Tips On How to Become Freer in Your Storytelling

Tips On How to Become Freer in Your Storytelling Are you too scared to write? Whats exactly stopping you from essay writing your own unique book? Actually, you can write about anything you like. The only condition is that there must be a connection between you and your material. These effective tips will help you feel that writer freedom to create something special. Become an enthusiastic reader Books have the unique ability to present you a world of great imagination. That`s why all writers need to be avid readers. You can discover an infinite kaleidoscope of styles and grasp the art of language by reading. What is more, reading encourages your own imagination and gives you the opportunity to find out what works and what doesn`t work in writing. Here is how to increase enthusiasm for reading: Choose books wiselyFind book reviews and recommendationsAdd reading to your scheduleDo not waste time reading something that isn`t for youTake notes while reading Get interested in mythology, tradition, and folklore No doubt folklore and mythology are part of the identity of every nation. Myths and legends give insight into the perspectives and values of long gone cultures and evoke the sense of social history. They can serve writers as a strong moral compass and provide them with a strong link to past generations. Folklore often conveys timeless and universal themes, which are relevant in the art of storytelling. So, don`t underestimate their value if you are an aspiring author. Get your writing flowing It doesn`t matter from what point your writing process should start. There are plenty of authors who rarely start at the beginning because outlines just don`t work for them at all. Your book will be bound to succeed if you have a strong sense of character. When you are writing a story, you don`t have to think about it – it should just come. The words and the imagined reality of your story live in your head. So, don`t be afraid to climb back inside your head and write everything that you want to write. Find your own source of inspiration There is no need to explain how it is important for every writer to have inspiration. When you are inspired the process captures you so much that you often forget about food or sleep. The greatest source of inspiration is something that we all have access to – the whole world around us. You can recast the stuff of everyday life in fantastical ways. Even your own life can inspire you. For example, the own experiences of feeling like an outsider have inspired Nnedi Okorafor, a well-known Nigerian-American writer of fantasy and science fiction, to write her fictional creations we all enjoy reading today. Inspiration is not just a desirable thing, it`s an integral part of the writing process. Just look around and find those things that inspire you to greatness. Flex new creative muscles Do not be afraid to dive into a completely new genre. You have a very broad spectrum of writing genres to choose from and apply your unique power to create an imaginative, original literary production. In fact, multiple genres can improve your writing. Writing in an unfamiliar genre might be just the push you need to advance to a new level in your storytelling. You should always remember that there is no limit to how far your skills can advance. Create fictional characters wisely Your fictional characters must ring true in order to be convincing. Just like real people, they should have their parents, backgrounds, siblings, and experiences that influence their current behavior and shape their personalities. As soon as a suitable character comes into your head, be sure that you know what sort of person he or she is. All your characters should be placed into the context of the story you are writing after you have determined their personality, sex, and age. Let no one discourage you You can meet a lot of people on your professional way who can tell you to stifle your imaginations and stay away from all that stuff. On no account let anyone discourage your ambitious attitude. Be your own motivation and always believe in yourself. Create the stories you have never found on the library shelves. Just write them, and do it your way.

