Random Science Facts and Trivia

Random Science Facts and Trivia Everyone knows a few fun random facts they can pull out as a party trick or a conversation icebreaker. Here are a few more to add to your collection. Although some of these facts are strange and obscure, they are 100% verified, so rest assured that youll be sharing solid information at that party. Rotation of Earth Did you know that the Earth rotates a full 360 degrees in 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds, not 24 hours? Cataracts Sometimes the crystalline lenses of elderly people become milky and cloudy. This is called a cataract, and it causes partial or complete loss of vision. Berry Interesting Did you know that pineapples, oranges, and tomatoes are actually berries? Pure Gold Pure gold is so soft that it can be molded with your bare hands. Real Life Dragons The Komodo dragon is a renowned giant, with the average male measuring around 8 feet long; some exceptional individuals reach 10 feet long. It is the heaviest lizard of all, with an average weight of 130 pounds and some reaching nearly 180 pounds. Thats So Nuclear The word nuclear is related to the nucleus of an atom. It is often used to describe the energy produced when a nucleus is split (fission) or joined with another (fusion). Hes Lost It Did you know that a cockroach can live for nine days without its head  before it starves to death? He Said No Did you know that the physicist Albert Einstein refused the job of president of Israel? Einstein was asked to be the president when the Israeli president died in 1952. Old Guys The earliest cockroach fossil  is about 280 million years old, 80 million years older than the first dinosaurs. Newts Are Neat Newts are members of the salamander family. They are found in North America, Europe, and Asia. A Little Lithium in Your 7UP? The original formula for 7UP contained lithium citrate, a chemical used today as a treatment for bipolar disorders. The ingredient was removed by 1950. How Many Lightbulbs... The tungsten filament inside an incandescent light bulb reaches a temperature of 4,664 degrees when turned on. Blue as Turquoise Traces of copper  are what give turquoise its distinctive blue color. Brainless Starfish, like many radially symmetric animals, do not have brains.

The Difference Between Copyediting and Proofreading

The Difference Between Copyediting and Proofreading The Difference Between Copyediting and Proofreading The Difference Between Copyediting and Proofreading By Mark Nichol Many people confuse these two distinct editorial skills, but it’s important to recognize how they differ, and why. The most obvious distinction is the form the medium takes. Copyediting, once performed by making marks and writing revisions on a typewritten manuscript, is now generally carried out by entering changes in a word-processing program like Microsoft Word. Proofreading, by contrast, is done on a facsimile of the finished product a proof, hence the name. Proofreading is usually still completed on hard copy with a pen or pencil, but it’s sometimes accomplished by electronically marking up a PDF (a file created with Adobe’s Portable Document Format; that’s where the initials come from). But that’s just the beginning. The copy editor’s task is to finesse a writer’s prose so that it observes all the conventions of good writing. A writer may be skilled at explaining a procedure or verbally depicting a scene, but the copy editor is the one who makes sure the manuscript’s syntax is smooth, that the writing adheres to the conventions of grammar, and that wording is proper and precise and punctuation is appropriate and correctly placed. The copy editor may also do or suggest some reorganizing, recommend changes to chapter titles and subheadings, and call out lapses in logic or sequential slip-ups. This attention is especially important when the content editor the person who helps the writer shape their prose has minimal time (or skill) or is absent altogether. All the while, if the project is a book manuscript, an extensive report, or something else of significant length, the copy editor compiles a style sheet, a statement of overall editorial policy (serial comma, or no? numbers spelled out, or in numeral form?) and a record of idiosyncratic word usage. (Just how do you spell fuggedaboudit? According to the style sheet, just like that every time.) Many style sheets also list all proper nouns to make sure names are always spelled and capitalized consistently, though search functions and spell-checking programs have rendered that usage somewhat superfluous. The proofreader, by contrast, is assigned to check a reproduction of what the finished product will look like. And the task is not revision, but correction making sure that no typographical errors remain from the manuscript or were introduced in the production stage. New text, such as captions, for example, is often entered separately and may not have been edited. Alternatively, an element anything from a letter to a paragraph or more may have been inadvertently omitted or repeated, or misplaced. Because most text is copied and pasted directly from an electronic document, this mishap is unlikely but not unknown. Then there are esthetic issues: too many end-of-line hyphens in a row, or a word broken in half at the end of a column or page, or a widow (a very short final line of a paragraph at the top of a column). The proofreader is also the main beneficiary of the style sheet’s compilation. Hey, it’s fuggedaboutit on page 37, and fuggedaboudit on page 59. Which one’s correct? The second spelling, according to the style sheet. Proofreaders are also expected to check page numbers or recurring copy at the top or bottom of a page that identifies a section in a periodical or a chapter or book title. They make sure the font and type size and weight for one text element matches another element of that class. They double-check that photo captions match the content of the photographs or that when text refers to a table, a chart, or a figure, the graphic element consists of what the text says it does and they proof that element, too. Proofreaders may also catch grammatical errors or inconsistency of style, and they are often given some leeway to change or at least call out egregious errors, but they’re generally constrained by not being permitted to revise the text in any way that adds or subtracts the number of lines on a page, because doing so may adversely affect the graphic design. In summary, copyediting is a more qualitative skill and proofreading is more quantitative, though there’s quite a bit of overlap, and someone who does well at one often succeeds at the other as well. Proofreading usually pays less and is a pathway to copyediting, but many editors (myself included) do both. To save time or money or both, many print and online publishers alike have curtailed or abandoned either stage (or, worse, both stages) of the editing process and it’s almost invariably obvious. But there are still enough people out there who value rigorous attention to detail in written expression that the copyediting and proofreading professions aren’t going anywhere, and adept practitioners will remain in demand. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:70 Idioms with Heart5 Brainstorming Strategies for Writers20 Clipped Forms and Their Place (If Any) in Formal Writing

