Extra Hours of Work and Payment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Extra Hours of Work and Payment - Essay Example The payment for extra hours at the organization depends on various factors. The first factor is the type of employment. In this case, non-exempt salary employees receive overtime payment based on the labor laws in the country. The employees are entitled to payment for hours beyond the legal 40 hours per week. On the other hand, the exempt salary employees receive extra hour payment based on their agreement with the human resource department. â€Å"The management should set specific regulations regarding the remuneration of this category of employees in order to avoid conflicts with the law† (Bragg, 2011). Another factor that determines the salary is the type of job given by the company. Trainees at the organization are entitled to payment for the legal working hours. Moreover, they receive allowances depending on the type of assignments provided by the company. Braswell illustrates, â€Å"The salaried employees at the company receive extra hour payments based on the guideline s of their employment contract. However, individuals whose annual salary is above $24, 000 do not receive overtime payment at the organization† (Braswell, 2014).    The extra hours worked by the employees at the bank depends on the amount of work. In this case, individuals can work between 10 to 12 extra hours in a week depending on the amount of assignments they receive from the management. Most individuals find it difficult to determine the exact duration over which they can work per week because of the dynamics of the job.  

The Artist Essay Example for Free

The Artist Essay Describe what Spoon Feeding is in cinema. What example did we watch in class? The actor in that film spoke four words to the camera what are those words? How did the speaking of those lines spoon feed what was obviously depicted prior to that dialogue? Spoon feeding in cinema is a device used by directors to plainly state to the audience exactly what happened. Sometimes it may be obvious, such as the example we watched in class. Schwarzeneggers character, Dutch says aloud after the Predator passes him over, He couldnt see me. The audience has certainly already realized that the predator couldnt see him. This sort of device has the ability to be used artistically but in this case it really Just seems a little belittling to the audience. 2- Describe the use of body language in Peter and the Wolf, how was this achieved in the film? Peter and the Wolf, being a silent film, depended largely on character body language to illustrate concepts. Each character was specifically defined in their motions. Peter was curious and sneaky. You could sense caution in the way that he moved and looked at things- the eyes were very telling. The duck, carefree and goofy, flipped, flopped, and plopped all over the place. The wolf was dangerous yet noble, his posture was very distinct. The music in the film helped to magnify that body language. 3- Describe the scenes and what form of communication is depicted when pretense is revealed in 2001 a space odyssey and One flew over the Cuckoos nest 2001 : Pretense is revealed when the two men speak in secret while in the pod. HAL, despite being cut off from audibility of the other two, is still able to see the men speaking. All sound in the film cuts off and the camera zooms in to the mens lips oving, panning back and forth between the two mens conversation. Not knowing that he can see them, they continue to conspire against HAL as he reads their lips. OFOTCN: The most obvious pretense in One Flew would be Chiefs unveiling to Mac that he does indeed speak and can understand everything around him. The men sit on a bench awaiting treatment and Mac offers Chief a stick of gum. He takes it and thanks him. In Macs moment of bewilderment Chief goes on to say Ah, Juicy fruit. To which Mac is simply overjoyed. The difference between the two being that one Describe director Stanly Kubricks use of the absence of sound used in 2001 a space odyssey Kubricks use of silence is all too relevant in 2001. With so many long drawn out shots of the ship, he does well to remind the audience that the scene is set in space. Space, by nature, is a vacuum and for that is void of all sound. This really helps to put the audience up there with the astronauts. In many scenes which he doesnt use are those involving the processes of HAL. It kind of suggests that he is cold and collected. He is not a human with a heartbeat. His processes are silent. Looking back on the cene where HAL witnesses the other two astronauts speaking secretly the audience hears nothing. This silence is his processing. Its his cold logic and elaborates planning of what to do in order to preserve himself. 5- Describe director John doormans use of sound in Hell in the Pacific. Describe Jane Campions use of sound in The Piano. What kinds of sounds do both films have in common? I absolutely loved the sound used in Hell in the Pacific. Much of it was so wild and chaotic, not dissimilar the trapped mens situation. doorman embellished the sound of water in several instances; waves crashing, water droplets, rain. Its probably one of the most important props in the film; after all, you cannot live very long without water. Campion used music very creatively to establish setting and give characters a means of expression. Ada would play, Baines would lust after her music, Flora would sing. Both films, though portray water in very deliberate ways. The Piano begins and ends with the main characters crossing over water to a new home. It seems like the water is trapping Ada here on this island and the first indication of what would be a difficult Journey is the wave crashing upon her and the piano while she played it on he beach. This scene is similar to the one in which the Japanese man, while on lookout, had water crash through his fort, if you will call it that. 6- Billy and Flora While the two characters serve very different purposes in their respective films they are alike in that they have very childlike attitudes. Flora actually is a child and her actions are expected of one of her age. Billy, on the other hand, possesses the shyness and demeanor that a child might but it is most likely attributed to his mental affliction. The two both wear their emotions on their sleeve. Flora very vividly xpresses her disapproval of Ada attempts to contact Baines through her and goes so far as to, twice, betray her own mother. Billy is easily flustered by social situations, is often seen in The Piano entertaining herself. She has a wild imagination and will talk to Just about anyone. Billy tends to hang around the other patients but is still well reserved. He has nervous tendencies; stuttering, lack of eye contact, closed off body language. Another stark contrast between our two youthful characters is that they lie on opposite sides of their respective communication spectrum. Flora acts as a translator for Ada. When Ada wants to be heard she signs to Flora and Flora speaks for her, whereas it seems as though Billy is the one that needs a voice in One Flew. An example of this is during the therapy session when he is clearly uncomfortable and would rather not speak on the subject. It is here that another patient speaks up and suggests that maybe Billy doesnt want to talk about this particular subject. 7- Stewart and Nurse Ratched Two intriguing characters. They are both antagonists to their stories but both seem unaware, at least outwardly that that is their place. Their antagony does not seem to be misplaced though. Nurse Ratched is the head nurse; I think her character is a little deeper than Stewarts. It seems there are many levels to her. Initially she appears as a good well-kept nurse. She is soft spoken yet direct in her tone. It later becomes more apparent that she is more controlling than one might have initially thought. The ward is her world. What she says goes. And even when the patients play her game she always is the victor; the vote, for instance, despite there being Just enough votes to trump her she still refused the boys the baseball game. Its really hard to say whether she is really truly bad though. As head nurse it is her Job to maintain absolute order. In a facility such as the setting she is right to say that even the slightest change would potentially provoke certain patients to cause a difficult situation. Steward, on the other hand, despite his wealth and position he doesnt have complete control. He wants control but Adas will is too strong. Stewart goes to great efforts to try to keep her caged but she prevails. Even when he violently cuts off her finger she does waiver. Even Stewards anger and upset (not necessarily his actions) are understandable. He has brought Ada over to marry him and love him but ever for a moment is this what she wants. Hes frustrated but he truly does try to make her happy. When he cannot please her he falls apart. Ada and the Chief The most obvious similarity is the characters silence the two share. You do at some point in both films get the experience the voice of the characters; Ada, while she narrates the beginning and end of the film and Chief, while he and Mac patiently wait for their punishment and enjoy a stick of gum together. While the Adas and the Chiefs silence is chosen I feel that Chiefs is more of free will than Adas silence. The Chief only ad opted silence as a way to protect himself while in the institution. Ada accustomed to it not only as a habit but as a lifestyle. Youth is when you develop your personality Even in the film it is evident that Chief is effluent in his speaking abilities. When Ada begins to speak again she has a difficult time because she simply never learned to do it well. They both seemed to be hiding themselves somehow. Its unsure exactly what might be affecting Ada, maybe a childhood event of some sort. It does seem clear that Chief is affected by two clashing cultures. His mother is white nd his father native American. His father lost himself in alcohol, he is clearly affected. 9- Mac and Baines Mac and Baines are both deviants to their cultures. They have both been shunned and placed outside of society on one way or another. Baines seemed to have disagreed with his own culture so much he went so far as to remove himself completely from it. He actual mingled into the Maori culture, the natives of the land. In this culture some of the social mores of the colonial white culture are accepted with open arms. Baines is a very emotionally expressive character and he chose to join an expressive culture. Mac is most certainly deviant. But where Baines is more of an introverted deviant Mac displays extroversion in spades. He comes from a workhouse. He was kicked out for getting into a fght with another worker. He chose to run with the verdict that he was crazy because it meant that he would not have to go to Jail. They are both very sexual. Baines provokes a sexually driven relationship between an initially unwilling Ada. He knows what he is doing is unacceptable and its certainly done in secret. Mac, our Type A personality has no qualms about keeping his sexual life and desires out in the open. He has no discretion in discussing it and is very eager in encouraging others, such as Billy to do the same.

Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay example -- The Melan

The Melancholy Hamlet  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare’s tragic play Hamlet is an exercise in the study of melancholy. Let’s explore the in’s and out’s of this aspect of the drama in this essay.    Gunnar Boklund gives a reason for the highlighting of the melancholy aspect of the protagonist in Shakespeare’s Hamlet in his essay â€Å"Judgment in Hamlet†:    In the tragedy of Hamlet Shakespeare does not concern himself with the question whether blood-revenge is justified or not; it is raised only once and very late by the protagonist (v,ii,63-70)and never seriously considered. The dramatic and psychological situation rather than the moral issue is what seems to have attracted Shakespeare, and he chose to develop it, in spite of the hard-to-digest and at times a little absurd elements it might involve. . .(118-19).    Imagery is a factor in the melancholy. The imagery in Othello â€Å"enhances the strain of melancholy in Hamlet by dwelling on sickness and decay [. . .]† (Levin 14). The initial imagery is very bleak and depressing: â€Å"The story opens in the cold and dark of a winter night in Denmark, while the guard is being changed on the battlements of the royal castle of Elsinore. For two nights in succession, just as the bell strikes the hour of one, a ghost has appeared on the battlements, a figure dressed in complete armor and with a face like that of the dead king of Denmark, Hamlet’s father† (Chute 35).    Horatio and Marcellus exit the ghost-ridden ramparts of Elsinore intending to enlist the aid of Hamlet. The prince is dejected by the â€Å"o’erhasty marriage† of his mother to his uncle less than two months after the funeral of Hamlet’s father. There is a social gathering of the court, where Hamlet is present,... ...ess, 1999. Rpt. from Introduction to Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ed. Philip Edwards. N. P.: Cambridge University P., 1985.    Levin, Harry. General Introduction. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974.    Mack, Maynard. â€Å"The World of Hamlet.† Yale Review. vol. 41 (1952) p. 502-23. Rpt. in Shakespeare: Modern Essays in Criticism. Rev. ed. Ed. Leonard F. Dean. New York: Oxford University P., 1967.    Rosenberg, Marvin. â€Å"Laertes: An Impulsive but Earnest Young Aristocrat.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Masks of Hamlet. Newark, NJ: Univ. of Delaware P., 1992.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html No line nos.      

