Finding Forrester and Outliers Essay

My views on the book were that it was inspiring and show the realistic views on life. The Outliers is set of stories that shows the errors in human nature, however, it also shows the paths of those who overcame the obstacles on the way to success. Outliers is a book that reveals how the most powerful people, those that have become idols when talking about success, had the greatest luck and opportunities already around them. When Bill Gates, owner and founder of Microsoft, was only in junior high he was already exposed to computers. Computers during Gate’s time were such a rare and limited resource that even most scientists couldn’t get a hold of one. I personally thought this was a book of good teachings. It shows that everything takes time and luck to become successful. Through his stories; 10,000 hour rule, Trouble with geniuses, two demography luck, and etc., shows a that you must put time and effort into your part and hope that fates grants you the luck. The realist ic side of Outliers is that as far as working hard can get you, success relies on a hidden aspect of luck which I like. Outliers gives off the message that you must work harder than anyone so your opportunities grow. Not to beat yourself up if something doesn’t go your way because some people are just born luckier than others. The movie Finding Forrester was a movie about a lost Bronx teenage finding his way with a help of an acclaimed author; William Forrester. Jamal lost in his own innate environment, found refuge in Forrester’s apartment. Forrester, who first was cold towards Jamal soon learned to care for Jamal like his own child. The Duo continued throughout the movie, building a father and son relationship. A relationship neither of them wanted but eventually could not live without. With the help of one another they were able to overcome one another’s problems. Forrester was once again able to go see the world he long hid from again. Forrester was given back his freedom and courage to enjoy life again, a problem he struggled with for over 40-50+ years. For Jamal, his gift was skills pasted down by Forrester, the skills he spent decades acquiring. Forrester had given Jamal everything he had back left on earth; his voucher at the writing contest, his apartment, his next book, and  his l egacy. Forrester had given Jamal everything he needed to excel and overcome any obstacles in his future. Whether you like the truth or not, never distort the truth. I believe that is what Malcolm Gladwell is trying to saying that in chapter 7. Distortion leads to miscommunication which leads to disaster. Chapter 7 talks about a discussion between pilots/co-pilots to radio towers. A real problem with pilots being to nonchalant over broadcast that it leads to fatal crashes. It shows that being nonchalant during serious matters is dangerous and potentially fatally acts. Outliers talks about how by â€Å"Sugar-coating† any type of information is dangerous because it leaves the listening party with a false sense of situation and confidence. Simple communication cannot be done correctly without both parties at a clear understanding on the topic. Otherwise you give a giant game of telephone, and as kindergarten has taught us; you only need two people to change the original message. Even if the outliers puts the â€Å"Sugar-coating’ in more of an extreme light it shows the very r eal side of how â€Å"Sugar-coating† can cause disaster.

The Country Ecuador

Ecuador, a country smaller than the size of Nevada, is located in western South America. It borders the Pacific Ocean at the Equator and is a tropical region. The capital of Ecuador is Quito. Quito is located in Northern Central Ecuador. One interesting fact about Ecuador is that it contains the highest active volcano in the world, Cotopaxi. The volcano is located just below the capita, Quito. Due to their new constitution the economic status of Ecuador, a Third World country, is rising. The GDP is $58.7 billion. The GDP per capita is $4,800. Only 35% of the population are below the poverty line. The lowest 10% of income is shared by 2.3% of the population and the highest 10% are 37.6%. The foreign debt is $12.5 billion. 12% of people who live in Ecuador experience wide spread unemployment. Their industrial production growth rate is 2.4%. The budget in Ecuador is $5.1 billion, not including money from private organizations. Ecuador produces a range of products to be exported. They export 30% petroleum, 26% bananas, 16% shrimp, 2% cut flowers, and 1.9% fish. They export to the United States (39%); Latin America (25%); EU countries (22%); and Asia (12%). Ecuador imports $2.9 billion worth of products. These include transport equipment, consumer goods, vehicles, machinery, and chemicals. They import from the United States (32%), EU countries (19%), Latin America (35%), and Asia (11%). Ecuador†s industrial force produces: petroleum, food, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fish, and lumber. Ecuador†s agricultural production includes: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc, plantains, sugar cane, cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products, balsa wood, fish and shrimp. Ecuador†s social indicators are really not too disturbing. The infant mortality rate is 30.69 deaths/1,000 live births. This is not a very high rate compared to many other Third World countries. The average life expectancy for an Ecuadorian is 72.16 years. The average for a male is 69.54 years, and for females the life expectancy is 74.9 years. The population growth rate is 1.78%. This is not a great increase. The literacy rate for the total population is 90.1%. This is outstandingly high. The main religion in Ecuador is Roman Catholic, which includes 95% of the population. Petroleum, fish, and timber are Ecuador†s three main natural resources. The climate in Ecuador is mainly tropical along the coast, and as one moves inland it becomes much cooler. Arable land makes up 6% of land, along with permanent crops (5%), permanent pastures (18%), forests and woodland (56%), and other areas (15%). Ecuador faces many natural hazards, which include frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity, and periodic droughts. Deforestation, soil erosion, desertification, water pollution, and pollution from oil production wastes are some of the environmental issues facing Ecuador. The government of Ecuador is a unitary republic. Their system is set up much like the United States. The government contains three branches- legislative, executive, and judicial. The people elect the president and vice-president by casting only one ballot. In congress, the representatives are limited to four-year terms. Impeachment of a president, would require support of one-fourth of representatives. In order to actually remove him or her from office it would take a vote of two-thirds of the representatives. On August 10 1998, President Jamil Mahuad took his term as Ecuador†s president, and the new government brought forth a new constitution. Primary and secondary education will be free to everyone, in the new constituiton. Universities will not be included in this; students also will be required, much like in the United States, to pass admissions requirements before entering the university. Education is a major factor in helping the poor of Ecuador, by being educated one can start to help themselves by finding better jobs that pay more. Under the new constitution, the state must now try to sustain economic growth. The new constitution stops the state from changing contracts that have been already signed if the law was not enacted previously. Having this will create more private investment, which will help Ecuador obtain foreign capital. Since the establishment of the new government in 1998, the congress has been receiving pressure from citizens to pass a balanced budget and tax reform. Special interest groups and many other interest groups have slowed the progress ofcongress by raising questions about how this is going to happen and disagreeing with congress†s plans. Congress has been threatened by numerous associations to get the budget bill passed. Questions on whether a legislature should remain are arising. Ecuador is also having problems paying their debt. They have defaulted on their interest payments on Brady and Eurobonds. With the already week financial system, some analyst believe this may cause bankruptcy for new institutions. Electricity prices have always been a sore spot in Ecuador. Since the lack of enforcement of the new budget and tax reform, outrage is even more prevalent. CONELEC, the National Electricity Council, has been pressed with the issue of how to implement the higher taxes. Many ideas have been brought to the forefront. One idea is to base the price of electric off the price of the exchange rate of the United States dollar. Another idea is to not enforce the increase until January and then increase the price 34%. After January keep increasing the price monthly until Ecuador breaks even. Ecuador has a new government and with that comes conflicts. They have an excellent government system working for them, but as in every society someone wants to change that. Ecuador is working on convincing some of the old institutions that the government they have now is good. The government is doing good things for the economy by helping reducing the number of the poor. Ecuador†s economy will probable thrive as soon as the bugs are worked out of the system. A volcano threat in Ecuador has forced many individuals to leave their homes. The Tungurahua volcano, located about 120 miles south of Ecuador†s capital Quito, blanketed the area with ash. The Tungurahua volcano is 5,000 meters high and it spews about 10,000 tons of vapor a day. Many experts believe there is an 80% chance that the Tungurahua volcano will erupt. Only minor eye irritations and respiratory problems have been reported as a result of the volcanic gases and activity. Economic development seems to be doing well along with the reduction of poverty since the new constitution was established in 1998. Although I would have liked to have a law that even though primary and secondary education is free-that it is required one attends until a certain age. With a lot of Ecuador†s economy based on agriculture I am concerned that even though education is free, one†s children may not be able to attend due to the need to be on the farm. Education coincides with poverty reduction so I find that the two go hand in hand. Poverty can not be solved in one day, but I do think that education is the right approach. I think there should programs set up to go to the older population and help educate them as well so that they understand why it is important for their children to receive and education. Ecuador is a complicated country with many strong attributes. The country essentially is starting over with a new government, which will take time for everyone to adjust. Ecuador†s economic data and social indicators look good for Ecuador†s future.

