My Immortal Soul Essay Example for Free

My Immortal Soul Essay Plato has awakened numerous perusers with crafted by an extraordinary thinker by the name of Socrates. Through Plato, Socrates lived on ages after his time. A subject of Socrates that many will keep on examining is the possibility of â€Å"an interminable soul†. Despite the fact that there are different works and exchanges about this point it is seen as best clarified in The Phaedo. Most would agree that the brain may ponder when one kicks the bucket what precisely befalls the dearest soul, the supplier of life frequently thought of as the very pith of life does it live on past the body, or does it pass on with it? Does the spirit know about the past in the event that it truly does live on? In Plato’s The Phaedo, Plato relates Socrates last days before he is killed. Socrates has been detained and condemned to death for ruining the young people of Athens and not following the privileges of Athenian religion.[1] Socrates passing brings him and his kindred scholars Cebes, Simmions, Phaedo, and Plato into an astound exchange about this idea of a the great beyond and what does one need to anticipate in the afterlife. Demise is characterized as the division of the body from the spirit. In The Phaedo demise has two ideas a typical one which is the fundamental thought that the spirit kicks the bucket and the physical, thought that the spirit isolates from the body in the afterlife. â€Å"The soul is most similar to that which is divine, undying coherent, uniform, constant, and ever self-steady and perpetual, while body is most similar to that which human, mortal is, various, confused, solvent, and never self-consistent.† (Phaedo)[2] According to Socrates, information isn't something one came to see however it was really engraved on the spirit. Information to Socrates was a perpetual unceasing truth, something that couldn't be obtained through understanding and time. Socrates companions accept that after death the spirit scatters into the air like a breath. On the opposite Socrates accepts that the spirit is in reality everlasting and on the off chance that one needs to turn out to be liberated from torment they approach to do so is to exclude themselves from the physical delights of the world. In this discourse Socrates and the logicians investigate a few contentions for this thought of a godlike soul. These contentions were to outline and confirm that passing isn't the perishing of body and soul by and large, however when the body kicks the bucket the spirit keeps on living on. Socrates offers perusers four principle contentions: The Cyclical Argument, which is the possibility that structures are fixed and outside. The spirit is the sole reason for life in this contention, and consequently amazing it is additionally to be viewed as for all intents and purposes endless. Next is The Theory of Recollection, which demands that during childbirth everybody has information that the spirit experienced in another life. Implying that the spirit would have must be existent before birth to shoulder this said information. The Form of Life Argument gives that the spirit looks to some extent like what is impalpable and genuine in light of the fact that it is dynamic. The body looks to some extent like the noticeable and the physical on the grounds that it is objective. The Affinity Argument possibly the least complex of all. It emphasizes Socrates contemplations of the body and soul, in saying that when the body kicks the bucket and decays our spirit will keep on existing in another world.[3] Since the spirit is undying it has been reused commonly, and has additionally experienced everything there is to encounter, for Socrates and Plato this thought of memory is a lot further than recollecting something once overlooked. Socrates sees information as something that can't be adapted yet the spirit reviews it as it is being reused. Getting a handle on the understanding that things come to be creatures by being made out of something previous and when stopped these parts will keep on existing. Concentrating on The Theory of Recollection, this is the case that information is intrinsic, and can't be scholarly. â€Å"What you said about the spirit. They imagine that after it has left the body it no longer exists anyplace, however that it is devastated and disintegrated on the day the man dies.†(Cebes)[4] Socrates’ point for this contention is that our spirit with holds this information and we are brought into the world with it. In spite of the fact that we don't reco llect things before we are conceived it is said that certain encounters can by the by re stir certain parts of that memory. For instance in The Meno, Socrates raises a scientific issue to Menos slave kid, who doesn't have any earlier preparing in arithmetic. The kid thinks he realizes the appropriate response however Socrates makes him see that his underlying theory of the appropriate response isn't right. By absolutely posing inquiries, Socrates gets the slave kid to express the correct answer. Socrates demands that he has not told the kid the appropriate response, yet through scrutinizing the slave kid, Socrates supported him to remember the slave boy’s own insight into mathematics.[5] Furthermore Socrates additionally makes another case of memory by expressing if one somehow managed to interact with an image or a thing of a dearest then it is easy to review said individual to the brain. This is the means by which memory works. On the off chance that we look at this model and change certain parts of it, it doesn't turn out to be exceptionally clear either. In the event that an image of a darling one was appeared to a more odd it is protected to state that the outsider would not have the option to review any musings, recollections or subtleties of the individual in the photo since they don't have any earlier information on said individual. All together for the outsider to do so they would have needed to been in associate with that individual in the photo at once or another. This demonstration of similarity is simpler for somebody who definitely knows the individual. Plato additionally utilizes a case of a vehicle expressing that before a vehicle is versatile there were parts that were made to transform it into a vehicle, for example, the motor, directing wheel, and etcetera. He keeps on pointing out that much after the vehicle stalls that these pieces will in any case stay to make the following vehicle. As indicated by Plato common items take an interest in this memory of dispassionate structures themselves; these things help to remembe r us non-romantic structures on the grounds that the spirit once experienced it. He perseveres that the spirit more likely than not existed along these lines. Which are all approaches to repeat that this thought information is engraved on the spirit may have legitimacy to it. Basically there was time where just the spirit existed and it before long found a home in a body of another, making it now a human being(birth). Resurrection isn't just a resurrection of the spirit yet the balance of the information one accomplished before birth also. At that point there is where our from the earlier information appears to vanish possibly to return when it is reviewed. It is asserted that we lose our insight during childbirth; at that point by the utilization of our faculties regarding specific items we recuperate the information we had previously. Nonetheless, this connection between the view of reasonable items and our ability of discovering information can deliver a progression of disarrays concerning whether it is conceivable to review all earlier information. The issue in this contention and certain parts of this thought of an eternal soul is that regardless of whether it were demonstrated that we were made up something before birth, and something will stay after death, it isn't for sure that it is the spirit. Through logical investigation it is comprehended that the body is likewise made of particles it is additionally realized that iotas existed before the body and will proceed with long after the body. The molecules that make up the body will in reality be reused too similarly as Socrates has the idea that the spirit lives on. Plato and Socrates were right on the possibility that specific parts were in pre-presence comes to make one existent and will exist in the afterlife. Albeit even with this thought one can't be sure that the spirit is one of the pieces of the body that is exclusively unfading. There isn't satisfactory data given by Plato or Socrates to make this contention get the job done. We should raise a request of for what reason is that so as to consider flawlessness we should have just needed to have seen it? Beside philosophical perspectives, in regular day to day existence we experience defects and it is protected to state that the brain is fit for thinking about what something of magnificence, flawlessness, or an ideal hover gives off an impression of being. The brain is additionally ready to consider these thoughts regardless of whether the spirit has never experienced it. In the event that these contentions demonstrate anything it demonstrates that The Theory of Recollection and The Cyclical Argument both verify that the spirit existed previously however the contentions don't demonstrate that the spirit will keep on existing after this life. Works Cited 1. Cahn, M Steven. Works of art of Western Philosophy. Hackett Publishing Company, Inc 2006 2. Morgan, K, 2000, Myth and Philosophy from the pre-Socratics to Plato, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 3. Partenie, Catalin, Platos Myths, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2009 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = . (April 11th2010) [1] Cahn-Plato’s, The Phaedo [2] Quote from the savant Phaedo [3] Socrates speculations talked about by Plato [4] Phaedo 70a [5] Plato’s The Meno

