U3 Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

U3 Discussion - Essay Example The server is then ready to send the certificate. The way it works is for the client to trust the certificate or a party that the client trusts e.g. Geo Trust. What follows is a verification process to ascertain that the server is not someone else in the middle before a key is exchanged. The cipher suite will determine whether to use a public key, nothing or a PreMasterSecret. The client and the server will consequently perform a computation on symmetric encryption (., 2013). Client to the server communication is to alert the server that the messages it will receive from the client will be encrypted and sends a message to the server that is encrypted. The server is tasked with confirming the MAC address of the client and to determine that it is correct. The latter is for authentication. The server will decrypt the message and send a message to the client for verification. Communication is completed by a close notification alert. Attackers use FIN packet to terminate a TCP connection. However both the client and the server will

Proving Myself to My Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Proving Myself to My Studies - Essay Example In the process of this, I was able to learn a valuable lesson as well. This lesson that I learned in high school has since stayed with me, and I have made it a point to put my best foot forward in all that I do. Of course, I know that this doesn’t mean that I will be successful in everything that I ever do in life. I will still fall at times and fail at some endeavors just as all humans do. The point is though that even when I do fail, I remember that I have been successful in the past and that if I keep going, I know I will be successful in the future. If my parents hadn’t inspired me to prove myself to them that I was a good student, I might never have learned this important lesson. In the end, proving that I was a good student to my parents showed me that hard work and effort can lead to a better life, both in terms of self-esteem and success. Such a lesson is invaluable, and one that I would not trade for anything in the world. The beginning of high school is always scary. There are new rules, new teachers, and harder classes to deal with. The first day of ninth grade, I struggled with the fear of letting my parents down again. Eighth grade had proven to be something of a disaster as my grades were far lower than my parents expected. This year, I knew that I needed to prove myself to them, to show them that I could get the grades that they believed I was capable of. When I was young, of course, it could be difficult to concentrate on what I should be doing instead of concentrating on what I actually wanted to do. With that in mind, high school was a very distracting place for me as I tried to focus on my studies. My friends were pressuring me to hang out and have fun, which I desperately wanted to do, but imagine the look on my parents’ face when I came home with a report card full of A’s was a bit more tempting than an afternoon of spending time with my friends. Â  

Microprocessor Based Instrumentation System

Microprocessor Based Instrumentation System I. Introduction There are various applications of microprocessor which makes our life easy and simple. Various instruments which we are using in our day to day life includes the role of microprocessors, which is fairly called as Microprocessor Based Instrumentation. On the basis of its processing and intelligence microprocessor are base for the operation of various instruments. Here is the description of some devices or instruments which uses microprocessors. Even the most common purpose equipments which are in our use such as toothbrush, thermometer etc. Placing an embedded microprocessor system into a product makes the product smart. It can then be programmed to do things that are too difficult or expensive using conventional technologies such as logic, or time switches, and so on. Link such a smart product to the Internet and it can do even more. For example, products can be programmed to do self-diagnostic checks and to report back to the manufacturer. Not only does this provide the potential to collect data that can be used to improve products, it can also allow for the manufacturer to inform the user of potential problems, so that action can be taken. This opens up possibilities for improved customer service as well as new services. Basically, embedded microprocessors enable firms to compete on product and service innovation, by adding product and service features that customers value. II. ATMOSPHERIC ION COUNTER An atmospheric ion counter was modified and fabricated to measure the atmospheric ions. The bias voltage of ion counter was adjusted using microprocessor and stepper motor. With the adjustment of bias voltage and flow rate of air the instrument, the instrument is capable of measuring ions of all the three categories i.e. small ions, intermediate ions and large ions. III. Energy Efficient Sterilization for Surgical Instrument A microprocessor based radio frequency operated induction heated sterilization plant is proposed in this article. In this plant heat is directly generated in surgical stainless steel Instruments by means of eddy current flow. With the adjustment of pulse width modulation (PWM) controlled technique, the controlled heat is generated as per the medical norms. By controlling pulse width it can reach at level of temperature upto 240 degree centigrade. This is sufficient to sterilize the hospital equipment. The depth of heat penetration by induction heating process will depend upon the frequency generation. The relation is inversely proportional with the frequency. For sterilization process, surface area of the instrument must be heated through water boiling in existing process. A new generation induction heated sterilization plant is proposed for the dry surface heating in place of conventional a few parallel stainless steel plates may be added with the surgical instruments under water to achieve the same objective. In this proposed scheme, there is no heat conduction loss in between source of heat and object (operational instruments). It offers an unique prize as there is no shock hazard during handling of boiled stainless steel surgical instruments. Microprocessor control is introduced for selecting slow or quick heat rate. Microprocessor assembly level language gives flexibility to design the heat rate change with respect of time without rearranging the hardware circuitry. Also it control the temperature through a transducer with the help of closed loop control. IV. Portable 4-Channel Gamma Ray Spectrometer It is compact, rugged, lightweight spectrometer and comprises of a 8085 microprocessor, standard peripherals and a scintillation detector of size 1.75† x 2†. It is used for insitu measurement of gross counts, and radioelement concentrations of uranium (U), thorium (Th), and potassium (K) with LCD alpha numeric display. The device is indigenously designed and fabricated. V. Borehole Logging System Microprocessor-based gamma-ray spectral logging with scintillation detector to trace the analog profiles of total, K, U and Th channels with corresponding depth. This system is being tested in the field in different areas for its performance. VI. Microprocessor Based Bulk Ore Analyser It contains 6 scintillation detectors to compute the grade of the ore in % eU3O8 carried in 25-ton dumper from mine. It was designed and fabricated for UCIL. VII. Wind Speed Instrumentation System This system is a basic system to measure the wind parameters like wind speed for wind speed, a visual indication of wind speed is obtained by dc generator to dc voltmeter with appropriate calibrated scale. The scale needs to be arranged such that the pointer indicates a speed of 1milepersecond when the generator stalled and voltage is zero. Then any speeds above 1 mile / second will be correctly displayed if the scale is calibrated according to given graph of frequency verses output voltages. Our circuit design works with a accuracy of 1 mile / second and best suited for examining heights between 30 and 100 m Both wind parameters are measured using microprocessor based instrumentation system. By pressing a respective key respective parameters can be measured for which interrupt service routine is used. VIII. Other Instruments Portable audio-visual scintillometer. Carborne gamma survey system (microprocessor-based) for total, K, U and Th. Light weight mine face scanner with beta-sensitive Geiger Muller (GM) tubes. FUTURE ADVANCEMENT No doubt, In this era everything is modernized, everything is operated under the computer i.e. microprocessors. From toothbrush to missiles everything is operated with microprocessor control. It is supposed that in near future the cars will be fully automated and can be operated under microcontroller applications. Cars will be parked itself, will be driven automatically, itself control its speed according to traffic and many more. Microprocessor are increasingly playing a major role in modern society. The invisible ones, used for controlling and monitoring machine tools, cars, aircraft, consumer electronics and other equipment are the most numerous. They are gradually changing the relationship we have with these devices. It is interesting to show that this is a market-pull rather than a technology-push phenomenon. The design of new chips thus represents a continuous challenge for the engineers and technologists striving to give the market the products it requires, and which are generally planned a long time before they actually appear. Monolithic microprocessor are overtaking all kinds of computers. Minicomputer lines were absorbed during the 80s, main-frame lines during the 90s and probably super-computers by the beginning of the next century. During this extraordinary evolution, these devices have used all the technical innovations which had been conceived for the previous generations of computers. The futur e of these devices is very challenging. To keep the evolutionary rate of computing power and binary code compatibility, completely new execution techniques will need to be invented, eventually leading to the break-down of the physical quantum barrier around 2010. Reference: http74.125.153.132searchq=cache%3Au4bwY1eptUsJ%3Awww.che.iitm.ac.in%2F~arbala%2Fissues%2Fissue23-1%2FSadhu.pdf+instruments+using+microprocessorhl=engl=in http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/3782/1/IJRSP%2035(1)%2042-46 http://74.125.153.132/search?q=cache%3Ap-hlNH0zDmwJ%3Adli.iiit.ac.in%2Fijcai%2FIJCAI-81-VOL-2%2FPDF%2F053.pdf+instruments+using+microprocessorhl=engl=in

My Childhood House :: Free Essays

My Childhood House When I was a child I used to live in a house which was very old and very big. To add a bit of ambience, there is one of the largest graveyards in the nation right across my street. It used to give me creeps especially around Halloween. The house was quite old if I remember rightly; I think it was built in the 1800s. There would be usual sounds of an old house, the creeks and groans and the occasional sounds here and there. The cellar was very eerie as most cellars would be. There was one room in the cellar; it was a storage room that was most disturbing. No one ever went in there unless it was necessary, no one stayed in there longer than they had to. My brother and I would swear we saw eyes watching us from the dark room sometime. My brother used to tell me the weird dreams he used to have. It seemed as if the house was trying to communicate with him. One of the dreams he had was of small children writing on the living room walls, and an adult, maybe one of the children's parent, yelling at them. Not long after, my parents decide to decorate the living room. We had friend and relative's helping us helping us strip off the wallpaper. There must have been at least twenty layers of wallpaper. Sure enough one of the layers of wallpaper had writing on it, in what looked like crayon marks. Calculations such as 1+1=2 were written on the wall. The moment I saw this I was astonished, my brother and I quickly ran to my parents and told them of this sinister discovery. My parents didn't think much of it but only coincidence; after all, my mother is an adamant disbeliever in the supernatural. My brother and I decided to investigate further, because we were kids exploration was fascinating for us. We decided to stay awake all night in our separate bedrooms that were situated on the upper level.

