A family ritual to strengthen family bonds Essay

As I was answering the Family rituals questionnaire, I felt good as i was somewhat compelled to reminisce the activities which I shared with my family when I was a child. It feels good to see that our family got a high score in the questionnaire. In only proves that we have been quite close as a family. I was only mesmerized as I recalled those moments when we simultaneously scan our old pictures and laugh at the way all of us looked in the past. I also enjoyed recalling the fond memories of our excursions when I was still a child. Personally, I do not want to change that kind of relationship which I had with my family in the past. I would like us to maintain this close relationship we have right now. For me, this is how families are supposed to be. Families are supposed to spend most of the time together so they can be updated with the events happening to one another. In this sense, they will always be available to succor when one among the family members is having some dilemma. In addition to that, the intimacy between them will not be lost; and instead, will only be kindled. That feeling of intimacy will make them more comfortable and more expressive with one another. The ritual that I would like to apply to my family is a unique Islamic tradition called Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr is being done some time after Ramadan. It is basically a tradition celebrating the success of the recently done Ramadan which is a whole month of blessings and joy. Moreover, Eid al-Fitr is also the extension of these blessings and joy to those who happen to be less fortunate. Every Muslim family must offer some donation of any kind to those who are in need. They do this so the needy can participate in the celebration as well. This is done before the end of the Eid so all the people can be prepared for the jubilation. When the day of the Eid comes, all of the participants will gather outdoors – in mosques – to perform a prayer that is especially for the Eid. Afterwards, the participants will begin to disperse and mingle with one another. They will meet up with their families, friends and other acquaintances to give presents and express their cordial greetings. If they have relatives who are not present and cannot go to the event, they can call them on the hoping and likewise extend their wishes. This event usually lasts for three days to allow the Muslims make the most out of the celebration. The meaning of this ritual is that it can manifest the unity and comradeship among its participants. By extending their warm wishes to other people and giving donations to those who are in need, the participants learn to take care aside from their selves and value other people as well. The act of giving donations can be symbolically interpreted as an act of offering something that sincerely comes from the self. The act is like transcending the self and its own interests in order to extend one’s hands to other people. By applying this ritual with my family, I aim that my family will have a sense of responsibility and learn how to work as a group. Moreover, I can also reinforce family planning. My family will learn that they also have responsibility over other people –their fellowmen – and that all of us must unite for a singular cause. By promoting the behavior of giving donations to the poor and mingling with the family members, the unity of a singular cause is reinforced. As we harbor in mind the need to achieve a singular purpose, we will learn how to work as a group. In the latter process, we will develop a more cohesive bond among ourselves. The part of mingling with other people can only encourage us to commune more deeply with one another and be aware of one another’s experiences. As the ritual will be repetitious, all of its objectives will be recurrently addressed. In addition to that, by mingling with the family members in the course of the ritual, we will realize the importance of family planning. In our family, there are more than ten of us who are siblings and it will surely be harder for us to greet one another while doing the ritual. Lastly, I think that the ritual need not to change as the members of the family grow older. We must only adapt with one another and our family embers – and our oscillating temperaments, tastes and yearnings. The touchstone of the ritual is that we feel the warm company of our family members as we do and enjoy doing things together. In that sense, my two goals can be achieved. We learn that we are responsible for the welfare of our family members and we learn to work collectively in making all of us grow individually as persons and the family as a whole.

The Right to Education

The Right to Education – A Global Perspective â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. † Nelson Mandela This saying of Nelson Mandela reveals a lot about the importance of education as a mean of achieving the changes we want to see in the world. Realizing the importance of education is highly significant for the nation and the world as a whole; however, giving equal education opportunities to people within specific countries and around the world remains a challenge for the global society.In order to overcome, or at least ease, such challenges, the right to education has been a subject of matter of international law, as well as state constitutions. While a great number of countries have been signatories and ratifiers of international conventions that protect the right to education, many countries have failed to provide the essential capacities to assure this right for various reasons. The failure to protect this right, no matter the reasons, has been quite harsh for the most vulnerable groups of different societies; hence, leaving millions of people worldwide without the capacity to contribute to a better world.As such, this paper will firstly focus on the protection of this right by international law, and it will later focus on the protection of the right to education in the following countries: Finland, Venezuela, India and finally Kosova. The Right to Education and the International Law The right to education, as a human right, has been highly guaranteed and protected by international law for many decades now. To begin with, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948 marked the universal recognition of the right to education.The Declaration guarantees the right to education through Article 26, which among others states that: â€Å"Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Techni cal and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit . † Furthermore, the right to education is protected by the Convention against Discrimination in Education, adopted in 1960.This convention, through its 19 articles plays a high significance in the struggle of the global society to hinder the discriminations and separations in education . Later on, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979, guarantees women equal rights with men in terms of education . In addition, in 1966, the right to education was also preserved in the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, specifically through articles 13 and 14.Both article of ICESCR make primary education compulsory and free of charge, as well as oblige the states to make secondary and higher education easily accessible to all . Nevertheless, the Convention on The Rights of The Child (CRC), adopted in 1989, was a significant step in the protection of children from discrimination of any form. Articles 28-32 of this convention particularly deal with discriminations made in education. Signatories of this convention â€Å"recognize the right of the child to education,†¦with a view to achieving this right progressively and on the basis of equal opportunity . As mentioned previously, besides international law, the right to education is also enshrined in many regional instruments and most of the countries’ constitutions, though the compliance to the international/regional/national instruments varies to a great extent from country to country. As such, there are great disparities between school enrollment rates in different countries, and the following sections of this paper will deal with the protection/application of the right to education in specific countries and their effects on the education activities. FinlandFinland proved to be one of the most successful countries in the education field. Actually, it was ranked as the fourth country out of 48 countries belonging to different development phases. Undoubtedly, one of the crucial factors that facilitated this achievement was Finland’s hard work in protecting the right to education. First of all, Finland is a signatory of all of the above-mentioned international instruments, which make Finland legally binding to all of the above articles. Furthermore, the Constitution of Finland protects the right to education through Section 16 of Chapter 2 .The constitution makes primary education free and compulsory to all children. Nevertheless, the constitution makes the state accountable for providing equal opportunities to all citizens even after finishing the compulsory education . The right to basic education in Finland is further protected by the Basic Education Act, which makes the municipalities responsible for providing education in both languages (Sweedi sh and Finnish), as well as providing free school materials, meals, and transportation to all students of pre – primary and primary education.The Basic Education Act also protects the right to education of the disabled children by making them entitled to special â€Å"interpretation and assistance services†, all for free . Furthermore, the Universities Act of Finland makes undergraduate studies free of charge for studies in Finnish and Swedish, as well as freeing from undergraduate studies tuition students of EU member countries . As mentioned previously, Finland is one of the few countries where the right to education is well protected, and cases of violations of this right are not common at all and are hard to find. VenezuelaVenezuela has ratified all the international instruments mentioned above, which means that Venezuela is obliged to comply with those articles that regulate the right to education. Besides that, the right to education in Venezuela is also protecte d under the Venezuelan Constitution. Chapter VI of this constitution deals specifically with education, and Article 102 of this chapter states that â€Å"Education is a human right and a fundamental social duty, it is democratic, free of charge and obligatory . † Further, Article 103 guarantees equal opportunities for all students, including disabled students .In addition to the Venezuelan Constitution, the right to education in Venezuela is also protected by the Organic Law of Education, decreed on 2009. Article 3 of this law, makes education â€Å"public, social, compulsory, free of charge†¦ quality, secular, comprehensive, and permanent, of social pertinence, creative, artistic, innovative, critical, multicultural, multiethnic, intercultural, and multilingual †. Article 6 of the Law gives access to education to disabled students and students in the â€Å"Adolescent Responsibility Penal System† .Furthermore, Article 6 makes the state responsible for devel oping the mechanisms that control the right to education. However, despite the progress Venezuela made in legally protecting the right to education, many challenges still remain and make the reality less desirable, one of those issues being the certification of the asylum students. Asylum seekers deal with delays in getting certified for their studies because they have to first be recognized as refugees, a process that often takes a lot of time.Furthermore, if an asylum seeker finishes a certain level of education in his/her home country, that certification will not be recognized until the student receives Venezuelan documents. As Rodrigo de La Barra puts, such delays of certification, prohibit students to continue with their studies, hence hindering motivation and increasing drop-out rates. It is important to mention that both these cases are violation of the Convention on the Rights of Children, a convention to which Venezuela is legally binding . IndiaContrary to Finland and Vene zuela, India is not legally binding to the International Convention against Discrimination in Education. Still, it is legally binding to the other international conventions dealing with education . The right to education in India is protected in its constitution in the Article 21A, which obliges the state to offer free/compulsory basic education to children 6-14 years old. Furthermore, Article 29. 2 prohibits the discrimination in education made to minorities, whether that is racial, religious, or caste based discrimination.Nevertheless, Article 30 gives them the right to develop their own educational institutions . A highly significant step on the improvement of protection of the right to education in India was made in year 2009, when the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act was passed. This Act’s aim is guaranteeing every child of age 6-14 free and qualitative education, as well as defining the ways the state shall use in protecting such rights. Besides ma king education free and compulsory, this act also says that children cannot be left out because the admission period is over, or because of the lack of documents.Furthermore, the act gives the disabled students the opportunity to participate in the mainstream education . Noticeably, the government of India has made important steps in protecting the right to education; still, what lies in papers is quite different from the actual situation in India. Though the school enrollment rates have increased in India after passing the Act, the participation rates and drop-out rates are not so optimistic. Yet another concern in India is the low quality education, which is a result of †poor curriculum and syllabus, deficient pedagogy, negligent teachers † and parents.Nevertheless, discrimination, though prohibited by the Act, is still prevalent in the Indian education system. It is the Act itself that leaves space for such discrimination since it allows for school categorization as f ollows: â€Å"a) government schools b)aided private schools c)special category schools and d)non-aided private schools †. By allowing the existence of such school categorization, the Act legitimizes the discrimination of the poorer children who become subjects of lower quality education, as compared to the rich students.That violations of the right to education, guaranteed by the Act, are a serious concern in India, is shown by the great number of cases of violation. According to Amod Kanth , 10,500 cases of violation of the act have been recorded in Delhi, within a nine-month period after the implementation of the act. Kanth states that such violations are â€Å"of at least 15 kinds, like screening tests before admissions, corporal punishment, admission denial, mental harassment and others . These figures of the violations in the capital city seem quite concerning, and I believe that they clearly picture the state of the right to education in India. Conclusion In conclusion , education is an essential process which enhances the intellectual development of human beings. Despite being a right in itself, it is also a tool to achieve many other rights. Therefore, ensuring an education to every child is of a high significance, not only for the child alone, but also for the well-being and the development of the society.As such, guaranteeing that every human being is given the opportunity to be provided with such a development activity has been an important subject of many international, regional, and national instruments, among them: Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Convention against Discrimination in Education, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, Convention on The Rights of The Child (CRC), as well as the national constitutions of almost all countries.However, as the cases in Venezuela and India, show, the protection of the right to education by l egal instruments is not sufficient unless its implementation in the real life is ensured. Problems related to the application of this right arise every day, leaving millions of children worldwide, including highly developed countries, without even basic education; hence, without the potential to contribute to the improvement of the global society.Therefore, it is crucial that we, as individuals, start contributing to the gradually easing of the obstacles preventing the world from becoming a better place for everyone, either by making better laws or by implementing those laws better.

