Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Cynics and Cynosures

Cynics and Cynosures Cynics and Cynosures Cynics and Cynosures By Maeve Maddox These two â€Å"doggy† words have quite different meanings. The word cynic comes from a Greek word meaning â€Å"dog-like, currish, churlish.† The word became a nickname for a school of Greek philosophers who disdained the luxuries and polite behavior of cultivated Greeks. Cynic is capitalized when it is used to refer to the philosophers. Pronunciation Note cynic [SIN-ik], cynical [Sin-uh-kl], cynicism [SIN-uh-sizm] cynosure Am. [SYNE-uh-SHOOR] Br. [SIN-uh-SHOOR] The most famous Cynicone might even say the cynosure of Cynics–was Diogenes. A most committed curmudgeon, Diogenes is remembered for having chosen to live in a tub instead of a house, and for telling Alexander the Great to move because he was blocking the sun. The word cynosure comes from a Greek word meaning â€Å"dog’s tail.† This was the name given by the Greeks to the northern constellation Ursa Minor, the â€Å"Small Bear† in whose tail is the Pole-star, also known as the North Star. Because the North Star is bright and a means of finding the direction of north, the word cynosure acquired the figurative meaning of â€Å"something that is bright and serves as a guide.† The philosophy of the Cynics had much to recommend it. Their goal was to live life according to Nature, a philosophy similar to that expressed by Thoreau in Walden. Thoreau, however, minded his manners and didn’t despise creature comforts. The Cynics embraced poverty, hardship, and toil. They criticized the emptiness and hypocrisy of social convention and organized religion; as a result they earned the reputation of people-haters and grumps. In modern usage, a cynic is a person disposed to find fault with everything and to rant about it to everyone. A cynic trusts no one’s sincerity or good intentions. The adjective is cynical; the noun is cynicism. Here are a few current applications of these words: Bill Maher is a playful microphone-toting cynic, roaming the landscapes of Christianity, with a few references to Judaism, Islam, and Scientology. Cynical politicians disingenuously mouth slogans of liberty and national security in order to manipulate the uncertain masses. The media framing of political news is implicated in activating, if not creating, cynicism about campaigns, policy, and governance. Social cynicism results from excessively high expectations concerning society, institutions and authorities: unfulfilled expectations lead to disillusionment, which releases feelings of disappointment and  betrayal. A few commenters on cynicism, it appears, are a bit limited in vocabulary: As I got older I found my cynical-ness had mostly gone away. Thats just pure speculation based on my cynicalness that companies always make deals better after Ive already gotten mine to make me feel bad. I think another technique that the author uses is Holden’s cynicalness and over all hypocriticalness. Cynicism is the noun; no â€Å"ness† needed. Hypocrisy is the noun for hypocritical. Unlike cynic, the word cynosure has positive connotations. A cynosure is someone or something that serves for guidance or direction, a â€Å"guiding star.† Not as common as cynic and its related forms, cynosure is nevertheless in current use: One critic wrote that admiration has grown such that Vemeer is now â€Å"displacing Raphael as Europe’s cynosure of artistic perfection. They have been the subject of many sighs and the cynosure of billions of eyes I am talking about the paintings that have defined the world of art. Da Vinci Robotics Exhibitions-conceptualised by  Leonardo da Vinci, Open vibe- the brain-computer interface show how brain activity, PR2 Robot, Eccerobot 2–an anthropomimetic robot acting as a human replica–were the cynosure of all eyes in 2011. Deepika Padukone, who was once a hot favourite with Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni, will be  the cynosure  of all eyes this cricket  season. If you decide to use cynosure, be sure to avoid the clichà © â€Å"cynosure of all eyes.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Idioms About Numbers10 Colloquial Terms and Their MeaningsEnglish Grammar 101: Prepositions

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Texas AM University Commerce Admissions Data