Specialist sub-subcontractor

Expert sub-subcontractor 1.0 Introduction In development practice, not just venture supervisor, Architect, Quantity Surveyor, temporary worker conveying the significant job, pro sub-subcontractor likewise conveying the significant job so as to progress the development venture. A sub contractual worker is an individual or an organization recruited by a general temporary worker to perform some portion of crafted by a development work. For instance, a temporary worker may be building a house, yet may employ a firm or an individual represent considerable authority in electrical designing to introduce the electrical frameworks required in the house. By and large the subcontractor will either diminish the principle temporary worker of part of the structure work, or will have the option to perform work at lower cost or at a more noteworthy expertise level than the general contractual worker could. (Tricia Ellis-Christensen 2003-2009) http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-subcontractor.htm Ordinarily sub-contractual worker do the works like electrical, warming and cooling gadgets (HVAC), plumbing, putting, brickwork and material. There are 3 distinctive sort of sub-contractual worker in development practice and they are: Assigned sub-temporary worker Household sub-temporary worker Named sub-contractual worker Assigned sub-temporary worker Is an individual assigned by the Architect or Contract Administrator to the temporary worker so as to do the sub-provisional labor and there was a direct legally binding connection between the customers and the subcontractor. Other than that, temporary worker has the privilege to make sensible complaint on the chose sub-contractual worker by the Architect. Residential sub-contractual worker Is an individual who has direct legally binding relationship with the fundamental temporary worker. All the sub-provisional labor done by the utilized sub-contractual worker must be dependable by the primary temporary worker. For instance, if there is any sub-provisional labor done severely and cause the deferral of the venture then the fundamental temporary worker need to liable for it. Named sub-contractual worker Is like the household sub-temporary worker, yet named sub-contractual worker frequently use in Intermediate Building Contract (IC) and Intermediate Building Contract with temporary workers plan (ICD). The thought is to give the business methods for guaranteeing that specific packages of work are done by sub-contractual workers of the businesses decision. (Chappell D, 2007, pg 38). 2.0 Review the technique for selecting a pro sub-temporary worker A designated sub-contractual worker is regularly named after the fundamental temporary worker has begun work, so one of the customer benefits is that authority configuration can proceed after work has started nearby. A prime cost entirety is incorporated inside the fundamental temporary workers delicate archive (a bill of amounts or detail of work). On this the fundamental contractual worker is required to value overheads, benefit and any things of participation it needs to give, for example, the utilization of site offices, arrangement of a safe stockpiling territory and so on. The estimation of the prime cost total is discarded from the Bill of Quantities and supplanted by the selected subcontractors acknowledged citation and the principle contractual workers on costs are balanced as fitting. (Electrical Mechanical Contractor magazine 2005) There are a few explanations behind designation of sub-contractual worker: The business will have his opportunity to pick a sub-contractual worker that he wishes to utilize and did not depend on cost. The business can assume responsibility for the planning association and arrangement of sub-contractual worker to meet his necessity. The business gets the opportunity to make examination which sub-contractual worker is better and reasonable for the specific sub-provisional labor. Time is spared by presenting formal connections between the sub-temporary worker and the counseling engineer, draftsman, QS. Henceforth, there are no long chains of correspondence and fast activity on value, structure, program, varieties and so on is set up. In a venture there will be some master works which just can done by the authority group like sub-contractual worker. The selected sub-contractual worker can be included early thus his structure skill and his insight into the agreement and co-appointment of administrations can be used. 2.1 Procedure of selection The standard type of selected sub-contract delicate 1998 Edition (NSC/T) which includes in 3 sections. Section 1: Invitation to delicate to a subcontractor by the Architects/The agreement chairman During the section 1, the challenge to delicate to a subcontractor (NSC/T) of a standard type of delicate will be finished by the Architect. Other than that, the pertinent area of the business/selected sub temporary worker understanding, (NSC/W), and the two reports, along with the drawing/detail/bill of amounts which portray the work will be finished and sent by the Architect to those organizations the business who wishes to welcome to delicate. Section 2: Tender by the Subcontractor During this part, those subcontractors who are fascinating in this delicate will finish the standard type of delicate and the applicable segments of the guarantee, (NSC/W) and return the two archives to the Architect. After the Architect had gotten the two records, one of the sub temporary workers will be chosen by the Architect and will orchestrate to the business to sign and affirm of the endorsement of the sub contractual workers delicate and to execute the guarantee, (NSC/W). At that point, the Architect assigns the chose sub contractual worker to the principle temporary worker by utilizing the standard designation guidance, (NSC/N). Other than that, a duplicate of the greeting of delicate and the effective sub temporary workers delicate with all the archives and subtleties to some extent 1 will be sent by the Architect to the contractual worker under proviso 35.6. When the contractual worker gets receipt of those records, inside 7 days, he may either acknowledge or he may practi ce his privilege of sensible issue with the chose delicate. In the event that the contractual worker made a sensible complaint recorded as a hard copy to the designer inside the 7 working days, under provision 35.5 Architect may either give further guidance to expel the protest with the goal that the temporary worker can go along or acknowledge the protest and choose another sub contractual worker. Section 3: Particular Conditions (To be concur by the temporary worker and the subcontractor named under statement 35.5) Under the ‘Particular Condition set out in this piece of (NSC/T), these incorporate sub-contract period, protection subtleties, and the character of the adjudicator and trustee partner. Once arrived at the course of action on Particular Condition, the temporary worker and sub contractual worker sign (NSC/T) section 3 and execute the sub-contract articles of understanding, (NSC/A), which along with reference the sub-contract conditions (NSC/C). After them two had marked (NSC/T) section 3, a duplicate of marked (NSC/T) section 3 along with the executed sub-contract articles of understanding, (NSC/A) will be sent to the Architect for his records. 3.0 Review the strategy for selecting a pro sub-contractual worker Post JCT 2005 JCT 2005 is another improved form to supplant the JCT 1998 in light of the fact that there are a large number of the issues that emerged nearby and by and by still neglected to determine notwithstanding of its length and multifaceted nature of JCT 1998. (James Davison 2005 pg13). In sub contract, there are additionally numerous issues emerge among principle and sub-temporary worker in light of the fact that a venture isn't prepared for a sub-contractual worker to start take a shot at the date envisioned and afterward sub-contract based worker may state that he needs more cash on account of the beginning of sub-contract was deferred. (Chappell D, 2007, pg 37) Hence, in the new form of JCT 2005 there is no more designation of sub-contractual worker, just sort of sub-temporary worker which is residential sub-contract based worker. Since assignment has been expelled, some new conditions with respect to the sub-contracting in JCT 2005 is appeared as beneath: Statement 3.7 in JCT 2005 agree to sub-contracting The Contractor will not without the assent of the Architect/Contract Administrator sub contract the entire piece of work or any piece of the work to the sub-contractual worker and such assent will not be absurd postponed or retained the task. During contractual worker configuration extent, temporary worker will not without the assent of the business sub-contract the structure to the sub-contract based worker and is like the past, such assent will not be irrational postponed or retained the undertaking. Condition 3.8 in JCT 2005 List in Contract bills The Contract Bills give that specific work estimated or in any case portrayed in those Bills and valued by the Contractor is to be completed by people named in a rundown in or attached to the Contract Bills and chose from that rundown by and at the sole carefulness of the Contractor. At the very least 3 man the rundown will contain, extra people to the rundown can be include by the contractual worker whenever preceding the execution of a coupling sub-contract and with the assent of the business or (Architect/Contract Administrator follow up for his benefit ) which will not be preposterously postponed or retained the venture. On the off chance that whenever before the execution of restricting sub-contract the rundown stills under three man, at that point the business and temporary worker will understanding include the names of the others individual to make it at least three man in the rundown. Other than that, the work will be completed by the contractual worker and the individual cho se from the rundown by the temporary worker will be the sub-temporary worker and do the sub-provisional labor. In the event that whenever before the temporary worker has gone into a structure sub-contract the quantity of firms capable and ready to do the work falls beneath: The business and the contractual worker must concur on the expansion of more firms with the goal that the rundown includes at any rate three. Contractual worker can complete the work itself; be that as it may, temporary worker likewise can sub-let the work to any sub-contractual worker of its decision gave the designer gives assent. . (Chappell D, 2007, pg 37) 4.0 Review the strategy for naming a master subcontractor NEC 3 ECC 2005 Typically NEC 3 was utilized in the administration venture. Under this standard type of agreement, Project Manager assumes a significant job in sub-contracting. He is the person who acknowledge and dismiss the sub

