How to Pronounce oi in the French Language

If one of the first French words you learned was  au revoir, then you already know how to pronounce the oi combination in other words. This is a vowel pairing that is used frequently in the French language and a quick lesson will help you pronounce it with ease. How to Pronounce oi in French The letters oi in French  are pronounced [wa]. The A takes on the regular French A sound. This is often considered one of the signature sounds of the French language and the foundation for French accents. Beyond  au  revoir, you likely learned to say oi in  trois  (three) when learning to count. Its also found in other basic vocabulary lessons, such as  la  voiture  (car),  une  poire  (pear), and  des  devoirs  (homework). Practice Your oi Pronunciation   To really hone your pronunciation of oi, here are a few more words to practice. Try to pronounce each on your own prior to clicking on the word to hear the correct pronunciation.   As you work your way through the list, you should hear that signature [wa] sound. Quite often, the letter following oi is either silent or softer than it may be in other words. au revoir  (good-bye)boire  (drink)dà ©boà ®ter  (to disconnect)le  doigt  (finger)à ©loigner  (to move away)une  framboise  (raspberry)loin (de)  (far from)Mademoiselle  (Miss)la  toilette  (toilet, bathroom)

Crime Detection And Its Prevention - 1925 Words

Introduction As residents of the Great State of Florida and citizens of our community we have many concerns about our safety and what measure our local law enforcement agencies are taking in order to see we are living in a neighborhood free of the fear that we may be victims of a violent crime. In order to for us to really take action, we must first understand the true meaning of crime detection. Crime detection and its prevention is important for effective policing. Police officers are committed to take all measures necessary, both proactive and reactive to ensure a safe and peaceful community for the citizens they serve. Let’s take a look at what exactly is crime prevention. According to Wikipedia, Crime prevention is a term describing techniques used for reducing crime and criminal activities as well as deterring crime and criminals. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_prevention.It is applied specifically to efforts made by governments to reduce crime, enforce the law, and maintain criminal justice. As we understand that definition, it gives us the opportunity to identify the crime prevention policy and how its goal is to reduce or eliminate crime. This may involve both government and community programs which specify and strive at reducing crime and criminal interaction. 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Parenting The Irrational Vocation Essay Example For Students

