How can a company’s knowledge base be protected in an event of a natural disaster Essay

Due to the advent of globalization, the industries and organizations all around the globe are expanding and there is an increasing development across national barriers. As the businesses are becoming more competitive, so are the labor markets. Knowledge is of the essence and it is one of the most valuable source competitive edges of a business over others. A knowledge base is knowledge management system. It is similar to a database which is basically a collection of tables that hold the data in an organized manner. It is used in companies where data usage is integrated and shared. Most companies use databases to record all kinds of information that is confidential to outside parties. Databases make data management more efficient and effective. It provides an integrated view of the organizations operations and reduces the probability of inconsistent data. This paper would focus on the venture of knowledge base and how can it be protected in an event of natural disaster. Discussion Knowledge base holds all kind of strategic, tactic and operational information that could be used by upcoming employees. In today’s highly competition markets, knowledge is of the essence. Companies need as much information as they need in order to aware and agile of their environment and the markets. Due to the competition in the labor market, there is constant change among the workers in organizations; employees tend to skip from jobs to jobs looking for new opportunities and better offers. This leads to the transaction of information that the employees hold. As the employees are valuable assets of the organization. (Trochim, 2001) We live in a rather knowledge driven economy where knowledge holds great importance, whether it be of the global environment, about internal organizational processes or about the historical proceedings that have brought about change. This knowledge management process is better known through business continuity planning or knowledge asset protection planning. Knowledge continuity management is a growing process that focuses on the preservation of information and knowledge regarding the business that is possessed by the various stakeholders of the business. This knowledge is preserved so that it can be made accessible to those that follow in the organization. (Krishna, 1992) Knowledge present within the organizations systems is valuable to the existing as well as the upcoming leaders, employers and volunteers of the business. Hence, its protection holds the utmost importance. The occurrence of natural disasters and other catastrophic events is rather inevitable and the possibility of a natural disaster hitting the organization must, at all time, be taken into account. Vital information that would be used to rejuvenate the business after a natural disaster should assessed as to avoid the organization from halting. On regular basis, all knowledge and data must have backup restorations at different locations. This helps in accessing information if the original source gets destroyed or corrupted due to viruses, intrusions or natural occurrences. Back up data allows the business to function normally even if its system gets hacked or is out of order as copies of the knowledge base and databases are kept elsewhere. There are various knowledge asset protection planning programs that help ensure organizations to have access to their knowledge assets in the event of a natural catastrophe. These programs have various sources through which the knowledge base can be regained after a disaster making it easy for the organization to reinstate its standard activities. This knowledge protection system allows the organization to be prepared to face any kind of hindrance, it protects the valuable information of the organization, also prevents any obstruction and impediment due to the loss of valuable information that has been carried on for years. Moreover, when the knowledge base of the organization is safe from intrusions it is easier for the company management and upper level employees to be more unperturbed and stress-free and hence, can concentrate on other areas of growth. Conclusion In the end it is important to understand that with the increasingly knowledge dependent economies, organizations need to be active and agile at all times. Without sufficient knowledge it would become difficult for organizations to keep up with the competition and antagonism in the global markets. The sharing and integration of knowledge in organizations can drive innovation and increase productivity. Hence, the management of knowledge is a new imperative leadership as it has now become a valuable asset.

Start UP Strategy Thesis

These units aim to find a scalable and repeatable business model in markets where huge demand is predicted (Steve Blank, 2010). In case of not finding such a demand or not being able to supply – these companies burn all capital and close in a long run. Secondly vast majority of start-ups aim to go internationally. Otherwise business model is hardly scalable and it cannot attract capital in the future. Coddle general info Coddle is a data start-up company which owns a product applicative. Com. It is a website which seeks to provide life quality information for citizens.People who seek to know more of their neighborhoods type their address and easily find information such as crime rate, pollution, average income, etc. Also it is really handy for people who search an apartment to rent. Data is linked to a website using free governmental sources. At the current moment company operates in Lithuania, Germany (Berlin), USA (New York, Confiscator, Chicago, LIKE (London). In upcoming o ne year they plan to cover all cities in USA and then go to Europe. One year ago they raised kick ERR capital for a product development.Now they are searching 1 million ERR capital which will be used for marketing and expansion operations. Most investors provide capital for start-ups with well-crafted strategies and business plan. Unfortunately Coddle doesn't have a strategy and doesn't know what factors determine growth of a start-up. Determination of a growth strategy became an important matter which will help to distribute last capital, raise new one and show direction for a company. Bachelor thesis purpose Research problem: how start-up companies should grow in a client base and eased capital.Aim of the thesis: To investigate what determines successful growth of a start-up company in areas of clients base and capital raised. Objectives of the thesis: Analyze internal and external environment of a Coddle start-up Conduct an help to craft a strategy, raise capital and distribute c urrent capital Research methods: Qualitative research using semi formal interviews with industry experts. Secondary data analysis and literature review. Practical value of the thesis: Start-ups with well-crafted strategies manage to grow and raise capital. Coddle has a shortage of capital and no strategy.This thesis will help them to set a right direction for a company, understand focus elements which enables growth and raise capital. Logical sequence of the thesis: 1 . Situational analysis. Internal and external analysis with a secondary data using PESTLE, 5 porter forces, market segmentation and attractiveness, competitors analysis, STOW. Defining crucial factors for company ‘s expansion 2. Qualitative research using semi-formal interviews. Interviewing people from successfully growing start-ups 3. Analysis primary and secondary data. Finding key factors which determine successful growth a start-up company 4.Making conclusions and providing recommendations for the company Si tuational analysis General information about company: I-JAB Coddle launched in 2012 is a start-up company which focus on providing neighborhood information for people worldwide. Concept is simple company has created a website which is like a search engine for addresses. Visitors enter a website, enter an address and click search. After few moments website presents neighborhood information linked to that address. It can be air pollution, crime rate, average real estate prices, near bus-stops and much more. In addition to that company has developed â€Å"Life-Quality† index which takes into account all available data sets and presents it in one numerical value. For example address 139-008 85 Drive, Queens, New York has a life quality index of 66/100. Data to the website is coming from open governmental data sources. Applicative. Com is in a beta phase and operates in cities: London, Berlin, Chicago, San Francisco, and New York. Company has ambitious plans to be present in every city worldwide. In order to reach their ambition company has raised kick euros of capital. Most of that capital went for product development but at the moment website slowly darted building its own visitors base.Company is investing to both: product and marketing. Also they are searching for a second investment which would be somewhere around 1 million euros and used for rapid business growth. Product itself is in introduction product life cycle phase. Figure 1 Organizational structure Of the company At the moment company has zero revenues and they are living out of raised capital. Business model start-up has planned is BIB. There is no way to monotone in BBC since a website is absolutely free. For BIB there are two options: 1 . Sell advertising place in a website for real estate companies relied 2.Sell Life-Quality Index badge as API (application programming interface) integration for real estate websites or customized API with neighborhood data Coddle has worldwide Website was la unched in July and now it has approximately 6200 unique visitors. In upcoming year planned growth is 100 000 unique visitors. Coddle has 2 two BIB clients which have integrated Life-Quality badge to their websites. Badges were given for free in order to test a product and collect feedback. In the end of the year plan is to have at least 30 BIB partners which use our badge for free. In late 201 5 plan s to charge 70$ per month for badge integration.Table 1 Size of the market Chicago New York San Francisco BBC (website visitors) 2,35 million 7,31 million 0,73 million BIB 900 1 500 2400 List of small competitors: 1 . Bootlace. Com 2. Foundation. Com 3. Ravishes. Com The largest competitor is walkover. Com which is launched in 2007 and already for more than 7 years. They are operating in whole United States including cities where we are. They have more than 30,000 BIB clients and 1 , 200,000 site visitors each month. Concept of their business is similar to Coddle. They have a website Wi th address search engine.Visitors and check- p any address in USA and get neighborhood information plus walkabout index which is a summary of various place distances in one number (similar to Life-Quality index). BIB business model they are using is same as we planned – sell API integrations for real estate websites. Management of the company Company s structure is small, communication chain is short and they don't huge product portfolio. Therefore management style CEO uses it quite simple and unstructured. They have weekly meetings to check week ; s performance and set new goals for an upcoming week. Company plans work for no more than 1 month to the future.Sometimes CEO has unstructured individual meetings with employees to discuss on going assignments. Interns are being managed by a full time working person in a marketing field. Interns receive assignments from CEO and marketing person. Company does not use any theoretical methodology such as agile project management, lean or other start-up management techniques. Macro-environmental analysis Political factors. Open data movement which started in USA in 2007. Scientists Of LISA realized that government has collected a lot of various data of the country. Data is being collected simply monitoring governmental sector recesses.This type of a data is a great way to improve overall human knowledge base and help to understand word's complexity. Scientists have encouraged governments to open free data portals where data would be available for everyone (Joel Curing, 2014). In USA it is be data. Gob and even cities have their own data websites like New York mentioned before. EX. as well is establishing large open data infrastructures. Only because of this trend Coddle had a chance to develop such a product. Economic factors. Our BIB product is for real estate industry therefore if industry is growing that means hey have better incentives to innovate current situation.Real estate industry has 13% GAP of total US A GAP and they are steadily growing over the last five years. Even after real estate crisis in 2007 they kept growing. In addition to that key websites in USA real estate sector such as Zillion or Trivial invest several millions each year for neighborhood data. Data is being displayed in their websites and customers have better overview of a property. To compare with European real estate websites there is a big difference. Most of the largest websites in Europe do not display any neighborhood information ND keep simple search engine for a property.Secondly there is quite high competition in LISA real estate websites market and company are willing to invest decent amount of resources for better display of neighborhoods and local areas. Our website visitor has synergy points with real estate sector as well. Most of applicative. Com website visitors are people who are searching to buy/rent a new property. They are actively searching local area information. Growing real estate industry means more renting or purchasing and more people seeking information which our website provides. Social factors.Due to gig rates of obesity (Rulers, 2014) in USA we have new emerging trend – healthy life style. It is already for several years and growing even more. Demand for health friendly or environmental friendly products has increased. We can see examples like a Greek Yogurt since 2010 dominated USA Yogurt market. It is a Yogurt which is considered to be healthier choice. It has less fats and more protein. Other sectors specializing in healthy life style has grown. Technological factors. Current IT technology allows us easily link data from governmental websites to our which makes all start-up possible.Even annuity of a data is high but website can be well optimized and user friendly. Secondly to build a data crawlers (robot which scans websites and extracts data) has become much easier. One IT programmer can do it. Governmental institutions do not provide all data there fore company has to search for a new ways to collect it. Internet has decent amount of in depended catalogues like http://move. Yellowness. Com. Internet crawler can be cost effective solution for data extraction. Scrounging trend which started in 2006 has enabled companies to outsource difficult tasks for crowds.For example such platforms like Amazon Turks can be used for data testing or processing. Also using scrounging methods are great way to collect data. There are even successful companies which us mainly crowd sourced data (data which is voluntarily entered by a user) – Google maps, tomato GAPS maps (Stuart Dredge, 201 1). Environmental factors. In USA media is actively talking about pollution, crime and more topics related to neighborhood lifestyles. People have increased awareness that living environment is reflected in their quality of life. We have articles like â€Å"top 10 cities to live† or â€Å"best neighborhoods of New York†.At the current momen t people have higher interested in their living environment especially demographics young families. Legal factors. Coddle is registered in Lithuanian Republic therefore they are accountable to Lithuania law. So far company has no revenues and they don't need to pay income tax, but in the future they will face 15%. Since they are online business it is way much easier to overcome political barriers and change markets if it is needed. Also they don't need to pay value added tax because all product purchases are made online. Besides that company needs to pay tax for their employees which is 30% from their salaries.Risk analysis Cross-cultural risk. Since Americans are native English speakers there is a quit high risk of miscommunication or misunderstanding. Lithuanian can speak English but to communicate with American is harder. Also it is harder to compete from sales perspective. At the moment start-up tried to find BIB clients via Cold Calls, Linked, emails. It is a challenge to effec tively communicate a message for potential customer. Local company can do it much easier. Also American culture is a entrepreneurial and sales culture and most of business representatives are good in that (The Economist, 2009).Company s odds are getting lower when you need to complete with better business in better ecosystem. Commercial risks. Even the product is new in Europe but is not in ASSAI. They are 5 years ahead in usage of big data, especially in real estate industry. Market itself has some strong players such as walkover for more than 5 years. To outperform locals which already have a strong position makes a threat for Coddle strategic expansion. Financial risks. Every time when start-up sells a badge marginal costs are nearly to zero. Also online business doesn't have a lot of physical assets.USA currency s really Strong and has well establishes finance trading infrastructure with ERR. There are not so many major financial risks besides one – raising a capital. Sin ce Coddle is a start-up purely funded by a venture capital there is a huge risk of not raising a capital. Now company is trying to raise 1 million dollars and it is hard to predict what are the odds without trying. Country risk. No major country risks as well. USA is actively promoting online businesses and open data portals. Competitor analysis Ta able 2 Total Segment A – large real estate websites Medium real estate companies Segment BSegment C- Individual brokers Segment D accommodation websites Total market size (Units and/or dollars) 14 million dollars 20 (0%) 20,000 (10%) 180,00 (90%) 15 (0%) Share Now Sought in Three Years 25% Largest Competitor Today/Future Your Relative Share Walkover Coddle product is in pure introductory stage there they have nearly O market share. Also from the table we can judge that segment A and D might be not relevant but that is not true. Due to product specific these are main segments where company should focus. Reason is simple – eve ry API integration with a large website is linking their visitors to our website.