Outcome and Assessment Information Set Data that Predict Pressure Research Paper

Outcome and Assessment Information Set Data that Predict Pressure Ulcer Development in Older Adult Home Health - Research Paper Example According to the American Geriatics Association (2005), â€Å"Pressure ulcers are areas of tissue damage that develop when the skin and soft tissues (eg, muscle) are squeezed between the bones and the surface that is in contact with the body, such as a mattress.† These ulcers occur around areas such as hip, heel and buttocks. Methods The results of the research by Bergquist-Beringer and Gajewski, which was conducted among 5395 non-hospice patients of 60 years or older showed that bowel incontinence, needing assistance with grooming, dependence in ability to dress the upper body, dependence in ability to dress the lower body, dependence in toileting, inability to transfer, being chairfast or bedfast, and the presence of a PrU on admission were positively associated with new PrU development (Bergquist-Beringer and Gajewski, 2011). The factors raised in the researcher were therefore concluded as the risk factors for pressure ulcers for patients in home healthcare. In a similar re search conducted among 1711 nonhospice patients 60 years or older, Bergquist (2003) however came out with results that were not directly in line with the risk factors pointed out by the former researchers. Unlike the first researchers but not in sharp contrast to their results, Bergquist pointed to the risk factors for pressure ulcers for patients in home healthcare as Limitation in activity to bed, dependence in dressing, urinary incontinence, and needing assistance with transferring predicted Stage I pressure ulcer development (P

Thomas friedman is the chief forign correspondent Term Paper

Thomas friedman is the chief forign correspondent - Term Paper Example However, two protocols of Geneva conventions have not been ratified by the law of United States of America. Nevertheless, the U.S Uniform Code of Military Justice declares that torture should not be practiced by ensuring that prisoners must be treated humanly. The Military Code states that violation of Geneva contention is a crime. This is a clear indication that torture is not supported by Uniform Code of Military Justice since Geneva convention declares that prisoners are protected against torture; public curiosity, intimidation and insults . Moreover, whoever commits torture is to be punished by life imprisonment or term imprisonment as stipulated by Uniform Code of Military Justice. The actions of U.S agents in 2002 at Abu Ghraib prison can be regarded as violation of Geneva accords as torturing actions were viewed during the U.S invasion. The torturing actions included: stripping people naked, poking people, pushing people, use of threatening dogs and depriving people of sleep. However, one can argue that such tactics were not torturing but inhuman punishments and acts of cruel which do not torture although the actions were not justified. Also Geneva accords do not apply to Taliban detainees since the conflicts were international in scope and article three considers only an armed conflict but not a global character. Furthermore Taliban detainees are unlawful group hence could not be viewed as war prisoners. In addition, reliability of confession might have been obtained under torture hence questionable making the United States of America’s agents not responsible for acts of torture. One can make a conclusion that the problem occurred due to Geneva accords which were not specific and that the actions of United States’ agents were legal since they were handling unlawful group. Moreover, ambiguous instructions were given to the agents since administration officials gave out

