Island of stone money Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Island of stone money - Essay Example The uniformity of Fei was another element that added to its qualification as money. As a trait in Fei, the stone could not be duplicated and this helped to restrict the use of alternative commodities as currency. Fei was a viable item for money because it was transportable. It had a hole in the center that helped in carrying it around especially when the need to complete a transaction arises (Friedman 1). The suitability of Fei to perform the function of medium of exchange underpinned its qualification as money. Fei allowed the islanders to transact buying and selling goods amongst themselves conveniently. Money helps in storing value and so did Fei. For example, a family in the Islands was renowned for its wealth because of an ancestor who had discovered a Fei that, besides having sunk in the sea, it still gave them a sense of wealth (Friedman 2). Fei was commodity money because its users accepted it as a form of payment even when they did not have a specific need for it. This is the reason why it was not necessary to carry the Fei from the buyer after completing a transaction. The value in use of Fei is one paramount aspect that justifies that it was commodity money. Fei had intrinsic value and besides helping the buyer to get the goods and services they needed, the seller obtained a sense of wealth and he or she enjoyed the prestige ascribed to people in possession of it. It therefore helped fulfil the goal of an economic activity of acquiring the value of commodities and services. Fei is commodity money because using it in transactions resembles barter trade only that it has a single recognizable unit of exchange (Friedman 2). Fei also qualify as commodity money because it has value in exchange. Exchanging Fei for other goods helped buyers indirectly acquire other items. Fei had value in exchange and if its value in use changed, it would have

Diversity in instructional methods toward meaningful learning Essay Example for Free

Diversity in instructional methods toward meaningful learning Essay Abstract There is diversity in instructional methods that teachers can use to bring about meaningful learning. This paper discusses five of them; namely integrated inquiry approach, 5-model of inquiry, the jig-sawing approach, role playing and WebQuest. These instructional methods are learner centered methods that consider prior knowledge, attitude and skills and promote development of new knowledge and relate them to a variety of contexts. All of them also deal with real-life situations that essentially develop interpersonal relationships, problem-solving skills and content-knowledge among others. The teachers’ tasks are to plan and carry out efficiently the instructional designs to have meaningful learning among diverse learners, instructional methods and learning environments. Diversity in Instructional Methods Toward Meaningful Learning Diversity is an essential ingredient of success of all ventures in life including education. There are different kinds of learners as there are teachers, instructional methods and learning environments; but there is only one goal in education and this is for an effective and meaningful learning. Teachers should set environments for students so they could think critically and independently and relate new knowledge learned with a variety of contexts for meaningful learning. It is the task of the teachers to match the learners, the learning environments, the knowledge to be learned and the instructional methods. Learning meaningfully means that learners relate new knowledge to what they already know. Meaningful learning is non-arbitrary, non-verbatim, substantive deliberate effort to link new knowledge with higher order concepts in cognitive structures. It is a learning related to experiences with events or objects and affective commitment to relate new knowledge with prior learning. The diverse instructional designs towards meaningful learning should identify outcomes, guide the development of instruction content and establish its effectiveness. Efforts to consider meaningful learning in the different stages of instructional design are essential. Gagne et al. (1992) identified the different stages of instructional designs as: defining instructional goals; conducting instructional analysis; identifying entry behaviours and learner characteristics; developing performance objectives; selecting an instructional method; assembling instructional materials and planning formative and summative evaluations. He and his colleagues further cited that current educational theory and researches support the use of instructional methods that make students active learners. Among the diverse instructional methods available to teachers to explore and use, the commonly utilized approach towards construction of new knowledge meaningfully are the problem –based learning and inquiry approach, cooperative learning, and technology strategies. Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages, but when used effectively can maximize learning. Problem-Based and Inquiry Approach Students in the problem-based and learning inquiry approach engage in meaningful learning through being actively involved in their own learning and reconstructing these based on their experiences. They further participate in active investigation, more of integrating knowledge rather than separating them so that deep understanding develop from acquisition of new facts. In this method, students are given relevant problems by teachers which inquiry must be done. The general steps in this inquiry approach are: identifying the problems, gathering of data, organizing the data in attempt to analyse the problems and analyses of the strategies to use to solve the problems. Integrated Inquiry In the Integrated Inquiry planning process, a model of inquiry approach developed by K. Murdoch, sequences of activities and experiences are developed to build on and challenge student perceptions. These sequences begin with students’ prior knowledge and experiences and move through deliberate processes wherein that knowledge is extended, challenged and refined. Students have their own prior experiences that they bring to their classes and teachers should be aware of how to address this situation. Activities and learning experiences in this model are grouped as: tuning on, finding out, sorting out, going further, making conclusions and taking actions (Murdoch, 1999). Furthermore, planning for assessment is a very important element of planning for Integrated Inquiry. Murdoch (1999) highlights the need for the collection and analysis of information about what and the how students have learned. The assessment in the Integrated Inquiry model is to determine how to improve student learning as these new information help teachers modify their plans of work to suit the needs of the learners. Students’ involvement in planning for assessment as in selecting responses to particular learning experiences and designing demonstrations of understanding are highly encouraged. Therefore, teachers are also tasked to identify and design learning experiences that will provide information for assessment purposes. The strengths of this model are focussed on assessment of learning in context and encouraging a variety of demonstrations of understanding based on the learning experiences that students undertake. Learners that may benefit most from this Integrated Inquiry Approach are those capable of setting goals in their own learning and significantly contribute in determining how assessment could be effectively done. 5-E Model In the book â€Å"Activities for Teaching Science as Inquiry† by Carin, Bass Contant (2005) many laboratory investigations were cited as inquiry approach to learning. They focused on the 5-E Instructional Model with the five main components identified as Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration and Evaluation. Each of these components is learner-centred. This investigatory method maybe time and resource consuming but it allows the learners to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills experientially. The use of this method is not limited to teaching sciences, which are considered to be not very easy subjects. This experiential learning brings more opportunities for learners to bring forth better understanding and longer retention of knowledge learned. Cooperative Learning Cooperative learning is an instructional method that takes place in a small group of learners of different levels of ability and in environments of responsibility not only for their own understanding of the subject but also for his co-learners. It brings more meaning to learning because it provides shared cognitive sets of information between students, motivating them to learn the materials, ensuring that they construct their own knowledge, providing formative feedback, developing social and group skills necessary for success outside the classroom. Cooperative leaning promotes learning and academic achievement, increases retention and satisfaction with their learning experiences among students, helps develop skills in oral communication, social skills, promotes student self-esteem and fosters mutual responsibility. Although this method helps students learn to be more patient, less critical and more compassionate, some students may find difficulty with this method. Students who work alone find difficulty in sharing answers while aggressive students will tend to take over and brighter students to act superior to the rest. Teachers who will employ cooperative should prepare their students how to work in groups for this method to be successful. Jig Sawing Approach The â€Å"Jig Sawing† Approach is a cooperative learning strategy wherein students becomes an â€Å"expert† in a particular area, then shares his or her learning knowledge with other members of the group that eventually all members of the group learn the concepts. In the Modified Jigsaw, the class is divided into equal expert groups, with each of these groups working on isolated portions of the activity. Once each expert group has completed the tasks, they report their findings as group to the class. Group report allows for greater flexibility in student presentation style and prevents the possibility of unintentionally misrepresentation of information (Beaudrie et al. 1998). This method best suits heterogenous learners across disciplines. It provides opportunities for learners to show various competencies. Moreover, students are more comfortable to exchange ideas with their co-learners because of their dynamic open relationship. Role playing Another instructional method of interest is role playing. It also deals with solving problems but through actions. In role playing, problems are identified, explored through actions and discussed. The students input in their role playing their prior knowledge, values and attitudes. A role-playing strategy seems to work best when there are multiple correct approaches to solving problems. It encourages thinking and creativity to develop and practice new behaviours in non-threatening setting. It provides opportunities for students to explore further their feelings; gain more insights about their attitudes and also enhance their problem solving skills. It also promotes effective interpersonal relations. The learning in these role playing activities are meaningful as they are retained longer and hoped to be of use to the real life of the learners. Terms which are used, often interchangeably with role playing are simulation, game, role-play, simulation-game, role-play simulation, and role-playing game. Role playing dynamically promotes effective interpersonal relationships and social transactions among learners. Technology Supported Approach Technology provides a set of tool for addressing the issues on improving student learning. These issues are of providing more of learners’ time on authentic, challenging tasks with rich contexts with emphasis on multi-disciplinarity; changing of role of teachers to facilitators of knowledge that guide students and learn along with them; students working in an environment of more cooperative relationships that encourages communication and access to real-world examples towards the development of learning communities; and with greater emphasis placed on reflective thinking and productivity with the understanding that students will preform their tasks differently and have different task-relevant skills ( Grabe and Grabe, 2004). WebQuest WebQuest, the model developed by Bernie Dodge, is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. WebQuests is most often a group activity in a library or distance education setting. It may be enhanced by wrapping motivational elements around the basic structure by giving the learners a role to play, simulated personae to interact with via e-mail, and a scenario to work within. They can be designed within a single discipline or they can be interdisciplinary (Dodge, 1997). The WebQuest challenges he learner to be creative in problem-solving. In the world of education, there are so many instructional designs that can be utilized to end up with meaningful learning. No instructional method is better than the other but each one in the hands of a committed and learned teacher can merit students across academic levels and disciplines to bring about meaningful learning. References Beaudrie, B. , Slater,T. F. , Stevenson, S. Cadit, D. (1998). Teaching astronomy by internet jigsawing. Leading and Learning with Technology Journal, 26. , Retrieved December 13, 2007 from http://www. aem. umn. edu. Carin, A. A, Bass, J. E Contant T.L. (2005). Activities for Teaching Science As Inquiry. NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Dodge, B. (1997). Some thoughts about WebQuests . Retrieved December 13, 2007 from http://webquest. sdsu. edu/about_webquests. html. Gagne, R. M. , Briggs, L. J. , Wager, W. W. (1992). Principles of Instructional Design . TX: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers. Grabe, M. Grabe C. (2004). Integrating Technology for Meaningful Learning. NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. Murdoch, K. (1998) Classroom Connections: Strategies for Integrated Learning. Melbourne: Eleanor Curtain Publishing.