What Is a 401k Everything You Need to Know

What Is a 401k Everything You Need to Know SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you have the option of setting up a 401k plan? Does your employer offer a 401k matching benefit? Are you confused about what these words even mean? Don't worry! We'll explain everything you need to know about these accounts, but, first, what is a 401k, exactly? A 401k is a retirement savings account sponsored by an employer and designed by the government to give you tax benefits on your savings. Your money quietly grows until the time you can withdraw it in your late 50s. This guide will explain exactly what a 401k does, what you can and can't do with it, how to put money in it, and how it can set you up for a financially secure retirement. For anyone new to the world of 401k plans, let’s start with a quick review of terms. Saving for Retirement Terms: A Glossary Here are some terms you’ll see throughout the guide and a brief working definition of each: 401k: an employer-sponsored retirement account that allows your money to grow over time. Your company has to offer it, and it chooses the rules. Traditional 401k: this is the most common 401k account. You contribute money before it is taxed. Then, you pay taxes on your money when you withdraw after age 59 1/2 (or 55 if you've retired). Roth 401k: this is a newer 401k account where you contribute money that’s already been taxed. You don’t have to pay taxes later when you withdraw. IRA: this stands for Individual Retirement Account. An IRA doesn’t have to be employer-sponsored. You can transfer your 401k money into an IRA in the event you lose your job or your company goes under. Brokerage account: another option for investing your money independently. A brokerage account doesn’t offer the same tax benefits as a 401k or IRA, but your stock options are unlimited. Employer matching: many employers will match all or some of your yearly contributions to your 401k. Free money! While Roth 401k’s are gaining in popularity, most of us will still be offered a traditional 401k through our company. Therefore, we'll start by going more into detail about traditional accounts to answer our million dollar question: what is a 401k plan? Employer matching is the best. With both you and your company contributing to your nest egg, it can grow quite large over time. What Is a 401k? A 401k is an employer-sponsored retirement savings account. Not all employers offer 401ks, but those who do determine how it works. For instance, the employer chooses the various funds that make up your 401k portfolio. Since your employer has to offer it, you can't set up a solo 401k on your own. If you decide to open a 401k account, you’ll typically contribute money to it automatically each month or year. If so inclined, your company may match your contributions anywhere from 25% to 100% (some companies even go beyond 100% for the highest paid employees). Some 401k companies start by matching a small percentage of your contribution and increase this percentage the longer you work for them. There are lots of ways you can save money for retirement, including establishing an IRA or brokerage account or collecting bills in an old coffee jar. What are the advantages of putting money into a 401k as compared to these other methods? What Are the Advantages of a 401k? There are several advantages to a 401k, as well as a few limitations. Let’s start with the benefits. #1: Tax Benefits 401k plans allow your money to grow untaxed. Traditional 401ks let you contribute pre-taxed money. When you eventually withdraw the money, that’s when you’ll pay taxes on it. Roth 401k plans have you contribute already taxed money. When you take it out, you don’t have to pay any taxes on it. IRA and Roth IRA accounts also have tax advantages, but they often set restrictive limits on how much money you can contribute per year. Some only allow you to put in $5,500 a year, while 401k plans, as you'll read below, allow you to put up to $18,000, or even more if you're including an employer match. In a brokerage account that you can set up independently of an employer, your money would be taxed twice. In a 401k (traditional or Roth), your money is only ever taxed once. This tax set-up is a big benefit of 401k accounts. #2: Annual Compound Growth The second advantage of putting your money into a 401k as opposed to say, a coffee jar, is that it allows your money to grow over time. Thanks to the power of compounding interest, you could see your money grow significantly over decades. If you contribute $5,000 per year when you’re 25 and your money grows at a 5% annual rate, for example, then you would have an additional $30,000 more than you would if you started contributing ten years later. You’ll see significantly more money the earlier you start saving. You could bury your savings in your backyard, but the only thing your money would grow is mold. #3: Employer Matching Some, but not all, employers will match a percentage of your annual contributions. Employer match is essentially free money! Unless you really can’t afford it, you should strive to get the full employer match you can per year to make the most of this offer. #4: High Contribution Limits As mentioned above, 401k plans also have higher contribution limits than some independent retirement accounts. Some IRAs only let you put about $5,500 a year, while 401k limits are set at about $18,000, depending on the year. That limit doesn’t include any matching contributions made by your employer, so you could actually put a lot more per year into your 401k. We’ll get into the exact numbers below. All in all, 401ks are appealing because they offer significant tax advantages for your retirement savings, allow your money to grow over time, and they may involve significant contributions from your employer. That being said, there are some 401k limits that you should know about. Below are the three main limitations. What Are the Limitations of a 401k? Since your company offers the 401k plan, it also sets up certain rules and regulations. For instance, your employer chooses the stock options that make up the 401k. While you might have unlimited options with a brokerage account, you may only have a few with your 401k. This can actually be an advantage for some people, who would rather take a more hands-off approach to how their money gets invested. Secondly, some employers put in place a â€Å"forfeit law.† If you get laid off and have less than a certain amount of money in your 401k, then you don’t get that money back. Your company will set this amount and the details of any forfeit law. Make sure to ask whether or not your company has one. Finally, some companies also require you to work with them for a minimum number of years before you’re fully â€Å"vested† and can retain their matching contributions. If you leave or lose your job before that time, you can still keep your own savings, but any employer match contributions will disappear. Now that you know the advantages and limitations of a 401k, what do you have to do to set one up? Do you choose your investments, or does the company decide for you? Continuing with the nest egg metaphor, do you have to build the basket where your savings eggs will grow? What Steps Should You Take to Set Up Your 401k Plan? The first step in establishing your 401k plan is signing up with your employer. Typically, your employer or an HR professional should go over the steps with you when you get hired. If you chose not to sign up when you first started working at the company, you can still speak to your employer about how to sign up now. As you fill out the requisite paperwork, you’ll decide how much money you want to contribute. You can increase or decrease this amount if your circumstances change, but you won’t be able to withdraw money once you’ve deposited it (before retirement age) without a penalty. Once you’ve opened your account, you can take an active investing approach or put the 401k on autopilot. As mentioned above, your employer will choose the stock options, and you can choose how your money gets distributed among them. The majority of people, though, simply go with a â€Å"target-date† fund. With a target-date fund, you set the date you might retire, say, 2050, and the 401k does the rest. You won’t have to design your portfolio; instead, the account itself will adjust how your assets are allocated over time. If you do decide to take a more active approach, a good rule of thumb to follow is to have a diversified portfolio that can ride out the ups and downs in the market. With a diversified portfolio, you can help make sure that your savings will grow over time. While the amount of money you can afford to contribute to your 401k varies by individual, there are certain limits in place. Read on for the 401k contribution limits in 2016. How Much Money Can You Contribute to Your 401k? There are 401 k limits that determine how much money you can contribute to your account per year. These 401k contribution limits fluctuate a bit over time along with inflation. As of 2016, people under 50 could put in up to $18,000 per year. People over 50 could put in $24,000. The additional $6,000 is considered a â€Å"catch up† contribution for those who didn’t max out their limits in earlier years. Any company matching doesn’t count toward this 401k limit. The maximum combined contribution (yours plus your company match) can go up to $53,000. A good rule of thumb is to invest about 10% of your annual income, if possible. If you have employer matching, then you should also strive to get the biggest match contributions you can. Besides 401k limits, there are also rules about when you can take money out of your 401k. Read on to learn when you can make a 401k withdrawal. If you withdraw your money early to buy a four-day Bonnaroo ticket, you’ll pay a steep penalty. Better to let it sit until you retire. When Can You Get Your Money Out of a 401k? You can take money out of your traditional 401k starting when you’re 59 1/2 (regardless of whether you've retired or not) OR if you retire at age 55 or higher. If you try 401k withdrawal before that time, then you’ll incur a hefty 10% penalty fee. So far, everything discussed applies mainly to traditional 401k accounts. They let you contribute pre-taxed money and have penalties for withdrawing money before you reach a certain age. There is one other kind of 401k with different rules and regulations called a Roth 401k. Read on to learn more about a Roth 401k and how it differs from the traditional 401k accounts that most employers offer. The main difference between a traditional 401k and a Roth 401k has to do with when you pay the tax man. What Is a Roth 401k? In addition to a traditional 401k, some companies also offer a Roth 401k. A Roth 401k has a few differences from a traditional 401k. The most important difference is that a Roth 401k has you contribute money after it’s been taxed. When you withdraw money from the account later, you won’t have to pay taxes on it. The second difference has to do with 401k withdrawal rules. A Roth 401k plan lets you take out your money at any time without penalty after you’ve held the account for five years. You won’t have to pay a 10% penalty as you would on a traditional plan for Roth 401k withdrawal before a certain age or retirement. If your employer offers both traditional and Roth 401k options, which one should you choose? Traditional 401k vs. Roth 401k: Which One’s Better? If your employer offers both a traditional 401 k and a Roth 401k, then you have to decide which one to choose or, alternatively, whether to set up both types. Essentially, you want to figure out which type of 401k will help you save the largest amount of money in the long run. There are also some psychological factors that come into play. #1: Do You Want to Be Taxed Now or Later? As you read above, a traditional 401k taxes your money later while a Roth 401k taxes your money now. If you’re young, not making a lot of money, and not currently getting taxed highly, then a Roth 401k might be the preferable option. While you won’t be putting as much money into the account initially, you will be able to leave your money for many years to grow. If you’re older, make a high paycheck, and are in a high tax bracket, then you might want to go with a traditional 401k. That way, your money will be taxed when you retire and are in presumably a lower tax bracket than you are presently. Both traditional and 401k plans have great tax benefits. You should just need to decide which would benefit you more. #2: How Is Your Financial Self-Control? Beside figuring out the tax situation, there’s a self-control factor to think about. If you need all the money in your traditional 401k, then you’ll want to set aside other savings to pay the eventual large tax bill. Will you be able to set aside money to pay taxes later, or at least plan around the large chunk of your savings that will get taken away by taxes when you retire? On the flip side, if you open up a Roth 401k, will you have the self-control not to withdraw any of your savings after the five-year mark when you can withdraw penalty-free? Besides weighing the tax benefits, you should ask yourself these questions to figure out which option is better. Finally, you might not decide not to choose between them at all and instead opt for both types of accounts. Should You Choose Both a Traditional and Roth 401k? Some financial advisors suggest going with both a traditional 401k and a Roth 401k if you have the option. You don’t actually have to choose one or the other, but instead, can split your savings between the two. Going with both is similar to diversifying your stock portfolio to reduce risk. We can’t know what tax laws will come into play in the future, so choosing both a traditional and Roth 401k is a way to hedge your bets. Now that you know the ins and outs of both traditional 401ks and Roth 401ks, let’s go over the essential points that you need to remember about saving for retirement. What Is a 401k? Just the Essentials These are the key points you need to remember about a 401 k plan: A 401k is a retirement savings account that some employers offer. You can contribute a certain amount per year, and your employee might match your contributions (free money!) In a traditional 401k, your money is taxed when you withdraw, not now. In a Roth 401k, your money is taxed now, not when you withdraw. 401k tax policies are superior to those of brokerage accounts, where your money is taxed twice. Your money will grow over time thanks to the power of compounding interest. Start early to have the most amount of money saved for retirement! Now that you have a better understanding of what HR is talking about during new employee orientation, how should you proceed? Should you join in on the 401k fun? With a 401k, you can predict the future, at least the financial part. Should You Contribute to a 401k? Magic 8 ball says, â€Å"Most likely!† Unless you can’t cover your living needs, there’s no reason not to set aside some money for Future You. She’ll really appreciate it. Of course, your employer has to offer a 401k plan. If your company doesn't offer 401k benefits, then you can't set up a solo 401k. You could instead save money for retirement in an IRA, Roth IRA, or brokerage account. If you do have the option of a 401k, a good rule of thumb is to invest as much money as you can, perhaps about 10% of your income. If possible, try to max out any employer matching benefits so you get the most money you can from your employer toward your retirement savings. Start early to maximize the power of compounding growth. 401k accounts offer a simple, hands-off approach to saving for retirement. With just a little paperwork and rearranging of your daily expenses, you can save for retirement and reap huge financial benefits in your golden years.

