Obesity and Biology

Obesity and Biology Obesity isn’t classified as an eating problem anymore. It is more than that a person’s biology plays a big roll. Cells and hormones play a big roll on how big you are and how your body regulates energy. Food equals energy and the body stores that energy in fat cells and uses the energy as needed. The metabolism breaks down that food and uses the energy generated from that food for everyday activities such as walking, talking, thinking. The faster ones metabolism is the more efficient they are at breaking down food and using the energy.The slower the metabolism the more energy gets stored and gets turned into fat cells and not used. The hormone leptin, which is produced in fat cells, sends signals to the brain telling it that its levels are dropping which means the cells are reducing. When this occurs the brain processes that information as starvation and sends signals back to slow down the metabolism and store as much energy as possible. There are pe ople who eat less than other but still gain weight. That’s a biological problem. There are areas in the brain research has found that if damaged can lead to obesity.One such area is the ventromedial hypothalamus and the surrounding axons. If this area in the brain is damaged at then this can lead to overeating and more storing of fat cells. Research conducted on rats at the University of Nebraska looked at this area in the brain and how it affects food intake and body weight. With damage to that area the rat nearly tripled in size in the cores of about sixty days. Food intake does not always correspond to body weight. It is possible to excessively eat and not gain weight. It just matters how active one is and how efficient the metabolism is.There are other areas in the brain located in the prefrontal cortex that also can affect body weight. Those areas are responsible for food-seeking behaviors. If one is always hooked on seeking high fat food such as burgers and high sugar d rinks such as coke then that can lead to an overweight problem. The problem with sugared drinks such as coke is that it is high in fructose sugar and that particular sugar does not raise insulin or leptin as other sugars do. So you drink more of the soda, which equates to more calories without satiety. The brain is not the only factor in weight another factor can be genetics.Your gene makeup can be responsible for how much energy you store, and that’s all been passed down to you from your ancestors. If your ancestors were only getting by in life by eating very little as about 1000 calories a day and storing a lot of energy in fat cells and using that energy efficiently then that means you should not eat foods that are high in fat. The reason is your genetic makeup structures your body to store more energy from food. Those whose body is structured like this that eat a normal diet of about 2500 calories a day will gain weight.That is due to the fact that the genes were from the ancestors thought a normal diet of about 1000 calories was good enough to get them by. In America most foods you find these days have a lot of fat in them. Good tasting unhealthy food is cheaper than healthy food. A burger is way cheaper than a salad these days. The American life style requires people to be able to get food quickly. No one likes waiting anymore and barely anyone cooks anymore. Home kitchens are beginning to shrink as Americans waist size is beginning to grow. Fast food restaurants blanket almost every business street.Americans eating lifestyle is one of the biggest factors in their weight. Obese people who lose weight end up gaining it right back because the brain thinks the body is starving because there are not enough fat cells that it was normally used to. A person that loses weight cannot eat the same amount as a person who is naturally at that weight. They have to eat about 500 calories less in order to maintain their new weight. Its not only a temporary diet they have to be on, but a lifetime diet if they want to keep the weight off and they have to exercise everyday.

Autobiography of a Classroom Essay

I am a very big classroom in a well-known public school. I cater to needs of the kindergarten class of the school, accommodating I think about eighty five children, a big number isn’t it? I understand that I am the best looking room in the school as, the very small children study here. I am very attractively decorated so that the little ones like to come here every day. The room that is me – is decorated with beautiful coloured pictures. The walls are a blend of some colours I do not know the names of. The furniture that is placed in the length and breadth of the room consists of small round tables to seat four children on each table, and the chairs are also tiny. That is not all, all the furniture is a mixture of many colours. When the children come inside the class they almost fight to sit on certain chairs. That makes me understand that they like the colours and fight for their favourite colours to sit on. At the top two ends of the length of the classroom there are two bigger tables and full size chairs for the teachers to sit. Since there are so many children there are two teachers while in other classes there is only one each. I am a treat for everyone to see. My pleasure knows no bounds when everyone who comes inside the class, admires me, appreciates my get up and the colours that don me. I have the twin advantage of being the most beautiful room in the school and also having the cutest of children coming to spend their time with me. Thus, my life is full of beauty, colour, noise and laughter and at times of course also crying and howling of the children. At times some new entrants to the school come to me with their mothers and, cry as if they had come to the slaughter house to be butchered. At such moments even by heart cries for the little ones and I wonder why man makes these little children come to study if they do not want to. I of course do not know how important studies are for human children, I only feel sad seeing the children cry. My life is full of a very busy schedule though very interesting. The routine of my daily life is so busy that, I do not get any relief for quite long hours. In the morning as early as 6 a. m.two sweepers come open the lock of my room or rather me, and off they start working on me. They sweep my floor, squab it, dust each and every piece of the furniture in me. Thus, I get alerted as soon the room is unlocked. It is not even 8 a. m. when the little brats start pouring inside my body’s doors. At times they enter with so much noise that my whole body feels the rattle of it all. Their movements are so loud that now, I cannot even think of any rest. School bags get flung, tiffin boxes are strewn all about, water bottles are kept just anywhere and there is a lot of commotion all over. Soon the maid enters the room and keeps everything in order and my appearance at once improves and I look tidy and well kept. For these small ones the school hours are just three from, 8 a. m. to 11 a. m. These three hours is my duty time, and just is the time when I also get the day’s entertainment. Being a classroom for the Kindergarten children I get a great chance of hearing conversations between the teachers and the parents. Since this is the first time their children have entered school, parents devote a lot of time to talking about the school and its standards. At times I find that some parents are just too critical and, inspite of getting all the best in this school they always seem to be unhappy and dissatisfied with something or the other in the school. Such parents keep lecturing about things missing in the classroom, the school or even in the playground. When I hear such complaints, my heart sinks and I wonder if they will allow or not allow their children to come to me any more,. For such conversations I have understood that, these days parents pamper the children too much, and it seems that they can never yes, never be satisfied. I am quite surprised to see the vast difference in opinions. While on the one hand I, and also many parents think that I am very beautiful, well kept, and decorated, others of the same clan are always complaining of many defects in my appearance. This gives me a feeling of depression and I do wonder if I can do anything in the matter. After some thinking bouts, I realize that, I can do nothing to satisfy these unhappy parents. I am just here in the hands of the school authorities and stand here as and how they keep me. My working hours are just six, from 6 a. m. when sweepers enter to say 12 noon when I am locked after all children go. After my duty hours I just relax but also feel lonely. No matter what is said about me, I am thoroughly enjoying my life in the cute company of little children. Their company makes me also feel young though now I am quite old. Every summer vacation I am painted afresh, my furniture is painted, and, I am ready to welcome my little friends, new and old with a new look, new enthusiasm and renewed vigour. I pray that my life is forever allowed to remain so interesting and so relaxed. I just love all the children and teachers who come here to me, to work and play in the restricted area within my four walls.

Information Technology Essay

James Price is an Information Technology consultant with specific expertise in website design. His consultancy is doing well, but he would really like to gain another client to ensure that he has enough work for the foreseeable future. One Saturday, at his brother Anthony’s 40th birthday celebration, James is approached by Mark Jackson, a store owner, who James has met previously at some of his brother’s other social functions. Mark explains to James that he is looking to revamp his store’s website and that he could use James’ expertise to complete the project. James expresses his interest in assisting and Mark tells James that he will email him on Monday with a proposal. On Monday morning, Mark sends James the following email: Dear James, After thinking further about your potential involvement in the website project for the store, I want to bring you on board as a consultant. The terms of the engagement are that you will provide your web design services exclusively for two weeks, starting on 1st February 2014, working onsite with me and the store manager. In terms of remuneration, you will be paid a flat fee of $35,000 with a parking spot to be provided for the time that you are onsite. It is important that if you want this work, you indicate your acceptance in writing by the end of the day. I look forward to hearing from you. Mark Jackson. An hour after the email is sent, James reads it and is happy with the terms  of the proposal. He goes to draft an email to Mark detailing his acceptance of the terms of the offer, but because of a sudden storm that has hit the area where he lives, James’ email stops working and he is unable to send the message to Mark. James then tries to call Mark to tell him that he wants the work, but Mark doesn’t answer, and James is not given the option to leave a message. As a last resort, James drafts a letter to Mark communicating his acceptance of the offer proposed. He then takes the letter, and a strategic map for the project that he quickly prepared, to the post office and posts them at 4.30pm on Monday afternoon. The letter and the map take a day to be delivered to Mark and he receives them late Tuesday afternoon. On Wednesday, Mark realises that he has offered to pay James $15,000 more than an award winning web design firm has quoted him for the job, and he doesn’t want to engage James anymore. He sends an email to James saying that because he didn’t receive James’ acceptance by the end of Monday, James has missed out on the work. Mark also states in his email that he never meant for the proposal to be real anyway because he was only trying to help out his friend Anthony by throwing James some work. James is upset upon receiving this email from Mark and calls his lawyer for advice on the situation. Question 1: Using the four step process, discuss the element of agreement required for the formation of a legally binding contract between James and Mark. STEP 1: Identify the principles or issues of law The principles of law here is that in addition to intention and consideration aspects, there should be the existence of a valid agreement between James and Mark which is required for the formation of a legally binding contract to be created. Step 2: Explain the rule(s) of law relevant to the principle/area/issue of law identified in step one with reference to authority. There are three main requirements for the formation of a legally binding contract; intention to create a legal contract, offer and acceptance  (agreement) of the terms of the contract and consideration (reference book P-60).

Moda Operandi A New Style of Fashion Retail Case Study

Moda Operandi A New Style of Fashion Retail - Case Study Example The essay "Moda Operandi A New Style of Fashion Retail" discovers New Style of Fashion Retail. Moda Operandi dealt with demand and tastes’ uncertainty in fashion. It also addressed the conditions (commercial and aesthetic which caused inefficiency of the system and messed about the most creative pieces of the designers. This organization allowed direct access to runway pieces and facilitated the purchase of great designs that buyers kept away from due to lack of mainstream appeal. The pre-order system allowed buyers to receive their products of choice despite their location or size of clothing. The system also gave instant feedback to designers on runway styles, thus easy prediction of demand patterns. Magnusdottir and Santo Domingo had their responsibilities split by expertise. Magnussdottir was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and dealt with strategic planning and daily operations. Santo Domingo was the Creative Director, managed the reach of the brand and was in charge of the Moda Operandi magazine whose aim was to provide online editorial content. The founders realized that the website was essential for the success of the firm. Therefore, they hired Matt Pavelle, who was an expert in search engine marketing and e-commerce, as CTO. Other major positions of management were covered up by persons with experience and skills complementary to that of the founders. Magnusdittor and Santo Domingo positioned their firm towards the hitting end of the market. Initially, they only associated with prestigious.

