Theories and Performance Imperatives of Organizational Leadership Research Paper

Theories and Performance Imperatives of Organizational Leadership - Research Paper Example From this research it is clear that effective leaders support the optimal performance of a group of subordinates. They add great value to an organization. Highly effective executives who are also known as peak performers are noted to have productivity rates that are 25 to 50 percent higher than their average or poorly performing counterparts. Highly effective leadership is characterized by productivity, health, relational behaviour, or a combination of these factors, which result in performance at optimal level. The main goals of effective leadership are: facilitating organizational goal setting and helping to achieve them, promoting optimal levels of individual motivation, commitment and satisfaction, facilitating effective interactions among individuals within teams, helping employees to set high goals for themselves, and place the organization’s effectiveness above their own self-interests. The effective leader operates simultaneously on the performance as well as the peopl e of the organization or unit. Performance includes the process of how things get done, the length of time taken, as well as the outcome of productivity and quality. The aim of performance is productivity, and the aim for people is health. The effective leader operates both requirements successfully, emphasizing both productivity and health. Productivity is the ratio of input to output; and increased productivity has beneficial outcomes such as higher profits and market share. On the other hand, people encompasses the skills, talents, competencies and needs of the employees, leaders and other stakeholders involved with a particular corporation or organization. Health is similar to productivity in being a measure of outcome, and is manifest in both the individual as well as the corporation. For individuals, health includes physical and psychological well-being, job satisfaction, and other factors (Sperry, 2003). Thus, the fundamental premise regarding effective leadership is that it is a function of both productivity and health, and they are inter-connected. By realizing the importance of the people dimension, the effective leader ensures that employees’ levels of commitment and morale remain high, burnout does not occur, and

Ethics and Technology Essay Example for Free

Ethics and Technology Essay The biggest limitation of our existing system is its inherent inability to achieve its fundamental goal. Whatever happened to the dream of progress that modern technology would free people from drudgery, and everyone would be able to live in comfort, spending their time enriching the world and thinking great thoughts? Wasnt that what we really set out to achieve? Toward that goal, we can now make virtually any region of the earth comfortably habitable. We can produce food and clothing in staggering quantities, at unbelievable rates of production, using very little labor in proportion to the output. We have greatly extended the life span of our species, and we know how to cure or eliminate the suffering of a great range of diseases. We can communicate around the globe in less time than it takes to hear the voice of someone across a room. An interesting question to consider is this: if the technology necessary to live this way really could be developed, would it result in such a society? Starting from our present society, I would say absolutely not. The technology that could easily feed the world would probably result in mass starvation. The competitive system can produce the tools we need to create a future of freedom and enlightenment, but unless the system evolves, it will work against our using those tools to the benefit of humanity. The system must evolve. Were not spreading the benefits of advancing technology, were using it to exclude more and more people from the fruits of progress. Instead of laying off the excess workers and increasing the stress on those left behind, consider what would happen if we simply reduced the burden on everyone. We dont need to throw out our traditions of free enterprise and individual responsibility. We just need to revisit our vision of progress and see where we want to go, and where were heading. Not all technology is hampering the societys progress. Technology was developed to ease mans work and provide him with a little help . It wasnt invented so that we could just copy and paste an essay for our next paper, or download a ready made presentation from the internet or make google do all things for us. The web is what you make of it, you cant blame technology for ruining your work ethics. Its you whos become super lazy and dependent I am from a time when technology is called progress and it was considered heretical to doubt its benefits. We tend to forget the years before antibiotics when people died from pneumonia and infections. We take for granted the warnings about kidney failure, liver damage and replacement therapy for intestinal flora that accompany todays bigger and better medications. Technology has made our lives very easy, but it turn, has made us lazy. I believe that if we continue to make and improve technology, there can be some really useful inventions. However, we can make sure that the improvements don’t make us lazy, in very simple ways. We can ask ourselves, does this pen that writes down our thoughts and tells us how to spell correctly really need to be in everyone’s daily lives? Technology moves at a pace that can easily outrun ethical standards surrounding its use. The effects of technology on work ethics move at a similar pace with employers moving to establish ethical boundaries that seem to infringe on employee privacy rights and restrict communication abilities. These tactics have led to courtroom battles, quick job terminations and complaints filed with the National Labor Relations Board. Special Purpose: To inform my audience of the negative effects by becoming too dependent on technology. Central Idea: By becoming too dependent on technology will give negative effects to our education, behavior and economic. Introduction According to study conducted by a company called McCan Worldgroup, young people are obsessed with their technology until the point that they would rather lose one of their most important sense than to lose Facebook, the internet and their cell phones. â€Å"To them, losing the ability to explore and communicate via technology would be like a blind man losing his stick†. According to Oxford dictionary, technology means machinery or equipment developed from scientific knowledge. Do you realized how much we depend on technology?

Asian Religions in the USA :: essays research papers

Asian Religions in the USA   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this essay I will discuss the many aspects and ideals of Asian Religions along with their impact and the role they play within the United States. I had a few questions that I had to try and find answers for, in order to complete the connection of Asian Religions to the United States. Why are some Americans and westerners finding Asian Religions as well as Asian thought and philosophy to be more gratifying than traditional western religions and philosophy? How are Asian Religions perceived and practiced here in the United States as opposed to its place of origination? Finally, is there further growth of the Asian Religions as well as philosophy still possible here in the United States and the west? All of the answers to these questions will try and explain the place Asian Religions have here in the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why are some Americans finding Asian religions as well as Asian thought and philosophy to be more satisfying than traditional western religions and philosophy? One thing I might point my finger at is the expansion of religious studies within the United States. As we discussed in class, just within the past ten years the idea of religious studies (including more than just the majority religions) is just now being accepted and explored. As we have become more familiar with the many different religions that are in this world, the more we will pursue and possibly practice those religions. As the west is becoming more educated to all the different religious possibilities, I feel many people are becoming more accepting of a person who searches out these different possibilities. Technology is also a factor in the education of Asian religions. The technology we have today allows people to really explore the entire world from the tips of their fingers. Being knowledgeable that something different does exist will open your mind to different avenues. You may find a western traditional religion to be right for you, but if you are educated in many of the options you might accept the idea someone else finds your western tradition not comfortable for them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I find many Americans searching for a higher spirituality than traditional western religions, and they can find what they are searching for in Asian religions. Alan Watts was the type of a person who refused western religions and their thinking and in his search he formed â€Å"his own hybrid spirituality a between Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism, with a certain leaning towards Vedanta and Catholicism, or rather the Orthodox Church of Eastern Europe.

The Farewell to Miss American Pie

â€Å"Bye-bye Miss American Pie†. These words were now immortalized in the halls of music industry, and perhaps will be last tribute to the legendary era of ‘rock and roll’ and turbulent times of the 60’s. This song was created by Don McLean, and became phenomenal hit in 1971, charting almost four weeks on the billboards. But there is more than saying goodbye to Ms. American Pie, which in itself is a symbol and image to the profound interpretation of the song. The message pierces more than a county boy strumming a guitar, or it speaks beyond the farewell to an unknown lady.Don McLean, in his official website, made interesting comments regarding the song. While he allowed the song to be interpreted in various lenses, he himself confessed that the song was an allusion to historical or factual events, people and places that his song discussed. Don McLean said, â€Å"I am very proud of the song, it’s biographical in nature, and I don’t think anyo ne has ever picked up on that, the song starts off with my memory with the death of Buddy Holly.But it moves on to describe America, as I was seeing it, and how I fantasizing it might become, its part of reality and part of fantasy but I’m always in the song as a witness, or even as a subject, sometimes in some verses† (Starry, Stary Night Video 2000, cited in www. don-mclean . com). Realizing that McLeans work is to be approached in autobiographical sense, the memories of his childhood his personal persuasions and feelings can be deduced.In the very first line, â€Å"A long, long time ago, I can still remember, how the music made me smile, and I knew If I had a chance, that I could make those people dance, and, maybe they’ll be happy for a while†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Miss American Pie lyrics). The persona in the song, was â€Å"I†, a first person point of view, bolstering the point of McLean that this is biographical. The persona clearly stated that it was his à ¢â‚¬Ëœmemory’ and it was his wish to ‘make people smile and happy’ for a while. This simple statement speaks of a typical young man musician’s dream, his own wishful thinking.As also stated in his website, the song was openly dedicated to the death of Buddy Holly and his companions, who died in a plane crash. This tragic death, moved to illustrate the transiency of life, and wishes in that sense are to be as pure, as simply stating: â€Å"chance to make people dance and make them happy for a while†. Clear from the second and third stanza the descriptions were, â€Å"But February made me shiver†¦bad news on the doorstep, I couldn’t make one more step†. This alludes to the death of Buddy Holly, one of the prominent rock singers in the 60’s (RS, 2004).Their plane crashed in February 3, 1959, which shocked their audience of their untimely death. It could be said that the dedication of the song to Buddy Holly was not because he was a major contributor to the genre of McLean’s music, rather, it was a common knowledge that Buddy Holly was the pioneer of rock & roll music, long before, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles invaded the long playing discs. But the death of Buddy Holly was more than the death of an individual, as the song suggests â€Å"This’ll be the day that I die†¦Ã¢â‚¬ .The demise of Buddy Holly signifies the death of a young promising man, the death of dream, and the death of wishful thinking. Linking the first stanza, to the second and third, the dream of the persona, to live, to entertain, presented a harsh reality of transiency, of â€Å"non-permanence of things. Like the death of Buddy Holly, who may epitomize the budding career of an ambitious young man only to be interrupted by the fact that, death is no respecter of persons.The chorus lines, were repetitious saying â€Å"bye-bye Miss American Pie†. The seeming relevance of this allusion is the representation of American Pie, as the symbol of the â€Å"young and vibrant Americans†. As McLean admitted, â€Å"the song was written as my attempt at an epic song about America, and I used the imagery of music and politics to do that. Also, I was influenced by the Sgt. Pepper album, and the American Pie album was my attempt to do that, but the song totally overshadowed the album† (McLean, 2000, cited www.don-mclean. com). Thus, the â€Å"American Pie† is an image of America, and the persona’s attempt to picture the America as it strives to be, and it might become. But contrasting words will reveal that, if the persona illustrates â€Å"American Pie† as the young America, then why a bid of farewell? Is the persona, trying to say goodbye to future America has? Again, it can be viewed skeptically, the young dream, as mentioned earlier, the wishful thinking must not be allowed to vanish, it must move, it must sojourn.The next lines driving the chevy, â€Å"but the l evee was dry†, this illustrates the life of the young America to rise, go or, to go farther, or move on. But the dry levee was said to illustrate the painful realities of life as we move along. Even driving oneself to that dream, the levees of experiences and circumstance would always be dry. A realism is seem to be presented, that life is not a bed of roses, rather it was a long winding trip to the end. The melancholic lines continuously read: â€Å" The good’ol boys were drinking, whiskey and rye, saying this’ll be the day that I die†¦Ã¢â‚¬  .Presenting the realistic point of view, the good old boys verbalized the promising young people, yet with the painful realities, they have succumbed to the defeatists attitude of lurking themselves, as pictured by the words, â€Å"drinking, whiskey and rye†. The drinking symbolizes solitary, loneliness and isolation. This thought bolstered the point of death, and surrender by proclaiming â€Å"this’ll be the day that I die†. Two oppositions may come into the picture.First, wishful thinking and dreams versus the paralyzing truths of life, we may succumb to surrender and declare our defeat with our own death—demise of our dreams, our lives, our hopes. Yet, this could pose as challenge, that the farewell to Miss American Pie, may be a welcome to her—as we welcome the challenges and bitter moments in our lives with energy and courage. The song illustrates several allusions more to the music icons, the rage of politics, the America’s society, but this attempt is to illustrate the more profound meaning of the song, realization of life, and how do we deal with it.As said, we may live and fight be sad, and drink whiskey and rye to our own discontent or we may rise above the situation, and welcome our American Pie, with â€Å"Hi, Hi, Miss American Pie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  SOURCES: Don McLeans. Don McLean’s American pie. American Pie. com. 2007. May 29, 2007 < http://www. don-mclean. com/americanpie. asp> The Immortals: The First Fifty, Rolling Stone Issue, 946. Rolling Stones. April 15, 2004. Bressler, Charles. Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1994 (please include the source in LA Times, the data is difficult to recover, LA Times, February 3, 1959. )

