Positioning Statement Essay

â€Å"To busy, career oriented professionals who need convenient car services, Pate Car Service is a mobile car service company that specializes in servicing your vehicle at your place of employment or residence, giving you the ability to spend more time being productive at work or spending time with your family.† My target segments would be men and woman who work a full time job because they are extremely busy and would not have enough time to get their car serviced. Another segment would be to high end neighborhoods, because most people who can afford nice homes work a lot of hours. Often times those whom reside in high scale neighborhoods have two working adults in the household. This would mean they do not have a lot of time on their hands and would want to maximize their down time with their families. I would also target people who were making high salaries. People making high salaries are great at time management and would realize it is not cost effective to take time off work to get their car serviced. If someone could come to their place of employment and service their vehicle, it would be more practical. My value proposition would be more for more. I believe this would be good because of the target market. By targeting those individuals who have high salaries and work full time jobs, they would pay a little more money for the convenience. They would have the most need for a mobile car service company and could afford it.

The Best Game Ever Made

It was the beginning of February of my senior year in high school. I had been conditioning for months leading up to tryouts for the baseball team so I was in the best shape of my life and I was confident. The past three years before that I was put on the JV team because the coaches didn't like my â€Å"attitude†, so my senior year I was determined to get a starting spot on the varsity team no matter what. During tryouts the coaches would always look at me like I didn't belong and would whisper things amongst themselves Just quiet enough so I couldn't hear.I knew I would have to work arder than anyone trying out to make the team and that is exactly what I did. I got my spot on the team. Workouts for varsity baseball at London High School were some of the hardest things I had ever done but I knew that it would be worth it once the season rolled around. We ran, lifted, ran, ran and then we ran. It was exhausting but rewarding. Towards the end of our offseason workouts the team st arted to throw inside the gym so our arms would be ready once it got warm enough to go outside. Two weeks of that and everybody on the team were worn thin with each other, the game and the oaches.It finally got warm enough to go outside and I was ready to show my coaches that I had what it took to start for the London Red Raiders. They put me in left field because they knew I could catch very well. It didn't start out too well for me the first couple of practices but once I got my throws down I felt like there was nothing that could stop me. I was fighting for a starting spot with a Junior who did not deserve to be playing on a varsity field. I knew then that all I had to do was keep the mistakes toa minimum and the starting spot would be mine. I was right.I earned my starting spot and played well through the first fifteen games of the season but the worst thing that couldVe happened to me, happened. It was game fifteen against Westland and we were up 4-0. A ball was hit to down the left field line and the only way I could make the catch was to dive so that is exactly what I did. I caught the ball but I also broke three ribs while making the catch. It felt like somebody was slowly pushing a hot knife in to my rib cage and twisting it. I couldn't breathe let alone stand up so I had to get help to the dugout. The doctor told me thatI would have to sit out at least ten games to let my rips properly heal. Ten games later our record was 20-5 and we had a good chance of making it to the state finals. Our first game of the playoffs was against Columbus Mifflin which was easily the worst team we had played all season. The second game was against Bishop Watterson. It was the top of the seventh inning and we were winning by one run at home. All we needed was one more out to win the game and move on to the regional finals. There was a runner on second and third with Watterson's best hitter at the plate.The second pitch of the at bat he hit a ball that I knew was going ov er my head as soon as it came off the bat. I immediately started running straight back and looked back for the ball after I had traveled about fifteen yards but couldn't find it at first. Once I did find it I realized that it was going over my left shoulder so I turned my As soon as I caught it, all I could think about was all of the months of hard work I had put in to making the varsity team. All of the drills and lifting I did by myself to make myself better.All of the time and effort I put in to baseball instead of going out very weekend or sitting around doing nothing. I stood up with the ball in my glove and instantly got tackled by my best friend who was playing center field. That's when it hit me that I made the game winning catch to send our team in to the regional finals. Ever since that day I have always been very confident in my abilities to play baseball and that only increased when I was called by the head coach of Clark State Community College and asked to play at the collegiate level. But still to this day, that one catch, was the best moment that I have ever had.

Mercedes Benz Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mercedes Benz Company - Case Study Example The deal created a new entity, DaimlerChrysler, which was the highest revenue earner in Germany. The best of technology, safety and comfort in automobiles came together to create the world's best known car company. "Responding to changes and challenges in the European marketplace, Mercedes-Benz's German truck business embarked on a project with Accenture to define and implement a sales and marketing strategy. The team designed, developed and implemented customer-oriented products and services. Accenture performed 10 pilots to implement the sales strategy, followed by a rollout at the retail level. The value creation for Mercedes-Benz Trucks includes a reorganized sales organization, as the division also has seen additional revenue from increased vehicle sales and penetration rates in services-not to mention more focused and efficient customer service." The sale of the Chrysler group to Cerberus Capital Management giving it 80% in the new company in August 2007 and the change of name from DaimlerChrysler to Daimler AG seems to be a tactical decision. The sale reportedly took place for US$6billion. This might have helped it overcome the losses it had suffered in 2006 and restore profitability in 2008. Keeping all the above in mind, information quality is of ut... 3.Identify the information likely to be needed to take each of the decisions identified in task 2 and explain how issues of information quality may apply to this information. 1. A very professional attitude to business. 2. Knowledge of market competitors and a will to merge with the competition if deemed fit for the growth of the business. 3. Innovation (new models), adoption of latest technology (simulators), application of information obtained from market surveys (Accenture survey in 2003). 4. In-depth market intelligence. Take into account complete global/regional scenario and demand for a particular vehicle before launching it in the market. Keeping all the above in mind, information quality is of utmost importance as the right information would lead to right decisions about the adoption of technology for launching new vehicles, dealership issues, outsourcing of labour and parts, government incentives/subsidies to look for and the kind of vehicle to be launched in a particular region. Successful trade leads could also mean more business in strategic and new locations. With the rise of e-commerce, it becomes not only necessary, but also easy to have access to quality information about the market competion. 4.Give at least 4 documented examples of competitor intelligence which are likely to be of interest to your company. Do not repeat material used in task 3. 1. Competition from Lexus According to Dan Lienert in Showroom Showdown dated 09.08.05, http://www.forbes.com/vehicles/2005/09/08/Lexus-Mercedes-convertibles-cx_dl_0908show_ls.html (accessed April 23, 2008) "In the first eight months of 2004, Lexus sold 141% more SCs in the U.S. than Mercedes sold SLKs--6,607 vs. 2,745. Pricing

Mao Zedong Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Mao Zedong - Essay Example The fall of the dynasty rule thus resulted in the communist rule in the country (Stanlaw, P. 44). The Chinese Communist Party was a political party and revolutionary movement that was founded in 1921 as a way of unifying the people of China under one purpose and rule. In the October 1949, Mao Zedong being the leader of the communist party declared the creation of the people’s republic of china, leading to unification of all warring groups in China and uniting the people towards a common purpose following the devastation that the Chinese people had suffered following the Second World War. The period following consolidation of power by the communist party of China thus saw the country enjoying steady strides in economic and social development. Despite the brilliant and intellectual goals that Mao Zedong had for the people of China, his, which began as a liberation movement developed of more restrictive policies, the rule of the communist party became a compare to another of the dynasty rule in the country that perpetrated subjugation and human suffering. The land reform that was adopted by the communist rule in cooperated the confiscation of the land from the rich landlords who in most cases were executed by the local tribunes, these lands were thus briefly passed down to peasants some of who did not have idea about proper management of the land. Land reform adopted by the communist party is one area where the communist rule under Mao could be a compare to the dynasty rule that imposed restrictive land tenure systems (Nathan, P 63). In an attempt to consolidate his communist rule, Mao had ambitious development plans that critics term for being some of the key failures of the communist party. In an attempt to speed up economic growth, Mao based his policies on industrial development and civilization of the agricultural sector. The great leap forward policy adopted by the party called for the

Students are expected to write a case study with a final report of Essay

Students are expected to write a case study with a final report of 3000 words on the modus operandi and the present impact, at n - Essay Example This paper is being undertaken in order to seek a detailed discussion of the yakuza crime organization, helping this student understand the activities of the group and establishing specific details which would distinguish it from other organized crime groups. The yakuza organization became the organization it has become today at around the late 1800s under the leadership of Toyama Mitsuru (Butler and Kaplan, p. 40). Mitsuru founded the Genyosha Society and his main aid, Uchida formulated the Amur River Society. These groups dominated in activities like prostitution, gambling, entertainment, liquor, and other activities like dockside labour (Chemko). They also engaged in the 1960s and 1970s in drugs and arms trade. This group has also been highly connected with other organized crime groups, including the Sicilian Mafia, American Mafia, Colombian drug cartels, and the Chinese triads (Chemko). This group has long been recognized in Japan as a normal part of their history and activities, especially with its associations with politicians and rich businessmen. They have also become engaged in the international arena, not necessarily in areas with Japan nationals (Chemko). The current organization was organized in the mid-1600s and was identified to have engaged in gambling and street vending during its inception (Chemko). Protection for other members no matter the circumstance was one of the main qualities of this group. The members were expected to do everything necessary in order to protect their fellow members. When industrialization was introduced in the country, the group followed the trend and set-up businesses in industrialized activities, including dockside labour and construction (Bruno). Interest in policies also followed, and with it, strong associations with politicians were soon forged. Associations between the police/law enforcement officers and the yakuza were also established (Bruno). During the Second World War, the yakuza posed the most significant threat to the American troops. Food rations were given to soldiers and this caused the proliferation of the black marker, including higher resources for the yakuza and other criminal organizations (Fulford, p. 66). Street vendors, known as the gurentai gained strength, often carrying out bank robberies at the black markets. Soon enough, the American and other foreign troops played a strong role in the yakuza’s habit of wearing black suits, white shirts and black sunglasses (Chemko). They also relinquished their customary swords for firearms and became even more violent. There were about 5000 gangs during these times and with the influence of Yoshio Kodama, they were soon united and included in the major crime group known as the yakuza (Gangland). This group has traditionally considered itself a helper – a Robin Hood of sorts. Before the courts were in existence in Japan, individuals usually went to the yakuza to seek the settlement of their disputes (Gangland). However , the process of resolution often included harsh actions which were not seen when recourse from legal authorities was carried out. There are two kinds of yakuza. The first are the free yakuza which were considered outcasts of society and were not linked with other organizations (Chemko). They also did not carry out serious acts, but were considered common thugs. They were also not offered any protection and were often unable to

