Representation of Indigenous Cultures Essay

Since the European settlement of Australia, the Indigenous people have been represented in a myriad of ways. The Rabbits (1998), an allegorical picture book by John Marsden (writer) and Shaun Tan (illustrator) and Rabbit Proof Fence (2002), a film directed by Phillip Noyce, are just two examples of this. Techniques such as music, changing camera angles and symbolism are utilised in Rabbit Proof Fence to represent the Aboriginal people as strong-willed and spiritual and in The Rabbits, exaggeration, different colour themes and perspective are used to portray the Aborigines as technologically inferior and overwhelmed against the Europeans. In both texts, the Indigenous people are represented as oppressed by the Europeans. The Rabbit Proof Fence uses techniques such as slow motion close-ups, quick transition camera shots and intense music to show the strong-willed nature of the Aboriginals, which are be used in the scene where the three girls are taken by constable Riggs. Just before constable Riggs, we already hear the music building up the tension with some soft, yet ominous music and as they see the car, there is a slight silence before the intense music slams suddenly to support and symbolise the chaos and confusion of this part of the scene. This brief respite in music and the slow motion close-up shots of the horrified expressions on the faces of all of them emphasises the chaos that was about to happen when constable Riggs chases and captures the girls. Even after the girls were obstructed by the car and constable Riggs was taking the girls one by one, they continued to resist, especially Molly, who screamed and kicked the door shut as Riggs attempted to shove her inside the back seat. The quick transition camera shots that accompany this section of the scene from one character to another, exemplifies the franticness of it. During this scene, we clearly see the considerable amount will of resistance the Aborigines have because of the fact that, although they were powerless against the Europeans, they resisted to the bitter end. On the other hand, in The Rabbits, the Aboriginals (the Numbats) are represented as technologically inferior by the use of techniques such as: colour schemes, exaggeration and vanishing points. Colour schemes in this book are used effectively to emphasise the Indigenous population’s simplicity in life as the Aboriginal colour schemes consist of hues that blend well and warmly with its surroundings so the general overview of the texture of the painting in smooth. However, when analysing the Europeans (the Rabbits’) settlement in panels such as four and five, the colours are very sharp and more suited to the use of creating hard edges, which has been done as seen from the geometric construction of the objects within these two panels. In the tenth panel, the exaggeration of the wheat collectors is used to show the Europeans’ superior knowledge in machinery, in not only size, but also the quantity of objects that are attached like the taps. In the eighth panel, another representation of the Aboriginal’s inferiority in equipment is portrayed in the bottom right hand corner by an absolute domination in manpower and weapons. This is also epitomized by the vanishing point in that particular frame, which basically shows the reader that the army of soldiers is close to infinite. The spirituality of the Aboriginal people towards their land is portrayed in Rabbit Proof Fence by using symbolism, music and camera shifts, when Molly and Daisy on the verge of losing hope in the desert. In this scene, the very slow, lamenting music gives an audio representation of the two girls’ fatigue and hopelessness, using small accents to do so at every step. When the girls do collapse onto the ground, Molly sees an eagle soaring in the sky above them. This eagle, as explained by Molly’s mother in opening scene, was a symbol of protection and safety in Aboriginal culture. The appearance of this eagle in their time of need emphasises how the Aboriginals are truly bonded, psychologically and physically, to their land and culture. In this scene, the camera shifts back and forth between their elders back at Jigalong and the girls in the desert. This constant transition conveys the relationship between the girls (protected by the eagle) and the elders praying in an Aboriginal dialect for the girl’s safety. With these few examples, we can see how the Indigenous people have a special bond with their land through their cultural religion, which, in return, assists them when it is needed. Powerlessness of the Numbats (Aboriginals) against the Rabbits (Europeans) in The Rabbits is shown through the use of words within the mise en scene. Within this picture book, Marsden contributes to the meaning of the story to the readers through very short, but powerful sentences such as: â€Å"Sometimes we had fights/But there were too many rabbits/We lost the fights. † The way these sentences are structured so that it places emphasise the appropriate scenario that is occurring in each panel. With Shaun Tan, he conveys the powerless nature of the Indigenous by placing the Europeans in the foreground and the Aboriginal’s away from the focal point. For example, in panel eleven, the rabbits (Europeans) arjplaced in the foreground of the scene, holding up the words, â€Å"and they stole our children† and the tiny numbats (Aboriginals) are off into the far distance, holding up their hands in a fruitless gesture whilst their children are being taken away from them. This representation of the numbats in the background shows how the Europeans have gained most of the control in their land, causing a massive imbalance in power. The Rabbits and Rabbit Proof Fence provide audiences with different representations of the Indigenous culture by presenting various ideas by using visual and literary techniques to support them with: music, changing camera angles, exaggeration and perspective being a few that were discussed.

Determinism and Its Moral Implications

Drew Lewis 11/13/11 Philosophy Determinism and its Moral Implications Q: There are powerful arguments that there is no such thing as free will. But people in ordinary life tend to presuppose there is free will when they talk about people deserving good or bad treatment, rewards and punishments. Some kinds of rewards and punishments encourage good behavior and discourage bad behavior, so those make sense even if there is no free will. But what about punishments for crimes that are impossible to deter (like crimes of passion) or rewarding talents people can’t choose to have (like Olympic medals or Nobel prizes for science)? Do these practices still make sense if there is no free will? If not, how would it make sense to change our institutions? Our entire mental state is a product of the chemical and physical properties of our neurons at any given time, and changes are produced directly by communications within the central nervous system and between the peripheral and central nervous system. To be astonished at this fact is to underestimate the design complexity and sheer number of neurons present in the body. To assert there is a magical force called free will is unfounded and illogical. Your mind is governed by the same laws which govern all other matter of which you have no control. Free will, however, remains a popular belief mainly because of its connections to religion and the perception of introspection. When we introspect it is easy to convince ourselves that there is something spiritual inside; our mind is spontaneous, indecisive, creative, and often irrational. These qualities are, for the most part, absent in robotics, which supports a widely held belief that they can’t be synthesized. Determinism simply says that the mind can be predicted like a chemical reaction can be predicted; there is nothing special about our minds which hold them above physical laws. The mind is a complicated construct, and its vast number of interactions with the environment makes it impossible to predict. The simplest computer able to accurately model exactly what will occur in the human mind would be as complex as the universe itself. Because one does not have control over the functions inside one’s own brain, and because the functions in the brain determine thought process, no one has control of their thoughts. Determinism raises a number of interesting moral questions. Determinism is an unpopular theory mostly because its conclusion is misunderstood. Determinists can agree on a type of free will, which is simply defined on an individual acting or thinking in a healthy mental state and without influence. Given this situation an individual can be said to be thinking independently. The individual, according to determinists, has no control over his thought process, but he is, by popular definition, using his free will and judgment. Even if it is intangible, the concept is none the less incredibly important. The complete rejection of free will would have devastating consequences. Without free will humans lose responsibility, and without responsibility humans lose justice, which is the purest and most righteous human construct. The theory of determinism uses logic not based on speculation, and as theories come, it is one of the most foolproof. The important question to me is how to go about recognizing the truth of determinism without allowing it to affect life negatively. No one can say for sure whether complete recognition of determinism would be a good or bad, but I believe there is an overwhelming argument that the rejection of the concept of free will would have disastrous consequences. It brings up the interesting question if it is better to know the truth about something if it has negative consequences. Though I believe strongly in determinism, I treat my actions like I have control of them. This attitude is important for my well-being for numerous reasons. If one does not have control one’s thoughts or actions, are rewards and punishments necessary or even beneficial? The answer is yes. A healthy mind needs rewards and punishments in every situation in order to grow and improve. Reinforcements increase the likelihood of an action and punishments tend to decrease the likelihood of an action. Taking away these vital signals in the brain would cause disaster for the psyche. As a child you are constantly being conditioned. It’s the reason you have the gut reaction to think for a second before making a large purchase. It’s also the reason you work hard in school or at a job. Every time you were praised for a good grade or punished for a bad one, it ingrained in your mind what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ which in turn influences your motivation and attitude. The more reinforcement you receive the better conditioned you are to cope with your environment. We don’t, however, learn simply from reinforcements. A lot of trial and error is saved because we can observe others and learn from them. Everyone tries to emulate those who they see being rewarded the most through a conscious or unconscious attraction to their reinforcement. These people are known to us as heroes. Inversely we also tend to try not to be like villains – those who fail to gain rewards or are excessively punished. This is why it is so important for us to reward athletes and scholars, even though they did not exhibit free will. As children, most people aspire to be firefighters, soldiers, astronauts, or police officers. More than other professions, these are people who are presented to kids as heroes. The sole purpose of rewarding heroes might have the trivial goal of rewarding their good deeds, however it also has the noble effect of inspiring others to emulate them. By taking away the benefit of prestige, excellence fails to stand out from mediocrity. In psychology there is a subject called attribution. It is the study of what people attribute their experiences to. Some people blame themselves for things, and therefore are called internal attributers (as opposed to external attributers). If a person believes that their experiences can be manipulated they are called dynamic attributers (as opposed to static attributers). In order to truly believe that your experience is a result of your actions and that you can also change those actions, you must also believe in a form of free will. Without free will you could not change your actions, nor can you be held accountable for them. Psychology has shown that people who attribute their experiences internally and dynamically are less likely to suffer from depression than all other attribution types. In addition to depression many other types of psychological disorders such as mania are thought to be caused by static and external attribution. Free will is a defining theme in the punishment/reform debate dealing with prisons. If free will isn’t real the American prison system should operate solely for the purpose of reform and the isolation of those determined to be a danger to society. Without free will, punishment is trivial except for its uses as a reformation tool and as a deterrent to those thinking of committing a crime. In the case of life in prison or the death sentence there is no possibility for rehabilitation. If a prisoner couldn’t be rehabilitated using a reasonable amount of resources, a determinist may accept the benefits of a life sentence or death penalty. Life sentences and death sentences are considered positive because they keep people who are dangerous isolated from those they could harm, while simultaneously serving as a warning to others to prevent them from committing acts which could prove them dangerous. It is hard, when comparing the life sentence with the death penalty, which is worse. Whichever causes the least harm to the individual in question would be the best option. I personally believe it is more humane to end a human’s life painlessly (and as soon after conviction as possible) than to keep them locked in a cell until they die slowly of disease. It is likely that our ancestors were predisposed to the idea of free will and were favored because of it. The concept of free will gives you more motivation to hand down reinforcement, whether it is positive or negative, to those around you. It also helps you accept reinforcement from others. The concept of free will is a powerful force that keeps societies working correctly. Our entire legal and social system is based on the concept of free will. Everything in society is interlocking, so if we try to change society to fit the new idea that free will is irrelevant we will find inconsistencies and injustice until a solution is found in a stable society not based on the recognition of free will. Societal upheaval would be ridiculous because it wouldn’t accomplish anything. Judgment using free will is second nature to us as humans. When asked about Hitler, a Holocaust survivor, even a determinist one, wouldn’t say, ‘He did terrible things but it wasn’t his fault because he has no control over what happens in his rain. ’ Determinist ideals can only go so far before they become eclipsed by human emotion; therefore it would be ill advised to try to change society to fit the new theory. As you can see, the theory of determinism has many interesting theoretical implications, but very little actual applications. Its theoretical implications could be the most important, however. Combined with nihilism a nd agnosticism, it forms a rounded view of the universe which is grounded in science and reason without confusion from religion or human emotion. I believe that if philosophers can pursue this track of thought, devoid of spirituality and belief, philosophers can finally make progress in finding real answers. Determinism is still widely misunderstood. I was surprised how many of my classmates did not understand even the basic principles after spending time learning about it. The challenge philosophy faces is to present determinism, and other theories like it in a way which people can relate without losing the true meaning.

