Journey of a Thousand Miles free essay sample

The Journey of Nishiyuu, which means The Journey of the People in Cree, began in Whapmagoostui, Quebec. several weeks ago and came to an end on Monday. Seven walkers six young people and a 49-year-old guide master left their homes in January determined to walk all the way to the nations capital. The group finally arrived in Ottawa on Monday with blisters on their feet and hundreds of new walkers by their side, as supporters joined in from several communities along the way. Police and volunteers estimated that the group was around 400 strong by the time it reached its destination. One of the original seven walkers, 18-year-old David Kawapit, said the journey has helped him cope with his depression and suicidal thoughts. It feels really good, but at the same time Im really sad that its ending, he said on Sunday. It feels really good that a lot of people are paying attention to whats going on, and that a lot of these guys that are walking with us are helping themselves on this journey. We will write a custom essay sample on Journey of a Thousand Miles or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Thousands of supporters gathered on Parliament Hill to welcome the group on Monday. The Prime Minister was invited to greet the walkers just outside his office on Parliament Hill, but he chose to spend taxpayers’ money to fly to Toronto and have his picture taken with Panda bears from China. People continued to challenge Prime Minister Harper on his lack of commitment to resolving First Nations issues. He wouldn’t meet with their leaders after Chief Spence risked her life in a hunger strike and he won’t meet with their youth after they walked 1,600kms in the spirit of unity. Sooner or later Stephen Harper will understand that First Nations people will not stop when it comes to fighting for recognition of their rights. â€Å"This government always claims it’s doing more for First Nations than any other government, but in reality they’ve done more harm than good. The dedicated young people like the Nishiyuu Walkers are doing more for us than any government. † states Grand Council Chief Patrick Wedaseh Madahbee.

