Thursday, October 31, 2019

Ell Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Ell - Research Paper Example lish Language Learners such as different linguistic backgrounds, varying levels of proficiency in English, varying levels of proficiency in native language, and cultural factors, it is important to design the most appropriate type of assessments for these learners. Various types of assessments for English Language Learners include formative and summative assessments, objective and subjective assessments, informal and formal assessments, and internal and external assessments. While formative assessments such as quizzes and practices tests strengthen memory recall, summative assessments including tests and exams are designed to evaluate knowledge, skills, and abilities of the learner. Apart from these, the two types of assessments that are commonly used with ELLs include large-scale assessments and alternate classroom assessments. â€Å"A comprehensive assessment system tied to instructional improvement is an essential aspect of a quality educational program that will directly impact children’s early academic achievement. Many studies have confirmed the powerful effect a well designed early education program with appropriate assessment can have on ELL’s emerging bilingualism, in addition to English language acquisition and overall cognitive development.† (Espinosa and Là ³pez, 2007, p. 20). In short, it is essential to design the most appropriate type of assessments for English Language Learners in order to improve their language abilities in every aspect. 2. Why is it important to include language objectives as well as content objectives in a lesson plan? How should you post them and share with students? Write a content and language objective from the content area English language learning. The lesson plan section of the effective instructional strategy incorporates language objectives as well as content objectives in order to help the educators be focused on the outcome of classroom instruction. This has been one of the important guidelines for the educators

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Why Culture is Everything for Remote Teams Essay Example for Free

Why Culture is Everything for Remote Teams Essay Earlier this year I participated in a group to plan the Long Service Awards for the NHS. I am going to look at the group dynamics through the Tuckman Guide to Group Dynamics. Each year our NHS trust gives out Long Service Awards to staff who have 20,30 or 40 years service with the NHS. The awards are given out at a celebration buffet by our Chairman and the Executive Directors are in attendance. In order to prepare for the event, the HR assistants come together as a group with the band 4 in charge of the project. This year as part of my development I was in charge of the project. I had to bring the groups together and got through all the tasks from receiving the staff lists, organizing the event to being there on the day to make sure everything runs smoothly. Forming The team met and I explained the process of the Long Service awards, the different stages, and time frames. As a lot of the HRAs where new to the role, a lot of support was needed The HRA’s where each gives the staff for the Divisional Business Unit and the first stage would be to check all the staff on the list for 20,30 40 years services and contact them. I explained that this needs to be completed by the end of January so that numbers could be calculated to order for us to book the Room, Food, Frames, and certificates. Storming The team went back to their relevant DBUs and started to check staff service history and then contact staff. I found that at this time the HRA’s where at different stages. Some of the DBU’s where larger than others and so some HRA’s had more work but when they asked for help from others with less staff, the others would not help which caused conflict and negativity. We met up again to discuss what was happening and to make sure team was working and to see what we could do about the team members who had more work and to talk about more collaboration within the team. Norming We started meeting more and the team members got more involved making suggestions. I delegated out parts of the project. To the team and they were more focused and knew what needed to be done. I delegated out parts of the projects (i.e. checking on the prices of frames, vouchers, rooms, and food to get the best value for money). Performing On the day of the event, we arrived early to set up and make sure that everything arrived on time ticking items of on the checklist as they arrived. The awards were a great success, 120 staff showed up, there were a few issues which we dealt with on the day, where staff at gotten the wrong amount of years but all the staff enjoyed themselves. Adjourning At the end of the event, the executive Director congratulated us saying how everyone had to enjoy themselves. We pack up and went back to the office to sort through the rest of the certificates and vouchers for the staff who had not been able to attend and to talk through what we did that worked and what needed improvement. The major thing that did come out was more communication and meetings at the beginning to make sure the team knew what was expected of them and so help us all work as a team. Whilst the team was working on the Long Service Awards we had a few conflicts with the team. The first was at the beginning when staff that had smaller staff lists would not help those that had the larger lists. I resolved this using the collaborating mode of the Thomas Kilman Instrument, bringing the group back together and talking through the issues. Asking staff who had the capacity to help others. The second was later when we were meeting more often, one of the team did not drive and so it was talking her 1 Â ½ hours each way for meetings. This was resolved by using the compromising mode of the Thomas Kilman instrument by moving the meetings around the footprint of the Trust in the separate DBUs not just at Trust HQ and checking to see if any staff could offer lifts when required.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Micro Environment Of HSBC

