Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Human Trafficking Is The World s Third Largest Illegal...

There has been a war on drugs for decades, and part of that battle is to stop drug trafficking, but what if I told you that there was a trafficking crime that was just as bad if not worse? This, however, doesn’t involve any illegal narcotics, but the transportation of actual human beings. Trafficking in persons refers to the illegal trade or sale of human beings for sexual exploitation or forced labor through abduction, the use or threat of force, deception and fraud. Human trafficking is one of today s most egregious human rights violations. The lives of the twenty-one million victims of human trafficking all around the world ca never improve if we as a society choose to become silent about the matter. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, human trafficking is the world’s fastest growing criminal enterprise and is already tied with arms dealing as the world’s second largest illegal industry. Human trafficking is one of the most pervasive crimes on earth, existing in every single country. As much as it is a problem internationally, human trafficking also accounts for seventy-nine percent of prostitution around the country with North Carolina ranking eighth in states in highest rates of sex trafficking. According to the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts, an average of twenty-two human trafficking chargers were processed each year between the years 2008 and 2012. Experts say North Carolina is a prominent place for human trafficking becauseShow MoreRelated Kolab: A Sex Trafficking Survivor from Cambodia 1562 Words   |  7 Pagescutting me† (Global Sex Trafficking 1). This is the real-life testimony of a woman named Kolab, a sex trafficking survivor from Cambodia who shares her story with Equality Now, a female human rights advocate organization. Sucked into a world of fear, subjugation, and danger, Kolab demonstrates a lifestyle that no female would ever want to imagine-yet which for many women is their everyday reality. Often times, when we hear the term â€Å"sex trafficking† we think of an illegal form of sexual exploitationRead MoreHuman Trafficking Is The Illegal Act Of The Trading Of Human Beings1510 Words   |  7 PagesHuman trafficking is the illegal act of the trading of human beings for the main purposes of sexual slavery, and forced labor. The 1400’s was the beginning of the African slave trade and has been going on ever since. This crime started in the 1400s and has been ongoing ever since, growing exponentially every decade. This crime is a violation of human rights and yet it is happening worldwide, even here in the United States. This needs to be stopped because victims in this system experience physicalRead MoreHuman Trafficking And Its Effects On Human Rights1446 Words   |  6 PagesHuman trafficking is an assault on human rights and a violation of one’s dignity by means of forced labor, sex tr afficking, bonded labor, and/or domestic servitude. It remains to be both a local and global issue, â€Å"occurring in nearly every country, and its networks are vast and formidable to investigate† (Jesionka 2012). Despite government, activist groups and other organization’s methods of intervention, human trafficking is still a major concern with more individuals enslaved now than ever beforeRead MoreNo More Sex Trafficking?1689 Words   |  7 PagesMore Sex Trafficking Human sex trafficking is an illegal trade that is steadily increasing in the United States. In particular, human trafficking starts with young children. Around the world today, 5.5 million children are victims of trafficking (Bales, Free the Slave). Young children become victims to sex trafficking for many different reasons. How they enter into the system is one issue, but who is there to help them get out is a bigger issue? Children are forced into the sex trafficking systemRead MoreEvaluation Of The United States1422 Words   |  6 PagesHowever, it would have been conceivable to retain just-in-time production in the near future. As an underlying response to unreliability brought on by the terrorist danger, a few producers no more depend on just-in-time deliveries (World Ocean Review, 2010). America s seaports and the federal government united to make significant gains in bracing and solidifying port facilities against intruder attacks. From that point forward, public port authorities have made terrorism detection and counteractiveRead MorePeople being Taken against Their will in Human Trafficking1075 Words   |  4 PagesHuman Trafficking – Politics The act of smuggling humans is an act that’s against the law, but it’s still being performed today. Although the government has been trying to stop human trafficking, it still an act that is going to most likely take years to nullify, since some victims fall for false hopes given to them by contractors, and some are sequestrated against their will. According to the U.S. State Department and the United Nations International Labor Organization – anRead MoreA Brief Note On Urban And Rural Terms1251 Words   |  6 PagesUrban and Rural Terms Guatemala is a country that has had rapid growth economically in the world. Guatemala is becoming the most popular country in the sector of industry and tourism of Central American, its population has continued to increase. The growth of the population invariably leads to urbanization, which refers to the development of urban areas and the migration of people from rural to urban centers. On the other hand, this has the reciprocal effect of the expansion of these centers muchRead MoreIndia And Human Trafficking : India1565 Words   |  7 PagesIndia and Human Trafficking. India is a very diverse country. It is located in the Asia continent and holds a population of over 1.2 billion people, making it the second largest populated country of the world. Its languages, religions, traditions and food are just an example of this assortment. The national languages for India are English and Hindi even though, â€Å"there are about 22 official languages and nearly 400 living languages spoken in various parts of the country† (Zimmermann, 2013). ThroughoutRead MoreHuman Trafficking Is The Third Largest International Crime Industry1236 Words   |  5 PagesAccording to â€Å"11 Facts About Human Trafficking,† â€Å"between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States each year. Human trafficking is the third largest international crime industry (behind illegal drugs and arms trafficking). It reportedly generates a profit of $32 billion every year. Human trafficking victims can easily get STD’s, HIV/AIDS, untreatable disease s, cultural shock, and many more severe health problems.† Slavery also has dealt with these similar statistics and healthRead MoreHuman Trafficking And Its Effects On The World3313 Words   |  14 PagesHuman trafficking has been present in the world for many years. Such practices date as far back as the Romans. Trafficking has drastically increased, especially in profit around the world for those who benefit from the sales. Since then, tough practices and evolved technology have grown and aided in the growth of the trafficking trade. Human trafficking is not just meant for selling people for sex or selling them for work as some may believe, both take place. Especially here in the United States

Monday, December 23, 2019

Abortion Should Be Legal Option - 930 Words

Abortion should be a legal option The subject of abortion has been a long debated issue, dating back to the 1800’s. (2) During this time abortion was made Illegal due to the lack of educated doctor, it was too dangerous. As time passed the issue got bigger and more dangerous because of the number of back ally clinics that started to pop up. As a result, the maternal death rate increased drastically. In the early 1900’s, an average of 9.1 maternal deaths per 100,000 births, increasing to 14 per 100,000 in 2000, by 2013 it doubled to an astonishing 18.5 deaths per 100,000 live births that is 800 deaths. (1) So yes, abortion should be a legal option to decide when to start a family. I believe all women should have access to abortion clinics, however, I also think that there has to be certain restrictions that help regulate and execute the procedure as safe as possible. My arguments for why abortion should be legal can be found in each of the following topics women rights, personhood, victim protection and birth control. The first reason, is the principal value of a free nation. Women have the right to decide whether or not they want to start a family. In the Griswold v Connecticut a right to privacy was established for the use of birth control and in turn set a precedent. (2) Eight years later, in Roe v Wade court ruling abortion was legalized under the protection of the 14 amendment right to privacy. (2) Adding that privacy rights were broad enough to encompass theShow MoreRelatedAbortion Should Be Legal Option1491 Words   |  6 Pagesnot abortion should be a legal option continues to divide Americans long after the US Supreme Court’s 7-2 decision on Roe v. Wade declared the procedure a fundamental right† in 1973. Advocates, also known as pro-choice, say that choosing abortion is a woman s right that should not be limited by governmental or religious authority, which outweighs any right claimed for a fetus. One of the arguments is that pregnant women will resort to dangerous, ille gal abortions if there is no legal option. CriticsRead MoreAbortion Should Not Be Legal Essay1596 Words   |  7 Pages Abortions have been performed on women for thousands of years. Abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy. Most often it is performed during the first 20 weeks of being pregnant. The controversy over whether or not abortion should be legal continues to divide Americans till this day. An important landmark case was the Roe v. Wade case, where the Court argued that the zone of privacy was broad enough to encompass a woman s decision whether or not to terminateRead MorePersuasive Essay On Abortion1598 Words   |  7 PagesNot every abortion story can be this tragic, but then again, it should not have to be. Women do not need valid reasons to decide what they think would be best for their future; it is ultimately their decision. What if abortion was illegal? Many women, who are determined to terminate their pregnancy, will find a way; whether it be an unsafe intake of pills, or a dangerous and expensive back-alley abortion. Numerous people beleive it t o be immoral, murderous, dangerous, pointless, and should only beRead MorePro Life And Pro Choice Debates875 Words   |  4 PagesPro-Choice stance fights for equal rights for the women. Currently abortions are legal in the United States up to the second trimester. The purpose of this power point will be to explore the ethical and legal viewpoints of the Pro-Life and Pro-Choice stances. Individuals who are Pro-Choice believe that an abortion is a given right and a given choice, which should not be limited by the government or religion (ProCon.org, 2015). 1. Women should have the right to control their own body and make their ownRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal?1135 Words   |  5 PagesKelsi Hodgkin Composition 1 Professor Chipps 19 October 2015 Should Abortion Be Legal A common debate in the world today involves abortion, the deliberate end of human pregnancy, and whether or not it should be legalized. â€Å"Every year in the world there are an estimated 40-50 million abortions. This corresponds to approximately 125,000 abortions per day† (â€Å"Abortions Worldwide this Year†). On one side of the argument, people are not disturbed by this grotesque number, and on theRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal?863 Words   |  4 Pageschild or should she be forced to deliver? Put yourself in her shoes. Can you imagine the pain she might feel every time she looks at the child? Should she be forced to endure this? Women should be allowed to have abortions under circumstances such as these. Abortion has been a topic of debate for centuries if not longer. Abortion occurs when a fetus is removed from a woman s body before the fetus is able to fully develop. Before the 1800s, not many laws existed concerning abortion. It was notRead MoreEssay On Abortion917 Words   |  4 Pageswomen in the United States today. Abortion is defined as the process of terminating a pregnancy through medical practice; this procedure became legal in 1973. Over the years, overly restrictive laws have been placed on the act of abortion by the pro-life movement, and now more than ever, the government is working to ban abortion altogether; for now, however, it is still legal in the majority of states in the United States, including Iowa. Abortion should remain legal in the United States for many reasonsRead MoreAbortion : Pro Life Or Pro Choice1371 Words   |  6 Pagesopinion arise in regards to abortion, including the obvious â€Å"pro-life or pro-choice† question many people have defian t answers to. Abortion is a topic that most every person has a very strong, firm stance on, resulting in a worldwide debate of the matter. Differences of opinion persist within both movements. â€Å"Some pro-life activists may condone abortions in cases of rape or incest, while others take an uncompromising stance, believing that all abortion is murder† (â€Å"Abortion†). Most pro-life thinkersRead MoreEssay on Pro and Cons of Abortion658 Words   |  3 PagesMarinelly Gonzalez Dr. Edwards Com 123 Cons of Abortion wrong and looked down upon by a lot of religions. Some women use abortion as a type of birth control. They sleep with men and do not use protection and think nothing of it to go to the clinic as many as five times in their life to have an abortion. A con against abortion is the nagging thought that a woman went to a clinic, had an abortion, and thus the world was prevented from seeing the birth of the only person capable of attainingRead MoreThe Wro ngs Of Abortion : Abortion1298 Words   |  6 PagesSeptember 2014 The Wrongs of Abortion Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to have your right to live taken away? A baby fetus doesn’t even get a chance to decide whether or not they want to live or not when inside the mothers’ womb. A baby has no say because the mother has the power to just â€Å"get rid† of a child. Abortion would just be a gateway to get rid of a child by killing it. There are many other different ways to prevent or give away a child you do not want. Abortion isn’t the only answer

