The Homeland Security Act Of 2002 - 1333 Words

THE HOMELAND SECURITY ACT The Homeland Security Act of 2002 Signed into law in 2002 by President George W. Bush, the Homeland Security Act established the Department of Homeland Security to prevent terrorist attacks, minimize any damage to the nation’s citizens, and reduce the country’s vulnerability to terrorism. In response to 9/11, the government, as well as the airline industry, has gone through many changes. As of result of 9/11, the airline industry lost a total of $7.7 billion. This paper reviews the reasons behind the making of the Homeland Security Act, the effects of 9/11 on the airline industry and the government, the purpose of the Homeland Security Act, and the aftermath of the Homeland Security Act. Reasons behind the†¦show more content†¦In addition, according to authorities, these hijackers killed the pilots before the airliners hit their targets. Two of the planes aimed at New York City hit the World Trade Center, with one of them hitting the South Tower, and the other, hitting the North Tower. The World Trade Center was THE HOMELAND SECURITY ACT considered by many a symbol of the United States. The third airliner hit its target which included the Pentagon (the headquarters of the Department of Defense and a symbol of the U.S. Military). The fourth plane (United Airlines Flight 93) was aimed at Washington, D.C., but failed to reach its target. The passengers figured out the intentions of the hijackers and quickly took action. As a result, the aircraft crashed on a field in Pennsylvania. Afterwards, the government and the FAA ordered all aircraft to land on airports nearby and ordered flights coming from outside the United States to be turned back. In response to 9/11, former President George W. Bush and the government started to work quickly for a response to these attacks and its aftermath. Former President George W. Bush knew that this would be a huge turning point in his presidency. He gave a speech urging the U.S. citizens to stay calm and told the people that the government would respond effecti vely and rapidly. Many citizens were now paranoid of flying on an aircraft due to the fact that these hijackings were easily carried out. In addition, businesses pulled their employees from flying on

Lean Six Sigma Principles On Improving Turnaround Times At...

Researchers Lamm, Eckel, and Amerine desired to explore the effectiveness of Lean Six Sigma principles on improving turnaround times at a busy U.S. infusion clinic. The team implemented a three-phase study in which they first analyzed turnaround times for a period of 12 months. Next, they implemented several Lean tools including a five-day Kaizen event to identify potential ways to reduce turn around times from 60 to the new goal of 45 minutes. During the last phase the researches implemented strategies identified during the Kaizen event. The study revealed positive results! Implementation of Lean principles identified process-improvement strategies that improved department workflow and successfully reduced chemotherapy turnaround time†¦show more content†¦These methodologies have led to procedure changes in response to inconsistencies identified through Six Sigma’s strategies. However, the researchers noted that sometimes changes where implemented without sufficient statistical evidence to support the change. Yet in other cases some statistical findings were over exaggerated. Therefore, they advise that care should be taken to determine the practicality of changes. This study provides the reader with enough evidence to support the use of Six Sigma in healthcare while highlighting some of the potential pitfalls of the methodology. The purpose of this study was to develop long-term solutions targeted at improving care outcomes in a high-risk Neurotrauma Intensive Care Unit (NTICU). The authors utilized Six Sigma strategies, specifically Define-Measure-Analyze-Control (DMAIC), to reduce central line use and curb central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLASBI). The driving factors for the study are increasing pressures from the Institute of Medicine and the Joint Commission to reduce hospital-associated infections. Initiatives derived from the use of Six Sigma’s DMAIC process were responsible for reducing the NTICU CLASBI rate below national benchmarks. Ultimately, these initiatives resulted in a total savings of $204,092 in costs related to avoidable infections. Project outcomes were also significant for reducing the overall NTICU length of stay to 7.2 days—an additional cost savings of

Business Accounting The Process of Financial Reporting

Question: Describe about the Business Accounting for The Process of Financial Reporting. Answer: Introduction The present study concentrates on the evaluation of the notion of prudence in the process of financial reporting with special reference to the functionalities of the corporation Sea link Travel Group. In addition to this, the present segment also emphasizes on the reason behind the significance of prudence in financial reporting and elucidates different examples of application of the prudence in the annual report of Sea Link Travel Group. Thereafter, the present section sheds light on the discussion as to application of prudence. Furthermore, the present segment also expounds in detail different implications of the applications of prudence for financial reports in future financial year. Sea Link Travel Group is an Australian public corporation that functions as tourist as well as travelservices. 1: Evaluation of the concept of Prudence As mentioned in the Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements that is the complied framework issued by AASB, prudence can be considered as the addition of a certain degree of concern in the process of establishment of judgement required in presenting the approximation necessary under circumstances of uncertainty (Aasb.gov.au 2016). The maintenance of prudence can help in avoiding overstatement of the assets as well as income and understatement of the liabilities as well as expenses. The preparers of the financial declaration need to deal with the uncertainties that unavoidably surround definite events as well as state of affairs that include the collection of different doubtful receivables, plausible economic life of plant as well as equipment including the number of the warranty claims that might happen (pwc.in 2016). The notion of prudence also referred to as the conservatism principle can therefore, be regarded as the accounting principle that calls fo r the need of registering diverse assets as well as liabilities as soon as they take place but recording revenues only after realization or when they are necessarily assured as mentioned in AASB 118 (Aasb.gov.au. 2016). Therefore, in the present case, the management o f the company Sea link Travel Group need not recognize assets at a greater value that the particular amount that can be recovered from the sale or application. Similarly, the management of Sea Link Travel Group also need to ensure that liabilities are not identified at a lower value than what is anticipated to be in the forthcoming period (Sealinktravelgroup.com.au 2016). 2: Reason behind the significance of prudence in financial reporting As mentioned in the Framework for Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements (AASB CF), the concept of prudence has need of exercising a degree of caution in the process of adoption of strategies and significant approximation (accaglobal.com. 2016). This can ensure that the assets as well as the income of the business entity are not overemphasized while liabilities and at the same time expenses are not understated. Therefore, the justification behind prudence is that the accounting principle can help in ensuring that the corporation need not identify an asset at a value that is higher than the amount that is anticipated to be recovered from the sale or application (Ifrs.org 2016). There remains inherent risk associated to the overstatement of the assets and the earnings of the corporation by the management. This also includes understatement of the liabilities as well as expenses. In addition to this, the risk essentially stems from the fact that corporations often gain adva ntage from enhanced-reported profitability in addition to lower gearing through cheaper resource of finance and at the same time higher prices of share. Again, there exists risk associated to the advantage provided in the process of selection of the accounting strategies and approximations that might again lead to bias in the process of preparation and at the same time presentation of the financial declarations directed at enhancing profitability as well as financial position by means of inventive accounting procedures. Therefore, the notion of prudence can help to make certain that this kind of bias can be encountered by the implementation of concern for process of approximation and the acceptance of accounting strategies. 3: Examples of application of the prudence in the annual report of Sea Link Travel Group The analysis of the financial statements of the corporation Sea Link Travel Group is presented as per the requirements of the Australian Accounting Standards as well as the Corporations Act 2001. As mentioned in the annual declaration of the company Sea Link Travel Group, the adherence to different accounting principles can ensure maintenance of internal controls that can enable the process of preparation of financial declaration free from material misstatement (Sealinktravelgroup.com.au 2016). The company maintains prudence to ensure presentation of the true and fair view to the users of the financial statements. For example, the revenue identification is essentially carried out on condition of the fulfillment of certain recognition criteria that can help in averting the overstatement of the same. Revenue of the corporation Sea Link Travel Group registers revenue when the significant risks as well as rewards of the possession of the goods can be passed to the purchaser and the cost borne can be enumerated reliably (Tourism | australia.gov.au 2016). Again, the revenue of the corporation from the ferry services are essentially recognized based on the departure date in which the consumers or else the groups that have made payments for the travel associated to the services have in reality departed. In addition to this, the revenue is also identified as the interest accrues by application of the effectual interest mechanism. In addition to this, the government grant can also be recognized at the time when there is rational assurance that the particular grant will be collected and it also adheres to different connected conditions. Again, yet another example of maintenance of prudence by the management of Sea Link Travel Group is recognition of the government grants. As per AASB 120, government grants need to be identified in profit or else loss on a methodical foundation over the time in which the business entity can identify as expenses the associated costs for whi ch the specific grants are proposed to compensate (Aasb.gov.au 2016). There are two different approaches that is the income approach and the capital approach for identification of the grant as per the standard. As per the annual statement, it can be hereby ascertained that the management of the corporation sea Link Travel Group abides by the accounting principles of prudence to avoid overstatement of the earnings and understatement of the liabilities. Discussion concerning application of prudence The applicability of the concept of prudence refers to the accounting principle that is essentially directed at the aversion of the registering different unrealised benefits and to be on guard for registered losses that can probably arise. The notion of prudence can be implemented while valuation of diverse current assets that comprises of the inventories, trade receivables, and present investments in the financial reports of Sea link Travel Group. In addition to this, the prudence also has the need for provisions for different probable events associated to loss that comprises of provision for doubtful debts. Again, the principles also include different accounting principles that refer to valuation of the inventories as per AASB 102 (Inventories) well as accounting for investments. Therefore, there is an insinuation of prudence in the standard on diverse fixed assets. Grounded on the principles of prudence, the accounting principle mentions that the valuation of the inventories needs to be valued with the intention of presentation of the financial declarations at cost or else the net realizable value and application of the one that is of lower value. In this way, the business concern also recognizes different probabilities regarding loss that are likely to stem owing to the decrease in the overall selling price of the entire commodity. However, the inventories are essentially valued at cost otherwise at the market value for a l ong period until the new standard on the prudence became operative. As mentioned in the annual report of the corporation Sea Link Travel Group, the inventories are essentially valued at the lower of the cost as well as net realisable worth (Sealinktravelgroup.com.au 2016). Again, the expenses of the firm are also identified net of the amount of the goods and services tax barring certain cases (accaglobal.com 2016). 4: Implications of the applications of prudence for financial reports in future financial year The application of the prudence in financial reports of the company Sea Link includes making provisions for doubtful debts in anticipation of actual bad debts, no provisions for discounts on creditors (Aasb.gov.au 2016). This also includes making provisions for discount on debtors with regard to discount, valuation of the stock-in-hand at the market price or else the cost price, whichever is lesser. In the present case, the company is said to government grant only when there is practical assurance regarding the receipt of the grant and compliance with other attached stipulations (PwC 2016). This practice is in compliance with the principles laid down in the definition, scope and accounting treatment of grant as conditioned under AASB 120 (Aasb.gov.au. 2016). As mentioned in the annual report of the corporation, Government grants are documented in profit or loss on a methodical basis over the time in which the business concern identifies as expends the associated costs for which the p articular grants are proposed to compensate (Sealinktravelgroup.com.au. 2016). This also complies with the accounting principles stated under AASB 120 10A (recognition and measurement). Again, the annual statement of the company Sea Link Travel Group states that Government grants when identified as assets are credited as deferred income in fair value and declared in the comprehensive income over an anticipated economic life of the respective asset by identical amount of annual installments. This also adheres to the principle as mentioned under AASB 120 paragraph 24 (Presentation of Grants Related to Assets) (Aasb.gov.au 2016). Therefore, it can be hereby inferred that there is maintenance of prudence in this case. Again, the prudence in statement of revenue requires adherence to certain principles. As mentioned in the conceptual framework AASB, revenue needs to be earned that stems from different business activities (Accaglobal.com 2016). This revenue also needs to augment economic benefits. In line with the requirement of the accounting standard, the management of the company Sea link Travel Group also identifies revenue to the extent that becomes possible that economic advantages can flow to the business entity that in turn can permit reliable measurement of the revenue (Sealinktravelgroup.com.au 2016). Conclusion The above study helps in understanding the notion of prudence as per the Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements that is the complied framework issued by AASB. This provides a clear overview regarding the importance of maintenance of prudence that can help in avoiding overstatement of the assets as well as income and understatement of the liabilities as well as expenses. Thereafter, the study provides deep insight regarding the justification behind prudence that replicates the fact that accounting principle can help in ensuring that the corporation need not identify an asset at a value that is higher than the amount that is anticipated to be recovered from the sale or application. In addition to this, the present study also elucidates in detail the implementation of the notion of prudence with special reference to the operation of Sea Link Travel Group. References Aasb.gov.au. 2016.Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) - Home. [online] Available at: https://www.aasb.gov.au [Accessed 26 Sep. 2016]. Accaglobal.com, A. 2016.Global body for professional accountants | Accountancy | ACCA | ACCA Global. [online] Accaglobal.com. Available at: https://www.accaglobal.com [Accessed 26 Sep. 2016]. Ifrs.org. 2016.IFRS - Home. [online] Available at:https://www.ifrs.org[Accessed 26 Sep. 2016]. Sealinktravelgroup.com.au. 2016.Home - Sealink Travel Group - Sealink Travel Group. [online] Available at:https://www.sealinktravelgroup.com.au[Accessed 26 Sep. 2016]. Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. 2016.Charteredaccountants.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2016, from https://www.charteredaccountants.com.au Sealinktravelgroup.com.au. 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016, from https://cdn.sealinktravelgroup.com.au/Documents/Presentations/SLK_Full_Year_Results_2014.pdf Tourism | australia.gov.au. 2016.Australia.gov.au. Retrieved 29 September 2016, from https://www.australia.gov.au/information-and-services/passports-and-travel/tourism Aasb.gov.au. 2016. [online] Available at: https://www.aasb.gov.au/admin/file/content105/c9/ITC29_07-13.pdf [Accessed 29 Sep. 2016]. Accaglobal.com, 2016. [online] Available at: https://www.accaglobal.com/content/dam/acca/global/PDF-technical/financial-reporting/tech-tp-prudence.pdf [Accessed 29 Sep. 2016]. PwC. 2016.Prudence returns: new IASB exposure draft reintroduces controversial term. [online] Available at: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/services/audit-assurance/corporate-reporting/world-watch/iasb-prudence-conceptual-framework.html [Accessed 29 Sep. 2016]. pwc.in. 2016. [online] Available at: https://www.pwc.in/assets/pdfs/publications/2015/pwc-reportingperspectives-july-2015.pdf [Accessed 29 Sep. 2016].

