Saturday, August 31, 2019

Network Management System Essay

A Network Management System is a combination of software and hardware which is used for monitoring and effective administration of a network. For any network which requires management of number of network tasks to be integrated in a single software solution, there is a need of effective and efficient planning. It is the task of the network management system to locate network support, keep a check on the activities and health of the network devices attached and provides exceptional handling mechanism in order to alert the administrator in cases of conditions which can hinder the performance of the network(Laudon & Laudon,2007). NMS systems use many different kinds of protocols in accordance their usage for example one of the commonly used is SNMP protocol which allows the gathering of information to be simplified for the administrator and users over the network from the devices attached in accordance to the network hierarchy. The NMS software are responsible for problem identification along with the exact source of the problem and provide effective solutions in order to prevent the problem from effecting the performance of the network. The NMS are also responsible for collecting the device data and numbers in terms of statistics to keep a log of the performance of the network. This usually includes a library of protocols which help the administrator in the management of the network through the Network Management System software. For to make sure there is a streamlined management of the network, every network is assigned a network manager. The network manager is responsible for monitoring the activities, methods which help the network running which includes the procedures which are usually defined for every specific network and lastly, the use of tools which the network administrator/manager is well equipped with in order to control monitor and use in terms of exceptional handling over the network. The operation of the network manager is to deal with keeping the network up and running smoothly. This includes the task of finding out any problem and rectifying it in time to make sure all systems over the particular network are not affected by the downtime of the network. Maintenance of the network involves proper measures and preventive procedures and measures for the network to be running smoothly such as the task of adjusting device configuration parameters for systems on the network(Laudon & Laudon,2007). A management information base (MIB) is defined as a virtual database which is used for management of the network activities over a communication network. They are often related with the SNMP protocol commonly known as Simple Network Management Protocol. it is commonly used to pass on to a meticulous subset, more appropriately referred to as MIB-module. Items in the MIB are distinct by means of a subset of Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN. 1) also known as â€Å"Structure of Management Information Version 2 (SMIv2)† RFC 2578 which performs the parsing for the MIB compiler on the network. The Remote Network Monitoring (RMON) for MIB was developed to sustain supervision and protocol scrutiny of the local area network. The unique versions centers on OSI Layer 1 and Layer 2 in sequence in Ethernet and Token Ring system. It is unmitigated by RMON2 which appends maintenance for the Network Layer and Application Layer monitoring and by SMON which has added support for switched networks. Probing helps the system to examine and evaluate the network consistently and thus, helps the network manager to keep the network agents in check and up and running. â€Å"The following diagram shows a reference architecture that Cisco Systems believes should be the minimal solution for managing a data network. This architecture includes a Cisco CallManager server for those who plan to manage Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): The diagram shows how you would integrate the CallManager server into the NMS topology. † (CISCO, 2010). References: CISCO. (2010). NETWORK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: BEST PRACTICES WHITE PAPER . Retrieved July 13,2010 from http://www. cisco. com/en/US/tech/tk869/tk769/technologies_white_paper09186a00800aea9c. shtml Laudon & Laudon, K C. , (2007), Management Information Systems. Pearson Education India

Friday, August 30, 2019

Disorders in Adrenal Cortex Hormone Secretion

Addison’s disease or ‘adrenal insufficiency’ is a condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce sufficient amounts of the hormone cortisol (Mayo 2006). This hormone helps to control the blood pressure, cardiovascular activity, immune responses, insulin function, metabolism, etc in the body (NIDDK 2004). In some cases, a hormone that controls the blood pressure and the fluid balance in the body (aldosterone) is also affected (NIDDK 2004). The adrenal glands are present above the kidneys and produce several other hormones required for normal functioning of the body (Mayo 2006).Addison’s disease can occur in both sexes equally and in all age groups, but is more common in the middle-age group (Mayo 2006). The pituitary gland and the hypothalamus (structures present in the skull) control the activity of the adrenal gland by ensuring proper production and release of the cortisol hormone. The hypothalamus produces a hormone CRH (corticotropin-releasing horm one), that stimulates the pituitary to produce the ACTH hormones that further stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol (NIDDK 2004).Addison’s disease may develop due to deficient production of cortisol by the adrenal gland (primary insufficiency) or due to decreased stimulation from the pituitary gland (secondary insufficiency) (NIDDK 2004). Primary adrenal insufficiency may develop due to an immune dysfunction. Most of the cases of develop due to the body’s defense mechanism attacking the tissues of the adrenal cortex and resulting in deficient production of the hormone (NIDDK 2004). Primary adrenal insufficiency may also develop in association with ‘Polyendocrine Deficiency Syndrome’, in which several hormonal levels are deficient due to a genetic disorder (NIDDK 2004).Several other causes including tuberculosis, infections, hemorrhage, tumors, spread of tumors, surgery, etc, of the adrenal glands could result in primary insufficiency (Mayo 2006 ). Secondary adrenal insufficiency can develop due to reduced production of ACTH by the pituitary glands or CRH by the hypothalamus (Mayo 2006). The ACTH production stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, and the CRH hormone encourages the pituitary to release ACTH (NIDDK 2004). The level of ACTH is controlled by a negative feedback mechanism.Tumors that affect the pituitary, surgical removal of the gland, radiotherapy to the head and neck region, reduced supply of blood to the pituitary, etc, could also result in secondary adrenal insufficiency (NIDDK 2004). Pheochromocytoma is a tumor that arises from adrenal glands that result in excessive production of the hormones epinephrine and nor-epinephrine (Mayo 2006). These hormones control the blood pressure, the rate at which the heart beats and several other activities in the body (Nanda 2006).They are required especially in stressful conditions such as fright, flight and fight, emotional stress, etc (Mayo 2006). The tumor develops from the inner portion of the adrenal gland known as ‘adrenal medulla’ (Nanda 2006). Most of the Pheochromocytoma are benign or self-limiting in nature (about 90 %), and only a small proportion is cancerous (10 %) (Nanda 2006). The tumor can occur in both sexes and in all age-groups, but is more common in the middle-age group. The exact cause Pheochromocytoma is still not understood. The tumor usually develops from the chromaffin cells present in the adrenal medulla (Mayo 2006).The tumor generally arises from one of the adrenal glands, and in rare cases it develops from both (about 10 %) (NCI 2005). Pheochromocytoma can also develop from extra-adrenal sites in about 10 to 15 % of all cases (NCI 2005), as the chromaffin cells are present in various tissues of the body (Mayo 2006). Multiple endocrine neoplasia, type II (MEN-II) is a condition in which tumors develop from various endocrine glands present in the body such as the thyroid, the parathyroid, adrenal gl ands, etc, resulting in hormonal imbalances (Mayo 2006).Such patients usually develop bilateral tumors in the adrenal glands (NCI 2005). Pheochromocytoma can exist in Van-Hippel-Lindau Disease that tends to affect several organs in the body. It can also be associated with neurofibromatosis in which tumors develop in various parts including the skin, optic nerve and the bones (Mayo 2006). The other conditions in which Pheochromocytoma can exist include tuberous sclerosis, cerebellar hemangioblastoma, Sturge-Weber’s syndrome, etc (NCI 2005).

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Baron in the Trees Analysis

Baron of the tree is a wonderful short story by Italo Calvino. This is a young baroness about 12 years old living in Umbrossa town. One night, Cosimo decided not to eat the nasty snail plate that his sister made that night, so he went to the Great Holm's oak tree in his garden and never got down. . Cosimo can still be a baron and live an adventurous life all day. When they came to Italy to fight Austrians, he was able to help the Napoleonic army, protect the town from pirates, and build a system to irrigate to stop summer firefires. Calvino's most famous book may be an invisible city and cosmology. Both are wonderful, but according to my taste, the best works of Calvino are trilogy with coat of arms, baron of tree, descenders of crow, and no. Knight of existence. My favorite is a baron on a tree, running on a tree and telling a young baron living his life. However, it is only over 200 pages. Therefore, I will name a nonexistent knight, this is a novel about cry, a real knight, and he is summoned to Charlemagne's good faith and faith to the sacred cause. As a bonus, most versions include a similarly good short story for the 17th century visitors The Cloven Viscount. Ding, Ding! Let's say that the author should be judged by his five best books and five best books. In the case of Calvino, they are supposed to be a baron of trees, perfect cosmology, a non-existent knight, and Viscounts of Cloven, invisible streets, and Markovado. According to this standard, William Maxwell and Tolstoy are also strong competitors, but he seems difficult to become a top team. In a recent speech at Missouri State University you have commented that you like physical books that are better than the screen and Kindle is not very appealing for you. You mentioned that as well - I must admit that I did not accept this - your human soul as a Rube Goldberg device: choice of your own adventure story Hold a hidden page only when reading the story before. Did you consider the physical nature of t he text when you write or complete the book?