Texas AM University Commerce Admissions Data Admissions Overview: Students interested in Texas AM - Commerce should note that, while the school admits under half of applicants each year, students with solid grades and test scores still have a good chance of being admitted. To apply, those interested will need to submit (along with an application) SAT or ACT scores and official high school transcripts. Admissions Data (2016): Texas A M University - Commerce Acceptance Rate: 46%Test Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 430 / 540SAT Math: 440 / 540SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 18  / 23ACT English: 18 / 25ACT Math: 17 / 24What these ACT numbers mean Texas AM University Commerce Description: Founded in 1889, Texas AM University-Commerce is a public, four-year university located in Commerce, Texas, about an hour northeast of Dallas. AM-Commerce offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide range of fields, and the university also has extensive online educational options. High achieving students should check out TAMUCs honors program which gives full-tuition scholarships to 50 Honors students every year. Academics at TAMUC are supported by an 18 to 1 student / faculty ratio. Texas AM-Commerce is home to some very interesting intramural sports including Trivia Bowl, a Madden Tournament, and something called Cornhole. The university also has over 120 student clubs and organizations, and an active system of fraternities and sororities. For intercollegiate athletics, AM-Commerce Lions compete in the NCAA Division II  Lone Star Conference  (LSC) with five mens and seven womens sports. The university also has a rodeo program and cheer and dance teams. Enrollment (2016): Total Enrollment: 13,514  (8,318 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 40% Male / 60% Female72% Full-time Costs (2016 - 17): Tuition and Fees: $7,750  (in-state); $19,990 (out-of-state)Books: $1,400 (why so much?)Room and Board: $8,270Other Expenses: $3,413Total Cost: $20,833  (in-state); $33,073 (out-of-state) Texas AM University Commerce Financial Aid (2015  - 16): Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 90%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 78%Loans: 60%Average Amount of AidGrants: $9,617Loans: $5,799 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  Business Administration, Exercise Science, General Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, Liberal Studies, Psychology, Social Work Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 63%Transfer Out Rate: 30%4-Year Graduation Rate: 24%6-Year Graduation Rate: 43% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Mens Sports:  Football, Golf, Basketball, Track and Field, Cross CountryWomens Sports:  Golf, Soccer, Volleyball, Track and Field, Cross Country, Basketball Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics Interested in Texas AM University Commerce? You May Also Like These Colleges: Texas Tech University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Texas at Arlington:  ProfileUniversity of North Texas:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBaylor University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWest Texas AM University: ProfileSam Houston State University:  ProfileTexas Christian University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphTexas AM University Main Campus:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphStephen F. Austin State University:  ProfilePrarie View AM University:  ProfileTexas AM University-Corpus Christi:  ProfileUniversity of Houston:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Texas AM University Commerce Mission Statement: mission statement from  tamuc.edu/aboutUs/ourMission/default.aspx Texas AM University-Commerce provides a personal, accessible, and affordable educational experience for a diverse community of learners. We engage in creative discovery and dissemination of knowledge and ideas for service, leadership, and innovation in an interconnected and dynamic world.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Quality & Safety Education for Nurses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Quality & Safety Education for Nurses - Essay Example The second competency is that of teamwork and collaboration and its relevance is in the effective functioning within inter-professional teams and nursing, open communication fostering, shared decision making and mutual respect to achieve quality care for patients. The third competency is that of evidence based practice (EBP) which aims at integrating best current evidence with patient/family preferences and values and clinical expertise for delivery of best health care. The fourth competency involves quality improvement (QI) which mostly uses data in monitoring the outcomes of care processes and using improvement methods in designing and testing changes to help in continuous improvement of the quality and safety of the health care systems. The fifth competency is safety and involves minimization of risk of harm to providers and patients through both individual performance and system effectiveness. The sixth and last competency is informatics and deals with information and technology use in communicating, managing knowledge mitigating error and supporting decision making. Students should be able to explain why technology and information skills are important for patient care that is

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Free topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Free topic - Essay Example Following the riotous exploits of Brain and Gretchen, Joe’s work of fiction on this book courageously pursues the truth in discovering what it means to develop each person’s own identity. Both are trying as much as they could to find their way through the numerous complex threats that characterize the high school experience for many kids. On this book, Joe Meno does make some interesting argument. He conveys his knowledge and love of punk-rock music. This is vital for any individual writing within the indie rock novel type which is widely revealed in the book. And between this and the narrator, Brian Oswald, a total freak who is a school dropout who cusses the way too much and litters every 3rd sentence with ‘I guess’ or ‘maybe’, you will discover the true nature of a misguided American adolescent. A misguided American adolescent is characterized with music, getting high, avoiding depressed parents and trying to get laid, who at age fifty find themselves just as desperately misguided about life as these adolescent? As quoted by Joe Meno. He explores Brian’s emotional ambiguity and his heartrending youthful search for meaning, both in his on-again and music, off-again situation with Gretchen; his gabby, genuine and completely realistic take on adolescence strikes a winning chord. In the book, the issue of teenage violence is dealt with- brain’s occasional bouts of anger and destruction seem very real as compared to Gretchen’s fights which are characterized by certain slapstick quality (Meno, 46). Brain’s character in the book is revealed as sympathetic narrator and a prime example of awkward adolescence, even if he does not have much of a plot built around him. This paper tries to analyze the concept of the book and try to explain how an educator can utilize the book in trying to help a needy (in terms of character) adolescent student. The book captures the meaning of adolescence and that all go es along with conceptions such as finding the identity, awkwardness, puberty, first crushes and the constant power struggle that ever exist between teens and parents. Music is a common theme throughout the novel that ties Brian’s identity all together. Brain’s choice for music is changed throughout the story. He starts by liking punk music, then proceeds to Rod’s Baker Albums and finally fall in love with Mike’s Pink Floyd tapes. Brian’s identity changes depending on the type of music he is listening to. His main worry if about fitting as opposed to having his own voice and accepting who he is. However, Brian grow and develop as the novel progress, his identity develop as well as his perception about life. By the end of the novel, he realizes that there is nothing good than being yourself. There are numerous lessons learned in high school that exceed the common knowledge about grammar, memorizing constitutional amendments, and how to standout withi n one’s clique. Meno reminds us of this honest brutal fact. The novel is fun, memorable, witty and at times delicately philosophical. It appeals to the younger crowd and especially high school teenagers. The book is a hodgepodge of so many different elements; it’s truly a hives and peripatetic as the mind of a teenager. Brian’s character in the book is a representation of a complacent aimlessness teenager (Meno, 89). The drastic change in

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Structural and Developmental Assessment of the G Family Essay Example for Free