The Balancing Act Analysis Essay Example

The Balancing Act Analysis Essay Analysis: The Balancing Act In modern-day speeches, rhetorical strategies are often used to impact listeners. In Michael J. Foxs speech about Parkinson Disease, he uses rhetorical strategies to assist In Influencing the Senate Subcommittee to promote a larger budget to help lad In research for this disease from which he suffers, along with many more Americans. Foxs celebrity status substantiated his confrontation with the Senate Subcommittee to support the need for greater federal investment in Parkinson research. As an advocate of Parkinson Disease, Foxs witness was greater, for people of the Senate most likely knew him from his place on the television in the past two decades. This strategy was helpful in asking for a greater budget because of his notable status. The approach on the topic of requesting more funding for Parkinson is taken in a gracious manner by Fox. By praising past efforts of the legislators, he makes immediate contact with his audience. Rather than criticizing them about their insufficient spending, he very graciously elaborates on how the amount donated for research Is not adequate enough In ladling the experimentation for the cure of Parkinson Disease. The overall structure of Foxs speech Is highly tactical In his request for more federal funding. He begins by explaining his personal experience, therefore, he was able to reach out to the audience on a more personal level. Then he explains exactly what the poorly funded disease is and how he manages to live with Parkinson. In doing so, he logically reasons with the Senate and is able to give them a feeling of what it is like to live with the disease. Later in his speech, he shares the important statistics so Parkinson does not appear to be rare and shares with the Senate that The scientific community believes that with a significant Investment in Parkinson research, new discoveries and improved treatment strategies are close at hand. using this scientific support, it helps In his argument. We will write a custom essay sample on The Balancing Act Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Balancing Act Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Balancing Act Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer By Including facts about Parkinson, Fox elaborates on the everyday citizens who deal with the dreadful effects of this disease. By Glenn example of known professions such as doctors, teachers, policemen, etc, he reaches out on a more personal note because these are everyday Americans. Fox uses this strategy to find empathy within is audience. He tells how people with Parkinson deal with the symptoms, but urges the support for more spending by using the words, But in the end, we all face the same reality: The medicine stops working. This statement is probably the most effective sentence in his whole address to the Senate. Although many rhetorical devices are used within his speech, the most strategically used is Foxs diction, or choice of words. In the beginning, his words are stern and very attention-demanding, but his tone is still friendly and polite. Throughout the odd of his speech, his use of positive, hopeful words reveals how he feels about his own future and others living wit h Parkinson. Fox ends on a personal note: one that Is meant to complete and support his speech. He gives his even more personal explanation. By describing how he will Nett Trot Dreadnoughts AT Parklands research, Walt ten Nell AT a larger Cottage, he paints an image of how he will be able to do more if his disease is better controlled, such as dancing at his childrens weddings something every parent would love to be able to do. In one of his final sentences, he connects with his audience directly again. By saying With your help.. He makes the final connection with the Senate members making it clear that, with their approval of an increased budget, he will be able to achieve these goals. By using rhetorical devices, any speaker has the ability to connect with an audience and make a clear argument. In Foxs speech to the Senate Subcommittee, his use of rhetorical strategies was very important in his request for an increased budget for Parkinson Disease research. Without the use of them, his encount er with the Senate would not be as significant.

The Russian Annexation of the Crimea, 1772-1783 essays

The Russian Annexation of the Crimea, 1772-1783 essays The Russian Annexation of the Crimea 1772-1783 by Alan W. Fisher is a text that contains detailed research based on Russian and Ottoman archival documents, as well as primary and secondary sources relating to the subject. The study covers the political events from 1772 to 1783, and is an objective source for understanding not only the Crimean Tatars, but also the rivalry between the Russian and Ottoman empires. A rivalry which not only deeply affected the people of the Crimean peninsula, but also affected its surrounding areas. The grave importance of the Crimea was illustrated because of its access to the Black Sea. As a result, its coastal areas have played an important role throughout the history of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. As an economic area it served its importance through its trade, its grazing lands and also as an entrance into Eastern Europe. As a political zone the Black Sea area was of prime importance to the power of those states which controlled it and its loss to a rival state was always a significant one. (Fisher, 2) As a result Byzantium, Kiev Rus, the Golden Horde, Lithuania, Poland, the Ottoman Empire and Muscovy have all tried throughout various periods of history to control the whole or individual parts of the Crimean Peninsula. The text explained how firm political control around the Black Sea was first gained in the mid-thirteenth century with the Mongol-Tatar conquest. Before this Turkic nomads had passed through the area, but no political or economic unity had existed. As settlements grew the Mongol-Tatar aligned itself with the Ottoman Empire for security. Acting as an independent province with its own political control, the Crimea was still ultimately under Ottoman control. From the Ottoman point of view, the Crimea was of utmost military significance. It acted as a strong northern defense and allowed the supply of soldiers for campaigns in the east against Persia and in...

