Ideological Relations between Mao Zedong and Nikita Khrushchev Essay

Ideological Relations between Mao Zedong and Nikita Khrushchev - Essay Example The second fight was against the nationalist Kuomintang (Marks 10). The Nationalist Kuomintang was led by Chiang Kai Shek. The overlapping wars persuaded Mao to ignore the advice and directions by Stalin. During the Second World War (1939-1945) Mao followed the lead of Stalin and agreed on the Joint Anti-Japanese Coalition with a leader of Nationalist Kuomintang, Chiang Kai Shek (Hershberg 149). The treaty of friendship was signed with Nationalist Kuomintang in 1945. After 3 months of Japan’s surrender, Stalin broke the treaty (Li 4). In 1950, Mao Signed Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship & Alliance (Li 409). The alliance resulted in $300Mio loan at a very minimal interest rate along with the military alliance for the period of 30 years. In 1954, after the death of Joseph Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev met Mao and formally handed over Port Arther base to China (Khoo 4). The Post Stalin policies by Khrushchev were in conflict with the mindset of Mao. The reason was that Khrushchev den ounced Stalin through his speeches. In 1956, Khrushchev developed the relationship with Yugoslavia. The leader of Yugoslavia Joseph Broz Tito was denounced by Stalin. Mao was the supporter of Stalin’s ideology. Khrushchev tried to dismantle Mao’s support of USSR. ... Â  The major reason for the Sino-Soviet split was the national difference. The political line of Mao was totally opposed to that of Khrushchev. Therefore, the conflict in political perspectives between the two parties leads to the creation of two rival formations internationally. The issue was not explicitly considered as the national difference. The issue was believed to be the different historical developments between Russia & China. Different level of productive forces was considered as the major difference between two rivals. In addition to this, the Russian revolution began from the cities and moved towards the countryside, whereas the Chinese revolutions began from the countryside and moved towards the cities (Westad 9). Moreover, the relations to imperialism between the countries were also having a different perspective. The Sini Soviet split was basically the ideological conflicts. Therefore, in 1960, the worsening of ideological relationships between Mao Zedong and Nikita K hrushchev lead to the Sini Soviet Split. 2. Critical Evaluation of the Sources Most of the data regarding the Sino Soviet Split was retrieved from a number of different sources. A brief critical evaluation of two of the sources is as follows Source 1: Sino Soviet Conflict: Cold War In the Communist World 1921-1959 The Sino Soviet Conflict was the book written by Lorenz Luthi, which was published in 2010. The book elaborated the Sino-Soviet Conflict with great details. Therefore, the book describes in detail history of Cold war and the reasons for Sino Soviet Conflict.

Sequences of Development Essay Example for Free

Sequences of Development Essay The explanation of the sequence and rate of aspect of development from birth to 19 years. Ans. Following the timeline given the below illustrates these sequence of development from birth : 0-6 months – At this stage, the baby has just come out of the womb. There is a huge reliance on the environment and the mother for the survival of the baby. The baby is learning aspects of movement and coordination. He/she is grasping more awareness of surroundings. Food and warmth is exclusively supplied by the mother. 6-9months – The awareness of him/her to the environment becomes sharper. The muscle coordination and movements of the baby become more definite. The baby becomes more â€Å"free† with the environment and interactive. At this stage the young tot can crawl and sit up confidently. 9-12 months – Judging by the baby’s growth, (physically and mentally), It can be said that he/she is moving into the â€Å"toddlers stage†. Here he/she is taking some steps gradually. This stage is quite important in infancy as the muscular development is getting quite advanced. The child is aware of other children around him/her and is interacting with them. 2-24 Months – A lot of more definite changes are happening in the child’s life at this stage. He/She is moving into a greater deal of psychological development. Also, the mental development at this stage is getting quite advanced. The child is learning how to be more reliant on his/her own judgements and interestingly, a lot of changes in behavior can be seen at this stage. The child i s much more aware about the environment and can choose options on what to play with, how to play e. t. c. He/she becomes more responsive to education as the brain is much more advanced at this stage and actually â€Å" is eager to learn educational stuff†. The stage is vital in getting a child educationally involved as he/she is â€Å"ready to take on† so to say. 2-3 Years A behavioural pattern emerges here. The child suddenly starts to become a bit resolute and wants to have his/her own way. There is a certain amount of self dependency that is seen here and not seen in earlier stages. It might give his/her parents a fright and they can start to think if there is something wrong with the child. The brain is getting much more developed and the child is eager to learn. There are definite physical changes as well. The body becomes less susceptible to easy injury as the child’s skin toughens. He/she also becomes more immune to infection. 3-5 Years – The child is thinking like a â€Å"mini adult†. There is more confidence in speech. More assertion in expressing self. The child is looking more at the â€Å"behavioural pattern† of his/her parents and other people he/she is in care with. This is one of the most if not, the most important stages in the childs growth pattern as this is where the â€Å" Character forming† element can begin and will definitely form the rest of the child’s life. The main concentration on children at this stage must definitely be a form of positive character development and essence on positive thinking and acting. The child will grown from this stage into more adult ways of thinking and positive self reliance will result. For instance, some children may start to learn how cook and feed themselves even at this stage!! As the physical out look of the child takes on a more mature form, the child’s identity starts to express itself and in a psychological and social sense, the child takes on his/her awareness of self. 5-8 years The child is taking on more responsibility and is seeing him or her self as â€Å"part of the world â€Å" so to speak. The environment takes on a different dimension with him or her and a lot more emphasis is given to friendships and what they mean. The behavioural pattern in the child at this stage is formed for life. The child is having his or her own identity and is willing to share it with the world. An opinion of things start to take form in his or her own mind and as a consequence, certain forms of behaviour emege. It is important to note that at this stage of the child’s development, he or she is directly influenced by what mum or dad says and can be heavily affected by what is said to him or her. This is the stage where abuse can be much more destructive. As he or she may form opinions and be influenced by them easily, life’s truths and hardships will need to be passed down in a very â€Å"gentle† manner to him or her so there is understanding that these steps are taken for the child’s own good. 9-11 Years – The difference between boys and girls between them individually and to each other start to appear sharper and more permanent. The girl child sees herself as more expressive, will start to â€Å"grow â€Å" (in clear psychological and social terms) more and be more assertive. Despite this show of bravado, there is still a huge reliance on adults especially the parent or guardian. The males in their own case , will take strength from being in packs and express themselves more openly. There is a clear segregation of the different sexes at this stage and probably for the first time, a clear distinction between the physical characteristics of each other start to appear to the male/female child and an hints of an attraction start to emerge although initially very very subtly. Despite all this, the child is still very very dependent on his/her mother indeed. 1-19 Years – These years are more environment dictated to the child’s development than ever before. As the child starts to see more of what adults do (especially in the mid teenage years), he or she copies and will start to act it out. For instance, a boy may start to take interest in adult discussions more than before and will be spending time asking dad and mum certain questions. It is essen tial that parents and guardians spend much more time with their teenage children in understanding†them. This has been a very important aspect that has been lacking in parent/children relationships over the years. As this child in this case grows up into ages 14,15, 16, there is a natural â€Å" I wan to know all† syndrome. The support of the parent in understanding the psyche of their children will greatly influence and help them in the child’s journey to becoming an adult. As this is a very important aspect of his/her life, every support must be given from other adults to let this teenager know that life isn’t that challenging as an adult and welcome him of her into this final stage of development in life as one of them with mistakes to learn from and life to live in. Difference in the â€Å"sequence and the rate of development† The sequence in development in a child show the journey through each stage of development in a child and how this child moves through them. The rate of development highlights the progressive time span the child develops from childhood into teenage years. †¢ An explanation of how children and young people’s development is influe nced by {a} A range of external factors : 1, Socioeconomics – The wealth status of a child’s parents and economic environment will inevitably reflect on the child’s development. Children do depend on food, water, warmth and a suitable environment to move about freely. In some countries in the world, this basic requirement is a tall order and inevitably, the level of development in these kids is adversely affected. The access to quality education could also be impeded hence affecting a child’s intellectual, mental progress in life 2, Nutrition – nothing needs be said much about this factor as it is impossible to child to grow as he or she should without adequate food and water. This is key as food and water do have the biggest role to play at this stage of a child’s life. This is not just about three square meals a day but also a balanced diet which will include Proteins, carbohydrates, mineral salts and vitamins. 3, Family and Society – The major psychological development in a child’s life is fed through his or her family (in this context the father, mother, brothers and sisters and cousins external family). As we learn certain ways of life and conduct from our family members, a child will inevitably, pick up certain forms of habits and behaviour which may or may not be socially favoured. The set of friends a child mixes with can also influence the way he or she sees things hence influences the level of development in his or her psyche. 4, Physical Environment – The environment has a part to pay in physical development and otherwise in a child as there are different elements that makes up an environment for a child. E. g some environments such as war zones may not be the best place to bring up a young child.. There have been very strong images of children in Sierra Leone carrying guns and shooting people at a very tender age. Also, it was reported that a lot of children died in Japan following the second world war due to heavy radiation from the atomic bomb . It is not difficult to see why it is said that a child is the product of his/her environment. (b) A range of personal factors 1, Pregnancy stage : If the child while in the womb has been dosed with cocktails and cocktails of drugs, this will in effect, affect the child long term. The child could develop problems with breathing or even more permanent damage to the blood or other organs in the body. This is found quite common in developed nations especially in the west e. g here in the UK. This will be a debilitating situation to the child in their later life. 2, Health – Health problems can be genetic or caused by environmental factors. If the environment a child is raised up is not conducive, the child can be adversely affected by suffering from different diseases such as Cholera, Measles, Polio and so on. In over crowded and poorly ventilated areas, airborne diseases such as asthma, tuberculosis may spread and affect children more easily. , Physical Disabilities – This applies especially in cases of mental disability e. g downs syndrome, degenerative mascular dystrophy and these can restrict a child from exercising their God given abilities to do certain things and carry out certain tasks. This can also be seen in physically disabled children as they are not able to run and perform certain physical tasks. Their development as individuals is severely affected. â € ¢ How Current Practice is influenced by A) Theories of development There are many theories in which the most important influential factors ffecting the growth of children and young ones are based. For simplicity, they can be put into three broad areas which cover what the earlier child behavioural psychologists and sociologists based their conclusions. In terms of children’s educational needs ( on which this question is based on), there are three main areas to consider : 1, Maturationist Theory : This theory is based on the work carried out by Arnold Gessell. He advocated that the development occurs due to biological factors in predictable, sequential stages over time (Hunt 1969). The general belief by child education specialists is that children will learn automatically and naturally as they grow older (Farquhar and Stein,1993). With this theory comes the preparation of children at certain times for basic education. If a child can recite the alphabet, then they are with time and patience by the parents and guardians due for Schol. It is a very stage related progress. Being ready for nursery school, will be a stage when they can perform well in Arithmetic (sums) and can also display a good grasp of basic word spelling. In the current time, this is a method used or applied by schools for children when they seem to be lagging behind on the average level of learning. (2) Environmentalist Theory : With the environmental influence as stated earlier playing a significant part in the overall growth and development of a child, the educational side is revealed by John Watson and B. F Skinner for example, as a contributory factor. The idea is that children learn a lot from their environment and surroundings and as a result, can pick up â€Å"inspiration† in learning from how they can correlate what they learn with what goes on around them. An example of this is when the child can respond to what is on going in the class room that child has been placed. Learning qualification so to speak is based on what the child can see happening around him or her rather than an actual educational assessment. An example of this is the assessment given to children back in Africa in the 1960/70’s. In order to qualify for Primary School education, the child is asked to place his arm over his head in order to see if the hand can reach the ear lobe on the other side of the head. If the ear lobe is reachable, the child is accepted wether in the real sense of the word of assessment he is qualified or not. Children that suffer from slower learning under this theory are brought to be encouraged to use the environment around them as a teaching tool. (3) Constructivist Theory : The theory relates to the idea that children pick up learning attributes for development faster by interacting with friends and family In other words, the rate of learning is faster if the child can see close family as mum and dad as well as close friends around him or her while study. Theorists such as Jean Piaget and Maria Montessori conclude that the children actually â€Å"initiate† the whole learning process. An example can be seen when a toddler suddenly picks up a plastic bowl toy from the ground and places the lid on top. Parents can encourage their children in story telling activities at home and other activities that encourage reading out letters and counting. In the event of difficulty in learning, the child is given more close assessment and detailed teaching guides are put in place to give the young tot some more rigorous level of coaching.