Managers confuse BSC means with the ends Essay

Intel can maximize the success of the balanced scorecard implement by designing and implementing if properly. Cooperation of all managers is crucial to the success of balance scorecard. Leadership within the organization should realize that balanced scorecard is not a project measure rather that it is a program of change. The leaders and managers will be expended to mobilize the people within the organization while launching the balance scorecard. Resistance is inevitable and the managers of Intel should ensure that the managers see the benefits they could reap out of the management system. For instance, managers in charge of more than one program/project will benefit from clarity when gauging performance. This is because he will be able to marry the desired outcomes with the organization strategies as a performance measure as opposed to the conventional on time and on budget measure previously used. The balance scorecard will help managers to defend their project performance based on facts rather than on speculation. More to that, organization strategy will be every persons job specifications thus more direction to employees effort will be raised. In the end, Intel will maximize its performance outcome significantly one thing to note is that the balance scorecard will be unique to the needs of Intel, meaning, the metrics used to measure the performance of Intel will also be decided by management. Recommendations The balanced scorecard implementation at Intel should occur first on a simulation or experimentation basis before been replicated to the whole organization. This is because the process itself requires adequate funding and the results of the implementation process may vary and sometimes fail to make valuable impact. Think of it as a piloting program. The situation is similar in other changes or projects undertaken within an organization, piloting is crucial companies, which have implemented balance scorecards voice certain challenges that Intel should be aware of for instance. Managers confuse BSC means with the ends. Other words, they confuse the investment of customers’ employees or suppliers with the goal while this is just a mean to improving performance of the organization. In instances where the concept of balance sco0recard has been misunderstood, it has been used to justify poor performance in financial terms. In other cases, managers confuse an excellent design scorecard and clear metrics with the absolute winning strategy. Often this has taken precedence over other equally important activities. Therefore, Intel should be to weary of repeating mistakes done by other companies and carefully deliberate and rethink the strategy of implementing the balance scorecard. The balanced scorecard is a suitable system that will benefit Intel greatly. A proper implementation plan should be developed alongside the designing of the balance scorecard. Additionally, support from staff and top level managers needs to be sought in order for the implementation process to be successful. REFERENCES Oorschot, A. H (2002). Developing a balanced Scorecard with System Dynamics. Available At:Http://Www. Minase. Nl/Pdf/balancced Pdf.. accessed on September 26, 2007. Bain & Company. (2002). Vencedoras Confirmadas. Hsm Management, Sao Paulo, Ano 6, N. 31, P. 138-142, MarcoAbril. Balance scorecard institute. What is a balanced scorecard? Available at www. balancedscorecard. org accessed on September 26, 2007. Dickinson, J. R. (2003) â€Å"The Feasibility Of The balanced Scorecard For Business Games. † Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning. Baltimore, Vol. 30, 2003, 90-98. Espstein, M. J & Wisner, P. S. (2001) â€Å"Increasing Corporate Accountability: The External Disclosure Of Balanced Scorecard Measures. † Balanced Scorecard Report. Harvard Business School Press, Vol. 3, 4, 10-3. Kaplan, R. S. & Norton, D. P. (2000) â€Å"Having Trouble With Your Strategy? Then Map It. † Harvard Business Review. Boston, Vol. 78, 5, Sept-Oct 2000b, 76-167. Kaplan, R.S. & Norton, D. P. (1993) Putting the Balanced Scorecard to Work. Harvard Business Review. Boston, Vol. 71, 5, 134-147 Kaplan, R. S. ; Norton, D. P. (1996) Using The Balanced Scorecard As A Strategic Management System. Harvard Business Review. Boston, Vol. 74, 1, 75-851996. Norton, D. P. (2001) Building Strategy Maps: Testing the Hypothesis. Balanced Scorecard Report. Harvard BusinessSchool Press, Vol. 3, 1, 1-4. Pray, T. F et al. (2003). Using the Balanced Scorecard To Improve Strategic Planning And Effective Decision Making Within Simulations. Developments In Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, Baltimore, 30. Sauaia, A. (2001) â€Å"Evaluation Of Performance In Business Games: Financial and Non Financial Approaches. † Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, San Diego, vol. 27, 210-4. Kallas, D. & Sauaia, A. (2003) â€Å"Cooperate For Profits Or Compete For Market? Study of Oligopolistic Pricing with a Business Game. † Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, Baltimore, V. 30, P. 232-242. Stewart, S. (2000) â€Å"ABC, The Balanced Scorecard And EVA. Distinguishing The Means From The End. † Evaluation, London, V. 1, 2. Young, S. D. & O’Byrne, S. F. (2001) EVA and Value-Based Management: A Practical Guide To Implementation. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. 248. Hoque, Z. & James, W. (2000). Linking Balanced Scorecard Measures to Size and Market Factors: Impact on Organizational Performance. Journal of Management Accounting Research, 12, p. 1-17. Lipe, M. G. & Salterio, S. (2000). The Balanced Scorecard: Judgmental Effects of Common and Unique Performance Measures. The Accounting Review, 75, 3, p.283-298. Dilla, W. & Steinbart, P. (2005). Relative Weighting of Common and Unique Balanced Scorecard Measures by Knowledge Decision Makers. Behavioral Research in Accounting, 17, p. 43-53. Warner, M. (2001). Comparative management: critical perspectives on business management. London, Routledge publishers. Sunden, J. & Stralton (2006) Introduction To Mangment Accounting. London, Prentice hall. Kirkegaad, H. (1997). Improving Accounting Reliability: Solvency, Insolvbency And Future Cash Flows. Westport, ct. quorum books publishers.

Summary ( Proof reading) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary ( Proof reading) - Essay Example It also found emerging evidence of benefits for asthma and bone health. Report’s co-author and Omega-3 Centre Executive Director Wendy Morgan said lack of omega-3s could also be setting up children for major chronic illnesses, particularly heart disease, in adulthood. "What they are eating now is going to influence their risk of a heart attack in later life," she said. "There is a huge amount of evidence looking at the many roles of long chain omega-3s in helping reduce the risk of heart disease." The report found children aged 14 and over needed 500mg a day of long-chain omega-3s for optimal health. But most children consumed only 34mg to 118mg per day. Ms Morgan, a dietician, said most children were lucky to eat one meal of fish per week, but they needed two or three meals of oily fish, such as salmon, tuna, sardines and herrings, each week to meet the daily 500mg target. Deakin University’s Human Nutrition Expert Professor Andrew Sinclair said the problem was that many children did not like fish. "The intake of omega-3s in Australian children is very low because most kids these days are such fussy eaters," he said. "They often just dont like fish and certainly steer away from other seafood which are naturally rich in these healthy long-chain omega-3 nutrients. â€Å"Parents need to be aware of this current enormous shortfall and find more creative ways to help their children consume more essential omega-3 nutrients." Ms Morgan said many foods were now enriched with omega-3s. These included milk, bread, yogurt, snack bars and even frozen chips. She said that while the amount of omega-3s in these enriched foods was usually small, every little bit helped. Long-chain omega-3s are an essential nutrient taken up by every cell in the body. But they are not produced by the body and must be taken in through diet. Oily fish are the best sources, but other