Investment in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Investment in Education - Essay Example The development of science and technology also plays a vital role in defining the infrastructural growth of a country. Science and Technology growth help to achieve the national goals such as increasing employment opportunities, raising standard of living, reduction in poverty level, improving literacy rate, protecting the environment, strengthening the bargaining powers. Education, research and technology works as instruments for accelerating development and determinant of net income of the country. Thus they should receive special attention in national planning. It is evident that capitalizing on investments in science and technology is a vital for every nation. Country should keep on updating their strategies regarding R&D. The science and educational policies must strive for continual improvement in the institutions, and strategies that contribute to superior research and effective capitalization. Capitalization appears to be quite healthy in the United States, delivering significant benefits to the nation. Funding in scientific research is considered to be long term investment in developed nations like United States. ... What is emerging from this priority is the close association of education and economical growth. Accelerating the rate of growth and rate of productivity can basically be accomplished by stimulating and supporting scientific education in universities. Capitalization on science and technology is a major national strength, although there is much room for improvement. The United States faces long-term challenges in maintaining and enhancing our ability to capitalize. Following are some steps which can be undertaken - Government should pay close attention on long-term science and engineering research. Evaluations of the importance of capitalization should be done to seek and identify the long-term contributions of research to meeting national goals. Governments should ensure that individuals and institutions continue to contribute to capitalize research process. Universities should expand their contribution by continuously updating their policies which effect capitalization. Universities, cooperating with science and engineering societies, government, and industry, should develop required manpower and encourage student to contribute in research process. Industry, universities, and government must recognize the importance of lifelong learning for the nation's science and engineering human resources. Governments, industries, and universities should continue to experiment with partnerships A good education system is an essential component which defines country's progress. The word education contains educare (Latin) "bring up", which is related to educere "bring out", "bring forth what is within", "bring out potential" and ducere, "to lead".

Legalization of Coca Production In Bolivia Essay

Legalization of Coca Production In Bolivia - Essay Example Morales has made discrimination and oppression experienced by Bolivia's indigenous groups a top priority in his presidency (Brea). Since the early 1990s, the United States of America has put pressure on the Bolivian government to reduce the amount of coca leaves produced for refinement by the international drug trade. Cocaine is one of the many ingredients in the coca leaves. In 1995 the livelihood of one out of eight Bolivians was dependent on coca, with Bolivia the world's largest grower of coca after Peru and Columbia. Hugo Banzer, who was Bolivia's president at the time, developed a plan to eradicate the coca plant (Evo 9.3.3.1-2). Between 1997 and 2000, the production of coca fell from 45,800 hectares to 14,600 hectares. The eradication program has been funded by the United States with an average of $150 million a year (Evo 9.3.3). The focus on farmers rather than traffickers created worsening external economic conditions for peasants who had depended on coca production for their livelihood. Evo Morales began a campaign to oppose the eradication of the coca leaf crops. He was elected to the Bolivian Congress but was expelled in 2002 because of his association with anti-eradication factions. However, in 2005 he was supported by coca farmers and became president of Bolivia. His position was "zero cocaine and zero drug trafficking, but not zero coca or zero cocaleros (coca growers)" (Evo, 9.9.3.4). The Culture of Coca In determining whether Evo Morales should be encouraged or discouraged in his efforts to end the eradication of coca, the reasons for his efforts need a background in the use of the coca leaf itself. Coca has long played an important role in the culture of the Andeans, mainly as a chewable health supplement. The coca leaf contains many essential nutrients in addition to its well-known mood-altering substance, cocaine. It is rich in proteins and vitamins and grows in regions where other food sources are scarce. The energy boost from the cocaine in the leaf is very functional in areas where oxygen is scarce and extensive walking is necessary. Chewing coca leaves continues to be common in the high-altitude mountains of Bolivia (Coca 2.2; Oomen par. 11). It is further used as a spiritual substance by Andeans. It is the contention of the United States that the eradication of coca throughout the world is an important step in the effort to eradicate the production of cocaine and the illegal trafficking of cocaine. The policy of the international community-most often represented by the UN drug control agency, the United States Ambassador and to a lesser degree, the European Union representatives-has been more harmful in the Andean countries than in Europe, with violence, human rights violations and corruption. In Europe, the effort to close down the coca production is not so strictly advocated as in the United States. One representative of the European NGO Council on Drugs (ENCOD) offered awareness in 2003 of the effect of "fumigating 260,000 hectares of coca and opium to such an extent that farmers will be unable to grow anything in these fields for the next 15 to 20 years" (Oomen, par. 2). In the 1980s, the coca farmers in the Chapare (Bolivia) witnessed how US forces were organizing coca ine transportation instead of fighting coca cultivation. It was Oomen's concern that the

Two short answer comments to a posting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Two short answer comments to a posting - Essay Example Also at issue is Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, written in post-World War II, which states that Japan will never again have land, sea, or air forces, or allow them to be formed. According to the Japanese people, this makes Japan incapable of defending itself and forces them to rely on other means such as the US Armed Forces, hence the issue leading back to the air base and its closure. Though it has been stated that these issues will not cause further problems or lead to bigger issues or friction between the two countries, this incident has the potential to develop into an international incident that could lead to a serious breakdown in relations between the two countries. Sources: Hayashi, Yuka. â€Å"U.S. Told Okinawa Base Plan Impossible†. Asia News, March 31, 2010. Accessed February 10, 2011. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303601504575153270328550814. html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_world. Mass, Warren. â€Å"Controversy over U.S. Base in Okinawa†. The New American, May 21, 2010. Accessed February 10, 2011.

Deng Xiaoping declared his reforms in 1970 socialism with Chinese Essay

Deng Xiaoping declared his reforms in 1970 socialism with Chinese characteristics what was the agenda for the ccp in the deng - Essay Example Also, during that period, agricultural and industrial productions in the country were very low. Meanwhile, the country only received little assistance from its ally, Russia (Clements, 2006). Deng Xiaoping inherited this situation. After Mao, Deng became the leader of China. Although both Mao and Deng have the same political party affiliation, the Communist Party of China (CPC), they have different techniques in governing the country. Under Deng’s leadership, there was a substantial change in China’s economic policies. Deng introduced the main aim of his administration. He described his reform as â€Å"socialism with Chinese Characteristics† (Liu, 2004). Apparently, under this principle, the members of the society are given more importance. He cited â€Å"material base and material production† as the ultimate foundation of socialism. Socialism with Chinese characteristics refers to the combination of basic ideas of scientific socialism and the facts of buil ding socialism in the Chinese community (Anon., 2007). Stated in another sense, socialism is the rule that governs the society as a whole. In scientific socialism, the ways of finding solution to economic and political problems are scientific. A particular social or economic problem is examined scientifically so as to come up with the most appropriate and practicable solution. This is in contrast with Mao’s Utopian socialism. ... In the words of Thayer Watkins (n.d.), in formulating the Four Modernizations, what Deng meant is simply the electrification of rural areas, automation of industries, introduction of a whole new economic outlook and the enhancement of national defense. Significantly, in the agricultural aspect, Deng established a new mechanism that would replace the commune system. This new system pertains to the contract responsibility system. Under this system, the peasants were to make an agreement with the Chinese government with regard to the production and trading of certain amount of commodities at low prices (Koo, 1990). In other words, the peasant must agree to till the land, produce crops and sell them to the government for a low price. However, as to the agreement, a certain quantity was required by the government. After the peasant could fulfill the agreement, they can then sell their products in the market as to any price (Koo, 1990). This mechanism had inspired the farmers to plant and produce more. As such, the agricultural production in China had increased abruptly. The increase went up to eight percent as compared to the previous year (Anon., n.d.). With regard to the second aspect, industry, Deng wanted the members of the Chinese society to spend more financial resource on consumer goods (Anon., n.d.). This began the consumerism attitude of the Chinese people. In such case, the Chinese government shifted its focus to light industry. To note, when Mao was the leader, he focused on heavy industry. In contrast, Deng was able to realize that consumerism is more advantageous than anything else. He could have observed that most people buy the things that they

General George Washington Calls for a Standing Army, 1783 Assignment

General George Washington Calls for a Standing Army, 1783 - Assignment Example This is in line with the military whose overall goal was to maintaining the peace and tranquility of the American people. The militia is to be observed and governed by a certain code of conduct that would regulate their operations and use of arms. Military schools equipped to train people on the arts of weaponry, engineering and science with their utmost goal being manufacture of advanced military weapons was also another proposal by George Washington. This kind of information was at the time scarce and difficult to obtain. Establishing such institutions, would give more advantage to the American military in comparison to that of Europe. George Washington goes on to say, â€Å"It may be laid down, as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every citizen who enjoys the protection of a free government owes not only a proportion of his property, but even of his personal services to the defense of it.† 1 Chambers John Whiteclay, Piehler Kurt, General George Washington calls for a standing army, Major Problems in American Military History: Documents and Essays, (Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company,

Nursing care and treatment of cerebral vasospasm following Essay

Nursing care and treatment of cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid haemorrhage - Essay Example Cerebral vasospasm is one of the devastating complications following subarachnoid hemorrhage and is associated with high mortality.Despite extensive study and research,the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of this complication remains poorly understood Despite extensive study and research, the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of this complication remains poorly understood. Because of this, medical treatment of this condition is largely limited to calcium channel blockers, triple-H therapy and the most recent papaverine infusion and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. More often than not, clinical signs and symptoms of cerebral vasospasm are first recognised by a nurse, who then alerts the physician. Thus, nurses caring for patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage must be aware of cerebral vasospasm and the necessary steps that must be taken after detecting the condition (Kosty, 2005). Also, treatments for vasospasm are at risk of several complications which must be monitored by the ca re taking nurse closely. Thus, nurses play a very important role in the recognition and management of cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage (Campbell, 1997). In this review, critical analysis of nursing management of cerebral vasospasm will be done. Aims The aims of the review are to critically analyse and evaluate treatment of cerebral vasospasm secondary to subarachnoid hemorrhage through a nursing perspective. Objectives ... There are several causes for subarachnoid hemorrhage, the most common cause being pre-existing aneurysm. Subarachnoid hemorrhage due to aneurysm is not preventable because; it is very difficult to detect aneurysms that are unruptured (Kosty, 2005). Aneurysms are lesions that are acquired on the arterial walls because of hemodynamic stress. They usually occur over bends and points of bifurcation. There are several types of aneurysms, those which occur in intracranial arteries are saccular and berry aneurysms (Kosty, 2005). This is because; intracranial arteries do not have external elastic lamina and have adventia that is very thin. Both these predispose to aneurysms. Another factor that makes intracranial arteries vulnerable to aneurysms is the fact that they lie in the subarachnoid space without any support. Aneurysms mainly occur in the internal carotid artery's terminal portion and also from the branches arises from the anterior aspect of the circle of Willis (Becske, and Jallo, 2 010). The estimated prevalence of subarachnoid hemorrhage in populations all over the world is 0.3- 5 percent (Becske, and Jallo, 2010). The incidence is slightly more in women than in men. The mean age of this emergency is around 50 years (Becske, and Jallo, 2010). The mortality associated with this condition is very high. 60 percent of the patients die within 30 days following the hemorrhage (Becske, and Jallo, 2010). Of these, 10 percent die without any warning (Becske, and Jallo, 2010). 30 percent of patients die within the first 2 weeks (Kosty, 2005) and 15 percent of the patients develop severe disability (Kosty, 2005). Only less than 30 percent patients have moderate or good recovery (Kosty, 2005). Other than mortality, sub-arachnoid hemorrhage also leads to