They Say More About You Than You Think

They say More About You Than You Think The term â€Å"homophobia† brings to mind individuals that hate those who are homosexual. Most of us arent ignorant to the fact that homophobia is a problem in America. These homophobic people call homosexuals faggots- or â€Å"dykes† with no regard as to if these people are actually gay or not. We often believe this is as far as it is taken. Carmen Vazquez's argument in her 1992 essay -Appearances†, slightly changes the definition ot homophobia (Goodreads).Her argument is effective because she offers convincing evidence of these events, uses a tone that does not ttack those she is standing up against and uses pathos to gain readers emotionally. Vazquez brings the issues going on today that many of us may not be aware of to the readers' attention; the people who are commonly abused for being lesbian, gay, b', transgender, or simply appear so. In the paragraph before the essay begins, an important question is Introduced: †Å"Have you ever gone for a walk in the evening, ridden a city bus, or gone out dancing?Did these activities make you fear for your lifer Most of us would be dble to answer â€Å"rid' to this (Blumenfeld 489). Vazquez's one and language throughout the essay was appropriate and effective. She targets an audience of those who are heterosexual to inform them of the issues she presents. Many good examples of figurative language are used to paint vlvld pictures of what it Is like for the LGBTQ community. An example of this is â€Å"The straight Jacket of gender roles suffocates many lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals, forcing them into closets without an exit and threatening our very existence when we tear the closet open† (Blumenfeld 493).Vazquez's persona and tone increases the audience's dherence to the claim by not attacking or criticizing those who are homophobic In her attempt to raise awareness and persuade people attected by homophobia to take action. The author uses satire to effectively show how serious about the topic she is Through her use of satire, Vazquez starts out by setting up the scene for her use ot logos. She sets up the scene tor a place called the Castro located in San Francisco, which is a key location for her essay where most of the violence she describes takes place.The way she sets up the scene in San Francisco enables the reader to picture he way Castro looks if they have not been there before. She describes what the homophobic people are doing as a type of â€Å"fun. † This implies they do not see any harm In the actions they are making. Her quoting the obscene use of name calling they use such as â€Å"fucking cocksucking faggots†, â€Å"dyke cunts†, and â€Å"diseased butt fuckers† takes readers back for a moment, making them think â€Å"who would use this language toward another person? (Blumenfeld 490). She Incorporates the use of pathos as she includes these phrases to show the reader the strong la nguage and he emotional damage the people of the LGBTQ community are suffering from. while Vazquez Incorporates her use of pathos, she also uses logos, strengthening this essay. She describes an Incident that includes someone named Brian who was badly beaten, almost taking away his ability to walk, because others on the bus just simply percelvea ne was gay.Vazquez Includes tne statement mace Dy Brain's lawsuit, â€Å"As claimant lay crumpled and bleeding on the floor of the bus, the bus driver tried to force claimant off the bus so that the driver could get off work and go home† (Blumenfeld 490). This is an effective use of logos because it shows the neglect toward those who appear or are homosexual, thus backing up her argument. She wants the reader to feel frustration toward those who are being harmed because of their sexual orientation. At the same time she wants them to feel sympathetic for these people who take on the everyday struggles of being openly gay.Vazquez then i ntroduces another incident including another man who was harmed almost losing his life because he was presumed gay. In this incident Mickey had an ice pick immersed into his neck leaving him with thirty-six stitches and an lmost severed spinal cord. Mickey was also not gay; he was at a club with his girlfriend. Vazquez says â€Å"Dress like a homo, dance like a homo, must be a homo†¦ evidence of sexual orientation, however, is not necessary for someone to qualify as a potential victim of deadly fury. Appearances will do† (Blumenfeld 491).This quotation strengthens her argument because it backs up the claim she is making: there is no guaranteed method for identifying sexual orientation. She does this by taking two circumstances including straight men that were harmed simply because they appeared to be gay with no actual evidence. This also provides a strong basis for the rest of her essay. After Vazquez provides a strong basis, she then establishes her ethos. She states t hat these events were reported to the Community United Against Violence, also known as CUAV, and the San Francisco police.She states that she worked at this agency for four years. This gives her the credentials for the reader to form respect for her opinions and information presented making her someone worth listening to. She says in the essay, â€Å"The great majority of these incidents go unreported,† referring to those who are victims of hate crimes (Blumenfeld 491). In 2013 CUAV released a report of hate crimes in 2012 against the LGBTQ community. It was found that only 56% of the surviving victims reported their incidents to the police (National 19).This strengthens her essay because it shows that these events aren't Just something she made up and that she worked with these incidents long enough to understand what was going on. Along with Vazquez's use of ethos, she effectively used pathos. The author wants the reader to feel frustration and sympathy towards those who ar e effected by homophobia by saying things like, â€Å"Enforced heterosexism and pressure to conform o aggressive masculine and passive feminine roles place fag bashers and lesbian baiters in the same psychic prison with their victims, gay or straight† (Blumenfeld 495).The author relies on the values she assumes the audience has about equality. The author says, â€Å"We ask that you embrace your daughter's desire to swing a bat or be a carpenter, that you nurture your son's efforts to express affection and sentiment† (Blumenfeld 496). These are effective because she reaches out to the audience's emotions, gaining more respect from the readers because she does not belittle anyone, but simply asks for their help. The help she asks for is because she is openly a lesbian. In an interview by Kelly Anderson, Vazquez talks about being lesbian among many other topics.She says † tnls Is lesDlan. I'm Dutcn ana I Ilke tne Temme women† (Vazquez 21). I nls also establish es some ethos because it shows that she understands the struggles that come from homophobia. Readers gain more respect for her because it shows that she has experienced some events peculiar to most people who are not homosexual. While Vazquez is a lesbian, she still makes an attempt to mention the counter- argument. She talks about how homophobic people view others that are gay or esbian. She refers to the reason why so many resort to using violence as â€Å"gender betrayal† (Blumenfeld 492).When talking about the many presentations she has done the most common response she has gotten about why being homosexual bothers people is because â€Å"they act like girls† and â€Å"they think that theyre men† (Blumenfeld 493). This is effective because it shows that she tried hearing out other people's opinions but simply does not understand why they think this way. In the end of her essay, she lists a variety of ways that we can act as a whole to end homophobia. Vazquez changes the definition of â€Å"homophobia† to: individuals ho hate those who appear or are homosexual.In her effective use of ethos, pathos, logos, and the counter-argument, she makes the reader more aware; gay men look like straight men, Just as straight women look like lesbians. Homophobia is more than just calling people names. Next time you think of using derogatory terms such as â€Å"faggot† or â€Å"dyke†, even if you don't intend any harm, think about the many who have suffered from hate crimes because of their sexuality.

