Week 10 Bankruptcy Ind Wrk 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 10 Bankruptcy Ind Wrk 2 - Essay Example Chapter 13 of the same act gives a trustee the power to receive any monthly revenue the debtor receives, for purposes of paying his creditors in a proportional manner. A trustee will always act on behalf of the debtor, for purposes of meeting the interests of the debtor, and the creditors (Warren and Bussel, 2012). A debtor, can also control is property, but under the title of a debtor in possession. This provision is provided for in chapter 13 of the Title 11 of the American Bankruptcy code (Samet, 2012). A debtor in possession can acquire loans, and fund his business operations for purposes of settling the debts he has acquired. He only does this with the authorization of the courts. In your case above, you can act as a debtor in possession in managing your home. This is because if a trustee abandons your home, nobody will be there to manage it, and act as your representative with creditors. To fill this gap, it will be prudent to seek the courts permission in order that you act as a manager of your home, but under the title of debtor in

Race Relations Essay Example for Free

Race Relations Essay The article entitled â€Å"The state of race relations [Editorial].† was written by M. Fletcher K. Thompson was taken from the Courier-Journal website http://www.courier-journal.com/ dated January 17, 2010 but was retrieved on January 27, 2010. The article focuses on racial profiling, particularly that of Black Americans by law enforcement. The first point that Fletcher Thompson makes is how the first year of President Obama’s presidency brought the country face to face with racial schisms as much as it has promoted racial understanding. It is further implied that most Americans do not completely view President Obama as African American, citing that he is â€Å"Light-skinned†, has no â€Å"Negro dialect.† and therefore not subjected to the same police brutality as that of dark skinned African Americans such as Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. Gates was arrested by Cambridge, Mass Police Sgt. James Crowley for disorderly conduct after police were called to his home suspecting to find a black man breaking into the home; Bates did not have his keys. All charges were subsequently dropped. The second point suggests that while the gap between whites and blacks has narrowed in the past decade, racial profiling and the reconciliation President Obama’s election seemed to have promised remains far off. President Obama seems to be what every red blooded American didn’t want in a president: black, little political experience, supposed Muslim beliefs and hope that Americans could become equal in all aspects of society. I am lead to believe the difference between African Americans and Anglo Americans is growing in a positive direction. As with Sgt. James Crowley, the view of black Americans remains relatively the same in a general sense, yet with the election of the first African American as President of The United States, the way law enforcement uses or collects data will be a basis for a unified change in how race is viewed throughout the world. The United States will reflect how those in authority are trained, educated and in cases where wrong doings are revealed, disciplined. No matter what changes are made in our future, wherever race is a factor there will be ignorance.

Essays --

Beyond the Bible, written by Howard Marshall, is a compilation of essays that seek to propose a biblically sound way to move from biblical text to doctrine and application. Marshall believes that if one is going to move â€Å"beyond the bible,† they must do so â€Å"biblically.† A concern for Marshall is also how to properly apply scripture to controversial matters in the church today. The book includes more than just Marshall’s work, but essays written by Kevin Vanhoozer and Stanley Porter as well, which backs the idea that hermeneutics should be a discussion, not a solo speech. In Marshall’s first essay, ‘Evangelicals and Hermeneutics,’ he summarizes the state of evangelical theology in relation to hermeneutics. Marshall describes how over the past thirty years, evangelical scholars have come to appreciate hermeneutics more than ever before. Evangelical scholars now grasp and explore hermeneutical concerns at all levels of study: general hermeneutics, exegesis, as well as exposition and application. Marshall states that while examining an author’s intent is important, it overlooks the question of sensus plenior, the work’s deeper meaning intended by God, not necessarily by the human author. In Marshall’s second essay, ‘The Development of Doctrine,’ he identifies two approaches to biblical interpretation, conservative and progressive. Marshall witnessed a need for greater clarity in regards to worship practices, principles, and theology due to the varying opinions among evangelical interpreters. Marshall mentions, â€Å"It is especially the duty of evangelical Christians to provide some kind of reasoned, principled approach to the question of the development of doctrine from Scripture† (Marshall 45). Marshall’s third essay, ‘The Search for Bi... ...ques approaches based on the historical-critical method, the speech-act theory, and the approach of Wittgenstein. Porter’s view is that Paul, himself, had his own opinions on Jesus, God, and Christianity overall. Porter suggests using the translation theory when looking to go beyond the bible. He believes one should carefully examine the core of what is being said in scripture, and then translate it into today’s language. Beyond the Bible is full of useful insights regarding how to apply scripture to doctrine and everyday life. Marshall, Vanhoozer, and Porter are all well-educated theologians. How to faithfully apply Scripture to everyday life is not conclusively agreed upon and laid out in this book, but it pushes readers to think about biblical interpretation in new ways. As mentioned earlier, hermeneutics is meant to be an on-going discussion, not a solo speech.

Sarees

Gharchola saris The Gharchola saris are among the most famous traditional wear of the women of the Indian state of Gujarat. This variety of silk saris has earned much popularity among the people from other regions of this country as well. The weaving technique of the Gharchola silk saris first came from the region around Cambay. These saris are first woven by using the silk and zari thread. Later they are either block printed or tie-dyed. The Gharchola saris of Gujarat are generally bought for weddings and other social and religious events.The most popular variety of this sari is one that comes in combination of red and white. A typical Gharchola sari is marked by the large zari checks that are found all over the sari. These checks carry small golden motifs. The most common motifs used in the Gharchola saris from Surat are those of peacocks, lotus, etc. Finally the Gharchola saris are dyed in the Jamnagar area of Gujarat. This is when the red color is added to the silk after the weav ing is completed. Jamnagar is preferred because of the quality of water in this place. Rajkot in Saurashtra is also an important place for these saris.The Gharchola silks are one of the most beautiful varieties of Surat saris. These saris are famous for the refined technique of weaving that is used. Maheshwari Sari Charming and elegant It has the quality of magnificence Pride of the owner It’s glamour personified! Once an exclusive privilege of the royalty has become an established Choice of the woman today. Conceived and designed by queen Ahilya Bai Holkar of Madhya Pradesh herself each Maheshwari Saree Conjures up a picture of royal Elegance. Majestic in its designs, it Is woven from silk and cotton fibres and embellished with gold zari.The Pallu is particulary distinct with its five stripes. Available in angoori (grape green), Gul bakhi (magenta), rani (deep Mauve Pink) and Raasini (light Violet) and famed for its reversible Border, that can be worn either Side, the royal Maheshwari is Vibrancy in an unadulterated from. Same as Chanderi Sarees which originate from Chanderi, Maheswari sarees originate from the town Maheshwar in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh, India. This ancient town is situated on the banks for holy river Narmada Maheshwari fabric is known for its lightness, elasticity and fine thread count.In sharp contrast to the rich and heavy silken weaves of Kanjivaram, the silk and cotton mix of Maheshwaris is perfect to wear in the summer. Golden thread or Zari is also used to weave elegant motifs on the body, border and pallu of the sari. The most common patterns include brick, diamond, woven mat & Chameli flower patterns Gadwal sari Gadwal sari is a traditional sari made in Gadwal, Mahbubnagar district, India. [1] They are popular for their Zari saris. The local weavers are talented and weave the 5. 5 meters of saree fabric in such a way that it can be folded down to the size of a small match box.Gadwal Sarees have been very popular sin ce the 1930s. These are cotton sarees with an attached silk border and silk pallow. These sari features a fine cotton field which is weaved separately and later interlocked with borders and pallu made out of pure silk. This art of back-breaking or interlock weft technique is known as kupadam or Tippatiamu and hence the gadwal saris are locally called as Kupadam or Kumbbam Saris The sari is also said to have an influence of Banarasi weaving. The brocaded designs woven into the Gadwal saris represent south Indian cultural patterns.The motifs of the murrugan (peacock) and the rudraksh rule as the favorite along with the temple motif (Kutabham or Kotakomma). Other variations include mango design buttis all over body enriched by a dark contrast colour pallu having intricate geometric pattern zari design or self stripes design in body with zari buttis all over the sari field. Yellow, parrot-green, pink and beige are the mostly used colours. Pochampally Sari Pochampally Saree or Pochampall i Ikat is a saree made in Boodhan Pochampally, Nalgonda district, India. 1][2] They are popular for their traditional geometric patterns in Ikat style of dyeing. [3] The intricate geometric design find their way into the hands of skillful weavers and make it to the market as beautiful sarees and dress material. Pochampally sarees have been popular since 1800s. Pochampally Ikat uniqueness lies in the transfer of intricate design and colouring onto warp and weft threads first and then weave them together. The fabric is cotton, silk and sico – a mix of exquisite silk and cotton. Increasingly, the colours themselves are from natural sources and their blends.Pochampally, a cluster of 80 villages, has traditional looms, whose design is more than a century-old. Today this Silk City, which is more of a cottage industry, is home to more than 10000 weaving families in 100 villages. The fabric is marketed through the cooperative society and APCO, the master weavers and the business hous es in Pochampally. Pochampally does more than Rs. 1000000 Million annual business in terms of yarn sales, purchase of handloom products and sales. The government in 2010 divided the belt into two clusters Pochampally 1 and Pochampally 2, and is proving common weaving centres.Because of its unique design efforts are on to revive the dying art. Paithani Saris Paithani Saris not only give an elegant look but also adds royalty and thus most of the brides to be like to wear these heavily embellished paithani sarees on that auspicious day. Paithani Saris teamed up with the appropriate accessories, adds enormous grace and beauty. Paithani sari is known for its intricate weave of pure silk and gold. The paithani sari has played a significant role in weaving together the cultural fabric of Maharashtra.Paithani sari named after the Paithan region in Maharashtra state where they are woven by handmade from very fine silk, it is considered as one of the richest saris in Maharashtra. The Paithani sari is known the world over for its uniqueness. It is one of the most beautiful saris in the world. It’s beautifully crafted, with an exquisite zari border. The process of preparation of a Paithani sari can take a time period ranging from a month to years. It is because of these reasons that this sari is rather expensive. Paithani saris evolved from a cotton base to a silk base.Silk was used in designs and in the borders, whereas cotton was used in the body of the fabric. The Paithani silk saris are one of the richest gold brocade saris with stunning gold patterns woven in them. The zari used in the preparation of the sari is specially procured from Surat in Gujarat. It has an ornamental zari border and pallav, and buttis (little designs) of tara (star), mor (peacock), popat (parrot), kuyri (mango), rui phool (flower), paisa (coin), pankha (fan), kalas pakli (petal), kamal (lotus), chandrakor (moon), narli (coconut) and so on.Many of these innovative motifs and designs are found on the border and pallav in different sizes and patterns. Indian wears are popular because of its beauty of print, artwork, detailing of designs and quality of fabric soothing to skin of every wearer which adds glamour on every occasion. Since its inception in year 2000 at KK Handloom we are the leading suppliers of a variety range of Maharashtrian Sarees like Yeola Paithani, Brocket Paithani, Special Padar Paithani, Benarasi Silk Paithani sarees and many more at our Saree hub. The rich look in manufacturing with the fine quality fabric has attracted vendors all over the country.We at Kapse Paithani believes in quality delivering and complete customer satisfaction keeps range of traditional wears in all sizes and huge choice for colour adding charm and beauty to the wearer. Mainly in Maharashtra, Saree is the most elegant wear and the oldest form of women’s wearing, with the change of time a variety in its manufacturing and printing has been introducted. Here at Kapse P aithani team at the backend with their vast experience always strives to maintain the ethnic beauty of artwork with the modern touch of print.

