Igor Stravinsky Essay

Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky was born on June 17th, 1882 in Oranienbaum, Russia. He was one of four to his polish parents, Anna nà ©e Kholodovsky and Fyodor Stravinsky. Igor Stravinsky’s first exposer to music was from his father, who was a bass singer at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. His father helped him learn the love of music. His first musical education began at the age of nine with piano lessons, studying music theory, and attempting composition. By fifteen, he had mastered Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto in G Minor and finished a piano reduction of a string quartet by Glazunov. That same year, Stravinsky rebelled against the Russian Orthodox Church and abandoned it. Even though he excelled in music, his parents still wanted him to become a lawyer. In 1901, Stravinsky enrolls at the University of Saint Petersburg; however he never attends many of his classes during the four years of school. When it came time to take final examinations in 1905, the school w as closed for two months because of Bloody Sunday. He then later received a half course diploma in April 1906. In 1902, Stravinsky began receiving private lessons from Nikolai Rimsky- Korsakov, the leading Russian composer at that time. That very same year Stravinsky’s father dies from cancer. In 1905 Igor Stravinsky proposes to his first cousin Catherin Nossenko. Even though the Orthodox Church opposes marriage of first cousins, they got married on January 23rd, 1906. The same of his marriage, Stravinsky’s creates first important composition Symphony in E Flat. The following year they have their first child Theodore and then the next year they have their second child Ludmila. The same year as Ludmila’s birth, Rimsky, Stravinsky’s father like figure, dies. In 1909, Stravinsky’s compositions, Scherzo fatastique and Feu d’artifice (Fireworks) where performed at a concert in St. Petersburg. In that very audience Serge Diaghilev, founder of the Ballets Russes, was extremely impressed. He was so impressed that he chooses Stravinsky to carry out orchestrations and to compose a full length ballet, The Firebird. In 1910 Stravinsky travels Paris for the premier of The Firebird. At this performance he meets Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, and many other important musicians. Towards the end of the ballet season, his family moves to Switzerland with him and, Catherine expecting her third child. In Lausanne, Switzerland in September 1910, Sviatoslav Soulima their third son was born. In 1911, Stravinsky completes another successful ballet, Petrushka. Three years later, Stravinsky composes the two part ballet Le Sacre du Primtemps (The Rite of Spring). This ballet marked the coming of modernism in music and was met with astonishment and hostility. The riot that followed was the most notorious event in music history. Right after the performance, he developed typhoid fever, which took six weeks to recover from. Around the same time, Catherina and Ludmila were found to have tuberculosis. A year later Ludmila did and after giving birth to their fourth child Maria Milena, Catherina also died. Three months after that his mother died also. After all these deaths in his life, Stravinsky also diagnosed with tuberculosis. He spent five months recovering with his newest daughter Milena; she took six years to recover. Stravinsky met Vera de Bosset in Paris in February 1921, his new wife to be. At the time when they first met Vera was still married to the painter and stage designer Serge Sudeikin. They began an affair which led Vera to leave her husband. During his last years in Paris, Stravinsky made professional connections with people in the U.S.

Passion for College Students Essay

College students traditionally show pride towards their respective school. What makes students so enthusiastic for their school? In Laura Randall’s â€Å"Things You Only Do in College† and David Berreby’s â€Å"It Takes a Tribe† both writers explore college culture but come up with decidedly different results. Randall argues that college students’ traditions are embarrassing to the university, and students should be focusing on schoolwork not traditions; but Berreby suggests traditions are for the pride which students have for their school. In this essay I argue that students are passionate for their school, and the traditions they participate in are for the pride they have for the school. Randall discusses the traditions at various universities, or the hazing rituals for the fraternities and sororities on the many campuses. In her writing she looks disgusted that colleges are not trying to stop these â€Å"stupid traditions† in Randall’s mind. She states â€Å"Today’s traditions are more likely to involve nudity, fire, and intoxicants and be closely monitored by publicity-wary administrators† (Randall, 211). This quote shows the disappointment for college students and their traditions. Randall is saying there are not any traditions which are good for the university, or the people that participate. Randall implies that these traditions are embarrassing to the universities. In Randall’s writing â€Å"Things You Only Do In College† she discusses tradition students participate in, which she finds embarrassing. Randall believes there should be more money pumped into schools academic fields, because that is the reason the students are there in the first place. She believes the universities should crack down on the traditions which get students in trouble. However, most of these traditions were started over school pride. For example, students will go streaking to break out of their â€Å"shell† and show their school spirit. However, Randall believes these traditions are pointless, and they have no meaning of school pride. Randall writes â€Å"Like their zanier predecessors, they are a long-remembered part of the college experience if occasionally rowdy, childish, illegal, or all three† (Randall, 211). In this quote, a zanier predecessor means the crazy people who did this before them. This passage states that traditions are a part of the college experience, even though they are mostly rambunctious. Traditions might be outlawed, or looked down upon them by the administrators of the university, but the students do these rowdy acts for the pride they have for the university. Sure students will go streaking, and jump into a lake, but they do it for fun, and for their pride of the university. If the students do not care for the university they would not do something so odd for the fun of it. The athletics are what make students passionate for the university. Most weird traditions are started in support for the athletics. The athletics are supported by the student body, and it brings everyone together to do these traditions. In David Berreby’s essay â€Å"It Takes a Tribe† he talks about school pride, and how most college students view it’s us vs. them. David Berreby talks about many rivalries between colleges, and the majority of them are started by athletics. There are academic rivalries between many universities around the country; for example Harvard/Yale, or Princeton/Penn. However, most people when speaking of a rivalry think of some kind of athletics competition. There are students however, who do not know all of the traditions when they first go to their school. They pick them up as they go along. Berreby writes â€Å"They’ll be singing their school songs and cherishing the traditions (just as soon as they learn what they are† (Berreby, 207). In this quote he is saying there are many students who apply to colleges for name recognition. However, when they get to the university or college they will participate in the traditions. Not every student at Penn State knows the fight song or the alma mater. However, when they go to a football game or any other sporting event they will be standing proudly singing that same fight song or alma mater. Berreby states that â€Å"They’ll learn contempt for that rival university, Oklahoma to their Texas, Sacramento State to their U. C. Davis, Annapolis to their West Point† (Berreby, 207). This quote is saying the students will also learn who the rival university is, and they will build a hatred for them, and root against them every chance they get. He also talks about some of the bigger rivalries between colleges. Oklahoma and Texas have been rivals for years, but in the public eye society view this rivalry for sports. No one thinks about whose graduates succeed more after college. Society’s views on rivalries deal with sports, and college students live off their sports teams. If the teams do well then the campus is always more lively, but if the teams lose there is a down feeling all throughout the campus. For example, before Penn State played Michigan in football this year there was a huge anticipation for the game. Most of my friends and me would torture the people who drove from Michigan to the game. Then, after Penn State lost there was a huge negativity all throughout main campus, and I could tell especially from talking to people even a couple days or weeks afterwards. David Berreby in his essay â€Å"It Takes a Tribe† discusses college rivalries, and how students are passionate for their schools for the rivalries. David Berreby and Laura Randall both write about college traditions, and the students that participate in them. However, they both have very different opinions on the traditions. Randall believes the universities are tired of the traditions that students take a part in. She also implies that there needs to be more focus in the classroom. However, Berreby writes about how students are doing these traditions because of the pride they have for the university. He implies that students also love the rivalry between colleges. In colleges around the world students have different opinions on the universities they attend. In my college experience I have found nothing that makes me more excited than sporting events. Of course I go to class because that is the reason why any student goes to college. However, my passion for this university goes beyond the sporting events. The pride I have is different than what others have. Although, I do participate in all the traditions at Penn State, whether it’s going to the football game, and singing the alma mater, or singing Hey Baby in between the third and fourth quarter of a football game. They are all traditions which students that are enthusiastic for this university participate in. Students everywhere have some type of school pride, but all express it differently. Whether it’s streaking, or hazing they all have a meaning. The traditions that students participate in are out of the pride they have in their school, and there is nothing that will stop students from doing these traditions in the future.

