Quotes Assignment free essay sample

Quotes Assignment Quotes from the website: http w www. Inspirational-quotes. Info/ The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. Martin Luther King, Jar. We are still masters of our fate. We are still captains of our souls. Churchill Michael Johnson Quotes from the website: http://. Hearts and minds. Org/quotes/ education. I believe that it is better to learn from the diverse people around us than to try in vain to emulate them, better to be a teacher than a role model.As strong as my legs are, it is my mind that has made me a champion. Michael Johnson It Is clearly not the Journey for everyone. People succeed In as many ways as there are people. Some can be completely fulfilled with destinations that are much closer to home and more comfortable. We will write a custom essay sample on Quotes Assignment or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page But it you long to keep going, then I hope you are able to follow my lead to the places I have gone. To within a whisper of your own personal perfection. To places that are sweeter because you worked so hard to arrive there.To places at the very edge of your dreams. Quotes from the Website: http://www. Famous-quotes-and-quotations. COM/famous- quotations. HTML Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal. -Henry Ford The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. -Walt Disney Quotes from the website: http:/. My-inspirational-quotes. COM/category/inspire- to-success/page Satisfaction does not come with achievement, but with effort. Full effort is full victory. ? Gandhi Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great. 1 At some point, you have to make a decision. Boundaries dont keep other people out. They fence you in. Life is messy. Thats how were made. So, you can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them. But there are some lines That are way too dangerous to cross. Meredith Grey A couple of hundred years ago, Benjamin Franklin shared with the world the secret of his success.Never leave that till tomorrow, he said, which you can do today. This is the man who discovered electricity. You think more people would listen to what he had to say. I dont know why we put things off, but if I had to guess, Id have to say it has a lot to do with fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, sometimes the fear is Just of making a decision, because what if youre wrong? What if youre making a mistake you cant undo? The early bird catches the worm. A stitch in time saves nine. He who hesitates is lost. We cant pretend we hadnt been told.Weve all heard the proverbs, heard the philosophers, heard our grandparents warning us about wasted time, heard the damn poets urging us to seize the day. Still sometimes we have to see for ourselves. We have to make our own mistakes. We have to learn our own lessons. We have to sweep todays possibility under tomorrows rug until we cant anymore. Until we finally understand for ourselves what Benjamin Franklin really meant. That knowing is better than wondering, that waking is better than sleeping, and even the biggest failure, even the worst, beat the hell out of never trying.

The Impact of Trucker Driver Wellness Programs

The Impact of Trucker Driver Wellness Programs The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recently interviewed nearly 1,700 truckers about their health and work- and the results were shocking. 69% were obese. 54% smoked. And 88% reported at least one risk factor for chronic disease. Improving trucker wellness is a no-brainer for any long-haul fleet; it can help prevent high turnover rates, but also helps retain the most talented employees without having to lose them to disease or poor health.It’s never been easy to stay fit or healthy on the long-haul, but it’s no longer possible to ignore the impact on truckers’ health. Melton Truck Lines in Tulsa, OK, first rolled out an intervention program aimed at helping drivers who might be close to failing their physicals to lower their blood pressure and glucose levels. They hired a wellness manager, implemented a weight loss and voluntary lipid-panel testing program to guard against creeping cholesterol levels, and converted an employee smoking lounge into a gym. Melton’s Tulsa headquarters also added a landscaped walking and jogging trail, a fresh and healthy cafà ©, and a clinic providing no-cost primary medical care to employees.Getting drivers to participate in their own health is the cornerstone of the program. Melton even offers a â€Å"Health Concierge† service that helps employees sort through their health care costs and needs. There are various incentives and motivational programs, an online community, and even an app to keep employees motivated.While it’s hard to measure the success of these new initiatives on turnover rates, more drivers are passing their DOT physicals. And the number of employees who identified as having three medical risk factors dropped from 51% to 38% within one year. The number of employees reporting zero risk factors went up from 13% to 17% in that same year.Other companies have followed suit. Celadon Trucking launched their â€Å"Highway to Health† program in 2006, with similar screenings and incentives, as well as nutritional and exercise programs, and a full-service primary care medical clinic in their Indianapolis headquarters (as of 2011). And Schneider also has a Health and Wellness Manager to oversee their programs and focus on keeping individual truckers as healthy and productive as possible, which makes them safer on the road.We can only hope these trends begin to spread throughout the industry and become standard practice- for the benefit of everyone involved.The Impact of Truck Driver Wellness Programs

