The Great Gatsby And The Destruction Of The American Dream Essays

The Great Gatsby And The Destruction Of The American Dream The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is about the corruption of the American Dream, and the downfall of those who attempt to attain its illusionary goals. As the novel shows, the 20th century is a moral wasteland and a corruption of the original idealistic American Dream of the past. Fitzgerald's moral wasteland is shown physically in the valley of ashes scene of the novel. This 'dismal' and 'desolate' wasteland exists side-by-side with the white and unreal dream of Daisy and her world. Even the colors of this landscape have correlations to Daisy: the yellow of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg's spectacles and the brick of the houses on the street is a color of decay, but also of riches like sunlight and gold. Also, the ashes in the valley form figures (to Nick) which disintegrate at the slightest puff of wind. Gatsby is incapable of recognizing the ashes of what Daisy represents and takes her emptiness for substance. Although Nick sees the moral desolation of the Buchanans' world, Gatsby cannot and tries to find in this world a dream worth holding on to. As shown in Gatsby's parties, nothing is tethered to reality; there is laughter without amusement, 'enthusiasm' between strangers, friends without friendship, and life without meaning. Gatsby's dream is that through wealth and power, one can acquire happiness (Daisy). Throughout the novel we see that Gatsby cannot see that the past is over and done with and he therefor can have no chance with Daisy. He is sure that he can capture his dream with wealth and influence. Nick attempts to show Gatsby the folly of his dream and tell him that he cannot relive the past, but Gatsby confidently replies, Yes you can, old sport. There are many connections between Gatsby's dream with the American Dream. A big part of both is the pursuit of material things and both have a touch (or more than a touch) of unreality about them. The American dream used to be self-betterment, wealth, and success through hard work and perseverance or luck, pluck, and virtue, as Alger would put it. However, in the modern era, all that changed. The American Dream shrunk from self-betterment, wealth, and success through hard work and perseverance to 'success' through wealth by any means possible, just as Gatsby's dream, his Platonic conception of himself, shrunk into Daisy. The corruption of the American dream can be illustrated by how Gatsby came by his fortune. Through his dealings with organized crime, he didn't adhere to the original American Dream guidelines. His very dishonesty that allowed him to get the wealth and connections to be near Daisy is also the very thing that would make it impossible for him to live in Daisy's world or she in his. In effect, pursuing his dream without thought to honesty or morality, Gatsby guaranteed that his dream would not come true. This is true also of the American Dream. Those who try to attain the American Dream without thought to honesty or morality are doomed to have their dreams remain unattainable or, if they achieve wealth, to have the dream become meaningless due to their very immorality (like Jordan's cheating takes the meaning out of her 'wins'). Also, in the novel all the immoral and dishonest people (Tom, Daisy, Jordan) have all the money. This concept of the corruption and destruction of the American Dream is also physically illustrated by how the 'fresh, green promise' of the world was displaced by the 'gloomy', 'gray' Valley of Ashes. The Great Gatsby illustrates how the pursuit for happiness through materialism cannot be successful without accompanying morality. Cut off from their mid-West traditions and ethics, the characters in the novel live in a sort of sick parody of the American Dream. They cannot be truly happy because they lack the inner reserves for such an emotion. This parallels modern society's rootlessness and accompanying corruption of the American Dream. Without something to believe in, to hold on to, we can not attain anything of genuine worth. Book Reports