A Report On Porters Five Forces English Language Essay

A Report On Porters Five Forces English Language Essay Conducting a strategic industry analysis is an informative method in understanding the mission and motivations underlying the for-profit sector and can result in additional industry insight (King, M. A., n.d.). Porter’s Five Forces are the most broadly used business tool for the strategic industry analysis. Diagram 1 was design by Michael Porter in defining the industry analysis. King’s studies (as cited in Porter, 2008) mentioned the Porter’s Five Forces contain the competitive rivalry within the industry, threat of new entrants, bargaining power of customers, threat of substitutes, and bargaining power of suppliers. Competitive Rivalry within the Industry Rivalry among competing firms is the most powerful of the five competitive forces. In gain the customer’s share to increase the firm’s revenues and profits, the firms have to endlessly compete with each other in the same industry. The competition is more intense if firm pursue strategies that gi ve competitive advantage over the strategies pursued by rivals. (Porter, 2008) Malaysia has a total of 690 private colleges, 14 private universities and university colleges and 4 foreign university branch campuses (Wong, P. W., 2003). In 2001, these private institutions had 270,900 students with 90% enrolled in private colleges (Wong, P. W., 2003). Though competition is intense throughout the private higher education industry, the bulk of the student enrolment in private colleges is concentrated within a few major players. Wong’s studies (as cited in SEGi investors website) mentioned the notable ones are SEGI, INTI Universal, Stamford, PTPL, Informatics, Olympia Colleges, Sedaya College, KDU, Taylors College, Sunway, KBU, and HELP Institute – â€Å"Big 12† Besides private, SEGI also faces competition form both listed, non-listed colleges or universities and also the college or university that located around the branches area. For example SEGI College Subang Jaya , their main competitors are those colleges or university that located around the Subang Jaya area such as INTI, Monash, Taylor’s, Sunway, Optima, Metrowealth, and Metropolitan college.. XXX, (2009, December 2). Head of Marketing Department, SEGi College Subang Jaya. Interview. Other SEGI competitors in the listed companies such as INTI and Stamford offer similar courses except that SEGI more emphasis on the adult market and vocational courses that gives good growth potential (Yaw, C. S., 2004). Formerly, SEGi was well-known for its professional and technical accountancy courses expanded its course structure with the reverse takeover of Prime Group by Systematic Education Group in 2001. Therefore, SEGi expanded its field of studies from pre-university to doctorate level and increased its tie-ups with foreign university. This reverse takeover lifted SEGI profile and in 2004, it listed as a largest private education provider with 18,500 students. (http://segi.investor.net.my/pd f%20files/TA_SEGi_040119.pdf) As the dominant competitor in the private education industry, SEGI stands apart from hundreds of small private institutions. Nevertheless, the competition is still intense between the top ranked education providers that estimated command for 30% of the total enrolled students in private college in 2001. The so-called â€Å"Big-12† which include listed competitors SEGI, INTI and Stamford. SEGI strength lies in the location of its colleges. In contrast to many notable colleges which operate on big campuses, SEGI’s colleges are scattered in residential areas across the country, from large urban areas to smaller towns and villages. For example, The Systematic Group of colleges has campuses in Georgetown, Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur, Klang, Johore Bahru, Subang Jaya, Serian, and Kuching in Sarawak, while the Prime Group has campuses in Alor Star, and Bukit Mertajam, Meanwhile, the new flagship campus in Kota Damansara is also expected to attrac t more students. The new campus can cater up to more than 12,000 students. (http://www.segi.edu.my/campus/sckd/)

Paper 1 Biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Paper 1 Biology - Essay Example 1. Components of physical examination The components of physical examination include inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation respectively. However, some physicians may choose a different sequence depending on the training. All these examinations focus on knowing more about the present condition of disease of the patient or even the most probable to occur. Inspection involves the search for signs while palpation involves the feeling for the signs. Percussion is the tapping for signs, mainly in the lung and gut examinations. Auscultation involves using the stethoscope to listen to the heart rate. Anciently, physicians listened directly through the ear. It is not mandatory that all systems will have signs but most will. Physical examination is the general examination of the human body performed by physicians. It covers most of the basic body systems, including the gut, system nerve system, lung system, and heart system. More examinations are not common but it depends on the patient’s clinical condition. Physical examination helps in confirming any persistent issues after a previous diagnosis. It also reveals persistent and hidden pathological entities. Physicians performing this examination always look for signs like the blood pressure, temperature, heart beat rate and respiratory rate. Performing physical examination incurs low costs because the only cost is, the labor cost (Memmlers, 2012). Many medical practitioners have recommended it as a screening test because it is non-invasive and significantly revealing. Doctors are important figures during this process because they make decision with regard to the patient’s clinical history. At times, physical examination requires extensive procedures involving the private body parts. In such situations, the patients must make consent. 2). Blood Pressure The measurement of blood pressure is a quick and painless process that provides the physicians with important information about the condition o f the heart and the body blood vessels. a). Doctors use the sphygmomanometer, also known as the blood pressure cuff, to measure the blood pressure. This instrument contains an inflatable cuff and a small pressure gauge attached to the cuff. The cuff wraps around the upper arm, but some wrap around the wrist or forearm. When taking the blood pressure, the doctor uses a stethoscope to the movement of blood through the arteries. The doctor will then inflate the cuff to a pressure that is higher than the patient’s systolic blood pressure. The first sound heard by the doctor through the stethoscope records as the systolic blood pressure. This occurs when the cuff’s pressure is in the process of reducing to reach stability. A second follows immediately the first whooshing one fades away (Memmlers, 2012). This is the diastolic blood pressure. The doctor measure with reference to the heart beat rate for the maximum pressure and the minimum pressure. b). Mr. Smith’s bloo d pressure was 160/100 The numerator (160) represents the systolic pressure, which is the maximum pressure of blood movement in the artery at that particular when the heart is working to supply blood throughout the body. The denominator represents (100) the diastolic pressure, which is the minimum pressure of blood movement in the artery in the moments between heartbeats and its resting state. c). The significant difference

Art History essay question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Art History essay question - Assignment Example Pre-historic art was commonly done in the cave, therefore it is not considered to be a movement by human beings but a period of artistic evolution and development. It comprises the whole painting and forms of drawings which were evident in caves. In addition, human sculptures are part of these ancient or prehistoric arts. In the current world most information, ideas or feelings are expressed in artistic form and these expressions did not start with the modern world; it was prehistorically expressed by the ancient people. On the other hand this was considered to be their main way of expression and preserving of certain information. The prehistoric people also decorated themselves with particular coloring matter to enhance beauty. The ancient near east is commonly remembered for the earliest civilization which developed in Mesopotamia. This was a region between two rivers the Euphrates and Tigris, currently called Iraq. The major civilization landmarks evident in this place were the mushrooming of urban centers resulting into the title â€Å"Cradle of Civilization†. Mesopotamia is commonly known also for the greater inventions of agricultural related machines and technologies. More so, the main reason why the region was named as near Middle East was due to its strategic position in the middle or near to the countries to the immediate west. The historical art of the ancient eastern has been largely related to the western art although the worse was more inclined to the biblical land thus rendering the eastern historical art meaningful to their art history. The historical art of the ancient Greece is greatly remembered for several reasons and a number of historic contributions they added to the world of history. The most significant historical archaic and artistic work of the western world was adamantly created and finalized in the 16th century as free paintings of

Product Development is Waste Money Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Product Development is Waste Money - Essay Example "Innovate or die" has turned out to be public meetings cry at small and large businesses as more and more consumers demand the newest and the best products. That is why product development, that is discussed in this essay, is very important these days. New products, whether they take the shape of innovations or entirely new goods, and new applications are an important module of business success. At trade shows, the opening sentence of a customer is, 'What's new?' Every year you have to elevate the gamble. If you were not to do it, you would be left in the dirt†. There are eight steps and three main factors, such as marketing strategy, organizational factors and market research, that are involved in the product developmente were explained in this essay. Frequently, the product development turns out to be a failure and a huge amount of money of the company is sunk. That is why effective pricing strategy requires an excellent understanding of the market, consumers and their needs, and bussiness itself. Developing a customer association management structure that enables all parts of the organization to contribute to each other and read between the lines of customer information is a way to successful product development. In conclusion, author of the essay states that price is the most important component in the marketing mix (next to the item for consumption, of course). From the marketer's standpoint, an effectual price strategy is one that puts up the shutters to the greatest that customers are willing to pay.

A formal Business plan about a fictouse landscping company that i Essay

A formal Business plan about a fictouse landscping company that i briefly outline - Essay Example The mission statement of the company will be the basis of the company’s marketing strategy and the creation of the company’s image as a brand. Already the company has a reputation of offering quality services in a timely manner and within budget. The company’s mission statement will therefore be â€Å"JMB Giving Landscaping Holistic touch of Creative Art.† The aspect of imagination will portray the company’s intention to apply creativity innovation and invention towards ensuring that consumers enjoy unique landscaping services because creativity cannot be easily reproduced but requires talent. At JMB our visions will be to turn imagination into reality to ensure that our customers enjoy unique and customized services and that the outcomes have the uniqueness and aesthetics only found in art. In addition we believe in keeping of time and operating within the customer’s budget. Once you give us the contract you will only have to sit back and wait for your finished product. Currently JMB has built reputation among small scale consumers. The company is now targeting contractual agreements with corporate partners to increase on the volume of contracts and to be able to make future projections. The company will depend on its capacity to deliver quality services in a timely manner and to add artistic creativity to landscaping. According to Ingels one of the ways to attain competitive advantage that cannot be easily reproduced by rivals in landscaping business is by applying graphic and design art to landscaping (15). The company will employ the services of reputable graphic designers and computer animators whose work will be to create visual images of designs for display to customers. The graphic designers and computer animators will also be able to turn the imaginations of the consumer into 3D images to allow the consumer to have a taste of what the finished products will