Free Essays on Symbolic Interactionst

Is it Rape or is it Marriage Many people from different places migrate to the US and with them they bring their culture. The dilemma is that what is right in their culture is wrong in the American culture. The US being a diverse society has to understand these â€Å"new immigrants† culture practices because they have lived and followed these practices for centuries. â€Å"Because human communication is composed of symbols that have arbitrary meanings and values† in every culture. Islamic people, for centuries in their culture have been marrying off their daughters at the age of 13 and 14. The reason behind this is because it symbolizes that a girl becomes a woman when she passes through puberty. Also, the marriage between a man in his late 20’s and a 13-year-old girl is not seen as odd to them it’s just normal practice. So their marriage is valid because they haven’t broken any norms within their culture. To American citizens marriage between a 13-year-old girl and a man in his late 20’s is seen as rape. The reasoning behind this is because according to the American culture a girl doesn’t become an adult until the age of 18 or older. Now there is a major conflict between our two cultures because Islamists have moved away from their country to America. In 1996 a 39-year old father arranged for his two daughters of the age 13 and 14 to be married to two Iraqi men, ages 28 and 34. To them they were just practicing their own customs. Since they were in America and this is seen as rape the father was charged with child abuse, the mother with contributing to the delinquency of minors, and the husbands were charged with rape. In another case a young Hmong man along with his friends went to a local college campus. There they picked up a girl that he selected to be his wife and took her back to his place where he had sex with her even though the girl didn’t want too. In the Hmong culture this is called â€Å"zij poj... Free Essays on Symbolic Interactionst Free Essays on Symbolic Interactionst Is it Rape or is it Marriage Many people from different places migrate to the US and with them they bring their culture. The dilemma is that what is right in their culture is wrong in the American culture. The US being a diverse society has to understand these â€Å"new immigrants† culture practices because they have lived and followed these practices for centuries. â€Å"Because human communication is composed of symbols that have arbitrary meanings and values† in every culture. Islamic people, for centuries in their culture have been marrying off their daughters at the age of 13 and 14. The reason behind this is because it symbolizes that a girl becomes a woman when she passes through puberty. Also, the marriage between a man in his late 20’s and a 13-year-old girl is not seen as odd to them it’s just normal practice. So their marriage is valid because they haven’t broken any norms within their culture. To American citizens marriage between a 13-year-old girl and a man in his late 20’s is seen as rape. The reasoning behind this is because according to the American culture a girl doesn’t become an adult until the age of 18 or older. Now there is a major conflict between our two cultures because Islamists have moved away from their country to America. In 1996 a 39-year old father arranged for his two daughters of the age 13 and 14 to be married to two Iraqi men, ages 28 and 34. To them they were just practicing their own customs. Since they were in America and this is seen as rape the father was charged with child abuse, the mother with contributing to the delinquency of minors, and the husbands were charged with rape. In another case a young Hmong man along with his friends went to a local college campus. There they picked up a girl that he selected to be his wife and took her back to his place where he had sex with her even though the girl didn’t want too. In the Hmong culture this is called â€Å"zij poj...

Country music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Country music - Essay Example Darius Rucker is one such artist. He was first recognised due to the role he played in a band from South Carolina called the Hootie and Bowlfish. It was through this band that he became famously known as â€Å"Hootie†. In the late 1900’s, the band sold over a million copies of their album and became some of the country’s favourite country music band (Ratiner, 2009). Going solo for Darius was a strong call for him. He went on to make albums that had hits on the American charts for a long time. Among the albums that place Darius on the map include, Charleston, SC 1966 and Learn to Live. This paper will review two of his albums and evaluate how they help shape society and the music industry. Learn to Live is an album that surpassed the expectations of many of the artist’s fans. The album was mostly written by the artist, and some of his friends. These friends included those from his band who helped him reach the pinnacle of his career. It was during the makin g of this album that many saw Darius for what he was capable of achieving. The top hits that made the album famous include It Won’t Be Like This for Long, Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It, and Alright. The lyrics to some of the songs can readily pass on the message that there should be no regrets as to the way life turned out (Ratiner, 2009).

Barack Obama's Speech in Cairo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Barack Obama's Speech in Cairo - Essay Example He is thus open to world publicity and criticism and thus his actions or speeches are subject to world scrutiny. Hence, when Cairo University, which is the source of Egypt's advancement and Al—Azhar, which is a beacon of Islamic learning, hosted him, the world was watching and listening. On his first visit to Egypt as the President of the United States of America, Barrack Obama addressed six issues, which included violent extremism, the Israel-Palestine situation, Iran nuclear weapons, world democracy, economic progress, and women’s rights (USA Today web). This paper will address the issue of the tension situation between Israelis, Palestinians, and the Arab world as elaborated by Obama on 6 April 2009. The issue of the conflict situation in Israel and Palestine is probably one of the issues that have great meaning not only to US, but also to the whole world. Israel is a staunch Christian nation with the Jews drawing their roots from this country. Palestine on the hand is a region occupied by both Muslims and Christians in significant numbers. However, both Israel and Palestine are Middle East countries just like Egypt. They possess very dangerous weapons such as nuclear bombs, which pose a great risk to human life. Again, Israel and America are long time allies based on their military superiority. Obama himself professes Muslim faith but his mother was a Christian and his true religion actually generates another debate. The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been there for ages with some analysts drawing this situation back to the holy books, Quran and the Bible. Hence, this issue somehow ties itself to the war of supremacy between Christianity and Islam though there are other underlying factors. Many countries including America have actually tried in vain to negotiate for a peaceful agreement between these nations. This issue considerably required a careful treading. Therefore, when Obama chose to discuss this issue, the world welcomed th e reprieve and waited for the new intervention on this longstanding conflict. Ironically, even when he was addressing the issue in Egypt, pressure was already building up in the Israel- Palestine border. Subject to these reasons, I find the issue very significant and the audience relevant. In fact, it was the second issue that he addressed on this day. In supporting his call for a permanent solution between Israel and Palestine, Obama accounted 10 points to this effect. He confirmed that America had strong relations with Israel based on cultural, historical ties, and articulation of diplomacy. This fact is widely known and analysts claim that this bond is hard to break because it relies on military supremacy. He also acknowledges the fact that this conflict has claimed many lives and muted unwarranted sufferings. In light of this, he claims that the Jewish people from Israel faced persecution for centuries, more than Six million Jews killed, many more enslaved and tortured, and that these are painful memories for the Israelis (USA Today web). On the other hand, Palestine have endured the pain of dislocation for 60 years, many Palestinians have lost their lives, endured humiliations, lacked security while many wait in refugee camps for aid. A situation he claims is now unbearable in both Israel and Palestine. He equally confirms that America is ready to help in finding a solution. He personally commits himself to pursue this cause with uttermost patience and dedication as the task dictates. In fact, he was to visit Israel the

Communication styles Essay Example for Free

Communication styles Essay The impact of communication in marriage cannot be overemphasized as it is the main method of solving any crisis or conflict arising. There are different communication styles that can be applied in a marriage, expressiveness, driving, and relativity or analytical are forms of communication that may be used in marriage. Expressers get excited personal, waste time with too many facts or even show emotion to their partners while those with driving communication styles become very decisive and offer strong view points. Those who are relative in the way they are communicating, like positive attention and may want their partners to be helpful. This group of persons however, shies off when real problems come in especially when it comes to handling the children. This communication style is used by young marriages where partners just about 25 years of age get married. Communications styles can also be described as passive, assertive or aggressive. Passive forms communication involves putting the tights of the other partner before yours i.e. minimizing your own self worth at the expense of the marriage. Being assertive means that one partner in the marriage stands up for his or her rights while maintaining respect for the other i. e. all the partners in the marriage are all equal. Aggressiveness is a communication style that ensures that a wife or a husband stands up for his pr her right and in the process violate the rights of the other. This style of communication is usually the worst and may lead to divorce in extreme cases. Marriage resiliency Marriage resiliency is the couple’s capacity to develop and cultivate strengths from each other for the common good of the marriage in order ton meet their challenges . Resiliency can be defined to describe the responsive capabilities, social dynamics that foster health development of the marriage. Resiliency starts from an individual capacity to a family and community level making sure that the marriage bounces back after experiencing non-normative and expected challenges. Family resilience is characterized by invariant approaches that are dimensioned to help families resist any form of disruption in the face of change and become adaptive when a crisis occurs. Immigration and marriage Marriages are usually negatively affected by immigration procedures. Different countries have different laws governing the marriage of its citizens to non-citizens. It is usually an impediment to couples’ relationships because certain laws may offer recognition to one of the partner and the other is left out. However, with the emergence of dual citizenship rights, the issue may in the near future become a thing of the past. ‘Till death do us part? ’ This figure of speech is common in all wedding ceremonies and the couple getting married solemnly swear to the congregation that they will remain together till death do them part. Most critics believe that as long as there are increased cultural differences, modernization of societies and increases in domestic violence, the metaphor no longer makes sense. Every man and woman believes that they can live happily with each other especially when it is based on the performance of the two during courtship. This is not usually the case because immediately after marriage, the two members start quarrelling over this or that. This is the major contributing factor to the family problems and other domestic issues that families experience these days. It has been said that the more society becomes complicated, the more marriages become complicated and finally the more families become complicated. It is however, recommended that a personal commitment to each other within the marriage become the kingpin of the relationship. Lessons learnt from writing on marriage It has been interesting while researching on this topic. It is one of the research works that not only serves as an academic tool but also provides a learning opportunity for a person like me. Marriage is part and parcel of life and majority of the young people would dream of having better lives in future through marriage. Most young people believe that to secure there future and their old age days, they need to have married properly and have children who will look after the in future. Going through the types of marriages, its integration to the family setting and the importance of knowing the exact roles of each partner in a marriage is particularly useful. The various rules and boundaries that must be set to ensure the sustainability and stability of a marriage gives one an overview of how it is possible to develop them in real life situations through the experiences of other people and such kind of research. Therefore, this is one of the rare opportunities in life where one gets to learn more about what directly affects him or her in life. Personally, I feel grateful for the work I have done on this subject and I feel obliged to tell others about the integration of marriage systems in our families to enable them form good families now and in the future Questions for further research Marriage as part of a family practice continues to be complex especially with the emergence of contradicting legislation and complex societies; there is need for further research on; the impacts of different types of marriages on the extended families, development of policies and laws, and the society in general . What are the solutions to these? And what could be the role of governments and learning institutions in maintaining and making sure that marriages serve the purposed they are intended to. Other issues of concern are the ability of people to adopt resilience as a way of recovering from married related violence such as divorce, is divorce the answer to breaking marriages? With advancement in technology including foster mothers, test tube babies and the like, what could be the implications of these in cultural marriages and societies? Conclusion Marriages are forming a family. Marriage roles, rules, resilience abilities, communication styles, and spouse differences are issues that can affect the formation, development and improvement. Good marriage values are important not only for family cohesion but also for societal cultural maintenance. Challenges regarding re-orientation of the marriages within a family are many and common in this modern society, the problem is the manner in which they are currently addressed. References Antonovsky, A. , Sourani, T (1988): Family sense of coherence and family adaptation.Journal of Marriage and the Family, 50, 79-92 Kaufman, J. , Ziegler, E. (1987): Do abused children become abusive parents? American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 57, 186-192 McCubbin, H. , Patterson, J. M. (1983): The family stress process; The Double Helix ABCX model of adjustment and adaptation, Social stress and the family: Advances in family stress theory and research New York pp. 7 -38. Nichols, M. , Schwartz, R. (2000): Family communications: Concepts and methods, 5th edition, Needham Heights press Rolland, J. S. , Weine, S. (2000): Kosovar Family Professional Educational Collaborative. AFTA Newsletter, 79, 34-43 Rutter, M. (1987): psychosocial resilience and protective mechanisms American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 57, 316-330 Stacey, J. (1990): Brave new families: Stories of domestic upheaval in late 20th century America. New York: Basic Books. Walsh, F. , McGoldrick, M (1998): Families in later life: Challenge and opportunities. The expanded life cycle Needham Heights, MA: pp. 307-327 Walsh, F. , McGoldrick, M (1991): Living beyond loss: Death in the family. New York: Norton.

