Alchemist: Doubt and Perfect Disciple

Fatima Meeting Santiago- When I first met Santiago, there was something about him. I could not explain it then, and I doubt I ever will be able to. His eyes entrapped me, and he looked so gentle and sincere I could not help but smile! The way he looked at me was unlike anything else, it was almost as if he looked into my soul. We understood what the other was thinking without speaking any words. It was what the strange old man, the Alchemist was always talking about, the language of the world. Santiago Professing His Love- When he told me, I was shocked.So shocked I dropped the water vessel I was carrying. Stupidly, I thought how angry mother would be when she found out I got dirt on our water vase. Even though I knew I loved him from the first day we met, how could he be brave enough to say it aloud? This strange boy who believed in alchemy and Rim and Thumb, and who told me he loved me out of the blue, was everything I had been waiting for. I knew he had to find his treasure, and s o I told him I would wait for him, with hope and love. The Day He Left- The day Santiago left, was possibly the saddest day of my life.While I had told him I would look with hope, and that was true, I also looked with longing and desire. I missed him terribly, and it tortured me not knowing whether he missed me too. I put on a brave face for him, but inside I was reeling from the realization he may not come back. It was awful, and so I did not even bid him farewell on the day of his departure. I was worried I would drop the mask of bravery and independence and beg him to stay, and even worse he probably would. The Day He Returned- The day Santiago returned is one of the happiest days of my life.I looked to the desert as per usual, but I did not really expect him to be there. A few caravans had passed through before, but each one more disappointing than the last, because none of them came with Santiago. I was beginning to lose hope, and doubting if he would even come back at all. Per haps he had not found his treasure, or met a girl who had more to offer than me, a poor desert flower. The thought that tortured me the most, kept me from sleep, and made me pray even more than ever, was the possibility he had been caught in the middle of the tribal wars and died.But the day he returned I cried out with Joy, and ran into his welcoming arms. We were both finally at peace. The Alchemist My first impression of Santiago was bravery. He was young, but age is Just a number after all. So, when he read the sign of the hawks I thought maybe he could accompany me to the desert tomorrow. There, his training would begin. He could be the perfect disciple, after all. Santiago Finding Life in the Desert- Perhaps I was wrong. Finding life is usually one of the easiest tests I have in store for my students. Oh well, people are all different.Maybe he will fail the easy tests, but ace the difficult ones. If that even makes sense. The boy is different though. He seems to understand thi ngs that others are so blind to. As with the hawks, he can see what others cannot. Patience will have to be a virtue for me here. He said he does not even want to leave the oasis. I have never felt love for a woman, but I doubted it could be so strong you do not want to discover your Personal Legend Just so you are close to your significant other. This boy is definitely different from my other students, UT the perfect disciple?We shall see. Santiago Turning to Wind- I laughed. I laughed and laughed and laughed. Inside of course, I could not let the tribesmen know how overjoyed I was. You see, we alchemists have a reputation for being cool and calculating. But Oh how my heart soared! The perfect disciple, at last. He understood the Soul of the World! I was amazed and so proud. What a wonderful experience, listening in on their conversation. The desert and I are good friends, but when the Father himself Joined in it was absolutely delightful. Finally, the perfect disciple.Santiago Rea ction to Turning Lead to Gold- His expression was quite amusing. I think he doubted I could actually do it. Of course, I could turn myself into the wind, but I could not make gold. He asked if he could do that, but unfortunately for him, that is my Personal Legend. He understood, and I could see the excitement, the fireworks Just waiting to go off when I spoke of Personal Legends. I knew he was waiting for the Pyramids, so it was time for me to say goodbye to the one perfect disciple. What a sad day it was.

Love Kills Slowly

Amanda Miragliuolo Prof. T Woodard 1101/11:00-11:50 11-15-10 Research paper Love kills slowly Love is certainly a life learning experience. Whether if it’s good or bad, you still learn what to do in that situation if it arises again. Usually people tend to think with their hearts and not their minds when it comes to love, I call it the love spell. When people fall in love their lives tend to get so much easier because they have someone to depend on and someone to talk to. However, there are unhealthy relationships as well that can make someone’s life miserable and only bring them down.Some of the most popular reasons why relationships fail are because of jealousy. If you cant trust your partner then there is no relationship. Another reason is due to lack of communication, which is much needed in a healthy loving relationship. Trust is one of the main reason why love fails. If you truly love somebody then you will put them first, no matter what and never doubt them. Bein g in love takes a lot of work and time, but in the end its worth every second. Jealousy is a big downfall in relationships. It can easily change how you feel about a person.Being jealous is basically assuming the worst about your partner and the situations that they are in. Sometimes jealousy is caused by your own actions. If you are unfaithful to your partner you are most likely going to question and be suspicious about your partners every move. Then of course that will lead to fighting and lying. These are things that you do not want to experience in a relationship, they will only stress you out and get you upset. I recently went through a life changing relationship and I came to find out that love really does open your eyes and make you a wiser person.My relationship with Patrick was a roller coaster, it will most definitely be an experience that I will never forget. Even though it was a very unhealthy relationship I am glad that It happened because it made me into the person I a m today. Jealousy was a big factor in our relationship. Patrick would question every single thing that I did and he would usually not let me do anything without him. To me, that’s not what love is. As time went on jealousy took over him and I finally opened my eyes and realized why. He was cheating on me with my best friend.The jealousy that he had on me was because of his own actions with being unfaithful to me. Because he was doing this he thought it would be just as easy for me to do it too. This situation really got to me because I not only lost my boyfriend but I lost my best friend as well. Relationships shouldn’t be like this. It should be plain and simple, if you love somebody then be with them, and only them. Or just don’t be with them at all. Cheating is very common in relationships and that is when the trust disappears. Emotions coming from jealousy, usually escalate into trust issues.Trust is the most important thing in a relationship, If you donâ₠¬â„¢t have that then the relationship will fail. You cant say that you truly love somebody if you don’t trust them. A lot of hearts are broken because of lies and cheating. Healthy relationships have total and complete trust with one another and never doubt each others honesty. Unfortunately for me, its going to take a miracle for me to trust another guy with my heart again. However, the situation with Patrick only made me a stronger person. Experiencing the crying, screaming, and the violent heart pounding situations really changed me.Now I know when to get out of my possible future relationships when and if that person hits something if they are mad, or if I actually get scared of them like I felt with Patrick. I knew I needed to leave him when furniture went flying across the room, but I was thinking with my heart and not my head. The irony in this is that my best friend Gina knew all about this and held me while I cried on her shoulder and she is the one who he cheated on me with. Trust isn’t just in love relationships, its in friendships as well.As much as I miss being with my best friend everyday, I have learned and accepted that our friendship will never be the way it used to be. Love grows where trust is laid and it dies when it is betrayed. Communicating with your loved one should be nothing but a pleasure for you. Not in some cases. There are people in this world that are in relationships just for one reason, for sex. To me that’s called taking advantage of someone and not cherishing what sex is really supposed to mean between two people. Lack of communicating can also end a relationship quite fast as well.If you barely ever see or talk to your partner then what is the point in being with them? People should enjoy their relationships and they should love spending time with their partner. A relationship takes two people to work and the effort has to come equally from both sides. People need to appreciate who their with because the ir partner is with them to love and care them. Romantic relationships can be wonderful with the right person. A relationship with the wrong individual however can lead to years of heartache, emotional damage, and even physical damage.An unhealthy relationship can damage the way we feel about love and romance for the future. They can turn what is supposed to be a loving, supporting, and understanding relationship into a hating, unfaithful, and lying one. We all know to avoid people that appear insane or abusive and not select them as a dating partner. However, some individuals are better at hiding their personality and behavior abnormalities, like Patrick. Falling in love is going to take you on a wild roller coaster. With good or bad experiences, you will soon learn how to protect your heart.Usually people tend to think with their hearts and not their minds when it comes to love, I call it the love spell. Unhealthy relationships can make someone’s life miserable and only brin g them down. Some of the most popular reasons why relationships fail are because of jealousy. Another reason is due to lack of communication, which is much needed in a healthy loving relationship. Trust is one of the main reasons why love fails. If you truly love somebody then you will never doubt them. Being in love is the greatest feeling in the world, you just have to be careful who you give your heart to.