Society and Characters in The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

Nathaniel Hawthorne chose the market place and the forest as settings used to symbolically develop his portrait of society and the characters in The Scarlet Letter. In this novel a story unfolds of three people who are torn apart by sin, revenge, and guilt. The market place reveals to the reader a place of restraint and severe Puritan laws. The setting of the forest yields the impressions of wild unrestraint and passion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The market place paints a careful picture of restraint and law that seldom delves into the depths of raw human emotion. As we study the buildings, we receive an equally strict message. The churches plant a vision of austere religion and conformity into the minds of eager readers. The closeness of the buildings in proximity to one another demonstrates the level of care and interest each member of the population is meant to take in the others. One of the most prominent structures in the market place is the scaffold. 'It was in short, the platform of the pillory; and above it rose the framework of that instrument of discipline, so fashioned as to confine the human head in its tight grasp, and thus holding it up to public gaze. The very ideal of ignominy was embodied and made manifest in this contrivance of wood and iron'; (56). It was made clear that this structure was a symbol of punishment to the people, but it also came to be a symbol of sin, guilt, death, and release. How did this structure take on so many meanings throughout the book? The answer is that each time there was an event occurring at the scaffold, each of the main characters was present. The place that Hawthorne chose to unite the characters and hoard symbolic meaning was the scaffold. In the second chapter, entitled 'The Market-Place,'; the reader is first introduced to Hester Prynne as she serves her punishment on the scaffold with her child, Pearl, in her arms. A careful survey of this scene reveals her minister Dimmesdale above the scaffold and her husband, Chillingworth, in the crowd. From the very beginning, Hawthorne has brought these characters together in the ominous presence of the scaffold.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In chapter seven, entitled 'The Minister's Vigil,'; we find Dimmesdale standing atop the scaffold with his arms outstretched to his mundane lover and daughter. Chillingworth also emerges out of the darkness to call in the minister. In the final scaffold scene, we see the minister openly admit his sin, with Hester and Pearl by his side, and Chillingworth at the bottom of the

Unit Three – Marketing P3

Marketing Research Market research indicates decisions made by a business, in this case Tesco, by helping the decision makers understand undercurrents of its market. This process involves research done on customers, competitors and the overall marketing environment. For example, when Tesco is promoting a product, they need to know the likes and dislikes of their targeted consumers in order to target the correct market successfully. They would also be required to research about their competitors, to find out if by any chance they offered a product that was similar, and how they would differentiate their product from it.Also, as an overall, they would be required to research the environment of the market, as well as the size of their target market, in order to decide how they are going to offer the product to the consumers. Example: sold in store, online, or both. Primary and Secondary Research There are two types of research: †¢Primary Research †¢Secondary Research Informati on for these types of research can be done internally – within the organization, or externally, from another organization or source of information outside the organization, in this case Tesco.When information or data is gathered for a certain purpose and has not been gathered before is known is primary research. Internal primary research data source could consist of: †¢The business’s sales figures of products †¢A central database holding customer data External primary research data source could consist of: †¢Various questionnaires and surveys †¢A variety of focus groups and interviews †¢Observation techniques When data or information that has been collected before, either internally or externally, is used for research is known as secondary research. Another name for secondary research is ‘desk research’.Internal secondary research data source could consist of: †¢Sales and regional reports †¢Market research gathered in the past External secondary research data source could consist of: †¢Websites and trade journals †¢Newspapers and books †¢Public reports †¢Census data †¢Industry reports For business like Tesco that operate in many different fields, secondary research is more cost-effective, before they decide to conduct primary research. This allows Tesco to have a better understanding of the market, as well as recognize any major obstacles before conducting expensive research.Secondary research also allows them to make assumptions based on similar products and therefore, once primary research is conducted, it can be used against the assumptions to evaluate and compare. This will help indicate how much primary research they are required to do and therefore they don’t end up doing too much that is not required. However, Tesco is required to take the limitation of secondary research into consideration: †¢The information may be outdated †¢The information may be b iased in order to promote particular causes †¢The methods used to collect the research may be unreliable.Qualitative and Quantitative Research Research methods can be qualitative, quantitive or can include both methods. Well-planned market research consists of both methods in order to result with a good combination of information revealing different things about the same market. Qualitative research is one-sided and normally unrestricted. It normally is gathered through interviews with customers or focus groups and therefore result in a wide range of research based on personal experiences and feelings.A qualitative question allows the individual go give a broad answer and not based against options. Qualitative research can be used to: †¢Find the perceptions of customers about an organization or brand. †¢Discover how changes in price and other factors affect customers and spending decisions. †¢Explore customer preference, interests and other factors. Quantitative research involves numbers and figures that can be examined mathematically or graphically. This may consist of sales figures, market values, etc. , as well as responses from customers on questionnaires.This is only categorized as quantitative research if the responses from the customers a chosen from series of answers provided on the questionnaire. The difference between quantitative and qualitative research: QuantitativeQualitative ObjectiveSubjective Tests theoryDevelops theory Concise and narrowComplex and broad Measurable Interpretive Basic analysis: NumbersBasic analysis: words and ideas Logical and reasonableDialectic Establishes relationshipsDescribes meaning Experimental settingNatural setting Uses of marketing researchThe information collected for market research prevents businesses like Tesco making wrong business decisions. If the product designer for Tesco progresses a new product without market research, then the business is not moving forward on reliable sources and the refore are unaware if customers are interested in the product or not. This indicates, effective market research improves the chances of success and reduces the risks. Tesco’s can also measure progress effectively over time. This can be done by, carrying out market research, to found out the awareness of the product before managing national advertising campaigns.Once they have conducted the research, they can put their national advertising campaigns into action and again conduct research and compare the two. Therefore, this indicates, market research can be used to measure progress as well as the effects of marketing activities. Limitations of market research – costs, effectiveness and validity of data collected Weather market research is done at a small or large scale, any time is required to be performed accurately and appropriately otherwise it gives irrelevant results.All market research conducted has the chances of being wrong no matter how well controlled and plan ned. There are various reasons why market research may not provide accurate or good results but a usual problem is deciding whether the research conducted really measures what it claims to be measuring. Marketers for Tesco are required to decide how reliable the information they have obtained is. Also they need to take into consideration, if the research contained had different respondents or different set of data points, would the results be similar.Validity refers to whether the research conducted is what it intended to be. Validity involves dependability, which means, a valid measure must be reliable. But, reliability doesn’t have to link to validity, a reliable measure is not required to be valid. The difference between reliability and validity: †¢Reliability guesses the point to which an tool processes the same way each time it is used in under the same conditions with the same subjects. †¢Validity involves the point of accuracy of your measurement.For organiza tions like Tesco’s, validity is considered more important than reliability because if a process does not precisely measure what it is supposed to, there is no use of it and therefore it being reliable is useless. Costs are also an essential consideration for Tesco when carrying out market research, as they are required to take into consideration if they money spent is worth the research undertaken and its potential benefits to the product, as well as the organization. A lot of time, effort and money can be spent on market research and in the end the solution discovered might not be worth implementing.