Essay on team communication and problem solving

On team communication and problem solving - Essay Example Conflicts always arise in families with a common blood running through their veins, between lovers who share intimate moments and even among friends who have the same interests. Therefore, it should be without wonder when conflicts arise among officemates or classmates. Nevertheless, the commonness of conflict should not make one simply shrug his shoulders in the presence of conflict. Resolutions such as communication should be sought. This paper looks deeper into the role of communication in conflict management among team members and suggests ways in which people would come to understand further the use of communication to improve team performances and relationships. Communication is very important in every relationship. Nevertheless, people often get exhausted in their communication with others because their expectations are not met. Instead of having the problems resolved, most people encounter more problems and so many times, the problems actually grow bigger. This is because the y fail to see that their communication is ineffective. ... When one listens, he is able to process what is being said more effectively and in effect, will be able to say the right words or respond correctly. Jeane Segal and Melinda Smith agree with Lay and they also suggest people in conflict to â€Å"listen not only to what is said but also to what is felt†. They emphasize looking deeper into nonverbal communication expressed through facial expressions, posture, gesture, pace, tone and intensity of voice. Indeed, these are very important because emotions are the strong driving forces that make people say the words they speak. Human beings are also emotional beings and they often react to words in accordance to how they feel. For instance, when a person points out to another individual that the dress she is wearing is not fashionable, the other person may take it as an insult toward herself and not as a harmless comment about the dress, although the latter was the intention of the speaker. As a result, a conflict may ensue. Therefore, in addition to verbal communication, non-verbal communication should also be given much attention. The aforementioned authors also suggest that conflicts should be managed through non-verbal communication as well. For example, in the illustration given above, when the person saying the dress is not fashionable utters such with contempt, it could be that she is jealous of the other person. Therefore, instead of being offended and angry, the other person may simply give a reassuring touch that tells the person she does not need to be jealous. In addition, when it comes to team conflicts, members should be open-minded to effectively resolve problems. Kenneth Wallace, a seasoned consultant, speaker

Social Contract Theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Social Contract Theory - Research Paper Example The social contract theory examines the notion of political legitimacy, which states that human beings have no ultimate right to exercise power over each other until the parties involved have mutual consent in an agreement (Rawls 223). According to the social contract theory, a natural basis for morality can be provided by the need for social order. The interaction between people forms the basis for certain incentives within the social system, which determine the peaceful coexistence between people in society. Social contract theory calls for the formation of certain agreements and follows some fundamental rules while at the same time treating each other with a lot of respect. Based on the social contract theory, humans find it beneficial to enter into some form of social contracts that will guide their moral judgments. Without such a contract, people would not exist peacefully as their interaction with one another would be disorderly (Rawls 225). The social contract theory also holds the view that the political, social, and moral obligations of a person largely borrow from the agreements they have made in their society. The modern political and moral theory is related to the social contract theory. In a nutshell, the social contract theory mainly focuses on the consensus that should emanate from explicit consent between several players in an agreement. The consent should be between people who reason properly and no one should be coerced to enter into an agreement. Social contract theorists, such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, strived to explain consensus with his explanation of the â€Å"general will.† For Rousseau, the social contract theory involves entering into a contract based on the collective interest of the entire group rather than focusing on the interests of a few individuals. The will of an individual should be appropriated with the interests of the entire group so as to

Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Finance - Essay Example The business organisations in order to expand on both its sales and revenue paradigms focus on expanding into international territories where they would be able to get hold of newer markets and newer customer segments. Body This process of international expansion is made possible by the business corporations depending on certain premises like conducting trades related to exporting of commodities to foreign nations, through rendering investment in business units created in foreign territories, opening up of new production units in the foreign locations. Further the business corporations can also move to conduct business in international areas through the creation of contracts with support firms to gain both managerial and technical expertise. Finally the business houses can also go for selling intangible assets like trademarks and patent rights through effective licensing schemes or can also expand into foreign territories by working on franchising activities. The method of exporting used by business to probe into international markets helps to gain wider recognition in such areas at reduced cost.Business corporations can focus on gaining control over foreign firms through the rendering of high amount of investments in such. Business organizations by focusing on opening up newer production zones help in generating economies of scale . These external business units can work on getting cheap local labour and also get a better understanding of the foreign markets and business territories. The method of forming external business contracts with firms located in foreign soil helps in outsourcing business expertise to these areas in return for an appropriate fee structure. Through licensing activities the business organisations can also gain more revenues and stake in foreign firms by selling knowledge assets top foreign firms. Finally through the franchising activities the business corporations can gain enhanced access to foreign markets where the cost of investments and risks involved is low (Global Business Strategy, 2001). Conclusion The above context describes the different methods which the business corporations can take to expand its business in international markets. Such activities reflect both cost intensive and market expansion strategies which helps the business corporations to enhance both their revenue and market structures. 2 Discuss the different types of risk that can impact upon an organization trading on an international basis. Introduction The potential business risks which the business organisations face while doing business in international markets are related to the transportation of commodities in international zones, risks pertaining to commercial activities, the large amount of political risks pertaining to the different international zones, other risks relating to the financial and economic conditions and other risks owing to the emergence of adverse business conditions. Body The first risk involved relates to the damag e to the products involved owing to improper transportation which amounts to breakage and spoilage of the goods involved. Again risks arise from the product interface owing to unavailability of the right amount of payment. Product risks are also involved owing to faulty manufacturing practices wherein production of faulty products leads to loss of business by the seller. The segment pertaining to commercial risks reflect that insolvency position of the buying community leads to loss

An Evaluation of WKMNs A Newbies Guide to Wireless Networks Tutorial Research Paper

An Evaluation of WKMNs A Newbies Guide to Wireless Networks Tutorial - Research Paper Example    These concepts include the radio frequency technology, mobile telephony, wireless area network (LAN), wireless personal area network, fixed wireless wide area networks (WAN), practical applications of these technologies in various business set-ups and other references that can be useful to the student who wants to learn more. Each of these topics contains subtopics that are detailed to the technology. Although the terminologies can give a complex impression especially to hearing of it for the first time, the tutorial is designed to ensure a simplified translation of such concepts that can be comprehended in the understanding level of its students. How the student grasp the concepts and ideas are critical to the objectives of creating this newbie tutorial as it will determine the productivity that they can make out of this wireless technology knowledge that a student will gain after going through the tutorial. I believe that WKMN has done an effective tutorial for this Newbieâ₠¬â„¢s Guide to Wireless Networks. The tutorial can be both beneficial to a beginner in wireless technology and someone who has a background already on this topic. The colorful multimedia design of the slide lessons itself included with audio, animation, text, and innovative quizzes allow the tutorial to impart the basic concepts of wireless LANs, mobile telephony networks, fixed last-mile wireless networks, personal area networks, and Bluetooth. It also discussed other important aspects to consider in employing wireless technology in a business such as the costs and efforts associated with physical cabling and the basics of radio frequency technology. There is also a segment on how the different frequency band-sharing schemes work which is another critical aspect. It simplified teaching the process on how analog and digital channels are cut by time or by frequency by using animations. The contents are also presented in what it calls â€Å"bite-sized nuggets† to maintain its s implistic approach and ensure the focus on conceptual understanding of the student. With the thousands of websites and resources available on the internet today, it is indeed easy to be overwhelmed especially on wireless technology topics. Since this is an online course, it caters to university students or company professionals who have little time for extra activities like this.  Ã‚  

National Sales Tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

National Sales Tax - Essay Example Among other things, the NST is not high enough to replace current revenues. The NST should remain a fringe argument against the federal income tax. The NST would replace a number of taxes levied by the federal government. Principal among them is the income tax. The income tax sprung into being with the adoption of the 16th Amendment in 1913 (McNulty and Daniel 7). The tax taxes all income, however derived. The income that is taxed is subject to certain exemptions, deductions and credits depending on the class of person involved or the activity involved. For example, there is an additional standard deduction for the elderly and the blind (McNulty and Daniel 4). Additionally, there is a greater standard deduction for married people over single people (McNulty and Daniel 3-4). The government discerns among people and activities to encourage certain social behaviors. As McNulty and Daniel put on page 23: The income tax raises revenue, subsidizes some people or activities, encourages or discourages behavior, redistributes wealth, stimulates or stabilizes the economy, maintains federalism and tackles social problems like pollution and urban decay. The income tax is progressive - a defining feature of the system. People fall into different tax brackets based on their income. Higher income brackets are subject to higher marginal tax rates. The end result is that higher income individuals pay on average a higher proportion of their income as tax (McNulty and Daniel 18). Progressive taxation represents a federal policy of wealth distribution of money from the wealthy to services for the rest of the populace (Posin and Tobin 18). The income tax does not discourage work. People will be motivated to work so long as their federal, state and local tax rates don't exceed 100% (McNulty and Daniel 20). The federal income tax system is far reaching, pursues policy goals in addition to raising revenue and attempts to be fair among the classes. The National Sales Tax Defined The NST is a simple way to generate revenue. 45 states and the District of Columbia already take advantage of sales and use taxes. Several proposals for a national sales tax has floated in the last couple of years. This discussion reflects the national sales tax defined in H.R. 3039, sponsored by Reps. Dan Schaefer (R-Colo.) and Billy Tauzin (R-La.) (Burton and Mastromarco). The NST would replace the individual and corporate income tax, transfer taxes, and most non-trust-fund excise taxes with a single 15 percent flat-rate tax on tangible goods and services sold at the retail level (Burton and Mastromarco). The sales tax would be exempted from intermediate levels of production. The NST defined here does not replace the payroll taxes providing revenue for Social Security and Medicare. (Burton and Mastromarco). There are a slew of items that would be taxed in addition to goods and services. Housing, financial intermediation services and government goods and services that are sold to the public would be taxed. Rent and home purchases would be taxed. Imports would be taxed. (Burton and Mastromarco). The NST proposal attempts to deal with the otherwise regressive aspects of the tax. All people would receive a rebate of the tax equaling the tax rate times the poverty line, allowing poor people to avoid paying the tax and everyone else to afford the necessities of

