Argentina Business Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Argentina Business - Term Paper Example Most of the city’s population comprises of youth between the ages of 17 to 40 who form the majority of our target market in any environment because their high income levels produce high purchasing power (Brown, 1999). We note that the nation’s economy has a high nominal GDP per capita which provides for a high purchasing power of its citizens, which is suitable for our entrance into the market. Moreover, the nation boasts of the latest technology in infrastructure, in the world. The land, air and water transportation systems are well developed, even in the rural areas. This will enable safe and effective transportation of our exported vehicles to and within this nation. In addition, the country’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean presents an added advantage in transporting the exports to our customer(s). Argentina has some of the biggest and busiest ports and harbors in the world, these include Port of Mar del Plata, Port Belgrano and Port of San Antonio Oeste. All of these ports are located on the Atlantic Ocean, making shipping exports to the country our most effective option. Moreover, Buenos Aires serves as a key distribution hub for the South American continent thereby expanding our company’s market potential (Brown, 1999). Customs requirements in Argentina are different among different groups, such as citizens, diplomats and visitors. Seeing that our potential buyer is a resident of Argentina not only owns a national car dealership business, but Diplomatic Franchise as well; he is also involved in importing cars for his diplomatic clients. We should, therefore, meet the requirements of exporting diplomatic and conventional vehicles. Argentinian customs requirements for exportation of diplomatic vehicle maintain that any person importing diplomatic cars must be licensed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; I have confirmed our potential client’s registration with the ministry, so this will not be a hindrance in doing busines s with him. The ministry is also mandated with ensuring that all imported diplomatic vehicles are brand new or less than 5 years old. Argentinian laws also require that the vehicles and all its documentation should be under the importer’s name; therefore, we must ensure that all the documentation pertaining the vehicle's registration is done under our client’s name. The requirements further stipulate that the vehicles should be shipped into the country six months after the arrival of the importer; thus, we cannot export vehicles to the nation if our client is out of the country. Moreover, the Argentinean government requires that the importer owns an original passport and at least two original bills of lading; he should also possess the original vehicle(s) purchase invoice and have the property title registered in his name. Vehicle taxation in Argentina is based on the Cost Insurance and freight (CIF) values of the vehicles. The rates are 80% of the CIF for conventional vehicles, 100% for diesel cars and 65% for motorcycles. Importation of vehicles that do not have local equivalents in Argentina attracts quotas to limit importation and encourage purchasing of locally manufactured vehicles (Rock, 2001). On the other hand, the UK customs requireme

Micronutrient deficiency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Micronutrient deficiency - Essay Example Still, much needs to be done, before a complete and conclusive success is achieved in this aspect of health care. Disorders Caused by Iodine Deficiency Iodine deficiency can impact human health much before the birth of a child. Iodine deficiency has the potential to jeopardize children’s mental health and in some instances could put to risk the very survival of a child (WHO: Online). Iodine deficiency leads to the impairment of the cognitive development in children (WHO: Online). Iodine deficiency has severe repercussions during pregnancy. It could lead to still births, abortions and may lead to congenital abnormalities like mental retardation that is grave and mostly irreversible, and cretinism (WHO: Online). Iodine deficiency also gives way to goiter (WHO: Online). These are some of the visible and easily discernable disorders caused by iodine deficiency. Of far greater significance is the less visible impact of iodine deficiency that most often gives way to mental impairmen t resulting in a compromise of the intellectual capacities in children and adults, in the day to day life (WHO: Online). Symptoms of Iodine Deficiency Some common symptoms of iodine deficiency include goiter or enlargement of the thyroid, weight gain, weakness, fatigue and depression (Mercer, 2006).

Sports Psychology Techniques, Research Design and Methods

Sports Psychology Techniques, Research Design and Methods Show a Critical Awareness of the Theoretical Basis to Applied Sport Psychology Techniques; Research Design, Methods and Procedures Used in This Domain, and Practical and Ethical Issues in the Delivery of Sport Psychology. In the research article relating to sports psychology, in particular the achieving of excellence, we can see that an attempt has been made by the researchers to asses the role of certain psychological phenomena related to positive performance to see if they could determine whether or not these factors played a significant part in the success of highly acclaimed professional sportspersons, in particular tour golfers. The research involved key concepts such as imagery, goal setting, focus, distraction control and evaluation techniques that all pertained to fundamental concepts outlined in findings from sports psychology theory and research. The study itself used a questionnaire from which an interview was conducted in the hope of extracting some of the mental processes and preparations of top golfers that were believed to have become evident in their responses. These interviews were tape recorded and transcribed according to qualitative research method processes and conventions. The in terviews were conducted at the convenience of the sportsperson as it was believed that this would make the process more free flowing as the interviewee would be more focused and inclined to cooperate with the questions. The findings of the research suggested in conjunction with former findings related to the field of sporting excellence that their was clear evidence of the usage of imagery, goal setting, focus distraction control and evaluation techniques in the interview answers put forward by the sportspersons. It was concluded that an integral part to the psychological phenomena detailed was the role of commitment and suggestion was made for subsequent research to be conducted into this area. Some of the areas that were drawn out and critiqued within the interview pertained to goal setting. Goal setting techniques can be understood as being set by psychologists to put in place the achieving of high levels of endurance in sport (Orlick Partington, 1988). Goals are generally set to focus the individual on desirable target behaviours or performance actions. The focusing on goals or targets is believed to take away extraneous and undesirable distractions from the sportspersons conscious perception and produce a well defined path towards achievement. This can be seen being evident in some of the interview responses as being a ‘clearly defined’ target. In Bandura’s model he suggests that there are three major factors at work in the acquisition of a behaviour or performance. Three key factors are believed to inform the intention towards a desired target in this model. It was suggested that manipulation of these factors could change the intention of a person and consequently change, or shape, their behaviour to a more desirable one (Bandura, 1997). In accordance with other factors a positive attitude towards a desired behaviour would essentially increase the intention towards any goal. To function successfully, the intended goals would have to be clearly defined. This notion of clearly defined goals is included and incorporated throughout the methodology of the research article and forms an essential part of the findings according to the model of excellence proposed by Orlick Partington (1988). Another factor indicated in research on goal setting is that of unrealistic goal setting and the effects of negative mental attitudes when the goals do not relate to the desired outcome. For instance, unrealistically high goal settings from pressures such as media and peer pressure may lead to a high percentage of failure. This can have a very negative effect on the individual’s mental state. For example, in the model proposed by Baumeister (1990) the destructive effects of unrealistic goal setting can be understood in three steps. The first step is a mismatch between circumstance and expectation, leading to unrealistic goal setting. The second stage highlights the negative outcomes of this phenomenon. The third and final step indicates the importance and fragility of the mind if it is not focused. Essentially, to avoid disturbing ideas of failure, the individual negates responsibility for the outcomes of their actions altering their logic in a very negative and destructive ma nner (Baumeister, 1990). That is to say, that if the perception of realistic goals is not adjusted then the mind of the individual will begin to apply severely disturbing logic patterns to the process of goal achieving. This is not regarded in the condition of club professionals. Rather than them being simply uncommitted as is concluded, it could be that the negative effects of unrealistic goal setting has disturbed their focus or commitment. For instance, the individuals may begin to apply the successful achievement of goals to external factors such as luck, and take responsibility for only failed goals (Abramson et al, 1978). Another key concept in achievement is learning. Essentially, objectives are considered to manage goals and goal setting. Fontana (1993) suggests that these objectives can be split into five mental processes. He defines these categories as ’identifying clearly what needs to be done, plan how we are going to do it, monitor our progress while we are doing it, assess the extent of our success when we have done it, learn more effectively from the experiences it has offered us’ (Fontana, 1993). This learning model shows of how goal setting and achieving goals can be utilised through the introspection of the experience gained. We can see from the research article that this idea of learning rather than focusing upon error is incorporated in the findings. The effects of learning can be seen in the formulation and use of educational objectives (Pearson and Tweddle, 1984). This research indicates the benefits of evaluation, reflection and consideration within the domain of sportin g achievement. The notion of learning can also be seen in the role of imagery and the imagination, highlighted within the findings of the interviews. This notion is concerned not only with the role of understanding and the learning of psychological processes after the event, but also the role of psychological processes before the event. Imagery is considered as being directly associated with the pathways of the imagination. This field of research has highlighted the importance of pre-conceived and pre-empted eventualities within the thought processes of the individual. Essentially, it focuses upon the actualisation of possibilities and outcomes within the mind. This would indicate the need for the individual to think in a certain way to achieve the best results. The imagination of sporting techniques is considered a cognitive pathway that can be honed and lead to more confidence and a more successful outcome. For instance, if the individual can visualise success then it is presumed that he/she can gain confidence in the achieving of a successful goal without the actual physical experience usually required in confidence acquisition (Kohler, 1925). We can see that this core idea has been implemented into the methodology of the research. For instance, there is an indication of imagining the ideal put before practising it. Imagery is also believed to help in the preparation for events that can not be prepared for with physical training alone. For instance, improvisation and the applying of insight into extreme circumstances can be utilised in ways that cannot be accounted for in normal physical training. In this sense the imagination and imagery is a key component in the conceptualising of an ideal action involved in a sporting technique. We can see from the methodology of our study that this notion has been incorporated. For instance, the ideal technique of a swing can be seen in the account that indicates that once the ideal stroke has been accomplished there is no longer a need to practise physically. This imagery can be seen as being indicated by the pro in the success of his action that is then carried out against the imagined goal in the learning manner put forward by Fontana. Imagery and the imagination seem to be manipulated by the golfers to hone their focus techniques as the methodology of the research article suggests. Focus is understood as being not something that is physically learned, but that is important to success. As we have seen, extraneous variables from the environment can have negative effects on the performance of actions. However, it would seem from the accounts of the tour pro’s that these extraneous factors have been removed from as they have attained focus. It would seem that this research has backed up the findings of former research. Although, some problems may arise from its use of a confined and pre-determined model of closed questions, it can be said to be valuable. Although this may arouse critical questions of validity, it can be said this research has brought to our attention some of the psychological dynamics associated with achievement, excellence and success within the sporting domain. Bibliography Abramson, L, Y., Seligman, M, E, P., Teasdale, J., (1978) Learned Helplessness in Humans: Critique and Reformulation. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 87, 49-74. Bandura, A. (1997) Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Self Control. New York: WH Freeman. Baumeister, R, F., (1990) Suicide as Escape From Self. Psychology Review, 97. 90-113 Fontana, D., (1993) Managing Time: Personal and Professional Development. Leicester: BPS Books (British Psychology Society). Kohler, W., (1925) The mentality of Apes. New York: Harcourt Brace (Reprint ed., 1976. New York: Liveright.) Orlick, T., Partington, J. (1988). Mental Links to Excellence. The Sport Psychologist, 2, 105-130. Pearson , L. and Tweddle, D., (1984) The Formulation and Use of Educational Objectives. In Fontana, D. (ed.) Behaviourism and Learning Theory in Education. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press.

