Exercise and Healthy Diet for Obesity

Exercise and Healthy Diet for Obesity Obesity is a medical condition that requires long term treatment and intervention in which a regular exercise and healthy diet are probably the most believable two important treatments that could help altering the clinical course of obesity. First of all, exercising on a regular basis is believed to be one of the two most essential factors helping you to get a better health condition. This is because exercising is a process of using the amount of energy from the fat stored in your body.There are many types of exercise in which different modes of exercise produce different physiological responses. However, in my opinion, I think that the most effective type of exercise would be aerobic exercise such as jogging, running, cycling, and swimming. Aerobic exercise most requires you to extensively work out on your large muscles group which particularly includes your leg and core muscles. Moreover, this mode of exercise should take between 30 to 60 minut es and 3 to 5 days per week.As you are exercising, your maximum heart rate intensity should be between 55 to 65 percent of your maximum heart rate, recommended for weight loss. Nonetheless, all beginners should initially start their exercise with a low intensity as the beginners are easily at high risk of joints injury, if you do not begin at the low intensity. In addition to aerobic exercise, there is also another effective mode of exercise which is known as anaerobic exercise whereby weight training is the most common activity for anaerobic exercise.Weight training activity allows your particular muscles to work more and therefore gains more muscle mass. As your muscle mass increases, the rate of metabolism in your body increases as well. Therefore, it is better for you to work on both types of exercise including aerobic and anaerobic exercises as these two modes of exercise would give you a better result in losing your weight. Next, another powerful factor for weight loss besides a regular exercise is ‘a healthy diet’ in which this would effectively help you to lose weight as well.Healthy diet means low calories, low fat, high protein, and carbohydrate restriction in your daily food consumptions. Moreover, this simply means that to eat healthy is to pick fruits or vegetables for the week, plan a meatless day, prefer beans for protein, reduce fat from meats, eat more home cooking and snack with fruits. The power of healthy diet can help you to decrease your body fat more constantly and that would help you to better achieve weight loss.Hence, it is very important that you should refrain from eating sweets and fried food if it is not necessary and instead focusing more on the food with high protein and fibre. However, ‘fasting’ is strictly prohibited for healthy diet as each particular meal should include an adequate five food categories; which are carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamin, and fibre. Fasting or dieting could cause you to b e starved and that would lead you to malnutrition, which is harmful to your health as your rate of metabolic and muscle mass would reduce rapidly.Metabolic rate of the body is reduced due to fasting or dieting is when your digestive system of your body does not work as well as it does and if when you return to your normal eating, there is a high of possibility for you to get Yo-Yo Effect that might cause you to even gain more weight in a short time. Last but not least, either regular exercise or healthy diet could essentially help you to alter the clinical course of obesity.As regular exercise would decrease your heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol, body fat and also improve your muscle functions, which these can help the obesity to alter their clinical course. Hence, healthy diet also helps you to decrease your unwanted body fat and increase your rate of metabolism as well. Therefore, it is recommended for the obesity that you should both work on your regular exercise and eat h ealthy food as if you do them together, the more faster the more healthy of your body will become.

Anne Frank Reaction paper Essay

Anne Frank is the diary of a little girl following the events surrounding a thirteen year old girl who grows up Jewish and lives in Amsterdam during the Holocaust. As the events of World War II began Anne was a typical girl who attended school and was aware of the war and world around her, but at the time, wasn’t very fearful for her safety. Unfortunately, reality struck Anne as the news of World War II progressed, accompanied by the call for her old sister to be taken away to a concentration camp. Suddenly, the world as Anne perceived it would change dramatically. Soon, they were living in an annex, an addition to a building, hiding from the SS officers of the Nazis. The diary of Anne Frank gives an insight to the Jewish perspective of the Holocaust and the prejudice and discrimination not only that the Jews underwent but of others in the society as well. As I read the diary of Anne Frank I began to learn what so many of the Jewish people had experienced during World War II. Anne started writing in her diary when she first received it for her birthday. Her diary recalls many of the feeling and events that Jews felt during World War II. I learned that Nazi’s discriminated against Jews in a multitude of ways. First, they were forced to wear yellow stars to signify if they were Jewish or not. Also, All Jews were forced to hand over all bikes and were not allowed to ride the streetcars anymore. In addition to those restrictions, Jewish people were only allowed to attend certain schools and restaurants. Like many Jewish people, Anne seemed calm and unafraid of the World and the war. She looked at hiding from the Nazi’s as an adventure. This would be short-lived as she soon realized that being trapped inside a room with other families can be frustrating for a young girl. She envied others outside that still were allowed to pla y freely. She soon realized that her life was at risk every day. While hiding in a secret annex for a little more than two years, Anne wrote a lot about her feelings and events of her time in solitude with her family  and others. Frustrations run high when emotions run high and there is no privacy to escape to. â€Å"I see the eight of us in the Annex as if we were a patch of blue sky surrounded by menacing black clouds. . . . [They loom] before us like an impenetrable wall, trying to crush us, but not yet able to. I can only cry out and implore, ‘Oh ring, ring, open wide and let us out!’† (Frank, 1995, pg. 108). This passage was the most meaningful to me, I learned about the fear that All Jews in hiding must have faced. I learned that every day for two years Anne and her family lived in fear, afraid that they would not be free, afraid that they will not see each other again, and afraid that they will not survive. Every time a bomb raid siren or something as little as a knock on the door went off, complete fear would set in. The longer the war went on the more afraid they became that they would be caught and killed. Having to live life that way for so long must have taken a tremendous toll on a person. The events that Anne frank describes in her diary are very important. The passages in her diary portray discrimination in its purest form. The diary shows the prejudice and discrimination that millions of Jews underwent. It shows to the rest of the world how people can act. It is eye opening to how people treat others in today’s society, but most importantly it gives us insight to ourselves and how we have been treating others. It shows how one person’s beliefs can be passed on to an entire society and can cause so much hate to a particular group. â€Å"I keep trying to find a way to become what I’d like to be and what I could be if . . . if only there were no other people in the world† (Frank, 1995, pg. 247). Anne’s last sentence is very meaningful and moving. It says that there will always be good and bad people in the world, and that the only way that there will be no bad people is if she was the only one left. It also says that no one can really ever be who they want to be because of the unscrupulous people in the world. Until we can rid people of prejudice and discrimination we will never be able to achieve the things we want to.

Important of Listening Essay

It is generally recognized that listening comprehension, which can be understood as the ability to identify and understand what others say, plays a key role in facilitating language learning. Gary (1975) said that giving pre-eminence to listening comprehension, particularly in the early stage of second language teaching and learning language. Firstly, listening is one of the basic sources of information. It is easy to see that all L2 learners want to understand target language, or they want to be able to access the rich variety of oral and visual L2 texts available today via network-based multimedia, such as on-line audio and video, YouTube, podcasts and blogs. Moreover, as infants, we have the unique ability to listen to sounds and understand them. The first words that a child learns are by listening to parents, understanding and then reproducing these words. Growing older, a large part of our lives is spent in school or college where we learn primarily by listening to what our teachers say. We complement the listening process by asking questions and increasing our knowledge. Secondly, listening is an important language skill to develop language. For example, when we need to learn a second language, the first thing that we do is to study the grammar and syntax behind the language. However, knowledge of grammar and syntax alone will not improve our command over the language. We need to practice using the language. How do we practice using a second language? We need to read, write and listen to the language. It is only after practice that we will become fluent in using the language. Learning a non-native or a second language requires listening to that language. A non-native English speaker for example, needs to learn to listen to the language in order to understand its nuances. Learning English listening helps to improve command over the English language. Listening and understanding spoken English helps non-native speakers of the language to gain confidence. Besides, listening remains the primary form of contact with a language. By listening we are able to understand subtleties about the language that are not apparent by reading or by just studying grammar. For learners of English, listening is vital because it is through this sense that they receive information on vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, spoken word order, as well as the stress patterns of words, phrases and sentences. Through listening the learner picks up vital clues, some consciously, others subconsciously, about what constitutes idiomatic spoken English. The learner may also register and retain words and phrases which, having heard them from a native speaker or their teacher, they know to be acceptable for their own use later on. Finally, listening can help develop other skills. Dunkel (1991) and Rost (2002) also emphasized that listening comprehension is lied at the heart of L2 listening; and the development of L2 listening skill has demonstrated as a beneficial impact on the development of other skills. Listening with care and attention, and moreover, demonstrating that they are listening by eye contact, nodding where appropriate, and asking questions to clarify where necessary, guarantees that the goal of the communication is achieved. In which, whether it’s a simple â€Å"Excuse me, could you please tell me the way to the train station?† to a discussion on cultural differences, the goal is the same effective communication. And without both parties being able to listen actively, the chance of real communication is diminished. Without the skill of listening, there can be no language learning, and hence no communication . Therefore, listening comprehension is a highly integrative skill. It plays an important role in the process of language learning/acquisition, facilitating the emergence of other language skills. For these reasons, learners of foreign language, including students at Tay Bac University, need to have an awareness and a competence in listening comprehension. In order to do so, one of the most important factors is that they need to be well-taught to listen.

