Character Is Destiny - 2530 Words

â€Å"Character is Destiny† is a phrase associated with Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher of the 6th century BC who is recognized as one of the most significant philosophers before Socrates and Plato. Unfortunately, very little is known about his life other than what can be gathered from his own statements. Heraclitus lived in Ephesus, an important city on the Ionian coast of Asia Minor, not far from Miletus, the birthplace of philosophy. Ancient biographies of him consist of nothing more than inferences or imaginary constructions based on his sayings (Graham). However, the renowned philosopher Frederick Nietzsche, who drew upon the work of Heraclitus for inspiration, claims that Heraclitus believed â€Å"that a persons character is innate and†¦show more content†¦Though Apollo spurned him and sent him away, first he revealed to Oedipus that â€Å"You are fated to couple with your mother, you will bring a breed of children into the light no man can bear to see  œ you will kill your father, the one who gave you life!† (Sophocles 638). Like Larius, Oedipus did everything he could to prevent his terrible fate. Upon hearing this prophecy, Oedipus fled from the city of Corinth and vowed never to return as long as Polybus and Merope, who he believed to be his parents, were still alive. As Oedipus is leaving the city he encounters a horse drawn chariot that forces him off the road. As the chariot goes by, Oedipus hits the driver in anger and the man swings back. Oedipus hits him with a blow that knocks him out of the chariot, and the man falls dead to the ground (Sophocles 638-639). Unbeknown to Oedipus, the man he killed was his real father. After this, Oedipus continues his travels, coming to the city of Thebes. Here people are facing great misfortune. King Laius had been killed, the city is suffering from a plague, and they are at the mercy of The Sphinx, who was causing destruction because no one was able to solve her riddle. Oedipus so lves the riddle and puts an end to the monster’s reign. In their joy the people of Thebes name Oedipus their king and presentShow MoreRelatedCharacter Is Destiny Essay1067 Words   |  5 PagesCharacter is destiny. Heraclitus, Greek philosopher (c. 540-c. 475 B.C.) This famous quote has birthed many ideas and philosophies about life and our final destination. Similarly, in Thomas Hardys The Mayor of Casterbridge, issues about life, character, fate and destiny are explored. Ironically, the quote about character being our destiny is being challenged and questioned over and over again in the context of this tragic novel. Indeed, Henchard is a victim of his own delusions. He has falselyRead MoreThe Sword Of Destiny Character Analysis1585 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Sword of Destiny† by Andrej Sapkowski is a fantasy book about a monster hunter a.k.a. â€Å"Witcher†, which pursuits the love of his life, a sorceress. Seen as a monster and an abomination of nature, Geralt, â€Å"the Witcher†, deals in the same time with his destiny confrontation, and with racism. Even if the book uses a fantasy setting the theme of racism deals with real life problems, like the perception of the mases on minorities. On the other hand, â€Å"To Kill a Mocking Bird† by Harper Lee takes a moreRead More The Strong Character and Unavoidable Destiny of Oedipus Rex Essay938 Words   |  4 PagesThe Strong Character and Unavoidable Destiny of Oedipus Rex    Oedipus the King, by Sophocles is about Oedipus, a man doomed by his fate. Like most tragedies, Oedipus the King contains a tragic hero, a heroic figure unable to escape his own doom. This tragic hero usually has a hamartia, a tragic flaw, which causes his downfall. The tragic flaw that Sophocles gives Oedipus is hubris (exaggerated pride or self-confidence), which is what caused Oedipus to walk right into the fate he sought toRead MoreEssay about Characters vs. Destiny in As You Like It1956 Words   |  8 Pagesagain, and is still being argued over time and time again. Whether the author knew it or not, Shakespeare explored this question in his play As You Like It through the characters of the play. Characters who, like so many of his others, display typical human natures. Shakepeare seems to have captured a spirit in all of his characters that is so true to life that almost anyone can relate in some way or another. Shakespeare is a writer who seems to so easily capture the true nature of people. OfRead MoreThe Taken King, And Rise Of Destiny : The Development Of The Game1116 Words   |  5 PagesThe Destiny 2 beta begins in 7 days. It starts July 18, 2017 on a Tuesday. Its 184 hours away, or 11,040 minutes, or 662,400 seconds away. I am hyped for this if you cannot tell. The reason for this restlessness is because on July 17th, 2014, when the first Destiny beta released I was reassured that it would become maybe my favorite fps of all time. With the release of the full game in September 7, 2014 it became a top 3 Fps for me to play. But, I always felt like there could be more. I always feltRead MoreForrest Gump Analysis Essay1125 Words   |  5 PagesGump, the concept of destiny is viewed by the characters in various different ways. Lieutenant Dan believes in predetermined destiny, Jenny spends her entire life trying to take control of her destiny, and Forrest simply takes life one step at a time, believing that destiny is about the journey. Although each character is faced with poor circumstances, Forrest’s view about destiny leads him through the best life compared to the others. Early in the film, Jenny Curran’s character experiences horrifyingRead More Human Destiny and Chance in Thomas Hardys The Mayor of Casterbridge1228 Words   |  5 PagesHuman Destiny and Chance in Thomas Hardys The Mayor of Casterbridge Present readers might perceive that Thomas Hardys viewpoint in the novel The Mayor of Casterbridge is severe and depressing. However, most people adored Hardy during his living years. In an era when the Industrial Revolution was bringing dramatic and sometimes disturbing changes to England, he celebrated the nations roots in its rustic past. In an era when new ideas like Darwins theory of evolution challenged long establishedRead MoreRun Lola Run and Related Texts.1339 Words   |  6 Pagesdistinctive experiences, Evaluating the idea that visual images give us distinct experiences and how certain experiences can change our destiny. I will discuss this question using my chosen theme that is destiny, In Tom Tyker’s Run Lola Run and my related text Charlie Kaulfmans and Michael Gondrys Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind. Tom Tyker uses the theme of destiny to show how interaction between individuals can create a distinctive experience. Read MoreFate And Fate1431 Words   |  6 Pagesof the central characters are compelled to challenge. In Homer s Iliad, fate constantly appears to be hiding around the bend, sitting tight for its next prey to meet his or her predetermined course, which is at last demise. Indeed, still the divine beings are unfit to halt or mediate over the span of fate. However, in spite of the calamity and anguish that fate serves, it also appears that free will in the Iliad is not obsolete. Choices are carried out, when confronted with destiny, and despite theRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Antigone By Sophocles1182 Words   |  5 Pagestragedies. As for the characters in Antigone, their fates end up being unavoidable, whether it is due to the reason that they refused to accept it until it was very late, or they accepted the fate and permitte d it to come to pass. The character’s lives possess set conclusions, and there exits some clues on what these conclusions shall be, and when they shall happen. The characters are frequently capable of knowing their fate and reacting to it. At certain periods, characters accept their fate since

Comparing the Poems City Jungle by Pie Corbett, London by...

Comparing the Poems City Jungle by Pie Corbett, London by William Blake and Londinium by Catatonia City Jungle by Pie Corbett, London by William Blake and Londinium by Catatonia are poems that share the same theme: cities and city life. They each have negative opinions of cities and similar themes and messages, that cities are unpleasant. The poems are however, vastly different in their style; City Jungle has a fun atmosphere, whereas Londinium and London have depressing atmospheres (especially London). City jungle is simple, direct and modern title that paradoxically compares cities to jungles; both are over crowded, hostile places though are opposite extremes on the spectrum of†¦show more content†¦In Londinium Catatonia (a famous singer/song writer from Wales) autobiographically expresses that she would like to leave London and go, perhaps home to Wales because of the capitalism, commercialism and pollution of London. Both London and Londinium are written in the first person narrative in such a style that it is like the poet is talking to us. Blake describes to us what he sees as he walks around London and Catatonia communicates her opinions of London whilst she is in a taxi. City Jungle is written in narrative but in the third person, unlike London and Londinium. London is written in an old fashioned, formal style, the language Londinium is colloquial and the language in City Jungle is metaphorical. The atmospheres of all three poems are fundamentally the same, depressing, negative and sinister. However the poets approaches to the depression and negativity are quite different. Although City Jungle depressing it has a comical and bizarre atmosphere, A motorbike snarls; Dustbins flinch.. London has an apparently depressing atmosphere, as does Londinium. It is clear to see that Blake is genuinely distressed by what he sees when walking around London, Catatonia merely finds the place unpleasant and has a desire to leave it. City Jungle absolutely brims with imagery, metaphors