Explain the Strengths and Weaknesses of Aquinas’ Cosmological Argument

a) Explain the strengths and weaknesses of Aquinas’ cosmological arguments. The cosmological argument is an a posteriori argument based on the question of the relation of the universe’s existence and God’s existence. This argument focuses on the theory that if the universe exists then something must have caused it to existence, ie. A God or Creator. Supporters of this argument claim that to fully comprehend the existence of the universe, one must rely on a theory of a God however critics would say that due to the inability to prove God’s existence means that the universe cannot be fully explained.Many who don’t support the cosmological believe there doesn’t necessarily need to be an explanation for the universe’s existence as it simply exists. Some strengths of the cosmological argument is that it gives an explanation and reason for the universe as oppose to thinking everything just exists because it does. People may find comfort in th e cosmological argument and believing that a God created the universe as it gives the impression that everything in the universe has a specific purpose instead of just being random.Another strength is due to the argument being an a posteriori argument and it being from everyday experience of the universe. In other words, our experience of the universe aids our understanding that certain aspects of the universe have specific purposes and exist for specific reasons which gives strong support for this argument. The fact that the argument also helps develop an understanding of popular questions helps it to be a strong theory. A question such as ‘Why is there a universe? can be answered with the cosmological argument as believing that God created the universe provides an answer. The ideas on cause and effect, motion and change and contingency are clear and easy to follow making it comprehendible and easy to support. For many people, the idea that God is the cause of the universe is straightforward and no more explanation is required. Aquinas put forward three questions to answer the inquires about God’s existence whilst forming the cosmological argument.There were five proofs which he came up with but his three ways are commonly used as the cosmological argument for the existence of God. The first way is motion, the second is causation and the third way is the idea that God as a necessary being. The first way which Aquinas provided was very focused on the fact that the universe constantly changes and experiences motion which he went on the relate to the change being caused by an original Creator or God. He believed that we can observe that things in the world are always in motion or changing and is changing from a potential state to an actual state.A chain of events causes things to change from one state to another through the process of motion but the chain of movers cannot continue the process of change and motion forever as then there would be no fi rst mover (I. e. God) and then there would be no other movers. Aquinas emphasised that the first mover was not put into motion by anyone else and is essentially God. This makes the cosmological argument a strong argument to support as helps explain the reason why the universe is constantly changing. Aquinas produced the second way of causation also known as the First Cause Argument.This argument concentrated on the fact that cause and effect existed in the world. Aquinas stressed that all events that happened had a cause and must either be infinite or have its starting point in a first cause. Aquinas couldn’t believe in an endless chain of causes and effects and therefore assumed there had to be some first cause, which was God. Aquinas continued this argument to say that nothing can be a cause of itself. This is a large strength of Aquinas’ cosmological argument as things cannot simply bring themselves into existence so the explanation of a first cause is extremely log ical.Aquinas theory of a first cause gives way for God being called the first uncaused cause as he came to existence unlike anything else. The third way of Aquinas’ cosmological argument is about the idea that God is a necessary being. This argument states that because everything in the universe is contingent and dependant on something else for its existence, the universes explanation leads back to something non-contingent. Everything in the universe is dependant on something else which means that once there was a time when nothing existed. This means that the being which created the niverse must have been external to it and also must be a necessary being, aka, must have always existed. Aquinas continued to argue that this necessary being is God and that if God didn’t exist, nothing else would. This logically explains the existence of the universe without it being contradictory of God’s existence, making the argument strong. However, Aquinas’ cosmological argument did receive some criticisms from David Hume. Hume put forward several responses to the cosmological idea, provided an alternative argument to Aquinas’ beliefs.Hume believed that the idea of the necessary being was incoherent and illogical. Also, he questioned the relation between causes and effects and that every event has a cause. His response to this is that the argument provided no proof for events having causes and as humans, we never actually experience causation therefore providing an argument against the first and second way which Aquinas produced. Hume also criticised the idea of the first cause as he implied it was too confusing to follow.The word ‘cause’ itself creates confusion as the first cause doesn’t have anything to do with the actual cause which we understand. There is a contradiction as the world ‘cause’ implies a finite thing whereas a God would be infinite. Hume pointed out that calling God a cause made him seem l ike he belonged with all the other finite beings. Another one of Hume’s arguments against Aquinas’ idea of a first cause was his criticism that there is no proof saying there should be only one first cause or that that first cause was the Christian God.The ‘uncaused cause’ that Aquinas described is a largely different character to the Christian God and Aquinas doesn’t specify of any qualities which God is supposed to behold. Hume labelled this idea illogical as the God Aquinas described was a being out of touch and indifferent to the universe he apparently caused. Hume questioned the necessity of claiming the whole universe has a cause just because it can be explained by a chain of causes. Hume argued that you cannot claim the universe has a cause just because all things in the universe supposedly has a cause.He also claimed that since the universe is beyond our experience, how can we know that the universe has a first cause? Aquinas believed that t he universe could not have just come into existence yet Hume’s argument implied that there is nothing saying that this is not correct and now science can efficiently explain that the universe may have just come into existence randomly. This argument successfully defeats Aquinas’ view about a first cause causing the universe to exist.

