Strategic Position of McDonalds Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategic Position of McDonalds - Assignment Example The researcher states that McDonald's achieved a 27% revenue growth over the three years ending in 2007. The market success of any business largely depends on its product quality and service efficiency. It is clear that high-quality products can be designed, produced, and delivered only if high-quality people are employed. As Rioux and Bernthal point out, for any business like McDonald's offering customized services, efficiency in employee recruitment, selection, and retention is particularly vital to meet customer satisfaction and thereby promote market share growth. While analyzing McDonald’s recruitment and selection policy with reference to related practices such as training and development, staff turnover, and rewards and benefits, the policy seems strategic. To illustrate, the organization uses effective and extensive recruitment and training approaches to attract, identify, develop, and retain potential staff that would best suit McDonald’s long-term business int erests. McDonald's opened its first restaurant in the UK in 1974 and there were 1330 McDonald’s restaurants in the country by 2004. Like corporate giants like Walmart and Coca-Cola, McDonald's is also a world’s leading large-scale employer. As per records, in 2004, the company employed 43,491 people in its restaurants and they embraced 40,699 hourly paid workers, 2,292 managerial personnel, and 500 office staff. McDonald’s US franchisees employed further 25,000 people in 2004. Most of the McDonald’s employees are paid based on an hour-rate system and those employees are referred to as crew members.

College Student Stress Coping Essay Example for Free

College Student Stress Coping Essay College students facing academic, social, and other stresses such as finances and how to cope with them. The most common stress most college students face is the stress from the work load that is common in a higher education system. This is the major challenge, and you will be facing without the close guidance you may have previously enjoyed from a teacher or parent; Social stress seems to be more prominent with underclassmen leaving home and there support structure from home but can affect any college student. Most students find that the number one cause of stress for them is financially trying to juggle a full load, and work full time to support yourself and for other students pay for school. Academic stress seems to be what cause the biggest problem for most students. There are some things you can do if you would like to lower your stress level and make student life better. First thing you should do is get the right information from the very beginning. How many lectures, seminars or laboratory sessions are you supposed to be attending? With your assignments make sure you know exactly what you are being asked to do? How many words you’re expected to write and what the deadline is for handing it in. Also try to set up your own space for academic’s to make it easier to focus and concentrate, if you have a noisy roommate try to find a place in the library or even a local coffee shop to frequent. These suggestions will help lower your academics stress which will make life easier for the college student. Social stress for college students is something else that is very common especially in new college students. Most social stress comes from trying to fit it or even trying to create a new social network because in most case’s this is the first time away from home and away from your entire support structure and comfort zone. With social stress one of the most important things to remember is to try and stay involved in different activities at school and get involved with different organizations on campus to meet new people. When getting involved with the organization’s on campus you’ll meet new friends and become more socially outgoing which will help greatly with social stress. Reducing the amount of social stress in college students, will lead to a more enjoyable and positive experience. Financial stress tends to be to\he root of most students problems whether it’s from overspending, lack of proper guidance, peer pressure, inexperience or many other factors. As a result just about everyone is bogged down with large debts increasing day by day. As students many have tried different things to cut down expense but still no luck. There are many ways to help lift the financial stress for college students like taking federal or private loans, grants and scholarships, and working during the summer vacation. By taking federal or private loans you get to choose the best one that is suitable for your need, if you decide to go for a private one then do enough research to make sure you’re not at a loss and end up paying more instead of benefitting from it. Grants and scholarships are another great ideas because these will help lift the burden of some financial stress. When applying for grants and scholarships keep in mind these are offered free by federal organizations for the benefit of students. Make sure to take advantage of the situation but you have to prove worthy for these aids. Getting summer jobs will also help lift some of that financial stress because you can do it in your off time and not stress with studying or school work but catch up and save some money! The best ways for college students to cope with the stress of being away from home, social stress, and financial stress. Academic stress seems to be one of the most common among students. Most college students find that the added freedom of being away from the structure at home and the more difficult classes to be extremely stressful. Just remember try and create your own space for studying with a desk and a quiet place, if you have a noisy roommate find a nice place in the library or a nice local coffee shop to visit. Social stress also seems to be a major problem with college students. Trying to fit in and make new friends after leaving there comfort zone and support structure can be difficult. When starting at college try and get involved in activities to get you out and have a good time. Another great thing to do is get into some organizations to help meet new people and even become more outgoing to make the college experience more fun and less stress. Financial stress seems to be the biggest burden for college students trying to survive on your own and worrying about how you will pay for  school. Remember federal and private loans are a great way to lift stress off you but just do your research and find the one that will work best for your needs. Grants and scholarships are the best thing for most students because they are offered for free from federal organizations but you must prove yourself for these aids Summer jobs are great for students who want to make a little extra cash on the side and lift the stress and worry of college off their mind. B y following some of these tips you are sure to reduce some stress in your everyday college life.

Personal Selling Essay -- essays research papers

Index 1. The Organization: What it is and what itdoes 2. The Products and services marketed 3. The role of personal selling in the promotional mix 4. A description of the salesperson’s job 5. The selling process SRCC TRADING DEPARTMENT 1: The Organization: what it is and what it does The Trading Department is the preferred supplier of Agricultural Chemicals, Fertilizer, Packhouse and General Farming Requisites in the Sundays river Valley. Mission: The Trading Department supply and sell Agricultural Chemicals, Fertilizer, Packhouse Material and General Farming Requisites to Citrus Growers and Private Packhouses in the Sundays river Valley. A knowledge-able ,skilled, trained and motivated staff who are focus on excellent client-service by ensuring competitive prices on products, stock availability and technical advice . The objective of the Trading Department. The primary objective of the Trading Department is to assist the shareholders of the Company in maximizing the profits of their farming operations. The secondary objectives of the Trading Department are: †¢ Economic efficiency. †¢ Good Image. †¢ Maximum client support. †¢ Growth and development. In Conclusion: The management of the Trading Department must on a continuing and long term basis stay focused on providing farming requisites and in so doing assist in keeping production costs of the farming units as low as possible. The Trading Department must strive to achieve its secondary goals to make this possible. 2: The Products/Services marketed †¢ The long-term objectives of the Trading Department are dependent on determining the needs and wants of the citrus-growers, private pack houses and other target markets and satisfying these more effectively than our competitors . †¢ The Trading Department follows the relationship perspective on marketing - consumer retention, consumer loyalty and consumer service ( or service quality). †¢ Regular (every alternative month) memos and circulars will be posted to our customers to motivate and to restrict their ... ...cal support needs." The presentation is more about establishing a relationship—as a growing account .If there is no sale or order at the end of the presentation, at least leave knowing why not. Is there some reason why we can't take care of this right now?" Agreeing on the next step is as good as any order once the presentation is done. "Never leave without some kind of agreement as to where the customer-seller relationship is going [next appointment, calls to be made]," Also, knowing when to leave is important. "Once you ask for, and receive the order, it is appropriate to leave. Just say thank you and move on. You don't want to outlast your welcome." But sales managers and some salespeople haven't realized that the decision-making time has lengthened. "The customers don't want to make their decisions until they are absolutely sure. After the presentation, most salespeople just give up too soon. Manage the process of keeping in touch with the prospective customer. Because when they do decide to make a buy, and you happen to be off their radar, they'll go to the next person. Not managing your follow through is how sales are lost."