Sunday, December 15, 2019

The Status of the Company Free Essays

Running Head: AVON PRODUCTS, INC. 1 1. Provide a brief description of the status of the company that led to its determination that a change was necessary. We will write a custom essay sample on The Status of the Company or any similar topic only for you Order Now Avon Products, Inc. (Avon) is a 122 year old company whose primary focus is on the economic empowerment of women around the world. Basically, the organization is a leader in direct distribution of cosmetics, fragrances and skin care products. Prior to and including the year 2005, the company was considered to be a very successful company operating in over 40 countries with 70% of its revenue from outside of the United States. Its growth rate on profit margin was outstanding. In 2006, the company found itself in a declining state in revenue and profits. The company’s direct-selling business was taking on great costs for a number of reasons including global legal restrictions and some dissatisfaction of the company’s representatives. Since Avon’s reliance is on its direct-selling, the earnings and representative satisfaction are essential for the success of the business. The underlying factor along with other contributing causes was that Avon had grown faster than portions of its infrastructure and talent could support. The structure, people and processes that support a $5 billion company were not necessarily a good support for the $10 billion company. In the process of reviewing its talent practices the talent management team was able to identify six areas of missing or poorly functioning talent processes. The weaknesses that were found in Avon’s existing talent practices were listed 1) opaque; 2) egalitarian; 3) complex; 4) episodic; 5) emotional; and 6) meaningless. 2. Identify the model for change theory typified in the case study of your choice. Discuss what led you to identify the model that you did. Faced with the challenges of its flattening revenues and declining operating profits, Avon’s CEO restructured the organization and significant changes were made. As the changes began, it was found that Avon had some issues with its talent, both with the existing talent and with the company’s ability to identify and produce talent. The change model in the Avon case was the 360-degree feedback assessment tool. According to Silzer Dowell (2010), the rise of 360-degree feedback assessments encouraged greater use of competency models built specifically around leadership behaviors. Silzer Dowell (2010) go on to say that â€Å"organizations soon had lists of the leadership behaviors they expected from their managers,† which was the case with Avon. Avon was found to be opaque. As such, the talent practices within the organization were not known to the managers or to the associates. The resulting change was that of new practices and a re-making of the existing practices to become more transparent except for when there were confidentiality concerns. Another weakness that existed with Avon’s talent practices was that the company was egalitarian and needed to turn around the quality of its talent. Once this was understood, Avon made a change to differentiate its investment in its talent. This allowed for the company to better match the effectiveness of its talent investment with the expected return since before the turnaround the high performers were not engaged and the low performers were not managed very effectively. Avon’s level of complexity in its talent management practices was another noted weakness. Quality talent was not grown as quickly as was needed by the company so Avon simplified its talent process to ensure a balanced process. Employee surveys and talent reviews were performed episodically. Decisions concerning promotions and other objectives were more or less influenced by as much by individual knowledge and emotion as by objective facts. The turnaround that was made here was that relationships became stronger and as the business grew, leaders know of other’s performance or development needs and used this factor in determining talent management. Finally, meaningless talent practices such as Human Resources professionals not being able to answer most of the basic questions posed by managers about talent practices and there was not existing accountability. With the new talent practices, questions were answered and talent reviews were done and notations of progress were made. This was indication that effective communication had begun to take place. In this case, feedback was helpful and resulted in changed behaviors and overall things were done differently. According to Silzer Dowell (2010) as leadership concepts and education gained greater currency, it became clear that the followers (subordinates) of leaders should share their views on their leader’s effectiveness. Greater use of this model encouraged greater use of competency models built around leadership behaviors. 3. Illustrate the types of evaluation information that were collected and how they are used to benefit the company. As stated earlier, Avon faced challenges of flattening revenues and declining operating profits. Regarding this situation there were many contributing causes. One underlying issue was that Avon had grown faster than portions of its infrastructure and talent could support (Goldsmith, Carter, 2010, p. 2). Avon’s structure, including people and processes, had grown from that of a company with $5 billion in revenues to that of a company with $10 billion in revenues. With this growth Avon’s structure was no longer a good fit and was in need of a turnaround. To begin the process of turning the business around, the talent management group (TM) started by requesting copies of the 360-degree assessment of each VP, not to take any action against anyone, but to gain more knowledge about the behavioral information of the top leaders. Every enterprise must build knowledge into its value proposition. Knowledge cannot be separated but needs to be an explicit part of everything about an enterprise† (Edersheim, 2007, p. 189). The 360-degree feedback is a performance measurement which involves rating individuals on work-related behaviors. According to Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright (2011), there are benefits of the 360-degree feedback. Organizations collect multiple perspective s of managers’ performance, allowing employees to compare their own personal evaluations with the views of others. The request for the 360-degree assessment was denied citing confidentiality. This matter was addressed and a new and simpler 360-degree assessment process was designed and implemented which now allowed for the disclosure of behavioral information to be used when making decisions relative to promotions and assignments. The new process aided in making the talent process less complex and more transparent The performance management form within Avon was a ten page long form and many of the associates had not had a review in a number of years. With the turnaround process, Associates were now aligned with a different set of goals and could expect fair rewards. More value was added to the process because now managers had a simpler tool to use and it allowed them to manage their teams more effectively. Prior to the turnaround at Avon, accountability for talent practices was non-existent. With the implementation of the new process, it was believed that the focus could be on people issues and that mangers could be held accountable for the improvement thereof. Further, Associates were empowered to hold the managers accountable and to inform Human Resource leaders if things were not happening. The issues concerning accountability were applied such that talent management was the responsibility of the leaders within the organization and in keeping with Avon’s culture. 4. Speculate about success of the changes within the next five (5) years and how adjustments could be made if the results become less than ideal. The talent practices at Avon had some weaknesses which were addressed during a year to a year and a half turnaround period. This process after turnaround saw great effective improvements in the talent practices. The most noticeable changes were in the areas of clear goal setting, feedback, development planning, and people effectiveness. As the talent management process has become simpler and more transparent at Avon, the development of leaders is now on a faster track. The work experience is also improved having made leaders more accountable for their behaviors. The effectiveness of the new process has contributed to Avon’s goals of reducing expenses and increasing revenue. It is expected that Avon will continue to grow and with the updated talent practices, better leaders will be developed faster and those leaders must continue with the development and growth of potential new leaders. This process is expected to continue and Avon will stay on track in achieving its goals for continued success. It is important that the vision of the organization is continuously communicated. According to Bates (n. d. ) many leaders fail to get their messages across even though they are intelligent, analytical, and decisive leaders. Human resource professionals know that the consequences are serious if leaders cannot successfully communicate a vision. Executives have to motivate and inspire, or they will fail. One role of HR professionals is to recognize when there is an issue and help leaders develop this skill. References Bates, S. (n. d. ). Communicating vision: How HR professionals can help leaders articulate big ideas and get people moving in one direction. Retrieved 11/03/12 from http://www. hrcrossing. com/article/270140 Edersheim, E. H. (2007). The definitive Drucker. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Goldsmith, M. , Carter, Louis. (2010). Best practices in talent management: how the world’s leading corporations manage, develop, and retain top talent. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer Noe, R. A. , Hollenbeck, J. R. , Gerhart, B. , Wright, P. M. (2011). Fundamentals of human resource management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Silzer, R. , Dowell, B. E. (2010). Strategy-driven talent management: A leadership imperative. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. How to cite The Status of the Company, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Personal and Professional Development Plan -myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about thePersonal and Professional Development Plan forLearning. Answer: Introduction The objective of this reflective paper is to develop personal and professional development plan that can be deemed as formal means by which I can develop effective strategies, goals and outcomes of learning and training. My personal and professional development plan will be developed through following nine steps encompassing goals, priories, setting deadlines, understanding my strengths along with realizing threats and opportunities (Ahmed Ward, 2016). The intention of this reflective paper is to develop PPDP for regular leadership development. In developing this personal development plan an associated framework or model will be chosen which will resonate with me as well as justifying my selection. PPDP will be also considered the effect of organizational along with national cultures with social practices on my recent leadership opinion. This will also take inti account the manner in which I can be efficient being future leader in distinct cultures as we operate in a global economy. Gaps between Your Current Capabilities I have gathered that ideally perfect leaders do not exist in any organization as it is considered as progressive development. I have realized that individuals including me as a leader does not have complete consciousness of the emotions. For this reason, I lack the capability of mobilizing them in order to understand them along with along with attaining the goals. From carrying out an analysis of my strengths and weaknesses as a leader, I have identified certain leadership capability gaps that exist in me (Bates, Phalen Moran, 2016). I have covered my journey from being an autocratic to democratic transformational leader. Through all the capabilities of being an efficient transformational leader are not present in me but I am trying hard to attain all such qualities in me. This journey has facilitated me to realize that success is hard to be attained if a leader follows effective leadership skills. Through carrying out my personality evaluation, I identified that I acquire certain c apabilities of a good leader. However, I realize that there is a great need for me to develop my behavioral patterns in order to inspire and motivate the team that I lead in future. Influences of National and Organizational Cultures on Leadership Perspectives My personal and professional development plan will take into consideration the impacts of national along with organizational cultures on leadership perspectives. This is for the reason that the organizational culture has an influence on my leadership capability as I will be able to able to identify the right and wrong (Busse, Aboneh Tefera, 2014). As per my consideration, an effective leader requires to have better democratic views. I have also realsie that through observing the national cultures lease can be able to make individuals become aware of the decisions along with supporting them encompass within them. This will facilitate me in maintaining faith ad security among the followers. Along with autocratic decision making, organizational culture will reveal that democratic attitude can never be the future of leadership. Within bureaucratic