Parenting The Irrational Vocation Essay a href=http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/Sam Vaknins Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web SitesThere are some grounds to assume that a cognitive dissonance is involved in feeling that children are more a satisfaction than a nuisance. Why do people bother with parenting? It is time consuming, exhausting, strains otherwise pleasurable and tranquil relationships to their limits. Still, humanity keeps at it: breeding. It is the easiest to resort to Nature. After all, all living species breed and most of them parent. We are, all taken into consideration, animals and, therefore, subject to the same instinctive behaviour patterns. There is no point in looking for a reason: survival itself (whether of the gene pool or, on a higher level, of the species) is at stake. Breeding is a transport mechanism: handing the precious cargo of genetics down generations of organic containers. But this is a reductionist view, which both ignores epistemological and emotional realities and is tautological, thereby explaining something in terms of itself. Calling something by a different name or describing the mechanisms involved in minute detail does not an explanation make. First hypothesis: we bring children to the world in order to circumvent death. We attain immortality (genetically and psychologically though in both cases it is imaginary) by propagating our genetic material through the medium of our offspring. This is a highly dubious claim. Any analysis, however shallow, will reveal its weaknesses. Our genetic material gets diluted beyond reconstruction with time. It constitutes 50% of the first generation, 25% of the second and so on. If this were the paramount concern incest should have been the norm, being a behaviour better able to preserve a specific set of genes (especially today, when genetic screening can effectively guard against the birth of defective babies). Moreover, progeny is a dubious way of perpetuating ones self. No one remembers ones great great grandfathers. Ones memory is better preserved by intellectual feats or architectural monuments. The latter are much better conduits than children and grandchildren. Still, this indoctrinated misconception is so strong that a baby boom characterizes post war periods. Having been existentially threatened, people multiply in the vain belief that they thus best protect their genetic heritage and fixate their memory. In the better-educated, higher income, low infant mortality part of the world the number of children has decreased dramatically but those who still bring them to the world do so partly because they believe in these factually erroneous assumptions. Second hypothesis: we bring children to the world in order to preserve the cohesiveness of the family nucleus. This claim can more plausibly be reversed: the cohesiveness of the social cell of the family encourages bringing children to the world. In both cases, if true, we would have expected more children to be born into s table families (ante or post facto) than into abnormal or dysfunctional ones. The facts absolutely contradict this expectation: more children are born to single parent families (between one third and one half of them) and to other abnormal (non-traditional) families than to the mother-father classic configuration. Dysfunctional families have more children than any other type of family arrangement. Children are an abject failure at preserving family cohesiveness. It would seem that the number of children, or even their very existence, is not correlated to the stability of the family. Under special circumstances, (Narcissistic parents, working mothers) they may even be a destabilizing factor. Hypothesis number three: children are mostly born unwanted. They are the results of accidents and mishaps, wrong fertility planning, wrong decisions and misguided turns of events. The more sex people engage in and the less preventive measures they adopt the greater the likelihood of having a chi ld. While this might be factually true (family planning is all but defunct in most parts of the world), it neglects the simple fact that people want children and love them. Children are still economic assets in many parts of the world. They plough fields and do menial jobs very effectively. This still does not begin to explain the attachment between parents and their offspring and the grief experienced by parents when children die or are sick. It seems that people derive enormous emotional fulfilment from being parents. This is true even when the children were unwanted in the first place or are the results of lacking planning and sexual accidents. That children ARE the results of sexual ignorance, bad timing, the vigorousness of the sexual drive (higher frequency of sexual encounters) can be proven using birth statistics among teenagers, the less educated and the young (ages 20 to 30). People derive great happiness, fulfilment and satisfaction from their children. Is not this, in i tself, a sufficient explanation? The pleasure principle seems to be at work: people have children because it gives them great pleasure. Children are sources of emotional sustenance. As parents grow old, they become sources of economic support, as well. Unfortunately, these assertions are not sustained by the facts. Increasing mobility breaks families apart at an early stage. Children become ever more dependent on the economic reserves of their parents (during their studies and the formation of a new family). It is not uncommon today for a child to live with and off his parents until the age of 30. Increasing individualism leaves parents to cope with the empty nest syndrome. Communication between parents and children has rarefied in the 20th century. It is possible to think of children as habit forming (see: The Habit of Identity). In this hypothesis, parents especially mothers form a habit. Nine months of pregnancy and a host of social reactions condition the parents. They get use d to the presence of an abstract baby. It is a case of a getting used to a concept. This is not very convincing. Entertaining a notion, a concept, a thought, an idea, a mental image, or a symbol very rarely leads to the formation of a habit. Moreover, the living baby is very different to its pre-natal image. It cries, it soils, it smells, it severely disrupts the lives of its parents. It is much easier to reject it then to transform it to a habit. Moreover, a child is a bad emotional investment. So many things can and do go wrong with it as it grows. So many expectations and dreams are frustrated. The child leaves home and rarely reciprocates. The emotional returns on an investment in a child are rarely commensurate with the magnitude of the investment. This is not to say that people do NOT derive pleasure and fulfilment from their offspring. This is undeniable. Yet, it is neither in the economic nor in the mature emotional arenas. To have children seems to be a purely Narcissistic drive, a part of the pursuit of Narcissistic supply. For further elaboration, please refer to: Malignant Self Love Narcissism Revisited and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) sections. We are all Narcissists, to a greater or lesser degree. A Narcissist is a person who projects a (false) image to the people around him. He then proceeds to define himself by this very image reflected back at him. Thus, he regards people as mere instruments, helpful in his Sisyphean attempt at self-definition. Their attention is crucial because it augments his weak ego and defines its boundaries. The Narcissist feeds off their admiration, adoration and approval and these help him to maintain a grandiose (fantastic and delusional) sense of self. As the personality matures, Narcissism is replaced with the ability to empathize and to love. The energy (libido) initially directed at loving ones (false) self is redirected at more multidimensional, less idealized targets: others. This edifice of maturity s eems to crumble at the sight of ones offspring. The baby evokes in the parent the most primordial drives, a regression to infancy, protective, animalistic instincts, the desire to merge with the newborn and a sense of terror generated by such a desire (a fear of vanishing and of being assimilated). The parent relives his infancy and childhood through the agency of the baby. The newborn provides the parent with endless, unconditional and unbounded Narcissistic supply. This is euphemistically known as love but it is really a form of symbiotic dependence, at least in the beginning of the relationship. Such narcissistic supply is addictive even to the more balanced, more mature, more psychodynamically stable of parents. It enhances the parents self-confidence, self esteem and buttresses his self image. It fast becomes indispensable, especially in the emotionally vulnerable position in which the parent finds himself. This vulnerability is a result of the reawakening and reconstruction o f all the conflicts and unsolved complexes that the parent had with his own parents. If explanation is true, the following should also hold true: a. The higher the self confidence, the self esteem, the self worth, the clearer and more realistic the self image of the potential parent the less children he will have (the Principle of the Conservation of the Ego boundaries) b. The more sources of readily available Narcissistic supply the less children are needed (the substitutability of Narcissistic sources of supply) Sure enough, both predictions are validated by reality. The higher the education and the income of adults the fewer children they tend to have. People with a higher education and with a greater income are more likely to have a more established sense of self worth. Children become counter-productive: not only is their Narcissistic input (supply) unnecessary, they can also hinder further progress. Having children is not a survival or genetically oriented imperative. Had t his been the case, the number of children would have risen together with free income. Yet, exactly the reverse is happening: the more children people can economically afford the fewer they have. The more educated they are (=the more they know about the world and about themselves), the less they seek to procreate. The more advanced the civilization, the more efforts it invests into preventing the birth of children: contraceptives, family planning, abortions. These all are typical of affluent, well educated societies. And the more Narcissistic supply can be derived from other sources the less do people resort to making children and to other procreative activities (such as sex). Freud described the mechanism of sublimation: the sex drive, the Eros (libido), can be converted, sublimated into other activities. All the sublimatory channels and activities are Narcissistic in character: politics, art. They all provide what children do: narcissistic supply. They make children redundant. It is not by coincidence that people famous for their creativity tend to have less children than the average (most of them, none at all). They are Narcissistically self sufficient, they do not need children. This seems to be the key to our determination to have children: To experience the unconditional love that we received from our mothers, this intoxicating feeling of being loved without caveats, for what we are, with no limits, reservations, or calculations. This is the most powerful, crystallized source of Narcissistic supply. It nourishes our self-love, self worth and self-confidence. It infuses us with feelings of omnipotence and omniscience. In these, and other respects, it is a return to infancy. Appendix Question: Is there a typical relationship between the Narcissist and his family? Answer: We are all members of a few families in our lifetime: the one that we are born to and the one(s) that we create. We all transfer hurts, attitudes, fears, hopes and desires a whole emotio nal baggage from the former to the latter. The Narcissist is no exception. No person is exempt from the Narcissistic dichotomous view of humanity: humans are either sources of Narcissistic supply (and, then, idealized and over-valued) or do not fulfil this function (and, therefore, are valueless, devalued). The Narcissist gets all the love that he needs from himself. From the outside he needs approval, affirmation, admiration, adoration, attention externalized ego boundary functions. He does not require nor does he seek his parents or his siblings love, or to be loved by his children. He casts them as the audience in the theatre of his inflated grandiosity. He wishes to impress them, shock them, threaten them, infuse them with awe, inspire them, attract their attention, subjugate them, or manipulate them. He emulates and simulates an entire range of emotions and employs every means to achieve these effects. He lies (Narcissists are pathological liars their very Self is a false one and they constitute distilled deceptions). He plays the pitiful, or, the reverse, the resilient and reliable. He stuns and shines with outstanding intellectual, or physical (or anything else appreciated by the members of the family) capacities and achievements. When confronted with (young) siblings or with his own children, the Narcissist is likely to undergo three reactive phases: At first, he will perceive the newcomers as a threat to his Narcissistic supply sources (his turf, the Pathological Narcissistic Space). He will do his best to belittle them, hurt (also physically) and humiliate them and then, when these reactions prove ineffective or counter productive, he will retreat into an imaginary world of omnipotence. A period of emotional absence and detachment will ensue. The Narcissist will indulge himself in daydreaming, delusions of grandeur, planning of future coups, nostalgia and hurt (the Lost Paradise Syndrome). The same reaction is observable in a Narcissist followin g the birth of his children or the introduction of new centres of attention to the familial cell (even a new pet!). Whatever the Narcissist perceives to be competing with him on scarce Narcissistic supply is relegated to the role of the enemy. Where no legitimacy exists for the uninhibited expression of the aggression and hostility aroused by this predicament the Narcissist prefers to stay away. He disconnects, detaches himself emotionally, becomes cold and disinterested, directs transformed anger at his mate or at his parents (the more legitimate targets). Other Narcissists will see the opportunity in the mishap. They will seek to manipulate their parents (or their mate) by taking over the newcomer. A Narcissist will monopolize the sibling or his newborn. This way, indirectly, he will bask in the same glow directed at the infant. An example: by being closely identified with his offspring, a Narcissist father will secure the admiration of the mother (what an outstanding father he i s). He will also assume part of all the credit and praise lavished on the baby/sibling. This is a process of annexation and assimilation of the other, a strategy that the Narcissist makes use of in most of his relationships. As the baby/sibling grows older, the Narcissist begins to see their potential to be edifying, reliable and satisfactory sources of Narcissistic supply. His attitude, then, is completely transformed. The former threats have now become promising potentials. He cultivates those whom he trusts to be the most rewarding. He encourages them to idolize him, to adore him, to be awed by him, to admire his deeds and capabilities, to learn to blindly trust and obey him, in short to surrender to his charisma and to become submerged in his follies de grandeur. These roles allocated to them explicitly and demandingly or implicitly and perniciously by the Narcissist are best fulfilled by ones whose mind is not fully formed and not independent. The older the siblings or offspr ing, the more they become critical, even judgmental, of the Narcissist. They are better able to put into context and perspective his actions, to question his motives, to anticipate his moves. They refuse to continue to play the mindless pawns in his chess game. They hold grudges against him for what he has done to them in the past, when they were less capable of resistance. They can gauge his true stature, talents and achievements which, usually, lag far behind the claims that he makes. This brings the Narcissist a full cycle back to the first phase. Again, he perceives his Siblings or sons/daughters as threats. He quickly becomes disillusioned, in one of the spastic devaluation reactions typical of his appraisal of humans around him. He loses all interest, becomes emotionally remote, absent and cold, rejects any effort to communicate with him, citing life pressures and the preciousness and scarceness of his time. He feels burdened, cornered, besieged, suffocated, and claustrophobi c. He wants to get away, to abandon his commitments to people who have become totally useless to him (or even damaging). He does not understand why he has to support them, to suffer their company and he believes himself to have been trapped. He rebels either passively-aggressively (by refusing to act or intentionally sabotaging the relationships) or actively (by being overly critical, aggressive, unpleasant, verbally and psychologically abusive and so on). Slowly to justify his acts to himself he gets immersed in conspiracy theories with clear paranoid hues. The members of the family conspire against him, seek to belittle or humiliate or subordinate him, do not understand him, stymie his growth. The Narcissist usually finally gets what he wants and the family that he has created disintegrates to his great sorrow (due to the loss of the Narcissistic Space) but also to his great relief and surprise (how could they have let someone as unique as him go?). This cycle: threat assimila tion Narcissistic supply overvaluation anti Narcissistic behaviours devaluation suffocation paranoia rebellion and disintegration, characterizes not only the family life of the Narcissist. It is to be found in other realms of his life (his career, for instance). At work, the Narcissist, initially, feels threatened (no one knows him, he is a nobody, he may not be the most unique one here, etc.). Then, he develops a circle of admirers, cronies and friends which he nurtures and cultivates in order to obtain Narcissistic supply from them. He overvalues them (they are the brightest, the most loyal, with the biggest chances to climb the corporate ladder and other superlatives). But following some anti-Narcissistic behaviours (a critical remark, a disagreement, a refusal, however polite, are all sufficient grounds) the Narcissist devalues all these previously over-valued individuals. Now they are stupid, lack ambition, skills and talents, common (the worst expletive in the Narcissi sts vocabulary), with an unspectacular career ahead of them. The Narcissist feels that he is misallocating his resources (for instance, his time). He feels besieged and suffocated. He rebels and erupts in a serious of self-defeating and self-destructive behaviours, which lead to the disintegration of his life. Doomed to build and ruin, attach and detach, appreciate and depreciate, the Narcissist is predictable in his Death Wish. What sets him apart from other suicidal types is that his wish is granted to him in small, tormenting doses. Medical Miracles on the Horizon Essay While this might be factually true (family planning is all but defunct in most parts of the world), it neglects the simple fact that people want children and love them. Children are still economic assets in many parts of the world. They plough fields and do menial jobs very effectively. This still does not begin to explain the attachment between parents and their offspring and the grief experienced by parents when children die or are sick. It seems that people derive enormous emotional fulfilment from being parents. This is true even when the children were unwanted in .

Meddle by Pink Floyd free essay sample

Meddle holds it’s own as the 6th album of English group Pink Floyd. Arguably, Meddle is Floyd’s greatest album. The band packed so much sound in six songs that it’s almost impossible to hear the full capacity of the album through one sitting. It requires more, due it’s depth. While this may seem intimidating to casual listeners at first, theres merit to it. Like a good book, a good album should be listened to more than once. No problem there. Floyd created such a good album, listeners will want to hear it again. The first song, â€Å"One of These Days† begins with windy effects that sound as if they were blowing off a coast itself. â€Å"One of These Days† has a driving bass that contrasts nicely to the dulcet, soft spoken quality of â€Å"A Pillow of Winds†. Third track, â€Å"Fearless,† begins with heavy laden guitar chords in a mesmerizing riff you’ll be humming all day. We will write a custom essay sample on Meddle by Pink Floyd or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The relaxedness of the tune and the decrescendo and crescendo combo of the thick piano sound and guitar chords, make it one of the standout tracks. In the background, you can hear screaming fans that sounds like a crowd cheering at a bullfight, when in fact, it’s noise from The World Cup. The fourth song, â€Å"San Tropez†, is a music soundtrack of comic strip Peanuts, if there ever was one. It’s almost as if you see Woodstock and Snoopy concocting up mischief in the backyard while Schroeder is composing on his baby grand. â€Å"San Tropez† is a jazzy head-bobbing jam anybody needs after a long day at work. After â€Å"San Tropez†, a blues influenced howling song plays about a dog named Seamus (complete with actual dog howls). And at last, comes â€Å"Echoes†, the sixth and final track of Meddle. The twenty-three minute masterpiece is the perfect wrap-up to the album. Initially, twenty-three minutes seems pretty daunting, with a dead spot nearly expected after the first three minutes. Instead, Floyd uses all twenty-three minutes to demonstrate superior musician mastery through drawn-out sounds layered with watery pings and slide guitar while the bass is played like waves rolling to the shoreline of a beach. Gilmour wails on guitar and teases you into a groove of funk for a while until about halfway through the song, screeches that resemble whale calls, come in. Whether it be the incredible musicianship of the four Brits, or the watery effects of â€Å"Echoes†, Floyd created an album that’s a staple to any chill summer sending you directly into a musical climax of a ride leaving you mellowed out long after the album stops playing. Sweet.