Personnel Five-Year Development Plan: How to Be a Qualified Accountant

Personnel Five-Year Development Plan: How to be a qualified accountant Xingyi Wu 1591926 Personnel Administration V3 Dr. Bahareh Assadi March 07 , 2013 Personnel Five-Year Development Plan: How to be a qualified accountant In the modern society, the developing speed of economy is very fast, which means the world is becoming a business world. As a result of this trend, the role of financial management is getting more and more important.That is why more and more people and companies require accountants with good accounting skills, especially in Canada, in which the tax is so complicated that almost all the peolple need an accountant to take responsbility for their tax. Career goals and objectives There are many successful accountants in the world. For example: Daryl Ritchie, CEO of Meyers Norris Penny LLP, got his start in 1978 as an articling student at the firm,and because of Ritchie’s hard work in 20 years, Ritchie was promoted to CEO and has since led the firm in leadership and growth.Another good instance is Bill Thomas, who is the CEO and Senior Partner of KPMG Canada, started his career with a bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia in 1989. Thomas began at KPMG in 1990 in Audit practice. Quickly recognized, Thomas soon after moved up to become Audit Leader. Appointed to CEO in 2009, Thomas is now head of the 4,500 employee company(Kristin, 2011). These people are the final goals and objectives to most of the accountants, so do I. My terminal goals and objectives are to be a qualified accountant.I will work in an accounting firm at the beginning time, and after having lots of experience and many clients, I will set up my own accounting firm, that is the ultimate goal and objective in my career. The possible opportunities for career growth In the business world, the importance of accounting has been promoted in recent years. To companies, accountants are essential. They are trained in accounting and are taught to measure, establis h and maintain financial records of great accuracy for companies or individuals, records that have great value for managers, tax authorities and investors.In any business the accountant plays an important role and has many duties. Accountants are responsible for evaluating records provided by the book keepers in order to establish whether the business is progressing or not, and where it lacks improvement. Accountants record financial transactions that take place within the company and prepare financial statements. The most important role of accountants is predicting the cost effectiveness of company strategies and help the overall development of any business through knowledge and technical skill.They are key to the success of any organization, working hand in hand with those who run it(Nacpaf, 2012). To individuals, as I mentioned before, in Canada, almost everyone needs an accountant to help themselves to clarify the items and details of the financial statement, otherwise, they may pay a high price for their financial behaviour because of the strict and complicated tax law in Canada. Considering these two reasons, to set up my own accounting firm has a good prospect. Besides, this business action must have a large number of clients and a huge amount of potential clients, due to this, this action can ensure a very high profit.Therefore, it is a good choice for people who want to be successful. The inventory of current skills, abilities, training, and education It is not very easy to be a qualified accountant. First of all, this person should be good at math and calculating, because being an accountant, this person has to deal with a large amount of numbers. Secondly, this person should be smart enough so that he can try his best to reduce the clients' tax and not break the tax law at the same time.Finally, this person should have abundant knowledge in accounting area. However, there is no company will waste their time on testing whether this person is qualifie d or not, considering of this, this person had better has passed CGA exam. A CGA is an accounting professional with expertise in finance, taxation, business strategy, auditing, management, and business leadership. CGAs must meet the education, experience and examination requirements established, and regularly enhanced, by CGA-Canada(Wikipedia, 2013).After passing all the courses which CGA requires, this person will be qualified enough to do an accounting job. Job satisfaction attributes What attribute people to have an accounting job? For the first reason, getting an accounting job can offer people a stable salary. Some people are not interested in the jobs which are very flexible, they prefer to do things followed some laws or rules, they do not need to think about how they should do this thing, they should only care about what they should do.For the second reason, to have an accounting job is really more than getting a job. People use accounting in their daily lives when they stud y financial statements to make investment decisions, assess interest rates to pay off their house mortgages, and calculate rates for car payment. The last reason is that this job is comparably easy. Firstly, people do not have to work day and night. Secondly, people can even work at home instead of going to their work place. Thirdly, this job is very safe, people won't risk their lives when doing this work.Three action steps to reach the stated career goals and objectives For the first 2 years, the most important thing is collecting the accounting knowledge, starting learning CGA courses and passing the CGA exam. This is also the fundamental period during one's accounting career. A good beginning is half the success. For the following 2 years, after graduating from university, I will enter a small accounting firm. Because of lacking in the accounting experience, probably the big accounting firms will not hire people who just graduate from university.However, as a CGA, to find a job in a small company is not very hard. I will spend these 2 years to accumulate work experience, save money and try to know lots of clients to lay the foundation for setting up my own accounting firm. For the fifth year, after having enough funds and clients, I will set up my own company. This is the ultimate goal and objective in my career. I believe this step will be a milestone in my career life. Potential barriers To be a qualified accountant is a very long and hard period for an international student.For one thing, as I come from China, there are sigificant differences between Canadian and Asian universities, especially when it comes to accounting education. These differences, in conjunction with differences in cognitive and linguistic patterns, constitute formidable barriers that initially prevent successful participation in the Canadian accounting courses(Mary, Matthew& Panadda, 1999). For another, even if Asian students have studied English for a long time or have passed some basic English tests, the language is still the biggest problem during their study time.What is more challenging for Asian students is that they have adapted to their own country's tax law. However, in Canada, they have to learn a totally new tax law in their second language, which is also a intractable trouble for them. Conclusion Being an accountant has many advantages. For instance, people can get a stable salary from this job, they don't have to day and night. Besides, accounting offres people an absolutely good potencial opportunity in business. Therefore, if they can overcome the barriers mentioned before, it's really a good choice to start an accounting firm. ReferencesKristin, Craik. (2011). Canada's Best Accountants. Retrieved from http://www. businessreviewcanada. ca/money_matters/canadas-best-accountants Nacpaf. (2012). Accountants in the company. Retrieved from http://www. nacpaf. com/role-of-accountatns-in-a-company. html Wikipedia. (2013). Certified General Accountant. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Certified_General_Accountant Mary, Beaven. , Matthew, Calderisi. , & Panadda Tantral. (1999). Barriers to Learning Experienced by Asian Students in American Accounting Classes. Retrieved from http://www. fdu. edu/newspubs/barriers. html

Caste System and Religion of Aryans Essay

The second group was of priests, scholars and philosophers and were called Brahmans. These two groups struggled politically for leadership among the Aryans. In this struggle the Brahmans got to be the leaders of the Aryan society. The third group was named as Vaishyas and people of this group were farmers, traders, merchants and craftsmen. The lowest caste were Shudras and were considered as non- Aryans. Members of Shudras were laborers, peasants and servants of other castes. Vaishyas took control of many parts of the region and they made local people their servants. So with the passage of time the Vaishyas who were the farmers and craftsmen became the landlords and businessmen of the society. There was another caste consisted of local people and were called â€Å"Untouchables†. They were not considered as a caste infect. They were outcaste. They were used to perform the least desirable activities like cleaning toilets, dealing with dead bodies etc. They were disallowed to touch high caste and stand at some distance from high castes. This is not enough. Well, they have some other restrictions too. They were not allowed to enter holy places, schools and were not allowed to even touch the things belong to high castes. In some parts of Southern India, even the sight of untouchables was thought to be polluting so they were forced to sleep during the day and work at night. To remain an upper caste of the society, Aryans resolve some rules. The castes were to identify the occupation of people of that caste and some marriage restrictions were also imposed. Castes were unchangable groups. A person belong to one caste can never change his caste. One had to lived, married, ate and worked within one’s own caste. A everything has its own advantages and drawbacks. So the caste system of Aryans also benefited them in some aspects. Marriages within the caste ensured continuity of occupation as the sons usually followed the fathers occupation. This reduced unemployment and brought about perfection of several arts and crafts. Furthermore, since the caste system was based on the principle of division of labor, the Aryans were able to establish and maintain a sound economy. But soon caste system became a social evil. It suppressed an individual’s talent and became an obstacle for his personal development. It gave rise to untouchability and acted against the feeling of common brotherhood. Due to this injustice, many people left it and converted to Islam, Christianity and Buddhism. Religion Aryans seem to have believed in monotheism. They believed that God is one, but he is called by many names. The early Aryans worshipped phenomena of nature in the form of nature gods. They have male or female gods to which they were used to worship. Indra  was the god of strength, foremost in battle, always ready to smite dragons and demons and to destroy cities. He was the God of thunder, the rainmaker. Agni  considered as the God of fire and marriages were solemnized in the presence of fire. Fire was the purest of the five elements and was held in high esteem. Surya  (Sun),  Savitri  (a solar deity to whom the famous Gayatri mantra is dedicated). Varuna  was the god of water. He was the sustainer of plant and animal life. It was his responsibility to uphold the natural order. Soma  (god of intoxicating juice soma). Yama  the god of death and had a prominent place. Vayu   (the god of winds). Prithvi  was the goddess of Earth Usha, the goddess of Dawn. Although a large number of gods are referred to in the Vedas, yet they were polytheistic and believed that there is one god only but with different names. They believed in one god who is the creator, preserver and destroyer of the whole universe and called him Ishwar. Although, Aryans worshiped different signs of powers but yet they believe in only one god. So this can be concluded that they believe in monotheism. This concept is still present among Hindus. They worship Sun, Moon and many other powers as well as many gods. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. http://adaniel. tripod. com/historycaste. htm [ 2 ]. Dowling, Mike, â€Å"The Caste System of Ancient India at mrdowling. com,† available from http://www. mrdowling. com/612-caste. html; Internet; updated  Sunday, July 10, 2005  .  ©2009, Mike Dowling. [ 3 ]. http://indiansaga. com/history/aryans_religion. html

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis essays

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis essays Imagine sharp pains shooting through your legs and arms, problems in all of your muscles and knowing that you are going to die soon, at a considerably young age. These symptoms are only a few of the many signs that a person might be suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. These are the same symptoms that my Uncle went through when he suffered from ALS. He died two and a half years after he was diagnosed, at the age of forty-six, which goes to show that it doesn't take long for the disease to progress, and there is obviously no cure. Also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, this fatal condition regularly kills innocent people. Some think that ALS is a rare disease and that it will never affect them, but they think wrong. More people need to be aware of ALS, especially the statistics, effects and treatment/prognosis of this morbid disease. The facts and statistics of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) show that the disease is rare, yet bitter. To begin with, the term ALS was coined for a specific reason. "Amyotrophic" means poor muscle nourishment. "Lateral" refers to the edges of the spinal cord. "Sclerosis" means hardening and scarring. Therefore, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a disease that attacks the muscles and spinal cord, which slowly and painfully kills its victim. The cause of ALS is unknown, however, in a study done by Harvard University School of Public Health, scientists concluded that male war veterans from World War I through Vietnam are sixty percent more likely to develop ALS than non-veterans (Ruben 1). There are many theories as to what causes ALS, but this study is the only one that shows what might cause the disease. ALS affects people both sexes between 40 and 70 years old (What is ALS/MND? 1). ALS is more common in men than woman, a ratio of two to one (1). To add to that, one must consider life span and rarity statistics. In the ...