organizational culture, it is always being difficult to implement transformational leadership style. For this reason, within an orthodox nati on, innovative ideas are not that much encouraged (Cottrell, 2015). Personal and Professional Development Plan I have prepared my personal and professional development plan and discussed it with my classmates that has supported me in gaining constructive feedback on my plan. I have developed this plan into two major segments that is related with short term setting up as well as with the progress plans (Davies, Curtin Robson, 2017). This segmentation is accompanied over a specific period of 2 years duration. This plan will also facilitate me to get rid of my incapability as aa leader and will strengthen my capabilities to become an effective leader. Goal # 1 Statement of your personal value My personal value statement is focused on inspiring positive change through teaching and coaching What principle emerges from such value? To remain sympathetic, honest along with being an efficient leader for getting recognized in international and local industry within which I work What goal did you attain from such value? I focus on achieving this objective through employing my inner strengths and leadership for offering unique value added plans (Ferris et al., 2018) Goal # 2 Statement of my personal value To be a decent individual who respects his friends, family along with my selected communities. What principle is derived from such value? The principle that is derived from the value is focused on my personal values along with improving lives of other people What goal did you attain from such value? The objective which have been attained from these values is centered on associating well with other people along with achieving the leadership training in a way that I can make this increasingly interacting for a team Goal # 1: My personal value statement is centered on inspiring positive means through means of teaching along with coaching What is the first objective required to attain my personal goal? My First Objective: I focus on achieving such objective by means of attaining my inner strengths and leadership for offering better and unique value added tasks Start date End date Milestone # 1 in order to attain the objective: Improving the ability in order to manage the team remotely (Gmelch Buller, 2015) 01/01/2018 31/01/2018 Step in order to attain milestone: This can be attained by means of maintaining a set of communication guidelines Step in the direction of attaining the milestone: I will consider preparing effective presentation skills which can support me to get involved, develop communication skills, inspire team along with motivating them. Milestone # 2 in order to attain this objective: I will take into consideration the attainment of a properly explained perspective concerning the manner in which companies run their business (Hagemann, 2015) 01/02/2018 28/02/2018 Step in the direction of attaining milestone: I will center on achieving an improved understanding of the challenges and barriers within my team that they deal with in a regular manner Step towards attaining the milestone: I will also focus on taking part in aa training session for gaining knowledge on the ways in which better motivation can be offered to team members Milestone # 3 in the direction of attaining the objective: Obtaining training regarding communication skills is important to motivate all the team members 01/03/2018 31/01/2018 Step in the direction of attaining the milestone: I will entertain that every member of my team obtains vital available support at the time they need them Step in the direction of attaining the milestone: I will also carry out constant performance review in order to obtain certain significant and reliable feedback (Kenny, 2013) What is the second objective that is required to attain my goal? My Second Objective: To remain honest, sympathetic as well as efficient leader for getting recognition in the industry I which I work Start date End date Milestone # 1 in the direction of attaining the objective: Gaining proper understanding regarding innovative voice interaction techniques before implementing it 01/04/2018 30/04/2018 Step with focus on attaining the milestone: I will make clear myself with the innovative technology before introducing it in my workplace (Korthagen, 2017) Step with focus on attaining the milestone: I will ensure that the team members gets highly involved in the implementation of new interaction tool, within the workplace Milestone # 2 towards having focus on attaining the objective: Obtaining constructive feedback from the team members before the end of a quarter 01/05/2018 30/05/2018 Step with focus on attaining the milestone: I will make sure to attain knowledge realizing team perspectives that can prove to be an efficient manner to observe the manner in which behavior can affect individuals Step with focus on attaining the milestone: I will entertain that a significant feedback is obtained from the team which can explain the make sure that necessary feedback is attained from the team which can elaborate my improvement areas as well as my strengths (Maloney, 2016) Milestone # 3 in the direction of attaining the objective: I will prepare my personal SWOT evaluation 01/06/2018 30/06/2018 Step that is focused on attaining the milestone: I will develop two major skills that includes team administrative capabilities as well as monitoring abilities Step that is centered in attaining the milestone: I will enhance my strengths by means of developing my company, making decisions along with implementing skills related with time management What is the third objective that is required to attain my goal? My Third Objective: To motivate positive change through implementing proper teaching and coaching abilities Start date End date Milestone # 1 in consideration to attain the objective: For obtaining necessary execution skills 01/08/2018 31/08/2018 Step in order to attain the milestone: In order to attain the group working skills I will develop capabilities of listening to others along with sharing the ideas Step for attaining the considered milestone: Determining the important values associated with the experience of fulfillment, pride along with the work satisfaction (McMillan, McConnell OSullivan, 2016) Milestone # 2 in the direction of attaining the objective: I will consider developing the important values at the decision making time 01/09/2018 30/09/2018 Step in the direction of obtaining this milestone: Comparing values related with the stability along with service prior to make any selection Step that is focused on obtaining milestone: I will develop abilities to focus on the aspects that have increased importance along with making sure that they fit in my life along with professional vision Milestone # 3 in order to attain the objective: I will develop new skills and practices in order to develop my responsibility along with improving my specific practices 01/01/2019 31/01/2019 Step in the direction of attaining the milestone: I plan to attain enrolment within the training courses or plans in a manner which can obtain necessary knowledge or capabilities in order to attain professional and personal role Step for obtaining the necessary milestone: Enhancing my presentation skills by means of obtaining help from an important contact or a co-worker Goal # 2: Type Goal Here What is the first objective that is required to attain my goal? To become a decent person as a leader who respects his family, friends any chosen communities. Start date End date Milestone # 1 is focused on attaining the objective: I will focus on analyzing the current realities by means of selecting appropriate development activities in order to deal with my identified requirement 01/03/2019 31/03/2019 Step in the direction of attaining the milestone: I will make sure to identify the earning opportunities as well as developing an action plan along with learning group activities Step for attaining the milestone: I focus on developing my professional skills by means of supervisory, sales capabilities along with getting associated with group activities Milestone # 2 in the direction of obtaining the objective: To obtain an efficient supervisory along with team working capabilities 01/05/2019 31/05/2019 Step for attaining the milestone: I will center on repairing the comprehensive knowledge of vital systems, processes along with policies Step in consideration to obtain the milestone: I will center on balancing team roles along with employing strengths Milestone # 3 in the direction of attaining the objective: I will focus on organizing every vital resources as well as implementing all the basic principles related with project management 01/07/2019 31/07/2019 Step in the direction of attaining the milestone: Learning to develop individual skills in new circumstances as well as perusing vital professional qualifications Step in the direction of attaining the milestone: I will develop awareness of a broad development within my professional life (Rubens et al., 2018) What is the second objective that is needed to obtain the goal? The principle that has emerged from the value is to focus on my personal values and improve lives of certain other people Start date End date Milestone # 1 towards in the direction of attaining the objective: I will focus on developing the audit of skills which can support me in dealing with the issues regarding my areas of change 01/09/2019 30/09/2019 Step that can be followed in attaining the milestone: Carrying out several practical assignments in which I can consider the current market situation along with business situation Step that can be followed in attaining the milestone: In consideration to the case studies, I will analyze the reports as well as articles associated with different people or companies Milestone # 2 in consideration to attain the objective: I will also focus on obtaining the chance to lead as well organizing event for improving professional and personal skills 01/11/2019 31/12/2019 Step in order to attain the milestone: I will develop skills that is necessary to read important books and articles which will be efficient in developing important skills (Megginson Whitaker, 2017) Step with focus on achieving the milestone: I will focus on developing as many presentations I can which can indicate my business skills Conclusion The objective of this reflective paper was to develop personal and professional development plan that can be deemed as formal means by which I can develop effective strategies, goals and outcomes of learning and training. My personal and professional development plan will be developed through following nine steps ecompassing goals, priories, setting deadlines, understanding my strengths along with realizing threats and opportunities. I have realized that individuals including me as a leader does not have complete consciousness of the emotions. For this reason, I lack the capability of mobilizing them in order to understand them along with along with attaining the goals. I have prepared my personal and professional development plan and discussed it with my classmates that has supported me in gaining constructive feedback on my plan. I have developed this plan into two major segments that is related with short term setting up as well as with the progress plans. References Ahmed, E., Ward, R. (2016). Analysis of factors influencing acceptance of personal, academic and professional development e-portfolios.Computers in Human Behavior,63, 152-161. Bates, M. S., Phalen, L., Moran, C. (2016). Online professional development: A primer.Phi Delta Kappan,97(5), 70-73. Busse, H., Aboneh, E. A., Tefera, G. (2014). Learning from developing countries in strengthening health systems: an evaluation of personal and professional impact among global health volunteers at Addis Ababa Universitys Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (Ethiopia).Globalization and health,10(1), 64. Cottrell, S. (2015).Skills for success: Personal development and employability. Palgrave Macmillan. Davies, K., Curtin, M., Robson, K. (2017). Impact of an international workplace learning placement on personal and professional development.Australian occupational therapy journal,64(2), 121-128. Ferris, F.D., Moore, S.Y., Callaway, M.V. Foley, K.M., (2018). Leadership Development Initiative: Growing Global Leaders Advancing Palliative Care.Journal of pain and symptom management,55(2), 146-156. Gmelch, W.H. Buller, J.L., (2015).Building academic leadership capacity: A guide to best practices. John Wiley Sons. Hagemann, T., (2015). Tax Treaty Treatment of Start-Up Expenses in Connection with the Establishment of a PE.Intertax,43(6), 454-459. Kenny, P. (2013).Australian tax 2013. Chatswood, N.S.W.: LexisNexis Butterworths. Korthagen, F. (2017). Inconvenient truths about teacher learning: towards professional development 3.0.Teachers and teaching,23(4), 387-405. Maloney, K. J. (2016).Leveraging the potential of personal learning networks for teacher professional development(Doctoral dissertation, University of Phoenix). McMillan, D. J., McConnell, B., OSullivan, H. (2016). Continuing professional developmentwhy bother? Perceptions and motivations of teachers in Ireland.Professional development in education,42(1), 150-167. Megginson, D., Whitaker, V. (2017).Continuing professional development. Kogan Page Publishers. Rubens, A., Schoenfeld, G. A., Schaffer, B. S., Leah, J. S. (2018). Self-awareness and leadership: Developing an individual strategic professional development plan in an MBA leadership course.The International Journal of Management Education,16(1), 1-13.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Oral Speaking free essay sample