Structural and Developmental Assessment of the G Family Essay Caring for the family from a holistic point of view is at the very heart of nursing. The family unit is one of the most important foundational institutions in society. While it may seem inconsequential to some, the family unit provides identity, stability, and support. Family dynamics and crises can affect an individual greatly, both physically and emotionally. Thus, it is important for nurses to always include the family when assessing the individual patient. The Calgary Model provides a framework to accurately and comprehensively assess a family. It comprises of three main categories: structural, developmental, and functional. Using the Calgary Model, I plan to analyze the G family from the structural and developmental point of view. Internal Structure A family is composed of â€Å"two or more persons who are linked together by intimate association, resources, and values† (Bomar, 2004). It is whomever the individual decides provides for their physical and emotional needs and considers to be in their family. As for the G family, they would be considered a nuclear family. Mr. and Mrs. G are a married couple with four young children, E, age ten, J, age eight, B, age six, and A, age four. They live in the suburbs of Charlotte, N.C., describe their economic standing as upper middle class, and consider their race and ethnicity as Indian (Asian). When I posed the question to Mr. and Mrs. G of whom do you consider as your family, they both replied each other and their children. Each individual child also replied that their parents and siblings are considered their family. An assessment of gender roles helps the nurse to see how each individual perceives their role within the family (Wright Leahy, 2009). For the G family, gender roles are primarily determined based on culture. In the Indian culture, the husband is considered the head of the family and assumes the role of the primary monetary provider while the wife assumes care of the children and the household. In the G family, Mr. G is the primary provider for the family. He is the Chief Financial Consultant at a Fortune 500 company. Even though Mrs. G has a master’s degree in engineering, Mr. G. feels that a mother’s place is with the children and her role should to be rear them. While Mrs. G admits that she enjoys being a stay-at-home mom, she feels that all the energy and effort spent at getting a master’s degree was for nothing. Many times she feels that since she is able to work, she should work, but she respects her husband decision. This is where culture plays a major rol e, because in the Indian culture, the wife generally has to respect the husband’s wishes. While discussing gender roles, I also questioned them about their sexual orientation. Mr. and Mrs. G both say they are heterosexual and have always been heterosexual. They both admit to never being sexually active prior to getting married when they were both 23 years old. Mr. G says that the reason he waited till marriage to have sex was primarily due to religious convictions. Mrs. G also admits to being religiously convicted to wait till marriage to have sex, but also admits it was also out of fear of what her parents might do if she ever became pregnant before marriage. She went on to describe how in the Indian culture, having a child out of wedlock has grave repercussions for both the person involved and the family. It would cause the involved person to be cast out of the family, and place a bad stigma on the rest of the family members. Rank order is used to identify the positions of each child within the family in terms of age and gender (Wright Leahy, 2009). The children of the G family include the two older boys: E, age ten and J, age eight, and also the two younger girls, B, age six and A, age four. Mrs. G is the middle child, with an older brother and a younger sister, and Mr. G is the oldest of three children, with a younger brother and sister. At the present moment they are unsure if they would like to have more children. A subsystem is a group of members comprised of individuals linked together through a common association, such as gender, interest, or function (Wright Leahy, 2009). Mrs. G’s subsystem includes mother, wife, daughter, and sister. Mr. G’s subsystem includes father, husband, son, and brother. For the two boys, E and J, their subsystems include son, brother, and grandson. For the two girls, B and A, their subsystems include daughter, sister, and granddaughter. Mr. G admits that due to his work he has trouble balancing his many subsystems. His work requires him to travel across the country almost every week; thus, he does not have adequate time to spend being both a father and a husband. He feels as though he is always compromising time with someone, and he regrets this greatly because he is missing important milestones with his children and not spending enough time with his wife; however, because he is the sole provider he has to make this sacrifice in order to provide for his family. Boundaries serve to define and protect the family structure and system (Wright Leahy, 2009). From the information I gathered from the G family, I would describe their family boundaries as clear and permeable. Between husband and wife they mutually agree that they are not to have relationships with anybody else, and that conflicts must first try to be resolved by themselves. If conflicts arise among the children, the parents have the final say. The G family is Christian, and are careful of whom they allow into their family circle, making sure that they have the same Christian values. This is not to say that they isolate themselves from anyone who is of a different religious background; on the contrary, they say that they befriend all who they meet to try to bring them to know God. External Structure Extended family is very important to the G family. For Mrs. G, she is very open with her mother, and describes her as her best friend. Even though her mother is in India, they talk to each other on the phone every day. On the other hand, Mrs. G is not particularly close to her father. Although she loves her father deeply, she describes him as being overly religious. She says that it is very difficult to talk to him because he looks at everything through the prism of religion and will often condemn her, even if she is just asking for a piece of advice. Mr. G’s family is much more laid back. He has an open relationship with both his parents and siblings, and is able to talk to them freely. Mr. G’s extended family of his parents and brother are going to be playing a more important role in their lives because the G family is planning to move to Houston, Texas in relation to Mr. G’s job, and both his parents and his brother already live there. While Mrs. G is happy that they are going to have close family nearby, she does not want to live too close to her in-laws because she says that they will tell her how to raise her children and she does not like that. Larger systems refer to social agencies within the community that the family is in frequent contact with (Wright Leahy, 2009). Mr. and Mrs. G say that the biggest and most important system in their family is their church. They are very active in the church by always planning and organizing activities. Furthermore, people in the church really look up to them as being a great example of a loving family. For the children, school is important and they are part of many extracurricular activities, such as piano lessons, swimming, and basketball. Furthermore, Mrs. G attends a Zumba class everyday with some of her friends from the church. The next category in the Calgary Model is the developmental assessment. The G family is considered to be in stage three of the family life cycle, â€Å"Families with young children†. In this stage, some changes that are required for the family to proceed developmentally include: adjusting the marital system to make space for the children, joining in childrearing, financial, and household tasks, and realignment of relationships to include parenting and grandparenting roles (Wright Leahy, 2009). The G family admits that they still struggle at times to meet each other’s personal and emotional needs because the needs of the children are now their main priority. However, since the children are now getting older and are at an age where they are able to keep themselves preoccupied, Mr. and Mrs. G feel that they are able to spend more quality time with each other. According to the Framework of Systemic Organization by Marie-Louise Friedmann the family is social system with the purpose of relating culture to its members (Bomar, 2009). Its elements include family stability, growth, control, and spirituality (Bomar, 2009). The G family provides for each of these elements within their family by enabling opportunities to learn about societal norms and behaviors, interacting with community resources, setting boundaries, and encouraging the self growth of each member. After assessing the G family from a structural and developmental point of view, I can see that they are family that deeply care for and love each other unconditionally. They provide for each other’s physical and emotional needs, and make sacrifices when necessary for the betterment of the family. They acknowledge that they are not a perfect family and have many flaws, but they try to continuously learn from their experiences and seek ways to improve their family life.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Ida Tarbell the Muckraker: Digging up the Dirt Essay -- Essays Papers

