Sociological Aspects of the Article

Color and Red Robin Garden Essay examples

Color and Red Robin Garden Essay examples Color and Red Robin Garden Essay examples Demonstrate understanding of design elements Introduction Texture Texture refers to the appearance and atmosphere of a surface. When used correctly it adds visual interest and detail and can emphasize a particular mood or feeling. As texture is often related to the feeling of an something it can, at times, make a two dimensional piece seem to be three dimensional which, in the case of the Red Robin Garden Creations’ website, will attract the eye of potential customers. Three-dimensional images are also more memorable as they can appear to be more life-like and therefore provoke a more emotional reaction from the viewer. In my design, I have not used texture. It is largely two-dimensional and therefore may not stand out to customers, as some other more textural sites will. Bathtub Gin www.bathtubginonline.com is an excellent example of a website which successfully uses texture. It uses multiple layers of texture to build an impression of intrigue and charm. Shading and illumination of the lights make the webpage appear to be three-dimensional. This sets the scene in a way that visitors to the site can identify with the brand. I should have used texture to create dimension in my webpage. Obviously, my skills would not accommodate a website of this level, but I could have used shading, for example, in my banner to make the grass stand out and look slightly more realistic. [Insert picture of banner] Colour By using colour, it communicates symbols. Different colours can portray different moods or place emphasis on important features of the design. It can be used to place focus on important information, attract the eye, tie together the layout, or prompt an emotional response. In my website I used mcolour to emphasise the fact that Red Robin Garden Creations is, in fact, a website advertising a gardening company. In the same way that a company which produces juice might have a slightly more orange colour scheme, I used greens and browns to help relate the website back to it’s purpose - providing information about Red Robin’s gardening services. I used coloured borders around the images on the website to place emphasis on them and draw the viewers eye in. The idea of this was that the first thing a potential customer saw when looking at the webpage was an image of the work that Red Robin Garden Creation’s has done. This is advertising what they are capable of in relation to gardening and gives an initial idea of whether or not they provide a service appropriate to your specific needs. Because the same coloured border is on all images on the site, it helps to tie the layout together. Value Value concerns the darkness or lightness of an area. It separates, implies a particular mood, creates a sense of drama and gives the illusion of volume and depth. An example of using value is with the use of a gradient or shading a shape to give it a three dimensional effect. Satisfaction Remote An example of a website which uses the design principle of value is www.satisfactionremote.com. As you can see, the background of this webpage is a gradient ranging from grey to black. In this instance, this suggests a professional mood as its very minimalistic and clean, using primarily only shades of greys and black. The area of the gradient that is lighter attracts the eye to where the text is located and the large, dominant image of an IPhone. This is because they are contrasted against the background. If I was to redesign my website I would use value to give certain aspects of the page more depth. For example, I could have given the items in the banner and logo shadows so they appeared to be standing out against the background. [Picture] Size By making and particular feature bigger or smaller it can show what’s most important and attract attention. Larger objects are generally more important and attract more attention. They tend to come forward on the page and provide contrast when places besides something

LOU Survey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

LOU Survey - Essay Example n; Level III – state of mechanical use; Level IV A – state of routine; Level IV B – state of refinement; Level V – state of integration; Level VI – state of renewal. The behavior of the majority of the users or specific groups of users will dictate the decision of the organization on the terms of intervention, planning and preparation for the technology or technologies that they will have to adopt. Orr and Mrazek (2008) have used the LoU along with Stages of Concern (CoN) to assess the â€Å"professional growth of among the professionals pursuing graduate course work in educational technology† (p. 2) at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. What they did was to formulate statements that describe the level of their use or the extent of their confidence with respect to their manner of using technologies instead of just labeling the choices with numbers similar to a Likert scale. This was deemed much better since the respondents will not be biased in their answers. Examples of the statements used in their study are as follows: I really don’t know anything about this technology, or am not sure that it would be useful for my classes – to reflect level 0; I am collaborating with colleagues to develop ways in which we can use this technology to better meet our common objectives for our classes – to reflect level V; and finally I still use this technology, but I am exploring other technologies to replace it that will better meet the objectives for my classes – to reflect level VI. The interpretation of the data gathered from this survey is a simple computation of the mean, median and standard deviation of the responses of the respondents. The data gathered will of course reflect the common technologies being used by the respondents and what they do not know how to use or what they don’t use. This will somehow provide insight on what technologies they need to be trained on and the possible technologies that would be practically fit for

