Tuesday, December 31, 2019

What Does It Mean When Reporters Cover Beats

A beat is a particular topic or subject area that a reporter covers. Most journalists working in print and online news cover beats. A  reporter  can cover a particular beat for a period of many years. Types of Reporting Beats Some of the most basic beats include, in the news section, cops, courts, town government and school board. The arts and entertainment section can also be divided up into beats including coverage of movies, TV, the performing arts and so on. Sports reporters are, not surprisingly, assigned to specific beats like football, basketball, baseball and so on. News organizations large enough to have foreign bureaus, such as The Associated Press, will have reporters stationed in major world capitals such as London, Moscow, and Beijing. But on larger papers with more staffers, beats can get even more specific. For instance, the business news section might be divided into separate beats for specific industries such as manufacturing, high-tech and so on. News outlets that can afford to produce their own science sections may have beat reporters who cover such fields as astronomy and biotechnology. Several Advantages There are several advantages to being a beat reporter. First, beats allow reporters to cover the subjects they are most passionate about. If you love movies, chances are youll be excited at the chance to be a film critic or cover the movie industry. If youre a political junkie, then nothing will suit you more than to cover politics at the local, state or national level. Expertise on a Topic Covering a beat also allows you to build up your expertise on a topic. Any good reporter can bang out a crime story or cover a court hearing, but the experienced beat reporter will know the ins and outs in a way that beginners just wont. Sources and Authority Also, spending time on a beat enables you to build up a good collection of sources on that beat, so that you can get good stories and get them quickly.   In short, a reporter who has spent a lot of time covering a particular beat can write about it with an authority that someone else just couldnt match. A Downside The downside of all this familiarity is that a beat can sometimes get boring after a while. Many reporters, after spending several years covering a beat, will crave a change of scenery and new challenges, so editors often switch reporters around in order to keep the coverage fresh. Thorough and In-Depth Reporting Advantage Beat reporting is also what distinguishes newspapers – and some news websites – from other forms of media, such as local TV news. Newspapers, better-staffed than most broadcast news outlets, have beat reporters produce coverage thats  more thorough and in-depth than whats usually seen on TV news.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Eastern Cultures Healing Powers The Western Cultures ...

The Eastern Cultures’ Healing Powers: The Western Cultures’ Greatest Asset Quick Fix culture and the Attitude Adjustment Culture The Western Culture focuses on two method of healing: chemically engineered compounds and surgical procedures. For instance in the United States, individuals have the option of antidepressants with or without the aid of cognitive therapy (depression article). Most individuals choose the quick approach due to its alluring quick fix scheme. These contrasts differently from the Eastern Culture’s main focus: the power of the mind and the energy from within: mind, body, and soul. The effects of Eastern Culture’s approach have been proven to be enduring and beneficial to the individuals involved. The Western Culture would greatly benefit by including the Eastern Culture’s healing methods into the lives of patients. The mind and body: The beginning The beginning of separation between the Western and Eastern cultures started in the 16th century .The mind and body was thought to be one in the 16th century; interacting with each other, being co-players that worked together to create the individual. In the 17th century, Rene Descartes went to the Catholic Church and made a deal: scientists could work with the man’s body while the church explored the mind and spirit. This event in history changed the way Physicians looked at the mind and body for centuries. Western Culture: Body minus Mind The western culture views the mind and body as two separateShow MoreRelatedInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 Pages This page intentionally left blank International Management Culture, Strategy, and Behavior Eighth Edition Fred Luthans University of Nebraska–Lincoln Jonathan P. Doh Villanova University INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT: CULTURE, STRATEGY, AND BEHAVIOR, EIGHTH EDITION Published by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright  © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Previous editions  © 2009Read MoreSAT Top 30 Essay Evidence18536 Words   |  75 Pagesrights activist) ................................................................. 23 Jesse Owens (Track star and civil rights icon).......................................................................................... 25 Muhammad Ali (â€Å"The Greatest† boxer of all time) .................................................................................. 27 Fiction and Literature: Hamlet by William Shakespeare (â€Å"To be? Or not to be?†) ..........................................................Read MoreMandinka Empire21578 Words   |  87 Pagesoffer here a theory of â€Å"cultural convergence,† as a corollary to Darwin’s natural selection, regarding how slave Creoles and culture were formed among the Gullah and, by extension, supported by other examples, in the Americas. When numerous speakers from different, and sometimes related, ethnic groups have words with similar sounds and evoke related meanings, this commonality powers the word into Creole use, especially if there is commonality with Southern English or the host language. This theory appliesRead MoreThe Philippine Architecture: Spanish Colonial Period18287 Words   |  74 PagesColonial Intent in Relation to Historical Events in Europe As most of the people know, the Spaniards’ goal was to conquer places or islands with rich in natural resources to add up to their territory and wealth. Expansion of territory can lead to more power and much money. Having superiority was the main aim of the Spaniards; it was obviously proven through their motto: â€Å"God. Gold. Glory†. History plays a very important role to know more about the intent of the Spaniards in colonizing our island. WithoutRead MoreHbr When Your Core Business Is Dying74686 Words   |  299 Pagesoff more than it can chew†¦Women at Fortune 1,000 companies are securing top jobs faster than men†¦Make your employees prove their ideas’ worth†¦Work with Chinese ï ¬ rms to build respect for IP†¦Alchemists turn bad feedback into gold†¦Don’t discount the power of the QA†¦Consumers are slow to notice changes in product quality, for better and for worse†¦How outside directors can reduce their legal risk. 33 124 BEST PRACTICE Human Due Diligence David Harding and Ted Rouse Most companies do a thoroughRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesConcepts to Applications 239 3 The Group 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Foundations of Group Behavior 271 Understanding Work Teams 307 Communication 335 Leadership 367 Power and Politics 411 Conflict and Negotiation 445 Foundations of Organization Structure 479 v vi BRIEF CONTENTS 4 The Organization System 16 Organizational Culture 511 17 Human Resource Policies and Practices 543 18 Organizational Change and Stress Management 577 Appendix A Research in Organizational Behavior ComprehensiveRead MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pages22/10/2007 11:54 Page 600 600 Guide to the main focus of cases in the book Introduction to strategy Business environment: general Five forces analysis Capability analysis Corporate governance Stakeholder expectations Social responsibility Culture Competitive strategy Strategic options: directions Corporate-level strategy International strategy Innovation and Entrepreneurship Strategic options: methods Strategy evaluation Strategic management process Organising Resourcing Managing change StrategicRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesPERSONAL SKILLS 44 Developing Self-Awareness 45 Managing Personal Stress 105 Solving Problems Analytically and Creatively 167 PART II 4 5 6 7 INTERPERSONAL SKILLS 232 233 Building Relationships by Communicating Supportively Gaining Power and Influence 279 Motivating Others 323 Managing Conflict 373 PART III GROUP SKILLS 438 8 Empowering and Delegating 439 9 Building Effective Teams and Teamwork 489 10 Leading Positive Change 533 PART IV SPECIFIC COMMUNICATION SKILLSRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 PagesRFP’s and vendor selection (.3.4.5) 11.2.2.6 SWAT analysis 6.5.2.7 Schedule compression 9.4.2.5 Leadership skills G.1 Project leadership 10.1 Stakeholder management Chapter 11 Teams Chapter 3 Organization: Structure and Culture 2.4.1 Organization cultures [G.7] 2.4.2 Organization structure [9.1.3] 9.1.1 Organization charts 1.4.4 Project offices Chapter 4 9.2 Building the team (.1.3) [3.5.3] [App G.2 Building teams] 9.4 Managing the team 9.3.2 Team building activities 9.2.4 VirtualRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesbrave explorer, an adventurer, a breaker of new ground. Unlike Leif Ericson of Norway and other explorers who also visited the Western Hemisphere before Columbus, Columbus was the principal European who caused large numbers of other Europeans to follow him to the hemisphere. He was integral in causing the Western hemisphere to now have its long history of European culture. He brought new technology and new religion that spread throughout the hemisphere. He sent attack dogs to maul naked Indians

