Cisco Erp

Cisco Systems Inc. : Implementing ERP come ride with us your cowboys: bill atkinson denisa kubricka edmond lui georg wittenburg iman sharif Company Background †¢ Founded in 1984 by two Stanford computer scientists †¢ Became publicly traded in 1990 †¢ Primary product is â€Å"router† †¢ By 1997, Cisco was ranked top five companies in return on revenues and ROA in Fortune 500 †¢ In 1998, market capitalization was over $100 billion Markets Cisco was a key infrastructure supplier for the â€Å"New Economy† in the mid-90s. †¢ That market went through a period of amazing growth since Cisco formed. †¢ This fast growth rate was directly reflected in Cisco’s sales figures. †¢ The future was looking bright. Company Structure †¢ Three functional divisions: – Order Entry – Finance – Manufacturing †¢ Initial IT Strategy: – Let division take care of themselves. – Overall architecture is shared , enabling sharing of data. History of IT at Cisco UNIX-based software package to support its core transaction processing: – Functional areas supported: financial, manufacturing and order entry systems – Used common architecture and common databases †¢ Growth of Cisco resulted in scalability problems. †¢ Cisco was the largest single costumer of that vendor, resulting in a strategic weakness. Point Blank †¢ Would the software developed for a $300 million company fit the use of a $1 billion company? Point Blank †¢ Why would a multi-million dollar company want to avoid ERP?A Big Need †¢ Recognized the need for change, but left actions to each functional division: †¢ Thus: – Little progress was made in the year – Each functional area was reluctant to replace the legacy system because of high risk involved – Systems outages became routine – Unauthorized method for accessing the core application database malfunctioned , corrupting Cisco’s central database †¢ Company was shut down for two days Selecting an ERP product †¢ The planning was driven only by timing constraints and panic. There was no business case †¢ Cisco emphasized the need for: – – – – Strong team Strong partners Speedy decision making Getting Executive & Board approval Project Team & Partners †¢ Team: – Know that very best people are needed – Pulled best business & IT people out of their current jobs at Cisco †¢ Partners: – Important that partner could work on the selection as well as implementation of project – KPMG as integration partner – KPMG team of 20 (highly experienced; not â€Å"greenies†)Teams selection strategy †¢ Teams strategy – use experiences of other companies and best practices to accumulate knowledge †¢ Selected five packages within 2 days †¢ After a week of high level evaluation – two packages selected: ORACLE and another major player in the ERP market †¢ 10 days on request for proposals Point Blank †¢ Is it wise to make a decision so quickly? Are there things that should be done to mitigate the risk? Did they do due diligence? Team Selection Strategy Cont’d Oracle & other vendor given two weeks to respond to RFP †¢ Current vendor customers were visited by the team during these two weeks †¢ After response, received a 3-day software demonstration by each vendor (used Cisco’s sample data) †¢ Goal is to show how software meets or does not meet Cisco’s requirements Final Vendor Selection Criteria †¢ Three main criteria used: – Manufacturing capability – Long-term development of functionality of package – Flexibility of Oracle’s being close by (location wise) Other motivations – Oracle’s first release of new ERP product – if Cisco project goes well, favorable product la unch of Oracle ERP package †¢ Oracle chosen – team decision, no management approval at this point Time †¢ After 75 days from start of project, major TODOs are: – Negotiations between Oracle & Cisco – Write up a Proposal to Board of Directors †¢ Time and non-interference with annual accounting as main considerations. †¢ Famous last words: – â€Å"†¦ there’s no way we’re going to take 15 months to get this done. That’s ridiculous. † – â€Å"Well, can we do it in five months?That just didn’t seem right. † – Let’s try nine. Point Blank †¢ Was nine months realistic? Should other criteria have been used to estimate the time, rather than quarters as primarily criteria? Costs †¢ No formal business case for project †¢ Concentrating on system failure as motivation to project start †¢ $15 million budget estimated †¢ Not approached from the justification p rospective (no cost/benefit analysis) †¢ Costs:  »  »  »  » Software 16% Hardware 32% Headcount 14% System integration 38% Point Blank †¢ How do you think should project costs be estimated for Cisco’s project?Getting Approval From Board †¢ Met with CEO – comment about ‘jobs lost over much lesser amounts of money’ †¢ Got CEO’s support †¢ Met with Board of Directors – chairman says ‘show me the money’ as first thing †¢ Board approves project †¢ Single largest project ever undertaken by company †¢ CEO makes project priority for Cisco Building implementation team †¢ As not enough time & KPMG performed well during planning phase †¢ KPMG relationship extended for implementation †¢ Extra 80 team members added on from the Cisco’s business community †¢ Five tracks (process area teams) used: Order Entry Track  » Manufacturing Track  » Finance Track  » Sales/Re porting Track  » Technology Track Point Blank †¢ Was it worth removing important people from the regular business positions to work on the IT project? How can an IT department in another company convince upper management that this is worthwhile? Steering Committee †¢ High level execs from Cisco, Oracle, and KPMG †¢ Shows commitment and importance of project Point Blank †¢ How important is it to have support of upper management to ensure success?Implementing Oracle †¢ A development technique known as â€Å"rapid iterative prototyping† †¢ Implementation broken into a series of phases called â€Å"Conference Room Pilots† (CRPs): – CRP 0 / 1: Build on previous work to develop a deeper understanding of the software and how it functioned – CRP 2 / 3: Implement the ERP system. CRP0 †¢ Training the implementation team and setting up the technical environment †¢ Two parallel efforts: – Training the team in the Oracl e applications Normal 5 day training pushed to two 16-hour days! Getting the application up and running by a small â€Å"tiger team† CPR0 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Configuring the Oracle package Hundreds of parameters in the applications Team members â€Å"locked† together for two days 1 % effort with 80 percent accuracy Completed one week after the meeting, leading to the realization that changes to the software were needed to support the company effectively Point Blank †¢ Do you think that having 80% accuracy with only 1% effort was just a matter of luck?Taking into account that typical ERP system configuration takes up to 6 months, not 2 days!! Any risks involved with this approach? CPR1 †¢ Goal of this phase each track makes the system work within its specific area †¢ Details and procedures for completing a process were created †¢ Realized that a lot of business processes were not supported by the software needed modifications â₠¬ ¢ Modifications were classified into: †¢ Green †¢ Yellow †¢ Red, needed to go to the steering committee for approval there were few reds CRP1 30 developers needed for 3 months to modify Oracle †¢ Modifications led to unplanned changes in the project plan and budget †¢ Realized that Oracle could not support the after-sales support needs †¢ Chose a service support package and planned to lunch both packages together Point Blank †¢ Would it have been possible to avoid most of these major changes and the need for a new service package had they spent more time in their initial design and decision making? †¢ Does it help to prioritize the required changes and control scope? CRP2 Continued scope change †¢ Major technical issues †¢ Creation of data warehouse for centralized data communication CRP2 †¢ 100-person IT department started decommitting from other projects †¢ Bore most of the responsibility for the project additions †¢ â€Å"IT did nothing else that year† Point Blank †¢ Is it wise to commit all of your resources to a new project, when your existing systems are barely scraping by? CRP3 †¢ Focus on testing the full system †¢ Assess readiness to ‘go live’ †¢ Captured one day’s worth of actual business data and ‘re-running’ it on a SaturdayPoint Blank †¢ Would you consider one day of testing adequate (with a subset of data), if you were planning a clean cutover of your entire IT infrastructure? The Aftermath †¢ The new ERP system went live on January 30, 1995, but it took two months before it was operating at a reasonable level of quality. †¢ Problematic areas were hardware architecture and sizing. – Test hat only been run sequentially and with a subset of the real database. †¢ Side-note: How is it possible that no one in the team noticed this before? Cisco Systems (1995) Cisco Systems creates five distinct busin ess units that reflect its major networking product groups — Workgroup, ATM High End, Access, Core and IBM Internetworking. †¢ â€Å"While leveraging economies of scale in areas like manufacturing, sales and support, the business units can move quickly in product development and expedite time to market. † †¢ Cisco Systems is the first major supplier of internetworking products to be awarded global ISO 9001 certification. Cisco Systems (2004) †¢ John Chambers, president and CEO: â€Å"Our strong position in the core switching and routing business continues to be complemented by positive momentum in our Advanced Technologies, especially this quarter in storage, security, wireless and IP telephony. † †¢ Positive Q2 2004 figures: – Q2 Net Sales: $5. 4 Billion (14. 5% increase year over year; 5. 8% increase quarter over quarter) – Q2 Operating Cash Flows: $1. 7 Billion Oracle Corp. (2004) †¢ Third quarter revenues were up 9% to $2. 5 billion while net income grew 11% to $635 million as compared to the third quarter last year. Chairman and CFO Jeff Henley: – â€Å"Oracle's fiscal third quarter was another solid quarter, with new software license revenue growth of 12%, which is identical to last quarter. † †¢ Oracle CEO Larry Ellison: – â€Å"This was a very strong quarter for our database business. † groupthink Point Blank †¢ Would they be able to do it again? – Which were to key factors to the success of the project? – At which points could it have failed? – Are these one-time events or can we generalize them? Pete Solvik CIO of Cisco Systems †¢ Heads the Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) †¢ One of the top 25 unsung heroes of the Net by [email  protected] Week Pete’s Tips for CIOs †¢ Make sure that the company's â€Å"business owners† make and fund IT spending decissions. †¢ Use infrastructure as a strateg ic enabler. †¢ Tie IT's objectives and rewards to the goals of the company business units. †¢ â€Å"Pete Solvik's Three Tips for CIOs† http://www. voicendata. com/content/top_stories/101010311. asp Thank you for your time!