Micro Environment Of HSBC The whole world is now getting so much competitive and diversified. So the business organization doing business globally must have to make their strategy in different way that will give them competitive advantage in the competitive global market. So the aim of this assignment is to show how an organization is making its global strategy and what the competitive advantages are they getting from this business strategy. As required, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) is selected and analyzed in this assignment. The HSBC Group has a history, which is unique. Many of its principal companies opened for business over a century ago and they have a history rich in variety and achievement. The inspiration behind the founding of the bank was Thomas Sutherland, a Scot who was then working as the Hong Kong Superintendent of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. Realizing the considerable demand for local banking facilities both in Hong Kong and along the China coast and he helped to establish the bank in March 1865. Then, as now, the banks headquarters were at 1 Queens Road Central in Hong Kong and a branch was opened one month later in Shanghai. Throughout the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries, the bank established a network of agencies and branches based mainly in China and South East Asia but also with representation in the Indian sub-continent, Japan, Europe and North America. In many of its branches the bank was the pioneer of modern banking practices (Company overview) This assignment includes analysis of the business environment of this organisation by analysis of the micro and macro environments and using different analysis techniques. Such as: SWOT Analysis, PEST Analysis etc. This also covers the analysis of the industry of the organization, the impact of globalization on the organization, and the international market where it operates its business. 1.1 Micro Environment of HSBC Group Stakeholders: Stakeholders of HSBC are always getting the preference. There are different stakeholders of HSBC. Such as: Shareholders Media Publics Government Citizen-action publics Local publics General publics Internal publics Suppliers: suppliers form an important link in the companys overall customer value delivery system. HSBC maintains a strong relationship with all the suppliers of this bank around the world. So they always cooperates the bank in any type of needed. Customers: The bank tries to target mainly five types of customer markets. These are as: Consumers, business clients, reseller market, Government, and international customers. HSBC mainly maintains strong relationship with international customers for long term profitability. Competitors: Competitors are the people to make the business environment dynamic and lead them to identify different new ideas of doing business. They always make a good competitive environment and maintain a formal and cooperative situation of business. Market intermediaries: Marketing intermediaries are composed of all the individuals or companies who help in the promotion, selling, and distribution of the companys products or services. They play an important role to make sure the growth of the organization. 1.2 Macro Environment of HSBC Group External climate: A key part of the Groups business strategy, announced in 1998, is the creation of a global brand featuring the HSBC name and hexagon symbol. The symbol is now a familiar sight around the world. The Group has embarked on the next phase making the HSBC brand universally synonymous with its core values of integrity, trust and excellent customer service. Economic: Through the process of listening to individuals needs and then acting in partnership to deliver the right solutions, HSBC is committed to help the clients make the most of their financial assets. This states the most favorable economic situation. Political and legal environment: HSBC operate on a global basis, but also work on a local level to ensure the cross-border differences are identified and any related benefits exploited. HSBC teams of specialists ensure that whether you need solutions across the world, regionally, or locally, and they have the skills, expertise, and resources to deliver them. They automate as many functions as possible, even as ensuring retains control. So they have to cope up with the political and legal environment of the whole world. Cultural environment: HSBC claims that they are the people to talk to if anyone wants the following: Global cash flow co-ordination Enhanced risk management Improved security and audit controls Minimized costs and reduced operating expenses Maximized liquidity, returns and interest benefits This culture makes the organization popular to the customer and the customer can be satisfied by the service of the bank. Resources (capital, people and natural): The Hexagon logo of HSBC derives from HSBCs traditionally flag, a white rectangle divided diagonally. The design of the flag was based on the cross of ST. Andrew, The Patron Saint of Scotland. HSBC brand corporate identity represents what HSBC wants its brand to mean to its customer. It is derived from the group. Without these resources it has also a large amount of capital resources and a large group of expert and trained employees. Technology: HSBCs basic drives are Higher Productivity, Team Orientation, and Creative Organization, Customer Orientation. The essence of HSBC brand is integrity, trust, and excellent customer service. It gives confidence to customers, value to investors, comfort to colleagues. HSBC is a prudent, cost conscious, ethically grounded, conservative, trustworthy international builder of long-term customer relationships. 1.3 SWOT Analysis of HSBC SWOT analysis is a process of situational analysis. Evaluating a firms strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats through a SWOT analysis is an easy process that provides valuable insights relating to critical issues affecting an organization. SWOT analysis: The internal and external situations can provide valuable information which can come in handy at times. The SWOT analysis categorizes the internal organizational factors as strengths and weaknesses and the external situational aspects as opportunities or threats. The strengths can be used for building a competitive advantage, whereas weakness may hinder the process. The purpose of SWOT analysis is to identify crucial factors for realizing the goals. The internal factors of an organization can be considered as strengths or weaknesses depending upon their impact on the organization. These may include all 4Ps, personnel, manufacturing capabilities, finance, etc, whereas external factors are technological changes, macroeconomic factors, socio-cultural changes and legislation, as well as changes occurring in the marketplace. SWOT analyses of HSBC are as follow: Strengths HSBCs strengths are its resources that lie in: Cost advantages from proprietary know how is very favorable. It has a great value of Patents and trademark HSBC has Influential brand names It also has access to natural resources Accessible distribution network Weakness The weakness can be lack of certain strengths that include: Lack of patent protection Deprived of access to main distribution channels Weak brand name High cost structure Inaccessible natural resources Opportunities The assessment of external environment may bring forth certain new opportunities for HSBC, which are as follows: Technologies innovations Elimination of international trade barriers An untapped market need Threats Unfavorable changes in external environment may pose threat to the organization. Some of them are as follows: Consumers shift to different brand Arrival of substitutes Strict regulations Growing trade barriers 1.4 PEST Analysis of HSBC 1. Political Factors This exercise dissects the political, governmental, and legal aspects of a particular business. Both local and global environments are studied because federal, state, local, and foreign governments are major regulators, deregulators, subsidizers, employers. 2. Economic Factors Economic analysis, a comprehensive study of national, regional, and global economic performance and trends, represents a highly important phase of strategy development for planned, start-up, and growing businesses 3. Social Factors The social component of strategic analysis relates to assessing the social, cultural, demographic, and environmental profiles of addressable markets. 4. Technological Factors Technology is a business enabler that has revolutionary impact on the actual conduct of business. It contributes to achieving desired business productivity and efficiency. Technology is one of the key drivers of modern business firm. As an international organization HSBC try to adopt modern technology always. So this will give preference to the firm. 2.1 History of Bank Industry The history of banking begins with the first prototype banks of merchants of the ancient world, which made grain loans to farmers and traders who carried goods between cities. This began around 2000 BC in Assyria and Babylonia. Later, in ancient Greece and during the Roman Empire, lenders based in temples made loans and added two important innovations: they accepted deposits and changed money. Archaeology from this period in ancient China and India also shows evidence of money lending activity(Peter Garber, 2001). Banking, in the modern sense of the word, can be traced to medieval and early Renaissance Italy, to the rich cities in the north such as Florence, Venice and Genoa. Perhaps the most famous Italian bank was the Medici bank, established by Giovanni Medici in 1397. The development of banking spread from northern Italy through Europe and a number of important innovations took place in Amsterdam during the Dutch Republic in the 16th century and in London in the 17th century. The financial crisis of 2007-2008 caused many bank failures, including some of the worlds largest banks, and provoked much debate about bank regulation. In the Late-2000s financial crisis caused significant stress on banks around the world. The failure of a large number of major banks resulted in government bail-outs. The collapse and fire sale of Bear Stearns to JP Morgan Chase in March 2008 and the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September that same year led to a credit crunch and global banking crises (Jean-Charles Rochet, 2008). In response governments around the world bailed-out, nationalized or arranged fire sales for a large number of major banks. These events spawned the term too big to fail and resulted in a lot of discussion about the moral hazard of these actions. 2.2 The Extent of Globalization and Current Internal Issues According to Modelski, globalization is a historical process which is characterized by a growing engagement between peoples on all corners of the globe (Modelski, 2003, pp.55-59). However, as Heywood points out, it can refer to various things such as processes, policies, strategies, an occurrence or an ideology. He suggests, its elusive meaning lays in the fact that it is not so much and it as a team (2007, p.143). The reason for the elusiveness of the term is that, as Heywood pints out, it involves many different facets which many different academics proclaim as its defining features. This provides the best summary of what globalization is and what it involves; however, different perspectives on globalization view these processes in different ways and provide competing explanations of their significance. The first of these to be outlined is the hyper globalist perspective (Held, D. and McGrew, A. (2003). Each perspective differs however on how the globalization process impacts on politics. The hyper globalists argue that globalization is leading the world into a period which will see the end of the nation state and the emergence of a global governance system. The transformation lists on the other hand reject this idea, and instead claim that the nation state is still relevant in a globalised world, but needs to adapt to the challenges that the increasing flows of capital and culture impose. On the issue of cultural flows there is again divergence amongst the perspectives. For hyper globalists, the path towards a homogenous world culture is inevitable as globalization develops. For transformation lists, the process of globalization is creating a world community of diverse cultures whilst for the skeptics, cultural interaction and integration is nothing new. On the question on the extent the world is actually globalised, there is also agreement and disagreement (Peter Garber, 2001). For both the hyper globalists and the transformation lists, the contemporary world is more globalised than ever before, with economics, politics and culture never more connected than in this age of mass media, internet and rapid communication. Globalization, they argue, has touched every corner of the globe, and will continue on that trajectory into the future. For the skeptics however, the world is not actually globalised but is instead regionalized. To back up this claim, they point to the massive inequalities between countries in the western world, and those in the developing world. 2.3 The International Markets In Which It Operates HSBCs International Network The HSBC Groups international network comprises of some 7,000 offices in 80 countries. A brief list is presented below: Fig 2: HSBCs International Networks Country Classifications To ensure that the key resources (management time, capital, human resources and information technology) are correctly allocated and that the exchange of best practice is accelerated between entities, the group has classified the countries where it operates into 3 categories: the large, the major and the international. These classifications are a function of sustainable, attributable earnings, the number of retail clients, balance sheet and size of operation. A brief presentation of this classification is shown below: Figure 3: Map of HSBCs Country Classifications Large: United Kingdom, USA and Hong Kong SAR/Mainland China. Definition More than one million personal clients Sustainable earnings greater than US$ 200 million Business Focus Concentrated group resources on wealth management Be a top 10 player in any market or region served Develop cross selling, loyalty programs and value added products. Major: Argentina, Canada, Malaysia, India, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Singapore and United Arab Emirates. Definition Sustainable earnings between US$ 100 200 million Business Focus Universal banks (personal, corporate, and investment banking with domestic business) Platforms for international group business Next generation of large companies Stable self funding entities Onshore HQ International: The rest of the world Definition Æ’ËÅ" Earnings below US$ 100 million Business Focus Platforms for international group business Limited domestic presence Nursery for developing management Tomorrows major businesses Supported by offshore HQ Banks under the HSBC Group Many of the members have changed their name into HSBC, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited to introduce the whole group under one brand name. Midland Bank HSBC Holdings acquired Midland Bank one of the principal UK clearing banks in 1992. Headquartered in London, the bank has a personal customer base of five and a half million, business customers of over half a million, and a network of almost 1,700 branches in the United Kingdom. Midland has offices in 28 countries and territories, principally in continental Europe, with a number of offices in Latin America. Hang Seng Bank Hang Seng Bank, in which Hongkong Bank has a 62.1% equity interest, maintains a network of 146 branches in the Hong Kong SAR, where it is the second largest locally incorporated bank after Hongkong Bank. Hang Seng Bank also has a branch in Singapore and two branches and two representative offices in China. Marine Midland Bank Marine Midland Bank headquartered in Buffalo, New York, has 380 banking locations statewide. The bank serves over two million personal customers and 120,000 commercial and institutional customers in New York State and, in selected businesses, throughout the United States. Hongkong Bank of Canada Hongkong Bank of Canada is the largest foreign-owned bank in Canada and the countrys seventh-largest bank. With headquarters in Vancouver, it has 116 branches across Canada and two branches in the western United States. Banco HSBC Bamerindus Banco HSBC Bamerindus was established in Brazil in 1997. The bank has network of some 1,900 branches and sub-branches, the second largest in Brazil. Hongkong Bank Malaysia Hongkong Bank Malaysia is the largest foreign-owned bank in Malaysia and the countrys fifth-largest bank, with 36 branches. The British Bank of the Middle East (British Bank) The British Bank of the Middle East (British Bank) is the largest and most widely represented international bank in the Middle East, with 31 branches throughout the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon and the Palestinian Autonomous Area, including an offshore banking unit in Bahrain. The bank also has branches in Mumbai and Trivandrum, India, and Baku, Azerbaijan, as well as private banking operations in London and Geneva. HSBC Banco Roberts HSBC Banco Roberts was acquired in 1997. Based in Buenos Aires, it is one of Argentinas largest privately owned banks, with 60 branches throughout the country. Hongkong Bank of Australia Hongkong Bank of Australia has 16 branches across Australia. It is the flagship of the HSBC Groups businesses there, operating under the name HSBC Australia, and providing a complete range of financial services. The Saudi British Bank The Saudi British Bank, a 40%-owned member of the HSBC Group, has 63 branches throughout Saudi Arabia and a branch in London. Figure 1: Banks under the HSBC Group Other associated Group banks are British Arab Commercial Bank, The Cyprus Popular Bank and Egyptian British Bank. Customer Segments of HSBC Group Personal Financial Services HSBC provides a full range of personal financial services, including current and savings account, mortgages, insurance, credit cards, loans, pensions and investments. In 2000, residential mortgages across the Group excluding Household grew by 15%, while non-mortgage personal lending increased by over 20%. Credit cards in issue grew by 20% worldwide. Sales of repayment protection insurance and deposit growth reached record levels. Current account balances in the UK exceeded  £ 10 billion for the first time at year-end 2000. The number of customers registered for e-banking services via the internet and telephone more than trebled in 2000. The internet generated sales of over 2.3 million products and 87 million transactions. Consumer Finance Through Household International, Inc., HSBC is now a major provider of consumer finance and a top 10 issuer of credit cards in the USA. Household provides consumer loans, credit cards, vehicle finance, mortgage financing and credit insurance to middle America. During 2004, Household achieved good organic loan growth, which it supplemented with portfolio acquisitions. The strongest growth was in the real estate portfolio and the mortgage services business, and also in branch-based consumer lending. Synergy benefits with HSBC included store cards and point-of-sale financing. Commercial Banking The provision of services to small and medium-sized enterprises around the world is core strength of HSBC. During 2000, HSBC increased its leading position in the UK business start-up market to 21% and attracted record levels of business current and deposit account balances. Business internet banking was offered in 20 countries and territories, and the number of registered users more than doubled to 600,000. Money transmission revenues, trade finance fees, wealth, savings and insurance products all showing growth during 2000. Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets This customer group comprises four main business lines Corporate and Institutional Banking, Global Investment Banking, Global Markets and Global Transaction Banking which focus on long-term relationships with major international corporations and institutions. Record results were achieved in 2000. The Global Markets business excelled, particularly in international debt issuance, risk management and structured products, and foreign exchange. Global Investment Banking was entrusted with a number of landmark deals in capital restructuring, corporate reorganization and strategic advice. Private Banking This customer group provides world-class financial services to high net worth individuals and their families. In 2000, Private Banking posted improved financial results in all regions, led by Asia, which had a record year. New business initiatives and a general improvement in investment markets led to increased client activity across a range of products. An increase in discretionary mandates, together with a strong demand for client-tailored structured products, contributed to higher fee revenues and dealing income. Funds under management grew by 18%, reflecting both net inflows of client assets and improving market conditions. 2.4 The Impact of Globalization on HSBC Corporate banking is the most profitable segment of HSBC, since it has globally recognized brand name and it has competitive advantage in international trade and finance. But the nature of competition in financial service is changing dramatically. Most competitive advantages are not creating long-term benefits and at best are temporarily improving yesterdays business. From the study it seemed to me that personal financial products of HSBC are mainly basic since it is less focused. Using the brand name and widening the personal financial product range, HSBC bank has the potential to become the leader in consumer banking market of the country. So, the concerned department should formulate strategy and policies to compete better with the challenging opportunities of the future. 3.1 Moral and ethical questions As an international organization HSBC sometimes faces some problems in different geographical location. This problem is the moral and ethical question. The bank operates in different conservative countries. The sociological limitations of these countries make some ethical dilemma for the bank. The bank always tries to involve with different corporate social affairs. So their different strategies sometimes have a little conflict with the existing ethical framework of those countries. 3.2 Conflicts When the bank started the journey in Africa in had to face a lot of problems in operation. Because the people of Africa have different social values and culture. So the bank had to gradually cope up with the existing culture. The climate change of Africa also made some problems. The general business policy had to change due to the conflict of the existing sociological forces. Though the bank is still changing their policy but still now there have some ethical and moral conflict. The anti-globalism policy of some countries makes the conflict with the globalized policy of the bank. 3.3 Legislation Corporate social responsibility is the one of the key marketing policy of HSBC. The banks main focus is to involve with more international corporate affairs by means of CSR. This planning has the impact on global marketing. But the corporate social responsibility issue is not always smooth in all in the countries. Different countries and region have some legislation and bindings in regulations relating to corporate social responsibility. In Asia the business policy sometimes faces some legislative obstacles and the bank have to face some problems in operations. Conclusion During the Second World War the bank was forced to close many branches and its head office was temporarily moved to London. However, after the war the bank played a key role in the reconstruction of the Hong Kong economy and began to further diversify the geographical spread of the bank. The post-war political and economic changes in the world forced the bank to analyze its strategy for continued growth in the 1950s. The bank diversified both its business and its geographical spread through acquisitions and alliances. This strategy culminated in 1992 with one of the largest bank acquisitions in history when HSBC Holdings acquired the UKs Midland Bank plc (now called HSBC Bank plc). However, it remained committed to its historical markets and played an important part in the reconstruction of Hong Kong where its branch network continued to expand. HSBC understands that there are many challenges facing todays youth as they prepare to engage in the increasingly changing and complex aspects of the real world. Recognizing the importance of educating, inspiring and equipping youth of all backgrounds to succeed in a global economy, we began a partnership with Junior Achievement USA (Junior Achievement) in 1942. We expanded this partnership to launch a global initiative in 2006 and began working with JA Worldwide.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Marcus Mosiah Garvey :: rastafarianism, reggae music