Marxism: Different Stages of History

Dialectic AnalysisThe basic premise of dialectical analysis is the theory in which society is treated as a historically evolving and systemically interrelated whole, has had a profound impact on political science, economics and sociology. This dialectical method, which seeks to uncover the full context of historically specific social interactions in any given system, is used by Marx as a tool for understanding class relationships under capitalism, and as a means for altering such structures fundamentally.   Uniting theory and practice, Marx declared in his ‘Theses on Feuerbach’:The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it’[1].Dialectical materialism is essentially characterized by the belief that history is the product of class struggle and obeys the general Hegelian principle of philosophy of history that is the development of the thesis into its antithesis.[2]Basic Premise of Materialistic TheoryThe materialist th eory of history starts from the proposition that human beings are creatures of need, and hence that the material side of human life, physical needs and economic action to satisfy them is primary and basic. Historians and social philosophers until then had focused on the actions of states and rulers only and had not considered   the importance of economic developments.According to Marx, every society is composed of certain forces of production (tools, machinery and labour to operate them) with which are associated particular social relations of production (property relations, division of labour). These together constitute the material `base' of society, upon which arises a `superstructure' of political and legal institutions, and ideological forms to include art, religion and philosophy. He further added:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but, on the contrary, their social beings which determines their consciousness†[3].The development of productive forcesThe development of the human race from crude stone tools to the bow and arrow, and the subsequent improvement from the life of hunters to the domestication of animals and primitive pasturage; the transition from stone tools to metal tools resulting in a corresponding transition to tillage and agriculture; a further improvement in metal tools, the introduction of the blacksmith's bellows, the introduction of pottery, with a corresponding development of handicrafts, the separation of handicrafts from agriculture, the development of an independent handicraft industry and, subsequently, of manufacture; the transition from handicraft tools to machines and the transformation of handicraft and manufacture into machine industry; the transition to the machine system and the rise of modern large-scale machine industry   are all the characteristic stages of development   of the productive forces of society in the course of man's history.This development and improvement of the instruments of production had been effected by men who were related to production, and not independently of men; and, consequently, the change and development of the instruments of production was accompanied by a change and development of men, as the most important element of the productive forces, by a change and development of their production experience, their labor skill, their ability to handle the instruments of production. In conformity with the change and development of the productive forces of society in the course of history and   men's relations of production, their economic relations also changed and developed.Phases of Materialistic HistoryAt any given historical period the relations of production provide the social framework for economic development. The developing forces of production give rise to increasing conflict with the existing relations of production and these conflicts are reflected as class struggles. `From forms of development of the productive for ces these relations turn into their fetters. Then begins an epoch of social revolution' in which social relations and `the entire immense superstructure' is transformed.[4]Accordingly, Marx concluded that all nations go through five economic stages: primitive, slavery, feudalism, capitalism, and socialism.Primitive PhaseThe basic tenet of production in the primitive phase of human history is that the means of production are community owned which is consistent with the character of the productive forces of that period. Primitive tools and weapons like stone tools and the bow and arrow had limited efficacy and lethality, a major factor which precluded the possibility of men individually combating the forces of nature and beasts of prey. In order to fulfill the routine activities like gathering fruits from the forest, catch fish or game, or to build any form of inhabitation, men were obliged to work in communities or groups to obviate the possibility of death due to starvation, or fall victims of beast of prey or be killed by rival groups.Community form of labour and work led to a community based consumption of the produced yield. At this stage the concept of individual ownership of the means of production did not yet exist, except for the personal ownership of certain implements of production which were at the same time means of defense against beasts of prey. Hence, there was neither exploitation, nor any class structure in place.Slave PhaseThe primitive phase was followed by the Slave Stage which is based on the theory that under this system, the slave-owner owns the means of production and the workers in the production chain. Such relations of production correspond to the state of the productive forces of that period. In this stage, the slave owner has all the rights over the slave- whom he can sell, purchase, or kill as though he were an animal. During the slave stage, the primitive stone tools and   Ã‚  primitive husbandry have been replaced by metal tool s and pasturage tillage respectively .The primitive man who till now was in the possession of the most basic tools   now possessed the means to conduct farming , handicrafts and tillage, and a division of labor between these branches of production. There appears the possibility of the exchange of products between individuals and between societies, of the accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few, the actual accumulation of the means of production in the hands of a minority, and the possibility of subjugation of the majority by a minority and the conversion of the majority into slaves.At this stage, the common and free labor of all members of society in the production process is replaced by the forced labor of slaves, who are exploited by the non-laboring slave-owners. The main aspects of this stage is the appearance of the slave owner(the prime and principal property owner), the increasing existence of the rich and poor, exploiters and exploited, people with full rights and peo ple with no rights, and the beginning of a   fierce class struggle between them.Feudal StageThe basis of the relations of production under the feudal system is that the feudal lord owns the means of production and does not fully own the worker in production. This implies that the worker of the slave stage has progressed and he can no longer be owned, bought or sold by the slave owner. Alongside of feudal ownership there exists individual ownership by the peasant and the handicraftsman of his implements of production and his private enterprise based on his personal labor[5].Such relations of production correspond to the state of the productive forces of that period. Further improvements in the smelting and working of iron; the spread of the iron plow and the loom; the further development of agriculture, horticulture, viniculture and dairying; the appearance of manufactories alongside of the handicraft workshops; have all led to enhanced importance of the worker who is now a skilled artisan. The new productive forces demand that the laborer/worker/artisan shall display some kind of initiative and inclination in production and for work.The feudal lord therefore discards the slave, as a laborer who has no interest in work and is entirely without initiative, and prefers to deal with the serf (artisan), who has his own husbandry, implements of production, and a certain interest in work essential for the cultivation of the land and for the payment in kind of a part of his harvest to the feudal lord.In this stage, private ownership is further developed and the affects of exploitation is slightly mitigated. A class struggle between exploiters and exploited is the principal feature of the feudal system.Capitalist StageThe basis of the relations of production under the capitalist system is that the capitalist owns the means of production, but not the workers in production[6] – the wage laborers, whom the capitalist can neither kill nor sell because they are pers onally free, but who are deprived of means of production and in order not to die of hunger, are obliged to sell their labor power to the capitalist.Due to the rapid strides in the technological and the industrial aspects, there is an increased importance of the technologically intensive means of production like the factories, mills and the huge capitalist farms run on scientific lines and supplied with agricultural machinery. This rapid change in the means of production has an adverse impact on the workers.The private property of the peasants and handicraftsmen in the means of production being based on personal labor is rendered insignificant and they have to submit their labour to the owners of the means of production. The new productive forces require that the workers in production shall be better educated and more intelligent in comparison to the earlier workers, in the sense that they understand machinery and operate it properly. Therefore, the capitalists prefer to deal with wa ge-workers, who are free from the bonds of serfdom and who are educated enough to be able properly to operate machinery.Transition to CommunismThe division of society into classes gives rise to political, ethical, philosophical, and religious views of the world, views which express existing class relations and tend either to consolidate or to undermine the power and authority of the dominant class. Marx clarifies it further:â€Å"The ideas of the ruling class are, in every age, the ruling ideas: i.e., the class which is the dominant material force in society is at the same time its dominant intellectual force. The class which has the means of material production at its disposal, has control at the same time over the means of mental production.†[7]However, oppressed classes, although hampered by the ideological dominance of oppressors, generate counter-ideologies to combat them. In revolutionary or pre-Revolutionary periods it even happens that certain representatives of the d ominant class shift allegiance. New social relationships begin to develop within older social structures and result from contradictions and tensions within that structure at the same time as they exacerbate them.For example, new modes of production slowly emerged within late feudal society and allowed the bourgeoisie, which controlled these new modes of production, effectively to challenge the hold of the classes that had dominated the feudal order. As the bourgeois mode of production gained sufficient specific weight, it undermined the feudal relations in which it first made its appearance. â€Å"The economic structure of capitalist society has grown out of the economic structure of feudal society.The dissolution of the latter sets free the elements of the former.†[8] Similarly, the capitalist mode of production brings into being a proletarian class of factory workers. As these men acquire class consciousness, they discover their fundamental antagonism to the bourgeois class and band together to overthrow a regime to which they owe their existence. â€Å"The proletariat carries out the sentence which private property, by creating the proletariat, passes upon itself.†[9]  the process of industrialization concentrates working people in factories and cities, hence the working class develops from being an unorganized and unconscious mass through its struggle with the bourgeoisie to being an organized and conscious political force, a force which is ultimately destined to be the `gravedigger' of capitalism and to inaugurate a new mode of production: socialism[10]SocialismThe conquest of political power by the working class will lead to the creation of a socialist state in which the working class is the ruling class and which functions in the interests of the working class. In this way the `dictatorship of the proletariat' will replace the `dictatorship of the bourgeoisie'. Its main purpose is to abolish the private ownership of the means of producti on, and hence the social and economic basis of class divisions. As the   material basis of class divisions is dissolved, class differences will gradually disappear, and with them the need for the state as an instrument of class rule and as a distinct coercive force. In the higher stage of full communism, the state is destined ultimately to `wither away'[11], as Engels puts it, and `the government of people will be replaced by the administration of things'[12]ConclusionDuring the present century, history itself seems to have provided a remarkable confirmation of the main outlines of Marx's thought. At one stage in modern history, the prediction that capitalism is destined to be restricted to a particular and limited historical stage which will be superseded seemed to be justified by the succession of revolutions which removed a large part of the world from its grip. The collapse of the regimes of Soviet and Eastern European communism in 1989, however, has proved that Marxism is now dead and that its prediction of a historical stage beyond capitalism is an illusion. Nevertheless, it remains the most comprehensive and powerful theory for understanding and explaining the capitalist world.[1] Marx, Karl (1845) Theses on Feuerbach, in Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, Selected Works, New York: International Publishers, 1968, pp. 28–30.[2] Marx, The Poverty of Philosophy, [1847a], London: Lawrence & Wishart, 1955, chapter II [3] Marx, Karl A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy(1859),PP 389.                                                                            [4] Ibid 389-90[5] G.A. Cohen, Karl Marx's Theory of History: A Defence, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1978,pp65                        [6] Ibid [7] Marx Karl, Selected Writings, ed. D. McLellan, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1977 [8] Ibid[9] Ibid [10]Marx and Engels The Communist Manifesto [1848], Selected Works, V olume 1, Moscow: : Foreign Languages Publishing House, 1962 [11] V.I. Lenin, State and Revolution, in Selected Works in Three Volumes, Volume 2, Moscow: Progress Publishers, revised edn 1975,10-14                                                                                                                                                                                  [12] Capital, 3 Volumes [1867, 1885, 1894], London: Lawrence & Wishart, 1961-71

Neuroanatomy Paper Essay

The limbic system is a diverse collection of cortical and subcortical regions that are crucial for normal human behavior (Martin, 2003). According to Martin (2003), nineteenth century neurologist and anatomist recognized that damage to particular parts of the human brain were associated with disorders of emotion and memory; these lesions , unlike those of the cerebellum, occipital lobe, or cortical regions around the central sulcus, for example, spared perception and movement. This research lead to the understanding that the neural systems of emotions, learning and memory, and their interconnections, are grouped into a single system, called the limbic system. Based on Martin (2003), brain structures for emotions, learning and memory have been conserved throughout much of the vertebrate evolution, reflecting the common and important need for these functions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The diverse functions of the limbic system include important roles in learning and memory and in emotions – and their behavioral and visceral consequences. According to Martin (2003), many of the structures have a C-shaped configuration; the limbic system has three C-shaped components: (1) the limbic association cortex, (2) the hippocampal formation and fornix, (3) and part of the amygdala (bed of stria terminalis) and the stria terminalis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hippocampal circuits are engaged in consolidating explicit memories, such as the conscious recollection of facts, and in forming spatial memories; the hippocampal formation works closely with adjoining entorrhinal cortex, so much so that the two are functionally inseparable (Martin, 2003). According to Martin (2003), these structures receive complex sensory and cognitive information from the limbic association cortex; damage to the hippocampal formation or entorrhinal cortex, depending on the extent, can result in severe and pervasive anterograde amnesia. As Martin stated, in this form of amnesia, impairments occur in semantic memory, such as knowledge of facts, people, and objects, including new word meaning, and the episodic memory of events that have a specific spatial and temporal context, such meeting a friend last week; and by contrast, patients with hippocampal damage are capable of remembering procedures and actions (i.e., implicit or non-declarative memory), and they retain the capacity for a variety of simple forms of learning and memory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The output neurons of the hippocampal formation are pyramidal neurons, similar to the neocortex covering most of the cerebral hemisphere, and they are located in the hippocampus and subiculum (Martin, 2003). Two output systems can be distinguished within the fornix, from the subiculum and the hippocampus; although these systems are involved in the cognitive aspects of learning and memory, it is not yet understood how their functions differ.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The innervations of the limbic system by the major neurotransmitter regulatory systems appear to be particularly important for normal thoughts, moods, and behaviors. This conclusion is based on the observation that many of the drugs used to treat psychiatric illness – the disorders of thought, such as schizophrenia, and of mood, such as depression and anxiety – selectively affect one of the neurotransmitters systems; this neurotransmitter system have direct and widespread connections with the limbic system (Martin, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pyramidal cells of the entorhinal cortex send their axons to the dentate gyrus to synapses on granule cells, which is the perforrant pathway. Based on Martin (2003), it is not known how the myriad connections of the entorhial cortex and hippocampal formation are organized to play a role in memory consolidation; however, an important clue exists: the strength of many synapses in the hippocampal formation can be modified under various experimental conditions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The amygdala has three major divisions, which collectively are involved in emotions and their behavioral expression: the basolateral nuclei, the central nuclei, and the corticomedal nuclei References Martin, J. H. (2003). Neuroanatomy: Text and Atlas. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional.   

