What Makes A Christian Essay - 1826 Words

What does it mean to be a Christian? A Christian is a person that believes in God and shares his word with all of God’s children. Christianity is the faith that a Christian puts in to being a Christian. Being a Christian means so many different things to many different people all across the world. Deciding on what the correct views as being a Christian is a difficult task, as many see the world in a different light. After looking up in the dictionary, it found that the definition of a Christian is a person professing their belief in Jesus as the Christ. In the bible the definition according to Act 11:26 it says â€Å"Followers of Jesus Christ were first called Christians.† A Christian is a person that obeys the Ten Commandments, up holds God’s word, and lives the life God has planned for all of his children. Thesis Statement. How to live the good life according to God’s plan is a great example of being a Christian. This means to be kind to our neighbors, help out poor people whenever there is a free moment and to always trust in God’s plan. God has a plan for each and every one of his children, that doesn’t mean that the plan cannot change from time to time, but all of God’s children are supposed to live everyday doing good in God’s eyes. This quote sums up God’s plan for all of his children â€Å"As for many of God’s children, â€Å"we will serve the Lord,† Joshua 24:14-15. After reading this bible verse, it shows Christians, which if they start out every day serving the Lord,Show MoreRelatedWhat Makes A Christian?1971 Words   |  8 Pagesfrom others around them and made their group different from the rest, this is part of what makes humans unique and interesting. This fact does not mean that a specific view is more accurate or more pertinent , simply different. While acknowledging that all ideas are not equal, it is also important to note that each human has been made equally and is free to think and choose what to believe as they wish. As a Christian, I acknowledge and truly hold fast to the idea that God the creator of the heavensRead MoreWhat Makes A Christian? Essay1998 Words   |  8 PagesWhat does it mean to be a Christian? A Christian is a person that believes in God and shares his word with all of God’s children. Christianity is the faith that a Christian puts in to being a Christian. Being a Christian means so many different things to many different people all across the world. Deciding on what the correct views as being a Christian is a difficult task, as many see the world in a different light. After looking up in the dictionary, it found that the definition of a ChristianRead MoreWhat Impact The Word Of God Should Have On A Christian1083 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Then God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.† (ESV, 2016). If a person is to state that they are indeed a Christian, then they are agreeing that the Bible is the inherent word of God and that it will dictate the ch oices they make and the things they do. Considering what impact the word of GodRead MoreComparing Pagan Romans And Christians Essay1107 Words   |  5 PagesPagan Romans and Christians in the 2nd 3rd C.E. Introduction: What relationship did the Christians and Pagan Romans have with one another? Explain emperor Nero, and his part in how the persecutions began on a higher level. Glimpse of some of the accusations Christians went under. B. Introduce Primary source Pliny and his letter to Trajan. Explain the reason this letter relates to the relationship of the Christians and Pagan Romans. C. Thesis: The Christians faced tumultuous, andRead MoreEssay on The Composition of a True Christian927 Words   |  4 Pagesa world full of people who consider themselves Christians, people on the outside wonder what distinguishes Christians from everyone else. The hope for Christians is that others will see the differences in the behavior and attitudes. If not, one could question how Christian that person is. Conversely, viewing Christians who exemplify Christian qualities provides a strong example of Christian life is like. From an examination of consummate Christians such as William Wilberforce, Saint Augustine, andRead MoreAnalysis Of Walking On Water 1118 Words   |  5 Pageswould write â€Å"Christian novels.† I do wish to write Christian content, but her idea of Christian books and mine differ vastly. Author of the acclaimed novel A Wrinkle In Time, Madeline L’Engle eloquently reflects on the relationship between Christianity and art in her book, Wa lking on Water. Within this work, she asks what makes art Christian, an artist Christian, and the relationship between faith and art. After reading her book, I have arrived at certain conclusions regarding â€Å"Christian art† andRead MoreThe Christ Of Jesus Christ975 Words   |  4 Pagesand trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. However, there are some Christians who make a profession of faith, but their lives do not reflect their profession. There needs to be an understanding that once a Christian comes to faith in Christ they are to die to self and to live for Christ. This is the point A. W. Tozer makes in The Crucified Life. The following reading reflection will focus on four points that are important to our lives as Christians, and apply those principles to ministry. Principles The crucifiedRead MoreThe Separation Of The State And Church1535 Words   |  7 Pagesentities, there will always exists a way through which the two entities will interact and consult each other as individual entities (Hamburger 67). People should not push Christian beliefs on American’s that do not want it , we should stick with our background as a Christian nation because most of American’s categorize themselves as Christians and our country has always been prosperous why change it now. In some nations such as France and Turkey, the level of relations that exists between the nations andRead More Hypocrisy and Christianity Essay1158 Words   |  5 Pagesviews of Christians, what response would one receive? We can imagine that there would be a great variety of answers. However, most people might say that, in general, Christians are not very different from everybody else. This is a problem. There are many people who claim to be Christians whose lifestyles do not reflect their beliefs. The problem with this situation is that it gives non-Christians the wrong impression of Christianity. Christians need to live their lives in a way that reflects what theyRead MoreChristianity And World Changing By James Davison Hunter1743 Words   |  7 PagesMany people believe that that the motivation of the Christian church is to radically â€Å"change the world†. However, through his book To Change The World, James Davison Hunter explains how this common believe is a misconc eption. Rather, he shows readers that, from a sociological perspective, while Christians thrive in many areas of life by reaching others individually, they fundamentally components of creating cultural change. Hunter’s first essay, titled â€Å"Christianity And World-Changing† attempts