What Impact Does The Media And Public Opinion Have On American Foreign Essay

What Impact Does The Media And Public Opinion Have On American Foreign Policy - Essay Example This is very important for the image of the country and it affects the way that people in America feel about themselves, their country and their government. The media have a role in providing information about what the government does, and this helps people to decide which party to vote for. Sometimes the media are not neutral, however, and this means that people can be influenced in one way or another. Newspapers often question what the government is doing, and they write about international affairs giving several different points of view. This encourages people to think about what is happening and contributes to general education. The existence of the media forces governments to explain what they are doing, and defend their actions. Another role that the media has is to limit the powers of government in situations where they could take extreme actions. Presidents worry about what people will think of them, and this is a very good thing. O’Hefferman reports that â€Å"Presid ent Nixon said that the TV reporting of the Vietnam war was â€Å"probably the single most significant factor limiting our options there.† (O’Hefferman: 1991, p. 100) In the Iraq war also, television coverage of military funerals influenced people against the war, because it made the deaths of American soldiers more real to them. The live images of bombs being dropped on Iraqi cities, and pictures of injured children and weeping relatives make the human cost of war more visible.

Human Resource Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Human Resource Management - Term Paper Example In the course of performing these activities, HRM faces a lot of challenges. This term paper provides a comprehensive insight into the challenges commonly faced by HRM in each of the aforementioned activities. Issues of Human Resource Management Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity Diversity as well as equality has played an important role not only in legislation and policies developed, but it has been demonstrated that it contributes to a business success (Foot, 2011). A diverse workforce allows for a wider pool of possible employees and can increase the chance of finding the best match for a job position. Similarities can be found within the legislation of several countries with regard to equality. The Equality Act 2010 UK (although sometimes considered as controversial) and the Civil Rights Act 1964 US are just some examples of legislation enforced to ensure equality at the workplace. The most common characteristics, which are protected, are age, sex, race, religion or belie f, pregnancy and disability (Noe, 2011). Yet, one has to bear in mind that Equal Employment Opportunity â€Å"does not mean preferential treatment for one individual over another† (Bernardin, 2011, p.84) due to the above-mentioned characteristics. Hiring a person solely on the ground of him or her belonging to a minority while rejecting a more qualified applicant can also be considered as discrimination. In order to work within the law, any Human Resource practice has to evaluate internal policies and adjust documents and actions so they are compliant and do not show some kind of discrimination. However, equality does not only play a role during recruitment; a good equality policy can attract future employees, creates a framework on acceptable behavior and in turn can ensure that employees are treated fairly (Foot, 2011). Job Design and Analysis â€Å"Job design determines the way in which work should be performed which, in turn, affects the degree of authority of an employe e over the work; the scope of decision-making by the employee; the number of tasks an employee has to perform; and employee satisfaction† (icmrindia.org, 2012). Job analysis is a detailed study of the scope of work and roles and responsibility of the employee in that position. Job designing and analysis is not much of an issue in a stable work environment. However, HRM faces challenges when the organizational culture is dynamic and the top management frequently makes changes in the organization structure in its attempt to change the system for the better. Planning and Recruiting of Human Resources Planning and recruiting is a very technical task and demands considerable effort on the part of the HRM. Before advertising any vacancy, the HRM needs to identify the skills’ gap in the existing organizational workforce, the job role and responsibilities of the prospective employee, the method of recruiting, analysis of the results, and integration of the new employee into the existing organizational culture and setup. To identify the roles and responsibilities of the new employee, the HRM needs to conduct a detailed study and may require input from the existing workforce. Designing of the method of recruiting is another very complicated and extremely important task because this is the

Research Paper of Philosophy Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Of Philosophy - Research Paper Example These are called incompatibilists and are divided into two; metaphysical libertarianism and hard determinists. Metaphysical libertarianists claim that determinism does not exist and therefore free will is at least possible. On the other hand, hard determinists argue that determinist really exists and thus free will is not possible. There are also compatibilists who hold that determinism is inevitable for free will to exist because choice is guided by preferences. Where preferences are involved, one course of action is preferred over another and in this case some senses are involved on the way the choices will be made (Goodwin 11). In this case, compatibilists have considered the debate between libertarians and hard determinists over free will and determinism as a misguided and false dilemma (Richards 142). The views presented by compatibilists, that free will exist with determinism, is consistent with my own and in this paper I show their argument and the objections presented by incompatibilists. The first question to pose is; are we free? Is there such thing as free will or choice? Most scholars have deliberated on the issue of free will or choice and the big question has sought to answer the question as to whether we are really free (Jaworski, Chap 13). The fact that I choose to stand by compatibilists view that free will exists in this paper, and not the reverse position is already an indication that I am free to choose. Free will is that ability of an agent or agents to make choices without control of factors from within or from without. The factors that have been put on spot regarding control are many including physical, psychological, metaphysical, social, economic, and political among other possible constraints in making a free choice (Jaworski, Chap 13). In the analysis of Clark (1999: 280)Â  the principle of free choice is controlled by ethics, religion, science and law and the implications are viewed

Explain this statement and conclude your discussion by saying whether Essay

Explain this statement and conclude your discussion by saying whether or not you agree with the law commission's current proposa - Essay Example Laws regarding the rights of consumers across the UK were not protective enough to sufficiently safeguard the interest of consumers. The new laws were, therefore, put forward to enhance sanity in sales of products and consumption of faulty products. In order to show that the grievances presented by the European Commission were heard, the Law Commission published laws that would protect the consumers against consumption of faulty goods. Law Commission made an indirect response to the European Commission’s paper with pretence that it was responding to the 2002 Consumer Sales Directive. Whether or not the publication of the Law Commission was ignited by the October release of the European Commission, these laws are a sure relief to the UK consumers. The laws protect the rights of consumers in a way that had not been possible in the past. A critical analysis of the Law Commission Proposals and Remedies for Faulty goods to Consumers relays a lot to be desired about the laws. The ne ed for harmonization of European consumer rights and related remedies was the primary objective of both publications. Whereas the consultative paper was not designed to directly respond to the â€Å"The European Law Commission Proposals†, it indirectly touched the core values of that proposal as an attempt to harmonize all United Kingdom Laws relating to consumer rights and remedies with those of the Commission proposals. This Consultative paper further earmarked an indirect advice to the commission regarding short term remedies to be harmonized across Union members without necessarily deviating from the traditional Contract Law remedies like rejection, repair and replacement or rescission (The Joint Consultative Paper, 2009, P.63). European Commission Proposals are another area of the laws that exhibit great deal of fascinating and likeable issues. The Law Commission Proposals were aimed at achieving the â€Å"consumer acquis† across the European Union relating to goo ds consumed and trading rights (The European Law Commission,2008). These rights include the right of withdrawal by the consumer from an ambigueous contract and is associated with the â€Å"cooling off period†, the need to protect consumers from â€Å"aggressive commercial practices†, removal of all trade barriers across all member states boarders, promotion of online contractual arrangements or trading among other things. The right of withdrawal is concerned with door to door and distance trading activities including both goods and services rendered to the consumer (Schultze, 2009, P.179). By all means, such steps to protect the rights of citizens of the wider European Union are a reason to smile about. The commission proposals are most likely going to enhance economic productivity of the region with increased trade and commerce. These European Commission proposals are majorly intended to harmonize trading activities among European states and once the Union has achieve d this, it will have a better competitive advantage over other regions in trade and industry. The major bottleneck is understanding the micro and macro economic factors that drives businesses. More in particular is an understanding of the

War Dance response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

War Dance response - Essay Example The ability of human beings to invent fire portrays one of their major uniqueness. Fire was able to change the lives of human beings in numerous aspects which are still witnessed today. Unlike other animals, human beings have unique body structure. For example, they have opposable thumbs and have ability to communicate more efficiently and effectively using different means such as languages, signs, body movements to mention just but a few. Moreover, human beings have strong socials connections and have highly developed brains as compared to other animals/species. This can be substantiated by the fact that they have been able to make the entire world a global village through their creativity and innovation of communication information technology (Zhu and Dasheng, pp.34-35). In addition to this, human beings are social animals; this argument may be substantiated by the fact that human beings like living together in social groups. They tend to live as community members rather than individuals human beings. For example, the emergence of cities is good evidence. Most people move from isolated places such as rural areas and move to cities to look for employment as well as socialize with other people. Based on the traditional human social structure, it can be observed that human beings are social animals. For example, they used to have families whereby, a man could decide to become a monogamous by marrying several wives and having numerous children’s. The family members stayed together in the same house (Zhu and Dasheng, pp.34-35). The poems and stories in War Dance by Sherman Alexie display characters and relationship of various people. The first character that helps to support the stated argument is the narrator of the poem in War Dance. The seats with his father in a lonely room in a hospital after his father had undergone surgery on his