Prohibiton :: American America History

Prohibiton What was Prohibition Introduced? In the 1920's American politics was dominated by democracy and the idea of isolationism to keep America prosperous was incredibly apparent. However in 1919, President Wilson passed the 18th Amendment to the American Constitution prohibiting the manufacture, distribution and consumption of alcoholic drinks (any drink containing over 0.5% alcohol). Prohibition was not just a novel American idea, at the turn of the Twentieth Century, other countries were also experimenting with limiting or totally banning the production, distribution and consumption of alcoholic drinks the primary origins can be found all over the world. However, to find the origins for the American Prohibition we must look back to rural America in the Nineteenth Century. Wilson was also pressured into passing the Prohibition Act by the powerful temperance movement during the Great War, claiming that alcohol was unpatriotic as it was made by American's from German descent. Even though he tried to veto the amendment, he was overturned by Congress and reluctantly passed the legislation. The law itself was amazingly ambitious as alcohol was the seventh largest industry in a nation which was ruled by "big business" and was an established and respected as part of the businesses which provided the wealth of America. Although the technical reason as to why the Prohibition Law was passed was because 66% of the Constitution voted for it, one of the main reasons why Prohibition happened was because of its mass support. By 1920, thirty-three out of forty-eight states had passed Prohibition laws, making approximately 63% of the total population of America 'dry'. The main support for Prohibition came from moral crusaders in the South who were very anti-urbanisation like the American Society for the Promotion of Temperance in Boston and the Washington Temperance Society, whose groups grew in number between the 1820's and the 1840's. These groups campaigned against the effects of drinking liquor. Often this excessive drinking was blamed on the industrialisation of the rural areas in many counties as a result of social and economic change at this time. There were some protesters like the Irish Catholics who apparently were against prohibition because of their love of gin (!) as well as the congressmen of Massachusetts who famously said that, "the better the county the higher the alcohol content". Still this was the beginning of the battle where it appeared that it was a case of "cornbelt over conveyor belt".

Phyllis Rose, Tools of Torture

Gaston Havandjian Professor Hubbell English Comp I Essay Four 11/13/12 Human Nature: Another Tool For Torture? Driving your car to a dinner with friends you go by hundreds of advertisement slogans at the side of the road. Reading them seems to be a good way to entertain your mind with all those miles ahead and since you didn't decide what are you going to order yet you think that maybe some of them will give you an idea. One of them captures your attention in a special way, it shows the image of a laughing sheep and below it says: â€Å"Meat is real food†. Eureka!Now you have a guess of what your order will be, but as long as you keep thinking in this phrase you wonder what they meant with the word â€Å"real†. If they are stating such a thing it means that they also believe that there is other food that is not real or not as real as meat. A second thought crosses your mind when you remember a column you read in the newspaper a few days ago which was titled as followed: â€Å"Studies have found that the consumption of meat and animal products increase the development of chronic diseases including high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary heart disease, obesity, kidney failure, osteoporosis and cancer†.What if the advertisement was aimed to convince us that meat is good for you when it's actually not? What if after those studies were revealed the owners of the meat industry felt their businesses threatened and ignoring the facts are still poisoning our bodies and killing thousands of animals a day just for a profit? Vegetables, fruits and grains are not real enough and healthier perhaps? When you arrive to the restaurant you bring up the theme and one of your friends provides a fact which supports the studies credibility, and from your point of view, it gives the whole discussion a clear ending.He tells you something you didn't know, that health insurance companies offer discount rates to vegetarians and vegans. Every company's goal is to make money. Insurance companies determine a person’s risk of death by analyzing his habits and based on these results they charge a fee. In today's world, where money is more powerful than any religion, government or social institution, there is no better evidence than this to prove that the ingestion of meat is actually not good for humans. For hundreds of years we have been persuaded of the opposite and still are.What about the people working in the slaughter houses, what would they do if they knew that the blood they spill every day is contributing to reduce our life expectation? Animals are not just being killed for food; they are also being used for the manufacture of products such as milk, cheese, eggs and many other more. Clothing, sport hunting and fishing, entertainment (Circuses, zoos and aquariums) and product experimentation are other examples of how animals are exploited for the â€Å"benefit† of man.The conditions were these creatures live are detrimental. Ca ges and chains, metal and fire, artificial breeding and separation from their cubs, a life of captivity and a slow and painful death are just a few examples of how they live a life of torture and agony until the day they become a steak on your table or a coat to provide warmth. So, what moves a person to desire working in a place where killing becomes a routine and suffering and fear is perceived by every single sense?Of course that making a living and the lack of jobs would be one of the reasonable answers, but there should be something else that pushes someone to do such terrible things to these innocent living beings unable to even defend or speak for themselves. Is it something ingrained in our â€Å"human nature† or perhaps external agents, such as institutions and industries, convince them that they are working for a great goal? In order to answer these questions we are going to use some ideas taken from a text written by Phyllis Rose titled â€Å"Tools of Torture†.Rose published many books and contributes frequently to periodicals such as the Atlantic Monthly and the New York Times Book Review. Rose situates us in an art gallery in Paris where an exhibition of medieval torture instruments takes place. The high number of different tools that she sees, and the many uses someone can give them, makes her think that â€Å"pain must be as great a challenge to the human imagination as pleasure† (Rose 175). This idea is reinforced after she shares her experience of a facial treatment in a dark booth of a beauty salon where she was exposed to ointments and electrodes.By associating the electrodes with what happened in Algeria and the ointments with masks dipped in acid, she concludes that the aesthetician and the torturer share the same area of expertise; pain, and that â€Å"Should that loving attention to the body turn malevolent, you have torture. (Rose 177) The author believes that â€Å"The secret of torture, like the secret of French cuisine, is that nothing is unthinkable† (Rose 176) and to illustrate this she uses an analogy where a man is tortured with a wheel and a snail is baked in its own shell.There are no limits in the world of torture and this fact may be a reason to believe that humans use their imaginary to accomplish the most horrifying things, but â€Å"torture didn’t come into existence to give vent to human sadism. It is not always private and perverse but sometimes social and institutional, vetted by the government and, of course, the Church† (Rose 177). Religions are probably the most influential institutions in our societies. They proclaim that the values and norms they promote are the only true and that not living according to them will bring a life of sin and shame and an afterlife of suffering and torture.Even if we don’t believe in any religion we still live under their rules. Christianity for example, by introducing the Ten Commandments, offered the basis for es tablishing the moral and legal laws; the institution of marriage is also an exemplar of how we organize our societies based in biblical patterns. It is not the intention of this discussion to analyze if basing our lives according these doctrines is a force for good or not; what seems relevant here is that sometimes the most heinous and aberrant things are justified by uttering these words for the benefit of a certain group of people.Usually the objective is to persuade a bigger group of people to work for their own causes convincing them that they are doing it for the common good, and the most effective tool to accomplish this seems to be manipulating people’s faith. If we take a look back about five hundred years ago we can see how the biggest genocide in the history of humanity was perpetrated in the name of god. The continent where we live today witnessed how the same people who came to these lands to convert the natives into Christianity broke every single of the rules th ey believed in.The main goal of the promoters of this campaign was taking all the gold, silver and riches to Europe and stealing the land, but somehow they managed to make people believe that their true intention was to save the souls of the natives, considered as animals, by making them adopt the true and only religion because that was god’s command. Under these commands it is amazing to see how people can, among other things, â€Å"overcome their repugnance to the task of causing physical pain to other† (Rose 177).Christianity also makes us believe that man is the ruler of this world and that all the other living creatures are at our service. The meat industry, in their many ways to legitimate their business, tries to persuade us that animals don’t feel pain and that ingesting their meat is good for us. In their efforts to keep selling their products they even have paid doctors and nutritionists supporting their cause.With these powerful institutions favoring the supposed benefits of animal products there is no wonder why we keep using them in our diets with a blind conviction that they are good for us. This seems to be also the main reasons why the workers in the animal industry are able to do their jobs without remorse. Just as â€Å"there aren’t squads of sadists beating down the doors to the torture chambers begging for jobs† (Rose 177) there aren’t squads of animal murderers beating down the doors to the slaughter houses begging for jobs.In hundreds of years of research there’s still no evidence that a human nature exists, and let alone that it coerces us to perform the most atrocious acts. The only thing we share as human beings are our human needs. No matter in which part of the world a person lives all he needs is food, water, air, a shelter and a social group where he feels valued and contented. It is in the interests of certain groups of the society to make us believe just the opposite even if it cau ses death, suffering and pain.The more informed we are, the less vulnerable we are to their lies. The author believes that â€Å"If taking one’s goals too seriously is the danger, the best discouragement of torture may be a radical hedonism that denies that any goal is worth the mean, that refuses to allow the nobly abstract to seduce us from the sweetness of the concrete† (Rose 178). Hedonism is a school of thought that argues that pleasure is the only intrinsic good but what people finds pleasurable could be rather more personal than social.This philosophy doesn’t seem to be the answer for the eradication of torture, war or a diet that brings disease and death since it pursues an arbitrary goal. The common goal is not actually a bad path to walk through; the problem appears when what it is believed to be as common is just the goal of a few. Make that goal the fulfilling of the needs of every person in this world and feed them also with the truth so they can ma ke their own decisions and in a few years after that we could be looking into a much more optimistic panorama.