black bear Essay -- essays research papers fc

Black Bears The black bear is the smallest North American bear. The adults are usually less than six feet long and stand about two to three feet tall at shoulders. The weight of a black bear varies between 125-500 ponds. They have small eyes and rounded ears. Also their snout is very long. Each paw has five very strong claws, which is used for tearing, digging, and climbing. One single hit from the front paw is enough to kill an adult deer. A black Bear is a true carnivore, but if not prevented the black bear could be a huge problem to humans. A black bear loves to eat fresh leaves, berries, fruits, nuts, roots and also Insects and small mammals. When fall comes near, a black bear must eat large amounts of food in order to gain enough weight to keep them through winter hibernation. During hibernation when a little bit warmer weather comes near the black bear must awaken and take short excursions outdoors, so they can get a drink or some food. This is so the black bear will be able to go back to sleep easier. During hibernation a black bear will stay in a cave or some kind of stone formation. Usually it will be near a creek or stream. The area around the cave will usually have a lot of vegetation. If the cave does not have any water or food around it the black bear will try to find another place to sleep through the winter. That place will have plenty of food and water. During the short excursions outdoors during hibernation the bear looks for replenishments, this is why the bear must be near food and water (Rieffberger 8). A black bear’s habitat usually depends on two factors. One is vegetation and the other is human activity. A black bear usually is not picky about a place to stay if it has got food and is not too close to human activity. A dense forest under story, which includes brushy territory or a lot of downed trees, which fell due to the weather, usually characterizes a black bear’s habitat. Once spring starts coming around, black bears start emerging from their hibernation. They move around the area a lot, because they are looking for a new place which has good cover to stay under and a lot of vegetation a round (Rieffenberger 8). Black bears are becoming more and more of a problem. If people have garbage or food that they have thrown out, a black bear may come and get it. To keep a black bear out of the garbage, you need to get rid of th... ... are calm at most times and are only angered mostly by humans. Black bears usually breed in the spring and the young leave their mothers in the second summer of their life. Because of their endangered species status, the DNR have established sanctuaries protect black bears. In 1944, a black bear season was established. Only during this time could hunters kill black bears. Due to this new protection law, the black bear population began to rise. In the future, it will be a common sight to see a few black bears in your county. Works Cited Houchins, Stephen C, James E. Craft, and Jerry R. Duffield. Procedures for Handling Nuisance Bears. Wildlife Resources Section 1999 How to Avoid Bear Damage and Nuisance Problems. West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. 1996 Rieffenberger, Joseph C. et. al. West Virginia Black Bear. Wildlife Resources Division. 1981 U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. American Black Bear. 1994. 28 October, 1999. http://frogweb.nbii.gov/features/kidscorner/bbear.html/>   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. 1899 Black Bear Hunting Season. Wildlife Resources Section 1999.

Evaluating Historical Views of Leadership Essay

The process of evaluating historical aspects of leadership involved critically analyzing the commonalities and disparities among a group of influential leaders, such as Thomas Carlyle, Mohandas Gandhi, Niccolo Machiavelli and W.E.B Du Bois. Carlyle (1795-1881), a Scottish historian emphasized the importance of heroism that required men to be subordinated to the commander of men (Wren, 1995 p.53). Further analysis of the evaluation revealed theories of Gandhi and Machiavelli which produced evidence of conflicting viewpoints on the topic of violence among historical leaders throughout the ages. Gandhi‘s leadership style was against any acts of violence. He focused on using spiritual guidance to solve problems. Machiavelli’s leadership style believed in having mercy but also defending yourself if necessary. W.E.B Du Bois’s leadership style focused on educating black men to be great leaders. Each leader’s theories on the quality of acceptable leadership were different, yet acceptable in their communities, however, each leader presented various methods of effective leadership abilities, which will influence other leaders as they develop their theories. Commonalities and Disparities Thomas Carlyle, believed that the commander of men was superior, and all men were to be subordinated. Carlyle focused on the theory that leaders who exhibited themselves in a dignified manner embodied the qualities of a great leader (Carlyle, 1795-1881; Wren, 1995, p.53). Carlyle also emphasized that heroism existed in whoever embodied the spiritual qualities of a commander. Further examination of Carlyle’s leadership theory revealed that he believed that a leader who is a nobleman can be trusted by all people (Carlyle, 1795-1881; Wren, 1995, p.53). Niccolo Machiavelli’s theory of a leader was  described as someone who can lead men whether they abided by or disobey the law. Machiavelli also believed that leaders who can establish authority can be merciful, humane, but cautious. Mohandas Gandhi theory believed leaders should operate using self- control and discipline. Gandhi also described a powerful leader as someone who uses passive resistance (Gandhi, 1869-1984; Machiavelli, 1469-1527; Wren, 1995, p.68 &75). Finally W.E.B Du Bois was an advocate for educating black men, and he placed great emphasize on how education involved the training of one’s mind, body and surroundings (Du Bois, 1868-1963; Wren, 1995, p.78). Du Bois theory on learning is that people can be influenced by their surrounds and motivated by different groups of people. Critical Analysis After completing the commonalities and disparities involving three great leaders my critical evaluation has led me to the conclusion that even though these leaders embody the characteristic to be excellent facilitators and commanders, each leader lacks the ability to use effective communication skills. Previous research has suggested that the lack of communication can be confusing, misunderstanding and lethal. For example, Emperor Frederick 13th century ruler of the Holy Roman Empire conducted research to determine what language mankind had spoken at birth. The experiment involved isolating infants from hearing any communication until they spoke their first words. However, as a result of the experiment the babies died (Samata, 2012). Further studies have concluded that leaders who implement communication skills can establish their existence and define their image, but leaders who fail to communicate effectively and positively, risk damaging their reputation (Samata, 2012). Effective leadership requires leaders to be competent communicators, which is achieved by using clear and concise communication (Adubato, 2010). Furthermore, leaders who can use communication skills effectively, are able to comprehend and express ideas (Ringer, 2002; Tareq, 2008). Achieving effective oral communication skills requires leaders to limit words and phrases, which results in explaining their concepts and ideas. Levinson also states, leaders who use too many words have a tendency to ramble about non-relevant issues, however summarizing the main points, staying focused and avoiding distractions helps leaders discipline what information is relevant, resulting in  translating their thoughts into a profitable action faster (1968). Effective communication requires leaders to be prepared, organized and observant, giving leaders the ability to execute their message successfully (Showry & Manasa, 2012). Conclusion. By evaluating the leadership styles of historical leaders, I was able to understand how their theories influenced people throughout the ages. Carlyle, Gandhi, Machiavelli, and DuBois were all very influential leaders during their times in history. However, after comparing their similarities and disparities in theory and style, it is apparent that Carlyle viewpoints on what a great leader should be is entirely different from the perspectives of Gandhi, Machiavelli, and DuBois. Carlyle emphasized that all men should being entirely subordinate to their commander, and Gandhi believed in spirituality and taught leaders to focus on positive concepts. Machiavelli used a more drastic approach that required him to be prudent, be observant and maintain authority. Du Bois believed that black men should be educated. Further observation revealed that, even though, each leader embodied leadership qualities, using effective communication skills are essential to providing leaders with better communication technique, making the message clear and concise. Leaders have the ability to achieve effective communication skills by limiting their words and stating the main facts. Finally leaders who can improve communication skills, can empower people, and maintain stability. Reference Adubato, S. (2010). Communication is key to effective office team building. NJBIZ, 23(27), 9. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/644992473?accountid=35812 Levinson, R. E. (1968). How to get through to people. Industrial Management, 10(5), 11. Ringer, R. (2002, Jul 28). Communication skills valued by employers. Pantagraph Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/252480712?accountid=35812 Tareq, N. A. (2008, Mar 06). Affective communication skills. Yemen Times Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/429795478?accountid=35812 Samata, P. (2012). Importance of Effective Communication Skills. Language In India, 12(10), 333-341. Showry, M., & Manasa, K. (2012). Effective Communication for Professional Excellence. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 6(1), 39-46. Wren, J. T. (1995). The Leader’s Companion: Insight on leadership through the ages. Carlyle, T. The Hero as King (pp.53-54) New York, NY: The Free Press. Wren, J. T. (1995). The Leader’s Companion: Insight on leadership through the ages. Du Bois, W .E.B. The Talented Tenth (pp.78-80) New York, NY: The Free Press. Wren, J. T. (1995). The Leader’s Companion: Insight on leadership through the ages. Gandhi, M. Satyagraha (pp.72-77) New York, NY: The Free Press. Wren, J. T. (1995). The Leader’s Companion: Insight on leadership through the ages. Machiavelli, N. How Princes Should Keep Faith (pp.67-68) New York, NY: The Free Press.

