Minimum wage essay Essay

Minimum wage has been a very controversial topic. Nowadays people just can’t survive on minimum wage. Prices are rising but yet the pay is still the same. How do they expect us to survive on eight dollars and twenty five cents? Minimum wage workers in Chicago land locations had joined others across the country for a one-day strike, which was held August 29, 2013 outside the ROCK N ROLL McDonalds in the River North neighborhood, demanding their wage to be at least $15.00 an hour. There was a worker there named Tyree Johnson who said he has been working on McDonalds for a total of 21 years and still earning a total of eight dollars and twenty five cents an hour. He states â€Å"Every time I would ask for a raise they would just tell me you shouldn’t have joined that union, were not giving you any raise†. The workers who had gathered up there said that they were tired on choosing between paying the rent or paying the groceries. Another minimum wage worker named Dejun Jackson says it takes him three jobs to raise a family. He gets up at 4:30am to start his shift at 5:45am. He ends his first job around 1 O’clock and has to be in his second job around 1:15. He does not end his second shift until 9 or 9:30pm. He states he has no time to see his kids except the weekends for the same reason that he has two jobs. Between his two jobs he works a total of 70 hours a week. Within a year he makes an average of $50,000. Dejun Jackson is also in school hoping one day he would be able to work just one shift and spend more time with his family. But just by having just one job he wouldn’t be able to make it through since one job helps him pay the pills and the other the cost of his school. I agree that people cannot live on minimum wage since the cost of living has gone up drastically. This has always been a conflict and will continue to be unless they raise minimum wage. The type of life we are living now days won’t simply just get us through by working on minimum wage. People have things to pay for example rent, food transportation, clothes, bills; school etc. People that get pay minimum wage are usually on government assistance which means everybody who is paying taxes are actually paying for the food stamps or any type of services that they are receiving from the government. It would be better if the companies would just pay their workers a decent amount of salary instead of other people having to pay for whatever the company is not paying them. The authors’ argument is very logical since it states why people can’t survive on minimum wage. This makes people have two jobs just too sustain a family. People wouldn’t be able to make through just by having one job, since the cost of living has gone up drastically.