The Desegregation of Public Schools

A landmark court case that occurred in the early 1950†³s resulted in the desegregation of public schools. This historic Supreme Court case was known as Brown vs. Board of Education. The place was Topeka, Kansas, 1951. A little girl named Linda Brown and her father, Oliver Brown, attempted to enroll Linda in a neighborhood elementary school that accepted whites only. The request was denied, by the White elementary school. The little girl only lived a few blocks from the White elementary school, which would have been a good fit for her. Instead, she ended up traveling about a mile each day to attend the nearest Black school. Mr. Brown decided to request the help of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The NAACP was glad to help in the fight. Mr. Brown and the NAACP moved forward and challenged the segregation law. In 1892, the Plessy vs. Ferguson decision had set a precedent for the issue of â€Å"separate but equal,† which had been applied to school in the Southern states since then. Parents in other states were also pursuing the challenge to the â€Å"separate but equal† doctrine in South Carolina, Virginia, and Delaware. Mr. Brown†s case was heard by the U. S. District Court for the District of Kansas. The request by Mr. Brown was to prohibit segregation of the public schools in Topeka. The NAACP argued to the court that separating Black children from White children was sending a wrong type of message to the Black children. The message being sent was that Black children were somehow inferior to Whites and that there was no way that the education being provided could be equal. On the other hand, the Board of Education argued that segregation was a fact of life in the states where these children attended school, and that segregated schools helped prepare the children for the reality of what their adult lives would be like (Robinson 2005). The Board of education went on to cite different successful educated American, none of whom attended integrated schools, such as Frederick Douglass, George Washington Carver, and Booker T. Washington. In handing down their decision, the judges in this case wrote that â€Å"colored children†¦ † suffered a â€Å"detrimental effect† from segregation of the schools (Robinson 2005). However, they believed that the legal precedent set by the Plessy vs. Ferguson case prevented them from issuing the requested injunction and the result was that they ruled in favor of the Topeka Board of Education. Mr. Brown and the NAACP appealed the case and it went to the United States Supreme Court in the latter part of 1951. The case was combined with the Delaware, Virginia, and South Carolina cases. The Supreme Court handled this case very delicately and deliberated for quite sometime. The case was first heard by the Supreme Court, but a decision was not made at that time. Various interpretations of the Fourteenth Amendment were discussed and whether the Plessy vs. Ferguson case had violated it. The case was heard again by the Supreme Court in December of 1953. Thurgood Marshall, who was the first African American Supreme Court Justice, gladly argued for Brown and the NAACP. Finally, a decision was made. On May 17, 1954, the U. S. Supreme Court issued the following decision: â€Å"†¦ Does segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though the physical facilities may be equal, deprive the children of the minority group of equal education opportunities? We believe that it does†¦ We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of â€Å"separate but equal† has no place†¦ (Brown vs. Board 1954). The Supreme Court tasked the nation with implementing this historic decision with deliberate speed. Recognizing the value of education, the court ruled unanimously in favor of equity. The Supreme Court declared that education is perhaps the most important function of state and local governments. It prepares our children for later professional training and in helping him to adjust normally to his environment. The court also declared that it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education. But the vagueness of the phrase combined with continued bigotry slowed the process, in some cases to a standstill. With the segregation of public schools declared unconstitutional, segregationists across the South sprang into action to prevent the implementation of public school integration. Some states began to pass state laws to uphold segregation, which then had to be challenged in court by the federal government, one by one, delaying black children from attending White schools. Councils began to be developed, by segregationists, to fight against desegregation. One of the most dramatic occurred in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957, when White mobs screamed threats at nine Black high school students and blocked them, as they tried to go into their new school for the first time. The Black students were unsuccessful, unfortunately. The president at the time was President Eisenhower, of whom ended up calling in the National Guard to protect them so they could enter the school. President Eisenhower had to call in the National Guard to escort black children to an Arkansas school that refused to integrate. Other communities used different tactics to resist. In Virginia, schools closed rather than desegregate. Elsewhere, some white families migrated to suburbs. Some black parents kept their children in the same black schools to avoid conflict. Families who chose white schools under freedom of choice plans, allowing black children attend any school in a district, received threats. In at least one instance, a cross was burned outside the home of a family. Across the nation, the 1954 Supreme Court decision brought forth dreams of heightened hope and yet resistance, as well. According to Benjamin Mays, the backbone of segregation had been broken. Martin Luther King expressed that the decision was a joyous day-break after a long desolate midnight (Moss 2004, 63). In conclusion, school desegregation was not an issue that was resolved overnight; rather, it was the persistence of those against segregation and the realization of the unequality that it was enduring upon our children that pushed the historic decision that will never be forgotten. Fifty years after the decision was made, it stands to reason that generations of U. S. students have benefited from its relief. The ruling spawned other protectionist laws, Title IX, for example, which specifically extends Brown's principles to gender, that prohibit noncompliant institutions from receiving federal funds, and it cleared the educational paths of millions of minority students. Yet today, people's impressions of the impact of the decision vary as widely as their personal experiences. Baby boomers recall a time of expanded opportunity and change, while younger generations, nowadays, feel that the current classroom compositions are what they are, with the law behind them, the issue simply fills the pages in their history books. Although the Brown case directly addressed racial discrimination in public schools, the case has had great significance for women, as well. The Brown vs. Board of education decision was the legal decision necessary to stop segregation in its tracks. By the time the decision was handed down by the Supreme Court, Linda Brown had already moved on to attend middle school.

Reaction paper i will post the steps Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reaction i will post the steps - Term Paper Example GDP is also an indicator of people’s level of happiness and satisfaction and this justifies its application in informing economic policies that relate to welfare (Oulton, 2012). Opponents of the application of GDP in informing economic decisions however downplay these augments. Stiglitz notes that statistics have failed in accuracy and this problem has been evident in economics. Differences in opinions and demands over GDP also mean that its value and meaning are not absolute among different stakeholders. Another challenge to application of GDP is its lack of basis for measuring all outputs and inability to measure government output is an example. Results of government outputs are also unreliable and GDP fails to measure such aspects as depletion of natural resources. These, according to the author, undermine validity of GDP and its potential applications in policymaking (Stiglitz, 2009). Stiglitz, J. (2009). The great GDP swindle: Chasing GDP growth results in lower living standards. Better indicators are needed to capture well-being and sustainability. The Guardian. Retrieved from:

Gender Roles and Identity in Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gender Roles and Identity in Society - Essay Example In this regard, this essay will discuss selected gender stereo type and its relation with gender roles. Similarly, it will provide insights on how gender roles have its long term effects in society. Gender roles put emphasis on the distinctions between males and females. It is a cluster of behavioral norms related with males or females. Similarly, it appears to be that the differences in male and female's gender roles are often caused by society and other instinctive causes. In view of these circumstances, majority of the researchers acknowledged that the behavior of an individual is a result of socially imposed sets of rules and values as well as biological attributes which may be genetically or psychologically related. More often than not, the rearing up of children and other stimulus, emphasize a sense of gender in order to keep up with its biological sex. Gender roles can be traced as early as infancy. A baby starts to behave in a gender stereotyped way before it is one. (Tomboy or Sissy. BBC News. Child of Our Time Programme Guide Series 2 Part 2). Babies are treated differently from one another. This can be easily noticed in baby clothes, because boys are hardly ever dressed in pink, because the color pink is associated and considered as "feminine." From this, it can be assumed that even at an age at which an individual's behavior is indistinguishable; it is pointed out that a child's sex must not be mistaken. Stereotypical sex related behavior like men's contempt or a woman's sympathy (Plant, King and Smith: The influence of gender and social role on the interpretation of facial expressions) or a male's aggressiveness or a female's passivity can be drawn partly from roles which are instilled during childhood. In line with this, a study have found out that even at the tender age of a child, a child begins to make gendered choices of toys(Tomboy or Sissy. BBC News. Child of Our Time Programme Guide Series 2 Part 2). It can be observed that often times, males are told that "boys don't cry" and as such, boys tend to favor cars, trucks and guns for toys, which supports being adventurous. Girls on the other hand, prefer dolls, and playhouses which promotes their nurturing qualities and they were able to imitate female homemaking roles. Consequently, as children grow up, boys and girls, based on the foregoing discussions can be seen that the choices made by them as to what fields of study, empl oyment or career were influenced by it. By adolescence, an individual also learns and accept roles as well as to socialize with others. These are allowed by different institutions like the family, school, community, government and media among others. The aforementioned institutions make it clear what individual behavioral norms of the child are expected from him or her. During adolescent, sports activities are encouraged, and as such, it elicits various attitudes toward sports and its orientation. A study shows that there is a consistent and stable stereotype in society (Alley and Hicks: Peer attitudes towards adolescent participants in male- and female-oriented sports.) The study further asserts that "to be feminine is to be communal or expressive, while to be masculine is to be agentic, instrumental and competitive. Consequently, this leads to the common notion that

Hedging an Equity Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Hedging an Equity Portfolio - Essay Example Cross hedging capabilities may depend on various factors. First is the degree in which the spot and futures currencies are negatively or positively correlated. Secondly, this also depends on the level of accuracy of the estimated risk-minimizing cross-hedge factors. In addition, time is an important factor in this process and therefore the capability of cross hedging depends on the stability of the optimal cross hedge proportions over a given duration or period of time. Moreover, this also depends on the potential risk reduction from portfolio cross-hedging. A hedger is any individual or institution that minimizes the variance of expected monetary returns on a currency spot position with regards to a position in the currency’s corresponding future contract. There are various reasons for hedging in a financial set up. First is for the purposes of managing volatility in cash flows. Secondly, hedging is important for the purposes of checking the market value of an organizationâ⠂¬â„¢s shares. Hedging is also used for the purposes of managing volatility in accounting earnings. In addition, the management of balance sheet accounts and ratios can also benefit from hedging. For fund managers, performance information with regards to their hedging activities should be provided without restrictions or resistance from the fund manager. This is because funds may avoid reporting because of poor results. Such funds usually have below average returns in comparison to other funds and in addition, omitting them may result in an upward bias. On the other hand, there might be other funds that have become very successful as a result of growth in areas that they may not have actually wished to attract new investments. These funds may also decide to leave the database for a very different reason. Tentatively, their performance is likely to be superior to that of the average fund. Whereas there might be difficulties in attaining accurate estimates of these two effects, it is believed that the reported returns are usually biased upwards. Secondly, hedge fund databases have a limitation of reporting data only on funds still in existence or those that are new and rapidly growing. Funds that are no longer active are usually eliminated from the database. This practice in turn leaves an upward bias to performance statistics. This is because funds that are closed are likely to be poorly performing. Another type of bias can be referred to as the instant history bias. This occurs when a fund is included on the database for the first time and is therefore permitted to backfill its historical records. This type of bias could be estimated through the calculation of the average of the returns since introduction and later comparing them to the average returns since the fund joined the database. There are different hedge fund styles that are applicable in the financial markets today. Generally, hedge funds are not strictly regulated investment components that engage the use of a wide range of

