Wednesday, October 30, 2019

HIST up to 1877 DB6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HIST up to 1877 DB6 - Essay Example Lincoln believed that slavery should be completely eradicated. Thus, Douglas and Lincoln differed on their stance on slavery. The two political gladiators at that time were on opposing sides on the issue of slavery. Thus, it could be said that while Stephen Douglas supported slavery, Abraham Lincoln opposed slavery (Donald 89-92). While Abraham Lincoln was concerned with the moral effects of slavery, Stephen Douglas was not in any way concerned with the morality threat that the institution of slavery brought with it. Douglas believed that the sovereignty of the people should be considered on the issue of slavery, this is the reason that he argued that slavery should be made to stand if the inhabitants of the region supported it. Lincoln believed that this was not an issue of popular sovereignty, but concerted efforts should be made to totally eradicate slavery. Thus, Lincoln differed from Douglas on the issue of slavery in the sense that, Lincoln opposed slavery, while Douglas lent a hand of support to the institutionalization of slavery in some states. Work Cited Donald, David Herbert. Lincoln. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995. Print

Monday, October 28, 2019

Mary Schapiro and Leadership Essay Example for Free

Mary Schapiro and Leadership Essay In her role at the SEC, Mary Schapiro was known as one of the worlds most powerful female regulators. She was named chair in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. As chairman, she helped strengthen and revitalize the agency by overseeing a more rigorous enforcement program and shaping new rules for Wall Street. During her tenure, the agencys work force brought about a record number of enforcement actions and achieved significant regulatory reform to protect investors. Schapiro leaves behind an agency that has regained its footing, stature, and morale following desultory leadership under its previous two chairmen and its embarrassing lack of action preceding the financial crisis. Under Schapiro, the SEC, which is usually thought to be the most prominent and important financial regulatory body in the country, brought a huge number of enforcement actions against financial institutions. Her job was to assess what went wrong and to ensure it didn’t happen again. During four years as SEC chairman, Schapiro presided over one of the busiest rule-making agendas in the SECs history, during which the agency also brought a record number of enforcement actions, and executed a comprehensive restructuring program to improve protections for investors. Upon her departure, President Obama praised her leadership, saying the SEC became stronger and the financial system safer and better able to serve the American people-thanks in large part to Schapiros hard w ork. Change Management Change management is designed to ensure the effective transition of an organisation and its people from the current to future states, and in so doing support the realisation of business benefits. In the context of strategy, it is the realisation of the strategic plan. Change management is about effectively leading and managing individuals, teams, and the organisation to successfully adopt the changes needed to achieve required or desired business results. Success in Organisational Change Follows Recognisable Patterns – Kotter’s 8 Steps Harvard Business School Professor John Kotter is well known for identifying a pattern for leading successful organizational change. Yet, we cannot be sure that the President, members of Congress, and key Federal Reserve, Department  of the Treasury, and SEC personnel (including Chairman Schapiro) are familiar with this work and with other similar guidance from change leadership literature. And even if some or all of the change agents impacting a restructuring of the SEC are familiar with this work, it is unclear whether any of those change agents are consciously using this learning and incorporating useful elements from Kotters books into the SEC reorganization process. Studies of organizational change have shed significant light on the elements of a successful reform effort. Leaders effectuating reform at the SEC do not have to reinvent the wheel as they initiate, manage, and institutionalize organizational change. Kotters model is organized into eight stages designed to address e ight observed mistakes made in efforts for organizational change: establishing a sense of urgency; creating the guiding coalition; developing a vision and strategy; communicating the change vision; empowering broad-based action; generating short-term wins; consolidating gains and producing more change; and anchoring new approaches in the culture. Each stage has identifiable characteristics. 1. Establishing a Sense of Urgency Visible crises can be enormously helpful in catching peoples attention and pushing up urgency levels. To be sure, the SEC has experienced visible crises over the past few years. Admissions of significant failures at the SEC extend back over more than two years time and cover multiple areas of SEC operations. The natural superiority of the U.S. model for securities regulation is no longer an article of faith, and the credibility of the SEC as a financial regulator has never been lower. although the SEC has long been the crown jewel of the financial regulatory infrastructure, recent developments have called that characterization into question. The SEC has been the target of relentless criticism ranging from claims that it mishandled derivatives regulation, oversight of securities firms, and market risk, to assertions of delays and blunders and possible industry capture at the Division of Enforcement. These criticisms followed the Treasury Departments Blueprint of Financial Regulation-r eleased in March 2008-that criticized the SECs approach to regulation as obsolete and proposed a plan of regulatory consolidation that would effectively lead to the agencys demise. Most recently, the revelation that the SEC failed to discover a $50 billion Ponzi scheme at Madoff Investment Securities, despite having received allegations of wrongdoing for over a decade, suggests fundamental weaknesses in its core enforcement operations. To be successful at organizational change, however, a change leader must use the crisis to shake up the organization. This requires that the change leader remove sources of complacency or minimize their impact and take actions that are bold or even risky. Kotter uses the concept of fire in a building as a proxy for crisis in an organization, writing that conducting business as usual is very difficult if the building seems to be on fire.Interestingly, Chairman Schapiro invoked fire imagery in comments to reporters as she made changes to SEC operations shortly after taking office. Moreover, in a recent speech, Chairman Schapiro noted the rapid pace of change at the SEC over the preceding year: I know that change is hard because within our agency we have been engaged in some of the most significant change in decades. When I arrived at the agency last January, we began a process of assessing our operations and determined we could do better. We determined that we needed to change. And tha t is the path we have chosen. The personnel changes instituted at the SEC may be seen as examples of sweeping change. The discomfort and discontent of the SEC staff in response to the personnel changes may be evidence of the brash nature of these personnel changes. Kotters work predicts this kind of reaction. He notes that bold moves that reduce complacency tend to increase conflict and to create anxiety, at least at first. 2. Creating the Guiding Coalition Leading change is not a solitary task. Because major change is so difficult to accomplish, a powerful force is required to sustain the process. No one individual, not even a monarch-like CEO, is ever able to develop the right vision, communicate it to large numbers of people, eliminate all the key obstacles, generate short-term wins, lead and manage dozens of change projects, and anchor new approaches deep in the organizations culture. Instead, what is required is a strong leadership team-a team with the right composition and sufficient trust among members. In terms of composition,  four key characteristics are important: position power- the entire group who will be charged with making progress in areas of needed change, expertise, credibility, and leadership. Trust is borne of activities that create . . . mutual understanding, respect, and caring. Trust is important because it can lead to the effective creation of a common goal or shared objective. Chairman Schapiro has changed th e leadership team at the SEC. We must question, however, whether the team has the right characteristics and the requisite trust. Certainly, the credentials of the SEC Commissioners are quite impressive in terms of expertise, credibility, and leadership skills. Chairman Schapiro has put a premium on attracting to the SEC people with an expansive set of experiences and skills. Moreover, the published remarks of new leaders in the Division of Enforcement-people with position power-are impressive in their indication of a collective change momentum. New leaders continue to emerge, making the membership of the guiding coalition unsettled and unclear. The executives who ignited the transformations from good to great did not first figure out where to drive the bus and then get people to take it there. No, they first got the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off the bus) and then figured out where to drive it. In general, public information sources are not detailed enough to enable a comprehensive assessment of the suitability of the composition of Chairman Schapiros guiding coalition. For example, according to Kotter, you need both management and leadership skills on the guiding coalition, and they must work in tandem, teamwork style.He offers matrices that illustrate optimal compositions. Publicly available information does not enable us to determine whether or not the SEC guiding coalition has the optimal balance of management and leadership skills. Only as the exact identity of the leadership team emerges and the tea m takes concerted and coordinated action will we be able to evaluate its composition. As difficult as it is for us to appraise the teams composition, it is more difficult for us to assess whether the guiding coalition has the required trust. Although I have not found evidence that ostensible members of the SEC guiding coalition have engaged in team-building exercises or attended a retreat at which intra-group trust may have been engendered, the SECs recent self-assessment may be a sign that mutual trust is being promoted throughout the agency. As new people are identified for inclusion on the change leadership team, they will need to be effectively brought into the circle of trust. 3. Developing a Vision and Strategy To achieve successful organizational change, a leader needs to have both vision and a strategy to implement that vision. Vision refers to a picture of the future with some implicit or explicit commentary on why people should strive to create that future. Vision serves to channel change in a particular direction and incentivizes and coordinates change in that direction. Chairman Schapiro seems to understand this aspect of change leadership, and she also seems to be incorporating it into the SECs operations. Her vision for a reformed SEC refocuses the SECs activities on one of the key policy underpinnings of the federal securities laws: investor protection Another lesson I have learned is to have a vision about where you want to take your organization and stick to your principles in getting there. Principles are not ideologies. They are different. Maybe its a question of degree. Maybe to some its semantics. But as I see it, unlike ideologies, principles dont seem to demand a particular answer to every problem that emerges. Weve seen how strict adherence to ideology played out over the last decade in the financial arena. Free market ideology together with rapidly changing technology, globalization and many other accidental causes led too many of us to forget hard-learned lessons from past crises and abandon basic common sense. Principles, on the other hand, help frame a question, an issue or a problem. Having a principle might highlight tensions and trade-offs of particular choices, but rarely do they force you to choose between a good solution and a worldview. For me at the SEC, my main principle is putting investors first. And, I try to stay focused on that every day. And the goal is to build an SEC that is deeply expert, nimble, and aggressive-that gives investors confidence. In fact, as Bob Glauber can attest, I have a sign posted on my door that says How does it help investors? Its a simple question, but it guides all that I do at the SEC. And, all those who enter my office understand that is the p rism through which we will consider all issues. It doesnt necessarily dictate the outcome of every issue that lands  on my desk-because there are many solutions to any problem that could aid investors. But, the principle helps to shape our thinking and steers us in the right path. Vision is implemented through strategy. Without vision, strategy making can be a much more contentious activity. Even more so, without good vision, a clever strategy or a logical plan can rarely inspire the kind of action needed to produce major change. Chairman Schapiros vision has guided structural and operational change at the SEC as well as substantive rulemaking. Some credit her clearly conceived vision and the related rapidly employed strategy for saving the SEC from more significant structural or operational change. 4. Communicating the Change Vision According to Kotter, the larger the audience for the change vision, the more powerful it may be. A great vision can serve a useful purpose even if it is understood by just a few key people. But the real power of a vision is unleashed only when most of those involved in an enterprise or activity have a common understanding of its goals and direction. That shared sense of a desirable future can help motivate and coordinate the kinds of actions that create transformations. A leader must be careful to communicate the change vision broadly, frequently (repeatedly), and consistently. The message conveying the vision must be direct, clear, simple, and geared to its targeted audiences. Metaphors, analogies, examples, and florid prose may be helpful in this regard. The means of conveying the message should be varied: oral and written, large forum and small group, and through words and actions. Finally, to ensure understanding, the communication of the vision should be a two-way street, involv ing both give and take as well as conveying and listening. Chairman Schapiro has engaged in significant public speaking in which she has regularly and repeatedly informed and reminded the SEC staff and various elements of the public about the SECs recommitment to investor protection and the linkage of that vision to structural and operational changes at the SEC. Chairman Schapiro regularly appeared before congressional committees and subcommittees, and she has communicated her vision in these arenas as well. She used memorable analogies, examples, and words to convey the SECs organizational change message. Evidencing an appreciation for two-way communication, soon after  her appointment, Chairman Schapiro took action in response to staff suggestions that enforcement efforts against corporate violators of the securities laws were too difficult. Moreover, the self-assessment process and related ongoing staff communications are evidence of two-way communication about the structural a nd operational changes that have been taking place at the SEC. And Chairman Schapiro has continued to express belief in capturing a variety of viewpoints in decision-making. 5. Empowering Employees for Broad-Based Action To implement the leaders vision, employees need to be able to take action. This may mean clearing away structural barriers, skill deficiencies, systemic obstacles, and supervisory impediments that may forestall effective employee participation in change efforts. Many of the structural and operational reforms implemented by Chairman Schapiro appear to be designed to empower SEC staff members for action that carries forward the change vision of the SEC. The efforts of Chairman Schapiro to listen and respond to staff concerns about unnecessary enforcement hurdles are examples of initiatives to streamline structure. In addition, the restructuring of the Division of Enforcement is geared to clear structural barricades to effective enforcement efforts. The decision to retain staff with non-traditional skills and the implementation of new staff training are examples of efforts to remedy skill deficits. Human resources and information systems have been or are being improved in response to de ficiencies identified in the SECs self-assessment and the OIGs investigation, report, and recommendations. In the Division of Enforcement, supervisory positions are being eliminated, supervisory personnel are being replaced, supervisory responsibilities are being realigned, and supervisory attitudes that may have impeded investigations are being corrected. 6. Generating Short-Term Wins Because the organizational change process is slow and constituents can be impatient, it is important for a change leader to accomplish certain limited objectives in the short term. Major change takes time, sometimes lots of time. Zealous believers will often stay the course no matter what happens. Most of the rest of us expect to see convincing evidence that all the effort  is paying off. Nonbelievers have even higher standards of proof. They want to see clear data indicating that the changes are working and that the change process isnt absorbing so many resources in the short term as to endanger the organization. To be effective in sustaining organizational change efforts, short-term wins must be both visible and unambiguous. They also must be clearly related to the change effort. And in an effective change effort, they are planned, not accidental. SEC Chairman Schapiro accomplished some highly publicized early wins after her appointment was confirmed. In particular, she swiftly m oved to remove perceived barriers to enforcement of the securities laws against public companies. She publicly promoted these changes, and they were picked up by the news media. These efforts generated support in and outside the SEC. The achievement of these short-term wins on a staggered but consistent basis has kept the SECs structural and operational reforms in front of the SECs staff and the public, building consensus around and momentum for the SECs self-initiated reform efforts and distracting attention from more substantial externally generated suggestions for change. 7. Consolidating Gains and Producing More Change The long-term time horizon for organizational change not only makes short-term wins advisable, but also may make early declarations of victory problematic. It is important that the sense of urgency created by the change leaders is sustained for the long haul. Short-term wins are essential to keep momentum going, but the celebration of the wins can be lethal if urgency is lost. With complacency up, the forces of tradition can sweep back in with remarkable force and speed. Although a rapid, consistent pace of change at the SEC was sustained over the first fifteen months of reform, Chairman Schapiro as well as other SEC change leaders, needed to maintain the change momentum by continuing to introduce reforms on a regular basis. Having gone so far, the SEC could have lost all of the gains it had made in organizational change merely by relaxing into complacency. Until changed practices attain a new equilibrium and have been driven into the culture, they can be very fragile. To reach that equilibrium, in addition to engaging in more and continuous change, the SEC should bring in additional change agents, continue to foster leadership from its senior managers, recruit and nurture project management and leadership from lower ranks in the hierarchy, and identify and decrease or eliminate unnecessary internal structural and operational interconnections that often make change efforts more complex. These types of efforts in change management are difficult and pervasive. 8. Anchoring New Approaches in the Culture Finally, to prevent regression, change leaders must address and resolve any incompatibilities between the changes that have been made and the organizations culture-friction in the groups system of behavioural norms and shared values. This is not as easy as it may sound. These norms and values may apply to the organization as a whole or only to certain parts of the organization, and it is important to achieve compatibility on both levels. Moreover, culture is change-resistant and nearly invisible. Yet, the failure to address inconsistencies between a change effort and the prevailing culture can undo years of reform. Accordingly, it was important that Chairman Schapiro understood the applicable behavioural norms and shared values of the SEC and the Enforcement Division and their respective relevant cultural sub-groups as they continue to reform the SEC and the Enforcement Division. Because the core vision of investor protection should not be entirely inconsistent with the SECs culture (in whole or in pertinent part), these and other change leaders at the SEC should be able to graft the new practices onto the old roots while killing off the inconsistent pieces. The important thing will be for the SECs change leaders to continue to remember the organizations heritage and link it to the organizations new and ongoing operations and objectives.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Rethinking the Philosophy of Education Essay -- Teaching Education Res