Characterization, Theme, and Imagery of Ray Bradburys The Pedestrian :: Ray Bradbury, The Pedestrian

Two Works Cited Mankind has made great leaps toward progress with inventions like the television. However, as children give up reading and playing outdoors to plug into the television set, one might wonder whether it is progress or regression. In "The Pedestrian," Ray Bradbury has chosen to make a statement on the effects of these improvements. Through characterization and imagery, he shows that if mankind advances to the point where society loses its humanity, then mankind may as well cease to exist. Bradbury has elected to reflect the humanity of mankind in the character of Mr. Mead. First of all, Mr. Mead is associated with warm, bright light, which is symbolic of soul. If, during his night walks, people are alerted to his presence, "lights ... click on" (104). In essence, the embodiment of humanity is about. Mr. Mead's house beams "loud yellow illumination" (105). Since literature not only records the history of mankind but also evokes deep feeling among men, it brings this occupation close to the heart of humanity. Third, Mr. Mead is close to nature. Something as simple as taking a walk is "what Mr. Leonard Mead most dearly loved to do" (104). Man is most human when surrounded by the elements. Also, Mr. Mead's shadow is described as the "shadow of a hawk," relating him to a wild and free-spirited bird (104). Last, Mr. Mead is brought into a parallel with the most tender and human holiday observed in the western world when the rush of cold air makes his lungs "blaze like a Chr istmas tree" (104). The combination of these elements makes Mr. Mead a true representative of humanity. As a contrast to the humanity portrayed by Mr. Mead, Bradbury has mirrored the characteristics of progress in the police car. The car, as well as Mr. Mead, is associated with light. The light of the car, however, displays the absence of humanity. Rather than the "warm" light of Mr. Mead, the car possesses a "fierce" and "fiery" light that holds humanity "fixed" like a "museum specimen"--something from the past that should be looked at behind an impersonal plate of glass (105-06). When not holding humanity captive, the car's lights revert to "flashing ... dim lights," showing the absence of any real soul (106). The car is representative of several modern inventions, thereby embodying mankind's advancement. It is itself a robot, and it speaks in a "phonograph voice" through a "radio throat" (105-06). Characterization, Theme, and Imagery of Ray Bradbury's The Pedestrian :: Ray Bradbury, The Pedestrian Two Works Cited Mankind has made great leaps toward progress with inventions like the television. However, as children give up reading and playing outdoors to plug into the television set, one might wonder whether it is progress or regression. In "The Pedestrian," Ray Bradbury has chosen to make a statement on the effects of these improvements. Through characterization and imagery, he shows that if mankind advances to the point where society loses its humanity, then mankind may as well cease to exist. Bradbury has elected to reflect the humanity of mankind in the character of Mr. Mead. First of all, Mr. Mead is associated with warm, bright light, which is symbolic of soul. If, during his night walks, people are alerted to his presence, "lights ... click on" (104). In essence, the embodiment of humanity is about. Mr. Mead's house beams "loud yellow illumination" (105). Since literature not only records the history of mankind but also evokes deep feeling among men, it brings this occupation close to the heart of humanity. Third, Mr. Mead is close to nature. Something as simple as taking a walk is "what Mr. Leonard Mead most dearly loved to do" (104). Man is most human when surrounded by the elements. Also, Mr. Mead's shadow is described as the "shadow of a hawk," relating him to a wild and free-spirited bird (104). Last, Mr. Mead is brought into a parallel with the most tender and human holiday observed in the western world when the rush of cold air makes his lungs "blaze like a Chr istmas tree" (104). The combination of these elements makes Mr. Mead a true representative of humanity. As a contrast to the humanity portrayed by Mr. Mead, Bradbury has mirrored the characteristics of progress in the police car. The car, as well as Mr. Mead, is associated with light. The light of the car, however, displays the absence of humanity. Rather than the "warm" light of Mr. Mead, the car possesses a "fierce" and "fiery" light that holds humanity "fixed" like a "museum specimen"--something from the past that should be looked at behind an impersonal plate of glass (105-06). When not holding humanity captive, the car's lights revert to "flashing ... dim lights," showing the absence of any real soul (106). The car is representative of several modern inventions, thereby embodying mankind's advancement. It is itself a robot, and it speaks in a "phonograph voice" through a "radio throat" (105-06).

Numerical Modeling

Numerical modeling of communicable disease is a device to understand the instrument of how disease blowouts and how it can be measured. we have studied numerically the dynamics of typhoid fever disease in this paper. We frame an unconditionally stable Non-Standard Finite Difference (NSFD) scheme for a mathematical model of Typhoid Fever Disease. The introduce numerical scheme is bounded, dynamically include and describe the positivity of the solution, which is one of the important requirements when modeling a prevalent disease. The comparison among the developed Non-Standard Finite Difference scheme, Euler method and Runge-Kutta method of order four (RK-4) shows the effectiveness of the proposed Non-Standard Finite Difference scheme. NSFD scheme shows convergence to the true equilibrium points of the model for any time steps used but Euler and RK-4 fail for large time steps. Key Words: Typhoid Disease, Dynamical System, Numerical Modeling, Convergence.Introduction Typhoid fever affects millions of people worldwide each year, where over 20 million cases are reported and kills approximately 200,000 annually. For instance, in Africa it is estimated that annually 400,000 cases happen and an incidence of 50 per 100,000 [5]. The mathematical modeling for transmission dynamics of typhoid fever disease is a capable approach to appreciate the behavior of disease in a population and on this basis, some capable measures can be modeled to prevent infection. Dynamical models for the transmission of disease objects in a human population, based on the Kermack and McKendrick SIR classical epidemic model [1–4], were proposed. These models deliver evaluations for the temporal advancement of infected nodes in a population [5–13]. In this paper we construct an unreservedly convergent numerical model for the transmission dynamics for typhoid fever disease which preserves all the essential properties of the continuous model. We considered the mathematical model of disease transmission in a population that has been discussed by Pitzer in [6]. Mathematical ModelA: Variables and ParametersS(t): Susceptible entities class at time t.P(t): Protected individual class at time t.I(t): Infected individuals class at time t.T(t): Treated class time t.?: The rate at which individuals recruited.?: Natural death rate. ?: Loss of protection rate.?: Rate of infection.?: Rate of treatment.?: Disease induced mortality rate.

Opera Critique Rigoletto

The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center is home for the world’s most creative and talented artists working in opera. Upon entering the building, the vicinity at Lincoln Center is unique and elegant. Approaching the Metropolitan Opera, a stylish and well-structured water fountain full of water is gushing while the off-white marble floor allures the visitor to the building. Entering the building, the glamorous and sophisticated snowflake-like chandeliers and winding staircase gives the visitor a welcoming feel. Before sitting, the visitor will notice the red carpets and the particular set-up of the theater. As the seats are elevated upward, there are sound cushions to promote a higher quality sound on the side balconies. What felt very informative were the captions in front of the seats, that also were available in other languages, to understand the singers. Guiseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto was written between 1850 and 1851. When the stage is first viewed, it is evident the time frame Verdi had written in. Rigoletto, played by George Gagnidze, is a hunch-baked jester that acts out the part very well. Costumes in the play were very detail- oriented and focused primarily on the way individuals dressed in the 19th century. The stage settings were altered according to Act, which represented very hard work and skill. During Act II, Gilda played by Christine Schafer, and Rigoletto join together in a duet that explains the courtship and Gilda’s abduction. The costumes, although could not be seen up close, were elegant for the time period. Rigoletto is dressed during this Act in a white, somewhat formal shirt beneath his regular vest – which was a dark brown, along with white tights underneath knee length shorts. As opposed to how individuals dressed today, it seemed outlandish but well- designed. The opera singers and orchestra had the most contribution to the performance. The pitch and vocals of the performers proved to be rich with character insight. Rigoletto contains a wealth of musical empowerment and melody. As the conductors of the orchestra are observed, it is apparent the time and practice placed into the performance were well spent. Compared to modern music, the orchestra conducted music that was pleasing to the ear that gave a new cultural view of other genres of music. Overall, the performance of Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera House at the Lincoln Center was an enriching experience. After only viewed one other play, The Christmas Music Spectacular at Rockefeller Center, it certainly offered a cultural background for the Italian culture. The theater itself was definitely an exquisite and elegant building that often is not found in the local area. The performance was an excellent portrayal of the 18th century as far as costumes and stage set-up while the musical aspect depicted the inspired drama set in Rigoletto. This experience has given an eye-opener to a different genre of music while setting an appreciation for other cultures.