Aspects of Belonging Notes

Acceptance: A strong sense of belonging within a community is reliant not only on the willingness to assimilate, but also on those already in the community to be accepting. †¢Feelings of acceptance can heighten a sense of belonging whereas rejection can alienate individuals. †¢An individual’s fear of alienation can lead them to think or act in ways that are not true to their ideology. Understanding †¢For an individual to feel that they belong to a particular person, place or group, they need to accept and understand the social expectations and behaviours of that community. Understanding the values of a person, place or group is the fundamental foundation for mutual respect that allows for a sense of belonging. †¢An understanding and appreciation of individual differences – even within a group – is essential for the smooth running of the society and thus is the origin of the sense of belonging or not belonging. Relationships †¢The need to belong to a group or community shapes our behaviour, attitude and actions. When humanity experiences a strong connection to a place the notion of belonging is strengthened and enriched. †¢When our relationship with a place is shaped by a narrow and biased view of the world, our notion of belonging can be questionable. †¢Connections with individuals, groups or places can nurture a sense of belonging through the relationship with that other person, group or place. †¢Relationships are the basis upon which an individual may feel a sense of belonging or not belonging towards a person or place. When significant relationships in life are fractured, often many other aspects related to an individual’s wellbeing will be negatively impacted. †¢Relationships come in many forms and can either allow an individual to experience a sense of belonging or hinder this sense of belonging. Notions of Identity †¢When your cultural identity is marginalised, you can feel disl ocated and displaced, and believe that you do not belong to your culture or part of the dominant culture. Our search for who we are is fuelled by a need to find a place in the world where we feel we belong. †¢Time and the passage of time can have a significant impact on our notion of identity and from that – to whom and to where an individual might belong. †¢An individual’s fear of alienation can make them act or think in ways that are not true to their ideology. †¢Our individual identity is greatly constructed by how others perceive us. †¢The community surrounding you impacts your opinion of selfhood, consequently moulding your identity. Experience We search for a place to belong, not realising that it is our perceptions and attitudes, not the place, that ultimately allows us to feel a sense of belonging. †¢Personal experiences shape our beliefs and values and hence contribute to their sense of self and ultimately where they belong. †¢Exp eriences can have both positive and negative effects on individuals depending on the extent and power of the knowledge gained. †¢The way we view and assess the experiences of life can change overtime and thus impact how we establish the present and future. Place/Landscape †¢ Strong conclusion: Strong relationships nourish belonging, whilst damaged relationships may be detrimental to the experience of belonging† It is evident that both composers represent this interpretation, but in varying ways – while Romulus focuses more on so how relationships – and barriers to these – can hinder belonging, â€Å"other related text† focuses much more on the†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. and how these flourish and nourish one’s sense of belonging/ Although different, both composers effectively present their interpretation of relationships, and how these can either nourish or hinder one’s sense of belonging. OR In conclusion, both â€Å"† and â€Å"† show the various ways in which relationships with people and surroundings can impact an individual’s experience of belonging. Degrees of empathy, understanding, prejudice and sexual attraction, as shown in the examples above, clearly help determine the nature and strength of some of the relationships within the respective texts, and the extent to which they can and do impact on an individual’s broader sense of belonging or exclusion. Romantic, professional and cultural affiliation with others and his surroundings are integral to Romulus’ efforts to belong in his new country, Australia.

Culture of Employers and Employees Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Culture of Employers and Employees - Essay Example The American employees are motivated by flexible work timings and good salary packages. As most of these employees tend to have more than one job at a time to earn more, flexible work schedules appeal to them. These employees care about money and freedom of expression. They expect their employers to be flexible in terms of work deadlines. The goal of these employees is to save enough money to live a luxurious lifestyle. These employees are good customers and shop frequently. They are influenced by latest technology, and products of acknowledged and reputable brands. They have an instinct towards living green, safe and healthy, though they are not quite as much prudent in their activities to ensure this. Their assumptions are that they belong to a multicultural society, where they have to accept all kinds of religions, norms, values, and traditions. The affect of these assumptions on their work is that they have freedom of expression and allow others the same. Nairobi, Kenya The cultu re of Nairobian workers deems work second to home. These employees are generally very friendly, and helpful towards one another. They understand one another’s problems and try to extend their help if possible. At a certain point in time, if a Nairobian worker has an issue at home and another at the office of equal importance, the worker would first attend the issue at home and then at the office. â€Å"It is considered a perfectly acceptable reason to show up late for an assignment and for deadlines to be missed just so workers can keep their personal affairs in good order† (â€Å"Cultural Information – Kenya†). Nairobian employers motivate the workers by providing them with relaxed work schedules (Kumba). Nairobian employees expect employers to provide them with flexible work schedules and they care about their families a lot. The goal of Nairobian workers is to earn sufficient for their families. They assume that their employers understand their feeling s towards their families. This has a slightly negative effect on their work as they tend to arrive late at work or leave for home before the break off time. They may not be there at the workplace in the time of urgency. Paris, France The employees in Paris are culturally diverse, but not quite as much as the ones in New York. They communicate with one another mostly in French and occasionally in English. French business culture emphasizes upon formality, respect, mutual trust, and courtesy. In order to be motivated for work, French employees need to be respected. â€Å"Respect of colleagues and bosses motivates workers in France† (Woodward and Shandwick). These employees care about personal image and reputation, and are able to deliver their best in an emotionally satiating and psychologically fulfilling work environment. The French employees have the goal to excel in their profession while keeping their image high. They are influenced by charismatic managers and coworkers wh o are not only well-dressed but also well-behaved. They are motivated to work hard provided that they get the right conditions, though not many are of the view that their employers are cooperative. â€Å"While 82 per cent of employees in France say that they are motivated to ‘go the extra mile’ (in other words ‘engaged’), less than two thirds (53 per cent) feel they are enabled by

