Sustaining the Force Issues in Recruiting Essay Example

Sustaining the Force: Issues in Recruiting Essay The power of the police force to attract fresh entrants depends not only upon the advantages that are intrinsic to the job of a police officer, but also the marketing skills of the police force.   Indeed, new jobs are included among the goods and services to be marketed in our world.   Hence, the police force must be diligently reaching out to potential entrants by using all possible communication modes, e.g. newspapers, Internet and job fairs.   Market segmentation is also a fact of police recruitment.   In order to target women and minorities, the so-called ‘disadvantaged groups’ of society, the police force must be attracting new entrants with the kinds of advantages that are expected by the market segment in question (Milgram, 2002).   These special advantages offered unto special groups could be higher salaries or greater benefits.   Regardless of the form that these advantages take, however, the fact remains that police recruitment is best conducted in these times of organizational behavioral practices with special references to job satisfaction, education, and more.In the following sections of this paper, the four salient issues of police recruiting are discussed: salary, benefits, education, and job satisfaction.   These four features of the police officer’s job determine whether he or she would continue helping to sustain the force.   An evaluation of these features also assists the potential entrants to decide whether they would ultimately accept the offer for a job with the police.   The various ways of reaching out to potential entrants into the police force are also identified.   Lastly, this paper would highlight the issues at hand for the recruitment of women and minorities.   The entire discussion would lead us to answer the vital question: What can be done to sustain the police force in the best possible ways?Issues in RecruitingSalaryThe most often discussed issue in recruiting is undoubtedly that of h igh or low salaries.   It is but natural to pay people according to their potential and the risks involved in their work.   The high risk job of a police officer must be matched by his or her salary.   Police officers are essential to the well being of the community.   In order to show their appreciation for the service of the police, communities are advised to pay a competitive salary to each person that represents the police force and thereby sustains it (Orrick, 2005).   Although policing, or guarding the well being of people, is expected to be a very satisfying job in and of itself; the fact is that people work throughout their adult life for money – to sustain their own families.   Hence, a police department that offers more money to its force is more likely to attract new entrants that would meet its policing needs in future.   This is the reason why potential police officers rushed to take the entrance exam for the Suffolk County Police Department, which pays a salary that is â€Å"more than double that of the nearby NYPD.†Ã‚   Although all examinees had to pay $100 as entrance fee to the examination; for them it was a small price to pay for a financially secure future (Eltman, 2007).BenefitsThe value of policing to the community at large cannot be measured by monetary figures.   All the same, the benefits that police departments offer to their officers should be complements to the basic salary that is on offer.   Benefits may include salaries â€Å"with cost of living adjustments, longevity, and advanced certifications† and â€Å"career development programs† to help the police officers grow in their profession (Orrick).   Or, the benefits may include holiday entitlements, reduced premiums on various insurances, and â€Å"free travel on public transport† (â€Å"Benefits,† 2007).   Police departments must take into account the costs of the self same benefits on offer to the police officers, however.   Research has shown that benefits provided unto employees could sometimes turn into major costs for the employers.   Woska (2006) provides an example:Many police departments now find it nearly impossible to fill all police officer positions.In California, for example, police officers can retire at age 50.   Peace officers often receive aretirement benefit of 3 percent for each year of employment.   Thus, an individual beginningemployment as a police officer at age 21 would have a retirement benefit of 87 percent (29years multiplied by 3) at age 50.   As a result, California police departments have high turnoveras increasing numbers of peace officers elect early retirement and an opportunity to return toschool, play golf, travel, or begin new careers.Also according to research, â€Å"more than 80 percent of the nations 17,000 law enforcement agencies, large and small, have police officer positions that they cannot fill.†Ã‚   California is facing the same cr isis.   Therefore, the costs that must be borne by police departments for the benefits on offer to police officers must be balanced.   Even though it is essential to make policing an attractive job for potential entrants, it is imperative also to consider the short- and long-term costs of the benefits on offer.;EducationThere is no doubt about the special advantages entailed by a well educated police force.   Even so, the U.S. does not demand all of its police departments to recruit officers with educational qualifications that are at least equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.   In point of fact, research has revealed that there are fewer people interested in joining the police force today because more people are choosing to pursue higher degrees instead (Woska).   What is more, police departments that expect new entrants to be college graduates as a bare minimum are expected to meet with success in their recruiting efforts.   Raising the academic requirements for p olice officers is expected to go well for the community after all.   