Recommendation Letter Manager for Part-Time Employee

Recommendation Letter Manager for Part-Time Employee SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Not all of the candidates asking for a recommendation letter are full-time or long-term employees. Even if you're writing for a part-time or temporary worker, you can still give great insight into his work performance and strengths. In the sample letter below, a restaurant manager recommends a server who worked during summers off from college. The candidate's looking to move into his first full-time job after graduation. Read on to learn what this restaurant manager has to say. Sample Letter #3: Written by a Manager for a Part-Time Employee Ms. Talia RichardsonRestaurant ManagerTapea Restaurant Group56 Main St.Centreville, VA 20122 Dear Ms. Richardson, It’s my pleasure to provide this letter of recommendation for Charlie, who worked as a server at Solera Restaurant for the past two summers. As Charlie’s direct manager who worked closely with him throughout his time here, I was impressed with his work ethic, friendly personality, and ability to work well under pressure. As he graduates from Johnson Wales with a degree in Hospitality Management, I’m confident that he has the skills to do well as an Assistant Restaurant Manager with Tapea Restaurant Group. As a server at Solera, Charlie demonstrated superlative customer service. Our clientele is a mix of long-term patrons and visiting tourists, and Charlie was personable and professional toward all. Even when things got hectic during peak business hours, Charlie kept up his energy level and attention to detail. I recall one instance when the kitchen was backed up and a table complained about how long they had to wait for their food. Charlie listened to their concerns and offered them free desserts to ensure that they left feeling positive about their dining experience. Charlie is thorough, friendly, and helpful, all qualities that made him an excellent addition to our staff. To learn more about hospitality management, Charlie set up meetings with me throughout the summer to discuss my responsibilities as Restaurant Manager. We talked about staff training and supervision, budget management, licensing, safety guidelines, administrative records, and business promotion, among other key parts of the job. Charlie brought a lot of knowledge to the table and quickly picked up new tricks of the trade. Between his classes at Johnson Wales and practical experiences, he has a clear sense of the responsibilities of managing a restaurant. Last summer, Charlie went above and beyond the call of duty to help us host large functions. In particular, he assisted in planning a graduation party for over 60 people and a bat mitzvah for 75. Charlie gave his input on menus and assistance in ordering supplies and overseeing stock levels before the events. Charlie also worked as a server, handling a large volume of requests during a precisely timed event. He proved himself to be a key asset in planning the functions and making sure everything ran smoothly. If we had any assistant managerial positions available at Solera, Charlie would be the first person I would call. Charlie has my highest recommendation for the position of Assistant Restaurant Manager. He consistently impressed me and the rest of the staff with his work ethic, customer service, and burgeoning managerial skills. Please don’t hesitate to contact me for any further information. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Janet ChildRestaurant ManagerSolera Restaurantjchild@solera.com(866) 811-5546 Want to provide a strong recommendation for your employee, but don't have the time to craft the perfect letter? PrepScholar's new recommendation tool, SimpleRec, takes you from good intentions and a blank page to a fully written and formatted letter of recommendation in under 5 minutes. All you need to do is give us some simple pieces of information about your employee and your experience working with them, and we'll do the rest. Try out SimpleRec risk-free today: Will this recommendation letter help Charlie line up a job for after graduation? Recommendation Letter #3: The Breakdown This letter represents one written by a manager for a part-time employee. In this case, the part-time employee is about to graduate from college and is applying for his first position in his chosen field. The recommendation letter plays an important role, therefore, in showing that he’s ready to take on this new job. As a restaurant manager herself, Janet Child is a great source for Charlie’s recommendation letter. She starts by describing his customer service skills as a server at Solera. Then she focuses on the ways in which he’s qualified to become an Assistant Restaurant Manager. Janet describes how Charlie furthered his education by meeting with her to learn about the responsibilities in restaurant management. She also discusses his behind-the-scenes help in planning and hosting large functions, a responsibility that he would have to take on as Assistant Manager with Tapea. Janet uses highly positive language, as well as specific examples, to demonstrate Charlie’s skills in the field of hospitality management. She makes her recommendation letter especially strong by stating that she would hire him herself if Solera had any positions available. Her letter will certainly be a boon to Charlie’s application as his reviewers determine whether or not he’s ready to step into the position of Assistant Restaurant Manager. What's Next? Are you ready for another sample recommendation letter? Click here to read a manager's reference letter for a freelance web designer! Are you looking for our full guide on recommendation letters? Check out our reference letter guide to learn about what goes into a good letter and find eight more samples. Want to provide a strong recommendation for your employee, but don't have the time to craft the perfect letter? PrepScholar's new recommendation tool, SimpleRec, takes you from good intentions and a blank page to a fully written and formatted letter of recommendation in under 5 minutes. All you need to do is give us some simple pieces of information about your employee and your experience working with them, and we'll do the rest. Try out SimpleRec risk-free today:

Cannery Row-fiction paper essays

Cannery Row-fiction paper essays Mack wasted no time with small talk, Lee, he said, Doc over theres got a problem. He needs me and the boys to go and gather up 300 frogs for an order hes got. We need to borrow your truck, so we can go to Carmel Valley. Lee was reluctant but gave into the proposition; however, Doc had been a tremendous customer throughout the years; Lee felt he owed it to Doc to help him out wherever he could. Mack and the boys packed up to begin their road trip, destination: Carmel Valley. Mack knew around where their destination lie. As the trip commenced they became consumed in the chatter of how their money would be spent. Doc was to give them 5 cents for every frog they captured and returned to him. All the boys determined that the money was to be spent on a party for Doc, to thank him for being such a great guy. They chatted with excitement as their imaginations ran wild, thinking up extravagant party ideas. In the bed of the truck lied a 5-gallon-jug of whiskey; that Eddie had brought from the bar. As they drove, they began to take drinks, in hope of making the trip more enjoyable. Somewhere along the line Mack thought it would be a good idea to take a short cut; he thought he remembered from the last time he went to Caramel Valley, with Doc. The road came to end where a bridge lay broken, washing down the river. They were at a dead end. Gay being the bright man, who he was, talked all the boys into thinking that the car could make the jump if they got enough speed. Instructing them that, if we get enough speed, we can make this here jump, and it will save us a day of backtracking. The boys went along with this idea, deciding after a couple more drinks that backtracking sounded as though it required actual effort. They put the truck in reverse moving as far back as possible, accelerating as fast as their car would permit. Barely breaking 55, they made it across the jump. However,...

Making a video in ESL class

Making a video in ESL class Making a video in English class is a fun way to get everyone involved while using English. Its project based learning at its best. Once you finish, your class will have a video to show off to friends and family, theyll have practiced a wide range of conversational skills from planning and negotiating to acting, and theyll have put their technological skills to work. However, making a video can be a big project with lots of moving pieces. Here are some tips on how to manage the process while involving the whole class. Ideation Youll need to come up with an idea for your video as a class. Its important to match class abilities to your video goals. Dont choose functional skills that students dont possess and always keep it fun. Students should enjoy and learn from their experience filming, but not be too stressed out about language requirements as theyll already be nervous about how they look. Here are some suggestions for video topics: Study Skills - Students can break into groups and produce a scene about a specific study skill, or a tip on how to study.Functional Skills - Have students create scenes focusing on functional skills such as ordering at a restaurant, job interviewing, leading a meeting, etc.Grammar Skills - Students can include slides asking the viewer to pay attention to specific structures and then act out short scenes focusing on tense usage or other grammar points. Finding Inspiration Once youve decided on your video as a class, go to YouTube and look for similar videos. Watch a few and see what others have done. If youre filming something more dramatic, watch scenes from TV or a movie and analyze to gain inspiration on how to film your videos. Delegating Delegating responsibilities is the name of the game when producing a video as a class. Assign individual scenes to a pair or small group. They can then take ownership of this part of the video from storyboarding to filming and even special effects. Its very important that everyone has something to do. Teamwork leads to a great experience. When making a video, students who dont want to be in the video can take on other roles such as editing the scenes with a computer, doing make-up, making voice overs for charts, designing instructional slides to be included in the video, etc. Storyboarding Storyboarding is one of the most important tasks in creating your video. Ask groups to sketch out each section of their video with instructions on what should happen. This provides the roadmap for the video production. Believe me, youll be glad youve done it when editing and putting together your video. Scripting Scripting can be as simple as a general direction such as Talk about your hobbies to specific lines for a soap opera scene. Each group should script a scene as they see fit. Scripting should also include any voiceovers, instructional slides, etc. Its also a good idea to match the script to the storyboard with snippets of text to help with production. Filming Once youve got your storyboards and scripts ready, its on to filming. Students who are shy and dont want to act can be responsible for filming, directing, holding cue cards, and more. Theres always a role for everyone - even if its not on screen! Creating Resources If youre filming something instructional, you may want to include other resources such as instructional slides, charts, etc. I find it helpful to use presentation software to create the slides and then export as .jpg or other image format. Voiceovers can be recorded and saved as .mp3 files to add to the film. Students who arent filming, can work on creating resources needed or each group can create their own. Its important to decide as a class which template youd like to use, as well as image sizes, font choices, etc. This will save a lot of time when putting together the final video. Putting the Video Together At this point, youll have to put it all together. There are numerous software packages that you can use such as Camtasia, iMovie, and Movie Maker. This can be quite time consuming and aggravating. However, youll probably find a student or two who excel in using storyboarding software to create complex videos. Its their chance to shine!