20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your Story

20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your Story 20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your Story 20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your Story By Mark Nichol As Glinda the Good Witch says in The Wizard of Oz, â€Å"It’s always best to start at the beginning.† That’s where editors and literary agents generally get going, so perhaps you should, too. Here are some strategies, accompanied by exemplars from literature, for making the first line of your novel or short story stand out so that the reader can’t help but go on to the second and the third and so on to see what else you have to say: 1. Absurd â€Å"‘Take my camel, dear,’ said my Aunt Dot, as she climbed down from this animal on her return from High Mass.† Rose Macaulay, The Towers of Trebizond Are you in the mood for amusement? This opening line makes it clear that farce is in force. 2. Acerbic â€Å"The human race, to which so many of my readers belong, has been playing at childrens games from the beginning, and will probably do it till the end, which is a nuisance for the few people who grow up.† G. K. Chesterton, The Napoleon of Notting Hill Astute observations accompanied by a implied sigh of disgust are tricky to master, but Chesterton, one of the most multifaceted men of letters, lights the way for you with this sample of the form. 3. Bleak â€Å"The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.† William Gibson, Neuromancer Oh, by the way, just in case you missed the forecast? Don’t expect any fluffy bunnies or fragrant blossoms or dulcet giggles to show up in this seminal cyberpunk story. A spot-on metaphor expresses the story’s nihilism, letting you know what you’re in for and lugubriously inviting you in. 4. Confiding â€Å"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.† C. S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader The author of the Chronicles of Narnia no sooner introduces by name a new character in the latest installment than, in just five more words, he succeeds in telling you everything you need to know about him. Well, got that out of the way. 5. Cynical â€Å"Justice? You get justice in the next world, in this world you have the law.† William Gaddis, A Frolic of His Own Somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning and maybe the bed’s shoved up against the wall, and that attitude is a permanent condition. The stage is set for an unhappy beginning, middle, and ending. 6. Disorienting â€Å"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.† George Orwell, 1984 Ho-hum huh? Orwell’s opening line creates a slight but immediate discordance that sets you up for an unsettling experience. 7. Enigmatic â€Å"Once upon a time, there was a woman who discovered she had turned into the wrong person.† Anne Tyler, Back When We Were Grownups It will not surprise you to learn that the protagonist sets about retracing her steps and striving to correct the error, but after reading this subtle but striking first line, can you resist finding out how she does it? 8. Epigrammatic â€Å"The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.† L. P. Hartley, The Go-Between This offbeat observation from Hartley’s novel of painful reminiscence is a blindsidingly original statement that one will feel compelled to read about just how the writer acquired this wisdom. 9. Expository â€Å"In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing. We lived at the junction of great trout rivers in Montana, and our father was a Presbyterian minister and a fly fisherman who tied his own flies and taught others. He told us about Christ’s disciples being fishermen, and we were left to assume, as my brother and I did, that all first-class fishermen on the Sea of Galilee were fly fishermen, and that John, the favorite, was a dry-fly fisherman.† Norman McLean, A River Runs Through It By the end of this paragraph, you already know a great deal about the narrator’s family (especially the father) but thanks to the introduction, as clear as a snow-fed mountain river, you want to know more. 10. Foreboding â€Å"I have never begun a novel with more misgiving.† W. Somerset Maugham, The Razor’s Edge The author is a bit intrusive here, true enough, but it is kind of him to let us know that we’re in for a bit of unpleasantness. But if he can express such profound reluctance, it must be quite a story. 11. Gritty â€Å"There was a desert wind blowing that night. It was one of those hot dry Santa Anas that come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump and your skin itch. On nights like that every booze party ends in a fight. Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husbands’ necks. Anything can happen. You can even get a full glass of beer at a cocktail lounge.† Raymond Chandler, Red Wind Chandler, the master of hard-bitten crime noir, makes it obvious that this story is not going to end well. You can almost hear the smoky, whiskey-soured, world-weary narration in your head. And this quote comes from one of Chandler’s half-forgotten short stories. 12. Inviting â€Å"Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.† Charles Dickens, David Copperfield Dickens extends his arm toward the passageway within, welcoming you to enter what promises to be an entertaining story. 13. Picaresque â€Å"In the last years of the Seventeenth Century there was to be found among the fops and fools of the London coffee-houses one rangy, gangling flitch called Ebenezer Cooke, more ambitious than talented, and yet more talented than prudent, who, like his friends-in-folly, all of whom were supposed to be educating at Oxford or Cambridge, had found the sound of Mother English more fun to game with than her sense to labor over, and so rather than applying himself to the pains of scholarship, had learned the knack of versifying, and ground out quires of couplets after the fashion of the day, afroth with Joves and Jupiters, aclang with jarring rhymes, and string-taut with similes stretched to the snapping-point.† John Barth, The Sot-Weed Factor Oh, but you know this novel is going to be juicy. This snide introduction to the main character conveys a promise of a continuous feed of schadenfreude. 14. Pithy â€Å"Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board.† Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God Every once in a while there comes an opening line that seems to have an entire story folded up inside it. But it’s just the label on the envelope. And I challenge you to withstand the urge to open it up and read the message. 15. Poetic â€Å"We started dying before the snow, and like the snow, we continued to fall.† Louise Erdrich, Tracks A somber, stately metaphor draws us in despite the pervasively gloomy imagery. 16. Prefatory â€Å"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.† Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities Many people associate Dickens with whimsy and eccentricity, but A Tale of Two Cities is a stern study of the insanity of mob rule, and this floridly eloquent prologue sets the stage like the presenter of a Shakespearean prologue: â€Å"Epic Ahead.† 17. Romantic â€Å"He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad.† Raphael Sabatini, Scaramouche Romantic, that is, in the sense of lust for life, not love for another. This author of swashbucklers like The Sea Hawk and Captain Blood (and, of course, Scaramouche) lets you know right away that you are about to meet someone larger than life. 18. Sarcastic â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.† Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice Austen didn’t invent the word snark but she certainly refined the application of the quality. Notice, though, how subtle this line is. It’s a bon mot understated, yet with teeth behind that prim smile. 19. Sour â€Å"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing youll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.† J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye Can you find it in your heart to forgive this young man his grievously bad attitude? More likely, you’ll be impressed by and want to immerse yourself in more of his insolence. 20. Unexpected â€Å"Every summer Lin Kong returned to Goose Village to divorce his wife, Shuyu.† Ha Jin, Waiting This seemingly pedestrian introduction upends itself with an intriguing premise that raises a question in the reader’s mind that must be answered. 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 Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a UK Business LetterExcited ABOUT, not "for" Affect vs. Effect