Great by Choice Essay

Many times entrepreneurs ask themselves, â€Å"Why my competitors are able to succeed and go through catastrophe after catastrophe yet my business is crashing? What makes that person better than me? Am I, not the chosen one? † Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen answer these common questions and many more in their educating novel entitled, Great by Choice. One of the main characteristic of a great leader is being prepared for every trail and tribulation that may come while running a business. It is a true fact that every business go through some type of chaos whether it’s enormous or petite; therefore, business owners must be ready to handle chaos in order to maintain the business. It is a common saying that states, â€Å"It is easy to start a relationship, yet, it is hard to maintain it. † Although this statement relate to relationships, it also relates to owning a business. â€Å"It is easy to start a business, yet it is difficult to maintain a business. † Jim Collins identifies three core behaviors in his novel that enabled companies to become truly great over an extended period of time which will be discussed later in the paper. At the beginning of the novel, Collins asked his self, â€Å"Why do some companies thrive in uncertainty and chaos and others do not? † After interviewing successful business owners and studying ancient history of successful leaders, Collins was able to answer that question and his answer was,† It’s not that they thrive on chaos, but they can thrive in chaos and uncertainty. † He created this illustration through a true story about two leaders name Amundsen and Scott: In October 1911, exactly 100 years ago, these two teams of explorers left the coast of Antarctica to try to be the first people in history to reach the South Pole. The Norwegian team, [led by] Amundsen, got to the South Pole first. [British naval officer Robert Falcon] Scott and the British team reached the pole second, 34 days later. Amundsen and his team made it back to their base at Polheim on the exact date that Amundsen had put in his planning journals when he was making his plans in Norway. Meanwhile, Scott and every member of his team died on the way back, about 10 or 11 miles from a supply depot. (Collins and Hansen, 2011) A great philosopher once stated, â€Å"In order to understand your future, you must first understand your past. History repeats itself. The tools that successful leaders used during ancient periods are the same tools that current leaders may retain. Therefore, it is vital for business owners to study and educate themselves on effective leaders in the past, so they may duplicate some of their leadership styles and be successful in the future. Amundsen and Scott story is the evidence of Collins answer at the beginning of the novel, Collins states: â€Å"It turns out that the way that Amundsen led his team maps very directly to the way our leaders led their companies. This is especially true in how he was different in his behaviors from the way Scott led his team, which is more like our comparison leaders. It was an almost perfect metaphoric mapping. † Hansen further emphasized, â€Å"When we looked at Amundsen, the fascinating part is that he had, literally, a 15-mile march target. He was going to go 15 miles every day toward the South Pole†¦ .He built a system around that. On the good days, he held back; he didn’t go the distance he could have gone. He just stopped in the early afternoon and rested. On the very difficult days, he made maybe five, six, seven miles, but nevertheless, he traveled on those days where Scott and the other team would sit in their tents. Both of them had a very interesting approach. Underlying that is what can only be described as fanatic discipline. Amundsen was extraordinary in his discipline, preparing his whole life for this particular moment. † After reviewing these two leaders style of leadership, in result, they basically â€Å"reap what they sowed†. Amundsen created a plan that not only met his goal but helped him survive while meeting his goal. Whereas Scott only did enough to get by and at the end he and his team died. Companies that have phenomenal leaders, usually plan carefully, every â€Å"I† is dotted and every â€Å"t† is crossed, therefore, they can take any hit and still be successful. Scott could not do that because he rush on the planning stage of his journey and ironically he rushed his time on earth. On the other hand Amundsen demonstrated the â€Å"three distinctive behaviors† that Collins and Scott discussed in their novel: productive paranoia, empirical creativity and fanatic discipline. Like Amundsen, Bill Gate is a good example of productive paranoia. Bill Gates sat down and thought of all the things that could possibly go wrong with his company and then he prepared for those obstacles ahead of time. Gates allowed his fear to drive him to productivity. Many leaders get comfortable in their success and fail to realize that thousands of businesses are created every day, therefore, leaders should always be informed about the companies that surrounding them because if they become too comfortable then other developing companies can take their clients or buy out their business. Running a business is like a running competition. Some runners know that they are good at running and they feel like no one else could catch up or out run them. Yet they lose because they get so comfortable at the speed that they were running and their competitors eventually catch up. Winning does not matter if you are good at the beginning yet lose at the end. A leader does not only succeed through fear but they also create a plan that is unique and creative to survive through the impossible. A successful leader is a risk taker and a risk taker display empirical creativity. During Amundsen planning he stated, â€Å"I am not going to bet our expedition and bet our life on an unproven technology, so I’m not going with motor sledges. I am going with skis and dogs and sleds because we know they work. † Technology is very popular and the average person would have chosen the motor sledges because many people believe that technology is reliable and convenient. Yet, Amundsen did not want to go the easy route out he wanted to stick with the fundamentals of traveling on snow and his plan worked. Why? Because he thought outside the box and he took a risk. In addition Amundsen, put his base on Bay of Whales, which was known as a dangerous area. However, Amundsen decided not to listen to everybody and do his own research on Bay of Whales. In result, Bay of Whales was not as dangerous as others believed, therefore he choose that area to house his self and his team. Good leaders believe none of what they hear and half of what they see. After fear comes creativity and after creativity comes consists. Every great leader own the character trait of fanatic discipline which is the essential consists of action. Hansen better explained fanatic discipline, he states, Number one, you set a progress standard for yourself. Secondly, you have a lower boundary, what you must hit, and an absolute commitment to hitting it in bad times and good times. Then there is an upper boundary, and you have the discipline to hold back and not just maximize growth because you can, because that is going to expose you to possible storms coming your way down the road. Then the fourth characteristic is that you must hit it. It’s not about good intentions: They don’t really count here. It is about hitting it. † Hansen calls this theory the principles of a 20-mile march. In the novel, Hansen and Collins used John Brown, who was the CEO of Stryker as a good example. When Brown became the CEO of Stryker he set a goal for the company net income to grow 20% every year. As the market fluctuated, Brown still focused on his target goal and him and the company managed to survive through the industry downturn. When you look at Bill Gates, Amundsen and John Brown, you are looking at the epitome of dynamic  leaders. All three leaders were visionaries and they all worked hard towards a goal regardless of their surroundings. They were discipline. Jim Collins once stated, â€Å"A culture of discipline is not a principle of business, it is a principle of greatness. † While other companies were crashing, they were progressing and sticking to their plan of action. The purpose of the novel â€Å"Great by Choice† is to educate leaders on how to set a strong solid foundation that can survive during the storms. Every human being in this world is given choices, however it is up to an individual to choose to be great or choose to be a failure. At the end of the day, a person will always be remembered by the choices that they make in life, therefore my choice is to be great!