Profile of Charlton Heston, Gun Rights Movement Icon

Profile of Charlton Heston, Gun Rights Movement Icon As an actor, Charlton Heston appeared in some of the most notable films of his time. But he may best be remembered as the most visible president in the National Rifle Association’s history, guiding the gun lobbying group through a five-year period that saw gun rights take center stage in Washington, D.C. Along the way, his statements were responsible for igniting a phrase that would become a rallying cry for gun owners: â€Å"You can have my guns when you take them from my cold, dead hands.† Surprisingly, the man who hoisted a rifle above his head at the 2000 NRA Convention in defiance of the perceived anti-gun policies of Democrat presidential nominee Al Gore was once a staunch supporter of gun control legislation. Heston’s Support for Gun Control By the time President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, Charlton Heston had become a household name, starring as Moses in the 1956 film The Ten Commandments and as Judah Ben Hur in 1959’s Ben Hur. Heston campaigned for Kennedy in the 1960 presidential election and became critical of lax gun laws in the aftermath of Kennedy’s assassination. He joined fellow Hollywood stars Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck, and James Stewart in support of the Gun Control Act of 1968, the most restrictive piece of gun legislation in more than 30 years. Appearing on ABC’s The Joey Bishop Show two weeks after U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, Heston read from a prepared statement: â€Å"This bill is no mystery. Let’s be clear about it. Its purpose is simple and direct. It is not to deprive the sportsman of his hunting gun, the marksman of his target rifle, nor would it deny to any responsible citizen his constitutional right to own a firearm. It is to prevent the murder of Americans.† Later that year, actor-producer Tom Laughlin, chairman of the anti-gun group Ten Thousand Americans for Responsible Gun Control lamented in an edition of Film Television Daily that Hollywood stars had fallen from the gun control bandwagon, but listed Heston among a handful of diehard supporters who he said would stand by his side. Heston Changes Teams in the Gun Rights Debate Exactly when Heston changed his views on gun ownership is hard to pin down. In interviews after being elected president of the NRA, he was vague about his support of the 1968 Gun Control Act, saying only that he had made some â€Å"political mistakes.† Heston’s support for Republican politicians can be dated back as far as the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan. The two men shared many broad similarities: Hollywood A-Listers who supported Democrat Party policies early in their careers only to become stalwarts of the conservative movement. Reagan would later appoint Heston to co-chair a task force on arts and humanities. Over the next two decades, Heston became increasingly vocal in his support of conservative policies, in general, and on the Second Amendment, in particular. In 1997, Heston was elected to the NRA’s Board of Directors. One year later, he was elected president of the organization. Heston was vocally opposed to virtually any proposed measure of restricting gun ownership, from a mandatory five-day waiting period on handgun purchases to a limit of one gun purchase a month to mandatory trigger locks and the 1994 ban on assault weapons. â€Å"Teddy Roosevelt hunted in the last century with a semiautomatic rifle,† Heston once said in regards to proposals to ban semiautomatic firearms. â€Å"Most deer guns are semi-automatic. It’s become a demonized phrase. The media distorts that and the public ill understands it.† In 1997, he lambasted the National Press Club for the media’s role in the Assault Weapons Ban, saying reporters need to do their homework on semiautomatic weapons. In a speech to the club, he said: â€Å"For too long, you have swallowed manufactured statistics and fabricated technical support from anti-gun organizations that wouldnt know a semi-auto from a sharp stick. And it shows. You fall for it every time.† ‘From My Cold, Dead Hands’ During the height of the 2000 election season, Heston delivered a rousing speech at the NRA Convention in which he closed by invoking an old Second Amendment battle cry as he raised a vintage 1874 buffalo rifle over his head: â€Å"So, as we set out this year to defeat the divisive forces that would take freedom away, I want to say those fighting words for everyone within the sound of my voice to hear and to heed, and especially for you, (presidential candidate) Mr. (Al) Gore: From my cold, dead hands.’† The â€Å"cold, dead hands† saying did not originate with Heston. It had been around since the 1970s  when it was used as a slogan for literature and bumper stickers by gun rights activists. The slogan didn’t even originate with the NRA; it was first used by the Washington-based Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. But Heston’s usage of those five words in 2000 made them iconic. Gun owners across the nation began using the slogan as a rallying cry, saying, â€Å"You can have my guns when you take them from my cold, dead hands.† Heston is often incorrectly attributed with coining the phrase. When he resigned from the NRA presidency in 2003 due to his declining health, he again raised the rifle over his head and repeated, â€Å"From my cold, dead hands.† The Death of an Icon Heston was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1998, an illness he defeated. But a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in 2003 would prove too much to overcome. He stepped down from his position as president of the NRA and died five years later, at the age of 84. At his death, he had appeared in more than 100 films. He and his wife, Lydia Clark, had been married 64 years. But Heston’s lasting legacy might be his five-year stint as president of the NRA. With the peak of his Hollywood career well behind him, Heston’s work with the NRA and his fierce pro-gun rights rhetoric earned him legendary status with a whole new generation.

No-till Vs. Conventional tillage agriculture essays

No-till Vs. Conventional tillage agriculture essays To till or not to till that is the question? This may seem like a silly pun on one of Shakespeare's famous lines, but this is a very valid question with many farmers across the land today. No-till, or conservation tillage is a increasingly popular means of working the land by preparing a micro seed bed 2-3 wide. When compared to conventional tillage where soil is inverted and mixed, conservation tillage seems very low impact. And this low impact way of preparing and for crops helps the soil to develop better structure and reduce erosion among a host of other benefits. No-till is defined by Hall as, (that) which refers broadly to different approaches for reducing the amount of soil tillage before planting and after harvest. While this is a very generalized definition this is the basic idea behind no-till agriculture. Conservation tillage research started in the 1940s, following World War II. Just as plant growth regulators (herbicides) were being developed, (Gorman, 117). Herbicides are essential to no-till agriculture because without them conventional plow tillage is the only way to kill weeds that compete with crop plants. But at first no-till didnt really catch on. By the early 1970s only eight percent of all agriculture land was being farmed using conservation tillage but by the early 1980s about thirty percent of the United states agriculture land was managed using conservation tillage. By 2010 it is predicted that 75 to 85 percent of our nations farmland will be under no-till management (Gorman, 117) Why the sudden increase in the adoption of no till? Several factors timed the shift from plow tillage to conservation tillage over the last 25 years these include availability of effective and safe herbicides, increase in energy costs, decrease in available farm labor, and growing public concern over soil and water conservation and environmental pollution (Gorman, 117). But perh...

Carpenter Bees and How to Get Rid of Them

Carpenter Bees and How to Get Rid of Them Carpenter bees can be a real nuisance. They resemble large bumblebees and can be found buzzing around dwellings and other structures where they like to build their nests. Every year, they cause millions of dollars in  damage to dwellings by tunneling into decks, porches, and other wood structures. They can also be aggressive, especially during mating season, and will fly very close to human beings and even bump into them. Fortunately, they rarely if ever sting people and their nests can be removed. Carpenter Bee Basics There are several species of carpenter bee in the United States, but the most common one is the Virginia carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica). These bugs are found throughout the Southeast but range as far as Connecticut to the north and Texas in the west. Carpenter bees range in size from about 5/8 of an inch to 1 inch and look very similar to bumblebees, but theyre not the same.   Bumblebees (genus Bombus) nest in the ground, usually in abandoned rodent nests, and live in social communities. Carpenter bees (genus Xylocopa) are solitary bees that burrow into wood. You can differentiate the two by examining the dorsal (upper) side of the abdomen. If its shiny and hairless, its a carpenter bee. A bumblebee, by contrast, has a hairy abdomen. Both are considered beneficial insects because they are  excellent plant  pollinators. Therefore, you should avoid eliminating these insects unless absolutely necessary. Carpenter bees usually live for about one year. Each new generation is hatched in the late summer, emerging from nests in August and September to grow and feed, pollinating flowers as they go  before  settling in for the winter and hibernating. Survivors emerge in April and May to mate. The female carpenter bee excavates a tunnel for her offspring. In each brood chamber, she stores food and lays an egg. Having reproduced, adult carpenter bees die off in July, leaving the new generation to continue the cycle when they emerge a month or so later. Most people encounter carpenter bees during April and May when theyve just emerged to mate. During this time, male carpenter bees tend to hover around nest openings, looking for receptive females. It can be rather unnerving being around them, as the males will also hover aggressively around people who approach the nests. They may even fly right into you. Despite this tough act, male carpenter bees cannot sting. Female carpenter bees can sting, but almost never do. How to Identify Nests If you see a bee emerging from a hole in the ground or within a structure, thats a good indication that youre looking at a carpenter bee nest. To be certain,  look at the entrance holes. A carpenter bee makes an entrance hole slightly bigger than her body, or just about  ½ inch in diameter. The first inch or two of the tunnel is usually made against the wood grain. The bee will then make a right turn and extend the tunnel another 4 to 6 inches in the direction of the wood grain. Carpenter bees will often eliminate their waste before entering their nest, so you might see yellow stains on the surface of the wood, just below the entrance hole. Stavros Markopoulos / Getty Images Though they burrow into wood, carpenter bees dont eat wood like termites do. Since their nest tunnels are limited in size, they rarely do serious structural damage. However, because such excavation requires a lot of energy on her part, a female carpenter bee will often prefer to refurbish an old tunnel to digging a new one. If carpenter bees are allowed to tunnel in the same structure year after year, however, the cumulative damage can be significant.   How to Control Carpenter Bees Your best defense is a good offense. Carpenter bees prefer to excavate untreated, unfinished wood. You can prevent carpenter bees from nesting in the first place by painting or varnishing your homes exterior. If an infestation has occurred, you will need to use an insecticide to eliminate the carpenter bees. Many professionals recommend sprays or dust, which can reach the interior surface of the entrance holes. Apply the pesticide at dusk, when carpenter bees are less active.   For the insecticide to work, the bees much come in contact with it as they crawl through the entrance hole of the nest. Apply the appropriate insecticidal dust in the spring, just before adults emerge to mate. Once you see the bees emerge, wait a few days before filling in the nest holes with wood putty or filler. If you didnt apply the insecticide before the spring adults emerged, you will need to treat the nests in the spring, and again in late summer, when the next generation of adults is foraging. In the fall, seal the nest holes with steel wool, then close off the hole with putty, wood filler, fiberglass, or asphalt.   A professional pest control service is your best choice, especially if you have a large infestation because theyll have specialized tools that can reach deep into crevices. However, if you want to do it yourself, any name-brand insecticide formulated to kill flying insects should work. If youd prefer to use a natural remedy, there are several, including boric acid,  Diatomaceous earth, and citrus spray. You can also contact  your local extension office  to find out which insecticides are effective and legal for use on carpenter bees in your area. Sources Bamabara, Stephen and  Waldvogel, Michael. Residential, Structural, and Community Pests. North Carolina State University. July 2009.Houseman, Richard. Carpenter Bees. The University of Missouri Extension.  Jacobs Sr., Steve. Carpenter Bees. Pennsylvania State University. January 2014UC Davis staff. Carpenter Bees Management Guidelines. The University of California. June 2014.13 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees. HomeRemedyHacks.com. 27 January 2015.