Demand And Supply of Lauric Oil free essay sample

What is lauric oil? And what are its applications? Lauric oil is the common name of coconut oil and palm kernel oil, both are derived from species of palms and are distinguished from other fats by their high content of lauric acid (44 to 52 percent) (Codex Stan, 2009). Because of the low molecular weight of their acids, these fats feature a very low degree of unsaturation and a relatively low melting point. These oils are highly resistant to oxidation. Coconut oil is obtained from coconut copra, which is dried coconut meat (Fife Bruce, 2005). Palm kernel oil is obtained from the kernel of the fruit. Both products are available in different grades (Peter KV Kurain, 2007). Crude Coconut Oil known as CNO is used in the manufacture of amines and industrial soaps. It typically has higher free fatty acid content than ordinary vegetable oils. Edible Coconut Oil has been refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD). It is an important feedstock for oleochemicals and a component for resins. Surfactants produced from coconut oil are used in soaps, detergents, shampoos and emulsifiers. In the edible field, it can be found in ice cream, ice cream coatings, popping oil and as spray oil. Hydrogenated Coconut Oil is used as a shortening, in coffee whitener, whipped dessert toppings and in confectionery products. (Mike Foale, 2003) Palm Kernel Oil known as PKO, its availability is more reliable than coconut oil because the biggest producing country Malaysia does not suffer from the droughts and typhoons which plague the Philippines and other coconut oil producing countries. The two oils can be used interchangeably, although PKO has a higher iodine value and higher content of unsaturated acids. Industrially, it is used mainly in soaps. Edible uses include margarine and confectionery products. Rajah Rasiah Azmi Shahrin, 2006) Both CNO and PKO are considered as commodities and it’s getting more and more important in the international market due to the widely usage for many applications both in edible and non-edible products (Thomas H. Applewhite, 1994). Page 3 2. FACTORS AFFECTING DEMAND 2. 1 Population and food demand It is becoming increasingly difficult to sati sfy the rising global demand for food in a sustainable manner. Main reason contributes to the uncertainty in our ability to meet the food demand is the world population growth. Each day 200,000 more people are added to the world food demand. The world’s human population has increased near fourfold in the past 100 years (Robert Engelman, 2011); it is projected to increase from 6. 7 billion at 2006 to 9. 2 billion by 2050, as shown in below Figure 2. 1. Every new people added each day, which will need lots resources, especially food and food related resources. Figure 2. 1 Global Population Estimates and Projections (Source: http://www. grida. no/graphic. aspx? f=series/rr-food-crisis/figure04. jpg) Page 4 2. 2 Crude oil and biodiesel High crude oil prices signal the world that substitute transportation fuels are needed, and for the time being, the primary source of substitute fuel is biodiesel, which a truly renewable resource and burns clean, keeps our skies and soil clean. Biodiesel is a kind of blended fuel made from animal fats, advanced non-food alternative crops and natural vegetable oils, which including lauric oil as one of the major resource. (Gerhard Knothe, 2005) Edible vegetable oil is expected to remain the major feedstock used to produce biodiesel as shown in below figure2. 2. Figure 2. Global Biodiesel Productions by Feedstock (Source: OECD FAO, http://www. oecd. org/document/9/0,3746,en_36774715_36775671_45438665_1_1,00. html) World biodiesel prices are expected to continue to rally in future. Over the Outlook period, biodiesel prices are expected to remain firm as policies promoting green fuel use are being implemented and crude oil prices are expected to remain strong. Global biodiesel producti on is projected to continue to expand rapidly over the next ten years. (Esmarie Swanepoel, 2007) Page 5 2. 3 Prices of palm and other vegetable oils As shown in below Figure 2. 3. Since 2007, a price band has appeared linking vegetable oil prices to petroleum prices, within a price band with vegetable oils at a premium. We see that a price band is in place, which only emerged in 2007. If prices of vegetable oils move too far above crude oil, a correction occurs to close the gap, and typically this correction occurs rapidly. We saw such a correction in 2008 and there was again a quick correction early this year. The sensitivity of biofuel demand to the gap between vegetable oil and crude oil prices is what has created this new link between vegetable oil and petroleum prices. As well as Luric shown in Figure 2. 4 which also does not escape from this price band, especially the price floor of CNO and PKO will set by the price of crude palm oil known as CPO. (James Fry, 2011) Figure 2. 3 Vegetable oil prices V. S Crude oil price (Source: Palm Oil Conference, http://www. lmc. co. uk/Report. aspx? id=4repID=4349flag=67073) Page 6 Figure 2. 4 PKO CPO prices V. S Crude oil price (Source: Palm Oil Conference, http://www. lmc. co. uk/Report. aspx? id=4repID=4349flag=67073) 2. 4 Important events of year 2011 2011 is a year of great economic uncertainty, a small country like Greece, maller than most provinces in China, creating economic instability in the whole of the Euro region. What is even more perplexing is the inability of other more rich Euro countries to resolve this problem which has been around for over a year. In another side if world, the world’s second largest economy – China, is losing momentum, the government reported inflation cooled t o 4. 2 per cent last month from 5. 5 per cent in October. New figures show Chinas industrial production slowed to its slowest pace in two years in November. Chinas economy has been slowing with growth expected to drop below nine per cent in 2012. GDP growth in the quarter that ended in September was 9. 1 per cent. The Macro economic situation in Euro – land, USA and in China is going to play a very important role in demand price behaviour over the next 12 months. (Dorab E Mistry, 2011) Page 7 3. FACTORS AFFECTING SUPPLY 3. 1 Climate According to the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community, coconut production has been affected globally by climate changes during the last two years. As a result, the production in all major coconut producing countries like Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka has been reeling. Sri Lankan production has recorded a 15 year low of 2. 33 Billion nuts in 2010 as against the annual average production of 2. 7 Billion nuts. The rise in domestic price has compelled the Sri Lankan Government to ban export of coconut and felling of coconut palms, and even arranging imports of nuts (K. Satheesh Babu, 2010). The recovery in copra production in Philippines has been postponed recently. Over the years, due t o the major climate events such as typhoon and flood, Philippines and India have given us a classic example on how to allow an agricultural crop to decline and to keep declining. Datum showed that CNO production in 2011 declined by about 300,000 tones. On the other hand, Palm Kernel oil production was up by at least 700,000 tones, in parallel with the surge in CPO production. Hence overall, lauric oil production expands by about 400,000 tones. (Dorab, 2011) 3. 2 Incremental Supply forecast for 2011 – 2012 As shown in below Figure 3. 1 3. 2, Global coconut oil is dominated by Indonesia, Philippines and India; Global palm oil production is dominated by Indonesia and Malaysia. But as mentioned earlier, both Philippines and India are suffering production plunge due to climate issues, lack of appropriate reactions and facing strong domestic demand. Hence, possible significant incremental FOR Lauric oil will only from Indonesia which the dominated producing country for both CNO and PKO. Both Coconut oil and Palm oil production is very land-intensive and growth projections for Indonesia will require the conversion of millions of hectares of forest into plantations in the years to come (Vinay Chand, 2011). For 2012, CNO is expected to recover but that recovery appears to be postponed and insignificant as of current indications. On the other hand, PKO production rose about 700,000 tonnes in 2011, but next year, in 2012, it will rise by much less (Dorab, 2011). Page 8 Country Indonesia Philippines India Sri Lanka Brazil Thailand Viet Nam Mexico Papua New Guinea United Republic of Tanzania Coconut Production (MT) 2009 21,565,700 15,667,600 10,148,000 2,099,000 1,973,370 1,380,980 1,128,500 1,004,710 930,000 577,099 Figure 3. 1 World Top Ten Countries by Coconut Production (Source: FAO 2009, http://www. mapsofworld. com/world-top-ten/world-map-coconut-production-countries. html) Figure 3. 2 World Palm Oil Productions (Source: Oil World, GAPKI, http://arieyoedo. blogspot. com/2011/05/approach-and-strategy-for-developing. tml) Page 9 3. 3 New policy highlights The news on the recovery in CNO production is getting more doubtful with each passing day. Export availability of CNO and PKO from Indonesia will be constrained as a result of the new Export Tax Regime. It seems that those who have to consume CNO or PKO are in a hard time for 2012 (Dorab, 2011). 4. ANALYSIS 4. 1 USD per MT Past record for Lauric oil prices Figure 4. 1 CNO PKO prices reco rd from Year 2001 – 2011 (Source: Datum extracted from Weekly Bulletin of United Coconut Associations of the Philippines) Page 10 Figure 4. 2 CNO PKO prices record for 2011 (Source: Datum extracted from Weekly Bulletin of United Coconut Associations of the Philippines) Note the erratic price fluctuations from 2007 onwards, shows Lauric oil prices reacting both to the demand increases and major world incidents as a mixed pattern, for example, demand growth of biodiesel starting from 2006 triggered prices double in 2007 and 2008, economic crisis in 2nd half of 2008 had brought the prices down to the floor level of USD 600 – 700/MT. After crisis, the Lauric oil demand from China and demand for biodiesel were still strong and kept increasing over the year, this brought the prices up to the historical height as USD 2320/MT, which almost triple of the year 2007 prices. As mentioned earlier, due the uncertainties of the Macro economic situation happened in Euro –land and USA early this year, as well as the pessimistic sentiment for China economy, the prices has adjusted to form the new floor price, USD 1,000 – 1,100/MT in Oct, 2011. Without further plunge, the flood in Thailand, monsoon in Indonesia and typhoon in Philippines had seriously affecting the current and future supply which is bringing the prices up again (UCAP Weekly Bulletin, 2011). Page 11 4. 2 Demand and supply analysis As learnt in the text book and illustrated in below Figure 4. 3, the law of demand and law of supply showed us that assume all other things being equal, the higher the price of a product, the lower the demand. The higher the price of a good, the greater is the quantity supplied (David Begg Damian Ward, 2009). Figure 4. 3 Demand and Supply Curve (Source: http://news. charlesayoub. com/article/1653/Supply%20and%20demand) Based on the past price record and all above mentioned affecting factors, the likelihood of demand and supply for Lauric oil in 2012 might be shown as an increase in both demand and supply, but more evidences showed that supply will only increase in minor amount or even remain unchanged. The effects are illustrated in below Figure 4. 4 4. 5. No matter which pattern will occur next year, Lauric oil prices increase will be inevitable if all other affecting or influencing factors remain unchanged. Page 12 Figure 4. 4 Effects of an increase in demand and supply remain unchanged (Source: http://www. raybromley. com/notes/equilchange. html) Figure 4. 5 Effects of an increase in both demand and supply, but supply increases less than demand (Source: http://www. raybromley. com/notes/equilchange. html) Page 13 5. CONCLUSION The market for Lauric oil is unusual, because in the short term that both demand and supply are inelastic. In other words, a relatively large change in price only has a small impact on demand, where small changes to the supply or demand curve cause large changes to the price (David, 2009). In a nutshell, next one year will be a tug of war between bullish fundamentals and a somewhat uncertain macroeconomic situation; besides all affecting and influencing factors mentioned earlier, we have to watch the US Dollar also. A rally in the US Dollar will stabilize prices and put a ceiling on them. Any weakness in the US Dollar will result in higher prices.