Biomedical philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Biomedical philosophy - Essay Example , when one is relying on CEDs might not be that effective despite advocated, which entails the respective authorities devise rules meant to govern its usage to shun thwarting of analytical skills realization. Since, attainment of analytical skills is an essential aspect that will aid the learners not only in the confinements of their educational facilities but also in their entire lives. Hence, use whatever they have acquired but this entails rule guiding in terms of its usage to produce well-prepared individuals. Analytical skills in this case is an internal good for its attainment is not via attributing with certain environmental settings but one’s involvements as well as interactions with varied aiding facilities. This is to development themselves but not because a person he or she went to a certain institution. Since in attributable ant good with where a person he or she went to certain institution comprises describes an external good, which in most cases is more of one associating with a given icon or place. For instance, an internal good its attainment its realization basis or success considers one’s efforts as well as a belief they control their lives (Hager, Alison & Reich 23). Hence, externalities do not have any influence on what they attain except in the case where they ought to play as per certain rules to maximize chances of realizing what they want. In this case will be quite evident with regulating CEDs’ usage but the extent of analytical skills one has des pite all people constrained by same rules will have varying capacities based one’s efforts. Conversely, external good mostly relies on environmental settings thus who attain or fail associate them with external influences like institutions as well as certain icons. Consequently, this is the reason why analytical skills which is an internal good varies across individuals to the extent some accorded certain preserve of being exemplary analytical in all their errands not only in educational

Nus 170 assignment 1 zhong Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nus 170 1 zhong - Assignment Example Jack does not consume any whole grains contrary to the requirements of the dietary table at > 5 OZ while he is over consuming on refined grains at 8 OZ. On vegetables, jack doesn’t consume any contrary to the dietary requirements of 3.5 cups while he consumes  ¼ cup dairy which is below the bar set by the dietary table of 3 cups. Fruit consumption is insignificant as he does not consume any in contrary to dietary requirements of 2  ½ cups. Generally, jack’s consumption does not conform to the dietary table requirements as most food groups are under consumed as compared to is required to be consumed. Jack under consumes 73.63% of all the foods groups. He is not keen in keeping the dietary requirements and this is hazardous to the body health. He efficiently utilizes 21.05% of the food groups while he over utilizes 5.32% of the food groups. It is alarming in the case that jack does not put into consideration health issues arising from food consumption as the report shows some instances where food group consumption is close to zero and indication of not taking serious his set targets. (5pts) Jack has been experiencing symptoms of GERD lately. He would like to try some dietary solutions. In addition to the above, using your textbook as a reference, write a brief dietary recommendation for Jack that may alleviate his GERD symptoms. Use your textbook for guidance, write at least 200 words and be specific. Gastro esophageal reflux disease is as a result of a defect in the relaxation of lower esophageal sphincter that allows contents of the stomach to jump back to the lining of the esophagus that is unprotected. This is brought about by the consumption of oily and spicy foods, onions, chocolate, caffeine and carbonated beverages. Jack should opt to taking tea instead of coffee to reduce the caffeine content in the body and at the same time avoid carbonated beverages

Writing and Pepperoni Pizza Lovers Essay Example for Free

Writing and Pepperoni Pizza Lovers Essay

Week 3, Learning Team - Aggregate Demand and Supply Models - Economic Critique Essay Example for Free

Week 3, Learning Team Aggregate Demand and Supply Models Economic Critique Essay An Economic Critique of Aggregate Demand and Supply Models The recent fall of the United States economy has created a society of fear, insecurity, and doubtful investors, retirees, and consumers world-wide. Economists from around the world have come together to solve world-wide economic issues and bring stability back to businesses, households, and the government. Economics teaches you how to approach problems; it does not provide what is right or what is wrong, nor does it provide you with a definitive answer. Consistent evaluation of economic factors like unemployment, economic expectations, consumer income, and interest rates, can prove to be highly effective. Unemployment Rate The unemployment rate steadily has declined over the last three years; there was a difference of 1.6% from July 2011 to July 2013. In July 2011 the unemployment rate was at 9% while in July 2013 it was reported at 7.4% so there was a decline of 1.6% (Bureau of Labor Statistics: The Employment Situation, 2013). The unemployment rate lowering over the last three years has been a positive thing for the United States economy because it means more jobs were created in 2013 and thus more people are working. The positive upturn in the unemployment rate would means that the household income has increased and there is more spending money power available. Even though there is some positive feedback in the unemployment rate numbers there are still other issues that affect the economy and still need to be dealt with like the government budget cut, which could produce more businesses taxes. The economy is on a slow but steady up-swing do to job creations, which has caused the unemployment rates t o lower for the last three years. Some job markets have created new jobs like the retail and service market but other have not improved at all like the manufacturing and health care markets. The important thing is that there are more jobs being created and the unemployment rate is lowering. Expectations In the current economy, many Americans are concerned that a rebound is still many years away. The hope and expectation appears to be that a new Presidential administration will help turn the tide on the depressed economy. However, expectations do not appear to be overzealous as Americans still witness home foreclosures, job layoffs, bankruptcies, and an increase in requests for public assistance. The average American still seems to be overwhelmed with these economic issues, whether on a personal basis or among friends and family. There are numerous factors affecting consumer income during the current economic recession. The aggregate demand effects are the Keynes’ interest rate effect and the Mundell-Fleming exchange-rate effect. It is often mentioned that the aggregate demand arch is a sliding slope, since the lesser price levels, a greater amount is required. These factors are the existing factors on aggregate demand and supply. The Obama administration has a few strategies to join our economic growth and our fiscal prospects by stimulating a sound profitable recovery, taking initiative toward bringing down the deficiency and placing a foundation and contain health care costs.  "Experience suggests that the tough choices that are necessary to put the budget into what economists call â€Å"primary balance† – a situation where taxes and expenditures cover each other, excluding interest payments, or what is essentially equivalent, a situation where the debt-to-GDP ratio can stabilize – will require the cooperation of both political parties. Experience suggests that achieving this kind of cooperation will require deliberation outside the immediate cut and thrust of political debate (Reflections on Fiscal Policy and Economic Strategy, 2010). The Keynesian perspective is often focused on immediate results in economic theories. Policies focus on the short-term needs and how economic policies can make instant correction to a nation’s economy. â€Å"Classical economics focuses on creating long-term solutions for economic problems. The effects of inflation, government regulation and taxes can all play an important part in developing clas sical economic theories. Classical economists also take into account the effects of other current policies and how new economic theory will improve or distort the free market environment (Differences Between Classical Keynesian Economics, 2013). Consumer Income As of June 2013, median household incomes were up $598 month-over-month and $960 year-over-year. According to U.S. Department of Commerce (2013), â€Å"wages and salaries, the largest component of personal income, increased 0.5 percent in June after increasing 0.3 percent in May.† Personal expenditure is the vast element to aggregate demand. It is set on a household’s disposable income. There will be a shift to the left on aggregate demand if consumers buy more output at the price level. The current fiscal policy in place as it relates to consumer income states that the government can increase or decrease taxes on household income. An increase in taxes means a decrease in disposable income, because it will take money out of households. The opposite holds true if there is a decrease in taxes, because it will leave households with more money. Disposable income accounts for two-thirds of total demand. Economist had forecast a 0.1% rise, but reports show that spending fell 0.2% in May 2013 when adjusted for inflation. It is suggested that consumers pulled back from spending due to a weak income data. During periods of recession, the Keynesian theory recommends that Congress should increase government spending and decrease taxes to give households more disposable income to purchase more products, simultaneously. Through these methods of fiscal policy, the rise in aggregate demand stimulates businesses to increase production, employ more workers, and increase household incomes, enabling them to buy more. The classical theory concept known as â€Å"free market† requires little to no government intervention. This allows consumers to act in their own self-interest in regards to economic decisions. In the current issues regarding consumer income, Keynesian theory has been proven effective as shown in the increase of income and the shift in aggregate demand. If the current state of the U.S. consumer income remains on course, there should be a steady climb household disposable income. Interest Rates Based on my finding, as an international reporter, it was disclosed that interest rates have been the primary macroeconomic indictor of our economy today. It is an aggregate figure that represents how the present banks and financial sector operate on a national and regional economy level. So what is an interest rate, According to Colander (2010), Chapter 13, â€Å"Interest rates — the prices that are charged or paid for the use of a financial asset —are key variables in the financial sector.† It’s the rate of the cost of borrowing money, which reflects both the supply and demand of United States currency at a particular time. Therefore, after critiquing the current state of the U.S. economy interest rate, it was uncovered that monetary policy plays a major part in the decision making. This is why, According to Colander (2010), Chapter 13, â€Å"Money is a highly liquid financial asset that’s generally accepted in exchange for other goods, is used as a reference in valuing other goods, and can be stored as wealth.† It’s the Federal Reserve that uses the supply of money to regulate the current interest rate, which affects the cost of borrowing money to regulate the economy. According to Colander (2010), Chapter 13, â€Å"Federal Reserve Bank (the Fed) — the U.S. central bank whose liabilities (Federal Reserve notes) serve as cash in the United States.† Therefore, borrowing money is really known as interests’ rate that is set by the Federal Reserve that affects the rates on credit cards and home mortgages. In this current state of the U .S. economy, it has affected the interest rate and the exchanged rate; this is where the Fiscal policy has become a major factor. This policy has macroeconomic implications beyond consumer spending. In fact, when the government runs a deficit, it has to borrow from investors by issuing treasury bonds. Therefore, when the government competes with others borrowers, such as corporation, or consumer saving this will affect the raising of the interest rate. So in result, this policy recommendation should be setting interest rate sufficiently to attract investors and their money, so the government can have the cash to cover the budget deficits. Conclusion In conclusion, the economy plays an important role in all the markets and sectors whether it is with the government, households, or businesses. Each sector or market affects the other since it is a never ending cycle that affects job creation, consumer, and business spending power, and government spending. Economists study to prevent recessions and keep our economy on a positive cycle with continuous growth and spending power. In order to do this, businesses, government, and household need to continue spending to provide jobs for people. The people in turn will continue spending providing more money spending power. The government needs to analyze situations to prevent financial crisis and have ways to strength our economy (Colander, 2010). Everyone needs to play their part for continuous growth and prosperity. References U.S. Department of Commerce. (2013). Personal income and outlays, June 2013. Retrieved from http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/pi/pinewsrelease.htm Bureau of Labor Statistics: The Employment Situation. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf Colander, David. C. (2010). Macroeconomics (8th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Reflections on Fiscal Policy and Economic Strategy. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/nec/speeches/fiscal-policy-economic-strategy. Differences Between Classical Keynesian Economics. (2013). Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/differences-between-classical-keynesian-economics-3897.html