The 10 Biggest Mistakes of Unsuccessful People

The 10 Biggest Mistakes of Unsuccessful People Sometimes being successful is a simple matter of not being unsuccessful- not making the kind of blunders and mistakes that unsuccessful people make. If it’s too daunting to try and mimic someone else’s success, try simply avoiding other people’s failures. Here are 10 traits that describe people who rarely, if ever, get ahead. If one or two of these sound like you, see if you can tweak your habits. If you’re guilty of more than half, you’ve got problems, but at least you’ll know what needs to change!1. They’re  prone to distractionIf you can’t focus on the task, problem, situation, or conversation at hand, you’re going to fail at something, sooner or later. Don’t pick up your phone in the middle of a meeting. Don’t start checking Facebook when you should be finishing that report. Single-task until you get a single thing done. Then do the next thing.2. They’re  all talkSure you’ve got great p otential, lofty goals. Do yourself a favor and don’t broadcast them. Try keeping your cards closer to your chest. What you can broadcast is meeting those goals or achieving that success. Share when you’ve done something, not just when you’ve decided to think about doing something.3. They’re bad companyIf you want to be successful, hang out with successful people. If you want to get in shape, hang out with people who value fitness. Sometimes it really does matter who your friends are.4.  They’re always negativeDon’t be a hater. And don’t let small day-to-day annoyances get you so down that you become that person that’s always complaining. Try to accentuate the positive, even in sucky situations.5. They procrastinateDon’t delay doing anything unless you’re certain you could do it better if you did it later. Otherwise, you’re just stalling. Get it done.6. They don’t listenYou’re not the only on e in the world. And your success is not the only important thing in the world. Listen to the people you love, and they will love you back. Spread the love around.7. They’re lazyThere’s a difference between being tired and being a blob. Try to make sure you’re not constantly talking yourself out of doing things (work, going to the movies, exercise, helping a friend) because you just don’t feel like it, rather than a legitimate excuse. Try to always be doing something better with your free time.8.  They don’t want to learnThe day you stop learning is the day you fail forever. Keep an open mind about the things you don’t know, and keep pushing yourself. Be humble in the face of a world full of new information- and let some of it inspire you to greatness. Hard work is good for you.9. They’re just  meanPlenty of not nice people make it to the top. That doesn’t mean you will. Not being nice means you will acquire enemies, rather than allies. Be kind. Make friends.10. They’re quittersIf you give up, then, well, you don’t deserve success. Next time you hit a roadblock, try running through this list and see if there’s anything more constructive you could be doing- learning something new, making an ally, thinking positively, then find your way around the roadblock and keep going forward.

Short Essay on Nelson Mandela

Short Essay on Nelson Mandela Short Essay on Nelson Mandela Nelson Mandela was a popular figure not only in South Africa but in the whole world, and this was mostly because of what he stood for and symbolized in life. Nelson Mandela, or Rolihlahla Mandela, was born on the 18th day of July in the year 1918 and adopted the name Nelson after he was named so by a teacher in the school where he was learning as a young boy. Nelson was born in the Transkei area of South Africa. Transkei is an area characterized by numerous mountains, grasslands and valleys. The area is located on the southwestern part of South Africa. Mandela’s father, Henry Mandela, was a tribal chief of the Tembu tribe and together with his wife and Mandela’s mother, Fanny, were related to the royal family of Tembu. Mandela, however, grew up without his father because his father passed on when he was only 9 years old. After which, an acting chief of the Tembu tribe raised him. Mandela received his basic education in a mission school where he excelled in his education and later attended college. While in school and college, Mandela enjoyed a variety of sporting activities, including running and boxing. While at the University of Fort Hare, Mandela trained as a lawyer and among his friends in law school was Oliver Tambo. Mandela, however, moved away from the law school in 1939 after students held a series of demonstrations in protest of the way the law school was run. Even though the custom required that his parents select for him a wife, Mandela did not want to abide by this custom of arranged marriages and he therefore left his home area and went to Johannesburg. It is in the city of Johannesburg that Mandela completed his studies and eventually became a qualified lawyer. It was after his education that Mandela decided to become more involved in finding solutions to the many problems that plagued the South Africans, in particular, the black-skinned South Africans. South Africa comprises mostly black individuals but there are also some European and Asian people in the South African community. The Dutch, also known as the Boers, came into South Africa in 1652 and it is they that colonized the nation up to 1815, when Britain took over the nation and made it part of the then expanding British empire. Even though the foreigners brought a lot of improvement to South Africa, the natives and the foreigners did not always live in peace and there were many instances when war broke out between the two communities. Often, the blacks did not have any say in the way South Africa was ruled and were heavily segregated under what came to be known as apartheid. It was this unfair treatment of blacks that drove Mandela to join and become an active participant of the ANC party in 1944. Mandela, Tambo and many other individuals then used the ANC as a vehicle to fight apartheid and finally give South Africans much needed freedom. How to write a short essay about Nelson Mandela: One of the ways of writing a short essay is to, first, draft a regular sized one and then make it more concise when rewriting it into the final draft. There is no need in wordy descriptions and long introductions; be straight to the point in all your arguments. It is also recommended, when writing a short essay, to address your argument to the general audience, rather than a specific group of people. This way, you can predict what questions your audience might have, while reading your essay. Our essay writing service is developed to provide students with custom written essays of the highest quality. All you need is to contact our website now!

Answers to Questions About Hyphens in References to Age

Answers to Questions About Hyphens in References to Age Answers to Questions About Hyphens in References to Age Answers to Questions About Hyphens in References to Age By Mark Nichol The rules about references to age, and the proper use of hyphens in such references, are simple yet easily misunderstood. Here are a few explanations in response to readers’ questions about the topic. 1. Could you help me understand the correct way to write ages? For example, â€Å"My three-year-old was too young for the movie† is hyphenated, while â€Å"He is three years old† is not, or at least I dont think it is. Your examples are correct: Hyphenate â€Å"three-year-old† and similar phrases only when they serve as phrasal adjectives describing someone or something (or when, as in the case of the first example above, the someone or something of that age is implied). The simple phrase â€Å"three years old† merits no hyphenation, because it isn’t being combined to modify anything. Unfortunately, many people are confused by this distinction, so the phrase is often hyphenated incorrectly, and the frequently seen error perpetuates the confusion. 2. In your sentence â€Å"Write ‘fifty years old,’ for example, rather than ‘aged fifty years,’† the phrase should read â€Å"fifty years-old,† shouldnt it? â€Å"Fifty years old† should be styled just like that, as explained in the previous response; in reference to a fifty-year-old, hyphenate as shown whether what is fifty years old is explicit or implicit. Never hyphenate years and old while leaving the preceding number detached, and never hyphenate fifty and year without also including old in the hyphenated string of words; â€Å"fifty-year old man† refers to an old man who is fifty years, which is nonsensical. The only case in which years and old would be hyphenated is in a sentence such as â€Å"It’s a years-old tradition† a reference to a tradition that is (many) years old. 3. â€Å"When a doctor was dictating a report, he said, ‘This is an approximately 40 50 year old woman . . . .’ It’s my job as a transcriptionist to make the doctor look good; I don’t just type verbatim. So I put, ‘This is an approximately 40- to 50-year-old woman . . . .’ ‘This is a 40-50-year-old woman . . .’ looks awful and confusing, even though that is actually what the doctor said. I could also have written, ‘This is a woman who is approximately 40 or 50 years old . . . .’† Both of your solutions are elegant. If, however, you were required to transcribe verbatim and I think doing so would be necessary only in a legal context the solution would be, â€Å"This is an approximately 40-, 50-year-old woman.† The comma indicates a pause for expansion or self-correction. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Wether, Weather, Whether50 Idioms About Arms, Hands, and FingersWoof or Weft?