Memo Monitoring System Essay Example

Memo Monitoring System Essay Information Technology (IT) has become the order of the day in this 21st century. IT has grown very fast in this past years that in virtually everything we do there is a little bit of IT. Areas that have had a fair share of this technological impact include Banking and Finance, Airline transportation, healthcare delivery services and education. Thanks to IT everything is now simple and easy. The Ghana Revenue Authority currently maintains all the employees’ records manually, which is very expensive, tedious and time-consuming. For example, the employees’ memo details are with the human resource department, financial records are with the accounts department and memo’s about staff welfare is with the welfare department. This paper-based system takes a lot of time of the employees. Occasionally, the employees in the accounts department were finding difficult to manage memo, in its recent Annual General Meeting (AGM), the organization has decided to automate all types of record keeping, and provided easy to use programs for its employees. To overcome these problems faced by Ghana revenue authority, an electronic management system called â€Å"Memo Monitoring System (E MMSys)† is developed to automate all existing paper-based system of Ghana Revenue Authority as well as other back office activities. 1. 1 Aims and Objectives OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT The business goal for the development of the Memo Monitoring System (E-MMSys) application is to support and increase the productivity of the Authority. The application provides complete automation of all existing manual systems of Authority with the following objectives: ) Maintain an electronic record system of all current paper-based taxpayers and employee information; b) Enables easy access and fast retrieval of employee and administrative information. c) Provision of employee search facility. d) Generation of appropriate employee and administrative reports. e) The ability to send emails to employees. 1. 2 Project Category Application Software 1. 4 Scope of Projec t Project Scope and Features The Memo Monitoring System (MMsys) enables the processing of new memos, outgoing and incoming memos status, and its related information. We will write a custom essay sample on Memo Monitoring System specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Memo Monitoring System specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Memo Monitoring System specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The main users of the MMsys system are administrative staff and booking counter employees of the Ghana Revenue Authority From an end-user’s perspective, the system consists of two functional elements: Security Module and Query Module. Security Module The Security Module includes security features like user management and application level password management as well as the following: * Maintains a user master each user is identified by a user name and user type. It is only an admin user who can create and edit user information. Password must be 6 characters long. * Password must be alpha numeric. * While creating a user, the system assigns a default password for the user. The user must change the default password at first login. * All login time stamps are stored in the system for security audit. * Access level, roles and privileges are set for different type of users. Query Module The query module generates screen information for a particular PRN No given. It shows all detai ls about memo handling including current status. The functionality of the Query Module is described in more detail later in this document. All these arrears of functionality are delivered in the first version of the Memo Monitoring System (MMsys). Individual module functionality is described in more detail later in the document. 1. 5 Tools/Platform Type| Software| Hardware| Work Station/ Node| 1. Windows XP or Higher2. VB Run time| 1. P-4 2. RAM -1 GB | Database Server| 1. Win2003 Standard Server or Higher| 1. P-42. RAM- 2GB3. Hard Disk-160GB| Application Server| 1. Win 2003 Advance Server or above| 1. P-42. RAM- 1GB3. Hard Disk-80GB| 1. 6 Limitation Project Limitations The following features are considered out of scope in this version (version 1. 0) of the Memo Monitoring System. Version 2. 0 shall however address these features and other functions deemed not feasible in the version 1. 0. Function| Comment| Version| Linking and integration of any legacy system for handling of records. | Required by management to control and maintain memo record activity| 2| Integration with other public organisation and government machinery. Helps to update and share the data| 2| Connection to third-party Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) applications. | Helps in performance reporting and forecasting. | 2| Sophisticated system to enable hosting of mmsys on the internet and connecting to all departments. | Enable global accessibility of the system. | 2| Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system between different departments. | Aimed to reduce costs and time in the data sharing. | 2| 1. 7 Methodolo gy Introduction The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the research methodology used to btain information from a representative sample of employees from the Ghana Revenue Authority on the various issues identified under the Problem Definition in Chapter 1. Questionnaires and semi-structure interviews were used to obtain the primary data from respondents and the project utilized the data from this source to address the research problem. Organization Interviews Due to a general scarcity of literature specifically related to the application of information technology in the Revenue organization, a face-to-face industry interviews was chosen in conjunction with the literature review. This approach was chosen to gain a better understanding of the main issues that confronted the revenue organization as well as what could impact the successful implementation an e-business solution within the revenue organization. Requirements Summary The following preliminary lists are based on the initial interview that was conducted with some management officials of the Ghana Revenue Authority. Chapter Two Literature Review Little research has been conducted into how information technology has successfully been implemented and the associated benefits specifically in the revenue organisation. Based upon a series of interviews held with revenue officers, operation managers, and administrative staff from the Ghana Revenue Authority, this project work puts forward a solution to automate the existing manual and semi-automated activities of the Ghana Revenue Authority. In the late 1991’s and early 21st century many organizations found that their Information Technology budgets have been rising dramatically with little evidence of the promised financial returns. Many references have expounded on the numerous potential benefits to be gained by e-business and new technology implementation. However, much of this literature appears to emanate from those with direct commercial interests, and little offers empirical analysis of early theoretical claims and promises. Revenue workers are not newcomers to communication technology, with many organizations having implemented a memo management system for some time. The e-business environment tends to be a â€Å"collaborative† one moving towards an integrated supply chain. This indicates that the greater risk and inhibitor for the memos may be their reluctance to collaborate. Little has been documented on the potential barriers to adopting e-business and information technologies due to this cultural shift. Anecdotal evidence indicates that sophisticated technology projects in transfer of document and memos have been delayed or failed due to these traditional â€Å"cultural/mindset† factors, along with a general conservative fear of sharing tacit knowledge with both competitors and partners. Despite numerous scares associated with the technology crashes in the late nineties, the market for e-business services continues to grow. It is clear that the transportation industry will continue to operate in an increasingly e-enabled environment in the future. The anticipation is that emerging e-business technologies will be used to create a more effective and efficient transport service. This will be achieved through the use of technology, such as scanning, real-time data access, data warehousing and data mining techniques, sophisticated applications and intelligent management information systems. 2. 1 Problem definition The Ghana Revenue Authority currently maintains all the employees’ records manually, which is very expensive, tedious and time-consuming. For example, the employees’ memo details are with the human resource department, financial records are with the accounts department and memo’s about staff welfare is with the welfare department. This paper-based system takes a lot of time of the employees. Occasionally, the employees in the accounts department were finding difficult to manage memo, in its recent Annual General Meeting (AGM), the organization has decided to automate all types of record keeping, and provided easy to use programs for its employees. 2. 2 Project planning 2. 3 Project Scheduling (Gantt chart/ PERT chart) GANTT CHART PERT CHART Chapter Three Design Methodology The purpose of this chapter is to provide the details of the solution concept that are associated with the Memo Monitoring System. The â€Å"MMSys† consists of: * Security Modules Security modules include security features like user management and application level password management. * Query Modules. A powerful query module give on screen information for particular PRN no, system user can view all information for particular memo in one screen by entering PRN no. System Architecture High Level Solution Architecture Data ACCESS Data Warehouse OLAP Access Data Access OLTP Access | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Search and Retrieval of Information Transactional Facade Retrieval Facade System Windows Application Microsoft VB Run Time Microsoft SQL ENGINE Database Engine Query 3. 1 Analysis (DFDs, ER diagrams/Class diagrams) Top Level DFD Received Memo Outgoing Memo - Train No Memo Monitoring System / Transit - Fare Rules - Stations PRN PRN Incoming Memo Sent Memo 1st Level DFD - Users Search PRN 1 - Memo in Transit Administration Returned Memo 3 - Employees Details 3. 2 A complete structure 3. 2. 1 Number of Modules 3. 2. 2 Data structures as per the project requirement for all modules AND Implementation Methodology Development Tools and Technologies Front End 1. Visual Basic 2008 Why Visual Basic 2008? Visual Basic is built on the Windows Server System to take major advantage of the Operating System which comes with a host of different servers. This allows for building, deploying, managing and maintaining Windows Based solutions. The Windows Server System is designed with performance as priority and it provides robustness, scalability and reliability. The advantage of VB. NET includes: * Powerful Windows-based Applications * Simplified Deployment * Powerful, Flexible, Simplified Data Access * Improved Coding * Direct Access to the OS Platform * Object-Oriented Constructs Back End 1. MS SQL Server 2008 Why MS SQL Server 2008? MS SQL Server 2008 is a desktop Relational Database Management System that supports small application development with features like relational query, different data types, joins, and query. It includes: * Easy to use and easy to deployment. * Integration with Windows OS * Scalability * Import and Export of data in all major database system. * Centralized Management * Reliability * Automating Tasks Development Environment 1. Visual Studio 2008 2. MS SQL Server Standard 2008 Design Goals and Constraints Performance No more than 10-percent degradation in average query response is allowed while all concurrent users are using the system. Processor utilization should not exceed 80 percent when all concurrent users are using the system. Availability Because the system is accessed by users at various offices and other administrative staff for customer query, there should not be any single point of failure. Reliability Because of the need for no single point of failure, automatic failover will be required. In addition, existing disaster recovery and backup plans as well as procedures must be revised to incorporate the memo monitoring system Scalability The memo monitoring System on an average will have a load of 35 concurrent users after the system is fully operational. This is expected to grow by 3 percent each year for the next five years. Security For sensitive member information, all users will need to log on to the system with their user username and password. Every resource in the system is defined by a role and a privilege. System administrator assigned user roles and privileges for access rights. Use Case Model: Manage Users Administrator Update Navigate Users User Modify Details Apply Validation Use Case Model: Manage outgoing and incoming memo User Administrator Transaction Incoming memo Outgoing Memo Validation Supervisor Memo in Transit 3. 2. 4 List of report Chapter Four System Implementation 4. 1 Implementation of security mechanisms at various levels. Chapter Five Future scope and further enhancement of the project This project was developed to fulfill user and business requirement; however there are lots of scopes to improve the performance of the Memo Monitoring System especially in the area of user interface, database performance, query processing time etc. In line with the above, there are many arrears of functionality for the future enhancement of this project. The future enhancements that are possible in the Version 1. 1. 0 of this project are: * Integration with other public organization through Web Services; * Connection to third-party OLAP applications; * Data and system security; * Online tips and help functionalities. * Query optimization. Appendix Terms Definition Source Codes Bibliography/References CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1. 3 BACKGROUND STUDY Information Technology (IT) has become the order of the day in this 21st century. IT has grown very fast in this past years that in virtually everything we do there is a little bit of IT. Areas that have had a fair share of this technological impact include Banking and Finance, Airline transportation, healthcare delivery services and education. Thanks to IT everything is now simple and easy. The Ghana Revenue Authority currently maintains all the employees’ records manually, which is very expensive, tedious and time-consuming. For example, the employees’ memo details are with the human resource department, financial records are with the accounts department and memo’s about staff welfare is with the welfare department. This paper-based system takes a lot of time of the employees. Occasionally, the employees in the accounts department were finding difficult to manage memo, in its recent Annual General Meeting (AGM), the organization has decided to automate all types of record keeping, and provided easy to use programs for its employees. To overcome these problems faced by Ghana revenue authority, an electronic management system called â€Å"Memo Monitoring System (E MMSys)† is developed to automate all existing paper-based system of Ghana Revenue Authority as well as other back office activities. 1. DEFINITION OF TERMS 1. 5. 1 RECORD: An item or collection of data. 1. 5. 2 DATABASE: A database is an organized collection of data, today typically in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality (for example, the availability of offices in organization), in a way that supports processes requiring this information (for example, sending an information around about vacancies in the organization). 1. 3 PROBLEM DEFFINITION Ghana Revenue Authority maintains all the employees and accounting records manually, which is expensive, tedious and time-consuming. People need to look in different places to get different bits of information. For example, the employees personal details are with the human resource department, the financial records are with the accounts department and staffs welfare memo is with the welfare department. The paper-based systems take a lot of time of the employees. Occasionally, the employees in the accounts department were finding difficult to manage data, in its recent Annual General Meeting (AGM), the organization has decided to automate all types of record keeping, and provided easy to use programs for its employees. . 4 REQUIEREMENT (SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE): 1. 4. 1 HARDWARE * RAM 3GB or Greater * PROCESSOR 2. 0GHz 1. 4. 2 SOFTWARE * ORACLE (Back End) * VISUAL BASICS (Front End) 1. 4. 3 OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows Vista Professional or Windows 7 Professional/Ultimate 1. 5 OBJECTIVES The business goal for the development of the Memo Monitoring System (E-MMSys) application is to support and increase the productivity of the Authority. The application provides complete automation of all existing manual systems of Authority with the following objectives: ) Maintain an electronic record system of all current paper-based taxpayers and employee information; g) Enables easy access and fast retrieval of employee and administrative information. h) Provision of employee search facility. i) Generation of appropriate employee and administrative reports. j) The ability to send emails to employees. 1. 6 LIMITATIONS The Memo Monitoring System (E MMSys) currently does not permit the simultaneous use of the application by more than 70 users. 1. 7 METHODOLOGY Microsoft Access was used as the platform to design Memo Monitoring System (E MMSys). The Database has the following components. * Fifteen(15) Tables * Twenty (20) Forms * Twenty Five (25) Queries * Fifteen(15) Reports * Nineteen (19) Micros CHAPTER TWO 2. 1LITERATURE REVIEW Information Technology (IT) has become the order of the day in this 21st century. IT has grown very fast the past years that everything we do is made possible and very efficient by IT. An example of this impact is seen in areas such as hospital patients records system, banking customers account information of which Ghana revenue authority is no exception. Little research has been conducted into how information technology has successfully been implemented and the associated benefits especially in staff record management system. Based upon a series of interviews held with management and staff of Ghana Revenue Authority, this project work puts forward a solution to automate the existing manual and semi-automated activities of Ghana Revenue Authority. In the late 1990’s and early 21st century many organizations found that the management of their institutions could achieve significant productivity if Information Technology was effectively utilized (Sethi et al. 993). Many references have expressed the significant impact and the numerous potential benefits to be gained by e-business and new technology implementation. (Barnes et al. 2002). Memo Monitoring System (E MMSys) is not new to communication technology, with many institutions having implemented an electronic record management system for a number of years. (Smith et al. 2003b) . 2. 2 BENEFITS TO THE MEMO MONITORING SYSTEM Memo Monitoring System (E MMSys) will help automate Ghana revenues’ records and free movement of memos. Firstly finding information of a particular job schedule of an employee, a group of managers or department’s information will be very easy since all of their information are in the database and can be fetched easily. * Secondly manipulations of records by outsiders or by employees will be minimized since the security of this database will be very effective. * Thirdly receipts can be generated by this same database. There wouldn’t be any error like writing of memos since it will be generated by the database. 2. 3 BENEFITS TO THE ORGANIZATION * The ability to send emails and memo to employees. Provision of employee and Human Resource search facility. * Locate the in and out flow of memos easily. * Reduce cost of sending Memo manually. Memo Monitoring System (E-MMSys) will help automate Ghana Revenue Authority memo r ecords. * Firstly finding information of a mail project a group of employees or an employee or a faculty member will be very easy since all of their information are in the database and can be fetched easily. * Secondly manipulations of records by outsiders or by officers will be minimized since the security of this database will be very effective. Employees will be able to know what they are supposed to send and receive every year without any delay or any form of file mismanagement and they can check out their job schedule even before work begins. 2. 4. CONSTRAINS * Other organizations can’t use this unless I redesign. Cost is effective. * Getting people to train for the usage of the database. * Paying some one personally to use till the workers get trained. CHAPTER THREE SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN 3. 1SYSTEM DESIGN MYSQL and Visual Basics were used as the platform to design MMSys. The Database has the following components. * Fifteen(13) Tables * Twenty (10) Forms * Sixteen(1 0) Queries * Fifteen(10) Reports * Nineteen (11) Micros * MMSys was developed to meet the demands of G. R. A. 3. 2 SYSTEM ANALYSIS * Collection of data: Before the database was created G. R. A was visited to collect data on both employees and day-to-day activities. Some records were check and studied and necessary data was collected. * Business system option: I decided to use mysql and visual basics for the database and the forms. Because it will be easier for the employees to use, too much time won’t be spent on training and cost will as well be cut down. * Requirement specifications: With mysql I started creating fields and columns, and the tables followed. I created tables for the employees as a whole. 3. 3 DATABASE DESIGN DATABASE TABLE RELATIONSHIP CHAPTER FOUR 4. 1. SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION Here the system is installed in the live environment and it involves different steps which are; user’s acceptance and guidelines, user training, implementation and business review. The Implementation phase covers the cutover from the development environment to the operational environment. This includes training the users who have not been part of the project team. For this project, no user is trained. Iteration of the Implementation phase is applicable when the system is being delivered to a dispersed user population over a period of time. The products of this phase include the Delivered System that contains all the agreed documentation, including the User Documentation. The User Documentation is completed in this phase but must have been started earlier during the Design and Build Iteration.