Evaluation and the use of concept mapping

Evaluation and the use of concept mapping A concept is a thought, notion, or an abstract idea developed from a situation or particular instance experienced by the learner. Concept mapping consists of diagrams that represent an organized visualization of a concept and its associations or explanations (Novak Gowin, 1984). The use of concept mapping as an educational tool is well established through many branches of learning, including nursing (Schanze Grà ¼b-Niehaus, 2008; MacNeil, 2007; Trochim, 2009). Knowledge derived from the nursing process flows remarkably well into the overall design of a concept map. Although similar to other types of knowledge mapping, concept mapping provides a unique structure to gather major concepts together with direct linkages that can be easily visualized and readily examined. Properly prepared concept mapping will allow the learner to venture into all the learning domains, including cognitive, affective, and psychomotor; as well as allow the educator to move from a teacher-centered learning environment to one that is learner-centered. Concept mapping is designed to promote meaningful learning by the student, and allow for an effective formative or summative evaluation method by the educator. As the map is designed, the learner can incorporate new knowledge and reject inaccurate concepts and ideas. The map can also refine knowledge with examples or events, and allow for learning rather than route memorization. For the educator, the concept map can demonstrate the depth of the learners knowledge, and visually depict what the educator must emphasize to complete the learning process. The educator can also rapidly develop further learning opportunities through critical thinking exercises employing proposed changes to existing concept maps. Concept Mapping Theory Concept mapping was developed in 1972 as part of an effort at Cornell University to study the ability of young children to obtain basic scientific concepts. The design was the result of research into the cognitive psychology of learning and the constructivist epistemology. Based on Ausubels theory of learning, concept mapping attempts to emphasize the difference between rote learning and meaningful learning (Novak Caà ±as, 2006). Rote learning occurs when new information is added to the learners prior knowledge framework in a random and verbatim fashion. Thus, there is little permanent structure and the new information is rapidly forgotten. In meaningful learning, the new information is linked to the learners prior knowledge framework in a conscious and purposeful manner, thus producing a stable structure and substantial change in the way the learner experiences learning, in other words a conceptual change (National Institute for Science Educations College Level One Team, Universit y of Wisconsin, n.d.). This relationship is shown in Figure 1. Further studies and collaboration on concept mapping use and design, including work at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) in Florida, led to integration of concept mapping with software tools and enabled rapid application of the concept mapping framework to numerous disciplines. Concept Mapping Design In concept mapping, graphical representations are arranged in two predominant manners. First, in the hierarchical fashion, the main topic or question is displayed at the top of the diagram, with inclusive and general concepts near the top and specific, less general concepts arranged in a progressively downward pattern (see Figure 2). The other most common concept map design is in a circular fashion, known as the spider method, with the core topic or idea in the center immediately surrounded by inclusive and general concepts, becoming less specific and more general the further from the core (see Figure 3). Other less common concept mapping methods include the flow path method, where concepts are linked together in a progressively linear fashion to represent a final concept, and the systems method, where input and output concepts are related to the central concept in a production-line style of visualization. Still other methods of concept mapping may be developed to reflect the learners or the educators vision of representation. Typically, concepts are enclosed in boxes, circles, or other geometric shapes with the relationships identified by connecting lines. There are descriptors on the connecting lines that specify the nature of the relationships. Concepts may also be cross-linked to show relationships between domains of knowledge or concepts located in different areas of the map (Caà ±as, 2003). Examples, events, or possible solutions can also be included, although these may not be boxed or circled, and the connecting lines can be dashed or dotted to represent an unsubstantiated relationship. Concept Mapping Construction Many methods can be used to construct a concept map. In general, the process will begin as follows: identify a question related to a process or problem; identify the key concepts of the process or problem; rank these concepts in order by identifying the most descriptive and broadest concept then narrowing the descriptions until the most specific concept is listed last; connect the concepts by links, using notations to represent the relationship between the concepts and enable meaning to the linkage; provide examples, including social, personal, and professional examples to clarify the concept or the relationship between concepts; and then continue to link, add examples, and promote the relationships. Some constructors may find it useful to perform this design using post-it notes or index cards, and arranging their ideas on a table or white board to allow for ease of concept ranking, as well the ability to provide easy changes of relationships and rapid visualization of data. The novi ce and expert alike may also use various shapes and colors to designate concepts and subconcepts to make the map clearer. Concept Mapping Software Although concept mapping may be performed with pen, paper, and other non-electronic methods, there are a number of software programs that can be used to provide a variety of concept maps with ranges of detail. In addition to using traditional word-processing programs such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, or Corel WordPerfect or Corel Draw to construct concept maps, specific concept mapping software has been developed. The IHMC, a coalition of Florida universities, has developed Cmap Tools, a robust concept map developer that is free for use (IHMC, 2009). This software also includes a search feature that allows the user to search a wide variety of public Cmap databases for sample concept maps. Other software programs that are specific to concept map construction includes Axon Idea Processor, 3D Topicscape, Inspiration, MindGenious, MindMapper, MindView, Semantica, SmartDraw, Spinscape, and Tinderbox. Several of these software packages are available in multiple programming formats, in addition to several languages, and are free for download. Concept Mapping Example As an example to demonstrate concept-mapping construction, a learner is assigned to research the disease process sepsis, and make a presentation to the class. The learner studies several peer reviewed journal articles (DellaCroce, 2009; Nelson, LeMaster, Plast, Zahner, 2009; Steen, 2009) to obtain the latest information on the disease process, and decides to develop a concept map to explain the pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnostic tests, and treatments for sepsis. The learner develops a table to highlight the ideas that will be outlined on the concept map (see Table 1). Finally, using the CmapTools Knowledge Modeling Kit, Version 5.03, the learner prepares the concept map (see Figure 4). Preparation for Developing a Concept Map Steps Responses 1. Identify a question related to a process or problem What is sepsis? How is it diagnosed? What are the signs and symptoms? How is it treated? 2. Identify the key concepts of the process or problem Invading Microorganism, Sepsis, Inflammatory Response, Organ Failure, Systemic Inflammatory Response, Septic Shock, Treatments, Risk Factors, Infection, Death 3. Rank these concepts in order by identifying the most descriptive and broadest concept, then narrowing the descriptions until the most specific concept is listed last Rank 1) Invading Microorganism 2) Infection 3) Inflammatory Response 4) Systemic Inflammatory Response 5) Sepsis 6) Septic Shock, Severe Sepsis 7) Organ Failure 8) Treatment, Risk Factors, Diagnostic Tests 9) Death 4. Connect the concepts by links, using notations to represent the relationship between the concepts and enable meaning to the linkage Links are Pathophysiology, Leads To, Plus, Can Lead To, Organ Failure 5. Provide examples, including social, personal, and professional examples to clarify the concept or the relationship between concepts Vital Signs, Signs of Organ Failure, Criteria for Determining Sepsis Table 1: Preparation for Developing a Concept Map Concept Mapping Advantages Concept maps provide several advantages over other methods of instruction and evaluation. Concept maps can provide the learners access to a â€Å"big picture† view of the topic of interest, allowing the student to advance to conceptual understanding rather than simple memorization or rote learning. This in turn can provide the student the bases for critical thinking. Concept maps are also easy to construct. Concept maps can also be used as both an instructional strategy for the educator or a learning activity for the learner. As a learning activity, the student can acquire the desired knowledge, performance, and behaviors specified by the curriculum (Caputi Blach, 2008). In situations such as developing continuing education opportunities for existing nursing staff, the use of concept mapping can aid in learning new content through visualization, as many staff prefer visual or kinesthetic learning (Nursing Times, 2009). In cases where students need a platform to reduce anxiety generated prior to testing due to a lack of surety on whether the critical aspects of a clinical lesson were studied, the use of concepts maps can help students organize data, determine complex relationships between patient data and disease processes, and provide the student with an overall picture of the care provided to their patient (Hsu, 2004). Concept Mapping Disadvantages Although concept mapping has many advantages, some disadvantages exist. The wide variety of possible concept map designs can lead to additional evaluation time by the educator as students use different construction techniques. Grading of the differing concept maps may also lead to difficulties unless the educator uses strict grading criteria, such as a detailed assignment