7 Reasons MIT Is Special

7 Reasons MIT Is Special Final year at MIT is done! I don’t miss it… yet. But the realization hits all seniors at different times: seeing friends for maybe the last time, checking out of the room, walking the stage to shake hands with President Reif during Commencement, or simply walking down the street as a new adult. For now, my life hasn’t changed. I have a summer job at MIT Admissions and commute to campus every weekday. But it’s a summer arrangement and lacks the permanent feeling of a full-time job offer. Right now, I’m visiting my family in Ohio, and it feels like always. Except, I do miss the dorm showersâ€"their water pressure, the speed of them heating up. It hit me while I was shivering under the frigid water in my new apartment. Not even looking at my empty dorm room with the awful splatter paint job exposed had that effect. But I was in a rush when I moved out. Plus I’d already said goodbye to friendsâ€"MIT has always been special to me because of the community, not the landmarks or even the classes. At least, that’s why I stayed at the Institute, and why I’d recommend it to other nerds (you kinda have to be a nerd here). Now is probably the best time to reflect on whether MIT was the right fit for me, and why. And maybe it’ll help those of you considering your match with the Institute before you apply. MIT is a unique, friendly, busy, and creative place, and I think fit is more important to thrive here than at most colleges. If you dont fit into the nerd fests that are CPW (Campus Preview Weekend for accepted students), REX (Residence Exploration for incoming freshmen), and Freshman Orientation, then you will have a harder time adjustingâ€"people here have to learn to work together and play together, and it makes for a one-of-a-kind wonderful and terrible time. Here’s what made MIT special for me: Residential System: choosing my living group based on cultural fit allowed me to find my best place at the Institute. And even when classes sucked (and they do at some point for everyone), I had a home and second family to return to. I was shocked how quickly MIT, and especially East Campus, became home. It’s still listed as Home in my Google Maps, and it hurts to change that. Pretty incredible to have most of your friends also be your neighborsâ€"just imagine that! Intensity: we are a work hard play hard school. One might stay up all night on Thursday to finish a problem set, and all night on Friday to finish a conversation with a peer. A rite of passage for all my friendships has been staying up to talk until 7am (helps that we live on the same hall). That doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice sleepâ€"no one can keep that up. It’s just that students here are passionate enough about what they do to work overtime to finish a cool project with hallmates (like a programmable LED dance floor!), cook with neighbors, or just nerd out over math and science. Passion: people here all love somethingâ€"doesn’t have to be STEM. This love could inspire something life-changing, such as building wells in an Ethiopian village, or something simple, like watching a documentary on the history of the atomic bomb on Valentine’s Day. Either way, we all have something to learn, and something to share. That’s not to say that you need to come in a rocket scientist, not at all. But you will discover something exciting during your time at MITâ€"through classes, UROPs, rockstar professors, and peers. I never imagined studying social science and political philosophy, and certainly not neuroscience and women’s and gender studies. But I was inspired by the people here. What makes MIT the best in the world is the passion that drives everything faculty, staff, and students do. Nerdiness: the description for this one is the same as passion, but I had to include it separately as a fun warning. You will find people nerding out about all sorts of topics. It starts at CPW when you’re just a prefroshâ€"with liquid nitrogen ice cream and midnight math lectures. And it continues all the way through senior yearâ€"I haven’t had a single long conversation here without at some point nerding out over math, science, engineering, humanities, or social sciences. People have such diverse interests, and I didn’t want to miss out on learning from them. I love itâ€"would you? Unconventional Creativity: where else would you find students creating wooden rollercoasters and slides, haunted houses, augmented reality murals, adaptive evices, automatic boba machines, all in their free time? It’s freaking awesome! But besides that, MIT is unconventional in the little thingsâ€"lack of final exams for many, if not most, classes, Independent Activities Period, General Institute Requirements, pirate certificate, clothing-optional dorm floors, dorm ball pits, and so much more. This place is built to empower exploration and creativity. And, as you know, with such great power comes great responsibility, tooâ€"exploration takes a lot of work. Collaboration: during my first visit, I was told that some problem sets are purposefully harder so that people are pretty much forced to work together. This might not work for everyone, and you can certainly turn to TAs and professors instead of peers, but teamwork is still deeply embedded in the spirit of the place. I don’t work well with others academically, but I still love the collaborative atmosphere. It’s why we have no honors college or even honors classes, no grade de- or inflation, and no summa cum laude or valedictorian distinctions. It’s why I’ve called at least half of my professors by their first names, and why I can easily approach them to ask about their research, or even join their research teams, even if I haven’t taken one of their classes. It’s both the little things and the overarching policies that make MIT competitive with other colleges, but never within itself. Difficulties and Stress: I can’t not mention this one. Even if you are taking a light load, MIT feels stressful. There is an atmosphere of intensity and a pressure to be busy. It’s another unique thing about MIT, and we can’t ignore it. The seniors here come out jaded and tiredâ€"on the bright side, after this place, even working at intense places like Google or Apple, or attending medical or law school, feels easy. That’s why for most of us, IHTFP is a paradoxical mix of “I have truly found paradise” and “I hate this fucking place. But, in retrospect, I think most of us miss it at some point. I know I will soon. Post Tagged #East Campus #IHTFP

Is Jesus The Son Of God - 1596 Words

John 14: 6 says â€Å"I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me†. Jesus’ ministry was based off of this principle. If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that he was raised from the dead, and you confess you have sinned, then you are a Christian according to Jesus and his father God. That is what Jesus taught when he was alive on Earth. His ministry started Christianity, influencing so many people around the world. With his ministry came a lot of controversy, over his teachings and the way he--to some people--spoke very wrongly about the church and God. Also, many people followed him for many reasons. Along with that, Jesus whole ministry comes to a close after he rose from the dead. His†¦show more content†¦The Pharisees heard of this and publicly challenged Jesus, accusing him of having the power of Satan. He defended his actions with a parable, then questioned their logic and told them such thinking deni ed the power of God, which only further hardened their resolve to work against him. Jesus was challenged many times but, he always got the better side of the argument. If Jesus failed an argument his ministry may have been crushed because the Pharisees and the teachers of the law would have spread the news that Jesus was a fraud. Another example of a threat to Jesus’ ministry is, â€Å"It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. The people surrounded him and asked, â€Å"How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.† Jesus replied, â€Å"I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else.No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The

A Christmas Carol Analysis - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1058 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/07/03 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: A Christmas Carol Essay Did you like this example? Facts: Scrooge doesn’t know why Fred is happy when he’s poor. Scrooge sees good as referring solely to profits. For characters like Fred and Bob Cratchit, Christmas represents the ideal of goodness and moral prosperity, but Scrooge is at his most miserly when Christmas is mentioned. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "A Christmas Carol Analysis" essay for you Create order Even though Scrooge constantly acts up, Fred still invites him to his house. If Scrooge allowed himself to feel happy once in a while he would be happy. But he does not. Scrooge’s mainly economic view on Christmas causes him to reject it and the people around him trying to help him. Fan is important to Scrooge. Fan is an important character in Scrooge’s past. Fan represented an idol to Scrooge, someone he loved his entire life, she was one of the reasons his childhood shone, and stood out in contrast to the present. She was the reason that Scrooge had an equal balance of sad to happy times in his young life. Even as an adult man, Scrooge went back to his old habits more similarly to his school, but now he has accepted and chooses loneliness and family. Fan eventually tells Scrooge that she is taking him home. â€Å"Home, for good, â€Å"she says happily. She says,† their father is kinder now and has asked for his son to be brought home to become a man and never return to the schoolroom.† Inferences: Scrooge is annoyed by happiness and marriage because his fiancee Belle left him around Christmas. Throughout the story Scrooge shows how he is annoyed by Christmas in many ways, and one of the most important ones is when his own family member, Fred, is introduced in the book. Although he is his nephew, Scrooge still shows no sympathy nor connection to him, one of his own family members. Scrooge’s choice to do this show how even he, a man rich enough to never have to work the rest of his life, still isn’t rich in happiness and neglects the only family he has left since his sister died. His annoyance with his nephew can also be thought of in a bigger picture as his hate for Christmas which may have all started with the loss of his fiancee Belle. Scrooge didn’t want to see the truth of the situation which the ghost of Christmas past was showing him. The ghost of Christmas past was showing Scrooge happier memories like when Scrooge’s sister, Fan, announces that she is taking him home. Home, for good, she says happily. She says that their father is kinder now and has asked for his son to be brought home to become a man and never return to the schoolroom. And also when Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig take to the floor. Once the party had finished Scrooge went straight to bed with his co apprentice Dick. Scrooge was watching the party carry on. It shows that something so little can give someone all the joy in the world. The ghost of Christmas past then shows Scrooge how he changed from someone who loved Christmas to someone who hated it. The arrival of the husband-figure with Belle and the gossip about the old flame Scrooge made it clear to what he was missing out on. Scrooge’s reaction to the ghost of Christmas presen t was a combination of him being annoyed, and him hiding from the truth eventually this caused him to slam the extinguisher cap down on the ghost’s head. The ghost of christmas past was trying to shed light on the situation by showing Scrooge Belle’s past. Themes: Gratitude is able to remember the past, make sense of the present, and decide the future. Three ghosts appear to show and tell Scrooge the consequences of his actions and behavior. The three ghosts throughout the story represent the past, present, and future, all beckoning him to make better choices throughout his life. They all try to teach him to appreciate and show gratitude towards everything you have. With the first two ghost Scrooge doesn’t show any change in his ways. However, throughout the course of his journey with the third ghost he begins to repent, and his future begins to change. Over the course of the book, the idea of it being based off of the past, the present, and the future is shown: First, the change in Scrooge’s personality is tremendous after not even giving the idea of Christmas a chance in the beginning to completely embracing and accepting it by the end. And second, the idea that even though one may not enjoy Christmas, everyone has their own wa y of celebrating it, there is Scrooge whenever he counts his money, and there are the rest of the characters who all enjoy and celebrate. Dickens writes about the Ghost of Christmas Past bringing Scrooge to a lighthouse where two men around a campfire, surrounded by the ocean were still able to celebrate Christmas even in their dire situation. In life, we must appreciate the people around us before they are gone. The goal of the story had been to depict an image of how dreary and bleak the setting had been. The idea of Christmas had kept everyone happy and motivated, but with people dying very frequently, the time was made very unhappy. This is similar to the idea that it is easier and takes less effort to be unhappy than happy, because when you are happy, you are putting more work into keeping yourself calm and collected. In this time period, people like Scrooge are the ones who are unhappy, because after all the losses they can’t hold themselves together. Some examples of the losses Scrooge experienced are his sister, Fan, who he had idolized his entire life, his fiancee Belle, who didn’t die, but left him , and finally his partner, Jacob Marley, who had no one else to show up to his funeral than a loosely connected co-worker (Scrooge). At the time however, Scrooge had another family member left, the son of his dead sister, Fred. Over the years, Scrooge had not even attempted to make contact with Fred. Fred had been trying to share some of the Christmas spirit with his uncle, but he still rejected Fred’s intentions to reconnect with his last family member.