Marcus Mosiah Garvey was a powerful black revolutionary and race leader who influenced a great many people in his time and continues to do so through reggae music. Many of Marcus Garvey's lessons and ideals have found a voice in the lyrics of conscious reggae musicians past and present. From internationally famous musicians such as Bob Marley and Burning Spear, to the music and words of The Rastafari Elders, reggae musicians have found inspiration in Marcus Garvey. For many reggae musicians, their work is about more than music, it is a tool for teaching the masses. Peter Tosh at a concert in California told the audience the reason why he was there."Don't think I come here for entertainment. I and I come to flash lightening, earthquake, and thunder in these places of destruction and unrighteousness."2 Tosh and many musicians like him are taking reggae to a higher level, one where the musicians are prophets of Garvey and Rasta. Much of the teachings of reggae are based on a Rastafarian view, as this is the religion of many of the conscious reggae musicians that preach the Garvey message. Rastafarianism owes a lot to Marcus Garvey, as he is credited as the founder. The religion was born on the words"Look to Africa for the crowning of a Black king."3 They waited and in 1930, the prophecy was fulfilled when, Ras Tafari Mekonnen was crowned emperor of Ethiopia and took the name Haile Selassie. Working from the bible and their own interpretations of it, the Rastafarians found evidence to support their claim and a religion was born. Marcus Garvey is considered part of the Rastafari Trinity, and"is second only to Haile Selassie,"4 the Rastafari God. Whether singing directly about Marcus Mosiah Garvey, or about Rastafarianism, reggae musicians are helping to spread the teachings of this black prophet and revolutionary to millions of music listeners all over the world. Marcus Garvey was born in 1887 in the St. Ann's Parish in Jamaica. He came from a large, poor family and due to lack of money, when he was fourteen Garvey left school and became a printer's apprentice. By the age of eighteen he had become a master printer. Garvey had always been a quick learner and when he became the foreman of a printing company in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica,"he continued his education by reading extensively, taking advantage of the company library."5 However, Marcus Garvey's political feelings soon got in the way when the workers went on strike in 1909.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Significant Moment

I sighed and leaned back into my seat. It made a squeaky noise. I had just been given as assignment where I needed to write about a person who had made a great influence in my life. As I sat silently and listened in my seat, my mind went racing to the past, searching for ideas and digging up precious memories. It had been years since I looked back at those memories but I still remember them. By the end of class that day, I had already decided on whom to write about. I remember that momentous time in my life like it was yesterday. Two years ago on a hot Wednesday afternoon on the month of August, as I was walking home from school, I kept replaying the earlier events of the day in my mind. I was not having a good day. That day during speech class, I failed my first oral presentation. I either could not stop stuttering or talked extremely fast. I was so nervous it felt as if my gut was about to turn itself inside out. Instead of trying to finish my speech, I went back to my seat and glued my head to my desk for the rest of the day. I was utterly convinced that I just couldn’t do it. It took me about at least thirty minutes to get home. By the time I arrived, I was covered in sweat and despite my exhaustion, I was also stressing about possible ways to make up for my last failure. I tried to shake away the thought as I pushed open the front door. Instantly, I knew that my grandfather was in the kitchen. The cool air that was being dispersed by the ceiling fan was mixed the sweet, soothing aroma of my grandfather’s home-made pancakes and freshly brewed coffee. As much as I wanted some of those delicious pancakes, I wanted more to just lock myself in my room and bury my head in my pillow. I attempted to tiptoe through the living room pass the kitchen and run to my room but he greeted me with a voice so understanding that I found myself seated at the kitchen table without even thinking about it. After he had set the pancakes on the table, he pulled up a chair across me, sat down and put his eyeglasses on. For a man of his age, he always seemed younger than he really is. He wore his usual clothing, the kind he wears on hot days. His Hawaiian shirt would always have the first three buttons unbuttoned. Along with that, he had on his favorite pair of white shorts. Sometimes, I even wonder if he had been a surfer. He took a sip from his coffee mug and went back to his puzzle book. I took advantage of the silent moment to eat a few pancakes. I hated disappointing him so I decided not to tell him about speech class. After I hastily stuffed myself with eight delicious pancakes and two glasses of iced tea, I stood up slowly making an effort to leave. However, a single question came from him asking if something was wrong made me want to tell him everything not because I expected him to tell me it was ok, but because I felt guilty not telling him. His voice was also so promising that I knew that he would understand. I sat down in the chair I sat in earlier so that I faced him. After taking four deep, cleansing breaths and centered myself, I told him everything. He was a great listener. Throughout the course of my explanation, he eventually nodded and sometimes responded with â€Å"I understand. After I had told him everything, I held my breath and waited for his response. He was quiet for what seemed like a very long time. My forehead started beading up with sweat. I was afraid he might scold me for being nervous in front of a class of only fifteen students. I was also worried about what he might say about my latest â€Å"F† that I received because of my lack of confidence in myself. I was on the verge of panic when he fina lly spoke. I was surprised when he laughed. He literally laughed as if I had told him a very funny joke. Instead of getting angry or disappointed, he patted me on the shoulder and smiled at me reassuringly. He held my hand and told me that I reminded him of himself when he was young. He went through similar situations. It was almost impossible for me to believe that. How can he, the first speaker of the Federated States of Micronesia and the senior pastor of our church, who always touched the hearts of many through simple words, have the same issues as I? He told me that every time he gave a speech or a message, he was always nervous. He told me that no matter how nervous he felt or how much he believed he couldn’t do it, he would always try again. He gave it his all. He kept doing it until he overcame his lack of confidence. No matter how much he wanted to give up, he just kept pushing until he had full faith and trust in himself. Hearing this, especially from him, whom I respect the most, I promised myself that I will always be persistent in all that I do and try my best to gain self-confidence. His words motivated me and made me see that I already had the persistence and the confidence that I needed. All I needed to do was believe I could do it. Looking back to that significant moment in my life, I realized that without the encouragement given to me by my grandfather, I do not think I would be as confident and as persistent as I am today. That day he had helped me become more persistent and more confident. That moment will always be forever branded into my memories as one of the most precious ones. Even though the time we spent talking was for a small amount of time, it made a big difference in my life. I am thankful for having B****** H**** as my mentor and most importantly, as my grandfather.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Perspectives on conflicts and disputes Essay