English Composition II Unit 5 Individual Project Essay

English Composition II Unit 5 Individual Project - Essay Example In my opinion, referring to the internet as a waste of time is unacceptable since it has more merits than demerits. Reasons why the Internet is considered advantageous One of the many reasons the internet is advantageous is that the internet is highly informative. It serves millions of people both at home and in the world of business. Users of the internet are able to receive current trends and news that affect their lives both locally and globally. For instance, corporations are able to access real time market status hence adjust their corporate strategies within the shortest time. In addition, most researchers, apart from their field or laboratory work, acquire statistics and facts via the internet. Most individuals lacking access to the internet end up gaining information after a long period and acquire very little of that information. Over the years, people have saved a lot of time in research due to the availability of the internet. For example, individuals get loads of informat ion required for their research easily through the internet instead of wasting much time in libraries searching from historical books or articles. In addition, the internet gives individuals opportunities of learning and researching from an unlimited number of resources online whereby there is provision of different summaries. In the current world, businesses are conducted online and this feature has significantly improved on time management. The major improvement in the business world is the online buying and selling of goods and services. For instance, boutiques display their products online using their blogs and interested customers shop online. In addition, interviews in most businesses are conducted online whereby the interviewees send their Curriculum Vitaes and related documents hence making the selection much easier. Internet use boosts self-development. People are able to share their ideas and talents largely via the internet. Talented individuals display their work in audi o, video, and written forms and can improve on their skills due to the criticism provided via comments and blogs. They develop their talents and boost their esteem through the positive criticism they receive. Civic awareness is important for all individuals and is widely gained through the internet. Civilization of individuals is automatic for internet users thus saving time on awareness campaigns. Internet sites enhance making friends, a major part of everyday social life, for example through twitter. The internet serves as a tool for communication with the main communication tool being the Email. The Email accelerates information transfer resulting to faster communication hence a lot of time is saved. Many internet social sites such as face book, twitter, and my space enhance fast travel of information. For instance, information about any calamity in the world can reach all internet users via a single face book update. Therefore, users both locally and internationally are able to update each other on current happenings instead of reading from news articles or watching televisions. This mode of communication saves money, as these sites are very cheap to access as well as time since the internet is fast and highly effective. For the above reasons, the internet cannot be considered a diminishing community activity but a mode of information trans

Analys Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analys Paper - Essay Example The story, however, does not end here. The number of deaths has increased remarkably at around 4 times higher than the previous government reign (Bergen & Braun, 2012). There is a debate over the legality, ethicality and reality behind the policies adopted in the name of Drone warfare against terrorism. Critics believe that these attacks do not carry any moral, legal or ethical weight as the attacks do not merely harm the targeted terrorists but rather the civilians are harmed. This school of thought sheds more light on the innocent people killed in areas like Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. They believe that drone attacks are not a mere attempt to curb terrorism anymore but it goes beyond it and has stepped towards diminishing and threatening different groups in the name of war against terrorism. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reports that in 346 drone strikes around 2570 to 3337 deaths and around 1232-1366 injured people were reported in Pakistan alone between 2004 and 2012 (S erle & Woods, 2012). Benjamin (2012) further sheds light on the misuse of drone warfare by the US Government to brutally end the lives of incalculable blameless citizens in countries including Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen and Pakistan (Benjamin, 2012). The opponents of drone warfare policies recommend a systematic, rational and more comprehensive view to resolve the terrorism issue. They find such brutal killings as another way to promote terrorism, i.e. a more civilized and official step towards taking part in terrorist activities. The US administration’s over reliance and misuse of the authorities and powers is not only harming the ethical values it held but is also coming into a conflict with the diplomatic and political targets it aimed to achieve (Editorial Board, 2012). TBIJ suggests that US drones are responsible for the death of 50 civilians during February 2012, who were struggling to aid and rescue victims of a previous attack. Such attacks that merely kill the innoc ent rescue workers, rescue teams, civilians and others aiming at clearing up the attacked site or helping victims after the first attack have increased the death rates of injured civilians who could be saved by the provision of timely medical assistance (Scott 2012). The double attacks have threatened people from visiting the attacked site until a considerable time has elapsed. The US, hence, needs to clarify the position and aim of such attacks which are more inclined to affect and kill innocent civilians and militants rather than the targeted terrorist groups. The supporters of drone war claim that drone attacks and terrorist activities have been reduced. They claim that the drone warfare is affecting their organizational capacity. Continuous attacks on the terrorists firstly reduce their number by diluting their power and secondly it discourages people from involving into such activities or groups regardless of any religious or monetary benefit they are assured of (Boyle, 2013). It seems quite practical; yet, the political case of innocent civilians killed is stronger and has forced US to look into the issue more closely and responsibly. The United Nations involvement in the issue is a living example of the cruelty it poses to the very basic phenomenon of humanity. In addition to the Protestants in Yemenis, and other countries affected by the US drones, exponential rise

National Food Security Bill 2013 Essay Example for Free

National Food Security Bill 2013 Essay Only three percent of Indians pay income tax; our tax-GDP ratio is among the lowest in the world. This must change. Our elites must realise that India’s poverty has damaging consequences for them, and that they can help decrease it. The food security bill, with all its limitations, will hopefully contribute to generating such awareness, says Praful Bidwai. After vacillating for years over taking any pro-people measures, the United Progressive Alliance finally did something bold and worthy by having the National Food Security Bill passed in Parliament a promise made in the UPA’s â€Å"first 100 days† agenda after its return to power in 2009. The Bill won a resounding victory in the Lok Sabha, with a margin exceeding 100, because non-UPA parties including the Janata Dal-United, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and even the Shiv Sena felt they had no choice but to support it. It sailed through the Rajya Sabha too. The stage was set by a rare, spirited speech by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in which she described the legislation as India’s chance to ‘make history’ by abolishing hunger and malnutrition, and emphasised that India cannot afford not to have the law: â€Å"The question is not whether we can [raise the resources] or not. We have to do it.† The NFSB has invested meaning, public purpose and a degree of legitimacy into the UPA’s otherwise corruption-ridden, shoddy and often appalling performance in government under an increasingly right-leaning leadership. This at once put the Bharatiya Janata Party on the defensive. Its leaders were reduced to opposing a measure that represents genuine social progress, and making thoughtless statements about the Bill being about ‘vote security’, not food security. The BJP now has nothing to offer to the nation but obscurantist programmes like building a temple at Ayodhya, and parochial, and predatory pro-corporate agendas under Narendra Modi’s rabidly communal leadership. The Bill is open to the criticism that it doesn’t go far enough. Instead of universalising subsidised food provision, it confines it to two-thirds of the population, and truncates it further by limiting the food quota to five kilos of grain per capita per month instead of the 35 kg per family demanded by right-to-food campaigners. The per capita quota puts small households, such as those headed by widows and single women, at a disadvantage. A universalised Public Distribution System, covering the entire population, has been proved to be more effective and less prone to leakage than one targeted at ‘below-poverty-line’ groups in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and even poor, backward Chhattisgarh. The relatively well-off won’t stand in queues at ration shops; they select themselves out of a universal PDS. Besides, a large proportion even of those officially defined as poor don’t possess BPL ration cards. The ratio can be as high as 40 percent in some highly deprived states. The latest National Sample Survey reveals that 51 percent of rural people possessing less than one-hundredth of a hectare of land have no ration cards of any kind; less than 23 percent have BPL cards. The problem of identifying the poor remains unresolved. Nevertheless, the broader coverage proposed under the NFSB and the simple, attractive formula of rice at Rs 3 per kg, wheat at Rs 2, and coarse grains at Re 1 marks a definite improvement over the current situation. It creates a right or entitlement for the poor, which can go some way in reducing acute hunger. However, right-wing commentators, including neo-liberal economists, credit-rating agencies, multinational and Indian big business, and writers/anchors in the media, have vitriolically attacked the NFSB as an instance of reckless â€Å"populism†. Some claim it will do to little to relieve malnutrition among Indian children, almost one-half of whom suffer from it. Yet others contend that the poor don’t want or deserve subsidies; they aspire to work, earn more and eat better. And almost all of them say the NFSB will entail excessive wasteful expenditure of Rs 1.25 lakh crores. This will aggravate India’s growing fiscal crisis and further depress already faltering GDP growth, now down to four-five percent. Eventually, this will work against the poor. Besides, if investment and growth are to be revived, India can’t spend so much on food security.