To What Extent Did The Armenian Genocide Inspire Hitler's Holocaust Essay

To What Extent Did The Armenian Genocide Inspire Hitler's Holocaust - Essay Example Undoubtedly, Hitler was quite familiar with the Armenian genocide. By comparison, one could arguably say the Armenian genocide was a direct inspiration for him to ignite the Holocaust. Similarities between the two genocides begin with their target minority: both being ethnical and religious minorities and different from their residing nation. Secondly, both target groups were subject to years of prior persecution and unfair governance. Thirdly, both mother nations experienced a radical revolution and rise in nationalism that focused on promoting the well being of the ethnicity of the majority. Finally, both nations were involved in large-scale wars, which were used as cover ups and excuses for the extermination on their minority races. Whether Hitler directly referred to the Armenian genocide when conducting his own Holocaust is questionable. However, there exists plenty of evidence to suggest that Hitler was very familiar with the Armenian genocide and it inspired him to a certain d egree. He was able to observe the reasons, methods, and repercussions of the Ottoman's massacre and weigh them up against his own problems, and in that way, the Armenian genocide could be indirectly attributed to future genocides. Table of Contents Abstract.................................................................................................................. 2 1. ... ............................................................................................7 b. Differences..............................................................................................10 4. Conclusion.........................................................................................................13 Works Cited...........................................................................................................15 Introduction The twentieth century experienced several deliberate mass killings and the attempted extermination of particular ethnic groups, otherwise known as genocide. The precursor for this modernized version of genocide was undoubtedly the Armenian Genocide. Categorized for the methodical â€Å"cleansing† methods and brutality, the political position and public intolerance, and predetermined goals, the Armenian Genocide was influential in dictating the genocides to follow – most specifically, the Holocaust. (Kevorkian 1). The s imilarities and motives behind both tragedies are numerous. Beginning with state-initiated policies to wipe certain minorities from each respective nation in order to attain resources, land, or to appease prejudiced hatred. Both targeted minorities were used as scapegoats in order to deal with internal, political problems. Both victims were religious and ethnic minorities, with a history of persecution and put in a position of defenselessness. Furthermore, both genocides occurred in a world war, hindering the chances of international intervention. In this way, this paper will demonstrate that not only was the Armenian genocide the first genocide of the twentieth century, but it was also a template and a prototype for the proceeding genocides. (Rosenbaun 126). Historical Background Prejudice

Analyse the potential of group work to promote mutual aid and Essay

Analyse the potential of group work to promote mutual aid and empowerment - Essay Example Empowerment is a complex process that does not just happen at an individual level but also occurs in a group, organisational or other setting (Woodall, Raine, South & Warwick-Booth, 2010,   p 9). This is based on the fact that members have experiences, opinions and information that can be of benefit to other members in the group, assisting the others helps the helper, some types of intervention such as confrontation are better received when they come from a peer rather than a professional provider. Mutual aid is a factor of social support that helps cushion or provide a buffer for individuals from potentially harmful or unfavourable physiological conditions. Though social support may include professional help from a trained individual, mutual aid is more of a bi-directional support from people who are peers and who are able to relate to each other’s condition and experiences. Mutual aid groups usually have three objectives – as a solution for the problems that the members of the groups are experiencing, as a springboard for action in resolving these issues and as an alternative way of dealing with these social and personal situations (Hammond & Taylor, 1998, p1 5). Mutual aid is empowering to the group members as they not only get involved in the sharing and participating in all the activities, they all learn a lot from each other and thus are all better equipped to deal with their situations. The sometimes spiritual nature of the group makes the members more comfortable with themselves and each other and that is quite empowering and liberating (Mutual aid and self-help programmes, 2012). Unlike in a situation where there is a professional leader of the group the mutual aid group all gets to lead and learn and are thus empowered. The fact that the group are all at the same level and all dealing with similar situations it empowers the group members to be able to discuss in a free and conducive