The improvement in technology

The improvement in technology Introduction The past decade has seen business trends receive a great upgrade due to the influx of technology. The improvement in technology has greatly affected the methods means and manner in which businesses choose to conduct their activities. Technology has been the greatest determinant of business growth for a variety of reasons.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The improvement in technology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The better technology the industry has, the greater the computing power and in effect the faster, persuasive and competitive the product becomes. Technology facilitates an effective harness of talent, resources and ideas from the organisations structure (Boorsma Wolfgang 2007, p9). Today the influx of virtual business enabled by various technological business modules and vehicles has created a new approach to decision-making as well as business-to-business marketing. It would be difficult to ignore the prevalence of business modules such as Facebook which have flourished through social networking to secure a subscriber network of over 400 million people across the globe. Driven by a cost cutting objective technology continues to present new deployment methods which are aimed at reducing the cost of acquisition, maintenance as well upgrade of the technology adopted. This has made them a more attractive option as compared to alternative models and approaches to doing business. Cloud computing for example has opened a window of opportunities for majority if not all business players by offering new approaches to the concept of demand and supply. The consumer on his part is provided a variety of ways to derive utility from products, the entrepreneur also get an opportunity to expand their expansion ambitions to new markets breaching the geographical and structural limitations (Boorsma Wolfgang 2007, p9). Companies and businesses therefore have to make important decisions on how much investment to make in technology and in the transformation of the business models to harness new opportunities presented by new technology Markets operating a business-to-business model are characterised by a rather long and complicated buying process that is complicated further by the high costs of operation involved. It therefore follows that the model demands a fare share of objective and purposeful personalised communication. Traditionally the communication models used have been the face-to-face approach due to their convenience speed and immediate response ability.Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They have also been commonly used due to their flexibility in delivery of the message. The parties can customize the message to accommodate a change in circumstance as well as new circumstances. This is greatly attributed to the oligopolistic nature of these ma rkets presenting a highly imbalanced seller to buyer ration. These aspects have been responsible for the general trend and direction of the business-to-business models. As De Pelsmacker et al (2004, p59) puts it the general trend has been to focus on personal selling alongside trade shows as the central marketing elements. Others suggest alternatives methods such as advertisements in business journals as the most appropriate methods of informing the consumer of the availability of a specific brand for their choosing and purchase. Despite the effectiveness of these methods however the emergence of new business marketing methods and options such as direct mail, online market strategies as well as database management have created a great indifference for managers and executives. They have to make investment decisions between expensive technologies that have a promise of high results and run the risk of obsolesce of the technology as opposed to sticking to the traditional methods of mar keting and consumer outreach approaches. I will examine how the emerging technology and communication has affected the business-to-business buying process and decision-making. Argument A long-standing measure of a successful entrepreneur is their ability to organise groups of market participants to create a market. The influx of technology has created a reliable and viable method of doing just that through the internet in the context of internet marketing. The digital revolution has infected the marketing process with a wave of transformation that has progressively increased over the past few years. The digital influence on the various market and market players has fuelled an enthusiasm that is directed at the various digital options and choices in business models. This revolution has also been of great help to entrepreneurs and sellers who get an opportunity to centralise their efforts to embrace the consumer based business models. This therefore increases their level of consumer s ervice by blending various digital options and elements. Digital marketing is however very different from internet marketing and is often but erroneously mistaken to mean the latter. Generally, internet marketing is a typical example of digital marketing since the tools of digital marketing include the internet alongside other related tools such as television channels, cell phones as well as wireless networks and connections.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The improvement in technology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These tools if well employed have a great capacity to influence the buyer’s decision on whether to buy or not to buy or not. The buyer will be more convinced by a good presentation format that is technologically compliant with the recent trends that relate with them and express a futuristic impression. This however requires great monetary investment as well as strict and proper management to be able to achieve results. The technology for example must be compatible with the organisations goals objectives and strategy to avoid conflict and retrogressive or irrelevant technologies. As such, innovation in technology keeps presenting new opportunities and methods of engagement in the buying process and decision-making. This however comes at its own cost. From open source software developers to social network streamers such as Facebook and Twitter the market has switched digital. The open source websites boast of over 68 million bloggers who participate in product evaluation and in the distribution of product information. Customer relations have therefore been greatly enhanced through digital innovation. The players in the business-to-business market have an opportunity to instantly respond to each other’s questions fears and suggestions. A company therefore, lowers the cost of serving its customers by investing in an operational and suitable Web based customer service s olution. This option allows the company to monitor its performance through the number of complains or complementary comments it receives through the customer service tool. Innovation in technology has gone an extra mile by offering a word of mouth Web based marketing option that allows buyers to share their experience with the specific product for others to see and hear. Sellers on the other hand get to explain verbatim the additional facilities offered by their product over and above their competitors (Immelt, Govindarajan Trimble 2009, p57). In the near future therefore the buy or sell decision will greatly rely on how good the technology conveys the information between the participants of such a market. Technology therefore has created an opportunity to tap into communities and create value from the formed groupings. This therefore implies that companies must comprehensively research before engaging with a potential service provider in relation to technology.Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Successful communication is a two way process with feed forward and feedback. Technology has also facilitated communication between the buyers and sellers by allowing the parties to supply feedback on the various concerns raised by the participants. This maintains a continuing participation and stimulates the level of commitment by the parties to the buying and selling decisions. As previously discussed, technology has allowed organisations to breach their limits in manpower, resource and geography through technological implements. Research suggests that this attribute of technological influence taps into a world of talent allowing companies to sustain flexibility and create volatility in business relations. Technology has rendered the market more porous allowing companies to work above the constraints of corporate infrastructure. In the past, this has been seen to work very well especially during the economic recession that left most companies with few workable option thereby causi ng companies to push for sustainable networks (Gawer 2010). Typically, the quality of talent an organisation can access in resolving technical client problems would be constrained by the company’s resources being structural and economic. An engineering company for instance,is only as good as its best engineer and therefore it can only be as good as the best salary it can offer to its engineers as the best ones come at a price. Technology has however made it easier for a manager to map knowledge sources with information hubs and a worldwide staff. This facilitates better utilisation of talent and increases the quality of unit innovation among its operation units. The various projects a manager undertakes are therefore authorised and assessed by the best of the best among experts in the specific specialty through the global network. This approach draws input from all calibres of employees ranging from fresh graduates to retirees. A good example of these labour markets is the Me chanical Turk courtesy of Amazon.com which specializes in selling expertise and consultancy as well as problem solving (Prahalad 2009). Despite this advantage and growth potential, management conservatism and bureaucracy still confines most companies to the talent and quality of its full time employees whose limits go only as far as the organisations’ structure. Technological advancement and innovation continue to offer new options every other day. In the near future, these options will be too many and the big question will be one of collaboration. It is important to ensure that any such engaged resource is exploited to its full potential. Essentially different innovations have different potential and capacities. The efficiency however depends on the collaboration of resources in the organisation. The collaboration leads to economies of scale and capacity. Teleconferencing and video conferencing for example has worked as a cost effective tool that saves on time and travel cos ts for the selling managers and business consultants. It also allows for more flexibility in the organisations capacity. The buyer’s decision to buy is therefore greatly influenced by convincing the sales executive in the video conference session. The buying process therefore still maintains an aspect of the interpersonal contact and dimension. In any buying process, the participants will always be concerned about history, authenticity and a promise of future consistency in service delivery. The transactions need to be authenticated to create assurance and confidence. The traditional approach would be for the participants to test, see or try the commodity before buying. Technology has facilitated automation of this process through the adoption of the radiofrequency identification and similar technologies. These create an information system that has assets in the form of elements of the system. One good such example is in the insurance industry where a company can keep account of the driver’s behaviour for the purpose of evaluation of their risk profile and for the purpose of payment of compensation should the risk materialize (Barabasi 2009). Technology has increased the accessories of the buying decision by allowing parties to offer guarantees of safety and an assurance of quality. More advanced innovation has enabled proactive action in luxury automobiles to engage intelligent action just before an accident occurs. In the medical industry the innovation has created an opportunity for cheaper more effective medical surveillance and protective mechanism against diseases and preventable illnesses. The process involves body implants that keep a record of body changes for the purpose of medical adjustments and medical prescription observation and supervision. The information collected allows for a more proper diagnosis of body problems. This not only guarantees the authenticity of products in the buying process but also guarantees safety. A good buy decision relies on the level of information relied on by the decision maker. This information would ordinarily be available only if gathered manually from the field or through trial and experimentation. These however are timely and expensive engagements that need not be undertaken thanks to technological innovation. Commonly referred to as the â€Å"big data,† the information system alternative offers access to smart assets for the buyer to choose from coupled with product information to facilitate their evaluation and information to ensure that the buyer’s expectations are adequately met. This allows the buyer to evaluate different product combinations at a lower cost as opposed to physical examination and testing or sampling. Technology has also allowed specialists, analysts and marketers to conduct purpose based trials and experiments on product combinations depending on customer expectations. The customers’ expectations are gathered from the social media we bsites and product review search engines. The experiment involves putting product combination for the discussion review and evaluation by the consumers (Thomke 2001, p66). Their responses through blogs and comments on these websites create a rating mechanism for these product combinations. These have also been used to adjust prices on a periodic basis to conform to the prevailing circumstances and the data provided by real-time data monitors on social media. From a corporate responsibility perspective, the buying process in certain circumstances caused environmental stress. This is partially due to the depletion of the existing resources and partially due to the waste generated by the process. Technology has facilitated a change in the level of responsibility of the participants of the business market by offering environmental friendly alternatives that go towards conservation and preservation of resources. The green data movement for instance, creates an opportunity to conserve ene rgy by developing environmental friendly implements that have automated energy saving mechanisms. Undeniably, the responsibility to preserve the environment falls on all and every stakeholder. Technology has therefore facilitated the principles of sustainability in the buying process by facilitating cost sharing and harmonised action (McAfee 2009). The mitigation mechanisms offered by technology also provide a quantity analysis. This information can be used in the monitoring supervision and reporting of the benefits as weighed against the damage contributed by information technology. Every company looks to reduce its fixed costs which account for the least possible price they can quote for the consumer. Business to business customers specifically invest in cost cutting alternatives and are more willing to maintain a cost as variable and terminable as opposed to a determinate fixed cost. Transport for instance, can be fixed or variable depending on the approach adopted. If a consumer acquires a bus they write it off as a fixed cost distributed evenly over the useful life of the product. In the alternative, technology has allowed for a re- evaluation of this product into a service where the consumer can acquire the purpose of the product as opposed to the physical product its self. The input of technology has allowed companies such as City Carshare to create a value added market for transportation services as an alternative to the purchase of transport equipment. The transportation service is easier to a count for and is more reliable and takes a corporate value approach. The cost then changes to a variable cost, which is adjusted on a periodic basis. It is also a more economical approach since the service is only paid for when it is rendered and it is paid for in the same measure of utility. This has changed the business-to-business concept through outsourcing which draws from the indefinite global resource. Transactions and business decisions gain value throug h interaction and exchange of information and communication. The traditional business model relies on the face-to-face interaction communication and information exchange. Technology has however transformed the business-to-business model to a multisided business model from a two-side model by allowing a three-way transaction. The advertising aspect in a newspaper allows newspapers to generate their revenue while still offering the users content. This creates a reliable market of defined sellers and many consumers in which case the consumers are segmented based on the side of the transaction and the benefit they expect to derive (Carr 2009). Relevance and suitability of a product are serious considerations in the buying decision. Therefore, the appropriateness of a service or product to a specific consumer environment and circumstance goes a long way in persuading the consumer to acquire or purchase the product. Technology has allowed the business-to-business communication process to adjust to the specific situations and circumstances through different user interfaces that adjust in language circumstance and conditions. The financial sector business to business model has greatly advanced in rural Africa through retail banking under the M-Pesa module that offers a connection between bank accounts and cell phones allowing up to 8 million to access banking services. The use of virtual cash services allows the users to access funds even in remote areas by visiting licensed shops. It is also a multisided method that allows companies to transfer funds to each other and to their employees and from employees to the companies and institutions such as banks (Bryan Joyce 2007). Conclusion The future of technology in business is bright as new methods of operation and interaction continue to emerge. The impact of technology on business transactions and decisions will also continue to gradually increase creating a dependent relationship in regard to decision making choice an d preference (Brynjolfsson Saunders 2009). Technology creates a capacity and opportunity for competitive advantage. The message is clear, organisations should acknowledge the role if innovation and technology in the business process as a strategy towards growth and competitive advantage (Malone 2004). References Barabasi A 2009, How Everything is Connected to Everything Else and What It Means for Business, Science, and Everyday Life, Plume, New York. Boorsma, B Wolfgang W 2007, ‘Connected urban development, Innovation for sustainability’, NATOA Journal, Volume 15, Number 4, pp.5–9. Bryan, L, Joyce C, 2007, Mobilizing Minds, Creating Wealth from Talent in the 21st-Century Organization, McGraw-Hill, New York. Brynjolfsson, E., Saunders, A 2009, Wired for Innovation, How Information Technology is Reshaping the Economy, The MIT Press, Cambridge. Carr, N 2009, The Big Switch, Rewiring the World, from Edison to Google, Norton Company, New York. De Pelsmacker, P., Geuens, M. Van den Bergh, J 2004, Marketing communications: a European perspective. Pearson Education. Essex. Gawer A 2010, Platforms, Markets and Innovation, Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham. Immelt, R., Govindarajan, V Trimble, C 2009, ‘How GE is disrupting itself’, Harvard Business Review, Volume 87, Number 10, pp. 56–65. Malone, T 2004, The Future of Work, How the New Order of Business Will Shape Your Organization, Your Management Style, and Your Life, MA, Harvard Business Press, Cambridge. McAfee, A 2009, Enterprise 2.0, New Collaborative Tools for Your Organization’s Toughest Challenges, Harvard Business School Press, Cambridge. Prahalad, C 2009, The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, Eradicating Poverty Through Profits, Wharton School Publishing, Philadelphia. Thomke, S 2001, ‘Enlightened experimentation, The new imperative for innovation’, Harvard Business Review, Volume 79, Number 2, pp. 66–75.