This I believe Essay

This I believe Essay This I believe Essay Denied Credit Cards & Broken Glass I believe in being kind and courteous to the cashier person at the store. I believe that asking how the sales clerk is doing may help make his work day less boring. I believe sparking a small conversation and making someone laugh is much better than being another customer coming through the day. Working as a salesperson can be a bit boring at times, so I believe when someone addresses a clerk with lively friendliness it can help brighten up their day. The first time that I felt this way was one day a few years ago at Wal-Mart. Once my family and I were done shopping, we went to the checkout line. That line seemed to wrap around into the walk way. The cashier looked miserable. She dealt with some jerk at the counter who was giving her a hard time because his own credit card was being denied. After the pompous jerk was done making a fool of himself I sparked a small conversation with her, and talked about some odd thing I can not remember. But that little odd conversation put a smile on her face, and I could tell it made her workday much more bearable. Another instance a couple weeks after this I was at the mall near Christmas time. There was a very sweet lady working at a kiosk selling glass jewelry. Some very disrespectful kids had just broken the glass at her stand, and sharp fragments were spread disorderly all over the floor. I stopped what I was doing and helped her clean up the mess of glass. She thanked me graciously and This I believe Essay This I believe Essay Explore the World through Others I believe that sharing abilities improves the lives of others and creates happiness. People should revere adroitness, not because it exceeds the average, but because it can be passed on. Growing up, I always knew my dad was a special kind of guy; he was the classic role model father. Brought up in relatively humble circumstances, he managed to support himself through college. Commuting for 45 minutes every day, it was clear he recognized the importance of education. Ultimately, his persistence lead to a secure career in computer science and business information technology where the persistence continues; He works a lot. Long hours at work did not impose on the long hours spent with family. As kids, my brothers and I waited for him every night to get home so we could enjoy a family meal together. We’d sit in front of the window, peering out into the dimly lit driveway for his headlights to appear over the horizon. When they did, he’d set his briefcase down and greet us a ll with a hug. At dinner, my dad never complained about the stress of work. Instead, he would inquire of our day. â€Å"What did you learn? Who did you meet?† he would ask. He was infatuated with the well-being of his children. Time not spent at work was consumed by my brothers and me. The long afternoons I’ve spent with my father has molded a large part of who I am today. He taught me how to do an innumerable amount of activities. As young boys, he’d take my brothers and me sledding on a hill close to our home. His enthusiasm drew us closer and closer to the simple action. As I aged, my dad encouraged my sense of adventure to grow. At five, he taught me how to ski. I tried and failed, but he did not let me quit no matter how badly I wanted to. Since then, I’ve spent hundreds, maybe thousands of hours enjoying the powdery white slopes of mountains across the country. In addition, my dad exposed me to every sport imaginable. He taught me how to throw a b aseball, shoot a basket and make a slap shot. Often, he’d teach himself sports so he could teach them to his sons. Eventually, my dad put a lacrosse stick in my hand and I immediately fell in love. We found his old stick in the garage and I asked about it. Then, he took me out to the back yard at showed me how to use it. A few hours of catch followed, and that same month he encouraged me to join the team and I played until I graduated high school. Although sports and adventure had importance, school overcame all else. My father made this very clear, and we faced dire consequences if my brothers and I began to think otherwise. If we weren’t reading books in school, he gave us books to read. I’m surprised he’s not doing the same thing as I navigate college! If we struggled, he transferred his knowledge to us. This was especially useful in my high school programming class. If I couldn’t understand how a program worked, he laid it out for me, leaving t he details for me to uncover. Skills are half as valuable if they are not shared with the community. My dad understood this well. He sought to create every opportunity for me he could using his own skill set. He did not force me to do anything, but he exposed me to activities and abilities I could pursue if I showed interest. My dad did not use his abilities to benefit himself alone; he recognized how he could use them to benefit his family and friends. As I grew up, I realized that my dad was not only special man, he was also a skilled one. He could build snow jumps, ski and create computer programs. Lucky for me, he was not hesitant in teaching these abilities to me. I reaped the rewards of my dad’s skills. There are many things I would not have attempted to do if it weren’t for him. In turn, my friends would not have many several opportunities without me. I emulated my father through my desire to show my friends new activities and adventures. As I matured, and construction of my personality neared completion, I

Types of Columns and Architectures Classical Order

Types of Columns and Architectures Classical Order If your architect suggests a Classical order for your new porch columns, theres no need to return a blank stare. Its a good idea. An Order of Architecture is a set of rules or principles for designing buildings - similar to todays building code. Five Classical orders, three Greek and two Roman, comprise the types of columns we use even in todays architecture. In Western-based architecture, anything called classical means its from the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome. A Classical order of architecture is the approach to building design established in Greece and Rome during what we now call the Classical period of architecture, from roughly 500 B.C. to 500 A.D. Greece became a province of Rome in 146 B.C. which is why these two Western civilizations are grouped together as Classical. During this time period, temples and important public buildings were constructed according to five distinct orders, each using a defined pedestal, type of column (base, shaft, and capital), and a different style entablature above the column. The Classical orders grew in popularity during the Renaissance era when architects such as Giacomo barozzi of Vignola wrote about them and used the design. In Architecture the word Order signifies a composition (in the same style) of a pedestal, a column, and an entablature, together with their ornamentation. Order means a perfect and regular disposition of all the parts of a beautiful composition; in a word, order is the opposite of confusion. - Giacomo da Vignola, 1563 Heres a brief overview of what the orders are and how they came to be written down. The Greek Orders of Architecture When studying an era-by-era timeline of ancient Greece, the height of Greek civilization was known as Classical Greece, from about 500 B.C. The inventive ancient Greeks developed three architecture orders using three distinct column styles. The earliest known stone column is from the Doric order, named for architecture first seen in the Dorian area of western Greece. Not to be outdone, the builders in the eastern Greece area of Ionia developed their own column style, which is known as the Ionic order. Classical orders are not unique to each area, but they were named for the part of Greece where they were first observed. The most ornate Grecian order, the latest developed and perhaps the most well-known by todays observer is the Corinthian order, first seen in the central area of Greece called Corinth. The Roman Orders of Architecture The Classical architecture of ancient Greece influenced the building designs of the Roman Empire. The Greek orders of architecture were continued in Italian architecture, and Roman architects also added their own variations by imitating two Greek column styles. The Tuscan order, first seen in the Tuscany area of Italy, is characterized by its grand simplicity - even more streamlined than the Grecian Doric. The capital and shaft of the Composite order of Roman architecture can be easily confused with the Greek Corinthean column, but the top entablature is much different. Rediscovering the Classical Orders The Classical orders of architecture might have become lost to history if it were not for the writings of early scholars and architects. The Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius, who lived during the first century B.C., documented the three Greek orders and the Tuscan order in his famous treatise De Architectura, or Ten Books on Architecture. Architecture depends on what Vitruvius calls propriety - that perfection of style which comes when a work is authoritatively constructed on approved principles. That perfection can be prescribed, and the Greeks prescribed certain architectural orders to honor the different Greek gods and goddesses. The temples of Minerva, Mars, and Hercules, will be Doric, since the virile strength of these gods makes daintiness entirely inappropriate to their houses. In temples to Venus, Flora, Proserpine, Spring-Water, and the Nymphs, the Corinthian order will be found to have peculiar significance, because these are delicate divinities and so its rather slender outlines, its flowers, leaves, and ornamental volutes will lend propriety where it is due. The construction of temples of the Ionic order to Juno, Diana, Father Bacchus, and the other gods of that kind, will be in keeping with the middle position which they hold; for the building of such will be an appropriate combination of the severity of the Doric and the delicacy of the Corinthian. - Vitruvius, Book I In Book III, Vitruvius writes prescriptively about symmetry and proportion  - how thick the column shafts should be and the proportional heights of columns when arranged for a temple. All the members which are to be above the capitals of the columns, that is, architraves, friezes, coronae, tympana, gables, and acroteria, should be inclined to the front a twelfth part of their own height...Each column should have twenty-four flutes... After the specifications, Vitruvius explains why - the visual impact of the specification. Writing specifications for his Emperor to enforce, Vitruvius wrote what many consider the first architecture textbook. The High Renaissance of the 15th and 16th centuries renewed interest in Greek and Roman architecture, and this is when Vitruvian beauty was translated - literally and figuratively. More than 1,500 years after Vitruvius wrote De Architectura, it was translated from Latin and Greek into Italian. More importantly, perhaps, the Italian Renaissance architect Giacomo da Vignola wrote an important treatise in which he more thoroughly described all five classical orders of architecture. Published in 1563, Vignolas treatise, The Five Orders of Architecture, became a guide for builders throughout western Europe. The Renaissance masters translated Classical architecture into a new type of architecture, in the manner of Classical designs, just as todays new classical or neoclassical styles are not strictly Classical orders of architecture. Even if the dimensions and proportions are not exactly followed, Classical orders make an architectural statement whenever they are used. How we design our temples is not far off from ancient times. Knowing how Vitruvius used columns can inform what columns we use today  - even on our porches.   Sources The Ten Books on Architecture by Vitruvius Pollio, Translated by Morris Hicky Morgan, Harvard University Press, 1914, Book I, Chapter II, Paragraph 5; Book III, Chapter V, paragraphs 13-14 The Five Orders of Architecture by Giacomo barozzi of Vignola, translated by Tommaso Juglaris and Warren Locke, 1889, p. 5

Employability and Professional Development Essay

Employability and Professional Development - Essay Example My main focus was to improve my skills in report writing, because as a spinal research coordinator, I am required to write various projects and business cases. In addition, my skills in budgeting, assertiveness, leadership, team working and knowing how to deal with difficult situations in line with HR policies are all important skills. 2.0 Evaluation of my Employability Skills Evaluation is an important stage in the self-reflection as it helps me to focus on my career goals and those of the organization (Pedler, 2001). In my role as a spinal research coordinator I am required to liaise and coordinate with different levels of staff - medical and non-medical - within the spinal deformity unit and across the hospital. The coordination of various research projects, managing elements of operational delivery of the spinal deformity unit, and resource planning and assessment, are all requirements of my role. These requirements are in line with my plan to become more conversant with HR polic ies. Thus I have developed team building skills since this role involved ffamiliarizing myself with HR policies and regulations would enable me to work with human resource activities which require management. This plan has helped to improve my service delivery in the field of human resources and use my time more effectively to fulfil my potential and further my career. My personal development plan was to improve my report-writing skills which seem to meet the requirements of my organisation. The role of a spinal research coordinator in my organisation requires someone with knowledge of writing various reports and working on business cases. Since at the moment I have little skills in regard to report writing, developing these skills shall be of paramount importance in attaining my organisation’s requirements in this area (Schon, 1991). Other requirements of my organisation, such as assisting the human resources department in recruitment and resource planning, are tasks that a resource manager should be accountable for. These are skills I planned to achieve but I have not yet achieved them since my writing skills are still low. I have not achieved them but I hope to apply my strengths to report-writing to be able deliver reports quickly and on time, so I am confident I can develop in this area. My career objective is to one day work as a service manager. However, being a manager requires the ability to perform a lot of tasks and use problem solving skills in various situations. In my plan I wanted to develop team-working skills and decisions making. Having to deal with the problem of team working and knowing how to make decisions in difficult situations might be important in the realization of my dream of becoming a service manager, as I can apply my problem-solving skills to improve in these areas. Public speaking is an important skill in management (Pedler, 2001). I realized after my SWOT analysis that I have a fear of public speaking which I needed to develop. Since I want to be the service manager of my organisation I need to work on being confident at public speaking as during the course of my role as a service manager I might be required to represent my organisation at meetings or give speeches regarding the vision and mission of my organisation. 3.0 A Review of Theoretical Principles I have developed leadership skills that would enable me in

