Technological Change and Economic Growth 1750 – 1900

We can start from sentence that Great Britain with whole confidence was the country which technology dominated on international market in the time of first and second Industrial Revolution. There is no doubt that economical growth of it definitely made it superior to other countries. Why it happened to be like this? We can mention right away few reasons for that state, namely geographical localization and communication made it not only independent from Continental problems but also derived fresh ideas and solutions.Moreover political system made government to care deeply about property rights of Britain citizens, what encouraged them even more for being innovative. In economical and social perspective dominating factors are practical skills of labour force and openness for foreign technical abilities despite of inventors social and religious status. Nevertheless it is not enough, so in further part of this essay there is enclosured explanation for that situation. We have to treat tec hnology as a phenomenon determined by many factors, not only ability of human for being creative and practical.Following this thought it is crucial to start from trying firstly to understand technology in general, elaborating topic by factors which made Great Britain economy dominating to other European countries, finishing with specified innovations which made Britain economy grow. We can say that statements like â€Å"necessity is the mother of invention† do not have really sense in this context. On the contrary we can say that â€Å"invention is the mother of necessity† given the fact that new technologies often give rise to unrecognised desires.The demand for technology is derived because it depends on demand of goods and services that technology helps to produce. Technology change is principally produced because of new ideas that are born in a way that is difficult to predetermine and completely understand. It can be that demand focuses the direction of these new ideas, but is sure that it does not determine the creativity of societies. Cannot be said that demand is not important in this context, but that there are not going to be a symmetry between supply and demand in the production of technological progress.By 1700 Europe was already richer than non European countries, one explanation of that is technological progress. Technology influences a lot the income of the states and its success. Technology and its development is a really complex thing to explain and understand. This complexity derives because of the cultural influence. For existing technology development we need a cultural predisposition and preparation that does not occur in all societies. Investing in technology is also expensive.In the period of the Industrial revolution there were a lot of things that make this kind of research difficult, such as, high costs, a groups of individuals willing to absorb large risks and wait a lot of years for the pay off, etc. Risk aversion and leisure preference are thus what determine the rate of innovation in a particular society. The total cost of adopting a new technique consists of two parts: private costs paid by investors and the social costs paid by society as a whole. Social costs usually exceeded the private costs. There is nothing natural and inevitable about technological progress.Most societies experienced that , but only the West was able to transform it in a mechanism of continuous expansion. Technologically creative societies in the past and in the present create â€Å"free lunch† benefits. At the end, it all depends on the combination of luck, brilliance and perseverance. Nevertheless in every society exists a need of stability. The sentiment more representative of this is â€Å" if it ain't broke, don't fix it†, the arch-enemy of technological progress. Technological conservatism refers to the tendency to adopt a certain technique only because it happened to be used in a previous period.On the collective level it is possible for societies to be conservative even when individuals are not. This happens when well organised interest groups in a society have a stake in maintaining the status quo in the face of superior alternative. Technological conservatism produces an economic inertia; pervasive influence of the status quo, tradition, custom, routine, and adherence to precedent were powerful obstacles to innovation and advances. Technological changes is like a game against nature. Invention occurs at the level of individual creativity.What makes them implement, improve and adapt new technologies in the way that they carry out their daily work, depends on the institutions and the attitudes around them. It is this the way that the level of technological changes is transformed from invention – a game against nature, to innovation – â€Å"positive-sum game with many players and very incomplete information†. Mokyr makes an analysis of which factors help d etermine the prosperity of the member of the society to invent and which factors make others want to adopt his or her inventions.There are many things that influence technological progress and if it is going to be realised, how, in which kind of societies, culture, and conditions. Mokyr explains that life expectancy is an important factor for technological progress. People who live short have little time or incentive to generate new knowledge. Another important thing is the nutrition. It is reasonable to expect that in societies in which hidden hunger is rampant, initiative and ambition, necessary for economic progress will be harder to find. Willingness to bear risks also affects society's ability to produce innovative individuals.In the past the risk was bigger than today, experimenting new techniques or crops might well have entailed a risk of starvation. Also geographical environment is important, few of the environmental factors are either strictly necessary or sufficient, they are permissive rather then causal in direct sense. Another factor is â€Å"path dependency† in which the views, that technological change depends primarily on, is past. Technological change tends to be local, that is, learning occurs primarily around techniques in use, and thus more advance economies will learn more about advanced techniques and stay at the cutting edge of progress (David, 1975).High wages and labour scarcity stimulated technological creativity (Habakkuk thesis, 1962). Religion can see at this kind of changes like something that goes against nature and what God creates for us. To make technological changes effective and sustainable, the authorities must relinquish their direct control over the innovative process and decentralise it. This is the opportunity for successful innovators to enrich themselves. It is difficult to determine what kind of political structure is most conducive to technological progress.Strong centralized governments may have been able t o resist the pressures exerted by technological status quo. It is equally possible that a weak government leave the decision to market forces. Another reason politics matters is that technological changes is notoriously subject to market failure, that is, the free market system left on its own is unlikely to produce a desirable level of innovation. So for making technological changes we need openness to new information and adaptation.Wilkinson proposes an original theory connecting population, the physical environment and the rate of technological change (1973). Such theory says that technological changes occur when the ecological equilibrium between population and resource is disturbed. When population growth occur â€Å"society will try to find ways of developing its technology to increase the yield from its environment† The British Industrial revolution, in his view, was the result of acute resource shortages resulting from the resurgence in population growth in the last t hird of eighteen century.This interpretation does not really have connection with reality, because technological innovation simply had nothing to do with ecological pressures and occurs in societies in which population was in fact more or less stagnant. So let take a look on the other factors which determined the situation. After 1750 the Industrial Revolution was initially concentrated primarily in Britain. In this period a deep gap between Europe and Great Britain had existed. In this part of essay we are trying to find an answer why the Industrial Revolution had appeared in Britain, comparing all process of technological changes in Britain and the rest of Europe.Technological success depended on both, the presence of positive elements and on the absence of negative ones. Among the positive factors, the generation of technological ideas and the ability to implement them seem a point natural enough from which to start. The generation of ideas was often an international effort. The British were prominent in providing techno-Britons. Yet Britain’s relative role in invention was smaller than its corresponding role in implementation. Many important inventions that can be attributed to Continental inventors found their successful implementation in Britain.There are many difference between Britain and the Continent that helped Britain to establish its head start. It needs to be divided for few parts: geographical, economical, political, social and technical aspects. Let’s start from geographical situation – location of Great Britain is perfect for sea – trade development. Also having a lot of colonies almost on over the world, favors to create a ideal conditions for big technological changes. Because of Britain’s location Britain alone among the large European economies constituted a comparatively unified market in which goods and people moved easily.Compared to the European Continent, Britain had excellent internal transportation , canals and roads provided it with a network unequalled by any Continental nation, with the possible exception of the Netherlands. As the technology of building roads and canals improved in the 18th, Britain became an integrated market system, in which size and integration is very crucial. Market integration has a more profound effect on the diffusion of new techniques. British political system is also cause of the Industrial Revolution.Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of Britain was that its government was one of, by, and for property owners. Very important issue here is effect of patent laws on inventive activity. If we compare patent law in Britain with the rest of the Continent we’ll see deep gap between them. British patent law dates from 1624, whereas France did not have a similar law until 1791, and most other European countries established patent laws only in the early 19th century. Generally, property rights allowed the inventor to capture a larger part of th e social benefits of his invention.Also crucial factor was its endowment of skilled labour at the onset of the Industrial Revolution. By the middle of the 18th century, Britain had at its disposal a large number of technicians and craftsman who could carry out the mundane but indispensable construction details of the â€Å"new contrivances†. This skills rested on an informal and antiquated system of apprenticeship and on-the-job training – they had little to do with schooling. They had got more practice skills. The best example here is clock- and watchmaking and also shipping sector.By contrast with France, Britain welcomed men of technical ability whatever their religious persuasions. Landes wrote that France had been â€Å"crippled by the exodus of some of its best practitioners fleeing a wave of anti-protestant bigotry†. Besides this two sectors also mining helped to prepare the skills and dexterity necessary for the Industrial Revolution. Pumps and transport equipment were crucial to mining, and both the steam engine and the iron rail were built first for use in the mines.By the end of the 17th century, British mining and metallurgical technology was still ‘between a hundred and hundred and fifty years behind the best practice techniques of the Continent’. By 1760, it was at the forefront of Europe in these areas, giving it a technological advantage. Furthermore, in Britain the number of engineers and mechanics was sufficiently large to allow interaction with each other – interaction among engineers, scientists and businessmen created a total that was larger than the sum of its individual components.Technological change and the creation of new information are processes that do not obey the laws of arithmetic. On the other hand, Britain did not have a significant scientific advantage that would explain technological leadership: as Kuhn notes, the traditional view that British science was predominantly experimental an d mechanical, whereas French science was largely mathematical and deductive seems to have withstood the test of time.Thanks that a lot of inventions was coming into existence in Great Britain. Which are described in the next part. There are some conditions to have a technological change, first of all an opportunity for improvement owning to the inadequacy of prevailing techniques or a need for improvement due to an autonomous factors price increase, the new technique must also pay sufficiently to cover the costs of the change.The technological change focuses on tree principal sectors: energy, cotton spinning and iron making; in this part we are just trying to report those changes which have had enormous consequences in the production system of this period. One of the most frequent symbols of the industrial revolution is the steam energy, stem energy is probably one of the most revolutionary invention ever made and allow a controlled conversion of heat in work, any way it’s im pact before 1850 on the industry productivity was limited.Before 1830 the use of steam energy could be substitute by alternative sources, especially water power, which technique improved also a lot during this years, an example of this came from the Swiss production of iron before 1830,based on water energy and caracole, the Swiss iron was more expensive but can compete with the British one by saving transport costs and because of his quality. A second industry which also were protagonist of lots of important changes in the production is the cotton spinning industry, we can connect this change to tree names, first: Richard Arkwright, the inventor of the throstle†, this technique allow a faster production ( from 6 to 24 time faster) and at the same time a high quality product. The second name is James Hargreaves, the inventor of the â€Å"spinning jenny†, this technique twisted the yarn by rotating spindles that pulled the rowings from their bobbins, with metal draw bars playing the role of human fingers. The spinning jenny is a quite small machine but made the spinning process about 100 times faster.The third inventor is Samuel Crompton who combined the â€Å"throstle† and the â€Å"jenny† technique crating the mule, a machine able to produce with the â€Å"jenny† speed a high quality product like the one of the â€Å"throstle†, with this invention Britain can definitely compete with the Indian fine quality yarn. A third sector characterizing the industrial revolution is the iron sector; this is probably due to it’s nature of general purpose material, which had no substitute at that time. The first type of iron was the â€Å"pig iron†, produced with a high carbon level that makes it rigid, hard and fragile.In 1710 were introduced the coke smelting iron, but until 1750 this new product was not widely used; the reduced costs of pig-iron allowed the use of cast iron in many more applications, especially in co nstructions. In this case the innovation is not due to the costs of the material but to his resistance to fire hazard, caused by an increase in the use of steam energy in the textile mills. In 1785 Henry Cort introduces the puddling and rolling techniques, Cort combinate the reverberatory furnaces used in glass making with groowed rollers and start using coke as fuel.Reassuming in few sentences, important is to remember how big role had played urbanisation, demographical growth and a little bit to colonialism. We cannot concentrate only to already mentioned issues, but nevertheless they are those which dominate along whole situation, according to specification in topic of technological development. All in all Britain’s domination was the effect of multiply variables which strengthen its position for few centuries.