How to Catch up on Your College Classes

How to Catch up on Your College Classes No matter where you go to college, youll inevitably face a semester (or two) where the workload moves from feeling overwhelming to actually being overwhelming. All of the reading, writing, lab time, papers, and exams- especially when combined with all you have to do for your other classes- becomes too much. Whether you fall behind because you mismanaged your time or because theres no possible way a reasonable person could manage all you were expected to do, one thing is clear: youre behind. What exactly are your options now? Assess the Damage Go through all of your classes- even if you think youre behind in only one or two- and make a quick list of things youve done (example: finished the reading through week three) as well as things you havent (example: started the research paper due next week). Remember, this isnt necessarily a list of what youll need to do next; its just a way to organize what material and assignments youve done and what youve missed. Look Down the Road You dont want to sabotage your own chances at catching up by inadvertently falling further behind. Look at your syllabi for each class for the next 4 to 6 weeks. Which major projects are coming down the pipe? What midterms, exams, or other big assignments do you need to plan for? Are there weeks with bigger reading loads than others, or less? Get a Master Calendar Going If you want to do well in college, youll need a time management system. Theres simply no way around that basic fact. And if youre behind in your classes, youll need some kind of large, master calendar you can use to coordinate your catch-up efforts. So whether its something online, something you print out, or something like a Google calendar, youll need to get something started ASAP. Prioritize Make separate lists for all of your classes–even the ones you arent behind on- about what youll need to do from here. First, look at all that you need to do to catch up (as suggested above). Second, look at all that you need to do in the next four to six weeks (also suggested previously). Pick the top two to three things you absolutely must do for each class. This likely means that all of the work you need to do wont get done, but thats okay: part of being in college is learning how to prioritize when necessary.   Make an Action Plan Take that master calendar you made, grab the list of priorities you created, and introduce them to one another. If, for example, you need to first outline chapters one to six so that you can then write your research paper next week, simply break it down. Which chapter will you do on what day? What is your goal date to complete it? When will you outline your paper, and when will you write it? When will you revise it? Telling yourself that you have to read all of the material before your paper is due is both too nebulous and completely overwhelming. However, telling yourself that you have an action plan and all you need to do is outline chapter 1 today makes it all manageable. When you have a solid plan to get back on track to meet your deadlines, youll be a lot less stressed. Stick With It Youre still behind, after all, which means you have a lot of work to do to make sure you pass your classes. It isnt easy to catch up, but you can do it- if you stick with it. It took more than one day for you to fall behind, which means it will take more than one day to catch up. Stick with your plan and adjust as necessary. As long as you keep your goals in view, remain on track with your calendar, and reward yourself along the way, you should be just fine.

ACT Hand Scoring Should You Order It

ACT Hand Scoring Should You Order It SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Did your ACT scores seem way out of whack? Enough that you think there was an error in the scoring process? It’s possible to get your test rescored manually for a fee. Read on to find out why you might decide to use ACT Score Verification (also known as ACT Hand Scoring) and how you can order it. What Is Hand Scoring? The multiple choice sections on the ACT are scored with scantron machines, which is why there's so much emphasis on filling in the answer sheet accurately with dark marks.Machines may interpret a stray mark as an answer or penalize you because you accidentally skipped a question and bubbled in a string of answers in the wrong spots.If you order score verification, your test will be reviewed again by a human being to see if there was a problem in the original scoring process or if you made an obvious bubbling error that would be apparent to a human grader but not a scantron. ACT score verification is available for both the multiple choice and essay sections of the test (if you did ACT Writing).It’s a $50 fee for the multiple-choice section, $40 for the essay section, or $90 for both.If you're at all familiar withSAT Hand Score Verificationor have ordered it before, you should know thatACT Score Verification differs in one important way.For SAT Hand Scoring, there's the risk tha t your score will go down if mistakes in scoring are found that aren’t in your favor.For the ACT, your score will either stay the same or go up- ordering hand scoring can’t hurt your score, it can only hurt your wallet.If the ACT does find a scoring mistake that works in your favor, your scores will be changed and the fee will be refunded. Special note: In past years, ordering ACT essay score verification meant that your essay was reread and rescored (if your score was higher; otherwise, your score stayed the same). Now, however, getting score verification for your ACT essay only gets you confirmation your essay was scored by two independent graders (or by a third grader if the two scores differed by more than a point in any domain) and that your essay was scanned correctly. When Should You Use Score Verification? Here are a couple of scenarios where you might consider Hand Scoring as a score verification method: Scenario 1: Your Overall Score Was Very Different from What You Expected How different is â€Å"very different†?If you get a score on one or more of your ACT sections that is five or more points lower than the score you consistently earned in practice sessions, you might consider hand scoring. With this much of a discrepancy, it’s likely that something weird happened in the scoring process or you did something on the answer sheet that caused your answers to be read inaccurately. Scenario 2: You Missed Many â€Å"Easy† Questions That You Would Normally Get Right If you look at your score report and notice that you got a bunch of questions wrong in subjects that you usually ace, you might start to question your scores.However, you should consider ordering the Test Information Release, described in my next point, to verify the difficulty level of the questions you missed before jumping to any conclusions. Scenario 3: You’ve Investigated Other Score Verification Options The ACT Test Information Releaseprovides a more comprehensive view of the test. It includes all the questions, a list of your answers, the answer key, scoring instructions, and the writing prompt and scoring rubric along with your scores (if you took the ACT with Writing).You can order the Test Information Release for $20 (per test date). This will either clear up confusion about your scores or verify that something went wrong and you need to order ACT Score Verification (hand scoring). When Should You NOT Use Hand Scoring? You shouldn't jump right to hand scoring if your score is only a little lower than you expected it to be. Say you get your scores back and you did about four points worse than you expected on one or more sections. Do you order hand scoring?I would say that’s the tipping point. A discrepancy between expectations and reality of four points or less is probably not significant enough to indicate an error in scoring. If you're still concerned, you should go ahead and order the Test Information Release so you can understand your scores better.Try not to jump right to blaming the test if you score a couple points lower than you expected- it’s not going to help you learn from your mistakes! The best place to learn is on top of a pile of past mistakes. How to Request Hand Scoring To have your test hand scored, just fill out this form and mail it to the ACT within 12 months of your test date.Include your name (the original one that you wrote on the test), address, and date of birth along withthe ACT ID, testing location, and test date from your original score report. You should also include a check made out to ACT Student Services with the applicable fees for whichever part of the test you want hand scored.Remember, multiple choice is $50, essay is $40, and it’s $90 for both. Mail everything to this address: ACT Student ServicesP.O. Box 414Iowa City, IA 52243-0414 You can also request to be in the room for the hand scoring process for your multiple choice questions (but without access to the test questions) at a location designated by the ACT. If you would like to do this you should mail this request in writing along with everything else, although I would say that unless you are super paranoid about them messing up the scoring again you probably don’t want to bother with it. The ACT says that additional fees apply, but the information they give about it is very vague- you may want to call them to find out more details before you decide to put in a request. The number for ACT Customer Service is 319-337-1270. After you mail your score verification request, you should get a letter back from the ACT in three to five weeks. It will tell you whether your original scores were confirmed or changed due to an error in the original scoring process. If they were changed, you and all your designated colleges will get new score reports free of charge. What's Next? Are you wondering whether you should take the ACT again? Learn how many times you can take the ACT and how to decide whether you should retake it. Are you just unsure of when you should take the ACT? Use this guide to the best test dates to make an informed decision. If you need to go over your mistakes on your last ACT to prepare for the next test date, check out this article for advice on the best way to review. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

GREAT EXPECTATION BY CHARLES DICKENS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

GREAT EXPECTATION BY CHARLES DICKENS - Essay Example The story is written during Victorian era and provides an emphasis on a sense of social duty, family support relationship and feeling of respect and honor to each other. This is a changing period for Great Britain. This is considered to be the time of dilatation worldwide and becoming strong and powerful country. With the changing of economy and technical development people alter by themselves and transform their way of thinking and perception of world in general and literature particularly (Hughes, 3-5). Victorian literature is directed on a mass reader and focused on high amount of people who are going to read this or that novel. That is why, it may be suggested that Dickens decides reveal on the problems which are relevant for the society and for each humane personally. Moreover, he provides a solution to change the end of the story to a positive one. This might be done for readers to leave a desirable outcome and satisfactory effect from the book. As nineteenth century was not easy time for British citizens Dickens wants to bring a positive note in their lives. The central figure of the novel is Philip Pirrip also called Pip, and Charles Dickens leaves a part of his experience and feelings in this character. He was an orphan, â€Å"a dull, awkward, labouring-boy† (Dickens, 59) who do appreciate his life and considered to be unhappy. His education and growth is the deal of his sister, Mrs. Georgiana Maria Gargery who is â€Å"not a good looking woman† (Dickens, 26), but her character is a hundred times worse than her outlook. She yelps, irritates, trounce her husband and little Pip. This lady has a little devil deep inside in her heart and he is deplorable and wretched. Nevertheless, Pip is acquired kind and sensitive character together with the sincere and pure soul. One day this boy is faced with a chance for bright future in