The Value of Equity Theory Essay Example for Free

The Value of Equity Theory Essay Introduction Cadbury Nigeria PLC is an associate company of the Cadbury Schweppes Group. Established in Nigeria in 1965, its core business is the manufacture and sales of fast moving consumer goods in the foods, food drinks confectionery groupings. There are 2000 employees in Cadbury Nigeria at various management and non-management staff cadres. Its major competitor is the Nestle Group PLC. Other manufacturing firms in the brewery, foods telecommunication industries also compete with Cnplc in the area of manpower poaching; staff turnover amongst these companies is common. This write up seeks to analyse how Cadbury Nigeria PLC (Cnplc, the organisation or the company) motivates its workforce as well as how the equity theory can assist in ensuring an equitable and fair organizational structure. I am of the opinion that a motivated workforce will contribute to better performance and higher profit margins. Motivational Methods Techniques in use in Cadbury Nigeria PLC Cadbury Nigeria Plc is one of the foremost multinational firms in Nigeria, whose aim is to become the employer of choice. This it hopes to achieve through a people-focused Human Resources Strategy. A central theme of this strategy is to attract, develop, retain and optimise talent to meet both current and future business needs. (Source: Cnplc employee handbook). This it hopes to achieve by becoming the employer of choice. The understanding of the implications of the equity theory in my view should be one of the primary responsibilities of the HR function of any company. This is why I have begun this analysis with a brief examination of what the HR strategy of Cnplc consists of. To a large extent, it is possible to deduce how seriously a company takes the subject of inequity, by examining its HR policies and strategies. The study was undertaken mainly by questioning a few employees. Information was also obtained from the HR strategy manager and other company sources, all sources are duly acknowledged. I happen to be an employee of Cnplc for the past 7 years; hence, this provides with me sufficient grounds to assess the trends over the years. Source: Cadbury Nigeria plc, HR strategy dialogue 2004. How Cadbury Nigeria PLC motivates its Workforce This will be discussed under four areas: 1. Annual Salary Reviews 2. Upfront Allowances 3. Staff Capabilities Investment 4. Welfare Packages. Annual Salary Reviews This is tied to the performance appraisal review, which occurs once a year. Each employee is graded by his/her line manager, based on the years performance. These scores are tied to salary increments, according to the employees cadre. The primary aim of this is to ensure that no person earns the same salary for more than 1 year. The major advantage is that it motivates employees to remain with the company, as the staff turnover over the years has been at an all time low. However, the challenge of this technique has an implication for developing countries, such as Nigeria, in that the personal style of organization (Hickson Pugh, chapter 9,page 249) bears its ugly head. This translates to performance reviews that are biased (Nigerians value personal relationships with their bosses, and there is a conscious effort by most employees to want to remain in the good books of their bosses, so as to win favours.) The tribal diversity of the country (over 200 ethnic groups) also means that bosses may over rate the performance of subordinates from the same tribe with them. Indeed, this remains a challenge in developing countries like mine. One thing I know for sure is that my colleagues look forward to this salary review and I would say that it is an effective motivational technique. Upfront Allowances This involves taking a certain amount of employees basic salaries and paying them at the beginning of the year in a lump sum. In Cadbury Nigeria, this allowance is 40% of the basic salary and is referred to as the annual housing allowance. Since in Nigeria, rent is paid annually, it is common practice for big firms to advance salary payments to enable their employees pay rent. However a major drawback of this is the fact that an employee could resign at any time during the year, leading to losses incurred by the company. Some companies have stopped the payment of upfront allowances. However, Cadbury Nigeria hasnt. In addition, the leave allowance of 10% of the annual basic salary is paid upfront as well. The application of equity theory here is glaring, as the Nestle group in Nigeria pays its workers 50% of annual basic salary as upfront housing allowance. Staff Capabilities Investment Investing in staff development takes different forms in the organization. The three techniques in use are: * Training Programs: usually held in-house, within the country and sometimes outside the country, if specific training courses are not available in Nigeria. The HR policy of the company states that employees are entitled to 2 courses annually, but this is not adhered to in most cases. In part II of this write-up, I will look out how this has caused dissatisfaction amongst employees. * Young Talents: involving the posting of high potential employees to any Cadbury Schweppes company in the world (for a minimum of 2 years), this program is an instant motivator for staff who have been privileged to experience it. The major objective of this is to increase exposure as well as equip staff with new ways of working. Usually, individuals are promoted on return to their home countries. However, there are issues of inequity here as well, which we will explore in the 2nd part of this analysis. Welfare Packages: Subsidies of various forms. These are; Medical Scheme: This covers a comprehensive medical coverage (treatment, surgery etc) for each employee and his/her spouse and 4 children. The scheme excludes dental care and eyeglass prescriptions. Meal Subsidy: There is a 75% subsidy on lunch for management staff, while meals are provided free to non-management staff. Car loans: Provision of car loans commensurate with basic salary earnings (each employee is entitled to 100% of his/her annual basic salary as car loan.) In addition, 50 % of interest repayments of the loan are borne by the company. Insurance cover: Apart from a comprehensive life assurance scheme undertaken for all employees, the company also provides a 50% subsidy on vehicle insurances for all employees private cars that have been registered with the companys Insurance pool. It is not mandatory for all employees though. Section II Analyzing the application of the Equity Theory to Cadbury Nigeria The average Nigerian worker is motivated, (albeit in low levels) mostly by money. This is similar to Hickson Pughs (management worldwide) analysis on the peculiar characteristics of organizations in developing countries. How the understanding of the Equity Theory can lead to a better-motivated workforce in Cadbury Nigeria. Reading through this course, it occurred to me that if most managements were aware of the Equity Theory, it would enable them to better understand what motivates their workforces. This will assist not only in curtailing employee turnover, but will result in a happier workforce and better performance. The question the management of Cadbury must ask itself is how to reduce inequity in all staff cadres. This has to be a 2-way approach; 1. Interviewing employees; Employees at all levels should be interviewed on what