Such is the example of the â€Å"Arlington, Texas, Police Department (APD), serving a city with a population of around 360,000,† which â€Å"has proven by its recruiting success that departments can-and should-require their police officers to have degrees† (â€Å"The Chief’s,† 2006).Job SatisfactionWhile most people assume that the police officer’s job is highly stressful, and therefore, quite obnoxious; research has revealed a viewpoint that is quite the contrary: police officers are actually very satisfied people, seeing that they are performing a crucial task for their communities.   In this sense, police officers are somewhat akin to social workers who believe in the contributions they make to society’s welfare.   Besides, the challenging jobs of police officers do not leave the opportunity for them to feel bored or dissatisfied.   Rather, police officers view t hemselves as necessities for their peoples.   According to Zhao, Thurman ; He (1999): â€Å"Analysis of survey data from a medium-sized police department in the northwestern United States suggests that a police agencys work environment is a principal source of job satisfaction, regardless of the measure of the dependent variable employed.†Ã‚   Given that society is clearly mistaken with regard to its general assumptions about the policing job; in order for police departments to meet with recruiting success it is necessary also to publicize such research.For the police force to sustain itself, whilst recruiting new officers, the issue of job satisfaction must include the rest of the issues in police recruitment, e.g. salary and benefits.   A higher salary and greater benefits should add to the job satisfaction of police officers.   At the same time, there are other variables which could be taken into consideration, e.g. the mentoring of police officers.   Research has shown that police officers with mentors are always more satisfied with their jobs.   Moreover, female police officers with mentors could experience higher job satisfaction rates as compared to males in the same position (Aremu Adeyoju, 2003).Methods of RecruitmentWebsitesPolice departments around the globe are well aware of the implications of new technology, as criminals devise new methods of fooling both the technologies as well as the innocent.   The face recognition software and other valuable innovations are presently being adopted by the police force as new ways of catching criminals.   Moreover, the police force has adopted the Internet to advertise new positions within the force.   Online applications and Internet testing are also gaining popularity in police recruitment (â€Å"NY Trooper;† â€Å"LAPD Online;† â€Å"UK Police†).   In this way, police recruitment is not at all different from business recruitment, or the selling of products and services online.Word of MouthBesides newspapers, policing magazines, and the Internet; police recruiters often rely on word of mouth to attract new entrants into the force.   In small towns where everybody knows most of the townsfolk, the word of mouth method is expected to work better than in larger cities.   In large cities, police officers typically attract their own families and friends into the force by word of mouth.   It is advisable to reinforce the word of mouth technique with other methods of reaching out to potential entrants, however, e.g. posters.Job FairsFor all kinds of professions, job fairs have shown themselves to be a blessing, linking employers with employees while describing the jobs on the spot.   The following online advertisement of a policing road show offers a chance to infer the extent of the value that job fairs could add to the policing community by attracting the right people:†¦These events are for members of the public to find out more abo ut the job opportunitiesat Thames Valley Police. Recruiters for Police Officers, Police Community Support Officers(PCSO), Special Constables (SC), Police Enquiry Centres (PECs), Control Room staff andVolunteers will be on hand to talk to you about the various roles.   Representatives from theWomen’s Police Association (WPA),†¦Black Police Association (BPA) and a Communityand Diversity Officer will also be at the events†¦ (â€Å"Recruiting Roadshows†).Recruitment of Minority GroupsWomenEven in the twenty first century, policing is a male dominated profession.   Using all of the above methods for reaching out to potential entrants into the force, police departments in the Western world are nowadays planning to recruit more women (Milgram).   Special advertisements for women are recommended (â€Å"Could You,† 2004).   After all, women are a target segment on their own in the marketing of policing jobs.MinoritiesPolicing involves the guarding of th e interests of entire communities, which may or may not be inclusive of minority groups.   Just as it is central to the sustenance of the police force to recruit women to especially guard the interests of other women; it is important to involve all ethnic groups that form a part of the community.   As a matter of fact, both women and other minority groups should be considered equals to the rest (â€Å"Women in Policing,† 2007).   Seeing that the police force has often suffered a bad reputation because of racial profiling, experts suggest that the recruitment of minority groups requires special plans in action (Tangel, 2004).   Besides, affirmative action mandates such recruitment.ConclusionAs we have discovered, there are four issues that essentially determine whether the police force can be sustained: (1) Police officers should have competitive salaries; (2) There should be sustainable benefits to complement the salaries; (3) Police officers should have degrees; and (4) The fact that police officers are generally satisfied with their jobs should be publicized in order to attract fresh entrants into the force.   The police force may use a host of media to advertise new policing positions.   Newspapers, magazines, posters, Internet, word of mouth, and job fairs work well for the police force to reach out to potential entrants.   At the same time, the police force must use special advertisements to target female entrants and minority groups as new applicants for police jobs.   Using all or a combination of the above strategies, the police force would certainly find itself in the position to attract the best talent and sustain itself in the long run.