The World Bank and How It Shaped Public Policy In the Developing World Essay

The World Bank and How It Shaped Public Policy In the Developing World - Essay Example This research aims to evaluate and present the World Bank as an international financial institution whose avowed mandate is to support capitalist development in the third world by consciously steering developing countries towards international trade, liberalization and capital investment. Its World Development Report 2008: Agriculture for Development, signposts its shift to agriculture and rural development, primarily owing to â€Å"a greater recognition that improving agriculture performance is the most powerful tool we have available to reduce global poverty and hunger, both directly and indirectly†. By its own admission, its primary focus is market and investment oriented – â€Å"raising smallholder productivity, strengthening smallholder linkages with the markets, and helping better manage risks.†. Most relevant to this paper is its commitment to â€Å"develop a code of conduct for large scale foreign investment in agriculture to ensure equitable sharing of benefits.† The balance of power within the World Bank is historically overwhelmingly tilted in favor of the North. It was created during the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944, where negotiations were dominated by the United States and the United Kingdom. Critics have constantly railed against the World Bank’s so-called poverty alleviating measures that have only resulted in driving third world economies deeper and deeper into debt. Its interventions in agriculture and rural development have been said to be no different.... its primary focus is market and investment oriented – â€Å"raising smallholder productivity, strengthening smallholder linkages with the markets, and helping better manage risks.† (ibid). Most relevant to this paper is its commitment to â€Å"develop a code of conduct for large scale foreign investment in agriculture to ensure equitable sharing of benefits.† (ibid). The balance of power within the World Bank is historically overwhelmingly tilted in favor of the North. It was created during the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944, where negotiations were dominated by the United States and the United Kingdom. Critics have constantly railed against the World Bank’s so-called poverty alleviating measures that have only resulted in driving third world economies deeper and deeper into debt. Its interventions in agriculture and rural development have been said to be no different. In truth, however, the prescription package that is contained in these structural adju stment programs, particularly its explicit support for laissez-faire agrarian reform, have led to even deeper poverty and rural inequality. This is because land redistribution strategies that are not backed by coercive State power and only rely on the â€Å"efficiency of the market† are often hijacked by the elite and the dominant classes in the countryside. By its inordinate emphasis on land titling as the primary solution out of rural poverty, the World Bank has managed to reframe the land reform imperative in the developing world by obscuring core issues of systemic exploitation and social relations of production under the jargon of efficiency and equitable land markets. 1.2 Contextual Backdrop The global food crisis of 2007-2008, attended by a sudden and alarming spike in food prices and the skyrocketing costs of

Individual Newsletter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Individual Newsletter - Essay Example We, as the current students who are taking this course are working hard so that we may success and strive in our lives. We are a dedicated class, who work together so as to achieve our individual dreams in our lives, individually and as a whole group (W. O 2012). In PR, one has to posses some qualities that are unique to this course (Ezine 2000)). In this newsletter I am setting out the ten essential qualities that successful self-employed PR person must posses, and qualities that PR students should nature in themselves. Since I started doing this course, I came to realize that Successful PR pros love what they do, and they know that, in this field, there is no working time because PR is not just a profession, but also a way of life, or lifestyle (Microsoft 2012). This newsletter is intended to enlighten employees and the wider University about PR students studying at the University, and the benefits of taking this course. It is going to reveal how influential PR is to the society at large (Grapevine 2012). For personal professionalism, I believe that it is imperative to differentiate between the core expectations your employer has for you from those that you have for yourself. I also comprehend and acknowledge the significance of personal professionalism in a workplace (Alliancetac 2010). I have always recognized the significance of having high self-expectations both professionally and personally (WPP 2009). Personal professionalism cannot be just a matter of common sense, but the ability to get to work on time, with a good attitude and to consistently meet the basic standards of adequate behavior. Personally, those are some of the qualities that I possess (Salsbury 2002). Other qualities I have that are imperative in PR are; excellent communicating and listening skills, organizational and psychological skills, searching and observing skills, and technological literacy.

Intrinsic Properties and Abortion Debate Essay Example for Free

Intrinsic Properties and Abortion Debate Essay The philosophy of intrinsic property rights has created many problems for those who can justify abortion but believe that new born infant has to be treated as a human being. The intrinsic property philosophy also makes it difficult to justify killing animals but not humans. This soul searching debate is the subject of this essay. An intrinsic property is a property within the object or organism. Mass of a body is an intrinsic property, while weight of the body would depend on its location and its gravity and is an extrinsic property. The debate regarding protecting moral and legal rights of a living being when applied to fetuses creates a new set of problems for the pro-abortionists. Is a fetus entitled to the same rights and privileges as a new born? Can we regard a fetus with the same rights and privileges as a living human? It is morally and legally wrong to kill innocent human beings. The fetus is capable of developing within itself, meeting its needs with the ability it has within itself to appropriate nourishment and grow. These intrinsic properties qualify the fetuses as living organism and if we consider this living organism as an innocent human being, the conclusion would be that it is morally as wrong to abort (or kill) a fetus as it is morally wrong to kill an infant. The pro-abortionists argue that the fetus cannot be given the same importance as a newly born infant [McNeil, 2000]. Many feminist philosophers argue [Warren, 1973] that this approach to morality is based on abstract rules and conflict of rights and is inappropriate. Some feminist philosophers have declared that the concept of moral right may be inconsistent with the social nature of persons [Wolgast, cited in Warren, 1973] The philosophical views on the right of fetuses have debated various aspects of the morality or otherwise of abortion. The acknowledgment of intrinsic property rights means that an individual has certain moral rights. The presence or absence of a single determining factor of that intrinsic property which entitles an individual to these moral rights has been open to interpretation. This single criterion [Warren, 1973] which distinguishes between those who have intrinsic property rights and those who do not is in itself a dilemma. Accepting the intrinsic property argument makes the right of the woman carrying the fetus as irrelevant as the moral right of the fetus demands that its right be protected and it is allowed to develop as a separate entity. The single criterion and intrinsic property right taken together give a new born baby the same rights as a nearly mature fetus, if we accept this argument than late abortion tantamount to infanticide. [Summer, 1983] argues that sentience (ability to sense) should be used as the criteria for permissible abortion. Summer uses the sentience argument to limit abortion to first trimester. The problem with the intrinsic property and single criterion becomes more complicated when we find that philosophers like Tooley argue that both infants and nearly mature fetuses are incapable of desiring their own existence as they have no concept or experience of being a person. The conclusion drawn by him are rather shocking as he shows that infanticide in past history was not treated at par with other murders. [Warren, 1973] rightly points out that sentience alone, cannot be considered a criterion for comparing moral equality of the fetus and of an infant, as if we were to give equality on the basis of sentience mice and other animals which have much higher recognizable sentience are not treated as such. Sentience argument unlike fetus viability however draws an identifiable boundary as fetus viability can change with time and place. In developing countries with poor medical resources even a nearly mature fetus cannot be kept in an incubator and have the required life support to survive. In developed countries with excellent health care facilities nearly half term fetuses already have a reasonable chance of survival. Treating infants and fetuses at par as necessary under to doctrine of intrinsic property would subject the women undergoing a miscarriage to investigation for murder. [Warren, 1973] cites an actual example when an irresponsible pregnant woman was charged for negligent homicide as she failed to observe the precautions and suffered a miscarriage. It is clear that an infant and an unborn fetus cannot be treated as equal in terms of intrinsic property rights. Warren rightly concludes that birth marks an important point of distinction of rights for the infant, the fetus and for the woman. An infant can have a life of its own, in mothers care or even with foster organization/parents. Even if the infant is still dependent on others for survival the birth marks the beginning of a socially responsible individual or person. Pregnancy whether in advance term or at the beginning does not award the right of parenthood, the birth is the clear difference between the fetus and infant and while fetuses in advance state of development need to be protected as indeed they are, they cannot be considered equal to infants in their rights. In brief Warrens philosophy is to give people the rights of a moral community and have moral rights. She defines personhood as meeting five important criteria; ability to recognize internal and external objects, ability to feel pain, ability to reason, self motivated activity, capacity to communicate and self awareness [McNeil, 2000] Peter Singers is an advocate of utilitarianism. His views, although though provoking cannot be described as mainstream, he appears to believe in sentience theory but without a species distinction. He believes that species-ism is a kind of racism or gender based discrimination. [Singer, 1999] also refuses to acknowledge that human lives are more precious because of humans are more intelligent. He argues that if intelligence were to be the criterion we would permit medical experiment on mentally retarded! He appears to be less concerned about infanticide or abortion and his theory is that of great moral good. Singer presents very thought provoking debates but several of his arguments would create serious social right issues. He considers experimentation on animals as immoral but the possible benefit to millions by the sacrifice of a few is permitted in Singers logic. This type of logic can be used to justify slavery, genocide of a minority and create many more similar dilemmas. Warrens philosophical views on the moral and legal status of abortion on the other hand are a serious and practicable discussion and presents logical views. Singer defends a quality-of-life view in ethics and has little regard for sanctity-of-life view. Bibliography McNeil, M. A. , (2000), The Real Problem with Abortion, [Online] retrieved from Internet on May 05, 2007, http://www. abortionessay. com/files/realproblem. html Singer, P. , (1999), Practical Ethics, Cambridge University Press 2nd Edition, ISBN-10: 052143971X Tooley, M. (1983), Abortion and Infanticide, Oxford: Oxford University Press, Cited in [Warren, 1973] Warren, M. A. , (1973), On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion, The Monist, LaSalle, Illinois, Vol. 53. Also published in James Rachels’, The Right Thing to Do: Basic Readings in Moral Philosophy (2nd Ed. , McGraw-Hill College, 1999)