Mithridates and the Mithridatic Wars

Mithridates and the Mithridatic Wars While still a child, Mithridates, later King Mithridates VI of Pontus, official friend of Rome, developed a reputation that included matricide and a paranoid fear of being poisoned. Roman Treaties - Information on What Is Meant by a Friend of Rome During the Roman Republic, competing military leaders Sulla and Marius wanted the honor of disposing of the greatest challenge to Roman supremacy since the Punic War general Hannibal Barca. From the end of the second to the middle of the first century B.C, this was the long-lived Mithridates VI of Pontus (132-63 B.C.), a thorn in Romes side for 40 years. The rivalry between the two Roman generals led to the  loss of blood at home, but only one of them, Sulla, confronted Mithridates abroad. Despite the great battlefield competence of Sulla and Marius  and their personal confidence in their ability to check the Eastern despot, it was neither Sulla nor Marius who put an end to the Mithridatic problem. Instead, it was Pompey the Great, who earned his honorific in the process. Location of Pontus - Home of Mithridates The mountainous district of Pontus lay on the eastern side of the Black Sea, beyond the province of Asia and Bithynia, north of Galatia and Cappadocia, west of Armenia, and south of Colchis. [See Map of Asia Minor.] It was founded by King Mithridates I Ktistes (301-266 B.C.). In the Third Punic War (149 - 146 B.C.), King Mithridates V Euergetes (r. 150-120) who claimed descent from the Persian King Darius, helped Rome. Rome gave him Phrygia Major in gratitude. He was the most powerful king in Asia Minor. By the time Rome had annexed Pergamum to create the province of Asia (129 B.C.), the kings of Pontus had moved from their capital in Amasia to rule from the Black Sea port city of Sinope. Mithridates - Youth and Poison In 120 B.C., while still a child, Mithridates (Mithradates) Eupator (132-83 B.C.) became king of the area of Asia Minor known as Pontus. His mother may have assassinated her husband, Mithridates V, in order to take power, since she served as regent and ruled in her young sons stead. Afraid his mother would try to kill him, Mithridates went into hiding. During this time, Mithridates started ingesting small doses of various poisons in order to develop an immunity. When Mithridates returned (c. 115-111), he took command, imprisoned his mother (and, possibly, ordered her execution), and started to extend his dominion.After Mithridates acquired Greek towns in Colchis and whats now the Crimea, he developed a strong fleet to hold his territories. But that wasnt all. Since the Greek towns hed overtaken proved so lucrative, providing resources in the form of revenue, officers, and mercenary soldiers, Mithridates wanted to increase his Greek holdings. Next page Mithridates expands his empire Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Print SourcesH. H. Scullards revised version of F.B. Marshs Roman World 146-30 B.C.Cambridge Ancient History Vol. IX, 1994. Also on this site Gaius Julius CaesarGaius MariusSullaTimeline of the Late Roman Republic Previous Articles -I tell the tale that I heard told.Mithridates, he died old.From A.E. Housman Terence, this is stupid stuff

How are things different today for working class people and unions Essay

How are things different today for working class people and unions than in the days of Working Class New York - Essay Example In the United States, for instance, the working class people are mainly employed in jobs that do not require a lot of skills like clerks, retailers, and blue collar or manual jobs. Some white collar jobs like secretaries and call center employees also fall under the category of working class jobs (Shipler, p.36) For many years, New York City has been a working class city. During the period of the working class in New York, most people were employed in the manufacturing sector since there were many industries then. However, this is not the case today. Today there are fewer workers working in the manufacturing sectors in New York than during the period of working class in New York. Most people are employed in the service sector (Freeman, p.30) During the working class era in New York, workers were assured of the job security. They were not subjected to being laid off as a result of hard economic times. However, today’s working class face the challenge of ‘irregular employment’ since they are fired every now and then and hired again due to economic changes. It mainly affects workers in weak labor markets and those employed on a part-time basis. The economy of many nations all over the globe has continued to face stagnant growth unlike the period of the working class in New York. This has in turn slowed down creation of job opportunities and retrenching of many people who are in the working class category. Therefore, unlike in the past, many people in the United States and other parts of the world are unemployed. The unemployment rate in the United States in 2003 was at around 7%. Real wages for all workers have continued to decline due to inflation and other economic factors. Today, even when workers ar e employed they still continue to get by as compared to the period of Working Class Period in New York. During the period of working class New York, workers’ rights were protected by strong trade unions. In the United States, trade unions experienced many

