Thursday, October 31, 2019

Research week10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Research week10 - Essay Example I have chosen the very same mixed research method to conduct my study while involves dealing with a similar participant base and challenges. Assignment 3 A brief (1–3 sentences) description of your area of interest, and the mixed methods approach you proposed in Discussion 1: Mixed Methods Strategies. Then explain how the mixed methods approach you proposed could eliminate the weakness inherent in using only one of the primary approaches. Also identify and describe the weaknesses in the mixed methods approach you proposed. My area of interest is that of criminology, the study of the nature, extent, causes and control of criminal behavior in an individual as well as a society. To narrow down my area of interest into a specific branch of criminology I have picked the topic of juvenile crime and delinquency which analyses the acts committed against the law by underage individuals. The mixed method research design that suits research into my area of interest is sequential explanat ory strategy. Similar to sequential explanatory strategy, it is conducted in two phases. However this strategy is characterized by the collection and analysis of qualitative data followed by the collection and analysis of quantitative data. ... r strengths and their weaknesses form a crucial part in contributing to the overall research; so quantitative research’s key weakness is the possibility that due to to the focus on hypothesis testing and not generation, the overall objective of the study might not be fulfilled. Also the generalizability of the study might be limited to certain areas, situations or individuals (Knowledge base). This is where the sequential explanatory strategy comes in as it will incorporate both qualitative and quantitative methods. Key challenges of this approach can be the time factor required to gathering the data and analyzing both the quantitative and qualitative data since incorporating both is crucial to the research design. (Creswell, 2009). References: Creswell, J. (2009). Research design. Thousand Oaks, CA; Sage.   Knowledge base. Retrieved from: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/datatype.php Assignment 4 During my research I came across an article about Buck et al on ‘ Profiles of Urban, Low SES, African American Girls’ Attitudes Toward Science’. Since my own and the writer’s chosen method to conduct the research was that of sequential explanatory strategy. The purpose of his study was to increase the education community’s understanding of the experiences and needs of girls that are discriminated on basis of gender, race and socioeconomic status in a manner that has left their needs largely invisible. The researchers followed a sequential explanatory strategy, in which they used two data collection phases, qualitative followed by quantitative, to investigate 89 African-American girls’ personal orientations towards learning. The mixed method analysis provided four personality orientations which linked academic success and experiences with confidence and

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Reflective Diary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reflective Diary - Assignment Example Day 1 Reflection DESCRIPTION What happened? I went to my work area as a customer service representative, where I realized that there was a direct association with resistance to change, specifically with my manager’s unwillingness to cooperate with the workers, even for smaller things, like changing a schedule. FEELINGS What were you thinking & feeling? This is aggravating when working and makes the job harder to complete. It reminds me of the square wheel demonstration where resistance from the manager creates frustrations and harder work for others involved. EVALUATION What was good & bad about the experience? BAD – The manager is inflexible and workers are unable to keep the needed pace because of what has happened, making both the employees and organization suffer. GOOD – I can recognize what the environment is and understand that there is a resistance to change from the manager. There is a direct recognition of Maslow’s matrix (Timm, 1993) with the man ager needing security of a job. ANALYSIS What sense can you make out of the situation? An organization can’t change unless the resistance from everyone stops. Top managers have to recognize the resistance and be pro-active in the change. CONCLUSION What else could you have done? The only thing employees can do is to try to initiate the change by stating the problem to managers. However, this requires a change in the organizational environment. ACTION PLAN If it arose again what would you do? I can respond by making a statement about the need to change. I can also consider talking to other managers about one or two situations that have arisen to grab their attention about the problem. Reflection Day 2 DESCRIPTION What happened? I have talked to other employees about changing managerial job descriptions. The conclusion which I have drawn comes from the horticultural application of the need to ‘make a change’ within the organization (Jenkins, 2006). FEELINGS What we re you thinking & feeling? Urgency first arises with the need to change the organization. This leads into pressure from the awareness of what might happen to my job if change doesn’t occur. I then feel a sense of urgency and begin to communicate with terms such as â€Å"We have to start making changes or the organization won’t grow.† EVALUATION What was good & bad about the experience? BAD – The feelings that arise from the need to change are never followed through. The same problems and sense of resistance within the organization continues to arise. GOOD –I can recognize the patterns that are dangerous to an organization, specifically which can help me in the future. ANALYSIS What sense can you make out of the situation? There is a strong difference between thinking about change and communicating with analysis, as opposed to actually going in and making the change. For the message to communicate to a team, each individual has to have the same resp onses and understanding. CONCLUSION What else could you have done? At this point, there isn’t anything that can be done to change the outcome of the work organization. ACTION PLAN If it arose again what would you do? If an action arose, I would be a part of the plan and make sure to help

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Acquire Communicative Competence In Second Language English Language Essay