Internet made the world a Global Village Essay

Gone are the days, when you had to wait for days or even hours to learn about news of some distant place an event taking place in one part of the world can be heard easily in the other. Perhaps, synchronization of such magnitude has really close-knitted this world together so much that it appears as a real single universal community comprising of different people. Thanks to technological improvements and the information revolution, the awareness is escalating rapidly; there are no more barriers between countries. Trade has increased and population movements between countries are greater than ever before. The term â€Å"global village† is used to describe a world in which people are not limited by the boundaries of nations and societies. The world today is largely interdependent and an occurrence in one part of the world has a bearing on other elements. Thus, today no one in the world can survive in isolation. The world has become integrated and undergone dramatic changes thanks to the rapid changes in technology and faster movement of information technology. The advent of printing press, telephone and telegraph connected millions of people living miles apart and made it possible to discuss new ideas instantaneously. Radio, internet and television brought the digital age into our living rooms. Satellite communications has had a tremendous impact on our lives and resulted in the increased penetration of mobile services, media and live telecasts. With the click of a button, we can tune into breaking news and entertainment from all over the world. An improvement in transportation has also facilitated the exchange of ideas and people. People are able to travel more easily and travel all around the world. Today, it is common to find people commuting from one city to another for work. In fact many people choose to migrate to a new country in search of better work and social life opportunities. New generation of fuel-efficient trains, planes and other modes of traveling have helped develop the tourism industry. The growth of this industry resulted in the exchange of cultures, knowledge and new ideas for greater progress and harmony. As the world has become shorter in distance, people have found it easier to trade and share the fruits of progress. Businesses all around the world are actively engaged in importing and exporting items to capitalize on each other’s strengths and pass on the benefits to the consumer. Although, the world has come a long way in becoming more accessible and connected in terms of information, it is still far away from the idealistic situation. To call it truly a global village we must ensure that all regions of the world grow at a uniform pace and a more humane behavior is inculcated in members of different communities and regions. Without this, the world would seem alien to people from the areas lagging behind in progress. Internet: In the 21st century, Internet has been widely used by everyone around the world, and is closely related to our everyday life. The development of Internet has made our world smaller. For instance, like Skype this kind of online free telephone saves our money, we no longer need to worry about our expensive phone bills. It draws people from different places in the world closer. The most significant thing is that it has a positive influence on us, and that people are more willing to keep in touch or communicate with others who are far away from them. Internet has made our world into a global village, it draws everyone closer. Internet can have lots of positive influence on us IF we use it correctly. We can use it to share our works online, or we can search for lots of useful information that we need. However, if we use Internet incorrectly, it will then have a negative influence on us. For instance, going out with someone you met on the Internet without knowing who they actually are. Also, the existence of Internet crime syndicate can be a negative influence on us, like some people might want to be like them because they make lots of money. The most common negative influence of Internet on us is that lots of students got addicted to online games, blog, etc. Thus they are not concentrated in their school works, not doing their job as being a student. Also, wasting more time with Internet as a replacement for of what they are believed to do. It is not only students who are like that; some office workers also got negative influence by Internet. Globalization: Globalization gives the people many motivations for serving poor countries: compassionate, supporting, and political and financially. The reason for which many countries have to help poorer ones may be a question of global security. Due to the interconnectedness of the societies, difficult situations such as conflicts, famines in poor countries influence and jeopardize the security in rich countries like the United States and the European Union. As a result, the troubles of the poor and emergent nations become the dilemma of the urban and wealthy nations of the world. The threats are multiple such as terrorism, trafficking, environmental destruction and disease. As these threats are impending, governments of developed countries take more responsibility for helping the poorer nations for a safer world. Security of the richer and developed nations is based on the development of these poor nations. Improved and up-to-date technology is coming in from developed nations to the developing nations this helps in improving quality of the products made in these countries and it also helps improve constant effectiveness. Though globalization has its positive facets it has some downsides to it. Billions of inhabitants still live in shortage and the space connecting rich and poor at an international level is getting bigger. It is said globalization directs to subordinate buy and sell barriers but the previously poor and developing states are not able to take benefit of the lessening of these trade obstacles, globalization in a way presents urbanized nations with a means of access way to come in hooked on the developing nations with more simplicity and also do trade more freely, it essentially forces out the confined competition for they are not able to gather up with the principles of the products of the urbanized nations. Globalization brings in products that are superior is quality and low in cost as compared to those produced by these developing nations which are not able to produce similar to these, this takes away trade opportunities from these developing nations which was otherwise possible between the developing nations. This leads rising the affluence gap among the urban and mounting inhabitants even more. Internet made the world a â€Å"Global Village†: Globalization, a rising experience that can be illustrated as a â€Å"change in the direction of a more incorporated and mutually supporting world’s financial system†, (Valeria Gennaro Lerda, 2002) has been the focus of numerous books and deliberations for the long-ago decade. Along with the improvement of microprocessors, the Internet is conceivably the most momentous technological modernization of our time, playing an extensive role in the development of globalization. The Internet assisted the development of the movement headed for a global village through the formation of cheaper, quicker and easier means of communication, the stipulation of an enormous collection of information, and the increase of e-commerce. The Internet offers a cheaper, more rapidly and easier technique of communication, a substitute that has shaped a â€Å"universal audience†, as stated by Renato Ruggiero, director general of the World Trade Organization. (Seoul 1997) In evaluating the cost of extended distance phone calls against that of online voice chat the Internet is much more reasonable and also better in excellence. Many web clients now acquire web cameras, microphones, and all the software compulsory to sustain this hardware. This permits users to talk, see, and be seen by the individual they are having a dialogue with. People from Asia can carry discussions with Europeans, Americans or Africans at the similar time, at no additional cost on Msn Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, or MIRC. Communication is also quicker online. An e-mail is mailed and expected by the other party in seconds, as contrasting to regular mail, which may take months to accomplish its destination when sent over the ocean. Thus, citizens all over the earth can reside in touch on a normal basis, converse online on a daily basis and even share documents. When factoring in the easiness of use of the Internet, it is simple to observe why so many persons have a preference communicating this way. All that is mandatory is typing, an ability easily mastered throughout frequent use of the keyboard. Also, the Internet provides an interesting communication with another individual, as ample of illustrations and things and emoticons go together with the software. The affordability, tempo, and handiness of the Internet are the reasons that account for the formation of this â€Å"global audience†. People all over the world are associated to the same association at the same time with the right to use to the same collection of information. This enormous amount of information being accessed by everyone connected to the Internet is in itself a powerful tool in the development of globalization. Anybody can produce a website and put pen to paper no matter what portion of information they aspire. Books, magazines, newspapers, and editorials are shared globally. Video clips, PowerPoint presentations and various materials can be viewed online and used for different purposes. This creates a form of optimistic multiculturalism, where any person with the right to use to the Internet can communicate local, ethnic, religious, and national beliefs to a worldwide and international audience. Consequently, an all-purpose homogenization or â€Å"internationalization† of traditions took place, supporting Western urbanized homelands, their verbal communication and principles, yet escorted by an understanding of a consequential strength or evaporation of confined and underground civilization. This worldwide diffusion of dominant Western and American cultures who are globalized through ownership of production and infrastructure gives â€Å"globalization† a negative connotation often termed hegemony, cultural imperialism, or Americanization by members of underdeveloped countries and by individuals who feel that their country and belief systems are threatened by English-speaking nations. The paradox of global localization is also created when local identity politics becomes a global issue through the Internet. Thus, more and more â€Å"local identity groups are using the technologies of globalization to promote their political interests†. An example is the Taliban in Afghanistan with a website, www. talibanreunited. com, containing alleged terrorist information. Thus, as Benjamin Barber mentioned, â€Å"the world is becoming more and more divided into two cultural, political, and economic camps: homogenized transnational consumerist capitalism now extended to global information, communication, and entertainment and fragmented tribal identity wars by groups rejecting transnational and international influences† (Barber, 1996). This consumerist capitalism is in part driven by e-commerce. E-commerce, a huge element of the globalization observable fact, now comprises a familiar dealing practice. The Web permits production, both little and outsized, to get bigger as a global occurrence at a subordinate cost than ever before. Business can sell their goods and services online cheaper, as the tertiary step in production is eliminated. Consequently, companies acquire a superior worldwide coverage by setting up a business website with the arrangement of products presented, cost, and resources of acquisition. The Internet allows companies to gain access to large international markets, build a wide customer base, and generate more revenue. Financial transactions that take place over the Internet requiring credit card information and other sensitive data require an effective implementation of security measures. To prevent loss and interception of data by a third party, encryption of sensitive information, a very complicated process involving keys, data encryption algorithms and various standards, must be put in place. The minimize the threat of viruses, loss or destruction of vital data, antivirus software must be installed and updated on a regular basis, also a backup of important files must be made. The Web formulates it a lot easier for customers and brokers to come across each other, everywhere they may be positioned and no matter what their size. This was the case for an undersized California-based establish, Cardiac Science, which constructs defibrillators and heart monitors. In 1996, Cardiac Science was very restless to smash into intercontinental marketplace but had slight idea of how to set up an international occurrence. By 1998, the business was advertising to clients in 46 countries and overseas transactions accounted for 85 percent of its $1. 2 million revenues. Even though a part of this trade was developed all the way through export channels, an increasing proportion of it came from â€Å"hits† to the company’s website, which, according to the company’s CEO, â€Å"creates a center of attention of international business citizens like bees to honey† (Hill, 2004). Therefore, the Internet has proven to be the most significant and fastest growing technical innovation today. In 1990, smaller quantity than 1 million consumers was associated to the Internet. The number had increased to 50 million, by the year 1995. In 2001, it raised to 490 million. By the year 2005, it is forecasted that the Internet may have over 1. 12 billion users, which is comparable to 18 percent of the world’s inhabitants (Miniwatts Marketing Group, 2008). The notion of a â€Å"global village† is becoming a reality more so than ever and the Internet played a significant role in its expansion. The inexpensive, fast and easy means of communication it provides, coupled with the medium it creates for optimistic multiculturalism, where everyone has access to the same pool of information and is free to share personal beliefs, have created a global audience, where everyone knows exactly what is going on everywhere in the world and is free to communicate at any time. E-commerce takes the Internet from the consumer level and advances it to allow financial and business transactions to take place between businesses and consumers and businesses to businesses without a middleman, and without having to go to the store to buy goods. Web sites like for instance Amazon and e-bay and have become very popular for their cheap products and convenient shipping. Taking these factors into consideration, the Internet had a very large impact on globalization and will continue to shape the growing â€Å"global village† for years to come. Conclusion: With the volatile enlargement in Internet links worldwide, networked communication has the prospective to reduce the size of geographic distances and smooth the progress of information trade among citizens of various surroundings. Telecommunications strategy in the US and other countries determines to extend access to all levels of society, assuming that this will foster greater information exchange while enhancing financial growth. Authorized by information technology such as search engines and automatic filters, IT clients are spending more of their waking hours hooked into the Internet, deciding to work together with information foundations modified to their individual benefits. No longer limited to resources or friends in their geographic areas, these users portend an interactive world without limitations. The distances between places have been reduced and the internet has played a major part in it especially through the fast paced communication it provides. Due to this communication has become so easy that you can find out what is happening in one part of the world by just a click of a button. People are able to reach the flung areas of Africa and get news from there; places which people did not even know existed. Internet has played a major role in promoting globalization. It has reduced the distances and brought the world closer. Read more: Invention Essay

Forrest Gump Essay Example

Forrest Gump Essay Example Forrest Gump Paper Forrest Gump Paper Fates Destiny Society has always questioned whether love or death is a matter of choice or fate. Fate is the theory that everything happens just the way it is supposed to happen. It is also the notion that all things and events are predetermined by a higher power. In William Shakespeares’ Romeo and Juliet, he writes about a young man named Romeo who falls in love with a woman named Juliet. Romeo’s falling in love with Juliet causes multiple people to die including the two lovers, and he is responsible. He claims that he did not kill those individuals, and that it was fate. He also claims that fortune chose for him to end his life in order to be with his lover. In Eric Roth’s academy award winner Forrest Gump, he writes about a young man named Forrest who grew up in Greenbow, Alabama. Forrest tells his life story to strangers while waiting at a bus stop and how he’s made the best of everything that’s ever happened to him. Roth and Shakespeare both write about how the powerful concept of fate and destiny effect human beings because when Romeo’s wife dies he blames fate and when Forrest Gumps’ wife dies he states everybody has a destiny. : This does not happen suddenly at all which makes it easier for the audience to take in at a gradual process. He puts the feather in a childrens picture book which was in his suitcase, which I think represents his character as childlike. The directors purpose for this was to give again a relaxing film as there is not much to take in at any one time making it much easier for the viewers. Of Mice and Men on the other hand is a totally contrast as the whole way though the opening shots we are constantly guessing on what has happen as Sinise felt the need to give the film and edgy mysteriousness to it. He achieves this well by introducing George on a train, in the dark. George looks very serious and unhappy. The audience assumes when the flashback occurs that something negative happen to put him in such a maze of emotions. We firstly see Lennie with George running. Sinise uses a mid-shot of them from their backs indicating them running away from a place. Its also done quite suddenly as they run past the camera. I think the director wants the audience to only see the back of them to leave the audience with the mystery of George and Lennies front appearances which adds to the mystery. The opening shots of the main characters are very different as Zeneckiss Forest Gump is very open and giving the audience as much detail as possible whereas Sinises is very minimalist in giving clues to what the main characters are like. The sound effects and music are very uplifting in Forrest Gump. The music is largely in a major key and so gives a happy atmosphere to set the story to. It is gentle and light at the beginning of the film to show that its not going to be a film of mystery or danger, but of happiness. The music then crescendos when the feather almost hits the car and diminuendos when the feather lands by Forrests foot. The directors purpose by using that effect is to tell the audience to focus their attention on him. Overall, the music was nothing dramatic do to give a homely environment. However, the music from Of Mice and Men is a total opposite as the music through out the opening scenes is in a minor key, therefore giving a sense of danger and unhappiness. We can see that it is not going to be a light hearted film. As we start to see the inside of the train where George is sitting, the music dies down by the time the camera has moved to show a close-up of his face drawing the audiences attention directly to George. Once the scene cuts to the flashback, the music all of a sudden starts again and it is much louder which creates a dramatic atmosphere giving the viewer a sense of danger. As the girl comes running towards the camera, we start to hear disturbing noises of the girl screaming and crying. Suddenly we see a close-up of dogs barking fiercely with strong music in the background giving a climaxing danger. This is a lot louder than when George and Lennie are running right at the beginning of the flashback. As soon as George and Lennie jump into the little river, the music cuts to get rid of the tension that was rising to give the audience the impression that they are safe. This is very effective as there is such a contrast between the layering of the music, dogs barking and men shouting to just Lennie and George panting as they sit in the river gives the audience a shock even though it is of relief. In the climax, I think Sinise wants you to panic for Lennie and Georges safety even though you are yet to find out about their personalities or the crime they have committed. My response to this particular part was to feel sympathy for the both of them. Even though the two films have very different sound effects and music they have been appropriately placed I feel to create very exciting atmospheres leading the audience to carry on watching. The dialogue in Forrest Gump starts when Forrest is accompanied by a nurse who sits on the bus stop bench where he is waiting. Forrest takes this opportunity to start to talk to her. He talks to her with a friendly tone about her shoes which are very clean. He says to her about how, mamma said that you can tell a lot from someones shoes. This draws the audience to see Forrests shoes which are extremely dirty looking. The viewer learns that by looking at his trainers he has an interesting story to tell and listen more intently to discover Forrests travels. From his accent and language and the fact he refers to his mothers explanations to life shows that Forrest isnt used to think for himself giving the impression hes slightly mentally challenged. He is projected as a sweet and caring person. Even though the nurse ignores Forrest, he keeps on trying to talk to her and get a response. This symbolises him being so childlike in a way that he will not persist until he is given attention. I think Zeneckis wants to give the audience as fuller projection of Forrest as possible as it may lead on and answer questions on why things happened later on in the film. My response is that you are given an insight to a very interesting character and gives you the urge to carry on watching to see what hes done with his life. The dialogue in Of Mice and Men differs drastically to Forrest Gump as it lacks in details about the characters and tends to be very short lines. The short lines give the affect of drama and mystery. Even though the lines are not as full as Zeneckiss film they still give you clues that tend to be a little less obvious. When we see George and Lennie running away from the lynch mob, we hear their first interaction of the film. George orders Lennie to run faster and has to push him forward to help. This immediately portrays George as the stronger of the two as he is the one asking Lennie to run faster, giving him a master figure. Lennie is also given the role of the follower. George as he speaks has an anxious tone in his voice which indicates that they have done something wrong. Lennie on the other hand seems oblivious and doesnt know why they are running away or why George seems so anxious. This indicates that like Forrest Gump, he may be mentally challenged as it seems he is in another world.