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Subprime Mortgages Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Subprime Mortgages - Research Paper Example   A few days after this statement, the crisis was on its full swing. Necessary actions were taken to fix the crisis situation, such as huge among of capital was injected in the economy by the government, interest rates were cut down for the borrowers, but the matter went out of hands. The heat of this issue and a series of other training events are still prevailing and companies are trying to overcome the economic catastrophe. In the backdrop of this scenario, this study would be evaluating the facets of the subprime crisis and its consequence on organizations in the global marketplace. Identifying the origin of the subprime crisis is a significant as well as interesting investigation that would be presented through this study.     There are various causes which can be evaluated and discussed while investigating subprime mortgage crisis, but in this study, the focus would be specifically on the housing bubble and banking segment. The problem that would be discussed and scrutini zed in this study would be the contribution or role of the banks and financial institutions in the subprime mortgage crisis.     Highlighting the role of the bank would also lead the readers to unveil various other causes of the financial crisis that would be obvious after understanding the actual position of banks in the global economy. The hypothesis is the assumption that a researcher makes regarding the direction and result of the study because actually going through all the process of research. This gives the researcher an idea about the way the research study would turn out to be. In this case, the role of banks would be specifically discussed in case of subprime crisis. Banks do have the significant contribution towards liquidity crunch and creation of housing bubble, which finally led to the subprime crisis.   Subprime signifies the credit status of the borrowers of subprime loans and does not correspond to the interest rates of such loans. Any type of loans offered to the subprime borrowers which do not satisfy the prime guidelines of a loan is termed as subprime loans. It is a process of lending money to a group of borrowers who are classified as subprime borrowers and they do not qualify for obtaining loans at market interest rates because of the fact that their credit ratings are too low (Duhigg â€Å"Pressured to Take More Risk, Fannie Reached Tipping Point†; Labaton â€Å"Agency’s ’04 Rule Let Banks Pile up New Debt†). Ideally, the decrease in the price of the commodities in the market results in the augmentation of demand of the commodity.  Ã‚  

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Stories Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Stories - Assignment Example The Lt. carried the guilt and blame because he placed his daydream as an important factor in the story. Pete suggested stories help dampen loneliness. He wrote of â€Å"interviewing† Mt. Hood. In paragraph 5 of page 3, Pete quotes â€Å"Leaves of Grass† by Walt Whitman to explain his sense of stories. Like the Mumford Sons music, poetry and other art forms of storytelling give company and relieve isolation through the understanding of the common experience. Pete’s retelling about the mountain reminded me of â€Å"On a Rainy River†. This story of a physical barrier to freedom, the river between Canada and the U.S. explained O’Brien’s reluctance to turn his back on his own history, his own stories. And, since as Pete reminds, stories are for eternity, when memory is gone. O’Brien did not want to have his story end in shameful cowardice, as he suggested draft dodging would be. O’Brien’s hometown people would not understand such an act. Stories shamed him into staying in the U.S. and being

Monday, August 26, 2019

Landscape Architecture Semester Project Term Paper - 2

Landscape Architecture Semester Project - Term Paper Example The fact that after the great earthquake, experienced and advanced land design firms were required in coming up with a unique Embarcadero Boulevard project, I put a lot of trust in Embarcadero Boulevard as my precedent project. The Embarcadero Boulevard project has unique components that can guide me in including more ideas into my proposed project. One of the components is its unique functions. It promotes a working waterfront; a diversity of activities such as bars and restaurants; access along and to the waterfront; and also promotes a revitalized port in the ferry terminal. In addition, Embarcadero Boulevard has promoted local and international tourism by acting as a tourism destination. The other component is its spatial features. The Embarcadero Boulevard is developed to be a multi-use structure connecting south waterfront with the northeast waterfront of San Francisco. It has a number of anchor points. The first one is the south beach which provide neighborhood for housing, ba seball field and among others. The second one is Rincon hill which provide public art features along the waterfront. The next one is the ferry building that promotes market activities. The other one is the gap headquarters which provide a strong San Francisco home identity for international retail business. The last one is the historic piers for retail and office purposes. This contributes a lot in my idea of spatial requirements when undertaking my project. In addition, I should choose an appropriate space that allows people to interact with my structure that is being proposed. The waterfront is located on the southern part of New York City. It covers approximately 320 acres of land that touches the Lake Ontario. The site has for sometimes being bare and being misused as a dumping site for solid materials. However, the geographical location of the site is

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Literature review topic Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Literature review topic - Coursework Example The ear of fish was according to its water environment, and that of lizard is according to aerial environment. (Fay, 2008). Heart is main organ of supplying blood to all the body organs. The position of heart is also different in different genus as well as the number of chambers. Amphioxus did not contain a true heart, but there were only blood vessels in different body parts that were divided to circulate blood in their specified organs. As the evolution went on, the animals started to grow a well-developed and distinct organ that has divisions. These chambers are atria and ventricle in mammals (Marcos S. Simà µes-Costaa, 2005). Even the atria and ventricles are divided as right atrium, left atrium, right ventricle and left ventricle. These chambers do not allow any mixing of blood and there is a very less chance that oxygenated blood can get mixed with deoxygenated blood. The heart of amphioxus(genius: Branchiostoma) was not well shaped but it is now a very regular organ in mammals like horse(genus : Equus). (Josà © Xavier-Neto, 2010). Prokaryotes are single celled organisms that do not have cellular organelles. They are simple in composition while eukaryotic are complex in nature. They comprise bacteria cells. For movement, they have flagella or cilia. Although they are living, but they do not have well developed systems and specialized organs. They have simple mode of living. Their circulatory, respiratory, etc. all systems are simplest of all organisms. With the evolutionary process, they have been changed to eukaryotes, the most developed organisms of the world. The eukaryotic organisms are very much advance and they have organelles specialized for specific functions. They contain chloroplast, ribosome, mitochondria and many other special structures that are specified to do special works. Chloroplast is used in the process of photosynthesis. Mitochondrion is the

Keeping Up Appearances At All Costs Mr. Nilson and The Japanese Quince Essay

Keeping Up Appearances At All Costs Mr. Nilson and The Japanese Quince - Essay Example The bird and the tree were fully alive, truly natural; Mr. Nilson merely existed - going through the motions behind the faade of a wealthy businessman. Appearances had to be maintained, even if this resulted in a lonely life and missed opportunities for friendship. The main problem with Mr. Nilson is his inability to break away from what he saw as the rules and strictures of polite Victorian society and make contact with another human being. He was a rich, London businessman, living in wealthy surroundings, a man who took care of his health and appearance. He was a creature of habit, leading an orderly life, which made him feel secure, even as he suffered some physical discomfort. His neighbour, Mr. Tandram seemed his exact replica, as in "well known in the City" and "of about Mr. Nilson's own height, with firm, well-coloured cheeks, neat brown mustaches, and round, well-opened, clear grey eyes, and he was wearing a black frock coat." (Galsworthy) How he looked to others was important for Nilson. The similarities run right through the story, ending in sadness for two lonely people who could have connected, if only they had not been so conventional, so concerned with how things looked, and with keeping up outside appearances. It was the tree, the blackbird and the beauty of the day that combined to touch their separate emotions and bring them together for a short time, to forget themselves.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Addressing Challenges of Groups and Teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Addressing Challenges of Groups and Teams - Essay Example Groups and teams, in general known as the work groups that tend to ted to subsist inside the framework of a bigger corporation along with sharing the liability for a group or team work and services, that are designed to achieve desired results. Within a lot of corporations in the world today, have groups and teams working for them round the clock expanding the policies, plans along with producing innovative goods, delivering services, in addition to implementing further major errands that control the overall performance of the corporation (Barker,2004,pg78).One of the biggest challenges for any group or team is the new situations that they are faced with each time they begin working. The challenge is to be able to alter the team member's individual attitude in relation to how something ought to work or ought to be. For instance the team members or the group members after a certain while feel that there is a set pattern of how their everyday meetings will be carried on. Although, the team and the group members should come each day with the fact in mind that they might have to deal with a new issue and event or a happening, which might as well change the course of their work. The attitude of how they will be executing these changes and adjustments is how they will be actually working in general. The second most critical challenge is to be able to schedule your work time. Evenly distributing the time of work between the tasks is a great challenge. Usually teams and groups face this challenge as the group or team has several members which might have individual time constraints. Being able to take out appropriate time within the demanding schedules of the several people caught up within the work groups as well as teams is a big challenge. Time ought to be placed aside; regularly through inspired means, to permit individuals to toil together in the direction of recognizing the general objective moreover to put into position those actions as well as frameworks to help accomplish that ambition. Working on developing fresh Skills: alongside with varying an individual's anticipation there is a want to build up innovative skills to toil as a fraction of a group or a team: paying attention, making conversation, inquiring, being tolerant, as well as gaining harmony. These group or team members spend the largest part of their daytime working together as individuals. Exchanging information. Once in a blue moon are they are given the opportunity and the time to decide matters individually, predominantly with reference to sharing information and culture. For that reason, their ability of functioning efficiently inside this kind of a situation is usually frail. The challenge is to facilitate the team and group members to discover these interrelating skills as well as to establish them in accordance to the customs of the teams or the group's responsibilities. The Conflict management is the one of the most critical challenges faced by group and team members there is no doubt in the fact that conflict management inside a group or a team needs to be a fairly formal course. The element of disagreement can be very positive for a group if it is administered suitably. By expressing disparities, the group and the team members can generate quality evaluations along with gratifying interpersonal

Friday, August 23, 2019

Emergency Services Management - ManMade Disasters - Media Essay

Emergency Services Management - ManMade Disasters - Media - Essay Example Smoke and soot content in air could rapidly increase 1 to 2 hours prior to the fire reaching the perimeter of our town. 3. As a safety measure, I have ordered the evacuation initially of the western suburbs of Everyville consisting of the areas west of the canal. Evacuation of additional areas may become necessary as we track the advancement of the wildfire. The areas identified for immediate evacuation are shown in the attached map. 4. The evacuation will begin in approximately 1 hour from now and should be completed in a maximum of 2 hours. Police and fire service personnel are being deployed in the area to assist in the evacuation. I request all citizens to help these civic employees, who are putting their lives at risk, to do their jobs effectively. Failure to comply with instructions from police or fire services personnel would be treated as a criminal offence. 5. Carry only the minimum essentials with you when you evacuate your home. These essentials are shown in the simple chart below. In addition carry sleeping bags and change of clothing for each family member and some food and drinking water to supplement what is being arranged at the refuge centers. . You can use your own cars or trucks to move to the refuge areas or use the transport vehicles that have been arranged by the civic authorities. The police and fire service personnel would provide guidance. 6. The refuge areas identified in the town of Everyville are the Civic Center, The Church of St. Andrews, and the High School. The location of these refuge areas are shown on the map released with this statement. Volunteers have been positioned at each of these buildings to assign spaces and to help people settle in. Some arrangements for food and water are also being made. Doctors and nurses from the town hospital will be available to provide medical assistance if needed (CWPP, 2008). 7. Before you