Gary B. Nash’s Race and Revolution Essay

Gary B. Nash’s Race and Revolution offers an insightful interpretation of the American Revolution which led to the abolishment of slavery in the United States. The book is formed as a group of essays that had sprung from a series of lectures. The text focuses on the failure of the American Revolution to accomplish its initial goals and to do justice to the oppressed race. Nash’s thesis in this book is thus that this failure should be blamed actually on the northern leaders rather than the southern ones. The book peers therefore into the general atmosphere of the Revolution and into the main causes of the failure to fully recognize the African Americans as an equal race. In Nash’s view, the hypothesis according to which this failure should be blamed on the inflexibility of the Southerners is not a correct interpretation of the events. Instead, the decline of the initial enthusiasm that inspired the abolitionist movement should be blamed on the growing sense of superiority that prevailed among the Northern leaders. Thus, Nash’s main purpose is to show that the evolution of events during the American Revolution best evinces the relationship between the two diverging races. As the author stresses, the failure to give the blacks true independence and equal rights at that time is not due to the triumph of economic interest over humaneness, but rather to the growing supremacist tendencies of the whites. To demonstrate this hypothesis, Nash organizes his work in three chapters which correspond to the three different stages of abolitionism. Moreover, the book is supplemented and supported with a series of documents which are also separated according to each of these stages. As Nash proposes, the first stage of the abolitionist movement was one of spreading enthusiasm with regard to the abolition of slavery. During the early 1770’s, there was a growing awareness among the colonies of New England with regard to the incompatibility of slavery as an institution with the main precepts and fundaments of the American nation and of democracy. Around this time, the leaders as well as the public at large began to regard the problem of slavery from a new angle, realizing that this practice was in stark contradiction with the basic human rights. There was therefore a sense of duplicity of falsity underlying the main principles of the democratic nation. As Nash emphasizes, the idea of abolition was first embraced with great enthusiasm by a majority of the colonists. As the title of the chapter reads, this generation can be called â€Å"the revolutionary generation†, precisely because it formed and sustained a new idea with regard to slavery. The first wave of the revolution seemed to grasp the problem of slavery in its entirety. The leaders as well as the common people began to gain insight into the atrocities perpetuated by slavery. The just observation was made that the existence of slavery in America was a real opprobrium for the country and its status among the other countries of the world. The Americans began to perceive the necessity of reform and abolition of slavery. The institution of slavery began to be considered as a sign of the lack of civilization and advancement on the part of the country. As Nash points out, at this time, awareness grew towards the series of moral, religious and social justifications for the abolition of slavery. In the first place, slavery was considered a debasing institution that functioned at the center of a democratic nation. Thus, many people began to see slavery as a plight on modern society that reminds of the admitted abuse on people that should have had equal rights. Nash documents his research into the atmosphere of the time, emphasizing that the problem of slavery was increasingly debated in all circles, at the beginning of the 1770’s: â€Å"In 1773 [†¦] Benjamin Rush informed Granville Sharp, the English abolitionist, that ‘the spirit of liberty and religion with regard to the poor Negroes spreads rapidly throughout this country. †(Nash, 2001, p. 9) The people felt that the abolition will be almost a salvation of the nation and it will offer a new beginning for America. Generally, slavery began to be perceived as a sin and a plight on the modern world. As Nash observes, the revolution was prompted by the spread of this idea among the communities:â€Å"As Winthrop Jordan has argued, by the eve of the Revolution, there was in New England a ‘generalized sense of slavery as a communal sin. ’†(Nash, 2001, p. 10) Thus, in the first part of his essay, Nash lingers on the incipient enthusiasm for abolitionism at the beginning of the Revolution. There were voices that called for the immediate prohibition of slave trade and that proposed laws and declarations against slavery. The principles of democracy were being thus restated, as the most pertinent argument for the abolition of slavery: â€Å"all men are born equally free and independent, and that they have certain natural, inherited and inalienable rights. †(Nash, 2001, p. 13) Slavery was also seen as a breach in the country’s international role. America was not completing its role as a model democracy that the rest of the world should look upon, but on the contrary it was drawing attention towards the cruel and extremely unjust practices of slavery: â€Å"Calling slavery ‘the opprobrium of America’ they proposed a gradual emancipation that would regain Americans ‘the respect of all Europe, who are astonished to see a people eager for Liberty holding Negroes in Bondage. †(Nash, 2001, p. 13) Therefore, Nash carefully analyzes in his first essay the various reasons that prompted and accelerated the movement. There were political, religious and moral issues that condemned slavery at the same time and imposed a movement against it. There were also leaders that observed that slavery was a flawed institution from the start, since it actually permitted a crime and an infringement on the rights of other man. According to Nash, this was seen as a political fallacy, as it encouraged the existence of a system that was yet worse than the aristocratic model in England for instance, that America wanted to avoid the most: â€Å"And with what execration should the statesman be loaded, who permitting one half of the citizens thus to trample on the rights of the other, transforms those into despots, and these into enemies, destroys the moral of one part and the amor patriae of the other. †(Nash, 17) The data that Nash collects together for the first part of his essay prepare the terrain for the rest of the research. The author thus achieves an almost dramatic effect by pointing not only to the actual facts and events but to the atmosphere of the time and to the general opinion on slavery and the revolution. According to Nash, after having shown the early anxiousness and the enthusiasm of the people for the revolution, it seems even more difficult to explain the eventual failure of the revolution. His second essay in the book treats therefore of the second or middle stage of abolitionism. Nash emphasizes the fact that, contrary to customary belief, it was the northern states that had the greatest contribution to this failure: â€Å"In particular, I wish to stress the role of the northern states in the failure to abolish slavery and to show how economic and cultural factors intertwined in what was not a judicious decision by the leaders of the new American nation but their most tragic failure. †(Nash, 2001, p. 6) Nash points out that this was perhaps the most tragic failure in the American system, and one that has left a permanent blemish on the nation. The second chapter therefore begins with the main questions that become immediate after analyzing the initial enthusiasm and the eventual failure. Nash explains that he diverges from the common view according to which the newly formed union of states was too young to be able to act correctly from a political or social point of view. Moreover, he also insists that the Southerner’s self-interested opposition was not the halt of the abolitionists: â€Å"In explaining the failure of the new nation to come to grips with slavery, historians have repeatedly pointed to the precariousness of the newly forged union of the states and the intransigence of the lower South, particularly Georgia and South Carolina, in thwarting the widespread desire of those in the North and upper South to see the traffic of slaves ended for ever and the institution of slavery on the road to extinction. †(Nash, 2001, p. 25) Nash comes here close to the center of his demonstration throughout the book. His main idea is that the failure should not be blamed on the contention between the North and the South. The southerners were indeed guided by their economical interests in preserving slavery as an institution. The slave owners and the slave traders were equally unwilling to part with the profitable system of slavery. In Nash’s view however, neither of these motivations were actually the reason for the failure. He proposes and demonstrates therefore that the failure came from a national ideological handicap rather than from a regional one. In his view, the failure should actually be attributed to the Northerners that failed to carry the democratic principles to their ends. Thus, Nash provides an explanation for the gap between the initial elation with respect to abolitionism and the subsequent hostility of the white people against the black. Nash perceives this hostility that emerged powerfully after the revolution, as an inherent supremacist attitude and racism. While slavery was in itself a cruel and even barbaric practice that deprived the other race of freedom and dignity, the hostility that followed the liberation of the blacks was in itself a proof of the inherent ideological racism that permeated the white communities. In the fourth letter attached for documentary purpose at the end of the book, the reaction of the black community against this growing hostility becomes clear: â€Å"I proceed again to the consideration of the bill of unalienable rights belonging to black men, the passage of which will only tend to show that the advocates to emancipation can enact laws more degrading to free man and more injurious to his feeling than all the tyranny of slavery or the shackles of infatuated despotism. †(Nash, 2001, p. 196) Slavery was an open attack on the other race. However, the racism implied in the acts and bills issued after the revolution had waned are indicative of the extent to which this ideology pervaded the white communities of the time. The point of the demonstration seems therefore to hold: the failure to treat the black people as equal after their liberation was due to the inherent racism of the whites. Although freedom and human rights were advocated as grounds for the revolution, the bills issued afterwards point to the inability of the whites to conceive racial equality with the blacks. The events that followed during the nineteenth and the twentieth century enhance this idea. The white and black communities have found it very difficult to accommodate each other. Even at the beginning of the twentieth century, the black men could live as free people but still did not have equal rights to the white community. In his book, Nash achieves a succinct and powerful demonstration of the pervasive racism that motivated many of the events of the revolution at the end of the eighteenth century. Nash thus alleges that the only explanation for the compromises proposed as a replacement for abolitionism is actually the fact that the whites from both North and South equally failed to regard the blacks as their equals in any respect. The paradox comes from the early enthusiasm of the revolution, that seemed to be the mark of a novel and wise understanding of the harmonious relationship that should exist between all the human races at all times. Nash argues therefore that this enthusiasm was perhaps not grounded on a real understanding of the circumstances and that it was more of a theoretical conclusion rather than an actual analysis of the situation. The northerners did not agree with slavery in principle as being a savage and base practice, but were not ready to regard the African Americans as their equals. This fully explains why the revolution actually completed in a series of compromises rather than in the triumph of democracy and humanism, as it should have been expected. Gary B. Nash offers in his book a historical account with a timeline of the objective facts and events during and briefly after the revolution, but also a pertinent theory with respect to the inherent concept of race within the American civilization. He lies out and analyzes a block of data as well as authentic testimonies and documents of the time. It is obvious that he insists more on opinions and declarations from the time of the revolution, rather than on mere facts. Thus, he bases his analysis on the concepts and ideologies which circulated at the time. The supportive material offered for investigation at the end of the book is also very useful for the reader, as it backs up the demonstration that Nash makes. Race and Revolution is, as the title emphasizes, more than a simple historical account. It is an analysis of the concept of ‘race’ and its importance in American history. Nash chooses the time of the revolution to investigate the concept of race precisely because this seems to have been a turning point in the relationship between the white and the black communities. Moreover, at this point, the evolution of the racial conflict seems to have been clearly predicted. The book casts a new light on the revolution itself, which had been preserved as the remembrance of a glorious cause, disputed among the two regions of the United States, the North and the South. Nash draws attention to the actual picture of the revolution as a civil war in which the cause itself was not very clear. The text is therefore structure according to this main point of the demonstration: the reason why slavery became even more powerful at the very moment of the foundation of the United States as a nation. The allusion to the implicit racism at the core of the national experience of America is inescapable. Nash interlocks therefore the two events: the failure to abolish slavery and recognize the African Americans as a people with equal rights and the foundation and unification of the nation itself. He contends therefore that these two events are symbolically related, as the concept of race is deeply rooted in the American experience and culture. Nash’s work is therefore an important analysis that provides new insight on the history of America, of race and on that of the African Americans. The book is all the more fundamental since there has been only very little historical investigation of the African Americans as a separate race at this particular moment in time. In fact, most of the accounts of African American history skip the period of the revolution all together, thus failing to shed light on a very important moment. The role of the blacks in the Revolution itself is also usually ignored by historians. Race and Revolution thus draws attention to essential and yet un-investigated aspects of the American Revolution. The revolution, as Nash observes, is usually discussed as a great movement of emancipation and unification of the colonies on the territory of America. Given its importance as a historical event, the underlying racial debate on the question of slavery at the time is skipped or ignored. Nash demonstrates that this is an important moment for the evolution of the interracial relationships in America precisely because it actually functioned as a crossroads in the history of the United States. If a different course of events had taken place at the time, the conflict between the two races might have had a very different outcome. Thus, the American Revolution was a decisive moment for the interracial contention precisely because is an early form of abolitionism. While endeavoring to obtain their own independence and rights from England, the colonies debated the fundamental question of slavery and whether it should be abolished. The moment is a turning point in history precisely because the choices made at the point where the nation was founded influence the subsequent ideological growth of the nation. Thus, Nash implies in his book that the idealism of the revolution was dashed by the failure of the colonies to abolish slavery at that time. As the author observes, the matter of slavery and race was simply left by the revolutionaries to another generation to solve. This demonstrates that the idealism was sacrificed in favor of economical interest and that the abhorrence for the other race could not be eradicated even at a fundamental time as the American Revolution. Nash therefore achieves a very important statement in historical and cultural studies, pointing out that good causes can often be prevailed upon by petty interests. He also draws attention to the fact that some of the early abolitionists advocated the freedom of the black slaves for the same purpose of convenience, because they believed that white workers would be a better or more profitable option. The struggle caused by racial contention was therefore a complex and long process, in which idealism played a very small part. The actual battle took place between various political and economical interests. Nash also highlights that slavery actually increased its rate in the middle of emancipation again due to economical interests. The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 for instance brought a tremendous enhance to the plantation of cotton and implicitly to the need for slaves as working force. The causes that the revolutionaries fought for were thus not as simple and luminous as they are usually thought to be. The slavery debate at the time of the early republic best demonstrates that the social and political scenes were already very complex theatres. Gary B. Nash’s Race and Revolution is therefore a complex investigation of many aspects of the American Revolution and the slavery debate that took place at the time. The structure and the coherence of the ideas make the book an insightful and useful glance at the events that took place during the American Revolution. The importance of the book can be therefore estimated as quite high, since it sheds lights on new aspects of the revolution and of the early republic. It also demolishes the myth of the revolution as one of the most glorious moments in American history. While there was indeed a stream of idealism permeating the nation at that time, there were also many economical and political interests at play. What becomes clear after reading Nash’s book is that the revolution did not have enough ideological force to suppress racism and implicitly slavery. The abolishment was in fact a slow, gradual process that can be said to have spanned the entire nineteenth century and more than that. Despite the fact that among the revolutionaries there were people who had an enlightened idea about democracy and human rights in general, their force was not sufficient to alter the course of history and prevent further racial conflicts. The fact that the racial war was not won at the time even though independence was gained, proves that race is an inherent concept that will probably always generate conflict and debate. Nash’ book demonstrates that even at a time of idealism like the revolution, racism was still at its height and impossible to suppress. It also proves an important and general remark on the course of history itself, as it pinpoints the complexity of the events during the revolution. The structure of the historical events is never simple and unanimity is very hard to be achieved on a certain point. Therefore, the work emphasizes many aspects of the American Revolution, stressing its importance as a event in the history of the African Americans and in the history of race itself, as a concept. It provides a useful reading precisely because it makes a clear and concise demonstration of the way in which racial debates are fundamental to the American nation itself. The paradox at the center of the American civilization is thus unveiled and discussed: along the tumultuous history of the United States, a very high idealism and democratic principle has mingled with the desire for progress and economical advancement. The history of the United States seems to be permeated by example of opposite aspects entering into an irreconcilable conflict. The highly democratic and enlightened principles of the American Revolution are shadowed thus by the racial debate underlying the main events. As such, the book is an interesting reading for anyone desiring to perfect his or her knowledge of the history of the United States and its cultural paradoxes. References: Nash, Gary B (2001). Race and Revolution. Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield

Rationale of the Study Essay

Computers can be scary. At least that is what many people used to think, until computers became a regular part of their lives. The fact is, computers have become more â€Å"friendly†Ã¢â‚¬â€easier for the average person to use. In addition, they are becoming more and more important and useful in many areas of our lives—including the Church. A good church provides many services to the community through outreach programs, service projects, food pantries, and youth activities. And of course, they teach the community about salvation through Jesus Christ. The Church is using computer technology to solve problems, to save money, and to better serve the Church members on the local level. Computers have also been very useful in handling the impact of Church growth over the past few years. The staff at Church headquarters would be growing much faster than it is without computer solutions. Today, many churches and other religious organizations have jumped into the technological age. Churches have found new and inventive ways to keep in touch with people and it’s community through the use of technology. Many of the religious charitable institutions have also realized the potential of this modern communication to help raise funds, awareness and get help to where it is needed faster and easier than before. With the ever evolving world of social networks, churches need to constantly redefine and be ready to adapt connection points with their community whether online or in person. Understanding how the live and virtual worlds can most effectively support each other will help in defining how your church can connect. Technology is definitely cool and it is important tool for reaching people today. It makes so many things easier. That is how technology can help your church. The reason why this study is conducted is to provide online information and the power to manipulate all information and processes in the most convenient and reliable way. The researchers proposed newly improvised Online Church Information System in order to help the individuals in meeting their needs.