A smile costs nothing, but gives much. It enriches those who receive, without making poorer those who give. It takes a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it, and none is so poor, but that he can be made rich by it. A smile creates happiness In the home, fosters good will In business, and Is the countersign of friendship. It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, enshrine to the sad, and it is natures best antidote for trouble. Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone, until It Is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile; Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give. We will write a custom essay sample on Oral Speaking or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page One Step. Foolish people with all their other thoughts, have this one too: They are always getting ready to live, but never living, Your success will start when you begin to pursue it. To reach your goal or to attain success, you dont need to know all of the answers in advance.You Just need to have a clear Idea of what your goal Is. Dont procrastinate when faced with difficult problems. Break your problems into parts, and handle one part at a time. Develop tendencies toward taking action. You can make something happen right now. Divide your big plan into small steps and take that first step right away. Everyone who ever got where they are had to begin where they were. Your big opportunity Is where you are right now. A Journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Take it. Life Is A Gift. Today before you think of saying an unkind word- 1 OFF Before you complain about the taste of your food- think of someone who has nothing to eat. Today before you complain about life- think of someone who went too early to heaven. Before you argue about your dirty house, someone didnt clean or sweep- think of the people who are living in the streets. Before whining about the distance you drive- hind of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.And when you are tired and complain about your Job- think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished they had your Job. But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another- remember that not one of us are without sin and we all answer to one maker. And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down- put a smile on your face and thank God youre alive and still around.