Economic Integration within the EU Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economic Integration within the EU - Essay Example (Arestis, P. et al 1999) DG ECFIN economists are playing vital role in the ongoing forward-looking review of the European Union single market that the European Commission is chalking out. The barriers still exist in the internal market of the Union. Which indicates that many benefits have yet to be realised The potential of the single market is to be contributed to a more dynamic, innovative and competitive EU From the economic perspective of the single market review, DG ECFIN analysts advised that it is time to move towards a more economics-based and results-oriented approach using the targeted monitoring of selected markets and sectors. It would bring real improvements to the operations of the single market. The objective is to realize the four freedoms enshrined in the treaty. . At present, this vision is a successful reality in many spheres. The individuals can live, work, study or retire in any EU country. The Consumers would have an extensive choice of products and services at lower prices. The businesses would have lower costs and more opportunities to flourish in a Europe of close to 500 million customers without internal boundaries. The expected gains for the EU economy from the single market inducts an extra 2.2% on GDP and more than 2.75 million jobs created between 1992 and 2006. The The single market may be deemed as a natural coefficient of economic and monetary union (EMU). The euro is not only substitutes the single market by removing the costs and inconveniences of multiple currencies, but it is also the concrete expression of the willingness of the euro-area Member States to work together within EMU. This is a strong, united and sustainable EU economy that can defend Europe's citizens against global catastrophe and turbulence. Many policies for a single market Using a constitutional political economy approach, this paper attempts to demonstrate that both the "principle of integrity" and the "principle of efficiency" of collective action appear to be violated by the European economic constitution. This occurs, respectively, because its provisions are not neutral, nor revisable, and because they do not sufficiently allow for the possibility of cooperative collective decision (leading to convergence in welfare) in a more than ever numerous and heterogeneous EU. Essential argument in this respect regards the implications of the structurally different economic performances and incentives of small and large countries under the European economic constitution. (Laurent, E., and Cacheux, J. L. (2005), From the very beginning, the single market mechanism was more important than an economic policy decision. The ongoing crucial negotiations on an EU patent to defend European innovations; and a common trade policy. It would gives flawless access to the single market for our global trade partners while promoting EU exports and our social and environmental standards globally. It was expected to launch a more dynamic, innovative and competitive EU economy. This has not materialized: economic growth in the EU, determined by GDP per capita, has been below that of the US over the last ten years. Fabienne Ilzkovitz, one of the report's authors, who clarifies the economic

Dq 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Dq 2 - Essay Example DNP, on the other hand, equip students with adequate assessment knowledge to evaluate the impact of research of this discipline (Glasgow and Dreher, 2011). The curriculum of DNP relent its focus to a practical interpretation of the research findings into improving all the necessary systems that are used in maintenance of the patient care as well as determining the outcomes from the society. The degree for PhD has got a scientific perspective, which is meant to develop the graduates in formation of research teams who use the knowledge of the research in addressing the chronic diseases and patients care systems. Before a graduate is awarded a doctorate degree, DNP graduates must show that they have learnt financial management and budgeting plan while PhD students, however, concentrate on research methods, data and statistical analysis. DNP students can be absorbed in the job opportunity such as health-care administrator or clinical nurses while PhD graduates are bestowed as nurse scientists (Glasgow & Dreher, 2011). Because of the passion and adoration of care to patients and less fortunate members of the society, DNP becomes a preferred choice of course compared to PhD. This is because people are involved in a more practical approach which in turn enhances relationships, polishes skills while people earn at the same time (Pagana,

Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners Research Paper

Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners - Research Paper Example Throughout the discussion, I will integrate conceptual frameworks and relevant research to justify the strategies I have chosen. Thematic Unit: Ecosystem The thematic unit is designed to involve multiple subject areas and engage a number of teachers in instruction. Taking the form of an interdisciplinary project, the task is accommodates for different types of learning styles. This approach takes off from the tradition of â€Å"multiple intelligences† introduced by Howard Gardner. For every student to succeed, the teacher must provide different window of opportunity acknowledging the fact that different students learn in different ways (Conklin, 2006). The main objective of the unit is to create a model ecosystem which uses different principles in the physical sciences and mathematics. Different subject areas have their own respective objectives and this can be reflected in the activities that I will outline below. Day 1 – Planning. On the first day of the project, the students are divided into different groups, and asked to plan on different dimensions of creating an ecosystem. At the beginning, the class discuss their vision of the ecosystem, and then identify the different groups needed to achieve the vision. Then, they break down into groups based on their interests. They are informed that groupings may change throughout the whole term for them to experience different roles. Groups may include purchasing, â€Å"Flexible grouping is an important strategy for meeting diversity and for developing talent, particularly in elementary schools† (Arrends, 2004, p. 62). This stage also serves as a pre-assessment to identify the intelligences of particular students and the ones that need more support. Days 2-3 – Background Knowledge. On the second day, the teachers take turns in discussing the concepts behind an ecosystem. Students are given different materials including literature and videos to understand the concept behind an ecosystem an d its importance. The last day highlights the threats that ecosystems globally are faced with. During the discussion, students are invited to share the conditions in their respective communities. â€Å"The heart of working with cultural diversity is the teacher’s ability to connect the world his or her students and their cultures to the world of the school and the classroom† (Arrends, 2004, p. 71, emphasis on original). One of the major activities in these two days is for students to debate on an issue: â€Å"Can man create ecosystems or do ecosystems create men? For each stand, what are the implications of diminishing ecosystems?† On day 2, the students are given the half of the day to do research in the library or online to prepare for the debate on the following day. These two days involve teachers in Science, Math, English, Literature and Social Studies. A combination of cooperative learning, individual study and differentiated instructions are given. Ruther ford (2010) reiterates the utility of these tools to facilitate scaffolding. Days 3-4 – Project Making. Throughout the week, the students have been involved in both knowledge and practical skills. They have participated in planning and gathering the necessary materials and knowledge to create the project that is expected of them. Teachers have been continuously intervening and drawing on the students’ competencies. At these final stages, it is important that all students gain a sense of

Child Law CW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Child Law CW - Essay Example For married couples, parental responsibility is shared whereas for unmarried parents,the law gives the mother an upper hand over custody of their child1. The father can acquire parental responsibility by applying for it. Jenny and Philip came into an agreement with Carol on Emily. Carol was the surrogate mother. After the agreement among the parties, Emily was to be taken by Jenny and Philip. The parties came into an agreement and a reasonable contract on expenses was reached among the three of them. It was legal since the three had an agreement as stated by law and it was upon Carol to agree together with her cousin and husband. Carol planned on giving Emily to Jenny and Philip, which was the right as had been agreed over. According to the agreement, Carol needed money and she opted to be a surrogate mother to cater for her financial needs. After the agreed time, the parents(in this case Jenny and Emily) needed to apply for a parental order that was to give them permanent parental r ights over Bobby. Emily was genetically and extendedly related to both parents. The parental responsibility of Bobbywas under Carol. Any child needs the support of parents for physical, social, emotional and educational growth. Steven and Anita had divorced but Bobby needed them for his growth. Bobby at the age of six was aware of what had happened between his parents. Due to the stalemate, parental responsibility was under Carol at that time.Whenever two groups or parties are not in agreement but are determined to coexist peacefully, finding a solution to their squabbles is inevitable. Jenny and Steven came together to look for a resolution but an agreement was not reached. Steven was worried that Bobby may not have lived according to his religious teachings where a boy was to be circumcised at his tenth birthday. Steven did the right thing by seeking a specific court order because of the previous impasse. The court tried to solve the issue because of the application by Steven on h is residency and contact orders. No immediate family member ofBobby was responsible for his parental rights. This was because Bobby lived with his mother and no harm or suffering or inability to support Bobby was reported.The parent had to take care of the right of the child because they were responsible for the child. Immediate family did not have any responsibility of any kind to the Bobby unless after application.Immediate family members could onlyintervene by following the right process. They could not have parental rights of the child without notifying the right people or the court. They had to follow the right channel to get Bobby under their care. Immediate family member had to have reasons that were valid that Bobby was mistreated to be given the parental responsibility. They had to file an application to the court like the Steven did. If Bobby was mistreated or was close to them then they had a high chance of success. They could not assume parental responsibility without co nsent either from the court or both parents. Another reason why their claims did not favour them is the fact that the child’s mother was alive and living with the child at their time of claims. Anita was alive and living with Bobby at that time and Bobby had a good relationship with her. The court was to decide on the best interest of Bobby. A residence order can be applied when a parent want to stay with the child in question2. A contact order

George and Lennie Comparison Essay Example for Free

George and Lennie Comparison Essay George and Lennie, two extraordinary characters in Of Mice and Men, Similar yet very different. Both Lennie and George rely on their friendship to survive. Lennie depends on his friendship with George to make the correct desisions. George relies on the friendship he has with Lennie in order to plan for the future. While Lennie depends on George, in some ways George depends on Lennie. For example, despite Georges impatience and annoyance with Lennie, and his remarks about how easy his life would be without him, George would lead a much harder life. George always explains to Lennie what is correct and incorrect and makes sure that Lennie behaves. Finally, in order for George to have a future in mind, George needs Lennie. George and Lenny both shared the same type of hard work, and both of them lacked friendship in their lives. Both George and Lenny want something more in life they are both dreamers. Their similarities lay below the surface where they appear different. George is a small, quick man with well-defined features. A migrant ranch worker, George dreamt of one day saving enough money to buy his own place and be his own boss, living off of the land. The hindrance to his objective is his mentally handicapped companion, Lennie, with whom he has traveled and worked since Lennies Aunt Clara, whom George knew, died. The majority of Georges energy is devoted to looking after Lennie, whose blunders prevent George from working toward his dream, or even living the life of a normal rancher. Thus, Georges conflict arises in Lennie, to whom he has the ties of long- time companionship that he so often yearns to break in order to live the life of which he dreams. This tension strains George into demonstrating various emotions, ranging from anger to patience to sadness to pride and to hope. Georges companion, the source of the novels conflict. Lennie, enormous, ungainly, and mentally slow, is Georges polar opposite both mentally and physically. Lennies ignorance and innocence and helplessness, his childish actions, such as his desire to pet soft things, contrast his physical bulk, making him likeable to readers. Although devoid of cruel intentions, Lennies stupidity and carelessness cause him to unwittingly harm animals and people, which creates trouble for both him and George. Lennie is tirelessly devoted to George and delights in hearing him tell of the dream of having a farm, but he does not desire the dream of the American worker in the same way that George does. His understanding of Georges dream is more childish and he grows excited at the possibility of tending the future rabbits, most likely because it will afford him a chance to pet their soft hides as much as he wishes. Nevertheless, a dream is a dream, different for everyone, and George and Lennie share the similar attribute of desiring what they havent got. Lennie, however, is helpless to attain his dream, and remains a static character throughout, relying on George to fuel is hope and save him from trouble