Sunday, December 15, 2019

The Role of Race in Othello Free Essays

â€Å"Although the plots of Shakespeare’s plays are specific, the motivations of the characters — as well as of Shakespeare himself — have been the source of much debate. Arguments continue over interpretations of Shakespeare’s intentions in part because his plays remain so profoundly relevant. † (www. We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of Race in Othello or any similar topic only for you Order Now pbs. org, Teachers’ Guide, Othello : Essay on race, web. ) Othello is the story of a Berber who in the fourteenth century, has reached the top of the pyramid in the Republic of Venice thanks to his value as a valiant general of the army. However, his life ended prematurely and tragically in the darkness of jealousy and crime. Othello is the only one able to defeat the Turks on the Cyprus battlefront. This is why the Doge sent him for this mission and, incidentally, gives him approval to bond with a woman from the nobility of Venice , Desdemona, daughter of Senator Brabantio, despite the reluctance of the latter, which obviously does not this â€Å"Moor† in his family. The drama takes place at the couple’s arrival in Cyprus and victorious of the Turks – without a single fight since it is served by the storm which swept the enemy fleet. Othello becomes the governor of the island and is at the height of his military and personal life since he won the heart and selflessness of Desdemona who even strongly opposed her father to stay with him. From there, it’s a highway to hell that Shakespeare offers us, and we are right to ask the question of why such a tragedy, when Othello had just made an exceptional course and that nothing, could predict such a fall? In the play, the Venetian society claims not to be racist, what is true because it allows Othello to become a governor of Cyprus. But just like our western and modern society, this racism rises under a speech of tolerance and opening. And it re-appears on the occasion of social struggles, of political or economic crises. It is the case in the play on the occasion of the fight between Iago and Cassio. But this racism is also interiorized by Othello. Why does not he speak to Desdemona? Why does not he rely on her? Because he built his life in a violent fight against exclusion, so that he cannot believe in his happiness. His class is printed for ever in the face. Othello is a text on otherness, on the impossibility for a Southerner, a Moor, a Berber from North Africa to find his place in Venice at that time without denying all of the above. But if this denial — and that is the demonstration made by Shakespeare — can last a while, then it turned against its author whose life turns to a tragedy. The play rises the question of the status of the stranger in our human society in general. Similarly, Othello may sound like a denunciation, a text that Shakespeare would have made masked in a classical tragedy that could please his audience. But we can also consider that the work, with its multiple facets exceeded its own author. It seems t that the idea there is probably a reflection on the question of otherness and the need of human societies to be open to the Other, to avoid the risk of dying themselves from the isolation in which they stand, is widespread with regard to this text. The heart of this tragedy is the question of â€Å"acculturation†. To take a place in society, the Stranger or more precisely â€Å"the dominated†, is obliged to begin this process which is to adopt the dominant culture to be recognized in the world of mainstream. The question of the disappearance of the original culture becomes glaring, because without it the â€Å"dominated† loses its soul and so a part of his life. Returning to the text, we can notice first that Othello is often referred to its origins, the color of his skin, his â€Å"strangeness†, in short, non-membership in the Republic of Venice, this irrespectively of the invaluable services he could have render. In the first scene of Act I, Iago, Othello’s â€Å"faithful† servant, who could not bear not to have been appointed by him as lieutenant, is trying to oppose the Senator Brabantio, Desdemona’s father , to the love affair between his master and Desdemona. Iago’s terms would today lead to court prosecution for racism : â€Å"You’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse; You’ll have your nephews neigh to you, you’ll have coursers for cousins, and gennets for germans†. A little further the remarks are no less moderate: â€Å"I am one sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the moor are making the beast with two backs â€Å". We also learn in this first act, when Othello is obliged to explain the circumstances of his love with Desdemona (â€Å"strange and against nature†), that Brabantio that was linked to him in some â€Å"friendship â€Å"but we understand that it was true as he remained in the place which was his own, without going to compete with the Venetian nobles and hope to enter, for example, in the family. In this situation, the witch trials is already wielded by Brabantio accusing Othello of magic. Othello: â€Å"Her father loved me, he often invited me, he asked me the story of my life †¦ †. This is in sharp contrast to the despair and violence of the father when he learns that his daughter left with Othello. He even make explicit reference to skin color and supposed ugliness of the stranger: Scene 2 of the first act: â€Å"Can a girl so tender, so beautiful would [†¦ ] never ran from the tutelage of her father in a black soot to be like you, to fear, not to delight. . Scene 3 of the first act: â€Å"†¦ become, despite his love of nature [†¦ ] she was afraid to look! â€Å". Othello’s forced denial is complete: he converted to Christianity and blames himself the Turks who represent Muslim revivalism, until his last words which will be discussed further. No word on his Berber origins nor his first religion which is Islam in all likelihood It seems to devote a genuine hatred for the Turks in the name of this total feeling of belonging to the Republic of Venice. He understood that his ascent is the price. It is simply swept away, erased its own and profound identity in its very essence. We can see in the same time as the others always refer to the â€Å"particuliarities† that are his, his â€Å"strangeness,† and then only when it comes to belittle, humiliate and to remove any legitimacy on this earth for which he fought body and soul. His denial is the cause of Othello’s descent into hell, into a kind of belated recognition that he was at the zenith of its glory. The â€Å"homecoming† seems to be inevitable for all of us, especially one who is living an important moment of his life and history. At the peak of his life, the Moor of Venice is undoubtedly aware of his confinement in this gilded citadel – military glory and carnal love. Then he givse up, probably unconsciously, self-destruction and easily falls into the trap of his so called faithful villainous Iago. There is a strong moment in this play, the only one to make a positive reference to the origins of Othello: it is the episode of the handkerchief, a crucial object that comes from his mother when she was on her deathbed. Othello’s mother is quoted there for the first time, as a remnant of that origin killed out of necessity †¦ This hences the importance of the handkerchief Othello and focusing on its loss. The fact that the object has been given to Cassio, Desdemona’s supposed lover, therefore appears quite high. The behavior of Lodovico, the Doge’s sent to Cyprus to recall Othello, is the most emblematic of the shaky status of Othello in this society he wanted to endorse with all his heart: it is as if Othello man considered and respected, was expected at the turn, as if it were enough for him to make any mistakes so that everybody will sound the most negative about him and forget immediately all its virtues. That’s what it feels well in Act 4, Scene One: Lodovico, ironic, after seeing Othello in the grip of jealousy hit Desdemona: â€Å"This would not be believed in Venice, Though I should swear I saw it † . Othello seems to be the subject of a hostile nature, a sort of presumed guilt until he proves he is innocent The tragedy of Othello is that he felt one day that his meteoric success was insignificant because it was really and deeply – socially and culturally — was denied by a block of domination in a society which he lived in and which he has become, paradoxically, one of the banners. Irreversible process, there remained to be a good reason for the man to end the world, and he is guided by hatred Iago who is going to serve him a dish of lies and machinations . Othello then gives up again. Iago does not kill Othello, but gives him the means to destroy himself. After his credit tainted by political and military actions that Venice could not accept, he decides to kill the woman who deeply loved him and to end his own life with these words that clearly show his awareness of the † wrong way â€Å"it has made in his life :† †¦ f one whose hand, like the base Judean, threw the pearl away richer than all his tribe; of one whose subdued eyes, albeit unused to the melting mood, drops tears as fast as the Arabian trees their med’ cinable gum. Set you down this. And say besides that in Aleppo once, where a malignant and turbaned Turk beat a Venetian and traduced the state, I took by th’ throat the circumcised dog and smote him — thus (He stabs himself). † Everything is here, up to the tribe of Othello’s origins and thus he has â€Å"betrayed† †¦ And we might think that â€Å"circumcised dog† is Othello himself. As we said in the beginning, Shakespeare’s work have always been the source of much debate and of many interpretation. In deed, let’s conclude with a quote from the critic Harold Bloom in his book Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human notes, â€Å"We can keep finding the meanings of Shakespeare, but never the meaning. As each generation re-interprets Shakespeare, it’s likely that these issues will continue to challenge, infuriate, and intrigue audiences. How to cite The Role of Race in Othello, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Maharani Gayatri Devi Essay Example For Students