Quality Assurance and Software Testing Certifications

Quality Assurance and Software Testing Certifications When we think of IT (information technology) we tend to focus on development, network, and database issues. Its easy to forget that before sending work out to the user, there is a crucial middleman. That person or team is quality assurance (QA). QA comes in many forms, from the developer who tests her own code, to the testing gurus who work with automated testing tools. Many vendors and groups have recognized testing as an integral part of the development and maintenance process and have developed certifications to standardize and demonstrate knowledge of the QA process and testing tools. Vendors That Offer Testing Certifications Rational Empirix Vendor-Neutral Testing Certifications ISTQB Certified Tester, Foundation Level (CTFL) -   The Foundation Level qualification is aimed at professionals who need to demonstrate practical knowledge of the fundamental concepts of software testing. This includes people in roles such as test designers, test analysts, test engineers, test consultants, test managers, user acceptance testers and IT Professionals.The Foundation Level qualification is also appropriate for anyone who needs a basic understanding of software testing, such as project managers, quality managers, software development managers, business analysts, IT directors, and management consultants.Quality Improvement Associate Certification (CQIA)  -   The Certified Quality Improvement Associate has a basic knowledge of quality tools and their uses and is involved in quality improvement projects, but doesnt necessarily come from a traditional quality area.Certified Test Manager (CTM)  -   The CTM Certification was developed based on the Test Management Bod y of Knowledge (TMBOK) to fill the gap in the management skills required by test managers and test leads to effectively manage the test process, the test project and the test organization.   Certified Software Test Professional (CSTP)  -   CSTP is the short form for â€Å"Certified Software Test Professional. This was initiated by International Institute for Software Testing (IIST) in 1991, and so far has been successful in enhancing the career of thousands of aspirants by providing the professional skill set for software application testing. This certification program could be taken by any newcomer in the testing field as well as for the managers and leaders in the testing field.Six Sigma Black Belt Certification (CSSBB)  -   The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt is a professional who can explain Six Sigma philosophies and principles, including supporting systems and tools. A Black Belt should demonstrate team leadership, understand team dynamics and assign team member roles and responsibilities. Black Belts have a thorough understanding of all aspects of the DMAIC model in accordance with Six Sigma principles. They have basic knowledge of Lean enterprise concepts , are able to identify non-value-added elements and activities and are able to use specific tools. Certified Software Quality Analyst (CSQA) - Prove your level proficiency as a manager or advisor when it comes to IT principles and practices of quality assurance when you become Certified Software Quality Analyst certified. Although this list is short, the links above go to sites that offer more niche certifications for you to research. Those listed here are respected in IT and are a must-have for anyone considering an entry into the world of testing and Quality Assurance.

Biography of Christopher Columbus

Biography of Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was a Genoese navigator and explorer. In the late 15th century, Columbus believed that it would be possible to reach the lucrative markets of eastern Asia by heading west, instead of the traditional route which went east around Africa. He convinced Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain to support him, and he set off in August of 1492. The rest is history: Columbus discovered the Americas, which had been unknown until then. All in all, Columbus made four different journeys to the New World. Early Life Columbus was born to a middle-class family of weavers in Genoa (now part of Italy) which was a city well-known for explorers. He rarely spoke of his parents. It is believed that he was ashamed to have come from such a mundane background. He left a sister and a brother behind in Italy. His other brothers, Bartholomew and Diego, would accompany him on most of his travels. As a young man he traveled extensively, visiting Africa and the Mediterranean and learning how to sail and navigate. Appearance and Personal Habits Columbus was tall and lean, and had red hair which turned prematurely white. He had a fair complexion and a somewhat reddish face, with blue eyes and a hawkish nose. He spoke Spanish fluently but with an accent which was difficult for people to place. In his personal habits he was extremely religious and somewhat prudish. He rarely swore, attended mass regularly, and often devoted his Sundays entirely to prayer. Later in life, his religiosity would increase. He took to wearing the simple robe of a barefoot friar around court. He was a fervent millenarist, believing that the end of the world was near. Personal Life Columbus married a Portuguese woman, Felipa Moniz Perestrelo, in 1477. She came from a semi-noble family with useful maritime connections. She died giving birth to a son, Diego, in 1479 or 1480. In 1485, while in Cà ³rdoba, he met young Beatriz Enrà ­quez de Trasierra, and they lived together for a time. She bore him an illegitimate son, Fernando. Columbus made many friends during his travels and he corresponded with them frequently. His friends included dukes and other noblemen as well as powerful Italian merchants. These friendships would prove useful during his frequent hardships and bouts of bad luck. A Journey West Columbus may have conceived of the idea of sailing west to reach Asia as early as 1481 due to his correspondence with an Italian scholar, Paolo del Pozzo Toscaneli, who convinced him it was possible. In 1484, Columbus made a pitch to King Joo of Portugal, who turned him down. Columbus proceeded to Spain, where he first proposed such a trip in January of 1486. Ferdinand and Isabella were intrigued, but they were occupied with the reconquest of Granada. They told Columbus to wait. In 1492, Columbus had just about given up (in fact, he was on his way to see the King of France) when they decided to sponsor his trip. First Voyage Columbus’ first voyage began on August 3, 1492. He had been given three ships: the Nià ±a, the Pinta and the flagship Santa Maria. They headed west and on October 12, sailor Rodrigo de Triana spotted land. They first landed on an island Columbus named San Salvador: there is some debate today as to which Caribbean island it was. Columbus and his ships visited several other islands including Cuba and Hispaniola. On December 25, the Santa Maria ran aground and they were forced to abandon her. Thirty-nine men were left behind at the settlement of La Navidad. Columbus returned to Spain in March of 1493. Second Voyage Although in many ways the first voyage was a failure–Columbus lost his biggest ship and did not find the promised route west–the Spanish monarchs were intrigued with his discoveries. They financed a second voyage, whose purpose was to establish a permanent colony. 17 ships and over 1,000 men set sail in October, 1493. When they returned to La Navidad, they discovered that everyone had been killed by irate natives. They founded the city of Santo Domingo with Columbus in charge, but he was forced to return to Spain in March of 1496 to obtain supplies to keep the starving colony alive. Third Voyage Columbus returned to the New World in May of 1498. He sent half of his fleet to resupply Santo Domingo and set off to explore, eventually reaching the north-eastern part of South America. He returned to Hispaniola and resumed his duties as governor, but the people despised him. He and his brothers were bad administrators and kept much of the little wealth generated by the colony for themselves. When the crisis reached a peak, Columbus sent to Spain for help. The crown sent Francisco de Bobadilla as governor: he soon identified Columbus as the problem and sent him and his brothers back to Spain in chains in 1500. Fourth Voyage Already in his fifties, Columbus felt he had one more trip in him. He convinced the Spanish crown to finance one more journey of discovery. Although Columbus had proven a poor governor, there was no doubting his sailing and discovery skills. He left in May of 1502 and arrived to Hispaniola just ahead of a major hurricane. He sent a warning to the 28-ship fleet about to depart for Spain to delay but they ignored him, and 24 of the ships were lost. Columbus explored more of the Caribbean and part of Central America before his ships rotted. He spent a year on Jamaica before being rescued. He returned to Spain in 1504. Legacy of Christopher Columbus Columbus’ legacy can be difficult to sort out. For many years, he was thought to have been the man who â€Å"discovered† America. Modern historians believe that the first Europeans to the New World were Nordic and arrived several hundred years before Columbus to the northern shores of North America. Also, many Native Americans from Alaska to Chile dispute the notion that the Americas needed to be â€Å"discovered† in the first place, as the two continents were home to millions of people and countless cultures in 1492. Columbus’ accomplishments should be considered in conjunction with his failures. The â€Å"discovery† of America would certainly have taken place within 50 years of 1492 had Columbus not ventured west when he did. Advances in navigation and ship construction made contact between the hemispheres inevitable. Columbus’ motives were mostly monetary, with religion a close second. When he failed to find gold or a lucrative trade route, he began collecting slaves: he believed that a trans-Atlantic slave trade would be quite lucrative. Fortunately, the Spanish monarchs outlawed this, but still, many Native American groups correctly remember Columbus as the New World’s first slaver. Columbus’ ventures were often failures. He lost the Santa Marà ­a on his first voyage, his first colony was massacred, he was a terrible governor, he was arrested by his own colonists, and on his fourth and last voyage he managed to strand some 200 men on Jamaica for a year. Perhaps his greatest failure was his inability to see what was right before him: the New World. Columbus never accepted that he had not found Asia, even when the rest of Europe was convinced that the Americas were something previously unknown. Columbus’ legacy was once very bright–he was considered for sainthood at one time–but now he is remembered as much for the bad as the good. Many places still bear his name and Columbus Day is still celebrated, but he is once again a man and not a legend. Sources: Herring, Hubert. A History of Latin America From the Beginnings to the Present.. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962 Thomas, Hugh. Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire, from Columbus to Magellan. New York: Random House, 2005.