Rethinking the Philosophy of Education ABSTRACT: Philosophy is a special way of signifying the world. If philosophy is the place where the question is radical, then the task of the philosophy of education is to turn education into a problem through the practice of criticism. With this in mind we ask, Is teaching possible? What can really be transmitted? If man, as psychoanalysis indicates, is constituted as a desirous being, learning is possible only if desire is present. This interweaving of philosophy and psychoanalysis leads us to consider the impossibility of education in terms of three questions. (1) Is it possible or desirable to transmit the culture in its entirety? (2) Is learning possible without desire? (3) Could any pedagogical syllabus cover for lack in the other? "In the field of teaching, no one should be in his place anywhere (I quieten down with this continuous shifting: if some day I found my place, I would not even pretend to teach, I would absolutely give up)" Roland Barthes, L’obvie et l’obtus. We are living a moment of deep, historical mutation, in which traditional meanings are dissolving. This makes it necessary to re-think the certainties which the essentialist and totalizing Modern conception has crystallized; to question them from the standpoint of the crossroads at which this age of postmodernism has placed us. But Modernity has not been a homogeneous process: some new routes have been opened and they allow us to question those truths. Rousseau, Nietzsche, Freud, Heidegger, Foucault and many others enable today's reflexion taking other different standpoints. This is what we will try to do in relation to education. Philosophy is a special way of signifying the world and turning reality... ...ndiscipline, failure, maladjustment. In a multiple, globalized, changing world, subject to deep, social unfairness, the philosophy of education must question thought in order to keep on resisting, in order to dare to think the unthinkable and must prosecute the underground task of unmasking of the nietzschean mole. Notes (1) F. Kafka, Carta al padre, Nuevomar, Mà ©xico, 1983. p.26-27. (2) M. Heidegger,  ¿Quà © significa pensar?, Nova, Buenos aires, 1958, p. 20. (3) I. Bergman, Las mejores intenciones, Tusquets, Mà ©xico, 1993. (4) J. Lacan, El Seminario 6. El deseo y su interpretacià ³n, Paidà ³s, Buenos Aires, 1995. (5) A. S. Neil, Summerhill. Un punto de vista radical sobre la educacià ³n d elos nià ±os, Fondo de Cultura Econà ³mica, p. 20. (6) A. Puiggrà ³s, Volver a educar. El desafà ­o de la enseà ±anza argentina a finales del siglo XX, Ariel, 1995, p. 95

Thursday, October 24, 2019

An Annotated Bibliography Essay

Chin, Jean Lau. (2004). The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group This book discusses the effects of prejudice and discrimination on the psyche and one’s participation in society as a whole. The relevant section in this book discusses the unique plight of gay or bisexual black men that have to contend with homophobia as well as racism. Of special note is the section in which sexual orientation often has a negative effect on the career development of many gay black men. This is an interesting resource since most of the material on the subject does not address the secondary sub-category of sexual orientation (Chin, 2004). Daniels, C. (2004). Black Power Inc. : The New Voice of Success. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons C. Daniel’s Black Power Inc. is a book of medium length that explores the phenomenon of black people placing a growing emphasis on economic rather than political power. The book is geared toward young to middle-aged black professional men and women, who are Working While Black (WWB). C. Daniels writes for Fortune magazine with an extensive history in writing about the social dynamics inherent in big business—especially as it relates to the unique issues black men and women face in the corporate world (Daniels, 2004). Davis, G. & Watson, G. (1982). Black Life in Corporate America: Swimming in the Mainstream. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press Although written twenty-seven years ago, this account by Davis & Watson (1982) is still relevant in chronicling the early stages of Black integration into corporate American life. The book describes the upstream struggles of educated black professionals as they attempt to make a living commensurate with their skills. While also observing the lesser tolerance of open bigotry in the workplace, certain â€Å"jokes† and comments are often alienating to black men (Davis & Watson, 1982). Gates, Henry Louis. America behind the Color Line. New York: Warner Books, 2004 This book contains interviews from several powerful African-American men including Russell Simmons, Quincy Jones, Vernon Jordan, Colin Powell and Morgan Freeman. Written by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. , one of the premier scholars of African-American studies today. This book shows the diversity of successful Black men from the corporate and political arenas to the performing arts and community activism, and discusses triumphs and challenges. A very good read for anyone studying black achievement (Gates, 2004). Livers, A. & Caver, K. A. (2002). Leading in Black and White: Working across the Racial Divide in Corporate America. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons This book by Livers & Caver (2002) describes the challenges faced by Blacks who occupy a higher level on the corporate ladder (i. e. managerial positions). They challenge the popular assumption that black leaders have the same issues as white leaders, and underscore the problems of trust many black men have with their white colleagues because of lack of common experiences. This book was intended for black managers that need help in continuing to navigate the system (Livers & Carver, 2002). Merida, K. (2007). Being a Black Man: At the Corner of Progress and Peril. Washington: Public Affairs This is a collection of essays about the personal and professional struggles of black men in America. Many points of view deal with identity intersections of different roles—husband, father, employee, and businessman—as well as dreams and ambitions. This book generated a great deal of interest in the reading public as it offers a personal glimpse of the realities of black life. K. Merida is a reporter for the Washington Post, and was thus able to use his credentials to find many contributors to this volume (Merida, 2007). Van Horne, W. A. (2007). The Concept of Black Power: Its Continued Relevance. Journal of Black Studies, 37(3), 365-389 This is a study of the growth of Black Power in America as the middle-class grows slowly and quietly. Even though over time, black people have gained more civil rights in America, there is still a significant lag between them and the white majority. However, W. A. Van Horne notes that the black underclass often overshadows the slow, but inexorable growth of the black middle class. He also raises questions of whether the black power movement is still relevant (Van Horne, 2007).