International Marketing Research at the Mayo Clinic

International Marketing Research at the Mayo Clinic Given that Mayo Clinic is seeking to expand its outreach on the international level by 100%, market research is needed to determine where our marketing activities are most likely to succeed, what strategies for market penetration are needed, and what types of marketing activities are most likely to generate increased use of Mayo Clinic services by international patients. It is necessary for us to conduct market research that obtains data from international insurers regarding the kind of insurance policies that are available internationally in different markets, the number of individuals or households with private insurance or with government insurance that would pay for the majority of costs incurred at Mayo Clinic, and other relevant data. As the Mayo Clinic marketing research team, we will survey insurance companies to determine whether or not they cover services that the Mayo Clinic offers. Determining whether these insurance companies offer policies that provide for our services would be a key research finding which could ultimately lead to new and more profitable relationships with premium health insurance providers. The marketing research will also include an emphasis on primary data gathering. Using the Internet and drawing upon lists of international alumni of the Clinic (Mayo international alumni now number 1,500, representing 67 countries), a greater survey effort will be undertaken to determine what in the Mayo Clinic experience will be emphasized in subsequent marketing activities. Surveys via e-mail will augment previously conducted telephone interview activities and will also include a large sample of individuals who have not previously used Mayos services. Primary data can also be gathered through targeted focus groups in those countries where we hope to expand our client population. Focus groups should prove to be quite useful in identifying the kinds of marketing and promotional activities that will be well received within a particular country or culture. This kind of research will also identify potential avenues for enhancing the image of Mayo Clinic through targeted advertising via direct mail and print media. This particular strategy should be undertaken in conjunction with health insurance providers who may be interested in adding a specific Mayo Clinic benefit to their health insurance policy. Finally, Mayo Clinic will survey hospitals and other health care providers in our foreign target markets to assess their willingness to refer patients to our clinic for services that cannot be obtained locally. According to Cateora and Phillips, Most believe in the abilities of their own doctor and feel very confident about medical care in their own community. Even though quality may be regionally or culturally defined, almost everyone considers his or her doctor to be a good one.: (Cateora, 2009). With this in mind, individual physicians will also be surveyed on this critical issue to build awareness of the Mayo brand and its products and asked under what conditions would they refer a patient to Mayo Clinic. These kind of primary data will augment the secondary data that are more readily obtained. http://www.essaysforstudent.com/import/i/1.gif Add Project New Business essays Gap Strategic Overview (15 August) Johari Windows Testing (15 August) Walmart Inc. (15 August) Tesco Case Study (15 August) Project for Intrinsic Value (15 August) Maruti vs Hyundai in india (15 August) Bill French (15 August) International commerce (15 August) Risk identification (15 August) Coca-Cola (14 August) Krispy Kreme Doughnuts project (14 August) à  Ã‚ ¹Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ £Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ £Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¡ Shangri-La (13 August) Victorias Secret Advertising Case (13 August) Rentabilidad de los valores (12 August) Marketing planning (12 August) Carusoss pizza un Nuevo Enfoque (12 August) Substantive Conflict (12 August) Starbucks Marketing Strategy (12 August) Pharma trend (12 August) Third Party Logistics and Supply Chain (08 August) materiality and SOX (02 August) Financing Alternative Benchmarking: Lester Electronics And Junip (27 July) Cultura organizacional y eficacia del trabajo en equipo (09 July) Caso Kudler Fine Foods (08 July) business plan for anti depressant drug (06 July) Colliers high stool, a purchasing case study (19 June) Total Quality Pioneers Paper (17 June) Accounting Ethics (17 June) Marketing Audit (14 June) To What Extent Are Advances In Cognitive Development Influence T (14 June) Kudler (14 June) Project Manager'S Need For Expertise (14 June) Geopolitical Environment In Ireland (14 June) Regale Teahouse (14 June) Tort Law (14 June) Financial Implications Of Obesity (14 June) Critical Thinking (13 June) The Economy May Be Weakening More (13 June) Focus Groups (13 June) Indian Retail (13 June) Business Ethics (13 June) Callaway Golf Industry (13 June) The Rift Inside The C-Suite: (13 June) The Internet (13 June) Analysis Of The Uncertainty Reduction Theory On Interpersonal Co (13 June) Michael Porter'S Analysis Of Starbucks (13 June) Ethics And Social Responsibilities (13 June) Viacom Case Analysis (13 June) Why Deficits Matter: The International Dimension (13 June) Mining Industry In Australia (13 June) http://www.essaysforstudent.com/import/i/1.gif http://www.essaysforstudent.com/import/i/1.gif Popular Business papers Coca-Cola, Value Chain (views: 4214) Bureaucracy In Organization: Advantages, Disadvantages (views: 3814) Genting Group (views: 2762) Shangri-La Hotels Case Analysis/Study (views: 2255) Disney Theme Park Case Study (views: 2051) Marks And Spencer (views: 1818) Swot Analysis For Marks And Spencer (views: 1768) Giant Supermarket Case Analysis (views: 1767) Porter five forces of AirAsia (views: 1622) MALAYSIA AIRLINES STRATEGIC ANALYSIS (views: 1616) Pizza Hut Case Study (views: 1447) Swot Analysis Of Breadtalk (views: 1435) V.R.I.O. Analysis (views: 1393) Pest Analysis (Apparel Manufacturing Industry) (views: 1372) Coke and Pepsi in India (views: 1364) Analysis Of Loblaw Companies Limited (views: 1313) Smackey Project Report (views: 1165) Marketing Plan Billabong (views: 1130) Break Free From The Product Life Cycle (views: 1078) Blockbuster Case Study (views: 997) Advantages And Disadvantages Of Internet Health Care (views: 979) Duracell Marketing Plan (views: 970) The Challenges Facing eBay in 2008:Time For A Change A Strategy? (views: 961) Marriot Corp: Cost Of Capital (views: 954) Financial Analysis Of Walgreens Vs. Cvs (views: 903) Marriott Corp (views: 868) Seven Eleven Japan Co. (views: 834) Tobacco &Amp; Third World Countries (views: 806) Victorias Secret Advertising Case (views: 793) Toy World (views: 790) Cost Of Employee Turnover (views: 788) Badla System (views: 783) Analiza Pietei Iaurtului (views: 777) Coke and Pepsi in India (views: 773) Harmonization Of Accounting Standards (views: 769) The Global Strategy Of NikeS Industry (views: 759) : Critical Analysis Of Organisational Structure And Culture In (views: 752) Newell Corporate Strategy (views: 725) 7 Eleven Pest Analysis (views: 720) Harley-Davidson Porters 5 Forces (views: 693) Massey Ferguson (views: 689) England Optical (views: 686) Advantages And Disadvantages Of Historical Cost Accounting, Alte (views: 669) Explain The Theoretical Rationale For The Npv Approach To Invest (views: 668) Cowgirl Chocolates Marketing Analysis Case (views: 655) Nora Sakari Case Analysis (views: 649) Marriott costo de capital (views: 620) Kudler Fine Food (views: 618) Export Promotion Strategy Vs. Import Substitution Strategy (views: 617) Arundel Case Study (views: 616) http://www.essaysforstudent.com/import/i/1.gif http://www.essaysforstudent.com/import/i/1.gif Add Project | Login | Registration | Support | Top Colleges  © 2008-2010 Essaysforstudent.com http://www.essaysforstudent.com/import/i/1.gif http://www.essaysforstudent.com/import/i/1.gif closeLogin Please enter your username and password à  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ªÃƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã… ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ­Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã… ¸Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ­Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ £Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã…’à  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¡ Username: Password: Forgot your password? à  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ªÃƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¥Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã‹â€ Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ²Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ­Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã… ¸Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ­Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ £Ãƒ  Ã‚ ¹Ã…’à  Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ¡ http://www.essaysforstudent.com/import/i/1.gif

Whitey’s: The Bar amidst the Prairies :: Free Descriptive Essay About A Place

Whitey’s: the Bar amidst the Prairies Before going to the legendary Whitey’s in East Grand Forks, MN, I had thought it was bar patroned by middle-aged people. There didn’t seem to be as many college students going there. When writing about this place, I positioned myself in a neutral ground. I am from Grand Forks, and lived there for ten years, but attend college at NDSU, not UND (NDSU’s rival). I came to see or know Whitey’s through my older sister and friends who frequented there and I actually went there for my sophomore year of homecoming with friends when it was a restaurant as well. It is strange to write about the bar now that both the bar and I have changed. What I found by visiting Whitey’s was some the joy of watching others. Listening to their conversations, hearing their whispers, feeling like a part of something in that bar was fulfilling. I came to find Whitey’s as being a place of fulfillment and satisfaction not only for the alumni of UND or the regulars, but for myself as an outsider as well. I felt comfortable at this local nostalgic bar. When coming into this place, I felt a sense of comradry and affection. It was UND’s homecoming weekend, and this was the place to be for the alumni. The first thing you see when you walk into Whitey’s is the bar to your left, the bar down the aisle, and the pool tables to your right and left, different from most bars I have been to with the dance floor being the first thing you see. There are neon signs hanging behind the bar to your left giving specials on $1.50 pints of beer. As I glided in I could feel the reunion amongst the alumni and it almost became cozy to an outsider such as myself. It happened to be very cold outside, and very warm inside, furthering the sense of coziness. I sat at the bar farthest back with friends and began to try to understand and learn about the people around me, without interfering. The first person who caught my eye was a young man, probably late 20’s. He reeked of alcohol and walked in surrounded by friends coming down that long aisle that lead to the bar.