How You Can Get ACT Accommodations Complete Guide

How You Can Get ACT Accommodations Complete Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips On the ACT, students with disabilities or other conditions might need accommodations, such as extra time or frequent breaks. But how do you get accommodations like extra time on the ACT? This in-depth guide will teach you about the process of applying for accommodations and which accommodations are most common. You want to do your best on the ACT- disability or other condition aside- so read on to learn about how to get the ACT accommodations you need. The Basics of ACT Accommodations To get ACT accommodations, you must work with your school to submit a request. Unfortunately, this means that requests can unfortunately take a little while to process- usually at least two weeks. Furthermore, getting accommodations approved isn’t easy. In most cases, you have to submit extensive documentation and even be prepared to resubmit information or appeal a decision. The documentation needed, the type of accommodations you request, and the process will vary by condition and/or disability. While we can’t list the ins and outs of documentation for every single disability category, we can provide a detailed overview of the process as well as information about documentation to help you get started. What Accommodations Can I Get on the ACT? There are four broad categories of accommodations you can get on the ACT: Accommodations but no extra time:Common accommodations include large-print test booklets, small group testing, rooms with wheelchair access, stop-the-clock timing, medical supplies or food in the testing room, and visual time signals. Extended time, or specifically, time and a half for the test:This comes out to five hours for the ACT, and five hours and 45 minutes for the ACT Plus Writing. Extended time may be combined with accommodations from the list above. Special testing:This includes more than extended time. These accommodations including a different test format such as Braille, use of a scribe for your essay, or testing over multiple days. For special testing, the testing is done at your school instead of a National Testing Center and isproctored by a coordinator who meets ACT qualifications. English learner supports: As of 2017,test takers whose native language is not English may request special ESL support on the ACT. These accommodations includeextra time, the use of an approved bilingual dictionary, and translated test instructions; they donotinclude translated test questions. Special testing is reserved for very serious disabilities and conditions, or for students who need accommodations outside the US and Canada. For example, if you have a condition that prevents you from writing independently, if you need the test in a different format such as Braille, or if you typically receive more than time and a half for regular tests at school as part of your IEP (Individualized Education Plan) or 504 Plan, you may qualify for special testing. Essentially, if your condition prevents you from taking the ACT in a National Test Center in one sitting, or without significant format changes, you may qualify for special testing. So which accommodations should you request? This will depend on your needs. Obviously, special testing is the hardest to obtain as it is reserved students with testing needs that differ the most from usual ACT testing procedure. A good guide as to which ACT testing accommodations you will receive is to consider the testing accommodations you already receive at school. Your ACT testing accommodations will probably match the accommodations you already receive.For example, if you're usually given extra time for tests, you'd likely benefit from extended time on the ACT. If you're able to test in a National Testing Center as long as you have certain accommodations, you should request one of the first two options, as the approval process will be somewhat easier. How Do I Qualify for ACT Accommodations? Only students with documented disabilities or conditions (including non-native speakers of English) qualify for accommodations on the ACT. The qualification process and documentation needed will vary by disability/condition and when you received your diagnosis. As a basic rule of thumb, the more recent your diagnosis is and/or the fewer accommodations you receive in school, the more detailed documentation you'll have to provide. There are two broad categories of documentation you will need: Record of your accommodations in school:You’ll need to have qualified officials at your school send documentation of your IEP (Individualized Education Plan), Section 504 Plan, or other Official Accommodations Plan you have in place. If you haven’t been receiving accommodations, you'll have to provide a detailed explanation as to why you haven’t used academic accommodations in the past and why you need them for the ACT. Complete diagnostic documentation of your disability or condition: Documentation must be up to date, and the timeline varies by condition. For instance, if you are seeking accommodation for ADHD, the diagnostic results cannot be more than three years old, and you must also include evidence that you were diagnosed before the age of 12. You won't need to give complete diagnostic documentation if your diagnosis was reconfirmed within one year prior to your request and it's more than three years old.In this case, ACT, Inc. will accept your school’s verification of having documentation on file, though they reserve the right to request that documentation at any point. Basically, if you’ve had your condition for a long time, your IEP or 504 Plan was updated in the past year,and you received diagnostic testing that reconfirmed a persistent diagnosis, ACT, Inc. will not request complete documentation. The disability categories that ACT, Inc. approves requests for are as follows: Learning Disabilities Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Psychiatric Disorders (Mood or Anxiety Disorders or Serious and Persistent Mental Illness) Visual Impairment Hearing Impairment Autism, Asperger's Disorder, Pervasive Development Disorder or Autism Spectrum Disorder Speech and Language Disorders Medical Conditions Traumatic Brain Injuries If you don't see your condition here, be sure to visit the ACT's website to view a complete list of eligible conditions (and the documentation you'll need to submit for each). As previously mentioned, non-native English speakers may also request English learner support on the ACT. You'll need to meet one or more of the following in order to qualify for special language support on the test: Trouble speaking, reading, writing, or understanding English Enrollment in an English-language support program at school Receipt of requested supports on classroom tests through a formalized plan Results from a suitable English-language assessment that indicate the student's limited proficiency in the language You might need to submit supporting documentation as well, such as an EL Plan, confirmation of your attendance in an English-language program, or an official accommodations plan. For more information about English-proficiency documentation, see the official ACT English Learner Support Documentation guide. Example of ACT Documentation for a Learning Disability The documentation required is different depending on what condition you are applying for, but generally it follows seven basic guidelines: The diagnosis is clearly stated. The information is current Educational, developmental, and medical history is presented. The diagnosis is supported. The functional limitation is described. Recommendation accommodations are justified. Evaluators’ professional credentials are established. As an example, let’s look at the documentation required for a learning disability- one of the most common disability categories in schools. You'd need to submit all the following to document your condition: A description of your learning disability and its developmental history. This includes a history of how your learning disability has affected you in school and a diagnostic history. A neuropsychological or psychoeducational evaluation that includes results of an intellectual assessment using a "complete and comprehensive battery." If you’re on an IEP at school, the testing you did to be placed on the IEP would likely meet this requirement. If you’re not on an IEP or didn’t get this testing, you might have to go to an outside source to get the complete the appropriate testing. Results of a complete achievement battery. Again, the testing you were given for your IEP would likely include this, though it’s possible to get this testing done outside of school as well. Other assessments for consideration of a differential diagnosis from co-existing neurological or psychiatric disorders. ACT, Inc. doesn’t just want to know how you were diagnosed with your learning disability; they also want to know about any other assessments you received for different possible disorders. Specific diagnosis and evidence that alternative explanations for your disorder were ruled out. Again, ACT, Inc. doesn’t simply want evidence of your learning disability but also proof that other possibilities were considered and then discarded. Description of your limitations and a rationale for the recommended test accommodations. This part of the documentation is incredibly important because it's where you'll explain how your learning disability limits you in school and why you need the accommodations you’re requesting. It’s basically your argument for why you need ACT accommodations. Whew! That’s a lot of paperwork. And that's just the documentation required for one disability. Be sure your documentation is complete and has been verified by professionals, including your doctor(s) and school officials. Remember, the documentation needed changes based on the disability. For a complete guide, including the exact documentation needed for each condition, seeACT, Inc.’s Policy for Documentation. If you’ve never had an IEP meeting, accommodations might be more difficult to get. How to Get Accommodations on the ACT, Step by Step Now that you know what documentation you need and the qualification standards, let’s learn how to actually submit your request for accommodations on the ACT. (You can also get an overview of how accommodations work by readingACT, Inc.'s Quick Start Guide.) Step 1: Register for the ACT online, making sure to list your preferred test center, and sign up before the deadline of your preferred test date. When you register, you'll indicate which kind of accommodation you need for the test. Step 2: Once you’ve registered for the ACT, you'll receive an email from ACT, Inc.This email will explain how to work with your school to submit a request for accommodations on the test. Forward this email to your school official, along with a filled-out Consent to Release Information to ACT PDF. Step 3: Your school official will submit your request to ACT, Inc. Within two weeks of your submission, your school official will be notified first of ACT, Inc.'s decision; he or she will then contact you with the results and explain the next steps. ACT, Inc. offers a convenient checklist of the entire accommodations request process that you can use as you work your way through the steps above. What Happens After I Submit My Request for ACT Accommodations? First of all, make sure that your school official submits your request, including all documentation, no later than the late registration deadline for that particular test date. In fact, the earlier you get your documentation submitted, the better- in case ACT, Inc. requests extra materials or documentation, which can slow the approval process. Once ACT, Inc. receives your materials, they'll pass them on for review. If you're missing important documentation, they'll notify you, and you can submit the extra materials. Your request will either be approved, sent to a specialist for further consideration, or put on hold as you're asked tosupply missing materials. Basically, if they don’t think they can approve your request, they will give you a chance to provide more evidence. The specialist will either approve or deny your request, provide a written reason why, and notify your school official of the decision (who will then notify you). If you are denied, you will be given a chance to appeal the decision and submit new materials. The entire process can take a few weeks, so be patient! Extra Tips for Getting Accommodations on the ACT As you can probably tell from the above, it's somewhat tough to get accommodations on the ACT. Because ACT accommodations are based on the accommodations you receive at school, it will be very difficult to get accommodations on the ACT if you aren't already receiving services of some kind. It should go without saying that you won’t be able to get extra time or special services if you do not have a documented disability or condition (or if you are a native English speaker). Keep in mind that there are no additional fees for accommodations. So even though it’s a complicated process to get accommodations, you should definitely request them if you need them. The ACT is a tough test, so if you typically get accommodations in school, you'll definitely want them on the ACT as well. And a final bit of advice? Ask your school for help! Don't be afraid to consult your school official and/or guidance counselor with any questions you have about ACT accommodations.Especially if you live in a state where all students are required to take the ACT, it’s highly likely that your school has helped previous students with getting accommodations. What’s Next? Even once you get your accommodations, it’s still important to study for the ACT to maximize your score. Avoid this common ACT mistake to improve your score, andcheck out our strategies to raise your ACT Writing score. Learn more about the national ACT average score and ACT score percentiles to get an idea of what score you should be aiming for. You might be curious as to what scores are considered good by various colleges. To find out, check out our guide to developing a target ACT score based on the schools you want to apply to. Wondering about what that composite ACT score represents in terms of right and wrong questions? Check out our guide to learn the ins-and-outs of ACT scoring, and get expert tips to help you use this information to your advantage. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Economic and Political Importance of Medieval Fairs in Europe Essay

Economic and Political Importance of Medieval Fairs in Europe - Essay Example This essay outlines economic and political significance of holding of fairs during medieval times in Europe. The main trade fairs were held in the European region mainly France, Germany and England. The most renowned fair was one held in Champagne region in France. Medieval fairs and markets first started as social gatherings, however, with time the fairs became central to the medieval economy. Major economic centers which were mainly big towns selected a particular day where people would congregate with their merchandise. Initially, the fairs would only involve local people but as travel became easier and safer, traders began to make long travels to participate in these fairs. This also opened up trade routes allowing a more widespread participation which also meant that the fairs had a wider variety of wares. Items brought forward were dependent on the main products available in different areas of the traders. The main commodities involved were wool and lead from England, iron from Spain, and silk and spices from the Middle and Far East. The fairs extended because the different participants had a different commodity to offer. Basically, this is what sustains every trade as people continue to demand for that which is not at their disposal. These trade fairs were sustained for both political and economic reasons. The main merchants and the political class had identified that trade fairs formed a basic source of revenue, this came through taxes and other form of duties levied to traders who came to sell their wares.