Accredited & Deluxe Hotels for Tourism Essay

1. Century Park Hotel 599 Pablo Ocampo Str. Manila 1004Â  2. Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria – Ortigas Avenue, Corner Asian Dev., Bank Avenue, Quezon City 3. Diamond Hotel Phillippines – Roxas Boulevard cor. Dr. J. Quintos St., Manila, Philippines 1000 4. Dusit Hotel Nikko Ayala Center Makati City Metro Manila, Makati, 1223, Philippines 5. EDSA Shangri- La Hotel – 1 Garden Way Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City, Manila 1650 6. Holiday Inn galleria Manila – 1 Asia Development Bank Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, 7. Hotel Intercontinental Manila – 1 Ayala Avenue, Makati, Luzon 1226, Philippines 8. Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila – 1588 Pedro Gil Corner MH Del Pilar, Malate, Manila 1004 9. Makati Shangri- La Manila – Ayala Avenue corner Makati Avenue, Makati City 1200 10. Mandarin Oriental Manila – Makati Ave, Makati City 1226 11. Pan Pacific Hotel – Gen M Malvar, Manila 1004Â  12. Renaissance Makati City hotel – Esperanza Street corner Makati Avenue, Ayala Center, Makati City 1228, Philippines, Manila 13. Sofitel Phillipine Plaza Manila – Ccp Complex Roxas Boulevard, Pasay – Manila 1099 14. The Bellevue Manila – North Bridgeway, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines 1781 15. The Manila Hotel – One Rizal Park 0913 Manila Po Box 307 Philippines 16. Heritage Hotel – Manila – Roxas Boulevard corner Edsa Pasay City 1300 17. The Peninsula Manila – Ayala Museum, Makati Ave, 1226 See more:Â  First Poem for You Essay 18. Vivere Suites – 5102 Bridgeway Avenue corner ASEAN Drive, Filinvest Corporate City, Muntinlupa City 1781 Accredited First Class Hotels in the Philippines 1. CSB International Conference Center – Arellano cor Estrada Sts | Malate, Manila, Luzon 1004, Philippines 2. Discovery Suites – Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1600 Philippines 3. Great Eastern Hotel – 7842 Makati Avenue, 1200 Manila 4. Manila Pavilion hotel – United Nations Avenue, Corner Ma. Orosa Str Manila 1000 , Philippines 5. The Linden Suites Hotel – 37 San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Centre Pasig City 1600 6. The Pearl Manila Hotel – General Luna Str., Corner Taft & United Nations Avenue, Ermita, Manila, Luzon 1000, 7. The richmonde Hotel – 21 San Miguel Avenue Pasig City‎ 8. Traders hotel Manila – 3001 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay, Manila, 1305 Philippines Accredited Standard Hotels in the Phillipines 1. Aloha Hotel – 2150 Roxas Boulevard, Cor. Quirino Ave.,Malate Manila, 1004 Philippines. 2. Bayview Park Hotel – 1118 Roxas Boulevard Cor., United Nations Avenue, 1000 Manila 3. Best Western hotel La Corona – 1166 M. H. Del Pilar St. cor. Arquiza St. Ermita, Manila, Philippines 4. Camelot Hotel 5. CEO Suites 6. Cherry Blossoms Hotel – 7. City Garden Suites – 8. Citystate Towe Hotel – 9. Garden Plaza Hotel – 10. Hotel Las Palmas –

The Most Important Factor in SEO

The Most Important Factor in SEO The Most Important Factor in SEO The Most Important Factor in SEO By Mark Nichol If you, or the business or organization you work for, want people to visit your (or its) website, you should know the most important factor in search engine optimization. As you probably know, SEO is any set of strategies designed to improve your website’s ranking in an online search. Various sources ascribe varying values to such strategies, but most SEO experts agree that the following approaches are important: Content should be well written, relevant, engaging, and frequently updated. Title, meta description, and header tags should contain terms that accurately reflect site content. URLs, or website addresses, should be short and should contain relevant keywords. A website’s longevity, and its reputation among popular websites with related content (indicated by shared content, links to your site, and references to your site), are also beneficial factors. There are additional techniques, but these are the basics that content producers should be aware of. You should also be alert to one of the factors that causes a website to be penalized in search engine rankings: Content that lacks depth and substance and that uses keywords excessively. Most website administrators, webmasters, and content producers are aware that search engines companies are constantly refining their products to reward websites with high-quality content and penalize those that ignore these simple, self-evident principles. However, it’s surprising how often one still comes across densely keyword-laden, awkward content that is designed for search engines, not human beings, to read. This approach to SEO is akin to that of a retail establishment that temporarily offers free products or services or that stations attractive, scantily clad models at the store entrance for a particular promotion. These techniques certainly encourage customers (I know both of them get my attention), but they have nothing to do with the quality of the products or services; once the freebies and the hotties go away, will customers come back? By the same token, if you want people to return to your website, give them what they want and what they want should be what you have to offer, not distracting diversions. The quantity of content varies widely depending on what that is, but quality is constant: Website content should be clear, concise, and informative. Compare the following paragraph from the About page for Daily Writing Tips with the one after that, which reflects what I would probably write if I were unfortunate enough to be an SEO content creator rather than a writer: â€Å"Whether you are an attorney, manager, or student, writing skills are essential to your success. The rise of the information age with the proliferation of e-mails, blogs, and social networks makes the ability to write clear, correct English more important than ever.† â€Å"Daily Writing Tips knows that English-writing skills are essential to your success. Whether you are an attorney, manager, or student, you need to write English well. Read tips about how to write English better at Daily Writing Tips. At Daily Writing Tips, we will show you how to write English well, use correct English spelling and proper English punctuation, and use the right English words. Bookmark Daily Writing Tips now for the best English-writing tips.† One paragraph tells you what you need to know. The other makes you want to scream. It isn’t content. It’s data. It is designed to be read by a machine. Design your content to be read by people. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Whimsical WordsBest Websites to Learn EnglishA Yes-and-No Answer About Hyphenating Phrases

The Redesigned SAT

The Redesigned SAT The SAT is a constantly evolving exam, but the changes to the exam that launched on March 5th, 2016 represented a fairly significant overhaul of the test. The SAT has been losing ground to the ACT for years. Critics of the SAT frequently noted that the exam was detached from the actual skills that matter most in college, and that the exam succeeded in predicting a students income level better than it predicted college readiness. The redesigned exam places the emphasis on language, mathematical, and analytical skills that are essential for college success, and the new exam is better aligned with high school curricula. Beginning with the March 2016 exam, students encountered these major changes: Selected locations offer a computer-based exam: Weve seen this coming for a long time. The GRE, after all, moved online years ago. With the new SAT, however, paper exams are also available. The writing section is optional: The SAT writing section never really caught on with college admissions offices, so its not surprising that it was axed. The exam will now take about three hours, with an additional 50-minute period for students opting to write the essay. If this sounds like the ACT, well, yes it does. The Critical Reading section is now the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section: Students  need to interpret and synthesize material from sources in the sciences, history, social studies, humanities, and career-related sources. Some passages include graphics and data for students to analyze. Passage from the Founding Documents of America: The exam does not have a history section, but readings now draw from important documents such as the U.S. Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights, as well as documents from around the globe related to issues of freedom and human dignity. A new approach to vocabulary: Instead of focusing on rarely used vocabulary words such as mendacious and impecunious, the new exam focuses on words that students are likely to use in college. The College Board gives synthesis and empirical as examples of the type of vocabulary words the exam will include. Scoring returned to a 1600-point scale: When the essay went, so did 800 points from the 2400-point system. Math and Reading/Writing will each be worth 800 points, and the optional essay will be a separate score. The math section allows a calculator for certain portions only: Dont plan to rely on that gadget for finding all your answers! The math section has less breadth and focuses on three key areas: The College Board identifies these areas as Problem Solving and Data Analysis, the Heart of Algebra, and Passport to Advanced Math. The goal here is to align the exam with the skills that are  most useful in preparing students for college-level mathematics. No penalty for guessing: I always hating having to guess whether I should guess or not. But I guess that isnt  an issue with the new exam. The optional essay asks students to analyze a source: This is far different from the typical prompts on the previous  SAT. With the new exam, students read a passage and then use close-reading skills to explain how the author builds his or her argument. The essay prompt is the same on all examsonly the passage will change. Do all of these changes give well-to-do students less of an advantage on the exam? Probably notwell-funded school districts will generally better prepare students for the exam, and access to private test tutoring will still be a factor. Standardized tests will always privilege the privileged. That said, the changes do make the test better correlate with the skills taught in high school, and the new exam may actually better predict college success than the previous SAT. It will, of course, be many years before we have enough data to see if the intentions behind the new exam are realized. Learn more about the changes to the exam on the College Board website: The Redesigned SAT. Related SAT Articles: Should You Take the SAT or ACT?When Should You Take the SAT?Low SAT Scores? What Now?SAT Scores for the Ivy LeagueSAT Scores for Top Public UniversitiesSAT Scores for Top Engineering Schools

Do You Have a One-Size-Fits-All Resume 5 Tips to Avoid this Fatal Error!