Monday, November 25, 2019

“Cat’s Eye” and “Jane Eyre” Essays

â€Å"Cat’s Eye† and â€Å"Jane Eyre† Essays â€Å"Cat’s Eye† and â€Å"Jane Eyre† Essay â€Å"Cat’s Eye† and â€Å"Jane Eyre† Essay Essay Topic: Jane Eyre Literature Differences between the two writers start at the beginning of their lives as they both have very diverse backgrounds. Bronte was born into an upper class family in 1816, a time when men were seen as being superior and intellectually stronger than their female counterparts. However Bronte and her two sisters were determined to break the prejudice of the time in order to pursue their natural talents and ambition. The discrimination of the time was so prominent that Jane Eyre was published under the pseudonym, Currer Bell, a more neutral name. In doing so Bronte made a significant contribution to the world of literature and womans rights. Alternatively Atwoods novels were not so influential as she was born in a time of equality into a family of great academic success. Atwood is a contemporary Canadian writer who has received numerous accolades and scholarships in recognition of her literary skills. This diverse background is mirrored in the two novels through the characters and the language. This makes it very interesting for me to compare the two writers as both display the ability to capture ones attention with the same theme yet their styles are poles apart. This adds to the variety and depth of creative writing. Cats Eye is written in a very unique and graphic style and this is prevalent throughout the book. The story is told with a wealth of description and vivid language. A plethora of descriptive forms are used throughout to great effect. Similes are frequently used to describe a host of things and this literary device allows the author to express the story in a graphic and at times shocking manner. For example It sounds like a cavity being filled, in a tooth, inside my head. This is obviously very effective as it allows an insight into how Elaine perceives the situations surrounding her. Similes are also used to illustrate the images that Elaine encounters as in the case of the Receding darkness, like a tunnel. This effective method of description enhances the readers own feelings towards the characters in the book and the pain that Elaine feels. This device is used to provoke maximum empathy from the audience as in the case of the covert feet peeling that were Smooth, like mushrooms. Similes are used to such effect that they become a tell tale sign of Atwoods style. Jane Eyre is written very differently to Cats Eye and this is obvious from the scarce use of similes that play such an important role in Atwoods novel. I found a small number of occasions when this device was used and the image of rising from a chair Like a spring is very effective in illustrating her character as it shows that Jane shot up from the chair at great speed and that it was the only way her character would allow her to go as she is constantly struggling against her oppressors, just as a spring is always trying to burst open. Cats Eye is not only very graphic which is in extreme contrast to the author of Jane Eyre but the literature is riddled with colloquialisms and American dialect, used to successfully express a whole host of varying conditions. Elaine is describing Cordelias bangs when we first read, an obvious Americanism for fringe. The colloquialisms are often harsh and on occasions blasphemous. This causes a great schism between Bronte and Attwood as Brontes language is archaic and is bound by the rigid social mores of the late twentieth century. Swear words are usually used in connection with Cordelia, as they are effective in illustrating her precocious mannerisms and scornful disposition. On the occasions that Elaine uses foul language it implies a sense of corruption in a young girl that is and should remain innocent. An example of this is the Cat piss, fragrance of the nightshade. They also show a contrast in her thoughts and similar thoughts of other young girls as she so readily admits that the smell of Shit blend in her mind into an image of ultra sophistication. The author uses colloquialism in such a diverse manner that they can also show the innocence, and to an extent the corruption, of Cordelia as is evident when she is informing the girls about titties and the Safe that they found. This Americanism is a shroud around the true identity and use of a condom. Yet other Americanisms such as Sidewalks and downtown are an outward sign of the novels setting. Once again Bronte shows a great contrast; this is because she uses very little and insignificant amounts of colloquialisms. This is because at the time the book was written any improper English would be unacceptable especially any cursing. The archaic style of Jane Eyre is also apparent from the now dated English. An excellent example of this is the use of inversion Bessie answered not as this is now no longer seen as necessary. Onomatopoeia is used effectively to describe various sounds, often contributing to the graphic realism that recurs throughout the novel. These sounds are generally used to heighten all of our senses to the descriptions that are engaged in order to explicitly illustrate the message that Atwood is aiming to convey. The apples mush under Elaines feet as she walks toward Carol giving the sentence an amount of life and interest. The Word Sqooshing is used to describe the ringing of clothes, in the wringer; this is childlike yet descriptive. One example of onomatopoeia in particular is used to simulate the Crash of the metaphorical ten stacks of plates that Cordelia has devised. The word crash is ruthless and imposing, it dominates Elaine as when it is spoken it causes her to feel extreme distress. However in Brontes Jane Eyre Onomatopoeia is not a predominant characteristic. I deduce that this is due to the difference in writing calibre as Atwood can be a much lighter read whereas Bronte provides a challenging and substantial novel. I think that the lack of onomatopoeia is because it is often seen as being childlike and un-descriptive. Although I personally feel that the name Jane Eyre is strong and rigid I believe that this it is short with only two syllables yet it gives the impression of being meaningful and solid. I think that this is used to reflect Janes character. Atwood uses metaphors to add to her patchwork of literary tools. A very prominent example of this is the introduction of Rudolph the reindeer; he is a metaphor for Elaine as there is Something wrong with him as Elaine believes that there is something wrong with her. Yet Rudolphs abnormality becomes his saving grace, as ironically it is this that helps makes him a Christmas hero. This gives Elaine hope as she can relate to him, as they both have abnormalities and they both wish to be wanted. Because Rudolph can succeed in doing this I think that she hopes that the same will happen to her. Metaphors are used when Elaine is watching the flaccid bubbles of the porridge. I adored the motion that I too could see what Elaine was seeing because the imagery was so successful. This same scene travels around the kitchen to Pinpoint bubbles of hot water in the Inking the water brown. This metaphor I feel is very effective as most readers would never think of a coffee percolator inking the water brown and because of this originality I believe that it gives the description more depth and impact. Bronte also uses metaphors and they play an important role in Jane Eyre so much so that Bronte uses them straight from the outset. When Jane is reading a book illustrating how the northern ocean boils round the naked melancholy isles. This is a metaphor for the isolation that Jane feels as she too is surrounded by harsh elitist assailants. Metaphors also play a big role in Janes first meeting of Mr. Brocklehurst, as he is a black pillar and a Stony stranger. These metaphors give him an image of massiveness, imperturbability, callousness and a rigidly harsh character. Elaine the central character in Cats Eye is a victim of savage and unrelenting bullying. She is betrayed throughout this in such a manner that there are various views that the audience will take. The view that one chooses to adopt governs the amount of empathy they will feel for Elaine. I presume that this most probably stems from how one will relate to Elaine in accordance to their personal character. Our first impression of how Elaine reacts when in the company of Cordelia comes when they meet for the first time. Elaine is dumb-founded by Cordelias ostentatious greeting and is shy of her families and her own grubbiness. This gives the reader the impression that Elaine; is not a dominant person, lacks confidence and is a girl who is naturally a little quiet and does not react very well in uncomfortable situations. Yet at this point Elaine seems no different from many other girls her age, as it is perfectly normal for a young girl to be shy when outnumbered and in a strange environment. However our first impression of Jane is incredibly different as Janes personality is the absolute opposite of Elaines. This is immediately obvious from the outset as Jane illustrates the scene of Mrs. Reed reclined on a sofa with her little darlings, clustered round her this is said in a very sarcastic tone as Jane says for the time neither quarrelling nor crying. Elaine would never feel any sort of contempt towards her oppressors yet Jane readily derides the Reed family and notices their faults. This gives the reader the distinct impression that Jane has a strong sense of justice. We arrive at a clearer picture of Elaine and her friends, when she is buried in initially a hole. This Game is a facade and is obviously seedier than it first appears, indeed Elaine preliminarily thought it was a game then when she Cant hear. the voices of her friends above her on the other side of planks and sodden earth. she feels sadness and a sense of betrayal once she realises It is not one. (Game), This is a turning point for Elaine as this is the first instance that she has become a victim of Cordelia and the others, yet it is worth noting at this point that she feels the same emotions that most other people would feel. This is not the difference between Elaine and most other people; it is how she reacted which is the significant point. After being released from her underground prison, The game or another game continued. This portrays Elaine to be Spineless and this would be uncharacteristic for most of the audience. It makes us feel anger towards Elaine, as she is being foolish for permitting herself to be manipulated, ridiculed and humiliated. Elaine makes a profound comment at the end of this paragraph as she describes this as the point at which I lost power. This comment is very perturbing and it portrays Elaine as a powerless victim. Although she is decisive about the above comments she also very unsure and confused about the exact details regarding the burial incident. This leads the audience to believe that the episode was so terrifying that it has been erased from her memory. Elaine is depicted as being confused. This is also the case for her ninth birthday party when all that she can remember Is a sense of shame and failure. At this point I felt very little compassion for Elaine although I did feel increasing amounts of contempt for Cordelia. Similarly there is a single moment in Jane Eyre when the audience realise the character and calibre of the person that Jane is and I believe that this is the red room incident, which has its similarities to Elaines burial incident. On Mrs. Reeds instruction Jane was borne to the red room as she resisted all the way like a mad cat after Jane hit john Reed in defence after he repeatedly struck her. This shows the first major difference in the two girls dispositions as Elaine was freely led into her hole whereas Jane did everything in her power to prevent the anticipated incarceration and so was physically dragged. When Bessie and Abbot thrust Jane upon a stool it was her impulse, to rise from it like a spring. This portrays to the audience that Jane is a spirited and resilient young girl and the complete antithesis of Elaine. Eventually when Jane was imprisoned it becomes apparent that the red room is very frightening for Jane as this was where Mr. Reed had died. This did not stop Janes adrenalin from running after the previous battle as she felt like a revolted slave this feeling was followed by a torrent of questions and injustice as she felt forever condemned. Once again Jane is questioning her persecutors whereas Elaine remains a compliant and willing victim. However the room began to take its toll on Jane and she like Elaine started to feel inadequate, as she was not a handsome, romping child. Her courage began to sink as time drew on and her spirit dissipated away. This was unlike Elaine as she never had any courage and so had none to loose. Janes spirit descends so low that she begged her oppressors to be freed and this was most uncharacteristic of Jane. However her Plea for mercy was ignored causing Jane to have a species of fit. This was a common response for Elaine as she too had tendencies to faint and so became an escape mechanism. As a result of the burial incident and Cordelias persecution Elaine describes her wrong memory of how lethal deadly nightshade can be, and it is apparent for the first time that she has a preoccupation with death. The audience later realises that Elaine also resorts to self mutilation in the endless time when Cordelia had such power over her as it gave her something definite to think about. This new discovery provokes the audience to perceive Elaine in two major different ways. The first that she is a disturbed and very badly affected young girl because of the bullying thereby provoking sympathy and heartache; yet others may feel that she is foolish for hurting herself and purposely damaging her body because of bullying that could easily have been stopped by almost any elder, if she had confided in them. Contrastingly Jane was affected by her ordeal in a very different way although she as well as Elaine also suffered from memory loss. Jane immediately confided in the first possible person regarding her ordeal, which would be completely unimaginable for Elaine. This person was the apothecary Mr. Lloyd, usually employed for the servants medical needs and had come to visit Jane. She also confided in great detail to Helen Burns later on in the book. Although she too did suffer from some long-term effects as Jane admitted that she still felt reverberations to this day Elains state deteriorates throughout the novel she becomes a mutilated wreck due to the relentless oppression. Cordelias methods of keeping the bullying covert are hugely successful as letting anyone in on the goings on would be unthinkable. Elaine is such a willing victim due to a multitude of reasons that are all intertwined. She believes that the bullying is for her Own good because they are, her best friends who are just helping her improve. This serves to make the audience feel that she is foolish, yet for others it will make them feel compassion for the obvious pain and injustice that she has to endure. She is also terrified of losing her best friends as she has never had any before Elaine obviously wants to feel like she belongs and is wanted by her friends and it is chiefly this feeling that keeps her silent. Another contributory factor is the relentless bullying is not black and white as it is not physical or involving obvious hatred Elaine feels that if she were to confide in anybody they would not understand as she had not had any palpable harm caused to her. This fear was confirmed when her mother confides that She wishes she knew what to do. Elaine does not confide in anybody about her mistreatment because she believes that it is her own fault, for not having more backbone. This seems irrelevant to the more mature reader who can clearly see the distinctive differences between friends giving constructive criticism and a group of protagonists degrading a self-conscious young girl. Elaine is possibly like this because of her lack of self worth and her craving for friendship.