Enterprise Resource Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Enterprise Resource Planning - Essay Example Finally, a key goal for the use of the ERP by the army is to help the army streamline its operations, practices and process, making them more efficient (Real-World Case, 183). The key implementation considerations made include the sources of failure in the process of transformation. The failure by an institution to forecast and thus plan for the likely organizational and cultural changes that comes with the transformation, which entails the introduction of the ERP in the army can easily cause a failure to the implementation process (Real-World Case, 184). Leadership and sponsorship consistency is also a major consideration, since the introduction of ERP requires the consistency of leadership and supervisors, which is rarely the case in the army. Stakeholder alignment is also an essential consideration, since all the stakeholders in the army should be aware and supportive of the transformation. Cost considerations should also be made, since the implementation of ERP requires substantial resources, which should always be supplied, for the success of the process (Real-World Case, 184). The change management was incorporated in the process through the change of the army process into business-like, since the ERP could not fully address the army system, which is quite different from the normal business transactions and processes. These changes entail the incorporation of some traditional aspects of the army systems such as cost and performance measures into the ERP system, while introducing new concepts such as the measurement of effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction, both internal and external (Real-World Case, 185). Additionally, the change management process was incorporated into the system through the reconfiguration of the ERP, to include a new code, other than change the existing one, a process known as extension. This is essential to include some of the army processes, which cannot

(Second Language acquisition) Data Collection Assignment requires Research Paper

(Second Language acquisition) Data Collection Assignment requires getting two language samples from second language learners - Research Paper Example However, in a bid to overcome barriers that could hinder one from acquiring new markets and opportunities, people have strived hard to beat all odds and perform feats previously considered impossible by their peers (Zaraysky 2009, 32). To understand the concept of second language acquisition, it is necessary to comprehend some factors that make a language harder to learn than another. The first of these factors is difference in grammatical structure of a language from another. Different languages have varied use of grammar. Whereas one language could demand that the verb comes before the subject, another could require that the subject comes before the verb. This causes initial confusion to the learner, slowing his pace and probability of grasping a new language. Second, a difference in pronunciation requirements of a language hinders one’s ability to articulate in speech a language he may have mastered its vocabulary. In addition, language learners are usually used to their lo cal accents and tone, and managing to cope with a foreign accent is sometimes nightmarish. Cultural differences between different language speakers influence their native language and the ease with which they can adapt to another cultural language (Blake 2008, 43). It is, therefore, important for a second language learner to understand the culture of the people he is learning their tongue. Aims and Objectives of the Research This inter-language data analysis aims at creating an understanding of differences between two sample languages. Upon gathering, analyzing and understanding these facts, there will be a clearer understanding of the difficulties one should expect while learning any of the two languages. In this case, German and English languages are compared and contrasted. Analysis of the languages is based on two samples of short essays (essay 1 and essay 2 available at the appendix). The objective of this comparison and contrast is to make learning the languages easy. Other th an the vocabulary aspect of the two languages, this research goes further to dissect each language in details and reveal their fine linguistic differences. Data pertaining to several aspects of the languages is a crucial facet of the research. Issues to do with pronunciation of English words against German language are considered at length. In addition, the research labors to find out grammatical differences between the two languages. The chief characteristic of this grammatical analysis is the order of verbs, subjects, nouns, pronouns and adjectives. Collected data is also used to create an awareness of the cultural differences, if any. It thereafter tries to offer solutions to the difficulties one observes in learning either English or German as a second language. Clearly, data collection and analysis of learning a second language will make the process of grasping German as a second language to a native English speaker easier. The research aims at lessening the time and effort one puts in learning a new lingo. By preparing one for the challenges to expect in learning a language and providing possible solutions to the hurdles, a learner is placed in a good position to learn fast. Data Collection Methods Methods used to collect data for this research was informed by several factors. It was necessary to put into consideration the data collection strategy, accuracy requirements of the research, skills of

SHORT ANSWER ONLY Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SHORT ANSWER ONLY - Assignment Example An example is the perception by the United States of America to be superior to other nations in terms of its economic and military might. This is manifested by their incursion in the Middle East. This is the principal that all customs, beliefs and ethical standards of a particular group are relative to its own interpretation and other groups should understand them in that groups perception (Cahoone, 2005). Thus no culture should perceive itself to be superior to another when comparing their structure of religion, politics, language or rule against another group. This concept is important to guard against biased judgment by anthropological researchers in taking field notes on an ethnic group to which they don’t belong. Hence your cultural identity should not portray you as ethnocentric in your final reporting of a culture (Cahoone, 2005). An example is the Chinese people who eat dog meat. In my culture, dog is considered as a pet. It is my conviction therefore to appreciate them in impartiality even though I might hold a controversial opinion. This is a perspective used by anthropologist mostly in cultural anthropology to study a society’s cultural system. Emic perspective is culture specific. It focuses on the inherent cultural distinctions that are significant to members of a given culture. This concept is paramount as it guides researcher against subjective opinion while embarking on a cross-cultural study (Liu, 2001). Hence the members of a society are the solitary judges of the legitimacy of an emic description. It gives major credence to local viewpoints. An example of emic is specific definition of a marriage. For instance, polyandry practiced in some societies is viewed as normal. This a process by which a person adapts to and assimilates the culture in which he lives in. He or she becomes a successful member of the society by practicing its accepted norms and values. It is a lifelong process learned through

What Are the Key Skills that Lawyers Need to Develop Essay

What Are the Key Skills that Lawyers Need to Develop - Essay Example Holborn (2001) notes that it cannot be assumed that all employers look for exactly same aspects; nonetheless, aspiring lawyers have to exhibit certain visible skills to succeed as a barrister or solicitor and to work successfully in the competitive business world.     In recent times, there has been increased emphasis on the need for soft skills among legal profession, and the various legal firm has responded by introducing training courses and programmes to train their lawyers and partners in oft skills (Giusti, 2007).   Soft skills are basically defined as skills that impact the manner people interact with each other (Giusti, 2007). They include effective communication, interpersonal skills, leadership, team building and on an advanced level, career planning, project management and time management. Soft skills are normally contrasted to technical skills, where for lawyers these include, knowledge of the law, legal analysis, legal drafting and legal practice.   Whereas the business world has been using soft skills for a long time, the legal profession only realized the significance of soft skills recently. Soft skills are therefore important in legal field when interacting with current and potential clients, and in the firm when interacting with superiors, juniors and other employees (Giusti, 2007). The legal world seems to have realized that to succeed in his career and employment, a layer needs to understand and effectively use both soft skills and technical skills. It is against this background that lawyers have to learn and master soft skills.   

The Albany Congress Essay Example for Free

The Albany Congress Essay During the two Decades from 1754 to 1775, the American colonies moved from division to unity. The accomplishments of the Albany Congress, the Stamp Act Congress, and the First Continental Congress caused this change. The Albany Congress was held in 1754. It was a meeting of representatives from various colonies in response to the war between Britain and France. The main plan was to form a colonial defense and gain the support of the Iroquois Confederacy. They also debated an intercolonial government. Ben Franklin and Thomas Hutchinson were the authors of the Albany Plan. They proposed an elected assembly would plan for a common defense paid for by taxes levied by congress. Although the plan did not pass, because the colonies were not ready to share their powers to tax with each other, it did put the idea of a unified nation in the minds of the colonists. The Stamp Act Congress was held in New York City in1765. Delegates from 9 American Colonies gathered to respond to the Stamp Act Parliament passed. The Stamp Act taxed commercial or legal documents, licenses, newspapers, permits, pamphlets and even playing cards. It was not a heavy tax but if they let Parliament pass this tax, they would only have more in the future. No taxation without representation basically means the English colonies did not want to be taxed without their consent. The First Continental Congress met in 1774 in Philadelphia to protest Britains Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts): 1. Boston Ports would be closed until compensation was met to the East India Tea Company for the Boston Tea Party. 2. The Colonial Charter was annulled and they replaced colonial officials with royal officials and they banned town meetings. 3. Royal Officers would not be tried in colonial courts. 4. They legalized quartering of troops in public buildings and private homes. 5. They established a government in Quebec and gave them the territory claimed by colonists North of the Ohio River. Twelve of the colonies were present at the meeting (not Georgia.) They urged the colonies to form militias. They formed the Continental Association to boycott British goods. They also voted to reconvene the following spring if Britain would not redress American grievances. After this meeting, the majority of the colonies were in unity.