The Stupidest Angel Chapter 10 Free Essays

string(60) " a small silver coin about the size of a dime in the other\." Chapter 10 LOVE, KICKED TO THE CURB â€Å"You did what?† Lena said, then adding, â€Å"And take that bat off your head, it’s unnerving to have a hat looking at you like that.† â€Å"Like what?† Tuck said. â€Å"Don’t change the subject. We will write a custom essay sample on The Stupidest Angel Chapter 10 or any similar topic only for you Order Now You blackmailed Theo Crowe?† She was pacing her kitchen. Tuck sat at the counter, wearing a gold oxford-cloth shirt that complemented the bat on his head while accentuating the sea blue of his eyes. The bat, for once, wasn’t wearing sunglasses. â€Å"Not really. It was only sort of implied. He’d figured out that I’d been in your ex-husband’s truck. He knew. Now he’ll just forget it.† â€Å"He may not. He may have some integrity, unlike some people.† â€Å"Hey, hey, hey. Let’s not point the finger here, my ex is still living well in the Caymans on money that I rightfully stole from an organ-smuggling doctor, while yours, need I remind you –  » â€Å"Dale’s death was an accident. Everything since then, all this craziness, has been your doing. You come into my life at the worst possible moment, like you had a plan all along, and things have gone more and more out of control. Now you’re blackmailing my friends. Tucker, are you insane?† â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"Sure? Just like that? Sure, you’re insane?† â€Å"Sure, everyone is. If you think anyone is sane you just don’t know enough about them. The key – and this is very relevant in our case – is to find someone whose insanity dovetails with your own. Like us.† He flashed what Lena thought was supposed to be a charming grin, which was somewhat defused by his trying to untangle one of Roberto’s wing claws from his hair. Lena turned from him and leaned against the counter in front of the dishwasher, hoping to steel herself for what she had to do. Unfortunately Tuck had just run a load of dishes and the steam from the vent in front was streaming through her thin skirt and making her feel inappropriately moist for righteous indignation. She spun around with resolve and allowed the dishwasher to steam her backside as she made her pronouncement. â€Å"Look, Tucker, you are a very attractive man†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She took a deep breath on the pause. â€Å"No way. You’re breaking up with me?† â€Å"And I do like you, despite the situation –  » â€Å"Oh, right, you don’t want to have anything to do with an attractive guy who you like, heaven forbid – ; â€Å"Would you shut up!† The bat barked at her tone. â€Å"You, too, fur face! Look, in another time and place, maybe. But you’re too – I’m too – you just accept things too easily. I need –  » â€Å"Your anxiety?† â€Å"Would you please let me finish?† â€Å"Sure, go ahead.† He nodded. The bat, now on his shoulder, nodded as well. Lena had to look away. â€Å"And your bat is freaking me out.† â€Å"Yeah, well, you should have been around when he used to talk.† â€Å"Out! Tucker! I need you out of my life. I have too much to deal with – you are too much to deal with.† â€Å"But the sex, it was great, it was – ; â€Å"I understand if you want to go to the authorities – I may even go myself – but this just isn’t right.† Tucker Case hung his head. Roberto the fruit bat hung his head. Tucker Case looked at the fruit bat, who, in turn, looked at Lena, as if to say, Well, I hope you ‘re happy, you broke his heart. â€Å"I’ll get my stuff,† Tuck said. Lena was crying, and she didn’t want to be crying, but she was. She watched Tuck pick up his things around the house and stuff them into a flight bag, wondering how he had spread so much crap around her house in only two days. Men, they were always marking territory. He paused at the door and looked back. â€Å"I’m not going to go to the authorities. I’m just going to go.† Lena rubbed her forehead as if she had a headache but mainly to cover her tears. â€Å"Okay, then.† â€Å"I’m going, then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Good-bye, Tucker.† â€Å"You won’t have anyone to sex up under the Christmas tree†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lena looked up. â€Å"Jeez, Tuck.† â€Å"Okay. I’m going now.† And he did. Lena Marquez went into her bedroom to call her friend Molly. Maybe crying over the phone to a girlfriend would bring a sense of normalcy back into her life. Sour Nerds? Cinnamon Geeks? Or Gummy Boogers? Sam Applebaum’s mom was picking out a ;nice; reasonably priced Cabernet, and Sam was allowed one item of candy from the rack at Brine’s Bait, Tackle, and Fine Wines. Of course the Boogers would last the longest, but they were all mundane green-apple finish, while the Nerds proffered a fruity variety and an impudent little top note of tang. Cinnamon Geeks had a rich nose and a bit of a bite up front, but their tiny certified-public-accountant shape betrayed their bourgeois origins. Sam was learning wine words. He was seven and he very much enjoyed unnerving adults with his wine-word vocabulary. Hanukkah had just ended and there had been a lot of dinners at Sam’s house over the last week, with a lot of wine talk, and Sam had joyfully freaked out a whole table of his relatives by pronouncing after the blessing that the Manischewitz blackberry (the only wine he was allowed to taste) was a â€Å"tannacious little cunt of a red, but not without a certain buttery geranium charm.† (He finished dinner in his room over that one – but it was tannacious. Philistines.) â€Å"You are one of the Chosen?† said a voice up and to the right of Sam. â€Å"I destroyed the Canaanites so your people would have a homeland.† He looked up and saw a man with long blond hair wearing a long black duster. A jolt went through Sam like he’d just licked a battery. This was the guy that had scared his friend Josh so badly. He looked around and saw his mom was in the back of the store with Mr. Masterson, the owner. â€Å"Can I get these with this?† asked the man. He had three candy bars in one hand, and a small silver coin about the size of a dime in the other. You read "The Stupidest Angel Chapter 10" in category "Essay examples" The coin looked very old. â€Å"That’s a foreign coin. I don’t think they take it.† The man nodded thoughtfully and looked very sad at the news. â€Å"But Nestle’s Crunch is a fine choice,† said Sam, trying to buy time, and keep the guy from going off on him. â€Å"A bit naive, but an undergrowth of ambergris and walnut gives it legs.† Sam looked around for his mom again. She was still talking wine with Mr. Masterson, flirting about it – Sam could be cut up in pieces and put away in freezer bags and she wouldn’t notice. Maybe he could get the guy to leave. â€Å"Look, they aren’t looking. Why don’t you just take them?† â€Å"I can’t,† said the blond man. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Because no one has told me to.† Oh no. This guy looked like a grown-up, but actually he had the mind of a dumb little kid inside. Like that guy in Sling Blade, or the president. â€Å"Then I’ll tell you to, okay?† Sam said. â€Å"Go ahead. Take them. You’d better get going, though. It’s going to rain.† Sam couldn’t remember ever talking to an adult like this before. The blond man looked at his candy bars, then at Sam. â€Å"Thank you. Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men. Merry Christmas.† â€Å"I’m Jewish, remember? We don’t celebrate Christmas. We celebrate Hanukkah, the miracle of the lights.† â€Å"Oh, that wasn’t a miracle.† â€Å"Sure it was.† â€Å"No, I remember. Someone snuck in and put more oil in the lamp. But I will grant a Christmas miracle tomorrow. I must go.† With that, the blond man backed away, hugging his candy bars to his chest. â€Å"Shalom, child.† And in an instant he was just gone. â€Å"Great!† Sam said. â€Å"Just great. Throw that in my face!† Kendra – the Warrior Babe of the Outland, combat mistress of the hot-oil arena, slayer of monsters, menace to mutants, scourge of the sand pirates, sworn protector of the cud-beast herdsmen of Lan, and intramural Blood Champion of the Termite People (mounds seven through twelve inclusive) – enjoyed cheese. So it came to pass, on that twenty-third of December, with her noodles wet and congealing in the colander, that she did raise her well-muscled arm to the sky and call the wrath of all the Furies down upon her higher power, Nigoth the Worm God, for allowing her to leave the mozzarella at the Thrifty-Mart checkout counter. But the gods do not concern themselves in the affairs of lasagna, so the sky did not explode with vengeful fire (or at least not that she could see from the kitchen window) to incinerate the mingy god who would dare desert her in her most dire hour of cheese. What happened was nothing at all. â€Å"Curse be unto yon, Nigoth! Would that my blade was not broken, I would track you to the ends of the Outland and sever your thousand and one eyestalks, just to make sure I got your favorite. Then I would feed them raw to the most heinous –  » Then the phone rang. â€Å"Helloo,† Molly sang sweetly. â€Å"Molly?† Lena said. â€Å"You sound out of breath. Are you okay?† â€Å"Quick, think of something,† said the Narrator, â€Å"Don’t tell her what you were doing.† The Narrator had been with Molly almost constantly for the last two days, mostly an irritation, except that he had remembered how much oregano and thyme to use in the red sauce. Nevertheless, she knew that he was a sign she needed to get back on her meds ASAP. â€Å"Oh, yeah, I’m fine, Lena. Just buffing the muffin. You know, gray afternoon, storm coming in, Theo’s a mutant – I thought I’d cheer myself up.† There was a long silence on the line, and Molly wondered if she’d sounded convincing. â€Å"Completely convincing,† said the Narrator. â€Å"If I wasn’t here, I’d swear you were still doing it.† â€Å"You’re not here!† Molly said. â€Å"Pardon?† said Lena. â€Å"Molly, I can call back if this is a bad time.† â€Å"Oh, no, no, no. I’m okay. Just making lasagna.† â€Å"I’ve never heard it called that before.† â€Å"For the party.† â€Å"Oh, right. How’s it going?† â€Å"I forgot the mozzarella. Paid for it, then left it at the check stand.† She looked at the three cartons of ricotta sitting on the counter, mocking her. Soft cheeses could be so smug. â€Å"I’ll go pick it up and bring it over.† â€Å"No!† Molly felt a jolt of adrenaline at the thought that she’d have to push through a long girlfriend session with Lena. Things were getting so blurry between Pine Cove and the Outland. â€Å"I mean, it’s okay. I can do it. I enjoy cheese – shopping for cheese.† Molly heard a sniffle on the other end of the line. â€Å"Mol, I really need to help you with the goddamn lasagna, okay? Really.† â€Å"Well, she sounds as nutty as you are,† said the Narrator. Molly swatted at the air to shut him up – did a finger-to-lip emphatic rocking shush mime. â€Å"She’s a crisis junkie if I ever saw one.† â€Å"I need to talk to someone,† Lena said with a sniff. â€Å"I broke up with Tucker.† â€Å"Oh, I’m so sorry, Lena. Who’s Tucker?† â€Å"The pilot I was seeing.† â€Å"The guy with the bat? You just met him, didn’t you? Take a bath. Eat some ice cream. You’ve known him two days, right?† â€Å"We shared a lot.† â€Å"Cowboy up, Lena. You fucked him and kicked him to the curb. It’s not like he stole your design for a coldfusion reactor. You’ll be okay.† â€Å"Molly! It’s Christmas. You’re supposed to be my friend.† Molly nodded at the phone, then realized that Lena couldn’t hear her. True, she wasn’t being a very good friend. After all, she was sworn protector of the cud-beast herdsmen of Lan, as well as a member of the Screen Actors Guild, it was her duty to pretend she cared about her friend’s problems. â€Å"Bring the cheese,† she said. â€Å"We’ll be here.† â€Å"We?† â€Å"Me. Bring the cheese, Lena.† Theo Crowe showed up at Brine’s Bait, Tackle, and Fine Wines just in time to miss everything. Robert Masterson, the owner of Brine’s, had called him as soon as he’d seen the mysterious blond man talking to Sam Applebaum, and Theo had rushed right over, only to find that there was nothing to find. The blond guy hadn’t hurt or threatened Sam, and the boy seemed fine, except that he kept babbling about changing his religion and becoming a Rastafarian like his cousin Preston who lived on Maui. Theo realized midway through the interview that he was not the guy to enumerate the reasons why one should not spend his life smoking dope and surfing like Sam’s cousin Preston because he: (A) had never learned to surf, and (B) didn’t have the foggiest idea how Rastafarianism worked, and (C) would eventually have to use the argument: And look at what a complete loser I am – you don’t want that for yourself, do you, Sam? He left the scene fee ling even more useless than he had after the verbal bitch-slapping he’d taken from the pilot at Lena Marquez’s house. When Theo pulled into his driveway at lunchtime, hoping he might be able to patch things up with Molly and get some sympathy and a sandwich, he saw Lena’s truck parked in front of the cabin and his heart sank. He debated shuffling over to the commercial pot patch and smoking a sticky bud before going in, but that sounded an awful lot like the behavior of an addict, and he was simply on a little slide from grace, not a blowout. Still, he came through the door humbled, not sure at all how he was going to handle Lena, who might be a murderer, let alone Molly. â€Å"Traitor!† Molly said from over a pan of noodles she was layering into a pan with sauce, meat, and cheese. She had sauce on her hands up to her elbows and looked like she’d been engaged in some very messy surgery. The back door out of the kitchen had slammed shut as he came in. â€Å"Where’s Lena?† Theo said. â€Å"She went out the back. Why, are you afraid she’ll reveal your secret?† Theo shrugged and approached his wife, his arms out to the side in a â€Å"gimme a break† gesture. Why was it that when she was angry her teeth looked really sharp? He never noticed that any other time. â€Å"Mol, I was just doing it so I could get you something for Christmas – I didn’t mean to – ; â€Å"Oh, I don’t care about that – you’re investigating Lena. My friend Lena. You just went to her house like she’s a criminal or something. It’s the radiation, isn’t it?† â€Å"There’s evidence, Molly. And it’s not that I got high. I found fruit-bat hairs in Dale’s truck and her boyfriend has a fruit bat. And the little Barker kid said – † Theo heard a car start up outside. â€Å"I should talk to her.† â€Å"Lena wouldn’t hurt anyone. She brought me cheese for Christmas, for Christ’s sake. She’s a pacifist.† â€Å"I know that, Molly. I’m not saying that she hurt anyone, but I need to find out –  » â€Å"Besides, some fuckers just need killing!† â€Å"Did she tell you – ; â€Å"I think it’s the pot that makes you reveal your mutant self.† She had a lasagna noodle in her hand and was waving it at him. It sort of looked like she was shaking a living creature, but then, he was still a little buzzed. â€Å"Molly, what are you talking about, ‘my mutant self’? Are you taking your meds?† â€Å"How dare you accuse me of being crazy. That’s worse than if you asked me if it was my time of the month, which it isn’t, by the way. But I can’t believe that you’d imply that I need to be medicated. You mutant bastard!† She flung the noodle at him and he ducked. â€Å"You do need to be medicated, you crazy bitch!† Theo didn’t deal well with violence, even in the form of soggy semolina, but after the initial outburst, he immediately lost the will to fight. â€Å"I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking. Let’s just – ; â€Å"Fine!† Molly said. She wiped her hands on a dish towel, then tossed it at him. In dodging it, he felt like he was moving in blurred bullet time in the Matrix, but in truth he was just a tall guy who was a little baked and the towel would have missed him anyway. Molly stomped through the little house, into their bedroom, and dropped to the floor on the far side of the bed. â€Å"Molly, you okay?† She came up holding a package the size of a shoe box wrapped in Christmas paper with a few dust bunnies clinging to it. She held it out to him. â€Å"Here. Take it and go. I don’t want to see you, traitor. Go.† Theo was stunned. Was she leaving him? Asking him to leave her? How had this gone so wrong so fast? â€Å"I don’t want to go. I’m having a really bad day, Molly. I came home hoping to find a little sympathy.† â€Å"Yeah? Okay. Here you go. Aw, poor stoned Theo, I’m so sorry that you have to investigate my best friend the day before Christmas Eve when you could be out playing in an illegal pot patch that looks like the jungle plateau of the gibbon people.† She held out his present and he took it. What the hell was she talking about? â€Å"So it is about the victory garden?† â€Å"Open it,† she said. She didn’t say a word more. She put a hand on her hip and fixed him with that â€Å"I am so going to kick your ass or fuck your brains out† look that excited and terrified him, as he wasn’t always sure which way she would go with it, only that she was going to get satisfaction one way or the other and he was going to be sore the next day because of it. It was a Warrior Babe look, and he realized fully, then, that she was having an episode. She probably really was off her meds. This had to be handled just right. He backed away a few steps and tore the paper off the package. Inside was a white box with the silver seal of a very exclusive local glassblower, and inside that, wrapped in blue tissue, was the most beautiful bong he’d ever seen. It was like something out of the Art Nouveau era, only fashioned from modern materials, blue-green dichromatic glass with ornate silver branches running through it that gave it the appearance of walking through a forest as he turned it in his hand. The bowl and handle, which fit his hand perfectly, appeared to be cast of solid silver with the same organic tree-branch design seeming to leap right out of the glass. This had to have been made just for him, with his tastes in mind. He felt himself tearing up and blinked back the tears. â€Å"It’s beautiful.† â€Å"Uh-huh,† Molly said. â€Å"So you can see it’s not your garden that bothers me. It’s just you.† â€Å"Molly, I only want to talk to Lena. Her boyfriend threatened to blackmail me. I was only growing – ; â€Å"Take it and go,† Molly said. â€Å"Honey, you need to call Dr. Val, maybe see if she’ll see you –  » â€Å"Get out, goddammit. You don’t tell me to see the shrink. Get out!† It was no use. Not now, anyway. Her voice had hit the Warrior Babe frenzy pitch – he recognized it from the times he’d taken her to the county hospital before they’d become involved as lovers. When she’d just been the town’s crazy lady. She’d lose it if he pressed her any more. â€Å"Fine. I’ll go. But I’ll call you, okay?† She just gave him that look. â€Å"It’s Christmas†¦Ã¢â‚¬  One last try maybe. The look. â€Å"Fine. Your present is on the top shelf in the closet. Merry Christmas.† He dug some underwear and socks out of the drawer, grabbed a few shirts out of the closet, and headed out the front door. She slammed it hard enough behind him to break one of the windows. The glass hitting the sidewalk sounded like a summary of his whole life. How to cite The Stupidest Angel Chapter 10, Essay examples