Loan Management System Essay

The Traditional way of maintaining details of a user in a bank was to enter the details and record them. Every time the user need to perform some transactions he has to go to bank and perform the necessary actions, which may not be so feasible all the time. It may be a hard-hitting task for the users and the bankers too. The project gives real life understanding of Online Banking System and activities performed by various roles in the supply chain. Here, we provide an automation for banking system through Internet. Online Banking System project captures activities performed by different roles in real life banking which provides enhanced techniques for maintaining the required information upto-date, which results in efficiency. The project gives real life understanding of Online Banking System and activities performed by various roles in the supply chain. Scope of the Project This Project investigates the entry threshold for providing a new transaction service channel via the real options approach, where the entry threshold is established by using an Internet banking system designed for the use of normal users(individuals), Industrialists, Entrepreneurs, Educational Institutions(Financial sections), Organizations and Academicians under transaction rate uncertainty. Customer must have a valid User Id and password to login to the system If a wrong password is given thrice in succession, that account will be locked and the customer will not be able to use it. When an invalid password is entered a warning is given to the user that his account is going to get locked. After the valid user logs in he is shown the list of accounts he has with the bank. On selecting the desired account he is taken to a page which shows the present balance in that particular account number. User can request for the details of the last ‘n’ number of transactions that he has performed. A report can also be taken of this. User can make a funds transfer to another account in the same bank. User is provided with a transaction password which is different from the login password. User can transfer funds from his account to any other account with this bank. If the transaction is successful a notification should appear to the customer, in case it is unsuccessful, a proper message should be given to the customer as to why it failed. User can request for cheque book/change of address/stop payment of cheque’s User can view his monthly as well as annual statements. He can also take print out of the same. Generate reports at every section Administrator can take a back up of the database for every instance that is happening, periodically. All users are authenticated to avail the services FAQ section is also included for end users benefit.

Training on Local Employees in Asian Hospitality Industry Research Paper

Training on Local Employees in Asian Hospitality Industry - Research Paper Example One primary understanding that needs to be explored in this proposed research study is the difference between European leadership and Asian employees at the cultural level. European human resources managers generally hail from cultures that are globalized and have a long-standing industrialized and commercial history. Much of this influence has come from Western countries, such as the United States, that acted as the framework for much of the modern human resources principles being used in a variety of industries today. European leaders are from individualistic societies, under Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Framework, whereby managers and employees value self-expression and independence in the workplace and tend to value personal goal attainment over that of group goal-setting and group-oriented rewards (Blodgett, Bakir & Rose, 2008). In this type of organization or culture, individualists seek more decision-making authority and job role autonomy in order to remain loyal and satisfied so that they can become performance-oriented and seek to meet strategic goals. This individualistic attitude drives the majority of their human resources policies as it relates to employee training and learning. In Asian cultures, however, there is a strong, historical trend toward collectivism. This type of cultural values group norms and group affiliation over individualized expression where â€Å"they view themselves as a member of an extended family, place group interests ahead of individual needs, and value reciprocation of favors and respect for tradition† (Blodgett et al, p.339). Employees that have strong collectivist values often seek opinion and networking from peers and operate well in very structured, centralized management hierarchies. Collectivists often value rules and regulations and seek ongoing leadership presence in their job roles and do not function most effectively when left to autonomous job functions.

How Spirituality Effects Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How Spirituality Effects Economics - Essay Example Not until recently, not much attention was paid to how the spirituality of people can affect their economics. Spirituality has been thought to be associated with our inner self and has much to do with our non-physical self but our spiritual self, having an encounter with God (Russell, 2006). Most commonly therefore, spirituality is said to have a close relation to religion since religion centers on man’s realization for a supreme creator. This paper shall discuss the relationship between religion and economics with emphasis on how Christianity, Jewish and Buddhism affect economics. The first factor of consideration with reference to religion and economics is consumer behavior. Perner (2008) explains that consumer behavior involves the â€Å"psychological processes that consumers go through in recognizing needs, finding ways to solve these needs, making purchase decisions, interpret information, make plans, and implement these plans.† If consumer behavior is a psychologi cal process, then it is very right to say that all three religions greatly affect the consumer behavior of its members. This is because in all three religions, followers are made to understand that God communicates to them through the mind. In Christianity for instance, Jesus is quoted as saying that a person would be judged based on the person’s thoughts and that â€Å"For out of the heart [mind] come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander† (Matthew 15:19). Psychology also deals with the mind. This way, people in the three religion are obliged not to make purchases merely by what they feel like buying but waiting for the voice of God in deciding what to buy and what not to buy. Another example with Christianity in Exodus 20:17 documents that "you shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.† Economically, this can be related to the consumer behavior of impulse buying resulting from enviousness to own an item. Spirituality therefore restricts worshipers in their purchases and consumer behavior, thereby affecting their personal economy. The second factor on spirituality that affects economy has to do with organizational ethics. According to Change Factory (2010), â€Å"ethics is a system or code of moral standards of a particular person, group or profession.† Ethics can be given a religious interpretation to represent righteousness because righteousness sets a moral standard by which religious followers are to tread. All three religions expect followers to be of the highest level of righteousness at the workplace thereby eschewing acts like bribery, corruption, laziness, cheating and pilfering, which are all considered as acts of unrighteousness. In Jewish worship for instance, the rabbinical law on theft and robbery speaks against stealing, stating in Sh. Ar., ?M 348:1 that an object which is in the possession of a person without the consent of its owner or any other person having a right thereto constitutes stealing (Jewish Virtual Library, 2008). In economics also, when workers in a given organization work devoid of the negative ethics mentioned, there is sure to be increased productivity and in effect, increased revenue. Once there is increased productivity, there is sure to be economic growth and development. The final factor to be discussed on how spirituality affects economics has to do with the spiritual adherence to faith. Faith may be generally said to be the spiritual hope to receive something that is unseen. In all three religions, faith is very central to their worship. In Christianity, it is said that without faith, it is impossible to

Manufacturing process wings for formula one cars using with ribs Coursework

Manufacturing process wings for formula one cars using with ribs - Coursework Example This is the first step and it entails the design process of the parts of the wings. According to Keynes (2014), software such as Siemens, product lifecycle management software permits the racing engineers to improve product design and production process, as well as attainingdesign iterations in the virtual environment. In that perspective, this process involves choosing the shape and patterns of the wings and its parts. This step also focuses on the optimization of the aerodynamics of the wings to ensure efficient output during the racing process. This is the second step and it involves the manufacture of the designed parts. The materials used in this process is carbon fibre and its foams. As cited by. (Wood, 2013) moving from the concept of aerodynamic to a carbon composite fit for the racetrack needs a significant bunch of engineering processes and tools and processes. The designed patterns are moulded, produced and taken to a clearing chamber where several layers of carbon fibre and carbon forms are put together in layers. The parts, according to the design, may take up to 100 layers of carbon foams. After the layers have been put together, they are then sealed together and then put into a vacuum chamber to remove air. The vacuum chamber then sucks the air out. The third step involves forwarding the put together layers into a chamber for a curing process. The layers are then subjected to a high pressure of up to seven atmospheres at a temperature of up to one hundred and nineteen degrees Celsius. This results into the binding of the layers together by squeezing. The bending process is actually handled by the spars that run the span of the wing. Besides, the outer skn needs to be tailored towards avoding skin buckling since the wings have the capability of flexing and bending. The fourth step involves the assembly of the different parts of the wings to make a complete functional wing. The different parts are bind together using rivets. In

Quantitative Methods Exam Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Quantitative Methods Exam - Term Paper Example This in the long run supports accuracy and exactness of research conducted. ( Thompson 2002) a. Process- pilot studies are conducted to determine the feasibility steps to be followed in the main study. Feasibility steps must have all the prerequisites of simple statistical techniques. When the feasibility steps are not as required, they may mislead the conclusion on whether the project can be undertaken or not. b. Management- Pilot studies help solve all the human and data management problems in all the participating centers of the research process like personnel and data. Management is mandatory in any research since together with planning one would be able to minimize all the costs of conducting research and bringing out the findings clearly. c. Resources- pilot studies save a lot of time and money by foreseeing research that can be unproductive if carried out since they provide enough data to researchers for decision-making. Decisions on the resources to employ and those not to employ can easily be made hence help save on the necessary costs. (Dunn & Clark 1994) I. Define the population concerned- This is the basis of a successful statistical practice as it includes the definition of the sample from which our sample is picked. This contains items with the desired characteristics desired by the body. The essence of this is that there are no enough resources to gather information from all the items in the population. II. Specify the sample frame. This includes a set of items, which would be measured. This helps in the identification of each single element to be included in the defined sample. This is appropriately done by listing all the elements of the population with their contact information. VI. Do the actual sampling and data collection. Good data collection will involve following the defined process, keeping data in a timely