Historical and critical Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Historical and critical - Essay Example He suffered from arthritis, which reserved his presence low, and favored to expend his time observing plants and animals, as well as studying forms in nature, which would ultimately be so well-known in his designs (Biro, Adam, 2002). It was also during his early years studying with the Escolapius Fathers that Gaudi predictable the â€Å"value of the celestial history of the deliverance of man through Christ embodied, prearranged to the world by the Virgin Mary.† He later integrated such attitude into his greatest labor, The Sagrada Familia (Ungar, S., 2003, pp. 90-126). Around 1870 Gaudi stimulated to Barcelona to learn architecture at the Provincial School of Architecture. His grades were again less than greater. However, the young student did be paid special gratitude in the areas of Trial Drawings and Projects, which permitted him to place his bizarre thoughts to exploit (Abadie, Daniel. 2001, pp. 72-81). His professor proclaimed that what had been shaped in these two courses was either the work of an insane man or a mastermind. In 1878 Antoni Gaudi was one of merely four students to be approved the title of Architect by the school ´s director (Ades, Dawn, 2002 pp. 185-206). At a young age, Gaudà ­ entered a playgroup school (parvulari) beneath the training of Francesc Berenguer, and his inventive persona began to apparent themselves: When Berenguer lectured the child on how wings let birds fly, Gaudà ­ pragmatic that chickens do not take off. He accomplished that their wings must assist them sprint quicker. When the time came for his ceremonial education, Gaudà ­ enrolled in the Collegi de les Escoles Pà ­es de Reus, where he soon became prompt friends with Eduard Toda and Josep Ribera (Adorno, Theodor, 2002). It was perhaps their voracious inquisitiveness that throng them to be trained all they could about the particulars of nature. During his time at Les Escoles, Gaudà ­ did not prepare the finest of grades. He did, however, observe

AM, FMC, PBC and DU DUH Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

AM, FMC, PBC and DU DUH Paper - Essay Example Pitney chose to be proactive in identifying the hot spots by providing a help line to his employees to call anytime when they notice colleagues showing stranger behaviors. The corporation trains its managers to identify the not so obvious signs of distress from employees and help them. Pitney incorporates the services of a company physician and refers employees to counselors for help. Duke University changed its crisis management strategies by telling the truth within the shortest possible time and regularly communicated with its stakeholders and the public on the progress till the end of case. Its president also took personal leadership of an incident by immediately apologizing to the public and focusing into the future. In leadership communication, the leader believes in sharing all information with employees at all levels in order to run the organization smoothly and make everyone feel like they are being lead rather than drifting. It tries to eliminate communication barriers within the organization to allow for smooth flow of information. Leadership communication allows the following: On the other hand, conventional management communication believes that the leader is always right and the decision he or she makes is final. It does not encourage contribution of ideas from employees when it comes to decision making in the organization. Employees working in such an environment usually operate under a lot of fear. Dialogue is a conversation between two or more people while discussion is an in-depth interactive communication on a particular topic with an aim of exploring solutions. The other day, I had a conversation with my mother on the issue of dating while still in school. As a student, I am in a discussion group with four of my classmates where we study different academic topics together. In 2009 when General Motors, a US auto company

Smokers Avoidance to Pay Cigarette Taxes Personal Statement

Smokers Avoidance to Pay Cigarette Taxes - Personal Statement Example Then he only pays 10 cents. This is tax evasion. And it is illegal. Tax avoidance on the other hand is when a person chooses legal means to pay less tax. For example, New York City charges 10 cents per box of cigarettes. However, in Austin, Texas, for example, the cigarette tax is only 1 cent per box. A person avoiding tax would rather buy cigarettes in Austin than in New York City. This is legal. He does not falsify anything. He does not under-declare amounts. Now it is understandable that people avoids tax. People want to save money. They would look for places where they can buy things less expensively. That is but natural. And they could not be faulted for that. They cannot be blamed if they look for places who charges lower taxes and buy their cigarettes there. And they cannot be blamed if they choose methods to limit the taxes they pay as long as they do it legally. Now, with the problem of the city losing revenue, I think it can be addressed by formulating better regulatory policies. They could promote effective prevention of smuggling of cigarettes, limit mail-order purchases. They could also be stricter in enforcing licenses and they could punish unlicensed vendors and those that violate the law. Â  

Incentives, training, and education in promoting innovation in an Essay

Incentives, training, and education in promoting innovation in an organization - Essay Example One prime example of this is the link of incentives with innovation. The theory of extrinsic motivation teaches that an individual can be motivated to improve their efficiency and productivity at a task if they are rewarded with extrinsic rewards such as bonuses and promotions. However, as research proves, this does not apply in every case. When the task requires innovation and creativity, performance incentives can dampen the level of creativity (Ariely, 2010). This is because the employee starts to focus on the reward and is not able to give the task the due attention. Such incentives are only successful in boosting performance when the task is mechanical and does not require flexible and creative thinking. However, the innovative process requires creativity and flexibility. Thus, incentives do not play a significant role in the process of innovation. Vocational training, however, plays a large role in the process of innovation. A study conducted in 2007 gathered data from several firms, which provided training to their employees and had measurable performance. A thorough analysis of the correlation between these two factors revealed that innovation increases amongst employees who have received vocational training. The reason for this may be that the training gives the employee a firmer grasp on the nature of their work, and a deeper understanding about what their work means (Gallie and Legros, 2007). Thus, the individual is not confined to any boundaries in terms of knowledge or experience, and is thus able to employee creativity while working. This leads to training having a significant role in innovation. Similarly, education also proves to increase innovation levels in an organization significantly. Nelson and Phelps (1966) researched this correlation thoroughly, with the reasoning that â€Å"education enhances the ability to receive, decode, and understand information†. They studied the role of education for employees involved in the process of in novation and were able to prove that there is indeed a positive correlation between an employee having a high school or university education, and increases in the level of productivity and innovation. This correlation is empirically verifiable and visible in workplaces worldwide (Nelson & Phelps, 1966). Another important force that drives the innovative process, through its creation, management, and sustenance, is leadership. A recent study found organizational climate to act as an intervening variable between leadership behavior and innovation. They went on to claim that leadership has an important role to play in the establishment of an innovative climate in the work environment. The researchers found this correlation to be pertinent on both, work-unit level and organizational level. Research goes on to outline several leadership behaviors that can either stifle or encourage productivity. An example of a behavior that stifles innovation is to concentrate only on short-term goals a nd visible results. This can increase the pressure on the employees, which acts as a barrier for the innovative thinking process. In contrast, to encourage innovative thinking, the leader can arrange the work environment in a manner that allows for flexible thinking processes and creativity. This includes forming work teams and allowing the employees to interact with each other and discuss their ideas freely. For example, one can consider a

Marketing Products Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Marketing Products - Assignment Example It would be ensured that the beverages would not be supplied to corporate customers in plastic bottles for environmental issues (MHHE, n.d). The ingredients of the products would be scrutinized by the marketing department and it would be ensured that the product content comply with the national health and safety guidelines. Beverages Description Cola It would be available in basic cola flavor with lesser caffeine and caramel content. It would also include additional content of vitamins, taurine, and niacin (Coca Cola, 2013a). Diet Coke This product will have lesser sugar and caramel content. The prime motive of marketing department would be to offer a sparkling drink with lesser amount of calories that will include additional mineral and vitamins (America’s Greatest Brands, 2013). Bottled Water The water will be purified in special filtration process and additional nutrients and vitamins would be included to deliver fresh taste (America’s Greatest Brands, 2013). Sparkli ng Drinks The sparkling drink would be highly concentrated with additional nutritional requirements to offer a distinctive flavor to the customers (Coca Cola, 2013). (2) Service Component of Fizzy Cola The service component will add value to the product and also enhance the brand personality and features to attract potential customers. Service is an intangible product and consists of additional features and benefits that are relevant to a specific target market (Rao, 2004).The main objective of the company would be to offer beverages in the initial stages and there would be no services offered by the company. However, the research and development team of Fizzy Cola would be the design making of machines and equipments which would have the potentiality of developing high quality beverages. One of the prime objectives would be to develop high quality filtration machinery which would purify the beverages and remove the pesticides. After the company has been able to establish itself in the market it would considers plans of providing services like downloading of free music, nutritional information etc. This would help the company to position itself strongly in the beverage market. (3) Product Mix of Fizzy Cola The product mix also popularly known as product assortment refers to the total number of product lines that a company can offer to its customers. Width: The width of the company pertains to the total number of products lines that a company offers (Suttle, 2013). For example Fizzy Cola would offer beverages in cola and varied other flavors. Hence, the product width of the company is two. Later, advanced technology may permit the company to diversify into other industries and develop further products (Suttle, 2013). Length: The product length pertains to the total number of products in a company’s product mix (Suttle, 2013). In the initial stages the company would be offering beverages in three varied flavors and juices in three basic flavors apple, man go and mixed fruit. The product length for Fizzy Cola would be six. Depth: In the initial stages the company would be offering beverages in three basic flavors and in can sizes of 8oz, 12 oz, 16 oz, and 20 oz. The product depth would be 12 in this case. Consistency: The consistency will pertain to how close the product lines

Where There Is a Lack of Authoritative Power Can Become a Ground of Essay

Where There Is a Lack of Authoritative Power Can Become a Ground of War - Essay Example The men who are not controlled by authority will desire to control other men by stealing their rights and freedom. In a case where there is no common authority to rule the region, then people can turn into nasty, and selfish personality. According to this quote, the war conducted by a human cannot be restricted to the battle alone but need to be contemplated with the track of time. By this the quote it is meant that a person in battle needs a specific span of time to understand his contentment due to the process of fighting. The quote suggests that time is an important factor to gauge the outcome of the war as it is as important as the nature of weather. I agree with the point that the bad weather is not accounted to one or more showers of rain but to the gross effect of the rain on nature. It is because the outcome of fighting cannot be measured with the instance of fighting alone but depends on the peace and tranquillity which the war brings to society. The quote argues that, during the wartime, every man is an enemy to the other. The egoistic men during the war, desire to fight and achieve thi ngs which can make his life joyful and content. It is true as men are passionate about fighting without considering the moralistic principles or duties he has towards each other and nature. Men fight with each other in vengeance in order to secure his life and basic necessities. During the time of the fight, the men are in an environment where there is the absence of security, food and shelter. He can only bring security to his life if he works hard with all his strength, intelligence and vitality. In this procedure, he falls prey to fight and battle as it is the issue of survival of the fittest. The men in those times had no facilities like the modern world and had to compete with each other even to fill their stomach.  