The Assassin- Creative Writing Essay -- Creative Writing Essay

It was almost 6 o’clock and the night was drawing closer. Waiting patiently for the return of his prey, he lay with his body embedded in the fallen leaves of what looked like an endless procession of hedges. The silence was deafening. He had been there for almost three hours, and only one car had passed by, it was going to be a long night for him. The skies were casting a dark, unwanted shadow over him, as though they knew for what purpose he was present. It had started to rain, its pressure strengthening rapidly. Within minutes buckets of rain belted down hard on the ground, leaving him deeply embedded in the thick garden mud. He struggled to reposition himself, as the slightest of his movements could attract attention to the bush in which he was concealed. His concentration doubled as another set of headlights busted through the trees and peered at him through the rain but again they carried on the road accompanied by the sound of its engine. It must have been a van, he thought, as he could still hear the roar of the engine. He raised his rifle, and took a concentrated look at the house, in order to make an accurate shot. The house was a small detached bungalow in a state of disrepair; belonging to a middle-aged lady, afraid of the outdoors. The curtains were drawn, and the nets were extremely discoloured. Strangulating vines of ivy twisted and turned round the house, clenching it tightly in its possession.Through this tangled mass of plants a shed protruded from the ground, unlike the house the rain highlighted its wooden walls and bounced neatly off its glassed windows but the roof had seen better days and a glance through an... ...er. His body relaxed. She lifted her bag, her position made her a perfect target-just a single bullet. His arm was raised. His finger poised on the trigger, ready to strike. He fired. The shot killed her with a revolting wound to the back of the head. Her body crumpled to the ground. Within minutes her body was drained of blood. She lay there motionless. One push of the trigger, and her world had been snatched from her. I wasted not my valuable minutes and swiftly concealed all indications of my presence. Before taking my leave I took one last look at her. The remnants of her brain poured out of her head endlessly. It was a sight to see. Who would have ever believed that this blood-spattered corpse would make me a million pounds richer? So precious was her life to her, and others, that somebody wanted her dead!

Werner Heisenberg :: essays research papers

Werner Heisenberg One cannot fully appreciate the work of Werner Heisenberg unless one examines his contributions in the context of the time in which he lived. Werner Karl Heisenberg was born in Wuerzburg, Germany, on December 5, 1901, and grew up in academic surroundings, in a household devoted to the humanities. His father was a professor at the University of Munich and undoubtedly greatly influenced young Werner, who was a student at the Maximilian Gymnasium. Heisenberg had the opportunity to work with many of the top physicists in the world including Niels Bohr and Max Born. Like many of the top physicists of the time Heisenberg received his doctorate at an early age. In Heisenberg's case he received it at the young age of twenty three. Heisenberg was not just a researcher. He was also a professor and author. During his career he taught at many prestigious universities, including the Universities of Leipzig, Goettingen, and Berlin. He also wrote many important books including, Physical Principles of the Quantum Theory, Cosmic Radiation, Physics and Philosophy, and Introduction to the Unified Theory of Elementary Particles. In 1932 he won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work in Quantum Mechanics. With the Nazi's in power, and World War two on the horizon it was inevitable that his German heritage would play a crucial role in his career. Before Germany's blitzkrieg on Poland Heisenberg decided to make one final visit of his friends in the West. Many tried to convince him to stay and accept a professorship at Columbia, but Heisenberg declined. He felt that it was his duty to preserve the foundation of science in Germany during the war. He also believed that by staying in Germany during the war, he could help individual German scientists. In fact, he did offer jobs to Jewish scientists when they were fired from their posts at other universities. As time passed, Heisenberg found that he was powerless to protect his friends. Heisenberg himself was personally attacked, and his appointment at the University of Munich was blocked. For over a year Heisenberg was attacked in the SS newspaper, which referred to him as a "white Jew." The attack became so threatening that Heisenberg's mother, who had a slight connection to Himmler's family, wrote to Himmler's mother asking Himmler to intercede. Himmler personally cleared Heisenberg of the charges leveled against him a year later, but he was told to study science and avoid discussing scientists. The strain of the investigation surely affected Heisenberg's creativity. During the war Heisenberg worked on the German A-bomb project along with a number of other German scientists.

Menard’s Yard

The assignment that I was given is about ethnographic observations. The topic that I chose was the Outside Yard team members at Innards. I work there In the receiving department. I am an â€Å"inside guy† so I barely go outside to help guests, but when I do, I see that the workers outside act much differently than anyone else in the store. I believe that the Merman's Outside Yard Receivers are strange and unusual because they act differently than everybody else in the store, wear different clothes, and feel like they have their own department but they are really part of Receiving.First of all, the Outside Yard Receivers wear deferent clothing. They can wear anything that Is from Innards. The Inside people can only wear a certain kind of clothing that they get for their departments. They are also the only ones who can wear hats. Innards does not allow anyone else to wear hats. Also, they do not do anything that the inside Receivers do. They actually have a lot harder job to do outside. I would not want to be outside. It is hot in summer and freezing in winter; inside there Is air conditioning so I like that, but they still like being outside.Most of he things they do is slide lumber, or cut It, or anything with lumber. It Is tiring to do this every day. I have slid lumber before. It is no fun, but when I ask them if they like it out there, they say they love it. I am still wondering and not understanding why they like it out there so much. A lot of them use pretty basic English. They swear all the time. All of them are not educated yet or they are in college like me. The ones who have finished school are usually the managers.Some older guys Just did not ever finish school so they are stuck there working their butts off for little pay, but for he younger people, It Is a really good Job and I would recommend It to anyone. There is just so much experience that someone can get and I know that if I ever went looking for another Job I would have a better chance than someone who was working in a fast food place or something. Next, I think they are crazy sometimes, pretty often actually. They really get into their Jobs.Like they try to do everything as fast as they can. That is good though, but sometimes It's just too much. They make a huge mess In the warehouse and It Is sometimes hard for guests to move around or get anything because everything Is In he way, but at the end of the day they always manage to make the warehouse look perfectly clean and organized and everyone is happy. There is this guy who comes few times a week; his name is Bob. He drives a truck. He picks stuff up from Innards and delivers Otto guests so he is like a delivery man.I am not sure if he Just works for this Innards or Just overall for all the Innards around the state or country, but every time he Is there, there are always these funny conversations that they have with the Outside Yard Receivers. Nick, one of the workers outside, is really loud when it comes to w orking with Bob. Nick: â€Å"Hey Bob, long time no see! † Bob: â€Å"Shut the hell up and help me get this table off the truck. † Nick: â€Å"I'm busy! Get someone else to help you. † Bob: â€Å"Busy my ass. Let's go! † Nick: ‘You're not my boss! This is really how every meeting with him is, usually a lot more swearing and yelling, but they Just Joke around. Everyone is really nice there. They Just swear, yell, and argue for fun really. I Just do not understand some workers. Like they are over their heads driving recklessly on the forklifts, throwing things. Some should have been fired a long time ago and I do not get why they are still there. They maybe do a good Job out there, but they are Just crazy and what are the guests going to think of them?It is actually somehow pretty hard to get fired there. In conclusion, I believe that the Merman's Outside Yard Receivers are strange and unusual because they act differently than everybody else in the sto re, wear different clothes, and feel like they have their own department but they are really part of Receiving. I think that they are good workers and will help guests in any way possible, so I recommend Innards as your choice of store for buying products for your projects that one could be working on.

Cheaper by the Dozen Play Review Essay

I read the play, Cheaper by the Dozen, written by Christopher Sergel. I chose to read this play because when I was younger I liked the movie cheaper by the dozen, so I figured this would be a good play to read. The basic theme of this play is family, family comes first and you have to do everything you can to keep your family together, no matter how chaotic it may be. This play is about the Mr. and Mrs. Gilberth, and their 12 children. The main conflict in the story was maintaining order with all 12 children. Mr. Gilberth was very efficient with his parenting though, and always had a solution. The story was easy to understand and follow, it was clear and wasn’t confusing. For the most part the play was entertaining, mainly all of the family drama, and how they lived. Mr. Gilberth was one of the main characters in the play; he was the one who kept the family in order. He was a famous efficiency expert, and ran his family that way. Often times Mr. Gilberth would call the kids down to family meetings by blowing his whistle, all of the children had to stop what they were doing, and immediately report downstairs. I really liked Mrs. Gilberth, she tried to keep her husband, Mr. Gilberth in check, and is more reasonable when it comes to the children, she was very kind and gentle with the kids. I think the most important character relationships would be between Mr. Gilberth and his children, because he was the one who made the rules in the house, and disciplined the children. If I were to act in this play, I would want to be Lillian, she would be fun to play because she has a very childish personality, and is obsessed with boys. In the beginning of the script, I found it really boring, and didn’t want to finish reading it, but once I got farther into the script, the relationships between the family were shown, and it became more interesting. Overall I liked the script, it wasn’t my favorite thing I’ve read, but it was still entertaining. I would rather see this play than act in it, because I would want to see the story come to life, along with all of the characters. I think it could be a very funny play to see, and the story will seem more interesting.