Commercial law ( commercial contracts ) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Commercial law ( commercial contracts ) - Essay Example A contract is said to be formed only if such counter-offer is accepted. The common practice is that until acceptance is conveyed to the offeror, it is not valid. Some exceptions in this regard are a) if the offeror has waived the requisite for communication b) when acceptance is communicated by post, it will be effective on posting. Communication sent through fax, telephone, computer, telex or fax is not effective until received by the offeror. Moreover, it is arduous to find when exactly a telex, fax, a message left on a telephone answering machine or e-mail message is actually â€Å"received.† Decided case laws on the subject indicate that the time when such a message becomes effective relies on a number of issues including customary business practices, the anticipations of the contracting parties and the court’s evaluation of which of them should bear the onus as decided in Brinkbon Ltd v Stahag Stad Gmbh1. In case of acceptance through the e-mail, the time when it will be effective has not yet been considered by the courts. It has been recommended that in case of e-mail acceptance, the postal rule can be applied as an intermediate is involved. Conversely, it is argued that general rule will be applicable, since e-mail messages are delivered instantaneous and there is no facility to find out when the e-mail message is actually delivered. Any uncertainty provisions in the commercial contracts may make the contract non -binding. For instance, an agreement that a contract is to have a ‘regular force majeure stipulations ‘is not binding as the same is uncertain, since there are no ‘customary force majeure stipulations ‘as decided in the case â€Å"British Electrical and Associated Industries (Cardiff) Ltd v Patley Processing Ltd2. â€Å" In â€Å"G Scammell and Nephew Ltd v Ouston3, â€Å"it was viewed that an arrangement or

Google Health and the Future of Personal Health Records Case Study

Google Health and the Future of Personal Health Records - Case Study Example Even Microsoft or Apple failed to recognize the opportunity provided by PHRs. It should be noted that Google was waiting for a breakthrough product to capture or regain market dominance. It should be noted that Google’s market share was considerably reduced in the recent past because of tight competition from prominent companies such as Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon etc. The offering of the cloud-based product Google Health in 2008 was received with high expectations. Many people though that Google at last succeeded in developing a breakthrough product to counter the challenges from competitors. Nobody can blame the consumer expectation of this product, especially because it could represent a truly consumer based PHR, given the characteristics of the company behind its design. Google was successful in incorporating all the ingredients needed for a PHR system to Google health. Google’s market reputation was huge and nobody had any doubt about the capabilities of Goo gle. Moreover the health care reform initiative in America is getting momentum after to Obama came into power. In short, the opportunity for Google health was huge. Sometimes facts are stranger than fiction. In the case of Google Health, the above statement is absolutely true. On June 24th of 2011, Google Health crashed in its intent of positioning in the difficult PHR market, leaving behind many questions and some lessons for future entrants. This paper reviews and analyses the reasons why Google Health failed as a health information solution for consumer/patient healthcare information management and the future of PHRs. Archer (2011) mentioned that â€Å"Electronic personal health record systems (PHRs) support patient cantered healthcare by making medical records and other relevant information accessible to patients, thus assisting patients in health self-management† (Archer, 2011, p.515). Current

The Reasons the Roman Empire Fell Research Paper

The Reasons the Roman Empire Fell - Research Paper Example For the economic reason, Rome’s decline was precipitated by the decline in manufacturing and trade which resulted in the populations loss of purchasing ability. This resulted in the widening between the rich and the poor. For military reason, Rome’s armies became political as it can determine succession of emperors. Soldiers also became scarce as the empire can no longer afford to pay them. Rome resorted to barbarian troops which has no loyalty to Rome and cannot be depended on defending Rome. It is more interested in obtaining spoils of war and cannot be depended on to fight their fellow barbarians in behalf of Rome. Politically, patriotism and pride among Romans dwindled as most emperors no longer command respect and loyalty. Democracy was no longer practiced and its citizens can no longer vote. Rome’s leadership also deteriorated that it slid to patronage politics where loyalty is bestowed to an Emperor instead of the state. There was also no orderly transitio n of power, partly because the military meddles with the succession of the emperors. Rome became divided the creation of two empires brought about loyalty crisis. The division started when Constantine made Byzantium a capital which was formerly in Rome. The succeding emperor, Diocletian thought that by dividing Rome into two would strengthen the empire, in fact brought the opposite and furthered the division of the empire and precipiated its fall. This period marked a crisis characterized by military Anarchy (235 -284 AD) when its emperor, Alexander Severus was assasinated. Rome ceased to be a learning center and instead became preoccupied with gladiator shows and chariot contests instead of intellectual pursuits. In a way also, Christianity contributed to the fall of Rome because it undermined the basis of its leadership such as imperial divinity. Hunger, plagued, famine and war ensued that deteriorated the Roman empire further. In general, Rome fell due to its dependency to non-Ro mans which later turned against the empire. The Antonine Plague which wreaked havoc in 165 Ad also wiped out nearly half of its population with the spread of the epidemics such as measles and small pox. The annihilation of its population precipitated its dependency towards barbarians who turned against the empire. These barbarians were not really concerned with the security and protection of Rome but only with the loot and spoils of war. The infusion of non-Romans into its military also diluted its sense of patriotism and sense of loyalty to the empire. One of the more popular theories which was attributed to the decline and fall of Rome is its moral degradation which is often depicted in popular media such as the movie Gladiator. The series of war it was involved in also caused the demise of the Roman Empire. The first war with the Visigoths in 376-382 AD where Emperor was killed allowed the fleeing Huns to live in the borders of Rome who later rebelled against the Empire and contr ibuting to its instability2 (Goldsworthy, 2009, 13). Rome also lost during the first war. The Alaric war, which was also known as the second war with the Visigoths ultimately led to the sacking of Rome in 410. Alaric invaded Italy and eventually founded the Visigothic Kingdom in Gaul and Hispania3 (Gibbon et al., 2003, 318) Many of its territories, such as those in the regions of Hispania and

Regina Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Regina Company - Case Study Example d went on unidentified for a long period of time and it made the company create a good image of its success but this was not to go on since the company started experiencing losses when it could not keep up with the fraud. The auditors should have checked the financial records and also identify the source documents for every activity of Regina so as to determine if the figures were the same in all the receipts and the records maintained by Regina. 4. Since the auditors detected one ship-in-place transaction they ought to have acted independently and carry out a thorough investigation on the matter even after being told that there was no additional ship-in-place transaction as this is the duty of the auditor to ensure that dig deeper on the issue without trusting the people on the ground as they tend to conceal the truth. 5. The auditor is supposed to place little or no reliance on the client inquiries. The client is only supposed to answer questions when called upon to do so by the auditor and no opinion or suggestion should be taken from the client whatsoever. 6. The statement â€Å"why don’t you write something to get the stock up?† made by Sheelen to his financial analyst is inappropriate in the sense that it amounts to a fraud on the part of the company and also it is a way of conceal the true value of the company’s stocks from the innocent

A Time To Learn by George H. Wood ph.d Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

A Time To Learn by George H. Wood ph.d - Essay Example iter on the very first page where he states that, â€Å"This book is about the work it will take to reinvent our high schools, moving them from institutions to communities (Wood, 1999, Pg. 1)†. The author’s own experiences as an educator in the college as well as high school environment certainly add to the value of the book since the readers understand that the writer has been an active participant in the education process rather than an outsider looking in to act as a researcher or consultant. That is not to say that Wood’s work does not include any research since he worked for more than a decade as a professor of education which certainly entails its own requirements for research and experimentation. The combination of research and the experiential knowledge gained by Dr. Wood makes it possible for readers to understand clearly why most reform initiatives in schools today fail to meet their mark. Reforms which are half baked, non intuitive and do not take into account the needs of the students are hardly useful or even appreciated by those who are most involved in the process. As recommended in the book, teachers as well as students have to be made interested in the changes which are taking place in a school before the changes can lead to meaningful output. At the same time, participation from other stakeholders is also an important factor for the successful implementation of the reforms and these stakeholders include everyone from the parents who send their children to the school to administrative boards who have to maintain the legal guidelines and mandatory guidelines coming from the local, state or federal bodies for the governance of the American education system. Even the community at large can participate in how schools are run at a given location since they too can be affected by the operation and systems used at a school. A typical student spends more than five thousand hours of his/her life in high school and that is a significant portion of time