Do You Have a One-Size-Fits-All Resume 5 Tips to Avoid this Fatal Error! At a July 4th event, I was talking shop with another successful author, AnnaMaria Bliven. Her book, Work at Home with a Real Online Job, is about being successfully employed and working from home. Of course part of that success entails successful job applications. So she was excited to promote How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile to her clients. Then our conversation turned to a related topic: â€Å"I wrote another book that might be of interest – How to Write a WINNING Resume,† I stated helpfully. â€Å"Oh, I’m not interested in a book about resumes,† she said. â€Å"Every resume needs to be unique.† I was surprised by AnnaMaria’s response. The idea that any resume book would advocate a cookie cutter resume was beyond my comprehension. But hearing this perspective, from someone who built her career helping people get jobs, made me think it’s important to clarify my philosophy: NEVER write a â€Å"one size fits all† resume!! Here are some tips on how to ensure your resume is targeted to the position you’re seeking and paints you as a unique candidate: 1. Tailor each resume to the job description. If you’re applying for two different types of jobs, you will probably need two different resumes that highlight different aspects of your experience and qualifications. Let’s say, for example, you are a registered nurse with management experience and you are currently pursuing an MBA. If you are applying for a â€Å"worker bee† nurse position, you will focus on the details of the types of procedures you know how to do with patients, and the different types of medical conditions you are familiar with. You might not include information about your MBA at all, and you would want to play down the fact that you created a wound care program at your hospital from scratch. In contrast, if you want to be a manager, you will highlight your managerial, organization and training skills, and downplay your ability to put in an IV. This strategy applies to every single profession and resume. We used it when we had a CFO who wanted to be an Executive Assistant, and she got the job. Currently, we have a client with an executive business background who is applying to be a house mother at a sorority. We are putting her sorority experience up front and center. If she had been applying for a VP of Marketing position, sorority experience would be relegated to the final lines of her resume. If you have just one version of your resume, it might work well for some positions, but you might also be futilely throwing spaghetti at a wall. It’s worth the time and energy to emphasize the things that will matter for each job application you send. 2. Use keywords from job descriptions. Part of tailoring your resume to job descriptions is using actual keywords and language from those job description. You might feel like you’re â€Å"cheating† but trust me, it works. Here’s a sample bullet from a job description for a Marketing and Sales Manager: Meets marketing and sales financial objectives by forecasting requirements; preparing an annual budget; scheduling expenditures; analyzing variances; initiating corrective actions. It’s easy to see how someone with the skills listed could put them in a resume bullet, ideally by tying them to a quantifiable achievement such as the dollar amounts of those marketing and sales financial objectives. But a resume with these keywords can only be truly valuable when the keywords are in the job description. Yes, this means you will be tailoring each resume to the job description. I wasn’t kidding. Yes, there is work involved in applying for jobs. It’s worth it. 3. Use concrete facts to describe yourself in the top section of your resume. As I discussed in my â€Å"New York, New York principle† blog, it’s important to write a summary of yourself at the top of your resume that could not have been written by anyone else. This section is your opportunity to brand yourself and state your USP (Unique Selling Proposition). I’m not sure when it became customary to use vague, general, or even flowery language in a resume summary, but I’m telling you now, it is not helpful! Instead, list some big name companies or clients you worked for, a specialized skill you have, and a big result or two. The person next to you can be â€Å"results-oriented† and capable of â€Å"cross-functional leadership.† But how many of them worked for Coca-Cola and launched one of its most successful product lines? If you leave the most impressive pieces of your background for the Experience section, you are leaving money on the table. 4. Use professional formatting techniques. If your resume looks like the one your college career office helped you write, it’s time for a refresh. Look into the many formatting tricks that will bring your resume into the modern age. Possibilities include nicely designed headers (for sections like Profile, Experience and Education); bolded sub-headers; text boxes, charts and graphs; and varied font styles (within reason). Be careful to keep your format within the standards for your industry. For instance, financial and legal resumes are more conservative format-wise than biopharmaceutical executive resumes or sales resumes in general. Create something that you feel represents you and that is in line with your industry standards. Important: if you are sending resumes through computerized Applicant Tracking Systems, they might not recognize text in a text box or table. Format a separate document that you’re confident will pass through the ATS. 5. Vary your language. If you start every bullet with â€Å"Increased† or â€Å"Managed,† you will have a hard time keeping your readers’ attention. Instead, use a variety of verbs like â€Å"Boosted,† â€Å"Pushed,† â€Å"Grew,† â€Å"Raised,† â€Å"Expanded,† â€Å"Directed,† â€Å"Trained,† â€Å"Supervised,† and more. Sprinkle these verbs throughout your resume and your reader might not even realize what is keeping them reading past the first six seconds! Seeking more resume resources? Check out How to Write a WINNING Resume, by Brenda Bernstein, or Resumes for Dummies, by Brenda’s mentor, Laura DeCarlo. Do you have other ideas of how to make your resume unique? Share them below!

Compensation and Benefit Systems Research Paper

Compensation and Benefit Systems - Research Paper Example Moreover, harsh working conditions that are undergone by Chinese employees who put together Apple products at Foxconn worsen the already deprived compensation system. A survey by FLA (Fair Labour Association) in early 2012 discovered that 64.3% of Apple employees at Foxconn were not content with their compensation because they did not cover their basic needs. Moreover, the same proportion of Apple workers experience difficult work conditions for about 56 hours weekly (Denning 2012). The same FLA investigation discovered that the average monthly salary for unsupervised Apple employees at Foxconn was around $385, which is equal to $4,622 per annum. This compensation system includes salaries from the high rate of overtime hours these employees engage in. It is worth noting that the calculation of this analysis of the yearly salaries of Apple employees at Foxconn presumes that wages over the previous financial quarter represent those received all through the year. As a result, the strate gy might exaggerate incomes for 2013 because they might have increased since and play down incomes for the financial year 2014 because incomes might increase (McRitchie 2015). The compensation system for Apple’s executive or leadership team demonstrates the significant income discrepancy between the Apple C-suite and staffers compensation systems. The table below offers a detailed illustration of the sum of $441 million required in compensation by the team of nine executives comprising Apple’s leadership team in 2011.

Future Trends of Health Care Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Future Trends of Health Care Finance - Essay Example There is an imbalance of the number of people who demand health care, the price they pay and are willing to pay for it in the future, and the number of health care providers who supply the services demanded. This imbalance creates pressures on health care finance. More and more people, including our government and the businesses that cover health care costs of these people, would not be willing to pay an ever-increasing amount to finance health care. Premiums will not be allowed to increase indefinitely, because it is becoming unsustainable for the government to allow it, leading to cut backs in coverage. Many countries experimenting with different schemes are finding it difficult and unpopular to do so (OECD, 2006). As the PWC article and others (Schur, Berk, and Yegian, 2004) noted, the pressure of lower available financing in the face of rising health care costs and prices in the last decade, and the unwillingness of people (including the government) to pay for them indefinitely, are dangers that threaten our future in three ways. And third, our nation and our government will continue to find it a challenge to balance the costs of maintaining an aging population and a dwindling youth population exposed to more serious sicknesses. These are the challenges facing our health care organization. ... These are the challenges facing our health care organization. Unless we make some changes to cope with these challenges that are partly the effects of health care finance trends, we may not survive as a business. We therefore need strategic thinking to guide our organization, our services, and myself, in the next three to five years. Our organization must learn to manage costs, and invest funds in modern equipment and the training of people to continue improving our productivity, making the hospital sustainable. We need to make sure our health care services meet high quality standards without the costs going up too high, so we can continue to charge affordable prices. We also need to start thinking of ethical issues, like "do we provide the care that is needed and requested, or do we limit ourselves to what is financially covered by health insurance" Everyone from management to the youngest employee has to be prepared to face these challenges. The impact of future trends in health care finance affects all providers in different ways, and in the not-for-profit Catholic hospital where I work the issues we need to be prepared for will range from the medical and financial to the ethical and moral. Some Detailed Considerations I am a registered nurse who manages a Same Day Surgery unit in the hospital as part of my job working for the SSM Network, which has as its mission to provide exceptional health care services driven by core values consistent with our organization's heritage and priorities. We are known for our commitment to quality care - we won the Baldridge Quality Award in 2002, an accomplishment that reflects an exceptional

Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy Technologies Essay

Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy Technologies - Essay Example Biomass combustion and geothermal plants release greenhouse gases in qualities that are comparable to coals was well as sulfur and nitrogen dioxides which pollute the air and cause acid rain. Finally, there is nuclear power, which poses catastrophic threats in case of accidents and the release of radioactive water and gases into the atmosphere in addition to the production of GHG from emergency diesel engines. Figure 1 Fig 1.1 World primary energy consumption and CO2 emissions. (Hung 2010) Introduction In most of the world’s countries, the primary sources of energy are carbon based fossil fuels, this are however finite considering the fact that it takes millions of years for them to form although they are depleted in substantially less time. They are gradually becoming harder to extract as well as more expensive and this has in retrospect resulted into political conflict as nation’s battle each other in competition for these resources (Asif and Muneer, 2007). In additio n, the environmental impacts of fossil fuels have proved dire owing to the inevitable production of GHGs, which follows their combustion. The corollary has been a myriad of negative environmental effects such as a marked increase in the greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere that is threating to drastically change the global climate. In addition, the CLC that are also byproducts of burning carbon fuels have depleted the ozone layer and this exposes the world to dangerous infrared shortwave radiation, which poses a plethora of health danger for life on earth (Drabyk, 2001). More direct and short term impacts of fossil fuel include massive pollution of air and water the former resulting in acid rain, health problems such as Asthma and the latter mainly merging in oil seepages and leakages in water bodies. The innumerable problems attributed to fossil fuels and their apparent finiteness has necessitated a shift to renewable energy that many tout as the only feasible source of energy. Whil e conceding that renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and hydroelectric power portend clean and efficient energy, they are not a silver bullet and just like the non-renewable sources, they come with their share of environmental impacts (Letcher, 2008). This is in view of the fact that the new energy sources require significant investment in terms of resources and infrastructure to harvest them and this ultimately results in certain ramification for the environment that are however not very widely researched owing to the popular opinion that they are the embodiment of eco- friendly power Figure 2 Fig 2: Shares of energy sources used in electricity production, 2007. (Lenzen 2010) Solar power The sun is a source of a considerable amount of clean renewable energy that is arrested through solar panels and used to power machinery and generally provide energy both for industrial and domestic use. Notwithstanding, solar power plants have the potential to significantly impact the env ironment through; land use habitat loss and environmentally hazardous materials that are used in the manufacturing of the hardware. Large scale solar power plants have raised concerns about the land degradation and power loss, typically the amount of land that wil be require often depends on the topography or an area and the

Managing Communications, Information and Knowledge Essay

Managing Communications, Information and Knowledge - Essay Example As the discussion highlights one of the leading corporations in UK is Tesco, and Tesco has been dominating the retail sector for decades. The key drivers of achieving the level of success for the retail giant are based on its excellent operational philosophy that is among the core competencies of the company. In order to ensure appropriate coordination among the widespread outlets of Tesco, the store managers have to monitor the operational needs at every outlet so that the customers are provided with an amazing shopping experience. The store managers and customers are the main stakeholders of the organisation who are an important part of its business efficiency.This paper stresses that  the store manager is the person who has the requirement of having quick access to the latest information about the market trends and the satisfaction level of customers with the store’s products and service offerings. The store manager also needs to ensure that all the work procedures are co mmunicated in a clear and an unbiased manner to all the sales staff of the store. Presently, Tesco has availed the system development offering of Cisco and has implemented an entire network of IT system in accordance to the demands of the firm. The system is updated frequently by IT experts and all the information is collected and stored in the database. The managers may constantly need to review the data to make different types of decision for the store and hence this system is very useful for the managers in retrieving immediate information.

Child Trafficking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Child Trafficking - Essay Example These children, having suffered at the hands of fate get tempted by such offers, mainly because they want to make good money to serve their personal and family needs. Such children sometimes even step out of their houses with these agents, even without their parental consent. Actually neither the child nor the â€Å"adult is usually aware of the full implications of their actions† (What is Child Trafficking para. 2). Often, by the time these children are rescued, it is generally too late. The children who have been trafficked and sexually exploited have to bear various consequences varying from unwanted pregnancies to HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases. The physical scars can still be dealt with but the psychological scars remain to haunt them for a lifetime! Unfortunately, though many children get rescued their sufferings continue. According to an NGO, Plan USA, â€Å"The causes of child trafficking are complex and often reinforce each other. Victims are often made vulnerable by factors including poverty, the attraction of perceived higher standards of living, lack of employment opportunities, organized crime, violence and discrimination against women and children, government corruption, political instability and armed conflict† (What is Child Trafficking para. 2). ... The statistics show that in the last 20 year's time, anti trafficking organizations have worked harder to accept, understand, research and resolve the issue. But, despite of these continuous efforts, the problem remains unresolved. Therefore, it is time to make cumulative effort globally to eradicate such heinous issues thriving around us. â€Å"Some shocking numbers: Approximately 80% of human trafficking victims are women and girls of which upto 50% are minors. – U.S. State Department The average age of entry for children, who have been victims of the sex trade industry is about 12 years. – U.S. Department of Justice The global market for child trafficking is over $12 billion a year, with more than 1.2 million child victims. – UNICEF Surveys indicate that 30 to 35 % of all sex workers in Mekong (sub-region of Southeast Asia) are between 12 and 17 years of age. – UNICEF The average cost of slavery today is $90, a historic low† (Bales). Apart from w hat the governments across the world are doing to end child trafficking, there are other non profit agencies which are aiming towards rescuing children from hunger, abuse and disease. Each day, more and more children are trafficked into prostitution, forced labor, child marriages and other kinds of slavery. â€Å"Each day, the challenges grow greater for those who seek to prevent child trafficking and provide care for children who have been trafficked† (Our Mission para. 2). We all wait for someone else to bring about that change ! A general tendency is not to bother about the problem - unless it befalls upon us. That is precisely the reason why problems which are occurring on global level seldom find a global and effective solution. Sometimes it is people’s fear that holds them back from raising

Managing Communications, Information and Knowledge Essay

Managing Communications, Information and Knowledge - Essay Example As the discussion highlights one of the leading corporations in UK is Tesco, and Tesco has been dominating the retail sector for decades. The key drivers of achieving the level of success for the retail giant are based on its excellent operational philosophy that is among the core competencies of the company. In order to ensure appropriate coordination among the widespread outlets of Tesco, the store managers have to monitor the operational needs at every outlet so that the customers are provided with an amazing shopping experience. The store managers and customers are the main stakeholders of the organisation who are an important part of its business efficiency.This paper stresses that  the store manager is the person who has the requirement of having quick access to the latest information about the market trends and the satisfaction level of customers with the store’s products and service offerings. The store manager also needs to ensure that all the work procedures are co mmunicated in a clear and an unbiased manner to all the sales staff of the store. Presently, Tesco has availed the system development offering of Cisco and has implemented an entire network of IT system in accordance to the demands of the firm. The system is updated frequently by IT experts and all the information is collected and stored in the database. The managers may constantly need to review the data to make different types of decision for the store and hence this system is very useful for the managers in retrieving immediate information.

Emotional Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10250 words

Emotional Intelligence - Essay Example Author Daniel Goleman (1995) also brought EI into the forefront with his books entitled, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ and Working with Emotional Intelligence (Goleman 1995). Both resources propose that EI accounts for success at home, school, and work, enabling individuals to become more cooperative and effective team members and to build their technical skills and IQ for jobs at all levels (Vitello-Cicciu 2003). Goleman also hypothesized that EI can be learned and improves with age (Goleman 1995). In contrast, Salovey and Mayer (1990) contend that EI develops with age and that emotional knowledge can be enhanced and emotional skills can be learned (Vitello-Cicciu 2003). What's not known to date through research is whether or not EI scores, as determined by an ability measurement known as the Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), can be raised in individuals (Vitello-Cicciu 2003). (See Appendix: Assessment of EI in a Leader) Experts define emotional labor as the process of regulating both feelings and expressions to achieve organizational goals or expectations, or, as the effort, planning, and control needed to express organizationally desired emotions during interpersonal transactions (Vitello-Cicciu 2003). ... ational goals or expectations, or, as the effort, planning, and control needed to express organizationally desired emotions during interpersonal transactions (Vitello-Cicciu 2003). Organizationally desired emotions, also referred to as display rules are considered the standards of behavior that indicate not only which emotions are appropriate in relationship with others, but also how these emotions should be publicly displayed or expressed. The structure of this paper is as follows: Part one of paper begins with the introduction of the topic in an academic format. Then, explains the purpose of carrying out this research and what it tends to achieve is stated. After defining the objective a brief overview of the primary research questions are given. A very important chapter of literature review follows which highlights various researches which were carried out by the writers and analysts in the past. Research design highlights the approach and the methodology of how the information was acquired from the sources. The main Research results chapter has the main body of this research in which the findings have been discussed and concluded.In conclusion, the research shows that Marquise Facilities Corporation will benefit with incorporating emotional intelligence into its Management Training. In part 2 of the paper, a brief history of the company and the challenges they are faced with and how they will benefit from such train ing. Finally, a proposal of the implementation process will be presented. The main goal is to stress the importance of this training in the organization while being sensitive not to overload the busy managers with a program that will soon loose momentum. The key is to implement a process that is long lasting and adds value to the