Supply Management Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Supply Management Discussion - Essay Example It is only when these processes become difficult to undertake the problem of managing comes within the related equations. What I can propose to the IT Vendor Management is to offer them solutions which will cut back on the delays that are happening within the fore of the department and thus the lags are cropping up for all the wrong reasons. There is reason enough to believe such a premise because it promises quite a lot of understanding and comprehension on the part of the Vendor Management policy decisions and the related undertakings. My role as Manager is magnanimous because it has to pinpoint the exact need which will ascertain as to how the Vendor Management processes would be completed, and before that there is a necessity that any predicaments that come about, like delays within the hiring process, are taken care of immediately. This will make sure that the anomalies within the Vendor Management system are resolved in an amiable fashion. 2 This scenario is a classical example of a company going haywire even though it has made a name for itself within the global markets. HP is such a big name within the printer industry that it has almost become generic. The people associate HP with printers of all sorts, sizes and types. This is the reason why HP is easily adopted by people from different regions of the world and without any hindrances coming to the fore. This is irrespective of the cultural and racial tangents that have been much discussed about. What is important to understand is the fact that the company is doing all it can to make sure that the Supply Chain operations are in line with the different departments which are working under the aegis of HP itself. This will enable HP to have a single-minded business philosophy – to make sure that HP’s products remain supreme more than anything else (New, 2011). Also this will set the ball rolling as far as comprehending how new technological innovations and inventions could easily be decipher ed by the people no matter where they live or what kind of computer (and technological) usage they have within their ranks. Every organization goes through such instances of organizational and cultural issues once in a while, and it is only natural for a Manager like me to take pains with worries of these sorts. What I need to do in the meanwhile is to make sure that the company remains steadfast on to its most basic goals and objectives, and that there are no hiccups within these realms at all. 3 As the National Sales Manager for this pharmaceutical company, I am completely in the loop for the upgrade towards iPad 2 which is a must-have as far as the sales force realms are concerned. They need to be assured that their sales-related tasks and undertakings will not be hampered if they stick to iPad for the meanwhile. However, it is quintessential that they are given a focus test group, which is similar to how they were tested when they were allotted the new iPads. Since the element o f criticality is attached with the provision of iPads and iPad 2s, it is important that I initiate the process of the focus test groups – the sooner the better it will be for the sake of the organization. Also the fact that there is a contract in place with the iPads, it will make the task of not only my own self but also the ones working under me and with me very easier. There would be lesser predicaments that will come to the fore once the sales force is given

Jacksonian era Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Jacksonian era - Essay Example This societal approach evolved into a misogynistic approach that has carried over in some small social groupings to this day. Initially the idea was not meant to see the women as unfit for other roles or as less than men. It simply meant that because they bore the children and were the nursemaids naturally they were assumed to be better in that role, and as a result the idea became tradition which made it difficult to break when technology changed and made physical labor a part of industry and not the entire industry. Wage differences for women and men when working were generally drastic with very few exceptions to this. As a result of the poor conditions and rate of pay several successful labor unions for women were formed. One in 1863 was called the Collar Laundry Union; as a result of going on strike they won an increase in wages. Another was called the Daughters of St. Crispin and was formed in 1869; it was a group of women shoestitchers and was recognized as the first national w omen’s union. (Lewis 1) The advent of women’s unions helped shed light on the deplorable conditions and low pay suffered. The Lowell System was a brilliant system implemented by the mill owners in Lowell Massachusetts.

Walmart joint venture with Big C Thailand Essay

Walmart joint venture with Big C Thailand - Essay Example These evidences are gathered with the help of strategic tools such as PESTLE analysis of Thailand which would be helpful in providing an inside into the fundamental human resources requirement and the potential candidates from within Thailand to fill the new job places. The human resource practices of Wal-Mart will also be evaluated with respect to the impact of the business environment on the global horizon. To support the evidences presented in the report, the author will provide theoretical background pertaining to international human resource management and see if Wal-Mart’s human resource function are in accordance with the international standards or are there any changes required in the strategic human resource management of the retail giant. The author would conclude this report by demonstrating the skill set and personality traits. These traits are required to achieve organizational goals and objectives successfully. It is possible with the help of strengthening the re lationship with the colleagues. International Human Resource Strategy Overview of Thai Retail Sector The net worth of Thai retail sector stands at Baht 1.4 trillion as of 2011 and is considered an important pillar of country’s economy. The sector reported a sector growth of 5% by the end of 2011 with the Retail Sale Index of 186.5 for the same period. Due to the economic reforms introduced by the government in post-political crisis scenario has helped the sector gain strength, the major contributor being the export sector within the retail industry (Thailand Retail, Food & Hospitality Services, 2011). PESTEL Analysis of Thailand Political Environment After the political crisis stretching from 2008 to 2011, Thailand is on the road to recovery and brings stability in its infrastructure to invite tourists to the country, which has always remained the focal industry of Thailand, and open new doors for business. The positive political outlook and the development of infrastructure along with the security provided to the individuals (Henry, 2008), Thailand is considered as shoppers’ heaven and both nationals and foreigners spend enormous amounts on the purchase of items available at retail stores. Economic Environment Majority of Thailand’s economy depends upon the gross domestic product of the manufacturing sector which accounts for about two third of Thailand’s exports. Whereas, exports are the area which generates most of revenue for Thailand’s government and the country is considered as one of the biggest exporters of manufactured goods in the world. The reforms introduced by the New Government in Thailand have helped the economy to stabilize. Since coming out of the recent political disturbance, Thailand has invested $ 57 billion on the development of infrastructure for local and international businesses (Naranlala School of Industrial Management and Computer Science, 2013; Trueba, Esteban, 2011). Society/Culture of Thailand Ye ars of political and economic crisis within the country had produced the urge to achieve national goals and objectives amongst the Thai society. For this reason, Thai businessmen and working class is considered as hard workers so that they can achieve what they want. Merit regarded as being essential for qualifying for fields in the life. Huge number of foreigners, some of them residing within the country and the majority of them coming into Thailand as tourists, has

The global cold war in Latin America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The global cold war in Latin America - Essay Example Another important factor that helped to protect Latin America was the defeat engineered by Fidel Castro in Cuba. It was of great importance since it helped in determining how the united states would come up with policies and how they would be implemented. The policies were concerned with mainly the social and economic welfare of the people. Furthermore, the Defeat by Fidel Castro saw the alienation of American companies in the whole Latin America. This was a drawback to the United States and as he signed pacts and treaties that benefited the economy and military of his country.Cold war in Latin ends with the end in Fidel Castro’s revolution. At the moment, the Latin America had little or no support from the neighboring nations that is Moscow and United States. Since it became an isolated place, it sized to be the strategic point after the cold war. In the end, it becomes of no value to the two countries, which implied that they attained little help in building their political and economic pillars.Rwanda, Somalia, and Yugoslavia are among the many countries that have experienced instances and situations of mass violence. Many other countries were being affected by mass violence at an alarming rate and this resulted in the emergence of support organizations such as United Nations Conventions for the prevention and punishment of the crime of Genocide.The United Nations had to take action especially after the mass violence genocide in Rwanda and the ethnic killings in Yugoslavia.

Define Spirituality using the Peer-Reviewed Article An Emerging Essay

Define Spirituality using the Peer-Reviewed Article An Emerging Paradigm for the Investigation of Spirituality in Nursing by Pamela G. Reed - Essay Example In this feeling of connectedness, she was able to transcend the mundane dimensions of her ordinary life and transcend into a higher dimension, thereby elevating herself as an individual. Spirituality has been defined by some experts as engaging in four patterns of connectedness, intrapersonally - within oneself, or interpersonally - with others or interaction with the environment and lastly, transpersonally, or by relating with an unseen power – God (Brewer 1979). In her response to Brewer’s views, the woman was able to confirm that she had also come to the clinic seeking such a network of connectedness. She was able to interactbetter within herself, with the nurses at the clinic, with the environment of the care facility and also connect with God by praying with the nurses. The result of this feeling of connectedness the woman felt to other people and to God was that she felt healthier and experienced a feeling of well being and peace. The feeling of connectedness made her feel less alone, and therefore and whole. This is also the view expressed by Hungleman, who directly related the state of a person’s human spirit to their state of health (Hungleman et al 1985). Therefore, one aspect of spirituality as revealed in the woman’s view and corroborated by Hungleman’s views is the interconnection between spirituality and health and how one impacts positively upon the other. Newman (1989) has emphasized the importance of nurses praying with the patients (Shelley and Fish 1988) and allowing them to express their spirituality as a means to promote their health and well being, reiterating the views of Hungleman that there is a positive relation between the human spirit and a person’s health.. This woman, when questioned on this aspect, also responded that she felt soothed and happy by praying with the nurses, because she was able to ascend into a higher dimension through the feeling