Social Media Team in Customer Relation Management & Balanced Scorecard Essay

Social Media Team in Customer Relation Management & Balanced Scorecard - Essay Example Given that, the main points throughout the discussion touch upon different companies. It will give a general look at the strategic media performance of contemporary organizations in the world. First and foremost, company’s goals are more vital than contemporary state of affairs. In this respect the need for a balanced scorecard has grown once high technologies bubbled over in the most of world countries in the early 1990s. Translating the vision of an organization leads toward seeking the means for finding out the most optimal solutions through linking â€Å"current actions with tomorrow’s goals† (Kaplan & Norton, 2007, p. 150). This is why the need for strategic implementations is mostly based on how an organization communicates its strategy with customers and how it complements the very requirements and expectations thereof. It is vital to note that devising the overall strategy regarding the social media team is, perhaps, the most important thing to do nowadays. Taking a glimpse at what current mass media propose to customers, there is plenty to talk about the social awareness of such companies as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, McDonald’s, BP, Apple, etc. All these giants seem to expand the most of the market in their concrete fields of activities. Notably, the main weapon for them is not only television, but Web 2.0 technologies including social networking, e-mailing, micro-blogging, and so on. According to the scorecard perspective, there are four main processes to draw up the entire vision of the company, namely: translating the vision, communicating and linking, business planning, and feedback and learning (Kaplan & Norton, 2007). The second one is at the core of current discussion as it is straightly referred to CRM. Thus, internal data of the company should partly be disseminated among the key groups of customers. Wollan, Smith, & Zhou (2011) point out that being serious about social media is a prerequisite for

Using Nursing Informatics in Clinical Area Research Paper

Using Nursing Informatics in Clinical Area - Research Paper Example This essay approves that the clinical decision support system is a computerized application that offers immediate benefits for nurses. This represents the role informatics can play in ensuring higher levels of patient safety. Patient safety can further be improved in hospital settings where nurses do not use technological tools to aid them in their work. This can be done by introducing and encouraging the usage of technology and training nurses in using it effectively so that they can improve their performance and directly improve the level of patient safety that they provide. This report makes a conclusion that , NI has started to gain significance in field of heath care. The greater use of technology closes the loop between evidence and practice, and helps in generating an effective cycle of evidence-based learning in nurses. It can play an effective role is streamlining documentation. Organized records and easy access to them can save up time and allow nurses to communicate about them better. Informatics facilitates the decision-making process by nurses, and enables them to access medical literature easily and in less time. Documentation in computerized form can also reduce the occurrence of errors, and promote to patient safety. However, one of the main obstructions to the effective usage of technology in health care is problem of ease due to insufficient use of devices. This can be managed by increasing computer literacy in the nurses so that they can seek collective wisdom of inter-disciplinary and inter-organizational collaboration to transform clin ical education, practice and rese.

Symbols in “the Masque of the Red Death” Essay Example for Free

Symbols in â€Å"the Masque of the Red Death† Essay â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† is a Gothic style story written by Edgar Allan Poe. In this story, many setting and descriptive details contain symbols. These symbols are very important because each symbol stands for something and gives readers much thought. For example, the red color represents the blood and the clock represents the time, etc. Through these symbols, we can learn the story teaches us that no matter you are rich or poor, you can not avoid death. There are seven chambers in Prince Prospero’s castellated abbey. Each chamber is painted in different color. The last chamber is described as â€Å"was closely shrouded in black velvet tapestries that hung all over the ceiling and down the wallsThe panes here ware scarlet—a deep blood color.†(Poe,84). The colors black and red represent the death and blood, which is the symbol of the Red Death. The chamber the guests fear just as they fear death. These hint the readers something about the Red Death will happen in the last chamber and leave reader a guess of the outcome. Another symbol in the story is the gigantic clock of ebony. This clock reminds all the guests how time flies because â€Å"the musicians of the orchestra were constrained to pause†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Poe, 84). It also represented the countdown to death, â€Å"And the life of the ebony clock went out with that of the last of the gay.†, which is the theme of the story, death is inexorable.(Poe,88) This symbol gives meaning to the story by pointing out the theme. Symbols play an important role in writing because they make the story more mysterious and more interesting. Readers can find out what the author want to express instead of telling by the author. It’s a necessary way of writing Gothic style story. Symbols represent the theme and mind of the story. They leave people deep thoughts and something to recall.

Website Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Website Evaluation Essay The creator of the website http://www. nationalmssociety. org/index. aspx is the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS). NMSS was started in order to provide research and resources to those living with multiple sclerosis. Their philosophy is to create a movement inclusive of people with multiple sclerosis in an effort to move toward a world free of multiple sclerosis (NMSS, 2008). NMSS is a credible organization that has been in existence for many years. Since its creation, NMSS has been diligently working towards developing new research to find a cure for multiple sclerosis as well as enabling people with this disease to find quality of life. Proof of NMSS credibility is shown in the constant updating of the website. News releases are posted regularly to update visitors about new progress being made. Additionally, the website includes up to date information about where those living with multiple sclerosis can find services to help them. Finally, NMSS can be considered credible because they include the sources of their information in their news releases. In their multimedia library section of the website they offer additional resources and information about these is provided (NMSS, 2008). The main stated goal of NMSS is to enable those with multiple sclerosis to find quality of life and to continue to work towards a cure. In order to accomplish these two goals, NMSS is committed to excellent service, leadership and teamwork. These noble goals are listed on the website under the core values section and provide visitors with important information about their mission. Unstated goals include details about the importance of research as it is assumed that most people would agree this is important. There doesn’t appear to be any biases or hidden agendas since NMSS isn’t in existence to make money. Instead, they are dedicated to finding a cure for multiple sclerosis and helping people live with the disease. The information presented on the website is useful to students living with multiple sclerosis. The resources provided can give students important tools to enable them to be successful in school despite the presence of a debilitating disease. The content of the website is current as news related to multiple sclerosis is updated often. This information is based on scholarly research so it can be considered accurate. In addition, the resources presented to viewers are based on studies done by experts in the field so it can also be considered accurate. Additionally, the resources available to viewers are appropriate as it includes people of all ages, races, genders and ethnicities. Multiple sclerosis doesn’t discriminate and neither does this website. These resources are presented in an easy to understand way. There is a link on the website to the multimedia library where viewers can research books, journal articles and pod casts. There is also a link to news where viewers can read the latest news about multiple sclerosis as well as search previous news stories. These important issues are presented through additional resources and news stories in a realistic manner that allows all types of viewers easy access to help materials (NMSS, 2008). The website is presented in English but can be translated into Spanish as well. While this doesn’t enable other languages to read the website it does include a large number of additional Spanish speaking viewers access to important information about how to live with multiple sclerosis. To this end, the readability of the website is appropriate for all viewers regardless of language. The links are easy to find and the website is easy to navigate in order to find what one is looking for. The content included is organized among these links in order to make it simple to find necessary information. If a viewer is looking for the latest news they can visit the news link or if they are interested in finding local services they can visit the find a chapter link (NMSS, 2008). The home page is welcoming because it is organized and a viewer can quickly find necessary links. It includes a slideshow of the latest news with encouraging pictures of people living with multiple sclerosis. These scrolling news stories are meant to motivate viewers to find out more about NMSS, either for themselves or for others. It also includes easy to find links for joining the NMSS movement as well as resources for those newly diagnosed, those currently living with the disease as well as information for friends and family of those living with multiple sclerosis. These links motivate all people touched by multiple sclerosis to learn more about finding a cure and creating high quality of life for those living with this disease. To this end, the links are well organized and easy to find and navigate. There are enough links that desired information is easy to find. Finally, NMSS includes a search link to increase the ability of viewers to find what they are looking for (NMSS, 2008). The graphics on the home page are included with the latest news stories so they can be considered accurate. The website doesn’t rely on many graphic but the ones they include are relevant to the different topics being discussed on the different pages. There are many links designed to motivate people to get involved and learn more about NMSS, including stories of those suffering from the disease, â€Å"Walk for MS,† â€Å"Bike for MS† and an MS fact of the day. These activities are designed to provide additional information that can contribute to quality of life as well as educate people about finding a cure (NMSS, 2008). This website is easy to use for anyone, including disabled people. NMSS doesn’t pity those suffering from multiple sclerosis. The entire mission of NMSS is to help people with the disease live a normal life. It is sensitive to the different needs of people with multiple sclerosis but it certainly doesn’t portray any type of pity. In fact, it works to promote independence and dignity for those living with the disease. It offers a wide variety of resources designed to show those with multiple sclerosis how to live normal lives. Different experiences from different people living with the disease are included in the Online Community. This is a place to post and read individual and personal stories of other people living with multiple sclerosis. These real life examples show others how similar these people really are. Individuals with multiple sclerosis can live relatively normal lives for many years before the disease progresses to the point of disabling a person. If a person with multiple sclerosis didn’t tell others that he or she had the disease it would remain a secret, often for a very long time. In this way, people with multiple sclerosis are very similar to everyone else. The education sections of the website provide further information to show students how similar people with multiple sclerosis are but also to educate them about the differences and what they mean (NMSS, 2008). One suggestion for the website would be to increase the personal stories included. There are only a few posted currently and offering more real life experiences would further the motivation of people living with multiple sclerosis. Additional learning activities geared specifically towards students would go a long way towards helping people understand multiple sclerosis and how it affects friends and family members. The current layout is very easy to navigate so change wouldn’t be necessary. In fact, adding more links would contribute to more confusion while navigating the site. There is so much information currently available on the website and it is condensed into a few links so that viewers don’t have to spend so much time trying to find what they are looking for. Additional links are included in each major link to further narrow the focus of a search. This type of layout makes information easily accessible. A final suggestion would be to include translation into more languages as NMSS promotes diversity and providing important information to more people would only further their mission towards finding a cure. NMSS. (2008). National Multiple Sclerosis Society. † Retrieved on December 13, 2008 from http://www. nationalmssociety. org/index. aspx.