Importance of work groups in organizations Essay

Work groups help members to feel that they belong to a group that is unique and worthy to be in. the group belief that it can perform well as a team and be more effective than when they are apart. The groups develop positive attitude and good behavior which help them to trust each other as they continue contributing to the group. The team ability to face challenge is strengthened and the group feels safe and is able to explore and use their best skill and cooperate to get job well done. The ideas and opinions of group members are appreciated and they understand and respect the qualities that make each one of them unique from the others in order to understand what each one of them is supposed to do. WAYS WORK GROUPS ARE RELATED TO ORGANIZATION OUTCOME The resources available are used efficiently without wastage of any one of them. Time is used well to do the duties allocated to group members and the budget set is well utilized to balance the income and expenditure of the organization. There is increased productivity and less supervision of employees and employees are motivated to perform activities that lead to success of the organization. IMPACT OF MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY ON HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT Management philosophy helps to simplify activities which results to better performance because when the work to be done is simple, employees will be able to do it well and fast leading to high production. Costs go down in the purchase of raw materials and payment of workers and at the end of it all, profits margins will be high because revenue generated will be higher than the costs incurred in production. The basic skills help employees to do the job well and make contribution to the department they are assigned to work in because they will know what they are expected to do and do it perfectly. Employees will also have the full potential and are equipped to deal with changing demand in the organization. Good communication skills help to maintain safety in the work place and serve customers well. Employees are motivated and are satisfied with the job and problems are solved which results to growth in the organization. REFERENCE Odiorne George; Strategic Management of Human resource; Jossey-Bass, 1984.

Outsourcing and bad working conditions

Outsourcing and bad working conditions Outsourcing is a term used to describe the practice of hiring foreign labor force. A country that hires employees from other countries based on skills and experience is said to be practicing outsourcing. Outsourcing is beneficial in most cases but there are other incidences where it may cause negative effects. Bad working conditions involves bad working environment. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Outsourcing and bad working conditions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This include poor leadership, lack of democracy, dictatorship, poor remunerations, no respect for workers rights and lack of both social and ethical considerations at the work place. Bad working conditions leads to poor living standards and low esteem (Mattingly, 2006). The article (news story) talks about the increasing level of unemployment and the working poor. According to the article, the rising level of unemployment in India is due incre asing level of hiring foreign workers. The country believes that these foreign workers have got appropriate skills to improvise, innovate and implement projects that will contribute to growth in economy. On the other hand, the local skilled and unskilled workers have been left unemployed. Those employed are facing challenges of poor working conditions since special consideration is given to the outsourced labor force. It is this conditions that have led to emergence of a group of workers known as the working poor and high levels of unemployment. The working poor are facing harsh working conditions. Some are being treated like slaves with no opportunities to advance their skills. The local workers are languishing in poverty and poor living conditions. They are struggling to earn a living despite being dedicated workers (Graham, 2005). This connects to the social concept of discrimination in terms of employment and working conditions in the following ways. There is social discrimin ation in terms of employment where by the country prefers to employ workers from other countries other than their own. There is also further discrimination where by the foreign workers are provided with good working conditions unlike the local workers (Singh, 2005). Therefore, I argue that outsourcing and bad working conditions contribute to rise in unemployment and negative social-cultural effects. The purpose of this paper is to sociologically argue out the above thesis statement and give illustrations that will support it. This is by arguing out on how outsourcing leads to unemployment and the negative social-cultural effects that are associated with it.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to the news story, the decision by the government of India to hire foreign labor to set up various call centers in the country led to rise in the level of unemploy ment especially among the local Indians who posses adequate skills to perform the such duties. This work could have been done by the local Indians instead of being given to foreign employees. This is a demonstration of high level of social discrimination in terms of employment. It leads to local people loosing opportunities to foreign people. There is racial discrimination where by the country decides to employ other races other than its own race. Besides this, there is also social discrimination in terms of working conditions. The hired workers are being given special treatment and considerations unlike the local workers. The local employees remain poor despite their hard work. Sociologically, there was hatred among the workers where by the local workers developed a negative attitude towards the foreign workers at the call centers. The social correlation among these groups of workers became poor and efficiency of work declined. The local workers felt that the foreign workers were being given special considerations and priority. All this led to poor social interaction and communication among the workers (Graham, 2005). Considering social-cultural effects, â€Å"outsourcing led to serious negative impacts in Indian cultural and social life. This involved language, identity, gender and emergence of western kind of lifestyle† (Graham, 2005, p. 11). Language issues brought problems like poor communication as well as low understanding between the local and hired employees. This led to social divisions among the employees. In most cases, foreign employees tend to introduce their culture in the receiving countries. This leads to conflicts of culture due to resistance from the local people to adopt the new cultures. In India, there were recorded incidences of sexual harassment and adoption of the western culture in many call centers that were set up by the foreign employees. â€Å"Multiple Personality Disorder and other psychiatric problems arose. Many cal l center workers changed in terms of western culture, accent, language and identity. The local workers were observed to copy the behaviors of the foreign workers† (Graham, 2005, p. 19). This is a social crisis that contradicts with the local social expectations of the country. Once this happens, there is a high possibility of abuse of culture as well as race. The receiving country may be rendered culturally rootless due to the influence posed by the hired foreign workers. These workers influence large populations of the youths to adopt their social culture (Remesh, 2004).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Outsourcing and bad working conditions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Cultural alienation is another challenge brought about by outsourcing. Most of the workers are alienated from the rest of the population. This brings divisions in the family and other social classes. Adoption of behaviors like sm oking, working at night, pub culture and other western modes of lifestyle totally contradicts with the value systems of the local societies. The traditions and other beliefs which are highly nurtured by the local societies are being erased and this brings a lot of social friction between the foreign employees and local people. In struggle to protect their own social cultural beliefs and practices, there is emergence of social disorder among the foreign workers and the local workers. These conflicts extend to the society as a whole. These were the problems faced by India when the government invested in the outsourcing industry to develop various call centers (Graham, 2005). Recommendation To solve the above problems, the government should reduce the practice of outsourcing and consider the local skilled workers. There should be no social discrimination among the workers even if they are from different countries. All the workers should be subjected to similar good working conditions. Proper rules and strategies should be put in place to avoid conflicts of culture when outsourcing is practiced. All this will enhance good social relations and interactions among the workers. References Graham, V. (2005). Labor Outsourcing, working poor and Unemployment in the Indian Information and Communication Technology Industry. Thesis submitted to Jawaharlal Nehru University, 1(2), 3-24. Mattingly, D. (2006). Indian Call Centers: The Outsourcing of Good Jobs. Centre for Global Justice Conference Papers, 2(6), 46-59. Remesh, B. (2004). Labor in Business Process Outsourcing: A Case Study of Call Centre Agents. Economic and Political Weekly, 40(7), 68-81.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Singh, P. (2005). World Unemployment and the working poor. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