Causes of current recession Essay Example for Free

Causes of current recession Essay The America’s economy has been booming, all along before the recession, many questioned has been raised by the experts some even suggesting that, free marketplace as well as free ventures might take the effects wherever the law had unfavourable implications. The recession was first visualized when, the sub-leading mortgagees went ahead to evade on their payments since either they had no enough cash most likely for the reason that the interest rates went up or else they were at a risk of begin given a loan to start business with otherwise they choose a appalling loan whose rate was not fixed (Rigby 3). Each economist suppose that recessions are economic issues that cannot be evaded, they can only be managed to control there level of occurrences (Baveja et al 1). This is because, there are periods of high growth in a healthy economy as well as slow growth and some times no growth. The truth is that, some contracting and expanding has to occur for the economy to be healthy. However, for an economy to be considered in a recession the period for contracting is required to last for at least for two quarters consecutively in a year or a half a year. It is difficult for many people to predict the possibility of occurrence of the next recession. The exact causes of economic recession tend to be a mystery to many people but there are a number of mysteries that give information concerning the causes of economic recession. Some people tend to think that recession is brought by events that are deemed to have a great economic impact in the economy. Some of these events would involve the increase in interest rates or a decline in the confidence of a consumer.   Generally, recession is primarily seen to occur due to the actions that are taken when controlling the supply of money in the economy (Stephen et al 3). The above believe comes with different views from different people, for example, many economists in the United States have believed that economic recession is caused by Federal Reserve. This is because; it is the responsibility of the Federal Reserve to take charge in maintaining an ideal balance between money supply, interest rates and inflation in the United States. Rigby (3) advocates that failure of the Federal Reserve to maintain balance in the above areas it will result to the economy losing control. This is a case that has happened recently in the year 2007. During this year, the Federal Reserve Monetary policy that was used to bring in large amounts of money supply into the market, kept the interest rates below the expected rates but the rising of inflation continued to rise drastically. This problem came together with easy methods of borrowing money that could lead to the crisis of the economy until last year. Most of the economists have believed that America is already in recession and others that the country is heading towards a recession. However, people believe that each recession has its own cause while others believe that recession has only based on one ground. For example, bad investments by business are a single cause of recession in the country. In addition, recessions and depressions such as that of the great Depression are said to be caused by stock market crashes. A sharp increase in oil prices or even going to war are factors that inhibit short term growth in the economy (Harmesh et al 16). It is evident that globalization has changed the nature of business cycle. However, regardless of which theory one would believe in there is no definite answers to the causes of a recession. There is little evidence that recession is brought up by a number of factors. This means that there are many events that take place that result to recession. An example for numerous factor theories is the recession that had taken place after the prices of oil increased dramatically in the 1970’s (Stephen et al 3). This helps in setting off a recession since the prices set off a big economy decline in oil demand. This was because real income had been reduced due to higher costs of the imports of oil. In addition, there was more tight monetary policy that dampened the inflationary pressures which came after the increase of prices. These factors brought down the overall demand that in turn led to a recession. Currently, in America, banks are scared of giving loans to customers. The reason for this is that, the banks are terrified that giving out loans will lead to loosing the money and defaulting if loans. There is the existence of credit crunch that has caused money to be real tight and this is making many banks such as the Lehman brothers to go bankrupt. Another bank known as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were bailout for the purpose of keeping it from standing bottom. This has led to the current loss of money by the stock market because of the major credit crunch that is making investors nervous that a major recession is on the way. A recession is considered to be the goods and services that are down from the previous two quarters or more (Baveja et al 1). The recession being experienced in America has to the number of taxpayers buying out all the dead mortgages to approximate 700 billion. This is a sign that the banks will start once more lending money freely to people. However, currently loans are still given out although at a much higher rate. According to Rigby (6) in order to make more money available and flow freely, central banks across the whole world are cutting the rates if giving loans. To add on this, the effect of crisis in many industries is great due to the consideration of banks as the major capitalist society. This leads to difficult to loan money since it becomes increasingly tight in the borrowing market. Hence less homes are bought as well as cars and even small businesses are affected in the sense that they cannot do payroll. Small businesses spend a lot of time in taking temporary small loans until they are paid for the product or service. In early 2000, there existed a deregulation that caught up greedy banks and the ways in which they were handling out credit and loans to people who cannot afford them hence leading to financial meltdown. The rise of inflation rates that creped very fast led to difficulties for people in paying back loans and credit hence creating a slow meltdown effect. America is considered to be the largest world’s economy and its economy has been seen to be weak and it’s drifting as a result of a collapse of the housing market. There is also the problem of sub prime mortgage turmoil, a severe credit crunch, high oil prices and the deep devaluation of the dollar (Baveja et al 1). Possible solutions in eradicating economic recession People can be disappointed in the fact that there is no cure for economic recession. However, some people argue that fiscal and monetary stimulus should shorten the downturn but patience is needed for it to happen. There is need for changing the legal framework governing the various aspects of economy. It is important for people in the country to be well versed with corporation and banking as well as economics to enhance education among people affected by the results of recession. Learning on the above areas makes people more educated, smart and qualified to deal with economic recession (Stephen et al 3). Recently during the Obama week, there was the introduction of the rescue gains team. In this team there are seven people known as the fixers who are in charge of rescuing the economy. In order to rescue, the teams takes into consideration various issues. During the tenth week of Obama administration, the treasury secretary Tim Geithner unveiled the next phase of the bank bailout (Baveja et al 1). A plan for overhauling regulation of the financial system was outlined by the government. The administration effort is determined to produce economic conditions that are stable. This has helped in improving the sentiment on Wall Street where stocks posted gains for the week. In Capitol Hill, the committees involved in the house and the senate largely supported the Obama plan for 2010 with positive caution. It has been a long debate in the American country to take issues concerning the solution to economic recession. The administration is also concerned with the prevention of future meltdowns through increasing the supervision of the financial markets and prevention of companies from growing too big posing the possibility of failing. The need for investing highly in health care, education and energy was also one of the long term agendas mentioned by the president for the purpose of fighting economic recession in the country The issue of drawing a budget proposal that cannot be separated from the broader themes of economic recovery and future growth was addressed. This budget is referred as laying foundation for a secure and lasting prosperity for economy. My opinion on the best way of dealing with economic recession There is need for changing the legal framework governing the various aspects of economy. It is important for people in the country to be well versed with corporation and banking as well as economics to enhance education among people affected by the results of recession. Learning on the above areas makes people more educated, smart and qualified to deal with economic recession (Harmesh et al 16). Work cited. Baveja Sign Sarabijr, Ellis Steve, Rigby K. Darrell, â€Å"Taking advantage in a down turn,† 2002, 1. â€Å"Havard management update,† leadership managing, 2001, 8-12. Hamermesh G. Richard, Dann B. Jeremy, â€Å"STT Aerospace,† 1998, 10-20. Stephen C. Michael, Pearce A. John, â€Å"strategies to prevent economic recessions from causing business failure†, 2006, 1-9. Rigby K. Darrell, â€Å"Moving upward in a down turn,† strategy and execution, 2001, 1-8.

