Government 2301 Executive Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Government 2301 Executive Project - Essay Example This helpful act was brought into law by George W. Bush on December 3, 2004. This act has helped out and benefitted 6.8 children and youths suffering from disabilities (OELP). In order to gain a better understanding of the Office of Special Education Programs, it is important to take a closer look at the act, IDEA. IDEA has had a profound effect on individuals with disabilities. It was actually preceded by a different act, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142) put into law on Nov. 29, 1975 (IDEA’s Impact). This law was made in order to protect the rights of the needs of individuals with disabilities, as well as assisting their families. Before IDEA, many people with disabilities were not able to obtain the types of necessary opportunities to educate themselves successfully (IDEA’s Impact). A report in 1970 showed that several United States schools would not permit certain students with disabilities to enter the school (IDEA’s Impact). This, of course, greatly harmed the education of these individuals while at the same time making education seem like something these people did not deserve. However, in a fai r country with public education, shouldn’t everybody have access to it? This is why IDEA was formed. The act initiated programs that could discover disabilities relatively early on in order to assist students. This education would then be molded to fit these individuals’ basic needs, whether they were deaf, blind, mentally retarded, or suffered from some other type of disability. This has created an opportunity for children with disabilities to take advantage of their public schools (IDEA’s Impact). Thus, the schools have responded to this with different ideas. Some students have separate classes with different teachers, while others are learning with their non-disabled

Comparison of Solar and Wind Energy Technologies

Comparison of Solar and Wind Energy Technologies Contents (Jump to) CHAPTER 3 Solar and wind technologies comparison 3.1 Economics of technologies 3.1.1 Cost of photovoltaic Cells 3.1.1 Economics of wind turbines 3.2 Efficiency of technologies 3.3 Advantages and disadvantages CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 4.1Results 4.2Discussion CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 5.1Conclusions 5.2Recommendation REFERENCES CHAPTER 2 Solar and Wind Technologies Comparison 3.1 Economics of technologies Installed cost and performance levels of renewable energy plants are similar around the world, although no single figure can quantify the precise cost and performance of any renewable technology. The location where the technology is installed plays a major role in providing the energy resource for renewable energy technologies. Solar installations close to the equator have more energy production capability. Wind energy variations are more extreme, windiest regions are favorable to install wind turbines that generates significant amount of electrical energy such as New Zealand and United Kingdom (Freris and Infield, 2008). Table 3.1 shows the main parameters related to renewable energy technologies and conventional plant. It also indicates the three major components of energy generation cost which are: (1) the cost of the plant, land acquisition, grid connection and initial finance cost, (2) operation and maintenance cost (OM) and finally fuel cost. From the table it is noticeable that most of the renewable energy technologies have zero fuel cost and it varies in conventional plant. Table 3.1: Comparison of cost and performance data for renewable energy and conventional plant (Freris and Infield, 2008) Levelized cost method is the main traditional approach used to compare cost generating electricity from various energy technologies. The levelized cost of energy technologies is measured as it is shown in Equation 3.1: LOCE = (Eq. 3.1) The LCOE method is concept from reality and is used as a ranking tool to measure the cost-effectiveness of various energy generation technologies. Where CF is the capacity factor; OC is the overnight construction cost; CRF is the capital recovery factor; OMC is the series of annualized operation and maintenance costs; FC is the series of annualized fuel costs; r is the discount rate and T is the economic life of the plant. 3.1.1 Cost of photovoltaic Cells Solar radiation is a finite and free source of energy but despite that, there is cost for utilizing this form of energy. The calculation of the cost of solar energy can be made in the following manner. Assuming the solar system would have a specific lifetime of T years at initial cost of C0 Dollar. The amount of energy the system can generate during the lifetime of the system is Q (Goswami et al., 2000). The unite cost of energy, neglecting the interest charges, is equal to the cost of the installation divided by the total energy generated during the lifetime as it is shown in Equations 3.2: Cs = (Eq. 3.2) For example if the solar energy collector cost $200/m2 , has an expected life of 20 years, and is installed in a location where the mean annual horizontal surface irradiance is 300 W/m2 averaged over 24 hours, the cost of solar energy Cs will be equal to: = = $0.00380/Kw.hr However it is clear that no solar energy collector can perform at 100% efficiency. According to thermodynamic laws only a fraction of incident energy can be transformed into useful heat. Assuming the efficiency of the collector ÆÅ ¾c is 40 percent, the cost of solar will be given by Equation 3.2: Cs = = $0.00951/Kw.hr (Eq. 3.3) The efficiency of photovoltaic device plays a major role in the cost of the technology as we notice from the previous equation along with the optic of the device. The price of photovoltaic materials is usually expressed on a per-unit-area basis but the units are often sold based on cost per watt that is generated under peak solar illumination conditions. Equation 3.4 is used to convert the cost per square meter to cost per watt for photovoltaic technologies: $/WP = (Eq. 3.4) The return on investment made for specific equipment or material used for the photovoltaic system also is estimated. The payback time of PV unite of cost $/m2, is associated with the efficiency of the system, the installation location and the price of at which electricity generated is sold on the market $/kWh. Equation 3.5 is used to estimate the payback time which is: Payback time = (Eq. 3.5) The generate a significant quantity of energy in commercial application, several elements should be mainly considered such as the average illumination, cost of land, batteries, support structure and the life time of the PV unite. Balance of system (BOS) cost must be considered and it includes the mounting, wiring, operation cost and maintenance cost. The cost of electricity generated by solar cells can be calculated using Equation 3.6a and Figure 3.1 illustrate breakdown of the cost in PV system. Figure 3.1: PV Solar System Cost Breakdown (Source: the Rocky Mountain Institute) (Eq. 3.6a) Inserting the relevant terms, in Equation 3.6a and it becomes: = (Eq. 3.6b) The amortization rate is estimated from the real discount rate of i, and a PV lifetime, N, as shown in Equation 3.7: Amortization = (Eq. 3.7) The global annual production of solar energy technologies is estimated to be at approximately 12,400 MW in year 2007. Annual growth of PV production remains to be at 40-50% and according to Earth Policy Institute, the photovoltaic industry has grown by an average of 48% each year since 2002. This rapid growth of PV production made the solar energy became the world fastest-growing renewable energy resource (Henry and Healey, 2007). The wide variety of photovoltaic panel’s technologies competing in different energy markets was a major role in the rapid growth of solar energy technologies in a short period of time. For instance, large–scale photovoltaic panels and concentrated solar power technologies are competing with other technologies that seek to serve the centralized grid. Whereby on the other hand, small-scale solar systems compete with other types of technologies such as; diesel generation sets and off-grid wind turbines (Timilsinaa et al., 2012). Along with the variety of PV technologies, with the advancement of science and technology sector, the efficiency and power generation capacity of solar technologies have been improved to generate electricity that can compete with the conventional sources power plants. Photovoltaic technologies have been experiencing, the price of PV models haven been steadily decreasing during the past few decades. A lot of elements such as; Technology improvement using lower cost feedstock’s, efficiency increases, thinner solar cells, reduction in technical losses and increased manufacturing through had played a major role in decreasing the cost of PV modules throughout the years (Sioshansi, 2011). Figure 3.2 shows the declination in photovoltaic panel’s price per watt from 1978 until 2012. Figure 3.2: Historical photovoltaic module price per watt from 1978-2012 (Source: Navigant Consulting, 2008) From the Figure3.2, the price of PV modules were at it maximum in 1976 with 75$ per watt but in year 1978 the price drop to reach almost 55$ per watt. PV modules price kept decrease with the time passage and between 1986 and 1988 the price of PV module reached below the 10$ per watt. The declination of PV modules cost did not stop and between years 2010 and 2012 the price reached the lowest rate which was 1$ per watt. Photovoltaic technology system have no moving parts, this property reduces the cost of PV modules significantly along with the minimum operation and maintenance costs (mainly to remove the dirt and dust off the module) which is around 0.5% of the capital investment per year. The cost of PV unit presently is 60% of the total cost of PV system cost and the remaining 40% is covered by the structures, inverters and cabling costs (Aswathanarayana et al., 2010). References Henry M. and Healey P.E (2007): Economics of Solar, Cogeneration Distributed Generation Journal, vol. (22), no. (3), pp. 35-49, DOI: 10.1080/15453660709509122. Timilsinaa, G. R. Kurdgelashvili, L. and Narbel, P. A. (2012): Solar energy: Markets, economics and policies, vol. (12), pp. 449-465. Print Book: Freris, L and Infield, D. (2008): Renewable energy: In power systems, United Kingdom: John Wiley Sons, Ltd. Print Book: Goswami, Y. Kreith, F. and Kreider, J. F. (2000): Second Edition: Principle of Solar Engineering, New York, US: Taylor and Francis Group Print Book: Sioshansi, F. P. (2011): Energy, sustainability and the environment: Technology, incentives, behavior. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Inc.