Using Technology for Sustainable Strategic Advantage

Using Technology for Sustainable Strategic Advantage Author: Stephen Walsh For the purpose of this paper a review of current technology has been carried out in response to the question of technology providing little or no sustainable strategic advantage. In the last twenty years or so the digital revolution has transformed the way business carries out commerce in the developing world, whether on the ground or online, commerce has increased dramatically and technology has unquestionably facilitated that growth. Over ten years ago in 2003 author Nicholas Carr published a widely discussed article in the Harvard Business Review titled (Carr, 2003) IT doesnt matter. In the article Nicholas argued that the opportunities for gaining IT based advantages were receding. Best practices were built into software or otherwise replicated and as for IT encouraged industry transformations most of the ones that were going to happen had already happened or were in the process of happening. Carr argued that IT is like other infrastructure technologies that lost their competiti ve potential once they became accessible and affordable to all. Has technology enabled business decision makers to gain strategic advantage over competitors in light of the developments in technology of the last number of years. The following paragraphs will look at recent trends in technology and whether these trends can provide a sustainable strategic advantage going forward to decision makers. The attainment of strategic sustainable advantage from technology is immensely important to small and medium sized business and large organisations, in 2017 there is a myriad of ways in utilising technology and in particular information systems technology to improve business operations. Organisations can employ information systems to fundamentally shift the cost of doing business (Booth, 2011) or reduce the costs of business processes and or lower the costs of customers or suppliers, i.e. using online business to consumer business to business models and e-procurement systems to reduce operating costs. An example of a business to business model is an Irish start up by the name of Bullet HQ which is aiming to disrupt the accountancy marketplace with its online accounting and payroll software targeted at small and medium enterprises in Ireland. Eighty percent of companies in Ireland are SMEs with four staff or less and this software is tailored to business owners for the purpose of doi ng their books, payroll and all tax returns thus enabling them the time to run other business practices related to their operation and replaces the expense of hiring an accountant. This platform used by Bullet HQ is employing cloud technology which has become a great shift in the way business organisations manage their IT operations. The arrival of Software as a Service (SaaS) applications allow business organisations to run a virtual business in which business functions are outsourced to cloud services. (SaaS) applications have emerged as one of the advanced technologies utilising cloud computing and has great potential for the strategic management of IT technology in dynamic business environments. As the global economy has crept back from recession it has become paramount to organisations to reduce risks and assure safe returns for their investments. Most companies are now trying to find ways of reducing their operation and productions costs and reducing IT costs are part of it. Companies have started to find solutions to operate their information systems on a pay-as-you-go basis instead of investing huge amounts of funding in IT infrastructure and this has b ecome possible with the recent developments in cloud computing. With software-as-a-service models companies only need to pay for what is used and can adjust service agreements as IT requirements increase or fall over time. (Gartner, 2012) Has stated worldwide software-as-a-service revenue was forecast to reach 14.5 billion dollars in 2012. (SaaS) distribution will experience healthy growth through 2017, when worldwide revenue is projected to reach 40 billion dollars. Traditionally implementing business information systems is a major undertaking for business in that it can cost a significant amount of money for organisations small or large. Organisations need to hire IT consultants and IT professionals to deploy solutions with their current systems and data needs. The requirements for the timeframe, budget and human resource for the implementation of these business solutions pose a significant risk for organisations. The on demand model of software-as-a-service removes the typical re quirements related to traditional software delivery models. (SaaS) applications can be accessed anytime from any personal computer or device with an internet connection. Strategic benefits such as high adoption rates, lower initial costs, updates and provider managed upgrades, and seamless integration with existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems makes software-as-a-service as a major differentiator in the IT services management market. A study by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM, 2014) highlighted that software-as-a-service helps enterprises with the highest level of (SaaS) adoption to have strategic advantages by providing differentiation in enterprise efficiency, deeper collaboration, better decision making and market agility. The Internet of things (IoT) sensors plus actuators connected by networks to computing systems is not a futuristic trend but it is here now and has received enormous attention over the last five years. A report by Mckinsey states that internet of things has a potential economic impact of 3.9 trillion dollars to 11.1 trillion dollars a year by 2025. (IoT) is crafting a new world, a calculable world where people and business can manage assets in a better informed way and make more timely and informed decisions about what they want or need to do. This new connected world will bring massive changes to consumers and society as a whole. For the first time ever the mobile phone will no longer be the most common device used to connect people to the internet it will be cars, home appliances, industries, cities and wearables. It is expected by 2020 that there will be 28 billion connected devices worldwide with more than half being internet of things devices. As all these things are connected n ew opportunities will arise for industries, cities and organisations. Current examples of internet of things technology include connected smart buildings whereby the Ericsson group implemented solutions to assist facility managers in space utilization, space management, the planning of maintenance based on usage, temperature control, air quality and ventilation optimization thus in turn providing optimised funding channels. A large range of new technologies is emerging that enable new value and capabilities for connecting the next new (IoT) device to a new generation of analytics and applications. From a business strategic perspective internet of things represents an opportunity to collect real time information about every physical operation of an organisation. Internet of things sensors can transport information real time and transform raw (IoT) data into business and operational insights using effective data analytics. Assets equipped with sensors give an information system the ca pability to communicate, capture and process data and in turn that will create massive opportunities in distribution, innovation and production efficiency. (Jacques Bughin, n.d.) states that business to business applications will account for almost seventy percent of the value that is estimated will flow from (IoT) in the next ten years. Nearly 5 trillion dollars would be generated almost exclusively in business to business settings i.e. factories, agriculture, healthcare environments, mining, gas and oil, construction and office settings. Here in Ireland there has been many developments in the internet of things sphere, (Kennedy, n.d.) Crossmolina in Co.Mayo will be the first town in Ireland to implement a smart lighting system, the US technology firm Silver Spring whose tech manages over 23 million devices in cities around the world has deployed an internet of things platform for Mayo County Council for smart street illumination and also a residential energy efficient project for the council with the project been part funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority Of Ireland (SEAI). Peter Mcloughlin, executive engineer of Mayo County Council has stated that the technology enhances the councils objective off reducing energy usage, reducing cost and reducing C02 emissions and also increases the capacity of the community to relate with and understand their energy use. Another development is the rollout out nationwide of a Sigfox platform across Ireland by the the Irish startup VT Networks. Sigfox is an internet of things network that uses low power, wide area communications to connect up devices from smart meters, smoke alarms, interactive billboards and robots. VT is targeting Irish business with services that include home solutions, smart metering, smoke alarms, security sensors and security sensors on gates for farmers, machine monitoring devices and recovery and tracking of stolen farm items. The internet of things revolution will have a range of aids for dealing with health related issues, especially prolonged health issues that use up resources in Irish Hospitals. A project currently being tested using internet of things technology is a project by North East Doctor on Call to enable paramedics to see patients and enable remote diagnosis by GPs and consultants along with the use of internet of things sensors in the home. On the research front academic and industrial partnerships led by research groups such as Tyndall, CRANN, Connect, Insight, TSSG and Adapt have put Ireland on the world centre stage for internet of things breakthroughs. The previous paragraphs have given an overview of currently technological trends and it is clear that these trends are here to stay and in terms of providing a sustainable strategic advantage these technologies will provide long-term advantages to business going forward. The principal means of utilising these technologies for business decision makers is to be innovative in their thinking. It is vital for business people to understand the use of information technology and in order to stay ahead of the competition they should work with technical people to achieve this, by working with an IT consultant small business owners across Ireland for example can gain an advantage on competition by implementing streamlined processes to their business resulting in profitability, higher revenue growth and productivity growth. An information technology consultant will provide excellent guidance in helping a business gain an advantage over competitors. One of the ways the consultant would do this is by using (Porter, 1985) Michael Porters five forces model, looking at the rivalry of competitors within the clients industry, by looking at the threat of new entrants within the clients industry, the threat posed by substitute products which might capture market share, the bargaining power of customers and the bargaining power of suppliers. By analysing these five competitive forces and consultant can then implement a strategy to counter these forces, A business must develop and implement strategies to effectively counter the above five competitive forces. (OBrien, 2011) suggest that organisations can follow one of five basic competitive strategies, which are based on Porters three generic strategies of broad cost leadership, broad differentiation, and focused strategy. The five competitive strategies are: cost leadership, differentiation, innovation, growth, and alliance. The following conveys how Information systems could be a critical enabler of these five competitive strategies , 1. Cost Leadership: Organisations can use information systems to fundamentally shift the cost of doing business (Booth, Roberts Sikes 2011) or reduce the costs of business processes or/and to lower the costs of customers or suppliers, i.e., using online business to consumer business to business models, e-procurement systems to reduce operating costs 2. Differentiation: Organisations can use information systems to develop differentiated features or/and to reduce competitors differentiation advantages, i.e., using online live chatting systems and social networks to better understand and serve customers; using technology to create informediariesÂÂ   to offer value-added service and improve customers stickiness to your web site/business(Booth, Roberts, and Sikes 2011); applying advanced and established measures for online operations to offline practices (i.e., more accurate and systematic ways of measuring efficiency and effectiveness of advertising) (Manyika, 2009) 3. Innovation: Organisations can use information systems to identify and create (or assist in creating) new products and services or/and to develop new/niche markets or/and to radically change business processes via automation (i.e., using digital modelling and simulation of product design to reduce the time and cost to the market (Chui, 2011). They also can work on new initiatives of establishing pure online businesses/operations. At the same time, the Internet and telecommunications networks provide better capabilities and opportunities for innovation. Combinational innovation and Open innovation are two good examples. There are a large number of component parts on the networks that are very expensive or extremely different before the establishment of the networks, and organisations could combine or recombine components/parts on the networks to create new innovations (Manyika 2009). Meanwhile everyone is connected via personal computers, laptops and other mobile devices through cab led Internet or wireless networks or mobile networks, there are plenty of opportunities to co-create with customers, external partners and internal people. 4. Growth (including mergers and acquisitions): Organisations can use information systems to expand domestic and international operations or/and to diversify and integrate into other products and services, i.e., establishing global intranet and global operation platform; establishing omni channel strategy to gain growth (omni channel strategy looks at leveraging advantages of both online (or digital) and offline (or non-digital) channels) (Rigby, 2011). 5. Strategic Alliance: Organisations can use information systems to create and enhance relations with partners via applications, such as developing virtual organisations and inter-organisational information systems. To conclude, the potential to use technology for sustainable strategic advantage is evident and by innovative thinking it can be realised with the correct technological tools and strategies. Technology will undoubtedly change the way commerce is carried out and information systems combined with technology will improve business processes and living standards going forward. It is the job of the information systems practitioner to always be aware of developing technologies and make use of them to improve business needs and to find solutions to business problems and also look at the possibility of developing the applications (SaaS) or otherwise needed to solve these issues. Additionally information systems by itself or in conjunction with internet of things could be used strategically to improve not only business processes but human lives by utilising (IoT) technology and information systems to build out platforms for concerns surrounding health and climate change issues. References Booth, A. R. (2011). How strong is your IT strategy? McKinsey on Business Technology. Carr, N. G. (2003, May). https://hbr.org/2003/05/it-doesnt-matter. Retrieved from Harvard Business View. Chui, M. . (2011). Inside P Gs digital revolution. McKinsey Quarterly. Gartner. (2012). Forecast: Software as a Service, All Regions, 2010-2015. IBM. (2014). Champions of Software as a Service: How (SaaS) is fueling. Jacques Bughin, M. C. (n.d.). http://www.mckinsey.com. Kennedy, J. (n.d.). www.siliconrebublic.com. Manyika. (2009). Hal Varian on how the Web challenges managers. OBrien, J. A. (2011). Management Information Systems. McGrawHill,. Porter, M. E. (1985). Competitive advantage : creating and sustaining superior performance. New York : Free Press, . Rigby, D. (2011). The Future of Shopping. Harvard Business Review.