The History of Corinthian Columns

The History of Corinthian Columns The word Corinthian describes an ornate column style developed in ancient Greece and classified as one of the Classical Orders of Architecture. The Corinthian style is more complex and elaborate than the earlier Doric and Ionic Orders. The capital or top part of a Corinthian style column has lavish ornamentation carved to resemble leaves and flowers. Roman architect Vitruvius observed that the delicate Corinthian design was produced out of the two other orders. He described the Corinthian column as an imitation of the slenderness of a maiden; for the outlines and limbs of maidens, being more slender on account of their tender years, admit of prettier effects in the way of adornment. Because of their opulence, Corinthian columns are rarely used as common porch columns for the ordinary home. The style is more suited for Greek Revival mansions and public architecture such as government buildings, especially courthouses. Characteristics of Corinthian columns include: Fluted (grooved) shaftsCapitals (the tops of each shaft) decorated with  acanthus leaves and flowers and sometimes small scrollsCapital ornaments that flare outward like bells, suggesting a sense of heightProportion; Vitruvius tells us that the height of their capitals gives them proportionately a taller and more slender effect than Ionic columns Why Are They Called Corinthian Columns? In the worlds first architecture textbook, De architectura (30 B.C.), Vitruvius tells the story of a young girl from the city-state of Corinth. A free-born maiden of Corinth, just of marriageable age, was attacked by an illness and passed away, writes Vitruvius. She was buried with a basket of her favorite things atop her tomb, near the root of an acanthus tree. That spring, leaves and stalks grew up through the basket, creating a delicate explosion of natural beauty. The effect caught the eye of a passing sculptor named Callimachus, who began to incorporate the intricate design onto column capitals. Because the sculptor found this design in Corinth, the columns that bear it became known as Corinthian columns. West of Corinth in Greece is the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae, thought to be the oldest surviving example of the Classical Corinthian column. This temple from about 425 B.C. is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Tholos (a round building) at Epidauros (c. 350 B.C.) is thought to be one of the first structures to use a colonnade of Corinthian columns. Archaeologists have determined the tholos to have 26 exterior Doric columns and 14 interior Corinthian columns. The Temple of Olympian Zeus (175 B.C.) in Athens is said to have had more than 100 Corinthian columns. Are All Corinthian Capitals the Same? No, not all Corinthian capitals are exactly alike, but they are characterized by their leafy flowers. The capitals of Corinthian columns are more ornamented and delicate than the tops of other column types. They can easily deteriorate over time, especially when they are used outdoors. Early Corinthian columns were used primarily for interiors spaces, and thus were protected from the elements. The Monument of Lysikrates (c. 335 B.C.) in Athens features some of the earliest examples of exterior Corinthian columns. Replacing deteriorated Corinthian capitals must be done by master craftsmen. During the 1945 bombing of Berlin, the royal palace was heavily damaged, and it was later demolished in the 1950s. With the reunification of East and West Berlin, the palace was reinvented. Sculptors used old photographs to recreate the architectural details in the new facade, in clay and in plaster, noting that not all of the Corinthian capitals were the same. Architectural Styles That Use Corinthian Columns The Corinthian column and the Corinthian Order were created in ancient Greece. Ancient Greek and Roman architecture is collectively known as Classical, and so Corinthian columns are found in Classical architecture. The Arch of Constantine (A.D. 315) in Rome and the Ancient Library of Celsus in Ephesus feature examples of Corinthian columns in Classical architecture. Classical architecture was reborn during the Renaissance in the 15th and 16th centuries. Later derivatives of Classical architecture include the Neoclassical, Greek Revival, and Neoclassical Revival architectures of the 19th century, and the Beaux Arts architecture of the American Gilded Age. Thomas Jefferson was influential in bringing the Neoclassical style to America, as seen in the Rotunda at The University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Corinthian-like designs can also be found in some Islamic architecture. The distinctive capital of the Corinthian column comes in many forms, but the acanthus leaf appears in most designs. Professor Talbot Hamlin suggests that Islamic architecture was influenced by the acanthus leaf design: Many mosques, like those at Kairouan and Cordova, used actual ancient Corinthian capitals; and later Moslem capitals were often based on the Corinthian scheme in general pattern, although the tendency toward abstraction gradually removed all remaining signs of realism from the carving of the leaves. Famous Buildings With Corinthian Columns In the United States, famous buildings with Corinthian columns include the U.S. Supreme Court Building, the U.S. Capitol, and the National Archives Building, all of which are in Washington, D.C. In New York City, buildings with these columns include the New York Stock Exchange Building on Broad Street in Lower Manhattan and the James A. Farley Building, which is across the street from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden. In Rome, check out the Pantheon and the Colosseum, where Doric columns are on the first level, Ionic columns on the second, and Corinthian columns on the third. Great Renaissance cathedrals throughout Europe are apt to show off their Corinthian columns, including St. Pauls Cathedral and St Martin-in-the-Fields in London.

Converting Radians and Degrees in Pre-Calculus

Converting Radians and Degrees in Pre-Calculus You are probably familiar with degrees as a measure of how large an angle is, but another way of describing angles is with radians. As you approach pre-calculus and your upper years of mathematics, degrees will become less and less frequent as radians become the norm, so it’s a good idea to get used to them early, especially if you plan on studying mathematics. Degrees work by dividing a circle into 360 equal parts, and radians work the same way, except a circle has 2Ï€ radians and  Ãâ‚¬Ã‚  or pi radians equal one-half of the circle or 180 degrees, which is important to remember. In order to convert angles from degrees to radians, then, students must learn to multiply the measurement of the degrees by pi divided by 180. In the example of 45 degrees in radians, one can simply reduce the equation of r 45Ï€ / 180 to  Ãâ‚¬/4, which is how you would leave the answer to express the value in radians. Conversely, if you know what an  angle is in radians and you want to know what the degrees would be, you multiply the angle by 180/Ï€, and thus 5Ï€ radians in degrees will equal 900 degrees- your calculator has a pi button, but in case its not handy, pi equals 3.14159265. Identifying Degrees and Radians Degrees are units of measurements valued one through 360 that measure the sections or angles of a circle while radians are used to measure the distance traveled by angles. Whereas there are 360 degrees in a circle, each radian of distance moved along the outside of the circle is equal to 57.3 degrees. Essentially, radians measure the distance traveled along the outside of the circle as opposed to the view of the angle that degree takes up, which simplifies solving problems that deal with measurements of distance traveled by circles like tire wheels. Degrees are much more useful for defining the interior angles of a circle than for how the circle moves or what distance is traveled by moving along the circle instead of merely looking at it from one perspective while radians are more appropriate for observing natural laws and applying to real-world equations. In either case, theyre both units of measurements which express the distance of a circle- its all a matter of perspective! The Benefit of Radians Over Degrees Whereas degrees can measure the internal perspective of angles of the circle, radians measure the actual distance of the circumference of a circle, providing a more accurate assessment of distance traveled than degrees which rely on a 360 scale. Additionally, in order to calculate the actual length of a segment of a circle with degrees, one must do more advanced computations that include the use of pi to arrive at a product. With radians, the conversion to distance is much easier because a radian views a circle from the perspective of distance rather than the measurement of internal angles alone. Basically, radians already factor in distance as part of the basis for the equation for defining a radians size, which makes them more versatile in use than degrees.