The Non Renewable Energy Sources Environmental Sciences Essay

The Non Renewable Energy Sources Environmental Sciences Essay Non-renewable energy sources is widely used for its relatively cheap price, it is readily available, its location, integration, and economic benefits. Nonrenewable energy sources are a lot cheaper to mine and utilize versus the alternative renewable energy resources. The United States Energy Information Administration states that power plants fueled by coal and other nonrenewable energy sources produce electricity at a cheaper cost than when generated by renewable energy source, wind for example. Biofuels, derived from plants, are more expensive to produce and yield a worse miles per gallon rating than non-renewable source petroleum. Many people have supported the use of renewable energy, but have not thought of the negative effects it can bring to society if it were to completely replace non-renewable energy sources. It can lead to an increase in unemployment if this were to happen. Fossil fuel industries employ millions of people and generate more than a trillion dollars in revenue . The transition of adopting an alternative energy will provide jobs but the magnitude of such action will only be hard to do. Renewable energy can only be sited in certain location and its distribution is no readily available to that of petroleum. Petroleum, a fossil fuel, can be easily distributed through pipelines to most areas at a relatively low cost. This provides a better alternative than that of alternative energy sources. Take wind turbines as an example, an electric-producing generator that requires areas that have significant amount of winds are not as effective as utilizing oil that is readily available. Global infrastructures are designed to use non-renewable energy and the integration of renewable sources is one that is hard to implement. Making this transition will require wholesale changes in energy production and its distribution. Biofuel, an alternative energy, requires its own pumps and well which require a huge investment of capital on part of the seller. Just li ke non-renewable energy, sources have its advantages it also has its disadvantages (http://www.ehow.com/list_7221490_benefits-nonrenewable-energy-sources.html). Non-renewable energy sources, fossil fuels, is highly sought for being the cheapest alternative other energy, but many disadvantages exists with its use. The issues entangled with such energy source are that it is a finite source, produces pollution, environmental issues, and human dependency. Non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels will eventually run out and humans must shift to other alternatives. It takes millions of years for fossil fuels to form and we are consuming them at a fast rate. Once this finite source runs out, humans will need to invest in alternative energies and if not done in time, it can stunt economic growth. Fossil fuels when utilized produce a byproduct known as carbon dioxide, which is the culprit to hurting the human health. Many industrial companies produce tons of carbon dioxide and sulfur oxide into the atmosphere causing a greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is the main contributor to global warming, the process of earths increase in temper ature due to the destruction of the ozone layer. This contributes to the melting of ice caps, which in return will raise the ocean and destroy habitats. During mining for coal and drilling oil there are many dangers to the environment involved. It creates an imbalance to our ecosystem by destroying the land and the surrounding habitats. Oil spills caused by drilling in the oceans damages the marine life and the natural balance of the underwater ecosystem (http://www.ehow.com/info_7823431_disadvantages-nonrenewable-sources-energy.html). Non-renewable energy source mainly consist of coal, oil, gas, and nuclear power. In the United States and many other countries the most well-known fossil fuel is coal. Coal has been used as a power source since the dawn of the industrial revolution. Coal was formed from plant life buried in the Earth millions of years ago and it is carbon based. (http://www.universetoday.com/73708/what-are-fossil-fuels/#ixzz2MtbMpSsF). It is the largest non-renewable energy sources consumed in the United States. During 1997, U.S. coal production reached a record high of 1,087 million tons, an increase of 2.3 percent, or 25 million tons, above 1996 production levels (PDF). Coal is commonly used to produce electricity in power plants, fuel for heating, and for making steel. Many chemicals derived from coal are used to produce and manufacture nylon, paints, plastics, and rubber among other products. Coal is ranked based on the amount of heat it produces. It is ranked, in increasing order, brown coal, subbituminous coal, bituminous coal, and anthracite. Bituminous is the most common type and is soft coal. Just as coal is sought for its properties and use, oil is also a strong non-renewable energy source. Crude oil comes in a variety of characteristics it ranges from a very fluid volatile liquid to a viscous like fluid, close to semisolid. Their density varies, according to how dense the crude oil is, it is described as heavy, average or light. The lighter it the density the more gasoline it contains, a preferred refined product. It can come in multiple colors in its crude state. Colors consist of black, green, yellow, or even transparent. Gasoline, also known in its raw form as petroleum