Nike Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Nike - Essay Example The question whether Nike should have continued supporting Armstrong after the doping scandal is simple – no. Companies support sports personalities not only because of their achievements, but also because of what they stand for and symbolize – strong spirit, unbreakable will, lots of sacrifices and long hours of training for which they haven’t been paid for. The moment you stop being a symbol of good will and values, you stop being valued yourself. Armstrong deceived his fans, sponsors and everyone that supported him. So in my opinion it is understandable that if you are caught misrepresenting the very core morals and principles you were supposed to guard, you will stop representing the company that stood behind you. Corporations are not only guided by their profits and annual returns – but they also have public responsibilities. Companies want to make money contracting famous faces to represent their brand. But world recognized businesses also give back to communities and social projects. Hence they can’t allow themselves to lose face before their stakeholders and undermine a brand that existed long before Armstrong and will continue to be on the market long after he is

Economics Paper Essay Example for Free

Economics Paper Essay Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the total number of goods and services produced in an economy in a given year. Measured in monetary terms, it reflects the general output of an economy per given period of time. The so-called â€Å"price basket index† (the average price levels for all goods and services in an economy) is the standard maeasure of GDP (the base year is arbitrary). GDP, however, is a standard measure itself. It is used to measure business cycles. Business cycles are generally fluctuations of aggregate production schedules per given period of time (usually monthly). Several theorists attempted to formalize the theory behind business cycles to no avail. Explanatory variables offered by these theorists were either insignificant or in contradiction with accepted economic principles. In any case, the ratio of GDP to the potential GDP can serve as an indirect measurement of the level of production fluctuation in the economy. If the ratio is close to 1, then the level of business cycle in an economy is also minimal. If the variance is large, then the economy experiences high levels of production fluctuations. In order to remove these fluctuations, actual GDP must equal potential GDP. If an economy achieves potential GDP, then it is Pareto Efficient. Hence, the amount of fluctuations (which characterized inefficiency) is close to zero. The determination of fiscal policies is solely the function of the government. Fiscal policies refer to expenditures a government undertakes to provide goods and services and to the way in which the government finances these expenditures (like taxes and subsidies). In the United States, some of the agencies concerned with setting fiscal policies are as follows: agencies of the federal government like the Defense Department, Trade Department, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and agencies of state governments. Generally, fiscal policies can be undertaken by all levels of government. The general functions of these bodies are as follows: 1) Provide goods and services that the market will usually not provide; 2) Provide economic infrastracture that will facilitate the flow of goods and services in an economcy; 3) Increase government spending during times of uncertainty, economic crisis, and recessions; 4) Provide businesses and investors an elaborate system of information in order to reduce transaction costs; 5) And, create incentives schemes in order to encourage increased production (or create an optimal tax system where firms that produce negative externalities would be heavily taxed to reach the social optima). Fiscal policies encourage increased production in two ways. By providing incentive schemes or subsidies to particular industries, the government can expect a long-term increase in the economy’s output. Increasing government expenditure is seen by investors and firms as a sign of expected economic growth (psychological). By increasing government expenditure, the national income increases by a certain amount depending on the government multiplier (note that Y = C + I + G + NX). An increase in G reflects an increase in Y. This induces other participants in an economy to spend more (therefore save less). Increased government spending also has bearing on employment, inflation, and general wage levels. Sustained government spending results to sustained inflation. Employment is ambiguously affected (this depends on the capacity of the economy to create jobs). Wage levels decreases in the long-run because of lower aggregate demand for labor. In many cases, fiscal policies are matched with monetary policies in order to achieve a desirable economic state. However, the use of monetary policies is more complicated. Hence, a separate analysis must be reserved for this topic.