Acquire Communicative Competence In Second Language English Language Essay Communication is very important to both, children and adults. Regardless of any disabilities, all human being acquire the ability to communicate subconsciously. The topic is chosen as an issue of education due to two main reasons. First, it is within the same topic that the writer chooses as his research scope. Secondly, because it is the most prominent problem that the writer realizes faced by the students in the school that he did his practicum. A child acquires his mother tongue through exposure he receives from the surrounding namely his parents, friends and the societies. The mutes learn the sign language base on a similar purpose to any normal kids, which is to deliver and receive messages. The developmental stages of the acquisition process are best defined through various aspects throughout the childrens ageing process (Lightbrown Spada; 2006). Due to the similar fact on the importance of communication, people are required to master more than only one language. Improvement in technologies, business opportunities, education and many other fields has open more opportunities for the world societies to exchange and share ideas of similar interest. One of the most typical technologies that have increased the needs of learning English as a second language is the enhancement of the internet. This is why learning and mastering a second language becomes crucial. In answering this question which is, what does it means to acquire communicative competence?, it is important to clarify the meaning of all of the important terms included in the question such as the terms acquire, communication, as well as communicative competence. Literally, acquire means to gain something by your own efforts, ability or behavior: She has acquired a good knowledge of English (Oxford Dictionary; 2005). Acquire is best understood when being compared to the word learn where it is a process gone through by learners in formal settings with a well-defined stages according to the appropriate level of difficulties. Acquire on the other hand is a process of automatically empowering a skill or ability through either formal or informal settings. Communication means the activity or process of expressing ideas and feelings or of giving people information: Speech is the fastest method of communication between people. (Oxford Dictionary; 2005). It includes process of sending info rmation either verbally through words of spoken mouth or non-verbally through sign language. Communicative competence has been so far considered as a major term in the field of second language acquisition. There is no specific definition yet that can be claimed as the most suitable meaning in defining what does communicative competence means. However, base on various readings, I managed to find the best explanation in defining the meaning of this term. According to George Yule (The study of language; 2006), communicative competence can best be defined as the general ability to use language accurately, appropriately and flexibly. However the degree of such competencies can be measured in three different components. It consists of the grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence and the strategic competence. The first component is grammatical competence, which involves the accurate use of words and structures. (George Yule; 2006) Noam Chomsky definition of grammatical competence takes into account phonological competence as part of the components. One good example of this component is learners need to learn and understand the different time references of sets of words such as he takes, he took and he has taken, and to be able to make appropriate time reference when speaking or writing the words. In short, it can be interpreted as the ability to recognize and produce the distinctive grammatical structures of a language and to use them effectively in communication Concentration on grammatical competence only, however will not provide the learner with the ability to interpret or produce second language expressions appropriately. This ability is actually the second component, called sociolinguistic competence. It enables the learner to know when to say Can I have some water? versus Give me some water! according to the social context. Much of the discussion on the pragmatics aspect has to become familiar in the cultural context of the second language if the learner is to develop sociolinguistic competence. (George Yule; 2006) The third component is called strategic competence. This is the ability to organize a message effectively and to compensate, via strategies, for any difficulties. In second language use, learners inevitably experience moments when there is a gap between communicative intent and their ability to express that intent. (George Yule; 2006) The implications might either be good as well as bad. The good thing is when learners try to express themselves using a communication strategy. Example is when a learner use the vocabularies that already known to them in referring to things that they have no idea of its English word such as, a plate to put cigarettes dust that refers to an ashtray. In the worst cases, learners may just stop talking, which is a bad idea in learning a language. In close reference to only the definition provided above, communicative competence can best be defined as being able to automatically and interpret received information accurately with correct grammatical application that reflects the real contextual meaning wished to be conveyed, as well as able to compensate unknown or difficult words into typical, understandable language. There are a few assumptions made by linguists in regards of the nature of verbal communication which I believe may help to further explain the meaning of acquiring a second language communicative competence. The assumptions include that communication is meaning-based, conventional and interactional. (Jack Richards; 1985). Under the meaning-based aspect of communication, most of the examples given are based on people that learn English as their second language. It helps a lot in making my very own assumption in regards of determining the true meaning of acquiring a second language communicative competency. This assumption differentiate English users base on two different needs. The basic survival need and the survival level need. The basic survival need refers to, learners who have active vocabulary of perhaps two hundred words, minimal knowledge of the syntax of English, but in a situation where English is required for simple and basic communicative purposes. The immediate need refer to a core basic referents or things in the real world such as name of things, states, events and attributes using known words. Basic survival requires learner to be able to link words together to make predications, that is, to express propositions. At this level, learning a language is seen as learning how to create propositions. (Jack Richards; 1985) The survival level need implies more than construction of propositions. At this level, learners are usually identified as adult speakers. They use propositions in utterances in a variety of ways such as to ask a question about a proposition, to affirm a proposition, deny or negate a proposition or express an attitude toward a proposition. Speakers immediate need is to work out a way of performing such operations as stating, affirming, denying, or questioning propositions as economically as possible. Here speakers have needs similar to children who are learning their mother tongue as complex utterances are expressed within the limited grammatical system known to the speaker. However, the way they express the need is rather more advance and complex compared to children expression or utterances. By making comparison of both levels, it can be concluded that being able to make propositions alone does not make a second language learner communicatively competence. The skills that learners and speakers of a second language use to express their needs as well to be able to produce accurate utterances and acquire the ability to restructure their existing vocabularies to meet the demand of contextual suitability, is a part of the components of acquiring a second language competency. The next assumption is on the conventional aspect of communication. Under this assumptions, the goals of English language learners change through the acquisition process. It is stated that, as language acquisition proceeds, the learner revises his or her ideas about how propositions are expressed in English. Learners syntax become more complex as his or her knowledge of negation, the auxiliary system, questions, word order, embedding, conjoining and so on expands. (Jack Richards; 1985) At this stage, learners are believed to have gained the grammatical competence. Propositions or utterances made by learners are differentiated into two kinds. The first is a conventional way of making propositions and utterances which is in close context to daily usage and the second is novel utterances. The best way to explain the difference between both types of communication forms is by looking at these two sentences below. Would you mind mailing this letter to me? It is my desire that this letter be mailed by you. (Jack Richards; 1985) The first is an example of a conventional utterance as it is used by native speakers of the language and in close context to real life conversation. The latter is an example of a novel utterance. Even though it is a grammatically correct sentence, it holds no status as a potential utterance within discourse, which is not applicable in daily conversation. This assumption address that, once learners have progressed to the stage where they are beginning to generate novel utterances, they find that many of their utterances fail to conform to pattern of conventional usage, although they are undoubtedly English sentences. (Jack Richards; 1985) This proves that, only a fraction of sentences that could be generated by our grammatical competence are actually ever used in communication. This is because communication is largely consists of the use of language in a more conventional ways. In reference to defining the meaning of acquiring communicative competency, I believe that producing grammatically correct sentences is of ultimate importance because it hinders misunderstanding and increase the intelligibility. The fact that language is conventional has important implications for language teaching as it suggest that language acquisition is better compared to the process of language learning. However, it is also important for learners to practice communicating, verbalizing or delivering their thoughts using sentences which are in close context to the purposes of the communication that takes place so that the intended meanings become clearer and more authentic. The next assumption is on the interactional aspect of communication. Under this assumption it is said that, language is used to keep open the channels of communication between people and to establish a suitable rapport. (Jack Richards; 1985) In any action, each actor provides a field of action for the other actors, and the reciprocity thus established allows the participants to exercise enacting a self or identity, and using strategies to accomplish other interactional ends. (Jack Richards: Goffman: Watson; 1985) In explaining the quoted explanation, it is best to look into the initial stage of conversation between two strangers. To raise a safe topic is a typical strategy in starting a small talk. Topics are carefully chosen so that there is a strong likelihood of mutual agreement. This allows speakers the right to stress his agreement with the hearer, and therefore satisfy the hearers desire to be right or to be corroborated in his opinions. (Jack Richards; 1985) A safe topic is de fined as much of what passes for communication with the purposes of sociability. (Jack Richards: Bolinger: 1975) Examples of safe topics are topics for virtually everyone such as the weather, the beauty of scenery, opinions on the public transportation and many more. (Jack Richards: Brown Levinson: 1978) These are examples of what has been called phatic communion. Basically, there are three main mechanisms of phatic communion namely the speakers repertoire of verbal and visual gestures, speakers stock of canned topics and formulaic utterances and lastly the awareness of taking turns in a conversation. Speakers repertoire of verbal and visual gestures refer to the signals send and receive by speakers which signal interest in what his or her conversational partner is saying. This includes the use colloquial utterances to show agreement as well as disagreement such as mhmm, uh-uh, a-hah, yeah, really? and many more. The importance of colloquial language in terms of addressing appropriate context according to the appropriate social class has been highlighted by Janet Holmes in her book, An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. She stated that, there are other strategies besides topic manipulation which have been used in order to capture people most relaxed or vernacular speech style. The second mechanism is the speakers stock of canned topics and formulaic utterances. These are produced at relevant points in discourse, such as the small talk that is required to make brief encounters with acquaintances. (Jack Richards; 1985) From my opinion, I think the terms stock of canned topics and formulaic utterances here refer to the utterances that a speaker says while the conversation takes place either between his or her common friends as well as to strangers. This is the ability to connect topics which is in the similar context with what has been said at the initial stage of the conversation with the purpose of extending the conversation for a longer period. The third mechanism is the awareness of taking turns in a conversation. This refers to the awareness of when to talk and when not to talk, that is, appropriate use of turn-taking conventions. (Jack Richards; 1985) This is a mere fact of practicing politeness in a conventional communication. Being polite is a serious business in any language. It is difficult to learn because it involves understanding not just the language, but also the social and cultural values of the community. In fact it involves a great deal more than superficial politeness routines that parents explicitly teach their children. (Janet Holmes; 2008) The assumption has provided me with another insight towards defining second language communicative competency. It takes into account the credibility as well as the ability of a learner or speaker to speak freely regardless of who the receivers or hearers are. The selection of suitable topics in initiating a conversation, the ability to hold a conversation for quite some times and to show respect towards the other speaker without stereotyping and by not neglecting the affectionate factors such as politeness is also a key element in acquiring a second language competency. To conclude, acquiring a second language communicative competency requires learners to master the basic needs of communication which are the ability to transmit and interpret received information accurately with correct grammatical application that reflects the real contextual meaning as well as able to compensate unknown or difficult words into typical, understandable language. Other than that, learners need to be able to acquire the ability to restructure their existing vocabularies to meet the demand of contextual suitability. Furthermore, it is important for learners to practice to communicate using sentences which are in close context to the purposes of the communication that takes place so that the intended meanings become clearer and more authentic. Learners should also be able to manipulate suitable topics in initiating a conversation and to hold the conversation for quite some times while showing respect towards the other speaker without stereotyping and by not neglecting th e affectionate factors such as politeness. There is a major difference between communicatively competence and speaking competently. I realized that throughout the essay, most of the explanations made were regulated around only two points. First, is in defining the meaning of communicative competence. Second, is elaborating the meaning of acquiring second language communicative competence from the perspective of only verbal communication. I realize that the process of communication is not restricted to only one channel which is speaking. It can also be through other means of sending and receiving messages such as writing, listening and reading. This is considered as a delimitation which I encountered in accomplishing the task. My initial plan was to define the meaning of acquiring communicative competence from the four main components of English language learning which are speaking, listening, reading and writing. However, due to the limited resources, I decided to choose only one part of the second language communicative comp etency aspect.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Physics Behind Remote Sensing :: Physics

Remote Sensing is the science of acquiring, processing and interpreting images that record the interaction between the electromagnetic energy and matter (Sabins, 1997). Remote sensing offers extensive applications in almost every area of science from monitoring forest fires to geologic mapping . Although many aspects of remote sensing are complex and difficult to understand the basic theory behind remote sensing is simple physics. There are four major stages of remote sensing. The first stage is the source of energy, usually the sun, which sends energy to a target. The second stage is the interactions that the energy will go through as it passes through a vacuum and the earth’s atmosphere. There is then interactions that occurs with the body on earth’s surface. The energy again, goes through the atmosphere and finally the sensor is able to detect and record the electromagnetic energy. Electromagnetic Energy Electromagnetic energy is a dynamic form of energy that is caused by the acceleration or oscillation of a charged particle. All substances above absolute zero (0 Kelvin) emit a range of electromagnetic energy. The sun emits electromagnetic energy and practically all of the natural electromagnetic energy injected into the earth is produced by the sun (Prakush, 2002). Electromagnetic Radiation Electromagnetic Radiation is the streams of mass-less particles, traveling in a harmonic, sinusoidal fusion at the velocity of light each possessing a specific amount of energy. The distance from one peak to the next is the wavelength and the number of peaks passing through a fixed point per unit time is the wave frequency (Lillesand and Kiefer, 1994). Electromagnetic radiation is Electromagnetic energy in motion and can be described by the basic wave theory. Electromagnetic Spectrum Electromagnetic waves are characterized by their wavelength location within the electromagnetic spectrum which is most commonly measured in micrometers. Names are often assigned to regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, but there is no clear cut dividing lines from one region to the next (Lillesand and Kiefer, 1994). Stefan - Boltzmann Law How much energy any objects radiates is a function of its surface temperature. The Stefan - Boltzmann equations tells one that as a temperature of a body increase the total radiance of the body will also increase. (Sabins, 1997). Interactions The way electromagnetic radation interacts with matter can be detected with different sensors. How the radation interacts depends upon the properties of the medium, the wavelength of the incedent radation and the incident angle. There are four major types of interactions that occur: transmission, reflection, scattering and absorption (Lillesand and Kiefer, 1994).