Ida Tarbell the Muckraker: Digging up the Dirt During the late 1800's and early 1900's, change in American society was very evident in the economy. An extraordinary expansion of the industrial economy was taking place, presenting new forms of business organization and bringing trusts and holding companies into the national picture. The turn of the century is known as the "Great Merger Movement:" over two thousand corporations were "swallowed up" by one hundred and fifty giant holding companies.1 This powerful change in industry brought about controversy and was a source of social anxiety. How were people to deal with this great movement and understand the reasons behind the new advancements? Through the use of propaganda, the public was enlightened and the trusts were attacked. Muckraking, a term categorizing this type of journalism, began in 1903 and lasted until 1912. It uncovered the dirt of trusts and accurately voiced the public's alarm of this new form of industrial control. Ida Tarbell, a known muckraker, spearheaded this popular investigative movement.2 As a journalist, she produced one of the most detailed examinations of a monopolistic trust, The Standard Oil Company.3 Taking on a difficult responsibility and using her unique journalistic skills, Ida Tarbell was able to get to the bottom of a scheme that allowed the oil industry to be manipulated by a single man, John D. Rockefeller. Being a conscientious journalist, Ida Tarbell is known for the inauguration of muckraking. President Theodore Roosevelt had given the term ‘muckraking’ to this type of investigative journalism done by Ida Tarbell. Roosevelt did not fully support her work because of its "focus and tone." The President got this name from a c... ...s Press, 1994), 4. 2. Kathleen Brady, Ida Tarbell, Portrait of a Muckraker (New York: Seaview/Putnam, 1984), 140. 3. Ida M. Tarbell. "The History of the Standard Oil Company." 1904. Available [online]: http://www.history.rochester.edu/fuels/tarbell/MAIN.HTM. (15 February 2000). 4. Fitzpatrick, 2. 5. Mary E. Tomkins, Ida M. Tarbell (New York: Twayne Publishers, Inc, 1974), 15. 6. Brady, 136. 7. Tomkins, 15. 8. Brady, 121-124. 9. Brady, 133. 10. Fitzpatrick, 60-70. 11. Tarbell 12. Tomkins, 65. 13. Fitzpatrick, 77-79. 14. Tomkins, 59-65. 15. Tarbell 16. Tomkins, 66. 17. Lowrie, Arthur L. "Ida M. Tarbell: Investigative Journalist Par Excellence." 1997. Available [online]: http://merlin.alleg.edu/hmccell/tarbell/biobib.html (15 February 2000). 18. Brady, 160. 19. Lowrie

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Managing financial and non-financial resources