How are things different today for working class people and unions Essay

How are things different today for working class people and unions than in the days of Working Class New York - Essay Example In the United States, for instance, the working class people are mainly employed in jobs that do not require a lot of skills like clerks, retailers, and blue collar or manual jobs. Some white collar jobs like secretaries and call center employees also fall under the category of working class jobs (Shipler, p.36) For many years, New York City has been a working class city. During the period of the working class in New York, most people were employed in the manufacturing sector since there were many industries then. However, this is not the case today. Today there are fewer workers working in the manufacturing sectors in New York than during the period of working class in New York. Most people are employed in the service sector (Freeman, p.30) During the working class era in New York, workers were assured of the job security. They were not subjected to being laid off as a result of hard economic times. However, today’s working class face the challenge of ‘irregular employment’ since they are fired every now and then and hired again due to economic changes. It mainly affects workers in weak labor markets and those employed on a part-time basis. The economy of many nations all over the globe has continued to face stagnant growth unlike the period of the working class in New York. This has in turn slowed down creation of job opportunities and retrenching of many people who are in the working class category. Therefore, unlike in the past, many people in the United States and other parts of the world are unemployed. The unemployment rate in the United States in 2003 was at around 7%. Real wages for all workers have continued to decline due to inflation and other economic factors. Today, even when workers ar e employed they still continue to get by as compared to the period of Working Class Period in New York. During the period of working class New York, workers’ rights were protected by strong trade unions. In the United States, trade unions experienced many

Case Study Verizon and Disney Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Verizon and Disney - Case Study Example The customers are also complaining of the high ticket prices. The customers have been experiencing these issues and because of this, they are not likely to visit the park again. The internal management itself are experiencing major issues. These issues are affected and caused by the increasing external problems. First, the Walt Disney Company is experiencing a sliding attendance figures. Their revenues are decreasing. The lower hotel occupancy rates and decline in attendance add up to their problems. And lastly, Walt Disney’s capital expenditure is down. Solutions: The goal of the company is to more with less. Walt Disney Co. CIO Roger Berry, has been helping to create a cutting-edge technology strategy. This is to restore luster of aging brand and increase efficiencies and boost attendance. The company is going to introduce IT Convergence such as use of global satellites, smart sensors, wireless technology and mobile devices. Walt Disney wanted to promote a more personalized environment with IT at the core. The most visible manifestation of the strategy implemented is the 10 ? inch tall stuffed doll, the Pal Mickey. He is the virtual tour guide powered by sensors. The idea of this is to give the park goers up to the minute information to preset preferences. The company also wants to make data accessible across all lines of business. Another initiative of Walt Disney is the destination web site called the Magical Gathering. The intention is to boost new revenues and group business bookings. The company also is looking to expand digital imaging and let the visitors staying at a Disney hotel use their room television sets to review and buy photographs taken of them on rides during the day. Berry also says the resort is looking to improve Fastpass. The company wants to have a service that allows visitors to schedule ride times to avoid long lines. RESULT: The introduction of the initiatives is getting positive feedbacks from the business analysts. By introd ucing these strategies, Walt Disney is being able to cut their expenses. They are promoting more services for no increase in expenses. By having more digitalized and personalized environment, they will surely attract more visitors. If the line issues, crowd, and ticket prices are resolved, surely the customers will be more than happy to visit the place again. Reference: D’Agostino, Debra. Case Study: Walt Disney World Resorts and CRM Strategy, (2004). Web. 23 April 2011 CASE STUDY: VERIZON Problems: Two of the Fortune Companies are going to merge. However, they are having issues enhancing an ambitious enterprise CRM program. They are preparing for the enhancement of company’s customer focus and their new brand. Both GTE and Bell Atlantic had decent CRM visions. But GTE obliged to an outdated technology platform. Bell Atlantic has a different set of issues. Bell Atlantic has a surfeit of single purpose, application centric systems. The company executives themselves are hesitant of the new CRM initiatives because they think it would be too costly and not sustainable. The Vice President for the Database Marketing for Verizon, Leonard, is having a hard time introducing this new initiative because it would mean beginning from the start or ground zero. There will be a shift from a product focus to customer focus program. This means instilling a new sense of cultural urgency. Thus, he is stuck to a great dilemma: whether to go for a broke or launch a bona fide business driven CRM. And this would