The Little Engine that Could essays

The Little Engine that Could essays I sell here gentlemen, what all the world desires: power. Matthew Boulton, once boasted, speaking of his steam engine factory. James Watt, Boultons business partner significantly improved an inadequate form of the steam engine and marketed his new, more fuel-efficient invention (Ashton 25). Better engines were produced, and more uses were found for steam-power. Steam power fueled the Industrial Revolution by cutting manufacturing costs of goods significantly and quickening production (Ashton 26). The world was no longer dependent on manpower and horsepower. The steam engine forced the creation of railroads and improved transportation while causing a noticeable change in the economy. These changes clearly affected the way that people lived and thought about industry. This vital ingredient of the Industrial Revolution is still recognized as one of the greatest inventions of the time (Steele 47). The cost-effective and portable steam-engine powered the Industrial Revolution, an d consequently led to a significant change in Western commerce. The steam engine transformed the manufacturing world by making work significantly cheaper and more accessible. Prior to using steam power only animals, humans, wind, or moving water could be used to create power. However, animals and humans can not be harnessed together in large numbers to effectively create enough power. Wind and moving water both were usually found in the deep countryside, therefore once the goods reached the cities the cost was extremely high (Gordon 144). One steam engine was able to do the work of hundreds of horses (Siegel 18). On account of the steam engine, it was the first time in history that power was virtually limitless. This source of power was not only mighty, but inexpensive. William Blake, an economist during the rise of the steam engine wrote, Even a fit person can produce only a horsepower-hour o ...

Correcting Other Peoples Grammar

Correcting Other Peoples Grammar A suggestion . . . dont do it. Every once in a great while, a typo or grammatical error appears in the newsletter. I have a wonderful proofreader, and, between us, we comb the newsletter each week. But hey, sometimes when the stars align and we both have a bad week, an item slips There is little more insulting than for someone who never offers positive feedback, to smugly tell someone that their grammar is wrong. Let me explain why. 1) Once the words are said and/or published, they cannot be taken back, regardless of how noble the criticism. You did wrong, becomes more the message. 2) Rather than educate the person (as the critic often states is their motive), theyve insulted them. Unless the critic is personally close to the individual, their criticism will be considered  critical, not enlightening. 3) The critic is remembered as a critic. They are burning a bridge. 4) The mistake might be a one-time thing. Better to wait and identify a trend rather than pounce on a happenstance slip. Critics will often begin their assessment with one of the following remarks: 1) I normally love your work, but this mistake bothered me 2) You are normally keener than this, but I couldnt help but notice 3) I used to be an English teacher/bestselling novelist/editor/term paper grader and cannot help myself 4) Sorry, but Ive always been fanatical about grammar, and I couldnt help but notice If its not repetitious, dont do it. Even then, think twice. Trust me; you arent remembered in a fond light. A week ago, a gentleman wrote about using THEIR as a singular pronoun, stating that I made a mistake. Then he downplayed it, joking, typing in jumbled up, misspelled words  that he wasnt necessarily a professional but just wanted to bring it to my attention. My response was that I dont correct other people. Once something is published, it cannot be undone. However, since he opened that door, I wanted to cite places that use/endorse/explain using THEIR in a singular context. In return, he got mad for being corrected and unsubscribed. Just think twice before correcting someone else. We arent always so perfect ourselves.