Business decision making in different ways

Business decision making in different ways 1.0 Introduction This project is not only done for the sake of submitting as we are asked to but also to gain knowledge by a lot of means in both practical and theoretical ways. Text books and study guides cannot give complete knowledge to any student. And I believe that the assignments are given for students to gain extra practical knowledge from the wide world around. In the study of business decision making us mainly focus on the knowledge of different methods of data analyses and how it is useful for business contest and then the presentation of data in an appropriate way to make decisions and predictions. Its purpose is to build better understanding of different business issues and the ways to tackle them. This project report is under the wide range of business decision making of an organization. We have discussed representative measures and measures of dispersions and the difference between them and how they are used to interpret information in a useful manner. After that we use graphs to prese nt the data in order to make them easy then using the graphs I draw some conclusion for business purposes. Finally we have given some solutions for a company which is encountering problems in telecommunications and inventory control. I have discussed the usefulness of intranet in the process of inventory control to overcome from poor inventory management. Also I have provided some solutions by comparing two proposals using DCF and IRR techniques and clearly mention which proposal the company should adopt in order to enhance its inventory control capacity effectively. This report helped me to apply the theoretical knowledge into real world examples and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages and make business decisions. 2.1Collecting and maintaining the medical data and Medical Records. In modern clinics and hospitals, and in many public health departments, data in each of these categories can be found in the records of individuals who have received services there, but not all the data are in the same file. Administrative and economic data are usually in separate files from clinical data; both are linked by personal identifying information. Behavioural information, such as the fact that an individual did not obtain prescribed medication or fails to keep appointments can be extracted by linking facts in a clinical record with the records of medications dispensed and/or appointments kept. Records in hospitals and clinics are mostly computer-processed and stored, so it is technically feasible to extract and analyze the relevant information, for instance, occupation, diagnosis, and method of payment for the service that was provided, or behavioural information. Such analyses are often conducted for routine or for research purposes, although there are some ethical constr aints to protect the privacy and preserve the confidentiality of individuals. Primary sources- Primary data sources are where YOU yourself have collected the data and it is not someone elses. For example a questionnaire created by you and handed out to the specific people, is a primary source. You can then use them to prove a certain hypothesis and explain a situation. Statistics, Surveys, Opinion polls, Scientific data, Transcripts Records of organizations and government agencies Secondary data- Secondary data are indispensable for most organizational research. Secondary data refer to information gathered by someone other than the researcher conducting the current study. Books Periodicals government publications of economic indicators, Census data, Statistical abstracts, Data bases, The media, annual reports of companies, Case studies Other archival records. 2.2 Data collection methodology and Questionnaire Records of Births and Deaths Vital records (certifications of births and deaths) are similarly computer-stored and can be analyzed in many ways. Collection of data for birth and death certificates relies on the fact that recording of both births and deaths is a legal obligation—and individuals have powerful reasons, including financial incentives such as collection of insurance benefits, for completing all the formal procedures for certification of these vital events. The paper records that individuals require for various purposes are collected and collated in regional and national offices, such as the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, and published in monthly bulletins and annual reports. Birth certificates record details such as full name, birthdate, names and ages of parents, birthplace, and birthweight. These items of information can be used to construct a unique sequence of numbers and alphabet letters to identify each individual with a high degree of precision. Death certificates contain a great deal of valuable information: name at birth as well as at death, age, sex, place of birth as well as death, and cause of death. The personal identifying information can be used to link the death certificate to other health records. The reliability of death certificate data varies according to the cause and place: Deaths in hospitals have usually been preceded by a sufficient opportunity for investigations to yield a reliable diagnosis, but deaths at home may be associated with illnesses that have not been investigated, so they may have only patchy and incomplete old medical records or the family doctors working diagnosis, which may be no more than an educated guess. Deaths in other places, such as on the street or at work, are usually investigated by a coroner or medical examiner, so the information is reasonably reliable. Other vital records, for example, marriages and divorces and dissolution of marriages, have less direct utility for health purposes but do shed some light on aspects of social health. Health Surveys Unlike births and deaths, health surveys are experienced by only a sample of the people; but if it is a statistically representative sample, inferences about findings can be generalized with some confidence. Survey data may be collected by asking questions either in an oral interview or over the telephone, or by giving the respondents a written questionnaire and collecting their answers. The survey data are collated, checked, edited for consistency, processed and analyzed generally by means of a package computer program. A very wide variety of data can be collected this way, covering details such as past medical events, personal habits, family history, occupation, income, social status, family and other support networks, and so on. In the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Surveys, physical examinations, such as blood pressure measurement, and laboratory tests, such as blood chemistry and counts, are carried out on a subsample. Records of medical examinations on school children, military recruits, or applicants for employment in many industries are potentially another useful source of data, but these records tend to be scattered over many different sites and it is logistically difficult to collect and collate them centrally. Health Research Data The depth, range, and scope of data collected in health is diverse and complex, so it cannot be considered in detail here. Research on fields as diverse as biochemistry, psychology, genetics, and sports physiology have usefully illuminated aspects of population health, but the problem of central collection and collation and of making valid generalizations reduces the usefulness of most data from health-related research for the purpose of delineating aspects of national health. Unobtrusive Data Sources and Methods of Collection Unobtrusive methods and indirect methods can be a rich source of information from which it is sometimes possible to make important inferences about the health of the population or samples thereof. Economic statistics such as sales of tobacco and alcohol reveal national consumption patterns; counting cigarette butts in school playgrounds under collected conditions is an unobtrusive way to get a very rough measure of cigarette consumption by school children. Calls to the police to settle domestic disturbances provide a rough measure of the prevalence of family violence. Traffic crashes involving police reports and/or insurance claims reveal much about aspects of risk-taking behavior, for example, the dangerous practice of using cell phones while driving. These are among many examples of unobtrusive data sources, offered merely to illustrate the potential value of this approach. The questionnaire contains something in each of the following categories: Personal identifying data: name, age (birth date), sex, and so on. Socio-demographic data: sex, age, occupation, place of residence. Clinical data: medical history, investigations, diagnoses, treatment regimens. Administrative data: referrals, sites of care. Economic data: insurance coverage, method of payment. Behavioral data: adherence to the recommended regimen (or otherwise). 3.0 Data Analysis Representative Values. These are also called as measures of location or measures of central tendency. They indicate the canter or most typical value of a data set lies. This includes three important measures: mean, median and mode. Mean and median can be only applied for quantitative data, but mode can be used with either quantitative or qualitative data. Mean This is the most commonly used measure which is the average of a data set. This is the sum of the observations divided by the number of observations. Advantages of mean-objective: Easy to calculate Easy to understand Calculated from all the data. Disadvantages-affected by-outlying values May be some distance from most values. Median Median of a data set is the number that divides the bottom 50% of the data from the top 50%. Advantages- Easy to understand Give a value that actually occurred Not being affected by outlying values. Disadvantages- Does not consider all the data Can be used only with cardinal data. Not easy to use in other analyses. Mode Mode of a data set is the number that occur frequently (more than one) Advantages- Being an actual value Not affected by outlying value Disadvantages- Can be more than one mode or none Does not consider all the data Cannot be used in further analyses. Comparison of mean, median and mode For this garage, its representative values are as follows, Mean- 335 Median- 323 Mode- 430 As we can see mean and median does not vary drastically, but mode on the other hand varies. Here the owner has to select which price he has to charge among all these. Mode is very high and it doesnt consider all the values, so if the owner charge  £430 it will be expensive and the customers may switch to competitors. Therefore, owner should not choose mode. Now the selection is between mean and median. Both of them look reasonable and close to most of the cost in October. Median is usually preferred when the data set have more extreme observations. Unless it is likely to select mean because it considers all the data. From the overview of the cost in October it doesnt have extreme values at all. So the mean value wouldnt have affected much. Therefore it is advisable that the owner chooses the mean value of  £335 Measures of Dispersion Representative measures only indicate the location of a set of data and two data sets can have same mean, median and mode. In that case we cannot make any decision using representative values. To describe the difference we use a descriptive measure that indicates the amount of variation which is known as measures of dispersion or measures of spread. This includes the following measurements: Range-Range is simply the difference between the highest value and the lowest value. It is easy to calculate and understand, but it only consider the largest and smallest value and ignore all the other values and it is highly affected by extreme values. Quartile range- Quartile range is the difference between 3rd quartile and 1st quartile. It is also easy to calculate, but it does not consider all the values in a data set so it is not a good indicator. Variance and Standard Deviation- Variance measures how far the observations are from the mean. This is more important statistics because it considers all the observations and is used for further analysis. Standard deviation is the square root of variance. Both variance and standard deviation provide useful information for decision making and making comparisons. From the calculation range is  £284 and quartile range is  £170, but because of the defects of them we cannot use them to derive further decisions. Variance is 8426.9 and standard deviation is 91.79. From the figures we can see observations are highly deviated from the mean. Variance and Standard deviations are used to compare two data sets. So the owner of this garage can compare these two figures with a similar garage or the cost of November and make decisions such as select the price which has smaller variance and standard deviation. Quartiles and percentiles also like representative measure. They indicate the percentage of value below a certain value i.e. 3rd quartile indicate 75% of the observations are below a certain amount and 25% of observations are above. Quartiles and percentile values of the garage Quartiles- 1 248.5 2 322.5 3 418.5 Percentiles- 75% 418.5 50% 322.5 60% 349.4 From the above figures we can see only 25% of the values are above  £418 so we shouldnt charge a price above than that if we do so we will lose many of their customers. 25% of the observations are above  £248.5 so we have to select a price between  £248 and  £ 418. Earlier we have found out the mean which is  £335. This is between 2nd quartile and 60% of percentile. So from the use of quartile and percentile we can select  £335 as the service price. Thus quartile and percentile help us in decision making. Correlation coefficient measures the strength of the linear relationship between two variables. It is denoted by â€Å"r†. Value of â€Å"r† always lie between -1 and +1. If â€Å"r† is closer to +1, two variables have strong positive relationship. Correlation and coefficient also helps to make business decisions. 4.0 Presentation of Information Tables are good at presenting a lot of information, but it can still be difficult to identify the underlying patterns. Therefore the uses of charts and graphs play an important part in data presentation in an effective way. Graphical method includes scatter graph, bar charts, line charts, pie charts and histograms. Pie charts They are simple diagrams that give a summary of categorical data. Each slice of a circle represents one category. Pie charts are very simple and can make an impact but they show only very small amounts of data. When there is more data it becomes complicated and confusing. But using pie charts we can make comparisons. Here we can see the amount of commission Trevor plc paid is increasing because year 2008 has big proportion in the circle then 2007,2006 and 2005.so we can expect the amount will be higher than 2008 for the next year. Bar Charts Like pie charts, bar charts show the number of observations in different categories. Each category is represented by separate bar and the length of the bar is proportionate to the number of observations. Contrast to pie chart, more amounts of data can be plotted in bar charts. It is easy to make comparisons in different periods with different observations. Here sales of BMW and Mercedes are increasing continuously but sales of other cars fluctuating. Also we can see over all turn over also increasing year by year. Line Chart This is also another way of data presenting. Here we use line rather than using bar or circles. It is easy to draw line chart and easy to understand the underlying trend and make predictions. Area chart also like line chart but it shows the whole amount and shows each category as area. By using area chart we can understand the trend and also make comparisons. Line chart of Trevor plc indicates except Lexus, sales of other cars are increasing. But Mercedes show a dramatic increase from 2006 to 2008. During the period between 2005 and 2006 car sales tend to be steady. From the out come of this line chart Trevor plc mainly focus on BMW and Mercedes to increase its turn over in the forth coming years. Area chart also indicates the same result that line chart shows. Scatter Diagram and the trend line Scatter diagram drawn using two variables. Here we draw commission against year. Commission is plot in the â€Å"y† axis and year in the â€Å"x† axis. Scatter diagram explain the relationship between two variables whether they are positively or negatively correlated and whether they are strong or weak. Commission has a positive relationship with year for Trevor plc and the relationship is strong because most of the observation lies closer to straight line. We have calculated the correlation coefficient between commission and year and it comes 0.9744 this indicates strong positive relationship. Trend lines used to understand the underlying trend and make useful forecasting. The trend line of Trevor plc shows upward trend among commission and year. We can predict the commission would be approximately  £18000 in 2009 and it would be  £18500- £19000 in year 2009. 6.0 Intranet To: The Board of Directors From: Management Consultant Date: 20.12.2009 Subject: Intranet and its evaluation Intranet is a private network that is contained within an enterprise. It may consist of many interlinked local area networks. Typically, an intranet includes connections through one or more gateway computers to the outside Internet. The main purpose of an intranet is to share company information and computing resources among employees. And also to share information within the branches of the same organisation. Advantages: Easy access to internal and external information Improves communication Increases collaboration and coordination Supports links with customers and partners Can capture and share knowledge Productivity can be increased Margins of errors will be reduced High flexibility It provides with timely and accurate information It allows communication within the branches of the organisation. Disadvantages: Installation can maintenance can be expensive. This may reduce face to face meetings with clients or business partners. 7.0 Management Information System Management information system (MIS) is a system that allows managers to make decisions for the successful operation of businesses. Management information systems consist of computer resources, people, and procedures used in the modern business enterprise. MIS also refers to the organization that develops and maintains most or all of the computer systems in the enterprise so that managers can make decisions. The goal of the MIS organization is to deliver information systems to the various levels of managers: Strategic, Tactical and Operational levels. Types of Information vary according to the levels of management. Strategic management will need information for long term planning and corporate strategy. This will be less structured. Tactical Management needs to take short term decisions to focus on improving profitability and performance. Operational management needs information on day to day operations of the organisation. 11.0 Conclusion Finally, I would like to conclude my report on Business Decision making. Firstly, I started with various method of data collection the analysis of the data gathered and prepared a sample questionnaire based on the example used. Then the presentation of data through tables have been discussed and continued with the information for decision making. Afterwards, I moved to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of Intranet and its usefulness in controlling inventory. I also discussed about various inventory control methods used by organisations. Finally, I drew a conclusion on the investment decision scenario given. This report made me clearly understand all the subject areas I learnt in the lectures and I found it useful.