is another fossil fuel. Everyone knows about gasoline because the important role it plays in our economy. Gasoline powers the majority of automobiles and vehicles on the planet today. The combustion engine made using gasoline a cheap and efficient source of energy for powering these vehicles (http://www.universetoday.com/73708/what-are-fossil-fuels/#ixzz2MtbCUaYE). Crude oil, a hydrocarbon, is composed entirely of carbon and hydrogen with some minor impurities of sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen. It has multiple applications, once refined, such as gasoline, kerosene, furnace oil, and many other types. Petroleum is a crude oil that can be distilled to make lubricating oils, asphalt, and other products. Along with coal, it is one of the major producers of energy. In combination, coal and petroleum produce 60 percent of U.S. energy consumed today and their use is expected to generate 20 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity by 2015, up from a 1995 level of 11.4 trillion kilowatt-hours (PDF). Another non-renewable source composed of hydrocarbons is Natural gas. Natural gas is a mixture of flammable gases, mainly the hydrocarbons methane and ethane that occurs beneath the surface of the Earth. Natural gas is commonly found in association with petroleum due to the same favorable condition they are found it. It can be manufactured directly from coal and petroleum as well. Natural gas is favorable as an energy source because it inexpensive to transport via pipelines from one place to anot her. It is estimated that about 100 million metric tons of natural gas are reserve, estimated to last about 100 years. Another non-renewable energy source was expected to a clean and cheap alternative but lacked support. Nuclear power does not produce pollution such as greenhouse gasses compared to fossil fuels. Many believed this energy, at one point, be cheaper and outlast many other non-renewable resources. Many electrical power plants take advantage of nuclear energy as an alternative for producing electricity. Nuclear reactors provide the energy to heat the water that is converted into steam, which then drives a turbine-generator to produce electricity. The fission of uranium atoms allows the production of heat in the reactors to also produce the steam. Uranium is the fuel for nuclear reactors. It is an abundant and naturally radioactive element found in most rocks and as it decays it produces heat inside the Earths crust. This process is similar in a nuclear reactor. Heat is produced in a nuclear reactor when neutrons strike uranium atoms, causing them to split in a continuous chain reaction. There are several commercial reactors distributed around the United States whose design consist mainly of heavy steel pressure vessels surrounding the reactor core. This reactor core contains the uranium. Nuclear power, a non-renewable energy source, deemed to be the best compared to others in terms of clean efficient energy but its lack of management stunt its growth. Construction costs and the numerous regulation imposed by the government led this project to more expensive than originally predicted making it a nonprofit source, something not acceptable. Along with its poor management there posed many dangers with handling nuclear power. Nuclear accidents at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania and the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant in Ukraine raised many concerns about its safety. The United States has not built a new nuclear facility in over twenty years, a relatively complex energy source (http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/How_Does_Nuclear_Energy_Work). Non-renewable energy as a source has been controversial for many reasons but humans are highly dependent of it. There are not any alternative and more efficient energy sources that can provide the world with cheaper and more readily energy than fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are frowned upon for the pollution they create. Even strong supporters of fossil fuel use will agree. The pollution leads to climate change, health risks from overexposure, and the highly controversial global warming. Whether it is about the release of greenhouse gases being release or spills of petroleum in natural habitats, the dangers are very real. We can assume that increased coal production and consumption will lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from fossil fuel power plants. Thus, not only is coal consumption increasing but, more importantly, carbon dioxide (CO2), a major greenhouse gas emitted from burning coal, will also increase (PDF). Scientists are looking for better ways to harvest and use fossil fuel. Some include a hybrid mixture of a non-renewable source with a renewable source. The mixing of gasoline with biofuels have shown to provide a cleaner form of carbon fuels such as natural gas and bio matter from livestock (http://www.universetoday.com/73708/what-are-fossil-fuels/#ixzz2MtbWMHIE). Besides the negative environmental impact of fossil fuels, the economic impact also is very damaging. Non-renewable are becoming more scarce and this will increase the price to obtain such needed energy. Non-renewable sources such as coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power will eventually run out or harder to produce leading humans to find more efficient renewable sources (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/nonrenewableresource.asp#ixzz2Mtc6J7RE).