Legal positivists postulate that individuals are intrinsically greedy, which is the main root of conflicts among them. Thomas Hobbes posits that beings are doomed to dispute because of their primeval nature, which is deduced to selfishness that causes them to struggle to maintain their social status. In this milieu, Charles Darwin furthered this stance by conjecturing that species’ selfish ways are embedded to their genes because life is nothing but a struggle for survival. To curtail this selfishness, law is of necessity because only it provides rules and restrictions to protect the interest and upholds the rights of each individual. The advancement on the epistemological aspect of conflict starts at the ontogenetic condition of the specie and continues in its phylogenetic condition. Ontogenetic state means that the being develops from the conception of its genes up to the end of its life cycle. Conversely, phylogenetic event transpires in between of the beings conception and death, meaning the individual develops throughout the time it exists. Therefore, Homo sapiens understanding of conflict’s anatomy begins at phylogenetic level and its full comprehension happens when Homo sapiens reaches the end of ontogenetic level. The epistemic acquisition of conflicts thrives in human playground or to events and settings that necessitates human actions and interactions. Conflicts undergo a succession that perpetually exists within the life-world of beings such as their surroundings, environment, politics, business, science, etc. Having drawn this conclusion, we can infer that in existing innumerable of conflicts there is a myriad of ways of resolving it. Conflict is impossible to annihilate because of the following reasons: first, it thrives at the very heart of human volition, which is the source of human selfishness, and second, it has been part of human psyche to transfer it from one generation to the other, which resulted to a vicious cycle within the epistemic system of conflict. And throughout history, individuals have learned the art of conflict, and some even mastered the usage of conflict in their everyday lives. Handling conflict is very vital to human existence because it can totally change the landscape of one’s own existence. The coming of twentieth century proved that beings are becoming more and more aware of how to comprehend the nitty-gritty details of conflict, and what are the effective means of handling conflicts. There is no panacea that will medicate continuous existence of conflict, but humans strive to find a better solution to satisfy the needs of a prominent conflict because they are challenged by the difficulty it embodies. It must be noted that conflict is getting more complicated as time passes by, which means that better solution must be concocted to counter-attack more severe problem. The vastness of the universe implies a far more serious condition because the contingency of the world can necessitate an unknown conflict, which greatly needs a novel constructs or to put it simply, man has to go out of the box to resolve a new or unknown prevailing issue. This kind of conflict serves a greater challenge to human reason because it is something that our very reason has not yet encountered. The enigmatic characteristic of such new issues demands transcendence in our rationality. Using Karl Marx philosophical stance, we can infer that conflict has a crisis-response blueprint or a thesis-antithesis pattern. Multiplicity of conflicts has evolved into a more complex manner within the continuum of time, as well as the individual effort to manage and to elucidate it. In order for a human specie to understand the mechanism of conflict, he/she must know its intrinsic values, and in doing so, he/she can decipher appropriate solution for different conflicts. The epicentre of conflict lies on the innate nature of man and its solution lies on the rules that have been drawn to curb the natural operation of human volition. Development is the life-source of conflict, ironically speaking, the more we formulate means to make life easier the more we recognize new conflicts. In the primeval condition of humanity the only existing problem is the source of food, and then it further develops into the issue of territory, and finally when men resolved these issues another conflict sprouted when they realized the significance of property. The birth of science and technology intensified the man’s struggle to annihilate conflicts. Science and technology successfully medicated the prevailing conflicts of our society but it also paved for the birth of novel conflicts, and in some condition aggravated an existing issue. As of this modern day period, science and technology provides a myriad of solutions in human crises in the field of poverty, education and medicine. But it also exacerbates war between nations because technology brings forth weaponry of mass destruction. Man by Nature is Selfish According to Richard Dawkins introduction in his book The Selfish Gene, man’s attitude is greatly affected and designed by our genetic composition. Our genes made us. We animals exist for their preservation and are nothing more than their throwaway survival machines. The world of the selfish gene is one of savage competition, ruthless exploitation, and deceit. But what of the acts of apparent altruism found in nature – the bees who commit suicide when they sting to protect the hive, or the birds who warn the flock of an approaching hawk? Do they contravene the fundamental law of gene selfishness? At the onset of Dawkins book, he clearly stipulated that all species either man or animals are machines fashioned by their genetic design. As mentioned earlier, Hobbes believes that men are naturally born selfish, and it is the same in Dawkins case. According to him, the selfishness of man is deeply embedded in our genes, and due to this we must learn the virtue of generosity and altruism because if we failed to do so, men will perpetually live on catastrophic state. Dawkins stance must not be misconstrued as an ethical justification of human behaviour or a moral treatise that must be followed since his insight is loud and clear; that men are selfish because of their genes, no more, no less. Having said this, it is a challenge for us to control it if not exterminate it because we are the only species who can desired to do it. In the furtherance of man’s selfish genes, Dawkins incorporated Darwin’s biological conjecture that man is doomed for the battle of its own survival. However, the former believes that survival is not controlled by man; rather man is machinated by genes to strive for its own survival. The genes are the building blocks of human existence, it is the one that created us, and these genes even dictates how we should reason out. Men are innately selfish for the sole reason of life preservation or prolongation. They are willing to do everything just to ensure that their interests are satisfied. Satisfaction of interest is tantamount to the validation of one existence. This is the embodiment of human existence, chaotic and full of struggle. The machination of individual is further elucidated by Dawkins through his explanation of gene mechanism. Dawkins adopted G. C. Williams’ definition of genes, which stated that gene any portion of chromosomal material that potentially last for enough generations to serve as a unit of natural selection . The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of man thrives within our body. It must be noted that DNA is not contained in a particular body parts rather it is widely disseminated within our cells. Approximately speaking, a human body is made of a thousand million cells, and each of these cells contains an exact blueprint of all DNA in our body. The significance of the ontogenetic control of genes is its capability of self-continuation and self-propagation, meaning, genes can preserve itself under the condition of numerous struggles. The survival of genes lies on the efficiency and power of our corporeal body, which they inhabit for its own development. The existence of each human species is not everlasting, it is ephemeral. Dawkins uses an analogy wherein each card in a deck represents the genes. According to him, when a deck of card are being shuffled they undergo a process of survival. And this process of survival is exactly the mechanism of genes wherein every time they are shuffled a gene only assumes the position of another gene, instead of being destroyed, and after the shuffling process genes are still genes that continue to march on. Dawkins draws a conclusion from this analogy, which stated that genes are basically the replicators and we are their machinery for survival. And when we have fulfilled our function we are automatically became useless, but gene will perpetuate its existence because it is a denizen of geological time . In view of that, Dawkins also posits that gene is the basic unit of survival because it competes for its own preservation against their alleles for a slot in the chromosome. With this picture, we can infer that genes struggle for survival of future generation in the gene pool in the expense of its own alleles. Therefore, selfishness is indeed the fundamental foundation of selfishness. The genes are the master programmers, and they are programming for their lives. They are judged according to the success of their programs in copying with all the hazards that life throws at their survival machines, and the judge is the ruthless judge of the court of survival . This phrase only strengthened Dawkins claims that man is nothing but a machinery of genes for its own survival. As pointed earlier, man is different from other specie because a human being has a will power and reason, meaning man can go against the dictate of its gene i. e. a person can choose not to reproduce. In addition, reason has its own domain wherein it has the capability to manipulate habitual operation of gene machine, to envisage what lies beyond its own future, and most significantly, to act according to its own course of nature. Because of rationality, gene machinery is able to be in command of outlining what direction individuals must follow. Rationality can curtail the dictate of gene, meaning, a person can transcend his/her selfishness and reach the condition of being generous and altruistic. The emancipation of man from his selfish nature is only possible if and only if he succumb himself to an agreement. Being established that human beings to be innately selfish also indicate that they are self-regulating. But generosity and altruism can only be actualized if the self-regulating beings surrender their self-regulating prowess. Selfishness is the anti-thesis of the said virtues but because of rationality human beings will submit to an agreement to satisfy the insufficiency of self-regulation. The universal antidote for this insufficiency is the construction of law through its rules. In the vein of Hobbes social contract theory, man must give in to an agreement to restrain his natural tendencies, but he must only surrender to a contract if and only if others will surrender to it in equal footing. But in the provision of rules it is a prerequisite to understand the intricate schema of conflict. The Role of Rules In Using Conflict Theory, Otomar Bartos and Paul Wehr claim that in the wide range of epistemic knowledge regarding conflicts there are two guiding principles that must be comprehended: one, to concentrate on general theories, and second, to carry out these theories on a simplified fashion. The former necessitate an application of theories to innumerable types of conflicts. While the latter focuses on the specific arguments or application of the former. One good example of general theories is elucidation of poverty in the third world countries using the framework of dialectical materialism by Marx. If we convert this general theory into a simplified manner, one must look at the specific causes of poverty such as shortage of natural resources, lack of capital, misallocation of funds, graft and corruption, and the likes. If one is successful in outlining the appropriate general theories in an existing conflict, then he/she translates these theories in its simplified form. And if this will be the case, then concoction of rules will be easier. Rules must embody the principle of the entire society and it must cater to the needs of its citizenry. Rules can be perceived in two ways: Kantian or Utilitarian. Immanuel Kant posits that rules must be made in the context of universal imperative, meaning it must not be used as means of advancing one’s interest rather it must be created for its own sake and for the goodness and betterment of humanity. In lieu to this, Utilitarian advocates such as J. S. Mill argues that rules must be conceptualized in the essence of achieving the goodness of the majority and resulting to the production of best consequences. Kant postulates that a rule must be encompassing and must not reside on the band wagon of majority votes because it contradicts the reason of man, and because number of votes does not imply truth. For example, killing another being is morally unjustified is a universal rule because it affirms the importance of life, which is true to all beings. Conversely, J. S. Mill believes that rules are justified if and only if the â€Å"greatest happiness for the greatest number of people† is reached. But it must be noted that utilitarian theory also entails a qualitative measurement through the intensity and duration of happiness, meaning, it must have greater impact to the society and its intensity must last for the longest time if not forever. For example, death penalty can be either permissible or impermissible depending on the context of society, but the point is, morally justifiability of death penalty lies on majority votes since it can serve the interest of more people. There are voluminous conflicting issues regarding these theories because both of them are in extreme opposition. Kant rejects utilitarianism because it does not uphold a consensual quest for universal truth and it only served the interests of the majority of population in a given social context. On the other hand, utilitarian advocates refute the Kantian theories because of its impossibility or tedious system in knowing the universal truth. But in the modern day period, utilitarian theories are more adopted than Kantian theory because it is more feasible in creating rules for present conflicts and for future conflicts. In most cases, before a rule can be ratified it must undergo an election and must meet certain number of votes to quantify its validity i. e. three-fourths of the voting population or majority votes. But it must be noted that most rules fashioned in utilitarian perspective must follow a universal precept so that it will not contradict the constitution of a specific nation. For example, murder is universally not accepted, which one of the reason why death penalty is not easy to endorse because it contradicts a universal precept, though some countries provided an reasonable exemption on the matter, killing will still be universal precept that they must consider. Rules main goal is to promote the interest of every individual as possible as it can, and to restrict the selfish ways of human beings, in order to maintain an ordered society. Because of this guideline, law has delineated the scope of public and private sphere to guarantee the possibility of generosity and altruism. Public sphere is far more superior to the private sphere because the former promotes national interest and the welfare of the entire populace. Law provides countless rules to reinforce the supremacy of public sphere, which is the apparent implication on the significance of reason. Rules are the product of our reason to rebel against the dictate of our selfish genes. In the furtherance of rules, justice must be encapsulated in its formulation to ensure an effective implementation of it.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Adventureland Movie Review

