Paper narrative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Paper narrative - Essay Example Removal of $10000 from regular salaries would transfer the lost value to training of stuff however a progressive strategy should be developed to implement this reduction. Training is also an incentive therefore justifiable to remove $5000 from incentive expense and direct to training. Under category employee benefits line item for compensating unemployed is not beneficial to the court removing $10000 reduces that expense. Removing $5000 from group insurance to raise unfunded training is also beneficial. Regrettably under the contemporary economic slump as well as high travel and tuition expenses it is not beneficial for the court for the employees to get out-of- state training. Coupled on the accumulative caseloads and workloads makes it even more demanding. Considering on job training is the best alternative such online courses (Financial administration, 2009). Minimizing cost is the major concept used in my proposed budgetary cuts. Line items that are related to employees are high ranking on priority proposed list for cuts. The cuts are applicable since employees are at the center of the mandated training. A system where the same employees fund the training is a viable approach (Financial administration,

Relationship of Digit Ratio With Cardiovascular Endurance

Relationship of Digit Ratio With Cardiovascular Endurance This first chapter represents a review of the conducted study. In this chapter, there are several subtopics that have been reviewed. The following topics provide the descriptions regarding to background of the study, statement of the problem, research questions, hypotheses involved, conceptual framework, significance of the study, and definition of terms that been used in this study. Lastly, the structure of this study is outlined in the last part of the chapter. BACKGROUND OF STUDY Application of digit ratio which is known to be related to prenatal testosterone hormone had been used widely across the world and its submission in the area of sports, health and fitness had attracted a swarming interest among practitioner and generated many interesting findings. However, in the midst of discovering the application of digit ratio which mainly focused on adults, interest towards the children is still lacking which bring towards the establishment of this study. Digit ratio have stirred considerable amount of research in relation with various traits of putatively linked to sex hormone (Putz, Gaulin, Sporter, McBurney., 2004). Known as the ratio between the second digit, which is the index finger and the fourth digit, the ring finger had shown diversified results with several researcher reported significant correlations between digit ratio and such diverse traits as fertility, sexual attitudes and orientation, status, cognitive abilities, health and athletic prowess (Manning, Churchill Peters, 2007; Coates, Gurnell Rustichini, 2009; Manning, 2002a; Manning et.al., 2007; Williams et.al., 2000). The association between pattern formation and numbers of prenatal testosterone and estrogen may lie in the actions Homeobox or Hox genes in vertebrates, including humans, the Hox gene family is vital for the differentiation of both the urinogenital system (including the testes and ovaries) and the digit (Herault, Fradeau, Zakany Ulnaless., 1997). The sexual dimorphism is determined as early as the 14th week of fetal life, and remains unchanged at puberty. In children, digit ratio has been reported to be associated with measures of fetal growth, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, developmental psychopathology, autism and Asperger’s syndrome (Manning, 2004). Hence, if digit ratio is associated to prenatal testosterone and oestrogen then the differences such as finger ratio should also be determined in utero. Thus indicate that children should reflect differentiation of digit ratio which is fundamentally the same as in adults. Preceding information of major health problems and their threat factors towards children, abundant field based fitness test batteries have been developed to assess fitness in this population. In conjunction with the issues, major reviews covering the matter involved in obtaining accurate and reliable measurements have been published and this include the application of relative length of 2nd (index finger) and 4th (ring finger) as a predictive intervention to be used in diagnosis, prognosis, and in early life-style interventions which may delay onset of disease or facilitate its early detection (Manning Bundred., 2000) Precise measurement of children’s activity is thought-provoking, as the application is characteristically irregular and recurrent; consist of regular, short sessions. However, health related fitness is notoriously difficult to measure and these difficulties are particularly exacerbated when assessing activity in children. Numerous methods exist for the measurement of health related fitness. Selection of a measurement method depends on the purpose of the evaluation, the nature of the study population, and the resources available. The various components of health related fitness can be assessed accurately in the laboratory and, in many cases, in the field by using a composite of performance tests. Valid and reliable assessment measures are critical for identifying relevant trends in the activity patterns of young people and for determining the impact of intervention programs and curriculum implementation. Measures of health related components have been used for many years with children; however, these measures may not accurately reflect levels of their health. Prenatal testosterone has been shown to stimulate anabolic process in skeletal muscle and appears to be principal hormone responsible for the development of strength. Testosterone level increases during early stage of puberty to rapid increase in mid-late puberty in boys whereas high level of oestrogen causes inhibition of muscle growth as a result of skeletal maturation (Manning, Trivers, Thornhill Singh., 2000). Muscular strength improvement among children are negatively associated with changes in overall adiposity (Ruiz et.al., 2009). Clinical and invasive muscle strength measurement of different muscle group is time consuming and a quick and simple measurement might provide a good indication of general muscle strength. Therefore, in this study the implementation of digit ratio is predicted could be used as measuring tools for muscle strength as it had been found to be correlate with prenatal testosterone which is found to be significant with strength among adult male (Fink et.al ., 2006). Furthermore, prenatal testosterone exposure is believed to have an impact on the fetal cardiovascular system with higher levels of testosterone possibly assisting in the development of more efficient running economy (Manning et. al., 2007). There is a strong evidence signifying that cardiorespiratory fitness in childhood and adolescence is a predictor of cardiovascular disease risk factors such as abnormal blood lipids, high blood pressure and overall and central adiposity later in life (Ruiz et.al.,2009). Adverse CVD (Cardiovascular Disease) risk factors during childhood also seem to track into adulthood (Andersen et.al, 2004) with evidence indicating that the main cause of CVD has their origin in childhood and adolescence (Mc.Gill et.al, 2000; Strong et.al., 1992). Therefore application of digit ratio measurement will be used in this study as a predictor to assess cardiovascular endurance among school. Rapid advancement in socioeconomics situation in many countries in Asia, including Malaysia, has resulted in significant changes in the lifestyle of communities which also affect children in this country. Obesity is associated with adverse health outcomes among both children and adults (Freedman et. al., 2001) and overweight status tends to track from childhood into adulthood (Must et.al., 1992). Due to the treatment of obesity is unsuccessful frequently; primary prevention of obesity has become an important public health priority. Many experts have recommended that public health initiatives to prevent obesity should begin with our youngest children. Therefore, digit ratio which is closely related to prenatal testosterone hormone is predicted in this study to have direct relationship towards body composition physical level among school children. 1.3 CARDIOVASCULAR ENDURANCE In studies investigating the primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases, the major component of physical fitness that has been related to cardiovascular health or risk has been cardiorespiratory fitness or capacity (also referred to as cardiovascular, aerobic, or endurance fitness or capacity). Although other components of physical fitness, such as muscle strength or endurance, may relate to some aspects of cardiovascular health, few data document these relations. One of the major reasons for measuring cardiovascular fitness in studies of the relation between physical activity and health is that habitual physical activity status is one of the major determinants of cardiovascular fitness. Other determinants include age, sex, heredity, medical status, and selected health-related behaviours (Malina Bouchard, 1989). Thus, tests of cardiovascular fitness can be used as objective, surrogate measures of physical activity status with the understanding that factors other than activity influence the results. The magnitude of the effects of these other factors is generally reduced when changes in fitness are measured to verify changes in activity status. 1.4 MUSCULAR STRENGTH Muscle strength can be measured during performance of either static or dynamic muscle contraction (Wilmore, 1989). Like muscle endurance, strength is specific to the muscle group, and therefore the testing of one muscle group does not provide accurate information about the strength of other muscle groups (Clarke, 1973). Thus, to be effective, strength testing must involve at least several major muscle groups, including the upper body, trunk, and lower body. Standard tests have included the bench press, leg extension, and biceps curl with free weights. The heaviest weight a person can lift one time through the full range of motion is considered the person’s maximum strength. 1.5 BODY COMPOSITION Obesity in children and adolescents is both predominant and increasing in developed and developing countries and is therefore deemed a major international public health issue. Moreover, obesity tracks from adolescent to adulthood with obese adolescents at increased risks of morbidity and mortality in adulthood, irrespective of adult weight status. Obesity caused by chronic energy imbalance resulting in the storing of excess energy adipose tissue. Measuring physical activity following obesity treatment is important to elucidate how treatment has impacted on behaviour that influences energy balance. 1.6PROBLEM STATEMENT During the last decades, a great deal of attention has been devoted to the fitness of children and adolescents. As a result, numerous field based test batteries have been developed to assess fitness in this population. Field test provide reasonable alternative since they are time-efficient, low in cost and equipment requirement can be easily administered to a large number of people simultaneously. However, in order for the assessment to be considered, it should measure what it is supposed to measure. Therefore, digit ratio which is found to be negatively correlating with prenatal testosterone levels in humans could be established as a valid predictor to assess health related fitness and physical activity level will be discovered in this study. Many reported relationships of digit ratio are restricted to adult population. Small amount of research relating digit ratio with children had restricted the application of this method to act as an alternative field test. Biologic development of school age children occurs intensely, unevenly and differently among individuals. Greater sensitivity to detect biological sources of variation in children ability to exert maximum muscular effort (muscular strength) and the ability of heart to deliver oxygen to working muscle and sustain for long period of time (cardiovascular endurance) is believe could be predicted by digit ratio (prenatal testosterone hormone). If digit ratio in adults correlates with prenatal testosterone, it is expected to be presented in young children as the digit ratio among individuals should not change with growth and digit ratio should show little absolute change with growth in children (Manning et. al., 1998). PURPOSE OF STUDY The purposes of this study were threefold. First was to identify the relationship of digit ratio with cardiovascular endurance among school children. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify the relationship of digit ratio with muscular endurance among school children among school children. Lastly, the purpose of study was to provide current scientific evidence based data related with digit ratio in relation with body composition among school children that could be implemented as a new measurement intervention on measuring cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and body composition among school children. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance and body composition are predicted through digit ratio are the main objectives of this study. Therefore, the objectives of this study are: To determine the relationship between digit ratio and muscular strength among public school children in Selangor. To measure the relationship between digit ratio and cardiovascular endurance among public school children in Selangor. To determine the relationship between digit ratio and body composition among public school children in Selangor. RESEARCH HYPOTHESES Based on the issues regarding muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance and body composition with digit ratio measurement that need to be addressed, the following hypotheses were formed to identify the outcome of this study. Therefore, for the purpose of this study, the hypotheses are: Ho1 : There is no significant relationship between digit ratio and muscular strength among public school children in Selangor. Ho2 : There is no significant relationship between digit ratio and cardiovascular endurance among public school children in Selangor. Ho3 : There is no significant relationship between digit ratio measurement and body composition among public school children in Selangor. SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY The outcome of this study is hope could act as an alternative approach on predicting muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance and body composition among children through implementation of simple, quick and reliable digit ratio measurement. Besides that, this study also hopes could be part of a measurement application for talent identification consideration among children especially school children. Lastly, the significance of this study is hope to provide additional information with relationship of biological marker to identify muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance and body composition among children as current biological testing to identify biological condition among children require laboratory testing only. SCOPE AND LIMITATION The scope of this study is to provide new alternative and reliable method in predicting muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance and body composition among school children in Selangor. This however will limit to only selected physical fitness test and not applicable for comparison with other physical test. Number of subjects will be used in this study is based on current student intake throughout public school in Selangor with consideration of age. Therefore, from 645 primary school in Selangor, a different amount of subject from different numbers of school may render different outcome. DEFINITION OF TERM Digit Ratio In this study, digit ratio is a relative length between the second finger (index finger) and the fourth finger (ring finger). It is sexually dimorphic with male having a lower mean compared to female and shown to be positively correlated with oestrogen and negatively correlated with prenatal testosterone. Cardiovascular Endurance A health-related component of physical endurance fitness that relates to the ability of the circulatory and respiratory systems to supply fuel during sustained physical activity and to eliminate fatigue products after supplying fuel which in this study indicate through bleep test. Muscular Strength Muscular strength is another health-related component of physical fitness that relates to the amount of external force that a muscle can exert. It is important as every human body movement require certain amount of strength in order to execute certain activities. This will be determine in this study through handgrip strength test. Body Composition Body composition refers to the combination of lean tissue and fat tissue in the body. In this study, body composition among school children will be determine through several measurement method which were the two sites skinfold measurement and body mass index in order to identify which method could be a valid predictor of body composition. Physical Activity Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscle. Physical activity can be categorized by several variables including type and intensity. In this study, every school children physical activity level will be predicted through series of fitness testing as well as digit ratio measurement in order to determine current health related component level of school children especially in Selangor. Obesity Obesity is defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Fundamental cause of obesity is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Changes in dietary and physical activity patterns are often the results of health and fitness implication among children which is also mainly the reasons why this research is conducted. Body Mass Index (BMI) Body mass index is a simplify calculation of weight-for-height that is usually used to classify overweight and obesity in adult and children. A BMI greater than or equal to 25 is oversight while BMI greater than or equal to 30 is obesity.

media :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In spite of all the freedom, technology, and human rights that some of the countries posses in this new era, the debating on media thought control and media filter is still floating around with some supporters and others opposing this fact. Although the argument by Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman was developed quite some time ago, but I believe this argument is still strongly valid at our time. Many examples to prove this argument can be given such as the media role during the war on Iraq, media coverage in the holy land for the conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis, and last but not least, the strongly influenced, and hidden hand of some people that affect media.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We all have witnessed the media propaganda carried by the US media and especially by CNN before the war on Iraq to market this war and strengthen president bush position from this war. President G.W. Bush said before going to war that the Iraqi people will welcome the American soldier with flowers and smiles. However The New Yorker wrote in one of its release â€Å"In April 2003, CNN aired footage of a marine in Baghdad who is confronted with a crowd of angry Iraqis. He shouts back in frustration, â€Å"We’re here for your f*** freedom!† George Packer, The New Yorker, November 24, 2003. The media also focused on the possibility that iraq has weapon of mass destruction to brainwash people’s opinion on this war. However they government didn’t find any proofs â€Å" We all have witnessed the media propaganda carried by the US media and especially by CNN before the war on Iraq, however the press was unable to adequately cover every second and provide detailed information about the war due to the management of the news and information provided by reporters. â€Å"One key example of this media failure is worth examining in greater detail. In Octobor 1990, testimony before the US house of Representatives Human Rights Caucus told of Iraqi atrocities, particularly how Iraqi soldiers had removed babies from incubators in a Kuwait Hospital and talem the incubators back to iraq and leaving the infants to die in the hospital floor.

Looking Glass Self Essay

In the most basic terms the Looking Glass self is your self image which is formed by the views others hold of you. These views the people around you have can have either a positive or negative effect on your self imagine. First we picture how our personality and appearance will come off to others, and then we think about how they will judge our personality and appearance. As people around us pass judgment on who we are this is when our self-concept develops, basically who we think we are and how we feel about ourselves as a whole. These judgments’ can have a powerful effect on ones beliefs and feelings about themselves. I’ve felt and been effected by the beliefs another person has about me. When I was in the 8th grade I thought I was a wonderful student, smart, well behaved. I felt as though my teachers all thought the same way. Then one day my homeroom teacher called me stupid for missing a homework assignment. To be called out in front of the class like that was horrifying. Though that wasn’t the only time an incidence like that occurred. In the 9th grade I struggled with math. I did poorly on tests, I already lacked confidence in the subject and it took one day with a substitute teacher to shatter it completely. I will never forget the words she said to me â€Å"Why can’t you finish the test? Are you stupid? † As child of any age, those words are damaging to the way you feel about yourself, and the way you think others perceive you. â€Å"Tell a child he’s stupid enough times and eventually he’ll start believing you, claims Benj Vardigan, with the Behavioral Institute. When a child makes mistakes or doesn’t understand a concept, his knee-jerk reaction may be to conclude that he’s stupid. Take that one step further and watch a child stop trying to understand or stop trying to learn a concept because he automatically assumes he can’t figure it out. † (Hatter) In A Class Divided on of the first examples of looking glass self that I picked up on was when the children came back in from recess after fighting. Mrs. Elliot asks â€Å"What’s wrong with being called brown eyes? † and a little boy, Roy, says â€Å"It means we’re stupider and – well, not that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It’s immediate how the effect of this experiment took hold. These children took to heart what their teacher, Mrs. Elliot had said, that brown eyed children are less than blue eyed children, they aren’t as smart or as well behaved. In the first day of the lesson the effects on their peers perception of them had caused so much turmoil that it caused one child to hit another, clearly the negative aspect of looking glass. In the Teaching Adults section, Mrs. Elliott describes how she gave tests before during and after the lesson on discrimination. Telling the audience that the student test scores raise on the day they are on top, scores drop when they are on the bottom and after the experiment the children’s testing scores maintain a higher level. She attributed this to the children discovering how good they are. I believe instilling a positive self-imagine in a child is one of the most important things a parent, or teacher can do. â€Å"Whether self-concept is positive or negative can influence important areas of a child’s development and achievement. Educators have recognized that there is a link between self-concept and performance in school. Students with a strong self-concept tend to have good grades and take an active role in school. They are able to accept challenges and enjoy new learning experiences. Students with a negative self-concept tend to have both attitude and behavior problems. They may be unwilling to try new things, because they believe they will fail anyway, or they may not work up to their potential. Some educators feel that a positive self-concept is so important that children need to be taught to like themselves before they are taught academic skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics. † (Myers-Walls and Hinkley)

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 21

Pandemonium. Elena whipped her head up, confused as to whether she was supposed to be the repentant slave any longer. The community leaders were all babbling at one another, pointing fingers, throwing up their hands. Damon had physically restrained the Godfather, who seemed to regard his part in the ceremony as concluded. The crowd was hooting and cheering. It looked as if there would be another fight; this time between Damon and the Godfather's men, especially the one called Clewd. Elena's head was whirling. She could catch only disjointed phrases. † – only six strokes and promised me that I could administer – † Damon was shouting. † – really think that these little flunkies tell the truth?† someone else – probably Clewd – was shouting back. But isn't that exactly what the Godfather was, too? Just a bigger, more frightening, and, undoubtedly, more efficient flunky who reported to someone higher up, and didn't cloud his mind with dope-smoke? Elena thought; and then ducked her head hastily as the fat man glanced toward her. She could hear Damon again, this time clearly above the hubbub. He was standing by the Godfather. â€Å"I had believed that even here there was some honor once a bargain was struck.† His voice made it obvious that he no longer thought negotiations were possible and that he was about to go on the attack. Elena tensed, horrified. She had never heard such open menace in his speaking voice. â€Å"Wait.† It was in the Godfather's lackadaisical tones, but it caused an instant of silence in the babble. The fat man, having removed Damon's hand from his arm, turned his head back toward Elena. â€Å"I will waive, for my part, the participation of my nephew Clewd. Diarmund, or whoever you were, you are free to punish your own slave with your own tools.† Suddenly, surprisingly, the old man was brushing bits of gold out of his beard and speaking directly to Elena. His eyes were ancient, tired, and surprisingly discerning. â€Å"Clewd is a master at whipping, you know. He has his own little invention. He calls it the cat's whiskers and one blow can flay the skin from neck to hip. Most men die from ten lashes. But I'm afraid he'll be disappointed today.† Then exposing surprisingly white and even teeth, the Godfather smiled. He extended to her the bowl of golden sweetmeats he'd been eating. â€Å"You might as well taste one before your Discipline. Go on.† Afraid to try one, afraid not to, Elena took one of the irregular pieces and popped it in her mouth. Her teeth crunched pleasantly. A walnut half! That's what the mysterious sweets were. A delicious half walnut dipped in some kind of sweet lemon syrup, with bits of hot pepper or something like that clinging to it, all gilded with that edible gold stuff. Ambrosia! The Godfather was saying to Damon, â€Å"Do your own ‘discipline,' boy. But don't neglect to teach the girl how to cover her thoughts. She has too much wit to be wasted here in a slum-brothel. But then why do I not think she wishes to become a famous courtesan at all?† Before Damon could answer or Elena look up from her genuflection, he was gone, carried by palanquin bearers to the only horse-drawn carriage Elena had seen in the slums. By now the arguing, gesticulating civic leaders, egged on by Young Drohzne, had come to a sullen agreement. â€Å"Ten lashes, and she need not strip, and you may give them,† they said. â€Å"But our final word is ten. The man who negotiated with you has no more power to argue.† Almost casually, one lifted by a tuft of hair a bodiless head. Absurdly, it was crowned with dusty leaves in anticipation of the banquet after the ceremony. Damon's eyes flared with true rage that set objects around him vibrating. Elena could feel his Power like a panther rearing back against a leash. She felt as if she were speaking against a hurricane which cast every word back into her throat. â€Å"I agree to it.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"It's over, Da – Master Damon. No more yelling. I agree.† Now, as she prostrated herself on the carpets before Drohzne, there was a sudden keening of women and children and a fusillade of pellets aimed – sometimes badly – at the smirking slave owner. The train of her dress was spread behind her like a bride's, the pearl overskirt making the underskirt a shimmering burgundy in the eternal red light. Her hair had fallen free of its high knot, making a cloud around her shoulders that Damon had to part with his hands. He was shaking. From fury. Elena didn't dare look at him, knowing that their minds would rush together. She was the one who remembered to say her formal speech before him and Young Drohzne so this entire farce would not have to be reenacted. Say it with feeling, her drama teacher, Ms. Courtland, had always excoriated the class. If there was no feeling in you there could be none in the audience. â€Å"Master!† Elena shouted in a voice that was loud enough to be heard above the women's lamentations. â€Å"Master, I am but a slave, not fit to address you. But I have trespassed and I accept my punishment eagerly – yea, eagerly, if it will restore to you but one hairsbreadth of the respectability you enjoyed before my unwonted evildoing. I beg you to punish this disgraced slave who lies like discarded offal in your gracious path.† The speech, which she had shouted in the unvarying glassy tones of someone who had been taught each word by rote, hadn't actually needed to be more than four words, â€Å"Master, I beg forgiveness.† But no one seemed to have recognized the irony that Meredith had put into it, or to find it amusing. The Godfather had accepted it; Young Drohzne had already heard it once, and now it was Damon's turn. But Young Drohzne wasn't finished yet. Smirking at Elena, he said, â€Å"Here's where you find out, Missy. But I want to see that ash rod before you use it!† – stumbling to Damon. A few practice swishes and blows to the cushions surrounding them (which filled the air with ruby-colored dust) satisfied him that the rod was all that even he could want. Mouth visibly watering, he settled on the gold couch, taking in Elena from head to toe. And finally the time had come. Damon couldn't put it off any longer. Slowly, as if every step was part of a play that he hadn't rehearsed properly, he sidled alongside Elena to get an angle. Finally, as the gathered crowd became restless, and the women showed signs of losing themselves in drink, rather than in keening, he picked his spot. â€Å"I ask forgiveness, my master,† Elena said in her no-expression voice. If left to himself, she thought, he wouldn't even have remembered the necessities. Now, indeed, was the time. Elena knew what Damon had promised her. She also knew that a lot of promises had been broken that day. For one thing, ten was almost twice six. She wasn't looking forward to this. But when the first blow came, she knew that Damon wasn't one of the promise-breakers. She felt a dull thud, and a numbness, and then, curiously, a wetness which had her glancing up through the latticework of boards above them for clouds. It was disconcerting to realize that the wetness was her own blood, spilled without pain, running down her side. â€Å"Make her count them,† Young Drohzne slurred in a snarl, and Elena said â€Å"One† automatically, before Damon could put up a fight. Elena went on counting in the same clear, unaffected voice. In her mind she wasn't here, in this foul-smelling horrible gutter at all. She was lying with her elbows propped up to support her face, and looking down into Stefan's eyes – those spring-green eyes that would never be old, no matter how many centuries he accumulated. She was dreamily counting for him, and ten would be their signal to jump up and begin the race. It was raining gently, but Stefan was giving her a handicap, and soon, soon she would scramble off him and run away through lush green grass. She would make this a fair race and really put her muscle into it, but Stefan, of course, would catch her. Then they would go down on the grass together, laughing and laughing as if they were having hysterics. As for the vague, far-off sounds of wolflike leers and drunken snarls, even they were gradually changing. It all had to do with some silly dream about Damon and an ash rod. In the dream, Damon was swinging hard enough to satisfy the most exacting of onlookers, and the blows, which Elena could hear in the increasing silence, sounded more than hard enough, and made her feel a bit nauseated when she reflected that they were the sound of her own skin splitting, but she felt no more than dull cuffs up and down her back. And Stefan was drawing up her hand to kiss! â€Å"I'll always be yours,† Stefan said. â€Å"We belong together every time you dream.† I'll always be yours, Elena told him silently, knowing he would get the message. I may not be able to dream of you all the time, but I am always with you. Always, my angel. I'm waiting for you, Stefan said. Elena heard her own voice say â€Å"Ten,† and Stefan kissed her hand again and was gone. Blinking, bewildered, and confused by the sudden inrush of noises, she sat cautiously up, looking around. Young Drohzne was hunched into himself, blind with fury, disappointment, and more liquor than even he could stand up under. The wailing women had long ago gone silent, awed. The children were the only ones who still made any noise, climbing up and down on the boards, whispering to one another and running if Elena should happen to glance their way. And then, with an entire lack of ceremony, it was over. When Elena first stood up the world made a complete double circle around her and her legs folded. Damon caught her, and called to the few young men still conscious and inclined to look at him, â€Å"Give me a cape.† It wasn't a request, and the best-dressed of the men, who seemed to have been slumming, tossed him a heavy cape, black, lined with greenish blue, and said, â€Å"Keep it. The performance – marvelous. Is it a hypnotist's act?† â€Å"No performance,† Damon snarled, in a voice that stopped the other slummers in the act of holding out business cards. â€Å"Take them,† Elena whispered. Damon snatched up the cards in one hand, ungraciously. But Elena forced herself to toss the hair off her face and smile slowly, heavy-lidded, at the young men. They smiled somewhat timidly back. â€Å"When you – ah – perform again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You'll hear,† Elena called to them. Damon was already carrying her back to Dr. Meggar, surrounded by the inevitable entourage of children plucking at their cloaks. It was only then that it occurred to Elena to wonder why Damon had asked for a cloak from some strangers, when he, in fact, was already wearing one. â€Å"They will be having ceremonies somewhere, now that there are this many of them,† Mrs. Flowers said in genteel distress as she and Matt sat and sipped herbal tea in the boardinghouse parlour. It was dinnertime, but still quite light outside. â€Å"Ceremonies to do what?† Matt asked. He had never made it to his parents' house since he'd left Damon and Elena more than a week ago to come back to Fell's Church. He'd stopped by Meredith's house, which was on the edge of town, and she'd convinced him to come by Mrs. Flowers's first. After the conversation the three of them had had with Bonnie, Matt had decided it was best to be â€Å"invisible.† His family would be safer if no one knew that he was still in Fell's Church. He would live at the boardinghouse, but none of the children who were making all the trouble would realize that. Then, with Bonnie and Meredith safely gone to meet Damon and Elena, Matt could be a sort of secret operative. Now he almost wished he'd gone with the girls. Trying to be a secret operative in a place where all the enemies seemed to be able to hear and see better than you could, as well as to move much faster, hadn't turned out to be nearly as helpful as it had sounded. He spent reading most of the time the Internet blogs that Meredith had marked, looking for clues that might do them some good. But he hadn't read of the need for any kind of ceremonies. He turned to Mrs. Flowers as she thoughtfully sipped her tea. â€Å"Ceremonies for what?† he repeated. With her soft white hair and her gentle face and vague, amiable blue eyes, Mrs. Flowers looked like the most harmless little old lady in the world. She wasn't. A witch by birth, and a gardener by vocation, she knew as much about black magic herbal toxins as about white magic healing poultices. â€Å"Oh, doing generally unpleasant things,† she replied sadly, staring into the tea leaves in her cup. â€Å"They're partly like pep rallies, you know, to get everyone all worked up. They probably also do some small black magic there. Some of it is by way of blackmail and brainwashing – they can tell any new converts that they are guilty now by reason of attending the meetings. They might as well give in and become fully initiated†¦that sort of thing. Very unpleasant.† â€Å"But what kind of unpleasant?† Matt persisted. â€Å"I really don't know, dear. I never went to one of them.† Matt considered. It was almost 7:00, which was curfew for children under eighteen. Eighteen seemed to be the oldest that a child could be and become possessed. Of course, it wasn't an official curfew. The sheriff's department seemed to have no idea of how to deal with the curious disease that was working its way through the young girls of Fell's Church. Scare them straight? It was the police that were frightened. One young sheriff had come tearing out of the Ryan house to be sick after seeing how Karen Ryan had bitten off the heads of her pet mice and what she had done with the rest of them. Lock them away? The parents wouldn't hear of it, no matter how bad their child's behavior was, how obvious it was that their kid needed help. Children who were towed off to the next town for an appointment with a psychiatrist sat demurely and spoke calmly and logically†¦for the entire fifty minutes of their appointment. Then, on their way back they took revenge, repeating everything their parents said in perfect mimicry, making startlingly real-sounding animal noises, holding conversations with themselves in Asian-sounding languages, or even resorting to the clich but still chilling backward-talking routine. Neither ordinary discipline nor ordinary medical science seemed to have an answer to the childrens' problem. But what frightened parents the most was when their sons and daughters would disappear. Early on, it was assumed that the children went to the cemetery, but when adults tried to follow them to one of their secret meetings, they found the cemetery empty – even down to Honoria Fell's secret crypt. The children seemed to have simply†¦vanished. Matt thought he knew the answer to this conundrum. That thicket of the Old Wood still standing near the cemetery. Either Elena's powers of purification had not reached this far, or the place was so malevolent that it had been able to resist her cleansing. And, as Matt knew well, the Old Woods were completely under the domination of the kitsune by now. You could take two steps into the thicket and spend the rest of your life trying to get out. â€Å"But maybe I'm young enough to follow them in,† he said now to Mrs. Flowers. â€Å"I know Tom Pierler goes with them and he's my age. And then so were the ones who started it: Caroline gave it to Jim Bryce, who gave it to Isobel Saitou.† Mrs. Flowers looked abstracted. â€Å"We should ask Isobel's grandmother for more of those Shinto wards against evil she blessed,† she said. â€Å"Do you think you could do that sometime, Matt? Soon we'll have to ready ourselves for a barricade, I'm afraid.† â€Å"Is that what the tea leaves say?† â€Å"Yes, dear, and they agree with what my poor old head says, too. You might want to pass the word on to Dr. Alpert as well so she can get her daughter and grandchildren out of town before it's too late.† â€Å"I'll give her the message, but I think it's going to be pretty hard tearing Tyrone away from Deborah Koll. He's really stuck on her – hey, maybe Dr. Alpert can get the Kolls to leave, too.† â€Å"Maybe she can. That would mean a few less children to worry about,† Mrs. Flowers said, taking Matt's cup to peer into it. â€Å"I'll do it.† It was weird, Matt thought. He had three allies now in Fell's Church and they were all women over sixty. One was Mrs. Flowers, still vigorous enough to be up every morning taking a walk and doing her gardening; one was Obaasan – confined to bed, tiny and doll-like, with her black hair held up in a bun – who was always ready with advice from the years she had spent as a shrine maiden; and the last was Dr. Alpert, Fell's Church's local doctor, who had iron gray hair, burnished dark brown skin, and an absolutely pragmatic attitude about everything, including magic. Unlike the police, she refused to deny what was happening in front of her, and did her best to help alleviate the fears of the children as well as to advise the terrified parents. A witch, a priestess, and a doctor. Matt figured that he had all his bases covered, especially since he also knew Caroline, the original patient in this case – whether it was possession by foxes or wolves or both, plus something else. â€Å"I'll go to the meeting tonight,† he said firmly. â€Å"The kids have been whispering and contacting each other all day. I'll hide in the afternoon someplace where I can see them going into the thicket. Then I'll follow – as long as Caroline or – God help us, Shinichi or Misao – isn't with them.† Mrs. Flowers poured him another cup of tea. â€Å"I'm very worried about you, Matt, dear. It seems to me to be a day of bad omens. Not the sort of day to take chances.† â€Å"Does your mom have anything to say about it?† Matt asked, genuinely interested. Mrs. Flowers's mother had died sometime around the beginning of the 1900s, but that hadn't stopped her from communicating with her daughter. â€Å"Well, that's just the thing. I haven't heard a word from her all day. I'll just try one more time.† Mrs. Flowers shut her eyes, and Matt could see her crepe-textured eyelids move around as she presumably looked for her mother or tried to go into a trance or something. Matt drank his tea and finally began to play a game on his mobile. At last Mrs. Flowers opened her eyes again and sighed. â€Å"Dear Mama (she always said it that way, with the accent on the second syllable) is being fractious today. I just can't get her to give me a clear answer. She does say that the meeting will be very noisy, and then very silent. And it's clear that she feels it will be very dangerous as well. I think I'd better go with you, my dear.† â€Å"No, no! If your mother thinks it's that dangerous I won't even try it,† Matt said. The girls would skin him alive if anything happened to Mrs. Flowers, he thought. Better to play it safe. Mrs. Flowers sat back in her chair, seeming relieved. â€Å"Well,† she said at last, â€Å"I suppose I'd better get to my weeding. I have mugwort to cut and dry, too. And blueberries should be ripe by now, as well. How time flies.† â€Å"Well, you're cooking for me and all,† Matt said. â€Å"I wish you'd let me pay you bed and board.† â€Å"I could never forgive myself! You are my guest, Matt. As well as my friend, I do so hope.† â€Å"Absolutely. Without you, I'd be lost. And I'll just take a walk around the edge of town. I need to burn off some energy. I wish – † He broke off suddenly. He'd started to say he wished he could shoot a few hoops with Jim Bryce. But Jim wouldn't be shooting hoops again – ever. Not with his mutilated hands. â€Å"I'll just go out and take a walk,† he said. â€Å"Yes,† said Mrs. Flowers. â€Å"Please, Matt dear, be careful. Remember to take a jacket or Windbreaker.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am.† It was early August, hot and humid enough to walk around in swimming briefs. But Matt had been raised to treat little old ladies in a certain way – even if they were witches and in most things sharp as the X-acto knife he slipped into his pocket as he left the boardinghouse. He went outside, then, by a side route, down to the cemetery. Now, if he just went over there, where the ground dipped down below the thicket, he'd have a good view of anyone going into the last remnant of the Old Wood while no one on the path below could see him from any angle. He hurried toward his chosen hide noiselessly, ducking behind tombstones, keeping alert for any change in birdsong, which would indicate that the children were coming. But the only birdsong was the raucous shriek of crows in the thicket and he saw no one at all – – until he slipped into his hideout. Then he found himself face-to-face with a drawn gun, and, behind that, the face of Sheriff Rich Mossberg. The first words out of the officer's mouth seemed to come entirely by rote, as if someone had pulled a string on a twentieth-century talking doll. â€Å"Matthew Jeffrey Honeycutt, I hereby arrest you for assault and battery upon Caroline Beula Forbes. You have the right to remain silent – â€Å" â€Å"And so do you,† Matt hissed. â€Å"But not for long! Hear those crows all taking off at once? The kids are coming to the Old Wood! And they're close!† Sheriff Mossberg was one of those people who never stop speaking until they are finished, so by this time he was saying: â€Å"Do you understand these rights?† â€Å"No, sir! Mi ne komprenas Dumbtalk!† A wrinkle appeared between the sheriff's eyebrows. â€Å"Is that Italian lingo you're trying on me?† â€Å"It's Esperanto – we don't have time! There they are – and, oh, God, Shinichi's with them!† The last sentence was spoken in the barest of whispers as Matt lowered his head, peeking through the tall weeds at the edge of the cemetery without stirring them. Yes, it was Shinichi, hand in hand with a little girl of maybe twelve. Matt recognized her vaguely: she lived up near Ridgemont. Now, what was her name? Betsy, Becca†¦? There was a faint anguished sound from Sheriff Mossberg. â€Å"My niece,† he breathed, surprising Matt that he could speak so softly. â€Å"That, in fact, is my niece, Rebecca!† â€Å"Okay, just stay still and hang on,† Matt whispered. There was a line of children following behind Shinichi just as if he were some sort of Satanic Pied Piper, with his red-tipped black hair shining and his golden eyes laughing in the late-afternoon sunlight. The children were giggling and singing, some of them in sweet nursery school voices, a remarkably twisted version of â€Å"Seven Little Rabbits.† Matt felt his mouth go dry. It was agony to watch them march into the forest thicket, like watching lambs riding up a ramp into an abattoir. He had to commend the sheriff for not trying to shoot Shinichi. That would really have caused all hell to break loose. But then, just as Matt's head was sagging in relief as the last of the children entered the thicket, he jerked it back up again. Sheriff Mossberg was preparing to get up. â€Å"No!† Matt grabbed his wrist. The sheriff pulled away. â€Å"I have to go in there! He's got my niece!† â€Å"He won't kill her. They don't kill the children. I don't know why, but they don't.† â€Å"You heard what sort of filth he was teaching them. He'll sing a different tune when he sees a semiautomatic Glock pistol aimed at his head.† â€Å"Listen,† Matt said, â€Å"you've got to arrest me, right? I demand that you arrest me. But don't go into that Wood!† â€Å"I don't see any proper Wood,† the sheriff said with disdain. â€Å"There's barely room in that stand of oak trees for all those kids to sit down. If you want to be of some use in your life, you can grab one or two of the little ones as they come running out.† â€Å"Running out?† â€Å"When they see me, they're going to scatter. Probably burst out in all directions, but some of 'em will take the path they used to go in. Now are you going to help or not?† â€Å"Not, sir,† Matt said slowly and firmly. â€Å"And – and, look – look, I'm begging you not to go in there! Believe me, I know what I'm talking about!† â€Å"I don't know what kind of dope you're on, kid, but in fact I don't have time to talk any more right now. And if you try to stop me again† – he swung the Glock to cover Matt – â€Å"I'll cite you for another account of trying to obstruct justice. Get it?† â€Å"Yeah, I get it,† Matt said, feeling tired. He slumped back into the hide as the officer, making surprisingly little noise, slipped out and made his way down to the thicket. Then Sheriff Rich Mossberg strode in between the trees and was lost to Matt's field of vision. Matt sat in the hide and sweated for an hour. He was having trouble staying awake when there was a disturbance in the thicket and Shinichi came out, leading the laughing, singing children. Sheriff Mossberg didn't come out with them.

The eNotes Blog 12 of the Most Beautiful Libraries in theWorld

12 of the Most Beautiful Libraries in theWorld If youre not already a regular library goer, it may be time to reconsider your book-gathering habits- libraries are some of the  best places  in the world. (This is coming from a purely unbiased stance, of course.) First, they provide free books. Let me repeat that: Free. Books. Secondly, libraries can be  places of astounding architectural beauty, rich with historical significance. Here are some of the  biggest and most beautiful free-book-dispensers  from around the world. The Admont Library  in  Admont (Austria) The fact that this library is built in the foothills of the Alps basically makes it a staple on  any list of  places to visit in Austria. The library itself is the second-largest monastery library in the world. Designed 1776 in late Baroque style by architect Joseph Hueber, the building features artwork by some of the most premier artists of the time, including Bartolomeo Altomonte. George Peabody Library  in  Baltimore (Maryland, U.S.) Predictably, the structure was funded by philanthropist George Peabody.  He proposed the creation of the library to be a thank you gift to the people of Baltimore for their kindness and hospitality for the duration of his time in the city. The Peabody Stack Room is particularly famous for its five-tier atrium with wrought-iron balconies and sweeping, graceful columns. The building is so grand and so beautiful that it has become a popular setting for weddings and other special events. Clementinum in  Prague (Czech Republic) The Clementinum is  most famous for  the Library Hall which is heavily (but not  too heavily) decorated with Baroque art and architecture primarily in the form of murals and sculpture.  According to legend, when the Jesuits began their formation of the library in 1622, they had only one book, but by the time they were done, their collection boasted 20,000 volumes. The Royal Library  in  Copenhagen Impressively known as The Black Diamond, this library manages to live up to both of its upperclass names. A more recently constructed library, built in just 1999, The Royal Library is composed of steel, glass, and black granite. Within the library, in addition to its thousands and thousands of books, the building also contains a concert hall and a famous cafà ©, so make sure to enjoy a nice cup of coffee while you take in some sweeping views of the Copenhagen harbor. Library of Congress  in  Washington D.C. (U.S.) When the original library burned down in 1814, Thomas Jefferson made sure to pepper the new one with books from his own, far more numerous, collection. A mosaic of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, stands above the main reading room and casts its glow. The library houses thousands of books, scrolls, torches- you name it- and is home also to one of only forty remaining Gutenberg Bibles. In addition to all that, there is also a concert hall and a series of exclusive and rotating exhibits (including  the original Bill of Rights, for example). Central Library  in  Vancouver  (Canada) Even a brief glance at the Central Library will remind  you  of other  iconic buildings- for instance, the Colosseum- just a little bit more modern. Patrons enter the building through a big, sky-lit concourse full of shops and cafà ©s in addition to the more expected presence of books. Bridges throughout this central structure of the library branch into outer regions filled with spots to study and smaller rooms for meetings and whatnot. New York Public Library  in  New York City (U.S.) The New York Public Library is about as big and grand as you might expect a classic building in New York City to be, complete with massive windows, glittering chandeliers, and a reading room so large it spans two city blocks. Even if you dont feel like reading, the librarys halls are painted with elaborate and wonderful murals from various time periods. Marciana Library  in  Venice (Italy) Built in Venice circa 1537 (and not completed for fifty years after construction began), the Marciana Library is one of the oldest remaining libraries in all of Italy. Paintings, murals, and sculptures by Italian Renaissance artists (Alessandro Vittoria, Titian, and Tintoretto to name a few) cover walls, ceilings, and podiums throughout the library. The librarys vast collection contains 750,000 books, 13,000 manuscripts, and 24,000 prints. A literary amassment of this proportion seems almost too great to imagine, but we can assume that it was made possible by the 1603 Italian law that required printers to donate one copy of every work published to their local library. *Tours led in English are available upon request Stuttgart City Library in Stuttgart (Germany) For those who are less enthused by old-timey architecture, never fear, there are some amazing modern libraries too! The Stuttgart, for example, is about as modern as it gets. From the outside, during the day, the building resembles something like  a big, nine-story cube. At sunset, the librarys glass bricks take on a dusky hue, and after hours these unique building blocks are lit by blue lights. Inside, the building is entirely white, and houses an impressive five-story reading room shaped like an upside-down pyramid. Outside this pyramid-esque structure, the library contains a number of meeting rooms, cafà ©s, and a rooftop terrace. Also intriguing is the Library for Insomniacs feature; there is a small collection of books available 24 hours a day for late-night library patrons. Seattle Public Library  in  Seattle (Washington State, U.S.) Architects Rem Koolhaas and   Joshua Prince-Ramus took on a more out-of-the-box approach to designing this library. They decided to center their focus on the interior functionality of the building and letting the exterior sort offall into place. As a result, patrons of the library are greeted by a large building cased primarily in glass faà §ades, allowing for primarily natural light to filter into the library on almost all floors. Fans of non-fiction literature can follow the book spiral: a shelf of books that spirals up four floors on a gentle incline. Visitors will also be treated with thematic floors, like the librarys all-red (legitimately painted all-red) fourth floor. Connemara Public Library in Chennai (India) The Connemara Public Library is just one building in what is a much larger cultural complex in Southeastern India. (This complex is complete with a theater, a museum, and a larger art gallery in addition to the library.) While it was established as long ago as 1896, the library continues to receive copies of all books, periodicals, and newspapers published in India- we can imagine that at this point, the sheer volume of this collection is staggering. The buildings circular entrance opens into a stately reading room with elaborately decorated ceilings. Throughout the library, bibliophiles are treated to ornate artwork, teak balconies, and stained-glass windows. Mortlock Wing State Library  in  Adelaide  (Australia) As far as libraries go, at least amongst the libraries on this rather short list, the Mortlock isnt particularly big with its two floors. But what it may lack in size is made up for in style (quality over quantity and all that) and a collection of important books and periodicals. The artistic highlight of this stately library is the massive Dent and Sons clock hung high at the end of the Reading Room, plated in wrought iron and set in a golden-ornamented balcony. The ceilings glass dome also serves to add to the librarys artistry and openness, allowing for Australias natural light to filter down on book-loving patrons.

Gone Baby Gone Movie

Gone Baby Gone Movie Introduction In the film, Gone Baby Gone, various aspects of the community have been highlighted. Corruption and conspiracy are some of the negative aspects of the community that the film has used as one of its main themes. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Gone Baby Gone Movie specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Corruption is the act of conducting a transaction or an action in a manner that is not consistent with the normal rules and regulations in order to achieve personal gains. Corruption has been present in the society for many centuries now. The process of corruption is characterised by individuals gaining their personal benefits at the expense of others. This paper will therefore critically analyze corruption by using the film, Gone Baby Gone as the basis for its arguments. It will analyse the nature of corruption and conspiracy and the involvement of public officials and other members of the public commit the ac t. Corruption in the Society In the film, Gone Baby Gone, detectives are working hard to solve the mystery of a lost child, Amanda. From the background check, the parents of the child are not financially stable. In addition, the mother of the child, Helene, is a drug addict. Due to her condition, one can easily conclude that she is not capable of taking good care of her daughter. On the other hand, her boyfriend, Ray, is involved in a lot of shady deals. He is believed to have stolen some money from a local drug lord, Cheese, a move that may have resulted to Amanda`s kidnapping. Amanda`s aunt is the one who reports the case and hires private detectives to solve the mystery. All through the movie, a number of kidnappings are reported, most of which end up unresolved. The main reason why these cases go unresolved is due to the high level of corruption that surrounds our societies. This vice has found its way into key organizations such as the justice and defence system. As a result, quite a good number of public officials such as the police, lawyers, judges, politicians and normal residents have become part and parcel of the vice. This has led to the organization and implementation of shady deals that involves public officials, gangs and normal residents. Due to the complexity of these organised crimes, it is almost impossible to solve these cases by individuals without a lot of influence.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In New York for example, over 80, 000 cases of kidnappings are reported annually, most of which go unresolved. Most of these kidnappers ask for ransoms but the hostages are never recovered. In certain cases, only the bodies of the victims are found later on after a long investigation. This raises the following questions: Why are these cases hard to solve? What is the main objective of the kidnappers? Why are the law enforcement o fficials reluctant to solve the case? The film, Gone Baby Gone came up with some of these answers. Towards the end, the private investigator managed to put up clues and discovered that the investigators and the chief detective of the case fabricated most of the evidence and leads that they were working on. In addition, the kidnapping of Amanda was staged since one of the private investigators discovered that she was living with the chief detective of the case who had lost a child several years back. Amanda`s aunt, who had reported the case was also involved as she wanted to get away with the alleged stolen drug money. All these individuals committed this crime for their personal gains at the expense of Amanda and her mother. Conclusion Such cases are common in the real world. Due to their complexity, it is difficult to solve them. To ensure that the society is free from such vices, a lot of reforms need to be put in place. This includes strict laws and severe punishment to the in dividuals who commit such crimes. As a result, our societies will become better places to live in.

The 6 Scientific Method Steps and How to Use Them

The 6 Scientific Method Steps and How to Use Them SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips When you’re faced with a scientific problem, solving it can seem like an impossible prospect. There are so many possible explanations for everything we see and experience- how can you possibly make sense of them all? Science has a simple answer: the scientific method. The scientific method is a method of asking and answering questions about the world. These guiding principles give scientists a model to work through when trying to understand the world, but where did that model come from, and how does it work? In this article, we’ll define the scientific method, discuss its long history, and cover each of the scientific method steps in detail. What Is the Scientific Method? At its most basic, the scientific method is a procedure for conducting scientific experiments. It’s a set model that scientists in a variety of fields can follow, going from initial observation to conclusion in a loose but concrete format. The number of steps varies, but the process begins with an observation, progresses through an experiment, and concludes with analysis and sharing data. One of the most important pieces to the scientific method is skepticism- the goal is to find truth, not to confirm a particular thought. That requires reevaluation and repeated experimentation, as well as examining your thinking through rigorous study. There are in fact multiple scientific methods, as the basic structure can be easily modified.The one we typically learn about in school isthe basic method, based inlogic and problem solving, typically used in â€Å"hard† science fields like biology, chemistry, and physics. It may vary in other fields, such as psychology, but the basic premise of making observations, testing, and continuing to improve a theory from the results remain the same. The History of the Scientific Method The scientific method as we know it today is based on thousands of years of scientific study. Its development goes all the way back to ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, and India. The Ancient World In ancient Greece, Aristotle devised an inductive-deductive process, which weighs broad generalizations from data against conclusions reached by narrowing down possibilities from a general statement. However, he favored deductive reasoning, as it identifies causes, which he saw as more important. Aristotle wrote a great deal about logic and many of his ideas about reasoning echo those found in the modern scientific method, such as ignoring circular evidence and limiting the number of middle terms between the beginning of an experiment and the end. Though his model isn’t the one that we use today, the reliance on logic and thorough testing are still key parts of science today. The Middle Ages The next big step toward the development of the modern scientific method came in the Middle Ages, particularly in the Islamic world. Ibn al-Haytham, a physicist from what we now know as Iraq, developed a method of testing, observing, and deducing for his research on vision. al-Haytham was critical of Aristotle’s lack of inductive reasoning, which played an important role in his own research. Other scientists, including AbÃ… « RayhÄ n al-BÄ «rÃ… «nÄ «, Ibn Sina, and Robert Grosseteste also developed models of scientific reasoning to test their own theories. Though they frequently disagreed with one another and Aristotle, those disagreements and refinements of their methods led to the scientific method we have today. Following those major developments, particularly Grosseteste’s work, Roger Bacon developed his own cycle of observation (seeing that something occurs), hypothesis (making a guess about why that thing occurs), experimentation (testing that the thing occurs), and verification (an outside person ensuring that the result of the experiment is consistent). After joining the Franciscan Order, Bacon was granted a special commission to write about science; typically, Friars were not allowed to write books or pamphlets. With this commission, Bacon outlined important tenets of the scientific method, including causes of error, methods of knowledge, and the differences between speculative and experimental science. He also used his own principles to investigate the causes of a rainbow, demonstrating the method’s effectiveness. Scientific Revolution Throughout the Renaissance, more great thinkers became involved in devising a thorough, rigorous method of scientific study. Francis Bacon brought inductive reasoning further into the method, whereas Descartes argued that the laws of the universe meant that deductive reasoning was sufficient. Galileo’s research was also inductive reasoning-heavy, as he believed that researchers could not account for every possible variable; therefore, repetition was necessary to eliminate faulty hypotheses and experiments. All of this led to the birth of the Scientific Revolution, which took place during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In 1660, a group of philosophers and physicians joined together to work on scientific advancement. After approval from England’s crown, the group became known as the Royal Society, which helped create a thriving scientific community and an early academic journal to help introduce rigorous study and peer review. Previous generations of scientists had touched on the importance of induction and deduction, but Sir Isaac Newton proposed that both were equally important. This contribution helped establish the importance of multiple kinds of reasoning, leading to more rigorous study. As science began to splinter into separate areas of study, it became necessary to define different methods for different fields. Karl Popper was a leader in this area- he established that science could be subject to error, sometimes intentionally. This was particularly tricky for â€Å"soft† sciences like psychology and social sciences, which require different methods. Popper’s theories furthered the divide between sciences like psychology and â€Å"hard† sciences like chemistry or physics. Paul Feyerabend argued that Popper’s methods were too restrictive for certain fields, and followed a less restrictive method hinged on â€Å"anything goes,† as great scientists had made discoveries without the Scientific Method. Feyerabend suggested that throughout history scientists had adapted their methods as necessary, and that sometimes it would be necessary to break the rules. This approach suited social and behavioral scientists particularly well, leading to a more diverse range of models for scientists in multiple fields to use. The Scientific Method Steps Though different fields may have variations on the model, the basic scientific method is as follows: #1: Make Observations Notice something, such as the air temperature during the winter, what happens when ice cream melts, or how your plants behave when you forget to water them. #2: Ask a Question Turn your observation into a question. Why is the temperature lower during the winter? Why does my ice cream melt? Why does my toast always fall butter-side down? This step can also include doing some research. You may be able to find answers to these questions already, but you can still test them! #3: Make a Hypothesis A hypothesis is an educated guess of the answer to your question. Why does your toast always fall butter-side down? Maybe it’s because the butter makes that side of the bread heavier. A good hypothesis leads to a prediction that you can test, phrased as an if/then statement. In this case, we can pick something like, â€Å"If toast is buttered, then it will hit the ground butter-first.† #4: Experiment Your experiment is designed to test whether your predication about what will happen is true. A good experiment will test one variable at a time- for example, we’re trying to test whether butter weighs down one side of toast, making it more likely to hit the ground first. The unbuttered toast is our control variable. If we determine the chance that a slice of unbuttered toast, marked with a dot, will hit the ground on a particular side, we can compare those results to our buttered toast to see if there’s a correlation between the presence of butter and which way the toast falls. If we decided not to toast the bread, that would be introducing a new question- whether or not toasting the bread has any impact on how it falls. Since that’s not part of our test, we’ll stick with determining whether the presence of butter has any impact on which side hits the ground first. #5: Analyze Data After our experiment, we discover that both buttered toast and unbuttered toast have a 50/50 chance of hitting the ground on the buttered or marked side when dropped from a consistent height, straight down. It looks like our hypothesis was incorrect- it’s not the butter that makes the toast hit the ground in a particular way, so it must be something else. Since we didn’t get the desired result, it’s back to the drawing board. Our hypothesis wasn’t correct, so we’ll need to start fresh. Now that you think about it, your toast seems to hit the ground butter-first when it slides off your plate, not when you drop it from a consistent height. That can be the basis for your new experiment. #6: Communicate Your Results Good science needs verification. Your experiment should be replicable by other people, so you can put together a report about how you ran your experiment to see if other peoples’ findings are consistent with yours. This may be useful for class or a science fair. Professional scientists may publish their findings in scientific journals, where other scientists can read and attempt their own versions of the same experiments. Being part of a scientific community helps your experiments be stronger because other people can see if there are flaws in your approach- such as if you tested with different kinds of bread, or sometimes used peanut butter instead of butter- that can lead you closer to a good answer. A Scientific Method Example: Falling Toast We’ve run through a quick recap of the scientific method steps, but let’s look a little deeper by trying again to figure out why toast so often falls butter side down. #1: Make Observations At the end of our last experiment, where we learned that butter doesn’t actually make toast more likely to hit the ground on that side, we remembered that the times when our toast hits the ground butter side first are usually when it’s falling off a plate. #2: Ask a Question The easiest question we can ask is, â€Å"Why is that?† We can actually search this online and find a pretty detailed answer as to why this is true. But we’re budding scientists- we want to see it in action and verify it for ourselves! After all, good science should be replicable, and we have all the tools we need to test out what’s really going on. #3: Make a Hypothesis Why do we think that buttered toast hits the ground butter-first? We know it’s not because it’s heavier, so we can strike that out. Maybe it’s because of the shape of our plate? That’s something we can test. We’ll phrase our hypothesis as, â€Å"If my toast slides off my plate, then it will fall butter-side down.† #4: Experiment Just seeing that toast falls off a plate butter-side down isn’t enough for us. We want to know why, so we’re going to take things a step further- we’ll set up a slow-motion camera to capture what happens as the toast slides off the plate. We’ll run the test ten times, each time tilting the same plate until the toast slides off. We’ll make note of each time the butter side lands first and see what’s happening on the video so we can see what’s going on. #5: Analyze Data When we review the footage, we’ll likely notice that the bread starts to flip when it slides off the edge, changing how it falls in a way that didn’t happen when we dropped it ourselves. That answers our question, but it’s not the complete picture- how do other plates affect how often toast hits the ground butter-first? What if the toast is already butter-side down when it falls? These are things we can test in further experiments with new hypotheses! #6: Communicate Your Results Now that we have results, we can share them with others who can verify our results. As mentioned above, being part of the scientific community can lead to better results. If your results were wildly different from the established thinking about buttered toast, that might be cause for reevaluation. If they’re the same, they might lead others to make new discoveries about buttered toast. At the very least, you have a cool experiment you can share with your friends! Key Scientific Method Tips Though science can be complex, the benefit of the scientific method is that it gives you an easy-to-follow means of thinking about why and how things happen. To use it effectively, keep these things in mind! Don’t Worry About Proving Your Hypothesis One of the important things to remember about the scientific method is that it’s not necessarily meant to prove your hypothesis right. It’s great if you do manage to guess the reason for something right the first time, but the ultimate goal of an experiment is to find the true reason for your observation to occur, not to prove your hypothesis right. Good science sometimes means that you’re wrong. That’s not a bad thing- a well-designed experiment with an unanticipated result can be just as revealing, if not more, than an experiment that confirms your hypothesis. Be Prepared to Try Again If the data from your experiment doesn’t match your hypothesis, that’s not a bad thing. You’ve eliminated one possible explanation, which brings you one step closer to discovering the truth. The scientific method isn’t something you’re meant to do exactly once to prove a point. It’s meant to be repeated and adapted to bring you closer to a solution. Even if you can demonstrate truth in your hypothesis, a good scientist will run an experiment again to be sure that the results are replicable. You can even tweak a successful hypothesis to test another factor, such as if we redid our buttered toast experiment to find out whether different kinds of plates affect whether or not the toast falls butter-first. The more we test our hypothesis, the stronger it becomes! What’s Next? Want to learn more about the scientific method? These important high school science classes will no doubt cover it in a variety of different contexts. Test your ability to follow the scientific method using these at-home science experiments for kids! Need some proof that science is fun? Try making slime!

Baptism in Fifth Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Baptism in Fifth Business - Essay Example This idea did not take hold in the religions of the Graeco-Roman world, but firmly established itself in Judaism. It is from there that baptism became an important part of the Western tradition.   Ã‚  According to the Hebrew Bible a person can become 'unclean' for the purposes of performing various rituals by contact with certain substances vile in the opinion of ancient Hebrew priests, for example semen (Lev 15:13-17) or menstrual blood (Lev 15:19-30). In some way this must have begun as a practical consideration, but it soon took on a more symbolic use as the practical action became a ritual, and the logic of the ritual became more extensive. The high priest was able, through analogy, to be baptized for the entire community and wash away their sins which rendered them unclean for ritual purposes and thus unfit for worshiping Yahweh (Lev 16:24).   Although this ritual action of baptism has a metaphorical basis, it remained part of the 'nuts and bolts' of religious action. Christ ianity moved it to a different sphere. Although the program of John the Baptist is far from clear, he seems to have carried out the traditional baptism for cleaning away the sins of the nation, but believed that the nation as a whole, rather than merely the high priest, had to be baptized (Matt 3; Lk 3; Jn 1:19-36). At some point between John's baptizing and the writing of the Gospels, baptism took on a spiritual dimension so that it would not only wash away uncleanness and sin, preparing one for ritual action, but was meant to transform.

Research Methods in Business Studies Assignment - 1

Research Methods in Business Studies - Assignment Example This means that all themes that come with the results of the study are outlined and discussed in this chapter. Some of the themes that the chapter will look includes data collection, which explains how the research design was operationalized, data gathering, which explains the actual process of collecting data, data analysis, which presents and analyses data, sampling selection, which throws light on how the sample used in the study was constructed, and survey participants demographic classification, which gives the unique demographic characteristics of the participants used in the study. The results chapter of the study is expected to give an overall view of what the real situation on the ground is, as far as the issue of EMR adoption in China is concerned. This is because it is through the results chapter that what participants who are directly affected or part of the situation give out information on what they perceive about the research problem (Ghauri and Gronhaung, 2002). Gill and Johnson (2007) noted that the data collection process defines the overall plan used in for the collection of data (Hussey and Hussey, 2007). By implication, the data collection component of this chapter helps to understand how the researcher put the research design into action. As part of the plan to collect data, the researcher had to select a research approach, which would help to identify the best way to approach the whole task of collecting data. Meanwhile, Remenyi, Williams, Money, and Swartz (2008) and Hakim (2010) presented two major types of research approaches which are the deductive and inductive research approach. In the deductive research approach, the researcher sets a hypothesis, based on which data is collected to either justify or disprove the hypothesis (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2003).  

William F. Baker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

William F. Baker - Essay Example This is because both of his late grandfathers were also engineers though their fame did not equal that of Baker as a skyscraper designer. In his early schooling, Baker used to excel in Maths, Physics and History though before his graduation he had no idea of what he wanted to study while in University (Baker, 2010). Baker’s strong desire to pursue engineering as a career started after undergoing aptitude test confirmation where he proceeded to the University of Missouri and graduated in 1975 (Baker, 2010). Equipped with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering, Baker worked for various oil companies in 1970s though he decided to quit within a very short time to pursue Masters Degre (Wallace, 2011). To his peers, Baker seemed to have made a wrong decision but in he knew better than they did (Wallace, 2011). This is by going back to school to study Masters in Structural Engineering at the University of Illinois (Wallace, 2011). Baker’s Masters Degree was extremely deman ding due to the course’s many subjects supposed to equip him with right knowledge concerning how to tackle varied tasks that characterized his field of specialization. After graduating, Baker joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP (SOM) firm whose staff comprised of talented experts from his former school (Baker, 2010). Here he worked under the supervision of Fazlur Khan who also mentored him on how to design and evaluate tallest buildings besides other structures. Consequently, this was revelation to the young Baker who by then he hardly knew that experience acted as a preparation for great, complex and fascinating projects in future, for instance, Burj Dubai Tower (Baker, Pawlikowski & Young, 2009). Throughout his career, Baker has always collaborated with other numerous and different experts like architects while undertaking extremely involving design projects (Baker, Pawlikowski & Young, 2009). 2. Problem / Issue identification Baker was a structural engineer, but most of his works required architects’ intervention, especially when he was drawing certain figures that entailed refined details. The two fields’ core role encompasses producing effective structural designs that will support and ensure safety to all people. This is by ensuring the load of every designed structure can adequately withstand varied inevitable natural forces, for instance, wind and gravity (Baker, 2010). This study seeks to relay Baker’s experience, expertise and career achievements that have prompted him to the most renowned structural engineer in the world (Baker, Pawlikowski & Young, 2009). Literature Review Mainly, Baker’s major role in every designing project encompasses coming up with a strong and effective plan that will not only meet client’s aesthetic value, but also ensure evenly distribution of the entire structure’s weight. The designing of the entire structure that will be free from adverse effects resulting from gravity a nd wind is the task that cannot be complete without the intervention of architects. This is evident in the recent completed Burj Dubai Tower which, according to Baker and his team, comprises one of the current famed breakthroughs. According to Baker, for a skyscraper to meet client’s specifications, it ought to fulfill key inevitable engineering principles. These are insignificant for the client, but experts must employ them while erecting the required structure as per the stated specifications. For instance, Burj’s design had to be efficient, considerable wide base to support the expected load but narrow enough such that the building is economically viable (Baker, 2010). Therefore, the building despite designed to meet all the client’

How a second grade Special Ed inclusion class will benefit the Trotter Research Proposal

How a second grade Special Ed inclusion class will benefit the Trotter School in Dorchester, Ma - Research Proposal Example The integration of the varied categories within the school setting varies some choosing partial inclusion while others are pursuing full inclusion practice. Either of the inclusion subsystems, it is notable the entire essence and role of inclusion in facilitating equal education opportunities for the people of the nation. The concept of inclusion remains a somewhat vague as many do not understand what inclusion means and entails. The subject of mainstreaming also arises as the public strives to understand the issues with the current education and the need for the changes to incorporate inclusion. The historical development of the subject began with â€Å"progressive inclusion† to define the process of the evolution of services for the disabled people. Initially, as the United States emerged as a national, the educational services did not factor the people with disabilities. In the early 800s, the residential institutions and asylums began to facilitate and accommodate those with hearing, mental, emotional or visual impairments (Smith 32). The options facilitated for the primary source of education for the disabled until the 900s when the unit for special day schools for the disabled came into fashion. The 950s and 1960s marked the organized movement from the parents of children with disabiliti es in pressuring the courts and legislature for changes in the education services for their children (Smith 38). Following the act describing education for all handicapped children, the disabled children had the basis to mandate them to access appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible. This least restrictive environment is what inclusion seeks to establish for the children with disabilities as they pursue their life endeavors. It is difficult to establish the status of educational placement for the students with disabilities. However, according

Essay Questions - Texas Jurisdiction Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Questions - Texas Jurisdiction - Essay Example trust likewise contains no clause authorizing the bank to take possession of the mortgaged property, the only remedy afforded the bank in the Deed of Trust is the nonjudicial foreclosure it bargained for. Lighthouse Church Of Cloverleaf v. Texas Bank, 889 S.W.2d 595 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist] 1994). After the debt secured by a deed of trust has matured, by acceleration or otherwise, the mortgagee may, in accordance with  § 51.002 of the Property Code and the deed of trust, foreclose on real property by nonjudicial sale. This chapter discusses the foreclosure sale of real property in Texas—what it is, what its prerequisites are, and what its consequences may be. Repossession of real estate cannot be compared to repossession of personal property. Repossession of personal property is governed by Chapter 9 of the Texas Uniform Commercial Code. Tex. Bus. & Com. Code Ann.  §Ã‚ § 9.101 et seq. (Vernon 1991). Chapter 9 specifically creates the right to self-help repossession. Tex. Bus. & Com. Code Ann.  § 9.503 (Vernon 1991). Real estate is specifically excluded from the scope of that chapter. Tex. Bus. & Com. Code Ann.  § 9.104(10) (Vernon 1991). Thus, Chapter 9 does not give creditors a right to repossess real estate in the same way they repossess personal property. Lighthouse Church Of Cloverleaf v. Texas Bank, 889 S.W.2d 595 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist] 1994). Questions concerning title to real estate, the validity of conveyances, warranties, and foreclosures are determined by the law of the situs. Pellow v. Cade, 990 S.W.2d 307 (Tex.App.—Texarkana 1999), rehg overruled, (Mar. 19, 1999). A person must bring suit for the recovery of real property under a real property lien or the foreclosure of a real property lien, including a voluntary mechanics or materialmans lien, no later than four years after the day the cause of action accrues. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann.  § 16.035(a). Voluntary mechanics and materialmans liens on real estate, securing a note

The Impact of High Oil Prices on Global Economy Essay

The Impact of High Oil Prices on Global Economy - Essay Example Goods movement across a country or between international countries depend on transporting vehicles like, ships, train, cargo planes, trucks etc; all require oil as fuel. Any price hike in oil and gas price can increase the transportation cost and thereby the cost of the goods also. Oil is also required for the production of electric power which is the most important component of every industry. Many other essential commodities of everyday life like plastics, medicines, clothing, cosmetic items; all depends on oil for its production. Thus global economy is directly proportional to oil price. 1973 -1975 oil price hike has shocked the world economy. The growth rate fell to 2.1% in 1974 and to 1.45 in 1975. The worldwide trade growth rate also dropped heavily from 12% in 1973 to -5.4% in 1974 and -7.3 in 1975. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has dropped from 40% in 1973 to half of it in 1974 (Oil prices and global economy) The above statistics clearly shows the relation between oil price and global economy. In fact oil is the blood of global economy. The world is moving with the help of the energy provided by the oil. Most of the activities in the industrial world, and the real life situations are heavily depend on the availability of oil. For example, consider the case of transportation activities without oil resources. In fact 99% of the transportation facilities depend oil for the fuel needs. All the vehicles which use petrol or diesel engines require oil and any scarcity of oil or price hike of oil may affect the transportation industry drastically. Higher oil prices affect the global economy through a variety of channels: There will be a transfer of income from oil consumers to oil producers; There will be a rise in the cost of production of goods and services in the economy (IMF Research Department) Oil price hike will positively

Essay Questions - Texas Jurisdiction Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Questions - Texas Jurisdiction - Essay Example trust likewise contains no clause authorizing the bank to take possession of the mortgaged property, the only remedy afforded the bank in the Deed of Trust is the nonjudicial foreclosure it bargained for. Lighthouse Church Of Cloverleaf v. Texas Bank, 889 S.W.2d 595 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist] 1994). After the debt secured by a deed of trust has matured, by acceleration or otherwise, the mortgagee may, in accordance with  § 51.002 of the Property Code and the deed of trust, foreclose on real property by nonjudicial sale. This chapter discusses the foreclosure sale of real property in Texas—what it is, what its prerequisites are, and what its consequences may be. Repossession of real estate cannot be compared to repossession of personal property. Repossession of personal property is governed by Chapter 9 of the Texas Uniform Commercial Code. Tex. Bus. & Com. Code Ann.  §Ã‚ § 9.101 et seq. (Vernon 1991). Chapter 9 specifically creates the right to self-help repossession. Tex. Bus. & Com. Code Ann.  § 9.503 (Vernon 1991). Real estate is specifically excluded from the scope of that chapter. Tex. Bus. & Com. Code Ann.  § 9.104(10) (Vernon 1991). Thus, Chapter 9 does not give creditors a right to repossess real estate in the same way they repossess personal property. Lighthouse Church Of Cloverleaf v. Texas Bank, 889 S.W.2d 595 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist] 1994). Questions concerning title to real estate, the validity of conveyances, warranties, and foreclosures are determined by the law of the situs. Pellow v. Cade, 990 S.W.2d 307 (Tex.App.—Texarkana 1999), rehg overruled, (Mar. 19, 1999). A person must bring suit for the recovery of real property under a real property lien or the foreclosure of a real property lien, including a voluntary mechanics or materialmans lien, no later than four years after the day the cause of action accrues. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann.  § 16.035(a). Voluntary mechanics and materialmans liens on real estate, securing a note

Multi-Level Change Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Multi-Level Change - Coursework Example Meanwhile, there were two of these positions were top departmental positions. What this means was that those two positions needed to be occupied by senior employees with long years of experience in the organization’s business. The decision that was taken by the leadership was that two existing employees would be made to occupy the two top positions as a form of promotion for them. This created two new vacancies at the lower rank and three lower rank vacancies in all. Three new employees were subsequently recruited in the organization. The change created a couple of impact within the organization. At the individual level, the newly promoted employees had their human capital equipped. The promotion also served as an intrinsic motivation for them (Johnson, 2012; Gray-Toft and Anderson, 2008). All in all, their human resource base was enhanced to put up extra ordinary performance for the organization. If for nothing at all, they needed to justify their competence for the new roles that were assigned to them. At the group level also, it can be said that there was a positive impact on organizational functioning. As new group leaders who were very familiar with the existing employees, inter-personal relations became enhanced and easier (Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill, 2003). These two major impacts at the individual and group level ensure that the whole organization experienced sharp growth as the organizational culture was upheld to (Hussey and Hussey, 2007). Thereby, there was a welcoming response to the

Role And Importance Of Operations Management

Role And Importance Of Operations Management Operations Management is very important for managing large firms and running them successfully. Operation management is mainly related to production of goods and services in an organisation. The main purpose of the operations management is to run the business operations successfully, smoothly and effectively by using the minimum resources and meeting customer expectations. Thus we can say that operations management is the process of converting minimum input like raw materials, labour to produce maximum output like products, goods and services. Operations Management is very crucial factor in order to increase companys profit. Operations management is not only responsible for producing goods but also take control of distribution of services. Operation management is just not related to organizations it can be seen in our daily activities of life also. The following quotation explains how operations management is found in our daily life Operations management is about the way organizations produce goods and services. Everything you wear, eat, sit on, use, read or knock about on the sports field comes to you courtesy of the operations managers who organized its production. Every book you borrow from the library, every treatment you receive at the hospital, every service you expect in the shops and every lecture you attend at university all have been produced. (Slack et al, 1995) Some examples of operation management can be like A carpenter who uses a piece of wood , cuts and planes it, and then polishes it to produce a piece of furniture When u want to book a holiday a tourist operator finds and provide information to you and helps by giving advices on places to visit and stay. ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF OPERATIONS MANGEMENT IN AN ORGANIZATION Operations management plays a very crucial role in organisations as they produce professional managers which are capable of achieving organisations strategic goals in a defined period of time. Operations management is the heart of any organization as it controls the whole operation system of the organization. Operations management handles issues like design, operation, and maintenance and improvement of the systems used to produce companys vital products and services. Operations management has clear management responsibilities like in marketing and finance. Operations management is very necessary in an organisation to manage the activities. With the help of Operations management an organisation is able to make good use of their resources like human labour and inputs are used as required. Operations management helps an organization to achieve its main goal of making profit and maximising its shareholders through its activities. Cost of production is reduced to ensure that tangible and intangible assets are not over stretched or wasted in an organisation. Organisations make good use of its product and services management through Operations management. Product management includes a wide range of activities starting from the point when a new idea for the product is developed to eventually provide customer support to those who have purchased the product. Every organisation conducts product management no matter it is done intentionally or unintentionally. Another important aspect of Operations management is quality management. Every organisation is very much concerned about the products which are manufactured or developed for the customers in the market. Quality management is very important to have efficient operations management, mainly if it is for continuous improvement in order to go with the consumers taste and preferences. Lately benchmarking and quality management, outsourcing and reengineering has taken operations management to an advanced level to produce high quality. Adoption of reengineering and benchmarking by the organisation helps them to be a leader in their category of products in the market. Benchmarking is considered as the best internal auditing process which the company uses to identify its weaknesses and then converting them into strength in order to increase its customers in the market. One cannot think of Operations management in an organisation without Management control and Coordinating function. Management control and coordination includes different types of activities to make sure that the companys goals are constantly being met in an effective and efficient way. Organizations mainly make use of organizational coordination and control in order to adopt a systematic approach to figure out if it is actually doing what it wanted to be doing or not. Some of the major approaches to the companys organizational control and coordination include product evaluation, product distribution, advertising and promotion, sales and service and product development. Organizations use advertisements as a most important instrument to reach the customer and reorient the awareness of customers about its products. In this fast expanding and competitive marketplace, the company make certain that its products and services are significantly in the minds of their customers and clients. Thi s takes place as a result of ongoing advertising and promotion by the organization. Facilities management is also a necessary function and is of great importance in operations management. Effective operations management in the companys activities highly depends on a great deal of effective management of facilities, such as buildings, computer systems, signage, lighting and plants and machinery. In a situation of high demand which could call for higher or mass production, facilities needs to be managed in producing large quantities of products which must be standardized to meet the market demand at specific period. Well managed facilities like plants and machinery in the company help in production speed, lower per unit cost, ease of manufacture and control and the efficiency in the companys production process Task 19.1.b The strategic objectives of Toyota are Profit Quality and Innovation Image and reputation Social issues Satisfying customers Market power Survival SWOT ANALYSIS OF TOYOTA A SWOT analysis is a simple but widely used tool that helps in understanding the strengths , weakness , opportunities and threats involved in a project or business activity. It starts by defining the objective of the project or business activity and identifies the internal and external factors that are important in order to achieve the objective. Internal factors can be divided into strengths and weakness and opportunities and threats can be identified as external . STRENGTHS Toyota is the worlds largest automobile maker by sales. Toyota also owns and operates Lexus and Scion brands and has a majority shareholding stake in Daihatsu and Hino motors. Toyota also provides financial services through its Toyota Financial Services and also builds robots. Toyota Motor Corporation (including Toyota Financial Services) and Toyota Industries form the bulk of the Toyota Group, one of the largest conglomerates in the world. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ OPPURTUNITIES Should increase their shareholdings in Fuji Heavy industries, Isuzu Motors , Yamaha motors, and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation WEAKNESS On May 8, 2009, Toyota reported a record annual net loss of US$4.2 billion, making it the latest automobile maker to be severely affected by the 2007-2010 financial crisis Manufacturers need to make sure that it is their models that consumers want versus competitors. Sales has been affected by the financial crisis Failure of Toyota production system based on the current recalls. Company needs to cautiously keep producing cars in order to retain its operational efficiency, especially in the case of the Prius, which the case study states that it needs reprogramming of its Abs system. THREATS In January 2010, Toyota announced it was recalling up to 1.8 million cars across Europe, including about 220,000 in the UK, following problems with defective accelerator pedals Many Toyota models were involved, covering the 2007-2010 model years. Toyota subsequently recalled the Prius model for reprogramming of its ABS system. The U.S. Sales Chief, James Lentz, was questioned by the United States Congress committees on Oversight and Investigations on February 23, 2010, as a result of recent recalls On 6 April 2010, The US government sought a record penalty of US$16.375 million from Toyota for its delayed response in notifying the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the defective accelerator pedals The company said the recalls could cost the company up to US$2 billion (GB £1.25 billion) in lost output and sales TASK 19.1.C A company main aim should be to satisfy its customers requirements for fast and dependable services at reasonable price, as well as helping its own suppliers to improve services they offer. There are five basic performance objectives and they apply to all types of operation: Quality Speed Dependability Flexibility Cost (Slack, N. et al, 2001). These operations performance objectives are analysed here in accordance to Toyota. Toyotas record has been successful all around the world as it has been chosen by different market research and analysis for the car of the year for many years. Toyotas success went on growing because of the high quality which thereby leads to the largest maker of the automobiles based on the sales throughout the world. Toyota have also produced cars which are of better qualities which are suspended and do not release unlikeable smoke. For example more than 40 emission- managing systems and equipments which has enhanced passenger car protections. (Ahmed, A., 2003,). Another main task is speed which signifies to reduce the time between the instruction and accessibility of the product and services which thereby leads to the speed benefits for the customers.Toyota performance is focused on tasks by using small and simple machines which reduce complications which are flexible and vigorous. By rescheduling the plans and the stream to improve simplicity and the swiftness of manufacturing. In the late 1980s, it is reflected in the statistics that the productivity per employee compared to the US and European plants is as much as two or three times higher than them. The third presentation aim is dependability which means completing the tasks in time for the customers so that they receive their merchandise and services on the date and time as been promised. The Just -in-Time (JIT) production system allows the engineers to deliver products of highest quality through their Kanban control system. Toyota needs to improve its efficiency and quality as it is important for managers, technicians and employees and b doing this customers will feel more reliable about the products of the Toyota. A clear result of responding to a dynamic environment is that organisation change their products and services and changes the way they do business. This performance objective is known as flexibility. (Peters, T., 1998) argues that we must learn to love change and develop flexible and responsive organizations to cope with the dynamic business environment. In the Toyota plant it means the ability to adopt its manufacturing resources so that it can launch new models. The coursework analyses that, Toyota was able to achieve high level of flexibility, producing relatively small batches of different models with little or no loss of productivity or quality. Toyota during the years has provided a range of options that customers are able to choose. One major operations objective, especially where companies compete with prices is cost. Low price is a universal attractive objective to customers, which can be achieved by producing goods at lower costs. In order to do things cheaply, Toyota seek to influence the cost of goods and services, so for the future Toyota has planned to shift their production of multipurpose vehicles and pick-up trucks on different countries around the world (e.g. Argentina, South Africa). Also, internally, cost performance is helped by good performance in the other performance objectives that Toyota has managed to produce high quality vehicles at a reasonable prices. By using and improving quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost operations performance, TMC has seen a global growth and high percentage of customer satisfaction. Because of the success of these operation performance objectives Japanese style (Toyotism) of manufacturing and product developments has come to be studied and emulated around the world . TMC is world leader in supply chain management, and to keep its production at the high quality, maximum speed, on time delivery, flexibility and at the lowest cost TMC works with its suppliers to make sure that they are also the best suppliers in the industry. Shifting its operation in different countries searching for cheap inputs (row material and labour) makes it easier to produce products at a lower cost and good quality. Operating continentally also gives dependability advantage to its customers by making it easy to deliver its production in the market place. Using these operation performance objectives TMC has managed to k eep its customers happy and compete successfully with others companies in global market. Task 19.2.a Toyota uses lean manufacturing system to produce continuous goods and services. Tools like just in time, cellular manufacturing, total productive maintenance, single minute exchange of dies. Lean manufacturing system came into Japan after World War II when they were run out of material, financial and human resources. This system is also known as Toyota Production System which is now recognized all over the world. The basic ideas behind lean manufacturing system are waste elimination, cost reduction, and employee empowerment. Employee empowerment of Toyota can be seen through the fact that the company employs approximately 320,000 people worldwide. The lean manufacturing system aims to work in every aspect of the value stream by eliminating waste in order to reduce cost, generate capital and bring in more sales and remain in competitive in a growing global market which can be seen through the fact that Toyota is the largest automobile maker by sales. Task 19.2.b As defined by the Praxiom Research Group, an audit is an evidence gathering process. The main purpose of the Quality Audit is to establish maximum evidence in order to find out whether or not the company is in control of its processes and documents. This kind of evidence is collected through observations, interviews, and requests for documentation. Full training is provided to auditors so they can exactly find out if corporate quality management systems are in compliance with preset standards. Toyotas recall problems indicate that there has been a general quality defect because of poor decision making and supply chain management. In my view Toyota should have third part audit which is done by an external because I think as company has some malfunction in their production system so it is better if a professional agency do their audit so next time there should be no flaws in the models which are going to be developed and it can be assured that the raw materials and products which are m anufactured are safe. Task 19.2.c Quality culture generally means inclusion of quality in the overall system of an organization which creates a positive internal environment and provides guarantee customer satisfaction. A good decision making at all levels of management is very necessary for maintaining such quality culture in the organization which can be attained by self realization at the top level or by trainings and workshops or following of benchmark organizations. Toyotas quality culture is to produce best products in the very first attempt. Innovation also forms a very important part of quality culture in Toyota and meet challenges with courage and creativity for the continuous improvement. Customer satisfaction is also a very important aspect of quality culture in Toyota. Another important aspect of the quality culture is keeping track of consumer complaints and analysing them for quick fix. In my view Toyota should not compromise with quality of their product and give growth more importance over quality. In a run to make more products they are not giving 100% in the manufacturing of their products. In order to achieve their growth targets and to become the worlds largest automotive manufacturer Toyota lost sight of the key values that gave company the reputation in the first place. Task 19.3.a Toyota Motors Corporation all throughout its history from Kaizen to Toyota Production System to further Kaizen has strived not only to maintain its current market position, but to improve it as well. The engineers should make sure that they make best products in the very first attempt. The organisation should not make haste in manufacturing the products just in order to increase the growth. Task 19.3.b In Toyota Motors Corporations 2008 Annual report, the company said that As the automobile industry faces a turning point in its history, Toyota aims to achieve sustainable growth by building a more flexible and stronger corporate structure to meet the challenges ahead (p. 1). The real question remains. That is, what specific strategies shall Toyota adopts in order to build a more flexible and stronger corporate structure when time and business environment dictate that its Kaizen, Further Kaizen, and Toyota Production System are no longer enough for the current and future demands of the marketplace? Blue Ocean Strategy In the preface of their book, Blue Ocean Strategy, W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, succinctly wrote that there are no permanently excellent companies, just as there are no permanently excellent industries (2005, p. x). Hence, no matter how successful Toyota Motors Corporation is over its 70 years existence does not guarantee the same success in the next 70 years. The authors, therefore, proposed a new management theory blue ocean strategy. The Blue Ocean Strategy is, according to Kim and Mauborgne, Blue ocean strategy challenges companies to break out of the red ocean of bloody competition by creating uncontested market space that makes the competition irrelevant. Instead of dividing up existing-and often shrinking-demand and benchmarking competitors, blue ocean strategy is about growing demand and breaking away from the competition (2008, p. x) The most startling conclusion of the blue ocean strategy is well depicted by the authors conclusion on Cirque du Soleils circumstances: the circus company succeeded because it realized that to win in the future, companies must stop competing with each other (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 4). In Toyotas history it is clear that its management has not arrived at the same conclusion. This can be ascertained from the Chairmans, Fujio Cho, message in Toyota Motors Corporations 2008 Annual Report: Toyota aims to achieve sustained, long-term growth by providing high-quality vehicles to people everywhere, and by contributing to the realization of a bountiful and nurturing society (2008, p. 6). What is not aligned with the blue ocean strategy in this phrase is that every other automobile company Ford, GM, Honda, etc. are also saying the same thing or the likes of it. Clearly this strategy is not going to work in the long run at all if Toyota wants to remain as one of the top ten in Fortune Global 500. In contrast, the blue ocean strategy goes out of just mere providing high-quality vehicles which are what everyone else is providing. As shown in the figure below blue oceans have the most impact on profit though least impact on revenue compared to red oceans. Figure 1 Blue Oceans vs. Red Oceans Source: Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 7 The changing environments as presented by Toyota in its presentation for its financial results for 2008 and as discussed in the earlier part of this paper, and as outlined by the Blue Ocean Strategy presents several driving forces behind a rising imperative to create blue oceans (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 8). These driving forces, unfortunately, will not disappear, hence Toyota must act now and create its own undisputed market in the automobile industry. To fully realize the benefits of the blue ocean strategy a strategy canvas must be created. The canvas is the central diagnostic and action framework for building a compelling blue ocean strategy (Blue Ocean Strategy 2008). Total customer experience is now the new differentiator (Mascarenhas, Kesavan Bernacchi 2006, p. 397) which is exactly the point in the blue ocean strategy. Toyota Motors Corporation, in its current and future business environment, must deliver total customer experience. However, there is a need for care in interpreting each customers total experience: Obviously, by definition, TCE is customer-dependent and hence, is different for each customer. Compared with service outlets such as restaurants, hotels or banks, there is potential for great diversity in customer experience, because the customer may seek a wide variety of different services or products. Each stage of this consumption-journey involves an experience that the provider must try to optimize and the customer must [capitalize] (Mascarenhas, Kesavan Bernacchi 2006, p. 415). The key therefore is to attain an accurate understanding. Task 19.3.c More than ever, the human resource strategies, objective, systems and processes of the organization must be integrated and synchronized with the overall Toyota Motors Corporations strategies, objective, systems and processes and the rest of the organization. Human resource as one of the key success factors in implementing the blue ocean strategy must be able to support and not detract the company from it. Hence, the personnel selection, training and development, and performance appraisal processes should be seamlessly integrated into the whole organizational structure ad systems to ensure that all these systems are working towards the same goal: creating uncontested market space and making the competition irrelevant. Mondy Noe defined recruitment as the process of attracting individuals on a timely basis, in sufficient numbers, and with appropriate qualifications, and encouraging them to apply for jobs with an [organization] (2005, p. 199). The objective of the selection process for any type of [organization] is selecting the best individual suited for a particular position and the organization (Mondy Noe, 2005, p. 162). Hence, for TMC the goal of the organizations selection process should be selecting the best individual suited for the vacant position and have the necessary capability to help the company in its quest in making the competition irrelevant. On the other hand, the performance appraisal system is a formal system of review and evaluation of individual or team task performance (Mondy Noe, 2005, p. 252) to determine who should be promoted, demoted, transferred, or terminated (Anthony, Kacmar Perrewe, 2002, p. 354). Several of the factors that affect the effectiveness of an appraisal system are job-related criteria, performance expectations, standardization, trained appraisers, continuous open communication, performance reviews, and due process (Mondy Noe, 2005, pp. 270-272). Managing employee performance is one of the more difficult and complex activities within an organization. Unlike the other resources of a business, the human resource is not very easy to control: people think and act accordingly. Anthony, Kacmar Perrewe wrote that an effective performance appraisal system are not only tools for evaluating the work of employees but also for developing and motivating employees (2002, p. 351). These benefits are central to why the performance appraisal system was developed in organizations: employees need to be motivated and developed in order to perform their jobs effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, the appraisal system of a company can also be used to determine who needs formal training and development opportunities (Anthony, Kacmar Perrewe, 2002, p. 354). In the end, all of these will result to a better equipped human resource. Hence, for Toyota Motors Corporation its performance appraisal system must be redesigned to fit the blue ocean strategy of the company. As a vital component in motivating its employees, the human resource performance appraisal system of TMC should not operate in a vacuum, rather it must support the goal of developing organizational competencies to make the competition irrelevant. What had Toyota Motors Corporation done for its worldwide human resource management is admirable it developed HRM practices to sustain the Toyota Production System (Winfield 1994, p. 41). However, today it is no longer enough. It is time that Toyota models its human resource management practices to sustain the blue ocean strategy. The researcher believes that TPS is a component of blue ocean strategy; hence it should not be the end goal in designing the companys human resource management system and its other systems. The four goals as promoted by the companys existing human resource management practices are employee commitment, workforce flexibility and adaptability, quality (Winfield 1994, p. 50) in the blue ocean strategy perspective are only several of the factors needed in creating an uncontestable market as opposed to the current practice (these four goals are the main goals). Task 19.3.d As competition become more and more intense, companies such as Toyota Motors Corporation which are leaders in their industries can not afford to become complacent. Rather they must again pioneer developments in their fields. These companies have to integrate all their resources, use these resources efficiently and effectively to attain organizational goals. As the workforce becomes varied and as competition within industries becomes more intense, the need to effectively and efficiently manage human resources to gain, develop and sustain competitive advantages is becoming more important. In integrating the blue ocean strategy to its overall strategy, Toyota Motors Corporation must not forget that the most important factor in order for such strategy to succeed is its human resource.