Marketing Products Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Marketing Products - Assignment Example It would be ensured that the beverages would not be supplied to corporate customers in plastic bottles for environmental issues (MHHE, n.d). The ingredients of the products would be scrutinized by the marketing department and it would be ensured that the product content comply with the national health and safety guidelines. Beverages Description Cola It would be available in basic cola flavor with lesser caffeine and caramel content. It would also include additional content of vitamins, taurine, and niacin (Coca Cola, 2013a). Diet Coke This product will have lesser sugar and caramel content. The prime motive of marketing department would be to offer a sparkling drink with lesser amount of calories that will include additional mineral and vitamins (America’s Greatest Brands, 2013). Bottled Water The water will be purified in special filtration process and additional nutrients and vitamins would be included to deliver fresh taste (America’s Greatest Brands, 2013). Sparkli ng Drinks The sparkling drink would be highly concentrated with additional nutritional requirements to offer a distinctive flavor to the customers (Coca Cola, 2013). (2) Service Component of Fizzy Cola The service component will add value to the product and also enhance the brand personality and features to attract potential customers. Service is an intangible product and consists of additional features and benefits that are relevant to a specific target market (Rao, 2004).The main objective of the company would be to offer beverages in the initial stages and there would be no services offered by the company. However, the research and development team of Fizzy Cola would be the design making of machines and equipments which would have the potentiality of developing high quality beverages. One of the prime objectives would be to develop high quality filtration machinery which would purify the beverages and remove the pesticides. After the company has been able to establish itself in the market it would considers plans of providing services like downloading of free music, nutritional information etc. This would help the company to position itself strongly in the beverage market. (3) Product Mix of Fizzy Cola The product mix also popularly known as product assortment refers to the total number of product lines that a company can offer to its customers. Width: The width of the company pertains to the total number of products lines that a company offers (Suttle, 2013). For example Fizzy Cola would offer beverages in cola and varied other flavors. Hence, the product width of the company is two. Later, advanced technology may permit the company to diversify into other industries and develop further products (Suttle, 2013). Length: The product length pertains to the total number of products in a company’s product mix (Suttle, 2013). In the initial stages the company would be offering beverages in three varied flavors and juices in three basic flavors apple, man go and mixed fruit. The product length for Fizzy Cola would be six. Depth: In the initial stages the company would be offering beverages in three basic flavors and in can sizes of 8oz, 12 oz, 16 oz, and 20 oz. The product depth would be 12 in this case. Consistency: The consistency will pertain to how close the product lines

Unemployment Rates in the United States and Japan from 2010 to 2014 Research Paper

Unemployment Rates in the United States and Japan from 2010 to 2014 - Research Paper Example In America, the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics defines an unemployed person as someone who does not have a job and has actively searched for work in the recent times, as well as currently being available for work. Proceeding further, Remer (22) asserts that people who are not in the labor force are not considered as employed or unemployed. In this regard, the labor force comprises of both the employed along with the unemployed. Anderton (11) affirms that people who are not in the labor force are either in school or retired. In the U.S, Walton, and Hugh notes that the rate of unemployment rates rose through the years to peak in 2010 at 10.9 percent before commencing to fall to 5.8 percent as of November 2014. Between 2010 and 2014, the rate of unemployment has been on a downward trend. As of November 2014, the unemployment rate was 5.8 percent and the number of the unemployed people was 9.1 million. Amongst the major workgroups, the rate of unemployment for the adult men increased to 5.4 percent, adult women 5.3 percent, teenagers 17.7 percent, blacks 11 percent, whites 4.9 percent, and the Hispanics 6.5 percent, as well as 4.8 percent among the Asians. Following this further, the number of the long-term unemployed was 28 million. These people accounted for 30.7 percent of the unemployed population. However, from 2010 to 2014, the number of the unemployed has reduced by 1.2 million. The number of individuals employed part-time for economic reasons was 6.9 million and these people would have preferred full-time employment.

Term Paper (Climate Change) Essay Example for Free

Term Paper (Climate Change) Essay Acknowledgement It is a great opportunity for me to write about subject like â€Å"Climate Change†. At the time of preparing this term paper I am gone through different books and websites which helps me to get acquired with new topics. I can usually focusing on the topics which are important for us to understand about thus subject easily. I acknowledge my deepest gratitude to our dearest English teacher Sir Benedict Geropn who is always sincere and helpful in making us understand the different system in making a research paper. Introduction Climate Change is changing our economy, health and community in diverse ways. Scientists warn that if we do not aggressively curb climate change now, the result will likely be disastrous. There are many questions that is need to be answer. So that we, humans will make some moves in these problem. Carbon dioxide and other global warming pollutions are collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the sun’s heat and causing the planet to warm up. Climate change is a complex phenomenon, and it’s full-scale impacts are hard to predict far in advance. But each year scientists learn more about how climate change is affecting the planet and our communities, and most agree that carbon consequences are likely to occur if current trends continue. In addition to impacting our water resources, energy supply, transportation, agriculture and ecosystems, the United States global change research program concludes that climate change also poses unique challenges to human health such as: * Significant increases in the risk of illness and death related to extreme heat and heat waves are very likely. * Some diseases transmitted by food, water and insects are likely to increase. * Certain groups, including children, the elderly and the poor are most vulnerable to a range of climate related health effects. Climate Change affects our environment and natural resources, and impacts our way of life in many ways these are the examples: * Rising sea levels threaten coastal communities and ecosystems. * Changes in the patterns and amount of rainfall, as well as changes in the timing and amount of stream flow, can affect water supplies and water quality and the production of hydroelectricity changing ecosystems influence geographic ranges of many plants and animal species and the timing of their lifecycle events, such as migration and reproduction. We can prepare for some of the likely change impacts to reduce their effects on ecosystem and human well-being. Making such preparations is known as adaptation. Examples of adaptation include strengthening water conservation programs, upgrading storm water systems, developing early warning systems for extreme heat events and preparing for stronger storms through better emergency preparation and response strategies. We can each play an important role in stopping climate change. It is not too late to have a significant impact on future climate change and its effects on us. With appropriate actions by governments, communities, individuals and businesses, we can reduce the amount of greenhouse gas pollution we release and lower the risk of much greater warming and severe consequences. Many of the actions that we can take to address climate change will have other benefits, such as cleaner, healthier air. In addition, communities can take action to prepare for the changes we know are coming. I. Introduction The world’s climate is changing and the changes will have an enormous impact on our planet’s people, ecosystems, cities and energy use. Average global air temperatures are already 1.4 degrees higher than they were at the start of the 20th century and have risen about 1.1 degree F over just the last 30 years. What is the difference between weather and climate? Climate describe the average or typical conditions of temperature, relative humidity, cloudiness, precipitation, wind speed and direction and other meteorological factors that prevail globally or regionally for extended periods. Weather describes the hourly or daily conditions that people experience each day. Which is why it’s often said that â€Å"Climate is what you expect; weather is what you get.† People expect the weather to change, but have a harder time agreeing exactly how climate is changing. This is because climate change manifests itself differently in different places: because people tend to remember extreme events- such as very hot or cold days of hurricanes and droughts more than subtle changes in trends; and because there have been disagreements between scientists about the magnitude, causes and effects of climate change. What are the solutions for climate change? The first step is admitting that you have a problem. Some of these solutions are Energy conservation, Renewable energy and sequestration. In this research you will know how these things helps in solving climate change. II. What is Weather? Weather is what is going on in the sky and air. Different places can have different kinds of weather at the same time. In one place, there maybe a thunderstorm, in another place there may be snow. In yet another place the weather may ba sunny and warm. Temperature- how hot or cold it is always a part of weather. Rainy Weather when drops of water fall from clouds, the weather is rainy. Sometimes, lots of rain falls, which is collect heavy rain. Other times, only a little rain falls, which is called light rain. â€Å"Rainy†, â€Å"Light Rain† and â€Å"Heavy Rain† all describe the weather. Weather is violent storms, rains, sleet, rail, snow, temperature, wind and much more. It is basically whatever is happening in the air around us. Is the state of atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or starry, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather generally refers to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate is the term for the average atmospheric conditions over longer periods of time. When used with our qualifications, â€Å"weather† is understood to be the weather of earth. Weather is driven by air pressure differences between one place and another these pressure and temperature differences can occur due to the sun angle at any particular spot, which varies by latitude from the tropics. The strong temperatures contrast between polar and tropical air gives rise to the jet stream. Weather systems in the mid-latitudes, such as extra tropical cyclones, are caused by instabilities of the jet stream flow. Because the Earth’s axis tilted relative to its orbital plane, sunlight is incident a different angles at different times of the year. Surface temperature differences in turn cause pressure differences higher altitudes are cooler than lower altitude due to differences in compression neating. Studying how the weather works on another planet has been helpful in understanding how weather works on earth. On Earth, common weather phenomena include wind, cloud, rain, snow, fog and dust storms. Less common events include natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, typhoons and ice storms. Almost all familiar weather phenomena occur in the troposphere. Weather does occur in the stratosphere and can affect weather lower down in the troposphere, but the exact mechanisms are pearly understood. Weather occurs primarily due to air pressure differences between one place to another these differences can occur due to the sun angle at any particular spot, which varies by latitude from the tropics. In other words, the farther from the tropics you lay, the lower the sun angle is, which causes those locations to be cooler due to the indirect sunlight. The strong temperature contrast between polar and tropical air gives rise to the jet stream. Weather Systems in the tropics, such as monsoons or organized thunderstorms systems, are caused by different processes. III. What is Climate? Is weather the same a climate? No, because weather is what happens in one place on a single day, or over a few days or weeks. When it rains or snows, people say, â€Å"The weather is wet.† When it is warm outside people say â€Å"the weather is hot.† Climate on the other hand, is the type of weather a place has over 30 or more years. For example, people say â€Å"Death valley has a desert climate.† Climate is the weather that a place usually has year after year. Scientists study temperature and precipitation records over 30 or more years to determine an areas climate such record show, for example, that Death Valley in California has a desert climate. Climate encompasses that statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, precipitation, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods. Climate can be contrasted to weather, which is the present condition of these elements and their variations over shorter periods. The climate of a location is affected by its latitude, terrain and altitude, as well as nearby water bodies and their currents. Climate can be classified according ti the average and the typical ranges of different variables, most commonly temperature and precipitation. The most commonly used classification scheme was originally developed by Wladimir Koppen. A region’s climate is generated by the Climate System which has five components Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Cryospher, Land Surface and Biosphere. A. Four Main factors that determine climate are: i. Altitude Altitude refers to the vertical distance between the lowest point and the highest point of an area. People generally compare a land’s altitude by measuring the distance from sea level to the highest point. The koppen climate classification uses altitude to divide the climate regions in to the categories for low, mid and high altitudes. Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used- aviation, geometry, geographical survey, sports and more- As a general definition; attitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or â€Å"up† direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context. Although the term altitude is commonly used to mean the height above the sea level of a location, in geography the term elevation is often preferred for this usage. Vertical distance measurements in the â€Å"down† direction are commonly referred to us depth. In aviation, the term altitude can have several meanings, and is always qualified by either explicitly adding a modifier or implicitly through the context of the communication. Parties exchanging information must be clear which definition is being used aviation altitude is measured using either Mean Sea Level (MSL) or Local Ground Level (LGL) as the reference datum. The earth’s atmosphere is divided into several altitude regions. The troposphere- surface to 8000 meters (5.0 mi) at the poles- 18000 meter (11 mi) at the equator, ending at the tropo-pause. The stratosphere- troposphere to 50 kilometers (31 mi) The Mesosphere-Stratosphere to 85 kilometers (53 mi). Thermosphere- Mesosphere to 675 kilometers (419 mi) and the exosphere which is from the thermosphere to 1000 kilometers (6200 mi). Relation between the temperature and altitude in Earth’s atmosphere. The Environmental Lapse Rate (ELR), is the rate of decrease of temperature with altitude in the stationary atmosphere of a given time and location. As an average, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) defines an International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) with a temperature lapse rate of 6.49 K (oC)/ 1000 m (3.56oF or 1.98 K(o()/1000 Ft) from sea levels to 11 kilometers (36 000 ft) Effects of high altitude in humans. Medicine recognizes that altitudes above 1 500 meters (4900 ft) start to affect human, and extreme altitude above 5 500- 6 000 meters (18 000- 20 000 ft0 cannot be permanently tolerated by humans by reducing the partial pressure of oxygen. The higher the altitude, the more likely are serious effects. The human body can adopt to high altitude by breathing faster, having a higher heart rate, and adjusting its blood chemistry. It can take two days or weeks to adapt to high altitude. ii. Latitude Latitude the distance of a region is from the equator, to the north or south. A region’s latitude determines how much solar energy it receives from the sun, which in turn factors in to the region’s over all temperature. In geography, latitude is a geographic coordinated that specifies the north-south position of a point on the Earth’s surface. Lines of constant latitude, or parallels, run equator to 90o at the poles. Latitude is used together with longitude to specify the precise location of features in the surface of the Earth. Since the actual physical surface at the Earth is too complex for mathematical analysis, two levels of abstraction are employed in the definition of these coordinates. In the first step the physical surface is modeled by the geoid, a surface which approximates the mean sea level over the oceans and its continuation under the land masses, the second step is to approximate the geoid by a mathematically simple reference surface. The simplest choice for the reference surface is a sphere, but the geoid is more accurately modeled by an ellipsoid. The definitions of altitude and longitude on such reference surfaces are detailed in the following sections. Lines if constant latitude and longitude together constitute gratitude on the reference surface. The latitude of a point on the actual surface is that of the corresponding point on the reference surface which passes through the point on the physical surface, latitude and longitude together with some specification of height constitute a geographic coordinate system as defined in the specification of the ISO 1911 standard. Since there are many different reference ellipsoids the altitude of a feature on the surface is not unique: this is stressed in the ISO standard which states that â€Å"Without the full specification of the coordinate reference system, coordinates are ambiguous, such as GPS, but in common wage, where high accuracy is not required, the reference ellipsoid is not usually stated. Measurement of latitude requires an understanding of the gravitational field of the Earth, either for setting up theodolities or for determining of GPS satellite orbits.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Good evening parents, teachers, honored guests and soon to be graduates. My name is Ed Burrower, I'm the senior class president. A few weeks ago, I was told that I would be speaking at graduation. I was asked to put together a speech for tonight -- I've become experienced at speech writing over the past couple of weeks. The speech that you are hearing is the fourth one I've written, the recycle bin needs to be emptied at home and I need a new highlighter. Thank you, Mr. Mier, you get an "A+" for your help as my speech teacher but an "F" for saving trees. Tonight I'd like to talk to three groups of people. I'd like to talk to the teachers here at Batman High School, to the students leaving Batman and to the parents of those students here. If you're not a member of one of these groups, don't feel left out. I'm truly sorry, I have a three to five minute time limit that has been placed on me by persons that I shall not name. First of all, I'd like to talk to the parents of this class. I feel like I should talk with you first because you've put up with us the longest. You should be commended for your dedication. We'll never realize the amount you gave up for us until we're sitting where you're sitting and our children occupy our seats. Thank you for being there for our good times, more importantly our not so good times. Thank you for being there for us now and for being there for us later on, as we continue to need your loving support and wisdom. Now, I'd like to address the teachers. If you were unwilling to go the extra mile, many of us wouldn't have made it here tonight. I'd like to thank those of you who gave that extra support that so many of us have needed over the years. You've given us tools, not just facts, not just ... ...mories, accomplishments and dreams. Is everyone's toolbox the same? No, but is everyone's dream the same? No. Each of us is going off in our own direction. We'll need different tools for the different dreams we choose to pursue. I hope that makes sense to you. A point that needs to be made tonight is the only one who can close your toolbox, the only one that can stop you from following whatever your dream, is you. There will always be room for more tools -- more memories, new experiences, grander accomplishments, and yes, even bigger dreams. I will always look back with fondness on everything that I've learned here, but I look forward with even greater anticipation on the good things to come. Tonight, let's all take a moment and look forward. Forward to our dreams, not our of fear, but with confidence that someday they will be our reality. Thank you, all of you.