Universities are institutions where students pursue higher levels of education. This institution enables the students to   study and to conduct research work in various academic fields and after completing and qualifying in their studies   they are awarded academic degrees such as the bachelors degree, master degree and the doctorate degree.The institution is headed by a board of trustees who ensure that the operations of the institution are carried out effectively.   The chancellor is usually appointed to run the institution.   The institution has many departments which are headed by various deans who ensure that the students’ affairs   and the learning affairs of the institution are run effectively and efficiently.In case of public universities they are managed by the government through the   Higher   Education Boards which   review their financial needs and   their budget proposals and then they allocate appropriate fund according to the demand of the inst itutions departments expenses.   The private universities are usually sponsored by private persons thus their operations are not affected by the government since they carry out their activities independently.A budget is a plan of how an organization would like to achieve its goals in the future.   It consists of estimates that the management with its personnel sets so that the operations of the institution can     run effectively.   A budget process is the procedure that is followed by an organization or a government on how to create and to approve a budget.The administrator of an organization organizes   a meeting in order to ensure that all members of the organization participate in the preparation of the budget so that the following year’s activities are adequately addressed and then the financial managers ensure that appropriate funds are allocated against the activities of the organization.   The chief executive officers reviews and approves the budgets so that they can make appropriate amendments if need be.The allocation of resources of a university in the budget process is usually made in compliance   with the university’s strategic plans .   The deans and the directors of the university develop the budget using the proposals for the university faculty.   They consult department chairmen and unit heads so that they can provide a comprehensive budget which is helpful to the particular faculty concerned.   The university vice chancellor is the last person who approves the budget so that it can be made effective and hence he or she directs on how the budget is to implemented by various personnel in the institution..The expenditures of a university are forecasted, monitored and controlled using the following procedure.   The finance officer creates a valid account that relates to the activities that the university would like to achieve then an account number is created to those accounts .   The account is monitored b y carrying one monthly reconciliations of revenues and expenditures and then comparing actual revenues and expenditures to the budget so as to determine the variance so that corrective measures can be carried out. For example for the contracts and clinical activities   Ã‚  they are prepared using invoices which are used to monitor that the terms and conditions of a company are properly followed.In case there are deficit balances on the allocated accounts they are regulated using the accounts that are associated with them .A comprehensive budget for the institution is necessary   because   there are many activities that are carried out in the institution thus   it is important to   correct the deficits that an organisation has so as to enable the institution to carry out its activities effectively   and to   enable it to achieve its   goals in the future.   The management of the university carries out internal controls when preparing the budget.   An auditor is us ually appointed   carries out an   audit in   books of account   so as to ensure that the financial statements portray a true view and also ensure that the books of accounts are accurately and properly kept.   The budget can be forecast using the current years performance and the resources that are available in   the university.The manager of the institution can encourage people to share responsibility by involving them in the decision making process.   This can enable the employees of the institution to contribute their views, ideas about how to run the activities and this can help them to appreciate the operations of the company and they can enhance the implementation the ideas of an organisation.The managers of the institution can manage non-financial resources by employing qualified personnel to handle and oversee their operation since in one way or another they contribute to the success of the business. The management of the institution can also manage the non-fin ancial resources by preparing strategic budgeting approaches which can help them to align the necessary resources so as to enhance proper strategic plans for the institution.The approaches that are used in monitoring and controlling non-financial resources are :activity based costing it is an approach that is used in the measuring the   costs of activities of an organisation this approach enables a manager not to over or under estimate his costs because since either of the two can lead the managers to not to prepare their budget properly since specific funds are allocated to particular projects of a company and this enables the activities of the institution to be carried out effectively.The other approach that can be used in monitoring and controlling the non-financial resources are the use of the balanced scorecard it is an approach that is used in evaluating the performance of the employees of the institution. It enables the management to assess themselves whether they are perfo rming their activities as expected of them ,in case they don’t perform as expected of them they can take measures of preventing the   bad outcomes from happening in the future.The advantages of using this approaches is that they enable the management of the organisation to perform their activities effectively and once they adhere to what they   are expected to do   this   can enable the organisation to achieve its   goals and hence they enable it to have greater returns for the institution . The disadvantages of using this approaches is that they may be very costly for the organisation to implement because of inadequacy of resources to implement the projects , some people in the institution may   oppose the idea of implementing the project   because either they may   biased or they would   not like to accept changes in their institutions..People spend money for various reasons one is to satisfy their basic needs such as to purchase food, clothing and shelter . In case of     the universities the management   spends money in order to meet their current budgets of what they would like to accomplish in a given financial year, thus in their budget they allocate specific funds for specific projects that they would like to set up in the future .The institution may plan in its budget to build more lecture rooms in order to accommodate the increasing of students that are enrolling in the institutions, since these can be a good investment since in the long run it can generate returns for the institution since the students can enroll in it due to the availability of resources that enhance learning to take place effectively.In case of universities they prepare capital budget since their expenditure is mostly associated with the purchase of infrastructure that is most preferable for the organization.   The management of the institution can be able to select a type of investment for their institution based on the risk that is involved in se tting up the project and also with regard to how the plans of setting up the project have been designed so that enough resources are allocated so that the project can be effectively implemented.   An investment can be evaluated by using the following capital budgeting techniques.   One of them is the net present value technique, internal rate of return and the pay back technique.The capital budgeting technique that is called net present value can assist the management of an institution to make a decision on whether to accept an investment or not.   If an investment has a positive net present value then it means that an investor can invest in that project.   The rate of return of the investment should be selected depending on the riskiness of the project.   The riskiness of a project is determined by how the case   is   flowing in the institution, if the cash inflow is higher than the cash outflow then it is important to invest in the project since the returns of the pr oject are high.The internal rate of return is a capital budgeting technique that is used in measuring the efficiency of a project.   It is a discount rate that gives the same result as the net present value. If the internal rate of return is higher than the hurdle rate then an investment   can be implemented   using the rate.The financial tools can be used by the institution in carrying out its activities .The financial tools consist of financial ratios the enable an institution to compare its performance in its previous years performance so that they can take corrective measures if need be since the ratios are prepared using variables in the financial statements thus comparing their performance can be easy since the financial statements of a company are usually prepared annually.It is important to manage the resources of an institution because they enable it to achieve goals and objectives in the future .If the resources are properly managed   the an institution can be able to earn greater returns and hence it can continue to progress in the future.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Identity: Through Others We Become Ourselves