Project Management for Dummies, by Stanley E Portny Free Essays

The â€Å"Dummies Series† book, Project Management for Dummies, by Stanley E. Portny (Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2001), is, in my opinion, a relatively easy-to-read (although also somewhat structurally fragmented in places), step-by-step â€Å"how-to† book, for either current or prospective project managers, with or without experience. We will write a custom essay sample on Project Management for Dummies, by Stanley E Portny or any similar topic only for you Order Now In life, every individual has projects to complete – usually a never-ending series of them, in fact, and often more than one project to complete simultaneously. One’s projects may be personal or professional; voluntary or required. They may be for our selves alone; for friends or family; for churches, clubs, or communities; special events; or for colleagues; companies, or employers. As the author concurs, in his â€Å"Introduction† to the text: Projects have been around since ancient times. Noah built the ark, Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa, Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine – all projects. . . . Why then, is the topic of project management suddenly of such great interest today? The answer is simple. The audience has changed and the Management projects in particular, however, as Portny also points out, within Chapter 1, must meet three key criteria; they must have (1) â€Å"Specific outcomes†;(2) â€Å"Definite start and end dates†, and (3) Established budgets† (p. 10). Further, as that chapter mentions, project management â€Å"includes three basic operations† (p. 12), which are: (1)planning; (2)organizing; and (3) control (Portny). In management today, for managers at all levels, completing projects; meeting project goals; and meeting project deadlines, are more important, as skills, aptitudes, and professional achievements, than ever before, especially within today’s super competitive business environment. As Portny also states at the outset: â€Å"Successful organizations create projects that produce desired results in established timeframes with assigned resources† (p. 9). Clearly, those who can successfully, skillfully, and within budgets and deadlines complete projects have an advantage over those who cannot. Many suddenly find themselves project managers, not by choice, but due to either changed or expanded job descriptions or expectations, or just plain company need. Increasingly, project management has increasingly become a ticket to job promotion and career advancement (or not). Moreover, if one has no previous formal training in project management, one may need to simply learn such skills on the job, and quickly. Project Management for Dummies is written for such individuals: those who would like to develop new project management skills (but also for those who desire to increase their current ones). The book is, I believe, potentially very useful for readers within either group. This book guides one through the beginning, middle, and ending project stages. It offers guidelines and tips on planning; navigating through ambiguities and uncertainties; teamwork; time management, organizational strategies; handling paperwork; staying on track; meeting deadlines, and bringing projects to a successful, satisfactory, and timely conclusion. Topics Project Management for Dummies covers include: making project schedules; building teams and sustaining teamwork; budgeting; coping with risks and surprises; optimally integrating technology into project management; and keeping team members motivated, on task, and within budgets and deadlines. Structurally, the book is divided into five parts (I-V). Each part consists of between three and six chapters, with 20 chapters in all. Chapter headings and topics covered include (to name but a few) â€Å"What is Project Management (And How Do I Get Paid Extra to Do It?)† (Chapter 1); â€Å"Estimating Resource Requirements† (Chapter 5); â€Å"Tracking Progress and Maintaining Control† (Chapter 10); â€Å"Dealing With Risk and Uncertainty† (Chapter 15); and â€Å"Ten Tips for Being a Better Project Manager† (Chapter 20). There are also two appendices (A and B) and an index. Chapter 2 covers defining and understanding what one is trying to accomplish with a project, knowing who and what one is doing a project for, and why that person or entity needs the project completed. This chapter also offers ways to avoid others’ having unrealistic expectations of the project or oneself as manager. â€Å"Looking at the big picture† includes â€Å"figuring out why you’re doing This project†; â€Å"identifying the initiator†; â€Å"identifying others who may benefit from your project† and â€Å"defining needs to be addressed† (pp. 29-32). In short, Chapter two focuses on defining the rationale(s) and parameters of the project; clarifying those for oneself and for all others involved; and laying the initial groundwork toward project completion. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 focus on â€Å"Getting from Here to There†; â€Å"You Want This Done When†; and â€Å"Estimating Resource Requirements†. Key ideas contained within these chapters, include knowing and planning all steps of a project, including making a â€Å"work breakdown structure†; â€Å"knowing how much detail is enough† (p. 49); â€Å"developing and analyzing a network diagram† (p. 71) and â€Å"assign your project’s personnel needs† (p. 105). Chapter 5 in particular also stresses the importance of finding the right people to assist with the project. Portny observes â€Å"Your project’s success rests on your ability to enlist the help of the right people to perform the necessary work† (p. 106). Portny also stresses that, toward that same end, â€Å"identifying skills and knowledge needed to perform your project’s activities† (Project Management for Dummies) and Finding people who in fact possess all of those required skills will either make or break a project. One of the chapters I found most personally useful was Chapter 6, on â€Å"The Who and How of Project Management†. Here, Portny covers three main topics: (1) â€Å"Distinguishing the project organization from the traditional organization†; (2) â€Å"Clarifying the roles of different people in the matrix organization†; and (3) â€Å"Recognizing key tips for increasing the chances of success† (p. 137). As Portny also notes in this chapter, project management structure and atmosphere may be, and very often is, much different than overall company structure and atmosphere, and one is wise to be clear at the outset on the differences between the two. While projects are company activities, they nevertheless typically take on atmospheres, conflicts, and lives of their own. For example, one operates within both a centralized company structure and a functional departmental or area structure in most parts of one’s job. However, project management may send one outside one’s own functional structure into various other functional structures within the centralized one. Those areas outside one’s usual functional structure become the unique â€Å"matrix structure† (p. 141) of the project. Understandably, the matrix structure of an individual project will spawn (and necessitate) much different communications; alliances; interrelationships; interactions, and interdependencies than will usual, more typical work activities. Key players in a project matrix environment, which obviously differs from one’s overall work environment, will typically include the â€Å"project manager; project team members; functional managers; and upper management† (p. 143). Chapter 7 covers choosing and involving the â€Å"Right People† (p. 149) in one’s project. Supporting ideas covered in this chapter include the importance of understanding one’s project’s audience (â€Å"any person or group that supports, is affected by, or is interested in your project† (p. 150). Each project also has â€Å"drivers†; â€Å"supporters†; and â€Å"observers† (p. 158) and it is equally important, Portny suggests, for project managers to identify and know each of them, and their respective roles. Of crucial importance to project success, also, is â€Å"Finding a project champion† (p. 159) or someone high up in one’s organization that will support and encourages the project. Teamwork is crucial to successful project completion. Chapter 8 explains the importance of â€Å"defining team members roles and responsibilities† (p. 166), and making sure all team members are aware of their own and each others’ roles and responsibilities. Therefore, lines of authority, responsibility, and accountability must be clearly established at the outset, and sustained throughout the project. This chapter also discusses strategies project managers can use should they have to deal with micromanagement from above, such as â€Å"setting up times to discuss interesting technical [or other] issues with the person† (p. 181). The book also covers ways of tracking progress and maintaining control (Chapter 10); ways of keeping everyone informed (Chapter 11), including sharing information both in writing and at meetings; and ways of encouraging peak performance in team players (Chapter 12), including providing rewards and helping players maintain motivation. Chapter 14 focused on handling risk or uncertainty, including ways of identifying possible risk factors; assessing risk impact, and preparing a risk management plan. Key advice of this chapter is to realistically assess risks to the project, and to have a risk management plan for handling them. Later chapters included advice on how to hold people accountable (Chapter 18); getting a project back on track (Chapter 19)and tips for optimal project management (Chapter 20). All in all, I benefited from reading and reflecting on the guidelines, strategies, and tips plentifully contained within Stanley E. Portny’s Project Management for Dummies. The only aspect of this book that I found disappointing was that of that it had far fewer specific examples, of actual project management situations to illustrate major points and concepts, than I would have liked. I learn best and most easily from examples and discussion of how those examples illustrate theoretical concepts. I would have liked for Portny to do more of that in this book than he did. Major strengths of the book include its being thorough; comprehensive; well organized, and practical. How to cite Project Management for Dummies, by Stanley E Portny, Essay examples

Retention in Schools

Retention is the process of holding back students in their previous grade especially those who have failed to meet the set requirement of the institution they are learning in.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Retention in Schools specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The students are normally forced to do the same grade again: that which they had covered the year before (Shepard Smith 2009). There are however both negative and positive effects of retaining students. Some of the negative effects include: social-emotional problems, school dropout, and poor academic achievements in the long run. Positive effects includes: it gives the students the chance to learn again and gain new skills and knowledge that they had not obtained in the previous academic year. This paper explains whether retention work in schools today taking into consideration both the positive and negative effects of retention process Many at times, schools and teachers advocate for retention of some students because of they think that the child is still young, when a child have limited academic skills, they have poor language skills, they are not mature enough to handle the next grade and if the student miss classes frequently. For a long period of time, retention has been debatable on whether to implement it in schools or not. Extreme research has been conducted on potential alternatives that can be used in place of retention. It has however been found that retention is of no benefit to a child and there are high chances that it will have many negative effects on the child.Advertising Looking for critical writing on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A study was conducted whereby students who had poor academic skills were combined in the same class with those students who were repeating their grade. After some period of time, they graded them based on th eir performance and compared them to their previous performances. The results showed that all the students in this class experienced relatively high test scores after retention during their first study year but in year two, three and four, their performance score was poor (Pawlas Olivia 2007). This clearly shows that there are no benefits obtained in retaining students and it proves that retention does not work. However, researchers still believe that later on retention might prove to be effective. In addition to being expensive, there are no academic benefits or advantages obtained from retention. This is because it does not add any value to the students. The academic performances of those students who had repeat was poor as compared to that of those other students who had been promoted. However, educators still continue with the procedure of retaining weak students even after retention has proved to be ineffective. Today, retention is still a major approach used by teachers with a hope and intention that it will cure their academic problems and failures. The practice of retention has persisted even after literature and research proved that it brings no benefit nor add any value to students when it comes to personal adjustment and achievement instead retention had proved to be of harm to the students.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Retention in Schools specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to a study conducted on the impacts of retention on individual achievements and student’s perception and attitude towards education, they found that retention had much greater negative effects on individual achievements and student’s perception and attitude towards education (Pawlas Olivia 2007). Students who are retained will find hard time adjusting themselves to accommodate or fit in the new group of students. It is not always easy to make new friends. There is also s hame that comes with being left behind which normally lead to low self-esteem. Retention makes students feel that they are failures even if that is not the case. Having low self-esteem may lead to failure and that is why parents and teachers should look for the best way of helping out the child instead of retaining them back. Students usually consider retention as the most stressful event in their life time because they will have to deal with the shame and making of new friends. Most students especially those who have been retained but had average grades usually feel much more devastated and may lose focus and even interest in education. Retention always gives students negative attitude towards school especially if they have been retained for more than two academic years. Some students who have been retained usually drop out of school. This therefore means that retention is one major factor that leads students out of school. Students who have been retained but continue failing may b ecome more devastated with education. They will develop the feeling of not being capable hence work out of school. Older students may become bad influence to the younger children.Advertising Looking for critical writing on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The younger children may also be at risk especially if the older child who has been retained is a bully. This means that there will be no peace in the class which may lead to poor academic performance. There is however some positive effects of retention on students and they include: it gives the students the chance to learn and gain new skills and knowledge that they had not obtained in the previous academic year. Researchers believe that if retention process is presented correctly, it can help students obtain a positive attitude of I can do it which will help them achieve better grades/scores in their next academic year (Shepard Smith 2009). Promoting students without good academic groundwork may make them feel uncomfortable and mad. This will destroy their chance to cope with their studies since the next academic level will be more challenging to them. There is however no need of retaining students if it does not work or bring any form of benefits to them. The best thing that par ents, students and teachers should do is to look for the best alternative that will enable the student obtain better performance outcome. One best alternative that can be used is to ensure that students have encounters with pre-kindergarten. Children who go to school late shall have missed one academic year of study into kindergarten. Research however shows that those students who join school late when they are older are less likely to be retained in future and they will have fewer problems with school subjects. Head Start Programs can also help students improve their social skills, learning skills and good health status. Social promotion enables students to operate at the level where they feel comfortable. This normally enables the students to perform well in academics. Accelerated Schools Project, Success for All and Reading Recovery Program are some alternatives that can be used since they help diminish the chances of retaining students (Thomas 1992). Success for All provides stu dents with the right resources that will enable them learn faster and be on time. On the other hand, Reading Recovery Program mainly focus on enabling students learn how to read. It actually supports students during the period in which they learn how to read. Lastly, Accelerated Schools Project catalyzes the pace at which students get to learn and obtain instructions from their teachers. This will enable them to be fast learners. There are some people who however blame teachers for the retention process. They claim that teachers and principals in schools have lacked will to stay focused and committee themselves to adapting instructional and curriculum practices to students with different leaning capacity. There are some schools that often overlook the progress of some students instead focus more on their own failures. Some people however blame standardized testing that have been set by schools to have caused retention. This is because those set standards determines and declares stud ents who are unprepared to move to the next class. There are some institutions with higher standards which normally declare a large group of students to retain the class. This mode of testing the students is always biased especially those from the middle-class in America. In conclusion, it is well evident that retention does not work but instead it cause more harm to children than help. There is however no need of retaining students if it does not work or bring any form of benefits to them. Students who are retained are normally stressed: they find it hard to adjust themselves to accommodate or fit in the new group of students. Retention always gives students negative attitude towards school. Retention destroys the self-esteem of students: it makes them feel that they are failures. Retention is a stressful event for students. References Pawlas, G. Olivia, P. (2007). Supervision for Today’s Schools. New York: Wiley Publishers. Shepard, L. Smith, M. (2009). Flunking Grades: R esearch and Policies on Retention. London: The Falmer Press. Thomas, A. (1992). Alternatives to Retention: If Flunking Doesn’t Work, What Does? Oregon: Oregon School Study Council. This critical writing on Retention in Schools was written and submitted by user Nola West to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

People Should Use Public Transportation Instead of Driving Essays

People Should Use Public Transportation Instead of Driving Essays People Should Use Public Transportation Instead of Driving Essay People Should Use Public Transportation Instead of Driving Essay People should use public transportation instead of driving One of the difficult choices people have to make today is that of utilizing public transportation or an automobile. Americans spend a lot on everything concerning owning a car, high prices of gas, insurance, parking, license plate registration, and maintenance of the vehicle, for example. In addition, people experience long delays driving their cars every day due to crowded roads. Also, traffic congestion seems to worsen intensely while the number of motor vehicles does not stop growing; as a result, the air gets more and more polluted. According to Texas Transportation Institute, traffic congestion costs Americans $63. 1 billion a year (TTI). The use of public transportation is indeed an advantageous choice for a myriad of reasons. First off, public transportation takes people to a lot of places for a cheap price. Nowadays, due to several economic factors, people search for alternatives that help them to save money. Cars are expensive to buy and to maintain; also, gas prices have been increasing dramatically. On the other hand, public vehicles allow commuters to go around different distances spending much less than if they had to drive a car. If you compare the cost of gas and parking to the cost of train or bus pass, you will figure out that a monthly commuting pass is far more economical. Also, according to the American Automobile Association, â€Å"the estimated cost of driving a single-occupant vehicle is between $4,826 (for a small car) and $9,685 (for a large car) per year, depending upon mileage. By contrast, the annual average cost for public transportation for one adult ranges from $200 to $2,000, depending upon mileage, time of day, type of vehicle or service† (AAA). So, when looking at public transportation, one of the main benefits is undoubtedly the ability of saving some money because it costs less than driving. Another reason to advocate the use of public transportation is that it is environmentally friendly. In other words, the more people who choose mass transit, the less air pollution. The American Public Transit Association (APTA) says that â€Å"Public transportation helps promote cleaner air by reducing automobile use, which can exacerbate smog and public health problems. For each mile traveled, fewer pollutants are emitted by transit vehicles than by a single-passenger automobile; for example, buses emit 80 percent less carbon monoxide than a car†. Furthermore, mass transit emits much less hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides than cars; these kinds of gas can cause a plethora of respiratory illnesses in humans. Therefore, the result of choosing mass transit is that it benefits the environment and consequently decreases the rate of diseases among people. There is also a social aspect to consider; public transportation is an interesting choice because it can help you widen your social life and have some fun. When you take public transport, you get to meet more people and have the chance to make new friends. Moreover, you can enjoy the scenery if the bus, subway or train goes through scenic regions, and that, certainly will make you a less stressed person. For instance, my sister met her best friend in a train. After having to go on several rides together, they built not only a beautiful friendship but also they learned several things that they can do during the trips, such as, appreciating the landscapes, catching up with some reading, and interacting with people. So, all these factors go against the idea that public transportation is boring and exhausting. In conclusion, after viewing some benefits of using public transportation, we can no longer deny that it is more advantageous than driving in many aspects. People who choose mass transit are avoiding a profuse number of concerns with expenses, and consequently, they save money. Second, they are contributing to a place with good air quality; as a result, they profit from that because they are more likely to be healthy. Lastly, they take advantage of riding public transportation inasmuch as they can expand their contacts and also enjoy their life a bit more.

Using Google Analytics To Write Smarter Content

Using Google Analytics To Write Smarter Content Smart content is content that perfectly fits your audience. But who is your audience? Thats the BIG question, isnt it? Smart content is content that perfectly fits your audience. #ContentMarketingNearly every blog post that talks about content marketing starts with Know Your Audience and then tells you why thats important. Only if youre really lucky will they tell you how to figure out who your audience is, or how to write for multiple audiences.  But wouldnt you love it if they said click this button and were going to tell you who your audience is, what they like, and where they live? This is your lucky day. You can write smarter content thats a perfect fit for your audience using Google Analytics and their Audience data. Google Analytics has always been a great source of audience information, but these specific reports are even more helpful. To get started, youll want to log into your Google Analytics account. Find Audience in the left-hand column. Beneath that you can see the different sections and reports available. Clicking on these sections will reveal the sub-sections well be covering in this post. There are four key areas where Google Analytics can tell you specific traits about who is reading your content. #1 Demographics: Age And Gender Google Analytics can give us a good picture of what age and gender  our audience is made of. Using and the data we have as an example,  and see how this plays out. As we dug into our own data recently, we were blown away by the high Pinterest use by our users, and the pattern we saw in the topics of the blog posts in our system. 90% of social shares in came from Pinterest. The most popular topics for users on Pinterest were food and home. Heres what we know about the Pinterest network outside of users. 90% of Pinterest users are women. 52% of Pinterest pins are about food,  18% of pins are about home, 15% are about lifestyle. Does our blog attract a larger female audience or not? It would seem that that might be the case, with 90% of our social shares happening on Pinterest and with 90% of Pinterest users being women, but just because we have a high number of female users of doesnt mean thats who is reading our blog. By looking at the data Google Analytics provides, we can get a better picture. It looks like most of our audience is between the ages of 25-34, and it tips slightly toward more female readers. And that is super useful information, because: We can research to find out what topics that age group prefers. We can see that we are writing for two audiences at once, almost equally male/female. Think of it this way: If you were writing a blog that focused on fun things to do now that you are retired, you should see your readers age skew towards 55+. If you dont, something is wrong. Or, if you do see those ages topping your graph, but you decide to write about the latest technical gadgets and change directions, you will likely see your traffic take an initial hit because youll be shedding your current audience and trying to attract a new one. Knowing the age and gender of your audience helps you create content that is appropriate for them. If you want to take this even further, you can also see traffic spikes and dips on specific dates in the detailed Google Analytics report of age/gender demographics. If you dont publish more than one post a day, you can easily see which posts appealed to specific audiences the most. Youll note that this data isnt for 100% of your total sessions (upper right corner). Well talk about the missing data in a bit. Creating smarter content means knowing the demographics of your audience, and writing to fit them.#2 Interests: Affinity And Market Segment Discovering  what specific topics your audience is interested in reading about is like finding gold. According to Google, the affinity category was built for businesses interested in running a TV ad on a local station, or those currently running a TV ad who would like to extend the reach of a TV campaign to an online context for an efficient price. The In-market segment are those people  who are researching products and actively considering buying a service or product like those you offer. The Other category is for those who arent in either affinity or in-market, but are likely to visit your sites offerings based on interests theyve shown online. Google Analytics is providing this information to help you buy ads, not write content, so when it comes to the interest categories available, they are definitely ad-focused. Even though  you arent using this information to purchase ads, it can still help you see what topics your readers are interested in. For , we currently have readers that are interested in tech, entertainment, and social media. That makes sense; our content seems to be fitting the people who would be interested in our product.  Our content is  attracting the right reader. What is fascinating is the In-Market segment, which tends to resemble the kind of content users are creating. Remember how much of our user base was using Pinterest, and what the typical Pinterest content was? Home, food, and lifestyle!  Our users have distinct interests in the content they are creating, and have created an interest trail online that is reflected here. It helps to know what specific kinds of topics to write about, and to not have to worry that someone outside of your demographics might not like it. While you  dont purposefully want to alienate, you dont have to worry about making everyone happy, either. #3 4 Geography And Mobile The last two that will be useful are geography and mobile demographics. Knowing where your readers are located is helpful, not just because of language, but because it makes you aware of the different cultures you are addressing.  s readership is heavily skewed toward the United States, but we do have readers all around the world. This fits, again, with our user base. Being aware of the different cultures can help you: Know whether or not your holiday-themed posts will make sense to your audience. Avoid content that is a cultural/social faux pas in countries your audience resides. Avoid phraseology or comparisons that would confuse or offend your audience. If you have a younger, technologically skewed audience, youll probably see a similar level of mobile usage that we do. Other audiences may not be using their phones and tablets as much as they use a desktop. Knowing that your audience is skewed heavily towards mobile (as ours is)  reminds you to make sure  that your content is readable on the devices people are using to read it. Responsive web design, crisp graphics, sign-up forms that function in the mobile app–these are all things to keep in mind. At this stage in the game, most users are mobile for most sites. Using  Google Analytics Demographics  For Smarter Content Now that you know this is available, how can you put it to work for your own content? Learn About Demographics Knowing that most of your readers are female and around age 25 wont help you much if you dont know what kind of things interest the average 25-year-old female. There is plenty of research and information online, but you have to know how to find it. Here are a few sites that specialize in demographics: Pew Research Center Market Research Demographic Research As always, data is only as valuable as your ability to interpret it into something usable for you. Create Reader Personas This data that Google Analytics is providing you tells you who is reading your content now. It doesnt mean you cant change your content, but it does give you an idea of what to change it to if you want to keep your current audience. You can use the information Google Provides to  create a kind of reader persona that helps you stay focused on what you write. With a user persona in mind, you can write conversationally as if you were speaking directly to them. You know better what to write when you know who you are writing it for. The Missing Audience Data In Google Analytics Remember that 25% of total sessions issue I pointed out? The data that Google uses to compile these reports isnt the whole picture; it isnt 100% of your total sessions.  Google gathers this data using third-party DoubleClick cookie and device identifiers. That means that when a cookie isnt associated with a specific user, Google cant come up with demographics and interests for you. In other words, the data you have is only partial. Its a subset of your users, and doesnt match your overall traffic that you see elsewhere in Google Analytics.  Additionally, Google doesnt want you to be able to identify specific users, and so some data is removed if that data hits a threshold where an identity might be determined. Still, even with those two gaps in place, you are being given a wonderful amount of specific data about your current audience.  It is a significant tool for guiding you, and you wont find this level of information elsewhere.  Remember, Google Analytics audience reports are  not the end-all method of determining who your audience is, but they are  certainly another tool for your content marketing toolbox. Enable Google Analytics Demographics Before you can use Google Analytics demographics and accessing this information, you will need to enable it in your Google Analytics account. Google provides a step-by-step walk-through to help you do this. You may need to update your analytics tracking code to make demographics work, and adjust your privacy policy as well. Once you have everything in place, you can access data about your site visitors and create content better suited to them. Get This Free Audience Demographics Dashboard To make all of this easier to track in Google Analytics, I created a custom dashboard for us in our Google Analytics account. If youd like to use the same dashboard in your own Google Analytics, you can easily install our custom dashboard here. Each visual widget is linked to the report supplying the data, so its easy to dig into more detail if you want to just by clicking the title of the widget. Our custom Google Analytics audience demographics dashboard makes all of this easy. Feel free to customize this dashboard any way youd like for your own use.

Recommendation report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Recommendation report - Essay Example Another important concept is that of saving and maintaining face. Losing face has negative consequences one’s reputation. To avoid losing face, Singaporeans publicly control their behavior and emotions. They do not criticize others openly and do use plenty of non-verbal communication. Sometimes, it is just as important to save the face of others one’s own group among Singaporeans. Nevertheless, being aware of such idiosyncrasies will keep you abreast of those without this knowledge. Singaporeans often rely upon facial expression, tone of voice, and posture to communicate feelings (Warnstam, 2007). They tend to communicate subtly or implicitly. For example, instead of saying â€Å"no,† they may just say, â€Å"I will try.† Silence also communicates. For example, a pause before response to a question means the respondent has given appropriate thought to his or her response. Furthermore, intense eye contact with a senior person is a sign of disrespect. These are just some of the more important cultural realities to keep in mind while doing business in Singapore. Most of these will help make doing business less confusing for both you and your counterparts. Personal relationships are the cornerstone of business relationships in Singapore (Kwintessential, 2004). Once recognized as part of a group, you will be accepted and expected to obey group standards.   Nevertheless, relationships take time. Be patient to demonstrate Nothing Ventured is there for long-term gains. Make appointments at least two weeks in advance when possible. Arrive at meetings on time. Punctuality is a virtue. Make small talk before business discussions, and make presentations complete with charts, figures, and resources. These things show Singaporeans you are committed to the business relationships you are building and that you are not fly-by-night. Business cards hold specific behavior mores. Business cards are

Ergonomics in the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Ergonomics in the Workplace - Essay Example In other words, in this world of competitive environment, the field of business has turned into a race where every other individual is running after success and promotions. However, in midst of such competition, individuals at the workplace are becoming the major victims in terms of their health, psychology, and personality due to a number of different issues that are causing an adverse impact on the individuals at the workplace (Hartvigsen & Lings, e2, 2004). Â  In response, experts (HSE, 2007) have introduced a new branch of science, Ergonomics that facilitates employers in the creation and provision of safe and healthy work environment for the individuals and employees at the workplace. Although Ergonomics focuses primarily on the workplace setting that is the fundamental risk factor in affecting individuals at the workplace, however, researchers (Pransky et al, pp. 443-455, 2002) have indicated that as years are passing, the scope of ergonomics is expanding as it now deals different aspects of workplace safety and management from health, psychological, and social aspects as well. In this regard, ergonomics is emphasizing significantly on transforming workplace environment into a comfortable ‘fit’ environment for the individuals working with it. In other words, it is the major responsibility of ergonomics to create a relationship between individuals and the workplace environment by focusing on needs and requirements of ind ividuals, such as equipment, tasks, and other aspects of the working environment (Pransky et al, pp. 443-455, 2002). Â  