Adult Learners in Higher Education and Training Essay

Adult Learners in Higher Education and Training - Essay Example Therefore, contract learning aims at assigning more learning input from student rather than making learning teacher centered. Knowles further notes that the use of contract learning will help solve some learning problems by reducing the wide different gap between different learning groups among the adult learners. The essence of the learning contract is because learning institutions often receive people or learners from different backgrounds, with varied interest, previous experiences, lifestyle, learning styles, learning speeds, and outside commitments. Knowles noted that didactic is the sure way to all these interests since this teaching will aim at the middle (Knowles, 1986). Notably, concentrating at the middle will pull students at the lower end towards the middle so that they are not left far behind and those at the top will not be extremely bored. The contract learning is to assist student structure their own learning towards meeting the learning or educational needs (Knowles, 1995). Developing learning contract often requires a sense of cognitive and personal learning styles. There is also need for the teacher to diagnose his or her personal learning needs in relation to what the students need. This will also help in projecting the expectation at the end of the learning contract. Finally, there is a need for the teacher for formulate specific objects to be accomplished after the learning contract. Knowles, M. S. (1995).  Designs for adult learning: Practical resources, exercises, and course outlines from the father of adult learning. Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Leadership - Essay Example The manner in which he comes into contact with his sub-ordinates and even his peers is something that demands a change within his character for the boost in the environment which can only be regarded as a positive one. I believe such tactics of authoritative leadership use a great deal of negative power and influence and hence the end result is one of failure and distress for just about everyone in the organization. The employees start leaving their jobs because they feel they have been hard done by, by the leader as well as given constant negative vibes which have more or less affected the workplace in a very appalling manner. Thus morally these tactics have meant problems for the people and hence there would be no doubt in stating that such authoritative leadership regimes are wrong in all ways and means. These must be avoided in order to secure better productivity levels within the ranks of the organization. Effective leadership requires that the leader becomes a role model for his sub-ordinates and peers and gives exemplary performance under trying circumstances. This is a hallmark of effective leadership since its basis comes about with the significance of proper attention towards detail and the adequate handling of people at the workplace. Also an effective leader does not go back on his words and shows to his fellow colleagues that he puts his mouth where his actions speak louder than words. His practical demonstration of work ethos is thus manifested in the real sense of the word. Effective leadership requires commanding dignity within the sub-ordinates and the top bosses in the organization. It also means that the employees are treated with respect and given the space that they richly deserve. Similarly effective leadership comes about in full circle when the other departments within the same organization take such leadership domains as the role model and try to implement the same within their ranks as well. This is indeed a criterion

Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial Management - Essay Example Rents, Charges, Interests and others make up three percent of its funding (Smith, 2008). Of the total fund generated from various sources: seventy percent is spent on Salaries and Wages; twelve percent is provisioned for the employer contribution to the pension fund; another twelve percent is spent on operating expenses and six percent is for Capital Financing Charges (Smith, 2008). Fiscal governance coverage is in accordance with the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the United Kingdom (SORP Committee, 2010). CIPFA Code of Practice dictates that in cases of conflict the legislative requirements shall apply in financial governance (Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy, 2010). National non-domestic rates account for approximately eighteen percent of the total local authority income (Information Centre Scotish Parliament, 1999). Therefore, only about 9 percent of the National non-domestic rate income of the local authority finances the Fire and Rescue eff orts of local governments. While every district including the two cities of Manchester and Salford only contributes a total of 3.3 percent each to the operational expense of the Fire and Rescue Authority (Smith, 2008). Risk mitigation includes the following: disaster recovery, contingency plan, emergency response, business continuity. Fire and Rescue only covers emergency response. From a financial point of view to invest more than eleven percent for emergency response alone may not maximize the value of money considering the other area of risk mitigation that would include disaster recovery, contingency planning and business continuity. However, risk and security challenges have become increasingly complex because as we plan for protection and face a multitude of threats in a rapidly changing environment, we must expect the unexpected, while staying within our budgets (Purpura, 2008). There is an underlying importance in emergency response that is to prevent the emergency escalatin g into a disaster, then to a catastrophe, then to a tragedy (Alexander, 2002). The key has always been prevention and in this case the prevention of an emergency to escalate into another level. One of the key performance indicators of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue A

Safe Medication Administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Safe Medication Administration - Essay Example My practicum project is about Safe Medication Administration. As a nurse educator, I have the strong will to bring a change in pharmacological field, which I believe has started to become a global problem. I believe that for there to be a change it must start at an individual level. Therefore, my engagement in this field is to bring a significant change towards achieving safe medication administration by starting at the primary level, and that is nursing students. This improvement will positively affect my practicum site, Butler Tech, and will further improve the situation for other organizations where the nurses I will be teaching will be posted. For this project, I will be involved in teaching nursing students how to pass medication effectively and how to ensure a safe medication administration and use. I will actively use modern technology such as simulation medication carts in the lab sessions to teach students how to pass medication effectively. The set-up of the teaching enviro nment that I will be working in will involve the use of medication carts, which I will label, a medication record that will consist of counterfeit medicine, and some simulation dummies. Goal statement: As a nurse educator, my practicum experience goal is to contribute positively to the nursing field by using core competencies I have gained during my nurse educator program in helping nursing students understand the importance of safety in drug administration. At the end of the Practicum Experience, I will be able to.... Literature review Over time, there have been concerns in the nursing field on the various incidents of unsafe medicine administration. A study by Hughes and Blegen (2007) indicated that errors related to administration of medicine are becoming a principal concern among the causes of mortality and morbidity. In 2007, alone the death rate stood at 7,000. This concern led to the Institute of Medicine to come up with a report dubbed â€Å"Preventing Medication Errors† (Hughes & Blegen, 2007). The report emphasized on the need to practice safe medication administration. Years later, the problem still exists, and there although many measures have been put in place, there are still cases of unsafe drug administration in chemist, hospitals, and pharmacies (The National Patient Safety Agency, 2010). It is for this reason that I have gained a lot of interest in the field of pharmacology. The process of medicine administration is continuously becoming complex because of the continuous pr oduction and discovery of new drugs in the market. The number of prescribed medicine per patients is also playing a significant role in this trend (Garrett & Craig, 2008). Another important factor that is playing a key role in the medication field is the rapid change in medical technology and the several procedures and policies that have come up (National Patient Safety Agency, 2009a). Over the years, as I have progressed with my career I have come to discover that pharmacology, either as a course or part of a course for a nursing education is a particularly valuable element for any health care practitioner (Chester, 1977). A safe medication process and use are two essential principles that contribute

Report format- new product - UV protector spray for Billabong Company Essay

Report format- new product - UV protector spray for Billabong Company in Australia - Essay Example Billabong is an international clothing and accessories company based in Australia. The company operates in several overseas locations and primarily focuses on beachwear and wetsuits for both male and female customers. The company owns several brands such as RVCA, Element, Von Zipper, Xcel, etc (Billabong, 2015). The environmental analysis of the Australian market of beachwear and beach accessories suggests that it is capable of supporting the growth of the industry. The environment of Australia is relatively stable and attracts many tourists from overseas locations to enjoy Australian beaches. The stable political environment also suggests that there are no internal conflicts that may affect the business operations of the company. The stable economic condition of Australia indicates that the customers have the necessary disposable income to purchase the company’s products. Moreover, the social construct of Australia also reflects that people prefer to visit the nearest beaches and enjoy surfing in the sea (CIA, 2015). Thus, the customer base of beach wear and wetsuits is quite huge. The target customers of the company are mostly the young population who prefer visiting beaches and wear fashionable and trendy beach wear and accessories. The company has targeted the customers based on their age group, which mostly ranges between 15-35 years. The company caters its products to the upper middle class of society, who bears both the necessary disposable income and mentality to engage in leisure activities such as hanging out on a beach with friends. The marketing goal of the company is to increase its product portfolio so as to increase the customer footfall and improve its revenue generation and brand equity. This will be achieved by introducing a new product: UV protector spray. The marketing goals involving the new product launch will involve new promotional activities

External analysis for Ameresco Inc. (AMRC) Research Paper

External analysis for Ameresco Inc. (AMRC) - Research Paper Example heless, increased participation in the energy services industry has yielded increased competition between companies in the industry amid challenges presented by the external environment. The external environment has significant influence on the performance of companies through economic, technological, political-legal, and sociocultural factors. To sufficiently understand the influences of the external environment it is important to concentrate on a specific player in the industry such as Ameresco Inc. which is one of the largest energy services companies in North America. Although the economy cannot be controlled by an organization, it has great influence on the growth and development of a particular organization. This can be attributed to the impacts of economic growth, inflation, economic stability, and unemployment policies on the success of an organization (Dragnic, 2014). Ameresco’s location in North America gives it an advantage of relatively little negative influence of the economy. For example, its location in the USA is favorable to its success due the constant economic stability and growth presenting an opportunity for success. Additionally, inflation rates are relatively low thereby increasing its chances of success. However, areas with high unemployment rates offer relatively cheap labor hence increasing profit margins and vice versa. As such, the cost of labor incurred b Ameresco is relatively high although the changing times may present costs reductions based on labor importation trends. Technology plays a critical role in the de velopment of the energy savings industry. Technological advancements mainly focus on improving efficiency of energy consumption while maintaining low costs and conserving the environment. As such, the recent technological advancements pose a great opportunity for Ameresco’s success. Moreover, the political aspect heavily affects the performance of a particular industry depending on either favorable or unfavorable