How is Scrooge presented in a Christmas Carol Essay -- English Literat

How is Scrooge presented in a Christmas Carol - What is he like? Are we sympathetic to him? Does he change? What language features are used to do this? Ebenezer Scrooge This essay is looking at the character, Ebenezer Scrooge throughout the play. It looks at the person he is and the person he becomes. It also looks at the language Dickens uses to portray Mr Scrooge. Dickens portrays Scrooge as a ' tight fisted, penny pincher' with alliterations and metaphors such as, 'wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner' emphasising his meanness. He seems a mean old man with no time for the festivities of Christmas, nor any other special day at that! Even when the cheerful voice of his nephew rings out to wish him a very Merry Christmas, his reply was ' Bah, Humbug!' He snubs visitors with the frost of his nature and speaks with a voice that begrudges their happiness and united joy. He is even bitter to the clerk, Bob Cratchit for having a paid day off, stating ' A poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every twenty - fifth of December! ' (Stave 1) When the ghost of Marley appears, Scrooge tries to jest with him to distract his fears but the spectre voice 'disturbs the very marrow in his bones.' He begs for mercy and asks why the 'dreadful apparition is troubling him' Although mean and nasty, the reader sees here that Scrooge is also a coward! Jacob Marley tells of the chains that were forged in life and what is waiting for Scrooge, telling him 'I am here tonight to warn you, that you have a chance and hope of escaping my fate' (Stave 1) If Scrooge did not change his mean old ways, then he is only to look forward to an after life like poor Jacob. To Scrooge's disappointment and di... ...tion of the word 'and' quickens the pace, and indicates the excitement felt by Scrooge. Scrooge remembers all that was shown to him and he sets off to alter the future, which only evoked doom. He buys an overwhelmingly large turkey for Bob Cratchit, attends his Nephews party and generally spreads the good will and festive cheer of Christmas! Scrooge keeps his promise, and everyone benefits. There is a repetition of the word good ' He became a good friend, a good master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town or borough, in the good Old World' (Stave 5) This proves that he has genuinely changed for the better of himself and everyone around him. The moral of the story is, as Dickens surely tried to put across, that it is never too late to alter your ways, and if you don't change, things could happen to you too.

Dr. Seuss Essay -- essays papers

Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss I took an unconventional approach in the topic I chose for my reading assignment – whereas most groups selected single novels, my partner and I opted to read a collection of short stories by none other than the notorious Dr. Seuss. Were I writing this essay on a â€Å"normal† book, I would be able to pose a question about the book itself and answer it in an ordinary sort of way. However, given the subject matter I have chosen, an essay on an individual book, though possible, would be a very tricky thing to do. It would be wiser, and probably easier, to respond to the man himself. My decision to respond to the man himself makes many more choices – what facet of Dr. Seuss shall I ask myself questions about? I think perhaps I first need to give some brief biographical information on the man to understand the background he’s coming from. In 1904, Theodore Seuss Geisel was born in Massachusetts, USA. I have not been able to find too much document ation about his childhood, but he certainly did not come from a terribly poor or terribly unsuccessful family†¦ in fact, his family had owned a local brewery in their home town of Springfield for several years. Ever since his childhood, Geisel had dabbled in the fields we all know and love him for today†¦ for instance, during bible recitals, he read the verses to a rhythm and often in rhyme. In High School he wrote many short essays and drew cartoons for the school paper, and even then he had adopted a pseudonym for himself – â€Å"Pete the Pessimist†. Upon graduation, Geisel began studying literature at Oxford university, as his original intent was to become an educator†¦ even then, he punctuated his time at Oxford with his job editing and contributing to the â€Å"Jack-O-Lantern†, ... ...-hungry all of his life, perhaps simply in its early stages when he just started off – he was heavily involved in advertising then, and his stories such as â€Å"And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street† were not particularly ethic-conscious. When Seuss died in 1991, however, you get a definite image of a creative, artistic genius of a man†¦ his advertising career had come to a close, his books constantly taught to respect yourself, others and your surroundings, and he exercised his artistic freedom while writing his final two stories, both adult-oriented. Dr. Seuss died an honorable man, and any selling out that he may have been guilty of is definitely, definitely excusable. ''How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?'' -Dr. Seuss (1904-1991) Dr. Seuss Essay -- essays papers Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss I took an unconventional approach in the topic I chose for my reading assignment – whereas most groups selected single novels, my partner and I opted to read a collection of short stories by none other than the notorious Dr. Seuss. Were I writing this essay on a â€Å"normal† book, I would be able to pose a question about the book itself and answer it in an ordinary sort of way. However, given the subject matter I have chosen, an essay on an individual book, though possible, would be a very tricky thing to do. It would be wiser, and probably easier, to respond to the man himself. My decision to respond to the man himself makes many more choices – what facet of Dr. Seuss shall I ask myself questions about? I think perhaps I first need to give some brief biographical information on the man to understand the background he’s coming from. In 1904, Theodore Seuss Geisel was born in Massachusetts, USA. I have not been able to find too much document ation about his childhood, but he certainly did not come from a terribly poor or terribly unsuccessful family†¦ in fact, his family had owned a local brewery in their home town of Springfield for several years. Ever since his childhood, Geisel had dabbled in the fields we all know and love him for today†¦ for instance, during bible recitals, he read the verses to a rhythm and often in rhyme. In High School he wrote many short essays and drew cartoons for the school paper, and even then he had adopted a pseudonym for himself – â€Å"Pete the Pessimist†. Upon graduation, Geisel began studying literature at Oxford university, as his original intent was to become an educator†¦ even then, he punctuated his time at Oxford with his job editing and contributing to the â€Å"Jack-O-Lantern†, ... ...-hungry all of his life, perhaps simply in its early stages when he just started off – he was heavily involved in advertising then, and his stories such as â€Å"And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street† were not particularly ethic-conscious. When Seuss died in 1991, however, you get a definite image of a creative, artistic genius of a man†¦ his advertising career had come to a close, his books constantly taught to respect yourself, others and your surroundings, and he exercised his artistic freedom while writing his final two stories, both adult-oriented. Dr. Seuss died an honorable man, and any selling out that he may have been guilty of is definitely, definitely excusable. ''How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?'' -Dr. Seuss (1904-1991)

Nelson Mandela Essay -- Nelson Mandela Essays

Activist, lawyer, father, prisoner, survivor, president, the face of equality. Nelson Mandela has an inspiring story of fighting Apartheid forces and surviving a long prison sentence all in the name of freedom and equal rights. Through Nelson Mandela’s constant fight for freedom of the African people from white apartheid forces, he was dominated by the corrupt government. After uprising numerous riots against apartheid forces, Mandela was sent to jail for twenty-seven years revealing the cruelty that humans can possess. With the strong will power and complete support of the African people, Mandela survived his prison sentence and became the first democratically elected president of South Africa exposing the strength in human nature by showing that humans can persevere through tough times. Mandela left a profound impact on the African people by saving them from corrupt Apartheid rule and bringing a democratic government. Thus teaching the world that in an event where a body of people is suppressed, they will inevitably rebel by any means necessary to gain their freedom. Nelson Mandela’s life can be seen as a double climax: where he survived events directly related to the Apartheid’s cruel/unjust actions along with enduring medical ailments later on in his life. In a four year span, from 1960 to 1964, Mandela had to find strength and will power to persevere through a rollercoaster of events. Mandela’s affiliation in the African National Congress allowed him to organize supporters and protest against the inequality of whites and blacks in Africa, and bring attention to the abuse blacks have been forced to endure for far too long. The constant back and forth commotion between the apartheid and the freedom protestors caused a snowba... ...t a Middle East country? Would similar things/punishments occur? Works Cited de Zayas, Alfred. "Nelson Mandela." Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity. Ed. Dinah L. Shelton. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. Humanitarians and Reformers. New York: Macmillan Library Reference USA, 1999. Print. Keller, Bill. Tree Shaker: The Story of Nelson Mandela. Boston: Kingfisher, 2008. Print. Mandela, Nelson, and Nelson Mandela. Mandela: An Illustrated Autobiography. Boston: Little, Brown, 1996. Print. McKenna, Amy. The 100 Most Influential World Leaders of All Time. New York, NY: Britannica Educational Pub. in Association with Rosen Educational Services, 2010. Print. "Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 11 Mar. 2012.