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Mullah Mohammed Omar

Mullah Mohammed Omar is one of the most influential and devoted spiritual leaders and founders of the Taliban movement in Afghanistan. Along with Osama Bin Laden and other Islamic activists, he was behind the 9/11 attacks. Currently, as he fled into hiding and remains at large, Omar is considered to be a serious threat to the USA and its allies. That is why he is among the â€Å"Most Wanted† terrorists, and American Government is ready to pay up to 10 million dollars for any true information bringing to his capture (Rewards for Justice). Born in 1959, he participated in the resistance battles against the Soviet Union army in the Afghan War and was wounded. After the collapse of Soviet regime in Afghanistan, Omar and a group of his loyal supporters (including Bin Laden) organized the Taliban movement. In 1996 this organization, led by former military commanders, took over the power in Afghanistan, making Omar the Ruler (Emir) titled â€Å"Commander of the Faithful†.   He imposed a very tough version of Islamic laws and unlimited severity upon the country. Omar expressed support of devastating attacks on the US in 2001. Like all Taliban leaders, he revealed his extremist viewpoints on the policies of the US. In his interviews right after the tragic events of September 11, he repeatedly underlined seriousness and brutality of terrorist plans: â€Å"..The real matter is the extinction of America..† (BBC). â€Å".. Everyone is afraid of America and wants to please it. But Americans will not be able to prevent such acts like the one that has just occurred [9/11]..† (The Guardian). After the attacks Omar is reported to shelter Bin Laden and his al-Qaeda activists in Afghanistan. But in the end of the year 2001 he was forced to break away from his residence in Kandahar during the military operation. Despite the fact that his current location is unknown, Mullah Omar continuously releases some politically daring or threatening statements, which are delivered by his messengers and spokesmen. Recently he is alleged to hide somewhere on Pakistan territories. Bibliography:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Interview with Mullah Omar.† BBC News. Official Web-site of BBC. 24 Aug. 2001. 03 Nov. 2007 .  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   MacDonell, Pat. â€Å"Mightier Than the Sword.† The Middle East 1 Feb. 2007: 75.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Mullah Omar in His Own Words.† The Guardian 26 Sept. 2001: 46.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Rashid, Ahmed. â€Å"Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil, and Fundamentalism in Central Asia.† New Heaven, CT: Yale University Press, 2003.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Wanted. Mullah Omar.† Rewards for Justice Program. US Department of State. 03 Nov. 2007 .

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Making Print Pretty with Microsoft Word

Making Print Pretty with Microsoft Word Print on Demand makes publishing print books easy, but to look professional, formatting is key. Here are general tips for a polished layout using Microsoft Word. Check your Help menu for specifics on your version of Word. Start setting up as you write: = Use the indent setting rather than tabs or hitting the space bar several times. This allows you to adjust your indentations precisely. (Use the Find and Replace option to remove tabs or extra spaces, replacing with nothing.) = Use section breaks rather than page breaks between chapters. More on this later. Save a document specifically for your print version, separate from your ebook version. Set your page size to the books trim size. 6 x 9 is common. For margins, use Custom Margins. Select Multiple Pages and then Mirror Margins for different inside and outside margins. For CreateSpace POD, your interior margin must be at least .375 for books up to 150 pages, and .75 for books with 151 to 400 pages. Other margins must be at least .25 inches but may be larger for aesthetics. You may also need to adjust your header and footer distances to get the margins you want. I use Top Margin .7; Inside .75; Gutter 0; Bottom .3; Outside .3. Find print books that are visually appealing to you and measure their margins. The first page is automatically a right-hand page. Make this a title page. The following pages list the publisher, ISBN, dedication, etc. Study traditional books on your shelf for ideas. Use section break between every page. The first chapter should start on a right-hand page. All other chapters can start on either the left or right page in novels. Non-fiction books should have a blank page before each chapter. If you need a blank page, insert an additional section break. Choose your font and type size. Adjust the leading, the space between lines. In Word 2007, go to the Home Tab - Paragraph - Line Spacing and choose Exactly and then the leading you want. 12.4 and 13.3 are common for leading, but you may want more or less depending on the font and font size. Make sure youre not cutting off hanging letters from the line above. Double check in the PDF version of your document, as it may look different from the Word version. Use a serif font and keep fonts simple. Avoid large passages of hard-to-read italics, cursive-style fonts, etc. Use double justified text (not ragged right). Title and other front matter may be center justified. Format chapter headings. You may want to center these and adjust the size. Study other books for ideas, and play around to see whats possible. Use the Insert button for any interior art. Insert your Headers or Footers with page numbers. Use alternating pages to put your author name on one page and the book title on the facing page. Adjust the font and font size. Remove any extra returns forcing hidden blank lines. Set your header with no header on first page, to remove headers on title pages and the first page of each chapter. Avoid headers in your front and back matter. Using section breaks between every page plus no header on first page should remove these. Review for widows, orphans, rivers, etc. Be sure your formatting is consistent. Save a copy as a PDF, choosing standard format. Check the ISO option if its not embedding the fonts. Double-check that all your formatting came through, such as italics and spacing. Now you can upload your document. CreateSpace leads you through the process. Make sure that you choose the trim size equal to your formatted document. Order a proof copy and study it for errors. And now youre in print! Resources Industry standards from The Chicago Manual of Style Proper typography marks, such as em versus en dashes Tips for using graphics within the text DIY Book Formats has an online tutorial for How to Format a Book in MS Word CreateSpace has downloadable templates and instructions CreateSpaces Trim Size chart lists available trim sizes

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Great Cascadia Earthquake of 2xxx

The Great Cascadia Earthquake of 2xxx Cascadia is Americas own tectonic version of Sumatra, where the magnitude 9.3 earthquake and tsunami of 2004 occurred. Stretching off the Pacific shore from northern California some 1300 kilometers to the tip of Vancouver Island, the Cascadia subduction zone appears capable of its own magnitude 9 earthquake. What do we know about its behavior and its history? What would that great Cascadia earthquake be like? Subduction Zone Earthquakes, Cascadia and Elsewhere Subduction zones are places where one lithospheric plate plunges beneath another (see Subduction in a Nutshell). They create three kinds of earthquakes: those within the upper plate, those within the lower plate, and those between the plates. The first two categories can include large, damaging quakes of magnitude (M) 7, comparable to the Northridge 1994 and Kobe 1995 events. They can damage whole cities and counties. But the third category is what concerns disaster officials. These great subduction events, M 8 and M 9, can release hundreds of times more energy and damage wide regions inhabited by millions of people. They are what everybody means by the Big One. Earthquakes get their energy from strain (distortion) built up in rocks from the stress forces along a fault (see Earthquakes in a Nutshell). Great subduction events are so large because the fault involved has a very large surface area on which rocks gather strain. Knowing this, we can easily find where the worlds M 9 earthquakes happen by locating the longest subduction zones: southern Mexico and Central America, South Americas Pacific coast, Iran and the Himalaya, western Indonesia, eastern Asia from New Guinea to Kamchatka, the Tonga Trench, the Aleutian Island chain and Alaska Peninsula, and Cascadia. Magnitude-9 quakes differ from smaller ones in two distinct ways: they last longer and they have more low-frequency energy. They dont shake any harder, but the greater length of shaking causes more destruction. And the low frequencies are more effective at causing landslides, damaging large structures and exciting water bodies. Their power to move water accounts for the fearsome threat of tsunamis, both in the shaken region and on coastlines near and far (see more on tsunamis). After the strain energy is released in great earthquakes, whole coastlines may subside as the crust relaxes. Offshore, the ocean floor may rise. Volcanoes may respond with their own activity. Low-lying lands may turn to mush from seismic liquefaction and widespread landslides may be triggered, sometimes creeping along for years afterward. These things may leave clues for future geologists. Cascadias Earthquake History Studies of past subduction earthquakes are inexact things, based on finding their geologic signs: sudden changes of elevation that drown coastal forests, disturbances in ancient tree rings, buried beds of beach sand washed far inland and so on. Twenty-five years of research has determined that Big Ones affect Cascadia, or large parts of it, every few centuries. Times between events range from 200 to about 1000 years, and the average is around 500 years. The most recent Big One is rather well dated, although no one in Cascadia at the time could write. It occurred around 9 p.m. on 26 January 1700. We know this because the tsunami it generated struck the shores of Japan the next day, where the authorities recorded the signs and damages. In Cascadia, tree rings, oral traditions of the local people and geologic evidence support this story. The Coming Big One Weve seen enough recent M 9 earthquakes to have a good idea of what the next one will do to Cascadia: they struck inhabited regions in 1960 (Chile), 1964 (Alaska), 2004 (Sumatra) and 2010 (Chile again). The Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup (CREW) recently prepared a 24-page booklet, including photos from historic quakes, to bring the dreadful scenario to life: Strong shaking will last for 4 minutes, killing and injuring thousands.A tsunami up to 10 meters high will wash over the coast within minutes.Much of coastal Route 101 will be impassable due to wave and landslide damage.Parts of the coast will be cut off from inland cities when the roads are buried. Roads through the Cascades may likewise be blocked.For rescue, first aid, and immediate relief most places will be on their own.Utilities and transportation in the I-5/Highway 99 corridor will be disrupted for months.Cities may have significant fatalities as tall buildings collapse.Aftershocks will continue for years, some of them large earthquakes in themselves. From Seattle on down, Cascadian governments are preparing for this event. (In this effort they have much to learn from Japans Tokai Earthquake program.) The work ahead is enormous and will never be finished, but all of it will count: public education, setting up tsunami evacuation routes, strengthening buildings and building codes, conducting drills and more. The CREW pamphlet, Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquakes: A magnitude 9.0 earthquake scenario, has more.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Breastfeeding in Public - Explaining Shame and Taboo