How Effective Korean Air Hr Strategy Is Management Essay

How Effective Korean Air Hr Strategy Is Management Essay This report discusses the details of suggested HR scorecard for Korean Air that shows how effective HR strategy is crucial for the successful achievement of its own strategic goals with appropriate measurement system HR Scorecard. Development process began with a clear statement of the companys strategy and operational goals with a strategy map showing the causal linkages in the value creation process. As next steps of process, workforce competencies and behaviors and strategically relevant HR system policies and activities are identified to create HR scorecard and the process concludes with presenting suggested HR scorecard with measurement. >During analyzing HR system and the organization, some points to be improved were emerged and these are mentioned with recommendation. If the HR concerns are solved, the company will be more resilient to face external environment with competitive workforce. HR Scorecard helps employees know and understand the organization strategic goals, encour age them to have skills and responsibilities in accordance with the goals, and guide them to achieve goals with measures. To make measurement system, the cooperation of HR managers and line managers for choosing proper metrics is very important. As strategies and goals are changed, the metrics and measurement system of HR Scorecard should be updated to be an effective and influential tool for strategic success. ii I. INTRODUCTION Many CEOs agree with the concept People are the most important assets and the fact that the companies with more effective HR management systems outperform their competitors, however, HR function and influence on companys performance are difficult to measure. Besides professionalism in Human resources are challenged to take a more strategic perspective and HR professionals are requested to prove Human resources are competitive advantages with measuring HRs performance corresponded with corporate strategy and its contribution to the company. Effective HR measurement system shows a clear and consistent view of how the company can implement its strategy in the organization and how HR can contribute to companys success with discovering and solving current HR problems. To start with defining corporate strategy of Korean Air, it will be evaluated how HRM play a strategic role, produce core values and interrelated with every level in the organization for achieving companys strategic goals using creating its own HR scorecard. II. BACKGROUND OF KOREAN AIR 1. Company overview Korean Air is an international airline headquartered in Seoul, Korea. As Koreas first private airline in 1962, it has grown into the worlds largest air cargo carrier and the thirteenth largest airline in the world. According to World Air Transport Statistics, Korean Air is the worlds largest commercial airline cargo operator since 20041. and was rated as the best airline in Asia for the third straight year, having the best business class on routes to Asia in 2009. 1 2. Corporate Vision and Mission Keeping with its vision To Be a Respected Leader in the World Airline Community, Korean Air is committed to provide best service that customers can value and trust and make a corporate culture that encourages innovation upon their mission Excellence in Flight 2). 3. Major Business Processes Passenger service takes the biggest part, however, cargo service gives the company considerable profits with a reputation as the largest international air cargo carrier. Korean Air has developed catering, maintenance, and unusually for an airline, an aerospace manufacturing business with researches and development programs for general aviation craft, military trainer and satellite since 1976 3). The aerospace division generated revenues of $470 million in 2008 and employs a little over 2,500 staff.4) 1) Business Review 2) (As of 2008) [Unit: Hundred Million Won, 1 US Dollar à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 1,150 Won] 2) Operating Results 2) (based on 2008 IATA standards) 4. Structure Korean Air reorganized a corporate structure with new promotions for divisional responsibility management in 2003. It offers flexible management for planning, budget, recruiting and other key functions to all divisions. Every head of divisions would take a firm responsibility for outcomes and be appraised based on achievement.5) 2 a) Employees 2) (Total: 18,600, As of January 2009) b) Organization chart 2) 5. Business strategy Korean Air takes improved business strategies to implement corporate missions as below. 1) Globalization: To be ranked as global leading carrier with globalized manpower, service, and brand image. 2) Knowledge management : Encouraging learning and continuous improvement. 3)E-Business: Introducing more e-Commerce solutions and constructing upgraded Intranet for training and fast communication. 6. Relationship with external entities 1) International competitors : Business travelers who still consider Singapore Airlines with its young fleets and strong branding and Cathay Pacific which has a superior hub location due to its geographical proximity to China as superior in service and quality to Korean air.6) 2) Global airline alliance SkyTeam: Korean Air is a founding partner in SkyTeam, the worlds second largest airline alliance of eleven members and three associate carriers and expands its operations by code sharing and seat trading.7) Recently, Korean Air helped Uzbekistan airway and Garuda Indonesia to be joined.8) 3 III. HR SYSTEM AND THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF HR IN KOREAN AIR 1. HR system of Korean Air 1) Job Grade system Job Units are divided largely as Administration, Engineering, Cockpit crew and Cain crew. 9) Administration and engineering units operate a Course system for training and application purposes. Each unit has job grade scheme organized differently for every job unit and course to fortify expertise competencies. 2) Development training system à ¢-   Training organization Korean Air has developed and operated various training programs.10) Human resources development department and center take a charge of establishing training plans and integrated education. Professional training organization offer enriched education. As an implementation of Ubiquitous learning, Cyber campus is used. à ¢-   Training programs The training programs are prepared for each job grade and divided as Management development training, global competency training, job skills improvement training, and organization revitalization training. 4 3) Appraisal system 11) The appraisal system is based on measuring a contribution to company and individual work competency including performance, job aptitude and leadership. As Total analysis with giving feedback, they use appraised data for granting differential rewards or training and development. 4) Compensation and welfare system 12) Korean Air provide incentives, benefits (housing, medical and education support and culture leisure benefits) and favors such as discounted tickets and easier ticket purchase as a privilege of being with airline. 2. The Strategic Role of HR in Korean Air The long term strategies of Korean Air can be defined as follows; à ¢- ² To be ranked among top 10 international passenger airlines Developing new routes and reinforcing SkyTeam network Heighten global image awareness with excellent quality service and culture sponsorship 1) Korean Air will reopen the route to Saint Petersburg and launch Irkutsk, Russia this year. When Tunxi international airport in China opens this March, a route will be put on Huang Shan line. It is planned to expand a route network to Central Asia, Europe and Africa and extend the number of destination cities to 140 cities by 2019 through SkyTeam. To attract more customers, more investment for ordering A380 Airbus fleets and changing new luxury and upgraded seats for all classes is drawn from revenue. 13) 2) As global cultural sponsorship, Korean Air tries to cultivate different type of brand image. Korean Air sponsored the multimedia guide at the Louvre Museum in Paris and Russias State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg in 2008. It is spread out to the British Museums new set of handheld Multimedia Guides.14) 5 à ¢- ² To make China its biggest Market Korean air has strategic relationships with China Airlines and China Southern Airlines and makes an effort to expand it more with other Chinese airlines. Routes to Guangzhou, Dalian, Weihai, Yantai, Changsha and Shenzhen were added and its route network has covered 19 Chinese cities with more than 150 flights. It is one of the most expansive networks in the China among non-Chinese carriers and chosen as The best foreign airline in China. 15) Korean Air established a Chinese-only counter China Express in Incheon International Airport and began its operation to enhance convenience for a growing number of Chinese tourists.16) For brand awareness, outdoor billboards in Kunming, Wuhan, and Zhengzhou were built. Book donations to poverty schools and inviting children in earthquake damaged cities to Jeju island are one of its social responsibility activities in China.17) à ¢- ² To be a leading air cargo carrier Korean air made a contract to create Central Asian logistics hub with Uzbekistan government and Navoi airport in 2008 with cooperation from Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd. (ground transport) and Korea Airport Service (airport ground handling). 18) By 2013, constructing an airport infrastructure and attracting investments from global logistics companies will be kept up. Whole project is planned to be finished by 2018. In China, cargo terminal in Tianjin will be completed until the end of 2010 for activating the market.19) HR Strategic roles for these major strategies All strategies are global related and to achieve these goals, it is necessary to recruit manpower with international competency and train its employees with various and differential programs per position as long term system. 1. Recruiting As the demand of international professional staffs for conferences with SkyTeam and developing Chinese market is increased, fluent English speakers, China regional experts and MBAs with proper educational backgrounds are highly needed to improve business competiveness. Common recruitment is by internet, headhunters, employment agencies, internal sources and college recruiting. 2. Training : Korean air operates Global online education system around 50 branches in the world. The systems handle the hands-on skills of reservation, ticketing, customer service, transportation, maintenance, and language study. Yet, it is needed to be more practical and wide ranged for employees to solve their problems encountered at work. 1) Foreign languages: New flight attendants take 4-week training included correcting pronunciation and aviation English and Japanese at cabin crew training center. Every employee depends on online education system afterwards. 6 2) Management knowledge: Customized MBA courses developed with Seoul National University for executives are offered. Manager level complete AMS courses which cover specialized knowledge of air transportation industry and management theories.20) 3) Overseas regional specialists: To enlarge global network, area specialists are indispensable. 1 year of Overseas services- short term international assignment for senior managers and managers is executed to send them to foreign branches for experiencing local languages, cultures and operating systems. New employees go to Mongolia as volunteering activities to plant trees for desertification for brand image and giving opportunities to look around the Mongolia as a next market. 3. Corporate culture: Korean air has reformed hierarchical culture which caused serious accidents as creating a central clearinghouse for monitoring and investigating safety reports and audit findings so that all divisions are ordered to share and coordinate data. In 2009, Koreas Ministry of Gender Equality signed an agreement with Korean Air to promote a women-friendly corporate culture and support career possibilities for women. 21) 7 IV. HR SCORECARD OF KOREAN AIR Step 1: Define Business strategy 21C leading global airline with globalized human resources, services, and brand image To be ranked among top 10 international passenger airlines To make China its biggest Market Leading air cargo carrier Step 2: Value chains of each division Step 3: Outline a strategy map and identify the strategically required organizational Outcomes Strategy map 8 Outcomes 1) More customers choose Korean air because of excellent service and flight convenience. 2) Korean air will leap to global brand not restricted to an airline in Korea. 3) Empowerment and teamwork will help to be a Learning organization. 4) Improved revenue is expected owing to transport increase of passengers and cargos Step 4: Identify the Required Workforce Competencies and Behaviors Speaking good level of English, Chinese or other languages to deal with foreign customers and doing business with international companies Fast operation based on participation and empowerment immediate feedback, open communication Service-oriented and committed employees for attracting and retaining customers Top management who educated with efficient and practical management knowledge Continuous trained maintenance and engineering manpower for safety Creating a powerful corporate brand with full understanding competitors and the future direction of company.22) Deepened knowledge about other countries to start or have projects with. Professional service training force for satisfying every needs of passenger service Step 5: Identify the Strategically Relevant HR system Policies and Activities 1. Inspiring allegiance to the company and raising morale 1) Setting up firm policies of compensation and benefits for motivation Specify pay per performance, rewards, recognition, retirement, family friendly benefits, time off with pay, maternity leave and safety health protection programs. 2) Rewarding individuals and teams, team development 3) Encouraging organizational commitment, job satisfaction and job security 2. Professional training schemes for cabin and customer services Reinforcing on-line and OJT programs, participation in related seminars of experts, comparison with those of competitors, refined grooming and etiquettes. 3. Provide segmented and enriched education for required job skills and the knowledge improvement of all level from in or outside. University-industry collaboration for academic programs Arrangement of related reputable institutes to short term education Job rotation for internal training by superiors Increasing overseas dispatch for studying languages and cultures Support to study abroad for highly performed employees. 4. Recruit right employees Select candidates with language proficiency, proper educational backgrounds and global experiences under conditions of detailed job description and specification for reduction training costs and fast adaptation to the organization. 9 Step 6: Design the HR Scorecard Measurement System Applied assessing measures for HR activities about workforce competencies and HR systems for HR scorecard are as follows; Assessing HR system 24) 10 Step 7: Periodically Evaluate the Measurement System It is hard to manage all of HR systems with interrelated metrics as the organization is bigger and its business is diversified. Currently Balanced scorecard, a computerized model, help top management track and monitor HR data with marketing and finance metrics for companys strategic success. With establishing customized software system (refer to http://www.activestrategy.com or http://senalosa.com), it is expected to have improved effectiveness for updating and evaluating HR information periodically. Yet, it should be implemented on the premise that creating Scorecard team to select and validate measures and collecting data with cooperation of all departments. 11 V. Conclusions and Recommendations 1. Conclusions Below suggested HR scorecard process of Korean Air shows how the scorecard measures the organizational outcomes, workforce competencies and behaviors and HR system policies and activities aimed at implementing the corporate strategy 21C leading global airline with globalized human resources, services, and brand image. Basic themes are 1. Create service-oriented workforce, 2. Provide enriched training for global competency, and 3.Raise morale and create positive corporate culture. For example, the theme Create service-oriented workforce is implemented from Recruiting and selection. The metrics for recruiting can be chosen among No. of applicants per sources; No. qualified applicant/position, proportion of employees selected based on validated selection methods. After selecting, the step would be moved to Training and appraisal with related metrics. Outcomes also can be measured upon 3 major tiers of customer responses, international corporate image, and inner communication derived from the strategy. 12 With metrics for each process combined with strategic goals, HR performances can be objectively and quantitatively. It is easier to see and check from the start to the final purpose of company increased revenue from the point of view of HR. The scorecards will be a more efficient tool to evaluate HR system when proper measures are added, refined and connected as the organizations strategic goals are achieved and developed. Besides, periodically revising the HR Scorecard help HR managers assess how well it supports the organizations strategy implement efforts. 2. Recommendations Despite aggressive strategies to grow, Korean air hasnt been identified as distinctive global airline. Among business travelers who still consider Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific China as superior in service and quality to Korean air. HR should play a pivotal role for reinforcing employee development one of an organizations competitive advantages more than ever because the competencies will be determined as Human resources with definite strategic goals ultimately. 1) Training Foreign languages and academic learning Company puts a huge energy to China market so speaking Chinese is another challenge. Furthermore their English proficiency is still rather below compared with Singapore airline, Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways as Asian airlines. It is important to create competitive environment with rewards or punishments through taking a test regularly and prepare for efficient language learning system with qualified teachers and teaching methods. Speaking languages with proper level is not accomplished within short period so it should be planned as long term schedule or to save relative costs, hiring international manpower at the first step should be considered. 2) Corporate culture: Chronic top down and secretive management style due to primogeniture and reluctance to outsiders is one of organizational factors in Korean Air to be improved. The solution of safety concerns and increasing customer expectation of broad and excellent services is satisfying employees as internal customers. Research has long shown that accidents and poor service quality are rooted primarily in social aspects not technology such as inferior management, decision making, teamwork, employee motivation or communication, can translate into loss of customers, market share, organization assets and, above of all, life. 26) High quality service is principal for differentiating among airlines and influential in customer choice. HR need to check whether the company has positive corporate culture encourages innovation, improvement and responsibility of each employee. Supervisors open door policy for communication, treating employees with respect and dignity can be a start. 3) Appraisal and compensation Fair compensation with appraisal will strengthen the organization. Regular in-house training for the system by HR department will be helpful for understanding and participation. Compensation should have its own schemes to prevent further grievances. Fairness of salaries and promotions should be kept because pay equity is connected to job satisfaction. 13 These three HR factors should be complemented with validated measures and implemented into HR scorecard soon for achieving strategies efficiently. HR managers need to cooperate with line managers to select effective measures for evaluating required HR activities and revise HR scorecard as the strategies are changed. It is important to have a comprehensive human resources measurement policy which enables to collect consistent information relevant with overall business strategy. With a solid HR metrics program, HR management can make business decisions that are based on facts and use the exact figures to support company performance. *Word count: 2,933. 14 Notes 1) International Air Transport Association (2008), World Air Transport Statistics. 52nd ed. Canada: IATA. Section 4: Airline ranking 2007. p.95-96. 2) http://www.koreanair.com/local/sg/gd/eng/au/ci/eng_au_ci_ov.jsp, accessed Feb 15, 2010. 3) http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/rok/kal.htm, accessed Feb 15, 2010. 4) http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/06/18/328529/interview-korean-air-chief-executive-cho- yang-ho.html, accessed Feb 16, 2010. 5) http://www.airportal.co.kr/life/history/lee/LfLeeGu010.html, accessed Feb 16, 2010. 6)http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/profile/2009-08-23-travel-airlines-korea_N.htm, accessed Feb 16, 2010. 7) http://www.skyunionvirtual.co.cc/about/carriers/koreanair.html, accessed Feb 16, 2010. 8) http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Indonesia%3a+Korean+Air+expands+codeshare+with+Garuda.- a0218567145, accessed Feb 16, 2010 9) http://recruit.koreanair.co.kr/personal/personal_b.asp, accessed Feb 15, 2010. 10) http://recruit.koreanair.co.kr/personal/personal_d.asp, accessed Feb 15, 2010. 11) http://recruit.koreanair.co.kr/personal/personal_e.asp, accessed Feb 15, 2010. 12) http://recruit.koreanair.co.kr/personal/personal_f.asp, accessed Feb 15, 2010. 13)http://www.etimes.net/service/etimes_2007/ShellView.asp?LinkID=6001ArticleID=201002041 8164103144, accessed Feb 17, 2010, The replacements will be in 32 B777s and A330s, which have recently been furnished with Kosmo Suites (First Class), Prestige Sleeper (Prestige Class) and New Economy (Economy Class) seats. 14) http://www.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/02/17/2009021700672.html, accessed Feb 17, 2010. 15) http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-136897605.html, accessed Feb 18, 2010. 16)http://news.mk.co.kr/english/newsRead.php?rss=Ysc=30800011year=2009no=461130, Korean Air Puts Effort to Attract 1.3 billion Chinese Tourists, accessed Feb 18, 2010. 17) http://www.newswire.co.kr/newsRead.php?no=452353lmv=A02 , Korean air is the best foreign airline in China, accessed Feb 19, 2010. 18) http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/4128479/, Korean Air Builds A Logistics Hub In Central Asia, accessed Feb 19, 2010. 19) http://www.sgtusa.com/detail.php?number=7280thread=22r07, Interview with COO Lee Jong hee, accessed Feb 19, 2010. 20) http://www.hankyung.com/news/app/newsview.php?type=2aid=2009110446921nid=910sid =0001, accessed Feb 19, 2010. 21) http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2900768 On board, gender equality still up in the air, accessed Feb 19, 2010 22) Steven Howard, Corporate Image Management: A Marketing Discipline for the 21st Century 23) Gary Dessler (2008), Human Resource Management: 11th ed. Singapore: Prentice Hall. Chapter 2: Strategic HRM and the HR scorecard. p.62 24) Gary Dessler (2008), Human Resource Management: 11th ed. Singapore: Prentice Hall. Chapter 2: Strategic HRM and the HR scorecard. p.67 25) Brian E. Becker, Mark A. Huselid, Dave Ulrich (2001). The scorecard: Linking people, strategy, and performance. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. p.66. 26) Steven H. Appelbaum, Brenda M. Fewster (2003). Human resource management strategy in the global airline industry A focus on Organizational development. Equal opportunities International. Vol. 21. No.7. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). p.70.