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Renaissance Patronage

Renaissance Patronage This paper explores different motivations for art patronage throughout the Renaissance. Art in the renaissance was often commissioned by a patron who wanted to use it as a way to communicate something to the intended viewer. Art was usually commissioned for religious and political reasons or used as proof of wealth or power. The corruption of the church allowed for wealthy patrons to make a donation in order to buy his or her way into heaven. This is called a sale of indulgence, and it is the motivation behind countless works of renaissance art.The entire Arena Chapel painted by the artist Giotto was commissioned by Enrico Scrovegni to atone for his sin of usury. The Chapel was completed 1305 and is located in Padua, Italy. As was a common practice at the time, Enrico himself is depicted in on the wall of the chapel. â€Å"On the wall of The Last Judgment, Enrico kneels to offer a model of his church to three figures. It is commonly accepted that Enrico saw his church and its paintings as a votive gift made as a partial atonement for his father’s mortal sin of usury and to strengthen his own hope of salvation. By having his image painted into the scene, Enrico assures that his intended audience knows it was his money that paid for the art. This is both politically and religiously motivated. Masaccio’s Pisa Altarpiece commissioned in 1426 Pisa is another example of religiously motivated art patronage. This altarpiece was commissioned by â€Å"Ser Giuliano di Colino di Pietro degli Scarsi and the Carmelite church of S. Maria del Carmine† The intention behind this altarpiece was simply to give churchgoers a piece of relevant art to view during church and to attract more members.An example of politically motivated art can be found in Sienna’s Palazzo Pubblico. Allegory of Good and Bad Government by Ambrogio Lorenzetti was commissioned by the Sienese government. The frescos of Allegory span the walls of the building depicting life in the city under good government versus bad government. The intended audience for this commission was the citizens of Siena. The paintings were propaganda meant to show the viewers how successful and prosperous the city was under the current leadership of the Council of the Nine. Another politically motivated piece is the well known portrait by Jan Van Eyck, Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife.This portrait was commissioned in 1434 by Giovanni Arnolfini and is meant to be a physical documentation or witness to him giving his wife leave to conduct household affairs in his absence. This portrait would have been displayed in the Arnolfini household to be seen by visitors and servants and served as proof that Giovanna was in charge of Giovanni’s affairs while he was traveling. Tres Riches Heures by the Limbourg Brothers was commissioned by the Duke of Berry in 1412 France. This book is an example of royal patronage. It is meant to depict and glorify daily life in the court while simultaneously belittling those of the lower class.Tres Riches Heures is personalized for the Duke and includes his likeness and some scholars believe that because the faces in the book are so diverse, that they must be portraits of individual members of the court. This fact and the use of the rare pigment lapis lazuli, the intricacy of the book, and the heavy use of hidden symbolism are all meant to illustrate the wealth of the duke. The court was the intended audience of this commission. Patronage was a defining element of renaissance art. There were many motivations to purchase art such as religion, proof of power or wealth, or political reasons.Commissions varied depending on the motivation and the intended audience. Works Cited Carroll, Margaret D. â€Å"†In the Name of God and Profit†: Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait. † Representations 44. 1 (1993): 96-132. http://www. jstor. org/stable/2928641 Web. 26 Feb. 2013 James, Sara Nair. â€Å"Masacc io: St. Andrew And â€Å"The Pisa Altarpiece.. † Sixteenth Century Journal 35. 4 (2004): 1178. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. Perkinson, Stephen. â€Å"Likeness, Loyalty, And The Life Of The Court Artist: Portraiture In The Calendar Scenes Of The Tres Riches Heures. † Quaerendo 38. /3 (2008): 142-174. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. Polzer, Joseph. Ambrogio Lorenzetti's â€Å"War and Peace† Murals Revisited: Contributions to the Meaning of the â€Å"Good Government Allegory† Artibus et Historiae. Vol. 23, No. 45 (2002), pp. 63-105 http://www. jstor. org. ezproxy2. drake. brockport. edu/stable/1483682 Web. 24 Feb. 2013 Rough, Robert H. â€Å"Enrico Scrovegni, The Cavalieri Gaudenti, And The Arena Chapel In Padua. † Art Bulletin 62. 1 (1980): 24. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. ——————————————– [ 2 ].Robert H Rough, Enrico Scrovegni, the Cavalieri Gaudenti, and the Arena Chapel in Padua, pg. 26. [ 3 ]. Sara Nair James, Masaccio: St. Andrew and â€Å"The Pisa Altarpiece. † Pg. 1178 [ 4 ]. Joseph Polzer, Ambrogio Lorenzetti's â€Å"War and Peace† Murals Revisited: Contributions to the Meaning of the â€Å"Good Government Allegory† Pg. 64 [ 5 ]. Margaret D. Carroll, â€Å"In the Name of God and Profit†: Jan van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait. Pg. 99 [ 6 ]. Steven, Perkinson, Likeness, Loyalty, and the Life of the Court Artist: Portraiture in the Calendar Scenes of the Tres Riches Heures Pg. 144

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Alice Walker’s Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self

In this essay, â€Å"Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self† by Alice Walker, is about the realization or fulfillment of one's own potential or abilities, and a detailed and harrowing account of how the author's life has been affected by a childhood accident that left her disfigured and blind in one eye and that the world is what we make it to be. As a child Alice Walker has great confidence in herself, her capabilities, and her beauty or cuteness. We see the different changes and her realizations about herself, which she goes through throughout her life. Walker gives us much more than a simple report of what happened in her early years, however. She engaged the readers in delivering a straightforward and attractive story relating to her life as a recollection by also using the accident which happened during her childhood. She shows that she is confident in her beauty at the age of two and a half when she wants to go to the fair with her father and tells him â€Å"take me daddy. I’m the prettiest. † She also shows she is confident in her capabilities and her beauty on Easter Sunday, 1950, when she is all dressed up in a green, flocked, scalloped-hem dress that had a smooth, satin petticoat and hot pink roses. She feels everyone is admiring her beautiful dress. Alice also states that it was not her dress they admired, but it was her spirit they adored. She thanks them to this day for saying things like â€Å"isn’t she the cutest thing† or â€Å"and got so much sense†. (259)

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

ERIN BROCKOVICH essays

ERIN BROCKOVICH essays ERIN BROCKOVICH The movie ERIN BROCKOVICH is like a modern day David vs. Goliath. . Directed by Steven Soderbergh and stared Julia Roberts is based on a true story about a large corporation deliberately poisoning an entire town with the chemical Hexavalent Chromium 6. Erin, a single mother of three, does a lot of investigation and finds some very incriminating documents, and almost single-handedly exposes the company. Its disturbing to think a company worth over 30 billion dollars with all the power and technology at their finger tips, could be so negligent. I dont know why they think they could have gotten away with it. . There was green dirt found all around the Pacific Gas water supply. Hexavalent Chromium 6 is a very toxic chemical because it oxidizing potential is high and is easily penetrates biological membranes. Repeated exposure to toxic levels can cause anything from liver, kidney and heart failure, respiratory disease, a ny type of cancer, bone and organ deterioration, and just as harmful to all the farm animals. The majority of electrical power plants use some form of Chromium in the water that cools engines to prevent rust and Order that the gas corrosion. The legal limit for Hexavalent Chromium 6 is .05 parts per millions, this green dirt tested at .58 parts per millions. Documents from a regional water quality control board states in a Cleanup and Abatement and electric company was ordered to cleanup and dispose of waste discharge of Hexavalent Chromium 6 to a safe hydrologic unit. That it has caused groundwater contamination, which extends over one mile from the gas and electric company. Statements from former employees reveals that the holding ponds at th...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Sauroposeidon - Facts and Figures

Sauroposeidon - Facts and Figures Name: Sauroposeidon (Greek for Poseidon lizard); pronounced SORE-oh-po-SIDE-on Habitat: Woodlands of North America Historical Period: Middle Cretaceous (110 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 100 feet long and 60 tons Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Extremely long neck; massive body; small head About Sauroposeidon For years, pretty much all we knew about the fancifully named Sauroposeidon derived from a handful of cervical vertebrae (neck bones) unearthed in Oklahoma in 1999. These arent just your garden-variety vertebrae, thoughjudging by their massive size and weight, its clear that Sauroposeidon was one of the largest herbivorous (plant-eating) dinosaurs that ever lived, outclassed only by the South American Argentinosaurus and its fellow North American cousin Seismosaurus (which may well have been a species of Diplodocus). A few other titanosaurs, like Bruthathkayosaurus and Futalongkosaurus, may also have outclassed Sauroposeidon, but the fossil evidence attesting to their size is even more incomplete. In 2012, Sauroposeidon underwent a resurrection of sorts when two other (equally poorly understood) sauropod specimens were synonymized with it. The scattered fossils of Paluxysaurus and Pleurocoelus individuals, discovered near the Paluxy River in Texas, were assigned to Sauroposeidon, with the result that these two obscure genera may one day be synonymized themselves with the Poseidon Lizard. (Ironically, both Pleurocoelus and Paluxysaurus have served as the official state dinosaur of Texas; not only may these be the same dinosaur as Sauroposeidon, but all three of these sauropods may also have been the same as Astrodon, the official state dinosaur of Maryland. Isnt paleontology fun?) Judging from the still-limited evidence available, what set Sauroposeidon apart from other enormous, elephant-legged, small-brained sauropods and titanosaurs was its extreme height. Thanks to its unusually long neck, this dinosaur may have towered 60 feet into the skyhigh enough to peek into a sixth-floor window in Manhattan, if any office buildings had existed during the middle Cretaceous period! However, its unclear if Sauroposeidon actually held its neck to its full vertical height, as this would have placed enormous demands on its heart; one theory is that it swept its neck and head parallel to the ground, sucking up low-lying vegetation like the hose of a giant vacuum cleaner. By the way, you may have seen an episode of the Discovery Channel show Clash of the Dinosaurs stating that Sauroposeidon juveniles grew to huge sizes by eating insects and small mammals. This is so far from accepted theory that it seems to have been completely made up; to date, theres absolutely no evidence that sauropods were even partly carnivorous. There is, however, some speculation that prosauropods (the distant Triassic ancestors of the sauropods) may have pursued omnivorous diets; perhaps a Discovery Channel intern got his research mixed up! (Or perhaps the same TV network that enjoys making up facts about Megalodon simply doesnt care whats true and whats false!)