Breastfeeding in Public - Explaining Shame and Taboo On an almost weekly basis, there is a news story about a woman being kicked out of an establishment for breastfeeding her baby. Restaurants, public pools, churches, art museums, courts of law, schools, and retail stores, including Target, American Girl Store, and ironically, Victoria’s Secret, have all been sites of skirmishes over a woman’s right to nurse. Breastfeeding  anywhere, public or private, is a woman’s  legal right in all 50 states. In 2018, both Utah and Idaho passed laws protecting a woman’s right to nurse in public.  However, nursing women are regularly scolded, shamed, given the side-eye, harassed, embarrassed, and made to leave public and private spaces by those who find the practice inappropriate or incorrectly believe it to be illegal. When we consider this problem from the standpoint of rational thought, it makes absolutely no sense. Breastfeeding is a natural, necessary, and healthful part of human life. And, in the U.S., for these reasons, it is protected by law. So, why does a cultural taboo on nursing in public hold strong in the U.S.? Using  the sociological perspective  helps illuminate why this problem exists. Breasts as Sex Objects One need only examine a handful of accounts of confrontations or online comments to see a pattern. In nearly all cases, the person who asks the woman to leave or harasses her suggests that what she is doing is indecent, scandalous, or lewd. Some do this subtly, by suggesting that she â€Å"would be more comfortable† if she were hidden from the view of others, or by telling a woman that she must â€Å"cover up† or leave. Others are aggressive and overt, like the church official who derogatorily called a mother who nursed during services â€Å"a stripper.† Beneath comments like these is the idea that breastfeeding should be hidden from the view of others; that it is a private act and should be kept as such. From a sociological standpoint, this underlying notion tells us a lot about how people see and understand women and their breasts: as sex objects. Despite the fact that women’s breasts are biologically designed to nourish, they are universally framed as sex objects in our society. This is a frustratingly  arbitrary designation based on gender, which becomes clear when one considers that it is illegal for women to bare their breasts (really, their nipples) in public, but men, who also have breast tissue on their chests, are allowed to walk around shirt-free. We are a society awash in the sexualization of breasts. Their â€Å"sex appeal† is used to sell products, to make film and television appealing, and  to entice people to men’s sporting events, among other things. Because of this, women are often made to feel that they are doing something sexual anytime some of their breast tissue is visible. Women with larger breasts, which are hard to comfortably wrangle and cover, know well the stress of trying to hide them from view in an effort to not be harassed or judged as they  go about their daily lives. In the U.S., breasts are always and forever sexual, whether we want them to be or not. Women as Sex Objects So, what can we learn about U.S. society by examining the sexualization of breasts? Some pretty damning and disturbing stuff, it turns out, because when women’s bodies are sexualized, they become sex objects. When women are sex objects, we are meant to be seen, handled, and used for pleasure at the discretion of men. Women  are meant to be passive recipients of sex acts, not agents who decide when and where to make use of their  bodies. Framing women this way denies them  subjectivity- the recognition that they are people, and not objects- and takes away their rights to self-determination and freedom. Framing women as sex objects is an act of power, and so too is shaming women who nurse in public, because the real message delivered during these instances of harassment is this: â€Å"What you are doing is wrong, you are wrong to insist on doing it, and I am here to stop you.† At the root of this social problem is the belief that women’s sexuality is dangerous and bad. Womens sexuality is framed as having  the power to corrupt men and boys, and make them lose control (see the blame-the-victim ideology of  rape culture). It should be hidden from public view, and only expressed when invited or coerced by a man. U.S. society has an obligation to create a welcoming and comfortable climate for nursing mothers. To do so, we must decouple the breast,  and womens bodies in general,  from sexuality, and stop framing women’s sexuality as a problem to be contained. This post was written in support of National Breastfeeding  Month.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Post-editing and Translation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Post-editing and Translation Management - Essay Example Current TM software enables profession or domain-based customization, which limits the scope of substitutions, allowed and, therefore, improves output, especially where formulaic or formal language is required. As such, it would be expected that TM in cases involving legal and official documents can produce more palatable output as compared to less standardized text and conversations. Output quality in TM can also be enhanced through human intervention, such as the unambiguous identification of words that can be considered proper names in the text, which enables more accurate translation (Somers, 2013). The TM process can be described in terms of decoding the source text’s meaning, as well as re-encoding in the target language supported by a complex cognitive operation. Post-editing refers to the process through which machine-generated translations are improved with little manual intervention or labor, and is closely linked to the concept of pre-editing. During translation of the text, it is possible to achieve best results through source text pre-editing, such as through controlled language principles, after which the machine output is post-edited (Somers, 2013). Post-editing is quite different from editing that refers to the improvement of text generated by humans, also known in translation as revision. Text that has been post-edited could be revised afterward in order to ensure that language choice are of the best quality. Post-editing generally involves correction of output from translation, specifically to ensure that the output is of high quality. The degree or extent of post-editing may differ, which is dictated by the translation management criteria, and may either be full post-editing or light post-editing. Light post-editing involves minim al human intervention and is mainly meant to ensure that the output is readable, in which case the post-editor expects that the client only needs the text for inbound reasons (Somers, 2013). Full post-editing, on the other hand, seeks to make a text more stylistically appropriate by achieving improved quality of text for outbound and inbound purposes.

Music and the society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Music and the society - Essay Example The lyrics therefore fuses with the instruments to resulting a holistic peace that does not only entertain but also communicates the basic aspects of the society. Set in the society and targeting the same society for audience, musical compositions limit their creativity to the similar attributes of the society. This implies that the themes in the songs and the musical instruments used in the songs must come from the societies in which either the composers or the audience belong. Songs therefore portray the social, political, economic and cultural aspects of the society. In doing these, the draw lyrics from the specific features of the above elements that affect the society daily (Chris, Gerald and Allen 44). Through time, societies develop their technologies and cultural behaviors alongside other pertinent attributes. Songs and other works of art should therefore communicate the constant change in their presentation. This includes the type of instruments they use and the level of cre ativity in composing the songs. Songs must therefore reflect the changes through time. This implies that songs produced in different times should portray the difference in the features of society. The difference should be easily evident in the lyrical composition of the songs and even the instruments used. The technological changes often result in improvements in the instruments and other technological aspects of the composition. Songs should therefore always have better quality owing to the fact that they subsequent song productions employ better technologies. Due to the modern telecommunication developments, the world has eventually become a global village denoting that people easily trade cultural products key among which are songs and other works of arts. With such developments, any work of art that targets the global audience must address issues that are familiar to the global market. This compels detailed researches to identify the prominent aspects of the global society. Song s determine the trends in the global popular culture, composers of songs and other global works of art therefore have increased responsibility of regulating their cultural products to limit their compositions to uphold the values and virtues in the wider global society. From the above discussion, it is obvious that comparing to musical compositions is synonymous to comparing the different times of production for the two or more songs. Through the themes in the songs, the instruments used and the composition styles, the social, economic, political and technological state of the times become evident. Two of such songs composed and produced at different times in history but are still classical master pieces are The Four Seasons by Antonio Vilvadi in 1723 and Music for the Funeral of Queen Marry written by Henry Purcell in 1965. The time differences between the two songs is more than three centuries a time within which the society changed its structure. Political, social, economic, cult ural and even technological factors all changed thereby creating a big difference in the nature of the songs. They both have a representation of each of the five aspects of the society and the nature of representation in the two communicate the difference in the time lines. As its name suggests, The Four Seasons describe the seasons in the year and the activities in them. In his composition, Vilvadi composes and produces four concertos to represent he four seasons. Published for the first time in 1925, the four were part of the twelve concerti named the contest between harmony and invention. Each of the four concerti has unique composition structure and uses different instruments to create the difference in the tempo and therefore the general composition. The first two represent the warm seasons of

Friday, October 18, 2019

Containment policies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Containment policies - Essay Example The Divine et al. (28) outlined that it prevented the actions of Soviet Union of spreading of communism ideology and doctrines across Europe, China, Korea, and Vietnam. This policy was utilized to justify the US engagement in the Vietnamese war and Korean War. Containment policy was a component of cold war and was formulated by George Kennan after the Second World War between the years 1940 to 1950’s. The US viewed communism as threat as it controlled the private life and the thoughts of its citizen (145). However, the policy lost its influence in the year 1953 after the demise Stalin. Originally, the policy was applied in 1947 by Turkey and Greece after being promised of military support, technical assistance and economic support by the American government and other non-communist nations (156-161). An analysis of three examples of the containment policy in both Europe and Asia As cited by Divine et al. (176-189) amongst the three examples of containment policies in both Europ e and Asia included: the Korean War, NATO formation, and mutually assured destruction. First, the rise of communism in the Asian continent is the last place the Soviet Union thought it would introduce communism. The Korean War is a manifestation of how the containment policy

Small Business Literature review Research Paper

Small Business Literature review - Research Paper Example Government defines small business according to the employees, total capital and market expansion etc. â€Å"The concept of small scale business has been changing time to time† and â€Å"definition of scale business is rather ambiguous (Basu, 1998, p.104). The complexities in large scale business are greater than in small scale. However, managing a small business is as challenging as maintaining a large scale business as there are many limitations in small business. This paper will attempt to present literature review of small business management. The entire explanation and analyses will be divided into several sections and each section will focus on particular area of small business. The first two sections will analyse major pitfall and drawbacks in small business and general mistakes of small business owners. The section three will discuss effective methods and steps in starting a small business. Next section will focus on effectiveness and profitability of small business for used appliances and sales store. The last section will point out the importance of Hispanic community for small business. Finally, the conclusion will point out the major findings of the entire discussions and analyses. Many a time the entrepreneurs start a new business with great enthusiasm but overlook some minor issues that results in major pitfalls. With time these pitfalls adversely affect the business and the newly started fails to achieve its goal. Therefore, the time and the labour put in developing the business goes in vain. If the entrepreneurs can identify the common pitfalls before hand, he or she can be more attentive and the possibility of committing common mistakes can be minimised. Some of the common pitfalls related to the SMEs are discussed below. Understanding the amount of money and time it will take to start the business: While developing the business plan, the entrepreneur often makes some assumptions which may