Life Is Beautiful Movie Analysis Film Studies Essay

Life Is Beautiful Movie Analysis Film Studies Essay When a symbol is displayed people react to it according to how they have seen that symbol before. This is explained with Saussures theory of the sign where the sign/ symbol has a portrayed meaning that is conveyed and carried with it. Through the use of Signifier and Signified people constantly (without noticing) see signs and relate to them without actually paying too much attention to the message that sign has to give. If the sign does not have an item/symbol within it that goes against their own unconscious knowledge of that sign therefore they will not notice it. Roberto Benigni uses Saussures theory of the sign to convey Guidos sudden realisation that taking a shower ultimately means death he comes to this conclusion through noticing that only the children and the old are being sent to the showers and not the fit, because they are not fit to work they are being send to the showers to be removed as a problem. Through the subtle use of Saussures theory of the sign the main charact er Guido is seen as saving his son from the harshness of the concentration camp for the first time during the movie. Through the use of ideal / fantasy worlds one can escape the harsh reality of the world.Guido creates fictitious worlds. He calls Dora princess and claims to be a prince himself. Though they both know the truth, they both are more than willing to entertain the fantasy and play the game. In this way, Guidos fictions are a form of escapism, a way for him to cope with reality and imbue it with beauty. Guido also cultivates a series of coincidences so that he can appear to have manipulated fate or performed magic. Though he knows that he is simply manipulating someone else, he is not reveling in the deception; he is interested in creating another world for someone else. This underscores the idea that a persons perception is intrinsic to his reality. Guido changes the way those around him perceive the world with his manipulations, and thus he affects how they deal with the rest of the world. When Guido rides up on a horse to rescue Dora, he is entertaining the fantasy of the knight rescui ng the damsel in distress. However, he actually is rescuing her from her surroundings and actually is whisking her away on a horse. Similarly, when he tells Giosue that everything in the concentration camp is a game, he is creating a fiction to keep Giosues spirits up. However, at the end of the film, Giosue has survived the concentration camp with perseverance and bravery, and his life and the lessons he has learned are very real. In Life is Beautiful, it appears, fantasy can become reality. Through the use of fantasy the harsh world is forgotten and replaced with a ideal reality. Roberto uses fantasy to overcome reality and thus through this semiotic way Guido can save his son from the truth. Changing of the truth can make the direst moments into fun games. During the moments The movie life is beautiful is directed by Roberto Benigni and is based in two main parts, before the holocaust and during it. Guido realises taking a shower is a term for Gassing people; he decides to keep his son with him. Guido tells Joshua that the entire point of being dressed they way they are, and to hide from the guards is so that they could win a tank if he is the last one found. Guido makes out the entire experience to be a game by doing funny actions to make his son feel like this is a game instead of a concentration camp , he does this up into his own bitter end. Roberto Benigni uses the film Life Is Beautiful to show how the use of semiotics can make Guidos humorous actions during the holocaust unique in saving his son from the harshness of the holocaust. Through the use of semiotics the title of the film can be seen through the sons eyes. By the time life is beautiful was filmed many young people were too far from World War II to completely appreciate the horrors of the war and the beauty of survival Signifier 1 this is where Guido makes up the tank game. The signifier is claiming to understand German. This is signified by Guido raising his hand. By Guido doing this he protects his son from the harshness of the holocaust by making up a set of rules for the competition to win a tank. Roberto uses the simple hand raising to signify that even though he does not understand nor speak German he will pretend to in order cover the truth from his son. Again Stuart halls encoding and decoding theory is shown here as the audience knows that this is what Guido is doing even without Guido having to say it. This is Guidos death scene. In this scene Roberto displays that Guido will do anything to save his son from the harshness of the holocaust, Guido is caught looking for his wife Dora and is being marched to his death , previously he hid Joshua in a metal mail box so he would be safe. Through Stuart halls encoding and decoding theory the viewer sees this as saving his son from the harshness of the holocaust instead of just being funny for Joshua. Roberto uses winking between Joshua and Guido as a link to the imaginary game they are playing this creates a sense that he is safe and is only knocked out of the game. While marching past his son he acting as a marching toy soldier. The signifier is Guido marching like a toy soldier. Through the use of filming Guido marching as a toy soldier it shows the viewer that this is what Joshua is seeing, and nothing else before or after is seen by Joshua there for he believes fully that he will win the tank and his father is out of the game. To the audience that knows what the German concentration camps where he will be killed. The main signifiers include life is beautiful, winking marching and making up the tank game. This signifies that life is beautiful in Joshuas eyes, and that he is saved from the real truth of the holocaust. Thank you for your time and attention REFRENCE (http://changingminds.org/explanations/critical_theory/concepts/signifier_signified.htm)

paper :: essays research papers

Paper has a long history, beginning with the ancient Egyptians and continuing to the present day. For thousands of years, hand-made methods dominated and then, during the 19th century, paper production became industrialised. Originally intended purely for writing and printing purposes, a wide variety of paper grades and uses are now available to the consumer Of all the writing and drawing materials that people have employed down the ages, paper is the most widely used around the world. Its name derives from papyrus the material used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Papyrus, however, is only one of the predecessors of paper that together are known by the generic term ‘tapa’ and are mostly made from the inner bark of paper mulberry, fig and daphne. Tapa has been found extensively in nearly all cultures along the Equatorial belt and is made by what is possibly the oldest papermaking technique – one still practised in some parts of the Himalayas and South East Asia. Indeed, recent archaeological excavations in China have revealed some of the oldest ‘tapa’ paper ever found which shows that paper was being produced in China before western records began. The tapa technique involves cooked bast, which is flattened with a wooden hammer to form a thin, fibrous layer and then dissolved in a vat with water to make a pulp. A screen consisting of a wooden frame with a fabric base is then laid in a puddle or big basin and floats with the fabric just under the surface of the water. The papermaker then pours the quantity of pulp needed to make one sheet into this ‘floating mould’ and spreads it evenly, by hand, across the surface. The screen is then carefully lifted out of the water, allowed to drain off and a sheet of paper forms on the wire. Once the water has dripped off, the screen is placed in the sun or near a fire to dry. When dry, the sheet easily peels off and, apart from possible smoothing, requires no further treatment. This technique has two basic drawbacks. Firstly, a separate screen is needed for each new sheet, and is only available for use again after the last sheet has dried. And secondly, an increase in productio n can soon lead to a shortage of raw material, since fresh bast is not always available everywhere in the required quantity. The fibres normally used for textiles, like flax and hemp, also served as substitutes for bast.

Power Play in Samuel Beckett’s Endgame Essay -- Samuel Beckett Endgame

Power Play in Samuel Beckett’s Endgame In a shelter devoid of sunlight and laughter, the family in Samuel Beckett’s Endgame all struggle to find their niches within their world. Central to the play physically and emotionally, Hamm has the ability to make the others revolve around him. Clov, physically the healthiest in the family, has a power that even Hamm could not define until very late in the play. Nagg and Nell, the elderly parents of Hamm, hold the power of memories. Although some characters may appear weaker than the others at times, Hamm, Clov, Nagg and Nell all hold a source of power, resulting in a weak type of mutualism in the family dynamics. Hamm is blind and unable to stand. However, sitting in a chair at the centre of the room, he is the axis of power in the family. Hamm repeatedly says, â€Å"Outside of here it’s death† (2475) and, according to Clov’s observations, the world outside has indeed been forsaken by nature and is awash in desolation. Therefore, as the owner of the shelter, Hamm has the power to protect Clov, Nagg, and Nell. Hamm makes the house rules even though he does not have the physical ability to enforce the rules: â€Å"I’ll give you just enough to keep you from dying. You’ll be hungry all the time† (2474). There is nowhere else to go, so in order to survive, everyone abides by Hamm’s commands. Clov humours Hamm, because it is Hamm who took him into the shelter when Clov was a child. With a paternal power over Clov, Hamm has the power to make Clov suffer. He controls Clov like a puppeteer, telling the latter to withdraw or to go close to him. Using Clov as a physical extension of himself, Hamm is able to â€Å"bottle† his father Nagg when the latter complains he is unable to eat the hard bisc... ...dysfunctional family, amidst their painful existence, manages balance their powers and to mutually co-exist. Words have much power, and Hamm retains his grip on his family by his commands. However, Clov – Hamm’s eyes and limbs – has power that matches Hamm’s, because if Clov leaves, no one will be able to physically support them. Nagg and Nell have the power of words and memories, as well as that of listening skills. They are the perfect audience for Hamm, who feels that dialogue is his main reason for living. Without them, Hamm will have no more reasons to continue living. Precariously balanced, the power play in Beckett’s play is like that of its title: an endgame fraught with dangers and overshadowed with doom. Works Cited Beckett, Samuel. Endgame. 1958. Norton Anthology of English Literature. 7th ed. 2 vols. New York: Norton, 2000, 2: 2472-2500.