rubric. The use of concept mapping may also require a paradigm shift by learners used to only the memorization method of learning. This can sometimes cause difficulty as the learner transitions to the new method of learning. Concept Mapping Use in Learning Domains The cognitive domain includes knowledge and skill development. As cognitive learning occurs, the learner is able to recall facts, patterns, and concepts that will result in the development of intellect. Concept mapping is primarily based on the cognitive domain, as the learner combines concepts into a framework that can develop critical conceptions and critical thinking. The affective domain includes learning that is based on our interaction with our environment through feelings, values, motivations, and attitudes. Concept mapping draws into the affective domain through the construction of the framework, and the use of the environment to provide definition to the concept, and the use of values, attitudes, and feelings to link the concepts together to promote understanding. The psychomotor domain includes learning in the physical domain, such as movement, coordination, and development of motor skills. Psychomotor learning is measured through speed, precision, and techniques in execution. Concept mapping lends well to learning in the psychomotor domain, as the learner physically constructs the concept map using a variety of tools and software. Concept Mapping in Nursing Education Concept mapping is used at several levels in nursing education. By using concept mapping as a learning process in nursing undergraduate education, the educator can develop and refine critical thinking skills in the learner through generating ideas, promoting nonlinear relationships between patient data and complex disease processes, and forcing the learner to visualize the application of nursing theory to nursing practice (Abel Freeze, 2006; Phelps, Wallen, Cusack, Castro, Muehlbauer, et al., 2009). One of the most common uses of concept mapping in nursing is the use of concept mapping to demonstrate the nursing process in care planning. Each component of the nursing process (assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention, and evaluation) can be presented around a disease process; or patient problems can be identified and relationships established between the problems to develop a holistic perspective of patient care (Taylor Wros, 2007). See Figure 5. Concept mapping can also be used effectively in formative, as well as summative assessment. In the formative assessment, the educator can provide a baseline concept map with the major concept listed and several basic relationships identified prior to lecture. The student can use the concept map during the lecture to identify further concepts and relationships, and build upon the baseline concept map to develop their knowledge base. Once the lecture is completed, the educator can use the learners maps to evaluate the effectiveness of their lecture, as well as the effectiveness of the learners attention, by examining the completed concept maps and comparing these maps to the lectures objectives (MacNeil, 2007). The baseline concept map can also be developed by the learner prior to class, such as in a homework assignment, and then completed during lecture as well. Figure 5: Sample care plan concept map (Ackley Ladwig, 2006). In a summative assessment, the educator can require a summative concept map at the end of the course to evaluate overall course objectives, as well as provide the learner with a valuable tool for future reference. Concept Mapping Function in a Learner Centered Environment Concept mapping has been used in both undergraduate and graduate nursing as an analytical tool to organize existing knowledge, synthesize new knowledge, and prioritize information in a logical, visual sequence. Concept mapping develops nonlinear cognitive function that can promote critical thinking and clinical decision making in nurses (Wilgis McConnell, 2008). This makes concept mapping an ideal strategy to switch the classroom from a teacher-centered to a learner-centered environment the learner can develop, adapt, and draw their learning directly from the concept map. Concept maps can be used by learners individually, or in small groups, to simplify complex processes and engage students in the learning process (Harrelson, 2006). As study guides, the concept maps can replace traditional question and answer study handouts with a visual map that can promote meaningful learning opposed to rote memorization (Caputi Blach, 2008). Summary Concept maps represent a collaborative learning strategy developed to take advantage of the difference between rote learning and meaningful learning. Concept maps can be used in all aspects of both undergraduate and graduate nursing, and can be used to facilitate education in all learning domains. As learners begin to analyze clinical data, the learner can begin to develop their critical thinking skills and begin to plan comprehensive care for their patients. As learners begin to study disease processes, the learners can appreciate the effects of interventions directly on patient outcomes. Educators can use concept mapping as a teaching, as well as evaluation strategy. References Abel, W., Freeze, M. (2006, September). Evaluation of concept mapping in an associate degree nursing program. Journal of Nursing Education, 45(9), 356-364. Retrieved August 30, 2009, from CINAHL with Full Text database. Ackley, B. J. Ladwig, G.B. (2006). Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, (7th ed.). Missouri: Mosby Elsevier. All, A., Huycke, L. (2007, May). Serial concept maps: tools for concept analysis. Journal of Nursing Education, 46(5), 217-224. Retrieved August 30, 2009, from CINAHL with Full Text database. All, A., Huycke, L., Fisher, M. (2003, November). Instructional tools for nursing education: concept maps. Nursing Education Perspectives, 24(6), 311-317. Retrieved August 30, 2009, from CINAHL with Full Text database. Caà ±as, A. J. (2003). A summary of literature pertaining to the use of concept mapping techniques and technologies for education and performance support. 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Retrieved August 30, 2009, from CINAHL with Full Text database. Mueller, A., Johnston, M., Bligh, D. (2002, 2002 Jan-Mar). Viewpoint. Joining mind mapping and care planning to enhance student critical thinking and achieve holistic nursing care. Nursing Diagnosis, 13(1), 24-27. Retrieved September 11, 2009, from CINAHL with Full Text database. National Institute for Science Educations College Level One Team, University of Wisconsin. (n.d.) Classroom assessment techniques: Concept Mapping. Retrieved October 10, 2009 from http://www.flaguide.org/cat/conmap/conmap5.php. Nelson, D., LeMaster, T., Plost, G., Zahner, M. (2009). Recognizing sepsis in the adult patient. American Journal of Nursing, 109(3), 40-46. Retrieved October 14, 2009 from http://search.ebscohost.com Novak, J. D. Gowin, D. B. (1984). Learning how to learn. New York: Cambridge University Press. Novak, J. (2002, July). 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Grà ¼b-Niehaus, T. (2008). Concept mapping: Connecting educators. Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Concept Mapping. Retrieved September 19, 2009 from cmc.ihmc.us/cmc2008papers/cmc2008-p303.pdf. St. Cyr, S., All, A. (2009, March). Concept mapping: a road to critical thinking. Journal for Nurses in Staff Development, 25(2), 70-76. Retrieved September 18, 2009, from CINAHL with Full Text database. Steen, C. (2009). Developments in the management of patients with sepsis. Nursing Standard, 23(48), 48-56. Retrieved October 14, 2009 from http://search.ebscohost.com Taylor, J., Wros, P. (2007, May). Concept mapping: a nursing model for care planning. Journal of Nursing Education, 46(5), 211-216. Retrieved August 30, 2009, from CINAHL with Full Text database. Trochim, W.M.K. (2009). Concept mapping: soft science or hard art?. Retrieved September 19, 2009 from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/research/epp2/epp2.htm. Vacek, J. (2009). 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An Inspector Calls Essay -- English Literature

An Inspector Calls 'An Inspector Calls' is a play written by JB Priestley in 1945 and set in 1912. Priestley demonstrates his concern with moral responsibility and his beliefs in Socialist values through the character of the Inspector, whom he uses as a mouthpiece throughout the play. He voices his opinions on these issues using this technique, and they are shown by the way the Inspector deals with the Birling family and are exemplified by the obstacles to social harmony in which the Inspector has to face before coming to a suitable and justifiable conclusion. The play was written in 1945 - within a week of World War Two ending - but set in 1912, when Britain still had its Empire and was doing very well financially. The time span between the two dates is Priestley's way of expressing a feeling of urgency he thought necessary to pass on to society after the events of 1945. Although the war had ended, society in Britain in 1945 was still experiencing the hardships that it had brought. New books were printed under the wartime economy regulations, continuing the shortage of paper and therefore resulting in the books being expensive - too expensive for any working class person to purchase. However, in 1912 some things were different. Society did not have the burden of the war hanging over their heads, but life for the poor did not differ much from 1945. Edwardian society was strictly divided into social classes; below the very rich were the middle classes, such as doctors, merchants, shop workers and clerks. After that came the craftsman and skilled workers, and at the very bottom of the social ladder was the largest class of all - the ordinary workers and the poor, many of whom lived below the poverty... .... It is also contradictory to a section of one of Arthur Birling's speeches: "By the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you'd think everybody has to look after everybody else" which is the complete opposite to what the Inspector is announcing. The passage also anticipates World War One, in the sense that at the very end, the Inspector says "if men will not learn that lesson, they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish" - this, to the Birlings, is a prophetic statement, but the reader and audience are aware of it as it has already come to pass. To emphasise that idea, the Inspector lengthens the list of words he mentions; instead of just using a comma between "fire" and "blood", he chooses to use 'and', which sensationalises the comment and makes it sound somewhat more important than if he had just normally listed those specific words.