Conjugate the French Verb Améliorer (to Improve)

Conjugate the French Verb Amà ©liorer (to Improve) If you really want to improve your French, then you need to learn the verb  amà ©liorer, which means to improve. Its a regular verb and that makes it easy to conjugate. Follow this French lesson and youll be conjugating  amà ©liorer  like a pro. Conjugating the French Verb  Amà ©liorer The French verb  amà ©liorer  is a tricky one to pronounce. With practice, youll get it. It sounds like  [a may lyuh ray]. While the pronunciation is a bit of a challenge, conjugating it is not. That is because  amà ©liorer  is a  regular -er verb,  so it follows the pattern used for verbs like  aider  (to help) and  accepter  (to accept). You will simply change the ending according to the rules used for all regular -er  verbs. To conjugate  amà ©liorer, you need to change the ending to match the subject pronoun the j, tu, il, nous, etc. and the tense of the sentence. For example, to say I improve, you will say jamà ©liore.   This chart will help you study the conjugations for the various forms of  amà ©liorer. It includes the present, future, imperfect past, and present participle tenses. You should focus on the present and future as well as the passà © composà © below. Subject Present Future Imperfect j amliore amliorerai amliorais tu amliores amlioreras amliorais il amliore amliorera amliorait nous amliorons amliorerons amliorions vous amliorez amliorerez amlioriez ils amliorent amlioreront amlioraient The Present Participle of  Amà ©liorer   As with other French verbs,  amà ©liorer  has a  present participle, which is amà ©lioant. Beyond usage as a verb, it can also become an adjective, gerund, or even a noun. Essentially, it transforms the word from to improve into improving. Another Past Tense of  Amà ©liorer   Passà © composà ©Ã‚  is the most common form of past tense used in the French language. This makes your conjugations of  amà ©liorer  easier. Instead of memorizing all the imperfect forms, you can concentrate on this one. In order to form the phrase properly, you will need the  auxiliary verb, which is avoir  in this case. You also need to know the  past participle  of amà ©liorer, which is  amà ©liorà ©. With those elements, you can then say I improved. In French, this is jai  amà ©liore.  Likewise, to say we improved, you will say nous avons  amà ©liore.  The ai and avons in the examples are the conjugates of the verb avoir. More Conjugations of  Amà ©liorer Those are the easy conjugations and the ones you will use most often. There are other forms of the verb that you should at least be aware of. Consider adding the subjunctive and conditional forms to your French studies as they both express mood and are in frequent use. The subjunctive verb mood expresses that the verb has a certain degree of uncertainty. The conditional verb mood implies that the action will only happen under certain circumstances. The passà © simple and imperfect subjunctive forms of  amà ©liorer  are less important. These are used primarily in formal writing. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive j amliore amliorerais amliorai amliorasse tu amliores amliorerais amlioras amliorasses il amliore amliorerait amliora amliort nous amliorions amliorerions amliormes amliorassions vous amlioriez amlioreriez amliortes amliorassiez ils amliorent amlioreraient amliorrent amliorassent You will need to know one more conjugation for  amà ©liorer  and that is the imperative form. This is used in short sentences that demand or request something. The difference here is that youre not required to use the subject pronoun. Instead of nous  amà ©liorons, you can simply say amà ©liorons. Imperative (tu) amliore (nous) amliorons (vous) amliorez Amà ©liorer  Put to Use Lets use  amà ©liorer  in context with a couple of sample sentences. I want to improve my French before I leave. Je veux amà ©liorer mon franà §ais avant de partir.Were going to do some improvements at our house.  Nous allons amà ©liorer notre maison. You might also be interested in words that are similar to  amà ©liorer  as these will be useful in expanding your French vocabulary. amà ©liorable (adj) - improvableune amà ©lioration - improvement, bettermentamà ©liorant (adj) - soil-improving

1.Should the United States act alone and begin carbon cap and trade or Essay

1.Should the United States act alone and begin carbon cap and trade or should we only do it if the rest of the world does as well - Essay Example With the debate ensuing regarding the US taking the first step towards environment protection and its possible implications on global impact, economic growth and possible trend setting role, there are many angles to study this concept from. This paper is aimed at highlighting the various aspects of imposing a carbon cap in the US, its pros and cons and the feasibility of taking such step in the long and short term. It is not a new fact that the pollutants that are exhausted into the atmosphere as a result of industrial activities damage and human activities cause climatic changes and other greenhouse effects. Carbon dioxide is the leading greenhouse gas and comes not only from industrial operations and human activities like burning of fossil fuels and in energy but also from some other natural sources such as animal respiration, volcanic eruptions and decay of plants. The accumulation of large amount of carbon dioxide from the diverse sources in the atmosphere results into catastrophic impacts of climate change in the environment. To tackle climatic changes and the negativities that emerge as a result of pollutants, it has become imperative for countries to strive on their level to minimize their contribution towards environmental harm. Carbon Cap is one such concept that has emerged as a result of this changing trend towards environment friendliness. It basically restricts the extent of carbo n emissions into the atmosphere and exceeding the prescribed limit makes the operating firm liable to pay a carbon tax (Shapiro, 2007). Carbon cap and trade is an approach to curb environmental destruction by greenhouse gases. This approach is environmentally and economically feasible and practical which is centrally driven by global warming. â€Å"Cap† and â€Å"trade† terms imply setting limits for greenhouse emissions and

Global performance and corss culture management of Home Depot 04259 Essay

Global performance and corss culture management of Home Depot 04259 - Essay Example The company started its operation with first two stores in Atlanta, Georgia in 1979 and currently has more than 2200 stores throughout United States, Canada, Mexico, and China. By the end of the 2015 (first quarter), the Home depot company will have 293 international operations that collectively represent 12.9% of the total store base of Home Depot. In Canada, the Company has around 182 stores in 10 provinces of Canada. Additionally, the local number of associates in Canada will reach around 28,000 by the same time. The In Mexico, Home depot has around 111 stores while the number of associates in Canada exceed by 9,000. Both locations has retail facilities spread across from 60,000 to 150,000 sq foot (Corporate Homedepot, 2015a). Home depot is among the leading player in the home improvement industry. Home Depot with 58 percent rake of an annual revenue in United States and going to expand in Mexico (Malkin, 2014). It earns more than 95 percent of its revenue; international sales represent 11 percent of the sales of Home Depot (Soni, 2015a). The operations are spread across 2200 stores throughout United States, Canada, Mexico, and China. The operations of the company include selling wider hodgepodge or mixture of home improvement products, building material, and garden and lawn products; Company offers several services to its customers. The operations of Home Depot targets three sorts of customers. Professional customers, do-it-yourself customers and do-it-for-me customers are the target customer around which the operations of the company revolve (Soni, 2015b). For quality and innovative products and services, the company sourcing is spread to India in addition to above three markets (Corporate Homedepot,201 5b). By 2019, the global industry of home improvement retail stores is expected to arrive at $ 2291.6 billion as a result of increased

Crime Increase Essay Example for Free

Crime Increase Essay It is true that many countries have been experiencing the growth of crime rate. In response many countries are building new prisons, but they are just increase the number of inmates instead of solving this problem. Perhaps, we need to look back at the roots of this issue and facing the possible causes. The TV and computer games are considered to be one of the reasons of crime level and violence increase. see more:essay on crimes Violent actions, murders in virtual worlds or on TV screen are changing our vision of morale. I believe, that it is unrealistic to blame only the media. It is believed that the main cause of crime activity is social inequality. A child from rich family should makes much less efforts to get education and well paid job than children from poor families, because his parents are able to pay for his education. In addition, many children from unsecured families are forced to work from the very young age to support their families. What is more, many teenagers can be addicted to drugs, what in its turn can put the end to their education and further development. Solving above-mentioned problems are not easy. We need to reduce a gap between the layers of society by providing more chances for poor people to become wealthier. But not only the government should be involved in this, business structures should also take a part, creating jobs and improving education process. In relation to the drug spreading problem, I believe the government should start from itself and fight against the drug corruption. I believe that the crime level will continue to rise unless, particularly in cities, we find and apply an effective way to solve these issues. Perhaps, we should start from involving business to education of students and building theirs careers. Business will get more qualified workers, the government will get more taxpayers and everybody win.

Why Is Religion Important? :: Why Study Religion?

Why is it important to study the world's religions in the college and university curriculum? Religious Studies is intellectually exciting because it provides access to the mystery of the other. Religion is one of the primary disciplines for investigating the boundary questions of life and death, of love and hate, that characterize the human condition. All persons crave for self-transcendence in one mode or another. Religious Studies provides the opportunity to understand, with depth and nuance, the many beliefs and rituals that move persons to appreciate the alternative world of the religious reality. Religious Studies is academically enriching because it is a transdisciplinary mode of inquiry that engenders deep intercultural literacy. Serious study of the world's religions inculcates unique cultural sensitivities among students. Since it straddles the boundary between objective evidence and subjective experience, religious studies is methodologically diverse, globally aware, and academically transgressive. Religious studies is rigorously and playfully open to a multicultural and international way of being that bursts the boundaries of the conventional and the everyday. Religious Studies is personally meaningful because it raises questions of purpose and value along with developing important life skills. Religious studies enables the development of crucial aptitudes -- critical thinking, communication competence, interpersonal awareness, and intercultural literacy -- necessary for success in a global society. The aim of liberal education -- healthy, holistic education -- is about gaining wisdom, not the accumulation of knowledge as such. Practically speaking, religious studies can enable students to better practice the task of selfhood by both building self-esteem and making possible the acquisition of competencies crucial for one's well-being in increasingly diverse world cultures What role should religion play in the curriculum? To learn about the religious dimensions of world cultures is essential to a fully informed and multicultural educational curriculum. But it should be noted that teaching about religion on a comparative, educational basis is not the same as teaching religion. To teach about religion is to study the religions of the world in a manner that is comparative, factual, and fair-minded, and that avoids any hint of faculty or students trying to persuade other faculty or students to subscribe to this or that religious (or non-religious or anti-religious) belief-system. To teach religion, on the other hand, is a rhetorical exercise that attempts to persuade students to believe (or not) in a particular religion or system of ideas. To teach about religion, then, is

Citibank: Performance Evaluation Essay

The California Division of Citibank has introduced a new performance scorecard to highlight the importance of a diverse set of measures in achieving the strategic goals of the division. Among the new measures introduced was a customer satisfaction indicator. Unfortunately, James McGaran, the manager of the most important branch and who consistently delivers impressive financial results scored â€Å"below par† on customer satisfaction. Frits Seeger, President of Citibank California and Lisa Johnson, area manager supervising James, are pondering what overall performance rating are they going to give to James. Areas of ConsiderationCitibank’s strategy in California was to build a profitable franchise providing relationship banking combined with ah high level of service to its customers. Financial measures had dominated Citibank’s performance in the past but management felt that these measures were poor vehicles to communicate the high service strategy of the bank. Other areas to consider in this case are: †¢To reflect the importance of non-financial measures as leading indicators of strategy implementation, the California Division developed a Performance Scorecard which complemented existing financial measures with new measures reflecting important competitive dimensions in the bank’s strategy. †¢James’ customers in his branch are sophisticated- they require high service quality and knowledgeable employees who could satisfy their financial needs and his performance exceeded expectations every single year by delivering impressive financial results for four years in a row. †¢But when the division expanded its performance indicators to include non-financial measures, it became apparent that his branch’s customer satisfaction ratings are not as good as his financial performance. His customer satisfaction was â€Å"below par† for 2 consecutive quarters. †¢James discussed concerns regarding the (in)adequacy of the survey: customers rated not only their branch but also other Citibank’s services such as ATMs that were out of the control of branch managers. †¢Even so, he worked hard to improve the customer satisfaction rating by designating a staff to greet customers and held meetings and coached branch employees to focus their attention on improving customer satisfaction. †¢James felt very disappointed when for two quarters, his rating had been only par. He thought that his efforts deserved an above par rating considering that he’s able to successfully run the hardest branch in the division. †¢Frits is considering to give James an â€Å"above par† rating given his excellent performance in other dimensions, but if the performance evaluation team gave James an â€Å"above par,† the other managers could think that the division was not serious about its non-financial measures. Alternate Courses of Action†¢Set aside the performance evaluation guidelines and give James an overall â€Å"above par† rating thus entitling him to as much as 30% bonus. †¢Observe and uphold the performance guidelines and give James an overall â€Å"par† rating and get a bonus of up to 15% of basic salary. RecommendationsI recommend that the evaluating team follow the guidelines they set forth and give James the following ratings: †¢Financials – Above par†¢Strategy implementation – Above par†¢Customer satisfaction – Below par†¢Control – Above par †¢People – Above par †¢Standards – Above ParJames’ average in customer satisfaction for the four quarters was a dismal 64.75 – a far cry from the required market average of 77 to get â€Å"above par† and about 10 points shy from the 74-79 score to get a â€Å"par† rating. Based on the guidelines, with a â€Å"below par† rating, James is no longer qualified to get an overall â€Å"above par† rating and thus settle for a â€Å"par† rating. This is to give credibility to the intent of the management in implementing a balanced scorecard and in giving other factors equal weight and importance as that of financials. Having said that, some important issues need to be addressed in Citibank’ performance evaluation. First, Lisa should have provided support to James as  early as the 2nd quarter when his customer satisfaction scores began to slip from 66 to 63 (then further down to 54 during the 3rd quarter). Performance evaluation should not be a static document- it should be a reference for the employee and superior to identify deficiencies and gaps during the rating period. It should be revisited regularly, identify areas of improvement and see how management can intervene and improve the performance of the manager. A regular performance feedback is crucial so that the managers can align their activities with what is expected of them. Second, it would be worthwhile for Frits and Lisa to review the scores of the other managers focusing on customer satisfaction- this is to find out how all the managers are faring with the new performance indicator and to determine James’ performance vis-à  -vis his colleagues. If the general results of the customer satisfaction are similar with that of James, then his concerns are not unfounded- it may be that while the branches are doing their best in extending excellent customer service, the centralized services might be the one that’s pulling down everyone’s performance. Third, it would be excellent if Frits can benchmark their performance evaluation with the rest of the industry and see if their parameters in especially on customer satisfaction are within industry standards. Fourth, a reorientation or training on the proper administration and use of the performance evaluation is in order. Based on the scores and comments that Lisa gives to James, it appears that she is lenient with him. She overemphasizes James’ financial achievements but mentions too little on his deficiency on customer satisfaction. There also seems to be a halo error in the way Lisa evaluates James- where his financial prowess seems to unduly influence the other evaluation dimensions. Imons, R. Citibank: Performance Evaluation. 1997. Harvard Business School