Module 1 Case Assignment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Module 1 Case Assignment - Coursework Example It has a high market vision of a sustainable future implying that the coming generation will be in a world regarding creativity, variety and choice at heart. Businesses will enhance human and biological community’s integrity. Various institutions will be held accountable for their operations. In addition, it will be a world that honors education with the freedom to exchange ideas. Whole food faces strategic issues in both economy and competition. From the initial stages of being a one-store, it has grown to $8 billion a year corporation. Statistics indicates that as of 2008 (Quinn, 2012). The company is reputable in high-quality standard foods, Ethical relations like fair trading activities, choice of the product, premium services like cooking lessons and other related information like the use of labels and recipes. In addition, the customer services are duly executed where trust and confidence inbuilt; lastly the external information like information about the products is up to date (Pfeffer & Veiga, 1999). In several instances, the consumers have felt that the company is honest, approachable, and transparent in its operations. The retail environment is trustworthy and feels that it’s the only supermarket to shop in. The final result has been strong loyalty between clients and the brand (Veiga, 1999). It usually begins with whole foods, a whole people, and the whole planet. However, the holistic approach and declaration of independence becomes the top, followed by environment and sustainability, Health and Nutrition, Ethical development of the business and finally development in social aspect (Quinn, 2012). Persons from diverse social aspect form part of the audience to the supermarket. There is a range of customers, but the key ones are working parents between the age 30 and 50 preferably women, Professionals are not left behind and lastly the city dwellers. It is, however, important to note that it is not easy to become green. As the

Training and development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Training and development - Essay Example Specific skill development includes change management, facilitation and presentation skills, customer education, team building, leadership, product knowledge, creativity, and the cultural diversity aspect especially the French language, tradition, and custom. There are two mostly practiced approaches towards training and developing an individual in a business entity namely; Traditional and Modern approach. It is very important that the management should train employees on these approaches. Even though most organizations use techno-based, it is worth training on all aspects including traditional approaches, since it assist where possible especially culturally as described by John (2005 p.75). Traditional methods of training encompass mentoring and coaching- this involves experts and employees working together, the expert provides knowledge, support and encouragement; manuals and lectures. Modern methods include e learning, podcast, and teleconferencing. Acquisition of these methodolog ical skills is very important since it creates confidence in employees. As a summary, the following methods can be taken be used to effectively developed objective based outcomes: Ð ¡oaching- it is the process whereby a leader and specifically manager of group leader takes the initiative of providing guidance, opinion and suggestion, control and as well as critics. Coaching would be very much successful if the leader or coach is of competent and intellectual character as enumerated by Landale (1999 p.120).

RESEARCH PROPOSAL Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

RESEARCH - Thesis Proposal Example Having far-reaching social, economic, and political effects, the reformation set the foundation for the establishment of Protestantism as one of the main branches of Christianity (Gonzalez, 2010). This study is important because it enables the readers to articulate the growth of the Christian faith, practice, and doctrine from the Protestant Reformation up to date. It is also a major description of the theological tenets founded by Luther as central to the reformation. The topic is also vital in relation to history such that it tries to distinguish between the essential characteristics of Calvinism, Anabaptism, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism. Above all, the topic is significant in understanding the events related to the church doctrine and relate their relevance to the contemporary church (Latourette, 1975). This paper will be organized in such a way that a survey of the growth of the Christian church will be taken. The study will focus on the economic, cultural and political backgrounds of the reformation, great awakenings, enlightenment, and emphasize the major contributions of significant figures of these areas. The final part will entail the study of the trends and nature of modern and post-modern Christianity, aiming at applying insights to the life today. Latourette, Kenneth Scott. A History of Christianity, Volume II: Reformation to the Present. Revised edition with a new format and supplemental bibliographies by Ralph D. Winter. New York: HarperSanFrancisco,

IT Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IT - Research Paper Example This serves as the main difference between quantitative and qualitative research. This is because the former does not embrace transitional social aspects in terms of interpretation (Cooper & Hedges, 1994). Cooper, H. & Hedges, L. V. (1994). The Handbook of Research Synthesis. New York: Russell Sage Foundation Q2. The aspect of rigidity is cited as one of the major weaknesses of survey data. Most researchers miss out on important information that may come from interviewees predominantly because of lack of space. This emanates from a rigid design that does not allow for unforeseen information from the masses. Therefore, it becomes difficult for the individual to collect additional and new information about a product being researched. The solution to the problem lies in designing a broader research procedure that is quite flexible. This entails a hectic and tiresome process, but the results are usually worthy. Q3. Most researchers rely on the mechanical method in a bid to handle and org anizing huge numbers of data. Here, computers are largely used to their efficiency and speed that cannot be handled by the human brain. It is important to note that computers basically rely on tallying or counting words, phrases, and all sorts of coincidences that can be spotted within the data. One advantage of computers is the leverage it possesses over human beings in terms of speed and efficiency. Computers can also work efficiently in specified cases where certain positive comments about a given product are mentioned in the data (Patton, 2002). This type of data can be assessed using the so-called "red flags" and "green flags." It becomes easier to organize and handle data in this case even though it does not apply to all researches. This point also serves as its biggest weakness. Similarly, the method portrays some weakness in terms of failing to incorporate the human element in the organization of data. In other words, human interpretation and guidance is omitted from the equ ation. Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Question 4 __________ enable(s) organizations to see how potential employees will behave on the job and how they will adapt to the corporate culture. Answer Internships Networking Personal job applications Employee referrals 5 points Question 5 What type of informative presentation addresses "why" questions? Answer demonstration explanation description instructional 5 points Question 6 What type of informative presentation format simply gives an account of the status quo? Answer explanation briefing training session report 5 points Question 7 Which of the following is NOT one of the general purposes mentioned in the text? Answer to inform to persuade to motivate to critique 5 points Question 8 According to the text, the three functions of an introduction are Answer to entertain, preview purpose, and motivate. to orient, motivate, and build rapport. to build credibil ity, review main points, and provide a closing thought. to motivate, entertain, and celebrate. 5 points Question 9 The interviewee designs the resume and the cover letter based on the __________ and the research done on the company. Answer organizational structure business purpose personal biography work experience 5 points Question 10 An effective closing has three parts. Which of the following describes part two? Answer allowing the candidate to ask any final questions about the position allowing the cand

RESEARCH PROPOSAL Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

RESEARCH - Thesis Proposal Example Having far-reaching social, economic, and political effects, the reformation set the foundation for the establishment of Protestantism as one of the main branches of Christianity (Gonzalez, 2010). This study is important because it enables the readers to articulate the growth of the Christian faith, practice, and doctrine from the Protestant Reformation up to date. It is also a major description of the theological tenets founded by Luther as central to the reformation. The topic is also vital in relation to history such that it tries to distinguish between the essential characteristics of Calvinism, Anabaptism, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism. Above all, the topic is significant in understanding the events related to the church doctrine and relate their relevance to the contemporary church (Latourette, 1975). This paper will be organized in such a way that a survey of the growth of the Christian church will be taken. The study will focus on the economic, cultural and political backgrounds of the reformation, great awakenings, enlightenment, and emphasize the major contributions of significant figures of these areas. The final part will entail the study of the trends and nature of modern and post-modern Christianity, aiming at applying insights to the life today. Latourette, Kenneth Scott. A History of Christianity, Volume II: Reformation to the Present. Revised edition with a new format and supplemental bibliographies by Ralph D. Winter. New York: HarperSanFrancisco,

Racism in the United States Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Racism in the United States - Research Paper Example All other races at one point exhibit racist tendencies towards the Caucasians and among themselves. As far as the government is concerned there is no racism as the law is quite clear that it is illegal. As compared to earlier times of slavery and periods before the 1960s (when civil rights movements were most vocal), open racism has subsided in a huge way. Its form has also changed to be more covertly and technically portrayed than before. The education system, the justice system, health sector and the corporate sector in the United States are some sectors where many feel racism still exists. Immigration issue has also played a role towards racism. Campaigns against and for immigration have on numerous occasions centered on racism. These are some of the issues that lead to the discussion as to whether racism still exists in the United States since they touch on the lives of many. Racism in the US still exists but in a more subtle way as compared to yesteryears and past centuries, and it is manifested in all races not just Caucasians versus all others. Racism puts those being discriminated against in positions of uncertainty and sheer difficulty. Racists work towards ensuring the system is water tight to prevent success of the minority groups. Minority groups are blocked from fully participating in the education system, health system, corporate sector and other realms of social development, for example, politics. These scenarios are quite well depicted in Ellison’s Battle Royal. The author here tries to portray the life of an ordinary but eloquent and learned African American back in the early 20th century. At first the story informs that the young man is optimistic that, with his talent and education, the society will accommodate him. The society here means the whites in the boy’s community, and this is clearly illustrated when he says, â€Å"I visualized myself as a potential Booker T. Washington† (Ellison 939). The state of social affairs is also deduced from humility being the key point in his speech. The story further depicts the hard position in which racism put African Americans by stating that the audiences at the battle royal were divided on whether the fighters were to look at the naked girl dancing in front of them. This scenario saw a portion of the audiences order the fighters to look at the girl while the other portion ordered them not to do so owing to the belief that it is a taboo for an African American to stare at the nakedness of a white woman. The author stated â€Å"some threatened us if we looked and others if we did not. On my right I saw one boy faint† (Ellison 940). This taboo among many others, mostly in the Southern States, was meant to distant other races from marrying the whites and as tools to harass African American men. The Southern states has such high levels of discrimination against African Americans that even after the Civil Rights marches, many still lost their lives and a gr eat deal of their properties including houses all for in the name of white women pursuance. The minority groups have for decades received promises of better lives and a bigger share of the national cake with no tangible evidence of these promises’ fulfillments. This is depicted by the fact that the gold coins are only made of brass thereby showing deception toward the African Americans. It is also clear that the African Ameri