How Does Golding Present Simon in Lord of the Flies-What Is His Role? Essay

William Goldings â€Å"Lord of the flies†, portrays a group of boys who find themselves stranded on a desert island in a deep battle between civilisation and primitive savagery. One of the boys portrayed, Simon, a boy who is kind and physically fragile expresses a deeper knowledge of the problems on the island that the other boys are unaware of. There are many differing viewpoints on his role in the novel. One of these is that he is a biblical parallel; Simon portrays a saintly figure, and shows many of the qualities demonstrated by Jesus Christ. He demonstrates a strong connection with nature throughout, and also is shown to be a character of strong goodwill and kindness. One of the reasons Simon is often thought of as a biblical parallel to Jesus Christ is because of his encounter with â€Å"The beast†, which shows a strong resemblance to Jesus’ 40 days in the desert, in which he encountered the Devil and was tempted by him to leave his mission. In â€Å"Lord of the Flies†, Simon meets the beast during an epileptic fit. His mind, or the Beast tells him â€Å"We are going to have fun on this island†¦so don’t try it on†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Simon is being told that he must not tell the others what he knows, that they must have fun and Simon must not interfere, but he must just â€Å"run off and play†. The name â€Å"Lord of the Flies† is a translation of a word thought to mean a powerful demon, or the devil himself. This shows that Simon may have represented Jesus in the novel. Simon’s death also shows resemblance to that of Jesus, which shows us that Simon may be Christ’s representation in the novel. ‘Simon was crying out something of a dead man on a hill. ‘ This imagery is displayed just before Simon is mercilessly slaughtered by the other boys, a direct link to the image of Jesus’ crucifixion on the top of a hill. After Christ was killed, it was said that ‘There was darkness over all the land†¦and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.’ These supernatural biblical descriptions recount the solar eclipse and the earthquake which took place after Jesus’ death. This relates to the death of Simon; ‘The clouds opened and let down the rain like a waterfall’, signifying his death. When Jesus was crucified, he died to save mankind. This relates to Simon confronting the figure on the mountaintop. When he died â€Å"the parachute took the figure forward†¦and bumped it out to sea†. When Simon died, the dead air pilot was finally  released from his purgatorial state on the island, and as Jesus died and salvaged mankind, Simon died and exorcised the soul who lingered between life and death, and between heaven and hell. This shows us that Simon had many strong parallels with Jesus and may have been his biblical parallel in the novel. Simon is a representation of hope and innocence on the island, and has a strong and vital connection with nature. In the novel, Simon has a special place in the forest where he can go and sit alone, at one with his surroundings. â€Å"The sunlight pelted down and the butterflies danced.† This description indicates that this place where Simon often resides is almost paradisiacal, and Simon is able to appreciate the true beauty of the island; it’s beauty is not thwarted by his presence, as it is with the other boys. Simon has a strong connection with the island and with nature itself. Simon is able to see the true beauty in the things that others cannot. The ‘creepers’, which had once hindered the boys and were previously referred to as ‘snake-like’, aid him and form ‘a large mat’. This shows his unity with nature. When Simon ventures into the forest the white ‘candle buds’ open themselves up, which and returned to peaceful place that he came from. Simon is connected with nature throughout the novel, but is only truly at one with it when he dies. The body of the dead airman being pulled out to sea could also symbolise Simons soul being finally released from the confines of life and returning to nature where it belongs. Simon’s true sense of pure goodwill is first demonstrated in his expressed concern for the more vulnerable boys. He help the littluns to get fruit, and ‘pulled off the choicest from up in the foliage, passed them back down to the endless, outstretched hands’. He also helps Piggy to get his glasses back when Jack has knocked them off, showing that he does not discriminate against Piggy because he is different but chooses to help him, even if this may cause him to suffer in the future. These may indicate that Simon, though other characters may be thought of as â€Å"good† and kind, such as Piggy or Ralph, Simon shows no flaws at all. Simon possesses a deep knowledge and understanding about the truth of the island and the beast of which the other boys know not. He also seems to posses many mystic qualities. He is the first to understand truly that the beast is not a physical or material being, but something that lives within the boys. Unlike piggy or Ralph, who are able to appreciate adult knowledge and understanding, Simon possesses  the ability to see the darker side of knowledge. For Simon, the eyes of the Pig’s head on the stick are â€Å"dim with the infinite cynicism of adult life†, meaning that adults believe nothing is ideal, therefore his realisation in itself is cynical– the beast lives within the children, making Simon distrust the human nature. He knows the truth but is unable to get it across to the other boys; â€Å"Simon became inarticulate in his effort to express mankind’s’ essential illness†. Simon understands the truth behind the beast- that the beast itself thrives within the boys, is not something living that can be hunted, but is mankind’s â€Å"essential illness†, the evil that lurks within all men, waiting to be released. The fact that Simon is â€Å"inarticulate† shows that he is unable to express the truth to the others, and even if he had, the boys would not have listened or cared. His death relates to the elements- his knowledge is elemental . Golding shows us the significance of his death by shifting the focus from the movements of Simon’s body to the movements of the sun, the moon and the stars, inciting that Simon’s knowledge was as essential as the elements themselves. However, even though he is portrayed as a weak character right from the beginning, Simon is much braver than he seems; he is the one who climbs the mountain to encounter â€Å"the beast†, at which he discovers that the beast is not material. Simon possesses a number of mystical qualities, such as his pathetic abilities. Simon prophesizes to Ralph â€Å"you’ll get back to where you came from†, almost indicating that he may not. Simon foresees his own death and predicts that Ralph will ret urn home. Another way in which Simon’s mystical qualities are shown is when he asks the other boys rhetorical questions which require much thought to answer, such as â€Å"what is the dirtiest thing there is?† All of these indicate that Simon is a mystic and possesses a much deeper and darker knowledge than the other boys. To conclude, Golding’s presentation of Simon shows us his biblical parallel with Jesus and his significant unity with nature, which lets Simon see the true beauty of the island where others cannot, indicating that it is not the island that is against them but that the boys are against the island, truly centralised around destruction and savagery. He represents Hope and bravery and has a deep and perhaps dark knowledge, which enables him to perceive the truth much more clearly than the other boys. He also has a flawless good will. This shows us that Simon’s true role in the novel was that he alone  had the power to save the boys from themselves, for he alone had the knowledge of the beast’s true nature. Simon was killed because of this, however he was killed as the beast – yet it is ironic that he said the beast was â€Å"only us†. Simon was the least beast-like, which makes one wonder whether him being less savage makes him more or less human.