Organizational Development for Northern County Legal Services (NCLS)

Question: Discuss about the Organizational Development for Northern County Legal Services. Answer: 1. The organization discussed in the said case is Northern County Legal Services (NCLS) which is a nonprofit organization which provides free legal services to individuals who cannot afford it. The said organization is situated in a small premise with one waiting room and four offices. The waiting room has no Air conditioning, thus, the clients who come to visit the organization suffer from heat as it waiting room gets crowded and hot and at times, three volunteers share one single office. Additionally, the said organization is very unorganized as it handles walk-in clients and clients with appointment simultaneously, frustrating the client who wait without appointment for hours together. Additionally, the organization has major concern in relation to its funding. It has very uncomfortable chairs for its staff and the internal management of the organization also suffers from many defects like incomplete paperwork, poor scheduling by staff and lack in timely filing. The staff at North ern County Legal Services (NCLS) fills housing intake forms which are incomplete; they also are confused about where urgent forms and non-urgent forms are to be placed for their head Julie to review. The staff also had different views about which work to consider urgent. Additionally, the volunteers or the staff in Northern County Legal Services (NCLS) has to deal with issues in which they dont specialize. For example, Monica specializes in family law but has to deal with housing laws and housing intake form which gives rise to mistakes. Additionally, the staff faces issues in filing the paperwork which is completed by someone else (Wray Bliss, 2013). 2. Ethics is a vital element in personal and professional life. Thus, every organization requires following ethics. Ethics are the values and principals which an organization uses or adopts while conducting its activities and business. Thus, ethics should govern both the internal management of an organization along with the external communications the organization or its personnel have with third parties (Lpez-Campos et al., 2013). In the present case, the Northern County Legal Services (NCLS) should adopt a more organized and customer oriented approach where walk-in clients should not be asked to wait for hours together. The said attitude of the organization only frustrates and creates disrespect for the organization. Moreover, the internal management of the Northern County Legal Services (NCLS) also suffered from many ethical defects as the staff, employers and volunteers of the said organization failed to communicate properly with each other which restricted them from helping and handling matters in which they specialize (Gray, 2013). The organization should adopt an ethical manner of internal organization where staff and volunteers should be more passionate about solving legal problems of clients. Additionally, the head of the Northern County Legal Services (NCLS) should try to be more helpful and present to solve the issues and problems which the volunteers face in filing motions. Additionally, the volunteers and the employees of the Northern County Legal Services (NCLS) require to be shown that they are learning and progressing in the said organization which would encourage them to work more hard and with passion. Training seminars can be conducted to inculcate such values in the staff and employees including the volunteers of the said organization (Elmuti et al., 2013). 3. The Northern County Legal Services (NCLS) which offer pro bono legal services to its client suffer from many issues which can be solved with proper organization and supervision. In my opinion, all clients should be called on appointment which will reduced frustrated clients who have to wait in the hot waiting room which will in return made the office premises more accessible for staff and employees due to less crowd of client. Additionally, the internal management requires to be amended. The Northern County Legal Services (NCLS) deals with housing laws, employment laws, domestic violence and family law. Thus, the volunteers and the employees in the said organization should be divided in departments according to their specializations (Woermann, 2013). Thus, volunteers with specialization in housing laws should handle housing intake forms and volunteers specializing in family law should handle matters of domestic violence. However, an internal code of conduct should be formulated wh ich promotes working collectively and helping one and other to achieve more productivity as well as enhancement of legal knowledge. The Northern County Legal Services (NCLS) can hire few more experienced lawyers to supervise and review the work of volunteers. As the said volunteers of Northern County Legal Services (NCLS) are legal students, they require guidance which can be provided by hiring appropriate supervision (Coome, 2014) Reference List Coome, K. (2014). Ethics and the learning community.Learning communities in education, 86. Elmuti, D., Lehman, J., Harmon, B., Lu, X., Pape, A., Zhang, R., Zimmerle, T. (2013). Inequality between genders in the executive suite in corporate America: Moral and ethical issues.Equal opportunities international. Gray, R. H. (2013). Business ethics and organisational change.Leadership Organization Development Journal. Lpez-Campos, J. L., Hartl, S., Pozo-Rodriguez, F., Roberts, C. M. (2013). European COPD Audit: design, organisation of work and methodology.European Respiratory Journal,41(2), 270-276. Woermann, M. (2013). The ethics of complexity and the complexity of ethics. InOn the (Im) Possibility of Business Ethics(pp. 31-50). Springer Netherlands. Wray Bliss, E. (2013). A crisis of leadership: towards an anti sovereign ethics of organisation.Business Ethics: A European Review,22(1), 86-101.