Custom Made Finger Prosthesis Study

Custom Made Finger Prosthesis Study ABSTRACT: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Maxillofacial Prosthodontics is an art and science which provides life-like appearance to the missing structures of an individual. The complete or partial loss of a finger results in significant functional deficiencies. In addition to immediate loss of grasp, strength and security, the absence of a finger may cause marked psychological trauma. CASE DESCRIPTION A case report has been presented where a custom made finger prosthesis; comfortable in use and esthetically acceptable to the patient was fabricated; using silicone material. CONCLUSION The retention for this patient was obtained by reducing the stump and using a ring of suitable size. Introduction: Finger and partial-finger amputations are some of the most frequently encountered forms of partial-hand losses.1 Although the most common causes of these amputations are traumatic injuries, congenital absences or malformations may present similar clinical challenges.2 Prosthesis refers to artificial replacement of an absent part of the human body. These artificial substitutes serve primarily to improve the patient’s appearance and to support them psychologically. They play an immense role in making the patient more socially acceptable.3 Reconstructive surgery cannot restore esthetics as much as prosthesis can and thus has limited role in case of lost body parts. The major role in rehabilitating the patient is thus played by the maxillofacial prosthodontist and the anaplastologist. The ideally constructed finger prosthesis must meet the following preconditions: the prosthesis must assist in grip and absorbing and transferring forces to the hand; the prosthesis should look natural, allowing expression of gestures.4,5 This article presents a case of rehabilitation of a finger defect with a silicone prosthesis and describes a method of retention for the same. CLINICAL REPORT: A 22-year-old female patient reported to the Department of Prosthodontics, with a chief complaint of a partially missing index finger on her right hand. A complete hand examination was carried out that revealed a residual stump on the index finger of the right hand measuring 1.5 cm in height. A solitary healed wound/scar was seen on the base of the residual stump. The surrounding area appeared to be normal with no signs of any infection or inflammation. Informed consent was obtained before beginning the treatment procedure. Making Impressions The index finger of the patient’s left and right hand were lubricated with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, to prevent the hydrocolloid impression material from adhering to it. Impressions of the stump and of the index finger of the contralateral hand which correspond to the lost digit were taken using irreversible hydrocolloid. A plastic disposable cup of sufficient length and diameter was chosen to confine the impression material. The containers were tried on the patient’s fingers to provide adequate clearance of at least 5 mm around for the impression material. Regular setting alginate was mixed using cold water to increase the working time and poured into the containers. The patient was asked to dip her finger and stump vertically into the container without touching the sides or the bottom of the container. Both the impressions were made with the digits in the semiflexed and relaxed position. The material was allowed to set and the fingers were removed quickly in a jerking motion after the material was set. The impression of the stump was poured in Type-III dental stone. The impression of the middle finger was poured with molten modeling wax. Upon cooling, the wax pattern was retrieved from alginate mold by partially incising the alginate mold with sharp instrument. The wax pattern was then adjusted by sculpting and adapted on the working cast. Approximate length and angulations were determined on working cast and later confirmed during trial of wax pattern. The wax pattern was tried on the patients affected right hand little finger. Necessary adjustments regarding the length, contour and angulations of the finger were done at this stage of prosthetic fabrication. Stump preparation A reduction of 1-1.5 mm was done on the stone casts to produce prosthesis with a smaller diameter which can be stretched over the stump to provide retention. The pattern and the cast were then invested in a large size Hanau flask. The mold was first poured only upto half of the pattern. Tin foil substitute was applied and then the other half was poured, wax was eliminated in the conventional way. Color matching and incorporation of nail The most critical step was to match the color of the prostheses to the patient’s skin color. The basic skin color was observed. The colors were mixed with the silicone to obtain the base color. Maximum efforts were made to achieve the appropriate characterization for the palmer and dorsal surfaces of the prostheses. The shade matching was done using natural daylight. Artificial nail was properly shaped and trimmed to the required size. Around 1 mm of nail bed was carved in the wax pattern and the nail was incorporated in that space. The mould created by the elimination of the wax was packed with silicone rubber. The material was allowed to bench cure overnight and for the final polymerization, it was placed in hot water, for one hour, at 45 degrees Celsius. Once the final prosthesis was retrieved, the flash was trimmed using a sharp blade and the final finishing was accomplished using fine sand paper. The retention for this patient was by using a ring of suitable size. DISCUSSION: Individuals who desire finger replacement usually have high expectations for the appearance of the prosthesis.6 The polyvinyl chloride material generally used is easily and permanently stained by such common materials as ballpoint pen and newspaper ink and has not proven durable enough for active use. The acceptance rate has been much higher when individually sculpted custom restoration using silicone elastomer is provided.7 The overall durability and stain resistance of silicone is far superior to any other material currently available for finger restorations. Almost all stains can be removed easily with water and soap.8 Silicone finger restorations may have additional functional benefits. Many traumatic amputees experience painful hypersensitivity at the termination of finger remnants. The gentle, constant pressure of an elastomer prosthesis can help desensitize and protect the injured tip. Over time, scar tissue contained within a silicone prosthesis seems to become more pliant an d comfortable. Recent literature speculates that silicone gel improves the hydration of the stratum corneum of immature hypertrophic scars. Placing a decorative ring over the margin of a finger prosthesis ending at the metacarpal-phalangeal joint will make the changing color of the hand less noticeable although the distal joint functions will be slightly restricted. Conclusion The custom-made finger prosthesis is esthetically acceptable and comfortable for use in patients with amputated fingers, resulting in psychological improvement and personality. An esthetic and retentive prosthesis are the primary determinant factors in the successful prosthetic restoration of a finger. The retention for this patient was obtained by reducing the stump and using a ring of suitable size.

Analysis of Mary Reilly by Valerie Martin Essay -- Mary Reilly Valerie

Analysis of Mary Reilly by Valerie Martin The book Mary Reilly is the sequel to the famous The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, is a stark, ingeniously woven, engaging novel. That tells the disturbing tale of the dual personality of Dr. Jekyll, a physician. A generous and philanthropic man, his is preoccupied with the problems of good and evil and with the possibility of separating them into two distinct personalities. He develops a drug that transforms him into the demonic Mr. Hyde, in whose person he exhausts all the latent evil in his nature. He also creates an antidote that will restore him into his respectable existence as Dr. Jekyll. Gradually, however, the unmitigated evil of his darker self predominates, until finally he performs an atrocious murder. His saner self determines to curtail those alternations of personality, but he discovers that he is losing control over his transformations, that he slips with increasing frequency into the wo rld of evil. Finally, unable to procure one of the ingredients for the mixture of redemption, and on the verge of being discovered, he commits suicide. Mary Reilly by Valerie Martin, is a powerful and moving novel. It takes the story Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde, and gives a fresh take on the distinguished Dr. Henry Jekyll and the nefarious Mr. Edward Hyde. It is told through the psyche of a Victorian servant named Mary Reilly. The book's structure purports to be Mary Reilly's diary. The entries articulate Mary Reilly's feelings and experiences while in service for Dr. Henry Jekyll, and how she often empathizes with Dr. Jekyll on his afflictions which she cannot comprehend. As the book progresses Mary Reilly continuously comments on her Masters every changing state of health. Towards the end of the book her mother passes away leaving Mary in grief. Soon after this personal catastrophe, she encounters Mr. Hyde while looking around out side. In this confrontation Mary is bitten on the shoulder by Hyde and is near death when Hyde abruptly ceases his frenzy. Not long after this the body of Mr. Hyde is found dead in Jekyll's laboratory. Naturally two books related to each other in this way have their similarities and differences in certain areas. Most of the similarities between both books fall in the areas of historical correctness and act... ...g, "The next morning I was washing the front steps when Mr. Poole came out the door and spoke to me very coldly. "The Master has sent for you to come to the drawing room," he said , and I knew he was displeased and suspicious, for Master never pays much attention to servants, and hardly knows their names, or so it seems, though that may be partly due to how determined Mr. Poole is to keep Master from any bother having to do with the house and what a free rein has over everything that goes on, including who is hired and let go." This long excerpt says that Poole monopolizes the master's attention, and has influence over the whole house and every thing in it, except for Master. Mary Reilly explained this sort-of servant dictatorship as if she accepted it, not because she had to, but because she was taught to. This excerpt made me feel badly for Mary Reilly because it showed that Mary was content with her life. This is upsetting to me because I think that Mary had potential to be a successful writer rather then a servant. Each excerpt said a totally different thing about the character Poole. Because of the difference of narrator in the descriptions how the excerpts were said is not

Hercules and Syprus :: essays research papers

Now Heracles had just finished his tweleveth labour when the king said that he has another labour.Hercales is now devistated and angry at the king but he does not show it.He looks up to the king and says "O your highness, haven't you put me into enough danger of your liking?""No!"The king shouted.Heracles was now ready to run away because the king was putting to much pressure on him but he decided to do this one last labour."You will have to go into the village of Athens and there you will ask many people about Syprus,the deadliest dragon ever" Said the king Zeus.Now the king was very satisfied that Heracles fullfilled all his demands but he was'nt satisfied with the quantity of labours."This dragon is so fierce that he can eat the lions of the forests and jungles without even trying.He once had eaten the godess Aphrodite but she had escaped with great courage and strength" said the king."And what are the weaknesses of this fierce and dangerous creature you are talking about oh great one"said Heracles."There are none, I'm afraid"said the king slyly."You will have to kill this dragon and flay it.Then you will put your hands amongst it's long and leathery tail and you will feel for a large rectangular box.You will bring this box to me but you shall not open it.This is your final labour and I wish you to fullfill it or else...."the king said nodding."Well I must be heading my way to the village Athen to do my last labour,do you wish me good luck and safety,o great one?"asked Heracles.The king did not say anything for a moment and then shouted out "Go on before I change my mind to something more worse."But there was'nt anything more worse than the Syprus, so if Heracles stayed the king would just have to make up something.Heracles left and made his way to Athen's.When he got there he asked almost all of the working villagers and all of them pointed him to go into the large cave in the North of Athen's.Heracles went North and found a large cave that can fit the whol e world."By the looks of this cave I can see that the one that I've been looking for has been looking for me"siad Heracles.Heracles went into the cave and took out his large club that he had carved and went to explore.