Free A Soccer Game Informative Essay

Free A Soccer Game Informative Essay A Soccer Game A new day begun and all the people are rejoicing and ready to go and witness the victory of their teams. It was on 5th December 2011 at Pakistan National Stadium when the match between India and Pakistan had to begin at 2 p.m. The funs had come early, and the stadium was full of people waiting to cheer for their teams. A lot of funs had come from India, but the 80 % of the stadium were Pakistani. All funs believed that their team will get out victoriously. The media had come to air the game live in the television because the stadium was full, but there were those who did not have time or possibility to go, so they could watch it on the television. The game begun at 2.10 p.m. and all the funs watched silently The players from India had the courage and they thought that India will emerge the winner. The stickers of India tried many times to score a goal but all in vain. The first half ended with score being 0-0. The second half begun, and the defenders for Pakistan were strong trying to defend many strikes made by India. The game was tough for Pakistan despite the cheering from the funs. The Pakistan coach started instructing them while in the filed. At the 91st minute striker Zech got the ball from midfielder, and he passed all Indian defenders, and he made an excellent goal. After three minutes, the game was over and Pakistan player went out celebrating. The game ended with Pakistan victory of 0-1 The Indian funs went away disappointed, because India played well but did not win. The funs from Pakistan celebrated even in the streets of the city making joyful songs and woes. The game showed that the funs cheering for a team and venue of play can determine the victory of the team.

Meaning of the Crude Birth Rate and Crude Death Rate

Meaning of the Crude Birth Rate and Crude Death Rate The crude birth rate (CBR) and crude death rate (CBR) are statistical values that can be used to measure the growth or decline of a population. Definitions The crude birth rate and crude death rate are both measured by the rate of births or deaths respectively among a population of 1,000. The CBR and CDR are determined by taking the total number of births or deaths in a population and dividing both values by a number to obtain the rate per 1,000. For example, if a country has a population of 1  million, and 15,000 babies were born last year in that country, we divide both the 15,000 and 1,000,000 by 1,000 to obtain the rate per 1,000. Thus the crude birth rate is 15 per 1,000. The crude birth rate is called crude because it does not take into account age or sex differences among the population. In our hypothetical country, the rate is 15 births for every 1,000 people, but the likelihood is that around 500 of those 1,000 people are men, and of the 500 who are women, only a certain percentage are capable of giving birth in a given year. Birth Trends Crude birth rates of more than 30 per 1,000 are considered high, and rates of less than 18 per 1,000 are considered low. The global crude birth rate in 2016 was 19 per 1,000. In 2016, crude birth rates ranged from 8 per 1,000 in countries such as Japan, Italy, Republic of Korea, and Portugal  to 48 in Niger. The CBR in the United States continued  trending down, as it did for the entire world since peaking in 1963, coming in at 12 per 1,000. By comparison in 1963, the worlds  crude birth rate hit more than 36. Many African countries have a very high crude birth rate, and women in those countries have a high total fertility rate, meaning they give births to many children in their lifetime. Countries with a low fertility rate (and low crude birth rate of 10 to 12 in 2016) include European nations, the United States, and China. Death Trends The crude death rate measures the rate of deaths for every 1,000 people in a given population. Crude death rates of below 10 are considered low, while crude death rates above 20 per 1,000 are considered high. Crude death rates in 2016 ranged from 2 in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain  to 15 per 1,000 in Latvia, Ukraine, and Bulgaria.   The global crude death rate in 2016 was 7.6, and in the United  States,  the rate was 8  per 1,000.  The  crude death rate for the world has been on the decline since 1960 when it came in at 17.7. It has been falling around the world (and dramatically in developing economies) due to longer life spans  brought about by a better food supplies and distribution, better nutrition, better and more widely available medical care (and the development of technologies such as immunizations and antibiotics), improvements in sanitation and hygiene, and clean water supplies.  Much of the increase in world population over the last century overall has been attributed more to longer life expectancies rather than an increase in births.

Syphilis-treponema pallidum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Syphilis-treponema pallidum - Essay Example Chancre stage is followed by systemic secondary phase with fever and rash on palms and soles. The secondary stage is followed by the tertiary stage or the latent period which is for indefinite time, however, tertiary stage may/ may not occur. The article also states about the last stage of syphilis infection- neurosyphilis where the causal organisms attacks the central nervous system and demolishes fiber tract. This results in progression of dementia, blindness and partial motor paralysis. The article mentioned the pyrotherapy treatment introduced by Warner-Jauregg. To cure syphilis the individuals were treated with the blood sample of malaria patient which contains parasite Plasmodium. Plasmodium is known to increase the body temperature, the spirochete Treponema pallidum cannot survive the temperature above 41 degree Celsius as a result the causal organism of syphilis gets destroyed and individuals return to their normal lives. However, the success ratio for such treatment is very less. The article highlights the auspicious discovery made by Alexander Fleming of penicillin during World War II as the medication for various bacterial diseases. The discovery of antibiotic penicillin revolutionized the world of diseases caused by bacterial strains. Antibiotics have given a new paradigm drift in the field of medicine. The article did not mention anything about the vaccine for syphilis. However, it discussed about the pyrotherapy to overcome the condition of syphilis. Later, the article discusses about the discovery of antibiotic which acts as a key to combat disease causing bacterial strains. The article did not specify the age to witness the condition of syphilis. The causal organisms of syphilis, Treponema pallidum is sexually transmitted, the sexually active individuals are likely to witness the causal organism. One reason that the article specified for 50 percent of the patients returned to normalcy and continued with their normal life is

Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Management Accounting - Essay Example The ability of an organization to identify these competitive forces and understand their nature helps them in developing a differentiation strategy to survive in the market (Fleisher & Bensoussan, 2007) Therefore, it is crucial to identify the competitive forces to which H is subject to. H is experiencing competition in acquiring hauling contracts. Since hauling is the main business that the organization depends on, the organization is under a big threat. One of the reasons why the organization is experiencing competition is due to the existence of many contractors and subcontractors. Resultantly, the organization is experiencing shortage of contracts in the market. In a business environment, when customers reduce, the organization is expected to face profit reduction in the long run. In the recent past, J contractor has lost about a third of its contract since the J Company changed its management. This competition has affected the organization in terms of profit margins. Contracting companies in this market operate at very low profit margins as part of their pricing strategies. The price competition is giving pressure to H Company to reduce its prices to win tenders in the business environment. Usually, when there are many investors in the business environment, the customers gain a higher market bargaining power, and the investors lose their bargaining power. This market pressure forces the organization to lower their prices and consequently reduce their prices. Another problem in this market environment is the seasonal nature of labour. This implies that the organization will have no work to do during the low seasons. This is a big threat to the organization’s survival. Given that the organization has permanent workers that need to be paid during this period of time, it is a big threat to the survival of the organization. In addition, the organization has

What are the main justification for a health system funded largely Essay

What are the main justification for a health system funded largely through private and public taxation and what are the strenghth and weaknesses of the two opposing view point - Essay Example may be required to pay little fee that is not significant to their income, a factor that bridges potential differences in care access based on economic status. Healthcare is also budgeted for, resources availed through the formal budget and taxation policies, and this guarantees continuous availability of care services (Leatt and Mapa 2003, p. 49). A publicly funded healthcare system also ensures quality of care to citizens. This is because the system is organized and qualified professionals manage it. It therefore also offers a benchmark to private practitioners who must match the level of quality in order to attract and retain customers (Ho 2012, p. 68). The system is also comprehensive to meet diversified needs and is in some cases compulsory, a factor that motivates people to seek care and therefore ensures quality of health (Morfaw 2009, p. 109). One of the contrary viewpoints to justification of the publicly funded healthcare system, through taxation and through a special system, is its â€Å"inflexibility and bureaucratization† (Leatt and Mapa 2003, p. 49). The opinion is strong because such a scope may lead to regional scarcity of resources and restrained access but proper management through accurate forecast of needs undermines this criticism. Another criticism is that success of the publicly funded care system may be over-valued because it does not bear some of its costs such as time wasted on waiting lists. The cost may be significant to identify overestimation of the derived utility but such wastes may be inevitable and may also exist in privately funded care systems (Leatt and Mapa 2003, p. 49). Even though opposing views exist to the justification of publicly funded healthcare system, weaknesses of such opinions are more significant than their strengths. Justifications of the system are further more practical. The publicly funded care through taxation is therefore