Building Corporate Brands and Strategic Alliances

The marketing management plays an important role in the success of a pany and in improving the revenue generation of an organization (Kotler et al., 2015). It is important for capturing the market in a limited span of time and monitors the demands of the customers (Kotler et al., 2015). The managers are responsible for identifying the current trends and convert them into suitable opportunities. The aim of this report is to critically analyze the petitive and marketing environment of the CQ University based in Australia. It would discuss the marketing environment of the university and evaluate different kinds of external opportunities of the University. CQ University Australia emphasis on engagement excellence and the equity, which has led to its phenomenal growth in terms of new campus, number of students, infrastructure, reputation and impact of the research (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). It is considered as one of the greatest universities of Australia and it was found in the year 1967. It was accredited full â€Å"university† status in the year 1992. The University has several campuses in and around Australia such as Brisbane, Cairns, Mackay, Sydney, Emerald and others (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). In the year 2014, the CQ University merged with CQ TAFE, which has brought more than 175 years of experience in the education and training delivery (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). The University has highest ratio of the students belonging to low socio-economic, Aboriginal and mature age backgrounds. The Marketing Directorate aims to generate more interest in the University and responsible for the recruitment of the students. It also aims to make the University a better brand (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). The University provides support as well as advices to all the faculties as well as various divisions. There are over 15.7 million people in Australia, who belong to the age group of 15 to 64 years (Abs.gov.au, 2017). Approximately 1 in every 5 people was enrolled in some form of formal study. A majority of the teenagers between 15 to 19 years old were enrolled in some form of study. In the year May, 2016, around 25% of the people (15-74 years of age) shared that their highest level of their educational attainment is Year 11 or below (Abs.gov.au, 2017). Only 41% of the people reported having a Bachelor degree or above qualification (Abs.gov.au, 2017). This is a low figure, which implies that there is a need to increase the number of educational institutions imparting higher education courses (Abs.gov.au, 2017). The people with higher levels of education are more likely to be employed while the persons with basic qualifications would find it hard to find an employment option (Hollensen, 2015). Australia has been through profound structural shift in the past few years. The Australian ec onomy would strive to evolve more in the ing years as part of demographic and economic developments. The University engages in a bination of both mass marketing and target marketing. In mass marketing, the University primarily follows differentiated marketing tactics. They offer specialized courses such as Business, Accounting, Education, Engineering. Health, Science and Environment, Transport and others (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). The primary target market for the University is the teenagers between the age group of 15-24 years and prises of domestic, international students (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). The admission process of the University is based on their educational background as well; as their level of education (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). The secondary target market of the University includes the single mothers, middle aged persons, apprenticeships and trainees (Ehrenberg & Smith, 2016). The University follows segmentation based on the differential marketing techniques. In this kind of target marketing, the University concentrates on two or more different market segments and tries to promote their b rand within these segments (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). The University offers wide variety of subjects for the students based on their level of experience and their educational background (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). There are different courses provided to the students such as Creative, Performing, Visual Arts, Engineering, Information Technology, Science and Environment, Service Industries, Transport Services, Psychology, Health and others (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). The price of the educational courses is affected by a number of factors such as placement, petition, service quality, institution’s reputation, facilities provided, education mode, institution brand name and others (McMillan, Kinnear & Babovic, 2015). The University provides loan facilities to aid the students. The University offers both full time courses and distance courses for the convenience of the students. CQ University is known as the best providers of flexible training and education content, which provides hundreds of educational courses (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). It also provides on-campus courses which involve â€Å"face to face† classes which are carried out in weekly basis (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). The University aims to achieve brand management, creative production and engage in the creation of advertising booking as well as recruitment campaigns (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). The University also engages in the digital marketing strategies, which involves integration in the digital media platforms (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). Australian Government aims to contribute to the creation of international sustainable education sector. The monwealth has r mended an increase in the budget for schools in and around in Australia (Khanna, Jacob & Yadav, 2014). However, the NSW government has announced a cut in the budget for public schools as well as non-government school sector (Khanna, Jacob & Yadav, 2014). The TAFE sector is facing funding cuts which has fostered increased petition in the private education provider.   The international education sector has major contribution in the Australian economy through the process of migration of skilled labor (Daley, McGannon & Hunter, 2014). There are several students who prefer to reside at Australia for the purpose of pletion of their studies. The higher education sector in Australia prises of the 37 public as well 2 private institutions and 150 â€Å"non-self-accrediting† higher education institutions in the country (Daley, McGannon & Hunter, 2014). There is an average 4.7 percent increase in student enrollment every year (Abs.gov.au, 2017). The social factors include the different demographic changes such as number of admissions, inability to attract suitable manpower, changes in educational qualifications and demand of specific courses (Demediuk & Armstrong, 2014). These include the changes in the equipments or standards required in the University such as puter systems, IT lab, projectors, multimedia and others that help in the dissemination of learning. The technological advancements and the level of technology adoption determine the level of petitiveness of the University. CQ University faces tough petition from its rivals who are operating in the same market and caters to the same target market (Nelson, 2015). Some of the close petitors include University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, Charles Darwin University, University of Queensland, Charles Sturt University, Southern Cross University and others (Nelson, 2015). The strengths of CQ University includes that it has full time faculty who use to take most of the classes at both the graduate as well as undergraduate levels (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). It has world class curriculum which is at par with the industry standards (Nelson, 2015). It has accessible location and provides loan services to the students for aiding them in the payment of the fees. The University has less funding in some of the departments and they lack financial support for the support of the faculty scholarships (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). They have degrees of understaffing in some of the departments. There are innumerable opportunities in the intellectual enrichment of the students ing from diverse backgrounds (Cqu.edu.au, 2017). The University can engage in more partnerships with the local employers so that the students can be placed at their final year. There is reduced government funding, risk of losing qualified faculty and the increasing petition from the different educational institutions of Australia (Nisar, 2015). There is a similar university which offers similar educational courses, which may affect the revenue generation of CQ University. CQ University engages in connecting with the stakeholders or the munities by maintaining strong partnership relationships that are productive. The brand positioning is done with the help of spreading reputation and trustworthiness of the brand- CQ University is responsible and professional institution (He & Balmer, 2017). The brand places itself well among their target audience and has strong brand associations. The marketing environment of CQ University is determined along with the prehensive marketing plan. The market summary as well as demand assessment of the University is being done. The segmentation as well as target market of the University is being done. The current marketing mix analysis is done along with the analysis of the external environment. The PEST analysis and the SWOT analysis of the University are done followed by the brand positioning analysis. This report would broaden the understanding of the marketing tactics of CQ University. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Government. (2017).  Abs.gov.au. Retrieved 28 March 2017, from https://www.abs.gov.au Daley, J., McGannon, C., & Hunter, A. (2014). Budget pressures on Australian governments 2014.  Grattan Institute, viewed,  21. Demediuk, T., & Armstrong, A. (2014, March). Context of Higher Education and Its Implications for Quality Teaching: An Australian Perspective. In  Journal of the World Universities Forum  (Vol. 6, No. 3). Ehrenberg, R. G., & Smith, R. S. (2016).  Modern labor economics: Theory and public policy. Routledge. He, H. W., & Balmer, J. M. (2017). Alliance Brands: Building Corporate Brands through Strategic Alliances?. In  Advances in Corporate Branding  (pp. 72-90). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Hollensen, S. (2015).  Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education. Home - CQU. (2017).  Cqu.edu.au. Retrieved 28 March 2017, from https://www.cqu.edu.au Khanna, M., Jacob, I., & Yadav, N. (2014). Identifying and analyzing touchpoints for building a higher education brand.  Journal of Marketing for Higher Education,  24(1), 122-143. Kotler, P., Keller, K. L., Manceau, D., & Hà ©monnet-Goujot, A. (2015).  Marketing management  (Vol. 14). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. McMillan, G., Kinnear, S., & Babovic, N. (2015). prehensive universities and the role of the national TAFE system: the CQUniversity context.  About the research, 16. Nelson, R. R. (2015).  The rate and direction of inventive activity: economic and social factors. Princeton University Press. Nisar, M. A. (2015). Higher education governance and performance based funding as an ecology of games.  Higher Education,  69(2), 289-302.