A House to Remember Essay Example for Free

A House to Remember Essay I have moved in and out of many houses throughout the years, but none of them were as important to me as the house in which I grew up. I must admit that this house, although enormous, was neither the nicest nor the most comfortable house, yet my nostalgic nature has propelled me to treasure that house above all others. Having parted it for almost ten years, some details of the house are out of my grasp. The memory of the house now stands as a symbol of my childhood. It is the only place that I remember nothing but pure happiness, suffused with youthful innocence and carefree laughter that would never fade. The front yard of the house was a vacant space with a large concrete sink conspicuously imposed in one corner. Grandma used to stand upon the red brick pavement in front of this sink every morning; cleaning vegetables for meals, washing clothes from the day before, or scrubbing pots and bowls in soapy water. When grandma was doing her chores at the sink, I would stagger into the yard with my little green wooden chair dragging behind, set it a few feet from grandma, sit down and watch her hands maneuver among the items with fascinated eyes. Every now and then, along the clanks of hardware, some bubbles struggled free of gravity and rose into the air. That was when I would routinely utter an excited yelp and kick back my chair to chase the bubbles, which reflected sunlight more colorfully than crystal balls in the cheerful crisp mornings. If I were lucky, grandma would give me a little basin with water and a few drops of dish soap in which to play with. The procedure was always the same: I lowered my face almost to the surface of the water, intently stared at the spreading yellow solution without a blink, as if to hurry the process. As soon as the solution faded into the water, I shoved my hands into the basin and gave the water a fanatic stir, laughing,  panting, as shiny bubbles magically foamed in the entire basin. Most of the time, I could scoop up the bubbles with both hands and blow at them as hard as I could. The aftermath was predictable, bubbles were everywhere: in the air, on the ground and over my face. At this point, grandma would turn around to look at me with feigned solemnity. After helping me wipe soap away from my face, she retreated into the house to prepare lunch, while I sat alone in the yard, watching bubbles pop in a hurried manner. The refreshing lemony scent of the soap lingered in the air long after the bubbles were gone. Around noon, the hunger pain in my stomach and the delicious smell of food from kitchen attracted each other like opposite sides of a magnet. Without knowing, I was already tripping over the tall threshold that led to the living room. The living room was the dominant structure of this ancient house. It was profusely furnished with mahogany antiques that had carvings of dragons, phoenixes and other traditional Chinese symbols on it signifying its venerable history. The room itself was equally old; the whitewash on the walls was starting to peel, the red paint on the wooden doors appeared rather flaky. I would usually stop at the giant gate of the living room to peel off a few flakes of paint from its already-marred surface. But the need to go to the kitchen appeared more urgent to me at that moment. The kitchen was a moderately sized cubicle positioned at the rear of the living room. Squares of tidy white tiles covered its lower half of walls and floor. The kitchen counter and the stoves were lined up against the inner side of the wall. It seemed to me that grandma always had something cooking on the stoves, thus constantly diffusing the house with a faint yet pleasant aroma. The counter was home to a large collection of kitchen utensils; from plain enamel bowls to elegant porcelain plates, from iron woks to stainless steel pots, all of which had found their righteous place on the counter and lined up haughtily. The most repulsive piece was the pressure cooker, but for some reason grandma loved to use it. I remember countless times when I watched in awe at this strange apparatus restlessly ejecting streams of white vapor from a revolving black knob, while making incessant hissing sounds, loud and repelling, as if foretelling some imminent danger. Lunch was held at the little round table placed in the center of the kitchen. Usually, grandma would be at the table as I entered the room, kitting, strings of wool ascending tirelessly out of a basket near her feet as she skillfully transformed them into garments. While I climbed into a chair next to her, she would lay down her needlework atop the colorful balls of wool and start transporting plates of food to the table under my anticipatory watch. As soon as my bowl of rice arrived, I would launch a ravenous attack into the foods; chopsticks clicked hungrily amongst the different dishes as I mounted palatable delicacies on top of my steamed rice. In contrast, grandma ate her meal with suaveness; she had told me rules like dont eat with your mouth open dont make noises when you eat, but they were luckily never enforced (at least not then). Slow down, she would say benignly, watching me munch on my mouthful. I would mumble something in reply, but kept on devouring my favorites. Despite all these, my avarice still had its payback on me, I was never able to finish all the foods I hoarded in my bowl, thus by the end of each meal, I could find myself begging for grandmas pardon. Im so full. I whined, meanwhile searching for traces of relent on grandmas face. You shouldnt waste food, the farmers worked hard for those. Grandma said sternly. I wont next time, I promise. Alright then, just go take your nap. Upon the hearing of this acquittal, I slipped out of my customized tall chair at once and started to scurry to the master bedroom, which was located on the left side of the living room, a few feet from the dinning table. Once inside the bedroom, I immediately approached the main attraction an old 18-inch colored TV that was placed on a tarnished cabinet. With great eagerness, I reached my arms upward and stretched my body to its fullest extent; my fingertips fumbled among a row of smooth buttons. Finally, I felt  the round indent I was looking for and pressed it laboriously. Loud voices from the TV suddenly filled the entire room; I slouched heavily into grandmas oversized bed with relief and gasped for air, as if I had finished racing with a neighboring kid. But a minute later, I was already comfortably reclining against the bedrail and enjoying the exuberant cartoons. I would stare for a long time at this little black box with uttermost attention until sleepiness prevailed. The images were no more than blobs of colors and the voices were reduced into a vague humming sound as I slowly drifted into a deep sleep. When I woke up again, the fierce afternoon sunlight has softened into a tinge of warm orange. I could hear noises in the living room as my parents and grandpa returned from work. With a sudden jolt, I swung myself out of bed and wobbled hastily into the living room. There, everyone was already seated around the large dining table. Still a bit hazy from sleep, I found myself a spot between my parents, snuggled against them obsequiously in order to receive trinkets they have brought me. Dinner soon ensued; I played with my new toys heartily as the adults chatted and joked, occasionally laughing along with them at some jokes that I could not then comprehend. Congenial happiness was written on everyones face, which shined brightly under the white florescent light The house has vanished among the tides of citys reconstruction, but the reminiscence I have of it will never fade. I envisioned my mind as a vast coastal beach; passing time would hide pieces of my memories like fine sands over beautiful shell. Although they can be temporarily out of my reach, I knew they were out there, somewhere hidden, and waiting for a tide to reveal them to their righteous owner.

Functional Health Patterns Community Assessment Health And Social Care Essay

Functional Health Patterns Community Assessment Health And Social Care Essay The variances in ethnic views have influences on outlooks towards health care, their readiness to realize, observe and regulate to the progression of sickness. They consider that health is holistic and there is link between body, mind, and soul. Their ethnic beliefs effect the basis of sickness, appearance of are mostly and interaction of health problems and how they look for healthcare. They mostly have faith in in God. Catholics typically have divine objects in their home environment. They do not worth health promotion due to deficiency of language support and prefer Emergency visits. They might get incorrect diagnosis and inappropriate medication due to absence of communication. Their racial ethics are used to stimulate conduct to decrease the threat of sicknesses. It also develops communications and health effects and supports them to look for healthier actions. They use their money for whole family and for beverages (Kemp). Actual Diagnosis: Risk for Spiritual Grief Interference. Interventions: Practice beneficial interaction when contacting patient and reassure involvement in spiritual actions. Health Perception/Management Diabetes is on of the predominant health problems in this community.Accordng to CDC 28.3% of adults are diabetic in this state. Over the next 20 years, the obesity could contribute 741,358 new cases of type 2 diabetes. County provides immunization to children from birth up to age 18. Infant mortality rate was 4.3% in 2011. Injury related death rate was 40.4 per 100,000. MCFRS has full operational authority. It is ultimately responsible for the safety, health and welfare all personals. There are military and civilian behavioral health professionals for the enrichment of the community. Referrals to outside agencies are given for legal issues, financial planning, foster care, housing services. Nutrition/Metabolic Lack of fertile soil is primarily the indicator of nutrient deficiency.62.7% adults are overweight according to 2007 report, because of obesity prevalence; the community is in alert for the availability of affordable food. Special discounts are only available for members with gym privileges, through streams or storm water collection. Drinking fountain is not permitted but water coolers are available. Junk snacks are banned in 2008. Fast food, candy and other low nutritious items are still available. And there are vending machines. No remarkable evidence of healthy food consumption. Violence and obesity are the evidence of unhealthy food consumption. Special diets are mandated by religious practices and beliefs. School is adhering to the obesity prevention program. No candy or soda during meal time. Students who are from low income families are entitled for free lunch. Elimination (Environmental Health Concerns) Ground level ozone results in smog. Construction activity is the main cause of noise up to 85 Decibels. This County has a recycling center. Integrated pest management is committed for pest control and schools provide updated list for the usage. Standard washing machine with hot and cold water is common. Hand washing is done by soap and water or hand sanitizer. Mostly found single bathroom. Cleanliness is depending upon the occupancy. Mary land Nurse Practice Act gives the guide line for health care providers and other members. If outside temperature exceeds 80, it is considered as hot day. Shade structures are part of public service development. Security officers are assigned for safety management and they wear appropriate badges or soft body armor. Activity/Exercise These are part of obesity prevention program. Recess is a part of school health program. All of these facilities are in active usage in this county. Pedestrian safety and camera program are part of safety procedure. Fire and burns are most common cause of unintentional deaths. Prevalence of obesity is a clear example of the result of sedentary life style. Children are spending more time in watching videos and computer. Public and private means are most commonly used transportation. Sleep/Rest This county is a middle class area with many citizens who start work early. They go to sleep early at night so that they can wake up early for work. 23% of the population is made up of kids and these kids have school early morning. Recent studies have shown that Montgomery County had an increase in sleep deprivation. Falling asleep while driving is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes, 40,000 injuries, and 1,550 fatalities each year. Cognitive/Perceptual 81% of the population gets regular checkups with their doctor. This is more than average. There are close to 125,000 people in Montgomery County who speak English less than well, or about 14% of the population. This is a 20% increase from 2002 data. People who have difficulty within the cognitive perceptual portion are located in hospitals, nursing homes, and mental wards. 265 people in other group homes. 226 people in mental (psychiatric) hospitals or wards. 4,357 people in nursing homes. 328 people in homes for the mentally retarded. 62 people in homes for the physically handicapped. For delinquent children, 59 people in short-term care, detention or diagnostic centers. 57 people in hospices or homes for chronically ill. For drug/alcohol abuse, 41 people in hospitals or wards. For chronically ill, 33 people are in other hospitals or wards. Self-Perception/Self-Concept In this community, many people describe themselves negatively. Many people do not feel so good about themselves. One problem that is present is depression. There are six different depression specialists near Silver Spring, Maryland. Since there are many Hispanics living in this community, there is a high-risk group for depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Hispanic women are more likely to experience a major depressive episode. Another factor that lowers the self-esteem of the people in Silver Spring is being overweight, especially in women. There are generally changes in the way they feel about their body. They do not frequently get angry, annoyed, or fearful. The feeling of losing hope is also not very frequent. Role/Relationship The YMCA provides counseling for individuals, families, and groups in Montgomery County. Therapeutic groups are also offered according to community and school needs, such as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Bullying à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Anger Management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Loss and Grief à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Parenting Support à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Social Skills. Vulnerable populations face many challenges every day. Montgomery County, Maryland Advanced Practice Center for Public Health Preparedness is prepared to help vulnerable populations. Silver Spring Township Police Department formed a partnership program that will build a positive relationship between police officers and the youth of school district. Fire and EMS departments effectiveness in delivering emergency service to the community is depend upon the amount of time it takes from when they call 911 to the arrival of help. There is an annual blood drive in memory of father and son firefighters. Silver Spring Food Pantries, Soup Kitchens Food Banks supply the food to the Soup Kitchens, Food Pantries, Shelters etc., they in turn provide food to the individuals that need it. Sexuality/Reproductive Services include diagnostic testing, exams and treatment of STDs. confidential HIV testing available. All those who tested for HIV get pre and posttest counseling. For birth control Silver Spring center offers Abortion pills, in clinic abortion, and abortion with sedation. GYN consultation services are available for low income or uninsured teens and women of childbearing age. Services include: -physical examinations and pelvic examinations -breast examinations and pap smears -Pregnancy testing and birth control methods -routine tests for sexually transmitted diseases as well as HIV counseling and testing -basic medications for sexually transmitted diseases and other GYN conditions or infections. Coping/Stress According to Montgomery County Police statistics Crime has been falling in Silver Spring. PS: Child Protective Services Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services 240-777-4417 (24 Hour Report Line) APS: Adult Protective Services- Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services 240-777-3000 The chance of earthquake damage and the risk of tornado damage in Silver Spring are higher than the national average. A disastrous train wreck happened in Silver Spring, Maryland in 1996 on a snowy, February afternoon. Mental Health Association of Montgomery County provides outreach, engagement and services for homeless mentally ill men and women who are on the streets or in emergency shelters. One of every three children comes from an impoverished family. 50,000 Montgomery County residents are living in poverty. Stress management resources are available to manage anxiety and overwhelming stress. Meditation, yoga and wellness and Russian martial arts are also available. .