The Schlieffen Plan Essay -- First World War WWI

The Schlieffen Plan The Schlieffen Plan is commonly – though misleadingy – identified with the German western offensive at the start of the First World War in August 1914, which began as a campaign of rapid movement but ended in deadlock and trench warfare. The plan is generally seen as a desperate gamble almost certain to fail, and its recklessness is counted as part of Germany’s war guilt – the plan held out the false promise of a quick victory, and so it underpinned the â€Å"short war illusion† that led Germany into a long war of attrition, ending with her defeat and collapse in 1918. This analysis confuses two quite different moments in history. The Schlieffen Plan was not designed to meet the strategic challenge Germany faced in 1914, but rather to pre-empt it by winning a more limited and manageable war at the time it was written in 1906. The consensus is that the Schlieffen Plan epitomized the arrogance of German militarism in believing that swift and total victory could be gained in a war on two fronts against a numerically superior coalition. It is held that the Schlieffen Plan initially deployed most of the German army in the west, with a small force left in the east to conduct a holding operation against the Russians. After a lightning campaign leading to a decisive victory over France within six weeks, Germany could turn her full might against the Russians. The standard verdict is that France could not have been comprehensively defeated within such a short time, so the plan was quite inadequate to the strategic dilemma confronting Germany. Anyone who believes all this has simply not read the Schlieffen Plan. That document is solely concerned with a war in the west. It does not call for the deployment of any forces against Russia, and contains no reference at all to a six-week deadline for the defeat of France. The great historical misunderstanding has been to regard Schlieffen’s plan as a half-baked scheme for fighting a war on two fronts, when it was in fact a carefully reasoned scheme for fighting a war limited to the west, at a time when this seemed to be a distinct possibility. The German west-front war-plan in 1914 was devised by the younger Helmuth von Moltke, and while it bore some resemblance to Schlieffen’s proposal, it was extensively adapted to the changed circumstances, in particular to the necessity of now deploying against Ru... ... of a two-front war in which both enemies would immediately go onto the offensive. He could not deploy the whole of the German army in the west, even though he needed a quick decision there to release reinforcements for the eastern front. It was the Moltke Plan, not the Schlieffen Plan, which required a victory over France within six weeks. Nor could Moltke contemplate swinging a part of his right wing all the way around Paris, since that again needed more time and troops than could be spared in a war on two fronts. Moltke’s right wing, already much weaker than Schlieffen’s, was further depleted during the course of the operation when he pulled out two of its army corps and transferred them to the east. The German army that was forced back from the Marne in September 1914 was but a pale shadow of the one that is drawn up against France in the Schlieffen Plan. Moltke held to the basic idea of that plan, but under the time and manpower pressures of a two-front war he was unable to make the right-wing attack as powerful and sustained as Schlieffen had prescribed for a one-front war in 1906. It was a diluted version of the Schlieffen plan that failed in 1914, not the original concept.