Urban Sprawl and Public Health Article Summary

â€Å"Urban Sprawl and Public Health†, a journal article authored by Howard Frumkin in 2001 gives a detailed account of the physical and mental effects of urban expansion. The concept ‘urban sprawl’ refers to rapid development of urban areas against slow development of social amenities (Frumkin, 2001, p.3).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Urban Sprawl and Public Health Article Summary specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The author expounds that some of the distinct features that characterize urban sprawl include; increased economic opportunities, poor regional planning, and overreliance on automotive travel, which has a negative effect on physical health (Frumkin, 2001, p.1). Subsequently, abrupt extension of metropolitan areas leads to the emergence of social homogeneity that is undeniably detrimental to the health of city residents. Frumkin (2001, p.1) highlights that the effects of urban spraw l have been debated for long. However, little attention has been focused on health implications arising from this phenomenon. It is essential to note that, urban lounge affect people’s life both positively and negatively. Against this background, this essay provides a summative analysis of the impacts of urban sprawl on mental and physical health of urban residents. In-depth analysis of literature has shown urban sprawl have adverse physical effects among urban dwellers. From the article, it is evident that people are highly motivated to shift from rural to metropolitan areas, yet some essential natural resources are not available in city centres. For instance, in urban areas there are no trees and other aesthetic facilities such as open ground recreational amenities (Frumkin, 2001, p.3). Moreover, the author emphasizes that physical activities in the densely populated urban centres has become a notable challenge. Lack of recreation activities, which are known to alleviate st ress, affects both the physical and mental health of urban dwellers negatively.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Secondly, research conducted by psychologists indicates that people enjoy automotive commuting, yet it exposes them to mental stress, especially in the eventuality of heavy traffic jam. Moreover, excessive noise originating from traffic and industrial activities deprive urban dwellers a tranquil and calm atmosphere (Frumkin, 2001, p.3). Consequently, due to lack of soothing and restorative atmosphere most people suffer from headaches and other stress-related complications. It is reasonable to illuminate that a shift from suburbs to urban results to social isolation, loneliness and breakup of family ties, and this further leads to mental stress among city dwellers. Besides, Frumkin explicates that urban dwellers are susceptible to illnesses that are associated with larg e crowds. Poor urban zoning and influx of large crowds leads to scarcity of basic amenities. It is definite that when mental health of an individual is threatened, then the physical and emotional state of the body is affected too (Frumkin 2001, p.3). Studies have revealed that excessive commuting results to backaches and self-reported stress. Additionally, cardiovascular ailments have become a common phenomenon due to lack of exercise and stress. Since urban sprawl is characterized by heavy traffic, cases of accidents are rampant especially in situations where traffic safety is neglected (Frumkin, 2001, p.3). Another point of concern is that pollution results to respiratory ailments. Poor urban planning results to scarcity of basic facilities such as water utilized by the public and this can result to an outbreak of waterborne diseases.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Urban Sprawl and Public Health Article Summary specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There is a need to hypothesize that social separation especially among married people due to urban employment results to immorality which has adverse effects to one’s health (Frumkin, 2001, p.3). Consequently, sexual immorality in the urban centres increases the risk of sexually transmitted ailments, thus increasing mortality rate. Reference Frumkin, H 2001, ‘Urban Sprawl and Public health’, Public Health Reports, vol, 117, no.1, pp.1-3. This essay on Urban Sprawl and Public Health Article Summary was written and submitted by user Larissa Woods to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Storm Essays

The Storm Essays The Storm Essay The Storm Essay Writing a fiction novel, I imagine, can be a very difficult task. It requires using different writing styles and an author with a great imagination. However, I believe the most important aspects in creating good fiction are strong characterization, and an engaging plot†specifically the rising action stage. Well-developed characterization in any fiction can bring a whole book to life through description of looks, thoughts and feelings by making the factious seem real. A thought-provoking, action filled plot keeps me committed to the story and prepares me for a good ending. As a reader, I need a story that will pull me along throughout the book with details containing meaningful ideas, dramatic events, and literature that will take me on a Journey beyond the unknown. The aspects of strong characterization and plot in storytelling are especially important because a good fiction book will allow me, being the reader, to stay engaged to the authors thoughts and feelings. I want to be able to find out what is going to happen in the next scene, a story that is not going to cause me to ecome disinterested halfway through the reading, and yet a story that does not allow me to guess the obvious. There is a cosmic exuberance and a mystic contact with the elements in The Storm (Chopin 29). In the short story, Chopin brings out great detail in the characters by using both direct and indirect characterization along with an engaging plot. She is able to draw out the characters in the story with speech, thoughts and looks, allowing them to come to life. In one setting of the story, she writes Her lips were as red and moist as pomegranate seed. Her white neck and a glimpse of her full, firm bosom disturbed him powerfully. (Chopin 271). This is a great example of strong characterization because the author uses technicalities which allow the reader to be able to construct a realistic image of what the character looks like, thus bringing vivacity into the story. The author is describing to the reader that the characters are a female and a male in a possible heated, maybe sexual situation (Koloski 18) by which the male character is aroused by her red lips and full bosom in which he cannot resist. The other important facet in good fiction is contained in the plot, but specifically where an author creates escalation of tension that will keep a reader turning pages and fully attentive. I feel a plot should be both structural and supportive while simultaneously bringing the whole story together. One good example the author also used in The Storm that exemplifies my second theory of what good fiction should be is the words she used to describe the intensity of the situation coming from the rising moments during the storm. She writes The ain beat softly upon the shingles, inviting them to drowsiness and sleep. But they dared not yield. (Chopin 272). The words the author used created an intensifying moment that could keep a reader enticed and wanting more. The methods used help describe the height of the moment, yet still not disclosing the obvious, almost as if showing the reader the bullet and leave them wondering where the gun is at. Another fervent moment used in The Storm was The rain beat upon the low, shingled roof with a force and clatter that threatened to break an entrance and deluge them there. Chopin 271). This example brings suspense to the plot of the story by creating an antagonizing moment for both the reader and the characters. In summary, good Tlctlon to me means Delng aDle to Taorlcate actlons In a snort story or any fictional literature, from beginning to end and keep a reader guessing by using surprising, realistic plot twists while creating new twists. Although all stages of the p lot in a book are important aspects, an intriguing plot may be the most important part in the novel. As a reader I like to grow fond of my characters and have a good utcome for them so not knowing what is going to happen next and to keep me wondering how the story will end is exactly how good fiction in my opinion is created. Good fiction is being able to escape in the book, take the mind on a never before been on Journey and feel a personal connection with the situation and with the characters, yet forgetting the whole time that the story was invented from the world of the non-existent. We need to create†as she did†new and distinctive ways of awakening, living, thinking, and growing (Toth xix).

The Growing Problem of Road Rage

The Growing Problem of Road Rage Statistics tell us that most all of us have been involved in an aggressive driving experience either as the victim or the aggressor at some point in our lives. Aggressive driving and road rage is on the rise, and according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAA), it is one, if not the top concern for many drivers today. AAA reported that at least 1,500 people a year are seriously injured or killed in senseless traffic disputes. The following includes excerpts from a report issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Characteristics of Aggressive Driving The term aggressive driving emerged during the 1990s as a label for a category of dangerous on-the-road behaviors. The category comprises: Following too closelyDriving at excessive speedsWeaving through trafficRunning stop lights and signs Aggressive driving occasionally escalates to gesturing in anger or yelling at another motorist, confrontation, physical assault and even murder. Road Rage is the label that emerged to describe the angry and violent behaviors at the extreme of the aggressive driving continuum. Graduating From Traffic Violation to Criminal Offense The NHTSA defines aggressive driving as, The operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property. An important distinction is that aggressive driving is a traffic violation, while road rage, aside from the yelling and gesticulating, is a criminal offense. Contributing Factors To Aggressive Driving Experts suggest many reasons for the increase in aggressive driving and road rage. Sociologists suggest it is due to the breakdown in our societys sense of community and a disintegration of shared values.Psychologists point to the intoxicating combination of power and anonymity provided by motor vehicles.Traffic engineers tend to believe the problem is due to inconsistent driving speeds among travelers. Traffic Congestion Traffic congestion is one of the most frequently mentioned contributing factors to aggressive driving. Drivers with low tolerances for traffic delays might respond by following too closely, changing lanes frequently, or becoming angry at anyone who impedes their progress. Running Late Some people drive aggressively because they have too much to do and are running late for work, school, their next meeting, lesson, soccer game, or some  other appointment. Many otherwise law-abiding citizens often justify speeding when running late, almost as they would a medical emergency. Speeding because one is running late to pick up a waiting child or getting an elderly parent to a doctors appointment is often deemed as okay in the minds of even some of the safest drivers. Anonymity A driver can develop a sense of anonymity and detachment when insulated within the privacy of a vehicle. Tinted windows further detach drivers, adding to the misconception of being an observer of the surroundings, rather than a participant. The anonymity for some may provoke antisocial behavior unseen in other normal interaction they experience with others. Combine this with having the power of a motor vehicle and the knowledge that it is unlikely they will ever be seen again by those they offend and the result can be extreme rudeness and even turn an otherwise nice person into a dangerous, raging individual. Disregard for Others and for the Law Much has been written about the erosion of shared values and respect for authority, variously attributed to the fragmentation of the extended family, increased individual mobility, media influence, and other characteristics of modern society. It does appear that civility and respect for authority have decreased, the trend epitomized by the phrase, Im just looking out for number one. Habitual or Clinical Behavior Most motorists rarely drive aggressively, and some never at all. For others, episodes of aggressive driving are frequent, and for a small proportion of motorists, it is their usual driving behavior. Occasional episodes of aggressive driving might occur in response to specific situations, such as speeding and changing lanes abruptly when late for an important appointment, when it is not the drivers normal behavior. Among the chronic aggressive drivers there are those who learned the driving style and consider it appropriate and others who may have learned to drive properly, but for whom the behavior is an expression of illness. Clearly, it is a matter of degree and not all anger is uncontrolled, or even inappropriate, that is, it is not the anger, but what a person does about it that matters (e.g., anger that motivates a person to call the police when encountered on the road by an obviously impaired or dangerously aggressive driver). However, chronic anger, habitual or persistent aggressive driving, and especially a pattern of confrontation on the road, must be considered manifestations of pathology, in addition to violations of the law. Sources:National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationRoad Rage: Causes and Dangers of Aggressive DrivingAAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Assignment (Economics) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