The Collapse of the Ottoman Empire Essay -- History, The Zionists, Jew

Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, The Arab-Israeli conflict began in earnest. As the years went on and the conflict escalated it gradually shifted from a large scale Arab–Israeli issue to the more personal Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The issue that divided both parties is primarily a territorial concern based on secular belief. Zionists belief that God had made a covenant with the Jewish people to return them to the Land of Canaan or the Biblical Promise land (Christian Zionists share sympathize with the Jews, based on common backgrounds). Yet in the Quran, as espoused by the Prophet Muhammad, the lands of Jerusalem are said to be the holiest of all Arabic lands. Three movements would develop in response to these deep divisions. The Zionism movement, the Arabism movement, and the Palestinian movement. The Zionism movement, as outlined by Theodore Hertzl in his pamphlet The Jewish State, concerns itself with the creation, and later preservation of the Jewis h state. The Arabism movement seeks to shine light on a shared cultural heritage between the Arabic nations and to consolidate each nation into a collective whole. Palestinian nationalism, emerged from Arabism, and concerns itself with recapturing the sovereignty of their historic home that they believe was taken from them by western powers and given to the Jews. All three of these nations owe their creation and continued existence to each other. And while each party has their deep difference they share parraelles and common goals that will be outlined in this paper. The word Zion means harmonized community or utopia, and is a reference to the biblical land of Israel as outlined in the Jewish Torah in the books Exodus and Genesis. The secular belief championed by... ...ents’ remains perpetually intertwined in a game of cause and effect. Zionism sought the solution to years of persecution of the Jews and eventually found that solution in their biblical home of Israel, cast out from this territory the Palestinian’s, who had been brought togetheher by Arabism, assumed the role of those in Diaspora, and sought a return to the homeland they believe is there’s. Although they would never admit it to each other each of these movements has more in common then they think. They rotate around each other like the earth around its axis, perpetually cycling into one another, championing the same complains, the same causes, and same animosities that they’ve had for thousands of years. The Arab-Israel conflict when put on paper is a series of parallel lines with occasional intersection, but never a unified theme and always an incomplete picture.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Ten

Jon Jon climbed the steps slowly, trying not to think that this might be the last time ever. Ghost padded silently beside him. Outside, snow swirled through the castle gates, and the yard was all noise and chaos, but inside the thick stone walls it was still warm and quiet. Too quiet for Jon's liking. He reached the landing and stood for a long moment, afraid. Ghost nuzzled at his hand. He took courage from that. He straightened, and entered the room. Lady Stark was there beside his bed. She had been there, day and night, for close on a fortnight. Not for a moment had she left Bran's side. She had her meals brought to her there, and chamber pots as well, and a small hard bed to sleep on, though it was said she had scarcely slept at all. She fed him herself, the honey and water and herb mixture that sustained life. Not once did she leave the room. So Jon had stayed away. But now there was no more time. He stood in the door for a moment, afraid to speak, afraid to come closer. The window was open. Below, a wolf howled. Ghost heard and lifted his head. Lady Stark looked over. For a moment she did not seem to recognize him. Finally she blinked. â€Å"What are you doing here?† she asked in a voice strangely flat and emotionless. â€Å"I came to see Bran,† Jon said. â€Å"To say good-bye.† Her face did not change. Her long auburn hair was dull and tangled. She looked as though she had aged twenty years. â€Å"You've said it. Now go away.† Part of him wanted only to flee, but he knew that if he did he might never see Bran again. He took a nervous step into the room. â€Å"Please,† he said. Something cold moved in her eyes. â€Å"I told you to leave,† she said. â€Å"We don't want you here.† Once that would have sent him running. Once that might even have made him cry. Now it only made him angry. He would be a Sworn Brother of the Night's Watch soon, and face worse dangers than Catelyn Tully Stark. â€Å"He's my brother,† he said. â€Å"Shall I call the guards?† â€Å"Call them,† Jon said, defiant. â€Å"You can't stop me from seeing him.† He crossed the room, keeping the bed between them, and looked down on Bran where he lay. She was holding one of his hands. It looked like a claw. This was not the Bran he remembered. The flesh had all gone from him. His skin stretched tight over bones like sticks. Under the blanket, his legs bent in ways that made Jon sick. His eyes were sunken deep into black pits; open, but they saw nothing. The fall had shrunken him somehow. He looked half a leaf, as if the first strong wind would carry him off to his grave. Yet under the frail cage of those shattered ribs, his chest rose and fell with each shallow breath. â€Å"Bran,† he said, â€Å"I'm sorry I didn't come before. I was afraid.† He could feel the tears rolling down his cheeks. Jon no longer cared. â€Å"Don't die, Bran. Please. We're all waiting for you to wake up. Me and Robb and the girls, everyone . . . â€Å" Lady Stark was watching. She had not raised a cry. Jon took that for acceptance. Outside the window, the direwolf howled again. The wolf that Bran had not had time to name. â€Å"I have to go now,† Jon said. â€Å"Uncle Benjen is waiting. I'm to go north to the Wall. We have to leave today, before the snows come.† He remembered how excited Bran had been at the prospect of the journey. It was more than he could bear, the thought of leaving him behind like this. Jon brushed away his tears, leaned over, and kissed his brother lightly on the lips. â€Å"I wanted him to stay here with me,† Lady Stark said softly. Jon watched her, wary. She was not even looking at him. She was talking to him, but for a part of her, it was as though he were not even in the room. â€Å"I prayed for it,† she said dully. â€Å"He was my special boy. I went to the sept and prayed seven times to the seven faces of god that Ned would change his mind and leave him here with me. Sometimes prayers are answered.† Jon did not know what to say. â€Å"It wasn't your fault,† he managed after an awkward silence. Her eyes found him. They were full of poison. â€Å"I need none of your absolution, bastard.† Jon lowered his eyes. She was cradling one of Bran's hands. He took the other, squeezed it. Fingers like the bones of birds. â€Å"Good-bye,† he said. He was at the door when she called out to him. â€Å"Jon,† she said. He should have kept going, but she had never called him by his name before. He turned to find her looking at his face, as if she were seeing it for the first time. â€Å"Yes?† he said. â€Å"It should have been you,† she told him. Then she turned back to Bran and began to weep, her whole body shaking with the sobs. Jon had never seen her cry before. It was a long walk down to the yard. Outside, everything was noise and confusion. Wagons were being loaded, men were shouting, horses were being harnessed and saddled and led from the stables. A light snow had begun to fall, and everyone was in an uproar to be off. Robb was in the middle of it, shouting commands with the best of them. He seemed to have grown of late, as if Bran's fall and his mother's collapse had somehow made him stronger. Grey Wind was at his side. â€Å"Uncle Benjen is looking for you,† he told Jon. â€Å"He wanted to be gone an hour ago.† â€Å"I know,† Jon said. â€Å"Soon.† He looked around at all the noise and confusion. â€Å"Leaving is harder than I thought.† â€Å"For me too,† Robb said. He had snow in his hair, melting from the heat of his body. â€Å"Did you see him?† Jon nodded, not trusting himself to speak. â€Å"He's not going to die,† Robb said. â€Å"I know it.† â€Å"You Starks are hard to kill,† Jon agreed. His voice was flat and tired. The visit had taken all the strength from him. Robb knew something was wrong. â€Å"My mother . . . â€Å" â€Å"She was . . . very kind,† Jon told him. Robb looked relieved. â€Å"Good.† He smiled. â€Å"The next time I see you, you'll be all in black.† Jon forced himself to smile back. â€Å"It was always my color. How long do you think it will be?† â€Å"Soon enough,† Robb promised. He pulled Jon to him and embraced him fiercely. â€Å"Farewell, Snow.† Jon hugged him back. â€Å"And you, Stark. Take care of Bran.† â€Å"I will.† They broke apart and looked at each other awkwardly. â€Å"Uncle Benjen said to send you to the stables if I saw you,† Robb finally said. â€Å"I have one more farewell to make,† Jon told him. â€Å"Then I haven't seen you,† Robb replied. Jon left him standing there in the snow, surrounded by wagons and wolves and horses. It was a short walk to the armory. He picked up his package and took the covered bridge across to the Keep. Arya was in her room, packing a polished ironwood chest that was bigger than she was. Nymeria was helping. Arya would only have to point, and the wolf would bound across the room, snatch up some wisp of silk in her jaws, and fetch it back. But when she smelled Ghost, she sat down on her haunches and yelped at them. Arya glanced behind her, saw Jon, and jumped to her feet. She threw her skinny arms tight around his neck. â€Å"I was afraid you were gone,† she said, her breath catching in her throat. â€Å"They wouldn't let me out to say good-bye.† â€Å"What did you do now?† Jon was amused. Arya disentangled herself from him and made a face. â€Å"Nothing. I was all packed and everything.† She gestured at the huge chest, no more than a third full, and at the clothes that were scattered all over the room. â€Å"Septa Mordane says I have to do it all over. My things weren't properly folded, she says. A proper southron lady doesn't just throw her clothes inside her chest like old rags, she says.† â€Å"Is that what you did, little sister?† â€Å"Well, they're going to get all messed up anyway,† she said. â€Å"Who cares how they're folded?† â€Å"Septa Mordane,† Jon told her. â€Å"I don't think she'd like Nymeria helping, either.† The she-wolf regarded him silently with her dark golden eyes. â€Å"It's just as well. I have something for you to take with you, and it has to be packed very carefully.† Her face lit up. â€Å"A present?† â€Å"You could call it that. Close the door.† Wary but excited, Arya checked the hall. â€Å"Nymeria, here. Guard.† She left the wolf out there to warn of intruders and closed the door. By then Jon had pulled off the rags he'd wrapped it in. He held it out to her. Arya's eyes went wide. Dark eyes, like his. â€Å"A sword,† she said in a small, hushed breath. The scabbard was soft grey leather, supple as sin. Jon drew out the blade slowly, so she could see the deep blue sheen of the steel. â€Å"This is no toy,† he told her. â€Å"Be careful you don't cut yourself. The edges are sharp enough to shave with.† â€Å"Girls don't shave,† Arya said. â€Å"Maybe they should. Have you ever seen the septa's legs?† She giggled at him. â€Å"It's so skinny.† â€Å"So are you,† Jon told her. â€Å"I had Mikken make this special. The bravos use swords like this in Pentos and Myr and the other Free Cities. It won't hack a man's head off, but it can poke him full of holes if you're fast enough.† â€Å"I can be fast,† Arya said. â€Å"You'll have to work at it every day.† He put the sword in her hands, showed her how to hold it, and stepped back. â€Å"How does it feel? Do you like the balance?† â€Å"I think so,† Arya said. â€Å"First lesson,† Jon said. â€Å"Stick them with the pointy end.† Arya gave him a whap on the arm with the flat of her blade. The blow stung, but Jon found himself grinning like an idiot. â€Å"I know which end to use,† Arya said. A doubtful look crossed her face. â€Å"Septa Mordane will take it away from me.† â€Å"Not if she doesn't know you have it,† Jon said. â€Å"Who will I practice with?† â€Å"You'll find someone,† Jon promised her. â€Å"King's Landing is a true city, a thousand times the size of Winterfell. Until you find a partner, watch how they fight in the yard. Run, and ride, make yourself strong. And whatever you do . . . â€Å" Arya knew what was coming next. They said it together. † . . . don't . . . tell . . . Sansa!† Jon messed up her hair. â€Å"I will miss you, little sister.† Suddenly she looked like she was going to cry. â€Å"I wish you were coming with us.† â€Å"Different roads sometimes lead to the same castle. Who knows?† He was feeling better now. He was not going to let himself be sad. â€Å"I better go. I'll spend my first year on the Wall emptying chamber pots if I keep Uncle Ben waiting any longer.† Arya ran to him for a last hug. â€Å"Put down the sword first,† Jon warned her, laughing. She set it aside almost shyly and showered him with kisses. When he turned back at the door, she was holding it again, trying it for balance. â€Å"I almost forgot,† he told her. â€Å"All the best swords have names.† â€Å"Like Ice,† she said. She looked at the blade in her hand. â€Å"Does this have a name? Oh, tell me.† â€Å"Can't you guess?† Jon teased. â€Å"Your very favorite thing.† Arya seemed puzzled at first. Then it came to her. She was that quick. They said it together: â€Å"Needle!† The memory of her laughter warmed him on the long ride north.