Compare or Contrast Public and Private Companies

In today’s highly commercial world, one of the key objectives of starting a business is to make profit. While this might be true and important to every business, â€Å"most people believe that a business should not focus solely on profitability, but on the quality of products and services it offers to its customers†.This essay will discuss the various perspectives on the topic and will to a large extent agree with the view that businesses should not just focus on profit, by looking at customer desire for high quality product and their willingness to pay, then highlighting how focus on quality can lead to lower cost of product and profitability; as well as how quality influence organisation to be socially responsible, sustainable and profitable.First, a strong reason to concentrate on improving quality of product or services of an organisation is the fact that customers desires high quality good, and are willing to pay for value added. This was corroborated by (Nagar and Rajan 2001), who found out that â€Å"poor product quality reduces customer goodwill and loyalty which in turn affects future revenues as dissatisfied customers take their business elsewhere or pay less for the firm’s product. Such a product and the firm producing it acquire a bad reputation since poor product quality leaves a lasting impression on the consumer who perceives it as a low quality brand. In order for a product to be a perceived as a premium brand, a firm must continually improve on the quality of its products or services. A satisfied customer base lead to good brand perception and will open the door to numerous repeated purchases and referrals which will in turn help the firm to grow its market share, become more competitiveness and increase its profitability.Focusing on quality significantly lowers cost of production at long run. Operations Management (Russell and Taylor, 2000) explains that, manufacturing of products to a high quality standard through implem entation of quality management system have a large impact on overall quality cost reduction, it also argues that it saves time and money by reducing the amount of defective products that could result in wastes, thereby lowering significantly the costs of production, as well as cost to re-work defective products.Without a quality management system, poor-quality and defective products may finds their way into the market, through to the customer leading to warranty claims, product returns and in extreme litigation from product liability or injury to the customer. This may have a serious financial implication to the company as the costs associated with product recall and warranties would be enormous and in extreme case the damages imposed due to litigation could make the company insolvent, leading to a total collapse.However, an opposing view on this is that profit maximization is should be the main focus of the business as long as it pays its taxes and operates within the ambit of the law (Friedman, 1962). Certainly, this view may have worked for organisations in the 1800’s; it definitely does not apply in today’s modern and globalised world. The perspective is not only very narrow in view; it also fails to take into consideration other stakeholders who are affected by its activities of, but can also affect its existence.To these types of organisations, making ethical decisions is seen only from the viewpoint costly and profit. Organisations operating for profit alone are yet to appreciate the advantages of good corporate social responsibility and capitalize on it to grow their businesses in a sustainable and socially responsible manner. This drive for profit has led many to slash of employee’s benefits and salaries benefits; pollute the environment and cause permanent damage to the ecosystem all in bid to improve their bottom-line and many have earned a very bad reputation, suffer product boycott and tarnish their corporate image.In concludi ng this essay, as much as profit is very essential to the survival of a business, I want to agree that businesses should focus more on the improving quality of its products or services. This can be clearly seen to from the fact customer expects high quality at good value always, and because improving the quality will eventually bring down cost of production for a company. As well, quality focus drives a company to take ethical decisions and operate in a socially responsible and sustainable manner.It may be tempting for a business to sacrifice quality in order maximize its profit. However, it benefits will only be in the short term. A simple focus on profit maximization could destroy the continued existence of the business, not to mention the society in which it operates. A firm aiming extreme profit might purposefully cut corners during a project, knowing it gets the perks of a better quarter for now; knowing a future management team will have to deal with the damage of spill-induce d lawsuit, fines, and a haul-up to it at the Criminal Court.

Interpersonal Relationship and Inner Beauty Essay Example

Interpersonal Relationship and Inner Beauty Essay Example Interpersonal Relationship and Inner Beauty Paper Interpersonal Relationship and Inner Beauty Paper Inner Beauty vs. Outer Beauty Brandi Harbin English Composition 121 Instructor: Amy Morris October 31, 2011 Physical beauty is outside for everyone to see. Physical beauty is usually the way men guage whether to talk to a woman. People can get a second opinion on how a person looks. It is most peoples’opinion that Inner beauty is the most important beauty a person can have. In order to know inner beauty, we must know the person. Some of the greatest views of inner beauty are loyalty, love, and morals. Loyalty among my friends is expected. Loyalty shows the respect that is being given or receiving by another person. Others’ believe loyalty stands the test of one’s friendship or relationship. This day and time it is hard to find a friend or a relationship that is based on loyalty and love. Love is the greatest gift one can possess. Whether in friendship or a relationship, we are all searching for love. We all want to be loved and love someone, but it is hard to find that true love. Therefore, we go through a lot of wrongs to find our right. If we could see this inner beauty first, would we appreciate one another better? Among having loyalty and love, good morals helps a person’s inner beauty. Good morals are a trait we learn from our parents, and apply with others traits to use in friendships and relationships. Morals seem to be a trait people learn but forget to use when looking for a good friend or relationship. Good morals help us truly see a person’s inner beauty. A moral is something we strongly believe in and live by, something that is unshakeable in our mind they can either be strong opinions or like personal rules. I wonder how one person can make another person change the way they believe just to be in a relationship or friendship. We should not sell our selves short for someone else. If we did gage our next relationship by what we believe makes our inner beauty, we will save ourselves a lot of heartache. The truth of the matter is, when a man is looking for a woman they check for outer beauty Outer Beauty is merely apparent to the physical eye. Would you want to fall for someone that may come off as a shallow person? Most women and or men have tough choices to make when it comes to figuring out which is more important in a person. On one hand outer Beauty is so obvious you can see how radiant, or beautiful a person looks. As for inner beauty it may not be quite so apparent of their physical beauty, but their inner beauty could possibly be wonderful. On one hand Outer beauty can be a good thing, models are very successful because of their beauty. I can see how being beautiful on the outside can be beneficial to them, their career is based upon their looks. Could this be a bad career choice? The positive side of this is obvious, the money would be wonderful and have people idolize you. There are negatives to this though. It can also teach young people everywhere, that this is how you are supposed to look . The Inner Beauty and Outer Beauty of a person has so many positive and negatives. In conclusion, think about all the facts and statements, which is more important in searching for the man or woman of your dreams? As people it is important to really analyze how to tell if someone has inner beauty, or outer beauty. Beauty is Beauty regardless of which is more important to each person. When finding love someone’s perception of beauty may not be noticeable to another persons’ eye, or it may. Inner Beauty or Outer Beauty? Every person should determine what to look for in their partner.

Web-Based Training Design for Human Resources Essays

Web-Based Training Design for Human Resources Essays Web-Based Training Design for Human Resources Essay Web-Based Training Design for Human Resources Essay Essay Topic: Web IntroductionThecurrentemergenceoftheWeb-basedtrainingdesignasthenovellearningmediumiscertainlytheblessingfornotonlytrainingbutalsoeducationfields.TherapidgrowthofimportanceoftheWeb-relatedservicesandinternetforideas-sharing,instructions,traininganddecision-makingarerecognizedworldwide.Web-basedservicesofferadynamic,flexible,andopenlearningenvironmentwithpropositionsforcountlessapplicationsrelatedtotrainingandeducation.Arapidgrowthintheinformationtechnologyandnoveldevelopmentsandimprovementsinlearningscienceoffersopportunitiestodevelopweb-designed,engaging,efficient,affordable,interactive,affordable,easilyaccessible,andlearningenvironments.AvarietyofresourcesandattributesoftheWebmakeitpossiblefortheinstitutionstoprovidetraining,learning,andresourcesconsideringconstraintssuchastimeandplace.UnderstandingWeb-basedtrainingdesignforhumanresources(HR)isessentialforvariousinstitutionsthatprovidetheWeb-relatedservicessuchaslearningthroughtraining.DesigninganddeliveringWeb-basedTraining(WBT)ne edsthoughtfulinvestigationandanalysisofhowtomakeuseoftheWebspotentialinperformancewithdirectivedesignprinciplesandotherrelatedcriticalissuestoavarietyofdimensionsoftheWeb-basedlearningenvironmentinvolvinginterfacedesign,pedagogical,resourcesupport,managementresource,institutionalandethical(Khan,2001).LiteraturereviewWeb-BasedTraining(WBT)isatermthatregardsanytrainingofferedthroughacomputer.TheWBThasbeeninexistenceforalongperiodbutcurrentlyhasgrowninuseandpopularity.WBTwasinexistencebeforetheinventionofthefirstpersonalcomputer.Inthe1950sand1960s,organizationssuchasuniversitiesandgovernmentbegandevelopingtrainingbytheuseofthecomputers.ThefirstWBTapplicationwastheearly-warningair-defensesystemthatwasintheessenceofTrainingSimulationSystem(TSS) (Ladd,1990).Aspersonalcomputersdecreasedpriceandsize,theuseoftheWBTcontinuedtogrowrapidlywiththepotentialtodeveloptheeffectivenessofWBT.Figure1showstheevolutionoftheCBTComputer-BasedTrainingdesignthatledtotheevolutionoftheWeb-BasedTrainingDesign.F igure1:EvolutionofComputer-BasedTrainingAnearlyissuefortheCBTthatisnotcompletelyresolvedinofferingaccesstoallusers.Largeandexpensivecomputersmadeithardtoaccesstraining,andearlyCBTdesignersfoundcreativeapproachestoofferaccesstotheparticipants.Forexample,inthe1960s,KentStateUniversity(KSU)deliveredWBTtonursesattheirlocalhospitalsbybuyingthetrailerandsemi-trucktotransporttencomputerterminalsunswervinglytohospitalsthatneededtotakepartintraining(Ladd,1990).Surprisingly,computershavereducedinsize.However,asWBThasrapidlygrowninpopularity,theproblemofaccesspersiststobeofinterest.OrganizationshavenotconstantlyhadtheuniformmechanismstodelivertheirCBTandarestillcarryingoutresearchonthecreativeapproachestoofferuniformaccess.Also,distancelearningevolvedduetotheevolvementoftheWeb-BasedTraining.Distancelearninghasitsfoundationsinassociationcoursesandcaninvolveanyprogramwherelearnersrequirenotbeingphysicallypresentintheroom.Duringthetimewhenorganizationresources,funding,andstaffarelessening,andtrav ellimitationsareescalating,attentiontoadequatestrategiesofHumanResource(HR)trainingisessential.TheliteraturereviewhasbeenconductedsoastocontactthedeliveryanddevelopmentoftheHumanResourcetrainingforthedifferentorganizations.TheliteraturereviewwasgatheredandtheideassummarizedfromdifferentperceptionssuchastherevolutionoftheWBTinvolvingtheWeb-BasedTrainingDistanceLearning(WBTDL)andComputer-BasedTraining(CBT).Also,theliteraturehighlightshowthetrainingaredesignedsoastobenefittheHumanResource.TheWeb-BasedLearningEnvironmentandtheWBTcomponentsandfeaturesconnectedwiththeWBTenvironmentsarediscussedsoastounderstandthebenefitsoftheWBTdesignfortheHumanResource.AnalysisWeb-BasedTrainingDesignIndesigningtraininginaWeb,wearerequiredtoexploreavarietyofissuesincludingtheeightdimensionsoftheWeb-baseddesignlearningenvironmentthatcanassistusthinkaboutvariousknowledgefeaturessuitableforourtargetHumanResource.ThecompetenciesofvariousresourcesandattributesofWebmustbeexaminedtoobservehowtheyseehowtheycanbea ppropriateutilizedtodevelopvariousWeb-BasedTrainingfeatures.Also,understandingtheeightdimensionsoftheWeb-baseddesignlearningenvironmentisessentialfortheWeb-BasedTrainingDesign.TheeightdimensionsaregiventheFigure1below.