Unstructured Free Time for School Age Children

Unstructured Free Time for School Age Children How Important is Unstructured Free Time for School Age Children? It has been said that children do their best learning when they do not believe they are doing so. We most often see this trend with kindergarteners, of whom find themselves playing games to learn to count, and singing songs to learn their ABCs. While the classroom has been an efficient location for the learning of academics, the playgrounds have been spheres of critical social skill development. These periods of unstructured free time, also known as recess, are essential for the childs development. The skills they learn during these periods of constant personalized play and imagination provide benefits that extend far beyond sharing and friendship making. There isnt one single reason as to why recess has been eliminated from many schools by their local school boards; there are a combination of factors of which have catalysed this motion. The most influential being a concern for safety and adequate supervision during the childrens recess periods. Some parents and administrators have felt that letting kids roam free for even 20 minutes during the school day is a safety hazard for the child. They fear that the child could get lost, or injure themselves from the unstructured and guiding free environment. This is the reason why many schools have banned dangerous games and activities, which further constricts what the child can and cannot do. Additionally parents also express concerns for the number of staff, meaning teachers or aids, available to supervise their children. Every parent wants their child to be the center of attention, and many carry with them the fear of their child being forgotten or ignored if something were to happen. Mor e often than not the issue rises to a greater level in the schools which lack an excess of funding to be able to hire extra aids in order to fill the teacher to student ratio requirement; most frequently the urban schools which lack much of the property taxes that fund rural schools. Additionally the past few decades have seen a larger push for academic success within our schools. States have pushed for schools to educate children where it matters, forcing the children to sit still and be quiet (Adams, Caralee). We can link this trend to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. It was created with the aims to even the playing field for disadvantaged students, but it instead lead to many controversial reactions and effects. Schools were required to test the students annually, and were required to show progress and success both as a whole district and on the individual student level. Those who failed to meet the acts requirements were penalized; meaning the school could be shut down or t he leadership team within the school could be changed entirely. (Lee, Andrew) The constant pressure to succeed in the classroom lead many schools to restrict recess for the children, and increase the amount of classroom focused time. It is unfortunate to see that when recess is concerned, the hazards outweigh the countless advantages which can be brought unto the childs mind and body. On the forefront of a childs development we most often find their social and emotional skills at an immediate influence. School is a large jump for many students, and their periods of recess activity have been found to be even more influential than their time in their classrooms. Socially, the free time provided during recess can facilitate the cultivation of new relationships by the children with their classmates. These relationships lead to the development of valuable communication skills and coping mechanisms. Take for example a group of children trying to organize a kickball game. First they must decide between themselves which people will be the captains, hence the development of their negotiation skills. Then they must choose which children will be on each team; creating the foundation of their cooperation skills, and problem solving abilities. Taking turns between kickers and outfielders is a prime example of sharing, as well as perseverance when someone gets tagged out and se lf control when someone gets upset about a decision. It has been seen that these skills, which can be perfected over the duration of the childs schooling, last for years past their graduation into higher education levels as well as the outside world. Learning to cope with problems and communicate when an issue arises are two social skills which can be continuously put into action throughout ones lifetime. Recess is a period of time wherein a child is given the freedom to choose; and even when the child doesnt participate in large group games they are still able to develop emotionally and socially. They can hopscotch and hula hoop; forming smaller and closer friendships with their counterparts. They have the ability to watch the kickball game; all due to the fact that recess gives the child the ability to chose to be themselves freely unlike in a classroom where the teacher makes most of the decisions. (Murray, Robert et.al) It is not to say that social and emotional skill arent deve loped in the classroom; we see children learn to understand authority through the teacher as well as when and where play is appropriate. Instead it can be said that the skills learned through free play create the foundation upon all other skills can be based. Where some have argued that recess is a waste of crucial school time, others have been able to recognize the cognitive and academic benefits unstructured free time provides for children. Through their own imaginative actions and experiences, children construct their own individual understanding mechanisms. The periods of recess create what is referred to as optimal processing; meaning a period of unstructured interruption after structured cognitive work. In order to effectively learn, the children need recess to subconsciously process all that has gone into their brains during the preceding classroom time. While they freely play, the childs brain files all of their newly acquired knowledge into new files and sections of their brain for future use. It has also been observed that recess serves as a means for children to become more attentive. When they burn off excess energy and are able to let their imaginations run free, returning into their classroom settings allows them to produce more attentive and productive work (Murray, Robert et.al). Not only is their work more productive, but their brains are then rewired to be better. The complex environment on the playground leads to the complex rewiring of the childs prefrontal cortex. This is alternately known as the executive control center; where emotional, planning, and problem solving skills develop. Complex situations become easier to navigate for the child, as circuits construct themselves through the free play recess allows them to have. If recess is used in the manner by which it was designated, then we could see new generations better prepared for life, love, and higher education (Hamilton, Jon). Children must learn to be children, and all else can fall behind this simple fact. Just as it is essential for a child to go to school, it is also vital for them to learn how to use their imaginations. We can not as a society force children into all work and no play environments; it would be hypocritical seeing as our previous generations have always had recess and some had even had it twice a school day (Adams, Caralee). As it has been said, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Recess provides the essential periods of play for the childs development into a creative and productive adult. We must remember as a society that we are raising our future generations, not crafting mindless robots always focused on work. Our ancestors didnt create new inventions with rigid minds. They were innovative and creative to forge a new path forward for their futures, and our today. Thus, it is imperative that instead of following societys trend of fear and worry, we weight recesss benefits mor e heavily. It isnt about play; but about childhood and the betterment of our futures. Works Cited Adams, Caralee. Recess Makes Kids Smarter. Instructor 120.5 (2011): 55-59. ERIC. Web. 23  Dec. 2016. Hamilton, Jon. Scientists Say Childs Play Helps Build A Better Brain. NPR. NPR, 6 Aug.  2014. Web. 22 Dec. 2016. . Lee, Andrew M.I. No Child Left Behind (NCLB): What You Need to Know. Understood.org.  Understood, n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2017. Murray, Robert, MD, and Catherine Ramstetter Catherine Ramstetter, PhD, et al. The Crucial  Role of Recess in School. The Crucial Role of Recess in School | From the American Academy of Pediatrics | Pediatrics. American Academy of Pediatrics, Jan. 2013. Web. 22 Dec. 2016.

LaSalle :: essays research papers

La Salle La Salle, Renà ©-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de (1643-1687), French explorer in North America, who navigated the length of the Mississippi River and claimed the Louisiana region for France. La Salle was born on November 22, 1643, in Rouen, France, and educated by the Jesuits. In 1666 he immigrated to Canada, was granted land on the St. Lawrence River, and became a trader. From 1669 to 1670 he explored the region south of Lakes Ontario and Erie, and he later claimed to have discovered the Ohio River in 1671. In the course of his explorations in the wilderness, La Salle became familiar with indigenous languages and traditions. Because of his capabilities, French colonial governor Louis de Buade, comte de Palluau et de Frontenac, appointed him commander of Fort Frontenac, then being built as a trading station. In 1674 La Salle was sent to France as Frontenac's representative to justify the building of the fort. His mission was successful, and he received a patent of nobility. La Salle subsequently conceived a plan for exploring and trading farther west, and in 1677 he again visited France to secure royal approval of his scheme. He returned with Italian explorer Henri de Tonty, who became his associate. In 1679 he set out on a preliminary expedition, and after establishing forts at the mouth of the Saint Joseph River and along the Illinois River, in February 1680, he sent a group to explore the upper Mississippi River. La Salle then returned to Fort Frontenac to procure new supplies and funds. By spring he was able to travel west again, and he and Tonty proceeded with their party of French and indigenous peoples to the Mississippi, which they descended to the Gulf of Mexico in 1682, claiming all the land drained by the river for Louis XIV, king of France, and naming the region Louisiana. La Salle subsequently commenced construction of forts in the new territory. When Frontenac was recalled to France later in 1682, however, La Salle's rivals succeeded in turning the new governor against him. Journeying to France in 1683, La Salle made a successful appeal to the king, who commended him for his discoveries and named him viceroy of North America. In 1684 he sailed from France with a fleet of four ships on an expedition to establish a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi River. When he reached the Gulf of Mexico he was unable to find the Mississippi,

Breast Feeding is Best Essay -- breast-feeding

Argumentative Breast is Best   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If one chooses to have a child, shouldn’t he or she be obligated to do what is best for that child? There are many important choices to make for that child, and some may be more difficult than others. Hospital or home birth? Pampers or Huggies? Crib or family bed? But when it comes to feeding, the choice is clear. Breast-feeding is the best choice that mothers can make for themselves and their child.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not everyone agrees that breast-feeding is the best choice. Some argue that bottle feeding is democratic and gives other members of the family a chance to feed the baby. I agree that family members need a chance to experience the thrill of nourishing the new life, but giving the child a bottle of formula is not necessary. Mother’s can express breast milk and put it into a bottle when other family members want to feed the child.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most new mothers are eager to get back to their pre-pregnancy weight. Some may choose to formula feed so that they can stop eating for two and maybe even diet, things which are impossible for a nursing mother. On the other hand, a women who is producing milk uses between 1,000 and 3,500 calories per day more than at other times in her life (Lim 63). With all of the extra calories burned, she may not need to diet at all to reach her desired weight (Eisenberg, Murkoff, and Hathaway 7).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A new mother may choose to bottle feed because she wants to monitor intake and make sure that her child is getting e...