motivates and demotivates them. Organizations with a high power distance have a long way to go in this regard. Management Worldwide (page 22) lists West Africa (Nigeria is one of the West African countries) as having a power distance of 77. Definitely, reducing the power distance will not be an easy task, since it involves cultural change. An example of this is in Cadbury Nigeria, where most subordinates (about 95%, including myself) do not call their bosses by their first names, and the managers decision is final in most cases even though this may not be in the best interest of the organization. If this is the case such subordinates will rather keep mum about what bothers them rather than risk losing a job. 2. Having clear-cut guidelines and policies: A transparent management will definitely run a more equitable organization. The reasons why rewards are given should be clearly stated. In addition, procedures such as training courses and promotion requirements should be clearly documented. An example of this in my organization is the issue of training courses. Employees feel that the process of selection of staff for training courses abroad (and sometimes in the country) is a highly inequitable process. In many instances, the same sets of people go for the same courses from year to year. This has led to dissatisfied employees who have concluded that they have to belong to the right click in order to be trained. While this is not entirely true, I personally experienced a situation in which a course came up that was relevant to my job description, and my boss insisted on going for the course. The HR manager in charge of training told me there was nothing she could do about it, because my boss had the final say about who should go for a particular course. Had my organization been more sensitive to inequity, they would have seen from my job description, that the course was more suited to my role. Limitations of the Equity Theory to the Nigerian Context The organizational culture in Nigeria tends to be very similar to that of the Indians. As outlined in Chapter 9, page 264 of management worldwide, India is not Africa, but India is very similar to Africa. Indeed reading through the chapter on developing countries was like the typical Nigerian organizational style. In developing countries like Nigeria, belonging to the same tribe as your boss or a senior influential employee could earn you a promotion. So also can boot-licking (in this context being extremely non-resisting with your boss and even subtly praising him) which is common with the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria. Hence I would infer that the Anglo context of the equity theory may not be fully applicable to the certain developing countries such as Nigeria. The tendency is high, for individuals in developing countries to rationalize inequity. This, I believe is due to the unfavourable economic climate, poverty levels and high unemployment levels, which makes people cherish their jobs. Also, tribal diversity (in the case of Nigerias 250 ethnic groups) has led to the display of power, infringement on fundamental human rights and injustices of different sorts being perpetuated in the workplace. It is common practice to get short listed for a job interview in Nigeria solely because you know a person connected with the organization. The above considerations have contributed to the toleration of inequity by a good number of Nigerians. In any case, it is difficult for any developing country employee to adopt any of the strategies outlined in the text book for this course(organizational behaviour by Buchanan and Huczynski). This is as a result of the generally lackadaisical attitude of Nigerians as well as the element of fear; which results in increased inequity in some cases. Insights gained by this analysis Despite the limitations of the application of the equity theory to the company as outlined above, there is much to be gained from it. In particular, this can be applied to the HR strategy of the organization. A thorough appreciation of inequity will translate to higher motivational levels and by inference to higher performance, and profit margins. A demotivated workforce is a dangerous workforce. My suggestions as to the practical application of this to the organizational structure of Cadbury Nigeria is as follows: 1. The current situation of the workforce is one of a fair proportion of inequity. There is a need for the organizations management to draw up a clear-cut plan as to how rewards are earned. Incorporating clear guidelines of the companys policies in the employee handbook is one method by which this can be achieved. This should also be backed up by seminars aimed at given detailed explanations of these policies. In developing countries, communication is key. 2. The need for to understand how inequity translates to high staff turnover lower performance and consequently, reduced profits from disgruntled employees. In some cases, management plays the part of the cruel employer. As a result of the relatively cheaper labour available in developing countries, it is easy to recruit new staff should disgruntled employees resign. 3. An attempt to reduce inequity amongst employees by discouraging rumuors and hearsay talk. This can be done by operating a corporate communications system whereby staffs are encouraged to contribute ideas on how to achieve harmony within the work force. On its part, management should be seen to operate in a transparent fashion. In Cadbury Nigeria, e directors organize monthly town hall meetings, where staff are encouraged to voice their complaints. However, there is a noticeable reluctance on the part of the employees to talk about their grudges. In a few cases, certain bold employees who have been very vocal at these meetings, ended up being t by their bosses to desist from such openness. Clearly, negative cultural traits could be a hindrance to the value added from the application of equity theory in some modern organizations. 4. Conducting periodic surveys to monitor the impact of company decisions that affect employee welfare and human resource issues. In the Nigerian context, these surveys should be done anonymously and past attempts in Cadbury Nigeria, reveal that people are usually too scared to open up in a corporate environment. Again, this is clearly an organizational culture issue peculiar to developing countries. Conclusion This assignment has afforded me the opportunity to gain knowledge about what motivates individuals and how employers can encourage put in their best in for the benefit of the organizations in which they work. Perhaps, someday I will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained from this module to the organization where I am employed. It has also exposed me to the fact that, management is often ignorant about vital issues that motivate or demotivate work forces. However, until corporate organizations understand the implications of what leads to personal job satisfaction, they may be saddled with the high cost of replacing dissatisfied staff. In addition, I think that it is a bit of out of sync applying the theories and social techniques of the developed world to the developing world. Developing countries on their part, should invest in studies and researches with at view to arriving at their own conclusive analysis and observations.. Until this can be done, I think that managers will continue to experience inequity in their work environments.