Emotions make the world go round Essay

Emotions are one of the unique traits of humans. Not all living things created by God were able to have emotions, only men are permitted to feel and express. Although animals have the ability to sense some things, it is not as powerful and as expressive as that of the humans. Human emotion speaks a thousand words†¦ in silent mode. What we have to understand when it comes to emotion is the reality that it comes from different factors which affects the cycle of emotion and feelings. Organism and environment has something to do with this but it is always linked to the question, â€Å"how do you feel? † which basically means that in emotions, feelings are essential (Kuhl, 1986). Do you ever wonder why a new born baby cries after his or her birth? Scientifically speaking, babies cry after birth because they are cold but there is a long story behind this one which we will not elaborate anymore. Looking in another aspect, away from science, babies cry because it signifies their ability to live. It serves as a sign that they are alive and it assures the people inside the delivery room about the baby’s existence. Looking at this situation through science’s perspective, an infant’s emotion is more likely associated with both conditioning and stimulation. Remember that around four (4) minutes before the baby is born, something happens inside his or her body which triggers the crying when the time to get out of the mother’s womb comes (Morley, 2002). On the other hand, when the baby is already born, we all know that the doctor taps the baby which ignites a little sense of feeling or sensitivity on the baby’s side. Therefore, conditioning and stimulation happens before and after the baby is born, thus, it is clear that there is really an effect both inside and outside the baby’s body. Although science can explain almost everything in life including emotions and feelings, in the end, it does not really matter that much when you were used in feeling and not thinking too much. Emotions are reactions in everything which happens to you. Others might associate it with adrenalin rush but thinking outside the box, emotions were proofs regarding your humanity. It is not the basis of weakness but instead, it is the sign that you are alive and doing well. Many people were not able to express their emotions like anger, fear happiness and sadness and decide to go to medical doctors for check ups. Perhaps, this is one proof that emotions are not just a thing in our life but ability. Works Cited Kuhl, J. (1986). Motivation and information processing: A new look at decision making, dynamic change, and action control. In R. M. Sorrentino & E. T. Higgins (Eds. ), Handbook of motivation and cognition: Foundations of social behavior (pp. 404-434). Chichester: Wiley. Morly, G. M. (2002). Why Do Babies Cry? The Anatomical and Physiological Changes During the Moments After Birth. http://www. cordclamp. com/Why Do Babies Cr1. htm

How to Celebrate French Candlemas (Jour des Crêpes)

How to Celebrate French Candlemas (Jour des Crà ªpes) The Catholic holiday of Candlemas, celebrated every year on February 2, is a feast of crà ªpes thats meant to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of baby Jesus. In France, this holiday is called la Chandeleur, Fà ªte de la Lumià ¨re  or Jour des crà ªpes. Note that this holiday bears no relation to  Lyons Fà ªte des lumià ¨res, which takes place December 5 to 8. A Bit of Fortune-Telling Not only do the French eat a lot of crà ªpes on la Chandeleur, but they also do a bit of fortune-telling while making them. It is traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crà ªpe pan in the other, then flip the crà ªpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crà ªpe in the pan, your family will supposedly be prosperous for the rest of the year. French Proverbs and Sayings for Chandeleur There are all kinds of French proverbs and sayings for Chandeleur; here are just a few. Note the similarities to the Groundhog Day predictions made in the US and Canada: la Chandeleur, lhiver cesse ou reprend vigueurOn Candlemas, winter ends or gets worse la Chandeleur, le jour croà ®t de deux heuresOn Candlemas, the day grows by two hoursChandeleur couverte, quarante jours de perteCandlemas covered (in snow), forty days lostRosà ©e la Chandeleur, hiver sa dernià ¨re heureDew on Candlemas, winter at its final hour The Crà ªpe-Throwing Game Heres a fun way to celebrate la Chandeleur in French classes. All you need are a  crà ªpe recipe, ingredients, paper plates and a small prize, such as a book or a $5 bill. Thanks to a fellow French teacher for sharing this. The day before, ask a couple of students to make a pile of crà ªpes and bring them into class (or make them yourself). For the sake of an even playing field, the crà ªpes need to be the same size, about 5 inches in diameter.Give each student a paper plate and write his or her name on the bottom. The object of the game is to catch a crà ªpe in the very center of the plate.Stand on a chair about 10 feet away from the students and throw a crà ªpe, frisbee-style, for students to catch. Once they catch the crà ªpe, they cant jiggle or flip it to try to reposition it on the plate.After each student has caught a crà ªpe, ask two adults, such as fellow teachers, to come into the  room and judge which crà ªpe is the most perfectly centered.  The winner gets a prize.Then you can all celebrate by eating crà ªpes with an assortment of fillings and/or toppings, which can be  sweet  or  savory.

A Dollhouse, Acts Ii Iii Essay Example

A Dollhouse, Acts Ii Iii Essay Example A Dollhouse, Acts Ii Iii Essay A Dollhouse, Acts Ii Iii Essay Story: A Dollhouse, Acts II III Author: Henrik Ibsen Topic: What is Nora most â€Å"wonderful thing of all†? In what does Nora think that she and Torvald did not have her â€Å"most wonderful thing†? There are wonderful things that we all had to face in our lives. Some were for our own good and some was not. But through it all, we have learned from it. In acts II and III of â€Å"A Dollhouse†, the author, Henrik Ibsen, shows how Nora speaks several times of her â€Å"most wonderful thing of all†. What is her â€Å"most wonderful thing† and what ways that Nora and Torvald did not have them â€Å"most wonderful thing†? In Act Two the word wonderful is again repeated three times: NORA: â€Å"A wonderful thing is about to happen. MRS. LINDE: Wonderful? NORA: Yes, a wonderful thing. But also terrible, Christine, and it just cant happen, not for all the world† (1903; II. 341-343). This means something terrible, which must not happen, not for the entire world. What does this word mean? In act II, the Christmas tree that Nora decorated now is stripped bare. The toys and presents have disappeared all the emblems of material happiness. It is also in this act that Torvald tells Nora how he has the inner strength to take on whatever Krogstad may threaten; that Rank, â€Å"reveals the depth of his love for Nora† (1899; II. 220). Krogstad and Nora, in a deep and searching intimate dialogue share their contemplation to commit suicide. Nora reveals the wonderful thing that is now about to happen. That wonderful is what she imagines will be the terrible but heroic inner drama where, to prevent Torvald from taking the blame for her crime, she will at last find the courage for suicide. What ways that Nora and Torvald did not have her â€Å"most wonderful thing†? At the climax of the play in act III, when Torvald reads the first letter Krogstad sent, his reaction to this is inappropriate. Those sweet endearing pet names Torvald calls Nora turn into the opposite †¦ â€Å"She who was my joy and pride, a hypocrite, a liar, worse, a criminal† (1913; III. 236). It is at this moment that Nora realizes that there is a problem between her and Torvald. She confesses she is not fit to bring up her children and Torvald is the last person to teach or guide her how to, for he and her father have most encouraged her to live in fantasy; an inauthentic doll existence, â€Å"bearing three children with a stranger†(1919; III. 348). The marriage could only be regained if the wonderful were to happen. This time, the idea of the wonderful means an existential transformation of the human way of living in the world. The relationship with Torvald and Nora was not a healthy relationship. Because Torvald thinks of his wife as a possession and as someone to keep up his appearance, Nora is unable to confide in him. Nora realizes this at the end of the play that Helmer does not love her as a person. I think in a way that this is a â€Å"wonderful thing of all† to Nora. This situation has open her eyes to see that she deserves better than Helmer and that she can do better by being independent. Ibsen, Henrik. â€Å"A Dollhouse, Acts II III†. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2007. 1874-1891.