BTEC BUSINESS LEVEL 2 UNIT 11 P1-P5 Essay

Businesses that are well known for providing superb customer service have several characteristics in common: they understand what customer service really means they understand their customers and aim to fulfil their needs in every way every single person in the organisation wants to achieve this aim. Customer service is the customer’s complete experience, from the second they enter a business or view a website, to the after-sales service, such as spare parts or repairs. Superb customer service means providing services that customers did not even know they wanted, but are delighted to find are provided. Identifying Customer Needs Effective customer service involves satisfying customer needs, so the first step is to find out what these are. All customers contact a business because they want something. Businesses use several methods to identify the needs of their customers quickly. E.g. restaurants, supermarkets, Argos, Thomas Cook how do you think Chelsea FC identify the needs of their customers? Common customer needs: Make a purchase Order a product or service Obtain information Ask for advice Enquire about an order Change an order Report a problem Ask for assistance or help Return or exchange goods Complain Presentation Skills What do other people see when you approach them? Someone who looks smart and professional, or someone who looks like they fell out of bed 10 minutes ago? Presentation skills have nothing to do with good looks, but everything to do with a welcoming smile, appropriate clothes and a smart appearance. Personal presentation  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ uniforms, guides on hairstyles, jewellery, discrimination Body language  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ posture, facial expressions, gestures working environment  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ tidy work area, cooperation and politeness towards staff Interpersonal Skills These relate to your attitude and behaviour towards other people. Attitude –  Be positive, leave problems behind Behaviour –  Courteous, respectful, honesty, thoughtful First impressions and greetings –  Nice reception areas, formal and polite greetings Interpersonal skills –  Listening carefully, note taking, asking questions,  positive  responses, courtesy, concern, confidence, interest, thoughtfulness, respect, tact, efficiency Responding to customer behaviour –  Watch customer body language, listen for their mood, choose words and timing carefully, see the whole picture Communication Skills You need to speak to your customers and how you do this is important. You must take into consideration: Tone of voice – The way in which you say something, expressing yourself when you speak Pitch – The sound that you make when you speak, high/low, loud/quiet Language – Use appropriate language, avoid slang and jargon Pace – The speed at which you speak, speak slowly and clearly Listening skills – Active listening (concentrating on the speaker, notice their feelings), Reflective listening (restating what you hear at points during the conversation to check your understanding) Scope of job role – Staff should know what they can and cannot do as part of their job and the type of issues they must refer to a supervisor. This should not stop them using their own initiative to resolve a straightforward problem quickly, providing they do not make arrangements or promises that are outside their authority Knowledge of Products/ Services – You can only give customers accurate information and advise them about the best options to suit their needs if you have a good knowledge of the products and/ or services available. Because you cannot always memorise these, you also need to know where to find the information, such as in a catalogue, brochure or database. Type and Quality of products/services Businesses monitor and evaluate  their  customer service so that they can remedy problems and introduce improvements. This can be done in various ways. The methods used usually depend upon the size and type of business. Informal customer feedback  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ easy and cheap; an example is a waiter asking you how your meal is when you are eating Customer questionnaires/comment cards  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ issued by many businesses e.g restaurants; these give the business an idea of how effective their customer service is.  Question) – What do you think a disadvantage of this form of monitoring might be? Staff feedback  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  this is invaluable, and not just because it is free; many staff receive or overhear customer comments, both positive and negative. In addition, if staffs are unhappy and leave to work elsewhere, it is sensible to find out why. Mystery customers  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ employed to visit stores to assess staff. They may also check competitor’s stores to compare service levels.  (Question) – What things do you think a mystery shopper will be looking out for? Complaints and compliment letters  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ encouraged by many organisations as a form of feedback; If several simi lar complaints are received, there is  obviously  a problem that needs immediate attention. This is why organisations record the complaints they receive and then check to see if there are any common factors.

Taylor McCauslin Essays (1297 words) - Anna Quindlen, 9, Free Essays

Taylor McCauslin Essays (1297 words) - Anna Quindlen, 9, Free Essays Taylor McCauslin Nick Lakostik English 1100 3 October 2015 The Dynamic Meaning of Happiness Anna Quindlen evaluates the average American and their need for consumption in her op-ed; "Stuff is Not Salvation." She discusses the impact of various roles given to people in society on how Americans views' on possessions has changed over the years. She uses real life experiences to drive home the point that Americans are losing focus of what matters. Overall, Quindlen's view that "stuff is not salvation," could not have a more true relation to modern American ideals. I wholeheartedly agree that Americans today have a very misaligned sense of priorities with unimportant materials somehow taking control of the priority list for way too many people. Quindlen uses the high need for "real things" as a response to the apparent need Americans seem to have for buying various items. She later states that when a consumer gives in to their urge to buy items, it shadows the importance of needs that are much more severe and widespread. Quindlen then makes it known that, "For the first time this month, the number of people on food stamps will exceed the 30 million mark. Hard times offer the opportunity to ask hard questions, and one of them is the one my friend asked, staring at sweaters and shoes: why did we buy all this stuff?" (par. 8-9). This is a fantastic argument. I admit to being guilty of asking myself this same question multiple times over. The sad part is that I didn't realize it was junk until I was staring at a collection of unused items in my closet, none of which have been used in more than a year. I wanted them so badly at the time that I actually thought I needed them. By feeding the urge, I in turn let thoughts of important matters fall to the background. Almost every paycheck, I believe that I am going to spend a certain amount on charity. More often than not, I don't. I end up spending it on items instead. This societal want has already gotten out of hand. In the process of turning our heads towards what we want, we turn our heads away from what others need. Quindlen also explains that Americans' need for possessions has been on a rising trend for years. She views the changing technological times as part of the reason behind this growth. We see this when Quindlen explains, "I suspect television advertising, which made me want a Chatty Cathy doll so much as a kid that when I saw her under the tree my head almost exploded" (par. 4). That's the essential goal of advertising these days. Advertisers are paid to make people want something and to make them want to go out and buy it. These advertisers are getting increasingly better at their jobs as well. I often find myself being drawn into infomercials late at night and wanting everything I see so badly. An example is when I was up late watching an infomercial for a fishing hook. I wanted it so badly, but I don't even fish. In fact, I hate fishing. It's all just a game to big companies. They bait consumers with whatever they can. But it's up to us to decide whether or not we bite. We see advertisements so often in our daily lives that it starts to become part of our normal environment to see faces smiling and endorsing a product on practically every surface. They are included in any and every media outlet. However, why don't we see more advertising for the things people truly need? With the exception of the occasional ASPCA or UNICEF commercial, we rarely see anything highlighting the suffering of others. It's because we don't like to. It makes people uncomfortable. But we can't make a change until we become so uncomfortable with something that we can't stand it anymore. Nobody can deny media is the most powerful method of communication in modern society. Thus, we urgently need to change the way media portrays its content in order to change the world. Readers later view Quindlen's stance that in the process of the increasing need for valuable things related to livelihood, people are