Maharani Gayatri Devi Essay Maharani Gayatri Devi (23 May 1919 – 29 July 2009), often styled as Maharani Gayatri Devi, Rajmata of Jaipur, was born as Princess Gayatri Devi of Koch Bihar. She was the third Maharani of Jaipur from 1939 to 1970 through her marriage to HH Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II. Following Indias independence and the subsequent abolition of the princely states, she became an extremely successful politician. Gayatri Devi was also celebrated for her classical beauty and became something of a fashion icon in her adulthood. She died on 29 July 2009 in Jaipur, at the age of 90. She was suffering from paralytic ileus and lung infection. | Early life Gayatri Devi as a child Her father, Prince Jitendra Narayan of Cooch Behar, West Bengal, was the younger brother of the Yuvraja (Crown Prince). Her mother was Princess Indira Raje of Baroda, the only daughter of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, an extremely beautiful princess and a legendary socialite. Early in her life, her uncles death led to her father ascending the throne (gaddi). Gayatri Devi studied at Patha Bhavana of Visva-Bharati University, Shantiniketan , and later in Lausanne, Switzerland, where she travelled with her mother and siblings, then studied secretarial skills in London School of Secretaries; Brilliantmont and Monkey Club London . She first met Jai (Maharaja Man Singh of Jaipur), when she was 12 and he had come to Calcutta to play polo and stayed with their family. She married H. H. Saramad-i-Raja-i-Hindustan Raj Rajendra Sri Maharajadhiraja Sir Sawai Man Singh II Bahadur on 9 May 1940. 7] Maharani Gayatri Devi (as she was styled after marriage) was a particularly avid equestrienne. Gayatri Devi had one child, Prince Jagat Singh of Jaipur, late Raja of Isarda, born on 15 October 1949 , who was granted his uncless (fathers elder brother) fief as a subsidiary title. Jagat Singh was thus half-brother to Bhawani Singh of Jaipur. Gayatri Devi was once included in Vogue magazines Ten Most Beautiful Women list. Gayatri Devi started schools for girl s education in Jaipur, most prominent of which is the Maharani Gayatri Devi Girls’ Public School established in 1943 . She also revived and promoted the dying art of blue pottery. Political career After Partition and Independence Day in India in 1947, Gayatri Devi ran for Parliament in 1962 and won the constituency in the Lok Sabha in the worlds largest landslide, winning 192,909 votes out of 246,516 cast , confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records. She continued to hold this seat on 1967 and 1971, Swatantra Party of C. Rajagopalachari, the second Governor-General of Independent India , running against the Congress Party. When the privy purses were abolished in 1971, terminating all royal privileges and titles, Gayatri Devi was accused of violating tax laws, and served 5 months in Tihar Jail. She retired from politics and published her autobiography, A Princess Remembers, written with Santha Rama Rau, in 1976. She was also the focus of the film Memoirs of a Hindu Princess, directed by Francois Levie. There were rumors that she might re-enter politics as late as 1999, when the Cooch Behar Trinamool Congress nominated her as their candidate for the Lok Sabha elections, but she did not respond to the offer. 11] Her father Jitendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur was the second son of Maharaja Nripendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur and Maharani Sunity Devi of Cooch Behar. After the death of his elder brother Maharaja Raj Rajendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur, a bachelor, he ascended the throne of Cooch Behar in November 1913, few months after his marriage with Princess Indira raje Gaekwad of Baroda. Maharani Sunity Devi was the dau ghter of illustrious Brahmo social reformer Keshab Chandra Sen. Family .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b , .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b .postImageUrl , .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b , .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b:hover , .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b:visited , .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b:active { border:0!important; } .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b:active , .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9733962726c529ae70a93eff25effa1b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Raku Ware and Staffordshire Pottery EssayShe had one son, Prince Jagat Singh, late Raja of Isarda(15 October 1949 5 February 1997) , who was granted his paternal uncles (fathers elder brother) fief of Isarda as a subsidiary title. Jagat Singh was married 10 May 1978 (and divorced 1987 from) M. R. Priyanandana Rangsita (b. 1952) who is the daughter of HSH Prince Piyarangsit Rangsita and HRH Princess Vibhavadhi Rangsita (nee Rajani) of Thailand. This was a notably adventurous marriage for Jaipur royalty, which had previously confined itself to marriages into other Indian reigning and formerly royal houses. The marriage produced two grandchildren: * Princess Lalitya Kumari (b. 1979) * Prince Devraj Singh, now Raja of Isarda (b. 1981) Apparently, both grandchildren use the royal surname Rangsita of their mother which descend from HM King Rama V of Thailand). Today, they are her only surviving descendants, and as such, have claimed to be heirs of their paternal grandmother. Maharaj Jagat Singh was thus half-brother to Bhawani Singh of Jaipur, the eldest son of the late Maharaja by his first wife, a Jodhpur princess.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Waiting For Godot Essays - Theatre Of The Absurd, Waiting For Godot

Waiting For Godot "Nothing to be done," is one of the many phrases that is repeated again and again throughout Samuel Beckett's Waiting For Godot. Godot is an existentialist play that reads like somewhat of a language poem. That is to say, Beckett is not interested in the reader interpreting his words, but simply listening to the words and viewing the actions of his perfectly mismatched characters. Beckett uses the standard Vaudevillian style to present a play that savors of the human condition. He repeats phrases, ideas and actions that has his audience come away with many different ideas about who we are and how beautiful our human existence is even in our desperation. The structure of Waiting For Godot is determined by Beckett's use of repetition. This is demonstrated in the progression of dialogue and action in each of the two acts in Godot. The first thing an audience may notice about Waiting For Godot is that they are immediately set up for a comedy. The first two characters to appear on stage are Vladimir and Estragon, dressed in bowler hats and boots. These characters lend themselves to the same body types as Abbot and Costello. Vladimir is usually cast as tall and thin and Estragon just the opposite. Each character is involved in a comedic action from the plays beginning. Estragon is struggling with a tightly fitting boot that he just cannot seem to take off his foot. Vladimir is moving around bowlegged because of a bladder problem. From this beat on the characters move through a what amounts to a comedy routine. A day in the life of two hapless companions on a country road with a single tree. Beckett accomplishes two things by using this style of comedy. Comedy routines have a beginning and an ending. For Godot the routine begins at the opening of the play and ends at the intermission. Once the routine is over, it cannot continue. The routine must be done again. This creates the second act. The second act, though not an exact replication, is basically the first act repeated. The routine is put on again for the audience. The same chain of events: Estragon sleeps in a ditch, Vladimir meets him at the tree, they are visited by Pozzo and Lucky, and a boy comes to tell them that Godot will not be coming but will surely be there the following day. In this way repetition dictates the structure of the play. There is no climax in the play because the only thing the plot builds to is the coming of Godot. However, after the first act the audience has pretty much decided that Godot will never show up. It is not very long into the second act before one realizes that all they are really doing is wasting time, "Waiting for...waiting." (50) By making the second act another show of the same routine, Beckett instills in us a feeling of our own waiting and daily routines. What is everyday for us but another of the same act. Surely small things will change, but overall we seem to be living out the same day many times over. Another effect of repetition on the structure of Godot is the amount of characters in the play. As mentioned before, the play is set up like a Vaudeville routine. In order to maintain the integrity of the routine, the play must be based around these two characters. This leaves no room for extra characters that will get in the way of the act. To allow for the repetition of the routine to take place the cast must include only those characters who are necessary it. The idea that the two characters are simply passing time is evident in the dialogue. The aforementioned phrase, "Nothing to be done," is one example of repetition in dialogue. In the first half-dozen pages of the play the phrase is repeated about four times. This emphasizes the phrase so that the audience will pick up on it. It allows the audience to realize that all these two characters have is the hope that Godot will show up. Until the time when Godot arrives, all they can do is pass the time and wait. The first information we learn about the characters is how Estragon was beaten and slept in a ditch. We get the sense that this happens all the time. This is nothing new to the characters. They are used to this routine. The flow of the play is based around this feeling