Friday, November 22, 2019

New Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

New Technology - Essay Example To ensure that the road to success remains intact, firms have to accept a dose of change and the idea of continuous change in their organisations. Bonas machine is a subsidiary of the Van de Wiele Group of Companies. It is the famous for its innovative design of electronic jacquards. The company has been manufacturing the best electronic jacquards primarily used for weaving. Its manufacturing headquarters is located in West Flanders, Belgium and the company has established communication arteries with its sales agents and consumers. The company continue to operate through its success cores and key attributes that include: speed, reliability, and performance. For the company, customer satisfaction is the utmost priority. The current strategies have remained the same since most of the initiatives to achieve the main goal are handled by the research and development team. The company contends that quality innovations along with after-sales support are the right combination to success. Aside from fundamental concepts, the company has provided several approaches that address the need to compete. These methods are planned, developed, implemented, and assessed over time. It is hard to doubt that the company has succeeded in turning a not so recognisable innovation to a highly demanded commodity. The recent success of Bonas Machines, however, reflects the some problems that the company has been facing. This paradox defined the complexity of predicament that company needs to overcome to ensure that its success will remain consistent. Although there are several concerns that need to be raised, the most crucial part of the existence of Bonas is its competitiveness. It is hard to discount that the company is capable of controlling the market; but its current position suggests otherwise. The market position of Bonas is crucial in its efforts to succeed. Contrary to popular belief that the position on the market is holistically, success is measured in each entity. Essentially, the decision of the company to become aggressive is insufficient to qualify the company as the leader. Each part of the organisation needs to recognise the necessity to be in the forefront of the market. The fundamental challenge for Bonas is to remain competitive and sustain its advantage. But to ensure that this will be realised, the company needs to make a shift. The process starts from gradual modification until the most radical change is performed and implemented. Motivations to Change Based on the idea of Beer et al (1990), successful organizational change deals with coordination, commitment, and competencies. The absence of one characteristics means that fruitful change has not been attained. More important, the manifestation of the three values has to be manifested systematically. Processes have to be defined to ensure that each stage is satisfied before proceeding with the next step. In organizations, each entity is provided with roles to play before a goal is achieved. To manifest changes in the production process, close coordination among the components of production has to be maintained. Technically, changes in organizations are designed to make firms competent. Essentially, training mechanisms are modified to improve the skills and competency of the workforce. Technology replaces the traditional tools to boost production and limit defects. The change happens when the form

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Source analysis m8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Source analysis m8 - Essay Example Anne had an all-conquering charm and confidence that she used to make her irresistible and the king fell for her and was too in love that he allowed her to keep her at a distance for a long time while denying him intimacy as his groping hand allowed no further than her pretty knee up to the point when she certain they would get married. On his part, henry had a somewhat abnormal fixation with virginity and among the main issues that led to his divorce from his first marriage is the claim that she had lost her virginity before he married her even though at that time it was not an issue that seemed to matter (Warnicke 168). It is likely that it did not matter since he had been younger and sought to show people as well as Margaret, his grandmother, that marriage was a means of demonstrating that he was ready and had the ability to be responsible for the burdens and duties that come with kingship. It may also appear that marriage was his way of blustering to his sister Margaret who was second in line to inherit the throne through her husband. Henry had married his first wife with the belief that she was a virgin and when he decided to divorce her, his explanation for justifying his action was that she was not a virgin at the time of marriage. During the court hearing he availed blood stained sheets as proof which he believed would substantiate his claims and his first wife stated that she had pricked her heel and smeared the blood in order to make sure that Arthur’s dignity was spared (Lofts 38). Nonetheless, the divorce was successful and was consequently forgotten. However, after only three years with Anne, Henry decided to get rid of her after accusing her of incest and adultery as well as suspecting her of witchcraft even though he could not find any proof of this. Again, he tried to justify the divorce by stating that she was not a virgin at the time of marriage, however, in this case it was true as she was pregnant with

Monday, November 18, 2019

Should the voting age in the UK be reduced to 16 years of age Essay

Should the voting age in the UK be reduced to 16 years of age - Essay Example And up till now, the prohibiting teenagers from the vote has received reasonably little attention in public discussion. (Shrag, 2004) â€Å"Only an approximately 40% of 18–24 year-olds voted in the general election in 2001. Only an estimated 11.5% of 18–24 year-olds voted in the local elections in 2002†. (www.neath-porttalbot.gov.uk) There are several reasons for these low numbers. Some individuals think that by lowering the voting and standing age would be a step forward to give confidence more young people to take interest in elections. While the others think that younger people do not until now have enough considerate of issues like tax and public services to be permitted to a vote or stand as a candidate. The criteria for voting age restriction in most of the countries are 18. Some other countries have different age restriction of voting like, 20 and 21. A few other countries have lowered the age restriction to 16 or 17. On the other hand, some countries have a lower voting age for local level elections than for national elections. Those who say we should keep the age limitations as they are saying that the related voting age in nearly all other countries means we have got it right. People think that only people over eighteen are mature enough and actually take political issues seriously. Right now, people are thinking whether or not sixteen-years old should be able to vote. Some people think that at the age of sixteen the teens are not old and mature enough to vote in an election. The truth is, they should be able to vote. (Franklin, 2004, 45-56) At the age of sixteen, it is only 2 years away from eighteen, and thats not a very big of a difference. Teens also know what is right and wrong, do not have to wait until eighteen, the "legal" age. They also have the right for political parties to give serious

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Nature Of The Airline Industry Tourism Essay