The Role of Youth Work in Modern Ireland

The Role of Youth Work in Modern Ireland Introduction The focus of this essay is the role of youth work in modern Ireland, in addition, to providing examples from practice. Youth work can generally be defined as teaching young people in an informal context as it usually occurs out of school and consists of various activities that aim to provide new opportunities for ‘young peoples social development’( Hurley Treacy, 1993). In Ireland, youth work has been regulated and State involvement has been visible under legislations such as Youth Work Act 2001 and the National Youth Work Development Plan 2003-2007 (Burgess Herrman, 2010). Within youth work an individual can volunteer to help young people or can be a paid worker within the field. Throughout history Irish youth work has relied enormously on ‘voluntary effort’ both individual and institutional (Devlin, 2012). This will discuss the role of a volunteer, a paid youth worker, as well as comparing both of these roles. Volunteerism The goal of volunteering is to help individuals, groups, organization, cause, or a community, without expecting any material rewards (Musick Wilson, 2007). Within the realm of youth work the service providers can either be paid or volunteer their time. However, there is much more to a community other than its geographic location, the community, is a ‘social and psychological entity that represents a place, its people, and their interaction’ (Luloff Bridger, 2003; Wilkinson, 1991 cited in Brennan (2007). The majority of youth work in Ireland is voluntary, therefore, the voluntary action and social participation can be viewed as the key to the development of the community (Devlin, 2010) in Ireland volunteerism has been consistent with the youth work policy. Three major factors that contribute to volunteerism is that the service is not compulsory, not paid, and non-statutory (Devlin, 2010). Voluntary youth work organisations are non-statutory an example of this can be seen in youth work organisations that have ‘voluntary management committee’ in comparison to paid ones that are appointed in other organizations (Doran, 2014a). Young people are not required to go to a youth work organization as it is not compulsory which is markedly different from their relationship with the formal education system (Devlin, 2010). There are different types of volunteering such as formal volunteering this consists of a volunteer having direct contact with young people of the service, this is much more directly linked to affluent areas wherein the voluntary youth services, have more volunteers in comparison to paid professionals. According to Doran (2014a), there is an average of ‘50 volunteers to 1 paid professional worker in voluntary services and 6 volunteers to 1 paid professional worker in community youth work projects’ (Doran, 2014a). Whilst there are formal volunteerism there is also informal this usually occurs in disadvantaged areas, and can more often occur when family or friends try to help out a parent or young person. Volunteers also help make aware of issues that are occurring within the community and encourage ‘outreach programs that partner with ongoing voluntary activities’ (Brennan, 2007). Thus, creating a greater result by coordinating efforts between group and may result in meeting young people’s needs. Moreover, volunteering can also create a positive and friendly atmosphere for children as it allows different individuals with an array of skills to feature their many talents and abilities to the youth work setting (Doran, 2014a). Through voluntary efforts young people and volunteers are able to interact with one another and ‘begin to mutually understand common needs’ (Luloff Swanson, 1995 cited in Brennan (2007). Further, this interaction should improve the social, cultural, and psychological needs of younger individuals (Brennan, 2007). Volunteers can also take part in activities within the community such as helping to coach kids sports, field trips, art classes, and mentoring, all of these activities should enhance a young person’s social development. The role of a Youth Worker Youth work in Ireland has become increasingly ‘professionalised over the last decade and has a greater sense of established identity’ (Jenkinson, 2013). Youth work that predominately correlates with paid youth work occurs mainly in disadvantages areas. Furthermore, within disadvantaged areas youth workers participate in a programme known as detached youth work. These programmes allow youth workers to go out and find young people either on the street or youth centres. Youth workers are able to meet young people and grow to develop relationships (Nuffield Foundation, 2008). This service is provided based on mutual trust and developing respect on the young person’s terms e.g. going to a local area at night where young people tend to be. The youth worker will be able to talk to the individuals and assess their needs as the relationship develops workers will be able to reach young people in a comfortable setting. The goal of detached youth work is to build effective re lationships and gain trust. Youth workers act as role models for young people and relationships created supports the personal learning and development of young people (Doran, 2014b).Youth workers now have to work towards an established ‘youth work curriculum’ this is a targeted specified participation rates and evidence of young people’s progression towards and achievement (Nuffield Foundation, 2008). Young people are generally portrayed as a group that are personally or socially lacking in terms ‘of education, morality or even the civilising effects that can only be accessed with the aid youth development worker’ in predominantly disadvantaged area (Belton, 2012). Youth workers have to work with an increasing policy that ‘emphasises targeted, intensive interventions, shaped by a ‘deficit’ model of youth’ (Lee, 2010) The Deficit Model of youth work, reflects a negative perception of young people it is in intended for individuals that are unable to take care of themselves (Lee, 2010). This model presumes that young people are difficult to understand, rebellious, misbehaved and have numerous shortcomings and weaknesses. However, the role of a youth worker should reject the deficit model, and promote a model that emphasises young people as optimistic. Volunteerism and Youth Workers Roles Volunteers and youth workers both work to help and support the community and the welfare of young people. However, while both are working towards a common goal, both fulfill different roles. A youth worker is in charge of doing an array of tasks to assist the youth such delivering programmes and assessing the needs of young people, working within community projects, monitoring and reviewing the quality of the local youth work provision, working with partnerships with professionals from other organisations that support young people such as ‘health, police, education, youth offending teams and local authorities’ (Prospects, n.d.) and drawing up business plans and making formal presentations to funding bodies. These are all significant to continue getting funded so that youth programmes are not ceased, thus, youth workers can continue to provide for young people within the area (Prospects, n.d.). In contrast, volunteers are unpaid and working freely on their own time. Volun teers work primarily face-to-face with the youth and help to provide a safe environment for young people as well as contributing to specific skills that may help young people e.g. social skills. Further, to encourage young people to be socially active and participate within their community. Both of these roles are different yet everyone is working towards helping young people. Conclusion Overall, the main objective of this essay was to describe the role of volunteers and youth workers within modern Ireland. Whilst this essay gave a clear understanding of both volunteers and youth workers it also gave an account of their roles within youth work and their similarities and differences. Thus, concluding that while both roles are different both of these groups are a valuable part of the community and in young people lives. References Belton, B. (2012) Professional Youth Work: A Concept and Strategies. Available at: http://thecommonwealth.org/sites/default/files/events/documents/Professional%20Youth%20Work.pdf. [Accessed 22 November 2014] Brennan, M. A. (2005). Volunteerism and community development: A comparison of factors shaping volunteer behavior in Irish and American communities. (pp.61, 67) Journal of Volunteer Administration, 23(2), 20. Burgess, P., Herrmann, P. (Eds.). (2010). Highways, Crossroads and Cul de Sacs (Vol. 8). (pp.72). BoD–Books on Demand. Devlin, M. (2010) Youth work in Ireland–Some historical reflections. Available at: http://eprints.maynoothuniversity.ie/3063/1/MD_Youth_Work.pdf. [Accessed 22 November 2014] Doran, C. (2014a). Detached Youth Work Lecture: Course Notes. Institute of Technology Blanchardstown. Doran, C. (2014b). Volunteerism: Course Notes. Institute of Technology Blanchardstown. Hurley, L., Treacy, D. (1993). Models of youth work: a sociological framework. (pp.1) Irish YouthWork Press. Jenkinson, Hilary (2013) Youth Work in Ireland – A Decade On, Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies: Vol. 13: Iss. 1, Article 1. Available at: http://arrow.dit.ie/ijass/vol13/iss1/1 [Accessed 22 November 2014] Musick, M. A., Wilson, J. (2007). Volunteers: A social profile.(pp.1) Indiana University Press. Lee, F. W. L. (2010). Nurturing Pillars of Society: Understanding and Working with the Young Generation in Hong Kong (Vol. 1).(pp.29-31). Hong Kong University Press. â€Å"Nuffield Review† (2008). Available at:http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/sites/default/files/files/11%20Lessons%20from%20Detached%20Youth%20Work%20Democratic%20Education2.pdf. [Accessed 19 November 2014] Prospects (n.d.) Youth Worker. Available at:http://www.prospects.ac.uk/youth_worker_job_description.htm. [Accessed 14 November 2014] 1

How the Internet Changed Business :: essays research papers

How the Internet has Changed Small Business Forever Ten years ago, the Internet as we know it hit screens. It was 1995 when Explorer and Netscape emerged as the leading browsers for Internet users. Of course, a lot has changed since the days when it took several minutes to load one Web page. Today, URLs are as common as phone numbers for most businesses. During the last decade, we’ve been to the top of the world—during the dot-com boom of the late 1990s—and back down again, when it all fell apart a few years later. But with the bad came the good: The Web forever changed the business world. The following small-business owners are shining examples of how Web-based technologies can be a businessperson’s best friend. 1. E-mail Because it changed the way we communicate in business Phoenix-based PMP Tools ( http://www.pmptools.com ) provides test materials for project managers studying for professional certification exams. Test takers can find prep courses, review books and study tools on the site, which employs 11 people. Brent Knapp, the site’s founder, started publicizing PMP Tools by posting information in Yahoo Groups chat forums and by buying lists from Hoovers and Forbes for marketing mailings. His results were decent, but not perfect. He got a 3 percent response from what was then a $3,000 monthly project that took three days to complete. â€Å"We spent time designing the mailing and printing it. And then we all sat around stuffing envelopes and calling companies to get the right contact person to mail it out to,† he says. Last year, Knapp decided e-mail might be a better option. At the very least, he would save $2,950 per month and three days of manpower; the template and automation tools he uses take all the legwork out of creating a newsletter. He saw results almost immediately. Now Knapp sends a daily newsletter to about 12,000 people, a number that has climbed 10 percent each month. The newsletter contains a project management review, crossword puzzle and product promotion. Sales have gone through the roof since it launched, topping $1 million last year. The company also benefits from e-mail in another way: employee contact and customer service. â€Å"We literally have no incoming calls—ever,† says Knapp. â€Å"Everything—99 percent of what we do—is handled via e-mail. People don’t want to call in. People don’t want to wait on hold. We have a one-hour e-mail policy, so our customers get an immediate response.

Power Is Money; Money Is Power :: essays research papers

Power is Money; Money is Power   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Power is money and money is power. There are many more examples of this now than anytime in the past.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most obvious examples is politics. Ross Perot was an unkown multimillionaire and his money is the only reason that he made it into the presidential election. If a man who earned a standard salary wanted to run for president, he would have almost no chance at all unless he was backed by people with money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every four years when the U.S. Presidential election is held, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent. The more money a candidate has, the farther he can get. Although the richest competitor doesn't always win, the president is usually a very wealthy man. Wealth paves the road to a good education. If the presidential candidate is rich, he either inherited it or was educated enough to make it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  OJ Simpson's trial is another example of money changing everything. If OJ Simpson had not been a retired professional football player, then the trial would have been completely different. Because OJ was rich, he was able to afford a very good team of lawyers. An average person would have had much less of a chance at being found innocent, especially considering the weight of the evidence. Supported by his money OJ's case became a media event.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When OJ had the trial, there was no way it could be completely fair. It was unlikely that there was not going to be a fan of OJ on the jury. Also, because he was rich, OJ was given better privileges. If OJ had been a poor man with a criminal record, he would have probably been found guilty because of representation by an over-worked public defender.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Power and Money also affects the average person with expenses of college. An average â€Å"B† student is going to have a much harder time getting into a good school than a wealthy kid. With money, all the rich student needs to do is maintain an average grade. When a student has money, he/she does not have to work as hard to succeed in life, usually because he/she is given a higher position to start thanks to references from his university's alumnae or from aquaintances of his wealthy relatives. Money and power do not just apply to college. A child who has a wealthy family is going to have an easier job getting good grades. One of the main reasons is that the parents probably got a good education and know how important education is in life.

Odyssey and Odysseus Dead Crew

Glory! In Homer’s 8th century BC epic poem The Odyssey and Sophocles’ 3rd century play Antigone, the leaders Odysseus and Creon display both similar and different leadership qualities. Odysseus is a leader of a crew he’s taking back home from a journey, but has many unexpected encounters on the way back. Creon is the heir to Oedpius’ thrown, and is King of Thebes. Both are important, however Creon proves to be the better King, seeing as Odysseus’ crew dies. The qualities of both leaders are what in turn lead to their results. Odysseus must lead his men back to Ithaca. Along the way they stop at an island where all his men are enchanted by fruits. He must do all he can to get them to return to the ship. In another encounter Odysseus’ dead crew member’s soul comes back and talks to Odysseus. He asks him to give his body a proper burial. Odysseus does this proving that he is not only loyal to his crew, but to his word as well. Odysseus however learns of a prophecy, one, which tells that if, his men eat the cattle on the island of Helios they will die. He cannot prevent his men from eating these cattle and they all suffer for their actions. They all die, and Odysseus fails as a leader. Creon’s takes an interesting approach to his leadership. He is stubborn and compassionate, hot and cold. Creon vows to do everything for the people, and anybody who breaks the law breaks his heart. Creon also makes numerous threats to the criminal who would dare to burry the betraying brother. But when he discovers that his own niece Antigone, his own flesh and blood, is the one defiling the law, he cannot stand it. His whole world starts to deteriorate and he cannot stop it before its too late.

Intention to create legal relations Essay

Before looking at if the intention to create legal relations should be used to replace consideration, it is important to look at how these doctrines fit into the essential elements in a contract. Their use will then be discussed, together with the doctrine of promissory estoppel. In evaluating these principles reference will be made to case law, judicial comment and of leading contract academics work. Finally, thought will be given to the future of consideration, and if it is still necessary today, when so many other countries have adopted alternative approaches to ensuring that contracts are binding. In the formation of contracts two elements are vital. Firstly, the â€Å"offer,† an indication by one person prepared to contract with another, on certain terms, which are fixed, or capable of being fixed at the time the offer is made.[1] Secondly, there must be an â€Å"acceptance†, an unconditional assent to a definite offer.[2] These two combine to create certainty that a contract has been formed, for, as in Scammell v Ouston (1941),[3] â€Å"if an agreement is uncertain on some important issue†¦the courts will hold there is no contract.†[4] Following this, the elements of consideration and intent provide the contract’s â€Å"body and substance†[5] So, what is meant by â€Å"consideration† and â€Å"the intention to create legal relations†? English law usually requires proof that the parties have made a bargain, or agreement,[6] this is known as the benefit and detriment test. (Currie v Misa (1875))[7] or † a benefit to one party or a detriment to another.†[8] So, in practical terms consideration can be defined as what one party in an agreement is giving, or promising, in exchange for what is being given, or promised, by the other side. [9] This provides mutuality, making the contract enforceable. The Oxford Dictionary of Law definition states, â€Å"Consideration is essential to the validity of any contract other than one made by deed. Without consideration an agreement not made by deed is not binding; it is a nudum pactum (naked agreement) governed by the maxim ex nudo pacto non oritur action (a right of action does not arise out of a naked agreement.)†[10] English law does not rely on formali ties as a way of identifying intention to create a legally binding contract. Instead it focuses on offer, acceptance and consideration.[11] If these are present,  and unless rebutted by contrary evidence, courts operate on the basis of two legal presumptions, that there is no intention to be bound in domestic or social arrangements, but there is intention to be bound in commercial agreements.[12] Professor B.A.Hepple claims that there is no need of a separate requirement of intention, and that a bargain, involving mutuality is sufficient. These views are not generally accepted as it is widely agreed that identifying the parties’ intentions is essential to the role of the courts when establishing if a contract was made.[13] (mf†¦) It is useful to look at why English law has become so reliant on the consideration element of a contract, and why it has frequently been used as the â€Å"badge of enforceability,†[14] Professor Atiyah argues that â€Å"consideration† originally meant a â€Å"reason for enforcing an agreement.†[15] Early forms of contract law mainly involved agreements regarding debt, covenant, or detinue ie., wrongful detention of property, and were only binding if under seal. This method, which required a degree of form such as writing or a deed, was used to prevent fraud and proved that there was an intention to create legal relations. Consideration was first used in the sixteenth century when, in order to enforce informal agreements, the law of assumsit was developed.[16] So, while that the law would, â€Å"†¦still not enforce merely gratuitous promises, †¦ the law had to develop an element that could distinguish between a proper contractual agreement, and somethin g less that would not.†[17] Due to the Law of Property Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1989, form is still required for contracts involving the sale of land. It is also used to offer consumers protection in hire purchase and consumer credit agreements. In the English Common law system, a promise is not legally binding as part of a contract except if it is made in a deed or supported by some consideration. [18] Sir Guenter Treitel Q.C., describes the purpose of consideration as,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"†¦to put some legal limits on the enforceability of agreements even where they are intended to be legally binding and are not vitiated by some factor  such as mistake, misrepresentation, duress or illegality.†[19] This is a peculiarity found only in English law. In some civil law countries, promises that in England would not be considered binding due to â€Å"lack of consideration,† can be enforced if they have been made in some notarised writing. The European Civil Law systems were formed around the fifteenth century and based on the Roman Catholic Code of Canon law and the value of good faith. Due to this, their courts take the view that all lawful and sincere agreements are contracts.[20] As English law has developed there has been an insistence on the use of consideration and intention to create legal relations in order to enforce a contract. (Balfour v Balfour (1919))[21] Although it may not be easy to find consideration in a contract, (Ward v Byham (1956))[22] it could be asked why it is thought to be necessary at all. Originally, the basic idea of consideration was to show that A had bought B’s promise.[23] (Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co Ltd v Selfridge & Co Ltd (1915))[24] However, there was a general principle of non-interference in the concerns of other people. Therefore, the doctrine was not strictly enforced; it was enough to provide sufficiency of consideration it did not have to be adequate. This meant that, â€Å"the consideration provided by one party need not equal in value the consideration provided by the other party.†[25](Thomas v Thomas (1842))[26] Since this case it was assumed that consideration must have at least some economic value, and that it must be, â€Å"†¦something which has some value in the eye of the law.†[27] (mf†¦) The use of the word â€Å"sufficiency† also causes uncertainty. Courts have decided it must be real, not as in White v Bluett (1853)[28] where a son tried to use a promise to stop complaining over the distribution of his father’s property as consideration. Although, there was an economic element, as a father promised not to enforce the repayment of a debt owed to him by his son, it was held that, â€Å"The son had no right to complain, for the father might make what  distribution of his property as he liked; and the son’s abstaining from what he had no right to do can be no consideration.†[29] In this case the court took the view that this type of moral obligation could not be used as any form of value, in other cases the courts appear to almost invent consideration so contracts can be enforced.[30] As in Ward v Byham (1956) where â€Å"happiness† was used. In Chappell & Co v Nestle Co Ltd., (1960),[31] the House of Lords held that chocolate wrappers needed to buy records in a special promotion were part of the consideration. The wrappers had no monetary value, for upon receipt Nestle’s would simply discard them.[32] Therefore, even something valueless could be used as consideration. From this it can be seen that consideration does not guarantee fairness of bargains. Indeed it could be argued that, as this would not fit the benefit and detriment test, this type of â€Å"nominal bargain†[33] should not be allowed. This is the most problematic area of the rules surrounding consideration. To start with, the fact that consideration need not be adequate, just sufficient, means it does not need to be of equal value to that which the other party is offering. This could lead to injustice. There could be some perfectly good reason why A sells his Mercedes to B for a token amount, but what if he is under duress, perhaps being blackmailed by B.[34] Similarly, it is quite fair that, as in Stilk v Myrick (1809)[35] performance of an existing contractual duty was held to be insufficient consideration. An employee should not be allowed to hold his employer to ransom in this way, unless it is proven that the situation changed significantly, and he has undertaken a considerable extra workload after the promise of extra pay. (Hartley v Ponsonby (1857))[36] So why do the courts permit the token element in bargains at all? It has been said that, â€Å"consideration was originally the reason for the enforcement of a promise.†[37] Therefore, even token bargains have a purpose by providing evidence that the parties take the agreement seriously, and show an intention to create legal relations. The doctrine of consideration was also used was where alteration promises were made regarding the part payment of debts. The general rule as established in Pinnel’s’ case (1602)[38] was that â€Å"the gift of a horse, hawk or robe, etc in satisfaction is good.† [39] The assumption being that providing something in consideration might be more beneficial to the plaintiff than waiting for the money.[40] This rule was confirmed in the House of Lords in Foakes v Beer (1884)[41]. This â€Å"practical benefit† was also the principle in Williams v Roffey Brothers (1990)[42] where it was advantageous to pay more for the same work. However, the rule in Pinnel’s Case can be avoided by providing â€Å"extra consideration, altering the way payment is made, by paying earlier, at a different time or place or via third party.†[43] Possibly due to this, the Law revision Committee 1937 recommended the abolition of the rule in Pinnel’s Case, but so far t hat has not happened.[44] Lord Denning tried a different approach with his use of the equitable principle of promissory estoppel. In his obiter statement in Central London Property Trust v High Trees House (1947),[45] he stated that, † a promise intended to be binding, intended to be acted upon, and in fact acted on, is binding so far as its terms properly apply.[46] Due to this it was held that a promise could be enforced without consideration if it would be wrong for that person to go back on a promise and there has been a reliance on it.[47] He based his views on Lord Cairns’ comments in the earlier â€Å"equitable waiver† case of Hughes vMetropolitan Railway (1877)[48] It has been suggested that the promisee must have suffered a detriment from reliance on a promise. Lord Denning denied that this was necessary, claiming that someone just needed to have â€Å"acted on the belief induced by the other party.† (W J Alan & Co v El Nasr (1972))[49]. Other limitations exist, promissory estoppel only applies to the modification or discharge of an existing contractual obligation, [50] therefore â€Å"equity is a shield not a sword,† it will not allow someone to use equity to instigate a cause of  action.[51] (Coombe v Coombe (1951)[52] The promise not to enforce rights must be clear and unequivocal, in The Scaptrade (1983)[53] it was held that the fact that they hadn’t enforced their full rights in the past was not sufficient. It must be inequitable for the promisor to go back on his promise, in D & C Builders v Rees (1966)[54], Mrs Rees had forced the builders to accept her cheque by inequitable means and so could not rely on promissory estoppel,[55] for â€Å"he who comes to equity must do so with clean hands.† [56] This doctrine is also contrary to the House of Lords decisions in Jorden v Money ( 1854)[57] and Foakes v Beer (1884) As can be seen from these cases, unlike in the past when a gentleman’s word was his bond, people can no longer be relied upon to keep gratuitous promises, however seriously meant. They are also likely to use litigation if they later wish to go back on them. Treitel points out that, † the doctrine of consideration has attracted much criticism, â€Å"[58] as even the most flimsy evidence is given as consideration, so its use has become somewhat dubious. â€Å"The doctrine is an historical accident; that foreign systems do without.† [59]To overcome these problems, Parliament could extend the scope of existing legislation by using form to prove the intention to create legal relations in more situations than now. That would mean that although not needed for basic everyday events like shopping, or private domestic arrangements; eg., babysitting, all other contracts of a financial or contractual nature would have to have written agreements. As Treitel says, † English law does recognise, in the deed, a perfectly safe and relatively simple means of making gratuitous promises binding.† [60]These would be subject to the usual rules applying to the Sale and Supply of Goods Act 1994, the Consumer Protection Act 1987, the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, etc., In the event of a dispute regarding a contract with no written agreement, the courts could consider it to be void, as there was no proof of an intention to create legal relations and therefore the contract has no legal effect. Any money paid out under such a contract would be recoverable and any work that has been done maybe compensated on a quantum meruit basis.[61] Care would also have to be taken to ensure the rights of third parties are protected.[62] The use of form as proof of the intention to create legal relations would provide a â€Å"useful safeguard against rash  promises.†[63] Although, â€Å"this does not solve the problem of action in reliance on an informal promise†¦ the court maybe able to give some effect to the promise under the doctrine of waiver or in equity.†[64]

Rationale Scheme of Work Essay

The rationale for my scheme of work (see appendix 1) is to meet both the learners’ needs and the curriculum requirements. Edexcel is the awarding body who supply the syllabus which gives the framework for delivery and assessment of the subject matter. The Edexcel ITQ Level 2 Certificate curriculum requirements will be met by learners completing practical work-related tasks. They will learn by completing projects and assignments that are based on realistic workplace situations, activities and demands. The content and structure are the most obvious features of any Scheme of Work, since it is the whole syllabus of what is going to be delivered, how it is going to be delivered and when it will be delivered, therefore I have used a logical format according to Gray (2005) the teacher has the ultimate responsibility to organise & sequence the course as a whole, so that the direction is clear from lesson to lesson. According to Gray (2005) the Aims, Objectives and Methods are a fundamental part to the planning of lessons, however also stipulates that they are necessary for the construction of the Scheme of Work. It is important that my scheme of works conveys a balance of learning objectives, such as behavioural, cognitive, affective or personal growth. Another aspect that needs to be taken into account in designing a scheme of work is the structure. I will start off with easier topics and build up to more difficult ones and at the same time, show a relationship between the topics building in revision to aid the learning process, Bruner (1966) called this the spiral curriculum. Therefore I have organised my scheme of work in a spiral manner so that the learner continually builds upon what they have already learned. The subject for my observed session is â€Å"Presentation Software†, This unit is about the skills and knowledge required by an IT user to select and use a wide range of intermediate presentation software tools and techniques effectively to produce presentations which include a combination of media (e.g. images, animation and sound) for education, entertainment or information sharing) and are at times non-routine or unfamiliar. I will set out the Aims and Objectives of the session plan (see appendix 2) to meet the specific curriculum requirements of the Presentation module (see appendix 3). To meet the aims and needs of individual learners the session will allow learners’ use their skills for real purposes and achieve success as a result  of using their skills effectively. I will introduce the session by communicating the Aims and Objectives to learners both verbally and by showing them on a PowerPoint slide, I will Incorporate discussion strategies into this section as this can help learners enhance their speaking and listening skills. Reece & Walker (2006) suggests that the negotiating process should be modelled in five stages. The first is preparing for negotiation which is being aware of what the student needs to achieve, the second stage consist of the first session with the learner where a good rapport needs to be made with the learner. Then follows the contract part where actual SMART targets are agreed. These I will incorporate into the Aims and Objectives. The last two stages are the monitoring learning which will carry out during the session by assessing the learners’ through discussion. Question and answer and observation. The final review which can be a discussion of a formal assessment. I will recap previous sessions as according to Knox (1977) effective adult learning entails an active search for meaning in which new tasks are somehow related to earlier activities. Prior learning experiences have the potential to enhance or interfere with new learning. The recap will be in the form of a quiz, where  Reece & Walker (2006) explains how we may be using words that create barriers in learning. We must avoid using male dominated language for example words like craftsman should be changed to craft worker and manpower should be replaced with workforce and also using ‘they’ instead of ‘him/her’. Petty (2009) focuses on this along with the role of a teacher not to discriminate against race and ethnicity and the promoting the use of multiculturalism in their particular the subject area. †¢ Integrate learning by linking knowledge within and between the functional areas. †¢ Spend time planning and developing their work. †¢ Make choices, think creatively and act independently. Expert teachers generally are comfortable with a wide range of instructional strategies, and they vary them skillfully with the nature of the learning task and learners’ needs (Berliner, 1986). Tomlinson, Carol Ann. Differentiated Classroom : Responding to the Needs of All Learners. Alexandria, VA, USA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development, 1999. p 61. http://site.ebrary.com/lib/staffordshire/Doc?id=10115178&ppg=68 Copyright  © 1999. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. All rights reserved. Independent practice that allows students to extend skills or knowledge on their own â€Å"Differentiation is the process whereby teachers meet the need for progress through the curriculum by selecting appropriate teaching methods to match the individual student’s learning strategies within a group situation.† J.Visser, Differentiation and the Curriculum, University of Birmingham, 1993 Why differentiate? Every learner is an individual and has his or her own specific learning needs. Each will be influenced by previous experiences including cultural influences. Differentiation involves the art of giving each of these individuals an equal opportunity to achieve and engage in the learning process. This is why the Further Education National Training Organisation standards 1 state that teachers and trainers should:  · â€Å"select appropriate teaching techniques to accommodate the different ways individuals learnÍ ¾  · use a variety of teaching methods to meet the needs of groups and individuals, and to provide an environment in which all learners have the opportunity to experience success.† Effective adult learning entails an active search for meaning in which new tasks are somehow related to earlier activities. Prior learning experiences  have the potential to enhance or interfere with new learning. (Knox, 1977 as quoted in Brookfield, 1986). Instruction should be designed to facilitate extrapolation and or fill in the gaps (going beyond the information given). Bruner (1973) Bruner, J. (1966). Toward a Theory of Instruction. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Bruner, J. (1973). Going Beyond the Information Given. New York: Norton. (Knox, 1977 as quoted in Brookfield, 1986). Instruction should be designed to facilitate extrapolation and or fill in the gaps (going beyond the information given).

Lord of the Flies: Civilization vs. Savagery Essay

Civilization vs. Savagery William Golding’s, Lord of the Flies is a novel that displays the power and importance of the rules of civilization and its role in preventing humans from following their natural inclination toward savagery. This novel displays how the rules of civilization are overcome by savagery when rules and authority get displaced, and savagery starts to become inevitable. When the boys were first ‘placed’ on the island it was the boy’s original instinct to be civil and just. The boys voted on a leader, Ralph, and established rules and jobs for the boys to do and follow. This civility between the boys can be seen deteriorating throughout the course of the six hunts. Jack, who was obsessed with hunting pigs to prove himself as a hunter, is the leader of this deterioration. This deterioration started first when the three of the boys were on an expedition to search the island for any signs of other people. The three boys came across a piglet stuck in the brush but Jack f roze â€Å"because the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh; because of the unbearable blood† (Lord of the Flies, page 29). Jack was scared of the idea of killing and spilling blood of a living animal. This action shows that Jack was still held back by the rules of civilization. This close call is what started to fuel Jacks obsession to hunt to kill. After Jack killed his first pig, and realized that he can kill without any negative consequences, he brutally killed a mother sow with piglets. He then cut the head off and placed it on a stick that was sharpened at both ends as a sacrifice to the beast. This shows Jacks savage obsession to kill pigs was beginning to take over, and his fear of blood was no more. This brutal kill was savage and reckless. Jack became so confident that he can kill anything, that it lead him to want to hurt a human. Jack ended up becoming so savage that he hunted Ralph. This was when almost all of the rules that held Jack back from killing had left him and he made up his own rules. The changing effectiveness of the conch and its ability to govern over the boys is another example that displays the deterioration of the rules of civilization. The conch was first the most important item and symbol of authority that the boys had on the i sland. The conch was used to call meetings and govern over the boys. But, eventually over time people like Jack started to ignore it and break the rules. He and other boys faulted away and the conch became useless â€Å"And I’ve got the  conch- ‘You haven’t got it with you,’ said Jack sneering. ‘You left it behind. See, clever?- And the conch doesn’t count on this side of the island-â€Å" (Lord of the Flies, page 166). The conch eventually is destroyed, along with Piggy killed, and the last symbol of authority over the boys is vanished. The destruction of the conch symbolizes the final loss of authority Ralph has and the final event that led Jack to be overcome fully by savagery. The last example of the deterioration of the rules of civilization is the boy’s fear of the great beast and how they began to offer sacrifices to the beast. Throughout the novel, the beasts caused a great amount of fear within the boys. The fear started within littleuns being afraid of the dark and many other objects on the island. The fear began in the big-uns when Sam and Eric claim to be chased by a flying beast. This fear kept the boys from having a fire on mountain and gave some of the littleuns nightmares. This fear also made Jack give offerings to the beast, a pig’s head. This gruesome act had been believed to work so when the time came Jack wanted to put Ralph’s head on a stick to. This savagery is what lead to the final conflict with Ralph and Jack as Ralph held on to the last bit of goodness on the island, his life. In conclusion the deterioration of the rules of civilization and its role in preventing humans from following their natural inclination toward savagery can be seen through these three examples: the six hunts, the loss of effectiveness of the conch, and the drastic actions caused by fear.

Sylvia Plath vs Ted Hughes

Sylvia Plath’s poem, ‘Whiteness I Remember’, and Ted Hughes’s poem, ‘Sam’, are two poems which describe an experience of Plath’s when she was a student at Cambridge. She was out on her first ride when the horse she had hired the normally-placid Sam, bolted. Although Ted Hughes’s is describing the experience he uses insinuations throughout the poem to let out his perception of his marriage with Sylvia Plath, hence infuriating, the conflict in perspective between the two poems. The ideas of ‘conflicting perspective’ suggest that the composers of the texts present an even-handed, unbiased attitude to the events, personalities or situations represented. Conflicting perspectives explore the subjective truth of the individual, which are shaped by the construction of a text by a biased composer. Each person’s version of the truth in events, personalities and situations differs, by viewing separate perspectives an understanding of the motives and purpose of the composer is formed. Sam’ is Hughes retrospective interpretation of an event in Plath’s life before she met him and which she had represented in the poem ‘Whiteness I remember’. Hughes’ poem itself contains what can be interpreted as conflicting perspectives of her personality and when read in conjunction with Whiteness I remember reveals interesting similarities and differences. Hughes seems to accept Plath’s account of the event ‘I can liv e Your incredulity, your certainty that this was it’ and he does adhere closely to her description of her experiences during the horse’s headlong flight to the stable. However, the repetition of ‘You lost your stirrups’, ‘You lost your reins, you lost your seat’, combine to depict Plath as a terrified victim unable to control or take responsibility for the consequences of her own actions. In contrast Plath’s poem suggests she was exhilarated by the speed and danger and identified with what she represents as the horses’ rebellion against the ‘humdrum’ of suburbia. In contrast Hughes accuses her of glamorising her loss of control. ‘It was grab his neck and adore him or free fall’. Once again the reader is arguably left with the impression that Hughes is still identifying with Sam and suggesting there are parallels between her relationship with him and the horse. As the stanza continues Hughes builds the momentum and pace with a series of commas as punctuation and an enjambment. The choice of verb in ‘You slewed under his neck, an upside down jockey with nothing between you and the cataract of macadam’ creates an image of Plath unable to maintain a balance and in imminent danger of being smashed into the road by the horses hooves at high speed. The alliteration and the metaphor of the ‘horribly hard swift river’ in full flood combine with the’ propeller terror of his front legs’ and the onomatopoeia of ‘clangour of the iron shoes’ to transform the horse into an engine of destruction.

GEOGRAPHIES OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

GEOGRAPHIES OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD - Essay Example The global food print has risen sturdily over the years. In 1961, 27% of the earth’s biosphere had been used up by the global food system (Deumling, Wackernagel and Monfreda 1). Currently, 40% of the earth’s biologically productive area is under the global food system or 47%, if non-edible crops (such as tobacco) or unharvested crops are included (Deumling, Wackernagel and Monfreda 2). Infrastructure and urban growth utilizes the additional productive land, while also exerting pressure on existing ecosystems. In fact, expanding food production to new and less productive marginal lands is not a sustainable option in the long term. Bringing the global food print in line with the earth’s biosphere capacity is the only sustainable solution to the current unsustainable global food system (Deumling, Wackernagel and Monfreda 1). Three major revolutions have changed agricultural production in the fullness of time. The initial revolution concerned the growth of sow agricu lture and the utilization of animal muscle to increase arable land. The next revolution occupied the more advance of technologies, such as enhanced yokes for extra organized animal labor, fertilizers application, and improvement of drainage systems; at the same instant, the industrial revolution began. The third revolution was distinguished by numerous innovations; food manufacturing chemical agriculture and automation. The last revolution laid the base for the agricultural industry, transforming agriculture from the farm to the entire practice of developing high yielding hybrids, as well as food transport to the user, developing an agro-commodity manufacture scheme (Knox and Marston 266). Biotechnology is a new phenomenon in agriculture. Enthusiasts on the one hand suggest that production expenses reduce when biotechnology is utilized in farming, handling matters of environmental deterioration, chemicals misuse, and soil exhaustion. All together, Biotechnology worries a number of c ritics who argue that the circulation of Biotechnology resides in the selected parts of the world, with its advantages never benefiting the consumer. Biotechnology seeks to transform farming, making several farming practices outdated (Knox and Marston 298). What are the main challenges currently confronting our global food system? The current global food system was popular until late in the 20th century. More food was produced than before, more cheaply and with a measure of safety, assortment, quality, and ease that previous generations would find puzzling (Wilson 1). Hunger seemed to be a thing of the past. Currently however, the global food systems seem to promote overconsumption and scarcity, at the same time shrinking the earth’s ability to produce food in future. (Wilson 2). Aligning the global food print with the earth’s biosphere capacity is the major challenge facing the current global food system. The global food print is comprised of four primary components, these are cropland. Pasture, energy, and fisheries. Understanding patterns of bio-capacity consumption by each of these sectors enables easier and specific targeting of these consumption areas of the global food print (Deumling, Wackernagel and Monfreda 2). The cropland footprint has gradually increased with the world population. Intensified

Environment Ptotection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Environment Ptotection - Assignment Example (Pamela.R.Cummings, 2001) With increasing awareness among the people regarding issues like Global Warming, Water and food conservation, hotels have once again come to spotlight on how well they comply with the international standards. There have been serious allegations that hotels always tend to neglect the environmental issues and have only profit maximization on their priority list and this has clearly added onto the concerns of the consumers towards the Hospitality industry. The attitude of the major players in the hospitality industry has only added on to the apprehensions of the consumers. This dissertation will mainly focus on ways to improve the present environmental scenario in the hotels and the strategies and ways implemented by them in combating the ill effects of environmental contamination caused directly, or indirectly by them. It will also analyze as to how various hotels have been focusing on issues like minimization and management of wastage, energy conservation, and sustainable food, staff training. It will also try and come up with practical environmental initiatives for the hotels. (Conrad Lushly, 2004) As rightly pointed out in the first dissertation, the hotels, barring a few prominent and well known ones, do not configure or install any kind of energy-saving systems which clearly conflicts their statements generally about their concerns towards environment. Of course, they may be expensive to install, but the fact that the energy sources save a lot of energy clearly should send a message across that they help in reducing the overall operating costs of the hotel, if not in the short run, but definitely in the long run. Hence, in this dissertation, I also come up with a few measures for the hotels for the installation of specific devices and then will also list out the advantages of implementing the same. In the wake of globalization followed by rapid growth of various industrial sectors and the mounting concerns towards the ill effects caused by the industrial growth, this is clearly an area worth researching. Though this deals with the research of only the lodging and hospitality in UK, I can say that this will clearly indicate the amount commitment hotels give towards environment.(Tyya.N.Turner, 2001) This dissertation aims at coming up with alternatives to the existing proposals for the installation of devices and discusses the benefits for the same. It also elucidates the fact that installation of energy-saving devices will surely ensure in customer retention and moreover, will reduce the operating costs in the long run. Moreover, installation of such devices will make the hotel maintain eco-friendly and clean atmosphere which will clearly go a long way in enhancing the reputation of the Hotel and will definitely set an example for others to follow. Literature review This section deals with much more concrete measures that have to be taken up by the hospitality industry and the hotels concerning specific aspects of the environment practices being followed and how they can improve on them. Waste Reduction/Management. At a time when the natural ecologies are in the state of crises and when the rapid depletion of natural resources, it is indeed a matter of concern to the healthy nations and economies who boast if exponential growth. It is indeed a massive

Health Assessment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Health Assessment - Coursework Example oncepts of health promotion, I will take this opportunity to inform the patient that it is important for the close observation of the eye injury, whether minor or major as it has the capability of causing blindness (du Toit et al., 2013). The first step in the assessment will require me taking a precise history from the patient concerning the eye. As a nurse, I would take this opportunity to educate the patient on the variety of methods of ensuring minimal damage to the eye in the case of an injury and the immediate actions to take in the case of an injury. Other aspects of the assessment of the eye would include the valuation of the general physical, behavioral, and emotional state of the patient (Dunt et al., 2014). A measure of the visual acuity of the patient is also important in determining the clarity of the eye. I would explain all these procedures o the patient and also their importance for the purpose of allowing the patient to have more keenness in his health and status of the eye. Explaining to the patient the condition of his ear and how the ear is supposed to operate is one of the ways in which I would incorporate health promotion concepts when performing an assessment of the ear. This information would help the patient have the ability to recognize further problems with the ear in the near future. The purpose is to provide the patient with the ability of taking care of his own ear and prevent it from harm. In the shift assessment, I would ensure I disclose to the patient my purpose of the activity and also its importance for the purpose of enabling the patient understand the plan of care that would be admissible to him in order to cure his ear (Jarvis, 2015). While assessing the functioning of each ear, it is important to let the patient know of the purpose of this operation. The patient can later perform these tests while at home in order to keep track of the progress of the health of the ear. This includes explaining such assessment procedures

Geographical Information Systems Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Geographical Information Systems - Term Paper Example While a definition of what constitutes GIS is central to discussing its role within geography, such a definition is, in fact, difficult to produce since the term is used so variable by different people, some using it to refer to a single system while others use it to designate a system of barely related subsystems (Pickles, in Pickles, 1995, p. 3). Pickles (1995) states that all geographic information systems have two central defining characteristics: They involve the use of digital electronic data and the production of electronic spatial representations (p. 3). Parker (in Castle, 1993, p. xvii) goes even further in simplifying the defining aspect of GIS as being nothing more than data handling  which any mention of geography per se can easily be dropped. Such a bare-bones definition of GIS lends it an appearance of neutrality that is deceptive, for geographers use electronic information technology forward a variety of epistemological perspectives and research goals. Pickles (1995) summarizes the field of possible applications; it should be noted that within each of these possible applications a wide range of philosophies and motivations is possible. [GIS is} a research community that transcends disciplinary boundaries; an approach to geographical inquiry and spatial data handling; a series of technologies for collecting, manipulating, and representing spatial information; a way of thinking about spatial data; a commodified object that has monetary potential and value; and a technical tool that has strategic value (p. 3). Not only is GIS multifaceted in its technical capabilities, it is multidimensional in its social and cultural capabilities as well, allowing for new demographic tools, new forms of workplace domination, novel commodities, new ways of identifying space and nature and new ways of waging war (Pickles, in Pickles, 1995, p. 4).

Medical beliefs of pre-literate and pre-historical peoples made little Research Paper

Medical beliefs of pre-literate and pre-historical peoples made little logical sense - Research Paper Example The societies in the past believed in supernatural and natural ways of curing and treating diseases. This means that, some diseases were believed to originate from supernatural evil spirits, sorcery or gods while others were believed to originate from the society (Lalita, 1984, p. 80). The medicine men in those days believed that the evil spirits were fabricated by sorcerers, and this could hamper a person’s body and result to illness. This spirits could only be removed from a person through the skull and not from any other body organ because they believed that the spirits were held in the brains. Among many other treatments done to the people possessed by the spirits, ‘Shaman’- the medicine man was supposed to trephine the skull (Edited Guide Entry, 2001). Today, anthropologists have developed an intimate understanding of the beliefs, that the society could not invent medicines and drugs to cure and heal the diseases. This is because the treatment of the diseases was not based on body tests of the sick, but from the beliefs. This made the victims to be subjected to treatments that they did not deserve, and hence was a serious threat to their survival. Some treatments like trepanning, which involved drilling of holes into the human skull to expose the ‘dura mater’, are extremely crucial to the anthropologists and scientists. They can clearly understand the era or the human evolution stage and hence understand the number of years that the place was inhabited. However, such practices have been used as a benchmark for developing safe human skull surgery by scientists (Dayrit et al, 2003, p. 89). From the studies done in the past by the anthropologists, it is evident that different ailments and diseases that were common in the prehistoric period are not prevalent today. Diseases like osteoarthritis were caused by lifting heavy materials, which

Drive Me Real Crazy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Drive Me Real Crazy - Essay Example It entices the mind to drive towards the desires of life. They entice the mind to break the rules and to seek adventure. Such adventure is fun and it yields ethereal and satisfying result. The promiscuity of the drunkard towards reckless acts is inevitable. It has engulfed the individual to a vortex of happiness that will be taken away in a few moments and replaced by nirvana: the everlasting happiness of death. O how I wish that humans learn to appreciate life. Yes, they do appreciate life. But are they spending it worthwhile? Or are they spending it sassy? Life is a commodity. It has a price to pay. There are risks and safety guidelines implemented to safeguard life. The sad thing is that they happily violate their very own lives. They drive their way to hell. Alcohol allures the individual. The allurement gives them a reason to try out death-enticing stunts. I hope it is death-defying. Practically speaking, driving under the enchantment of alcohol is death-defying. There is a desi re to drive along wildly. They defy death only to meet death. Now, that is really death-defying. They are digging up their own grave. The alcohol invokes the goodness of an individual. It makes them curse responsibly. They are real people; real fools. They hate the red light because they see that it is green. They are not colour blind; they are really blind. Even if they have four eyes to see things, they only recognize one thing when they drive under the influence of alcohol: journey to happiness. Such happiness is futile. It gives recourse that life is something worth wasting. They do not appreciate that life is a journey just like driving. Life’s possibilities are endless. However, the difference lies on how life ends when the spell of alcohol enters the mind. It enhances the consciousness. It invokes a deathly realization. It welcomes death. The bedazzling nature of alcohol gives drivers reason to defy. They accept the prescribed norms and initiates accordance to rules. T hey drive responsibly upon reaching their grave. It is too late for them to realize when they wake up inside their coffins; crying happily while reflecting their conditions. The question is, can they still reflect inside their graves or are they sleeping eternally? The question is obvious and the answer is very easy to find.  Ã‚  

A New Begining Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A New Begining - Research Paper Example A group of 10 is a good sized group and will be able to be managed within a short amount of time. We will have the initial screening through doctors, but we will also provide a short questionnaire for anyone who is interested in the group. The questionnaire will ask about their attitude towards weight loss, what they have tried in the past, how often they have tried to lose weight, and what results they had in the past. The questionnaire will also ask screening questions that will pertain to whether an individual has problems with eating disorders. In order for someone to be successful in weight loss, they will need to make a variety of changes with not only their eating habits but with their mental ideas about food. In order to lose weight, they may need to undergo a complete change in their lifestyle. This is one of the reason why it will be important to define those people who actually have a mindset that will promote their moving forward. Each person in the group will also need t o go through one individual therapy session with one of the group members. This will create a psychological profile for each person so that we know what we are dealing with when people come into the group. According to Berg, Landreth and Fall (2006) we should screen participants so that the members of the group have similar goals and needs for weight loss, and they would be people who would not stop the progress of the group. When thinking about this criteria, we would want to make sure that the members of the group were mentally healthy (they do not have psychological disorders that would stop the progress of the group), and who were at a similar level of needing to loose weight. In other words, we would like to have people in the group who are serious about weight loss and who will do what is required. Some of this would be done in the prescreening which would include an interview with each individual who was interested in the group, the questionnaire, and a conversation with thei r doctor (with a written permission from the person wanting to join the group). Since Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is supposed to be brief therapy, we will limit the group to 12 sessions of 45 minutes each and we will meet at the treatment center. Rationale for CBT CBT has been used to assist many people in stopping smoking, turning away from alcohol and drugs, as well as stopping many mood disorders. Using CBT for weight loss is relatively new, according to St. Clair (n.d.). Losing weight involves not only a physical change, but individuals must also change their thinking. CBT is able to help them make new decisions about the way they look, about weight loss in general and they learn to think thin (St. Clair, n.d.). Arhart-Treichel (2007) reports on a study done by the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research in which ten women were a part of a weight loss group. The results of the study showed that the women lost a pound a month to a pound a week and were able to keep it off. A Swedish randomized clinical trial done in 2005 studied 62 obese people who lost an average of 17 pounds after the 10 weeks program and another five pounds by the follow-up date 18 months later (Arhart-Treichel, 2007). Clearly, CBT is slowly showing an effective way

Summarise the main development of a child from the age range 0-2 years, 3-5 years and 5-8 years Essay Example for Free