Black Legend Essay Research Paper The

Black Legend Essay, Research Paper The Black Legend During the late 15th and early 16th centuries Catholic Spain was get downing a huge motion in attempts to rule Europe by suppressing lands about the New World. Lands in Mexico and countries near the Yucatan known as New Spain became the focal point of Spain s conquering. Bing the first state to administer their settlements throughout the New World, Spain was ridiculed by neighbouring states like England and France. However this type of ridiculing was mostly due to the faith of Spain at the clip. After the Protestant Reformation, Spain had remained to be a Catholic state. Therefore powers like England were able to assail Spain from all political sides. This new vision of Spain s bloody conquering in South America allowed Protestant Europeans to originate a theory on Spain s conquerings known as the Black Legend. This Black Legend was said to state that the Spanish were barbarous to the indigens in their settlements merely because they were Catholic. Based on the given articles written from the bulk of which were brought approximately from different position and sentiments, this fable in my sentiment must be true. Such people who wrote these letters or docudramas were well- sure solons, and to lie to the governor of one # 8217 ; s state was considered to be a wickedness to both the Majesty and to God. Even in the positions of those belonging to Spain and the Catholic Church, the Spaniard # 8217 ; s try to represent themselves in the New World was an unjustly and barbarous cause. The chief ground for Spain s barbarian attack to the New World was in effort to the counter-Reformation. The Spaniards wanted to pull new voices in the Catholic Church by directing missionaries and Jesuits to the New World in order to spread out the faith and hopefully convey the terminal of Protestant Reformation by barricading off all England s and Europe s effort in colonisation. Therefore, the usage of force was needed to suppress new lands and advance God and His Majesty for Spain. Since the position of the French, English, and even Spanish are used, in my best words I claim the Black Legend to be true. In the words of de Las Casas who he himself was a Catholic Spaniard said that the indigens were people who were patient, peaceable and unagitated. They neer had hatred, desire, or retribution. He considered them to be weak and delicate people who lived amongst themselves in peace and harmoniousness. How of all time, in conformity to the priest, the Spaniards and their Equus caballuss came and slaughtered the adult females, work forces, and kids in hunt of enlargement and chiefly gold. This desire for gold kept the Spaniards on the move, and until they had had all they would non rest. Even in the eyes of an Aztec who had nil but his people, the Spaniards killed and robbed the people and even at times took advantage of their adult females. This ferociousness, nevertheless, merely seemed to be in the eyes of conquistadors. For among present twenty-four hours America, the Gallic and Puritans struck singular friendly relationship among the local indigens. The Gallic with the assistance of the baronial Samuel de Champlain struck a trade trade with the Indians for beaver pelt. Even the Puritans gained trust from Squanto in Plymouth to construct a durable relationship of trust and friendly relationship. When Sir Walter Raleigh arrived in the Caribbean he described the people as frightened and bewildered due to the plundering Spanish who took advantage of their adult females and embarrassed their work forces. Even with such conquerings and ferociousness of the Spanish, commercial Catholicism was non reached harmonizing to Father Juan Rogel in a missive to Pedro I. He claimed that despite great promotions in the modernisation of the indigens, he was unable to convey them to the understanding about the faith. Since the Indians were on the move 9 of 12 months he was unable to larn the linguistic communication to the full or wholly preach to them. And when he did they would invariably do merriment of his words. He acknowledged that the lone manner acquire them to collaborate were to settle them down and build small towns. For if any adult male was to follow them for 50 old ages, his message would neer acquire across. These concrete facts, letters, and personal histories seem to indicate at the Spaniards as being barbarous due to the fact that they were Catholic and had the desire to acquire their message across and take advantage of the people and ownerships of the ancient civilisations established in the New World. The Protestants really good could hold done such things every bit good in order to barricade the counter-Reformation, alternatively they took the advice of the indigens and established a more comfortable foundation and settlement. Even though today most of South America is Catholic, they are still behind chiefly due to the Acts of the Apostless that occurred 100s of old ages ago. In bend the Black Legend did hold a big impact on the colonisation and Reformation of the New World.

International Business Practices - cultural differences Essay

International Business Practices - cultural differences - Essay Example The best method is to wait until Australian partner brings these subjects and not to be afraid to express the opinion even if it completely different. Similar to Australians, South African partners might discuss social issues as well, including race policies. The concept of political correctness is very important - it is acceptable to talk about race without imposing the personal views. Interestingly, South African business partners tend to talk about anything except for business. For example, the common interest in sports can solidify the personal side of the business relations (South Africa Business Etiquette, 2003). If the sales manager expresses the desire to see a cricket match or any other national sport, the further business communication will much improve and be beneficial for both sides. Knowledge of this business ethics can help the PM company to do business more effectively in South Africa. The culture in Britain is very unlike to Australia and South Africa. British partner will never discuss social issues or common sports interests with the stranger. British are more reserved and value personal distance in business relations (United Kingdom Business Etiquette, 2003).

Philosophy Assignment 5 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Philosophy 5 - Assignment Example t his work, the inadequacy that he points out is on the previous works on the fields of neuroscience, which bases their hypotheses on the mind using the way that the brain functions. Noe stipulates that consciousness does not happen in the brain as the modern Neuroscience stipulates but the interaction of the body with the general world (Noe, 2). The book by Noe is built based skeptism and criticism. The book then tends to disapprove the neuroscience conventional view by establishing another point of view that he suggests to be the accurate one. Noe postulates that the human body does not absorb data from the eyes and the ears in the likeness of the camera or a microphone. He further points out that the brain is just part of the network of which perception is undertaken. From the work’s premises, one would establish that the theories are based on the skeptism and criticism of the works that has been put forth in the past by other neurologists. This can be established from the fact that the work by Alpha Noe does not offer the reader any definite explanation of what a conscious mind is. Alpha Noe ascertains that the idealism that consciousness is an aspect that is dictated by the mind. On the same issue, he further stipulates that as much as this is true, the brain is just part of the system and that consciousness is a very vast system not only limited to the brain. The evidence he relies on is that no one can ascertain the fact that speech is an aspect that takes place in the mouth. This is so since the living things are all connected to the environment. Then, this can only go to show that consciousness does happen in not only the brain but also the environment that one interacts with (Noe, 12). The argument that Noe illustrates in chapter 3 might have some truth in it since there is not a single theory that can disapprove the fact that the brain is vast in terms of its purposes. The fact that people tend to be different in many ways only reflects the idea

How can we help homeless people in our community Research Paper

How can we help homeless people in our community - Research Paper Example Consequently, about fifteen percent of this population is chronically homeless (Shumsky 136). The figures for homeless children are even more disturbing. It is estimated that about fifty children become homeless annually implying that the misery is worsening. This challenge is a major concern that requires not only the government support but also the general community response if both short-term and long-term antidotes are to be found. One way in which the community can be sensitized about this is through broadcasting the film, Bad Grandpa. The film Bad Grandpa is a commentary on American morality because of its use of hidden cameras and unscripted scenes involving people in danger and public’s response to those in need. To remedy the current situation much more needs to be done than merely removing the homeless from the streets and providing them with houses. Surprisingly, government is not addressing these problems for the first time. It has been done severally not only in the United States but also in other countries. Third world nations particularly those that have huge populations in the sub-Saharan regions and Middle East as well as Asia have been challenged greatly by this issue. One of the common responses is the provision of shelter (temporary or permanent, depending). However, the problem seems to persist even with these myriad humanitarian supports. One would, therefore, wonder how come the problem of homelessness cannot be fixed once and for all to save the next generation from experiencing it (Longwell 56). Unfortunately, the weed is been dug from the top leaving the roots to proliferate and cause more harm. As a matter of fact â€Å"†¦homelessness can best be solved through an approach that targets the whole society and not just the victims† (Hombs 58). The perception of the society members has to be changed so as they may be responsive to the needs of fellow members if

Building an apps farm for university student Literature review

Building an apps farm for university student - Literature review Example How mobile apps have been applied in entrepreneurship and its benefits to the entrepreneurs. Mobile apps are software programs that one can download and use on their phones or any other devices that they have like the tablets etc. For one to use the mobile apps they need to have a smart phone, tablet, or another device that can be used to access the internet. But not all the mobile apps that are developed are able to be accessed on all the devices; every operating system has the applications that rhyme with it. Like the Android, Apple, Microsoft and Blackberry mobile operating systems have their own app stores that can be found online where the apps can be downloaded and installed (Stark, 2010). There are also retailers that can be found online that offer the apps too. There are apps that are free but others aren’t free, for the case of those that are not free, one will need to provide a credit card number before they can download an app. Some of the apps sell advertising space within the app. These ads enable the app developers to earn money through them so for them to get these advertisements they have to offer the app free so that they can reach as many users as possible. Some will make the users free to buy some features within them, most of the time the bill for these features in the in-app purchases through the app store. Though some devices are enabled for users to block the in-app purchases. There is a lot of data that apps can access, when you sign in to app stores, or download single apps, you may be asked for a permission to allow the app to get the information on the device you are using. Some apps can be used to access the phone and e-mail contacts, call logs, internet data, data about the device’s location, and the personal device’s identities. Some apps do not do a lot of functions but specifically base on a feature that they need to function to, while others are

How Insurance Fraud and Abuse Affect the Community Essay

How Insurance Fraud and Abuse Affect the Community - Essay Example Through this, the instructor will have a brief idea of the perceptions that the learners have on insurance fraud, then reframe their ideas to produce a comprehensive discussion of the fraud. Secondly, the use of questions will help the learners think. As seen in the research conducted by Schoeberlein (2009), the use of questions has been fundamental in the teaching process. In the case of insurance fraud, the instructor may ask the learners to categorize different forms of insurance and how they think the same will impact their society. The instructor may then connect the ideas of the learners with real facts that will help the learners make sense of the course contents. The questions will also help the learners synthesize, make comparisons and even make generalizations on the course contents. Since a classroom comprises of different learners as Schoeberlein (2009) indicates, and fraud involves diverse forms as Beik (2012) writes, it is the role of the instructor to design the classroom in such a manner that will attract the attention of different learners. Evidently, insurance matters are complex and sensitive especially to the overall community especially in terms of increasing the funds the taxpayer pay from an increase in the premium pay (Green, 2012). The examples of insurance fraud are also myriad as Green (2012) writes. The fraud cases range from provider fraud that involves altering medical records, member fraud that involves giving wrong information to Medicare fraud that entails billing drugs that were not used and even sale of Medicare prescription card (Green, 2012). In this context, the instructor may categorize the learners based on their abilities, and teach each of the groups according to their learning speed. For instance, the fast learners may learn on th eir own through role play, while the slow learners may learn through a step by step process with the help of their instructor.