Battling Nerves and Anxiety Over Presentations

Battling Nerves and Anxiety Over Presentations Nearly everyone experiences nervousness when they perform in some way, whether in giving a speech, taking a test, offering a presentation, or teaching a class. Its something everybody deals with. But some people hide their nervousness more than others. Some people simply understand that nervousness is self-perpetuating. Here is an alarming little equation: Signs of Nervousness Leads to Increased Nervousness In other words, one sign of nervousness can cause other symptoms to pop up. To clarify this cruel little formula, just think back to a time when you were speaking in front of a group. If you noticed that your hands were shaking or your voice was cracking, you probably became distracted and unnerved by these signs. They probably embarrassed you and made you even more nervous, which made your heart beat faster. True? Theres good news: This formula also works in reverse. If you can prepare ahead of time to prevent and disguise the normal causes for nervousness, you can avoid a chain reaction of symptoms. Types of Fears That Cause Anxiety The best thing you can do is to over-prepare when youre facing an intimidating situation that makes you nervous. The number one cause for nerves is feeling inadequate about the topic. Fear of Looking Stupid: Whatever your topic may be, from phases of the moon to Internet safety, you must research it thoroughly. If you try to skimp or slide by with a little knowledge, youll start to feel insecureand it will show. Prepare ahead and go way beyond the parameters of your specific topic. Find out all you can about the how and why of things, especially if you will be answering questions about your topic. Fear of Forgetting Information: When giving a speech, its normal to forget details if youre nervous, so you should take steps to avoid this. Make an outline of your topic or make several note cards to use as prompters. Practice with the note cards and re-make them if they confuse you in any way. Make sure you number any note cards so you can keep them in the right order. Fear of Freezing Up: You can avoid the appearance of freezing up during your presentation, discussion, or speech by having props on hand. These can include a drink of water, a notepad, or a visual aid. Anytime you feel like you might go blank, say Excuse me for a moment, and take a drink or pretend to jot something down. This will give you an extra moment to gather your thoughts. Its also a good idea to have one note card prepared that you can go to in a moment of panic. This card could contain a space filler like an anecdotal story that goes along with your topic. If you need to go to this panic card, you could simply say, You know, this reminds me of a story. After you complete your story you can say, Now where was I? and someone will tell you. Types of Symptoms That Increase Anxiety You can reduce some nervous symptoms by scoping out the room where youll be speaking or presenting. Find out if youll be standing still, sitting down, walking around, or using a microphone. Educate yourself as much as possible about your situation. It will give you a greater sense of control. Dry mouth: Prevent dry mouth by carrying a glass of water with you. Also avoid drinking carbonated drinks before you speak, since those tend to dry out your mouth.Shaky, nervous voice: The more you know your topic and the more confident you feel, the less trouble youll have with your voice. If you start to feel short of breath or shaky, just pause to consult your notes or take a sip of water. Breath slowly and give yourself a moment to re-group. It wont look odd to the audience.Rapid heartbeat: Its not a good idea to eat a big meal before an event. The combination of jittery nerves and a full stomach can create a strong heartbeat, which will make you feel short of breath. Instead, eat a small but healthy meal before you speak. More Tips for Battling Nerves Prepare transitional phrases ahead of time to help you flow from one idea to the next. If you dont have a good transition, you might get nervous as you struggle to change from one topic to another.Practice your speech, presentation, or argument out loud and in front of the mirror several times. This will help you fix any awkward segments.If you have a microphone, concentrate solely on it as you speak. This helps you block out the audience.Dont think about underwear. Some people suggest that you imagine your audience wearing underwear. You can do that if you really want to, but it might not prove very helpful. The real idea behind this trick is to think of your audience as ordinary people just like you. They are ordinary, and chances are, theyre all impressed at your courage and very supportive.Move around the room if you have the opportunity. This sometimes helps distract you from the eyes of your audience and it can make you look professional and in control.Start out your presentati on with a great quote or a funny line. For instance, a good line to use as an icebreaker is I just want you all to know that I am not picturing you in your underwear.

Global strategy-individual report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global strategy-individual report - Essay Example Netflix is a popular on demand media which is based in California. The company serves most of the developed nations like the United States, Canada, UK, Ireland, Denmark, Netherlands and a few other European nations. The DVD of this company is sent to the public via mail. The company had been operating in the international market since 1997 and the services are mostly subscription based. The company provides digital distribution service to its viewers. The company has a subscriber base of 26 million world-wide and generates revenue of $1.5 billion. The main theme of the mission of Netflix is to be the best brand in the distribution of media and entertainment The values of the company include the following essential characteristics Intelligence Communication Reliability Judgment Creativity Honesty Passion Productivity Selflessness Part I External Analysis In order to analyse the various strategies taken by the company; it is important to incorporate the various tools that would help in the macroeconomic as well as macroeconomic scanning for the company. 1.1 Macro-Environmental Analysis First of all a PESTEL analysis has been conducted which would provide an idea about the macroeconomic environment of the company. Political: The markets in which the company operates are mostly capitalist free market economy. As a result there is not much governmental intervention in the ways in which the company conducts its business (Barney and Hesterly, 2011, pp. 75-82). There is no barrier to the company in form of government regulation and hence there is no requirement for the company to get into any tie ups with the government for fulfilling the bureaucratic needs. Economic The economic aspect which Netflix faces is slowing down. With the Eurozone crisis and current economic slowdown, the business will face stagnation in their subscription base as compared to other years. Social Since the social aspect of different countries is different hence Netflix has to align their marke ting strategy accordingly as per the countries in which they operate. Technological: The introduction of various new technologies in the global market has given rise to a demand among the consumers for a better experience of movie viewing. The opportunities for the consumers have widening as a result of this. Environmental The environmental forces which Netflix faces are constantly changing. They have to face new competitor and hence has to change their marketing strategy accordingly. Legal Each country has own legal aspect of video streaming. This facility is not available in all countries and also there are restrictions on the contents of the Online Streaming which they have to abide by. 1.2 Industry Analysis Porter’s 5 Forces of Competition According to Michael Porter there are 5 competitive forces that drive the competition in a particular industry. The model can be represented in a better way with the help of the diagram in

Today's digital media impact on young people of America Research Paper

Today's digital media impact on young people of America - Research Paper Example Furthermore, numerous young Americans are multitasking, whereby they can be surfing the internet and listening to their favorite music at the same time, thus leading to consuming an average of eleven hours in media content and a minimum of seven hours. Enables Young People to Gain Technological Skills and Literacy Digital media has made a substantial contribution to inclusion of young American into the globalization which is knowledge based. Moreover, there is a substantial difference in the skills required during the past and present in order to foster success. Nevertheless, there are no clarified definitions by policy makers in America regarding education in the digital age, which can contribute to full realization of educational opportunities available for young Americans during the modern world. Furthermore, there are technological and literacy skills that are offered by educators through integration of digital media with the mainstream of the school curriculum, instructions and assessment (Gee, 33). Therefore, digital media have been used as a way of fostering engagement in personalization of leaning for the young Americans in order to facilitate high academic performance. In this case, relevant application of technology can has offer technological and literacy skills that enable children to learn more and provide a basis for assessment though conventional tests. In addition, digital media offers a platform to young Americans to facilitate informed decision making through application of meaningful information that alter the learning opportunities. Consequently, these opportunities are translated into personalized learning, which is the focus on availability of feedback to both students and teacher. Offers New Standard for Communication, Socializing, Interacting Digital media facilitates engagement of young Americans into full-time intimate communities, whereby they have a chance to communicate through various electronic devices such as mobile phones and co mputers (Tamar, 1). In fact, young American have been using new media to socialize and interact, by exploring romantic relationship and other casual interaction ensuring no problems in a situation where the other parties is not interested in an intimate relationship. Therefore, there is ambiguity associated with online socializing, whereby numerous young people are able to shift to an era of exploring in the process of seeking information from the internet. There are ways though which young Americans use digital media to probe into a certain area of interest, whereby they use the interactions consisting of online interest group. In addition, the digital media facilitate a degree of autonomy and freedom for the young Americans, which is less perceptible in a classroom. In this way, the young Americans are able to respect the authority of each other; thereby remaining motivated to learn from peer groups. Fosters a Generation that is Thinking "global" Young Americans are living in a wo rld of globalized media, and there are numerous complexities involved, whereby the young people are able to access globalize media through various forms of technologies. Nevertheless, there are challenges faces in the process of developing theoretical and methodological assumptions concerning research on youth, culture, learning and the use of digital media. There is a significant issue considered in the currently in a

Current UK Government Initiatives That Focus On Personal And Emotional Essay

Current UK Government Initiatives That Focus On Personal And Emotional Development - Essay Example Donaldson argues powerfully that young children, in order to be able to build on what they already know and can do, need to be in situations which make 'human sense' to them. The current situation in England is one in which the growth of the ECEC sector, in terms of numbers of places, is positively encouraged by the government, especially by the Treasury. This appears to emphasise the care aspect. However, at the same time there are other government-initiated developments concerning the need for improvements in the quality of provision, such as a new training pack for those who work with children aged from birth to three (Abbott et al. 2002) and the Secretary of State Charles Clarke's pledge for more resources. Since 2000, UK governments have invested heavily in leadership development in the NHS to secure policy change and modernise the service. A plethora of leadership programmes and initiatives have been supported with variable success. During recent years in the UK, there have been numerous government initiatives relating to the care and education of young children. Some of these, such as Sure Start, have been very successful, whereas others have proved to be more complicated to implement and fund. The idea that children have rights is a fair... However, Saraga (1998) states that '"rights" like "needs" is a highly contested concept particularly when applied to children'. Saraga goes on to say that children depend on the adults who care for them to assert their rights for them and that rights are limited by the child's vulnerability and dependency. Children's learning and development Child development falls into the two main categories of physical and neurological. Physical skills involve both gross motor skills such as rolling over, crawling and walking, and fine motor skills such as hand-eye coordination, grasping objects, drawing and later writing. Sensory development is also physical and includes sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. Intellectual and cognitive development centre on activity in the brain including use of language, smiling and giggling, imagination and working out. Our children's emotional wellbeing also develops in the brain and comprises many areas such as self awareness, self esteem and the ability to interact with others. Playing in some form or another helps to refine these different areas of development in babies and young children. (http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby/play.html) Children need activities which will stimulate their social, physical, intellectual, linguistic, emotional and moral development. The early years curriculum should be linked with a child's stage of development, which can be ascertained by careful observation of the child and discussions with the parents and family. The child's progress should be monitored, recorded and shared with the parents. Equality of opportunity The individuality of each child