Personal narrative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Personal narrative - Essay Example He wanted to study English to help with his university coursework. My motivation was more casual. I was simply interested in learning a little spoken Thai and a little about Thai culture. I wasn't interested in learning to read or to write Thai. This narrative will concentrate on the application of Cambourne's prerequisites of learning to my language exchange experience. These prerequisites, or conditions of learning, are immersion, demonstration, expectation, responsibility, approximation, employment, response and engagement. As noted by Cambourne, these conditions of learning do not exist in isolation. Rather, these conditions are intertwined. A learner's ability to approximate the target behavior, for instance, may be difficult or impossible absent immersion or demonstration. That said, the eight conditions set forth a clear analytical framework for assessing my Thai-English language exchange. Immersion refers to the depth and the comprehensiveness of the learning or literacy experience. It refers to the extent to which the learner is saturated by the learning experience. It also involves, in important ways, questions of authenticity. In my case, immersion was gravely lacking. As a result, it was difficult to approximate the modeled behavior, the spoken Thai, and my expectations were consequently diminished. My instructor was a native-speaker of Thai. He was well-educated and well-prepared for our lessons. From the point of view of immersion, however, he was my sole authentic connection to the Thai language. In the background, during our lessons at the coffee shop, there was English music playing on the radio. Everything, from menus to posters on the wall to the conversations at adjoining tables, was in English. Trying to focus on my Thai lessons was at times a distraction. It seemed external to the physical and cultural environment. In short, the lack of the immersion element affected in a significant way my total learning experience. The lack of authenticity and the lack of a broader learning exposure to the learning goals left me feeling a bit hopeless about learning to speak Thai. Demonstration: Creating Realistic and Practical Situations The second condition of learning, the demonstration prerequisite, concerns the modeling of the target behavior. This modeling may be formal or informal. My Thai instructor was rather creative in this respect. He brought magazines to our meetings and used them as teaching aids. I recall one lesson where we studied shopping and prices. He brought a clothing catalogue, a Thai silk catalogue, and a Thai cooking book as teaching aids. He handed me a worksheet in which he had typed English inquiries such as, "How much is a coke", with the Thai equivalent written alongside in English script. He modeled the correct pronunciation, made relevant grammatical distinctions, and created a salesperson-customer role-play for the clothing and silk catalogues and a waiter-customer role-play for the Thai cooking book. We took turns playing each of the roles. This was one of the most beneficial aspects of my learning experience. I was able to demonstrate what I had learned in a fairly realistic way. The context in which I was able to demonstrate my knowledge, based upon my instructor's models, was also quite practical. My instructor downplayed the theory in his presentation and modeling. As we were

Vanessa Bell, Studland Beach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Vanessa Bell, Studland Beach - Essay Example Vanessa Bell was writer Virginia Woolf’s sister, her place within the Bloomsbury Group helping to define her position in British art history. She was born Vanessa Stephen, but married Clive Bell in 1907. Their marriage represented some of the new aesthetics that was a result of cultural re-envisioning that was taking place during this time period as they conducted an open marriage. Her third child was openly that of a lover who raised that child as his own (Rowley). The new avenues of thought that were appearing during this time period allowed for an expansion of the ideas of art, just as the ideas of sexuality, social convention, and science were being tested at this time. Secularism had freed the artists from solely addressing religious themes, thus social, sexual, and cultural themes could be explored for the meanings that could be defined from them which began to become expressions of artistic meanings that were outside of any context provided by the subject matter. It is probable that the distaste for the materialism, the bourgeois concepts of capitalism and the consumer aesthetics inspired artists away from the importance of subject matter, the nature of art becoming focused on meaning through colour, shape, and the defining of space (Cottington 32). Bell’s work can be seen as influenced by both Matisse and Cezanne, the work developed through the concept of shape as it defines the subject, colour as it defines the space. The nature of the work not about the scene it represents.... The new avenues of thought that were appearing during this time period allowed for an expansion of the ideas of art, just as the ideas of sexuality, social convention, and science were being tested at this time. Secularism had freed the artists from solely addressing religious themes, thus social, sexual, and cultural themes could be explored for the meanings that could be defined from them which began to become expressions of artistic meanings that were outside of any context provided by the subject matter. It is probable that the distaste for the materialism, the bourgeois concepts of capitalism and the consumer aesthetics inspired artists away from the importance of subject matter, the nature of art becoming focused on meaning through colour, shape, and the defining of space (Cottington 32). Bell’s work can be seen as influenced by both Matisse and Cezanne, the work developed through the concept of shape as it defines the subject, colour as it defines the space. The nature of the work not about the scene it represents, but about the artistic meanings that are present. According to Rowley, Richard Shone described Bell’s work Studland Beach, (1912) as â€Å"in its move towards abstraction†¦one of the most radical works of the time in England† (31). Vanessa’s husband, Clive Bell, had termed the concept of shape and form over subject as ‘significant form’, the piece representing â€Å"an aesthetic purged of narrative sentiment or circumstantial detail† (Rowley 31). However, despite the idea that narrative sentiment and circumstantial detail are missing, like Virginia Wolfe’s fictional work, To the Lighthouse, Bell’s work is filled with the ‘hauntings’ of Julia Stephens, their mother. Even in trying to search for form over meaning, the

The impact of employee participation in decision making on job Research Proposal

The impact of employee participation in decision making on job satisfaction - Research Proposal Example In the last section, the questionnaire for the primary survey is given. The dependent variable is job satisfaction. It is defined as the positive feeling or emotion resulting from the appraisal of an employee about how much his needs are fulfilled from the present work role and place( Wagner,1994;Bhatti and Qureshi,2007 etc). Hence, job satisfaction results from many factors like the nature of responsibilities assigned to the employee, balance between life and work to the employee, autonomy for the job , affection orientation towards the organization where the employee is working, attitude of colleagues etc. Therefore, job satisfaction is measured in terms of two major indicators in this study, the job functionality and organizational fit following many studies like Verma (1995), Wagner (1994), Scott etal(2003),Bhatti and Qureshi(2007) etc. Job functionality includes questions on job responsibilities, job life balance and job autonomy. Organizational fit includes questions on trust in the organization, trust in other employees; support from colleagues and authorities, and motivation for work. All these questions are on a scale 0 to 4.. Employee participation is defined as sharing of influence among persons who are otherwise hierarchically unequal (Bhatti and Qureshi, 2007, p3) . It includes involving both managers and their subordinates in decision-making, information processing and problem solving processes as well as making a balance between the involvements of both. Hence, the attitude of management and influence of employees at workplace are two important indicators of employee participation. Therefore, employee participation is measured in terms of these two indicators attitudes to current job and influence at workplace. The attitudes to current job include questions like performance and attitude of management as well as employee involvement

Jewish Purim Holy Day Essay Example for Free

Jewish Purim Holy Day Essay The Jewish faith has been around for more than a thousand years. Judaism like many other faiths such as Christian, Muslim, Hindus, and Buddhist has holidays that are part of a tradition that is followed. When an individual makes a choice to believe in one religion and follow it as its way of faith it is important to understand all elements that come along with that religion. This paper will review the holy day known as Purim and the review will explain the history of this day and the practices associated with this holy day. The last section will discuss cultural differences that may affect how this day is observed by different branches of Judaism. Purim The holy day Purim is celebrated in March this is the twelfth month in the Jewish calendar. The holy day starts at sundown of the first secular date for example 2014 the celebration will start at sundown on March 15th and end at nightfall of the 16th. The story The book of Esther explains that like many tails we read about we have a villain and a hero. Haman the adviser to the kind tells the king that there are people who do not follow the laws that the king has created. Haman creates a plan to exterminate all of the Jews. Esther the king’s queen, the king does not know she is Jewish. Esther uncle asked her to goes to the king and ask him to save her people. Esther fasted for three days for fear that she will be killed for visiting the king uninvited. Esther goes to the king and asks him to save her people. The Jewish people are saved. This leads to the celebration of the Purim. This holy day is noted as one of the joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar (Molloy, 2010). Religious practices Purim is not outlined in the Torah but has been celebrated by Jews sense the second century CE. Purim has been nicknamed the Jewish Mardi gras (Institute for Curriculum Services, 2012). For the holy day all Jews are required to fulfill the four Purim mitzvoth. The two readings of the Megillah the Scroll of Esther and Mikrah Megillah. There is to be a celebration with a feast during the feast alcohol is consumed, adults drink till they are unable to say distinguish between the phrase â€Å"Cursed be Haman† and â€Å"blessed be Mordecai† (Religion Facts, 2004 para.14). Next Jews are to give gifts of food to their friends. Last an act of charity to the poor. Purim states that two acts of charity must be given in the amount equal to the balance of one’s inexpensive meal. The act must be given directly to the poor and must be given without merit (Religion Facts, 2004). Branches of Judaism The Jewish religion is not unlike many other types of religion where many of the followers have created new branches. The Jewish religion has 4 different branches that appear to be the main views that are followed. Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is the most traditional branch that is practiced by Jewish followers. There is a large range of differences in the orthodox views. The idea to modernize but to also adhere to the Jewish laws makes this a very difficult branch the idea to embrace new views but do not forget Jewish cultures. Reform Judaism The belief that individuals have a choice over what they believe to be meaningful within the views of Judaism. This giving each person the idea that they have the choice to follow the path that is best suited for them. Reformed Judaism teaches that ethical laws are binding while ritual laws can be changed to fit into modern day society. Conservative Judaism Currently the middle ground of orthodox and Reform Judaism, the idea that Judaism can keep tradition and also adapt to modern circumstances. There is an importance within Conservative Judaism to study traditional Jewish text to assist in the guide for ethics and practice. Reconstructionist Judaism Reconstructionist Judaism teaches that it is not simply a religion but also an evolving civilization; Within Reconstructionist Judaism the Jewish laws do not have to be followed, but it does state that the community will be strengthened if they are. Cultural difference in the observation of Purim Purim is a holy day that celebrates the defeat of those that wanted to exterminate Jews. Not only do religions celebrate that they have overcome many obstacles so do countries, nations, towns, and tribes. Many references to the holiday Purim states that this holy day has been around for over thousands of years and will continue to be celebrated for many more thousands of years (Institute for Curriculum Services, 2012). As society changes this may change how followers of the Jewish faith may change how they celebrate holy days. This Jewish holy day may not only referee to Esther the queen that saved all the Jews from extermination but also to the time in history were Hitler again tried to exterminate the Jewish race. Judaism has been around for century but so have people and races that have felt threated by them and felt the need to exterminate them. This day of celebrate is a day that the Jewish people can rejoice in the fact that they have overcome many obstacles in life and they will survive. Conclusion Holy days or holidays however it is said can mean many things depending on the faith that is may be referring to. To celebrate Santa clause or to celebrate overcoming an obstacle can bring people together. Religion is just that the bringing together of a group of people that want to rejoice in the feeling of something more than just themselves. Judaism is a faith that has had challenges but has overcome many challenges to become stronger with time that is why the tradition of Purim is important to follow. References Institute for Curriculum Services. (2012). Branches of Judaism. Retrieved from http://www.icsresources.org/curricula Molloy, M. (2010). Experiencing the world’s religions Traditions, challenge, and change (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. ReligionFacts. (2004-2013). Purim. Retrieved from http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/holidays/purim.htm