What is property :: essays research papers

What Is Poverty? Jo Goodwin Parker 1. You ask me what is poverty? Listen to me. Here I am, dirty, smelly and with no "proper" underwear on and with the stench of my rotting teeth near you. I will tell you. Listen to me. Listen without pity. I cannot use your pity. Listen with understanding. Put yourself in my pity, worn out, ill-fitting shoes, and hear me. 2. Poverty is getting up every morning from a dirty- and illness-stained mattress. The sheets have long since been used for diapers. Poverty is living in a smell that never leaves. This is a smell of urine, sour milk, and spoiling food sometimes joined with the strong smell of long-cooked onions. Onions are cheap. If you have smelled this smell, you did not know how it came. It is the smell of the outdoor privy. It is the smell of young children who cannot walk the long dark way in the night. It is the smell of the mattresses where years of "accidents" have happened. It is the smell of the milk which has gone sour because the refrigerator long has not worked, and it costs money to get it fixed. It is the smell of rotting garbage. I could bury it, but where is the shovel? Shovels cost money. 3. Poverty is being tired. I have always been tired. They told me at the hospital when the last baby came that I had chronic anemia caused from poor diet, a bad case of worms, and that I needed a corrective operation. I listened politely -- the poor are always polite. The poor always listen. They don't say that there is no money for iron pills, or better food, or worm medicine. The idea of an operation is frightening and costs so much that, if I had dared, I would have laughed. Who takes care of my children? Recovery from an operation takes a long time. I have three children. When I left them with "Granny" the last time I had a job, I came home to find the baby covered with fly specks, and a diaper that had not been changed since I left. When the dried diaper came off, bits of my baby's flesh came with it. My other child was playing with a sharp bit of broken glass, and my oldest was playing alone at the edge of a lake. I made twenty-two dollars a week, and a good nursery s chool costs twenty dollars a week for three children.

The Pruitt-Igoe Myth

In the middle of St. Louis, Missouri, just northwest of the Gateway Arch, is a vast and vacant fifty-seven-acre woodland. Oak and hickory trees are slowly reclaiming ground and overtaking the scant remains of thirty-three eleven-story apartment buildings, which once comprised the Pruitt-Igoe public housing complex. Completed in the mid-1950s before construction of the Arch even began, Pruitt-Igoe was one of the largest low-income public housing projects in the country. For nearly a decade, the complex distinguished the St. Louis city's skyline and received praise for its innovative modernist architecture that incorporated the planning principles of a radiant city. Yet just eighteen years after residents moved in, state and federal authorities demolished the towers with explosives and abandoned the site. What caused this immense failure in urban planning and public housing? This critical question is at the center of Chad Freidrichs' documentary, The Pruitt-Igoe Myth: An Urban History. The documentary claims that three interconnected issues account for Pruitt-Igoe's collapse. First, the economy essentially abandoned Pruitt-Igoe. After World War II, midwestern cities like St. Louis were flooding with poorer minorities from the southern states farms, where technology in agriculture displaced laborers. When these minorities arrived, the white middle class moving to the suburbs was nearly complete. Coincidentally, the same act that made Pruitt-Igoe possible also fueled this suburbanization via expanded Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans that made houses on the city's outskirts more affordable. The documentary makes it clear that the move to the suburbs was problematic because it caused the de-population and de-capitalization of Midwestern urban centers, where public housing initiatives were underway and premised upon continued urban growth, demands for high density living, and available jobs—all trends that did not come true. The Pruitt-Igoe myth was confirmation of whites disinterest in accepting minorities into their communities. For example, the whites' exodus to the suburbs (getting away from black people) began reversing itself when some minorities began to move into the suburbs and some whites moved back to the city. Throughout St. Louis history, we see countless number of incidents like these in terms of gentrification. Homes are taken away from minority families through gentrification forcing families to leave their only habitats and social support with services and other needs. The history of Pruitt-Igoe sheds light on today's challenges the city of St. Louis faces in regards to racial disparities. Second, the documentary finds fault with the laws that built and maintained the complex. Pruitt-Igoe was a product of the 1949 Public Housing Act, passed to address mounting problems in urban low income neighborhoods by providing safer houses and eliminating profit making landlords. When it first opened, residents dreamt that Pruitt-Igoe could be a â€Å"poor man's penthouse,† offering beds for all family members, privacy, and healthier living conditions. However, as the documentary maintains, it was a naive assumption on the legislatures that better housing alone could fix the broad societal problems that gave rise to the â€Å"ghettos† in the first place. Further, former residents assert that one of the main reasons Pruitt-Igoe fell was the failure of authorities to plan for the future and secure funds for maintaining the large housing complex. Last and not the least, segregation and racism effectively eliminated any meaningful opportunities remaining for the residents of Pruitt-Igoe. From the beginning, authorities planned to officially segregate the complex and use public housing as a tool to prevent what was termed â€Å"negro de-concentration.† When Pruitt-Igoe opened, though, the Supreme Court's decision that same year in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) required a change of plans, but white residents simply left, which resulted in perpetuating the effects of segregation. Moreover, white public housing authorities attempted to control the predominantly African American inhabitants with moralistic rules, such as restricting adult men, single or married, from living in Pruitt-Igoe. This resulted in broken families and no role model black male figures to help guide the young ones. The residents of Pruitt-Igoe brought these and other numerous issues like sanitation, water, heat and electricity problems to the city and housing officials but to no avail. The City and housing officials failed the residents of Pruitt Igoe. The people were living under deplorable conditions and concentrated poverty but because of the color of their skin they couldn't get any meaningful help or attention. Today, the â€Å"Pruitt-Igoe† issues in St. Louis still exist. Houses and complex apartments may not be demolished, but the constant negligence and lack of support from St. Louis City and housing officials is quite stunning considering we're living in the year 2018. It's so unfortunate that the â€Å"Pruitt-Igoe's† racial issue and the affects are still present today.