How to Market a Book Step by Step

How to Market a Book Step by Step How to Market a Book Step by Step The big day has finally come. You’ve worked hard on your book for months, and maybe even years. Now it’s finally ready for the world to see. You hit publish and follow through with everything you know about how to market a book step by step. With any luck, hard work and a lot of support gets your book to bestseller status.Then a few weeks goes by. Rankings drop considerably. Despite your best efforts, your book plummets down the lists like a stone.How to Market a Book to Sell CopiesWe’ve all been there- that point as a writer when we realize we have to do the other stuff- stuff that keeps us away from writing and creating. In fact, writing and crafting a book is only about half of the process. If you don’t spend 40-50% of your ongoing efforts on marketing, you reach a limited number of people. Your message will get lost in the massive swirl of information available out there.You want to sell more books right? Marketing a book isn’t always a â€Å"n atural† step for most authors. We are writers and creatives, not marketers and salespeople. But if you can combine writing and marketing, you’ll not only be able to write, but also to sell books. And marketing yourself is where it’s at.8 Ways to Market Your Book Like a ProFortunately, you don’t have to be a marketing guru or have a degree in digital marketing and social media mastery to get the word out about your brand. By following some basic steps, you’ll be marketing your books in no time.1. Identify Your AudienceThis is critical when it comes to marketing your book. If you don’t know who your audience is, you’ll end up marketing to anyone. In other words, you’ll be shouting out about your book in a noisy room and nobody will hear you.  Write for a specific audience. To market your book effectively you have to know:Who they are: Who is your ideal customer? What kind of information are they looking for? How do these people spend their time? Create a basic profile of what your reader looks like.Where they are: Your audience is hanging out somewhere. Whether it’s on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or LinkedIn, they are communicating about the topic and niche your book is about. Find those people and you will be able to market your book.What problems are they facing: It is really important to nail this one. Come up with 20-30 problems your target market is trying to solve. By providing a solution to these problems, you’ll zero in on the readers who are waiting for your bestseller to change their lives. Remember: somebody out there wants what you are offering; they just don’t know it yet!Action Step: Create a readers avatar. This is a profile of what your average reader is like. Include things like gender, occupation, and problems and they are facing. Figure out what solutions you could deliver to help them. Then market specifically to those people.2. Build Your Author WebsiteCan you im agine if you came home one day and your house wasmissing? Well, that is what an author’s life can be like without a website to post fresh content. You’ll always be missing a home where you can park your books. Many authors think they don’t need a website because they can promote their books through social media or the author platform on Amazon.Sorry, not exactly.There is a huge difference. Having an author website is the difference between renting or buying a piece of property. When you rent, you are living in someone else’s space. It doesn’t belong to you and they can cancel your lease at any time.Maintaining your own website on a hosted server with your domain name is the same as having that piece of real estate. You can customize your site your way, publish your own content, and you are always in complete control of how it looks and what gets published. When it comes to marketing your book, the skys the limit. You can:Publish your book’s landing page on your site.Post blogs about your upcoming bookCreate a countdown timer for the book’s release date.Set up an affiliate link to your Amazon page so you get commissions on book salesInclude sample chapters from your bookLink to video clips about the book on your websiteCommunicate directly with your email subscribers about new releases or your current blog postTo set up your website and personal blog on a paid server, you can try  Bluehost  or  Godaddy.  For a domain name, check out name.com3. Build Your Email ListThere is a saying going around that says: â€Å"the money is in the list.† Why? It’s simple. A list of followers who are in love with your writing will be the first to line up when you have a new product to sell. These people are essentially your customers.Your email list is yours. It doesn’t belong to Amazon or social media. You control what you want to say, how you say it, and when. Imagine if every time you had a new book ready to launch, hundreds or thousands of people were waiting for it so they could get it first.If you are serious about promoting and marketing your current and all future books, building your list should be top priority. Nothing else comes close. Although building a list takes time, in the long run it is the easiest way to market. These are the true fans that will get the word out and be the first to leave verified reviews after buying your new release at the special price of 0.99. But that is just the beginning.You can continue to build your list by including a reader magnet at the front and back of your book. Get people hooked on your brand and then keep them there by writing your next book, and then, including them in your next launch. As your book reaches more people, and you get more signups, your marketing capacity growsexponentially.Action Step: If you haven’t started on your list building, go to an email management system such as Mailchimp or AWeber and sign up for an account. Then get building and start to funnel your fans into your books today.4. Reach Out to InfluencersWhen it comes to book promoting, nothing can have a bigger impact on your book than influencers. What is an influencer? Influencers can be podcasters, bloggers, or authors with strong email lists. It’s someone with an established platform that can get you noticed if they notice you.An influencer is someone who has a lot of promotional weight and can spread the word about your book to thousands of people with just a brief mention to their email list, on their blog, or by sharing on social media, for example. Influencers have a long reach. What you can do is identify the influencers in your niche and reach out to them. Tell them who you are and ask if they can help to promote your latest book.Influencers can have a major impact on your exposure as an author, so try to set up interviews in your hometown or reach out to someone online and offer to do an interview so you c an deliver value to their target audience.Guest post blogging on an influencer’s is another way to market your book. For example, if you wrote a book on recipes for Italian food, you could try connecting with people in the Italian cooking niche. They may have a blog, podcast, or a webinar on which you want to appear.Action Step: Identify at least one influencer in your market and reach out to that person. Tell them who you are and what you do. Get on their podcast or get interviewed. Exposure to fans in your niche will have a big influence on book sales.5. Leverage Two Social Media PlatformsSocial media is a powerful way to promote your book. We can engage with thousands of people just by hitting a few buttons. But with social media sites, the big scare is the amount of time we can get sucked into trying to do everything. If you try to connect with everyone, you’ll match up with nobody.When promoting and marketing your book, you can’t be everywhere doing all thi ngs at once. That is why we recommend you choose two social media sites to work with, and post your content regularly to these two sites.For example, you can have a YouTube channel and post weekly videos. After a few months you could build up a library of content, engage with new subscribers and even create a course out of your videos.With Facebook, you can promote your book or blog using Facebook ads. You could also post popular quotes or snippets of material from your upcoming book.With Twitter you can post multiple times a day with brief quotes or messages under 140 characters. Twitter has proven to be a powerful platform for authors when it comes time to promote and market a book.We recommend choosing two social media platforms and focusing on consistent engagement. This will keep your book’s appearance fresh and invite new people in to check out your work.Action Step: Choose two social media platforms and commit to publishing content regularly. If you only want to focus on one, master it and then move to another that is perfectly fine! It is better to do one thing and get it right then do two things poorly.6. Plan Your Marketing AheadThe best time to start marketing your book was six months ago. If you haven’t done that, the next best time for marketing your book is right now.Many authors make the mistake of getting their book out there, doing a promo with their launch team and then start to work on a plan for marketing. The best thing you can do is have your marketing tools defined and ready to roll into action when they are needed.Your marketing plan can include such things as:Having a series of blog posts scheduled to publish at regular intervalsInterviews set up with influencers to talk about your book, either on the day of launch or just afterA course based on the book set to launch at the same time as the book or soon afterGiveaways through Goodreads that attract buyers to download your book by the thousandsDaily blurbs posted on Faceb ook or Twitter. Remember: Engage where your fans are hanging out.Schedule a Bookbub promo (see next step)Marketing takes planning, and you have to be strategic about it. This means building buzz early and keeping that buzz going for months up to and even after the launch. Continued marketing requires deeper tactics such as course building and consistently promoting through social media or Facebook ads, but the rewards are well worth the effort.7. Get on BookbubBookbub is the cream of the crop when it comes to promoting and marketing your book. In fact, you should submit your book for promotion as either free or for 99 cents right after your book launch.Bookbub has a massive following and can get your book delivered to thousands of readers. It really is the â€Å"Big One† when it comes to book promotion. The cost isn’t cheap and can run you anywhere from $200 to $2,000 for a promo, depending on the genre, category, and the price of your book.But is it worth it?Yes. Defi nitely.For example, if you are running a promo for 99 cents in general nonfiction, you could potentially sell, on average, 2,000 copies of your book. Not only will you make a profit, but this could bring in hundreds of subscribers and leads to your email list. From there you can upsell readers on your other books or even a course if you have one.But on a side note, most authors get rejected the first time from Bookbub. If you do, just keep trying. Go here for Bookbub submission requirements. You can also check out the pricing here and submit your book here.8. Write Another BookPublishing another book is great for brand building. In fact, it’s much harder to market just one book unless it is a ground-breaking phenomenal masterpiece. Your book may be great, but you can compound that greatness by writing more books, preferably in a series.With every new book you put out there you increase the chances of your work getting recognized by influencers and people online who are hangin g out in all the places you can target for promotion and sharing.Launching your book is only the beginning. The real work begins after the initial â€Å"bang† is over and you have to dig in deep to promote, engage, and provide solutions to readers’ problems. Remember: Marketing is about delivering a product [your book] to the right people [your audience] who need desperately what you have to offer [your solution].Create this product for your readers, ship it to them and communicate in a way they understand- and you’ll become a great marketing guru as well as an amazing author.

Network security infrastructure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Network security infrastructure - Essay Example On the other hand, Internet Security Infrastructure is the arrangement of components and tools, in a bid to offer the most effective internet protection. Before one settles on a particular plan to use, it is of the essence to clearly state the objectives of the plan. I, as a result, had to carefully select a plan that would enable me achieve the above goals at the lowest cost possible. My plan includes firewall, web contents, protection against web pharming, and phishing. A firewall is a choke-point garget that consists of a set of rules and instructions specifying the type of data to allow in or out of the system. It basically controls the flow of data into and out of the system. There several types of firewalls in the market. In this case, I chose on Zone-Alarm based on its outstanding features and performance. Zone-Alarm is a multi-purpose firewall. It is capable performing several functions simultaneously. Such functions include protecting the system against internet exposure, protecting the system against web pharming and phishing. The firewall is programmed so as to prevent any malicious emails from getting into the mail server. The use of this type is very economical, in that it forms several functions at ago, hence saves on cost. This is a server program that is responsible for handling the end-user requests to access the system. AAA server gives authorization, authorization, and accounting services. It is at this station where the users request to access the system is either accepted or rejected. Routers are referred to as traffic cops of a network system. Their function is to direct traffic into and out of the system. They also direct traffic within the network system. The process decision of a router is normally contained in a routing table. The routers are programmed so as to prevent the possible routing threats such as complete network chaos, dropped traffic, and traffic sent along invalid paths. The