How we determine if a portable air cleaner is effective Research Paper

How we determine if a portable air cleaner is effective - Research Paper Example The use of air purifiers assists to eliminate these components, thus helping to relieve respiratory symptoms. These components are harmful to human health, especially for people who suffer from asthma or allergic to the common allergen particles. Air cleaners eliminate about 98 percent of harmful particles in the air. Portable air cleaners that are slow to remove contaminants in the air are considered as extremely ineffective. The electrostatic precipitators removed ozone which aggravated the asthma attacks. On the other hand, portable air purifiers are perceived to be effective if they eliminate all the harmful air particles to create a high indoor air quality. The paper establishes that a portable air cleaner is effective if the air it cleans does not affect a patient with allergic respiratory diseases to common particle allergens, such as, pollen, dander, dust, and mold. This means that the equipment can ensure good air quality. Indoor air pollution is among the top five environmental health risks. Control of air quality is crucial for various reasons including the control of moisture damage, and to ensure proper health of the occupant. Most people purchase air purifiers in order to ease allergies or asthma. The practice cleaning air using portable devices started in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The World Health Organisation has set out standards of air conditioning to ensure to that indoor air quality is maintained. The air pollutants are mainly classified into four categories including particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide. There is evidence that ozone and particulate matter pose health risks to humans. Therefore, humans need to stay away from these compounds. Removing the sources of pollution is more effective in contrast to cleaning the already polluted air. Portable air cleaners are tasked with ensuring that air is free from contaminants. In this

Political Science Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Political Science - Assignment Example This shows that preparation is connected to long haul work and is an essential consideration for fruitful execution, profit, and spirit. Value-based initiative as exhibited in transactional leadership is the basis of employee empowerment through training. According to a study by Antonakis & House et al. (2014), the relationship between employee strengthening and workers impression of notoriety is a valid explanation of company success. Antonakis & House et al ( 2014) found that employees who feel they have more capacity to perform, or more control in choice making, have a tendency to assess authoritative notoriety in a positive way. In addition, employees emotions of control assume a more imperative part than sentiments of fitness in anticipating their assessment of notoriety. With respect to the relationship between administration style and employee empowering, results demonstrated that both transformational initiative and value-based authority are connected with workers sentiments of control. Transformational leaders are more inclined to delegate force to employees and include them in choice making than value-based

New Vaccine against Cervical Cancer Essay Example for Free

New Vaccine against Cervical Cancer Essay According to the American cancer society, in the year 2008, â€Å"about 11,070 cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the United States.† (American Cancer Society). Close to a third of these women will succumb to cervical cancer making it to be one of the leading in cancer deaths. This indicates the magnanimity of the problem facing the society today, a problem that has become costly to address. An announcement made by experts in 2004 on the possible invention of a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer was treated with glee and huge expectations. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is aimed at the strains of the Papillomavirus that leads to cervical cancer. The raging controversy when this vaccine is mentioned is the insistence by the health experts that it can only be effective in women if it is introduced at a young age of below thirteen. The position of this paper, in spite of the recognition and appreciation of the gravity of cervical cancer, is that the HPV vaccine should not be given to young girls as it will create an impression that it is appropriate to engage in premarital sex.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Vaccination against cervical cancer has become a sensitive issue with possible political ramifications to legislators that are likely to support its being mandatory. Most of the informed criticism being leveled on the vaccine centers on its inappropriateness when it is carried out against young girls. It is important to note that the raging opposition against the vaccine does not centre on its ability to prevent cervical cancer but at the perception and the image it is likely to send to the young, sexually and emotionally vulnerable girls (Gilham Matthews 48) Gardasil and Cervarix are such vaccines that are currently deeply embroiled in this controversy. Gardasil is a product of Merck that seeks to protect women from four strains of cervical cancer. These strains are 6.11, 16, and 18. For it to be effective, it has to be given to a person in a period stretching to 6 months. A total of three injections are carried out. Cervarix is a product of GlaxoSmithKline but its approval is still under consideration by the Food and Drugs Authority. Unlike Gardasil, it protects a woman against two strains only of Human Papillomavirus. These are 16 and 18. It is also carried out in three injections spanning over a period of six months. One important point to note here is that the efficiency of these two drugs as far as protecting women against the various HPV types is yet to be fully ascertained. This is because of the existence of a high number of strains of HPV. This means that a third of all cervical cancer cases cannot be prevented. However, it is vital to point out that Gardasil has so far been approved by the FDA for being effective in arresting any infection on the strains that it targets (Lowy and Schiller 13). The argument being made by those that advocate for its mandatory vaccination on young girls is on the basis of the fact that it can only be functional if given to women before they began engaging in sexual activities. According to the FDA, it is licensed for use by women between the age 9 and 26. There is an undeniable logic in this. A vaccine is preventative and not curative. There are tentative reports on studies that indicate the possible manufacturing of drugs that will be effective even to women infected with HPV. However, the ones that have raised controversy are only effective to women that have not had any sexual contacts. It is hence undeniable that there is enough ground for this vaccination to be given to girls at a tender age; however this does not mean that it should be made mandatory on young girls even before the age of puberty (Elit and Froese 26). Although fully understanding the benefits of such a vaccination and the possible averting of a cervical   cancer related deaths, it is crucial to investigate the kind of perception that legislators would be sending to the young people by making it mandatory for school going girls to have cervical cancer vaccines. At the age of 12, girls are in their formative stage and on the verge of becoming sexually developed and mature. Between the age of 9 and 25, they are likely to be tempted to engage in premarital sex not recognizing the risks that that they face from the immense sexually transmitted diseases. A vaccine against cancer given, at such a tender age, will send the wrong image that it is okay to engage in such activities. Rather than making it mandatory to have the vaccine carried out on all young girls, a more inexpensive campaign should be carried out to propagate for abstinence as the best strategy of avoiding HPV.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In these days of incurable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, the abstinence debate has been taken a notch higher and abstinence campaign groups have been formed reaching out the young people wide and far. The insistence by some policy makers and the drug manufacturing companies on the mandatory need to carry out the vaccinations is likely to sound a death knell to such campaigns. According to Rob Stein â€Å"Conservative groups say they welcome the vaccine as an important public health tool but oppose making it mandatory.† (AO3) This is a popular stand that is being echoed over time even as the Texas Governor issued the executive order making it mandatory to all school girls from sixth grade.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Taking a look at the raging debate of anti cancer vaccine would reveal the intensity of the criticism that stand over the order. On February 2, 2007 Texas Governor, Rick Perry went against the legislature and issued an executive order PP65 that would have made it compulsory for all six grade girls   to undergo a vaccination against Human Papillomavirus. In issuing the order, Perry managed to circumvent the possible opposition such a bill would be facing from members of legislature and the immense lobbying by conservative rights groups. The order would have required that from September this year, all females commencing sixth grade will have to get a Gardasil jab. By sixth grade, the governor is focusing on girls of a tender age between 11 and 12. Perry has come out clearly in support of the vaccine saying that the issuing of the order was prompted by understanding of the economic benefits that it stands to bring. He said that, ‘the HPV vaccine provides with an incredible opportunity to effectively target and prevent cervical cancer.† (USA TODAY)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An analysis of the order brings out a number of controversial issues that point a finger against the vaccine. According to the pro-family groups, the executive order usurped the role and the powers of the legislature. This is a move that immediately prompted a bill in the legislature that has sought to rescind the order. It is important to note that by issuing the order, he has also usurped the role of the parents in deciding what is right for their children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The financial implications of Perry’s executive order also need to be analyzed. Gardasil emerges as an expensive vaccine costing over three hundred dollars. This would be an expensive venture by a state that wishes to make it mandatory for girls to have the vaccine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When the issue of Perry’s executive order is raised, there are a number of factors that are brought to the surface as likely to have contributed to the issuing of the executive order.   This however is not to undermine the importance of the vaccine and the benefits that such an executive order can reap. There have been connections that have been drawn between the Texas governor and the Gardasil manufacturers, Merck. Importantly, Merck is said to have contributed 6000 dollars to his campaigns. The drug campaign chief lobbyist was Perry’s chief of staff. This may be a non pertinent issue but it is a strong indicator of the influence wielded by the drug manufactures. Another issue that would come up to discredit the order is the cost of distributing the vaccine to the school girls in Texas. Taking a look at the provision of health services in Texas paints a grim picture. Texas is among the states in the United States that has the highest rate of people not under any medical insurance cover. Governor Perry’s Executive Order may have been a positive move of curbing the spread of cervical cancer but it would have been appropriate if the resources that could have catered for the vaccination be channeled towards the provision of basic health to children outside the insurance cover. A look at the above also brings an important issue on the table in regard to the vaccine. The role that the manufacturing companies play in influencing important and sensitive policies also needs to be analyzed. Merck, Gardasil manufacturer, has spent huge amount of money in lobbying for the passage of state laws that would make it mandatory to have schoolgirls between the age of 11 and 12 be vaccinated against HPV. It would not be an ill advised move to regard big pharmaceutical companies with suspicion in regard to pushing for a policy that would increase their sales. Though not to disregard important role that Merck is playing in the fight against cervical cancer, it would not be inappropriate to note that Merck’s move was driven by financial and economic considerations. Merck owns the patent and the rights to exclusively produce and distribute Gardasil, the only vaccine mandated by FDA to prevent cervical cancer. With such exclusive rights and monopoly, there is an understanding that should the government make it mandatory to vaccinate all schoolgirls in their sixth grade, Merck stands to reap huge profits. It hence would not be farfetched and off the mark to argue that Merck’s move to lobby and urge the government to legislate on the vaccine was not driven by health considerations but purely by the desire and the need to increase their sales. The National Vaccine Information Centre has also managed to bring out an important point in its criticism of the vaccine. National Vaccine Information Center is a non profit oriented body that has invested heavily on informing and educating the public on the negative sides of vaccinations. The organization noted that Gardasil injections may have adverse effects that may require medical attention. This also brings an important point in the criticism of the vaccine. The vaccine has only been in the market for only a few months, a short period of time to judge the impact that it could have on the bid to curb cervical cancer. Judicial Watch, a non governmental organization purporting to check government corruption sued the United States Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) for licensing the use of a vaccine whose side effects and other impacts have not been thoroughly established. Judicial Watch claims that there have been â€Å"1824 reports of adverse reactions to the vaccination for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV)† it further claims that there have been so far eight deaths that have been directly attributed to the vaccine (Judicial Watch). It is essential to appreciate the efforts played by the Food and Drug Administration, but it would be imprudent not to criticize any move that would make it mandatory to vaccine school girls, understanding the risks that this could be putting them into. The adverse effects revealed by health experts in regard to the vaccine are a powerful indicator that there is a need to be either halt the vaccine or regulate it. There are a number of criticisms that have been leveled against the vaccine especially centering on its said efficiency. The proponents of the HPV vaccine claim that the vaccine has ability to 100 percent curb over 70 % incidents of cervical cancer. There is still a knowledge gap that exists in this. Experts opposed to the vaccine have brought up important points that cannot be ignored. One of the points made is that it is not possible to establish whether there will develop a new strain of HPV that will be resistant to the vaccine. The compatibility of the vaccine to other immunizations has also not been established. Key to note here is that the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine has not been appropriately established. The argument that stands in this is that that the vaccine was not fully tested on the young girls and that the tests conducted on the adults were assumed to apply to the young girls’ scenario.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Proponents of the vaccine insist that there are no conducted studies on the claim that the vaccine can in any way lead to the increase in promiscuous behaviors in the vaccinated girls. Though this is an argument that may hold some water, it is important to note that there is no study that has been conducted proving otherwise. It has to be understood that making it mandatory for sixth grade to be vaccinated will create a false notion that they are secure and are protected from other sexually transmitted diseases. This is a likely scenario considering the haste with which the vaccine has been carried out disregarding the need for adequate education and the need to emphasize on the importance of abstinence. Works Cited Rob Stein. Cervical Cancer Vaccine Gets Injected With a Social Issue Some Fear a Shot For Teens Could Encourage Sex. Washington Post. October 31, 2005; Page A03. Retrieved on June 2, 2008 from washingtonpost.com  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2005/10/30/AR2005103000747.html USA TODAY .Texas governor orders anti-cancer vaccine for schoolgirls Updated 2/2/2007. Retrieved on June 2, 2008 from http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-02-02-texas_x.htm Judicial Watch. Judicial Watch Uncovers New FDA Records Detailing Deaths in 1,824 Adverse Reaction Reports Related to HPV Vaccine. 2007. Retrieved on June 2, 2008 from http://www.judicialwatch.org/6428.shtml Peto, J; C Gilham, O Fletcher, FE Matthews. The cervical cancer epidemic that screening has prevented in the UK.. Lancet 364 . 2004; 49-56 Lowy and Schiller .Prophylactic human papillomavirus vaccines. Journal of Clinical Investigation . 116 (5);2006 , 7 -16 American Cancer Society .Detailed Guide: Cervical Cancer What Are the Key Statistics About Cervical Cancer? Retrieved on June 2, 2008 from http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_are_the_key_statistics_for_cervical_cancer_8.asp Laurie Elit, and Jean Chamberlain Froese. Womens Health in the Majority World: Issues and Initiatives. Nova Publishers. 2007; 23- 34