Role of Language in the Internet and the effect of the Internet on Language

The Internet is one of the most remarkable things human beings have ever made. With the past few decades, internet has become so popular and it is an integral part of our daily lives. Email, instant messaging and chat are rapidly replacing the conventional forms of correspondence, and the Web has become the first port of call for both information enquiry and leisure activity. How is this affecting language? There is a widespread view that as ‘technospeak’ comes to rule, standards will be lost. This project is an attempt to explore this linguistic problem.A qualitative and also quantitative study is conducted here to see how internet’s global scale and intensity is having an effect on language in general, and on individual languages in particular. Covering a range of Internet genres, including e-mail, chat and the Web, this is a revealing account of how the Internet is radically changing the way we use language. The thesis work will first discuss the role of langua ge in the internet and thereafter, the effect of the internet on language with central focus on the latter.David Crystal, in his book Language and the Internet says that language is at the heart of internet. Internet comes increasingly to be viewed from a social perspective, so the role of language becomes central. Thus internet is a medium of communication which is inevitable aided by language. Whether it is browsing, blogging, chatting or e-mails, language has a great role to play because if we do not know the language, then we cannot use the internet at all. The influence of internet over the language has to be viewed in much broader aspect.There is of course nothing new about the fears accompanying the emergence of a new communications technology. In the fifteenth century, the arrival of printing was widely perceived by the Church as an invention of Satan, the hierarchy fearing that the dissemination of uncensored ideas would lead to a breakdown of social order and put innumerab le souls at deadly risks. Around 400 years later, similar concerns about censorship and control were widespread with the arrival of telegraph. When telephone arrived, people said it would undermine the society.And when broadcasting enabled selected voices to be heard by millions, there was an immediate debate over which norms to use as correct pronunciation, how to achieve clarity, etc. Internet is an amalgamation of television, telephone, and conventional publishing, and the term cyberspace has been coined to capture the notion of a world of information present or possible in digital form. The electronic medium presents us with a channel that facilitates and constrains our ability to communicate in ways that are fundamentally different from those found in other semiotic situations.Many of the expectations and practices which we associate with spoken and written language does not hold valid in the way we communicate using internet. Therefore the first attempt of this research is to investigate the linguistic properties of the so –called ‘electronic revolution’, and to take a view on whether the way in which we use language on the Internet is becoming so different from our previous linguistic behaviours that it might genuinely be described as revolutionary. The wide use of internet has led to a new branch in linguistics called netlinguistics that deals with the study of internet language.It has brought tremendous effect in the daily language of people, and mainly in the English language. Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) is the communicative transaction that occurs through the use of two or more networked computers. While the term traditionally referred to those communications that occur via computer mediated formats, for example; instant messaging, chat rooms, email and so on, it has also been applied to other forms of text-based interaction such as text messaging. Popular forms of CMC include email, video, audio or text chat, bulletin boards, blogs etc.The Internet slang came into use primarily in order to ease communication. Such short-cuts save time for the writer but it may be difficult for the reader to comprehend. Slang is also a way to indicate a group membership in Internet. Internet slang does not constitute a homogeneous language variety. It differs according to the user and the type of Internet situation. Some examples of Internet slang are: letter homophones, abbreviations, acronyms etc. An abbreviation for abbreviations is â€Å"CU† for â€Å"See you†.An acronym, on the other hand, is a subset of abbreviations and is formed from the initial components of a word. Examples of common acronyms include â€Å"LOL† for â€Å"laugh out loud† or â€Å"lots of love† and â€Å"BTW† for â€Å"by the way†. There are also combinations of both, like â€Å"CUL8R† for â€Å"see you later†. Punctuation, Capitalization and other symbols, such features are co mmonly used for emphasis or stress. Periods or exclamation marks may be used repeatedly for emphasis, such as â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. † or â€Å"!!!!!!!!!! â€Å". Grammatical punctuation rules are also relaxed on the Internet.â€Å"E-mail† may simply be expressed as â€Å"email†, and apostrophes can be dropped so that â€Å"John's book† becomes â€Å"johns book†. Examples of capitalization include â€Å"STOP IT†, which can convey a stronger emotion of annoyance as opposed to â€Å"stop it†. Bold, underline and italics are also used to indicate stress. Onomatopoeic or stylized spellings have also become popularized on the Internet. One well-known example is â€Å"hahaha† to indicate â€Å"laughter†. Onomatopoeic spellings are very language specific. For instance, in Spanish, laughter will be spelt as â€Å"jajaja† instead.Deliberate misspellings, such as â€Å"sauce† for â€Å"source†, are also used . Keyboard generated emoticons and smileys; Emoticons are generally found in web forums, instant messengers and online games. They are culture-specific and certain emoticons are only found in some languages but not in others. For example, the Japanese equivalent of emoticons, kaomoji literally meaning â€Å"face marks†, focus on the eyes instead of the mouth as in Western emoticons. They are also meant to be read right-side up, for example, ^_^ as opposed to sideways, =). More recently than face emoticons, other emoticon symbols such as Role of Language in the Internet and the effect of the Internet on Language The Internet is one of the most remarkable things human beings have ever made. With the past few decades, internet has become so popular and it is an integral part of our daily lives. Email, instant messaging and chat are rapidly replacing the conventional forms of correspondence, and the Web has become the first port of call for both information enquiry and leisure activity. How is this affecting language? There is a widespread view that as ‘technospeak’ comes to rule, standards will be lost. This project is an attempt to explore this linguistic problem.A qualitative and also quantitative study is conducted here to see how internet’s global scale and intensity is having an effect on language in general, and on individual languages in particular. Covering a range of Internet genres, including e-mail, chat and the Web, this is a revealing account of how the Internet is radically changing the way we use language. The thesis work will first discuss the role of langua ge in the internet and thereafter, the effect of the internet on language with central focus on the latter.David Crystal, in his book Language and the Internet says that language is at the heart of internet. Internet comes increasingly to be viewed from a social perspective, so the role of language becomes central. Thus internet is a medium of communication which is inevitable aided by language. Whether it is browsing, blogging, chatting or e-mails, language has a great role to play because if we do not know the language, then we cannot use the internet at all. The influence of internet over the language has to be viewed in much broader aspect.There is of course nothing new about the fears accompanying the emergence of a new communications technology. In the fifteenth century, the arrival of printing was widely perceived by the Church as an invention of Satan, the hierarchy fearing that the dissemination of uncensored ideas would lead to a breakdown of social order and put innumerab le souls at deadly risks. Around 400 years later, similar concerns about censorship and control were widespread with the arrival of telegraph. When telephone arrived, people said it would undermine the society.And when broadcasting enabled selected voices to be heard by millions, there was an immediate debate over which norms to use as correct pronunciation, how to achieve clarity, etc. Internet is an amalgamation of television, telephone, and conventional publishing, and the term cyberspace has been coined to capture the notion of a world of information present or possible in digital form. The electronic medium presents us with a channel that facilitates and constrains our ability to communicate in ways that are fundamentally different from those found in other semiotic situations.Many of the expectations and practices which we associate with spoken and written language does not hold valid in the way we communicate using internet. Therefore the first attempt of this research is to investigate the linguistic properties of the so –called ‘electronic revolution’, and to take a view on whether the way in which we use language on the Internet is becoming so different from our previous linguistic behaviours that it might genuinely be described as revolutionary. The wide use of internet has led to a new branch in linguistics called netlinguistics that deals with the study of internet language.It has brought tremendous effect in the daily language of people, and mainly in the English language. Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) is the communicative transaction that occurs through the use of two or more networked computers. While the term traditionally referred to those communications that occur via computer mediated formats, for example; instant messaging, chat rooms, email and so on, it has also been applied to other forms of text-based interaction such as text messaging. Popular forms of CMC include email, video, audio or text chat, bulletin boards, blogs etc.The Internet slang came into use primarily in order to ease communication. Such short-cuts save time for the writer but it may be difficult for the reader to comprehend. Slang is also a way to indicate a group membership in Internet. Internet slang does not constitute a homogeneous language variety. It differs according to the user and the type of Internet situation. Some examples of Internet slang are: letter homophones, abbreviations, acronyms etc. An abbreviation for abbreviations is â€Å"CU† for â€Å"See you†.An acronym, on the other hand, is a subset of abbreviations and is formed from the initial components of a word. Examples of common acronyms include â€Å"LOL† for â€Å"laugh out loud† or â€Å"lots of love† and â€Å"BTW† for â€Å"by the way†. There are also combinations of both, like â€Å"CUL8R† for â€Å"see you later†. Punctuation, Capitalization and other symbols, such features are co mmonly used for emphasis or stress. Periods or exclamation marks may be used repeatedly for emphasis, such as â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. † or â€Å"!!!!!!!!!! â€Å". Grammatical punctuation rules are also relaxed on the Internet.â€Å"E-mail† may simply be expressed as â€Å"email†, and apostrophes can be dropped so that â€Å"John's book† becomes â€Å"johns book†. Examples of capitalization include â€Å"STOP IT†, which can convey a stronger emotion of annoyance as opposed to â€Å"stop it†. Bold, underline and italics are also used to indicate stress. Onomatopoeic or stylized spellings have also become popularized on the Internet. One well-known example is â€Å"hahaha† to indicate â€Å"laughter†. Onomatopoeic spellings are very language specific. For instance, in Spanish, laughter will be spelt as â€Å"jajaja† instead.Deliberate misspellings, such as â€Å"sauce† for â€Å"source†, are also used . Keyboard generated emoticons and smileys; Emoticons are generally found in web forums, instant messengers and online games. They are culture-specific and certain emoticons are only found in some languages but not in others. For example, the Japanese equivalent of emoticons, kaomoji literally meaning â€Å"face marks†, focus on the eyes instead of the mouth as in Western emoticons. They are also meant to be read right-side up, for example, ^_^ as opposed to sideways, =). More recently than face emoticons, other emoticon symbols such as