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Teaching The Gifted Learner

While much research has been focused on the gifted learner, there has been little attention on the gifted but handicapped or disabled individual. Kay Kiesa has termed this group of individuals the â€Å"twice exceptional†.1 The research that has been done in this area has examined identification strategies and characteristics of the gifted handicapped child. Whitmore and Maker have suggested obstacles to identification of the gifted and handicapped child.2 These hindrances to identification include the stereotypical belief that disabled persons are below normal, developmental delays, incomplete information about the child resulting in overlooking an area of strength that might be displayed in nonacademic settings, and a lack of opportunity to demonstrate superior ability because of the highly verbal nature of school tasks and the use of ability testing in special education. These hindrances make the students that are finally recognized even more worthy of study. As educ ators there is a need to know how these students differ from other special needs/handicapped children and yet how they are like other gifted individuals. What are they doing differently? What is the key to their success despite their limitations? The researcher’s goal in this study was to examine the methods and strategies employed to compensate for physical limitations or areas of weakness. Interest in this study developed after the birth of the researcher’s gifted/handicapped grandson four years ago. Watching the methods this child and his parents employed to overcome and compensate for physical limitations provided insight, encouragement and ideas for those working with special needs children. The questions were obvious. Were these students making greater strides toward life success because they had learned strategies that allowed acceptance within the school and social community, or were they overcoming their limitations due to other factors? If s... Free Essays on Teaching The Gifted Learner Free Essays on Teaching The Gifted Learner While much research has been focused on the gifted learner, there has been little attention on the gifted but handicapped or disabled individual. Kay Kiesa has termed this group of individuals the â€Å"twice exceptional†.1 The research that has been done in this area has examined identification strategies and characteristics of the gifted handicapped child. Whitmore and Maker have suggested obstacles to identification of the gifted and handicapped child.2 These hindrances to identification include the stereotypical belief that disabled persons are below normal, developmental delays, incomplete information about the child resulting in overlooking an area of strength that might be displayed in nonacademic settings, and a lack of opportunity to demonstrate superior ability because of the highly verbal nature of school tasks and the use of ability testing in special education. These hindrances make the students that are finally recognized even more worthy of study. As educ ators there is a need to know how these students differ from other special needs/handicapped children and yet how they are like other gifted individuals. What are they doing differently? What is the key to their success despite their limitations? The researcher’s goal in this study was to examine the methods and strategies employed to compensate for physical limitations or areas of weakness. Interest in this study developed after the birth of the researcher’s gifted/handicapped grandson four years ago. Watching the methods this child and his parents employed to overcome and compensate for physical limitations provided insight, encouragement and ideas for those working with special needs children. The questions were obvious. Were these students making greater strides toward life success because they had learned strategies that allowed acceptance within the school and social community, or were they overcoming their limitations due to other factors? If s...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Art History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 15

Art History - Essay Example Case in point, an iconographic picture of God would be spoken to in the inner part roof emulated by lesser creatures, for example, heavenly attendants and holy persons that were spoken to beneath God. These delineations were regularly spoken to in frescoes and mosaics intended to portray the ideal request of the universe. Frescoes and mosaics were frequently shown one-dimensionally and would speak to religious assumes that had serious looks to intimate appreciation and convention. Religious craftsmen wished to attention these figures profoundly instead of physically displaying them from three-dimensional viewpoints. Byzantine specialists likewise took part in making enlightened compositions that were books or archives that were designed with sumptuous Byzantine materials (Cunningham, John and Lois 94). Case in point, numerous vital Bibles was frequently made into enlightened original copies and had exceptional spreads, weaved pages, and gold linings. Hagia Sophia is a previous patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, now a gallery, in Istanbul. Acclaimed precisely for its monstrous arch, it is regarded as the embodiment of Byzantine structural planning and a standout amongst the most wonderful structures on the planet. It was the biggest basilica on the planet for almost a thousand years, until the fulfillment of the Medieval Seville Cathedral in 1520. The current building was initially built as an audience somewhere around 532 and 537 on the requests of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, and was indeed the third Church of the Holy Wisdom to involve the site (the past two had both been wrecked by mobs) (Jeffreys and Steven 117). It was outlined by two planners, Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. The Church contained an expansive gathering of heavenly relics and accentuated, in addition to everything else, a 50-foot (15 m) silver iconostasis. This was the patriarchal church of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the religiou s

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Managing Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Managing Decision Making - Essay Example David Olsen is one person who had a visionary style of decision making through which he was able to accommodate the views of other workers with a friendly perspective and this contributed to him being liked by many employees. This style enhances transformational leadership (Mintz and DeRouen, 2010, p.47). This is as opposed to Sally Olsen who had a different perspective and a style for decision making which aimed at preserving the company regardless of the facts of the issues that other people could have. Her style of decision making may cause many people to avoid their participation in an organisation’s projects (Speier, Vessey and Valacich, 2003, p.63). Bella Murphy, Ben Simmonds and Archer Wilson are kind of managers that are using a motivator style of decision making; this is indicated by the way they respond to the different things they encounter in the organisation by ensuring that they listen carefully to the people who surround them and having their view and perspectives considered (Verma, 2009, p.37). Through their action, they are able to establish their decisions in a way that ensures that they include the perspectives of others as opposed to Gregory Jones, Madeline Roberts and Charles Morriss who remained resistant to change and never make any consultation. The decision making styles of the three prevented fast progression of the company in attainment of a reliable system of managing funds. Bella uses catalyst style as she motivated the site manager to give their views about â€Å"Trackit† and encouraged them to learn to use it. Ben Simmonds is a person that has indicate a flexible decision making style since he wa s able to decide on ways to assist different people that needed him. This style enables a leader in a management in an organisation to be productive in his or her delivery of services for he has many ways of responding to issues (Coscarelli, 2007, p. 23). In order to enhance participation

Monday, November 18, 2019

Rape in the Military II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rape in the Military II - Essay Example Investigating and reporting The Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention Act (STOP Act) to be implemented soon proposes to take the responsibility of investigation and reporting of sexual assaults outside the purview of regular chain of command of the military and bring them under the jurisdiction of an autonomous office manned by civil and military experts. The Bill H.R.3435 moved by Congress Woman Speier Jackie is currently under the consideration of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel (Speier, n.d.). Response to victims It has been suggested that women victims should not remain silent about sexual assaults on them and they should approach and report the assault to MPs, JG, JAG, EEO and Civilian authorities and not to stop until someone takes up the cause. Best way is to file complaint with local and military police without delay and ensure that complaint is made to outside the military channels. Military on its part should be compassionate towards the victims. They shou ld consider the cases individually without assuming all women are liars and avoid prejudgment. The victims or witnesses should not be punished for reporting sexual assaults. It should be the policy to separate the victim and offender by sending the offender to a different unit. The transfer of the offender to another unit only transfers the problem to another unit or if the offender is discharged, then the problem is dumped on the society (Nelson, 2002). As such the offender should undergo reformation before he is released to the society or transferred to another unit. Confidential counseling The rape victims should be offered confidential rape counseling but they should not be compelled. Survey results suggest that counseling as the most appropriate way of helping the rape victims. Importantly, the offer of counseling should be made immediately and the counseling should be done by an expert trained and experienced in sexual trauma problems. In case non- availability of counselors o n the campus, prompt referrals should be made to outside experts who would include civilian counselors also. The first responders to the rape reporting such as commanders, hospital staff and the military police should be adequately apprised of the need for prompt and appropriate referrals. Though confidentiality is essential, Privacy Act 1974 exempts officers and employees to have access to the information so that they can decide on the victim’s fitness for military duty. The victims should be encouraged to talk freely to an expert who is not connected to the case. Rape victims may be referred to veteran center or civilian health facility and not to military mental health clinic. The rape victims are comfortable with a female supervisor who will not hesitate to take positive course of action. Every chain of command should have an EEO position since victims complain that male officers do not listen to them at all. The recommendations should include that investigators should â €Å"quit concentrating â€Å"90 % of the victims’ genuineness and 10 % on the offender. Multiple complaints on the same offender should be relied up on as a valid evidence of the assailant’s character. It has been suggested that these crimes should be prosecuted in accordance with the current laws and regulations. The victim should be provided with a legal representative. Written transcripts of all hearings should be supplied to victims. Under no circumstances, should victims be charged with. Intervention between

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Construction Budget Over Runs and Late Project Completion