Mitigating Computer Misuse at Work Essay -- Business Management

Computer misuse is a ubiquitous behaviour in many organizations. It has a serious influence on system security which should be considered by every organization. Inappropriate use of computer in workplace is increasing every year and this deviant behaviour has a negative influence on both organizations and employees (Bock, Park & Zhang, 2010). D’Arcy, Hovav and Galletta (2009) mention that 50%-75% security issues have been found from the inside of an enterprise, and a majority of internal threats are relating to individual’s unsafe operation on computer. Therefore, it is necessary for organizations to optimize system security by implementing a rational measure to moderate individual’s unsafe behaviour on computer in workplace. Employees, who play a key role in security protection, need to be helped increase compliance on information security policy. This essay will discuss which is a more effective approach, reward (encouraging employees comply with security polic y and normatively use computer in workplace) or punishment (preventing misuse and insecure operation), though analysing the impact of each mechanism and employees’ reaction to draw a conclusion that punishment is a more effective way than reward to moderate employees’ misuse and unsafe behaviour regarding computer use at work. Admittedly, reward should be a more acceptable policy than punishment for employees. Employees would keep performing well in their work after being rewarded (Patel & Conklin, 2012). According to Gardner and Quigleym (2010), employees, who have been rewarded in their job, will be aroused to have a higher compliance on the purpose of their work. Appropriate reward is directly relating to employees’ working satisfaction. They will be more satisfied an... ...rganisations. European Journal of Information Systems, 18,106–125 Liao, Q., Luo, X., Gurung, A., & Li, L. (2009). Workplace management and employee misuse: Does punishment matter? The Journal of Computer Information Systems, 50(20), 49-59 Myyry, L., Siponen, M., Pahnila, S., Vartiainen, T., & Vance, A. (2009). What levels of moral reasoning and values explain adherence to information security rules? An empirical study. European Journal of Information Systems, 18, 126-139 Patel, P., & Conklin, B. (2012). Perceived labor productivity in small firms—the effects of high-performance work systems and group culture through employee retention. Theory and Practice, 36(2), 205-235 Spitzmuller, C., & Stanton, J.M. (2006). Examining employee compliance with organizational surveillance and monitoring. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 79, 245–272

Barcelona Olympics

When Barcelona was selected to host the 1 992 Summer Olympics, the city (as well as Catalonia and Especial as a whole) welcomed the incredible opportunity. In addition to the obvious nationalist pride and international recognition hosting the games entails, their excitement was also fueled by the potential that the opportunity represented. As the International Olympic Committee explains in their â€Å"Factories – Legacies of the Games,† recent Olympic games have resulted in â€Å"long lasting legacies for their citizens,† with many cities utilizing the games as a â€Å"catalyst for urban renewal† (International 013).This was indeed the case for Barcelona, which became almost a new city entirely between 1 986 (upon first being selected) and the Opening Ceremonies. Overall, the effects of the 1 992 Barcelona Summer Olympics can be seen in three main areas: the city's economy, the culture and international perception Of Barcelona abroad, and the city's urban development. Overall, ?6. 7 billion were spent on the games, most of which was spent on improving infrastructure. Overall, the city reaped a profit of ?7. 2 million from the games themselves (Flyleaves 2012).The long-lasting economic effects and cagey, however, have been much more significant. For example, the Barcelona Organizing Committee invested ?2 billion in constructing and improving four main sporting venues. Today, these venues welcome nearly 1 people each year for various conferences, concerts, and sporting events and they support nearly 450 permanent jobs (International 2013). In terms of specific areas of economic development, immediately upon their nomination, unemployment underwent a dramatic fall, the housing market boomed, and the construction industry expanded at an exponential rate.The Barcelona Olympics were also unique economically, in that Barcelona was able to sustain this economic growth for decades to come. In fact, until the recent recession that affected mos t of Western Europe, the city recorded growth in every economic indicator: employment, investment, and new construction. Thus, not only did Barcelona benefit at the time from the games, â€Å"it succeeded in maintaining the growth generated, on a scale never seen before† (Acid 2002).In terms of employment, Barcelona unemployment rate was cut in half from 18. 4% to 9. 6%. Not only was employment provided during the preparation and the games themselves, but nearly 20,000 permanent jobs ere created due to Olympic-related investment in infrastructure and facilities (Acid 2002). In terms of investment, one-third of the event was funded by the private sector and a third of this was with foreign capital. Private investment focused predominately on the construction of housing hotels, and business centers.The rationale for this private investment was the expectation of improvement in the city's level of attractiveness for conducting foreign business and attracting future foreign inves tment. Finally, in terms Of new construction, the sector multiplied by nearly 3. 5 times, despite the fact hat Barcelona building potential was already quite exploited (Acid 2002). One final area of economic development was in tourism. Between 1986 and 2014, Barcelona hotel capacity increased threefold and the number of visitors from abroad increased by sevenfold, reaching 7. Million visitors a year. In this regard, Barcelona legacy has been more â€Å"intense and sustained than that of any other modern host city' (Acid 2002). Therefore, the Barcelona Olympics have become an economic model for present-day Olympics – an exceptional performance by a city with an extraordinary and sustained opacity to ride the â€Å"Olympic wave† (Taylor 2012). The reasons for this dramatic increase in tourism are a direct result of the second broad area of change experienced by Barcelona as a result of the games.Throughout the games and opening and closing ceremonies, Barcelona put on a large promotional show, highlighting the culture of Barcelona almost more so than the rest of Spain as a whole. As a result, the games â€Å"changed the way people thought of Barcelona† (Taylor 2012). Between 1 990 and 2001, the city went from being the 1 lath â€Å"Best City in Europe† to the 6th and is now rated the 12th most popular destination for rigorists in the world, twenty years after the games. More than simply presenting the culture that already existed (Steelers, flamenco, etc. , Barcelona did a bit of lying and presented a somewhat contrived culture. For example, the games were heavily sponsored by Estella Adam and Don Simon, producers of beer and sangria respectively. So, despite the fact that Barcelona is not known for its beer and that sangria is not actually popular for the locals here, the international community was presented a clear relationship between these two brands and the city. Nowadays, bars in the United States boast selections of â€Å"Sp anish beer and Anglia,† leading international tourists to equate these with the culture of Spain and Barcelona.Because so many tourists began to request these when they traveled to Barcelona, things have come full circle and many local bars now advertise their sangria and â€Å"typical Barcelona beers. † As Adam Taylor of Business Insider explains, â€Å"Nowadays we think of the Spanish city as a land of palm trees, sand, and sangria but its easy to forget that before the games in 1 992, it was a much different place† (Taylor 2012). In fact, none of the palm trees in Barcelona are native to the city – most of them were planted in the six ears between the announcement of Barcelona as the host city and the actual games.One final cultural development of note, the Olympics helped transform Spain into a â€Å"sporting juggernaut,† with world-class athletes in soccer, basketball, cycling, and tennis. Many assert this is a direct result of investment in sp orting facilities and training before and after the Olympics (Barr 2012). As Spanish sportswriter Juan Jose Paradise explains, â€Å"the Barcelona Olympics put the Spanish flair for sport and drama on international display† (Barr 2012).Nowadays, the names Real Madrid and FCC Barcelona re synonymous with prestige and glory in a way that could not have been imagined before the games. This interest in sport has translated at an interpersonal level as well. According to the International Olympic Committee, the increase in the proportion of the population doing some kind of physical activity at least once a week increased from 36% in 1 983 to 51% in 1 995 and women's participation in organized sports increased 10% nationwide during the same period (International 2013).One final area of development for Barcelona before, during, and after the Olympics is in the urban renewal that took place. Most significantly, Barcelona today is characterized strongly by its beachfront. However, th e city did not really have a beach before. Rather, the Barcelona Olympic Committee created two miles of beachfront and a modern marina by demolishing industrial buildings on the waterfront before the games (Taylor 2012). For the city, the Olympics represented a significant effort to restructure.