Regina Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Regina Company - Case Study Example d went on unidentified for a long period of time and it made the company create a good image of its success but this was not to go on since the company started experiencing losses when it could not keep up with the fraud. The auditors should have checked the financial records and also identify the source documents for every activity of Regina so as to determine if the figures were the same in all the receipts and the records maintained by Regina. 4. Since the auditors detected one ship-in-place transaction they ought to have acted independently and carry out a thorough investigation on the matter even after being told that there was no additional ship-in-place transaction as this is the duty of the auditor to ensure that dig deeper on the issue without trusting the people on the ground as they tend to conceal the truth. 5. The auditor is supposed to place little or no reliance on the client inquiries. The client is only supposed to answer questions when called upon to do so by the auditor and no opinion or suggestion should be taken from the client whatsoever. 6. The statement â€Å"why don’t you write something to get the stock up?† made by Sheelen to his financial analyst is inappropriate in the sense that it amounts to a fraud on the part of the company and also it is a way of conceal the true value of the company’s stocks from the innocent

Benchmarking as an important activity in the analysis of e-Business Essay

Benchmarking as an important activity in the analysis of e-Business Web sites - Essay Example E-business has given every organization that uses it a additional advantage running their businesses. Competition to produce an online website that tells about the organization and its product has also started. In the same way selling products online through a website has also become popular, there are certain advantages attached to it but we wont go into that detail. Another important aspect of running a business online successfully is to check whether an organization's website is according to the standards of its competitors. This can be done using certain techniques like surveys, questionnaires and conducting interviews. This article explored a new technique called benchmarking. Benchmarking is basically evaluating the content of the website in terms of its usefulness and usability compared to your competitors. The importance of this method can be gauged by the fact that the two aspects that are being benchmarked namely usefulness and usability can only determine the actual return your website is giving to the organization. Claiming your website is successful by checking the number of times it has been viewed is useless, instead the benchmarking method makes a lot of sense as it is analyzing the two vital factors that originally decide whether a website is successful or not. If we go 30 years back in time there was no concept of using a computer to communicate to a co-worker or sending an email to your boss for a certain favor. Records were kept on files in a closet. If your boss needed information about last year's sale you had to tell him if he can wait for 2 days, and your boss agreed. Today if you reply to your boss in the same manner it's obvious your boss won't accept your reply, instead it might be possible that you are fired. This gets a bit harsh but this is a fact. Technology has taken great steps all these years and is looking to go even faster as the time moves on. It is important for every person to keep up with the moving technology to survive in this world, especially organizations that are running businesses internationally and on the Internet. Keeping in touch with the technology trend has become a necessity in this case as every organization looks for improving itself with the use of newer and better technology. E-business might seem e asy as to setup a website and conduct your business online, but its not the case and its not as easy as you think. As new and better technologies enter the market an organization has to make sure that it acquires it and makes the best use of it. It is important to keep abreast of technology trends when running an e-business because once a firm starts e-business it is attaching itself to the world of Internet and technology, and if an organization gets involved in this world it has to keep a track of what is going on and what is new so as to make sure it does not lag behind in any field. Q. 3. Comment on one recent technology trend, and discuss how it might affect an e-Business. As technology advances trends are being setup. For example a certain technology becomes famous as it enters the market and everyone gets attracted to it for a while. After 3 or 4 months a better technology comes into being and now people are driven towards this one. This will keep

Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument Essay Example for Free

Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument Essay The organization I last worked with is an IT/ITES company, which is one of the fastest growing fortune 500 companies. The organization has a balanced out structure however there is a little dominance towards ‘The Market’. As per my experience I can say that the reason for this is that the organization is relatively young and striving to compete with the best in the industry. This requires leaders to be competitive and to an extent demanding. Also the employees are dedicated towards the company’s vision and hence strive to achieve the goals and targets set for them. Culture – Strong. People are focused on innovating and brainstorming towards ideas that the management can implement and improve their processes. The company is people oriented which in turn creates a high commitment level from the employees. The organization has leaders who are efficient and ensure smooth running of the company. The company is sensitive towards the clients and customers and goes an extra mile to deliver better than the expectations. This is the reason for them to be able to retain customers and get new businesses. Another fact that I am aware of is that the organization has not till date fired any employee unless in extreme ethical sensitive issues. An example of people being valued and everyone considered equal is that when I joined the company as a fresher some of my friends who ad joined along with me sent a mail to the CEO regarding a certain issue and got a reply from him with the action that would be taken. Since mostly the organizational structure is balanced out there is not much discrepancy. I would however like the company reduce its dominance in the Market style and according to me that will happen with time. Yes there is a cultural congruence and that is mainly because the company’s culture was same as my expectation.

Although it is clearly a product of its time, The Speckled Band holds :: Free Essay Writer

Although it is clearly a product of its time, The Speckled Band holds the interest of a modern audience and s a fine example. â€Å"Although it is clearly a product of its time, The Speckled Band holds the interest of a modern audience and s a fine example of the detective story genre.† Do you agree with this comment on Conan Doyle’s story? The Speckled Band has a Victorian context and in the Victorian times stories had different aspects, which they found appealing, but as a modern audience we are attracted to other aspects of stories. Because of these different appeals we know that The Speckled Band is a product of its time. The Speckled Band keeps the modern reader guessing the solution to the crime. This is very entertaining for the reader as they must try to find the answer before Sherlock Holmes does. Sherlock Holmes is characterised as an almost super human person with amazing powers of deduction this makes us admire him. Watson (Holmes’s accomplice) is a key character as he is someone who we relate to as he goes on the same journey as us. The speech in the speckled band is in a formal tone, â€Å"my name is Sherlock Holmes. This is my intimate friend and associate Dr Watson† this is different to our modern stories as we like to show less restrained emotions, so some readers may find the tone boring. The sentences spoken are long and complicated in structure they have an exaggerated style, â€Å"I observe that you are shivering†. We see again that The Speckled Band is a product of its time as there is a lot of old fashioned language, like â€Å"sorry to knock you up† and â€Å"haggard†. One of the popular appeals in Victorian times was melodrama and there is lots of this in the story. The helplessness of Helen Stoner and the fact that she needs Holmes to â€Å"advise [her] how to walk amid the dangers which encompass [her]†would appeal to the Victorians a lot as in those times women were considered the more vulnerable sex, but a modern audience may find this over the top because it is over exaggerated to us. The modern audience may find it even more overdramatic that Helen Stoner needs Sherlock to â€Å"throw a little light through the dense darkness which surrounds [her]† the modern audience sees this melodrama as too forced and false. But Victorians loved it as in their times men were considered as strong, brave and the ones who would stand up for women. This also shows that The Speckled Band was a product of its time.

Racism in Tracking Essay -- essays papers

Racism in Tracking Ideally, the education system in the United States aims to serve as the great equalizer in the constant struggle to counter decades and centuries of historical oppression against those of non-European descent. The ideology of education as a great equalizer purports a pedagogy as a starting point for those oppressed and separated by such forces as race and class to have access to a quality education, and hence an equal chance at all the US has to offer. It attempts to bring children from disparate realms in a place that serves them all equitably. This ideal constantly challenges the broader values of equality, liberty and democracy considered to be at the core of American ideology. In interpreting this conception, two questions are indirectly answered by examining our educational practices: Does equality in education simply foresee that all students are treated the same, despite their different needs? Or, does it intend to challenge and rectify past inequalities for a truly equ itable educational system? The ideology of education as the great equalizer rests on several assumptions. The first, as stated by bell hooks, is the idea that, "To educate as the practice of freedom is a way of teaching that anyone can learn" (hooks, p.13, 1994). hooks expresses well the understated notion that, education as a democratic practice, available for all, is based on the assumption that all children, all people, are capable of learning. Another assumption is that children have different needs, and at its best, aims to provide resources according to need. Most importantly, naming this ideology "the great equalizer" in itself assumes that education has the potential to be the key force to counter inequality in society. Though a powerful assumption to make, it can fail to acknowledge the need to reconstruct all other institutions affecting children. The assumptions that everyone can learn, and that schools have the potential to transform a country with a tradition of hatred and an unequal distribution of wealth, extend from the vision of education as a democratic practice where there is "a struggle for both change and the freedom to change" (Irwin, p. 51, 1991). The change is about transforming an exclusive, often oppressive and disempowering system into a more inclusive, equal, and equitable one that is accessible to children from ... ...ike democracy, is a process, and not an end in itself. In my view, system-wide, large-scale reform is needed to achieve the goal of "getting all young people as close as possible to their upper limits of learning potentialities" (Perrone, p. 15, 1991). This is crucial to ensure change because "trying to transform schools within the existing structure is a contradictory process" (Murphy, p. 38, 1991). The first step is to involve the traditionally voiceless at all decision-making levels to best determine what the needs of the least privileged are, if we are truly committed to providing opportunities that respond to children's needs. I specify, "opportunities" through funding based on my assumption and belief that money can improve education through attracting and keeping good teachers, reducing class sizes, establishing programs to respond to different needs, and maintaining healthy facilities and quality resources. Equitable funding, where all children have the chance to receive a high-quality education, is the first step towards ed ucation acting as the great equalizer in a country where oppression limits, dehumanizes, and disempowers in virtually every other life realm.

La Lodge and Entr’acte

I think that the poem entr'acte describes the painting very well. It brings across the feelings of the two people in it in a very good and sensitive way. Firstly the title of the poem -‘entr'acte' makes the poem sound elegant and impressive, or even sophisticated. The title means in between acts which describes the painting very well because she is just sitting there and he has his eyes on things completely away from the stage. Entr'acte also sounds a bit like ‘attract' so maybe that has something to do with it. At the start of the poem it says ‘the cuff links whispers to the glove, such elegance and all for love' I think in These lines the man speaking and he is saying to himself how elegant he is in his suit, (maybe he is being vain) and he how has done it all for love, maybe the love of the woman sitting in front of him or maybe the women he is looking at through his binoculars. Then in the second stanza ‘the glove confesses to the glass, oh how slowly five acts pass.' I think that it is the woman speaking about herself and how slowly five acts pass. Maybe the five acts pass slowly because she is not interested in the performance and is bored or maybe it is because she is waiting for the end so she can get away and do something else. In the first line of the third stanza, ‘the glass is lifted to the eye' I think this maybe the poet speaking, doing a running commentary of what is going on. On the second line of the stanza,' Show me a tear I cannot dry' I think this is the glass speaking about how the woman might be crying inside. She might be crying in the inside because the man is horrible to her or maybe because she just does not want to be there. Its like she's crying inside but is holding herself together so she doesn't show it. In the first line of the forth stanza ‘The eye shows nothing to the eye' I think this means that if you look at someone you cant judge them by what they look like because you cant see what they are like inside. In the second line ‘such elegance and all for art' I think It could be the man talking and saying that she was there displayed in the front of the box just for show. To say to the other people there that yes he could have a beautiful woman, or she could be there to make other woman jealous. Maybe the line means something completely different and the poet is saying ‘such elegance'- because they are all dressed up in beautiful clothes, and ‘all for art'- because In the end the people in the picture were probably there just to pose for the artist to paint them. In the painting it has the woman at the front of the picture- is this just so the man can show her off or is it because he is being a gentleman and letting her sit in front so she can see better. He is sitting at the back his could because if he looks up at other woman in the audience she won't be able to see. She is also wearing flowers by her face and breast as if to draw attention to these features. Her face is fixed, and her eyes especially make her look sad inside as if she is trying to put on a show, to hide her emotions in public. Her lips are bright red maybe for love, anger, passion or lust. Her dress is black and white stripes like a prisoners clothes, maybe she's trapped by the man behind her from freedom. Overall I think that the man behind her is using her to show of to the woman he is maybe looking at in the audience. He has dressed her and himself up in very exquisite and elegant clothes just for the show and to make him look wealthy. I think she is sad and upset that she is trapped as a model for him and is bored by the whole performance; she not very interested in it and probably wants to be somewhere else.

Health Benefits of Seaweed Essay

Food is an important component of health because the body can receive more nutrients from it such as vegetables, fruits or seafood. In regards to seafood, we cannot forget to mention seaweed. The issue of health benefits of seaweed has grown in importance. In addition, scientist has proven that seaweed has the widest range of minerals. It is not only a good source of nutrients can prevent some diseases but also giving individual and natural beauty. Seaweed has many different types and colors and each type of seaweed has a unique nutrient composition. A study has confirmed that seaweed inherently benefits for health; it has many minerals which are available in the food people eat such as iron, calcium, B-vitamin or magnesium†¦ that can against lots of diseases. For example, seaweed is very high in lignans, which help the body prevent the chemical oestrogens that can cause breast cancer in woman. Additionally, magnesium has been shown that can reduce heart attack for people who has a high blood pressure. Moreover, seaweed is a rich source of fiber molecule align that can prevent constipation from our body. About B-vitamin folic acid, it reduces colon cancer. Or the folic acid, it has a role in protecting others important like prevent certain birth defects; including spina bifida and the chemical Homocysteine – cardiovascular disease and stroke†¦ Not only that, seaweed can cure stressful in humans with magnesium, pantothenic acid and riboflavin. Three of them are necessary for energy production. Seaweed is also a woman’s friend because it’s high in nutrients, low in calories that help them manage their weight in diet. Like McAdams said that seaweed is a food free weight because it’s virtually fat free, it just provide only 5 to 20 calories in a meal (Health benefits), so they don’t have to worry about weight gain and control body fat. In other hand to food supply, seaweed has vitamin which benefits for natural beauty. It improves the viscosity and elasticity of your skin. Besides that, it reacts with protein to form a gel that moisturizes skin and precludes wrinkles. Wrinkles are the enemy of women so they try to find the best solution to have smoother, more youthful skin in just 30 days. For your hair, seaweed has the effect of making your hair smoother, softer and lighter. The black-brown seaweed is called Arame, nourishes the scalp and hair follicles and makes your hair look healthier. So lots of companies have been producing many new products that made from seaweed. Basically, seaweed health benefits are undeniable. Seaweed is easy to make with food and it’s very popular for Asian, specially Japan and Korean. Overall, seaweeds are highly nutritious, like a book â€Å"Seaweed Beauty Guide† said: â€Å"It is a nature’s secret to balancing your metabolism, fighting disease, revitalizing body and mind. † (Cooksley 83) The findings of this research have shown that the benefits of seaweed are countless, that’s a reason why everyone should eat. The numbers of people in Europe, who discover and use seaweed, are recently increasing. Seaweed would be a â€Å"secret key† for a long and healthy life and your family.

Intro to MT

What is Medical Technology? Branch of laboratory medicine which deals with the diagnostic or therapeutic applications of science and technology. Also known as Clinical Laboratory Science A dynamic healthcare profession that deals with the study and practice of diagnostic laboratory medicine. Ruth Heinemann (1963) The application of principles of natural, physical, and biological sciences to the performance of laboratory procedures which aid in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.Anna Fagelson (1961) The branch of medicine concerned with the performance of laboratory determinations and analyses used in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease and the maintenance of health. Walters The health profession concerned with performing laboratory analyses in view of obtaining information necessary in the diagnosis and treatment of disease as well as in the maintenance of good health.Republic Act NO. 5527 An auxiliary branch of laboratory medicine which deals with the examination by vari ous chemical, microscopic, bacteriologic and other medical laboratory procedures r technique which will aid the physician in the diagnosis, study, and treatment of disease and in the promotion of health in general.Medical Technologist A person who engages in the work of medical technology under the supervision of a pathologist or licensed physician authorized by the Department of Health in places where there is no pathologist and who having passed the prescribed course (Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology/Bachelor of Science in Public Health) of training and examination is registered under the provision of this Act. Nature of Work Medical Technologists perform complex chemical, biological, hematological, immunologic, microscopic, and bacteriological analyses, including: Microscopically examine blood and other body fluids.Make cultures of body fluid and tissue samples to determine the presence of bacteria, tungi, parasites, or other microorganisms. Analyze samples tor chemical content or a chemical reaction and determine concentrations of compounds such as blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Type and cross match blood samples for transfusions. Evaluate test results, develop and modify procedures, and establish and monitor rograms to ensure the accuracy of tests.In what way will it be of help and importance to our society? To improve the management of health conditions using various means of identifying the causes and nature of diseases. To aid other health professionals in decision-making as well as in therapeutic directions; Ultimately to deliver an excellent patient care and improve the quality of life. Field of Specialty Hematology Clinical Chemistry Clinical Microscopy (Parasitology) Microbiology (Bacteriology, Mycology) Blood Bank & Transfusion Practices

Russian Modern and Contemporary Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Russian Modern and Contemporary Art - Essay Example The paper "Russian Modern and Contemporary Art" analyzes the influence of Russian contemporary artistic work on the economy and political landscape of Russia. People of Russia who are the biggest market to the modern contemporary art works treasure the Russian, modern art. Through globalization, many things are taking a new turn in Russia and the art world is among the affected. While themes are, altering Russian contemporary artists lagged behind their western counterparts in the use of modern, innovative materials. Public acknowledgement of the progress made modern art is a boosting factor as many people are giving their support as well as interest in the art works. The government and The Moscow Museum of Modern Art are in the forefront in developing the contemporary art industry. They prioritise promotion of young, and emerging talented artists by bringing them into contemporary artistic process via the activities of the Independent Workshops School of Contemporary Art. The Moscow Museum of Modern Art has amassed public support since it was launched in 1999 becoming an energetic industry that has a significant role on the Moscow art scene. Contemporary art forms have been integral in spreading the Russian culture globally. For the first time, popular culture was changed from being a cultural heritage of a certain region and spread worldwide. For instance, soviet leaders used movies and cinemas to advance their socialist values to remote areas, and in the meantime allowed people.

New Malaria Vaccine Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

New Malaria Vaccine - Research Paper Example One of the reasons why formulating vaccines have proved challenging is due to the constantly adapting nature of malaria parasites. The latter either evolve drug-resistance or the mosquitoes themselves constantly change and become insecticide resistant. It is in this context that the thrust of new research should be based. The article by Anthony Watts, posted in his website ‘Watts Up With That?’ presents recent discoveries in this area. The article is a summary of the research paper presented in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA in September of 2010. Usually, malaria parasites use certain pathways to infect human cells. The identification of one such key pathway is believed to provide scientists will crucial leads. The research team at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute has been credited with this identification. They now believe that a new vaccine target can be produced, through which contact with malaria could be avoided. The most lethal form of malaria is caused by the parasite Plasmodium Falciparum. The ability of this parasite to invade red blood cells through numerous channels is what makes it difficult to contain. It is conventional knowledge that the parasites enter red blood cells by using proteins called glycophorins. What the researchers found is another way through which the parasite enters red blood cells. This pathway â€Å"does not involve glycophorins, instead requiring the binding of a parasite molecule named PfRh4 to Complement Receptor 1 (CR1), a common protein found on the surface of red blood cells. PfRh family of surface proteins is involved in the recognition of red blood cell receptors, which allows the parasite to attach to the red blood cell surface and gain entry.† (wattsupwiththat.com, 2010) Professor Alan Cowman, who leads the research project at Walter & Eliza Hall Medical Research Institute, offers more insights into the identified mechanism. For example, he thinks that the malaria par asite uses this protein as a guide. The protein helps the parasite identify red blood cells upon which it can attach itself. Cowman reckons that the PfRh4-CR1 pathway is key for successful entry of malaria parasites into RBC. By virtue of this discovery, biologists can now device the ideal combination of proteins to serve as a vaccine. It is believed that by blocking both glycophorin and CR1 pathways, the chances of malaria infection is nearly eliminated. These results indicate â€Å"that if a vaccine were to stimulate the immune system to recognize and generate antibodies to the prevalent invasion pathways, there is a good chance it would lead to a significant decrease in malaria infection.† (wattsupwiththat.com, 2010) This area of research is still in its infancy and pending robust clinical longitudinal trials. Paralleling the work done by the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, a team in Michigan State University has created a malaria vaccine, which combin es the â€Å"use of a disabled cold virus with an immune system-stimulating gene – that appears to increase the immune response against the parasite that causes the deadly disease.† (www.news-medical.net, 2011). Similarly, another group of researchers under the mentorship of Andrea Amalfitano of the College of Osteopathic Medicine have discovered a immune-system stimulating agent. But unfortunately, this agent has proven

Risk Assessment and Security Controls Assignment

Risk Assessment and Security Controls - Assignment Example 4. Incident response management – management oversight, plans, defined roles to quickly discover an attack and effectively containing the damage and remove the attackers' presence, and restore the integrity of the network and system (www.sans.org, nd.) Boundary defence – detect/prevent/correct flow of data transfer in the network by establishing different trust levels. Application software security – all acquired software must be managed to prevent, detect and correct security weakness (sans.org c, nd). Malware defence – control the spread of malicious code at multiple points. This would include the rapid update of malware defence, data gathering and corrective action (sans.org b, nd). Data protection – must have tools that will prevent data exfiltration to preserve the integrity of critical data. Data recovery capability – the system must properly back up critical data and must have the capability to recover it in the event of the attack and /or loss. 10. Continuous vulnerability assessment and remediation - - continuous evaluation of new information to identify vulnerabilities that would minimize if not totally eliminate opportunities for attackers.     Ã‚  

International Analysis of Organization Design Essay - 1

International Analysis of Organization Design - Essay Example Such is a significant feature that influences the management of organizations in different regions. Multinational organizations that exist in more than one country must always adopt unique organizational structures and systems of management in the various countries in order to suite with the culture of people in the different markets as the discussion below portrays. China is the largest economy in the East and is among the largest markets in the world. The country has conducive environment for doing business owing to the large population and the low production costs. As such, numerous multinational companies target the market. However, Chinese people have a unique culture. The history of the country presents a country that remained secluded from the rest of the world thus succeeded in forming a unique system of governance coupled with an equally unique culture. The culture of China therefore influences the management of the multinational organizations that set up shops in the country. Despite the lucrative nature of the market, the companies must always adopt new structures and systems of management in order to operate in the region (Juvidan, Dorfman & House, 2006). -Develop its brand and the visibility and spread of the stores so as to make it the first choice when it comes to coffee, easy to find and familiar with the environment and hard to switch to substitutes Key among the multinational companies that operate in China is Starbucks. Starbucks Corporations, also known as Starbucks Coffee is an American company and the largest coffee company in the world. The company operates in more than two thousand locations throughout the world. While the United States is its largest market, the company operates in many other countries with China forming headquarter in its eastern frontier. The company is a large and accepted brand in China. The company’s success in China is because of specific changes in the management of the

Price Elasticity of Demand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Price Elasticity of Demand - Essay Example With changes in market dynamics, burgeoning population, increasing competition in job markets, and rapid technological changes that out phase odd manual jobs, demand for formal education has skyrocketed over the last decade. This happens as people strive to better their competitiveness in securing formal employment. Placing the  high value on academic certificates as an essential aspect in securing any employment has led to an increased demand for further education across  the  board, which in turn creates high demand for colleges and universities, giving way to the proliferation of many institutions offering bachelor degrees and masters as well. A study on income levels among employees with different academic qualifications reveals that there are wide disparities in salaries of diploma, the  degree, and masters degree holders. Salaries increase with  the  increase in academic qualifications with master’s degree holders earning twice as much as degree holders who i n turn earn twice what high school diploma holders earn on average. Those with no formal education form the bulk of unemployed population across the country, often performing poorly paid manual jobs in homesteads, municipal councils and mining zones among other similar places. Office jobs are a preserve for the highly qualified in  the formal education, especially those with bachelor degrees and above. Management jobs are common with master’s degree holders and those with many certificates in support courses.... Other factors that affect the elasticity of demand include changes in income levels, persistence of price changes, and product demand patterns among others. With changes in market dynamics, burgeoning population, increasing competition in job markets, and rapid technological changes that out phase odd manual jobs, demand for formal education has skyrocketed over the last decade. This happens as people strive to better their competitiveness in securing formal employment. Placing high value on academic certificates as an essential aspect in securing any employment has led to an increased demand for further education across board, which in turn creates high demand for colleges and universities, giving way to the proliferation of many institutions offering bachelor degrees and masters as well. A study on income levels among employees with different academic qualifications reveals that there are wide disparities in salaries of diploma, degree and masters degree holders. Salaries increase with increase in academic qualifications with master’s degree holders earning twice as much as degree holders who in turn earn twice what high school diploma holders earn on average. Those with no formal education form the bulk of unemployed population across the country, often performing poorly paid manual jobs in homesteads, municipal councils and mining zones among other similar places. Office jobs are a preserve for the highly qualified in formal education, especially those with bachelor degrees and above. Management jobs are common with master’s degree holders and those with many certificates in support courses relevant to their field of occupation. This state of affairs places high value

Social Science Essay Example for Free

Social Science Essay I must admit that before my trip to the California African American Museum I was skeptical that I would learn anything of value to myself from that experience. Being of foreign descent, American History is a bit alien to me and even more so for African American history. Yet as the day went on, I found myself staring in awe at the displays and gaining a profound respect for the African American culture. The first thing which caught my attention was that the California African American Museum was adorned all over by Afrocentric artwork. It was strange the way the paintings attracted by attention. Normally I don’t pay attention to paintings but there was something about these paintings that struck me. The history and beauty of the African American culture was unlike any I had ever seen or experienced previously. On a personal level, the relevance of this to me is that I too am of a different race. I have my own unique culture and I deeply cherish this. Seeing this display made me realize the beauty of my own culture. I began to understand how strong a people can be as long as they appreciate and cherish their own culture. I am not ashamed to admit my roots and my culture. In fact, I can proudly say that because of my experience at this museum I have come to accept more my culture and come to a better understanding of who I am in this world. Another profound feeling I got from my visit was the manner by which this place was designed. The California African American Museum is a fairly large space and has plenty to offer its visitors from painting to sculpture to multimedia installations by African-American artists. Perhaps the most amazing of all the displays is the rotating exhibits of the Rhythms of the Soul, a showcase of the instruments of Africa (Kennedy 2007). One can clearly see how rich the cultural heritage of the African American culture is. In the same line of thinking, one can imagine how cultures and races have evolved from their primitive origins into what they are today. These items are some of the many wonderful pieces that I saw at the California African American Museum. The piece on the left most portion is a head-dress from Nigeria while the one on the right most portion is a face-mask from the Republic of Congo. Being of foreign descent, I had never previously encountered such strange things and so when I first saw these things I had to admit that I was a bit dumbfounded by it and could make neither heads nor tails of them. Along with these ceremonial masks were decorative household implements from across Sub-Saharan Africa. These works show the type of art historical context that African Americans participated in prior to coming to the United States (Kennedy 2007). It was a context that was based on communal well being that encompassed ritual, mythology and cosmology that connected the people with their environment (Gerstle 2002). I dare say that my appreciation for this place has a lot to do with the many races and cultures in the area. The United States is a melting pot of many different cultures. There are so many diverse people in a single location and they all bring their heritage with them. The result is a rich tapestry of culture that is unlike any that can be found in the world (Gerstle 2002). The thing that makes this even more special is the acceptance of the people for the uniqueness of others. This is why I feel that this museum is one of my favorite locations because it is a testament to that spirit of acceptance and mutual respect. As I continue through my favorite place, I see that there are more surprises in store for me as inside the galleries of the California African-American Museum are treasures of African-American art, history and culture. A kaleidoscope of art and history exhibitions is designed to enhance the publics knowledge of the African-Americans contributions, both past and present. Quite a number of these exhibitions also explore little-known African-American contributions to the fields of science, sports, medicine, and technological invention. Upcoming exhibits feature Blacks in golf, science, technology and the California gold rush. As a whole, I think that the California African American Museum is my favorite place because it is very enlightening. While not totally ignorant of the plight of the early African Americans in the United States, I saw another side of this culture. One that is very diverse and full of mysticism and full of talent. The African Americans are a proud people and the California African American Museum has shown that they indeed have every right to be proud. With a background as colorful and magical as theirs, the African Americans and perhaps the rest of the world should all join in to preserve and to develop whatever remains of that proud and beautiful heritage of theirs. Works Cited: Minchin, Timothy. Hiring Black Worker: The Racial Integration of the Southern Textile Industry. North Carolina: The University of North Carolina Press, 1999. Roth, Byron. Prescription for Failure: Race Relations in the Age of Social Science. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers, 1994. Swain, Carol. The New White Nationalism in America: Its Challenge to Integration. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Kennedy, David, Cohen, Lizabeth, and Piehl, Mel (2007) The Brief American Pageant: A History of the Republic Wadsworth Publishing Company 7th Edition ISBN: 0618776125 Hollitz, John (2006) Contending Voices: Biographical Explorations of the American Past, Volume II: Since 1865 (Second Edition) (Paperback) Wadsworth Publishing; 2 edition (June 22, 2006) ISBN-10: 0618660887 Gerstle, Gary (2002) American Crucible: Race and Nation in the Twentieth Century (Paperback) Princeton University Press (August 5, 2002) ISBN-10: 0691102775