Construction Budget Over Runs and Late Project Completion Construction projects are graded very successful if the work is completed within budget and to the deadlines agreed in the specification. However, the sad truth is that not all projects are guilty of being successful. Many projects experience failure due to the uncertainties associated with construction projects which include weather, materials, equipment, money and profitability, disagreements between clients, contractors and sub-contractors, statutory regulations, economic and political issues and functionality and purpose. To prevent these failures from constantly occurring, the types of failures need to be addressed so future construction projects do not fall into the same category of unsuccessful Civil Engineering construction projects. It is clear that some of these failures occur regardless of careful planning due to uncontrollable conditions such as climate change, recession, delayed deliveries etc. Therefore addressing the controllable issues, contractors can incorporate the se problems into their specification. By understanding the issues from previous unsuccessful construction projects and correlating the failures, it will be easy to identify the common errors and try to eliminate them from future projects. The research will be based on unsuccessful construction projects by using data from case studies, books, the internet and journals. The constraints and limitation of this paper will depend highly on the data received and analysed by previous sources and their opinion. The paper will also focus on two main factors, budget over runs and late completion. Examples of Budget Over-runs and Late Completion Projects There are many construction projects which have Budget Overruns and Late Completion. A few examples of budget over-run and late completion projects are: Wembley Stadium Sydney Opera House Tfls Jubilee Line Wembley Stadium The Wembley Stadium was a renovation construction project which required the old stadium to be demolished and rebuilt. The main purpose of the new stadium was to increase the capacity of the stadium, be the new home of English football and also host other sports and national events. The original estimated cost of the stadium was  £757m. This value at completion soared to about  £798m. Multiplex (main contractor) reported about  £45m losses in the construction of the New Wembley Stadium. These losses arose due to factors which include: Weather Sub-contractor walkouts (Cleveland Bridge steel company walkout) Sub-contractor disagreements (trade union of workers walkouts) and Changes in design due to failures. Due to the above factors the completion date of the project was pushed back by about three months. [1, 2] Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House was built as a performing arts centre and was designed by Jà ¸rn Utzon. The original estimated cost to build the Opera House was AUS $7m in 1957 and expected to be completed in five years. The project was started in 1959 and the value escalated to a massive AUS $102m and was completed in 1973. Not only did the budget over-run to 15 times the original estimate, but it also took 14 years to complete, which is a very late completion. The main factor which affected this project was insufficient planning during the design stage This led to a series of errors during construction, which effectively caused a domino effect. Hence, increasing the cost and pushing back the completion date [3, 4]. Tfls Jubilee Line The London Underground Jubilee Line extension was to link Stratford and the Docklands to Westminster. This project was planned in 1989 and estimated to cost  £1.2billion. The construction started 1993 and expected to take four years. This however was not the case due to a series of setbacks. There are four major causes for these delays: The project was put on hold for 18 months to find funding The movement of the block signalling system caused delays The location of the O2 Centre (Millennium Dome) had not been established and Due to the collapse of Heathrow Express Tunnel, work was put on hold again. This caused many changes to the original design therefore causing the project to be completed in early 1999, which was a twenty months late completion. The cost also increased to  £3.5billion, an astonishing 70% budget over-run [5]. What Are Budget Over-runs? Budget Overrun can be simply defined as when the final cost of the project exceeds the original estimates [6]. In terms of construction, this means the actual cost of the project at completion minus the original tendered cost during the tendering stage. This therefore creates either a positive value or a negative value. If the value is positive, the project is within budget and has created a profit, if the value is negative, the project has created a loss and is referred to as a Budget Over-run. Why Do Budget Over-runs Occur and What Are The Causes? Budget Over-runs occur constantly in construction projects around the world. The main aim of any business (Construction Company) is to make money, however, it is very common in construction to hear companies reporting losses due to budget over-runs. If the project is completed within the budget specified, it can be graded a success. Therefore this is an ideal factor to use, to rate the success of a project. Budget over-runs occur due to many factors, which are sometimes split into two groups, controllable and extent of damages. The types of budget over-runs are caused by: The cost variations between clients and contractors and sometimes a third party e.g. project manager, consultant etc [7]. Poor estimation during tendering process Disagreements with Trade Union of Workers Climate change Late completion Changes in design etc. This shows that the slightest mistake or changes made could increase the cost of the project dramatically. Research carried out around the world on construction projects has shown that: [8] 9 out of 10 projects over-run Between 50 and 100% over runs were common There was a constant correlation of over-run projects for 70 years in each of the 20 nations and 5 continents surveyed. Average construction project costs are about 33%[9] Another source of research carried out by Jahren, et al [10] predicted that the factors which increased the chances of a budget over-run are: Project size Method of delivery Amount of competition Quality of contract documents and Interpersonal relations There have been predictions published in the User Guide (2005), which outlines the common factors which cause budget overruns. These are: Poor Project Management The project manager/management team is employed to control the entire development to run smoothly and efficiently from start to finish for the project. They may or may not cover the costing depending on the clients preference. If the project management is poor, it will create an effect on the entire project and in the User Guide (2005) it is listed as: Lack of planning and co-ordination Poor communication between members of the project team and the project sponsor Failure to identify problems and institute necessary and timely design and programming changes Lack of control over time and cost inputs Lack of end user involvement. Unexpected Ground Conditions The ground conditions on any construction site are key, if the ground is not tested prior to tendering, the costs could escalate out of control, in order to put it right. This effectively will be the contractors responsibility. Although trial pits and bore holes are used to get an idea of the ground conditions, the true site condition will not be exposed until full excavation. From the time the trial pits and bore holes are carried out to the time of excavation, the ground conditions may have changed. Changes in ground condition may cause a redesign and also cause problems for any machines and materials ordered to site. This therefore should be taken into account as these could increase costs. Shortage of Construction Materials When construction is at its peak development stage in a certain areas, locally ordered materials could be in great demand. Some materials maybe required but cannot keep up with the demand, hence causing delays to the project. These materials might be ordered from other areas of the world, but may cost substantially more as it will need to be shipped in and pushing back the completion date due to delays in material deliveries. Therefore to prevent any shortages occurring this will need to be anticipated and added to the cost to prevent budget overruns. Change in Foreign Exchange Rates If specific materials are unavailable in the local market, it will then need to be imported from overseas. This can cause a problem to the budget if there are dramatic changes in exchange rates. This unexpected exchange rate should be taken into account during costing as it will cause an increase in the budget. Inappropriate and/or Inexperienced Contractors Selection of the right contractor is another key decision. The contractor must be suitable for the project as some projects use a wide range of tenders who price the job. Although, the cheapest tender may be very inviting, it does not guarantee quality. The decision should be made on contractors experience, the contractors successful history of completing jobs on time and within budget and also the most competitive price. Research carried out by Yates et al (2003), the contractors tender which is 15% less than the Engineer, it is very likely there will be a budget over-run. The tenders reputation should also be consider. This could be key as some companies may fall into hardship and bankruptcy. This will delay the project considerably and also increase costs as most contractors tend not to takeover other contractors jobs in case of any problems which could arise during later construction. Natural Disasters/Events These are disasters or events which cause inevitable delays and therefore budget issues to the project. The types of disasters/events which may cause delays and cost implications are wars, riots, earthquakes, landslide, fire, political and economic issues, types of projectile, contamination and many other disasters/events. Underestimations Deliberate cost underestimating occurs in order to gain the job. This will result in the project not being completed and the client having to either increase the budget or retender, hence, causing budget over-runs. Research carried out by Fllyvbjjerg showed that big construction projects were common culprits to underestimation and therefore led to the statement, whatever the cause, almost all large public projects contain initial cost estimating errors that result in the need for increased funding to complete the projects'[8]. The underestimation has been split into four major topics by Fllyvbjjerg: Technical These are known as forecasting errors which are errors requiring changes because of imperfect techniques, honest mistakes, inadequate data, inherited problems in predicting the future and lack of experience on the part of forecasters. In this case, the errors occur between the budgeted estimation and the actual cost of construction. [11] Economical The economical issues are split into two groups, public interest and economic self interest. Public interest is where there are promoters and forecasters who underestimate the cost of the project on purpose to give public officials an incentive to cut costs to save public money. Economical self interest is used to create jobs for Engineers and construction companies and shareholders also get involved to make more money. The fact that shareholders get involved tends to influence the forecasting process and therefore makes an impression on the result. [8] Psychological This is known as appraisal optimism. Promoters and forecasters are held to be overly optimistic about project outcomes in the appraisal phase, when projects are planned and decided. [12] By making the cost seem lower than it should be, will effectively cause the budget to over-run. Political Political explanations interpret cost underestimation in terms of interests and power. The political issue arises on the fact that whether forecasters are intentionally biased to serve the interests of project promoters in getting projects started. This is key in order to start a project quickly, however, there is a legal and moral deception attached this form of underestimation [13]. Change and Variation Orders These are changes to the project and are not part of the outlined work during the agreement of the project. In construction, changes tend to be inevitable and will cause a disruption to the project deadline and also budget. These decisions are therefore discussed prior to any changes being made as it may not suit the client or contractor. Inflation The general definition of inflation in economics is the increase in prices and fall in the purchasing the value of money [14]. This means that if there is an inflation increase, the value of all parts of the project will increase e.g. material costs, machinery hire, wages etc, which in turn increases the budget. To avoid these extra costs, predictions of the market should be checked during the tendering process, by both client and contractors. Acceleration This is where there is a delay but the client demands the project to be completed by the contractor on time, before the completion date or before the agreed extension completion date. Delays Of Completion Time and Payments Delays of completion tend to equal delays of payments, this will cause interest rate repayments to escalate causing the alleged interest trap for both client and contractor. What Are The Overall Effects From Budget Over-runs? It is clear that budget over-runs occur continuously in construction projects around the world. There are many causes for these extra costs which have not been considered during the tendering process. This has caused a bad impression not only on clients but also contractors and end users. The effects on each party is as follows: The client loses faith in the construction industry but in-particular their consultants who are unable to deliver the project on time. This also leads to higher investment being required from the client. The consultants reputation is ruined as they have an inability to control the project budget therefore leaving question marks for winning new projects. Contractors do not make the profits anticipated and failure to complete the jobs leaves their reputation in tatters. The end user will effectively be the one paying the highest price in terms of buying/renting/leasing in order for the shareholders to cover their costs. Overall, its the construction industry that suffers as it causes major headlines in the media for the wrong reasons. Clients will be more cautious before investing in large scale projects which will cause a drop in the construction industry projects due to its feeble reputation. Many construction projects which are accepted by the client will come with a greater risk to the contractor. How To Prevent Future Projects From Budget Over-runs? To prevent future projects from being unsuccessful in terms of budget, the management of costs need to be broken down to show exactly where costs will be greatest and smallest. The estimating, scheduling, accumulating and analyzing costs, and implementing measures to correct construction costing must be adhered to strictly. This will prevent any failures in terms of budget. There is a three step process which can be employed during the planning stage through to the construction stage: Identify the scale of the project (in terms of quality, completion time and budget), Ensure scope is adhered to strictly (in terms of time and budget) Monitor and control the above 2 steps constantly till the completion of the project. A successful project is based on the project manager and contractor working hand in hand to get the greatest efficiency from a project and tend to be based on time, performance and cost. There are many types of key principles and actions which should be followed for a project to be labelled successful and a few are listed below [15]: Good project definition and sound business case, Appropriate choice of project strategy, Strong support for the project and its manager from higher management, Availability of sufficient funds and other resources, Firm control of changes to the authorized project, Technical competence, A sound quality culture throughout the organization, A suitable organization structure, Appropriate regard for the health and safety of everyone connected with the project, Good project communications, Well-motivated staff, Quick and fair resolution of conflict. Risks and uncertainties increase the budget of any project. Therefore, a 10% of the estimated cost contingency plan is usually inputted into many projects to prevent the project from delays and going over budget. Although 10% sounds fairly small, by adding other control systems to the project performance, this value could increase dramatically. However, a good project management costing is more desirable and efficient than a contingency plan. What are Late Completions? In construction projects a late completion is commonly referred to as the time between the actual deadline agreed, to the time the project is completed. This is commonly called a delay in construction and tends to have a major effect on the client, end user, contractor and shareholders. If delays occur in construction projects, the contractor will be subjected to: Additional/Extension time of completion, Immediate termination of contract, Reduced profit or A mixture of the above. This is not always the case, as some delays are not the contractors fault. The other parties involved in the construction stage are, clients, consultants and external influences e.g. suppliers, machinery, mother nature etc. Any delay will create problems between all/some of the parties involved. Why Do Late Completions Occur and What Are The Causes? Delays can be split into three categories, these are: Excusable Delays These are delays which are not caused directly or indirectly by the contractor and in turn the contractor is allowed an extension of time. The excusable delay can also be split into two parts, Excusable With Compensation This is where the contractor is delayed due to the actions of the client, and is given and extension of time and compensated with money for wasted time. An example is if client cannot access the site after the client has approved for the work to start. Excusable Without Compensation This is where the client and contractor cannot be blamed for the delays caused and the contractor is only given an extension of time. An example would be Mother Nature. Non Excusable Delays These are delays caused by the contractor or sub contractor and the contractor is not given any extensions. But the client may get liquidated damages. Concurrent Delays These are delays which occur at the same time. If, and only if two delays or more occur at the same time, then the contractor is entitled to an extension. Delays are caused by the members directly involved in the project and also members indirectly involved in the project. Research was carried out by Odeh and Battaineh (2002) and their finding showed that [17], Client Delays The client caused delays in terms of: Finance and Payments, Constantly Interfering, Indecisive Decisions on Design and Requirements, Very Unrealistic Forced Time Schedule, Minimal Experience of Construction Projects, Minimal Experience of Co-ordination and Communication, Very Poor Employment of Representatives, Inappropriate Feasibility Study. Consultant Delays The consultant causes delays in terms of: Poor Management/Management Team in general, Poor Management of the Contract, Lack of Preparation and Poor Drawings leading to Slow Approval of Drawings, Quality Assurance and Control, Improper Site Investigations and Slow Approval of Tests and Inspections, Poor Consultant Team with Minimal Experience. Contractor Delays The contractor causes delays in terms of: Poor employment of Sub-contractors, Poor Site Management, Inappropriate Construction Methods, Poor Planning including costs, time, budget etc, Terrible Decision Making during Construction, Inadequate Contractor Experience. Material Delays Material cause delays in construction projects in terms of: Overall Quality, Its Demand and Supply, Importing Materials, Inflation Rate of Materials, Late Delivery and Unreliable Suppliers Labour and Equipment Delays Labour and Equipment cause delays in construction projects in terms of: Labour Availability and Productivity, Skilled Labour Availability, Low motivation and morale, Strike Action and Absent Labourers, Equipment Demand and Supply, Frequent Breakdown and Maintenance of Equipment, Improper and Inadequate Equipment. Contract Delays Contract cause delays in construction projects in terms of: Constant Changing of Design, Mistakes and Discrepancies in Contract Documents, Different Party Relationship Breakdowns e.g. disputes, negotiations, breakdown in communication, improper organisation. External Delays External influences cause delays in construction projects in terms of: Climate and Weather Changes, Unexpected Ground Condition Changes, Regular Changes e.g. security codes, I.D.s etc, Complaints and Problems from Neighbours, Inflation of All Materials, War, Riots, and Other Conflicts, Slow Clearance of Site. How To Prevent Future Projects From Late Completions? There are many factors which cause late completions of construction projects. The delays can be caused by direct or indirect actions. Direct actions are delays which can be avoided as these tend to be made by the parties involved. Indirect actions are uncontrollable and therefore by minimising the direct actions, the delay can be kept to a minimum. Research carried out by Nguyen, et al. (2004) on project success factors in large construction projects in Vietnam, Aibinu and Jagboro (2002) on acceleration of site activities and contingency allowances, Koushki, et al. (2005) on what the minimization of time delays and cost overruns would require, and Odeh and Battaineh (2002) on recommendations for improving the situation of construction projects allowed for a table of thirty five methods to be created. These methods would show how to minimise/eliminate delays from construction projects.   Conclusion From the research carried out, it appears that Budget Over-runs and Late Completions are a common aspect of the construction industry. However, it is clear that not all Budget Over-runs and Late Completions are controllable and some are fabricated to seem as over-run and completed late due to the process of tendering. In appears that there is a connection between late completion and budget over-runs hence, these are key factors which need addressing. The most influential effects for over-running and late completion are delays, insufficient finances, loss of reputations and controversial decision making from clients, consultants and shareholders. It is therefore compulsory that all the above measures should be followed, but a few major recommendations must be adhered to in order to make sure the project is always successful. The major recommendations for all parties involved are, Client The client should make sure all finances and payments are available and paid on time, the feasibility study is well planned and accurate as possible, the client should be proactive in decision making and understand what is feasible and what isnt, and the client should recommended a deadline but allow for any anticipated delays. Consultant The consultant should have good people skills, understand the projects objectives and the clients obligations, any misunderstood/discrepancies should be ironed out prior to construction and during the construction stages, this will prevent any major changes required during construction. The management team should be more than adequate and have a good history in the field of the construction project, quality control and assurance procedures should be put in place along with potential disagreement solutions which could arise. Contractor The contractor should tender based on the actual job costs and not the minimum tender in order to gain the contract. The contractor should employ reliable sub-contractors which have a good history in terms of completion and quality, the contractor should have a good management history as well as a good reputation in the type of construction project.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Teaching Students Ecological Literacy In the Secondary English Classroo