Ethnic Autobiography About Self

A Rasin in the Sun Act II, Scene I Later on the same Saturday, Beneatha emerges from her room cloaked in the Nigerian clothes that Asagai has brought her. She dances around the apartment, claiming to be performing a tribal dance while shouting â€Å"OCOMOGOSIAY† and singing. Ruth finds Beneatha’s pageantry silly and questions her about it. Meanwhile, Walter returns home drunk. He sees Beneatha all dressed up and acts out some made-up tribal rituals with her, at one point standing on a table and pronouncing himself â€Å"Flaming Spear. † Ruth looks on wearily. George Murchison arrives to pick up Beneatha.Beneatha removes her headdress to reveal that she has cut off most of her hair, leaving only an unstraightened afro. Everyone is shocked, amazed, and slightly disappointed with Beneatha, prompting a fierce discussion between Beneatha and George about the importance of their African heritage. Beneatha goes to change for the theater, and Walter talks to George about business plans. George does not seem interested. Walter then becomes belligerent as he makes fun of George’s white shoes. Embarrassed, Ruth explains that the white shoes are part of the â€Å"college style. George obviously looks down on Walter—calling him â€Å"Prometheus†Ã¢â‚¬â€and Walter gets even angrier at him. George and Beneatha finally leave, and Ruth and Walter then begin to fight about Walter going out, spending money, and interacting with people like Willy Harris. They do begin to make up, though, by acknowledging that a great distance has grown between them. Mama comes home and announces that she has put a down payment on a house with some of the insurance money. Ruth is elated to hear this news because she too dreams of moving out of their current apartment and into a more respectable home.Meanwhile, Walter is noticeably upset because he wants to put all the money into the liquor store venture. They all become worried when they hear that the hous e is in Clybourne Park, an entirely white neighborhood. Mama asks for their understanding—it was the only house that they could afford. She feels she needs to buy the house to hold the family together. Ruth regains her pleasure and rejoices, but Walter feels betrayed, his dream swept under the table. Walter makes Mama feel guilty, saying that she has crushed his dream. He goes quickly to his bedroom, and Mama remains sitting and worrying.Act II, Scenes II On a Friday night a few weeks later, Beneatha and George return from a date. The Youngers’ apartment is full of moving boxes. George wants to kiss Beneatha, but she does not want to kiss. Rather, she wants to engage George in a conversation about the plight of African-Americans. It seems that George wants to marry a â€Å"nice . . . simple . . . sophisticated girl. † Mama comes in as Beneatha kicks him out. Mama asks if she had a good time with George, and Beneatha tells her that George is a â€Å"fool. † Mama replies, â€Å"I guess you better not waste your time with no fools. Beneatha appreciates her mother’s support. Mrs. Johnson—the Youngers’ neighbor—visits. Mama and Ruth offer her food and drink, and she gladly accepts. She has come to visit to tell them about a black family who has been bombed out of their home in a white neighborhood. She is generally insensitive and unable to speak in a civil manner. She predicts that the Youngers will also be scared out of the all-white neighborhood once they move in and insults much of the family by calling them a â€Å"proud-acting bunch of colored folks. † She then quotes Booker T. Washington, a famous African-American thinker and assimilationist.A frustrated and angered Mama retaliates by calling him a â€Å"fool. † Mrs. Johnson leaves the apartment. Walter’s boss calls, telling Ruth that Walter has not been to work in three days. Walter explains that he has been wandering all day (oft en way into the country) and drinking all night (at a bar with a jazz duo that he loves). He says that he feels depressed, despondent, and useless as the man of the family. He feels that his job is no better than a slave’s job. Mama feels guilty for his unhappiness and tells him that she has never done anything to hurt her children.She gives him the remaining $6,500 of the insurance money, telling him to deposit $3,000 for Beneatha’s education and to keep the last $3,500. With this money, Mama says, Walter should become—and should act like he has become—the head of the family. Walter suddenly becomes more confident and energized. He talks to Travis about his plans, saying that he is going to â€Å"make a transaction† that will make them rich. Walter’s excitement builds as he describes his dream of their future house and cars, as well as Travis’s potential college education.

Why was Lincoln considered a better leader than A. Jackson essays

Why was Lincoln considered a better leader than A. Jackson essays Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United State and a man who was considered as the greatest President of all; Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States and a national hero who was often called Old Hickory. Two famous leaders in their own rights, both were known for their great leadership. Then why was one of them considered a better leader than the other? What made President Lincoln out shine President Jackson? Would it be the differences in their characters? Would it be the differences in their decision-making skills? Or would it be the differences in their views on freedom? Leadership can be, at times, an indistinct and obscure concept that is difficult to understand. There are no sets of defined rules for a person to follow in order to become a good leader; and likewise, there are no sets of defined laws for a person to judge if a certain leader is a good one. There are only guidelines, general ideas and role models for us to try and understand the art of leading. I believe one of those is President Lincoln. The character of Abraham Lincoln played an important part in earning him the reputation of the greatest President of all. A good man of honesty, integrity, kindness, honor and confidence, Lincoln influenced others through his actions and words. He went through lots of misfortunes and tragedies through out his life, both as a man as well as a leader. He fully knew what it was like to fail, and was fully aware of the hardness failures could bring. As he became the President of the United States, he still recalled his darkened days, and so would reach out and help others that fall as much as he could. Lincoln accepted who he was and learned from his mistakes; he was not afraid for others to know about his past and to have their own opinions about him. And because of this, he gained trust and respect from his followers with a personal touch. It is known for a fact that leaders who tell their sub...