Hope From a King Essays -- Personal Narrative

Hope From a King â€Å"Darkness cannot drive out the darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.† This quote from a long and memorable list of Dr. Martin Luther King quotes offers some much needed solace, and hope in today’s troubled world. The darkness that Dr. King refers to can symbolize many things today and the hate he mentions is as strong today as it was four decades ago; only we are dealing with a different kind of hate. In today’s world, darkness is apparent every corner you turn, with the daily atrocities being committed in southern Sudan and the ongoing conflict in Iraq serving as prime examples. Over 30 countries are actively engaged in civil war, and there is the constant threat of another and more deadly terrorist attack anywhere in the world. When Dr. King said light can drive out darkness, he was referring to solving crisis in a diplomatic manner. Dr. King preached, and practiced nonviolence during the civil rights movement because he believed in the power of people to make a difference more than he did in the power of arm...

Green Roof Essays -- Environment, Plants, Structural Design

Green roofs, also known as living roofs, eco roofs, roof terraces or roof gardens, are a roof design of a building that is partly or entirely enclosed with vegetation and growing medium, therefore, the roof is planted over a waterproofing membrane and it has extra layers, for instance roof fence and drainage. He and Jim, (2010) states that green roof require the making of vegetated space on the top of artificial structures design. They can help to reduce the thermal properties of buildings to produce cooling energy conservation and increase social comforts. There are two main types of Green Roof-Intensive and Extensive. Castleton and Davison, (2010) explains that intensive green roofs have a shallow substrate layer that tolerate deeper rooting plants, so that the trees and shrubs can remain alive. They are usually accessible and need regular maintenance such as extensive irrigation and fertilising. This type of roofs is generally thicker and can support a wider selection of plants and generally they are heavier systems, but therefore it has the highest demand on building structures. Fioretti and Palla, (2010) suggest that Intensive roofs are considered to be expensive to maintain and to build. Nagase and Dunnett, (2010) debates that extensive roofs are not appropriate for plant growth, therefore it has inadequate water accessibility, extensive temperature variations, great exposure to wind and solar radiation that generates highly strained, and occasionally troubled environment. Due that reason, insignificant variety of plant types is generally used for extensive roofs. Sedum types are the most frequently used plant, Dunnett and Kingsbury, (2008) suggest that they are greatly adapted to dry environments. Extensive Green Roofs... ...was the hefty rainfall that happened in the earlier fortnight leaving the ground soaked without much of capacity to absorb additional rainfall. Biodiversity An important feature of green roofs is their potential to provide habitation for urban wildlife, therefore many animal species such as rats and ants would benefit from green roofs. Coffman and Waites, (2008) explains that the urban development practices recognised as roof greening offers habitat for wild species within the towns and it also helps rise the home-grown natural diversity. However, roof greening is not a method restoration ecology, but it is method of reconciliation ecology, where entirely new habitation is formed for non-human species. In addition Green roofs certainly delivers some form of habitat, it is also possible that the properties of the roof could harm the wildlife diversity.

Cross Cultural Contact with Americans

Intercultural CommunicationRini Anggun Pertiwi 2 chsEducation A 0902443 Chapter Report: Chapter 1 Cross-Cultural Contact with Americans American, as it is explained in the beginning of chapter 1, is described as the people who were born, raised and lives in the United State. We will find that Americans are consists of many people from different races, religions and ethnics. A lot of culture, might be, live together in the same area. Before, they called it as â€Å"melting pot† where so many different culture are blending, mixing each other without decompress the culture it self.However, the term â€Å"melting pot† is no longer use by the American because, in fact, the culture is not blending or mixing to each other. They are stand side by side and keep their own color like mosaic. With this kind of variety, it is hard to explain who Americans are. Some different culture value perspective about American often occur when someone from the outside of American society exagge rate to much even though they lack of information or contact with the member of American society.This kind of stereotype, for some reason, gives a yin-yang effect when someone divides the society into â€Å"we† and â€Å"they†. They will compare about what â€Å"we† have with something that â€Å"they† have. Sometimes, â€Å"they† becomes a negative side of the comparison because the â€Å"we† see them has too much differences. With such culture variation, United States is seen as a vast country. However, America still has mainstream value that will generalize American to make them exposed the same society value, it is called as Americanization.Furthermore, American has their own way to describe the value of their culture. For example, firstly, the attitude towards privacy which sometimes miss interpreted by foreigners or non American. As it’s explained in the book, for Americans privacy doesn’t mean isolation or loneliness. Th ey considered it as the way of respect to the individual needs. Secondly, American likes to minimize status differences in their society. Without allaying the power status they make themselves equal with other. Thirdly, American focuses on progress and change.This future orientation behavior makes them want to fulfill their future needs, their value of responsibility to the life change are essentials. As this book already figure out, cross-cultural communication with American who has various ethnic groups and culture from different ancestor will shows the differences between cultural behavior and individual behavior of them. Reference: Levine, D. R. , & Adelman, M. B. (1993). Beyond Language: Cross-Cultural Communication. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Regents.

Informative speech about earthquake Essay

Good morning everyone, I am Jialin Yin. Today, I want to talk about the earthquake. In 2008 May 12th, it was the first time that I felt the earthquake which was a 7.8-magnitude earthquake happened in Wenchuan China. At that time, I was a 7th grade student and sit in class room, then, I noticed that the light on the ceiling began to shake slightly. Then, the broadcast news reminds me, that was an earthquake and approximately 70000 people died in this severe natural disaster. During the speech, I will explain the earthquake in geographic view to you. Firstly, for what reason caused the earthquake? Generally, when rocks experience brittle failure, a kind of energy called seismic waves are released from the point of breakage. The seismic waves generated cause the ground shake, creating an earthquake. That point of breakage is called the focus, or hypocenter of the earthquake. A term people might be generally familiar with is epicenter which is the point on the surface of Earth directly above the focus, and the focus is the true center of an earthquake. Secondly, I want to talk about where are earthquake located, the first picture is the plate boundary. You can observe that there are many red dots on the second picture. These red dots represent epicenter of earthquakes that have occurred over the past 50 year. Actually, what you can notice right away is that most of these earthquakes occurred along with the plate boundaries. Moreover, we can also notice is that there are a few earthquakes that occur far away from plate boundaries, these kinds of earthquakes named intra-plate earthquakes. About only five percent of earthquakes that occur each year are intra-plate earthquakes. Look at this chart, here are five columns, they are magnitudes, frequency, description, example and energy release. In fact, from earthquake magnitude 2 to 6, the energy release and damage is not huge. The classes of seismic measure for the modern buildings are 5 to 6. However, if the earthquake magnitude is bigger than 6, the energy release can be destructive even billions dollar loss of life. Let us specify the damage of magnitude 8 and 9. The difference of energy from one magnitude to another is approximately 31 times.

An Investigation Into Smes Survival and the Discrimination Between Fgsmes and All Other Smes