Diana Di Prima

Najla Alameldin Professor Wheat English 106 03-21-2011 A Cultural Criticism on Diane DiPrima’s â€Å"The Practice of Magical Evocation† As a young girl growing up in an Italian American family, DiPrima began to witness expectations that she did not like about her culture. At eight years old she experienced her first expectation as a female in her family but this was not an expectation she felt positively on. In an interview given by David Hadbawnik, DiPrima says that one day her mother was very sick and couldn’t get out of bed; she called for DiPrima and said to her, â€Å"You let that man wash a dish. DiPrima says, that at that moment she thought her mother was crazy and that the only thing on her mind was â€Å"What do you mean, I let him was a dish? You know, he’s the grown up. † Females growing up in Italian American households in the 1950s and 1960s were expected to learn the duties of their mothers. These duties included those activities that were confined to the home such as the typical cooking and cleaning. In an interview with David Hadbawnik, DiPrima says that women in Italian American families sat inferior to the men of their household while the men were considered to be a â€Å"luxury. Daughters of Italian American families were also expected to never leave home before marriage; marriage to that of an Italian or Italian American man. There was to be no sexual relationships outside of marriage and sexual relations within marriage were to be kept secret. Raised in this Italian American household; Diane DiPrima did not rise to the standards set by her culture and flouted many of her family’s rules and beliefs. However she later helped redefine the expectations of an Italian American woman through her literature.When viewing Diane DiPrima’s â€Å"The Practice of Magical Evocation† through a cultural lens of women in 1950’s and 60’s Italian American households, it is evident that the text counteracts this culture by discussing her own sexuality and putting women on a higher pedestal of power. In â€Å"The Practice of Magical Evocation,† Diane DiPrima expresses her sexuality freely and prominently. She is frank, even blatant, about sex that in her own girlhood were kept private to the point of secrecy (Kirschenbaum 61).That she was a young, Italian American woman, in 1969, having sex at all and outside of marriage, and writing about it is what remains so remarkable even today (Quinn 178). In her poem, she chooses to put a quote by Gary Snyder before her own actual text. The quotes states, â€Å"The female is fertile, and discipline (contra naturam) only confuses her† (361). The choosing of this quote declines her parental and cultures’ standards and foreshadows the sexual expression in her poem.For DiPrima, sexual liberation is freedom from the old world of Italian American ethics, and into the new world of permission to do, say and be who s he wants to be, and then to write about it (Quinn 179). Aside from flouting her family’s and culture’s conventions, DiPrima’s greatest transgression may be that she dares to write about herself in the first place. As Mary Jo Bona reminds us: â€Å"the fact that the Italian American woman†¦has chosen writing to express the self illustrates her ability to break away from traditional emphasis on family, one that implicitly enforces silence upon its members to insure that its family secrets are kept. This code of silence, a common theme in Italian American literature, is explicitly feminized in DiPrima’s literature, DiPrima talks about herself as possessing an actual body, with body parts, and bodily functions and pleasures (Quinn 178). In a line of her poem, DiPrima says, â€Å"the female is ductile and (stroke after stroke) built for masochistic calm† (361). Here DiPrima is saying that the body of a female is built to be molded for sex and is a lso built so that we gain the sexual gratification that depends on physical pain.DiPrima expresses this because instead of remaining untouched until marriage like her culture implies, she rather be with who she wants and when she wants, and apply her body to what it is built for. DiPrima goes far beyond revealing the secrets about family, to unveiling the very secrets of Italian American womankind, not in the persona of the immaculate, mysterious Virgin Mary, but to the menstruating, independent, orgasm-seeking Diane (Quinn 179). She is having sex with multiple partners, male and female, and perhaps most egregious of all, having these relationships with non-Italians.Throughout the century, the overwhelming majority of Italian American women in the United States married at least once, as did most women; however, also well into this century, Italian American women were still mostly marrying other Italians. (Quinn 178). Another line in Diane DiPrima’s poem that reveals her sexua l liberation is, â€Å"†¦and pelvic architecture functional assailed inside & out (bring forth) the cunt gets wide and relatively sloppy bring forth men†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In this line DiPrima is actually explaining what happens during sex and is extremely blunt when writing it. To DiPrima the activity of sex was exciting.In the interview with David Hadbawnik, DiPrima says, â€Å"I used to think of going to bed with someone as an adventure, each thing was different, each person was different, and I think what helped to find my physicality was to explore someone else’s physicality. In this poem, Diane DiPrima also expresses her power as an Italian American woman. In the Interview with David Hadbawnik, DiPrima explains that, growing up in her parents’ household men were considered a luxury in the way that you couldn’t rely on them for basics, but they were there with brilliant ideas and often lots of excitement.DiPrima did not agree with this. The message sent f rom her family and culture in turn made her not always want a man around; she gained power this way. She didn’t want a man always there to tell her what to do or act as if he was above her. Instead, she learned the pluses and minuses of having a man around and realized that she could have her pick of guys and have them when she tells them they could come over. Diane DiPrima also expressed her power as an Italian American woman by taking her independence before it was actually given to her.It was DiPrima’s stance, to live as though the women’s sexual revolution had already been accomplished – to separate sex from marriage and marriage from childrearing, and to improvise a quasi-familial supportive network (Kirschenbaum 64). In the poem, when DiPrima says, â€Å"the female is ductile† (361) she could be saying this with a double meaning. It could mean as I said earlier, that the female body can be molded. However, it could also mean that women can un dergo change and form without breaking, expressing that women are powerful and strong in the way that they can withstand anything.Another part of the poem that subtly shows the power of DiPrima as an Italian American woman is when she says, â€Å"†¦bring forth men†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (361). In the interview with David Hadbawnik, DiPrima says, â€Å"Yet as the same time, there were six daughters and one son that he had – the six daughters and my grandmother constantly were working around him and his ideals to keep things going. † Throughout DiPrima’s childhood she was taught and had witnessed that women listen to and follow the men. But in these couple of words from her poem, she expresses that it’s herself that brings a man to her.Through her literature, DiPrima not only shows the power she has as a woman but also shows the power in her words. During a meeting with her uncle, DiPrima says, â€Å"It is power that I am talking about, the use and abuse of p ower, power and secrecy and deals made in the dark. Coils of the unsaid winding through our lives, tangling and tripping us, holding the fabric together (David Hadbawnik Interview). This is one of the themes of DiPrima’s literature. It expresses how she discovered and learned to use power for herself; the powers of words and her power as a woman.In the poem she repeats the phrase, â€Å"the female is ductile. † This is a way that DiPrima performs the power of her words. She does this in order to illustrate the power and significance that these words should display to the reader. Diane DiPrima’s discussions of her rebellion against the beliefs of her family and culture through her literature soon gave Italian American women and also women in general the stepping stone to expressing freedom of themselves; freedom to express their sexuality when and how they wanted, and the power to be whoever they sought out to be.

Pressure Groups Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pressure Groups - Term Paper Example The term ‘pressure group’ was coined after the post World War II era to put pressure among the higher authorities that has the power to make decisions. These pressure groups do not take part either in the elections nor do they have any interest in seeking power of the political office, their aim is just focused on implementing their opinions onto the powerful authorities (Baggott, 1995). Most of the time these pressure groups compete against the other pressure groups to make their demands fulfilled but when their aims are common, they often work together to achieve the shared interest. These pressure groups have increased rapidly in the 20th century duet to the increase in population around the world, advancement in the technology due to which many groups have started to raise their voices in the social media networking, the society is becoming more diverse and the increase in the welfare state has given rise to the pressure or interest groups (Walter & ZÃ ¼rn, 2005). The pressure groups are considered as a mouthpiece for the members operating the group, which are not elected through formal electoral processes nor are they a part of any political parties but however they sometimes assist the parties in achieving their goals. Their main function is to mobilize the public opinion and persuading the government through different means in adopting the policies outlined by these groups. They educate the general public about specific issues from which they are unaware and they represent the minorities who are unable to represent themselves (Key, 1978). The other most common function of a pressure group is to develop and recommend laws and policies and to ensure that these laws are implemented. These groups make the democracy healthy by indicating different issues to the government that have been overlooked. They are always scrutinizing the government policies and providing recommendations in

Defining The Right Stuff Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Defining The Right Stuff - Essay Example The right stuff is built around courage, yet also holds a simple humility to the dangers they face on a daily basis. The willingness to take a space flight to the edges of science while remaining coldly in control placed these men into a unique club, a fraternity where trust was not just to the program, but to themselves as individuals. When added up, these qualities become an air of confidence that demonstrates the trust they have in their own abilities as well as the ability of the equipment and ground crews. "The Right Stuff" is the selfless sacrifice that a man can make to risk his life for the advancement of his country with a simple and uncomplicated perseverance. The courage is demonstrated throughout the book with tales of space flights at the brink of human understanding and at speeds never before tested. When Gordon Cooper was landing a spacecraft, it seemed as if everything that could fail had failed. Electrical malfunctions and oxygen problems were staring at Cooper when he announces, "'Well... things are beginning to stack up a little,' said Gordo. It was the same old sod hut drawl" (408). In the face of impending disaster, Cooper was able to maintain his simple southern composure and as Wolfe says, "... Ol' Gordo had shown the world the pure and righteous stuff" (409). The men that possessed the right stuff we in an elite fraternity with men who also had the stuff. Never defined and never mentioned, it was an unspoken quality that bound the men together. Wolfe writes of these qualities that transcended rank and position when he says, "No, herein the world was divided into those that had it and those that did not. This quality, this it, was never named, however, nor was it talked about in any way" (24). It was a club that required special credentials yet were undefined outside the minds of the men. When speaking of the right stuff, confidence naturally comes to mind. Yet, it was not the over boasted confidence of a prizefighter. These men held confidence in reserve to be demonstrated. John Glenn, the midwestern rock of stability in the program, was subdued yet as Wolfe explains, "When he got his back up, he was formidable. He was not to be trifled with. In his eyes burned four centuries of Dissenting Protestant fervor, nailed down by two million laps that his legs had pounded around the BBQ driveway" (171). Glenn has the confidence that he needed to convince himself that he could succeed. He felt no desire to flaunt it or cheapen its value. The long hours of commitment to the program, the isolation, the hard work and grueling routine required sacrifice. Publicity had sacrificed their privacy and the program placed them in a position to sacrifice their life. With unfaltering selflessness, time and again they would expose themselves to grave danger. Alan Shepard's original foray into space was highlighted by a string of previous rocket failures. The suspense of the outcome was magnified by publicity and Shepard offered up his entire life to pull the flight off. He turned over complete control as if a sacrificial lamb, and as Wolfe recounts, "And then he had gone through with it. He let them light the fuse. He hadn't resigned. He hadn't even panicked" (269). Wolfe's book has forever etched the right stuff into the fabric of American bravery. It is