Adventureland Movie Review Free Online Research Papers Being a young adult is one of the most exciting times in a person’s life, whether you’re in a good situation, or a bad one, it seems that this is a time for most to celebrate and be carefree with whatever they have. Greg Mottola’s Adventureland perfectly portrays this lifestyle in a young James Brennam, a recent college graduate trying to raise money one lackluster summer in his hometown amusement park. For what seems like James’ worst summer yet, turns into an exploration of new people, new places and most importantly new emotions and barrier breakers. This movie presents a great blend of romance and comedy, and a flawless look into life in the eighties. Produced by William Horberg, Adventureland is a delight for all young adults wondering what life was like before their time. James is told by his parents that his father was recently laid off, (news that young Americans seem to be getting more accustomed to in the recent months), and that he would not be able to cover the expenses of James’ graduation present, a planned trip to Europe. To cover what his parents had lacked, he took a summer job at the run-down, amusement park in his hometown in Pittsburg. The setting of the film portrays a mood that is hard to find in others. Bright lights from the carnival engulf every scene, giving a mood of corny, but admirable humor. There is a scene near the end of the film when James and two of his new-found friends were setting off bottle rockets on the side of an endless grassy hill that gave you such a peaceful feeling, simply because of the place they were sitting. Humor is one of the main reasons this movie is so excellent. If you’re the type of person who enjoys sitting for two hours to laugh rather than mope, than Adventureland is an excellent choice for you. Situations are portrayed in this film that most adults have experienced at one point in their lives, making Adventureland brilliantly relatable. The chemistry exuded from the characters makes a perfect brew of comedy-filled situations and scenarios. Also, the movie has a more serious tone to it when the underlying relationships of some of the employees at Adventureland reveal themselves. Kristin Stewart or â€Å"Em† is involved with the park bad-boy Ryan Reynolds, â€Å"Connell†, who is married at the same time. While all of this drama is going on, James steps into the scene to eventually fall in love with Em for his first time ever. Em and James’ relationship is so enjoyable to watch, as we have all had our awkward moments with people we like. These two have an indefinable chemistry, even though they’re both scared to admit it. As their relationship grows, they share pleasurable times laughing, making mix-tapes for each other, working at the hackneyed games of Adventureland, making â€Å"special brownies†, and eventually falling head over heels in love with each other. James soon finds himself in deep betrayal, watching Em walk out of Connell’s house in astonishment. A feeling that most have felt at one moment in their lives. After he breaks up with her, everything just seems to go terribly down hill. The word gets out to the park crew that Em had been having an affair with Connell, and because of sheer embarrassment Em decides to quit and return to New York. Leaving James without a clue of where she went. A song from James’ mix tape for Em; â€Å"Pale Blue Eyes† plays when James is sitting at a bar regretting what he had done. In the song the first lyrics are â€Å"Sometimes I feel so happy, sometimes I feel so sad, sometimes I feel so happy, but mostly you just make me mad, baby you just make me mad.† Which gives a realistic look into what being in love for the first time is all about, and the many new emotions and feelings that come along. The end of this film is one that will stay with the viewer for much longer than the hours and minutes counting on the DVD screen. Hopeless romantics will be more than pleased with virgin James Brennam, as he had come so far in such a short summer. Most of us can relate to all the characters in this film. Through all the drama they all stayed close friends and stuck together through the ruthless summer. Quoted by one of James’ closest friends as â€Å"the work of pathetic, lazy, morons†, this job proved itself to be more than a bummer responsibility but a place where young adults from all walks of life can come together in a workplace, bond, hang-out and drink together. As the drinking age differs from what it is now, the characters all hang out in shabby bars getting to know each other. They all know that they are stuck there, at least for this summer, and they’ve all decided to make the absolute best of it. Doing the same thing everyday can get boring at times, but this cast proves that when you have a good mix of personalities, any situation can be transformed into a great time. Adventureland is a movie the viewer will never forget. The film exceeds expectations of a comedic romance. The setting was a perfect place for an unplanned relationship to unfold. â€Å"Yet, under Mottolas even hand, Adventureland is no mere freak show or mindless carnival house. Boosted by its romps and romances, its based on the sincere dreams and frustrations of its teenage characters. It embraces their anxieties, dreams and youthful valor† (Byrge 1). The characters were idealistically sought out to have that embarrassed charm about them which young adults have grown to love. Greg Mottola uses Jesse Eisenberg’s bashfulness, amid Kristen Stewart’s earnestness to produce an adorable romance that all could adore. Though action movie junkies may call the movie a bit boring and timid, movie goers whom are interested in romance and friendship stories will genuinely enjoy Adventureland. Adventureland is a special movie because of the music that was played in certain situations. It was all music from leading artist in the eighties, music that’s rare to hear anymore in present day. Hearing this again adds blissful content and played as a perfect soundtrack to what was going on with the characters. On the fourth of July in the Adventureland park when the fireworks start shooting into the sky â€Å"Don’t Dream it’s Over† by Crowded House, plays in the back ground quietly while Em and James stare into each other’s eyes vulnerably. Because this was near the beginning of their relationship things were still awkward and sketchy, but their smiles can’t help but make their way onto viewer’s faces. This is a movie in which this happens a lot, because the characters are so vividly believable, and the setting is so unconsciously romantic. An acquired personality is necessary to completely indulge in Adventureland. Someone who does not believe in drinking before the age of twenty-one would most certainly not enjoy the story. Anyone with a keen since of humor would find this movie funny, but adults that grew up in the eighties and young adolescents reaching the brink of adulthood would most certainly enjoy the film the most. The humor is a different type than stand-up comedy and movies that are strictly out to make you laugh. If you enjoyed â€Å"Superbad†, Mottola’s first hit movie’s humor, than you would most defiantly enjoy Adventureland. As the humor can be directly related to the same of the young adult characters in â€Å"Superbad†. Charity states that Adventureland is â€Å"One from the heart, a clear-sighted love letter to Greg’s own teenage tribulations. Starting out in high spirits then skewing more serious, it’s a funny poignant, bittersweet treat.† This film is one that molds around a first love, and all the craziness of that era in life. Adventureland also reminds viewers that anything is possible, and even when everything seems horrible, it could turn out to be one of the best times of life. The cast, music and story line offer a great deal of hilarious scenes and scenarios for viewers of all ages. Adventureland is something that all our hometowns have, and watching humorous relationships unfold here is nothing short of utter amusement. : Byrge, Duane. â€Å"Film Review: Adventureland.† Greg Mottola. TheReviews. 4 Nov. 2009 Charity, Tom. â€Å"Life is a Rollercoaster.† Rev. of Adventureland, by Greg Mottola. Total Film 4 Nov. 2009 Adventureland. Greg Mottola. James Brennan, Kristin Stewart, Ryan Reynolds. Miramax, 2009. Film Research Papers on Adventureland Movie ReviewWhere Wild and West MeetThe Spring and AutumnHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionLifes What IfsHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoHip-Hop is ArtPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyQuebec and Canada