HW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

HW - Essay Example Gestures have been used effectively as well; the movement of the fingers to indicate the turning on of a vehicles ignition key at 0:03, the movements of the feet to indicate engagement of the gear pedals (0:04), hand movements to indicate the turning of the steering wheels (0:12), the circling of the hands by the two ladies to demonstrate the position and use of seatbelts (0:44), the bending and splashing away of the contents on the stool to show the effect of inertia (0:56). Body positions have been used as well but not as effectively as possible. The ladies sitting position (0:08) indicate relaxation, and towards the end it indicates the urgency of the moment (1:08), their position indicates relaxation (1:16). Thus, non-verbal communication was effectively used in the advertisement. The choice of non-verbal communication by the creators instead of using words captures the attention of the viewer’s better since they are keen to get the message, and this ensures the message is communicated effectively. The message in the ad is that a man driving a car is involved in an accident and ends up not hurt because the seat-belts keep him safe. Had the creators decided to use verbal communication the advertisement wouldn’t have been as effective as it has been since non-verbal communication captures the attention of the viewer to the end by raising interest and curiosity in the viewer as opposed to verbal communication. I agree that the creators of this video clip have used non-verbal communication very effectively. Moreover, the clip demonstrated the importance of seatbelts to the safety of a person in a motor vehicle. Besides that, it also demonstrated how a seatbelt can preserve happiness and unity in the family and at the same time enhance safety. This is shown clearly at the end of the clip when the family members are holding each other with an expression of relief

Cultural diversity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cultural diversity - Research Paper Example Whether in an organization or in a classroom, cultural diversity, if managed correctly, can bring cohesion, harmonious and synergistic efforts that would bring the highest productivity of performance , from ‘optimum’ to maximum, in achieving set goal(s). On account of the presence of cross-national perspective in a classroom, a recent research conducted by Konan, Paul N’Dri; Chatard, Armand; Selimbegovic, Leila; Mugny, Gabriel on Cultural diversity in the classroom and its effects on academic performance: A cross-national perspective indicated that the presence of immigrants in the classroom resulted to performance benefits for both locals and immigrant students (Konan, et.al, 2010). This is indicative that a class with diversified culture, talents, skills, interests of students must be ready with flexible learning tools and strategies that would address the different responsiveness and performance of each student without compromising the overall impact of learnin g of the whole class. REFERENCES Bhatia, (2007) Shruti. Diversity Management -The Challenges And Opportunities. Retrieved from   http://www.slideshare.net/shruti27bhatia/diversity-management-the-challenges-and-opportunities-presentation Cultural Diversity (n.d.) In Business Dictionary.

The Real-Political World in Movies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Real-Political World in Movies - Essay Example Episode 18, La Palabra, looks at the challenges and pressures that the media mounts on individuals in power, especially when it comes to controversial issues that require someone in a position of leadership to take a stand. The episode focuses on issues of healthcare and whether to give illegal immigrants driving licenses or not. This is reminiscent of real-life politics since healthcare continually plays a critical role in shaping the credibility of a leader, or the overall manifesto that an aspiring leader is presenting to the people. As an illustration, Obama’s Obamacare was viewed as being revolutionary by some, while being loathed by others. In all, his stance on healthcare is one of the major pillars that define his leadership up to now. On the other hand, the issue of illegal immigration is one of the major headaches affecting most European nations. Almost all leaders and individuals in powerful positions have something to say about illegal immigrants. The most vivid is Tramp’s stand on illegal Mexican immigrants, which led to him being in the mainstream media for quite some time. In all, this just highlights how the issue of illegal immigration is a major facet of the political landscape. Consequently, this shows how La Palabra touches on issues that are easily relatable to the real-life political world. Similarly, King Corn looks at the various intrigues affecting the lives of congressmen and other individuals in busy political offices. The episode is full of the intrigues that these individuals go through.

Shamrock Convenient Store on Lake Wee Assignment

Shamrock Convenient Store on Lake Wee - Assignment Example The existing business already has a good number of customers and the presence on site alone has an impact to the business. Having to deal with customer orders, provide more services through the bait, and tackle shop would simplify the shopping experience and increase the margin of operation of the business through which the development is easier. Buying the existing business also cuts on competition leaving monopoly to advantage the business owners (Lussier & Corman, 2014). Buying the existing business also saves the buyers time and resources that would be channeled into the starting up of a new business. The stress of finding suppliers and ensuring that all goods are supplied on time and meet the standards are all responsibilities that the buyer saves on once they buy the already existing business. The fact that the convenience store already exists saves the buyer the costs and challenges of getting the business approved by the state environmental agency. For such a business operating it as a sole proprietor would provide better advantage compared to the other forms of business ownership but the limitation of the capital required to run this business makes it close to impossible to run it that way. Due to this, the ownership of the business will run as a limited partnership with two partners that will contribute $125000 and $75000 each. The sharing of profits will rely on the proportions of capital contribution as stated above and the liability shared that each partner owns also spreads as per their capital contribution (Schneeman, 2007). As the general partner, one carries most of the responsibilities and risk of the business. They also perform roles in the business directly reaching to an employment level where they serve as employees to the business. Based on the nature of the agreement that the partners draw, the working arrangement would attract a salary to the partner sacrificing time to work while the investing partner only deals

Power Dynamics between Health Insurer and Its Service Providers Essay

Power Dynamics between Health Insurer and Its Service Providers - Essay Example The research focuses on the power dynamics that arise between the health insurers and the service providers, whereby the power dynamics are the interplays between the insurance company and the healthcare providers regarding the provision of services. Â  Health providers may not concur with the providers regarding the supply of the insurance policies, whereby, the insured person may require more than what the insurance provider is offering leading to supply-chain disagreements. The insurers may need to market their products through the providers since the providers are in direct contact with patients who need the insurance policies. This implies that each party has its catch and if they disagree in marketing their policies, there may be power dynamics between the insurers who are marketing their product and the providers who are the pathway for the marketing. Power dynamics entails the relationship between the insurers and providers in terms of the services provided to the members co nducting studies regarding health care provision is important so as to link the insurers and the patients. According to the study by Booth, Colomb & Williams, the power dynamics, in this case, can be correlated to previous theories including the relationship marketing. This is because each party plays a vital role in ensuring that the members receive quality services, especially from the service providers who are the hospitals and clinics. The research focuses on the health insurers, who are the insurance companies, and the service providers who are clinics and hospitals which are in contact with the health insurers to provide the insured members with health care services, including treatment in hospitals and other services provided for in the insurance policy of members. In regard to previous research work of Goddard & Melville, there are many theories relating to the subject matter. In regard to the current research, the power dynamics that arise between the two parties regarding the provision of services may arise as a result of different preferences including marketing preferences where different patients prefer different insurance policies from different insurance companies, while most providers do not approve the use of some insurance policies.

Analysis of McClearns Closed for Business Essay

Analysis of McClearns Closed for Business - Essay Example The core argument or the thesis is that the Canadian government has been causing confusing amongst investors by blocking some bids from foreign investors without clear explanations. The author concludes that Canada could be closed for foreign business. The author has supported the argument using evidence of various companies that have been prevented from investing in Canada without any explanations from the government. Moreover, the author argues that Prime Minister Visit to china to encourage investors from china to invest in Canada has been received as a threat by American investors. Additionally, the Canadian government appears to be contradicting the prime ministers statement by rejecting bids from foreign companies wanting to invest in Canada. Another argument to support the thesis statement is that the Canadian government under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau introduced Foreign Investment Review Act (FIRA) in 1973 and the Investment Canada Act (ICA) in 1985. The two acts were sup posed to aid in setting up guidelines to be followed by foreign investors. However, there were no changes in the application and endorsement process. This has added to the confusion since the Canadian government is not clear on the requirements that foreign companies should meet in order to be allowed to invest in Canada. Although the author argues that Canada has been blocking investors, some parts of the article, arguments, and examples appear to contradict the main  argument while others do not contribute to the argument. For example, the author argues that foreign investors are being blocked from investing but still claims that 90% of foreign applications for takeover were rubberstamped. This is considerably high and does not show presence of any obstacle. On the contrary, the argument depict that Canada is still open for foreign investments (McClearn 34-36) Summary According to McClearn Canada was built using money obtained through the foreign investors. British investors fin anced the building of railways, buildings, canals and most of the infrastructures while American Industrialist was responsible of building most industries and manufacturing plants. Over the past, Canada has always been open and allowed foreign companies to invest. Around February, the Canadian prime minister personally visited China to inform the Chinese government that Canada was open for foreign investment. However, things have changed rapidly, Canada has been vetting foreign company, and a considerable number of foreign companies have been prevented from Investing in Canada. Such companies include Malaysia Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) and Lowe’s. Furthermore, there is fear that the Canadian government will reject the offer for Nexen by China National Offshore Oil Corp. Moreover, the Canadian Government has been showing mixed signals. McClearn views such moves as a threat to foreign investors since it appears like the Prime minister, Stephen Harper is contradicting himself (McClearn 34-38). Although Canada argues that it is open for investors from various countries including the upcoming China and Malaysia, investors from the two countries have been treated coldly through rejection of their bids. Moreover, the Canadian government has not given any explanations for the rejections which has created a chill amongst the investors (McClearn 35-36) Analysis of the Arguments   The statements and the evidence are sufficient to persuade the reader that the argument is sound. Almost all the arguments and statements made are followed by examples. For example, the argument that Canadian government is not giving enough explanations for rejection of investments by most companies has been supported by examples of several companies. Such

None Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 34

None - Essay Example Philosophical works in the form of poetry written by Hesiod as early as eighth century BC indicated the presence of scarcity among human beings. Hesiod refers to competition as a real conflict amongst business. He ascertains the impact of entrepreneurial force in the creation of scarcity of resources in the community. As scarcity develops, human beings tend to scramble for the available resources. The philosopher further agrees to the fact that competition amongst business and the nature of scarcity of resources needs governorship by justice and the law. Philosophical theories frequently highlight the relevance of scarcity of resource and competition in the society. Their arguments remain ideal reflections of the occurrence in the business world (Spiegel 1). In modern business, healthy competition acts as a booster in the development of the society. Businesses compete for market share that leads to improvisation of marketing strategies that aims at increasing customer relations. Such improvement in customer preference to individual companies correlates to increased quality of service provision and hence productivity of the economy. Modern economic theories on competition as aforementioned agree Hesiod philosophies on existence of competition. Hesiod supported the existence of competition in the society and its relation to the measure of productivity. He affirms the relationship between competition and productivity through his literary works on Homeric poetry written between 830-750 BC. Hesiod describes competition as either destructive or productive of which the later forms part of contemporary economic productivity (Jr and HÃ ©bert). Productivity of the economy in a modern setting relates to hard work and determination. Such economic theory is in agreement with Hesiod philosophies. Hesiod believed that idleness and productivity could not rhyme. He criticized the former

Autobiography of a Classroom Essay Example for Free

Autobiography of a Classroom Essay I am a very big classroom in a well-known public school. I cater to needs of the kindergarten class of the school, accommodating I think about eighty five children, a big number isn’t it? I understand that I am the best looking room in the school as, the very small children study here. I am very attractively decorated so that the little ones like to come here every day. The room that is me – is decorated with beautiful coloured pictures. The walls are a blend of some colours I do not know the names of. The furniture that is placed in the length and breadth of the room consists of small round tables to seat four children on each table, and the chairs are also tiny. That is not all, all the furniture is a mixture of many colours. When the children come inside the class they almost fight to sit on certain chairs. That makes me understand that they like the colours and fight for their favourite colours to sit on. At the top two ends of the length of the classroom there are two bigger tables and full size chairs for the teachers to sit. Since there are so many children there are two teachers while in other classes there is only one each. I am a treat for everyone to see. My pleasure knows no bounds when everyone who comes inside the class, admires me, appreciates my get up and the colours that don me. I have the twin advantage of being the most beautiful room in the school and also having the cutest of children coming to spend their time with me. Thus, my life is full of beauty, colour, noise and laughter and at times of course also crying and howling of the children. At times some new entrants to the school come to me with their mothers and, cry as if they had come to the slaughter house to be butchered. At such moments even by heart cries for the little ones and I wonder why man makes these little children come to study if they do not want to. I of course do not know how important studies are for human children, I only feel sad seeing the children cry. My life is full of a very busy schedule though very interesting. The routine of my daily life is so busy that, I do not get any relief for quite long hours. In the morning as early as 6 a. m. wo sweepers come open the lock of my room or rather me, and off they start working on me. They sweep my floor, squab it, dust each and every piece of the furniture in me. Thus, I get alerted as soon the room is unlocked. It is not even 8 a. m. when the little brats start pouring inside my body’s doors. At times they enter with so much noise that my whole body feels the rattle of it all. Their movements are so loud that now, I cannot even think of any rest. School bags get flung, tiffin boxes are strewn all about, water bottles are kept just anywhere and there is a lot of commotion all over. Soon the maid enters the room and keeps everything in order and my appearance at once improves and I look tidy and well kept. For these small ones the school hours are just three from, 8 a. m. to 11 a. m. These three hours is my duty time, and just is the time when I also get the day’s entertainment. Being a classroom for the Kindergarten children I get a great chance of hearing conversations between the teachers and the parents. Since this is the first time their children have entered school, parents devote a lot of time to talking about the school and its standards. At times I find that some parents are just too critical and, inspite of getting all the best in this school they always seem to be unhappy and dissatisfied with something or the other in the school. Such parents keep lecturing about things missing in the classroom, the school or even in the playground. When I hear such complaints, my heart sinks and I wonder if they will allow or not allow their children to come to me any more,. For such conversations I have understood that, these days parents pamper the children too much, and it seems that they can never yes, never be satisfied. I am quite surprised to see the vast difference in opinions. While on the one hand I, and also many parents think that I am very beautiful, well kept, and decorated, others of the same clan are always complaining of many defects in my appearance. This gives me a feeling of depression and I do wonder if I can do anything in the matter. After some thinking bouts, I realize that, I can do nothing to satisfy these unhappy parents. I am just here in the hands of the school authorities and stand here as and how they keep me. My working hours are just six, from 6 a. m. when sweepers enter to say 12 noon when I am locked after all children go. After my duty hours I just relax but also feel lonely. No matter what is said about me, I am thoroughly enjoying my life in the cute company of little children. Their company makes me also feel young though now I am quite old. Every summer vacation I am painted afresh, my furniture is painted, and, I am ready to welcome my little friends, new and old with a new look, new enthusiasm and renewed vigour. I pray that my life is forever allowed to remain so interesting and so relaxed. I just love all the children and teachers who come here to me, to work and play in the restricted area within my four walls.

President of the English Department Student Association Essay Example for Free

President of the English Department Student Association Essay â€Å"There is no student incapable of learning, only teachers incapable of instruction. † I became particularly enamored of this statement during my fourth year teaching. To raise the caliber of my instruction, to reside in a new cultural environment and broaden my horizons, and to facilitate a sincere desire to aid student development, I am laying down my comfortable and secure government position to apply for entrance to your Master’s program in TESOL for the Fall semester of 2001. I have always had an excellent academic performance at school, but unlike those who only have good grades, I also understood the significance of leading a well-rounded student life. Not only have I participated in many different kinds of activities and competitions, but I have also held various part-time jobs with the result my life experience is far richer than my peers. A particular benefit of this is that I am more tolerant and understanding of others and appreciative of the strengths peculiar to individuals. My parents are both secondary school teachers, and they place great emphasis on children’s reading development. Thus we siblings all cultivated good learning habits. Therefore, during my undergraduate years, I was in the habit of fully previewing reading material that professors assigned before giving lectures, in addition to the usual taking of notes. I also made full use of library services and materials to supplement my reading. As a result, in both linguistics and literature, I consistently earned good grades and tended to be a more creative student. I graduated from college as the number one government-sponsored student in my graduating class (there were 25 of us) and won a large number of scholarships in the process. Although I work hard at whatever I do, I have always been generous sharing the fruits of my efforts with others. Scholastic performance is naturally important, but the mutual learning process inspired by sharing one’s knowledge and experiences with others is even more important. Through my teaching, I hope to inculcate students with a similar attitude and inspire them to base their self-assurance on themselves and not look for it from others. In addition to strictly academic pursuits, I participated in many societies and organizations, playing many leading roles. I held several interesting part-time positions such as Stage Management Assistant for the Russian Sligo Ballet Dance Company, Campaign Assistant during the presidential election campaign for the now-ruling Democratic Progressive Party, and as Translator for the 1994 Taipei International Toy Show in World Trade Center. On campus I was the Editor for departmental publications and President of the English Department Student Association. Also, I was the stage lighting supervisor for my graduating year’s public drama performance. The most important event I worked on was as a school representative helping organize and setup the National Alumni Association of Senior High Schools in Hsinchu. Under our efforts, it became an official association recognized and sponsored by the Hsinchu City Government. Speaking of sports, I enjoy volleyball and badminton very much. Thus, I was assigned to be the school badminton club instructor as part of my teaching practice. Also worth mentioning is that I was a volunteer instructor at two orphanages, giving those in need love and care. At junior high school, I was an advanced science student but on reaching high school I became really attached to popular music in general and the heavy metal genre in particular. My interest in reading lyric sheets prompted the discovery that the underlying concepts and cultural background of foreign and domestic music are often very different. This inspired me to transfer from the university science preparatory track to the study of English. Continuing to earn high grades, I attended the Department of English at Chang Hua University of Education on scholarship. My abiding interest in English ensured I was highly motivated but the well-chosen course materials also naturally engendered interest. In 1997, because of my good performance, I was assigned to Taipei Municipal Fu-Hsing Senior High School to complete my teaching practice. A year later, I became a certified English teacher and have been teaching there until now. During the past three years, I have taken one class of students through an entire three-year cycle of studies ending in graduation, and from this have noted that the dry nature of language studies unnecessarily renders this subject less than captivating to most students. Here in Taiwan, there is intense pressure on students facing the national college entrance examination with the result that grade school instruction focuses on grammar, as this is the prime subject tested by the exam. Fortunately, in the last several years Taiwan has been going through a transition period of educational reform and the stress has changed from the dull ritual of grammar studies to the more colorful participatory style of community language learning. Furthermore, high schools are now given more latitude tailoring programs to their needs, all of which represents a paradigm change from the Japanese educational style to the American which emphasizes personal development and independent thought. To achieve my potential as a teacher operating within this new and still developing system, I wish to study and research a variety of general teaching methodologies, in addition to linguistics teaching methodologies. Reviewing your catalogue, I have been very impressed with your curriculum, faculty, facilities, and overall academic environment. I have discovered your curriculum and developmental style is in great accord with my needs and, because your school is located in one of the world’s economic and cultural center, I expect it to offer both an outstanding curriculum and an exceptional environment for cultural immersion. Recently, preparing for the TOEFL and TSE, I have taken a great interest in assessing second language acquisition. The CLOZE Test and Reading Comprehension Test and other related preparatory tests are relatively disorganized and less than ideally effective at present. Thus I hope to make a concrete contribution to the improvement of this aspect of English language instruction upon my return. I believe I possess the enthusiasm and determination to successfully enhance my skills teaching English as a second language, but I also believe that self-improvement is the most important thing in my life. Only by setting myself up as an example, knowing my own strengths and weaknesses, and trying to improve myself, can I have the confidence to step up to a platform and teach students. After all, teaching is not only about inculcating students with a body of practical skills, but also about investing them with moral courage and character education during the process. As such, I make a point of ensuring I have spare time for my students after school and I thus find the progress of my students to be very fulfilling. Highly motivated, resolute, and more than willing to devote the time and effort to complete your program, I sincerely hope you will accept my candidacy. In closing, I would like to express my gratitude for your review of my application materials, and I thank you for your time.