(Economics) - Assignment Example This is mainly because of overcrowding in the factory or when addition of extra labor results in over utilization of capital resources. Diseconomies of scale are observed when a firm becomes a large scale business but loses control over its cost structure, thereby resulting in high costs per unit. Management inefficiencies, poor communication and absence of motivated workers lead to decline in productivity and subsequently in diseconomies of scale. The average cost decreases as the quantity produced increases because the contribution of fixed costs to each unit decreases. For instance, the fixed costs remain same no matter what the quantity produced is; therefore, if more units are produced the total costs become low that then result in low average total costs. Assuming both firms have similar fixed costs, then the firm XYZ will have higher cost per kilowatt hour because its total output is three times below the output of ABC. For instance, the contribution of fixed costs in average cost per kilowatt hour will be higher in case of firm XYZ due to low productivity. Explicit costs are those that are incurred during business operations i-e producing and offering goods and services. Indeed, they lead to cash outflows. Implicit costs, in contrast, are the opportunity costs of using business resources / assets that could or could not be calculated in monetary terms. Total fixed costs remains same or unaffected as output rises in the short run, assuming no change in capital resources. However, if firm expands in the long run and rents a large building for office, factory or other business purposes, then its fixed costs will also be changed. If a flawless / impeccable car is built by a single highly specialized individual then I could pay what that car-manufacturing firm or individual person demands for that car because the utility that I would get from using that vehicle would

Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Planning - Essay Example You are required to address all of the pointsin each of thesections. You may either answer each point individually or you may choose to respond to all points in the one discussion of paragraphs using appropriate headings and sub-headings. 1. Your Co-operative Education role –technical skills: including being knowledgeable in your major field(s) of studybydemonstrating the application of knowledge from your major(s) to your Co-operative Education Placement You are required to address all of the points below. You may include further comments or discussion that is relevant. You must integrate relevant concepts, models, frameworks, theories and/or technical competencies (use in text references) to support your discussion. 123 Ltd was established in 2001 and is the largest agency company in USA. We do immigration consultancy, international students’ recruitment, marketing and promotion NZ schools, and tutoring service. My CPO produced more than 1000 students over the last 10 years At the moment, I am working with an international student recruitment agency as an assistant. We recruit international students in addition to marketing and promoting NZ schools. My position is that of an assistant and therefore I am deeply involved in the day to day administrative functions of the organisation. This is a great opportunity for me as a student to get exposure to the corporate world, learn how to work with people and more importantly acquire more practical knowledge of economics in real life. Briefly describe each of your key tasks or activities that relate to your major(s). For each key task or activity, identify and briefly explain a comprehensive range of theories, concepts, models, frameworks and/or technical competencies from your major(s) and discuss how they could apply. Using the available historical data I applied regression models to predict future exchange rates between the KRW & NZD. Using regression analysis I was also able to predict the

Fame in Cinema and Television Essay Example for Free

Fame in Cinema and Television Essay The â€Å"star phenomenon† began in theatrical advertising of certain actors’ names in the 1820s. It was not immediately transferred to Hollywood, nor to the many other film industries developing in parallel across the glove. Hollywood studios at first, from about 1909 to 1914, ignored â€Å"stars† – actors in whose offscreen lifestyle and personalities audiences demonstrated a particular interest. This was partly because of the costs involved in â€Å"manufacturing stardom† on a scale which the studies could translate into measureable box-office revenue, and for fear of the power which stars might then wield. Stars need all kinds of resources lavished on their construction such as privileged access to screen and narrative space, to lighting, to the care of costumers, make-up workers, voice coaches, personal trainers, etc. , as well as to audience interest through previews, supply of publicity materials, etc. Skillful casting is also important, though rarely discussed in work on stars, perhaps because it is seen to detract from the star’s own intentions in a performance. Key career decisions involve a star’s choice of casting agency or the choices made by a particular film’s casting director. Once established, the star system worked lucratively for the studios. Stars were used as part of the studio’s â€Å"branding† or promise of certain kinds of narrative and production values. They were useful in â€Å"differentiating† studios’ films. Stars were literally part of the studio’s capital, like plant and equipment, and could be traded as such. James Stewart, making an interesting comparison with sports celebrities, said once â€Å"Your studio could trade you around like ball player like when I was traded once to Universal for the use of their back lot for three weeks. † Stars’ large salaries, said to be due to nebulous qualities such as â€Å"talent† or â€Å"charisma†, worked to negate the powers of acting unions, who might otherwise have been able to calculate acting labor and ask for more equal distribution of profits (Branston and Stafford 2003). And stars have always functioned as a key part of Hollywood’s relationship to broader capitalist structures. In the 1930s, for example, over-production of manufactured goods had reached crisis point in North America, and the large banks funding Hollywood sought its help in shifting goods from warehouses to consumers. In addition to this, the celebrity is part of the public sphere, essentially an actor or, to use Robert Altman’s 1992 film characterization of Hollywood denizens, a â€Å"player. † In the contemporary public sphere, divisions exist between different types of players: politicians are made to seem distinctly different from entertainment figures; businesspeople are distinguished from sports stars. And yet in the mediated representation of this panoply of players, they begin to blend together. Film stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger share the stage with politicians like George Bush; Gorbachev appears in a film by Wenders; Michael Jackson hangs out on the White House lawn with Ronald Reagan; Nelson Mandela fills an entire issue of Vogue. The celebrity is a category that identifies these slippages in identification and differentiation. Leadership, a concept that is often used to provide a definitional distance from vulgarity of celebrity status, provides the last discursive location for understanding the public individual. The argument I want to advance here is that in contemporary culture, there is a convergence in the source of power between the political leader and other forms of celebrity. Both are forms of subjectivity that are sanctioned by the culture and enter the symbolic realm of providing meaning and significance for the culture. The categorical distinction of forms of power is dissolving in favor of a unified system of celebrity status, in which the sanctioning of power is based on similar emotive and irrational, yet culturally deeply embedded, sentiments (Marshall 1997). Of course, depending on the type of media where actors and actresses appear, their power and charisma varies. In addition to this, depending on the type of media used, individual’s star quality or qualities of being a celebrity varies. On television, an individual can become a star without ceasing to be his or her anonymous self, because the medium celebrates innocuous, domestic normality. Once on the â€Å"The Tonight Show† Jack Paar maddened the studio audience by attentively quizzing one of its number and ignoring Cary Grant, who’d been planted in the adjoining seats. As well as a practical joke, this was a boast of television’s license to bestow celebrity on those it promiscuously or fortuitously favors. But the medium can just as easily rescind that celebrity. Obsolescence is built into the television star, as it is into the sets themselves: hence those mournful commercials for American Express in which the celebrities of yesteryear- the man who lent his croaky voice to Bugs Bunny or a candidate for the Vice-Presidency in 1964- laud the company’s card, which restores to them an identity and a televisibility they’d forfeited. The game show contestants experience this brief tenure of television celebrity- Warhol’s fifteen minutes- at its most accelerated. But in order to quality for it, they have to surrender themselves to the medium. Their only way of winning games is to abase themselves, feigning hysteria on â€Å"The Price is Right,† exchanging sordid confidences on â€Å"The Newlywed Game,† incompetently acting out inane charades on Bruce Forsyth’s â€Å"Generation Game. † The cruelest of the games is â€Å"The Gong Show,† where one’s span of celebrity may not even extend to fifteen seconds. More or less, untalented contestants sing, dance, juggle or fiddle until the inevitable gong sends them back to nonentity. For some, the gong supervenes immediately. They’ve been warned this will happen, and coached to disappear with dignity, but are expected to go through with their act all the same and suffer their condemnation. Even a few seconds of television fame is worth the price of one’s self-esteem. The show pretends to be a talent quest, but is a smirking parody of that. The hosts on the game shows are, for similar reasons, parodies of geniality. A host soothes his guests and smoothes obstacles out of their way. But in homage to Groucho, the comperes subject their victims to a ritual humiliation, and their patter keeps the game-players throughout flinching and ill-at-ease (Conrad 1982). Television is good but may not be ideal for preserving important works. On the other hand, a good film can be shown anywhere in the world where there is an audience. Furthermore, the cinema will turn actors and actresses into stars. There are many well-known television actors and actresses, but they have no international fame like their big-screen counterparts. Films together with film magazines contribute directly to the formation of a star system and its attendant mythology. The stars perceived themselves to be, and were in turn also used as, icons for a modern lifestyle, especially fashion (Zhang 2005). They are given greater chances to achieve or receive international awards and become known not only in a particular state but to the whole world, unlike in the case of television stars. Those famous actors who appeared on television ten years ago have now vanished due either to lot or disintegrated videotape or a lack of interest by the contemporary audience. In Africa, there was a necessity to build more cinema theaters, instead of enforcing further use of television, because it was helping them to maintain a viable film industry. In Iran, they have more than 150 cinema houses. Their industry if progressing because they have a loyal audience who make it possible to recuperate money invested in production, which in turn is invested in the making of new films (Ukadike 2002). As a whole, it can be said that fame in cinema is more lasting than fame in television. In addition to this, the stars or celebrities appearing on cinemas rather than on televisions are the ones who are more favored by producers and stockholders. Moreover, they are preferred than the television stars to be used in magazines, especially if it is an international magazine. As such, the lifestyle of actors and actresses in cinemas are greater than those who only appear in television shows. The cinema industry as well as its actors and actresses are greatly favored and nowadays, more specifically preferred by a good number of the countries. Bibliography BRANSTON, GILL and STAFFORD, ROY, The Media Students Book (USA: Routledge, 2003). CONRAD, PETER, Television (USA: Routledge, 1983). MARSHALL, P. DAVID, Celebrity and Power: Fame in Contemporary Culture (Minneapolis: Regents of the University of Minnesota, 1997). UKADIKE, NWACHUKWU FRANK, Questioning African Cinema (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2002). ZHANG, ZHEN, An Amorous History of the Silver Screen (London: University of Chicago Press, 2005).

American History Terms :: American History

American History Terms 1. Government role in RR building- Congress was impressed by arguments supporting military and postal needs and began to advance liberal money loans to two favored cross- continent companies in 1862 and added enormous donations of land and tracks. Within the routes the RR’s were allowed to choose alternate mile- square sections in checkerboard fashion 2. Significance of Transcontinental RR- A magnificent engineering feat- most impressive peacetime undertakings. Welded West Coast firmly to the Union. Facilitated flourishing trade with Asia. Stimulated growth with the West. Architectural feat- increased nationalism. Huge fortunes, jobs. 3. Stock watering - favorite device of the moguls of manipulation. Originally meant the practice of making cattle thirsty by feeding them salt and then having them bloat themselves with water before they weighed in for sale. Using a variation of this, RR stock promoters grossly inflated their claims about a given line’s assets and profitability and sold stocks and bonds far in excess of the RR’s actual value. 4. Secret Rebates – kickbacks given to powerful shippers in return for steady and assured traffic- not given to everyone. Often slashed prices on competing lines, but more often mad up the difference on noncompeting ones 5. Wabash Case - 1886 Supreme Court ruled that said individual states had NO power to regulate interstate commerce. This would be done by the federal gov’t 6. Interstate Commerce Act - Prohibited rebates and pools and required the railroads to publish their rates openly. Forbade discrimination against shippers and outlawed charging more for a short haul than for a long one over the same line. Created Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to enforce and administer the new legislation. It did not really beat corporate wealth, but it did provide a forum where businesses could resolve their conflicts peaceably. 7. Vertical and Horizontal integration - vertical integration was combining into one organization all phases of manufacturing from obtaining raw materials to marketing. It made supplies more reliable, controlled the quality of product at all states of production, and cut out middlemen’s fees and was perfected by Carnegie. Horizontal integration was consolidating with competitors to monopolize a given market, used a lot by Rockefeller. 8. Trust’s benefits – Gave consumers a superior product at a relatively cheap price. The efficient use of expensive machinery called large-scale production and consolidation proved more profitable than ruinous price wars. 9. Sherman Anti-Trust Act – 1890 – forbade combinations in restraint of trade, without any distinction between â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad† trusts.

Art assignment TOK Essay

1. As you approach the art gallery, you will see a large, spindly sculpture outside the main doors. It is of a spider with a sac of eggs under its abdomen.  (a) What is your initial reaction upon seeing this piece?  What the Heck? What is gods name is this doing here? That’s interesting†¦Ã‚  (b) Do you think initial reaction is a very important quality in art?  Yes I think initial reaction is very important, because if a person viewing the piece or art is not moved or interested in any way, that person will have no desire to continue watching it and therefore will never really understand the piece. Every good piece of art has original or impacting aspects that standout and make a person try to find its inner meaning. Be sure to walk around the work, under the work and to touch the work.  (c) Has your reaction to this work changed?  By getting closer I actually got goose bumps and found it a little repulsive as I stood under it, but when I saw the eggs I noticed the sculpture was a female spider and had a whole different meaning, it was not to scare the viewer but to attract it and want to find out more about it, which is what I was determined to do. Louise Bourgeoise is the artist of this piece. Look beside one of the main doors to find out what it is called.  (e) Do you believe the piece is appropriately titled? Why or why not?  I believe that â€Å"Maman† is a great title for it because it represents Bourgeoise view of her mother and not only that but the intense love of motherhood towards its babies (in this case the eggs). Also im not sure of this but I found out that Bourgeoise mother actually love knitting stuff, such as a spider knits its own web, might be a metaphor to express this love of knitting. (f) Do you believe that having possible varied responses to this work is a weakness or a strength?  I think that having varied responses to this work in specific is a weakness because it shows that the meaning put into the work wasn’t communicated in a good way a human creates art to express emotion or a meaning and if you don’t interpret it like they meant it means they didn’t do it correctly, it might be a strength for other works of art but for this one it’s a weakness. (g) What if the work inspires an emotional response completely different from the intentions of the artist? Does this make the artwork more or less successful? Explain your answer.  Generally I think that the artwork would be more successful if the emotional response from the person is different from the intended message. This is because as long as it inpiries an emotion the artist has done their job, have it been the original message or a completely different one this is interesting for an artist if people see the artwork in ways he/she never even imagined.  Go into the museum, pay your admission. After paying, walk up the ramp to the atrium. Go into gallery A101- FIRST FLOOR- Canadian Art.

Comparing and Contrasting Beowulf and Odysseus Essay

The characters of Beowulf and Odysseus can be considered a contrast between ice and fire wherein one and is violent and uses its strength to consume and subdue while the other is cool and calculating preferring a patient yet affective approach to solving problems. When referring to the characteristics of fire and ice I am referring to Beowulf as fire and Odysseus as ice this is due to the fact that Beowulf uses his brute strength and force of will to combat his foes while Odysseus uses his cunning and wit to trick his foes into submissions. Analysis of Beowulf In the epic of Beowulf, he conquers and defeats 3 enemies, first is Grendel, then the mother of Grendel then finally a dragon. In all three instances Beowulf comes out on top not through using his mind rather by using his enormous strength. In the fight between him and Grendel he used his bare hands to kill the creature since no mortal weapon could supposedly kill it, when fighting the mother of Grendel he was able to escape death due to the armor he was wearing and was able to defeat the creature through the sheer luck of finding a massive sword nearby capable of beheading it. Towards the end of the epic when Beowulf fought the dragon he was able to defeat it only at the cost of his own life and this was due to the fact that his men abandoned him when they saw the fearsomeness of the dragon. From all these examples you can see that Beowulf is a character similar to that of Hercules in Greek mythology who is a slave to his emotions, uses his brute strength to solve problems instead of his brains and in the end succumbs to death by means of fire (Hercules died on a funeral pyre while Beowulf was mortally wounded by a dragon which is an embodiment of fire). We can conclude that in a sense Beowulf was a powerful hero who was famous for his strength but not for his brains, this particular characteristic might be due to the fact that since epic of Beowulf was Germanic in origin and the area at the time of the poems writing was a harsh wasteland the poem embodied elements that would have been relatable to people at the time who valued strength to endure the harsh the environment rather than intelligences. Analysis of Odysseus Odysseus is presented in both the story of Troy and that of the Odysseus as a person who possessed a modicum of great strength but was more famous for his wisdom and intellect. In the story of Troy he was the one who devised the means of entering the gated city by using a massive wooden horse that contained hidden troops that able to enter the city walls, open the gate and let the invasions force in. Throughout the Odyssey we see that Odyssey continuously uses hs mind to escape dire situations, from his escape from the Cyclops that tried to eat him and his men, to charming the witch Circe, to convincing the Phaeacians to lend him a boat to get back to Ithaca, throughout the story we see how Odysseus uses his mind to triumph and escape from most situations. In a sense we can say that Odysseus is the embodiment of a hero that the ancient Greeks admired since he possessed all the qualities that they valued namely an intelligent mind, great strength and above all empathy for his fellow man. Analysis of Beowulf and Odysseus All in all both characters were embodiments of the traits valued by the regions where their tales emerged as such you can say that both Beowulf and Odysseus were ideals that the local populace in their regions wanted to become or live up to. In the end both heroes have their own defining traits and it isn’t exactly a case of who is the better hero but rather who better embodied the spirit of the region they were created in. List of References Hamilton, Edith. â€Å"Mythology Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. † (1942). Warner Books, New York. â€Å"The Incredible Voyage of Ulysses. † Publishers Weekly 257. 8 (2010): 65. KAKUTANI, MICHIKO. â€Å"Odysseus Engages In Spin, Heroically. † New York Times (2010): 1 Clausen, Christopher. â€Å"Epic Distinction. † Archaeology 63. 2 (2010): 8. Moen, Christine Boardman. â€Å"Stepping into the Classics. † Book Links 19. 3 (2010): 43-46.

THE LOST WORLD Essays - The Lost World, Jurassic Park, Free Essays

THE LOST WORLD Essays - The Lost World, Jurassic Park, Free Essays THE LOST WORLD by Michael Crichton This story takes place six years after the Jurassic Park disaster. The book starts out with Ian Malcom giving a speach on his theory of extinction at a place called the Santa Fe Institute. As he's talking, a tall man stands up. His name is Richard Levine. He's a paleontologist, and he is fairly wealthy. He interrupts Ian to tell him that he doesn't think dinosaurs are really extinct. He believes there's a lost world on an island somewhere off Costa Rica. "I'm quite serious. What if the dinosaurs did not become extinct? What if they still exist? Somewhere in an isolated spot on the planet?" (5) Ian tells him this is nonsense, and continues on explaining his theory. Outside of the Santa Fe Institute, Ian meets up with his long time friend, Sarah Harding, a well-known biologist who studies large predators in Africa. They discuss what Levine said, and they come to the mutual conclusion that Levine probably doesn't know what he's talking about. Meanwhile, Levine is secretly preparing equipment for a jungle expedition. He enlists the help of a man called Doc Thorne, who was a college engineering professor, but now designs souped-up vehicles for expeditions and searches. He also enlists Doc Thorne's best mechanic, Eddie Carr. Levine has Doc Thorne and Eddie rig a Ford Explorer and a motorcycle to run on batteries. He also has them build reinforced trailers to house biological labs. Levine inspects the equipment and sees that it is satisfactory and almost ready to go. He suggests that instead of testing the prototype vehicles first, they take them directly to Costa Rica to start the expedition. Thorne doesn't like the idea, but because Levine is so enthusiastic, he agrees. Levine sets to leave at midnight from San Francisco, and the expedition is to join him in Costa Rica about forty-eight hours later. As they're finalizing their plans for the trip, a black kid, Arby Benton, about ten years old, wearing glasses and a suit, and a taller white girl named Kelly Curtis walk in and catch wind of the plan and immediately want to go. They had been expecting to go on another small expedition with Levine over their spring break to study fossils having already had permission from their parents. Since they already had permission to be away from home, they decided it wouldn't hurt to go a little farther. Levine, Thorne and Eddie immediately say, "No," thinking that the risk would be too high. Levine leaves later that night for Costa Rica. Back at the Santa Fe Institute, Malcom says goodbye to Sarah, because she is going back to Africa to continue her study of hyenas. As Malcom watches her leave, he decides to go visit his friend Doc Thorne in a day or two. Levine reaches Costa Rica the next day and charters a fishing boat to bring him to Isla Sorna, one of five islands in a chain known as the "Five Deaths." Satellite evidence indicates to Levine that a volcanic island in this area may be home to nests of living dinosaurs. Before Levine leaves for the island, he hires a local guide, named Diego, who visited the island frequently as a child and claims to have knowledge of the island's trails and primitive roads. They set out for Sorna and reach it two hours later. Levine and Diego are forced to climb steep cliffs to reach the plateau at the top of the island. As they reach the top, Diego looks around and confidently tells Levine to follow him. Diego leads the way to a stream where Levine stoops down to take a drink. In the undergrowth around him, he notices several small, chicken-sized dinosaurs. He recognizes them as procompsagnathuses. Diego also notices them and reaches out his hand to pet them. Levine warns him that even though these dinosaurs are small, it's possible that they could have a venomous bite. Diego quickly pulls his hand back just as one of the dinosaurs jumps at him and tries to bite him. Suddenly, the little dinosaurs begin to chirp and become skittish. They quickly scatter into the underbrush and disappear. Levine looks around worriedly for a some sign of what has frightened the diminuative dinosaurs. As he glances around, he can tell something is wrong, but he can't put his finger on what it is. Suddenly, Diego is jerked from his feet and dragged screaming

Perspiration is Nothing without a Little Bit of Inspiration

Perspiration is Nothing without a Little Bit of Inspiration Inspiration and Success People need to be inspired to do their best.  Reward  and punishment, for instance, are traditional psychological techniques used by organizations to inspire people to peak performance. These external motivators according to literature make people work toward a certain goal and eventually succeed through  increased productivity and quality of work. Inspired people are mostly satisfied people having a sense of responsibility and commitment to the organization. In contrast, people with low level of motivation are not dedicated, unhappy, lazy, unenthusiastic, disengaged, and unproductive. Since motivated employees feel good about themselves, they normally performed beyond expectations and achieved the highest level of success. Motivation is a quest for personal gain thus, the pursuit of happiness often inspired people to become active and work hard until they are satisfied with the outcome. Similarly, empowerment is an important motivational tool as it can energize and excite people to work hard, make decisions, and take actions on their own. The study shows that empowered employees often have stronger work motivation, produce quality work, highly satisfied with their jobs, and stay longer in the organization. There are a number of things that motivate people and these include engagement with others animate and inanimate things, powers, spaces, and substances. For instance, social relationships inspire people to act in a way that is contingent on that relationship, accepted practices, a significance of places, and observed  values of people and things. For instance, monuments, paintings, sculptures, and others inspire and actively engage people because they have imaginary qualities that enable people to connect and look into other worlds. Want to know more? Go here: Relieving Students School-Related Stress Developing Students Creativity The Bright Sides of Academic Intellectuals We Call Nerds Junk Food in School Is Sports Competition Relevant to Academic Learning Common Study Inspirations Students are similar to musicians who need to be inspired to write a song. The desire of each student to study is determined by different motivational factors that include classroom climate, sociological factors such as competition and peer  pressure, relevance and confidence, achievement, and others. Study of high school students’ motivation in learning mathematics suggests that their level of self-efficacy and confidence is greatly affected by competition and peer pressure in the classroom. Similarly, anxiety over math subjects is commonly caused by students’ lack of confidence and perception of the relevance of studying  mathematics. In a comparative study of learners’ motivation in learning languages, suggest that motivation is an important factor that affects the desire to learn. Parental expectations played an important role in male students’ motivation to enroll and study advanced courses while female students’ motivation to learn science depends on their individual educational aspirations. Teacher’s enthusiasm is an important motivating factor mainly because the way to interest a class is to show them that you are interested. The study shows that teacher’s enthusiasm, energy, and vitality are correlated to higher achievement scores and test performance. Similarly, indirect teaching methods and the amount of movement, eye contact, and varied voice intonation aroused students desire to learn. Teacher’s genuine human sympathy satisfies students’ desire for relevance and natural curiosity over their studies. Students are better motivated when they are respected and given the opportunity to get involve and participate in class decision making. Moreover, they are often motivated by praise, positive feedback, and thoughts that achievement is possible.

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Project Management - Essay Example There is a great time lag between the conception of a facility and the actual construction and startup. Operating at designed capacity can cause rapid wear and breakdowns. Generally, operating at design capacity basically means operating at the organization’s productive limits. The designed capacity is 20,000 kg. Effective capacity Effective capacity of a facility is important in determining the extent to which a facility can produce. It is therefore defined as the ratio between design capacity and the expected capacity of the intended facility.It is worth noting effective capacity is affected by a firm’s production schedule, production mix, maintenance standards and age of equipment’s. The formula for effective capacity is given by: Effective capacity=expected capacity/design capacity. Effective=16000/20000=0.8=80% The effective capacity=16000 Actual output A production facility can produce a certain amount of product at a given time period. The actual amount of product that can be produced by a production facility at given time period is called actual output. This is different from amount that the facility could produce if it were to run at full theoretical capacity. Specifically, the actual output is given by: 60/100X20000=12000 kg Utilization Utilization is the percent of design capacity. It is given by actual output/design capacity =12000/20000=60% Efficiency Effective capacity is the actual output as a percent of effective capacity. It is given by the formula: actual output/effective capacity =12000/16000=75% B) Capacity of a system is its ability to produce goods or enhance the delivering of services over some time period. For a system to realize its full potential a proper capacity planning is inevitable. That is, the long term and short term plans to help the system achieve its full potential. Short term concerns relate to the variations in capacity requirements as a result of random, seasonal and irregular fluctuations in demand; while long term considerations relate to the overall level of capacity. There are several factors that affect a firm’s productive capacity. Some of these factors are within management’s control while others are not. Factors such as physical resources and utilization of labor are within the management’s control. Organization capacity also faces management challenges such as personal issues, technological maximization and output controls. A firm can profit significantly from efficient resources management. The actual output may be even less than the system capacity since it is affected by short-range factors such as actual demand. Therefore, managing actual output is important for effective production of a firm. As a project manager, I will advice the human resource manager to undertake the following strategies in managing the actual output and to cope with major changes in products and services. These options include; developing a new product line, expanding exis ting facilities and construction or phase out production plants. In some instance, the firm may be forced to use phase-in-strategy for introducing the next model of the same product or service to retain and/or improve its actual output. In general, the firm should be comfortable producing between 80 to 90% capacity utilization because of low fixed costs per unit and there is some scope to meet new orders or carry out maintenance and training. Efficiency should hold a more vital role as it can

Dissertation Introduction - Taobao vs eBay Essay

Dissertation Introduction - Taobao vs eBay - Essay Example In terms of outline, this chapter will then offer a Background and rationale for the study, which is based upon existing work in the area. Several studies have recently been made of the eBay and Taobao phenomena, and the results documented. These will be used as a springboard towards the contribution of this study. The Aims and Objectives section of the chapter will offer the overall objective of the study. The aim is to scrutinize the current situation of eBay in China, and how a comparison with the more successful Taobao can be used in order to improve its situation. This section will also clarify the concepts of e-Commerce and C2C e-Commerce. The e-Commerce business model that eBay is currently using in China will also be evaluated. A comparative analysis will be performed of eBay and Taobao. Initial recommendations will be formulated in order to optimize eBay’s Chinese market presence, while the objectives identified will be related to the achievement of the overall aim. T he methodological framework will be explained, while the chapter concludes with a brief outline of the dissertation structure. Despite a promising beginning, eBay has been experiencing a recent drop in growth in its Chinese market. Its main competitor in this market is the local company, Taobao. This study is then conducted in order to identify possible ways in which eBay can remedy its market position in China. Several important studies have been conducted to compare Taobao with companies such as eBay in order to identify the success factors of the former. One such study has been conducted by Chen et al. (2007). According to the outcome of this investigation, three main factors have differentiated Taobao from its American counterpart, and been responsible for the success of the former. The first factor is that China’s C2C (consumer to consumer) market is young and experience-seeking. The customers are price sensitive, in concomitance