The Healing Power of Music Essay example -- Music and the Brain

In December of 1992, David Ott’s father was dying of cancer. On Christmas Eve morning he went into a coma. The family gathered in the small hospital room knowing that their beloved husband and father would not be with them long. Since it was Christmas Eve, carolers were going through the hospital quietly singing. As they walked past the room singing â€Å"Silent Night†, a single tear fell across the comatose man’s cheek. His family stated that after seeing him just lay there all day without moving, that the single tear was his way of telling them goodbye. Ott stated that â€Å"music can go where words cannot† (Griffen). Research shows that music is to the brain as physical exercise is to the human body. Some form of exercise is necessary for a healthy body. People know what to do to tone their body but do they exercise their minds regularly and properly? Do they know that listening to Mozart can help increase their memory? Music has a greater impact on hum an lives than we think; it assists in releasing or creating strong emotions, strengthens the brain increasing the ability to learn, and has the power to heal. Music has a larger affect on feelings and emotions than most people realize. It is an automatic response for the human body to react to music in certain ways. Miller explains that â€Å"By the age of five, almost all healthy children have developed an unconscious framework for listening that will form the basis of their emotional response to music.† Sometimes the emotion that the music brings is very noticeable. For example, if someone is attempting to recover after the death of a loved one and they hear a song that reminds them of that person it can create different emotions quickly. The song could make that person remember the good ... ...The Australian 2011: 3. Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 14 Oct. 2015. Millar, Aaron. "Music & Emotion: Why Do Sad Songs Make Us Cry?" Odyssey 22.7 (2013): 14. Middle Search Plus. Web. 1 Oct. 2015. Munz, Michele. "Music Support Program for Teen, Young Adult Cancer Patients." St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) 26 Sept. 2013: Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 13 Nov. 2015. â€Å"Music Therapy as a Treatment Modality for Autism Spectrum Disorders.† Music Therapy. American Music Therapy Association. June 2012. Web. 14 October 2015. O’Donnell, Laurence. â€Å"Music and the Brain.† Music Power, N.p., 1999. Web. 8 October 2015. Sacks, Oliver. Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain. New York: Vintage Books, 2008. Print. Weinberger, Norman M. â€Å"Music and the Brain.† Scientific American Special Edition 16.3 (2006): 36-43. Health Source- Consumer Edition. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.

Aama

American Association of Medical Assistants Jennifer Lingler LIBS 100: Information Literacy Bryant & Stratton April 14, 2010 Introduction As a result of the expanding healthcare industry, technological advances in medicine, and increased number of elderly in the United States, medical assisting is one of the nation’s fastest growing careers. The extensive and unique knowledge of a medical assistant is in demand more than ever. It is imperative that a medical assistant is knowledgeable and current about changes in the healthcare field. It is also important that a medical assistant’s rights to practice are protected on the job. The American Association of Medical Assistants (or AAMA) is an organization that was created to aid and support medical assistants working in the healthcare field (AAMA, 2010). Any individual interested in a career in medical assisting would benefit from becoming a member of this organization. Mission and Purpose The AAMA is the only organization created solely for the medical assisting profession. The mission of the American Association of Medical Assistants is to enable medical assisting professionals to enhance and demonstrate the knowledge, skills and professionalism required by employers and patients; protect medical assistants' right to practice; and promote effective, efficient health care delivery through optimal use of the CMA (AAMA)† (AAMA, 2010). The AAMA was created for medical assistant students, practicing medical assistants, and medical assistant educators (AAMA, 2 010). Local AAMA Chapter The AAMA was created in 1955 and has grown to include over 325 local chapters throughout a total of 43 states (AAMA, 2010). One local Ohio chapter of the AAMA is the Ohio State Society of Medical Assistants. In 1956, four Ohio medical assistants attended an AAMA meeting in Kansas City, Kansas. Although there were three existing Ohio chapters, these women had a desire to form an organization that would be a part of the AAMA. Meetings were held from April seventeenth through April twenty-eighth of nineteen fifty-seven. After two days of deliberations the Ohio State Society of Medical Assistants was created. The OSSMA would then be approved by the AAMA on June eighth of nineteen fifty-eight (OSSMA, 2010). Membership A medical assistant graduate from an accredited school is eligible for membership with the AAMA. The graduate must fill out an application with the AAMA and pay an enrollment fee of one-hundred and twenty-five dollars. According to the AAMA, â€Å"The Certification Department will inform you of your application status within 30 days of the date you mailed your application†¦. After your application has been approved and processed, you will receive a scheduling permit approximately three weeks prior to your testing start date with instructions for making an appointment at a Prometric test center in your area. The exam may be taken throughout the year† (2010). Upon passing the exam, a medical assistant can expect to receive an official certificate and AAMA card (AAMA, 2010) The AAMA requires members to recertify every sixty months. Recertification may be obtained through further education or examination. Recertification will cost an AAMA member two-hundred and fifty dollars (AAMA, 2010) Benefits There are numerous benefits available to AAMA members. The first benefit is a subscription to CMA Today. AAMA member receive this bimonthly publication automatically when they become members. CMA Today â€Å"provides educational articles, current medical news, health policy updates, and association happenings† (AAMA, 2010). AAMA members also receive discounts on AAMA self-study courses and conference workshops which can be useful educational tool throughout their medical assisting career. Low member rates are also available for credit cards, loans, and insurance to AAMA members. The greatest benefit for an AAMA member is the opportunity to communicate, share information, and network with other medical assistants in the health care industry (AAMA, 2010). Conclusion The American Association of Medical Assistants is the only organization created solely for the medical assisting profession. Any individual interested in a medical assisting career would benefit from becoming a member of this organization. The American Association of Medical Assistants official website states it best, â€Å"When you join the AAMA you are investing in your career and your future. And, you are strengthening an association that has your professional interests at heart† (AAMA, 2010). References American Association of Medical Assistants. (2010). AAMA Mission Statement. Retrieved from http://www. aama-ntl. org/about/mission. spx American Association of Medical Assistants. (2010). AAMA Services. Retrieved from http://www. aama-ntl. org/about/services. aspx American Association of Medical Assistants. (2010). How to Become a CMA (AAMA). Retrieved from http://www. aama-ntl. org/becomeCMA/how. aspx American Association of Medical Assistants. (2010). What is a CMA (AAMA)? Retrieved from http://www. aama-ntl. org/about/what_is_a_cma. aspx Ohio State Society of Medical Assistants. (2010). OSSMA History. Retrieved from http://www. ossma. org/historyofOSSMA. html