Effects of the Yom Kippur War on Arab Israeli Relation

Describe the Effects of the Yom Kippur War on Arab Israeli relations. (12 marks) The Yom Kippur War happened in October 1973, which involved the Arabs and the Israelis, as well as two superpowers, the USA and the USSR. At the end of the war, the Israelis had won. However, the Israeli government and people were shocked by how the Arabs did. The Yom Kippur War has led to a number of effects on the Arab-Israeli relations, which can be classified as two aspects, short term and long term. There are some immediate consequences caused by the Yom Kippur War. The Arabs used oil as a political weapon, which led to a huge economic problem and oil shortage in the world. On 17 October 1973, the price of oil was cut by 70 per cent by the OAPEC, a mostly Arab group. At the same time it cut production by 35 per cent and banned all sale of its products to the US and the Netherlands. Because of this oil incident, plenty of people lost their jobs and the prices raised sharply. Therefore, many countries’ economies collapsed, which took years to recover. The other short term effect was that the war resulted in even more refugees in Jordan and Lebanon, particularly in Lebanon. People were then realized that they could no longer rely on the government but to gain hope from the Palestinian organizations, especially the PLO: they need to fight for peace their own way. This indicates a greater unsteadiness and also a rising support for the PLO. The attacks on Israel and the Israeli peace with Egypt led to many invasions: the PLO attacks on Israel from refugees’ camp in Lebanon, as well as the Israel peace with Egypt caused the Israeli invasions of Lebanon in 1978 and 1982. The Camp David Accords isolated Egypt from the rest of Arab world. After the war, Egypt signed two agreements with the Israeli president with the help of the American Secretary. Many Arab countries were very sad and disappointed. Egyptian relations with rest of the Arab world declined. As a result, Sadat was assassinated by extremists. Seeing how Sadat was killed by making peace with Israel, other Arab leaders didn’t have the courage to do what Sadat has done, to make peace. Consequently, the Arab world was lacking a clear leader. Syria attempted to take this position, but didn’t success. Also, after the war, Egypt moved towards USA away from USSR, which means Egypt was no longer close to USSR. Instead, they improved the relationship with USA as the USSR did not support them much during the war. Trust was lost between USSR and Egypt. The long term effects brought by the war can be divided into a few points. The world opinion changed after the Yom Kippur War. Militarily, the Israelis won. They had shown their weapons, their training and their strategies were the better ones. But politically, it was a victory for the Arabs. They had completely surprised the Israelis and the rest of the world in the war. They now let the world know that Arab soldiers could fight with courage. Because of the war, Egyptians became more confident in themselves. They thought that Israel had only been saved by the United States. The thought that Israel is so strong that might not be defeated had been destroyed. After the war, the world was not on the side of Israel anymore. In contrast, there was much more sympathy for the Arab position. Above all, they had done everything together, especially in the use of the oil weapon. As a result, the rest of the world showed much more respect for the Arabs. This is the first war in which the Israel suffered serious losses. There were a great Human loss and a feeling of uncertainty among Israelis. An estimated 3,000 Israeli and 8,500 Egyptian and Syrian soldiers were killed, and 8,000 Israelis and almost 20,000 Syrians wounded. It was the first Arab-Israeli war in which Israel suffered a high casualty rate. These effects led to the emergence of an Israeli peace movement. This and the later experience of the wars in Lebanon led to the growth of ‘Israeli peace movement’ in Israel. To conclude, the Yom Kippur War has a negative impact on the Arab-Israeli relations. The PLO and other Palestinian terrorists groups, the oil crisis and the other incidents happened in the Yom Kippur War have worsened the relationship between the two states.

Group Communications Essay

Three videos of different group and team interaction will be reviewed for this paper. After they have been viewed they will be discussed on matters of the relationship between group members, member diversity and communication style. The first case study to be reviewed is: Helping Annie. In this video a school nurse has called a meeting with a psychiatrist and a social worker to discuss the case of a High school student, Annie, who possibly suffers from depression and an eating disorder. Right off the bat the school nurse is interrupted by the psychiatrist before she can finish giving the background information on Annie. He wants facts immediately not â€Å"impressions.† He makes a quick decision as to her problem and her treatment within minutes of their meeting and seems to believe that they are done, no more needs to be said. The Social worker does not agree with his decision and offers a counter solution but is again interrupted by the psychiatrist. The psychiatrist wants to use medication and the Social workers wants to first talk to Annie and see if they can understand what the teenager is going through. The psychiatrist sees this as a total waste of time. There does not seem to be any real facilitator of these meeting, and no one points out the psychiatrist’s constant interruptions of the social worker but the social worker herself. The school nurse is totally intimidated into silence by both of their behaviors. The psychologist seems to have the communication traits of what the test calls thinkers, and the Social worker has the traits of a feeler. According to the text, Thinks are task-oriented. They take pride in their ability to think objectively and logically, regardless of if those thoughts are correct. (Reeve, 2007, Ch. 3, pg.69, para.2) Feelers are people-oriented. The psychologist is very direct and analytical. He seems to want to remove any feelings or humanity from Annie’s case while the social worker is taking a more subjective, humane approach to Annie’s problems and is obviously more concerned with the girl’s well-being than a quick fix. The diversity that exists in this group is both gender and class. The group consist of two women and one older man, the older man, the psychiatrist,  seems to believe that the social worker and school nurse are not in the same class as he, his age, experience and profession making him superior to them on all levels, therefore, their opinions are not worth considering. This diversity is a hindrance in their communication because the psychologist is not listening to the two women and continues to interrupt them because â€Å"he doesn’t have much time here.† If using a high context perspective the viewer could draw the conclusion that the psychologist does not agree with the social worker by watching his nonverbal behavior such as his gestures and facial expressions. In a high-context culture little meaning is expressed through words. Meaning can be conveyed through status such as age, gender, education or title. (Reeve, 2007) One method that could have been used to improve communications would have been to have a facilitator present to ensure that each party had the same amount of time to express his or her opinions. Another improvement would have been a change of setting from the informal setting to a more professional seating arrangement that may have helped foster communication between all parties present, such as a round table or face to face seating. The second video reviewed is: Planning the Playground. The group consists of three males and two females; three Caucasians and two minorities. The video case opens with two new members, one a younger male, Ray and one older woman, Betty, meeting the team for the first time. There seems to be two slightly awkward moments when Ray first only offers to shake the hands of the men at the table and when he has trouble pronouncing the name of the minority female Iesha. The moment was defused quickly when Iesha decided to make a small joke about her name to ease the tension and held out her own hand in greeting. Betty seemed uncertain about speaking and said she only joined the team to make friends. Communications between the team started out stiff and slow but by using â€Å"team talk,† (the nature of the language that group members use as they work together. Not only does team talk enable group members to share information and express opinions, but analysis of team talk also â€Å"reveals where the team is coming from and where the team is headed.) (Reeve, 2007, Ch. 5 pg. 124, Para. 2), team leader David kept the discussion flowing and moved it to the reason they were there. The role the diversity of the group played in their communication was the different  experiences each had to bring to the discussion. Iesha obviously liked research and set numbers and offered not only a sound dollar amount to strive for but reasoning behind it. Ray countered that he thinks the amount should be higher but offered no real reason as did Phil who wanted the amount lower. After deciding to compromise they moved to fundraising. The immediate response to Betty’s suggestion of having a Bake sale was obvious. They did not take her input seriously at all but again the team leader chimed in before their dismissive attitude could be considered rude an d insulting. Diversity was also not a strong hindrance to the group even though the potential was there. Conflict management techniques were used by the group by expressing interest in solving the problem and keeping their tone and language non-threatening, using phrases like â€Å"well, yes but let’s look at it from a different angle† or â€Å"that’s a good idea but may not be exactly what we need now.†The use of team speak was a very effective communication tool that kept the team focused and on track. Another important tool that was used was nonverbal. The seating arrangement at the table permitted members to have their personal space but still be able to have direct eye contact. According to Reeve, each person’s choice of seating position in groups has a direct effect on interaction and influence. A number of studies have demonstrated that group members prefercorner-to-corner or side-by-side seating for cooperative activities. Such an arrangement allows them to be close enough to share materials. (Reeve, 2007, CH. 5 pg. 138, Para 1) The team in thi s case study did show good communication skills on the whole but the one improvement would have been to ensure that before the meeting took place, that each member understood what the reason for the meeting was. The last video reviewed is Virtual Communication. This video is a presentation of three people meeting as a team via conference call. The third unseen member is not listening to what is being said by the manager or his coworker. This is obvious because when they ask him a question he pauses or stutters, then repeats something that neither of the other participants actually said. Listening is important in any group so that you can be sure to get all the available information as well as know exactly what is  expected of you. This is even more so in the virtual business work when team members are not actually sitting face to face. Charlie is neither listening to what is being said or to the messages that were contained in Ellen’s email or voice mails to him. According to the text, Effective listening in virtual groups requires adapting to a different medium of expression Your only adaptation is making sure that your microphone is on or off at appropriate times. In an email disc ussion, however, you can neither see nor hear participants, but you still must â€Å"listen† to their messages. (Reeve, 2007, Ch.6, Pg,.168)The disadvantage of group meetings using a virtual medium is that you can fake listening by answering â€Å"I agree† or a non-committal sound. You can also pretend you didn’t hear something that you don’t want to address as Ellen does in this video when Charlie tries to place the blame on her. Charlie did not effectively use any of his listening skills while on this call. It was apparent by his distracted â€Å"non-answers† that he was not listening. The entire fault is not necessarily Charlie’s; it is not known if he ever fully understood what was expected of him from the first meeting. If he had at any time used one listening skill such as paraphrasing he might have had enough clarification to get his assignment done in time. Paraphrasing is a form of feedback that one lets the speaker know you are listening and gives them the opportunity to clarify their statement. Paraphrasing can be used for multiple purposes such as: To ensure comprehension before evaluation; to reassure others that you want to understand them; to clear up confusion and ask for clarification; and to help other’s reach their own conclusions. (Reeve, 2007) References Engleberg, I. Wynn,D. 2007. Working in Groups: Communication Principles and Strategies (4th ed.) Allyn & Bacon Publishers. The Collaboration Tool Box. 2002-2003. MIT. Online resource. Retreived online January 12, 2009 from http://web.mit.e