ABCs of Black and Blue :: Free Essay Writer

â€Å"The ABC’s of ‘Black and Blue’†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Black and Blue† was one of Armstrong’s greatest hits, it is hard to believe that a remade song could rank so high on his greatest. Armstrong had a unique way of taking a song that had already been published and making into his own work of art. â€Å"Black and Blue† is a song that can have a few different meanings depending on the way you look at it. â€Å"Black and Blue† can be described as abstract, bruised, and colorful. Armstrong was the greatest artist of his time and he shows us this in the ways he could take songs, manipulate them and make them his own. â€Å"Black and Blue† could be one of the best examples of this. The fact that Armstrong’s version of â€Å"Black and Blue† is more popular than the original version has a lot to say about his abilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abstract: consider theoretically or separately from something else, make a written summary of, a summary of a book or article, an abstract work of art. Armstrong was a great musician of his time and a musician is an artist. Therefor his works (songs) are considered art work. To many people of his time this art that he made may have seemed off the beaten path. To many this may have seemed abstract. He had a presence that would radiate through an audience manly from the way he held himself on stage, and compared to the many other performers of the time this was different from anyone else. The way Armstrong took this song, â€Å"Black and Blue,† from its original version, sung by Edith Wilson, and manipulated it to what it is now, could be said to be an abstract work of art. He had the raw talent to take a song and change it into something known as an Armstrong song, not a remake. â€Å"Black and Blue† was a song that was originally made to be sung by a woman, some how he pulled it off. The manor in which Armstrong preformed on stages may have been too soon for his time, meaning that the people may not have been ready for what he had to give them, but this may have also been perceived as abstract. An Armstrong performance was different from what everyone was used to seeing, he stepped out on his own and made it work, the fact that he was different and now accepted by many made him and his work abstract. ABCs of Black and Blue :: Free Essay Writer â€Å"The ABC’s of ‘Black and Blue’†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Black and Blue† was one of Armstrong’s greatest hits, it is hard to believe that a remade song could rank so high on his greatest. Armstrong had a unique way of taking a song that had already been published and making into his own work of art. â€Å"Black and Blue† is a song that can have a few different meanings depending on the way you look at it. â€Å"Black and Blue† can be described as abstract, bruised, and colorful. Armstrong was the greatest artist of his time and he shows us this in the ways he could take songs, manipulate them and make them his own. â€Å"Black and Blue† could be one of the best examples of this. The fact that Armstrong’s version of â€Å"Black and Blue† is more popular than the original version has a lot to say about his abilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abstract: consider theoretically or separately from something else, make a written summary of, a summary of a book or article, an abstract work of art. Armstrong was a great musician of his time and a musician is an artist. Therefor his works (songs) are considered art work. To many people of his time this art that he made may have seemed off the beaten path. To many this may have seemed abstract. He had a presence that would radiate through an audience manly from the way he held himself on stage, and compared to the many other performers of the time this was different from anyone else. The way Armstrong took this song, â€Å"Black and Blue,† from its original version, sung by Edith Wilson, and manipulated it to what it is now, could be said to be an abstract work of art. He had the raw talent to take a song and change it into something known as an Armstrong song, not a remake. â€Å"Black and Blue† was a song that was originally made to be sung by a woman, some how he pulled it off. The manor in which Armstrong preformed on stages may have been too soon for his time, meaning that the people may not have been ready for what he had to give them, but this may have also been perceived as abstract. An Armstrong performance was different from what everyone was used to seeing, he stepped out on his own and made it work, the fact that he was different and now accepted by many made him and his work abstract.