Explore the Large Magellanic Cloud

Explore the Large Magellanic Cloud The Large Magellanic Cloud is a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. It lies some 168,000 light-years away from us in the direction of the southern hemisphere constellations Dorado and Mensa. There is no one discoverer listed for the LMC (as its called), or its nearby neighbor, the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). Thats because they are easily visible to the naked eye and have been known to skygazers throughout human history. Their scientific value to the astronomical community is immense: watching what happens in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds offers rich clues to understanding how galaxies that are interacting change over time. These are relatively close to the Milky Way, cosmically speaking, so they offer detailed information about the origins and evolutions of stars, nebulae, and galaxies.   Key Takeaways: Large Magellanic Cloud The Large Magellanic Cloud is a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, located some 168,000 light-years from our galaxy.Both the Small Magellanic Cloud and the Large Magellanic Cloud are visible to the naked eye from southern hemisphere locations.The LMC and SMC have interacted in the past and will collide in the future. What Is the LMC? Technically, astronomers call the LMC a Magellanic spiral type galaxy. This is because, while it looks somewhat irregular, it does have a spiral bar, and it was very likely a smaller dwarf spiral galaxy in the past. Something happened to disrupt its shape. Astronomers think it was probably a collision or some interaction with the Small Magellanic Cloud. It has the mass of about 10 billion stars and stretches across 14,000 light-years of space. A portion of the Large Magellanic Cloud showing its many clusters and gas and dust lanes set against a nebula backdrop.   NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope The name for both the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds comes from the explorer Ferdinand Magellan. He sighted the LMC during his voyages and wrote about it in his logs. However, they were charted long before Magellans time, most likely by astronomers in the Middle East. There are also records of its sighting in the years before Magellans voyages by various explorers, including Vespucci.   The Science of the LMC The Large Magellanic Cloud is filled with different celestial objects. Its a very busy site for star formation and has many protostellar systems. One of its largest starbirth complexes is called the Tarantula Nebula (due to its spidery shape). There are hundreds of planetary nebulae (which form when stars like the Sun die), as well as star clusters, dozens of globular clusters, and countless massive stars.   Astronomers have identified a large central bar of gas and stars stretching across the width of the Large Magellanic Cloud. It seems to be a rather misshapen bar, with warped ends, likely due to the gravitational pull of the Small Magellanic cloud as the two interacted in the past. For many years, the LMC was classified as an irregular galaxy, but recent observations have identified its bar. Until relatively recently, scientists suspected that the LMC, SMC, and Milky Way would collide sometime in the distant future. New observations show that the orbit of the LMC around the Milky Way is too fast, and it may not ever collide with our galaxy. However, they could pass close together, the combined gravitational pull of both galaxies, plus the SMC, could further warp the two satellites and change the shape of the Milky Way.   A view of the Large Magellanic Cloud and all its star formation regions (in red). The central bar stretches across the entire galaxy. NASA/ESA/STScI Exciting Events in the LMC The LMC was the site in 1987 of an event called Supernova 1987a. That was the death of a massive star, and today, astronomers are studying an expanding ring of debris moving away from the site of the explosion. In addition to SN 1987a, the cloud is also home to a number of x-ray sources which are likely x-ray binary stars, supernova remnants, pulsars, and x-ray bright disks around black holes. The LMC  is rich with hot, massive stars that will eventually blow up as supernovae and then likely collapse to create neutron stars and more black holes.  Ã‚   The expanding cloud of material spreading out from the site of Supernova 1987a as seen in visible light from Hubble Space Telescope and x-rays from the Chandra X-Ray satellite. NASA/Chandra/Hubble   The Hubble Space Telescope has been used often to study small areas of the clouds in high detail. It has returned some very high-resolution images of star clusters, as well as star-forming nebulae and other objects. In one study, the telescope was able to peer deep into the heart of a globular cluster to discern individual stars. The centers of these tightly packed clusters are often so crowded that its nearly impossible to make out individual stars. Hubble has enough power to do that and reveal details about the characteristics of individual stars inside the cluster cores.   Hubble Space Telescope looked at the globular cluster NGC 1854 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. It was able to see individual stars at the heart of the cluster. NASA/ESA/STScI   HST is not the only telescope studying the LMC. Ground-based telescopes with large mirrors, such as the Gemini Observatory and Keck observatories, can now make out details inside the galaxy.   Astronomers have also known for quite some time that there is a bridge of gas that connects both the LMC and the SMC. Until recently, however, it wasnt clear why it was there. They now think that the bridge of gas shows that the two galaxies have interacted in the past. This region is also rich in star-forming sites, which is another indicator of galaxy collisions and interactions. As these objects do their cosmic dance with each other, their mutual gravitational pull tugs gas out into long streamers, and shock waves set off spasms of star formation in the gas.   The globular clusters in the LMC are also giving astronomers deeper insights into how their starry members evolve. Like most other stars, the members of globulars are born in clouds of gas and dust. However, for a globular to form, there must be a lot of gas and dust in a relatively small amount of space. As stars are born in this tight-knit nursery, their gravity keeps them close to each other.   At the other ends of their lives (and stars in globulars are very, very old), they die in much the same way other stars do: by losing their outer atmospheres and puffing them off to space. For stars like the Sun, its a gentle puff. For very massive stars, its a catastrophic outburst. Astronomers are quite interested in how stellar evolution affects cluster stars throughout their entire lives.   Finally, astronomers are interested in both the LMC and the SMC because they are likely to collide again in about 2.5 billion years. Because theyve interacted in the past, observers now look for evidence of those past meetings. They can then model what those clouds will do when they do merge again, and how it will look to astronomers in the very distant future.   Charting the Stars of the LMC For many years, the European Southern Observatory in Chile scanned the Large Magellanic Cloud, capturing images of the stars in and around both Magellanic Clouds. Their data were compiled into the MACS, the Magellanic Catalog of Stars.   This catalog is mainly used by professional astronomers. A recent addition is the LMCEXTOBJ, an extended catalog put together in the 2000s. It includes clusters and other objects within the clouds.   Observing the LMC The best view of the LMC is from the southern hemisphere, although it can be glimpsed low on the horizon from some southerly parts of the northern hemisphere. Both the LMC and the SMC look like ordinary clouds in the sky. They are clouds, in a sense: star clouds. They can be scanned with a good telescope, and are favorite objects for astrophotographers.   Sources Administrator, NASA Content. â€Å"Large Magellanic Cloud.† NASA, NASA, 9 Apr. 2015, www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_2434.html.â€Å"Magellanic Clouds | COSMOS.† Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/M/Magellanic Clouds.Multiwavelength Large Magellanic Cloud - Irregular Galaxy, coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/multiwavelength_astronomy/multiwavelength_museum/lmc.html.