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

Urban Education - Essay Example Teachers are central to the excellence of students. There are no poor students, there are bad teachers. A good teacher is able to see the potential of every student and help develop that potential. A good teacher considers intellectual, physical, emotional, social and spiritual dimensions of students’ human experience, enhancing students’ social interactions and belief in democracy and other ideas of the US. A good teacher is always a leader. Such a professional becomes a caring mother (or father) for his students, creating comfortable and favorable conditions for the development of each of them. He effectively communicates with parents and community and inspires colleagues to be flexible, to recognize talents and hidden resources of their students and adopt an individual approach. A teacher should be a leader able to encourage others to be creative. Such a leader can organize a thoughtful change process in his school, facing everybody’s needs and aims. A teacher who is a leader educates through all his life, influencing his students, colleagues, parents, and community. As we can see the reforms are to take place not in the sphere of urban education, but in the minds of educators themselves. Then one sees wonders of urban education when students from the poorest districts show results much better than those from prestigious schools when students become valuable citizens and realized personalities. There has always been needed in teachers–leaders, able to inspire and educate others. The fact is that that the profession has always been undervalued. Teachers are underpaid. They are not listened to even in cases when decisions directly concern their needs and work.  

Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana Essay Example for Free

Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana Essay Late Monday morning on August 29, 2005 a little more than 4 hours after Katrina slammed into New Orleans, and just hours after arriving in Baton Rouge, FEMA director and Bush the Younger’s childhood friend Michael Brown conducted a video conference briefing with the President who sat and listened quietly in Crawford Texas. Brown emphatically relayed to Bush, â€Å"This is, to put it mildly, the big one, I think. † Then Brown voiced his fear that â€Å"the government might not have the capacity to respond to a catastrophe within a catastrophe† The Superdome, he said was not equipped to be â€Å"a refuge of last resort. † The President asked no questions (A. P. 2006). Although Brown did a fairly decent job of trying to convey the potentially devastating nature of what was occurring, the real problem was that Brown had not been on the ground in Louisiana long enough to accurately understand the true impact of the storm (Brinkley 2006). By the time that he would come to realize that his lack of experience was simply no match for the enormity of this disaster, it may have been too late. The storm would ultimately leave 1,322 people dead, and 2,300 people missing in its wake (A. P. 2006). Two years later, in the autumn of 2007, FEMA and Michael Brown would be called upon again. First water and now fire had come to claim the day. What a difference a disaster would make. In the early afternoon of Tuesday October 23, 2007, at the Southwest D. C. offices of the Federal Emergency Management Administration, FEMA Deputy Administrator Admiral Harvey E. Johnson stepped up to a podium. He was there to give the national media a 1PM press briefing on the California wild fires that were currently raging throughout a large swath of land and threatening homes from Santa Barbra County to the US-Mexican border. The fires had been raging for three days. In time, they would force the largest civilian evacuation in the United States’ history, as one million residents of seven California counties were force to leave their homes. While the camera feeds fed the press conference to Fox News and MSNBC along with a few other news agencies, Johnson began fielding questions of a common variety. Someone wanted to know about the traffic of commodities coming into California. Another person asked how FEMA would deal with people who refused to evacuate. Then another person asked the Deputy Administrator â€Å"Are you happy with FEMA’s response so far? † And yet another one asked â€Å"Are there any lessons to be learned from Katrina? † â€Å"I am very happy with FEMA’s response so far, Johnson said [it’s a] very smoothly, very efficiently performing team †¦ And so I think what you’re really seeing here is the benefit of experience, the benefit of good leadership and the benefit of good partnership, none of which were present in Katrina. † (Kamen 2007) Johnson spoke like a true professional, answering all of their questions with a unique sense of cordiality. However, this was precisely because none of these people asking the questions were actually reporters at all. This was a staged event! It was not real! Due to fact that the Deputy Administrator’s office had botched the scheduling of this event, and ‘real’ pool reporters were only afforded a 15 minutes notice, none of them were able to show up. The FEMA staff decided to ‘fake a move’ (Ibid). Thus, while the cameras that were hooked up to their dedicated feeds were rolling in earnest, this was all a lie. Two day later, the gig was up! This ill-conceived stunt gained a staring role in the next few news cycles, which only served to bring back the haunting memories of the striking ineptness displayed by FEMA during the wrath of Hurricane Katrina. This immediately prompted Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff to comment, â€Å"I think it was one of the dumbest and most inappropriate things I’ve seen since I’ve been in government† (MSNBC 2007). White House Press Secretary Dana Perino was a bit more subdued in her criticism, â€Å"It is not a practice that we would employ here at the White House or that we we certainly don’t condone it† (Ibid). However, this was about as far as the analogies and the memories would be allowed to go. Twenty-four hours before Katrina made landfall, a FEMA executive in Denton Texas turned down a ‘Red High Priority’ plea for 300 Rubber Boats from the Louisiana Department of Wild Life and Fishing. The official simply scrawled â€Å"REQUEST DENIED† across the top of the document (Brinkley 2006). FEMA also turned down a U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service offer to save the lives of people who may have been stranded in Orleans, St. Bernard, and St. Tammany parishes. Furthermore, from his community in West Palm Beach Florida, Representative Mark Foley offered airplanes that were ‘on the ready’ to evacuate victims. So too, he was turned down as well. So it went with a host of reports stating that FEMA seemed strangely ambivalent to any kind of aid for Katrina victims (Ibid). Five months later, the Senate Homeland Security Committee which oversees the Department of Homeland Security of which FEMA is a part, released over 800,000 pages of memos, emails, strategy plans, and intradepartmental correspondence. These now public documents tell the shocking story of a government agency rife with ineptness. That Sunday before the storm, the U. S Department of the Interior offered substantial material aid of the sort that would naturally be needed in any disaster of this kind. They were also turned down. Senate Homeland Security Chairwoman Senator Susan Collins (R-Main) bristled at these findings, â€Å"That is incredible to me† she said (Ibid). No one seemed to understand why FEMA would turn down aid with a catastrophe of this magnitude, especially when it was being offered from a number of its own peer agencies. Even more riveting was the slew of reports that the U. S. government was refusing the massive amounts of aid offered from capitals around the world. From millions of dollars from citizens and governments in Europe, to barrels of oil from Venezuela; and 1600 disaster trained physicians from Cuba; the snubbing of this aid was mind-boggling (Ibid). What’s more, rumors continue to abound even until this day, after more than three years, of shocking scenes of official neglect that existed in New Orleans during those horror-filled hours in the immediate aftermath of Katrina. Stories of widespread police brutality and even White vigilantes ‘hunting down Blackfolk’, have become just one part of an International Tribunal on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita which has aimed the majority of its widespread enmity towards FEMA (Langley 2007). The tornadoes of despair have not ceased for the victims of Katrina, and the heartache still abounds as well. Twenty-six months later, after wildfires went wild in California, FEMA Administrator David Paulison stepped forward immediately to tell the American People, â€Å"The safety of the firefighters, individuals and families in the impacted areas is of utmost concern. † (FEMA 2007). Contrary to the widespread sense of government disregard that many felt in response to Katrina, the victims of the California Wildfires were immediately afforded a sense of assurance that FEMA was working with the highest sense of urgency on their behalf. Victims of this disaster were instantly promised that this would not be a â€Å"repeat of Katrina† (Philbin 2007). So it was, that with amazing efficiency, within hours FEMA had approved grants that allowed the state of California to recoup as much as 75% of the cost of fighting the wildfires. They had a joint field office open within 48 hours. FEMA’s regional office in California also stayed open 24/7, and coordinated its efforts with state, local, and federal agencies, including the Department of the Interior, D. O. T, the Army Corps of Engineers, Health and Human Services, and the U. S. Forest Service (EKU October 24, 2007). FEMA put its resources on full blast for the residents of Southern California, opening shelters, handing out blankets, food and water. From Katrina in August of 2005 to the California Wildfires of 2007 it was as if we were watching a Tale of Two Cities. One can only hope that FEMA keeps itself together and that tragedies coupled with that kind of governmental ineptitude never happen again. References Associated Press (March 1, 2006) (Video File) Washingtonpost. com Katrina: the warnings bush received. Retrieved from http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp- dyn/content//video/2006/03/01/V12006030101864 html Brinkley, Douglas The great deluge: Hurricane katrina, new orleans, and the mississippi gulf coast. Harper Collins 2006 334-335, 250 CNN (Tuesday October 23, 2007) Lessons from Katrina being applied to fire response. Updated 8:29 PM Retrieved from htt://www. cnn. com/2007/POLITICS/10/fire. fema/index. html EKU Fire Chief (website) (Oct 24, 2007) FEMA responds to california wildfires. Retrieved from http://firechief. com/leadership/incident- command/Fema_wildfire_10242007/ FEMA (October 24, 2007) Contingency Planning and Management Federal emergency management agency coordinating national response to California wildfires. Retrieved from http://www. contingencyplanning. com/articles/52388/ Kamen, A (October 26, 2007) Washington Post FEMA meets the press: Which happens to be†¦ fema. p. A19 Langley, D (July 22, 2007) Worker’s World Katrina-Rita tribunal to focus on u. s. crimes Retrieved from http://www. workers. org/2007/us/katrina-rita-0726/ MSNBC (Saturday October 27, 2007) Chertoff blast FEMA’s faux press conference. Calls agency’s use of fake reporters ‘one of the dumbest’ things he’s seen. Updated 7:21 PM. [Retrieved At:] http://www. msnbc. com/id21490838/ Philbin, P (October 24, 2007) (transcript) California wildfires: fema responds. Agency vows aggressive effort on wildfires. Washington Post. com. External Affairs Director, Federal Emergency Management Agency. [Retrieved At:] http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp- dyn/content/discussion/2007/10/24/DI2007102400890. html