The United States’ International Policies Focused in Iran and Iraq Essa

The United States’ International Policies Focused in Iran and Iraq After World War II the United States promised to not return to its isolationist attitude, which allowed Hitler to gain so much power. They instead decided to take a very active role in the world’s politics. From Korea to Vietnam, the U.S. proved that it would go to extreme lengths to police the world. The past two decades have seen the U.S. deeply involved in the Middle East as they try to stabilize a region ravaged by ethnic battles and power struggles for the world’s oil supply. America has played integral roles in the skirmishes by either trying to organize a peace process or supporting one or both sides. These actions will have consequences. Just as the British world empire crumbled in the early 1900s, the U.S. has chosen a path of expansionism that if not altered will lead to the disintegration of its world dominance in political and economic power. As we all know history has been known to repeat itself. Thus to justify my hypothesis, we must look at the last country to try to control the Middle East, specifically Great Britain. In 1917 the British began their occupation of Baghdad in order to protect the Arabs from the Turks from the Ottoman Empire. By 1920 the British had not fulfilled their promise to leave the area and the people of southern Iraq responded with military action. The British returned with their own aggression, but soon realized that they could not maintain control over the area. In 1921, a popular election was held and Prince Faisal of Hijaz won with 96% of the ballots. Unfortunately the new king of Iraq inherited a kingdom torn by civil war. To understand this internal struggle, look at how the Kurds make ... ...rman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff because he has been through the Persian Gulf, has learned from the mistakes of the United States and will use his knowledge to prevent another debacle from beginning. Bibliography Atkeson, Maj. Gen. Edward B., â€Å"The Persian Gulf: Still a Vital Interest?† Armed Forces Journal International, Vol. 124, No. 9, April 1987 Brown, Harold, â€Å"Thinking About National Security†, Boulder: Westview, 1983, p. 157 Stocking, George W., â€Å"Middle East Oil: A Study in Political and Economic Controversy†, Nashville: Vanderbilt U.P., 1970 p. 103-106 Stork, Joe, â€Å"Middle East Oil and the Energy Crisis†, New York: Monthly Review Press, 1975 http://i-cias.com/e.o/iraq_4.htm http://www.oppression.org/middleeast/kurdish_history.html http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0859147.html http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/ops/war/iran-iraq.htm

Death of a Salesman (Bernard)

In ‘Death of a Salesman’ written by Arthur Miller, Bernard is shown as a tremendously memorable character. Throughout the play, his contradictions to Biff, poor judgments of him and his parent- like personality are well presented. By using the character, Miller tries to convey the moral messages and develops an attention grabbing plot First, Bernard’s contradictory character compared to Biff, makes him memorable. Bernard is literally everything that Biff is not. Biff is a high school football star while Bernard is just an ordinary and unpopular student.Biff is more likely to be immoral while Bernard truly worries and being realistic about him. For instance, Bernard says ‘Listen, Biff, I heard Mr. Birnbaum say that if you don’t start studyin’ math he’s gonna flunk you, and you won’t graduate. I heard him! ’ The quote shows Bernard is very aware of Biffs’ gloomy future and also somehow predicts substantially different futures of those two characters. The audiences may feel a sense of relief toward Bernard as he is the only one, who actually shows the real world and eventually becomes successful than any other characters in the play.By using the character Bernard, Miller tries to convey the message of success has got nothing to do with the glorious past. In fact, Biff fails to seek his own career and live a life that is totally opposing to Willy’s expectations. Furthermore, the fact that Bernard was one of the underdogs makes the character memorable. In the play, most of characters did not expect Bernard to be prosperous and used to mock him with his sophisticated outlooks. A good illustration of this is when Willy says ‘That’s just what I mean.Bernard can get the best marks in school, y’understand, but when he gets out in the business world, y’understand, you are going to be five times ahead of him. ’ It clearly shows Willy’s pessimistic opinions to Bernard’s future. The phrase ‘five times ahead’ also portrays Bernard is treated as a sort of failure which is the most unlikely word to describe his future career. Mockeries about Bernard continue with other characters. For example, as he tries to find Biff and teach him some math, Happy tauntingly says ‘Let’s box, Bernard! ’ He makes fun of Bernard by looking his overly academic attitude.Audiences feel a sense of sympathy toward Bernard due to harsh judgments on him. However as the play continues, they soon find out that Bernard is the only character who achieved triumph in the play. By using Bernard’s underrated pasts, Miller highlights the insignificance of judging and prejudice. Willy’s huge astonishments to sophisticated Bernard also supports Miller’s message. Lastly, Bernard’s realistic characteristics make him memorable. In the play, he is one of the few solid people. Unlikely to unstable Willy, Bernard app roach the world in a more realistic way.For example, he says ‘â€Å"Just because he printed University of Virginia on his sneakers doesn’t mean they’ve got to graduate him. Uncle Willy! The quote portrays Bernard’s sensible characteristics which attempts Biff to choose the right path. By mentioning ‘Uncle Willy! ’ Bernard also tries to change Willy’s ignorant attitude towards poor academic achievements of his son as well as his impracticable definition of success. His humble characteristics and giving some realistic advices to Willy also differentiate him from other characters. For instance, Bernard replies ‘How are you?Good to see you. ’ as Willy enters his office. It strongly contrasts with Howard ruthless treatments that Willy has received. The audiences probably feel impressed to Bernard’s warm and sensible personality. Those personalities technically make Bernard to perform a parental role instead of overly ide alistic Willy who just expects unrealistic dreams to happen. To conclude, Miller’s wide use of Bernard make the character very significant and memorable, Miller also use this character to convey his moral messages of success and judgments to audiences.

Black Panthers

Black Panther Ten Point Plan Response During the 1960s, the black civil rights movement was at its peak and the call for social and racial equality was spreading throughout America. To promote these ideas, different groups rose up and protested against the current white dominant order in the United States. Among these groups, the Black Panthers were founded to demand an end to â€Å"racism and social oppression in order to create a global socialist community† (Ten Point Plan). Their tactics were very controversial because of the amount of violence their members caused. They were known for fighting and even killing police when provoked. But although their style of protest was severely looked down upon in today’s society, the principles of their cause were just. The Black Panther’s overarching goal of their community is for freedom and the power to determine the destiny of their oppressed communities. The Black Panthers were based upon ten founding goals that would pushed for more rights and freedoms of the black community. The first point was mentioned above and calls for Blacks to basically have the same rights as white people do. After this point, they specified exactly what they wanted to change. These included full employment of their people, fairness in payment for their labor, decent housing, and an education that is not racist and tells the black history as it actually happened and not as a censored version. It also includes free and extensive health care to all, the end of police and governmental brutality, stopping the expansionism of America, fairness in justice and freedom, and finally an overarching demand of property, liberty, peace, education, and modern technology for all peoples (Ten Points Plan). The goals were printed with captions underneath that explained where the current government has faltered and some have steps to correct the situation. The Ten Points Plan calls upon the government to provide full rights to the black population by either aiding them in their goals or backing off and giving them more freedom in their lives. The Black Panthers generally want the government take on more roles in the education and basic needs of their people. In their Ten Points, the Black Panthers demand the government to employ or guarantee money to every person of employment, help the black people create cooperatives for living in, payment for past wrongs, and payment for completely free health care for all African Americans. In addition, general statements such as an â€Å"end to all wars of aggression† and â€Å"an end to police brutality† are included (Ten Points Plan). They don’t necessarily say how the government will get this money or be able to continue payment on the items, but rather just demanding the help. This isn’t very conducive for government intervention or for actual results because it isn’t a realistic goal being presented. If the points included a way to get the money or labor, then the points would be more complete and taken more seriously. The reasons these goals were presented to the United States was because of the oppression the black community had been under for centuries. Specifically the points were pointed toward the end of slavery and the unfairness in treatment by government programs. The black community was lumped into poor areas for living, creating the modern day ghettos and a place where overall racial success and equality could not be accomplished. The Black community was also seen as subservient to the white community in the pre-1960s and so the general population did not help the struggling community. To further demoralize the community, the government treated them as a lesser people and didn’t respect them, which caused tension between the groups. The Ten Points Plan came out of a tumultuous time in America’s history where civil liberties were under investigation and the tides of change were slowly coming into the popular American culture. The goals expressed in the plan have led to positive changes for Black Americans today and the furthering of their community. Although the Panthers have not continue on, their goals of freedom for the average black American are seen in the equality of black Americans today. Works Cited â€Å"Ten Point Plan† . Acts of Inquiry. Ed. University of Washington. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 389-392. Print.