Training development program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Training development program - Essay Example hat results from development through education and training usually are important in determining the long term profitability of a business or an organization which is this case is home depot. Training should not only be conducted on new employees but also on current employees to help adjust them to the rapidly changing job requirements. A selection of the final model or design of a new product that is to be introduced in the market is a very critical step in the new product development process. The selection needs to consider three factors of importance: anticipated market demand, designer’s preferences, and uncertainty in achieving predicted design attributes levels under different usage conditions. A good purchasing model is build upon the fundamental principals of decision theory, decision --based design: Integrating consumer preferences into the design. Home depot should emphasize on growing and developing employees because of the following reasons: training and development ensures that there is adequate pool of human resources for expansion into new programs; it improves employee morale and enhances the companys competitive position by building highly motivated, and more effective and efficient team; creates a more knowledgeable staff which are able to adopt and use advanced technology; and lastly create a large pool of readily available staffs to replace the personnel that may leave or move up the organization. The training and development process may be initiated as an intra-organization activity (on the job) based on a clear and concise schedule to effectively guide the staff under training with key areas of concern. It may also be carried out as a function referred to as out of the job training program. Training and developing employees has the following benefits to the home depot organization: decrease in need for supervision, reduction in employee turnover rate, and increase in efficiency leading to financial gains and lastly increased

Lesson 5 - Course work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lesson 5 - Course work - Assignment Example mber was considered the beginning of winter), the souls and ghosts of the dead visit the Earth, and therefore, on Halloween people preferred not to stay alone, made fire and were on their guard in order to make sure the evil spirits could not have them over the barrel. So that is where modern carnival comes from: in order to protect oneself from the evil spirits, one has to dress up and pose as these spirits. The Church, normally respected by the Americans, considers that when imitating evil spirits, people take over demonic disposition and destroy their appearance that was given to them by God. Such behavior contradicts Christian foundations; however the Americans never cease being true believers. Also there are usually acts of â€Å"petty vandalism† which the Church also does not approve of – children break glasses, burn trees, etc. Though in the 1920s the scouts called to introduce the practice of â€Å"trick or treat† instead, sometimes people still like to commit something they would not usually do in their normal life. Respectable businessmen are likely to turn over garbage bins, stewardesses (mainly on domestic flights) dress up like a witches or fairies, teachers have no less fun than their students. It is really an unusual tradition – to wear a mask and play a role quite opposite to what one is in the society. Both children and grown-ups enjoy themselves and have fun meeting November in the costumes of witches and vampires, throwing eggs, taking part in the â€Å"best costume† competitions, and eating pumpkin dishes. It reveals the Americans being in need of throwing away from time to time their â€Å"normal† social roles and taking up something quite uncommon. Americans particularly care about their children and are usually good parents. The paradox is, though some scientists think it can traumatize the child’s mind, demoralize the children and even demonize them, American people treat Halloween as a means to please their kids. Also, more and more

MRP4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

MRP4 - Assignment Example Major barrier to educational reform resonate in the way of excellent education. In many schools, administrative, physical, and psychological conditions militate against carrying out principal curricular reform efforts. Essentially, teachers have limited time to study, think, organize materials, consult with colleagues, and individually counsel students. Teachers do not have computers for recordkeeping and word processing, private offices, expert consultancy access, laboratory assistants, and additional support from professionals (Hoppe, Person and Birgegà ¥rd 56). In the similar vein, obstacles to reform are eliminated while positive conditions for change are recognized. They need to reiterate adoption of an environment for administrators and teachers that motivate experimentation, centered on long-term gains, as opposed to instantaneous goals as increasing test scores, and appreciating and rewarding innovation (Boyd et al 142). Creative ideas for education reforms arise from a variety of sources. Only teachers can provide the insights that emerge from intensive, direct experience in the classroom. They engender reform tasks by imparting knowledge to students, crafting, and adopting an excellent school culture (Raymond 111). Where teachers are not persuaded of the value of proposed changes, they may fail to implement educational reforms. Teachers are pertinent to reform, but they are not solely responsible for attaining goals. They require allies since they cannot change the textbooks alone or mount sensible testing policies. Creation of administrative support systems demands that the public understand the direction of reforms, obstacles, successes and mobilizing funds to pay for reforms (Hoppe, Person and Birgegà ¥rd 147). Education policymakers and school administrators should support teachers. Teachers require the input of academic colleagues such as scholarly experts on

Interview on understanding and evaluating effectively another's Assignment

Interview on understanding and evaluating effectively another's beliefs - Assignment Example The interview was conducted with the intention to comprehend as well as to evaluate his belief in context to some of the mostly debated philosophical questions often discussed within my circle of friends. I correspondingly determined the philosophical domain for the interview, with regard to evaluating the responses of the interviewee, to be truth/logic. The interview was conducted in a coffee shop because the place would be neutral for me as an interviewer and my friend as an interviewee. I put considerable significance to ensure that the interview was conducted in the morning, as it would be the time when the interviewee was in a fresh state of mind, which would further ensure reliable responses. The discussion of the interview was more in casual way than formal. This further ensured that the interviewee does not hesitate while responding to the questions asked and could respond freely. Moreover, it would also be vital to mention that the interview was conducted following both verb al and non-verbal communication. This ensured that both the interviewer and the interviewee could get a comprehensive understanding about each other’s questions and responses. Correspondingly, the questions I asked and the responses I could obtain from the interviewee have been provided hereunder. Q.1. Interviewer- What life means to you? Interviewee- For me, the meaning of life is what one gives to him/her own-self. For me, the meaning of life is setting goals for myself and achieving the same, maintaining relationships in a responsible manner and living with principles. Q.2. Interviewer- Is there life after death? Interviewee- Nothing in this world is immortal. Even scientists say that universe once created, will also end at a certain point of time. So, I believe that if our life has been created and if we are mortal, life will end after death. Q.3. Interviewee- If God is present, why do we suffer? Interviewer- I believe, in order to appreciate the good, we need to face the evil or the challenges. So, God ensures certain sufferings for us in order to make us realize about the importance of being good. Q.4. Interviewer- How do you decide between what is right and what is wrong? Interviewee- I believe what is right or wrong to me might not be the same for the others. I believe I decide on right or wrong on the basis of morality rather than logic. (West Minister Collage, 2013; Klempner, 2003) 2.0. Analysis and Evaluation The above responses of the interviewee clearly depict certain aspects of his beliefs regarding some of the commonly argued upon philosophical questions. The first response of the interviewee, with regard to the question of meaning of life, clearly depicts his views related to his perceptions towards leading a prosperous life. He depicted that meaning of life is similar to what one sets for him/her. This particular belief revealed through his response correlates with the ‘science of reasoning’ in truth/logic. The interviewee also portrayed his objectives and goals in life and his inclination to live with principles, as the ultimate meaning of living. This statement clearly depicts his ‘law of thought’ about life. In this regard, he presented that there is no true or false way of leading a life; rather, it is just what one believes to be appropriate for him/her (Cowan and Spiegel, 2009). The response of the interviewee with the regard to the question of life after death, the interviewee was observed to be thinking straight forwardly about the scenario. His response to

A great friendship Essay Example for Free

A great friendship Essay A great friendship is formed because of two reasons; First is to find out the similarities, Second is to respect the differences. Our friendship has both reasons.Our friendship is a priceless gift that cant be bought or sold, but to have an understanding friend is far more worth than gold. You are a gift wrapped in ribbons of thoughtfulness and trimmed with kisses and smiles, given by God to stay not just for a day, but for life. So I hope youll be always there when I needed you the most. I will be always here for you my friend. When you have a problem you can come to me and share what problem youve got. I wont promise to be your friend forever, because I wont live that long. But let me be your friend as long as I live. I hope you know I would not be the person I am today, without you. My friend. Read more: Example of speech about friendship essay There is a gift that gold cannot buy and a blessing thats rare and true. It is the gift of a wonderful friend like the friend that I have in you. Thank you, friend, for all the things that mean so much to me and for the concern and understanding you give abundantly. We gain and lose things every day. But trust me on one thing: You will never lose me. I will always be there as a friend. Friendship is like a tree. It is not measured on how tall it could be, but is on how deep the roots have grown. I do not think much, I do not think often, but when I think, I think of you. My Friend, Stay true and be patient in having me into your life. Always remember that Jovie Ann is always here for you my friend.