The candy chromatography

The candy chromatography Ever wondered why candies are different colors? Many candies contain colored dyes. Bags of MMs or Skittles contain candies of various colors. Colors in candies are synthetic dyes that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Sometimes the colors are mixtures of several dyes. The labels tell us the names of the dyes used in the candies. But which dyes are used in which candies? We can answer this by dissolving the dyes out of the candies and separating them using a method called chromatography. The topic I chose to do my research paper on candy chromatography. In this experiment we will use candy chromatography to separate the different dyes in the Skittles. By doing this, this will determine which dyes make which color in the outer coating on the Skittles. Candy chromatography is used to analyze FD and C dyes used in candy and food coloring. Also candy chromatography can be used to separate (purify) specific components from a complex mixture, based on a molecular size or other chemical properties and is used to identify chemicals. Highly accurate chromatographic methods are used for process monitoring. It is in this experiment we will find the FD and C dyes using paper chromatography. Chromatography is a technique used to separate the various components in a complex mixture solution. (Olsen, 2007 p. 1) Candy chromatography works by the components in the dye stick to each other and other substances. Scientists use chromatography to analyze or examine a mixture, its components, and their relations to one another. Also to identify or determine the identity of a mixture or components based on known components. They use it to purify and separate components in order to isolate one of interest for further study. Scientists also use chromatography to quantify and determine the amount of the mixture and the components present in the sample. Some everyday uses for chromatography are at a pharmaceutical company its used to determine each chemical found in new product. At a hospital chromatography is used to determine alcohol levels in a patients blood stream. In law enforcement its used to compare a sample found at a crime scene to samples from suspects. In an environmental agency chromatography is used to determine the level of pollutants in the water supply. In a manufacturing plant chromatography is used to purify a chemical needed to make a product. Paper chromatography has two phases a stationary phase and a mobile phase. The mobile phase flows through the stationary phase and carries the components of the mixture with it. (Clark, 2007 p.1) The paper is the stationary phase, and water is the mobile phase. The principles of paper chromatography include capillary action which is the movement of liquid within the spaces of a porous material due to the forces of adhesion, cohesion, and surface tension. The liquid is able to move up the filter paper because its attraction to itself is stronger than the force of gravity. Another principle is solubility which is the degree to which a material dissolves into a solvent. Solutes dissolve into solvents that have similar properties. This allows different solutes to be separated by different combinations of solvents. The separation of components depends on both their solubility in the mobile phase and their differential affinity to the mobile phase and the stationary phase. In 1903 Mikhail Tswett discovered chromatography he produced a colorful separation of plant pigments through a column of calcium carbonate. Chromatography became developed substantially as a result of the work of Archer John Porter Martin and Richard Laurence Millington Synge during the 1940s and 1950s. They established the principles and basic techniques of partition chromatography, and their work encouraged the rapid development of several types of chromatography method: paper chromatography, gas chromatography, and what would become known as high performance liquid chromatography. Since then, the technology has advanced rapidly. Researchers found that the main principles of Tsvets chromatography could be applied in many different ways, resulting in the different varieties of chromatography described below. Simultaneously, advances continually improved the technical performance of chromatography, allowing the separation of increasingly similar molecules. Scientists discovered that a strip of porous (full of small holes) filter paper could substitute for the column of absorbing powder. (Chromatography, p. 2) A drop of the mixture that was going to be separated was placed on the paper, and then one edge of the paper is dipped into the solvent. The solvent then spreads across the paper when this happens the mixtures components are carried with it. In paper chromatography the distance traveled by the component is the retention factor of the sample. The Rf value is the ratio between how far the component travels and the distance the solvent travels from a common starting point (the origin). After the components have finished spreading across the paper, the paper needs to be dried and sprayed with reagent that changes the color of the component. Some of the pigments dissolve quicker than others, which causes them to move up the paper through capillary action into different areas. This separation allows the different pigments to be identified while on the paper through color identification. Because molecules in ink and other mixtures have different characteristics (such as size and solubility), they travel at different speeds when pulled along a piece of paper by a solvent (in this case, water). For example, black ink contains several colors. When the water flows through a word written in black, the molecules of each one of the colors behave differently, resulting in a sort of rainbow effect. Many common inks are water soluble and spread apart into the component dyes using water as a solvent. Components move at different speeds, so they will show up separated spots. These will need to be cut out and analyzed further. Candy chromatography is what we will use in our experiment to determine what really makes those colors in Skittles.

Lord of the Flies :: essays papers

Lord of the Flies Artificial Restraints in Lord of the Flies "GOLDING PUTS SO MANY ARTIFICIAL RESTRAINTS ON HIS STORY IN ORDER TO EMPHASISE HIS POINT, THAT THE WHOLE THING COMES OUT TOO NEATLY AND, IN FACT, REDUCES THE POWER OF HIS MESSAGE." I think that, while the boys experience immense bad luck due to the author, the story still proves its point. It is still possible though, that the bad luck of the boys could have been experienced in real life. I think that without this bad luck, the point of the story wouldn’t be as great, because without the restraint’s Golding placed on the boys, life on the island would have been too easy for the boys. The major constraint that Golding puts on the boys is the personality clash between Jack and Ralph. From the beginning, when Ralph is elected leader, Jack hates Ralph, and towards the end of the book, the feeling becomes mutual. Without Jack and Ralph’s problems, life would have been easy, and the ‘darkness of man’s heart’ would not have been conveyed to the reader. Jack shows ‘the darkness’ and if he and Ralph had just been friends, there would never have been an opportunity for Jack to show this darkness which lurked beneath the surface. Golding also uses the dead pilot conveniently against the boys - the way in which he is caught in the trees just in the right position to be caught by the wind and look like the beast and the way the wind picks up after Simon has let him down from the trees and carries him out to sea, so that the other boys cannot see that it wasn’t a beast. The author uses the boy’s fear against them, and although this could possibly happen in the situation, Golding uses it as a weapon against them, their morale and their companionship. I think that the boys split up and go to Jack because of the fear - he can kill the beast, he can get them meat, and if they ever get upset, he can start a dance and all will be fine.

Death in Venice Essay: Love for Tadzio or Venice? -- Death in Venice E

Aschenbach: In love with Tadzio, or Venice? Thomas Mann's Death in Venice presents an artist with a fascination for beauty that overpowers all of his senses. Aschenbach's attraction to Tadzio can be viewed as a symbol for his love for the city of Venice. The city, however, is also filled with corruption, and it is this corruptive element that kills him. Aschenbach first exhibits his love for Venice when he feels that he must go to "one of the gay world's playgrounds in the lovely south"(6). The south, to him, means something new and exciting. He has lived a structured life in Germany, filled with order and precision. He feels the need to move, to experience new and different aspects of life; since for Aschenbach, "there is no doubt that the south will bring him the fulfillment of his wish for self-release"(Jonas 35). Upon his arrival, Aschenbach immediately "drinks in the fabulous beauty" of the city. He notices a distinct difference between this foreign land and his homeland, for Venice is filled with antiquity and classical beauty. Aschenbach's love for the city is already app... ...captivated by it. He is so enthralled, that he does not realize the problems with the Italian city. Whether Mann is actually attacking Venice or Italy for the corruption of its beauty is a possibility, but not very important here. What is most important is to realize that Mann is discussing an infatuation with beauty in general, not an infatuation with a boy. Aschenbach does not die because of Tadzio, he dies because of what the boy represents. The novella is titled so for a reason; it is a Death in Venice, or rather a "Death Because of Venice".

Requiring School Uniform :: miscellaneous

Requiring School Uniform If the school considering requiring all students to wear uniform during school, this is not a good idea that all students think. It is because nowadays, teenager want to have their own style and wear whatever they want. They don't want anyone to force them wear the uniform. And they want to give any others students or friends saw their best look, best look can take give other students or friends' attention, they can attract other students by the look or style they wear. So most students will think wear their clothes are better than the school uniform. First, some of the students think wear their clothes are the habit they they do that everyday. So they won't like to wear the uniform. And most the girls like to wear some clothes that can attract other boys to look at them and their friends will said they are so cool. Then the boys will date them and the girls will feel so happy and have another boyfriend. And in the other way, some of the boys always want to wear their clothes and look so cool to attract other girls, so they can have the other girlfriends. That is one reason they students like to wear their clothes and not uniform. Second, some of the uniform in other school was so ugly or outdate. It is because the school teacher or principal don't know what the students like or what style do the students want to wear. Every students have their own style and their won't have the same idea as the other students. So the school cannot make a uniform to content all the students. And the other things is the students will think wear the school uniform was so dumb and stupid, and they think that the people in outside will laugh at them or make fun on them. Third, the students want to be free, they want to have all the freedom. United state is a freedom country, they think they can wear the clothes in their way. It is because uniform maybe is some pressure for the students, they don't want school to force them to wear it. Uniform give the students a uncomfortable feeling, they will feel not comfortable to wear it, and now all teenager like to buy many clothes and wear different everyday. Maybe some students don't want people to know what school they are and if they wear uniform, the other people will know what school they are.

Ghandi Essay

Andreas Mazarakis –Chapel Hill Academy–English 10 Daphne Smith 5/15/13 â€Å"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.† This is one of Mahatma Gandhi’s most famous quotes and I think it embodies all he believed in and his mission that he spent his adult life trying to fulfill. Gandhi stood for the freedom that his people desperately needed. Mahatma Gandhi worked tirelessly to end discrimination in South Africa, and to separate India from the grasps of Great Britain. Gandhi was an idol to many people and led a great following down a path of love and respect. He treated people with kindness in the hopes that others would do what was right. I think that Mahatma Gandhi was a very wise person. â€Å"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind† is a quote that empowers thoughts of non-violence and toleration. A world without men and women like Gandhi would be a world that had violence and wars to solve every problem. There are ways to put a solution to work that Gandhi used with all of his conflicts. â€Å"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.† I think that in today’s world this quote relates very closely to the ever present threat of nuclear warfare. The world has enough nuclear weapons to demolish the entire planet 6 times over. Gandhi’s quote suggests that if you take an eye for every eye you’ve lost, the entire world will be left, eyeless. If North Korea, was to nuke America, and America retaliated to iran and so on. The world would destroy itself. Gandhi was wise before his time and the world needs to rest in an era of peace. That starts with each Individual helping to make the world a better place.

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 1

8 months later†¦ Ella I despise mirrors. Not because I hate my reflection or that I suffer from Eisoptrophobia. Mirrors see straight through my facade. They know who I used to be; a loud spoken, reckless girl, who showed what she felt to the world. There were no secrets with me. But now secrets define me. If a reflection revealed what was on the outside, I'd be okay. My long auburn hair goes well with my pale complexion. My legs are extensively long and with heels, I'm taller than most of the guys I know. But I'm comfortable with it. It's what's buried deep inside that frightens me because it's broken, like a shattered mirror. I tape one of my old sketches over the mirror on the dorm wall. It's almost completely concealed by drawings and obscures all of my reflection except for my green eyes, which are frosted with infinite pain and secrets. I pull my hair into a messy bun and place my charcoaled pencils into a box on my bed, packing them with my other art supplies. Lila skips into the room with a cheery smile on her face and a drink in her hand. â€Å"Oh my God! Oh my God! I'm so glad it's over.† I pick up a roll of packing tape off the dresser. â€Å"Oh my God! Oh my god!† I joke. â€Å"What are you drinking?† She tips the cup at me and winks. â€Å"Juice, silly. I'm just really excited to be getting a break. Even if it does mean I have to go home.† She tucks strands of her hair behind her ear and tosses a makeup bag into her purse. â€Å"Have you seen my perfume?† I point at the boxes on her bed. â€Å"I think you packed them in one of those. Not sure which one, though, since you didn't label them.† She pulls a face at me. â€Å"Not all of us can be neat freaks. Honestly, Ella, sometimes I think you have OCD.† I write â€Å"Art Supplies† neatly on the box and click the cap back on the sharpie. â€Å"I think you might be on to me,† I joke. â€Å"Dang it.† She smells herself. â€Å"I really need it. All this heat is making me sweat.† She rips some photos off her dresser mirror and throws them into an open box. â€Å"I swear it's like a hundred and ten outside.† â€Å"I think it's actually hotter than that.† I set my school work in the trash, all marked with A's. Back in High School, I used to be a C student. I hadn't really planned on going to college, but life changes – people change. Lila narrows her blue eyes at my mirror. â€Å"You do know that we're not going to have the same dorm when we come back in the fall, so unless you take all your artwork off, it's just going to be thrown out by the next person.† They're just a bunch of doodles; sketches of haunting eyes, black roses entwined by a bed of thorns, my name woven in an intricate pattern. None of them matter except one: a sketch of an old friend, playing his guitar. I peel that one off, careful not to tear the corners. â€Å"I'll leave them for the next person,† I say and add a smile. â€Å"They'll have a predecorated room.† â€Å"I'm sure the next person will actually want to look in the mirror.† She folds up a pink shirt. â€Å"Although, I don't know why you want to cover up the mirror. You're not ugly, El.† â€Å"It's not about that.† I stare at the drawing that captures the intensity in Micha's eyes. Lila snatches the drawing from my hands, crinkling the edges a little. â€Å"One day you're going to have to tell me who this gorgeous guy is.† â€Å"He's just some guy I used to know.† I steal the drawing back. â€Å"But we don't talk anymore.† â€Å"What's his name?† She stacks a box next to the door. I place the drawing into the box and seal it with a strip of tape. â€Å"Why?† She shrugs. â€Å"Just wondering.† â€Å"His name is Micha.† It's the first time I've said his name aloud, since I left home. It hurts, like a rock lodged in my throat. â€Å"Micha Scott.† She glances over my shoulder as she piles the rest of her clothes into a box. â€Å"There's a lot of passion in that drawing. I just don't see him as being some guy. Is he like an old boyfriend or something?† I drop my duffel bag, packed with my clothes, next to the door. â€Å"No, we never dated.† She eyes me over with doubt. â€Å"But you came close to dating? Right?† â€Å"No. I told you we were just friends.† But only because I wouldn't let us be anything more. Micha saw too much of me and it scared me too much to let him in all the way. She twists her strawberry blonde hair into a ponytail and fans her face. â€Å"Micha is an interesting name. I think a name really says a lot about a person.† She taps her manicured finger on her chin, thoughtfully. â€Å"I bet he's hot.† â€Å"You make that bet on every guy,† I tease, piling my makeup into a bag. She grins, but there's sadness in her eyes. â€Å"Yeah, you're probably right.† She sighs. â€Å"Will I at least get to see this mysterious Micha – who you've refused to speak about our whole eight months of sharing a dorm together – when I drop you off at your house?† â€Å"I hope not,† I mutter and her face sinks. â€Å"I'm sorry, but Micha and I†¦ we didn't leave on a good note and I haven't talked to him since I left for school in August.† Micha doesn't even know where I am. She heaves an overly stuffed pink duffle bag over her shoulder. â€Å"That sounds like a perfect story for our twelve hour road trip back home.† â€Å"Back home†¦ † My eyes widen at the empty room that's been my home for the last eight months. I'm not ready to go back home and face everyone I bailed on. Especially Micha. He can see through me better than a mirror. â€Å"Are you okay?† Lila asks with concern. My lips bend upward into a stiff smile as I stuff my panicked feeling in a box hidden deep inside my heart. â€Å"I'm great. Let's go.† We head out the door, with the last of our boxes in our hands. I pat my empty pockets, realizing I forgot my phone. â€Å"Hold on. I think I forgot my phone.† Setting my box on the ground, I run back to the room and glance around at the garbage bag, a few empty plastic cups on the bed, and the mirror. â€Å"Where is it?† I check under the bed and in the closet. The soft tune of Pink's â€Å"Funhouse† sings underneath the trash bag – my unknown ID ringtone. I pick up the bag and there is my phone with the screen lit up. I scoop it up and my heart stops. It's not an unknown number, just one that was never programmed into my phone when I switched carriers. â€Å"Micha.† My hands tremble, unable to answer, yet powerless to silence it. â€Å"Aren't you going to answer that?† Lila enters the room, her face twisted in confusion. â€Å"What's up? You look like you just saw a ghost or something.† The phone stops ringing and I tuck it into the back pocket of my shorts. â€Å"We should get going. We have a long trip ahead of us.† Lila salutes me. â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† She links arms with me and we head out to the parking lot. When we reach the car, my phone beeps. Voicemail. Micha â€Å"Why is Ella Daniels such a common name,† Ethan grunts from the computer chair. His legs are kicked up on the desk as he lazily scrolls the internet. â€Å"The list is freaking endless, man. I can't even see straight anymore.† He rubs his eyes. â€Å"Can I take a break?† Shaking my head, I pace my room with the phone to my ear, kicking the clothes and other shit on my floor out of the way. I'm on hold with the main office at Indiana University, waiting for answers that probably aren't there. But I have to try – I've been trying ever since the day Ella vanished from my life. The day I promised myself that I'd find her no matter what. â€Å"Are you sure her dad doesn't know where she is?† Ethan flops his head back against the headrest of the office chair. â€Å"I swear that old man knows more than he's letting on.† â€Å"If he does, he's not telling me,† I say. â€Å"Or his trashed mind has misplaced the information.† Ethan swivels the chair around. â€Å"Have you ever considered that maybe she doesn't want to be found?† â€Å"Every single day,† I mutter. â€Å"Which makes me even more determined to find her.† Ethan refocuses his attention to the computer and continues his search through the endless amount of Ella Daniels in the country. But I'm not even sure if she's still in the country. The secretary returns to the phone and gives me the answer I was expecting. This isn't the Ella Daniels I'm looking for. I hang up and throw my phone onto the bed. â€Å"God Dammit!† Ethan glances over his shoulder. â€Å"No luck?† I sink down on my bed and let my head fall into my hands. â€Å"It was another dead end.† â€Å"Look, I know you miss her and everything,† he says, typing on the keyboard. â€Å"But you need to get your crap together. All this whining is giving me a headache.† He's right. I shake my pity party off, slip on a black hoodie, and a pair of black boots. â€Å"I've got to go down to the shop to pick up a part. You staying or going?† He drops his feet to the floor and gratefully shoves away from the desk. â€Å"Yeah, but can we stop by my house. I need to pick up my drums for tonight's practice. Are you going to that or are you still on strike?† Pulling my hood over my head, I head for the door. â€Å"Nah, I got some stuff to do tonight.† â€Å"That's bull.† He reaches to shut off the computer screen. â€Å"Everyone knows the only reason you don't play anymore is because of Ella. But you need to quit being a pussy and get over her.† â€Å"I think I'm going to†¦ † I smack his hand away from the off button and squint at a picture of a girl on the screen. She has the same dark green eyes and long auburn hair as Ella. But she has on a dress and there isn't any heavy black liner around her eyes. She also looks fake, like she's pretending to be happy. The Ella I knew never pretended. But it has to be her. â€Å"Dude, what are you doing?† Ethan complains as I snatch my phone off my bed. â€Å"I thought we were giving up for the day.† I tap the screen and call information. â€Å"Yeah, can I get a number for Ella Daniels in Las Vegas, Nevada.† I wait, worried she's not going to be listed. â€Å"She's been down in Vegas.† Ethan peers at the photo on the screen of Ella standing next to a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes in front of the UNLV campus. â€Å"She looks weird, but kinda hot. So is the girl she's with.† â€Å"Yeah, but she's not your type.† â€Å"Everyone's my type. Besides, she could be a stripper and that's definitely my type.† The operator comes back on and she gives me a few numbers listed, one of the numbers belongs to a girl living on the campus. I dial that number and walk out into the hall to get some privacy. It rings and rings and rings and then Ella's voice comes on the voicemail. She still sounds the same, only a little unemotional, like she's pretending to be happy, but can't quite get there. When it beeps, I take a deep breath and pour my heart out to the voicemail.