Progress Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Progress Report - Essay Example She also shows some anticipation for the next step in activities with familiar routine and is beginning to show ability to communicate a desire for activities to continue. Record of Progress Communication and Language Activities experience by the pupil this year Communication underpins every activity that Cristina undertakes at school. She has participated in a range of activities over this year to provide opportunities for her to develop her communication skills. These activities included greetings, end of the day sessions, massage, sensory story, interactive music, and one-to-one interaction sessions with familiar members of the staff. Responding Pupil’s progress Cristina has been working towards developing anticipation of the next step in well-established routines and responds appropriately or consistently to a range of different sensory stimuli. As the year progresses, Cristina has become more consistent in showing anticipation for regular daily activities such as greeting s and her favourite weekly sensory story session titled ‘We going on the bear hunt’. A good example is her excellent progress in anticipating for greeting or interactive sessions during Autumn term. She would look at a bottle of essential oil when presented to her by an adult and stay still for a few seconds to smell the oil of the day. She initially smiled broadly when asked whether she wants more of a smell particularly if given plenty of time to respond. During Spring term, she showed ability to recognize the sequence of steps within same activity. She has also begun exploring the drum positioned under her hands by making small finger movement especially if encouraged verbally by adults to perform a task. Over the time, she has learnt to prolong the activity by trying hard to continue her small hand movement in exploring this musical instrument especially with prolonged one-to-one interaction she gets from an adult at such times. She has also begun to get less startl ed if adult leading the activity use a countdown such as ‘one, two, three’ when introducing noisy objects, such as drum. Recently, she began to vocalise when asking for a tune to say hello, although she is not yet consistent and will need more time to consolidate this skill. During the sensory story sessions, she has shown ability to anticipate certain familiar routines, especially if an adult used the phrase ‘ready, steady†¦go’. She would for example anticipate for water spray by turning head and looking at an adult shaking a thunder maker for brief moment of 2-3 seconds. She would also smile when activities were accompanied by ‘ready, steady†¦go’. On some occasion, she would actively turn her head towards rainmaker and tracked torch light on the black material other than just smiling or stilling in response. Interacting Pupil’s progress Cristina has been working towards developing her interaction skills with familiar and less familiar adults and shows ability to distinguish between them. Cristina remained interested when adults interacted with her and continued to smile or became animated when the adult talked to her. She responded best during one-to-one intensive sessions when familiar members of staff interacted with her. She showed a clear awareness of the presence of others and would at times smile when chatting to a class staff member. She has also responded with various facial expressions and random vocalizations. She has learnt to accept physical contact from familiar and

Research on any CEO Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On any CEO - Research Paper Example He attended Cupertino Junior High School and  Homestead High School. At Homestead, he became friends with Bill Fernandez as they same same interests in electronics. Through Bill he came to know Steve Wozniak, with whom he would later co-found Apple. After his high school, Jobs opted to go for Reed College, a private liberal arts institution located in Oregon. The cost of the college was extremely expensive but his parents consented to send him. He had to struggle a lot at the college. He did not have enough money to buy himself a room in the dorm so he used to sleep on the floor in his friends’ room. It was also at Reeds that he was attracted towards the Eastern mysticism and other different philosophical beliefs. Unable to bear the expenses, he eventually decided to drop out. In his own words, "If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple  typefaces  or proportionally spaced fonts." He got a Job in Atari in 1974 which relieved some of the financial burden on him. For Jobs, Atari Company was an inspiration as it was the first video game Jobs had become friendly with Wozniak despite a big age difference. Wozniak had an idea of building a personal computer because he was unable to afford an Altair 8800, a personal computer kit famous at that time. ... Meanwhile Wozniak worked on the better design and came up with Apple II. The Apple II was a computing device unlike the world had ever seen before. It had a color display and was compatible with a variety of different programs. Jobs knew that this product would be a revolution in the personal computers industry and he set out to find investors. A retired Intel executive, Mike Markkula decided to invest a huge amount of $250000 in their product and predicted that they would be a part of the Fortune 500 list within the next two years which did happen. Apple II was a huge hit and the company went public in December 1980, just four years after its creation. He was only 25 at that time but his total worth was more than $200 million. Apple’s existence however was soon threatened. IBM, a very renowned name in the industry was planning to venture in the personal computer market which could move Apple out of business if it did not come up with something new. Steve jobs started a projec t named Lisa, which was the name of the daughter of his former girlfriend; even though he refused to agree that he had fathered her. Steve Jobs however started to have conflict with the managers of the Company due to his volatile behavior and he was kicked out of the team that administered the Lisa project. As retaliation, he started to work on the development of Macintosh by hiring extremely bright and talented engineers in his development team. Although initially it was meant to jeopardize the Lisa project and the sales of Apple II, the Company soon started to depend on it after Lisa failed to make its mark in the market. Macintosh was a success for a little time but its demand continually declined. The Company was in a state of chaos because

British Ethnic Legacy in Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

British Ethnic Legacy in Africa - Essay Example This paper contends that problem of tribalism and negative ethnicity that has dominated the African social cultural political and economic spheres giving rise to intense rivalry, divisions and frequently civil strife is predominantly a legacy of British colonialism. Using their superior economic and political position, they created deep-seated divisions that destroyed the social- political harmony in Africa since even after they left the class inequalities and negative feelings that some communities had towards others who collaborated with colonialist remained to fuel future conflict (Blanton, David & Brian 474). Nigeria exemplifies the divisive nature of ethically motivated politics; therefore, British colonialist divided the country with the intention of making it easier to control in the typical divide and rule policy capitalizing on the preexisting ethnic and religion differences (Amadife & Warhola 533). The British were gradually withdrawing from the country and with them the co ntrol they had exerted over the different groups; however, the disunity that served the British so well in marginalizing and effectively making it impossible for the tribe to unify against them became a cause for civil conflict. The long run effects are evident in the civil war of 1967- 1970 when the nations was almost split asunder as communities fought form behind the artificial boarders the British cleaved into their country. Even today, many insecurity problems facing the country are due to ethic conflicts which can be traced back to the British Imperialist’s actions. In addition, another example can be seen in the infamous Rwanda genocide of 1990, as aforementioned, elevating certain communities over others to effectively practice indirect rule was a tactic the British widely employed, however the aftermath of the divisions which usually ran deep has often been catastrophic in posterity (Blanton, David & Brian 478). While it would appear that the conflict was a primarily matter of tribal issues with no connection to the retrospective colonial past, critical examination of the events leading up to the period implies otherwise. Since their takeover of the country in the late 19th century, the British had taken advantage of existing divisions between the two tribes and by sideling the Hutu and elevating the Tutsis who the deemed as more civilized than the Hutus (Wa Wamwere 142). Decades after independence, the Hutu used the fact that the Tutsis had been loyal to the British in retrospect to massacre them and strengthen their position as legitimate leaders of the country, the Exiled Tutsis came back to try to salvage the situation and this resulted in a full scale war to end the aftermath and the British who had sowed the seeds of the bloody divisions were nowhere to quell the situation. Opponents of this papers claim will likely claim that not all African colonies degenerated in violence and ethnic politics, to this end, they may cite Tanzania, Liberi a and several other states that remained peaceful. Therefore, according to them, accusing the British of being responsible for Africa’s present and past problems is unreasonable and the situation would probably be much worse had it not been for their intervention in the first place. In addition, attributing the problems of Africa to

Research on any CEO Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On any CEO - Research Paper Example He attended Cupertino Junior High School and  Homestead High School. At Homestead, he became friends with Bill Fernandez as they same same interests in electronics. Through Bill he came to know Steve Wozniak, with whom he would later co-found Apple. After his high school, Jobs opted to go for Reed College, a private liberal arts institution located in Oregon. The cost of the college was extremely expensive but his parents consented to send him. He had to struggle a lot at the college. He did not have enough money to buy himself a room in the dorm so he used to sleep on the floor in his friends’ room. It was also at Reeds that he was attracted towards the Eastern mysticism and other different philosophical beliefs. Unable to bear the expenses, he eventually decided to drop out. In his own words, "If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple  typefaces  or proportionally spaced fonts." He got a Job in Atari in 1974 which relieved some of the financial burden on him. For Jobs, Atari Company was an inspiration as it was the first video game Jobs had become friendly with Wozniak despite a big age difference. Wozniak had an idea of building a personal computer because he was unable to afford an Altair 8800, a personal computer kit famous at that time. ... Meanwhile Wozniak worked on the better design and came up with Apple II. The Apple II was a computing device unlike the world had ever seen before. It had a color display and was compatible with a variety of different programs. Jobs knew that this product would be a revolution in the personal computers industry and he set out to find investors. A retired Intel executive, Mike Markkula decided to invest a huge amount of $250000 in their product and predicted that they would be a part of the Fortune 500 list within the next two years which did happen. Apple II was a huge hit and the company went public in December 1980, just four years after its creation. He was only 25 at that time but his total worth was more than $200 million. Apple’s existence however was soon threatened. IBM, a very renowned name in the industry was planning to venture in the personal computer market which could move Apple out of business if it did not come up with something new. Steve jobs started a projec t named Lisa, which was the name of the daughter of his former girlfriend; even though he refused to agree that he had fathered her. Steve Jobs however started to have conflict with the managers of the Company due to his volatile behavior and he was kicked out of the team that administered the Lisa project. As retaliation, he started to work on the development of Macintosh by hiring extremely bright and talented engineers in his development team. Although initially it was meant to jeopardize the Lisa project and the sales of Apple II, the Company soon started to depend on it after Lisa failed to make its mark in the market. Macintosh was a success for a little time but its demand continually declined. The Company was in a state of chaos because

Overcoming the fear of speaking in public Essay Example for Free

Overcoming the fear of speaking in public Essay I heard several stories of how it was like speaking in public for the first time. While some would be tongue tied for the first few moments and stare in to a blank space, others knees would simply give way to the painful fact that no force would blow them away or hide them from the drowning gaze of their audience. My experience was in no way different from theirs. I had resisted and vehemently opposed every attempt to bring me to speak before the congregation of my local church. ‘I am not good at debating,’ or ‘I got the information late, so I could not prepare’ were among the several excuses I would bring up whenever I was enlisted for any debating competition in the church. But this day, I was ‘shoed’ to the front by my mother to give a testimony on my escape from a deathly road accident. At first, my buttocks felt like they were glued to the seat. I went blank and no words would form in my head. Standing before the congregation, I felt like running away. I searched for what could distract me and then I found the shape of the pulpit attention drawing. I slurred on the first few words, but I later gained confidence. Right there and then, I was completely discharged of all stage fright. I delivered my first public speech, if I may call it that. Ever since then, I find it easy and less disturbing to address the public, their number notwithstanding. I joined a freelance writing company recently. I used to have problem with meeting deadlines, customers were always sending back my works for revision and I was losing my earning with the company. I was frustrated and I felt like leaving. But I decided to take it as a challenge and to resist giving in to frustration. I have been doing fine ever since. I also learnt how to relate well with customers. I acquired also professional writing skills.