HSBC bank regulations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HSBC bank regulations - Assignment Example Regulation in the banking industry is referred to financial regulation, which means a regulatory framework for maintaining integrity of financial systems in different countries and regions (Samuels, et al., 2005). Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) is one of the leading banks on the global scene with its headquarters based in London, United Kingdom. The bank operates in over 87 countries across Europe, Hong Kong, the US, Australia and the Asia Pacific region (Samuels, et al., 2005). The bank offers a wide range of to its clients including corporate investment banking, personal banking services, commercial banking and markets private banking. The bank has experienced considerable growth in terms of share price and the bank is also the third largest banking corporation in terms of asset ownership. The main competitors of HSBC bank are Barclays bank and the Royal Bank of Scotland (Christopher and Robert, 2006). HSBC bank operates in about 87 countries representing different jurisdictions with different sets of legal structures and financial laws. The bank’s global structure is subject to regulation from the different regulatory organizations in each jurisdiction to operate (Christopher and Robert, 2006). Different sets of laws have had different impacts on the bank over the years and have helped to shape the current structure of the bank in terms of the services offered and its organizational structure. The regulation environment of the HSBC bank affects the banks human resource management strategy, business strategy and customer relationship strategy. The bank has had to conform to different regulations over the years due to changes in the political environment of different countries in which the bank operates (Samuels, et al., 2005). Following the global financial crisis of 2007, several banks including the HSBC bank were affected adversely and had

Business forecasting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business forecasting - Essay Example If the data is from the point of view of sales of the softwood supplier it indicates positive. The number of unfilled orders according to the data is going down. The analysis of the data, the methods which have been tried out and the reason behind trying these methods is given below. The papers also support the MS EXCEL sheet which has been prepared in order to analyze the data and forecast. The appropriate method is described below. The basis of choosing that particular method over the others is mentioned at the end of the paper. Data analysis is done in various ways. The data when a manager looks at it he might look for the major variations, drops or growths, units time line etc in the first look. The data is useful or not it is decided here. The second step is presenting data in a graph or chart which gives clearer picture of the changes over a period of time. The number of data and the variables present are the basis to analyze it for the further forecasting process. The data available has various factors in it which has been deciding factors of adopting a forecast method. The available when analyzed with Autocorrelation method, it has shown the following features in it. If a series has trend, Yt and Yt-1 are highly correlated. The auto coefficient lag 1 is often very large (close to 1). As we can see from the above analysis the value of r1 is 0.807 which is close to one. Not only this if have we observed the Graph of the unfilled orders over a period of time we find that it is decreasing. It can be inferred that the overall unfilled orders is decreasing over a period of time in the 110 observations. It shows a trend of decrease which is a positive impact for the organization or the industry. There are other factors which can have impact on this industry. These are various social, economic, technological and political factors which have been assumed to be constant over the period of time. It is based on the

High School Exit Examinations Essay Example for Free

High School Exit Examinations Essay In order to evaluate the educational ability of students Standardized Tests or examinations, have been designed, which do so in an unbiased manner, irrespective of social background and educational experience. One such test is the multiple-choice examination, wherein the students have to make a selection from a number of answers for a particular question and indicate their choice on a test form. Such tests are frequently given to students who study in elementary and secondary schools (Standardized Tests, 2006). These examinations benefitted students to a large extent, because they had to take just one set of examinations, in order to apply for admission to different schools. The College Board initiated the Scholastic Aptitude Test or the SAT in 1926. The SAT is a multiple choice test that was based on the psychological tests given to US Army recruits. The SAT, by the year 1940, was being widely employed by educational institutions in the US (Standardized Tests, 2006). Standardized tests are taken by elementary school and high school, and undergraduates and graduates. The majority of these tests are controlled by the Educational Testing Service or ETS and the American College Testing or ACT Program. The results of these tests help educational institutions to assess scholastic performance and to ascertain the suitability of a student for a particular undergraduate or graduate degree program (Standardized Tests, 2006). The Center on Education Policy or the CEP had made it mandatory for fifty two percent of the students studying in the public schools to take the high school exit examinations. However, the implementation of this policy became difficult as the CEP had realized that opposition from the public towards this compulsory high school exit examination had been on the increase. It was also decided that students who failed to obtain a pass mark in this examination would not be awarded the high school diploma. This decision to withhold high school diplomas to students who failed in the exit examination was greeted with a great deal of resistance (Darling-Hammond, Rustique-Forrester, Pecheone, 2005). The implementation of the exit examinations also caused a gradual reduction in the number of graduate students. This was evident in the Afro – American and Latino students, English language learners and students with disabilities. This reform would result in reduced incentives for students who had been striving to remain in school, a reduction in the curriculum and a disregard for higher order performance skills, because of the utilization of limited measures and irrelevant judgments regarding student learning (Darling-Hammond, Rustique-Forrester, Pecheone, 2005). The use of exit examinations varies from state to state. Some states have already implemented them, whereas other states have not implemented them. A majority of states have put forward several options and alternatives. So far only eight states have implemented the mandatory exit examination as a compulsory requirement, in which the student has to obtain a pass mark, in order to obtain a high school diploma. Further, this system does not take cognizance of the excellence of performance of the students and their academic record and is solely guided by whether the students have obtained a pass mark in the exit examination or not (Darling-Hammond, Rustique-Forrester, Pecheone, 2005). Most of the states have implemented multiple measures of performance in order to evaluate the student’s capability of learning. The student requires a pass mark in the state examination, which is used as an indicator for the student’s ability to obtain a state diploma. Moreover, the student is also required to obtain a pass mark in other alternatives that test the student by using a wide range of methods so as to establish their academic learning. In these states, there is not just a single test to disqualify students from graduation but there exist an array of indicators to determine the knowledge of the students (Darling-Hammond, Rustique-Forrester, Pecheone, 2005). In an important report relating to the implementation of the high school exit test in the state of Mississippi, sixty five recommendations had been proposed. Some of these are, it would be totally inappropriate to require students to obtain a pass mark in an examination that contained material that had not been taught to the students. Further, the exit examination should be based on a multiple choice system, which would test thinking skills. Moreover, the exit examination would be undesirable for the students of the state of Mississippi. In addition, the national – level exit examination would require a total restructuring of the curriculum of the district schools, which would create serious difficulties. Furthermore, measures that evaluate the student’s skills and performance should be segmented. Moreover, great care would have to be taken while implementing tests that evaluate the performance and skills of students (ED384990 – Issues To Consider in Moving beyond a Minimal Competency High School Graduation Test, 1995). The states of Arizona, California and Utah introduced high school exit examinations, in which high school students from the year 2006 have to obtain a pass mark, in order to be awarded a high school diploma. In most of the states of the Union that enforce such high school exit examinations, students are required to take it in the sophomore year. The level of these tests is of the tenth grade and students who are unable to obtain a pass mark are provided with a number of opportunities to again take this test. Sixteen of the twenty three states that have made these tests compulsory have directed the schools to provide remediation to students who fail to obtain a pass mark. Furthermore, in states that are introducing these examinations, financial help for such remediation has in most of the cases been provided by it (David, 21st June, 2006). In the state of New York students have taken these high school exit tests with a very high degree of success and have obtained a large number of diplomas. However, this has not proved to be applicable to students belonging to the minority communities. The Education Commissioner disclosed that eighty one percent of white students obtained their diplomas in due course, whereas the students of minority communities found the obtention of pass marks in English, mathematics, global history, geography, US history and science to be a daunting task. Consequently, only forty two percent of the Hispanic students, forty five percent of African American and sixty eight percent of Asian students obtained their diplomas within the stipulated time (Hoff, 23rd of March, 2005). A survey conducted by the National Center on Educational Outcomes has revealed the fact that fifty percent of the states of the Union have made it mandatory to obtain a pass mark in the exit test, in order to be eligible to obtain a high school diploma. However, very few states have implemented an alternative procedure for evaluating disabled students, which is of an equivalent standard in comparison to the test applied to regular students. This report goes on to state that the absence of tests for the disabled and regular students that are of equivalent rigor, gives rise to the impression that disabled students are not competent to undertake grade level work (Samuels, 4th of May, 2005). In the state of California, the Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger passed a law that exempts disabled students from taking and obtaining a pass mark in the high school exit test. This new law states that if a student had been permitted to follow an individual education plan and if such a student had satisfied all other criteria for being awarded with a high school diploma and further if that student had received remediation for the exit test, then that student would be allowed to graduate, irrespective of having obtained a pass mark in the exit test. The objective of this law was to enable the state of California to provide better instructions for disabled students (Jacobson, 8th of Februray, 2006). In the state of Utah, even if students who do not obtain a pass mark in every portion of the high school exit test, they are awarded the high school diploma. However, such diplomas contain a statement that the student had not obtained a pass mark in the high school exit test. Several states of the Union are having second thoughts about continuing with such high school exit tests and at the same time a several students have proved to be unsuccessful in obtaining a pass mark in their graduation examinations. The law in the state of Utah has made it mandatory for high school students to obtain a pass mark in mathematics, reading and that part of the Utah Basic Skills Competency Test that comprises of tests on writing skills, in order to be awarded with a high school diploma (Olson, 25th January, 2006). In another study it was established that states of the Union, in which high school exit tests are in vogue, have a graduation rate and college entrance examination marks that are significantly lower than states that do not have such tests. In particular, students from states of the Union, that had made it mandatory to obtain a pass mark in the high school exit examination, fared worse than students from states of the Union that did not insist on such a condition, in the internationally acknowledged Scholastic Aptitude Test. Moreover, such students had a significantly lower rate of graduation (Viadero, 2nd of February, 2005). It has been opined by many people that high school exit examinations result in an increase in the number of students who discontinue their studies, before obtaining a high school diploma. The detractors of such exit examinations have very pertinently pointed out the fact that the already low graduation rates are being forced down to a much lower level. Many critics have stated that it would be patently unfair to deny a student who had completed thirteen years of schooling a high school diploma, merely because that student could not obtain a pass mark in the high school examination. Moreover, many persons consider such a denial of a high school diploma to be ruthlessly unjust, because such a diploma is essential for ensuring a bright future.

the position of women in the work field in Egypt :: essays research papers

Women represent 49% of the Egyptian population. In 1956, the Constitution granted Egyptian women unconditional equal socio-political rights, thus crowning their struggle with success. Egyptian women participate in the process of development, assume the national responsibilities mentioned in the Constitution, and benefit from full legal rights that allow them to contribute in all aspects of the development process, either in the field of production or in services, according to their capabilities and skills. However, women participation in public life remains limited. This is due to a number of socio-economic and cultural factors that would tend to create a bias against females in some aspects of life, establishing thus a gender gap. Women in my country have become full partners in decision-making, and have proved themselves competent as doctors, surgeons, members of parliament, government ministers, entrepreneurs and pilots, all working alongside men for the sake of progress and development in Egypt. H.E. President Hosni Mubarak issued the Presidential Decree No. 90 for the year 2000 for the creation of the National Council for Women, as an autonomous body responsible for the empowerment of the Egyptian women. Certain fields of work have only been made accessible to women recently, such as the judiciary, and their presence in others, such as police and defense, is only symbolic. Although women have been appointed to certain political posts recently for the first time, such as: the first Judge in the Supreme Constitutional Court, the first President of the Administrative Prosecution Authority, the first head of a local council, the first chief of a village â€Å"Omda†, other posts are still resisting cultural changes like governor, rector of a university, or even a sitting judge in ordinary courts. Similarly, women have been allowed to hold military positions in the army.