Short-Term and Long-Term Post-MBA Goals Personal Statement

Short-Term and Long-Term Post-MBA Goals - Personal Statement Example   I set my long term goal to become such a mayor-a leader of change, devoting myself in refocusing a service government which fulfills its responsibilities on economic regulation, market supervision, social management and public welfare based on service. Furthermore, I aspire to bridge my city from landlocked West China to the global stage. To get prepared for such a vision, I set my short-term goal to become a strategist, stepping up to the senior executive assistant after completing my MBA. I will serve as the chief strategic officer in my hometown and a strategic partner to the mayor, creating, communicating, executing, and sustaining the city's strategic initiatives. For me, the strategy is more than forging new city developments, working relationships, and synergies across government functions; it also involves establishing greater transparency and accountability. The Chinese government thirsts for a new generation of government... My step up into government requires further preparation to learn to balance my business philosophy with my government mission. In this regard, Columbia Business School serves as the best venue to achieve both as it offers holistic education. I admire the educational institution's innovative approach to learning because I believe that the latter should evolve in order to accommodate the emerging needs of students and the international business arena. By becoming a venue for active learning, entrepreneurial training, and bridging research and practice, I believe that Columbia Business School will equip me with the necessary knowledge and skills which will enable me to attain both my short term and long term goals. T

Law Briefs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Law Briefs - Essay Example rict Court had correctly dismissed the defendants’ counterclaim because the burden of proof of existence of a valid copyright rests with the copyright claimant, however the defendants did not provide any substantive support for their claim of copyright. Mr. Brown was also able to present documentation regarding the poems, their publication and musicalization. However the Court dismissed Brown’s motion for summary judgment on the basis that some material facts remained unresolved This case is important in that it has established that valid evidence must be provided to support a claim for copyright infringement before an infringement action can be allowed to proceed to a trial stage. It also raised the issue of expiry of copyright protection after a 50 year period, (currently raised to 70 years) after which period the musical, artistic or dramatic work reverts to the public domain. Copyrights, trademarks and patents differ in the level of protection they provide. For instance, copyright protection for a literary, dramatic or musical work may extend to seventy years while a patent on an industrial or commercial design may offer a short term 20 year period of exclusive monopoly over a product and a trademark will extend that monopoly only to a particular category of goods2. Patents and trademarks must be renewed each year. Title that is provided to the owner of a real property is permanent, however intellectual property protection is limited to a certain duration in the scope of its protection. The reason is that ownership to real property comprises rights on a specific piece of fixed property in a specific location, such as a building or land which is permanent. However, where a dramatic, musical or literary work is concerned, this comprises a work of art which should properly fall into the public domain and be available for humankind to enjoy, benefit from and further create and modify. Yet at the same time, every creator of an original work has a moral right

Mainstream American environmental movement Essay

Mainstream American environmental movement - Essay Example Further, immigration policies and occupational experiences have also shaped the environmental encounters of different races. Rather than culminating into the intended functional marriage of conservation and liberalism, limitations of the environmental reform agenda has led marginalized races, people of color as well as working class Whites to develop alternative agendas related to environmental movements (Rosemarie 83). This paper will analyze the role of race in the American environmental movement, and why environmental groups have had difficulties in building racial diversity in the past. It will further suggest why mainstream American environmental movement has been overwhelmingly white in the past and what can be done to change the trend among religious groups. As early as the 19th century, African-American abolitionists were fighting against the use of the poisonous arsenic, alongside slavery, by tobacco plantation owners who were Whites (Bernstein 212). More recent history has shown that some middle class Whites fled urban cities and shifted their focus on wildlife issues, wilderness and outdoor explorations while those who remained developed urban parks as they attempted to progress environmental conditions. At the same time, the urban environmental activists accorded the white working class better safety and worker health as compared to people of color. Instead, the environmental activists drove them off their land into reservations where they were put into slavery and used as laborers earning low wages. This forced them (people of color) to develop environmental discourses and activist agendas that addressed, or sought to address, oppression and racism alongside violation of human rights, denunciation or loss of land ownership, restricted access to resources and safety and health issues (Bernstein 212). To bridge the gap between these historically diverse issues, modern day environmental movement in the United States is characterized by an array of soc ial movements or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) representing international, national and local interests (Rosemarie 69). Founded on different political views, the stake they seek from their influence on the environmental policy also varies widely. To analyze the complexity of the environmental movement, research must view it in terms of the distinct memberships based on their world views. Just like organized religious groups, participation in the environmental movement is based on prescribed sets of beliefs. The beliefs are made up of cultural perspectives that define a community’s practices concerning environmental movements. For instance, one such group, the Center for Health, Environment and Justice is aligned with the concerns of environmental health. Oriented by this perspective, its objective is to safeguard the health of residents of urban areas by getting rid of toxic substances from the environment. On the other hand, another group, the Wilderness Society is c oncerned with the discourse of protection of biodiversity and perpetuation of intact environmental systems. Informed through this perspective, the Wilderness Society emphasizes on the creation and maintenance of wilderness areas in a bid to guarantee an enduring ecological diversity in their areas of interest. Viewed from the angles of these two different communities, it is apparent that they both have

Market Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Market Research - Essay Example The product being launched is that of a rival company to Microsoft, Apple; therefore the paper entails a detailed analysis of the major areas that can be utilized to overcome the market power of Microsoft and promote the sale of the new product. Marketing Research: Competing Company and Product SWOT Analysis for the Launch of a New Product When a company conducts a SWOT analysis, it does not mean that it is in a state of crisis, but this is only a measure designed to understand whether it is suitable or not. It is usually conducted in the wake of a company’s launch of new major projects and business undertaking the organization wishes to embark on (Cleland & Ireland, 2007). To launch a new product, the organization has to conduct a detailed analysis of its current position so as to determine the means with which the launching of the project can be addressed based on the findings. Microsoft Corporation (SWOT Analysis) Strengths First, Microsoft has the advantage of being popula r as the largest software company usually associated with software and hardware products that are highly innovative. This is displayed by the presence of more than 500 offices in 160 countries (Drucker, 2007). Secondly, the basic operating systems used globally are Windows 7, Vista and XP accompanied by suitable products such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Access among others. These offer the company a competitive advantage via the ease of integrating the products and setting of standard prizes for their standardized products (Hafner & Hibbert, 2001). Another major strength of Microsoft is the nature of rapid development of products and provision of timely updates as well as its strong, flexible and elevated quality of its staff. One of the other strengths of Microsoft PCs is the size. The design of its tablets and laptops makes them easier for portability and they are widely spread globally (Hafner & Hibbert, 2001). Weaknesses One major weakness of Microsoft is its failure to articul ate the growth of its products, thus being overtaken by competitors with respect to productions. Similarly, the products are usually sold with an assumption that the customer is running a Microsoft operating system (OS) for its compatibility which has resulted in declining sales of the OSs and server software (Hafner & Hibbert, 2001). In addition, employee exhaustion is evident owing to intense deadlines for products and their launching. As Drucker (2007) reports, Microsoft is characterized by recurrent restructuring, many rules and regulations with a domineering atmosphere that causes employee morale to reduce and sometimes loss of instrumental employees. This slows down the company’s innovative process. Microsoft has been dormant in the Internet space up to the time MSN was released although it still faces tough competition from Yahoo. With the increased consumer demand of the products, there has been limited human resource to deal with these needs in good time. Opportuniti es Microsoft has the opportunity of having access to cheaper international telecommunication and new markets since many people around the world are connected to the Internet (Drucker, 2007). With the demand for personal computers (PCs) and software components increasing worldwide, despite the market being flooded by attractive handheld devices, Microsoft can still produce more and increase their sales. Finally, Microsoft has

Fair and Equitable Treatment on Foreign Investment and its Effects Essay - 1

Fair and Equitable Treatment on Foreign Investment and its Effects - Essay Example xposes the claimant to sectional or racial prejudice, or involves a leak of due process†.7 However, the jurisprudential doctrine of understanding the international law minimum standard has also been developed under international investment agreements.8 Essentially, there have been two views surrounding the understanding of the minimum standard of treatment, wherein breaches lead to violations of the FET standard. Firstly, the traditional view, understands the customary international law minimum standard as was reflected in the Neer case in the 1920s.9 For instance, in Alex Genin v Estonia,10 where the respond authorities revoked the claimant’s bank licence, the tribunal illustrated the conducts that would violate the minimum standard; they concluded that they â€Å"would include acts showing a wilful neglect of duty, an insufficiency of action falling far below international standards, or even subjective bad faith†.11 Thus, it appears clear that the tribunal deals with the traditional view because it believes that the FET standard would be breached in case State acts in bad faith. Secondly, the evolutionary view, considers that the customary international law minimum standard has been evolved since the Neer case. For example, in Azurix case,12 after analysing some awards inside and outside NAFTA the tribunal believed that the minimum requirement to satisfy the FET standard has evolved, and held that â€Å"such intention and bad faith can aggravate the situation but are not an essential element of the standard. It is also understood that the conduct of the State has to be below international standards but those are not at the level of 1927s†.13 Furthermore, in the Railroad case,14 the tribunal also discussed the evolution of the minimum standard and adopted the conclusion that â€Å"the minimum standard of treatment is constantly in a process of development including since Neer’s formulation†.15 Therefore, after examining the ways of interpreting the FET standard, it is logical to say that the controversy between the equating and plain meaning approaches is constantly reviewed in most cases. This, without a doubt, appears in many arbitral awards both within and outside NAFTA, because tribunals are quite reluctant to resolve this controversy.16 In addition, investors almost adopt an expensive view, as in the case of the Pope & Talbot case, while host States seek to support the NAFTA FTC approach of interpreting FET. However, it seems that none of the advanced approaches are able to provide persuasive reasons for their construction of FET, due to the fact that â€Å"this controversy is misguided, and the dichotomy presented by

Market Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Market Research - Essay Example The product being launched is that of a rival company to Microsoft, Apple; therefore the paper entails a detailed analysis of the major areas that can be utilized to overcome the market power of Microsoft and promote the sale of the new product. Marketing Research: Competing Company and Product SWOT Analysis for the Launch of a New Product When a company conducts a SWOT analysis, it does not mean that it is in a state of crisis, but this is only a measure designed to understand whether it is suitable or not. It is usually conducted in the wake of a company’s launch of new major projects and business undertaking the organization wishes to embark on (Cleland & Ireland, 2007). To launch a new product, the organization has to conduct a detailed analysis of its current position so as to determine the means with which the launching of the project can be addressed based on the findings. Microsoft Corporation (SWOT Analysis) Strengths First, Microsoft has the advantage of being popula r as the largest software company usually associated with software and hardware products that are highly innovative. This is displayed by the presence of more than 500 offices in 160 countries (Drucker, 2007). Secondly, the basic operating systems used globally are Windows 7, Vista and XP accompanied by suitable products such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Access among others. These offer the company a competitive advantage via the ease of integrating the products and setting of standard prizes for their standardized products (Hafner & Hibbert, 2001). Another major strength of Microsoft is the nature of rapid development of products and provision of timely updates as well as its strong, flexible and elevated quality of its staff. One of the other strengths of Microsoft PCs is the size. The design of its tablets and laptops makes them easier for portability and they are widely spread globally (Hafner & Hibbert, 2001). Weaknesses One major weakness of Microsoft is its failure to articul ate the growth of its products, thus being overtaken by competitors with respect to productions. Similarly, the products are usually sold with an assumption that the customer is running a Microsoft operating system (OS) for its compatibility which has resulted in declining sales of the OSs and server software (Hafner & Hibbert, 2001). In addition, employee exhaustion is evident owing to intense deadlines for products and their launching. As Drucker (2007) reports, Microsoft is characterized by recurrent restructuring, many rules and regulations with a domineering atmosphere that causes employee morale to reduce and sometimes loss of instrumental employees. This slows down the company’s innovative process. Microsoft has been dormant in the Internet space up to the time MSN was released although it still faces tough competition from Yahoo. With the increased consumer demand of the products, there has been limited human resource to deal with these needs in good time. Opportuniti es Microsoft has the opportunity of having access to cheaper international telecommunication and new markets since many people around the world are connected to the Internet (Drucker, 2007). With the demand for personal computers (PCs) and software components increasing worldwide, despite the market being flooded by attractive handheld devices, Microsoft can still produce more and increase their sales. Finally, Microsoft has

Knowledge Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Knowledge Management - Essay Example Coming to the skills and ethics that I have and the skills that are required for carrying out the research, it is clear that there is some amount of gap between my current skills and what is required. I have very good and promising plans for the research, but these ideas can come to fruition only if they follow the set path of academic data gathering and research and knowing how to write properly. I have to carefully follow ethics and maintain the required ethical behavior while conducting the research. The ethical behavior can be compromised in a number of factors such as bias, plagiarism, reuse of data, institutional review board, reviewing and reporting results. Bias can occur from actions of the researcher as well as the respondents. It is true that many of my colleagues would be ready to help me complete the research and I also would have sufficient organizational support. However, this should not lead to a situation where ethics are compromised. I should not wittingly or unwitt ingly attempt to goad and direct the research subjects to give responses that I want. In effect, the research should be clear, unbiased and be natural. It is also important that all instances of plagiarism be avoided and this extends to beyond citing sources used in the paper. Efforts should be taken to carefully avoid any previously published research and the research should be original in content, thoughts and spirit. Plagiarism can be avoided by paraphrasing; carefully rewriting the content but this is not observing the spirit.

Competitive Advantage Of Airline Industry In Singapore Tourism Essay

Competitive Advantage Of Airline Industry In Singapore Tourism Essay Singapore economy is one of most prosperous in the world. Singapore airline industry accounted for 5% of GDP and the industry value-added rate is 15%. As an important role in Singapore economy, Singapore airline industry has growing fast. In this paper will use the Porters Diamond Model (Factor endowments; Demand conditions; Related and supporting industries; Firm strategy, structure and rivalry; Chance Government) to analysis the competitive advantage of Singapore airline industry and explain how the Singapore airline industry developed its competitive advantages. Introduction Singapore economy environment Singapore economy is one of most prosperous in the world. Singapore economy is a capitalist mixed economy, with minimal government intervention in the market. It has an open business environment, relatively corruption-free and transparent, stable prices and one of the highest per capita gross domestic products (GDP) in the world. Airlines industry in Singapore Air travel is a large and growing industry. It facilitates economic growth, world trade, international investment and tourism and is therefore central to the globalization taking place in many other industries. In Singapore economic environment, the Singapore airlines industry had total revenue of $5.8 billion in 2009, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.7% for the period spanning 2005-2009. Industry volumes increased with a CAGR of 4.1% between 2005 and 2009, to reach a total of 18.1 million passengers in 2009. The performance of the industry is forecast to accelerate, with an anticipated CAGR of 11% for the five year period 2009-2014, which is expected to drive the industry to a value of $9.8 billion by the end of 2014 (Airlines Industry Profile: Singapore, 2010). Porters Diamond Model of Competitive Advantage The diamond model is an economical model developed by Michael Porter in his book The Competitive Advantage of Nations (Porter, 1990), where he published his theory of why particular industries become competitive in particular locations. Porters diamond model suggests that there are inherent reasons why some nations, and industries within nations, are more competitive than others on a global scale. The argument is that the national home base of an organization provides organizations with specific factors, which will potentially create competitive advantages on a global scale. The analysis is classified into six broad factors incorporated into the Porter diamond, which has become a key tool for the analysis of competitiveness: Factor endowments a nations position in factors of production such as skilled labor or the infrastructure necessary to compete in given industry. Demand conditions the nature of home demand for the industrys product or service. Related and supporting industries the presence or absence of supplier industries and related industries that are internationally competitive. Firm strategy, structure and rivalry the conditions governing how companies are created, organized, and managed and the nature of domestic rivalry. Chance events are occurrences that are outside of control of a firm. They are important because they create discontinuities in which some gain competitive positions and some lose. Government can influence each of the above four determinants of competitiveness. Clearly government can influence the supply conditions of key production factors, demand conditions in the home market, and competition between firms. Government interventions can occur at local, regional, national or supranational level. Figure 1: Porters Diamond Model www.google.com_000.jpg Source: The Competitive Advantage of Nations By using Porters diamond, business leaders may analyze the competitive factors which may reside in their home country company, and what factors may be used to achieve global competitive advantage. Business leaders can also use the Porters diamond model during a phase of internationalization, the leaders can use the model to analyze whether the factors in the domestic market to support the internationalization process, and whether in the country eligible to create a global scale competitive advantage. Analysis of Airline Industry in Singapore Factor endowments The factor endowments of airlines industry include human resources, capital, equipment and facilities, air space resources, etc. In human resources, due to the characteristics of technology-intensive in airlines industry, the organization requires a lot of professional and technical personnel. Meanwhile, the aviation industry also needs administrative, financial investment and sales staffs. The multi-cultural Singaporean workforce is highly educated, highly motivated and highly productive. It is also proficient in English the language of international business. Singapore has a large base of engineering talent, with the number of engineers in universities and polytechnics expanding steadily each year, in addition to the sizeable pool of skilled technicians. In addition, Singapore government through the open immigration policy enhances Singapores talent pool. This gives companies the opportunity to source for the best personnel from anywhere in the world (http://www.edb.gov.sg/edb/sg/en_uk/index/why_singapore/knowledge.html). For these reasons, the Singapore airlines industries have good manpower. In capital, airlines industry needs a large finance support, the aircrafts and airport cost millions of money. In Singapore, the worlds major banks have opened branches or offices. Therefore, the Singapore airline industries do not have problem in capital. For example, Commerzbank Singapore branch has 30 years experience in financing aircraft to arrange and manage the entire deal, and a complete suite of financing products (https://www.commerzbank.com.sg/en/financing/aircraft/aircraft_financing.htm). Although the Singapores skies are limited, however the airline industry not far from reaching saturation point. According to Lee Kuan Yew (former Prime Minister of Singapore), due to the aid of advanced navigation technology, Singapore can shorten the distance of the aircraft flight and to increase flights density, therefore Singapore in terms of the open skies, still have a lot of space. Demand conditions Airlines generally have a large number of buyers. Many of these are individual consumers purchasing flights directly from the airline, although there are business to business sales to charter companies, discounters, and similar buyers. With the increasing living standard, the customers are demand on convenient, comfortable and fast transportation. Travel by air is one of the best choices for Singapore customers. Firstly, Singapore has a strong international trade link, there are thousands of businessmen which from different countries doing business in Singapore. The businessmen through the air travel to make sure they can reach the right place on time. Secondly, Singapore is one of the most popular tourist cities in Asia. There are 10.8 million tourists visit Singapore in 2008. Furthermore, due to the population growth, Singapore has a great potential demand for air travel. Table 1: Singapore Population Statistics Year 2007 Total Population (000) 4588.6 Singapore Residents (000) 3583.1 Birth Rate (Per 1000 Population) 10.3 Death Rate (Per 1000 Population) 4.5 Infant Mortality Rate (Per 1000 Live Births) 2.1 (Source : www.singstat.gov.sg) (Source: Airlines Industry Profile: Singapore, 2010) According to the tables, it obviously shows that the passengers of Singapore airlines industry have increasing by year. Related and supporting industries The related and supporting industries including airports, air traffic control, navigation information, aviation fuel, air material and other support services, and aircraft manufacturing and maintenance of related industries. From the supply-side perspective, the airport provide the basic conditions for airlines industry, it contains safety and quality service. Changi Airport is the main airport in Singapore which humble beginnings in 1981. Changi Airport also is a major aviation hub in Southeast Asia. Currently managed by Changi Airport Group, Changi Airport was corporatized on 1 July 2009 to bring Changi to the next level and deliver an even better Changi Experience. (http://www.changiairport.com/our-business/about-changi-airport) Serving more than 90 international airlines flying to some 200 cities in 60 countries, Changi Airport handles about 5,000 arrivals and departures every week and over 37 million passengers a year. With over 40,000 square meters of commercial space, Changi Airport is also one of Singapores largest shopping locations. As the air traffic controller, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) promotes a strong safety culture and embeds a robust safety framework, with a modern and progressive regulatory regime based on international best practices. Aircraft manufacturing and maintenance are the most important supporting industries for airlines industry. For Singapore airline industries, Boeing Company and Airbus is the main supplier for aircraft. Fortunately, Singapore also has its local brand. SIA Engineering Company is leading aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) company providing total maintenance solutions to an expanding client base of international airlines (http://www.siaec.com.sg/). Firm strategy, structure, and rivalry Local conditions affect firm strategy. For example, German companies tend to be hierarchical. Italian companies tend to be smaller and are run more like extended families. Such strategy and structure helps to determine in which types of industries a nations firms will excel. Singapore is a hierarchical paternalistic authoritarian illiberal state. Cause of Confucianism is strong; Singapore society is based on a hierarchical order of things. Rivalry in the Singapore airline industry is strong. Local rivalry forces firms to move beyond basic advantages that the home country may enjoy, such as low factor costs. The competitive landscape has several large companies, such as Singapore Airlines, alongside smaller competitors. Rivalry is increased by the presence of low-cost carriers in the market, as these companies can compete more intensely on price. Switching costs for buyers are low, which means that it is easy for them to change to a competitor. Cause of the globalization, there are many international competitors join in the Singapore market, such as China, Japan and India, etc. Chance The demand for air travel to the Asia Pacific is rising which is driven by increased economic activity in emerging Asian countries such as China and India. Traffic is projected to grow at 7% in China and India combined, above the world average of 5% in the fiscal year ended December 2007. Further, the share of Asia Pacific region in world passenger traffic is forecast to rise from 25% in 2003 to 31% in 2023. According to the update of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, the global tourism will rebound strongly in 2010. With the anticipated growth, business and consumer confidence has picked up. This growth in world tourism industry will enhance airline business. Singapore airlines industry can capitalize on this increase in world travel and tourism to enhance its business and generate additional revenues. Government Government is the important variable of affecting the competitiveness of the airline industry. In the past, the airline industry was at least partly government owned. The airline industry has been strongly controlled by agreements and policies. Airlines couldnt just fly to any destination or country without appropriate authorization. The deregulation of the Airline industry opens doors for more entrants to the market and increased competition. Singapore Airlines is still owned by the Singapore government and is still affected by such controls. Therefore, the government has great impact on the airline industry. In Singapore, the government is supporting the airline industry. The Singapore government has signed an agreement with the United States called Open Skies that gives both countries unrestricted flight access to each other countries. The open skies phenomenon is gathering momentum and more and more countries are signing up. Recently, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CA AS) will be setting up an S$100-million Aviation Development Fund to further develop the local aviation industry. Conclusion Airline industry in Singapore has growing fast. Its due to have a good economic environment and stable politics. According to the analysis of Porters Diamond Model of Competitive Advantage, it obviously shows what competitive advantages of the Singapore airline industry have. Firstly, Singapore airline industries have the good human resources, finance support and other factor endowments. Secondly, the strong demand of market and the related and supporting industries. Additionally, the good opportunities and the government support. My recommendation for Singapore airline industry: Keep strong emphasis on the brand name and quality of service. Stay with the competitive advantage what the industries have, using the differentiation strategy. Maintain the innovation and complimentary products.

Character of Walter Mitty in The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty :: The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty - Character Study of Walter Mitty   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the short story, "The secret life of Walter Mitty," a man by the name of Walter Mitty goes into town with his wife to get some things done. Throughout this story Walter Mitty shows that he is very forgetful and a really stubborn man with a vivid imagination.   He is constantly being distracted, and starts to day dream often.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are a few hints in this story that show Walter Mitty is very forgetful.   Most of this is probably caused by his constant day dreaming throughout this trip into town and not concentrating too hard on what he's doing.   Once Walter Mitty had dropped off his wife for her hair appointment, he began to do his shopping.   Walter picks up his overshoes and then "Walter Mitty began to wonder what the other thing was his wife had told him to get. She had told him, twice before they left."(90)   Also, a little later on, Walter Mitty "was always getting something wrong"(90) This last quote shows that Walter Mitty must forget things quite often.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story also shows that Walter Mitty is a really stubborn person. When he was dropping off Mrs. Mitty, Mrs. Mitty told Walter Mitty not to forget the overshoes he was sopposed to buy while in he was town. Walter Mitty's reaction was "I don't need overshoes,"(88) but he did give in to his wife in the end, and bought the overshoes.   Another incident that shows Walter Mitty is stubborn occurs when his wife told him to put his gloves on, then Walter Mitty puts them on, but when his wife is out of site he took them off immediately.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most obvious trait of Walter Mitty is his constant day dreaming. Throughout the whole story, Walter Mitty is being distracted easily by everyday events.   His dreams turn these simple events into wild fantasies such as being a surgeon, bomber pilot and a captain of a sea vessel.   An example of how he changes something from everyday life into a dream occurs when Walter Mitty is trying to remember what it was his wife had told him Character of Walter Mitty in The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty :: The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty - Character Study of Walter Mitty   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the short story, "The secret life of Walter Mitty," a man by the name of Walter Mitty goes into town with his wife to get some things done. Throughout this story Walter Mitty shows that he is very forgetful and a really stubborn man with a vivid imagination.   He is constantly being distracted, and starts to day dream often.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are a few hints in this story that show Walter Mitty is very forgetful.   Most of this is probably caused by his constant day dreaming throughout this trip into town and not concentrating too hard on what he's doing.   Once Walter Mitty had dropped off his wife for her hair appointment, he began to do his shopping.   Walter picks up his overshoes and then "Walter Mitty began to wonder what the other thing was his wife had told him to get. She had told him, twice before they left."(90)   Also, a little later on, Walter Mitty "was always getting something wrong"(90) This last quote shows that Walter Mitty must forget things quite often.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story also shows that Walter Mitty is a really stubborn person. When he was dropping off Mrs. Mitty, Mrs. Mitty told Walter Mitty not to forget the overshoes he was sopposed to buy while in he was town. Walter Mitty's reaction was "I don't need overshoes,"(88) but he did give in to his wife in the end, and bought the overshoes.   Another incident that shows Walter Mitty is stubborn occurs when his wife told him to put his gloves on, then Walter Mitty puts them on, but when his wife is out of site he took them off immediately.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most obvious trait of Walter Mitty is his constant day dreaming. Throughout the whole story, Walter Mitty is being distracted easily by everyday events.   His dreams turn these simple events into wild fantasies such as being a surgeon, bomber pilot and a captain of a sea vessel.   An example of how he changes something from everyday life into a dream occurs when Walter Mitty is trying to remember what it was his wife had told him

Addressing Unethical Behavior in the Criminal Justice System Essay

To understand the ethical challenges in the criminal justice system, I took a look at the three parts of criminal justice, Policing, Courts, and Corrections. In doing so I found that this is quite a large topic. The areas I would like to touch on are; those areas in which the newly hired police officer, lawyer, and corrections officer my face. Having only the training he/she was given in their respective academy’s or in the case of attorneys Law School, and with the Oath of office they had just sworn to, hopefully still in, and the men and women they are placed with to guide them; above all their own sense of ethical behavior and morality. Ethics is a very personal thing; it means many things to many people. There is the mind set of â€Å"do unto others as you would have done to you†, the golden Rule, most of us learned early on in life. But as we go through life we start to get our own sense of ethical and moral behavior. We see others acting in a manner in which we would like to act, and wonder how to become more like that person, more times than not, this starts with a parent or sibling, or close family friend. At this early time we are developing our ideas of right and wrong, as well as healthy and unhealthy behaviors. Another area in which some are given a great deal of their ethical and moral values are religion, there is always a reward for doing the right thing, and a punishment for the wrong. Ethics and morality go hand in hand. The ethical and moral values we gather in the early stage of life stay with us though out our adult life. This is where the training in ethics and morality stops. For most of us we go on to live good l... ... solemn oath has a long lasting history, and is held in high regard by many, but few know its meaning. "A solemn affirmation or declaration, made with an appeal to God for truth of what is affirmed. The appeal to God in an oath implies that the person imprecates his vengeance and renounces his favor if the declaration is false, or if the declaration is a promise, the person invokes the vengeance of God if he should fail to fulfill it. A false oath is called perjury."(Webster Dictionary 1828) Works Cited Dr. Frank Kardasz â€Å"Ethics Training For Law Enforcement: Practices and Trends. (2008) Saarbrucken, Germany: VDM Verlag Richard W. De Shon â€Å" Police officer’s Oath of Office a Question of Knowledge† Eastern Michigan University. March 31, 2000 Available at: http://www.emich.edu/cerns/downloads/papers/PoliceStaff/Unsorted/OATH%20&%20ETHICS.pdf