Nature Of The Airline Industry Tourism Essay This report identifies the business environment and draws comparisons of the airline industry pertaining to countries, India and China. An attempt has been made to put forth the analyses of the broad macro-environment factors of the industry in terms of Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal factors (PESTEL). Apart from the above, the Five Forces analysis has been carried in order to assess the attractiveness of the industries and understand their potential for change. The Airline industry with relevance to this report comprises of air transportation which includes both scheduled and chartered flights but excludes air freight transportation. The Focus of this report is to provide an outline of the present environmental conditions in terms of the nature of the airline industry, its structure, outlining the strategies employed by the players in the airline industry to sustain in tough economic environment and make an attempt to forecast the future environmental conditions. Our prime justification to compare the industry from India and China lies in our belief that the two countries would and probably are transforming the global economy in the 21st Century. India and China have achieved growth which fared twice as much as the global economy growth. A huge and demanding consumer class is also pushing the economy northwards and it is essential for the countries to meet the aspirations of a demanding economy. Overview of the Global Airlines Industry For the past two years, 2008 and 2009, Airline Industry was negatively affected by the economic downturn and the oil price hike. Now that the global economy is showing signs of recovery, demand for air travel is increasing from the previous years depressed levels. Combating the recessionary effect has not been easy as various measures like cutting costs; slashing capacity and increasing load factor were adopted by the airline companies globally. Global Airline industry reported revenues of USD 380.5 Billion in 2009, achieving a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 2.5% for the period 2005-2009 (Datamonitor, Global Airlines Industry). The total number of passengers in the Airline Industry for the year numbered 2002.7 million and the numbers are expected to grow at a CAGR of 5% to 2551.5 million passengers by end of 2014. Strong rivalry and supplier power characterizes the global airlines industry. Even though there are large number of buyers, Product differentiation is minimal and involves negligible switching costs. It also leaves the carrier vulnerable to reduction in demand in the industry which is sensitive to the wider economy. Supplier power in the global airlines industry is strong as reliability and safety of the flights are critical. Entrances to the airlines industry are restricted due to economic barriers. The up-front costs are huge and substantial financial backing is required to cover the initial costs and ex penses henceforth from there. Airline companies today are forming alliance with other companies with the intention to achieve diversified network of operations, scale economies in terms of purchase of fuel, and even sharing of aircraft to reduce the power of the supplier. Code sharing has risen as a phenomenon catching up in the Asia Pacific region of the world where companies are forming alliances with other carriers around the world. Consolidation is a major opportunity for the players in the airline industry to increase their revenues, cost savings and enhance competitive position. The global airlines industry is projected to benefit the service providers as there is a new customer base in the present arising from the emerging economies which will fuel the growth of the industry and would see emergence of new players giving more competition to the existing ones. With continued and sustainable demand for air travel, Airline companies would see opportunities which would be coherent with the rising aspirations of people. The Indian Aviation Story In the year 2003, the whole world celebrated the centenary year of the powered flight. Indians had to wait for more than a decade to see the first aircraft airborne from the Indian soil. In the early December of the year 1910, a group of people from Belgium and England came to India with several airplanes. The idea was to showcase the marvel of a flying object and to explore business opportunities from it. Planes were showcased after assembling its parts. The groups were able to have a successful trip as their products were well received and were brought in by the royalties in India. It was December 15th 1932 when the first flight in India taken off under the name of Tata Aviation, which later went on to become Air India. Tata Aviation was started by JRD Tata after much protracted negotiations with the government of India. Eventually, during 1953, an act of nationalizing all the airlines was passed in the parliament and Tata Aviation went on to become Air India which then served the international traffic. The Indian Airline industry has come a long way today. In the year 2009, Indian Airline industry grew by 9% to reach the value of USD 7 billion. It grew by 35.5% to reach a volume of 73.8 million passengers. By 2014, it is forecasted to have a value of USD 17.9 billion and volumes of 156.2 million passengers. The Indian Airline industry experience growth even after seeing a period of decline in 2008. While the growth rate of Indian Airlines industry was far better than that of China, The airline industry in India could achieve merely one thirds of revenue when compared to the Chinese Airline industry. Like the global airlines industry, Indian airlines industry is characterized by strong rivalry and supply power, the buyers being leisure travelers and business travelers while fuel suppliers, aircraft manufacturers and skilled employees as the key suppliers. High Price sensitivity due to product differentiation being minimal strengthens the power of the buyers. Supplier power is strong as airlines enter into contracts with the suppliers and the industry lacks alternatives or substitutes. Price sensitivity is high and availability of alternative strengthens the buyer power. The entrance into the market poses economic barriers as there needs to be solid financial back up to enter into this industry. Distributions and establishing networks and booking presence regionally are of critical importance for the success of a company. Rivalry in the Indian Airline industry is strong and has increased since the presence of the low cost carriers. Costs are the determining factor for airlines as the Indian consumer today is more price conscious than ever. Over the past two decades, the Indian Airline industry has experienced both stagnation and unprecedented growth. The potential for growth in the Indian Airline industry remains strong as with massive population with growing incomes only adds to the fact that the Airline Industry has a long way to go. Currently, only 2% of the Indian population prefers to fly by air. Between the year 2003 and 2006, Indian Airlines industrys open sky policy opened the floodgates for the arrival of new start up carriers which changed the face of the industry beyond recognition. Liberalization in terms of allowing the domestic carriers to go international and allowing the international carriers greater access to the domestic market spurned the industry to achieve double digit growth. However, the increase in traffic increased the top line of the players in the industry, but due to low margins, lower yields, inadequate airport infrastructure and lack of trained pilots and engineers saw many of the compani es bleeding with negative bottom lines. As rising oil prices in the year 2008 hurt airlines all over the world, Indian tax systems made the matters even worse as it added 60% of total costs. Carriers were left with no other alternative but to pass on the burden to the customers who in turn chose alternative forms of transportation leading to 10-12 percent drop in traffic. A more positive environment is starting to emerge as the Centre for Asia pacific Aviation (CAPA) report suggests. According to CAPA, the airline industry is India is on the path of recovery as figures from the mid year 2010 have suggested. Better operating environment, with gradual upgrade of airspace and ground access development, would only help carriers achieve faster turnaround and higher aircraft utilization. The potential lies in the Indian Airlines Industry with CAPA predicting the industry having 1000 planes from 400 in the present and 4 times increase in traffic from the current trends. The performance of the industry is forecasted to accelerate and drive the industry to create positive value for the service providers as well as the customers. Environmental Analysis An assessment of external macro environment can be carried out by analyzing the Political, Economic, Social Technological factors. These factors are beyond a company or an industrys controls and sometimes can pose as threats. Following are the PEST analysis for the Indian Airline Industry. Political Factor In India, Political interference has effects of all the major industries. The airline industry in general is very susceptible to the political environment of a country. A country with unstable political environment can cause doubts in the minds of the traveler to travel to that particular country. India in particular has had to go through a lot in the recent years with mounting tensions with its western neighbours. The 26/11 terrorist attack on the financial capital of India has a profound impact on the airlines industry. Another example of political factor causing problems for the Airlines Industry in India lies in the corrupt state of affairs that lies in the administration. Bribes have to be paid to obtain licenses and permits. Even recently, one of the most respectable businessmen in the world, Mr. Ratan Tata complained about the corruption problem which discouraged him to start his own Airline Company. It was alleged that the civil aviation minister had asked Mr. Tata a sum of I NR 1.5 million as a bribe to give permit to start air services. State owned airline companies suffer the most because of this problem as due to political pressure, the government companies have to give special consideration with respect to route selection, offering free seats to the ministers etc. The state owned airline companies cannot stand up to the archaic laws, regulations and trade unions which in past have held the state owned enterprises on ransom. Currently, In terms of Investment FDI of 100% is allowed in the Airline Sector under the automatic route for Greenfield projects. Economic Factors Airline Industry is greatly impacted by the business cycles. It is considered a luxury to fly during the recession which then leads to cuts in spending eventually leading to reduction in the air fares. During prosperity, People spend more and that leads to increase in air fares. Recent global recession has had a deep impact on all the major industries in the world. Aviation Industry too had its own share of set backs. Corporate travelers were cutting back on travel which would save costs and leisure travelers had deferred their travel plans. Even a company like Citibank in India had to cut down its costs to increase its profits for which even the top managers were allowed only to travel by train. The loss of income due to economic factors forced the airline companies to execute the corporate restructuring program which resulted in several employees being laid off. Turnaround time, maintenance costs, jet fuels costs, staff costs, benefits costs etc. are some of the expenses which the airline companies have to take into consideration while pricing their air tickets. Anything below these costs the company losses which makes the company unsustainable in the industry/ Social Factors India, being a diverse country has people coming from different parts of the country with different culture, language, food and preferences. Airline industry need to understand this along with the fact that there are people with varied income group and their needs should be served accordingly. India is a land of extremes with people coming from different walks of life. For example, a person subscribing to Jain religion needs to be served a special Jain food and it could be kept in mind that the person sitting next to him can be a vegetarian. One of the finer examples can be drawn from South West Airlines which is a low frills airlines which has created a niche for itself in that segment. It has also successfully augmented its marketing mix strategy which has done wonders for it. Technological Factors Internet has opened avenues for the airlines industry in a way which could never have been comprehended. For Example, Jet Lite has introduced a service on its website where it auctions few unreserved seat on the flight one week prior to the departure date. Almost all airline companies offer their services through the internet. Right from booking the ticket to choosing the seat where one would prefer to sit on the flight. Apart from this, choosing the food from the menu can also be selected through the internet. Another good example of the impact of technology would be that of the Airport Authority of India, which with the help of technology was able to lease out its obsolete and unused hangers to international airlines thereby making huge profits out of the same. Technology development helps reduce costs, saves time and enhances service performance which is critical in a competitive industry like the Airlines industry. Porters Five Forces Michael Porter introduced a framework that models a sector or an industry as being influenced by five forces. This analysis has five-core element. These are 1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers 2. New Entrants 3. Threat of Substitutes 4. Competitive Rivalry 5. Bargaining Power of Customers Bargaining Power of Suppliers Suppliers for the Indian Airlines industry like other locations around the world as far as flight manufacturers are concerned are very limited. Globally, Airbus and Boeing are the only suppliers of aircraft which suit the industry requirements. There is limited bargaining opportunity for the Airline Industry in India hence is a threat for the industry. New Entrants It was difficult for a new player to enter the Airline Industry in India. There were lots of barriers to entry. Capital Investment to enter this industry is very high but banks have increased the possibilities to avail short term or long term loans with less interest rate thereby increasing the threat of new entrants in the present markets. Threat of Substitutes International routes do not have any threats as there is hardly any other form of feasible transportation available. However, Domestic travel can be competitive as high airfares encourage customers to look for alternatives ways to get to their destinations. Rail Road are probably the only feasible option available as they are only economical for shorter distances. A customer would prefer to travel long distance via road or rail only if the time factor allows the customer to take the alternative options. Competition Rivalry Rivalry within the industry is pretty intense at the moment as all the airlines are vying for attract customer by offering lower fares, membership privileges, free meals on board and other additional benefits to grab the customer from the competitors. Bargaining Power of Customer Indian travelers are highly price sensitive. With availability of many airlines to choose, cheaper price difference might just switch the customer to choose from one airline to another. Customers have some chance of bargaining in the domestic market as competition is intense in it whereas International routes gives less operations to bargain.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Necessity Of Bilingual Education In Our Society Essay -- Language

The Necessity Of Bilingual Education In Our Society Bilingual Education has been a controversial subject within the educational system since its inception in 1974. It is of great importance to define the term "Bilingual" which is " The ability to speak and understand two languages". Included in this definition is the implied ability to transfer knowledge , skills and concepts from the first language to the second language148. It is important because it is upon the ability of the student to transfer knowledge to the second language that is the key to the success of Bilingual Education. The implementation of bilingual education surfaced as a consequence of the Lau vs. Nichols decision, which stated that schools must provided some kind of special help to those children who do not speak English . The Lau decision held that those students that do not speak English were denied equal treatment under the Civil Right Act of 1964, if they were to be taught in the same manner as the English speaking children. In 1976, following the Lau decision, California adopted the Chacon-Moscone Bilingual Bicultural Education Act A.B.507 which established specific bilingual program requirements for identification, instruction, staffing assignments, classroom composition, reclassification and parent involvement. In 1980 this act was amended , adding to the above that its primary goal was to move pupils into English as the language of instruction as " effective and efficiently as possible." This amendment changed the above original Act to a more complex set of requirements that included Language Arts and Math in the students native language , English Language Development (ESL), Social Science, Music, Art and P.E . This curriculum utilizes Spec... ... of home and community". (95) Let us not forget that this country began as the chosen land of immigrants. Works Cited Joh, Jason, 147Cultural Diversity and Education148, Education in American Society School of Education, CSUN -1994 (2-8) Krashen, Steven & Biber, Douglass, On Course: Bilingual Education 145s Success in California . California Association for Bilingual Education, Sacramento, California. 1988 (27) Crawford , James, Bilingual Education : History , Politics , Theory and Practice Crane Publishing Company, New Jersey, 1989 (39) Hardy, Terri, Daily News 147Bilingual grads surpass native peers on test148 June 22, 1998 (front page) Hooks, Bell - Lunsford, Andrea/Ruszkiewicz, John The Presence of Others: Voices that Call for Response, 147Keeping Close to Home: Class and Education148, St. Martin146s Press, Inc. New York, NY. (2nd. ed.) (95)