Impact of Pro-Eating Disorder Websites

Impact of Pro-Eating Disorder Websites Kosalina Vignarajah Harithra Chandrasehar Abstract This paper examines the impact of pro-eating disorder websites as determined by the researches done on the area. During the course of this paper, we have critically analyzed the findings, methodologies and conclusions given in eight research papers while providing suggestions for our opinions on them. After the analysis, we have come to a conclusion that pro-eating disorder websites are harmful to both novice viewers and regular viewers as these websites negatively affect the self-esteem, perceptions of beauty and the patterns of thinking. However, these websites are also a forum through which people with eating disorders communicate, which acts a supportive network, and is therefore positive as well. Key words: Pro-eating disorder websites, thinspiration, Pro-ana/pro-mia. Kosalina Vignarajah Introduction Nothing tastes as good as thin feels is a quote which is often seen in pro-eating disorder websites (Bardone-Cone Cass, 2006). Pro-eating disorder movements or websites focus mainly on influencing individuals to practice disordered behaviors of eating (by sometimes undermining the harm it can do) and increasing the eating disorder behaviors overtime without seeking treatments from professionals. These websites claim that they are pro-ana and/or pro-mia (for anorexia and bulimia respectively) and that they represent a lifestyle choice rather than eating disorders (Csipke and Horne, 2007). The objective of this paper is to understand the impact of pro-eating disorder websites on people. This paper will mainly focus on why pro-eating disorder movements negatively impacts people already diagnosed with eating disorders. Additionally, this paper will have an in-depth explanation of pro-eating disorder websites, what these websites contain that benefits and negatively impacts the users, find appropriate approaches to reduce the consequences of these sites, the precautious steps that clinical professionals/therapists could take to help the victims, and the limitations and possible future studies will also be explored. Pro-Eating Disorder websites Pro-eating disorder websites are where individuals with anorexia or bulimia join together to feel like a community, share values and beliefs (Csipke and Horne, 2007). These movements are especially spread through websites have main three goals: the sites prevent from seeking professional help; increase the behavior of eating disorder, and using the guise of support to harm the users (Yom-Tov, Fernandez-Luque, Weber, Crain, 2012). Csipke and Horne (2007) have characterized websites regarding eating disorders into four main types: (1) eating disorder websites run by professionals concerned with health; (2) recovery sites run by people with eating disorders; (3) moderate pro-ED sites that consists of beliefs and quotes regarding being thin, and (4) severe pro-ED sites that consists of ANA creed or commandments which is similar to a movement and contains inspirational facts and information about maintaining a low body weight and looking thin. Most of these sites contain images and messages that motivate disordered behaviors; drugs that help induce vomit; chatrooms that include individuals that support each other; a disclaimer to warn people who accidently come across the site and sometimes information about the organizer of this site is given (Overbeke, 2008). Also most of the sites have calorie charts and BMI calculator to advice the users of the exercises to undertake, to reduce weight and to help hide the disorders from others (Csipke and Horne, 2007). Addition to sharing thinspiration pictures of thin supermodels, the users who have eating disorders find themselves more deep into these websites because of the identity that these sites provide. And in this way, they are taught self control on food consumption and encourage to diet or fast with other fellow chatters, this is one of the main defense statement of pro-eating websites (Csipke and Horne, 2007). The contents of these sites could be harmful and is a health concern, as explained below. Impact of Pro-Eating disorder websites Csipke and Horne (2007) concluded that there was a positive impact (without counting the motivation to diet together) on frequent users of the pro-eating website , who were supported emotionally found themselves connecting with other users who had the same view and thought than the silent users who were physically supported to maintain restricted eating behaviors. It is important to remember that a frequent user of the sites is not safe from disordered eating behavior, and also it is difficult for the users to come out of this behavior to recover because these sites gives them an identity. Despite giving sense of belongingness, clear identity, and practical information in regards to anorexia, the sites have negative impacts such as lowered self esteem, and self-efficacy of being perceived as overweight which leads to eating disorders (Overbeke, 2008). For example, Bardone-Cone and Cass (2006) stated that women who viewed pro-anorexia website showed an increase on their perceived weight and a decrease in how attractive they looked to opposite sex compared with women who viewed neutral sites, thus both the mood and the cognition of women are affected by viewing pro-eating disorder movement websites. Also users of pro-ana sites had a longer duration of illnesses and higher number of absenteeism of school due to health concerns (Overbeke, 2008). The impact of pro-eating disorder on eating disorder is a topic that requires more attention in the future, especially the role the sites play in helping to maintain and increase eating disorder behaviors, an explanation of these popularities despite the negative impact and the reasons for why the individuals continue access these sites (Overbeke, 2008). Approaches to Reduce the Impact of Pro-Eating Disorders Websites A better approach can be taken to prevent these sites causing more harmful effects such as a censorship to shut down these sites from stopping the frequent users and also the users yet to connect with the site members (Csipke and Horne, 2007). Parents should also educate themselves and their children with media literacy that gives a critical evaluation of the media and its messages and it is wiser to use block technology at home computers if the children were alone with a technical device or else place the computers in public area of the house (Bardone-Cone and Cass, 2006). It is the duty of the parents to be aware of their childrens health to not only check for eating disorders but to also prevent from other diseases. Yom-Tov et al. (2012) illustrated that some of the countries like Israel has taken the precaution of these harmful sites and have banned advertisements containing severely underweight models. On the other hand, the online servers (e.g Yahoo, MSN) have taken it upon themselves to create awareness for the harmful drugs used for eating disorder. Overbeke (2008) suggested that by understanding the factors that influences the popularity of these sites, professionals can take relevant steps to prevent popularity of these sites. Clinical scientists should defend against statements such as these where pro-Ana movements is compared with homosexuality, that given time pro-Ana movements will be considered as a chosen lifestyle as homosexuality is considered today (Overbeke, 2008). Treatments could include acknowledgement of these sites and how to address these issues with clients to prevent relapse and help acquire a healthy eating behaviors by letting the clients know about the influence these sites have on their health (Csipke and Horne, 2007). In addition to above mentioned precautions that parents and therapist could take, there are some areas of studies that require the attention of researchers to study on. For example, The ambiguity of pro-Ana makes it difficult for the researchers to study on it because different meaning is given to pro-eating disordered movements by many and most of the studies are pilot or descriptive studies that are not evidence enough to make conclusion from to check the real impacts (Overbeke, 2008). Therefore, Yom-Tov et al. (2012) emphasized that future studies can focus on interventions where warnings about the content of the sites should be clear, understandable to any user, and importance should be given to adhere to these warnings to avoid being caught up in problems that may lead to eating disordered behavior. As mentioned above, the use of blocking from the internet servers for these sites is necessary because a caregiver cannot monitor the users all the time, and parental control software should be present for the users especially to avoid the first time users attention towards these sites. Harithra Chandrasehar â€Å"E-Ana and e-Mia: A Content Analysis of Pro–Eating Disorder Web Sites† is an article by Borzekowski et al. analyzes the content shown in a one hundred and eighty pro-eating disorder websites. According to the article, pro-eating disorder websites are often defined by their urging of viewers to use unconventional and dangerous methods to lose weight such as using laxatives. The article also mentioned that 79% of the websites were interactive thus giving viewers a forum, and that they contain â€Å"thinspiration†, tips and techniques to lose weight, and â€Å"reverse triggers† – pictures of morbidly obese people (Borzekowski et al. 2010). What was most fascinating was the details accumulated regarding the sites such as them being very easy to understand as they were compiled in eighth grade English which aids its ability to cater to its audience, and more importantly, that most of the sites had themes – including bringing control to life t hrough eating-disorders, isolation from those who they think are fat and impure, and as artistic transformation (Borzekowski et al., 2010). A drawback of this study is the unavailability of information regarding the â€Å"underground† websites which are pro-eating disorder, as they may contain the most damaging information, as opposed to what is found in the public domain. The article titled â€Å"Potential risks of Pro-eating disorder websites† claims that despite the negative out-cry against them, that there are currently around five hundred websites which are pro-eating disorders currently on the internet, and that around 200-400 users will be accessing those sites at any given time, while also mentioning that those who view these websites can be girls of twelve years or younger. This article also shed light to three important factors which seem to carry the most risk to those viewing a pro-eating disorder website. They are; â€Å"Operation under the guise of support†, â€Å"reinforcement of disordered eating, and â€Å"prevention of help-seeking and recovery† Interestingly it also mentions that not all pro-eating disorder websites are anti-recovery as some websites encourage the users to seek help when their eating disorder progresses (Rouleau, von Ranson 2010). This does confirm the fact that eating-disorder websites are a fo rum which provide support and comfort too. However, it is also possible that the triggers in the website may discourage people from seeking help, despite the disclaimer in the beginning of the page. A suggestion to counter these pro-eating disorder websites would be to have a website which appears along with the pro-eating disorder websites, which is run by completely recovered individuals who once lived with eating disorders, who can understand and even guide a person to seek help. The site can even be monitored by clinicians. The research titled â€Å"What does viewing a pro-Anorexia website do? An experimental examination of website exposure and moderating effects† seems to be a remarkably well-thought out study. It is also a study that has been cited by many research articles discussing this topic. Technically, the article seems to be quite flawless as it covers every aspect necessary, including a pilot study, the randomization of participants, explanation of methods of testing used, and the explanation of results. the results of this study determined that viewing a pro-anorexia website made a significant impact on the participants compared to those who viewed the control websites in terms of a negative mood, low social self-esteem, low appearance self-esteem, higher likelihood to exercise and think about weight in the forthcoming days. This study was a critical point in the research of pro-eating disorder websites as it showed the immediate after effects of viewing one. Unfortunately, it has not followed the participants out of the lab and analyzed how these websites affect their life after the initial viewing – despite the debriefing they received and the availability to psychological help. (Bardone-Cone, Cass 2007). It would be interesting to know whether any of these participants returned to viewing these websites, and to understand what drew them to it as they are considered first-time viewers, (and should technically have no reason to search for companionship in an eating-disorder website which is the reason given by many people living with eating disorders when asked why they access these sites), and whether viewing these articles and images are as damaging as they were the first time, or if the effect of it reduces each time through desensitization as the Bardone-Cone and Cass study suggests. It would also be interesting to know what changes will occur in the results if the subjects were male, or if they were from a culture that appreciates body fat, or even if it were someone who is obese and having a good self esteem. The variations of the sample are quite necessary as these sites are quite freely available on the internet, and therefore it is important to find out how different people react to these websites, as opposed to only considering the stereotypical relationship between women and anorexia. However, it would be quite dangerous to expose people to sites like these without having a good understanding of their psychological state, as eating disorders can be hidden for so long, and disguised as many other less harmful things that it may be difficult for the researchers to notice changes in a participant unless it is a long term study. The final article â€Å"disordered eating in a digital age† is a questionnaire/survey which was linked to pro-eating disorder websites, which was answered by those accessing the site. The results were then analyzed to determine the harm caused, and although it has been impossible to determine the causality of many of these negative symptoms including low BMI, low quality of life, co-morbidity of illnesses along with psychological diagnosis, and an alarming twenty one sick days in a month of thirty days, but its strongly linked to eating disorders and these websites (Peebles et al. 2012). However, this research had a response rate of less than 40% which is not an adequate sample, while only English websites were accessed. However this study was one of the best online studies conducted in this area, was well analyzed, and the article contained the survey for references which can be helpful to the reader. Conclusion The articles above show comprehensive details about pro-eating disorder websites. Upon careful reviewing of both articles and some of these mentioned websites, it is easy to understand that there is a completely different mind-set attached to those who have purposely disordered eating habits. It seems to be like they think that they have a higher purpose, a better understanding and purer image of the human body. Their mentality seems like that of a cult, a united front with adherence to a strict regime, but it’s members breaking down within it unable to cope up with the stress and the difficulty, but struggling each day, because if they don’t, their entire belief system and the purpose they have assigned to themselves may fall apart. Perhaps one of the most ethical ways to help these people who may not acknowledge that they require it is by doing more research about pro-eating disorder websites which helps develop their dangerous bonds and by matching each of it with a less harmful blog/website run by clinicians but is suitable and accessible to the general public. Another such proactive action would be having a minimum standard guideline that these pro-eating disorder websites need to adhere to, required by law, where the harm is detailed and the ways to get help are found, like the warning that is mandated on packs of cigarettes. It is best if these websites can be closed down by all internet servers as a matter of public safety, and encourages instead a forum or web pages which speak creatively about the struggles of beating eating disorders and victory. In the case of research, it would be best to do more studies with diverse samples, and to do studies which assess the long term effects of these websites. It would be also interesting to have a research perspective about why these websites should exist, and it would be ideal if this research could be conducted by those who believe in the pro-eating disorder movement as it would be a good way to understand each other, with the basis of science. References Bardone-Cone, A. M., Cass, K. M. (2006) Investigating the Impact of Pro-Anorexia Websites: A Pilot Study. European Eating Disorders Review 14, 256-262. Bardone-Cone A M. and Cass K M. (2007) What Does Viewing a Pro-Anorexia Website Do? An Experimental Examination of Website Exposure and Moderating Effects, International Journal of Eating Disorders 40:6 537–548 DOI 10.1002/eat Borzekowski D LG, Schenk S, Wilson J L, Peebles R (2010) e-Ana and e-Mia: A Content Analysis of Pro–Eating Disorder Web Sites. American Journal of Public Health, Volume 100, No 8. Csipke, E., Horne, O. (2007) Pro-Eating Disorder websites: users opinions. European Eating Disorders Review,Volume 15, Issue 3, pages 196-206. Overbeke, G. (2008) Pro-Anorexia Websites: Content, Impact, and Explanations of Popularity. Mind Matters: The Wesleyan Jounral of Psychology, 49-62, Vol. 3. Peebles R, Wilson J,Litt I F,Hardy K K;Lock D (2012) Disordered Eating in a Digital Age:Eating Behaviors, Health, and Quality of Life in Users of Websites With Pro-Eating Disorder Content. Journal of Medical Internet Research 14.5 Rouleau C R, von Ranson K M (2010) Potential risks of pro-eating disorder websites, Clinical psychology review 31- Elsevier. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2010.12.005 Yom-Tov, E., Fernandez-Luque, L., Weber, I., Crain, S. P. (2012) Pro-Anorexia and Pro-Recovery Photo Sharing: A tale of Two Warring Tribes. Journal of Medical Internet Research.