The Break with Rome Essay Example for Free

The Break with Rome Essay Although it is fair to say that a number of important factors ultimately resulted in Henrys desire for a Break with Rome, it is clear that Henrys wish for a divorce from Catherine of Aragon to ensure a male heir was the key underlying motive throughout the saga. Henrys desire for power and financial gain are still both extremely important aspects of the debate, but it is certainly arguable that these are secondary ambitions which gained prominence as the events unfolded. For many years it had been clear that Henry strongly desired a male heir to the throne. It was also becoming clear that Catherine of Aragon was growing too old to bear him a child that he craved, and Henry saw this as a sign from God that his marriage to Catherine was unholy, with this point being reinforced by Catherines miscarriages. It appeared that a divorce was therefore the only solution, and for this reason it can be observed as the guiding factor in the Break with Rome. Catherine was obviously unhappy with this, and so to ensure that she would not be able to appeal to the Pope over any events that were to follow, Henry had the Act in Restraint of Appeals passed in 1533. This provided the pathway in 1534 for the Act of Supremacy. This enabled the King to alter doctrine, which he would be able to use to legalise the annulment of his marriage to Catherine. It was also extremely important in that [it] ensured opposition could be dealt with as the act required every subject to take the oath of Supremacy. The passing of the Act of Succession only several months showed how desperate Henry was to obtain his male heir. Henry was aware of the difficulties that Matilda, the only previous queen of England, had suffered, and so this act declared Mary illegitimate. Time was certainly of the essence here, as it was also important to Henry that his son be 16 at the time coming to power to ensure that he was not usurped in the same way that other boy kings had. Finally, the Treason Act also of 1534 also amplifies the idea that Henry was desperate that any son he had would be seen as legitimate and face few problems when he came to power. The actions taken between 1532 and 1534 would suggest that Henry was becoming desperate to ensure the divorce and obtain a son, and so provides strong evidence to suggest that these were his real motives behind the Break with Rome. Historians also argue that Henrys desire for financial gain was also an important factor which led to his desire to obtain the Break with Rome. Firstly, the Act in Restraint of Annates, which had initially began as a threat in 1532, was put into place in 1534. The initial aim was to persuade the Pope into granting the divorce. However, by 1534 it was clear that this was not going to happen and so Henry was implementing policies to ensure a Break with Rome. Ultimately, this means that by the time it was passed, the Act was no longer a way of threatening the Pope into granting a divorce. Instead, it was Henry simply take control of the Popes income and so it is therefore reasonable to suggest that by 1534, financial motives for a split had crept into Henrys thinking. This was again shown in 1534 by the Act for First Fruits and Tenths. This provides a further example of money that was formerly sent to the Pope becoming an additional income for Henry. It is certainly arguable that by this stage Henry was well aware of the potential financial benefits that the break could have, and so this may well have fuelled the rapid changes that occurred between 1532 and 1534. A final aspect of the divorce which is suggested by historians is Henrys hunger for power, and this becomes apparent when observing some of the Acts put into place. The Act for Submission of the Clergy in 1534 (created in 1532) can be seen as the first step in Henry trying to take control of a very important aspect of everyones lives, the Church. The Act of Supremacy reinforces the idea that Henry strongly desired power within the Church, and it begins to become apparent that along with the increasing financial importance that the break would have, power was also becoming an extremely important aspect. Such legislation as the Act of Supremacy and Treason Act provided Henry with security in his new positions, and with this evidence taken into account that it is certainly arguable that some of the other factors were simply covering for Henrys greed for power. It is worth considering that ideas of financial and power motives are not mutually exclusive. After initially just wanting the divorce and an heir, it may well have been the case that this lead to Henry obtaining more power which he was able to use his advantage for financial benefit. It is however also argued that Henrys initial intention was never to gain extra power, yet this still links in with the idea that Henrys lust for power evolved as events unfolded. Consequently, if the Pope had granted the annulment in the first place, Henrys desire for a male heir could have been rectified and the desires for power and money would never have been allowed to evolve. On balance, it has become clear that the way in which the events unfolded affected why Henry was so keen for the Break with Rome. Initially at least, there is strong evidence to suggest that Henrys only real motive was to obtain the divorce and produce a male heir. However, as the years rolled by it is suggested that the reasons behind the events developed. The concentration of legislation passing between 1532 and 1534 suggest both that Henry was becoming more desperate and also that a lust for power and money were now providing the fuel behind the events that both introduced and secured the Break with Rome. Therefore to conclude, although it is certainly possible that Henrys strong initial desire was for a divorce and to obtain a male heir, but once he realised the possibilities that lay before him in gaining power within the Church and increasing his income drastically to enable his exuberant lifestyle these motives expanded and diversified.

The Life Work, and Creativity of Albert Camus :: Biographies

The Life Work, and Creativity of Albert Camus "Yes, I have a country -- the French language." -Albert Camus Albert Camus was a man consumed by three images--his mother, the Mediterranean, and death. His greatest creative achievement, his writing, would center around these images, images that would be transformed into great ideas through simple and refined words. Albert Camus lived the life of the creative genius according to Howard Gardner's model of creativity. His writing has left a lasting impression on the literary world and his life has left a fascinating legacy on the notion of creativity. Childhood Albert Camus was born on November 1, 1913 in Mondovi, a village in the Algerian interior. His ancestors on his father's side arrived after the 1830 conquest of Algeria from France and his mother's side came from Spain. A certain amount of pride accompanied Camus' mixed racial descent. Yet, it was only in Algeria that Camus would ever truly belong. Mondovi was surrounded by vineyards and it was there that Camus' father, Lucien Auguste Camus, found employment. He worked on a grape farm helping in the manufacture of wine. Camus never had the chance to know his father, for he died before Camus had even reached the age of one. He was called off to war where he was fatally wounded at the Marne. Camus thus loathed bloodshed and was constantly haunted by the idea that his generation was cursed by wars. Because his mother, Catherine, spoke so little of his father, Camus knew virtually nothing of the man that he had been. The one detail that his mother did recount of his father was that he had once attended an execution, He watched the death of a mass murderer and yet afterwards he "threw himself on the bed and began to vomit" (McCarthy, 11). Camus never forgot this image and would later write against and about the death penalty. Catherine, Albert, and his older brother Lucien moved in with her family after the death of Lucien Auguste to the Algiers suburb of Belcourt in the working-class area, crowded with apartment buildings and factories. An emotional poverty reined over Albert's life in Belcourt. His grandmother, the talkative, strong-minded queen of the household, became his principle care-taker. Though Camus admired his grandmother's pride, he found her to be harsh and selfish, and he feared her. She was greatly critical of her daughter for having married a man who had died so young, leaving her alone with two children.