The Women Rag Pickers of Mumbai

As the term ‘rag-picker’ sounds very low so does their job. My study includes several visits to the Govandi Dumping Ground, Mumbai, interviewing the women rag-pickers working there, visiting their slums, meeting with the social workers of Street Mukti Sangathan, studying the problems faced by these women and also keeping a track of their progress. I used personal interviewing of women rag pickers, their boss (the person to whom they sold their collected rags), the social workers, who had devoted their entire time working for them and some printed facts, as my research and analytical methodology. I interviewed 20 women rag pickers, from a diverse age group and varied religions. The following are the main outcomes of my study. Starting with the history of the plights of the women rag pickers, these women came to Mumbai due to droughts in their villages or they were married to men residing in Mumbai. What started of as additional income for the family eventually became the only source of income because 90 % of men stopped working or got into alcohol consumption or left their wives for other younger women. Their day started from as early as 5 am in the morning and went on until it was evening. Their breakfast and lunch were light, comprising of tea and bread or roti and onion, so as to enable them to work efficiently through out the day without feeling sleepy. Infant girls, aged 10 to 15 and older women aged 50 to 65, earned less in comparison to the younger women, due to their higher efficiency levels to work for longer hours. They earned on daily basis and the money depended on the weight of the rag collected by them. So the day they fell ill or couldn’t collect a good amount of scrap meant a day without food. Even their bosses exploited them to the core, by paying them very nominal prices for the scraps that they collected, their bosses in turn earned much more by selling it to companies who recycled these scraps. The government never played any role in their lives. The slum where they resided was rite next to the dumping yard, making it almost impossible for me to breath due to the abundance of flies and stinky smell. Even though majority of the city’s waste was dumped here, no precautionary measures were taken by the govt. to ensure that people residing near by were safe. A lot of rag pickers and their family members were hurt due to the sudden blast that happened when two poisonous particles came into contact with each other. The waste was just dumped as it was; they were not bifurcated on the terms of harmful and unharmful particles. Around 15 people had lost their lives over the years, due to this ignorance of the Govt. Even the middle men who employed these rag pickers didn’t care for their safety. I was horrified to see them collect waste with bare hands and with uncovered mouth. Severely wounded hands, lack of affordable medical facility, unhygienic environment, acute back problems, where just the physical pains they suffered. The mental pressure to progress, the tension of repaying the loans that they took from their bosses on high interest at the times of diseases or marriage, the feeling of being helpless and vulnerable all the time were more killing than the physical pains they suffered. The worse part that I discovered during my study was that, even their children remained uneducated and joined their mothers to support their families. Their lives were surrounded by such dark shadows that even a ray of better future seemed unimaginable. It was in these dark times that Stree Mukti Sangathan came to their rescue. They formed a group of women rag pickers and helped them open a bank account, convincing them to save a small amount of their earnings every month to avoid taking high interest loans at difficult times. By organizing them into a group, the Sangathan saw to it that these women were no longer exploited and worked under much safer conditions. The social workers opened primary schools for the children of the rag pickers and also provided them with proper medical facilities at affordable rates. The rag pickers finally marched towards their independence from the vicious dominance of its exploiters. Once the Sangathan had a decent number of rag picker women members, it then trained them and their children to paint, make hand bags, stitch fancy kurtis, crafting, wall hangings, etc. he ones with higher potential to learn and adapt were taught to produce bio – gas from waste materials and they now work at work stations where machines are operated on bio-gas. After investing 2 decades for the upliftment of these women rag pickers, Sangathan’s effort finally showed drastically positive result; in the form of some of women rag pickers now working as social workers in the Sangathan and helping the other women rag pickers to earn a better living, some have acquired professional education and now work as nurses, teachers, etc. Although the situation hasn’t changed for all the women rag pickers in Mumbai and vulnerability and sufferings still prevails in their lives; it was quiet a relief to learn that a number of women rag pickers whom I interviewed were now proud mothers of engineer sons, owned houses and were spending a decent living. The once very vulnerable and invisible group of my society now has a solid foundation. They conduct annual exhibitions of their hand made products all over India. It wasn’t surprising to learn that the women behind this Sangathan and social revolution of these rag pickers, Ms. Jyoti Mhapsekar was the first Indian Women who won an award at the Clinton Global Initiatives for her committed work towards women and environment. This project was chosen as the best project of that year in my college.

Stand By Me

In the film the four main characters are, Chris, who is the tough one, Teddy, who is the daring one, Gordie, Who's the sensitive one and Vern, whos just stupid because he asks stupid questions. They hear that a kid has been killed by a train and they've gone to lookfor him. The story is about them growing up and becoming more mature, Friendship, Bullying and an adventure(themes). The Night scene takes place towards the end of the film. They are all smoking around the campfire talking about daft things such as what is Goofy?(the Disney character). This scene is important because it shows their friendship and how they are all close friends, asking Gordie to tell them a story because they all believe he is a really good story teller/writer. The night scene opens with a shot of the moon and then calmly moves down and into the woods to were they are all smoking around the campfire. There is no music at the start of the scene, but there is music towards the end of the scene (once they have finished talking some music comes on, the music is 50's because it makes you feel as if the film is set in the fifties. There are sounds of birds and crickets (wildlife) at the start which makes you feel as if its real life. The Gang ask Gordie to tell them a story, so he tells them a story about a boy called Lardass, who enters a pie eating competition, he doesn't want to win the competition he just wants revenge. Lardass is a overweight kid who is very unpopular, his brother and sister even call him Lardass (Lardass is his nickname). Before the competition he drinks a bottle of castor oil and one raw egg, this is all to do with his revenge. Halfway through the competition his plan had started to work, he was sick all over the champion of last year, then the champion was sick all over another person. Not until the smell reached the crowd did his plan really work, when the smell hit the crowd every body was being sick over everybody. Verns reaction to the story was that of stupidity, when he asks Gordie if Lardass had to pay to get in the competition. Teddy didn't like the ending probably because it didn't have anything to do with fighting or killing. He says the ending should be that Lardass goes home, shoots his dad then joins the Texas Rangers. Teddy thinks like that because deep down inside he hates his dad and that's what he would do to his dad. Chris thought the ending was brilliant, as he was being very supportive and also saying it was brilliant. The story relates to the gang, as they are all outcasts like Lardass. You can also tell the story related to them because it was set in a very similar town to theirs. You could see the story as if it was on the television, physically seeing the story made you feel as if it was going into Gordies imagination. Once they had finished talking about the ending of the story, Chris turned on the radio which was playing fifties music, the music was fifties to remind you what year the film was set in, it also set the scene, gradually fading away as they start to talk. They show their friendship by talking to one another about daft things, such as what is Goofy. The camera fades from one person to another, it doesn't let you hear the whole conversation, it just keeps changing subject. It also shows the friendship with camera shots around the campfire, looking cosy and warm. The mood of the scene changes when they hear the noises of the wildlife, at first only Vern showed that he was scared. Teddy was scaring Vern even more by saying it was the ghost of the dead boy. Teddy was saying that he wanted to look for the kids ghost and then all of a sudden a big howl echoed in the woods, at this point everybody was scared. Vern showed that he was the wimp of the gang by whispering â€Å"I think we should stand guard†. They gang approve of his comment and Teddy is first to stand guard, he was acting as if he was in a War of some sort. When Vern was guarding he was really scared, pointing the gun at every noise he heard. Gordie and Chris were talking because Gordie had a nightmare about his brothers funeral. His nightmare was that his dad whispered into his ear â€Å"It should have been you†.