Teaching Students Ecological Literacy In the Secondary English Classroom In today's world, we are bombarded with industry, economic advancement, and progressivism with new technology. As our world becomes more high tech and produces more products for our consumer world, we may soon face many environmental problems, due to our over-consumption of resources and our excessive, industrial lifestyles. Within all curriculums, I find it highly important to address these issues concerning environmental awareness as well as advocate environmental activism. When many educators think of ways to implement ecological literacy in their classrooms, they tend to find it challenging, and are unable to integrate it into the curriculum. However, students can be taught to think in ecological terms in a plethora of ways. Through researching current methods of integration of ecological literacy in the secondary English classroom and through compilation of my own approaches to these issues, I offer a great proposition for prospective educators like myself. Thi s paper will examine what ecological literacy is, what ways this integration can be successfully achieved, and why it is important to integrate it into the English curriculum. Ecological literacy is teaching students to view the world around them from an environmental perspective, examine their own practices in relation to nature and society's toll upon the earth. For students to become ecologically literate, they must examine social issues on a local and global level in order to develop their own model of individual responsibility to preservation and respect of our world. As time passes and newer technology develops, students sometimes become more involved i... ... Educators in all subjects, must begin to integrate environmental education, promoting ecological literacy for young adults to promote the sustainability of society and the beautiful world around us. Works Consulted Berry, Wendell. What are People For? North Point Press. San Francisco: 1990. Berry, Wendell. The Selected Poems of Wendell Berry. Counterpoints Publishing. Washington D.C.: 1998. McConnell, Malcolm. "Miracle at Adobe Creek." Reader's Digest. April 1999: 78-84. Orr, David. Ecological Literacy: Education and the Transition to a Postmodern World. State University of New York Press. New York: 1992. Prakash, Madhu Suri, and Gustavo Esteva. Escaping Education: Living as Learning within Grassroots Cultures. Peter Lang Publishing. New York: 1998. Wigginton. Moments: The Foxfire Experience. Doubleday and Co. Inc. New York: 1975.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child

I was really enjoying service last Sunday, because my pastor I must admit is good at what he was called to do- crack jokes and preach the word of God. He shared a story about his childhood during service and that gave me the inspiration for this write up.A young pastor Tunde (not real name) apparently set out to grind pepper for his mum, so that dinner could be made without hassle. And so Tunde went to the grind-man’s house and got the pepper well grounded, but instead of going back home decided to play â€Å"one-set† of football. â€Å"One set† led to â€Å"two sets† and more and Tunde was running late for dinner preparations, but at least he had grounded the pepper.Done with football practice and catching up with friends Tunde was on his way out of the sandy football pitch when a more excited friend on the football pitch decided to smash one last shot at goal, but missed by a long mile and caught Tunde’s hand and the grounded pepper spilled on the sand. Afraid and panicking, Tunde managed to get a hold of himself and packed whatever spilled on the sand, alongside the sand and put it all back in the bag and ran straight home with the ‘perfect excuse’.Tunde’s mum asked in earnest what kept him so long, and Tunde said he had to wait in line for his turn. Tunde’s mother refused to dwell on that and collected the (sandy) pepper from his hand and went back into the kitchen. It was there she saw a rather new mixture of grounded pepper and sand (delicious) and required from Tunde as to what came about this combination. Already a successful liar once, Tunde brought out another great line when he said the grinds-man, on putting the pepper inside the machine brought out this mixture and he had no choice but to take what the machine had given to him.Cutting the story short, now born-again Pastor Tunde revealed that he still vividly remembers the slap that was dished out to him when he was done with his ridicul ous response. It was in line of that story that Pastor Tunde revealed a bible passage (Proverbs 22 vs. 15) to back his claim that a child must be disciplined, to set his ways straight.While the church burst out in laughter, I was taking notes. I took notes because I was never beaten as a child by my parents, but at school I got my share and for emphasis sake I am not against it. I just find the topic fascinating anytime it comes up that you must be disciplined by the rod, else you grow up wayward. That assertion does not sit very well with me and so I decided to express myself in my own words. I believe it is the call of a parent to discipline their child however they feel is right, as long as it is done with a high level of tolerance.I definitely agree that a parent reserves the right to spank their child to reality should he default as truth be told, growing kids are the most manipulative people you can ever come across. From the trickery in their moves when they’ve just st olen a bar of chocolate, to the animated tears that form up immediately they have been caught, parents must face the facts that children are indeed manipulative.What then leads the best way to discipline? I grew up knowing that charity began from our home but even then it took a few strokes on my behind in school to correct some of my errors that could not be detected at home. My understanding of that phrase is that whatever basic values you might need as a child, including discipline, you must first get that experience at home. Not being a parent puts me at a slight disadvantage to this debate, but I have watched my little cousins and nieces and nephews grow and I do understand why this needs to be addressed by public opinion. Therein lies the argument, to beat or not to beat.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

MBA Admission Essay Writing

MBA Admission Essay Writing MBA Admission Essay Writing MBA Admission Essay: Writing a Successful One It is not a secret that MBA admission essay is considered to be rather complicated and challenging task to accomplish. Everything is staked. All your dreams, efforts, desires depend on MBA admission essay you have to write in order to make your dreams come true. Your MBA admission essay is your ticket for your future successful life, and it absolutely depends on you whether this ticket will be successful or unfortunate one. That is why each person should treat the assignment of MBA admission essays writing to be one of the most serious assignments to complete and fully devote himself or herself to it. Extremely interesting personal statement is what you have to present in your MBA admission essay:http://.com/blog/mba-essay-help However, at this point, the question arises how to do this? Understand the Question! You have to understand that you are not the only one who wants to be admitted, that there are hundreds of other students who are dreaming to take your place. All of them are going to try their best in order to achieve their goal and to be admitted. That is why you have to write such MBA admission essay, which is going to put you aside from all the other competitors and bring you immediate success in a form of college or university admission. Have we clarified the task you have to succeed in? Pay Attention To Structure! To understand how to arrange your MBA admission essay and what to write in it, you have to imagine that you are a member of the admission committee. What do you want from the applicants? Which traits of character do you appreciate the most? These questions will help you to understand how to write your MBA admission essay. If still you feel that, the knowledge you have received is not enough to write a successful MBA admission essay, which will present you the admission itself, visit our site in order to read through the samples of MBA admission essays. They are certain to help you with your MBA admission essay writing and provide you with some interesting ideas, which you can mention in your MBA admission essay writing. Avoid Writing Monotonously! Never write monotonous MBA admission essay, it will never catch the committees eye and you will fail to be admitted. Try to make your MBA admission essay be bright, colorful, interesting, unusual, and exciting. If you need some additional help and support while your MBA admission essay writing, appeal to our custom essay writing service and we will help you with great pleasure. Read also: Conclusion Writing Writing Thesis Papers Thesis Papers in Education Dissertation Paper Term Paper on Cholesterol and Lipids