Thursday, August 22, 2019

A Life Changing Story Essay Example for Free

A Life Changing Story Essay Apple Speech June 10, 2010 On September 20, 2002 1 bought my first classic pink iPod. On October of 2005, I bought my first iPod Nano in yellow. Last summer, I bought my first laptop computer, the Macbook Pro, and my first iPod touch. Wow! I have shared many of my first experiences with Apple and I am your loyal customer, and l, Ana Plascencia, am truly honored to be given the opportunity to address you (the men and women) who have contributed to the success of the Apple and who have contributed to my success in high school. Lets face it your ingenious technology assisted me with my homework nd research projects, allowed me to compose my own music, and allowed me to gain exposure to the outside world. You are the greatest innovators in the world, and you have been important to me because simply through your products you helped me succeed through high school and you have helped me make some of my dreams From an early age my mother inspired me to use values such as come true. passion, perseverance, and discipline to make my dreams a reality. My mother always says that the mind puts limits on ones dreams, but the heart has the power to overcome those limits and make those dreams come true. I have seen, in my mother and myself, this power of will to persevere and to strive to be greater than one thinks they can be. But I have also come to realize the deeper and truer meaning of my mothers saying. My mother emigrated from Mexico and raised me by herself with little education and little understanding of the English language. I believe strength and love motivated her as she worked three Jobs, seven days a week earning no more than nine twenty-five an hour. At the age of six, I began to work several times a week at restaurants and community events as a Mariachi singer thanks to an uncle of mine ho taught me how to play this great music from an early age. I performed for several hours during the weekends, earning as much as fifty dollars an hour, in order to help my mother make ends meet for the both of us. I loved Mariachi music then and still do now. But as I look back, Im am struck by key values such as working diligently and disciplinarily, along with the power of knowledge a power of the mind that also enabled me to help support my family even from a young age. As I grew older, I saw that my mother, too, recognized that passion and working diligently were mportant, but by themselves they were not enough to fulfill ones dreams. Along with passion and hard work, she believed the power of knowledge was a crucial key to realizing ones goals. She worked very hard so that I could go to school, to study, so that I might accomplish my dreams. But my mother and I didnt have the same vision at that time. I thought that by working and being focused on making money I could easily help support my mother. But my mother had bigger dreams for me; she knew that an education was crucial for my future. She knew that I needed to have an ducation to open new doors and have the opportunities she didnt have. Of course this tension between my mothers dreams for herself and her dreams for me was not something I reflected upon until later. My mother also instilled in me a dedication to my family and my community. Therefore at Mitty I got involved because it is was important for me to explore and take advantage of the opportunities offered at Mitty. and share the diverse Latin American cultures with the Mitty community. I was also a Mitty ambassador and an active member of campus ministry. In my local community, y passion for helping younger generations develop and strengthen their skills in reading lead me to co-found the S. T. A. R. S. reading program where I tutor children from low-income families and ignite in them the love for learning. Attending Mitty gave me the confidence to co-fund this program and help make a difference in a childs life, who through reading obtained confidence and a power of knowledge. My dedication for serving my community and my passion for learning have successfully transformed me into the young lady I am today. Today, this young lady that stands efore you Just graduated a few weeks ago from Archbishop Mitty High School, thanks to a scholarship that awarded me with the opportunity to attend a college- preparatory institution. The young lady that stands before you is a now a proud woman who will be the first in her family to attend college and who will be attending Wellesley College in Massachusetts this upcoming fall to obtain a dual degree in biochemistry and biomedical engineering so that I may train to become a medical doctor. My dream to become a doctor began when I started volunteering at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, and was touched after a special incident. During mid- July of 2008, I was handed a set of personal history questions and asked to interview Spanish-speaking patients. I wasnt worried about having to translate because I expected the questions to be rather basic, but they were deeply serious. The patient I interviewed was Mrs. G. Mrs. G was a forty-five-year old, obese, Hispanic woman suffering from diabetes. The first few questions were neutral enough, but then I translated, have you attempted or have thought of attempting suicide because of your health condition? To my surprise, Mrs. G said, mies. Then I had to ask Mrs. G if her health condition made her feel useless, insignificant, or invaluable, and again she responded, mies. Suddenly her face was covered with a flood of tears, and she began to plead for my help. She wanted me, a fifteen-year-old girl, to help her restore not only her health, but also her faith in life. At that moment I became frustrated and upset. I felt useless. I felt insignificant. The only thing I knew to do was to give her a hug and tell her with all my heart that everything was going to be okay. But I knew that was not enough. How could I restore her desire to live if I didnt have the knowledge or skills to make her healthy? Ever since this incident I felt powerless. The idea that I could help and make a difference in an individuals life through being a doctor was exciting. But at that moment I also understood I didnt Just wanted to be a doctor, I wanted to travel the world and offer pro bono healthcare to people who lacked the resources. I also wanted to be a doctor who gives inspiration and desires of hope. I believe that with this education I can follow my heart and be truly useful to my family and my community. If you had met me 5 to 6 years ago, my accomplishments would not have seemed possible or even realistic because I lacked the confidence to believe that a single individual can lead and change the world, especially if that individual was a minority with little money. Now I understand that I am as capable as anyone else to become a leader for my community and I have the power to transform the world I live in. All of you present here today, are successful (businessmen and businesswoman) you have realized some of your dreams had to experience to achieve success was difficult, but you have an education, an xtraordinary Job, and a great future ahead of you. More importantly I feel honored to stand before men and women who have the power to affect so many lives through the Apple products. In all you are, and all you must have done to be where you are, you have the power to make a difference in peoples lives. Dont limit yourself; and try to be the best you can be because you have the opportunity to continue to deepen your knowledge, achieve personal growth, and make a difference in your communities. You see, Just four years ago, I was given the opportunity to change my ife by attending Mitty, but I was naive and close-minded. I was afraid. I was afraid that by attending Mitty and striving to follow a different path than my neighborhood friends, I would have to leave behind my identity and betray my culture. I was afraid of being successful because in the neighborhood I grew up in, Mexicans never amounted to anything important which caused me to believe that I would fail like everyone around me did. I truly lost a sense of who I was and who I wanted to be. It may come as a surprise to you, but during middle school I was involved with gangs. Although I wanted to run away from the neighborhood I grew up in and I wanted to change who I was at that time, I was afraid that I could never become a better person. I had big dreams, but I was afraid that I would always be that person somehow. But in the end I realized that my past didnt have to define me and that I could change today and be the person I wanted to be. I realized I couldnt let this opportunity go away and that I at least had to try to change. In the end I realized that because of my fear I was creating excuses and setting limitations for myself, but that n order to grow, I needed to find the courage to overcome my fears. Many of you may be wondering, what motivated me to leave behind my fears and pursue a different path? What motivated me to overcome by own limitations? My family was a key factor, but I was most enlightened to change my path after a visit to Guadalajara, Mexico. A few weeks before the deadline for registration at Mitty, I traveled to Mexico during the summer. During my trip, I was shocked by the poor conditions my family members lived in. In my families nearby ranchitos (small towns), I saw children alking barefooted with ripped clothing begging on the dirt road in the rural countryside. As I saw the look of the childrens faces, I began to picture myself as the child begging on the dirt road. At the moment I understood why my mother worked as hard as she did and encouraged me to strive for greatness. At that moment I began to appreciate the food, the shelter, and the life my mother provided for me in the U. S. My trip to Guadalajara also taught me to value education. In the rural countryside in Guadalajara, I met an older cousin named Roxana; she is the second youngest of her six siblings. At the time, she had graduated from high school 3 years ago, but had to abandon her dream of becoming a physician because her family lacked the financial resources to pay for college. Roxana sacrificed her own dream to help her family survive. Once I heard my cousins story I felt insignificant. I felt ashamed of who I was at the time and how I was wasting my life because I knew that my cousin would have given everything she had to have the opportunities I did. At that point, I felt as if God was purposely rescuing me and offering me a second chance by blessing me with the scholarship. Almost instantly, my anxiety and fears wondering if my cousin ended up accomplishing her dream, and she did. After dedicating herself four years to work for the survival of her family, Roxana was awarded with a four-year scholarship that enabled her to pursue her dream. The hunger Roxana demonstrated to break free from the cycle of poverty, motivated me to also break free from my past and attend Mitty. My experience at Mitty was one of the most difficult experiences of my life. When I began my education at Mitty I was not very good at speaking English. I was an outcast. I entered a new environment here I experienced a culture shock because more than 56% of the student body was white and only 10% was Hispanic at that current time. In addition I didnt know anyone, I wasnt catholic, I didnt know the rules, and I felt imprisoned in a complete different world where it was hard adjusting emotionally, physically, and mentally. After spending the first month eating in a bathroom stall and preventing myself from integrating into the Mitty community, I said enough and I found the courage to break my shell. I had to work hard everyday and even though I grew tired of having to fit in nd adjust to the workload, I couldnt let anything or anyone stop me. I was given an opportunity to become an educated and well-rounded person, and how could I not do it, I couldnt let myself down. Despite the rigid workload and the many sleepless nights, Mitty truly transformed my entire life. I am intellectually competent and a leader of the Mitty community, but I am also a young lady who is passionate for social justice. In my four-year experience at Mitty, many didnt believe I would make it. Many didnt believe I even deserved to be given an opportunity such as attending a private high school with a full ride. Thanks to the support of my teachers, my counselors, my principal, and friends, I learned to believe in myself and that was all I needed to continue to fight. I am greater than I ever thought I could be, and I know I will continue to grow as I begin a new stage of my life in college. If I am successful, it is my heartfelt belief that my success will be by some combination of heart and mind. Passion and love may drive the values of sacrifice, hard work, and dedication, but insight, thought and knowledge will focus those values into the actions needed to realize my goals. Insight, thought, and knowledge along with hard work and edication are values that have helped you realize your own goals. You work in an extraordinary environment where your work each day transforms the world we live in. You are leading the way towards a future full of opportunities and new discoveries. My only wish is that from my speech today you remember two things. First, take advantage of the limitless opportunities Apple offers. These opportunities will allow you to deepen your knowledge, realize your greater potential, and become empowered to not only to achieve the seemingly impossible, but also achieve personal balance in your overall success. You are all already successful businessmen nd businesswomen, but dont feel afraid to take an extra step to find new, innovative ways to contribute to Apple. And finally, I feel privileged to have shared my story with such a special breed of people who can make such a difference because of all of the opportunities you have that others dont. I think you have power and you can pay it forward to others in our society. Look at how my life changed because one school believed in me and took a chance, and each one of you has the power to do the same. This is why I am so excited to be here with you, you are truly the greatest innovators power. Thank you.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Individual Assignment Business Organizations Essay Example for Free