Brain and Language

Damasio and Damasio (1992) discussed the detailed mechanics of language processing by the human brain. Their article, first established a general understanding of such concepts as the brain’s ability to categorize and classify word-forms through the mediation of the human sensors. According to their article, the brain’s left and right hemispheres contains three neural structures. The first extensive structure processes the non-verbal representations organizing objects, events, and relationships.Second structure, located only in the left hemisphere is responsible for producing the language through and with phonemes, phonemic and syntactic structures with the resulting word-forms. They referred to the third structure as a mediating structure that can change the concept into the word form or vice versa. Their further discourse proceeded into the specifics of the brain anatomy and various effects of the damage or lesions of the portions of the brain. Their examples with the color recognition were particularly impressive when they described the condition known as achromatopsia – lack of ability to perceive colors (i.e. seeing the environment in the shades of gray). The article was especially effective in describing the complicated mechanism behind the color recognition, color categorization and classification, and producing the correct word-form for the specific color. The article argues against the traditionally thought the â€Å"pictorial† representations of the objects, persons, or any combination of the environmental experiences but instead the authors describe their theory of how records of neural activity are stored in the sensory and motor cortices.Such patterns of synaptic activity also act through and with associations on which one particular object will associate with the patterns of color, shape, usage, tactile perceptions, and the feelings that a person has usually when using this object. The authors further state that the neu ral actions that occur as the result of interaction between the person and the object happen in different functional areas of the brain and come together in areas of â€Å"convergence† of synaptic connections.Then recall of the event and its associated experiences depend upon simultaneous reactivation of the neural actions within the neuron assemblies when those fire simultaneously and reactivate the previously occurred patterns of neural activity. Simultaneously, the categorization and classification occurs in such similar or related neural actions are activated together. The categorization and classification abilities of the first neural structure make it possible to distinguish objects by their characteristics and function ‘stored’ previously, as Damasio and Damasio describe the example with a coffee cup.Such ‘recollection’ is perhaps responsible for the brain’s ability to express the formed within concept and to understand a comprehensive input as the concept. The article further exemplifies a curious condition in which a patient would loose an ability to define a concept for a unique entity (like an animal species in the author’s example). From this example, the reader would learn that the affected patient would not be able to name any animal species (i. e. raccoon) nor would say its size, color, or shape.He would simply say â€Å"animal† when presented with the picture of a raccoon (Damasio Damasio, 1992). When describing the affect produced by the specific lesion of the portion within the left hemisphere, the authors wrote about the earlier discovery by Paul Broca and Carl Wernicke of the phenomenon called ‘cerebral dominance’ which specifically pointed out at the left hemisphere as the organ responsible for the production and processing of human language in â€Å"99 percent of right-handed and two-thirds of left handers.† The article confirms these studied by briefly discussing t he research by Edward Klima of the University of California at San Diego and Ursula Bellugi of the Salk Institute of Biological Studies in San Diego who have discovered that aphasia (condition that impedes language-interpreting ability) is caused by damage to the particular region of the left hemisphere of the brain. Using the aphasic patients, the investigators were able to map the neural activities responsible for the formation of the language and its interpretation (also including other variations of language such as sign language) (Damasio & Damasio, 1992).With having a map in front of them, the neuroscientists and other field investigators would be able to specify exactly which function would be impaired as the result of damage to which portion of the left hemisphere. This would also extend to the predictive ability as far as other functions of the whole language production mechanism are concerned. Example of such can be actual production of speech sounds, intonation (i. e.spea king in a ‘flat tone’, long pauses between the words and defective grammar), the impairment of associative and habit learning, production of nouns, production of verbs (nouns and verbs are produced and processed in different regions), difficulty understanding meanings that represent the syntactic structures, and the inability to understand the meaning of non-reversible passive structures. The authors further attempt to defend their point of view in favor of the mediating system between the structure that is responsible for concept processing and the system that actually produces word and word structures.According to them, the mediating system’s function would be that of the selection of the correct meaning of lexicon or that connecting the concepts’ interrelationship. It is understood that mediation system is mostly activated when the person attempts to understand the comprehensive input. The purpose of comprehension sets in motion the mediating system tha t is capable of bringing associative connections between the concepts, particular experiences, and generalized experiences together. To exemplify their view, the authors mention A. N. and L. R.as patients who have a problem in retrieval of common nouns representing certain entities. Their deficit in the specific word-form retrieval is causes by their inability to activate the mediation system that deprives them of the ability to bring the connection between the concepts (i. e. of the noun and what that noun represents as far as the object and its function). Damasio and Damasio explained such selective deficiency by stating that the selectivity in conceptualization of entities depends upon the absence or presence of the personal relation of the patient to the entity/concept.By loosing the function of some regions of the left hemisphere, the patients will respond by loosing the specific speech/conceptualization function that is mapped to that region. In A. N. and L. R. case it was the damage to anterior and midtemporal cortices that rendered them unable to pick may common nouns. The article concludes with the detailed discourse into the studies by the group of researchers at Washington University.Specifically, this group was interested in the production and interpretation of verbs and functors and how the nouns can be mediated together with the appropriate actions, like the noun ‘apple’ would mediate with the verb ‘eat. ’ Their conclusions illustrated a situation in which the damage to the certain left hemisphere regions would disrupt such association rendering the patient unable to produce the appropriate verb and further disrupting their use of grammar (Damasio & Damasio, 1992).The article was comprehensive in its purpose in terms of being able to describe the complex structure and function of the left hemisphere’s regions responsible for processing, production, and mediation of the components of human language. The only critiq ue of the article that I have is that the authors attempted to place too much of very specific information into a very small format. The complexity of the concepts behind the message would be better delivered if more practical examples were used and the text would be delineated with a larger number of lay terms.In general, the article’s audience appeared to be professionals or paraprofessionals who already had a significant understanding within the field. It would be difficult to understand for people with a limited knowledge and background within the field. The illustrations were adequate and the sources appropriate in both quality and quantity. My suggestion for the further research would be targeting the Visio-Spatial Memory Units that are units of memory assembled from different perceptual input within the Working Memory (Baddely, 1992).Further, my suggestion would be to investigate the alternative approaches to the definition and theoretical function-ability of the short -term memory. References Baddeley AD. 1992. Working memory. Science 255:556-59 Damasio, A. R. , & Damasio, H. (1992). Brain and Language, Scientific American, pg. 89- 95, Retrieved June 28, 2007 from http://www. utdallas. edu/~wkatz/Proseminar_articles. html