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

buy custom Internal Control Systems essay

buy custom Internal Control Systems essay Scenario E4-5 One of the weaknesses at Idaho Company is lack of establishment of responsibilities. Both the purchasing agent and the treasurer are authorized to issue checks. This is a weakness because; the roles of a purchasing agent should be different from the roles of a treasurer. A good cash control system over cash disbursement should not have different individuals from different departments having the authority of issuing checks. In fact, an individual who has the responsibility of approving purchases should not have the authority to issuing checks. This is because; he/she can easily manipulate the check figure by changing the invoice items or their prices. Another weakness present at Idaho Company is lack of physical control in handling blank checks. Unnumbered and blank checks are kept in unlocked file cabinet. This is risky because any of the employees can access the blank checks, hence increasing the probability of forging checks by the employees. As a recommendation, Idaho Company should consider establishing specific responsibilities to the purchasing agent and the treasurer. Both of them should not have the same authority. For instance, the treasurer should be responsible of signing of the checks, while the purchasing agent should be responsible of approving the invoices before they are sent to the treasurer. Additionally, Idaho Company should consider introducing pre-numbered checks, which should be stored in lockable safes. One individual should handle the key for unlocking the safe. Scenario P4-1A Internal control principles present at Guard Dog Company include establishment of responsibilities, independent internal verification, and physical and mechanical control of assets. To begin with, all employees at Guard Dog Company have been assigned specific responsibilities concerning cash disbursement. The purchasing agent and receiving department supervisor have a responsibility of ensuring invoice items are properly recorded. The responsibility of issuing and signing checks is vested in the treasurer and the assistant treasurer. The responsibility of the accounting department is to record paid invoice. In reference to physical controls, Guard Dog Company has a lockable safe, where blank checks are stored. Only the treasurer and the assistant treasurer know the combination to the safe. The custody of blank checks is also assigned to a specific person, to ensure limited access of the checks by the organizational employees. Guard Dog Company also applies mechanical controls in printing of checks. From the case, it is indicated that the company recently acquired a check writer, which is used to print check numbers and amounts. Usually, a check writer uses indelible ink. This prevents possible alteration of check amounts or numbers by unscrupulous individuals. Use of pre-numbered checks allows easy retrieval of check transactions, since check numbers are recorded on the invoices and in the books of accounts maintained by the accounting department. Moreover, Guard Dog Company applies independent internal verification in cash disbursement. Before a check is prepared, the purchasing and receiving departments verifies and approves the amounts recorded in the invoices. Similarly, before the treasurer or the assistant treasurer signs a check, he/she verifies if the amount recorded on the invoices is consistent with the check amounts. Other principles of internal control present at Guard Dog Company include stamping of invoices. Scenario P4-2A In this scenario, one of the weaknesses observed in the churchs internal accounting control system is lack of physical and mechanical controls. Offerings are made on open plates, which are then carried by volunteer ushers to a basement office in the churchs premises. This is a weakness since the ushers can take some of the money collected from the open plates. Another weakness is that the church lacks establishment of responsibilities. In the scenario, it is indicated that ushers who volunteer to undertake the responsibility for one-month collect offerings. This means that the church does not have a specific person or a group of persons whose responsibility is to collect offering. Moreover, there are no documentation procedures for the churchs collections. The only available documentation is the weekly notation made by the head ushher indicating the amount collected. The church can improve its internal control procedures by adopting the principles of internal control over cash receipts. The church can achieve this is by appointing specific ushers, whose main responsibility will be to collect offerings. Other ushers should be allocated other duties in the church. Therefore, the church should not work with volunteer ushers in collection of offerings. They should be specific and permanent. Instead of having the offerings collected from open plates, the church can introduce lockable safes, which will only allow addition of money either in coins or in notes, but will not allow removal of the money unless when opened. The head usher should also be specific and should be the only person with the keys to the collection safes. After collection of offering, the head usher should lead other ushers to the basement room, where the offering is stored. He/she should access the safes, count the collection, and then combine the money in a different safe. Counting of the offering by the head usher should be done in the presence of the financial secretary. Only the financial secretary should hold the key or the combination of the safe where the total of the weekly offerings are kept. The financial secretary should also bank the takings of the offerings in the presence of one of the members of finance committee. Moreover, the financial secretary should maintain a collection record where the total weekly offerings, cash withheld, and the net amount of the offerings taken to the bank should be recorded. On the other hand, the financial committee should take the responsibility of determining the amount to be withheld from the weekly offerings. They should also take the responsibility of determining how the money withheld should be utilized. This will ensure that the financial secretary is relieved off the duties of emptying, recounting, withholding, and banking the collection. Finally, the church should change its policy of having the church members volunteer in undertaking responsibilities, which involve handling of cash. It would be better if the church hires individuals who have the knowledge of handling and disbursing cash, and maintaining cash records. Buy custom Internal Control Systems essay

Monday, November 4, 2019

Animals and the Myriad Ways They Can Kill or Heal Us Essay - 1

Animals and the Myriad Ways They Can Kill or Heal Us - Essay Example With treatments of this manner, it is fascinating therefore to learn how medical scientists have managed to turn the deadly poisonous venoms to medicine for treating various ailments in human beings. What then is poison or venom? Though used interchangeable, warns Dr. Vernon (2012, 1, paragraph 2) the two are different in meaning and are distinguished from one another in the method of delivery. Poison, he writes, is absorbed, ingested or inhaled while venom is injected. This resonates with Gibbons et al. (1990, 273) argument who define venom as a toxin produced in certain glands of one animal and mechanically transmitted by biting or stinging. This provides the hypothesis that all venoms are poisonous, but a poison is not necessarily venom. The King cobra is an example of a venomous snake and provides a perfect specimen for this study. Allow me to introduce to you the deadliest snake in the world; The King Cobra, also known as ophiophagus hannah or the snake eater. Named so because o f its dietary habit of preying on its ‘kin’s’ (feeds on fellow snakes). ... It has a broad and flattened head with the neck having a narrow hood which can be extended when threatened (WildScreen, 2013, 1, paragraph 2) .A single bite of this snake can easily kill a human. Worse still, a full- grown Asian elephant can die within a time limit of 3 hours if bitten on the trunk by this dangerous snake. In addition to the above features, most snakes normally produce a hissing sound in response to threat; however, this cannot be said of the King Cobra which makes a distinctive growl emanating from the throat and deepens as it grows. Dangerous as it is, this snake species is harvested for its meat, skin and bile which are used in traditional medicine (WildScreen, 2013, 1, paragraph 12). What type of Venom does the King cobra posses and how does it work? There are three different types of venoms namely; Hemotoxic, (attacks the cardiovascular system), Cytotoxic (targets specific muscle groups) and Neurotoxic (attacks the brain and the nervous system) venoms. Some snak es combine the venom types while others carry specific form of venom (WiseGeek, 2013, 1, paragraph 2). Ophiophagous hannah is one such which exhibits a combination of the three, but is predominantly Neurotoxic venom (Dr.venom, 2010, 1, paragraph 2). In the same line of reasoning, Corporation (2004, 273, paragraph 2) provides corroborating information which marries with that of WiseGreek. He posits that neurotoxins attack the nervous system, preventing the impulses from controlling the muscles thus paralyzing the victim. He adds that snake venoms are formed from enzymes, which are protein in nature. More so, different snake species have different cocktail of venoms which either work individually or in groups to achieve the desired end; neurotoxins, myotoxins and hemotoxins. Most

Saturday, November 2, 2019

The Religious Life of Scientology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Religious Life of Scientology - Essay Example Most societies in Earth have religion as a very important aspect of their life. Religion always figures in culture, as it is part of the culture as well. But religion always figures in literature, art, music, dance, etc. Because of this â€Å"specialty†, most religions choose a special person that serves as a link to the believers and the deities. This person is usually called the priest, and the priest acts a mediator between the people and the deities by performing sacrifices and other rituals that are deemed to be communication tools to the deities. In this paper, we should note that sects and cults are different than religion. Sects are small, less organized religious groups formed by members that are usually in protest with a larger denomination. They are convinced that they have the real meaning of religion or cosmos (they have â€Å"the truth†) and they actively protest the dominant religion. Typically, these sects grow and become a dominant religion as well, through the years. Unlike dominations, sects are not seen as a legitimate religious group. Cults, on the other hand, are different although they may resemble cults. Cults are transient and informal and they usually provide a haven for those who are rejected by society. Cults usually center on a leader who focuses on bringing the people (the believers) with the same frame of mind, and these are not necessarily deemed as something that invokes sanctity. Scientology is special because it’s considered as a religion for some places, and otherwise in some places.