Risk Management Within an Enterprise

Risk Management Within an Enterprise Introduction Risk management is a identification process of upcoming threats and danger to an organisation. In an organisation risk can enter through many ways, it can come from project failure, financial market, an accident in organisation such as flood, earthquake, cyclone, power failure, public health and safety and legal risk etc. Risk can be low to medium, or medium to high. It is difficult to say that an organisation can solve all the upcoming risks to the organisation like earthquake, we can just assume that earthquake can damage the business, but we cannot say how much, but there are some alternatives of upcoming threats like in power failure we can use generator to keep running the business. 1) Purpose of risk management within an enterprise-  The purpose of risk management in an organisation to identify problems before they enter and create problems in the organisation, so that risk management handling process may be planed. It is a continuous looking ahead process so it is an important part of a business. Early detection of risk is important because it is easier, not much expensive, and changes can made easily in the planned process. It is easy to maintain a strategy and solve the risks when they are in early stage. A successful manager can monitor risks before they create problems in a business. The lack of information can is dangerous in a business so the staff of the organisation should be well training so that they can assume the risk when it is in early stage and report to the management as soon as possible. 2) Benefits of risk management within an enterprise-  An effective risk management program can help the organisations to manage their risks and maximise success opportunities .There are too many benefits of risk management to an organisation, like less time consuming, less costly, less labour. The managers of an organisation should train the staff that they can discuss the risks with the management when it is in early stage. Communication is a beneficial way for an organisation it helps to understand the most important risk areas. Staff can provide information in written or discuss with the management. So it can be early identification for the management and an alert to the management about the upcoming threats. The potential risk management benefits are ; supporting business planning, use of resources in effective ways, continuous improvement in the business, fewer dangers and threats, increase of new opportunities, increasing communication between staff and management, helps and focus internal audit programme etc. 3) A Reviewing of activities and internal environment-  By reviewing the internal environment of a organisation we can assume that how we can identify the risks and found risk in the organisation is acceptable or unacceptable, if it is unacceptable then how can we manage that risk to avoid an upcoming danger or threat. It can be found by an audit committee or by a group. Risk can affect the internal environment of the organisation .It depends on the organisations staff that how well they are trained by the management, it depends on the skills of the staff that how they will handle it or will they handle it themselves or will report to management of the organisation. The staff and management should perform their duties with responsibilities and complete their assignments on the given time frame by the management. There should be a continuous monitoring of activities in the organisation and the management should do something for the development of the staff and give them a proper and continuous training so they can be perfect in performing their duties. B. Setting objectives-  All the organisations face the risks from internal and external environments. Objectives should be exist before the management can identify risks affecting the achievements of the organisation. An agency should develop related objectives. There are three broad categories of objectives †operations, reporting, and compliance. In operations the company should do all the operations and work very effectively and in a progressive way, there should not be the minor faults in the formulations of the products and services of the company. If there are any risks around the operation the management should make a report and find the solutions of the involved risks. If they will avoid the so there will not be compliance risks for the company, and the company can achieve their target successfully. There are some questions that what risks should a company not accept for example quality compromises and environmental and rules and regulations set by the government. They must not accept the legal risks. All the product and services should be a standard quality. Always worst outcomes should be assessed for the development of the company. C. Event identification-  An event is a incident arising from external and internal sources that can affect implementation of strategy. There are some external and internal factors through which we can identify events. Economic changes can affect the company financially. Ups and down in the currency of the country can affect the import and export of the company. Natural environments can also affect the company. Environmental damage can cause by failure in the rules and regulations set by law. Loss of funds through frauds can be a serious problem for the company. Failure to measurement of product can be another deficit for the company. Project delay can affect the company, s reputation. Failure of contractors and partners can be another bad situation for the company. Technical faults can also be costly for the company, It can be time consuming and affect the company, s target and reputation. D. Risk assessment with particular reference to the impact and likelihood of risk-  In an organisation it is possible that an event can occur and affect the achievements of the objectives. It can decrease the value of the goods and services, so that risk should analysed because of their impacts. Management should consider the future events, expected or unexpected. They should always finding that what is worst that can happen or damage the reputation of the organisation. Considering the risk appetite the amount of risk is acceptable or not, most likely the government entities risk is low than the private organisations. Tolerance level is high in the private organisations. Risk assessment can use quantitative and qualitative methods. If the management already miss to give notification to the controller and it can be failure to recover the funds. Lack of notification can result in investigation. E. Risk response-  Management determines that how can be respond to the risk, reviewing and impact, evaluating costs and benefits and selecting options within the entity, s risk tolerance. Management should keep trying to avoid the risk if there are other alternatives in front of company. By doing that the risk management we can find out what is good for the company. If the risk occurs the specific actions should taken by the management to reduce the risk level. Reducing risk by sharing the impact of the risk can be beneficial for the organisation. If the organisation will accept the risk without doing anything then the results can be dangers. It is easy to analyse the cost side in spite of benefit side. Management should first find the risks in each division or in each business unit. A view of risk can be depicted in several ways focusing on major risks and event categories across divisions. If the risk is in the program unit can be tolerated but it depends of the level of the risk. F. Control activities-   there is a major role of effectiveness and efficiency in control activities. Control activities should be tested to ensure that there is not material weakness or difficulties. Management also should ensure that control activities are carried out in a timely manner. Internal auditor can also support management by providing assurance on the effectiveness and efficiency of control activities. In an organisation they must provide the receipt to customers, cash should be handle with care, information system and data processing system should be strong enough, financial reporting, accounts receivable , and investments should handle with care. Misuse of company, s assets, corruption and fraudulent reports should be should be probe properly. The management should focus on the core areas like information system, contracts, purchasing, grants and other programs, services provided to the community, revenue collection, salaries of employees, and property. Risk with large and moderate impacts should be addressed with control activities. G. information communication-  Information is major source to identify risks, and respond them in a appropriate way even is external or internal. Information should available for widespread use, all the transactions should recorded and tracked in actual timing, management should have immediate access to operating and financial information more effectively. If the risk is in tolerance than that, s all right otherwise an action should take immediately. Data reliability in information system should assessed carefully, poor assessment or bad management decisions can affect the targets. Communication is another way to be safe from risks, managers and staff needs to discuss the matters with each other, and tries to find the solutions for the problems. If necessary they should take actions immediately. H. Monitoring- In an organisation ongoing monitoring activities should be continuous process. Ongoing monitoring activities will occur through management activities. Division head, Line manager, controller, senior management, internal auditor, and external auditor can evaluate the monitoring process. A variety of evaluation techniques are available like checklist, questionnaire, flowchart techniques, performance steps etc. Reporting to the management about the risks is a good way to keep an eye in the organisation it will be far seeing process which can keep safe the organisation from unwanted danger and threats. Conclusion:  Savoury aroma coffee shopee should identify threats coming in the way of achieving objectives and start creating hazards. They should do proper assessment and need to find solution. This solution should be bigger than problem. They have to be very competent and efficient.