Presidential Appointments Requiring Senate Approval

Presidential Appointments Requiring Senate Approval What a compliment! The President of the United States has named you to fill a top-level government position, maybe even a Cabinet-level job. Well, enjoy a glass of bubbly and take some slaps on the back, but dont sell the house and call the movers just yet. The president may want you, but unless you also win the approval of the U.S. Senate, its back to the shoe store on Monday for you. Across the federal government, nearly 1,200 executive-level jobs may be filled only by individuals appointed by the president and approved by a simple majority vote of the Senate. For new incoming presidents, filling many, if not most, of these vacated positions as quickly as possible represents a major part of their presidential transition process, as well as taking a significant portion of time throughout the remainder of their terms. What Kind of Jobs are These? According to a Congressional Research Service report, these presidentially-appointed positions requiring Senate approval can be categorized as follows: Secretaries of the 15 Cabinet agencies, deputy secretaries, undersecretaries, and assistant secretaries, and general counsels of those agencies: Over 350 positionsJustices of the Supreme Court: 9 positions (Supreme Court justices serve for life subject to death, retirement, resignation or impeachment.)Certain jobs in the independent, non-regulatory executive branch agencies, like NASA and the National Science Foundation: Over 120 positionsDirector positions in the regulatory agencies, like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration: Over 130 positionsU.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshals: About 200 positionsAmbassadors to foreign nations: Over 150 positionsPresidential appointments to part-time positions, like the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System: Over 160 positions Politics Can Be a Problem Certainly, the fact that these positions require the approval of the Senate poses the possibility that partisan politics may play a critical role in the presidential appointment process. Especially during times when one political party controls the White House and another party holds a majority in the Senate, as was the case during the second term of President Barak Obama, Senators of the opposition party are more likely to try to delay or reject the president’s nominees. But There are ‘Privileged’ Nominations Hoping to avoid those political pitfalls and delays in the presidential nominee approval process, the Senate, on June 29, 2011, adopted Senate Resolution 116, which established a special expedited procedure governing Senate consideration of certain lower-level presidential nominations. Under the resolution, over 40 specific presidential nominations- mostly assistant department secretaries and members of various boards and commissions- bypass the Senate subcommittee approval process. Instead, the nominations are sent to the chairpersons of the appropriate Senate committees under the heading, â€Å"Privileged Nominations – Information Requested.† Once the committees’ staffs have verified that the â€Å"appropriate biographical and financial questionnaires have been received† from the nominee, the nominations are considered by the full Senate. In sponsoring Senate Resolution 116, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-New York) stated his view that because the nominations were for â€Å"noncontroversial positions,† they should be confirmed on the floor of the Senate by â€Å"unanimous consent†- meaning they are all approved at the same time by a single voice vote. However, under the rules governing unanimous consent items, any Senator, for himself or herself or on the behalf of another Senator, can direct that any particular â€Å"privileged† nominee be referred to Senate committee and considered in the usual fashion. Recess Appointments: The Presidents’ End Run Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution gives presidents a way to at least temporarily bypass the Senate in making presidential appointments. Specifically, the third clause of Article II, Section 2 grants the president the power to â€Å"fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.† The courts have held that this means that during times the Senate is in a recess, the president can make appointments without the need for Senate approval. However, the appointee must be approved by the Senate by the end of the next session of Congress, or when the position becomes vacant again. While the Constitution does not address the issue, the Supreme Court in its 2014 decision in the case of National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning ruled that the Senate must be in recess for at least three consecutive days before the president can make recess appointments. This process, popularly known as â€Å"recess appointments,† is often highly controversial. In an attempt to prevent recess appointments, the minority party in the Senate often holds â€Å"pro forma† sessions during recesses lasting longer than three days. While no legislative business is conducted in a pro forma session, they ensure that Congress is not officially adjourned, thus blocking the president from making recess appointments. Presidentially Appointed Jobs With No Senate Needed If you really want to work â€Å"at the pleasure of the president,† but don’t want to have to face the scrutiny of the U.S. Senate, there are more than 320 other high-level government jobs that the president can fill directly without the Senate’s consideration or approval. The jobs, known as PA, or â€Å"Presidential Appointment† jobs pay from about $99,628 to about $180,000 per year and offer full federal employee benefits, according to the Government Accountability Office.