Through Others We Become Ourselves Rachel Sealy-Fisher In this essay, I will be discussing how people create identities for others through propaganda and language usage, perceptions and first impressions and how we accept these identities because of fear. I will use the films: Avatar and Memoirs of a Geisha as well as the novel: We Shall Not Weep by Johnny Masilela as references. Everyone creates identities for others. Often this is sub-conscious or unintended. We sometimes create these identities because carefully compiled propaganda and language have been used on us.From what we hear, we form identities. In the film, Avatar, Colonel Quartich, head of the Avatar programme, tells Jake Sully â€Å" Every living thing that crawls, flies or squats in the mud, wants to kill you and eat your eyes for Jujubes. † The colonel informs Jake about the dangers on the planet Pandora, accurately portraying his negative feelings about the planet. He creates an identity for the Na’vi, the natives of Pandora, that they are savage beasts, referring to them as â€Å"blue monkeys† or â€Å"roaches†.He sets this negative identity in Jake’s head before he even meets the Na’vi. Mabena, Duma’s grandfather in Johnny Masilela’s We Shall Not Weep tried to keep Duma enlightened about his Ndebele past and creates a negative identity about westernisation and Duma’s interest in music. Mabena insists that Duma keep the values of his history alive. Duma, however, is disinterested and absorbed in urban life and jazz music. Through this, Mabena creates a negative identity for urbanisation.Identities are also created by first impressions and perceptions. How we first see someone is often how we will think of that person in the future. In the movie, Avatar, Neytiri, a Na’vi and daughter of Chief Moat, is asked by Jake why she saved him when a Pandorian creature was attacking him. She says, â€Å"You have a strong heart. No fear . But stupid! Like an ignorant child. † She tells him this on their first encounter. She instantly gets the impression that Jake has good motives, but is stupid and ignorant.However, we see Jake isn’t as ignorant as Neytiri first makes him out to be, but he has a lust for learning the ways of the Na’vi. The Na’vi have also created an identity for humans, or ‘Sky People’. They believe they cannot learn how to ‘see’. Chief Moat says to Neytiri when she asks if she may try to teach Jake to see, â€Å"We have tried to teach other Sky People. It’s hard to fill a cup that is already full. † Moat is implying the ‘Sky people’ are unwilling to learn that it is difficult to change their reluctance to learn.Sayuri, a Geisha from the film: Memoirs of a Geisha created an identity for the chairman, who she met as a young girl, as a kind, caring and loving man when he stopped to buy her a cup of sweet ice and told her to smile while she was crying. He, in return, has created a beautiful, fragile identity for Sayuri, and falls in love with her, but refrains and tries to protect her instead. These are just examples of how we all create identities for others based on perceptions and first impressions.Although we may be aware that our identities may be created for us, and often by us, we still choose to accept that this is who we are. We accept the identities that other people have created for us as who we are, rather than creating our own identities and finding our true self. Sakamoto Chiyo in Memoirs of a Geisha accepts the idea that she is a worthless slave as she is afraid of what her okiya mistress may do to her if she questions her position. She remains silent, believing she has no voice.Later, when she becomes Sayuri, she does what others say she must do, such as selling her mizuage to the highest bidder to become a true geisha. She does all this for fear that she may not fulfil her goal and b ecome a true Geisha. In conclusion, we all create identities for other people and ourselves. These may formulate through brainwashing propaganda and language usage, perceptions and first impressions. We often accept these identities because of fear that those around us will not accept us. Many films and novels are written around identity creation.Avatar, Memoirs of a Geisha and We Shall Not Weep are simply three examples of identity creation and acceptance of these identities as our own rather than creating our true identity, that isn’t influenced by others, but purely ourselves. Word count: 765 words Bibliography: Masilela, Johnny. â€Å"We Shall not weep† 1 May 2012 www. Kwela. com/we shall not weep www. beyondintractibility. org/bi-essay/identity-issues Memoirs of a geisha. IMDB. 2 May 2012 http://www. imdb. com/title/tt0397535/ Films: Avatar Memoirs of a Geisha Novel: We Shall not Weep- Johnny Masilela (June 2002)

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Make Your Move Mr. President essays

Make Your Move Mr. President essays Make Your Move Mr. President The United States is at war. A war against Terrorism. A fight to uphold the freedom that America cherishes so dearly. When our new president comes into office, this war will be a pressing issue for him. Every US Citizen will have their eyes fixated on every move that the president makes. Will he leave our troops in Iraq? Will he send more troops in? These are common questions on our minds. The Government exists to protect us. That is what it was created to do. The war on terror is taking place because the government is doing its job. Before September 11, 2001, we didnt see terrorism as an immediate threat. In the time following September 11, our strategy changed. We realized that we cant just sit back and hope that we dont get attacked. When we see a potential threat, we need to address it. That is why we went into Iraq. Saddam Hussein was posing a threat to us. He was suspected to have nuclear weapons, and we didnt want to just sit around and wait for him to bomb us. So we took out Saddam. However, in taking out Saddam, we left Iraq with no real form of leadership. We didnt go into Iraq to destroy the country, we dont want to just leave the Iraqis without a government. The new president should try to get a viable government up and running as soon as possible in Iraq. We are risking the lives of our troops by keeping them there. It is however, more important that we fight on the streets of Iraq rather than the streets of Boston or New York. We want to keep terror at bay, and not fight this war within our boundaries. ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Philip Zimbardo and the Stanford Prison Experiment