Achieving Genting Theme Park Objectives Through Marketing

Achieving Genting Theme Park Objectives Through Marketing Tourist attraction is a place of interest to visit that is very popular with tourists whether from local or foreign country. Normally, places of tourist attractions are brings organizations that operate their business in tourism industries tend to overprice their goods and services in order to gain profits. (Viewed 20th December 2009, However in Malaysia, with growing economies in the country, Malaysia rapidly become hotspot for amusement and also developments of theme park in tourism industries. In Malaysia, there are many tourist attractions available for local or foreign tourists to visit; one of the tourist attractions is Genting Theme Park. Genting Theme Park is one of the famous theme parts under Genting Malaysia Berhad which consists of Fist world indoor theme park, outdoor theme park and Water Park. 1.1 The role of Marketing in Helping Genting Theme Park in Achieve Its Objectives As a leading brand in theme park industry, Genting Theme Park can rarely satisfy everyone in a market. Therefore, Genting Theme Park then decides which segment presents the greatest opportunity in target markets. Its targets in kids and family markets visit to their theme park. In order to achieve theme park objectives to be the leading leisure, hospitality and entertainment organization in the world, which will responsive to the changing demands to customers and excel in providing quality services. As were seen the main objectives of an organization is to maximize the revenue and profits, and at the same time also to satisfy needs, wants and demands of customers. The role marketing plays in society is a societal process by which individual and groups obtain what they need and want through offering and freely exchanging products and services of value with each others and the role of marketing in helping Genting Theme park to achieve their objectives is plays an important part and eff orts of an organization in order to develop satisfying relationship with customers that benefit for the both parties, the organization and the customers. These efforts will lead marketing to serve an important role within organizations. However without a strong marketing effort, unlikely of an organization can survive in the tourism market. Normally what the public or costumers knows more about an organization services that provided is depends on their interactions with marketers. Therefore, it is important of Genting Theme park to do the research and development (RD) to meet the needs and wants of the costumers in the market because it has direct effect on sales and profitability for Genting Theme Park. (Viewed 20th December 2009 ) Doing the marketing research and development is very important in order to know what features to design into new services in the theme park, what prices should offer to customers and how much to spend on advertising or sales compare with other competitors. Therefore in marketing point of view, tourism industries commonly would use of four major mass communication tools which is advertising, sales promotions packages, events and experiences, and public relations and publicity for the various customers especially tourists that come from foreign country to knows more about the theme park information about the services, promotions packages and useful massage that provided to their value customers. For example, television advertisements is generally know as the most powerful advertising medium and directly reaches a broad spectrum of costumers. It can be an effective means of vividly demonstrating product and service attributes and persuasively explaining their corresponding consumer bene fits. 2. Social element of the macro environment that are currently impacting Theme Park industry Theme park industry performance could reflect by social issue, social issue either positive or negative is significant role whether difficultly or unhindered to achieve the vision of theme park industry in the future. 2.1 Migration Firstly, migration from one district to another was become an opportunity for theme park industry to hire local communities manage or operate the theme park facilities. In Malaysia, resident had shift their hometown in order to find job at capital city, such as Kuala Lumpur, the situation causing population of capital city increased, therefore as short distance of Genting from Kuala Lumpur become a perfect geography strength to attract local communities working at Genting Theme Park, cause people apply Genting job and employee shortage condition rare occurred. So Genting often had sufficient employee to serve customers especially during the festival such as Chinese New Year, Deepavali, and Christmas Day and so on. 2.2 Global Crisis Secondly, social issues such as global crisis would affect consumers visit to theme park, usually national government advice resident reduce go aboard to foreign and visitors may worry accidence occurred when outbreak global crisis. For example, in 2003, Iraq war and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) breakout causing local visitor and foreigner choose stay away from crowded placed. Through genting has implemented various events to increased number of customers consume in theme park during the difficult period, however the result show that profit before tax of Genting was decreased to RM1, 131 million compare to previous year around RM1, 195 million. (genting, 2003) Consequently, the global crisis would bring negative impact on Genting unavoidable, Genting must expect global crisis may occur in the future and draw up few set of solution to solve these issues. 2.3 Natural Environment Issue Thirdly, natural environment issue may also affect policy on operating theme park industry indirectly. The nature environment issue such as global warming has became serious in recent years, that would brought various natural disasters around the world. Therefore society has awareness the environment pollution that threaten their life, society will concern about global warming and support companies going green. Hence theme park industry has engaged and practice various method to reduce global warming. For example, Genting theme park has installed water flow restrictor that function was reduce water consumption around 5% each month, the cost of material would reduced. In addition, Genting theme park also installation of energy devices and minimum boiler process to reduce heat and air pollution. Furthermore, Genting corporate has planning and development various conservation programmed in the future. These programmed could brought advantage on reduce resource waste and simultaneously o btain margin profit in Genting corporate. (Nre, 2009) 3.0 Economic element of the macro environment that are currently impacting Theme Park industry Theme park industry is currently being impact by the economic elements of the macro environment such as currency exchange rate and unemployment rate. 3.1 Exchange rate The exchange rate affects the oversea tourists coming to their country. In U.K, their British pound exchange rate cost higher than other countries, which makes the tourists unable to afford the expenses to a tour in U.K. A lower British pound exchange rate makes the tourists able to afford the expenses for park experience. A reasonable exchange rate among both countries like U.K and Malaysia, Euro countries and Malaysia will effect on the buying power of the tourists, so the tourist will pay a visit to the park. The currency exchange rates policy either limited by government or followed the global economy trend will positively or negatively affects the tourists attendance. (viewed 20th december2009, ) 3.2 Unemployment rate The unemployment rate is one of the major factors that are influencing the theme park industrys attendance. Unemployment rate in local and oversea will bring different effects to the theme parks attendance, either fewer tourists with more local visitors or vice versa. (http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/documents/areas/ctr/ccp/ThemeParkAttendance%28bw%29.pdf) The revenue the people earn will spend part of it with families going to theme park for leisure time to enjoy during the weekend. If the unemployment rate getting higher in the countries, those people normally will not spending their money in the theme park and they will aim for the theme park promotion period for cheaper ticket. 4.0 Customer element of the micro environment that are currently impacting Genting Theme Park Customer is the person, company,orother entity which buys goods and services produced by another person, company, or other entity. So, customers are playing a very important role in market. Genting Highland Theme Park the first mission is to be responsive to the changing demands of our customers and excel in providing quality products and services. (viewed 2009/12/05 http://www.gentingmalaysia.com/annualreports/2008/rwb2008_missioncontents.pdf) 4.1 The Age and Stage In The Life Cycle The age and stage in the life cycle concept will impact upon the Genting Theme Park. They come from different group status, such as children, youngsters, adult and elderly customers. This is because consumers are from different group of age stage they will impact Genting to build or create new games to service the consumers when traveling at Genting Threme Park. Genting Theme Park will serve their customers with different age with different game either in indoor or outdoor. Such as the customers from children and teenager the indoor games such as Malaysias first 4D Motion Master Theater to give the education movie for them. Because adult customers they will aspire stimulate entertainment and new creative game, Genting Theme Park will build the game in outdoor such as Flying Coaster is the first in Asia. Family life cycle from customers also will impact to Genting Theme Park. In the end of the year holiday season parent will bring their children go to travel therefore family relations hip between parent and children when travel at Genting Theme Park. (Philip Kotler and Kelvin Lane Keller, 2009) 4.2 Consumer Consumption Concept The consumers consumption concept changed impacting the Genting Theme Park. Nowadays each customers had basic education and they consider consumption concept not only focus on buying products, that they know their rights and also consist service consumption, therefore customers would spend more money consume on services in entertainment. As service entertainment industry corporate, Genting provide Theme Park either indoor or outdoor to satisfied demand of customers. Customers can enjoy these exciting game simultaneously that improved family relationship between parents and children. Customers consider ticket price of Genting Theme Park was worth to consume, they could going and playing these entertainment facilities with a whole day. But how when the consumers think that what Genting Theme Park provide is not worthy? 5.0 Competitor Element of the Micro Environment That Are Currently Impacting Genting Theme Park Competitor means a business that provides similar products or services. The presence of competitors in an industry drives down the price of goods and services because consumers have more alternatives from which to choose if the price of a particular good or service is too high. For Genting Theme Park, it also facing different competitor since they joined in this industry. 5.1 Threat of intense segment rivalry In a business field, the competitiveness between corporate will become very strong if it already contains numerous, strong competitor. In Malaysia, Genting Theme park is not only the one numerous and strong theme park, there still have many different theme park that have the competitiveness to compete with Genting. The competition like frequent price wars, advertising battles and promotion battle between Genting Theme Park and other themes park, all these lead Genting have to constantly compare its marketing strategies, products, prices and promotion with other competitors. Otherwise, this will make it expensive to compete. This happen more frequently especially in the holiday period. 5.2 Threats of High Entrants and Low Exits In a business field, competitiveness is high when the entry barriers are higher than exit barriers. Firm enter during good times but find it hard to leave during bad time. As the result, this will leads to chronic overcapacity and depressed earnings for all. In this last 10 years, the new entry of other theme park in Malaysia is more than the exit entry. Many firms join and stay in this industry as long as they can get profit from this industry but if they cannot, as long as they keep continued presence, this will cause dampens profit for everyone. In directly, this lead Genting Theme Park has to dealing with even more competitors in order to keep survived in this business field. 5.3 Threat of Substitute Products A segment is unattractive when there are actual or potential substitutes of the product. If technology advances or competition increases in these substitute industries, prices and profits in the segment are likely to fall. For example, electronic games and theme park is categorized in the entertainment field. Nowadays, the introduced of electronic games like play station, PSP, and computer games becomes a common and necessary amusement tool by the world. People will visit Genting theme park because to have fun, and so that same with playing electronic games-all is about fun. With the introduced of the electronic games, this success attracted the major target of customer of Genting Theme Park, like teenagers. Virtually, this creates a competition between of electronic game business field and Genting Themes Park which in the same business field entertainment. 6.0 Conclusion Marketers do not make decision about target market and marketing mix variables in a vacuum. Research and study should be applied in order to further understanding the market. This will help marketer in making the business plan and business decision

Individualism versus Collectivism in The Fountainhead Essay example --

Individualism versus Collectivism in The Fountainhead      Ã‚  Ã‚   The theme of The Fountainhead as stated by its author, Ayn Rand, is "individualism versus collectivism, not in politics, but in man's soul." Three major characters serve as types for the noble, contemptible, and parasitic in this comparison. Howard Roark is an architect who serves as Rand's model for individualism to the extent that he is willing to sacrifice everything he has in order to retain his status as an individual. Ellsworth Monkton Toohey is a charismatic genius who uses his knowledge of human nature and collectivism to manipulate and control the masses, who hang on his every word. Peter Keating is an ambitious young man who is in all actuality exactly what the public says he is; he reaps the benefits--and the curses--of collectivism in his rise to and fall from the top. The actions and motives of these three men serve as a means of bringing the two concepts in question to life for the readers of The Fountainhead.    Howard Roark summarizes his philosophy of existence when, in the course of a courtroom speech, he states: "I came here to say that I do not recognize anyone's right to one minute of my life."(1) Roark designs buildings for a living, or more accurately, he lives to design buildings. He sees his clients as a secondary--albeit necessary--element of his profession. When someone asks him to design a building, he accepts only the basic requirements and funds for the project; he designs the structure to make optimum use of the building materials and construction site. He will agree to no suggestions or modifications; he builds for himself only, and his clients may accept it as they accept him, or reject it in much the same... ...ions of three distinct philosophies. Roark is the individualist--the man who will not borrow his life from others; he is the man who will give all he has to preserve the fundamental purity of his soul. Toohey is the propagator and employer of collectivism, the voice of the people, the enemy of the individual and everything it stands for. There is no Peter Keating--the name represents the shell of a man who is shaped and directed by society and its caprices. Peter Keating is collectivism incarnate. It is through the concrete characterization of each of these men that the reader is able to grasp the meaning of individualism and collectivism, and their effect on mankind.    1. The Fountainhead, 50th Anniversary Edition (Penguin Books), page 686, line 3. 2. ibid. page 640, line 7. 3. ibid. page 640, line 22. 4. ibid. page 637, line 6.   