Graduate Studies

. Graduate Study Challenges and Strategies for Personal Success Christine Z. Liwag University of Phoenix Pursuing a higher education in any field of study can be very challenging to any person. It requires a lot of hard work, time management, support issues and organizational skills. It also takes a lot of courage and determination in order for a person to be successful on obtaining a master’s degree or even a doctorate degree. Being able to manage time and stress level together with work and family management are essential in successfully completing graduate school.A master’s degree student should have a full dedication and be able to balance the demand of work schedule and school schedule. Students who are married with kids should have a strong support system from the spouse and the children in order for the stress level of going to school and balancing family time and work be lessened. One of the many reasons on why I am pursuing a higher education in nursing is to b e able to expand my knowledge in my profession and gain more learning experiences so that I can do more for my future patients.Another reason is to be able to make a difference in the nursing industry. My short-term goal is to be able to pass every class that I will take for my Master’s degree and to have a full time job as an RN so that I can start having experience in the hospital. My long term goal is to become a professional and be good on what I do so that I can share my knowledge to patients, nurses and other member of the healthcare field. Another long term goal of mine is to become a nurse anesthetist and to work in a higher position.Some of the challenges that students like me often experiences are high stress level from work, family and school, lack of time management and the process of taking the classes online. The high demand of work schedule and the time that a student spends at work gives a student less time to complete the tasks that the graduate school requir es. According to Wild, J. , (2008, pg 454), â€Å"Time is an important resource which has to be managed effectively whether it is at home, at work or study. Time, unlike other resources cannot be increased or replaced.Poor time management can lead to increased costs and mistakes and is a major cause of stress†. The amount of stress level that I am receiving from my job at UCLA is a little bit high compared to the amount of stress that I get from graduate school. Another challenge for me is the process of taking all my classes online. In order for me to overcome these challenges, I need to be able to manage my time accordingly to reduce stress, organize my tasks starting from work to school and at home and become more confident and comfortable in taking online classes.My strategies for time management are to create a work schedule and school schedule. I plan to create a calendar in which I can write down the tasks for every hour of my work and school. Becoming comfortable taki ng online classes is also one of my goals. My strategy is to explore the website and know the functions of every tab, links, and to figure out how the classes are going to be held. For this one, I attended a new student orientation and it helped me explored the things that I will need to do once the classes starts. According to Ramos, J. (2011, pg 283), â€Å"The traditional on-campus graduate learning classrooms have historically consisted of daily face-to-face interactions with instructors and peers, class lectures and discussion groups. Learning, in the on-campus tradition, takes place at the physical site of an institution. Furthermore, face-to-face interaction with peers, faculty, and school administrators is part of the traditional on-campus graduate school experience†. To achieve my short term goal, I will make sure that I always keep up with my academic workload and make sure that I completed every task and learn all of them in order for me to pass every class.I am al so applying to different RN jobs right now so that I can get the experience I need as a registered nurse. The steps that I needed to complete to achieve my long term goal is to first graduate from master’s degree and earn more experiences working in the critical units of a hospital. Effective communication with other students and with the professors is one of the key to a successful completion of graduate studies especially when doing it online. Maintaining personal communication to groups and always updating each other will lead to an effective team work and good academic standing.According to Burt, C. , Westrate A. , Brown, C. , Champion, F. , (2010, pg. 649), â€Å"Engaging in  time management, particularly planning behaviors, can also contribute positively to group performance†. However, there are also some weakness and strengths in finding an effective communication. Some of those weaknesses are the time difference of every student in one online class. Another i s the lack of time to log in to the student website to check messages and the time spend to respond on emails.To improve communication and to reduce the conflict when communicating, students should log in to the website regularly and check messages and emails in a timely manner. Overall, personal success in finishing graduate school is easy to obtain as long as the person is dedicated and passionate enough to make it work no matter how busy the person is. With enough time management and organizational skills, it will become easier and doable as students gets close to graduation. References Burt, C. , Westrate, A. , Brown, C. , & Champion, F. (2010). Development of the time management environment (TiME) scale.Journal of Managerial Psychology,25(6), 649-668. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from the EBSCOhost database. Ramos, J. (2011). A Comparison of Perceived Stress Levels and Coping Styles of Non-traditional Graduate Students in Distance Learning versus On-campus Programs. Contemporar y Educational Technology,  2(4), 282-293. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from the EBSCOhost database. Wild, J. (2008). Tips for learning: effective time management. British Journal of Healthcare Assistants,  2(9), 454-455. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from the EBSCOhost database.

Megan Fox

Writing is one of the greatest forms of creativity, allowing you to express your opinion and voice on anything you feel or any knowledge you want to share. It is also a vital learning skill to have in the workforce, as your writing skills can be reflected upon the way you communicate and present yourself. Everyone's different writing style shows their personality, allowing you to have an understanding of what the person is really like through their own words on paper. For me, I've always considered writing to be one of my favorite subjects throughout my years of school. My interest sparked at a young age when I started reading books at school, and decided to take it upon myself to write my own stories. I'd spend hours at home creating different short stories and hoped that someday I'd get them published, which of course didn't happen, but it made me realize that writing was something I really appreciate. I loved the freedom of it and being able to write down exactly what was on my mind, so that I'd never forget a certain thought, idea, or story in my head that I wanted to remember. Later on, I discovered I also enjoy writing when it is based on a certain topic, such as research papers on a particular historic figure, or research findings and my thoughts on an issue or topic. I like becoming more knowledgeable on a subject as it can provide you with information on things you never knew about, but find very fascinating. A few times in high school, for example, I remember having to do a couple of 8-10 page research papers that I absolutely dreaded, but when I was done I felt a sense of accomplishment and was happy to have learned something new. As of now, I look forward to improving my writing skills through further studying and practice. I believe writing is a crucial method of communication that you will need to be successful in whatever career you choose. Often, the methods of communication used include email, letters, and reports, all of which require adequate writing skills that you will need to make yourself look professional for your chosen career. I believe writing also improves your speech by being able to articulate your opinions clearly and concisely, as well as widening your vocabularly by coming up with new ways to say what you want to say. My main goal in becoming a better writer is to be able to come up with creative ideas and develop insight on things that I never knew. I want to be able to broaden my mind further and bring this new information with me throughout my life.

Application Controls, Monitoring, and Honeypots Essay

Application Controls, Monitoring, and Honeypots - Essay Example In addition to maintaining the rules, someone must respond to the alerts. Sometimes signatures may also match valid activity, meaning that responding to alerts first requires determining whether the alert is the result of an intrusion or unexpected, but valid, system activity. All of these require highly trained personnel to carry out (Skoudis, 2002). The implication here is, and as our company's ICT director confirmed, that current intrusion detection systems are somewhat limited in capacity. This does not mean that current intrusion systems are not effective but only they are not as effective as required. Within the context of the stated, it is commonly held that anomaly detection will ultimately prove more valuable and robust because it has the potential to identify previously unknown intrusions or attacks. It is, thus, that the corporation is currently investigating the implementation of honeypots. Honeypots are new security technologies that, while not a replacement for traditional intrusion detection systems, address some of the weaknesses of intrusion detection systems (Spitzner, 2003). As their only purpose is to be attacked, all traffic to the honeypot can be considered an intrusion or an anomaly of some sort. For this reason there is no need to separate normal traffic from anomalous; this makes any data collected from a honeypot of high value. Added to that, since honeypots have no production value, no resource or person should be communicating with them, and therefore any activity arriving at a honeypot is likely to be a probe, scan, or attack. Their value comes from their potential ability to capture scans, probes, attacks, and other malicious activity (Spitzner, 2003). There are three types of honeypots: low interaction, medium interaction, and high interaction. In order to collect information a honeypot must interact with the attacker, and the level of interaction refers to the degree of interaction the honeypot has with a potential attacker (Spitzner, 2003). A low interaction honeypot provides minimal service, like an open port. A medium interaction honeypot simulates basic interactions like asking for a login and password, but providing no actual service to log into. High interaction honeypots offer a fully functioning service or operating system, which can potentially be compromised (Spitzner, 2003). Honeypots have also been shown to be effective against Internet worms. Laurent Oudot (2006) demonstrated how MSBlast could be detected and captured using Honeyd and some simple scripts. He also showed how worm propagation can be slowed using Honeyd to attract the worms attention and then respond very slowly to its requests. Using scripts, Oudot demonstrated how a honeypot could even launch a counter attack against a worm outbreak, either by isolating services or network segments, or by abusing the same vulnerability the worm used and then trying to kill the worm process. Honeypots do face several important challenges: 1) honeypots are totally unaware of attacks not directed at them, 2) they must avoid being fingerprinted because if an attacker can easily identify honeypots their usefulness will be severely limited, and 3) like so many security technologies, they require configuring and maintaining by a knowledgeable person (Spitzner, 2003). Honeypots, because of their very nature, excel at detection. What makes them most attractive in the area of detection is the fact that they