IBM: Using Strategy to Build a “Smarter Planet” Essay

1) Pick a company (or a brand, institute, city or government†¦.) which can be a client of IBM and describe three (3) specific benefits the Smarter Planet initiative can provide to the organization. Wal-Mart; (i) By managing and organizing Wal-Mart’s huge database through database management which will be help keep better track of inventory levels, merchandise assortment and product pricing. (ii) Help Wal-Mart better analyze buying behavior through implementation of smart systems. (iii) Increased efficiency and better customer service. 2) Conduct a SWOT analysis for IBM’s Smarter Planet initiative. Strengths; (i) An Internationally recognized company with a very good reputation. (ii) Known for its revolutionary and innovative inventions like the hard disk drive and the ATM. Weaknesses; (i) Pressure to perform and deliver on what IBM has set out to accomplish through the smarter planet initiative. (ii) Because of IBM’s size and considering how long it’s been in business, the company will find it very challenging to make big changes such as a total change from their current commodity-based business to customizable businesses. Opportunities; (i) Growth of markets in developed and third world countries. (ii) Business analytics and optimization. Threats; (i) A strongly competitive industry with very well-known companies like HP and Dell who also cater to large organizations for almost similar purposes. (ii) Shifting from a commodity-based to customizable businesses will be very challenging. 3) What relevant trends to consider for the next three to five years? Customer Trends; (i) The desire for customers to work more efficiently. (ii) The desire for customers to stay updated and connected across technologies. Environmental Trends; (i) Fewer trade barriers. (ii) Growth of developing countries. 4) (a) How can IBM communicate its strategy to companies, cities, and governments? List 3 ways (i) By making Information such as industry reports, statistics and videos available on their website that describes the strategy. (ii) Through a â€Å"Letter from the Chairman† by Sam Palmisano, which shows how the Smarter Planet initiative represented an infusion of intelligence into the way the world actually works. (iii) By using print and television advertising campaigns to communicate IBM’s ability to make the world â€Å"smarter.† (b) How is Watson a part of the communication strategy? Watson is a very strong communication tool. Its exposure on shows like Jeopardy! are a great way to deliver its message about their strategy. 5) What are the benefits of the Smarter Planet initiative to; (a) Society; (i) Help cites, industries and organizations make smarter decisions, the result of which would help cut costs, reduce waste and increase productivity which would in turn making them more profitable and sustainable. (ii) IBM believes that through this initiative, any person or organization â€Å"can now become digitally aware, networked and intelligent.† (b) IBM; (i) Close customer interactions which facilitate better relationships. (ii) Successful implementation of smart solutions will lead to brand loyalty and ultimately increased revenue. (c) How should IBM measure the results of the Smarter Planet Strategy? IBM should measure the results based on how successful the Smarter Planet Strategy has been on an organization after its implementation. For example, by using IBM’s smart solutions to analyze its data, the Memphis Police Department reduced crime by 28 percent. Here we can clearly see that the strategy turned out to be very successful, hence, a great result for IBM.