The History of Computers :: Computers Technology Technological Essays

The History of Computers From primitive abaci to lab tops and calculators, the computer has evolved through time to become the essential part of our technocratic society. The development of the computer has shaped the way technology and science is viewed in different cultures around the world. The connotation of what a computer is nowadays brings to mind a monitor, keyboard, processor and its other electronic components; however, that is not how things have always been. From the Chinese using abaci to count, to the Druids' usage of stones to follow the seasonal changes, to the Europeans using Pascalines and calculators to work out mathematical problems the concept of the computer has been around for hundreds of years (Hoyle). Therefore, the history of computers is important to observe not only for the influence it brought to our culture, but the progress it has made through time. The history of modern computers has been influenced by the earlier advancement of primordial technology. The abacus developed in circa 500 B.C for example, used pebbles, rocks, beads, or shells to keep track of the counters numbers. Furthermore, "the abacus was man's first attempt at automating the counting process" (Hoyle). In addition, the Pascaline, invented and built by a French philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal, was the first mathematical adding machine (Long 54). The Pascaline was a gear-driven machine that allowed the user to calculate answers without doing arithmetic (Hoyle). In addition to the abacus and the Pascaline, Babbage's Folly, also known as the difference machine, "hastened the development of computers. [and] advanced the state of computational hardware" (Long 55). This engine, designed by the Cambridge professor Charles Babbage, could do any of the basic functions of mathematics: adding, subtracting, multiplying, and division in series at a "rate of 60 additions per minute" (55) could all be accomplished with minimal effort. All of these ideas and concepts helped pave the way for innovators to design what we now view as the modern-day computer. It took certain people to utilize these primitive forms of computing data to create real technologically advanced machines. Such a person, for example, was the professor Dr.

Accounting 201 Final Study Guide Essay

When are expenses recognized? Name the accounting concepts that answer these questions. What are the four financial statements? What is the purpose for each? Does each report for a period of time or for a point in time? Be able to calculate the change in stockholders’ equity for a period based on information contained in the retained earnings statement. What is GAAP? Who is the body currently responsible for establishing GAAP? What governmental agency has oversight authority over the accounting profession? What is an audit? What is the purpose of an independent audit? Who can perform an audit? What is the sequence of the accounting cycle? Define the following terms related to the accounting cycle: -chart of accounts -journal -ledger -trial balance -adjusting entries -adjusted trial balance -closing entries -post-closing trial balance -posting -journal entry -debit -credit -t-account Be familiar with account classification. What are the five major categories of accounts? What is a contra account? Be able to analyze transactions using the debit/credit rules. What is a compound journal entry? How is an account’s balance determined? What is meant by the term normal balance? Be able to calculate an account balance. When are adjusting entries prepared? Why are they necessary? What are some rules that apply to all adjustments? Review the handout you were give regarding adjusting entries. What do the following accounting concepts mean? -going concern -cost-benefit -materiality -consistency -revenue recognition/realization -matching Which of the accounting concepts listed above form the basis for accrual basis accounting? What are the three closing entries? What is the purpose of closing entries? What is the format for a bank reconciliation? Which reconciling items require that a journal entry be made to recognize them? Be aware of the formulas to calculate some of the commonly used financial ratios, including: -current ratio -working capital -quick ratio How are the following items calculated? -net sales -cost of goods sold What is the difference between a periodic inventory system and a perpetual inventory system? What are internal control procedures? What are the four primary reasons for establishing internal controls? What are some common examples of internal control procedures? Define the following terms with regard to notes receivable/notes payable: -principal -interest -maturity date -maturity value Be able to calculate ending inventory and cost of goods sold under the following inventory cost allocation methods: -average costing -FIFO (first-in, first-out) -LIFO (last-in, first-out) Be able to define the following terms related to long term assets: – cost -residual value/salvage value/trade-in value depreciable cost -book value -service life/useful life -depreciation -accumulated depreciation -depletion -amortization Be able to calculate depreciation using the following methods: -straight line -units of production -double declining balance How is the cost of a group/bundled purchase of assets allocated? What is the difference between the direct write off method and the allowance method of recognizing bad debts? Which one is preferred by GAAP? Why? Be able to define the following terms related to bonds payable: -bond indenture -debenture -secured bond coupon bond -registered bond -convertible bond -callable bond -term bond -serial bond -sinking fund When will a bond sell at a discount? At a premium? Be able to determine the issue price of a bond based on its market price quote. What are the rights of bondholders? Of common stockholders? Of preferred stockholders? Be able to define the following terms related to stock: -common stock -preferred stock -dividends in arrears -par value -treasury stock -dividend declaration date -date of record -dividend payment date -stock dividend -stock split -book value

How Ruth Portrays Herself From Never Let Me Go Essay

In the novel Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Ruth wants to portray her as being better than other clones. Ruth portrays herself in this matter because she does not want to be a typical clone. This is because a clones’ only purpose is to donate organs. For example in the text it states â€Å"what you’ve got to realize,† she said to Chrissie, â€Å"is that even though Tommy was at Hailsham he isn’t like a real Hailsham student. He was left out of everything and people were always laughing at him. So there’s no point in asking him about anything like this† (Page 155). With this quote one can see that Ruth is trying to down grade Tommy and make her seem special by inferring that she is qualified for deferrals and Tommy is not. Also in the novel Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro it states â€Å"For the first weeks after we arrived, she made a big deal of it, always putting her arm around Tommy, sometimes snagging him in the corner of a room while other people were still about† (Page 120). With this quote one can see that Ruth is trying to make herself feel superior because she is in a couple and the others are not. Another example that’s Ruth wants to better then other clones is in the novel when if states â€Å"She was the one always pretending to have finished anything anyone happened to be reading; and she was the only one with this notion that the way to demonstrate your superior reading was to go around telling people the plots of novels they were in the middle of† (Page 123). With this quote one can see the effort Ruth puts in to try to be better than the other clones by reading books before everyone else to be able to rub in their faces that she knows the plot already. Also in the text it states â€Å"Ruth came a step closer.†My best horse,† she said,† is thunder. I can’t let you ride on him. He’s much too dangerous. But you can ride Bramble, as long as you don’t use your crop on him† (Page 46). With this quote one can see that Ruth is trying to be special by stating that only she  can ride the best house and Kathy cannot. Last but not least in the novel Ruth states â€Å"I know how it worried you,† she said. â€Å"I should have told you, I should have said how it was the same for me too. Just the way you described it. You realise all of this I know. But you didn’t back then, and I should have said. I should have told you how ever though I was with Tommy I couldn’t resist doing it with other people sometimes† (Page 231-232) with this quote one can see that Ruth is confessing that she was trying to be better than Kathy because Kathy once told Ruth that she had desires about sex and Ruth acted as though Kathy was weird because she never had feeling such as the ones Kathy described. With these quotes from the passage it is clear that Ruth wants to portray herself as special among other clones.