Facebook Groups for Writersâ€The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Facebook Groups for Writers- The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly If you havent read the most recent Facebook statistics provided by Brandwatch, take a seat. Yes†¦thats right, take a seat. Theyre THAT staggering.With 2.375 billion monthly active users (as of Q3 2018) and 1.49 billion daily active users, 68% of U.S. adults use Facebook and 51% of them use it several times a day.In fact, out of everyone in the world who is online, 26.3% use Facebook. In the U.S. the numbers are exponentially higher.Theres little doubt that Facebook is the most popular online social media platform, with massive potential for indie authors looking to spread the word about their latest published novel. Rather than focusing on Facebook marketing, however, lets discuss an aspect of the gargantuan social media player that offers marketing, education, feedback, collaboration, and more. Yes, Im talking about Facebook groups.Facebook groups offer marketing opportunities, education, feedback, collaboration, and more. Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash.If youve ever been a m ember of a Facebook group, then you know that these groups can range from being full of valuable information to nothing more than a place for spammers and scammers to sell their wares or services. So, for this article, lets discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to Facebook groups- and in doing so- sift through what is important and what isnt when marketing yourself as an indie writer on these forums.The goodThe good that you need to focus on are the ways in which you can use social media, including Facebook groups for writers, for your benefit as an author:Social media is a gold mine of unlocked potential to build a following, showcase your writing ability and gain exposure†¦ Facebook groups are yet another creative way writers can use social media to get noticed and inspired.Joining a Facebook group aimed at writers is a fantastic way to meet and collaborate with other writers. You might even find your next writing gig!Facebook writing groups range from small a nd intimate, to enormous and robust. Topics and focus vary, but the main benefit remains the same: comradery with other writers.Kelly Gurnett, The Write LifeThere are, however, important details to notice as you join and participate with these groups on Facebook. The first to highlight is that each group has its own individual rules regarding what can be posted or shared with the community at large. For example, The Write Life Facebook community is a public group, which means any writer can access it and see its posts without asking to become a member. However, this group only allows self-promotion on one day of the week (Monday, currently), and only within one thread (meaning, you cant post a separate thread to the group to advertise your latest novel thats available).Other groups, such as this closed group for Calls for Submissions (Poetry, Fiction, Art) are more targeted to a specific purpose for joining it, and might be more worth the time it requires to scroll through posts tha t are made. Currently, the group above has over 58,000 members, so obviously, its a good resource for writers looking to find publishing opportunities.Simply put, as you reach out to various Facebook groups in order to join them, choose carefully by exploring their mission statements, rules, and community standards for posting. If your primary intent in joining Facebook groups is to receive advice from other authors in the industry, your choices of potential groups is more expansive. In fact, consider looking at the groups your favorite writers have joined (you should be able to see this by joining their own individual writer page), and observe the activity those writers participate in within the community.However, if your intent is for self-promotion, there are fewer groups that allow this. Do your research. For example, this one allows self-promotion, so if self-promotion is your intent, its a good one to join (with over 15 thousand members).The badLets talk for a moment about som e of the reasons why Facebook groups can be bad for writers. As mentioned previously, without honing in on the purpose for joining a Facebook group, you might be left with posts popping up in your Facebook feed that are full of useless information that does little more than distract you from your goal, which is writing more. And lets face it- who needs more of that?Most groups are extremely upfront about their purpose, mission, and rules. In fact, you dont even have to join to read it. For example, this Indie Author Group prints the following on their group intro:MISSION STATEMENT:The Indie Author group is designed to be your trusted first stop for information about Indie writing and support.Its a place for Indie writers to interact and become better writers. By improving the overall quality we can gain the respect our hard work deserves.We welcome all writers, whether traditionally published, self-publishing or a hybrid (a blend of both). Our resources are designed around offering suggestions and tips for all aspects of the writing life.Requests for review exchanges are a form of promotion, and are not allowed.Indie Author Group, FacebookObviously, this group doesnt want self-promotion, either, and only wants to provide tips and suggestions to indie authors about the writing and publishing process. Therefore, if you join it and start trying to promote your work, youll likely be booted out- or at the very least, reminded of the rules. Groups that have efficient moderators are good at keeping unwanted material from showing up on the page and hold every right to delete a post that doesnt agree with the community standards.If you want to achieve the most good from Facebook groups, youll need to do a little research and determine a few important things:What do you want out of a Facebook group? Is it an opportunity to self-promote? Is it help from other published writers? Is it a community that will review your material before you publish it?Next, which Facebook gr oups offer what you are looking for? Narrow it down to get the most out of your group participation.The uglyAs promised in the title, there is also some sheer ugliness that comes along with joining a Facebook group for writers, and it starts with human psychology while online.Dr Ciarn Mc Mahon of the cyberpsychology research centre at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Institute of Leadership, explains it like this- rising right alongside of social media is narcissism in its worst form. He notes:If you put something on Twitter [or Facebook], it can be seen by upwards of 250 million people, but you probably wrote it in silence and in physical privacy. So, there is quite a gulf between instantly public global communication and these very, very private thoughts. So, a private thought- That guy is an idiot- can easily become an undeletable public announcement: You are an idiot. People have been calling each other idiots for a very long time but never before in such epic terms.Dr C iarn Mc Mahon, Irish TimesThe author of the above mentioned article, Patrick Freyne, puts it like this:People argue passionately. They argue creatively. They argue compulsively. There are misunderstandings and lapses of humour. Minor differences of opinion spiral into incivility- and, to be fair, pleasant arguments often stay pleasant. Nowadays, even the most debate-averse people find themselves engaging with online arguments vicariously, sucking up dubiously sourced opinions and counteropinions as if by osmosis.When I ask internet arguers if they argue more now than they did in the past, they dont hesitate: Definitely.So is there a point to arguing with strangers? Thats a muddier issue.Patrick Freyne, Irish TimesOnline arguments happen more often, and more easily, than face-to-face ones. Photo by Gratisography on Pexels.This leads to an important point that we should all take note of- writers and non-writers alike. What is posted online is posted for the world to see. Its also post ed in a way that is undeletable. Sure, weve all seen news stories of celebrities who posted something and then quickly deleted it, but did you catch the fact that the world still knows what was posted?The simple fact is, when you post something online, it is forever. This means that if you are in a heated argument with a fellow writer over- I dont know- something as simple as a favorite author, or a presumed intention of that favorite author, and you make a derogatory comment that could be construed wrong†¦that comment is there for everyone to see, both now and in the future. Are you that confident in your stance to engrave a comment in proverbial stone? Is the argument really worth that risk?If not, its perhaps best to leave the online arguments alone. I know very few people whose political or social stance hasnt changed in the past decade, so imagine seeing your own stance printed in a permanent form 10 years from now. What if it changes? What if that one comment isnt how you want to be remembered?These are very real considerations to keep in mind when joining an online community and participating in what is often a rude, politically-charged discourse that would rarely happen if the commentators were face to face.