Globalization in Egypt and India Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Globalization in Egypt and India - Essay Example With the invasion of foreigners in the 19th century, everything changed hands. Not only were local leaderships surrendered into the hands of Europeans, the Egyptian land was also taken (Khalid, 2009). During the colonial period, Egypt was transformed in that the education systems, farm-level irrigation projects, and economic growth were all improved. These were later left in the hands of Egyptians once they strove for independence that they attained (Mahmoud, 2009). India. Before globalization took place in India, the country was undeveloped. Technology was not much developed and business or commerce was relatively underdeveloped. In addition, people with skilled expertise were few. Internet and email facilities were altogether a dream but this was during that period when Indians used to be just one country and one culture. With time, Indians started experiencing foreign influence. Presently, India is culturally diversified. This has led into some of the impacts that come from differ ent cultures. Almost sixteen per cent of universal population lives in India with over 826 languages. The country is growing and it has 225 cities. Those who took part in the globalization of India include Aryans, Turks, Greeks, Afghans, Muslims, Europeans, Portuguese, Dutch, French, and the English. Aryans, Turks, Greeks, Afghans, and Muslims came with invading armies to colonize the country. Europeans, Portuguese, Dutch, French and the English came with less violent but powerful approaches. Regardless of the way these foreigners came to India, their coming was intentional because those who used arms in their coming had intentions of transforming the country either positively or negatively. The influence impacted in this country was both direct and indirect. It was direct because foreigners came to dwell there. Television is the most dominant way through which India has undergone globalization. This is because television was launched in the country in 1950s and became widespread in 1980s. This has impacted people there through programs that they watch. Because this process was taking place in the Indian cities, youths migrated from rural areas to urban areas in search of jobs created by these foreign cultures leaving the elderly to depend on their own. This is a negative impact of globalization in the country. Other negative impacts were moral decay as people intermingled with foreigners to learn their cultures; divorce rates became very high especially in cities, pregnancy cases with teenagers are very dominant with teenage abortions rising by 20 percent in every year. This is according to a report by the ministry of health in Indian government. Indian traditional dresses have been displaced by western dresses more especially in urban areas. This has been due to the influence of social media and other forms of print or electronic media. Child labor is increasing in the country with more than 115 million children working despite the Indian constitution prohib iting child labor. A significant number of children work in informal sectors. Suicides which are dowry related, sexual abuse, and prostitution have been on an increase due to the negative impacts of globalization brought about by influence from other culture coupled with changing societal trends. The positive impacts of globalization in India include the fact that women have been empowered through being incorporated into the

Long term sustainable approach to Forest Schools

Long term sustainable approach to Forest Schools The idea behind Forest Schools is that it is a long term sustainable approach to outdoor play and learning. Its about providing children with holistic development; it looks at every area in terms of their physical development, intellectual development and cognitive skills, also looking at their linguistic and language, both verbal and non-verbal. Forest Schools also looks at their emotional, social and spiritual development. Whats interesting about the culture in some Scandinavian countries is being in and outdoors are a part of how the family and culture works what? Sorry -I dont understand. But in Britain children are getting more and more isolated from the natural world. Forest Schools is very much about giving children the opportunity to learn in and from nature. Forest Schools is also about free play, its about self directed learning but its also about allowing the children to develop freedom and choice in order to be able to become competent and effective adults. In Every Chid Matters it states that every child should make an equal contribution. (Ref). The only way that children can do this is if they have sound self-esteem and sound emotional well-being and sound social skills and function in as many social situations as they choose. Forest Schools is about allowing children given their developmental dependant age the ability to be able to achieve social comfort. Forest Schools is an inspirational process that allows children to access outdoor space in order to grow and develop into successful, happy, rounded individuals. There is a misconception that Forest Schools is for Early Years; some of the most successful projects have been with older young people, adults with mental health problems and children in secondary education. (Ref). The ..?..about allowing children and young people to grow with a sense of value of who they are and giving a positive contribution. Its all about using nature as the teacher as opposed to being adult lead. LO5 Activity Plans and Evaluation. Plan (see appendix .), Rationale behind choice of activity and Learning Objective. This activity was chosen as the reception class were looking at the Handa Surprise book and focusing on healthy foods. The day the activity was carried out a new student was present with his mother which added extra pressure for all the professionals. The learning environment offered opportunities for the children to experience tasting different fruits as the kitchen area was adjacent to the table in which the activity was carried out. The setting also had a large copy of the story so all the children were able to see the story (for Communication, Language and Literacy) and had all of the elements needed to create the masks (Creative Development). I thought the topic would lend itself to the next days topic of healthy lunchboxes, which the whole school were focusing on. I chose to focus on any existing knowledge the children may have of different fruits and try and extend their understanding of why fruits are good for us. This leads into Early Learning Goal () of ..'(QCA, 2000). My main learning objective, therefore, was to introduce the children to new fruits and tastes, using language and listening to each other to find out what each child thought, in an accessible and enjoyable environment, so as to encourage respect for each others views and turn taking. What happened? The week before carrying out the activity, I prepared the resources needed in school and discussed the other activities that my fellow practitioners would carry out. This involved printing, cutting and laminating the necessary pictures and masks. Also finding all the different fruits that were in the story. I was unable to find one fruit in particular so I improvised with a fruit drink that was made from the fruit so at least the children were able to taste the favour. I carried out this activity with a mixed ability group of 9 children. I began by asking the children to wash their hands as they were going to be eating fruit. When all the children were back in their seats, I gave each of them a bowl and a cup. I asked the children if they could remember the fruits in the story of Hands Surprise which was read earlier. The children seemed to have a positive attitude about being able to remember. With a small copy of the book I asked the children which was the first fruit that the monkey took out of Handas basket. I then cut the banana in pieces and gave each child a piece and asked questions such as what does the banana taste like? How does it feel? Do you like the banana? The children gave mostly good descriptions of the fruit and used appropriate vocabulary such as creamy, slippery and lovely. I carried out the same routine of cutting the fruit into sections and passing a section to each child and asking them to describe what it tasted like and ho w it felt and whether they enjoyed it. With the Guava fruit (which was the fruit I could not purchase) I informed the children of the situation and showed them the picture of the fruit on the carton of juice. I gave each child a taste and asked their opinion, the overall opinion was that the fruit tasted delicious but one child said that they didnt like it. The most interesting discussion came when i asked the children what they thought the passion fruit would look like inside, one child said that it might look like an orange, the same child that said the banana was creamy (extension). Overall most of the children enjoyed the fruit tasting apart from one (standard) child who kept giving negative reactions to the fruit saying that he doesnt eat fruit at home. I was happy that at least he had tried some. While the fruit was being eaten I passed around picture cards of the fruit and asked each child in turn to pronounce the name of the fruit after me, most children had no problems with the pronunciations but one child struggled with avocado. I encouraged each child to have a little taste of each fruit and if they didnt like it then they didnt have to eat it and well done for trying was always encouraged. The extension child suggested that trying different fruits was good for us, as fruit was good for us. Which then led a child that was refusing to try a certain fruit to try it. At one point the dismissive child asked if we were finished and could he go and play. Once all the children had tried all the fruit and we had discussed them and I asked the final question which was everyones favourite and their least favourite, the overall result being orange best, avocado worst. I then told the children that they could go put their bowls in the sinks and wash their hands and go and play. Evaluation. I believe this activity resulted in all the children achieving the main learning objective of introducing the children to new fruits and tastes, using language and listening to each other to find out what each child thought and to encourage respect for each others views and turn taking. The idea that the childrens peer could influence the decision of another child .. An effective learning environment does not leave children entirely to their own devices, but builds on what they can already do and challenges them to try new things. The role of the practitioner is vital in this process and sits within the social constructivist approach to learning. This theory was popularised by Vygotsky (1978, in Smith, 1999), who identified the zone of proximal development, (ZPD) as being a reason why childrens learning can be helped by others. Smith (1999) explained: The ZPD is the distance between the childs developmental level and his or her potential level of development under the guidance of adults or more competent peers (Smith, 1999: 429). As this was a hands on activity, the children were taking an active part in their own learning progress. It was Piaget (1966, in Smith, 1999) who first postulated that the child is a lone scientist, processing information and constructing meaning through encounters with their world. Most of the children focused their attention on the fruits they enjoyed using positive language and engaging in using words to describe what something tasted like or felt. One child tried to extend the activity to see what the fruit sounded like when bounced on the table saying the orange sounded like a ball, this then encouraged the children to continue testing the sounds of fruit by knocking on them. The (extension) child asked if there was nothing in the fruit would it sound the same? The relative success of this activity highlighted that children of this age learn best through concrete experiences. When working with children of this age group it is preferable to adopt teaching strategies which allow for plenty of practical activities and exploration. The fact that one child lost interest in the activity, implies that I might need to develop this activity in some way to keep the attention of the less able or enthusiastic children. This was particularly noticeable when asking some children to use descriptive words to describe the fruit, as some children just repeated the word that their peer before them used. The language of one child was not as developed as the other children in the group, and this excluded them from full participation. On reflection, a different teaching strategy could have been employed to involve them more fully into the activity. It could be that they were more of a kinaesthetic do you know what this means?learner than the others, as he kept looking at the children playing, so maybe using an activity that involved movement may have kept his attention. Also the activity was extended longer than anticipated as I had to cut each individual fruit into segments. If this activity was done again in the future maybe cutting the fruit into segments before the activity took place would be a more successful approach. As a result of this evaluation, I would have changed my plan to include more opportunities for the children to be involved in the activity in a more physical way, perhaps by using safety acceptable knives the children could help me cut the fruit. This may help some of the children with their fine motor skills as well. Also another way of engaging less able children might include asking them to participate in the preparation of the resources by asking them to bring their favourite fruit from the story in so they feel they have a more personal involvement. Finally, the only thing I would change would be to ask the children to put on aprons, as it got very messy, including me, as I too got very messy. Conclusion In conclusion, recently there has begun to be a realization in the UK that play is important. There has been a surge of initiatives funded by government, such as Arts Council projects on creativity in schools and communities. The publication of Excellence and Enjoyment by the National Primary Strategy (DfES, 2003) puts a major emphasis on the importance of embedding the Foundation Stage and the Birth to Three Matters Framework in the work of local authorities across the maintained, voluntary and private sectors. Increasingly, research findings indicate the importance of the first years of education. Childrens ability to use spoken and written language fluently and with confidence and for a range of purposes enables them to access at an early age what education has to offer. The adults working in early years settings and classrooms have both the opportunity and responsibility to affect the future learning of their pupils in a far reaching and powerful way. Play is, it seems, about the universe and everything. It often has to function in a hostile environment, but when it is encouraged, supported and extended, it makes a major contribution to, and sophisticated impact on the development of individuals and humanity as a whole.