Business Edge Email

To: David Johnson Subject: Information on Business Edge Dear Mr David Johnson Firstly I would like to thank you for your response to my email based on my application for the sales and marketing position you are currently have available. I am pleased to know you would like further knowledge of my completion of the Business Edge Program undertaken through my Bachelor of Business at Edith Cowan University. The program helped me develop a range of skills related to the sales and marketing role in which I have applied for. The following email will represent the key aspects that Business Edge specified within my time in the program. I will analyze the different components of Business Edge and the skills I have gained during the program. Additionally I will explain how these concepts will be beneficial to your company. As a result this email will give you background knowledge on my intake and understanding of the Program. The Business Edge program is designed to help students understand the growing impact of international competition in businesses and employment and how to successfully operate in the global marketplace. The program introduces students to the concept of business and to various interpersonal, group work and organizational skills essential for university and employment success. The Program is also geared to helping students to realize and improve their abilities in individual learning styles, group work, cross-cultural communication, business communication, critical thinking and ethical behavior. In addition, the Business Edge program introduces students to the concept of self-reflection, self-discovery, self- criticism, peer assessment and information and time management. Having completed this program I can tell you that it is an extremely unique course as it focuses on student centered learning. This means that there are plenty of role-plays, scenarios, interactive multi-media and activities where students develop their employability skills by ‘doing’. As the student you must use your previous knowledge and experience, apply these to real situations and learn from those around you so that your employability skills can be developed and refined along the entire length of the program. A key attribute I have developed through the Business Edge program is the â€Å"ability to communicate†. This gives me excellent employability skills such as forming effective relationships with customers and employees. This is a perfect attribute for the sales and marketing role. As someone interested in sales and marketing I think it is essential that you communicate effectively and form networks with customers and fellow clients. I think the ability to interact with others openly and objectively is vital criteria for the position and Business Edge has certainly given me a great advantage in this area. The main emphasis that the Business Edge program projected was on clear communication and presentations. Personally I feel to be a competent communicator you must first be able to listen and understand others, in particular with sales because face to face communication is frequent and also phone conversation. I think my ability to understand clear communication and my advanced understanding of open questions will benefit your company greatly. I know when working in sales and marketing you have to allow communication to flow and invite open discussion. You must have a clear tone as well as a good posture if talking to an audience, when talking on a phone your manner must be polite while still being clear and able to adapt. I believe that a good communicator is someone who can change the way they communicate to suit the person they are speaking to. You should express yourself in a way that makes sense to that person. I think the Business Edge program has helped me achieve this and it will be a great asset in the sales and marketing role. Another attribute that I developed through the Business Edge program is the â€Å"ability to work in teams†. The Business Edge program as stated earlier is student centered and the learning process is by â€Å"doing†. Most of this is done through group work, participating in various activities and presentations. Through these activities I could improve my self-confidence to a higher level. I got an idea about how to work in groups with mutual understanding and to respect others ideas as well. With the knowledge I gained from this unit, I’m now able to get others give their ears to me and express my ideas in an effective manner in front of an audience.

Alberti on Renaissance Painting and Technique

This essay will deal with the technical and metaphysical aspects of Alberti’s famous 1435 piece, On Painting, specifically, the paragraphs in Book II 25-34. What is significant about this selection is that it summarizes many of the technical and metaphysical principles that have come to define the renaissance, especially the dominance of Plato and the rule of Form.Hence, this selection is not merely a matter of painting technique, but a summary of the basic ontology of Renaissance thinking as it pertains to painting and sculpture, as Alberti considers these as â€Å"cognate arts.† The citations will be based on the paragraph number rather than the page.The professed aim of this section is to justify the honor and virtue of the painter as an artist. But of course, it is far more than that. Alberti depicts the painter almost as a sorcerer or sorts, someone who can make what is not present, present. The notion of re-creation, or even co-creation is a central element of the scientific revolution that the Renaissance both foreshadowed and participated in.For Alberti, the painter can, in a sense, bring the dead back to life (25). The painter does, on a regular basis, what the alchemist tries and struggles to bring about, to have a dominance over creation, to master it and force it to bend to the artists’ will. This is the real connection between Alberti’s work here and the scientific and alchemical ideology of the Renaissance (Caron, 1961 35-37).Alberti continues to contrast the painter’s art to the alchemists, holding that a painted jewel or piece of gold, because it is artistically rendered, is actually worth more than the actual stone or previous metal. This is a challenge to alchemy, having been reborn during the Renaissance. Alchemy sought to manipulate matter for the sake of wealth and power. But the painter does this on a regular basis, and is financially more successful than the alchemist (25).Therefore, painting is man†™s way of re-creating the already extant creation of God. It is the application of the human mind to what already exists, and in a sense, the artist becomes the creator, or more accurately, the architect of creation using what already exists to create something new, to take creation and raise it to a new level of understanding. If one can understand creation, then one can control it: the reward is money and glory (26, explicitly mentioned in 28 as the foal of the artist, which of course, is the same goal as the alchemist).Alberti makes the intriguing claim that the arts of painting and sculpture developed at the same time as religion (27). He does not elaborate on this claim, but the remainder of the selection under examination here might give us come clues.In paragraph 30, three specific steps of artistic technique and developed, though ultimately, only the first two really matter, that of circumspection and that of composition. The third, color or the â€Å"reception of lightâ €  is not treated in this selection. But this is not merely a technical manual, but a strong summary of the ontology of Alberti and the Florentine Renaissance. This ontology might help us answer the question that Alberti poses concerning the identical development of religion and painting.Specifically, there are three steps in re-creating the object under examination. First, and the most important, is the concept of circumspection. This is the most important because it is a reference to Plato’s Forms, or the ultimate grounding of all objects that exist. A Form is the true being of an object, outside of space and time, which is the â€Å"essence† of the object to be painted.It is this Form that the painter must understand, however incompletely, though the mind of the artist, since a Form cannot be seen with the senses. Only the intellect can apprehend the Form. In a more technical sense, the Form that can be perceived by the artist is the â€Å"outline† of the object. One first needs to eliminate what is specific about an object and reach its form.

Both Dr Faustus and the pardoner share an obsessive greed Essay

Both Dr Faustus and the pardoner share an obsessive greed. For Faustus we are fascinated by his greed to rival God in terms of power and knowledge, but repelled by his methods in which to pursue this, which leads him to sell his soul to the devil. Why would one go to such lengths to have his â€Å"most desires[†¦ ]of power, of honour, of omnipotence†, it is this fact that repels us from Faustus as his methods are immoral. But we are fascinated by the disastrous effects it has upon Faustus, inevitably leading him to Hell, moreover, within the 24 years that he had to fulfil his desires, he doesn’t do the extravagant things he claimed he was going to do such as to â€Å"fill the public schools with silk† or â€Å"ransack the ocean for orient pearl†, highlighting that pursuing greed inevitably leads to a person’s demise. The same can be said in the Pardoner’s tale, in which three peasants find an old man who they mistake for death in which he leads them to a true where they find gold. There obsession can be easily connected to human nature which undermines our fascination to their situation, because it could happen to anyone. It’s common to want to be superior in wealth to others, competition drives advancements, so in that respect, we are not fascinated by the Pardoner’s tale. Another viewpoint would be that we are fascinated by the Pardoner’s tale because we can easily connect to it, the same being for Faustus. Furthermore, the Pardoner himself is a fascinating character because of his blatant contradiction. He openly tells the pilgrims that he sells â€Å"relikes† made of â€Å"cloutes and of bones†, rags and bones in which he deceives people to buy them. But the message of the tale is that the obsession of money leads to death, however the pardoner openly admits his obsession of money. Faustus is obsessed with knowledge. He would stop at nothing to gain all the knowledge in the world which is why he becomes depressed when Mephastophilis only presents him with one book which has the answers to his questions, â€Å"O thou art deceived†. Because Faustus is so fixated on acquiring all the knowledge there is to know, he doesn’t expect it to be all in one book. This repels us from Faustus because to acquire this knowledge he goes to extreme lengths, in this instance, selling his soul to the devil for 24 years. When the story was first published in 1604, the audience would of definiately been repelled by this because selling ones soul to the devil would be of been a serious sin. Modern interpretations would be more liberal to the fact that Faustus sells his soul, but in a country where around 80% are Christian, a modern day audience would still be repelled and deem it immoral to go to such extreme lengths. What fascinates us about Faustus is his greed to rival that of God, not the methods he does to acquire this, but the fact that he has this desire. He openly challenges God, yet openly praises God and heaven, â€Å"when I behold the heavens, then I repent[.. ]thou hast deprived me of those joys†. There is a constant battle with Faustus between his obsession with power and his religious beliefs. He wants to â€Å"go forward† in terms of knowledge but to an extent where he becomes isolated from God because he is so driven by his obsession. Christopher Marlowe highlights that following greed will inevitably lead to downfall and Faustus’s downfall was being too obsessed with power and knowledge which lead him to sell his soul in desperation for this. Also, for the 24 years that he had before his soul would be taken he could have fulfilled his desires, instead performing petty illusions for the emperor calling him â€Å"my gracious lord†, highlighting that even with immense power he still follows the social rules of life. Which in effect show the limits of man, as with so much power, Faustus is still limited to the restrictions of his mind. Also, being obsessed with greed will lead ultimately lead to failure, Faustus is blinded by short term gains, not taking into account long term implications, â€Å"do give both body and soul to Lucifer†, he sells his soul to the devil which is for eternity, not realising this, only to please himself for 24 years. The same can be said in the Pardoner’s tale, in which the peasants become obsessed with money when â€Å"they founde of florins fine of gold†. Earlier in the Pardoner’s tale, the Pardoner states that â€Å"Radix malorum est Cupiditas† – Love of money is the root of all evil. Foreshadowing grave consequences for the peasants who find the gold, in which their obsession for the gold leads them to kill eachother off, even forgetting their oath of becoming brother, â€Å"and ech of us bicomen others brother†. When blinded by greed, the three peasants only think about themselves, which highlights the damaging effects of an obsession for wealth. It’s our basic instinct to want to be better than others and the peasants are exhibiting this behaviour. Because it’s common for people to want to be wealthier than others, the message is not unique which undermines our fascination with the story. However the person telling the story is fascinating because he openly contradicts himself, he proudly tells of his schemes to exploit poor people’s fears for money which evidently works as he makes â€Å"an hundred mark†. Why he tells of his exploitative ways is fascinating, because he openly tells the other pilgrims without fear, but as seen, the bartender finds his methods bitter, â€Å"thou woldest make me kisse thyn olde breech, and swere it were a relik of a seint†, the host points out that the Pardoner would sell his old underpants and claim it to be a relic which is why we’re repelled by the Pardoner because his methods of acquiring such wealth is deemed wrong, even as a modern interpretation.