Philip Zimbardo and the Stanford Prison Experiment Philip G. Zimbardo, born March 23, 1933, is an influential social psychologist.  He is best known for the influential- yet controversial- study known   as the â€Å"Stanford Prison Experiment,† a study in which research participants were â€Å"prisoners† and â€Å"guards† in a mock prison. In addition to the Stanford Prison Experiment, Zimbardo has worked on a wide range of research topics and has written over 50 books and published over 300 articles. Currently, he is a professor emeritus at Stanford University and president of the Heroic Imagination Project, an organization aimed at increasing heroic behavior among everyday people. Early Life and Education Zimbardo was born in 1933 and grew up in the South Bronx in New York City. Zimbardo writes  that living in an impoverished neighborhood as a child influenced his interest in psychology: â€Å"My interest in understanding the dynamics of human aggression and violence stems from early personal experiences† of living in a rough, violent neighborhood. Zimbardo credits his teachers with helping to encourage his interest in school and motivating him to become successful. After graduating from high school, he attended Brooklyn College, where he graduated in 1954 with a triple major in psychology, anthropology, and sociology. He studied psychology in graduate school at Yale, where he earned his MA in 1955 and his PhD in 1959.  After graduating, Zimbardo taught at Yale, New York University, and Columbia, before moving to Stanford in 1968. The Stanford Prison Study In 1971, Zimbardo conducted his most famous and controversial study- the Stanford Prison Experiment. In this study, college-age men participated in a mock prison. Some  of the men were randomly chosen to be prisoners and even went through mock â€Å"arrests† at their homes by local police before being brought to the mock prison on the Stanford campus. The other participants were chosen to be prison guards. Zimbardo assigned himself the role of the superintendent of the prison. Although the study was originally planned to last two weeks, it was ended early- after just six days- because events at the prison took an unexpected turn. The guards began to act in cruel, abusive ways towards prisoners and forced them to engage in degrading and humiliating behaviors. Prisoners in the study began to show signs of depression, and some even experienced nervous breakdowns. On the fifth day of the study, Zimbardo’s girlfriend at the time, psychologist Christina Maslach, visited the mock prison and was shocked by what she saw.  Maslach (who is now Zimbardo’s wife) told him, â€Å"You know what, its terrible what youre doing to those boys.†Ã‚  After seeing the events of the prison from an outside perspective, Zimbardo stopped the study. The Prison Experiments Impact Why did people behave the way they did in the prison experiment? What was it about the experiment that made the prison guards behave so differently from how they did in everyday life? According to Zimbardo, the Stanford Prison Experiment speaks to the powerful way that social contexts can shape our actions and cause us to behave in ways that would have been unthinkable to us even a few short days before. Even Zimbardo himself found that his behavior changed when he took on the role of prison superintendent. Once he identified with his role, he found that he had trouble recognizing the abuses happening in his own prison: â€Å"I lost my sense of compassion,†Ã‚  he explains in an interview with Pacific Standard. Zimbardo explains that the prison experiment offers a surprising and unsettling finding about human nature. Because our behaviors are partially determined by the systems and situations we find ourselves in, we are capable of behaving in unexpected and alarming ways in extreme situations. He explains that, although people like to think of their behaviors as relatively stable and predictable, we sometimes act in ways that surprise even ourselves.  Writing about the prison experiment in The New Yorker, Maria Konnikova offers another possible explanation for the results: she suggests that the environment of the prison was a powerful situation, and that people often change their behavior to match what they think is expected of them in situations such as this. In other words, the prison experiment shows that our behavior can change drastically depending on the environment we find ourselves in. Critiques of the Prison Experiment Although the Stanford Prison Experiment has had a significant influence (it was even the inspiration for a film), some people have questioned the validity of the experiment. Instead of simply being an outside observer of the study, Zimbardo served as the prison superintendent and had one of his students serve as the prison warden. Zimbardo himself has admitted that he regrets being the prison superintendent and should have remained more objective. In a 2018 article for Medium, writer Ben Blum argues that the study suffers from several key flaws. First, he reports that several of the prisoners claimed being unable to leave the study (Zimbardo denies this allegation). Second, he suggests that Zimbardo’s student David Jaffe (the prison warden) may have influenced the behavior of the guards by encouraging them to treat prisoners more harshly. It’s been pointed out that the Stanford Prison Experiment demonstrates the importance of reviewing the ethics of each research project before the study goes forward, and for researchers to think carefully about the study methods that they use. However, despite the controversies, the Stanford Prison Experiment raises a fascinating question: how much does the social context influence our behavior? Other Work by Zimbardo After conducting the Stanford Prison Experiment, Zimbardo went on to conduct research on several other topics, such as how we think about time  and how people can overcome shyness.   Zimbardo has also worked to share his research with audiences outside of academia. In 2007, he wrote The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil, based on what he learned about human nature through his research in the Stanford Prison Experiment. In 2008, he wrote The Time Paradox: The New Psychology of Time That Will Change Your Life about his research on time perspectives. He has also hosted a series of educational videos titled Discovering Psychology. After the humanitarian abuses at Abu Ghraib came to light, Zimbardo has also spoken about the causes of abuse in prisons. Zimbardo was an expert witness  for one of the guards at Abu Ghraib, and he explained that he believed the cause of events at the prison were systemic.  In other words, he argues that, rather than being due to the behavior of a â€Å"few bad apples,† the abuses at Abu Ghraib occurred because of the system organizing the prison.  In a 2008 TED talk, he explains why he believes the events occurred at Abu Ghraib: â€Å"If you give people power without oversight, its a prescription for abuse.†Ã‚  Zimbardo has also spoken about the need for prison reform in order to prevent future abuses at prisons: for example, in a 2015 interview with Newsweek, he explained the importance of having better oversight of prison guards in order to prevent abuses from happening at prisons. Recent Research: Understanding Heroes One of Zimbardo’s most recent projects involves researching the psychology of heroism.   Why is it that some people are willing to risk their own safety to help others, and how can we encourage more people to stand up to injustice? Although the prison experiment shows how situations can powerfully shape our behavior, Zimbardo’s current research suggests that challenging situations don’t always cause us to behave in antisocial ways. Based on  his research on heroes, Zimbardo writes that difficult situations can sometimes actually cause people to act as heroes:   Ã¢â‚¬Å"A key insight from research on heroism so far is that the very same situations that inflame the hostile imagination in some people, making them villains, can also instill the heroic imagination in other people, prompting them to perform heroic deeds.†Ã‚   Currently, Zimbardo is president of the Heroic Imagination Project, a program that works to study heroic behavior and train people in strategies to behave heroically. Recently, for example, he has studied the frequency of heroic behaviors and the factors that cause people to act heroically. Importantly, Zimbardo has found from this research that everyday people can behave in heroic ways. In other words, despite the results of the Stanford Prison Experiment, his research has shown that negative behavior isn’t inevitable- instead, we are also capable of using challenging experiences as an opportunity to behave in ways that help other people. Zimbardo writes, â€Å"Some people argue humans are born good or born bad; I think that’s nonsense. We are all born with this tremendous capacity to be anything.† References Bekiempis, Victoria.   â€Å"What Philip Zimbardo and the Stanford Prison Experiment Tell Us About the Abuse of Power.†Ã‚   Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2015, www.newsweek.com/stanford-prison-experiment-age-justice-reform-359247.Blum, Ben. â€Å"The Lifespan of a Lie.† Medium: Trust Issues. https://medium.com/s/trustissues/the-lifespan-of-a-lie-d869212b1f62.Kilkenny, Katie.   â€Å"‘It’s Painful’: Dr. Philip Zimbardo Revisits the Stanford Prison Experiment.†Ã‚   Pacific Standard, 20 Jul. 2015, psmag.com/social-justice/philip-zimbardo-revisits-the-stanford-prison-experiment.Konnikova, Maria.   â€Å"The Real Lesson of the Stanford Prison Experiment.†Ã‚   The New Yorker, 12 June 2015, www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/the-real-lesson-of-the-stanford-prison-experiment.â€Å"Philip G. Zimbardo: Stanford Prison Experiment.†Ã‚   Stanford Libraries, exhibits.stanford.edu/spe/about/philip-g-zimbardo.Ratnesar, Romesh.   â€Å"The Men ace Within.†Ã‚   Stanford Alumni, July/Aug. 2011, alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id40741.Slavich, George M.   â€Å"On 50 Years of Giving Psychology Away: An Interview with Philip Zimbardo.†Ã‚   Teaching of Psychology, vol. 36, no. 4, 2009, pp. 278-284, DOI: 10.1080/00986280903175772, www.georgeslavich.com/pubs/Slavich_ToP_2009.pdf. Toppo, Greg. â€Å"Time to Dismiss the Stanford Prison Experiment?† Inside Higher Ed,  2018, June 20,  https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/06/20/new-stanford-prison-experiment-revelations-question-findings.Zimbardo, Philip G.   â€Å"Philip G. Zimbardo.†Ã‚   Social Psychology Network, 8 Sep. 2016, zimbardo.socialpsychology.org/.Zimbardo, Philip G.   â€Å"The Psychology of Evil.†Ã‚   TED, Feb. 2008, www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_on_the_psychology_of_evil.Zimbardo, Philip G.   â€Å"The Psychology of Time.†Ã‚   TED, Feb. 2009, www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_prescribes_a_healthy_take_on_time.Zimbardo, Philip G.   â€Å"What Makes a Hero?†Ã‚   Greater Good Science Center, 18 Jan. 2011, greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_makes_a_hero.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