Human Genome Project Essay

One of the most challenging questions that have been left unanswered to this date is that regarding human evolution and geography. From the sociological point of view, it has long been known that specific populations can be differentiated from each other based on their religious backgrounds. On the other hand, forensic science employs language in grouping human population. In the field of human genetics, there is currently credible information that facilitates the understanding of how the entire human population evolved through time. The recent completion of the Human Genome Project resulted in the generation of the actual deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence of a human cell, with the hope that every disease could be associated to a particular gene in the sequence. Alongside this discovery, other genetic features have been uncovered in the DNA sequence, including small nucleotide polymorphisms which serve as signatures to specific biological phenomenon. In Olson’s chapter entitled â€Å"God’s people: A genetic history of the Jews,† the evolution of this population was described in terms of selection, environmental factors, adaptation and migration (Olson 107). The chapter supported this description with reports generated from haplotype reconstruction and tracing of Aaron’s Y chromosome. Through DNA sequencing analyses, it is now possible to reconstruct the origins and migrations of specific populations based on the presence or absence of genetic markers in the human genome sequence. The most interesting part of the chapter is that genetic changes in the Samaritan population can be correlated to their historical account, including the time when these individuals were under persecution by the Roman government. This historical event resulted in a significant decrease in their population size. In response to the change in population size, the Samaritans underwent what is genetically termed inbreeding, which is simply the action of consanguinity. Despite common notions that consanguinity results in serious health risks, this population survived through thousands of years. One major observation among the Samaritans is that these individuals physically appear similar and this is mainly due to inbreeding. Interestingly, the expected medical diseases that are commonly brought about by intermarriages did not develop in the next generations and this may be due to the selection against these defective genotypes. Another process that could be associated with this scenario is the bottleneck effect, which selectively retains the beneficial genes to the next generation. Today, it has been estimated that approximately 13 million Jews are living in the Middle East. The contemporary Jews are technically grouped into Ashkenazi or non-Ashkenazi, based on their ancestry through regions around Europe. These individuals are a good population to follow in terms of genetic history, since this population carries a natural history of migration and evolution through time. The non-Ashkenazi Jews are considered as the highly migratory subpopulation, resulting in a diverse culture. On the other hand, the Ashkenazi Jews generally remained in the same region, thus preserving their genetic makeup. This geographical history thus resulted in the identification of specific genetic mutations and diseases that are inherently observed among members of this population. The chapter also attempted to describe the effect of founding mutations, which are initial mutations that have occurred early in time during the migratory and settling era of the population. The subsequent generations of this population resulted in the presence of the same diseases and mutations, the most possible explanation for this is that these formerly de novo mutations have been fixed in the genome sequence of the offspring. It should be understood that genetic mutations occur in germ cells, as well as in somatic cells, and these have the propensity to be passed on to the next generation through the genetic laws of independent assortment and segregation. The analysis of sequences derived from mitochondrial DNA have also revealed that the founder mutations reported among the Jews were transmitted through a matrilineal route (Behar 2062). Using mitochondrial DNA tracking, genetic analysis can generate estimations of the time of fixation of a specific genetic mutation in this population. The continuous geographical changes of the members of this population further exert its impact on the genetic fixation and phenotypic frequencies of these mutations, resulting in the current genetic conditions of this group. The genetic pool of the Jews thus reflects a microenvironment wherein genetic changes, alongside environmental effects and migration could be correlated with each other. There is still great debate with regards to the genetic history of the Jews. As Olson has indeed mentioned in his writing, all human beings are similar in the genetics aspect and being a Jew is simply based on how an individual feels about himself. This maybe true, yet in time there will still be more information that will be gathered from genetic assays on different populations around the world. The current information that has been established is that there are three founding mutations that have been identified in the Jews and each mutation reflects the origin or migratory pattern of each subgroup. However, the exact direction or genetic drift of each migratory pattern still needs to be further investigated. There is a need for a comprehensive genotyping of more individuals of each human population in order to fully understand the historical, as well as geographical account of human evolution and speciation. Each existing population must have been derived from an original group of individuals that existed in time. 2. The article entitled, â€Å"Jewish legacy inscribed on genes† authored by Karen Kaplan describes the account of Gregory Cochran regarding the genes of Jewish individuals (Kaplan 3). One of his claims is that Ashkenazi Jews are more prone to serious medical disorders due to the common mutations that afflict this specific population. One of the highly publicized medical disorders that commonly occur among Ashkenazi Jews is Tay-Sachs disease, a neurological childhood condition that leaves an individual disabled and complications result in difficulty of these individual’s to lead normal lives. Another common genetic disorder affecting Jews is Canavan disease, which involves the deterioration of the brain tissues, resulting in both morbidity and mortality in young Ashkenazi Jewish children. Niemann-Pick disease is another serious medical condition that is often reported among this specific human population and this disease is associated with the significant accumulation of fats in the particular organs such as the brain. Unfortunately, these aforementioned medical disorders result in mortality of an Ashkenazi Jew at a very young age. Another medical disorder that occurs frequently among Ashkenazi Jews is torsion dystonia, which is a movement disorder that involves changes in the tissue consistency of the brain. The accumulation of plaques in the brain results in the involuntary jerking and twisting of parts or even the entire body of the afflicted individual. Cochran claims that these common medical disorders affect Ashkenazi Jews in particular through a specific genetic makeup that still has yet to be uncovered. It is also of interest to know that these common disorders are of neurological origin, which means that the central nervous system of an individual is affected. Thus, these disorders can either affect the brain, the spinal cord, or any of the smaller neural cells that are connected or associated with the nervous system. In order for the public to better understand his claim, Cochran even compared this association to that of sickle cell anemia, which is a severe blood disorder that is commonly observed among African Americans. This genetic blood disorder results in the difficulty to transport oxygen to the rest of the parts of the body, as the red blood cells are distorted in shape, from the normal ovoid shape to that similar to a sickle. Comprehensive scientific research has established that a specific mutation is responsible for the generation of a sickle cell-shaped red blood cell, which in turn is commonly present in individuals of African American descent. Another claim of Gregory Cochran is that despite such serious medical disorders that commonly affect Ashkenazi Jews, a positive observation is also significantly present in this human population. Cochran claimed that Ashkenazi Jews are highly intelligent, as shown by intelligence quotient (IQ) scores of children of this ethnicity. He thus proposed that the predisposition of Ashkenazi Jews to mutations in gene associated with brain conditions also results in a high level of intelligence. Kaplan’s article further supports Cochran’s claim of intelligence and gene mutations with the historical accounts of how Jews lives through the centuries. The activities mainly involved migration, trading and other forms of business, all of which were highly successful. Kaplan supported Cochran’s claim by saying that these business transactions can only survive if the individuals involved were highly intelligent and since most of the activities were led by Ashkenazi Jews, then it is also likely that the intelligence â€Å"phenomenon† may have existed early on. Unfortunately, the claims of Cochran still need to be tested on a large population of Ashkenazi Jews before this can be proven and accepted. As Kaplan accounts in her Los Angeles Times article, the report of Cochran was an outright reject in the first journal that he and his collaborator, Harpending, submitted to. However, another journal that supports theories without substantial experimental evidence, Journal of Biosocial Science, published their claim. The claim of high intelligence among Ashkenazi Jews needs to undergo comprehensive investigation first before it can be fully accepted in the field of science. Similar to the genetic establishment of the neurological diseases that commonly affect Ashkenazi Jews, this claim was further strengthened after several years of scientific research in genetic laboratories. Patients positively diagnosed with the neurological disease were checked with regards to other clinical features. In addition, their DNA was extracted and the specific genes responsible for generating the disease were sequenced. In case a DNA mutation was identified in the genes, these were compared to other patients’ DNA sequences. Any other common features among thousands of patients were correlated and compared, thus resulting in what has now been established as a predisposition of the disease in this human population. It is thus important that the same meticulous type of investigation be conducted with regards to intelligence. However, the search for the answer to this claim may be more difficult because intelligence has been established to be influence by several factors. Scientists and psychologists have earlier established that the multi-factorial origin of intelligence makes any effort in tracing the source of intelligence to be ultimately difficult. Intelligence can not simply be generated through the genes because environmental factors can also affect an individual’s condition, including his mental state. There are a number of twin studies that have been conducted for several decades that employ the procedure of separating each of the twins are bringing each individual up in a different environment. Since the genetic makeup of twins is entirely the same, then any claims on intelligence genes can be validated in such experimental conditions. Unfortunately, twin studies have proven that a child who was brought up in an environment filled with violence and anger tend to be poorly developed in intelligence. On the other hand, the twin sibling who was raised in an environment that was filled with love and support grew up into a very intelligent and mature individual. It is thus difficult to prove Cochran’s claim that Ashkenazi Jews are far more intelligent than other human populations, because there are so many factors to consider before one can claim that a specific entity influences that state of thinking. Another issue that would emanate from such claim is that other cultures and ethnicities would perceive such proposal as a form of discrimination or indifference to other human populations. Claiming or even proving that a certain human population is highly intelligent does not help in the global cooperation between countries. In addition, the establishment of this claim will not save lives, just like the other efforts that employ genetic technologies in screening for specific mutations that would tie a particular phenotype to a particular genetic sequence. Proving the high levels of intelligence among Ashkenazi Jews will only spark anger and outrage from other cultures. It is thus good that Cochran feels that there is no need to prove his claim through the use of experimental evidence. It would also be safe and for the best of the rest of the world to leave Cochran along with his claim and let other people speculate on his unsupported claim. The application of genetic analysis on human population has been regarded as a novel and revolutionary addition to the methods in studying human evolution and speciation. The information that can be generated by this technology can be very sensitive and effective, yet there is still a need to employ human intervention and compassion with regards to which specific questions need to be addressed. Genetic analysis in connection to medical disorders can be very helpful in diagnostics and treatment, as well as for saving lives, but genetic screening other social factors such as intelligence will only spark bias among individuals around the world. Works Cited Behar, D. M., Metspalu, E. , Kivisild, T. , Rosset, S. , Tzur, S. , Hadid, Y. , Yudkovsky, G. , Rosengarten, D. , Pereira, L. , Amorim, A. , Kutuev, I. , Gurwitz, D. , Bonne-Tamir, B. , Villems, R. and Skorecki, K. â€Å"Counting the Founders: The Matrilineal Genetic Ancestry of the Jewish Diaspora. † PLoS ONE 3 (2008): 2062-2087. Kaplan, K. â€Å"Jewish Legacy Inscribed on Genes? † Los Angeles Times 18 April 2009. Olson, S. Mapping Human History: Genes, Race, and Our Common Origins. San Francisco: Harcourt Publishers, 2003.