Contrasting And Comparing Mass Society With Popular Culture Media Essay

Contrasting And Comparing Mass Society With Popular Culture Media Essay When studying mass society and popular culture it is evident that there is a connection between the two theories. Yet, both also consist of two different perspectives in the relationship between media and its audiences. Popular culture, also known as pop culture, is a modern day standard of living life and items that are well recognized and usually accepted by our society today. On the other hand mass society is a society which possesses a mass culture and large-scale, distant, social institutions. The theories of mass society and popular culture provide two distinct perspectives on the relationship between media and the audience. However, in modern civilization it is mass society that dominates and is more applicable in todays society. Sub Topics: What is mass society? What is popular culture? Mass society and the audience. Popular culture and the audience. Proof that mass society is more applicable in todays society. Conclusion. Paragraph 1: When attempting to grasp the theory of mass society it is important to know that mass society is a theoretical perspective which is most popularly defined as a passive and manipulative form which possesses a mass culture and a number of people in modern day society. In other words mass society is a theory that draws together the work of various classical social theorists, as well as behavior scientists. Unlike popular culture, in a mass society people are manipulated into feeling the need to buy what there being sold, by the media, for personal needs. Individuals are seen as rootless not treated or valued on the basis of their individual qualities but bound together by needs rather than tradition (Kevin Williams Pg.25). Overall it is the mass society theory that has encouraged a view of the effects of the media on peoples lives and behaviors as straight forward and unmistakable. Paragraph 2: Similar to the majority of things that form a big part of our daily lives, popular culture is familiar and obvious. Popular culture, also referred to as pop culture, by definition consists of the traditional practices and beliefs or way of living life. It is in fact a collection of practices society follows in their everyday life. Popular culture consists of two very important words that help define its purpose and meaning a little better; the words popular and culture. Popular is the word used to define something that is liked by many individuals and the majority. An example of this would be the show The Jersey Shore. A television program that has been ranked by its viewers and MTV live, as the number one show that teenagers watched when it was aired. Making the show what is defined as something popular. The word culture on the other hand, has two definitions to it. One being the artistically perspective and cultural sense, and the other definition is an understanding that culture i s a form of living life and what can differentiate between our social and ethnic groups. Although these two definitions are the most common to culture, there are still other definitions applied to it. Another for example is; the social production and reproduction of sense, meaning and consciousness, the sphere of meaning which unifies the spheres of production (economics) and social relations (politics). (OBrian. p.5). This is merely an example, because of the many definitions that can be given to culture, of how diverse even the term culture itself is. From the two terms popular and culture springs the theory of Popular Culture, which is an acceptable way of consuming and producing and living life freely. Paragraph 3: As stated previously, the mass society theory is known to have a way with its audience. Threw the theory of mass media, the media is known to be passive and manipulative with the audience. The media manipulates its audience to desire and consume whatever it is they are attempting to sell and produce. Although many sociologists would go against this belief that the media does has a direct effect and sense of control on their audience, the constant growth rate and vast amount of money that corporations gain today says the contrary. In modern times, society is filled with constant advertisements that corporations produce so that their products will be purchased and used by individuals. Aside from the vast amount of advertisements on television society is also surrounded by more advertisements outside of the television, such as magazines and billboards. The question still arises; if the media does not have an influence on its audience why is it that so much money is being put into advert ising? (Kevin Williams, Pg. 165). It is evident that the media does in fact have a huge impact on society today. Paragraph 4: When looking at popular culture and the audience it can be argued that unlike mass society, popular culture is not primarily about consuming and production. Popular culture is not just a business it is also a lifestyle and unlike mass society it gives society the choice and freedom to choose what they do and do not want to consume. For example; when different trends are born individuals are given the option to follow these trends or to chose a different trend that they feel will show there personality better. Even with foods and life styles pop culture will vary. It is a choice and a way of living that is constantly changing throughout time. Paragraph 5: In todays culture it is obvious that mass society does dominate. The purpose to sell and suck the audience into the products is becoming harder to resist. Individuals are being manipulated from a very young age by the numerous amounts of corporations and advertisements surrounding them in their everyday lives. James Steyer, the author of the book The Other Parent, writes the following in his book; Its pretty clear that the goal of this multinational, sophisticated marketing scheme is not to benefit young children who shouldnt be watching a lot of TV anyways but to sell and enrich the network, manufacturers, and producers. (Steyer, Pg.98). This is the case in present times as mass society has their way with its victims. James Steyer later states that the target of these huge, manipulative campaigns are children of all ages, like his two year old daughter Carly. The aim was to encourage her attachment to the TV characters so that shed ask for the licensed products(Steyer. Pg.98). Pro ving just how the theory of mass society is dominating more and more each day. Once children gain the emotional attachment to the TV persona, companies will use that attachment to sell and produce products that the audience feels a connection with so that they can sell through them. Conclusion and Restate Thesis: Overall, the when comparing and contrasting the two theories of mass society and popular culture one can acknowledge that although both are two businesses, they are two different perspectives on mass media and society. Attempting to grasp an understanding of how the mass society works and has come to be known as passive and manipulative requires a lot of over viewing. The theories of mass society and popular culture provide two distinct perspectives on the relationship between media and the audience. However, in modern civilization it is mass society that dominates and is more applicable in todays society.

I Want To Be a Teacher Essay -- Education Teaching Learning School Ess

Why I Want To Be a Teacher Education is one of the most essential possessions in life. It is necessary for success, and it provides an enhanced future. I believe that people, who do not get an education, are uninformed as to what is going on in their surroundings. The disadvantage is that people can abuse you for your lack of knowledge. People need to be educated to communicate effectively with other people who might have distinct points of views than theirs. In other words, education makes you more open-minded and acceptable to other ideas, beliefs, and values. In the United States, people are extremely lucky because no matter what their age they always have the privilege of receiving the best education possible. In other countries, children have withdrawn from school at an early age because their parents cannot afford to pay for their education. This is very depressing because in the United States innumerable people take school for granted and give up just because they are lazy. They do not appreciat e what they have and do not value education. When I was a child, my mother would constantly remind me about how important it was to have high expectations. My mother is originally from Central America. In her country, people are very unfortunate. She loved school and dreamed of becoming a nurse. However, she had to leave school to help my grandmother, economically. She decided to come to America and to endow my brothers and me with the education she never had. For this reason, most of the things I have accomplished throughout my schooling are because of my mother. I always perform my best in everything I do because I want to make her proud. I know that through me her dreams are becoming a reality. I plan to ... ...bility over each one of your students. Good quality instructors are what society needs in order to make this country flourishing. Yet, I have heard many controversies over what an effective teacher really is. Although this was intimidating, it gave me more determination to work towards my goal. Another reason why I admire teachers is because not only do they facilitate children’s learning but they can aid their own children as well. I think that is something remarkable. I anticipate that in the future I will be able to be of assistance to my children with their homework and teach them how to be responsible citizens. Accomplishing my aspiration of becoming a professor will fill me with enormous satisfaction and pride. I know that completing my schooling will guarantee me a successful future. Only then will I prove that my mother’s sacrifice was not useless.