Competitive Advantages Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Competitive Advantages - Research Paper Example Therefore, Riordan will have to produce highly standardized products so that it can compete with other producers of plastic products. It will have to adopt a global or a multi-domestic outlook, where it will either compete globally or compete at different national markets in a manner differentiated from that at other national markets. In the case of Riordan, it will have to adopt a global strategy at the target global markets, and a multi-local strategy at markets that are principally multi-domestic. The market drivers of its strategy will include customer needs uniformity, developing global networks of distribution, and ensuring that its marketing is transferable. The cost drivers to guide Riordan include those of transport, economies of scale, economies of scope, and product development. The government drivers to guide the business strategy include segmenting markets on the basis of the favorability of trade policies, the compatibility of technical standards, universal marketing control, as well as privatization. The global business strategy will be focused around increasing sales levels to existing customers, expanding sales to emerging markets and new customer groups, and the development of value-added services, which can compete globally. The company can maintain its cost-plus pricing strategy while at the same time increase segmentation on the basis of customer regions and locations. Riordan is a plastic manufacturer operating at different countries around the globe. The global market will affect the business strategy of Riordan in a number of ways. These ways include expanding economies of scale and scope, adopting a global and a multi-domestic market outlook, developing global distribution networks, and cultivating strategy drivers like product

Porter Novelli or Southern Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Porter Novelli or Southern Company - Case Study Example This essay demonstrates that the CTO felt this was fundamentally appropriate for specific and full performance definition roles. Performance management and selection applications would be built on the foundation of work results definitions (Goldsmith and Carter, 2010). Drotter requires the same explicit definitions of management and leadership results by level as financial and customer results, making these accountabilities far more specific, examinable, and therefore, understandable to employees. The down - to - earth, application - based approach demystifies leaders and supports the introduction of basic designs to explain both activities. Corporate leaders have traditionally relinquished talent strategy to market forces or left it to their human resources departments to oversee (Aguirre et al 2010). Any company that aspires to maintain competitiveness in the world must use strategic implementation methods on talent (Aguirre, Hewlett & Post 2010). In return, regarding their appropr iate reward, leaders are presented with many expectations. They are required to be strategic thinkers, joining dynamic vision to the chutzpah in order to produce significant change. They also need to be on the sensitive side, on look to the intricacies of political arguments, and able to persuade egos, soothe workers and court widely known acclaim in the media. It is a demanding order and one vexes the thoughts of many as it orients how effective to portray the concept of Porter Novelli without irrelevancy.

Front end of General Motors company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Front end of General Motors company - Case Study Example The tools used in the analysis include dominant economic features, driving force analysis, strategic group map, PESTLE and competitive analysis framework. The main issue under discussion is on product reliability based on the products and consumer perception. The company has issues with quality assurance and lack of quality control system. According to the consumer reports of 2009, there were numerous recalls of GM products due to reliability. Therefore, the paper comes up with three alternatives to curb the issue on reliability. The first alternative to curb the issue is coming up with an automated checking mechanism that will check any product’s defect. The alternative is important because it will ensure that no defects goes unchecked (General Motors, 1980). Some of the defects that the automation process will check includes faults with seat belts, brakes, and other important areas. On the other hand, the alternative though helpful is very expensive and requires a lot of structures and capital to put up. Another alternative to curb the issues on quality control is that the company need to set up certified auditors who will carry out random and frequent check up on the company’s product. The auditor need to come up with routine reports on the manufacturing process and the equipment used during the process. The advantage of this alternative is that the company will make sure that their quality control systems are up to date and efficient. One of the cons of this alternative is that there are tendencies that the company might ignore the reports and recommendations from the certified auditor. Citing claims that the recommendations are expensive to implement (General Motors, 1981). The third alternative to curb the issue is recalling all the vehicles that have default issues. Recalling the vehicle will ensure that the company beefs up quality control issues. Recalling the vehicle will give the

Competitor Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Competitor Analysis - Essay Example Lego provides wide range, high quality and commitment to the customers’ needs in terms of new products. Lego’s Online activities like comics, online games, forums, educational product tutorials, online interactive sessions to support community development and learning etc. are some highly applauded and attention grabbing features for the customers. The company is highly responsible in managing employees, customers, returning back to environment and safety and security of the people linked to LEGO’s environment. 4M-ind is based in HongKong, however distributes its products across the geographical boundaries with online stores like Amazon’s STEM toy shop. It also has a list of authorized dealers in some countries. The company is committed to the provision of educational toys industry only. 4M-ind provides a wide range of products for all ages with the ease of pricing each product targeting a different income group. Its products are as cheap as $5. 4m-ind offers unique products that enchant and entice young customers like glow stars and the more scientific robotic hand. 4M-ind categorizes its products in two broader categories namey science and crafts. The science category involves scientifically advanced products at a reasonable price. Their prices are too competitive and are unbeatable for the newer competitors for the features and product ranges it offers. Makey Makey targets younger innovative minds by providing them with a key to innovation in the shape of maKey invention kit that transforms daily-use products to touch pads while establishing a connection through to the web. The miraculous product startles users as it changes a simple drawing to a touch pad and a banana as a piano key (MakeyMakey.com). The uniqueness of the MaKey kit with its affordability in terms of pricing is of great attraction to the customers. The products offered invoke innovation in the children and

Marriage in Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 5

Marriage in Crisis - Essay Example After this, the next step is to analyze the families based on the multi-generational transmission concept. Since it is generally accepted that those who were abused generally repeat the cycle by becoming abusers, this is probably the case with Luis. By allowing him to understand this and reviewing his own feelings as a child, he can develop empathy for what he is putting his children through. Furthermore, some of the issues Jessica is causing also need to be addressed. Jessica’s relationship is unstable, as Bowen argued that many two-person relationships are. Therefore, to bring about stability, she tends to involve her older son. This is unhealthy for her son since he is too young to understand fully the repercussions of what is going on. Therefore, this situation needs to be addressed, and Jessica needs to be taught alternate methods for handling her issues.   Genograms cam is a very helpful tool in a number of situations. In the situation of Jessica and Luis, it can provide a helpful visual chart that may help to make them more aware of their bad situation. Jessica and Luis are undergoing many relationship issues, and genograms can be helpful in providing awareness in issues like this. The genogram itself â€Å"is a visual representation of an individuals family of origin and is similar in concept to a family tree† (Daughhetee, 2001, p. 21). It has been used for many decades in family therapy and was initially created by Murray Bowen. The genogram allows the counselor and the family to take a look at the relationships, roles, patterns, and functions that are common within the family. This can, therefore, allow the counselor to gather important data, cover levels of functioning, create a hypothesis, and increase the awareness of the family regarding the emotional processes and repercussions their family structure may be undergoi ng (Daughhetee, 2001).   

Competitor Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Competitor Analysis - Essay Example Lego provides wide range, high quality and commitment to the customers’ needs in terms of new products. Lego’s Online activities like comics, online games, forums, educational product tutorials, online interactive sessions to support community development and learning etc. are some highly applauded and attention grabbing features for the customers. The company is highly responsible in managing employees, customers, returning back to environment and safety and security of the people linked to LEGO’s environment. 4M-ind is based in HongKong, however distributes its products across the geographical boundaries with online stores like Amazon’s STEM toy shop. It also has a list of authorized dealers in some countries. The company is committed to the provision of educational toys industry only. 4M-ind provides a wide range of products for all ages with the ease of pricing each product targeting a different income group. Its products are as cheap as $5. 4m-ind offers unique products that enchant and entice young customers like glow stars and the more scientific robotic hand. 4M-ind categorizes its products in two broader categories namey science and crafts. The science category involves scientifically advanced products at a reasonable price. Their prices are too competitive and are unbeatable for the newer competitors for the features and product ranges it offers. Makey Makey targets younger innovative minds by providing them with a key to innovation in the shape of maKey invention kit that transforms daily-use products to touch pads while establishing a connection through to the web. The miraculous product startles users as it changes a simple drawing to a touch pad and a banana as a piano key (MakeyMakey.com). The uniqueness of the MaKey kit with its affordability in terms of pricing is of great attraction to the customers. The products offered invoke innovation in the children and

The Philosophy of the Enlightenment Research Paper

The Philosophy of the Enlightenment - Research Paper Example It is safe to say that every aspect of life is dependent upon history. It is through history that one is able to make predictions, give valid evaluations, connect forms of life with another, creates programs and strategies as they relate to success and continuity. History helps to revolutionize the thinking processes. The different experiences help to prepare a generation of people for a new age and a new era. The level to which they use the knowledge to steer away from the mistakes of the past should not solely be the responsibility of history and historians. The consequences are related to the attitudes, will, and direction of events at any given time. History is responsible for producing new schools of evidence and debate. In the different explanations of the creation story, for example, there are opposing sides as to how the earth was generated. In the absence of the concrete record that can withstand the scrutiny of scientists and other scholars, history provides a medium throug h which religion, philosophy, sociology, and psychology can equally share and contribute to the different explanations.  One must admit that although history is essential and indispensable there exist many doubts and uncertainties. In many prominent universities such as the University of Oxford, while subjects such as theology, law, music among others were included in the curriculum of the university for many years it was not until 1850 that history was added to the program of studies. It could not be described as having claims to a wealth of truth and there was a lack of systematic knowledge.