Poetry Buffalo Bill’s Defunct Essay

Buffalo Bill’s Defunct is a short poem; it tells a story and creates a picture of a hardworking cowboy named Bill. The poem is about a dead, handsome blue eyed cowboy. It is written in the narrative form and in the first person. The author personifies death and he is upset with death for taking away Bill the cowboy: â€Å"†¦ and what i want to know is how do you like your blueeyed boy Mister Death.† (Clugston, 2010) Theme The theme is about death; however the author did not take the usual path of a sad tone or mournful words. Bill’s memory is simply about what he does, how he looks coupled with the speed and dexterity with which he accomplishes his task. Language The language that the author uses creates the image of a healthy looking blue eyed man sitting atop a silver haired steed, and rounding up the horses in the corral. Buffalo Bill could break/tame five wild horses in a short time. The words one to five running into each other creates the effect of the speed at which Buffalo Bill executes the horse breaking/taming exercise; â€Å"onetwothreefourfive pigeonsjustlikethat.†(Clugston, 2010) Pigeon is the name for a particular breed of horses that are very wild, dangerous and hard to tame. The author respects Buffalo Bill’s ability to repeatedly accomplish the difficult task of taming pigeon horses with seeming ease and confidence. These horses have a reputation of killing cowboys and it is highly probable that they are Mister Death’s accomplices in Bill’s demise. Imagery Cummings used imagery to tell the story. Culture influenced my response to this piece of work in that I still watch cowboy movies and as a child I used to listen to old cowboy songs. By the time I got to line six; I was drawn into piece. â€Å"Buffalo Bill’s†¦ride a watersmooth-silver stallion.† (Clugston, 2010) Immediately I could visualize the ranch setting, the noise of the horse, cowboy lasso making circles in the air over his head. (Up to that point I thought that Bill was an old man who had stopped working on the ranch). He continued to build on the image by mentioning that Bill is a blue eyed boy. I also pictured that Bill had light brown or blonde hair, was a white well-built man. The author skillfully chose and condensed his words to create this light and easy to read piece about death. Personification Cummings personifies death but does so with respect when he refers to it as â€Å"Mr. Death.† Death itself is an abstract noun but he had to get at someone for taking Buffalo Bill. As a result, Cummings could take a parting low jab at death: â€Å"How do you like your blueeyed boy Mister Death.† (Clugston, 2010) Tone The poem carries a sad and angry tone. The narrator is sad that Buffalo Bill is dead and he is also angry at â€Å"Mr. Death† for taking him away. Symbolism Cummings uses descriptive words such as: â€Å"Watersmooth† and â€Å"Blueeyed† both as symbolizing Buffalo Bills presence on the ranch. Water symbolizes life and regeneration and blue symbolizes peace. (Clugston, 2010) Conclusion Buffalo Bill’s Defunct is a short poem; it tells a story and creates a picture of a hardworking cowboy named Bill. Cummings personifies death but does so with respect when he refers to it as â€Å"Mr. Death.† The narrator is sad that Buffalo Bill is dead and he is also angry at â€Å"Mr. Death† for taking him away. Bill’s memory is simply about what he does, how he looks coupled with the speed and dexterity with which he accomplishes his tasks. The appearance of the piece is interesting and unusual. It does not conform to the poetic norms; however it is entertaining and it flows straight to the point. I connected with it because of the simple style that Cummings used to tell Buffalo Bill’s story. Reference Clugston, W. R., (2010). Journey Into Literature, San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education Inc.

Character and Setting in Popular Music

Whether through characters and scenes music in popular music or written literature like novels, a character can convey emotions and thoughts. The audience understands through the present role. Just as we find the character we like, we also find characters that look down. The setting is almost the same. Whether explicitly given or implicitly set, the audience will think about the picture. Sometimes it's a beautiful place, sometimes it's a place we'd rather ignore. In this article, we will explain the role of the environment in public machinery. Analyze the relationship between the central figure and the surrounding environment. Do you set character limit options or affect plot development? Does the environment play an important role in raising the theme of the story? Popular Machinery was written to imagine details to the audience. Men and women in the story are anonymous, there is no clue to the explanation of the story, there is no mention of the city, state or country where the sto ry takes place. This allows the reader to draw the context and detail of the story in his own way. Perhaps the reader has heard of it or is in a similar situation and you can put your face and place in the story. The setup details are very simple, but it is also the most detailed information on every element of the story. Whether through characters and scenes music in popular music or written literature like novels, a character can convey emotions and thoughts. The audience understands through the present role. Just as we find the character we like, we also find characters that look down. The setting is almost the same. Whether explicitly given or implicitly set, the audience will think about the picture. - Setting is a term indicating where the behavior occurred in the narrative work and the past time. However, the settings can be used for other purposes of the novel, such as as a symbol supporting the novel theme. Various settings of red letters such as market, forest, Hester Cott age are examples of this. The market is a typical department of a tough Puritans society In psychology literature, the word personality has become common. This is a term popular in the early 20 th century. Back then, people believed that people had a particular character and had a series of virtues and moral personality traits, including integrity, honesty, generosity, reliability. But by the middle of the century this word became unpopular and rarely used. The main reason for being rejected by psychologists is that according to the mainstream theory at the time, human behavior is determined not by individual but by environment.

Global capitalism is the primary cause of world hunger. Discuss Essay

Global capitalism is the primary cause of world hunger. Discuss - Essay Example Communism is the only alternative that had been in place before capitalism was, communism basically refers to an economic system where the state had total control over the means of production and also the distribution of goods, the state determined how much of each good would be produced and for whom. Basically an economic system aims to answer 3 questions i.e. what to produce, whom to produce and how to produce, in communist states these questions were tackled by the state where the government formed certain bodies for each industry and these bodies would conduct a thorough research to determine the answers to the three economic questions, this kind of an economic system ensured that every one would get an equal share of the goods produced and there would be parity in the levels of income for the whole population. The thing that was lacking in this form of a system was that it did not cater to growth, people who were willing to work harder than the others did not get a reward for th e work they would do and hence there was no place for individualism in this economic system, this was indeed a major draw back of communism because people did not want to cater for the whole society they wanted personal benefit which was almost impossible to gain from this economic system. The assumption of communism that people are usually good and want others to benefit was not an appropriate one because people are generally selfish and want to flourish as individuals rather than every one having the same rights and income. Another draw back of this system was that it was costly to determine the prices of goods in the market because there were committees formed to determine the prices and this was not an effective method because these committees did not work for free and hence there was an extra cost that had to be paid in this system, therefore the prices of the goods were pushed up to cater to the expenses attached with the committees set up in this type of an economic

Gun Control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Gun Control - Research Paper Example As is but natural and expected in any vibrant democracy, the issue of gun control has attracted much assertions for and against it. If on the one side there are people and groups who support the constitutional right to bear arms, claiming that the common citizens do need guns to protect themselves and their loved ones from crime, on the other side there are citizens who vouch for stricter gun laws, as they assert that guns give way to much crime and violence in the society (Kleiman 148). Both the sides extend such arguments in their support that sound pragmatic and viable. In an academic context, it would be really informative and interesting to delve on the varied arguments extended by people on both sides of this flaring issue. It is a known fact that the American legal system had its moorings in the English Common Law (Strauss 34). However, when it comes to the issue pertaining to the right or prerogative of the common citizens to bear arms, America has affiliated to a stance that is very unlike the avenues available in the English Common Law (Strauss 34). As is evident, the laws in any nation, to a large extent, often have their genesis in the history and socio-political background of that country. Thereby, going by the historical realities amidst which America emerged to be a free and sovereign nation; the constitution of America extended to its citizens the right to bear arms. The right to bear arms is enshrined in the Bill of Rights and was enacted as the Second Amendment to the Constitution of America. Therefore, it is evident that in a historical and political context, America affiliated to a very liberal and tolerant approach, as far as the keeping and bearing of arms by its citizens was concerned (Strauss 34). The irony is that varied social opinion makers, legal scholars and lay citizens have facilitated varied and mutually contradictory interpretations of the right to bear arms existent in the Constitution. There are people