Meet the People Behind Donald Trumps Popularity

Meet the People Behind Donald Trump's Popularity Many were shocked by Donald Trumps rise to prominence through the 2016 Republican primaries, and even more so by his win of the presidency. Simultaneously, many were thrilled by it. Who are the people behind Trumps success? Throughout the 2016 primary season, Pew Research Center regularly surveyed voters, Republican and Democrat  alike, and produced a series of illuminating reports on demographic trends among supporters of particular candidates, and on the values, beliefs, and fears that drive their political decisions. Lets take a look at this data, which provides an in-depth look at the people behind Donald Trumps popularity. More Men Than Women Through the primaries and as the Republican nominee, Trump was more popular among men than women. Pew found in January 2016 that men among Republican voters had more confidence in Donald Trump than did women, and they found that men supported him more than women when they surveyed voters in March 2016. Once Trump and Clinton officially faced off in the general election, the greater appeal of Trump to men became even more clear, with just 35 percent of women voters aligning with him. More Old Than Young Throughout his campaign, Trump was consistently more popular among older voters than among younger ones. Pew found in January 2016 that Trumps ratings among Republican voters were highest with those  40 years and older, and this trend held true as more voters switched to supporting him in March 2016. Pew also found in their study conducted in April and May 2016 that warmth toward Trump increased with age, and coldness toward him decreased. A full 45 percent of Republicans aged 18 to 29 felt coldly toward Trump, while just 37 percent felt warmly toward him.  Conversely, 49 percent of those aged 30 to 49 felt warmly toward him and 60 percent of those aged 50 to 64 did, as did 56 percent of those over 65 years of age. And according to Pews data, in a face-off with Hillary Clinton, Trump was expected to capture just 30 percent of the vote among those 18 to 29 years of age. The proportion of those who preferred Trump to Clinton increased with each age bracket, but it wasnt until voters passed 65 years of age that Trump got the advantage.   Less Rather Than More Education Trumps popularity was also consistently greater among those with lower levels of formal education. Back in the primary season, when Pew surveyed Republican voters and asked them which candidates they preferred, Trumps ratings were highest among those who had not attained a college degree. This trend remained consistent when Pew surveyed Republican voters again in March 2016  and revealed that  his popularity was highest among those whose highest degree was a high school diploma. This trend bears out in an examination of supporters of Trump versus Clinton as well, with Clinton far more popular among those with higher levels of education. Lower Income Free Trade Trumps greater appeal to those with less rather than more household income is unsurprising, given the statistical relationship between education and income. While he was still competing against other Republican candidates in the primaries, Pew found in March 2016 that Trump was  more popular among voters with  lower income  levels than among those with higher levels. At that time, his popularity was greatest among those whose household income was below $30,000 per year. This trend gave Trump an edge in the primaries, and perhaps over Clinton as well, because there are more citizens living at, around, or below that income level than there are those who live on higher incomes. As compared with those who supported Clinton, Trump supporters are more likely to report that their household income is falling behind the cost of living  (61 versus 47 percent). Even across income brackets for supporters of both candidates, Trump supporters were more likely to report this, outweighing Clinton supporters by 15 percentage points among those whose household income is $30,000 or less, eight points among those in the $30,000 to $74,999 bracket, and by 21 points among those with a household income above $75,000. Perhaps connected to the correlation between household income and support for Trump is the fact that his supporters were  more likely than other Republican voters in March-April 2016 to say that free trade agreements have hurt their personal finances, and the majority (67 percent) say that free trade agreements have been bad for the U.S. Thats a figure that was 14 points higher than the average Republican voter during the primaries. White People and Acculturated Hispanics Pew found in a June 2016 survey of both Republican and Democratic voters that Trumps popularity lies primarily in white people - half of whom supported Trump, while just seven percent of black voters supported him. He was more popular among Hispanic voters than among blacks, capturing the support of about a quarter of them. Interestingly, Pew found though that support for Trump among Hispanics came primarily from English-dominant voters.  In fact,  the  English-dominant  Hispanic electorate was closely split between Clinton and Trump, at 48 percent for Clinton, and 41 for Trump.  Among bilingual or Spanish-dominant Hispanics, 80 percent intended to vote for Clinton and just 11 percent indicated they would choose Trump. This signals a relationship between ones level of acculturation - the adoption of the dominant, mainstream culture - and voter preference. It likely also signals a positive relationship between the number of generations an immigrant family has been in the U.S. and preference for Trump. Atheists and Evangelicals When Pew surveyed Republican voters in March 2016, they found that  Trumps popularity was greatest among those who are not religious, and among those who are religious but do not regularly attend religious services. At that time, he also led his opponents among those who are religious. Curiously, Trump is especially popular  among white evangelical Christians, who overwhelmingly believed that he would do a far better job than Clinton on every issue. Racial Diversity, Immigration, and Muslims As compared with those who supported other Republican candidates during the primaries,  Trump supporters were more likely to believe that greater scrutiny of Muslims living in the U.S. would make the country safer. Specifically, a Pew survey conducted in March 2016 found that Trump supporters were more likely than those who supported other candidates to believe that Muslims should be subjected to greater scrutiny than other religious groups as a method of preventing terrorism  and that Islam  is more likely than other religions to encourage violence. At the same time, the survey of Republican voters found a strong and consistent anti-immigrant sentiment among Trump supporters. Those who backed him in March 2016 were only half as likely as other Republican voters to  say immigrants strengthen the country, and they were far more likely to favor building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border (84 percent versus 56 percent among other Republican voters). As one can deduce from these findings, the majority of Trump supporters view immigrants as a burden to the country, see them as a threat to U.S. values,  and favor the expulsion of undocumented immigrants. Consistent with these findings, Pews April-May 2016 survey also found that the heavily older, white male fanbase of Trump believed that the growing racial diversity of the nation, which will make the population a majority of racial minorities, is bad for the country. Trump Will Make America Great Again Trump supporters have high expectation for their candidate. A Pew survey conducted between June and July 2016 found that the majority of Trump supporters believed that as a president he would make the immigration situation a lot better, and even more believed that he would improve it a little. Together, that means 86 percent of Trumps supporters believed that his policies would improve immigration (presumably by lessening it). They also overwhelmingly believed that a Trump presidency would make the U.S. safer from terrorism and improve the economy. But They Do Not Actually Like Him Fewer than half of Trump supporters ascribed any positive traits to their chosen candidate, according to a June-July 2016 Pew survey. Very few consider him well-informed or admirable. Only a minority expected that he would be willing to work with those he disagrees with, that he could unite the country, and that he is honest. They  did,  however, feel that he has deeply-held  beliefs  and that he is extreme. The Big Picture This set of facts, culled from a series of surveys conducted by one of the U.S.s most respected public opinion research centers, leaves us with a clear picture of those behind Trumps rise to political prominence. They are primarily white, older men with low levels of education and income. They believe that immigrants and free trade deals have harmed their earning power (and theyre right about the free trade deals), and they prefer an America in which white people are the majority. Trumps worldview and platform ​seem to resonate with them. Yet, following the election, exit poll data shows that Trumps appeal was far broader than polling and voting during the primaries suggested. He captured the votes of the vast majority of white people, regardless of age, class, or gender. This racial  division in the electorate further played out in the ten days following the election, when a surge of hate crimes, fueled by an embrace of Trumps rhetoric, swept the nation. Sources Doherty, Carroll. A Wider Ideological Gap Between More and Less Educated Adults. Pew Research Center, April 26, 2016. January 2016 Political Survey. Pew Research Center, January 7-14, 2016. June 2016 Voter Attitudes Survey. Pew Research Center. March 2016 Political Survey. Pew Research Center, March 17-26, 2016.

Shinto Current Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Shinto Current Issues - Essay Example In this respect, religions of the Oriental world appear to be extremely interesting for research and deductive in their heart from the perspective of their main principle of leading a spiritual life in harmony with inner and outer world. One of such confessions or rather to say ways of life is the Shinto religion. So, lets consider common characteristics of Shintoism and Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism in general and a specific contemporary state of Shintoism in particular. â€Å"Today, if you ask what religion they follow, most Japanese would say that they do not follow any religion† (Miyamoto, 2011).The same image appears in other countries of the Oriental world, for its peoples really don’t confess any religion but abide this or that living philosophy. One way or another, there is nothing surprising in the fact that all nations of the same semantically unionized area share some common traits in their believes. As it has been mentioned above, Shintoism, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism advocate the same key principle of a balanced life within nature and the world. It refers to a grateful and favorable attitude towards everything of animated and inanimate nature, as any creature comes laden with a particular meaning for the world (everything has its sole). Moreover, a destiny of stones, trees, animals, humans is defined by their positively or negatively lived being, which is led by a particular way of thinking. As a r esult, souls are degenerated influenced by deeds and their effects while living. Hence, there is another common characteristic, that is, a belief in circulation of life and death, reincarnation of soul into bodies of inanimate subjects, animals, humans and gods (Bumb, 2010). Polytheism is the next common denominator of the Oriental religions, since there are numerous gods, the great people and

ASC 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ASC 2 - Essay Example ipal supplier earns the entire revenue from the sale transaction and should therefore report the gross earnings, while the agent earns a commission on the transaction and should report the net earnings. The guidelines specify eight tests to ascertain whether a particular entity is acting in the capacity of a principal. Satisfaction of many of these conditions would normally indicate that the entity is acting in the capacity of principal and should record thee gross revenue. The eight tests specified by ASC are: 2. Risk for Inventory: The party that has unmitigated general inventory risk would be acting in the capacity of a principal. Such party would maintain an inventory of products before sale with accompanying inventory risk and will take ownership if the product is returned by the customer. 5. Supplier selection: A party that has the discretion to select a particular supplier, from several suppliers who can provide the product, for fulfilling a particular order to a customer would be acting in the capacity of principal. 7. Physical loss inventory risk: If the entity assumes risk of the product until transfer to the customer or gets the title back if the product is returned, it is most probably acting in the capacity of a principal. Amazon.Com has included three of the eight conditions specified under the ASC. Conditions such as carrying out product changes, determination of product specifications, and assumption of credit risk have not been included by Amazon. Some of these are specified as providing weaker evidence. However, when a number of factors are being considered and judgment is made on the basis of several of these factors, it would have been more appropriate to include all of them, which Amazon has not done. Thus while Amazon’s stated practice is in conformance with the ASC guidelines, it does not include all the conditions. Overstock.Com specifically states that it follows the ASC guidelines on Principal Agent Considerations while determining

Effective recruitment and selection of employees Essay

Effective recruitment and selection of employees - Essay Example 1. Starbucks introduce the recruitment and selection based on equal opportunities policies. They include racial and national diversity of the staff, fair treatment of all recruiters in spite of their religion, sexual orientation, social background, marital status, age and disability. The main advantage of Starbucks Coffee HR management is that it does not consider recruitment and selection in isolation, but in the context of the overall manpower plan and personnel management action program. For example, it investigates the potential of the persons appointed for training, development and future promotion; and their flexibility and adaptability to possible new methods, procedures or working conditions. In anticipation of a suitable applicant being selected, Starbucks have also prepared an orientation script and training proposal to assist both with their smooth transition into the role, together with their future development and advancement (Armstrong, 2003). The first step includes position requirements, needs and skills identification, selection of the tools to be used. During this process, strategic areas of competency are identified. These are broken down into number of clusters and a series of specific individual competency requirements. For example, the strategic competency business knowledge and skills, had marketing as one of the items in its cluster, and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of competition as one of the individual competency requirements (Stone 2005). Starbucks Coffee uses both online and off line recruitment which helps to attract wider target audiences of job seekers. One of the critical differences among Internet recruiters is the method by which their service matches candidates with jobs. Bulletin boards allow employers to search using key words they choose but do not participate actively in making matches. Other types of services take advantage of computer technology to varying degrees in the method they use to match candidate characteristics with the requirements of open jobs (Stone 2005). For off line recruitment, Starbucks uses recruitment agencies and advertising in press. The recruitment and selection practices are based on the interview structure and practical assessment of skills and knowledge of employees, his/her psychological peculiarities and ability to work in teams. The main types of practices are: "behavior-based interviews, training and experience evaluations, ability tests, biographical data, motivational fit inventories" (Armstrong 2003, p. 338). In Starbucks, the practices are based on collecting, measuring and evaluation of the information about recruiters and their skills. Usually, the selection process is based on the interview method. Interview consists of two stages (HR manager's evaluation and interview with the department manager). During interviews, two distinct strategies for selection are used by Starbucks. One strategy, used for managers and leadership positions, suggests that in an environment of rapidly changing job demands, selection based on general abilities such as intelligence, conscientiousness, or adaptability will con tribute most to the overall effectiveness of the organization.

Evaluation Of Formal Strategic Planning Business Essay

Evaluation Of Formal Strategic Planning Business Essay What is strategic planning. As in daily life when people have choices or plans to make, down to the simplest things as in, what will we do this weekend?, businesses need to form plans or strategies to know their way forward with a goal for the business to reach in order to maintain the success of the business and to achieve objectives. All members within a group must know of the plans made in order to follow them with the desire to be successful within their environment for continued growth, success and also to move with the ever changing world in which we live. It is important for management to set out a game plan to continually strengthen the performance of their company. A strategic plan will state how a business should conduct themselves for a period of time in order to achieve these desired goals, this can be seen as a means to an end, looking forward to where changes need to be made and setting out a plan in order to reach that point using strategic methods. Jasparro R.J. (2006) states that strategic planning can help companies to think and act strategically, develop effective strategies, clarify future directions, establish priorities, improve organisational performance, build teamwork and expertise, and deal effectively with a rapidly changing environment. This has proven difficult in recent years and the following report will go into more depth as to the reasons why certain conditions may impact Strategic Planning. Nature of Formal Strategic Planning To form a plan, a business will have to look at both the external and internal environments surrounding their specialist area. It is at this point a company will decide on their competences and look at what the company is best at doing. They may then look at how they can expand on their strengths and look at what their competitors are doing within the same area. They need to know what makes them special and stand out from the crowd, what makes customers turn first and foremost to them, then look at the options they have at that moment in time to maintain the momentum and the returning business. It is at this point in the planning stage that they may look at perhaps not doing something which may be good for the company at a later date and maybe it is not the right time to make such changes yet. There should be a clear distinction between formulation and implementation. Formulation is in the planning process, implementation is carrying out the plans made using SWOT and PESTEL. Five Forces Analysis is a technique for identifying the forces which affect the level of competition in an industry and scenario planning is a technique that builds various plausible views of possible futures for a business. The five forces framework takes into account the potential entrants to the market (threat of entry), buyers (buying power), suppliers (bargaining power), substitutes (threat of substitutes) all leading toward Competitive Rivalry as outlined below: Porters Five Forces Template from thevirtualconsultancy.com PESTEL, an analytical tool which considers external factors and helps a business think about their impacts, allows us to look at Political, Environmental, Social, Technological, Economic and Legal factors which might affect companies. This is a broader plan than a SWOT analysis which concentrates more on the internal factors of a company, on the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Both SWOT and PESTEL need to be taken into account when considering major changes for any company. Key Characteristics of Strategic Planning Upon consideration of PESTEL and SWOT, a company will be required to look closely at their present work ethics and see where changes are required to help the company improve. Companies also have to limit their weaknesses and see opportunities for the business to thrive for the future. External matters will need to be considered such as recession, the time of year, inclement in weather, looking at the global market, is there a need to outsource certain aspects of the business, will this be cheaper for the company, will it cause more threats? The characteristics of strategic planning are weighing up PESTEL and SWOT matters and forming a plan to overcome or take advantage of the market in which they are in at that specific moment in time. The strategy needs to be frequently reviewed against prevailing external and internal environments. An Intended Strategy is when a company will write down their plan for employees and management to follow, this plan may become a Realised Strategy when this will need to be reformed and another plan made to reach the next level. Sometimes however, these plans are not met and a company will need to sit down with their board of directors and look at an Emergent Strategy, this could be down to major changes within their market, inclement in weather for some companies or many other factors but companies are still required to find a way out of their Unrealised Strategy and to move on from that with another Intended Strategy. Planning is a huge factor in Formal Strategic Planning. Evaluations of Formal Strategic Planning In evaluating strategic planning, business intelligence interprets a need to constantly monitor how the strategy and the objectives are being implemented and to note whether or not the company have overcome problems using their plan or not. If they have not, then the way the strategic plan was set out will need to be restructured to combat the problems and redesigned to provide competitive advantage for the organisation. Drago, W., Clements, C. (1999) indicates that leadership qualities of management and staff should be taken into consideration when applying any strategic plan. This article outlines the necessity to draw on the strengths of your staff and their traits to incorporate this into your overall strategic plan helping you to attain the overall outcome required. Advantages/Strengths of Formal Strategic Planning Strategic planning models the future of the company and allows everyone to see that they are working toward the same mission statement or the same goal. It outlines a paradigm showing strengths and a focus on where the company sees its future. It can add stability to the workforce who can see the company making future plans. Failure to make plans could mean a company becoming stuck in the middle if they have not differentiated enough to gain market share. Through planning, it can be said that companies will learn their market better, know their competitors views and decide whether they need to change their product or become more diverse sticking to a related market or taking their products into another dimension. For example, Virgin began in the early eighties with Virgin music, moving onto Virgin Atlantic and now they have broadened to Virgin media and phones. They recognised that they needed to change their market at specific times in order to continue expansion through planning or foreseeing the future of the company thus increasing their market power. In the early days, Virgin music was used to balance cash flows in order to move into the Virgin Atlantic area and spread risks throughout different branches of the same company. Disadvantages/Weaknesses of Formal Strategic Planning It can be said that in todays economic environment that planning is not always effective, as the market is changing constantly, almost on a daily basis making it difficult to plan anything at all. It is difficult to control anything which is out of our own hands as per the external factors mentioned earlier within this report. A business model could be flawed and may not have had enough thought put into in the initial process which could lead to failure for a business. Personnel could change and a company may need to restructure a plan according to a new setup of staff. A number of external or internal factors or changes can make targets unobtainable. When plans change, and an emergent approach is required to combat weakness in the formal planning, it can reflect that management arent focused totally on the initial goal with a willingness to compromise which could prove time consuming and inefficient due to its flexibility. Mintzberg (1994) states that strategic planning often spoils strategic thinking, causing managers to confuse real vision with the manipulation of numbers, this reflects upon the fact that managers can lose sight of reality and instead remain focused on the strategic plan instead of their vision and may not have a desire to change. Uncertain Dynamic Environment It is indicated in a journal written by Pateli, A.G., Giaglis, G.M. (2005) that researchers are linking performances between business models and strategic planning to take into account strategy, industry and resource based effects outlining that companies are required to look at the broader spectrum and link outside influences with their internal influences. The strategy influence indicates considering such matters as where a company is within their market area, should they expand, should they outsource, are their staff equipped to deal with change, is training required, the need to focus on goals and realise if their potential could be realised or perhaps moving towards a different area entirely for the moment in order to survive as a business. The industry influence will concentrate more on the internal market, looking directly at competition and forward planning, find out if they are equipped to cope with such changes and if not, what steps are required to be taken in order to stay ahead of the game. Johnson G et al (2008) indicates that knowledge complexity of an industry or organisational complexity with larger companies (perhaps local governments with various sectors) makes it difficult to plan anything strategically within the global recession. Managers need to be aware of constant environmental scanning and know what is going on around them in order to know the future direction they face. Using emergent strategies may work best for companies. In this environment, companies will be aware of the constant forces of change outwith their control and realise ways in which to overcome these. Political issues are constantly changing too and at present we face the possible emergence of an Independent Scotland. Although it is said that Scottish people will have more say over ones government and more political freedom, they also face greater economic risks, less security and more differences with England and possible further insecurities with the Euro. Obviously for individual companie s, this could be a time of considerable change and a need to be equipped to face both outcomes. Businesses will need to look closely at both scenarios and have emergent strategies to deal with problems they may face. Challenges of Uncertain Dynamic Environment Within our Uncertain Dynamic Environment, despite the potential advantages of formal strategic planning approaches, it can be of limited benefit to organisations. In a highly volatile global economy, there is a need to act quickly and effectively to change and uncertainty. Contribution/Roles of Formal Strategic Planning in Uncertain Dynamic Environment The role of formal strategic planning comes under scrutiny in an uncertain dynamic environment as it can be shown to have some sort of effect if a company has proven effective in its ability to foresee external †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Scenarios are visions of the future, a look at what may happen. Conclusion Is planning worth it? Planning is not necessarily strategic thinking. Thinking is intuitive and entrepreneurial based on ideas and a foresight for something a person or a company might want in the future. This is based on questions of what if? and complex thinking. Planning is bureaucratic and can mean that management are overly complicated which can result in faulty decisions. A plan created by a bureaucracy could be overburdened by needless steps and obstructions that would hinder actually getting the task completed in a timely and efficient manner. Bureaucracy is often taken to mean inefficiency and absence of practical considerations. Orders made by people that do not have to follow those orders and really do not understand (or possibly even care) what their orders actually require. However, a certain amount of planning within any business or life decision has to be made to a certain degree with a view to being totally versatile in order to make major changes as and when required to move to the next level. Strategic planning is not easy and has challenges, but the hurdles could be worth overcoming.