Toyota Swot Analysis 2013

SWOT analysis of Toyota This is a Toyota Motor Corporation SWOT analysis for 2013. Company background NameToyota Motor Corporation Industries servedAutomotive Geographic areas servedWorldwide HeadquartersJapan Current CEOAkio Toyoda Revenue? 18. 583 trillion (2012) Profit? 283. 55 billion (2012) Employees300,747 (2012) Main CompetitorsBayerische Motoren Werke AG, Chrysler Group LLC, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Co. , General Motors Company, Honda Motor Company, Nissan Motor, Tata Motors, Ltd. , Volkswagen AG and many other automotive companies. SWOT analysis of Toyota SWOT analysis of ToyotaStrengthsWeaknesses 1. Innovative culture 2. Brand reputation valued at $30 billion 3. Industry leader in manufacturing and production 4. Strong brand portfolio 5. The leader in â€Å"green† cars development1. Large recalls 2. Weak presence in the emerging markets OpportunitiesThreats 1. Positive attitude towards â€Å"green† vehicles 2. Increasing fuel prices 3. Changing customer needs 4. Growth through acquisitions1. Fluctuating fuel prices 2. New emission standards 3. Rising raw material prices 4. Intense competition 5. Natural disasters 6. Appreciating yen exchange rateStrengths 1. Innovative culture. Toyota is one of the most innovative auto companies and has a strong culture that is focused on constant innovation. The company was the first to introduce Kaizen, Kanban and Total quality Management systems widely in their organization. The company was the first to mass-produce and sell hybrid vehicles too. 2. Brand reputation valued at $30 billion. Toyota’s brand is the most valued automotive brand in the world. The company is known for its environmentally friendly, safe and durable cars that are sold in more than 170 countries. 3.Industry leader in manufacturing and production. Toyota was the first company to introduce lean manufacturing and total quality management practices in manufacturing process. For some time, the company was the only practitioner of these practices and had the lowest manufacturing and production costs worldwide. Although many manufacturers were able to replicate Toyota’s lean manufacturing system, the company is still one of the most profitable manufacturers in the world. 4. Strong brand portfolio. Toyota currently sells about 70 different models of cars under its namesake brand.This does not only increase brands awareness but also satisfies nearly every consumer group needs. Toyota’s flagship models are Corolla and Prius. 5. The leader in â€Å"green† cars development. Toyota understands that environmental friendly cars are the necessity nowadays. Consumers are more selective in terms of CO2 emissions and fuel-efficiency of the cars they buy and Toyota’s early move towards selling hybrid and efficient cars is the strength few competitors can match. Weaknesses 1. Large-scale recalls. Toyota had quite a few large-scale vehicle recalls over the past few years.The company recalled 9 mi llion vehicles in 2009-2010 and 7. 43 million cars in 2012. Such recalls does not only hurt the firm financially but significantly damages firm’s brand. 2. Weak presence in the emerging markets. Toyota’s main markets are Japan, US and Europe, while such emerging economies as China or India make only a small percentage of all Toyota’s sales. Due to poor presence in the largest automobile market (China), Toyota will find it hard to compete with GM that has huge market share there. Opportunities 1. Positive attitude towards â€Å"green† vehicles.Today consumers are more aware of the negative effects (air pollution) caused by cars. Large quantities of CO2 emissions intensify greenhouse effect and negatively impact the life on earth. Thus, consumers are more likely to buy new hybrid and electric cars that emit less CO2. 2. Increasing fuel prices. Increasing fuel prices open up large markets for Toyota’s hybrid cars as consumers shift towards efficient c ars. 3. Changing customer needs. By introducing new car models, Toyota could satisfy varying consumers’ tastes and needs and access wider customer group. 4. Growth through acquisitions.Toyota has successfully acquired other car companies in the past and should continue doing so to grow, gain new skills, assets and access to new markets. Threats 1. Decreasing fuel prices. There is high possibility that future fuel prices will drop, as more shale gas will be extracted. For this reason, fuel-efficient hybrid and electric cars will become less attractive to cost conscious consumers that are the main customer group for Toyota’s Prius model. 2. New emission standards. New emission standards introduced by the government would require more investments into producing cleaner engines.More investments mean less profit for Toyota. 3. Rising raw material prices. Rising raw material prices are especially important to automobiles manufacturers. Higher prices mean higher costs and les s profits for Toyota as the raw metals are the main components in car manufacturing. 4. Intense competition. Toyota faces more intense competition from other auto manufacturers more than ever. Volkswagen group is strongly growing and GM steps up after its reorganization to become more competitive than ever. 5. Natural disasters. Toyota’s has manufacturing facilities in Japan, Thailand, China and Indonesia.These countries, including others, are often subject to natural disasters that disrupt manufacturing in the facilities and decrease Toyota’s production volumes. 5. Appreciating yen exchange rate. Most of Toyota’s revenue comes from foreign countries. The profits earned abroad must be sent back to Japan and converted to yen. Appreciating yen exchange rate against other currencies means lower profits for Toyota. Sources: 1. Toyota (2013). Investors: 2012 Financial Results. Available at: http://www. toyota-global. com/investors/financial_result/2012/ 2.Toyota (201 3). Company profile: Overview. Available at: http://www. toyota-global. com/company/profile/overview/ 3. Interbrand (2013). Best Global Brands 2012. Available at: http://www. interbrand. com/en/best-global-brands/2012/Best-Global-Brands-2012. aspx 4. Pantong, K. (2013). Toyota investing on big things in Thailand. Available at: http://www. nationmultimedia. com/business/Toyota-investing-on-big-things-in-Thailand-30198606. html 5. Wikipedia (2013). Toyota. Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Toyota#Hybrid_electric_vehicles

Christian Apologist Essay

Included in the 10 most influential Christians of the 20th century alongside Karl Barth, Pope John XXIII, Martin Luther King Jr, and Billy Graham, the Christian History magazine named him â€Å"the atheist scholar who became an Anglican, an apologist, and a ‘patron saint’ of Christians everywhere. † He was also dubbed as an â€Å"apostle to the skeptics† because he resolutely answered frequent objections individuals had when it came to accepting Christ as their Savior (christianodyssey. com). Born into a Protestant family in Ireland on November 29, 1898, C.  S. Lewis was the son of A. J. Lewis, a solicitor, and Flora Augusta, a promising mathematician. He bore a lonely and unhappy childhood. Especially crushed by the death of his mother due to cancer when he was nine years old, Lewis was left disheartened with God (christianodyssey. com). Lewis came to reject Christianity at an early age, becoming an affirmed atheist. He reasoned that Christian myths were mediocre and that the Christian god must be a sadist (about. com). Whilst being inquired about his religious view, C. S.  Lewis labeled the worship of Christ and the Christian faith as â€Å"one mythology among many. † (christianodyssey. com). Lewis was married to Helen Joy Davidman. She was a Jewish American with two children of her own. Davidman was good-natured and shared her husband’s joy in argument. Sadly, she died of cancer in 1960 (kirjasto. htm). After a prolonged period poor health and sporadic recovery, Lewis himself died on November 22, 1963 (christianodyssey. com). Fondly called â€Å"Jack† by his loved ones, Lewis was a well-known professor at both Oxford and Cambridge. Lewis’ 25 books on Christian topics include Mere Christianity (1952), The Problem of Pain (1940), Miracles (1947), The Screwtape Letters (1942), Surprised by Joy (1955) and The Great Divorce (1945). The Pilgrim’s Regress (1933) was about his own experience while on his way to conversion (christianodyssey. com). In The Problem of Pain (1940), it is asked, â€Å"If God is good and all-powerful, why does he allow his creatures to suffer pain? † Here, Lewis reasoned that the wrong choices people tend to make usually account for the suffering they are eventually faced (kirjasto. htm). Here we see that Lewis is trying to give rational answers to queries people have without completely basing it on blind faith. Critics usually look for an understanding based on the cause-and-effect principle. The Chronicles of Narnia has turned out to be the most lasting of Lewis’s novels. It retells the story of the Creation, the fall and redemption of humanity and also includes other Christian themes in allegorical form. The portal to Narnia, a version of Paradise, is a wardrobe through which four sibling children enter this secondary world. In the first story the bad Witch is destroyed in a battle. The final books deal with Narnia’s beginning and end. In the last Armageddon story, with its death-and-resurrection theme, the struggle was between a king and the forces of evil (kirjasto. htm). We need to understand here that if readers can understand the mechanics of Narnia and how the plot of this story works with the inclusion of certain Christian themes, they can better understand Christian beliefs from a more objective point of view and accept it. The same point of view they read and understood The Chronicles of Narnia. Lewis presented the basic teachings of orthodox Christianity — teachings he labeled â€Å"mere Christianity† (inplainsite. rg). Lewis went on British radio between 1942 and 1944. His discussions during those years were on what he called â€Å"mere Christianity,† that is, the universal and most doctrinal beliefs of the faith. This very collection of radio talks were later tied together in one of Lewis’ most influential books, Mere Christianity (christianodyssey. com). Lewis’s project in this book was to defend â€Å"mere Christianity,† or the most essential basics of the Christian faith, against unbelievers. (leaderu. com) Lewis based his defense of Christianity on an argument from morality. The Moral Argument states that there is a universal â€Å"moral conscience† amongst all human beings. Everybody possesses an internal sense of moral obligation to realize the difference between right and wrong and choose to do what is right. Lewis ascertains that the existence of this common â€Å"moral conscience,† can only be the consequential result from the existence of a god who created all humans. (about. com). C. S. Lewis disputed for reason-based Christianity as opposed to faith-based Christianity. This is a questionable decision on Lewis’ part because conventional Christianity is indisputably faith-based. Lewis’ principal readers were supposed to be skeptics and atheists rather than current believers. Skeptics doubt for lack of reason and evidence; therefore, only reason and evidence is more likely to draw their reconsideration. In his book, Mere Christianity, Lewis writes: â€Å"I am not asking anyone to accept Christianity if his best reasoning tells him that the weight of the evidence is against it. † (about. com). One of Lewis’ most-often-quoted statements is from Mere Christianity, where he uses reason and logic to introduce three possibilities to us (often known as the â€Å"Lewis trilemma†). According to this trilemma, either Jesus really was God and intentionally lying, or was not God but reckoned himself to be (which would make him a lunatic). Mere Christianity goes on to say that the latter likelihood is not consistent with Jesus’ character and it is, therefore, most likely that he was being truthful â€Å"A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. â€Å"- Mere Christianity (christianodyssey. com). As mentioned earlier in this paper, C. S. Lewis’ readings are mostly meant for critics and unbelievers of the Christian faith. It is not designed for Christians who have accepted Lord Jesus as their Savior because they do not need to be convinced through reason-based writings about Christianity. Lewis was very interested in presenting a reasonable case for the truth of Christianity. I chose C. S. Lewis for my Apologetics term paper because I had always known this personality as the author of my favorite books. Years later, I was overwhelmingly surprised the depth of these novels in correlation to Christian concepts of Creation, Paradise and Armageddon. The applications of Lewis’ teachings can be seen in his Christian writings. They all lean towards reason, approaching Christianity as a religion that has factual grounds in addition of those relying on faith. C. S. Lewis believed the best apology for Christianity was the life of a believer and the way we live our lives. Non-Christians are more likely to be attracted to Christianity through the non-verbal acts and conduct of our life. However he also believed in verbal apologetics. Lewis believed Christianity was rational but at the same time was ultra-rational, i. e. that it was supernatural and divine and went way beyond the limits and scope of rationality (thatimayknowhim. o. uk). Lewis even believed in theistic evolution. In The Problem of Pain he wrote, â€Å"If by saying that man rose from brutality you mean simply that man is physically descended from animals, I have no objections†¦. For long centuries God perfected the animal form which was to become the vehicle of humanity and the image of Himself. He gave it hands whose thumbs could be applied to each of its fingers, and jaws and teeth and the throat capable of articulation, and a brain sufficiently complex to execute all material motions whereby rational thought is incarnated. The creature may have existed for ages in this state before it became man†¦. We do not know how many of these creatures God made, nor how long they continued in the Paradisal state† – The Problem of Pain (svchapel. org) The uniqueness of Lewis’ writings is fairly obvious. In comparison to other apologists, Lewis appealed to the reader’s emotions and sense of imagination. He, therefore, wanted to write about the essence of Christianity by reflecting upon its poignant, visual and imaginative side in its rational coherence. He wanted for the reader to taste the beauty of the faith; to draw the reader into the magnificent story of God’s salvation, to submerge him/her into the universe of Christianity. Many Christians testified that they started to seek heaven only after reading Lewis’ works. The way he is able to depict heaven and the spiritual world enabled the reader to truly understand the gift of Heaven that awaits us (euroleadershipresources. org). It is from C. S. Lewis that we need to learn that the kind of language used to explore God and the content of Christian faith is a matter of epitome importance. The human language has the potential to mediate feelings and understanding on an extremely poignant level. If implemented correctly Christian apologists need to be excited for themselves because of the relationship they are in with God. This very excitement on such a personal level will only help them better to find the right words and literary expressions needed to present the Christian faith. In this way, thanks to C. S. Lewis, Apologetics will become an effective personal testimony of God’s salvation (euroleadershipresources. org).