Critical Thinking Essay Example for Free

Critical Thinking Essay Strong critical thinking (CT) skills are necessary for every successful nurse manager. Giving them an edge at creating a positive work environment, that is conducive to job satisfaction and retention of staff RNs. This study is entitled, â€Å"Critical Thinking of Nurse Managers Related to Staff RNs’ Perceptions of the Practice Environment. † The California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) was used to measure critical thinking in nurse managers in relation to their respective staff RNs. Enhancing critical thinking skills is important, staff RNs that work in an environment perceived to be positive are in a better position to deliver higher quality and safer patient care. As nurses we are responsible for helping a patient every way we can, being able to engage in critical thinking is a skill that must be obtained. This study was based off of twelve volunteering nurse managers and their respective one hundred and thirty-two staff RNs. Assessment of Nurse Manager’s Critical Thinking Skills This study (Critical Thinking of Nurse Managers Related to Staff RNs’ Perceptions of the Practice Environment) used the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) to measure CT skills in nurse managers in relation to their staff RNs. This study was conducted in a nonprofit, hospital in the northeast United States. This study was completely voluntary, only thirty-one percent of nurse managers chose to participate, leaving the pool of staff RNs slim. This article is about a study that took place in the northeast United States at a 490 bed nonprofit, tertiary care hospital. The study explores,† the differences between nurse managers’ dispositions to use critical thinking skills and their respective staff RNs’ perceptions of the practice environment† (Zori, Nosek amp; Musil, 2010). This study was completely voluntary and with a limited number of nurse manager participants, the number of staff RNs was also very limited. Nurse Managers need to have good leadership skills and critical thinking skills; these skills are assed in comparison to those of their respective staff RNs. Research Question amp; Hypothesis There is a correlation between the Critical thinking skills of Nurse Managers and their respective staff nurses perception of the practice environment. Nurse Managers skilled in the use of critical thinking, may be able to create a positive practice environment for staff RN’s. Positive practice environments means increased retention of staff RN’s and improved job satisfaction. Sample of the Study Twelve nurse managers and one hundred and thirty-two staff RN’s were sampled. The study was conducted at a 490-bed voluntary, nonprofit, tertiary care hospital located in the northeastern United States. Only nurse managers who voluntarily chose to answer the CCTDI were included in the study (31. 6%). Sample size limited the ability to address how the difference in type of unit and full- or part-time work may influence the outcome. Descriptive Study In this descriptive study nurse managers were categorized as weak or strong in critical thinking dispositions based on scores achieved on the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI). Then, staff RNs from the units of participating nurse managers completed the Practice Environment Scale (PES). Staff nurses’ Practice Environment Scale (PES) results were dichotomized based on the critical thinking disposition scores of their nurse managers. A two-tailed, independent sample t test was conducted to determine if there were significant differences in the Practice Environment Scale(PES) mean overall and subscale scores of the two groups of staff RNs (Zori, Nosek amp; Musil, 2010). CCDTI was created based on the APA Delphi Study. Reliability testing was conducted, with an overall score of . 90. The CCDTI is therefore considered reliable. Practice Environment Scale PES was developed from Nursing Work Index (NWI). Reliability testing of the final 31 items was conducted on both individual nurse scores and on the aggregate of subscale scores. Individual nurse subscale scores (n = 1,610) were analyzed using Cronbach’s ? , with ? gt; . 80 for all subscales except the collegial nurse-physician relations (? = . 71). The nurse manager ability, leadership, and support of nurse’s subscale scored the highest. The results are reliable. The PES has been endorsed by the National Quality Forum and is used by the ANA as part of the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators to measure staff nurse job satisfaction (Lake, 2007). Enhancing critical thinking skills and dispositions of course managers may help to create positive work environments for staff RNs. Staff RNs who work in an environment perceived to be positive may be in a better position to deliver high quality, safe patient care (Zori, Nosek amp; Musil, 2010). Table One Table one, of the article is entitled, â€Å"Nurse Manager California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) Score Distribution and Standard Deviation by Subscale. † This table breaks down the CCTDI Scale into seven subscales: truth-seeking, open-mindedness, analyticity, systematicity, CT confidence, inquisitiveness, and cognitive maturity (Zori, Nosek amp; Musil, 2010). The table also shows the minimum score, maximum score, mean score, median score, and standard deviation for the twelve sample nurse managers. Table Two Table two of the study entitled, â€Å"RN Staff Nurses’ Practice Environment Scale scores by Nurse Managers’ Critical Thinking (CT) Dispositions. † According to the study, â€Å"As this table indicates, there are significant differences in PES scores when they were compared based on their nurse managers’ strength or weakness on the CCTDI subscales of analyticity, systematicity, open-mindedness, and critical thinking confidence† (Zori, Nosek amp; Musil, 2010). The biggest difference between staff nurses and nurse managers scores were in the truth-seeking subscale (strength versus weakness), within the nurse-physician relationship. Limitations This study was conducted in one medical facility in the northeast United States. This may not be a proper representation of the whole population of nurse managers and their respective staff nurses. Also the nurse managers who participated did so by choice and were not required to, therefore, the number of staff RNs were limited to those whose nurse manager participated. Out of thirty-eight nurse managers only twelve chose to participate, this limited the three hundred and twenty-seven possible staff RNs down to one hundred and thirty-two. If there were more willing participants then the findings could be better generalized to the entire nurse manager population. My Findings and Improvements Nurse Managers skilled in critical thinking create a positive environment for staff RN’s resulting in increase in job satisfaction and retention of RN’s, decreasing job turnover. This study is extremely important because the World Health Organization (WHO) anticipates the RN shortage to reach 285,000 by the year 2020. If I was conducting this study, I would look at part-time vs. full-time employees, and areas of practice. Is burn-out more noted in critical care areas? Statistical Procedure, Methodology amp; Measurement This was a voluntary survey conducted at one tertiary hospital. A t-test was conducted. Scores of 40 or above were considered strengths, and scores of 39 and below were weakness. Scores on inquisitiveness and cognitive maturity were all in the strength range. Final Analysis As nurses we must use critical thinking every day, nurse managers are no exception to this. This study shows that by having a nurse manager who has strong critical thinking skills, the staff RNs respond positively.

Imperialism The Elephant Among Us History Essay

Imperialism The Elephant Among Us History Essay The phrase White mans burden, coined by Rudyard Kipling, accurately represents the viewpoint which Western society has towards imperialism; as it claims that it is the duty of the white man to essentially civilize other cultures by converting them to Western mannerisms. Although the practice of imperialism has been justified under the pretense of improving the society, the reality of imperialism is a developed nation extending their power over a foreign nation for the purpose of economic gain. George Orwell writes Shooting An Elephant after his service as an Indian Imperial Police officer in Burma to highlight the negative impact that imperialism has on both the oppressed and the oppressors. While in Burma, Orwell witnesses the unjust that is imperialism as he watches the British abuse their power by taking over the wealth of the nation and also, from the lack of respect shown to the inhabitants since they are treated inhumanely and their culture is in the process of being eradicate d. By the British rejecting the Burmese culture and not respecting their practices, the Burmese were treated inhumanely because of their cultural differences, causing racial tensions to arise between the groups as they became more divided. Summary At the start of the essay, the narrator immediately makes his unhappiness in Burma known, reflecting back on football matches where he would be jeered at and taunted. However, his discontent wasnt solely the fault of the Burmese, the narrator makes it explicitly clear that he does not agree with the practice of imperialism as he sees the effect it has on the natives. Although he claims to be on the side of the natives, he also harbors a hatred towards them. Later in the day the narrator hears news about an elephant that has gone must and is rampaging the town, so he brings his pistol with him though he has no intention of actually killing the elephant, and follows after it. The natives seeing the narrator with a gun, begin to crowd behind him and follow him to where the elephant is. While the narrator is following the trail of the elephant, he spots a victim of the rampage, an indian man whom had been killed, giving into the pressure of the crowd and an excuse to justify the killing, he decides to shoot the elephant, even though the elephant has now calmed down. Despite the fact that the elephant was no longer a threat, the narrator shoots the elephant, much to the natives pleasure as they will reap the benefits of the dead elephant. The narrator is aware that the situation could have been avoided and even considers the act to be similar to murder, however even after acknowledging those facts he states that his sole purpose for killing the elephant was not out of justice for the man it had killed, but rather for his pride, so he would not appear foolish to the Burmese. Audience At the beginning of the essay, the narrator makes it clear that he is constantly ridiculed and resented by the Burmese, along with the other British officers, despite the fact that he agrees with the natives that imperialism is wrong. However, because the Burmese openly resent the British, since they are aware that they are being treated inhumanely, this only fuels the Britishs harsh treatment towards the Burmese, which creates a constant tension between the two groups. Orwell writes this essay for the general public of Britain to convey the detrimental effects that imperialism has not only on the countries brought under British rule, but also to the British. Throughout the essay the narrator states that the colonizers will lose their integrity and compromise their moral values when they are placed in a position of power of having authority over others, much like how his own were compromised. Orwell writes the British public in order to spread awareness of the harm that imperialism i s causing in the sense that the natives are being treated inhumanely as their culture is slowly disappearing due to the British demand in becoming westernized. The audience only sees one side of imperialism, which are the profits made from the country and using the fact that they are becoming more civilized to justify their actions, rather than to acknowledge the injustices of having the cultural and religious practices infringed upon, and generally being disrespected. Evaluation When the narrator decides to shoot the elephant, he justifies his actions by explaining that he feels pressured, believing that he has got to do what the natives expect of him. He wears a mask, and his face grows to fit it ( Orwell 184). Despite the fact that the narrator makes it explicitly clear that he does not want to shoot the elephant, especially since it was calm, he feels pressured by the crowd to do what is expected of a British officer, which would be to uphold the law since the elephant has killed someone. Shooting the elephant demonstrates how imperialism has an effect on both the oppressors and the oppressed. The British police officers act corrupt in order to keep up with the appearance that they are justified to have power over the natives, essentially causing him to wear a mask, (Orwell 181). The narrator comes to term that the British government is an unbreakable tyranny (Orwell 181) .On one side he is regarded as a wise ruler, however, he knows that his actions are wrong, though he must behave in such a way to disguise this. Furthermore, when the narrator decides to go against his moral integrity, he automatically feels guilty, It seemed dreadful to see the great beast lying there, powerless to move and yet powerless to die, (186). The narrator is aware that he is now forced to live with his actions of going against his moral ideals, however, he sees just how immense of a benefit the dead elephant was worth to the natives. Also, the elephants unwillingness to die is parallel of British colonialism, in the sense that the British were not willing to relinquish their power over the colonies they had ruled. The narrator lost his control by shooting the elephant similarly to the British losing its control on the colonies. Additionally, by drawing a parallel between the elephant and Britain, Orwell successfully establishes the true nature of imperialism. For example, through shooting the elephant, Orwell highlights the shift in power in the sense th at after the elephant is shot, the Burmese, had stripped his body almost to the bones by afternoon, meaning that the Burmese took charge and asserted their power over the British, and reaped the benefits of the destruction of imperialism (Orwell 186). The older officers believed that the narrator was right in shooting the elephant, while the younger officers disagreed stating that, It was a damn shame to shoot an elephant for killing a coolie because an elephant was worth more than any damn Coringhee coolie, emphasizing the fact that the older officers had witnessed the atrocious effect that imperialism had and believed that it was necessary to eradicate it, while the younger officers were not even aware that what they were enforcing was wrong. The narrator was justified in shooting the elephant, due to the fact that imperialism was damaging to both the oppressed and the oppressors, however, he did not shoot the elephant for the right reasons, since he did not want to appear as fool ish. Annotated Bibliography George Orwell demonstrates the negative impact that imperialism has on both the oppressed and the oppressors in his essay Shooting An Elephant, which was based on his experience as an Indian Imperial Police Officer. Orwell notes details as to how the Burmese were treated as a result of being colonized by the British, and also how the British were affected as well. The authors goal is to expose the true nature of imperialism and the detrimental effects that is had on the parties involved. Therefore, this essay is targeted towards the British public due to the fact that they were ignorant of the true nature of imperialism and had the ability to advocate against it once they understood the repercussions.