Monday, November 11, 2019

Home Education: For better or for worse Essay

A home school, as the name implies, is basically an alternative form of education that allows students to receive their education at their own homes instead of going to traditional public or private schools. Students who study at home are either taught by personal tutors, their own parents, or sometimes the school sends the whole curriculum or all the lessons that need to be learned to them. Most of the time, home school students only need to go to their respective schools when they need to take an exam, for example, but in several cases, they take their quizzes or examination at home as well. There are several reasons why parents opt to have their children study at home instead of sending them to educational institutions. These reasons may include: the parents’ belief that they can give their child better education at home, the child’s disabilities or psychological disorders which need special attention; the parents inability to afford sending their child to traditional schools, the child’s failure to learn anything in private or public schools, the desired school is too far from the child’s home, the child’s failure to pass the entrance exams in any school, problems with policies of the school, and even religious reasons. At present home education has helped a lot of students who are unable to study in traditional schools all around the world. However, while I acknowledge that there are millions of students that are home schooled and that the trend is growing almost every year, I am not entirely in favor of the concept due to various reasons. Although it may be true that home education provides a number of benefits for students, especially those who are impoverished, I believe that it defeats the other purposes of private and public schools, which is to ensure the child’s emotional, intellectual, and social growth and to prepare the child for the life after graduation. It is a well-known fact that a traditional school teaches not only the lessons found in textbooks but also certain aspects of life itself. In private or public schools, students get to interact with their peers. Interaction between students facilitates the exchange of new information, new insights, and new ideas which is highly essential for intellectual growth. Moreover, interacting with peers enables a student to create his own circle or network of friends which is important for social stability and growth. In addition, making friends can also be educational especially if it involves people from different cultures or nationalities. For example, an American student can learn a lot from his or her Chinese best friend regarding the lifestyle, food, beliefs, traditions, and history of China or vice versa. On the other hand, a home schooled student is strictly contained within the four corners of his or her house so he or she is unable to meet and interact with new people. In addition, since this student becomes isolated, he or she may develop a fear of other people or even the outside world in general. Moreover, although a home schooled student may be more intellectual than his or her traditionally educated counterparts since he or she is primarily focused on studying, he or she may not learn new information because of his or her dependence on textbooks. In short, he or she will have a narrower perspective about a lot of things as compared to a student in a traditional classroom setting where he or she can ask questions and give their own opinions regarding certain matter about the lesson. Furthermore, since a home-educated student is basically confined in his or her house, he or she may have a tendency of slacking off because there are no school rules. Home schooled students may study and may work when they want to provided that they pass the exams given to them. However, this defeats the purpose of having school rules and regulations which develop discipline in students. In traditional schools, students generally have to follow rules such as wearing of proper uniform, observing silence in hallways, displaying proper behavior while in the campus, and throwing of trash in the proper garbage cans, among many others. If they fail to abide by the rules and regulations of the schools they will be penalized. This â€Å"penalty system† in traditional schools instills in students the fear of breaking a rule due to the corresponding punishments and in effect, they become disciplined and follow the law. In addition, this system also teaches students to respect the authority and the law in general, which is basically what is lacking in home schools. Although the parents may have taught their home-educated children proper manners and respect, these children may only apply this when dealing with their parents since they never got to interact with other people. Furthermore, possibly the major disadvantage of home education is that it lacks an avenue for physical growth. Home-educated students generally have no physical activities such as sports which could lead to weight gain and possible health problems. In addition, since home education does not have extracurricular activities, students are unable to showcase the possible potentials they may have. For example, a home- schooled student may have the makings and traits of a leader, however, he or she cannot show his or her capabilities since there are no opportunities to show them. Moreover, a home-schooled student may have amazing talent in basketball and has the potential to be granted a scholarship in a prestigious university but is unable to do so since he or she is restricted within the comforts of his or her own home. In short, what home schools also lack is the avenue for students to be recognized for their talents and skills in activities other than academics. In fact, they may not be even recognized in academics since it is already an advantage for them to be studying at home. Basically, what I would like to point out is that there are necessary lessons in life that cannot be learned inside a home school or even inside a classroom. For a student to be well-equipped to face the real world, he or she should have experienced the little realities of life which are present in traditional schools. For me, I believe that home schools should only be applicable to students who have disabilities and psychological defects and who are too poor to afford private education. The other reasons are not justifiable since traditional schooling is basically a necessity for everyone. Parents who force their children to receive their education at home without valid are actually impeding their personal growth. If this is the case, they should not be surprised if their children grow up with various problems in life. Over-all, I believe that while a home school can provide intellectual growth for students, it lacks an avenue for equally important aspects of personal growth such as emotional, social, and sometimes even spiritual growth, which are all important for a student to understand and face life itself.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Explanation of the Multistep Synthesis of Benzilic Acid Essay

The synthesis of several complex organic compounds follows a multistep synthesis. â€Å"Multistep synthesis† refers to the procedure in which the product of one reaction serves as the starting material in the subsequent reaction. The multistep synthesis of benzilic acid begins with a conversion benzaldehyde to benzoin through a condensation reaction. The benzoin then oxidizes into benzil, which undergoes rearrangement to give benzilic acid. Benzoin Synthesis * When two benzaldehyde molecules condense in the presence of thiamine, it leads to the formation of a molecule of benzoin. The thiamine behaves as a coenzyme catalyst. This step of the reaction involves the addition of ethanol and sodium hydroxide into an aqueous solution of thiamine hydrochloride and creating a reaction with pure benzaldehyde. When you heat this mixture to a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius for about 90 minutes and then cool it in an ice bath, the benzoin crystallizes out. Recrystallization of these crystals from hot ethanol yields pure benzoin as a colorless powder. Benzil Synthesis * Benzoin undergoes oxidation in the presence of a mild oxidizing agent such as nitric acid to produce the alpha diketone known as benzil. When you heat benzoin with concentrated nitric acid using a reflux condenser, evolution of reddish brown nitrogen dioxide occurs and then stops. When you add cold water to the cooled reaction mixture, benzil precipitates out as a yellow solid. You can then recrystallize this substance from hot ethanol. 1. Benzilic Acid Synthesis * When you reflux a solution of benzil in ethyl alcohol with potassium hydroxide for 15 minutes and then cool it, it forms the carboxylate salt potassium benzilate. When you dissolve this salt in hot water in an Erlenmeyer flask and add hydrochloric acid to bring the pH down to 2, the salt becomes acidified to yield benzilic acid. Precautions * During the conversion of benzaldehyde to benzoin, you must maintain temperatures below 65 degrees Celsius to obtain benzoin. Take care when refluxing benzoin with nitric acid; the nitrogen dioxide fumes are extremely toxic and can cause lung damage. During the conversion of benzoin to benzil, some benzoin may remain unoxidized. Prevent this scenario by creating a reaction of an ethanolic solution of the benzil with 10 percent sodium hydroxide solution; if benzoin is present, a purple color develops.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

How to Get a Scholarship for Your PSAT Score

How to Get a Scholarship for Your PSAT Score Maybe youve heard about the PSAT/NMSQT test and maybe you havent. For many high school sophomores and juniors out there, when you sit for the exam in October, you dont prepare in any way. You show up and take the test. But with PSAT scholarships on the line, thats a big mistake. Huge! Your PSAT score can earn you big bucks for college, and with rising tuition costs across the board, every single dollar you can add to your college savings account is going to help. Heres how to get a scholarship for your PSAT score that can put cash in your savings account for the university of your choice.   Get Your Name on the Student Search Service List After your guidance counselor registers you for the PSAT/NMSQT  and you take the exam on your assigned PSAT test date, youll have the option to select Yes under the Student Search Service heading when youre filling out information the PSAT test. This will allow more than  1,200 colleges, universities, scholarship programs, and educational organizations to get your information and contact you should you qualify for one of their scholarships. Some organizations who partner with the College Board, the makers of the PSAT test, are listed below. I know that signing up seems like a double-edged sword. Great! My inbox will be filled emails from colleges. However. Scholarships are  out  there and go unclaimed every  year. There is money waiting for you. Why not deal with a little bit of email for the opportunity of some cash? Plus, you can opt out the the Student Search Service any time you want. The National Merit Scholarship Program One of the scholarships available to you via the Student Search Service is the National Merit Scholarship. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation uses the PSAT as an initial screening for this award. Hence, the PSAT is the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). Its a tough one to earn as youll need to score in the upper 95th – 99th percentile on the PSAT to even be considered, but its definitely available for those top scorers. This is why youll prepare, right? Right. Heres more information about the National Merit Scholarship.   Institutions Granting Scholarships Specifically for Minority Students There are a ton of opportunities available when you sign up via the SSS on the PSAT, especially if youre a minority student. Please remember that minority students can mean a diverse range of ideas. Some of these organizations offer scholarships to minorities outside of race or ethnicity. For instance, young women, lgbtq students, and those with differing abilities can apply, as well. Before you dismiss one of these scholarships, do your research. You may actually be able to apply to many of these institutions granting scholarships based in part on your PSAT score.   American Indian Graduate Center:  This group offers scholarships for a whole range of things: financial need, high achievement in academics (ding, ding, ding! PSAT!), involvement in the community, involvement in a tribe, diversity, athleticism, creativity, a specific field (education, engineering, etc.), and a ton more.Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund: This institution has partnered with a ton of different organizations and businesses like The Gates Foundation, ATT, Coca-Cola, FedEx, and many more to give cash to minority students. Some of these are actually not specific  for API students! Check to see if you apply!Hispanic Scholarship Fund:  This group offers the Gates Millennium Scholarship and the HSF General Scholarship to students of Hispanic heritage. You could win between $500 and $5,000!  Jack Kent Cooke Foundation:  If youre a high-achieving student and want to attend an elite university, but dont have the funds, then this scholarship that partn ers with the College Board may be able to help.   United Negro College Fund:  Of all of the websites you should visit, this is one of the best, even if you do not identify yourself as an African American student. I searched for scholarships for Caucasian males with households earning $80-$100 K and a mid-range GPA and still found three scholarships for which this person could apply. Check it out! Practice for the PSAT/NMSQT Its not just a test. Its a means to an ends. It can help you earn the cash you need to attend school. Be smart and dont blow this one off!