Insurance Theory and Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Insurance Theory and Practice - Essay Example Renewal rates were lower in 2006 than 2005 as the industry responds to greater competition from a number of sources. In addition, rates have stabilised because the industry's capital base has been restored thanks to internal profits after a low level of catastrophes in 2006 and 2007. Catastrophe bonds: A catastrophe bond issued through special purpose reinsurance vehicle (SPRV) is a specialized security that increases insurers' ability to provide insurance protection by transferring the risk to bond investors. Industry loss warranty contract (ILW): Unlike traditional reinsurance, where the reinsurer pays a portion of the primary company's losses according to an agreed upon formula, the ILW is triggered by an agreed-upon industry loss. Side car: Simple agreements that allow a reinsurer to transfer to another reinsurer or group of investors, such as hedge funds, a limited and specific risk, such as the risk of an earthquake or hurricane in a given geographic area over a specific period of time. Federal and State Catastrophe Funds: Many are calling for government-backed programs to assume some of the financial risk associated with natural disasters. 1.4 Post-September 11 and Natural Catastrophes The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center accelerated premium rate higher and insurers started looking accumulation-of-loss viewpoint in addition to traditional considerations, particularly in areas that may be terrorism targets. Hurricanes also have their toll on reinsurance. After Hurricane Andrewit it became clear that U.S. insurers had seriously underestimated the extent of their liability for property losses in a mega disaster. Reinsurers subsequently reassessed their position, which in turn caused primary companies to reconsider their catastrophe reinsurance needs. 2. Reinsurance "Reinsurance is a means by which an insurance company can protect itself against the risk of losses with other insurance companies" (Wikipedia). Individuals and corporations obtain insurance policies to provide protection for various risks (hurricanes, earthquakes, lawsuits, collisions, sickness and death, etc.). Reinsurers, in turn, provide insurance to insurance companies. Reinsurance is a type of risk management involving transfer of risk from insurer to the reinsurer. What that reinsurer does is to provide insurance for the insurers on the basis of a contract of indemnity. It works like this - the insurer gives the reinsurer a portion of the premium it collects from the insured and in return is covered for losses. A reinsurer enters into a

An Investigation of the Impact of Oil Price Changes on the Gulf Dissertation

An Investigation of the Impact of Oil Price Changes on the Gulf Council Countries (GCC) Stock Markets - Dissertation Example According to the report any fluctuation in oil prices does not go unnoticed. However an increase or decrease in oil prices does not have a uniform effect worldwide. Some countries gain and some suffer the consequences. This paper seeks to identify and analyse the relationship of oil prices to the stock markets of the GCC, which stands for Gulf cooperation council.From this paper it is clear that the most general assumption is that the changes in the oil prices have an indirect impact on the stock market. This theory is applicable as it is believed by most economists, commentators and journalists. This relationship between oil prices and the stock market can be easily justified by the most famous headline of the Wall Street Journal that says â€Å"Oil Spikes Pummels Stock Market†. Also, the Financial Times also captured the attention of the investors regarding oil prices impact on the stock market by displaying headline which says â€Å"U.S. Stocks Rally as Oil Prices Fallâ₠¬ . According to the research, the relationship between of oil prices and the stock market is quite unpredictable and is very strange than it is assumed by most investors. No one makes this negative relationship as a thumb of rule but most of the time these both variables move in opposite directions. This means that as the oil prices goes up it shows a negative impact on the stock market. On the other hand, as the price of the oil goes down it results in a positive impact on the stock market.... It is needed for ?guaranteeing the economy’s as well as modern industries development. The fluctuation in prices ?of oil is considered to be an indicator of the global or worldwide economy. Each change in oil ?price is discussed as a hot topic both generally as well as in economic and the political circles of ?every country. There are various factors that may affect the oil prices and cause them to ?fluctuate. Major of these are the balance shifts in demand and supply of oil market, exchange rate ?fluctuation of dollar, Opportunistic Practices and instability of geopolitical factors/. These factors jointly work for bringing change in the oil prices and this change tends to have an impact upon the stock exchange performances of different countries as well. The dissertation aims to investigate the impact of oil price fluctuation upon the stock market index of the GCC countries over the last five years. The dissertation examines and analyses the data for last five years using the linear regression model and it has been unveiled from the calculation of the data using the model that the GCC countries’ stock exchanges have always responded strongly towards the changes in oil fluctuation and the oil prices changes occurred during the last five years have also altered the stock exchanges indexes of the GCC countries. Table of Content Acknowledgements Declaration 1. Chapter one: Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.8 1.1. Aim and Objectives of the study †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.14 1.2. Methodology and data†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.15 1.3. The structure of the

Foreign Workers Strike and Protests in UAE Literature review

Foreign Workers Strike and Protests in UAE - Literature review Example Another factor is the way that residence permits are used to make sure that expatriates stay tied to one particular employer. This article shows that restrictive employer practices in the UAE are contributing to calls for strikes among foreign workers. Bohning, W.R. (1996) Employing Foreign Workers: A manual on policies and procedures of special interest to middle- and low-income countries. Geneva: International Labour Organization. This handbook is an exhaustive guidebook on all the HRM mechanisms that could be useful for countries and companies which employ a large number of foreign workers. It deals with all the usual processes of hiring and firing, along with the rights of the workers and employers in terms of sickness benefits, remuneration and choice of location and living conditions. It is interesting to note that there is no section on worker rights to strike, or take part in any other kind of industrial action, but instead there is a reference to the desirability of â€Å"s pecial complaint and redress mechanisms† (p. 73). ... This book contains a collection of articles on managing human resources in different countries within the Middle East area. It is structured country by country and there is an introduction and concluding chapter by the two main editors. The fourth chapter is on the United Arab Emirates and is written by Abubakr Mohyeldin Tahir Suliman. This analysis gives brief introductions on the political and economic background to the UAE and then highlights some of the main HRM challenges which face the country including â€Å"employee theft, conflicts of interest, discrimination in hiring and promotion, quality control issues, and misuse of proprietary information† (p. 65) Although some of the data used in this article is quite old, it does give a good summary of the different industries which have developed in the last fifty years. It attributes the advanced state of HRM in the UAE to the contribution of well qualified and experienced foreign workers. Suliman explains the role of the UA E National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority (Tanmia) and the various professional Institutes which aim to manage the process of Emiratisation. He notes also that â€Å"there are no labor unions, and freedom of association is not recognized as a fundamental right in the UAE. Accordingly strikes are illegal†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 74) Significantly, there are no institutions in the UAE which offer specialized degree or certificate courses in HRM and this is an interesting finding which may help to explain why the whole issue of striking foreign workers is not being adequately approached in UAE at the present time. Godwin, S.M. (2006) Globalization, Education and Emiratisation: A Study of the United Arab Emirates. The Electronic Journal on Information Systems in Developing Countries

Reflection paper on a movie Life is beautiful by Roberto Benigni Essay

Reflection paper on a movie Life is beautiful by Roberto Benigni - Essay Example The setting of the story means that the writing was undertaking a World War II tragicomedy to exemplify some of the very acts of society in those times that he found worth addressing through the medium of filmmaking. On the whole, the film may be seen as being written in what may be seen as roughness of composition because the writer devised a strategy to ensure that the rather horrific theme of war and national agony is presented in a much comic format. In this reflection, a person opinion on the value of the film is presented. There is also an attempt to critic the film with an aim of giving personal opinion as to whether or not I liked the movie. To make the reflection coherent and well organized, specific aspects of the movie shall be selected for analysis including style of writing, themes and value of the film. Critique of Style of Presentation The style of presentation used by Roberto Benigni can generally be regarded as juvenile, freestyle and down to earth. This is because t here were no uses of complex technicalities that require audience and viewers to crack a puzzle while watching the movie. In general tense, the movie was presented in a manner that was easy to understand. A number of strategies were used to achieve this simplicity in presentation. The first was the fact that the writer avoided the use of complex storyline but focused on a direct story revolving around the characters of Guido and Dora and the romantic love that brewed between them. Another strategy that was seen from the style of presentation that made it very simplistic was the fact that the story was clearly divided into two parts of plot sections. This is because in the first hour of the film, the viewer is given much on the romance relationship between Guido and Dora but in the second hour, there is a twist in the plot as much of the sad moments of the setting were introduced. The filmmaker could have easily interrelated these two parts of the film but it would clearly have made it difficult to understand. Reflection on Movie Theme The movie touches on a theme that is directly resounded in its title and that is the theme of life’s beauty. As much as possible, the filmmaker emphasized on the theme of human conviction and the power that the human being has to make life of great worth for himself regardless of undeserving situations and circumstances that they may be confronted with. This theme was empowered around the tragic aspect of the movie, which was the genocide that took place at the time of the Nazi reign in Germany. Not even going into the specifics of the genocide, it can be said that the filmmaker had a mentality of justifying the power of the human conviction above some of the events and situations that were are faced in life with, of which we describe as agonizing and horrifying. This is because as events in the World War II put the rather beautiful relationship revolving around Dora, Dora’s mother, Guildo, Eliseo and Joshua apart, Guido was perceived as having much power in his personal motivation towards life, not to be depressed by events of the war. There is also a theme on human survival in the very moments of times that only the fittest can survive. This is because at the camp, Guildo saw the wisdom in keeping the true situation of the situation between himself and Dora from his son so as to protect their safety. Value of the Film The movie gives a value of hope for the future and the need for mankind to see