Marks and Spencer: Structure and Culture

Marks and Spencer: Structure and Culture 1. INTRODUCTION Marks Spencer is British institution. Opened in 1884, the company emerged as a major retailer of clothes, food, household items and financial services. By 1997, Marks Spencer was an international company with sales of over  £8 billion and very high net profit margins. However, the group experienced a shocking reversal in fortune at the turn of the 21st Century when its main customer base, women aged between 35 and 55 began to stop shopping at their stores. This posed a very serious threat to the companys survival and Marks Spencer thought hard and long about how to rectify the situation. It did so by introducing bold new moves changing its corporate culture and by strengthening existing systems and processes. By doing so, the company was able to regain its loyal customers and grow once again. Yet, the last few years have been challenging as the company was badly affected by the global economic crisis. This report outlines the changing structure and culture at Marks Spencers. It provides a comparison of the contributions of the key business functions to the organizational change. It also identifies the key stakeholders of the organization and the key issues of managing them. Finally, a SWOT analysis is done for Marks Spencer along with an assessment of its long term future prospects. 2. CHANGING CORPORATE CULTURE AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE All organizations have their own cultures, which consist of the values and beliefs shared by its members which determine to a considerable degree how managers respond to problems and opportunities. But corporate culture can become static and excessively bureaucratic over time, even among successful organizations (Huff et al, 2009). An organizational culture is powerful because it automatically shapes the way members see their world. Any culture is deeply rooted in beliefs and values that members have internalized. When beliefs and values are held without challenge for a long period of time, they are even less likely to be questioned (Robbins and Judge, 2007). The norms rarely change to accommodate those who deviate from them. Inertia sets in and employees become stuck in a rut. Employees become resistant to change and are unwilling to do things differently because they involve inconvenience and uncertainty. This could ultimately destroy the company. Like most successful organizations, Marks Spencer was a victim of its own success. Its corporate culture because inflexible, rigid and resistant to change because it was felt that since the company was successful, there was no need to change. Deeply entrenched was a sense of employee entitlement regarding remuneration and working hours. However, when it became clear that the old culture was unable to cope with changing demands of the marketplace, the top management decided on a major revamp. As a result, employees became less resistant to change and began to embrace new ways of doing things. Employees were willing to work for longer hours if it meant better pay and they were less resistant to the fact that they might lose their jobs if the company performed poorly. They were also sent for learning and education programs to equip them with new skills sets so that they were better able to cope with changes in the working environment. All these efforts contributed to the change in corporate culture which is now more dynamic and flexible. A number of major changes were also made to the organizational structure. The formal chain of command was flattened to a certain extent and in doing so the company became more agile and responsive to changes in customer demand and taste. The regional management structure was simplified to delegate more responsibility to individual store managers to give them more autonomy. 3. CONTRIBUTIONS OF KEY BUSINESS FUNCTIONS TO ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES 3.1 Finance The finance function plays a critical role at Marks Spencer in cutting costs and eliminating unnecessary expenditure. The entire value chain was examined to determine where and how costs could be trimmed. As a result, the company was able to reduce costs, provide better prices to the customers and improve its overall profitability. Ultimately, it is the shareholders who stand to gain the most from the initiatives made in terms of maximization of shareholder wealth. 3.2 Marketing To attract new customers and retain existing customers at Marks Spencer, the marketing function critically examined the cause of declining sales. The main cause negative customer perception of its main customer base women aged between 35 and 55 that the clothes sold at Marks Spencer were unfashionable and even dowdy. Therefore, the marketing function decided to split up the long-cherished St Michaels brand into a number of categories to cater for different customer needs. Consequently, the company launched three new product categories for women (www.marksandspencer.com, 2011). The first, the Perfect and Classic ranges were for basic purposes, for example jeans, sweaters and plain shirts. The second range, Autograph is for the more fashionable woman of a larger demographic group. The final range, per una, is targeted at the younger woman of ages 25 to 35 and is of average dress size. By segmenting its products for different markets, the company was able to regain most of the sales it lost. Different marketing campaigns are held for each range and this makes the companys products appear more attractive to customers. 3.3 Operations A number of critical changes were made to the companys operations. For one, the supply chain was made leaner and in doing so, the company made substantial savings. Fewer suppliers were used and this facilitated transparency and response time. The lead time was reduced and the company placed a greater emphasis on timeliness and quality. These contribute to leaner operations which lead to higher profits. 3.4 Human Resource This function is critical to the successful implementation of a strategy. The HRM function at Marks Spencer played an important role in changing employee mindset and modifying the corporate culture to be more attuned to the changes that need to occur (Hitt et al, 2004). As a result, employees were more receptive to change and aware of the sacrifices they need to make. 4. KEY STAKEHOLDERS The key stakeholders of Marks Spencer are shareholders, management, employees and customers. The following diagram shows their relative importance and power: Power of Stakeholders Meet Their Needs Key Player B, C A D Least Important Show Consideration Interest Key: A Shareholders B Management C Customers D Employees 5. MANAGING KEY STAKEHOLDERS Shareholders would like to maximize their wealth. Share maximization is through share price appreciation and dividends (Aaker, 1996). Therefore, satisfying this group would require increasing profits and the company profile. Management is concerned about maintaining control over operations. Their goals are sometimes similar to that of shareholders but in some cases they differ (Daniels et al, 2007). Hence, there is the agency problem. The employees at Marks Spencer are most concerned about job security and work conditions. Ideally, they would like jobs that pay well and have good hours. However, this may be incompatible with the goal of wealth maximization of shareholders as employee benefits will erode profits. Similarly, if employees are unionized, they may cause problems to management and reduce its influence. Hence, management must strike a balance between making employees and shareholders happy. Customers are concerned about satisfying their needs and wants. Managing them effectively would require Marks Spencer to improve its product offering to make satisfied customers who make repeat purchases. 6. SWOT ANALYSIS 6.1 (S)trengths Excellent control system for suppliers, inventory and layout of stores. Very high quality products Efficient and modern production techniques Good understanding of its core customer base. 6.2 (W)eaknesses Generic clothing that is often perceived as unfashionable An image of being boring 6.3 (O)pportunities Global expansion Utilizing more overseas suppliers to achieve cost advantage Maximize use of existing technology to obtain competitive advantage 6.4 (T)hreats Competition with premium quality clothing manufacturers Competition with discount stores Economic downturn 7. FUTURE PROSPECTS Marks Spencer is facing a very difficult time. After its successful business turnaround, it is once again facing problems due to the recession. Indeed the next few years may be a very difficult time for the company. Not only is it facing competition from high end retailers but discount stores as well. Meanwhile, the middle class is shrinking and if the company does not take bold steps, it may collapse. To succeed, the company must grow its market share by penetrating new markets or new product lines. 8. CONCLUSION Marks Spencer is a company with a long history of success. To overcome its current difficulties, it must draw on its strengths, overcome its weaknesses and revamp its strategy to stay relevant and competitive.

Macbeth the Tragic Hero :: essays research papers

Macbeth the Tragic Hero The most tragic hero was Macbeth. A tragic hero is one who commits an act and suffers tremendously for it. Just as all tragic heroes, Macbeth made decisions that led him to his doom. His actions were influenced by his wife, Lady Macbeth, and the Witches? prophecies. He was greatly haunted by his desire of being King and to remain King. His noble characteristic slowly downgraded to a violent and cruel individual as the story progresses. Macbeth once used to be a brave gentleman. He was well respected around Scotland and earned much trust from almost everyone. When the King said, ?For brave Macbeth ? (1.2.18),? we can interpret that even the King himself respected Macbeth. He goes out to war, defeat enemies, and save his country, his life was put on the line for the entire Scotland. He earned himself the titles Thane of Cawdor and Thane of Glamis. In war, he is a well rounded warrior?he kills many on the battlefield without hesitation. But when he had to kill King Duncan, it took more than courage for him to commit the murder. It might be a cowardly act to murder a King in order to gain his throne, but the courage he mustered in order to actually kill King Duncan was bravery. Added to the fact that King Duncan is Macbeth?s own relative plays an important role on how much it took for Macbeth to kill. But unfortunately, Macbeth used his bravery for evil intents rather than for good. Guilt played a tragic role in Macbeth?s downfall. After killing Duncan, he was haunted by his actions and couldn?t move on without worrying that his murder was going to be exploited. From the quote, ?Will all great Neptune?s ocean wash this blood? (2.2.60),? we can assume that Macbeth was worried of whether or not his guilt will vanquish. There was no turning back for him. As the story progresses, the only solution for maintaining his reign of Scotland was to kill. His close friend, Banquo, was also murdered because Macbeth assumed doing so would be best in order to prevent losing his throne. But little did Macbeth know that he was actually being killed by his own mind and ambitions Another important factor that brought catastrophe to Macbeth was the Witches? prophecies. His superstition was noted by his susceptibility to the Witches? predictions. If the Witches never told Macbeth that he was going to be the King of Scotland, he would have been his ordinary self and not ponder upon those thoughts.