Business Plan Project Essay

BUSINESS NAMES V-cigs. The V stands for vapor and victory. Vapor is the substance identical to smoke while Victory is the victory that all the heavy smokers out there will get when they manage to quit smoking. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS Our business will be a distributor of Electronic cigarettes where we get the item shipped straight from US. An electronic cigarette is a battery powered device that provides inhaled doses of nicotine or non-nicotine vaporized solution. It is an alternative to smoked tobacco products such as, cigarettes, cigars or pipes. In addition to purported nicotine delivery, this vapor also provides a flavor and physical sensation similar to that of inhaled tobacco smoke, while no smoke or combustion is actually involved in its operation. An electronic cigarette takes the form of some manner of elongated tube, though many are designed to resemble the outward appearance of real smoking products. Another common design is the â€Å"pen-style†, so named for its visual resemblance to a ballpoint pen. Most electronic cigarettes are reusable devices with replaceable and refillable parts. FORM OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIP It will be a sole proprietorship because it’s a startup company and we’re planning to lay low and go small at first and see how it goes, so it’s easier to form by one owner and it doesn’t need high startup costs and we’ll get tax benefits. IDEAL CUSTOMER We try to target on adults and teenagers in the range of age from 18 to 55 years old. Not just males but females too because in this century now the population of females who smokes is slightly equal to males who smokes. But our priority is the ones who have health problem, a pregnant lady and ones who have basic desire to quit smoking. OUR ADVANTAGES V-cigs carries some of the finest electronic cigarettes and supplies on the market. Our selection of kits and accessories for both new & advanced vapers truly offer a unique alternative to smoking in an incredibly lower price. It is designed for the people who want the freedom to smoke anywhere without having to put it out. Apparently it is more eco-friendly because it does not emit the same toxins as a traditional cigarettes. It provides nicotine while not producing carbon dioxide and other harmful fumes and chemicals. We don’t have any direct competition but we do have indirect competitors and they are; All the companies that make cigarette locally and internationally like Dunhill, Winston, Marlboro, Salem and etc. Shisha Cigar Pipes Competitive substitute Our advantages THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT Environmental Variables Key impacting factors Political Economic Socio-Cultural Trend of anti-smoker have wide-spread Technological BUSINESS PLAN PROJECT TEMPLATE PART 2: THE BUSINESS OF MANAGING MISSION STATEMENT â€Å"To protect the environment and provide a complete freedom to smoke anywhere, anytime without any harmful effects to the body and environment as well and also to give the same real taste of traditional cigarette but with style†. We strive to maintain that type of customer service at V-cigs. We want to be available to our customers to answer your questions as you continue to vamping. We want to be approachable and helpful and ready to help you with all of your vamping needs and desires. Our main reason for being a vendor is so that we can help people when and where they need it. Though our customers come from all walks of life and several parts of the country, we hope to continue to have a local atmosphere. BUSINESS GOALS Every company has its goals while ours are; Short-term goal Our short-term goal is a target of 400 customers by the end of the first year, where each customer spends a minimum of RM150 per purchase. Intermediate goal Our intermediate goal is to open few branches when net profits reach RM20 000. SWOT ANALYSIS The purpose of the SWOT analysis is to know the V-cigs strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are internal and external.

Free Essays on Friendship

The definition of friendship is as subjective and diverse as the people of this world. Each person has a relationship with another person and that relationship is unique to that combination. Friendships grow and change as each individual will, and the definition of friendship grows and changes with each progressive relationship. When I was very young, I had been told not to talk to strangers. Although I understood the potential for danger, I couldn’t help thinking that I might be letting someone important slip by if I didn’t extend my friendship. In church, I would peek my head over the pews and smile at one or two of the people standing there. Most of the people would smile back at me, and I don’t think there was a better feeling in the world. There I was, maybe two or three years old, and I was capable of making adult friends without using a single word. Sunday after Sunday I would try out my smile on new people or launch it without thinking to the familiar faces. Back then, my definition of friendship was broad enough to include the relationship I had with anyone at all who might smile at me. Later, in grade school, it became more difficult to get and keep friends. At the time, I felt I was the only one experiencing sudden shifts in the tide, but as I reflect on my early friendships, I think that each of us as young people are subjected to the fickle nature of children who are defining and redefining friendship, experimenting with identity and imagining themselves, almost daily, as a different person. We defined ourselves by dress and speech as well as by our cliques and acquaintances, so our friends were often accessories to our moods. Hearts were broken, but most of the time they were also quickly healed. Few people stood out as committed companions. They were the ones who managed to fluctuate mood and identity in tandem, and so were able to accompany each other on the journey to identity. In high school, ... Free Essays on Friendship Free Essays on Friendship The effect of friendship Although, others may disagree in the matter of the importance of friendship may have on someone’s life. Notice that when we make friends with people that often we don’t get the last name to. It seems unimportant and most only catch the first name, nor remembers such. It may seem trivial at the time but can end up being crucial later. Such as, this may cause hurt feelings even remembering birth dates and special moments that you share to be forgotten as though they are nothing is one of the many things in friendship that is often seen occur. The main focus on this is how well do you truly know your friends and how well do they know you understanding one another’s needs should be fairly easy if you truly care for one another. Friendship is a two way street and it appears to be often one of the great many things we tend to take for granted, but some believe that this is how friendships are supposed to be! However, forgetting last names (often called name-dropping), for when they are intentionally forgotten. For instance; anything from divulging a secret that is meant to be kept, to dating one of your best-friends past lovers can make primary cause for a fight. Going back to being taken for granted; when one is always prompt and can be supportive of plans and events that are scheduled in advance. However; they are as most people say now a days, â€Å"blown off† and often the ones that take this to heart is the people whom is never get credit for their efforts. This can lower ones self worth and feeling of morality towards themselves. Something’s that lead to this to turn into a major issue is the fact that they often go unnoticed and are â€Å"swept under the rug,â€Å" so to speak. Perhaps; worse, yet they go never at all are they acknowledged by anyone? Becoming soul dependent upon those that are supposedly your friends in this can lead to low self-esteem. In which an action is taken agains... Free Essays on Friendship A writer once said â€Å" A real friend is someone who is one walks in when the rest of the world walks out.† In A Separate Peace, Gene jounced the limb so his friend Finny could fall and get hurt. There could have been many reasons but there really is one could it be that Gene was jealous of Finny. There can be many reasons why Gene pushed Finny out of the tree maybe one reason would be that Gene was jealous of Finny because he was more popular and he was good at sports. In John Knowels A Separate Peace, he described many reasons that Gene would Jounce the limb so Finny could fall. This accident would ruin their friendship and then they wouldn’t be the same. â€Å" I jounced the limb. I caused it. I deliberately jounced the limb so you would fall.† Gene told Finny that he did it on purpose he couldn’t hold it back anymore. He felt guilty for what he had done and Gene had to tell finny the truth. What really happened? Now Finny is confused because ho doesn’t know why his best friend would do something like this. â€Å" Everything that had happened through out the day faded like that first fall snow fall of the winter. Phineaus was back.† Gene was mad because finny came back and all the popularity that Gene had gotten all went to Finny. This would ruin their friendship because Gene was mad and he wanted to feel like he was wanted and popular. When Finny came back Gene felt as if Finny stole all of the popularity away from him. â€Å" Sports are finished for him after an accident like that.† This would also hurt their friendship because Finny played sports and now that he can’t play sports he doesn’t know what to do. Since Gene caused the accident to Finnys leg Finny would be mad at him for ruining his sports life. But Finny would also be mad at Gene because Gene had the smarts and didn’t have to try hard in school to get a good grade and Finny would have to try really hard to even break a c. â€Å" A real ... Free Essays on Friendship I know I am just beginning my teen years, but one thing I have already learned is people can talk after you. Then the problem starts. I have lots of friends but I don’t like them all. The reason is they talked after me and I cant trust them. On the first day of school I earned new friends. We shared our secrets and laugh together. But I realize that it wont continue. They were closer to me because they wanted me to tell them some secrets that I know about someone else. They were behaving very nicely to me, but she wasn’t thinking like that and talked behind my back s. When I understood this I got very angry. I trusted her; she was very good friend of mine. I didn’t talk to her. She was surprised, and asked me what had happened. I talked to her, and asked her why she did she talk after me. She couldn’t answer and went away. She broke my heart. After this experience (This was an experience for me) I was too careful not to trust to wrong person. The days passed. She apologized from me and we are good friends now. Of course I couldn’t forget what had happen to me, but she promised that she will never talk after me again. I want to give you advice. You have to choose your friends very carefully, because friendship is one of the most important things in your teen years. They affect your life very much. You have to now the value of true friends and you mustn’t broke their heart. So please be careful when you’re choosing your true friends. Don’t break their heart and NEVER LEAVE THEM!... Free Essays on Friendship Philosophy Writing for LES MISERABLES Victor Hugo ¡Ã‚ ¯s novel LES MISERABLES is an example of literary Romanticism. Marius Pontemercy courted Cosette from afar, and won her affections with a love letter. Marius crafted his persona with words, representing and embodying himself in a letter, and he gave this letter to the woman he loved, in the hopes that she would see the depth and sincerity of his love. In Marius ¡Ã‚ ¯s love poem to Cosette, he compared her to a shining star. The next evening, they both declared their love as "disembodied spirits," even forgetting at first to tell each other their names. Hugo gave away his views on certain subjects in his writing. He sought compassion for the poor and reform for the prison by creating characters that touched the hearts of the readers, and which encouraged them to change. LES MISERABLES is Victor Hugo's epic novel of love and honor. The protagonist, Jean Valjean, is an ex-convict, who has spent nineteen years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread for his starving family, as well as for repeated escape attempts. He vows to become an honest man after being saved from a second arrest by M.Myriel. Later he falls in love with a doomed prostitute, Fantine. At her untimely death, Valjean promised to raise her daughter Cosette, all the while being hunted by the policeman Javert. An older Cosette falls passionately in love with Marius, a charismatic young soldier. Jean Valjean's quest for redemption reaches its climax when he chooses to sacrifice his freedom in order to save Cosette's love. Jean Valjean is a virtual saint in the novel.... Free Essays on Friendship There are lots of different people who enter our lives, but only certain individuals can actually form true friendships. Many times, friends are people who are supportive and provide unconditional help. Encouragement also exemplifies an important aspect of real friendship. Most importantly, friends are people who have true moral values that not only reflect on themselves, but also on their surroundings. Proper friendship develops on the basis of various aspects that define a good and caring person. A good and true friend depicts someone who is supportive and always lends a helping hand. Since decisions play a big role in everyone’s life, friends are there to give advice and facilitate the decision. For instance, if a teenage girl is going through certain difficulties such as peer pressure and is forced to make a decision that might be detrimental to her, she will almost certainly seek the advice of someone supportive. Regardless of the difficulty of any given situation, a helpful and caring companion like a friend will assist the teenage girl in making the proper decision. Being there to help enhance another individual’s life by being supportive is the essence of friendship. There are many individuals whose weakness lays in their lack of self-confidence. These individuals struggle in making the right decisions, and as a result turn to a good friend who is able to present the proper encouragement and self-assurance needed. For example, if an insecure man has an amazing talent to write and is aware of a writing contest that can win him a lot of money, he will most likely try to seek the encouragement of a good friend. Knowing that a lack of self-confidence is in the way of a great opportunity for the man, a friend will infuse the assurance needed to make the right decision. Helping someone succeed by making him realize his own capability is another great aspect of friendship. Since, influence is a major part of every person’... Free Essays on Friendship There are many kinds of people, that have many different backgrounds. Everyone is unique and special in their own way but one thing that everyone has in common is friends. There isn’t one person who doesn’t have at least one friend. It is human nature to want to interact with other people. There are many kinds of friendships but all friendships must have love, respect and honesty without these things there isn’t really a friendship. Love in a friendship is a major part of that friendship. Being there when a friend needs help shows the love for that friend. When a friend is upset they expect someone to come to their rescue and cheer them up. Love is unconditional even if the friendship doesn’t last their will still be love for that old friend. Respect is not invading the other person’s territory. If they need some space let them have some space. A real friend would never get involved with another friends significant other. Never walk away from a friend just because they have a big problem and have asked for help. Listen to what the friend has to say and never give advice to early. They might take it to heart. When a friend comes over crying because they have just gotten into an argument with a family member they just want an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on. Wait to give advice until the friend has cooled of from the situation. Honesty is something that every friendship needs in order to keep the friendship. If the friendship lacks honesty there isn’t really a friendship at all. If friends can’t trust each other with their money then how are they going to be able to trust each other with their secrets. A person has to be true to themselves before they can be honest with another person. In the long run being honest to a friend is the best advice someone can give. The truth is the best way to solve any problem. A f... Free Essays on Friendship The definition of friendship is as subjective and diverse as the people of this world. Each person has a relationship with another person and that relationship is unique to that combination. Friendships grow and change as each individual will, and the definition of friendship grows and changes with each progressive relationship. When I was very young, I had been told not to talk to strangers. Although I understood the potential for danger, I couldn’t help thinking that I might be letting someone important slip by if I didn’t extend my friendship. In church, I would peek my head over the pews and smile at one or two of the people standing there. Most of the people would smile back at me, and I don’t think there was a better feeling in the world. There I was, maybe two or three years old, and I was capable of making adult friends without using a single word. Sunday after Sunday I would try out my smile on new people or launch it without thinking to the familiar faces. Back then, my definition of friendship was broad enough to include the relationship I had with anyone at all who might smile at me. Later, in grade school, it became more difficult to get and keep friends. At the time, I felt I was the only one experiencing sudden shifts in the tide, but as I reflect on my early friendships, I think that each of us as young people are subjected to the fickle nature of children who are defining and redefining friendship, experimenting with identity and imagining themselves, almost daily, as a different person. We defined ourselves by dress and speech as well as by our cliques and acquaintances, so our friends were often accessories to our moods. Hearts were broken, but most of the time they were also quickly healed. Few people stood out as committed companions. They were the ones who managed to fluctuate mood and identity in tandem, and so were able to accompany each other on the journey to identity. In high school, ...