Sunday, October 20, 2019

How to write an excellent resignation letter (examples included)

How to write an excellent resignation letter (examples included) I quit. J’arrete. Ich gebe auf. Me rindo. Whatever the language, the sentiment is the same:  I’m outta here. However, as a professional person, you need to express that maturely and firmly- ideally, one that doesn’t alienate anyone at the job you’re leaving. I’m sure we all have that fantasy where we tell off everyone who wronged us on the way out the door, but that person in the fantasy/movie/TV show never seems to have to live with the consequences afterward. Or meet up with said colleagues at an industry event, because the world is awkwardly small. So it’s in your best interest to make sure that your resignation letter is clear, concise, and polite. Here are some best practices you can follow to make your big exit a professional one. Why a Resignation Letter?In these digital times, why should we submit a resignation letter, anyway? A paper trail does seem old-fashioned, but in this case, it’s a best practice. It makes your intenti ons clear, as well as the conditions. You’re removing any ambiguity about the end of your time there.And sure, this could be an email (all of the same principles would apply), but a letter makes things official in every sense. It also gives you a prop to take along to the face-to-face meeting with your boss, when you let him or her know that you’re leaving. A resignation letter can also help your boss and your company start the transition process, get a replacement for you approved, and start planning internally, etc. The paper trail is beneficial all around.So what should go into your letter? Let’s look at some examples of what to do (and perhaps more importantly, what not to do).Necessity #1: A Professional GreetingYour letter should be addressed to your boss. There’s a good chance that this letter will merely end up in a file in HR, but it starts with your boss. Assuming this is someone with whom you work reasonably close with on a daily basis, it does n’t have to be super stiff and formal. Specific and professional is the right tone here.For example:Dear Mary,Mary,Bad examples:Dear Ms. Stone,Hey Mary,To whom it may concern:Dear Human Resources representative,Even if you’re not close with your boss, chances are you have a working, first-name-basis relationship. Maintaining that in your official letter is okay. You don’t need to keep a Victorian level of formality here- just make sure it’s a professional tone.Necessity #2: State Your IntentThe whole theme of your resignation letter is the statement that, well, you resign. You don’t need to play coy- the time has passed for you to fish around for a counteroffer if it’s gotten this far. At this point, you’ve made your decision to leave, and this letter needs to reflect that.For example:I will be leaving my position as Customer Service representative.I resign my position as Customer Service representative.Bad examples:The time has come for me to think about parting ways with this company.All good things must come to an end.I will not be coming in after August 30.You want your intent to be as direct as possible. You are leaving, plain and simple. There’s no need to mention where you’re going. You can discuss that with your boss (though you’re not obligated to do so) and your colleagues if you want, but there’s little purpose for including that in your resignation letter. That’s especially true if you’re moving over to a competitor- you don’t want to create ill will in this letter or cause any drama.Necessity #3: Your End DateThe most crucial detail in a resignation letter is your end date. Legally and according to your company’s policy, you might be required to give a minimum amount of notice (two weeks, or possibly more, depending on the company and the role). If that’s the case, you don’t want there to be any confusion about how much notice you give. If it’s right there in writing in a letter dated two weeks before your last day, you’re saving yourself the hassle. It also starts the clock for your boss and your company, kicking off the transition plan of training, hiring, and otherwise covering your impending departure.For example:My last day in the office will be Tuesday, June 30.I am leaving my position as a Customer Service representative, effective June 30.Bad examples:I will be leaving in a few weeks.I will be leaving the company after a period of time. Here is my required notice in accordance with company policies.The bad examples here are all too vague. With the last one, you’re aligning yourself with company policy, which is good, but it still doesn’t tell the reader how much notice that actually is. Be as specific as possible on the time you have between now and your last day.Necessity #4: A Gracious ToneYour resignation letter is not the time to air grudges, take passive-aggressive sh ots, or otherwise be unpleasant. Regardless of how you feel about your (soon to be former) job or your boss, this letter should be an exercise in professionalism and graciousness. An excellent way to do that is to say a simple â€Å"thank you.† Even if you hated your job, you got something from it at some point. Focus on that positive bit if you need to.On the flip side, if you loved your job, your coworkers, your boss, the cappuccino machine, everything about the place, don’t write page upon page waxing rhapsodic about all that you’re giving up by leaving. A brief, heartfelt compliment to the company, or a thank you, is fine.For example:I’ve appreciated the opportunities I’ve had here.Thank you so much for the opportunity to work and grow as part of the Customer Service team.This company has been a great home for me for the past six years, and I thank you for being a big part of that as my boss and mentor. I’ve learned so much in my time he re, and I know that this company will continue to grow and thrive.Bad examples:I’ve enjoyed SOME of my time here.I think we both know that this has been a terrible place to work, but I appreciate the opportunity.This is a great company, but the management leaves a lot to be desired, so I am leaving.I hope the next person in this position enjoys the challenges of micromanagement and stressful workloads that I have experienced in my time here.You’ll have plenty of time to vent personally about your work grievances as you leave, but really, you stand to gain nothing by putting negativity into your resignation letter. And unless you’re leaving the state and your current industry, you always run the risk of running into the same people later on. So you’re far better off taking the high road and making sure your exit is a classy one.Necessity #5: Your End GameWhen you hand in your resignation letter, it can kick off a bit of chaos- your position will need to be filled, but your duties will also need to be covered until they can replace you. As part of your resignation letter, it’s a good idea to convey what your availability is during that transitional period.For example:Over the next two weeks, I would like to work with you on training or any necessary transition duties as I wrap up my time here at the company. Bad example:I will be available to train a replacement.I plan to be very busy until my last day.These are vague†¦ are you available to train a replacement anytime, even after your last day? Are you saying you’ll be too busy to help prepare someone else or that you’ll be busy helping with the transition? As with everything else in your resignation letter, clear and concise are the way to go.After that, you’re ready to close out your letter and move on. The basic closings are fine here- again, you don’t need to go overly sentimental or formal, but you should also write as if it will be read by anyone at the company.For example:Sincerely,Best wishes,Bad examples:Adios,Bye Felicia,Warmest eternal regards,And with that signing flourish, you’re done! You’ve resigned, and you’re ready for your exciting new job. Let’s recap the good example resignation letter as a whole.Dear Mary,Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation as a Customer Service representative. My last day in the office will be Tuesday, June 30.Working here has been an incredible opportunity, and it was not an easy decision to leave to pursue another opportunity. This company has been a great home for me for the past six years, and I thank you for being a big part of that as my boss and mentor. I’ve learned so much in my time here, and I know that this company will continue to grow and thrive.Ahead of June 30, I would like to work with you on training or any necessary transition duties as I wrap up my time here at the company.Thanks again for the opportunity to be a member of this team!Sincerely,David

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Summary - Essay Example into mainstream America but, attainment of the said integration entailed the battling and resistance of WASP America’s discrimination and prejudices. The history of Italian immigration to America provides a context for understanding the reason why they initial occupied the lower tier of the European ethnic immigration groups. Quite simply stated, Italian immigration to the United States did not begin in earnest until the late nineteenth century, lasting to the early twentieth, making this one of the last of the European ethnic groups to immigrate to this country. As both late immigrants and, of course, Catholics, they stood out from mainstream, White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, America. Italian immigrants did not only stand out because of their religious affiliation or their late arrival to America but because of their association with organized crime. The linkage, real and not assumed, between leading members of the Italian American community and the Sicilian mafia, and their transplantation of the Sicilian organized crime model to the United States, fuelled mainstream America’s prejudices towards Italian immigrants. Perceived of as either Mafioso or petty criminals, they were relegated to the bottom of the social hierarchy and actively barred from public office, a significant number of educational institutions and even social clubs. By the third generation, however, prejudices had eroded. The Italian American community had gradually inserted itself into mainstream America through the adoption of the core culture. The third generation’s evident Americanism significantly facilitated this group’s integration and their increasing success at upward social mobility solidified their status as Americans who happened to be of Italian descent, as opposed to Italian Americans. At the present time, this ethnic group stands at or above the national average insofar as all of income, education and occupation are concerned. As with the Italians, the Jews are late

Friday, October 18, 2019

CHURCHILLS LEADERSHIP STYLE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CHURCHILLS LEADERSHIP STYLE - Essay Example He said that â€Å"if we fail then the world sink into an abyss† (Churchill, 1940). Technical and analytic skills: Winston Churchill was born on November 30, 1874 in Blenheim Palace. He was born into a wealthy family who treated Winston to a rich lifestyle. In 1893, Churchill entered the Royal Military College as a Cadet, where he rose to the top ranking commander. He began to make political speeches at the age of 23; he talked to the primrose League. When he was 24, he wrote his first book ‘The Story of the Malak and Field Force’. Churchill was elected to the House of Commons at the age of 26, being one of the youngest members. Winston was appointed Prime Minister of England on May 10, 1940. The two books published made him a respectable author and made people believe his speeches. Influence and social skills: His speech at the House of Commons was intended to not only try to persuade elected officials, but also to speak to all people fighting against the Nazi Party. â€Å"We must fight in this war, and we must win, for if England shall lose the rest of the world would lose.† In the last part of his speech, he said, â€Å"But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science† (Churchill, 1940).   Communication skills: The speech was written in chronological order. It started with British efforts in France and the battles that were fought around the area then ends with him stating that the war now laid on the British navy and army. Winston’s speech also gives a problem and a solution to the war; he says, â€Å"Fight and never give in, for losing is not the end of the war but the end of the world† (Churchill, 1940). Throughout the speech, he claims that since Hitler was winning the war and conquering countries, Great Britain must

Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Africa - Essay Example This resulted in the continent losing its strategic significance (Kapstein 385). The economy fell so low that the continent depended on donor aid. Despite this, back home Africans were investing a lot in their economy. This also attracted direct foreign investment, which played part in development of the economy. There are various reasons that made Africa’s economy grow. The fact that people started moving from rural areas to urban areas was a significant factor that led to the economic growth of Africa. This is because, urban centers bring a lot of minds together thus resulting in innovation. Another way that urbanization led to the growth of Africa’s economy is the fact that urban centers provide good markets for goods and services. Both local and foreign investment also resulted in the continent’s economy growth. The global crisis affected all economies in the world. Companies went bankrupt, and many people lost their jobs. However, it is said that Africa was one of the less affected continents by the global financial crisis of 2008 (Kapstein 384). It is the effects that the crisis had on Europe and North America that will affect Africa’s economy. This is because the financial crisis made countries in Europe and North America to take up measures and policies that would help their falling economy rise again. These measures included stimulus policies that emphasized on protectionism. This is where countries block the importation of commodities that are also produced within the country. As we know, Europe and North America are the key markets for African products hence this will affect the economy of Africa negatively (Kapstein p387). Despite all this, Africa’s economy is faced with various problems. One serious problem is poor governance. Governments in Africa are filled with corrupt leaders who steal a lot of money from the countries funds. These leaders make poor decisions on

For Cullen and Gilbert 'rehabilitation should be the major goal of any Essay

For Cullen and Gilbert 'rehabilitation should be the major goal of any correctional system'. Critically discuss this proposition - Essay Example In addition, the strengths and weaknesses are also imparted to be able to portray the potential gain of the whole system and even the limitations. The main view of Cullen and Gilbert can be considered as positive theories to answer the problems of criminology. Rehabilitation is the main objective that can be projected in relation to the effect of application in the behaviour of the detainees. The positive view of the theory can be considered as a priority in contrary to that of the old theories of justice that involve deterrence and retribution. Through the course of modern justice system, it can be considered that the role of rehabilitation on the reform of the offenders had taken the main road and had produced influence. The said influence had developed on the turn of the 1900s wherein the development and changing of the characteristics and the attitudes of the criminals and offenders had been projected as the main solution for the decrease of the number of crimes (Cullen and Gendreau, 2000). Through the 70’s toward the end of the century, the effectiveness and the feasibility of the rehabilitation approach in the correctional systems had been criticized and questioned. Basically as the rehabilitation theory affirms that the crimes had been committed by the offenders on the basis of the problems in behaviour and inadequate decision making, critics believe that the process cannot help the society lessen criminals but there are dangers that rehabilitation cannot fully discipline the offenders. This can then pose danger to the welfare of the people (Wilson, 2005). In the presentation of the view of Cullen and Gilbert on the proper approach for correctional system, it is important to be able to present the different pros and cons. For that matter the criticisms of the rehabilitation theory is needed to be studied and scrutinized. The main scenario in the study undertaken by Cullen and Gilbert relates to the world in the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

LLB UNIT 10 SUCCESSION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

LLB UNIT 10 SUCCESSION - Essay Example Henry and Len call in to see you and ask the following questions:- Having died without leaving a will or without having made a valid will, Mrs Mould will be considered to have died intestate and therefore the rules of intestacy governed by the Administration of Estates Act 1925 (as amended) and the Intestates Act, 1952 (and various other amendments contained in the Family Provision Act, 1966, The Family Law Reform Act, 1969 and The Family Provision (Intestate Succession) Order, 1972) apply to her estate, which is worth approximately 238,000. By not leaving a will any wishes Mrs Mould had for the allocation of her estate to friends, relatives and other beneficiaries will be ignored. How the estate will be allocated depends on the value of the estate and the deceased's family circumstances. The law in this area is concerned with bloodlines, rather than merit, or the verbally expressed will of the intestate. Not only does it recognise human improvidence, but also that calamities and unfairness occurs within human affairs. It sets out to ensure that there is no discrimination on personal whim. It is not concerned with blame. Due to the increasing complexity of family trees, this area can become ripe for litigation. However, Mrs Mould could be described as being from a 'once-normal nuclear family' where the bloodlines are easily ascertained. If there is both a spouse and children then all personal poss... 2. Surviving children (referred to as 'issue'). 3. Surviving parents. 4. Surviving brothers and sisters of whole blood ie having the same biological parents. 5. Surviving relations of a lesser degree. In the event that the surviving spouse is the only living relative of the deceased (ie no parents or siblings of whole blood), then the estate passes absolutely to that spouse. If there is both a spouse and children then all personal possessions (except business property) and the first 125,000 goes to the remaining spouse free of death duty (inheritance tax) and costs absolutely, with (if possible) interest. The remaining spouse is also entitled to a life interest in half of the residue which is to be invested in a trust from which the spouse will receive income during his/her lifetime. The remaining property then goes to the children via 'statutory trusts'. The definition of 'Statutory trusts' can be found in s.47 Administration of Estates Act 1925. The deceased's property will be held in equal shares for all 'living' (including unborn) children of the estate. On the death of the remaining spouse the children automatically inherit the remaining capital once they reach their majority, ie under current UK law, the child either attains the age of eighteen and/or marries before that age. If there are children but no spouse the estate is shared equally among the children via a statutory trust. Importantly, the child or children of any deceased child (ie grandchildren) will get the share of their deceased parent and if more than one, in equal shares. Where the only remaining relatives are the spouse and whole blood relatives as described above, then the spouse inherits all personal chattels, the first 200,000 plus a life-interest in half of the

Finance accounting assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Finance accounting - Assignment Example In short, they let the customers do talk. The company is currently ranked as the largest global lifestyle brand offering company. It offers menswear, women swear, and other vital accessories over 100 retail stores in more than 30 countries. Today, Excellency clothing company fulfills its commitment to customers by providing commercial fashion and offering quality designs. The company has a vision of multi- channeling distribution and looking forward to the expansion of the brand in new and existing international markets. Despite the fact that the company has a vision of expanding its market size to gain competitive advantage over other competitors, it has experienced a setback of decrease in the profitability in recent years mainly due to the stiff competition in the market and economic recession and financial crisis (Ketz et al., 2005). The company’s financial statement show road to economic depression is skyrocketing. Based on the data from the income statement provided in the annual report, it is clearly seen that there is a decline in the company performance. At the beginning of 2014, the company reported revenue of  £215,623,000, a drop of about (39440/255063)*100 = 15.46% from the year 2013. The decrease in the income was caused by unfavorable movements in the foreign currency rates in the respective countries (White et al., 2011). Another crucial factor was the stiff global competition that scaled up in the retail industry. The next item to be analyzed is the cost of sales that increased from (96800/255063)*100 = 37.95% in the year 2013 to (84500/215623) = 39.19%. The increase in the value f sales was due to the inventory damage which is inexcusable forcing the company to purchase more stocks, manufacture more wares and to cover additional costs that are associated with repackaging and finally storing replacement finished goods. Other factors that led to an increase in the cost of sales were the warehouse

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

LLB UNIT 10 SUCCESSION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

LLB UNIT 10 SUCCESSION - Essay Example Henry and Len call in to see you and ask the following questions:- Having died without leaving a will or without having made a valid will, Mrs Mould will be considered to have died intestate and therefore the rules of intestacy governed by the Administration of Estates Act 1925 (as amended) and the Intestates Act, 1952 (and various other amendments contained in the Family Provision Act, 1966, The Family Law Reform Act, 1969 and The Family Provision (Intestate Succession) Order, 1972) apply to her estate, which is worth approximately 238,000. By not leaving a will any wishes Mrs Mould had for the allocation of her estate to friends, relatives and other beneficiaries will be ignored. How the estate will be allocated depends on the value of the estate and the deceased's family circumstances. The law in this area is concerned with bloodlines, rather than merit, or the verbally expressed will of the intestate. Not only does it recognise human improvidence, but also that calamities and unfairness occurs within human affairs. It sets out to ensure that there is no discrimination on personal whim. It is not concerned with blame. Due to the increasing complexity of family trees, this area can become ripe for litigation. However, Mrs Mould could be described as being from a 'once-normal nuclear family' where the bloodlines are easily ascertained. If there is both a spouse and children then all personal poss... 2. Surviving children (referred to as 'issue'). 3. Surviving parents. 4. Surviving brothers and sisters of whole blood ie having the same biological parents. 5. Surviving relations of a lesser degree. In the event that the surviving spouse is the only living relative of the deceased (ie no parents or siblings of whole blood), then the estate passes absolutely to that spouse. If there is both a spouse and children then all personal possessions (except business property) and the first 125,000 goes to the remaining spouse free of death duty (inheritance tax) and costs absolutely, with (if possible) interest. The remaining spouse is also entitled to a life interest in half of the residue which is to be invested in a trust from which the spouse will receive income during his/her lifetime. The remaining property then goes to the children via 'statutory trusts'. The definition of 'Statutory trusts' can be found in s.47 Administration of Estates Act 1925. The deceased's property will be held in equal shares for all 'living' (including unborn) children of the estate. On the death of the remaining spouse the children automatically inherit the remaining capital once they reach their majority, ie under current UK law, the child either attains the age of eighteen and/or marries before that age. If there are children but no spouse the estate is shared equally among the children via a statutory trust. Importantly, the child or children of any deceased child (ie grandchildren) will get the share of their deceased parent and if more than one, in equal shares. Where the only remaining relatives are the spouse and whole blood relatives as described above, then the spouse inherits all personal chattels, the first 200,000 plus a life-interest in half of the

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Postmodern Era of Graphic Design Essay Example for Free