How Educational Systems Will Operate In Future Essay examples -- Techn

How Educational Systems Will Operate In Future The education system over the last 100 years has largely remained unchanged despite major technological advancements and the changing global economic environment that require new skills and experiences. Despite numerous pedagogical concepts being introduced in the education system, the traditional mode of instruction has continued to dominate today’s classrooms. However, though most educators have been hesitant in adopting technological advancements and applying them in education, the wave of change is inescapable. Future educational systems will have to embrace new ideas in order to be more effective in preparing students for the changing global economic demands. This paper reflects on the views of authors of two journal articles on the topic of how educational systems will operate in the future. The main ideas presented in this paper include teachers’ competencies in preparing students for a knowledge economy and how educational computing will operate in the future. According to Andrawes, students need to be equipped with skills needed in accessing and processing the wide array of information made available by the advancing technology. Educators also need to equip students with the knowledge of using computers and be familiar with the wide range of technologies (2011). In addition, it is incumbent upon the stakeholders in the education system to incorporate technologies used in the marketplace and the newly emerging ones into the school program. Beyond meeting these recommendations, Andrawes (2011) go further and propose that educational systems need to focus on providing education to people of all ages. In this regard, schools in the future will be continuous and constant facili... ...geluth, 2011). In addition, the instruction function will play a fundamental role in assisting in the development of new instructional resources and managing a personalized scope of instruction based on the nature of each project. Within the instruction function, a fully integrated assessment function will provide original tasks aimed at assessing the performance of each student. In addition, the assessment function will be crucial in facilitating prompt feedback and in designing and developing personalized assessment of each student. Besides these primary multiple functionalities, the PIES will accommodate secondary functions such as information on school personnel, general student data, communication, and PIES administration. Therefore, PIES will be a major development that points to how future educational systems will operate (Aslan & Reigeluth, 2011).

Injection Molding :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Plastics Engineering   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Injection Molding Most people have never heard of injection molding, however the products that are produced through this process are as common as a toothbrush, a compact disk, or even drinking glasses. Injection Molding is one of the principal processes used in converting plastics into useful products. An injection molding machine can be large or small but work through the same general process. The machine heats a thermoplastic material that in its pre-processing state is pelletized or granular, to a liquid-like â€Å"flowable† state. It then injects the melted plastic into a mold that is used to create the desired shape of the product. The plastic in the mold is then allowed to cool and removed form the mold by an ejector system. Different raw plastics materials can be used in the injection molding process. Most commonly injection molding machines provide processing for phenolics, melamine, silicone, elastomers and polyester. These materials can be numerous colors and can be used for making the various products depending on what characteristics like elasticity. flexibility and hardness are needed. The injection molding machine has two main components the injection unit and the clamp unit. The injection unit melts and injects the materials. There are usually about eight main parts that make up the injection unit, and they are the barrel, the nozzle, the screw and non return valve, heater bands, a motor to rotate the screw, and a hydraulic cylinder to move the screw forward and backward. Control systems are used for temperature regulation, and the timing of the screw rotation and injection strokes. The screw consits of three main sections the metering zone, the transition zone and the feed zone. The feed zone makes up about 1/2 the total length of the screw. It has deep flights and is where the pellets first enter the screw. The transition zone is about 1/4 the length of the screw and has flights that are closer together to compress the pellets and aid in the melting process. The metering zone makes up the last portion of the screw mechanism and is where any final melting of the pellets occurs before the pellets pass through the non return valve and nozzle into the mold. The Clamping unit opens and closes the mold and ejects the parts. The two most common methods to generate clamping forces are direct hydraulic clamps and toggle clamps that are both actuated by hydraulic cylinders. In addition to those parts most injection molding machines also have a hydraulic pump and resivoir. Safety is a very important aspect of injection molding so most injection molding machines are equipped with safety devices. Injection Molding :: essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Plastics Engineering   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Injection Molding Most people have never heard of injection molding, however the products that are produced through this process are as common as a toothbrush, a compact disk, or even drinking glasses. Injection Molding is one of the principal processes used in converting plastics into useful products. An injection molding machine can be large or small but work through the same general process. The machine heats a thermoplastic material that in its pre-processing state is pelletized or granular, to a liquid-like â€Å"flowable† state. It then injects the melted plastic into a mold that is used to create the desired shape of the product. The plastic in the mold is then allowed to cool and removed form the mold by an ejector system. Different raw plastics materials can be used in the injection molding process. Most commonly injection molding machines provide processing for phenolics, melamine, silicone, elastomers and polyester. These materials can be numerous colors and can be used for making the various products depending on what characteristics like elasticity. flexibility and hardness are needed. The injection molding machine has two main components the injection unit and the clamp unit. The injection unit melts and injects the materials. There are usually about eight main parts that make up the injection unit, and they are the barrel, the nozzle, the screw and non return valve, heater bands, a motor to rotate the screw, and a hydraulic cylinder to move the screw forward and backward. Control systems are used for temperature regulation, and the timing of the screw rotation and injection strokes. The screw consits of three main sections the metering zone, the transition zone and the feed zone. The feed zone makes up about 1/2 the total length of the screw. It has deep flights and is where the pellets first enter the screw. The transition zone is about 1/4 the length of the screw and has flights that are closer together to compress the pellets and aid in the melting process. The metering zone makes up the last portion of the screw mechanism and is where any final melting of the pellets occurs before the pellets pass through the non return valve and nozzle into the mold. The Clamping unit opens and closes the mold and ejects the parts. The two most common methods to generate clamping forces are direct hydraulic clamps and toggle clamps that are both actuated by hydraulic cylinders. In addition to those parts most injection molding machines also have a hydraulic pump and resivoir. Safety is a very important aspect of injection molding so most injection molding machines are equipped with safety devices.

Ancient Greek Music Essay

Ancient Greek music was extremely popular in those times, and frequently used at ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. It was also played a lot because the Greeks saw playing it as a way of worshipping the Gods, pipes and pans were played when worshipping Dionysus, the god of wine and partying and other instruments played for other gods. The word ‘music’ comes from the muses who were daughters of Zeus and were known to be the goddesses of the inspiration of literature, science and the arts. Although no-one actually knows what ancient Greek music sounded like, they do know what instruments were played. There were: The lyre- an ancient stringed instrument played by the Greeks, the word comes from the Greek ÃŽ »Ã Ã ÃŽ ± The aulos- two double-reed pipes, played with a mouth band to hold the reeds steadily next to the musicians lips The kithara- also a stringed instrument, but more complicated than the lyre. Another difference was that it was played with a plectrum. T he Hydraulis- The first instrument, The Lyre The origins of the Lyre The Lyre was one of the first ever stringed musical instruments and was invented by the Greeks. Traditionally, the original lyres soundbox was made from a tortoise shell and then two, sometimes hollow, wooden arms extended up. The origin of the lyre is tied in with a Greek myth. When Hermes was born, he crawled out of his cradle and found a tortoise shell. He killed and then stretched a cow skin around the shell then stuck two horns in. Then to finish off he attached some strings to the instrument. When his parents found out they were very angry until they heard the music from the lyre and forgave him for killing the cow. There are several variants of the story. In one he steals an entire flock of cows. The Structure of a lyre Poor Greek musicians would have their instrument’s soundbox made from tortoise shells (these were called barbitos or a lyre) and richer ones would use wood for their sound box (these were called kitharas or phorminxes). Although the instruments had different names they were all essentially lyres, just in different but similar forms. Mythology and the Lyre Greek mythology and music were greatly related, mainly because people saw music as a way to worship the gods. The lyre was the most common in these stories. Orpheus and his Lyre Orpheus is the son of Apollo, god of music, and therefore was gifted with musical talent. Apollo gave Orpheus his first lyre and with it Orpheus charmed everything animate and inanimate, from birds to rocks. He even helped the Argonauts on their journeys, saving their lives many a time with his music. He fell in love with a nymph called Eurydice and charmed her with his music. They were a very happy couple and decided to get married. But their love was short lived as after the ceremony Eurydice was bitten by a snake and died. Orpheus was terribly sad and mourned her death for years. Finally he decided to go to the underworld to get her back. He travelled down and got past Cerberus using his music. He played his lyre in front of Hades and the music was so sweet it even softened the lord of the dead’s heart. He begged hades to let him have Eurydice back and Hades said â€Å"yes, but on one condition, on the way back up you must not look back at Eurydice or she will be stuck in hell forever.† Orpheus agreed. On the way back he did not look back, even though he desperately wanted to. They were just at the mouth of the living world and Orpheus stepped out, happy that they had made it. He looked back to share this moment with Eurydice but she was still in the land of the dead and was instantly dragged back to hell. Orpheus was sadder than ever and travelled aimlessly, his only companion his lyre. But he was murdered by a group of maenads who ripped him apart and threw his head and lyre into the river. His Lyre and head travelled down until it reached the shore of lesbos, whose people buried his head and threw his lyre up into the sky to make a star constellation.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 60~61