Stress and coping Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Stress and coping - Essay Example Again sometimes certain happy occasions are considered â€Å"stressful†. For instance the birth of a child, moving to a new house, or promotion in the workplace may prove to be stressful. This may be because one is not prepared to deal with such events. Stress is personal and there are different forms and levels of stress. How one copes with stress varies from individual to individual. Each individual looks at a situation differently and hence copes with it differently. Often people react to situations with fear and anxiety, all signs of stress, because these situations had caused stress in the past. For instance a student who has failed in an examination may feel stressful the next time he takes an examination. Every individual exhibits different coping skills. Hence two persons will not respond to a situation in exactly the same way. If a person responds to stress in a negative way it may affect health and happiness. By understanding the stress inducing situation and responding accordingly one can handle stress effectively. Today in the modern world life is full of demands, worries and frustration, all causing a certain amount of stress. Stress has almost become a way of life. Stress per se is not bad. In small amounts it may motivate you and help you to perform better. But when a person is constantly under stress it may affect his mind and body. According to Hawkins (1994), â€Å"†¦too much or too little stress can have deleterious effects on performance with resultant effects on the health of the individual and the organization.† Again, the impact of stress on health depends on our perception of the event that causes stress and how we react to the situation. Sometimes an event may motivate or even energize us. For instance events such as taking a vacation or winning a game may energize you. Sometimes we may perceive an event as stressful and react to it in a way that can have a negative effect on our mental and physical health.

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 7

Research Paper Example All these are geared towards promoting food security. However, genetically modified foods have raised great debate in the recent past over their impact on human health. The two main areas of concern are risk to human health and risk to the environment. This paper seeks to look at the health benefits of genetically modified foods and also the disadvantages of these foods. Pathogens, herbivorous insects, and parasites have significantly reduced crop yields all over the world. Given the fact that the population is increasing, traditional crops cannot sustain the world population because of the above threats. GM crops have been introduced to help abate this problem. Examples of crops grown in this case are virus resistant genetically modified papaya and insect resistant crops having Bacillus thuringiensis gene. This has been successful in the United States; insect resistant GM maize is grown on an area of about 10.6 million hectares and represents 35 percent of all the maize grown in the country. The resistance has also been enhanced to include bacterial and fungal pathogens. With reduction in crop loss due to pathogens, insects and parasites, more yields can be achieved and this can reduce malnutrition (Key, Ma and Drake 292). Another issue that has caused reduction in the crop yields is abiotic stress which includes low or high temperatures, drought, and salinity. It is projected that in the coming years these losses will increase due decline in water resources and desertification. Salinity and drought are expected to increase salinization of arable lands. This calls for adoption of new technology that will ensure there is crop survival. There have been attempts to produce abiotic stress resistant genetically modified foods. However, there has been no break through yet and the research is still at laboratory level. In

CDHPs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

CDHPs - Assignment Example It is in the same year that health reimbursement arrangements (HRA) begun. Then Health Savings Account (HSA) closely followed HRAs after the approval of the 2003 Modernization Act. This Act allowed individuals with a considerable amount of deductible health contrive to contribute towards HSAs. The main reason for coming up with CDHPs was to empower employees to make informed decisions about health care (â€Å"FAQ - What are Consumer Directed Health Plans (CDHPs),† n.d.). Since 2001, CDHPs have assumed an upward trend as consumers have appreciated it as a financial friendly and cost- restraint system. Studies show that in 2013 only, nearly 23% of employers having workers ranging from 15 to 400 and employers with over 500 workers proposed the use of either HSA or HRA health scheme. Studies affirm that CDHPs do not downgrade preventive services and encourages younger healthier populations since most subscribers are young families. Today not only individuals but also business companies have embraced CDHPs as a way of handling their health related issues. There has been a rise for contributions in both HSA and HRAs 2013 having an approximated amount of $ 23.8 billion Collins, 2007). This was a significant rise from $18 billion in 2012. The number of account holders rose from 11.7 million in 2012 to 11.8 million in 2013. Although there are speculations about the ineffectiveness of CDHPs, it stands undisputed that this type of strategy has an amazing ability to make member to take actively part in their health care management. CDHPs readily offer necessary support to members in terms of materials and skills. Feeling that the individual may not be able to understand or manage his or her finances when enrolled in CDHPs is inappropriate. (Greene, Peters, Mertz, & Hibbard, 2008)A research conducted reveal that CDHP members are aware of their roles and make good use of the available information

Organizational Change of Hilton International Term Paper

Organizational Change of Hilton International - Term Paper Example It is very important for the global company staff to communicate with diverse target audience round the clock. When restructuring jobs or refocusing the organization's direction, it is very important for the top management to clarify roles and how they support each other. Role clarification helps raise issues in a neutral manner and avoids confusion when change is in process. Special training problems are introduced for local employees to help them adapt to the new organizational environment (Hilton International 2007). With the help of the Internet, Hilton known for its patchy supply chain and bungling circulation processes will have the possibility to improve efficiency, inventory, audit control and to diminish infrastructure and operation costs by web-enabling their business online. Internet will support the hotel industry to be better equipped to handle business desires, paying attention to clients' needs, competitors and prospective partners (Hilton hits the heights of hotel 200 4), The program must then be implemented, scattered throughout the organization, monitored for effectiveness, and adjusted where necessary. The role of personal attitudes is important because they are not immediately acquired, but learned throughout life. For all people, employees and the manager, some attitudes are central such as religion or cultural norms; whereas others may change with personal experiences. In this case, the manager should take into account individual differences of employees and his personal experience (Hilton International 2007). If he had a negative experience in the past, he could apply the same management style working with other people.Management has to develop the business vision and process objectives. Senior management needs to develop a broad strategic vision, which calls for redesigned business processes. For example, Hilton hotel management looks for breakthroughs to lower costs and accelerate service that would enable the firm to regain its competitive stature in the consumer products industry (Robbins, 2004).

Zara Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Zara - Essay Example nd name of Zara and maintaining quality in the business operation processes will help the organization to capitalize on more potential business opportunities. The organization should not consider focus strategy as it is important for the organization to focus on broad market segment. It will help the organization to gain more competitive advantages. Grand Strategy The organization should also try to adopt and implement grand strategy in the business operation process in order to enhance decision making and strategy development process to set effective long term plans from several available alternatives. This grand strategy can be classified into four major strategies, such as growth strategy, stability strategy, retrenchment strategy and combination strategy. The management of the organization should adopt and implement growth strategy as it is important for the organization to achieve further growth. It is true that emergence of new entrants and adoption of online business activitie s are creating real threat for Zara. In addition to this, high labour cost is affecting the profit maximization aspect of Zara. Adoption of growth strategy will enhance the decision making and strategy development process of the organization. It is highly important for the organization to integrate online business operation process to achieve sustainable growth rate in this competitive industry. In addition to this, consideration of growth strategy in the decision making process will help the organization to adopt effective differentiation process that can influence the management of the organization to enter different fast fashion and fashion accessories industry to secure more market share and gain more potential competitive advantages. Functional Strategy Function strategy can be... The paper describes differentiation strategy which helped to develop the great brand - Zara. Zara already implemented product differentiation strategy. The organization always tries to offer differentiated clothes to target customers. The organization does not target a narrow market segment. Differentiated products for the people of all ages and different cultural background are the major success mantra of Zara. The organization should differentiate its business operation in. Fashion and accessories market is highly demanding and achieving strong growth rate. The organization should not consider focus strategy as it is important for the organization to focus on broad market segment. In conclusion, the report says that slow inventory turnover and critical supply chain management process are the major weaknesses of Zara. Therefore, it is important for Zara to source or prepare limited inventories according to the market demand and requirement. Appropriate production and supply according to the current market demand will help the organization to increase the efficiency of its inventory turnover. In addition to this, the organization should maintain short production cycle to reduce overall supply chain cost. High labour cost is another weakness of Zara. Therefore, it is important for the management of the organization to integrate automation in the business operation processes that can help to reduce the stress and pressure of the employees. High automation can improve business performance and can reduce the human resource management associated costs.

Digital Crime and Digital Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Digital Crime and Digital Terrorism - Essay Example U.S., which have faced terrorists’ attacks and other security threats in the recent past have also initiated these steps. Although, these constructive initiatives were to protect the people of America, certain sections of the population have raised opposition mainly regarding the privacy related issues. Their view is, these measures sometimes infringes upon the privacy of citizens and compromises their lives, social standing, economic status, etc, leading to a lot of physical and mental problems for them. This paper will first discuss US’s government initiatives to protect its vital digital assets, then will discuss how it is crucial to protect both personal privacy as well as classified national security information, and finally will discuss how these classified assets could be breached and the safeguards that can be taken. The United States government’s classification and protection system for certain crucial information is established with the aid of number of legal regulations and executive orders. That is, all the important information and all the related documents, files, etc., pertaining to national security are classified and protected from getting into wrong hands in the form of USA-PATRIOT Act, Homeland Security Act, FISA, etc. USA-PATRIOT Act (manufactured acronym for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act) was passed in 2001 due to the initiatives of the former US President, George Bush, and it provides for a lot of security measures particularly for digital assets. In 2011, President Barack Obama strengthened this act by signing a four-year extension for three key provisions found in the Act, particularly related to digital terrorism. That is, the â€Å"roving wiretap† power allows the â€Å"federal au thorities to listen in on conversations of foreign suspects even when they change phones or locations†. (Mascaro, 2011). While