Financial Markets, Money Markets, and Institutions

FINANCIAL MARKETS, MONEY MARKETS, AND INSTITUTIONS Q1. A Financial intermediary is an institution that bridges between user & provider of finance. Which of the following is/are a financial intermediary? (MRQ) Venture CapitalistInsurance institutionsCredit unionsCommercial Banks(2 marks) Q2. Which of the following is a money market instrument? (MCQ)Corporate BondTreasury BillsDebenturesStocks(2 marks) Q3. Faust Co trades agricultural products & oils in its markets. Which type of market is Faust Co most likely in? (MCQ)Money marketsDerivatives marketCommodity marketsInsurance markets(2 marks) Q4. Which of the following is a difference in primary & secondary markets? (MCQ)Secondary markets relate to the trading of securities at the initial offeringPrimary & Secondary markets deals in the sale of securitiesThe primary market is used by newly public limited entitiesPrimary markets deal initial offerings & Secondary markets deals in existing investments (2 marks) Q5. The conversion of illiquid assets into marketable securities is known as? (MCQ)FuturesSecuritizationEuro currencyRepos(2 marks) Q6. Which of the following correctly describes Arbitrage? (MCQ)Opportunity for investors to widen their investmentThe use of different types of securities in the financial market for investors to assess their riskThe process of buying a security from one market and selling off to another market to obtain profitAn investment to reduce the risk of unfavorable price movements (2 marks) Q7. The following statements relate to key roles of a financial intermediary. Match the appropriate options with their definitions. (P&D)The pooling of many small deposits to make the larger advancement of finance Reduction in default risk by lending finance to multiple businesses FINANCIAL INTERMEDIATION AGGREGATION MATURITY TRANSFORMATION RISK REDUCTION(2 marks) Q8. Which of the following investment is most risky? (MCQ)Ordinary sharesPreference sharesMarket risk bondsCompany issue bonds(2 marks) Q9. Select the appropriate option in relation to money markets. (HA)It is a market for short-term funds TRUE FALSEThis market is operated by financial institutions TRUE FALSEThe interest-bearing instrument is an example of money market instrument TRUE FALSEMoney market deposits is an example of money market derivatives TRUE FALSE(2 marks) FINANCIAL MARKETS, MONEY MARKETS, AND INSTITUTIONS (ANSWERS) Q1. All options are examples of financial intermediaryVenture Capitalist (An investing company in small companies)Insurance institutions (Charging premiums which are invested to provide returns) Credit unions (A member of the union may borrow from a pool of deposits at low interest) Commercial Banks Q2. BAll others are capital market instruments. Capital markets are long-term financial instruments in form of debt or equity which are traded. Q3. CMoney markets (A market that supports short-term debt financing & investment)Derivatives market (A market that provides instruments for managing financial risk) Commodity markets (A market that supports trading of raw or natural materials)Insurance markets (A market that facilitates buying & selling of insurance) Q4. DSecondary markets relate to the trading of securities at initial offering (Incorrect, trading of old securities)Primary & Secondary markets deals in the sale of securities (Correct, but a similarity between both markets) The primary market is used by newly public limited entities (Correct, for primary market only)Primary markets deal initial offerings & Secondary markets deals in existing investments (Correct, difference between both markets) Q5. BFutures (A buying & selling of a specified asset at a fixed rate in future) Euro currency (A currency which is held by people outside the country of issue of that currency)Repos (An agreement between two parties to buy or sell a financial instrument on an agreed date & price) Q6. COpportunity for investors to widen their investment (Diversification)The use of different types of securities in the financial market for investors to assess their risk (Risk-shifting)The process of buying a security from one market and selling off to another market to obtain profit (Arbitrage)An investment to reduce the risk of unfavorable price movements (Hedging) Q7.The pooling of many small deposits to make the larger advancement of finance AGGREGATIONReduction in default risk by lending finance to multiple businesses RISK REDUCTIONFinancial Intermediation: The process of bringing together of borrower & lender is financial intermediationMaturity Transformation: Borrowers wish to obtain long-term finance & Lender is unwilling to lock its finances. This technique develops a floating pool of deposits which satisfies both needs. Q8. AOrdinary shares, most risky as paid at last after all liabilities are cleared offPreference shares, riskier than bonds as paid after debts are clearedMarket risk bonds, also known as government bond as these provide returns on the current market basis Company issue bonds, risky due to the chance of company defaults but are usually backed up by company assets Q9. It is a market for short-term funds TRUE This market is operated by financial institutions TRUE The interest-bearing instrument is an example of money market instrument TRUE Money market deposits is an example of money market derivatives FALSEMoney market deposit is an example of the interest-bearing instrument rather than money market derivatives. Money market deposit provides high interest on deposited savings.

Social Media :: Curse or Blessing ?

Social Media :: Curse or blessing ? The way I see it, it all depends on how these sites, like Facebook or Twitter, are being used. Social media itself can be abused, overused, and taken advantage of. However, the power of social media itself is probably greater than the power of any person, any novel, any ruler, or even any country. But, whether that incredible power is a blessing or a curse is also one matter to question. The power of social media can be something extremely influential. This first took a huge toll in the beginning of 2011 with the political upheaval of Egypt.The Internet's far-reaching speed combined with social media websites to create something unforgettable. The voices of Egypt stood together to overthrow the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and they spread all throughout the world. The power of social media was also noted when Mexicans turned to it for survival, not too long ago. At first, this served as a revolution. For the very first time, people's voices and opinions were coming together to form something larger than themselves. But we have to wonder, is that power too much?History has repeated itself in telling us that it becomes a problem when one voice has too much power. One only needs to look at people like Hitler, Idi Amin, and Mao Zong for proof that giving one voice too much power can sink an entire people or nation. And in Egypt, this corrupting nature of power turned itself over from the ruler to the subjects which resulted in the same horrific effect. From this, it is clear that social media has a way of lending itself to this attribute of power. Another way social media can act as a curse is through its changing the behavior of our society.Some say social media sites can lend to shorter attentions and less efficient work. Not only that, but my generation, that is, teenagers, tends to abuse social media and use it for popularity. Despite social media being a term with the connotation of connecting us, that seems t o be one thing it is doing least. People who abuse Facebook, for example, by requesting and accepting as many ‘friends' as possible, up to thousands, are giving those relationships artificial traits. Those relationships are so scattered and insignificant that many people don't even know some of their ‘friends. These thinning relationships have no such value, and are illusions of genuine relationships. In this abuse of social media, values of building relationships and making new connections, as were the intentions of social media, are taken away and transformed wrongfully. Nevertheless, many people do use social media for positive purposes, which leads me to the side of social media that is a complete blessing to this modern world. When used correctly, the benefits of social media can far outweigh some of its downfalls. Social media changes the world every day, in ways both small and large.For everyone who uses it, social media at least promotes and encourages communicat ion and lends to more modern ways of learning and communicating. Not only do they lend to more efficiency in our rapidly evolving technologically advanced society, but social media sites are also some of the best ways to positively influence people by sharing your opinions. They act as platforms for your voice. If you have great ideas or want to be heard or found, websites like Google+, Twitter, and LinkedIn can promote those good intentions.Through these sites, you can find millions of people who share the same interests as you, and start making a difference, step by step. Social media websites can operate as both curses and blessings in our modern society. The difference between it as a curse and a blessing all hangs on the shoulders of its users. You may choose to abuse the potential of Facebook, or to change the world with Twitter. The difference in your actions may be small, but the end result varies greatly, and it is up to you to decide social media's role in your life.