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Mobile Phone Expository Essay Example

Mobile Phone Expository Essay Example Mobile Phone Expository Essay Mobile Phone Expository Essay Essay Topic: Expository Mobile Phone – Friend or Foe? Mobile phones are a mixed blessing for many of us. While some of us may miss the days of going out in public without hearing phones ringing all around us, most people do not miss being stranded on the side of the road with no way to call for help. The allure of having a convenient way to communicate has resulted in an increase in mobile phone usage over the years. Mobile phones have given rise to new rules of etiquette, and even new laws that regulate their use. Concerns about public safety and mobile phones are often in the news, making some people wonder if mobile phones are a good idea. Should you buy a mobile phone, or continue to use one? One advantage of having a mobile phone is free long distance. One of the big reasons for the rise in mobile phone usage is that you can call anywhere in the country for the same price that you can call your next-door neighbour. This lack of long distance charges has led to many people getting mobile phones who ordinarily may not have been interested. Also, many people now use their mobile phones exclusively, after cancelling their home phone service. Having one less bill to pay is definitely a positive. However, mobile phone bills, let alone the cost of the phone itself, are very expensive. If you get a very basic mobile phone plan with only a few minutes allocated for calling time, you will not pay very much every month. However, if you are like most people, you may choose a plan with several hundred or even thousand minutes and will include extras, such as text messaging. These plans can run well more than 100 dollars per month, and may come with a one- or two-year contract, limiting your choices if a cheaper plan becomes available. Woe to those who go over their allotted minutes. Mobile phone bills can easily become 1,000 dollar nightmare. Having said this, mobile phones have other advantages too. With the popularity of mobile phones growing faster than ever, it is a lot easier to keep in contact with friends and family. Never before has it been easier to call your husband or wife on the way home from work and ask to pick up a litre of milk on the way home. Parents everywhere are enjoying the ability to call their child at midnight and find out why he or she isnt home yet. Worried people everywhere are able to gain a degree of reassurance because of the mobile phone. Some people are enjoying the GPS capabilities that some phones have, enabling them to track the location of their friends and family as they go about their daily lives. This makes it easier for people to know exactly where they are and who theyre with. As helpful as the mobile phone is to helping us to keep track of others, this unfortunately means that others can constantly keep track of us. A girlfriend might call her partner incessantly to check up on him. If limits are not quickly set, this behaviour can become a serious case of harassment. The GPS capability of mobile phones is also something that can be abused. It opens the door for controlling individuals to give full rein to their stalker tendencies. Sometimes its a good thing for people not to know exactly where you are at every moment. As irritating as this may be, mobile phones can be useful in other ways. Mobile phones can provide a degree of safety that previous generations only dreamed of. These days, you can go anywhere in the world with a mobile phone, and with the proper service, be able to notify someone if you are in trouble, even if you are on top of a mountain in Nepal. Most people arent mountain climbers, but cars do break down and when they do, its nice to have a mobile phone to call the mechanic. Mobile phones also come in handy when you are meeting someone for the first time. If you feel threatened in any way, you have an emergency number right there in your hand. The GPS capability that some mobile phones possess also has enabled trackers to find people who have become lost. However, in order for this service to be active, the application must be activated. Mobile phones can help us in many different ways, but they do also contain serious safety concerns. People like to carry their mobile phones with them in the car in case of emergency, but they also like to have them in case they get a call they dont want to miss. Many accidents have been caused by people talking on mobile phones while driving. So many, in fact, that legislation has been passed prohibiting conversation on mobile phones while driving in Australia. Another safety concern is that mobile phones could increase the risk of brain tumours or other diseases. Studies have shown that radiation given off by mobile phones can damage cells, leaving cells susceptible to cancers and tumours. While mobile phones can be annoying, expensive and sometimes hazardous, they can also be very helpful, whether it be helping us to communicate with family and friends, to help us feel safe or immediately know the whereabouts of a loved one. Mobile phones are seen as a must have accessory to some, while others believe they are completely unnecessary. Whatever the case, mobile phones have their pros and cons. It’s up to you to decide who outweighs who. By Jeff Burr

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Alexander the Great vs. Cyrus the Great

In our past, we have had many leaders. Some were better than others, but what must a leader do to acquire the label â€Å"great†? Of course, one could simply go by the definition of the word and deem the leader â€Å"above average†. Did the great ones of ancient times exceed these standards or were they just above average like a standard dictionary would have us believe. Let us focus on two â€Å"great† leaders of our past by the names of Alexander and Cyrus. Both of these kings were famous for the way they ran their empires but were they both, so called, great? Cyrus the Great was the first king of the Achaemenid Empire. While he was king, he freed 4,000 Jews from Babylon. He also founded a new capital, invented the first postal system, and was mentioned 22 times in the old testament. Not only did he build one of the most powerful empires in ancient times, but he made its glory last by organizing it and expressing his tolerance of different races and religions. Alexander the Great lost his father and became a king at the age of 20. While he was king, he expanded Macedonian territory. He did this through conquest and was never defeated in battle. In fact, he conquered half of what was known in the world at the time. He also founded a city in Egypt and named it â€Å"Alexandria† (after himself, of course) and Wheatley2 discovered trade routes in Asia. But, because of the excellent battle strategies he was known for, he is often called the greatest military leader of all time. These great leaders were very different in the ways that they ran their kingdoms, but they did have some things in common. For one, they both had large and exceptional empires. Also, they were both born princes and became kings of small kingdoms and sought through conquest to enlarge them. But the biggest comparison I found was that it was said Cyrus had an influence on Alexander. In my opinion, Alexander did the most to signify his existence and roles in ancient times. He was an amazing leader and was known to never lose a battle. As another example, he expanded his empire greatly by doing what he was best at. Battle took him and his kingdom far and that’s something people wouldn’t soon forget. When it comes to contribution to the subject of Western Civilization, I do believe that Cyrus takes home the gold. After all, he came before Alexander did. What is a leader without his inspirations? He freed Jewish slaves, created the first postal service, and created the greatest, most-powerful empire in ancient times. If it weren’t for him and his examples, perhaps Alexander wouldn’t have been so infamous for his tactics in ruling his kingdom. I guess the people we call â€Å"great† these days are not as wonderful as they seem. Maybe if people took a look into our past at the real great ones, the leaders in our present would only be average.

Friday, October 18, 2019

The California Center for Land and Water Stewardship Article

The California Center for Land and Water Stewardship - Article Example The need for conservation and land planning is especially necessary for Southern California’s desert-like conditions. The first goal is â€Å"Seek out opportunities and grant funding for projects relating to land and water conservation, stewardship, planning, and design in California†. This goal makes sense. It is also essential this goal is first. Funding for CCLAWS is necessary for the project to work. CCLAWS finds funding from contracted projects, grants, consultant and consultation coordination of a CPP Clearinghouse, professional education, workshops and certifications, development and private support activities, database clearinghouse and community information resources, community workshops and education. These funding sources will help fund projects regarding land and water conservation, stewardship, planning, and design. This type of fundraising makes the outlook for this organization good. The second goal is â€Å"Support the work of, and increase collaboration between, academic departments and units, private organizations, and public agencies with goals similar to those of the Center without duplicating efforts†. This goal also makes sense. If goals and projects are doubled than resources will be wasted. Individual projects can receive enough funding without inefficient waste. There is too much waste today in funding projects. A lack of communication is one of the main reasons. If all parties will communicate, then unnecessary funding of projects already funded. The last goal states â€Å"Through education, outreach, and advocacy encourage respect for Southern California’s rivers, railways, open space, and nature from multiple perspectives and foster sustainability by balancing natural, social, and economic systems†. It is easier to fund campaigns that educate the public on the damage littering can do, then fund a project to clean up a polluted river or park.