Network Topology Design Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Network Topology Design - Assignment Example In this topology, single stations use their own internal drives as the basic storage destination but each of these accesses the drives of the other computers without unnecessary restrictions. This type of topology is easier to mechanize and promises convenience of use. Furthermore, the additional computer drives offer back up to the data incase of a crash of any computer. This topology is cheaper in relation to any other (Shelly & Rosenblatt, 2012). The growth recorded in the first year needs an equally stable topology but one that caters for the increased number of employees. This is a mechanism promised only by the star topology which is strong and stable enough to sustain the multiple access expected from the growing number of employees. In this mechanism, a central database is accessed equally by other individual computers. To increase efficiency, the database can be placed on the cyber space. This is achieved through cloud computing. Cloud computing offers speed, security, and integrity three factors that may be hampered in the event of the increase of employees in the firm (International Conference on Soft Methods in Probability and Statistics, & LoÃŒ pez-DiÃŒ az,

Statement of Purpose Essay Example for Free

Statement of Purpose Essay After a good deal of self-evaluation I have decided to pursue graduate studies in Management Information Systems. It is my undying interest and constant endeavour in the field of Mathematics and Statistics, that made me what i am today and had been a strong motivational force for all these years. After considering my aptitude and the type of work that I enjoy most, I am convinced that I want to take up a career in research in Data Analysis. This decision followed naturally after carefully considering my academic background, the areas of my interest, and my ultimate professional ambition, which is to pursue a research career as a Data Analyst. A Strong Vigor to expertise in Optimal Data Development and Data Integrity and to be a part of the powerful technological workforce in Management and Information systems are the objectives to my Graduate Study. It would play a pivotal role in acuminating my skills, earn proficiency and enhance my professional exposure. It largely aids me in gaining hands-on experience and acquire specialization in the field of data analytics. It has been my constant endeavor to strengthen my technical skills as well as venture beyond the confines of my professional work experience. The fulfillment, the enrichment and the mere experience of each of these endeavors have been both a source of tremendous inspiration and a guiding force in sculpting my academic objective of pursuing a Masters degree in Management Information Systems. After completing my under graduate study in Electronics and Communication Engineering, I worked with Tata Consultancy Services as a systems engineer where I got a chance to whet my appetite for information management field, data analytics in particular. Taking on the challenges given to me from day one to completing close to fifty projects till date, my knowledge has increased many folds. Working as a software engineer mainly in the database field handling the data of multiple clients like Century Link, Agilent, Sony East and West, Petco, Telephonica my main assignments were to handle the information in a systematic and secure way. I played multiple roles from design of a data model for a particular client to loading and analysis of data by performing rigorous performance tuning of the procedures developed. My seniors have been appreciative of my capabilities of handling the tasks and have been increasing my responsibilities. I was part of the software team from the preliminary investigation of the software development to the final review. And here where I knew the importance of the data analytics and data turned information. My working environment is also one of the motivating factors that pushed me towards obtaining a degree in Information Systems. My role in my current project is to develop a data model, source the client data into our database using sourcing agentS like Remedy or CMDB and analyze the sourced data for optimization. We have to develop a data model according to client requirement and design efficacious procedures for transforming the data as desired. Simultaneouly we develop complex queries which the GUI team uses to show the data in the portal(Reporting Tool). Complexities involved understanding the structure of data in the client ticketing tool, getting the complex database querys right checking multiple databases which contain enormous amount of data. This experience not only highlighted the importance of information management but also made me aware of the various challenges involved in dealing with the critical data of an organization. Locating incorporating new information rapidly, apart from having to break down understand complex content compelled me to think out of the box. This not only increased my problem solving capabilities but helped my team achieve results complete the projects well before the given deadlines. My ability to reach defend independent conclusion has also helped increase my intellectual maturity. During my Undergraduate course, I got an opportunity to learn C and Data Structures. These course works made me realize that i have a indefatigable determination and vigour for programming which urged me to learn few other programming languages such as C++, Java and Shell Scripting though they were not a part of my curriculum. I have always wanted to understand these concepts thoroughly, while being more interested in logic-based subjects than those that required learning by note. Apart from Academics, I actively organized and volunteered various fests technical as well as cultural, which paved a way to develop and enhance my leadership capabilities. I have enjoyed the responsibility of handling a team while organizing a fest by leading them upfront in all activities and was equally appreciated by my professors as well as my fellow students. I also had a strong appetite for sports especially cricket from my childhood which made me a part of my high School and University Teams and won many district level accolades. Understanding my own limitations learning from it has been a humbling experience. It has taught me to be hardworking, persistent, sincere goal oriented. I yearn to reach high levels of efficiency by following the best practices laid out. Management Information Systems has become one of the most important aspects of our life and now it has a greater influence on our world than it has ever been before. Organizations are increasingly relying on information systems to provide support in decision making in operational activities, management functions and for increased effectiveness in its various business areas. As a twenty first century professional, the ability to understand business on a global scale will be highly prized and hence it fascinates and motivates me to learn more and more about it. Now, having worked for more than 3 years, I feel that I am maturing as a professional should pursue a graduate program to cement my capabilities. Through the experience gained from my work, I developed excellent analytical and technical skills and improved my problem-solving abilities. To look beyond and extend my capabilities i realized the need to develop the technical and management interdisciplinary skills necessary to design, create, and maintain computer-based business processing applications or study the emerging needs of corporations in the areas of information technology management or complex project management. To realize my career goal of learning complex information management methods, I clearly must enhance my abilities in these as well as other areas of business. My advisors recommended me of your university on the basis of high demand for your graduates in the job market and the research work currently in progress. After going through the brochure, I realized that there also exists a vast gamut of opportunities from the oraganization of course in three disciplines. In addition, from the communication I had with the current students pursuing MIS at your esteemed institution, I have come to a conclusion that the graduate program at your department would suit my interests extremely well. Besides this, the quality of teaching, infrastructure, accommodation services, student support and career services are at their best as per international standards. It is therefore, just the right place that will equip me with unparalleled academic and professional skills and will enhance my personal growth as a Business Technologist. I plan to carry on advanced study of Databases, as well as related fields e. g. Algorithms, not only through coursework but also by participating in one of the several ongoing projects. Upon graduation from the University, I will seek a position which focuses primarily on decision support systems and developing new insights and understanding of business performance based on data and statistical methods that i learn from my graduation. I am aware of the kind of dedication, resilience and resolve I will have to show over the years. I believe that my association with the MIS department will be a mutually profitable one. Finally I take this opportunity to thank you for enabling me to express myself and if given an opportunity, I am confident that I will uphold the academic excellence of the department with my capabilities and diligence. I sincerely hope the admissions committee will share my confidence and give me the privilege of continuing with my studies at this esteemed institution.

Controlling Police Through Litigation Essay Example for Free

Controlling Police Through Litigation Essay Police departments draft and implement policies and procedures to provide consistency and eliminate ambiguity in department practices. These are guidelines are for staff and officers to follow in a variety of different situations. Police policies and procedures may have the force of law, or be considered by a court or jury in determining whether an officer acted lawfully in the line of duty. Procedures related to employee actions can also be subject to legal scrutiny in some cases. A lack of policies on issues involving the community may result in unlawful and inconsistent police action. These adverse actions can create a negative reaction within the community, and open the police officers within the department to legal liability. Michael Lyman quoted Section 1983, â€Å"Every person under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage of any state or territory, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or any other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the depravation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress.† (pg. 270) Basically, this means that police officers are prohibited from violating any person’s civil rights. Section 1983 is a tool for a citizen to use to sue another for a violation of civil rights. Some elements must be met in order to be subject to liability through Section 1983. First, he questionable liability or violator of Section 1983 must be a person†. A police department, state agency, or other legal entity, cannot be subject to liability under the statute. Second, the liable â€Å"person† must have been acting under the color of authority when the accused violation took place. A police officer who unlawfully beats a suspect in the commission of an arrest would be acting under the color of law. Finally, the accuser does not have to prove that the â€Å"person† intended to deprive him/her of their Constitutional rights, but only that there was a deprivation. For example, a subject who was beaten by a police officer can sue that officer for excessive force, without proving it was the officer’s intention to violate his rights, but only that the officer intended to beat him. In some cases an officer’s supervisor can be held liable because he/she is responsible for the negligence of that officer. This is known as vicarious liability, or â€Å"imputed negligence† (freedictionary.com). For example, a gang member who shoots and kills another person during a hold-up is responsible for the murder, but other gang members may be held vicariously liable for the same murder. There are several different types of defense for civil suits, and also persons who are immune to the liability in question. There are three types of immunity, they are: absolute immunity, quasi-judicial immunity, and qualified immunity. Michael Lyman lists judges, prosecutors, and legislators, as those who enjoy absolute immunity during civil liability suits (Lyman pg. 272). Lyman also reminds us that police officers and witnesses can obtain absolute immunity while testifying during a criminal trial, but if found providing false testimony, may be charged with perjury. Persons within a department, performing his/her duties as assigned, during the alleged time of a Section 1983 violation, and not involved in the violation, obtain quasi-judicial immunity. Quasi-judicial immunity is provided to prosecutors who are actively involved in the trial of a person. Qualified immunity is provided to federal law enforcement officials who are accused of violating laws that have not been clearly established. If a question of liability arises, but a federal law enforcement official is later found to be acting in an â€Å"objectively reasonable manner† he/she obtains qualified immunity (Lyman pg 273). References Vicarious Liability. (n.d.) Wests Encyclopedia of American Law, edition 2. (2008). Retrieved September 30 2012 from http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Vicarious+liability Lyman, Michael D (2010). The Police: An Introduction. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Gender Differences in Crime