Church Leadership and Ministry Evaluation Paper Essay

For this paper, I interviewed the pastor of Grace Life Baptist Church in Ruby Michigan, USA. Would you say that your congregation (or the people within your particular department or area of ministry) is â€Å"Living Out the Mind of Christ† (i.e. Unity, Humility, Selflessness) as they interact, serve, and minister to/with each other? How specifically do you as a ministry leader teach, cultivate, and maintain â€Å"The Mind of Christ† in your area of ministry? â€Å"At Grace Life we strive to be like Christ in every decision that is made.† Grace Life has had its difficulties; they started Grace Life from a church that split due to differing beliefs. Since the beginning of Grace Life they have strived to be the picture of Christ. As a body of believers, they have come to recognize that humility and selflessness should be at the core of all believers. â€Å"I put a strong emphasis on unity in our church, and I believe that through teaching about the humility and sel flessness of Christ we will learn to be more inclined to have a mind of Christ.† Would you consider yourself a â€Å"Wounded Healer?† Also, would you please share an example where you have ministered to a person who is/was â€Å"wounded† in the same manner that you once were? (cf. II Corinthians 1:3-5) Being a â€Å"Wounded Healer† is something that all pastors like to believe that they are, however, being a â€Å"Wounded Healer† is much more than most pastors would admit that it is. Healing the wounded is not just showing them Christ; you have to disciple them as well. The pastor of Grace Life used to be in the Army and served with hundreds of lost people. Because of seeing so much in his time in the Army, he had lost his faith. His major wound came when his friend that he served with died in combat. It took him many years to realize that God was still in control and everything happened for a reason. He then started to witness to his friends that had gone through the same thing. How specifically does the Holy Spirit help guide you as you lead/serve in your ministry? Also, can you give a specif ic example of how you were able to clearly recognize that the Holy Spirit was helping/guiding you in dealing with a particular situation and/or decision while in your ministry? What advice would you give me that, if I obeyed, would assure me that I would be  able to be guided by the Holy Spirit in my life and/or ministry? The pastor at Grace Life has made it clear that he believes that the Holy Spirit guides us in every aspect in our lives; the only thing we have to do to get this guidance is to ask for it. Specifically the Holy Spirit guides his words while preaching. The pastor at Grace Life was also the pastor at the church that split leading to the start of Grace Life, the Holy Spirit led him to start a new church and that decision has proved to be one that was given to him by the Holy Spirit. The advice he gave me was simple, follow Christ’s example, always lean on Him, and look to Him when you do not know what to do. Do you have a personal philosophy (i.e. an agreed upon plan of action/policy/understood protocol) of how/when/where you confront sin in the lives of 1) co-ministers/co-leaders in your ministry, and 2) people to whom you minister? If so, what is it? How did you come to this philosophy? If not, do you see a need for such a philosophy? Why or Why not? â€Å"I follow the example set my Christ. Go to that person, and if they won’t listen, take 2-3 witnesses with me, if they still won’t listen it becomes a matter to be decided by the church.† The Bible makes it 100% clear what we as Christians are to do in these situations. Can I perform a little ministry quiz on you? â€Å"Sure† Can you recall for me what you specifically did (i.e. tasks performed, people you talked to, the number of hours of service) on any individual day in your ministry approximately six weeks ago? â€Å"Six weeks ago we were dealing with the sound system, it wasn’t working correctly and I remember somewhere between 6 and 8 hours spend on tracing wires back to there source.† Can you recall any time in the past that you were either so moved by hearing a sermon, reading a bible verse, hearing a testimony of a someone’s salvation that made such an impact upon your life that you still have a vivid recollection of the event today? How long ago did that spiritual event take place? â€Å"Probably around 6 months ago or so, I was reading in Psalms, and came across a verse in chapter 51 ‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.’ This verse became one of my favorite v erses because of its powerful phrasing. It has become one of the verses that comes into my head on a daily basis, and I thank God for that!† Could you briefly describe  for me how your daily â€Å"Quiet time with God† or your â€Å"Communion time with God† or â€Å"Your Devotion time with God† usually goes? â€Å"Well, I usually start my day with prayer and my Bible reading. I take time in the morning before my family wakes up, and the distractions of life come into play. God and I time is my favorite time of the day, and when I take the proper amount of time in prayer and reading my day seems to be much smoother and I don’t feel as rushed.† As a minister, are you ever tempted to become competitive with either a fellow minister or a neighboring ministry or covet the â€Å"success† or resources of other ministers and/or ministries? How do you overcome this temptation in your life if/when it ever comes up in your heart? What advice would you give me to make sure I remain content with what God specifically has for me in my own life and/or ministry? â€Å"Being a pastor of a church that God has blessed abundantly has always been a temptation for me to brag about how great I am doing; but it is never me that has the success. It becomes very easy to look at other pastors ministries and compare them to mine. These temptations are only overcome by realizing that God has allowed this church to be successful, it has nothing to do with my abilities. God has given me everything that I need to be a success in Him. It is far too easy to become proud of something that seems to have come from our hands, however, if we acknowledge the fact that God is the one that it came from, it is much easier to stay humble.† Provide a summary of your interview. What stood out to you the most from this interview? The pastor was clearly filled with the Holy Spirit. He had a clear heart for God, and the way he talked about Christ made it clear that he has a strong relationship with God. He has a distinct passion for Christ that can only be seen while talking to him. What did you learn that will help you develop your own philosophy of ministry? I learned that starting the day out with a good amount of time spent with God in prayer and reading His word is crucial to growing closer to Him, and living out my life the way that He would have me to live it. What did you learn about leadership that you feel is important when ministering to others? I learned there is a proper way to deal with sin inside the body of Christ, and that as a leader in a church this knowledge is important because it is specifically addressed in the word of God.

Hewlett-Packard Under Carly Fiorina, and After Her Essay

1) How do you judge the quality of a product, whether a computer or something else? Is it mostly by price? Discuss your perception of price and quality as well as any ramifications. The quality of a product depends how well it was made and how well the product works to meet expectations. Price can be a determinate of quality, but this is not always true. A product may be cheaper and still be of good quality if the company has figured out a way to reduce overhead cost which helps determine price. I normally base my buying decisions off of quality and price. Many companies cut cost to make their products cheaper so their sales will increase, but lowering cost is not always a good plan. The companies that cut prices normally fall behind because the companies that have better quality products get ahead in the long run. 2) â€Å"Tradition has no place in corporate thinking today.† Discuss this statement. Many companies stay active by practicing tradition (ex. Starbucks employee treatment). Though tradition is an important aspect of many companies, tradition can hinder companies’ growth over time and the need for innovation can be faulted. I think tradition can be kept within a company and the company still be successful, but traditions gradually change to keep the company’s original objective alive. Depending on the company and the company’s objective determines whether tradition can be incorporated or not. 3) Giant organizations are often plagued with cumbersome bureaucracies. Discuss how this tendency could be prevented as an organization grows to large size over many years. Bureaucracy can limit the growth and innovation of a company. The leaders/management of a company need to be able to promote change and motivate others throughout the organization. Bureaucracy starts to form between different levels of an organization and can cause decision making processes to become slower, such as the case with Carly. A company may try decentralizing and delegating jobs to different parts of the organization. Though decentralization and delegations can be problematic for companies, it can also speed up processes and be less costly to the organization. Having strong leadership within each department can deter any fraudulent or selfish acts and allow for a more successful business with less bureaucracy. 4) Playing a devil’s advocate, present the case against the Compaq merger. Some risks were present in the potential merger of HP and Compaq. How would the merger take place? Would the merger affect the overall  structure and business plan of HP? Was PC growth the future of HP and would this venture help HP become and stay profitable? How long would the merger take? Would this merger be cost effective or would it be more costly to overtake Compaq? Would loyal customers to each brand stay around throughout the merger or would the customers switch their brand loyalty? All of these questions are potential arguments and reasons why HP should not complete the merger with Compaq. In the end the merger was a good decision for HP even though it took a while for the company to get where forecasters projected. 5) â€Å"HP is gouging the consumer in charging such high prices for its ink refill cartridges. Sure, it’s a high profit item, but such profits cross the line and are obscene.† Discuss. HP’s printer and ink business had high profits to help keep its other products stay in production. Though ink refills was HP’s sweet spot in the market, HP would probably not hold out in the long run and would eventually need to venture into other types of markets with a strong presence to stay afloat. Just because HP was successful in the ink cartridge market in the beginning did not mean the company would remain that way, especially with the other competition in the technology market. 6) Do you think the 17,000 jobs lost in the merger was laudatory, or should it be condemned? What would swing your opinion? Cost cutting is to be expected when mergers or reorganization occurs in a company. Even though 17,000 is a large number of job losses it might have been warranted. When merging the company there were many duplicate jobs and departments. With so many duplicate positions it can be hard to manage a successful company. These duplications can cause excessive amount of costs that aren’t warranted. The job cutting in the case of HP seemed to be necessary but have been a bit excessive in some instances. 7) Why do you think Hurd’s efforts were so successful and so quickly accomplished? Support your conclusions as persuasively as you can. Hurd’s success came after the merger was already completed. He took advantage of what was already completed and made the other necessary changes to finish making the company successful. His strategic marketing and application of more costs cutting techniques helped the company reach Carly’s projected goals. Both Hurd and Carly should receive credit for making HP the company it is today since the merger. 8) Why do you think Dell lagged so far behind HP in tapping into retail markets? Dell was succeeding in the business market and staying very  profitable. They probably focused all of their attention on this market instead of targeting both markets (business and retail). Since Dell used a low price strategy, the company remained one of the top companies in the market and did not need to worry about expanding and incurring more costs. None of the companies expected the overseas companies to start producing and marketing in the United States thus increasing competition in the technology market. Because Dell focused on low prices and the business market, the invasive competition made them start expanding to the retail market which increased costs and prices of their products. This increase and change took time and affected the company’s profits. I think this is why it took so long for Dell to enter the retail market.

