade. During this period, however, things were done in a more primitive and backward way, when compared to the modern era. The modern era is also characterized by a number of revolutions and innovations that are majorly seen in the way people do things that are more mechanized and computerized than the industrial era (Nagla 2010). The modern era brought about the invention of faster-operating computers that have propelled so many other innovative activities come up that completely bring the whole world a global village. During the modern era, people use machines operated by nuclear and electricity power. Trade has been made easy by the roads that have been tarmacked, electric trains and aircrafts that enable goods to be ferried from one country to another within hours. Therefore, the two era were marked by revolutions; however, the modern revolution is characterized with more innovation, faster ways of doing things as well as advanced technology. On the other hand, the industrial revolution was also characterized with lots of inventions and improvement of technology even though the technology used then was backward and could not do much. A lot of changes have been realized since the revolution era. To begin with, in the communications sector, during the industrial revolution, people used to pass information through the use of the word of mouth. Then the use of sending letters came up which could take several days, weeks or even months before being

The education of Sparta---Military life Research Paper

The education of Sparta---Military life - Research Paper Example One of many war experiences was the Dorian invasion which had played a great role in the development of the city state of Sparta. The Spartan political system underwent a lot of sociopolitical and military transformations. Around the 7th century BCE it descended from monarchic system to a basic republic political system. From 1050 BCE to 750 BCE, the political culture of Sparta as well as of other Greek city states can be characterized by a type of monarchy which later transformed into aristocratic oligarchy. The military training of a Spartan would start during his or her childhood. But more interestingly, the selection process of a Spartan soldier used to begin before they were born. In this regard they would take the help of Eugenics. During the 7th century BCE, the Spartan city state faced a sociopolitical unrest which was partly the result of the 7th century Lelantine War, a strife among the Greek city states. During this period, the Spartans turned their attention to build up themselves and to conquer others. The foundation of Sparta was its military. As a military state, Sparta could, to a large extent, maintain peace and harmony among their citizens and enabled the Greek to build an army to mitigate the threats from their neighbors. The first and foremost reason why the Spartans depended on their military power was that they were obsessively war-loving people. They loved war so much, that they turned the country into a military camp. Sparta was a prominent city-state, the one that a dominant military country in ancient Greece. It also was one of the strongest polis among the best of battle. The military in this country covered most of the citizens’ life. The City State of Sparta had the most outstanding military forces in the history of ancient civilization. The Spartan soldiers are popular for their valor, dexterity and fighting skill. The Greek culture was very rich. It was superior to most

Informal interview Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Informal interview - Research Paper Example Other things are providing enough training to employees for the work they do, ensuring friendly atmosphere, ensuring adequate recreation, making the employees feel trusted by giving them decision making power, rewarding in group avoiding discrimination, regular meetings, and most importantly no favoritism in the organization discoursing backdoor tactics. The Details of the Interview Interviewer : How long have you been on this job, Mr. Ralph? Mr. Ralph : Well, I have been in the company for ten years now. Interviewer : Could you please tell me what the job of an HR Professional involves? Mr. Ralph : Broadly speaking, it is about proper staffing and proper employee relations. Interviewer : Fine. Would you explain the responsibilities assigned to an HR Professional in common? Mr. Ralph : Sure, the most common ones are coordinating the hiring process of new recruits, arranging orientation for new employees, developing and explaining HR policies, answering the queries of employees, perfo rmance consulting, ensuring safety at workplace, maintaining employee relations and so on. In fact, the list is too long. Interviewer : That is a fairly good explanation MR. Ralph. Actually, what is the qualification required to apply for a post in HR, say, in your company? Mr. Ralph : Well, the minimum qualification, as I generally observe, is a Bachelors Degree in Human Resource Management and certainly, work experience makes one more effective in the job. Interviewer : Fine, what qualities, in your opinion, makes a person a successful HR Professional? Mr. Ralph : I think, the very first quality required for this job is good communication skills. In addition, the person should possess good public speaking skills and writing skills. Good analytical and problem-solving skills are vital for the profession. Interviewer : Could you please explain the secret behind a successful new employee orientation program? Mr. Ralph : Sure, it starts with a welcome letter to the selected candidates . You know, it makes them feel welcomed. Then the orientation starts with giving the new employees a detailed description of the company’s procedures, history, target and work rules in the very beginning. The orientation is a one week procedure in which employees get familiar with the whole organization and the expected role they have to play. Interviewer : Well, Mr. Ralph, How do you make a new employee feel at ease? Mr. Ralph : It is very important to provide the new recruits enough time to become familiar with the organization, chances for open interaction and discussion in the beginning, clearing fears and doubts, encouraging friendship and providing respect. Interviewer : What advice would you give to someone who is going to become an HR Professional? Mr. Ralph : All employees are human beings. This is the basic thing all HR people should remember. Interviewer : Thank you Mr. Ralph for sharing your knowledge with me. The opinion that HR is mainly aimed at the welfare of the employees is shared by Jackson and Mathis (12) who opine the role of HR is to act as an advocate for the employees ignoring the success of the business to satisfy the needs of the employees. However, there are issues to be taken care of while handling employee issues. First of all, as Dessler and Varkkey (582) point out, it is necessary for managers to be familiar state and local statutes while handling em