When Should I Ask for a College Recommendation Letter

When Should I Ask for a College Recommendation Letter SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips I remember worrying about the perfect time to ask for recommendation letters. Too early, I thought, could seem like over-planning; maybe my teachers would even forget by the time deadlines rolled around! Too late, though, would suggest a lack of preparation or could even offend my recommenders. It seemed like the stars had to align just right. If you’ve had any of these same concerns, you don’t have to wonder anymore. This guide will discuss the best times to ask for recommendations, plus why it’s important to have good timing in the first place. To start, what should you consider as you figure out when to ask? What Matters As You Decide When to Ask? There are a few main factors that influence when you should ask for recommendation letters, each of which I’ll talk about in more detail below. In a nutshell, these factors include the following: your college deadlines your teachers’ preferences your school's policy the year in which you had your teachers Some of these factors are easy to define - like your college deadlines - while others may offer a little more flexibility. Read on to figure out which ofthese scenarios applies to you, as well as what it means for your rec letter request schedule. Let’s begin with the general (though not necessarily definitive) golden rule: Ask At Least a Month Before Your College Deadlines Unless your school or teachers set other policies, you should ask for recommendation letters about four weeks before your college deadlines. If your deadlines vary, then ask four weeks before your earliest one. What exactly does this look like? If you’re applying to meet a November 1st early action or early decision deadline, then you should ask your teachers by October 1st. If your deadline’s November 15, then ask by October 15th. You get the idea. If your deadlines are regular decision, then they might be around January 1st or January 15th. In this situation, you could ask by the time December rolls around. However, consider everything that goes on in December. December is full of midterms, which means lots of grading for teachers, plus manydays off from school. You can also assume that most students have made their rec letter requests earlier in the semester. For regular decision deadlines, I would suggest asking by mid-November at the latest, to take into account the busy scheduleandvacation daysin the winter months. You may be wondering why teachers need a month to write a letter. For one thing, they’re not just writing you a letter - some teachers have dozens of letters to write, and most counselors have hundreds! Besides that, rec letters take time and thought to do well. You don’t want a rushed, subpar letter because you waited too long to ask for it. While giving your teachers about a month before your deadlines is generally a safe rule, it’s not the end-all, be-all answer. Your teachers and school might tell you to ask even earlier. Let’s consider what policies teachers set, followed by what your school guidance department might tell you to do. Everyteacher might have their ownpersonal preference. Ask According to Your Recommenders’ Preferences Teachers are busy. They have to teach several classes a day for hundreds of students, not to mention all the planning and grading that goes on behind the scenes. Plus, despite what we may have believed in elementary school, they don’t live at the school. They have lots going on in their personal lives, too. My point is that recommendation letters are another task on top of an already packed schedule. Just as you should give your teacher plenty of time to write your letter, your teacher might set certain policies to make the workload more manageable. She might set a rec letter request due date, or set a cap on how many letters she’ll write. It’s your job to find out what your teachers’ policies are. If you can’t find out from older students or through word of mouth, then you should ask your teacher when she prefers to get requests. Find out if she sets a deadline or limit. If she sets a cap, try to get a sense of how popular a recommender she is. If you know your English teacher, for instance, gets inundated with requests, get yours in early. Ask her in September or, better yet, in the spring of junior year. You don’t want to ask a month before your deadlines only to find that your teacher’s too busy or has stopped accepting requests. Generally speaking, your teacher will appreciate that you’re being thoughtful, proactive, and giving her plenty of time. Along similar lines, your guidance department may give you instructions about when to ask. Ask According to Your Guidance Department’s Instructions While individual teachers may set their own policies, your guidance department may also have a blanket rule for all college-boundstudents. Some schools, for instance, have students ask in the spring of junior year. Others tell students to submit three teacher preferences to their college counselors, who will then assign everyone two (and thereby balancethe numbers more evenly). Other high schools tell students to ask in the fall of senior year, and still others have no particular guidance - they leave it up to each student to figure it out. If you haven’t received directions, visit your school counselor and ask her about the general expectations. They may determine whether you ask in Aprilof 11th grade or September of 12th. Finally, there’s one more consideration that may alter your request timeline: the grade in which you had your recommenders as teachers. Don't wait so long that your teacher forgets who you are! Also, just keep swimming. Ask Your Teachers At the End of their Class or School Year Remember that classic first day of school assignment,"Write about what you did over the summer"? Well, what if your teacher asked you to write in vivid detail about what you did three summers ago? Just as you might have trouble remembering the specifics, your recommenders mightnot be able to produce the clearest memories if they had you in class years before you make your request. While it’s advisable to ask your junior year teachers, some students reach back further and have their freshman or sophomore year teachers recommend them. If you had a great connection with a 9th or 10th grade teacher and feel they might make a strong recommender, then you should ask them sooner rather than later. Instead of waiting until senior year, you should ask them at the end of the year you had them, ie, at the end of 9th or 10th grade. Similarly, you could ask your junior year teachers at the end of 11th grade, rather than waiting until after summer break. Even if you don’t ultimately use the letter, you can have it on file just in case. Plus, asking early helps in any of the other scenarios mentioned above: you give your recommenders (more than) a month before your deadlines, you beat the rush of requests, and you get your request in before any ofyour teachers’ or guidance department’s deadlines. Win-win-win. If you’ve learned about the rec letter process, then you know more goes into it than simply asking your teacher to write you one. You additionally want to provide a resume and a thoughtful brag sheet. If you’re asking especially early, then you could make the request and follow up later with all this info. You’ll show your recommenders that you’re proactive and goal-oriented; then you can send along your recommendation packet once you’ve prepared it. Now that you have a sense of when students typically ask for recommendations and why, how can you figure out when exactly YOU should ask? So When Should You Ask for Your Recommendations? To determine when you should ask your recommenders for a letter, you need to do your research. Make sure you know all your college deadlines, for starters. Then figure out whether your school has any guidance about when to ask, like in April of 11th grade or September of 12th grade. Figure out who you're going to ask in junior year, so you can find out if your teachers set any deadlines for or caps on requests. If you're a younger student, you should think about whether any of your teachers would make for strong recommenders. If so, then consider asking them at the end of the school year. The latest that you should ask for recommendations is October of senior year for early deadlines and November to December of senior year for regular deadlines. To be safe and proactive though, as well as to keep yourself fresh in your teachers' memories, you'd do well to ask in March, April, or May of junior year. Asking early will not only give your teachers the time they need to write a well-crafted letter, but it will also give you peace of mind. Apart from following up with a reminder and thank you note, your work on recommendation letters will be done! Then it will be up to your recommenders to upload their letters, and you can focus on finishing up the rest of your college application. What's Next? As you can tell, a lot of planning and strategy goes into your recommendation letters. Why are rec letters important in your application? Whatdo admissions officers look for when they read them?Find out more about the role of rec letters in admissions decisions in these guides. There are lots of other steps that go into applying for college, like scheduling your SAT/ACT and writing your personal essay. Check outour complete guideto applying to college, from 9th grade up until senior year. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: