Vampires, Obsession Throughout Eternity Obsession Analysis Essay Example For Students

Vampires, Obsession Throughout Eternity Obsession Analysis Essay Vampires, Obsession Throughout EternityObsession. A persistent, disturbing preoccupation with an often-unreasonable idea, feeling, object or person; broadly: compelling motivation (Collegiate Dictionary). Many stories have been told of obsessed men and women who waste their lives on lost causes, calling them tragedies. But what if you were immortal? What if you were forever? Then your life would not be wasted, but instead a reason for living would become instinctive. And what if having an obsession, something criticized by mortal humans, was the only way to keep your sanity and appetite for life through eternity? When looking through the vampire’s eyes in film and literature, we see that the foremost vampires have an obsession, a calling that drives them. Without this obsession, it seems, vampires would be lost through time, wandering the earth with no motivation, and though this may sound redundant, with no life. Vampires, it seems, are more capable of going through time when they have a passion. Whether this passion comes from love, knowledge, or power, vampires – such as the ones from Blade, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Interview with the Vampire – are all driven by their own obsessions, without which they become lost, empty. We will write a custom essay on Vampires, Obsession Throughout Eternity Obsession Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now According to the film Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1995), Count Dracula was a man who had sworn to protect the church from its enemies until he found out that his beloved had committed suicide because she thought he had been killed in battle. His love and obsession for her, â€Å"Whom he prized above all things on earth,† was so strong that he then swore off the church and thus became vampire. When we again see Count Dracula, he looks old and weak, and has become very eccentric and seemingly insane. But when by accident he discovers that his beloved is alive in Mina, the fianc? of Jonathan Harker, he embarks on a quest to be with her. He becomes youthful and cunning; his mind seems to be that of a charming and intelligent nobleman; instead of that of an elderly recluse. We see the undead come to life, with powers that overwhelm the imagination. But when Mina decides to leave him to wed Jonathan Harker, he again turns into a monster, a shadow of his former self. The life seems to have drained out of him. This proves that it was his love for Mina, his eternal infatuation with her that had kept him going through the ages. It is this obsession that forced him to become a vampire, and he then hoped that one day he would be reunited with his love, because he knew that she would not have been able to join him in heaven. And though he knew of the dangers that surrounded him, he risked everything to be with her, for he would have rather die than to lose her again. Love also drives Louis, the hero (or victim, depending on the point of view) of Interview with the Vampire. Louis was a sad person when Lestat turned him into a vampire; his sole reason for living was his own guilt and misery. He did not even allow himself the ultimate pleasure a vampire has and needs, human blood. He feeds off rats and other animals, and wanders the street aimlessly, lost. As he puts it after Lestat tells him that there is no hell, â€Å"But there was a hell, and no matter where we moved to, I was in it.† But when Lestat gives him an undead companion, a young girl named Claudia, his whole world is turned upside down. He has a new â€Å"thirst† for life, literally. He begins to enjoy the very things he had denied himself. As he put it when narrating his story, â€Å"Time can pass quickly for mortals when they’re happy. With us, it was the same.† But when his search for knowledge leads to Claudia’s death at the hand of other vampires , he loses his spirit and once again becomes lost. As he describes his new life:For years I wondered: Italy, Greece†¦ all the ancient lands. .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 , .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .postImageUrl , .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 , .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:hover , .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:visited , .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:active { border:0!important; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:active , .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57 .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc24348689dffb6360f2b5ce57c972f57:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: My Educational Goals and Future Aspirations EssayBut the world was a tomb to me. A graveyard full of broken statues. And each of those statues resembled her face. There was another driving force for the vampires of Interview. It was a quest for knowledge, a mission to find answers, or a link, to a world that was beyond their grasp. Louis and Claudia, who became â€Å"orphaned† after they left Lestat for dead, were then involved on a search for other vampires, in hopes of finding out their origin and nature. We booked a passage to Europe. Over the weeks, while waitingFor the boat, she studied the myths and legends of the Old World. Obsessed with the search for what she called ‘our kind’†Thus the two of them had a driving force, as Louis narrates: â€Å"We searched village after village†¦ ruin after ruin†¦ country after country. And always we found nothing.† But when they find the vampire Armand and his Theatre of Vampires, they found none of the answers they so desperately searched for. The vampire Armand had his own agenda, and thus sets into motion the events that would lead to the death of Claudia and the destruction of the Theatre of Vampires. He Knew that he needed something to help him adhere to the changing times, he needed Louis to guide him, to be his obsession. â€Å"The vampires from the new world came to guide us into a new era, as all we love slowly rots and fades away.† But when Louis turned down his offer, knowing that Armand had been responsible for Claudia’s death, Armand realizes that without Louis as his obsession, he is â€Å"dead.† As is, in a way, Louis:I go on night after night. I feed on those who cross my path. But all my passion went with her golden hair. I’m a spirit of preternatural flesh. Detached. Unchangeable. Empty. The action movie Blade, though relying more on the action sequences and Hong Kong style martial arts, contains a captivating plot with some interesting twists on the vampire myth. Yet one thing remains constant, and it is the driving obsession behind the two main vampires. In this case, it’s power. Deacon Frost, leader of a vampire cult, is obsessed with finding LaMagra, a supernatural being that he believes will give him the power to conquer the world. Blade, on the other hand, is driven by a fanatical passion and power rush he gets from killing vampires. Their obsessions lead to several confrontations, which set the stage for the final showdown. What makes Frost the strongest vampire among his kin and makes him stand out is his passion to conquer the world with LaMagra. But he is met with opposition from both the House of Erebus (the ruling council of vampires) and from Blade. Yet his drive is so strong he is seldom seen sleeping nor feeding, but always working on a way to a ccomplish his goal. He becomes strong enough by this that he is eventually able to take on and destroy the House of Erebus. This obsession is apparent when he throws a party and the question on everyone’s mind is â€Å"But, where is he?† He is then shown in front of his computer, still working on finding LaMagra. Blade also seems to have given up everything for his desire to kill vampires. He allows himself to feel nothing, not even love for his father figure, Whistler. He is so driven that he often loses sight of the very humanity he tries to protect. At an instant where Frost throws a little girl in front of a bus in order to escape, Blade actually hesitates in choosing between taking out Frost and saving the little girl. Furthermore, when Blade is offered a cure for his vampirism, he decides to turn it down, saying â€Å"You keep your cure. It’s not over†¦ there is a war going on. And I have a job to do!† Thus, this eternal passion is what gives B lade life. Because without vampires to hunt, Blade would have nothing to live for. .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a , .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .postImageUrl , .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a , .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:hover , .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:visited , .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:active { border:0!important; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:active , .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u496d75293aac0dc0073801fc404ede5a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: After The Atomic Bomb EssayVampires are often described as immortal beings of superhuman strength and eternal beauty. Yet this seems to be more of a curse than a gift. Because how can a vampire live through eternity in an ever changing world while they remain the same. This is why the extraordinary vampires of Interview With the Vampire, Blade, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula stood out, because they found the answer, they found a reason for living. Since this reason for living had to be in eternal proportions, it could come as nothing less as an essential obsession that drives through the ages, without which the vampires would be lost. Yet this obsession comes in the same shape as those fundamental human obsessions (thus showing a glimpse of the vampire’s fledging humanity) – Love, Knowledge, and Power. English Essays

Dumb-blonde stereotypes Essays

Dumb-blonde stereotypes Essays Dumb-blonde stereotypes Essay Dumb-blonde stereotypes Essay Tony then arrives to let Gary know that their pub is closing down, both shocked Gary walks out abandoning Dorothy, this is a stereotypical think that men dont care about woman as much as booze, or footie.  In scene 2 Gary and Tony have a drink with the new pub landlord; the drink is seen as a stereotypical bonding way of men. Scene 3 in Debs flat is a good scene because it shows how careless men are, when Tony shows up with a condom machine badly wrapped, this also supports the stereotypical idea of men being obsessed with sex. Debs flat is stereotypically feminine in that it is tidy, clean, bright, homely and tasteful unlike Gary and Tonis flat which is dirty and overloaded with beer cans. When Debby tells Tony about her interest in astrology Tony then gives her a stereotypical male view of it guys dont believe in all that bollocks, unless they want to get off with a girl who really thinks (its true). Tony then makes a joke with a sexual overtone, you show me yours, Ill show you mine, again this stereotypical idea that men only think about sex. In scene 4 Tony and Gary go o n a pub crawl to find a new pub, as mentioned they approach this as if buying a house, as it will become their home from now on. Gary makes a list of what to look for in a pub, the list includes taking a good look at the outside step (when they are drunk), and local take-ways (stereotypical lad, them getting drunk and getting the munchies). Over the scene Gary and Tony start dancing drunkenly in the street, this is a very stereotypical. In scene 5 we see Garys flat which has been turned in a pub with the old pubs filthy toilets and the optics. They then start having a conversation about girly words like: loo, doobry, oops, potty, flip flop, being different from guy words such as carburettor, penalty shoot-out. The girly words have a more soft and connotations of home, where as the guy words are linked to stereotypical male obsessions like cars and football. When Dorothy comes in and Gary tries to explain the importance of pubs to men by comparing a pub to cathedral, suggesting that drinking is their religion. Gary then enacts all of his bad habits mentioned earlier. When Gary goes to the pub he lives to-do notes for Dorothy, and she from furry goes to the pub and does a role reversal and acts like a stereotypical lad does. Now what Dorothy does is, in effect, to expose the dominant ideology that says its socially acceptable for men to behave like this, but totally taboo for woman to do the same. The humour in this scene comes through the surprise of the role reversal/breaking of stereotypes showing us what we do not expect to see. The second comedy I am going to look at is AbFab, now the humour comes form the characters breaking the stereotypical representations of woman, unlike MBB where the humour comes form the exaggerated stereotypes. AbFab is an almost entirely female sitcom, there are hardly any men in the programme, and those that appear are usually either gay or unimportant (seen as sex objects, as woman would be seen in MBB and earlier sitcoms. The humour in this sitcom comes from Patsy and Edina acting in this extreme, and in social terms unacceptable behaviour.  The episode of AbFab that Ive studied is the first ever episode made of AbFab. In scene 1 and throughout the episode we see that Edina breaks the stereotype of being a good mother and there is a theme of role reversal in which Edina is, is a teenager and Saffy is the responsible mother figure. The scene opens with Edinas room and shes in bed as she had a hangover from the previous night. This is where we see that she had none of the qualities of a mother: as she is messy, get drunk and smokes to excess (we see bottles, ash trays and cigarette buds all over the room), she is irresponsible (as she cant be asked to get up to go to work), she is lazy and she is very loud. The role reversal is seen when Saffy comes in and starts shouting at Edina to get up and go to work (as if a parent would do to their child), Edina reacts by hiding the drink bottle under her duvet so that Saffy doesnt see it (again as a teenager would hide drinks or fags). The comedy comes from Edina breaking the stereotypical mother image. In the second scene we see Edinas kitchen and again that is also covered with drink bottles everywhere. We see the Edina is not at all domestic because she confuses the washing machine with a cupboard, this reveals that she is not a stereotypical domestic housewife and the humour comes from that.  Saffy is presented as a stereotypical mother should be: caring, responsible, practical, concerned and trying to tell Edina the difference between right and wrong (as a mother should instead its the daughter). Edina acts in a very unfeminine manner, as she is loud, vulgar, aggressive and childish (like a stereotypical teenager would be perceived as). In scene 3 we meet Patsy for the first time, now as soon as she enters the room we can tell that Saffy doesnt like her (like when parents meet daughters boyfriends and think their not good enough). Patsy arrives in a smart suit (this reflects the dominance over Edina and as if she is the man in the partnership). She has a sixties beehive hairdo, this is a throwback to the time that Patsy and Edina are stuck in. now Edina sees her relationship with Patsy more important that the motherly relationship with Saffy ( un stereotypical, as mothers should put their kids before everything else), similar to the relationship in MBB, where they see mates more important than girlfriends. In scene 4 we see Edina and Patsy doing things to excess like drinking, smoking (these are unfeminine vices), later we see them taking drugs like its a everyday, normal thing. Edina seems to have few maternal instinct and Patsy none, Patsy asks whats the point of having kids when all they do is ruin your body, and not come with you to fashion shows, Patsy only sees the disadvantages. Patsy is independent and in control other own sexuality without any maternal hang- ups at all (like a stereotypical man, who has one night stands all the time and doesnt care). Patsy breaks the stereotypical traditional feminine stereotypes as her life seems to revolve around; drinking, smoking, bitching, drugs, and drugs, those things you would expect only a man to do, this breaks all feminine stereotypes, and thats why its seen as funny to the audience as they would never expect a woman to do that. In scene 5 we meet Bubble, she is perceived as and extreme dumb-blonde stereotypes, her name presumably refers to the fact that she is an air-head, but also she is reversing the stereotype of the efficient female assistant. In this scene Edina is very much her own boss (as you would expect a stereotypical man to be), also you see how AbFab is a world of woman, as there are no men in it or the fact that no men are mentioned. We also see how ruthless, insincere, heartless and totally lacking maternal feelings Edina is (you wouldnt expect to see woman like that, it breaks away from the stereotypical representation of woman) when she organises the fashion show.

Researching A Hindu Saint Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Researching A Hindu Saint - Essay Example Referring to the Bhagavad Gita, he has made use of the Yogas and Vedantas in order to help people understand the importance and implementation of the major themes namely Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga. (Vivekananda Kendra) Vivekananda was born in Calcutta on 12th January, 1863 to a Bengali Kayastha family and his birth name was Narendra Nath Datta. He was influenced greatly by both his parents; his father helped him to inculcate within him a sense of logical thinking equipped with rationality whereas his mother assisted him on thinking along the lines of religious spirituality. His guru Ramakrishna also played a major role in his life by teaching him about the faith and service that a man devotes to God and how this service is the same in all religions to all Gods. Swami Vivekananda also was heavily influenced by the teachings in the Bhagavad Gita and remarked on an allegory of the war taking place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. He stated that the war was a metaphor of th e war that is constantly raging within the mind of a human being with respect to good and evil and what he should give in to. In 1881, Vivekananda experienced a turning point in his life as he met Ramakrishna; it is surprising to note that at first he revolted against all of the ideas of the guru and did not accept him as his senior; he had his own views regarding spirituality and did not believe in Ramakrishna’s vision. However, during the course of studying for five years under him, he began to accept his views and became a man ready to renounce the world in order to understand the realization a man achieves by being close to God. When Ramakrishna began suffering from throat cancer, Vivekananda formed a monastic group of which he was a part of and was given the duty to look after all the other disciples and take forward his teachings. From 1888 to 1893 Vivekananda wandered all over India as a monk with nothing but a pot of water and the robes on his back. He carried with hi m a copy of the Imitation of the Christ and the Bhagavad Gita and during the course of this journey he was able to understand people from different walks of life as he stayed with, and interacted with all kinds of people from all over the country. (Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda) After 1893, Vivekananda began travelling abroad with his first visit to Japan. He was very impressed by the cleanliness in the Japanese lifestyle; both in their way of living as well as their attitude. From there on, he visited Chicago where he was taken to the Parliament of World Religions by Prof. John Henry Wright of Harvard University. Vivekananda has hosted several lectures on his tours across England and America and after coming back to India, founded the Ramakrishna Mission all over the country where young learners are taught about the Gita as well as other world religions with emphasis on Hinduism. He has tried to keep Ramakrishna’s message and vision alive by spreading the word about God and self-realization. The essence of his teachings has best been described through a Vedanta philosophy of the soul as potentially divine. He is also considered to be a social reformer as he worked to help the poor and made provisions of providing them with food, shelter as well as knowledge through the Ramakrishna Missions set up throughout the country. The Bhagavad Gita is a 700 verse discourse in Sanskrit, a part of the Sanskrit epic titled the Mahabharata written by Valmiki. Also

Influence on the dependent variables Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Influence on the dependent variables - Essay Example confounding variables, they can influence the validity of the research findings thus the researcher needs to come up with ways to attempt to control the extraneous variables. Firstly, the researchers’ points out some of the variables those are most likely to have influence on the dependent variable (Keele, 2015). This approach is based on researcher’s common sense, experience as well as his or her simple logic reasoning. For instance, it is evident that a noisy, busy room has a lot of distractions that lower the level of performance as to the contrary of a quiet place. In this case, noise is the extraneous variable, and it can be controlled from turning into a confounding variable. Other researchers hold the extraneous variable constant by employing approaches that create a standardized surrounding and procedure. This approach ensures that all variables are the same in each condition thereby they cannot turn into confounding variables. Other ways that researcher’ do use to attempt to control the extraneous variables in experiments include the random assignment approach and the control technique of matching. Under the random assignment approach, the researcher starts with a particular group of participants whereby these participants get assigned to groups randomly (Wood & Kerr, 2014). This only means that the researcher tries to avoid the extraneous variables for making the decision on how participants get fit to different groups. Similarly, the control technique of matching enables the researcher on deciding the variables that he or she wants to use in equating the groups on thereby avoiding the extraneous variables from turning into confounding variables. To conclude, it is important to control the extraneous variables from turning into confounding variables when conducting any research. Once the extraneous variables have been figured out it is of much important to perform a meta-analysis to find a way of adjusting these

Monism Philosophy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Monism Philosophy - Research Paper Example It follows the main formula which depends on the target and the unit. Monism is the opposing concept of pluralisms and nihilisms, because these concepts are focused on the importance of plurality in the nature of things (Scaffer â€Å"Monism†). The objective of the paper is to present a perspective on materialistic monism, one of the main types of the concept. Due to the numerous types of monism, one can surmise that any individual can have one of his or her own but the pressing question is which one is the most applicable to be used and to be prioritized. Materialistic monism is the feasible paradigm that can justify the interrelatedness of entities in nature. Supporting Evidences of Monism There are different concepts in the historical and contemporary knowledge that can be used to support the connection between natural phenomena and materialistic monism. One of the main evidences in that of the biological realism specifically the manner by which the brain works. The human b ody is one of the examples of entity in nature. Monism explores the manner by which different entities exist as one. It can be translated that the different matters are composed of similar units. The human body as that of nature is composed of units that can be considered related to every other component of matters and entities in nature. ... In this scenario, it is needed to be pointed out that the process of the mind cannot be separated from that of the brain, thus, the functions of the organ can be perceived in the holistic sense (Fingelkurts, Fingelkurts & Neves 264-68). Another evidence in relation to monism is related to the blobject, which is a concept related to the oneness of the matters in the universe. It defines the concept of materialistic monism (Scaffer â€Å"Monism†). Materialistic monism had been defined as God and nature. It is the law of substance as presented by William James (Worthen, Ellis & Kinkead-Weekes 179). Based on Spinoza’s work entitled Ethics – â€Å"Except God, no substance can be or be conceived† – which means that the entities in nature just transform through reorganization of components and not made. In addition, at a particular point, the components cannot be divided anymore but can only be defined as part of a whole (Bachli & Petrus 65). These concept s can be considered as the main evidences in the thesis of the interrelatedness of entities in nature, both living and non-living matters. According to the basic view in environmental science by Earnst Haeckel, he advocated the monism in nature which was defined as the unity in the mind and body. The main examples are the living matter and their basic components which if analyzed are also similar as that of the non-living things in the surroundings. Basically, the main point of the proposition regarding monism is the fact that every natural occurrence can be attributed to and be supported by the principle of monism. Even the transfer of energy from one matter to another reflects the interrelatedness of entities

Roles Of The Operating System Computer Science Essay

Roles Of The Operating System Computer Science Essay All computers need some form of operating system so that communication between users applications and hardware. The OS also looks after the file system. With advancement in technology OS can now support more than one User, Task or Central Processing Unit (CPU). The OS controls the communication between applications and hardware. For the OS to communicate with these it installs device drivers for any hardware component that is inside the computer. the device driver is created by the hardware manufacturer and this is installed with the hardware software when installing. Thus allowing the OS to talk to the hardware its self. for example a wireless USB adapter (Fig1.1) would install a device driver as shown in (Fig1.2) Files and folders can be stored on the hard drive with the help of the OS creating a file structure on the hard disk its self enabling the data to be stored. Files are stored in a block of data that is treated as a single unit and is given a single name. Any files related to the same program are put in to folders so that the program is able to find all the data needed to run the program without needing to look all over the hard drive. Folders can also be stored inside other folders if they relate to a different part of the program or even an update folder or a uninstall program in the event you want to uninstall the program. These are call subfolders. (Fig 2.1) The structure in which files are stored on a hard drive are stored in a table called file allocation table. the table contains all the details of where each piece of data (such as blocks or clusters) is held that makes up the file on the hard drive. Depending on how the hard drive was formatted depends on the table format and cluster size. There are two different file structures which are: File Allocation Table 32-bit (FAT32) This can support partition sizes up to 2048GB (2TB) FAT32 can be used in Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000 and Windows XP(Fig 2.2). New Technology File System (NTFS)This can support partitions sizes up to 16 Exabytes. 1 Exabyte is 260 bytes. With NTFS there is improved security features and extended attributes that the previous version used FAT32 (Fig 2.3). FIG 2.1Folders and Subfolders FIG 2.2 FAT32 FIG 2.3 NTFS User Interface Operating systems provide the user to interact with the software and the hardware by using two types of user interface called Command-line Interface (CLI) with this the user types commands in to the command prompt as shown in Fig 3.0 Graphical user interface with this the user interacts with menus, icons and applications as shown in Fig 3.1 Fig 3.0 Fig3.1 Applications Management Within the operating system one of the things it does is locates an application and loads it in to the RAM. Applications a software programs such as Microsoft Office word, Microsoft Office Excel, Microsoft Office PowerPoint, Games and many more. the OS will make sure that each application has enough system resources to run the program successfully. There is also a set of guidelines used by programmers to make sure that the application they are designing will work on an OS this is called Application Programming Interface (API) two examples of these are: Open Graphics Library (OpenGL) this is a cross-platform standard for multimedia graphics DirectX this is a collection of APIs for multimedia tasks for Microsoft Windows 1b. Within WindowsXP and Windows Vista Operating systems have the following features installed: Multitasking Multiuser Multiprocessing Multithreading Multiuser A multi-user operating system allows for multiple users to use the same computer at different times. So this mean that each user can have its own logon to windows where they can have their files can be secure so that only the user can see them. they can also set the computer display up however they want to such as picture backgrounds of the own choice and task bar settings changing the colour to their own choice. With the account been password protected and the files been stored on the same user logon this makes it secure. When logged on to the computer you can also switch users quickly what this does is keeps the first user logged on but just locks the account and takes you back to the user logon screen and enables you to log on as another user then once you have finished on that account you can just log of and then back at the logon screen you just click the first name again and type the password and you are right back in to it where you had left it so any programs that you had ope n are still open and you can carry on instead of waiting for the computer user settings to be applied making it much faster to change between users. Multitasking An operating system that is capable of allowing multiple software processes to run at the same time. So what this mean is that you can run many different programs at the same time. so you can be working on a document on Microsoft Office Word so the program will be loaded in to the RAM so that it can access it quicker when using the program. So your using the program then you need to use Microsoft Office Excel when you click open on the program it will also load it in to the RAM as well so that you can access the program data as well as the other program. This is multitasking. This would happen every time you opened a new program. Multiprocessing An operating system able of supporting and using more than one computer processor. Most modern computers support some form of multiprocessing. Multiprocessing doesnt require more than one physical CPU; it is simply the operating systems ability to run more than one  process  on the system. The operating system processes data one part at a time. Each process can execute a completely different program while most processes are completely independent. so if say you are running paint in windows and then open Microsoft office word even though it looks like it is doing them at the same time what it is doing is processing parts of the program one at a time. but because of the seep in what it processes them it gives the appearance that they are doing it at the same time. Multithreading Multithreading has many purposes one of these is to switch between different threads. However the main purpose is to increase the operation of a single core by monitoring and controlling the levels of threads. The tasks carried out by the user happen so frequently that the user does not actually see the threads and/or the tasks are running at the same time, with no fault. Another purpose of multithreading is used by the Operating System to break down a program in use into smaller, more manageable threads when it is required to carry out this specific task. Although it does allow individual programs to be multitasked. This is done because the hardware used for multithreading regularly operates alongside the software for multitasking. It is known for some CPUs to have more than one multithreading core; these are often referred to as processors. On multiprocessor, or multi- core systems, the tasks and threads generally run at the same time, with the support of each processor and/or core running a particular task on the Operating System. 1c. In both Windows XP and Vista there are functions installed on an OS. These functions might be at different levels depending on the OS. These functions are:- Backup Facilities File Management Security Backup Facilities Many backup facilities are used here are a few examples: Daily Copy Normal Incremental Differential Daily A daily backup only saves files that have been modified on that day. This type of support does not modify the other files. Copy This type of support only copies the data and files chosen. For instance a word document is saved in one folder and you copy to another folder of the same OS. This backup can be found in all Windows software. Normal This type of support (full backup) is when the selected files and folders are to be stored and are archived to the hard disk drive. For example an Excel spreadsheet that is being saved for the very first time. Incremental This type of backup saves all folders and files that have been created or modified since the last normal backup. A benefit of this is that the backup times are faster as only the file needs to be saved. However, a drawback of this is that the recovery time of the file will be a lot longer as the data has to be restored from the last incremental backup and/or another backup device. Differential This backup saves all files a nd folders that are created or changed since either the last normal backup. These files are not archived, on the other hand they are copied at the starting point until the next incremental or full backup is complete. Making this type of backup is important as to restore the data you would only need the last full and differential backup. File Management File management is also very similar in Vista and Windows XP. Generally it is a lot easier to manage files and directories in Windows XP than it is in Vista because in Windows XP the graphical user interface I find is much more user friendly. There are options to make Vista act and look like Windows XP through; Start, Control Panel, Appearance and Personalization. Both XP and Vista use NTFS file management. However, in Windows Explorer the file management enforces/performs a hierarchical structure. Below is a broken down step by step of what happens when creating a file in a directory: The OS controls and creates the file structure and directories The hard drive allows data to be stored in this structure The file is then stored on to the hard drive and is given a name or commonly known as a single unit/name The directory programs and data files group all the files together and create the directory (Some directories can be stored in other directories these are commonly known as subdirectories) One last point about directories and subdirectories is that their commonly used name is now folders and subfolders, respectively. Security There are four main ways in which to protect computer systems, these are: Firewall This provides protection against any online threats. Anti-virus software which tries to protect the operating system from any malicious threats that could occur. Passwords is used to protect the contents of the operating system and is a method of controlling who access to it. Encryption is used to prevent people accessing documents they are not permitted to see. The main security feature for Windows XP is designed to continuously monitor the status of the computers security system settings and should a problem occur the operating system will provide a pop up to warn the user of the problem. This security system is referred to as the security centre. Windows Vista has a similar security feature called Windows Defender, however Windows Defender has a few additional features. These features include the removal of ActiveX applications and also support the use of SpyNet software. Also with Vista there is another few security features, one of them is the Parental controls. This allows the administrator to: Control content of which a child can and cannot view. Limiting time allowed on the Internet or computer. Monitor what the child does and track viewed websites and content they have previously looked up. However, on both Windows XP and Vista, they use one vital piece of security the Device Manager. This is used to allow users to view and control the hardware attached to the computer. A piece of hardware is attached is not working, this is highlighted to the user to deal with the hardware problem. The options that the user can deal with each piece of hardware is to supply drivers for the hardware keeping them up to date, enable or disable devices connected to the computer, ignore malfunctioning devices and to view other technical properties to do with the hardware connected.

History of Latino/a Immigration to the U.S. Essay -- Immigration

Eleanor Roosevelt said, â€Å"the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.† That statement holds strong for immigrants in America. Equal access to opportunities allows immigrants to achieve the American dream. Their success correlates with America’s success because of the contributions immigrants provide to America. Unfortunately, the current immigration policy in America denies many immigrants the American dream. It is crucial to understand the historical context of immigration in America. Initially, most immigrants were from Europe and were not restricted by any immigration laws. Now, most immigrants come from Latin America but are restricted to severe immigration laws. The Latino/a community is one of the most severely affected groups because the current immigration system disproportionally affects Latino/as. Recognizing how the experience of Latino/a immigrants have been both similar and different in the past from other immigrant groups and dispelling common misconceptions about Latino/as today bring an awareness how Latino/as are affected. Latino/a immigrants share similar experiences of anti-immigrant rhetoric just like other immigrant groups. Many Latino/as in America have faced negative comments based on their identity. For example, Rush Limbaugh, a radio host, expounds negative comments toward Latino/as, particularly Mexicans. He claimed that Mexicans are â€Å"a renegade, potential[ly] criminal element† that is â€Å"unwilling to work† (Media Matters for America, 2/28/06). These malice comments were similar to that of other immigrants. As other immigrant groups of non-English descent started arriving in America, there was an immigrant phobia towards the newcomers. During the mid-1700s, Benjamin Franklin said ... ...ves of immigrant groups such as the Indians, Chinese, and Germans have proved that prior policies have been based on anti-immigrant rhetoric at that time. Therefore, reforming the immigration policies today should not be based on racism, or nativism. In addition, it is important to dispel the misconceptions of the Latino/a immigrations today because it is a mistake to formulate polices based on preconceptions of racialized groups. Works Cited Aoki, Andrew, and Okiyoshi Takeda. Asian American Politics. Polity Pr, 2009. Print. Fernandez, Lilia. "Introduction to U.S. Latino/Latina History." History 324. The Ohio State University. Jennings Hall 0040, Columbus, OH, USA. Address. Media Matters for America n. pag. Web. . "World War II by the Numbers." National World War II Museum n. pag. Web. .

Family Movie Essay

Mrs. Doubtfire is a movie about something that almost every American family faces, divorce. The film stars Sally Field and Robin Williams as parents with conflicting parenting styles and beliefs, who end up divorcing with a bloody battle for the children’s custody. The children are thrown into this mess and the movie showcases how each of them deal with the divorce. Lydia is the rebellious preteen who doesn’t understand why the family dynamic has to change. Chris, the younger brother is the athletic member of the family. Natalie is the small wide eyed child who is still trying to comprehend why daddy doesn’t live at home anymore. The theme of the movie centers around many parenting and family questions such as: How does one properly raise children? Is there really one single parenting style that works? Is it really possible for divorcing parents to set aside their differences for the sake of the children? It is a glimpse into how differently a father would raise his children if given a chance to do so without interference or boundaries. It reminds us that once parents learn to listen to each other instead of fighting with each other during divorce proceedings they will finally come around to doing what is best for their children. The movie introduces the viewers to the changing dynamic of the American family. Mothers are no longer stay at home moms who simply tend to children and cook meals. These days women like Miranda Hillard (Sally Field) are career driven heads of industries. It is also not uncommon these days to find a stay at home dad like Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams). The problem with this situation is that even though mothers bring home the bacon, they are still expected to come home and perform their wifely and motherly duties. Something that society has not once, throughout the history or marriages expected from the husband and father. Such a situation indeed takes its toll on any marriage and weakens the foundation of the family For fathers who are forced to stay home to care for the children, such a move is taken as an insult to their manhood and makes him feel dominated in the process. Let’s face it, men still find it insulting to take orders from a woman, even if that woman happens to be his wife or the mother of his children. In such a situation, the man will rebel the only way he knows how. By playing the good cop, bad cop game with the children. As you watch the  movie you are exposed to two highly different parenting styles. The mother’s rigid parenting style that is meant to instill discipline in the children and the laid back relationship between the father and the three children. Not to say that one style is better than the other but the truth is that, when children are in the middle of their parent’s divorce, they definitely need structure and balance to keep them focused and centered on their own lives and their attention deviated from the chaos brought on by divorce. In such situations, it would help if the parents could agree on how the children will be cared for and what their day to day routine will consist of. Once Mrs. Doubtfire is introduced to the family unit everyone seems to take something away from the experience. The children especially, they are able to convey their feelings and emotions to her as well as the father who is hiding in t he old woman’s costume. The mother, Hillary, also confides in Mrs. Doubtfire about her divorce and how she felt about her ex-husband. This type of communication was healthy for all members of the family including the father even though he was not really being himself. Once the movie hits the turning point and the cat is out of the bag sort of speaks, the children as well as Hillary are very sad to have lost their nanny. As she has become part of the family in just a short amount of time. They mourn the loss of here as if she actually died. But when they find out that Mrs. Doubtfire was there father the children become ecstatic and are overjoyed to see him. The mother is reluctant to communicate with the father after the great lengths he went through to see his children and also after what she had confided in Mrs. Doubtfire who she just found out was her ex-husband. But in the end the divorce worked out for the best and everybody grew as a result of the ensuing changes that they faced. The father was able to get a job and also was able to set up visitation services to see his children and the mother was able to find new love in a new man. This movie is just one of the pioneers in witnessing divorce and the many tolls it can take not only on the couple but the children and also their friends and family. With a little bit of comedy they were able to keep the audience entertained but also tell their story of divorce and how each person was able to deal with the issue.

Employee Motivation Research Paper Example

Employee Motivation Research Paper Example Employee Motivation Paper Employee Motivation Paper The Future of Business: The Essentials By Lawrence J. Gitman, Carl McDaniel Employee motivation: principles and practices motivation: principles and practices Philip C. Grant 0 Reviews Vantage Press, 1984 160 pages How McDonald’s tracks morale at the front line A successful engagement effort should result in happier customers Mark Blundell Mark Blundell started work in McDonald’s in 1985 and has gained experience working at all levels in the retail arm of the business. He has recently become head of HR Operations within the organization. Like most retail organizations, McDonald’s is well aware that a drop in engagement at the front line is likely to have an impact on customer service. So the company has a number of initiatives in place to motivate employees and build loyalty. Here, Mark Blundell describes the approach used to monitor the impact of its engagement efforts. Following my presentation at Melcrum’s Annual Employee Engagement conference in London in May 2007, I was asked many questions about the way we measure the impact of the recent employee engagement initiatives at McDonald’s. In broad terms, we use three categories of measurement: employee surveys, third-party review and operational outcomes. Employee surveys The McDonald’s â€Å"Your Viewpoint† survey is a long-term tracking study of employee opinion. It’s been conducted on a global scale for many years with ORC International, who provide an independent assessment of the results in every country in which we operate. A UK participation rate of 83 percent in 2006 demonstrates that it’s something everyone in the business takes very seriously. The data is analyzed and cut to mirror the structure of our organization in terms of job â€Å"families† (e. g. , hourly-paid restaurant staff, restaurant management, office staff, etc. ) and geographically, from national level right down to the level of the individual restaurant. The survey consists of 50 statements which cover five recognized drivers of commitment. Employees respond to these statements with a simple â€Å"agree†, â€Å"neutral† or â€Å"disagree†. In 2006 the results from our UK hourly-paid employees were as follows: Development and personal growth: 85 percent agree. Resources to get the job done: 82 percent agree. Values and leadership behaviors: 84 percent agree. Competitive pay and benefits: 77 percent agree. Respect and recognition: 80 percent agree. Although these results aren’t perfect they are, I think, better than many people assume McDonald’s would achieve. Third-party review We also regularly open our doors to tho se who would like to undertake a serious, objective study of our business and in recent years have welcomed Investors in People, the Work Foundation and the Great Places to Work Institute among others. Last year we gave Professor Adrian Furnham of University College London unrestricted access to our managers and crew to study the impact of working at McDonald’s on our employees. Regarding employee engagement he concluded the following: â€Å"Overall, McDonald’s staff felt good about themselves, experienced strong job satisfaction and had exceptionally high engagement levels. Indeed, nearly every staff member interviewed could be counted as engaged, whereas the typical figure is substantially lower. † Operational outcomes The McDonald’s business model is a simple People-Profit chain: engaged people delivering quality products and great service in a clean environment create loyal customers. Customer loyalty, in turn, drives sales and profitability. If we’re succeeding in engaging our employees we should be seeing a measurable impact in our mystery-shopper surveys. These assess quality, service and cleanliness in our restaurants – results of which are fed into a â€Å"People Scorecard†, which details annual performance data for the last five years, alongside quarterly data and targets for the current year. In addition, the People Scorecard presents snapshot data of staff perceptions and, as an inverse measure of customer satisfaction, information about complaints we’ve received. This data can also be analyzed by every manager in our business to clearly see how employee engagement influences our overall performance. Data that makes a difference By knowing which managers are creating a great place for their employees to work, we’re able to celebrate and reward individual excellence. And by knowing which restaurants are achieving the best mystery shopper results we can reward the whole team too. On the other hand, where performance isn’t what it should be, the depth of the data means that we can focus on the areas of a particular store that need support without condemning everything that’s happening there. So, any intervention we make can be positive, supportive and evidence-based rather than being critical, demoralizing and subjectively judgmental. Again, McDonald’s isn’t perfect, but we believe that by gathering and analyzing engagement data from a range of sources, we’re able to pinpoint exactly where our imperfections can be found. This article is from Strategic Communication Management June/July 2007 By Lauren Young updated 1/6/2009 11:40:15 AM ET Share Print Font: + - Inside the McDonalds off Interstate 270 in suburban St. Louis, manager Sadie Travis is hustling. Amid the beeping and buzzing of fry timers, Travis at any given moment is voiding orders at the register, handing out cups for drinks, wiping trays, or stuffing toys into Happy Meal boxes. If only the fast-food titan could get more people like her to run its 6,700 company-owned restaurants. While an average McDonalds grosses $2. 2 million a year, seasoned managers who motivate employees and keep customers coming back can add more than $200,000 to that total. Restaurant managers are in the most important position in our company, says Richard Floersch, McDonalds chief human resources officer. Yet despite generous salaries - up to $62,000 plus bonus and company car, say insiders - turnover is a constant concern in an industry that typically sees 43 percent of its staff leave each year. To stanch the bleeding of valuable talent, McDonalds in 2004 began offering a rich retirement savings perk. Employees who put 5 percent of their salary in the company 401(k) receive a company match of as much as 11 percent, turbocharging their savings right off the bat. To make sure employees take advantage of the program, McDonalds has made enrollment automatic. And to ease the pain of automatically deferring 1 percent of pay, the company gave managers a one-time, 1 percent salary increase. But persuading prized employees that the benefit is reason enough to stay with McDonalds for the long term is an ongoing challenge. Skepticism about investing runs especially high among African Americans, who make up 15 percent of the companys manager pool. Research shows that blacks, in the aggregate, are reluctant to save. According to a 2008 study by Ariel Investments and Charles Schwab, blacks save an average of $169 a month for retirement, while comparable whites (in terms of household income) contribute about $249 a month. Race and ethnicity trump gender - and even salary - in the factors that predict whether a person will save for retirement. Preparing for the future Why dont blacks save more? The reasons are complex, but the underlying theme is cultural. African Americans are distrustful of the financial system because it has excluded them for generations, says Andres Tapia, chief diversity officer at Hewitt Associates, the benefits-consulting giant. Hewitts research shows that African Americans consistently put home ownership and college ahead of retirement goals. Owning a home and educating children become a huge priority, explains Tapia, if you are the first person in your family to do it. Preparing for the future can also be controversial in the black community. If your mama lives with you - and others in your extended community are struggling to get by - putting aside money that you cant touch for the next 15 to 20 years feels selfish and inappropriate, Tapia says. Indeed, for many blacks, retirement is more a dream than a priority. The Ariel-Schwab survey found that African Americans under the age of 50 are nearly twice as likely as comparable whites to say they want to retire by 60, but they are half as likely to cite retirement as their most important savings goal. Adding to the skepticism, the great market meltdown of 2008 showed that even the most carefully crafted retirement plans can be ruined by forces beyond a persons control. This is a big setback that will affect all people, says Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel, the largest African American-run money manager. In our community, which has had less exposure to the market, people are especially nervous about investing. Such reticence has made McDonalds efforts to sell its perk to employees all the more difficult. Generous inducements to save Few employers offer 401(k) plans as lavish as the one at McDonalds. In fact, many companies have been cutting back on their matching contributions in recent months as the recession deepens. McDonalds corporate matc h is especially extravagant at lower levels of saving: employees who put just 1 percent of their salary in the plan get $3 for every $1 they invest. Most companies wont even match a contribution until an employee puts in at least 3 percent. ) McDonalds then makes a dollar-for-dollar match on the next 4 percent. After that theres a potential profit-sharing match of up to 4 percent. All told, workers who save 5 percent of their pay can see the total swell to 16 percent. But corporate 401(k) plans arent an if-you-build-it-they-will-come kind of benefit. Companies can send out pamphlets, but the burden of persuading employees that the plans are orthwhile ultimately falls on people like Kenny Sanders, who heads human resources for the Heartland region of McDonalds, overseeing 76 company-owned stores. Like Travis, Sanders, 44, started working at McDonalds in St. Louis when he was a teenager. Over the past 28 years he has risen through the ranks beyond store manager to corporate management. McDonalds crew members dont sit in front of computers all day, leaving little opportunity to check 401(k) balances or make tweaks to asset allocation plans at work. So Sanders spends much of his time out in the field talking to employees about their financial future. My goal is to get people to understand that this is more than a job. You can put away a nice nest egg for you and your family, depending on how long you stay at this company, Sanders says. Looking beyond paycheck to paycheck Sanders main goal is to keep people like Travis, who oversees one of the St. Louis areas most profitable McDonalds restaurants, interested in saving. Everything Travis knows about building a nest egg she learned at McDonalds - most of it gleaned during the four years since the retirement program began. Before t hat, I didnt realize that putting money in the bank and saving for retirement is not the same thing, she says. Its a real eye-opener to learn that McDonalds will match what you put in, Travis says. It helps relieve a lot of stress. Sanders was the first person Travis turned to for investment advice when she looked at her September retirement account statement and saw that her balance was down almost $11,000 for the year. Sanders recalls assuring her. You lose a little here, and then you gain a little there. Saving for the future has been a luxury that Travis, 47, could not afford until recently. For most of her life the divorced mother of two was just making ends meet, she says. Travis had her son, Lamar, at 20. Her daughter, Latisha, came along when she was 29. Buying a home, paying for braces, helping her elderly parents with living expenses - all those things derailed her plans to save for the future. I know you have to have a security blanket, but I was living paycheck to paycheck when I had my first baby, Travis says. Thats why Travis connects so well with Ebony Henderson, a second assistant manager at the same McDonalds, who gave birth to a boy named Jeremiyah in August and has a toddler son named Quian Jr. We each had babies young, Travis says. But Im not about collecting money from the state. Im a person who wants to make money and keep stability. Thats how Ebony seems to me. When Henderson, 26, joined McDonalds at age 15 to earn money for school supplies and clothes, she never thought it would be a serious career path. Today she eyes the golden rung of store manag er and plans to start the interview process this month. Im doing good now, but I want to be where Sadies at in the future, says Henderson, whose tinted hair matches her red cable-knit sweater. I dont want to be working all my life with nothing to show for it. Despite the market downturn, Travis says she remains on track for retirement. Shes confident shell be able to leave the work force in 10 to 15 years with a $200,000 nest egg. I dont want to shoot for a million, she says. I dont want to be greedy. Others arent so sure about the future. Since the stock market began to unravel last fall, Sanders says, more than 100 employees have asked him for investment guidance, often brandishing their retirement account statements. Im not an adviser, so I cant really tell them what to do, Sanders says. He looks over statements to make sure employees are well diversified and usually recommends the financial advisory services McDonalds offers to employees. But I always say that staying the course is the right thing for me, he says. Amid the market turmoil, its more important than ever for Sanders to reach out to workers. After all, he says, Whats good for employees is good for McDonal ds.

Chronic Absenteeism Related to Drop-out Rates

Chronic Absenteeism Related to Drop-out Rates While most educators, students, and parents  think of September as back-to-school month, that same  month recently has been given another important education designation. Attendance Works, a national initiative that is  dedicated to improving the policy, practice and research around school attendance has named September as National Attendance Awareness Month.  Ã‚   Student absences are at crisis levels. A September 2016 report Preventing Missed Opportunity: Taking Collective Action to Confront Chronic Absence using data provided by the  U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) reveals that, the  promise of an equal opportunity to learn is being broken for far too many children. More than 6.5 million students, or about 13 percent, miss three or more weeks of school, which is enough time to erode their achievement and threaten their chance of graduating.  Nine out of 10 U.S. school districts experience some level of chronic absenteeism among students. To counter this problem,  Attendance Works,  a fiscally-sponsored project of the Child and Family Policy Center non-profit organization, is working as a  national and state initiative that  promotes better policy and practice around school attendance. According to the organizations  website, We [Attendance Works]  promote tracking chronic absence data for each student beginning in kindergarten, or ideally earlier, and partnering with families and community agencies to intervene when poor attendance is a problem for students or schools. Attendance is a critically important factor in education, from developing national funding formulas  to predicting graduation outcomes.   Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which guides federal investments in elementary and secondary education for states, has chronic absenteeism as  reporting element.   At every grade level, in every school district, across the nation,  educators know first hand that too many absences can  disrupt  a students learning and the learning of others. Research on Attendance A student is considered chronically absent if they miss only  two days of school per month  (18 days in a year), whether the absences are excused or unexcused.  Research shows that by  middle and high school, chronic absence is a leading warning sign that a student will drop out. This research from the National Center on Educational Statistics noted that differences  in absentee rates and projections for graduation  were observed as early as kindergarten.  Those students who eventually dropped out of high school had missed significantly more days of school in first grade than their peers who later graduated from high school. Moreover, in a study by E.  Allensworth  and J. Q. Easton, (2005) called  The On-Track Indicator as a Predictor of High School Graduation: In eighth grade, this [attendance]  pattern was even more apparent and, by ninth grade, attendance was shown to be a key indicator significantly correlated with high school graduation (Allenworth/Easton). Their study  found attendance and studying more predictive of dropout than test scores or other student characteristics. In fact, 9th grade attendance was a better predictor of [student] dropout than 8th grade test scores. Steps can be taken at at the upper  grade levels, grades 7-12, and  Attendance Works offers  several suggestions to counter attitudes that prevent students from attending school. These suggestions include: incentives/rewards/recognition provided  for good attendance;personal calls (to home, to students) as reminders;  adult mentors and after  school leaders trained to reinforce the importance of attendance;curriculum that features engaging, team-based activities that students do not want to miss;  Ã‚  academic support provided to students who are struggling;  efforts to make  school a place of success rather than a negative experience; engaging community partners, such as, health providers and criminal justice agencies. National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) Test Data A state-by-state analysis of NAEP   testing data shows that students who miss more school than their peers score lower on the NAEP tests in grades 4 and 8. These lower scores were found to be consistently true in every racial and ethnic group and in every state and city examined. In many cases,  the students with more absences have skill levels one to two years below their peers. In addition, While students from low-income families are more likely to be chronically absent, the ill effects of missing too much school hold true for all socio-economic groups. Grade 4 test data,   absentee students scored an average 12 points lower on the reading assessment than those with no absences - more than a full grade level on the NAEP achievement scale. Supporting the theory that academic loss is cumulative,   Grade 8  absentee students scored an average 18 points lower on the math assessment.   Mobile Apps Connectto Parents and Other Stakeholders Communication is one way educators can work to reduce student absenteeism. There are a growing number of mobile  apps educators can use to connect educators with students and parents. These software platforms share the daily classroom activities (EX:  Collaborize Classroom, Google Classroom,  Edmodo). Many of these platforms allow parents and authorized stakeholders to see short and long term  assignments and individual student work. Other mobile messaging apps (Remind,  Bloomz,  Classpager,  Class Dojo,  Parent Square)  are great resources  to increase regular communication between a students  home and school.  Ã‚  These messaging platforms can  allow teachers to emphasize  attendance from day one. These mobile apps can be tailored to providing student updates on individual attendance or used to sharing data about the importance of attendance in order to promote  a culture of attendance all year long. Conferences:Traditional Connections to Parents and Other Stakeholders There are also more traditional methods to share the importance  of regular attendance with all stakeholders. At the beginning of the school year, teachers can leverage the time during a  parent-teacher conference to talk about attendance if there are already signs or a pattern to a student missing school. Mid-year conferences or conference requests can be helpful in making face-to-face connections that   Teachers  can take the opportunity to make suggestions to parents or guardians that  older students need routines for  homework and  sleep. Cell phones, video games and computers should not be part of a bedtime routine. Too tired to go to school should not be an excuse. Teachers and school administrators  should also  encourage families to  avoid extended vacations during the school year, and to try to line up vacations with the school’s schedule of days off or holidays. Finally, teachers and school administrators   should remind parents and guardians the academic importance of planning doctor and dentist appointments during  after school hours. Announcements regarding a schools attendance policy should be made at the beginning of the school year, and repeated regularly throughout the school year.   Newsletters, Flyers, Postersand Websites The school website should promote daily attendance. Updates on daily school attendance should be displayed on the home pages of every school. The high visibility of this information will help to reinfrce the importance of school attendance. Information about the negative impact of absenteeism and the positive role daily attendance has on academic achievement can be placed in newsletters, on posters and circulated on flyers. Placement of these flyers and posters are not limited to the school property. Chronic absenteeism is a community problem, particularly at the upper grade levels, as well. A coordinated effort to share information about academic damage caused by chronic absenteeism should be shared throughout the local community. Business and political leaders in the community should receive regular updates on how well students are meeting the goal of improving daily attendance. Additional information should feature the  importance of attending  school as a students most important job. Anecdotal information such as the facts listedon this flyer for high school parentsor  listed below can be promoted in schools and throughout the community: Missing one or two days a month can add up to nearly 10 percent of the school year.  Students who attend school set up the routines for future employment and showing up for for work on time every day.Students who attend school regularly are more likely to graduate and find good jobs. High school  graduates make, on average, a million dollars more than a dropout over a lifetime.School only gets harder when students  stay home.  Too many absent students can affect the whole classroom, creating redundant instruction and slowing down other students. Conclusion Students who miss school, whether the absences are  sporadic or on consecutive days of school, miss academic time in their classrooms that cannot be made up. While some absences are unavoidable, it is critically important to have students in school for learning. Their academic success depends on daily attendance at every grade level. NOTE: An infographic with additional statistics to share with students and families with younger students is offered by Attendance Works on this link.

International trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

International trade - Essay Example Consequently, I would involve National Labor Regulation Act (NLRA) senior officials as external forces to help bring sanity in the negotiation process because Custer is a private sector organization and is therefore regulated by NLRA. I would advice union members not to report to duty and stay calm if Custer’s officials staged a lockout for a day. If union members were to go on strike and the court gives an injunction against the strike, I would appeal against the injunction and pursue the strike agenda until the members’ grievances are addressed by Custer officials. The major advantage of collective bargaining negotiation is that its multi-factor aspect necessitates furnished negotiation research that is important (Oraro 106). However, political nature of union officials may make collective bargaining negotiation a nightmare because union officials forget this political aspect thus embarrassing their members publicly. The real problem is the fact that union members have turned down the offer of salary reduction that would be followed by reinstatement of the current salary figure and a further three percent increment in their wages. I would use interest based bargaining technique to force union members to accept my offer. The advantage of this is that both the union and the employers could use separate factions to consider the dissimilar options that might be undertaken to address the matter at hand. The meetings can be held away from the public and thus advocate for options that had not been used before. The major disadvantage of this is the difficulty with which to determine if certain topics are compulsory bargaining topics that have to be discussed with the union (Oraro 113). A call for a strike by the union would disrupt work schedule and probably lead to poor financial results. Interest based bargaining does not mean that one party gives in to the demands of the other. This would consequentl y mean that the company must not

Strategy management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategy management - Assignment Example This paper will analyse environmental scanning that helps to develop relevant strategy. In this process, various management models and tools will be used. Finally, some relevant and effective recommendations will be provided followed by a conclusion. Tribe Stout Company (TSC) is small stout manufacturing company situated in Galway city of Ireland. TSC, a family-run company was started by John Murphy in 1980 and it was engaged in making traditional Irish stout for the Galway’s local market. Initially, the company focused on increasing the tourist demand of beer in local bars, pubs, hotels and restaurants. The company is not organised in a systematic manner and moreover, it does not focus on important areas for its marketing operations. However, the company offers very high quality products to its customers. It sells the traditional Irish stout in 250ml and 500ml bottle. Its high quality products has even fetched it international quality awards. The company depends exclusively on the local market and local suppliers, as the founder of company wanted to be popular as a local manufacturing company. Recently, the competition in this sector has increased significantly due to growing number for domestic and international competi tors. An analysis of a company focuses on its strengths and weaknesses. It is very essential for decision makers to indentify the company’s internal position as it reflects the company’s condition and capabilities. A company operates with the help of its internal departments like account and finance, human resource, sales and marketing and manufacturing departments. The primary purpose of internal analysis is to â€Å"understand the degree to which the organisation can deal with external opportunities and threats† (Marcus, 2006, p.46). The internal analysis of Tribe Stout Company (TSC) depicts its major advantages and disadvantages. In order to compete with the existing