The History of Jewish Persecution Essay -- Essays Papers

The History of Jewish Persecution Every religious group has suffered a time when their religion was not considered to be popular or right. Out of all of these religious groups that have suffered, no one group has suffered so much as that of the Jewish religion. They have been exiled from almost every country that they have ever inhabited, beginning with Israel, and leading all the was up to Germany, France, Spain, England, and Russia. Not only have they been exiled but also they have suffered through torture, punishment, and murder. Thus, because of the history of the religion, the Jewish people have become a very resilient people. They have survived thousands of years carrying their religion with them from one country to the next and never loosing their faith. They have traveled form Eastern Europe, to the United States and have finally managed today to settle comfortable all over North America. The Jewish religion has suffered tremendously throughout the centuries, and unfortunately it did not become a ny easier for them during the twentieth century. The Jewish people's problems began long before the Common Era; they were persecuted long ago by King Nebuchadnezzer. Because of the treaty that was signed with King Nebuchadnezzer the Jews were uprooted from their home in Jerusalem and were forced into exile in the city of Babylon. The Jews were not treated poorly, though they were bitter because of being taken away form their beloved Jerusalem. Due to this bitterness they became more intensely Jewish than ever before. (1) After seventy years of exile the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem. Most of them gave up this option and elected to stay in Babylon. Those who stay in Babylon became ... ...s problems in the past. Many religions would have fallen and ceased to exist under this kind of persecution. To the Jewish believer this is perhaps because they are the ‘chosen people.’ This religion continues to prove its strength and resilience even today and will continue to do so. Works Cited 1) Fast, Howard. The Jews. The Dial Press, Inc., New York:1968. 2) Goldberg, David J. The Jewish People, A History and Their Religion. Viking, New York: 87. 3) Kantor, Mattis. The Jewish Time Line Encyclopedia. Jason Aronson Inc., New Jersey: 1992. 4) Perry, Marvin. Western Civilization A Brief History (third edition). Houghton Mifflin Company, New York: 1997. 5) Perry, Marvin. Peden, Joseph R. Von Laue, Theodore H. Sources of the Western Tradition third edition). Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston: 1995.

Bullying and Its Effects on Individual’s Education

The purpose of the research in this work is to answer the question, â€Å"Does bullying effect an individual's education? First bullying will be defined in the perimeter of the educational environment. The author of this work takes the stance that bullying does most positively affect an individual in terms of their quality of education and in fact does continue to affect the individual who receives and even the one who perpetrates the bullying behavior. Inclusive in the research will be the stated ‘signs' of bullying behavior taking place, preventative measures that are stated to be effective, types of bullying behavior, and common myths surrounding those who are bullies. Some important facts about violence in schools are stated to be that first, that 1/3 of all injury death that occurs in the United States are due to intentional school violence. Interestingly, as violence has risen quite sharply in society it has also rise in schools and in areas surrounding and related to school. During the school years from September 1992 through May 2000 the National School Safety Center in their Report on School Associated Violence† (Education World, nd) Unhealthy relationships in the family and school personnel's' exposure to ‘violent television, films as well as games containing some of the elements that seem to contribute to violence in-school behavior. Bullying can take place both directly and indirectly. Bullying is defined as the repeated exposure to negative actions on the part of a student or even on the part of a group of students toward another individual. Stated as being inclusive in this behavior are the factors of aggressive behavior, intentional harm doing, it is done on a repetitious basis and occurs in a relationship on an interpersonal level â€Å"characterized by an imbalance of power.† (Colorado.edu Website, nd) The definition proposed by Tattum and Tattum (1992) states that â€Å"Bullying is the willful, conscious desire to hurt another and put him/her under stress? Therefore, the individual that desires to hurt another individual is a bully. But, those who are not in actuality bullies are those that think better of committing such actions. Bullying may be physical or it may occur on a psychological level. It is suggested by Olweus that an â€Å"imbalance of power† exists when bullying occurs and in fact contributes to the occurrence. As stated bullying behavior may be ‘direct' bullying or ‘indirect' bullying. Direct bullying is an open attack on the individual. Inclusive are physical attacks such as hitting, kicking, pushing, and choking. Attacking someone verbally or through harassment such as calling of names, threatening behavior, taunting behavior, teasing in a cruel and malicious manner, spreading rumors and slandering are all inclusive. Indirect bullying is often difficult to detect much more so than direct bullying. Indirect bullying is characterized by social isolation and social exclusion on an intentional basis, making faces and obscene gestures as well as manipulation of friendships and relationships. III. Common Myths Surrounding Bullying Myth 1: Insecurity and low self-esteem is suffered by bullies and they in turn pick on others towards the end of making themselves feel more secure. Fact: Self-esteem among bullies are average to above-average however they do have temperaments that are aggressive as well as a ‘lack of empathy and poor parenting.' (Starr, 2000) Myth 2: Bullies are looking for attention however; ignoring the bully will stop the behavior. Fact: control is what the bully seeks and they tend to cease their bullying when ignored however if adults do not address the issue of bullying the bully generally is propelled toward another level of bullying. Myth 3: Boys will act like boys. However bullies general remain bullies and eventually get involved in a life of crime. Fact: Of all those finishing middle school that are bullies sixty percent will have committed at least one crime by the age of 24. Fact: Outgrowing bullying does not actually occur but it is redirected by the individual doing the bullying. 60 percent of bullies will have committed a crime by the age of 24. Myth 5: Standing up for themselves is something that needs to be learned by victims of bullies. Fact: Bullies generally pick those who are younger or weaker to bully and those who don't have the skills on a social level for the development of friendships that are important and are unable to effectively deal with social situations on their own. Fact: Victims are generally chosen to be bullied due to their being â€Å"sensitive, anxious, and not likely or unable to retaliate, not due to differences on a physical level. (Starr, 2000) Myth 6: The environment in large classrooms and large schools are conducive to bullying. Fact: There has been no established link between the size of the educational facility and instances of bullying. In fact there is some research that contains findings that there is less and not more bullying in larger schools. Myth 7: The largest part of bullying occurs somewhere other than school grounds. Fact: Most bullying occurs on school grounds. Myth 8: Only a small number of students are affected by bullying. Fact: In the U.S. 25% of students are victims of bullying and 20% are bullies. It has been estimated by the National Association of School Psychologists that 160,000 children don't attend school each and every day to avoid being bullied. Myth 9: If bullying is a problem in the classroom the teacher is aware of it. Fact: Reports by the victims of bullying instances are done only reluctantly out of fear of being retaliated against, due to embarrassment and because most bullies tend to justify their behavior. Myth 10: Sticks and stones will break your bones but names will never hurt you is an adage that should be followed by victims of bullying. Fact: Problems that affect students for life are low self-esteem and depression as well as suicide and mental health issues. IV. Preventative Measures in Counteracting Bullying in School Four basic principles for prevention of bullying and victim problems are stated as follows: â€Å"Awareness and warm, positive involvement of adults inclusive of teachers, principals, school counselors, and parents.† (Safe Schools Fact Sheet, Colorado.edu) Set and stick to firm limits as to what behavior is unacceptable firmly stating that bullying is not allowed or acceptable in the school. Consistent application of â€Å"non-hostile, nonphysical negative consequences for rule violation and unacceptable behavior; and â€Å"Encourage adults to act as authorities and position role models in students' academic learning and social relationships in school.† (Safe Schools Fact Sheet, Colorado.edu) The Results and Outcomes of Bullying Behavior and Victims It is clearly without question that the victims of bullies have lifelong problems and issues that result from being bullied. Stated long-term effects on victims are that depression exists as well as low self-esteem. Clinical implications are stated to be a â€Å"risk factor for poor psychological health† (Rigby, 2003). The risk is stated to be greater if the â€Å"bullying is severe and prolonged and if the victim lacks adequate social support.† (Rigby, 2003) Further stated by Rigby (2003) is that â€Å"Various strategies or treatments may be considered to reduce the changes of a child' further involvement in bullying that may worsen the condition. These include assisting victimized children to develop self-protective assertiveness skills and working therapeutically with bullying children to establish a greater awareness of the consequence of their antisocial behavior.† Other findings are that victims of bullying behavior have higher rates of absenteeism than those who do not experience bullying at school. Long-term adjustment is also affected by being bullied at school as well as the victim of bullies developing an aversion to the environment of school. (Rigby, 2003) In Factsheet Number 18 entitled, â€Å"The Emotional Cost of Bullying† it is stated that bullying can affect the physical and mental health of a child in a serious way. Children who are bullied â€Å"lack confidence, feel bad about themselves, have few friends and spend playtime alone. They may find it hard to face going to school and difficult to concentrate on their work. They may complain of various physical symptoms as a result of their upset. They may worry and try to avoid going to school. Others become very anxious, find it hard to sleep and may feel depressed, or even suicidal. These problems can carry on long after the bullying has stopped.† (Factsheet #18, Mental Health & Growing Up)A large-scale study conducted in England and Wales found that children who suffer from being bullied are more likely to wet the bed and to not sleep well along with feeling irritable, nervous, and panicky after being bullied. Recurring memories of the incidences were stated by 32% of victims in the study and 29% of the victims found concentrating hard for them to do Interestingly the bullies also have long-term effects as well. Stated is that students who bully are also likely to engage in antisocial and delinquent behaviors such as vandalism, shoplifting, drug use, and truancy. This is particularly true of boys that bully. Bullies are also more likely (4 times more likely) to be convicted of crimes by the age of 24. Finally physical bullying is considered to be a risk factor on a moderate level for serious violence acts between the ages of 15 to age 25.

College Goals Essay

Attending college is the first step to a better future. Throughout life there will be many goals to accomplish but some of the most important goals to accomplish will be during the time you are in college. My first goal is to pass every class this semester. After completing this goal my next goal to complete will be to graduate from Hudson County Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts. Finally my last goal to complete is to further my education and get the job I want. Passing every class this semester will help me feel positive and confident about my future and future goals. In order to complete this goal I will have to attend every class and be on time. By missing one class I will miss out on a lot of work and may not be able to catch up. I will have to finish every assignment on time because if I write the best essay I could possibly write but hand it in late, my grade will drop dramatically. Finally I will have to ask for help if I need it. Even though it is my first semester of college and I do not know what to expect, asking for help is easy and can help improve my college experience. To be able to obtain my Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts by August 2015 I will have to work harder than I ever have. I will have to be sure to complete all my assignments and be sure to attend all my classes. I will have to put school first in life and avoid activities that will have a negative impact on my education. Prior to achieving this goal I also want to choose the career I want so I can know what direction my life is going. My final long-term college goal is to go on to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree and possibly my Master’s Degree, depending on the career I choose. I have not chosen the career I want yet but I want to have the best education possible to qualify me for the job. To be able to obtain the best education possible I want to keep my grade point average high and be able to attend a good university. I have not really thought about all the details since I have not chosen a career yet but I am going to better my education as much as I possibly can. After completing all my education I will have the job I want and be happy and financially stable. In conclusion, my college goals are some of the most important in my life because they greatly help shape my future. By passing all my classes this semester I will have the confidence to continue my education and do well. By obtaining my Associate’s Degree I will be able to go on and obtain my Bachelor’s and possibly Master’s Degrees. And finally when I finish completing all my education I will be able to get the career I want and be happy with my life. My entire future depends on the choices I make in college.