Preschool Observation Essay

My preschool observation was completed at Chula Vista Presbyterian Preschool located at 940 Hilltop Drive, Chula Vista, Ca 91911. The classroom consisted of eight children between the ages of three and five. When I walked into the preschool classroom the children had just arrive at school. The student we’re hanging up their bags, saying goodbye to their parent and finding activity to play with before the day would officially begin. Some of the children we’re putting puzzles together, cutting fun shapes on the small table for Halloween and two cute little girls are playing bubbles in a tub near the cubbies with a rug underneath. The classroom environment seemed to stimulate learning due to the abundance of activities available to the children’s. During the morning playtime the children were given the opportunity to explore many different things, like the Dramatic play area – grocery set up, the Art area where children can paint, draw and colors, and putting puzzles together. The physical classroom environment had artwork done by the children on the walls as decoration. There were also fence with pumpkin and scarecrow decoration on the wall to brighten up the wall. The decoration did not appear to be too distracting, which promotes and enables a stimulating learning environment. The classroom is pretty much large that we’re arrange in sectional areas; next to the cubbies is the Reading corner, the area is carpeted where 6 small pillows, two small rocking chair and one regular chair are arranged facing a chair for teaching. There is a book stand where children can pick books. The Math area consist of pictures numbers and puzzle games and shapes. There is also the Letter corner where pictures and corresponding letter shows. Dramatic play which is set up as grocery where boxes of cereals’, eggs, canned good items were on display. There is also a cash register and shopping baskets available. The Children’s corner shows pictures and name of students, calendars, schedules and announcement and also the star student. All tables and chai rs have the size fit to small children, shelves was arranged to separate sectional areas from the other. There is a long table by the cubbies that served as dining table for the children. Half of the ceiling has some colorful little pumpkin decoration. The bathroom is located to the other classroom adjacent to the room I observed. there is a small paper towel dispenser and trash can near  the cubbies. The teacher kept to herself for the most part while the children busy playing at the beginning of the day. Because of the small class size she was able to see what everyone was doing without walking around the room. The assistant teacher is on the table helping two children glued the scare crow on the big paper for decoration. There were no disciplinary action needed because the children were well behaved except for occasional reminders of the use of classroom voice when the kids got too excited singing along with the music being played. After forty five minutes of children’s own playtime, the teacher rang the bill for circle time. But before that, she asks all the children to clean up and keep an eye for everybody if they do their task. I noticed that all children we’re doing their part, even if they don’t play on the grocery area they put away all the scattered items, which makes me believe that the teachers values the space she is given and wants her students to know that cleaning up toys and other activities when they are done playing is important. During the circle time, children we’re sitting crisscross on a carpeted section, the teacher start singing a happy song where the children sing too when the teacher mentioned the name of the child the child will stand and dance. It’s like doing the attendance in a fun way where all children participated. After the song, teacher and children’s prayed together. They say thanks for that day being together with friends and teachers, for their parents and ask for safety. After that, the children were ushered to the next room we’re bathrooms are located. The teachers help the children potty and wash their hands before they go the table for snacks. A long table for eight was on the middle of the classroom, the assistant teacher prepares gold fish, 3 carrot sticks and raisins for their snacks. She also put a juice in a small plastic container with a handle where the kids pour their juice by themselves. The teachers is watching closely and reminding the children to pour half only and save some for their friends, I think they are instilling the values of sharing. After the snacks, the children throw their napkins and push their chair back to the table and goes straight to the Math area. The children were sitting crisscrossed again facing a small blackboard; the teacher is sitting on the right side. They were learning the letter â€Å"F† and each student were asked what word starts with letter â€Å"F†. All the children, answered correctly although some of them was helped by their classmates,  which was reprimanded by the teacher and tell them to give other the chance to think and give their answers. When they were done sounding the words they were given a cut out frog paper with a numbers on it and was told that when they hear their number they will jump on the pond (middle) and leave the frog. The children start singing the speckles frog song and each child jumps in the pond when their number was called. It was so much fun watching them and I was thinking that they are committed to provide a play-based, developmentally appropriate program that guides each child through the process of learning self-regulation. When the song ended, children were lined up and ask to put their bumper up to get ready to play in the playground. They went out the same door to get in; playground is located on the opposite side of the building. The children walked on the lined pathway. Before they cross the street, the teacher points to both sides of the street and ask if it safe to cross. When children look at both side and saw no cars coming they unanimously answered â€Å"yes†. The playground is consist of big slides, a tire swing, small basketball area, a monkey bars, a small play house, the table bucket on the sand area where children can play water on it. There is a carpeted shaded area too where children can read books, or play some puzzles or board games. There is also table with some art crafts. Shelves full of toys were aligned with the shoe box. I saw a medicine cabinet too on the far right side of the shelves. I stayed on the chair by the medicine cabinet; this would not attract children attentions or block their way. Both the teacher and assistant teacher were outside to watch the kids, making sure they don ’t hurt themselves or hurt each other. They constantly reminding and approaching the children when they see inappropriate used of toys and equipment’s. The children who were playing too rough were ask to stop if not they will ask to find different games to play. The teacher also participates in playing pretend on the big slides as their pirate ship and some kids play the role of pirate and captain of the ship. The preschool provides a Christian atmosphere that promotes the spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual growth of each child. This evidence by the colorful posters outside the building that says: â€Å"Faith is Journey† â€Å"God lead Us Forth† â€Å"God’s Presence is our Destination†. As you enter the classroom, there is a signing sheet not only for students but for everybody coming in and out the classroom. The staff and teachers are very  friendly; as I approached them they were smiling and say â€Å"Hi! Can I help you?† When I introduced myself and told them the reason why I was there, they ask me how they can be of help to make my observation easier and productive. They also sh ow me where I can sit and observed not too distant where I still hear children talks and not too close to attract their attention. I feel that there is a good relationship too between the parents and staff because they are happily talking the child’s progress and how they are doing even the silliest thing the child did at home. The school is not gated but I sensed some security because the classrooms are located behind the church. Most of the students are Hispanic, Asian, African-American and Caucasian children. Both the teacher and the assistant teacher is Hispanic and the Director is Caucasian. I would say this preschool is very diverse and children learn how to respect, help and play with each other regardless of race, color and gender. According to Mrs. Brown, they have 12 regular children on this age range, but 2 children were sick that day and 2 was on vacation. The teacher/child ratio is usually 6 children per teacher, but most of the time student teachers were available to help and watch the children. The teachers, Mrs. Rodriguez and Mrs. Baptista were very attentive to the needs of the children; whenever the child goes to them for help they patiently listen and talk to the child in low voice and loving way. The teachers were able to interpret words and actions of the child. You can feel their sincerity and caring. The staffs communicate with each other in providing activities and materials that children find engaging. By facilitating learning, supplying a developmentally appropriate environment, interesting materials and adequate time to explore, play and interact, children find learning easy and fun The Child The preschool child I observed was A J. Mrs. Brown ask me to used initials to ensure confidentiality of the child, since I don’t have permission from the parents. But she allows me to describe the child based on my observation and judgment. A J is taller than most of her classmates and has a â€Å"lean body† not overweight or skinny. She has a full cheeks, I can see a full sets of teeth when she smiles and fair Caucasian skin. A J is three years old and eleven months, the teacher graciously gave an estimate of her weight and  height. She weighs 35 pounds and 39.5 inches tall. According to the teacher, she started at the preschool when she is 2 years old and 4 months. A J has a short curly blonde hair, with blue eyes and thin blonde eye brows. She is wearing a big pink flower headband that matches her short summer dress under a white zipped sweatshirt. When A J first arrived, she greeted all the teachers. She said â€Å"Good morning Mrs. Rodriguez† â€Å"Good morning Mrs. Batista (should be Baptista) and peeked to the other room where Mrs. Brown is and said â€Å"Good morning Mrs. Brown†. When A J saw me, I smiled to her and she gave me a small smile and walked straight to Mrs. Rodriguez. I heard Mrs. Rodriguez telling her â€Å"she is our visitor†. A J asked â€Å"My new teacher†? â€Å"No, she is going to watch and do her job†. She said â€Å"ok†. And when her classmates saw her, three of them approached and ask her to play with them. Which she refused and said â€Å"I am going to do make my scare crow†. She is the only child that said good morning first to all the teachers. This caught my attention because I see a happy and sweet little girl, aside from being so pretty. I chose here to be the subject of this observation because aside from being fit to the age requirement, her smile is contagious and there is something on her that capture your attention, I can’t explain yet but I am going to find out what draws people’s attention into her. Biosocial Development A J weighs 35 pounds and three feet and 3 inches by the time she reaches 6 years old she will weigh around 44 pounds and three feet tall and nine inches. She is within the normal range for her age (Berger, 167). A J is physically fit; her body is well proportioned and leaned. Her growth will be expected to slow down by the age five and six, where her legs and arms lengthen, fat turns to muscles (Berger, 167). This enables her to balance her body and enjoy the fun of dancing, running and playing without falling or slipping. I noticed during snacks, A j finished first the carrot slice. I think this is the reason why she is lean because those who eat more vegetables and fewer fried foods usually gain bone mass but not fat (Berger, 168). When A J is working on her scare crow, she asks the teacher if she can cut the pant and shirt shape paper. I noticed that she was holding the paper on her left hand and scissor on the right hand and I can see that she is concentrating in what she is doin g. Both sides of the brain are normally  involved in almost every skill (Berger, 179). She was able to cut the paper pant and shirt perfectly by following the line. This shows A J’s eye-hand coordination is well balanced. She both used her hand in shaking the small plastic glue bottle and squeezed it to the edge of the pant and shirt following the shape without a mess. I noticed too that A J used both hands in pouring the juice in her cup, using her right hand to hold the handle of the plastic container and left hand on the bottom of the container to avoid spill and to control how much juice she will pour. A J demonstrates perseveration when she was approached by her classmates and asks to play with them but she replied â€Å"I am going to make my scare crow† and she did finished it. Many children ages between 3 and 5, are impulsive flitting to one activity to another (Berger, 178) A J’s demonstrated her well-developed fine motor skills by cutting the paper, draw flowers on the board; pick-up her snacks, unzipped her sweatshirt and ties her shoes (Berger, 170). When A J unzipped her sweatshirt she could not undo the zipper at the bottom to completely unzip so she pulled it from the hood over her head to take it off. She was dancing and jumping on the carpet during circle time. While outside on the playground A J was running nonstop on the entire playground, push the tire swing with her foot and climbed up the ladder, ride the bike, lift water bucket to transfer water to the sand box. I didn’t see her falling or slipping on any of these activities. She has a good balance and these means A J’s gross motor skills are well-developed (Berger, 170). Cognitive Development Piaget second period of Preoperational intelligence shows symbolic thoughts (Berger, 182). While doing the scare crow project, A J asks the teacher â€Å"Mrs. Rodriguez can I have a big scare crow? The teacher ask why she replied â€Å"to protect us from the witch† This symbolic thought explained animism. Many young children believed that natural objects are alive (Berger, 182). A J demonstrates egocentrism when the scarecrow project is done she said â€Å"perfect! I will show this to mommy, I’m sure she will love it!