Zara Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Zara - Essay Example nd name of Zara and maintaining quality in the business operation processes will help the organization to capitalize on more potential business opportunities. The organization should not consider focus strategy as it is important for the organization to focus on broad market segment. It will help the organization to gain more competitive advantages. Grand Strategy The organization should also try to adopt and implement grand strategy in the business operation process in order to enhance decision making and strategy development process to set effective long term plans from several available alternatives. This grand strategy can be classified into four major strategies, such as growth strategy, stability strategy, retrenchment strategy and combination strategy. The management of the organization should adopt and implement growth strategy as it is important for the organization to achieve further growth. It is true that emergence of new entrants and adoption of online business activitie s are creating real threat for Zara. In addition to this, high labour cost is affecting the profit maximization aspect of Zara. Adoption of growth strategy will enhance the decision making and strategy development process of the organization. It is highly important for the organization to integrate online business operation process to achieve sustainable growth rate in this competitive industry. In addition to this, consideration of growth strategy in the decision making process will help the organization to adopt effective differentiation process that can influence the management of the organization to enter different fast fashion and fashion accessories industry to secure more market share and gain more potential competitive advantages. Functional Strategy Function strategy can be... The paper describes differentiation strategy which helped to develop the great brand - Zara. Zara already implemented product differentiation strategy. The organization always tries to offer differentiated clothes to target customers. The organization does not target a narrow market segment. Differentiated products for the people of all ages and different cultural background are the major success mantra of Zara. The organization should differentiate its business operation in. Fashion and accessories market is highly demanding and achieving strong growth rate. The organization should not consider focus strategy as it is important for the organization to focus on broad market segment. In conclusion, the report says that slow inventory turnover and critical supply chain management process are the major weaknesses of Zara. Therefore, it is important for Zara to source or prepare limited inventories according to the market demand and requirement. Appropriate production and supply according to the current market demand will help the organization to increase the efficiency of its inventory turnover. In addition to this, the organization should maintain short production cycle to reduce overall supply chain cost. High labour cost is another weakness of Zara. Therefore, it is important for the management of the organization to integrate automation in the business operation processes that can help to reduce the stress and pressure of the employees. High automation can improve business performance and can reduce the human resource management associated costs.

Childhood and Young People Essay Example for Free

Childhood and Young People Essay Describe ways in which discrimination may deliberately or inadvertently occur in work? The ways in work that this would occur would be if you have a policy where you will employ anyone without discrimination but without having disabled access that would be inadvertently. Describe the sorts of behaviour problems that should be referred to other and to whom these should be referred? The sorts of behaviour problems that should be referred are if a problem keeps re-occurring such as hitting, biting, and swearing. This should be referred to your manager and then that’s for the manager to take further or not. Describe the different transitions children and young people may experience? There are different transitions that children and young people may go through can be planned for such as moving to a primary school but the transitions that you cant plan for will be a sudden death in the family which this could be traumatic for the child. Explain how to give adult support for each of the transitions? The most important part of giving adult support to a child when going through these transitions would just letting the child know that there is someone for them to rely on. Explain how a work setting can encourage children and young people’s positive behaviour? Depending on the age of the child the encouragement doesn’t really change for example 1-2 year old you would distract the child if they aren’t displaying good behaviour and then praise them while keeping calm and patient and make sure you stay being a good role model. For a 3-4 year old you would praise and encourage the child and then next explain while keeping patient and then supervise the child and then make sure that you continue to be a role model. Reflect on own role in promoting positive behaviour? In my role I think promoting positive behaviour is important so you build a bond with that child so when they do go through a stage of bad behaviour they respect you and listen to you when you guiding them in the right direction. Also praise is the most important when promoting positive behaviour this would be a case of reverse physiology. Review effectiveness of own contribution to the assessment of the development needs of a child or young person? Review effectiveness of own role in supporting the child or young persons development? Identify changes that can be made to own practice in supporting child and young person development? Outline own role and responsibilities in the event of a child or young person requiring urgent medical attention? When a child needs urgent medical attention the first thing that you should do is find out how bad the injury in to determine what you need to do to help the child then you need to react and provide first aid on the child if more serious ring for an ambulance. Then next monitor the child for further re-occurring effects, this is mainly for a head injury. Then you will need to record the injury and what happened and what first aid you carried out on the child. Outline procedures for infection control in own work setting? The procedures that we have in place in the work setting are cleaning charts and professionals that come in and check over the setting to make sure that it is clean. Also we make sure the toys are clean for the children to play with to reduce infection and cleaning the nursery every night. Also if there is a spill of any kind such as blood or sick, we have different coloured buckets to clean it up to reduce contamination. If you were to be in the kitchen we use different coloured chopping boards to stop the risk of cross contamination which could lead to infection. Explain how the procedures of the work setting protect both children and young people and practitioners? This protects everyone in the setting from infection such as illness for example the common cold. This protects everyone because the cleaner the better, if the rooms were never cleaned or tidied that’s how infection would built because when you clean you kill any type of infection. Describe what is meant by a positive environment? A positive environment would be where staff and children are happy at all times, where everyone gets on well and keeps the setting positive. Making sure that the children have enough the play with both indoor and outdoor to keep them happy, when there is enough space for the children to play it keeps them positive. Although we need to make sure that the setting is fun and attractive it needs to be safe and secure. Identify regulatory requirements that underpin a positive environment for children and young people? The regulatory requirements that underpin a positive environment for children must be safe to work in, so this is why there are ratio’s to children to staff. Also yearly Ofsted will visit the setting to make sure you are sticking to these requirements, a few examples would be the heating, making sure it’s always at the right temperature which is 15-18 degrees or for babies 20-22. Another would be radiators and pipes to be covered and smoke alarms fitted in the setting and making sure that emergency equipment is always available. Explain how to effectively care for children and young people’s skin, teeth and hair? It is always important that children’s skin teeth and hair is looked after. Skin – children are encouraged to wash hands after using the toilet or before they, also as they get older they should be encouraged to wash their own bodies when they wake up and before they go to bed for example letting the child have their own flannel will encourage this.