Gender Differences in Crime Criminal patterns by women and by men have both similarities and differences. Women and men are more prone to committing minor substance abuse and property crimes, rather than serious ones like murder or robbery. The main gender disparity in criminal activity is that men commit offenses at a higher rate than women do, except for prostitution (Heidensohn). Gender difference is more distinct in serious crimes, while it is least discernible in petty ones, which is a phenomenon called gender gap in offending (Rennison, 2009, p. 172). Particularly, it has been evidenced that 19% of criminal act perpetrators are women, yet they are also more likely victims of crime: as of late 2009, two women are slain every week by a former or current partner, and 44% of violent crimes against females are domestic (White, 2010). Meanwhile, women have been imprisoned for offenses like possession of stolen property, theft and drug charges. Other characteristics of female offenders include, (i) 15% have been confined to a psychiatric hospital, (ii) 40% have been drug-dependent since the year prior to their imprisonment, (iii) 20% have been in rehabilitation (White, 2010). A new focus of criminology is the study of criminal careers and although research on this topic has been limited to violent offenses, it has been established that (i) women perpetrate violent crimes to a much lesser degree than males; (ii) the criminal careers of violent women start and reach its peak a bit earlier than men; and (iii) to thoroughly comprehend the gender gap in crime, variables such as age and gender must be taken into account (Rennison, 2009). According to Callie Marie Rennison, race has always played an essential role in violent offending (175). She pointed out that minorities make up a large population of offenders. For instance, Rennison cites data from the U.S. Department of Justice gleaned from arrest reports and victimization surveys attesting that Blacks are disproportionately found among violent offenders (Rennison, 2007, p. 175). She also lamented the fact that studies on gender gap have largely omitted gender and age, and joins the call for moving beyond simple comparisons of offending by gender (Rennison, 2007, p. 175). Evidence attests that there is a substantial overlapping in the social perspective of criminal acts perpetrated by men and women (Hall, 2009, p. 5). To note, it has been proven that female and male offenders both usually have low socio-economic standing, come from minority groups, unemployed or under-employed, and poorly-educated (Hall, 2007). In light of these social implications on gender disparity in crime, there have been questions on whether biological factors could be stronger determinants in crime as compared to social factors. Here is a look at the differing theories on crime and gender disparity. Traditional theories about gender disparity in crime are, Anomie, Labeling and Personality Theory. Anomie postulates that females commit crimes at a lower rate than males because they are less subjected to cultural pressures to achieve success materially (Hall, 2007). In Labeling, parental acceptance of violence, neighborhood and home violence all increase the odds that a male will be involved in crime and violence (Ramoutar and Farrington, 2005.) Males who have had episodes of severe punishments at home for misdemeanors were less likely to commit property crimes or violent offenses. Meanwhile, men who were labeled negatively by people in his environment, and men who had poor self-esteems, were twice as likely to participate in violent and property crimes (Ramoutar and Farrington, 2005, p. 563) On the other hand, women who perceived that they were negatively labeled tended to participate in violent crimes, but females who have been at the receiving end of violence were more likely to be involved in both petty and violent crimes (Ramoutar and Farrington, 2005.) In contrast with their male counterparts, being subjected to severe punishments at home due to misdemeanors, increased females tendency to commit violent crimes. The most dominant personality dimensions that are associated with crime are self-centered orientation, low empathy, venturesomeness and impulsivity (Ramoutar and Farrington, 2005, p. 558). Male offenders were characterized by enjoyment of intense and new endeavors, as well as by risk taking all descriptive of venturesomeness. They also had low rates of empathy. In female offenders, venturesomeness and impulsivity were reasons for criminal behavior; and, self-centeredness increased female offending by 100%. Female offenders were not characterized by low empathy and low empathy (Ramoutar and Farrington, 2005). Biological Perspective The biological perspective on gender differences in crime rate points out that genetics determines the criminal behavior of a person. Neurochemicals trigger the behavioral tendencies and patterns in the human brain. One of these neurochemicals, monoamine oxidase (MOA), is linked to antisocial behavior: low levels of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) cause disinhibition, which, in turn, can result in aggression and impulsivity (Jones 2005). MOA has intertwining functions with other neurochemicals that have already been associated with criminal and antisocial behavior, like dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine and norepinephrine. Dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine are also closely linked with the personality factor of psychosis (Jones 2005). On the other hand, serotonin affects brain development, and low levels of serotonin plays a significant role in triggering bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression. Moreover, serotonin is closely linked with aggression, which can be a trigger for criminal behavior. Dopamine is one of the neurotransmitters of the brain that provides feelings of pleasure, and thus, motivates people to do certain acts. A study conducted by Katherine Morley and Dwayne Hall in 2003 showed that there is an association between violent offenders and the dopaminergic pathway (Morley and Hall, 2003). Basing on these information, it could also be plausible that genetics plays a role in criminal behavior. Hence, supporters of the biological theory in criminal behavior assert that crime rates may be curbed by monitoring offspring and immediate family of known criminals, so that they may be tested for MAO (Morley and Hall, 2003). On the other hand, critics point out that this is not easy to accomplish because of m oral implications youngsters could be classified as potential criminals even if they have not committed any offense yet. Also, there is the ever present fear that governments may start using drugs to wage battle against crime, instead of addressing relevant social problems. It is important to recall that gender disparity in crime high level of male offending in comparison with females is absolutely accepted by criminologists. It is also important to note that gender disparity varies according to time, geographic area, race and age of the perpetrators. If gender disparity is indeed caused by genes, then the former will not vary as it does according to time, geographic area, race and age of the perpetrators. Thus, the biological theory is rather inadequate to explain gender differences in crime rate. New Female Criminal Freda Adler, a criminal professor at Rutgers University, published a book in 1975, entitled Sisters in crime: The rise of the new female criminal (Adler, 1975). The profile of the new female criminal, as explained by Adler, was considered as the most powerful and influential expert on female criminality more than three decades ago. According to Adler, the feminist movement may be credited with promoting positive changes in womens lives, i.e., social position, employment, marriage and family (Hamilton, 2010). She noted that women used to have the same hopes and ambitions as men, but they have not been able to attain these because of oppression towards their gender. Womens liberation changed all these, as females began to be empowered to pursue their dreams and ambitions and achieve them. However, Adler explained that womens lib had a darker side (Hamilton, 2010). Just as they were being productive, they were also pressing into crime (Hamilton, 2010). Women began to compete with men, even in the criminal world, wherein they were attempting to carve their own niches. And just as women became stevedores, soldiers, lawyers and doctors; they also became terrorists, embezzlers, forgers and burglars (Hamilton, 2010). Adler theorized that with womens liberation, a new breed of women offenders had come on the scene. She noted that the feminist movement created structural opportunities which women took advantage of by adopting the same characteristics as men: risk-taking, aggression and assertiveness. These, she said, were also the same qualities that enabled men to commit crimes. Adler has since, authored three more books on the topic, but modern times has seen critics bringing down her theories. For one, Adlers theories are weak in the sense that there are no supporting research evidencing that females who lived liberated lives committed more crimes than their more traditional peers. In addition to this, while it has been proven that most women offenders come from the lower socio-economic ladder, these same women rejected feminist ideals as distinctly middle-class. Moreover, feminists themselves shot down her theories, stating that these undermined the good intentions of womens rights (Hamilton, 2 010). Thus, it may be said that the new female criminal is more of a myth than reality. Which Theory is Correct? There are certain things to consider before determining which theory about gender  differences in crime is correct. Women have been engendered by moral principles which inculcate nurturing values in them, which restrain them from committing injurious deeds to others. Hence, females were less apt to commit crimes than the male counterparts, because of their nurturing and dependent nature (Cole and Smith, 2007, p. 57). Moreover, the criminal environment demands violence and physical power, which may account for lesser frequency and seriousness of crimes committed by women. Male have enhanced physical prowess and strength needed to commit graver crimes (JRank, 2010). In addition to this, women who wanted quick money but had no other means of getting it had opportunities to go into prostitution rather than commit crimes (JRank, 2010). Taking into consideration all these information, majority of studies concede that traditional theories are not given the deserving credit for explaining the patterns in criminal activity as it pertains to gender differences. Most of these theories are backed by hard evidence, and have outlasted the numerous modern theories that have sprung up and just as quickly, debunked by one study or the other. Majority of theorists agree that traditional perspectives are inadequate in explaining gender disparity in serious crimes, but a painstaking study of available data from research and experiments reveal that there is simply not much information in this area. Thus, the trend towards studying gender equality/inequality in criminal behavior must be continued, taking into consideration both traditional and biological perspectives, towards learning more about serious crimes. In doing this, the greater goal of curbing crime rates through significant research may be achieved.