10 Lead Element Facts (Pb or Atomic Number 82)

10 Lead Element Facts (Pb or Atomic Number 82) Lead is a heavy metal you encounter in everyday life in solder, stained glass windows, and possibly your drinking water. Here are 10 lead element facts. Fast Facts: Lead Element Name: LeadElement Symbol: PbAtomic Number: 82Atomic Weight: 207.2Element Category: Basic Metal or Post-Transition MetalAppearance: Lead is a metallic gray solid at room temperature.Electron Configuration:  [Xe] 4f14  5d10  6s2  6p2Oxidation State: The most common oxidation state is 2, followed by 4. The 3, 1, 1-, 2-, and 4- states also occur. Interesting Lead Element Facts Lead has atomic number 82, which means each lead atom has 82 protons. This is the highest atomic number for the stable elements. Natural lead consists of a mixture of 4 stable isotopes, although radioisotopes also exist. The element name lead comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for the metal.  Its chemical symbol is Pb, which is based on the word plumbum, the old Latin name for lead.Lead is a considered a basic metal or post-transition metal. It is a shiny blue-white metal when freshly cut, but oxidizes to a dull gray in air. It is a shiny chrome-silver when melted. While lead is dense, ductile, and malleable like many other metals, several of its properties are not what one would consider metallic. For example, the metal has a low melting point (327.46  oC)  and is a poor conductor of electricity.Lead is one of the metals that was known to ancient man. It is sometimes called the first metal (although the ancients also knew gold silver, and other metals). Alchemists associated the metal with the planet Saturn and quested for a way to transmute lead into gold. Over half the lead produced today is used in lead-acid car batteries. While lead does occur (rarely) in nature in its pure form, most of the lead produced today comes from recycled batteries. Lead is found in the mineral galena (PbS) and ores of copper, zinc, and silver.  Lead is highly toxic. The element primarily affects the central nervous system. It is particularly dangerous to babies and children, where lead exposure can stunt development. Lead is a cumulative poison. Unlike many toxins, there really is no safe exposure level to lead, even though it is present in many common materials.Lead is the only metal which exhibits zero Thomson effect. In other words, when an electrical current is passed through a sample of lead, heat is neither absorbed nor released.While modern scientists can readily distinguish most elements, it used to be difficult to tell lead and tin apart because the two metals share so many similar properties. So, for a long time the two elements were considered to be different forms of the same metal. The ancient Romans referred to lead as plumbum nigrum, which means black lead. They called tin plumbum candidum, which means bright lead. Wood pencils have never actually contained lead, even though lead is soft enough it could be used for writing. Pencil lead is a type of graphite the Romans called  plumbago, which means act for lead. The name stuck, even though the two materials are different. Lead is, however, related to graphite. Graphite is a form or allotrope of carbon. Lead belongs to the carbon family of elements.There are countless uses for lead. Because of its high corrosion resistance, the ancient Romans used it for plumbing. While this sounds like a dangerous practice, hard water forms scale inside pipes, lessening exposure to the toxic element. Even in modern times, lead solder has been common for welding plumbing fixtures. Lead has been added to gasoline to reduce engine knock, to face paints and paints used for toys and buildings, and even in cosmetics and foods (in the past) to add a sweet flavor. It is used to make stained glass, leaded crystal, fishing sinkers, radiation shields, bullets, scuba weig hts, roofing, ballasts, and statues. While once common as a paint additive and pesticide, lead compounds are less commonly used now because of their lingering toxicity. The sweet taste of the compounds makes them attractive to children and pets. The abundance of lead in the Earths crust is  14 parts per million by weight. The abundance in the solar system is  10 parts per billion by weight.

Arranged Marriages within the Indian and Chinese Cultures Research Paper

Arranged Marriages within the Indian and Chinese Cultures - Research Paper Example Arranged marriage should not be confused with forced marriage in which one party is forced to get married to another. Arranged marriages are the responsibilities of older family members, parents, matchmaking agents or trusted parties. In some cultures, courting is not prevalent. Spouses are brought together by their parents. In this case, it is the responsibility of the parent to see to it that his or her child passes the marital rites. This way, the adult children see it as a norm. The people who are responsible for the arrangement marriages might be subjective to emotional infatuation and come up with illogical decisions. In either case, intra-generational relationships supersede marital relationships. Following the partners sharing some factors, it is believed that some form of understanding develops between the couple and the relationship lasts. Discussion Arranged marriages are practiced in China and India with the sole aim of maintaining the social caste. Families bring the chi ldren together so that they may keep the family ties strong. In India, arranged marriages, though discouraged, are widely practiced. The parents see it as their personal responsibility to ensure that their children pass their marital rites. The legal age for marriages in India is 18 for females and 21 for males. However, through arranged marriages, family members marry their girls as early as 15 but the marriages consummated after the ages of 18 (Seymour and Seymour 132). In China, arranged marriages are practiced at a low rate because the pace of technology in the country does not allow for conservation of some cultural practices. Females are supposed to marry at the age of 21 and 23 for males. This means that the parents can only seek for suitors for the children at the right age. However, in China, people are given the right to choose their partners and it is only after they have made their choices that the parents can intervene in wedding preparations (Fox 191). Similarities Arr anged marriages are common in the Chinese and Indian cultures. These two cultures share a number of factors they put into consideration when coming up with the best match. Among the major factors is that of religion. In both cultures, it is believed that the preference should be given to the people sharing same spiritual and religious beliefs. Culture and caste is also another most common factor considered in both cultures. When picking on the matches, food habits, language, and region are considered so that the couple shares the same culture (Fox 182). The reputation of each party together with that of the family and friends that directly affect the reputation of the party is considered. One can have a good reputation but fail to be selected because of the bad reputation of his or her friends or family members. Dowry is an extremely important factor for both cultures, thus, a match would be selected from people sharing the same social class. A lady from a wealthy family background would have a match selected from a gentleman with a similar family background (Reaves 4). Vocation is another factor considered in both cultures. However, the location of the man matters more than that of the woman. The man has to provide for the family and as a result, he should be with a substantial amount of income.  

Why did Margaret Thatcher sign up to the Single European Act Essay

Why did Margaret Thatcher sign up to the Single European Act - Essay Example These agreements included the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM). The United Kingdom was a significant player in the formation of SEA; it participated in the events that led to its creation in the mid-1980s. This paper examines some of the reasons why British Prime Minister Margret Thatcher endorsed the SEA. The very advent of SEA can be traced to the mid-20th century 1945 (Cooper and Tomic, 2007). The then integration activities happened in rather steady steps, especially following the establishment of the ECSC in 1952. Gehler (2006) notes that with six founding member countries, Belgium, Luxembourg, West Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands, the ECSC marked the first contemporary, multinational economic union in Europe. In 1958, when it became clear that economic integration in Europe was tenable, the member countries of the ECSC advanced their international cooperation through the ratification of the Treaties of Rome, which established the EEC and EURATOM (Basdeo, 1990; Moravcsik, 1991). According to Timur, Picone and Desimone (2011), the EEC’s primary objective was economic coordination of the region via a universal market and the elimination of trade restrictions. From 1970, the subsequent two decades saw the EEC activities deepen to include the United Kingdom, Denmark, Spain, Greece, Ireland, and Portugal. The new expanded economic union was faced with political and economic problems including fuel crisis that peaked in the early 1970s and pressures from the North America that needed trade liberalization to succeed (Cooper and Tomic, 2007). The European heads of governments reacted with, perhaps the clearest intent of a common platform that would foster important economic and inter-governmental cooperation. Of particular concern in this paper was UK’s adoption of the SEA following Prime Minister Margret Thatcher’s endorsement of the Treaty

Literature Review Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Literature Review - Coursework Example The current study aims to examine and evaluate various practices and policies on performance appraisal systems and procedures as revealed by diverse authors whose researches have been published in peer reviewed academic journals. This literature review hereby aims to proffer relevant issues that emerge in the subject of performance appraisal. The determination of organizational effectiveness which is the degree to which objectives of an organization are achieved is a cardinal task of management. The contribution of each employee in attaining these objectives is the extent to which one has achieved. Therefore, performance evaluation is the assessment of achievement of objectives. Longenecker and Nykodym (1996) examined the potential benefits of performance appraisals and revealed that the appraisal process serves as a communication tool, a means to increase motivation and productivity, an arena for discussion of future career prospects for growth and development, as a basis for wage a dministration, and as a framework for decision making process relative to human resources concerns. Brown, Hyatt and Benson (2010) likewise validated the ability of performance appraisals in increasing employee performance and productivity through â€Å"greater employee identification with the commitment to objectives of the organization (Brown, et.al, 2010, 377); financial incentives which are contingent on performance (ibid, 378) and through encouragement of retention. Likewise, Eremin, Wolf and Woodard (2010) acknowledged the critical role of performance appraisals in merit based pay system. While eminent advantages are presumed to be realized from performance appraisal systems, some research have divulged the presence of biases due to various factors, to wit: favoritism and politics (Heneman, 2003) and issue of fairness and equity, lack of trust in management, and lack of resources or money for rewards (Eremin, et.al, 2010). On the other hand, supervisors expressed difficulties in handling poor performers as revealed from appraisal reports due to the need to exercise objectivity in identifying performance problems (Daley, 2008). Management support was likewise another factor stated by Daley (2008) as precluding plans for performance improvement. Further, the time consumed to address performance problems tend to neglect other pressing responsibilities. The need for performance appraisals and evaluation, despite issues of biases and difficulties in application and in addressing poor performers, was deemed relevant and worthy by both managers and employees (Longenecker & Nykodym, 1996). The challenging issues that face organizations is designing an appropriate and effective performance appraisal system free from biases and serves clearly identified goals. Brown (et.al, 2010) is a function of both performance appraisal procedures and treatment focusing on four indicators: clarity of role and purpose, extent of communication and flow of information, level of t rust the employee has for their supervisor, and fairness throughout the process. As suggested by Eremin (et.al, 2010), biases could be addressed through a closer evaluation of current performance evaluation systems and by increasing the training of evaluators. Longenecker & Nykodym (1996) presented both managers’ views and subordinates’

Whats Plagiarism And Taking Someone Elses Work English Language Essay

Whats Plagiarism And Taking Someone Elses Work English Language Essay The word plagiarism comes from a Latin word for kidnapping. We know that kidnapping is stealing a person. Well, plagiarism is stealing a persons ideas or writing. Also, copying others efforts and imitation of the language and thoughts for someone else and show it as your own work. Plagiarism is also a form of cheating, but its a little complicated so might be done without understanding if there are mistakes. There is different thing people taking such as writing, conversation, song or ideas and present it as your own. This includes information from web pages, books, songs, television shows, email messages, interviews, articles or artworks. Whenever you paraphrase, summarize, or take words, phrases, or sentences from another persons work, it is necessary to indicate the source of the information within your paper using an internal citation. It is not enough to just list the source in a bibliography at the end of your paper. Failing to properly quote, cite or acknowledge someone elses words or ideas with an internal citation is plagiarism. plagiarism.gif kinds of plagiarism: Using another persons exact words without including quotation marks *and* citation. For example, If you use someone elses exact words, then you must cite the original source (either in a footnote or in a citation in the text), and you must enclose the words in quotation marks or else set them off from the rest of the text by indenting them from the other text. Using another persons words, but changing some of them, or rearranging them. This is plagiarism even if the source is cited. Summarizing or paraphrasing another persons words without citation. If you use what someone else has written, but you describe it or summarize it in your own words, then you dont need to enclose it in quotation marks, but you still must provide a citation to the original source, either in a footnote or directly in the text. la_plagiarism.gif Example of plagiarism: Plagiarized Version: In examining technology, we have to remember that computers are not the first technology people have had to deal with. The first technology was the primitive modes of communication used by prehistoric people before the development of spoken language. Correct Version: In examining technology, we have to remember that computers are not the first technology people have had to deal with. Frick (1991) believes that the first technology was the primitive modes of communication used by prehistoric people before the development of spoken language (p. 10). References: Frick, T. (1991). Restructuring education through technology. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation. Explanation of plagiarized Version: This example of student written work is plagiarized. The student copied, word-for-word, text from the original source material. No credit was given to the author of the text and quotation marks were not used. Also, the student didnt provide a reference. Explanation of correct Version: Note in this example that the passage begins with the author and year of the publication. Quotation marks are used to indicate that this passage is a word-for-word citation from the original document. Why be concerned about plagiarism? If you plagiarize, you are cheating yourself: You dont learn to write out your thoughts in your own words, and you wont receive specific feedback from your instructor geared to your individual needs and skills. Plagiarism is dishonest and/or misleading: because it misrepresents the work of another as your own. Plagiarism violates the Code of Academic Conduct: and can lead to Suspension or Dismissal. Plagiarism devalues others original work. Using and submitting a professionals work as your own is taking an unfair advantage over students who do their own work. It is wrong to take or use property (an authors work) without giving the owner the credit due. Further, copyright violations can result in damages, fines, o worse. The reputation of UC Davis affects the value of your degree; student dishonesty hurts UCDs standing and can diminish the worth of your diploma. How can you avoid plagiarism? Know what plagiarism is: ignorance will not excuse a violation. Intentional plagiarism, such as elaborate copying or use of anothers work without credit, submitting a paper from the Internet as ones own, or altering or falsifying citations to hide sources is very serious, likely to result in Suspension. Unintentional plagiarism may result from not knowing how to cite sources properly, sloppy research and note-taking, or careless cutting and pasting from electronic resources it is still a violation of the Code of Academic Conduct and subject to discipline. Guidelines for Avoiding Plagiarism: * Use your own words and ideas. Practice is essential to learning. Each time you choose your words, order your thoughts, and convey your ideas, you can improve your writing. Give credit for copied, adapted, or paraphrased material. If you copy and use anothers exact words, you must use quotation marks and cite the source. If you adapt a chart or paraphrase a sentence, you must still cite your source. Paraphrasing is restating the authors ideas, information, and meaning in your own words. Avoid using others work with minor cosmetic changes. Examples: using less for fewer, reversing the order of a sentence, changing terms in a computer code, or altering a spreadsheet layout. If the work is essentially the same as your source, give credit. There are no freebies. Always cite words, information and ideas that you use if they are new to you (learned in your research). No matter where you find it even in on the Internet or in an encyclopedia you cite it! Beware of common knowledge. You may not have to cite common knowledge, but the fact must really be commonly known. When in doubt, cite. Better to be safe than not give credit when you should!plagiarism_full.jpg Recourse: http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/plag/whatisplag.php http://www.u.arizona.edu/~rlo/482/plagiarism.pdf https://www.indiana.edu/~istd/examples.html http://sja.ucdavis.edu/files/plagiarism.pdf

African American and Personal Essay Essay

|For freshman applicants only. This personal essay is a very important part of your application. It assists the University in | |knowing you as an individual, independent of test scores and other objective data. We ask that you respond to two of the topics | |below. Your personal essay should be no longer than 250 words per question for a total of 500 words for both personal essays in | |the space provided below. The best personal essay is not necessarily the longest. The essay will be requested if it is not the | |appropriate length. | |What qualities or unique characteristics do you possess that would allow you to contribute to the university community? | |Describe an activity, interest, experience, or achievement in your life (this could be a book, a movie, or an activity or | |experience at work, home, or school) that has been particularly meaningful for you. | |How has your family history, culture, or environment influenced who you are? | 1. When I think of what I can contribute to the university to community, I begin to look at what the university is all about. Florida A M University is all about warmth and acceptance. It’s all about driving students from all walks of life to perform to the best of their capabilities. There all about welcoming African American students and encouraging them to pursue greater heights. My only wish is that I will be given a chance to contribute even in the smallest of way, in helping the university keep its reputation and the prestige it deserves. Doing so is not an impossible task for I believe that simply being myself will be a contribution itself. I honestly believe that I am strong enough to face the multiple challenges that will come along the way as I pursue my studies. Moreover, I believe that being an African American; I can contribute to the cultural diversity of the university. FAMU is known for preserving and uplifting the cultural and historical heritage of the African Americans. Furthermore, the school is known to encourage African Americans to pursue their studies and become competitive in the world. I firmly believe that with my willingness to learn and to succeed, can contribute to the cause. In my little way, I can set an example to my fellow African Americans on how to actively pursue and work towards one’s goals. My belief that education is vital in achieving success is parallel with that of the university and somehow, in my everyday dealings with other students, I can help strengthen such belief. My contribution to the university community may not be grand . However through my constant strives for success I will be able to prove how valuable the education that FAMU provides can be. 2. Something that has been particularly meaningful to me is the passing of my little sister Laura in the spring on April 2, 2011. She was 11 years old, she died n a car accident on her way home with our neighbors, the tire blew out and the car flipped over 6 times killing her and 6 others. My sister was an â€Å"A† student, took all honors classes and never troubled anyone, she was a happy hearted person, loved to be around people. She looked up to me and wanted to be just like me, for instance she liked cheerleading, color guard, band, and track. those are some of the sports I participate in now and now that she is gone I look up to her and I want to Graduate High school and get into College for my Parents, myself and for her because she would of been so proud of me to see that day I walk that stage in remembrance of her I will do anything it takes to fulfill her dreams and mines, its what she would have wanted.

How effectively has Charles Dickens Essay

This piece of course work is going to focus on Charles Dickens and one of his most famous works, the novel ‘A Christmas Carol. ‘ Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth in the year 1812, his family was very poor; infact so poor that when Charles was merely 12 his father was imprisoned for debt. This caused Charles a lot of shame, embarrassment and humiliation which was made even worse, when, due to his family’s lack of money he was forced to work in a blacking factory, in pretty poor conditions for an even poorer pay. Infact this probably influenced his attitude to child labour in later life and inspired him to write ‘A Christmas Carol’. As Charles grew older he went on to work as an office boy and then finally he became a reporter of debates in the House of Commons for the Morning Chronicle, he also began to write sketches for a variety of journals. Dickens then went on to write a number of a famous novels: Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby and The Old Curiosity Shop were all completed, but it was in the year 1843 that Charles Dickens began to write one of his most famous novels ‘A Christmas Carol’. Dickens wrote ‘A Christmas Carol’ when London’s poor were living at their worst. Poverty, filth and disease wrecked the livelihoods of the poor living in London and there was very little that could be done about it. Many children died very young and shocking statistics show that in 1839 almost half of the funerals in London were for children under the age of ten. Families were big, the parents hoping that the more children there were the more money the family could earn but this often wasn’t the case as the cost of bringing up children was quite expensive. Parents gained money from working around the clock for six days a week this meant a lot more than 12 hour working days for the poor and often mistreat from their employers, but it gained a little money and kept the families alive. However the amount of time spent at work would obviously take a toll and family life would deteriorate so Sundays were kept very special as a time to chill once a week and just to spend time with family and friends. This was a day of freedom until the law made going to church compulsory every Sunday ‘ Sabbatarianism’. This really affected the lives of the poor as they could not spend quality time with their families and had no freedom. This was something Dickens really empathised with and he really understood the poors’ views and wanted to do all he could to change it. Most children grew up facing a life following in their parent’s footsteps which meant a life of no education or money. The only option left was to be part of the ‘ Ragged Schools’, schools run through a charity which gave children a basic education and some religious lessons. Dickens himself was very interested in this charity although he did not agree with the compulsory religious education. The lives of the poor were indeed very terrible and Dickens was determined to do something about it, he realised that people would take much more notice of the horrific living conditions for the poor if he wrote about them in a story. So through his characters in Christmas Carol he really reflected the truth about life for the poor, how even when their lives were the most terrible you could imagine, they spread love to others around them and they stuck together through the worst. How they weren’t lazy just not well enough paid. This really changed many of the rich peoples( or Scrooges) ideas about the poor and ended up changing many of the lives of the people living in London. Dickens then went on to write a number of books that are still just as famous and widely read today. He was still writing in 1870 when he died suddenly leaving his final novel ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood’ incomplete. Dickens tells the story ‘A Christmas Carol’ almost like a song; each chapter is called a stave which means a verse. There are five staves; each one represents a different thing that happens to the main character Scrooge. The first stave starts off with the Scrooge before the visits from the four ghosts; ‘He was a tight fisted hand at the grind stone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner’. It is then a little later on in the first stave that the first ghost is introduced, Scrooge is visited by his long dead best friend the ghost of Jacob Marley. Marley tells Scrooge the coming plot of the story how he will be introduced to 3 different ghosts all with the same message ‘Change your ways’. The second stave is the visit of the first spirit, the ‘Ghost of Christmas Past’. Then the third and forth staves are separated into the visits of the second and third spirits, the ‘Ghost of Christmas Present’ and the ‘Ghost of Christmas Future’. They tell of Scrooges life and how if he doesn’t change he will come to a very bitter end. The fifth and final stave is how Scrooge has reformed his character he is a completely different person and he helps to change the lives of everyone who knows him. Dickens uses many skills and techniques to portray contrasting views on Christmas through his characters. This way he managed to open the eyes of so many people living in London, he convinced them that the poor were not lazy but good, hardworking, honest people who deserved a lot more than they got. In his novel he displayed two main, contrasting views on Christmas. One came from Scrooge, the typical rich man who did not see any reason to be jolly at Christmas as it was a time when you paid bills but had no money. ‘ What’s Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money, a time for finding yourself a year older, and not an hour richer. ‘ The other contrasting view comes from the poorer people, whom Dickens always displays in a good light. There are two main characters in the novel that come from poorer backgrounds, one is Scrooges clerk, the hardworking, honest Bob Cratchitt, the other is Scrooges very own nephew. He is very set against Scrooges point of view on Christmas. ‘A good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time†¦ ‘ This is a very effective and clever technique that Dickens has used because he is emphasizing the fact that Scrooge is the miserly old man that doesn’t really care about anyone but himself and making money; this puts the poor in the good light, they are displayed as warm, kind hearted loving people who care and look out for each other. This is exactly what Dickens has intended to do; it has instantly made the reader aware that the poor people are the good. Another example of a contrasting view on Christmas is also in the conversation that Scrooge has with his nephew. It once again emphasises on the fact that Scrooge only cares about money; Scrooge says ‘ Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? You’re poor enough. ‘ The nephew then replies: ‘Come then†¦ What right have you to be dismal? What reason have you to be morose? You’re rich enough. ‘ Scrooge is saying here that his nephew has no reason to be merry at Christmas time as he is too poor; with which the nephew retaliates that in that case Scrooge has no right to be unhappy at Christmas time as he is very rich.