Poverty and Pollution Essay Example for Free

Poverty and Pollution Essay Determine the ethical implications of business polluting in third world country. Explain your rationale. The Third World refers to the poorer and undeveloped countries of the world. Often, these countries have extremely poor environmental situations. Countries in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia are the greatest victims of this environmental inequality. In addition to problems created by development and industrialization, poorer nations also suffer environmental difficulties caused by poverty and war, among other causes. Many environmental problems arise in the Third World. Air pollution, water pollution, deforestation, desertification, soil erosion, and poisoning of the environment are among the largest of these. (pollution problems on third world , 1999) The businesses that are polluting in a third world country are the businesses that think that because the third world countries are poor and under developed. They do not have the restriction that the U.S. does to prevent business from doing everything that they can to the environment, These countries are left with making decision on whether are not to eat are having clean environment. What do you think they are choosing to do? We sometime take advantage of people because of the situation they are in at the time. The Western countries take advantage of these Third World countries. They dump their trash and other hazardous waste into these Third World countries. The First World companies will go into these countries and build plants, which will pollution the air, in Third World nations to not have to deal with the regulations that they would face at home. Some of the transnational corporations that produce hazardous chemicals look at as overly dangerous in the First World find an acceptable market in the Third World. There, governments cannot restrict usage of these chemicals. They are trying to provide a way for its citizens to make a living. How can this be fair? How can these business live with themselves. What I have stated time and time again it always comes back to money. Suggest the reasons a business may conduct operations in a third world country and disregard any standards of pollution control. We see the pollution problem affecting the whole world. Industries are going overseas because the cost of labor is a lot cheaper. Therefore all they want to do is make a big profit by paying less and acquiring quality goods and services. (pollution problems on third world , 1999) Industries don’t care about the employees never the less about the environment. Laws and regulations a lot different in third world countries and there is a lot of corruption too; with this been said if anyone complaints money is the solution. Also as I mention before countries of the Third World struggle with population growth, poverty, famines, and wars, their residents are discovering the environmental effects of these problems, in the form of increasing air, water, and land pollution. Industrialized nations often dump wastes in developing countries where there is little or no environmental regulation, and governments may collect considerable fees for accepting their garbage. And not only that some of this garbage can be hazards not only for the environment but to the individuals leave close to this dump sites this third world countries would accept garbage for money this is hard to believe. This industries move to third world countries because there is not pollution controlled laws. Therefore industries are not allowed to manufacture of produce certain things their only option is to move if they want to still be in business. (gale, 2005) It has been said that pollution is the price of progress. Assess the connection between economic progress and development, on the one hand, and pollution controls and environmental protection, on the other. The optimal level of pollution is supposed to be the level at which the costs to the company of cleaning up the pollution equal the cost of environmental damage caused by that pollution. If the pollution charge is equivalent to the cost of environmental damage then the theory says that the company will clean up its pollution until any further incremental reduction in pollution would cost more than the remaining charge, that is until it is cheaper to pay the charge than reduce the pollution. This might seem to be less than optimal solutions to the community but economists argue that the polluter is better off than if it had paid to eliminate the pollution altogether and the community is no worse off because it is being compensated by the firm for the damage through the payments to the government. In theory the payments made by firms in the form of charges can be used to correct the environmental damage they cause. (beder, 1996) Support the argument that human beings have a moral right to a livable environment regardless of the country they live in. Every person in every community has the right to health, and to a safe and healthy environment. Unfortunately, these rights are often not respected. Many people suffer from serious health problems caused by a scarcity of basic necessities and an excess of harmful substances. The most vulnerable people are those who have low status because of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, class, caste, poverty, or for other reasons. They usually suffer first, and worst. The struggle to live in a healthy, safe, productive, and enjoyable environment by communities whose rights are not well respected by people in power is sometimes called the struggle for environmental justice. As part of the human rights; each human being has a moral right to life and to a livable environment. Also is not fair for these individuals from third world countries to suffer from more things they’re already struggling and then u have industries polluting their environment. Everyone should be able to have a good environment to live in. Also something that caught my attention is the even though here in the United States of America we have good environment individuals don’t not how to take care of it. For example people throwing garbage out their cars windows or disposing of chemicals in their back yard. This types of thing can cause damage to our environment. Take a position on whether nations have an obligation to provide poorer nations with, or help them develop, greener industries and sources of energy. Explain your rationale. Although some of this nations are poor they can also be rich because of natural resource for example oil, gold and expensive minerals. Many third world countries have been able to be successful because of natural resources. I think that if a nation is wealthy and individuals are happy, then it should help other nations because today for them and tomorrow for us. We never know when we are going to need someone’s help. Therefore it is not an obligation to other nations but it’s good to show support. The United States of America is known for helping others but I know there is always an interest or a agreement to repay the USA. Also increasingly, through globalization, many countries have become dependent on each other. While some countries are endowed with better quality resources, others have to be satisfied with current resources. History has shown that the poorer countries are usually those more vulnerable to disasters (economically and socially) and are less equipped to overcome these disasters. Rich countries, therefore, are consistently required to support those poorer countries through international aid. However, the right type of aid is more important than the quantity of aid. Rich countries should invest in the human capital of poor countries, provide defense against wars, and help develop the skills of the people instead of simply providing donations. There should be agreements and follow-ups on how the aid is being used. Propose a plan for uniform global pollution control standards and how you would enforce them. It’s hard to say how something can be done about this the procedures and norms are in place now. I think pollution is always going to be an issue and it’s going to be too late when individuals try to help with the problem. The only thing I can suggest is to maybe have dump sites in out of space and if the garbage tries to enter earth of other planet it would burn anyways. But to enforce new regulation it’s going to be a challenge hopefully they can come out with a solution soon. Industries are not going to stop producing thing while the demand is high. And if we told inviduals that this is harmful for the earth that they need to stop they would just laugh References Pollution problems on third world . (1999). Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/26026/Economics/pollution_problems_in_the_thir.html Beder, S. (1996). charging the earth: the promotion of price- based measures for pollution. Retrieved from http://www.herinst.org/sbeder/enveconomics/economics.html

Sonnys Blues Plot Analysis

Sonnys Blues Plot Analysis The contrasting lives of two brothers contribute to the theme of being safe while being risk takers. In this story, Baldwin writes about two brothers who grew up together. As each of the boys grew older, their friendship diminished and they ended up having two completely different lives. The narrator, who is the older brother seemed to be more cautious and had a more determined manner to develop a good future. Sonny, the younger brother, was more free and adventurous as he lived in the moment. Sonny did not even know what his plans were for the next hour, let alone the rest of his life. The narrators greatest source of dissatisfaction was his selfish desire to learn and live a respectable life safely as a teacher of high school algebra. When Sonny learns the consequences about drugs and the law, he feels threatened. Sonnys brother lives in a safe environment while Sonnys environment is very unsafe and that is why Baldwin carefully set the brothers as opposites. The narrator is a cons ervative, respectable family man who is a professor of mathematics and is proud of its professional status. In the story, Sonny interprets of the narrator, who worked for Sonny as guardian, father figure, and a brother-peer. The narrator describes Sonny as a savage, but not crazy. He says Sonny had always been a good boy, he never healed or evil or disrespectful, and how children can so quickly (Baldwin 85). He compared students Sonny: a dreamy, disillusioned and obedient, but is grappling with the desperation of his live in a poor promise. The author used the name of the story Sonnys Blues, to give readers a clue to the theme of history. Noun the blues is defined in the mood unhappiness and depression. This theme is present throughout the story. Blues is a style of music that reflects a sad mood. Blues as well as being in the music, the basic structure of the story, and as the narrator and his brother, Sonny has played a role in depression. Sonnys brother is a shared perspective on this story, because he feels responsible for keeping his brother safe. His Brother learns to listen to all this history to understand the life of Sonny. The narrator as he fought for his life and how he is now watching his younger brother, Sonny fought through the same situation. He worried about the life of Sonny that might not be able to escape the turmoil that life brings, above all, a musician who has no family ties and job security. Sonny tries to become a jazz musician, the narrator watches and listens as Sonny goes through many adversities in life. He does not want Sonny to be a jazz musician, because there is no future there. At the end of the story, Sonnys brother was invited into a nightclub to watch and listen to his brother. During his visit, he learns and listens to understand Sonny and how he uses his music to survive, and how the music gives meaning to their lives. In the central scene of Sonnys Blues, is when the narrator agrees to go with Sonny to the night jazz club. The narrators realization that he must accept Sonny for who he is happened at the night club. This is the first time that Sonnys brother feels content with Sonny as he plays the piano and listens to his blues music. There he meets Sonnys musician friends who appreciate the way in which the narrator accepted his brother. The next scene, the narrator begins to understand the language of jazz and how it has changed the lives of Sonny for the best. Director, Creole, who was the bassist of the band, did the brother of mighty deed teaching Sonny how to play the piano. The benefit of the blues helped Sonny to end his drug addiction. During this scene, the brother of Sonny reflected in Creole and Sonny saw him with respect, to let him run the band that made his brother see that Sonny had talent and pursued his talent. Living in a housing project in Harlem, Sonnys brother determined to protect themselves from the risks that surrounded them. You will notice that the narrator and Sonnys neighborhood were mostly blacks and poor people in Harlem. Their working class embittered father, whose pride and optimism is diminished fought to support the family to openly racism. Sonny, however, is a romantic artist, who is not afraid to take risks to pursue what he wants. His passion for music makes him impatient. He stayed away from school, but not away from danger. Sonny wants to live a respectful life but it is very hard for him. He did different things to try to escape this corruption, he tries to escape by joining the army, but fails. And he tries to escape by use of illegal drugs. When life feels like a toll on Sonny, he takes for his music. He realizes that his problems are real and that he can really escape them. Music is played in his life which changes his pain and suffering. Maybe not so that you can definitely stay away from danger, as the father of Sonny said, there is no safe place at all (Baldwin 95). Sonny music provides a channel to express the darkness within him, while his sense of life slowly recovers. The story of Sonnys Blues illustrated how life was growing up in an African American family during 1930 -1960s. Black Americans struggled to make their imprint on society. The life of the amazing blind musician Ray Charles comes to my mind as I struggle to understand how the African American culture learned to survive during this time. Sonny and Ray Charles had many of the same life experiences, in particular relying on drugs to forget their past and living in a society where the black man struggled to make a living. Both men used their music of rhythm and blues to gain respect from family and friends.