Sordaria Fimicola: Meiotic Divisions Experiment

Sordaria Fimicola: Meiotic Divisions Experiment Abstract The purpose of this investigation is to determine the frequency of meiotic divisions analyzed from hybrid crossings collected from different strains of the fungus Sordaria fimicola. The experiment was conducted to demonstrate hybrid crossings with MI and MII patterns of ascospores within the asci. Over the course of seven days, the sample of Sordaria was incubated and fused under laboratory conditions. In the outer areas of the blocks of agar, hyphae growth from the mutant tan strain (t-g+) and wild-type black strain (t+g+) was visible through the X-shaped and outer rims of the Petri dish. By identifying the amounts of non-hybrid and hybrid MI and MII asci, the observation of ascospores within the asci displayed the one possible pattern of MI, and the four possible patterns of MII. The first part of the laboratory experiment formed a hypothesis predicting that 8 ascospores would result from two stages of Meiosis and one stage of Mitosis. After calculating the frequency of crossing over, the map distance of the gene to the centromere in the tan colored gene observed was 32 map units, significantly different from the projected null hypothesis and expected 26 map units. Introduction Many research investigations utilize the common fungus Sordaria fimicola as a primary and reliable model organism for displaying genetics due to its firm structure and life cycle. Mapping the distance between the tan gene (t-g+) and the centromere requires careful preparation of a fused sample of Sordaria already containing hybrid and non hybrid arrangements in the ascus. By measuring the amounts of hybrid MI (non-crossover) asci and MII (crossover) asci, and calculating the frequency of crossover, the percentage of Asci may also be calculated from the rate of crossovers throughout the experiment. With an understanding of frequency of crossover, biological ideologies such as adaptation, mutation, and recombination are expressed fully within the experiment. The null hypothesis states that there will not be a considerable difference between the expected 26 map units and the observed map distance from the collected class data (Helms, Kosinski, Cummings, 350). Collective effort from each bench to calculate the correct amount of asci assigned will certainly affect the frequency of calculation and rejection or acceptance of the null hypothesis. Biological evolution closely relates to the process of Sordaria crossovers. Mendels Law of Independent Assortment is directly validated through the life cycle of the fungus. As a member of Ascomycota, Sordaria fimicola practices strict sexual reproduction, and provides the easiest visualization of meiosis I, II, and mitotic division found in the ascus (Volk). Some characteristics that display the easiness of observation lie in the Sordaria fimicola structure. Lengthened nature of the ascus prevents the overlapping of ascospores. Therefore, carefully ruptured perithecia are rightly lined up according to the production of meiosis of tan and black spores: making it relatively easier to perform with more efficiency in counting MI and MII patterns. With its phenotype almost equivalent to its genotype, due to the absence of another dominant allele, the accurate physical traits are examined directly from the genetic makeup of Sordaria (Helms, Kosinski, Cummings, 334). During hybrid crossovers in Prophase I, a tetrad forms four haploid nuclei, each of which then form two haploid nuclei, leading to a total of eight ascospores in a single ascus. Generally, Sordaria is a common fungus for genetics research because of various reasons centered on the easiness in the demonstration of Meiosis, observation of structure, and/or behavior of its life cycle. Growth of the Sordaria fungus is a significant factor and dependent variable carried out throughout the study. The Ascomycota fungus only grows under the conditions of decomposing vegetation, making it available for nutrients to be absorbed and increase hyphae growth and extension (Meiosis and Recombination in Sordaria Fimicola). The results of this study could contribute to a broader knowledge of mutation, biodiversity, and segregation. Further applications towards investigating meiotic and mitotic crossovers and map distances may soon propose new interpretations of Mendels laws. Materials and Methods During week one of the experiment, wild -type black (+) and mutant tan (t) cultures of Sordaria fimicola were obtained and while using aseptic technique, placed in a sterile Petri dish divided into four subsections labeled for the two gene colors. After a metal spatula was disinfected into 95% ethanol, it was heated using a Bunsen burner and cooled for 10 to 15 seconds. While carefully lifting the lid of the Petri dish slightly to prevent contamination, a block of agar was removed and transferred faced down for mycelium linkage and crossing agar. After re-flaming the spatula and repeating proper aseptic technique, the process was repeated with wild type (+) black strain and two mutant (t) tan strains positioned on the marks of the Petri dish indicating the labeled plus(+) sign. After all necessary blocks of agar have been placed in the proper sections of the Petri dish, the plates were incubated in 22 to 24 °C temperature in the dark for 7 days. During week two, a plate of Sordaria fimicola containing the fusion of black and tan strains were obtained for the analysis of hybrids and non hybrids within the 8 produced ascospores. Using a toothpick, the surface of the plate along the X-shaped area was scraped gently to collect a sample of perithecia. A slide of perithecia was prepared by dropping water on a slide the collected perithecia, and then secured with a coverslip. Before placing the slide under a 10x Objective microscope, the slide was first gently pressured with a pencil eraser or equivalent pressure pointer rupturing the perithecia without destroying the structure of the ascus. Using the microscope, slides were examined to locate hybrid and non hybrid asci. Class data on numbers of MI, MII, Total Asci, percentage of crossover, and frequency were calculated. A Chi -Square Test was performed since necessary. (Helms, Kosinski, Cummings 336 -350). Discussion Based on the individual bench results, the number of total MI and MII asci counted depended on the number of asci assigned per person. For example, since there were only two bench members in Bench B and each bench member in the class were assigned to find and count 5 hybrid crossovers each, consequently, there was a total of 10 MI and MII asci for Bench B, shown on the table. According to the Biology Lab manual, 26 map units was the published map distance of the tan spore gene from the centromere (Helms 350). The level of frequency is closely related to how loosely or tightly linked genes are on the chromosome. For this experiment, the deviations between the frequencies of the benches individually does not seem drastic, although the results from Bench F shows a slight over calculation of total asci counted, therefore resulting with the highest frequency level of 34.6, way over the expected 26 map units. Analyzing the class data as a whole, with 276 total MI and MII Asci counted, the percent (%) of Asci showing crossover was 64%, giving a frequency of 32 map units. In order to justify if there is a significant difference between the 32 map units observed and the 26 map units expected, we perform a Chi -Square calculation. With à Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ² equaling 16.291, my conclusion is that the class data demonstrates a much higher frequency than expected. The degree of freedom (dÆ’) for the experiment was 1, from n-1, with 2 attributes MI and MII. Since the probability value (p) was greater than (>)0.05, we rejected the null hypothesis and accepted the alternative hypothesis asserting that our observed frequency of 32 map units is significantly different from the expected 26 map units provided by published results. Possible Sources of error can be closely examined from the bench data results. Besides an over calculation of MI and MII asci, mentioned earlier that produced inconsistent figures, another source of miscalculation may have come from counting/including hybrid crossovers that had a 3-1-2 or 2-3-1 abnormal arrangement. Many times students were obligated to restructure a new slide of perithecia because their slide either did not have enough hybrids, or they ruptured the vulnerable perithecia incorrectly, proving very time consuming. Overall, the conducted lab was precise in calculating the frequency. Sordaria fimicola investigations have multiple purposes and applications. If conducted correctly, the fungus demonstrates an accurate arrangement of spores resulting from the meiotic and mitotic divisions. In a very similar laboratory experiment, Meiosis and Recombination in Sordaria Fimicola, the same approaches of the two labs shared common procedures including: crossing a wild type and mutant type gene, growing the hyphae in rotting vegetation, and calculating the genetic map distances. Calculating the number of map units will be consistent throughout most Sordaria fimicola studies because the frequency of crossing over is always divided by 2(because frequency of recombination is exactly .5 of frequency crossed over) proved in most investigations. The easiness of growing agar on Petri dishes and crossing a wild type and mutant gene increases recombination of genetic material, leading to increases in the range of genotypes, paving a way towards future increases in biological develo pment. References Helms, Doris R., Carl W. Helms, Robert J. Kosinski, and John R. Cummings. Biology in the Laboratory Third Edition :Biol 1161 Biol 1162 : Intoduction to Biological Sciences Laboratory University of Houston. Third. New York : W.H. Freeman and Company, 1998. 334-352. Print. Meiosis and Recombination in Sordaria Fimicola. n. pag. Web. 8 Mar 2010. . Volk, Tom. Sordaria Fimicola, a fungus used in genetics. n. pag. Web. 6 Mar 2010. .