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The Future of Education in US and Saudi Arabia Essay

The Future of Education in US and Saudi Arabia - Essay Example According to the research findings the revolution in the education sector will also result in an overall information symmetry to the residents of both countries and at large the world. The education infrastructure will also get upgraded and the funds spend on the acquisition teaching staff decline. It will become a cost cutting strategy as the education sector has over time utilized large amounts of capital that could have got utilized in developing other sectors. The overall adoption of technology in the education sector will eventually result in a declined rate of illiteracy and ignorance levels as learning shall become a progressive exercise.From the discussion it is clear that  the initiation of formal education dates back to the 19th century when people saw the need of adopting a formalized educational system as opposed to the informal. The future of the education will heavily relay on the adoption of formalized systems of impacting knowledge to the students. The development a genda of the education sector will heavily rely on the methods of overcoming the barriers that have for long hindered the development and establishment of formalized education in both US and Saudi Arabia. The aim is to ensure that learning can take place anyplace anytime so long as there learner has a willingness to learn. The idea of students going to school for classes shall change and become history. It is so as classroom learning will no longer be taking place and if it happens to be shall be made for the young generation only.

To be discussed with the writer Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8500 words

To be discussed with the writer - Dissertation Example A marketer should be able to capitalize on the existing opportunities. With the aim to evaluate the most effective form of marketing to the 16-25 year-olds, this study was undertaken. Research aims and objectives were laid out and after extensive literature review, qualitative secondary data was gathered and analysed to arrive at the outcome of the study. The study finds that this age group is dynamic, on the move, engages in multitasking and has moved away from the traditional forms of media consumption. They are technically savvy and rely more on user reviews than marketer claims through advertisements. Both iPhone and Nike has been trying to develop value-proposition for their customers but Nike clearly has a robust strategy in place that has given it edge over competitors. Apple’s iPhone, on the other hand, lags behind due to its strategy to steer clear of social media. Nike’s constantly evolving strategy of social media helps them keep their customers engaged in di fferent ways while iphone is losing out on the youth segment as it has not been able to harness the potential of social media. The most effective form of marketing to the youth would be through the social media as it helps marketers to reach out to and fulfil customer needs better than competitors. Iphone has a product-push approach to marketing while Nike’s approach is customer-led. ... iew 6 2.1 Chapter Overview 6 2.2 Definition of marketing 6 2.3 Marketing Strategy 7 2.4 Consumer Behavior 12 2.5 Consumer Behavior of the target segment 14 Chapter III Methodology 15 3.1 Research Philosophy 15 3.2 Research Design 15 3.3 Research Methodology 15 3.4 Choice of Method 15 3.5 Data Collection 16 3.6 Justification for Secondary Data 17 3.7 Data Analysis 17 3.8 Reliability and Validity 17 Chapter IV Findings and Discussions 18 4.1 Findings 18 4.1.2 Marketing Strategy of iPhone 18 4.1.3 Marketing strategy of Nike 22 4.2 Discussions 26 Chapter V Conclusion & Recommendation 29 5.1 Conclusion 29 5.2 Limitations of the Study 31 5.3 Recommendations for further research 31 Appendix†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.36 Chapter I Introduction 1.1 Background The effectiveness of marketing is ascertained based on how effectively a marketer is able to reach out and fulfill customer needs better than competing firms. It is effective marketing that has enabled Apple to venture into diversified products such as iPod and Macbook successfully. A sound marketing strategy enables an organization to leverage its strength and capitalize on opportunities existing in the market (Ferrel, 2011, p1). Organizations need to develop and plan a systematic process for developing customer-oriented marketing strategies and marketing plans suitable to its external and internal environment. The function ‘marketing’ has successfully migrated from being a mere functional discipline to being a concept of how businesses should be run (Greyser, 1997 cited in Hooley, Piercy & Nicouland, 2009, p3). Today marketing for most managers, centers on identifying and satisfying

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The Future of Education in US and Saudi Arabia Essay

The Future of Education in US and Saudi Arabia - Essay Example According to the research findings the revolution in the education sector will also result in an overall information symmetry to the residents of both countries and at large the world. The education infrastructure will also get upgraded and the funds spend on the acquisition teaching staff decline. It will become a cost cutting strategy as the education sector has over time utilized large amounts of capital that could have got utilized in developing other sectors. The overall adoption of technology in the education sector will eventually result in a declined rate of illiteracy and ignorance levels as learning shall become a progressive exercise.From the discussion it is clear that  the initiation of formal education dates back to the 19th century when people saw the need of adopting a formalized educational system as opposed to the informal. The future of the education will heavily relay on the adoption of formalized systems of impacting knowledge to the students. The development a genda of the education sector will heavily rely on the methods of overcoming the barriers that have for long hindered the development and establishment of formalized education in both US and Saudi Arabia. The aim is to ensure that learning can take place anyplace anytime so long as there learner has a willingness to learn. The idea of students going to school for classes shall change and become history. It is so as classroom learning will no longer be taking place and if it happens to be shall be made for the young generation only.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

14th Amendment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

14th Amendment - Research Paper Example The 13th Amendment raises some critical questions for the lawmakers, and the 14th Amendment was drafted in order to answer these questions of law. The first question to be dealt was the citizenship of the freed slave; associated to this was whether they have the right to own property like the white. Second critical problem that needed an answer was the treatment of freed slaves by law courts of law. Other problems included treatment of rebels; the loans that were borrowed by the rebellions during the civil war, and the right of rebels to be elected for Congress. The 14th Amendment comprises of 5 sections, they deal with the citizenship, equal protection of law, due process, debt, and power of the Congress to enforce. A brief commentary of the clauses presented in the 14th Amendment along with original is provided as follows. Citizenship by place of birth was not a new law. It has bases in the centuries old English Common Law, and it followed the simple doctrine of jus soli. Until the infamous case of Dred Scott when the Supreme Court abrogated the doctrine, jus soli was a part of American Jurisprudence(Stein & Bauer, 1995). The question of jurisdiction has long been debated especially in the cases of illegal immigrants. The critics have vocalized their concern on the legitimacy of citizenship of the child born to illegal immigrants in America. Another case is of the aliens residing within America, who stay for longer period, and give birth to children in America.

Monday, October 14, 2019

6 Skills you need to success Essay Example for Free

6 Skills you need to success Essay While we all aspire to climb to the top of our respective professions, but from time to time we come up against a roadblock, a barrier that slows our climb to the top. Whether you are being consistently overlooked in favor of someone else who is a bit more productive or perhaps there is just some intangible quality that allows other people to get ahead of you, it can be immensely frustrating to be denied a job you know you could excel in. With this in mind, we decided to consider the six skills you need to succeed. It is worth noting that all of these skills are transferable and have as much relevance in your personal life as they do in your professional life. Just as importantly, these are all skills that can be learned, so no one should feel that they are at a disadvantage with any of these. Work on them and you will reap the rewards accordingly. After reading this, the career ladder will suddenly seem a much easier climb than it did before. 1- Speaking skills Whether you are hustling for a promotion when you bump into a CEO in an elevator or making an important speech at an international conference, the ability to speak with a wide variety of people is an absolute essential. Good eye contact, a varied vocabulary and the ability to tailor your language to suit your audience are all essential characteristics of an artful speaker. Being a good speaker will give you presence and make you memorable to those who are listening. Practice talking with anyone and everyone you meet, look for a debating society or a Toastmasters group. The  rewards are worth it. Being more adept in social situations and being better equipped to network successfully will help you forge working relationships that could be very advantageous to you in the future. It will also be useful to you for performing duties as a best man. 2- Confidence in decision making Nothing says mediocrity like indecision. A good leader is decisive and will always back himself up when making the correct decision. If you want to be considered leadership material, you have to possess these characteristics. If you are paralyzed by the fear of getting it wrong, you will end up doing nothing, which is worse than trying something and failing. A lot of high-fliers are prepared to take risks knowing that a mistake can be corrected. Learn to evaluate different decisions for their pros and cons, and make decisions that will take you closer to completing a given task. The key is to make sure that your decisions are thought out and reasoned. Be confident in your judgment and believe in yourself to get things right. Don’t just play it safe every time — you will blend into the wallpaper and no one will notice you. Putting yourself on the line will earn you respect, and if your decisions turn out to be right, you can expect to be rewarded for your efforts. 3- Accountability Another major part of being successful is accepting responsibility, both for successes and failures. If you want other people to respect you, acknowledge your errors rather than trying to blame someone else for your shortcomings. Everyone makes mistakes, but the real test is how you react to that. Putting yourself in the firing line is the mark of a man who wants to achieve great things and is prepared to be scrutinized. It is a sign of confidence and self-belief, and is a key ingredient among men who want to be successful. Being able to admit you have made a mistake is also a sign of humility and can garner respect from your employees. A useful way to hold yourself accountable is to scrutinize your to-do lists, see what you accomplished and what you did not. Look at ways you can improve your performance and take appropriate steps to correct mistakes yourself. Three more skills you need to succeed after the jump 4- A positive attitude Being positive about work and life is also essential to success. While your colleagues may laugh at your endless cynicism and misanthropic tendencies, your boss will see you as someone who hates his job and who will never support the aims of the company. We should distinguish between the occasional bad day (although you should always try to minimize this and remain upbeat no matter how trying the circumstances) and being consistently pessimistic. The eternal pessimist will always try to drag other people down and will probably be less productive. If you can cultivate a positive outlook, you will encourage others to be more positive. Youll also be more productive and possibly more credible as someone with executive potential. A positive attitude is entirely self-determined and can be helped by accentuating the positives in any situation. Don’t see problems; see solutions. 5- Self-presentation Learning how to present yourself to others is another major aspect of being successful. Good grooming and, in particular, smart attire will project an image of success to other people — before you have even said a word. Wearing a well-cut suit, quality shoes and an elegant timepiece speak of a man who takes pride in his appearance. High sartorial standards indicate someone who has high standards generally, and this will cause people to view you favorably. A huge amount of your impact on colleagues, bosses or clients will be based on how well put together you appear. And while substance is crucial, having a great style to support it is no bad thing. Read fashion magazines and think about visiting a hairstylist rather than a barber. If you can afford it, have suits and shoes made to measure; they will fit much better than off-the-rack goods. Don’t forget that the way you look also enhances the way you feel about yourself, making you more confident. 6- Time management skills It doesn’t matter how well you dress, how positive you are or how well-spoken you are if you cannot keep everything under control. Disorganization means that you will be forever playing catch-up with your work, rushing to meet  deadlines and producing work below par. Learn to keep a detailed diary, listing deadlines and setting a schedule for your work, to ensure it is all done with time to spare. Your work will be of better quality and you will be entrusted with increased responsibility. It will also afford you additional leisure time. It is a key element to success and well worth practicing. This means overcoming procrastination (which we can all be guilty of at times), setting goals that are challenging (but realistic) and trying to use your time efficiently. Don’t check your e-mails 17 times every hour; spend that time writing up that project that is due tomorrow. Ideally, you will reach a stage when you can get ahead of the curve and start taking on additional projects and responsibilities — a surefire way of setting yourself up for that promotion. Success is simple when you follow these professional skills success is simple There you have it: An essential list to help you move up in the world and stake your claim in business. There are more, of course, but no other general guide is more comprehensive. A final word of advice: Worry not about an intangible trait you may not have. If you have not been born and raised as the best communicator or dealmaker, you can make your mark with expertise in a specific field or venture. As long as you make your mark in something, the sky is the limit. Just keep in mind that the best of the best have a wide scope of knowledge and do not focus on one area alone.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The African Identity | History and Concepts