Bioterrorism: The Medical Response and Treatment Essay examples -- Bio

Bioterrorism is the terrorist act of manipulating natural components to sabotage an enemy. It has been around for thousands of years, but in different forms. To take a case in point, the article, â€Å"History of Bioterrorism,† states that the Assyrians poisoned the well of their enemies with rye ergot in the 6th Century B.C. More recent examples of bioterrorism include the anthrax inhalation from received mail in 2001 (Office of The Surgeon General). Although these are only recorded acts, there is a whole other story to what should happen once a victim is diagnosed with any type of bioterrorism and what treatment they should undergo, if one exists. For example, the medical response and treatment are different for anthrax, smallpox and tularemia. The medical response and treatment depend on the severity of the case and the type of bioterrorism. There are many factors that play into how a situation should be handled. For a start, the initial approach to a bioterrorist scene determines the outcome of the fatality of the situation. Also, the technique used to spread an infection is vital because it determines what method would be the best as a counter attack. For example, Robert Bourke states in his book Counter-Terrorism for Emergency Responders that, â€Å"vapor release from nerve or blister agents will require greater isolation and downwind distances [versus] a liquid spill,† (338). Another important factor to better the situation is distance and detection devices. First emergency responders should keep their distance for their own safety; â€Å"detection devices . . . will help in determining presence of agents and assigning isolation and evacuation distances,† (338). Bourke notes that, â€Å"the best method of detection for fir... ...orks Cited Burke, Robert. Counter-Terrorism for Emergency Responders. 2nd ed. Florida: CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group, 2007. Print. "Communicating in the First Hours Bioterrorism Agents." Bioterrorism Agents. CDC Emergency Risk Communication Branch (ERCB), Division of Emergency Operations (DEO), Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (OPHPR), 14 May 2007. Web. 22 July 2012. . "History of Bioterrorism." Chronological. Office of The Surgeon General, Department of the Army, 1997. Web. 22 July 2012. http://www.bio-terry.com/HistoryBioTerr.html .Khardori, Nancy., ed. Bioterrorism Preparedness. Fedral Republic of Germany: Wiley- VCH, 2006. Print. Schlossberg, David. Medical Interventions for Bioterrorism and Emerging Infections. Pennsylvania: Handbook in Healthcare Co., 2004. Print.

Influences on the Philippines Essay

Although some may have had a longer lasting impact on the Philippines each one helped create the Philippines to what it is today. India has influenced the Philippines in all aspects of life, from writing, music, and language to even religion. Because of the high trade between India and the Philippines India was able to have a huge impact on the Philippines. Some religion that can be seen from Indian influence is Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. This can be seen in the most southern island, Mindanao. Some Tagalog words are even Indian influenced, such as mukha (face), putong (turban), and guro (teacher). Just like India the Chinese have also left a mark in the language but that is not what they are most known for. The Chinese has left many different types of food in the Philippines that are now in the every day lives of Filipinos. Some famous Filipino dishes that are Chinese influenced are pancit, lumpia, and lechon. Some chinese influenced words are susi (key), pinto (door), and kuya (older brother). Some very important influences from the Chinese that as help revolutionize the Philippines is the use of metal and gunpowder. It would then help give Philippines the power to defend itself later on. Probably the most influential group of people would be the Spaniards, which was during the colonization of the Philippines by the Spaniards. Even the name of the Philippines was given by the Spaniards, which was named after the king of Spain Philip II. Going along with naming, a lot of surnames of Filipinos are Spanish influenced as well. Religion probably had the biggest impact on the Philippines because the majority of Filipinos are Roman Catholic. Filipinos follow Hispanic traditions when it comes to religion and some festivals are also Spanish influenced. Just like the Chinese and the Indians the Spanish also had an impact on the language of the Philippines. The language of the Philippines is a melting pot in itself because of the different words derived from other languages. Last but not least the Americans also left a mark on the Philippines during the wars. The Jeepney is a popular form of transportation and can be seen all over the Philippines. After World War II there were many military standard jeeps that were left behind in the Philippines. As innovative as Filipinos are they used the jeeps to their advantage and thus created the Jeepney. English is probably the second most spoken language in the Philippines. An English speaker would not have any problem trying to make their way through the Philippines. The Philippines continues to grow in itself with the everlasting influences of the many countries that came to the Philippines.