Matrix Paper essays

Matrix Paper essays Every human being is born into a society whereas they are taught specific actions. For example, a young child is taught to read a book, he does not know how to read from birth. It is a part of the learning process he must endure in order to grow. Everyday actions or rituals, as in a job or even brushing your teeth become imbedded in peoples minds. Man by nature is a subject, to his family, job, and world. Laws that must be followed govern humans. Basically, each individual fits somewhere on the Totem Pole. In the film The Matrix, Neo, the main protagonist, is subjected from birth to normal everyday actions of life. He is born into his parents idealistic society-the normal earth. To Neo this is the norm. What each person does daily is just part of life. He works for a computer company as a slave in the Matrix. His idealistic society is normal; he does not think of himself as a slave in bondage. At one point a character contacts him named Morphios. Morphios shows Neo through the use of a pill just what the real world is like. Every thought that Neo has been subjected to becomes a fantasy or just a front. Neo awakes in a vat of gunk attached to many chords. His matrix world no longer exists, just a memory in his new growing mind. He is reborn into the real world. Same as before, he is subjected to a new learning process. Still this man has not escaped subjection. In this world the humans are subjected to the artificial intelligence life forms; they control the board. The humans are still interpolating class structure and everyday (for the characters) actions. Neos escape into a better world in reality is only a bad change of scenery from the matrix. His life for the most part is still under subjection; however, just in different forms. The film The Matrix places a thought in each viewers mind: are we really being subjected to an i...

Definition and Examples of Monologues

Definition and Examples of Monologues A monologue is a  speech or composition  presenting the words or thoughts of a single character. (Compare with dialogue.) Someone who delivers a monologue is called a monologuist or monologist. Leonard Peters describes a monologue as a dialogue between two people. One person speaking, the other listening and reacting, creating a relationship between the two (Demystifying the Monologue, 2006). Etymology From the Greek, speaking alone Examples and Observations It was the first day off in a long time, and all of us were trying to get a little rest and relaxation out by the pool at this big, modern hotel that looked something like a prison. If I had to call it anything I would call it a pleasure prison. It was the kind of place you might come to on a package tour out of Bangkok. Youd come down on a chartered bus - and youd probably not wander off the grounds because of the high barbed-wire fence they have to keep you in and the bandits out. And every so often you would hear shotguns going off as the hotel guards fired at rapid dogs down along the beach on the Gulf of Siam.But if you really wanted to walk on the beach, all you had to learn to do was pick up a piece of seaweed, shake it in the dogs face and everything would be hunky dory.(Spalding Gray, Swimming to Cambodia. Theatre Communications Group, 2005)A monologue is a predominantly verbal presentation given by a single person featuring a collection of ideas, often loosely assembled ar ound one or more themes. Note that I do not define it as a strictly verbal presentation; many, though certainly not all, successful monologuists also employ nonverbal elements to great effect, such as, their use of facial expressions and hand gestures, along with a variety of props and stage devices.(Jay Sankey, Zen and the Art of the Monologue. Routledge, 2000) Monologues and Dialogues A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. Thats why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet.​  (Truman Capote)There is no such thing as conversation. It is an illusion. There are intersecting monologues, that is all. We speak; we spread round us with sounds, with words, an emanation from ourselves. Sometimes they overlap the circles that others are spreading around themselves. They they are affected by those other circles, to be sure, but not because of any real communication that has taken place, merely as a scarf of blue chiffon lying on a womans dressing table will change colour if she casts down on it a scarf of red chiffon.​  (Rebecca West, There Is No Conversation. The Harsh Voice, 1935) Two Versions of Hamlets Famous Monologue (Modernized Spelling) 1603 Version (Bad Quarto) To be, or not to be, aye theres the point, To die, to sleep, is that all? Aye, all. No, to sleep, to dream, aye, marry, there it goes, For in that dream of death, when we awake, And born before an everlasting judge, From whence no passenger ever returned, The undiscovered country, at whose sight The happy smile, and the accursed damned. But for this, the joyful hope of this. Whod bear the scorns and flattery of the world, Scorned by the right rich, the rich cursed of the poor? The widow being oppressed, the orphan wronged, The taste of hunger, or a tyrants reign, And thousand more calamities besides, To grunt and sweat under this weary life, When that he may his full quietus make, With a bare bodkin, who would this endure, But for a hope of something after death? Which puzzles the brain, and doth confound the sense, Which makes us rather bear those evils we have, Than fly to others that we know not of. Aye thatO this conscience makes cowards of us all. 1604-1605 Version (Second Quarto)To be, or not to be, that is the question:Whether tis nobler in the mind to sufferThe slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep - No moreand by a sleep to say we endThe heartache and the thousand natural shocksThat flesh is heir to! Tis a consummationDevoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep - To sleepperchance to dream: ay, theres the rub,For in that sleep of death what dreams may comeWhen we have shuffled off this mortal coil,Must give us pause. Theres the respectThat makes calamity of so long life:For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,The oppressors wrong, the proud mans contumely,The pangs of despised love, the laws delay,The insolence of office, and the spurnsThat patient merit of the unworthy takes,When he himself might his quietus makeWith a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,To grunt and sweat under a weary life,But that the dread of something after dea th,The undiscovered country from whose bournNo traveller returns, puzzles the will,And makes us rather bear those ills we haveThan fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,And thus the native hue of resolutionIs sicklied over with the pale cast of thought,And enterprises of great pitch and momentWith this regard their currents turn awryAnd lose the name of action.(William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act Three, scene 1) The Lighter Side of Monologues You know, there are some things that are actually harder to do with two people. Like, monologues.(Tina Fey as Liz Lemon in 30 Rock, 2006) Pronunciation: MA-neh-log Also Known As: dramatic soliloquy Alternate Spellings: monolog

International Consumer Behaviour Analysis Assignment

International Consumer Behaviour Analysis - Assignment Example This is because; people have different preferences and tastes that change from one place to another and across generations. Mobile technology has been experiencing various changes in terms of development; technology has been the cornerstone for the changes that continue to characterize the industry. The smartphone, which is the current technology in use in the manufacture of mobile phones in several companies, describes a phone that has advanced features to enhance its computing ability. In general, smartphones have features that have many similarities with computers and those of other consumer devices that are common in the business and social world, for instance PDA (personal digital assistants), digital cameras as well as navigation units with the GPS technology. The smartphone industry in the United States has been fast growing, with many companies fighting to have and increase their market share. In this regard, many companies have been developing and launching various smartphones and related technologies that meet the various needs of people in their corporate, individual and social needs. Statistics that have been collected about the use of smartphones and their respective brand preference by consumers in the United States has shown different results. Currently, android tops the list on the smartphone platform, commanding a 52.1 percent of the market share, while Apple comes second with 41.9 percent. Other companies in that order include, Microsoft at 3.4 percent, blackberry and Symbian at 2.3 and 0.1 percent respectively as shown. The smartphone industry has been enjoying an increasing demand from its consumers worldwide; these have been attributed to various factors that are characteristic of consumers in the market. One of the factors that has played a huge role towards this development is the ever-increasing advancements in information and

Book sales declining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Book sales declining - Essay Example However, the current economic circumstances are pushing the physical book sales market further down the line with low chances of recovery. 2. Variables The variables listed above are explained below to enhance understanding on the issue at hand. A. Global economic down turn: The economic crises that unfolded in recent years have hit the retail business as a whole. This has forced the retail business sales to go down significantly. Data from the Statistical Abstract of the United States indicates that employment at major retail stores has gone down by 8.6% between December 2007 and December 2009. (Miliot) This is compounded by the fact that retail stores have decreased the number of hours that employees work at retail stores which effectively signals cost cutting techniques at work. This variable has tended to affect book sales as a whole (online and physical) negatively. Negative growth resulting from the economic down turn has been rapid and seems bent upon sustaining current trends . Consumers are still figuring out how much their budgets can afford the purchases of new books. The spike in sales in the last quarter of each year indicates that consumers do have the kind of purchasing power required to buy books but they lack the initiative too given the general state of depression. However, it is significant to note that the larger authors are still generating sales as they did previously. The larger brand names in publishing are averaging around the same business level which again shows market potential. (Rich) B. Growing use of e-books: The growing move towards e-books has hit the regular book publishing markets highly in the long run. It is expected... The economic crises that unfolded in recent years have hit the retail business as a whole. This has forced the retail business sales to go down significantly. Data from the Statistical Abstract of the United States indicates that employment at major retail stores has gone down by 8.6% between December 2007 and December 2009. (Miliot) This is compounded by the fact that retail stores have decreased the number of hours that employees work at retail stores which effectively signals cost cutting techniques at work. This variable has tended to affect book sales as a whole (online and physical) negatively. Negative growth resulting from the economic down turn has been rapid and seems bent upon sustaining current trends. Consumers are still figuring out how much their budgets can afford the purchases of new books. The spike in sales in the last quarter of each year indicates that consumers do have the kind of purchasing power required to buy books but they lack the initiative too given the general state of depression. However, it is significant to note that the larger authors are still generating sales as they did previously. The larger brand names in publishing are averaging around the same business level which again shows market potential. Growing use of e-books: The growing move towards e-books has hit the regular book publishing markets highly in the long run. It is expected that regular book publishing will decrease at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 3% between 2010 and 2014.