The Dominican Republic, and its owner, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Essay

The Dominican Republic, and its owner, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo All throughout the 20th century we can observe the marked presence of totalitarian regimes and governments in Latin America. Countries like Cuba, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic all suffered under the merciless rule of dictators and military leaders. Yet the latter country, the Dominican Republic, experienced a unique variation of these popular dictatorships, one that in the eyes of the world of those times was great, but in the eyes of the Dominicans, was nothing short of deadly. Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, or â€Å"El Chivo†, controlled the people of the Dominican Republic in a manner that set him apart from the other leaders of that time. By controlling every aspect of the country’s economy, he controlled the people, by controlling each individual’s income and their jobs, he controlled their lives. (Sagas, 173) It is true that from the outside it may appear that the economy was getting better in the Dominican Republic, but the problem was that all of the enterprises and businesses were directly or indirectly owned and controlled by Trujillo himself, not the government. Building bridges, making better roads, and establishing monuments were Trujillo’s ideas as to how to make the Dominican Republic a better place. (de Besault, N/A) True that these things made the Republic more appealing and made transportation better, but the inhumane methods Trujillo employed to maintain his complete and utter control of the people completely ove rshadowed any positive things that he may have done. This previously inexistent economy is what allowed Trujillo to attain and strengthen his power in the Dominican Republic. Oddly enough, the same peo... ... In addition to being powerful, his ruthless murders made him a dangerous man too. This specific case in Latin American history comes to show how economic â€Å"stability† does not always mean happiness and wealth. The Dominican Republic’s economy was stable, but all the wealth belonged to one man, Trujillo. A Nation’s wealth in the hands of one man only means that the Nation’s safety and life-force also rest in his hands. Works Cited Bosch, Juan. Trujillo: Causas de una tirania sin ejemplo. Caracas: n.p., 1961. de Besault, Lawrence. President Trujillo: His work and the Dominican Republic. Santiago: Editorial El Diario, 1941. Ferreras, Ramon. Trujillo : 20 aà ±os despues. N.p.: n.p., 1981. Roorda, Eric. The Dicator Next Door. London: Duke UP, 1998. Sagas, Ernesto. The Dominican People: A Documentary History. Princeton: Markus Weiner, 2003.

Diversity in the Workplace Essay

This diversity audit begins with a background about the company, as well as some important information about key Diversity executives. What will be addressed in the audit are what efforts Johnson & Johnson made to foster diversity competence and understand, what efforts were made in furthering the knowledge or awareness about diversity, what strategies were used to address the challenges of diversity and how will you ensure that your leaders and managers will be committed to the diversity initiative. The audit concludes with a quote from the vice president of recruiting at Johnson and Johnson, as well as their Diversity and Inclusion Programs and Activities from the Johnson and Johnson Website. In 1886 three brothers, Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson and Edward Mead Johnson, fount the Johnson & Johnson company in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Today, the company employs approximately 128,700 people with more than 275 operating companies in more than 60 countries. The worldwide hea dquarters remains in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The company prides itself in caring for everyone in the world, they feel this inspires and unites the people who work there. Johnson & Johnson is the world’s sixth largest consumer healthy company, the world’s largest and most diverse medical device and diagnostic company, the world’s fifth largest biologics company and the world’s eighth largest pharmaceutical company. These companies together touch the lives of more than a billion people throughout the world every single day. This company, without a doubt, knows what diversity is. Their product line in itself is so diverse that I would say that diversity is what this company was built on and continues to grow from. They offer health care products that go from taking care of a skin blemish or a headache, to beautifying your hair and teeth products, to products used for metastatic breast cancer, hip placements and coronary stents, to prescription drug products treating everything from migraines to cancer a nd serious infections. According to  the company website, diversity is described as follows, â€Å"People and values are our greatest assets. Diversity is a central part of the cultures across the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. It’s a key to our people’s passion for improving the health and well-being of people the world over. Further, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is deeply rooted in the values instilled by Our Credo and is exemplified in a number of our companies’ programs and activities. We recognize that differences in age, race, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, physical ability, thinking style and background bring richness to our work environments. Such differences help us connect better with the health needs of people in communities around the world. We believe that attracting, developing and retaining a base of employees that reflects the diversity of our customers is essential to our success. We also believe success hinges on relationships with diverse professional and patient organizations, civic groups and suppliers†. (jnj.com) In addition, Johnson and Johnson offers mentoring programs and leadership development programs to ensure personal professional growth. During my research I found that Johnson & Johnson has supporting affinity groups that has strengthened the impact of diversity not only within the organization, but in the community as well. Some of these groups include the Community of Asian Associates at Johnson and Johnson, South Asian Professional Network and Association, Gay and Lesbian Organization for Business and Leadership, Women’s Leadership Initiative, African-American Leadership Council and Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Achievement. These groups are just the tip of the iceberg as far as diversity for Johnson & Johnson. A key executive, Anthony P. Carter is Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion, as well as Chief Divers ity Officer for Johnson and Johnson. In an article from Diversity Global Magazine, Mr. Carter was named a 2013 Diversity Executive of Distinction. The article stated that Mr. Carter’s focus on developing cutting edge Diversity and Inclusion programs and strategies is successful because it is aligned with the company’s strategic business objective. As I researched deeper into the company’s responsibility to its customers, employees, communities and shareholders I found that Johnson & Johnson’s respect towards these groups of people who keep the company alive is supported by Anthony’s implementation and design of an inclusive global organizational system, as  well as Diversity and Inclusion incentives. He has further developed opportunities for Johnson and Johnson to maximize their diversity. He oversees an office that implements programs such as Crossing the Finish Line, which is a career acceleration program for people of color. Programs such as these are crucial in developing world-class diverse leaders. An interesting quote by Anthony P. Carter sums up his role nicely, â€Å"Diversity and inclusion describe how we can work together to bring innovative ideas, products and services together to advance the health, well-being and the quality of life of those we serve.† (Diversity Global) In the article Harnessing Diversity to Affect the Bottom Line by Ron Dory, it was noted that one of Carter’s best practices in relation to diversity is the use of ERGs (Employee Resource Groups), which have brought in new markets and impacted the company’s growth in a positive way. Johnson and Johnson prides itself in it’s membership in the Billion Dollar Roundtable, an elite group of companies that spend a billion dollars annually on women owned and minority owned suppliers. Johnson & Johnson’s use of Employee Resource Groups or ERGs as an organization where people who share a culture or background, for example gender, ethnic, religion or age, can meet to rejoice within their culture or address issues in relation. ERGs are often chartered organizations and have volunteer leaders and business plans that are in alignment with the organizations goals and bring value to the company. Mr. Carter’s use of ERGs at Johnson & Johnson has allowed everyone to see that they are not the same but different while trying to achieve the same goals and objectives. He has also advised other companies to not move towards being the same or creating an organization where differences are not acknowledged. It appears the ERGs have allowed diversity to take a strong root within Johnson & Johnson. The have led to the company receiving numerous awards as leaders in diversity. As an example, Johnson and Johnson continue to develop world-class leaders. In September 2013, The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) announced this year’s Corporate Advocate of the Year, and the award went to Johnson and Johnson’s Chief Procurement Officer for Medical Devices/Supplier Diversity, Ruben Taborda. The president and CEO of USHCC stated, â€Å"Ruben Taborda is a visionary leader who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fostering business relationships between minority-owned enterprises and corporate America. Mr.  Taborda is a true role model, leading by example, committed to providing concrete growth opportunities for Hispanic businesses throughout the nation.† (Global Newswire) Ruben Taborda is just another example of the success Johnson & Johnson has had implementing diversity programs throughout their company. Just from my audit I have seen their success with women, Hispanics and many other minority situations. They truly believe in what they stand for and what they are trying to accomplish in the diversity arena. In retrospect, even though Johnson and Johnson has an impeccable reputation regarding diversity, even to the point that the company thrives from the immense diversity, it is always on the top of the list of the best places work and was one of Divers ity Incs. Top Companies for Diversity, problems arise sometimes when employees or perspective employees do not see it the same way. Examples of this come in the form of lawsuits against the company for discrimination. One case in particular, Francine Parham, vice president of human resources was always bothered that there was a lack of minorities in the high positions within the company. She filed a lawsuit claiming that she did not receive a promotion because she is African-American and was then fired for speaking out against â€Å"a corporate culture of discrimination† (Gordon). Perham stated that in the lawsuit that she was told by her supervisor that he envisioned a promotion for her within the next twelve months and that she never got the promotion because that position was eliminated and that she was not qualified for a higher position even though she had excellent performance review. Perham also alleged that less qualified white men and women were promoted to higher positions and she believes this was because she is black. She also pointed out the lack of diversity at the top. Johnson and Johnson’s responded, â€Å"We have a deeply established commitment to diversity and incl usion in the workplace and deny the allegations in this case†(Gordon). There were two other cases, one in which an African American and one a Hispanic, filed similar lawsuits, accusing Johnson and Johnson of paying them lower wages and denying promotions to people of color. After ten years, that case was dismissed. Despite the fact that five of the highest-paid executives at Johnson and Johnson are white, four of them being men, and ten of the twelve directors are white with no women of color on the board, Calvert Investments still rated Johnson and Johnson’s diversity an 85 out of 100. They have an  abundance of internal minority groups and minority recruitment outreach efforts, they are a strategic partner of Minority Business Round Table and they sponsor scholarships for minority students. (Gordon) I believe that companies such as Johnson and Johnson, with such outstanding reviews regarding diversity, and notable for their roles in diversity, are sometimes an easy target for people who are looking for lawsuit settlements. Reverse discrimination plays a large part in this process. It is very easy for a person, especially one of a protected class, to claim discrimination, especially against mega companies such as Johnson and Johnson. These people know that the company would not want their reputation tainted so they make false claims to try and get whatever they can from the company. So the five highest paying executive in Johnson and Johnson may be white, but they also may be the most qualified, they may have worked the hardest to get to that point and they may be the most dedicated thereby deserving every dollar they earn. In my own experience, in managing a small local business, it is the qualified, hard-working, dedicated and reliable employee that will be promoted, no matter what the race, gender, religion, etc. According to Global Dynamics Inc., â€Å"leading healthcare provider, Johnson and Johnson has been rated, by Diversity Inc. Magazine as the #1 company for promoting diversity and inclusion in the U.S. Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) are regarded as critical factors in making Johnson and Johnson one of the â€Å"best places to work† in the U.S†. Although Johnson and Johnson met some challenges when they wanted to expand its Diversity and Inclusion initiative globally, they succeeded in meeting those challenges and the initiative was a success. Town hall meetings led by local leaders and web-based training reached several countries within the regions, live video conferences and live international video meetings were introduced and became groundbreaking for Johnson and Johnson. This resulted in improved employee morale, productivity and communication. (Global-Dynamics) In conclusion, my diversity audit of Johnson and Johnson showed they are a major player in the diversity arena. They have diverse employees, market their products to diverse groups and have initiatives in place to expand lead their company diversity even further in the future. An article in the NY Times sums it well by stating, â€Å"Johnson and Johnson’s achievements in diversity, in concept and in practice, succeed in bringing value to all those  con stituents† (Forsythe). Johnson & Johnson is a company that is focused on building their brand by building superior products and understanding the importance of diversity in achieving success in the global marketplace. They have made diversity an integral part of their processes including procurement, supply chain, product development, information management, sales and marketing, and community service. My audit research of Johnson & Johnson showed they are a worldwide leader in all of the above and they make a concerted effort to lead other companies in the same direction. Having all the initiatives and being part of outside organizations that push diversity allows them to exert pressure necessary to achieve diversity in the workplace throughout the world. The NY Times article also quoted Marjorie Geller, Vice President of Recruiting as saying â€Å"There’s no question about it, our commitment to diversity has a powerful impact on our recruitment and our talent-development processes, as well as the products we offer to customers. We try very hard to assure that our diverse culture translates into value for our customers, our employees, our communities and our stockholders† (Forsythe). The following is the Diversity and Inclusion Programs and Activities from the Johnson and Johnson Website: Throughout our companies, a wealth of programs and activities support our belief that a diverse, inclusive culture is essential to business success. Following is a sampling of these activities. Employee Resource Groups Employee resource groups are voluntary, employee-driven groups that focus on shared interests and experiences and look to apply those perspectives to initiatives that create value for the enterprise. These groups provide support, networking as well as personal and professional enrichment opportunities for their members such as mentoring, community outreach, supplier diversity, career development and cultural awareness activities. Mentoring Programs Mentoring is widely offered throughout the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies as formal or informal programs. We look to expand learning opportunities and support development of a diverse workforce by making these  nurturing relationships available to an ever increasing number of employees across the enterprise. In the spring of 2010, Johnson & Johnson introduced a custom, web-enabled mentoring service called Mentoring Works! that contributes to the Global Diversity & Inclusion strategic objective of building a culture of inclusion. Mentoring Works! is an enabler for talent development, employee engagement, and effective knowledge transfer as it makes it easier for people to connect, network and learn from each other. Diversity University Recognizing that education is essential to learning about the benefits of diversity and inclusion, we have established the Johnson & Johnson Diversity University. Diversity University is a dynamic online website designed to help employees build the competencies and the skills needed to understand and value differences and the benefits of working collaboratively to meet our Credo commitments and business goals. Diversity University includes a variety of guides, toolkits and resources for self-guided learning; a strong elearning curriculum that includes Diversity & Inclusion Fundamentals, Building Trusting Relationships in a Global and Diverse Environment, and Leveraging Diverse Thinking Styles: The Whole Brain ® Advantage; as well as links to other interactive portals providing cross-cultural education and skill building exercises. Office of Diversity & Inclusion The Office of Diversity & Inclusion was formed as a functional group within Johnson & Johnson to drive diversity & inclusion as a business imperative and to ensure a competitive advantage. The Chief Diversity Officer reports directly to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson & Johnson. The team serves as business catalysts, executing a global diversity strategy that enables Johnson & Johnson to win in the global marketplace. (JNJ.com) Also of interest is the following web address which shows the details of Johnson and Johnsons Diversity and Inclusion Business Model: http://www.jnj.com/sites/default/files/pdf/Global%2BDI%2BCall%2BOut.pdf References: Diversity Global. Retrieved from: http://www.diversityglobal.com/tops.aspx?id=Anthony-P-Carter-1449 Dory, R. Harnessing Diversity to Affect the Bottom Line. Epoch Times (Oct 10, 2013). Retrieved from: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/313845-harnessing-diversity-to-affect-the-bottom-line/ Forsythe, J. (2005) Leading With Diversity. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/marketing/jobmarket/diversity/jandj.html Global-Dynamics (2013). Retrieved from: http://www.global-dynamics.com/johnson-johnson Globe Newswire (2013). Retrieved from: http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2013/09/25/575887/10049970/en/USHCC-Honors-Ruben-Taborda-of-Johnson-Johnson-with-Corporate-Advocate-of-the-Year-Award.html Gordon, C. Fired Johnson & Johnson Exec Claims ‘Culture Of Discrimination (July 2013) Retrieved from: http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/07/15/fired-johnson-and-johnson-discrimination/[->0] JNJ.com (2013). Retrieved from: http://www.jnj.com/about-jnj/diversity [->0] – http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/07/15/fired-johnson-and-johnson-