The African Identity | History and Concepts According to the Lexicon Webster Dictionary an Identity is referred to as the condition or character that distinguishes a person or a thing (Lexicon Webster, 1981). The main distinguishing conditions or characteristics (the identity) that the slaves had were that they were black and Africans. Africans who were ripped from their homeland and brought into a new world to live under the rule of the white man (Europeans), who believed that they were inferior and whom they viewed as an oppressor. Question, did that Identity survive this oppression? Did that sense of being a proud, black, African get diminished by the slave trade? Agreeably, it would have been hard to maintain that identity, but I strongly believed that the strength of the African people, the strength that made them qualify for the labour required on the plantations, was the same strength they tapped into to hold on to every sense of I am an African. In this paper I would present ways in which they slaves would have been ab le to embosom the African Identity and reasons why many would think it was lost. Also I would confer the evidence present today to support that this identity survived long enough to have been transferred from generation to generation and is today, very present in the lives of the offspring of slaves. The slaves had to struggle to hold on to their Identity; a struggle that started as they were being forced from their homelands (Clarke, 1995). This struggle continued in the Americas. It was a brutal but not fatal assault of the black African slaves sense of self. They were being forced to accept a new identity; but did they really? Or was it just an idea? Although the slave masters restricted all forms or African culture from being practised and enforced their cultures, the slaves found creative ways of resisting this. A simple method such as masking it under the practises of the whites at least to keep some semblance of it alive was adopted (Saharan Vibe, 2007). Yes it would have been hard to maintain identities given that they were punished for doing so. However there are times when they could have interacted without the watchful eye of the slave master catching them (at nights, at church). There was always a defiant few whose bond to the sense of African identity was so strong that even these minimal moments were used to resist against the whites by keeping alive any forms of the identity possible and at least pass it on to other generations when they can (Lashington, 2011). There are numerous practises that we engage in today in the Caribbean and the Americas that are deeply rooted in African culture that even we dont realize. These support the fact that the Identity survived and lives today. It was so prominent it was called Africanism, the fight of the Africans to keep Africa Alive. This they did in different cultural Expressions: Religion, Music, Dance, Festival, Folk tales, Language, and customs. The extent to which the culture was kept alive was different from island to island because of the time the plantation system was started in the particular island and how many slaves were there (Phillip, 2010). I can personally attest to having participating in various expressions of traditional African culture. As a dancer I have been privy to learning the Bele dances a native African dance that is usually danced to the music of drums, shack shacks and sticks; a totally African combination. The Religion: having relatives that actively worship as Spiritual Baptist I was exposed to the Shango and Saraca which was accompanied by the same African instruments. I have witnessed customs such as the placing of black and red or blue Maljo beads on babies when born to ward of the evil spirits and attended many wakes in my short lifetime. I was taught in school of the Anansi stories that originate from Western Africa and other Moral stories. I have been in a su su before and have had many days of eating Ashum around all saints time. If I have experienced and is still experiencing elements of African culture today, how is it that it is said to have not survive the slave trade (Phillip, 2010). The foods we eat also stems from the African Identity. Examples of this are the ground provisions and salt fish (though the salt fish is more associated with slavery rather than African culture) but it was passed down. Going to the market early on a Saturday is another trait (Phillip, 2010). To focus on the expression of music to show how strongly some aspects were kept as compared to others. Just as music was used as a form of communication for the slaves during colonialism so it is today in the form of Calypso (especially in Trinidad) as social commentary and Reggae (mainly in Jamaica) is used to protest against forms of oppression. In some islands/colonies because the African music was not freely allowed there was a dilution with that of the Europeans. The same was for the language; hence the amalgamation of English and African to give patois in the British colonies and the French and African to give Creole language in the French colonies. The emergence of these new or modified languages did however play a pivotal role in the success of rebellions and resistances that were held in the Caribbean (Take Five, n.d). As a result of the traits of the Africans view that they will one day be free and return to the motherland that has been passed down, we are now experiencing today in the form of reggae music that reeks of the yearning of black people to return to the homeland. Well known reggae artiste Richie Spice in one of his latest albums In the Streets to Africa has two tracks on the album that pay tribute to the African heritage. One such track, Black like tar, where spice sings of being proud to be black and acknowledges Africa as the Motherland. Another of his tracks Motherland Calling sung as a chant to strong drumming music, Spice again acknowledges Africa as the motherland and the belief that even today the motherland is still calling; Africa is still waiting and one day will welcome all her children back home (Rastaman Vibrations, n.d). Then there is the Legendary Bob Marley who fought for black or African liberation from oppression. His songs spoke of Liberation and Unity. In the track Zimbabwe he urged the black man to get up and fight for be freedom/liberation and to have rights. The same for Get up stand up another call to get up and fight for our rights and to never give up on that fight. In another of his tracks Buffalo Soldier the words stolen from Africa, brought to America, fighting on arrival, fighting for survival; recognizes the fact that Africans were forced into slavery and have fought against the oppression of the colonialist systems to keep the African identity alive throughout (Rastaman Vibrations, n.d). The powerful message brought on by his songs continues with Marleys song Chant down Babylon. Babylon to Africans or black people symbolizes the spirit of those who enslave, commit genocide, slave labour and grind the poor less advantage peoples of the world. Marley also recognize the need for unity in the world. With this realization there came songs One love and Africa Unite a call to the people of the world to unite for the betterment of all people; especially Africans as they did during slavery. Lastly, there is the famous Redemption Song- the song of freedom. A song whose intent is to reassure the people that freedom is possible but that they must free minds before true liberation is realized. This is clear evidence that the same spirit of the African slave to be free and to return to their home land Africa still manifest in the lives of the Black people of the Caribbean and the Americas today. The reasons that many believe that this identity did not survive was because the great attempts of the Europeans to suppress any forms of the culture; because of the dehumanization instituted by slavery in the British colonies. These activities distorted the notion of what Africans thought of themselves to be but it did not eradicate it. This was the reason why the slaves rebelled and resisted against the inhumane treatment brought on by the European slave Trade; and the cultural domination it was instituting on the Africans (Bolland, 2002). I agree that there are elements or practices that would have been lost but to say generally that the Identity itself was lost is wrong. If it did not survive why then do we here chant of Kumbayas ringing from black churches today? Why kids are still taught with Anansi stories in the schools? The answer to these questions is simple because these things were passed down from our ancestors; slaves (Saharan Vibe, 2007). Another reason why it is believed that it was virtually impossible for African slaves to have a sense of identity was because it was never really acknowledged and when it was it was misrepresented as the white man was responsible for documentation of it (Clarke, 1995) This wasnt a happening only in the Americas. African history was shaped by external influences for centuries. From the Muslim historians from the eighth to fifteenth centuries to the accounts of European travellers during the age of exploration to the dreadful portrayal of Arica as a continent of eternal blackness by German philosopher G.W. Hegel in the nineteenth century. Thus it has been very difficult even in light of the decolonization movements of the continent. Continuing along that line, even native writers urged Africans themselves to come to terms with African Identity in relation to the wanton violence that had been imposed through post colonialism and that continues to plague Africans in post colonial times. In a painstaking recreation of how the western world created Africa as a historical construction, from backward, hostile and uncivilized portrayed by Hegel into the twentieth century Europes adoption of these older views (LeFlem, 2008). As a result of instances as these coupled with institutions such as the caste system that existed in the colonial plantation days that forced upon the slaves that blacks are inferior to the superior Whites, there was the emergence of a mentality that still lives on that have black people thinking that the white mans country, colour, culture etc is much better than ours (Baker, 2011). It is sometimes very easy when thinking of the African identity to equal it to Caribbean Identity or African American Identity. This is in no way true. If one tries to explain this concept of Caribbean Identity, an apt description of the typical Caribbean person is that he or she is part-African, part-European, part-Asian, part Native American but totally Caribbean; to understand this is to understand creative diversity (Midrelief.com, 2007). Again, this shows the survival of the African Identity; it was amalgamated with other influences (identities) to form the Caribbean Identity (Midrelief.com, 2007). A similar conceptualization can be concluded for African Americans. An important factor in this quest to determine the survival of the slave Africans identity is to understand that it has been exposed to Globalization. I strongly believed the remaining traits of that identity is being further diminished by this phenomenon. The culture that many fought to keep alive for so many years is becoming more and more obsolete by the broken down barriers in communication and travel and the many advances in technology (Take Five, n.d). Conclusion Though slavery raped us of the authenticity and pureness off the rich African culture that was once the boast of any African it was the strength of the African that helped him to keep to the struggle to emancipate himself from the shackles of a colonial legacy and not be captives in that evil system (Take Five, n.d). It is with certainty that I say that the African Identity is very much animate in the lives of many individuals, communities, nations, and continents because it has truly survived the attempts of colonialist to eradicate the sense of Africanism that was kept living in the hearts of the African natives throughout the duration of slavery and is still is present in the everyday lives of this generation whether we are aware of it or not. Agreeably the traces of the culture that is present today shows that it could not have been lost. Diluted? It is possible. Hidden in fusions with practices from colonial countries? Yes. But to say that the African Identity was lost because t hey were not in their homeland is not right (Midrelief.com, 2007). The onus is on us this present generation to keep what has survive to today and/or reformulate with what we learnt about the culture of our ancestors. We need to always remember how truly a proud, courageous, and intelligent people our African ancestors were, and that we must claim their spirit. All that is left is for us to use it to fully emancipate our minds! (Take Five, n.d)