Improving organisational performance Assignment

Improving organisational performance - Assignment Example Human resource practices that strategic human resources management scholars consider performance enhancing are referred to as high performance work practices (HPWPs).These are essentially work practices that can be introduced in the organization deliberately in order to improve organizational performance. A widely accepted definition of the term is that they are a set of complimentary work practices that cover three broad areas which are sometimes referred to as bundles of practices. They include: High employee involvement practice such as self-directed teams, quality circles and sharing/access to company information; human resource practices for example a sophisticated recruitment process, performance appraisal. Work redesign and mentoring; reward and commitment practices that include various financial rewards, family friendly policies, job rotation and flexi hours. Combs, Liu, Hall, & Ketchen (2006: 502) argue that these practices increase employee’s knowledge, skills and ab ilities (KSAs), empower employees to leverage their KSAs for organizational benefit, and increase their motivation to do so. The result of this is greater job satisfaction, lower employee turnover, higher productivity and better decision making all of which help to improve organizational performance (Wilson, 2005, p. 38). Aspect capital is a leading financial services company is the United Kingdom that applies a systematic and quantitative approach to investment management with the purpose of diversifying alpha for the company’s client portfolios. The company manages over USD 6.7 billion which it has exclusively invested in the aspect diversified program through a series of fund and client specific managed account vehicles (AC, 2012). Established 15 years ago the company has already established itself as a leading financial services company through the extensive support from a team that has extensive experience in the development and implementation of systematic

The Treatment of Acute Exacerbation of COPD Research Paper - 1

The Treatment of Acute Exacerbation of COPD - Research Paper Example However, Sahn (2012) conducted research that showed the pre-hospital administration of hydrocortisone may improve. This could possibly be a result of evidence-based practice (EBP) and the purpose of this paper is to present the results of research into the topic.   EBP is relevant in practice mainly because it is informed by recently researched data that has been approved by professionals and the industry. According to Moyer (2008), managing acute exacerbation of COPD is a common practice that demands the critical search for evidence in the healthcare setting. In agreement with this opinion, Gregory and Mursell (2010) emphasize that medical practitioners should formulate relevant questions about the treatment of acute exacerbation of COPD. Based on this, this essay will search and answer the question â€Å"would the outcome of patients with acute exacerbation of COPD be improved by the pre-hospital administration of hydrocortisone in the UK?† Specifically applied to this question, the PICO model defines not only the problem but also the population at which the population is targeted. This was significant in the shaping of the literature search because it narrowed down the scope to a more defined area with specific expected outcomes. Yoder-Wise (2007) points out that it is critical in detailing the interventions and risk factors that must be considered by paramedics in their proc edure. This is as opposed to stereotyping the management of acute exacerbation of COPD to a particular long-used procedure (Goldacre, 2013).  Ã‚