Summarise the main development of a child from the age range 0-2 years, 3-5 years and 5-8 years Essay The first physical stages in a baby happen after they are born. They will start by learning how to hold their head up. Babies have a grasping reflex which enables them to automatically tighten their fingers when an object is placed in the palm of their hands. Around 6 months a baby will be able to roll forward and maybe start to crawl and shuffle their bodies around. Mobility is hugely increased in babies between 9 and 12 months. They will usually be able to sit upright unaided and even show signs of wanting to stand and walk. By the time a child reaches 2 years of age, they should have mastered the art of sitting, standing, crawling and walking. Some children by this age can begin to run, kick a ball and walk up and down stairs (assisted by an adult). 3-5 years By this age children should be able to stand on tiptoes and jump from very low heights. Climbing should make them feel confident and many will be able to ride a tricycle. A child’s mobility progresses to an advanced level meaning they can move about freely without any help or hesitation. Moves such as catching, kicking, throwing and bouncing a ball will have developed and will encourage children to participate in simple ball games. Between the ages of 4-5 years children will be able to use certain playing equipment such as skipping ropes, hoops and even skittles. Children of this age will understand much better the right of personal space and are also able to move around safely. 5-8 years Children by the age of 5 will be more agile. Some will be able to stand on one foot for 10 seconds. A lot of children in this age bracket can touch their toes without bending their knees. Many will be able to ride a bike without any stabilisers. They may also enjoy games such as sliding, climbing frames and swinging. Their stamina should have increased which means activities such as gymnastics, swimming and athletics are a good choice. Other sports such as football, basketball, will allow them to run around without colliding into someone or something. Intellectual Development 0-2 years Babies are born with primitive reflexes which can include a rooting reflex this is when a baby turns his or her head to suckle as a result of stroking his or her cheek. They will be able to recognise certain sounds and voices. Imitation of facial expressions are enjoyable to them and making eye contact with them is comforting. Bright lights can be exciting for babies of this age and they will also enjoy looking at themselves in a mirror. Between 6 and 9 months babies will enjoy playing with toys and imitating simple tasks such as clapping hands or waving goodbye. Babies will enjoy banging objects together, throwing, dropping and shaking toys/objects around. Memory skills will start to develop. By the age of 2 children will have learnt how to use a spoon and drink from a cup. By this age they will typically have a vocabulary of around 50 words. 3-5 years Children of this age will participate in pretend play. They will be able to use crayons and pencils and maybe even the ability to handle round ended scissors appropriately. Motor skills will be developing by now enabling them to put tiny beads into a string. Their memory is getting stronger they should be able to remember past events and look forward to future ones. Between 3-5 years of age learning is becoming more interesting. They will begin to name colours and understand simple counting. Drawings will be more accurate and easier to recognise. 5-8 years At the age of 5, children will be ready to start school and should be able to string simple sentences together. Drawings may contain simple details such as a face with eyes, ears mouth and nose. Some children may also be able to write their own names. Writing and reading is becoming more interesting. Those children who are read to aloud and are encouraged to read aloud tend to develop more quickly intellectually Time phrases such as morning, afternoon, night, yesterday and tomorrow will be more understandable to them. Numeracy level reaches the ability of adding and subtracting by the age of 6-8 years. Language 0-2 years Babies will cry and gurgle or coo. Crying can differ depending on whether a baby is hungry, hurt or wants a cuddle. Babies between 3 and 6 months can begin to chuckle and laugh and can imitate certain sounds. Babbling becomes more constant and by 9 months a baby ought to be able to copy words such as ‘mama’ and ‘dada’. By the age of 2 a child’s vocabulary has increased from coo-ing and making various noises to having a vocabulary of approximately 50 words. 3-5 years By the age of 3 communication is greatly improved resulting in talking all the time and many questions asked. The most common words used are why, who, where, how, when. Their skills by now should include using sentences which use tenses and possibly even plurals. A child in this age bracket may become frustrated with their inability to tell as much as they think or understand. Around the age of 5 years old a child will be able to talk about past, present and future events. They will also be able to learn songs and rhymes. 5-8 years A child’s vocabulary is widening by this age and they will be learning new words. They will be able to describe things such as toys and games and also give opposite meanings. Emotional Development 0-2 years A baby’s primary means of communication is crying. Babies will start smiling especially at familiar faces. They would have built up a bond with their primary carer. They will realise that they have only one mother and that not all females are their mum/carer. Around 6 to 9 months babies can develop feelings of insecurity resulting in tears or distress when mum leaves the room or is out of sight. At around 20 months children will be able to show preferences and are becoming more aware of those people around them they can be affected by another person’s mood. Self-confidence begins to build and they start to believe in themselves. 3-5 years By this age, a child should be able to communicate how they are feeling and discovering the differences between males and females. They will start to get independent enough to carry out little tasks such as dressing themselves, and going to the bathroom by themselves. Children of this age can start to feel anxious, especially as they are unsure of their imagination and inner feelings. This can also lead to overwhelming emotions and fears regarding the unknown. They often do not know the difference between fantasy and reality. By the age of 5 curiosity is at its most advanced and a child will want to try new things which to them are alien. Usually children of this age are able to form successful relationships that may last for a long time. 5-8 years By now children should be able to express their likes and dislikes. As time passes by they are able to have more control over their emotions and their instincts may be greatly developed, for instance if someone appears to be in distress or sad. Children of this age are better at sharing and engage in co-operative play. Arguments now make more sense compared to those of small toddlers. Peer pressure may begin to affect them. Social 0-2 years Babies will enjoy close physical contact especially with their primary carer. They will enjoy being cuddled, feeding and bathing. Babies will enjoy socialising with other babies of their own age. Between 6 and 9 months babies will start to imitate others and hearing laughter will make them laugh even though they will not really be aware of what they are actually laughing at. Around 9 months they can entertain themselves with toys and games and will have learnt to occupy themselves. Some babies by this age will be able to feed themselves with finger foods and drinking from a cup. 3-5 years Children around the age of 3 will enjoy making friends. Learning to take turns in play and sharing can bring on tantrums as they will all want their own way. Children around this age will also learn to dress themselves and will learn to carry out simple requests. By the age of 5 children will be more understanding of social backgrounds, difference skin colour, religion and even cultures. Children of this age will make new friends and form a close relationship with one â€Å"best friend†. 5-8 years Children will be able to carry out more complex tasks such as tidying up their toys, They should be able to dress themselves without the help of a grown up. They will understand the difference between right and wrong and will know how to value a true friend. Some may become stubborn or even bossy.

The Challenges Of Learning A New Language English Language Essay

The Challenges Of Learning A New Language English Language Essay During my time in Voc. Ed., I developed further into a mediocore student and a somnambulant problem solver, and that affected the subjects I did have the wherewithal to handle: I detested Shakespeare; I got bored with history. My attention flitted here and there. I fooled around in class and read my books indifferently the intellectual equivalent of playing with your food. I did what I had to to get by, and I did with a half a mind. Mike Rose, I Just Wanna Be Average I can recall a certain part of my life when I had to learn English as my second language. It was the year 1998 when I first moved from the Philippines. During that period, I was living in San Pablo with my parents, who were illiterate at the time. Technically speaking, I did learn some English in the Philippines but not the kind of English one would expect from America. What was on my mind when I stepped in a room full of kids in a 2nd grade environment? One word, nervousness. Based on my memories, I remember being the quiet/shy kid who didnt make many friends because I The Challenges of Learning A New Language 2 couldnt speak the language. It wasnt until later on that I gained some confidence in speaking the language, and also being able to write in a basic manner. Its self-evident that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to English (or any other subject for that matter), but I will tell my story of the struggles I had to face learning a new language (and for that matter something I still need to work on today). In some ways, my parents illiteracy transformed my life. It wasnt until my middle school years that I realize that Im fortunate learning English as a second language and performing decently well in school unlike my parents, who were struggling to write and speak English. In the beginning, however, I struggled to speak even the most basic words in English. I did okay in all other subjects except English, which I received a below average. My memory cant recall most of my Elementary years but from what my parents tell me is that I was basically a struggling student trying to make ends meet when it came to grades. Fortunately I do remember my 5th grade teacher Ms. Pamela telling me that I was doing extremely well in all of my subjects. I also recall the time she nominated me as the best-improved student in the class and that made me feel good about myself. This was also the year where I made a good amount of friend and interacted more towards my peers. The kinds of friends I had were rel iable and trustworthy, and for the most part, were one of my main sources of help besides the teacher. For the most part I was a reserved student so being able to interact and communicate with my peers The Challenges of Learning A New Language 3 improved my overall well-being. It was that moment of time that I gained the confidence I needed to try harder and succeed. But that confidence suddenly disappeared at the start of 6th grade. At that time, there was an English placement test to check for proficiency in English. My score was ELD 4 (English Language Development; Level 1, 2, 3, 4) so I was one level away from moving up to regular English. Even though my parents both went to college in the Philippines, they couldnt use what they learned and ended up in mediocre jobs. I was struggling, for the most part, in middle school and had that feeling of self-doubt. For a short period of time (8th grade in particular) I felt liberated in the sense of finding a new positive direction in terms of my self-doubts. It was during 8th grade that I was able to move up from a remedial class to an advanced English class. I was surprised when I found out that I was going to take an advanced class rather than a normal English class, and at that time counselors werent widely available so I just let it be. At first I was indifferent until I met Ms. Floe, who was in wheelchair, with one disabled arm. Her way of teaching was difficult at first, however, throughout the course, she taught with an open-mind and inspired her students. Even though I never got an A or B in the class, I learned a lot even though the level of difficulty was beyond me. It was from this moment on that I knew that advanced English classes werent for me but at least I never gave up. At least in the end I got a C. The Challenges of Learning A New Language 4 High school was the start of a new era in terms of reading and writing. For the most parts I had astounding English teachers starting my freshman year. Mrs. Monroe was my one of the few English teachers that thoroughly checked for every single mistake in terms of grammar, clarity, focus, and etc. Since her grading scale was more extraneous, I never got a high grade on my essays; however, there were a lot of comments and improvements she wrote making it easy to know what needs to be refined. Sophomore, junior, and senior years were the same teacher and her teaching style was something I wasnt fond of. Somehow I was able to survive and do well in her class even when she never graded our essays thoroughly and gave explanations of what need to be fixed. In my opinion, I never learned as much as I should even though I got mostly As and Bs in my high school career. My definition of a teacher is someone you can look up to and or someone who inspires you to learn. One of the professors that inspired me to learn and to learn about life in a whole different manner is Professor Begonia. He taught Psyche and Behavior of Pilipinos and we didnt just read a book and write about something, but we got into groups and had our teammates with our own group name and group motto. And this quote he said during one of his lectures was quite inspiring to say the least and defines what a teacher really is. The poor teacher tells. The mediocre teacher tells. The superior teacher demonstrates. But the truly outstanding teacher inspires. I never pushed my limits to try harder because something was preventing me The Challenges of Learning A New Language 5 from doing so. That reason is that I was diagnosed with bi-polar mania or manic depression in the summer of 2010. The doctor explained to me the possible causes and the one that caught my attention was that this disorder can make it hard to concentrate; i.e. reading, writing, being worried all the time, etc. It explains a lot of how and why I had such a hard time concentrating in school. I look back and I see the how this experience shaped my attitude, choices, and overall experience in my academic life. Today, more than a decade later, I still struggle with reading (not so much) and writing. Yet I am optimistic that everything will be okay and I can move on from my past. Sometimes I still have doubt that I wont do well in English but I just have to focus and try harder no matter what. To me, were like a firework waiting to ignite and it just takes time to realize our true potential and sometimes that takes time.