Trokosi practice in Ghana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Trokosi practice in Ghana - Essay Example By giving a daughter to live her life as a slave of the religious authorities of the tribes, families hoped to be spared punishment for their mistakes against the tribe in general or other specific people. The practice of trokosi is based on the superstitious foundation that every human action has a divine motivation. Effects on Society Trokosi is basically enacted to exact revenge on errant tribe members. The vestal virgins who are forced to become trokosis are their families’ sacrificial lambs. The crimes, in Ghanaian society, which traditionally called for the exacting on a trokosi stealing property and committing sexual assault (Xfm 95.1 NewsCenter, 2008). Essentially, the trokosi system of retribution merely punishes an innocent child for the crimes committed by a mature adult in her family. The trokosi system is based on intricate religious and cultural beliefs and practices that make it had, even in the modern world, to completely eradicate this practice. Slavery was re cognized in most ancient African societies, particularly in Ghana, as a normal institution of society. This practice, it is believed, was first brought in the seventeenth century into Ghana by the Ewe-speaking population that settled in the country. The trokosi system, then, was not really meant to destroy the lives of innocent children but was started to maintain law and order among the members of the tribe even as different changes in their surroundings began to weaken the leadership of the tribe. The changes called for stricter penalties to be visited upon errant members. It was essentially established to discourage people from committing crimes that would result in destabilizing the tribe. For instance, theft of cattle, which seems so trivial in modern society, might have resulted in the starvation of an entire family or clan back then. Also, in the seventeenth century, the Ewe speaking tribes would take liquor or farm animals from an errant community member. The practice of tak ing virgins to appease the anger of other community members as well as the gods would come much later. It actually came about as a result of the greed of the lustful and avaricious tribal priests who realized that cows would not bring as much pleasure as virgin girls who, along with bring physical benefits, could also provide sexual benefits. Today, this practice in which girls are forced to work as sexual slaves without any human affection or education being afforded them, is still prevalent in many Ghanaian tribes under different names. It is a remnant of the practice of slavery in a society that has embraced all other modernisms. Some Ghanaian families, particularly those that are in the lower income bracket, use this system to avoid punishment for serious problems that they cause in the society (Xfm 95.1 NewsCenter, 2008). For instant, a drunk man who decides to sexually molest the children of his neighbor can offer his daughter as compensation to the local tribal priest and thu s avoid being subjected to a court trial or imprisonment. So engrained is this practice in the psyche of Ghanaian mainstream society, that once such a pedophile offers his daughter, policemen will be reluctant to arrest him. The sacrificial daughter, once given to the service of the tribal priest, has to do anything and everything he asks of her for a number of years. The reality, however, is that after experiencing the benefits of such a relationship, most

Real Choices at True Religion Jeans Research Paper

Real Choices at True Religion Jeans - Research Paper Example Denim is a huge industry with a very few entry barriers but an extensive and aggressive competition exists within the industry. An effective strategy is built on the basis of real choices and the SWOT analysis. True religion jeans have used a combination of both and have achieved success over the years. True Religion Jeans entered the market in 2002 and faced enormous competition. It used its strengths to establish itself and is now a well-known brand. It not only made the best use of the opportunities that were available, but instead created new opportunities for the brand. True Religion Jeans is a luxury brand and charges a high premium for the products that it sells. It has a strong brand image of quality and class. The strength of True Religion Jeans lies in its differentiation point. What is delivered to its customers is something totally different from the other competing brands. At True religion Jeans stress is laid upon the classic style which follows the theme of Bohemian life and style. It has played along the lines and has used this different style as its strength. Not only this, but the brand guarantees a best fit to its customers. True religion jeans target the high-end consumer, but still provide with a lifetime guarantee of its products and in case of a malfunction provide its customers with a replacement policy. Customers do not hesitate in paying a high premium for a pair of jeans from True religion because they know that the brand is providing them with value for money (Temperino 2010). One of the strengths of this brand is that it is present globally across different countries. They have developed their own retail stores for a direct consumer contact. First the brand used to sell through other distributors but now the company has opened several retail stores in USA. These stores provide the customers with the whole range of its products. The product is manufactured in USA and the company has not outsourced any of its operations. The design team at True Religion Jeans comprises of 26 members who constantly work according to the changes in consumer demand and environment. Currently the brand is targeting the celebrities as they are the ones who would be most attracted to the new fashion. True Religion Jeans targets a niche market and this can be counted as a weakness for the company. They are getting all their profits from the small group of high-end consumers. To overcome this weakness the company can come up with a product which is targeted towards the mass market. Another weakness is that True religion faces in tense completion from the competing brands and most of this competition comes from the brands that have the backing of some large corporations. The company of True religion Jeans is not backed up by any such large corporation which means that it has limited resources as compared to its competitors. The greatest opportunity that True religion Jeans has is that it can expand into the global market. It can find new markets to penetrate and can target new customers. True Religion Jeans has expanded its product line and has the opportunity to expand it further. This opportunity can turn into success because the brand name will be associated with any product that it decides to produce and in marketing brand name is what sells. So far expansion of its product line has been successful. It started in 2002, and now it is expanding at a relentless pace. This expansion is a possible threat for the firm itself. True Religion Jeans has the risk of saturating the market if it keeps on expanding at the same pace. (University of Oregan Investment Group 2010) True Religion is a brand which faces a problem in the near future because the brand is

I plan to determine what influences achievement on students in special Research Proposal

I plan to determine what influences achievement on students in special education, between those who have used technology and those who have not used technology - Research Proposal Example Lahm (2003) supports this concern by pointing out that professional concern for special needs classes has not been packed by equal political or administrative effort. A situation that she believes is leaving little facility to implement or measure the impact of the adoption of technology in special education curriculums. Determining what influences achievement of students in special education who have used technology over those who have not requires first the identification of technology use, methodology and evaluation measures used. At the same time, there is an equal need to develop performance standards that will be able to attribute variance in performance directly with the use of the technology. It should be noted that the correlation between students’ technological competency is not to be equated with student proficiency or achievement. Therefore, determining variance in proficiency or achievement among students due to the utilization of technology should entail control over the type of curriculum, students or instructors (Gardner et al, 2003). Concentrating on special education students, studies will also need to account for the client conditions and health. Subsequently, there is also a need to identify what factors may limit the impact of technology use from socio-cultural, political, economic or medical perspectives. Moreover, there is also a need to account for the nature of technology adaptation itself such as productivity paradoxes, rates of adaptation and competency requirements among others (â€Å"Technology and Education†, 2006). The technology-focused educational reform emerged as major agenda in the 1990’s. Initial programs were designed as support social services but eventually, efforts became the prerogative of educational institutions. Programs transitioned from general programs to enhance the well-being of vulnerable groups identified through schools then became more specific

Genetically Modified Organisms Research Proposal

Genetically Modified Organisms - Research Proposal Example However, the main argument against consumption of genetically modified organisms is that they might have dome harmful effects to their consumers. The data that will be used in this research will be collected using a number of data collection methods. The method that will be the most used is literature review. There are sufficient information from literature materials such as books, journals, blogs that can give more insight on the advantages and limitations of genetically modified organisms (Munhall and Chenail 167). There will also be a study on the statistics on the health difference of people who consume more genetically modified organism and those who consume more. Genetic engineering and health official will also be interviewed with the aim of getting their views on the advantages and limitations of genetically modified organisms (Denscombe 97). With the data that will be collected through the above mentioned methods, the researchers will carry out analysis through techniques such as filtering, retrieving value, computation, and sorting to come up with a clear conclusion on the total number of viable advantages and disadvantages that genetically modified organisms have (Ogden and Goldberg 175). With the result the researchers will be able to give a conclusion stating their thoughts on whether or not genetically modified organisms should be

Australias economic growth relies on Asias continuing demand for Essay - 2

Australias economic growth relies on Asias continuing demand for resources - Essay Example However, there are indications by several observers to the effect that the situation is likely to change especially with the euro zone crisis and the fact that there might be a reduction in the dependence of minerals by large Asian markets like China (Das 2012, p.2). Economic growth may refer to the relative increase in production of goods and services by a country over a definite period. Australia’s economic growth therefore means that it has to continue improving is production in the mineral sector that has been a major driver of its economy. The Asian market refers to the countries in the Asian continent that have continued to import the minerals from Australia. Consequently, the intention of this discussion is to ascertain whether Australia’s economy has largely depended on the Asian market. To further illustrate this, two listed companies that are engaged in exports will be examined. There have been several sentiments that have been put forth to suggest that the co untry has been reliant on the Asian market especially for its energy and minerals exports. To begin, the Australian economy has been on a sharp rise in decades as a result of its connection with the Chinese market. The country’s mineral sector has largely benefited from the rapidly expanding Chinese economy that has been a great consumer of mineral ores. To illustrate this fact, there are indications that about 23% of Australia’s exports go directly to the Chinese market (Das 2012, p. 3). Moreover, this figure is even likely to be reviewed upwards given that some of the exports to Asian countries are further re-exported to China. As a result, it is stated that the terms of trade between the two nations has increased to over 40% since the year 2004. Capling (2008, p. 610) points the overdependence on the Asian market to the issue of globalization of trade among nations in the Asian