How to Reference an Edited Book †APA Style

How to Reference an Edited Book – APA Style How to Reference an Edited Book – APA Style Even if you’re familiar with the basics of the American Psychological Society (APA) style guide, referencing different source types can be tricky to master. But since clear and consistent referencing is essential to academic writing, this isn’t something you can ignore. Having a professional check your work is one way to ensure that nothing goes awry with your citations. Herein we offer a little advice on how to reference edited volumes using APA style. APA Style and Edited Volumes The APA system is commonly used for academic texts in the social sciences. A general author–date format is utilized for in-text citations, with full publication details included in an alphabetically ordered reference list at the end of your paper. Referencing edited books, such as collected volumes of essays, differs from referencing other printed books when using APA style citations. Citing a Chapter The information required when citing a single chapter from an edited volume is as follows: Author Name, Initial(s). (Year). Title of chapter. In Editor Name (Ed.), Title of book (page numbers). Place of Publication: Publisher. For instance, this would look something like the following: Author, A. (2007). My essay. In A. N. Editor (Ed.), Editing a collection: Adventures in anthologies (pp. 6-12). New York: PMP Publications. Its important to note that it is the author you cite in the main text of your paper when referencing a single chapter. Citing a Whole Book When citing the volume as a whole, the editor’s name and initials should be included in place of the author’s: Editor’s Surname, Initial(s). (Ed.) (Year). Title: Subtitle. Place of publication: Publisher. The abbreviation â€Å"(Ed.)† is included in parentheses to indicate that this is an edited volume. In the reference list, this would appear as: Editor, A. N. (Ed.) (2007). Editing a collection: Adventures in anthologies. New York: PMP Publications. A text with two or more editors simply requires that you include all of the editors’ names in the reference. Editor, A. N., Compiler, B. A. (Eds.) (1986). Collected works. New York: PMP Publications. If youre citing an entire edited volume like this, make sure to give the editors name in your in-text citations. Edited Volumes with a Single Author When referencing an edited collection of writing by one author, such as a poetry anthology, the author’s name should be used for the primary reference and the editor’s name should be included after the title: Wordsmith, A. (1974). Wordsmith: A collection. A. N. Editor (Ed.). New York: PMP Publications. The in-text citations accompanying this reference would then use the author’s name: To quote one poet (Wordsmith, 2013), â€Å"Poetry is more than just rhyming† (p. 12).

Ancient Near East Essays - Civilizations, Western Asia, Free Essays

Ancient Near East Millions of years ago the procreant low lands in the river basins of Euphrates and Tigris was probably the home of some animal life, but no great civilizations. However, things change over time, and just a few thousand years ago the same fertile low lands in the river basins of Euphrates and Tigris became the home of a very rich and complex society. This first high society of man was located in what some still call ?Mesopotamia?. The word ?Mesopotamia? is in origin a Greek name meaning ?land between the rivers.? The name is used for the area watered by the Euphrates and Tigris and its tributaries, roughly comprising modern Iraq and part of Syria. South of modern Bagdad, this alluvial plain was called the land of Sumer and Akkad. Sumer is the most southern part, while the land of Akkad is the area around modern Bagdad, where the Euphrates and Tigris are closest to each other. This first high, Mesopotamian society arose as a combined result of various historical, institutional, and rel igious factors. The reality of these factors occurring at a specific place within the fabric of space / time indeed established the basis for this first high civilization. Items like irrigation, topography, and bronze-age technical innovations played a big part along with the advent of writing and the practice of social conditioning (through the use of organized religion) in this relatively early achievement of man. The factors of irrigation, inherent topography, and useful bronze-age technical innovations paved the way for the agricultural revolution to occur in the land of Sumer and Akkad. The people of the Tigris and the Euphrates basin, the ancient Sumerians, using the fertile land and the abundant water supply of the area, developed sophisticated irrigation systems and created what was probably the first cereal agriculture. This historical factor resulted in an excess of production of cereals, dates, and other commodities. The consequence of excess is the emergence of a productive peasant agricultural system and a redistributive economy that fuels the progress of civilization. Without a doubt, the Sumerians were highly innovative people who responded creatively to the challenges of the both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Not just any spot on the planet is a good prospect for irrigation, and it is the topography of the land and the intelligence of the people that allowed efficient irrigation systems to develop. The precipitation in the mountains to the north is large and rainfall-agriculture is possible, but in the low lands, precipitation is slight and rain is concentrated in shortly lasting showers in the winter period of December-February. Without irrigation, agriculture in this area is not possible. The gentle sloping topography of the California- like valley affords numerous irrigation possibilities. The topology is not perfect, and because the riverbeds are actually raised as a result of sedimentary precipitation, the river can change its course as the result of a flood. Attesting to this fact are the ruins of many famous ancient cities, like Eridu, Ur, Nippur and Kish that are now far from the river, but were in the past situated at the banks. Successful irrigation can not be underestimated. Bronze-age technical innovations played a big part in the advancement of civilization. The metallurgical qualities of malleability and hardness made bronze a good choice for construction tools. The bronze tools expedited the construction of public buildings necessary for evolving civilization and government. Furthermore, tools of bronze aided in the erection of fortifications surrounding the cities, like security walls. Tools and related mechanical innovations like the wheel fueled the progress of early civilization, but metallurgy and tools were just part of the formula. In looking at the ?big picture? of possible historical factors, one must not forget the effects of climatic determinism. Many attempts have been made to explain the course of history because of large-scale climatic change. These theories are called climatic determinism, but again this is just part of the picture. In the name of determinism let the record show that the climate of this era was at least conducive to irrigation of a desert valley because of snow and rain in the northern and eastern mountains. Furthermore, as far as determinism goes, the term ?economic

Wine of Barolo of the Nebiolo Grape Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wine of Barolo of the Nebiolo Grape - Essay Example This means that it has an astringent taste. As such, when tasting the grape, one could experience the strong nature of the grape’s juice. Different people could actually have different interpretation of their tasting experience. Some utter that the grape’s juice is too strong. Others say it is soft and rich. In such case, the people’s reactions depend on their preference with regard to wine grape varieties. The grape’s name has actually two possible origins. The first thought is based on the grape’s appearance when it is fully ripe. When fully ripe, the grape gives a frosted or foggy look (â€Å"Nebbiolo†). The Italian term for fog is nebbia (â€Å"Nebbiolo†), thus, the name Nebbiolo. Nonetheless, it is also possible that the grape’s name is simply taken from the Italian word nobile which means noble (â€Å"Nebbiolo†). Irregardless of the two probable origins of the grape’s name, what is sure is that Nebbiolo is fa mous to be a good wine grape variety. It is even one of the grape varieties that is most treasured by wine growers not just in Italy but also in the different parts of the world. The Nebbiolo grape is actually hard to grow and cultivate according to vineyardists (â€Å"Nebbiolo†).... It is made from one hundred percent Nebbiolo grape. The label DOCG means that is a wine of highest category. It also indicates that is both controlled and guaranteed by the Italian government (Nowak and Wichman 87). In buying such kind of wine, the buyer could be assured of the wine’s quality. In Italian, DOCG refers to Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. In English, it means Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin (Nowak and Wichman 87). Wines in Italy are actually subjected to DOC appellation system (Katsigris and Thomas 262). In this system, wine products are labeled according to its level (DOCG being the highest grant). The labeling depends upon the result of the official taste test which is conducted by the Italian government before the wine is permitted to be sold in the market (Katsigris and Thomas 262). The system builds risks and incentives which encourage wine producers to make wines of good quality (Katsigris and Thomas 262). In this sense, th e Italian government is strict with regard to their wine production process. This is to say that the wine-making process is a big issue in Italy. In another aspect, the Barolo DOCG is actually called as the â€Å"Wine of Kings and Kings of Wines† (Gibson 181). This implies that the Barolo wine is the best wine in Italy. The wine of such kind is known to have been barrelled for several years. To note, extended bottle aging actually affects that taste of the wine. Most often, wines which are barrelled for a minimum of two to three years offer a very good taste. Laws in Italy actually require Barolo wines to be aged in wood for at least two years (Bespaloff 58). Longer barrel gives the wine a woodier and mature taste (Bespaloff 58). Stated otherwise, the