The effectiveness of the Non Native Speaking Teacher Essay -- Language

Introduction With the number of English users around the word reaching a probable 2 billion (Crystal 2003), it can be confidently stated that the English language has achieved the status of the world’s lingua franca (Wardhaugh, 2006). The increase in the use of the language has led to an increase in the demand for English language courses (Nunan 2003). Therefore, this has also led to an increase in the demand for English language teachers. These teachers can be both Native Speaking Teachers (NST) and Non-Native Speaking Teachers (NNST). This essay will set out to evaluate the effectiveness of the NNST on learner acquisition of the target language. In this essay, the NNST will be used to refer to someone for whom English is not their language first language, but is a second or foreign language. Also, the target language referred to in this essay, is the English language. Another important point is that it will be necessary to support the arguments by comparing the NNST and NST. This essay w ill suggest that the NNST is as good as the NST when teaching the ESL class is monolingual Model (Learner vs. Language) Many people think that NSTs are the best model since they speak the language naturally (Sahin 2005). According to Rampton (1996), NSTs who do not possess teaching qualifications are more likely to be hired than NNST who are both as qualified and experienced teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Even students may generally look for NSTs because of their natural fluency. However, it might be argued that speaking a language and teaching a language are two separate issues. Medgyes (1999) draws a distinction between language model and learner model. He argues that NST are better language models, as learners may want to ... ...Oxford University Press. Rampton, M. B. H. (1996). Displacing the "native speaker": Expertise, affiliation, and inheritance. In T. Hedge & N. Whitney (Eds.), "Power, pedagogy & practice" (pp. 9-22). Oxford: Oxford University Press. R. Terrance R. Boak and Rodney C. Conklin. The Effect of Teachers' Levels of Interpersonal Skills on Junior High School Students' Achievement and Anxiety American Educational Research Journal. Vol. 12, No. 4 (Autumn, 1975), pp. 537-543 Sahin, Ismet (2005). The effect of Native speaker Teachers of English on the Attitudes and Achievement of Learners. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, Vol.1, No.1 Senel, M (2006). Suggestions for Beautifying the Pronunciation of EFL Learners in Turkey. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, Vol.2, No.1 Wardhaugh, Ronald (2006). An introduction to sociolinguistics. Wiley-Blackwel

Nike at a Glance :: Essays Papers

Nike at a Glance Society, as we know it today, would not be able to continue without the everyday use of shoes and clothes. This fact alone puts companies such as Nike in a pretty powerful and much needed position. It is very unlikely to go anywhere without seeing the Nike Swoosh somewhere. However, Nike has not always had the reputation that they have today. In fact before 1971, Nike was not even heard of. It was instead known as the Blue Ribbon Shoe Company, which was founded by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight. Bowerman was the track coach at the University of Oregon, later to be the birth place of Nike. He knew of Knight through track and field, and they both had the idea of starting and developing a new athletic shoe. Phil Knight in a Stanford research paper said that â€Å"low-priced, high-performance, well-merchandized exports from Japan could replace Germany’s domination of the United States athletic shoe industry.† Knight did not know how right he would later become. In 1962, Knight traveled to Japan and talked to Onitsuka Tiger Company and convinced them that their shoes would have great success in the United States. He came up with a fake store, Blue Ribbon Shoes, which he claimed to own to assure Tiger shoes of his validity. Upon his return, Bill Bowerman and he opened Blue Ribbon Shoes, donating 500 dollars each to the business. The first 200 shoes arrived in December of 1963, from Japan and were met with some resistance. Bowerman and Knight set out to various track meets selling the shoes out of the back of their car. Even though some success came from this, they just could not do it on their own. In 1965 they had to hire Jeff Johnson as Blue Ribbons first full time employee. Johnson knew Knight through track and would prove to be a valuable member of the company. With his help, in 1966, they were able to open the first retail store in Santa Monica, California. The success of this store spawned the opening of another store in Eugene, Oregon in 1968. Bowerman knew however, that the company would have to come up with something new so they could move away from their counterparts in Japan. He did this one day while experimenting with rubber and his wife’s waffle iron.

The Universal Soul in The Parable of the Chariot, Katha Upanishad 3.3-3

The Universal Soul in The Parable of the Chariot, Katha Upanishad 3.3-3.12 The word â€Å"Atman† is translated into English as â€Å"soul† or â€Å"self.† Yet Atman in Hinduism has a much richer meaning than our standard western concept of soul. For example, Atman is understood as divine and equivalent to Brahman, the ultimate reality. Each person’s Atman is the same, and each is identical with Brahman. Therefore Atman could also be translated, â€Å"Universal Soul,† â€Å"Eternal Soul,† or â€Å"All-Soul.† The Katha Upanishad speaks at length about the nature of Atman, how one might attain to it and thereby attain to Brahman. Attainment to Atman is dependent on the control of those aspects of the person that are transitory and not eternal like Atman; these include the body, the mind, the intellect and the senses. The parable of the chariot in the Katha Upanishad illustrates the nature of Atman by means of an allegory. According to this parable, the way to Brahman is through Atman; the way to Atman is through control of the body, the senses, the mind, and the intellect. Each of these aspects of the person, including Atman itself, is likened to some part of the chariot. It is thus shown that Atman or the soul is what gives the body purpose and life, and that control of the mind and the senses results in a knowledge of the universal soul and, likewise, ultimate reality. The parable of the chariot begins simply with a basic comparison between two opposite aspects of a person, body and soul (Katha Upanishad, 3.3): Know thou the soul (atman, self) as riding in a chariot, The body as the chariot. In this passage the soul is not only shown in control of the body but also protected by it and dependent on it for its interaction with the world... ...hings, That Soul (Atman, Self) shines not forth, But He is seen by subtle seers With superior, subtle intellect. The parable of the chariot shows that Atman is the supreme entity among the many parts that make up the person, yet it also shows that the various parts have relationships with and dependencies on one another. Through the subordination of the many parts to Atman, we may come to know Atman, the royal passenger in the chariot. All the aspects of the person which are not Atman (body, mind, etc.) give us the impression that we are unique individuals. Only by subordinating these things to Atman do we see otherwise. We all suffer from the illusion that we are distinct, yet when we begin to see that we all are in fact the same, then we begin to know Atman and therefore Brahman as well.