Clothes In Latin America Essay

Clothes in Chile and general Latin America Clothing styles throughout Latin America vary from region to region and have been influenced through several different sources. Fashion in Latin America today and traditional fashions of Latin America differ dramatically. Climate, location, isolation, population, economy, history, colonial influences are many of the sources that have helped to contribute to these changes. Traditional Latin American fashion varied form region to region but maintained a distinctive appearance. Traditional and new aged Latino fashions are generally easy to decipher from each other. Modern fashion in Chile and most of Latin American have lost their traditional roots and are similar to North American. It has become the norm to see a citizen of Chile walking the street in Gap or American eagle. The amount of traditional roots left in clothes largely depends on the location. Rural Latin American and Chile clothes are much more traditional than in the cities. Rural Chileans and Latin Americans who live in tropical climates prefer lightweight cotton clothing in general. Men usually wear lightweight cotton clothing and loose fitting cotton shirts. The majority of the woman dress in long skirts and blouses. In contrast, people who live in mountains or places of high elevation need heavier clothing for protection against the cold. Both men and woman alike wear ponchos or will simply use blankets with a slit for the head. Woman also dress in full skirts, long sleeved blouses, and shawls. Different lifestyles require different sorts of fashion. Farmers wear straw or felt hats to protect themselves form the sun. In the highlands men often wear coarse hand woven shirts and baggy pants. Rural people generally go barefoot or in sandals, and some even make shoes out of automobile tires. Despite modernized fashion Chileans and other Latin Americans, will dress more traditionally for special events or occasions. Chilean cowboys (Hausas) wear big flat-topped hats, heavy ponchos, colorful sashes, fringed leather leggings, and boost with spurs. This is a traditional outfit for Hausas in Chile. The clothing of the Araucarias Indian women of south-central Chile includes brightly colored shawls and heavy silver jewelry. Many Indian groups wear brightly colored clothing with traditional patterns. In such groups, each area/village has its own special designs and colors. Colonials played a large and important role in the alteration and adaptation of Latin American fashion. The cultures different styles of clothing mixed together and became more European/American as time went on. Over the years factories have bee built throughout Latin America and Chile, many of which produced clothes, influencing fashion further. Media greatly promoted the Americanization of clothes in the Hispanic culture as well. Different regions have held on to their native clothes styles better than others. Traditional clothing, however, can still be found in certain areas of Latin America today. Areas that are more isolated than others have a better chance of holding on to their traditional way of dress. Because these regions are isolated they have not been as colonized as other areas and are visited by outside locations less often. Even if a location isn t necessarily isolated the physical characteristics and weather can cause traditional dress to continue. Extreme heat of cold, high winds, and a rocky area of land are examples of factors that cause modernization to decrease. Clothes worn in Latin American countries today differ greatly from region to region. In Ecuador the Otovindions are well known for their distinctive weave pattern, bright colors, and sharp depiction of figures in their clothing. Clothes in Ecuador and many other Latin American countries are hand made to a larger extent than in America. Bolivia is very much in touch with their traditional roots in clothing today. Many men and boys wear brightly colored knitted caps with earflaps, which help to keep them warm in the highlands. Due to warm weather in certain areas of Bolivia many Bolivians wear lightweight fabric, especially lightweight cotton. Despite the changes in civilization the many native Bolivian Indians are able to maintain their traditional style of clothing and customs. The woman wear their hair in long pigtails with a soft derby hat on their heads. Bolivian women will wear an apron over a bright skirt with many underskirts, which are cool.

Hardvard Case: TA Answers

1. This is a good deal for HPT’s shareholders and they did it for several reasons: First of all, TA’s operating business was spun off for federal income tax considerations. To maintain its status as an REIT for tax purpose, a large majority of HPT’s gross income had to be generated from real estate rents or mortgage interest. To meet these requirements, HPT was forced to divest itself of TA’s operating business. Second, the management of HPT believed that the rental income from TA’s sites would significantly diversify its revenue stream by providing exposure to a historically recession-resistant industry that did not follow the cyclical patterns of the hotel industry. Finally, the spin-off will unlock the hidden value of TA and the shareholder of HPT will receive shares of TA. As a result, this will create value for shareholders of HPT. 2. The HPT use the spin off for several reasons: Carve-out is partial spin-off, only unlocking partial hidden value. Most of the time, an equity carve-out ultimately results in the parent company fully spinning off the subsidiary. For HPT, carve-out can’t help them to avoid tax. Sell-off means selling assets, divisions, and subsidiaries to another corporation. For HPT, since they have just acquired TA, they have no reason to sell it unless there is a bigger profit than the sum of acquisition cost and the spin-off benefit. Issuing tracking stock –no legal separation or transfer of assets from HPT to TA First, issuing tracking stock will dilute the shareholders’ ownership. Instead, new spun off stock has no equity claim on the assets or cash flows of the old parent company (HTP). Second, for tax consideration, issuing tracking stock won’t help HPT to avoid tax. Third, overvalued market moods. if the investors are over-optimistic about the industry of TA, HPT can take advantage of it and have higher capital gain. But there is no evidence that investors have such mood about the TA industry. 3. Number of shares outstanding = 8628425(Exhibit 4), price per share=29 Equity value = shares outstanding * price= $250224325. There is no debt for new TA, cash equals $213205000 (Exhibit 7) Capital lease obligation = $105252000 (Exhibit 7). EV=Equity value+ debt (short+ long)-cash (and equivalents)+capital lease obligation= $142271325= $142. 27 (MM) The HPT gives $213 million to TA in order to cover up real estate properties and help TA to run its business without increasing leverage ratio. Also, it can help create better balance sheet, thus facilitating publicly trading and decreasing default risk by and large. 4. What is the fair value of one share of New-TA? 1) Multiple valuation method We use Pantry (PTRY) as comparable firm from three comparable firms. Because Pantry has a similar business model as New-TA, it leases most of its stores for operation instead of owning them (it owns 368 stores, but leases 1125 stores). Nevertheless, the other two firms own most of their stores, so they are excluded from our selection. Thus, EV/EBITDA=7. 1(data for 2007) Post-acquisition depreciation $18029000(Exhibit 9) P ost-acquisition EBIT $14936000(Exhibit 9) EBITDA = $32965000. (Exhibit 9) Based on our multiple valuations using 7. 1 times of EBITDA multiple, the fair value of New-TA is 234. 05(MM) Equity Value= EV- debt + cash – Capital lease obligation= $341. 99(MM) Price per share= $341. 99mm/8628425= $39. 64 2) DCF method (see Excel) 5. After the spin-off, New-TA has no debt outstanding so that it is easy to finance in the future operation. On top of that, the company’s leverage is low, which decreases the default risk of the company by and large. HPT retains its real estate and gives its operating business to the New TA, hoping that the New TA could focus on the its strong point and develop more aggressively in the market. Besides, there will generate some tax beneficial due to the spin-off transaction, which increases net income of the company. In addition, gross margins of New-TA are incredibly high, encouraging the company to grow at a faster speed and generate large amount of gross profits.

MANAGERIAL TRAITS AND SKILLS Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MANAGERIAL TRAITS AND SKILLS - Case Study Example The basic assumption in the trait theory is that certain characteristic that have been utilised over time by leaders to be effective can be identified, and such traits underline the behaviors of leaders, making them effective. Evidence from several studies have identified a master list of such traits and positively correlated them to effective leadership. The trait theory suffers from drawbacks in that such traits are not universally found in all leaders, and leaders that have possess some of the traits in the master list were not effective. Furthermore, the trait theory does not support variance seen in leadership based on the dynamics of characteristics, activities and goals of the followers (Van Wart, 2011). In spite of these drawbacks it is my opinion that trait theories do provide significant insight into leadership or the personal nature of leadership. From the trait theory it is possible to understand that leadership involves having vision, contagious enthusiasm, self-confiden ce, ability to enable others, and making things happen. It is the conjunction of these characteristics along with other factors that contributes to leadership. It is the people skills and not the position held that make for leadership.

The Role of Company Directors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Role of Company Directors - Essay Example Fiduciary duty is inherent amidst the interaction between directors and their company, trustees and their trusts, and lawyers and their customers. Barnet (2008) has defined fiduciary duty as a model of care observed in a legal correlation of faith and assurance involving an individual in a position of control, authority or influence, and another who is reliant on the appropriate exercise of that power...intrinsic in fiduciary duty is the accountability to perform in excellent confidence and honesty, the duty to work in the interests of the principal and to shun self-dealing transactions, and the commitment to not wield unreasonable demands or to proceed without the awareness and blessing of the principal. In a landmark case involving Caremark International Inc.1996 by the Delaware Chancery Court, the role of company’s directors was expanded to encompass liability in monitoring the company’s operations or ‘oversight liability’. This in effect meant that the directors had a fiduciary duty of closely supervising or overseeing the company’s daily transaction thus had to keep up-to-date on the regular operations of the corporation. The Delaware Supreme Court’s decision, Stone v. Ritter [Del. Supr., Jan. 27, 2009] upheld that the directors’ failure to ‘act in the face of a known duty to act’ is a breach of the duty of loyalty. To stem the excesses of the corporations in the US, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was enacted even as the courts stepped up punitive actions on errant directors and firms engaging in fraudulent activities. As a consequence, many directors are increasingly getting more involved in the company’s operations to offset being charged with negligence and abdication of their fiduciary duties (Rehfeld, 2005).