David Myers, Worldcom Essay Example for Free

David Myers, Worldcom Essay Introduction WorldCom was Americas second largest telecom company in 2000 (The WorldCom Accounting Scandal, 2002). Making a modest beginning in the hinterland of Mississippi in 1983 with a meager capital of less than 100,000 USD it reached the pinnacle of corporate success reporting more than USD 39 billion in revenue and USD 150 million in MCAP (The WorldCom Accounting Scandal, 2002). In the process it became 42nd in the Fortune 500 list. Under the leadership of CEO Bernie Ebbers it grew rapidly by means of acquisitions and increased demand for telecom services farther fuelled the growth of WorldCom during the whole of 90s. However on June 25, 2002, WorldCom announced that it had overstated earnings in 2001 and the first quarter of 2002 by more than $3.8 billion (The WorldCom Accounting Scandal, 2002). The Scandal WorldCom scandal was one of the biggest accounting scandals of American corporate history. WorldCom was a U.S based telecommunication company. The WorldCom accounting scandal was disclosed in 2002. The Company had resorted to fraudulent accounting practices for five quarters (four quarters of 2001 and the first quarter of 2002) (The WorldCom Accounting Scandal, 2002). The well-known telecommunication company WorldCom and the accounting, auditing and consultancy enterprise were involved in this big accounting fraud. The corporate scandal of WorldCom ultimately headed the company towards the disgrace that ensued in the biggest bankruptcy in American history. After this act the company terminated the service of the top executive including Scott Sullivan, the Chief Financial Officer and David Myers, the Senior Vice President and Controller. Myers knew that the accounting entries were made without supporting documentation, were not in conformity with GAAP, were not disclosed to the investing public, and were designed to allow WorldCom to appear to meet Wall Street analysts quarterly earnings estimates. In addition, during the same period Myers and others, including members of senior management, made materially false or misleading statements or omissions to WorldComs independent auditors in connection with audits and the preparation of filings with the Commission. Myers violated the anti-fraud, books and records, and internal control provisions of the federal securities laws, and aided and abetted WorldComs violations of the reporting, books and records, and internal control provisions of the federal  securities laws. Using this illegal accounting practice WorldCom intended to defer and spread the expenditure for the next 5-10 years. Significance of Organizational Behavior Theories Organizational theories help to the company for surviving in the global environment. The WorldCom Company CFO and Director may not have followed good organizational behavior theories. Had they followed good organizational behavior theories, they would save the organization from the failure. Ethical Decision Making Ethical decision making represents the decision that is based on the ethics. The ethical decision making involves making those decisions that are in the favor of all related persons of company such as board of directors, shareholders and stakeholders. The ethical decision making helps the company for making the goodwill and the long term survival in the global market. The WorldCom Company did not adopt the ethical decision making theory as if they did there would have been false numbers reported. The company was continuously doing misrepresentation of the accounts and the company became the bankrupt. If the company CFO and executive would adopt the ethical decision making theory, they would have resolved the bankruptcy due misappropriation of balance sheet of the company (McKenna, 2000). Goal Setting Goal setting theory is very useful methods to motivate the employee to enhance their capacity for attain the organizational goal. Goal setting theory directly affects the performance of the organization. This theory helps the employee and the concern people of the company to set the appropriate objective for the organization. If the WorldCom would have adopted the goal setting theory in their organization, its executive and auditor would have not gone for the unethical accounting practices for the business (Griffin Moorhead, 2009). Corporate Governance Corporate governance is the set of processes, customs, policies, laws and institutions, which directed, administered and controlled over the corporation (Monks Minow, 2008). Corporate governance is a way by which a  company governs itself for providing the values to their stake holders. The WorldCom did not follow the corporate governance policy. If the WorldCom would have followed the corporate governance it would have not led towards this business failure and company would have not gone for the unethical practices conduct in the organization. Corporate governance would have increased the faith of stakeholders towards the company and company would have survived for long time (Monks Minow, 2008). Adoption of Ethical Behavior The Ethical Behavior would enhance the performance of the company, because the ethical behavior would creates the good image of the company among the stakeholders. If The WorldCom would have adopted the ethical behavior in the organization it would not have attained bankruptcy in the market. The company acted in unethically to misrepresent the accounts of the company (Salter, 2008). Contribution of Leadership, Management and Organizational Structures Every organization is directed with a particular leadership, management and organizational structure. The WorldCom Company is directed by their directors, CFO and the auditors. If a leader is indulged in ethical practice its follower also follows that kind of management and leadership qualities. The WorldCom auditor was indulged in the misrepresentation of the accounts of the company and due to his this kind of conduct his followers also got indulged in wrong act. How it could have been avoided? We conclude that the debacle in WorldCom could have been avoided by a more independent and watchful board of directors, which should have sent a signal to the company management that somebody, is watching them closely and they better mend their ways and means. The concept of board of directors is age old and when it functions properly it is effective. In this case the independent directors failed in their responsibilities. In almost all corporate fraud it has been seen that the board has been ineffective over a long period of time and aggressive managers use this opportunity to take the rein completely in their own hand. We also conclude that Arther Anderson miserably failed in its duty as external auditor. We hold a puppet board and a malleable auditor as responsible in allowing Ebbers and his associates to perpetrate the accounting fraud. Both the board of directors and external  auditors has roles in averting operational risk and they have failed in their responsibilities (McShane, Glinow, Sharma, 2006). The Sarbanes-Oxley Act Due to organization such as WorldCom Congress rushed to pass the complicated Sarbanes-Oxley Act. CEOs and CFOs of public companies are required to personally certify the accuracy of various financial reports, with significant criminal penalties for false certifications (up to 10 years in prison for â€Å"knowing† violations; up to 20 years if â€Å"willful†) (WorldCom scandal, nod.). While the penalties sound significant, the government’s difficulty in enforcing this provision will likely come in proving that a corporate officer’s inaccurate certification was done at least â€Å"knowingly,† as opposed to negligently or even recklessly. However, in short this law made many disclosures and certifications on the part of the firm mandatory. It also made the commitment of the external auditor binding. This is significant in view of the fact that when WorldCom fraud came to light, Arthur Anderson simply issued a statement saying the last two year’s accounting statement are no longer reliable without owning much responsibility. What is noteworthy is the fact that US authority introduced the risk management step in the form of Sarbanes Oxley legislation, making the BOD, the company management and the external auditor responsible and bound by law. In addition, if a public company makes a required accounting restatement due to misconduct, that company’s CEO and CFO can be forced to forfeit any bonuses or profits gained from selling company stock for a one-year period. But the lack of definitions for the terms required and misconduct, other potential loopholes, and the SEC’s power to grant exemptions could combine to dilute the strength of this provision. The new law makes it somewhat easier for the government to prohibit officers and directors who have committed securities law violations from ever again serving in those positions. However, that potential sanction was at least theoretically available even before passage of Sarbanes-Oxley. Conclusion A leader is a person that directs a company and its management and if he adopts wrong practices to achieve personal goals, the management may get distract and go in the unethical direction. Management of WorldCom was not  evaluating the efforts of its executives, CFO and auditors that is a conduct as every business demands continuous evaluation. Another major contributing factor in the direction of companys failure was its organization structure that was not managed and apportioned appropriately by its top management. The organization structure of the World Com was also not appropriate. In WorldCom, there was the lack span of control, means the audit department was not report to the companys upper level management and not provides the right information about the accounts status of the company (Mcshane, Von Glinow Sharma, 2006). There was also lack of transparency in the organization. That means in the organization two different levels of management did not know about the wrongdoings which they were doing in the organization and there was not flow of information with each other. In any business, the organizational behavior of the company starts from top management. If the top management has high moral, ethical and leadership traits and standards, then so will the employees. The leaders of WorldCom, in this case did not and it not only affected the company but other telecommunications equipment manufacturers, and other employees. Top management must set the standards and keep them. Changing basic accounting procedures and the lack of ethical standards with top management contributed to the fall of WorldCom. References Griffin.R.W Moorhead.G. (2009). Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations (9th ed.). Cengage Learning. McKenna, E. F. (2000). Business Psychology and Organizational Behavior: A Students Handbook (3rd Ed.). Psychology Press. McShane.S.L, Von Glinow.M.A. Sharma.R.R. (2006). Organizational Behavior (3rd ed.). Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited. Monks.R.G Minow.N. (2008). Corporate governance (4th ed.). John Wiley and Sons. Salter, M.S. (2008). Innovation Corrupted: The Origins and Legacy of Enrons Collapse. Harvard University Press. The WorldCom Accounting Scandal, (2002). Retrieved September 7, 2013. From http://www.icmrindia.org/casestudies/catalogue/Finance/The%20WorldCom%20Ac counting%20Scandal.htm WorldCom scandal: Lessons for corporate America, (n.d.). Retrieved September 5, 2013. From WSJ.com: http://online.wsj.com WorldCom Scandal. (n.d.). Retrieved September 6, 2013. From http://voices.yahoo.com