Building & Maintaining Customer Relationships Essay

Company Overview Wal-Mart is the world’s largest retailer company, which has operated on the market since 1962. The existence of such type of stores on the market becomes urgent.   This phenomenon can be easily explained by the lowering standards of living and economic slowdowns. The company was found in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas (Wal-Mart, 2005). Its founder, Sam Walton opened the first distribution center in 1970, which was a starting point for further expansion, and in two years it was included in the list on the New York Stock Exchange. Today, none of the discount retailers is more popular than Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart merchandises a wide range of goods from tables to combs. Wal-Mart is the leader of the full-line discounters, with many stores cov ­ering 120,000 square feet (or more) of floor space; food accounts for about a third of floor space and sales (Wal-Mart Home Page, 2006). Acquisition Strategy Wal-Mart uses acquisition strategy as the main tool to access and penetrate new markets around the globe and expend nationally. The first wave of acquisitions took place at the end of 1970s when Wal-Mart acquired 16 Mohr-Value stores in Michigan and Illinois (1977), Hutcheson Shoe Company (1978), Woolco stores (1983), Grand Central Stores (1985), Supersaver (1988). Acquisition policy has been undoubtedly the most radical growth strategy open to management in that it represents a deliberate attempt to change the nature of the business (Is Wal-Mart Good for America, 2004). Executives at Wal-Mart spent most of 1990 trying to expand the brand’s customer base, and results have been promising. With hindsight, however, it is clear that Wal-Mart paid too much for the acquisitions. As noted previously, Wal-Mart is currently in the midst of its own financial retrenchment. Acquisition policy occurs when the new business is related in some way to the old one. The opening up of the market and the resultant increased competition has widened the perspective of the planning framework with profound implications for Wal-Mart. During this period of time, Wal-Mart acquired Western Merchandisers, Inc and McLane Company of Temple (1990),   28 units from The Wholesale Club, Inc (1991). During 1990s, Wal-Mart has used acquisition strategy to expand internationally and acquired 122 Woolco stores in Canada (1994), opened new stores in Puerto-Rico (1992) and penetrates Korean and Chinese markets through joint venture strategy, and entered German market in acquiring Wertkauf (1998) and Interspar (1999). For instance, acquisition with Woolco stores allowed Wal-Mart to subject to a complex regulate framework whereas others are less so (Watch Out Europe: Here Comes Wal-Mart, 1999). Still, even if it is possible to predict the needs of customer there are some threats and new opportunities, which should be taken into consideration (Oliva, n.d.). There are no specific regulations governing the goals and structures of the industry, there is no constitutional restrictions or legislative mandate that restricts acquisition (Bianco, Zellner, 2003). In October 09 2006.Black Agenda Radio reported that Wal-Mart was going to enter Australian market making its first acquisition in Australia this year. They announced that Wal-Mart made investments in Brazilian retail chain Sonae and Central American Retail Holding Company (CARHCO). Also, â€Å"On 28 July 2006, Wal-Mart announced it will exit the German retail market by selling its 85 â€Å"Supercenters† to retailer Metro AG on the back of pre-tax losses of approximately U.S. $1 billion on its German operations† (Wal-Mart’s Germany Exit, 2006). So, acquisition strategy employed by Wal-Mart provides the buyer with quick growth as well as access to existing brand suppliers, distributors, and goods. Retention Strategy Unlike the transactional, functionally-orientated approach, relationship marketing in food retailing industry is a cross-functional process concerned with balancing marketing efforts among key markets. To create a winning customer retention strategy, Wal-Mart expends its product lines and improves its customer services. For instance, Wal-Mart implemented RFDI solutions and handheld computers linked to in-store computers which helped to transform its business worldwide (RFID to Transform, 2004). The strength of retention strategy is that it is on average as dependent on reliable information technology as any other businesses. They care more about reliable service and confidence than about the lowest price. The company implemented IT supply chain solutions and Internet facilities in order to meet customers’ needs and requirements. A critical issue within the customer market domain in the USA is to ensure that customer retention as well as customer acqui ­sition is emphasized. Recognition of the significant link between customer retention and profitability is leading to new and better strategies for strengthening customer satisfaction and loyalty (RFID to Transform Real-Time, 2004). Branding, advertising, promotion, and additional services to customers and product innovation strengthen the company’s image (Sell Your Product, †¦ 2004). In-Store Checkout TV Channels are introduced in different locations around the country aimed improve customer service and engage customers in buying process. This strategy decreases time and efforts that customers must expend to learn about the products. Wal-Mart reduces prices seasonally in order to attract new customers and benefit existing buyers. Wal-Mart’s customers evaluate an item of a given specification in terms of its total expected costs, i.e. acquisition price plus any necessary additional expenses associated with an item: it can be installation, running and maintenance costs, all discounted to the present time in order to take account of cash flows over a period of time. In the same way the cost of a transport movement or service may be expressed in terms of the original price of acquisition plus any additional and necessary costs or expenses (Brown Quintin, 2000). It is possible to distinguish two aspects of costs: price and expenses. Trying to provide customer service an organization considers these two measurements. In evaluating an organization, customers consider or respond to these two measurements. Mobile computing and increased staffing for weekends help to overcome retention and improve customer service (The Big Secret Is Continue†¦ 2006). Strengths and Weaknesses of Wal-Mart’s Acquisition and Retention The main strength of Wal-Mart acquisition and retention strategies is that they improve company’s position on the market; they are customer-oriented and help Wal-Mart to expend internationally. Also, the management team of Wal-Mart takes into consideration that direct Investment involves sev ­eral distinct forms. Ranging from a sales/marketing subsidiary through to a fully operational manufacturing unit producing the same products as the domestic plant, investment includes product specific manufacturing units, plants producing components and facilities which simply assemble products in the end-user market (Davison, Smith, 2005). At the very beginning the strengths included high potential to growth and profitability of the company, and professional management team, customer loyalty and excellent service. It is targeted at the customers, which buy discounted and unpackaged goods from manufactures at extremely low prices (The Ever-Expanding Empire, 2004). For Wal-Mart, acquisition and retention strategies help to save millions of dollars on advertising and market penetration. Wal-Mart plans on a combination of forecasting and budgeting systems can only work if the future is going to be the same as the present or the past. Wal-Mart will succeed in redu ­cing costs in the next few years of the decade by international acquisition strategies. The main weaknesses include negative attitude of foreign competitors and strict government regulations restricted foreign ownership in some countries. For instance, in 2002 Wal-Mart’s attempts to buy Supermercados Amigo in Puerto Rico were blocked in order to prevent anti-competition policies and foreign dominance of Wal-Mart. Also, Wal-Mart has made attempts to acquire Ahold’s operations in Argentina, Brazil and Peru. Another weakness of Wal-Mart is comparatively low wages which increase dissatisfaction with its policies (Is Wal-Mart Good for America, 2004). This situation negatively affects company’s image and causes critics in press. Changes in legislation and international regulations can weaken Wal-Mart’s global presence and limits its acquisition plans. For instance, the end of 1990s was marked by the changes on the European market which altered many of the parameters of competition and thus enforced a period of reassessment and adaptation (Person of the Week, 2006). Recommendations Taking into account current acquisition and retention strategies and activities, the best collusions for Wal-Mart are planning for com ­petitiveness and are actively involved in re-investing profits in new critical assets. Wal-Mart may choose to concentrate on its core strengths and rationalize its portfolio, focus its activities on a particular geographic area or centre on a particular user segment. Wal-Mart, as a result of being able to adapt to changing competitive demands, is likely to survive in the long term. The changes can be incremental or major in their nature, but each type provides specific advantages to deliver customer satisfaction. It is possible to conclude that effective international and national marketing depends upon effective marketing system employed by a company. The company needs better management facilities outside the USA to control and monitor performance around the world. For Wal-Mart acquisition should be key market-entry strategy that entails purchasing multiple existing outlets in a foreign and domestic market. CRM (customer relationship management) can be seen as one of the main tool to improve current service and attract potential target audience. Maintenance of high standards is a key factor to improve customer service. References Bianco, A., Zellner, W. â€Å"Is Wal-Mart too powerful?† Business Week, October 6, 2003, p.5. The Big Secret Is Continue to Do What You Do Best. Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), November 28, 2005, p. 3. Black Agenda Radio. Wal-Mart’s siege in Chicago. KPFK, October 09, 2006. Brown, R., St Quintin, R.E. Distribution Sector Faces Major Impact. The Birmingham Post (England), February 17, 2000, p. 41. Davison, J., Smith, S.E. (2005). â€Å"Wal-Mart Finds Dominance Harder to Achieve in Europe†. 2 Sept. Gartner Research. Available at: gartner.com/resources/ 130800/130826/walmart_finds_d.pdf The Ever-Expanding Empire; after Wal-Mart Chief Talks to Key Men in Europe He Has a Big Message for His Shareholders. The Evening Standard (London, England), May 27, 2004, p. 40. Is Wal-Mart Good for America? TV program Online Nov 16, 2004. Available at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/ 8.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oliva, S.M. Price Check on Antitrust: WalMart’s Acquisition of Britain’s Safeway PLC. Capitalism Magazine. Available at: http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=2394 Person of the Week. Braun and Dolores Hummel. ABC’s World News Tonight. Monday, October 09, 2006. RFID to Transform Real-Time Business across Industries; SAP Exec Says Technology Has a Big Future Business Impact. Manila Bulletin August 30, 2004, p. 4 Sell Your Product the Wal-Mart Way. Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), September 13, 2004, p. 3. Wal Mart. 2005. May, 21. Available at: http://www.datamonitor.com/~e923bef8274740fc8a14e76a70d51687~/companies/company/?pid=8046847E-B325-4AF0-BC79-48100850E764 Watch Out Europe: Here Comes Wal-Mart. Business Week Online. June 28, 1999. Available at: http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_26/b3635129.htm Wal-Mart Home Page. 2006. Available at: http://www.walmartstores.com/wmstore/wmstores/HomePage.jsp Wal-Mart’s Germany Exit Reflects on Its Market Entry Strategy. 2006. Gartner. Available at: http://www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?doc_cd=142370   

A business letter on expanding into foreign markets Essay

This letter is about my business that wants to expand out of the United States. I hope you will be able to advise us on this step our business wants to take. We hope you have the answers to our questions and thank you for helping us. Internatioanl expansion is one of the srategies wwe want to use in growing our business. There are important issues that you have to consider when expanding to other countries. We have looked at some of these issues. We see that we have to adapt to other countries cultures and traditions. Also we have to consider religous differences in ther countries. For example in some religonds some meats are concidered sacred, which we will have to take into consideration if we want to sell our products in those countries. We also rrealize that we have to make our business acomidate the peolpe of each country. We cant have the same things in each store. Reasearch will have to be done, which will help us know what people prefer in different countries. We think that by moving into different countries it will increase our amount of customers becaususe they will know are name. We will be all over the world and not just in the Uited States. This could make us more appealing to customers because when they come to us they know what they can expect. Customers like that comfortable feeling that we can provide them by expanding into other countries. We would like to sell our products considering people wants and needs. Also considering the prices that fit our customers. We will also learn of our customers wants and needs by having evaluations in our stores each week considering different issues. This will make us aware of what our customers want and should help us satisfy our customers. By listening to the customers opinions we will be able to come up with new types of ideas and goods that we could sell in addition to our coffe and desserts. Also we realize that people like a relaxing atmosphere in a coffe and desert house. we will acomidate this by having soothing music in our stores, books, and magazines that fit the customers of each of the countries we go into.We would like to thank you for taking the time to read this letter. We hope you are able to advise us and some more ideas you have for us expanding our business outside the United States. Also tell us if the issues that we coered in the letter are correct or could be fixed.