Essay --

She climbed into the car and slowly slid the key into the ignition. After placing the car in reverse and backing out of the poorly placed parking spot, she realized she had no idea where she could possibly go. She slammed the car into park and stared at the concrete wall in front of her. An underground parking garage, she thought, how suiting†¦how long could I sit here before this place is considered a cemetery? She sat there contemplating the last six months, and everything that had led her to this tomb-like cement cell. She thought of her husband, or rather the man she married. She remembered how kind he used to be. She had met Vincent in her junior year of college at Yale. He was smart, funny, handsome, and genuinely interested in her – everything that, at the time, she believed a man should be. Over the years he stopped being all of those things. He became pushy, while simultaneously paying her no attention. Luncheons, book clubs, gossip; she had quickly become so accustomed to these mundane things. She almost laughed remembering how boring her life had been before she met her. She was jolted from her daydreams of the past by a rapping at her window. Serena†¦ â€Å"Please Ana come back. I’m so sorry you saw that just please come back. It wasn’t what it looked like I swear!† Serena begged. Ana had never seen Serena this distressed looking, nor did she care. She gave her a solemn glance before she placed the car calmly into reverse and backed out of the parking space, ignoring the woman banging on the hood, begging her not to leave. She then drove up, out of the garage, and away from her tomb. She had no idea where she was going, but hell, anywhere was better than that place. The sunlight struck her hard ... ...ts. Serena covered herself with a nearby robe and ran toward her, but she couldn’t hear anything but her own heartbeat in her ears. She had been paralyzed by what she saw. She could feel the hole begin to rip in her chest as she turned to run back down the steep stairs to the parking garage. She couldn’t tell if anyone was following her or not. I’ve got to get out of here, she thought, anywhere but here. She opened her eyes and looked into the window of the diner, and she finally decided that she needed coffee. As she walked to the bar seat, a small and bouncy redhead came out of the kitchen and greeted her. â€Å"Hey there! My name is Angela.† she said with a warm smile. â€Å"You look like you could use some coffee. And on a night as dead as this, I could use some company.† What a beautiful smile, Ana thought, this could be the start of something beautiful.

Obey Direct Orders Essay

There are more than a few reasons that lawful orders should be obeyed. These orders are given for a variety of reasons, and should be followed whether or not you understand or agree with them. Orders are sometimes given simply to keep soldiers to maintain their military bearing and display a proper image of the United States Armed Forces. Other times they are given to protect the soldier or to protect the soldiers around him/her. No matter what, an order should be carried out without question, because if you question orders that seem less important, you could get someone hurt because you were wasting time ignoring or questioning an order that you thought was unimportant. A soldier is given a great many orders that fall into the first category I discussed, maintaining military bearing. These orders range from keeping in step and swinging your arms in formation, to not moving while talking on your phone. All of these orders have reasoning behind them that has applications on the battlefield. For instance, if you are keeping in step and swinging your arms in formation, then you are paying attention to the cadence that is being given, so if you get a command by whoever is marching you, you are already paying attention and can react quickly. This can be the difference between life and death in a combat zone. The same thing can be said about talking on the phone while walking around. You need to not have any distractions when you are patrolling an area. If you are not alert, you could get yourself killed by an IED, or worse you could get others killed. So while these orders may not seem to have all that much importance in the here and now, they actually have a great deal of importance in that they train you in how you need to behave while deployed, so they should be followed with just as much care as any other order. Another type of order that is given is an order that is designed directly to protect you or those around you. Every time you are given an order to do guard duty or a cleaning detail, that order is there to protect yourself and others. When you are asked to pull guard duty, you are actively watching for threats to those that you are guarding. If an insurgent were to try to enter your AO when there was no guard, he could do a lot of damage before he was noticed, and he could kill a lot of people. If you have a guard on post, the same insurgent is likely to be killed or taken into custody with no loss of U.S. Soldiers. When here in training you are practicing the ability to stay alert while on those guard duties. If you were to fall asleep on duty, or not report, then you could be responsible for the deaths of your fellow soldiers. A less obvious threat than insurgents are the bacteria and diseases that you are helping to keep under control every time you follow an order to do a cleaning detail. If these orders are not followed then our fighting force could become crippled by sickness. So you can see even cleaning details are in place to help protect you and your fellow soldiers. In the end the point is, whether or not you understand the reason you are being given an order, or agree with that order, it needs to be followed. Failing to follow orders can cause people to get hurt, or can put you in the position of not having the focus or discipline to stay out of harms way yourself. Follow orders every time.

Realism and Ibsen’s a Doll’s House Essay

Ibsen: Keeping it Real Since 1879 Realism is a style of writing in which the author strays away from romance and fantasy and leans toward the everyday life of real people and the negative aspects of their lives. The Norwegian author Henrik Ibsen captures the true essence of realism in his famously controversial play A Doll’s House. Nora is an idealistic wife who bows down to her husband’s commands and fulfills his every wish. When Torvald, her husband, fell sick she did everything she could to save his life, going as far as forging her dead father’s signature to receive money to pay for their trip to Italy for better heath care. The story takes place during Christmas time, where Nora is now forced to come to terms with the crime she has committed once Krogstad, the man at the bank who gave Nora the money she needed, reveals to her his plan to tell Torvald about her forgery. A Doll’s House is a perfect example of realism, containing many of the key elements of this genre. Ibsen highlights the forced role of women, the deceptive appearances people use to hide their troubles behind, and uses a realist form and style of writing. Understanding the realism genre of literature allows the reader to enjoy a style of writing in which they can relate to and find comfort in, knowing that someone, somewhere, sometime experienced exactly what they themselves are going through Like many women of her time, Nora has to forget about her own wants and ideas and put on the role a women must play to please the people around her. Torvald constantly is putting Nora in her place. When Torvald comes home one afternoon he finds Nora sitting surrounded with bags from her trip to town. He reprimands her about her spending habits before comforting her, saying, â€Å"Now, now, my little song-bird mustn’t be so crestfallen. Well? Is the squirrel sulking? † (Ibsen 149). Torvald is trying to console his wife while also belittling her by using endearing terms. In reality, his words make Nora feel controlled and repressed. Ibsen wants his audience to see that by demeaning Nora, Torvald is trying to get her to mold to the role of a submissive wife who will listen to her husband as if her were her father. Torvald wants Nora to know that he is the one â€Å"on top† in the relationship; he is the bread winner, the man, and the more powerful person. He is always trying to suppress Nora and keep her dominance over him at bay. Not only must women be submissive to their husbands but they were expects to be obedient to him as well. Torvald is always telling this wife not to eat her favorite treat, macaroons, because her teeth with rot and fall out. When Nora buys the dessert in town, she hides them from Torvald. She lies to him when he asks if the thought crossed her mind that day to stop and get a treat. Nora tells her husband, â€Å"No, Torvald really; I promise you†¦ I wouldn’t do anything that you don’t like† (Ibsen 151). Nora is afraid of contradicting Torvald’s word and promises to him she would never do anything to go against him. Instead of being her husband’s equal Nora feels as if she were a child. Ibsen depicts Nora’s marriage as a relationship between a father and his child instead of a husband and his wife and mother of his young children. Torvald treats Nora like a little girl who cannot make her own decisions. She is forced to play this role of a child her whole life; fist under her own father’s roof and now under Torvald’s. The forced roles of women were enforced in society, as well as the idea of keeping one’s flaws concealed from the outside world. Deceptive appearances hide the troubles and pain Nora and Torvald both go through during the play. Mrs. Linde, Nora’s longtime friend, comes over to the Helmer household. Nora and her are chatting about New Year’s plans when Nora says, â€Å"Look, the people upstairs, the Stenborgs, are having a fancy-dress party tomorrow night, and Torvald wants me to go as a Neopolitan fisher-girl and dance the tarantella that I learnt in Capri† (Ibsen 183). Nora tells Mrs. Linde that her and Torvald plan on attending a masquerade party in which she will be dressing up to perform the tarantella as her husband had told her to. Ibsen is telling the reader that people hide behind clothes and masks to hide the hurt and pain going on in their own life, so as to please society and their own friends. Nora is suffering from an internal crisis et she is forced to dress up and go to the party so that her friends do not suspect anything is wrong with her. Torvald being the â€Å"doll player† that he is, controls Nora and basically forces her to put up a front for the world to see. He never sees Nora’s misery the week leading up to the revelation of Nora’s crime because she has been taught to hide the pain so well. Along with hiding from society, one must fulfill all its demanding expectation. When Torvald reads the letter from Krogstad revealing Nora’s forgery, he is enraged. He screams at Nora and tells her she can have no influence over the children and he loves her no longer. Then he remembers what others will think about this situation and says, â€Å"Somehow or other I must try to appease him- the thing must be hushed up at all costs. As for ourselves- we must seem to go on just as before†¦ but only in the eyes of the world of course† (Ibsen 221). Torvald is only concerned about keeping Krogstad quiet and the outside world remaining in the dark about his troubled marriage. He tells Nora they must continue on with life outside as it was before but once inside the house, it all does not matter; he could not care less. Ibsen communicates that along with wearing deceptive appearances, those who want to be accepted, like Torvald, must bow down to society’s expectations. These expectations include maintaining a perfect marriage, raising the children properly, and not allowing your wife to overpower you. Torvald’s only concern is to keep the peace, for the sake of his own last name. He does not care about Nora any longer. He only cares about keeping himself and his reputation safe. Along with outlining some of the key elements of the real world and the society one lives in, Ibsen uses a realistic style of writing. Staying true to realism literature, Ibsen uses a realistic form and style while writing A Doll’s House. One the first page of the play, one can find a detailed description of the set including, â€Å"A comfortable room, furnished inexpensively, but with taste. In the back wall there are two doors; that to the right leads out to a hall, the other, to the left, leads to Helmer’s study. Between them stands a piano† (Ibsen147). A long list of props preludes all of the acts of the play. Ibsen uses this detailed list of props to bring a sense of reality to his play. He allows the audience to feel as if they truly are sitting in the Helmers’ living room watching Nora fall prey to her husband. It allows one to sink completely in the story and become a part of it all. One of Ibsen’s viewers could easily identify with the characters seeing that they lived in the same middle class home and neighborhood as they themselves do. Ibsen also was able to identify with his audience by using a simplistic writing style. When talking to Nora about her children, the children’s nanny says, â€Å"The poor little mites are playing with their presents, but-† (Ibsen 181). The nurse speaks in a common, simple language. Unlike previous writing styles, realism uses everyday common language and interrupted thoughts, run on sentences, and expressions. Ibsen used this style of writing, again, to identify with the audience he was presenting to. His works were seen my middle class citizens, who were used to working hard long hours in filthy conditions. These people were not spending their days eating cakes and playing chess. They spoke in a ruffle-free, basic language, which is exactly the language Ibsen adopted for his realist play. Ibsen exposed the his audience to a new view of the very lives they were living by using this form of writing. Although Ibsen was not showing his audience anything new, he presented them their most inner secrets they kept hidden and shoved them in their own faces. Ibsen highlighted the role women were taught to play, the deceptive appearances the people wore daily, and expressed these ideas using the people’s realistic style of speech. Ibsen was a writer for the people of the 1800s, but his works are treasured and applicable even in today’s world. ALL QUOTES DIRECTLY FROM A DOLL'S HOUSE