Introduction In a competitive global market, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play an increasingly important role in a nation’s economy. Today they make a substantial contribution to job creation, innovation, as well as entrepreneurial skills. A report conducted by European Commision(2005) stated that in the enlarged European Union of 25 countries, 23 million SMEs provide about 75 million jobs and account for 99% of all enterprise. SMEs are also the vital attributes for lifting the productivity of economy. This is primarily because SMEs are been considered as having a key role to play in providing new products. Take UK for example, SMEs have become more and more dynamic. SMEs have enjoyed higher productivity growth than large firms since 1998, and the proportion of SME employers reporting that they have undertaken either product or service innovation in the past 12 months has increased from 32% in 2005 to 48% in 2006(BERR,2002). An important aspect of SMEs, especially for the young SMEs, is their survival rate, according to Haugh and McKee(2000), survival means continue to exist in the future. Although we have seen a large increase in new company formations and higher levels of their survival rates than the past, we cannot neglect the fact that the rate of failure of these SMEs is also very high. Some of the firms fail in their infancy stage and some fail within several years after start-up. Some statistics suggest that the failure rate of SMEs in their first five years is more than 50% (Reiss, 2006). There are many reasons that contribute to SMEs’ failure: insufficient capital, poor management skills, poor human resources, lack of innovations and so on. Factors that contribute to small business survival and non-survival In order to prosper, all SMEs need to ensure that they are alert both to opportunities for achieving success and threats to their survival. Only when the company are aware of and deal with these factors correctly, they can survive, grow and succeed. 1. Financial circumstances 1. 1 Access to Finance Obtaining the right finance is a pivotal factor to a new firm’s survival and high growth. For SMEs, there are various types of finance available, including bank loans, borrowing from family and friends, obtaining equity investment from business angels, venture capitals and so on. Obviously, different options have different profits and constraints. The advantage of loan finance is that it will not dilute ownership structure of the firm. However, excessive reliance on loan finance could be a financial threat to their firm’s solvency. Astebro and Bernhardt (2003) stated that there was a significant negative correlation between having a bank loan and the survival of the business. Since loan means a continuing obligations for the firm to repay the principal debt and associated interest on a predetermined timetable. This kind of loan covenants can place strain on a firm’s cash flow position, if a firm’s capital contains a high proportion of debt, then the firm has to generate more cash to cover the repayment obligations, however it may have greater threat to default due to a sudden interruption in income. 1. 2 Financial Health A critical reason for SMEs’ failure is that they cannot identify and react to threats to their financial healthy. For example, the substantial increases in overheads could be a threat to financial healthy since it is a signal of weak cost management. Significantly increasing overheads will reduce the available cash flows and profits, eventually reduce the probability of survival. According to Schaefer (2006), over-expansion is a leading cause of business failure. This often happens when business owners confuse success with how fast they can expand their business. A large amount of bankruptcy is due to rapidly expanding firms. Birley and Niktari (1995) found that, in the opinion of many accountants and bank managers, 70% of SMEs failures were caused by a very large extent to being under-capitalized, to short-term liquidity problems or insufficient working capital. So in order to survive, firms have to look out for financial threats to the firms’ solvency and maintain effective management control over their finances. 2. Human capital In most SMEs, power is centralized in the hands of the owner-managers and the owner-managers always play multiple roles in a company, including general manager, sales manager, production manager, financial manager and so on, so that characteristics of the owner-managers, such as education background, family business background, personal goals, previous work experience, strategic awareness have a significantly impact on firm’s activities and performance. Several studies indicate that in SMEs, the personality of the owner-managers is a critical determinant of corporate structure and strategy(Miller and Droge 1986; Miller and Toulouse 1986). Owner-managers who are inability to motivate staff, rarely listen to others’ advices, have little knowledge of marketing strategy, finance, and personnel management may act as a significant constraint to SMEs’ survival. On the other hand, owner-managers are not experts at everything, many owner-managers in small firms are lack of the leadership and management skills which are necessary for the firms’ survival and growth. Deakins and Freel (1998) found that one of the critical factors in the success of a SME was the ability to build an ‘entrepreneurial team’. The presence of a diversified management team may imply a greater variety of complementary skills: marketing skills, business skills, as well as technological skills, this is also crucial for SMEs in relation to the long term success of the firm. So building a entrepreneurial team will definitely increase SMEs’ viability. 3. Over-dependent Some firms do not have the appropriate strategy and become excessive reliance on a single customer or a small client base. The more a firm relies on a particular client, the more possibly it is damaged by factors out of its control than if it has a wide client base. Natwest (1997) stated that an important reason for SMEs failure is over-reliance on one or two customers and lack of sales. Failures often occur due to firms’ sole customer withdrawing its orders or going bankrupt. The same principles also apply to a firm’s supplier base. If there is a breakdown in the commercial relationship between the firm and its single supplier, the prodution of the firm will be damaged. As a result, if a young firm wants to survive, it should seek to cultivate a wide client (supplier) base instead of depending on a small number of regular clients (suppliers). However diversification strategy can realize this. Diversification across production and services can satisfy different types of customers and reduce the probability of over-dependent. 4. Training One of the factors that contribute to SMEs failure is low level of management performance and inefficient operation, which is a result of lack of training. It is generally acknowledged that the majority of the small-firm owners run their business just based on their own experience and common sense, without getting professional or other formal qualifications. Stanworth and Gray (1992) pointed out that minority of small-firm owners who participate in management training tend to have better educational qualifications, and their businesses have better survival and growth rates than other small firms. Also, Kitson and Wilkinson (1998) found a positive link between training and innovation and growth, as training was provided by 60% of innovating firms but only 41% of non-innovators, and 72% and 68% of medium and fast-growing firms, respectively, compared with 46% of stagnant and declining firms. Training could cover a wide range of areas including accessing to and managing finance, cost management, personnel management, marketing strategy, information use and retrieval, operation management and so on, which equip small-firm owners and employees with the skills necessary to survival and the further growth. So training is also an important factor that contributes to small firms’ survival which can be easily ignored. 5. Innovation In this era of knowledge economy, innovation become inextricably linked with a firm’s survival, successful entrepreneurship always relies heavily on innovation. It is extremely important for new small firms who still enter industries where economics of scale plays a critical role, by innovation small firms could compete on the basis of added value, therefore enhancing the likelihood of survival. On the other hand, innovation intrinsically linked with a company’s diversification strategy, through innovative activity, firms have the chance to produce new products and services so that they can attract more customers and increase their market share. Also, cost reduction can be achieved by innovation in operation processes, marketing and organizational forms. For example, in order to expand, some firms may choose a strategy called e-marketing to reduce cost, they may create a impressive and special site to grab people’s attention, on the website, a convenient online selling system is provided. Also, the firm may send their new products and services details to their target customers and potential customers, sometimes combining with even fun facts. So business innovation is especially important not only for large companies but also SMEs’ survival, lack of innovation could be a barrier to a small firm’s growth. Discrimination between fast growth firms and all other SMEs Different SME tends to have different growth rate, some of them grow rapidly and are recognized as FGSMEs(fast-growth small-to-medium enterprises). According to Caroline and Kosmas, FGSMEs are firms that achieve at least 20% annual compound sales growth over a 5-year period. Birch (1995) found that FGSMEs make up 3% of all small firms. Based on former research, there are many firm-based characteristics, which are concentrated on both customers and organizations aspects, such as satisfaction of customers, financial perspectives, staff retention, number and quality of successful innovations and so on, to discriminate between FGSMEs and all other SMEs. 1. Customer Focus FGSMEs are customer centric, regularly receiving feedback from clients and taking their requests and complaints seriously into consideration (Tan, 2007). They always try to retain clients through improving the quality of products and services or developing new products. According to the BSC, customer perspectives focus on traditional marketing issues such as market share, customer satisfaction and service quality ratings, customer loyalty, and customer perceived value (Kaplan & Norton, 2000). 2. Financial Perspectives FGSMEs tend to spend a lot of time and effort in analyzing the financial health of their firms. On the contrary, other SMEs always analyze cash flows on a regular basis, relying on occasional ‘back of the envelope’ calculations. Financial summaries provided by accountants are used for mandatory reporting purposes instead of financial management (Barnes et al. , 1998). 3. Internal Business Perspective Internal business performance indicators contains traditional operational terms such as tender success rate, data rejection percentages, time per customer (Kaplan & Norton, 2000), on-time delivery, the number of new products launched and product defects (Zaman, 2003). FGSMEs tend to manage and examine their business processes. For example, Liaise marketing (a supermarket broker) CEO, Tony Merlino stated that their firm measures manufacturer sales, market share and store visits to make sure that their sales team operates properly and efficiently. 4. Employee Focus Kaplan and Norton (2000) pointed that innovation, learning, and growth perspectives are closely linked to improve employee job satisfaction and commitment, and develop employees’ technical ability and innovation skills. According to the previous literature, FGSMEs seem to pay a lot of attention on employees. Nicholls-Nixon, 2005; Tan, 2007). So we can see that these fast-growth firms all have a strong emphasis on making their employees as part of the performance measurement system. Staff’s ideas and feelings are very important and cannot be ignored easily. Conclusion This study aims at identifying the factors that contribute to SMEs’ survival. Finding on the study sug gests that effective financial management, outstanding leadership and training play a critical role in SMEs’ survival, while excessive depend on one or two customers(suppliers) will be dangerous and may lead to a death. On the other hand, the study makes a distinction between FGSMEs and other SMEs based on four perspectives, finally draw the conclusion that FGSMEs tend to pay more attention on customers, financial management, internal business operation and employees. REFERENCE Astebro, T. and Bernhardt, I. 2009. â€Å"Dissecting Behaviours Associated with Business Failure: A Qualitative Study of SME Owners in Malaysia and Australia†. Journal of Asian social science 5 (9): 98–104. Barnes, L. , Coulton. T. Dickinson. S. Dransfield, J. Field, N. Fisher, et al. 1998. A New Approach to Performance Measurement for Small and Medium Enterprises†. Performance measurement – theory and practice, 1, 86-92. BERR. 2002. ENTERPRISE: UNLOCKING THE UK’S TALENT. [online]. [Accessed 9th February 2010]. Available from World Wide Web: < http://www. berr. gov. uk/files/file44992. pdf> Berry,M. 1998. â€Å"Strategic Planning in Small High Tech Companies†. Long Range Planning 31(3) : 455-466 Birch, D. 1995. Who's Creating Jobs? Cambridge: Cognetics, Inc. Birley, S. and Niktari, N. 1995. The Failure of Owner-Managed Businesses: The Diagnosis of Accountants and Bankers. London: Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Caroline, S. T. and Kosmas, X. S. 2005. Firm performance measurement in fast growth small-to-medium enterprises [online]. [Accessed 10th February 2010]. Available from World Wide Web: European Commision. 2005. The new SME definition User guide and model declaration [online]. [Accessed 10th February 2010]. Available from World Wide Web: Enterprise Britain: Growth, Innovation and Public Policy in the Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Sector. 1994–1997. Cambridge: ESRC Centre for Business Research, pp. 16–27. Haugh. M and McKee. L. 2000. Survival, independence, control: uncovering the shared values in the SME. [online]. [Accessed 12th February 2010]. Available from World Wide Web: Kaplan, R. S. , and D. P. Norton. 2000. The Strategy-Focused Organization: How Balanced Scorecard Companies Thrive in the New Business Environment. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Kitson, M. and Wilkinson, F. 1998. â€Å"Employment structure, recruitment, labour turnover, training and labour force flexibility† in Cosh, A. and Hughes, A. (eds), Natwest. 1997. Natwest Quarterly Survey of Small Business in Britain. Small Business Research Trust Nicholls-Nixon, C. L. (2005). Rapid Growth and High Performance: The Entrepreneur's ‘Impossible Dream'? Academy of management executive, 19(1), 77-89. Noor, H. A. 2003. † Start-up financing, owner characteristics, and survival†. Journal of Economics and Business 55 (2003): 303–319. Stanworth, J. and Gray, C. 1992. â€Å"Entrepreneurship and education: action-based research and training policy implications in Britain†. International Small Business Journal 10(2), 11–23. Schaefer, P. 2006. The seven pitfalls of business failures and how to avoid them. Accessed 9th February 2010 Available from World Wide Web: www. usinessknowhow. com/startup/business-failure. html Tan, C. S. L. 2007. Sources of Competitive Advantage for Emerging Fast Growth Small-to-Medium Enterprises: The Role of Business Orientation, Marketing Capabilities, Customer Value and Firm Performance. RMIT University, Melbourne. Zaman, M. 2003. Balanced Score card Implementation in Australian Companies – an Exploratory Study of Current Corporate Practice and Strategic Intent. Paper presented at the Hawaii International Conference on Business.