Particular sectors of the population Essay

Abstract The point of this paper is to help the reader grasp the different aspects of human identity construction with regards to ones race and/or ethnicity. This is a topic that is incredibly important to all races of people regardless of economic class or whatever else is seemingly more important. It is quite impossible to go throughout life without forming an idea of who you are or where you have come whether you care to make it a part of your daily life, have no choice or acknowledge it when it is convenient; without that knowledge I find it difficult to fully make the most of life. Through the readings from the semester and class discussions I have come to the conclusion that White ethnics choose to either assert their ethnicities thickly or thinly, or they chose to incorporate it into their lives symbolically. Blacks on the other side of the spectrum lack choice in their racial identity because their race is visible and so it is assigned to them. Asians have both the ability to choose to assert their specific ethnicities but they are racially assigned. The issue with racial and ethnic construction is that it is born of social construction-what others believe of your race to be true. This can make the identity construction process much more difficult depending upon your racial or ethnic background. Regardless, I find this to be an important part of the identity construction journey. How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone. These words were spoken by the infamous French fashion designer, Gabrielle â€Å"Coco† Chanel. In America today, these words could not ring truer in the subject of identity. â€Å"Who am I? †, â€Å"Where do I come from? † All questions of self reflection which undoubtedly each individual asks themselves on a daily basis. These questions are not elaborate in structure but hold a great deal of weight to them and contain countless answers. White ethnics face the decision of whether or not to include their ethnicities into their identity construction; their racial invisibility gives them the choice to identify. Racial minorities self define differently from those of the white majority-there often is no choice. There are many different facets of identity construction that create the varying formulas with which Black Americans must create their racial identity. The blatant visibility of race for Blacks creates many of the difficulties that they face in the United States varying from the generalized stereotypes, entry into the coveted middle class of America. These are some of the factors that determine whether or not a positive Black identity is being formed. Lastly, Asian Americans, have found themselves in that strange middle ground of identity construction; their struggle is not exactly like that of Black Americans but they are also not easily accepted like the dominant white group. The unique factors that help Asian Americans shape their identity are the same ones that make it difficult for others outside of their race to define them. It is with this unusual combination that Asian Americans have been given the convenient ability to choose to assert their specific ethnicities and to assimilate like white ethnics while still feeling the effects of racial constraint and having their race assigned to them like Black Americans. White Ethnic Identity Construction Today we look at the possible ways the white racial group define themselves; how they appear to others of their same race as well as to non-whites and the impact of American societal expectations on the self, ultimately creating a portrait of how white ethnics construct their ethnic identity throughout the generations and the evolution of ethnic value over time. It is all too common to hear an individual say â€Å"I don’t care what people think of me† or â€Å"Their opinion doesn’t matter,† although that may be their thought process, little do they know that it is the interaction with other human beings that helps form each person’s sense of self and that every person’s opinion of you matters a great deal. â€Å"Identity cannot exist apart from a group†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Gans, 1991, p. 430). Each person bounces their personality off of other people and it is from their reactions to us that we base our identities on. This idea is called â€Å"The Looking Glass Self† developed by Charles Cooley. Cooley argues that every time we interact with another person, we see ourselves in a mirror that they hold up to us and our reflections shape our sense of self (Butler-Sweet, 2011, Sep. 20). Essentially our self definitions are based on how others see us. We cannot escape it, the society that we live in is based on interaction with other people and humans, by nature are visual; we judge first by what we see. This is why race is the defining factor in American society but mainly for non-whites. The white race in America is dominate, however, it is not dominate because of the race itself but because of the culture that was formed from it. This idea of â€Å"whiteness† stems from European ideals where historically white ethnics had the most education and were Christians opposed to the non-Christians who were also not white. When Europeans came over to America they brought these ideals with them and used them as a foundation for the new culture they were creating that placed large emphasis on church, family, and accumulating wealth and with that social status (Zack, 1998, p. 61). These ideals were the foundation of American culture and since this culture was created by whites, American became synonymous with white, white became the norm and therefore transparent. If you are white in America it is highly unlikely that you will notice your race on a daily basis unless you are placed in a situation where you are surrounded by non-whites and forced into awareness. It is a definite advantage to have your race be invisible to everyone; when you are accustomed to seeing something, you do not think about it. That being said, according to the â€Å"Looking Glass Self†, hardly anyone, white or non-white will reflect a white person’s whiteness to them. Having race viewed as insignificant in a white individual’s identity. Due impart, to the diminished importance of race to white identity construction, ethnicity among white ethnics is a choice. White ethnics can decide if they want their ethnicity to be a part of what shapes their identity and if they do chose to assert an ethnicity they chose once again if they want to assert it thickly or thinly. Growing up in Connecticut, I know that there is not as wide a variety of ethnicities as there could be among white ethnics but in a few of the less suburban areas in Connecticut, namely New Britain, certain white ethnics choose to thickly assert their ethnicity. In New Britain there is a large population of Polish white ethnics; they speak the language and have ethnic markets and restaurants. They choose to incorporate their ethnicity into their everyday lives and associate with those of that same ethnicity. On the flip side, in my suburban hometown of Farmington, Connecticut, there were a decent amount of Polish people who attended my high school however, most choose to thinly assert their ethnicity mostly by only claiming their ethnicity when it came to soccer or eating polish food during the holidays. The importance of ethnicity to white ethnics is often asserted thinly if at all. The amount of emphasis placed on the value of ethnic identity among whites is not the same as it has been in times past; the emphasis has now been placed on American culture and what is considered valuable. If white ethnics choose to include their ethnicity in their identity today, it would most likely be symbol of what once was. When Europeans first came to America from whichever country, their original ethnic background was everything. The language, food, traditions, clothing and music was a constant influence on their everyday lives as first generation Americans. Community ties to people of your same ethnicity were incredibly important as it was an extension of your immediate family. Being the â€Å"new kids on the block† so to speak, was what kept these ethnic communities very tightly knit however, each generation after began to slowly back away from those original ties and started to assimilate into the dominate American culture. The acculturation process starts in second generation white ethnics where original ethnic traditions that they grew up with become not as important because now, fitting in to the dominate culture is the way to progress. The third generation white ethnic, has fully assimilated into American culture and has little interest in their ethnicity because by now they have figured out that in being a white ethnic, they fit into the dominate culture and ethnicity is not necessary. It may not necessarily be a hindrance to their economic, intellectual or social success, but it also is not a part of them that they feel needs to be asserted; it is at this point, that ethnic symbolism begins to show up (Gans, 1991, p. 430). Through intermarriage and acculturation, third generation white ethnics and beyond often know little about their ethnicity or by now ethnicities. Sometimes there are so many ethnicities to choose from, from either parent that a white ethnic will simply pick out the stereotypes of a certain ethnicity in their genetic arsenal that they feel they can identify most with as a way of feeling ethnic of their ethnic identity. Physical traits are often used as the indicator for which ethnicity a white ethnic will chose to identify with; one of my closest friends is Luxembourgian, German, Scandinavian, Swedish, Norwegian, and Scottish. Despite the fact that her last name itself is German, she chooses to associate her fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes with her Scandinavian and Swedish ethnicities; this is probably in large part due to her mother’s family who’s history holds more interest to her as well as people who look the most like her. She uses her physical features as symbols of her ethnicity, nothing more. It is often that if one side of the family is more vocal about a certain ethnicity or ethnicities within the family that as a result, the children will associate more with that ethnicity or ethnicities (Waters, 1998, p.60). The majority of white ethnics are of the upper middle class in American society because the race is not a constraint for them and so they have access to jobs and to education that non-whites may not have. This American culture or â€Å"whiteness† by itself leads to a sense of monotony to some white ethnics and so the symbolic ethnicity comes into play as a way to liven things and bring back a since of individuality; to not be â€Å"just American† (Waters, 1998, p. 90). Non-whites in America maintain their ethnicity and embrace it because they are not given as equal a chance to assimilate into the dominate culture and without that opportunity, they are cut off from the jobs, that would provide money to become educated and progress in the American way and therefore stay very rooted in their original culture and maintain a strong sense of community which many white ethnics do not have. The constraints of white ethnic identity are few. The invisibility of whiteness gives white ethnics a definite upper hand and even further so, when it comes to their ethnicity they can make the choice. The possibilities for white ethnic identity and furthermore, their identity as a whole would seem to be very flexible. They lack only, it would seem when it comes to the sense of community. In the American culture, as it has evolved into today, the majority population’s focus is on wealth and social status and so nothing else comes to matter. White ethnics as a whole suffer little if any because, being the dominant race and culture; it is rare to find any door closed; the invisibility of their race gives them an unseen advantage which racial minorities do not have. Black Racial Identity Construction As mentioned previously in discussing white ethnic identity construction, Cooley’s Looking Glass self was a prime factor in how identity is shaped, particularly for Black Americans. The mirror that is continuously held up to each Black person is a constant reminder that their race is a large part of how others define them. Unlike the dominant White group, race is nowhere close to being invisible for Blacks. W. E. B DuBois applies the basic idea of Cooley’s looking glass self, most specifically to the Black minority group with this concept of a â€Å"double consciousness† (Butler-Sweet, 2011, Nov.3). Much like the looking glass, the double consciousness stresses that you will never be able to truly see yourself if you are of the Black minority group because others will see your race first and automatically reflect a negative image. If this double consciousness continues it can create, what Cornell West calls a Nihilistic threat; internalizing the negative impressions of your racial group and therefore yourself. Beverly Daniel Tatum points out in her book â€Å"‘Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? ’† that young children do not view racial differences as an issue but rather as a topic of curiosity, however, as the child reaches, what she calls, the â€Å"encounter stage† around adolescence race becomes very noticeable and if parents are not careful, their child will internalize all of the negative connotations of what it is to be Black (p. 55). The rest of that child’s life they will be reminded daily of their race, not necessarily in demeaning racial slurs, but in indirect forms of racism and prejudices. Unlike their White counterparts, Black Americans do not have the privilege of letting their race be invisible in society. Being the dominant group, White is expected and accepted-their race is invisible but as a minority group, Blacks do not have the choice of blending in; race is not only an assigned part of one’s identity if you are Black but it is thickly assigned which creates the boundaries and sense of separateness among the different racial groups. Identifying oneself as Black is essential for a member of the Black minority group if they wish to avoid self conflict. Wishing that you were not Black or attempting to be something other than Black only exasperates the issue. This negative view has to do with prejudices which transformed into stereotypes about Black Americans and translated into the negative Black identity which Black adolescents begin to form and even take with them into adulthood. Ones view of what it means to be Black can be fuelled primarily through stereotypes which can lead to a disdain of your own race. This could be expressed in a need to be the opposite of all those stereotypes, which was manifested as the Black kid not sitting at the all Black table (Tatum, 1997, p. 67). He refused to associate himself with those of his race because of the stereotypes that were reflected through â€Å"the looking glass. † This can at times be rectified later in life through exposure to positive examples of Black peoples, particularly those who are college educated. According to the double