Best Buy Situation Analysis

In general, the company specializes in selling electronics, home office products, entertainment products and footwear, business programs and software, home appliances, and much more technology related products. Best Buy has earned the reputation as one of the top consumer electronics retailers and a leader in the industry. Its total revenues are $42,410,000,000, it employs 140,000 workers, and has a market capitalization of 1 1. 26 billion.The company Is a publicly traded corporation on the New York stock exchange under the signal- BY. It has gained many product and service brands that are recognized worldwide, such as Geek Squad, an in house repair service, which has been one of the company's main competitive advantages throughout its existence. The primary target market customer Is In the 16-35 age range. With 18-24 being the primary target because on average 40% are in college. Primary targets consist of businesses, both genders, middle class families and up.The secondary target i s 36-50 age groups mostly made of parents, new and small businesses, and price concerned consumers. The age group for the core audience Is 25-54 consumers 54% male 42% female and has an average household income of $75,000 (Khan, A). † Mission: The mission of Best Buy is to be the number one retailer of consumer electronics with a focus on roving a wide selection of high quality products at premium low prices while offering personable customer service and the best shopping experience both In store and online.Goals: In the company's 2014 fiscal annual report, Hubert Jolly, President and CEO of Best Buy, outlined the business transformation plan and goals as the 1 OFF shopping experience 2. Attract, grow, engage, and inspire transformational leaders and employees 3. Work with vendors to innovate and drive value 4. Increase return on invested capital 5. Continue leadership role in positively impacting the world Ochs 2 Core Competency: In terms of core competency, the key in terms of success for Best Buy has been its strategic customer-centric values and brand name recognition.Best Buy specializes in providing excellent customer service and the ability to give customers a hands- on shopping experience. Best Buy offers a wide range of products and will continue to work with vendor partners to maintain a strong relationship to guarantee low competitive prices. As far as brand recognition goes, Best Buy is increasing the amount of stores worldwide each year so the company name will continue to stick in customer's minds as well as strategic partnerships such s geek squad.SOOT Analysis Internal Factors Strengths Multiple Channel Sales Strategy Diverse Product Portfolio Reputable Brand Name Excellent Customer Satisfaction Weaknesses Geographical Concentration Limitations Reliance on Minimal Vendors Weakening Financial Position Poor Inventory Management Systems External Factors Opportunities Strategic Partnership Acquisitions Focus Towards Marketing Strategies Onlin e Sales Growth Consumption of Electronics Increasing Expansion of Retail Stores National and International – Foreign Market Penetration Threats Rise of Competitors, Loss of Market Share and RevenuesIncrease of Counterfeit/limitation Goods (China) Organized Retail Crime Increasing, Cyber Crime Threat to Security Market Shifting to Online Sales Medium to high Supplier Power Industry Analysis and Trends: The Consumer Electronics Market is continuously changing and is an ongoing process of evolution. Since technology is growing at a market. Already existing technologies are being re-invented to give the consumer a feeling that the old model(s) is irrelevant. An example is curved TV's and the phone ss.Ochs 3 These two technologies already exist however with a very slight modification, customers react and feel the need to purchase the newer version. This acts to re- invigorate what may seem to be a stagnant market. Online Sales are becoming more crucial to companies to survive in t he electronics consumer market. Amazon. Com being the leader in the industry of online sales has proved its dominance and Best Buy is increasing online retail operations to keep up. Since the recession, the market faced a decline in sales performance the last few years since 2008.However the market is making a slow, gradual come back and the situation in the industry is looking good. The fluctuating economy greatly effects consumer buying habits, and with the recovering economy conditions, consumers will have more money to spend on luxuries like electronics. According to the U. S. Consumer Electronics Sales and Forecasts â€Å"Revenues for the consumer electronics industry are projected to grow 2. 4% in 2014, reaching a new record high of $208 billion Joseph,J. ACE). Best Buy has struggled to maintain its market share with the increase of competition over the last few years but the company is growing in terms of revenue and number of stores increasing worldwide. Best Buy brand and presence is becoming well known globally and more growth opportunities are available for the company internationally. â€Å"Best Buy sees opportunities for innovation and growth in new markets and new geographies as well as in our core U. S. Business our growing global presence requires seasoned and as'. N. Y leaders to carefully manage our expanding family of international brands.Our international leadership team is focused on driving growth for our enterprise around the world (Willet, Robert, BY CEO International). † Competitor Analysis: Best Buys competitors are store-based retailers, internet-based tillers, multiple channel retailers, and vendors who offer products directly to the consumer. â€Å"They are competing amongst many others in the market for position as the top retail brand for electronic goods. U. S. Shoppers spend more than 126 billion dollars a year on electronic goods and more than 26% of it is totaled at Best Buy.For electronic purchases Best Buy remains as the top choice amongst consumers (Khan, A. ). † The major players are mass merchandisers like Walter Corporation, Amazon. Com and Apple Inc. (also a supplier). Unlike Best Buy, Walter offers much ore than Just electronics but they are growing in the electronics industry. In order to keep their prices low, Walter uses a low profit margin, high volume sales technique by squeezing their suppliers to name their price. To combat this, Best Buy must maintain their image as the ‘best shopping experience' retailer with a young, tech as'. N. , knowledgeable sales staff to assist customers and provide customer service unmatchable by Walter. In Ochs 4 addition best buy must maintain a strong, relationship on good terms with its suppliers because they are limited and also offer a price matching policy to match a rice offered by a certain store or retailer. To compete with Amazon. Com Best Buy must promote their brick and mortar, instant gratification business model. Unlike Best B uy, Amazon cannot boast physical, face to face customer service experience improvement to their website and online sales strategy since many consumers are moving towards online purchasing.One of the major risks Best Buy faces currently is the act of show-rooming. This is where customer go to the big box store to gain valuable information from the staff about a product and comparison shop, then go and purchase it elsewhere for a better price (Amazon. Mom). According to CEO Hubert Jolly: â€Å"Best Buy estimates that 1 5 percent of its customers come into the store with the intention of shortcoming, that number is only likely to increase (Macrame, M). † Since Apple is one of Best Buys vendors they must be careful with methods used to compete for customers.One of the main advantages Best Buy has in this situation is that they are actually able to offer their Apple products for a lower price than the Apple Store, while still maintaining strong customer service, warranties, and su pport as one would receive in the Apple store. New Opportunities: Best Buy faces ever rowing fierce competition as the consumer electronics industry continues to grow and new technologies are rapidly being innovated. There is much room for growth and new opportunities Best Buy can take advantage of to remain at the top of the market.One of the most significant threats Best Buy faces is the increasing amount of virtual retail sales in the consumer electronics industry, but this is also an opportunity. The first recommendation for Best Buy is to continuously innovate and improve the website to encourage online sales. Perhaps IT should undergo website redesign to offer easier web navigation/ characteristics similar to that of Amazon. Com. The second recommendation is the need to promote the advantages and benefits of shopping in store rather than at other online retailers like Amazon. Com.Such benefits include direct communication between representative and customer, fewer technologica l issues of ordering, easy returning methods, and the assurance the product will be received in perfect condition and on time rather than damaged or lost in transportation. The third recommendation is to move beyond the current business to consumer model and expand into business to business operations. This would positively increase clientele base and open up a CSS 5 huge new market segment uninhabited by many CE competitors. Next Best Buy needs to reconsider its management structure.Part of the reason for its plummets in sales was poor management style who were reluctant to change company strategy and adapt; they were not ready for competition. Best Buy has made efforts to update management which had a positive outcome. We see in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year 2013 â€Å"the company reported net earnings of $293 million, compared to a loss of $379 million in the previous period, driven by its reduced costs and improved operational efficiency. The effort of the retailer to i mprove profitability, which includes reorganization of its field and store management structure (Wolf, A). Lastly, Best Buys strengths lie in customer service so the ability to attain strong customer relationships will go far. Some ideas to accomplish this is to provide better employee training to specialize employees to understand the customers wants and needs better. This will help make the employees more knowledgeable to offer more expertise help on particular products and features that other competitors simply cannot offer, which ultimately results in happy customers. When satisfied, the company back to the top as the number one electronics retailer.

Lierary Response House on Mango Street

The House on Mango Street written by Sandra Concerns, the vignette titled, â€Å"There was an Old Woman She Had So Many Children She Didn't Know What to Do†, may seem insignificant at first when Concerns begins to describe a woman with a lot of troubled children, a common scenario In neighborhoods such as Mango Street.Then as we delve deeper Into the passage, we begin to realize that the mother, Rosa Barras, Is neglectful, which may not be her fault; she Is troubled with the amount of children she has and plagued with the ruder of sadness that her husband left her with all of these children, alone and with no money to aid her. These children are starving for attention and by practically railing themselves. At first, members of the community attempt to help with their upbringing but eventually, because of the lack of results, the people become tired of trying and stop caring.They don't care when the children hurt themselves, even when Angel Barras falls from a great height and dies, â€Å"†¦ And nobody looked up not once the day Angel Barras learned to fly and dropped from the sky like a sugar donuts, gust like a falling star, and exploded down to earth without even an Oh†. Concerns seems to be playing off the old African saying, â€Å"It takes a village to raise a child†. This vignette is included to bear the question, who is to blame for Angel's death?Himself, because he behaved recklessly; his absent father, whose departure no doubt contributed to his lack of respect â€Å"for all things living, including [himself]†; his mother, who was not watching him but who at the same time was unable to do so effectively; or his neighbors, for not caring for or about his actions? Concerns chooses to include Rosa Barras in this vignette. Rosa also represents the challenges faced by single mothers.She has more children than she can count and is plagued with despair after her husband leaves her without a penny to help take care of all of her children or even a reason explaining why he left. She is troubled with all of these children and it is too many for her to keep her eye on. By the end of the vignette we can infer she has lost her son and now not only does she have to deal with the absence of her husband but now the loss of her son.