Individual Assignment Business Organizations Essay Reflective practice is a way of studying your own experiences to improve the way you work. It is linked with the concept of learning from experience, in that you think about what you did and what happened, and decide what you would do differently next time. Reflective practice will make you improve the quality of service you deliver. It will ensure that the service providers are always getting the best possible service that they require because by using reflective practice you are always looking for things to improve on and see if you could do anything differently the next time round. Standards such as essential standards tell us how we should be working. We can use them to think about the way in which we work and measure ourselves against them. As everyone has different values and beliefs, it is important that we treat everyone the same no matter what their beliefs are. We should provide the same support for everybody, If we do not work this way then we will fail to perform the standards of the codes of practice set out by the regulating bodies. Outcome 2 2.1Everybody reacts differently to feedback whether it be positive or negative. I value any kind of feedback given to me, positive or negative because it is a good way of trying to better yourself. Some people may take negative feedback personally and think that they are being criticised. 2.2 It is important to seek feedback from people as you will know if you are working in the correct way. If you get negative feedback you will then know what you need to improve on for the better and positive feedback you know you can carry on the good work that you are doing. 2.3 It is important to listen to the feedback you get and use it whether it is positive or negative so that you can improve the way that you work and your quality of work.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Gender Socialisation through Religion and Family

Gender Socialisation through Religion and Family Introduction In this essay, I will be explaining the process of gender socialisation from a conflict perspective and will be discussing it in two socialisation agents. Which are Religion and Family. Gender socialisation is the process of learning the social desires and attitude related to ones sex. Through gender socialisation, sociologists clarify the behaviour of human males and female and how they act or conduct themselves in various ways and how they learn different roles. Conflict theory From a conflict theorists point of view of gender socialisation is a process of a young male to become a dominant gender to maintain power and privilege in society, however, females are a subordinate group which means men are higher than females. Conflict between parents and the children is very normal for a family. Many times, children have these feelings that their parents do not really understand them these days. In every generation, there are everyday struggle between parents and children, which is when parents tend to push their children too far and expecting too much from them, and the child is blamed for not trying hes/her best. So looking at this the parents are the dominant (men) and the kids are the subordinate (female) Two socialisation agents Religion One socialisations agent that is introduced is religion. Religion is a belief system, in which individual praise or worship a supernatural being. This has a major influence on a childs gender because it gives a pre-conceived set of rules of a person of a specific gender is supposed to act. according to Carl Marx he saw religion as a class divided societies (Gidden Sutton 2014), for instance, how Roman Catholics believed that they should hold on to the traditional ways by being in church praising and worship in God and that they were guaranteed a road to heaven, but some other religion disagrees to that like the Protestant beliefs system believes in encouraging members to embrace changes (Hendslin et al. 2013). But for most familys religion was not just holding the belief to faith in communities and religious activities. But also, meant putting religious beliefs into their everyday lives. It was recognised that parents have a huge part in shaping childrens beliefs in religion, like h aving their children pray every day, before and after their meals and mostly talking about religion itself to children at a young age, as parents they consider it as part of their parenting responsibilities to pass on the faith to their children as sometimes following rules as stated in the bible for example Leviticus chapter 20 verse 13 says: And if a man has sex relations with a man, the two of them have done a disgusting thing: let them be put to death; their blood will be on them(Leviticus 20 n.d.). Family Another socialisation agent is family. A family is a group that consist two parents and their children living together. This agent has a major impact on a childs gender socialisation because as new parent they will begin to create an environment for their boys and girls. Also, Parents will tend to treat their girls and boys differently by encouraging different gender stereotype activities. This include the toys that parents purchase for their children for example the boys are usually given toy vehicle, action figures and sports equipment for them to play with and for girls they were usually given a baby doll, dress-up toys and make up. not only do they purchase toys but they also dress up in gender-specific colours for instance how girls colour is usually pink and for the boys it blue (Berryman, Power Hollit n.d.). REFERENCES Gidden, A Sutton, WP 2014, Essential concept in sociology, Polity Press, United Kingdom. Hendslin, MJ, Possamai, MA, Possamai-Inesedy, LA, Majoribanks,T Elder, C 2013, Sociology: a down to earth approach, 2nd edn, Pearson Australia. Leviticus 20:13 n.d.,Viewed March 2017, http://www.biblestudytools.com/leviticus/20-13.html Berryman, K, Power, R Hollit n.d., viewed March 2017, http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2002/family/gender.ht

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Evolution of the Telephone and Operator :: Communication Technology Papers

The Evolution of the Telephone and Operator A few nights ago I was sitting at the dining room table reviewing my research, when my roommate, Lucy, walked in and inquired as to my progress. We started talking a bit about telephones and telephone operators and she related a story about the telephone in her hometown. Lucy is from a small town in Ireland. She clearly remembers when, at the age of four (about twenty eight years ago), her family installed their first telephone. To make a call her family would turn the crank on their telephone which would then alert Mrs. Murphy at the post office who would connect the call. Everyone in the village, Lucy explained, resisted making phone calls on Christmas Day in order to give Mr. Murphy break for the holiday. It was not until Lucy was in her teens that her town phone switched to automatic. She remembers calling home from school one day and receiving a pre-recorded message informing her that her number had been changed. Needless to say, she was greatly surprised. Lucy is not much older than I am; we grew up in virtually the same period of time, but in obviously different worlds. Her story of the telephone recalls memories of the endless episodes of Little House on the Prairie I used to watch where Mrs. Nelson would nosily listen into a phone call after making a connection. Lucy's story is an abbreviated version of that of America's. What occurred in her town over a period of ten or twelve years, transpired over the late 19th and a good part of the 20th centuries in the United States. While the technology of the telephone has transformed considerably since it's creation in the late 1870's, the basic job and job-related stresses of the telephone operator have changed significantly, but to a lesser degree. Most of my data falls within two time periods: then (before the 1920's) and now (the 1990's). While we will be missing a large chunk of detailed information, what I have found allows us enough to piece together the missing periods. In the first two years after the invention of the telephone, all subscribers in a particular area were linked to each other via a telephone line. When one wished to call another party, s/he would call directly across the line indicating the desired recipient by the number of rings sounded.

Loneliness in Of Mice and Men Essay -- Literary Analysis

In today's society, group or even a family anyone who believe they do not belong can feel â€Å"lonely.† Loneliness can be one of the most depressing feelings experienced. Of Mice and Men takes place on a ranch in California during the early 1930s. There many negative viewpoints about certain sexes and races had not yet been resolved. Women and African Americans were perceived as lesser individuals when compared to any white male American, despite the fact that the country was on the turn of the century and thereby beginning to accept all people as equals. Another group of people that did not get much respect and was treated poorly was the mentally challenged. Not until the 1930s was anyone who was mentally retarded and considered crazy, treated respectfully as individuals. Even though it was tough for all Americans during this period of time their American Dream like anybody else was difficult. John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California, in 1902. Steinbeck went to Stanford University in 1919, where he enrolled in literature and writing courses until he left in 1925 empty handed without a degree. During the next five years he supported himself as a laborer and journalist in New York City and then as a caretaker for a Lake Tahoe estate, all the time working on his first novel, Cup of Gold (1929). He published two California fictions, The Pastures of Heaven (1932) and To a God Unknown (1933); he also worked on short stories later collected in The Long Valley (1938). A ceaseless experimenter throughout his career, Steinbeck changed courses regularly. Three powerful novels of the late 1930s focused on the California laboring class: In Dubious Battle (1936), Of Mice and Men (1937), and the book considered by many his finest, The Grape... ...ich the feeling of individualism and how lonesome people have become during the Great Depression. Men are trapped in a set of relations which work like fate/ Americans will continue to dream, the nation will live out the true religious belief all men are created equal. [Reith 3] List of Works Cited Reith, Duncan. â€Å"Futile dreams and stagnation: politics in Of Mice and Men: the American novelist John Steinbeck has sometimes been criticized as a sentimentalist. Duncan Reith uncovers the bleak political pessimism behind his novel of ranch life during the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men.† The English Review Nov, 2004: 6+. Literature Resource Center: Web. 29 Nov. 2010. Document URL http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&id-GALE%7CA125878389&v=2.1&u=klnb_kanstlib&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w Gale Document Number: GALE|A125878389 Steinbeck, John. â€Å"Of Mice and Men†, 1937