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Alcoholism and Drinking - Alcohol and Personality :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Alcohol and Personality    Alcoholism is a road often traveled yet there is no light at the end. The road only leads to a life of depression, anxiety, anger, stress, and much more. These are all common unwanted personality traits that we experience at one time or another. However, alcoholics exhibit these traits day in and day our as the likelihood that they act in these types of manners is nearly doubled when alcohol is involved. Alcohol inhibits not only our daily bodily functions but our mind as well. Alcoholism leads to times of withdrawal, low self-esteem, and an overall unwillingness to be part of society. It can turn the gentlest person into a raving psychopath without them even knowing it or if they do know, they refuse to admit it. Alcoholism manipulates the way we think and the way we react in common everyday situations. Minor problems are blown out of proportion while major problems are faced with anger, resentment, and often physical force. Alcoholism does nothing positive for an individual. It has many harmful effects and its effects on one's personality is one of the most harmful of all.    Our personality is who we are and who we are known as. Alcoholism takes that personality, corrupts it, and turns us into the person we never thought weà ¾d become. As the alcohol becomes more important and necessary in an alcoholicà ¾s life he will find himself unable to any longer answer the question of who he is but will rather find himself asking questions such as who he has become. At first, an individual may enjoy an occasional beer or two to à ¾take a load offà ¾. This does not have a permanent adverse effect on his personality. However, as time goes on, if this same person finds himself relying on alcohol to make it through the day, the problem has started. Before he knows it he will find himself psychologically dependent on alcohol and stages will develop. First, he may need a drink before he goes to bed to make him sleep better. Next, he may need to have a beer or two during his lunch break at the office because he has a lot on his mind. Finally, heà ¾ll find himself dr inking as a means of solving the simplest problem or needing a drink before he can even feel comfortable in public. Once this point in the alcoholic cycle is reached, his personality will begin to change as it takes on a new, distorted shape.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Education in the United States Essay

Education is one of the most significant events in someone’s social life, yet a controversy. Many would think how is education a controversy; well a problem that concerns many parents would be their child’s low testing scores and behavioral problems. This results in the American education system failing to educate students with efficient knowledge to succeed in college or in the work force. While people are finding the solution of changing the education system by using the Asian model, others believe in keeping the American model by adjusting it to make it useful. Even though they both have their advantages and disadvantages the best education system for the United States would be the Asian model. The United States fundamental instruction is to see every child in school and do their best in all subjects. According to William S. Robinson, â€Å"New Math-Science Study Rates U.S Students Mediocre At Best†, American eighth-graders scored better than 17 nations in math and 18 nations in science. This concludes that students were making progress in their class subjects making the United States above all nations. Indeed the United States method has worked, but not helped students obtain knowledge for college or any other form of education. The United States has failed in teachers presenting poor teaching skills to students. For example, American teachers try to cover as much information as possible on a certain subject, as stated by Robinson’s article. Students gather so much information that as a result they do not understand half of what is being taught. After plenty of information is being accumulated, children are left confused and left unknown. The Asian educational method provides students with rigorous essentials of teaching. For example, one way they have students motivated is by exceling in modern technology, found in James Fallows, †Strengths, Weaknesses, and Lessons of Japanese Education†. Students get to engage in a way they never  have before putting their mind into a process of thought and imagination. The flaw on the Asian method is how they have an excessive pressure on students. The pressure includes staying extra hours after school learning more curriculums, complete coursework with excellence, and get into a prestigious university. The number one focus for these kids is to study until they achieve their goal. To make progress in the United States the education system needs to be taken to a different level. By making this happen the United States should reinforce the Asian model of the education system. One Asian method that can be applied is stressing on students on how effort is the explanation of achievement. According to Barbara Vobejda, â€Å" Why are U.S Kids Poor In Math?† implies how Americans see lack of improvement in a subject because they are not good. Whereas Asian mothers sit down one on one helping their child with certain equations. They expect their child to have everything done perfectly, no errors or smudges. This helps improve the performance of the student and helps the student grasp the information at an easy pace. Even though they have a lot of pressure they manage to accomplish their goals and aspirations. By changing the education system students will produce well-built math skills, excellence in language arts, and creativeness in fine arts. The United States education system needs to be changed in a way where students will excel in their learning. The change will benefit millions of children during their academic learning experience and make them successful. The solution is implying Asian methods, making the United States education system stronger. The United States will create stability in schools, excellent test scores, and performances at schools will rise.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Capstone Project Essay