Personal Goals

Leadership is a highly esteemed characteristic that attaches maximum political, business and social value with it. Every group, irrespective of its size and influence, is always in search for a leader whom it can trust to steer ahead through all the possible challenges and difficulties. Therefore leadership is an individual attribute   that allows one person   to motivate and carry many others towards common dreams and goals. Leadership, by its very definition, commands implicit faith, and confidence in the actions, decisions and philosophy of the leader. Here it is vital to understand that leadership is a dynamic and integral quality of a person and leaders emerge from ordinary groups; they are not made, elected or appointed. Arguably, there are no definite copy-book rules to construct a leader. The difficulties, complexities, and challenges associated with a situation give impetus to leadership qualities in otherwise ordinary people who believe in themselves that they are capable of rising up to the difficulties as well as helping others out of it. Therefore although it might be difficult to ‘teach’ a person quality of good leader, yet one can expect to inculcate leadership qualities by observing styles and principles of successful leaders. It is said that a leader is a dealer in hope. Leadership is then about inspiration, motivation, encouragement and direction that pulls people to accomplishments that they would not had managed if left alone. However, effective leadership is a very challenging domain as it requires some impeccable personal and organizational traits that can be developed and realized through considerable experience, knowledge and self- discipline. There are no fixed guidelines, set of rules and laws that exactly prescribe the traits, qualities and attributes of a successful leader. Quite often the leadership is situational and the leader is required to act purely through intuition and circumstantial requirements. However there are certain essential skills and characteristics that are rather mandatory for effective leadership are 1 Trustworthiness: Trustworthiness is about integrity in action. Effective leadership is about achieving coordination in words and actions and following the age old principles of truth, honesty and personal integrity. 2. Fairness: Leaders can’t afford to be biased or prejudiced or it would jeopardize the confidence of the followers in their secular character. 3. Communication and listening skill. Leadership requires excellent communication and listening skill through which the leaders can articulate their views unambiguously and also hear the views of others to give them sense of participation and involvement. 4. Initiative: Leadership is about taking initiative and orienting other people towards it. Taking initiative pulls the organization rapidly ahead. 5. Good judgment: Leaders must have the ability to process all information in the backdrop of their knowledge to make correct decisions 6. Motivational capacity: Leadership is ineffective if it cant motivate people to the dream and vision of the leader. It is the most desirous quality of a leader and one that is hallmark of leadership. A good leader should be honest, loyal and committed to the goals of the organization he intends to lead. A good leader should not have a desire for wrongful gains or hidden agendas. This is why perhaps people emphasize on transparency in all dealings of any organization. Some leaders have a self plan and pursue them rather than acting in the interests of the organization. Committed to the cause of the organization or group and being live to the sacrifices and pains of your colleagues is a basic quality of a good leader. National leaders and particularly the freedom fighters of several nations had steadfast qualities and determination in them, which helped them carry on and ultimately succeed. A good leader is perhaps a good follower. There is never a stage in which you have mastered everything and this applies even to leadership. Each day you learn more and more, perhaps the rights and wrongs of your own acts too. I have always been a wilful learner and strongly believe I should always keep learning if I am to lead.   I have always respected people with values and accountability. A leader is accountable for his actions and should voluntarily open up to any questions or suspicions in his dealings. Similarly a good leader should also emphasize such qualities among his followers and make them accountable too. Simplicity is a mark of identity for any leader and projecting himself as a role model. A leader’s thoughts, actions and words should be a reflection of him, inspiring all who follow. A leader indeed should have uncommon qualities to successfully lead his organization. One of the main challenges of a leader is his ability to manage change. Change is a permanent reality across time. The world is changing at an unprecedented pace, as never before witnessed. Change in an organization, group or any set up involves altering its structure, processes, the behaviour of its management and staff, its strategy, environment etc. The structure of an organization is one of the most common targets of change. This includes the manner in which it is held together, the various configurations of people and the relationship between them, communication channels, job roles and skills. The relationships within an organization are extremely important as it contributes to the internal shape and coherence. Some processes which are altered as a result of change implementation are communication processes, management processes and learning process. Periodic reviews of its goals and progress are vital for any organization or team to stay aligned with its objectives and expectations. I understand the need and consequences of change, which an organization undertakes according to the demands placed on it. Ongoing communication can motivate managers and employees and help them to overcome resistance to an initiative, keep them prepared for the ups and downs of change. Organizations are managed by several forms of leadership based on the exertion of authority within the organization. Two main, but interconnected types of leadership in organizations are the transformational leadership and the transactional leadership, both having strong philosophical and ethical foundations. Transformational leadership gives followers the opportunity to assess the leader’s view, to seek explanations and provide solutions, while transactional leadership is more based on imposition, where followers are driven by the praise, promise or reward of the leader. In the transactional leadership, the followers are confronted by reproof, threats and disciplinary actions. Transformational leadership has become more popular in the last three decades primarily due to the changing global economy. Transformational leadership promotes equality, justice and human rights through loyalty and fairness. Recent findings suggest that team performance and communication are improved under transformational leadership. Authentic transformational leaders are sometimes transactional too. The leader may present his opinion, plans and exhort agreement on them, which however may be in the mutual interest of all involved. I consider myself as a typical transformational leader open to criticism and discussion, unafraid of my decisions being questioned. After all only collective thinking and cooperation can bring results. People generally do whatever they want to do or, are motivated to do. Motivation is another vital component associated with productivity in workplaces. Suitable theories and principles of employee motivation are applied with basic logic to address the psyche of employees who are to be motivated. Motivation can also be described as a crucial skill for any business to succeed. It involves inducing individuals from his actual and deviant state to a required desired state in a specific way. Each motivational system must be specifically designed according to the organization and prevailing circumstances. Recognizing and understanding the motivational factors for each employee or follower is very important. It would be surprising to know that things like job security, money etc. cannot help in motivating people. However fear, like yelling from boss, do serve as a short-term motivator. Employees, colleagues and supporters all need to be motivated to perform to the levels expected of them. As a thoughtful leader, I can easily motivate my employees by setting an example and not forcing them to follow me. Recruitment is a very important function of human resources and recruitment strategies are vital in attracting talented and smart prospective candidates. Selection of best candidates who fit with the work culture of the organization is very important. The recruitment also has a direct bearing on the retention factor in an organization, apart from work efficiency and quality. Be it an organization, a political party or any association; it is very essential that only the right people with the right mindset occupy responsible positions. My association with people helps me to identify such people with the right mentality and the ones who should be kept away. As a leader I try to ensure that the goals and ideals of my employee are not shouldered by wrong persons. Conflict and dissatisfaction with superiors like other leaders and officers is another common cause for resignations. When managers or team leaders fail to provide the required leadership by bullying their subordinates or treating people unfairly, it gives rise to employee discontent. Such situations emphasize on the qualities of the manager and the team leader. Only those with well-developed leadership qualities must be selected as second level leaders. They should be trained in leadership skills, methods of resolving conflict and also on dealing with grievances. Poor selection or promotion decisions too can result in rapid turnover. The selection and promotion processes must be on par with the capabilities of the individuals, with regard to the work they do. As a leader, I know that I keep a close watch on the attrition rate of my organization to seek answers as to what makes people unhappy within my business. I have also implemented exit interviews to identify grievances and offer redress. Leadership is not a characteristic that exists in isolation. As it is defined, leadership implies establishing coordination, orientation, cooperation, and collaboration among the followers to accomplish designated objectives and goals. It is   possible when leaders can inspire their followers with respect, admiration, discipline, confidence in the abilities of the leader while being helped to envision themselves as empowered individuals. A good leader has the ability to take over even most complex, demanding and otherwise impossible condition by exhibiting personal integrity, ethical and moral traits and values that other can relate to and aspire to imbibe in their own conduct (Laurie, 2000, 53). Here it is important to distinguish personal charisma from leadership, as personal charisma, being an person specific phenomena, can awe people but hardly give them impetus to follow in the footsteps of the leader. Leadership is also means natural acquisition of power and potential to change its equation affect over the leaders and their followers. There inherent dangers associated with power, and for most of the people, the timeless adage-‘power corrupts’ suits justly. Power contains a temptation that is hard to resist and has potential to become the ultimate goal for a person rather the tool that was designated in helping to achieve the goals.   But a genuine leader understands this irony of power and therefore believes that power should be shared with others so that it can grow. The real power of leaders is their ability to inspire others with a sense of power and confidence