The Postmodern Era of Graphic Design Essay The 1980s was characterized with the rise of eclecticism as an art trend. Style was no longer dictated by established rules but by the random convergence of different theories and practices. The aforementioned phenomenon, in turn, ushered the postmodern wave in graphic design. The liberal atmosphere that prevailed over their craft prompted many graphic designers to come up with more creative and daring works. In the late 1970s, some educators in the field of graphic design started questioning the rigidity and minimalism of graphic modernism (Heller 9). Graphic modernism, a graphic design trend that originated from Switzerland in the 1950s and the 1960s, placed emphasis on simplicity, universality, rationality, abstraction and structural expressionism (Heller 6). It was eventually became the standard style in several corporate and institutional design groups both in Europe and in the US. The academe soon followed suit – schools such as the Philadelphia College of Art, University of Cincinnati and Yale developed curricula that emphasized the prolonged study of abstract design and typographic form (Heller 7). In the process, graphic designers who worked outside the academic and corporate settings were alienated. Majority of these artists were strongly affiliated with the punk movement of the late 1970s and early 1980s. They expressed their adherence to punk culture through aggressive, destructive and uninhibited graphic designs. Some of them, however, combined the influences of punk culture and graphic modernism in their works, bringing about the era of postmodernism in graphic design (Raizman 360). British-born Neville Brody was one of the most well-known graphic designers who used this novel style. He parodied the uniformity and consistency of corporate graphics by experimenting with original lettering and trademarks. Magazines such as The Face later used his typefaces, paving the way for their development towards being able to convey moods and attitudes beyond the range of fonts available from foundries (Raizman 360). One of Brody’s typefaces, Industria (1984), was â€Å"a bold sans serif typeface with a combination of blunt rectangular positive and negative shapes and knife-edged terminations for a number of letters† (Raizman 360). Other graphic designers of the punk movement, meanwhile, made their works from found material. Using pictures and texts that were cut from old magazines and newspapers, they were able to come up with striking posters that conveyed entirely new messages (Poynor 41). This torn-paper collage approach to graphic design eventually became the springboard for the development of other forms of postmodern graphic design. Other graphic designers used loose, spontaneous brush strokes in their paintings in order to make them resemble torn-paper collages (Poynor 42). Some low-budget club promotions, meanwhile, gave existing art an edgy twist by deconstructing them (Poynor 38). The advent of computer technology in the 1990s and in the beginning of the 21st century further entrenched the era of postmodernism in graphic design. The availability of affordable (if not free) and user-friendly computer software can allow anyone to create striking graphic designs. With just a little creativity, even those who did not undergo formal training in graphic design can come up with works that can surpass even those of professionals. It would be fair to say, therefore, that postmodernism democratized the concept of graphic design. Without any rules to follow except his or her own, anyone can create an artwork using materials that are either affordable or free. The only factors that should be taken into consideration are individual creativity and imagination. Indeed, it is only human beings who put a limit to whatever they are capable of accomplishing. Works Cited Heller, Steven. The Education of a Graphic Designer. 2nd ed. New York: Allworth Communications Inc. , 2005. Poynor, Rick. No More Rules: Graphic Design and Postmodernism. London: Laurence King Publishing, 2003. Raizman, David. History of Modern Design: Graphics and Products since the Industrial Revolution. London: Laurence King Publishing, 2003.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Company overview of pakistan telecommunication company limited