Introduction The use of network services is increasing the management amount of copper and fiber cabling. This results in an ever increasing workload that must be maintained or reconfigured; resulting in challenges to organizational profitability. One of the challenges that arises is how does an administrator maintain a complex work environment when increased profits, fewer capital and operating resources are limited. One might suggest growing a complex network infrastructure requires operation efficiency with a desire to manage and protect cables without interrupting the workflow for clients. However, given the challenges affecting wireless service providers; maintaining focus and quality are just the fundamentals. The administrator is limited to the organizations profitability and cost variance when determining the best approach. These factors play a role which will likely affect the infrastructure as a whole. It is interesting enough to point out that towards the perspective of a network administrator; an issue should remain dormant and should never happen when the proper implications are set in place. However, because we live in an intractable world the possibility for a scenario is plausible. Capstone Proposal Summary As a volunteer for a network security survey for Aon Corp; the following survey was designed to point out vulnerabilities within the organizational network servers specifically under the surety office location where class mates using workstations were experiencing frustrating issues pertaining to network instability. The survey was intended to identify on whether security implications were required so that an upgrade request may be delivered. A staff meeting was set in place where we  interviewed the client regarding their needs. It is always a good choice to understand the fundamental needs of the client prior to making any changes to the network. After spending several hours brainstorming the client’s demands a solution has been reached. The project setting has been laid out clearly. During my timeframe interviewing the client I have gained the necessary background knowledge to understand my client’s visions building a strong mutual connection. Understanding this connection has entitled me to diagnose the network accordingly. As a part of the survey Aon Corp has several requirements prior to jumping into the project. First it was mandatory to inspect the minimum system requirements of the client machines. In the past latency issues have derived primarily to out of date hardware or device drivers as opposed to a security breach. It is always a wise choice to update these configurations while running the appropriate operating system updates which may all be contributing factors. During the prerequisite stage of the survey the required information is gathered to develop an effective network survey which would alleviate resource constraint. Rational & Systems Analysis It is always a wise choice to research similar case studies that may provide beneficial information relating to similar scenarios. I have done as such building my understanding of these scenarios which has a given me some background to my clients concerns. Several user friendly applications have offered me assistance analyzing security loop holes. They are the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). With accordance to the Microsoft website; the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer is a user friendly tool emphasized for technicians with a focus on assisting medium sized businesses. The tool focuses on the security state of the network with accordance to Microsoft recommendations providing guidelines and support. The user may download Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) from Microsoft.com as it is a well-known tool for all IT technicians. Once the tool has been successfully installed the administrator has the ability to scan multiple end users on the local network median. Upon completion of the scan the user is delivered a report highlighting potential threats along with missing updates. Some of these updates may include missing application patches, operations system  updates, and advised the user on whether a Windows firewall is running. MBSA has the ability to examine administrative accounts along with password policies. See Figure A for example. Figure A As technology advances, administrative technicians need to adjust to the challenges ahead. Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer is a great tool to maintain the integrity of your network infrastructure. Scott Lowe (2004), a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, said the following regarding the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer: â€Å"Supporting a huge number of Microsoft applications, MBSA can serve you in two ways. First, it will help you keep your servers protected from problems; second, with powerful reporting capabilities, it can help you actually learn why you need to do the things that are suggested so you can make an educated decision as to whether something is an acceptable risk in your environment.† Project Goals and Objectives The objective towards the following project was to initiate a plan to upgrade Aon Corp network infrastructure alleviating latency issues better improving the efficiency and flow of data across the network median. A current unstable network prolonged business growth capacity making it difficult for end users to utilize resources effectively. Without the essential resources company growth was at a bottleneck. Breaking down the goals and objectives for the following project was essential in providing a remedy to the issue, they are as follows: Client must receive a current system image snapshot -Survey of a workstation must be documented -Survey of a server must be documented -Microsoft Baseline Security tool must be run saving each workstation along with the server A scheduled protocol plan must be provided articulating details for the client on overall performance and network stability. Client must be advised of a detailed schematic for preventative measures along with upkeep Client must be given an  instructional manual for managing updates related to the operating system and antivirus software Client must be given an estimate on productivity along with return of investment In order to present the deliverables to the client; a solid fundamental understanding of the clients requirements must be developed. Acquiring a background understanding is essential in order to understand the business process and what the client wants to achieve out of their network infrastructure. Without understanding the big picture the project would certainly fail. Pre-SurveyClientMeeting The goal and objective here was to initiate a meeting with the client to discuss the business orientation and the process relations to their workstations. The clients company being a training institution; certain software was required in order for the firm to achieve their business goals. The applications required minimum system specs in order to run efficiently. During the preliminary phase of the meeting the business model and goals were discussed. Operational hours were taken into consideration as a set schedule was established for performing the survey. As the meeting came to an end a survey schematic was brought to the client’s attention in order to calculate return on investment upon project completion (refer to Appendix 2). The success of the meeting was met and the first objective was complete. Upon the completion of the survey the client was provided with an executable plan laying out the details of the upgrade and preventative measures. However, the full execution will be help outside the Capstone; it will be the key highlight to the success of the business goals. Network Security Survey As a prerequisite to the survey several spreadsheets having been compiled for capturing images of data (refer to Appendix 3 along with Appendix 4). The first document entitles end user computers and second focuses on servers. As for the MBSA scans for each workstation; a thumb drive was used to save the results. Prior to beginning the survey an update was brought to my attention from the client that others may be working on these end-user machines as well. Because of my failure to follow through during the phone meeting advising of the time schedule, I needed to contact the  other administrators advising them of my presence. Fortunately, as I arrived at the designated project site there were many computers to survey. I began to survey the end-user machines not being surveyed. About 3 minutes elapsed for each workstation to survey; running Microsoft Baseline Security (MBSA) took about 11 minutes. Unfortunately, I have missed my goal of reaching the estimated number of computers being surveys as discussed in the preliminary meeting. The survey elapsed more time than I have predicted. On the other hand it was pleasant to know that the other administrators finished their portion of the project just in time before I got to them. Surveying the workstations went according to schedule, however, as I approached the servers several problems aroused. The list of passwords the client provided did not contain the correct characters as I attempted to log into the domain controller. The owner has left the building and was unable to achieve my goal with surveying the servers as planned thus leaving my network security survey incomplete. The following day the owner has been contacted and a scheduled return visit was planned. As the domain controller was surveyed; the security network part of the survey has been successfully completed. Despite the minor issues the survey went flawless; I would have followed through with the client more efficiently if the same scenario would have repeated itself. The desired goal has been achieved and a data image has been captured so the proposal upgrade can be finalized. Proposal Upgrade Preparation The upgrade proposal was designed to contain the following suggestions. Configuration of the Domain controller Configuration of the server Configuration of the workstation Suggestions for Malware/Antivirus Report for ROI Security guide for the end-user Timeline of Upgrade As assumptions defining the network configuration have been made. Unknowingly an assumption was made that the domain controller is established as the default gateway, DNS and DHCP server. I came to understand that their infrastructure was split into four subnets. ISA server was in between the  ISP acting as NAT, DNS, DHCP, and RRAS server. Logically understanding that their domain controller was their default gateway, DHCP, and DNS server; the services were contained on the internal network. Failing to understand the possibility of a network perimeter my assumptions were incorrect. Eventually I was able to complete each task item provided above; a presentation with the client would finalize this portion of the project. The task was completed, however, not within the desired timeframe. Presentation Proposal As the completion of the proposal has been achieved a client meeting has been scheduled. The agenda of the meeting is as follows: 1. Discussing survey results (network state) 2. Hardware discussion / software suggestions 3. Projected ROI and cost 4. Questions 5. Schedule implementation Despite the presentation lasting 2 hours it was a success. Proper planning along with a satisfying network survey were the predecessors leading to this success. The network survey went very smooth and efficient. The proposal was straight to the point and meaningful for the client. As the following goal completed and the deliverables presented to the client project completion has been achieved. Due to the clients satisfactions with the deliverables the project has moved forward to the next portion of the upgrade phase. Project Timeline The timeline of the project was compiled using a Gantt chart from the software Microsoft Office Project 2012. The project plan along with the details are listed in Figure B. As indicated in Figure B, the project time frame was expected to take 238 days.   Several areas took time constraint. First the network survey as previously indicated where I failed to follow through with the client after the preliminary phase of the meeting. This resulted in the client scheduling students on campus on the same timeframe as the survey. Fortunately, there  were enough end-user computers to perform the survey. In time the remainder of the students have left the building freeing up those workstations as well. Forgetting to get a confirmation of the amount of workstations at the preliminary meeting indivertibly resulted in my underestimation of the amount of time it would take to survey the total amount of workstations. The client password list for the domain controllers portrayed to be the only problem I have run into when performing the survey resulting in a setback. Because I have forgotten to request the following information from the client; the survey was setback from the estimated time for completion; resulting in a day setback. Compiling the proposal was another task that was miscalculated. Fortunately, I was able to finalize the project in one day thus keeping the project within the constraints of the timeline. Client satisfaction was the ultimate goal as they were very grateful. It is expected that situations as such will not always go accordingly to plan; however, without the clients support the project would not have gone as smooth. Planning a larger margin while taking a less aggressive attitude at the preliminary meeting would have avoided such issues. Project Development During the preliminary development of the following project, Aon Corps network infrastructure was heading in an unknown direction pertaining to its economic success. Instabilities in their security policy, workstations were exponentially getting slower each day. Students along with testers were losing hope in the integrity of the company. Their mindset was affecting performance along with business profit opportunities. The project I was assigned to revolve around building a business by updating their network infrastructure to a level of efficiency. The concentration of the project focused on performing an upgrade solution that would provide this efficiency to the client. Original snapshots of the network were based in the upgrade proposal plan which was used to optimize the network. The optimal goal of the project was to implement a network infrastructure that would be secure. Just like all problems issues aroused during the progression of the project. Students were scheduled to be in the building at the time of the survey; a work around was developed as I was able to hinder another classroom. Upon completion of the workstations I was able to come back to the student’s  classroom which was cleared. Rearranging the order of the computers that have been surveyed the issue was concealed. Another situation that derived during development happened when I discovered that the client has given me the incorrect domain controller password list which did not contain the server administrative passwords. The lack of the following information would have definitely resulted in the project failing. Rescheduling the visit with the owner has alleviated this scenario. Unfortunately, because of the rescheduling the timeline has been pushed back preventing me from completing the project within the completion period. Anticipating that the network domain controller would be a configured as a default gateway. Assumptions were proven wrong and the configuration process to longer than expected. Due to an ISA server on the network perimeter changes to the configurations proposal had to be made. Creating an ROI report was another unanticipated event that was requested upon the client. Determining the monetary cost was difficult when comparing the proposed and current network conditions. Consequently, changes had to be made to the customer question business survey to assist me in these calculations. Gracefully, the client was able to agree upon these terms. Actual and Potential Effects Majority of the following section will focus on potential effects due to the project being a proposal. The project effects can be conceived by indicating that the client had a clear perspective towards the network infrastructure and how in its previous state it has manipulated business continuity. The client experienced the previous state and was provided with a schematic to the current stable state. Empowering the client with the details providing them with a clear understanding influenced them to take action thus changing their network infrastructure to one that works efficiently. The potential positives to the following plan are as follows. Should the client comply with the proposal providing the solution to their network; they will be rewarded with a network that is optimally configured. This will result in network operating efficiency and business processes will maintain its integrity. Less classroom interruptions will arouse related to workstation issues. Students taking tests will be less frustrated due to server crashes along with workstations. Customer  confidence in Aon corp will increase. The potential of business growth will result from the following project. There will be an ease of urgency related to network related issues. The organization can now focus on its business model focusing on their clients. Conclusion The capstone portrayed to be exciting yet challenging providing to be rewarding as well. In terms of goals and objectives I believe that it was successful. Client satisfaction has been achieved as each goal and object has been delivered. The reason why it was so successful and effective is due to the methodical planning prior to the initiation of the project. The necessity of preparation along with the preliminary client meetings has given me the fundamental understand on how to start building the project. Building a plan has given me an effective tool to deliver the clients expectations. Attention to detail along with effective communication were advantage points that designed an effective proposal. The client was efficient in being proactive by understanding the problem at point and expressing their concerns. Together a proposed plan has been derived that would act as a roadmap to that optimal network infrastructure. Flexibility and client patience played an important role during the hiccup moments of the project. The ability to determine alternative routes in an event of hitting a wall is essential to the success of any project. As the project manager it was my pleasure to achieve the client’s deliverables along with the satisfaction that they truly deserve. References Keystone Strategy, Inc Study (2005). Why IT Matters in Midsized Firms. Retrieved January 31, 2007 from http://www.key inc.com/it_matters.shtml. Lowe, Scott (2004). Verify security settings on Windows XP using Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer 1.2. Retrieved June 23, 2007 from http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-1035_11-5221961.html. Microsoft (2007). City of Stratford Brings Down the Curtain on its Legacy System with Server Upgrade. Retrieved June 23, 2007 from http://www.microsoft.com/canada/casestudies/cityofstratford.mspx. Microsoft (2007). Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer. Retrieved June 23, 2007 from http://www.microsoft.com/technet/Security/tools/mbsahome.mspx. Microsoft (2007). Windows Vista Capable and Premium Ready PCs. Retrieved January 31, 2007 from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgr ade/capable.mspx. Sherman, Erik (2007). Investing in IT for a Competitive Edge. Retrieved January 31, 2007, from http://www.microsoft.com/business/momentum/content/article.aspx?c Appendix 1: Capstone Competency Matrix The graduate responds appropriately to diversity issues in the workplace. Implements an intuitive understanding of cultural and religious backgrounds; open to opinions in an attempt to understand diverse perspectives within the organization. Upper Division Collegiate Level Reasoning and Problem Solving The graduate analyzes open-ended problems by learning about the problem and evaluating the accuracy and relevance of different Quality control is effective at determining common occurrences in issues; therefore, updating rules/protocols alleviate the issue at point. Upper Division Collegiate Level Reasoning and Problem Solving The graduate recognizes the value of critical thinking in identifying and understanding the underlying structures of disciplines and professions. Organizational issues are indifferent each day; critical thinking along with brainstorming are essential in order to research a resolution to problematic issues. Upper Division Collegiate Level Reasoning and Problem Solving The graduate demonstrates effective presentational communication strategies in a given context. Applies trial  and error to mimic the problem; then applies extensive research in reaching a solution to the issue. The research along with the problem is then logged as evidence for future claims. Language and Communication The graduate applies foundational elements of effective communication Communicates effectively in a stressful environment providing attention to detail. Language and Communication The graduate demonstrates effective presentational communication strategies in a given context. Evaluates graphical representation software to determine a flaw or an instability in performance/security of the organization. Security The graduate identifies and discusses basic concepts of security and security threats, and recommends security procedures. Implements a secure environment for each individual client PC; educating users on the importance of potential threats to network security. Security The graduate identifies security needs and recommends appropriate security practices for network infrastructure. Educates staff on the importance of implementing sufficient tools and policies in an attempt to protect the integrity of data crucial to the organization infrastructure.