Topshop SWOT Analysis

Topshop is a fashion store that has around 300 stores in the UK, and over 100 in international places. It was launched in 1964, and Topshop has become one of fashion’s largest success stories. They have captured the most fashionable styles every seasons, its bold and saucy approach to style has attracted fashion-conscious shoppers and industry insiders alike. Topshop’s triumph has been impressive, despite its humble start. Topshop started in the basement of Peter Robinson department store in 1964 and a few years later became an independent retailer. In 1994, the brand took over the entire 90,000 sq ft space at London Oxford Circus, when the iconic Topshop flagship was launched. It is still there today, and is said to be the world’s biggest fashion store on the high street, captivating over 200,000 shoppers each week. As an early pioneer of high street and designer collaborations, Topshop’s partnerships with brands such as Cella Birtwell and Kate Moss, who is the history’s most iconic fashion names, and they have further secured the brand’s reputation as a fashion leader. Topshop’s strength. Topshop’s strength is to access to target market with over 300 stores nationwide, and they are doing online shopping and shipping to over 100 countries now. Topshop also have a wide variety of merchandise, with thousands of looks per season, their looks per season comes along with creative design concepts and fresh ideas every year, these strongly says that the trend awareness of Topshop is very high. Topshop is also said to be the largest fashion store in UK, offering free personal style consultants, competing with the high-end department stores. They are in collaborations with designers and celebrities like Kate Moss and Cella Birtwell. Lastly, Topshop is part of arcadia, which is a group managing several successful brands. (177) Topshop’s weakness The weakness of Topshop is that few of the garments quality is not matching with the price, and that they have too many products and the staffs are not well educated enough about the merchandise, for example the material of the apparels. Most of the merchandise are made suited for only the younger demographic and few of the ad campaigns are not eye catching enough. The company is said to be global, however it has a presence only in few countries worldwide. Topshop’s opportunities Topshop’s opportunities are that they have the potential for further globalization of the brand and more than 60 cities with a potential for a Topshop has been identified. Topshop also have th potential to franchise brand and develop new products and services like more trained staff. Topshop also have the opportunities to become the largest fashion store in other cities than London. Topshop’s threats Topshop’s biggest threat is the constant new entries and competitors in their home market. There might be possible recession and people are less likely to spend money on trendy items Topshop have in store, given the current weaknesses of currency, Topshop is not the bargain it used to be. With constant new entrant, there will be price wars with their competitors. Topshop being a global retailer means that they are exposed to political problems in the countries that they operate in. With Topshop’s success, there is a potential for a brand that will copy the style that Topshop has for the past few years of trends. (377)

The Era for Stay-at-home Dads Essay

For generations, the gender role stereotype within the family has been the same: the father is a deserved pillar of family, and he has responsibility to be a breadwinner by going out to work to make money rather than staying at home as a homemaker. However, over the past few decades, the conventional gender role stereotypes of family has been largely changed to the point that an increasing number of men choose to be stay-at-home dads instead of being bread-earners. The at-home dad trend is that the father both takes on the role of primary caregiver for children and plays a major part in running the household. Although stay-at-home dads have presented a new perspective on the stereotype of family, some objectors who have satirized the at-home dad phenomenon claim that, despite a new awareness about full-time fathers, stay-at-home fathers are still unacceptable for the majority of general public. Because of this the at-home dad trend has difficulties in replacing the traditional family stereotype of gender roles. Nevertheless, the tendency of the stay-at-home dad is necessary for modern families to follow, being that not only a stay-at-home dad is a helpful decision for children’s education, but also a profitable choice for their wives’ work. What is more, stay-at-home dads make remarkable efforts on marital equality and satisfaction in their marriage and they enjoy their fatherhood a lot. Hence, stay-at-home fathers should be encouraged and understood by the public instead of being ridiculed and prejudiced against. Fathers’ unique parenting style is greatly beneficial for children’s education and makes children become confident, perspicacious, and self-disciplined. Gender role stereotypes in family insists that fathers are not good at educating children compared with mothers, in terms of men do not have the everlasting patience of tutoring and they may more irritable when they are facing naughty children. In fact, fathers’ education approaches are inclined to be more active, practical and strict than mothers (Turner, 2). Stay-at-home dads are the first teachers of their children, they should teach children to deal with various basic problems, not only behavioral, but also emotional. Thanks to stay-at-home fathers’ particular masculine characteristics, they prefer to promote children’s intellectual progress through active playing such as building blocks and doing outside exercises than having inanimate  conversations. Beyond that, stay-at-home dads tend to create practical activities for their children like repairing gadgets and practicing first-aid measures in case children may get into unpredictable troubles in the future. When children come across frustration, stay-at-home fathers give less immediate assistance for children, because they have particular purposes to train their children’s adaptive capacities when children are lost in frustration. In brief, under the guidance of stay-at-home fathers, children will be more brave, intelligent and independent. So, stay-at-home fathers should be trusted completely and given more chances to be involved in children’s education, their particular tutoring has an unexpected and positive effe ct to the children. A stay-at-home dad is a necessary decision to free his partner to devote herself to her own career. Couples are willing to adapt to the brand new family pattern within the stay-at-home dad trend due to the fact that breadwinning mothers and full-time fathers can provide a cost-efficient and profitable life for the family. Orthodox stereotypes of gender roles in family believe that women’s sacred mission is to support their spouses’ careers through concentrating on bringing up children at home. What is more, gender discrimination in the workplace persists that men are more likely to be successful than women in career and this prejudiced verdict deprives women’s working opportunities. However, in recent years, along with the rapid development of economy and society, gender discrimination is not as popular as before. Medved and Rawlins (11) consider that women are perceived to have more potential and are more persevering than men in fierce competition, and they can obtain more unique chances to make their career dreams come true. Meanwhile, in many modern families, women are earning much more than their husbands so that increasing numbers of fathers are pushed to become stay-at-home dads. In addition, most working mothers are anxious about who can take care of their children consider ately and economically. Mothers neither want to hire nurses to take care of children by charging costly and needless expenses nor can they bear to make children unattended and lonely. Therefore, a stay-at-home father is the most appropriate and helpful assistant for his partner to develop her career, as the mother does not need to feel guilty and the family can save a large amount of money. The public should regard stay-at-home fathers as efficient and economic assistants for their wives rather than incapable men, these  selfless fathers make their family more cooperative and economic. Stay-at-home father families promote marital equality and couples benefit from their happy marriage (Schindler Zimmerman, 348). Gender role stereotypes in family regards men as the most authoritative character in the family, while women are submissive followers with their husbands. Obsolete family stereotypes advocate that male chauvinism is a powerful guarantee to maintain the stability and permanence of the family. Therefore, women are in lower status than their husbands in marriage and they feel aggrieved and unfair, because they seem to have tons of housework that never finish es. What is more, women’s spouses are too arrogant to understand their wives’ toilsome dedication for the family. Fortunately, a stay-at-home dad is good for reversing the negative situation of a marriage. Schindler Zimmerman (350) found that leaving a parent at home to take care of children and do housework is a reasonable way to make a stay-at-home parent considerate to their partners. The role reversal of family conveys that stay-at-home dads are householders to perform all household duties so that they can deeply experience their wives’ laborious work at home. Realizing their partners’ incomparable dedication to the families, stay-at-home fathers begin to put their spouses at a high status. Meanwhile, mothers are breadwinners to go to work and they are indeed experiencing the huge pressure on spouses previously in the workplace so that they can comprehend their husbands better. Hence, owing to stay-at-home fathers, marital equality has been rebuilt in which women can be honored and respected by their husbands. In other words, the public should set the stay-at-home dad family as a good example to make more couples enjoy harmonious and sweet marriages. Stay-at-home fath ers enjoy their fatherhood and they cherish the precious time together with their children. An interview record is reported by the New York Amsterdam News that described five girls who are growing up with stay-at-home dads who really enjoy the high quality of life, and their fathers are also willing to be full-time dads due to fatherhood bringing happiness and contentment. Gender role stereotypes in family consider that fathers may get disappointed and bored when they are always staying at home to deal with troublesome children and mundane housework, in view of taking care of children and doing housework are not typical behaviors for men. On the contrary, stay-at-home fathers are proud of becoming caregivers in that  they thoroughly devote themselves to give children satisfactory care and accompany children to have unforgettable childhoods. The majority of ambitious working men who are involved in busy and stressful careers are required to set aside extra hours to complete works so that they have little available time to concern with their children’s growth. Becomi ng stay-at-home dads allows such busy fathers to start new experiences with their children in which they can develop much closer and more trustful relationships with children. Stay-at-home fathers do not need to struggle with contradictory problems like how can they balance the family and the career or what kinds of ways should they use to make up for the absence of fathers’ company like breadwinning fathers do. Moreover, stay-at-home fathers escape from the strong competition in the workplace so that they can recover peace of mind. In a word, stay-at-home dads enjoy the pleasure of fatherhood as they take a more important and active role in bringing up their children. Therefore, the public should know that stay-at-home dads are most willing to witness their children’s growth with delighted and relieved minds, more acceptances for such gentle fathers’ love should be given. The stay-at-home father is an inevitable tendency for modern families which are profoundly influenced by the sustainable economic and social development. Children are the biggest beneficiaries to become strong, self-confident, and wise adults, since they can receive fire-new and high-efficiency education from their fathers. Women in stay-at-home father families are endowed with more fair and respectful treatment in the workplace, and their position in households can be immensely enhanced. Also, couples in stay-at-home father families can harvest more cheerful and enviable marriages. Furthermore, stay-at-home fathers are joyfully intoxicated with witnessing the wonderful growth of children. Gender role stereotypes in family should be updated to adapt the development of society and taken into consideration with a dialectical perspective. What is more, stay-at-home fathers are a potential and vulnerable group which must be encouraged and envisaged by the public rather than being satirized and misunderstood. If people can be tolerant and concerned towards stay-at-home fathers, more families can gain happiness and peace through this family structure. Works Cited Turner, Randell D. â€Å"How Fathers’ Style of Parenting Benefits Their Children’s Development.† Parents as Teachers.org:1-4. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. Medved, Caryn E, Rawlins, William K. â€Å"At-Home Fathers and Breadwinning Mothers: Variations in Constructing Work and Family Lives.† Women & Language. 34.2(2011): 9-39. Print. Schindler Zimmerman, Toni. â€Å"Marital Equality and Satisfaction in Stay-At-Home Mothers and Stay-At-Home Fathers Families.† Contemporary Family Therapy. 22.3(2000): 337-354. Print. Avezzano, Samantha, Lauro, Lucia, Howell, Jack, Robinson, Jah’sway, and Staranko, Shauna. â€Å"Girls with Stay-At-Home Dads Emphasize Quality Time.† The New York Amsterdam News, 8 Feb. 2007: A20. Print.