Dance in my life Essay

Ever since I was a little girl dance has always been an important part of my life. When I was five, my mom enrolled me in dancing classes after my sister, never realizing that dancing would ever lead to anything serious. For the first year, dancing was a side hobby to help keep me busy after school. Even though dancing was really fun to me, it did not become serious until my dance teacher looked me in my eyes and said â€Å"Lexus you have a big and lovable heart and I want you to dance with that heart of yours because I know that you have what it takes to become a great dancer.† That moment I knew that dance was going to always be a passion of mine. Over the years dance has helped me to grow in other ways. From it I have learned that hard work really does pay off. I learned that discipline and self-control are not only a vital part of dancing, but a necessary part of life. Also, I have recognized that motivation and perseverance are keys to success. What matters is not who wins in the beginning, but who is still on her feet in the end. Perhaps the most important lesson dance has taught is responsibility. Kaleidoscope has helped me in a lot of areas; even though I am small and tiny, I am very athletic, strong and I have a high self-esteem that anything is possible as long as you put your heart to it. I am encouraged now more than ever to try my best in class even if I look stupid because practice makes perfect. Becoming a Kaleidoscope officer hasn’t been a dream of mine till this year. Last year I thought I didn’t have what it took to become one, but this year, seeing how much you encouraged me to become a better dancer, it encouraged me to become a better person. When I tried out for Kaleidoscope, I wasn’t expecting to make it because I wasn’t in a dance class and I didn’t know Mrs. Karl personally at all. One day after school my friend told me to try out with her because she was scared to try out by herself. When I walked into the dance room I would have never thought I would be staying in that dance room. When I tried out, I took it as if god was giving me a chance to dance again and to fulfill a dream of mine. The term leader is someone who is in an advanced position to take the initiative in order to go forth and show the way but also to be able to make intelligent and creative decisions quickly and efficiently. Dance teams are all about unity. An exceptional dance group glides across the floor with all of its dancers moving as one. There are no individual standouts. No weak links. But there is one person whose job is to make the team as strong as  possible, on the floor and off. It’s one thing to be a good team player, but it’s another to be a good leader. Few will have the opportunity to feel the weight of the responsibilities and the happiness of knowing you are making a difference. Becoming a leader of any type of organization in my eyes is a huge job. It’s teaching respect by showing respect. It’s helping the other dancers, including myself, to strive and push themselves to be the best dancers I know we all can be. Having the title of being a Kaleidoscope Officer doesn’t mean being the boss of everyone, being in front of every dance, or just thinking that the Officer should come before everyone else. Officers are the inspiration of the team. They’re the person that everyone looks up to. Being a natural born leader is also a big role of a dance team. That means having self-confidence, good communication skills, courage, clear desire to make progress towards a goal, and a fair degree of understanding your fellow teammates. Being a leader requires focus on the big picture, doing what’s best for your team even on your worst days. If you’re negative, the team will take on the same attitude, even if everyone else has had a great day. As Officer of your dance team, I’ll definitely encounte r some sticky situations, like have to confront one of my teammates when they aren’t practicing full-out or not trying they’re hardest.

Group Assignment Essay

A group is a collection of three or more people who interact and attempt to influence each other in order to accomplish a common purpose. The purpose of a group or team may range from preparing a new advertising campaign, to sharing information informally, to making important decisions, to fulfilling social needs, or just coming up with a solution to help a friend in need. Groups are a fundamental structure for accomplishing a wide variety of human tasks. I love working in groups because they give you a chance to work together with new personalities and new, refreshing ideas. The only time I don’t like working in groups is when there are people who aren’t willing to put the effort they could and posses, into the work assigned. During our last two classes we were separated into groups of six and given different topics which we were supposed to come up with solutions for. For the most part my group worked very well together on the first topic. We had great communication, and everyone was able to share their opinion on the matter. I believe that our group showed all of the characteristics of a healthy group, and if I had to do future group work I would most definitely choose to work with that group again. We showed interdependence which is the relation between two or more people and how their relationship directly affects the other. First, we started off by explaining the topic to the group again, than we each took turns going around in the circle and explaining how we each felt about the subject. After each person was done, the group took turns asking that person about questions about their view of the subject trying to take in everybody else’s opinions as well as our own and taking them into consideration instead of just throwing out someone else’s idea. I believe we all held each other accountable as well; making sure that everyone was conforming to the group’s norms and working together towards the group goal. No one interrupted anyone else. We made sure that everyone had a chance to speak their mind without being criticized or looked down upon because of the way they were thinking. We took everyone else’s thoughts and put them together to come up with what we believed to be a good solution for the topic that we were given. I was in a group with Sonny and I believe that he took the leadership role within the group. He was the most vocal, and the person who got others to speak their minds. I also think that my role within the group was that of a supporter. I was encouraging different members of our group whether their ideas were accepted by the group, or dismissed. I have always been afraid or nervous of working in groups during class because I usually don’t know any of people in my group, but working in a group with unfamiliar people is better because none of those people have a bias opinion about you. You can speak your mind without having to hear somebody else criticize your opinions or thoughts. In conclusion, I believe working in groups is an easy and efficient way to come up with well thought out, plausible solutions for many different situations that you might not be able to come up with on your own or with just one other person. These past two days have given me a more broad understanding of groups, and how to participate in one.

100 Years of Solitude - Essay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

100 Years of Solitude - Essay - Assignment Example The conditions of that region are depicted by the use of various facts of life; revolution and war, youth and old age, poverty and prosperity, love and lust – all themes are found dispersed throughout this work. People belonging to a variety of cultures reside in the South American land and it is for this reason that the influence of these cultures is evident in everyday life of the people of Macondo – the imaginary village. The story of the novel takes into account the history of almost five generations of the Buendia family and there are various points in the story where the author points towards the multicultural nature of the residents of the region. The author has at various points pointed towards the uncertainties that prevail in the South American region. Of note is the way in which the political realities of the region are presented in the novel. The novel clearly depicts how the influential classes of the South American society used assassination as a tool to control the lives of common people. The number of people who lose their lives in the process is astounding; yet the thirst of blood of the power-hungry politically influential class is never satisfied. They way in which the influential class of the society uses the slogan of ‘patriotism’ to provoke the innocents of the society, is clearly a reflection of the negative ways that are utilized to achieve political gains using the strength of masses. The picture portrayed by the author clearly demonstrates the uncertainty regarding life; people are provoked and then punished, but justice is hardly ever served. An interesting metaphor used by the author of this work is ‘ice’. Although regarded as the ‘greatest invention’ of this time by the author, ice holds symbolic significance that is beyond ordinary. Ice and its fate have been associated with the history of Macondo.