Differentiating Between Market Structures Essay

Kudler Fine Foods is the brain child of Kathy Kudler. She envisioned a one stop gourmet food store and has grown to three locations to date. She continues to maintain direct control over large bulk purchase order items, stringent customer service policies, and hiring. This paper discusses how the organization competes in the marketplace and the strengths and weaknesses of the company according to the marketing surveys their customers completed. The following also discusses which market structure best applies to the organization and how that structure positively and negatively affects the firm, how the effectiveness of the competitive strategies in the market structure affect the organization’s long-term profitability, and what competitive strategy recommendations may be made. How Kudler Competes Kudler Foods competes on a differentiation strategy. While the advertising is similar to the average grocery stores in the area, the advertising is not built on a â€Å"loss leader† criteria. Kudler Foods is one of only a few competitors in Orange County that offers a complete gourmet shopping opportunity. The company considered the greatest competition is the Cardiff Seaside Market and is in direct competition to the Encinitas and Del Mar locations. If left unchecked and depending on how effective the new managers are at strategic combinations, the competing store could negatively impact Kudler Foods market share. Something like this could decimate Kudler Foods’ customer base. Active assessment of strategy strengths and weaknesses is necessary to mitigate the challenges of this possibility. Strengths and Weaknesses Kudler Fine Foods marketing surveys were a clear indication of their strengths and weaknesses. Customers were happy with the displays and lay-out of the store. Customers were happy with the merchandise they purchased, even though they were not happy with the value they received for their money. Customers were practically split down the middle about how they felt about the customer service they received. That sentiment is not a reflection on how knowledgeable the customer service person was since customers overwhelmingly voted positively when asked that question. Overall, the customers felt good about the organization, how the company is branding itself as a premier gourmet market, the quality of the products and the knowledge level of the service representative. Best Market Structure The best market structure for Kudler Foods is oligopoly. Oligopoly, as defined by Colander (2010), â€Å"A market structure in which there are only a few firms and firms explicitly take other firms’ likely response into account; there are often significant barriers to entry.† Oligopoly requires strategic thinking. A real life company that has the same market structure as Kudler Foods is Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods Market carries specialty, gourmet food items, meats, wines, cheeses, and bulk food stuffs. Whole Foods Market also offers food and wine tastings, and attracts a wealthier clientele who fancy themselves as â€Å"gourmet foodies.† A large portion of their inventory is organically produced. Their customer service levels are a point of great pride as they know it is not just the food but the service that keep customers coming back. (Whole Foods Market, 2013) There are however, positive and negative effects of this market structure. Positive and Negative Effects A negative effect of oligopoly is that it is largely inefficient – economically and in productivity. What this means is that oligopolies do not produce in the most inexpensive manner nor do they produce the right amount of products according to demand. A positive effect of this market structure is the overall profits. These profits, for the growth purposes of Kudler Foods, could be used for technological advances so they may offer improved products, costs, prices, and allow them to stay ahead of the competition now and in the future to maintain long term profitability. Recommendations A firm recommendation is further train employees to enrich operations and increase customer service. Employees are certainly knowledgeable, as per the marketing survey results, but could use some additional training in increasing customer service skills. This could be accomplished by hiring an expert in the field to come in and teach service skills to the employees. To ensure the skills are used, Kudler Foods could tie a small part of the employee’s compensation to good reports from customers. In addition, Kathy Kudler is making plans to introduce new e-commerce capabilities as well as a catering link on the new website slated for launch in June 2004. These steps will add automation to inventory ordering and reach potential customers outside of the geographical area they currently service (â€Å"Kudler Fine Foods | Administration: Strategic Plan 2003†, 2013). The use of e-commerce will showcase strengths and perhaps give sustained competitive advantage. This new automation will also allow cash flows to go to the geographical expansion Mrs. Kudler wishes to achieve rather than operations functions. Conclusion The main point of this paper was to offer a market analysis for Kudler Foods and offer recommendations based on that analysis. Commitment to strategic plan, both in formulation and implementation are vital. â€Å"As with any plan, simply formulating a good strategy is not enough. Managers also must ensure that the new strategies are implemented effectively and efficiently (Bateman & Snell, p. 150, 2011).† Given the current circumstances, Kudler Foods has an excellent opportunity to maintain the positive cash flow it has been earning. If Kudler Foods will accept that strategy formulation, implementation, and technological advances are essential to securing future significant returns, Kudler Foods will ensure continued success by creating a connection between increased customer service, an internet presence, automated ordering, customer buying habit tracking, and customers’ lives. The sustainable competitive strategic advantage that Kulder Foods wishes to maintain and elo ngate will most certainly be realized. References Colander, D.C. (2010). Economics (8th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. (2011). Management: Leading & Collaborating in a Competitive World (9th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database Whole Foods Market, Mission & Values (2013) Retrieved from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/mission-values Kudler Fine Foods | Administration: Strategic Plan 2003 (2013). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/Business/Kudler2/intranet/strategic-plan.asp

Wordless Picture Books

Flotsam By David Wiesner A bright, science-minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam — anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there's no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share†¦ and to keep The Three Pigs By David Wiesner Once upon a time three pigs built three houses, out of straw, sticks, and bricks.Along came a wolf, who huffed and puffed†¦ So, you think you know the rest? Think again. With David Wiesner at the helm, it's never safe to assume too much. When the wolf approaches the first house, for example, and blows it in, he somehow manages to blow the pig right out of the story frame. The text continues on schedule–â€Å"†¦ and ate the pig up†Ã¢â‚¬â€œbut the perplexed expression on the wolf's face as he looks in vain for his ham dinner is priceless. One by one, the pigs exit the fairy tale's border and set off on an adventure of their own.Folding a page of their own story into a paper airplane, the pigs fly off to visit other storybooks, rescuing about-to-be-slain dragons and luring the cat and the fiddle out of their nursery rhyme. A Ball for Daisy Chris Rashka 3 and up Daisy is a dog with a ball, and life could not be better. There are games of chase, cuddle times on the couch, and walks in the park; however, tragedy strikes when Daisy’s ball bursts (literally). Daisy is pretty depressed, until she receives a present from an unexpected friend. The good: This is a delightful story. Daisy is the quintessential dog who loves to play, play, play.Chris Raschka (author/illustrator of the 2006 Caldecott winner, â€Å"Hello, Goodbye Window†) tells a story of a dog who loves a ball, and does so entirely through pictures†¦aka: no words. Sometimes these types of books make me nervous because they can be di fficult to ‘read’ aloud to kids; however, Raschka’s watercolor illustrations are playful, fun, and make telling the story a piece of cake. In fact, this is a story that can be told collaboratively. Let the kids tell you what Daisy is doing in a picture and how Daisy feels in another. The flow of the story does get a little confusing when the format of the illustrations switch from page to page.For example, sometimes there is a picture for each page and sometimes the picture goes across both pages. I had to re-read a few pages the first time because I got a little confused on the order of the pictures, but this is a small issue, and you should not be deterred from checking this book out from your local library. This is a story worth reading and telling. The Lion and the Mouse By Jerry Pinkney In award-winning artist Jerry Pinkney's wordless adaptation of one of Aesop's most beloved fables, an unlikely pair learn that no act of kindness is ever wasted.After a feroc ious lion spares a cowering mouse that he'd planned to eat, the mouse later comes to his rescue, freeing him from a poacher's trap. With vivid depictions of the landscape of the African Serengeti and expressively-drawn characters, Pinkney makes this a truly special retelling, and his stunning pictures speak volumes. This is a visual retelling of the classic Aesop fable: A lion, awakened by a mouse climbing over him, catches the tiny animal in his mighty paw. The mouse appeals for mercy and the lion relents. Soon after, the lion is captured in a poachers’ net.The mouse hears his anguished roars and comes to his aid, gnawing the ropes until the great creature is freed. The Red Book By Barbara Lehman Kindergarten-Grade 6–This perfectly eloquent wordless book tells the complex story of a reader who gets lost, literally, in a little book that has the magic to move her to another place. On her winter-gray walk to school, a young girl spies a book's red cover sticking out of a snowdrift and picks it up. During class, she opens her treasure and finds a series of square illustrations showing a map, then an island, then a beach, and finally a boy.He finds a red book buried in the sand, picks it up, opens it, and sees a sequence of city scenes that eventually zoom in on the girl. As the youngsters view one another through the pages of their respective volumes, they are at first surprised and then break into smiles. After school, the girl buys bunches of helium balloons and floats off into the sky, accidentally dropping her book along the way. It lands on the street below and through its pages readers see the girl reach her destination and greet her new friend, and it isn't long before another child picks up that magical red book.Done in watercolor, gouache, and ink, the simple, streamlined pictures are rife with invitations to peek inside, to investigate further, and–like a hall of mirrors–reflect, refract, repeat, and reveal. Lehman's story c aptures the magical possibility that exists every time readers open a book–if they allow it: they can leave the â€Å"real world† behind and, like the heroine, be transported by the helium of their imaginations Pancakes for Breakfast By Tomie DePaola Set in the country, â€Å"Pancakes for Breakfast† is a story of a lady who wakes up one cold winter morning and decides to make warm pancakes.While originally published in l978, it remains a delightful, timeless lesson on how pancakes are really made. There's not a frozen package or mix box in sight. Even though there is no story text, DePaola's signature illustrations leave little doubt about how to whip up a batch of pancakes from scratch. This format provides lots of material for discussion and questions by formative young cooks about the origin of ingredients used to make food. It can also be used as an example of supporting local, sustainable food supplies, which was hip even in the seventies.A pancake recipe i s included, but feel free to encourage your young chef to add their own flair, just like the pros. Think outside the box, or book, and add complementary ingredients, such as bananas, berries, apples, or peaches that would add to the flavor, color and nutrition. Stir imaginations by substituting low fat buttermilk or tossing in a handful of cornmeal, flax meal, crunchy wheat germ, or whole grain flour. Try dipping each bite in low fat maple yogurt instead of syrup. You get the picture. Baby! Baby! by Vicky CeelenWith these striking and adorable photographs, Vicky Ceelen cleverly captures the similiarities between human and animal babies. From a sleeping baby alongside a snoozing kitten to a teetering toddler and a wobbly duckling, Ceelen’s comparisons are striking. Bright photos paired with simple text make this board book perfect for human babies everywhere. The photographs are well done and just a pleasure to look at. I'm not sure if the concept would be ever-obvious to babi es and toddlers. But even if they don't â€Å"get it† get it, they should enjoy looking at the pictures.