Kinky and the Lost Tooth: A Book Review in Relation to Child Play

A Book Review in Relation to Child Play, Learning and Development Ask any child why they love to read, reread and sometimes even reenact their favorite book or story, and chances are you won’t get a response related to educational value. As expected, children will not see behind the magical characters and imaginary places they encounter with each story they choose to immerse themselves in. According to Whitebread and Jameson (2005, p.64), children are usually engrossed in what they are doing when they are at play. Of course, we adults know much better than that. We know that there is much more to fairy tales and children’s books than just their escapism or entertainment value. Research upon research has proven time and time again that children’s literature plays an important role in a child’s learning and holistic development. This is why authors of children’s books put much thought (and some, much research) into producing reading material that is educational without compromising its entertainment and marketing value. But what happens when the story is written or made up by a child? Does it accomplish more or less than what the average adult-written literature does? The main difference lies in how adults and children perceive stories, especially children’s literature. Children see stories as an extension of their play activities; almost everything is, for them. What exactly goes on when a child engages himself into a story? A very appropriate way to get a â€Å"behind-the-scenes† look at what happens when a child engages into literature is by studying a student-made story and its learning effectiveness. Just the fact that this came from a child all the more changes the dynamics in this research. The story chosen for this paper is Kinky and the Lost Tooth, written by V. Mansaray (2008): Once upon a time there was a beautiful girl called Kinky who lived in a town called Matotoka. One day she was playing with her friends Pikah, Krit and Kemzo, they decided to play a game called Koo-Koo! (hide and seek). As Kinky is running to hide under the Bao Bao tree, she fell down and lost her tooth. Kinky doesn’t realize that a new tooth would grow, she felt very, very sad because she had a party to go to and she cried all day and all night!! Suddenly she heard a loud voice calling her name. â€Å"Kinky, Kinky, K-i-n-k-y†¦ I am the tooth fairy. I am here to help you. Listen carefully. Stretch your hands, close your eyes.† Kinky did exactly what the tooth fairy asked her to do. †Now, can you open your eyes?† said the tooth fairy. When Kinky opened her eyes and looked in her hand she saw that she was holding a pink box. Guess what was inside the little box? When Kinky opened the tiny pink box she found her lost tooth. What do you think she will do with the tooth, now that she has found it? This story is a modern-day fairy tale, obviously because of the reference to the tooth fairy. The voice in the story is very simplistic and direct-to-the-point, making it clear and obvious that the words come from a child’s mouth (although this is a common approach and style that writers of children’s literature usually employ; more like stooping down to a child’s eye level to connect with them while communicating). The lines do not rhyme that much, but the proper names used are catchy & interestingly unique, for a kid (not much unlike Dr. Seuss’ famous characters). In addition, there is an evident pattern in how the proper names are coined; monosyllables repeated twice (Koo-Koo, Bao Bao, and even Kinky). This indicates that the author is of a young age. It is also noticeable that the most repeated word in the entire story is the protagonist’s name, Kinky. If one were to take this literary creation as an extension of the author’s playtime, then it would also be safe to assume that the protagonist could be the author’s actual self-projection. Tina Bruce (2001) has mentioned that in their play, children more often than not use the first hand experiences that they have in life. There weren’t that many descriptive words used to describe the plot settings, the protagonist, the fairy, even Kinky herself. This might imply that the child drew illustrations as he/she wrote this story, or even used his/her illustrations as his/her storyboard itself. Children are much more interested in visual and colorful images rather than in verbal imagery. A very visual book will be needed to pique the students’ interest, and there could be nothing more visual than a child’s active imagination. Considering the voice used, the language level employed, and the way the story flows in logical succession, this story would be best appropriate for children transitioning from the Concrete to the Formal Operational Stages. The question the author leaves for his readers at the end implies that the author is already capable of problem solving and inferencing, which are characteristics of a child around those stages (Piaget, 1954). Reading along the lines of Erik Erikson’s theory on psychosocial development, one can assume that the author/protagonist is at the School Age stage, since the protagonist shows that there is a basic conflict between Industry vs. Inferiority (Erikson, 1959). In this story, Kinky’s main problem was she had to go to a party but she couldn’t because she just lost a tooth. There was the social demand of going to a party (where it is assumed that everybody else is going), but then again missing a tooth (especially if it was a front tooth) would mean she would be somewhat inferior to the other kids. The eventual resolution of her problem, however, is still interestingly abstract; it took the tooth fairy’s magic to give Kinky a happy ending. The tooth fairy is one of the most popular characters children encounter in their young lives; and surprisingly, it can be a social tool in more ways than one. This story says a lot about how a child seems to cope with the stress and social repercussions losing a tooth brings in a child’s life. Kinky’s dilemma could or could not be reflective of the author’s real life struggles; but whatever the case may be, it is still a real issue many children face at this stage. Kinky’s story can be used to teach children of an appropriate age how to cope with their self-identities and with seemingly stressful situations that need their own decision and action. We can further examine Kinky’s story by comparing and contrasting it with a published book (presumably written by an adult). Taking for example Selby Breeler’s 1998 book Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions All Over the World, this book takes the focus away from the child and focus more on other children around the world. By depicting how other children around the world cope with losing a tooth, Breeler introduces the child to world geography and being conscious of other nationalities and customs at the same time. Breeler does not take away the magic by refuting the validity of the tooth fairy, but instead affirms the child by showing that some children in other countries also believe in the tooth fairy, or an equivalent entity. The author also assures the child that he/she is not alone in losing his/her tooth, that it’s normal. Breeler ends the story with reassurance, leaving the child reader with hope for renewed confidence: â€Å"Teeth fall out every day, all over the world. What do you do with yours?† Moyles (2005, p.9) discusses that â€Å"play in educational settings should have learning consequences.† In this light, every piece of children’s literature should have some educational merit. Mansaray’s and Breeler’s stories could be used within the class curriculum to stress several learning points, especially those related to reinforcing the child’s self-confidence and social awareness. In that way, these resources can actually be used to support children’s learning and development. The authors may actually consider extending their work into other literature by expanding these stories into series that tackle different issues and conflicts children face from day to day. A good way to implement these resources in the classroom setting is to allow each student read, analyze and interpret these stories in their own ways. Bettelheim (1989) theorizes that when children get to read about the problems, victories and failures experienced by the heroes and heroines of fairy tales (and in this case, children’s books),   they are given the chance to get a greater sense of meaning and purpose, and in effect prepare them for their own conflicts in their own lives. Bandura (1977) reinforces this by his theory on social learning: â€Å"Fortunately, most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling: from observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action.† This just emphasizes the need to lead children of operational age to learn how to analyze situations, identify the conflict/s, and then come to their own conclusions and solutions. Children find it easier to do so when they have a model (in this case, a symbolic one, found in the literary protagonists) they can relate to and follow. Another way one might employ these sample resources is to let the students have a chance to be able to relate or connect their own personal experiences with those of the protagonists’. Bowlby’s Attachment Theory (1969) comes into play here, revealing that if the educator or parent lets the child use a literary protagonist as their own attachment figure, then one can promptly use that attachment to direct or lead the student to the learning point at hand. Children, especially those in the operational stage, need someone with whom they can identify. Johnson’s treatise on the interrelation of child development with learning and literature backs this up in quoting that â€Å"knowledge cannot be given directly from the teacher to the learner, but must be constructed by the learner and reconstructed as new information becomes available† (Ryan & Cooper, quoted in Johnson, 2003). Johnson later on concludes that â€Å"learning is not the result of development; rather, learning is development.† By looking through Bandura’s â€Å"sociocognitive glasses†, so to speak, this interaction between the child and the literary protagonist plays an important role in the child’s intellectual development. This means that what a child learns socially is related to what he/she learns cognitively, and vice versa. What a child learns by interacting with other people adds to his/her own schema and thus increases his/her understanding in some cognitive processes. (Bandura, 1977) Mansaray’s story about Kinky and the lost tooth in itself has little educational merit; but if one would look at it by using sociocognitive theories, then the educator/parent can certainly use such output from the child as clues and tools for further sociocognitive learning. Using a story that uses the child’s own language and vocabulary, and that is based on the child’s own personal conflicts and issues, proves to be a very important tool in child development. Not only does the child get to learn about certain subject matter, but the educator/parent can also use it to teach very important life lessons as well. Bibliography Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall. Beeler, S. (1998) Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions All Over the World. New York, Houghton Mifflin. Bettelheim, B. (1989) The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales. Vintage Books. Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Attachment (Vol. 1). New York, Basic. Bruce, T. 2001, Learning through Play, Babies, Toddlers and the Foundation Years. Hodder and Stoughton. Erikson, E. H. (1959) Identity and the Life Cycle. New York, International Universities Press. Johnson, D.C. (2003) The Role of Child Development and Social Interaction in the Selection of Children's Literature to Promote Literacy Acquisition. Early Childhood Research ; Practice [Internet], Fall, 5 (2). Available from: ;http://www.ecrp.uiuc.edu/v5n2/johnson.html; [Accessed 9 April 2008] Mansaray, V. (2008) Kinky and the Lost Tooth [written by student]. Piaget, J. (1954) The Construction of Reality in the Child. New York, Basic Books. Whitebread, D. ; Jameson, H. (2005) Play, Storytelling and Creative Writing. In: Moyles, J. ed. The Excellence of Play. England, Open University Press, McGraw-Hill. ; ; ; ; ;