60 Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch Mary Jean sat behind a desk fashioned entirely of rose quartz veined with fool's gold and stared out the window at the Houston skyline. A brown haze had risen to the level of her fiftieth-floor office as the exhaust of a million cars huddled against the stratosphere and curled around the city like a huge rusty cat looking for a place to nap. It just made her made as a cowpoke wearing bob-wire pants, but not mad enough, of course, to sell her shares of GM and Exxon. Blue chips was blue chips, after all, and the great state of Texas ran on oil. The intercom beeped and Mary Jean keyed her speakerphone, not because she needed her hands free to work, but because the phone receiver either got caught in her hairdo or her clip-ons rattled against it making all sorts of distracting racket. There'd been a time, before Prozac, when she'd thought for six months that the FBI was tapping her phone line, only to find out it was a pair of twenty-carat ruby cluster earrings banging against the earpiece. â€Å"Yes, Melanie.† â€Å"Tucker Case on the phone, Mary Jean. He's been calling all day. I've tried to put him off, but he says that people are going to die if you don't talk to him.† â€Å"Does he sound drunk?† â€Å"No, Ma'am. He sounds serious.† Mary Jean took a deep breath and looked up at the Monet hanging on the far wall. Twenty million dollars, depreciated as office furnishings, ap-preciated to twice its value and donated to a museum as a donation write-off at full value, with no capital gains, and there it would hang until the day of her death when it would go to the museum. And it also matched the couch. â€Å"Put him through,† she said. â€Å"Mary Jean, it's Tucker.† â€Å"I was just thinking of you. How are you, sweetie?† â€Å"Mary Jean, I'm stone sober and I need you to listen.† â€Å"Go on, Tucker. I got more ears than a cornfield in June.† â€Å"First, I know that there were never any criminal charges filed, and I don't blame you for trying to get me out of the way. But I could really use some help.† Mary Jean blanched. â€Å"Can you hold one second, darlin? Thanks.† She pushed the hold button and then the intercom. â€Å"Melanie, dear, would you mind bringing me a couple of number five Valiums and a little glass of juice? Thank you.† She clicked back to Tuck. â€Å"Go on, honey.† And Tuck did, for fifteen minutes, and when he finished, Mary Jean said, â€Å"Well, that's just not right. That's just terrible.† â€Å"Yes, it is, Mary Jean.† â€Å"We just can't have that,† she said. â€Å"You give Melanie your number there. I'll see what I can do.† â€Å"Mary Jean, I really appreciate this. If I could go to anyone else, I would.† â€Å"And hurt my feelings? No, you wouldn't. Tucker Case, I've been selling the power to change yourself for forty years. Now, if I don't believe in the power of redemption, then I'm guilty of false advertising, aren't I? You sit tight, now. Bye.† She clicked the intercom. â€Å"Melanie, get me Jake Skye on the line, please. Thank you, dear.† 61 Roundhouse Aloha Tuck stood at the arrival gate amid a group of Hawaiian college students wearing grass skirts and sarongs and festooned with leis they were draping on tourists as they came out of the tunnel from the 747. Tuck spotted Jake Skye well before he came out of the tunnel. He was a head taller than most of the tourists and one of the few who had a tan. Tuck waved to him and Jake tossed his head to show he'd seen him. He came out grinning with his hand extended. Tuck smiled and hit Jake with a roundhouse to the jaw that knocked him back into a group of pseudo hula girls. Jake apologized to the girls and rubbed his jaw as he turned to Tuck. â€Å"We done?† â€Å"I guess so,† Tucker said. He knew that Jake would never apologize for selling him out. Jake fell in beside Tuck and they walked through the terminal. â€Å"I didn't see that coming. You've changed, buddy.† â€Å"I guess so,† said Tuck. â€Å"Thanks for coming.† â€Å"I'm just here to take you home.† Jake pulled two airline ticket folders out of his shirt pocket. â€Å"Mary Jean says you can bring your new girlfriend.† â€Å"I'm not going home, Jake.† â€Å"You're not?† â€Å"No. I need your help, but I'm not going back to Houston.† â€Å"There's a stop in San Francisco. You can get off there.† â€Å"No. I've got some things I need to do.† â€Å"Buy me a drink.† Jake turned and walked into an open cocktail lounge where a twenty-foot waterfall fell over black lava rock among a forest of bromeliads and orchids. â€Å"Cool airport,† Jake said, pulling a stool up to the bar. â€Å"You ever think about living in the tropics?† Tuck whipped around on his stool and Jake held up his hands in surrender. â€Å"Just kidding. Okay, what's the story?† This time Tuck told the story leaving out none of the details, and to his credit, Jake did not call him crazy at the end. â€Å"So what do you think you can do?† â€Å"Well, first, I thought you could hack the doctor's computer and erase the database. It might slow up the process if he has to do all the tissue types again.† Jake was shaking his head, â€Å"Can't do it, buddy. Even if I wanted to.† â€Å"Why not? I've got the password.† Jake drained off the last of his third Mai Tai. â€Å"He's on a satellite uplink net. The connection only goes two ways if he wants it to. I won't be able to get in. Besides, it's not in the mission parameters. I'm supposed to come here, get you, and take you home. Period.† Tuck dug a slip of paper from his back pocket and unfolded it. â€Å"I've got these. Maybe they can help.† Jake was still shaking his head, but he stopped when he saw the numbers written on the paper. â€Å"Where did you get those numbers?† â€Å"They were on the bottom of a desk drawer in Curtis's clinic.† â€Å"They're not computer codes, Tuck. You see those letters at the end? BSI? You know what that is?† Tuck shook his head. â€Å"Banc Suisse Italiano. Those are Swiss bank account numbers.† Jake tried to snatch the paper and Tuck pulled it out of his reach. â€Å"You willing to expand the mission parameters?† Tuck said. Jake was staring at the paper in Tuck's hand. â€Å"How much?† â€Å"Half.† Jake scratched his three-day growth of beard. â€Å"And they were getting how much per kidney?† â€Å"Half a mil.† Jake cringed, then relaxed and put his hand on Tuck's shoulder. â€Å"What did you have in mind, partner?† â€Å"I want to get the Shark People off the island.† â€Å"How many? Three hundred and change? Hire a ship.† â€Å"I want to go sooner. I want to fly them off.† Jake smiled. The wheels were working now. â€Å"It's going to take a big plane: 747 or L-1011. That island got enough runway for something that size?† â€Å"Can we get something that size?† â€Å"Not legally,† Jake said. â€Å"I'm not worried about legally. I'm worried about logistically.† Jake stood up. â€Å"I'm not flying it. I get you a plane, I get half. Deal?† â€Å"I'll give you one of the account numbers as soon as we get the plane. You take your chances whether there's money in it or not. If I don't make it, and the money's in my account, you're screwed.† Jake considered it, then nodded. â€Å"I can live with that. Let's go watch the big planes take off.† Tuck was amazed at the way Jake's mind worked. The second he'd accepted that they were going to steal a 747, it became a problem, and when it came to solving problems, Jake was the best. They stood on an open walkway that overlooked the tarmac, watching the 747s taxiing into the terminal. â€Å"The best thing,† Jake said, â€Å"about stealing a 747 is that no one assumes that anyone is crazy enough to try it.† â€Å"I thought people tried to steal them all the time. It's a league sport in the Middle East, isn't it?† â€Å"They hijack, they don't steal. With hijacking, you have to take a pilot with you.† Jake pointed to a row of planes docked at the terminal by rolling walkways. â€Å"These guys? Out of the question,† he said. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because they've just come in and they're low on fuel or they're being fueled to take off again, and most of the time, if you can get in them, there's a crew on board.† He pointed to some jets parked near hangars at the far side of the airfield. â€Å"Those are our babies. They've got fuel, but they're waiting for a crew and passengers. After midnight nothing goes out of this airport except FedEx. The advantage of a vacation destination. Nobody wants to fly in our out at night.† The planes were a good half a mile away. â€Å"That's a long way to go across an airfield without the tower seeing us and calling security. And we have to drive a ramp over to it to get inside.† â€Å"No, we don't. There's an emergency escape hatch for the pilots in the roof over the cockpit.† â€Å"That's four stories up. How are you going to get up to it?† â€Å"Down to it,† Jake said. â€Å"Down?† â€Å"The problem is how to get the hatch unlatched. They only open from the inside.† â€Å"I'm still a little unclear on the ‘down' part of the plan,† Tuck said. At some point he was going to be on top of a 747 and heights made him nervous. â€Å"Let me worry about that,† Jake said. Then he snapped his fingers as if conjuring the answer to his problem out of thin air. â€Å"I've got the answer right here in front of me. What was I thinking? I'm working with the master.† Tuck looked around, thinking that Jake was talking about someone else. â€Å"Are you talking about me? I don't know how to do anything.† â€Å"But you're wrong, Tuck, you're wrong. For this part of the plan we need the cooperation of a flight attendant. Come on, let's get my bag. I've got an extra change of clothes you can wear.† â€Å"What's wrong with these clothes?† Tuck asked. He was still wearing the oversized and now distressed hand-me-downs of Sebastian Curtis. â€Å"Like you have to ask.† Jake spent an hour studying flight schedules and talking to counter people at the different airlines. Tuck took the opportunity to call the hotel to check on Sepie. She answered on the second ring. â€Å"Hello. How much is washer-dryer combination?† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Maytag washer-dryer combination with minibasket and wrinkle guard. How much?† â€Å"I don't know. Maybe a grand. Are you okay?† She'd put the phone down and he heard her shouting at the TV, â€Å"Is a grand! Is a grand! You fuckin' mook! Oh, no.† She picked up the phone again. â€Å"You wrong. Is eleven nine nine suggested retail. You lose.† â€Å"You're watching ‘The Price Is Right'?† â€Å"They give you things if you know how much. Is very hard.† â€Å"Do you need anything?† Tuck asked. â€Å"I can call room service from here and have them bring you some food.† â€Å"Perfume and lipstick,† Sepie said. â€Å"That'll have to wait. I'll be back soon, okay?† â€Å"Okay. Tuck?† â€Å"What, Sepie?† â€Å"What is washer-dryer combination?† â€Å"I'll explain later. I have to go now.† She hung up on him. Evidently, her fascination with plumbing and television didn't extend to the telephone. He found Jake talking to a girl at the United counter who was obviously taken with the grungy pilot's charm. He saw Tuck and said good-bye. â€Å"I've found our plane and the crew assignments. We have a ten-minute window to get to Gate 38 so you can work your magic.† The plan was for Tuck to spot a flight attendant coming off the plane, get to know her, and convince her to go back into the jet and throw the latch on the emergency hatch before the plane was cleaned and moved away from the terminal. They waited at the tunnel into Gate 38. The passengers had long since deplaned, as had the pilots. â€Å"Remember, you want to go ugly,† Jake said. â€Å"I know,† Tuck said. He'd changed into Jake's clothes, which fit him, at least, even if he looked like a guitar player for a Seattle grunge band. â€Å"And old if you can get it.† â€Å"I know,† Tuck said. â€Å"You want a woman who looks like she couldn't get laid in a men's colony.† â€Å"I know,† Tuck said. â€Å"Would you back off? I haven't done this in a while.† â€Å"Like riding a bicycle, buddy.† The first flight attendant out of the tunnel was a pretty blond woman, about twenty-five. â€Å"Pass,† Jake said. The next was a man, and the next a tall black woman who could have been a runway model. â€Å"They're killing us here,† Jake said. â€Å"How would you feel about going for the guy? He's our best chance so far.† â€Å"Fuck off, Jake.† â€Å"Just an idea.† They waited for five more minutes before a tired-looking woman in her fifties came down the tunnel pulling her flight bag behind her. â€Å"Go to it, stud,† Jake said. He gave Tucker a little shove. Tuck shoved back without taking his eyes off the woman. â€Å"I can't do this, Jake.† â€Å"What?† Jake Skye grabbed Tuck's wrist and pretended to be taking his pulse. Tuck pulled away from him. â€Å"I can't do this.† â€Å"Don't pull this shit on me, buddy. She's getting away. This is what you do.† â€Å"Not anymore, I don't.† â€Å"Well, I sure as hell do.† Jake pulled off the flannel shirt he was wearing open over his black T-shirt and threw it to Tuck. â€Å"Go back to your hotel and wait for me to call. What room are you in?† â€Å"Twelve-thirty.† Jake pushed the T-shirt sleeves up just enough for his biceps to show and took off down the concourse after the middle-aged flight attendant. Tuck went outside and found the shuttle to the Hyatt Regency. During the ride back to the hotel, he realized that he had no idea how to explain a washer-dryer combination to someone who had never worn shoes or a shirt until two days ago. He decided to go with magic.

Candide by Voltaire Essay

In the beginning of 17th century and the peak of 18th century, there was a movement known as â€Å"Enlightenment† which encompassed a wide variety of ideas and advances in the field of philosophy, science and medicine. Voltaire embodies the Enlightenment more than any other intellectual or writer. Enlightenment is also called the age of Voltaire. The followers of the movement had profound faith in the power of reason and rational thought. They believed that this philosophy would lead human beings to a better social structure. They attacked both the aristocracy and the church. In ‘Candide’, Pangloss and his student Candied maintain that â€Å"everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds†. This idea is a simplified version of the philosophies of the enlightened thinkers, most notable are Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz. These philosophers believed that God exist and since God is perfect, so the world he created must be perfect too. They argued that people recognize imperfections in the world only because they are not aware of God’s grand plan. Voltaire does not accept that a perfect God or any God exist. Throughout the novel, he mocks the idea that the world is perfectly good and heaps merciless satires on this idea. The optimists Pangloss and Candide suffer and witness a wide variety of horrors- whipping, rapes, robberies, unjust execution, disease, earthquake, betrayal and crushing world-weariness. After Candide was thrown out of the castle of the baron Thunder-ten-tronckh, he was handcuffed and carried to the Bulgarian regiment. He witnessed the atrocities committed by the Bulgarians on the Abarian territories after winning the battle against King of Abres. They burn down villages, ravish young virgins and kill men and women alike. While travelling on ship to Lisbon along with Pangloss and the Anabaptist James they face a tempest. In Lisbon, they faced a violent earthquake, which destroyed three-fourth of the city of Lisbon. At the advice of the sages of the country, Dr Pangloss and Candied are secured for burning them alive for the infallible prevention of earthquake. In Surinam, Candide is robbed of his wealth. The lady he is in love, Miss Cunegund suffers too. She is ravished by two Bulgarians and receives two deep wounds in her belly. Her own castles are demolished and she witnesses the brutal murder of her parents and her brother. Though born a baroness, she is reduced to the station of a cook-wench. In the end she becomes the slave of Transylvanian prince and turns ugly and even Candide finds her repulsive. Pangloss the philosopher is reduced to a slave of a Turkish captain and Candide sets him free from slavery by ransom. These events only points to the cruelty and folly of humanity and indifference of the natural world and do not serve any good purpose. Pangloss struggles to find justification for the terrible things in the world but his arguments turn out to be absurd. In the end of the novel, Pangloss admits that he does not believe any more in his own previous optimistic conclusions. This example of events showed how Voltaire established his opposition towards the Christian Doctrine. He imposed Enlightenment through Pangloss’ characterization – its struggles and sufferings despite of his faith and ideology towards Christianity. The most glaring flaw in Pangloss’s optimist is that it is based on abstract philosophical argument rather than real-world evidence. In the chaotic world shown in the novel, philosophical speculations repeatedly prove useless and sometimes destructive. Again and again, it prevents characters from making realistic assessment of the world round them. It also stops them from taking positive action to change adverse situations. Pangloss is a character who is most vulnerable to this sort of folly. He checks Candide from saving the Anabaptist James from drowning during Tempest by demonstrating to him that the roadstead of Lisbon had been made on purpose for the Anabaptish to be drowned in there. When Candide lies on the ground covered with stones after the violent earthquake in the city of Lisbon, Pangloss ignores him request for oil and wine and instead makes great effort to prove the causes of the earthquake. Throughout the novel, Candide’s confusion regarding the philosophies of Pangloss is very much evident. When Candide and Cacambo are held by the armed Oreilles and they cry out: â€Å"A Jesuit! a Jesuit! we shall be revenged; we shall have excellent cheer; let us eat this Jesuit; let us eat him up†. Candied cannot accept the philosophy of Pangloss that everything is right. Voltaire elaborated his stand towards the issue of Enlightenment and Counter-Enlightenment. He explained through his novel the arguments of enlightenment through the characterization of Candide and counter-arguments through the characterization of Pangloss. Voltaire did not only encompass the existence of his philosophy for his belief in Enlightenment but also the existence of science, religion, and society. This criticism of philosophy that encompasses Candide is much more surprising and dramatic given Voltaire’s own status of a respected philosopher of the Enlightenment movement. Voltaire satirizes organized religion in his novel ‘Candide’. A series of corrupt, hypocrite religious leaders emerge throughout the story. The reader encounters the old women (who assist Candide and Miss Cunegund), daughter of a Pope. The pope, a man who as a catholic priest should be celibate, instead he is shown married in the story. A Catholic Inquisitor hypocritically keeps a mistress. A Franciscan friar steals all the jewellery of Miss Cunegund. Despite the vow of poverty taken as a member of the Franciscan order, he operates as a jewel thief. Finally the author introduces a Jesuit colonel who has marked homosexual tendencies. In the story religious leaders are shown to tyrannize humanity. The baroness Miss Cunegund is reduced to the status of a wench by My Lord Inquisitor. Candide meets the Pope, an orator who sermonizes on the subject of charity. The orator abuses and threatens him when he begs for food and his wife discharge a utensil full of water on him, thinking that he has accused him husband of being antichrist. Voltaire criticizes the superstitions of religious practice through the incident where sages of Lisbon decide that few men should be burnt alive to prevent further earthquakes. In the novel, the religious leaders also carry out inhuman religious oppressions against those who disagree with them on smallest theological matters. The Inquisitor persecutes Pangloss for expressing his ideas and Candide for simply listening to him. Pangloss is hanged and Lord Inquisitor preaches and cruelly whips Candide. Voltaire presents several examples of hypocrisy and immorality of religious leaders but he does not condemn the everyday believer of religion. James is a member of a radical protestant sect called the Anabaptists. These scenarios proved the idea of Voltaire towards Christianity and Enlightenment. Even if he put these elements to show the rationality of his evidences and justifications, it still shows that Christianity does not fill the incompleteness of radical belief. It also implies that Voltaire attacked the weak points of Christianity and give way to the strong points of Enlightenment. Throughout the whole novel, Voltaire made a distinct differentiation between Enlightenment and Christian Doctrine. However, it was seen that the arguments of Enlightenment brings positive evidences for its justification while Christian doctrine is obtained as negative integration of knowledge and conception. This criticism can be seen through the struggle, sufferings, and situation of Pangloss. In the end of the novel, Pangloss made up his mind and went through the light of Enlightenment as he started not to believe from his old principles and convictions. This resolution also made its readers become attracted to the illumination of Enlightenment. As a whole, Voltaire’s novel ‘Candide’ not only censure Christine regimes of power and the arrogance of nobility, but it also condemns certain aspects of the philosophical movement of the Enlightenment. It attacks the theory of optimism that argues that rational thought can restrain the evils committed by human beings.