Standardized Testing is NOT Effective Essay example -- Standardized Te

Standardized testing is not an effective way to test the skills and abilities of today’s students. Standardized tests do not reveal what a student actually understands and learns, but instead only prove how well a student can do on a generic test. Schools have an obligation to prepare students for life, and with the power standardized tests have today, students are being cheated out of a proper, valuable education and forced to prepare and improve their test skills. Too much time, energy, and pressure to succeed are being devoted to standardized tests. Standardized testing, as it is being used presently, is a flawed way of testing the skills of today’s students. Too much time is being devoted to preparing students for standardized tests. Parents should worry about what schools are sacrificing in order to focus on raising test scores. Schools across the country are cutting back on, or even eliminating programs in the arts, recess for young children, field trips, electives for high school students, class meetings, discussions about current events, the use of literature in the elementary grades, and entire subject areas such as science (if the tests cover only language arts and math) (Kohn Standardized Testing and Its Victims 1). Alfie Kohn, author of The Case against Standardized Testing, recalls a specific incident of how children are being cheated out of valuable class time. He states that a school in Massachusetts used a remarkable unit, for a middle-school class, where students chose an activity and extensively researched it, and reported or taught, it to the class. This program has had to be removed from the course curriculum in order to devote enough time to teaching prescribed material for their standardized tests. At my high school all students in the tenth grade were required to take the Graduation Qualifying Exam. Many students did not pass the test their first time, and were forced to go through the test up to four more times, and if they did not pass the test in this amount of time, they did not graduate. It is hard to test students in this way since no one was taught the same way all 12 years or learned the same exact things; these differences are why people are different (Popham 2). School is more about testing now, and we have veered away from creative teaching to teach a test. We need to have teachers who inspire kids to want to ... ... Testing: Pro and Con. Web. 28 June 2015. . Kohn, Alfie. â€Å"Standardized Testing and Its Victims.† Education Week. September 2000. Kohn, Alfie. The Case Against Standardized Testing: Raising the Scores, Ruining the Schools. Portsmouth NH: Heinemann 2000. Kohn, Alfie. â€Å"The Worst Kind of Cheating.† Streamlined Seminar. Winter 2002-03. Meier, Deborah. Will Standards Save Public Education? Boston: Beacon Press, 2002. Morse, Jodie. "Is That Your Final Answer?.† Educational Tests and their Measurements. June 2000. Web. 30 June 2015. http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,997209,00.html Popham, W. James. â€Å"Standardized Achievement Tests: Misnamed and Misleading.† Education Week. September 2001. Web. 28 June 2015. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2001/09/19/03popham.h21.html Sacks, Peter. "The Toll Standardized Tests Take." National Education Association. 2000. Web. 2 July 2015. http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/interviews/2953178/toll-standardized-tests-take Wellstone, Paul. The Conscience of a Liberal: Reclaiming the Compassionate Agenda. New York: Random House, 2002.

Health & Social Care Essay

Ai Identify four key pieces of Legislation and Codes of Practice relating to handling information in social care setting. 1). Data Protection Act 1998 – Gives rights to individuals in respect of personal data held about them. It also seeks to protect individuals with regard to the processing of personal data. 2). Freedom of Information Act 2000 – The Freedom of Information Act gives you the right to ask any public sector organisation for all the recorded information they have on any subject. Anyone can make a request for information – there are no restrictions on your age, nationality or where you live. If you ask for information about yourself, then your request will be handled under the Data Protection Act. 3). Employees Policies & Procedures – To make sure that all records that are kept in the office are put away in a locked secure cabinet. And when you write out the daily report sheet in the Care Plan Book, make sure that the Care Plan Book is closed and not left open. 4). Health and Social Care Act 2008 – requires us to publish a code that sets out the practice we will follow in obtaining, handling, using and disclosing confidential personal information. Aii Explain how legal requirements and codes of practice affect the day to day work of a social care worker in relation to handling information. It is important to follow the codes of practice in everything you do in your day to day work. For example, I personally had a situation a while ago where my regular service user was in hospital for a couple of months, and a friend of Mr T’s approached me and asked if I could give her the key safe code so she could go into to his property and clean round and get him some shopping. I told her that I could not give her Mr T’s key safe code as it is my duty of care not to give out any information that was entrusted to me. And if I gave it to her then I would be breaking the codes of practice and my employees policies and procedures.

Hamlet vs Lion King Essay

Some may say that Disney’s the Lion King is a children’s version of Shakespear’s Hamlet. There are many similarities and differences. In the very opening scene of the Lion King Mufasa, the king of the pridelands confronts his brother Scar. This is similar to Hamlet, shortly after Hamlet visits his mother and kills Polonius, there is a meeting between him and Claudius. Both of the kings visit their sons and give them advice that sets them into action. Mufasa appears to SImba in the stars and tells him to take his place as king. Hamlet’s father appears as a ghost and tells Hamlet to take revenge on his uncle. Another similarity is both families are royal families. The uncles are also very similar. In the Lion King Simba has an evil uncle named Scar. Scar is jealous of his brother because he wants to be king, so Scar kills his brother and becomes king. Hamlet has an uncle named Claudius who becomes king by killing his brother also. Both have close relations ships with people. The Lion King, Simba develops a close relationship with Timone and Pumbaa, along with those two he has the love of his life Nala. In Hamlet, Hamlet’s friend is Horatio, one of his good friends from college. Hamlet’s love interest is Ophelia. Another similarity is that both princes end up leaving. In the Lion King Simba runs away because Scar tells him too, so he can become king. Hamlet’s Uncle convinces him to go to England. Both of them are sent away to be killed, but neither of them do. Both Movies the princes end up fighting their uncles. Simba fights Scar who is killed by the annoying hyenas. Hamlet kills his uncle with a sword that is poisoned. Last, both Simba and Hamlet have to overcome a decision. Simba has to learn not to run away from his fears and step up and take his place in the world. Hamlet had to decide whether or not he should kill his uncle. The differences between the Lion King and Hamlet are that Simba was young when his father died and Hamlet was probably in his mid adulthood. Another is that Simba’s mother and Scar never get married after Mufasa’s death, but Hamlet’s mother marries Hamlet’s mother. In the Lion King there was a happy ending when Simba and Nala get married and have a baby, where as in Hamlet there was not such a happy ending because Hamlet and Ophelia never get married because they both die. In Hamlet a lot more people die than in the Lion King where Mufasa and Scar die. And of course to finish it off the Lion King has lions, whereas Hamlet has humans.

Reflections on Libertarianism

Libertarianism As a Christina view, in the beginning of the time, â€Å"For in Him all things were created: things in Heaven and on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him† (Colossians 1: 16). Human beings were created by God with one purpose to worship to Him. God knew that the first man and woman were going to fall down in the enemy temptation. That is why He created every single thing perfectly. However, we study the history through the Bible or other kind of books.We will see that few people fallowed that commitment and other people did things that are not pleasing to Him. God hoped to receive worship from them, but it was not like that. God is a gentleman, He never is going to force us to do things that we do not want to do. He gave us freedom or freewill to do whatever we want to and chooses between the good or evil. Every single human’s act will have its reward. As the Scriptures says that there are two ways, a big one and small one. In the big way, many people go in that direction because is easier; however, it drives to the perdition.The small way is the opposite form (Mathew 7: 13-14). The human’s stages start born, growing, reproducing, and dying. While, the people still alive, â€Å"Each mind is a world† (Kay, 1998, p. 163). We do different things from others and we do not care what others think about us because we have libertarianism. What is libertarianism? â€Å"It is a particular account of the metaphysics of human choice† (Stewart, Blocker & Petrik, 2012, p. 154). The libertarianism is also used in philosophy and it can refer to the freedom, liberty, right, and freewill.They are fundamental goods that governments should be extremely slow to restrict them. Long time ago, there were many slaves did not count with those goods, they knew to work for someone. We can imagine that it was hard to live in that time, now we se e different when someone left from the jail and the person is free. He stills happy and he does not want to come back again. As human beings have the knowledge to understand which things are bad and good. Libertarianism has pro and con or for and against.For example, I go to buy a used video game to Game Stop, I am going to buy it because I want it or like it, and I do not care other people think about me. In this example there are both. The pro could be that it is cheaper than the new one, but the con may be does not work well. â€Å"‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but not everything is constructive† (Corinthians 10: 23). Libertarianism is based on the principles of Self-Ownership. It means that I have to live my own life and let others live their lives. Self-Ownership is to deny, this is to imply that another person has a higher claim on your life than you do† (Norquist, 2005). No, other person or group of people, own your life nor do you own the lives of others. For example a person exist in times and it is manifest as; past (product of your life and liberty), present (freedom or rights) and future (life). If we lose the life, then we lose our future. However, if we lose the freedom, then we lose the present or if we lose the product of our life, then we lose the past that includes our knowledge. The product if our life and our liberty is our property.Property is the fruit of our labor and the product of the time, talents, and energy. As a human being, property is part of us; it is our nature, which we turn to valuable use. At times, some people use force or fraud to take form other without voluntary consent. Examples of them are: if someone takes the life of other is murder, about liberty is slavery and property is theft. We have the right to protect our own lives, liberty and property from the forceful aggression of others. A lso, we can ask for help to others to defend us (parents) because they never want bad thing for their children.Nevertheless, we have to be sure that we are not initiating to force against the life, liberty, and property of others. We have the right to seek for a leader for ourselves to drive us, but we do not have rights to impose rulers onto others. Since we our own life, we are responsible for our lives. We do not ret our lives from other humans who demand obedience. We studied in the beginning the God created us and just to Him we should show up obedience and worship to Him; however we do not do it. We are living in the grace time that is why God does not destroy us yet. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ† (John 1: 17). Nor are we slaves form others who demand our sacrifice. In our lives, we choose our own goals based on our own vales, those values can go downs and ups; however we will reach one of the goal. Success and failure bo th are necessary incentives to learn and to grow. Our actions on behalf of others or their actions behalf of us, it is virtuous only when it is derived firm voluntary, mutual and consent. For virtue just can exist only where there is free choice.It is not only the most practical and humanitarian foundation for human action, it is also the most ethical. The problems in the world that arise from initiation of force by government have a solution. The solution is for the people of the Earth to stop asking government officials and initiate force on their behalf. Evil does not arise only form evil people, but also from good people who tolerant the initiation of forces as means to their own ends. In this manner, good people have empowered evil people through the history. Achieving a free society requires courage to think, to talk and to act. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do† (Romans 7: 15). References (1998). King James Bible. (KJ V ed. , Vol. Deuteronomy). Nashville, TN: Cornerstone Bible Publishers. Kay B. Warren (1998). Indigenous movements and their critics. United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, 41 Street Princeton, New Jersey 08540. 163. Norquist, G. (2005). Ownership Can Be Revolutionary. American Enterprise,  16(2), 50. Stewart, D. , Blocker, G. H. , & Petrik, J. (2012). Fundamentals of philosophy. (8th ed. ed. ). New York: Pearson.