Company overview of pakistan telecommunication company limited Introduction Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) is the largest telecommunication company in Pakistan. PTCL provides telephonic services to the nation and is the backbone for countrys telecommunication infrastructure. The company consists of around 2000 telephone exchanges across Pakistan. They provide the largest fixed line (land-line) network, currently having 4.8 million fixed line customers. GSM, CDMA and Internet are other services of PTCL. The Government of Pakistan sold 26% shares and control of the company to Etisalat (U.A.Es telecom company) in 2006. The Government of Pakistan retained 62% of the shares while the remaining 12% are with the general public. PTCL also provides Wireless Telephonic network by the name of Vfone, having 1.25 million active customers. Ufone, which is the second largest cellular network in the country, is also owned as a subsidiary of PTCL. Ufone has about 6.5 million mobile subscribers and a market share of nearly 25% currently in Pakistan. PTCL ha s the potential to be an influential means in Pakistans economic growth. It has laid the Optical Fiber Access Network technologies in major metropolitan cities of Pakistan. (Retrieved from http://www.ptcl.com.pk). Privatization of PTCL The process of the privatization of the state owned and managed PTCL was initiated in November 2004. Early in January 2005, 18 companies registered their EOI (Expressions of Interest), out which 3 bidders qualified for the final bidding which held on June 18, 2006. Dubai based company Consortium of Emirates Telecommunication Corporation (Etisalat) and Dubai Islamic Bank, Etisalat International Pakistan (EIP) gave the highest bid US $ 1.96 per share, equivalent to PKR 117.01 per share, which translates into US 2,598,960,000 (2.599 billion) or PKR 155,157,912,000.00. (Retrieved from www.go-pakistan.com). After the purchase of shares of PTCL Etisalat was given permission to fully control the management, which is against the provisions of Companies Ordinance of Pakistan, 1984. This deal has also created much of a drama within the company as well. The employees of PTCL resist this deal and there had been strikes in PTCL offices to oppose this. As many as 40,000 people will quit the job through Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) offered by the PTCL management. 60 percent of employees may opt for VSS. Among the 44,000 employees 26,400 will quit the services who have served the organization for as many as 20 years. The cases had been signed by opposition, employees of PTCL against all this scenario and they are still waiting in Supreme Court for hearing. After privatization of PTCL, the company remained encircled by various controversies and disputes, mainly due to bad management by PTCL administration and lack of interest from Government. All this resulted in bringing down the net profit of PTCL from Rs 29 billion before privatization to mere Rs 10 billion. (http:// www. propakistani.pk retrieved dated 16 July, 2008). PTCL employees came to know about a new contract named as U.P.S (Unified Pay Scale). U.P.S highlighted that the previous employment agreements were null and void and no previous benefits could be claimed by any of the employee of PTCL. U.P.S also dispossessed the employees of their respective pensions. Until and unless their demands are met, the employees of PTCL are on a protest. As much as 21000 employees of PTCL would be affected by U.P.S. Employees believe that U.P.S was bought in PTCL to change the status of the employees to contractual status, instead of their permanent ones which was present before. Government had promised the employees that they would be receiving facilities like, pay scale/allowances up gradations, but they were never fulfilled, as the event of privatization had taken place. Significance/Rationale of the study The significance of this study is to identify the post effects of privatization on the employees of PTCL. We will be identifying the level of satisfaction of the employees after the privatization of PTCL. The performance of their employees and similar other indicators will exuberate the dedication of employees to this organization. There is a need for a study concerning how employees perceive changes in their employment system, since this process will result in the change of the management and the policies that were present in PTCL before privatization. Generally, a well motivated and a satisfied employee means that the organization is achieving high levels of productivity. Similarly, if the employee has negative reactions for this process, that would result in de-motivation and dissatisfaction of employees. This is bad for the organization as well as its employees in the future. Aim of the study The main aim of the study is to analyze post effects of privatization on the satisfactory level of employees. This research will look upon the status of employees in PTCL after privatization, especially those employees who had been working in PTCL for more than twenty years and on the variables that have their impact on the PTCL employees. Finding out the consequences that the employees had to face after privatization is also the area of interest. Research objectives The research objectives of this study are as follows: To understand the effects of privatization on the PTCL employees. To study how the job satisfaction of the employees is affected after privatization of PTCL. To investigate how the employees work-related attitudes and strain have changed after privatization of PTCL. To assess the needs of PTCL employees at different hierarchy level. Research questions The questions posed by the researcher in this study are: How are the employees affected by privatization of PTCL? What are the reasons for satisfaction/dissatisfaction of the employees of PTCL? How to increase the job satisfaction of PTCL employees after privatization? Delimitations of the study The study cannot be undertaken on a broad scale because of the following constraints and will be delimited to only the city of Islamabad/Rawalpindi. Time constraint. Resource constraints. Set of variables Literature Review Concepts and definitions Privatization can be simply explained as a process in which the ownership transfers from  Government hand to private hand. This term is also known as denationalization. It means transferring the control of a firm from the government sector to the private sector. It can be accomplished by sale or lease such as government selling 100% of an enterprise or selling 51% or even by selling a minority stake as long as the private sector is given full managerial (management) control. In financial terms, privatization means transferring a company from one whose shares are listed on the stock exchange and can be bought by the general public to one that is no longer listed or publicly traded because it has been bought by a private group. Privatization takes place to reduce the depletion of Government resources caused by losses of the state owned enterprises, this mostly creates  greater opportunities for the private sector to expand and modernize  these enterprises. Productivity, efficiency, profitability increases and the  development of a valuable capital market occurs which releases resources for  development of the social and physical infrastructure. The process of privatization has some disadvantages as well. Private firms tend to be more efficient and cost effective so the excess workers are laid off to minimize costs. Employees do not benefit from paid leaves, which are given to government employees. Employees also dont get contracts for life time job in privatization, which they do get in the public sector. Hassan (2008) stated that Saudi Arabia is experiencing the expenditures of public sector. Privatization does have an impact on employees in public organizations. When there is a policy of gradual privatization, the old employees are trained in a certain manner, as to be ready for their new jobs respectively. If the company is sold through selling stocks than some of stocks should be sold to the employees themselves or given it to them (stock options). This increases their interest in the company and they become more motivated and satisfied. The resultant is good governance and profit. During the privatization period there should be certain specialized organizations who should be allowed to take part in processes in order to find solutions or relocation of surplus labor force. Employees should be motivated and trained from specialized trainers before and after the privatization period as it results in better performance and productivity. Bhaskar and Khan (1995) states in the jute indu stry case, privatization reduced employment considerably, while the output was not much reduced. Reduction in jobs was mainly of managers and the labor or mill-workers were not fired after privatization. The employment of manual (labor force) workers was increased in the privatized firms. Brown, Earle and Telegdy (2008) states that the greatest resistance of privatizing a firm usually comes from the firms own employees, who are afraid of wage cuts and job losses. The new management of privatized firms reduces the organizations labor costs as harder budget constraints and stronger profit-related incentives are promoted by them. This is called as the Efficiency Effect of privatization. The lower costs increase the firms market share and the total quantity demanded for the industry. New owners may reduce wages in order to cut back costs but if the firm plans to expand, then they might offer high wages to attract new better and trained workers. Also, the new owners might bring in high tech machinery which does the job of attracting workers with higher skills, thus they get higher wages. Cunha and Cooper (2005) states that the companies which are undergoing the process of privatization, several issues take place with the employees of that organization. Some of them are, role confusion, role over-load and under load, new-work relationships, job insecurity, career advancement/future trainings and deterioration of working conditions. All these factors may lead to physical health symptoms such as headaches, depressions, cardiovascular diseases, tension and anxiety etc, these factors and all of the listed above lead to dissatisfaction of the job subsequently. Falkenberg, Naswall, Sverke1 and Sjoberg (2009) states the employees working at different hierarchic levels have different resources and means to handle uncertainty associated with change (in our case privatization). Employees at a higher level of hierarchy have a greater responsibility in an organization and thus could experience more stress than other employee. Research also suggests that employees at higher positions are better able to handle uncertainty, as they are having more access to resources that help improve the possible negative consequences of privatization. Higher level executives tend to report less suffering than other employees during privatization. The employees present at the lower hierarchic levels, who have fewer resources for handling change disorder, there is an inclination for them to be more negatively affected by privatization. In conclusion, we can observe that dissatisfaction is observed at all levels of the hierarchy, whereas the greatest levels of disarr ay experienced as we move down from the top to the bottom levels. Critical Analysis of literature The articles in the literature reveal that privatization in the major parts of the world has created dissatisfaction amongst employees. Apart from the advantages of privatization to the firm itself and the employees, the method causes the firms to become cost effective, which means that downsizing takes place, jobs are lost. Paid leaves were offered to public sector employees along with life-time contractual jobs in most scenarios. All of this is removed once privatization takes place. As the management changes, the existing employees get confused about their roles, they experience stress, which leads to health problems such as cardiovascular (heart) diseases, depression, headaches etc. Usually, higher level executives are less affected than other employees during privatization. The employees present at the lower hierarchic levels, which have fewer resources, are more negatively affected by privatization. After the careful analysis of literature review, we have identified the following variables that will help us in making out theoretical framework: Fear of Job insecurity Stock-option plan Fringe Benefits Employees Union Training and development Rewards to the employees Training and development Rewards to the employees Stock-option plan Fear of Job insecurity Fringe Benefits Employee satisfaction level at PTCL after privatization (D.V) (I.Vs) Employees Union Theoretical Framework Employee satisfaction level at PTCL after privatization: This is our Dependant Variable. Other factors will be affecting the satisfaction level of the employees of PTCL after privatization directly. Independent Variables: Fear of Job insecurity: Employees will have a constant fear of job security which was not present before with the firm when it was owned by the state. This happens because the firms downsize to cut costs. Stock-option plan: The employees if given a stock option plan would make them involved in the organization, as they would have a feeling of control and involvement in the firm. If this option is not given to the employees, they would be considerably dissatisfied and de-motivated. Fringe Benefits: Fringe benefits such as paid leaves, housing allowances, travel/fuel allowanced etc increase the satisfaction level of employees. In a private firm, paid leaves are cancelled and are declared null and void. Employees Union: The Employee Unions protect and safeguard the laws/rights of employees. Basically, its a support and the voice of employees. They are very helpful in resolving the disputes between the employees and the employers. Private firms usually put a stop to all the unions and their activities. Training and development: Training (O.T.J/O.T.J) increases satisfaction level of employees, as they are offered a chance in advancing in their careers. Rewards to the employees: Rewards, compensations and better salary packages are the employee essential reasons for the satisfaction levels of employees. Proposed Research Methodology Sample Selection Sampling involves selecting individual units to measure from a larger population. The population refers to the set of individual units which the research question seeks to find out about. The Sample would consist of the employees that are working in Islamabad only. Our sample will base on every nth employee of PTCL in Islamabad. We will take every 10th employee of PTCL in Islamabad as our sample. Sampling frames The sampling frame is the group of individuals who had a real chance of being selected for the sample. Our sampling technique would be Systematic Random Sampling for the masses of the workforce of PTCL in Islamabad. The population will include all employees that are working in PTCL. Total numbers of employees of PTCL are approximately 64000 (It comprises 56,000 regular and 8,000 contractual). Unit of Analysis Our target is not towards the collective communities in the data collection stage, but instead is focused on the individuals i.e. the employees of PTCL in Islamabad. Type of Study Our study type is Exploratory as we are exploring the level of employee satisfaction after the privatization of PTCL. We are exploring the impact on employee after the privatization of PTCL. Time Horizon The total time period for this research is not over a period of time but is specifically at a time. That time is the cross-sectional (snapshot). Researchers Strength The researchers are graduates who are pursuing their masters degree presently. This gives them the added advantage of being familiar with report writing and research capabilities. They have access and knowledge to latest methods and tools for academically related research work. Instrument development/selection à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Questionnaires à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Interviews Proposed Data-Collection Methods The proposed data collection methods are questionnaires. They will be consisting of both, open and closed ended questionnaires. Another data collection method would be the use of likert scale, which will consist of responses. SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE MEASURING THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION IN THE PAKISTAN TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANY LIMITED AFTER PRIVATIZATION Please show your level of agreement by marking tick (Æ’Â ¼) against each statement: Key: 5 = SA : Strongly Agree 4 = A : Agree 3 = N : Neither Agree Nor Disagree = DA : Disagree 1 = SD : Strongly Disagree Fear of Job insecurity SD D N A SA Q1) I fear that I will be replaced by another employee who will be hired from the corporate sector. 1 2 3 4 5 Q2) I fear that, while adapting the cost-benefit strategy after privatization the firm might fire me as a downsizing measure. 1 2 3 4 5 Stock-option plan SD D N A SA Q3) My Company offers stock-options/shares at a discounted price. 1 2 3 4 5 Q4) My Company gives stock-options/shares instead of cash bonuses, so that I have a feeling of increased satisfaction with the firm. 1 2 3 4 5 Fringe Benefits Q.5) My Company gives attractive benefits in housing allowances for both purchasing and rental. 1 2 3 4 5 Q.6) My Company provides yearly travel and holiday packages for me and my family. 1 2 3 4 5 SD D N A SA Employees Union Q7) My Company has an employees union, which protects and fights for the rights of employees, when an incident of injustice occurs. 1 2 3 4 5 SD D N A SA Training and development Q8) My Company offers training and development program that helps me in career progression. 1 2 3 4 5 SD D N A SA SD D N A SA Q9) Rewards are offered to employees on a timely basis. 1 2 3 4 5 Q10) Rewards are given in monetary/nonmonetary forms. 1 2 3 4 5 Q11) Project/goal completion in early timeframe and high achievers get rewards practically. 1 2 3 4 5Rewards to the employees Employee Satisfaction Q12) I am satisfied with the work assigned to me in this organization. 1 2 3 4 5 SD D N A SA Personal information Q13. Gender 1: Male 2: Female Q14. Age 1: 15-25 2: 25-35 3: Below 50 4: Above 50 Q15. Qualification 1: Matric-P.T.C 2. FA/Fcs-C.T 3: Grad (B.Ed) 4: Post Grad (M.Ed) 5: Others Q16. Designation 1: Top/Administrative level 2: Middle level. 3: Low level / Supervisory / First-line managers Q17. Experience 1: 1-5 years. 2: 6-10 years. 3: 11-15 years. 4: 16-20 years. 5: 21 Above. Thank you for your valuable time and input. Best regards, M.B.A Students: Haseeb Raza Asher Shafqat S.Z.A.B.I.S.T, Islamabad. Results and Discussions Descriptive Statistics Descriptive statistics is used check the nature of the data and its Mean values and Standard deviation. Mean: ÃŽÂ £X / N (ÃŽÂ £X = Sum of all Mean) = 31.42 / 30 = 1.0473 The mean value is 1.0473. This shows that most of the responses are towards strongly disagree. It means after privatization of P.T.C.L most of the employees are dissatisfied with their work and other benefits given to them. Correlation Correlation coefficient is a measure of the relationship between two attributes. It is also known as the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. The value of coefficient can range from -1 to +1. Consider the variables x and y; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ If r = -1, then x and y are perfectly negatively correlated. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ If r = 1, then x and y are perfectly positively correlated. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ If r = 0, then x and y are not correlated. QUESTIONS Fear of Downsizing Stock-options/shares at a discounted price Housing allowances Employees union Goal completion and high achievers get rewards practically Employee Satisfaction Fear of replacing by another employee 0.902 -0.7873 -0.8640 Stock-options/shares instead of cash bonuses 0.5048 Travel and holiday packages 0.6621 Training and development program 0.7897 0.8518 Monetary/Non-monetary Rewards 0.6690 Fear of downsizing is positively correlated with fear of replacing by another employee. Goal Completion and high achievers get rewards practically is negatively correlated with fear of replacing by another employee. If there will be fear that employee will be replaced then the employee will not complete his goal and will not achieve high. Stock-options/shares at a discounted price is positively correlated with Stock-options/shares instead of cash bonuses. Housing allowances is positively correlated with Travel and holiday packages. Employees union is positively correlated with Training and development program. Employee satisfaction is negatively correlated with fear of replacing by another employee. If there will be fear that employee will be replaced by another employee of corporate sector then employee will be dissatisfied. Employee satisfaction is positively correlated with Training and development program. Employee satisfaction is positively correlated with Monetary/Non-monetary Rewards. Regression Regression analysis is a statistical technique that is used to survey and represent the relationship between two or more variables. A linear regression model is used to explain the relationship between two or more variables, Using the Formula Y= a + bX. Y= Dependent Variable a= Y intercept/ constant b= Slope X= Independent Variable Dependent Variable: Employee Satisfaction Independent Variable: Fear of Job insecurity, Stock-option plan, Fringe Benefits, Employees Union, Training and development, Rewards to the employees. TABLE 1: Regression Dependent Variable: Employee Satisfaction Independent Variable: Fear of Job insecurity, Stock-option plan, Fringe Benefits, Employees Union, Training and development, Rewards to the employees. TABLE 2: TABLE 3: As shown in Table 3 the value of constant a is 1.853. Fear of Job insecurity Fear of downsizing If we take dependent Variable Y as Employee Satisfaction and Independent Variable X as Fear of downsizing taking 1.360 as constant then its slope B would be -0.291 Putting the values in the Y= a + bX, we get: Y= 1.360-0.291 X Job Satisfaction = 1.360-0.291 (Fear of downsizing) Significance Level = 0.158 The value of B Is negative, so the variables have inverse relation with each other. If we increase satisfaction then Fear of downsizing decreases. Stock-option plan Stock option-shares at a discounted price If we take dependent Variable Y as Employee Satisfaction and Independent Variable X as Stock option-shares at a discounted price taking 1.360 as constant then its slope B would be 0.080 Putting the values in the Y= a + bX, we get: Y= 1.360+0.080 X Job Satisfaction = 1.360+0.080 (Stock option-shares at a discounted price) Significance Level = 0.528 The value of B is Positive, so the variables have direct relation with each other. If we increase satisfaction then Stock option-shares at a discounted price also increases. Stock option-shares instead of cash bonuses If we take dependent Variable Y as Employee Satisfaction and Independent Variable X as Stock option-shares instead of cash bonuses taking 1.360 as constant then its slope B would be 0.140 Putting the values in the Y= a + bX, we get: Y= 1.360+0.140 X Job Satisfaction = 1.360+0.140 (Stock option-shares instead of cash bonuses) Significance Level = 0.220 The value of B is Positive, so the variables have direct relation with each other. If we increase satisfaction then Stock option-shares instead of cash bonuses also increases. Fringe Benefits Travel and holiday packages If we take dependent Variable Y as Employee Satisfaction and Independent Variable X as Travel and holiday packages taking 1.360 as constant then its slope B would be 0.082 Putting the values in the Y= a + bX, we get: Y= 1.360+0.082 X Job Satisfaction = 1.360+0.082 (Travel and holiday packages) Significance Level = 0.610 The value of B is Positive, so the variables have direct relation with each other. If we increase satisfaction then Travel and holiday packages also increases. Employees Union If we take dependent Variable Y as Employee Satisfaction and Independent Variable X as Employees Union taking 1.360 as constant then its slope B would be 0.063 Putting the values in the Y= a + bX, we get: Y= 1.360+0.063 X Job Satisfaction = 1.360+0.063 (Employees Union) Significance Level = 0.764 The value of B is Positive, so the variables have direct relation with each other. If we increase satisfaction then Employees Union also increases. Training and development If we take dependent Variable Y as Employee Satisfaction and Independent Variable X as Training and development taking 1.360 as constant then its slope B would be 0.206 Putting the values in the Y= a + bX, we get: Y= 1.360+0.206 X Job Satisfaction = 1.360+0.206 (Training and development) Significance Level = 0.269 The value of B is Positive, so the variables have direct relation with each other. If we increase satisfaction then Training and development also increases. Rewards to the employees Timely basis rewards If we take dependent Variable Y as Employee Satisfaction and Independent Variable X as Timely basis rewards taking 1.360 as constant then its slope B would be 0.198 Putting the values in the Y= a + bX, we get: Y= 1.360+0.198 X Job Satisfaction = 1.360+0.198 (Timely basis rewards) Significance Level = 0.280 The value of B is Positive, so the variables have direct relation with each other. If we increase satisfaction then Timely basis rewards also increases. Goal completion and High achievers If we take dependent Variable Y as Employee Satisfaction and Independent Variable X as Goal completion and High achievers taking 1.360 as constant then its slope B would be 0.024 Putting the values in the Y= a + bX, we get: Y= 1.360+0.024 X Job Satisfaction = 1.360+0.024 (Goal completion and High achievers) Significance Level = 0.877 The value of B is Positive, so the variables have direct relation with each other. If we increase satisfaction then Goal completion and High achievers also increases. Recommendations Our recommendations are based on the results generated from the questionnaire. Overall we can conclude that the variables identified in out framework do strongly affect the satisfaction level of employees at PTCL after privatization. Employees strongly agree that they have a certain fear of losing their jobs after privatization. Stock option plans, or giving employees stock/share as added benefits instead of cash bonus etc. would increase satisfaction levels and make the employees more productive in the privatized firm. The employees agreed for having regular handing out of the stock options in the company. Fringe benefits are those services that motivate the employees and increase their satisfaction levels considerably. Employees were disagree, when they were asked to assess the fringe benefits as direct measure of their satisfaction levels in PTCL after privatization. Employee unions or those entities that safeguard the rights of employees. Employees responses were strongly disagre e that there were no Employees Union present in their organization. Basically these unions prevent unfair measures from happening with the employees. Training and development enhances the careers of employee and grooms them in the corporate world. It also paves way for their promotions in an organization. The employees responses were mostly disagreed because there was no training given to them after privatization. Training should be given to them that help them in their career progression. Rewards should be given to them on timely basis and all kind of monetary/non-monetary rewards should be given to them. To appreciate the employees who complete their Projects/goals before time rewards should be given to them so that they get motivated and satisfied and achieve high.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Helmi Flick :: essays research papers

Helmi Flick lives in Bedford, Texas with her husband, Ken, a freelance writer who also does the lighting and cat wrangling for her, plus her 4 cats. Having spent 30 years of her working life in administrative office positions in computers, medicine and law, Flick came to her new career by the route most people only dream of: by turning something she loved to do into a new profession. After years of photographing her own cats and those of friends as a hobby, Helmi was encouraged by her husband Ken to try her hand as a cat show photographer. Helmi got her first assignment from the Thunderkatz Cat Club as the show photographer for their May 2000 T.I.C.A. show in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.A. On the basis of her work at that show, the Thunderkatz club asked Helmi to be their "Official Show Photographer in Perpetuity." By March of 2001, Helmi had managed to secure the Show Photographer assignment at 12 shows. Helmi shoots with a digital camera. "Shooting digital images has been a lifesaver for me because cats are not the most cooperative subjects and there are always more throwaway shots than good ones. And because I’m not wasting film, I can afford to shoot far more images of a customer’s cat to get more keepers. Additionally, the "instant" nature of digital photography enables my customers to immediately review the shots I’ve taken and select the ones they like best to be printed. This review process is a tremendous tool for someone like me who is still learning this craft, since I’m able to discover the kinds of shots that owners of different breeds prefer. I guarantee that my customers will be satisfied with their photos and the digital approach is a great asset there, too, because if a customer does not see photos he/she likes in our post-shoot review, I can reshoot their cat on the spot." But getting good shots at the show is only the beginning of delivering great images to her customers. Because Helmi shoots digital images, she has the capability to color correct, crop, retouch and otherwise enhance every photo on her computer back home. "I can’t ignore that capability because I want every shot to be the best image it can be, so I end up spending far more time at my PC screen than behind the camera.† The ability to instantly analyze and digitally retouch her photographs does not change the skill needed to capture beautiful images of her feline subjects.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Underneath My Skin - Original Writing :: Papers

Underneath My Skin - Original Writing I am 15 years old, and I hate my life. My parents are dead, I have no friends, I get bullied every day, and the worst of it is that I can't do anything about it. I now live in Omaha, Nebraska with my aunt, Patrice, who just made 21 and is never home. She is my last living relative. At school this kid named Brian messes me all the time. I never fight back because I'm just peaceful like that. I get good grades (I have nothing else to do with my spare time except homework). I earn my own money by playing craps behind the school with loaded dice. That's why I don't have any friends. So I was walking home and here comes Brian with his sidekick Jim. Brian says, "Hey punk how's it goin'?" Then Jim says, "Yeah punk." I say, "I'm doing fine." "Gimme all your money, or my fist and your face will become good friends." Then he pushes me. All of a sudden, something came over and I just start wailing on the guy. I get up, look at Jim and say, "You want some of this?" He stands there in fear for a while and runs away. The rest of the way home I kept thinking about what happened, thinking about what came over me. In the middle of deep thought, I heard a voice say, "It was me." I looked around and no one was there. So I blew it off and went on home. I got home, laid on my bed still thinking about what happened. There was that voice again, "It was meà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Makius." Now I knew something was up. "Who's there?" I said. "You don't know me but I know you very well," said the voice. "You know me," I said. The voice then said, "Yes, I know about the time when someone tripped you and everyone laughed. I know about the time when some bully stole your shoes, and wore them the next day.