My First Day In The US Essay

As I remember it, the first day that I came to U.S. was June 26, 2006. My first day in U.S. was both exciting and upsetting, I was exciting about was seeing my mom for the first time over a year, the upsetting part is I had to leave my good memories in my hometown. I had to left all of that behind friends, family and schools. However, life moves on, things need to be done. When I got out of the terminal in LAX, I saw the smile on my mother’s face that was the happiest smile I hadn’t seen in a long time. She waved at me and she was wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans. As we were walking towards the car in the parking lot, she asked me â€Å"how do you feel, are you happy to be here?† Then I answered â€Å"the weather is pretty good and the people seem nice.† As we headed to dinner from LAX, I noticed there are a lot of open roads in California that are well taken care of, and people tend to drive a lot faster here in California than in China. I said to my mom, â€Å"The roads here seems to be in better condition then in China.† My mom answered â€Å"Well, yes, the road construction in the United States has a higher quality than China, however, it takes more time to complete Highways here. Normally, in the United States it takes around 4-5 years to build a bridge. In China, as you know, it only take one year or two years tops, which that might be the reason why the roads here are a better quality than in China.† As we went along, I also noticed California drivers tend to be more aggressive than Chinese drivers, often changing lanes without using their turn signals. Californians also tend to drive a lot faster than those in China, might be because the roads are in better conditions. It only took us about an hour to the restaurant where we had dinner. It was called â€Å"The Hat†, in Victoria Gardens. I noticed along the road parking patterns in the United States are much more regulated. People in China park either way and either direction on the road, while people in United States park based on the direction of the road (i.e. if someone is driving on the right side of the road they just park on the right side of the curb). Inside the diner, we ordered a pastrami dip sandwich, and a tuna sandwich. They were both was tasty. The chili cheese fries were enormous. We didn’t even finish it all, but I loved â€Å"The Hat† from that moment on. However, as we waiting for the food, I saw on the menu, almost all the food is stylized around individual servings. Such as steak sandwich , french fries, pastrami dip sandwiches and soups. They are all served as separate courses (appetizers, main course, etc). Back in China, in my mind, I thought all of the food from every â€Å"individual† course is served together. As we were eating, I looked at the kitchen where they are making sandwiches, it seems that the kitchens of American style food are more peaceful. People tend to buy only things like lumps of fish that can’t be distinguished from other fish without a label or crabs that may have already been boiled. All you have to do is put them into the oven or the pan and cook them. In China, however, the kitchens seem very violent and active. All of the chicken, duck and fish are freshly cut in the kitchen. The kitchen is full of glimmering kitchen knives. I feel as if it is like a battle field. The atmosphere of American and Chinese food differ greatly. A lot of good American restaurants are generally built in beautiful scenic or metropolitan areas, so I sometimes feel as if American food is about â€Å"Eating the scenery† rather than â€Å"Enjoying the taste†. Time flies, I have been in the U.S. for more than six years. There are some more things that I didn’t notice on the first day I arrived in California. There are many cultural differences between the U.S. and China. In China, one of them is people think about ideas in a collective sense, often considering how their actions will affect their friends and families. Chinese people tend to collaborate before making a decision. Decisions are made for the greater good as opposed to personal choice. In America, prioritizing individual goals and motives over the group is considered the norm. The number one reason I came to U.S. was because my mother wanted me to. I had to leave all my friends and family behind. It was the hardest decision that I ever had to make because I didn’t want to disappoint my mother. Students in California are not as stressful as the students in China. There are be many actives available in California, because of more freedom to young people then would be in China. At last, to be in the U.S. is just like a new adventure, I learned many things that I could never learn in China. I met a lot of interesting people that I probably could never have met if I am still in China. Overall, looking back to the first day, I was like a country’s boy that just came into the city.