Literature that Wouldn’t Die Essay

My old-maid aunt loaned me the first book when I was eight. Of course, I didn’t think of her as my old maid aunt then. She was just my aunt, who was way older than my mom and drove a cool car and lived at home with my grandparents. She had the best records and still played them—vinyl records. But it was the books that made me seek her out. She had every Hardy Boys book ever written. As soon as I proved I could read the first one, then I got to read a new one every time we visited and we visited at least once a week. I can’t say that I really understood them in second-grade, and I surely didn’t know what a mansion was, but I figured out that it was a big, old house and went from there. By my next birthday, the books were officially mine. All of them, hardcover, many original printings, were given to me because my aunt believes that children should read. That was the first one I actually remember, but my mother said it dates backs further; every holiday or birthday my aunt sent books. Through her I met Flicka and Big Red and Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer, but the love affair was with the detective novels, started by those Hardy Boys novels. As a teenager, I moved on to James Patterson. Then, it was â€Å"The Maltese Falcon† and Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. For a long time, I was alone in my fascination with a good â€Å"Who dun it? †, but as time progressed, I found that society is obsessed with figuring out the crime, finding the bad guy. My weirdness was that I was reading them instead of watching them on television. And, the modern whodunit is not merely a tale of murder and intrigue; it was a modified look at the forensic clues and figuring it out before the people on the television due. Take for example, the third week in November, 2007. According to Nielsen Media Research six of the top 20 shows on broadcast television were detective shows, four of them directly related to the use of forensic evidence to solve a crime (Nielsen, 2007). Americans are obsessed with the crime drama, the modern variant of the detective novel that my aunt introduced me to. In short order, I can name a dozen of these shows, all virtually identical to those bright blue books I read as a boy. As I got older, it became clear that America has a fascination with the whodunit novel, or television series, as the case may be. From the Hardy Boys to â€Å"Colombo†, Americans are fascinated with the detective story. Like many kids my age, I grew up thinking it might be fun to be a hard-nosed detective. The books in my life gave way to television and the books in general became television shows or movies and gaining a life the author never foresaw as he wrote the opening scene of death or mayhem. In fact, in 2007 the novel once again became the television series as James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club became Angie Harmon’s new show. The novel series, which began with â€Å"First to Die†, is about a San Francisco homicide detective and one of my recent favorite reads. Harmon, who once starred in one of the Law & Order franchise crime dramas, stars as the lead detective. This movement of book to television and the continuation of the detective novel is remarkable, but not unique to the modern age. Of course, this wasn’t the first of Patterson’s to go main stream. Years ago, other young men and I were impressed with Detective Alex Cross as brought to life by Morgan Freeman in â€Å"Kiss the Girls† and â€Å"Along Came A Spider†. In his 1970 essay, â€Å"Murder and Manners: The Formal Detective Novel†, George Grella puts it this way,†The formal detective novel, the so-called ‘pure puzzle’ or ‘whodunit’, is the most firmly established and easily recognized version of the thriller† (30). And, he says, we are fascinated by the genre. It has become an icon onto itself and holds its own against other genres of literature quite well through the years. Dating back to Edgar Allen Poe, the detective novel has been through changes, but it is still basically the same, a comfort to most people. â€Å"And almost since its inception, critics have been denouncing the rise, and announcing the demise, of the whodunit. † (30). But while they were uniformly criticized by those â€Å"in the know†, the detective novel built up a strong following in modern American society, cleverly disguised as the crime drama on television and in the movies. The simple fact of the matter is that it is not supposed to be great fiction, but sometimes, it is. It is supposed to let people feel like they figured something out, outsmarted the author by figuring out the answer before the end of the book. The author has to give the reader all the information and though they can tease a bit, directly tricking the reader is completely unfair (Grella 31). Misdirection is fine; lying is not. But the reality is that most readers are not equipped with the obscure knowledge that the detective use to solve the crimes and so the love of the mystery might be based more on a fascination not unlike our fascination with magicians. We want to see if we can figure it out and then revel in the fact that the really good ones were able to keep us from figuring it out. And, Grella points out, it is formulaic. Good or bad, the formal detective novel is predictable. It is one of the curiosities of literature that an endlessly reduplicated form, employing sterile formulas, stock characters, and innumerable cliches of method and construction, should prosper in the two decades between the World Wars and continue to amuse even in present day. More curious still, this unoriginal and predictable kind of entertainment appealed to a wide and varied audience, attracting not only the usual public for popular fiction, but also a number of educated readers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (32) The modern television whodunit has followed the same basic formula, but with the twists and turns of modern forensics thrown in for good measure. Instead of an obvious clue like a matchbook or lipstick smeared on a tea cup, the modern story has DNA and fingerprints but the story remains basically the same: Bad guy kills (maims, mutilates, rapes, etc. ) someone and the detectives strive to gather the evidence and figure it out before the reader, or in the case of television, the viewer, figures it out. Forty-five minutes into the show, whether we are ready and have solved it or not, comes the great reveal, the modern equivalent of the meeting in the study to show how it was done, by whom and why. This is the world that my aunt unwittingly introduced me to and I am not alone. In the modern era this has translated to the crime drama on television. Shows including any of the CSI variants, any of the Law & Order shows, â€Å"Cold Case Files†, â€Å"Without a Trace† and several others follow this tried and true recipe. The newest of these, Spike TV’s â€Å"Murder† takes the concept to a whole new level—real people, solving recreations of real crimes, all neatly wrapped up in an hour long show. And, â€Å"Murder† even follows the rules that Grella identifies for formal detective fiction (31). It shows all the clues that reader/viewer needs to solve the crime and challenges them to do it before the contestants do â€Å"With â€Å"every pertinent detail† being recreated, the groups will assess the crime scene, collect evidence and even meet with an actual coroner who reviews the findings of the original autopsy. † (Rocchio 2007) The show combines America’s current love of reality television with the tried and true formula of the detective novel. â€Å"For the viewer, Murder fuses the authenticity of a real-life crime scene with the suspense of trying to solve the murder before the contestants on the show,† Bunim-Murray co-founder Jon Murray stated. â€Å"We are excited to be working with Spike TV on such a cutting-edge series and hope the audience will take away a sense of how strategic and meticulous crime detectives must be on a daily basis. † The show even features its own version of the great reveal. After 45 minutes of show time, the contestants are required to set forth their version of the crime to the real-life detective who hosts the show. Then, helike a good author, points out the flaws in their logic and evidence collection and gives a narrative about what really happened. This movement toward more realism in the detective novel has taken it away from its farcical leanings (Grella 35), but continues to lead it in the tradition of the formal detective novel. Writers must put all the clues together, visually at the very least, in the 53 minutes or so of an hour long television show without making it obvious to everyone whodunit. The element of besting the writer has again become the goal. Grella had argued that this theory of outsmarting the writer might not be the actual explanation for society’s fascination with detective novels, pointing out that detectives in the novels have access to obscure knowledge the reader would not have making it virtually impossible to figure out the end without an intuitive leap (33). His conclusion was that the puzzle aspect of the novel is not in fact the motivation of viewers/readers to seek out detective novels. However, what he failed to take into consideration was that viewers/readers need an excuse to be wrong. When the villain is revealed at the end of the show or in the huge scene at the end of the novel, the reader needs an excuse to be wrong. Sure, we want to be right, but if we aren’t, we need it to be because we didn’t know the flight speed of an African swallow or some equally relevant but obscure piece of trivia. Perhaps it is because of a sense of pride in the viewer, but we need an excuse to be wrong. That way, the reader still wins. The guess about the guilty party being wrong doesn’t mean that we were outsmarted by the writer, but rather than the novelist came up with a piece of information that we did not know. And, with as much of society as is interested in random trivia, finding that obscure piece of information that the average reader will not know becomes more difficult. It is any many ways the gauntlet those readers thrown down before their favorite authors: â€Å"Fool me if you can. † The most modern of the new detective stories fool us with science, proving to us that even what our eyes see can be wrong. Authors like Patricia Cromwell and Kathy Reichs show us that the things we see may not be all there is to be seen (Palmer 2001). The reality is that the puzzle is still the name of the game and so television shows must now explain the rules of the game as they go, showing the fingerprints of the DNA evidence and finding new ways to throw in the twist. Again, in the words of Sherlock Holmes, the game is afoot, and writers are challenged to find new ways to twist the evidence and manipulate the science to keep our interest. Grella and others have complained that the detective novel is formulaic and bordering on boring, but the reality is that we like them because they are so challenging to the writer. A poorly written detective novel will bore us all to tears. We will see the buffoon of a police officer and the unsuspecting detective and even the misdirection a mile away. But a well done novel which takes what we know, what we have seen with our own eyes and forces us to see that it might not be the case is a masterful work of art. And, that is what we are looking for. We have leveled the playing field with a formulaic story and are expecting to be blow away by the puzzle. WORKS CITED: Grella, George. â€Å"Murder and Manners: The Formal Detective Novel† NOVEL: A Forum on Fiction, Vol. 4, No. 1 (Autumn, 1970), pp. 30-48. < Stable URL: http://links. jstor. org/sici? sici=0029-5132%28197023%294%3A1%3C30%3AMAMTFD%3E2. 0. CO%3B2-H>, November 30, 2007. Nielsen Media Research, November 30, 2007. Palmer, Joy. â€Å"Tracing Bodies: Gender, Genre, and Forensic Detective Fiction† South Central Review, Vol. 18, No. 3/4, Whose Body: Recognizing Feminist Mystery and Detective Fiction. (Autumn – Winter, 2001), pp. 54-71. , November 30, 2007. Rocchio, Christopher. â€Å"Spike TV Announces new ‘CSI’-like ‘Murder’ Reality Series† Feb. 21, 0027. November 30, 2007. Wing, George. ‘Edwin Drood and Desperate Remedies: Prototypes of Detective Fiction in 1870† Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900, Vol. 13, No. 4, Nineteenth Century. (Autumn, 1973), pp. 677-687. , November 30, 2007.