Procurement Management Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Procurement Management Plan - Research Paper Example No. Item Name Quantity Budgeted Amount ($) Expected Cost ($) Needed by 1. Shrubs 1000 11000 10000 +/- 1000 01-02-2012 2. Bricks 10000 2000 2000 +/- 200 01-02-2012 3. Ties 500 7000 7500 +/- 500 01-01-2012 Issues: There can be misjudgment here on the part of the management regarding the required products for the project. In order to avoid this issue, the reason for the procurement of these products should be stated. It should be very clear that these products are necessary for the successful completion of the project. Moreover, lead experts will verify the quantity demanded of each item. The expected cost of the required products can exceed the budgeted amount. Such issues should be dealt with before hand by increasing market knowledge and discussing with experts that can suggest alternative solutions to the problem. Procurement Team Hierarchy Following is the procurement management team that has the responsibility and authority of procuring the required products/services. Name Role Mr . X Project Manager Mr. Y Lead Expert on the required items Mrs. Z Procuring officer Issues: Procurement team members should be chosen carefully as they are entitled to both authority and responsibility. They may lack market knowledge and negotiation skill, which is why it is necessary to train them accordingly. The procurement team should be a mix of various specialized skills so that they can cater to the needs of the fulfillment of the project. Contract Type After sending out all the solicitations, the first step is to analyze all the vendor proposals to select the ideal vendors that satisfy the criteria laid by the project team. There are many types of contracts for instance fixed price, time and material and cost reimbursable. Therefore, the contract type will be chosen after careful examination of the vendor proposals. Issues: Here the issue of inappropriate contract type can arise. The contract type should be chosen on the basis of information such as quality, expected delive ry, cost and past experience. This should be approved by contract board members. Vendor Selection After approval from board members, the most suitable vendor is selected based on a thorough analysis of measurable evaluation criteria. Issues: From this point onwards many issues can arise. The vendor should be contacted on timely basis so as to minimize the risk of delayed delivery. The agreement with the vendor should clearly state the specifications of the required product so that there is no claim of insufficient information by the seller. All the negotiations should be recorded as a proof of settlement. Moreover, the terms and conditions of the contract should be reasonable and just. The team will need to minimize the risk of failure of fulfillment of contract. From the time of agreement, the procurement team should keep in touch with the seller to demand status updates of the goods in transit. This will help in ensuring timely delivery and high quality of the products. Contract C losure This part collectively acknowledged the product verification and administrative closure. This closure is subject to the terms and conditions of the contract. Issues: If all the precautionary steps have been taken than the risks associated with this part can be minimized or eliminated. However, the possibility of risks does exist. So upon delivery the team will examine and verify the product and take all the necessary steps required to fulfill the contract. The

Article Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Article Critique - Essay Example The mission of LEAD is to inspire students with excellent academic performance and leadership skills, and who come from different cultures, to pursue business careers. Data collection was triangulated through semi-structured interviews, field observations, and analysis of secondary documents. Analysis included initial coding, pattern coding, and creating a conceptual framework. Findings showed that the themes were: 1) rationales ranged from self-interest to altruism; 2) the rationales changed throughout time; 3) rationales differed in their level of straightforwardness; and 4) the dynamics of rationale building frequently transformed into significant programmatic differences. Siegel (2008) concluded that it is possible that the success of partnerships like LEAD relied on the interpretive work of its participants. He stressed that through their independent and collective interpretations of their rationales, they were able to work toward common goals. This article is related to public relations in education, because these educational institutions collaborated due to public relations needs, among others. Siegel (2008) discussed that organizations naturally pursued their own interests and considered their own benefits, even in collaborative circumstances (p.234). LEAD member corporations mentioned the most salient self-interested rationales, such as having access to talented minorities, pipeline expansion, the chance to generate â€Å"mind share† with a strategically significant group, attainment of market intelligence, constructive public relations, maximizing portfolio of other diversity-related efforts, and gaining a competitive advantage over rivals (Siegel, 2008, p.234). Connecting to communities and establishing public relations are some of the benefits that these organizations pursued (Siegel, 2008, p.234). In particular, the ethics of public relations concerned understanding their rationales and ensuring that their rationales will lead, neither them nor others, into harm. This article is valid, because it collects data through several measures, specifically: semi-structured interviews, field observations, and analysis of secondary documents. These diverse measures ensure that data can be validated and referenced through other sources of information. In essence, Siegel (2008) evaluated the difference between the rhetoric of rationale building and the sentiments of participants too. This article also presents convincing findings and conclusions, because the author did not overlook the interconnection between self-interests and collaboration. He did not undermine self-interest as an important factor in building collaborations and establishing public relations. This article is also relevant, because it explores the role of rationale building in forming pertinent collaborative efforts. The framing of rationales depends on how members understand their alliance and how they aim to promote their interests through this alliance. This pa per agreed with Siegel (2008) that the framing of rationales affects the tone and movement of the collaboration, because incompatible frames will inevitably obstruct commitment to goals and implementation. Indeed, the â€Å"ways in which participants conceive of and articulate their rationale, then, may have important implications for outcomes or judgments of value†

Procurement Management Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Procurement Management Plan - Research Paper Example No. Item Name Quantity Budgeted Amount ($) Expected Cost ($) Needed by 1. Shrubs 1000 11000 10000 +/- 1000 01-02-2012 2. Bricks 10000 2000 2000 +/- 200 01-02-2012 3. Ties 500 7000 7500 +/- 500 01-01-2012 Issues: There can be misjudgment here on the part of the management regarding the required products for the project. In order to avoid this issue, the reason for the procurement of these products should be stated. It should be very clear that these products are necessary for the successful completion of the project. Moreover, lead experts will verify the quantity demanded of each item. The expected cost of the required products can exceed the budgeted amount. Such issues should be dealt with before hand by increasing market knowledge and discussing with experts that can suggest alternative solutions to the problem. Procurement Team Hierarchy Following is the procurement management team that has the responsibility and authority of procuring the required products/services. Name Role Mr . X Project Manager Mr. Y Lead Expert on the required items Mrs. Z Procuring officer Issues: Procurement team members should be chosen carefully as they are entitled to both authority and responsibility. They may lack market knowledge and negotiation skill, which is why it is necessary to train them accordingly. The procurement team should be a mix of various specialized skills so that they can cater to the needs of the fulfillment of the project. Contract Type After sending out all the solicitations, the first step is to analyze all the vendor proposals to select the ideal vendors that satisfy the criteria laid by the project team. There are many types of contracts for instance fixed price, time and material and cost reimbursable. Therefore, the contract type will be chosen after careful examination of the vendor proposals. Issues: Here the issue of inappropriate contract type can arise. The contract type should be chosen on the basis of information such as quality, expected delive ry, cost and past experience. This should be approved by contract board members. Vendor Selection After approval from board members, the most suitable vendor is selected based on a thorough analysis of measurable evaluation criteria. Issues: From this point onwards many issues can arise. The vendor should be contacted on timely basis so as to minimize the risk of delayed delivery. The agreement with the vendor should clearly state the specifications of the required product so that there is no claim of insufficient information by the seller. All the negotiations should be recorded as a proof of settlement. Moreover, the terms and conditions of the contract should be reasonable and just. The team will need to minimize the risk of failure of fulfillment of contract. From the time of agreement, the procurement team should keep in touch with the seller to demand status updates of the goods in transit. This will help in ensuring timely delivery and high quality of the products. Contract C losure This part collectively acknowledged the product verification and administrative closure. This closure is subject to the terms and conditions of the contract. Issues: If all the precautionary steps have been taken than the risks associated with this part can be minimized or eliminated. However, the possibility of risks does exist. So upon delivery the team will examine and verify the product and take all the necessary steps required to fulfill the contract. The

Racial Disparities in Correction Populations Essay

Racial Disparities in Correction Populations - Essay Example The above information, if given with critical analysis could be used to strongly prove that racial disparities in correction populations exist in the US justice system. It is important to dig on this issue because this could entirely create a significant impact on the US justice system, not only on its national and federal context, but on the entire international setting. The US, as a primary advanced and influential nation on earth, should always ensure it has substantially showed the appropriate example in all aspects especially for humanitarian cause. After all, there is a negative meaning associated with racial disparities and this could be enough at some point to remarkably refute the remarkable image of the US towards fairness in dealing with justice. There are varying opinions and even substantial justifications in line with racial disparities. The proof of these can be considered through various researches and other related studies that could potentially create meaningful ins ights about racial disparities in general. ... Justice systems employ important legal concerns. These legal acts encompass the society, and eventually groups of people. Race involves group of people so it is eventually a social group which is subject of a social construct and that it can only be refined to function well if there is prevailing justice system. Racial disparity therefore is about â€Å"unfair, unjust, unequal or unnecessary care or treatment of group of people† which can be evidently observed through the association of their race with whatever case confronting them (Loue & Sajatovic 2011, p.1260). Correctional populations defined There are varying existing definitions or concepts about correctional populations. However, in the context of the discussion in the prevailing justice system in the United States, the following are individuals that should be considered who belong to the correctional populations: they are incarcerated individuals either in prison, jail or supervised by the community that could be eith er probation or parole (Bureau of Justice Statistics 2012). Correctional populations therefore are composed of groups of people who have to face punishment or consequences of their acts as interpreted and justified by the final authority of the justice system. Evidences of racial disparities in correctional populations There are varying evidences of racial disparities in correctional populations and basically this can be illustrated by understanding the percentage of racial groups represented in a certain population, the number of individuals of a racial or minority groups that are integral parts of the criminal justice system, and many more (Walker,

An analysis of the influence of technology on contemporary interior architecture Essay Example for Free

An analysis of the influence of technology on contemporary interior architecture Essay The analysis of the articles is based on the influence of technology on interior architecture education and of employer’s expectations in the interior design industry. This also addresses the issues faced by interior designers in today’s world and how technology is hindering/fostering their creativity. Talking about the article on â€Å"Technology Changing the Face of the Modern Fit out†, it addresses a strong point of how the interior design industry was never considered as a crucial part of the industry and was dealt with a stereotype attitude that interior designers dealt only withthe part of â€Å"decorating† the space until technology gained importance. Technology has now given a 180-degree turn to the industry because of which the industry has finally started gaining the deserved recognition. The underlying point in the article â€Å" is technology hindering or fostering the creativity in interior design†, although is on similar lines like the above mentioned article about the positive aspects of technology, it also talks about the pitfall side of technology on the industry. Their argument is supported with an example cited of a professor from a state university of how although he accepts that the technology has given the students, the most innovative platform to communicate their design ideas, somewhere down the lane, the students who are the prospective interior designers are lacking the basic creative skills and hand drafting techniques. â€Å"Interior Designers’ Perceptions of the Influence †¨of Technology on Workplace Performance† article gives us a different perspective of the influence of technology and how it caters to the interior designers. The statement is supported by examples cited by employees from the industry who have been interviewed of how 2D and 3D software have enabled the designers to get their work done in reduced time in comparison to how it was in the past. It also talks about what the expectations of the employers from new hires are, which includes being efficient in 2D and 3D software which will enable them to be proficient in expressing their design ideas. The other side of the coin is that it is hindering the employers in certain ways. This point is well supported by examples they cite of how in case if the computer crashes the students are unable to come up with a hand made drawing ready for a meeting. The over dependence on the computer has led to this state where the new graduates are finding it tough to inculcate sketching and hand drafting although their competent computer skills enable them to complete a design project in no time. The articles that we have looked at firmly state that the influence of technology has its pros and cons. The use of technology has catered to designers in various ways in terms of the time factor, design output etc. But the basic thing we have to understand is every opportunity has both sides. So technology is definitely fostering the designers but having said that it is better that we don’t become over dependent on it that it hinders our creative and innovative skills of designing.