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Hamlets Troubles :: essays research papers

Hamlet is supposedly centered on one character; Hamlet himself, but the play is driven by plots and schemes that are derived from other characters in the play. The plot of Hamlet is constantly being heightened by the characters that are a part of the play, they help to manipulate the story in a way that places an emphasis on reflecting many struggles that one might encounter in life, but all compiled into one story. In the play Hamlet, Polonius is a character that intertwines the rest of the characters and brings them together to complete the final task of redemption for the death of King Hamlet. Throughout the whole play, Polonius is the only one that seems to be trying to tie everything together to help everyone out, and in the end, it is that quest for knowledge that leads to his demise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Polonius is a man that confuses most, but intrigues all. For the beginning of the play he is the readers guide, and helps to inform the reader of all that is happening within the lives of the main characters. He was not meant to be a main character, but any character that is put in the position of an informant, instantly becomes a main character. To be an informant, is to be one who shines a new light on the situation at hand, and that fills in information where information is needed. Polonius is a character in the play for just long enough to give the reader a good start with what is going on. Polonius is the one character who communicates and interacts with every other character in the play. Retrospectively he pieces the play and the characters together to make them more understandable to the reader. Communication is what Polonius does well, but it is also what he does for his living. “I hold my duty as I hold my soul'; (2.2.44) puts emphasis on his dedication to the King, but at the same time he has dedication to his daughter, Ophelia, his son, Laertes, and the Queen, Gertrude. His connections with these powerful people is a great example of how they are all getting information from Polonius, and using it to reap their own havoc. Polonius’ position as the “middleman'; gives him an indescribable amount of power, that he takes advantage of. He uses what others tell him to supply others with valuable information, all the way up until his sudden demise.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

EFFECTIVENESS ON TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Essay

This survey will be kept entirely confidential and is designed to solicit honest and candid feedback that will be used as a baseline for further and on-going work that will be done to improve overall organisational climate. Dear Sir/Madam, Thank you for taking part in this study. I am a MBA student in conducting analysis study on Training and Development in this organization. The basic purpose of this study is to identify effectiveness of the training and development imparted by you and its results in the performance of the employees. Kindly take some of your valuable time to fill out the questionnaire. Thank you for your valuable time. PERSONAL DETAILS Name : Gender: Q1) Does your company organises a training and development programme? Yes No Q2) Does your organisation identify the training needs for employees? Yes No Q3) How often training programmes organised in your company? Quarterly Half yearly Annually Every 2 years Q4) How well do you participate in various training programmes being conducted in organisation? Highly Fairly well Not always Q5) Training programmes help to improve the performance of employees and productivity of organization? Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Q6) Do you agree that your company have well designed training policy? Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Q7) Training programmes helps to increase your motivation? Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Q8) Training programmes improved your confidence towards work? Yes No Q9) Do you think training programmes are helpful to you in gaining new idea? Yes No Q10) Who in your opinion should give training? Expert from outside Internal faculty Personal department Supervisors Q11) Training helps to reduce stress at work? Yes No Q12) Is there any emphasis given on development of leadership skills through training programmes? Yes always Sometimes Not always Q13) Does the training programmes help you in good decision making at your jobs? Yes No Q14) In your opinion which method of training is useful for your organisation? On the job training Off the job training Q15) How did the training programmes benefit you during your service? Appreciation from superiors Improvement in work Quality enhancement Improvement in attitude Q16) Are you always motivated and looking forward for new training programmes after each programme? Yes always Sometimes Not always Q17) On the whole how will you rate the training programme being conducted in your organisation? Very good Good Satisfactory Poor Very poor Q18) Does the present system of training need any modification? If yes what are the suggestions to make future training programmes more effective?

Friday, August 16, 2019

Human Behaviour In Organization Essay

We need to study human behavior even as we participate in the day-to-day processes and activities of human life. The need to understand the behavior of others especially those we come in contact with, and the need to anticipate and predict how others may act in certain situations are important since we are affected by their actions. We study human behavior in order to have an understanding of the actions of people. Its professional analysis could very well help an organization achieve its goals and pave the way for more productive relationships among individuals in groups and among groups in the organization. Hellrieger and Slocum expressed . . . â€Å"events do not occur merely by chance, but rather, that events are linked together.† By understanding and learning to anticipate the behavior of others, we also learn to influence others as shown in Milton’s model of understanding, predicting, and influencing. The understanding of people’s behavior makes the anticipation and prediction of events easier and smoother. We can thus influence them to think, feel, and act accordingly. The study of human behavior is certainly indispensable in the formulation of laws, rules, policies, etc. Society cannot function at its maximum for the people if its components of the organization in which the individual belongs do not have guidelines that are appropriate and that provide for the satisfaction of his needs and for the attainment of his goals. The realm of science and technology will be useless without the study of human behavior for it is their aim to make man live better and easier. Scientists and technologists wouldn’t know what to invent if they are not familiar with man’s needs. Business, especially marketing, will not thrive without a study of people’s wants and desires. Man would not and cannot buy all the products and services the company offers. Selective buying is a behavior that an organization should be aware of and understand. For a firm, studying behavior can increase its productivity for it provides knowledge and information which can be the bases for improving its performance, for rational decision and policy-making, for better planning and organizing, personnel and human resources recruitment, screening, selection, promotion, and development. It is worthwhile to study human behavior primarily because we are part of the human race, and it is by studying human behavior that we look not only into the personality of others but into our personalities as well. We come to terms with ourselves, understand different aspects of our personality, and find ways to improve ourselves and grow. Through introspection, we create self-awareness, an important ingredient in relating ourselves with others. NATURE AND SCOPE OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR Any act of an individual person which is considered human behavior is a reflection of his thoughts, feelings, emotions, sentiments whether conscious or not. It mirrors his needs, values, motivation, aspirations, conflicts, and state of life. Behavior, therefore, consists of all human activities. Human behavior occurs anywhere and everywhere. It is committed alone, with another person, with a group or an organization. The principles and concepts that underlie behavior are basic. It is their implementation and practice that differ from group to group or from one country to another. Human behavior which is also called human act is different from act of man. When man performs an act with free will, he does a human act. He is responsible for such act which is performed with alternatives to choose from. It is free will from whence responsibility emanates and flows that makes man a human being perform human acts or human behavior. An act of man is performed by one who is forced to do so at the risk of his own life. He does not have any other alternative/s to choose from. He is not given the opportunity to use his free will and thus, he is not responsible for this act. He, therefore, commits an act of man. An example is a man marrying a woman at the point of a gun. Instincts and reflexes are other examples of acts of man. Human behavior can be understood best by developing frameworks from the behavioral sciences which represent a systematic body of knowledge pertaining to why and how people behave as they do. ASSUMPTIONS 1. Every person is significantly different from the moment of conception. From the time an individual is conceived, he undergoes a plethora of changes – physical, mental, social, psychological – as he grows and develops from childhood to adulthood. 2. Every person is a constantly active, goal-seeking organism. Whether consciously or unconsciously, he is goal-oriented. 3. Every person is dynamic. Status quo does not characterize his state since he is barraged by different forces around him. 4. The characteristics of an organization influence the behavior of the entire organization and, to a great extent, the behavior of individuals within it as well. 5. Behavior cannot be predicted with one hundred percent accuracy since it arises from the varying needs and value systems of many different people. 6. There are no simple formulas for working with people. No one best answer. No ideal organization exists, neither an ideal person. CONCEPTS 1. Almost all behavior is learned. This applies to adults and children whose learning can be altered. However, this is not true to a newly born infant and to a fetus in the mother’s womb. The former sucks milk from the mother’s breast through instinct. By and large, learning is the first step in behaving. Whatever is learned can be modified or changed 2. Human being adapt. In accordance with their needs and values, individuals adjust to their environment. When their new learnings are congruent with their value system, they adopt them. What is adopted becomes part of their culture. PRINCIPLES 1. Thorndike’s law of effect states that behavior which is followed by a satisfying state of affairs tends to be repeated but a behavior followed by an unsatisfactory conditions tends to be extinguished. 2. Stimuli are those forces which impact the sensory organs of our five sensory input channels – sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The impact of stimuli is a function of frequency, recency, and felt intensity. Communication, in all cases, consists of the creation of stimuli. 3. Behavior is caused but its causality is uncertain and usually multiple. It may be classified as having either a rational (cognitive) or an emotional (affective) basis. 4. Classical conditioning is a powerful technique for altering the behavior of others. But man’s freedom of the will makes him responsible for his actions. 5. There are no two individuals who are alike in all dimensions. The differences become more striking as they are compared from the physical to the socio-psychological components. Hence, the great disparity in behavior even between twins, since behavior is a reflection of a person’s physical, mental, psychological characteristics. METHODS OF STUDYING HUMAN BEHAVIOR Human behavior is a phenomenon which was observed, described, and speculated on cursorily sans any formal and written objectives and procedures. The maintenance of good relationships between and among individuals and groups was considered an art which mainly used speculation, informal and irregular observation of people and incidents. Philosophy based on speculation and logic and physiology based on experimental observation were the only two main approaches to the study of human behavior. The study of human behavior as a science began only in the 19th century. It was an offshoot of the studies in various disciplines like psychology, sociology, anthropology, and economics. Its foundations are rooted in these sciences. The methods used in the study of human behavior are the same as those in other sciences – experiments, surveys and case method. It makes use of observation, interview, questionnaire, check list, scales psychological tests, and statistics. 1. THREE-LEVEL METHOD. Milton proposed a model of studying human behavior at three levels: individual, group, and organization. It is called the I-G-O Model. This classification is the basis for differentiating the content of the courses in human behavior offered at the three program levels in schools. At the undergraduate level, the individual is the focus of attention; in the masters program, emphasis is placed on the group,; and at the doctoral level, human behavior is studied at the organizational level. 2. INTERDISCIPLINARY MODEL. Human behavior in organization is inter- and multi-disciplinary. At the individual level, psychology provides knowledge of perception, motivation and learning, while physiology and anatomy gives information and principles on the body and how it works. At the group level. Sociology and other disciplines like social work and education have given much contribution. Sociology offers insights into the roles, norms, authority, power, influence and status. Anthropology and other sciences like economics, business, law and medicine have wrought more changes and influences on human behavior at the organizational level. Culture and its artifacts are the main contribution of anthropology in the study of behavior in organization. HUMAN BEHAVIOR INDIVIDUALGROUPORGANIZATION PsychologySociology Anthropology Physiology Social Work Economics, Business Anatomy Education Law, Medicine VARIOUS SCIENCES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR 3. DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL. People grow and move to higher levels of resourcefulness, creativity, competency, and self-realization through proper maintenance, recognition, and development programs. Keith and Davis call this the â€Å"human resources (supportive)approach.† These basic and potent needs are recognized and fulfilled by the organization which considers them as â€Å"the central resource in any organization and any society. To the extent that people are well screened and selected, maintained and supported, recognized and developed, they can bring in and develop the various artifacts of an organization : philosophy (mission, goals, objectives, aims), funds (equity, borrowings, loans), values (needs, responsibilities), facilities (land, building, equipment, supplies), and technology (processes, knowhow). People are the main crux and heart of the organization, the six components are at their beck and call. These six components affect the individual who alters his behavior in a context which he himself has created. 4. SYSTEMS MODEL. A social system is a complex and dynamic set of relation- ships among its actors interacting with one another. An organization is a social system consisting of various parts at its subsystems. The systems theory posits that the organization is an open system with internal and external factors impinging on its subsystems making it very fluid, tenuous, dynamic and complex and these parts are interdependent and interrelated with each other This concept is opposed to the traditional view of a closed system with independent and uninterrelated parts. 5. CONTINGENCY MODEL. The varied factors in each problematic situation may constitute a unique condition. The problem- solver must explicitly consider the specific conditions to which a problem relates instead of simply prescribing a solution which may have worked elsewhere but under different conditions. This means that â€Å"no solution can work under all circumstances.† Every problem must be studied and analyzed in light of complex factors that may br highly interrelated with each other.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Billing and Payments Monitoring System

I. INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Background of the Study One of the most important things to remember when you have a business or a company is keeping records. Monitoring bills and payments are very important. People are assigned to different positions such as cashiers, treasurers, finance managers and others that involve handling money. Without such records, a company will not be able to keep track of their transactions, which would lead to negative results such as being broken or having more expenses than income. The process of recording bills and payments are done in different ways.Most companies would do it manually, a cashier or any other qualified person would do the computations and write it down and keep it. Our client company, however, only has two people that have access to their records. In this situation, the cashier has no assistants so that the job is very difficult as she manages everything by herself. The proponents intend to propose and develop a Billing and Payments Monitoring System for Minerva Trading; the House of Motorcycles Inc. ; it would computerize the tiring manual process of writing everything down in paper.It would keep the records, and it would allow the users to keep track of their customers and their corresponding ledgers. It would show the total price and record factors that might affect changes in payment such as discounts and advanced payments. 1. 2 Overview of the Current System Our interview with Mr. Dustin Sacay the Officer in Charge of Minerva Trading, Novaliches branch and Ms. Rosie Pascual the cashier, went well as we talked about how we could help their company with the system that we intend to develop.They gave us all the data that we needed, and they were very cooperative while we were conducting the interview. Our client, Minerva Trading; the House of Motorcycles Inc. the company that accepted our proposal had to do everything manually, they write all the transactions and records on papers. While that is the most common way of k eeping records, there are certain problems that would arise from time to time. These problems might include ink erasures, writing the wrong data, misplacement of records, and restocking of paper constantly.Minerva's trading has a simple step by step process to be followed whenever a transaction was made. First, the customer would fill up an application form; he/she would select his/her payment type, installment or cash. If the customer chooses cash, he/she gets the bill and the transaction is finished. If its installment, the OIC would do a CI (Checking Investigation) to do some background checking on the customer, if the customer passes or fails the CI, he/she would be notified.If the customer is approved by the OIC, his application form and order detail would be submitted to the cashier. The cashier would then fill up a contract and a ledger that would give the payment details for the customer. The customer subsequently gives a down payment and afterwards pays the rest of the amou nt whenever he can until he/she completes the whole amount. 1. 3 Significance of the Study The following will be the beneficiaries of this study: * Company The system would reduce the time that they spend on manually writing down everything in paper. Cashier The cashier would be the primary beneficiary. She does nearly 90% of the paperwork in Minerva Trading. Once they receive and use the system, their work would be a lot faster, easier and more organized. * OIC (Officer In Charge) Other than the cashier, the OIC is the only other person that has the authority and access to all the records. He would find the system useful as it will simplify and lessen their work. * Customers The customers might also find the system helpful, especially during transactions.Filling up forms and other paperwork might shorten the time that they need to wait or to get their receipts and other things that usually involved the manual writing processes. * Proponents The proponents would also benefit from th is, as it would expand our knowledge when it comes to system development, it helps us practice our interpersonal skills as we communicate with different people, it helps us practice writing in English with the documentation, and last but not the least, the subject itself is going to prepare us for other thesis subjects in the coming semesters. Future Researchers This might also be of some of the use to future researchers as it is distinct from the typical proposals that involve systems that seem common to both teachers and other proponents alike. We believe that learning about a system that is different from the usual proposed titles would expand their knowledge and maybe even help them think of their individual concepts in creating their own systems.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Nordstrom Case Study

Customer Service at Nordstrom and Potential Conflicts Case Study Vanessa E. Rivera Saint Leo University Customer Service at Nordstrom and Potential Conflicts Case Study With 50,000 employees and 170 stores throughout the United States Nordstrom is a major player in the luxury goods department. Founded originally as a shoe store by John W. Nordstrom and Carl Wallin, Nordstrom became the largest independent shoe chain in the United States. By 1960, Nordstrom decided to enter the clothing arena by purchasing Best Apparel, and continued to expand it markets through the acquisition of other luxury goods. Nordstrom’s continued growth and success stem from their business philosophy based on â€Å"exceptional service, selection, quality and value† (About Nordstrom, 2011). Today Nordstrom â€Å"has grown from one downtown Seattle shoe store into a nationwide fashion specialty chain with renowned services, generous size ranges and a selection of the finest apparel, shoes, and accessories for the entire family† (About Nordstrom, 2011). For over 100 years, the focus continues to be the same; catering to customer needs, individually. Nordstrom’s business philosophy could not be achieved without its exceptional employees. Nordstrom has an excellent record in the advancement of women and minorities. In their commitment to diversity they â€Å"cultivate an environment where the contributions of every employee, customer and vendor  are respected† (Nordstrom Cares, 2011). Their focus on caring for their people even goes to creating a wellness program. The wellness program designed to help employees focus on better eating, better living, and a better sense of balance. Their wellness program provides support through on-site health screening, coaching, and online resources. Nordstrom employees  are treated  as a part of a family. It is no wonder why Nordstrom continues to be voted Forbes 100 Best Companies to work for. Their empowering of the employees is what stimulates the excellent customer service they provide. Their reverted pyramid is a representation of their philosophy and structure. At the top, of the pyramid are their customers, followed by sales and support people. In the middle are the department managers followed by the merchandising group, store managers, and regional managers. At the bottom, of the pyramid is where you will find the executive team and board of directors (Nordstrom Our Structure, 2011). Nordstrom’s  outstanding  efforts have helped steer this luxury retailer from the economic problems in 2008 and 2009. The 2010 annual report card shows an increase in net sales, earnings before income and taxes, net earnings, earning per basic share, earning per diluted share, and cash dividend paid per share. To be specific, net sales for 2010 have increased by 12. 7% from last year and net earnings have increased by 39%. Nordstrom came out of the Great Depression and will continue to come out of the many financial crises they encounter because of their approach to dealing with customers. The implications of their philosophies can be seen in their annual report. In times of recession were customers choose to spend their money wisely, they choose to spend it in a place were their experience  is maximized. â€Å"Nordstrom knows  it’s  not the price but the customer service that gains and retains loyal customers that generate strong profits† (Nelson & Quick, 2011). Conflict is â€Å"any situation in which incompatible goals, attitudes, emotions, or behaviors lead to disagreement op opposition for two or more parties† (Nelson & Quick, 2011). Dealing with dissatisfied customers can be a great source of conflict for retailers. Conflict can be considered as â€Å" a breakdown in the standard mechanism of decision making, so that an individual or group experiences difficulty in selecting an alternative† (Rahim, 2000). Given Nordstrom’s approach to customer service and customer relationships the â€Å"breakdown† causing difficulties does not occur. They diffuse conflict situations by choosing to take the blame or burden of proof away from the customer. Their ability to deliver happy customers has led them to continue for over 100 years through the various ups and downs of the economy. One of the major problems affecting Retailers with their success is customer satisfaction. Retailers know that satisfied customers are loyal customers† (Ahmad, 2009). Nordstrom’s approach to customer service and customer relationship management  is intended  to build relationships that result in customers returning to make more purchases. Nordstrom seeks to enhance customer relationships by carrying the right products that satisfy client needs, their presentation of goods generate interest in their clients, and their ability to provide extraordinary customer service been proven to be appropriate with the release of their 2010 annual report. Customers are the most important assets of a company, therefore, the â€Å"competitive leadership goes to those companies that are customer-oriented. Customers are increasingly demanding unique, individualized buying experiences that enhance existing relationships as well as provide fresh, exciting sources of value† (Ross, 2008). Customers today perceive value arising from their experience they receive to be greater than the actual goods they acquire. Nordstrom’s approach to customer service and customer relationship management allows Nordstrom to continue to be a competitive giant in the retailer industry. One way of classifying styles of conflict management styles is to examine the styles’ assertiveness (the extent to which you want your goals met) and the cooperativeness (the extent to which you want to see the other party’s concern met)† (Nelson & Quick, 2011). Nordstrom’s management culture states, â€Å" healthy competition is good† (Nordstrom Cares, 2011). Competing is a style that is assertive in nature and usually uncooperative. This is not the case with Nordstrom. Management encourages winning through a team environment. Competition in small doses is stimulating; competition encourages people to go above and beyond to meet their goals. The key to Nordstrom competing style is that they do not achieve their goals at the expense of others. They recognize outstanding performance but value kindness above all. â€Å"We still believe the golden rule has a lot of merit: Treat others as  you’d  like to be treated. We work hard to offer great service to each and every customer and we believe great service begins with courtesy to everyone, customers and coworkers alike† (Nordstrom Cares, 2011). Their style also reflects collaboration. Nordstrom works towards collaboration arriving at a solution that is satisfactory to both their customers and employees. Their focus is providing customers with the best possible service. They meet client needs and while doing so accomplish their desire of excellent customer service. It is a win-win style for the organization and the client. Nordstrom also approaches customer relationship management through compromising. In a compromising style, both parties are equally powerful. A compromising style  is used  Ã¢â‚¬Å" for avoiding protracted conflict† (Rahim, 2000).