Creating False Memories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Creating False Memories - Essay Example The act of recall enhanced later remembering of both studied and nonstudied material. The results reveal a powerful illusion of memory: People remember events that never happened. False memories-either remembering events that never happened, or remembering them quite differently from the way they happened-have recently captured the attention of both psychologists and the public at large. The primary impetus for this recent surge of interest is the increase in the number of cases in which memories of previously unrecognized abuse are reported during the course of therapy. Some researchers have argued that certain therapeutic practices can cause the creation of false memories, and therefore, the apparent "recovery" of memories during the course of therapy may actually represent the creation of memories (Lindsay & Read, 1994; Loftus, 1993). Although the concept of false memories is currently enjoying an increase in publicity, it is not new; psychologists have been studying false memories in several laboratory paradigms for years. Schacter (1995) provides an historical overview of the study of memory distortions. Schacter (1996) spoke of the fragile nature of memory and the Seven Sins of memory, discussing how our memories can fail us in certain situations. Where is the weakness in a memory system that functions according to the principle of semantic relatedness and integration There is one well-known case of false memories being produced in a list learning paradigm: Underwood (1965) introduced a technique to study false recognition of words in lists. He gave subjects a continuous recognition task in which they decided if each presented word had been given previously in the list. Later words bore various relations to previously studied words. Underwood showed that words associatively related to previously presented words were falsely recognized. Anisfeld and Knapp (1968), among others, replicated the phenomenon. Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of human memory and mental processes, including such activities as perceiving, remembering, using language, reasoning and solving problems. There are two important lessons in cognitive psychology. First, mental processes can occur with very little conscious awareness. This is especially true of processes that have received a great deal of practice, such as reading skills. Second, even though these processes can operate very quickly, they are quite complex, involving difficult motor, perceptual and mental acts. Their complexities make it even more amazing how efficient, rapid, and seemingly automatic they are. Intuitive analysis of examples such as "How many hands does Aristotle have" indicates that many important mental processes can occur automatically, that is, very rapidly and below the level of conscious awareness. Memory consists of the power, act, or process of recalling to mind facts previously learned or past experiences. It also refers to process, mental act in which stored information is recovered for some current use. Aside from this, memory also refers to a place, a location, where all the events, information, and knowledge of a lifetime are stored. Cognition, on the other hand, refers to all the processes by which the sensory input is

Status of commercialization in sports Research Proposal

Status of commercialization in sports - Research Proposal Example Settlement for the topic was due to various reasons that will be prioritized in the research. Adequate knowledge of what is meant by commercialization of sports will be tackled. The researcher and the readers need to have a good knowledge of the topic and the general idea of what it entails as it provides proper guidance for the research (Cummings, Lofaso & Cummings,  2010). The other area that will be tackled will be the advantages and shortcomings of commercializing different sports. Identification of similarity or the difference between the commercialization of different is a crucial aspect of the research in the quest to determine both the negative and positive effects of the same. The use of relevant examples is essential in such a scenario to ensure the point is well understood and intentions clear. Also, the methods of commercialization and the relevant bodies or rather bodies associated with the commercialization are paramount in the research (Humphreys & Howard,  2012). The research has several objectives that provide guidance while carrying out the data collection process. Establishment of the various reasons behind commercialization is the first goal of the study. The increased rate of the commercialization raises eyebrows and thus the need to understand the driving force behind the act. Determination of the positive effects of the commercialization of sports is the other objective. In comparison to other business opportunities, sports such as soccer and American Football have hit top bars and indicating that there is a plethora of benefits that accrue from the same. It is a critical objective in this research as the findings from this research help determine whether the process is of an additional value to the society (Ribowsky, 2012). Furthermore, it is equally essential to analyse the adverse impacts of

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Creating False Memories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Creating False Memories - Essay Example The act of recall enhanced later remembering of both studied and nonstudied material. The results reveal a powerful illusion of memory: People remember events that never happened. False memories-either remembering events that never happened, or remembering them quite differently from the way they happened-have recently captured the attention of both psychologists and the public at large. The primary impetus for this recent surge of interest is the increase in the number of cases in which memories of previously unrecognized abuse are reported during the course of therapy. Some researchers have argued that certain therapeutic practices can cause the creation of false memories, and therefore, the apparent "recovery" of memories during the course of therapy may actually represent the creation of memories (Lindsay & Read, 1994; Loftus, 1993). Although the concept of false memories is currently enjoying an increase in publicity, it is not new; psychologists have been studying false memories in several laboratory paradigms for years. Schacter (1995) provides an historical overview of the study of memory distortions. Schacter (1996) spoke of the fragile nature of memory and the Seven Sins of memory, discussing how our memories can fail us in certain situations. Where is the weakness in a memory system that functions according to the principle of semantic relatedness and integration There is one well-known case of false memories being produced in a list learning paradigm: Underwood (1965) introduced a technique to study false recognition of words in lists. He gave subjects a continuous recognition task in which they decided if each presented word had been given previously in the list. Later words bore various relations to previously studied words. Underwood showed that words associatively related to previously presented words were falsely recognized. Anisfeld and Knapp (1968), among others, replicated the phenomenon. Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of human memory and mental processes, including such activities as perceiving, remembering, using language, reasoning and solving problems. There are two important lessons in cognitive psychology. First, mental processes can occur with very little conscious awareness. This is especially true of processes that have received a great deal of practice, such as reading skills. Second, even though these processes can operate very quickly, they are quite complex, involving difficult motor, perceptual and mental acts. Their complexities make it even more amazing how efficient, rapid, and seemingly automatic they are. Intuitive analysis of examples such as "How many hands does Aristotle have" indicates that many important mental processes can occur automatically, that is, very rapidly and below the level of conscious awareness. Memory consists of the power, act, or process of recalling to mind facts previously learned or past experiences. It also refers to process, mental act in which stored information is recovered for some current use. Aside from this, memory also refers to a place, a location, where all the events, information, and knowledge of a lifetime are stored. Cognition, on the other hand, refers to all the processes by which the sensory input is

Media and public relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Media and public relation - Essay Example Inclusion of an organization in the definition of PR may result into a misunderstanding of what PR really entails thereby yielding confusion of linkage between PR and other communication modes advanced by an organization such as advertising. As such, it is important to note that unlike most of the other communication modes by organizations, PR does not require direct payments. In fact, this seemingly forms the basic distinction between PR and advertising in relation to advancing marketing communication. Additionally, the Primary goal of PR is to inform the publics thereby giving them a sense of the desired perspective towards the particular party in play. PR can be used in various different platforms such as business organizations and government related matters. Nevertheless, for this particular paper the focus will lie more on the factors affecting the historical development of PR in relation to two countries, Germany and the United States (US). The choice of these two countries is mainly based on the fact they are among the first pioneers of PR hence are at a better position of exploring much of the history attached to PR. Some of the factors considered to affect PR development range from cultural to political and the general development of the country among others. Modern PR plays numerous roles in favor of its users through persuasion and consequently getting the desired results. One of the most common applications of modern PR by different organizations is lobbying. Lobbying involves use of communication strategies to persuade the government to act in favor of the particular party in play. For example, an organization may write to a congress member seeking a vote against a certain bill that may impact negatively to the organization if it is passed. Such an action is considered lobbying since it expresses an opinion regarding to a particular legislation. Similarly, ancient communications have some traces of lobbying hence qualifying them as

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Status of commercialization in sports Research Proposal

Status of commercialization in sports - Research Proposal Example Settlement for the topic was due to various reasons that will be prioritized in the research. Adequate knowledge of what is meant by commercialization of sports will be tackled. The researcher and the readers need to have a good knowledge of the topic and the general idea of what it entails as it provides proper guidance for the research (Cummings, Lofaso & Cummings,  2010). The other area that will be tackled will be the advantages and shortcomings of commercializing different sports. Identification of similarity or the difference between the commercialization of different is a crucial aspect of the research in the quest to determine both the negative and positive effects of the same. The use of relevant examples is essential in such a scenario to ensure the point is well understood and intentions clear. Also, the methods of commercialization and the relevant bodies or rather bodies associated with the commercialization are paramount in the research (Humphreys & Howard,  2012). The research has several objectives that provide guidance while carrying out the data collection process. Establishment of the various reasons behind commercialization is the first goal of the study. The increased rate of the commercialization raises eyebrows and thus the need to understand the driving force behind the act. Determination of the positive effects of the commercialization of sports is the other objective. In comparison to other business opportunities, sports such as soccer and American Football have hit top bars and indicating that there is a plethora of benefits that accrue from the same. It is a critical objective in this research as the findings from this research help determine whether the process is of an additional value to the society (Ribowsky, 2012). Furthermore, it is equally essential to analyse the adverse impacts of

Media and public relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Media and public relation - Essay Example Inclusion of an organization in the definition of PR may result into a misunderstanding of what PR really entails thereby yielding confusion of linkage between PR and other communication modes advanced by an organization such as advertising. As such, it is important to note that unlike most of the other communication modes by organizations, PR does not require direct payments. In fact, this seemingly forms the basic distinction between PR and advertising in relation to advancing marketing communication. Additionally, the Primary goal of PR is to inform the publics thereby giving them a sense of the desired perspective towards the particular party in play. PR can be used in various different platforms such as business organizations and government related matters. Nevertheless, for this particular paper the focus will lie more on the factors affecting the historical development of PR in relation to two countries, Germany and the United States (US). The choice of these two countries is mainly based on the fact they are among the first pioneers of PR hence are at a better position of exploring much of the history attached to PR. Some of the factors considered to affect PR development range from cultural to political and the general development of the country among others. Modern PR plays numerous roles in favor of its users through persuasion and consequently getting the desired results. One of the most common applications of modern PR by different organizations is lobbying. Lobbying involves use of communication strategies to persuade the government to act in favor of the particular party in play. For example, an organization may write to a congress member seeking a vote against a certain bill that may impact negatively to the organization if it is passed. Such an action is considered lobbying since it expresses an opinion regarding to a particular legislation. Similarly, ancient communications have some traces of lobbying hence qualifying them as