Vaquita Facts and Conservation Information

Vaquita Facts and Conservation Information The vaquita (Phocoena sinus), also known as the Gulf of California harbor porpoise, cochito or Marsopa vaquita is the smallest cetacean. It is also one of the most endangered, with only about 250 remaining. The word vaquita means small cow in Spanish. Its species name, sinus is Latin for gulf or bay, referring to the vaquitas small range, which is restricted to coastal waters off the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. Vaquitas were discovered fairly recently - the species was first identified based on skulls in 1958 and live specimens were not observed until 1985. You can read more about the vaquitas discovery here. Description Vaquitas are about 4-5 feet long, and weigh about 65-120 pounds. Vaquitas are gray, with darker gray on their back and lighter gray on their underside. They have a black eye ring, lips and chin, and pale face. Vaquitas lighten in color as they age. They also have a recognizable triangular-shaped dorsal fin. Vaquitas are shy around vessels, and typically are found singly, in pairs or in small groups of 7-10 animals. They may stay underwater for a long time. The combination of these characteristics can make vaquitas difficult to find in the wild. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataSubphylum: VertebrataSuperclass: Gnathostomata, TetrapodaClass: MammaliaSubclass: TheriaOrder: CetartiodactylaSuborder: CetancodontaSuborder: OdontocetiInfraorder: CetaceaSuperfamily: OdontocetiFamily: PhocoenidaeGenus: PhocoenaSpecies: sinus    Habitat and Distribution Vaquitas have one of the most limited home ranges of all cetaceans. They live in the northern end of the Gulf of California, off the Baja Peninsula in Mexico, in murky, shallow waters within about 13.5 miles of shore. Click here for a sightings map. Feeding Vaquitas feed on schooling fish, crustaceans and cephalopods. Like other odontocetes, they find their prey using echolocation, which is similar to sonar. The vaquita emits high frequency sound pulses from an organ (the melon) in its head. The sound waves bounce off objects around them and are received back into the dolphins lower jaw, transmitted to the inner ear and interpreted to determine the size, shape, location and distance of prey. Vaquitas are toothed whales, and use their spade-shaped teeth to capture their prey. They have 16-22 pairs of teeth in their upper jaw and 17-20 pairs in their lower jaw. Reproduction Vaquitas are sexually mature at about 3-6 years of age. Vaquitas mate in April-May and calves are born in the months of February-April after a 10-11 month gestation period. Calves are about 2.5 feet long and weigh about 16.5 pounds at birth. The maximum known lifespan of an individual vaquita was a female who lived 21 years. Conservation There are an estimated 245 vaquitas remaining (according to a 2008 study), and the population may be declining by as much as 15% each year. They are listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. One of the biggest threats to vaquitas is entanglement or being caught as bycatch in fishing gear, with an estimated 30-85 vaquitas taken incidentally by fisheries each year (Source: NOAA). The Mexican government began developing a Vaquita Recovery Plan in 2007, putting efforts into place to protect the vaquita, although they continue to be affected by fishing. Click here to learn how you can help vaquitas. References and Further Information Gerrodette, T., Taylor, B.L., Swift, R., Rankin, S., Jaramillo-Legorreta, A.M., and L. Rojas-Bracho. 2011. TI - A combined visual and acoustic estimate of 2008 abundance, and change in abundance since 1997, for the vaquita, Phocoena sinus. Marine Mammal Science, 27:2, E79-E100.Marine Mammal Commission. Vaquita (Phocoena sinus). Accessed May 31, 2012.NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources. 2011. Gulf of California Harbor Porpoise/Vaquita/Cochito (Phocoena sinus). Accessed May 31, 2012.OBIS-SEAMAP. Gulf of California Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena sinus). Accessed May 31, 2012.Perrin, W. (2010). Phocoena sinus Norris McFarland, 1958. In: Perrin, W.F. World Cetacea Database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at marinespecies.org/aphia.php?ptaxdetailsid343897. Accessed May 31, 2012.Phocoena sinus, In Palomares, M.L.D. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2012. SeaLifeBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.sealifebase.org, version (04/2012). Accessed May 31, 2012. Rojas-Bracho, L., Reeves, R.R., Jaramillo-Legorreta, A. Taylor, B.L. 2008. Phocoena sinus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. . Accessed May 29, 2012.Rojas-Bracho, L. P. sinus. Accessed May 31, 2012.Vaquita: Last Chance for the Desert Porpoise. Accessed May 31, 2012.Viva Vaquita. Accessed May 31, 2012.