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Capital Markets and Investment Banking Process Essay

Capital Markets and Investment Banking Process - Essay Example The different types of capital instruments that constitute an investment portfolio have also been described. Lastly, recommendations have been provided regarding the selection of assets for the construction of an effective and efficient portfolio. Investment Banking Process for an IPO Initial Public Offering (IPO) refers to the process of issuing shares by a company to the public for the first time in its history. It is mainly done to raise capital or funds in the form of share capital to be utilized by the company in its business processes. An IPO process typically consists of three key steps. They are: a) Preparation; b) Market approaching strategies; and c) Going public. Investment bankers are selected by the company for the purpose of coordinating the whole process of IPO. Hence, investment bankers form an important part of the IPO process and perform various functions during the whole process. The investment bankers give valuable advice to the company regarding how to go about t he whole process of IPO. The underwriting functions related to the IPO are also performed by the investment bankers. ... The investment bankers are mainly selected by the companies because of their expertise in the field of obtaining the best selling price of the shares to be issued by the companies (O'Rourke, 2007, p. 209). Hence, investment bankers are found to have three tasks to be performed by then in case of IPOs. They are: a) Given the existing conditions in the market, the investment bankers help the companies to design the securities of the companies to be offered by them in a way that are most attractive to the public; b) The investment bankers buy those securities from the companies; and c) They resell those securities to the investors or the public (Besley & Brigham, 2008, p. 83). Asset Class Selection for an Investment Portfolio Portfolio of an investor consists of combination of assets or asset classes. An asset class can be defined as a combination of different types of securities such as shares, bonds, mutual funds, etc. which, taken together, serve the purpose of providing specific con tribution to the portfolio of the investors. Such contributions are in the form of risks associated with the securities chosen, the return generated from the assets and covariance of return that exists between other classes of assets. The diversification of assets included in a portfolio can be achieved at two levels. One is while choosing a large number of assets and the other one is while choosing different types of asset classes to form the portfolio. Various factors are needed to be considered while selecting asset classes to form an investment portfolio. They are: a) Expected return of the portfolio; b) Diversification benefits; c) Required scale of investment; and d) Liquidity. The returns that are expected from the asset

The Short-Run and of the Macro Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Short-Run and of the Macro Economy - Essay Example As the study outlines Keynesian theory gives focus on immediate outcomes in the economic theory and will focus on short term policies set by the government and how they can be used to improve the economy. The Keynesian theory is built on the belief that the government will be responsible for the economy and will lay down policies that will put the economy in a favorable state. These will include policies such as monetary and fiscal policies, which are used to regulate the economy. The neoclassical theory is based on a free market hence the forces of demand and supply shape the economy. A change in quantity demanded is generally the increase or decrease in demand that is brought about by a change in price of the product which results to a change in quantity demanded. This implies that the change in the quantity demanded will be altered only because of a change in price whereas shift in demand is caused by other factors other than price. Change in quantity demand involves a movement al ong the demand curve.

Monday, August 12, 2019

School Psychologist Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

School Psychologist Interview - Essay Example It is clear that the assistive technology is a lifeline that can increase the opportunities for students to educate themselves and to interact with the society with confidence even after disabilities. It can also be said that the assistive technology is also used as an evaluation process for students. It helps to evaluate students with disabilities (Anogianakis, Buhler, & Soede, 1997). Therefore, teachers in XYZ School are using this technology for two purposes. One is to teach in a different and easy manner to the disabled students and secondly to evaluate those students. The reason behind this is that it was very difficult to evaluate the disabled students especially those who have lack of their motor skills. In addition, all those students who have physical, sensory or cognitive disabilities, they face barriers to learning. Therefore, it will not be incorrect to state that use of assistive technology is helpful in the evaluation process. It provides the accurate and fair results, and it is easy for students and teachers (Federici & Scherer, 2012). On the other side, for the progress monitoring of all students in the school the use of the latest technology is essential for teachers especially. The reason behind it is that technology systems assists in strengthening of the process to be implemented for making instructional decisions for the student’s progress. The increased use of technology in the school system allows teachers to meet the diverse needs of children in a unique and interesting manner (Salvia, Ysseldyke, & Bolt, 2009).

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Employment Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Employment Law - Case Study Example I'm only doing my job." He then picked up heavy glass paperweight from the desk and threw it at Mrs Simpson, hitting her in the face which resulted in serious injury. Tom tried to justify his behavior by claiming that his line manager, Sarah Harper, has been constantly criticizing his performance, customer care approach and time keeping. Later, at an official party, where he was rebuked and laughed at for his conduct with the customer, he picked up fight and injured one of his co-employee. In the facts and circumstances given above, two incidents of causing injury are directly attributable to the employee. Thus, the issue presented for consideration is as to who would be held liable for compensation to the victims for the tortuous and wrongful act of Tom Barnes. Apart from the criminal liability of Tom Barns for which a separate action would lie either by the employer or by the customer, in all probabilities, the relief of monetary compensation or punitive damages can be sought by the customer by primarily suing the employer as defendant as the employer is liable under tort for the acts committed by his employee. The liability of the employer for the tort or wrongful commission of an act by an employee emanates from the well known maxim "Respondent Superior", which means, Superior is responsible or let the principal be liable. This liability derives its validity from the fact that he who does an act through another is deemed in law to do it himself. This is also known as vicarious liability of the employer. Vicarious Liability As stated above, Vicarious liability is an old principle of employment law whereby the employer is held to be responsible for the acts of its employees when they are acting within the course and scope of their employment. The vicarious liability of the employer can be traced to the definition of employer-employee relationship propounded by the U.S.Supreme Court in the case of United States v. Silk (1) 91 L.Ed. 1757: 331 U.S. 304 (319), per Reed, J. wherein it was agreed that the test was whether the men were employees " as a matter of economic reality". The important factors were said to be "the degrees of control, opportunity of profit or loss, investment in facilities, permanency of relations and skill required in the claimed independent operation." The indicia of employer-employee relationship is further elaborated in the "Re-statement of the Law" (2) as follows: (a) The extent of control which, by agreement, the master may exercise over the details of the work; (b) Whether or not the one employed is engaged in a distinct occupation or business; (c) The kind of occupation with reference to whether, in the locality the work is usually done under the directions of the employer or by a specialist without supervision. (d) The skill required in the particular occupation; (e) Whether the employer or the workman supplies the instrumentalities, tools and the place of work for the person doing the work; (f) The length of time for which the person is employed; (g) The method of payment, whether by the time or by the job; (h) Whether or not the work is a part of regular business of the employer; and (i) Whether or not the parties believe they are creating the relationship of master and servant. It would follow from the above that since the employee is in total control and supervision

Saturday, August 10, 2019

Penetrating testing techniques Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Penetrating testing techniques - Research Paper Example This article will analyze some of these modern computer attacks, how they happen and ways of mitigating them. A DDoS attack is an ill attempt to make a network or server resource unavailable to users, often through disrupting or suspending the services of a connected host from the internet. The DDoS attack can be achieved by two main ways. First, the attacker, using malware or Trojan can take over several computers on the internet, creating a botnet in the process. Secondly, the attacker then controls the affected computers and makes them attack simultaneously the target thus achieving their initial goal (Gu & Liu, 2007). The DDoS attacks can be resolved, mainly through the incorporation of blocking and detection mechanisms, that apply even during the spoofed attacks, when attacker profiles and identities are constantly changing. Others include, giving more complete capabilities of verification than either IDS signatures or static routers filters can provide. Prevent dependence on configuration changes or network device resources. In-built intelligence processes being infused with only contaminated traffic packets that would guarantee minimum scaling costs and maximum reliance. Implement procedures for communication standards to help guarantee maximum reliability and interoperability. Blocking and identifying individual spoofed packages to guard genuine business transactions (Patel & Patel, 2014). TCP session, or session hijacking, is generally a means of taking over a session of a web user by obtaining surreptitiously the session Id and pretending to be the official session user. Once accessed, the invader can pretend to be the official user and freely access and manipulate data as they please. Hackers popularly use routed IP packets from the original source to hijack a session. Through re-routing the communication to go through his computer, he can communicate with the different machines simultaneously. An effective example of such