consciousness, the fact that you are Black is already assigned and therefore asserting it further, is unnecessary. The idea that having a positive Black identity is contingent upon putting your race first is redundant because it is already visible to everyone you come in contact with. It is as if you are a book and your race is the plastic covering around it; people cannot open the book because the plastic is sealed so tightly around it. In order for there to be a positive black identity all that is necessary is a full acceptance of your race and the positive aspects of it. The presence of positive Black role models in the life of a Black youth early on encourages a positive Black identity and expels most of the widely spread negative stereotypes. (Tatum, 1997, p.55). With largely widespread negative views on Black Americans as a whole and stereotypes being perpetuated regularly it is easy for a Black person to feel victimized; caged into a role even. The most readily available images of Black people in the media are often those that portray blacks in dire, downtrodden striates or extreme poverty. Sadly, this generalized portrait of Black Americans is overly, the dramatized and filled with gang violence, illegal drug sale, and so on. This type of life has been glorified in popular music; rappers especially speak of having been poor and having to live in the projects-the only way to survive being crime. Whatever is most commonly projected will be the easiest to accept as your only choice if you are Black. Lack of funding in lower income communities, the majority of which are populated by Black Americans, create low grade schools decreasing the ability or even the possibility for Black minorities to go on to higher education. America is a country built on capitalism; if one group cannot keep up with the dominant group financially they will fall back. Only 30% of Black Americans are impoverished but as a whole, are widely accepted as poor because of the media’s attention on densely populated, majority black communities (Butler-Sweet, 2011, Nov. 10). When this negative view becomes the norm, it is hard for Black youth to see much else, which is often why the minority of Blacks who rise above the negative stereotypes their racial identity is questioned by others of their same race. Since the idea of a middle class and the suburbs is a social class largely dominated by the dominant white group, some would find Black Americans as a part of that middle class to be an oddity. It is automatically assumed that because the White race is dominate in American society that they would have the jobs, the wealth, education and ability to enter seamlessly into the middle class realm and above. However, racial prejudices and stereotypes have made it so that it is quite uncommon to find a Black family in a predominantly White suburb; the symbol of the middle class. Somehow, through hard work, sacrifice or well-off parents, Blacks have managed to go on to higher education and thereafter; higher paying jobs, earning them a spot in the middle class. Unfortunately, this kind of success among Black people of the middle class does not sit well with those that live below it. It is the truest statement to say that personally, growing up in a largely White suburb, endured an intense inquisition about my racial affiliation from my Black peers who were bused in from Hartford. I was told that I â€Å"dressed White†, â€Å"talked White†, and many a time that I was in fact White or an â€Å"Oreo† as they would put it. Many of my White friends would joke around with me that I was not Black. There is nothing more offensive than being told, in so many words, that because your parents were educated, held well paying jobs, bought a house in the suburbs and educated you in a majority White school system, that you were no longer Black; worse even, being scrutinized and ignored by people of your own race because of a difference in social class. Tatum speaks of the same issues in her book, she even states how important it is for young Black people in predominantly White communities to connect with other Black peers to share experiences and increase awareness of daily life outside of the suburbs (Tatum, 1997, p.69-70). One would think that coming to a university with a larger community of Blacks than in my high school would open doors, but sadly I find that the divide is almost completely the same. The Black friends I have made since attending the University of Connecticut have been ones that share a similar background as myself; rarely do non-suburban Black people and I become friends and it is not for lack of effort on my part. I would like to think that I keep a positive attitude towards both Whites and Blacks but because of the stereotypes so deeply ingrained in many of us, it is difficult to lay them down and redirect our way of thinking. It is this reason, among others why other racial and sometimes ethnic minorities have difficulty being accept in America, Asian Ethnic and Racial Identity Construction The entrance into America for Asians is considered to be the first wave of immigration. This wave is relatively recent beginning in the early 19th century with the Chinese who immediately moved out west where the work they were given was largely agricultural. Like all immigrants coming into the United States, the Chinese, Japanese and later other groups like Filipino, Korean, and Vietnamese, among others, all faced discrimination from the dominate White group. When the Chinese first entered they were very hardworking and skilled while working on the transcontinental railroad but having not been in America long enough and having so many Chinese coming in their seemingly flawless work ethic was viewed as a threat by their fellow White workers. After the Chinese Exclusion Act was put into action in 1882, Japanese immigrants began to make their way into America but the same thing happened to them. Their advanced skills in agriculture were considered a threat to the Whites. They were taking their jobs and since farmland is not something that goes away, the Japanese were able to establish themselves a little better than the Chinese (Butler-Sweet, 2011, Nov. 28). The manner in which the group entered into the United States is the reason why their history is so important to their formation of a positive Asian American identify. The entrance of the various Asian groups into the United States and the acceptance of them were bound to be a bit difficult. The size of the group was large enough to be considered a threat to the dominant white group and because they had a tendency to settle down together, making it difficult for them to assimilate into American culture. The second wave of Asian Immigration is a part of present day America and this idea of being threatened by the skillfulness of Asians is still something that the dominant group feels and makes a point to mention often. In the first wave of immigration, the Chinese and Japanese succeeded because the work they found in the United States involved the use of skills they had already cultivated in their specific countries and so the excelled. Here in this second wave it is the same thing; whatever the Asian group is good at in their places of origin are the skills they will take with them when immigrating and that is why this idea of the Model Minority Myth has been created (Monk, 1996, p. 31). Asian American’s ability to succeed so effortlessly it seems, in large part can be attributed to the fact that much like the dominant White group, Asian Americans have the ability to assert their specific ethnicities. Similar to Black Americans, Asian Americans have an assigned race; when it comes to their ethnicities, which hold more value to them than their race, it is of greater significance to how they identify. However, non-Asian groups tend to lump every Asian ethnicity under one â€Å"Pan Asian† label but Asian Americans refuse to accept this (Kibria, 2002, p.73-74). Instead of agreeing with the reflection they see from other people about their race, as mentioned previously in regards to Cooley’s â€Å"Looking Glass Self†, Asian Americans place a great amount of emphasis on their specific country of origin and its traditions and cultures in order to define themselves. In the first wave of immigration, Asian Americans would settle in closely knit communities with their specific ethnic group; in those communities, they would all help each other out making it easier to survive in America. Even today, there are large communities of Asian Americans who choose to live close to each other to keep that sense of having a culture and traditions that separate them from everyone else. Having these tightly knit communities makes it easier for Asian Americans to succeed because they have a constant support group and people to fall back on if they need it (Monk, 1996, p. 37-38). Being in such constant close contact with those who share your culture background and infuse it into daily life definitely helps with forming a positive Asian American identity, regardless of outside influences. Some of the dominant White group believes that if given the chance, over time Asian Americans could have the potential to fully assimilate to American culture and become ultimately â€Å"white. † This idea of racial ethnogenesis is that the later generations of Asian Americans as well as incoming groups of Asians will simply begin to blend into American culture to the point that they will just embrace the racial category they have been placed in and forget about their ethnic background (Kibria , 2002, p. 14). What would this do for the identity construction of Asian Americans? Would their full assimilation into American culture really improve their quality of life anymore? The identity construction of Asian Americans would be so unlike every other identity if they simply assimilated completely into American culture. Letting go of cultural ties and accepting the general name for people of your same race will not improve the quality of life significantly because their race is still visible. Again, culture is a choice, race is not. Although Asian Americans are capable of choosing their ethnic identity and asserting it like the White ethnics, they also share the disadvantage of being assigned to their race like Black Americans because their race like Blacks is very visible. Since their race is visible it creates this aspect of constraint which makes it difficult for people to not see your race and therefore puts limits on how people will treat you or what jobs you can attain. Regardless of the success Asian Americans have in academics and achieving higher paying jobs, there is still a â€Å"glass ceiling† they have to deal with (Monk, 1996, p. 42). The visibility of their race keeps them from being hired as corporate CEOs or being in leadership positions in general. Excelling most commonly in mathematics and sciences often places Asian Americans in behind the scenes type of work that pays well but does not require them to be out in the open as public figures in the corporation. The added factor of an accent for more recent immigrants can also serve as additional restriction to entering into the higher echelons of business (Monk, 1996, p. 43). The positive connotations that come with being Asian American as well as the negative can have an adverse affect in identity construction. Being considered to be a â€Å"Model Minority† definitely can create some hostility especially for second and third generation Asian Americans. When non-Asians assume that you get A’s in school and that you are inherently good at mathematics it becomes a burden (Kibria, 2002, p. 87). Just the same, negative stereotypes about the foods that different Asian American cultures eat or assuming that because certain physical features are similar among the different ethnic groups, they are all the same, can create negative feelings about being Asian American and that is not good for the development of a healthy ethnic or racial identity. The saying â€Å"Asian Invasion† (Monk, 1996, p. 44) is very common I personally even have used it in jest and so have some of my Asian friends; I assumed that its use was okay. Generally, my second generation Asian friends will use this term when talking about either the Asian students who are studying abroad on campus, or in regards to first generation Asian Americans. This makes me wonder if my friends have assimilated enough into the dominant white culture that they no longer can see themselves associating with the incoming Asians. It is hard to determine whether the statement is meant as a joke or a commentary against ethnic Asians. Conclusion Having explained the different forms of identity construction through the examples of White ethnics, Black Americans and Asian Americans it has been made clear that identity construction cannot be viewed the same for a ethnicities and races. White ethnic identity comes in many different shapes sizes and forms ranging from symbolic, non-exisistent, or thinly asserted to a large part of how one identifies or thickly asserted. The option to pick and chose which part of your heritage you prefer over another or not at all is how white ethnics construct their identities. The majority of white ethnics who choose the route of symbolic ethnicity opposed to asserting either thinly or thickly a certain ethnicity is often because the dominant American culture has become of greater value to their identity than anything else and choosing an ethnic symbol to place on themselves is what will separate them from the rest of their fellow white ethnics or bring them closer to someone who holds the same ethnic symbol. Just the same, the constant pressures placed on Black Americans to play multiple roles are a difficult task. Shaping a positive identity of any kind is difficult but to shape a positive Black identity in America holds a certain amount of extra weight to it. Black Americans struggle trying to advance themselves because of the constant racial stereotypes reverberating in the background. If you do manage to elevate into the higher ranks of American life your racial loyalty will then be questioned. Is it possible that over time these stereotypes will dissipate or is there a reason they are kept alive? The unique combination of both ethnic choice and racial constraint makes Asian American identity construction the most interesting form of identity construction so far. Since the first wave of immigration into the second one, Asian Americans have dealt with a slew of racial injustices in America but they have also gained a great deal of merit mostly for being the â€Å"ideal† so to speak. Being hard workers and keeping close ethnic ties have made Asian Americans competition for White ethnics. In the future, whether or not they will completely assimilate or not is questionable and what toll it will take on their identity construction. Having the option to choose a part of your identity which no one can see will never outweigh your racial assignment. What is it, or is it possible to have a truly positive White ethnic or Black or Asian racial identity in America? The constant changes in society make it impossible to know.