Autism :: Papers Disorders Childhood Autistic Essays

Autism Autism is not a disease, but a developmental disorder of brain function. People with classical autism show three types of symptoms: impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication and imagination, and unusual or severely limited activities and interests. Symptoms of autism usually appear during the first three years of childhood and continue throughout life. Although there is no cure, appropriate management may foster relatively normal development and reduce undesirable behaviors. People with autism have a normal life expectancy. Autism affects an estimated two to 10 of every 10,000 people, depending on the diagnostic criteria used. Most estimates that include people with similar disorders are two to three times greater. Autism strikes males about four times as often as females, and has been found throughout the world in people of all racial and social backgrounds. Autism varies a great deal in severity. The most severe cases are marked by extremely repetitive, unusual, self-injurious, and aggressive behavior. This behavior may persist over time and prove very difficult to change, posing a tremendous challenge to those who must live with, treat, and teach these individuals. The mildest forms of autism resemble a personality disorder associated with a perceived learning disability. The most distinct feature of autism is impaired social interaction. Children with autism may fail to respond to their names and often avoid looking at other people. Such children often have difficulty interpreting tone of voice or facial expressions and do not respond to others' emotions or watch other people?s faces for cues about appropriate behavior. They appear unaware of others' feelings toward them and of the negative impact of their behavior on other people. Many children with autism engage in repetitive movements such as rocking and hair twirling, or in self-injurious behavior such as biting or head-banging. They also tend to start speaking later than other children and may refer to themselves by name instead of "I," or "me." Some speak in a sing-song voice about a narrow range of favorite topics, with little regard for the interests of the person to whom they are speaking. People with autism often have abnormal responses to sounds, touch, or other sensory stimulation. Many show reduced sensitivity to pain. They also may be extraordinarily sensitive to other sensations. These unusual sensitivities may contribute to behavioral symptoms such as resistance to being cuddled.

Chimpanzees Essay -- essays research papers

Chimpanzees are a genus of the great ape of Africa, with long black hair and log protruding ears. Humans know them for their intelligence and there very similarities. They have developed family ties similar to man. Over the generations they have even had developed tools out of natural materials. Food for chimpanzees is very important to them due to the excessive amount eating. Chimpanzees eat a variety of foods. They will get their food in many different ways. Bananas are one of the most favored foods of chimpanzees. They will eat it with the peal on or they will take the peal off. Researchers in Africa had video camera and had been taping the primates while eating. One day while video tapeing they caught a male chimpanzee stealing a bundle of bananas from the storage tent, and put the bundle of bananas over his shoulder and walked out. The researchers did not try to top the adult male, because they knew that the adult male are very strong and can get violent if they are bothered while eating. These primates also eat variety leaves, twigs and seeds that are found through out the jungle. Chimpanzees are nomadic they will travel up to six miles a day for food. Once food is found they will spend up to seven hours a day eating. Chimpanzee will also eat meat, but it has to be fresh meat. This means that the male’s hunt and kill there own meat in groups; some of the animals they look for are baby baboons, antelope and bush pigs. Chimpanzee’s intelligence is the one that is clos...

Capital Punishment Essay: Christian Opposition -- Argumentative Persua

Christian Opposition to Capital Punishment The matter of the death penalty is one which we, as Christians, should address at this time since victims continue to be killed by the state. We should give the religious teaching concerning it, in order to assist those who are making efforts to clarify their thoughts about this very complex and difficult question. Such is the subject of this paper. Â   There are two sources from which we draw information regarding the practice of capital punishment: (1) sacred scripture and (2) the teaching of churches and synagogues through the ages. With them as a basis, we can make a theological analysis of our present day circumstances and draw what we believe to be sound conclusions. Â   From Sacred Scriptures: The book of Genesis addresses the same problem and conflict we face today. It is the tension between the inviolable sacredness of human life on the one hand, and man's responsibility for safeguarding the well-being of the community. The biblical authors regarded life as the gift of the life-giving God himself: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Gen. 1:23) "Then the Lord formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (Gen. 2:7) For one person to deprive another of that gift is an affront to the creator himself. Â   There are many scriptural references that make the point that the murderer must be punished. Nevertheless, biblical tradition is also replete with reminders that vengeance belongs to the Lord and that he enjoins the qualities of compassion and forgiveness on those believers in the biblical revelation of God. (Amo... ...roclaim the value of every human life and the dignity of every human person and thus call into question the imposition of the death penalty. We recognize that our proclamation is also a call to others for: 1. A further commitment by every person of good will to greater protection of society; 2. The affirmation of the God-given value of life; 3. The satisfaction of human need for the alleviation of every human want. 4. The promotion of justice in society, and peace among men. Â   It is our belief as Christians that the imposition of the death penalty in today's society is an attack upon the inviolability of human life and an affront to human dignity. Our opposition to the death penalty is also an affirmation of the sacredness of all human life and an appeal to all for greater individual and societal efforts for a more humane and just society.

Decision Making Problem

For Problems 1-3 below, submit a non-technical consulting report (approximately ? a page for each problem) accompanying by a technical appendix. The report should highlight your findings (e. g. business implications) and be prepared as if to be presented to an audience that has little knowledge of quantitative models. The technical appendix should include a formulation of a linear model, as we did in class (decisions, objective, constraints), and standard printouts of the spreadsheet model with an optimal solution (see Instructions for Standard Printouts below). Problem 1: Perfume (30 marks)Rylon Corporation manufactures Brute and Chanelle perfumes. Raw material costs $3 per pound. Processing a pound of raw material takes one hour of laboratory time, and yields 3 ounces of Regular Brute and 4 ounces of Regular Chanelle perfume. Regular Brute can be sold for $7/ounce and Regular Chanelle can be sold for $6/ounce. Rylon has the option of further processing Regular Brute perfume to prod uce Luxury Brute perfume, selling for $18/ounce. Each ounce of Regular Brute processed requires additional 3 hours of laboratory time and yields one ounce of Luxury Brute at a cost of $4.They can also process Regular Chanelle into Luxury Chanelle. Processing an ounce of Regular Chanelle requires 2 additional hours of lab time and yields one ounce of Luxury Chanelle, again at a cost $4. Luxury Chanelle sells for $14/ounce. Rylon has 4000 pounds of raw material on hand, and 6000 hours of lab time available. How can they maximize their profit? SKOLKOVO FT MBA Problem 2: Production & advertisement (35 marks) Your firm makes fluorescent paint pigments in four plants and ships them to four distributors (abbreviated â€Å"D1† through â€Å"D4†), as follows: Plant Northeast Southeast NorthwestSouthwest Unit Shipping Cost To D2 D3 Capacity Unit Cost Impurities D1 1000 $ 12. 40 12 $ 1. 20 $ 1. 75 $ 2. 35 1250 $ 11. 55 15 $ 1. 95 $ 1. 35 $ 1. 75 950 $ 10. 85 18 $ 2. 45 $ 1. 50 $ 2. 10 1200 $ 12. 05 12 $ 2. 75 $ 2. 25 $ 2. 00 D4 $ 2. 85 $ 2. 15 $ 1. 95 $ 1. 45 The distributors' demand for the pigments is as follows: D1 15. 0 Max Impurities 700 Base Demand Advertising Sensitivity 0. 05 D2 15. 0 600 0. 1 D3 14. 0 550 0. 05 D4 15. 5 675 0. 125 For example, distributor D1 will accept up to 700 units of pigment, plus 0. 05 units for every dollar you spend on national advertising.Advertising is not separated by distributor: a single expenditure affects all distributors simultaneously. Thus, if you spend $100 on advertising, D1's demand will be 700 + (0. 05)(100) = 705 units, D2's demand will be 600 + (0. 1)(100) = 610 units, D3's demand will be 555 units, and D4's demand will be 687. 5 units. â€Å"Max impurities† indicates the maximum average impurity level allowed for shipments to each distributor. For instance, the shipments from the four plants to D1, when mixed together, should have an average impurity level of at most 15. . You have at most $59,000 to spend on production, shipping and advertising, and all the distributors pay you $28. 50 per unit. How can you maximize your profits? Note: this problem combines blending, transportation, and elements of the â€Å"pickles† problem. 1) 2) Formulate a linear model. Give clear definitions to your decision variables. Set up a spreadsheet model. Use Solver to find the optimal solution. SKOLKOVO FT MBA Problem 3: Kingston Manufacturing (35 marks) Kingston Manufacturing produces heads for engines used in the manufacture of trucks.The production line is highly complex and measures 500 meters in length. Two types of engine heads are produced on the line: the P-Head and the H-Head. The P-Head is used in heavy duty trucks and the H-head is used in smaller trucks. Because only one type of head can be produced at a time, the line is either set up to manufacture the P-Head or the H-Head, but not both. Changeovers from producing one type to the other are made on weekends and cost $500. The line has capacity to produce the PHead at 100 units per week and the H-Head at 80 units per week.Kingston Manufacturing has just shut down for the week and the line has been producing the PHead. The manager wants to plan production and changeovers for the next eight weeks. Currently Buckeye has an inventory of 125 P-Heads and 143 H-Heads. Inventory carrying costs are charged at an annual rate of 19. 5% of the value of inventory. The production cost for the P-Head is $225 and for the H-Head is $310. The objective in developing a production schedule is to minimize the sum of production cost, inventory carrying cost and changeover costs.Kingston Manufacturing has received the following requirements schedule from its customer (an engine assembler) for the next nine weeks. Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Product Demand P-Head H-Head 55 38 55 38 44 30 0 0 45 48 45 48 36 58 35 57 35 58 Safety stock requirements are such that week-ending inventory must provide for at least 80% of next week’s demand. You should prepare a production and changeover schedule report for the Kingston Manufacturing management to minimize total costs for the next eight weeks. (Hint: To model the changeover costs, you may introduce a binary decision 1, if there is a changeover in week = 1, †¦ 8. Let a binary variable represent a decision whether to produce Pheads ( = 1) or H-heads ( = 0) in week , = 1, †¦ 8. Then you need the constraints which say that if you change the production in week from P-heads to H-heads or H-heads to P-heads, must be 1: ? ? 1 and ? 1 ? .) Instructions for Standard Printouts Throughout the course, I will ask for â€Å"standard printouts† of your Excel models.The standard printouts for a model consist of two things. The first is a printout of the model as a set of values, the way it usually appears on the screen. To get this printout, you perform the following steps: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Go to Print/Page Setup. Click on the Sheet tab. If there is no â€Å"X† in the box next to â€Å"Gridlines† and â€Å"Row and Column Headings†, click there so that one appears. Click OK Click on the printer icon in the toolbar, or choose Print†¦ from the file menu to print the spreadsheet. If possible, you should try to make each spreadsheet printout fit on a single page.Under the Print/Settings select â€Å"landscape† orientation, and â€Å"fit sheet on one page† before you print. The second printout should be as a set of formulas. It should show the formulas in your spreadsheet; for optimization models (which will be most of our spreadsheets), it should also clearly indicate the target cell, the changing cells, and all constraints. Also indicate whether you are minimizing or maximizing the target cell. To get this printout, follow these steps: †¢ †¢ †¢ Type control-tilde (hold down â€Å"ctrl† and type the key marked ` ~) Adjust the column widths so that you can see all the formulas.Print out the spreadsheet, using the same procedure as above. To indicate the target cell, minimization or maximization, changing cells, and constraints, you may make handwritten notations on this second printout. Alternately, you may make notations using text and graphics on the spreadsheet itself. Excel will let you draw arrows right on your spreadsheet. Points will be deducted if you fail to follow these guidelines. Common errors are forgetting the row and column headings, or not clearly indicating the changing cells, target cell, or constraints. To go back to the values view, type control-tilde