The Woman Warrior :: essays research papers

The Woman Warrior The most important theme that really stood out to me was the talk stories. The whole book mainly deals with the talk stories. The second theme that I felt that had a major impact in this book was ghost. Ghosts have an impact because the stories that are told about them that affect the kids resulting in their isolation from society. These themes are very important in The Woman Warrior because they help the narrator’s life and unite the stories of the book. Talk stories to me, seem to have a major impact in the lives of Chinese people. These talk stories teaches the children valuable lessons; each different from each culture. The talk stories make the children fear or learn from the mistakes or triumphs of the characters in the talk stories. These stories have major impacts on the main character of The Woman Warrior. She learns what to fear, like ghosts, and having a child without being married and also learned to stand up to what she feared or believed in. The story of the aunt is the first talk story we learn about in this book. The aunt who had a child before marriage was treated as a outcast. This teaches the girl not just to avoid getting pregnant before marriage, but to avoid embarrassing the whole family. This story though, grows weaker for the girl as she rebel at what her mother wants her to be. She tries to be the best she can be and looks for her mother’s praise but all she got was â€Å"you’re too ugly† or â€Å"you talk like a duck†. She starts to question these stories as these talk stories become very confusing in the life of the girl. The second talk story was clearly still in the mind of the girl when she grew up. The story was about Fa Mu Lan who joined the army as a girl to rise up to be a hero when female weren’t allowed in the army. This is good story that really matched up to what the girl represented when she grew up. Fa Mu Lan went against the rules of being a woman in China and triumphed to be one of the greatest heroes of China. The girl decided to be like Fa Mu Lan and break tradition by rebelling against her mother. Ghosts seems to be very important in the story of this book. Ghosts plays a major part because of the way they are used as to isolate the children or to make them stand up against a foe.

Risk Management and Prevention at a Medical Facility Essay -- Medical

Risk Management Risk management is defined as a program directed toward identifying of, evaluating of, and taking corrective action against potential risks that could lead to injury of patients, staff, or visitors. It is a planned program of loss prevention and liability control, and its main purpose is to identify, analyze, and evaluate risks and then to develop a plan for reducing the frequency and severity of accidents and injuries (Decker and Sullivan, 2001). Risk management is a continuous daily program of detection, education, and intervention. This paper will describe the risk management issues at Great River Medical Center as they pertain to medication errors, and will describe the methods that are currently taking place to address this issue. Identifying Potential Risk Identifying potential risks for accident, injury, or financial loss requires formal and informal communication that involves all organizational departments in the facility. The risk management department at Great River Medical Center conducted on study on medication errors in the facility during preparation for a JACHO inspection. During this study, they discovered that medication errors had increased steadily over a 2 year period, and that many of them were because of illegibility reasons. The two most common legibility reasons included reading the initial order and reading the medication on the hand written medication sheet. According to Michael R. Cohen, MS, FASHP, from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, poor handwriting is the leading cause of medication errors. Poor handwriting can blur the distinction between two medications that have similar names. And, many drug names sound similar, especially when spoken over the telephone, enunciated poorly, or mispronounced. At Great River Medical Center, this was also found to be one of the leading causes of medication errors. The inability of the nurse to read the written order and the inability to read the written medication sheet accounted for 20 % of the medication errors at GRMC. Other reasons for medication errors at GRMC include the following: ï‚ § Incomplete patient information (not knowing about patients' allergies other medicines they are taking, previous diagnoses, and lab results, for example); ï‚ § Unavailable drug information (such as lack of up-to-date warnings); ï‚ § Miscommunication of drug orders,... ...ch new implementation process. With the use of the Omni Cell dispensers, computerized order entry, and the electronic medical record, the hospital has seen a reduction of errors and near misses at approximately 75%. Along with this great statistic, also comes peace of mind to an already stressed out and over worked staff, that wants to provide the best care possible for the patients. References: Anonymous, (2004). Nursing BC. Vol.36, Iss.5; pg.33, Vancover. Retrieved December 18, 2004 from www.proquest.com. Business Wire, (2004). Hospitalist Physicians Partner with Clinical Pharmacists to Improve Patient Outcomes, Reduce Medication Errors. Business Wire, pg. 1, New York. Retrieved December 19, 2004 from www.proquest.com. Davis, J.L. and Smith, M. (2002). Medication Errors Rampant in Hospitals. WebMD Medical News. Retrieved on December 20, 2004 from www.mywebmd.com. Institute for Safe Medication Practices, (2004). Measuring Medication Safety, retrieved on December 19,2004 from www.ismp.org. Stein, R. (2004). Automated Systems For Drugs Examined; Report: Computers Can Add to Errors. The Washington Post, pg. A03. Retrieved December 20, 2004 from www.proquest.com. Risk Management and Prevention at a Medical Facility Essay -- Medical Risk Management Risk management is defined as a program directed toward identifying of, evaluating of, and taking corrective action against potential risks that could lead to injury of patients, staff, or visitors. It is a planned program of loss prevention and liability control, and its main purpose is to identify, analyze, and evaluate risks and then to develop a plan for reducing the frequency and severity of accidents and injuries (Decker and Sullivan, 2001). Risk management is a continuous daily program of detection, education, and intervention. This paper will describe the risk management issues at Great River Medical Center as they pertain to medication errors, and will describe the methods that are currently taking place to address this issue. Identifying Potential Risk Identifying potential risks for accident, injury, or financial loss requires formal and informal communication that involves all organizational departments in the facility. The risk management department at Great River Medical Center conducted on study on medication errors in the facility during preparation for a JACHO inspection. During this study, they discovered that medication errors had increased steadily over a 2 year period, and that many of them were because of illegibility reasons. The two most common legibility reasons included reading the initial order and reading the medication on the hand written medication sheet. According to Michael R. Cohen, MS, FASHP, from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, poor handwriting is the leading cause of medication errors. Poor handwriting can blur the distinction between two medications that have similar names. And, many drug names sound similar, especially when spoken over the telephone, enunciated poorly, or mispronounced. At Great River Medical Center, this was also found to be one of the leading causes of medication errors. The inability of the nurse to read the written order and the inability to read the written medication sheet accounted for 20 % of the medication errors at GRMC. Other reasons for medication errors at GRMC include the following: ï‚ § Incomplete patient information (not knowing about patients' allergies other medicines they are taking, previous diagnoses, and lab results, for example); ï‚ § Unavailable drug information (such as lack of up-to-date warnings); ï‚ § Miscommunication of drug orders,... ...ch new implementation process. With the use of the Omni Cell dispensers, computerized order entry, and the electronic medical record, the hospital has seen a reduction of errors and near misses at approximately 75%. Along with this great statistic, also comes peace of mind to an already stressed out and over worked staff, that wants to provide the best care possible for the patients. References: Anonymous, (2004). Nursing BC. Vol.36, Iss.5; pg.33, Vancover. Retrieved December 18, 2004 from www.proquest.com. Business Wire, (2004). Hospitalist Physicians Partner with Clinical Pharmacists to Improve Patient Outcomes, Reduce Medication Errors. Business Wire, pg. 1, New York. Retrieved December 19, 2004 from www.proquest.com. Davis, J.L. and Smith, M. (2002). Medication Errors Rampant in Hospitals. WebMD Medical News. Retrieved on December 20, 2004 from www.mywebmd.com. Institute for Safe Medication Practices, (2004). Measuring Medication Safety, retrieved on December 19,2004 from www.ismp.org. Stein, R. (2004). Automated Systems For Drugs Examined; Report: Computers Can Add to Errors. The Washington Post, pg. A03. Retrieved December 20, 2004 from www.proquest.com.