State Education Standards (my state is Florida) Essay

State Education Standards (my state is Florida) - Essay Example The standards that have been mentioned in each of the documents are logical, realistic and attainable. For student achievement standards the bureau of student development has provided a thorough analysis of the standard. The best part that makes the state department’s claim commendable is the practicality of the standards it expects of its students. A detail report in the stream of Language Art shows how scientifically and strategically the standards are fixed for each grade. Specific requirements of standard for each grade are mentioned like â€Å"Grades 11-12: Reading----Standards/Benchmark†. As the document is in the form of a table based on class grades one can easily navigate through it. Standards seem to be listed as objectives though it is not mentioned specifically. The performance standard of teachers is mentioned in detail. Florida stresses on recruitment of teachers with the skill and resource of teaching non-English speaking students. The requirements in terms of teaching standard are described distinctly especially for ESOL teachers. The document is presented in point form and the objectives are mentioned in specific terms. As there are no sub-headings and as the analysis is content based navigation becomes a little cumbersome to reach a specific detail. The document of the national standards of education of the state of Florida is comprehensive and inclusive of all the different departments of education. It provides a concise but complete view of the standards fixed for each of the different branches. The document presents the content in a very systematic pattern in bullet points with headings and sub-headings for each point. Adopting this technical approach has not only made the document to the point but has also made it easy for one to navigate through it for related points or links. There are no specifications of the standards being regarded as objectives but it seems so in