Friday, August 9, 2019

Alternative Energy Sources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Alternative Energy Sources - Essay Example export or import based on competitive pricing and expertise, Bauman (2004, p. 13-15). A free market determines how the global economy functions based on comparative advantage. States are able to specialize on what one does best. Such scenarios would yield into timely production and supply due to the competitive nature of the operation. A free market would provide good incentives for producers to supply and respond to consumer demand. Extraction of renewable energy sources would be done at an increased competitive level of cleaner, cheaper and adequate energy. Private equity investment, free markets attract private equity, which is reasonably important for investment in exploration and exploitation of renewable energy. Private investment injected into projects is crucial towards the creation of employment in the private sector to professionals who may not be fortunate enough to gain meaningful employment in the government. Investors in the energy sector may enjoy various incentives from the government which aims at encouraging investment in renewable energy sources. Such incentives may include tax exemptions, tax credits and infrastructure development in extraction fields. However, allowing the free market can also be catastrophic to the economy, this argument presents a case for argument in favor of government intervention. According to Katrin Jordan (2011, p. 19-25), free-market approach encourages existence of natural monopolies and cartels. Liberalization of the sector would leave cleaner energy needs at the hands of a few with capital resources, thus holding state and industries functionalities at ransom especially when supply costs are low. Monopolies and cartels create an artificial shortage thus increasing the cost of energy. Cartels have in the past been used to cripple crucial government operations thus it becomes necessary for the state to be involvement in

Thursday, August 8, 2019

Ipads in schools Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ipads in schools - Research Paper Example cation is not a bad idea but important because it combines the technology to proper understanding of advanced software tools that gives perfect content and instruction. The Ipads are expensive to purchase and maintain since their breakage rates are high mostly rate at 10% per year and their value depreciates heavy. Most of the students using the devices are not well trained in using them and it is expensive employing information technology staff in schools. Pushing ipads into schools without clear plans leave the teachers jagged about the technology. In the olden days, computers in education were received with great joy but most teachers and the students have been discouraged because of failure in delivery. The use of Ipads in the classroom has increased the rate of laziness by most students because they want to do things in the easier way by application of technology. Most students do not accomplish their assignments in time because of engaging in the online social networking sites spending most of their time chatting. Some students spend most of their time watching bad material online such as spending time on pornographic sites wasting their precious study time. Because of the advanced technology most students take advantage to use Ipads to commit malpractices during the examination time. Some teachers also develop laziness and do not deliver well in class lecturers. They force the student to do intensive research online for the study materials that is quite tiresome and messy showing neglect of duty. Ipads technology in the classroom can be a powerful tool for learning and comprehension. It provides a good experience for the elementary school student engaged in their application. Ipads have some great advantages in classrooms since it help most of the parent in saving the much they spend in purchasing books. Lecturers and parents should not worry about replacing lost and damaged books. Ipads keep the attention of students to technology and sometime increase

Cumulative paper based off e-book provided Essay

Cumulative paper based off e-book provided - Essay Example My expectations were fulfilled when I read the chapter thoroughly as all core issues about crime and crime control were there in the chapter in detail. After reading the chapter, I learned the types of crimes occurring in the United States of America, as well as the some of the basic laws and official policies regarding crime control. The thing I liked the most in the chapter were the tables of statistics showing the types of crimes and number of victimizations for year some particular years. I also liked the tables showing changes in the rate of crimes from one year to another. However, I would have liked this chapter to provide a detailed knowledge of the ways to control the rate of crimes. Chapter 2: The second chapter of the book builds upon the knowledge shared in the first chapter of the book. This chapter includes a discussion on various perspectives of crime control and crime control strategies. These perspectives provide a clear knowledge of the significance of crime control for establishing peace. The chapter also includes a detailed discussion on the causes and consequences of crimes, as well as draws attention towards the limitations of retribution incapacitation and incapacitation of retribution. The chapter also includes a discussion on the basic goals and objectives of crime control and crime control strategies, such as, retribution, rehabilitation, incapacitation and deterrence. I thought of this chapter as if it would be having details about the perspectives of critics and supporters about different types of sentencing or crime control strategies. I did not have an idea that the chapter would also include a discussion about the causes and consequences of crimes. When I read the chapter thoroughly, my expectations were partially fulfilled as some of the issues that I had in my mind were discussed, such as, perspectives of crimes and crime control strategies, whereas the chapter did not highlight the perspectives of critics and supporters regardi ng appropriateness of sentencing models. After reading the chapter, I learned about the causes and consequences of crimes, as well as about the limitations of adopting different crime control strategies, such as, rehabilitation, incapacitation, and deterrence. The thing I liked in the chapter were the way causes of crimes in a society and their impact on the minds of people and overall society were described. However, I would have liked this chapter to highlight different types of sentencing models and the views of critics on them from different angles. Chapter 3: The third chapter of the book covers the theory of traditional policing and underlying concepts. It discussed whether the strategy of hiring more cops plays a significant role in reducing the number of crimes or not. The chapter also includes a discussion on different approaches that can be used to increase the effectiveness of police, such as, freeing up the resources, continuing with random or reactive policing, private security mechanisms, private policing, use of detectives, and other traditional approaches to policing. I thought of this chapter as if it would be having details about the theory of traditional policing, as well as about the effectiveness of traditional policing in controlling the crime rate in the United States of America. I also thought that the chapter would bring into light the limitations that traditional polic

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Childhood Christmas to Adulthood Christmas Essay Example for Free

Childhood Christmas to Adulthood Christmas Essay Christmas as a child for me was very fun. I got many presents from Santa as well as many from relatives. Christmas was probably my favorite holiday of the year, to me it meant that if I was good enough Santa would bring me presents. Most of the time I was very good and never got into trouble. In my family when you go from childhood to adulthood it becomes a big deal. For starters you open presents with the adults. You also don’t have to worry about leaving with the other kids while the adults open presents. Seeing that I do not have kids I am sort of at a mid point of whether or not to look forward to this holiday. One of the many reasons I love Christmas is because my grandmother makes the best food. There is more food than any of us can eat and we have leftovers for days. My grandma makes most of the food and some people bring a favorite dessert. All of the food is set out on the dinning room table buffet style. We gather around to bless the food and then us kids get our plates first, most kids are picky I sure was at that age. You couldn’t hardly get me to eat anything as a kid so my plate was full of mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, rolls and probably green beans since I was not much of a turkey eater as a youngster. After we filled our plates with food we are free to eat wherever we please and since we are kids we normally go down into the basement away from the adults. After we eat then the dessert comes out. My favorite dessert would have to be pumpkin pie with cool whip on top. I could probably scarf down a whole pan of that stuff. There are only a few people in my family that like pumpkin pie so all of the leftover pie went to me. Every year we have Christmas lunch and presents at my grandparents house in Atwater California. My grandparents house is huge, they built it sometime before I was born. It is a three story house not including the attic, the first floor has a bathroom, living room, dinning room, and kitchen which has a door leading to the huge basement that could be more living space if needed. Then you have the second floor, that has three bedrooms, an office and 2 bathrooms. I love having Christmas at this house because it is the almost the perfect size for everyone to fit. My family’s very funny, they love to joke around with people. They are also very laid back and always on schedule. Every year we have almost the same people during the holidays. A few years ago we lost my great grandma and my great grandpa a few months after that. Four years ago my aunt Nikki and her husband Gary left for Georgia because that is where he got stationed. My eldest sister Elysebeth got married and has two children and they join us for family holidays. Some of my moms side of the family comes and that’s when things get loud considering we are very obnoxious and you basically need a hearing aid to hear anything. Over the past seven years I have gotten used to the change from childhood to Adulthood Christmas. I thought it was so cool to finally open presents with the adults. A few years went by and I started realizing that the transition was not exactly what I had been hoping for, and I did not want to be with the adults but by then it was to late so I got ov er it. Its not as fun as it used to be but I try to do the best I can for the little ones in the family who still believe in Santa. The downside of the food as an adult is that you have to wait for all the kids to get done filling there plates before you can fill yours. Yes, that sounds greedy but I love my food! Something that can also be a downside is where to sit, at this point all the little kids want to sit up at the table right next to you. The only problem with that is there are not enough seats for everyone to sit right next to you. So you have to be the bad guy and tell someone no. The setback about having Christmas at my grandparents house is that there are a lot of people and it can become crowded and overwhelming. From children running around to presents spread out everywhere. Everyone is either sitting in a chair, on the floor or standing up because there is no where to sit. With everyone catching up and bonding the walls sometimes echo and it’s to cold to have be in the backyard. A fly in the ointment for me about there being a lot of people is that I now start buying presents for everyone, which normally isn’t a bad thing because I love buying things for people but I have an enormous family. When you count all of us together during this holiday there is a total of about eighteen, which is a lot of money to spend! Over the span of time since I have joined the adults in the opening of presents has made me realize that it isn’t necessarily about the gifts. Its being thankful for what you have and the people around you. The  overall exp erience for is a great one because it brings family together and shows you what the holidays are really about rather than just opening presents, eating and leaving. I love my family and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.