America’s Involvement In the Spanish-American War Essay

In the late 19th century the United States began to dramatically reshape their foreign policies, and they soon found themselves in a bloody war that would shape the future of the country for years to come. When the United States was first created George Washington recommended limited foreign involvement, this all changed in 1823 with the Monroe Doctrine. This document set out the entire western hemisphere as the United States sphere of influence. However, at the time the Unites States did not have the power or the navy to back up this demand, until the late 1880’s when support for imperialism began to take off. People began to support imperialism because all other great powers had empires, strategic objectives became important, expanding the foreign market would support the economy, and social Darwinism was applied to nations, which meant that only the countries with the greatest wealth and largest empires would survive. As the 19th century came to a close, the United States saw an opportunity to put the Monroe Doctrine and a new sense of imperialism into action. At the time, Cuba was under going serious change, and was in the middle of a civil war with Spain. In 1895 a war escalated in Cuba to the point that 500, 000 Cubans were put into camps because of the reconcentracion policy.1 This policy had disastrous consequences causing nearly 200, 000 people in the camps to die because of the lack of proper food, sanitary conditions, and medical care.2 The policy generated severe anti-Spanish sentiment in the United States. As anger continued to rise among the American people, short-tempers eventually shattered into a gruesome war. The United States’ own President McKinley said that he â€Å"had no desire to go to war with Spain†, thus one must ask what were the overwhelming factors that pushed the American nation into another war?3 Historians have suggested numerous reasons for the United States to enter into war. Many authors, such as Ivan Musicant4 and Frank Friedel5, believe the Yellow Press and their extraordinary stories pushed the American public to their limits, forcing the McKinley administration to finally intervene in Cuba. However, writers such as Wayne Morgan suggested that the United States pursued a peaceful policy toward Cuba, attempting to force Spain to reform the island, but the Spanish failure to do so provoked American intervention.6 The overwhelming causes of the Spanish-American War can be attributed to a combination of five factors listed in order of importance. The Yellow Press, American economic interests, McKinley’s political agenda, and the sinking of the Maine. With these four factors in mind, the American motives for war will be accurately examined. When the American people saw an opportunity to make money by investing in Cuba’s sugar plantations, they immediately took advantage of the opportunity. However, once they saw their economic interests were endangered by the civil war in Cuba, American people wanted to protect their valuable investments. One of the main reasons Cuban Nationalists revolted against Spain was because they thought the U.S. would likely come to their aid. They had good reason to think this because at the time the United States was investing increasing amounts of money into Cuban sugar production, $50 million by 1895 and conducted trade with Cuba worth $100 million annually. The United States also had a strangle hold on the Cuban economy with 87% of all Cuban exports going to the United States in 1890.7 This newly found American-Cuban relationship also had its negative sides; it brought with it an increasing concentration on sugar production. As the Cuban revolution continued, more and more sugar plantations were being destroyed, disrupting trade, and seriously hurting the American investments. Not only would Americans be able to protect these investments if they went to war, but they would be able to acquire other Spanish colonies, for example the Philippines, and expand their foreign market. As Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge said, â€Å"Free Cuba would mean a great market for the United States; it would mean an opportunity for American capital; it would mean an opportunity for development of that splendid island.†8 Freeing the rebellious nation would not only protect the withstanding American investments, but would also allow Americans to spread their influence around the Caribbean nations and capture the foreign market. America’s future as an industrial power depended on foreign markets for American products. One of the major causes of the Spanish-American War was the American public opinion, which was extremely negative towards the Spaniards. The articles written by the Yellow Press drastically swayed this public opinion. The Yellow Press was a newspaper war in New York City between William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. These writers sensationalized the news and often exaggerated the truth and provoked a demand for intervention in Cuba. The American public used these newspapers as their information center for all events that were occurring in Cuba. Hearst and Pulitzer were able to greatly benefit from influencing Americans, increasing their readership from 400, 000 in 1897, to over 1 million readers during the Spanish-American War in 1898.9 Whatever Hearst or Pulitzer had to say was accepted by Americans without thought to the information’s validity. A good example of the Hearst’s Journal exaggerating the truth is an article on the Spanish General Weyler, â€Å"There is nothing to prevent his carnal animal brain from running riot with itself in inventing tortures and infamies of blood debauchery†.10 Biased information like this would be handed to the American public day after day, forcing the people to believe that the situation in Cuba required intervention. On February 8, 1898, Hearst once again added fuel to the fire with the publishing of the de Là ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½me letter. The Spanish Ambassador wrote the letter, which was published in the Journal, to a friend, in which the diplomat called U.S. President William McKinley â€Å"†¦ a weak man and a bidder for the admiration of the crowd†¦besides being a common politician†¦Ã¢â‚¬ .11 The letter enraged the American and drove them â€Å"to a new level of hysteria†.12 Although the letter did not have major economical or political impact, besides on McKinley’s ego, the social implications were enormous. Hearst and Pulitzer were not the only people who wrote about the conditions in Cuba, there was also E.L. Godkin who was the editor of the weekly Nation. Godkin frequently spoke out against Hearst and Pulitzer accusing them of gross misrepresentation, deliberate invention and unnecessary recklessness. He said â€Å"They were firebrands, tossed into the American crowd in an attempt to ignite a war.†13 No matter how much Godkin spoke out against Hearst and Pulitzer, they continued to dominate the American public with their embellished stories and pro war slants. The American public’s humanitarian concerns came into play after reading these articles. They soon believed how terrible the Cuban conditions were and began to plead the government to take aggressive steps towards Cuban independence. When the U.S. naval ship, the Maine, exploded in Havana Harbor, the American people, and their government were confused about what had happened and who had done it. Many fingers began to point at Spain, but even if Spain had not committed the crime, the suspicion alone by the American people was enough to push the war envelope a bit further. One of the final peaceful solutions to the problems in Cuba, presented by McKinley, was autonomy. This granted the country the right of self-government, however, a large portion of the Cuban population opposed autonomy and soon riots broke out. The battleship Maine simply arrived in Havana for a â€Å"friendly visit† on January 25, 1898 in response to pro-Spanish mobs.14 Suddenly, on the evening of February 15, 1898, at 9:45 PM, the Maine blew up, killing 268 of the crew.15 The explosion was an enormous blow not only to the American people, but to the Spanish and Cuban people as well. Immediately Madrid authorities as well as McKinley want ed to know what had happened and began thorough investigations. On March 21 the U.S. court determined there were two explosions: the first was of a mine under the keel of the Maine, and the second touched off by the initial blast.16 The court however did not fix responsibility for planting the mine. The Spanish board of inquiry, however, had a contrary conclusion, which said that the blast had been sparked by spontaneous combustion of coal.17 The American people were not told about the contrary deductions, but instead were heavily influenced by the Yellow Press who placed the fault of the incident solely on the Spaniards. The public was up in flames and was in agreement that the U.S. would get their revenge on Spain for taking American lives. The Maine explosion, combined with the anti-autonomy riots in Havana effectively changed the American public’s demands from Cuban autonomy to complete independence, which could only be achieved through war. When McKinley was inaugurated as president in 1896 his main political goals were to improve the United States economy and avoid war at all costs. However, McKinley found himself in a tough situation weighing peace against winning the upcoming 1900 election and the strategic benefits of acquiring Cuba. As McKinley was well aware of, the Yellow Press had misconstrued the situation in Cuba, causing the majority of the American population to become eager for war. If McKinley expected to win the upcoming election, he would have to give in to the people’s demands. McKinley also saw the beneficial strategic implications if the U.S. were to acquire Cuba and the Philippines through war. The United States would gain massive sea power by setting up naval bases, and Cuba would be the key to the future security of a U.S. canal in the Caribbean. With this political agenda in McKinley’s mind, he came up with two peaceful courses of action before he would have to declare war. McKinley’s first course of action was a proposal to buy Cuba for $30 million, but Spain quickly rejected this offer.18 Next, on March 29, 1898, Ambassador Stewart Woodford presented the final United States proposal on Cuba, requiring Spain to abandon the reconcentracion policy, proclaim an immediate armistice, and finally accede to Cuba’s independence.19 The Spanish government offered to withdraw the reconcentracion policy and to grant a cease-fire at the insurgents’ request, but refused to grant Cuba its independence.20 The American people were furious with the news, but McKinley, following through with his ultimatum asking Congress, on April 11, 1898, for permission to intervene directly in Cuba. The request was passed once the Teller Amendment, an agreement made disclaiming any intention of annexing Cuba, was adopted.21 The United States had finally entered a war that McKinley had feared, while the American people had been pushing for it all along. There were many factors that created the atmosphere necessary for the Spanish-American War to occur. No one event in itself was enough. But rather, it was the culmination of a sequence of events that created an atmosphere leading to war. The contributing factors that led to the Spanish-American War were economic interests, McKinley’s political agenda, and the sinking of the Maine. The major factor that eventually pushed the United States into war was the Yellow Press and its influence on the American people. The Yellow Press conveyed the facts to the American people in a negative manner, prompting the American people to plead for Cuban intervention through any means necessary. However, historian Wayne Morgan suggests, â€Å"war would have come without the Yellow Press†. 22 Once the nine-month war had ended, with only three months of fighting, the war concluded with the Treaty of Paris, 1898. This treaty gave the United States the colonies of Guam and Puerto Rico, along with the Philippines in return for $20 million.23 Although the Cubans did receive independence from Spain, in 1902 the U.S. created the Platt Amendment, which put Cuban foreign policy under U.S. control and all Cuban economic decisions under subject to U.S. approval.24 Life for Cubans was better, but they still did not have complete independence. Because the United States received the new colonies from Spain, they began to accomplish their imperialistic goals, and increase their national status to compete with the other world powers. President McKinley had tried his best to avoid a war, but the American public left him no choice, nevertheless McKinley succeeded in winning the 1900 elections.25 The Spanish-American War provided the United States with both opportunities and challenges. In 1899, when the United States occupied its new empire, Assistant Secretary of State John Basset Moore observed that the nation had become â€Å"a world power†¦Where formerly we had only commercial interests, we now have territorial and political interests as well.† 26 1 Michael Golay, America At War: The Spanish-American War. (New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1995), 5. 2 The Spanish American War, 1898, [May 2, 2007]. 3 Golay, America At War, 13. 4 Ivan Musicant, Empire By Default: The Spanish-American War and the Dawn of the American Century. (New York: Henry and Company, Inc., 1998), 81-83. 5 Frank Burt Freidel, The Splendid Little War. (Toronto: Little, Brown and Company Limited, 1958), 5-8. 6 Wayne Morgan, America’s Road To Empire: The War With Spain and Overseas Expansion. (New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1968), ix-x. 7 The Spanish American War, [May 2, 2007]. 8 Golay, America At War, 14. 9 The Spanish American War, [May 2, 2007]. 10 Golay, America At War, 7. 11 Irving Werstein, 1898: The Spanish-American War. (New York: Cooper Square Publishers, 1966) 10. 12 Musicant, Empire By Default, 152. 13 Golay, America At War, 12. 14 Freidel, The Splendid Little War, 8. 15 Albert Nofi, The Spanish-American War, 1898. (Conshohocken: Combined Books, Inc. 1996), 42 16 Nofi, The Spanish-American War, 43. 17 Causes of the Spanish American War. [May 2, 2007]. 18 Causes of the Spanish American War, [May 2, 2007]. 19 Nofi, The Spanish-American War, 44. 20 The Spanish American War, [May 2, 2007]. 21 David Goldfield et al, The American Journey: A History of The United States. (Toronto: Prentice-Hall Canada Inc., 2002), 427. 22 Morgan, America’s Road To Empire, 14. 23 The Spanish American War, [May 2, 2007]. 24 Goldfield, The American Journey, 430. 25 Goldfield, The American Journey, Appendix A-15 26 Goldfield, The American Journey, 427.