The Market Failure Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

The Market Failure - Term Paper Example A healthy market is one which acquires a balance between supply and demand. When an imbalance occurs between supply and demand, the market may consider as going through the failure phase. The market is not an absolute entity. It undergoes relative changes every time because of its association with so many internal and external parameters. In other words, the market fluctuates all the time when any problems may arise to the associated entities of the market. The market often fails when the individual interests try to dominate over the general interests of the market. For example, China is accused of implementing unhealthy strategies in the market. China is concentrating on mass productions of goods. They were able to sell their goods for cheaper prices because of the mass production. The cheaper prices will definitely attract the consumers and they will purchase more and more goods of Chinese origin. Even though the profit obtained from selling a single unit may less, China was able to overcome such problems by selling huge volumes of goods. Moreover, the huge volume of production may mobilize the economic resources of China and also the unemployed youths in China may get more employment because of the healthy movement of Chinese products in the world market. On the other hand, the consumers who purchased cheaper goods of Chinese origin may realize later that the goods they purchased were not adequate quality. When they face troubles with the products they purchased, they would try to look suspiciously at other genuine products also produced by other manufacturers. The reluctance of the consumers to enter actively in the market may cause problems not only for China but for other countries as well. In short, the market may fail in such cases because of the inefficient production and distribution of goods by even a single entity.

Homeland Security of the USA Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Homeland Security of the USA - Term Paper Example One of the initial challenges that faced the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the days immediately following 9/11 was to identify the nature of the terrorist threat. Suddenly, everything became a target and scores of known terrorist groups became potential enemies threatening imminent attack. Nuclear generating plants, chemical industries, water systems, the electrical grid, the food supply, and the information network all have value as a potential terrorist target. In general, terrorists will target "high-value symbolic targets" such as the world trade center, "high-value human targets with the goal of assassination", and "deliberately lethal attacks specifically targeting the public" (Hoffman, 2006, p.167). Delivery may come from airplanes, vehicular bombs, planted explosives with a remote control detonator, or individuals carrying a bomb in a vest or backpack designed for manual detonation (Hoffman, 2006, p.166). The device may be a weapon of mass destruction, nuclear, bio logical, or chemical. This illustrates the comprehensive concerns that security had to focus on and attempt to reduce to a workable security policy. Over time, security agencies have been able to make certain facilities more secure, such as airports, but have also been met with some resistance in other industrial settings. One of the important trends that has characterized the face of foreign terrorism in the past 20 years has been the increasing role that private groups, rather than governments, have played (Pillar, 2001, p.ix). Many of the terrorist groups that have their origin in the Middle East are privately funded and have no direct governmental involvement, instead drawing their recruitment and support from the religious aspect of their cause. This motivational factor has become more pronounced in the post Cold War era, as ideology became less important and the preponderance of terrorist acts began to have a more significant

Hospitality Industry and Environment Forces Essay

Hospitality Industry and Environment Forces - Essay Example In addition, diplomatic relations among governments have diverse effects on the hospitality industry. A government may choose, when it ascertains it is appropriate, to advise its citizens against visiting certain countries depending on how the prevailing diplomatic relations between the two nations. Economic factors influence the hospitality industry. A booming economy leaves a people with spare cash to spend on holidays. A weak economy presents, however, little cash flow to governments and relevant agencies that may lack the resources to invest in the hospitality industry. In addition, technology influences the hospitality industry. Tourists can enjoy their tours in many ways due to the advances in technology. Tourists can now film their adventurous trips and share their experiences with friends and family through social sites. Hotels can also provide booking services to their travelling clients online through their websites (Mok, Beverley and Jay 139). Surveillance and security provided in the hospitality industry have improved because of technology. There are fewer incidences of terrorist attacks targeting the hospitality industry because of technology applied in gathering and sharing intelligence by relevant agencies. Socio-cultural factors influence the hospitality industry. The manner in which local people interact with tourists determines their satisfaction levels. In addition, hospitable societies receive the highest number of tourists. Societies with unique cultural practices also attract many

Case response Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Response - Case Study Example Chen’s contract is also running and offers him autonomy over operations in China and while he is willing to corporate with Denver on the required changes, he demands that change in his responsibility will need to be defined and Mia Foster has to decide on an action (Bartlett 1- 13). Foster has many options to consider but she should redefine Chen’s roles through a new contract and through mutual agreement with Chen. This is because of such factors as Chen’s willingness to work with the company, Chen’s commitment to success of the company, implications of Chen’s contract, demonstrated ability of Chen to ensure success of the business in China, and management competency of Chen to sustain the current stage of the company’s growth in China. Chen states that he is willing to continue working with the company, even after expiry of his current contract and this means a dedicated employee who should be retained, especially for his recognized output and to reduce possible costs of recruiting and training a new personnel, which may be a recurrent activity should a suitable replacement be hard to find. The fact that Chen has successfully spearheaded Levendary cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s expansion initiative also shows his commitment to the company’s goals and makes him an ideal asset. Denver’s office may not be comfortable with his initiatives but he implements these for the best interest of the organization and victimizing him for this would be unfair. With the realized success in China, noting that the company is almost breaking even in the region, Chen is likely to promote sustainability of Levendary in the region or in any other region and he should therefore not be forced out of the company. Chen’s contract als o grants him autonomy and this means that restricting his authority is a breach of contract. This entitles him to resign and take legal actions against the company and while apparent implications could

Abstinence Only vs. Comprehensive Education in Teen Pregnancy Essay

Abstinence Only vs. Comprehensive Education in Teen Pregnancy - Essay Example According to studies that were aimed at providing scientific evidence for evaluation and decision making with regard to preventing teenage pregnancy for the whole nation; it was concluded by specialists that the sex education in teen pregnancy approach is efficient and effective in curbing teenage pregnancy as compared to abstinence only. The relationship between sex education, teen pregnancy and birth rates need to be taught to the teens if the situation is to be salvaged (Stanger-Hall and Hall, 2011). Consequently, other critical influences like socio-economic status, education, cultural activities, and access to contraceptives through Medicaid waivers should be critically analyzed. However, this is not taken into consideration across the nation; the emphasis are on abstinence laws rather than sex education. The teen pregnancy, abortion and birth data significantly shows that higher levels of abstinence education strongly culminates into higher levels of abstinence character hence resulting into decreased pregnancies among teenagers (Stanger-Hall and Hall, 2011). In the same line of argument, other factors as earlier mentioned impact severely on teenage pregnancy. For instance educational attainment, Ethnic composition, and socio-economic status have a hand in either alleviating or aggravating the situation. Medicaid waivers for family planning have been found to significantly reduce unplanned pregnancies especially among low income women and among teenagers (Stanger-Hall and Hall, 2011). Through comprehensive research and analysis it has been established that although elaborate sex education in the US has resulted in lower teen pregnancy rates, these rates are still high as compared to teen pregnancy levels in Europe. This is mainly associated with poor laws and policies that do not advocate for sex and STD education to

Groups in Organisations Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Groups in Organisations - Coursework Example communication skills, planning and management skills etc. Bruce W Tuckman has suggested a model of group development based on four stages. Here, I shall evaluate the process of group development at Sok-Fitness Center where I am a member of the marketing team. Sok-Fitness makes partners in the workforce, so I have a female colleague Sarah with whom I work. She makes the schedules, and I go and discuss the matters with the clients. The first stage of group development is of formation. This is basically the stage of understanding the need to form a group and integrating into it. People form groups in order to have a better understanding of who performs what in the course of achievement of the organizational objective. â€Å"†¦individuals are also gathering information and impressions - about each other, and about the scope of the task and how to approach it† (Chimaera Consulting Limited, 2001). Formation of a group unites people on one platform and they are able to avoid con flicts. Our group was formed by our manager, and the two of us were assigned our respective duties by him, so there were no misunderstandings. The second stage of group development is storming. This is the stage when people feel the need to conflict over issues of mutual interest or concern. Some people enter minor confrontations while others enter into severe kinds of conflicts. The level to which the conflicts storm up varies from one organization to another depending upon the culture and policies of an organization, yet it is never entirely inevitable. People look for rules to guide them on different matters. Sarah was a new employee and needed a bit of training before making the schedules. So in the start, she and I had had some misunderstandings. She referred me to various clients haphazardly. This was causing trouble. We consulted the manager. He told us that I can schedule for myself unless Sarah is sufficiently trained. The company organized one week’s training sessio n for Sarah after which she got skilled in making schedules. The third stage of group development is norming. This is the stage when the rules of engagement are developed. These rules help the people have a better understanding of their respective roles and responsibilities in the group. Once that is achieved, people perceive one another better and can appreciate one another’s skills and differences. However, after this stage, employees may become resistant to change because of their fear that the change might distort the group. We saw this stage after Sarah was trained. We did not have troubles thereafter. The manager asked us if we would like to exchange our roles, but neither of us opted for it. Performing is the fourth stage of group development and is rare to occur. This is a stage whereby every member of the group can emotionally connect with others and change the roles and responsibilities as per the need of the hour. This is a stage in which, the members entire effort is directed towards the achievement of the goal. We were fortunate enough to reach this stage. Q. 2 Some of the most common characteristics of a successful team are mission, empowerment, involvement, willingness to take risk, unity and change (Business Advantage International, 2008). Factors that can negatively affect the team include group think and dysfunctional conflicts. Several personality traits of individuals that make part of a team also have many positive and