Internaltion Political Topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Internaltion Political Topic - Essay Example What is a terrorist and how does one define terrorism? The age old adage that â€Å"one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter† (Bergesen & Lizardo 2004) rings true and the term terrorist has been notoriously difficult to define. Seeking to address the difficult definitional questions surrounding these terms, this essay will compare and contrast definitions offered by scholars at the forefront in the study of the terrorist phenomenon. Despite the definitional challenges surrounding the terrorist phenomenon, a definition of â€Å"terrorism† is integral and this term must be defined so as to provide our theoretical basis. Bruce Hoffman, world renowned terror scholar and expert of the use of terror as a political tool, understands the slippery nature of defining the term and argues that first and foremost, terrorism is a political concept. Secondly, terror is about power and the use of this power to enact political change (Hoffman 2007). Another pro minent international terror theorist, Gà ©rard Chaliand, argues that terror is a tool which targets the mind. From this perspective, terror is â€Å"the most violent form of psychological warfare† (Chaliand et al. 1999) and terrorism is a means to power and control through violent means. While both of these definitions shed insight into the terrorist phenomenon, Dr. Mia Bloom, the world’s foremost expert on the suicide terror phenomenon, defines terrorism in a different fashion. According to Bloom, terrorism is â€Å"premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetuated against noncombatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience† (Bloom 2005). Taken together, all of these definitions are comprehensive enough to guide this essay and complement our analysis of the global terrorist phenomenon. As has been thoroughly documented,

Human Resources & EEOC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Resources & EEOC - Research Paper Example Hence it is an integral part of the Human Resources Management in United States. It is headquartered in Washington DC (About EEOC, 2013). EEOC’s Vision is: â€Å"Justice and Equality in the Workplace† EEOC’s Mission is to: Stop and Remedy Unlawful Employment Discrimination (About EEOC, 2013) EEOC laws are applicable for almost all employers who have employee strength of minimum fifteen employees. In case of age discrimination, the firm should be of minimum twenty employees. EEOC laws also cover most employment agencies and labor unions. Hiring, firing, training, promotion, wages, benefits, harassment and all other work situations are covered by the EEOC laws. (About EEOC, 2013) The U.S. EEOC is a bipartisan Commission. The President appoints all of its five members. They are the Chair, Vice Chair and the three Commissioners (The Commission, 2013). The President also appoints EEOC's General Counsel (Strategic Plan for fiscal year 2012-2016, 2013). EEOC has a speci fic strategic plan and the three values that underlie the plan are: Commitment to Justice: The Commission has been entrusted by the Congress, with the duty of enforcing non-discrimination laws of employment for the nation. Accountability: EEOC is accountable to the nation, just like any other federal agency. Integrity: The Commission has to be objective in nature while investigating charges and adjudicating cases. Every person it serves or interacts with during work and every member of the EEOC workforce has to be respected and treated with good manners and professionalism. (Strategic Plan for fiscal year 2012-2016, 2013) Role of EEOC EEOC has the right to investigate any sort of discrimination charges against employers, duly covered by the EEOC law. Their investigation has to be fair and accurate in order to assess the allegations. If it is found that discrimination has taken place, EEOC will first try to settle the allegation. If they are unable to sort it out they have the right to file a lawsuit for the same. However, EEOC does not file lawsuits in every case of discrimination (About EEOC, 2013). EEOC also believes in â€Å"prevention is better than cure† that is, it tries to prevent discrimination through various awareness and technical assistance programs, before it occurs. Federal agencies are guided by EEOC on every aspect of equal employment opportunity program. Affirmative employment programs of federal agencies’ are being regularly monitored and evaluated by EEOC (About EEOC, 2013) The company distributes informative and educational materials and provides training, guidance and assistance to all stakeholders, including administrative judges who conduct EEOC lawsuits. (About EEOC, 2013) Laws Enforced by EEOC (listed in the sequence EEOC got authority): Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), as amended. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), as amended The Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA), as amended Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended - prohibits employment discrimination against federal employees and applicants with disabilities. Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended. The Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). (Strategic Plan

Illicit Trafficking of All Types Research Paper

Illicit Trafficking of All Types - Research Paper Example The activities along these ports have attracted human traffickers, drug barons and even terrorists. Many South American illegal goods find their way in Africa through the ports in the Indian Ocean. This may be attributed to corruption and poor custom laws and regulations (Ploch, 2010). With the effects of the trafficking activities affecting many international countries the sensitivity of the matter has increased. In this paper I will focus on Kenya activities along the Kenyan coast. The paper will focus on human, drugs and weapon trafficking in Kenya. Additionally, it will focus on the effects of these activities in the country and the international community. The paper will have an insight on how the trafficking activities affect the United States. Kenya’s port city of Mombasa is one of the largest cities along the coast of the horn of Africa. Neighboring countries like Uganda and Rwanda use the port for export purposes since they are landlocked. This has made the port becom e the largest port in East Africa. This has attracted interests from many illegal stakeholders. First on focus is the issue of weapon trafficking. According to Shelly (2010) about 5,000 illegal firearms enter the country on an annual basis. These weapons find their way into the hands of interested people in the country. They are later sold at cheaper prices to pastoralist communities and other illegal gangs. In other instances, the firearms end up in other neighboring countries. Apart from the trafficking of firearms, explosive devices in Kenya are also on the increase. During this year, the country has had about seven explosive attacks in major cities. The explosives used in the scenes are said to have originated from a foreign country. Most firearms in Kenya are usually from the neighboring Somalia or destined to Somalia. Somalia is an unstable country, hence, traffickers find it an easier route to smuggle weapons to Kenya. Weapon trafficking in Kenya also involves top government officials. These powerful individuals are usually the masterminds of trafficking activities in the country. This hinders any investigative procedures from taking place. Weapon trafficking in Kenya has greatly affected the United States. In the year 1998 the US embassy was a main target in a terrorist attack in Nairobi. The terrorist attack was the worst attack experienced in the country. The Al- Qaeda group claimed responsibility for the attack and said it was aimed at destroying the US embassy. This was evidence that weapon trafficking in the country is a more complicated and strategized crime (Clinton, 2010). The United States government had to highly compensate the victims of the attack. Drug trafficking in Kenya has also been an emerging issue as far legality is concerned. Through its coastal town Mombasa, drugs enter the country from South American countries. Large consignments of drugs find their way to Kenya through various entry points. Entry points include border with neigh boring countries, through airports and majorly through the port of Mombasa. In the coastal city, many youths are now in rehabilitation centers after being exposed to drugs at a very young age. Many youths turn into small scale peddlers. They sell the drugs to school students and other young people. This has destroyed the young generation in Kenyan coastal region. Just like the weapon trafficking menace, powerful personalities are greatly involved in the smuggling of drugs into the country (Ploch, 2010). From the coastal

Compare and contrast the scientific principles of Magnetic resonance Essay

Compare and contrast the scientific principles of Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound - Essay Example However, there are similarities and differences of these radiographic techniques in terms of scientific principles behind these, by which this paper intends to explore. Transmission and Reception of Waves. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound shares their similarity in their ability to transmit their respective waves, electromagnetic and acoustic waves respectively, while receiving the signals induced by these transmitted waves. In magnetic resonance imaging, transmit coils emit radio waves to the patient, calibrated at the precessional frequency or Larmor frequency of hydrogen-1 at 42.6 MHz under a magnetic field strength of 1.5 tesla or above, generates a strong magnetic signal within the hydrogen-1 nucleus which can be detected by the receiver coils of the device1. On the other hand, in ultrasound, ultrasonic acoustic waves come from the source transducer as a result of a piezoelectric effect (conversion of electrical to sound energy), and solid objects along the watery body tissues causes an echo, which will be detected by the receiving transducer using the same piezoelectric effect (conversion of sound energy to electrical energy)2. Type of Waves. There are differences between electromagnetic waves emitted by magnetic resonance imaging and the acoustic waves of ultrasound imaging, mainly on the speed of wave travel (electromagnetic waves are faster than acoustic waves), ability to travel in an empty space (acoustic waves cannot travel in a vacuum while electromagnetic waves can), and the type of waves traveling along fluid (longitudinal and transverse in electromagnetic waves, while longitudinal only in acoustic waves), yet both electromagnetic and acoustic waves are similar to be having properties of frequencies, amplitude, intensity2. How these properties are used in both devices is also dissimilar (the frequency of electromagnetic waves in MRI is set to a standard 42.6 MHz setting, while the frequency in ultrasound is calibrated according to the de pth of penetration)1 2. Non-use of ionizing radiation. Both magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound do not utilize ionizing radiation present in x-ray, computerized tomography and fluoroscopy. In magnetic resonance imaging, the electromagnetic wave frequency of 42.6 MHz is very low to cause ionization of molecules, while acoustic waves are not a type of radiation which causes ionization of molecules even in high frequencies2. Body Temperature Elevation. Both magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound produces heat. Heat is a form if energy, which can be appreciated in thermodynamics as â€Å"internal energy† in terms of excitement of molecules. From elastic energy, while the waves are being deformed by compression and rarefaction, there is energy transformation into heat or thermal energy which can be absorbed by the system3. Waves, whether it is radio frequency electromagnetic or acoustic, has the property of intensity, which is the power output per area (I = P / A) while e nergy can be computed as power over a period of time (E = P / t). If power will be substituted, energy is equal to the product of intensity and area, divided by time (E = [I x A] / t). By this formula, it is already clear that energy is involved in waves. Assuming that the wave is at rest, the energy of a wave is its potential energy. However, if the wave is put in motion, this potential energy will be