Analysing Biopower And Agency Linked To Euthanasia Philosophy Essay

Analysing Biopower And Agency Linked To Euthanasia Philosophy Essay Human life can be perceived as a way of being that ensures autonomy upon the physical body. However, state authority, surveillance and law are moderating this individual freedom and moral decision-making. Nowadays, euthanasia remains a highly controversial and sensitive medical and ethical issue. My research and final thesis for the master will focus on the narratives of people, residing in houses for the elderly in Antwerp, Belgium. Emphasis is placed on whether upcoming media interest in euthanasia influences elderly thoughts and decision making regarding assisted suicide. Wishes about end-of-life decisions, opinions of relatives and law interpretations of medical practitioners are being investigated in this study. And finally the way governments authority influences peoples agency in end-of-life decision making. With this paper, I intend to widen my knowledge of two main anthropological topics linked to the subject of euthanasia, namely biopower and agency. Biopolitics concern the political implications of social and biological facts and phenomena, with political choice and action directly afflicting all aspects of human life. Agency, on the other hand, can be seen as an alternative attempt to maintain autonomy in ones own life and death, under the influence of the states disciplining interference. Both forms of power are studied in this paper, and their interrelationship is critically viewed. Keywords: Biopolitics, Agency, Power, Health, Ethics 2. The history of biopower In Foucaults The Birth of Biopolitics (Lectures at the College de France, 1978-1979), an analysis of liberalism and neoliberalism as forms of biopolitics is presented. According to Foucault, biopower can be perceived as a technology of power, intending to manage individuals as a group. This political technology differentiates because of its ability to control populations as a whole, and is thus essential to the development of modern capitalism (Foucault, 2008). This shift from the managing and micro-controlling of individuals to disciplining a population emerged in the eighteenth-century. Even though this seems as an opportunity to gain more natural rights and liberty for individuals, this liberal government no longer limits state power because of the incompatible tension between freedom and security (Foucault, 2008, McSweeney, 2010). As Foucault argued, liberalism concerns the biopolitical. For liberalism promotes an imagined self-governing of life through a certain capture and disc iplining of natural forces of aggression and desire within the framework of a cultural game, governed by civil conventions and instituted laws (Foucault, 2004). In this conception, life is as much of a cultural construct as is law, although the naturalness of life, thought of as innately self-regulating, is always insinuated. Both in economics and in politics, liberalism rejoice in an order that is supposed to emerge naturally from the clash of passions themselves (Milbank, 2008: 2). Rabinow and Rose seek to enlighten the developments in Foucaults concept of biopower, which serves to bring into view a field comprised of more or less rationalized attempts to intervene upon the vital characteristics of human existence (Rabinow, 2006: 196-197). Foucault distinguishes two poles of biopower: the first one focuses on an anatomo-politics of the human body, seeking to maximize its forces and integrate it into efficient systems. The second pole entails biopolitics of the population, focusing on the species body, the body imbued with the mechanisms of life: birth, morbidity, mortality and longevity (Rose, 2007: 53). Thus, according to Rabinow and Rose, we can use the term biopolitics to embrace all the specific strategies and contestations over problematizations of collective human vitality, morbidity and mortality; over the forms of knowledge, regimes of authority and practices of intervention that are desirable, legitimate and efficacious (Rabinow, 2006: 197). In order to clarify the concept of biopower, three elements must be included. The first one comprises one or more truth discourses about the vital character of living human beings, and an array of authorities considered competent to speak that truth. Secondly, the strategies for intervention upon collective existence in the name of life and health, and lastly, modes of subjectification, through which individuals are brought to work on themselves, under certain forms of authority. Biopolitical analyses also explore how poverty, body commodification, and notions of risk and control are lived and shaped by the intersections of state imperatives, local traditions, and the global reach of medicine (Kaufman, 2005: 320). It is been inextricably bound up with the rise of the life sciences, the human sciences and clinical medicine. It has given birth to techniques, technologies, experts, and apparatuses for the care and administration of the life of each and of all, from town planning to heal th services (Rose, 2007: 54). Nevertheless, we need to be untrammeled by obligations to authoritative states and international bureaucracies, as most crimes against humanity are committed by powerful states (Farmer, 2004: 242). 2.1 Criticism Rabinow and Rose are critical of Agamben (1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2005) and Negri (2000), who suggest that contemporary biopower takes the form of a politics that is fundamentally dependent on the domination, exploitation, expropriation and, in some cases, elimination of the vital existence of some or all subjects over whom it is exercised (Rabinow, 2006: 198). The following fallacies in Agamben and Negris work are mentioned. Firstly, their use of biopower as a totalizing term in which biopower serves to secure the dominion of a global form of domination that they term Empire (ibid.: 198). Rabinow and Rose agree that it is necessary to extend the scope of traditional analyses of economic exploitation and geopolitics in order to grasp the way in which the living character of human being is being harnessed by biocapital. However, this expanded concept of biopower leaves little room for analytical work. Therefore, Rabinow and Rose agree that this version of the concept of biopower is an tithetical to that proposed by Foucault because it can describe everything but analyse nothing. Secondly, Agambens view of the Holocaust as the ultimate exemplar of biopower and use of the obscure metaphor of homo sacer. According to Rabinow and Rose: the power to command under threat of death is exercised by States and their surrogates in multiple instances, in micro forms and in geopolitical relations. But this does not demonstrate that this form of power commands backed up by the ultimate threat of death is the guarantee or underpinning principle of all forms of biopower in contemporary liberal societies. Nor is it useful to use this single diagram to analyse every contemporary instance of thanatopolitics (ibid.: 201). And lastly, Agambens interpretation of contemporary biopolitics as the politics of a State modelled on the figure of the Sovereign, and of all forms of biopolitical authority as agents of that Sovereign. Rabinow and Rose believe that this interpretation fails to notice the dependence of sovereign rule on a fine web of customary conventions, reciprocal obligations and the like in a word, a moral economy [] sovereign power is at one and the same time an element in this moral economy and an attempt to master it (ibid.: 200). States can only rule because of the ways in which they manage to connect themselves to the ever-growing apparatuses of knowledge collection and problematization that formed alongside the state apparatus since the 19th century. Furthermore, in the analysis of biopower, Rabinow and Rose focus on three topics that they believe condense some of the biopolitical lines of force active today. The first one embraces race. At one point, the link between biological understandings of distinctions among population groups and their socio-political implications seemed broken and race was crucial as a socio-economic category, a mark of discrimination and a mode of identification that remained extremely salient socially and politically, from the allocation of federal funds to the manifestations of identity politics. However, at the turn of the new century, race is once again re-entering the domain of biological truth, viewed now through a molecular gaze (ibid.: 206). A new molecular deployment of race has emerged seemingly almost inevitably out of genomic thinking. Funding for research in DNA sequence variations has been justified precisely in biopolitical terms, as leading towards and ensuring the equal health of the pop ulation in all or some of its diversity (ibid.: 207). Rabinow and Rose believe that new challenges for critical thinking are raised by the contemporary interplay between political and genomic classifications of race, identity politics, racism, health inequities, and their potential entry into biomedical truth, commercial logics and the routine practices of health care (ibid.: 207). The second topic entails reproduction. Since the 1970s, sexuality and reproduction have become disentangled, and the question of reproduction gets problematized, both nationally and supra-nationally, because of its economic, ecological and political consequences. Reproduction has been made into a biopolitical space in which an array of connections appear between the individual and the collective, the technological and the political, the legal and the ethical (ibid.: 208). According to Rabinow and Rose the economy of contemporary biopolitics operates according to logics of vitality, not mortality: while it has its circuits of exclusion, letting die is not making die (ibid.: 211). They argue that changes are about capitalism and liberalism and not eugenics. And lastly; genomic medicine. Rabinow and Rose narrate how the first biopolitical strategies concerned the management of illness and health and how these provided a model for many other problematizations operating in terms of the division of the normal and the pathological. This model was popular in liberal societies because they establish links between the molecular and the molar, linking the aspiration of the individual to be cured to the management of the health status of the population as a whole (ibid.: 212). Whether or not genomic medicine will lead to the creation of a new regime of biopower depends on both the uncertain outcome of genomic research itself, and on contingencies external to genomics and biomedicine. If the new model of genomic medicine were to succeed, and to be deployed widely, not only in the developed but also in the less developed world, the logics of medicine, and the shape of the biopolitical field, would be altered. New contestations would emerge over acc ess to such technologies and the resources necessary to follow through their implications. Additionally, as the forms of knowledge generated here are those of probability, new ways of calculating risk, understanding the self and organizing health care would undoubtedly emerge (Rabinow, 2006: 214). It is important to see that in this, the political and social implications are shaped more by the political side of biopolitics than the medical side, which is also mentioned by Vaughn (2010). Milbank (2008) is discussing this topic from an alternative point of view. Laws typically proceed from sovereign power granted legitimacy through a general popular consent as mediated by representation. In so far as such a procedure is taken to be normative, it can be seen as embodying a natural law for the origin of legitimate power from the conflicts in human life (Milbank, 2008: 5). To conclude; within the field of biopower, the term biopolitics is used to embrace all the specific strategies and contestations over problematizations of collective human vitality, morbidity and mortality, and can therefore be linked to the implementation of the euthanasia law. It includes a form of power expressed as a control that extends throughout the depths of the consciousnesses and bodies of the population (Rose, 2007: 54). At the end of life, ethnographers have focused their attention in the distinction between the social and biological death of the person and the practical and ethical quandaries created by the late modern ability and desire to authorize and design ones own death, and the ways in which death is spoken, silenced, embraced, staved off, and otherwise patterned (Kaufman, 2005: 319). The policy of euthanasia can thereby be seen as an array of authorities considered competent to judge a humans quality of life. In one sense, to say that the sovereign has a right of life and death means that he can, basically, either have people put to death of let them live, of in any case that life and death are not natural or immediate phenomena which are primal or radical, and which fall outside the field of power. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] In any case, the lives and death of subjects become rights only as a result of the will of the sovereign (Foucault, 1997: 24). 3. Agency In the previous chapter it has become clear that biopolitics can be perceived as an empowered discipline which reduces humans to mere life and biological statistics and processes. But has a human being no other destiny then to be at the mercy of the puppet master called the state? According to Mahmood (2005), it is quite clear that the idea of freedom and liberty as the political ideal is relatively new in modern history. Nor, for that matter, does the narrative of individual and collective liberty exhaust the desires with which people live in liberal societies? How do we then analyze operations of power that construct different kinds of bodies, knowledges, and subjectivities whose trajectories do not follow the entelechy of libratory politics? It encourages us to conceptualize agency not simple as a synonym for resistance to relations of domination, but as a capacity for action that specific relations of subordination create and enable (Mahmood, 2005, 22). Ortner believes agency and social power are very closely linked. In her article Power and Projects: Reflections on Agency (2006), she agrees with Ahearn that oppositional agency is only one of many forms of agency and that domination and resistance are not irrelevant, but that human emotions, and hence questions of agency, within relations of power and inequality are always complex and contradictory (Ortner, 2006: 137). She also mentions Giddens viewpoint that the concept of action is logically tied to that of power because of its transformative capacity, but that the transformative capacity of agents is only one dimension of how power operates in social systems. Ortner sees agency as part of her theory on serious games. The concept of serious games is grounded in practice theory, because as in practice theory social life in a serious games perspective is seen as something that is actively played, oriented toward culturally constituted goals and projects, and involving both routine practices and intentionalized action (129). However, it moves beyond this in looking at more complex relations, namely power, and more complex dimensions of subjectivity, those involving intentionality and agency. Although agency is considered universal, the agency exercised by different persons is far from uniform and differs enormously in both kind and extent. At the ethnographic level, however, what is at stake is a contrast between the workings of agency within massive power relations. In the most common usage agency can be virtually synonymous with the forms of power people have at their disposal, thereby implying that people in positions of power have a lot of agency. On the other hand, Ortner notes that the dominated too also have certain capacities, and sometimes very significant capacities, to exercise some sort of influence over the ways in which events unfold. Resistance is then also a form of power-agency (ibid.: 144). Thus, Ortner believes that the less powerful seek to nourish and protect by creating or protecting sites on the margins of power. These cultural projects can be simple goals for individuals, related to intention and desire, but many projects are full-blown serious games, involving the intense play of multiply positioned subjects pursuing cultural goals within a matrix of local inequalities and power differentials (ibid.: 144). Agency becomes the pursuit of (cultural) projects, but it is also ordinary life socially organized in terms of culturally constituted projects that infuse life with meaning and purpose. Hence, the agency of projects is not necessarily about domination and resistance; it is more about people having desires that grow out of their own structures of life. Ortner views this as people playing their own serious games in the face of more powerful parties seeking to destruct these. So this is not free agency, as the cultural desires or intentions [] emerge from structur ally defined differences of social categories and differentials of power (ibid.: 145). To Ortner, the point of making the distinction between agency-in-the-sense-of-power and an agency-in-the-sense-of-(the pursuit of) projects is that the first is organized around the axis of domination and resistance, and thus defined to a great extent by the terms of the dominant party, while the second is defined by local logics of the good and the desirable and how to pursue them (ibid.: 145). She considers that the agency which is involved in significant cultural end, is inevitably involving internal power-relations. Consequently, the agency of project intrinsically hinges on the agency of power. 3.1 The free individual? The ultimate purpose of the serious games theory is always to understand the larger forces, formations, and transformations of social life. The way Ortner sees social agents is that they are always involved in, and can never act outside of, the multiplicity of social relations in which they are enmeshed (ibid.: 130). Thus while all social actors have agency, because of their engagement with others in the play of serious games they can never be free agents. This social embeddedness of agents takes two forms; the first one being relations of solidarity among friends and family. The second form involves relations of power, inequality and competition. Ortner emphasizes that agency is never a thing in itself but is always a part of a process of what Giddens calls structuration, the making and remaking of larger social and cultural formations (ibid.: 134). Ortner admits the dangers of overemphasizing agency as this gives precedence to individuals over context and that too much focus on the agency of individuals and/or groups results in a gross oversimplification of the processes involved in history, thereby ignoring both the needs and desires of human beings and the pulse of collective forces and losing sight of the complex, and highly unpredictable, relationship between intentions and outcomes. However, Ortner believes the solution is the framework of practice theory within which neither individuals nor social forces have precedence, but in which nonetheless there is a dynamic, powerful, and sometimes transformative relationship between the practices of real people and the structures of society, culture, and history (ibid.:133). Furthermore, Ortner believes that agency can be said to have two fields of meaning, one being about intentionality and the pursuit of (culturally defined) projects), the other about power, about acting within relations of social inequality, asymmetry, and force (ibid.: 139). However, agency is never merely one or the other. Intentionality refers to a wide range of states, both cognitive and emotional, and at various levels of consciousness, that are directed forward toward some end (ibid.: 134). There exists a continuum between both soft and hard definitions of agency. In soft definitions, intentionality is not taken into account or not seen as being consciously held in the mind. However, what is then the distinction between agency and routine practices? On the other end of the spectrum, and Ortner shares this viewpoint, are those definitions of agency that emphasize the strong role of active intentionality in agency that differentiates agency from routine practices. Pre-modern thought did not conceive of agency solely in terms of individual freedom or else in terms of explicit representative sovereign action leaving a consequent problem of the apparent spontaneous patterning of the unplanned. This was because it did not think of an act as primarily an expression of freedom or as something owned by the individual or the sovereigns will or motivation. Instead, it paid more attention to the fact that every act is always pre-positioned within a relational public realm and in turn cannot avoid in some way modifying that realm, beyond anything that could in principle be consented to by the other, since the full content of any act is unpredictable (Milbank, 2008: 23). In conclusion, Ortner advocates that a distinction should be made between agency as a form of power (agency of power) and agency as a form of intention and desire, as the pursuit of goals and the enactment of projects (agency of projects). While they form two distinct fields of meaning, they are also interrelated as both domination and resistance are always in the service of projects. Thus, agency is a complex term whose senses emerge within semantic and institutional networks that define and make possible particular ways of relation to people, things, and oneself. Yet, intention , which is variously glossed as plan, awareness, willfulness, directedness, or desire is often made to be central to the attribution of agency. Although the various usages of agency have very different implications that do not all hang together, cultural theory tends to reduce them to the metaphysical idea of a conscious agent-subject having both the capacity and the desire to move in a singular historical d irection: that of increasing self-empowerment and decreasing pain (Asad, 2003: 78-79). 4. Conclusion After thoroughly having examined both the subjects of biopower and agency, and following the course Theory and Practice, awareness has grown once again in realizing how much ones been lived. Disciplining of the state interferes in such a wide array of human life; consisting of for example the school system, employment, medicines and ultimately death. It becomes clear that agency, performed in ways we have discussed in class, simply does not exist, because of the dominant and prevailing power of the state. It is not owned by social actors, but interactively negotiated and best seen as a disposition toward the enactment of projects. Despite of this negotiating, individuals never become free agents. This and other research shows that the law and the policy of euthanasia influencing peoples right to determine their own life. Today, most requests for euthanasia to end a life with dignity are denied, because people do not fit into the criteria and the so-called carefully requirements the l aw states. But to what extend do such institutions of power have the moral right to determine and monitor personal decisions of individuals? As Foucault (2003) states: the very essence of the right of life and death is actually the right to kill: it is at the moment when the sovereign can kill that he exercises his right over life. In my opinion people should maintain autonomy over their own life and death, and that the government should not intervene from above into such personal, subjective and fundamental choice. However, apart from the awareness of the fundamental mediation of the state, we remain political animals. In the end, everyone wants to pursuit personal goals in life, and in order to accomplish those, we cannot do much more than just put up with the fate of being obliged well-behaved citizen.

America and the Great Depression Essay examples -- Essays Papers

America and the Great Depression 1. Compare the ideas behind the protest movements of Huey Long and Upton Sinclair. The Era of the Great Depression was one of both desperation and hope. Americans were desperate for a change, desperate for anything to come along that may improve their situation, yet hopeful that the light at the end of the tunnel was near. For many of those living in poverty during the 1930s, the â€Å"radical† leftist movements seen throughout the country appeared to be alternatives to the sometimes ineffective programs of FDR’s New Deal. Two such programs, Huey Long’s â€Å"Share Our Wealth† plan and Upton Sinclair’s End Poverty in California (EPIC) were fairly popular, mainly for their appealing alternatives to the current New Deal programs and ideals. Though the two movements were similar in some sense, both had different visions for the recovery of the American people. Huey Long, two-time Senator of Louisiana, was founder of the â€Å"Share Our Wealth† plan. A redistribution of the nation’s wealth, the plan called for one third of the country’s money to be divided among all the people. In the early 1930s, 4% of the American population held 87% of the wealth. (Polenberg 127) Long’s plan called for an end to this imbalance. â€Å"None too poor, none too rich† was his slogan. (Polenberg 126) The â€Å"Share Our Wealth† movement was made up of eight parts. A homestead allowance granted by the government to all families (and a limit on how large a family’s fortune could be), minimum family yearly incomes (and limits on excessive ones), better regulation of work hours (to prevent overproduction), an old-age pension, a balance between agricultural production and consumption, a pension for veterans and their disabled, ... ...me president. Their programs however, did have lasting effects on the government at the time, causing it to shift towards the left in order to appease their supporters. The fact that two men with very different visions for the future of Americans could both be so popular while endorsing such radical changes only shows the true atmosphere of America in the Depression. Americans in poverty were willing to cling to any hope they could find, and though each did it in their own way, these men gave Americans that hope. Bibliography 1. Biles, Roger. A New Deal for the American People. Northern Illinois University Press. DeKalb, 1991. 2. Polenberg, Richard. The Era of Franklin D. Roosevelt 1933-1945. Bedford/St. Martin’s. Boston, 2000. 3. Terkel, Studs. Boston, 2000. 4. Terkel, Studs. Hard Times. The New Press. New York, 1970

Emily Dickinson :: essays research papers fc

Emily Dickinson   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The life of Emily Dickinson seems to be one of simplicity. After all, she only lived in two houses her entire life. Even though her life might have seemed plain, her mind was fully understanding to a multitude of ideas and feelings. In her poetry you can see her dealing with many concepts and how she feels about certain things in her life. A couple themes I found particularly interesting were death and nature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Death can be a complicated issue for many people. However, for Dickinson it seemed to consume her, and therefore is evident several times within her poetry. A clear example of this is in her poem 280 when she writes, â€Å"I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,/ And Mourners to and fro/ Kept treading-treading-till it seemed/ That Sense was breaking through-† (Dickinson 176). The whole poem goes on referring to what I believe her to be talking about, is her own funeral. Reading only that poem alone would make Dickinson seem to be depressed, but I think it is more that she is scared senseless about her death. In the end of the poem she writes, â€Å"And the a Plank in Reason, broke,/ And I dropped down, and down-/ And hit a World, at every plunge,/ And finished knowing-then-† (Dickinson 176). Dickinson seems to be afraid of what will happen after death, and that when the end comes she expects it to be a horrible ending to what could have been a great life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Contrary to this however Dickinson may want to embrace death since it seems inevitable. In a critical essay by Ralph Joly he writes, â€Å"On one hand, she seems nearly to celebrate it as an anodyne to life, as in â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death,† where death appears in the guise of a suitor and the grave is a â€Å"House† in the ground† (â€Å"Emily Dickinson†). Dickinson seems to think about death a lot, and because of this it would seem ignorant for her not to look at it in other ways besides negative. Death is a thought provoking subject, and for Dickinson it was one that was far from being overlooked. While Dickinson might have overly agonized about the issue of death, it is still a subject that we should address within ourselves, and to familiarize ourselves with our feelings on death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nature is a subject that deserves glorification, and Dickinson made sure of this in many of her poems.

Church management Essay

Abstract My proposal is to provide you with an Integrated Parish Management Solution which will synchronize all management processes including attendance records, church activities records , financial records, membership personal data etc. The need for a customized Integrated Parish Management Solution for the Church cannot be over emphasized because the solution will be tailored in solving your church’s unique needs. The Integrated Solution would deliver a single database containing data for the different software modules to be developed. The modules that would be developed are : ïÆ' ¼Financial Module -Manage Donations, Search Cash Expenses, Manage Offering Types, etc. ïÆ' ¼Church Activity Module-Would provide the functionality of Searching Past Activities, New Church Activity, Testimonies, New testimony, Manage Activity Types etc. ïÆ' ¼Membership and People Management Module – Would provide the functionality of Searching for Parish members, new members, Membership by Type, New Converts, Search for First-Timers, etc. ïÆ' ¼Groups and Department Module – Would Manage Groups, Manage Departments Activities, etc. ïÆ' ¼Report Module -would give Attendance report, Financial Report, Membership Detail Report,  etc. We are aware that your congregation members are your most valuable assets and aim to ensure that you are able to provide them with that personal and intimate care required for deep commitment and loyalty on the part of the parishioners. Our solution aims to aid the church in the following areas: †¢Membership Personal Information Management †¢Church performance analysis and Reporting †¢Easy Access to All Information about Every Individual †¢Reducing Membership Outflow †¢Building Enduring Personal relationship with the Members †¢Solve all Record Keeping Issues †¢Manage All Financial Records †¢Visual and Graphical Illustration of the Church Performance Per Time †¢High Security and Back Up Strategy  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Effective Follow-up system for new Converts and First -timers We propose to deploy a robust Integrated Church management Solution. This solution will focus primarily on integrating all key Church management processes and will result in ultimate member satisfaction with your services by providing a fast and efficient membership follow-up strategy. This is why our Integrated Parish Management Solution is designed to assist you to effectively harness information about your Members, Ministers, Workers, all Department and Group in the church, and other resources which should translate to better Background Today, even with the digital transformation that the world is undergoing, numerous churches still use manual record keeping systems. Every record starting with members’ details all the way to the very delicate financial details are kept manually. A case study conducted at King’ong’o PCEA parish at Nyeri prove that churches are still in the analogue world despite the pursuit of the word to the digital heights. The church is an ever growing entity. More people are converted and more children are born into Christian homes. Gone are the days when pastors, shepherds, priests, bishops and the likes knew each and every member of his church personally. Churches are no  longer just fellowships, degrees are offered, accounts are kept, people are wedded and the welfare of members is attended to. Imagine what a professional football team would be like without a regimen of practice drills? Now take away their playbook and player statistics. What you have in this extreme scenario are highly talented (and perhaps overpaid) individuals participating in organized chaos. They might actually win a game or two, but in the long run, this team is doomed. This illustration is to drive home the point of why any organization needs to examine the existence and effectiveness of its management systems. The world is becoming Information and technologically based. For this reason, Management Systems have been introduced into various industries ranging from the educational to the health sector and even into agriculture amongst other things. A management Information System is a system to convert data from internal and external sources into information, in an appropriate form, to management at all levels in all functions to enable them to make timely and effective decisions for planning, directing and controlling the activities for which they are response. The Church is not excluded from these industries. The Church Management and Information System is a system for churches to manage their operations efficiently and systematically (Wikipedia, 2012). It is also a specialized software that assists churches in organization and automation of daily operations. Current System King’ong’o PCEA uses a fully manual system of keeping all its records. Financial records, which need a lot of transparency and accountability, are kept in hand written documents. A lot of transactions involving money are carried out by the parish. For instance, managing donations from church members and well-wishers, managing offerings and tithes by members,searching and managing cash expenses by the church etc. All the financial details are kept manually which is cumbersome and prone to mistakes. Flaws can easily occur with this system making it not reliable ad calling for a remedy. The church also needs to keep track of activities that take place in the church every day. For instance, searching past activities by the parish, newly integrated church activities, testimonies, new testimonies, managing activity types etc. Other things also need record keeping like managing people and the issue of membership to the church. In this case, records for  new members, new converts, First-timers etc. need to be kept. With the existing system, searching the records is cumbersome and time-consuming. Records of groups and departments relating to the church ought to be maintained for the benefit of the church. Department activities need to be properly recorded and updated accordingly and retrieved as per the church management needs. Retrieval of these records is hard since they are kept in files in written documents. Retrieving a record involves perusing through a huge number of files. A lot of time is wasted retrieving manual records. Reports need to be kept and retrieved as per the needs of church managers. For instance, attendance reports for church members, financial reports after a certain amount of time, membership details report etc. Reports for the existing system involves going through relevant records manually and coming up with the required reports. This is cumbersome and time-wasting. Proposed system A software system is proposed to replace the manual system for keeping records. A financial module is used to automate financial record keeping and retrieval. A database is used to store financial details of the parish. An interface is provided for interacting with the database whereby a user can write into the database and they can query the database as per their needs. Financial data keeping is made easy through this software solution and also searching of financial details made even more easier through the proposed software. Through an Activity module, daily activities in the church are stored in a database which is updated to embrace new activities. A platform for communicating to the database is offered where the user(authorized) interacts with the database(writes into the database and queries the database).With the new system, activities in the church are recorded in database tables and can always be retrieved with their respective dates via queries. A lot of valuable time is saved through the new system. Departments are automated using a department module. This module offers an interface for entering details of interest into the database. Since departmental details are of prime importance in as far as the church is concerned, proper details relating to the Parish ought to be kept and retrieved with ease. The user searches records relating to a department of interest with a lot of ease through the interface provided by the departments’ module. The  cumbersomeness with the manual system would thus be alleviated by the proposed software solution. Report generation with the proposed system is automated (made alarmingly easy)through the Report module .This is done through integrating database SQL capabilities into the software. Financial reports, activity reports etc. can be generated through simply pressing a button which will give prompts to the user on the reports they want. The tire and the boredom associated with perusing through records to draw a report are completely eradicated through the proposed software solution. The various modules defined with different functionalities are integrated to form a harmoniously and effectively working software to attend the manual problem of keeping Parish records. Problem statement Keeping records manually is utterly cumbersome since it involves handwriting or typing every detail of interest. Handling physical records is cumbersome since storage space is needed and they can be affected by natural circumstances such as pests and unfavorable environment. Additionally, compiling reports for physical(manual)records is not an easy task since it involves walking through all records and drawing information of interest. A lot of personnel is needed to keep records for the different church departments and maintain them and this comes with higher costs due to wages for the record keepers. King’ong’o PCEA Parish is one of the victims of the above mentioned problems which the proposed system wishes to provide a remedy for. Scope The resulting Integrated Parish Management Solution will be in English and will include subsystems and functionality to support the following: FINANCIAL MODULE The Financial Module comes with the right tools to aid in the church in management of the following: †¢Contributions and Donations †¢Offerings and tithes †¢Cash Expense and lots  Donations management is a key area in this module as individual donations by members and linked to the major donations which help to answer questions  like (How much has being released from a particular donation announcement)The offering management allows the church to record any kind of offering type, thus not restricting you to any form of predefined structure. GROUPS AND DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT MODULE Grouping system encourages the participation of members in the church, church+ takes special care in the implementation of grouping, the system comes with a flexible system for any form of group to be created by the users and members added to groups. Members of a given group can be managed from this module. CHURCH ACTIVITY MANAGEMENT MODULE Activities in the church provide a building block to almost all the other parts of the church and as such should be well structured and data emerging from it effectively managed. The church activity module provides you with the tools to enable you to manage the various diverse data about church activities, it is built in such a way as to be flexible to accommodate different needed of different churches. MEMBERSHIP MANAGEMENT MODULE This module helps to manage the various information of member of the church. This feature is so flexible and you can work on it according to your specific needs and requirement. Under this module, we have all the personal data of each member. You can search for: †¢People †¢Add new Member/First-Timer. When you add new member, all the data about that particular member is captured †¢View Members by Types: it helps to sort members by types e.g. are they full member? Worker? Minister? Etc. †¢New converts: all new converts are captured here. SECURITY Integrated parish Management Solution will be well integrated, meaning that changes in a module would automatically update another related module. High level authentication will be needed to log into the Integrated Parish Management Solution. Passwords are encrypted, such that it is practically impossible to gain access to someone’s password. Role Management is also implemented making your church users have different access levels, hence making â€Å"users see only what they are supposed to see†. BACK-UPS The importance of creating a backup can never be emphasized enough. The parish’s IT department will be responsible for implementing routines for regular backup of organization’s data. In the event of a possible system crash, it will be time -consuming and difficult to reconstruct the database. For frequent program use I thus recommend that backups are taken daily. Storing backups Backups can be taken to the hard-drive, a shared folder in the network or to external media such as USB pen drives, Zip drives or similar. I recommend that you store at least one complete backup separate from the computer in case of disaster. Provision for external hard drive storage has been integrated in the financials. Justification A software solution for the named problem would be very appropriate compared to the existing system. The following reasons justify the need for the software solution: ïÆ' ¼The tire associated with making records manually and maintaining them would be alleviated. The Integrated Parish Management Solution would offer a lot of ease in recording any details of interest. The software would offer an excellent interface to interact with the Parish database (entering new details and updating existing details to ensure integrity). As a result of the ease of recording and updating data, the problem of tire associated with data maintenance would be eradicated by the proposed Integrated Parish Management solution. ïÆ' ¼Parish personnel cost would go down as a result of implementation of the Proposed Integrated Parish Management Software. With the old system, a lot of personnel is required to keep and maintain Parish records which culminates in higher Parish running costs. The Proposed system would call for reduced personnel due to the resulting ease in keeping and maintain Parish records and consequently, the running costs of the parish would significantly reduce. ïÆ' ¼Accurate and reliable financial records would be kept using the proposed system through the financial module which would provide security to financial details and only allow access only by authorized individuals. This would promote some level of transparency and accountability in the handling of Parish finances compared to the existing manual system which can be easily tampered with. For instance, with the manual system documents reflecting financial details of the Parish can be distorted by water or pests. Malicious individuals can take advantage of such a situation to commit fraud. ïÆ' ¼With the proposed system, departmental management is easy. All Parish departments and the activities that revolve around the departments are well recorded and updated accordingly. Groups in the Parish are as well better managed through the propose Integrated Parish Management solution. This is unlike the old system where a manager or Parish head has to physically interact with departmental heads to get the required information. The proposed solution offers a remedy for the mentioned departmental and group-related issues. ïÆ' ¼Reports, which are of prime importance in as far as running of any organization is concerned, are automatically generated by the Proposed Integrated Parish management Software. For instance, financial transactions by the Parish according to the respective dates, Parish activities according to the date of occurrence etc. can be automatically generated with the proposed Solution. This eradicates the fatigue associated with going for long times through documents and files trying to compile a report that would otherwise be generated within a blink of an eye with the proposed system. ïÆ' ¼Keeping track of members of the Parish would fairly easy with the proposed system. Records of old and new members would kept and made easy to retrieve. New converts would also be part of the data that would be maintained and made easy to access and modify in case of secession of a member from the church. This way, the Parish would manage its members better than using the manual register system. Literature review Time schedule All the components and work packages of this project will take three weeks to accomplish. Following the approval of this proposal, the table below summarizes the different phases and timelines of the various aspects of the project to be executed within time and on budget: – Methodology