Barn Burning : Familial Bonds And Ethical Choices Essay -- Family, Mot

In Barn Burning, a 10-year old Sartoris Snopes must choose between sticking to his family and making righteous decisions. His father, Abner Snopes, is a Southern tenant farmer who repeatedly burns down the barns of his landlords, so he and his family never stay in one place for too long. During the course of the story, Sartoris vacillates between loyalty to his father and loyalty to society. Ultimately, Sartoris betrays his father by warning the farm owner that his father will burn his barn, getting his father killed. In his short story Barn Burning, Faulkner uses the various characters and their development to elucidate that a familial bond is a substantial force that is difficult to separate from, but breaking the bond is sometimes crucial in order to do what is right. The different characters in the story facilitate in illustrating that family ties are an enormous force in a person’s life and difficult to break. Above all else, Abner believes that family has to stick together since they are all anyone has. Believing that his son was going to turn him in, Abner strikes his son, explaining, â€Å"‘You’re getting to be a man. You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain’t going to have any blood to stick to you. Do you think either of them, any man there this morning, would?† (408). Having spent his whole life running, Abner has no relationships with anyone outside his family and fears losing his son. It is clear that he is unable to trust anyone, in this case, not even his own son. However, he trusts his family more than anyone else in the world. Sartoris’s sympathetic mother, Lennie, shares Abner’s emphasis on family and is unable to leave Abner, despite greatly contrastin... ... middle of paper ... ...pair remain, he is no longer scared. Like his father had hoped for, Sartoris was becoming a man, just not in the way his father would have imagined. Despite Sartoris being alone at the end of the story, Sartoris made the right choice, and â€Å"did not look back† (417). Sartoris is now free to pursue justice, no longer burdened by his family. Despite the difficulties one must face in order to break family ties, it is sometimes essential to preserve one’s integrity. Full of grief and despair, Sartoris transitions from being a slave to his father’s atrocities to being a virtuous citizen. Principled like his mother, yet determined like his father, Sartoris accomplishes what none of his siblings were able to do: Sartoris escapes his father’s forceful grasp to regain his integrity as a human being. Sartoris liberates himself from the cycle of crime his family imposed on him.

Impact of Television on American Family Life Essay

Impact of Television on American Family Life - Essay Example It has been calculated that, the time spent by each American family in watching TV, for duration of one week, is roughly fifty one hours. (2) Based on the statistical figures stated in the preceding paragraph, there is no hesitation in arriving at a logical conclusion. The quality time spent by family members, by interacting with each other, is being compromised. And that is solely for the purpose of not missing their favorite shows on the television. This trend is steadily leading to a scenario where the bond between family members is slowly getting weakened. The time that was allocated for family members, in the pre-television era, is now being given to TV. Television has been successful in getting the undivided attention of people, and has also managed to take a powerful grip of their lives. Television projects a negative image of family Apart from the disadvantages of TV that have been emphasized upon, earlier, it (TV) is showing its negative impact in another way. There is now n o dearth of television programs, which depict parents in poor light. There are now many shows, in which, parents are shown as lacking the capability to both take proper care of children, and also to be successful in life. Simultaneously, children are being depicted as the people of family who are more knowledgeable and hence having every right to question the parents. In the TV shows, the character of a family elder is projected as being a comedian who is at the receiving end of ugly jokes. All these leave a strong impression on the tender minds of children who, owing to all the stuff being shown on TV, would end up disregarding family values. They would display scant respect towards the... While speaking about the negative effects of TV on American family life, a mention needs to be made of the reality shows, which have gained immense popularity. This essay approves that the real and concrete solution for any stress-causing issue can be arrived at, only when there is a wholesome interaction between members of a family. And it is this very interaction that is consistently becoming less and less, courtesy the over importance being given to TV. Different studies carried out in the avenue of â€Å"Impact of television on American family life† have shown that, families with limited income are getting more addicted to television. There indeed is a highly valid reason for that. When compared with other means of entertainment, a television is the one that fits into the budget of low income households. Especially, it is observed that, if TV sets are present in bedrooms of children, there is every possibility that they could get distanced from other family members. Children would then show no inclination towards attending various family events. This report makes a conclusion the focus of this essay is confined to elaborating upon the adverse impacts of TV, only in relation to family life. There are several other drawbacks of television like increased risk of obesity and people becoming passive, etc, that have not been discussed here. The topic of the essay is an exhaustive one and it is not possible to be covering all the related points in a brief essay such as this one. Yet, a sincere attempt has been made to cover the most of the important aspects.