How can a criminal record affect your life? Essay

What is a criminal record? A criminal record is a document that lists a person’s criminal and penal convictions pronounced by the courts of Canada in accordance with federal laws such as the Criminal Code of Canada. However, violating a traffic rule of the Quebec Highway Safety Code is not a criminal offence and would not result in a criminal record. In fact, offences to provincial penal laws do not result in criminal records. When you are convicted of a crime, that conviction may have effects that stick with you for years to come. It can affect what kind of job you may get, where you can go to school, as well as other things. If you have a criminal record, it is important to fully understand what that means. Never hesitate to ask questions of your lawyer or your probation officer. Many youth believe their criminal record is wiped clean when they are eighteen. THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE. Changes in the law have made it more difficult to leave your record behind and get on with your life. If you have committed a less serious crime, your record will be sealed. This means you don’t have to tell anyone except a judge that you have been convicted of a crime as a youth. So, employers won’t be able to find this out. What crimes are serious and less serious? Certain types of criminal convictions can result in the suspension or revocation of your driver’s license. The most common example of this is the DUI case. Other types of cases, such as drug cases, can affect your driver’s license too. A criminal conviction can also affect a person’s ability to obtain or keep virtually every professional license that is regulated by the state. Some professions require that the crime be related to the duties of the profession before the license will be affected; others simply require the crime to be one of â€Å"moral turpitude.† Following are classes of crimes: If you were convicted of a Class A crime (Murder, Attempted Murder, Arson 1, Assault 1, Robbery 1), or a â€Å"sex crime† you will never be able to seal your record. If you were convicted of a Class B crime (Possession of Stolen Property, Burglary, Sale of Drugs, Theft 1), you must wait 10 years, and not be convicted of another crime in order to seal your record. If you were convicted of a Class C crime (Forgery, Possession of a Firearm, Taking of Motor Vehicle without Owner’s Possession), you must wait 5 years, and not be convicted of another crime in order to seal your record. If you were convicted of a crime for which you had to only perform public service or take a class, your record will be sealed when you are eighteen. There are many factors at work in the case of the professional who is accused of crime; it is critical that the advice of a competent, creative, and insightful defense attorney be considered, since a conviction can have ramifications far beyond the case itself. There are several disadvantages to having a criminal record: A criminal record may harm your chances of getting a job in certain fields (e.g.: jobs related to security, finance, etc.); A criminal record may cause serious hassles while traveling. In fact, to obtain a visa to enter some countries, you must prove that you do not have a criminal record. For example, the United States will deny entry to tourists or immigrants who have criminal records for some criminal offences: polygamy, prostitution, drug trafficking, spying, etc.; If you have a criminal record, and you are convicted of another crime, you will most likely be punished more severely than a person who does not have any previous convictions; A criminal record may prevent you from joining a professional order, from  obtaining licenses or permits, or from getting certain insurance policies. We have all made mistakes in our lives. But for some people those mistakes come with the penalty of a criminal record filed by the RCMP, the courts and any local police involved when the charges were laid. The result is a detailed trail of criminal activity, which permanently labels the person as such, even if no subsequent criminal behavior is ever committed. We live in a society that encourages us to constantly improve ourselves. We are told to make changes when life choices have not worked out. We are educated to better ourselves, to be more responsible and productive and to become more useful members of society in general. But how to do that when a criminal record is forever telling the world of your past? It is particularly in terms of employment that we are evaluated on our personal history. In a job interview what you have done defines who you are. A history of criminal activity not only creates restrictions on employment. It also affects travel to the United States, job advancement, volunteer work, child custody and adoption, ability to be bonded, personal credibility, peace of mind and more. Many job opportunities are simply not available to persons with a criminal record. The existence of any criminal record, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is a negative label and a disadvantage in life. Furthermore, a file will exist even in cases where the person was found not-guilty in court. Criminal convictions listed on a criminal record often stigmatize a person. Not long ago, a person’s criminal record stayed with him for life. Today, however, you can obtain a pardon for your offences. To do so, you must demonstrate your best behavior and avoid any criminal convictions for a specified period of time after you have served your sentence.

Holding On as an Act of Resistance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Holding On as an Act of Resistance - Essay Example I think this reaction on Alfred's part is justifiable by the fact that he had developed a sense of love for their language and their culture. And this only confirms that holding on to one's beliefs and practices builds a certain barrier around a person that would make him reject the unfamiliar. However, his grandmother corrected this behavior, stating that to cling to your culture does not necessarily mean you have to envelope yourself so as not to absorb others' way of life. Sometimes, one only needs to learn to appreciate every new learning, while maintaining a keener and a deeper loyalty to his own ethnicity. But is it possible to surpass the tendency of being eaten whole by the new standards brought about by the new cultureAlfred expressed his opinion on the issue regarding whether to fight back or not to fight back the bullying menaces of the white society. He states that fighting back brings on conflict; but to not fight back brings on a different type of tension within oneself (Alfred, 2004). I think what he means by the bullies are the whole of the Settler Society and that, according to him, fighting back and staying still are two equally courageous things. However, resistance still proves to gather more audacity and, in the end, establishes a stronger stand. This does not only give the people more sense of dignity, but more freedom in enjoying the culture they were brought up in. If, however, economic progress goes with staying still, would these people still choose to exhibit valor The Different Warrior Older people tend to have more attachment and tighter bonds with tradition and cultural practices. Their passion and loyalty to their culture have been developed throughout their lives and this drives them to want to extend and pass on their tradition to the following generations. And as Alfred's grandmother left him the urges to fight and insist on gaining honor and respect, he takes on the challenge of being a different, or THE different warrior, and stand up for the forgotten values. I believe this warrior, in the end, will prove to be the most audacious of all since his mission is not one that only involves physical combat. His is a mission which seeks to save a dying culture, and restore values that are vital to the survival of their future generations. But the question of whether his battle for this mission will serve worthy in the end still hangs. An Independent Culture Long existent has been the debate over whether to break free from tradition in order to survive global evolution or risk facing the manifestations of greedy colonization by remaining isolated and intact. Alfred argued that the Onkwehonwe have been too dependent on and influenced by the white culture that they have already lost their freedom and integrity. Their continuous submission to the colonizers' rules and way of life is slowly wiping away their identity. The whites have imposed political and social power over the people that they deem their own lands, inaccessible. These people should, however, understand that the white society's governance is tainted with their vested interest and this interest usually includes expanding colonization and more damage in the Onkwehonwe culture. Now, what's left for these people to do is to decide. Should they embrace the settlers' imposing powers on them and over them Or should they strive for self-sufficiency and freedom by overcoming the oppre ssors and revive the culture they have lost or are losing A Continuing Challenge The issue of breaking free from oppressors is not something new to the world. As Alfred explains, materialism is continuously

Finance For Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Finance For Management - Essay Example 383) This part of the paper seeks to analyse the Jensen argument in 1978, quoted by Pike& Neale that the efficient market hypothesis is the "best established fact in all of social science". Whilst Neale & McElroy (2004) were less categorical "sometimes stock market valuations may look irrational. But in the longer term the markets are efficient processors of information and get valuation about right" Numerous papers have demonstrated that early identification of new information can provide substantial profits. Insiders who trade on the basis of privileged information can therefore make excess returns, violating the strong form of the efficient market hypothesis. Even the earliest studies by Cowles (1933,1944), however, make it clear that investment professionals do not beat the market. It has already been stated that an efficient market is one where the prices of securities fully reflect all available information, but then what are the sufficient conditions for capital market efficiency In an idealized world, such conditions would be the debate about market efficiency has resulted in thousands of empirical studies and literature attempting to determine whether particular markets are in fact 'efficient', and if so to what degree. In fact, the majority of studies and researches of technical theories have gone to the result that it is difficult to predict prices. No wonder, Neale & McElroy (2004) were less categorical, and stated that "sometimes stock market valuations may look irrational. But in the longer term the markets are efficient processors of information and get valuation about right" In addition, the random walk theory indicates that price movements will not follow any trends and so by knowing the past price movements it's not possible to predict the future price movements. All these state that markets are in fact efficient. However, researchers have also exposed many stock market anomalies that seem to be inconsistent with the efficient market hypothesis. Conclusion This section attempts an analysis of Michael Jensen 1978 arguments on the efficient market hypothesis. An attempt was also made to reconcile this statement with Neale & McElroy 2004 statement. From the above analysis, one can gently conclude that trading strategies seem to be widespread among fund managers and there is little evidence that they would generate excess returns in practice (Malkiel, 2003). Researchers have also exposed many stock market anomalies that seem to be inconsistent with the efficient market hypothesis. The end of the year effect, small firm effect is all good examples to this effect. The efficient market hypothesis has been challenged by numerous studies on the grounds that there are often underrreactions or overreaction of stock markets to information. (Baberies et al, 1998; Daniel et al, 1998; Hong and Stein, 1999). Accordingly, in a variety of markets, sophisticated investors can earn

Practicing I Messages Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Practicing I Messages - Coursework Example As such, I would ensure that the following responses and actions would be implemented to effect a needed change in the manifested behavior of Harry R.: (1) I would call in Harry R. on a one-on-one confrontation in my office to call his attention on his behavior; that is, upon observation and as disclosed by other employees, his long-winded talks on the phone contributes to low job productivity and low performance outcome as more time is recorded to be spent talking on the phone rather than complying with the expected job responsibilities; (2) I would relay how his behavior makes me feel: â€Å"I feel that your long talks over the phone are not serving the best interests and goals of the organization†; (3) I would seek a response from Harry R. on the rationale for his long talks over the phone, as needed; (4) I would enjoin Harry R. ... In this scenario, the â€Å"I† messages should focus on making Harry R. aware that his behavior makes his colleagues in the organization feel disrespected and bypassed and that he needs to change this behavior to serve the best interests of the organization’s stakeholders, more than his own personal interests (Mosley, Mosley, & Pietri, 2008). Situation 2: It is a requirement that waiters at the upscale restaurant you manage to wear white shirts and ties. One waiter has been loosening his tie, dropping the knot about two inches, and unbuttoning his shirt collar. Pursuant to the chapter on Coaching for Higher Performance (Mosley, Mosley, & Pietri, 2008), â€Å"I† messages would be applicable in this scenario in terms of identifying the expected or identified behavior within the organizational environment (upscale restaurant) and the particular deviant behavior that the specific waiter has been exhibiting (loosening his tie). In this scenario, the following response is proposed: (1) I will seek the attendance of the waiter in my office for a one-on-one confrontation for the aim of clearly relaying and stipulating the dress code or conformity to the manner by which waiters are expected to be dressed within the restaurant; (2) I will seek the waiter’s response as to his rationale for loosing this tie and dropping the knot to about two inches while also unbuttoning his shirt collar; (3) I would clearly indicate the following: â€Å"I am hereby making it clear to you, that pursuant to the policies of the restaurant regarding dress codes, each and every waiter is expected to adhere to uniform conformity to wearing white shirts buttoned to the top of the shirt collar and wearing the tie appropriately. This is explicitly