Identifying Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences

Identifying Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences The two main types of series/sequences are arithmetic and geometric. Some sequences are neither of these. It’s important to be able to identify what type of sequence is being dealt with. An arithmetic series is one where each term is equal the one before it plus some number. For example: 5, 10, 15, 20, †¦ Each term in this sequence equals the term before it with 5 added on.   In contrast, a geometric sequence is one where each term equals the one before it multiplied by a certain value. An example would be 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, †¦ Each term is equal to the prior one multiplied by 2. Some sequences are neither arithmetic nor geometric. An example would be 1, 2, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 1, †¦The terms in this sequence all differ by 1, but sometimes 1 is being added and other times it is being subtracted, so the sequence is not arithmetic. Also, there is no common value being multiplied by one term to get the next, so the sequence cannot be geometric, either. Arithmetic sequences grow very slowly in comparison with geometric sequences. Try Identifying What Type of Sequences Are Shown Below 1. 2, 4, 8, 16, †¦ 2. 3, -3, 3, -3, ... 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, †¦ 4. -4, 1, 6, 11, 16, †¦ 5. 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, †¦ 6. 9, 18, 36, 72, †¦ 7. 7, 5, 6, 4, 5, 3, †¦ 8. 10, 12, 16, 24, †¦ 9. 9, 6, 3, 0, -3, -6, †¦ 10. 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, †¦ Solutions 1. Geometric with common ratio of 2 2. Geometric with common ratio of -1 3. Arithmetic with common value of 1 4. Arithmetic with common value of 5 5. Neither geometric nor arithmetic 6. Geometric with common ratio of 2 7. Neither geometric nor arithmetic 8. Neither geometric nor arithmetic 9. Arithmetic with common value of -3 10. Either arithmetic with common value of 0 or geometric with common ratio of 1

Collaborative Public Administration Summary Term Paper

Collaborative Public Administration Summary - Term Paper Example Donahue (1989) construed it as a kind of grant and contract agreement between public, private and (or) nonprofit sectors where funds are allocated by the public sector to private, or nonprofit sectors for service delivery. In Wright’s (2000) perspective, it is an intergovernmental alliance formed to enhance better coordination between government arms or (and) government agencies. Historically, collaboration have always been a basic component of democratic government and inter-sector arrangement but more recent considerations arising from governments failure, scarcity of resources, globalization, performance driven management, citizens’ need for better public service delivery systems, to mention a few, have combined to spotlight its importance in public administration (Koliba, Meek and Zia, 2010). a) Public Administration Hierarchies Koliba, Meek and Zia (2010) characterized hierarchy in relation to the â€Å"command and Control† structure of bureaucracies, a grad ed organization with several interlocking levels of power and responsibilities. In a hierarchy, duties are divided according to the degree of authority and the responsibility attached to position occupied in the administrative setting, (Koliba, Meek and Zia, 2010; Gladden, 1953) the goal being to create an environment where individuals, working together in groups can accomplish set goals with great competency (Koontz and Weihrich, 1990). In public administration, this basic function is in reality executed by administrators who have to carry out the managerial functions of planning, organizing, leading and controlling. The administrators, by virtue of their positions at the top of the hierarchy, have powers, ferreted out as administrative authority, and presented as a form of supervisor-subordinate ties (Koliba, Meek, and Zia, 2010). In this context therefore, management is considered the development of bureaucracy that derive its relevance from the need for strategic planning, coord ination, directing and controlling of large and complex decision making process basically for the acquisition of administrative competence and effectiveness in public administration setting, the objective being to make organizational set goals and targets achievable. The basic responsibilities of a manager in a public administration hierarchy boil down to performing these basic functions including planning, organizing, leading and controlling for the effective management of organizational resources for the good of the overall goal of the organization. It is effective in this regard only with the use certain basic social norms, and maybe, internal regulations, including deference and submission to those in position of authority. These fundamental social norms and internal regulations are the very foundation of the â€Å"Command and Control† structure of a public administration hierarchy (Koliba, Meek and Zia, 2010). The accountability mechanism and performance measurement syst em put in place are effective as long as there are individuals assigned with the responsibility of determining measures and mechanisms, collecting and analyzing data, and pushing the burden or transaction cost to the appropriate office (Koliba, Meek and Zia, 2010), and also, as long as the individuals do their jobs. The public administra