What does Eliza consider to be her real education

The play is an adaptation of the Greek myth of Pygmalion who fell in love with a statue as it was more real in the understanding of its own composition than the actual women he had observed and grown despondent to. It is a work that closely follows the relationship between society and linguistics, wherein the women is real, but has yet to have her manners sculptured. In particular, it highlights the role of convention and articulation in relation to identities, depicting this through the subject of Eliza.In this paper the author will be addressing the subject of the play and its central character, whilst examining the effects that learning the speech of, what was considered, correct English had on her. Main Body When first completing the text, it is clear that there is an irony in the play that brings forth the now famed social and political points to the surface. However, one may be forgiven for considering these points relevant in today’s society, though in a more fractured sense. This is because they relate to speech and language use in relation to social standing.// Although social standing in today’s liberal society is becoming an ever more redundant concept, using someone’s speech as an indication of someone‘s identity is still in evidence. This notion is apparent in the main plot line in which Eliza becomes entrapped to the perspective of a new language system. When adopting the role of the speaker, Eliza adopts a slowly differing identity that emerges with child like astonishment before she changes into what is essentially a different person. It does not continue to be a liberating and learning experience.Rather, the liberation of a woman hiding behind the veil of civility in a bid to expose it, perhaps showing the power of the human spirit over class in the process, is lost. That is to say, that on speaking the language through the conventions of class Eliza loses sight of the world through her former eyes and comes to view i t through her new language that cannot be escaped. Essentially, it is through this change in persona that the play delivers its moral warning and cutting implication in that the core of the human being cannot escape from the language that it uses to identify itself with.The language and convention used by those of high society is responsible for each of their perspectives and it is not the person or people‘s speaking the language. Essentially, if you are to change the person’s language, language use and perspective then they themselves will come to define themselves and their being according to the structural meaning inherent to the language that is used by that society. This is indicated throughout Eliza’s discussions and becomes the main rationale for all that she does.For example, in one part of the play she states that ‘’you know I can't go back to the gutter, as you call it, and that I have no real friends in the world but you and the Colonelâ⠂¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Shaw, 1998). This short extract shows the great division based upon the language being used and the fact that it is represented by a social reality, in this case being social standing. What is interesting about the use of language in relation to others is the way in which Eliza is accepted and rejected at different times during the play.For example, it first appears that Eliza is rejected from society as her language does not denote the correct social grouping, stock and/ or class. This is first justified as being because of her use of language, accent and the incorrect convention. However, it appears on later reading that the convention is of little consequence as she uses the same convention, but put to a different context. Rather, it is the response from others alone that make it something of note.At one point during the play she makes the assertion that speaking properly (meaning without a cockney accent) is simply learning to dance in a fashionable way, which acc entuates this point even further. Essentially, the assertion that she puts forward here relates to the realisation of the superficiality of language in its conventional format as both languages mean exactly the same thing from a pragmatic perspective.At this stage she is learning the meaning of language and the convention of getting from one thing to another via language use. She realises that the only difference is a superficial one as the functional meaning (cause and effect) is the same whichever language is spoken. Essentially, the only different in the language is the significance of the source of referents, which dictate a different context to convention.Therefore, her conclusion is that it is merely a state of fashion in which the dancer dances the same, but where one dancer adopts the fashionable style, the other is overlooked as being able to dance (Baudrillard, 1968). This conclusion relates to the elements of high society that come with the speakers of proper English and that are not afforded to those of a poorer language, such as cockney. Those that do not speak the language are simply those that do not speak of anything meaningful, when in reality there is simply a clash over the source of referential meaning.

Night owl Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Night owl - Essay Example This however does not negate the fact that good sleeping patterns should not be advocated for. It is not only vital but also health for persons to get the right amount of sleep each day. Much praises has not been languished towards the night owls as the early birds. However, Jacques (Para 3) explains that there are reasons the owl persons to be proud of who they are. She argues that one of the reasons to be proud if an individual is an evening person is that they might be having an IQ that is relatively higher. At the London School of Economics and Political Science, an evolutionary scientist called Satoshi Kanazawa found out the possibility of a connection or relationship between evolutionary adaptive behaviors and intelligence. It is a deviation from what ancestors did. Jacques (Para 4) activities that are routinely nocturnal are evolutionarily novel and were most likely seldom in the ancestral environment. The conclusion of the study revealed that intelligent children have the highest probability of growing up and becoming nocturnal in adulthood by going to bed both on weekends and weekdays late and waking up late. However, despite the fact that their IQ may be higher, the early birds tend to in a slightly better position for success. According to Jacque (Para 5), the second reason for the evening persons to be proud is that they usually benefit from the having strength at night. They have an advantage in terms of physicality in comparison to the morning people. The tests from researchers of the University of Alberta on the strength of legs of both morning and evening persons reveals that while the early birds exhibit consistent strength throughout the day, the night owls strength peaks at night to higher levels. This is attributed to the fact that nocturnal persons shows increase in excitability in the spinal cord and motor cortex. Jacque (Para 6) claims that individuals who tend to work more at night are to be a little more

The process and the steps of pearl farming, including the benefits to Essay

The process and the steps of pearl farming, including the benefits to the environmental surrounding - Essay Example Eventually, the researcher will distinguish the differences between pearl oyster and a regular oyster. Prior to the conclusion, the researcher will discuss the positive impact of pearl farming on eco-tourism business in terms of the need to preserve the natural sea environment. Since the 17th century, the United States has been considered as a major source of fresh-water pearls. The â€Å"Tennessee River Freshwater Pearl Farm† which was founded by John Latendresse back in 1979 is the only freshwater pearl farm in the country. (American Pearl Company, 2008; U.S. Pearl Cultivation, 2008) In general, oyster pearls can either be produced in either fresh- or salt-water or both. Salt-water pearls are rounder, bigger, smoother and have a better luster. (Khulsey, 2008) Aside from the physical characteristics of these pearls, one of the most obvious differences between the two types of pearl is the fact that fresh-water pearls are cheaper as compared to salt-water pearls. Pearls that are bred for only a year is significantly cheaper than pearls bred for 30 years or more. (Journal Wuxi: Pearl of Taihu Lake, 2006) The scientific name of fresh water pearl oysters is known as the ‘Pinctada’ family which is totally different from edible oysters known as the ‘Ostreidae’. (Pacific Island, 2008) Silver- or gold-lip pearls mainly come from ‘Pinctada maxima’ whereas the black-lip pearls come from ‘Pinctada margaritifera.’ Saltwater white pearls in Japan’s white pearls come from ‘Pinctada fucata martensi’ which is also known as the ‘Akoya pearl oysters’. Lastly, the Keshii pearls in Japan can be formed either in fresh- or salt-water. (Khulsey, 2008) The sea water condition and age could greatly affect whether the oysters would have the male or a female sex organ. (Pacific Island, 2008) For this reason, maintaining the cleanliness of both fresh- and sea-waters is an essential part of pearl farming. When pearl

Insure your life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Insure your life - Essay Example In this paper, importance of education will be discussed by comparing the lifestyle of two guys one of whom studies and the other runs away from studies. Two guys grew up together in the same neighborhood. One of them had a fight in school and he went to jail because of it. He completed studying his middle school in the jail. After two years, he came out of the jail. He tried to continue his high school but was not given admission because of his certificate from the jail. He got a job as a car cleaner for a while. Later, he got a better job as a driver. He worked hard and was improving. Now he has contract as a Director in Government’s Relations department in one of the biggest contract companies and is getting a very good salary. He got married and had children, but the children feel guilty because their father lacks good skills. Now his life is in risk since he has no certificate and the contract will expire one day. The other guy finished his high school in Saudi Arabia and went to the United States to complete his university. He had a hard time at the beginning because of the new culture. He faced troubles like Ashley Wagner who was also fearing because of studying in unfamiliar school (Wagner 317). He also had to learn a new language. He spent his time at the library and asked other students for help if he did not understand anything. He studied hard and got good grades in school. He went back to Saudi Arabia with full happiness. He made his family proud of him. He wasn’t happy that he left his friends in the United States. He got a job for the Saudi government with special offers like free house, car, gas, health insurance, best salary. He got married to a beautiful woman and got kids. Every vacation, he goes back to the U.S to show his kids his university and tells them that he will send them to study there so that they become like him. He has the best job. He is working. In the start, the first guy ran away from studies and spent time play ing with friends and wasting time in video games but the second guy studied hard and used all his time in studies. The way they spent time before is now affecting their lifestyles. â€Å"Years from now, when all the junk [first guy] got is broken and long forgotten, [second guy will] still have your stars† (Walls 41). The difference between them is that who has degree has comfortable lifestyle but the other one is nervous, stressed and has put himself and his family in the risk. In my personal opinion, the second guy bought insurance for his complete life by working hard in his childhood. He not only kept his parents, teachers, brothers and sisters happy when he was little, he is also keeping his wife, sons and daughters happy now. All the time, he kept people happy by studying but the first guy always teased his parents. His parents did not like him because he wasted time and went to jail. Then, he was not given admission because of his jail certificate. This was big failure and very embarrassing. After that, he was looking for jobs and everybody was saying no to him. Now he has a job but the contract will expire. What will he do after that? Maybe he will ask his parents for money again like a child. After comparing the life of both guys, I conclude that to live a happy good life always, you have to work hard, get a degree and do the job. It is good to go outside your country to study because of good university. After studying, one can get a very good job, get married and live a very good life