Leisure Profile Assignment

My personal philosophy towards life and leisure is founded in the belief that one should seek out those moments, events, people and attitudes that bring happiness to one’s life. I believe in spending time with the ones you love and the ones who love you in return as it is these people who help shape your reality, attitudes and life in turn. Since the truth is that no one cares if you are miserable except yourself, I make sure to surround myself with people who enrich my life; those who uplift me and help bring me higher and strive to better myself. I believe it is important to take time to do activities that one loves doing. It doesn’t matter whether these activities are enjoyed alone, with friends or with family, just getting out and doing these activities is beneficial to one’s state of being. When a person takes time to do those things they love, a contentedness results and regardless of any hurt, pain, stress or struggles, they are able to enjoy themselves in that moment. I believe attitude contributes a lot to one’s state of mind and also one’s physical being. All of my life experiences, good and bad alike, have taught me a lot and have helped me grow into the person I am today. I try to remain positive no matter what situation I find myself in. A major driving force in my life is my family. I am a firm believer that one of the most important aspects in life is family. I have a two year old daughter who has changed my life in a positive way and feel truly blessed to have her in my life. Life has changed since her arrival but it her presence that gives me that extra push to stay focused on my goals and on those aspects of life that really matters to me. If you had asked me what my personal philosophy toward leisure is 3 years ago, it would have been completely different to what it is now but with all my life experiences, knowledge learned and knowledge shared I can now say that while I am a young, I wouldn’t change a thing. Definition of Leisure In our lecture notes leisure is defined as any activity or state of mind experience that is freely driven or happens spontaneously during work time, obligation time, and/or discretionary time; and is permissible by the norms of society and is culturally specific, meaning that it is derived according to the values, traditions, or more of a specific way or lifestyle of a particular cultural group(s) and Canada as a whole. (Karlis, 2004) My definition of leisure is a similar one. I believe that leisure is the freedom to do those activities you desire to do with your free time. Leisure time is the time away from work and/or work related activities. It is the time and freedom from your responsibilities, whatever they maybe, and it varies for each individual. Leisure time encompasses those activities that help in reducing and relieving stress and those activities that result in positive contribution to an individual’s health. Every individual lives a different life and lifestyle thus the way a person spends their time will be different. One individual may enjoy spending time with the important people in their life, while another may enjoy participating in activity’s that he/she enjoys partaking in alone and/or with those important people in their lives. Any activity that brings a sense of happiness or joy to an individual’s life is leisure. My Leisure Activities As I am now a mom, my leisure activities have changed since 2009, they are family orientated and child friendly activities. I do not have the freedom to do everything and anything I would like however I have adapted and made changes to my life that result in fulfillment to both myself and my daughter. I do my best to ensure that both my daughter and I enjoy ourselves in whatever activity I choose for us to partake in. I am lucky that my daughter plays well both alone as well as in those moments where she has the opportunity to play with other children. I, along with most mothers, want my daughter to be happy, however I believe that in order for her to be so, she needs a happy mom. With this in mind I try to take advantage of my alone time while she is in daycare and when she is asleep at night. In January, my daughter and I moved from Thompson, Mb. and her da (my spouse) stayed in Thompson to work. With this change in our lives our activities are usually consist of just her and I. We consider ourselves lucky when family comes to visit and take as much time to soak in these times when they do occur. My activities I enjoy with my daughter: * Visiting and playing with the extended family we do have here in Winnipeg (Cousins, both my age and her age) * Swimming for fun I try to take Mila to McDonald’s Play place once a week (while she does this I get time for myself to drink tea or catch up with a friend or family member) * We go for runs together and since she loves being outside I push her in the stroller and bundle her up nice and warm. * In the summer time we go to different parks, long walks/wagon rides to get ice cream or a slush, and/or go to the bea ch * Watch movies together and cuddle * We Skype and Facetime a lot with our close family who are located in Thompson, Mb. * When her dad is visiting, we enjoy any activity so long as we are together * Family trips and traveling Dinner with family and friends * Read books, make crafts, color, and paint My activities: * Workout at my gym, go for a run or swim by myself when I can * Participating in a group workout class; group spin, yoga etc. * I like to go for a tan and relax after a hard workout * Going for tea and dessert with friends * I enjoy shopping with my close friends and family * Getting dressed up and going dancing with my girlfriends * Dinner and alone time with my boyfriend when he is in town * I enjoy Facebook and social networking * Getting my hair colored monthly Catching a movie with my boyfriend or friends Activities I do most often The activity I try to do the most is to go to the gym. I aim at going 5-6 times per week for about one hour and half to two hours and afte r a hard workout I enjoy a relaxing tan however as I am aware this can have long term effects on my health I do this only twice a week. The activities I do the most with my daughter would be: watching movies together, reading books (especially at bedtime), and Skyping and/or Facetiming with our family in Thompson. As we miss our family, it is important to us to have regular contact with our immediate family. My Favorite Activity/Why? I am a certified personal trainer and thus my favorite activity which promotes happiness and balance in my life is my time at the gym. My aim during my workouts is to try to target every major muscle group. One of my fitness goals is to compete in a fitness competition within the next year. During my workouts I always workout with a friend, this enables me to time to work on our shared fitness goals and also provides me with social time where I can catch up with my girlfriend(s). Previously, when I resided in Thompson, my favorite activity was working out with a friend and/or my spouse. I enjoy running and swimming and I like to change up my workout routine. I have found that participating in group spin class with other people who have similar fitness goals has been both beneficial and motivational to me. Working out and staying active is therapeutic and very important to my well-being. It improves my overall self-esteem and frame of mind and I have a fun time doing it. My favorite activity to do when my spouse is here visiting us is simply going out for dinner. I enjoy being able to sit down together, the one on one time and of course a good meal. It is those times that I am most thankful and feel blessed for everything that I have. Motivation My daughter and my family are the driving forces that motivate me. The reason I moved here in January was to pursue a Kinesiology degree and I can say with honesty that it has been the hardest and most stressful thing I have done in my life. I left my comfortable lifestyle, my spouse, my family, and my friends in Thompson, Manitoba so that I could better my life and my daughter’s life. This experience has made me a stronger person and I am thankful for every opportunity I get for myself to grow as an individual. I am always writing down my goals and ambitions and I re-evaluate these every two to three months, doing this helps keep me focused and motivated on what I want for my life. My goals vary from what I want in a year’s time, five years time, and what I’ll accomplish in ten years time. I have education goals, fitness goals, and relationship goals with my spouse, and my daughter. Being a good mom is my main priority and is very important to me. My daughter deserves to be happy and I want to provide a good life for her, this is why she is the reason I stay focused, organized and goal orientated. Satisfaction I get so much pleasure from my leisure activities. When I work out, I feel happy, healthy and strong. As a mom my daughter needs me to be all those qualities that it takes to be a good mother to her. It is time I take time to myself to â€Å"not worry about being a mom† and all â€Å"the mom† responsibilities I have taken on in the past two years. I feel great about myself as a mom and a person and feel I am capable anything I put my mind too. This attitude helps in all aspects of my life. The time I spend with my daughter and my spouse together as a family creates the ultimate happiness in my life and I feel blessed to have them. My family has been through a lot of up’s and down’s and I know we are a strong family unit. Constraints Constraints in our lecture notes was defined as barriers, inhibitor’s, obstacles, or restraining factor’s – perceived or real – that influence (preclude or limit) an individual’s participation, frequency, intensity, duration, quality, or freedom of choice in leisure activity. E. L Jackson, 1988) Having just moved here in January, away from my spouse and other immediate family, has been a constraint, both to my physical well-being as well as to my emotional well-being. I have found that being on a student salary with my daughter is very constraining of both time and money. All of these obstacles limit the activities that my daughter and I can do a s we are limited by when, where and how often we can carry out our work and leisure activities. With a budget in mind this creates more barriers as I cannot afford a babysitter. I find that I do not have as much freedom as I did when I lived in Thompson, where my family was available to babysit at a moment’s notice. When I lived in Thompson, my spouse and I had 1 household and I was able to work. Being able to work enabled me to to afford a new vehicle, get my hair done when I wanted or shop online as I pleased. Things are different now, I am in a new city, in a new home (additional household), and I really have to watch what I spend my money on now. If my daughter is sick I miss school, a workout, or have to cancel any prior plans I had. I also am unable to work since I cannot afford a babysitter. Ultimately, deciding move was a large constraint to my personal, leisure and financial life but it will be beneficial when I’m done school. What I can do to remove constraints Being a mom on my own, my daughter does take up a lot of my time. I try to find activities we can do together, and as she gets older I know she will be able to participate in more activities. I go to the gym when she is at daycare and if I want to go on the weekend my gym has a daycare where she enjoys it too. If I want to go for a run I simply put her in her stroller and off we go together. If I want to go for tea with a friends we go to McDonald’s where Mila can play and where I am able to socialize. When her dad does come to visit I am able to get my free time in to do whatever I want. My daughter’s grandparents live in Lac Du Bonet and they are also willing to take her once in awhile. I believe if you really want something you can make it happen and with a few adaptations you can make any situation work. My daughter isn’t going to be two years old forever so I’m going to enjoy the time we have now together. Stress in my life My current major stress issues are trying to get my finances in order. I have car payments and monthly rent and utility payments. This is my first time living on my own and is also the first time living alone with my two year old daughter. This change was a scary change not just for me but for her as well. Another major stressor in my life is my relationship with my spouse. Our relationship has been an on and off relationship and not the healthiest relationship either. I have lost weight as a result of being hurt and stressed out, my education has suffered and my relationships with my other family members and friends have suffered. Another contributor of stress in my life is raising my two year old daughter by myself and with everything combined it can be overwhelming at times. Activities that reduce my stress When I upset or need time to myself I really enjoying swimming or going for a long run to help clear my head and sort out my thoughts. If I need to talk to someone about something I usually workout with a good friend so I can get a workout in and another person’s perspective on my current problem or issue, whatever it may be. After a good workout I always feel great and it helps me to remember to think positive regardless the situation. I believe everything will always work out for the better in the end and it usually does. My mom, sister, and close friends are always a phone call away so it is comforting to know I can phone them and they will be there for me no matter the situation or problem. Positive thinking while I’m engaging in any activity I enjoy is a great way for me dealing with stress and life in general. I always try to surround myself with positive people; people who are going to lift me higher and who help me cope with stress. When I am frustrated I cry, I have found that crying is a great release and that after doing so I always feel better. Rather than viewing crying as a weakness I view it as a strength, it takes more to admit one is overwhelmed than it does to always pretend to everything is ok and if it results in a happier me then it must be positive. Activities that reduce my stress: * Working out with a close friend * Running or swimming alone * Talking to a close family member or close friend * Going for a tan * Going for a long walk with my daughter * Watching a movie and cuddling with my daughter * Crying when frustrated How can I use Leisure differently to reduce Stress? I feel that I have a good overall balance of how I control my stress. Managing stress is all about taking charge; taking charge of my thoughts, my emotions, my schedule, my environment, and the way I deal with my problems helps me cope with stress. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun, plus the strength to hold up under pressure and meet life’s challenges head on. I admit that there are moments where I may crack under pressure but I’m human and it is completely normal to have these moments. I know that I can improve on my time management when it comes to my daughter and my education time. I think that partaking in a yoga class once a week will help improve my stress levels. Also finding more free community family programs will be beneficial for daughter and me as well. It will help us to meet more families who may possibly be in a similar situation as us. The influence of my Cultural background on my Leisure I am of Metis background, my mom is aboriginal and my dad is from Nova Scotia. My mom is a residential school survivor and raised me and my siblings the western Canadian way. We do not practice aboriginal culture and tradition. While I have participated in smudging before and I have been to a few pow wow’s, I can’t say that my cultural background has contributed to my leisure in a large way.