Does Shakespeare successfully present Henry V Essay

My interpretation of a hero is somebody who is sincere and caring. They must be polite and well mannered. Someone who is strong and has a strong will in a tough situation. A person who is heroic, fearless, brave and courageous all rolled into one. A person who isn’t afraid to say what they believe in. They must be confident and determined to follow something through to the very end and to fight for what is theirs. A person who is a good speaker and can put their point across to an audience. They must be prepared to make sacrifices as part of their job. Although all of the above things are important attributes of a hero I think there are two more important attributes. The first is to be loyal. To be loyal to your friends, family and country. Without loyalty there can never be trust. The second is the ability to change. To realise there is something wrong with you or your attitude and to do something about it. Ely and Canterbury talk about one of these attributes in Act one Scene one of the play. The ability to change. Shakespeare writes about one of the main attributes of a hero in the very first scene. When Canterbury looks back on the prospect of Henry being a King he says that, â€Å"The courses of his youth promised it not. † Canterbury believes this because as a youth, â€Å"His companies unlettered, rude and shallow, His hours filled up with riots, banquets, sports, And never noted him any study. † As Henry grows older though, â€Å"never was such a sudden scholar made. † Henry changes because he knew he had to. That takes determination and courage. No matter what anyone said he followed it through and did what he had to do. In the very first scene of the play Henry is already being talked about before we have even met him. Shakespeare has done this because he is giving Henry a real hero’s entrance, just like in any good film, he is telling the audience who he is and what he does. Canterbury and Ely are setting the scene and trying to make his entrance seem dramatic. Shakespeare does this to tell the audience that Henry is a well-known and well-talked about person. In other words Shakespeare is showing the audience that Henry is powerful. In Act one Scene two Henry is introduced to us for the first time. A first impression of him would be that he is very diplomatic and polite. â€Å"Sure, we thank you. My learned lord, we pray you to proceed. † Later on in the scene though, when the French challenge him he does not turn it down. Henry is pondering whether to stake a claim to the French throne. When he is sent a mocking gift of, â€Å"Tennis balls, my liege. † He acts on his instincts and declares war on France. This is very brave because it leaves him open to criticism and it could turn out to be the wrong decision. In Act two Scene two Henry finds out that three of his lords, and friends, are â€Å"traitors. † He is upset by this, â€Å"What shall I say to thee, Lord Scroop, thou cruel, Ingrateful, savage and inhuman creature? † Although they are his friends he knows that he must, â€Å"Arrest them to answer to the law. † They are his friends but like any hero he must make sacrifices. Being a hero isn’t just about fighting or being brave it’s also about thinking about and helping others. In Act three Scene one Shakespeare shows Henry giving a moving speech to his soldiers outside the walls of Harfleur. â€Å"Once more unto the breach, dear friends†¦ On, on you noble English†¦ Be copy now to men of grosser blood, And teach them how to war†¦ Cry ‘God for Harry, England and Saint George! † Henry just doesn’t go into battle and expect everybody to win. He knows how they must be feeling and he tries to encourage them. Henry also demonstrates that he is willing to do everything that his job entails. Shakespeare shows the audience another heroic quality by, instead of sending one of Henrys soldiers to do something for him, he writes it so that Henry does it himself. This is shown in Act three Scene four when he says, â€Å"How yet resolves the governor of the town? This is the latest parle we will admit, Therefore to our best mercy give yourselves. † Henrys strong words push the Governor of Harfleur to give in. As soon as Henry and his army are let into Harfleur he is showing good initiative by already thinking about the next stage, â€Å"Upon the soldiers, we will retire to Calais. † Shakespeare shows the audience again of Henrys heroism by showing us he can be polite and that he has good manners. â€Å"How now, Llewellyn? Camest thou from the bridge? † Although Henry is like a friend to his soldiers, just like a hero Shakespeare shows us that Henry must face up to his responsibilities. Bardolph has been caught stealing and he says, â€Å"We would have all such offenders so cut off†¦ in our marches through the country there be nothing compelled from the villages. † Even though things aren’t going as well as they should be Henry doesn’t give up. In response to Montjoys offer for him to name his ransom he says, â€Å"†¦ My army but a weak and sickly guard. Yet, God before, tell him we will come on Through France himself and such another neighbour stand in our way. † Yet again in this extract of a speech Henry shows his strong beliefs in God. All of the above quotations came from Act three scene seven. Shakespeare makes the play very dramatic by using a chorus at the beginning of every act. These are very effective because it gives the audience a taster of what is going to happen but not enough to explain the act fully. This means that the audience want to know what is going to happen and when something does happen it makes it all the more dramatic. In Act four Scene one Shakespeare presents us the audience, with Henry’s many heroic qualities. Not showing any signs of worry or weariness he tries his best to raise the morale of his soldiers. â€Å"†¦ There is some soul of goodness in things evil†¦ For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers, Which is both healthful and good husbandry. † Henry also shows us like any hero or any person that he has feelings. He borrows a cloak and walks around the camp asking people what they think of him. King: â€Å"Then you are a better man than the king. † Pistol: â€Å"the king’s a bawock and a heart of gold, a lad of life, an imp of fame, of parents good, of fist most valiant. † Later on in an argument (while in disguise) with Bates Henry stresses, â€Å"†¦ I think the king is but a man as I am. The violet smells to him as it doth to me. † Shakespeare shows the audience that Henry has a different side to his personality, he is caring and understanding. â€Å"Rather proclaim it, Westmorland, though my host That he which hath no stomach to this fight Let him depart. † He then shows us that he isn’t just all talk and that he is brave by saying, â€Å"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers-For he today that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother. † Henry again refers back to his belief in God by saying, â€Å"Take it, brave York. Now soldiers, march away, And how Thou pleasest, God, dispose the day. † He shows us this in Act four Scene three. You know when someone is a real hero because another person compares him or her to an already famous hero. Shakespeare does this in Act four Scene seven when Llewellyn compares Henry to Alexander, â€Å"†¦ If you mark Alexander’s life well, Harry of Monmouth’s life is come after it in incident well. † Later on Henry shows again that he does have feelings. All of the boys guarding the luggage have been killed, â€Å"I was not angry since I came to France Until this instant. † When Henry knows that they have won the battle he is not boastful; this is another great attribute of a hero shown very clearly to the audience by Shakespeare. Instead he says, â€Å"Praised be God, and not our strength, for it. † He then shows that he is not afraid to show everybody his roots. â€Å"I wear it for a memorable honour, For I am Welsh, you know, good countryman. † Even though he is enjoying the moment of winning he has to get on with his job, â€Å"Bring me just notice of the numbers dead On both our parts. † Once again Henry refers to God, â€Å"To boast of this, or to take that praise from God, Which is His only†¦ but with this acknowledgement, That God fought for us. † During the battle Shakespeare uses another dramatic device by using very short scenes whilst everyone is fighting. This means that everything is constantly changing and the audience doesn’t know what is going to happen next. It also builds up tension because Shakespeare is moving from one camp to the next. One minute you are in the French camp then the next you are in the English camp. After winning the battle Henry has to get back to his duties as king. Shakespeare shows the audience this side of Henry to show us that he is not just wrapped up in the glory of winning, he instead shows us that he is a true hero and still will face up to his responsibilities. â€Å"Peace to this meeting, wherefor we are met. † He then shows that a hero is just like any other man by trying to court the French king’s daughter, Katherine. â€Å"Fair Katherine†¦ if you will love me soundly with your French heart I will be glad to hear you confess it brokenly with your English tongue†¦ An angel is like you†¦ And therefore tell me, most fair Katherine, will you have me? † After agreeing the peace treaty Henry says, â€Å"prepare we for our marriage † The above quotations were taken from Act Five Scene Two. Overall I think Shakespeare has been very successful in presenting Henry as a hero. He is everything a hero could be. He has shown the audience that a hero could be sitting amongst them, that a hero is just an ordinary man or woman. The audience can relate to this because one day they themselves know that they could be a hero. I also think that the play was more effective in Elizabethan times than it is now. This is because when Shakespeare wrote this particular play Queen Elizabeth was coming to the end of a very successful rein and she had no one to succeed her. The Elizabethan community were very worried that there wouldn’t be anybody as good to take over, especially not a man. Shakespeare then wrote this play showing a truly heroic, male King. This raised the hopes of the Elizabethan people and made the play much more effective and much more popular.