Customer is always right Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Customer is always right - Essay Example Business pressure has increased over the years, "and there was no alternative for the boss but to start letting go of some of his workload and his requirement to do all of the thinking".1 Furthermore, the owner of company had to purchase technologies to stay ahead . As the result, staying ahead forced him to concentrate on sales and customer service, and the information regarding technologies he employs partially lost its importance in the boss's minds. But the modern customers are becoming quite inquisitive and frequently need thorough information about the product, so many companies are running 'clarifying policy' to explain to customer the main technologies used. Company executives arrange presentations and press conferences to introduce a new product or a new strategy of the organization. The rapidly-growing Craters & Freighters franchisees view customers as the key to their success. "In the three years since they took over the Dallas Craters & Freighters franchise, Tony Alleman, Choyet Terro and Don Theriot were named Rookies of the Year and recognized for having the fewest claims and largest sector growth within their franchise's system. This year, Alleman, Terro and Theriot, ages 39, 40 and 38, respectively, continue their winning streak. They were singled out for the 2003 All Star Award, based primarily on how well franchisees run a business".3 The main priority of their business is dealing with customers - this, probably is a secret of their growth. The franchisees work in several directions to show to a customer that he receives the best service. "When a customer calls for a quote, our policy is to get back to that customer within 20, 25 minutes," Theriot says, "Our response time, our attention to detail, making sure the paperwork is correct ... the employees understand all this needs to be done."4 Based on their different work expirience, each partner manages a certain part of the business--Alleman handles production, Terro oversees finance and Theriot is responsible for sales, so it allows them to share the responsibility. Those perspectives are useful in crafting work policies, including those relating to customer service. Theriot says that they get together and discuss the major decisions in order to run an honest discussion and to make a decision, which is suitable for everyone.Yet not a single company can work without any problems. If something goes wrong, the franchisees ensure customers' concerns are addressed, via a low-tech solution. The customer always deals with a living person, not with a voice mail, as it makes him sure that his complaint will be examined carefully. Each problem is addressed immediately; as a result the customer sees feedback and attention to his opinion - whatever it is.Customers have taken notice of these initiatives. The

Discussion broad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discussion broad - Essay Example The author has rightly proposed practicing and preparing as two of the important strategies to control meeting stress. I am a Chinese and was recently interviewed in Shanghai. My interview went well because I had thought about the possible questions and prepared answers for them in advance. I also practiced the interview with my friend before the actual interview which gave me a fair idea of the interview. This topic is mentioned in the course book e.g. while preparing for a meeting or an interview, an individual should at least prepare four Ps i.e. â€Å"purpose, product, participants, and probable issues† (Wilkinson, 2012, p. 590). I find this article very informative and useful. It contains very useful pieces of advice that are easily practicable. The author has not only suggested what to do in a meeting to control stress and boost performance, but has also clearly indicated what not to do e.g. not to overprepare or have a crafted and premade answer for every question. I discovered the article recently over the

The Case of the West Memphis 3 Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The of the West Memphis 3 - Case Study Example Such questions as to how they were able to feel confident in theory that they would have put together from those assumptions and have that become the case they would ultimately be able to form. For criminal prosecution, evidence based on factual findings is fear greater than that which would have been obtained through assuming something to be true or incorrect. In that not only were there assumptions made very soon after the crime was discovered to have been committed, but the police would have been approaching potential suspects based on such information with questionable validity and relevance. In the offset, the case against the resulting suspects would appear to be tenuous at best. As it stands, the events leading up to the arrest and prosecution of the three men in question for the heinous crimes committed against the three young boys, would lack the necessary means of just and righteous prosecution. To the citizens of West Memphis, it would have been a great relief to see the apprehension and subsequent prosecution occur. Based on the question of assumptions being made, the linkage of the three accused to the murders, in part by their alleged connection to a Satanica l group and also the behaviors of the groups themselves, would lead to further questions involving whether or not the young men did in fact belong to such a group and if those groups partook and sought to encourage such behavior on the part of its membership. The citizens of West Memphis were relieved that the monsters that had committed these heinous crimes had been apprehended and justice would be served. There was a great deal of anger in the community directed towards these three adolescents, supposedly involved in Satanic cults, who were accused of killing three innocent boys as part of a Satanic ritual. Rumors of Satanic groups had abounded in this dominantly Baptist community for decades. Details of their exploits were well known although there was never any proof of any murders actually having been performed in the past. (Steel, Ch. 1). With everything thus far, the case against the three youths appeared to lack strength. While the details were to have been known throughout the community at large, there would have been no proof whatsoever as to whether or not these groups would have taken part in ritualistic murders as part

Harlem Renaissance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Harlem Renaissance - Essay Example The Harlem Renaissance brought about by the changes that African-American community had endured since the slavery was abolished. Those changes grew greater as a result of the First World War. People from rural areas attracted by industrialization opportunities were coming to cities giving rise to the new mass culture. Furthermore, Harlem Renaissance was contributed by such factors as the Great Migration of black Americans to the Northern cities which were concentrating ambitious people, and World War I that had created new jobs in industry for thousands of people. During the Harlem Renaissance, a new way of playing the piano was introduced. This was called Harlem Style and helped much to blur the lines between black social elite and poor Negroes. While the classic jazz band was made up of brass instruments and was viewed as the symbol of the South, the piano was viewed as an instrument pertaining to the culture of the wealthy. Such a modification once brought to already existing genre offered well-to-do blacks access to jazz. The popularity of that genre soon spread throughout the United States and became eventually at an â€Å"all time high.† Its liveliness and innovation were significant characteristics of performers in jazz’s early years. Such outstanding musicians as Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Willie â€Å"The Lion† Smith and Jelly Roll Morton are considered to have laid the foundation for jazz music. It was the time when jazz as the blacks’ musical style gained it s popularity among whites. White dramatists, novelists and composers began to exploit the musical themes and tendencies of African-American in their pieces of art. Composers began to imply African American motifs in their works, such melodies and harmonies of black music as spirituals jazz and blues into their own concert pieces. African-Americans began to merge with white musicians into classical world of composition. Soon Roland Hayes became the first black male to enjoy wide recognition as a concert performer in both his native country and worldwide. He attended the Fisk University in Nashville with Arthur Calhoun. Later he

SAM 342 UNIT 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SAM 342 UNIT 1 - Essay Example They do this through the draft rules, where NBA teams seek amateur college students to join their teams. They are later trained to become professional basketball players. The National Basketball Association is the authority that forms, and enforces these rules. The worst club gets the first choice in picking raw talent. Players pass through rigorous interviews and fitness tests, before admission to a basketball team. Clubs offer huge salaries, allowances and financial endorsements to sustain these players (Chellandurai, 1999). This motivates them, and improves their performance, ensuring loyalty to the club. Footballers such as David Beckham are rich and famous due to the sustainable programs by sports organization. These organizations change the attitudes of their players through the mindset. To enhance good performance, a player needs confidence. Sports and recreational organizations install this virtue through various programs and peer education seminars (Chelladurai, 1999). They hire psychologists to talk to employers, building their confidence level, both at the sports arena, and outside the sports

Education system essay Essay Example for Free

Education system essay Essay From the articles I have read, it seems as though parents, teachers, and the education system continue to blame one another for poor student performance in school and on state tests. However, I believe that each of these groups plays a key role in student success or failure. School administration and board members seem to be completely oblivious to the real reasons students perform poorly and parents lack involvment in their childrens schooling and education at home. I do believe that income does play a key role in education, however, I dont agree with it. Schools in low income neighborhoods dont recieve the proper funding to provide students with the materials they need to be successful in school, but the students dont score high enough on state tests to earn the school money for these materials; its a lose lose situation (Barbanel, 2002). For these issues, I believe the lack of government involvment and recognition is the cause of student failure. Despite all these factors, students should also be held accountable for being successful in school. Even if schools recieve proper funding, materials, and training, it is ultimately up to the student to stay motivated to succeed. From personal experience, I found that it was much easier to stay motivated in classes that I felt engaged in. The classes that teachers made a connection with me in and really knew their stuff were always the classes I had a higher success rate in. I think teacher involvement is a huge deal in school, it makes a student want to go to school, and feel like they belong rather than just going because they have to. Recently, Maine and fourty-four other states have adopted the new Common Core standards that will make academic standards even higher for kids in grades K-12 (Gallagher, 2013). The purpose of these standards is to increase critical thinking skills and teach students to solve problems on their own. Common Core is designed to allow teachers to be facilitators and students to take responsiblity for their own education. However, as positive and ecouraging as Common Core sounds, experts say that a drop as high as 40% will be seen in the new testing in 2015 (Gallagher, 2013). ____________________________________________________________ BARBANEL, J. (2002, March 31). Elementary and Middle School Report Cards. Retrieved from The New York Times: http://ethemes.pearsoncmg.com/0205405940/article_06/index.html Ghallagher, N. K. (2013, July 7). Back-to-school means facing tougher academic standards this fall | The Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME. Retrieved from http://www.kjonline.com/news/test-scores-likely-to-drop-under-new-standards_2013-07-20.html