“Simplicity” by William Zinsser

William Zinsser in his essay, â€Å"Simplicity,† describes the tendency people have to inflate their own words. A majority of us think that something is missing if a word or sentence is too simple causing us to add unnecessary information only to confuse our readers. Zinsser shows us examples of this in everyday life such as a simple letter, or a brochure by an insurance company, where the corporation uses a statement that overuses vocabulary to express something so simple. Zinsser observes that, â€Å"Clear thinking becomes clear writing; one can’t exist without another†,(Zinsser 175) His opinion on the key towards becoming an excellent writer is to take every sentence and to shorten it so that each word has its set function. As a writer, he believes the more clearheaded one is while constructing a piece of work, the better result they will receive. Writing is not as easy as it may seem. It can take several trials of perfecting one’s work and more importantly revisions of one’s thoughts like Zinsser’s writing. The more conscious you become to your writing allows the writer to easily express their words and in society, good writing seems to be what lacks the most. Zinsser believes that a clear mind can positively impact your writing like a clear mind can affect your performance in everyday life. Sometimes, the more homework I have and the more hours I work, seem to build to my stress and negatively affect me in school. My weekly schedule is one that at times is pretty hectic. With school, work and friends, sometimes the juggling of the three seem to reach a boiling point. I currently work at a waitressing job in which the night shifts are usually the ones that benefit me the most. I attend school at Hunter College 4 days a week. Mondays and Thursdays from 8 am to 4 pm, while Tuesdays and Fridays are from 11 am to 1 pm. My work schedule is for the most part from Tuesday, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (mid day to late nights). Going to school four days a week and working 5 days a week is such a hassle in my life. I try to fit my social life in as well yet, sometimes it seems impossible. That’s when I realize by not going out I might be jeopardizing my friendships. Working almost five days a week doesn’t give me enough time for myself or the ability to focus more on school. I come home so late that I usually stay up studying till 2 or 3 in the morning but have to wake up by 6 am. I run on 3 or 4 hours of sleep which doesn’t give me enough energy to function at my highest capability. About two weeks ago I reached a point in my life in which I was beginning to feel like a robot. On a Friday night, I came home from a long day at school, immediately headed to work knowing that I had two tests to study for Monday. Now I was scheduled to work the whole weekend on night shifts that I was struggling to figure out how I could possibly fit in time to study. I tried my hardest to study in between work breaks, but the environment around me was pretty hectic, that I accomplished nothing. On Saturday and Sunday, I woke up a little earlier to study, but time was passing by so fast that on both days I only accomplished an hour or two to memorize some material. I would rush each day to start getting ready for work and to call my cab to get there on time. That Sunday from work I got home at 2 am and studied an hour for history, until I fell asleep on my books. I instantly woke up, almost late for school, just in time to make it to my English class. I was so tired that I was straining to make my eyes remain open. I had a few school breaks in between my classes, but I knew that I couldn’t memorize all these material for two different subjects the day of the test. Taking both of those tests, made me realize that not only did I fail, but I needed to make some changes in my life. My first priority is attending and excelling at school and juggling too many days at work with school is almost impossible to do. I knew I had to change my work schedule so that I have enough days to study and nights to rest in the future. In the end I knew it would work out even if I cut back on days to earn money, because my body and mind need to properly rest. We don’t seem to realize but sometimes there are many unnecessary things we do that can easily be adjusted. Either working too much or spending time doing other activities can take up a lot of our energy. As Zinsser illustrates simplifying one’s life or one’s writing is possible and necessary at times, and if we all learned to do so life would be much easier.