† Egocentric children contemplate the world exclusively from their personal perspective. She expected that her mom will love what she did (Berger, 182) I noticed that A J focuses on appearance. When her boy classmate told her they have the same shoes, she replied â€Å"No, were not. Mine is pink, yours is blue†. Although, they are both have converse shoes the only difference is the color (Berger, 182). When A J entered the room she immediately approached all the teachers saying good morning. She even starts her day on the table working with her teacher, asking questions how to do it and her teacher in return is guiding and helping her how to do the work. A J is learning on what Vygotsky believed; social learning. This emphasized that thinking is shaped by other peoples’ wishes and goals. A J is learning from her teacher through guided participation within her zone of proximal development (ZPD) an intellectual arena where new ideas and skills can be mastered. Her learning depends on the teachers’ willingness and ability to provide scaffolding or temporary support to help within their developmental zone (Berger, 184). A J is very curious; she always asks her teacher questions like: â€Å"why do we need a lot of scare crow?† â€Å"Why do we need to hang it† â€Å"why Ayana is not here today† she even asks â€Å"Why Mrs. Brown is wearing a Charger shirt today?† And when she is not satisfied with the teachers answer, she would say â€Å" maybe because today is Fun Friday† According to theory-theory, the best explanation for cognition is that human seek reasons, causes and underlying principles to make sense of their experience. Curiosity and thought, connecting bits of knowledge and observation develop theories that help young children understand and remember (Berger, 186). A J doesn’t show any idea of what others thinking. Theory of mind is not fully developed at this young age. This ability is slow to develop but typically beginning in most children at about age 4 (Berger, 186.) Language Development A J’s brought a book to her lap where three of her girl classmate gathered. â€Å"I have story to share† she said. A J held the book up for the group to see and said â€Å"the title of the book is From Head To Toe† â€Å"a favorite of mine† and then set the book on her lap and opened it to the first page. Ana pointed to each illustration and told a story based on what she saw in each picture. She pointed to the next and turned the pages one by one. When she reached the end of the book, she closed it and said â€Å"the end†. Then returning to the children and ask: â€Å"Does anyone have a questions?† A J displays significant language development in this situation. â€Å"By four year old most children are able to say 5-20 sentence length and they have about  3,000-10,000 vocabulary words.† (Berger,189). Her verbal language skills are remarkable when she speaks in complete and grammatically correct sentences. At her age, she was able to use â€Å"the† â€Å"a† article in her sentence. She was able to say the correct words by looking at the picture identifying the different kinds of animals and describing what are they doing. This is the process called fast mapping wherein children develop an interconnected set of categories for words. When A J is done working on her scare crow, she said to herself â€Å"yes! I’m done!† Occasionally, while reading the book to her classmate she is mumbling words like â€Å"yeah, that’s right†. I saw her nodding her head while watching her classmate put the puzzle together conforming maybe that what her classmates doing is right. This shows that A J makes use of private speech, which is talking to herself either out lout or in one’s mind (Berger, 188). She communicates very well with her teacher and classmates. During snacks, A J was telling her classmates that her birthday is coming up and it’s going to be a costume party. She happily announces she’s going to be Queen Elsa. Isabella said â€Å"I want to be princess Ana† Sam said â€Å"It’s nice if we have snow!† And everyone agreed to have a snow idea. Psychosocial Development Erikson thought young children are naturally motivated to take initiative, with joy at new tasks, yet vulnerable to feeling guilty (Berger, 206) A J demonstrates a positive sense of self through her initiative and awareness of her own skills and accomplishment. A J was so happy when she finished her project by herself. She feels so proud when the teacher praises her with her work. She even wants to show it to her mom. But she felt shameful; when the teacher reprimands her from helping her classmates answer the questions during circle time. She looks down and stays quite. Controlling the expression of emotions, called emotional regulation is the preeminent psychosocial task between ages 2 and 6 (Berger, 206). A J displays pro-social behavior when she cooperates with her peers during clean up time, sharing space on the circle time when Samantha wants to sit by Reese by moving to the other side (Berger, 226). A J displays empathy in numerous occasions. Empathy is the understanding of other people’s feeling and concerns (Berger, 226) When Samantha was dropped off by her mom; she seemed to be sad and clingy. A J approached Samantha and said â€Å"Hi Samantha, Come!  I’m going to show you my scare crow†. After that, Samantha is smiling already and starts doing her scare crow. Another example is when the children were running at the same time splashing water on the playground and Reese fell on her knees; A J said â€Å"stop! Reese got hurt† and everybody stop and the teacher check Reese and asked to move out to the shaded area to get check so others can continue playing. Temperaments vary, which makes people within the same culture unlike one another (Berger, 208) A J is so expressive of her emotions. She giggles so loud when she is happy and got too excited. She even jumps and claps her hands when the teacher announces â€Å"today is fun Friday†. She felt sad and quiet when the teacher told her to wait for her turn to ride the bike. But she didn’t show any sign of aggression or develop antipathy to her classmates because after a few minutes she is already playing and active again. A J develops strong gender awareness when she, Isabella, Samantha and Reese gathered together having a tea party while playing outside. When Nathan sat on the vacant chair she said â€Å"only girls here† â€Å"go back to your pirate ship† pointing to the group of boys playing by the big slides (Berger, 206). Play â€Å"Young children play best with peers, that is, people of about the same age in which they develop positive social skills† (Berger, 212). Children need physical activity to develop muscle strength and control. Peers provide an audience, role models and competition. Rough-and-tumble play and socio-dramatic play both help children with socialization (Berger, 214). A J enjoys playing, inside and outside the classroom. I observed that she loves socio-dramatic play where they act out various roles and plots (Berger 214). She pretends to be the teacher when she read books to her classmates and play tea party. A J and the other girls joined the pirate game played by the boys when their tea party is over. In the playground, she climbed up the ladder and slides. Rode the tire swing and spin it so fast that makes me dizzy watching them. They play hide and seek; rode the bike, and even allowed to play in the water tub as long as they take out their shoes and wear the vest so they don’t get wet. I think this is where they stayed most during outside play. The children are splashing water with each other others and some are trying to make sand castle on the sand area collecting water  from the tub using a small bucket. I would say she is very strong and healthy because she can lift the bucket full of water without dropping the bucket or spill. A J plays most of the time with her classmate. She displays cooperative play: Children play together, creating dramas or taking turns (Berger, 212). The Whole Child and Over All Impression I enjoyed observing this preschool, especially A J. At the beginning, I can’t fully understand what captures my attention to her. Now I know, it’s the confidence she is showing as she enters the classroom. Her aura reflects a fun loving, happy, active and smart little girl. She doesn’t show any hesitation coming in the classroom. The way she talks amazed me. She can express herself, using more than 5 words in a sentence without difficulty in speaking. She can communicate using words that are understandable and grammatically correct to her classmates and teachers. Although, I hear her couple of times that she mispronounced Mrs. Baptista’s last name as â€Å"Mrs. Batista† which I know will master sooner as her brain matures. A J develop a secure attachment which according to our text feels comfortable and confident (Berger, 142) to the environment and to the teachers since she is already with them since she was 2 years old and 4 months. It’s a place like home to her and when she saw me (a stranger) stayed close to the teacher and ask about me seeking for assurance I believed and feels safe again (Berger, 142). A J’s physical development is observed to be normal and healthy. Her gross motor skills are well developed. She is very active and capable of doing what four years old supposed to do considering she is only 3 years old and 11 months such as walking, running, jumping, dancing, bending, climbed at the ladder without any physical unbalance. During play she giggles and laughs most of the time which the teachers always remind her to lower her voice, which sometimes she listens but sometimes not. A J displays an excellent level in social development. She demonstrated what Vygotsky believed that â€Å"thinking is shaped by other people’s wishes and goals† (Berger, 184). Since she started at the preschool by the age of 2 years and 4 months, you can see the bond between her and the teachers. I can see that she enjoys the company of her friends and teacher, she always play with her classmates all the time. She displayed cooperative and high self-esteem  valuing herself as a person and confident at her age. I was surprised that at her age, she can control her emotions. She didn’t show any sign of aggression even when she was pushed in the line or fell on her bottom or when she wants something what other children’s playing. She would ask her teacher if she can play with that toy and the teacher will ask her to wait for her turn or ask the child if A J can play with her/him together. She demonstrated perseveration when she was approached by her classmates and asks to play with her which I admired the most because many children ages between 3 and 5 are impulsive flitting to one activity to another (Berger, 178). Also, when were told to stop teaching her classmates words that start with letter â€Å"F† although she is upset, she quietly wait for her turn to be ask. I noticed that she finished every activity and play before jumping to another. I know it’s hard t o master this at the very young age but she did it. That makes her exemplary good on this level of development. A J’s curiosity makes her smart and learned new things. She constantly asks questions to her teachers and classmates about anything to understand and remember (Berger, 186). And I can see that she is learning very well through guided participation within her zone of proximity. A J’s cognitive development seemed to be average, at her age. Her preoperational thought is symbolic and magical (Berger, 182).She is not mature to have logical thinking. Maybe this is the reason why she enjoyed socio dramatic play most of the time. She believed that the big scare crow will protect her from the witch. She is fond of â€Å"Olaf† the snow man friend of Queen Elsa in the movie â€Å"Frozen†. She wished to have â€Å"Olaf† on her birthday. She is egocentric where she expected that other people would appreciate and love things she do (Berger, 182). She focusses on appearance and I think fully aware of gend er differences as she pointed out to her boy classmates that they are different because of shoe color and the boys is not allowed to play tea party. She makes me smiles most of the time (because I can’t laugh while observing them) with her actions and words, especially when they are talking about their snacks and she said I have a â€Å"goldfish sandwich† as she make goldfish put raisins on the middle to make it like a sandwich. That makes all her classmates laugh and think of something silly too to describe their snack. She can even pretend to be the teacher while reading the books to them. It’s so amazing how she can do the story-telling just like what her  teacher do from the beginning till the end. And I’m surprised how her classmates give their full attention as she pretend to read the book. Usually, little kids talks all the time without regards as to who is talking, but here, I noticed that children already learned to respect their classmates and teachers when they are talking. After viewing the environment of the preschool, I have come into conclusion that it contains all the element of quali ty preschool. They provide Christian atmosphere that promote the spiritual, social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth of each child. The goal is to enable each child grow and learn in a safe and stimulating environment at their own pace. I’ve learned also from the teachers that every Tuesday’s class they incorporated good Christian living in their lesson. I believed it’s a good way of teaching children’s values in life following the way of Jesus. I feel that the surroundings, specially the various stimulating areas help to individualize each child’s learning like Reading corner, Math area, Letters, Dramatic play, Children’s corner that shows schedule, calendars, and announcement and the star student of the month. It is important to have orderly and stimulating areas for the children to freely choose what to participate in. I believed that the teachers have a great understanding of child development and education. This shows in their daily schedule posted in the Children’s which listed the daily routine for the children. For example, circle time, Math & letter follow ed by mid-morning snacks and then followed by outside play. It is important that the children in the preschool participate in routines. Routines assist children in learning through both repetition and consistency. The preschool program is definitely based on encouraging learning and respecting children’s exploration. Teachers and staff respect each child for what they are and help them live fully and happy to the best of their ability. This preschool observation is very interesting. I’d learned the important role of teachers in nurturing all aspects of development: social, emotional, cognitive and physical. In every interaction, the teachers appropriately nurture their growth and development. The education and values that the teachers impart to their students has great impacts to them later in life. Through this experience, I am pleased to learn that preschool may look like all fun and games –music, story time, dancing, art but the children are learning through play and  creative activity. They learned to solve problem playing building blocks. At a very young age, the children develop good learning habits and positive self-esteem. Children are capable of learning at their own pace and make their own decision.