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Gertrudes as Shakespeare Essay Example for Free

Gertrudes as Shakespeare Essay Where a twenty-first century audience would express sympathy for Hamlets loss and would understand his hesitation in taking vengeance, an Elizabethan audience would not sympathise towards him for avenging his fathers death, and would question why Hamlet is showing inaction. As Dori Ripley suggests, The church advocated Gods vengeance, while the state demanded justice through Gods chosen representative(s) (Ripley, 1), meaning it would be Hamlets duty to avenge his fathers death in the eyes of the Elizabethan Church, for Gods cause. Therefore, this would certainly contribute to Hamlets turmoil, with the added pressure to exact Gods vengeance on the wicked (Ripley, 2), and become King of Denmark. However, in the eighteenth century, Thomas Hanmer drew attention to Hamlets delay in avenging his fathers death, suggesting that Had Hamlet gone naturally to work there would have been an end of our play, meaning Shakespeares play would not have been as dramatic for his intended audience of his era. Ernest Jones suggests that Hamlet refrains from killing Claudius earlier in the play because he had already committed the deed Hamlet himself subconsciously wished to carry out; The long repressed desire to take his fathers place in his mothers affection is revealed in unconscious activity by the sight of someone usurping this place exactly as he himself had once longed to do (Jones, 99). This is evident in the play when Hamlet has the opportunity to kill Claudius, however he decides to wait for when he is in thincestuous pleasure of his bed so he is guaranteed to suffer the same pain Hamlets father did when he was in purgatory. Eliminating his competition in the most torturous way suggests Hamlets hatred towards Claudius for marrying his mother. As an extension of this Hamlet is somewhat hostile to his mother throughout the play, shown through the language Shakespeare uses when Hamlet is alone with her. His anger towards his mothers sexuality is expressed, thus: O shame, where is thy blush? Rebellious hell, If thou canst mutine in a matrons bones, To flaming youth let virtue be as wax (3. 4. 82-4) Hamlet demands to know how young people can be expected to control their passions if mothers cannot control theirs. In the same scene, Hamlet pleads with Gertrude not to sleep with Claudius that night and to, Refrain tonight, And that shall lend a kind of easiness To the next abstinence (3. 4. 166-8) After that until she no longer wishes to sleep with Claudius. Whether this is right must be considered in psychoanalytic terms because abstinence stores up emotions that leads to a later emotional explosion. In the context of the play as a whole, this is symbolic because throughout Hamlet stores up his confusion, anxiety and turmoil until he explodes in the final scene, ending in death and destruction of the dynasty. Recent developments in Hamlet criticism suggest Hamlets attitude towards his mother can be explained in terms of Freudian psychoanalysis, in particular the Oedipus Complex where unconscious ideas and feelings centre round the wish to possess the parent of the opposite sex, and eliminate that of the same sex (Rycroft, 118), according to Charles Rycroft in A Critical Dictionary of Psychoanalysis. Although this is a modern theory which did not exist during the Shakespearean period, Shakespeare unconsciously reflects this possible interpretation of character in the play. Hamlet seeking to avenge his father by eliminating Claudius, his mothers husband, could be one of his motivations and subsequent causes of his emotional turmoil. His confusion is, therefore, redirected onto Ophelia who experiences Hamlets anguish. Rycroft also suggests that this is symbolised in Hamlet as persons who are fixated at the oedipal level that are mother-fixated or father-fixated reveal this by choosing sexual partners with obvious resemblances to their parents (Rycroft 119). However, Ophelias qualities are not representative of Gertrudes as Shakespeare suggests Gertrude tends to sexually dominate men in the play whereas Ophelia is obedient to them, suggesting she is vulnerable. Therefore, whether Rycrofts analysis is related to the play must be considered because it does not directly link to Hamlets situation, choosing to have a relationship with Ophelia because she resembles his mother he has sexual desires for. In Gertrude marrying Claudius, Hamlets jealousy is provoked, which eventually contributes to his rage when alone with his mother, You are queen, your husbands brothers wife. Here, Shakespeare shows Hamlets confusion within his complex situation, that his mother has become queen by incestuously marrying her husbands brother. Combined with Hamlets oedipal fantasy and his mothers new marriage, therefore, he is bound to show rage and confusion towards his mother and hostility towards her new partner. In conclusion, Hamlet is a character whose mind is in turmoil, which is subliminally presented through Shakespeares use of soliloquies. This turmoil could exist due to Hamlets life experiences, whether they were his fathers death or his mothers hasty marriage to his uncle, who murdered his father. These occurrences may have caused Hamlets confusion between mothers and lovers, his contemplation of suicide and his hostility towards others, resulting in catastrophe at the end of the play. An Elizabethan audience would not sympathise with Hamlets hostility towards other and his delay in taking vengeance and so could argue that his mind is in turmoil, the reason why he is inactive.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Pediatrics and geometry

Pediatrics and geometry Pediatrics and Geometry Pediatrics are physicians who take care of children and adolescents. They take care of the patient since birth until the patients teenage years. Pediatrics have to do check ups, and examine the children and to make sure they are not ill. (1). They have to treat infections, injuries, many diseases and dysfunctions. Pediatrics also, have to do paperwork, they have to spend time doing administrative work, filling out forms, and sometimes teaching. In high school you need to take biology, chemistry, physics, algebra, geometry and calculus. You must have a3.5 GPA in order to get in med school. Then you need to go to the Med School. Take normal 4-year Bachelor of Science courses and on pre-med courses. (2) Pediatrics use math in their daily basis. They use the most common math such as multiplying, dividing, adding and subtracting. They have to use math to solve problems when treating their patients. When pediatrics are writing prescriptions they have to make sure how many doses give to child and it depends of the weight of the patient. If a pediatric is writing a prescription for amoxicillin for a childrens ear infection, they have to consider the children weight and the dose. For example: the standard dosage for amoxicillin is 45mg/kg divides in a twice a day dosage. If the baby weight 22 that is 10kg then the dose is going to be 225 mg twice a day. (2) They use geometry to calculate the childrens body mass. It helps them to determine if the children is underweight, overweight or in a normal weight. The standard formula for body mass is: (weight in kilograms)/ (height in meters) 2. (2) Pediatrics use math to check x-rays and CAT scans. (3) They need ho w to read x-rays so they can see what the problem of the patient is. Pediatrics is career that math is very important. They use the metric system, to do a lot of equations related to the patients and its medication. (3) When the pediatrics have to check a patient after a surgery in the stomach they use geometry when lay down a patient in the bed. They have to now the position in degrees. When the patient have something wrong with their lungs the pediatrics have to make sure they are in the bed the head has to be 10 degrees down and the feet need to be 10 degrees down.(4) Pediatrics use geometry when they treat Tympanostomy (an ear infection that involves having liquids inside the ear) they need to know about geometry. They have to know the measurements and how many degrees the tube has to be reclined. They have to be careful, when they make the incision. Children are more apt to this infection; therefore, pediatricians have to be very careful to prevent them from cutting somewhere else. (5) Pediatrics earn about $13 to $24 per hour. They earn anywhere from 60,000 to 400,000 a year.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Culture And Defining The Role Of Leadership Essay -- Leadership Busine

Culture and Defining The Role Of Leadership Abstract I believe a person can be taught to lead and manage but one can't be taught how to effectively and successfully lead and manage. I don't believe the corporate culture of the organization has to with it. I think leading and managing has to do with the individual person. How that person is motivated, how that person sees him/herself. Can he/she lead effectively or is managing the nitch that they have. A Leader will effectively orchestrate change, create a vision, inspire people to follow the vision and keep people focused towards an ideal future. What is Culture? I first want you to understand what culture is because to understand culture is to understand the organization. According to Anthropologist James Sparely, culture is "the acquired knowledge people use to interpret experience and generate behavior". Culture can be interpreted in many ways such as national/ethnic culture, secondary or subgroup culture, culture in the anthropological sense and the capital C culture. The national/ ethnic culture is described as how one was raised as a child such as African American culture or Chinese culture. This interpretation is a very narrow view because it is a norm and it also raises challenges in our virtual team communication. Secondary or sub-group culture is described as our social groups such as women's group or golf group. Culture in the anthropological sense refers to behaviors one shares over time and the capital C culture refers to the performing arts. Individuals from different cultures vary in terms of their behaviors and communication styles (Gudykunst, 1997). Edward Halls th... ...wing the Mission and Vision stated this company has greatly succeeded in its leadership in maintaining a healthy organizational culture. I think the key to a healthy organizational culture is truly a great leader. A leader with self motivation, a leader with life skills not just educational skills. This leader should know what to expect from his/or her members because his vision is clear and concise. This leader will not only have plans for present day activities but for future endeavors, making sure that followers can see this future and actually taste success. A great leader trains others to precede him when he cannot lead any longer making certain that his vision stays alive. References Research website www.culture-at-work.com Research website www.tnellen.com/ted/tc/schein.html Research website www.aipfl.com