Online courses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Online courses - Essay Example not hold the same value as traditional degrees do, but this thesis will try to look at the other side of online degrees as having the same value as the conventional degrees. Online colleges, just like their conventional classroom colleges have to follow the laid down guidelines in offering their degree, online colleges just like conventional ones. They have to teach the mandatory units and subjects in a certain degree program, they have to follow the stipulated timelines and grading of the students must be done at regular intervals in a similar way the conventional colleges do (Koontz, Li and Compora 38). In online degree programs, the subjects are taught by a teacher and not a programmed robot as some think, class notes are sent by the teacher to the students through email. The teacher interact with his students online through various ways such as online video chats and message boards, the tests are done online and they are graded by an actual teacher. In a survey conducted to determine the perception of employers toward online degrees, in 2001 only twenty-nine per cent of employers said they would not hire students with online degrees. The rest seventy-one percent said they did not mind the whether the degree was conventional or online as long it was from an accredited institution of learning and the employee had acquired the relevant skills. Some employers are now preferring online degree holder to the conventional degree holders as the online degree holders are perceived to have certain characteristics such self starters, they have self discipline and are able to meet deadlines. In the workforce, online degrees are valued as a great asset since they show the holder was creative enough to be able to complete the programme online successfully (Palloff, Pratt and Palloff 18). A research conducted by the United States department of education in 2009 found that the students who did online degrees performed much better than those who went to the conventional

Ghana Stock Market Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 14750 words

Ghana Stock Market - Dissertation Example This paper addresses the issues involved in making the stock market work for the improvement of a borderline national economy that is venturing into this financial activity for the first time. For a more comprehensive undertaking, we will start by assessing the benefits that can be derived from the establishment of a stock market. The idea is to ascertain how the stock market contributes to the improved allocation of capital to industry, what is the relationship between stock market development and economic growth, and what factors determine stock market development. More important, the study aims to discover the surefire ways by which poor countries that have yet to attain financial depth and expertise can make their newly established stock exchanges more functional and useful. From the general perspective, the paper shifts its focus on the dynamics of a particular stock market, which is the young securities and equity market of Ghana. Established only 10 years ago, the Ghana stock market exhibits the inefficiencies that may be described as its growing pains. The literature suggests that a country’s overall economic climate is the biggest influencing factor on stock market development, which means that Ghana faces formidable odds because of its low level of economic growth. This shows in the lackluster performance of the stock market as exemplified by the low levels of both individual and institutional investments. Latest data place individual and institutional investments at a miserable $5,000 and $20,000, respectively. This reflects in the relatively tiny client base of the market and the minuscule number of listed companies on the exchange. 1.3. Research Questions The paper will attempt to address the following set of questions: 1. What benefits can a developing country gained from the stock market that operates efficiently 2. What is the relationship between stock market development and economic growth

Analysis and Application of a Clinical Practice Essay

Analysis and Application of a Clinical Practice - Essay Example These guidelines were designed to provide transportation agencies and Road Safety Audit teams with a enhanced understanding of the safety of bicycle cyclists in the context of the cycling environment. These guidelines were also planned to nurture a secure environment for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians while using the road. The Bicycle safety Guidelines are cyclist specific guides that present road users personnel with safety elements they should consider when using the road. Even though the writers have exhausted every resource to be comprehensive as they could, people using these guidelines should keep in mind that conditions fluctuate from place to place and extra precautions should be learned that may not be handled in this documented. Not every recommendation in these guidelines is applicable in each situation. Transport in NSW will work with key stakeholders such as Bicycle NSW, the Amy Gillett Foundation, and Cycling NSW on the development of policies and programs that will be accepted within the cycling community. At the same time, Transport in NSW will work with other road user groups to ensure broader acceptance across the wider community. The NSW Government will work with Local Councils to ensure the road environment where cycling occurs is designed and managed using a safer systems approach. This article was based on bicycle crash statistics; which provide trends and an overview of the need to provide more cyclist friendly environment on the highway and streets. Moreover a comprehensive qualitative research was done to identify the major problems that contribute to laxity in bicycle safety. A random sampling study was done where 4,388 families comprising 11,753 people were arbitrarily picked out. The study brought out that a major contributor to bicycle accidents were from hits by motorists. The survey discovered that either the bicyclist does not pick up the oncoming

The Role of the Bahamas Development Bank in the Bahamian Economy Coursework

The Role of the Bahamas Development Bank in the Bahamian Economy - Coursework Example State of the Bahamian economy Before exploring the role played by the Bahamas Development Bank in the Bahamian economy, it is imperative to look at the state of the Bahamian economy: its strengths and weak points before addressing how the Bahamas Development Bank plays a role in addressing these weak points. Being among the best offshore global banking centers, Bahamas has come up with a non-simple banking structure that caters for the services of both domestic and foreign investors. Both the central bank of Bahamas and the Bahamian international banks and Trust have a complete list of about 272 financial institutions that are legally mandated to conduct business with the public (US Department of Commerce, 1992, p. 40). The states in the Caribbean went through several challenges in 2004. Examples of these include declining real sector production, a reduction in their export trade, pressure from other parties regarding the exportation of sugar and bananas, increased indebtedness and a season highly characterized by natural perils and catastrophes. Moreover, though categorized as middle – class economies, majority of these nations have a good score of their citizens who are poor. Statistics from the Caribbean Development Bank indicate that the poor form between one and twenty six percent of the population. In a bid to deal with these challenges, Bahamas has had to conserve economic stability, strengthen the tourism and fiscal financial sectors, enhance the security of citizens, and support family islands and growth of small businesses through buttressing social services and improvement of the transport sector (Commonwealth Secretariat, 2006, p. 16). The Bahamas authority plays this role through its financial institutions like the Bahamas Development Bank, among others that get their external sources of finance from other lending agencies such as the Caribbean Development Bank. In the recent years, there has been a reported rapid growth in both the financia l, Nassau and tourism sectors. In the recent years, Bahamas has become popularly known as a center for offshore banks and trusts apart from being a strategic location for carrying out international currency business (Khambata, 1996, p. 95; Bernardi, 2008, p. 107). This has been facilitated by the overall openness of the economy, proximity to the United States and The Bahamas’ tax haven state. Apart from generating income and employment for the country, financial services enhance the nation’s tax haven image. The attainment of the nation’s high-level per capita income can be attributed to the growth in the service sector that has really increased the national income of Bahamas (Karagiannis and Witter, 2004, p. 150). The major cause of the post war growth in the Bahamian economy can be attributed neither to structural reforms neither in the country’s production base nor to any changes in the functioning of its economy. The change can rather be attributed to the enlargement of the tourism and financial sectors. In fact, the pattern

Children Need to Play, Not Compete by Jessica Statsky Essay

Children Need to Play, Not Compete by Jessica Statsky - Essay Example Future promising sportsmen are lost in this way. The process of selection for competitions also leads children to lose their confidence. They may begin to underestimate themselves if they are not selected and never feel an urge to participate. It is not good for children to win and lose like adults. There is a general tendency to apply adult principles to children’s activities. The parents and coaches seem to be more interested in competition rather than sport, and often make it a prestige issue. On the whole, the writer concludes that competitive sports are not suitable for children. Yong children ‘deserve sports programs designed specifically for their needs and abilities,† states Jessica Stasky. According to Jessica Stasky â€Å"†¦organized sports for children have increased dramatically in the U.S.† it must be noted that adults organize sports events for children, just as bull-fights and cock-fights were organized in ancient times by human beings to satisfy their pleasure instincts. Nobody gives a thought to the opinions or willingness of the children who are forced to participate. It is parents who make a prestige issue of winning and losing in sports, as they do in academics. â€Å"Too many adults have won as the only goal. Even though they may deny it verbally, their behaviour reflects a winning-is-everything attitude. ( Martens R. 1978). Children are more interested in participation and fun without any kind of pressure of competition. Nobody will agree that the delicate and developing bodies of children should be subjected to risk of injury. On the contrary, they need safety and protection. Fred Engh reported that â€Å"†¦he had witnessed much uglines s in children’s sports. He attributed this to vicarious parents who will stop at nothing to push their child unmercifully to be a star athlete and will cheat, bend the rules and even risk the safety of children.†(In Humphrey and Deborah 2002)