Cathedral written by Raymond Carver Essay Example for Free

Cathedral written by Raymond Carver Essay In the story Cathedral written by Raymond Carver, it seems that stereotypes of the blind form barriers between the blind and the sighted. The man in the story has always had misconceptions of the blind which came from the movies (Carver 1). The title, Cathedral, is significant because it helps the man envision the life of Robert. As Robert, the blind man, entered his life, it was hard for the man to form any bond with Robert due to his visual impairment. The man even created a picture in his mind of what Robert would look like, and how he would act. This is because the man has never had any interaction with a blind person, making him have preconceived ideas about Robert. Having Robert stay at the mans house left the man feeling quite uneasy. Not only was Robert a threat to his wife, he also thought that Robert may be a hassle to deal with. The man stated, I wasnt enthusiastic about his visit. He was no one I knew. And his being blind bothered me (Carver 1). Because the man had such strong images in his mind about Robert, the first time he saw Robert caught him by surprise. Roberts appearance was not unordinary, and did not look like a blind person. He wore brown slacks, brown shoes, a light brown shirt, a tie, a sports coat. Spiffy (Carver 32). At this point, the mans ideas about the blind peoples appearance had been contradicted. When the man realized that his assumptions about Robert were false, and that they actually shared some things in common, he began to feel more comfortable with Robert, even being, glad for the company (Carver 84). This is the first time the man was being polite and friendly to Robert. Soon after, a bond between Robert and the man had begun after a program about cathedrals came on the television. The man becomes aware that, There were times when the Englishman who was telling the thing would shut up, would simply let the camera move around over the cathedrals (Carver 92). The silence in the room became awkward for him because he realized that Robert did not know what was happening when the narrator stopped speaking. Since the mans stereotypes were beginning to shed during the cathedral conversation, the man came more open with Robert, and realized that Robert is not much different from the rest of society. The two of them began to  compare how well each of them envisioned the cathedrals. Robert gave facts that were heard tight off the television, demonstrating his limited knowledge. The man also attempted to describe this cathedrals, theyre really big,(Carver 100) he explains, theyre massive(Carver 100). At this point, he understood just how little he actually knew about the cathedrals, even with a picture right in front of him. Now the man is awakened to his newly, humbled, equal position along side Robert, with the help of the cathedral. With the mans stereotypes diminishing, he became to trust Robert and is giving him a chance to build a relationship. When Robert brought up the idea for the man to draw the cathedral out as Robert follows, the man was able to appreciate what blind people go through. When he finished the drawing, Robert said, Well are you looking?(Carver 125) The man replied, Its really something(Carver 126). The man had allowed himself to experience, even if for just a few minutes, what Robert experiences every second of his life. This was the same man, who only a few hours ago did not want Robert to be in his house. Overcoming prejudices, fears, and misconceptions are only possible when you allow yourself to get close to a person who these feelings are directed towards. By the man becoming close with Robert, he was capable to see what was necessary to gain an understanding of what life is like for a blind man, with the help of the vision of the cathedral. The man began to draw the cathedral to try and help Robert visualize what one looked like. What he did not realize is that Robert was actually helping him visualize what blindness felt like.

High-fi Cy-fi Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Literature Papers

High-fi Cy-fi The world of Cyberpunk can be compared to a creature of fantasy. This fantasy creature unfolds wings of enchantment and uncoils a sinewy body of treachery and suspicion that is adept at drawing the attention of anyone who has an interest in science fiction or adventure. Cyberpunk is a form of science-fiction that is described by Garyn Roberts as "characterized by tough characters in tough worlds (Intro 1006)." The toughness of cyberpunk heroes can be related to the detective fiction stories of the 1920’s and 1930’s. This particular genre is also characterized by themes of technology, particularly virtual reality. In this form of science-fiction literature, it is very easy to discern the involvement of Rock ‘n’ Roll and punk themes. In this essay, I plan to prove that cyberpunk is a very creative form of literature and not the irrelevant, or unimportant, literature it was once perceived to be (Intro 1006). To do this I will provide an in-depth description of what is referred to as the Matrix, access to the matrix, descriptions of the extent to which technology is integrated into the life of those inhabiting a cyberpunk reality, and electronics capable of creating artificial creatures. The Matrix. In the cyberpunk world it can be linked to everything or it can represent everything such as in the movie The Matrix. When spoken of in terms of being a physical entity the matrix is simply nothing. The matrix is a name given to the theoretical space that exists in the digital world. "Trying to remind myself that this place and the gulfs beyond are only representations, we aren’t "in" Chromes computer, but interfaced with it, while the matrix simulator in Bobby’s apartment generates this illusion†¦ (Gibson 1011)." In ... ...rpunk is a form of writing that is sure to grow in popularity. Bibliography Bear, Greg(ory Dale). "Blood Music." The Prentice Hall Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Ed. Leah Jewell. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2001. 1019-1035 Cameron, James. "Terminator, The." Published by: Pacific Western, Hemdale Film Funding, Euro Film Funding, and Cinema 84: 1984. James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd Gibson, William (Ford). "Burning Chrome." The Prentice Hall Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Ed. Leah Jewell. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2001. 1006-1019 "Matrix." Infoplease Dictionary. 2001 Learning Network. 7 Dec, 2001 http://www.infoplease.com/ipd/AO531187.html. Roberts, Garyn G. "Introduction to ‘Burning Chrome’." The Prentice Hall Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Ed. Leah Jewell. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2001. 1006

Do We Define Our Lives Essay

Over the last decade or so people have begun to make a shift into accepting a new way of looking at the world that we live in – the belief that is making this impact is that you create your own life and, in some respects, you are in charge of your own destiny. This system of beliefs became known as the â€Å"New Age Movement†, however it’s really not all that new. The â€Å"law of attraction†, as it’s also known, has been around perhaps nearly as long as humans have been able to have reasonable thoughts. In fact, there’s a quote from Buddha saying, â€Å"All that we are is a result of what we have thought.† This law of attraction has only gained popularity recently because of the emergence of books like The Secret into popular culture that seemed to take the world by storm. As with anything that becomes hugely popular, it has varied from being widely accepted to being strongly criticized. There are numerous authors who have written boo ks instructing readers how to â€Å"tap into the universe† and use the law of attraction to bring things into your life that you want. Conversely, there are just as many who criticize this new way of thinking as being lazy, selfish, and causing people to not take responsibility for the actual work needed to achieve their goals. Perhaps the biggest criticism of the New Age movement comes unsurprisingly from the Christian community, who claim that the idea of you being in control of your own life takes away from the teachings that are portrayed in the Bible – that God is is ultimately in control and that we should leave things completely up to Him. However, even in books guiding people to understand the law of attraction, they use quotes from the Bible or use the name â€Å"God† to describe the force that is helping people achieve their best lives. It’s hard not to get caught up in something that claims that we can â€Å"attract† great things into our lives with little or no effort, or to get caught up in the argument that it’s selfish of us to want certain things in our lives and to pursue them. Ultimately, I think what it comes down to is what you find that works for you. I believe the biggest influence on convincing people that the law of attraction works is participation in the act of defining what you want out of your life instead of floating thorough it aimlessly, and in doing so, you cause yourself to put in motion the actions that will make those things happen. My English professor, Dr. Janet Smith, expressed it best when she said, â€Å"You can’t control other people and you can’t control the world, but to some extent you can control your own life.† Another influence from the law of attraction is actively changing your perspective on the events that are happening in your life. Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, â€Å"People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be† and I have to say that I agree whole-heartedly with him. To begin to understand the law of attraction and the effect that it’s had on the world and even on your own life, the first thing that you should look at is the book The Secret written by Rhonda Byrne, released in 2006. The book actually came out some time shortly after the movie that shared the same title and is basically a way of reiterating the main thoughts that were presented in the film, but in a text version that could be easier used for referring back to. The book begins by introducing the idea of the law of attraction by saying, â€Å"When you focus your thoughts on something you want, and you hold that focus, you are in that moment summoning what you want with the mightiest power in the Universe† (Byrne 14). The book actually takes the liberty of describing the law of attraction as a definable law of nature as is seen when Byrne states, â€Å"The law of attraction is a law of nature. It is as impartial and impersonal as the law of gravity is. It is precise, a nd it is exact† (Byrne 27) and also, â€Å"Just like the law of gravity, the law of attraction never slips up† (Byrne 36). The Secret then goes into describing how a person can tap into the law of attraction and bring about the life that they’ve envisioned for themselves. The book highlights â€Å"gratitude† and â€Å"visualization† as being key components to receiving what you seek. Byrne takes an example from her own experience and says, â€Å"With all that I have read and all that I have experienced in my own life using The Secret, the power of gratitude stands above everything else. If you only do one thing with your knowledge of The Secret use gratitude until it becomes a way of life† (Byrne 76). Visualization is described as, â€Å"†¦ powerfully focused thought in pictures†¦ When you are visualizing, you are emitting that powerful frequency out into the Universe. The law of attraction will take hold of that powerful signal and return those pictures back to you, just as you saw them in your mind† (Byrne 81). By using these two powerful forces of attractio n, supposedly you can bring about whatever it is that you desire to have in your life. However, the most important thing to notice here is that by using gratitude in whatever circumstances you find yourself in, you are forcing yourself to change your perspective of how your life appears; and by visualizing what you want out of your life, you are defining clear goals that you want to work to achieve and your subconcious begins to take actions to make that happen for you. One of my good friends, Mark Aspiazu, defined life as a Plinko game: â€Å"The coin is basically going along the path that your life is taking, and each peg is a decision that you make, every day, every hour, every minute, etc. If you have unclear goals, the coin just bounces along and goes wherever. If you define your goal, you find yourself making decisions that push the coin one way or the other; and if you find yourself off the path and then remember your goal, you can bring the coin back to where you want it. Sometimes you meet your goal, sometimes the goal changes, but your decisions never stop pushing the coin (your life) along the path.† – Mark Aspiazu, President of Herzing University (New Orleans campus) A book that I read recently, The Alchemist, written by Paolo Coelho in 1988, is another novel that introduces readers to the idea of the law of attraction and the universe helping people to achieve what they set their minds to. However, in The Alchemist, rather than having personal desires fulfilled by the Universe and the law of attraction, we are introduced to the idea of having a predetermined path that will make our lives complete, should we make the decision to follow it. Paolo Coelho lays out his teachings through the story of a young shepard boy named Santiago who discovers his life path, or â€Å"personal legend† as the author refers to it, through a recurring dream. He then takes bold measures to pursue it and loses everything he has at least twice in the process. But along the way, he meets key people who instruct him on the practice of following your personal legend and lead him in the right direction to follow his own. One of the first, and most influential people that Santiago meets is an old king who introduces him to the idea of personal legends and says, â€Å"†¦ when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it† (Coelho 22). The biggest thing that Santiago is taught to look out for is omens that come from God in various shapes and sizes, â€Å"In order to find the treasure, you will have to follow the omens. God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens that He left for you† (Coelho 30). However, following the omens can sometimes be intimidating because it’s a step that you have to take that pushes you out of your comfort zone and into unknown territory. This is where the idea of having the courage to follow your personal legend really comes into play – â€Å"Courage is the quality most essential to understanding the Language of the World† (Coelho 117). This isn’t a foreign concept to anyone and is brought up throughout history, one quote being by Basil King circa 1900, â€Å"Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid†, and another more recently by the former owner of the New Orleans Hornets, George Shinn, â€Å"Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known into the unknown.† Santiago succeeds and manages to follow his personal legend to the end, even though he regretted it and wished to return to his sheep several times along the way. Though sometimes it may seem as if he’s strayed off the path, God and the universe continue to push him and gently guide him in the direction that he’s meant to go. At every crossroad, he’s given the option to turn back or move forward, and though he’s afraid, he perseveres remembering, â€Å"†¦people need not fear the unknown if they are capable of achieving what they need and want† (Coelho 76) and eventually finds success and happiness. The idea that Coelho introduces through his simple story is one of choosing to follow a predetermined fate and having God (and therefore, the universe) conspire to help make that a reality. It introduces the law of attraction in a way that would maybe be easier to swallow for those who were most opposed to it. The biggest argument against the uprising movement that The Secret inspired came from the Christian community, and with good reason – it seems to go against the very basic fundamentals that are taught in the Bible, to follow God’s will unfalteringly and let Him handle everything, no questions asked. At first glance, they could be seen as being right. But when you look at the supposed dilemma through the eyes of Coelho’s young shepard boy, you see someone making choices, yes, but choices to follow a path that has been laid out for them. There’s no denying that God has a designated a path for you, for He himself says, â€Å"For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future† (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). While The Secret can be seen as bordering on herecy according to some Christians, it actually claims to follow the formula that’s demonstrated in the Bible on how to receive what you’re looking for and uses the passage to display this, â€Å"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours† (Mark 11:24 NIV). Jesus also says, â€Å"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you† (Matthew 7:7 NIV). However, these can be considered to be taken out of context. The dilemma that’s causing the real issue here is: Is what you’re asking for what you want for yourself or is it what you believe God wants for you? Christians believe that God gave us free will, and if that’s the case then He gave it to us for a reason – and part of that involves making the decision to follow His path for us or to attempt to forge our own. The Bible says, â€Å"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him† (1 John 5:14 NIV). So if you’re following the will of God, then you are surely asking for what God would want for you, and will therefore receive it. In The Alchemist we have the idea that God gives you signs and conspires to help you to find what you’re seeking for, but only if you’re following your personal legend (or your predetermined path). This aligns neatly with the Puritanical views of predestination and the Christian views of following God’s path that’s laid out for you, but it still demonstrates the â€Å"Universe† complying to the law of attraction and giving you what you visualize yourself receiving. Though both novels are demonstrating the law of attraction with equal clarity, because of the different approaches that they took, The Alchemist could be easier for someone coming from a Christian background (who would normally be opposed to the law of attraction) to accept. Getting caught up on religious specifications and the different titles that people use to define â€Å"God† may be the biggest obstacle holding multitudes of people back from discovering the actual potential that their lives hold. In some cases perhaps it’s better to separate yourself from religious restrictions that confine and limit your beliefs and allow yourself to be open to new possibilities that present themselves to you. To quote Abraham Lincoln once again, â€Å"When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion,† – this is maybe the approach that more people should be willing to take. As Paolo Coelho shows in his novel, it is entirely possible to believe in following the will of God and to have the law of attraction work in your favor to help you achieve it. It all relies on your perception of how you view your life and how you choose to bring about what you want from it. One of Eleanor Roosevelt’s most well-known quotes is, â€Å"Life is what you make it. Always has been, always will be† and this rings true in every aspect. The key to achieving real success in your life is to clearly define what you want and to appreciate the things that you have. Ultimately it all comes down to you. William Ernest Henley wrote it best in the concluding lines of his poem, Invictus – I am the Master of my fate: I am the Captain of my soul. There is no herecy in accepting your God-given right as a human being to decide on the path that you wish to walk; and know that no matter which way you choose, always keep a clear visualization of your end goal in mind, and be grateful for every step that you are able to take. Byrne, Rhonda. The Secret. New York: Simon & Shuster, 2006. Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986

New Moon Book Report

This book report is being written for Mr. Reynold Bassant, lecturer for Comparative Literature. The book which was carefully selected is New Moon, it was written by Stephanie Meyer, one of the most promising new authors of this century. The book has 563 pages and was first published in hard cover by Little Brown and Company in September 2006, in the United States of America. After mass circulation and the sale of two million copies, the book became the New York Times Number One bestseller for 2007. It was later published in soft cover by First Media Tie in September 2009.As a sequel to The Twilight Saga, New Moon is now a major motion picture which has received numerous accolades. Even though this saga comes in four parts- Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, I chose to do this review on the second saga because it best documents the sacrifices, heartaches and forgiveness one faces in the trials of true love and friendship. What makes the book even more exciting is the fact that Meyer chooses to weave this web of friendship with a mortal human, a wolf boy and a 145-year-old vampire.I find the book intriguing because Meyer has created an amazing hybrid of romance, tragedy and adventure wrapped between the covers of this exciting sequel. The main characters of the book are Bella Swan, a 17-year-old high school student, her childhood friend and werewolf Jacob Black and Edward Cullen, a mind-reading vampire. Bella moves out of her mother’s home in Phoenix and goes to live with her father Charlie, who is a Sheriff. She promptly falls in love with Edward. Meanwhile, Jacob is a proud descendant of the Quileutes Indian tribe who lives in a reservation called La Push.He and several other Quileutes are honour bound to protect the town from blood thirsty vampires. Because of this both Edward and Jacob are mortal enemies and Bella is trapped in between her star-crossed supernatural love for Edward and her genuine friendship with Jacob. The villains of the b ook are Victoria, a revengeful vampire, and the ancient Volturi vampire family who uphold law and order among their immortal clan. Other important characters in this book are Edwards’s family- father Carlisle, mother Esme, sisters Rosalie and Alice and his brothers, Emmett and Jasper.Like Edward they are all â€Å"vegetarian vampires† who survive on animal blood. Carlisle is a prominent doctor who saves Bella’s life on two occasions. Alice is psychic who has an uncanny ability to predict the future. Her skill weaves a hypnotic thrill of suspense as she sets the pace for the various scenes in the book. Jasper can control moods with his mind while Emmett has brute strength. Rosalie is considered the most beautiful of the group while Esme is the glue that holds the family together.Meanwhile, Bella’s mother Rene and step-father Phil lives in Florida and keeps regular contact with her through e-mail. Jacob’s father is Billy, a wheel-chair bound Quileute warrior who holds all the secrets of La Push. There are at least six wolves headed by Sam Uley and includes Leah and Seth Clearwater, Quil Atera and Embry Call who safeguard human life in Forks and La Push. New Moon is undeniably a suspense thriller. The book is mainly set in the contemporary rainy town of Forks, located in Washington DC in the United States of America.Most of the scenes take place at Forks, at the La Push Indian reservation, located a few miles away, the town of Port Angeles and finally at Italy where the Volturi clan resides. Both Bella and Edward attend the Forks High school where they spend time with other friends such as Jessica Stanley, Angela and Mike Newton. But in the second chapter when Jasper attempts to attack Bella, Edward becomes concerned and decides to leave Bella so that she could enjoy her human life with someone from her own clan.He makes the ultimate sacrifice knowing that Bella could never fit into his world. When Edward leaves, Bella spends th ree months as a mere shadow of her former self. She becomes introverted and it was only when Charlie decides to send her back to Jacksonville with her mother that she decides to visit Jacob. She gives him two motorbikes to repair and starts spending all her afternoons at the Reservation. Bella soon realises that whenever she does anything risky, she hears Edward’s voice in her head, cautioning her.She becomes dependant on his voice in her head. When she jumps off a cliff to skydive, Alice gets a vision and Edward believes that Bella had committed suicide. Unable to live with himself, he goes to the Volturi hoping that they can end his life. The Volturi leaders Aro, Caius and Marcus refuse as they value Edward’s mind reading gift. Edward decides to reveal himself to Italians knowing that the ultimate penalty for such exposure would be death. But Alice gets another vision of Edward’s intentions and takes Bella to Italy to save him.She manages to stop him before he commits the act. But the Volturi captures them both. They eventually release Bella and Edward after they both confess their love. They are allowed to leave only when Edward promises to change Bella into a vampire. When they return home, Jacob is broken hearted because he had fallen in love with Bella and cannot believe that she would return to Edward after he rejected her. The book shows the trials of sacrifice and the tragedy of love, especially love that is star-crossed.Although New Moon is a fascinating book filled with myths and legends of ancient tribes, it is unfortunate that Meyer chooses to associate suicide with love. The book reveals that both Edward and Bella cannot live without each other. They both sacrifice themselves for each other’s happiness. While this is commendable, I believe that the emphasis on suicide in the final scene with the Volturi, as well as Bella’s apparent desire to die by doing risky things, is not healthy for the impressionable young readers who read this exciting trilogy.I also find fascinating the plot that Meyer uses where Bella saves Edward. This is a refreshing change from the usual plots where the hero saves the damsels in distress. There is also a strong emphasis on the importance of family and friendship which I find commendable. Therefore, I will definitely recommend this book to other readers as it is impossible to stop reading this sequel once you get started. The book gives one an insight into the sacrifices that we humans would make, in our quest to protect those whom we love.