Green mountain Essay

Green Mountain Coffee Roaster and Keurig have teamed up together to provide consumers the freshly roasted coffee of Starbucks in an easy to use one pack Keurig coffee. The company Green Mountain Coffee Roaster started in Vermont and currently employees about 5,800 people. After the acquiring of Keurig Green Mountain the company has reported the working of three major operating systems known as the specialty coffee business, the Keurig coffee business, and the Canadian coffee business, these forms of business have helped evolve the firm into the super coffee giant it is today. The forms of business that Green Mountain has incorporated allows for brewing at home and away from home and involves not just coffee but other forms of beverages including hot chocolate. With the current fiscal year ending Green Mountain has reported sales of $3,859. 2 million dollars. This report shows the increase in earnings just within the business segment, showing a profit of 46 percent compared to the previous years earnings. SWOT ANALYSIS Green Mountain Strengths: Strong company imagine with a loyal customer base. Flexibility with Keurig coffee single servings and units being sold. An Established name brand. Strategic partnerships with other coffee brands and beverages to provide an array of options. Weakness Only one source of manufacturer located in China. High level of dependence on certain retailers in order to provide certain beverages to their consumers. Opportunities Ability to partner with new vendors in order to increase profitability. With Keurig units being sold new types of beverages open the doors to future Keurig single servings to be sold. Threats: Higher competition of coffee shops such as Dunkin Donuts who also offer a take home coffee blend. High competition with other coffee makers including instantaneous coffee. High cost of Keurig Unit and single serving cups. Impact of the economy on Keurig considered a luxury compared to more affordable options. ANALYSIS VIA PORTER’S FIVE FORCES MODEL Taking a look at the business model that Green Mountain offers, their main consumer base that have bought Keurig units allow them to use the K-cups single servings for different kinds of coffee blends. The Company also has the advantage that more than half of the adults in the U. S and Canada drink coffee; however the dependency on specialty coffee and the cost of Keurig could post a problem depending on the recovery of the economy and the cost of the K-cups. Lastly the risk of new completion such as current coffee retailers and instant coffee can pose a problem in regards to price compared to Keurig; however Green Mountain does provide an online website which allows consumers to purchase products such as K-cups and Keurig Units at a discounted price. Because of this online availability Green Mountain holds some grounds for its livelihood in the world of coffee. STRATEGY USED The Strategy that Green Mountain is using and the methods of their company that they stand by today is to offer an environment friendly way of making and distributing quality coffee. Green Mountain has lived on the notion that you don’t have to go to a coffee store to get quality coffee. By allowing consumers to pick and choose their favorite blends of coffee, Green Mountain has allowed the ability of quality coffee to be brewed in the luxury of your own home. By incorporating the use of the internet, Green Mountain has eliminated the need of a store front by allowing consumers to purchase their products directly on-line. However Green Mountain has also partnered with outside vendors allowing their products to be sold indirectly, once again allowing the consumer an array of options to choose from. The major issues and challenges that face this organization is the manufacturing being solely based and manufactured in China. If the manufacturer one day decides to up the cost of the work being performed Green Mountain would take a significant loss or be forced to find manufacturing partners elsewhere. Another huge issue is the dependency on specialty coffee and price. If the economy once gain falls as it recently did, Green Mountain Keurig would be considered more of a luxury when so many different affordable alternatives exist. If I was in the position of the company looking to gain the competitive advantage I would start offering the Keurig Unit for free or at least at a lower price, instead of charging consumers close to a hundred dollars and up making it hard to make that decision, especially for the average family on a fixed budget. Secondly when taking into consideration how to retain existing customers and bring in new customers, discounting the Keurig unit will result in consumers automatically buying the K-cups at the store or online since they already have the unit. At the end of the day you want to have a sticky but yet affordable product, one that will be hard to leave once you have experienced it. OPINION I liked the case study it allowed me to examine what a company goes through and what great things separate companies from one another. It also helped me create a solution for improving the profitability of a company. In the end, this case study really made you think of all the options available to the company and the best route they should take in order to ensure their livelihood in the business world.

Origional Writing †Media Coursework Essay

After 6 weeks of non-stop sailing for the 14-year-old British schoolboy, Michael Perham has successfully completed his objective: becoming the youngest person ever to sail solo across the Atlantic, beating Sebastian Clover who, at 15, had held the record since 2003. Mike began sailing at the age of seven and has since completed the RYA courses in dinghy sailing and windsurfing, as well as being thoroughly prepared by his father (a qualified Yachtmaster). Before Mike could begin his incredible journey, he spent many long hours persuading wealthy companies to sponsor him so he could finance the trip. No easy task for a 14-year-old! Eventually, he managed to gather enough sponsors to buy the 2 yachts and all the equipment, safety measures and back-ups he could possibly need. His main sponsor was ‘Sketchers’ without whom; the trip would most likely have been called off. The RYA was going to be the main sponsors of the pair but they withdrew their hand after accusing Mike of using a category B yacht. The Tide28 did not comply with the RYA’s safety requirements and was not class A. However, Mike’s dad said angrily: â€Å"While that’s true, we have strengthened it up to comply with many of the category A requirements and it is better suited to our route. It’s frustrating that we did not have the chance to say that. † He also set up an online website with daily updates to his blog, and details of his trip, location and the charities he’s supporting. So far, Mike has raised around i 2,000 apiece for both BBC Children In Need and RYA Sailability (aimed at helping disabled people to get into sailing). You can donate to either of these charities by visiting Mike’s website at: http://www. sailmike. com/charities. htm. On the 18th November, Michael Perham, from land-locked Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, headed off from Gibraltar on the 18th November 2006 with the intention of sailing into the record books in approximately 4 weeks. With his father (Peter, 47) shadowing him, in an identical – 18ft – Tide 28 yacht – ‘Arturus’, he and ‘Cheeky Monkey’ set sail for Antigua. His route following the trade winds, tried and tested by seafarers down the centuries, had to include a last minute diversions to the Canary Islands and Cape Verde for equipment repairs. Having planned to cross the 3,500 miles and reach his destination before Christmas, the realisation that his journey time must be extended would have been aggravating but necessary. During the voyage, Mike has encountered all kinds of problems and pleasures, including: sharks; dolphins; gale-force winds and 25ft waves! Often on his journey, Mike was accompanied by the dolphins’ friendly presence or the sharks’ more frightening one, but throughout it all, the experiences were exhilarating, Steve, 39, head teacher of Chancellor’s School in Brookmans Park (Stuart, 39) said, â€Å"It was an opportunity in itself. It would be a huge learning curve for him. He would learn resilience and dealing with solitude, whilst keeping up on his homework, of course! † On November 25th, Mike wrote: â€Å"Had my first experience of squalls, they really do knock your teeth out! † which shows just what a challenge this trip was for him. Despite the Tide 28s being far safer than horse riding, Mike seems to have encountered every possible hitch, a matter confirmed by Mike’s publicist – Kizzi Nkwocha: â€Å"Almost everything you could imagine going wrong, did go wrong – mechanical failure, technical failure, shark-infested waters, waves the size of skyscrapers. † However, Mike coped remarkably well with all problems sent his way, including diving off his boat to untangle a rope from the rudder. As well as the large amount of sailing thing activities that Mike had to attend to, he enjoyed reading; listening to music; playing battleships with his dad over the WHF Phone; and, inevitably, homework. He also started to teach himself the guitar and he filmed his most extraordinary moments aboard ‘Cheeky Monkey’. Mike’s reception Antigua was very convivial, with a welcoming flotilla to bring him in, consisting of all sorts of vehicles from dinghies to speedboats. The response from the media was highly praising as was that from his parents, with Mike’s mum, Heather Perham, 50, (who has remained on dry land in the UK during the voyage with Michael’s sister Fiona, 16,) stating: â€Å"I’m really, really, really proud of him. Peter, said: â€Å"It has been very hard on him, he has had no Christmas presents, no snacks, no video games or T. V. and no company for 6 weeks now, but everyone here is extremely proud of his achievement, as is Mike. † However, the public reaction has been largely 2-sided – whereas it was expected Mike’s achievement would be celebrated, in many cases, jealousy or some other factor has caused much criticism of his achievement. The main objects of dispute have been that Mike was from an upper-class family, and so had â€Å"more opportunity† and the fact that his dad was following a couple of miles behind. One online correspondent even said: â€Å"So Little Lord Fauntleroy has sailed across the pond, big deal! † Whereas another pointed out: â€Å"If a force 10 gale had hit, Peter Perham would have enough to worry about on ‘Arturus’, let alone chasing after Michael. He would have had to cope alone. † To start with Peter said: â€Å"Michael said to me: ‘It would be great if I could do that, Dad. ‘ As a parent I just thought it was a typical boy’s dream. I never thought it would actually happen. Now he has been proven wrong – to his delight – and all in all this is a remarkable achievement for someone so young and he deserves all the praise he is given. And who knows how many people have turned their thoughts to the future already: Will an adventurous 13-year-old break Perham’s record any time soon?