Historical Fires School Fire New London, TX Research Paper

Historical Fires School Fire New London, TX - Research Paper Example The question was raised that where did the ignition come from? It probably is believed to have accumulated from any of the laboratories or places where shop work was going on. This incident allowed authorities to criticize school’s construction. (USFA, 2011) The Incident The richest and most finest schools of the country United States were located in New London, Texas in 1937 on the northwestern side of Rusk County where the residents of this community were immensely proud of the magnificent, modernized, E-shaped, steel-framed school building located on the Eastern Texas oilfields. In the afternoon of March 18, 1937, 18 students were preparing for Inter-scholastic meet which was scheduled next day in Houston. The Parent Teacher Meetingmet at the gymnasium. The manual training coach, Mr. Lemmie R. Butler switched on a sanding machine which comprised of a combination of air and gas but was not known to him. As he turned on the switch, it gave an ignite to the mixture of air and gas and took the flame into an almost trapped space situated underneath the building up to fifty-six feet wide and 353 feet long.(Hilliard,2012) Soon after that, everyone noticed that the building actually rose into the air and subsequently crashed into the ground. All the walls of the building smashed. The roof of the building came out and so all the students and the teachers lie there dead in a huge corpus of steel, brick and concrete. The remains of the explosion were thrown almost to a distance of 200 concrete slabs where it destroyed Chevrolet 1936. Everyone living atleast 200 feet away from the building witnessed the explosion. After fifteen minutes of the incident, the news was covered by all Western Union lines and telephone lines as well. Bewildered, all the parents at the Parent Teacher Meeting hurried to the building of the devastated school. Roughnecks from the oilfields of Eastern Texas carrying their equipment of high-duty and residents of the community came rushing by . Texas Rangers as well as the highway patrol was sent for the rescue and assistance of the injured, wounded people by Governor James Allred in an hour of the incident. (Hilliard,2012) Medical supplies and doctors were called upon from nearby Scottish Rite Hospital for Disabled Children and Baylor Hospital from Dallas and from Wichita Falls, and Nacogdoches as well. Furthermore, United Army Air Corps were brought in from Barksdale Field which is located in Shreveport, Louisiana. All these helpers were aided by the deputy sheriffs from Henderson, Overton, and Kilgore. They were also assisted by the Boy Scouts, the Salvation Army, the American Legion, the American Red Cross, and also volunteers joined from Gulf Pipe Line, Humble Oil, the International-Great Northern Railroad and Sinclair. The debris was searched by workers who began looking for the sufferers. The rescue operation was continued till the night fall and for convenience, floodlights were put up in there. Soon after the in cident, almost after seventeen hours all the wounded people as well the wreckage was taken to some other place. Dedication ceremonies were cancelled at the Mother Francis Hospital to help the wounded. Twenty five embalmers were sent in by the Directors of Texas Funeral.(Hilliard,2012) Almost 298 people died in the incident out of the staff of forty teachers and 500 student body. Out of the 202 people left, there were about 130 students who did not receive fatal injury. Some student and teachers were in desperate

Corporate Social Responsibility of Microsoft Corporation Essay

Corporate Social Responsibility of Microsoft Corporation - Essay Example Corporate Social Responsibility of Microsoft Corporation Corporate social responsibility indicates the concept whereby the business organizations, along with their business activities, aims to address the social and environmental issues through interacting with stakeholders at various levels and integrating business process with socio-environmental orientation. In this report, the inclination of the world famous technology company, Microsoft Corporation towards their corporate social responsibility will be investigates. Microsoft Corporation is the leading developer, manufacturer, licence provider and seller of computer software, hardware and services in the whole world. As on 2014, this America based company has generated revenue of US$ 93.58 billion and is responsible for employment of 118,584 individuals throughout the world (Microsoft Corporation, 2014). Naturally, in order run such widespread business, the business organization is required to interact with various entities in the global environment and society at large. Microsoft Corporation started operating in the computer software and electronics industry of United States in 1975. The founder, Mr. Bill Gates has driven the organization so efficiently that within a short span of time, it conquered the whole world. The company is renowned for its software products such as Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, Skype, Xbox etc. and services such as MSN, Bing, and Outlook etc. Xbox is considered to be the flagship hardware product for Microsoft Corporation.

Starbucks CRM Recommendations report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Starbucks CRM Recommendations report - Essay Example The coffee beverage company is located in Seattle, America. Starbucks has coffee chains all over the globe including the United Kingdom, Japan, and China. The company is widely recognized for its powerful customer care that has enabled it to enjoy customer loyalty in the beverage industry (Jargon, 2009). In reference to Keightley (2014), the act of customer journey mapping is an important method used by many organisations in order to visualize the real experience of their customers. A touch point describes the interface of a brand with the customers.In the process of an interaction, it enables the company to understand how customers visualize the company’s products in their journey. In accordance with my previous assignment, I highlighted several touch points in terms of customer experience whether positive, neutral or negative. In this report, the touch points with a baseline or a negative experience have been analysed. The recommendation report aims to narrow down on the effectiveness of the touch points and the necessary measures that should be carried out in order to achieve the business objectives of Starbucks. The process of implementing the suggested remedies is clearly outlined in the last sections of the work. The IDIC framework that has been used to analyse the effe ctiveness of the touch points is well known to render excellent results in terms of customer relationship management. The first step in this model includes the ability to reach out to the customers on an individual basis. The type of relationship developed here ensures that the business enterprise identifies its loyal customers. It does not mean that you need to know them by names but aims at finding a way to ensure that the same customer comes back for the product another day. The customers differ from each other in terms of their value to the business. This means that for a

Game Graphics Design Assessment

Game Graphics Design Assessment You have started work as a designer for Adventurer a leading games development and publication company. Adventurer was founded in 2010 and produces a consumer specialist magazine, which is referenced by other development studios as well. The magazine features information on a wide variety of computer/video games genres: it has dedicated sections for the history of computer games, retro gaming, market news, and recruitment as well as games platforms. In your role as a designer you have been given the task to carry out these key jobs. You have been asked to suggest hardware and software that the design department needs to use to create and edit computer graphics for marketing and advertising purposes. Additionally you have been asked to design a full-colour A4 double-sided leaflet to promote the new computer game called Obliterate, which is a 15 certificate game that Adventurer is looking to market. Various items including a digital image and a new logo for Adventurer will be included within the booklet. The logo should reflect the business of Adventurer: fun and entertaining. The game is of the platform genre and therefore requires eye-catching state of the art graphics suitable for a 15 certificate game-playing audience. The budget for this project is  £5000. This can be increased depending on how well the game sells through the promotion of the leaflet. This is a highly professional document and requires being fully proof-read before sending to the professional printers. The images and graphics must be supplied to the printer in any of the file formats for the following programs: Corel Draw, Publisher, Illustrator, Visio/Serif Drawplus, Paintshop Pro, GIMP, Paint, PhotoShop, Photoshop Elements, Serif Photo Plus. You must consider the size of the files and how you will supply them to the professional printers. You must consider file management techniques to enable the reprographics personnel to access your files. Also you need to consider the consequences of compression on the quality of any of the files. P1 Identify the hardware and software required to work with computer graphics. Create a table identifying hardware needed to create and edit computer graphics. State why the items of hardware you have chosen are needed. Task 1A  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Hardware. You should identify a range of (at least three)hardware of your own choice and/or from the suggested list below: Monitor Printer Graphics card Digital camera Scanner Processor Memory CD ROM Hard drive Task 1B  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Software:   Add to the table identifying the software needed to create and edit computer graphics. You need to identify a range (at least three) of Vector software or Bitmap software either of your own choice and/or from the suggested list below:  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Vector graphics software: Corel Draw/Publisher/Illustrator/Visio/Serif Drawplus Bitmap (or raster graphics) software: PaintShop Pro/GIMP/Paint/Photoshop/Photoshop Elements/Serif Photo Plus Task 2 P2 State the functions of a defined graphics software package.   State what the functions are of your chosen graphics software by stating what the function does and how it may be used when creating a graphic. Create a Table to include a column for screen prints.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Choose your own graphics software and/or from the list below: Graphics software: Publisher/Paint/Photoshop/Xara Examples of standard software functions are: Freehand draw Rotate/flip Resize Crop Group/ungroup Layout grids Special effects such as sharpen, soften, or posterise Templates (as used in) presentations, web pages, Word or Excel documents Other:   colour manipulation or shapes Colour depth:   8-bit=256 colours, 16-bit 64,000 colours   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   See next pageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ _____________________ Task 3 M1 Compare graphics software used for creating and editing graphics. Compare the features (tools and techniques), cost, strengths and weaknesses of at least three different graphics software packages that you have used for creating and editing your graphics. Create a table in Word. Task 4 P3 Describe the differences between raster (bitmap) and vector graphics. Write a brief report in Word to show your understanding of the main differences between vector and bitmap graphics.   You will need to illustrate your work with examples of your own bitmap and vector images. You must describe the type of image, the file size and differences in scaling.  ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­_________________________________________________________________________________________ Task 5A P4 Use specialist hardware to acquire images for a defined purpose. You need to take one digital image relating to the theme fun and entertaining.   The image will be included in a leaflet for the launch of a new game (in the later task P6).   You should read the scenario at the top of this assignment and consider how your digital photograph will fit in with the purpose of the leaflet for P6. For example what is the purpose of the leaflet, the house style, the colours and the size of the image. Provide evidence (screen print and annotations) of how you uploaded your digital photograph image to your PC.   Use a Word document to do this. Task 5B P4 Use specialist hardware to acquire images for a defined purpose. You need to scan a picture from a book or magazine using a scanner.   The image will be included in a leaflet for the launch of the new game (in the later task P6). Provide evidence (screen print and annotations) of how you scanned your digital picture to your PC. State the name of the scanner you used and give relevant information about the scanner. Task 6 P5 Create an original graphic for a defined user need using graphics software. You need to design and create a logo for Adventurer. You should use suitable vector software to do this. Base the design for the logo on the character or sprite you created in Unit 22. Remember the theme is fun and entertaining. See next pageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Task 7 P6 Use graphics to enhance a document incorporating acquired images and objects. Produce a double-sided leaflet using a template in Publisher, which will advertise the new Adventurer game.   This leaflet is to showcase your graphics and drawings created for this unit. You should provide before and after screenshots as evidence of any additional techniques you use such as: Resizing and positioning Cropping and text wrapping Others items you may include in your leaflet may include: Your Adventurer logo; The scanned bitmap image you did for P4; The digital bitmap photograph you did for P4; Any relevant clipart; Identifying the games platform; Stating the minimum age of player details; Suitable text and shapes Any other details you would like to include. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Task 8 M2 Use at least three advanced techniques to combine multiple images to enhance your original graphic to a near-professional standard. Examples of advanced techniques are: layers filters masks juxtaposition/superimposition of images and text multiple images changing colour balance/contrast Evidence and describe the advanced techniques you have used by stating which software package has been used as well as screenshots with annotations of the techniques carried out.  ­Ã‚ ­_________________________________________________________________________________________ Task 9 M3 Identify legal implications associated with the use of images Laws and Guidelines Part A Type up a report detailing the relevant legal issues and guidelines you had to abide by when using the graphics for your brochure.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   You must include: Copyright issues   e.g. Copyright, Design and Patents Act (1998) Permissions (e.g. photography of children, buildings, businesses) Acknowledgements Part B Within a table, you must record the copyright of any sourced images used within your graphics. You must also consider who owns the rights to the graphics/images that you have created: is it yourself or your client?   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   See next pageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Task 10 D1 evaluate the tools and techniques used to enhance your original graphic. Produce a report, which evaluates the graphics software package on its ability in allowing you to create one of your original graphics (for example your logo or a combined multiple image). Using technical terms evidence discuss how the following met the requirements within the scenario brief: Why you used the programs in the creation of the graphic and were there any constraints? Describe at least 3 advanced techniques you used for one of your graphics. Additionally you must discuss what affect the techniques had on the graphic to enable the graphic to be appropriate for inclusion in the leaflet created in Task 7. How did the graphic meet the requirements in the scenario brief? Remember your logo/combined multiple images should be fit for purpose and be of a near professional standard in order for you to produce a report to meet D1. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Task 11 D2 Present the enhanced document obtaining feedback. Present your created, sourced and edited images and graphics, along with the final enhanced document to at least 3 members of the target audience stated in the scenario brief. Use feedback sheets, questionnaires or interviews to gather the users opinions. The audience completing the feedback sheets should be told what they are reviewing and what the images are intended to do. The target audience should identify possible improvements. The images and document can be presented either as image files or showcased in a presentation or web page. Evidence for this criterion is completed feedback sheets and the final images.

Electronic Case (Corporate Finance) Essay

1. Tom believes the company should use the extra cash to pay a special one-time dividend. How will this proposal affect the stock price? How will it affect the value of the company? Electronic Timing, Inc. (ETI) needs to be careful on how it dispenses the extra cash as a dividend. Issuing the extra cash as a dividend would mean that the shareholders collectively will probably drop by the same amount because of the transfer of wealth from the company to the shareholders individually. Hence, the economic value of the company will also decrease. 2. Jessica believes that the company should use the extra cash to pay debt and upgrade and expand it existing manufacturing capability. How would Jessica’s proposals affect the company? Jessica’s proposal will support an expansionary policy for the company which can result to a higher growth rate for ETI. As to the company’s dividend policy, not issuing the extra cash as a dividend signals to the market that there are still better and more efficient uses of the cash than using it for dividends. 3. Nolan is in favor of a share repurchase. He argues will increase the company’s P/E ratio, return on assets, and return on equity. Are his arguments correct? How will a share repurchase affect the value of the company? A share repurchase if done correctly should be equivalent to the issuance of a cash dividend with the same amount as regards to effects on shareholders’ wealth. The way the share repurchases should be done in a way that it does not diminish or create shareholder wealth. Hence, Nolan’s argument that the company’s return and assets and return on equity will increase is not correct. However, the P/E ratio might go upwards for a time until the market corrects it. 4. Another option discussed by Tom, Jessica and Nolan would be to begin a regular dividend payment to shareholders. How would you evaluate this proposal? A plan to issue a regular dividend to shareholders is a start in establishing a dividend payout policy. A dividend policy signals to the market that the company is making a commitment to its shareholders and hence the company strategies will have to be aligned with that commitment. Therefore I would evaluate the proposal as regards the company’s ability to stick to it. For example, it adopts a stable dividend policy – will it be able to have cash to honor such policy year on, year off? Another factor would be does a regular dividend matter to ETI’s shareholders? Or do they prefer a different method of transferring wealth to them aside from a cash dividend? 5. One way to value a share of stock is the dividend growth, or growing perpetuity, model. Consider the following: The dividend payout ratio is 1 minus b, where b is the â€Å"retention† or â€Å"plowback† ratio. So, the dividend next year will be the earnings next year, E1, times 1 minus the retention ratio. The most commonly used equation to calculate the sustainable growth rate is the return on equity times the retention ratio. Substituting these relationships into the dividend growth model, we get the following equation to calculate the price of a share of stock today: What are the implications of this result in terms of whether the company should pay a dividend or upgrade and expand its manufacturing capability? Explain. The substituted dividend growth model is Dt=Dt-1(1+rb). This equation implies that the future dividends of the company are directly related to the amount of earnings it retains and the rate of return if makes from its investments. However, in order to attain the company’s targeted rate of return it also needs to retain more of its earnings in the company for upgrading or expanding its manufacturing plant rather than using it for cash dividends. In the expansionary phase, the company has to make trade offs – lower dividends for higher growth. 6. Does the question of whether the company should pay a dividend depend on whether the company is organized as a corporation or an LLC? No, an LLC can distribute earnings to its owners; however that distribution is not called a dividend, but rather distribution of cash or property to the partners. It is still a dividend in a different name.

Assignment: Change Models Essay

In this paper the executive at a high-end retail chain selling luxury watches, jewelry, and hand bags is in charge of the company’s first expansion in the international pool, which is about a new store open in Shanghai, China. This is only a short term objective as the company expects to open several stores in the BRIC countries, such as Brazil, Russia, India, and China, which is the long-term plan. The executive explains the chain models used to follow the short-term and long-term goals and the effects these changes would have on executives, managers, and employees from the company. Organizational Change Change is not easy to implement and plan. It requires a lot of responsibility for the ones that are impacted by it and for the ones who enforce it. Weis (2012) reminds about three types of change that can be at an organizational level, such as: developmental, transitional and transformational. Developmental change refers to improvements of what already exists. A good example of developmental change is when a company improves a procedure or a process that exists within the organization like the leave time or the update of an HR policy. There is little stress involved in such change and it does not really need to be of a larger scale and scope. The second type of organizational change reminded by Weiss (2012) is transitional change and it refers to implementing a known desired state, different from a current one. It is a type of change of a larger scale and it deals with a certain amount of stress, unlike developmental change. A good example of transitional change is the merger or acquisition procedure of a company. Another example when it comes to processes and procedures is about replacing them with new ones, like when a new technology system is installed, replacing an older one. Transitional changes can unsettle jobs, can shake things in a company, and they can also create new jobs, requiring training and hiring. The third type of change is the transformational model which requires or involves the emergence of a new and unknown state for the company. When a company moves to a new and different target market it requires different strategies, as well as skills. Another good example of transformational change is when the CEO and executives of a company want to change the culture or/and the structure of a company. This type of change is the requiring intensive focus and involving a lot of stress. It may be the most complex among all three change types. The short-term objective that needs to be implemented by the executive is the open of a new store in Shanghai, China. Being a single event it may not require such intensive focus; however, there are aspects of the matter that need to be highly considered. The strategy proposed for the opening of a new store in Shanghai is to reach the objective through a transitional change model. A good way to implement this change model is with the 7-S model. Waterman, Peters, and Philips (1980) explain that the 7-S Model for Organizational change examines seven key areas of the company, as well as the relationship of each of the elements one another. The 7 elements are grouped into two major categories, such as: soft elements and hard elements. The elements are as follows: strategy, structure, systems, shared values, style, staff, and skills. Through strategy, the company plans to maintain competitive advantage, while the structure refers to the hierarchy of the company. In both situations, the short and long-term, the hierarchy of the company suffers modifications and the executive needs to make sure the employees and everyone affected by the change are ready to experience it. Systems refer to every-day processes through the company, while shared values refer to the core value of the company. The executive will follow and enforce the shared values of the company in both the short-term and long-term events. Planning for the short-term and opening a new store in China, may be slightly difficult since it is the first time the company deals with such an action. That is why every step needs to be well calculated. It is the first time when the executive needs to come up with a plan involving the inventory of the new store, how it will be maintained, and how supply of products is made. Laws and regulations of China when it comes to retailing need to be considered properly. The first experience will be useful into creating the long-term strategy because it provides the experience necessary to such change within the company. No longer will the other managers and executives need to think locally and nationally. They have to think globally and that is a change required to be addressed in the first place. Since it involves opening a new store, the employees would be hired locally. This is a change that affects the managers because they will have to learn how the hiring process takes place in the country where the new stores are opened. The long-term strategy may not be as complex as the short-term strategy for change because there will be a precedent and the company will cope with the change easily. Conclusion Dealing with change can be challenging when a company focuses on going globally. This paper exposes the strategies an executive at a jewelry store has to deal with opening new store in China (a short-term objective) and other stores in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). Given the cultural diversity of these countries, hiring approaches, as well as the laws and regulations being different in these countries can make the achievement of the objectives more difficult. References Waterman, R. H., Peters, T. J., & Philips, J. R. (1980). Structure is not Organization. Retrieved from http://www.lmcuk.com/management-tool/the-7-s-model-for-organisational-change Weiss, J.W. (2012). Organizational Change. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Health Management Organization Essays

Health Management Organization Essays Health Management Organization Paper Health Management Organization Paper Health Maintenance Organization is a specific type managed care organization found in USA, it sets on guidelines for doctors to operate; on average it costs less care coverage then health insurance. It provides health insurance coverage on a group basis. HMO team comprises of a group of doctors and other professionals who charge a fixed monthly rate. By law, people who take part in HMO should be provided with a basic description of the plan, including what is covered and what is not and how to appeal a decision. History HMO started in early 20th Century when businesses wanted to offer prepaid medicine to their employees and HMO offered them low prices; with the main concept in mind to reduce medical cost by offering preventive medicine. However, its use dropped drastically in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The HMO Act of 1973, passed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services made HMO a part of American medical universe. The HMO Act of 1973 has main provisions: 1.   Loans and grants were provided to finance HMO. 2. If HMOs were federally certified then some state restrictions were removed. 3. Employers with at least 25 employees were required by offer federally certified HMO options. It started in 1910 when mill owners provided medical care facilities to their employees for a premium of $0.5 per member per month. However, the first HMO service considered by USA is by Ross-Loss Medical Group which was established in 1929. There are several different types of HMO; the closed panel plans are the earliest plans in which the members use physicians employed by the terms and conditions of the plan or the employer; closed panel plan allow members to select physicians from a list of physicians who are accepting new patients. Closed panel plans are generally small but account for almost 20% of HMO members. Staff model, group model and network model are all closed panel plans. On the other hand, open panel plan offers more flexibility in selecting physicians around 45% of HMO members are part of open panel plan. The rest of 35% generally receive their coverage in a variety of mixed model plans: Staff Model: In this specific model physicians are given salaries and have offices in the HMO building itself. Physicians are contract employees of the HMOs and can only see HMO patients. This model is an example of closed panel HMO. Group Model: In this typical model HMO pays salaries to a group of physicians and it’s up to the group to decide on how to divide the salary amongst them. It is also a closed panel HMO. Independent Practice Association: In this typical model, physicians maintain their own office and can come in contract with independent practice association which contracts with HMO. Maintaining own office allows physicians to see non – HMO members also. It is an open panel HMO. Network Model: In this particular model; HMOs are allowed to contract with any group – independent practice associations, individual physicians and a combination of them. It is most commonly used and allows HMOs to decide on to the members of network on the basis of skill sets and cost. Benefits HMO fixed a yearly premium for its members, which were patients; the aim was to keep these members as healthy as possible as fixed premium had to pay for all illness including serious illness as well. HMO was more convenient also as people can get health care for themselves and their families at one place without the hassle of filing complaints with the insurance companies.

Recognizing And Nurturing Intrinsic Motivation Essays - Free Essays

Recognizing And Nurturing Intrinsic Motivation Essays - Free Essays Recognizing And Nurturing Intrinsic Motivation Running head: RECOGNIZING AND NURTURING INTRINSIC MOTIVATION Recognizing and Nurturing Intrinsic Motivation: A Cautionary Tale Article Critique Recognizing and Nurturing Intrinsic Motivation: A Cautionary Tale This article related to the pre-teaching experiences of educators and the necessity for training in the identification of intrinsic motivation in the gifted learner. For far too many years, gifted learners were only thought to be the achievers in the group. Those students that were able to excel in whatever assignment was given or any task at hand were generally those identified as the gifted and talented in the group. This paper implies that this belief continues to be widely held. Those in teacher training are required to perform a given number of hours of observation in a mentor teacher's classroom prior to the completion of their program. Without adequate training in the identification of internally motivated behavior, this writer concludes that many of the teacher-identified gifted students would be missed. From the author's perspective, most of the pre-teachers doing the observations in this paper identified the teacher-pleasers as the intrinsically motivated in the classroom. Usually this type of student is most responsive to extrinsic motivation, according to the author. Future teachers need to be trained to recognize the nonconformist gifted learner as well. Too often these students are allowed to fall between the cracks because their true intrinsic motivation is never identified. They are usually labeled early on as a troublemaker or as rowdy. Failure to identify those students that only faintly demonstrate characteristics of giftedness can lead to continual classroom disruptions and the loss of potential for the student. I could not agree more strongly with the author. Having taught several vocational science classes in local high schools, I have met many students that are indeed gifted but are nonconforming holding little regard for those that do not seek to understand them on a personal level. There are many strong young minds lost every year because teachers and other professionals are not adequately trained or equipped to identify and differentiate curriculum for these underground students. According to the author characteristics of the intrinsically motivated student include: students that accept challenges willingly, those that show persistence in difficult tasks, those who exhibit curiosity, remain task-committed, and reflect satisfaction in their own efforts despite the opinion of others. The author sees this motivation as fueled by students' psychoacademic needs to control their own decisions. These students, almost by their very nature, do not exhibit the teacher pleasing characteristics so often identified with the gifted student. In fact, the author sites research indicating that extrinsic rewards (teacher pleasing) can be devastating to the intrinsically motivated student. This system lessens the ability of the child to learn and work for the satisfaction therein. The author feels these students can lose their perceived power over their decisions much more quickly than the average learner can. In the paper it is described as a fragile commodity, lost more easily than gained. The author concludes by reinforcing the need for teachers to be trained early on in the recognition and nurture of intrinsic motivation in order to foster self-esteem and a safe environment in which the gifted learner can prosper. Bibliography Lashaway-Bokina, N. (2000). Recognizing and nurturing intrinsic motivation: a cautionary tale. Roeper Review, 22(4), 225-229. Bibliography Lashaway-Bokina, N. (2000). Recognizing and nurturing intrinsic motivation: a cautionary tale. Roeper Review, 22(4), 225-229.

Police corruption Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Police corruption - Research Paper Example However, meat eaters are those corrupt police officers that intentionally and knowingly participate in activities of corruption and spend a considerable deal of time looking for such activities and situation from where they could extract personal gains. Furthermore, these police officers satisfy their conscience through reaffirming themselves that the people that target such as pimps, drug dealers and gamblers deserve such treatment and exploitation because they are destroying the society. Although, on a global level, police corruption levels within the United States may not be alarming enough, in absolute terms, police corruption is becoming a concern for the criminal justice system. For example, a recent study conducted in 13 different stats found out that only 56 percent of the people viewed police officers as having high and respectable ethical standard as compared to the 89 percent people that feel the same about nurses (Prenzler, p. 202). Furthermore, unlike other crimes and societal issues, it is difficult to uncover police corruption or obtain statistics about the same. Police officers are trained individuals to deal with crime and therefore, even if they are corrupt or involved in crimes, they know how to cover their tracks. Furthermore, whistle blowing can be extremely dangerous, life threatening and rare steps in the police department as evident from the case of Franck Serpico in the early 1970s. Nevertheless, over the past few decades, many scandals have appeared on the surface, which indicate that substantial police corruption is prevalent in several police department all across the United States (Office of International Criminal Justice, p. 16). Consider the example of Los Angeles Police Department Rampant Division in the late 1990s, which was rocked to its sheer core when the Rampant Scandal broke which implicated more than 6 dozen police officers in several misconducts. From unlawful shooting to

Internal Analysis and SWOT Analysis of Southwest airlines Term Paper

Internal Analysis and SWOT Analysis of Southwest airlines - Term Paper Example Southwest Airline started its operation in 1971 in the United States of America, and their aims have been focused on being different from the other airlines and to provide better services at a lower cost. Southwest airline is a healthier and a more composed airline company in the United States which has gained a large amount of revenues even in the hard times of recession. The weaknesses include the absence of Southwest airline in the international market and the unavailability of the business class seat arrangements. The strengths of the company overpowers its weaknesses therefore, the company is far ahead of its competitors in the competition race. It is recommended to the Board of Directors and the CEO that Southwest Airline has the leading market share in the competition but it cannot solely compete on the basis of low cost but it has to develop some further core competencies in order to compete in the market. The airline firm must always make their employees productive and fuel hedging should be avoided. Introduction: Southwest Airline began its operation in 1971 in the United States of America, and their aims have been focused on being different from the other airlines and to provide better services at a lower cost (Southwest Airline, 2012). This report is a proposal to the Board of Directors and CEO of the Southwest Airline which focuses on the internal analysis of the Southwest Airline. The paper would accomplish the task of analyzing the performance of the company and synthesizing the int ernal analysis with the external analysis of the Southwest Airline. Finally, the paper provides the results and findings about the company’s overall SWOT analysis and provides recommendations to the responsible authorities about Southwest Airlines performance. Strengths Rating Southwest airline is the low-cost carrier operating in the United States 5 The company remains higher ranked airline in terms of customer satisfaction 4 The airline hires the best people, best people for the best job 4 It was the first airline to introduce online ticket 5 Southwest has over 550 Boeing aircrafts which reduces training cost 4 Fuel hedge contract helps in managing the fuel cost effectively 4 Total 26 Weaknesses Rating The absence of Southwest airline in the international market 5 The seating arrangements are not classified for the business class 3 The aircrafts could not carry a large amount of freight 3 The airline tickets are directly available through the internet without intermediary 3 The flexibility in the fare is limited 3 Total 17 Results and Analysis: Southwest airline is a healthier and a more composed airline company in the United States which has gained a large amount of revenues even in the hard times of recession. The airline has innovated many processes as online ticketing and airfreight delivery and has been operating domestically in 42 states but however the company has not achieved its greater heights because of showing resistance in expanding the business internationally. Apart from that, the Southwest airline is considered to be the leading airline in terms of revenues and customer satisfaction (Lauer, 2010). Resource-based view framework: This is a management technique which is used to determine the competitive advantage of a company. In order to achieve success, a company must have operations and resources which should be distinctive from its competitors. In the first step, resources of Southwest airline should be identified in order to understa nd the core competencies of the company (Gittell, 2003). Tangible Resources: Southwest airline consists of 550 Boeing aircrafts which are operated in 97 destinations domestically. The company has a large amount of expert managers and technicians which are considered to be their assets. The company has a total assets worth of $18 Billion (Southwest Airlin