Successful Leadership Leads to a Successful Business

Quality of leadership has become a major focus of almost every business in America today. Extensive research and analysis of this aspect of management has led to many insightful books on effective leadership. One such book is C. A. O†Conner†s Successful Leadership. O†Conner discusses this complicated subject by breaking it up into seven major areas. These areas are developing awareness, understanding people, power and authority, communication, decision making, creating a vision, and taking charge. Through these seven areas, O†Conner gives valuable skills in becoming an effective leader. Before an individual can begin incorporating the seven major areas of leadership he must first learn followership. Through following, he realizes not only the importance of a leader that looks after the needs of his supporters, but also the need for supporters that contribute to the leader†s success. In any group or team where leadership is present, these two aspects are complimentary. Like wise, the skills of leadership and followership are also complimentary. An individual cannot develop his leadership skills without having developed his followership skills first. Followers learn the importance that teamwork, cohesiveness, and subordination have in the accomplishment of goals. Additionally, when an individual does obtain a leadership position, the experience he gains in following provides a basis to make better decisions. The first major area of leadership is developing self-awareness. In developing self-awareness, one must first obtain the assessment of others. A major source of this assessment is feedback. Careful attention to attitudes, comments and performance of subordinates offer great insight into the effectiveness of a leader. Listening to thoughts and opinions of fellow leaders is another major source. Honesty is the key to both sources of information in that the individual must not disregard negative aspects of his own leadership qualities. He must realize his own faults and shortcomings. The second step in self-awareness is to create a features list. A features list is done by the leader himself and is made up of at least five good leadership traits and at least five bad ones. A leader†s inability to come up with five or more traits in either category means a severe lack of self-awareness. The purpose of the features list is to keep the leader aware of his own qualities. As the individual develops as a leader, he should continuously create new features lists to ensure his own self-awareness. Once the individual has accurately assessed his own qualities, it is then time to implement improvements. A plan of action is the basis of this implementation. The plan should include creating a list of goals that enhance good qualities and make changes to bad ones. The leader must then make strides in realizing these goals. Like the features list, the individual†s plan of action should change as he develops as a leader. The next area of leadership is understanding people. It is essential that a leader understand that each of his subordinates is different, with different drives, dreams, and ambitions. To â€Å"classify† subordinates into a particular group is to deprive them of their individuality and ignore their particular needs. Understanding each subordinate†s needs is the key to motivating them. In assessing the needs of subordinates, a leader must be able to recognize what level each individual is on in Maslow†s hierarchy of needs. The hierarchy of needs is divided into five levels: the need for food, clothing, and shelter; personal safety and a source of income; family, friends, and caring relationships; self-confidence, creativity and individual achievement; meaning and purpose. In determining the level at which an individual is on, the leader can then help that individual in ascending to the next. The outcome is improved performance on the part of the worker. While this is not the only form of motivating people, it is the most effective in long term motivation. Put more practically, a leader can motivate an individual†s performance not only by explaining the advantages to the company, but also the advantages to that individual†s job security and advancement. By nature, humans seek to attain a better quality of life. For this reason, another effective form of motivation is rewarding. Individuals pay attention to doing a job well when they have personal interests as a result of the outcome. The job becomes beneficial to their own profits and not just the company†s. Balancing the use of rewards is very important. Too many offers of rewards result in disappointment and lack of motivation when one is not offered. Leaders must realize that rewards are only temporary forms of motivation that are not successful in long term leadership. The difficult task of managing power and authority is the third area of successful leadership. While understanding the authority of his position, a leader must also be open to the thoughts and ideas of his subordinates. Disregard for opinions is a sign of a weak leader who is afraid of being undermined and therefor hides behind his power. Leaders express leadership through three basic leadership styles: democratic, autocratic, and permissive. The democratic style of leadership is based on a mutual respect and treating everyone equal, regardless of seniority or position. The leader still maintains authority, but others are able to be active participants in finding solutions to problems. Autocratic leadership provides a strong, undisputed style of leadership that is effective when dealing with controversial issues. While clearly defining goals and expectations, the autocratic style of leadership often results in a leader overpowering subordinates which leads to dissension. The permissive style of leadership is described as being a weak attempt at democratic leadership. Subordinates whose leaders have adopted this style of leadership end up with poor coordination, direction, and guidance. In delegating particular tasks, effective leaders will follow a basic format of assignment. Rather then just handing a subordinate a task with the words â€Å"do this† attached to it, a good leader will define the task, discussing in detail the aspects of it, show why it is important and clearly state any expectations. In doing this the worker has a personal commitment and clear understanding of the importance of the task. Finally, the leader will evaluate and discuss the results of the task with that worker, providing feedback for that worker to improve himself. One of the most vital areas in successful leadership is communication. The most basic form of communication is listening and speaking. This involves not only the exchange of spoken words, but also close attention to body language and tone. This attention allows good listeners to sort of â€Å"read between the words† and fully understand the speaker†s message. Effective speakers take time to prepare what they intend to say, giving careful thought to what it is they are attempting to convey. There are five main features to effective communication. These features are often referred to as social skills. The first involves having a purpose for communication. This aids in guiding the exchange of information and avoids useless or irrelevant communication. The next feature is a clear and logical exchange with directness and confidence. The third feature is appropriateness. The presentation of the information must match the needs of the situation. In other words, choosing the format of delivery (i. e. mail, telephone, person-to-person interaction, etc. that is appropriate to the nature of the information. The forth feature is control. The leader must be able to exhibit self-discipline and restrain from over communicating. An example of this is allowing subordinates to learn tasks without intervention, creating an effective learning environment for the worker and not a micro-managed one. The last feature of communication is the ability to learn. Even the best communicators have room for improvement. Leaders must never be satisfied in their communication skills and continuously make efforts to improve them. Decision making is the next area of successful leadership. Leaders can be forced to make several decisions at the same time, making them to prioritize these decisions based on two criteria: future importance and current urgency. Future importance refers to the long term decisions that may seem insignificant presently, but will greatly impact the company in the long run. Making future importance decisions usually requires a great deal of analysis and planning. Current urgency decisions may seem extremely important at the time, but in actuality are not terribly relevant to the success of the company. In either case, future importance or current urgent, an effective leader makes these decisions with confidence and concern for his subordinates. The complications of decision making can often be made easier through good goal setting. In setting a challenging yet attainable goal, the leader gives solid direction to his department and sets clear objectives. From there, many decisions can be based on whether or not the consequences will help in realizing these goals. These goals offer basic guidance, eliminating irrelevant options. Even with the establishment of goals to guide in decision making, tackling a major decision can be very difficult. It is best for the leader to approach these decisions methodically, using a systematic approach of dealing with it. First the leader must establish what the primary and secondary requirements of the decision are and prioritize them. From there, he begins to consider every possible solution and tries to find new ones. Finally, through assessment of the first two steps, the leader chooses the best alternative based what he has come up with. This process can be used by the individual leader or be opened up for use of the entire workgroup in a more democratic leadership environment. The next area in successful leadership is creating a vision. A vision is an ultimate goal, usually rather universal, that gives overall direction to the company and its employees. The result is unified action that steers generally in the same direction. It is the difficult task of a leader to create and maintain this vision as a guiding light in day to day decisions. He must be aware of the sometimes ever changing â€Å"big picture† as seen by the interests of the company and ensure that the vision is in line with that picture. The final area in successful leadership is taking charge. This involves utilizing all of the first six steps and fully applying them to personal leadership development. It also emphasizes the importance of taking charge of leadership qualities that are already there and maximizing their potential. The leader must draw on experience to guide in decisions on how to lead. People are not born leaders. They become leaders through implementing these seven areas into their lives. A good leader must be able to fail and bounce back, learn from experience, and admit their own limitations. This along with a desire to learn and a drive to complete goals create the leader.